Jewelry Archives
Jewelry: Platinum or Gold?
Above: Platinum Rings.
Engagement Rings and Wedding Bands.
A Synopsis:
When shopping for a diamond engagement ring, the question of what metal type to choose will invariably come up. Although whatever your choice, platinum engagement ring, or white gold engagement ring, you are certainly a winner, there are however certain distinguishing characteristics between the two metals.
Platinum Rings
Platinum is a heavier and denser metal than white gold and is more expensive than gold which contains a combination of alloys. Platinum rings are extremely appealing for the following reasons:
* Platinum is incredibly durable (much more so than white gold.)
* Platinum will hold your loose diamond or gemstone more securely than white gold which is a softer, more pliable metal.
* Platinum develops a beautiful sheen or patina over time.
* Platinum rings are hypoallergenic and will resist tarnishing better than gold.
Gold Rings
Gold rings are much less expensive than platinum rings and have the following characteristics:
* Gold will not scratch as easy as platinum.
* Because gold also contains other alloys its color will fluctuate depending on the purity of the gold that is used.
* Gold will tend to fade eventually and will require repolishing.
In Depth Analysis
Platinum:
Platinum is valued as the finest metal for jewelry. It is the strongest metal and weighs twice as much as its gold counterpart. Additionally, the exceptional weight and density of this precious metal make it extremely attractive and desirable, and will increase its value significantly. Platinum engagement rings, and platinum diamond rings, have taken the market by storm due to the fact that the sheen or patina of the metal does a better job than gold of highlighting/contrasting the beauty of the set diamonds. The platinum metal is part of a group of six metals including; platinum, iridium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, and osmium. These metals are all extremely similar to platinum in their chemistry, density, and weight. As a matter of fact, they are often difficult to distinguish from each other. Platinum jewelry is also unique in that it is the only metal that is of 90% to 95% purity.
Gold:
Gold in its purest form is an extremely soft and pliable metal. Because it is so soft and malleable it cannot be used in jewelry since it would disfigure with normal wear. Because of this problem jewelers resort to an alloyed gold known as karat gold (different from "carat" measurement used to characterize diamond weight) Adding alloys to the gold will make the metal tougher and harder so that it may be used in jewelry applications. It will also result in different colors depending on the different combinations used. White gold contains approximately 10-20% nickel, with combinations of platinum, zinc, copper, and palladium. This combination makes white gold a tougher metal than yellow gold. The amount of gold in any given combination is described by karat number. Examples of these numbers would be 14k, 18k, or 24k. The number indicates how many components of pure gold are included in the 24 components that make up the alloy. The following chart illustrates these combinations:
10k = 10/24 = 41.67% purity of gold
14k = 14/24 = 58.33% purity of gold
18k = 18/24 = 75.00% purity of gold
24k = 24/24 = 100% pure gold
Pearl Jewelry
History:
Throughout history, the Pearl has been one of the most highly prized and sought after gems. Numerous references to the pearl can be found in religions and mythology of many cultures from the earliest times.
Ancient Egyptians prized pearls so much they were buried with them. Cleopatra dissolved a single pearl in a glass of wine and drank it, in order to win a bet with Marc Antony that she could consume the wealth of an entire country in just one meal.
In ancient Rome, pearls were considered the ultimate symbol of wealth and social standing. The Greeks held the pearl in high esteem for both its beauty and associated it with love and marriage.
Pearls evolved into symbolic figures, and were presented as evocative gifts dating as far back as 2206 B.C. during the time of Confucius. Myth has it that the Polynesian God Oro (God of peace and fertility), came to earth on a rainbow to offer a pearl as a symbol of love to the princess of Bora Bora. The Roman and Greek legends of Venus/Aphrodite(Goddess of love, beauty and pleasure), is said to have come out of the sea with water droplets turning into pearls, offering her “charms” as the love goddess.
During the Dark Ages,women of nobility wore pearl necklaces and knights wore pearls onto the battlefield believing that pearls had magic powers and would protect them from harm.
Pearls were extremely popular among the Royal Courts during the Rennaisance Period. Since pearls were so highly regarded, a number of European countries passed laws forbidding the wearing of pearls by others outside of the nobility. Queen Elizabeth I was the most avid pearl lover in history, and the “Fairy Queen Portrait,” (1550s – 1603) depicts the queen adorned in one of her 300 gowns that were laden, set, and sewn with natural pearls.
During the European expansion into the New World, the discovery of pearls in Central American waters added significantly to the wealth of Europe. Greed and lust resulted in the depletion of virtually all the American pearl oyster populations by the 17th Century.
Until the early 1900’s, natural pearls were accessible to only the rich and famous. In 1916, famed French jeweler Jacques Cartier bought his landmark store on New York’s Fifth Avenue by trading two pearl necklaces for the property.
During the early 1900s the worldwide demand for natural pearls exceeded supply, leading to development of cultured pearls by Kokichi Mikimoto.
Famous designer Coco Chanel paved the way for the wide acceptance of cultured pearls by popularizing them as everyday wear. Chanel thereby defined Pearl's as classic women’s fashion. In 1955 Tiffany responded to growing consumer demand by showcasing Pearls. Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor also often dressed in sumptuous pearls.
Today, natural and cultered pearls share the same properties as both are grown in live oysters and are readily available and affordable.
Pearl Formation.
As mentioned, due to the growing popularity for high quality Pearls, supply of natural Pearls became insufficient to meet demand. Thus the cultured Pearl industry was born and developed.
Pearls are grown by live oysters far below the surface of the sea.
The process begins when a foreign object, such as a parasite or piece of sand, accidently lodges itself in the oyster’s soft inner body where it cannot be expelled.
In an effort to ease this irritant, the oyster’s body takes defensive action. The oyster begins to secrete a smooth, hard crystalline substance around the irritant in order to protect itself. This substance is called nacre. As long as the irritant remains within its body, the oyster will continue to secrete nacre around the irritant, layer upon layer. After a few years, the irritant will be totally encased by the silky crystalline coatings. The result is the gem called a Pearl.
Foreign object enters oyster and cannot be expelled.
Cells then secrete a a smooth and hard substance called nacre around the irritant.
The exact process by which pearls are formed from what an oyster regards as merely protection against irritation is one of nature’s mysterys. Nacre in addition to being a soothing substance is composed of microscopic crystals. Each crystal is aligned perfectly with each other so that light passing along the axis of one is reflected and refracted by the other to produce a rainbow of light and color. Cultured pearls are formed by oysters in almost an identical fashion. The only difference is that man surgically implants the irritant — a small piece of polished shell into the oyster rather than leaving it to chance, then allows the oyster to do it's work.
After several years of nacre "building" a beautiful Pearl is formed.
Cultered Pearl Farming.
Pearl cultivation intially depended entirely on wild oysters. Now Pearl cultivation is more selective. Japanese scientists were in the vanguard in isolating strains of oysters possessing superior pearl bearing qualities. These selectively bred oysters are capable of producing pearls of exceptional lustre and color clarity.
Technicians open the live pearl oysters carefully, then surgically implant a small polished shell bead and piece of mantle tissue in each. The shell bead serves as the nucleus around which the oyster secretes layer after layer of nacre.
Pearl Tecnician implanting shell into Oyster.
The nucleated oysters are then returned to the sea. There, in sheltered bays rich in natural nutrients, the oysters feed and grow, secreting layers of nacre around their nuclei. In winter, the oysters are moved south to warmer waters.
Pearl Culturing.
These nucleated oysters are then suspended from rafts in order to provide the best growing conditions. Pearl technicians check water temperatures and feeding conditions daily at various water depths and then move the oysters up or down to take advantage of the best growing conditions. Cleaning and health treatments are administered and anything that might interfere with feeding such as seaweed, barnacles, and parasites which are removed from the shells.
Cultured pearls cannot be a mass-produced factory-like product.
On the average, about fifty percent of the nucleated oysters do not survive the surgical procedure to bear pearls. Others may succumb to a variety of conditions such as disease, heavy rains which reduce necessary salinity, explosive and unchecked growth of plankton which decreases oxygen in the water, predators, and parasites. Twenty percent of the survivors will bear marketable pearls. The rest are too imperfect or flawed to be used commercially.
Above: Oysters positioned for growth.
Above: Beautiful Pearl result of the Culturing Process.
Types of Cultured Pearls.
There are five basic Cultured Pearls types:
1. Akoya
2. White South Sea
3. Tahitian
4. Freshwater
5. Mabe
Akoya 
Akoya pearls are the classic cultured pearls of Japan. They are the most lustrous of all pearls found anywhere in the world. In recent years, China has been successful in producing Akoya pearls within their own waters. However, at this time they are not on par quality wise compared to the Japanese Akoya pearls.
