Google+ The Daily Jewel: 4/21/13 - 4/28/13

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Friday, April 26, 2013

“Dramatic Jewelry: The Five Masters” at Aaron Faber Gallery



Aaron Faber Gallery Announces May Exhibition 
“Dramatic Jewelry: The Five Masters”


Also Book Signing by Acclaimed Jewelers Tom and Jutta Munsteiner 
and Afternoon Lecture with Legendary Jeweler Michael Good



In the world of women’s fashion, there's beautiful jewelry, there’s memorable jewelry, and then there's dramatic jewelry - those statement-making works of wearable art that encourage both compliments and query.  Throughout the month of May, Aaron Faber Gallery, located at 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, will present the latter in an exhibition that explores the striking works of five legendary international jewelry artists known for their sculptural aesthetic, vivid color machination, and dynamic gem play.  “Dramatic Jewelry: The Five Masters” showcases the extraordinary works of British jeweler, Charlotte De Syllas; Italian jeweler,Paolo Marcolongo; American jeweler, Michael Good; and German jewelers Peter Schmid of Atelier Zobel and Tom and Jutta Munsteiners.

The exhibition opens 3pm on Thursday, May 9th, 2013 with a book signing hosted by Tom and Jutta Munsteiner, honoring Wilhelm Lindemann’s  literary work, “Munsteiner: The Young Generation Tom + Jutta Munsteiner”.  Also in attendance will be Bernd Munsteiner, the “Picasso of Gems” and father to both Tom and the optical style of the “fantasy gem cut”.

On Saturday, May 18, 2013 from 2pm to 5pm, Aaron Faber Gallery will also present an “Afternoon with Michael Good”, a reception and lecture where the famed jeweler will discuss his life, his work and his upcoming sold-out workshop at the 92nd Street Y.






Both events are free and open to the public.









THE ARTISTS

·         Charlotte De Syllas is widely acknowledged as one of the finest artist-jewelers working in Britain today. Acclaimed for her daring design and technical bravura, her work is admired for an inspired use of color and a sculptural elegance of spectacular forms. Her distinctive combination of gemstone and metal are achieved through an innovative three-dimensional approach to fine carving, where complex structure integrates into the design with deceptive simplicity.

De Syllas is well represented in the permanent collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. She won the Goldsmiths’ Company award in 2007, the Jerwood Prize for Jewellery in 1995, and a major scholarship by the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust in 1999. Her work is primarily in private collections.

·         Michael Good is an American institution, known equally for his life’s work as a sculptor and jeweler as well as his passion to teach and share his art.  Good was first taught elementary jewelry making techniques by a sculptor for whom he worked with in New York City. For the next ten years, he would continue making jewelry by invention, experimentation and through lessons from books. 

Under the tutelage of famed master metalsmith, educator and author, Heikki Seppa, Good was introduced to a new metalsmithing vocabulary, and began exploring form with direct metal techniques. Good subsequently developed a signature style called “anticlastic raising”, which has come to define his jewelry and sculptures as light, flexible and incredibly fluid.  Good has since won several prestigious awards, including Intergold, Diamonds Today, and Diamonds International.

·         Paolo Marcolongo is an artist, sculptor, curator and teacher. He studied sculpture at Venice Art Academy; in 1984, became an instructor at the Pietro Selvatico School; and in 1996, started teaching at the Padua Art State School ‘Amedeo Modigliani’, where he remains today.  From 1996 to 1998 he was curator of "Pd 362", an art gallery of contemporary jewels in Padua. From 1996 to 2002 he organized International Summer workshops on the contemporary jewel for the Cultural Association "La Corte", at Sambruson-Dolo in Venice.

Marcolongo’s ‘Shadow Breath’ blown glass rings and necklaces are original, compelling wearable sculptures of remarkable form combined with experimental color implications in Murano glass. As he notes, “There are very fast but really strong moments, where the blown glass and the eye play a very decisive role on the artifact.”

·         Tom & Jutta Munsteiner represent a German perspective of avant-garde traditions in gem cutting and goldsmithing. Tom is a fourth generation gem sculptor, whose designs are coveted worldwide by collectors, museums and jewelry designers. Jutta is a master goldsmith and designer, who collaborates with partner and husband Tom to create the formidable, one-of-a-kind jewelry for which the duo is celebrated.  Tom’s father, Bernd Munsteiner, is the legendary gem sculptor who revolutionized the gem cutting industry of the 1960s by introducing a cutting style characterized by bold, geometric, precise cuts often giving gemstones a kaleidoscope appearance.

Tom and Jutta both received master’s degrees in gem cutting and goldsmithing, respectively, after ten years of study and apprenticeships.  In 1997, Tom took over the Munsteiner atelier from his father, where he and Jutta continue to create their sought-after designs. Their work is in the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and the Museum of Art and Design New York.

