Cole is ONE!

Yep, it's been over a year now since Andi Diamond Photography was born- for one thing...several of my maternity sessions are coming in for their one year baby portraits! It is such a great experience for me to see these families grow. You may remember Cole as the kiddo who coined "Suspended Baby" (*first image), and started the craze in Tampa (OK, so maybe not a craze...but it is pretty popular now! ha!) Well, he is one now and adorable (as if there was ever any doubt??!!) His eyes, well let's just say there is a joke that his mom and dad are brother and sister (of course they are not- but his eyes are this amazing green, super unique, and both his mommy and daddy have the exact same color!!) So the first pic is super cool because Doug got the tattoo after Cole was born to represent his son. It has alot of symbolism in it (on a side note, Pete and I were watching Miami Ink tonight and this would have made a great story for the show!!) And those squishy, little baby buns! Love them! Thanks so much for putting your trust in my work, Doug and Brit. (and I hope Cole was not on too much of a sugar high after that birthday cake-ha!) That future Gator is a super stud!

Maui Divers links with Kim Taylor Reece for new jewelry line

Maui Divers Jewelry plans to launch a new line of jewelry this week inspired by well-known hula photographer Kim Taylor Reece.

The new collection, based on Reece's photographs, will feature hula dancers in various poses, traditional hula implements and paddles in some 46 items including 14-karat gold charms, pendants, earrings and bracelets.

"Maui Divers Jewelry is thrilled to partner with Hawaii's foremost fine art photographer to bring his incredible hula pictures to life through unique high-quality hand-crafted jewelry," said Maui Divers President & CEO Bob Taylor in a statement.

The Kim Taylor Reece collection will be initially available at 16 Maui Divers Jewelry stores in Hawaii, including Ala Moana Center, Queen Kaahumanu Center on Maui, Kings' Shops on the Big Island and Anchor Cove Shopping Center on Kauai.
Source: bizjournals

Maui Divers links with Kim Taylor Reece for new jewelry line

Maui Divers Jewelry plans to launch a new line of jewelry this week inspired by well-known hula photographer Kim Taylor Reece.

The new collection, based on Reece's photographs, will feature hula dancers in various poses, traditional hula implements and paddles in some 46 items including 14-karat gold charms, pendants, earrings and bracelets.

"Maui Divers Jewelry is thrilled to partner with Hawaii's foremost fine art photographer to bring his incredible hula pictures to life through unique high-quality hand-crafted jewelry," said Maui Divers President & CEO Bob Taylor in a statement.

The Kim Taylor Reece collection will be initially available at 16 Maui Divers Jewelry stores in Hawaii, including Ala Moana Center, Queen Kaahumanu Center on Maui, Kings' Shops on the Big Island and Anchor Cove Shopping Center on Kauai.
Source: bizjournals

Maui Divers links with Kim Taylor Reece for new jewelry line

Maui Divers Jewelry plans to launch a new line of jewelry this week inspired by well-known hula photographer Kim Taylor Reece.

The new collection, based on Reece's photographs, will feature hula dancers in various poses, traditional hula implements and paddles in some 46 items including 14-karat gold charms, pendants, earrings and bracelets.

"Maui Divers Jewelry is thrilled to partner with Hawaii's foremost fine art photographer to bring his incredible hula pictures to life through unique high-quality hand-crafted jewelry," said Maui Divers President & CEO Bob Taylor in a statement.

The Kim Taylor Reece collection will be initially available at 16 Maui Divers Jewelry stores in Hawaii, including Ala Moana Center, Queen Kaahumanu Center on Maui, Kings' Shops on the Big Island and Anchor Cove Shopping Center on Kauai.
Source: bizjournals

Indonesia Begins Push into U.S. Jewelry Market

The Indonesian jewelry industry officially introduced itself to the U.S. jewelry market Monday with a ceremony at the JA New York Summer Show led by the country’s ambassador to the United States.

Ambassador Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat explained that while the United States is Indonesia’s second largest jewelry partner, the U.S. ranks at about 10th in jewelry exports from the Southeast Asian nation. The ambassador said the country is looking to improve those numbers.

"We are coming to boost our presence here [in the U.S. market] and enhance our position as one of largest manufactured silver jewelry suppliers," the ambassador said. "We look forward to working with you."

Indonesia is a nation of 18,000 islands and 230 million people, the ambassador explained. It has an abundance of precious metals and gems. Its ancient silver, gem, and jewelry industry has developed over hundreds of years. Today, about one million Indonesians work in it, with a large focus on hand-crafted jewelry.

Indonesia's jewelry industry is "blessed with (an abundance of) raw materials for precious and semi-precious gems, and with fine craftsmanship," Parnohadiningrat said.

The ambassador spoke at the show’s Indonesian Pavilion consisting of 16 jewelry making firms, displaying items made of silver, gold, gemstones, and other materials—including stone and wood. The delegation was organized by the National Agency for Export Development, in the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia.

It is the country’s first significant presence at a U.S. trade show and it is serving as a first step to building a strong presence in the U.S., the ambassador told JCK prior to his formal presentation.

Even without a strong U.S. presence, The Indonesian jewelry industry has been growing at an average rate of 7 percent per year, earning $4.61 billion in 2006, the ambassador said. Its largest trading partners are Middle Eastern countries, Hong Kong, Singapore, and China, he told JCK.

In addition, the ambassador and the country’s trade organizations were there to promote its upcoming TRADEXPO Indonesia, a merchandise and commodity show. It is being held Oct. 21-25 at the Jakarta International Expo, Kemayoran-Jakarta, Indonesia.
Source: jckonline

Indonesia Begins Push into U.S. Jewelry Market

The Indonesian jewelry industry officially introduced itself to the U.S. jewelry market Monday with a ceremony at the JA New York Summer Show led by the country’s ambassador to the United States.

Ambassador Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat explained that while the United States is Indonesia’s second largest jewelry partner, the U.S. ranks at about 10th in jewelry exports from the Southeast Asian nation. The ambassador said the country is looking to improve those numbers.

"We are coming to boost our presence here [in the U.S. market] and enhance our position as one of largest manufactured silver jewelry suppliers," the ambassador said. "We look forward to working with you."

Indonesia is a nation of 18,000 islands and 230 million people, the ambassador explained. It has an abundance of precious metals and gems. Its ancient silver, gem, and jewelry industry has developed over hundreds of years. Today, about one million Indonesians work in it, with a large focus on hand-crafted jewelry.

Indonesia's jewelry industry is "blessed with (an abundance of) raw materials for precious and semi-precious gems, and with fine craftsmanship," Parnohadiningrat said.

The ambassador spoke at the show’s Indonesian Pavilion consisting of 16 jewelry making firms, displaying items made of silver, gold, gemstones, and other materials—including stone and wood. The delegation was organized by the National Agency for Export Development, in the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia.

It is the country’s first significant presence at a U.S. trade show and it is serving as a first step to building a strong presence in the U.S., the ambassador told JCK prior to his formal presentation.

Even without a strong U.S. presence, The Indonesian jewelry industry has been growing at an average rate of 7 percent per year, earning $4.61 billion in 2006, the ambassador said. Its largest trading partners are Middle Eastern countries, Hong Kong, Singapore, and China, he told JCK.

In addition, the ambassador and the country’s trade organizations were there to promote its upcoming TRADEXPO Indonesia, a merchandise and commodity show. It is being held Oct. 21-25 at the Jakarta International Expo, Kemayoran-Jakarta, Indonesia.
Source: jckonline

Indonesia Begins Push into U.S. Jewelry Market

The Indonesian jewelry industry officially introduced itself to the U.S. jewelry market Monday with a ceremony at the JA New York Summer Show led by the country’s ambassador to the United States.

