Rough diamonds and Art Nouveau jewelry beat out bling

Ammonite and rose diamond earrings from Lotus Arts de Vivre, in Bangkok, left, and the "Heart Nouveau" diamond necklace, far right, from De Beers LV, a partnership between the diamond miner De Beers and the French luxury-goods retailer LVMH.

When Bergdorf Goodman's holiday gift catalog returned from the printer last month, it was already out of date. The 89-carat diamond cocktail ring on page 32 had gone to a buyer in Beverly Hills, California, for $100,000. Costly by any reckoning, the diamond was memorable both for its size and for its utter rawness: it had been neither cut nor polished.

"It was a slate-gray, black and silvery stone," said Anjanette Clisura, president of the New York-based company Diamond in the Rough. "We didn't touch it, except to wash the dirt off."

Clisura's company sells a line of uncut diamonds colored naturally in tones of cognac, blue, pink, yellow, white and green, wrapped in delicate threads of diamond pavé and set in 18-carat white gold.

Since introducing the collection to customers in Las Vegas in June, during the jewelry industry's biggest buying week, the response from retailers in New York, Shanghai and Sardinia has been overwhelming, Clisura said.

Observers might be puzzled by the runaway success of a high-priced line of glorified rocks. Among luxury consumers, however, there is no denying the growing appeal of jewels that shun sparkle in favor of an earthier, more organic sensibility.

"It's not about superficiality anymore," said Lorna Watson, creative director of Stellar London, a jewelry branding consultancy.

"At the moment, there's a move towards softer, more reassuring, tactile products and jewelry based on heritage, meticulous craftsmanship; something with symbolism behind it. Let's face it: We all love diamonds. That's not going to change. But the emphasis on how they're worn will."
Source: iht

De Beers to open jewelry store in Moscow's GUM in Nov

South Africa's De Beers, the world's largest diamond producer, plans to open a jewelry store in Russian shopping mall GUM in early November, the company said in a January-June report, Russian business daily Vedomosti reported Wednesday.

Teimuraz Guguberidze, the managing director of GUM, which is located in Moscow, confirmed the information that De Beers planned to open a store with an area of about 40 square meters in November.

The store will be managed by De Beers’ Russian partner, he said without naming the partner.

No other details were provided.

In 2001, De Beers set up a joint venture for retail sales, De Beers Diamond Jewelers, with Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy. The company opened its first store in London in 2002.

In 2007, De Beers Diamond Jewelers plans to open 15 stores worldwide.
Source: prime-tass

Bride's sister says hotel jewelry theft was devastating

The theft of expensive wedding jewelry at a Boston hotel over the weekend has devastated the bride, whose sister said yesterday that two maids accused in the robbery should be punished harshly.

According to the bride's sister and a Boston police report, more than 100 guests attended a wedding reception at the Fairmont Copley Plaza, bringing costly gifts of gold, diamond, and pearl jewelry. Authorities said that the maids made off with the presents during a brunch Sunday morning.

"We are very upset," said the sister, who asked that her name not be published for privacy reasons. "It ruined my sister's wedding."

Police said 11 pieces of jewelry worth "upwards of $100,000" were stolen and later recovered, but that other items are still missing.

The family told hotel security officials and Boston police that the jewelry was worth $1 million. Relatives and police yesterday said they are trying to determine the precise value of a pearl necklace, a silver watch, a pair of silver earrings, a gold bracelet, four silver chains, and one silver bracelet.

Still wearing their black hotel uniforms, the two housekeepers -- Ailina Fernandes, 27, and Ramatu Deen, 30, -- were arraigned yesterday in Boston Municipal Court on charges of larceny over $250. Both pleaded not guilty, and bail was set at $1,000 cash by Judge Robert J. McKenna Jr., who ordered the women to return to court Oct. 5.

Fernandes's husband posted the $1,000 cash bail and told reporters that his wife, who is the mother of a 2-year old, is blameless.

"She didn't know anything was stolen," he said. "She wasn't part of anything that was stolen."

In court, Deen's lawyer, Joshua R. Hanye suggested his client was not the mastermind. He said Deen cooperated with police when they started questioning her and that she was responsible for helping authorities recover the stolen jewels. Police did not disclose where the jewelry had been hidden.

Hanye said that Deen is the mother of a infant boy and that she is nursing the child and needs to be with him. She had not posted bail by last night, officials said.

The jewelry was in Room 647, where the bride's sister was staying. As she prepared to check out, she said, she asked the hotel staff not to let anyone in the room while she attended the brunch. When she returned around 12:30 p.m., she discovered the jewelry had been stolen.

"They are not supposed to do that," the victim's sister said of the two suspects. "They did something wrong, and they have to get punished for it."

In a statement, hotel management described the robbery as an unfortunate situation that "casts a shadow" on all staff members at the hotel. They said the two maids have been suspended without pay.

"The comfort and safety of our guests is our primary concern," the statement said. "The Fairmont Copley Plaza has a long-tenured and dedicated service staff and, fortunately, situations like this are unusual at the hotel."

According to department records, police have been asked to investigate 24 larcenies committed inside the elegant St. James Avenue hotel since August 2005. A hotel spokeswoman said some of those investigations could have been guests reporting they had been victimized outside the hotel.
Source: boston

SA Gems program raises $100,000 for Africa

SA Gems and 38 jewelers have raised $100,000 for community-based projects in Africa through the Private Collection of South African Diamonds' "Love. Give. Change." program.

Chicago—The Private Collection of South African Diamonds' "Love. Give. Change." program—sponsored by 38 jewelers and managing partner SA Gems—has raised $100,000 for six community projects in Africa since it launched last November.

Participating jewelers have committed to donating a portion of their diamond-jewelry sales through GlobalGiving, a Washington, D.C.-based organization.

"This is the only program of its type in the diamond industry," SA Gems Managing Partner Chris LaTrobe said in a media release. "Thanks to GlobalGiving, donors and other interested parties are able to connect directly to projects in the developing world, making it easy to monitor the impact of their donations. Because of the locations, donations typically have a significant impact in these communities."

For example, he said $15 provides school lunches for 50 children per day, and $100 provides one Kenyan family with their energy needs for a year.

"Two projects, one an HIV-AIDS counseling program and the other a new, environmentally friendly sanitation system providing ablution facilities for over 300 people per day, have been fully funded. Both of these projects are located in South Africa," LaTrobe said.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

IDL Unveils Diamond Color Certificate

International Diamond Laboratories unveiled two technologies at the India International Jewellery Show in Mumbai Thursday. The Dubai-based diamondlab unveiled a diamond color certificate and the IDL color meter.

The IDL Color Certificate confirms that the diamond has a natural origin and that it has not been treated. It also provides the carat weight and exact color grade, the two Cs that are most important in determining price, said Peter Meeus, IDL chief executive officer.

"The IDL Color Certificate offers an accurate and low cost color analysis in the B2B trade. Dealers can obtain certainty on color before closing a deal," Meeus said.

The product also can provide added value for smaller stones, where the cost of a full 4C certificate would be financially invalid when taking into account the total value of the stone, Meeus added. The price is below $10 for the smallest stones (22 points and below).

The IDL Color Meter allows accurate, consistent and automated color grading, said An Smet, IDL chief Operations & Technology Officer.

"The IDL Color Meter is the result of a merge combining the knowledge and experience of leading diamond researchers and outside engineers," Smet said. "It is a new and unique technology that truly brings Diamond Grading from Art to Science."
Source: jckonline

Gunman strikes jewelry store: Hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise taken in daylight robbery

Pointing a black handgun in the face of an elderly female employee and demanding another worker get on the floor, a masked bandit made off with what could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars in jewelry from a Kingsbury Grade shop on Tuesday, authorities said.

"He wasn't aggressive, he was more demanding," said one of the two women working at J.P. Chadom Jewelers at the time of the 11:30 a.m. robbery, while dabbing tears from her cheeks.

After robbing the store, the gunman, described as a clean-shaven white male in his mid-20s, fled on foot with three cases containing more than 20 pieces of jewelry each, according to shop owner Joey Chacon.

The robber also took five small boxes containing individual pieces, including one ring with an Australian red pinfire opal, which retails for more than $18,000, Chacon said.

Although unsure of the exact value of the stolen merchandise, Chacon's initial estimates would put the value of the jewelry at more than $200,000.

Exiting the store with the jewelry, the man fled toward the rear of the Kingsbury Station building that houses the shop, running through a breezeway before disappearing, according to an eyewitness who wished to remain anonymous.

The man was last seen at the corner of Deer Run Court and Market Street in Stateline, according to a press release from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

Oliver's Jewelry in Round Hill was burglarized twice this month -- on Aug. 14 and Aug. 17 -- but neither of those thefts were as brazen as the Chadom's robbery.

This was the first time the store has been robbed in 21 years of business, according to Chacon.

"I've never had anything like this. It's very unusual," the long-time South Lake Tahoe resident said outside his second-floor shop on Tuesday. "You don't expect that to happen here in the middle of the day."

By noon on Tuesday, K9 officers from Douglas County Sheriff's Office were tracking the gunman and investigators were examining surveillance video taken at the scene.

A surveillance system was part of approximately $35,000 in recent remodels to the shop, according to a December 2006 article in the Tribune.

