Only buy conflict free rocks campaign!
Jewelry, shopping & fashion sites
Archive for May, 2011
GIA Symposium 2011 Day 2
Author: admin
RAPAPORT… The second day of the annual Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Symposium began Monday morning with a series on gemstones. The first part of the event discussed color stones and pearl identification, followed by a forum on the industry’s challenges in the years to come entitled “The Future of Gemstones.â€?
The forum featured speakers Stephen Lux, president of Gemesis Diamond Company; Martin Rapaport, chairman of the Rapaport Group; Stuart Robertson, a research director from Gemworld International; and Robert Wan, cheif executive of Perles de Tahiti and Robert Wan Tahiti.
Forum moderator Peggy Jo Donahue, who is director of public affairs for MJSA, set the tone of the discussions by highlighting the changes in the industry as “complex treatments and high quality synthetics continue to inundate the markets worldwide.�
Roberston warned that gem treatments have come at a cost to the industry, because “they distort our value of rarity.� He did concede, however, that “treatments are necessary – they are part of our industry, but it’s important to keep in mind how to disclose and differentiate them.�
Rapaport defended synthetic jewelry as a harmless and valuable addition to the market. “Inexpensive jewelry is a democratization of jewelry demand – it has turned many onto our products.� Synthetics help the diamond trade, he argued, because they help push demand for natural jewelry items. “Synthetics are a stepping stone to the real thing – synthetics create demand.�
The reason behind this, he said, is because consumers are immensely intrigued by the idea and romantics of natural diamonds. “Diamonds are more than they actually are,� he said, before asking audience members “are you selling the product or the idea behind the product?�
Rapaport added that synthetics will never be a problem as long as the industry follows the three D’s: Detection, disclosure, and documentation. “Just remember to tell the truth – that’s not so hard.�
Lux enticed audience members as he expounded on Gemesis’s work of creating synthetic diamonds, stones that he noted were, “still simply diamonds, just diamonds just a different origin.â€?
Lux made the case for holding man-made diamonds in the same confidence as natural diamonds, arguing that synthetic items will never harm the market unless the market is scared of them. “Thousand or even tens of thousands of these won’t upset the industry, but fear of them will.� Lux also reported that his company has started to produce diamonds that are greater than 1-carat, although production of larger items may take a while to come.
Morning sessions treated attendees to additional color stone and pearl identification information as well as a discussion on auction and estate jewelry entitled: “Everything Old Is New Again: The Appeal of Auctions, Estate, and Vintage Markets.â€? The “Old is New” discussion included Gary H. Schuler, the senior vice president and director from Sotheby’s New York jewelry department; Stephen H. Silver, chairman of S. H. Silver Company; and Rick Harrison, host of The History Channel’s series “Pawn Stars,â€? and co-owner of the Gold Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas.
Schuler opened the program by tracing the popularity of antique and estate sales to the 1987 sale of Duchess of Windsor Jewels for $50 million. “During that sale we had tremendous interest; crowds waited around the block outside our offices in New York . That sale is what brought notoriety to jewelry auctions.�
Schuler also asserted that while the market for auction jewelry fluctuates with the overall health of the global economy, auction houses will always be steady because of brand recognition. “Over 60 percent of items we sell have gone for over high estimates,� he said.
Also helping the growth of estate sales today was “a global reach,” the increase in diamond and jewelry prices and items that had an intriguing context. “It’s all about romancing the stone, it’s always about the story – people love the story.â€?
Silver contended that, despite the growth of auction sales, estate and antique jewelry is only a tiny portion of the industry’s focus. “Estate and antique jewelry still only represents only two percent of the jewelry industry’s sale’s mix,� he said.
Harrison concluded the session by discussing the pawn shop industry in Las Vegas, a tightly controlled market that is regulated by high permit fees and monopolies. He was able to keep his pawn shop by selling to markets that the bigger, corporate owned pawn shops overlooked. “I could not compete against them, so I just competed differently.�
Harrison, whose show is the number one rated cable show in the U.S., advised sellers to know the history of their items, and to always captivate consumers when selling. “What I sell are minerals and elements, but if you can sit around and tell someone about the Wizard of Oz and their emerald glasses, they are going to be interested.
The final sessions before the concluding “Shipwrecked!� debate included a lecture series on new gem technology and instrumentation, and a business ethics lecture by Dr. Brian Nattrass, managing partner of Sustainability Partner, entitled “Playing a Bigger Game: Better Business for a Better World.�
Bev Hori, vice president of education and chief learning officer for GIA, set the stage for welcoming Nattrass by stating that “being a responsible business person didn’t just mean doing the right thing within the four walls of your office, but doing the right thing for all the people you business touches.�
Nattrass opened with a call to action for retailers and manufacturers alike. “We are at a crossroads, and we are the generation that has to face this,� he said, noting that the world’s shrinking resources and expanding population are creating a precarious global situation.