Ambassador Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat explained that while the United States is Indonesia’s second largest jewelry partner, the U.S. ranks at about 10th in jewelry exports from the Southeast Asian nation. The ambassador said the country is looking to improve those numbers.

"We are coming to boost our presence here [in the U.S. market] and enhance our position as one of largest manufactured silver jewelry suppliers," the ambassador said. "We look forward to working with you."

Indonesia is a nation of 18,000 islands and 230 million people, the ambassador explained. It has an abundance of precious metals and gems. Its ancient silver, gem, and jewelry industry has developed over hundreds of years. Today, about one million Indonesians work in it, with a large focus on hand-crafted jewelry.

Indonesia's jewelry industry is "blessed with (an abundance of) raw materials for precious and semi-precious gems, and with fine craftsmanship," Parnohadiningrat said.

The ambassador spoke at the show’s Indonesian Pavilion consisting of 16 jewelry making firms, displaying items made of silver, gold, gemstones, and other materials—including stone and wood. The delegation was organized by the National Agency for Export Development, in the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia.

It is the country’s first significant presence at a U.S. trade show and it is serving as a first step to building a strong presence in the U.S., the ambassador told JCK prior to his formal presentation.

Even without a strong U.S. presence, The Indonesian jewelry industry has been growing at an average rate of 7 percent per year, earning $4.61 billion in 2006, the ambassador said. Its largest trading partners are Middle Eastern countries, Hong Kong, Singapore, and China, he told JCK.

In addition, the ambassador and the country’s trade organizations were there to promote its upcoming TRADEXPO Indonesia, a merchandise and commodity show. It is being held Oct. 21-25 at the Jakarta International Expo, Kemayoran-Jakarta, Indonesia.
Source: jckonline

Bits & Pieces: Hughes Resigns; Schon publishes a new book on Modernism

Hughes Resigns from AGTARichard W. Hughes the peripatetic gemologist/author and sometime journalist has handed in his resignation as Gemological Administrator at the AGTA Gemological Testing Center . As of September Hughes will be heading back to Bangkok where he worked for 15 years before moving back to the U. S. For the past several years Hughes has been a lab gemologist with the

Jewelry curator's a gem of a storyteller

To Yvonne Markowitz, curator of jewelry at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, context is everything. Comment on a striking silver choker around her neck, and you learn it's one of a very limited edition created in the 1970s by Finnish artist/jeweler Björn Weckström as part of his planetary series. The kicker: it became known as the Princess Leia necklace after one was worn by Carrie Fisher in "Star Wars" as a royal, intergalactic adornment. Cool.

That kind of story is Markowitz's trademark. She doesn't just give the scholarly answer, she makes decorative arts come alive by relating them to their times. In her 20-year tenure at the MFA, much of it specializing in ancient jewelry, the Framingham resident has always focused on the big picture to draw viewers in.

Museumgoers will see her approach for themselves with the opening of the MFA's new exhibit, "Imperishable Beauty: Art Nouveau Jewelry." It's Markowitz's premier show since being named the first dedicated curator of jewelry at an art museum in the United States. To emphasize the rarity of the position, even London's famed Victoria and Albert Museum, with more than 3,500 pieces of jewelry on display, has only a part-time curator.

The position was funded by MFA trustee Susan B. Kaplan through an endowment in honor of her mother, Rita J. Kaplan. Kaplan is also funding a permanent jewelry gallery at the MFA, which will open in the West Wing in 2010.

Early in the planning stages, Kaplan met with Markowitz. Though she was officially the MFA's curator of Egyptian and Nubian adornment, Markowitz served for 12 years as editor-in-chief of the now-defunct Jewelry: Journal of the American Society of Jewelry Historians, and remains editor of the scholarly Adornment magazine. She'd become the museum's go-to person for researching jewelry from a variety of historic periods.

"She's extremely knowledgeable - that's an understatement - thoroughly researches everything and is really focused on the jewelry," Kaplan says of Markowitz. In turn, Markowitz has found a kindred spirit in Kaplan. "She has a certain passion for the materials and scholarship as I do."

Both came into play when Markowitz began work on "Imperishable Beauty," a phrase coined by Art Nouveau architect Henry van de Velde to describe the turn of the 20th century art movement that rejected Victorian traditionalism. Markowitz describes the period's jewelry as "somewhat violent, with agitated curves," an often surreal exploration of flora, fauna, and the female form.

The 100-plus pieces in the show are on loan from one of the largest and most important private collections of Art Nouveau jewelry. The exhibit showcases the stunningly crafted jewels amid paintings, wallpaper patterns, and other decorative arts of the period. Even the walls and display cases play a part, echoing Art Nouveau's signature undulating curves.

"The problem with jewelry shows in the United States is they're segregated, not shown as part of a period," she continues, a situation she plans to correct.

Take a recent addition to the MFA's collection that Markowitz shepherded through the acquisition process. The fascinating history of an exquisite brooch and earring set once owned by Mary Todd Lincoln was equal to its beauty. As the widow of President Abraham Lincoln, she had been forced to sell the jewels, along with many other possessions, in 1867 to pay off mounting debts. Since Mrs. Lincoln's profligate spending habits were well known, the auction engendered much negative publicity (described by one newspaper as "low . . . sordid . . . disgraceful"), resulting in the articles selling for far less than expected. Press coverage also helped Markowitz verify the jewelry's provenance: an engraved drawing of jewels had appeared in a newspaper covering the sale.

Research into the Art Nouveau pieces proved a bit more daunting, due to the enormously complicated craftsmanship. Celebrated designers of the period, such as Rene Lalique, George Fouquet, and Louis Comfort Tiffany, didn't just create beautiful objects, they also invented entirely new techniques for making jewelry, such as adapting stained glass techniques to setting stones, and shaving horn so thin it resembles a transparent insect wing.

Then there was the basic issue of just who designed each piece, many of which are from France and Belgium. Unlike American designers, who signed each piece with a clear and relatively large inscription, the Europeans used tiny initials and a symbol, such as a sword or wolf, as their "makers' marks."

"When pressed into gold, it was often a blurry lump only 1/2 mm in size," says MFA curatorial research fellow Susan Ward, who worked on the exhibit with Markowitz. "We were using microscopes over three different magnifiers. I would say, does that look like a wolf to you? How about a chicken? At the end of the day, we started hallucinating," she jokes.

"We learned a lot," says Markowitz. "The museum didn't have one piece of Art Nouveau before." Happily, several items in the exhibit have been donated to the MFA's steadily growing cache, which now also includes the knockout Daphne Farago collection of 20th-century jewelry that drew large crowds when displayed earlier this year.

Another coup is the recent acquisition of an eye-popping emerald brooch formerly owned by cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post.

"I'm very fond of Post, her style and taste," says Markowitz. She then fantasizes about a future exhibit featuring some of Post's jewels - along with some of the heiress's clothing, photographs, and portraits for context, of course.

MFA jewelry curator Yvonne Markowitz holds a brooch once owned by cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post
Source: boston

Jewelry curator's a gem of a storyteller

To Yvonne Markowitz, curator of jewelry at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, context is everything. Comment on a striking silver choker around her neck, and you learn it's one of a very limited edition created in the 1970s by Finnish artist/jeweler Björn Weckström as part of his planetary series. The kicker: it became known as the Princess Leia necklace after one was worn by Carrie Fisher in "Star Wars" as a royal, intergalactic adornment. Cool.

That kind of story is Markowitz's trademark. She doesn't just give the scholarly answer, she makes decorative arts come alive by relating them to their times. In her 20-year tenure at the MFA, much of it specializing in ancient jewelry, the Framingham resident has always focused on the big picture to draw viewers in.

