HSN To Debut Jewelry Inspired By Universal's "Snow White & the Huntsman"

Via National Jeweler:


"Shopping television network HSN has partnered with Universal Pictures to create a marketing partnership that will bring upcoming film Snow White and the Huntsman to the jewelry retail landscape. 


On May 30, HSN will feature a 24-hour event on all its platforms--television, online and mobile--that will offer exclusive and high-end jewelry, fashion and home accessory collections directly inspired by the film.

“HSN has evolved into an entertainment channel that goes beyond providing a platform for commerce,” Bill Brand, executive vice president of programming, marketing and business development at HSN, said. “The partnership with Universal Pictures for Snow White and the Huntsman plays a key role in elevating awareness and relevance for the HSN brand. It is an important component to our entertainment strategy.”

"In the epic action-adventure Snow White and the Huntsman, Kristen Stewart (Twilight) plays the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen (Oscar(r) winner Charlize Theron) out to destroy her. But what the wicked ruler never imagined is that the young woman threatening her reign has been training in the art of war with a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth, Thor) dispatched to kill her. Sam Claflin (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) joins the cast as the prince long enchanted by Snow White's beauty and power. The breathtaking new vision of the legendary tale is from Joe Roth, the producer of Alice in Wonderland, producer Sam Mercer (The Sixth Sense) and acclaimed commercial director and state-of-the-art visualist Rupert Sanders."

Jostens Chosen To Create the Texas Rangers ALCS Championship Rings

The Texas Rangers selected Jostens, a leading designer and producer of custom jewelry, to create the ring to recognize the Rangers 2011 American League Championship and back–to-back success. Crafted in 10 karat white gold, the ring crest prominently features the familiar Rangers “T” in yellow gold set with custom cut rubies. The Rangers on-field personnel will receive their rings during a ceremony prior to Saturday night’s game with the Chicago White Sox.

“We enjoyed working with Jostens again on the creation and production of our American League Championship rings,” commented Rangers CEO and President Nolan Ryan. “They have created a beautiful ring that I believe everyone in the organization will be proud to wear.”

The ring top features the Rangers logo centered on a baseball crafted in round brilliant cut diamonds. The combination of diamonds, red and blue stones and “Texas Rangers” create an elegant frame around the baseball to form the crest design. The ring bezel is encircled by “American League” and “Champions,” completing the striking symbol of team achievement. The top is finished with diamonds to enhance the intricate design of the ring.

One shoulder of the ring includes the word “TEXAS,” the American League logo in yellow gold and the State of Texas flag highlighted in red, white and blue enamel. Two diamond-studded stars represent the consecutive American League Championship titles.

The opposite side of each distinctive ring is personalized with the player’s name and position along with “2011” to designate the American League Championship year. The same shoulder includes the Rangers “T” atop a baseball illuminated with diamonds.

The Texas Rangers ring incorporates 150 round brilliant cut diamonds equaling 2 carats and the total weight of the championship ring is 51 grams. The ring was designed and produced at Jostens’ fine jewelry facilities in Dallas, Minneapolis and Montreal.

“We were honored to once again collaborate with the Texas Rangers to create a stunning ring to symbolize the team’s second consecutive American League Championship,” said Chris Poitras, director, Sports Marketing and Sales, Jostens. “It is a great opportunity to help a team celebrate continued success and our master jewelers were excited to play a role in capturing the details of Rangers baseball success.”

Founded in 1897, Jostens has produced championship rings for professional sports teams and athletes for over 60 years. In addition to helping the Texas Rangers celebrate their championship, Jostens is a leader in creating historic rings for teams and athletes that are part of Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League and the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.

About Jostens
Minneapolis-based Jostens is a provider of products, programs and services that help people tell their stories, celebrate important traditions and recognize achievements. The company’s products include school yearbooks and other memory book products, scholastic products such as class rings and graduation products, and products for athletic champions and their fans. Jostens is a subsidiary of Visant Corporation, a marketing and publishing services enterprise servicing the school affinity, direct marketing, fragrance and cosmetics sampling and educational and trade publishing segments.

Tiffany Unveils New RUBEDO™ Metal to Mark Its 175th Anniversary

Debut Marks the Next Milestone in Tiffany’s Great Legacy

NEW YORK, NY (February 15, 2012) -- In honor of its 175th anniversary, Tiffany & Co. unveils RUBEDO™  metal, a new jeweler’s metal. RUBEDO™  metal is the first such creation in Tiffany’s history and takes its place among the most beautiful metals in the world. In the medieval philosophy of alchemy, Rubedo was the title of the very highest achievement, when matter and spirit fused to create something of rare beauty.

This triumph is perfectly expressed in Tiffany’s new RUBEDO™  metal, which marries the richness of gold, the brilliance of silver and the warmth of copper. Metallurgists experimented with different ratios over a long testing period until they achieved the desired color, radiant with the glow of “ first light”  that awakens a sense of wonder and ennobles the spirit. In addition, this unique alloy is lightweight yet strong, polishes to a smooth luster and is exceptionally flattering to the skin.

