Moshe joins Heard on the Street-episode 2

[00:00:00]Diamonds are God's wonders.

[00:00:01]>> Wearing an imitation, you will never get that same feeling.

[00:00:04]>> But it's not an imitation, bro.

[00:00:05]>> The rough diamonds look different.

[00:00:06]>> You can still tell a difference with a with a sensor. Correct.

[00:00:09]>> No. If you put a diamond tester, they're both going to pass.

[00:00:11]>> No way. No.

[00:00:12]>> Yeah. My lives do.

[00:00:13]>> No.

[00:00:18]>> Welcome back to Herd on the Street, your source for what's really happening in the diamond and jewelry industry. My name is Heather Chambers. I'll be your host today. And this is brought to you by Rapaort and Shopl. Let's meet our panelists. First up, we have Ari Jane, the CEO of the House of Diamonds, representing over eight generations in the diamond industry. Next up, we have Carrie Levine, the godmother of diamonds herself, social media sensation, and co-owner of Donte NYC. Then to my left here, we have Sennel Lacani. He's the president of Kieran Gems USA, the world's largest natural diamond manufacturer. And next to me on the other side, Jeff Angel. He's a buyer with RDI Diamonds, the largest diamond wholesaler in the United States. And last up, joining us is Moshe Kimoff from the Watch King. He is a Diamond District insider known for his bold takes on the luxury market. Welcome in.

[00:01:15]>> Thank you for having me.

[00:01:17]This segment has been brought to you by IGI, strengthening global trust in Genstone certification.

[00:01:23]All right, let's dive into topic one, division in the industry. Now, historically, we've had people like Debeers doing enormous marketing campaigns that brings everyone together.

[00:01:34]We've also had the Kimberly process, which did a great job of healing a problem in the industry and helping us move forward together. Are you feeling that kind of synergy now? Do we have divisions in the industry? Could we be doing more to work together and and push natural diamonds? What do we think guys?

[00:01:50]>> Every company, every brand, they are just working on marketing themselves rather than the natural diamond as a whole story. That's where we are not unified. Any brands you take, they are working towards branding their own brand.

[00:02:05]>> Yeah.

[00:02:05]>> But natural diamond is somewhere lost in the middle.

[00:02:08]>> I think that times have changed a lot.

[00:02:10]So before basically our product would market itself. I mean it's the most amazing product in the entire world. So we thought it should speak for ourselves. But now I think every company has a responsibility to market themselves and to market the broad category of natural diamonds.

[00:02:30]>> Um because natural diamonds are what's create what's created the entire business. Every single product stems from that from a comparison to natural diamonds. So it's our responsibility to first promote natural diamonds. remind people that they're the rarest product and rarest miracle of nature ever to be found and then to promote your company and then to promote the next sale. Long term that will help the industry way more than the next sale cuz the next sale will keep happening. But if one consumer even sees how beautiful the process, the journey of a natural diamond is, they will be pushed on to buy this magical product and pass it down for generations. It's all about the feeling. That feeling, that epic feeling you get when you're wearing something real and natural versus if you're wearing an imitation, you will never get that same feeling. Your loved ones won't feel the same either when they wear it.

[00:03:23]>> But it's not an imitation, bro.

[00:03:25]>> Well, wait. Okay. Wait. You're right.

[00:03:26]It's not. It's made. Wait. You can still tell a difference between a natural.

[00:03:30]>> The rough diamonds.

[00:03:31]>> If you can still tell a difference with a with a sensor, correct?

[00:03:33]>> No. If you put a diamond tester, they're both going to pass.

[00:03:36]>> No way. No.

[00:03:37]>> Yeah. My labs do.

[00:03:38]>> No.

[00:03:38]>> Yeah. Being a test right now. These are lab. I'm being tested.

[00:03:42]test them. They can test them.

[00:03:43]>> They have a machine, >> right? So has that machine in her office? Every one of us.

[00:03:46]>> I have one same machine.

[00:03:47]>> I don't have it downstairs. She has a lot of test.

[00:03:50]>> If you take HBHD diamonds, we will not pass. I'm just saying it's not exactly the same, right?

[00:03:56]>> Of course not. Not every not every diamond.

[00:03:58]>> So that's why when they first started, they said it was the same as a diamond.