Museumgoers will see her approach for themselves with the opening of the MFA's new exhibit, "Imperishable Beauty: Art Nouveau Jewelry." It's Markowitz's premier show since being named the first dedicated curator of jewelry at an art museum in the United States. To emphasize the rarity of the position, even London's famed Victoria and Albert Museum, with more than 3,500 pieces of jewelry on display, has only a part-time curator.

The position was funded by MFA trustee Susan B. Kaplan through an endowment in honor of her mother, Rita J. Kaplan. Kaplan is also funding a permanent jewelry gallery at the MFA, which will open in the West Wing in 2010.

Early in the planning stages, Kaplan met with Markowitz. Though she was officially the MFA's curator of Egyptian and Nubian adornment, Markowitz served for 12 years as editor-in-chief of the now-defunct Jewelry: Journal of the American Society of Jewelry Historians, and remains editor of the scholarly Adornment magazine. She'd become the museum's go-to person for researching jewelry from a variety of historic periods.

"She's extremely knowledgeable - that's an understatement - thoroughly researches everything and is really focused on the jewelry," Kaplan says of Markowitz. In turn, Markowitz has found a kindred spirit in Kaplan. "She has a certain passion for the materials and scholarship as I do."

Both came into play when Markowitz began work on "Imperishable Beauty," a phrase coined by Art Nouveau architect Henry van de Velde to describe the turn of the 20th century art movement that rejected Victorian traditionalism. Markowitz describes the period's jewelry as "somewhat violent, with agitated curves," an often surreal exploration of flora, fauna, and the female form.

The 100-plus pieces in the show are on loan from one of the largest and most important private collections of Art Nouveau jewelry. The exhibit showcases the stunningly crafted jewels amid paintings, wallpaper patterns, and other decorative arts of the period. Even the walls and display cases play a part, echoing Art Nouveau's signature undulating curves.

"The problem with jewelry shows in the United States is they're segregated, not shown as part of a period," she continues, a situation she plans to correct.

Take a recent addition to the MFA's collection that Markowitz shepherded through the acquisition process. The fascinating history of an exquisite brooch and earring set once owned by Mary Todd Lincoln was equal to its beauty. As the widow of President Abraham Lincoln, she had been forced to sell the jewels, along with many other possessions, in 1867 to pay off mounting debts. Since Mrs. Lincoln's profligate spending habits were well known, the auction engendered much negative publicity (described by one newspaper as "low . . . sordid . . . disgraceful"), resulting in the articles selling for far less than expected. Press coverage also helped Markowitz verify the jewelry's provenance: an engraved drawing of jewels had appeared in a newspaper covering the sale.

Research into the Art Nouveau pieces proved a bit more daunting, due to the enormously complicated craftsmanship. Celebrated designers of the period, such as Rene Lalique, George Fouquet, and Louis Comfort Tiffany, didn't just create beautiful objects, they also invented entirely new techniques for making jewelry, such as adapting stained glass techniques to setting stones, and shaving horn so thin it resembles a transparent insect wing.

Then there was the basic issue of just who designed each piece, many of which are from France and Belgium. Unlike American designers, who signed each piece with a clear and relatively large inscription, the Europeans used tiny initials and a symbol, such as a sword or wolf, as their "makers' marks."

"When pressed into gold, it was often a blurry lump only 1/2 mm in size," says MFA curatorial research fellow Susan Ward, who worked on the exhibit with Markowitz. "We were using microscopes over three different magnifiers. I would say, does that look like a wolf to you? How about a chicken? At the end of the day, we started hallucinating," she jokes.

"We learned a lot," says Markowitz. "The museum didn't have one piece of Art Nouveau before." Happily, several items in the exhibit have been donated to the MFA's steadily growing cache, which now also includes the knockout Daphne Farago collection of 20th-century jewelry that drew large crowds when displayed earlier this year.

Another coup is the recent acquisition of an eye-popping emerald brooch formerly owned by cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post.

"I'm very fond of Post, her style and taste," says Markowitz. She then fantasizes about a future exhibit featuring some of Post's jewels - along with some of the heiress's clothing, photographs, and portraits for context, of course.

MFA jewelry curator Yvonne Markowitz holds a brooch once owned by cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post
Source: boston

Jewelry curator's a gem of a storyteller

To Yvonne Markowitz, curator of jewelry at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, context is everything. Comment on a striking silver choker around her neck, and you learn it's one of a very limited edition created in the 1970s by Finnish artist/jeweler Björn Weckström as part of his planetary series. The kicker: it became known as the Princess Leia necklace after one was worn by Carrie Fisher in "Star Wars" as a royal, intergalactic adornment. Cool.

That kind of story is Markowitz's trademark. She doesn't just give the scholarly answer, she makes decorative arts come alive by relating them to their times. In her 20-year tenure at the MFA, much of it specializing in ancient jewelry, the Framingham resident has always focused on the big picture to draw viewers in.

Museumgoers will see her approach for themselves with the opening of the MFA's new exhibit, "Imperishable Beauty: Art Nouveau Jewelry." It's Markowitz's premier show since being named the first dedicated curator of jewelry at an art museum in the United States. To emphasize the rarity of the position, even London's famed Victoria and Albert Museum, with more than 3,500 pieces of jewelry on display, has only a part-time curator.

The position was funded by MFA trustee Susan B. Kaplan through an endowment in honor of her mother, Rita J. Kaplan. Kaplan is also funding a permanent jewelry gallery at the MFA, which will open in the West Wing in 2010.

Early in the planning stages, Kaplan met with Markowitz. Though she was officially the MFA's curator of Egyptian and Nubian adornment, Markowitz served for 12 years as editor-in-chief of the now-defunct Jewelry: Journal of the American Society of Jewelry Historians, and remains editor of the scholarly Adornment magazine. She'd become the museum's go-to person for researching jewelry from a variety of historic periods.

"She's extremely knowledgeable - that's an understatement - thoroughly researches everything and is really focused on the jewelry," Kaplan says of Markowitz. In turn, Markowitz has found a kindred spirit in Kaplan. "She has a certain passion for the materials and scholarship as I do."

Both came into play when Markowitz began work on "Imperishable Beauty," a phrase coined by Art Nouveau architect Henry van de Velde to describe the turn of the 20th century art movement that rejected Victorian traditionalism. Markowitz describes the period's jewelry as "somewhat violent, with agitated curves," an often surreal exploration of flora, fauna, and the female form.

The 100-plus pieces in the show are on loan from one of the largest and most important private collections of Art Nouveau jewelry. The exhibit showcases the stunningly crafted jewels amid paintings, wallpaper patterns, and other decorative arts of the period. Even the walls and display cases play a part, echoing Art Nouveau's signature undulating curves.

"The problem with jewelry shows in the United States is they're segregated, not shown as part of a period," she continues, a situation she plans to correct.

Take a recent addition to the MFA's collection that Markowitz shepherded through the acquisition process. The fascinating history of an exquisite brooch and earring set once owned by Mary Todd Lincoln was equal to its beauty. As the widow of President Abraham Lincoln, she had been forced to sell the jewels, along with many other possessions, in 1867 to pay off mounting debts. Since Mrs. Lincoln's profligate spending habits were well known, the auction engendered much negative publicity (described by one newspaper as "low . . . sordid . . . disgraceful"), resulting in the articles selling for far less than expected. Press coverage also helped Markowitz verify the jewelry's provenance: an engraved drawing of jewels had appeared in a newspaper covering the sale.

