Google+ The Daily Jewel: 9/9/12 - 9/16/12

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Saturday, September 15, 2012

MICHAEL M. JEWELRY DEBUTS AT NEIMAN MARCUS


MICHAEL M. JEWELRY DEBUTS FASHION COLLECTIONS 
AT NEIMAN MARCUS

Collections are available for the first time at a national department store...


Jewelry designer Michael M. debuts its collection of fashion baubles at select Neiman Marcus locations around the country. This is the first time that the jewelry brand will be available at any department store in the United States.

Neiman Marcus stores now offer Michael M.’s signature couture Dreaming in Color pieces inspired by nature, featuring rough colored diamonds set in platinum and 18k gold. Retail pricing for the Dreaming in Color collection ranges from $15,000-$150,000. 

Shoppers can also purchase designs from the new Michael M. Sapphire Collection, consisting of over 45 raw sapphire styles including dangling earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cocktail rings. 

Each design is set in 18k yellow gold or silver, and showcases the beauty and multi-colorations of natural sapphires. Retail pricing for the new Michael M. Sapphire Collection ranges from $300-$5,000.

“We chose to launch at Neiman Marcus because their stores epitomize sophisticated yet trendsetting style that’s the essence of the Michael M. brand,” says Michael M. CEO and designer Peter Meksian. “We are excited that women around the country will now have access to all of our latest fashion pieces in a variety of price points,” adds Michael Meksian Jr.

All pieces are handcrafted by artisans in Michael M.’s Los Angeles workshop.


About Michael M.
Founded in 2008 by Michael and eldest son Peter Meksian, Michael M. was joined by Michael’s youngest son Michael Meksian Jr. in 2012. Michael M. prides itself on designing fashion and bridal jewelry collections with an edgy yet sophisticated twist. All pieces are one-of-a-kind, and hand-crafted by skilled artisans in the their downtown Los Angeles workshop, using the finest quality precious metals and sparkling gemstones.

Michael M. designs appeal to trendsetting women who want longevity from their fine jewelry purchases.

Michael M. jewelry is available at approximately 100 independent jewelry boutiques and chains around the country. For retailer information, visit  http://michaelmcollection.com/

Friday, September 14, 2012

AGTA - Less Than One Week To Get Your Entries In!


Guest Post: 2012: The Year Synthetic Diamonds Made Their Mark


Thank you to GIA for making this guest post from Senior Industry Analyst, Russ Schor available...Courtesy of GIA (Gemological Institute of America) © 2012

2012: The Year Synthetic Diamonds 
Made Their Mark
GIA offers a detailed look at why

Russell Shor, GIA senior industry analyst

In the nearly sixty years since the first synthetic diamonds were created, 2012 may be remembered as the year when they made a major impact in the market for gem-quality diamonds.

Gem-quality colorless synthetic diamonds, which to the unaided eye look identical to natural stones, appeared in the market in commercial quantities early in the year.  Controversy arose in the spring when a parcel containing undisclosed synthetics was submitted to a gemological lab for grading. The lab identified the synthetics and announced their findings.  Calls from industry organizations for greater disclosure and punishment for those who fail to disclose man-made stones followed immediately.

The summer 2012 issue of Gems & Gemology, GIA’s peer-reviewed quarterly professional journal, offers an extensive analysis of synthetic diamonds based on the work of GIA researchers and other contributors.  The first article discusses how to distinguish synthetics from natural stones; a second looks at why newer synthetics appear much closer to natural diamonds than those manufactured a few years before.  The third article offers an initial evaluation of a new form of synthetic diamond material that has not yet reached the market. All of the articles are available at no cost through the Gems & Gemology iPad app.