The robber was described as slender, between 5 feet 8 inches and 6 feet tall, with short brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black, long-sleeved jacket, black or dark blue baggy shorts, and tan or brown shoes, according to a press statement from Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
Source: nevadaappeal

House of Taylor Jewelry to Offer Kathy Ireland Branded Jewelry Collections to More Than 11.5 Million Consumers Through U.S. Military Exchanges

House of Taylor Jewelry, Inc. today announced that select diamond, bridal and fashion jewelry collections from the Kathy Ireland Jewelry brand will be available in the U.S. military's Exchange Catalog beginning September 28, 2007 and online through the military exchanges' websites. The military exchanges, which include the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, Marine Corps Exchange System, Navy Exchange Service and Coast Guard Exchange System, report a global reach of more than 11.5 million authorized military shoppers in more than 35 countries.

"We are proud to offer Kathy's beautiful designs and quality fine jewelry through this exciting marketing channel," said Ryan Yeager, Vice President of Sales and Merchandising for Kathy Ireland Jewelry Exclusively for House of Taylor Jewelry. "Our team is thrilled to reach this important audience as they celebrate weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and special occasions. The ability to offer the men and women serving in our armed forces Kathy's distinct jewelry lines is in keeping with Kathy's missions of "...finding solutions for families, especially busy moms"(TM) and "...finding solutions for people in love. "

"We are pleased to open this new sales channel which significantly expands our reach to the consumer market," said Jack Abramov, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are very excited about the prospects of this new partnership, particularly as the military exchanges ramp up their diamond offerings for the bridal market.

"As we execute our business plan, we believe the millions of possible brand impressions created by this relationship will increase sales and global demand for House of Taylor Jewelry brands across multiple channels," Abramov said.
Source: cnn

Louisiana jeweler benefits Katrina victims

Today marks the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's devastating tour through New Orleans, and the city is still in a state of recovery.

Retailer Anne Dale of Anne-Dale Jeweller, based in Mandeville, La., just across Lake Pontchartrain from the city of New Orleans, is one local who has taken an active role in aiding hurricane victims.

To date, sales of jewelry from "The Anne Dale Collection," specially created to support those affected by Hurricane Katrina, total more than $170,000.

The collection includes badges, pendants, rings and earrings that read "I Know What It Means to Love New Orleans," "Pray for the Gulf Coast" and "Return to New Orleans."

A portion of net proceeds from the sales of the collection has been donated to Catholic Charities, Light House for the Blind, Friends of the Frontline and Volunteers of America, as well as a number of churches and schools in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Prices for pieces in the Anne Dale Collection range from $29.95 for a sterling silver badge to $399.95 for a 14-karat gold badge.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

World's largest diamond reportedly found in South Africa

A diamond said to be twice as big as the 530.24-carat Cullinan Diamond—formerly the world's largest—that could be worth up to $30 million has reportedly been discovered in northwest South Africa, but the tale of its discovery is still unclear.

The BBC reported that a small South African mining firm made the discovery. A shareholder in the unnamed mine told the news agency that the diamond was unearthed at their operation in the northwest province on Monday.

He said the stone was about 7,000 carats, twice the size of the Cullinan, which is the centerpiece of the British crown jewels.

According to published reports, the stone has been rushed to a bank vault in Johannesburg "until we calm down and decide what we are going to do," a spokesman for the mining company that discovered it reportedly said. A security company is being hired to protect the diamond.

But some industry experts are reportedly skeptical about the unconfirmed claim.

Brett Jolly, a shareholder at the mine, told the BBC he hoped tests today would prove its worth.

In a photograph e-mailed to the BBC, the stone appears to be about the size of a coconut and has a greenish tinge.

A spokesman for De Beers said the northwest province is not known for producing gems, and greenish stones are even rarer.

The firm also said that if the find is genuine, it would be the stone of the century.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Blue Nile Names Robin Easton CFO

Online jewelry retailer Blue Nile Inc. on Tuesday named Robin Easton chief financial officer, effective Sept. 10.

Easton is treasurer of Paccar Inc., a commercial trucks and parts maker. He was previously director of global treasury operations at Applied Materials Inc., a semiconductor company.

He will replace President Diane Irvine, who had been chief financial officer.

Blue Nile had named Scott Devitt, a managing director and senior analyst of Internet consumer services for financial services company Stifel Nicolaus & Co., as CFO in June, but the company said in July he had a "change of heart" and would not join the company.
Source: forbes

Jewelry Displayed in a Giant M&M

photo by cariberry

Jewelers go deep for business

It started as a simple dive shop in 1958, taking tourists and locals on scuba tours in the Pacific Ocean off Maui. But a year after opening for business, Maui Divers workers found what resembled a black bush in deep waters off the Molokai Channel.

Maui Divers began harvesting the black coral, gave up the scuba tours, and opened jewelry stores to sell the coral in rings, pendants and necklaces. The company is now the world's largest manufacturer of black coral jewelry and Hawaii's largest jewelry retailer. It has more than 60 stores and kiosks in nearly every tourist spot in the islands, from the Dole Plantation on Oahu to the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Visitor Center on the Big Island.

More than 150,000 people a year also visit the company's 12,000-square-foot design center in Honolulu, near Waikiki. Visitors can watch a video about the company's history, observe jewelers making the pieces and see the 3,000 designs on display in row after row of glass cases.

The company also has been successful with Pick-A-Pearl stands, where customers pay $13 to buy an unopened oyster and whatever pearl they find inside, and half of those customers then buy a pendant or other jewelry to mount the pearl, with the average buyer spending $150, Taylor said.

Despite overharvesting problems with black coral in the Mediterranean Sea and elsewhere, the coral found in Hawaii has been well-maintained, said Richard Grigg, University of Hawaii oceanographer and coral reef specialist. ''Black coral in Hawaii is a small pocket that just seems to work,'' he said.

The coral is a living organism that attaches itself to rocks in deep ocean water and grows like a plant. It isn't supposed to be harvested unless it's 4 feet high or about 19 years old, Grigg said.

Besides black coral, the company sells gold, red and pink coral, much of which also is found in Hawaiian waters. The company has partnered with the University of Hawaii to find the pink coral and gold coral by using a two-man submarine, Star II.

After divers harvest the coral hundreds of feet below the ocean, the company buys it in bundles, cuts, shapes and polishes different cuts, including round, oval and pear shapes, to sell at its stores in jewelry priced from $80 to $3,000.

There aren't many people left diving for the precious coral, as 25 divers in the past 40 years have died or become crippled from the dives, usually more than 200 feet down, Grigg said.

Maui Divers has also begun designing jewelry that uses less coral, adding diamonds, gold, pearls and other gems.

The company has grown from $33.9 million in sales in 2002 to $72.8 million in 2006, and has also opened shops in Guam, California and Las Vegas -- many located inside Hilo Hattie stores, which market a broad array of island goods.

''We really want to be a global leader in travel retail jewelry,'' said chief executive Bob Taylor.
Source: suntimes

Yuma jeweler sparkles in his craft

Using chisels, torches and molds of wax, Lorenzo Chavez transforms metals and jewels into symbols of love, precious gifts and the cherished heirlooms of tomorrow.

Most people may just see jewelry, but Chavez sees what those creations will mean to the person whose hand or neck is destined to receive his wearable art.

And although people pay good money for this Yuma jeweler's work, his favorite form of payment comes from customers' thrilled faces when they see the little black jewelry boxes flip open for the first time.

"Money is not as important as the gratitude of a customer," Chavez said, "that hug or smile or little scream of 'Oh my goodness!' That is beyond the feeling that money can give."

Chavez owns Lorenzo Jewelers, the longtime Yuma jewelry store that moved to a new location in old town Yuma earlier this month.

In a day when so many jewelry stores only sell the work of other artists, Chavez has always been a jeweler who prefers to sell creations from his own imagination. In fact, he estimates that at least 98 percent of the pretty things on his shelves were born right there in his shop.

Although he works with all kinds of materials, he especially loves 14 karat gold, white gold and platinum accented with everything from diamonds and opals to south sea pearls.

"It's kind of sad because I get so attached to them by the time they're done and I hate to let them go," Chavez said.

He estimated that he designs and fabricates about 10 rings in the $200 range each month. The more luxurious pieces, such as a $3,000 ring, number about three or four per month.

Chavez discovered jewelry making in his teens, but by that time he was already used to expressing himself in all sorts of ways.

"It's been since the beginning. At the age of 10, I was writing music, singing, painting and sketching. The abilities were always just there."

While attending Kofa High School, a cousin got Chavez a job engraving trophies at a jewelry store.

"That's where I could see this old jeweler working at his bench and I was just fascinated by how he used his tools, his mechanical abilities."

Eventually he was given the chance to polish a few pieces for the jeweler.

"From that point on, it just grew on me," Chavez said, adding that he quickly graduated to fixing jewelry, too. "The jeweler was amazed by my natural abilities. By the end of high school, I was already a jeweler."

Chavez went to a trade school in Phoenix and studied to become a technical illustrator. But he chose to stay with the prior calling, which he realized he could not abandon.

"I put myself through college working at jewelry stores designing and fabricating jewelry."

Chavez eventually attended a gem and jewelry institute in California. He also worked for some of the top stores in Southern California, including in San Diego, where San Diego magazine once hailed him as one of the city's top three jewelry designers.

