GIA Unveils Gem Project Based on the Edward J. Gübelin Collection

New online resource provides easy access to colored stone data

CARLSBAD, Calif. – March 4, 2010 – The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) recently launched the Gem Project. Comprised of data collected from gemstones in the Edward J. Gübelin collection, which the Institute acquired in 2005, the online resource includes a photo, description and gemological properties for each sample.

The GIA Gem Project is free to the trade and public at any time from anywhere in the world. The gemological information on these gemstones is also available in PDF format.

For the complete article see the GIA Website here.

2010 MJSA Expo New York

Sunday: Not Just Surviving, but Winning. If you want to walk away from Expo with a notebook full of applicable business and marketing strategies, don’t miss this day. "Surviving the Great Recession: Proven Ways to Deal with Challenging Times" (11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) and "What You Can Do Now: Winning Strategies for a Changed World" (2:30 to 4 pm.) will each be moderated by one of the industry’s leading consultants: Ben Janowski, president of The Janos Group Ltd. and Andrea Hill of Hill Management Consulting. Janowski has spent more than 20 years working with such prominent organizations as Golay-Buchel, Frederick Goldman, and De Beers. Hill is the former CEO of The Bell Group/Rio Grande, where she integrated strategic planning and designed organization and control systems to align the company. Janowski and Hill will lead a cross-section of industry executives, from major suppliers to designers to banks and financiers.

Monday: Focus on the Future. If you still don’t know the benefits of "tweeting" and "friending" on social media sites, or you want to tap into the trends of customized design and virtual inventory, you’ll want to attend the Monday sessions. "From Old Media to Social Media: Promoting Product in the 21^st Century" (11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) will feature Peggy Jo Donahue, MJSA’s director of public affairs; Carrie Soucy, a veteran journalist and current owner of Miamore Communications; and experienced marketers Ann Arnold of Lieberfarb, Veronica Wei Sopherof Ben Bridge Jeweler, and Michael Schechter of Honora. Later, from 2:30 to 4 p.m., hear from some of the industry’s leading CAD suppliers and custom jewelers-including Doug Kern of Gemvision and noted designers Lee Krombholz, Jim Tuttle, and Lisa Krikawa-as they take you into the world of "Future Stock: Putting the ’Custom’ in Customer."

Tuesday: Profiting by Design. To put it bluntly: If you want to meet world-class designers, you need to be here. Presented in partnership with the American Jewelry Design Council, the presentation features a partial "who’s who" of the jewelry design world: Consultant Marlene Richey (author of the MJSA Press book Profiting by Design), Cindy Edelstein of the Jeweler’s Resource Bureau, and AJDC members Jose Hess (moderator), Michael Bondanza, Barbara Heinrich, William Schraft, and Diana Vincent. (Yes, it’s name dropping, but they’re good names.)

MJSA’s At the Bench Live: The association’s signature hands-on demonstrations return to Expo with sessions by JCK Rising Star Chris Ploof ("Working with Alternative Metals," Sunday) and the award-winning Krombholz ("Creating Custom Finishes," Monday). Both sessions start at 1 p.m. The Bench and Tool Sponsor is Stuller.

Press Release available at from MJSA

Full Seminar Schedule available here

JCK Industry Fund Awards Diamond Development Initiative

Diamond Development Initiative, Jewelers of America, Womens Jewelry Association, American Gem Society, Jewelers Vigilance Committee and the Jewelers Security Alliance received part of the $400,000 that is granted every year to individuals, groups, or associations who work towards the betterment of the overall industry.

The JCK Industry Fund aims to address problems and challenges facing the jewelry industry, and to assist organizations and associations in developing training materials for its membership and the industry at large.

"We are thrilled that the JCK Fund has supported the initiative. The positive impact at the source of the diamond pipeline will, in time, be enormous." said DDII Board Chair Ian Smillie following the announcement that they have been awarded a grant from the JCK Industry Fund.

The JCK award will assist DDII in its effort to develop and create ‘Development Diamond Standards’, a verifiable certification system for artisanally mined diamonds. DDS will be a tool for addressing development issues and formalizing the artisanal diamond mining sector, and will be a foundation for enhancing the effectiveness of the Kimberley Process regulatory mechanism.