CVD Synthetic Diamonds from Gemesis
(Wang W., D’Haenens-Johansson, U., Johnson, P., Soe Moe, K., Emerson, E. ,Newton, M., and Moses, T. pp. 80–97)

In March, 2012, Gemesis Corp., of Sarasota FL, began marketing colorless synthetic diamonds created by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process.  CVD synthetic diamonds are produced by using microwaves or other sources of energy to breakdown a hydrocarbon gas, such as methane, inside a vacuum chamber which causes carbon atoms to accumulate in layers on a flat diamond substrate (usually an HPHT synthetic plate), similar to the way snowflakes accumulate in a snowfall.

Gemesis produced its earlier synthetics by the high pressure/high temperature (HPHT) process.  Originally introduced by General Electric in 1954, the HPHT process mimics the intense heat and pressure that produces diamonds deep in the earth. The laboratory-based process requires costly equipment to maintain a stable temperature and pressure, and produces mainly yellow-colored stones because trace nitrogen is captured during diamond growth and becomes a coloring agent.

The CVD method, commercialized about a decade ago, is much less costly than HPHT because it works at moderate temperatures and low pressure which requires less expensive equipment. It is also more flexible, because different gases can be used to create a variety of colors or colorless diamonds. Other gases such as oxygen and nitrogen can be added to enhance the quality of the synthetic and improve growth rates.

To better understand and identify the CVD process, GIA researchers purchased sixteen stones from Gemesis - fifteen of them cut into round brilliants ranging from 0.24 ct. to 0.86 ct. Most were near colorless and were graded F - G on the GIA 4Cs D - Z scale for diamond color.  Three were graded I - J and the largest, 0.90 ct. was a rectangle cut graded L. All of the stones were high clarity, VVS or VS. One was graded internally flawless.

The researchers, led by Dr. Wuyi Wang, GIA’s director of research and development, subjected the synthetics to an extensive battery of tests including several sophisticated types of spectral analysis to obtain a telltale “signature” for diamonds created by the CVD process. These techniques, which are often the basis for gem identification in laboratories today, require specialized equipment and trained staff to operate the instruments and interpret the resulting data.

In addition, the researchers conducted standard gemological tests, including examinations for identifying visual features of synthetic diamonds such as inclusions, graining patterns and ultraviolet fluorescence reactions. Diamonds have graining or internal strain from the way they crystalize. The growth patterns of lab-grown CVD diamonds are distinctly different from those produced in nature.

Recent Advances in CVD Synthetic Diamond Quality  
(Eaton-MagaƱa, S., and D’Haenens-Johansson, U. pp. 124–127)

Recent testing found that the quality of CVD-grown diamonds had improved significantly in the decade since they were introduced. They can now be grown faster and “without color.”  In the past, CVD synthetics displayed graining patterns not found in natural diamonds, distinctive inclusions and fluorescence. The samples recently examined by GIA showed that separating such stones from natural diamonds is increasingly difficult and now requires advanced spectroscopic techniques because of their high clarity and color. In addition, it was apparent that some CVD synthetic diamonds were treated under high heat and pressure which could remove unwanted colors and may also help improve transparency. As a result, those CVD characteristic features are very difficult to see without advanced equipment.

Despite the difficulty in spotting these stones by conventional means, GIA researchers did find unique spectroscopic signatures including photoluminescence features and UV fluorescence patterns.

In the past decade, CVD producers have found that changing the gasses in the growth chamber and using a “purer” (Type II) synthetic diamond as a seed crystal plate can improve the color of the finished diamond and speed the growth rates by much as five-fold. Also, since many as-grown CVDs have a brownish color, producers have found that high pressure and temperature treatment can improve the color, and can also mask some of the signature visual features of these synthetics that make identification more difficult.

Nano-Polycrystalline Diamond Sphere: A Gemologist’s Perspective
(Skalwold, E. pp. 128–131)
A new type of synthetic diamond, a sphere of nano-polycrystalline diamond (NPD), was developed in Japan late last year.Unlike natural diamonds or the synthetics mentioned above which are a single crystal, NPD diamond is actually a cluster of tiny crystals, thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair, packed so tightly together that they are transparent and tougher than a natural diamond. Indeed, the crystals are so tightly bonded to one another that there is no grain that is prone to fracture or break.

