The Daily Jewel - Gordon Aatlo, A Design Legend

Modern Classics for the 21st Century
Explore The World of An Award Winning Jewelry Designer

"Gordon Aatlo is not just a designer.

He is an artist of the unique, a true renaissance man 

whose pieces are brilliantly structured."

- The International Jewelry Quorum  (June 2007)

At Gordon Aatlo Designs, whether your style is modern, classic, traditional or you seek an antique design, there is no design or request we cannot achieve. We extend our expertise and advice and deliver personalized service and attention to each of our clients.

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#WordlessWednesday - Spotlight On The Colors of Sillam

Designer Spotlight on Sillam - The Sillam brand was founded in 1835 in Paris, and is headquartered today in Vienna, where designer Henri J. Sillam designs his artistic baubles. He is the 5^th generation to be the Head Designer and CEO of the House of Sillam, following the footsteps of the master goldsmiths before him. The brand is synonymous with the art of “haute  joaillerie"  in its highest form.

With stores around the country, Sillam is a dynamic brand yet remains exclusive and somewhat mysterious. The usage of unique stones and an innate focus on quality, workmanship and beauty are just part of what allow the Sillam collection to exude the sensual elegance that it does.

The collection is a stunning rainbow of vivid hued gemstones and ornate, sparklers. Dive into the brand, and you will find classic jewelry alongside cheeky pieces, including animals, fruits and my personal favorite, a champagne cork ring!

http://www.sillam.com/en/home/home.html

 

Christie's New York Held Their Magnificent Jewels Auction Yesterday....

Just a few of the amazing pieces that went up for auction yesterday in the “Magnificent Jewels” Auction at Christies’s New York!

 

This stunning Padparascha Sapphire was definitely my favorite piece in the auction.

The sell through wasn’t as good for this auction as other recent events – I was surprised to see more than one David Webb piece that didn’t sell!  …and the photo below is just a small example of the colored diamond pieces that didn't sell!!!  note the SugarLoaf Ruby!!!!

Complete auction results are at: http://www.christies.com/Magnificent-Jewels-24013.aspx

IDMA To Diamond Rough Producers - Time For A Reality Check!

IDMA starts 2013 Presidents' Meeting with strong statement, calling on the rough producing companies to perform a reality check

The 2013 Presidents' Meeting of the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) opened in Antwerp October 9th, with a strong statement issued by the meeting's participants, reminding the rough producers that "generals cannot win the battle without their soldiers."On the agenda of two-day marathon meeting are discussion topics such as the state of diamond manufacturing in the New Normal diamond supply pipeline; the disappearance of the manufacturers' profit margins; IDMA's and its members' relationship with the major producers; the changes in the distribution methods and channels; and the demise of secondary market. The meeting is attended by IDMA members from Belgium, Botswana, China, Germany, India, Israel, the Netherlands, Russia, South Africa and the USA.

From left: Edward Asscher, an IDMA vice president, the Netherlands; Hon. IDMA president Jeffrey Fischer and IDMA Secretary General Ronnie VanderLinden, USA; IDMA  president Maxim Shakdov, Russia; and David de Toledo, an IDMA vice president from Israel.

Below follows the text of the opening statement:

The IDMA Presidents' Meeting takes place at a time that the market continues to experience difficult and complex problems. There is a real crisis in our industry. Speculative rough dealing is spinning out of control, rough prices keep increasing and the fall in polished prices has brought the manufacturers to their knees. Our appeals for a reality check to the rough producing companies, to the rough diamond marketing organisations in various countries and to the banks that are financing our business, have not yielded any results.

Mining companies are busy with their own current issues, be it the move to Botswana or privatization, and are trying to address their own local business targets. They are not looking to analyse what is happening in the global market and are not doing anything to correct it.

They seem to be forgetting that it is the manufacturers who are the most valuable resource in moving the goods to the market and if manufacturers cannot buy and polish at a profit, it is not a sign of a healthy industry. The wheelers and dealers have yet again been shown up for their inability to make a contribution to creating a healthy market, yet the mining companies continue to rely on them.
 

From left: Vasant Mehta, past president of the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Couicil (GJEPC) and a senior  IDMA vice president; Ashish Mehta, GJEPC Dep. Diamond Convenor; Ben Kinzler, IDMA legal counsel; and Rene Obbels, president of Belgium's Diamond Manufacturing Employers Association.

Last July a mining executive said in Antwerp they understand the problem, even better than we do. However, as many senior executives are now resigning from some of the diamond producing companies, we must hope that those who will replace them will appreciate the pressing needs of the industry. Regrettably, we now see many people in key positions at rough diamond producers who have no experience in our industry. They may be good marketing professionals and financial experts, yet they do not understand that diamonds are a unique product.