[00:04:01]>> The lab grown diamonds are not coming from nature. They're completely from electricity. So in my opinion, it's completely different. And rough diamonds in lab grown, they look completely different than natural rough diamond.

[00:04:14]>> So that's why it's become a trend for natural diamond connoisseurs to wear straight up rough diamonds. They look it's natural.

[00:04:22]>> Well, it's definitely important to keep lab grown and natural separated uh just to avoid confusion. But that question right there, the division, it's like asking me to figure out how to solve world peace.

[00:04:35]The truth is, um, lab grown diamonds aren't going anywhere and natural diamonds aren't going anywhere. And I think it's okay as an industry to be able to offer the buyer the options. I'm Mike Necta and my business is Leon Diamond in the New York City Diamond District.

[00:04:52]>> Let's move on to our next topic. We're going to be talking about Debe's Desert Diamonds.

[00:04:56]>> This topic has been brought to you by Brightite Co, your modern jewelry insurance provider. So on the subject of desert diamonds, now a lot of you will already know that they were brought to the market by Debeers in October of 2025. The US launch show focused on off-white champagne and amber diamonds which were worn by celebrities including Taylor Swift, Tiana Taylor, Bad Bunny, Doaat. They've all been seen wearing these beautiful diamonds. Interestingly, the diamonds that they featured in this collection are not typically or haven't been diamonds that consumers have been reaching for. It's been a massive marketing push, but at the same time, they're not something that we've seen in lab grown diamonds. So, this is a really new thing for the industry. Can we start with Kerry? How have you seen consumer demand for these? Have have people come into your store asking for them?

[00:05:46]>> Yeah, ever since Taylor Swift got engaged, it's been a big thing. And there are other uh big media people like Stephanie Gotautle that that promotes all this. And some of the um the big influences on on social media are doing a big campaign with this. Now, I discovered a company um in Israel that I love to deal with called FEMA diamonds.

[00:06:06]They're amazing. They have an amazing collection of the of of these quality diamonds. So, they weren't sold, you're right, in LMN color diamond wasn't even looked at back in the day. Today they're creating beautiful cuts and making a whole line and bringing a whole new industry of these diamonds back. And if you can take a brown diamond and make it beautiful like the one I have here, here I have a GIA certified 439 beautiful fancy brown VVS2 diamond. Now in the rough it may have not looked great, but in the finish it's an antique cut stone. It's cut like an antique diamond. There are a lot of women that like this and and people follow trends.

[00:06:48]People want to have what the stars are wearing, what the stars have. Everybody wants to be like somebody. So, I think that the campaign of the desert diamonds, it's bringing life back to a diamond that was never looked at.

[00:07:00]>> So, the that was a great point and that's a stunning diamond. Absolutely beautiful.

[00:07:06]>> Almost no one probably has this. It's so rare. So the whole point of the desert desert diamonds campaign was that people have been chasing perfection way too much.

[00:07:17]>> Debeers wanted to show that there's perfection and imperfection.

[00:07:22]>> So Debeers reports that this campaign drove 2.7 million store visits. So my question for the panel is what have you seen in terms of increased sales according to this campaign? Have you seen more people coming in to buy jewelry? Has the demographic changed?

[00:07:38]Yeah, of course we are selling the number of stones we are selling is higher than ever. It's just the price keeps going down which is now stable which we would all agree on and of course that we see that the numbers are aligning with the number of stones we are selling.

[00:07:54]>> So pure number-wise our sales have doubled since 2025 and especially in 3 karat plus lower color diamonds. Before we were selling more 3 karat H+. Now all of a sudden I'm like what's going on?

[00:08:07]We're selling more 3 karat eye and blue.

[00:08:10]People only want that only want that look. They want to show it's real.

[00:08:15]>> 100%. Same color.

[00:08:16]>> They buy natural is only lower.

[00:08:19]>> Bigger but >> lower cut like desert like >> like I I was going to tell you I like So I have an eight character here, right?

[00:08:27]>> Oh, I love the way you guys just whip gemstones out your pockets.

[00:08:30]>> We don't do that ever by the But I never have anything on, trust me. But I'm saying 5 years ago, this would have been hard to sell. It's an 8 karat KSI2 and it still looks super white.

[00:08:41]>> Yeah, it's pretty.