The standards will enable artisanal diamond miners to play an active role as change agents in their own communities, changing a legacy of chaos and victimization with a proactive tool for positive development. The grant will also help DDII tell the development diamond story to the wider jewelry industry.

Dorothee Gizenga, DDII’s Executive Director, said, "The confidence that the JCK Fund is showing in DDII is an important signal to the people we work with at the grass roots, that the industry is concerned about them. It is also an important signal to the governments and civil society organizations that we work with – and the others we hope to attract to our aims and objectives – that the industry is a valued and necessary player in this joint approach to some of the most basic problems in the alluvial diamond fields of Africa and South America."

There are an estimated 1.3 million artisanal diamond diggers across Africa, serving as the primary breadwinner for families that total as many as 10 million people. These diggers earn, on average, about a dollar a day, and there are tens of thousands like them in South America. Historically, governments have treated them as criminals and have attempted to drive them away. After 75 years, this is clearly not the solution.

Regulation and the rule of law are important, but DDII believes that economic problems and the poverty that lures people to the diamond fields also require economic and development solutions. The creation of verifiable standards for ‘development diamonds’ is one step in this direction.

Diamond Development Initiative International

Mission Statement

To gather all interested parties into a process that will address, in a comprehensive way, the political, social and economic challenges facing the artisanal diamond mining sector in order to optimize the beneficial development impact of artisanal diamond mining to miners and their communities within the countries in which the diamonds are mined.

2009 George A. Schuetz Jewelry Design Contest - WINNERS!

One of the great things about "Show Season" in the Jewelery & Gem Industries are all the Design Contests. Participating in a contest can do a lot of great things for your business - the secret is finding the right contest for your work...but that is another post all together and I will look at this topic soon on my Business of Craft blog. I am still catching up with the posts lost when my computer crashed in Tucson but expect a flurry of writing on all my blogs shortly!

First up - the winners of the 2009 George A. Schuetz Jewelry Design Contest!

This is an annual jewelry design contest offered by GIA, the Gemological Institute of America. Named in honor of the late men’s jewelry designer George A. Schuetz Sr., the international competition recognizes the best original men’s jewelry and accessories designs. It is open to all designers.

The first place winner was Sung Woo Hong, of Seoul, Korea, for a tie tack and cuff links set made of emerald cut and tapered sapphires and radiant and princess cut diamonds in 18 karat yellow gold. The first prize award is $500 and a crystal trophy.

“I am very honored,” Hong said. “Receiving this recognition gave me much energy and confidence. I like giving people joy by designing jewelry and I hope they will always remember my pieces.”

The second place award went to Joana Miranda of Glendale, Wisconsin for her “Dog Tags with Hidden Pico Drive.”

Her design uses polished white metal, channel-set rubies and black onyx inlay. Hidden inside the flip-top compartment is a Pico Drive. The Pico, or thumb drive, the smallest external computer drive on the market, is waterproof and equivalent to the size of a U.S. quarter. The dog tags are strung on a platinum bead chain. Miranda received a crystal trophy as recognition of her achievement.

“I am delighted to have won second place and I am grateful to GIA for sponsoring a competition that has inspired me to try to design in elegant and stylish ways for men,” said Miranda, who also won a prize in last year’s George A. Schuetz Design Contest. “Because this was my first Computer-Aided Design (CAD) submission in a design contest, this honor took on unique significance for me. I am continuing my design work with both CAD and hand-drawn renderings.”

Amit B. Kurdekar, of Mumbai, India, came in third place with a men’s ring made of enamel and 24 karat white and yellow gold.

“The Schuetz Contest is an excellent opportunity for young designers to express their creative vision and exercise their many talents,” said Phillip Weeks, manager of GIA’s Student Financial Assistance department and coordinator of the contest. “Contestants may submit one original color design rendering that has not been previously exhibited or ordered for sale.”

Each entry is judged by an independent panel of industry experts who evaluate it based on design, wearability, manufacturability and appeal. The time period to enter a rendering in the competition is from April 15 to June 15. No fee is charged to enter the contest.

Entries for the 2010 Schuetz Design Contest should be mailed according to the instructions on the 2010 entry form, which will be available beginning April 15 on the GIA web site at www.gia.edu, under Library Resources, Design Contests.

The George A. Schuetz Design Contest was established in 1973 by friends and family of Schuetz. The winners of the first contest were announced in 1974. GIA hosts and manages the competition.