·         Peter Schmid of Atelier Zobel creates dramatic, modern jewelry in precious gems and metals, recognized worldwide for their unique aesthetic.  On one level, his jewelry functions as pure sculpture, where scale is crucial to the viewer; and on another level, the theatricality and extravagance of each piece serves to draw attention and commendations to the wearer. There’s a great sense of fun in Schmid’s play with scale and size; an enjoyment of color and pattern for its own sake and a true pleasure in jewelry as ornament.

Peter Schmid studied goldsmithing at the School for Design and Jewelry in Schwabisch-Gmund, Germany, and then apprenticed to his famed mentor Michael Zobel, who founded the Atelier in 1970. Schmid’s work is in the Museum of Art and Design New York and Museum of Fine Arts Boston as well as many private collections.


About Aaron Faber Gallery
Aaron Faber Gallery was founded in 1974 to present the work of studio jewelers, those artists creating one-of-a-kind jewels that are inspired by creativity and originality, made in the artist’s studio and imbued with the artist’s spirit, concept and style.

The gallery, owned by Edward and Patricia Faber is located on West 53rd Street down the block from the Museum of Modern Art, where its contemporary interior is the backdrop for changing exhibitions by studio jewelers as well as permanent collections by the gallery’s artist group. For more information, please visit www.aaronfaber.com.

Bulgari's Blue Diamond Trombino' Ring Sets New World Record at Bonham's London Sale

Bonhams Takes World Record of £6.2 Million 
For Exceptional Blue Diamond


Bonhams reports a new record was set at their Fine Jewelry sale in London's New Bond Street,  April 24th. The exceptional stone? a rare fancy deep-blue diamond weighing 5.30 carats which sold for a record $1.8 mil per carat.

The previous world record price per carat for a blue diamond was $1.68 mil. This rare gem was bought by Graff Diamonds, the international diamond house headquartered in New Bond Street. London. Bidding came from round the world via 25 telephone lines as well as bidders in the packed saleroom.

The fancy deep-blue diamond is set in a 'Trombino' ring made by Bulgari, the renowned Italian jeweler favored by Hollywood film stars, and the epitome of fashion and innovation during the 1960s. The ring was made circa 1965 and sold for close to four times the estimate of just over £1,000,000 per carat by Bonhams.

Jean Ghika, Director of Bonhams Jewelry Department for Europe commented after the sale: "We are delighted with the price it has made. It was a sensational stone which charmed everyone who viewed it prior to the sale. Blue diamonds, especially those over 5.00 carats, are extremely rare to see on the market and continue to be highly sought-after. We are honored to have handled the sale of such a unique gem."
Blue diamonds are very rarely seen on the market and fancy-coloured diamonds are among the most valuable and sought-after in the world. They have delighted royals and celebrities over the centuries, with the most famous blue 'Hope Diamond' bought by King Louis XIV of France in the late 17th Century. The stunning 45.52-carat diamond, originating from India was eventually stolen from the Crown Jewels by thieves in the French Revolution and then smuggled to London, finally coming to rest in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C.

The Bulgari ring features a cushion-shaped fancy deep-blue diamond, weighing 5.30 carats. It is set horizontally within a mount pavé-set with brilliant-cut diamonds and courses of baguette-cut diamonds.


The term "fancy" is used to describe a diamond of intense color and the color "fancy deep-blue" is one of the rarest. The extraordinary color blue is derived from small atoms of boron mixing with the carbon atoms in a diamond, affecting the absorption of light passing through the stone and lending it a blue appearance. Blue diamonds are structurally very pure and account for less than one per cent of all diamonds mined.

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son & Neale. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street and Knightsbridge; and a further three in the UK regions and Scotland. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Connecticut in the USA; and Germany, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Australia. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. 
For a full listing of upcoming sales go to www.bonhams.com

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Metalsmiths Sterling™ Names Jim Grohn Executive V. P.


Metalsmiths Sterling™ Names Jim Grohn Executive Vice President
Boosts branding power with Goldstein Communications as agency of record


Metalsmiths Sterling™ has recently acquired two new assets to boost the brand’s power and expand its reach. The global luxury designer sterling brand has named industry veteran Jim Grohn as Executive Vice President.

“Jim brings us more than 20 years of experience in brand building, with a complete understanding and combination of sales, marketing and management experience,” says Lee Konidas CEO and company co-owner.

Jim will spearhead an aggressive brand development strategy aimed at furthering the brand’s influence throughout the US and Canada. Additionally, Metalsmiths Sterling™ has appointed Goldstein Communications, its agency of record. Goldstein brings with it more than 30 years of experience in branding and marketing for fine jewelry brands. Social media will play a key role in Goldstein’s marketing plan for Metalsmiths Sterling as a way to interact with both the end consumer and retail partners.

