Italy jewelry output, exports seen down '08

Output and exports of jewelry from Italy, Europe's biggest producer, will fall this year owing to high gold prices and a weakening global economy, an industry expert said on Friday.

In 2007, foreign sales of export-focused Italian jewelry fell a greater than expected 6.2 percent by volume, while their value rose 4.1 percent, said Stefano de Pascale, director of Italian goldsmiths' body Federorafi.

In the first quarter of this year, jewelry exports from Veneto, one of the three main Italian jewelry manufacturing regions, fell 4.7 percent in value, indicating weakness across the sector, de Pascale told Reuters.

"There are reasons to consider 2008 as another year of suffering for the sector, of falls in output and exports," Stefano de Pascale, director of Italian goldsmiths' body Federorafi said in a telephone interview.

Italy, the world's biggest jewelry exporter and design leader, has seen output and export volumes fall in the past few years as India, China and Turkey have fought their way into key export markets by improving quality.

Italian jewelry export volume had been forecast to fall between 2.5 and 5.0 percent in 2007, according to different preliminary industry estimates.

"The decline that we saw in 2007 extends into the first quarter of this year," de Pascale said.

The jewelry sector was among those hit first and hardest by weakening consumer demand as global economic growth slows and fears about recession intensify, especially in the United States, the main jewelry market, he said.

Extreme volatility of gold prices on world markets this year has been "extremely penalizing" for jewelers, as buyers were reluctant to place orders in the hope that metal prices would stabilize, he said.

Gold prices spiked to a lifetime high of $1,030.80 per ounce on March 17 but have fallen about 14 percent since then, dragged by profit taking and falls in other commodities.

Jewelry output in Italy fell 5 percent to 207.9 tonnes in 2007, or less than 40 percent of the 1998 production peak, according to the latest report by metals consultancy GFMS Ltd.
Source: reuters

Va. jeweler provides secret Bush ring

Jenna Bush's engagement ring came from Charles Schwarzschild in Virginia.

When Jenna Bush ties the knot in Texas tomorrow, a Virginia jeweler will have the satisfaction of having a hand in the high-profile nuptials—or at least a finger.

Charles Schwarzschild Inc., of Richmond, Va., provided the diamond-and-sapphire engagement ring now sported by the president's daughter, who will wed Henry Hager.

Jane Sternheimer, owner and president of Charles Schwarzschild Inc., found out about the top-secret engagement before the question was popped. But today, the secret's out, and Sternheimer was able to share her story.

She met with Henry Hager and his mother, Margaret Chase Hager, last summer in mid-July to discuss a ring for Bush that would feature his great-grandmother's diamond. Hager said he needed the ring by Aug. 9.

"Henry had well-considered ideas regarding the type of ring he wished to present: classic and conservative," Sternheimer says. "He wanted the center stone flanked with sapphires and the ring to be made in platinum."

The young man asked for a sketch to be faxed with the details of the design. The shank would have tiny, brilliant-cut round diamonds pavé set within a rim of platinum, and the look would be reminiscent of the 1920s.

Sternheimer couldn't be specific about the costs or carat sizes used in the ring.

The jeweler had also worked with Henry's older brother, Jack Hager, when he got engaged. The Bush engagement, however, was top secret of course.

Pressed for time, Sternheimer hastily began making phone calls. In search of sapphires, Sternheimer asked a friend, gem merchant Rajul Gupta of Incon Gems in New York, who obliged by providing a whole parcel for her to peruse. After receiving permission to have the European-cut diamond polished, she tapped another trusted peer, Rick Shatz of Rick Shatz Inc. Finally, to design the ring itself, she commissioned New York jeweler Andy Calabrisotto of Platinum Plus, whose face lit up when he learned who the ring was for.

After Henry Hager and his mother arrived to pick up the ring on Aug. 9, his mother took a few photos as the young man chatted about his plans.

"He was completely unpretentious," Sternheimer says. "As they were leaving, Henry slipped a thank you note onto my desk."
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Young designer shapes future in jewelry

Who knew, when Jessica DiRubio started stringing beads as a little girl, that she’d grow up to see her jewelry sparkling back at her from a movie screen?

At just 24, the up-and-coming designer has already had her bejeweled, 18-karat gold pieces worn on a half-dozen television shows. Several more of her items will be seen adorning the stars of a Hollywood film that is due to be out this fall.