White South Sea
White South Sea cultured pearls are grown in large tropical or semi-tropical oysters in Australia, Myanmar, Indonesia and other Pacific countries. They generally range in size from 10mm to 20mm and command premium prices because of their relative rarity and large size.
Tahitian 
Tahitian cultured pearls are grown in a variety of large pearl oysters found primarily in French Polynesia. Their beautiful, unique colors (which can range from light grey to black, and green to purple) and large size can command very high prices.
Freshwater 
Freshwater pearls are found in bays and rivers throughout the world. They are easily cultivated from freshwater mollusks in China, Japan and the United States. They are less lustrous than salt water cultured pearls but their low price, unique shapes and colors have made them popular jewelry items in recent years.
Mabe 
are grown in Japan, Indonesia, French Polynesia, and Australia.
Mabe pearls are hemispherical and are grown against the inside shell of an oyster rather than within the oyster’s body. They are used in earrings or rings which conceal their flat backs.
Buying Pearls- What to Look For.
There are five very important characteristics and features of Pearls that you should focus on when you are in the market to make a purchase. They are:
1. Lustre
2. Surface
3. Shape
4. Color
5. Size
LUSTRE:
Lustre is the combination of surface brilliance and a deep seated glow. The lustre of a good quality pearl should be bright and you should be able to see your own reflection clearly on the surface of a pearl. Any pearl that appears too white, dull or chalky indicates low quality.
SURFACE:
refers to the absence of disfiguring spots, bumps or cracks on the surface of a pearl. The cleaner the surface of the pearl, the more valuable.
SHAPE:
The fact that cultured pearls are grown by oysters makes it very rare to find a perfectly round pearl. Therefore the rounder the pearl, the more valuable it is.
COLOR:
Pearls come in a variety of colors from rosé to black.
SIZE:
Cultured pearls are measured by their diameter in millimeters. Size can range from 1 millimeter to more than 20 millimeters. The larger the pearl the more expensive it will be. The average sized pearl sold today is between 7 and 7-1/2 millimeters.
Some beautiful examples of Pearl Jewelry.
Photo's and Graphics courtesy of www.exceldiamonds.com and The Pearl Information Center
Right Hand Diamond Rings
Recently in the diamond and fashion jewelry industry there has been an almost unprecedented marketing blitz by the DTC (Diamond Trading Company) which is the marketing arm of the DeBeers Diamond Company to promote and sell "right hand diamond rings" for women.
The idea was to basically create a niche for women to wear Diamond rings on their right hand in addition to the traditional diamond engagement rings and wedding bands worn on the left hand. The way this was done was by promoting the notion that a diamond ring worn by a woman on her right hand has a different significance and connotation than the traditional rings being worn on the left hand.
The premise of "empowering" women with a right hand ring is the main thrust of the campaign and is best summed up by this direct quote from the DeBeers website, www.adiamondisforever.com:
"The right hand need not be ignored any longer… The newest trend is the diamond Right Hand Ring. The diamond Right Hand Ring signifies the strength, success and independence of women of the twenty-first century. These rings come in a variety of beautiful designs -- Modern Vintage, Floral, Romantic, and Contemporary -- offering each woman a design that best suits her individual personality. Women of the world, raise your right hand!"
The biggest marketing companies were called in to create catchy slogans and brochures for the campaign.
Here is a photo of one of the advertisements created for this campaign:
A typical advertisement will read; "Your left hand holds on. You right hand reaches out. Your left hand plays hard-to-get. Your right hand just plays hard. Women of the world raise your right hand."
The question is, how effective has this campaign been?
I recently read a fascinating article in The Rappaport Diamond Report for the diamond industry where the author interviewed a few owners of some of the prominent jewelry stores for their opinion on how effective this campaign has been thus far based on consumer reaction.
Here is what a few of them had to say:
Paul Cohen, President Continental Jewelers, Inc. Wilmington,Delaware
"I believe as the designs evolve that the campaign will have greater impact and greater appeal....it has had an impact on increasing sales in what we used to call cocktail rings. The campaign is in effect saying, Ladies celebrate yourselves. It's okay to wear a diamond ring other than a diamond band or a diamond engagement ring. It's okay to wear a diamond dress/cocktail ring. It just gives it another name. And it's a name that's more in keeping with the evolution of women's lives and the fact that they are becoming equal; they are moving forward."
Christopher Duquet, President Christpher Duquet Fine Jewelry design Evanston, Illinois
"I haven't had a real, significant surge of requests for them in our store. I think it has been a successful campaign in terms of its psychographics. It's right on target in terms of expanding their market. But I don't think it has reached the depths yet where it has gotten consumer reaction in a big way."
The truth is that these right hand diamond rings are really nothing new at all. Kwiat, Hearts on fire diamonds, Tacori, Verragio, and many other designer ring companies have been creating fashion jewelry and diamond cocktail rings for quite some time.
In short, I think that it is still left to be seen whether this right hand diamond ring campaign will flourish and gain momentum or go bust the way of so many other diamond and jewelry fads before it.
Pictures of right hand diamond rings courtesy of DTC and www.exceldiamonds.com
Everything in PINK! The New Craze for Pink Gold and Pink Sapphires.
In a recent article in the Modern Jeweler magazine; Pink Sapphires have become the rage in fashion and bridal jewelry.
With actual colors ranging from shades of dusky rose to reddish gold, pink is now more than just a trend in jewelry. It has become a staple commodity in both gemstones and precious metals.
The mainstream jewelry stores and fashion jewelry boutiques are now showcasing pink jewelry in every conceivable look and configuration.
You have pink gold with white gold, pink gold with platinum, pink and white gold with combinations of pink sapphires and dazzling white diamonds, etc.
Jewelry retail stores have seen a tremendous hike in demand for diamond engagement rings in pink gold, accented by pink sapphires and fine gemstones.
White gold and diamond earrings with pink sapphires:
Rose Gold and diamond bangle:
Diamond Sales Tips from Jewelry Experts
Some of the most knowledgable jewelry salespeople in the country congregated recently in central Florida to sell old jewelry inventory at the premiere of the Presige Jewelers Vault Inventory Liquidation show. The show was held for a period of 3 days in Orlando, Fla, in mid October 2004. The ballroom was packed with great fashion jewelry deals for both consumers and jewelers alike. The show also turned up the following sales tips:
* Always under-promise and over-deliver. If you promise designer jewelry items for Tuesday, have it ready on Monday.
Source: Weston Jewelers, Weston, Fla.
* Arrange jewelry pieces in sets so that consumers can visualize jewelry items on themselves. This also makes it easier to up-sell items Source: Moyer Fine Jewelers, Carmel, Ind.
* Never Judge Clients by their looks. Customers' purchases might surprise you. Source: Weston Jewelers, Weston, Fla.
* Know your customer. If you sell a diamond bracelet as a Christmas gift to a man whose wife hates bracelets, he'll be back in January to return the piece.
Source: James Free Jewelers, Dayton, Ohio.
* Listen to your customer. If a diamond or jewelry customer says, "I never wear white gold," don't pull out the platinum jewelry. Observe their style, the colors they wear, etc.
Source: Shreve, Crump, & Low Jewelers, Richmond, VA.
* Know when to stop selling. Customers generally indicate when the next contact should be. You also don't want to confuse your customer by "adding on" too much to the sale.
Source: Sidney Krandall & Sons, Troy, Mich.
* Present it, present it, present it! Observe what the customer is already wearing and suggest pieces.
Source: Susan Robinson Jewelry, Tyler, Texas.
* Remember what you've already sold to a customer. That makes it easy to sell pieces that complement the others.
Source: James Free Jewelers, Dayton, Ohio.
* Get jewelry pieces onto customers. Sales are easier once shoppers see themselves in the jewelry merchandise.
Source: Gold & Roses, Stockton, Calif.
* Smile! Buying jewelry is a happy occasion.
Source: Little Switzerland, Boca, FL.
* Location, location, location. Secure a good location for your jewelry store.
Source: George Walton's Gold and diamond
Co., Anchorage Alaska.
* Connect first, sell second. Make friends and care about your diamond customers; ask questions and be sincerely interested in the responses. Relate to shoppers so they are comfortable and open to what you are selling.
Source: Fire & Ice, Juneau, Alaska
* "Shut up" at the end of the sale. Listen twice as much as you speak.
Source: R.F. Moeller Jeweler, St. Paul, Minn.
* Always be closing. Perform suggestive trial closes throughout the sales pitch and ask for the sale at the end.