Yes, diamonds are goods, a product for the consumer but a product devoid of consumer and investment features. To ensure that the industry continues to be sustainable, the producers must not only be governed by short term targets, relying on market speculators to fuel their profits but they must essentially wake up and re-assess what is in their long term interest. It is time they realize that their supply strategies must take into account the genuine demand and need in the market.

We appeal again to the management of the producing companies and to shareholders. You are losing the most valuable people in the market - us, your soldiers. Do you think the generals will be able to fight the battle for diamonds without these soldiers?

To conclude, we would like to remind all of Cecil Rhodes' insightful saying: "Should there be only four people in the world, we should be producing diamonds for only two of them."

From left: Gerd Meng, Germany; Ilan Kaplan, South Africa; Sandro Sze, China; Edward Asscher and Jeffrey Fischer

About IDMA

 IDMA was founded and convened for the first time in 1946, in Antwerp. It is committed to fostering and promoting the highest ideals of honesty and best practice principles throughout the global diamond industry, as well as full compliance with all relevant national and international laws. The organization has developed and adopted a Code of Conduct, which is binding on all 15 member associations. IDMA also works to encourage fair and honorable practices and decent working conditions for industry employees; and to preserve, protect and promote consumer trust and confidence in diamonds. It encourages and supports social responsibility by the industry in respect to all citizens of the world.

The Association has played an active role in establishing the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and is a co-founder of the World Diamond Council.

Submitted by: Ya'akov Almor

Jewelry Hygiene: Is Your Jewelry Making You Sick?

Recently got a note from a friend who is working with David Bellman of Bellman Jewelers and his Jewelry Hygiene project. While conducting research during the development of the AquaSonic Wave, the first jewelry cleaning system to deliver professional results, David tested the surface of jewelry as it came into his store to be cleaned and the bacteria levels that he found were alarming. 

I really looks like a fabulous product - the AquaSonic Wave uses the steam, water and soap from a home dishwasher to clean and sanitize jewelry like it has just been cleaned at your local jeweler.  David just launched a Kickstarter campaign where people can pre-order the AquaSonic Wave and will begin fulfillment of orders in Jan/Feb 2014.  Here is the link to the Kickstarter video for the full story:  http://bit.ly/AquaSonicWave. 

Jewelry’s Dirty Little Secret

Jewelry Hygiene: how your jewelry could be making you sick

    

(Left) “Before”: Hygiena ATP level 1,376; (Right) “After” Hygiena ATP level 18

(New York, NY) September 24, 2013- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year 76 million people get sick, more than 300,000 are hospitalized, and 5,000 Americans die as a result of foodborne illnesses alone. When factoring in the cases of illness from viruses and flu related sickness, these numbers grow exponentially. From constant hand washing and sanitizing to flu shots, the American public goes to great lengths to avoid getting sick. Even with all of these preventative measures, there is a major source of bacteria that people wear on their bodies every day that has been completely overlooked until now: jewelry.   

“Washing your hands DOES NOT eliminate germs and bacteria from your jewelry,” explains David Bellman of Bellman Jewelers. “Even if a person washes his or her hands religiously, there can still be millions of bacteria lurking on the surface and festering between the nooks and crannies of a jewelry setting, and that bacteria can make you sick. I call my discovery “Jewelry Hygiene®.”

Bellman is the inventor of the AquaSonic Wave, the only at-home, professional-quality jewelry cleaning system that will not only make your jewelry sparkle like it just came from the jeweler, but also reduce your chances of contracting and spreading infectious bacteria that can lead to colds, flus, and foodborne illnesses. Bellman’s co-inventor is Dean Kamen, the acclaimed inventor of thousands of innovations from the heart stent to the portable kidney dialysis machine, and perhaps most notably, the Segway.  Using steam, hot water, and soap and their proprietary anti-bacterial cleaning agent within a home dishwasher, the AquaSonic Wave can remove 99% of dirt and germs from an average jewelry surface.

When checked with a Hygiena ATP tester, the same device health inspectors use to test the cleanliness of surfaces in restaurants and hospitals, most jewelry surfaces have an ATP hygiene index in the 500-2,000 range. According to Hygiena ATP Levels of Clean (reference chart below), this would put the jewelry in the category of “Very Dirty” (501-1000) or “Filthy” (> 1,000), carrying a danger classification with “high risk of contamination from disease-causing bacteria.”

“When I saw the data regarding the bacteria levels on jewelry it was very frightening“, says Dr. Holly Neefe MD, a pediatrician and medical director.  She continues, “In my 17 years of practice, I have never thought about jewelry hygiene, not even one time. If our jewelry is harboring infectious bacteria, it is something that the general public should understand and react to.”