Research into the Art Nouveau pieces proved a bit more daunting, due to the enormously complicated craftsmanship. Celebrated designers of the period, such as Rene Lalique, George Fouquet, and Louis Comfort Tiffany, didn't just create beautiful objects, they also invented entirely new techniques for making jewelry, such as adapting stained glass techniques to setting stones, and shaving horn so thin it resembles a transparent insect wing.

Then there was the basic issue of just who designed each piece, many of which are from France and Belgium. Unlike American designers, who signed each piece with a clear and relatively large inscription, the Europeans used tiny initials and a symbol, such as a sword or wolf, as their "makers' marks."

"When pressed into gold, it was often a blurry lump only 1/2 mm in size," says MFA curatorial research fellow Susan Ward, who worked on the exhibit with Markowitz. "We were using microscopes over three different magnifiers. I would say, does that look like a wolf to you? How about a chicken? At the end of the day, we started hallucinating," she jokes.

"We learned a lot," says Markowitz. "The museum didn't have one piece of Art Nouveau before." Happily, several items in the exhibit have been donated to the MFA's steadily growing cache, which now also includes the knockout Daphne Farago collection of 20th-century jewelry that drew large crowds when displayed earlier this year.

Another coup is the recent acquisition of an eye-popping emerald brooch formerly owned by cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post.

"I'm very fond of Post, her style and taste," says Markowitz. She then fantasizes about a future exhibit featuring some of Post's jewels - along with some of the heiress's clothing, photographs, and portraits for context, of course.

MFA jewelry curator Yvonne Markowitz holds a brooch once owned by cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post
Source: boston

Ashi Diamonds offers Web site-building service

Global diamond-jewelry manufacturer Ashi Diamonds has introduced Avalon Solution, a Web service designed to help jewelers build their brands and businesses online.

The company says that Avalon Solution utilizes the latest developments in technology, jewelry styling and fashion to help jewelers extend their businesses on the Internet, offering retailers end-to-end e-commerce solutions and the ability to customize and continuously update their Web sites as much, or as little, as needed.

In addition, a comprehensive, turnkey online services and support program is what sets Avalon Solution apart from its competitors, the company says.

Through Avalon Solution, jewelers can use one of the program's professionally designed Web site templates, Flash introductions and color themes, and customize them with their own content, jewelry products, custom pages, logos and links to their designer jewelry and watch brands.

Through the partnership with Ashi Diamonds, Avalon Solution is able to provide access to 1,000 jewelry designs, with images and detailed descriptions that can be used to launch the retailer's Web site.

Standard programs also include e-catalogs, a wish list, online chat and live help, personalized e-mails on Google Applications, "Map Us" directions to the store, enhanced search functionality, product detail and zoom page, an administrative section and much more.

The company says that upcoming features from Avalon Solution include promotional e-mail marketing, e-commerce capabilities, a loose-diamond database, ability to upload one's own products, and integration of advertising and marketing materials into one's Web site.

"Having a good Web site is an essential tool for any brick-and-mortar jewelry store to help you showcase your merchandise, attract new business and develop a strong, 24/7, long-term relationship with your customers," Rajeev Pandya, Ashi Diamonds and Avalon Solution partner, said in a media release. "We developed Avalon to help jewelers take their brands and their businesses online. Through Ashi's 25 years of experience and success, we have what it takes to help jewelers be successful online."
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Ashi Diamonds offers Web site-building service

Global diamond-jewelry manufacturer Ashi Diamonds has introduced Avalon Solution, a Web service designed to help jewelers build their brands and businesses online.

The company says that Avalon Solution utilizes the latest developments in technology, jewelry styling and fashion to help jewelers extend their businesses on the Internet, offering retailers end-to-end e-commerce solutions and the ability to customize and continuously update their Web sites as much, or as little, as needed.

In addition, a comprehensive, turnkey online services and support program is what sets Avalon Solution apart from its competitors, the company says.

Through Avalon Solution, jewelers can use one of the program's professionally designed Web site templates, Flash introductions and color themes, and customize them with their own content, jewelry products, custom pages, logos and links to their designer jewelry and watch brands.

Through the partnership with Ashi Diamonds, Avalon Solution is able to provide access to 1,000 jewelry designs, with images and detailed descriptions that can be used to launch the retailer's Web site.

Standard programs also include e-catalogs, a wish list, online chat and live help, personalized e-mails on Google Applications, "Map Us" directions to the store, enhanced search functionality, product detail and zoom page, an administrative section and much more.

The company says that upcoming features from Avalon Solution include promotional e-mail marketing, e-commerce capabilities, a loose-diamond database, ability to upload one's own products, and integration of advertising and marketing materials into one's Web site.

"Having a good Web site is an essential tool for any brick-and-mortar jewelry store to help you showcase your merchandise, attract new business and develop a strong, 24/7, long-term relationship with your customers," Rajeev Pandya, Ashi Diamonds and Avalon Solution partner, said in a media release. "We developed Avalon to help jewelers take their brands and their businesses online. Through Ashi's 25 years of experience and success, we have what it takes to help jewelers be successful online."
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Ashi Diamonds offers Web site-building service

Global diamond-jewelry manufacturer Ashi Diamonds has introduced Avalon Solution, a Web service designed to help jewelers build their brands and businesses online.

The company says that Avalon Solution utilizes the latest developments in technology, jewelry styling and fashion to help jewelers extend their businesses on the Internet, offering retailers end-to-end e-commerce solutions and the ability to customize and continuously update their Web sites as much, or as little, as needed.

In addition, a comprehensive, turnkey online services and support program is what sets Avalon Solution apart from its competitors, the company says.

Through Avalon Solution, jewelers can use one of the program's professionally designed Web site templates, Flash introductions and color themes, and customize them with their own content, jewelry products, custom pages, logos and links to their designer jewelry and watch brands.

Through the partnership with Ashi Diamonds, Avalon Solution is able to provide access to 1,000 jewelry designs, with images and detailed descriptions that can be used to launch the retailer's Web site.

Standard programs also include e-catalogs, a wish list, online chat and live help, personalized e-mails on Google Applications, "Map Us" directions to the store, enhanced search functionality, product detail and zoom page, an administrative section and much more.

The company says that upcoming features from Avalon Solution include promotional e-mail marketing, e-commerce capabilities, a loose-diamond database, ability to upload one's own products, and integration of advertising and marketing materials into one's Web site.

"Having a good Web site is an essential tool for any brick-and-mortar jewelry store to help you showcase your merchandise, attract new business and develop a strong, 24/7, long-term relationship with your customers," Rajeev Pandya, Ashi Diamonds and Avalon Solution partner, said in a media release. "We developed Avalon to help jewelers take their brands and their businesses online. Through Ashi's 25 years of experience and success, we have what it takes to help jewelers be successful online."
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

More Masterful Colors

Dee Antil Designs does some really cool color transitions. It's almost as if the designer switches to a different bracelet or necklace mid-stream. But oh, how good they look! 

Top: The Cool Necklace - faceted Carnelian pears with peanut-shaped peacock pearls and faceted pink-orange Chalcedony. Middle: The Southwest Bracelet - A Karen Hill Tribe silver disc with Sponge Coral, Turquoise, teal Chalcedony, and Poppy Jasper. Bottom: The Surprise Bracelet has rose-colored faceted Rhodonite and lime green Turquoise nuggets with Charoite and blue Turquoise.

Bead Salad

Now I ask you, how is it that some people can take a bunch of mismatched beads and come up with something amazing? Just talented, I guess. Check out these shockingly affordable ($14-18) bracelets from Kathy and Marjorie of Bead Salad.

Wal-Mart to Sell Traceable Jewelry

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. on Tuesday launched a new line of jewelry that will allow consumers to see online where their jewelry was mined and manufactured.