He moved back to Yuma and opened his own store 12 years ago partly because he was tired of mass-producing pieces of jewelry for stores.

Chavez said he prefers designing custom pieces for customers, who find him locally through the shop and nationally through his Web site. He also makes jewelry for various national vendors.

"Once they start describing the item I'm already fabricating it in my mind," he said.

But Chavez never stopped with his other artistic pursuits. Several of his paintings cover a small wall in his shop. He's hosted several art shows over the years and he's studied with artists in Baja California, Mexico. Chavez also sculpts in metal, with a good example being the interesting canopy over his shop door.

Chavez also makes wood furniture and sings in a band called Latin Picante.

"I am also a fourth-degree black belt in karate," he said.

But making jewelry is still this man's primary passion, even if he does admit to dreaming about chucking it all for something very different. Chavez says he sometimes thinks about driving a truck, working at Circle K or going for a career in law enforcement.

But then his father points to Chavez's jeweler's bench and says in Spanish: "Zapatero, a tus zapatos," or "Shoemaker, to your shoes."

"He reminds me that I am a jeweler and jewelry is what I need to make," Chavez said. "There is a lot of satisfaction in what I do. So I guess I am exactly where I need to be."
Source: kvoa

Public to vote on Ketchikan jewelry stores

In October voters in Ketchikan will determine whether the location of future jewelry stores should be limited.

Borough Clerk Harriett Edwards certified a ballot petition yesterday (Friday) to put the issue on the Oct. 2 municipal ballot.

The initiative calls for prohibiting future jewelry stores from locating within 200 feet of each other.

The rule would not apply to existing jewelry stores that do not close for more than eight consecutive months.

The initiative defines a jewelry store as a business that has jewelry in more than 40% of its display area.

Petition sponsors say the downtown area is congested with jewelry stores and there needs to be more merchant diversity.
Source: ktuu

Atlanta Jewelry Show attracts Southeast buyers

Organizers of this year's August 2007 Atlanta Jewelry Show have posted brisk order-writing, popular feedback on the enhanced buyer-rewards program and a 5 percent increase in attendance over last year.

Held from Aug. 11-13 at the Cobb Galleria Centre, the show attracted a record number of retailers from outside of its traditional Southeastern market, organizers said in a media release.

Attendance by Texan retailers increased 25 percent, while retailers from Indiana, Ohio and Louisiana were also out in strong showing. In addition, organizers said they recorded a significant jump in attendance from Mississippi retailers.

"These numbers are proof positive that a regional jewelry show is still an important factor in the business plans of today's independent retailers," Carol Young, executive director of the Southern Jewelry Travelers Association (SJTA), producer of the show, said in a statement. "They know that they can find the top lines, new designs, educational programming and networking events offered at national shows and can afford to bring the store associates as well."

Among the show highlights was the recently revamped SJTA Rewards Buyer Loyalty program, which allowed retailers to earn points quicker than in the past and redeem them for a wider range of rewards, the MJSA of America Jewelry Academy and an opportunity to view the Gemological Institute of America Museum's rare collection of Brazilian jewelry.

The Atlanta Jewelry Show will return to the Cobb Galleria Centre from March 1-3, 2008.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Jewelry store employee shot

A man was hospitalized in serious condition after a shooting this afternoon.

The shooting occurred about 5:15 p.m. at a jewelry store in the 5300 block of East Bannister Road. The victim, an employee of the store, was alone when the gunman entered. Kansas City police said robbery could have been a motive in the shooting, but officers had not determined if anything was stolen.

The gunman left in a brown vehicle, but a detailed description of the shooter and other details were not immediately available.
Source: kansascity

$100,000 In Jewelry Stolen From The Hogans

A burglar has made off with approximately $100,000 worth of jewelry from the home of professional wrestling champion Hulk Hogan, authorities said.

Hogan's family was moving out of the home when the theft of a platinum diamond watch and two dog tags was noticed, according to a Miami Beach Police Department report.

Hogan's son, Nicholas, told officers he had left the items wrapped in a T-shirt in an upstairs closet. When he went to get them at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, they were gone.

Hogan was born Terrence Gene Bollea. He recently starred with his family in the reality television show "Hogan Knows Best."

It was not clear where the family was moving.

Hulk Hogan, right, and his family, Nicholas, left, wife Linda and daughter Brooke are seen in this file photo. (AP Photo/Stuart Ramson)
Source: canoe

Princess Diana necklace to go on display

Jewelry is more than just a pretty item thanks in part to the Kazanjian Foundation.

The foundation sponsors the Jewels for Charity program, which allows people to donate fine jewelry to a charity they choose and, in turn, receive the highest tax benefit possible by law.

The program has star status. The Jewels for Charity Hollywood Collection showcases pieces formerly owned by celebrities including Bing Crosby, Clark Gable, Madonna, Howard Hughes and Eva Gabor. The latest addition to the collection is a sapphire and gold floral-themed necklace with the Prince of Wales emblem previously owned by Princess Diana (this item, however, is not for sale).

The Hollywood Collection hits the road worldwide to fine jewelry stores, galleries and museums. The venues that host the collection are asked to sell the donated jewelry at full fair-market value. In turn, the host donates 30 percent of the profits to a charity of its choice, while the other 70 percent goes to the donor's charity of choice with the donor receiving the tax benefit. The stipulations include that a charity must be 501C (3) nonprofit, tax exempt and domiciled in the United States.

Furthermore, donated jewelry must be valued at more than $10,000 a piece and tour with the collection for two years for sale at the appraised full fair-market value. If a piece goes unsold, it will be auctioned with the profits going to the donor's charity of choice.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

'Vogue' brings brooches back

New York—Vogue's verdict is in: Wear jewelry big this fall and don't forget the brooch.

The September issue of the influential fashion magazine hit the newsstands recently with all 840 pages dedicated to fall clothing. The overriding theme is dress daringly, and for jewelry, wear a brooch.

"Turns out the designers have gone pin-mad for fall," Plum Sykes writes in the issue.

Even Anna Wintour plugs brooches in her editor's note: "It's a great season to dress up, even if that only means adding a bright shoe or a bold brooch," she writes.

The pins, however, need a few updates this season. To modernize them, Vogue suggests wearing them in creative clusters.

The "statement necklace" is another notable jewelry trend for fall according to the magazine. The editors declare that big necklaces with little embellished shapes and solid colors are trendy.

"What's most amazing about the 'mega-necklace' is the dramatic before-and-after effect it achieves," Vogue tells readers.

This fall, it seems one can't go too large in terms of jewelry. Vogue editors also tell readers to "show your hands—especially when they're decked out with whopping rings made with shells and milky stones."

In the photographs showcasing accessories, also featured are a white shell bangle littered with multicolored sapphires and diamonds, rose-gold cuffs with amber stones, a necklace with eclectic shapes and a pastel-colored heavy-metal watch.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Indo/U.S. jewelry conference signs sponsor

The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) has announced that Rio Tinto Diamonds has joined the "Best of the Best" Indo/U.S. Jewelry Business Development Council as a lead sponsor.

The event is scheduled to take place from Oct. 1-5 in Mumbai.

Leading U.S.-based retailers and buying groups will convene at the Mumbai Marriott Renaissance Hotel for the first two days of the conference, which connects them with India-based jewelry companies. The retailers will then visit selected factories located in SEEPZ, Mumbai's specially developed business and factory complex.

"We are delighted and gratified with the excellent response to our request to host this inaugural event by Rio Tinto Diamonds and 20 of the leading jewelry manufacturers of India," GJEPC Chairman Sanjay Kothari said in a media release. "The U.S. attendees will be treated to a full spectrum of the 'best-of-the-best' that India has to offer in the way of finished diamond, colored stone and gold jewelry products."

All presenting sponsorship slots for Indian jewelry manufacturers are now filled. Presenting sponsors are: Diatrends Jewellery, DVL Jewels, Elegant Collection, Fine Jewellery Ltd., InterJewel Pvt. Ltd., Jewelex, Kama Jewellery, KP Sanghvi and Sons, Minestone, Mohit Diamonds, Nihalchand Girdharilal Zaveri, Prism Jewellery, R.T. Star, Shreeji Jewellery Design, Shrenuj and Co., SNC Jewellery, Suashish Jewel, Sun Jewels/Eleganza Jewellery, Super Gems and Sur Gems.

Retailers who have signed on to participate include Ben Bridge Jeweler, Carlyle and Co., Harris Originals, the IJO Buying Group, Lemons Jewelry, Maui Divers Jewelry, Samuels Jewelers, Saslows Jewelers and Underwood Jeweler's Craig Underwood, who is the president of the American Gem Society.

R and B Partners LLP, a Connecticut-based marketing and brand strategy consultancy is coordinating the conference for the GJEPC.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Industry mourns passing of diamond pioneer

Moshe Schnitzer, one of the founding fathers of the Israeli diamond industry, died last night at the age of 86.

Ramat Gan, Israel—Moshe Schnitzer, a founding father of the Israeli diamond industry, past chairman of the Israel Diamond Institute (IDI) and honorary president of the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE) and the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB), passed away last night. He was 86.