Source: Barry Peterson Jewelers, Ketchum,
Idaho.
* Know your market. Offer the right jewelry product for the right individual coming into the store.
Source: Tivols, Kansas City, MO.
Montegrappa Diamond "Peace Pen"
Proving that there is a market for dazzling white diamonds in any industry; noted pen maker Montegrappa has just introduced its new $1 million dollar diamond studded "Peace Pen".
Would make a great Valentine's Day Gift!
Sotheby's Puts Jackie O Jewelry on Block
Jackie Onassis Kennedy
A small selection of fashion jewelry owned by the late Jaqqueline Kennedy Onassis will be among the many lots offered by Sotheby's in their Feb. 15-17 2005 auction.
These magnificent jewelry items include many unique diamond jewelry pieces by Van Cleef and Arpels. There is a diamond bracelet and diamond earrings estimated at $3,000 to $5,000 and a colored stone and diamond brooch estimated at $1,200 to $1,500.
The sale will also include a silver-topped gold, sapphire and diamond flower brooch estimated at $12,000 to $15,000, a Cartier black velvet, diamond, coral and Emerald purse estimated at $3,000 to $4,000; and a Faberg'e gold and enamel miniature triptych frame, circa 1900, estimated at $15,000 to $20,000.
A portion of the auction proceeds will go to the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and other charities.
There are going to be many more pieces of fine jewelry on display and the auction is open to the public. If you are a collector of fashion jewelry and jewelry collectibles (vintage jewelry etc.) this is probably something you don't want to miss!
For more information click on this link.
Pearl Jewelry Looking Strong For 2005
Pearls' popularity is peaking for the begining of 2005 and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Trend analysts predict that for 2005 designers of fashion jewelry will be going for nontraditional materials, and will look to combine pearls of various shapes and sizes with leather, rubber, and sterling silver.
Some of the big sellers predicted for 2005 are ribbon-tied pearl chokers, long pearl and gemstone strands, tahitian pearl bracelets, pearl cufflinks (for men), south sea pearl diamond rings, tahitian pearl rings flanked by diamonds and pearl cocktail rings.
Much of the tremendous surge in popularity for pearl jewelry has to do with their availibility in many hues and colors as well as funky shapes (eg: barouque pearls) that allow designers to innovate.
Jewelry Designers Partner With Celebrities
The concept of Jewelry "Branding" is nothing new to many designer Jewelry companies. There are some jewelry manufacturers who have recently partnered with celebrities to promote their designer jewelry.
Unlike with advertising and marketing which takes years to really make an impact; Celebrities offer instant name recognition.
The house of Mouawad (jewelers) has collaborated with supermodel Heidi Klum on a jewelry collection for the last three years. Klum designed a jewelry collection that includes about 100 pieces of fine jewelry priced from $300 to $80,000. Klum is heavily involved in creating the line and can offer her fans a product with more than just her stamp of approval as a spokesmodel.
In addition to her involvement in the design, Klum is extremely visible in the Jewelry's marketing, appearing in advertisements and at special events promoting the line, to help customers make the connection between the products and her name and image.
A-list actor Brad Pitt has also been affiliated with Fashion Jewelry Designer, Damiani after working with the designer to create wedding rings for himself and his (soon to be ex) wife Jennifer Aniston.
More recently, Damiani has partnered with actress Gwyneth Paltrow to be their spokesmodel for 2005.
Silvia Damiani with the new face of Damiani for 2005 Gwyneth Paltrow
While jewelry manufacturers benefit from the instant branding of their jewelry products, the partnership offers benefits to the celebrities as well.
Robert Thompson, an expert of popular culture and Professor at Syracuse University says that the move toward celebrity products represents a natural evolution for celebrities, spurred partly by the American public's facination with them. He adds that jewelry is especially suited to celebrity endorsements due to its grandeur.
"Jewelry is one of those luxury items that you get for its association with glamour and wealth, and the kind of lifestyle that only big celebrities can sell and endorse.," he says.
The celebrities themselves are seeing that, rather than being advertisements for someone else's designs, they can create (and profit from) their own design. This is a very powerful motivator for them and has been the catalyst for many celebrities including Paris Hilton, Jennifer Lopez and Pamela Anderson launching (their own) wildly successful fashion jewelry collections.
Swarovski Shines at Fashion Week!
If you are like me and you love the timeless beauty and elegance of the Swarovski Crystals and Jewelry; you're sure to get more than you bargained for during the 2005 Fall Fashion Week!
Many prominent designers will be using the Swarovski crystals in their gowns and garments.
Elizabeth Taylor to Launch Jewelry Line With Mirabelle!
Elizabeth Taylor
The ageless and beautiful screen legend; Elizabeth Taylor has ventured into the jewelry market through a deal with Mirabelle Luxury Concepts.
Elizabeth Taylor is more associated with diamonds and jewelry than any other woman in the world. Her outstanding collection of jewelry was immortalized in her New York Times best selling book, "My Love Affair with Jewelry". This book is a fabulous display of unbelievable glamour, assembled over a lifetime, by one of the most extraordinary women in the world.
The House of Taylor Jewelry collection will appear at the upcoming JCK Las Vegas Show, as well as the JA New York Summer Show. The Elizabeth Taylor collection will feature an assortment of traditional fine jewelry, as well as one-of-a-kind couture pieces priced in excess of $1 million.
The House of Taylor has already proven successful in converting Taylor's appeal into sales of fragrances, cosmetics, gaming and publishing.
Read the full report here.
Macho Men Wear Diamonds?
During year 2004, men purchased jewelry for themselves, representing 11 percent of the total ($57.4 billion) jewelry market. But the potential to sell men diamonds is, according to Unity Marketing, a marketing goal worth exploring.
"Targeting the male jewelry market for self-purchasing men and gift-giving women is a new opportunity for growth,” said Pamela Danziger, president of Unity Marketing.
As business culture swings back into line with more formal attire, the demand for power jewelry is increasing, and men's gemstone choice is diamonds.
“The time is right to position jewelry as a gift for women to give men,” Danziger said.
“Positioning jewelry as a gift for men is a wide-open marketing opportunity," especially for men who are interested in fashion and grooming. "Jewelry is an innovative gift idea which offers significant potential for marketers and retailers,” Danziger concluded from her company's consumer insights study.
Pamela, I think that's a great idea, and Ladies, you can hit me with them bling-blings!
Emerging Jewelry Trends for 2005
The first jewelry show of 2005, held January 16 to 23 in Vicenza, Italy is seen as the jewelry trend setter for the entire year. This show usually predicts the sales season as the mood at this show has often been an indication of how the rest of the year will develop.
Italian jewelry was much in demand.
Foreign countries were well represented by visitors from Turkey, Eastern Europe and China.
In total, there were 21,000 visitors at the show. Compared to last year’s attendance numbers, U.S. buyers dropped by 2 percent. At this year’s show, the U.S. represented 7 percent of the total foreign presence, Japan only up 5 percent and Turkey up 33.6 percent.
In addition to business opportunities, Vicenzaoro 1 2005 featured numerous events and conferences covering the new challenges in the diamond industry, how to protect designs and trademark, future trends, new technologies in gold workmanship and pricing in the precious metals and stones sector.
The trends showcased for this year are light woven mesh and gold ropes which are intertwined extensively with the use of boules and mesh chains and large hoops in three colors of gold — white, yellow and pink. Diamonds embedded in white gold are the more sophisticated jewels, and feature light twisted ribbons and metal threads or create precious motifs alongside colored stones cut in different shapes. This style is often combined onto large rings with modular parts, such as the rings in the “rose bouquet” collection of La Nouvelle Bague. The latter also display a frequent theme that is present on various jewels: spirals.
In contrast to sparkling shapes and motifs, the clean geometric shape is often featured in gems of unprecedented shapes. In the “Athena” bracelet by Talento, a large, asymmetrical amethyst is placed in the center and studded with white diamonds.
Pendants and lucky “charms” have maintained their popularity; they are freely applied in necklaces and bracelets and often complemented by diamond pavé.
Long earrings with pear-shaped stones are very trendy this winter as well as earrings with tiny satin-finished yellow gold parts with embedded diamonds.
Two-tone or tricolor gold's popularity continues in numerous pieces, including those with a modern, geometric clean look, such as the ring by Collezione Privata that uses diamonds to highlight the movement of its asymmetrical plates.
Nature themes are front and center this season,with floral patterns, leaves and various flowers, alternating shiny yellow and processed gold. Flowers are also covered with luxurious diamond pavé and colored gemstones. The best example is the set of “Four Hearts,” “Daisy” and “Gerbera” rings by Palmiero in white or yellow gold with diamonds and various shades of sapphire.
