STYLELAB’S JEWELRY BRANDS ARE SELECTED BY A-LISTERS

STYLELAB’S JEWELRY BRANDS ARE SELECTED BY A-LISTERS FOR
THE 68TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS

Los Angeles, CA (January 16, 2011) – StyleLab’s Jewelry Suite for the Golden Globe Awards resulted in huge success for participating brands including Platinum Guild International, American Gem Trade Association, Dena Kemp, and Georland, among others. Brands received an exclusive opportunity to showcase their best red carpet pieces to the hottest celebrities and their wardrobe stylists. From platinum and diamonds to rubies and sapphires, over 150 pieces worth $14 million dollars were available for loan.

Celebrities who visited the Suite included: Minnie Driver (“Conviction”), Adrienne Maloof (“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”), Elizabeth Rohm (“Heroes”), Emily Bergl (“Desperate Housewives”), Kathleen Robertson (“CSI: Miami”), Steve Carell (“The Office”), Kate Flannery (“The Office”), Brit Morgan (“True Blood”), Mayim Bialik (“Big Bang Theory”), Candice Wiggins (WNBA player), Lee Unkrich (nominated Director “Toy Story 3”), Bonnie Arnold (nominated Producer “How To Train Your Dragon”), Alison Owen (nominated Executive Producer “Temple Grandin”), Gale Anne Hurd (nominated Executive Producer “The Walking Dead”), Janie Bryant (Costume Designer “Mad Men”), Mary Hart (“Entertainment Tonight”), and Marc Istook (TV Guide Network).

Celebrity stylist Michael O’Connor helped guests make their jewelry selection. “Celebrities are choosing one piece of statement jewelry – either bold earrings, a bracelet with classic white diamonds, or a ring with colorful gemstones,” says O’Connor.

The following celebrities and red carpet reporters selected jewelry from StyleLab’s Golden Globe Awards Suite for the show and parties:

Minnie Driver·      Diamond bracelet (14 carats) by DENA KEMP
·      Diamond earrings (10 carats) by DENA KEMP

Elizabeth Rohmvarious parties
·      Diamond bracelets by DENA KEMP

Brit MorganInStyle Party
·      Platinum and diamond ring by ERICA COURTNEY
·      Cuff with diamonds and tourmaline by GEORLAND
·      Large hoop earrings with diamonds by GEORLAND

Emily Bergl·      Ring with peridot (120 carats), yellow diamonds, pink sapphires, and tsavorite garnets by GEORLAND
·      Large hoop earrings with sapphires by GEORLAND

Kate Flannery·      Two platinum and diamond cuffs by CHAD ALLISON
·      Earrings with blue sapphires and diamonds by DALLAS PRICE FOR THE AGTA COLLECTION          

Kathleen Robertson·      Diamond drop earrings (50 carats) by DENA KEMP
·      Diamond bracelet (44 carats) by DENA KEMP

Mayim BialikInStyle Party
·      Platinum and diamond bracelet (25 carats) by UNEEK FINE JEWELRY COLLECTIONS
·      Platinum and diamond earrings by ERICA COURTNEY

Mary Hart·      Platinum bracelet with sapphires (14 carats) and diamonds (9 carats) by OMI GEMS FOR THE AGTA COLLECTION
·      Diamond ring (11 carats) by DENA KEMP
·      Diamond earrings (12 carats) by DENA KEMP

Deborah Norville·      Bracelet with yellow and white diamonds (23 carats) by DENA KEMP
·      Earrings with pink morganite (17 carats), rubylite (5 carats) and diamonds by YAEL DESIGNS FOR THE AGTA COLLECTION

Steve Carell + wife·      Onyx cufflinks from MICHAEL O’CONNOR PERSONAL COLLECTION
·      Butterfly pin with diamonds (6 carats) and tsavorite (21 carats) by DENA KEMP
·      Ring with emerald (20 carats) and diamonds (11 carats) by DENA KEMP
·      Earrings with mint tourmaline (17 carats) and diamond accents by  ADELER JEWELERS FOR THE AGTA COLLECTION

Alison Owen·      6 row diamond bracelet by GEORLAND
·      Platinum and diamond earrings (7 carats) by UNEEK FINE JEWELRY COLLECTIONS          