The Love, Earth jewelry line will be available at Wal-Mart stores, Sam’s Club locations, and on Walmart.com and Samsclub.com. The line being sold at Wal-Mart will feature 10k gold and sterling silver, and the Sam's Club line will include 14k gold and sterling silver. The collection is “designed to symbolize the Earth’s elements and based on the precepts of recycle, reduce, and respect,” the Bentonville-Ark.-based retailer said in a statement.

Wal-Mart says the new jewelry line marks a shift in how affordably-priced fine jewelry is produced and sold. The new line is the result of collaboration between Wal-Mart, Conservation International, a Washington, D.C.-based conservation group, and Wal-Mart’s supply chain partners, including: including Anglo-Australian mining company Rio Tinto, Denver-based gold producer Newmont Mining Corp., and Florida-based jewelry manufacturer Aurafin.

Rio Tinto, in its own statement about the jewelry program, said it will initially supply gold and silver for the jewelry line from its Kennecott Utah Copper Bingham Canyon Mine in Utah.

“Companies like Rio Tinto and Wal-Mart have an opportunity to change the way products are manufactured and used to reduce impacts on the environment and local communities,” said Andrew Harding, President, Kennecott Utah Copper.

Aurafin, a Richline Group, said in its own statement that the Love, Earth program is in line with its, "corporate goal, of being responsible to ethical, social, and environmental practices."

Wal-Mart said it “selected partners in the mining and jewelry manufacturing industries that already demonstrated environmental and social leadership.” During the next phase of the partnership, the retailer plans to expand the number of approved mining and manufacturing suppliers and introduce diamonds to the Love, Earth line.

Consumers can trace the path of their Love, Earth jewelry from mine to store by visiting www.loveearthinfo.com. In addition, on the Web site, they can learn about suppliers’ environmental and social programs and the standards used to select suppliers and ensure the entire process is more sustainable.

Wal-Mart said its Love, Earth is its first step toward having all of the gold, silver, and diamonds used in the jewelry sold in its Wal-Mart stores and Sam’s Club locations come from mines and manufacturers that meet Wal-Mart’s sustainability standards and criteria. The criteria address both environmental, human rights and community issues. By 2010, the retailer aims for at least 10 percent of its jewelry offerings to achieve these standards.

“Wal-Mart recognizes that our customers care about the quality of their jewelry and its potential impact on the world,” said Pam Mortensen, vice president and divisional merchandise manager for Wal-Mart.

“With its considerable influence, market reach and commitment to sustainability, Wal-Mart has brought together like-minded suppliers, mining companies and conservation partners to work together to build a traceable jewelry supply chain at an impressive scale,” said Assheton Stewart Carter, senior director of Business Policies and Practices at Conservation International. “We hope others in the jewelry industry will follow this leadership example and thus enable consumers to make simple choices that benefit the environment and mining communities when shopping for jewelry.”
Source: jckonline

Wal-Mart to Sell Traceable Jewelry

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. on Tuesday launched a new line of jewelry that will allow consumers to see online where their jewelry was mined and manufactured.

The Love, Earth jewelry line will be available at Wal-Mart stores, Sam’s Club locations, and on Walmart.com and Samsclub.com. The line being sold at Wal-Mart will feature 10k gold and sterling silver, and the Sam's Club line will include 14k gold and sterling silver. The collection is “designed to symbolize the Earth’s elements and based on the precepts of recycle, reduce, and respect,” the Bentonville-Ark.-based retailer said in a statement.

Wal-Mart says the new jewelry line marks a shift in how affordably-priced fine jewelry is produced and sold. The new line is the result of collaboration between Wal-Mart, Conservation International, a Washington, D.C.-based conservation group, and Wal-Mart’s supply chain partners, including: including Anglo-Australian mining company Rio Tinto, Denver-based gold producer Newmont Mining Corp., and Florida-based jewelry manufacturer Aurafin.

Rio Tinto, in its own statement about the jewelry program, said it will initially supply gold and silver for the jewelry line from its Kennecott Utah Copper Bingham Canyon Mine in Utah.

“Companies like Rio Tinto and Wal-Mart have an opportunity to change the way products are manufactured and used to reduce impacts on the environment and local communities,” said Andrew Harding, President, Kennecott Utah Copper.

Aurafin, a Richline Group, said in its own statement that the Love, Earth program is in line with its, "corporate goal, of being responsible to ethical, social, and environmental practices."

Wal-Mart said it “selected partners in the mining and jewelry manufacturing industries that already demonstrated environmental and social leadership.” During the next phase of the partnership, the retailer plans to expand the number of approved mining and manufacturing suppliers and introduce diamonds to the Love, Earth line.

Consumers can trace the path of their Love, Earth jewelry from mine to store by visiting www.loveearthinfo.com. In addition, on the Web site, they can learn about suppliers’ environmental and social programs and the standards used to select suppliers and ensure the entire process is more sustainable.

Wal-Mart said its Love, Earth is its first step toward having all of the gold, silver, and diamonds used in the jewelry sold in its Wal-Mart stores and Sam’s Club locations come from mines and manufacturers that meet Wal-Mart’s sustainability standards and criteria. The criteria address both environmental, human rights and community issues. By 2010, the retailer aims for at least 10 percent of its jewelry offerings to achieve these standards.

“Wal-Mart recognizes that our customers care about the quality of their jewelry and its potential impact on the world,” said Pam Mortensen, vice president and divisional merchandise manager for Wal-Mart.

“With its considerable influence, market reach and commitment to sustainability, Wal-Mart has brought together like-minded suppliers, mining companies and conservation partners to work together to build a traceable jewelry supply chain at an impressive scale,” said Assheton Stewart Carter, senior director of Business Policies and Practices at Conservation International. “We hope others in the jewelry industry will follow this leadership example and thus enable consumers to make simple choices that benefit the environment and mining communities when shopping for jewelry.”
Source: jckonline

Wal-Mart to Sell Traceable Jewelry

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. on Tuesday launched a new line of jewelry that will allow consumers to see online where their jewelry was mined and manufactured.

The Love, Earth jewelry line will be available at Wal-Mart stores, Sam’s Club locations, and on Walmart.com and Samsclub.com. The line being sold at Wal-Mart will feature 10k gold and sterling silver, and the Sam's Club line will include 14k gold and sterling silver. The collection is “designed to symbolize the Earth’s elements and based on the precepts of recycle, reduce, and respect,” the Bentonville-Ark.-based retailer said in a statement.

Wal-Mart says the new jewelry line marks a shift in how affordably-priced fine jewelry is produced and sold. The new line is the result of collaboration between Wal-Mart, Conservation International, a Washington, D.C.-based conservation group, and Wal-Mart’s supply chain partners, including: including Anglo-Australian mining company Rio Tinto, Denver-based gold producer Newmont Mining Corp., and Florida-based jewelry manufacturer Aurafin.

Rio Tinto, in its own statement about the jewelry program, said it will initially supply gold and silver for the jewelry line from its Kennecott Utah Copper Bingham Canyon Mine in Utah.

“Companies like Rio Tinto and Wal-Mart have an opportunity to change the way products are manufactured and used to reduce impacts on the environment and local communities,” said Andrew Harding, President, Kennecott Utah Copper.

Aurafin, a Richline Group, said in its own statement that the Love, Earth program is in line with its, "corporate goal, of being responsible to ethical, social, and environmental practices."

Wal-Mart said it “selected partners in the mining and jewelry manufacturing industries that already demonstrated environmental and social leadership.” During the next phase of the partnership, the retailer plans to expand the number of approved mining and manufacturing suppliers and introduce diamonds to the Love, Earth line.