Fancy colored diamonds in cognac, yellow and pink are popular. However, black diamonds, which were very popular the last few years, are now in much less demand.
Ethnic styles are back, bangles and slave bracelets are back in style. These bracelets are made of hollow cane or by electroform so that they appear large, but are very light.
Diamond Jewelry and The Academy Awards
With the recent Academy Awards ceremony now a blip in the rearview mirror, one cannot help but reflect on the tremendous boom of celebrity endorsements of diamond jewelry by specific designer companies.
It amazes me how so many diamond and jewelry companies are literally tripping over each other in an effort to get the Hollywood elite to borrow their designer jewelry pieces for the Oscars.
Understandably, with the heavy media exposure at this high profile event there is a tremendous marketing advantage to be considered. And while it is certainly true that the Red Carpet at the awards show has traditionally been the showcase for the latest in glamour, elegant dresses and sparkling jewelry; it is also true that many jewelry companies are faced with huge headaches in the days leading up to, and right after the awards ceremony.
It is common knowledge in the diamond industry that Actresses are notorious for choosing to wear a certain designer jewelry piece to the ceremonies, only to change their minds right before the show. Designers don't know until the very last minute if their diamond and jewelry creations will actually be worn on the red carpet. Another huge problem is the very common occurence of jewelry pieces being returned post ceremony in very bad shape and in dire need of repair. I've even heard a few stories from collegues of mine in the diamond industry where expensive diamond jewelry pieces were never returned under the false "assumption" of an "unspoken agreeement" that the jewelry item was a gift in return for the celebrity showcasing it at the event.
The bottom line however, is that these gorgeous diamond treasures created by the likes of Harry Winston and Van Cleef have become as much a part of the Awards ceremony as the Oscars itself and creates a buzz that invariably leads to a hike in consumer demand for fine diamonds and designer jewelry.
Oscars
Celebrities in Their Element
Jewelry a No-No for Race Car Drivers.
Auto-racers for the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) were banned from wearing jewelry while driving, the organization's governing body said. Diamond earrings or piercings, gold chains and hoops were no longer permitted, as ratified by the world motor sport council summit in Paris.
The ban was proposed by the FIA's medical commission, and would apply to world rally and other pilots. Several pilots interviewed by sports media wear "an earring," or sentimental, good-for-luck amulets. The order was made for safety reasons as metal can cause burns in the event of fire the council said.
It was not clear if the ban applies to wristwatches, which if the driver wins could be seen by millions of television viewers on a driver's left wrist, providing advertising space and revenue for the bearer.
New!! Custom Modified X Prong Channel Diamond Setting By Vatche
This magnificent diamond ring by Vatche is actually a custom made piece (or in the case of a Vatche ring, a "Custom - Custom piece"...)that we had Vatche make for a recent customer of ours.
The ring is a combination of two of the hottest Vatche Engagement Rings; the X Prong, and Royal Crown Settings. This ring features the unique and beautiful X prong (Lucida Style) basket, and the distincly tapered shank (ring portion) of the equally famous Royal Crown ring. The result is a gorgeous ring of tremendous elegance and beauty. The addition of quality channel set round diamonds (supplied by Vatche)in a Platinum setting completes the look!!!
In case you are wondering...the center diamond in this ring is a 1.11 H VS2 SuperbCert Signature Diamond!!
I think the beauty of this ring is that many people have shown a preference for the tapered shank of the Royal Crown but still prefer the distinctive look of the X Prong basket. Here, you have the ability to mix and match to suit your own taste!
We will be putting this ring up for sale on our website shortly!
Wanna Buy A Cell-Phone, Cheap? Here's A Nokia, ONLY $90K!!
London's Guardian today reports that although Diamonds are forever, mobile phones are not designed to last quite so long. Unless you are a lucky recipient of a jewel-encrusted mobile this Christmas, that is. Vertu, a subsidiary of Nokia, is producing 200 mobile phones decorated with diamonds. The most expensive of the range are believed to be the first mobile handsets to cost in the region of $88,300.
The company, which sells the mobiles through expensive jewelers and department stores such as Harrods, plans to ship the first of the diamond handsets next week. The phones are handmade at the company's headquarters near Hook in Hampshire, and are already pre-sold. But don't worry if a Vertu phone is on your Christmas wish list. The company produces a range of "cheaper" handsets, which start at around $5,300, and these are still available.
So what do you get for your 90 grand? Down the side of the phone is something called a pave, jewelers' parlance for a "carpet" of tiny diamonds. The keypads of the most expensive handsets are made up of eight carats' worth of diamonds. The keypad itself is housed in a body of white gold (or platinum), underpinned with ruby bearings and furnished with the same ceramic material that was initially manufactured for the space shuttle.
"Luxury isn't about need, it is about want," explains Chris Harris, the company's UK sales director. "We all have our areas where we spend beyond reason because we get a buzz from it. Owners of Vertu know they are buying an object that only a few people can own." Indeed, consumer technology has long had a luxury market that, at its peak, is often indistinguishable from jewelry. The humble timepiece can cost eight dollars, but it can also cost $18,000 and do its job little better. But to the owner, that's not the point. You only have to look at the Persian wealth currently on show at the British Museum to see that everyday objects have long been status symbols.
Surprisingly, the $88,300 phone comes with just a single year's warranty, doesn't have a camera and there are no promises to retrofit the handsets if the current GSM technology, which it relies on, is ever replaced.
Even a $88,300 phone has a finite lifespan as a working model. But then again, it is easy to be snotty about such success. What Vertu is doing, after all, is establishing a luxury brand that is becoming synonymous with hi-tech phones, just as Switzerland is with high-end watches. And you can admire a Vertu almost like a Faberge egg. The engineering is technically excellent and the aforementioned ruby bearings are designed to perform millions of actuations over the handset's life cycle, for example. The phones are far more durable than regular brands and are expected to last up to 20 years if looked after properly.
It is tempting to think of such glittering objects as future antiques, bought as an investment, and Vertu says that a number of its phones are bought by collectors, especially in the far east. So could we expect to see a Vertu handset pop up on the Antiques Roadshow 50 years from now?
"That's just silly," says a spokeswoman with the auction house Christie's. "The jewels will have an inherent value," she says, "but it is impossible to know what they will sell for in the future. What gives an antique its value is a combination of rarity, quality and provenance. Just because a rich person owns it doesn't give it value."
But if a famous person owns it, then it is a different story. David Beckham, Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt all own Vertu phones, as do members of the Saudi royal family. And Vertu is not the only firm making phones that go bling, bling.
Motorola is rumoured to be producing a limited edition, solid gold version of its superslim clamshell, the V3. Last month, Samsung, one of the biggest "non-luxury" phones manufacturers, announced a partnership with Bang & Olufsen, the Danish makers of sleekly futuristic audio equipment. The resulting lovechild is the Serene, a very odd mobile handset. It features a "dial" keypad, doesn't play music and is expected to cost around $1,240 when it goes on sale in the UK next month.
"The intention is to provide an alternative for those customers who demand the highest quality," reads a statement from the company, "for whom simplicity and quality are important factors, and for whom less can be more. It is a phone you want to keep. It is timeless in use, in design, and in technology, freed from unnecessary functions and instructions." The phone is, therefore, the polar opposite of the Vertu handset. But then again, when have the rich ever agreed on what makes style?
But blinging up your phone is no longer the preserve of the super-rich. Jewelry makers such as Boodle already supply a range of accessories to glam up the most mundane of mobiles, and Swarovski, the makers of high-quality crystal products, manufacture special cases and holders for mobile phones that sell for several hundred dollars each.
But adding a bit of glitz to your phone doesn't have to be so expensive. Last week, Siemens unveiled its first piece of mobile jewelery. Inspired by the Japanese practice of accessorising handsets with bits of pendants, lucky charms and ribbon, the Gharani Strok charm will be available for $150.00 from the Siemens website.
"We found that women are left cold by the square masculine designs of most mobile phones," says Louise Forbes, the company's head of marketing. "They want their phones to be feminine - a fashion accessory rather than a functional tool."
Conspicuous consumption, as defined by the Norwegian-American philosopher Thorstein Veblen, describes the flaunting of prosperity, power or prestige, and it can take the form of a Rolex watch, a Rolls Royce or the ownership of a football club. With consumer technology so important to so many people, it has become another obvious choice.
There is even a 24-carat gold holder for Sony's PlayStation Portable on sale at Harrods this Christmas. Produced by Simmons the jeweler, the $35,400 Baby Phat is made using a pound of gold, with yellow and black diamonds on the front and "croc finishing" on the back.