Gale Anne Hurd·      Necklace with blue sapphire (8 carats) and diamonds (15 carats) by SHAFTEL DIAMOND CO. FOR THE AGTA COLLECTION
·      Platinum earrings with sapphires and diamonds by MICHAEL C. FINA

Bonnie Arnold·      Earrings with tanzanite (9 carats) and diamonds by YAEL DESIGNS FOR THE AGTA COLLECTION
·      Platinum and diamond bracelet by J. BIRNBACH

Janie Bryant·      Diamond ring (27 carats) by DENA KEMP
·      Diamond earrings (14 carats) by DENA KEMP
·      Diamond bracelet (20 carats) by DENA KEMP

Candice Wigginsviewing party
·      Ring with diamonds and green tourmaline by ERICA COURTNEY
·      Earrings with green beryl and diamonds by ERICA COURTNEY

Lee Unkrich & wife·      Black and white diamond tie accent by CLIQ JEWELRY
·      Diamond bracelet (14 carats) by DENA KEMP
·      Black and white diamond earrings (53 carats) by DENA KEMP

Mark Istook·      Cufflinks with aquamarine by ROBIN ROTENIER

Guests attending the Suite also received a yoga gift card from Passport to Prana, and luxury beauty products from DermStore.

StyleLab's Jewelry Suite...

Celeb Stylist Michael O'Connor in the StyleLab Jewelry Suite...for the Golden Globe Awards

Demystifying Websites for Jewelers

GUEST POST:  We are lucky enough to have one of the writers I admire most in this Industry, Diana Jarrett, GG RMV, share this special interview she conducted with Marlene Murphy of Jewelry Website Designers.  So if your New Year Resolution was to update your website...this should be right up your alley.

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Over-scheduled and over-stressed consumers claim that time is the new luxury. And savvy jewelers aim at providing a rich 24-hour shopping experience so jewelry lovers can shop when they want. Plenty of jewelers are wildly successful at e-commerce. Yet many designers and merchants secretly suspect they aren’t using this technology to its best advantage.


Lingering questions persist. Are we getting it right? Are we really reaching the market we intend and how can we increase market share via the internet? Scariest of all----how can we keep up with the runaway train of technology? It is evolving before we can process and utilize last month’s hot new app.


In a candid conversation with Marlene Murphy, the techno wizard behind Jewelry Website Designers she offers helpful insight from an insider’s vantage point.


Q: What are the most common mistakes that jewelers stumble over when building a website?


Marlene: In my opinion, jewelers, along with other businesses fail to think through their unique selling position. What gives them a leg up over the competition and sets them apart from other merchants selling the same product? They must focus their website message on promoting those strengths and unique traits. Countless merchants seem to display online catalogs with every possible item they have to sell in hopes that
something will attract shoppers instead of first hooking the consumer and then guiding them to the right purchase.


Finding the right web developer is key. Oodles of high school kids and fresh-out-of-college computer geeks can handle the technical aspects of website creation very cheaply. Yet they lack training and experience in sales, search engine optimization and marketing. So that’s where it all begins to unravel. In particular, it’s crucial to create engaging web content that sells and contains the right combination of targeted search
phrases to achieve top search engine rankings. A good web developer possesses multiple skills, or has a team of specialists who create the entire package.


Q: What are the most common misperceptions that jewelers have about their website—like how it should perform, or what their expectations are?



Marlene: Online Retailers often think that all they need is a website which will automatically drive their products to the top of search engine results, and thousands will flock to buy their goods. Voila--another success story. But let’s look a little further.


Use Google to search for any product you like. You'll see millions of results matching your search term. Now ask yourself--what makes your site or products warrant a top ten placement?


Web marketing only begins with a website - web owners must budget for aggressively marketing and promotion of their site; via social media marketing, pay-per-click, or print advertising.


Q: For merchants starting from scratch, what advice do you have to get going in the right direction?


Marlene: It boils down to why- what- who-how. Decide why you want a website, what you want to accomplish, who your target market is and how you will measure success. Be clear about your specific goals. Refrain from generalities like "I want to sell jewelry online." Be very specific, "I want to sell 10 of my custom designed charms to teenagers in the Midwest every day." By clarifying your goals, you and your web developer will have concise marching orders for how to achieve those goals.