Consumers can trace the path of their Love, Earth jewelry from mine to store by visiting www.loveearthinfo.com. In addition, on the Web site, they can learn about suppliers’ environmental and social programs and the standards used to select suppliers and ensure the entire process is more sustainable.

Wal-Mart said its Love, Earth is its first step toward having all of the gold, silver, and diamonds used in the jewelry sold in its Wal-Mart stores and Sam’s Club locations come from mines and manufacturers that meet Wal-Mart’s sustainability standards and criteria. The criteria address both environmental, human rights and community issues. By 2010, the retailer aims for at least 10 percent of its jewelry offerings to achieve these standards.

“Wal-Mart recognizes that our customers care about the quality of their jewelry and its potential impact on the world,” said Pam Mortensen, vice president and divisional merchandise manager for Wal-Mart.

“With its considerable influence, market reach and commitment to sustainability, Wal-Mart has brought together like-minded suppliers, mining companies and conservation partners to work together to build a traceable jewelry supply chain at an impressive scale,” said Assheton Stewart Carter, senior director of Business Policies and Practices at Conservation International. “We hope others in the jewelry industry will follow this leadership example and thus enable consumers to make simple choices that benefit the environment and mining communities when shopping for jewelry.”
Source: jckonline

Silver industry to launch consumer-marketing push

The Silver Institute plans to raise consumer awareness for sterling silver jewelry such as these rings from Nina Basharova's "Pod Collection."

The Silver Institute has announced plans for a marketing initiative to increase awareness and encourage consumer purchases of sterling silver jewelry.

Dubbed "The Silver Marketing Initiative" (SMI), the program will educate consumers and the trade press on sterling silver and be a source of marketing information and product news on the metal.

"The consensus of our executive committee is that the time is right to introduce an industry-supported marketing program in the U.S., with the initial focus being on silver jewelry," Silver Institute Executive Director Michael DiRienzo said in a media release.

Marketing and management services firm Michael Barlerin Associates has been appointed as the consultant to the Silver Institute in the development and rollout of the SMI.

"In light of what has been happening to the price of the other noble metals, now is definitely the time for silver jewelry," Barlerin said in the release. "I am also gratified by the response I have already received from key members of the jewelry trade when I told them that SMI was to be launched, and I look forward to discussing mutual opportunities at the JA Show in New York City later this month.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Silver industry to launch consumer-marketing push

The Silver Institute plans to raise consumer awareness for sterling silver jewelry such as these rings from Nina Basharova's "Pod Collection."

The Silver Institute has announced plans for a marketing initiative to increase awareness and encourage consumer purchases of sterling silver jewelry.

Dubbed "The Silver Marketing Initiative" (SMI), the program will educate consumers and the trade press on sterling silver and be a source of marketing information and product news on the metal.

"The consensus of our executive committee is that the time is right to introduce an industry-supported marketing program in the U.S., with the initial focus being on silver jewelry," Silver Institute Executive Director Michael DiRienzo said in a media release.

Marketing and management services firm Michael Barlerin Associates has been appointed as the consultant to the Silver Institute in the development and rollout of the SMI.

"In light of what has been happening to the price of the other noble metals, now is definitely the time for silver jewelry," Barlerin said in the release. "I am also gratified by the response I have already received from key members of the jewelry trade when I told them that SMI was to be launched, and I look forward to discussing mutual opportunities at the JA Show in New York City later this month.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Silver industry to launch consumer-marketing push

The Silver Institute plans to raise consumer awareness for sterling silver jewelry such as these rings from Nina Basharova's "Pod Collection."

The Silver Institute has announced plans for a marketing initiative to increase awareness and encourage consumer purchases of sterling silver jewelry.

Dubbed "The Silver Marketing Initiative" (SMI), the program will educate consumers and the trade press on sterling silver and be a source of marketing information and product news on the metal.

"The consensus of our executive committee is that the time is right to introduce an industry-supported marketing program in the U.S., with the initial focus being on silver jewelry," Silver Institute Executive Director Michael DiRienzo said in a media release.

Marketing and management services firm Michael Barlerin Associates has been appointed as the consultant to the Silver Institute in the development and rollout of the SMI.

"In light of what has been happening to the price of the other noble metals, now is definitely the time for silver jewelry," Barlerin said in the release. "I am also gratified by the response I have already received from key members of the jewelry trade when I told them that SMI was to be launched, and I look forward to discussing mutual opportunities at the JA Show in New York City later this month.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Acrylic

These acrylic rings with gold and silver leaf from a Japanese company called, simply, Acrylic, combine modern and traditional Japanese forms.

Tiffany Defeated in Trademark Case vs. eBay

Companies such as jeweler Tiffany & Co. are responsible for policing their trademarks online, not auction platforms like eBay, a federal judge said Monday.

Tiffany had sued eBay over the sale of counterfeit jewelry on eBay's sites. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Sullivan in New York Monday is a defeat for the luxury jeweler.

The judge ruled that eBay can't be held liable for trademark infringement "based solely on their generalized knowledge that trademark infringement might be occurring on their Web sites," The Associated Press reports.

Sullivan's ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed in 2004, in which Tiffany alleged that most items listed on eBay as genuine Tiffany products were fakes. The company said it had asked eBay to remove counterfeit listings, but the sales continued.

EBay spokeswoman Nichola Sharpe said Monday that the ruling "confirms that eBay acted reasonably and has adequate procedures in place to effectively address counterfeiting," the AP reports.

Last month, a French court ordered eBay to pay more than $61 million to LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, which charged it was hurt by sale of counterfeit bags, perfume, and clothes. EBay is appealing that ruling.

EBay says it spends tens of millions each year to combat counterfeiting. It runs a program that lets companies review listings and inform eBay of those they believe are for fake goods. The company also suspends and blocks users who have been found selling or are suspected of selling fake goods on eBay.

EBay says that in 2007, 50,000 sellers were thrown out for counterfeits, with 40,000 previously suspended sellers blocked from returning.
Source: jckonline

Tiffany Defeated in Trademark Case vs. eBay

Companies such as jeweler Tiffany & Co. are responsible for policing their trademarks online, not auction platforms like eBay, a federal judge said Monday.

Tiffany had sued eBay over the sale of counterfeit jewelry on eBay's sites. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Sullivan in New York Monday is a defeat for the luxury jeweler.

The judge ruled that eBay can't be held liable for trademark infringement "based solely on their generalized knowledge that trademark infringement might be occurring on their Web sites," The Associated Press reports.

Sullivan's ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed in 2004, in which Tiffany alleged that most items listed on eBay as genuine Tiffany products were fakes. The company said it had asked eBay to remove counterfeit listings, but the sales continued.

EBay spokeswoman Nichola Sharpe said Monday that the ruling "confirms that eBay acted reasonably and has adequate procedures in place to effectively address counterfeiting," the AP reports.

Last month, a French court ordered eBay to pay more than $61 million to LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, which charged it was hurt by sale of counterfeit bags, perfume, and clothes. EBay is appealing that ruling.

EBay says it spends tens of millions each year to combat counterfeiting. It runs a program that lets companies review listings and inform eBay of those they believe are for fake goods. The company also suspends and blocks users who have been found selling or are suspected of selling fake goods on eBay.

EBay says that in 2007, 50,000 sellers were thrown out for counterfeits, with 40,000 previously suspended sellers blocked from returning.
Source: jckonline

Tiffany Defeated in Trademark Case vs. eBay

Companies such as jeweler Tiffany & Co. are responsible for policing their trademarks online, not auction platforms like eBay, a federal judge said Monday.