Schnitzer was born in Chernowitz, Romania, in 1921 and immigrated to Israel in 1934. He studied history and philosophy at Hebrew University in Jerusalem before beginning his career in the diamond industry as a diamond sawer in 1942. He advanced in the industry and opened Schnitzer-Greenstein with a partner in 1952. His own company, M. Schnitzer and Co., founded in 1980 with his son and son-in-law, would become a leading firm in the industry.

Schnitzer helped found the IDE in 1947 and was a leading force in the expansion and development of the exchange, now the largest in the world. From 1967 to 1993, he served as president of the IDE. Under his leadership, polished-diamond exports increased from $200 million to $3.4 billion annually.

He was also president of the WFDB from 1968 to 1972, and again from 1978 to 1982. He became lifelong honorary president of the WFDB in 1982 and lifelong honorary president of the IDE in 1994.

Schnitzer received the Order of King Leopold of Belgium for his contributions to the international diamond industry and to the development of ties between Israel and Belgium. He also received an honorary doctorate from Bar-Ilan University.

He established the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum in Ramat Gan and served as its chairman until July 2003. The municipality of Ramat Gan named the plaza adjacent to the diamond exchange Moshe Schnitzer Plaza, and the campus of the diamond exchange was named the Israel Diamond Center in his honor in 2002. He was also named an honored citizen by the city of Tel Aviv.

Schnitzer received the prestigious Israel Prize in 2004 for his contributions to the State of Israel and Israeli society.

"Moshe Schnitzer is identified more than anyone else with the Israel diamond industry, and his vision and personality have contributed greatly to Israel's stature in the world," stated the official announcement for the prize. He was called "the highest-ranking ambassador of the diamond industry."

His three children, Hanna Gertler, Etty Yovel and Shmuel Schnitzer, and their families, survive Schnitzer. His wife, Varda, died in 2002. His son Shmuel also served as president of the IDE and the WFDB.

Schnitzer's funeral was held today in Israel. The funeral began at the IDE compound, where he was eulogized by former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Chief Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, Mayor of Ramat Gan Zvi Bar, IDE President Avi Paz, IDI Chairman Moti Ganz, past vice president of the Diamond Exchange Bumi Traub, his daughter Hanna and his son Shmuel. He was buried in the Nahalat Itzhak cemetery in Tel Aviv.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Latest Posh Jewelry, Handbags All Yours — To Rent

When an actor's wife needed a new necklace to wear to TV's Emmy Awards show last August, she didn't buy it on Beverly Hills' fashionable Rodeo Drive.

Instead, she rented it online from BagBorrowOrSteal.com.

"She rented three of our most expensive pieces of jewelry, which would each cost in the $10,000-$15,000 range," said Mike Smith, CEO of BagBorrowOrSteal.

Smith doesn't identify customers, but users like the actor's wife pay $265 a week or $795 a month to rent high-end jewelry at the Web site.

BagBorrowOrSteal, a new kind of e-commerce player, rents mostly handbags and jewelry.

The 3-year-old company recently closed a $15 million round of financing from investors that include Steelpoint Capital Partners and Madrona Venture Group. It has raised $27 million in all.

It says it has tripled the number of paid subscribers in the past year, depending almost entirely on word-of-mouth.

"This is going to be an entirely new shopping channel, and there are very few new opportunities out there," said Smith, who joined the company in 2005.

Customers pay a monthly membership of $5 or $10 a month. They also must pay rental fees for all items, but the subscription gives them first dibs. Non-paid subscribers also can rent items ad hoc.

Bag's business helps a rich person look filthy rich, says Marshal Cohen, an analyst for the NPD Group, a research firm.

"You end up looking a lot wealthier if you have a new piece of jewelry every single time," he said. "A wife of an A-list actor could be in the media 10 times a week. They don't want to be seen in the same thing over and over again."

Bag, though, might tend to attract mostly the wealthy, says Patti Freeman Evans, an analyst for Jupiter Research. "A handbag that you may use every day is something that you are used to using, so it would be a big sort of behavior change for consumers to adopt this different mode," she said.

Bag hopes to reach a broad audience, and it appears to be gaining some traction with common folk. It has 250,000 registered users, though Smith wouldn't reveal the number of paid subscribers. The site rents handbags, or at least a handbag, for as little as $6 a week, and jewelry for as little as $8 a week.

Smith received some unexpected insight when he asked one customer why she uses the service.

"She said 'I have 25 handbags in my closet and I get bored with them in a month or two. With you guys I can get a dozen bags and enjoy them and I don't have to listen to my husband say, 'Why the heck do you need to buy another handbag when you already have 25 perfectly good ones in your closet?' " he said.

The reasoning is similar to that of the TV actor's wife, Smith says.

"They don't want to spend $15,000 on an item they're going to wear or use only twice," he said.

Some offline specialty fashion boutiques also rent handbags and other items, but it's rare online. At least one other online company rents jewelry, BlingYourself.com.

Because Bag's been able to attract so much venture funding, look for more rivals to surface, says Cohen.

"Anytime somebody has something that can generate $27 million in investment money, people are going to try to replicate it," he said.

Bag has more than 3,000 styles of handbags and jewelry from more than 100 designers. The company operates its own warehouse, and it cleans borrowed goods to make them ready for the next customer.

Smith says keeping inventory is tough, especially when a handbag can cost $7,000. "Procurement is by far our biggest use of cash," he said.
Source: investors

Brazil : 2008 Trends Guide for jewelry presented at IBGM

Brazilian Gems and Jewellery Show gathers then main jewelry manufacturers in the country and anticipates the new collections that will be retailed in the coming months.

The 45th edition of the show exhibits that, next season, jewelry travels between the theatrical femininity of the courts of the past, the cinematographically spectacular glamour of the 50s and the charming modern icons of the 60s.

Women can choose between divine divas, precious princesses, glamorous girls, mysterious muses or sexy sixties. “Every look has the expression of a new contemporary consumer power in common,” affirms Regina Machado, IBGM Style Consultant.

Theatrical femininity of the courts of the past is the environment where the imagination of the fashion princesses abides. The predominant colors in accessories are nude, pink and blue. Cameos, skulls, daggers, coins, pearls, crowns and metal lace trimmings are the icons.

The cinematographic glamour of the 50s appears in rings, earrings and necklaces in notable sizes and styles. Jewelry relives the style of the divas with ruby red, rubelite pink, citrine yellow, blue sapphire and emerald green.

On the other hand, the gems in solar hues, a major trait of Pucci patterns and chains demonstrate the power of the muses of the 60s. An explosion of youth in all of its aspects is the trademark of the epoch.

During the show, the 2008 Trends Guide will be presented, the trends guide for jewelry, which presents the novelties that will be in the main display windows next year. Check out the main trends:
Material:
Alternate materials, such as leather, wood, bone, horn combined with polished yellow gold and diamonds;
Stones:
• On the blue Klein wave, stones that are protagonists of the collectionlazuli. That goes without forgetting the super Brazilian prime opal, the Paraíba tourmaline and the aquamarine.
• In yellows hues, the Fire Citrine appears earthy and orange, Fire Opal and Tiger’s Eye.
• Pink chic, rubelite, sapphire and amethyst.
Color:
• Strong blue, which dominated the catwalks, has also arrived in the jewelry store;
• Highlights also for sun colors, such as yellows, oranges and earth tones;
• For metals, a combination of white gold with yellow gold and pink gold appears strongly.
• Pink hues are a fashion comeback and fill the jewelry store with femininity.
Shapes:
• Differentiated cuts are strong traits of the design trends in contemporary jewelry.
Mainly in colored gemstones;
• The rounded shapes in cabochon cuts;
Predominant pieces:
• Charm pendants identify, are anti-corny, customize and become unique chains.
• Skinny earrings – equally elongated and narrow as tight jeans – give shine to feminine faces.
• Luxurious, voluminous necklaces also will exude charm in the display windows.s are: sapphires, tanzanite, London Blue topaz and lapis
Source: fibre2fashion

Car crashes into Marblehead jewelry store

The glittering stuff at a jewelry store on Atlantic Avenue in Marblehead this morning wasn't diamonds. It was broken glass.

A car leaving the drive-through lane of a bank crashed into two other cars, and then careened headlong into the store, coming to rest inside it, police said.

Lt. Matthew Freeman said the 85-year-old Marblehead woman who was driving the car that caused the damage was taken to the hospital. The woman, whose name hasn抰 been released, has been cited for negligent operation, he said.

Sandra Burke said she was just a minute away from arriving at her store, Nuggets, to open up this morning when police cars whizzed by her. Arriving at her store, she found the front window destroyed, along with other damage.

"The windows are gone. My cases are gone. The walls are gone," she said this afternoon. "Shock is not the word for it. I think I抦 still in a little bit of shock. After 23 years, yes."

"It was pretty unbelievable. ... I was one minute away from coming into my business," she said.

She said only a very small amount of jewelry had been on display because most of it is locked in the safe at night.
Source: boston

John Hardy Sells His Jewelry Brand

John Hardy, the jewelry designer who became a consumer recognized jewelry brand, has sold his interest in his namesake company to the President and Creative Directors of the company.

He will remain as the "brand visionary" and "brand ambassador" while the company he founded tries to expand internationally.

John Hardy jewelry sales were $150 million in 2006.
Source: diamondvues

American Indian group settles suit with jewelry store

An American Indian arts group has reached a settlement in its lawsuit accusing a St. George store owner of misrepresenting goods as being made by Indian artists.

