Three Jewelry Designers from London Fashion Week

Walking around the accessories section of the London Fashion Week show over the last few days, a noticeable trend of delicate jewelery caught our attention. With long chains, floating butterflies, intricately wrought wood and metal, beautiful combinations of materials and ethereal detailing, each piece seemed to have a romantic story of its own, as though they were born from fairytales.

Known for her wonderful combinations of words and imagery, this season of British designer Amy Anderson's Comfort Station line explores the concept of poison. Anderson embraces an ornate Victorian style with darkly beautiful lockets, chains and laser-cut wood. Look closely at the gothic pieces and you'll find recipes for death by chocolate and botanical illustrations of poison hemlock and deadly nightshade.

Clara Francis shows a lighter side of the fairytale with her extraordinarily detailed beaded jewelery. Butterflies, hummingbirds and flowers sit delicately on large hoop earrings and fine chains with color variations so subtle more that five different colored beads make up one wing of a butterfly. Made using glass beads, all the work is done by hand in Francis' London workshop. David Lupton's charming illustrations beautifully compliment her jewelery on her website.

Using laser-cut brass, Parisian designer Eva Gozlan creates feathers, wings, flowers and dragonflies that float on the end of long chains. We particularly loved the small glass jar pendant holding tiny butterflies inside that look as though they will flutter away if you open the lid.
Source: coolhunting

Effective Jewelry Selling. The Great Debate.

I just read a very compelling article in one of the diamond industry's monthly magazines.

The article revolves around the question of whether a jewelry store ought to focus on selling what they love (merchandise), or selling what actually sells (even if they personally find it to be distasteful).

The writer interviews two particular jewelers who have different opinions. Indeed, there is much merit to both.

Here are the two schools of thought in a "nutshell":

1. Love what sells.

When you fall in love with your diamond and jewelry inventory at the expense of paying proper attention to inventory turnover, you will fall into debt or debilitating cash-flow. "Dead inventory" = Dead money, plain and simple. Always look to satisfy the tastes of your customers and not your own.

2. Sell what you love.

When you become passionate about what you sell, you become good at selling. If you love and believe in what you are doing/selling, you will learn the art of closing a sale. Trust your judgements and try to think like a consumer when you purchase items for stock to fill up your jewelry cases.
Source: diamondvues

Jewelry.Com Launches Annual Diamond Promotion

For the third year running, Jewelry.com is celebrating October Is Right Hand Ring Month.

In October 2006, comparable store sales of diamond right hand rings increased by up to 105 percent compared to preceding months as of result of the campaign, the site said.

Suggested retail price for the collection ranges from $349 to $1,599. Last year, the campaign attracted more than 6.2 million people to Jewelry.com.

The program is supported by print ads, retail promotions and two online sweepstakes. Print promotions include a four-page advertorial in Glamour magazine.
Source: idexonline

Need jewelry? She'll hammer it out

Fifteen minutes is all it takes artisan and goldsmith Beth Lee Stern to turn a thin piece of sterling silver wire into an intricate bracelet.

Beth Lee Stern of Monticello shapes and polishes a bracelet she made Wednesday at Farm Technology Days. The three-day event, which is expected to draw about 75,000 visitors, concludes today at Plain View Stock Farm near Albany. Times photo: Brenda Steurer

Stern, of Monticello, amazed onlookers Wednesday in the Arts and Crafts Tent at Wisconsin Farm Technology Days with her jewelry making and fine wire work.

In less than 15 minutes of bending, buffing and polishing, Stern handcrafted a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry.

Her showcase displays reveal her talent runs far beyond one demonstration. Stern works with all metals and with natural stone. "Everything," she said, "from diamonds to gravel."

One of Stern's favorite pieces is a bracelet featuring a simple stone she found. After cleaning and polishing it, she was surprised to find that it revealed the famous face in "The Scream," an expressionist painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. She fashioned an etched bracelet around the stone to resemble the painting.

"The Scream" bracelet is part of Stern's line of poetry bracelets. Available in various styles, each has a poem engraved along the inside of the band.

As Stern demonstrated her technique for making wire bracelets, she laughed and talked with people, who had gathered at her booth about her life and her craft.

"I love living in Wisconsin," she told them, as she made a tight loop at one end of the wire using a pair of pliers. "I love living in Monticello."

And then, with her bare hands, Stern coaxes the wire into a series of graceful winds and curves and, sometimes, even a "loop d'loop." She holds it up for them to see and smiles. They catch their breath.

Stern's professional career in jewelry making began 25 years ago, when she was in college, when Bodacious Creations carried her line of jewelry. Now she attends events like Farm Technology Days and competitive art shows.

She does no advertising; her notoriety is by word of mouth only.