But with mobile phone theft rife, you can't help but wonder about the wisdom of such purchases. "If you can afford to buy one, you can afford to lose one," says the cabbie on the way to the Vertu factory.
Bling-bling, ring-ring.
Jewelry At Top of Holiday Gift Giving, Study Finds.
National Jeweler this morning reports that one in 10 consumers will buy jewelry as a gift this holiday season, according to a new consumer survey.
The study, "Shopping in America: Holiday 2005," finds that the average consumer will spend $655 on holiday gifts, with 11 percent purchasing jewelry.
Indicating that the jewelry trend has real legs, layered necklaces came in as the second-most popular gift for women among all types of holiday gifts, with 15 percent of shoppers naming them as the best gift for women this season.
Conducted by August Partners for real estate investment trust The Macerich Company, the survey finds that digital music players, Barbie items, fashion and entertainment gifts will represent the best-selling gifts in 2005.
Holiday budgets are projected to swell 7.8 percent this year, with many shoppers looking for clothing (21 percent), toys (12 percent), electronics (12 percent), books/CDs (11 percent) and mall gift cards (10 percent).
The survey finds that the top gifts for men will be sports tickets (22 percent), while the top gifts for women will be CD and DVD box sets (17 percent), though females shoppers gave equal weight to both the box sets and layered necklaces, with 16 percent choosing them as the top item on their wish
Gorgeous Diamond Necklaces and Pendants For This Holiday Season!
We have just added these magnificent diamond necklaces and diamond pendants to our Exceldiamonds.com website. Manufactured by world class jewelry designer, Vatche, these gorgeous diamond pieces will make for excellent Holiday gifts.
Inexpensive Jewlery High on Buy List.
Results from the Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council (JCOC) survey indicated that consumers favored staple items over expensive jewelry this holiday season. Holiday sales in 2005 appear to have fared slight better than in 2004.
Only 30 percent of respondents purchased jewelry this year. In a study conducted earlier in the holiday season, 30 percent of those interviewed said that they would purchase jewelry in the months from September to December. The JCOC concluded that most of the people who bought jewelry intended to do so before going shopping.
The JCOC study also found that most of the Christmas buying took place at large retailers and at low price points. Nearly half of JCOC panel members (46.9 percent) who purchased fine jewelry or watches this year bought from a department store, national jewelry chain store, or a mass discount store. Only 11 percent bought at independent fine jewelers.
More than half (56.7 percent) of jewelry purchasers this holiday season spent less than $200 on jewelry and watch gifts, while 33.5 percent spent below $100. Consumer preferences this holiday season included yellow gold, diamond jewelry, precious metal jewelry with no gemstones, earrings, necklaces and watches. According to the survey, 32.5 percent chose diamond jewelry for their holiday purchases.
Of the panel members, 35.4 percent spent more on fine jewelry and watch gifts compared with previous years, while 32.4 percent spent less. Among those who spent less, 30.1 percent said that jewelry was not in their budget, while 16.6 percent said they wanted to buy something different.
The JCOC also found missed opportunities for the industry. Less than 20 percent of respondents said they purchased fine jewelry for themselves this holiday. However, back in September, more than 40 percent indicated that they would make a self-purchase. The JCOC concluded that sought for products were not available for self-purchasers and that retailers need to be sure to include self-purchases in their sales efforts during the holiday.
Buying The Right Jewelry For Your Spouse
I've been talking on the phone recently with so many clueless men who are looking to buy their spouses some jewelry, I figured I'd dedicate an article on the topic.
Here are a few common problems facing men who are trying to buy a gift for a spouse or a girlfriend:
What does she like? What does she need? What's her size? Will this gift really dazzle her?
Left to our own devices, men will often opt for the "safe" method of buying stuff that they know won't get thrown back in their faces. Things like teddy bears, flowers, chocolate truffles, are all common gifts that us men tend to purchase for our loved one. Problem with these things are that they are too predictable and really get stale over time. I mean, how many times are you gonna come home with chocolate to celebrate a milestone??
Problem with buying jewelry is that there are so many variables and styles to choose from. How do we know were going to buy something she's gonna like??
Click on this link to find out.
Continue reading "Buying The Right Jewelry For Your Spouse" »
Rent-A-Diamond Tiara!
Going to the Ball and want to dazzle your competition and win the Guy by wearing that Diamond tiara? No problem. Ever want to borrow the latest Fendi bag for a month or drive around in a bright yellow Lamborghini for a day? No problem.
Why Buy It When You Can Borrow It?
A number of companies are tapping into consumers' penchant for leasing luxury. They're targeting both the affluent who don't want to hold on to anything for long and those less monied folks who want to get a taste of the lifestyles of the rich.
Portero is a two-year-old online luxury exchange site that sells diamonds, jewelry, secondhand high-end electronics, fashion, art, cars, and home items, and it now has 8,000 buyers and 6,000 sellers registered.
"The whole mindset is changing. Customers are no longer buying things to hold on to," said Daniel Nissanoff, president of Portero. "The brands need to embrace this, and the retailers need to embrace this." Nissanoff is also the author of FutureShop, a book about the new auction culture sweeping luxury markets online.
Portero struck a deal with watch merchant Tourneau in 2005 in which the watch company will authenticate any watches resold on the Portero site. It has signed similar deals with other designer brands that Nissanoff declined to name and is in negotiations with various luxury brands to promote Portero to customers as a place to sell goods they no longer want.
Seattle-based online service Bag Borrow or Steal allows customers to borrow designer handbags through a monthly membership fee. New York-based Gotham Dream Cars LLC will deliver exotic cars like a Lamborghini Gallardo to customers' doorsteps for a rental fee ranging from $595 to $1,950 per day.
Golf manufacturer Callaway Golf Co. is making it easier for customers to trade in old golf clubs and get discounts on new ones at 4,000 golf stores and pro shops nationwide. The retailers get reimbursed for the price difference, and Callaway resells the old clubs on a Web site called callawaygolfpreowned.com.
Executives say they've been pleased with results.
Brian Hemley, senior vice president of Callaway Golf Interactive, which oversees the program, noted that he now sees consumers trading in their golf clubs every three to four years, instead of every four to five years.
Nissanoff said Portero's sales are beating expectations but it has had to do some tweaking in recent months. It's further limiting its fashion assortments to focus on the most popular categories: watches and diamond jewelry.
Portero has also turned to apparel brands and other companies to supply it with inventory. About 60 percent of the merchandise is now from companies; the remainder is from consumers.
Trend expert Syl Tang, who is CEO of Hipguide.com, believes that this idea of temporary ownership is limited to items with depreciating value like golf clubs and cars. Fashion, she says, is a different story.
"There is a limited audience honestly," Tang said. "Women I know who buy designer handbags covet them. They love, cherish, show them off. Then they wait for that Fendi baguette to become retro.
Jewelry UltraSonic Cleaners
Just found a great link for a really hight tech Ultrasonic diamond and jewelry cleaner.
I don't vouch for how well it works though...since I've never tried it.
Its cheaper than the ones at brookstone or sharper image
Stolen Diamond Slippers Returned!
Three Toronto photo lab workers will share a $25,000 reward for helping recover a pair of slippers stolen from the Bata Shoe Museum.
Stolen Diamond Slippers
These rare, jewel-encrusted slippers, once worn by an Indian prince, were stolen from the Bata Shoe Museum on Jan. 22.
The jeweled slippers, worth $160,000, were stolen from the Toronto museum in late January in a daylight robbery.
A gold toe ring, set with diamonds and rubies and valued at $11,000 and a gold anklet, set with diamonds, rubies and emeralds and valued at $45,000, also were taken.
The theft led museum founder Sonja Bata to offer a $25,000 reward for return of the items.
Tom Hamilton, the owner of the photo shop, was packaging some photos when he spotted a picture of one of the slippers.
When a man returned to pick up the photos, Hamilton and his staff diverted his attention enough to secretly snap his picture and call police.
A gold toe ring set with diamonds and rubies and a gold anklet set with diamonds, rubies and emeralds also disappeared.
During their investigation of the robbery, Toronto police released photos of "persons of interest" in the case, without saying where they got the photos.
That led to a break in the case. A man was arrested on March 3.
Filip Djukic, 35, was charged with possession of property obtained by crime.
The slippers, once worn by the Nizam Sikandar Jah of Hyderabad, and the other two items were recovered in a Toronto church after an anonymous call to a museum employee.
Buying Loose Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Wedding Bands, & Wedding Rings: Trust and Verify.