Photos courtesy of the GIA via JCK Online story at: http://www.jckonline.com/article/449519-2009_George_A_Schuetz_Design_Contest_Winners_Announced.php?nid=2054&source=title&rid=15168191

Discover "Secrets of the Gem Trade" at GIA Thailand’s Gemstone Gathering

CARLSBAD, Calif. – Feb. 16, 2010 – The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Thailand will host its 33rd Gemstone Gathering on Feb. 24. Richard W. Wise, a graduate gemologist and president of R.W. Wise, Goldsmiths, Inc., will share his experiences as a gem explorer and author.

Wise, who began his career as a goldsmith, has traveled from the ruby mines of upper Burma to the Australian outback and the Brazilian hinterland to the black pearl farms of Tahiti, in search of rare and beautiful gemstones. He has interviewed some of the world’s foremost gemstone experts and received entrée to many private collections. Wise recently completed his first novel, “The French Blue,” based on the life of 17th century gem dealer Jean-Baptiste Tavernier.

In his Secrets of the Gem Trade: The Connoisseur's Guide to Precious Gemstones, he presents a variation of the classic Four Cs applied to grading diamonds, which he calls “The Four Cs of Connoisseurship” or the four factors for quality grading colored gemstones and pearls. He will discuss the history and use of these four factors as they relate to grading ruby and sapphire.

The event begins at 6 p.m. in the Pacific Rooms 1-3 of the Pan Pacific Bangkok Hotel, on 952 Rama IV Road, Bangkok 10500. Light refreshments will be served.

Attendees will be eligible to enter a drawing to win an autographed copy of The French Blue.

Due to limited seating, an RSVP must be received by Feb. 23 to the GIA Laboratory Bangkok on 02 632 4090, or call the GIA Thailand Campus on 02 237-9575 or e-mail www.giathai.net or visit www.giathailand.com.

Couture 2010 marches towards its 15th Anniversary!

Couture 2010 marches towards its 15^th Anniversary with over
100 brands already committed...

Stalwarts Like David Yurman, Gurhan, Alex Sepkus and Charriol lead the way

NEW YORK, NEW YORK (February 8, 2010) – June 3, 2010, marks the opening day of Couture 2010, which will be held at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas from June 3^rd until June 7th. Led by some of the most important and respected brands in the jewelry industry, Couture is positioned to deliver an exceptional event. The 2010 event will be the show’s 15^th anniversary and will be a celebration of Couture’s dedication to showcasing the best designers in the industry including luminaries such as David Yurman, Marco Bicego, Alex Sepkus, Charriol and many others. Couture’s long dedication to weaving together the right brands with the right retailers all in the Wynn hotel’s tremendous facility has proven to be an unbeatable formula.

“The Couture Show has consistently provided an important venue for us to market Alex Sepkus in an elegant, comfortable and civilized environment. We are able to spend valuable time with our customers building and maintaining the relationships that are the cornerstone of our success,” says Jeff Feero of Alex Sepkus.

In 2010, Couture is committing itself to deliver on its brand promise. Lee Arevian, Couture’s show director notes, “A luxury brand has to deliver a luxury experience. We can make some adjustments to better reflect the times, but in the end, the things that define Couture – the level of hospitality, the delivery of certain events, etc. – have to reflect the brands we serve. We’ve made a commitment to our exhibiting brands and our retailers that these certain key elements will remain untouched, and in some cases enhanced.”

The best brands and the best experience are only completed by the best retailers. And once again, Couture is leading the way. Our important Cornerstone Retailer program is being supplemented this year by the additional tier of identified retailers known as Signature Retailers. “While our Cornerstone Retailers represent the icons in our industry, and write huge amounts of business, our Signature Retailers represent an important component as well,” says Arevian. “Through careful mining of Nielsen data and extensive interviews in the designer and retailer community, we were able to identify over 200 retail companies that represent a powerful and vibrant group of retailers particularly skilled in selling designer jewelry. We’ve built a series of programs for them to ensure they have ample opportunity to network and interact with our manufacturers and designers and create a similar dynamic to that we have with our Cornerstone Program.”