“We are thrilled to be working with such an outstanding sterling silver jewelry brand, and we are excited to implement our expertise in branding, social media and public relations to help bring Metalsmiths Sterling™ to the next level,” states Ari Goldstein, CEO of Goldstein Communications.

Metalsmiths Sterling™ has one goal – to offer people across the world high quality, hand crafted modern jewelry. Metalsmiths Sterling™ pieces feature a landscape of different and unique gemstones and are exclusively designed and manufactured by the company. Every item is stamped with the Metalsmiths Sterling™ hallmark of quality and purity.

Metalsmiths Sterling™ collections are featured in leading independent, upscale jewelers throughout the US, Caribbean, and Canada.

BAYCO Reveals One Of A Kind 206 carat Emerald at BaselWorld!


Bayco Unveils The Imperial Emerald
The Most Precious Emerald on Record to Date

Bayco Jewels LLC unveiled today one of the most precious gemstones to ever exist at the world’s most prestigious annual jewelry exhibition, Baselworld in Basel, Switzerland.
Bayco


Moris and Giacomo Hadjibay, co-owners of Bayco Jewels LLC stated, “This unveiling represents a milestone for the history of Bayco and the industry. This gem is a representation of the exquisite high standards of our brand. To follow the essence of our history, is to continue to create or discover one of a kind treasures that are not attainable by many but befall a treasure to some.” The co-owners hosted an hour long press conference for their invited guests to witness the unveiling of THE IMPERIAL EMERALD: a one of a kind, 206 carat, unenhanced Colombian Emerald.

The Imperial Emerald has been praised with the highest grade certificates, from global gemological entities that are highly regarded as the authority in the industry. The certificates contain extensive special comments by all the labs which certified it including; Gubelin, AGL, GIA, C. Dunaigre Consulting, and GRS. Additionally, it has also received a Gem Portrait by Gubelin, a JewelFolio by AGL, and Monograph by the GIA. Each of these is a book made by each lab which is reserved only for extremely rare and exceptional stones.

Emeralds are coveted gemstones, and have been throughout history; in fact a truly fine emerald may be even more valuable than a diamond of the same size. These gems range in size from very small to very large, however the rarity of finding one of this magnitude is rather exceptional. Colombian emeralds set the highest standards of quality for all emeralds, which are differentiated from other stones by the quality of their color: a shining green without any bluish tint. They are also prized for their transparency, crystallization and fire. The green color that this gem possesses is generally considered more desirable and the slight natural mineral inclusions add to the stone's character. 

About Bayco Jewels LLC
Bayco Jewels was founded in 1982 with the jewel-centric family established by Amir Hadjibay and his two sons, Moris and Giacomo, current co-CEO’s of the New York based company. Voiding mass production, Bayco creates only one-of-a-kind pieces designed with old and new trends that feature some of the finest gems in the world: ravishing rubies, dazzling emeralds, celestial sapphires, and enrapturing diamonds. Bayco’s pursuit of gemstone purity is its own aesthetic truth, creating pinnacles of jewelry for their rarefied—luxury-loving elite clientele. For more information, log onto www.bayco.com.


PGI & COLIN COWIE PARTNER TO PROMOTE THE ENDURING QUALITIES OF PLATINUM JEWELRY


PLATINUM GUILD INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS WITH WEDDING EVENT PLANNER AND STYLE EXPERT COLIN COWIE ON CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE THE ENDURING QUALITIES OF PLATINUM JEWELRY

Platinum Guild International USA (PGI-USA) and iconic wedding and event planner, design consultant and television personality Colin Cowie are pleased to announce a new partnership to promote the enduring qualities of platinum jewelry. Naturally white, platinum will never change color or fade, making it the perfect choice for jewelry that symbolizes commitment that will forever stand the test of time.


Within the program, Cowie will illustrate the qualities of platinum as they relate to bridal jewelry through activities including a curated gallery of handpicked platinum jewelry designs, social media engagement, and branded event appearances. Additionally, Mr. Cowie will share his appreciation for platinum jewelry in broadcast interviews and offer commentary on celebrity and everyday bridal style.

“As a major influencer in the bridal realm and an overall style specialist with a strong following, Mr. Cowie is perfectly positioned to speak to todays bridal consumer about platinum,” says PGI-USA’s president Huw Daniel. “He not only understands design, but also recognizes the significance of engagements and weddings in peoples’ lives. As  one of the industry’s most renowned wedding planners, he will show brides and grooms how they can commit to each other with the platinum rings of their dreams, while respecting their budget.”

“I am thrilled to develop this relationship with Platinum Guild International,” says Cowie. “My partnership with platinum jewelry will serve as the perfect adjunct to my commitment to the bridal space. From engagement rings, wedding bands and beautiful fashion jewlery, platinum bridal jewelry is elegant and timeless. I am excited to share my favorite pieces, and demonstrate the value of platinum jewelry that will last a lifetime and more.”