The Chicago-based Native American Arts Inc., representing Ho-Chunk tribal members, had demanded $8 million from Milne Jewelry Co. in a complaint filed in 2005.

A confidential settlement was reached on Aug. 6, according to court records. Company owner Irwin Milne did not admit guilt but agreed not to violate the Indian Arts and Craft Act, essentially a truth-in-advertising law that makes it unlawful to sell counterfeit Indian artwork.

At issue in the lawsuit were two Indian dolls marketed by Milne Jewelry manufactured in China by Timeless Collection, which sold porcelain dolls through companies selling collectibles and on eBay. Other items in question included five jewelry pieces labeled as Navajo, Zuni and Hopi.

Native American Arts named as defendants the company Web site, Milne Jewelry.Com Inc., and its officer Sherlynn Milne. Attorneys representing both sides did not return telephone calls for comment.

The suit was brought under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, which allows tribes recognized by the federal or state governments, tribal members or American Indian arts groups to file civil actions. Plaintiffs may collect triple damages or $1,000 for each day a violation occurs, whichever amount is greater.

The original act, passed in 1935, provided no meaningful deterrent to those who sold counterfeit wares. But in 1990, Congress amended the act to include penalties of up to $1 million for each violation and prison terms.

Because there are historic discrepancies in government certification of tribes, however, the law is not universally popular among Native Americans. In the book The Arbitrary Indian: The Indian Arts and Craft Act of 1990, author Gail K. Sheffield argued that the law had unintended consequences of sanctioning discrimination against American Indians whose tribal affiliation has not been recognized by federal or state authorities.
Source: sltrib

National Jewelry Institute selects Steven Zale for DESIGNER SHOWCASE

Steven Zale, jewelry designer and founder of Zalemark Inc the Sherman Oaks-based manufacturer of several celebrity-endorsed brands, has been selected by the National Jewelry Institute to be included in the launch of their first major DESIGNER SHOWCASE exhibition featuring the work of individual jewelry designers in Spring 2008 at the Forbes Galleries in New York.

Mr. Zale’s jewelry designs landed him in the top 25 from over 500 jewelry designers nationwide hoping to take part in this ground-breaking artistic debut.

The National Jewelry Institute (NJI) was formed in 2002 as a not-for-profit institute whose mission is to preserve research and exhibit fine jewelry from all over the world.

The National Jewelry Institute has held exhibitions in New York, London and Paris. To date, the National Jewelry Institute’s exhibitions have included primarily historical objects. Designer Showcase will provide exposure and much deserved recognition for exceptional designers.

“Steven Zale’s samples of work that we have seen are extremely important in that they are marked with an individual design approach. This striking individuality is the driving force behind Designer Showcase.”

Mr. Zale’s jewelry design roots run deep. For over 25 years, his passion for jewelry and crafting a quality piece with an eye for cutting edge collections have made his company, Zalemark Inc a leader in the jewelry industry. To be included in this exhibition at the Forbes Galleries will be especially rewarding for him.

“I consider each aspect of the piece I am creating, taking care to choose the right color and cut of stones to accent the beauty of construction as well as the woman who will ultimately end up wearing it and treasuring it for years to come. I am extremely honored to participate in this exciting event.”
Source: fibre2fashion

Gold Jewelry Demand Reaches $14.5 Billion

Dollar demand for gold in the jewelry, retail investment, and industrial sectors all reached new heights in the second quarter of 2007, according to the World Gold Council. Global demand for gold jewelry showed the strongest surge, reaching a record $14.5 billion, 37 percent higher than the second quarter, 2006, with particular strength in China, India, the Middle East, and Turkey.

A return to more normal levels of gold price volatility, growing acceptance by consumers of a price that averaged 6 percent above the same period a year ago, and strong economic performances in the key consuming regions all helped gold to set records in the second quarter, according to Gold Demand Trends, released today by the World Gold Council (WGC).

In tonnage terms, India, the world’s largest gold market, achieved all-time records in both jewelry and retail investment, WGC said. Turkey achieved second-quarter records for both categories while Russia recorded its highest ever level of jewelry demand.

The figures, compiled for WGC by GFMS Ltd, showed that identifiable gold demand made a further substantial recovery in the second quarter of 2007 from the impact of the volatile prices experienced in 2006, rising 19 percent in tonnage terms compared with the second quarter of 2006 to 922 tonnes, and reaching $19.8 billion, a 27 percent increase, in value terms year-over-year.

“We are pleased to report a very strong second quarter with demand for gold reaching unprecedented levels in a number of markets," said James Burton, WGC chief executive officer. "A reduction in price volatility in 2007 has resulted in increased consumer confidence and, coupled with greater industry marketing activity, led to record levels of gold jewelry purchases globally in dollar terms. I am pleased to note that the dollar value of gold demand has more than doubled in just four years."

He added, “The figures from India this quarter are particularly pleasing and we will continue to encourage India‘s ongoing love affair with gold.”

At 317 tons, India’s total demand for gold in the second quarter was equivalent to half the global mine output for the quarter. More stable gold prices, a booming economy, and the increasingly successful Akshaya Thritiya festival in April all contributed to a strong second quarter despite prices being in the mid-$600s per ounce, WGC said.

Strong economic growth, reduced price volatility, and the auspicious Year of the Golden Pig saw China’s gold demand increase 32 percvent in tonnage terms from year-earlier levels to 76 tons, WGC said.

In the Middle East, strong economies and stable prices influenced demand for gold which rose 20 percent in tonnage terms to 97.5 tonnes compared with the same quarter in 2006, according to WGC. Turkey enjoyed second-quarter records for both jewelry, at 52.2 tons, and net retail consumption, at 20.5 tons, an increase of 14 percent and 5 percent respectively on the previous year.

In Russia, where jewelry demand has grown steadily over recent years, consumption in the second quarter increased by 27 percent to 20.3 tons year-over-year.

Globally, net retail investment in the second quarter rose by 51 percent in tonnage terms to 132.9 tons, and 60 percent in dollar terms to $2.9 billion, year-over-year. Total identifiable investment fell just 4.8% in tonnage terms to 130.4 tonnes and was 1 percent higher in dollar terms at $2.8 billion year-over-year.
Source: jckonline

Jewelry with a heart of gold

Three bighearted kids are working to "help the world" this summer, 25 cents at a time.

Katelyn Lasser, Karissa Fasano and Amanda Higgins have been turning bucketfuls of beads, string and gimp plastic lace into a way to fight the debilitating diseases they've been touched by.

As they craft and sell their handmade jewelry for change, Karissa's sister, who has mild autism, and Katelyn's grandma, who is in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's, are in the girls' hearts.

"We want to make a difference," said 10-year-old Katelyn.

"And help the world," Amanda, 10, chimed in.

The trio are selling bracelets and anklets for $1, key chains for 50 cents, and braids and twists for a quarter, calling their endeavor, Dollars for Donations.

As of yesterday afternoon, they had collected "85 dollars and 40-something cents," some from donations and some from sales, they said.

The venture started as a business idea last month, blossoming when the girls went philanthropic. They wanted to give back, and, "we had a lot of beads and gimp," said Katelyn, a fifth-grader at Stacy Middle School.

"If it's raining or something then we'd make a lot," she said. "We'd sell them the next day if it's sunny."

The girls have been peddling their jewelry around their neighborhoods, and hope to sell their crafts at each others' school events.

Karissa is a cheerleader with Katelyn, who also does tap dancing and chorus and plays basketball. Amanda is in chorus and plays basketball.

At Katelyn's Northbrook Circle home yesterday, the childhood friends were stringing, sorting and showing off their handiwork.

"I'm very proud," said Katelyn's mom, Gina Pasquarello. "It's their project,"

One of the girls' bead pieces has red stars that spell out, "Glamorous."

A key chain, touting "Peace," was made by Amanda out of blue, pink, red and ivory beads and black gimp.

Others designs are feature the word, "Swim," or "Lion," which is made of black and orange beads.

Some are made of gimp and beads. Others are simply colorful string crafted in the friendship or Chinese staircase styles.

"We're going to probably be doing this for a long time," said 11-year-old Karissa, a Stacy sixth-grader and Jillson Circle resident.

Amanda, a fifth-grader at Milford Catholic Elementary School, brings experience from a similar jewelry-making-for-charity endeavor. She donated "a hundred and three dollars and 65 cents, or something," to Children's Hospital.

"It's actually pretty fun making these," said Amanda, who lives on Eben Street.

The three touted their jeweled creations for having myriad uses.

Take the friendship-style piece Amanda was making out of gold, white, baby blue and magenta string. It's a bracelet, she said. "Or an anklet ... or a key chain ... or a bookmark," the three suggested together. A beaded creation could be a Christmas ornament, Katelyn said, or, "Hang it on the menorah," for Hanukkah, Karissa said.

"You can tape it to a card and say, 'Get well soon,' " she said. "You can make it anything you want."

They are still deciding which organizations to donate the proceeds to.
Source: milforddailynews

Jewelry exhibit, guest speaker at library

Hand-made, one-of-a-kind jewelry and other items are now on exhibit at the Cherry Hill Public Library.

In all, the display features 73 pieces, all made by members of the South Jersey Bead Society.

Necklaces, bracelets, brooches, dolls and more are included, made with tiny glass beads, semiprecious stones, pearls, stoneware clay, sterling silver and more.