Tiffany had sued eBay over the sale of counterfeit jewelry on eBay's sites. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Sullivan in New York Monday is a defeat for the luxury jeweler.

The judge ruled that eBay can't be held liable for trademark infringement "based solely on their generalized knowledge that trademark infringement might be occurring on their Web sites," The Associated Press reports.

Sullivan's ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed in 2004, in which Tiffany alleged that most items listed on eBay as genuine Tiffany products were fakes. The company said it had asked eBay to remove counterfeit listings, but the sales continued.

EBay spokeswoman Nichola Sharpe said Monday that the ruling "confirms that eBay acted reasonably and has adequate procedures in place to effectively address counterfeiting," the AP reports.

Last month, a French court ordered eBay to pay more than $61 million to LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, which charged it was hurt by sale of counterfeit bags, perfume, and clothes. EBay is appealing that ruling.

EBay says it spends tens of millions each year to combat counterfeiting. It runs a program that lets companies review listings and inform eBay of those they believe are for fake goods. The company also suspends and blocks users who have been found selling or are suspected of selling fake goods on eBay.

EBay says that in 2007, 50,000 sellers were thrown out for counterfeits, with 40,000 previously suspended sellers blocked from returning.
Source: jckonline

Rio Tinto Promotes Champagne Diamonds

Rio Tinto Diamonds, the world's largest supplier of champagne diamonds, has released its latest range of champagne diamond promotional materials.

"The new range of promotional materials is aimed at supporting the retailer, educating the consumer and opening up new distribution channels." says Jean-Marc Lieberherr, head of Rio Tinto Diamonds NV, the Belgium-based company that sells the champagne diamonds from its Argyle mine in Australia’s isolated outback.

Rio Tinto Diamonds new material positions champagne diamond jewelry firmly with those consumers who like to express their individuality and appreciate the finer things in life, the company said in a statement. The brochure, sales training program, Web site, and other promotional material are aimed at showcasing the full color palette as well as communicating the versatility and accessibility of these very special gems.

Champagne diamonds from the Argyle mine are dated at several million years old, with the coloration due to stress on the crystal lattice structure as it was formed deep within the earth’s surface. The range of color, from light champagne to deep cognac, that is being embraced by jewelry designers.

"These diamonds mix and match perfectly, not only with each other but also with other colored diamonds, pearls and a variety of gemstones," said Swiss jewelry designer Suzanne Syz.

Rio Tinto Diamonds US representative office is distributing the champagne diamond promotional materials as part of its charter to drive demand for this product category in the U.S. market. Jewelry manufacturers who are interested in developing and promoting champagne diamond collections are encouraged to contact Rio Tinto Diamond's marketing team to learn how they can participate in this turn-key marketing initiative.
Source: jckonline

Rio Tinto Promotes Champagne Diamonds

Rio Tinto Diamonds, the world's largest supplier of champagne diamonds, has released its latest range of champagne diamond promotional materials.

"The new range of promotional materials is aimed at supporting the retailer, educating the consumer and opening up new distribution channels." says Jean-Marc Lieberherr, head of Rio Tinto Diamonds NV, the Belgium-based company that sells the champagne diamonds from its Argyle mine in Australia’s isolated outback.

Rio Tinto Diamonds new material positions champagne diamond jewelry firmly with those consumers who like to express their individuality and appreciate the finer things in life, the company said in a statement. The brochure, sales training program, Web site, and other promotional material are aimed at showcasing the full color palette as well as communicating the versatility and accessibility of these very special gems.

Champagne diamonds from the Argyle mine are dated at several million years old, with the coloration due to stress on the crystal lattice structure as it was formed deep within the earth’s surface. The range of color, from light champagne to deep cognac, that is being embraced by jewelry designers.

"These diamonds mix and match perfectly, not only with each other but also with other colored diamonds, pearls and a variety of gemstones," said Swiss jewelry designer Suzanne Syz.

Rio Tinto Diamonds US representative office is distributing the champagne diamond promotional materials as part of its charter to drive demand for this product category in the U.S. market. Jewelry manufacturers who are interested in developing and promoting champagne diamond collections are encouraged to contact Rio Tinto Diamond's marketing team to learn how they can participate in this turn-key marketing initiative.
Source: jckonline

Rio Tinto Promotes Champagne Diamonds

Rio Tinto Diamonds, the world's largest supplier of champagne diamonds, has released its latest range of champagne diamond promotional materials.

"The new range of promotional materials is aimed at supporting the retailer, educating the consumer and opening up new distribution channels." says Jean-Marc Lieberherr, head of Rio Tinto Diamonds NV, the Belgium-based company that sells the champagne diamonds from its Argyle mine in Australia’s isolated outback.

Rio Tinto Diamonds new material positions champagne diamond jewelry firmly with those consumers who like to express their individuality and appreciate the finer things in life, the company said in a statement. The brochure, sales training program, Web site, and other promotional material are aimed at showcasing the full color palette as well as communicating the versatility and accessibility of these very special gems.

Champagne diamonds from the Argyle mine are dated at several million years old, with the coloration due to stress on the crystal lattice structure as it was formed deep within the earth’s surface. The range of color, from light champagne to deep cognac, that is being embraced by jewelry designers.

"These diamonds mix and match perfectly, not only with each other but also with other colored diamonds, pearls and a variety of gemstones," said Swiss jewelry designer Suzanne Syz.

Rio Tinto Diamonds US representative office is distributing the champagne diamond promotional materials as part of its charter to drive demand for this product category in the U.S. market. Jewelry manufacturers who are interested in developing and promoting champagne diamond collections are encouraged to contact Rio Tinto Diamond's marketing team to learn how they can participate in this turn-key marketing initiative.
Source: jckonline

America's Best Jewelers announces diamond sponsor

Arabov Group Ltd. is the official diamond sponsor of the America's Best Jewelers program, National Jeweler Network announced on Monday.

Launched this spring by National Jeweler in light of the challenges facing retailers, America's Best Jewelers is a multimedia platform—including print, online, face-to-face and data reports—for jewelers to learn from their peers on how to become more successful retail executives.

The program includes a survey conducted by Shaker Heights, Ohio-based MPI Group that offers in-depth information for retailers on best practices in operations, marketing, financial management, customer service and staffing/HR.

The program also includes educational programs intended to provide retailers with real-world strategies to apply to their businesses, and an awards segment for those retailers who are deemed to have the best strategies.

Arabov's Vice President of Global Business Development Gill Goshen said the America's Best Jewelers program is a "perfect complement" to Arabov's marketing and business objectives, as the company prides itself on lasting relationships with retailers and a reputation for quality and excellence.

"We are proud to be a sponsor of a program that not only focuses on the betterment of our industry, but also identifies and pays tribute to its professionals and business leaders," Goshen said.

National Jeweler magazine publisher Chris Casey said having a progressive company like Arabov sponsor America's Best Jewelers further supports the program's foundation.

"Both suppliers and retailers realize the program will be the vehicle that will drive every element of the industry in the right direction—from supplier to service provider to retailer and ultimately the consumer. We are delighted to have Arabov as the official diamond sponsor and our other sponsors that have joined us."

Other program sponsors include The Wall Street Journal, Stuller and Debbie Brooks.

The first Retail Benchmarking Symposium and Awards Presentation for America's Best Jewelers is scheduled for July 26 at the Westin at Times Square in New York. The ceremony will recognize 31 couture retailers for their progressive business strategies.

Future conference dates include Jan. 17, 2009, and July 26, 2009, both in New York.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

America's Best Jewelers announces diamond sponsor

Arabov Group Ltd. is the official diamond sponsor of the America's Best Jewelers program, National Jeweler Network announced on Monday.