No industry, Nattrass argued, is immune to the effects of an ever changing world.
“Every industry is the same, they are sourcing their products in ways that need review,� he said, adding that changing one’s carbon imprint helps cut costs and puts them in line with evolving consumer expectations and concerns. “The idea is that when I go buy a product from you I am helping the world.�
Nattrass advised audience members to look into the way their retail stores were being constructed and designed to promote greener industry. He also stressed the importance of in-store customer messaging, so customers can see a company’s efforts to change the world for the better.
Normal
0
false
false
false
EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:”";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
Incoming search terms:
read comments (0)
Launched in 1999, NikeiD is still the best example of online customization. Nike allows people to engage in creative expression with a concept that is easy to understand, fun to work with and can simply be shared with friends. A quick online scan shows a lot has happened since then: Customized Jeans, Bicycles, Shoes, Books, Sneakers, Puzzles, Handbags, iPhone covers, even Beer bottles can be personalized. While Jewelry in itself is extremely personal, there wasn’t a ‘NikeiD for jewelry’. Founder and Angel investor RikHeijmen explains why: “I’ve come to know the Industry as extremely fashionable and trend-sensitive on the one hand, but inno vation-lacking and tech-phobic on the other hand,” RikHeijmen explain s. Because of his advertising background, his ideas have a fresh approach in an Industry that has barely noticed the internet revolution: “We are now combining traditional craftsmanship with the desire of today’s consumer for personalization in Typerings.com.” Dutch start-up Alphabeth.com launched Typerings.com early May 2011, a website for creating personalized jewelry online. It gets tremendous response from investors both from the Internet Industry and the younger generation within the Jewelry industry. And that’s great, because the company is planning to further develop the current website by adding Asian and Arabic typefaces, introducing gems and diamonds, creating a new ‘premium’ jewelry brand, other ‘niche’ websites, an iPad/Android tablet app and an innovative retail concept. All based on the platform, developed for Typeri ngs.com. Next to developing new concepts, the company wants to focus on sustainability, switching to using solely recycled silver and gold and starting a project with a small mining facility abroad. Typerings.com delivers personalized DIY rings in over 30 countries.
Customization is one of the main consumer trends. Advances in technology and the desire for personalized products is driving a huge surge in the number of customizable products available. When given the choice, consumers are sure to enjoy self-created pieces that they can truly call their own.
SOURCE Alphabeth.com
Leibish Co. have once again pushed the limits with their unique piece, the Four Seasons Pendant. A synthesis of Leibish Co.’s commitment to providing their clients with what few can bestow – The Four Seasons Pendant is truly a one of a kind piece.
Tel Aviv, Israel (PRWEB) May 31, 2011
Upon receiving a client request to create a rare collector’s item, the team at Leibish Co. relished the opportunity to fulfill their client’s dream. Chavi Itzhakov, Chief Jewelry Designer, worked together with the client to turn their dream into reality.
The cross fertilization of creative input culminated in the conception of the Four Seasons Pendant. The concept evolved to create a piece of haute joaillerie embodying the four seasons of the year and what they represent.
The Four Seasons Pendant is based around the rarest of stones in the pendant – the 0.79 carat Fancy Vivid Orange, Radiant Cut diamond. Vivid defines the saturation of a colored diamond; this being the strength or intensity of a diamond’s color. Vivid is the highest saturation rating for a fancy color diamond. An orange stone of this size and intensity with no secondary hue, even for dealers with the worldwide reach of Leibish Co., is very difficult to source.
Orange symbolizes the color of the leaves in Autumn, and the haze when we glimpse the flashes of sun through the clouds; those same rays that bring a smile to our face and instill hope that another summer will come to warm our lives.
Once the vivid orange was selected as the “centerpiece;” it was decided that to further enhance the beauty and rarity of this piece and to make it a true collector’s item, only accompanying stones categorized as Vivid would be used. The standard had been set, now it had to be maintained and surpassed!
The color palette was decided. It had to be not only harmonious and complementary but also symbolic. The colors chosen were green to represent the rebirth and growth of spring; blue for the ice cold winter and the contrasting sky of the different hemispheres; and aquamarine to evoke the sun, water and abundance of color that signifies summer. The center stone of purplish pink color was used to reflect the transition from season to season and the range of tones inherent therein.
The prolonged search for these very specific stones began.
Utilizing their extensive contacts and years of experience, Leibish Polnauer, President of Leibish Co., together with his son, Shmulik Polnauer, Chief Buyer and GIA Gemologist, sourced and personally inspected the perfect companion stones for the consummate centerpiece. These stones comprise the following:
0.15 carat Fancy Vivid Green, Radiant Cut diamond;
0.21 carat Fancy Vivid Blue, Cushion Cut diamond;
0.22 carat Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink, Radiant Cut diamond;
0.19 carat Fancy Vivid Blue Green, Radiant Cut diamond.