[00:08:42]>> It's a nice stone.

[00:08:43]>> Pretty.

[00:08:44]>> I think emerald cut's the hottest stone right now. The elongated cushion and the emerald cut is on fire. The oval is right up there with it. Those are the three hottest >> old minor is great cuts right now is great.

[00:08:55]>> An old miner is very hard to a true old mine is very hard to procure. Some people are cutting it modern, but a true real old mine is hard to cut. You know, some people are cutting it, but they're cutting it badly.

[00:09:06]>> You know what they're doing.

[00:09:07]>> They're trying to say >> like pretend cutting.

[00:09:09]>> Yeah. That So, even when you see an old mine on the GIRert, you need to see, hey, is it a real old mine? Go to an expert and check.

[00:09:16]>> You know what? If it's a real old mine, it'll have abrasions. It'll have little chips. It'll have a little bit of wear and tear cuz it's an old stone.

[00:09:22]>> I love brown diamond myself. I have a few stuff personal that is brown diamond. Especially when there's a extra overtone to it. It's mixed with yellowish brown uh yellowish reddish uh you know greenish.

[00:09:39]I I really like brown diamond in general.

[00:09:42]>> So it can make a diamond more unique perhaps.

[00:09:44]>> Yes.

[00:09:45]>> Yeah, >> definitely.

[00:09:48]As we were talking the mix of all shades of brown, green, yellow that the nature has made. It's gorgeous.

[00:09:58]>> This is all the choice of nature.

[00:10:01]>> Yes. My name is Benny Aud Benny the dealer NYC. My company name is Masalito.

[00:10:13]>> It's like there's crystal on the table but we don't hear a sound.

[00:10:23]Dripping in the diamonds, touching velvet walls. Yeah, we're so dressed down between us.

[00:10:38]>> Okay, our next topic today is going to be gemstones. This topic has been brought to you by JBT, the jewelers board of trade, protecting your assets for 142 years.

[00:10:50]Okay, colored gemstones are having a cultural moment. Sapphires, rubies, and emeralds are showing up in engagement rings in numbers that they haven't done since Princess Diana first started to trend back in the 1980s. We're also seeing a pivot towards gemstones, colored stones being true investor pieces. How do we feel about that, guys?

[00:11:09]>> Yes. Uh, a lot of people and consumers and investors have moved into color gemstones firstly because they're real.

[00:11:16]So, we know the consumer desires a real product. Um, and these can show individuality. You can show color. It looks great on social media. Stunning red rubies, blue sapphires. It's something different. And the new consumer, they want something different.

[00:11:32]That's what they want the most. They want to look trendy, different, not classic. So, it's like complete reversal of like 20 years ago. That being said, if you talk about resale value, diamonds are way better for resale value. Um, diamonds are way more liquid, way more standardized. It's much harder, much much harder to buy color stones correctly than it is to buy diamonds correctly since there's so much diamond education out there, so much diamond standardization out there. Um, so it is great that they're having a moment, but if you want to invest large amounts of money in something, I would suggest stick with natural diamonds because it's much easier to buy natural diamonds correctly. Some dealers I know have moved into color gemstones uh since there's a natural diamond uh struggle right now, >> but they don't know how to buy it correctly. They even dealers are losing money because it's hard to know what the real price is. There's so much negotiation in it. Someone can ask a,000 for it and then end up selling it to you for like $500 a car. So, it's it's not an easy market, especially for consumers. So, definitely get a great expert on there. You also have to deal you're dealing with something that if it's heat treated or non-heat treated.

[00:12:46]So natural versus heat just same thing like enhancement most and I don't care who they are. Tiffany's and everybody everybody's selling heat treated. No matter who who you are, they're selling heat. Far and few between do sell the natural unheated uh rubies, unoiled emeralds and and sapphires. But the color, it's all about the color of the stone. So you need the heat to bring most of the color out there. Um, we're seeing a tremendous uptake in um in colored stuff. We're doing a tremendous amount of of sapphires and emeralds.

[00:13:19]That's one that's a big deal for us right now. I'm making three stone rings as jewelry. Sapphires and emeralds are on are on fire for us right now. I think uh those are the precious stones. I think in the semi-precious, the paribas, the termines, those are on fire. The savverites very expensive, hard to get.