Q: For those who’ve had an underperforming website producing less than expected, what should they consider as trouble spots?


Marlene: Just like the jewelry industry, the web is changing almost daily. New technologies, laws and regulations track in tandem with increased competition. What worked five or even three years ago is now woefully passé. Websites need to be fresh and contemporary, offering current and engaging content for customers who will come to rely on the site for valuable resources and return often.


Q: What use of technology do you find jewelers using that are not delivering results or driving traffic their way?


Marlene: Jewelry designers are essentially artists aren’t they? So they tend to create ethereal designs in Flash technology, with fading artistic pages and background music – much as if they were producing a foreign film. While it may please the jeweler-artist, it often leaves the visitor confused as to the real purpose of the site. The bewildered visitor quickly hops off site and the jeweler forfeits a sale.



Flash movies have utility in web design, but a complete site built from Flash, can dissuade visitors. More importantly, it derails Search Engines which see the site as one movie with no critical textual content. On the web, “content is King.” If your content can't be read by Search Engines, there's no chance of being recognized - no matter how charming and well written your content was. It will never achieve the rankings you
need for visitors to find you.


Q: What advice do you have for those wanting more visitors to find their site?


Marlene: Google recently launched "Google Places" which was originally tested as "Google Local". This new technology assumes that if you are searching for a jewelry store you prefer results in your own geographical area-- not sites that are thousands of miles away. So at the top of the search results they display the top 7 jewelry stores in the searcher’s area, with links to more. Brick and mortar stores should strive to rank
in this "seven-pack" rather than trying to compete with millions for top placement in generic search results. There are companies that specialize in this ranking service.


Non-brick and mortar stores seeking top generic search engine rankings will benefit from valid coding. That’s tech jargon for the invisible stuff that makes a web page display, and the well-written targeted content that's updated frequently. Right now Social Media like Facebook and Twitter are enjoying popularity, but mobile sites are the next big deal. 


Q: This is as good example as it gets of technology today. What exactly are mobile sites?


Marlene: Mobile sites are scaled down versions of regular websites, and are created to accommodate the growing number of consumers who use their mobile phones to connect and shop via the internet. Most mobile phones nowadays access the internet with limited navigational functionality. Without a mouse, mobile phone users must to rely on arrow keys to advance from page to page.


Even the smartphones like iPhone and Droid have problems downloading large web pages with lots of images. Traditional websites are way too slow in displaying on a mobile phone. Practically none of today's phones can handle Flash technology. Until mobile phone capabilities are on par with laptop computers, special mobile sites will serve this demanding sector.


Q: Technology is moving so fast, it's hard for even 'insiders' to keep up with the advances being made--especially in regards to applications that jewelers could benefit from. What are some of the hottest apps and technology that jewelers should consider using in their websites?



Marlene: Technology is advancing so rapidly but one of my faves are jQuery which does amazing things with interactive web pages --like updating and changing page content. 


Rotating images without refreshing the web page will probably be in its next evolution.


Look at the diamond on the Jewelry Website Designer site, on the Portfolio page-- which revolves from a
diamond crystal rough to a brilliant cut diamond. That’s an entertaining and visually informative application!


HTML 5, the latest web page presentation technology currently under development will be widely available soon, is designed to improve the inclusion and handling of multimedia (video and audio) and graphic content; offering web surfers a better user experience.


Wildly popular YouTube makes internet users expect video content like how-to instructions. Search Google for "How to Build a Pandora Bracelet" and discover numerous of videos on this topic. Well done videos draw visitors to your site and transform them into customers. They might establish you as the authority on a topic
resulting in lots of incoming links and higher page ranking.


Static web pages with blinking images and irritating popup windows are dinosaurs.


Today's web users want inter-activity and real time response to questions with applications like "Live Chat" or "Online Help" where they converse with a live person –rather than filling out a form and waiting days for a response. The Internet is all about now. 