Bellman’s own medical pilot study suggests timing between cleanings for optimal jewelry hygiene is 2 weeks. When Bellman surveyed customers in his jewelry store, he found that most admitted to not having their jewelry professionally cleaned for months, and even years on end due to the inconvenience of having to make a trip to the jeweler. The AquaSonic Wave allows consumers to effectively clean and disinfect their jewelry conveniently, while washing the dishes from Tuesday night’s dinner. AquaSonic Wave users can shake hands, cook family dinner, and prepare their children’s school lunches with minimal risk of spreading infectious, illness causing bacteria due to contaminated jewelry.

Bellman launched a Kickstarter campaign on September 21^st to fund development and production of the final AquaSonic Wave prototype. For more information visit www.aquasonicwave.com.  Pre-order yourAquaSonic Wave system here: http://bit.ly/AquaSonicWave.

Interesting Jewelry Hygiene and Illness Statistics:

• 60 billion dollars’ worth of jewelry is sold every year in the U.S alone; most of the jewelry is never cleaned. These un-cleaned pieces have been shown to have 10 fold higher bacteria levels than skin, after you wash your hands.
• Over 80 million U.S. homes have dishwashers and the average American owns over 12 items of fine jewelry.
• 76 million people get sick, more than 300,000 are hospitalized, and 5,000 Americans die as a result of foodborne illnesses each year- CDC
• Approximately 5% to 20% of U.S. residents get the flu, and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized for flu-related complications each year- CDC 
• 90% of common infections can be prevented by proper hygiene- Dr. Charles Gerba (Dr. Germ)
• 69 Million employees were absent from work due to illness in 2003, 21% Reduction in absenteeism by employees who used sanitizer15% of payroll spent by companies in 2002 on absenteeism

Submitted by Kristen Lawler

Platinum Guild Partners with Creative Director of Marie Claire Magazine, Nina Garcia

PLATINUM GUILD INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS WITH STYLE EXPERT NINA GARCIA ON CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE THE ENDURING QUALITIES OF PLATINUM JEWELRY

Platinum Guild International USA (PGI-USA) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Marie Claire Creative Director, Project Runway judge and style expert Nina Garcia for the fourth quarter of 2013.   As a lover of platinum jewelry, Garcia is a natural choice to show the platinum pieces that speak to her in both the fashion and bridal realms.

Within the program, Garcia will illustrate the timeless nature of platinum through handpicked jewelry from various designers. A special Nina Garcia curated gallery of platinum jewelry will live on The Knot website showcasing beautiful design in bridal and fashion pieces that will last a lifetime. Garcia will also use her style expertise to share the latest trends in platinum jewelry and fashion design on red carpets, at Fashion Week and in every day life.

 

“As an authority in the world of style, Ms. Garcia can speak to platinum’s versatility by sourcing some of the most creative, fashionable and truly design-forward pieces of jewelry,” says PGI-USA’s president Huw Daniel. “Her resume speaks for itself, and we look forward to collaborating with a tastemaker who can connect the dots to create complete looks accessorized with platinum, be it bridal or everyday fashion jewelry.”

“I am very excited to engage in a partnership with Platinum Guild International,” says Garcia.  “Platinum jewelry is fresh yet timeless, and it’s so important to have those staple pieces of jewelry that will be with you forever.  I am thrilled to share a sampling of my favorite pieces in fashion and bridal jewelry.”

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 trade. PGI 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

Michael John to Donate 100% of Proceeds from "Pink Watch" Sales!

Michael John to Donate 100% of Proceeds from "Pink Watch" Sales!

It's time for a cure! 

Breast Cancer Awareness  month is not only about honoring those who have or are battling this terrible disease, this October, we want women to take control of their health by remembering to schedule mammograms and become informed – this is a cause that is near and dear to the entire team at Michael John Jewelry. 

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Michael John Jewelry is donating 100% of the proceeds from sales of their limited edition PINK Watch to various Breast Cancer Awareness charities. Michael John Jewelry is also hosting a contest giveaway through Facebook to promote the Breast Cancer Awareness cause. 

PINK Watch:

Now through the end of October, the PINK Watch (valued at $650) is available for purchase on their website at a discounted price of $350, with 100% of the proceeds from sales being donated to various Breast Cancer Awareness organizations.  The gorgeous timepiece includes a pink leather band, stainless steel frame with automatic movement, crystal sapphire glass and Swarovski crystals on the bezel.

To purchase the Michael John Jewelry PINK Watch and shop for a cause, click here: http://www.michaeljohnjewelry.com/charity.asp

Contest Giveaway:

Michael John Jewelry is also currently hosting a contest to give away one of their limited edition PINK Watches. The contest is running now through the end of October. In order to win, contest participants must upload a picture of a strong woman in their life and tell why she means so much to them. Participants don't need a Facebook account to enter, just an email address.  They can enter up to three times. 

To view the official contest campaign and rules, click here: http://bit.ly/12LL6zR