The New Canaan native was also selected by industry leaders as one of eight “Rising Stars” this spring at JCK Las Vegas, a trade show attended by more than 3,000 exhibitors, including big names such as Cartier and Tiffany & Co.

“As a new designer, it’s one of the highest accolades you can receive,” said Ms. DiRubio, who was judged on the uniqueness of her jewelry and its ability to adapt year-to-year. “It’s really a validation of your designs and you as a designer and as a new force in the jewelry industry. It really gives you some validity approaching stores.”

Along with being assigned a prominently placed booth at the show, she will join the ranks of previous “Rising Stars,” which include David Yurman and Leslie Greene.

Ms. DiRubio, who has no artistic training, started seriously making beaded jewelry while studying English at Colgate University. She got her start in town when, as her father put it, “she used to come to the Sidewalk Sale and knock them all out of the park.”

Although she now lives and works in Manhattan, Ms. DiRubio will return to her roots with a trunk show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Friday and Saturday, May 9 and 10, at Henry C. Reid & Son, 72 Elm Street, her exclusive distributor in New Canaan.
Jewelry has been Ms. DiRubio’s full-time pursuit since she graduated in 2005 — “I don’t even have a resume,” she said.

Her beaded collections were sold in stores up and down the East Coast, but she turned her attention last year to the launch of her 18-karat gold line, starting at $290.

“I’ve always loved fine jewelry,” she said. “The other line just really wasn’t scalable.”
Ms. DiRubio works in green gold — a softer-colored alloy than traditional yellow gold she said is popular in Europe — and embellishes with cut stones and cabochons of diamond, tourmaline, pink sapphire, blue topaz, aquamarine, chalcedony, moonstone, kunzite and peridot.

She hires seven goldsmiths and gem-setters in the city to manufacture her jewelry by hand, but shops for materials herself in New York’s Diamond District.

“That’s the fun part, playing with the stones,” she said, barely pausing for breath to rattle off a gemstone hardness scale.

The soaring price of gold is of concern to Ms. DiRubio: “It’s the first thing I check in the morning and the last thing I check at night.”

Inspiration comes from “all over and everything,” from antique jewelry and buttons from the 1920s to the windows of Manhattan architecture.

A long-stemmed rose in her studio blossomed into the rings, earrings, necklaces and cuffs of her “Vine” collection, while peacock’s feathers are the theme of another set.
Snorkeling in St. Bart’s gave her the idea for a ring patterned after a sea anemone.

“It was really important to me to design for everyone,” she said, from “people who work in corporate New York to my mom. A lot of our pieces are very classic but have a sort of whimsical look. It’s all meant to be wearable, very mix-and-match. You want a hand-me-down feel to it, something you’d love to pass down to a daughter or a granddaughter.”

The wearability and comfort associated with each design is a major concern: “It’s important to be aware of the texture of the piece, how the piece feels on. If it’s uncomfortable, you’re not going to wear it,” she said.

Her set of three separate, stacking vine rings are meant to be worn together, but their flexible design allows freedom of movement.

Bezel settings, “with no prongs to pull out,” are common throughout her work.

A computer-aided design program is a handy tool for designing comfortable, perfectly symmetrical ring bases and for determining whether a concept even workable, she said, holding a pair of earrings that took three tries to get the curve of an earlobe just right.

“Some pieces,” Ms. DiRubio  added, “we bail ‘em because mechanically, they just won’t work.”

How long from fantasy to finished piece? Anywhere from three weeks to three months.

Her parents, Jeff and Joanna, deserve credit for their roles in what has “really become a family-run business,” she said.

“My mom has been hugely involved in terms of design work. I think a lot of inspiration I get from her, she has a great eye and a great sense of color.”

That her father, also an entrepreneur, has worked from home for the past 13 years has been a boon for her business education, she said.

“He really has been a guiding hand and a wealth of knowledge. I would never have been able to do it without my dad.”

Learning the financial side of her livelihood was hard at first, she said, but now, “It’s definitely business first and foremost and design second.

“I think, ‘How many models can I get out of one piece, one model, one concept? How can I allocate the money from selling a ring so it’ll make me three more rings?’” she said, “Even though I love the design aspect.”