Marshall Loeb of Market Watch quotes our friend and colleague, Jay Mednikow with advice to consumers on how to safely shop for loose diamonds, engagement rings, wedding rings and bands, both in jewlery stores and through internet websites. It is advice we agree with 100% and worth following.
Few purchases are more mystifying for first-time buyers than fine jewelry. There's more information out there than ever - from jewelers' Web sites and online forums to nearly ubiquitous grading reports from independent labs. But buying expensive gems and precious metals is still largely a matter of trust between you and the jeweler.
First, educate yourself on the basics. For diamonds, that means the four Cs: cut, color, clarity and carat weight. For gold, platinum and silver, it means purity.
You can find helpful information on these fundamentals from the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC) and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The Gemological Institute of America, the most prominent diamond grading agency, provides tutorials on buying diamonds and colored gems at (GIA Education).
"It's less of a blind purchase than it used to be," says Jay Mednikow, president of 115-year-old Mednikow Jewelers in Memphis and Atlanta. "But a jeweler who knows what he's doing can take advantage of you if he wants to."
Thus, there is still no substitute for a reliable dealer with an established reputation. Many jewelers are GIA-certified gemologists and display their credentials prominently.
For diamonds, Mednikow recommends buying only those with grading certificates from GIA, the American Gem Society or another independent laboratory. If a jeweler says he can offer you an uncertified diamond at a discount, tell him you'll pay to have it analyzed since the cost should be only $50 to $300 depending on the size of the stone. Read warranty and return policies carefully and make sure all guarantees are written on your sales receipt - it's your legal contract.
You may have a hard time distinguishing between slight variations in color and clarity, but still trust your own eyes.
Mednikow recommends holding diamonds with a pair of tweezers over your finger or against a white background and under lights of different types and varying brightness. With shapes other than round-cut, which has standard specifications, and with colored gems, you will have to rely much more on the jeweler's expertise.
If you are buying a colored stone such as a ruby, sapphire or diamond, ask if it has been "treated" to enhance the color. Some processes are routine, like heating for sapphires and rubies and oiling for emeralds, but others are temporary or undesirable.
Up to half the gold jewelry sold in the U.S. bears a false karat rating, says Mednikow. Choosing a reliable merchant is your only insurance, although national retailers like Zales and Sears are diligent about the purity of their gold.
Guess Where You Can Buy Diamonds & Jewelry? You Won't Believe It!
Idex Research today reports that Specialty jewelers who lament that they are losing sales to discounters, department stores, and many other retail categories are correct. Just-released information from the U.S. Department of Commerce reveals that for every specialty jeweler in the U.S., there are three other merchants – whose primary business is not jewelry – who are also selling diamonds, precious metals, and other goods that have traditionally been the domain of specialty jewelers.
There are just over 128,000 retailers in the U.S. who sell jewelry in their stores, according to the latest Business Census data from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Roughly 28,000 of those stores, or about 22 percent of all jewelry retail outlets, are specialty jewelers; the others represent a wide variety of retail categories including department stores, general merchandise stores, warehouse clubs, apparel retailers, non-store retailers, and a number of other specialty retailers. The graph below illustrates the mix of specialty jewelers to total retailers of jewelry in the U.S.
Stores Selling Jewelry by Category
Percent of Total of 128,000 Stores
Source: Dept. of Commerce
Because jewelry is such an attractive industry – gross margins are healthy and the long term characteristics of demand are positive – there are many merchants who are trying to sell jewelry.
Further, as a result of few barriers to entry, retailing attracts a large number of merchants who will try to sell anything to make a profit.
The bad news for specialty jewelers is that they are losing market share to those merchants whose business is not primarily selling jewelry. Over the past decade, specialty jewelers’ market share in the U.S. has dropped from about 50 percent to just over 47 percent, as the graph below illustrates.
There may be some surprises among the list of retailers who are gaining – and those who are losing – market share in the jewelry category. As expected, non-store retailers have among the strongest growth of any retail category. Stores that retail sporting goods, hobby supplies, books, and music (a single category, according to the Department of Commerce) have also posted strong jewelry sales gain, though this category generated an aggregate of just over $100 million in sales. That was just enough to be included on the Idex list, which analyzes only retail categories with $100 million or more in annual jewelry sales.
A graph of those retail categories that are gaining market share and those which are losing market share is shown below. These are all of the retail categories which report that they have $100 million or more of jewelry sales annually.
U.S. Specialty Jewelers’ Market Share
Source: Dept. of Commerce
Who Is Taking Jewelry Market Share?
Sales Growth over Past Ten Years by Retail Category
In addition to the list of logical purveyors of jewelry, there are a number of surprises on this list of jewelry outlets. For example, the Commerce Department’s Business Census, lists 117 stores which primarily sell beer and wine that also sell jewelry. You can gas up your car at 178 gasoline stations that also sell jewelry. In addition, there are about 385 convenience stores (such as 7-Eleven) which sell jewelry; 1,210 book stores sell jewelry; and, 37 pet stores also sell jewelry. In the prior Business Census (1997) about 85 automobile dealers also sold jewelry; by 2002, however, those car dealers apparently had stopped selling gemstones and watches.
Here’s an exhaustive list of all merchants who sell jewelry, but whose primary product line is not jewelry.
* Furniture & furnishings stores
* Consumer electronics stores
* Appliance stores
* Home centers, including building materials, lawn & garden supplies, nurseries, farm supply and hardware stores
* Grocery stores, supermarkets, convenience stores
* Fruit, vegetable, confectionery, and nut stores
* Beer, wine, and liquor stores
* Cosmetics, beauty supplies, and perfume stores
* Optical goods stores
* Gasoline stations
* Clothing stores, including men’s wear, women’s wear, children and family clothing, shoe stores, and infants’ stores
* Luggage and leather goods stores
* Sporting goods, hobby, and musical instrument stores
* Sewing, needlework, and piece goods shops
* Book stores, news dealers, college book shops
* Music stores
* Department stores
* Warehouse clubs
* Variety stores
* Florists
* Office supply, stationery, and gift shops
* Used merchandise stores (pawn shops are included in this category)
* Pet stores, art dealers, tobacco stores
* Electronic shopping and mail-order retailers
* Vending machine operators and direct selling, including in-home sales
Diamond Cleaning: Use Efferdent and Smile!
Saw this humorous posting today on Bridal Blog
Here's her story:
I keep meaning to stop in at a jeweler to have it professionally cleaned, but my mother-in-law to be (MILTB) told me this ridiculous slash terrifying story where she swears a friend of a friend of her cousin Phyllis did just such a thing and had her ring replaced with a fake. I realize that the chances of this story being true are infinitesimal, but I’ve yet to stop in and have it done, so clearly there is a tiny part of me that truly believes Phyllis’s friend’s friend. My MILTB went on to say that the BEST and ONLY means one should be using to clean a ring like mine is Efferdent—as in denture cleaner Efferdent.
So, today I did it. I walked into Duane Reade with purpose and conviction, found a box of denture cleaner and bought it. I was so excited to come home and try it out, I could barely contain myself. I heated up some water in a small teacup, dropped in the efferdent tablet, plopped in my ring and stood there watching the water fizzing for five long minutes. Even my dog looked up at me as if to say “you’ve officially crossed the line.”
When I couldn’t handle the suspense for one second longer, I fished my ring out of the icky blue solution, rinsed it off and Bing. Bam. Boom. Seriously, WOW. I may have been temporarily blinded. Dammit all if my ring didn’t look just as sparkly and shiny as the day I got it.
Now I just wonder if an Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner can have the same cleaning results for dentures?
Smile!
Zales COO Resigns.
Management shifts continue at Zale Corp. as the company announced the departure of another top executive, Sue Gove, executive vice president, chief operating officer and member of Zale's board of directors.
Gove resigned as an officer and director effective immediately, according to a Zale release issued Thursday. She follows former CEO Mary Forte and former Zales Jewelers' president Paul Leonard, both of whom left the company earlier this year.
"The company would like to thank Sue for her many contributions over the last 25 years, and we wish her well in her future endeavors," Richard Marcus, chairman of Zale's board of directors, said in the statement. "We are very appreciative of the talent, dedication and passion she brought to the business."
Zale is currently operating with an interim CEO, Betsy Burton, and has not named a successor to Forte.
Expect a continued Management shake-up at Zales who have been losing money at a rapid rate as we have chronicled here: Zales Loss . Increased competition from the Internet and the flight to diamond and jewelry quality by consumers are a few of the reasons for Zales downward spiral.
I hope the Zales Board of Directors at least gave her a Gold Watch on her way out the door.
WOW!! Look At Precious Metal Silver!