Diana Jarrett GG RMV Member NAJA

Gemologist-Journalist to the Trade & Consumers 

Info@dianajarrett.com

www.dianajarrett.com

http://tinyurl.com/color-n-ice

Industry: PGI Welcomes FTC Guidance

PLATINUM GUILD INTERNATIONAL WELCOMES FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION GUIDANCE

New York, NY (December 20, 2010) -- The Platinum Guild International-USA (“PGI USA”) welcomes the Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC” or “Commission”) publication of final amendments to the Commission’s Jewelry Guides for the marketing of platinum jewelry. In its final amendments, the FTC requires marketers of platinum/base metal alloys (which are products consisting of 50-85 percent platinum along with other non-precious base metals) to clearly disclose the content of these products, and explicitly prohibits the use of abbreviations in such disclosures. The FTC also recognizes that platinum/base metal alloys may not contain the same characteristics as traditional platinum products with respect to their durability, luster, density, scratch resistance, tarnish resistance, hypoallergenicity, ability to be resized or repaired, retention of precious metal over time, and other material attributes and properties. In that regard, PGI commends the FTC for requiring additional consumer disclosures, absent competent and reliable testing, that such alloys may differ from traditional platinum products.

“The FTC’s revisions to the Jewelry Guides are of significant benefit to consumers,” said Huw Daniel, President of PGI USA. “We have worked with the FTC for the last five years to ensure that consumers get the best information possible about what they are buying; the FTC’s decision will go a long way to ensure that consumers can make confident choices when purchasing platinum jewelry, while also benefitting members of the platinum jewelry industry on the manufacturing and retail sides.”

The revised Jewelry Guides will significantly enhance the consumer education and disclosure requirements for platinum/base metal alloys, and eliminate any existing perceived ambiguities. Under the new Jewelry Guides, the word “platinum,” or any abbreviation accompanied by a number or percentage indicating the parts per thousand of pure platinum contained in the product, may not be used to describe a platinum/base metal alloy unless the product contains a clear and conspicuous disclosure, immediately following the name or description of such product of: (i) the full composition of the product (by name and not abbreviation) and percentage of each metal; and (ii) that the product may not have the same attributes or properties as traditional platinum products (unless the marketer has competent and reliable scientific evidence that there is no material difference in each of the platinum characteristics material to consumers). The FTC’s amendments to the Jewelry Guides are expected to be published in the coming week, and will take place immediately upon publication.

PGI USA also welcomes the FTC’s publication of “Going Platinum: What to Look for When Buying Platinum Jewelry,” alerting consumers about platinum purchases, and of a companion Industry Guide for retailers and others. The FTC Consumer Alert can be found at:http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt180.shtm. The FTC Industry Alert can be found at: http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus74-advertising-platinum-jewelry. The FTC Press Release can be found at: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/12/platinemguides.shtm, and the FTC Final Rule can be found at: http://www.ftc.gov/os/fedreg/2010/december/101216jewelryguidesfrn.pdf.

Ivanka's Season For Giving...Back

Ivanka Trump has designed a sweet bracelet to benefit Girl Up!

One bracelet.

Six lives changed forever.

From her blog: Now, I’d like to share a special way you can send girls to school while giving a great gift to your BFF, mom, sister, or another fabulous girl in your life.

This holiday, when you purchase my Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry signature Girl Up bracelet, you will help send six girls to school. Six! This is truly the gift that gives back – and it’s a beautiful piece to add to any jewelry collection.

for more...http://www.girlup.org/blog/one-bracelet-six-girls-in-school.html

Sex Trafficking Survivors Prove Their Metal

Made By Survivors...From their Facebook Page:

According to United States State Department data, an "estimated 600,000 to 820,000 men, women, and children [are] trafficked across international borders each year, approximately 70 percent are women and girls and up to 50 percent are minors. The data also illustrates that the majority of transnational victims are trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation." To me, the rapidly growing trade of women and girls, known as sex trafficking, is one of the most tragic and upsetting issues of our time. In India, a major destination country for trafficked women and girls, "As many as 200,000 Nepali girls, many under 14, have been sold into sexual slavery.

The Emancipation Network (T.E.N.) is a unique and powerful organization that is supported not only by donations, but also by the efforts of sexual slavery survivors themselves, who design and create unique fair trade jewelry, bags and gifts. 100% of profits are donated to survivors and shelters.