Three of the colors – the vivid orange, vivid blue, and vivid green, are of pure color with no secondary hue, further adding to their rarity.
The next piece of this illustrious puzzle was the setting. It was agreed that the beauty of the stones and what they represent was sufficient without excessive embellishment. The setting would be clean and elegant in keeping with the sophistication of the concept and its physical manifestation.
The Four Seasons Pendant was set by Leibish Co.’s jewelers. Each stone is surrounded by a collection of white melees with two white Taper-Baguette diamonds linking the stones to the white gold chain. The execution of the setting is beyond the abilities of most jewelers; the quality of workmanship is beyond reproach.
The rarity of these stones, their harmonious integration, and the minimalistic setting result in a once in a lifetime piece; fit to be adored in the present and handed down through the generations.
Over six months in the making from initial concept through to procurement and actual creation, the Four Seasons Pendant is a tour de force in high end jewelry. It is not just a pretty piece of jewelry; it is an important piece of jewelry. It is a tangible expression of the intangible elements of nature. Using Mother Nature’s bounty, this ethereal work of art transcends its very source.
Established in 1979, Leibish Co. is a family business based in the diamond capital of Tel Aviv, Israel. As a pioneer in the fancy color diamond industry, Leibish Co. were among the first online retailers of fancy color diamonds further facilitating access to this burgeoning market. Their website, http://www.fancydiamonds.net, has further enhanced Leibish Co.’s reputation for integrity and service.
# # #
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebcolored-diamonds/pendant/prweb8469244.htm
Benzinga’s real-time audio news gives you the fastest alerts possible on market-moving events. Sign up for a free trial today!
The designer, Stevie Koerner, posted this Wednesday: Hey @UrbanOutfitters, this is NOT COOL. Way to rip me off. http://bit.ly/mU8GHh vs. http://truche.etsy.com – Please RT!
That midweek missive came from @imakeshinylove, an account belonging to Koerner. It linked to photos, on the Urban Outfitters website and her own, showing similar silver necklaces shaped like American states with hearts punched through the precious metal.
She also posted photos of the two necklace lines on a Tumblr blog page attached to her website, in which she said her United States of Love line was one reason “I was able to quit my full-time job.”
Her posts begged the questions: Had Urban cribbed her designs? Were they her designs to begin with?
On Friday, a spokeswoman for the apparel-and-accessories retail corporation, Sara Goodstein, did not respond to requests for comment on Koerner’s claim, or about the broader online fury that ensued.
Nor did Koerner respond to a request for an interview Friday, with activity on her Twitter account suggesting that she was overwhelmed by the online ruckus. Her original link to Urban Outfitters’ online page no longer showed the necklace it had apparently been hawking or the photo that had been visible earlier in the week.
On Thursday, the company addressed the jewelry situation in a post on its own Twitter account, @urbanoutfitters, that said: Hey guys, we see your tweets regarding the I Heart Destination necklace. Please know that our accessories buying team is looking into this.
Hollywood caught wind of Koerner’s claim after bloggers had spread word of it across the Internet, adding their own unflattering opinions.
By Thursday evening, Cyrus, who has more than a million Twitter followers, chimed in.
Indy 500 jewelry: gem of idea – Chicago Sun
Author: admin
BY ELLIOTT HARRIS
eharris@suntimes.com
May 30, 2011 02:05AM
Desiging woman: This jewelry by Mary Kaczor can be yours. Bidding starts at $1 million. | Special to the Sun-Times
Article Extras
Former race-car driver Mary Kaczor just might have found victory lane in her latest endeavor.
The Chicago native, who designs jewelry from car parts, has created a pendant commemorating the Indianapolis 500 centennial.
The pendant has a bearing from 2010 Indy winner Dario Franchitti’s car and a frame nut from 1911 winner Ray Harroun’s car. There’s also a 10.05-carat, round, brilliant diamond, plus black and white diamonds in a checkered flag pattern set in white gold.
Persons may bid on the piece by contacting Kaczor at (312) 428-4331 or at mary@racerxdesigns.com.
Bidding begins at $1 million. For the more cost-conscious, Kaczor has limited-edition Indy charm bracelets and pendants as part of her American Racing Collection at www.racerx
designs.com.
The reaction to her costlier creation?
‘‘Awesome,’’ she told Quick Hits after the race Sunday. ‘‘Everybody loves it. Ashley Judd Franchitti’s wife loves it. Seal who performed the national anthem loves it.’’
Guess that qualifies as a Seal of approval.