RUBEDO™  metal is the company’s latest in a history of innovations in metallurgy. Tiffany was the first American company to incorporate the 925/1000 British standard of silver purity. Largely through the efforts of founder Charles Lewis Tiffany, the U.S. government adopted the standard, and later, the jeweler’s standard for platinum (.950 pure), as well. 

In the 1850s Tiffany & Co. established a silver studio, the first American school of design, which produced groundbreaking exhibits that won top awards at the great world’s fairs of the late 19th century. At the 1867 Paris fair, Tiffany’s lavishly chased silver inlaid with gold, copper and enamel won the grand prize for silver craftsmanship, the first awarded by a foreign jury to an American design house. At the 1878 Paris fair, Tiffany became the first American silversmith to take home the Grand Prize for Excellence, awarded for its ingenious Japanesque silver of inlaid mixed metals and complex alloys of gold, silver, copper, bronze and platinum.

Tiffany’s RUBEDO™  metal is crafted in this great tradition. It debuts in Tiffany 1837™  designs that feature elegant contours polished to a high luster and finished with the jeweler’s hallmark. Light plays over the generous surfaces like the blush of early morning across the sky.

Among the luminous creations is an elongated cuff that crisply incorporates the hallmark at the cuff’s edge. A similarly contoured ring carries the Tiffany legacy with equal grace. Tiffany designers also contrast the warmth of RUBEDO™  with sterling silver in a pendant and necklace of interlocking circles of great movement and dimension. Tiffany 1837™  RUBEDO™  jewelry designs inscribed with the signature of founder Charles Lewis Tiffany are available for 2012, in celebration of Tiffany’s anniversary year.

Just in time for Mother's Day Gift Giving! My favorite piece in the collection is the Interlocking Bangle - BUT - in case you're interested...I would take either the Ring or Inter-Locking Bangle shown above!

The collection is available at select Tiffany & Co. stores worldwide and at Tiffany.com. 

CIBJO Coloured Stone Commission releases Special Report

CIBJO Coloured Stone Commission releases Special Report 

Treatments and restructuring of Blue Books on top of agenda 

Milan, Italy -- April 5, 2012:  Nilam Alawdeen (Japan), president of the CIBJO Coloured Stone Commission (CSC), today released the CSC's annual Special Report, providing an overview of the issues that dominated the discussions and exchanges  between the members of the CSC  Steering Committee throughout the year and of the major topics that are slated for the various meetings that are planned at the upcoming 2012 CIBJO Congress that will take place in upcoming May in Vicenza, Italy.     

Below follows the introduction to the CSC Special Report. (To download the full report in pdf format, please click here)    

"Due to the large number of gemstone varieties it covers, the Coloured Stone Commission (CSC) has always had its hands full. This year is no exception, and this is reflected in the full agenda of both of the Coloured Stone Commission Steering Committee (CSCSC) and of the CSC [at the upcoming CIBJO Congress].  

 

On May 15, the CSCSC will dedicate a full day to its pre-congress meeting. It will discuss and consider a large number of coloured stone related issues, within the smaller but very knowledgeable forum of gem experts, who will first discuss, debate and preferably resolve issues, in order to make recommendations to the full CSC meeting on May 17. 

 

Both meetings will be chaired by CSC President Nilam Alawdeen (Japan), assisted by his two Vice Presidents, Emmanuel Piat (France) and Charles Abouchar ( Switzerland). The following are some of the topics that appear on the CSCSC and CSC agendas.... " 

 

To read on click here to download the full report.  

Global Jewelry Crime Investigators Turn to GIA

Global Jewelry Crime Investigators Turn to GIA

Law enforcement training at Carlsbad campus

CARLSBAD, Calif. – April 11, 2012 – More than $1.5 billion of jewelry and precious metals were stolen in the U.S. in 2010, with a recovery rate of only around 4.2 percent, according to the Uniform Crime Report issued by the FBI. To help combat gem and jewelry-related crime, law enforcement turned to GIA (Gemological Institute of America) for expertise and assistance. In March, 22 special agents and detectives from international agencies completed a custom-designed intensive two week program at GIA world headquarters in Carlsbad, Calif., that armed them with the skills, knowledge and network to help successfully identify and recover gems and jewelry involved in criminal cases.

Law enforcement officers from Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia and South Africa joined representatives from 13 U.S. cities including police officers, FBI agents and Homeland Security Investigators to learn how advanced gemological information and training from GIA can help solve international gem and jewelry crimes. 

The experienced professionals received training in the GIA-created 4Cs of diamond quality (Color, Cut, Clarity and Carat weight) and their grading factors; tools of the trade including loupes and microscopes; an industry overview outlining the role of diamonds in the marketplace; synthetics, imitations and treatments; field identification of colored gemstones; how to read a GIA grading report; how jewelry is made; and breaking down stolen jewelry. 