Being young and breaking into a competitive, male-dominated industry that requires significant start-up capital poses its own challenges.

“Most people take one look at me and think I’m not the designer because I look really young,” said Ms. DiRubio, adding that her long, blonde head of hair doesn’t help.

But selling and the ability to read people comes naturally, she said, and by now she’s pitched her company to hedge funds and venture capitalists.

“Explaining your jewelry to a man isn’t always the easiest thing,” she said. “I’ve found I’ve really been able to start holding my own in terms of what I need from investors. But the jewelry has really spoken for itself. With most stores, we come back with an order because people have seen something new and fresh.”

Ms. DiRubio balances a dream of long-term success in the jewelry industry with a desire to add sparkle to the lives of others. From the very beginning, she has donated pieces to raise money for local causes, including domestic violence awareness, animal welfare and a multiple myeloma charity.

“I love what I do, I wouldn’t trade this for anything. If I do end up big and successful with this I’d love to find a way to inspire women in business because I do think there are so many opportunities for women in business and so few who really get there,” she said. “I’d love the opportunity to give back.”
Source: acorn-online

Jewelry artist opens first studio

Julie Sanford put some finishing touches on a tiny multicolored cylindrical box with a silver mold of her father extending from one side on Wednesday

Her father, Thomas Hughes, was a silversmith and stone artist.

Now, after opening her first jewelry design studio, Sanford is still walking in her father's footsteps.

"I just thought I was going to do like dad does," she said.

The 42-year-old Kalamazoo native always had an interest in jewelry. She remembers at age 10 transforming a boutonniere pin into a pair of earrings, which she wore with pride.

When her father died in 1981, Sanford inherited both is love for jewelry design and equipment. She uses both to create decorative pendants, earrings and other jewelry by soldering metals together with a acetylene torch.

Getting to the point where she could open her own place wasn't easy. She spent 15 years working for a retail jeweler and five years as an art
teacher, and was also on staff at the Kalamazoo Institute of Art.

More recently, she has been working out of her Grand Haven home — where she lives with her husband, Jeff, and three children.

This spring, Sanford opened Studio JSD at 1101 Columbus Ave., across the street from the Grand Haven Area Arts Council building.

"Now I finally feel like I can do this for a living," she said. "I like it here, and I like that the arts council is across the street."

Sanford sells her work at weekend summer art festivals, including the Art on the Riverfront show in Grand Haven in August. The other half of her business comes from selling at six or seven Michigan retailers, including Imagine 360 Gallery in Grand Haven and Dreese Fine Art and Framing in Spring Lake.

Sanford also does commission work, and sometimes makes pieces for friends on a whim. She recently turned a flashy bottle top into a pendant for a friend who misses Michigan's specialty drinks.

"I get excited about doing projects that are really special to people," she said.

Sanford's assistant, 20-year-old Carolyn VanderKooi of Hart, only wears jewelry created by her boss.

"I am probably her biggest fan," VanderKooi said. "It's all so unique and beautiful. Most all my friends own a piece now because they think it's so neat."

Although Sanford's work has been featured in artisan publications, she's somewhat taken aback by such praise.

"I don't feel worthy," she said.

Sanford won't sell jewelry out of her studio, but does hope to conduct classes on such topics as jewelry design and glass fusing.

Sanford doesn't cut the stones she uses in her pieces, but may someday put the stone-cutting equipment that sits in the corner of her studio to good use.
Source: grandhaventribune

New Ways To Trade In Your Gold Jewelry For Cash

The price of gold has been skyrocketing to record highs. So much so that people are finding ways of 'cashing in' on their own jewelry in a big way.

Ever wonder what to do with that single gold earring you lost the match to five years ago? Or the broken chain you never got fixed and just haven't worn since?

Robert Madruga has decided to sell his old 14kt gold necklace and four rings to Sharif Jewelers in Sacramento.

"Just gold jewelry I knew that I had that I've just been kind of hanging onto for too long and thought it was time to make some money on it," says Robert.

And timing is key here. The value of gold has been steadily going up for five years and is now valued near $900 an ounce. And, Madruga isn't the only one cashing in.

"I think people are taking little bit more notice to it," says Erica.