U.S. silver futures rallied to a new 22-year high on speculative buying early Monday amid expectations of rising silver demand, pushing the other precious metal higher as well, dealers said
Riding silver's coattails, palladium jumped to a two-year high, platinum scaled a six-week peak and gold rose to a three-week high.
Record copper prices and a shaky dollar were also supportive to the complex, while investors awaited clues on the Federal Reserve's policy outlook after an expected rate increase at a two-day meeting that ends on Tuesday afternoon.
By 10:27 a.m. EST, May delivery silver
"Will $11 prove a correction pivot? More likely, the next stiff resistance lies somewhere above $12," Greg Weldon, independent analyst and publisher of the Metal Monitor, said.
Silver surged for a fifth straight session on hopes that a silver-backed investment vehicle will soon launch and create greater investment interest in the gray metal.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission last week seemed to clear the way for final approval of the first exchange-traded fund that tracks the metal's price.
Credit Suisse said the price could climb further in the medium term, to $15, hoisted by increased consumer and investment demand due to the ETF.
Monday's fresh buying held down the gold/silver ratio, the number of ounces of silver needed to buy one of gold, which is a bullish technical signal for silver.
The ratio remains below 52 to 1, versus 58:1 at the end of February and 60:1 late last year.
Fund positioning in COMEX silver futures has increased in the latest week, according to closely watched U.S. Commitments of Traders data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Where are the Hunt Brothers?
Unique Jewelry Custom Designed For Tiffany's!
Just found an article on the beautiful and custom designed jewelry by Frank Gehry. This guy makes some of the most ostentatious diamond and jewelry creations for such big wigs like Tiffany, Van Cleef & Arpels, Harry Winston to name a few.
Wan't a $ 1 million dollar diamond medallion of Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse?
Check it out here.
David Yurman Jewelry: Evolution of a Jewelry Designer.
The Orlando Sentinel has an interesting feature on David Yurman today.
David Yurman jewelry is like your favorite blue jeans -- only much more expensive. The jewelry is "comfortable," says Yurman, 63, who recently visited his new boutique, which rubs shoulders with Cartier and Tiffany in Orlando's Mall at Millenia.
The jewelry is also versatile, he says. "You can wear it anywhere, day to evening." Just like blue jeans.
It wasn't always that way with jewelry. Before the 1980s, when Yurman's now-iconic cable bracelets became the most coveted, and copied, arm candy in the United States, there were two kinds of jewelry: Costume for everyday wear, and fine jewelry for special occasions.
The relaxed elegance of Yurman's designs bridged the divide. The jewelry is classic but with a modern twist that gives it go-anywhere elan.
Fashioned from gold and silver, many pieces also feature coral and turquoise, a sparkling array of gemstones and Yurman's current favorite, South Seas pearls. Signature motifs include a squared "cushion" shape, a hook-and-eye closure and the widely recognized twisting "cable" pattern.
The designs are "a combination of art, fine jewelry and fashion," says Yurman, who wears several of his creations: A ring, a bracelet and a square-faced watch.
Dressed all in black, his thick white hair swept straight back, his chin fashionably stubbled, he looks every inch the artist from Tribeca, the New York neighborhood where he and his artist wife, Sylvia, live and work.
Before designing jewelry, Yurman was a sculptor, hanging out with prominent Beat artists of the 1960s; writer Norman Mailer, painter Franz Kline, sculptor Ron Boise.
"I did these funny little silver angels," he says.
It was one of those angels, fashioned into a belt buckle, that sparked his career as a jewelry designer.
The buckle was a gift to Sybil, his girlfriend at the time. She wore it to an art opening, where it caught the eye of the gallery owner. He asked if it was for sale. Yurman said no, but Sybil said yes -- and within weeks they found themselves in the jewelry business.
Ever since, they've had good-luck angels perched on their shoulders. Their collections are in more than 450 stores around the world, and David Yurman is one of the best-known luxury brands on the planet.
Gwyneth Paltrow and Barbra Streisand wear the jewelry; Steven Spielberg and Kevin Spacey the watches; hip-hop moguls Jay-Z and Damon Dash the men's designs. Their ad campaigns have featured models Amber Valetta and Kate Moss, and the company's newest "face" is Naomi Watts -- who recently flashed Yurman earrings of rose quartz and diamonds at the Oscars.
Orlando real estate agent Virginia Morales, 49, collects Yurman bracelets. "I wear three, four at a time," she says. "My husband always knows what to give me for my birthday, anything David Yurman."
Since founding their company in 1980, the Yurmans have worked as a team.
"I have the vision; I design the collections," explains Yurman. "My wife does the styling and merchandising."
Their son, Evan, is part of their ever-expanding creative team. And let's not forget the lawyers.
The couple's designs, which range from about $300 for a simple bracelet to more than $7,000 for a multistrand couture necklace, are among the most copied in the world. Yurman is not flattered by imitators and spends $1 million a year protecting his brand.
"Copying is stealing," he says. People who wear copies are deceptive. "And that's not cool."
Worse, he says, they are supporting counterfeiters who may pay no taxes, have ties to illegal operations or use child labor.
As his company grows, Yurman finds himself more in the role of executive than artist.
"It's less like playing an instrument, more like being the leader of the band," he says. "I'm about ready to do more art work."
But that is not likely to happen anytime soon. First, he plans to introduce a line of Yurman eyewear and a Yurman fragrance, followed by Yurman handbags and luggage.
No wonder he believes in angels.
Tiffany Sales Up, Profits Down.
Tiffany & Co.’s overall net sales in fiscal 2005 rose 9 percent to $2.4 billion, and profits fell 16.3 percent to $254.7 million.
Tiffany’s attributed the decline in profit to a one time gain in December 2004. In fiscal 2004, earnings in the fourth quarter and year benefited from a pre-tax gain of $194 million as a result of the company's sale of its shares in Aber Diamond Corporation.
Retail sales in the United States rose 9 percent to $1.2 billion during the fiscal year, same-store sales rose 7 percent (branch store sales rose 7 percent and New York flagship store sales rose 5 percent.) Tiffany’s attributed comparable store sales growth to higher spending per transaction. Tiffany’s opened four stores stateside in 2005 and operated 59 Tiffany & Co. stores by year-end 2005.
Great Jewelry Engraving Ideas!
Diamond jewelry customers often ask to have their jewelry customized and engraved with a personal message to their loved one.
While the typical jewelry engraving is usually of the Anniversary date or "I love you" variety, many people try to come up with a unique message to engrave on their diamond jewelry.
Here are 3 really cool websites that offer treasure troves of quotes, many of which would be an appropriate and unique way of proclaming your love in the form of an engraved stamp on your jewelry!
Check them out.
www.famous-quotes-and-quotations.com
1 Million Dollars Worth Of Jewelry Lost & Found!
Just today 1 million dollars worth of designer jewelry left in an expensive purse on a park bech was found and returned to its rightful owners by a good samaritan.
Read about it here.
Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend, NOT Moissanite.
Shares of jewelry maker and sole source of moissanite Charles & Colvard Ltd., fell on March 27, a day after the company forecasted lower quarterly sales due to substantially lower orders from K&G Creations.
Shares dipped $1.73, or 12.8 percent, to $11.75. The stock price is down 27 percent so far this year, adjusted for stock splits.
In a company statement on March 26, Charles & Colvard said sales for first quarter fiscal year 2006 are expected to be between $7.5 million and $8.4 million, which is 25 percent to 33 percent lower than a year ago. The company expects K&G's orders to slip due to lower orders from the 2005 merger of its customers, Federated Department Stores and May Department Stores Co.
Charles & Colvard’s board authorized the repurchase of up to one million common shares. Company shares have traded between $8.63 and $26.29 over the past year.
Loose Cushion Cut Diamond: What Is It?
The Cushion Cut is a generic name for the Old Mine Cut developed before the turn of the century; these days the name" cushion" is often used for colored stones cut in this shape.
A Cushion Cut is a square or squarish-rectangular cut with rounded corners and 58 brilliant-style facets that resemble a pillow shape, hence the name.
A hundred years ago, when Cushion Cuts were first developed, diamonds were not cleaved into two pieces of rough, as they are today; they were ground down as a single stone and the resulting polished was lumpy and thick. Cushion Cuts have very thin girdles and bigger culets than today's full-cut diamonds.
Designers are requesting Cushion Cuts with big culets, but, in general, the smaller the culet, the better the stone. Older Cushion Cuts return light in blocky patterns; newly cut ones return light in needlelike patterns.
MARKETS AND MARKETING
Cushion Cut diamonds are popular in matching pairs. They are especially being used in larger-carat earrings and also as a center stone in rings. Cushion Cuts first became popular again about ten years ago, and their popularity has increased as designers and antique dealers continue to use them.