FBI Special Agent Daniel McCaffrey participates
 in a custom-designed laboratory class at
the GIA world headquarters in Carlsbad, Calif.
Image © GIA

The objectives of GIA and law enforcement coincide because they both dedicate themselves to the people they serve, according to Special Agent Daniel McCaffrey, a 16-year veteran of the FBI. “A GIA education is indispensable. The information and practices I’ve learned give me a certain edge because I’m able to employ a more technical perspective,” he added.

“Our mission is to protect the public in gemstone and jewelry purchases,” said Donna Baker, president and CEO of GIA. “We’re pleased to have built a strong working relationship with law enforcement agencies around the world. By working together, we can help reduce gem-related crimes.”

The goals of the seminar were to teach practical gemology for use in investigations and demonstrate how GIA resources are readily available to assist in criminal cases. The blend of national and international attendees added the crucial element of transnational cooperation. Representatives from mining countries such as Canada and South Africa brought their unique experience with crimes that occur at the source of gemstones; while others brought a consumer perspective.

In the 1980s, a database of diamonds and colored stones with GIA grading reports was started to assist law enforcement in identifying gemstones involved in crimes. Stones, even if they have been recut, can be identified in the system. Another way GIA can identify a stone is through a laser inscription. A police report with a certified English translation is required to utilize this system.

Criminal cases solved through the GIA database are not restricted to jewelry theft. McCaffrey described how identifying the stone in an engagement ring led to identification of a murder victim. Investigators were able to trace the ring back to the jeweler who sold the ring by flagging it in the database, which eventually led them to the victim’s family.

“Jewelry theft is often a gateway crime,” said FBI Supervisory Special Agent Eric Ives, organized crime and major theft program manager.  “These crimes are often associated with very sophisticated and sometimes violent international criminal enterprises involved in other criminal violations, including money laundering. The illicit proceeds from the trafficking of stolen jewelry are sometimes used to fund other criminal activities.”  

GIA has supported and educated law enforcement for decades. The current intensive program began as a partnership between GIA and the Major Theft Program at FBI Headquarters in 2007. Through this collaboration, the training course was coordinated, the curriculum was developed and attendees were selected.  

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.

To learn more about GIA’s programs and offerings, visit www.gia.edu.

Birthstone Jewel: Diamonds - Stories From Lesotho...

Contrary to the hype - Diamonds are anything but rare!  With so many mining regions around the world it is an unfortunate reality that sometimes a mining region is graded by the sum of it parts...and the Lesotho region of South Africa has some REALLY impressive parts!

The Lesotho Promise:  


Think about it - 603 carat single stone - yet the Lesotho Promise was only the 15th largest diamond ever discovered.  


SAFDICO studied the rough and the decision was made to cut it into 26 D color Flawless Gems ranging from 55 points to 75 carats.


The stones were then entrusted to the Design house of Graff Diamonds who designed a single piece of jewelry which incorporated all of the stones!


See how this important stone became a jewel in the Lesotho Promise Movie:
http://www.safdico.com/News-and-Media/The-Lesotho-Promise-Movie


The Graff Vivid Yellow:

190 mesmerizing carats of brilliant yellow - originally named the Dream Diamond.

Says Laurence Graff of the moment he saw the raw lump of rock crystal in Kimberley, South Africa, “It was an intense golden yellow and one of the rarest yellow diamonds I had ever seen.  I knew the polished stone within would be more than exceptional”.

For over nine months Nino Bianco worked this stone - the results speak for themselves...a 109.09 carat cushion cut diamond - BRILLIANT!!!

The Star of Lesotho:

Just days before the ceremony that marked the opening of the Letseng Mine in the Maluti Mountains in Lesotho, a spectacular white diamond weighing 123 carat was unearthed.  Tendered in Antwerp and acquired by Safdico, the manufacturing arm of Graff, the stone was studied and cut in Antwerp with the consultancy of Diamcad, to obtain a truly superb Heart Shaped diamond weighing 53.11 carat.

The Rose:
10.77 carats in the rough - the Rose was sourced from the Premier Mine in South Africa. Cut and polished at the SAFDICO factory in New York by master-cutter Antonio Bianco.




Dec. 2, 2009 (Bloomberg) --
A ring with a pink diamond the size of a chickpea sold last night for a record HK$83.5 million ($10.8 million) at a Hong Kong auction of art, gems and antiques that was fuelled by Chinese buying.

The price paid for the stone was the highest paid for any pink diamond, but more important, the highest per carat for any diamond, regardless of size or color.

The finished internally flawless, 5.00 carats fancy vivid pink diamond is without doubt one of the rarest and most splendid diamonds the world has ever known.

Safdico has set unsurpassed standards of innovation, craftsmanship and professionalism throughout the diamond industry. We have a worldwide distribution network, employing over 250 people and specialising in top-end, extraordinary diamonds.

Safdico's key individuals, Laurence Graff, Brian Gutkin and Johnny Kneller evince a combined knowledge, experience and level of professionalism that is unique. Between them, they have integrated all aspects of the diamond business into one, highly efficient company with offices and factories around the world.

Thousands of carats of rough diamonds are cut and polished monthly in South Africa, Antwerp, New York and Botswana. They are subsequently offered to a discerning public around the world.