One of the training programs that not only teaches a trade, but develops self esteem and helps to provide income for the programs is their new Made By Survivors Pan/Indian Jewelry Design Program.

Their Beaded Jewelry Program is already a big success and this new Metalsmithing Program is being Developed and Run by Dianna Badalament. In the photo to the right you see Dianna teaching with the assistance of an Interpreter.

There is nothing quite like the enthusiasm of a person working "in the trenches"...so, in Dianna's own words:

"i'm the international jewelry program manager at MBS and plan and execute programs and train at jewelry facilities as well as report on progress and various situations. i also facilitate the flow of information and resources from the jewelry community to MBS as well as consult on all matters jewelry.

it is really a privilege to be able to call work that makes such an impact "my job". i truly enjoy training the survivors of human trafficking and sex slavery (a.k.a amazing girls). i've always wanted to do field work on an important issue and i feel so fortunate to be able to use the skills i've learned and pass them on to women to whom it can make a difference that affects the rest of their life.

i've always been involved in human rights groups and to able to meld all these different components from my life together and have this outcome, still makes me shake my head in disbelief at times. it is very difficult to do this work on a lot of levels including, the sacrifices that my family and I make and the psychological impact of the subject matter, to name a couple. however, when you are right in front of the survivors and you get a smile, or a hug, or see some kind of break through, either in your relationship with them or with their vocational work, it is undoubtedly life changing. to see someone so wronged and so abused still persevere and have hope for a good future, it really leaves you no other choice but to follow their stellar example."

This is Dianna with Soma...one of their first success stories is Soma Seal. Soma started out with the program as a translator but was recently promoted to jewelry trainer after proving she had the passion and the talent.

I don't have the space on this blog to share as many photos as I would like of this program...but as Jewelers, take a moment to go to the Made By Survivors Facebook Page and just look at the determined faces of these women as they learn. The women working on the floor, the young woman with her tongue clenched in the corner of her mouth as she concentrates...it brings smiles and tears.

If you have any last minute Holiday shopping to do - why not do it with Fair Trade Goods from the MBS Store...do good while giving great gifts!

Give Back to the #One Giver - Ganoksin!

The total prizes value is $10,000 worth of gift certificate prizes towards an exciting SHOPPING SPREE throughout the extensive Rio Grande tools & supplies catalog!

http://www.ganoksin.com/listing/ecom-catshow/ebook.html

Support Orchid! Buy a ticket, or increase your chances, buy a few!

Your chances of winning are realistic! Yes, You CAN WIN the tools and equipment you really need!

All raffle proceeds go directly to support Ganoksin Project and The Orchid list, which supports the exchange of free information for all.

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Greetings!

Each year at this time, we reach out to ask you and the Orchid community to help sustain the Ganoksin project by purchasing ebooks and participating in the annual Orchid Raffle.

The Ganoksin Project goal is to build a strong pool of information, freely accessible, for the benefit of the trade and the general public.

If you believe and enjoy our efforts you can help!

Please act now and participate in the Orchid raffle !

For each purchase of an eBook you have one entry into our random draw for total prizes of 10,000$ from our friends at Rio Grande!!!

http://www.ganoksin.com/listing/ecom-catshow/ebook.html

All raffle proceeds go directly to support Ganoksin Project and The Orchid list, which supports the exchange of free information for all.

Without your dedicated support and continued generosity The Ganoksin Project would not exist.

Best Regards,
hanuman

Ganoksin is Orchid...

Orchid is both a reservoir of content and network of active relationships for the benefit of the gem and jewelry industries. Through Orchid, participants may resolve their questions about virtually any subject relevant to the broad spectrum of involvement surrounding the gem and jewelry industries.

Of course there exist on the Net a variety of mailing lists that address certain aspects of these industries, but Orchid is plainly unique. Conceived and maintained free of charge by jewelers, for jewelers, both the experienced professional and the beginner - Orchid is dedicated to the exchange of substantive technical content, covering the full range of information requirements. With list members from all over the world, speaking from a wide range of technical and aesthetic experiences, this lively forum addresses questions about every aspect of jewelry making today.

Orchid is more than this however.... Orchid is a comprehensive technical archive, containing more than 250,000 articles.