[00:13:38]Uh the paria turmalines I've seen some that are just astronomically unaffordable but breathtaking.

[00:13:44]>> Yes, >> there is there there there's a big spike in I think a lot of the color jewelry.

[00:13:49]People like color. It's like it's fun.

[00:13:51]It's whimsical.

[00:13:52]>> Well, it's always been around, right?

[00:13:54]Like like but you as you were saying the value there is you got to be cautious.

[00:13:58]I've been doing this for 30 years and I remember my first month sitting I would sit on the table like you know we would look at one guy would say it's worth 10,000 say worth 2,000 and these guys were professionals >> so like as you said just if you're going to get into it as an investment guys are doing it know what they're doing I wouldn't be a rush to it >> I love the trend of alternating diamond and sapphire diamond and ruby bracelets that I think is something really unique and I think the industry has really took to like alternating diamond >> I'm making a lot of men's jewelry Yeah, >> men are wearing Men are wearing more jewelry since than anywhere anytime else.

[00:14:34]>> Men discovered jewelry. They discovered watches. I I'm doing um sapphire and and and emerald tennis bracelets for gentlemen. They're wearing that. They want they want trends. They want to match their watches and so on and so forth.

[00:14:48]>> Missy, >> the best example was this Kevin's roast.

[00:14:53]>> You saw everyone was wearing those beautiful sapphire necklace. Yeah.

[00:14:58]>> By the way, in the watch in the watch in our watch industry, the sapphire bezels are worth more >> the genet bezels are worth more than natural diamond bezel.

[00:15:06]>> So if you have a Daytona that has like >> they have a rainbow Daytona, it's 500 grand. But if you go one that it's only a rainbow bezel, >> but if it's a regular they have a regular diamond bezel, >> it's not easy.

[00:15:19]>> Look at Jacob and company what he's created. Jacob and Company, >> same thing with PC AP. everything that has a gem set what he's marketed with the color stones in watches.

[00:15:30]>> I think there's a big uptake in color and I think people love color. I think there's a place for it going crazy.

[00:15:36]>> Everybody can express yourself too cuz people have different colors they like >> ruby million bucks and it's about consumers you know when they want some colors on their pieces they're going to pay any price. If you're going to a wedding, you want to match an outfit.

[00:15:46]You're wearing a blue dress, you want to match sapphires, you know, you're wearing fancy yellow diamonds. If you're wearing gold or white or whatever, it's a fashion. I think color goes with fashion. It's a statement.

[00:15:58]>> A beautiful classic princess dye ring, sapphire with little diamonds around it.

[00:16:03]I think colored stone has a hidden value inside them >> which the average consumer does not know.

[00:16:10]>> That's the big secret.

[00:16:10]>> There's so many variables. So you've got color, you've got intensity, you've got clarity, all the inclusions you may or may not have that may be expected and may not be expected in the stone.

[00:16:20]>> And then also from where it comes from, >> right? Cashmere sapphire origin, >> Burma rubies.

[00:16:27]>> And the next thing I want to ask you about is gemstones as an investment. I'm seeing a shift towards things like singon sapphires things like tomlene as being investment pieces. Are you seeing that? Do you feel that?

[00:16:40]>> Okay. First of all, I don't uh recommend gemstones as an investment. Colored stones, unless you have an end purchaser or you're going to hold on to them for a very long time. I don't recommend them as an investment. They will fine quality colored stones will appreciate over time, but it's going to uh take time.

[00:17:03]And you also have to have the person, which is a very selective market, who's going to purchase the stones from you at the end. So, it's not the wisest investment tool unless you have the ability to sell to someone at the at the end of your investment. They do appreciate tremendously, but it's a much more fickle market in terms of who's going to purchase those colored stones from you. My name is Heather Sandor and my business is ANC Gem Trading Corp.

[00:17:37]which is a female founded colored stone business specializing in both semi-precious and precious colored stones. Okay, this is the rapid fire round.

[00:17:50]This topic has been brought to you by Sinister. Discover exceptional natural diamonds meticulously sourced for timeless elegance.

[00:17:58]>> Let's get cracking with Ari. So the question today is can the industry influence the influencers?