Cushion Cuts offer a lot of weight at a moderate price. Larger Cushion Cut diamonds sell for about 30 percent less than full-cuts of the same weight, while smaller cuts sell for about the same. A 1-carat G/VS Cushion Cut stone will sell from $2,800 to $3,800. Two-carat and up stones sell in the $3,500 to $5,000 per carat range. The most popular sizes are .75 to 1.5 carats. The availability of 2-carats and up is a problem because of the high demand for larger stones, both by estate and antique dealers for replacement or repair and by manufacturers.
Look for good clarity and color. Because Cushion Cuts have very thin girdles, girdles on older ones are often chipped. Look for Cushion Cuts that are symmetrical; off-shape ones are difficult to use. Look for a medium culet that is not too heavy, unless you have a special reason to use this cut with a big culet. Pick a mounting that's appropriate for the softer reflections and refractions of a Cushion Cut. Old Mine Cuts were traditionally set in yellow gold or silver with a patina or oxidation; therefore, they look better set in matte metals rather than highly polished ones.
Engagement Ring Purchase onThe Internet: Is This A Good Deal?
Is the question being asked by a consumer this morning on Diamondtalk.com. He has seen a Princess Cut that is being listed on EIGHT different internet diamond websites at different prices!!
Discussion is here: Good Deal?
Here are the multiple listings for this one diamond:
Who really has this diamond?
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $6209 $13847*SP
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $6262 $13964SP
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42-7.27-5.21 $6276 $13996*
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $6291 $14029
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $6306 $14062*S
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $6308 $14066*SP
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-stk no gd vg no 7.42*7.27*5.21 $6339 $14136*S
2.23 I VS1 71.7% 72% GIA med-sl thk no gd vg no 7.42x7.27x5.21 $7198 $16051
This diamond is supplied by the manufacturer to many internet websites and is known as a "Virtual Diamond".
Little if any information is provided save for a few numbers off the lab grading report and the price. You are buying blind.
We have blogged on this topic several times. Same Diamond Listed All Over The Internet?
Virtual Diamond (VD) databases do not give you the necessary information you need, e.g.; photo's, Imagescopes, and light performance data such as provided by the Gemex Brilliancescope. As such, these lists are useless. Would you buy a Home this way? I doubt it. Why should your diamond purchase be any different. It's also big money.
This is a big purchase not only because of the money, but even more so because of the emotion and psychology behind it. You need to get this right the first time. Work with Internet websites that give you comprehensive information.
Hearts On Fire To Replace The Dog with Diamonds, As Man's Best Friend.
Don't tell the family dog, but Hearts on Fire is making a bid to replace a man's favorite canine companion with diamonds.
The company announced that it is challenging the notion that custom diamonds are only gals' best friend by introducing a loose diamond program aimed specifically at men. The new platinum collection, "Distinguished," offers rings, bracelets and cuff links as semi-mounts for diamonds of male customers' own choosing.
"Men are wearing more and more diamond jewelry, and are demanding more of a selection, much like women have," designer Katherine Rosenberg-Pineau, Hearts on Fire vice president of product development and merchandising, said in a release. "Why shouldn't men be able to select the diamond of their choice, too? The 'Distinguished' collection offers this."
In platinum, the collection retails from $5,900-$20,000. Hearts on Fire touted Olympic Gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno in its release, who wears the brand's "DreamStone Talisman" around his neck. It retails for $16,000.
"Diamonds Are For Ever", But Are Diamond Mines?
Cramer's Mining Weekly reports that the slogan "Diamonds may be forever", but the same cannot be said of diamond-mines.
While De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM), the largest producer of diamonds in South Africa, produced a record 15,2-millioncarats last year, it estimates that it will produce just over 14-million carats this year.
Part and parcel of new DBCM MD David Noko’s strategy is to sweat the company’s existing assets, and bring new, additional production on line.
“I do not think that we can grow production from our existing operations – we just can’t.
“Our installed capacity is fixed, and we need capital to improve it,” Noko, who was appointed as DBCM MD on February 7, tells Mining Weekly in an exclusive interview.
And, gaining approval for brownfield projects that do not meet the hurdle rates of the company’s principals is out of the question.
“There would be no point in injecting capital into declining mines like The Oaks, as a return would not be realised, but, by exception, all opportunities are being explored, the major ones being brownfields, but some being greenfields through finding partners that have large resources,” Noko says.
Hence, besides organic growth projects, DBCM’s growth strategy is levered on partnerships with smaller diamond-mining companies.
“If we partner with smaller companies, they will benefit from our knowledge, while we will benefit from the resources that they have acquired,” Noko says.
DBCM has many partnerships in Kimberley, where it has large tailings dumps that require advanced technology to turn the low grades of diamonds that they contain to proper account.
The company is also continuing to research the opportunities of working with junior miners and, in Kimberley, already 25% of revenue emerges from joint ventures with junior miners through contracts.
Diamond & Jewlery at Retail: How Much Money Is Involved?
The US jewelry retail industry generates annual revenues of about $44 billion from 28,000 specialty, department, and discount stores. Specialty retailers hold about 50 percent of the market. Wal-Mart is the biggest jewelry retailer in the country, followed by Zale, the biggest specialty jeweler with over 2,000 stores and kiosks. The industry is highly fragmented: the top 10 jewelry chains hold less than 25 percent of the market. Other large specialty retailers are Tiffany and Sterling, the US branch of British jeweler Signet Group.
Jewelry sales depend partly on consumer income. Small jewelers can effectively compete with large chains because price isn't the main factor determining retail sales. Profitability depends on the volume of sales because sales costs are high and fixed. Because gross margins are very high, often 50 percent, mass merchants like Wal-Mart have taken market share by controlling costs and cutting prices.
Jewelry is often classified as bridal merchandise (engagement, bridal and anniversary rings - about 35 percent of the market); fashion jewelry (rings, bracelets, earrings, pins, gold chains); and watches, silver flatware, and other giftware. Diamond jewelry and loose diamonds account for the largest share of total jewelry store sales (46 percent); gold jewelry for 11 percent; colored gemstone jewelry (rubies, sapphires, emeralds, etc.) 9 percent; and watches 4 percent.
Tiffany's Lucida Diamond: What is it ?
Tiffany & Co.'s Lucida is an exclusive patent pending diamond cut whose shape is a square mixed cut. It has 50 facets, a high crown, stepped facets, wide corners and a small table with a brilliant pavilion. The design of the cut maximizes the stone's sparkle and brilliance. A photo is shown below.
AGS-0 Ideal Cut Princess Diamonds have similar sparkle to the Tiffany Lucida, without the price tag!
Lucida Diamond.
Tiffany has added an eternity band and a three-stone ring as well. Lucida, which means the brightest star in a constellation, is available exclusively at Tiffany & Co. stores worldwide. The setting is copyrighted and the diamond has multiple patents pending.
The Lucida diamond is made from the same rough as a well-cut round. Created by Tiffany's gemologists, the cut is similar to the Asscher and antique Cushion Cuts. Tiffany showcases the Lucida cut in a special four-prong ring shown below. The sculptural band has clean lines and soft curves that merge with the prongs in a sloping crisscross design, which, when viewed from the side, is reminiscent of cathedral arches.
Lucida Ring.
Lucida was designed and introduced by Tiffany in 1999. The retailer has positioned the collection to fit between its classic Tiffany setting and its cuttingedge Etoile collection and has become something of a status symbol. The worldwide launch was backed by an extensive advertising campaign that included four-page inserts, spreads and single-page units in fashion and lifestyle publications. The Lucida is available at 150 locations internationally, including Japan, France and London.
Each Lucida diamond is sold with a Tiffany Certificate. The inside shank of each ring is currently engraved with the following: Copyright, Tiffany & Co. Lucida, metal fineness and the phrase "patents pending." When the patents are finalized, the actual patent numbers will be engraved in the shank.
Click on the icon below for a stunning collection of the finest Tiffany style diamond engagement rings and Ideal Cut diamonds at outstanding values!!
Do You Know How To Buy Your Diamond Engagement Ring?
NOT as this couple unfortunately found out. Be A Smart Diamond Shopper
We totally agree. Here are our recommendations for your safe diamond engagement and wedding ring shopping:
1. Work with a reputable Jeweler; be it Brick & Mortar (B&M) or Internet. Check with your local BBB and the Jewelers Vigilance Committe (www.jvclegal.org)
2. Know what you're buying. Make sure your diamond has a lab grading report. The two most stringent, accurate, and consistent diamond grading labs are the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and the AGS (Americn Gemological Society). Insist on them.