About Platinum Guild International (PGI):
Platinum Guild International is dedicated to promoting platinum and its pure, rare and eternal qualities to the consumer and the jewelry tradePGI has offices in the US, China, Japan, India and London, providing information, assistance and education on all aspects of platinum jewelry. For more information please visit
PGI-USA’s consumer site: www.preciousplatinum.com
PGI-USA’s press site: www.pgi-press.com
PGI-USA’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/jewelryplatinum

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Gitanjali Gems Ltd. Announces Merger of Gems London Co. Ltd. with Tokyo-based Imacbc Co. Ltd.


Gitanjali Gems Ltd. announced the merger of Gems London Co. Ltd. with Tokyo-based Imacbc Co. Ltd. Gitanjali Gems  held 30 percent stake in Gems London  through its Hong Kong-based wholly owned subsidiary, Aston Luxury Group Ltd. Gems London is one of the largest sellers of jewelry through its TV channel, Gems TV in Japan with revenue for the fiscal year exceeding $90 million.
The merger took place on April 1, after which Imacbc shall become a completely integrated company -- from sourcing raw material from Thailand and China and manufacturing in two facilities in China, to retailing in Japan. In addition to selling through Gems TV,  Imacbc plans to expand its existing jewelry retail network in Japan. The combined revenue of this consolidated business is expected to more than double in next two years.
Imacbac will become the only company in Japan with capabilities to both manufacturer jewelry products and sell them through its own television shopping channel. The integration will shorten lead and response times and allow for business efficiencies throughout the jewelry value chain. The strong base that will emerge will enable the company to develop its business rapidly as it will have the ability to address customer demand in the Japanese market most effectively and efficiently. The  business structure will obtain strong competitive advantages from this consolidation and will be of significant relevance to the company’s operations in the global marketplace.
Japan is the third largest diamond jewelry market in the world and it offers immense potential to add value to Gitanjali's vertically integrated model.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Rubies Revealed at the 11th Annual Sinkankas Symposium


Rubies Revealed at the Sinkankas Symposium
Eleventh annual event held at GIA’s Carlsbad campus

Speakers and presenters at the Eleventh Annual Sinkankas Symposium. From L to R: Robert Weldon,
Gary Bowersox, Richard Hughes, Elise Skalwold, George Harlow, Nathan Renfro, Shane McClure,
Roger Merk, Jeanne Larson, Bill Larson and Jim Shigley. Image © GIA.
Keynote speaker Richard Hughes presents “Pigeon’s Blood: 
Burma’s Mogok Ruby Mines.” Image © GIA.

CARLSBAD, Calif.– Gem experts and  aficionados from around the globe gathered at Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Carlsbad, CA world headquarters on April 6 for an in-depth look at one of history’s most coveted gems: Ruby. The Eleventh Annual Sinkankas Symposium, co-hosted by the San Diego Mineral and Gem Society and GIA, kicked off with an introduction by organizer Roger Merk followed by a variety of esteemed speakers:

·         Dr. George Harlow, curator of Minerals and Gems at the American Museum of Natural History, on “Ruby from the Mogok Belt: Mineralogy and Geochemistry”
·         Dr. James Shigley, GIA distinguished research fellow, on “Ruby Geology and Localities”
·         Bill Larson, president of Pala International, Inc., on “Ruby Localities Shown in Brilliant Color”
·         Elise Skalwold, gemologist and author, on “Dr. Allen Bassett and the Ruby Mines of Nepal”
·         Gary Bowersox, explorer and gem enthusiast, on “Rubies of Afghanistan and Tajikistan”
·         Richard Hughes, explorer and gem expert, on “Pigeon’s Blood: Burma’s Mogok Ruby Mines”
·         Robert Weldon, GIA’s manager of photography and visual communications, on “Photographic Quest for Pigeon’s Blood Red ”
·         Nathan Renfro, GIA’s lead analytical specialist of colored stones, on “Faceting Ruby: The Implications for Optical Orientation on Color”
·         Shane McClure, GIA’s director of Identification Services, on “Enhancements to Rubies – both Natural and Synthetic”

Gary Bowersox and George Harlow. Image © GIA.

About GIA
An independent nonprofit organization, GIA (Gemological Institute of America), established in 1931, is recognized as the world’s foremost authority in gemology. GIA invented the famous 4Cs of Color, Cut, Clarity and Carat Weight in the early 1950s and in 1953, created the International Diamond Grading System™ which, today, is recognized by virtually every professional jeweler in the world.

Through research, education, gemological laboratory services, and instrument development, the Institute is dedicated to ensuring the public trust in gems and jewelry by upholding the highest standards of integrity, academics, science, and professionalism. Visit www.gia.edu


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