"I don't want to be always answering the phone and telling people, 'No, I don't size rings; no I don't change watch batteries,'" Stern said.

Her studio is tucked discreetly behind a hair salon in Monticello. Stern said she likes it that way.

"I don't want to be famous," she said. "I want my kids to know who I am. I want to make enough to pay the bills, but nothing to be wealthy."

Her jewelry, however, has been sold, as Stern likes to put it, "from Alaska to Arizona."

With a small hammer, she pounds the new bracelet against an anvil, shaping it into its final form, comfortable for wearing against any wrist. With a small pliers, she bends the other end of the new bracelet into a hook and shows the viewers how she fashioned the clasp. They look amazed.

The mechanism showed simple elegance. It reflected Stern's philosophy about jewelry and life.

"Jewelry should be used to commemorate something in your life," she said. "It's not to be used for anything but good.

"I've never met anyone who died from a lack of jewelry."

Customer slips away with jewelry in Athens

An Athens jewelry store fell victim to a customer Tuesday.

Police Lt. Floyd Johnson said the customer asked to see various pieces of jewelry at Hobbs Jewelers on U.S. 72 at about 12:30 p.m.

During his conversation with a store employee, he said he had a nugget in his vehicle that he might like to have put on one of the pieces.

"He never came back in the store, and when the employees started putting the jewelry back in the case, they noticed two pieces were missing."

Somehow the man managed to swipe a diamond bracelet worth $2,000 and a yellow gold chain worth $400.

The store's surveillance camera captured images of the man. Police hope someone will recognize him and turn him into authorities.

The black male is about 50 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs about 225 pounds.

Johnson said no other jewelry store in the area has reported a similar theft.
Source: decaturdaily

Earnings, Sales Shine At Online Jewelry Firm

Blue Nile NILE is rebounding from a pullback to its 10-week moving average and closing in on its all-time high set in early August.

In fact, the stock's Relative Strength line on its weekly chart is already at new highs, ahead of price -- a bullish sign.

The Seattle-based firm is the largest online retailer of certified diamonds and fine jewelry.

Its earnings growth has ranged from 23% to 46% in the past four quarters. Sales ranged from 24% to 34%, well ahead of some traditional jewelry outfits such as Zales ZLC.

Ultimate Software Group ULTI may be forming a new base. Shares have ramped up in the past two sessions, after trading sideways a few weeks.

The stock also found support at its 10-week moving average for the second time since a June 15 breakout.

Ultimate makes software products for human resources tasks, payroll and recruitment.

The company has delivered triple-digit profit growth for four of the past five quarters. Analysts see full-year profit surging 87%.

After-tax margin was 24% in the latest quarter, sharply wider than in preceding periods.
Source: cnn

Jewelry Channel to shine on DISH Network

The Jewelry Channel Inc. of Austin has reached an agreement to begin airing on the DISH Network nationally.

"Launching The Jewelry Channel on DISH Network Channel 218 furthers our mission to bring competitively priced jewelry to customers nationwide," says Sri Burugapalli, president of the Jewelry Channel.

Jewelry Channel, which began broadcasting earlier this year, sells jewelry to viewers during live programming and also airs short documentaries related to jewelry and the industry.

The channel says its sells hundreds of pieces of jewelry daily. Its programming airs on DirecTV channel 226 and some Time Warner Cable markets, including Channel 285 here in Austin, according to its Web site.

The Jewelry Channel is a wholly owned subsidiary of VGL Group, a public company based in Jaipur, India.

The Dish Network is owned by EchoStar Communications Corp. [Nasdaq: DISH], which also sells satellite TV equipment and related services.

"The Jewelry Channel is a wonderful addition to our current shopping channel line-up," says Michael Kelly, executive vice president of Fixed Satellite Services Business Development for EchoStar. "The convenience of shopping at home is yet another value we deliver to our subscribers."

The Dish Network serves more than 13.6 million satellite TV customers.
Source: bizjournals

It's bare necks, bejeweled ears at Emmys

Eva Longoria in H. Stern's rock crystal and diamond earrings at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards. Dangling earrings, cuff bracelets and statement rings proved victorious at last night's star-studded event.

Most of TV's glamour gals opted for bare necklines at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards, choosing instead dangling earrings, cuff bracelets and statement rings as their red-carpet accessories du jour.

Ugly Betty's America Ferrera, winner of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, kept her neck bare but wore platinum and diamond dangling earrings and rings by Lorraine Schwartz to complement her strapless bright-blue gown. Model and actress Rebecca Romijn, sans neckwear too, chose white enamel, rose-cut diamond and ruby drop earrings by Bochic, and a rock crystal diamond bracelet and 20-carat pink and white diamond ring by Neil Lane. Eva Longoria of Desperate Housewives fame also jumped on the no-necklace bandwagon, opting for H. Stern rock crystal and diamond cobblestone earrings to accent her sparkly Kaufman Franco cocktail dress.

