Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. on Tuesday launched a new line of jewelry that will allow consumers to see where their jewelry was mined and manufactured online.

Retail industry sales for June (which exclude automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants) rose 1.3 percent unadjusted over last year and increased 0.2 percent seasonally adjusted month-to-month, according to the National Retail Federation. This is despite the fact that millions of tax rebate checks hit mailboxes in June.

Prime Art & Jewel (PAJ, Inc.) was awarded a Materials License for Exempt Distribution of irradiated gemstones—particularly blue topaz.

Everyone from a 20-year-old construction worker to a 70-year-old socialite will feel at home shopping at Ross-Simons' newly redesigned store.

New York—Gem Certification and Assurance Lab (GCAL) is launching three new services to spark sales opportunities for members.

Antwerp, Belgium—The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) has been admitted as a member of the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) consultative forum, the WFDB announced this week.

New York—Gem Certification and Assurance Lab (GCAL) is launching three new services to spark sales opportunities for members.

New York—Avi Soffer, chairman of The Watch Dealers Network (TheWDN.com), will lead a seminar at the upcoming JA New York Summer Show that will help provide retailers with the tools and knowledge they need to close potential watch sales.

Bentonville, Ark.—Retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has launched Love, Jewelry, a fine-jewelry collection composed of 100 percent traceable gold and silver that's been mined and manufactured according to top industry standards, the company announced today.

Washington, D.C.—Although millions of tax rebate checks hit mailboxes in June, consumer spending remained soft last month, with retail sales (excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants) increasing just 0.2 percent seasonally adjusted from May and 1.3 percent unadjusted over last year, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).