Launched this spring by National Jeweler in light of the challenges facing retailers, America's Best Jewelers is a multimedia platform—including print, online, face-to-face and data reports—for jewelers to learn from their peers on how to become more successful retail executives.

The program includes a survey conducted by Shaker Heights, Ohio-based MPI Group that offers in-depth information for retailers on best practices in operations, marketing, financial management, customer service and staffing/HR.

The program also includes educational programs intended to provide retailers with real-world strategies to apply to their businesses, and an awards segment for those retailers who are deemed to have the best strategies.

Arabov's Vice President of Global Business Development Gill Goshen said the America's Best Jewelers program is a "perfect complement" to Arabov's marketing and business objectives, as the company prides itself on lasting relationships with retailers and a reputation for quality and excellence.

"We are proud to be a sponsor of a program that not only focuses on the betterment of our industry, but also identifies and pays tribute to its professionals and business leaders," Goshen said.

National Jeweler magazine publisher Chris Casey said having a progressive company like Arabov sponsor America's Best Jewelers further supports the program's foundation.

"Both suppliers and retailers realize the program will be the vehicle that will drive every element of the industry in the right direction—from supplier to service provider to retailer and ultimately the consumer. We are delighted to have Arabov as the official diamond sponsor and our other sponsors that have joined us."

Other program sponsors include The Wall Street Journal, Stuller and Debbie Brooks.

The first Retail Benchmarking Symposium and Awards Presentation for America's Best Jewelers is scheduled for July 26 at the Westin at Times Square in New York. The ceremony will recognize 31 couture retailers for their progressive business strategies.

Future conference dates include Jan. 17, 2009, and July 26, 2009, both in New York.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

America's Best Jewelers announces diamond sponsor

Arabov Group Ltd. is the official diamond sponsor of the America's Best Jewelers program, National Jeweler Network announced on Monday.

Launched this spring by National Jeweler in light of the challenges facing retailers, America's Best Jewelers is a multimedia platform—including print, online, face-to-face and data reports—for jewelers to learn from their peers on how to become more successful retail executives.

The program includes a survey conducted by Shaker Heights, Ohio-based MPI Group that offers in-depth information for retailers on best practices in operations, marketing, financial management, customer service and staffing/HR.

The program also includes educational programs intended to provide retailers with real-world strategies to apply to their businesses, and an awards segment for those retailers who are deemed to have the best strategies.

Arabov's Vice President of Global Business Development Gill Goshen said the America's Best Jewelers program is a "perfect complement" to Arabov's marketing and business objectives, as the company prides itself on lasting relationships with retailers and a reputation for quality and excellence.

"We are proud to be a sponsor of a program that not only focuses on the betterment of our industry, but also identifies and pays tribute to its professionals and business leaders," Goshen said.

National Jeweler magazine publisher Chris Casey said having a progressive company like Arabov sponsor America's Best Jewelers further supports the program's foundation.

"Both suppliers and retailers realize the program will be the vehicle that will drive every element of the industry in the right direction—from supplier to service provider to retailer and ultimately the consumer. We are delighted to have Arabov as the official diamond sponsor and our other sponsors that have joined us."

Other program sponsors include The Wall Street Journal, Stuller and Debbie Brooks.

The first Retail Benchmarking Symposium and Awards Presentation for America's Best Jewelers is scheduled for July 26 at the Westin at Times Square in New York. The ceremony will recognize 31 couture retailers for their progressive business strategies.

Future conference dates include Jan. 17, 2009, and July 26, 2009, both in New York.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

La Dolce Vita

Love these very pretty rings from Dolce Jewels in beautiful Telluride, Colorado. On the left, gold, diamonds and rubies. Nice touch on what appears to be a little yellow gold accent around the ruby. Right: Tahitian pearl with diamonds, rubies and white gold.

The Meaning Of The Marriage

Many believed that the marriage was a beginning or the beginning of the new life. Possibly because of the problem or the burden that was dealt with heavier from normal (? ). yes... could I received and understood.

However for me, the marriage was a level in the future, for the sake of the future that more. with the existence of the marriage and the available obligation, will make us more was encouraged in achieving a goal.

Spoil our living couple with something that could be recalled all his life. Then we will be recalled with gold ink as the couple that understood would the meaning had.

The husband who understood the wife and the wife who understood the husband then recalled him in the form of jewellery that could depict the atmosphere of the clear heart.

The Meaning Of The Marriage

Many believed that the marriage was a beginning or the beginning of the new life. Possibly because of the problem or the burden that was dealt with heavier from normal (? ). yes... could I received and understood.

However for me, the marriage was a level in the future, for the sake of the future that more. with the existence of the marriage and the available obligation, will make us more was encouraged in achieving a goal.

Spoil our living couple with something that could be recalled all his life. Then we will be recalled with gold ink as the couple that understood would the meaning had.

The husband who understood the wife and the wife who understood the husband then recalled him in the form of jewellery that could depict the atmosphere of the clear heart.

Jewelry Trends - special attention to the Fashion

Jewelry and fashion are bound to go hands in hands. Jewelry is always required to lend the finishing look to any sort of formal or trendy dress. It is there to compliment the chic approach of the dresses. In order to bring out the simplicity and elegance and to enhance the over all total look of a dress, the choice of jewelry plays a very vital role. It is always there to assist the changing fashion trends. These items can enhance the dullness of the dresses giving them a more attractive appeal. They are totally incorporated with the current fashion scene.


The contemporary jewelry designs and styling is quite different from that of the olden times. The jewelry designers pay special attention to the fashion and trend and create those pieces keeping in mind both the factors. Jewelry is considered to be more stylish yet making no compromise over its usability factor.

It has given vent to the concept of the costume jewelry. It is making its way back to the fashion scene. It has contributed a lot to the use of newer, durable and cheaper metals. You can have the chance to accessorize your clothing with different jewelry items. If you want to increase the volume of your jewelry treasure and want to have matching items to go with your dresses, then, costume jewelry is the appropriate choice. This jewelry genre is specifically originated to facilitate the changing fashion trends. These jewelry items can increase the vibrancy and liveliness of the dresses.

The concept of seasonal jewelry is getting popularity. The jewelry trends seem to differ with every fashion cycle. The summer jewelry is different from the winter jewelry. Spring designs are different from those of autumn. The designs, the metals, the stones, each and every aspect of the jewelry get a revivification with every changing season. The choice of colors also gets changed in accordance with the new fashion wave.

The clothing trends are also coupled with the jewelry changes. Drooping necklaces or chokers or hoop earrings or the use of chunky bracelets can enhance the outlook of different outfits. There are certain jewelry items that are there to accentuate the look of the different formal dresses. As the clothing trends change, so do the jewelry trends as well.

Every thing has progressed a lot so has the jewelry industry. It has become far more convenient to cut and design the products. The latest equipment has made it possible for the jewelers to cut the jewelry items in an unlimited range of designs. This is the reason, it has become possible to change and reshape the designs with every changing fashion trend.

There are many trends which are making their way back to the latest fashion scene. This is the case both in the dresses and in the jewelry. There are many styles from the old golden era that are getting popular nowadays. The use of different stones and metals that were popular a decade or two ago are getting in demand again. Same is the case with the dresses as well. Many old designs and styling approaches are getting adapted according to the newer trends.

Jewelry is the most accentuating item when it comes to enhancing the hidden charms of a dress. It is an integral par of the fashion scene. It changes in accordance with the changing trends.


For great deals from reputable online jewelry shops checkout JewelryButJewelry, one of the best fashion jewelry stores out there.

Source : Jewelry Harmonizing The Fashion