The exhibit is in the library's Main Reading Room. It runs through Oct. 12 and can be viewed during regular library hours.

In conjunction with the exhibit, bead artist extraordinaire Nancy Josephson, of Wilmington, Del., will be a guest speaker at the library on Tuesday, Sept. 25.

Josephson will talk about the ceremonial banners, or flags, that are an integral part of vodou worship in Haiti. The banners are made by hand and feature vibrant designs in beads and sequins.

She will also sign copies of her new book, "Spirits in Sequins: Vodou flags of Haiti" (Schiffer Publishing).

The event is free and open to the public. No registration required.

The library is located at 1100 Kings Highway, Cherry Hill.
Source: courierpostonline

Stolen briefcase had $300,000 in jewelry

Two men stole a briefcase full of diamonds and gold from a jewelry distributor Tuesday in a parking lot on St. Andrews Boulevard.

Eyal Kallati, a 25-year-old jewelry distributor from New York, was walking to his car in the lot in the 2100 block of St. Andrews Boulevard about 12:50 p.m. when two men with their faces covered approached him, police said.

When Kallati jumped into his car and put his briefcase in the back seat, the robbers - one of whom carried a weapon - smashed the rear window and stole the briefcase, containing about $300,000 worth of jewelry.
Source: palmbeachpost

Rapaport to Hold Diamond Auction

The first Rapaport guaranteed and certified diamond auction will be held Sept. 17 - 20. It will mark the company calls an "historic first step in the process of creating a diamond futures market based on monthly transaction prices. Every diamond will be selected, approved, and guaranteed by Rapaport and graded by the Gemological Institute of America "to ensure that only fine quality accurately graded diamonds are offered for sale."

The auction will offer select round one carat and larger, D-K, IF-VS2, Excellent to Very Good cut GIA graded diamonds. The diamonds will be available for inspection in New York. Bidding will be over the internet and restricted to the trade and financial institutions. Terms: Spot Cash FOB New York, 3 percent fee to seller.

“We are implementing stringent Rapaport quality standards and guarantees in addition to GIA’s first class grading reports to make sure that buyers get the best diamonds," said Martin Rapaport, chairman of the Rapaport Group. "All the diamonds will be highly desirable and liquid ensuring suitability for all buyers including investors who may wish to resell the diamonds. We encourage the diamond and jewelry trade to participate in these auctions and we will do everything we can to create new market opportunities for everyone in our industry."

Rapaport said he is evolving diamond pricing to create greater transparency and set transaction price benchmarks for certified diamonds. "The auctions will establish a trading platform for diamonds that ensures liquidity and fair market prices."
Source: jckonline

Pawn shop parent company to go public

Value Financial Services Inc., which operates the Value Pawn & Jewelry and Check Jewelry and Loan chains, on Tuesday announced it has made the first step towards becoming a public company.

The Maitland-based company on Monday filed a registration statement with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission to make an initial public offering. It has not yet determined how many shares the company will offer, nor has the price been determined, says Chief Financial Officer Woody Whitcomb. Those details could be ready for the initial offering by year's end, Whitcomb says.

Value Financial reported $92 million in revenue for the fiscal year that ended March 31. Revenue grew 21.3 percent from the previous 12-month period, according to a news release.

San Francisco-based JMP Securities LLC is advising the company on the initial public offering.

Value Financial Chairman and CEO John Thedford says in a prepared statement that going public has always been a company goal. Thedford founded Value Financial in 1994 with a single store in West Palm Beach, which has since grown to 62 stores in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.
Source:MSN

Jewelry and Gemstone Legends

Gemstones have mesmerized and enticed people for centuries. Legends have developed throughout the world and followed these gemstones until today. These legends and stories have only served to intensify the interest with which these gemstones have been followed. Think about the image that is brought to mind when the Hope Diamond is mentioned. Many more stones have stories and legends to equal that of the Hope.

Diamond Legends
Perhaps the Hope Diamond is the most legendary gemstone of all. It has the reputation of bringing disaster to its owner. It shows red under a uvlight and is a fancy gray blue under natural light. The stone is said to be recut from a larger stone to its current shape. The Smithsonian Institute owns it. The Hope Diamond is not the Heart of the Ocean mentioned in the movie Titanic as some have said. The Hope Diamond was not on the Titanic.
Many of us have of the Taylor-Burton Diamond at 69 carats was Richard Burton’s 40th birthday gift to Elizabeth Taylor. She sold the stone in 1978 to pay for a hospital in Botswana. She still wears another gift, the Krupp Diamond, which is 33.19 carats.

Pearl Legends
Probably the most famous story about pearls was about Cleopatra. She is said to have bet Mark Anthony that she could host the most expensive party. To do so, she dissolved a large pearl earring in vinegar and drank it.
Early Romans thought that pearls were created as a drop of rain penetrated between the layers of the oysters. The Persians had a legend that the pearl was created at the point of meeting between the rainbow and the earth.

Opal Legends
The Aborigines (native people of Australia) believe that ancestors to mark their presence left behind the opal. Some groups feel that Opals brought them fire. One local legend suggests that Muda, in the form of a pelican created Cooper's creek. He died where the opals are found and the fish in his pouch turned into opals.

Emerald Legends
Emeralds were considered to be healing in the distant past. Legend has it that in the 3rd century, emeralds were used to rest the eyes and to make snakes go blind. In Arabia, it was thought that emeralds would melt the dissolve a snake’s eyes. Other uses of emeralds were to cure dysentery, stomach troubles and even diabetes.

It was thought that the Holy Grail was carved from an emerald that fell from Satan’s crown. The Incas and Aztecs thought the emerald was a holy stone. It has even been suggested that emeralds would provide royal ancestry to commoners.

Emeralds are a form of corundum and legends abound about their powers and history, but Rubies are also corundum, and few if any legends follow Rubies.

Sapphire Legends
Early people thought that the earth was set into a sapphire. Early Persians believed that the earth rested on a Sapphire and the sky is blue because it is reflected from the Sapphire. One old legend even suggests that a snake put in a vessel with a Sapphire would die. It was believed that the Ten Commandments were written on Sapphire tablets.
Source: bellaonline

The Sparkle of Summertime Jewelry

The glittering water, pale sand and clear skies of a summertime beach vacation will soon be just memories, but there's a way to keep them alive until next year: the aquamarine, coral pink, turquoise and deep blue tones of sea-colored gems.

The latest collection at Chanel Fine Jewelry centers on the geometrical perfection and lines of art deco, drawing on the atmosphere of the seaside that founder Coco Chanel was so fond of visiting. The earring, pendant and ring designs feature either aquamarine and turquoise or coral and tourmaline stones set in 18-karat white gold with cacholong—a variety of opal—and diamonds (price on request ; chanel.com).

Aurum Jewellers, founded on the island of Jersey in 1968, didn't have to look far to find the inspiration for its newest collection. Award-winning designer Alexa Blampied finds the muse for her creations in the natural beauty of the Channel Islands, off the coast of Britain. Her white-gold Water Garden pendant, with sapphire, aquamarine, garnet and diamond ($25,850), is well complemented by her pair of Vitality drop earrings ($17,390; aurumjewellers.co.uk). The British designer Stephen Webster ( stephenwebster.com) uses the latest laser-cutting techniques to perfect his collection, including a Jewelvine ring set with chrysocolla and black sapphire ($19,800), and the Crystal Haze Classic white-gold bracelet with turquoise and diamonds ($17,000). A gem fanatic, he captures the gleam of some of the palest gemstones.

Theo Fennell, the eccentric creator of silver Heinz ketchup and Smirnoff vodka bottles (theofennell.com), shows that he is about more than just gimmickry with his delicate Cradle rings, in white gold. From the 18-karat marquise, with its delicate oval-shaped aquamarine (from $12,000), to the mint-green octagon tourmaline model (from $12,000), his creations are redolent of summer afternoon shades and cloudless vistas. The latest Tiffany rings (tiffany.com) will bring back those romantic summer moments. The channel-set band ring, with dark blue sapphires and diamonds ($3,500), or the platinum shared-setting pink sapphire and diamond model ($3,755) capture memories of summer's deep blue lakes and multicolored sunset skies.
Source: newsweek

Creative sparks on display

MFA exhibits showcase enchanting examples of studio jewelry and textiles

You know you've stumbled into an exciting exhibition when the single piece there by Pablo Picasso looks meek and unrealized compared to the rest of the work in the show.

So it is with "Jewelry by Artists: The Daphne Farago Collection," a rigorous and enchanting examination at the Museum of Fine Arts of the studio jewelry movement since the 1940s. Studio jewelers make unique and limited-edition objects, by hand. They focus on form, content, and self-expression, rather than on precious gems. Farago gave the museum more than 600 pieces of contemporary jewelry last year, with about 100 more to come. The gift made the MFA's studio jewelry collection the most comprehensive in the world.

Picasso doesn't truly belong in the show. Francois Hugo, a French jewelry workshop, invited him and other top-tier artists, such as Max Ernst and Man Ray, to design limited-edition pieces. Picasso's gold disk, "Barbu rond pendant" (1974), sports nearly illegible lines from his 1967 pen-and-ink sketch "Femme mue et barbu rond."