Erica Clark, who works at Sharif Jewelers, says everyday several people come in asking about selling or trading in their gold pieces. With a single earring, you have three options:

"You're first option would be to bring it in, and we can custom make an identical match for you, you would be paying for the labor and the materials need to make the additional pair," says Erica.

The second option is to trade in the jewelry for something else in the store.

"And your third option would be to sell it outright," Erica explains.

And that's exactly what Madruga wanted.

"I'm cashing out. I'm getting $800 for this right here," Robert says.
Source: cbs13

'May is Gold Month' returns

May is Gold Month" ads like this one created for Ben Bridge Jeweler are scheduled to run throughout May.

Though the rising price of gold has made retailers skittish about sales, "May is Gold Month," a national retail promotion aimed at increasing consumer sales of gold jewelry throughout the month, will be targeting spring shoppers.

Duvall O'Steen, director of jewelry public relations and promotion at the World Gold Council (WGC), says May remains a great time to buy gold for special occasions such as Mother's Day and graduations, or for self-purchase.

Part of the buzz this May will be generated by the official participating retailers who have collectively spent some $3 million so far to launch their new, fashion-forward gold assortments in a national media campaign in magazines such as Elle, Good Housekeeping, Harper's Bazaar, InStyle, People and Redbook.

The campaign will also be supported at retail with point-of-sale signage, window displays and direct-mail catalogs. More broadcast retailers are jumping on board this year too, O'Steen says, which will heighten consumer awareness.

The campaign isn't just growing by way of media attention, but also in terms of dollars spent. In 2006, the campaign partners spent $3.2 million, and last year that figure rose to $3.6 million. It's hoped that this May's total sales, to be tallied this summer, will be even higher.

Although the WGC can't release sales growth figures because of confidentiality reasons, O'Steen says that partner stores witness double-digit sales growth in May, on average, as a result of the promotions. She acknowledges this year could be different due to the faltering economy, but remains hopeful.

John Calnon, WGC's U.S. managing director, says prior to 2007, gold sales had been increasing rather nicely, and 2007 saw increases until the fourth quarter, which saw a downturn.

With the troubled economy and increasing price of gold, O'Steen advises retailers to focus on the precious metal's value, and adds that the consumer perception of gold's intrinsic and lasting value has actually been strengthened by the higher prices.

"When things are expensive, we want them," O'Steen says. "We aspire to them."

Value doesn't mean cheap, O'Steen emphasizes, and customers still want to buy the best they can afford. Consequently, she says, selling inexpensive pieces isn't necessarily the way to go.

"Consumers want to make sure it lasts and is durable," she says.

O'Steen adds that in addition to consumers seeking luxury items, regardless of price, gold's own attributes can also help keep sales up.

One such quality to emphasize is its lasting nature. Unlike a pair of shoes or a purse that wears out quickly, 15 years after purchase, gold will still be around. She adds that value on the design side also helps for greater sales, as do pieces that offer versatility.

The co-sponsors of the program, the WGC, Jewelry.com and the Richline Group, will collaborate with retailers including Belks, Ben Bridge Jeweler, BJ's, J.C. Penney, Jewelry Television, Macy's, ShopNBC, Sterling Jewelers and QVC to launch the campaign, which will feature new gold collections.

Independent retailers are, once again, invited to participate in the campaign by downloading the May is Gold Month logo and point-of-sale materials from the WGC's Web site, Marketing.Gold.org.

O'Steen says the WGC always intended to make the campaign industry-wide but wanted to ensure it was strong before welcoming it to all.

"Independents should capitalize on the buzz," she says.

May is Gold Month will also raise funds and awareness for Jewelers for Children, an organization benefiting children who have been affected by illness, abuse or neglect, through a sweepstakes to be hosted on Jewelry.com.

The sweepstakes offers consumers the chance to vote on and win their favorite new gold jewelry design, with the Web site making a contribution of 10 cents—up to $50,000—for each completed sweepstakes entry.

The online sweepstakes will be supported with digital marketing.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

U.S. Bankruptcies Down 15% in First Quarter

The latest financial statistics from the Jewelers Board of Trade offer some encouragement in a tough market. For the first quarter of 2008, the total number of U.S. bankruptcies—combined totals among retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers—declined by 15 percent compared with the first quarter of 2007.