All this is done with an eye towards continuing to build the “triumvirate of success” – the best brands, shopped by the best retailers in the best venue. Or, as Fiona Tilley of Gurhan puts it – “Couture remains the primary show on which we depend for the best buyers, the best sales and the best of experiences. All of our important customers make a point of attending Couture to meet with us and have remained committed to it.”

To register, click here

About Couture

Couture, at http://www.TheCoutureShow.com, is the world's most exclusive annual collection of leading international design icons and emerging stars designers and the best of Couture retailers. Set in the magnificent Wynn Resorts, Couture is the only destination where more than 85% of the world's most recognized designers and brands exclusively choose to show during Las Vegas Market Week. Now in its 15th year, Couture continues to be the benchmark for the industry standard for excellence making it the unparalleled event experience for the most prestigious designers and retailers in the world. Couture is an event produced by Nielsen Business Media.

Ganoksin Orchid Raffle 2010 Winners Announced!

Winners of the Ganoksin Orchid Raffle 2010 are Announced!

Many thanks to our friends at Rio Grande for their generous donation
for making the Ganoksin Orchid Raffle 2010 a hit!

Rio Grande is your online source for innovative jewelry-making
products, great service and technical know-how. Whether you are just
starting out or are a seasoned professional jeweler, metalsmith or
artisan, Rio Grande share your passion.

Also, a HUGE thanks for those who participated in purchasing a
Charles Lewton-Brain's eBook.! Thank you!

and (drumroll please).... the lucky winners are...............

$5,000 Rio Grande Gift Certificate goes to

Lawrence M Saber
of Sabushka Design, Perth, Australia
http://ww.sabushkadesign.com

It all started at the beginning of 1981 when I started my
Apprenticeship for a big Manufacturing Jeweller, in
Johannesburg, South Africa. After doing my Trade Exam and
passing it, I went to run a Workshop for a friend of mine (a
fellow apprentice). After a year and a half I decided to go out
on my own. As I had no tools etc. I chanced upon someone who was
emmigrating to the USA and offered to buy his tools. I ended up
buying his Company (including 5 Benchworkers and customers) The
first 6 months were a huge learning curve for me, as I sorted
the "wheat from the chaff", client and staff wise, as well as
learning how and how not, to run a business.

From then on it was all hard work and learning curve after
learning curve until I started to build a reputation for
creating / producing High Quality, High End Jewellery. In that
time (about 12 years) I trained 4 Apprentices and realized that
I loved teaching what I knew to others. I decided to start a
small school, as well as continuing with the business. Not only
did I teach, but I learnt from the students, at the same time.
In all I ran my business for 16+ years and mostly loved every
second of it.

In August 2001 I emmigrated to Perth in Western Australia, where
I was offered a job as Workshop Co-ordinator for one of the big
Manufacturer / Retailer Co's here. I lasted around 18 months
there, before deciding that the "Corporate" kind of environment
was not for me. I then got a job as a bench jeweller. By a
process of elimination ie: the Head Jeweller leaving, to go to
work in Italy, I became Head Jeweller and worked at the Company
for 3 and 1/2 years, before finally deciding to go on my own
again.

I really enjoy starting from a blank sheet of paper, to a
concept sketch, to a final sketch and then on to the real stuff
- 24kt Gold granules, Copper and Silver for alloy, maybe some
Palladium - Melting and alloying into 18kt Gold Bar / Ingot and
then rolling and forging and cutting and filing and soldering
and polishing, maybe settting some stones, final polish and
finally - that sense of accomplishment - the piece is done and
it looks good. Thats what it is all about

.....................................................

$5,000 Rio Grande Gift Certificate goes to
Robyn D. Kleinhans of Colfax, CA. USA

I have joyfully been teaching a jewelry design and rendering
class at the California Institute of Jewelry Training (CJIT).

I did most of the custom design and sales in a fine-jewelry
store in the late 80's.

I have just returned to the bench afer a long sabatical - I am
happily working away, waking up my skills! I first began metal
fabrication as a teen-ager. After getting as far away from
jewelry, and the industry, as possible to pursue other artistic
avenues, (rebel against the family jewelry business!) and raise
my own family, - I have come full circle, and begun to embrace
this as a wonderful gift!

.....................................................

Orchid Members - Please do your part and continue to purchase supplies, books
and services from those who believe in the magic of Orchid and Ganoksin.

Thank you everyone for your support!
Hanuman