This isn't studio jewelry; there's no sense of the artist's engagement with his materials. Exhibition curator Kelly L'Ecuyer uses these pieces designed by better-known artists to compare to those of the studio jewelers. Man Ray's work is ambitious and elegant. His 1970 "Pendant Pending Earrings," were famously worn by Catherine Deneuve in a Man Ray photo of the actress. Ultimately, though, the studio jewelers designed work that was grittier, livelier, and more daring than that of the artists engaged by the workshops.

The studio jewelry movement follows trends in the art world. In the 1940s and 1950s, Modernism focused jewelers on clean lines, functionality, and respect for the character of materials. Kinetic artist Alexander Calder made a natural leap into crafting jewelry. His earrings had movable parts, like his mobiles. The 1941 silver "Necklace" he made for his sister, featuring dozens of fluid hourglass shapes hanging like saber teeth, is both lean and audacious.

In 1942, The New Yorker dubbed Sam Kramer a "surrealist jeweler," and his works bridle with edgy, dark references. His "Lovers" brooch, made with his wife, Carol Kramer, sports two jaunty, nearly abstract silver figures, flagrantly interlocked.

With the 1960s came references to Pop Art, collage, found materials, and cultural obsessions of the day. Elsa Freund's "Space Pendant With Circlet" features brilliantly glazed terra-cotta pebbles and glass, set in a network hanging beneath a choker. The deep blue and translucent green pebbles might represent a constellation.

Academic programs in jewelry making pushed the art to new levels in the 1970s; innovative techniques began to sprout up. Mary Lee Hu wove metal wire into shapes from nature. Her lovely "Choker #48" (1979) features a pudgy bud woven from lacquered copper, from which a silver flower emerges.

The exhibit embraces more trends in studio jewelry, from the concept of body sculpture -- such as Bruno Martinazzi's brawny, startling "Goldfinger" bracelet from 1969, depicting a hand grabbing the wearer's wrist -- to the use of low-end materials -- such as Styrofoam balls in Robert Ebendorf's 1985 Wilma Flintstone-style "Necklace." Every avenue the show goes down offers delights.

One piece, by British artist Wendy Ramshaw, pays homage to Picasso and puts his pendant on display here to shame. "Girl Before a Mirror" (1989), is a silver and black enamel ring stand -- in essence, a small sculpture -- based on a 1932 portrait by Picasso. Its striations, protrusions, and geometry pointedly touch on those in the painting, yet this remains a fresh, original work of art.

"Ed Rossbach Fiber Art From the Daphne Farago Collection," also on view, suggests that Farago's collections run as deep as they run wide. Here, close to 45 pieces attest to the wit, vigor, and relentlessness of the legendary textile artist, who died in 2002. A scholar and a craftsman, Rossbach studied historic textiles, from Coptic Egyptian tapestry to 18th-century French weaving, and deployed all the techniques he learned, stretching them with contemporary materials and conceptual twists.

The exhibit cleverly dug into the museum's own textiles collection to provide a backdrop for Rossbach's work (and a few pieces by his wife, artist Katherine Westphal). His "Hornets Nest" (1964) basket of coiled raffia, painted over with gesso to give it a weathered look, stands near similar baskets made out of coiled willow or cottonwood by Western Apaches in the 1890s. "Gold and Silver," his 1975 damask glittering with metal thread, blows up a botanical detail from a French brocaded silk damask hanging beside it.

Much of the work brims with Rossbach's irreverent, Pop-inflected sense of humor. Mickey Mouse was a favorite of his, not only for the Disney character's iconography, but for what his name has come to represent: overly simple. He tatted a gorgeous, complex and funny "Mickey Mouse" lace in retort. It echoes 17th-century European lace pieces, but uses several colors.

Rossbach's energy -- curious, intuitive, inventive, and thorough -- runs through this exhibit, which is a brief, in-depth lesson in the history of textiles around the world. Lucky for us, it's as light-hearted as it is stringent.
Source: boston

Slight Drop in 2nd Quarter Sales for Finlay

Finlay Enterprises, Inc., a leading retailer of fine jewelry and the largest operator of licensed fine jewelry departments in department stores in the United States, said sales for the second quarter ended Aug. 4, totaled $148 million compared to $149.3 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2006.

The sales results are on a continuing operations basis, which exclude the sales in the current and prior year periods from the Parisian store group whose remaining departments closed in July 2007, as well as sales from discontinued Macy's and Belk's stores in the prior year period, the New York-based jeweler said.

Specialty jewelry stores Carlyle and Congress contributed sales of $27 million in the quarter, compared with $20 million in the same period last year. Total sales, including sales of the Parisian store group, for the second quarter were $154.4 million compared with $153.6 million in the prior year.

Same-store sales for the second quarter decreased 3.6 percent. As previously disclosed, the company estimates the calendar shift associated with Mother's Day coming a week earlier this year had an approximate 3- to 4-percent negative impact on second quarter same-store sales. Same-store sales for the second quarter including discontinued stores decreased 1.3 percent.

Sales for the six months ended Aug. 4, increased 5.9 percent to $311 million compared to $293.6 million in the first six months of 2006. Specialty jewelry stores contributed sales of $54.2 million for the six month period, as compared to $37.5 million in 2006. Total sales, including sales of the Parisian store group, for the six months increased 5.9 percent to $320.8 million compared to $302.9 million for the comparable period in 2006.

Same-store sales for the six months increased 2.4 percent on a continuing operations basis. When including discontinued stores, same-store sales increased 3.3 percent.

"Year-to-date, we are pleased with our solid top line and comparable store sales growth," said Arthur E. Reiner, Finlay Enterprises chairman and chief executive officer. "We experienced an improved sales trend as the second quarter progressed. Further, our Carlyle specialty jewelry stores have continued to perform particularly well."

The company said it expects to report full financial results for the second quarter on Aug. 29.

Finlay Enterprises, Inc., through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Finlay Fine Jewelry Corp., operates luxury stand-alone jewelry stores primarily located in the southeastern United States. The number of locations totaled 725, including 33 Carlyle and five Congress specialty jewelry stores.
Source: jckonline

Jewelry booth sparkles at Emmanuel fair

The Jewelry Boutique at the Emmanuel Church Country Fair — being held this year on Saturday, Sept. 15 — is a success story that rivals anything on Wall Street.

What began nine years ago as a tiny corner of the “Flea Market,” has grown to a full-scale boutique of e-Bay proportions. Thanks to variety, value, and unbelievable bargains, word of the boutique has spread quickly. It is now one of the most popular booths at the fair.

At first one display case was enough for the better jewelry. Now there are five. This year, fair-goers will find quality earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings, as well as costume jewelry and everything in between.

The rest of the booth will be devoted to scarves, purses, belts, gloves, sweaters, hats, hand mirrors, perfume bottles, and most surely a few surprises.

A special carton of 10-cent and 25-cent articles is always available for the children, with little bags and boxes for those who are buying gifts.

Jewelry Boutique Co-chairmen Dede Anderson and Nancy Odden are proud of their motto: “We treat every jewel as precious.” Before the fair, they put in weeks of washing and polishing. Everything is carefully examined — and if it warrants appraisal, it gets it. Even the broken pieces are sold at a special price to a puppeteer for her costumes.

Tax-deductible donations are welcome. Call the parish office at 227-8565.

Emmanuel Church’s 101st Annual Country Fair will be held Sept. 15, open until 4, rain or shine, at 285 Lyons Plain Road.

The day will feature hayrides, games, face painting, a country kitchen, quilt show, holiday crafts and handmades, plants, a good-goods flea market, collectibles, jewelry, books, a chocolate chip cookie contest, and a silent auction. And, there will be plenty of food.
Source: acorn-online

Big, scary jewelry not so scary

Somewhere in one of the bottom drawers of my jewelry chest, my dainty jewelry from years past is waiting for its comeback. But those tasteful silver studs and little dangling charms might as well resign themselves to a life of boredom in the pink-velvet lined box. Their return isn’t happening anytime soon.

My obsession with big, scary jewelry was encouraged, of course, by the fashion industry’s dedication to larger-than-life accessories. It started about five years ago with chandelier earrings — which at the time seemed dangerously large and dangling. In truth, we hadn’t seen anything yet.

When the chandeliers grew bigger, the rest of earrings followed — and now there’s no going back. I have some white shell earrings with a three-inch diameter. My husband says they look like something out of National Geographic. I wore them to an Astros game and my dad thought they were supposed to be baseballs.

But beginning last season and coming full-force this fall, the earrings aren’t the only accessories liable to frighten small children.

For years, I’ve considered the most essential accessory to complete an outfit to be earrings. Now, you can let your ears relax and let your neck do the work.

This season, layered necklaces — even those that aren’t designed to be worn together — are a sure way to update your look. If you’re aiming for a formal look, choose delicate chains or beads, but lots of them.

Chunky, colorful beads can go with almost any outfit, layered or not.

I know the types of necklaces popular with the younger crowd — the bright circle beads that remind me vaguely of Betty Rubble. If you’re under 20, go for it. Every generation needs its own version of big and scary to designate itself from the one before.

If you’re too old for Flintstones, look for big beads that are dressed up a little more than the plastic ones. Try turquoise, enamel, tortoise shell or pearls. Even transparent plastic beads in different shades can look appropriate for women of all ages if it coordinates with an outfit properly.