Other major trends at the show included satin gowns, berry hues, high slits and jewels with a serpent motif.

Rebecca Romijn in Bochic's white enamel, rose-cut diamond and ruby drop earrings.

Actress Minnie Driver, in a yellow satin gown by Donna Karan, wore diamond, ruby and pearl dangling earrings and a black bakelite cuff with diamonds and rubies set in 22-karat gold by Bochic. Private Practice star Kate Walsh added diamond and platinum chandelier earrings, platinum, diamond and ruby bracelets, and a platinum and colored-diamond ring by Neil Lane to her red satin Pamela Dennis ensemble. And stars such as Marcia Cross and Queen Latifah sported serpentine diamond bangles. Latifah's bracelet was from Diamond in the Rough's rough "Iceberg" collection, as were her earrings.

Platinum and diamonds, always a red-carpet favorite, were seen on many of Hollywood's hottest men. Emmy Awards' host Ryan Seacrest donned a platinum tie accent by Superfit and platinum cuff links by Hearts On Fire, Steve Carell of The Office wore platinum and diamond cuff links by Neil Lane and Jeremy Piven, winner of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Entourage, chose Chopard's Dual Time Zone watch with diamond bezel and black crocodile band.

Arnold Brant's platinum tuxedo.

Platinum's strong showing even extended into award-show attire. Entertainment Tonight's Mark Steines wore a platinum tuxedo designed by Arnold Brant during a pre-show event. The tuxedo was custom-tailored and hand-sewn with 10 yards of platinum thread, inlayed in the fabric. Brant will now donate the piece to Clothes Off Our Back to help support children's charities. The tuxedo is valued at $25,000.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

India's Jewelry Exports Climb, Led by Diamond Sales

Exports of jewelry from India, the world's largest producer, climbed 24 percent in the five months ended August as overseas sales of diamonds rose.

Exports reached $7.75 billion, compared with $6.24 billion a year ago, the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council said on its Web site. India shipped gems and jewelry worth $1.87 billion last month compared with $1.43 billion a year earlier.

Gold demand from India almost doubled in the three months ended June 30 to 317.2 tons as faster-than-expected economic expansion and plans to double jewelry exports in the next five years sparked purchases and investment demand.

Diamond exports rose 25 percent to $5.1 billion and jewelry sales gained 24 percent to $2.2 billion in the five months ended August. Sales of gemstones rose 11 percent to $99 million, while shipments of rough diamonds rose 12 percent to $222 million from year ago, the council said.

India's exports of gems and jewelry rose 3 percent to $17 billion in the year ended March from $16.6 billion a year ago, according to council's Web site.
Source: bloomberg

Neckties, jewelry banned for UK doctors

British hospitals are banning neckties, long sleeves and jewelry for doctors — and their traditional white coats — in an effort to stop the spread of deadly hospital-borne infections, according to new rules published Monday.

Hospital dress codes typically urge doctors to look professional, which, for male practitioners, has usually meant wearing a tie. But as concern over hospital-born infections has intensified, doctors are taking a closer look at their clothing.

"Ties are rarely laundered but worn daily," the Department of Health said in a statement. "They perform no beneficial function in patient care and have been shown to be colonized by pathogens."

The new regulations taking effect next year mean an end to doctors' traditional long-sleeved white coats, Health Secretary Alan Johnson said. Fake nails, jewelry and watches, which the department warned could harbor germs, are also out.

Johnson said the "bare below the elbows" dress code would help prevent the spread of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, the deadly bacteria resistant to nearly every available antibiotic.

Popularly known as a "superbug," MRSA accounts for more than 40 percent of in-hospital blood infections in Britain. Because the bacteria is so hard to kill, health care workers have instead focused on containing its spread through improvements to hospital hygiene.

A 2004 study of doctors' neckties at a New York hospital found nearly half of them carried at least one species of infectious microbe. In 2006, the British Medical Association urged doctors to go without the accessories, calling them "functionless clothing items."

Infection control societies in the U.S. don't recommend similar dress restrictions because there is no strong evidence that health care workers who don't wear ties or jewelry reduce the risk of infection, said Dr. James Steinberg, an Emory University infectious disease specialist.

Steinberg said that doctors and nurses who don't adequately wash their hands pose a far bigger risk to patients and that hand-washing should be the focus of infection control efforts in hospitals.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does have guidelines advising doctors and nurses against wearing artificial nails in operating rooms and around high-risk patients. It says there is evidence that health care workers who wear fake nails have more germs on their fingertips both before and after hand-washing than those with natural nails.
Source: yahoo