[00:18:05]>> So to be honest the industry has not tried to influence the influencers but Taylor Swift created a huge moment for our industry and she loves jewelry. Like she's wearing natural diamonds. There was a song recently that was only featuring diamonds in her video. So she has created a lot of craze and desire for natural diamonds and we we really thank her for that. But the industry needs to do a better job to actually tell the story of natural diamonds to influencers so they can get the word out. Taylor Swift was just happen to be a fan of natural diamonds ourselves, but we need to talk to influencers, tell them about our product, educate them, show them the magic, and yes, you said they're very expensive, but it's worth the marketing.

[00:18:51]>> Okay. So, the celebrities out there are definitely a way to reach us. I think that as manufacturers, as you guys as manufacturers, you should jump on board with us >> and and and and some of the social media influences jump in and and work with us and help us grow your products and grow our products to the end client. I think that uh that's a that's a big way to to work. Besides the celebrities, I think that the industry should get on board with the new way of life and jump into social media.

[00:19:25]>> So, we do do that. For example, there's some uh I don't know what the benchmark is for influencers, but there's some people with like 300K, 400K followers on Instagram. Any special diamond that comes our way, we're like just post it on your story. And it's been such an effective way to get attention for it.

[00:19:43]I've had people I have every diamond big house coming down to me now. Carrie, can you take this? Could you show this? Can you do this? Could you do this? Last week I took a necklace and a pair of earrings. In one video, the next morning I sold I made an $800,000 sale. The next morning from that necklace, I sold an eternity oval necklace with all deaf color diamonds and a pair of seven karat each um oval studs. A a young woman sent her mother to me. Um very wealthy woman from California. She said, "I must see the necklace." My daughter said, "Bah."

[00:20:17]I thought this was I thought it wasn't real. I was like, "The money's not going to be in my account."

[00:20:23]>> 45 minutes later, I had a wire transfer, the $780,000 in my account. I almost passed out to the fact that I said, "That's going to sit there for two days before I even release anything because I'm afraid they're going to pull the money out of the account." I was like bugged out. I don't sell I don't send anything unless that wire sits for for a long time in the account. But it's I think that everybody's coming down to me, right? I don't know if you're getting it, but I'm having the Julius Kleins, the Grand Views, the you know, the big houses come to me soon and you're coming down to me. You're coming down. Looks like it.

[00:20:56]>> It's unbelievable. I go like this, they buy it. I go like this, they buy it because they like that I speak the truth. They like that I don't I tell it like it is. Um what I think is you know as an industry to reach out to all the influencers we need to tell the story which all the watch makers in the Europe tells their customers. Everyone goes down to heritage the craftsmanship the history of watch making and still compete with each other without you know spoiling the story of how the watches are made why the watches are made and why they are so special. So this is what as an industry we can go towards the influencing part and you know they can serve it down to their customers that feels that heritage. Uh, and then Moshe, same question.

[00:21:44]>> Education is key. That's all I'd say.

[00:21:46]Educate, show them, tell them, tell them how it is, >> right or wrong, left or right. And then that's how you can influence them. Give them something.

[00:21:54]>> Sometimes you can, sometimes you could also give them something to compare.

[00:21:59]Just educate and let them make the decision. I think like if the beers was hands-on with the last with the desert if if we can get something like that again with maybe other stones or other colors we're trying to accomplish >> maybe more towards category more towards generic instead of category marquee >> I mean they have like remember Selena Gomez with the diamond marquee she there's a song lyric where she just mentioned marquee >> I'm a marquee diamond >> it went from it's now the hottest shape you can't find it in the market so they have they have a really big influence on the entire culture. Celebrities are treated like gods in culture these days, so it's a very wise thing to influence them. Like the mares went through the roof, dude. Have you seen >> I know three years ago I couldn't sell a marquee. Today I can't find one.

[00:22:44]>> Victoria Beck's engagement like five >> bucks. It's crazy.

[00:22:47]>> Okay, guys. Uh we're going to close this segment here. This was brought to you by Sinstar. Discover exceptional natural diamonds meticulously sourced for tireless elegance.

[00:22:57]Thank you for watching Heard on the Street with Shop LC and Rapper. I've been Heather Chambers. I just want to say thank you to our amazing panel. Do check them out on social media and make sure you comment. You must have views on this. Put it in the comments below.

[00:23:10]Like, subscribe, and we'll see you next time.

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