While I won’t commit to forecasting a huge bracelet comeback — perhaps because I can barely stand to wear one because it interferes with my typing — I will say that wrist adornment is also becoming bolder. Think of chunky cuffs, textured metals and more enamel.

When you’re wearing whatever piece of big, scary jewelry that you decide on, you don’t have to scale down your entire look, but you shouldn’t wear more than one piece that makes a huge statement. In other words, the gigantic shell earings shouldn’t be paired with a matching necklace, watch and belt. You don’t have to go completely dainty, but let it be clear which item is the focal point. Too many things competing for the spot confuses the eyes.

Keep it in proportion, too. A tiny woman wearing a necklace that weighs more than she does will just look silly.

But above all, don’t be scared by the big, scary jewelry. Once you get used to the size — and clear the drawer space — the fashion fun will be addicting.
Source: galvestondailynews

Mark Silverstein Tattoo Jewelry

From Mark Silverstein

Handiwork more than tea cozies

Jewelry making often conjures up an image of middle-aged soccer moms selling crocheted frog earrings at the local senior center craft fair. I would know: I've seen it.

But nowadays handiwork is more than just tea cozies and hemp bracelets. It's a stylish way to accessorize yourself without emptying your pocketbook. After all, the price of one pair of earrings will get you enough beads and hardware to make at least three times that for you and anyone you deem worthy to give them to.

And they look fabulous.

So how does one get into the sometimes tricky art of making jewelry? To find out I talked to jewelry designer Tammy Powley (http://www.tammypowley.com/), from Port St. Lucie, Florida. Powley is the author of several books on jewelry design as well as a few popular beading Web logs, which she updates regularly.

She was also the creative consultant for "Jewelry Making and Beading For Dummies," part of the famous "For Dummies" series we all secretly read.

I was intrigued by a series of accessories she had designed based on characters in some of Jane Austen's famous novels.

"I'm a huge Janeite," Powley said, "so I thought it would be fun to create jewelry around her novels and sort of connect her characters' personalities to the jewelry pieces."

Definitely better than crocheted frogs.

So what exactly is the benefit of making your own jewelry? First of all, you don't need to have mastered biochemistry to start it up.

"It's a hobby where anyone can pick up the basics pretty quickly," Powley said. In fact, she has a series of step-by-step "how-tos" on her Web logs — which made my first attempt a lot easier.

Colleen Evans of Prunedale, who works at Avalon Beads in Salinas, said she loves having unique adornments, which is why she makes almost all her own jewelry.

"You can design whatever you want and nobody else has it," Evans said. "I love that no one's going to have it but me."

It's also about the reward of creating something beautiful. If you're like me and can't draw or sew clothing worth a half-penny, jewelry-making is a great way to express your artistic side. Not to mention be able to make jewelry that perfectly matches your bag and shoes. Ultimate accessorizing!

"It's really a way to incorporate your artwork into the everyday, because you can wear it," Powley said. "A painting you hang on the wall and appreciate, but then at some point you have to leave the room."
Source: thecalifornian

Tiffany to Open Boutique in Nagoya

Tiffany & Co. on Thursday announced plans to open a new boutique in Matsuzakaya Nagoya, in the Nagoya flagship store. The 2,300 square-foot store is scheduled to open Sept. 26 and is located in Sakae, Nagoya-shi, an area with luxury shopping and restaurants.

The store will represent Tiffany's third Nagoya location and its 54th location in Japan. Customers will enter the boutique through a stone arch bordered by honey onyx. The interior is distinguished by a purple color palette, green sycamore stained hardwood, rice paper wall coverings, and custom furniture.

The boutique will include the collections of exclusive Tiffany designers Elsa Peretti, Paloma Picasso, Jean Schlumberger, and Frank Gehry; fine and bridal jewelry; sterling silver and gold fashion jewelry; watches; and gifts.
Source: jckonline

Car Slams Into Jewelry Store

A car slammed into an Akron jewelry store Wednesday.

Emergency crews said the driver blacked out just before crashing into Taylor Made Jewelry on Wedgewood Drive at about 7 p.m.

The store's owner said the accident caused at least $50,000 in damages.

The driver is OK. He refused to go to the hospital.

The owner is busy cleaning up Thursday.
Source: yahoo

Get crafty with fun and unique D.I.Y jewelry

While diamonds may be every girl’s best friend, handmade jewelry is unique and personal, making it every bit as precious. Crafting your own keepsake is not only fun and cost-conscious, but your creation is sure to make a great conversation piece. And it’s easier than you think! Whether you want a rainy-day activity or need a last-minute update for your outfit, Bobbie Thomas, Today Style editor and author of the Buzz for “In Touch” weekly, shares some do-it-yourself inspiration.

More and more fashionistas are brushing their bling aside for cool, one-of-a-kind creations. Trendsetters are always in search of ways to express their individual style, and are eager to embrace innovative designers such as Venezuela’s Guadalupe Gehrenbeck ($75-500; 646-541-2685). Her use of common goods, such as trimmings and men's ties, in unconventional ways, is a great inspiration for your own project!
Source: msnbc

Jewelry sale benefits Safe Harbor

A jewelry company that uses direct sales plans to have a special sale from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday at The Kensington. Two local Silpada Designs sales representatives said Monday that 10 percent of Thursday's sales will be donated to Safe Harbor Family Crisis Center.

Silpada Designs After Dark at The Kensington Garden Room also will feature wine tasting and appetizers. The public is welcome.

Jennifer Gramey, a local "star leader," or team leader, said products will be displayed Thursday. Discontinued items can be purchased at the sale. Other items will be ordered.

"There are a lot of jewelry direct sales companies out there today," Gramey said. "The difference between Silpada and the other companies is we sell the highest grade of sterling silver (.925 purity) and natural gem stones. It's fine jewelry, not costume jewelry."

"During the Oscars, some of the stars were wearing Silpada," Allen said.

Gramey and one of the members of her team, Anna Allen, also will be willing to talk to people interested in becoming a sales representative.

"It's really stress-free for us and the customers," Allen said.

Gramey said Thursday's event is meant to introduce the 10-year-old company to the community. She said it is just beginning to make inroads here, after being popular mostly in Iowa and on the East Coast. She said most of the sales are done in homes.

"This is actually the first big event we have done here," Gramey said. "We hope to make it an annual event. It is definitely Anna and my desire to help the community."

Gramey said plans are to donate a portion of sales to a different local organization each year.

Jennifer Gramey, left, and Anna Allen display some Silpada Design Products.

Source: register-mail

Handicapped Jeweler Survives Bridge Collapse

A disabled jeweler narrowly escaped death, again, on Aug. 1, when Minnesota’s Interstate 35W bridge collapsed beneath his van.

Marcelo Cruz, 26, is paralyzed from waist down since being shot while aiding a friend seven years ago. He was driving his specially equipped van across the 40-year-old bridge in downtown Minneapolis, above the Mississippi River, on his way to wheelchair-marathon training, in bumper-to-bumper evening rush hour traffic. Suddenly, at 6:01 pm, he later told reporters, the bridge “started shaking like an earthquake.” The section ahead of him collapsed, throwing almost 20 cars in front 60 feet down into the fast-flowing Mississippi.

Cruz tried to apply his van’s brakes, but the vehicle wouldn’t stop and kept rolling toward the edge of the broken bridge. “I thought I was going to die,” Cruz said to reporters.

Thinking quickly, he turned his steering wheel hard right, crashing the van into the bridge’s outer barrier and stopping only 15 feet from the broken edge over the river.

As people screamed for help, two men who saw what happened yelled at him to get out of the van. “I can’t,” Cruz told them. “I’m in a wheelchair.” Without hesitation, the two ran down the steep slope to the van and hauled him and his wheelchair out of it. Police and bystanders then pulled him up onto the riverbank.

“God saved my life a second time,” said Cruz later, recalling the time years earlier when he was shot.

Cruz, a resident of Crystal, Minn., has worked for two years as an apprentice goldsmith to the senior goldsmith at Arthur’s Jewelers in Roseville, Minn., an award-winning family-owned business and the largest jewelry store in the state of Minnesota.

Since the incident, “we’ve had many local and national news reporters call or come in [the store],” said Marilyn Nogai, co-owner of Arthur’s Jewelers with her husband Frank, to JCK. “Katie Couric, of CBS, sent someone [to interview Cruz] and the Make-a-Wish Foundation wants him to speak to children on how they can turn their lives around despite their disabilities,” Nogai said.

“Repairs are piling up in the store” while the media pull Cruz away from his work, she said, laughing, “but we don’t mind. He’s a wonderful, humble young man, who supports his mother. He has a good personality, a deep faith in God, and a positive attitude, even though he has no use of his legs, which he lost trying to help a friend years ago. The bullet from that is still in his spine. But he says, ‘This is what life dealt me and I have to make the most of it.’”

Though Cruz survived the bridge collapse, the catastrophe cost him his used Plymouth minivan, modified for handicapped drivers, which he had bought only last December for $14,000, and the custom-made racing wheelchair, which was in it. (Cruz competes in wheelchair marathons and is training for the Twin Cities Marathon in October.)

“He really needs a van modified for wheelchair users,” said Marilyn Nogai, “to get around and to get to work, especially now, because he is the sole support of his mother.”
Source: jckonline