The total number of new retail businesses in the first quarter of 2008 grew slightly, 1.7 percent, over the first quarter of 2007. For retailers, it appears the money is headed south, as all gains in new retail businesses happened in the Sunbelt. New jewelry businesses in the Southwest leaped 150 percent, the South Central region posted a 20 percent gain in new retail businesses, the Southeast a modest 7.1 percent gain. Meanwhile, snow is out—the Northeast, North Central, and Northwest regions all showed significantly higher declines in the number of new jewelry businesses opening this year vs. the same period last year. (Note: These figures indicate the number of new jewelry retail businesses opening in the quarter, not the total number of businesses in the region for the quarter.)

The number of new wholesale businesses grew 60 percent in the same period, but these increases were offset by a decline in the number of new manufacturing businesses, which posted a 75 percent decline from first-quarter 2007 figures. Overall, the number of new jewelry businesses in all three categories declined slightly, by 2.5 percent, in the first quarter 2008 over the same period of 2007.

JBT reports 9.4 percent fewer claims placed with its collections department in the first quarter of 2008 vs. the same period in 2007, however, the average amount per claim grew 24.6 percent, from $6,583 last year to $8,203 this year.
Source: jckonline

What do women think about jewelry?

A new, online community-based Web site for jewelry lovers has launched, giving women a forum to share their interest in jewelry and provide and receive jewelry-related advice.

Visitors to the site, Finejewelrynews.com, will find a reader forum, titled "Fine Jewelry Connection," where they can ask questions, share advice and tell stories, plus a weekly poll, "A View from You," which lets women cast a vote and find out what they have in common with other jewelry lovers around the world.

Both features are accessible at no charge and are available to both consumers and the jewelry industry.

"Fine Jewelry News is a great resource for consumers, but it's valuable to the jewelry industry too," editor Jodi Goldberg said in a media release. "It's a place to find out what's on women's minds, and to gather insight about what's important to them."

In addition, the site offers a subscription-based, bimonthly e-newsletter, which provides exclusive jewelry news, including the latest jewelry fashion trends, new and upcoming jewelry designers, and information to help consumers make informed decisions about jewelry purchases.

A sample issue is available for free, and six bimonthly issues are available for $15.95.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Five diamonds stolen at HCM City int’l jewelry fair

Three foreign diamond traders lost five diamonds at the International Jewelry Vietnam 2008 held at the International Fair and Exhibition Centre on Hoang Van Thu road, HCM City at noon on May 2.

According to HCM City police, an Indian trader, Kumt Parkn Jkumar Vitth Laai, lost a diamond worth $37,000; an American seller, Bi Jam Andoo, lost four diamonds worth $15,000; and an Italian man, Trademax’s Bari Mario, lost a necklace and a bracelet worth $2,300.

At the time the incidents happened there were five Chinese people at the three above stalls. Guards at the International Fair and Exhibition Centre detained one of the five Chinese men and handed him over to police for investigation.

Police found six fake diamonds on this man’s person but they didn’t detect any evidence related to the three above incidents so they had to release him.

Police are further investigating the case.

International Jewelry Vietnam 2008 was organised from May 2-4, attracting more than 100 jewelry firms from 15 countries and territories who brought a large volume of gems and jewelry. The event was protected by 15 guards. Some traders even hired extra guards to protect their stalls.
Source: vietnamnet

French Jewel Heads Home

In 1855 the Parisian jeweler François Kramer created a diamond bow brooch for the beauteous tastemaker Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. But on May 12, 1887, the French crown jewels were sold at public auction in the Louvre by order of the Third Republic. The buyer, for $135,000, was the jeweler Emile Schlesinger acting for Caroline Astor of New York. The brooch, above, remained in the Astor family but after 121 years was to be offered for auction at Christie’s in New York on April 15. Then the Louvre and the Friends of the Louvre decided the jewel belonged in France. So when the auction sale was canceled for legal reasons, the Louvre was able to negotiate a private sale with the agreement of the owner, the jeweler Ralph O. Esmerian, Christie’s announced on Tuesday. François Curiel, president of Christie’s Europe, expressed pleasure that “a French crown jewel has reclaimed its position among the museum’s royal collections.” The brooch was recently estimated by Christie’s to be worth $6 million to $8 million.
Source: nytimes