The NPD samples examined were brownish yellow in color and some were in perfect sphere shape which is difficult to fashion.  The techniques recently developed in Japan allow NPD diamonds to be fashioned into virtually any shape, including a round brilliant cut. However, because NPD diamonds are tougher than natural stones, they can only be shaped by a certain kind of laser cutting. Traditional cutting methods will not work.

Developed for industrial uses, NPD synthetics have not reached the jewelry industry.  However, just as with HPHT and CVD synthetics, GIA researchers and laboratory staff have identified the unique properties of this material that should be readily identifiable with laboratory testing.


Synthetic gem-quality diamonds may have made a mark on the industry this year, but the science is keeping up. As techniques for synthesizing diamonds evolve, researchers and laboratory experts at GIA continue to follow developments, cultivating ever-more innovative identification techniques.

More information on Gems & Gemology is available at http://www.gia.edu/research-resources/gems-gemology/index.html

The Gems & Gemology iPad app provides free access to the current issue.


Description: Description: G:\Marketing\P R\Public Relations 2012\2. News Releases DRAFTS\8. August 2012\Synthetics Article\110222.jpg
CVD synthetic diamonds produced by Gemesis. The 0.39 ct. round brilliant on the left was graded F color 
and VVS2 clarity; the 0.83 ct. sample on the right was graded J color and VVS2 clarity. Image © GIA.

Description: Description: C:\Users\KMAHAN\Desktop\49806 apollo A-4.jpg
Small CVD-grown synthetic diamond crystal. Image © GIA.


Description: Description: G:\Marketing\P R\Public Relations 2012\1. News Releases FINAL\8. August 2012\Synthetic article\110200278090a (3).jpg
The unusual parallel linear features in a CVD-grown synthetic diamond 
revealed in fluorescent image collected by the DiamondView™. 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.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

JCK Events Announces Multiple Promotions


JCK Events Announces Multiple Promotions

Reed Exhibitions and JCK Events are pleased to announce multiple promotions in several key positions.

Yancy Weinrich, formerly Industry Vice President, is now Group Vice President of JCK Brand. Yancy joined the JCK Events team in 2004 and has been in the jewelry industry for 17 years.  She has successfully led the JCK and LUXURY brands to industry leadership.  In her new role, Yancy will be responsible for the overall strategic direction and management of the entire JCK Events portfolio, including JCK Las Vegas, LUXURY by JCK, SwissWatch by JCK, and the LUXURY Prive events.

John Tierney moves up from Event Director to Industry Vice President, responsible for the LUXURY by JCK and Swiss Watch by JCK event brands.  He will continue to lead the sales and marketing efforts for these high‐end event brands, and strive to build and strengthen the brand relationships that have been instrumental to the success of these events.

Elizabeth Irving is being promoted to Group Marketing Director for the JCK brand.  As Group Marketing Director on JCK events, Liz has responsibility for creating and managing an integrated brand strategy and implementing innovative marketing initiatives across all JCK properties including the events, JCK magazine and JCK Online.   

This integrated marketing approach has lead to a number of successful programs that have resulted in record attendance and enhanced engagement within the jewelry industry community.   

Desiree Hanson is now assuming the role of Event Director for the LUXURY Prive events.   This new role leverages Desiree’s background of creating unique special events, delivering strong matchmaking programs, and builds on her strong jewelry industry relationships.  She will also continue to oversee the special events, conference and hosted‐buyer program for JCK Las Vegas and the LUXURY by JCK events. 

“The true strength of any organization is its people, and I’m thrilled to be able to recognize the efforts of this team and reward their hard work and dedication to the JCK Portfolio of brands” said Nancy Walsh, Executive Vice President at Reed Exhibitions North America.  “Each of these individuals has been instrumental in the JCK brand growth and success, and we are confident that they will continue to be effective and deliver JCK to even greater success”.

About JCK Events:
JCK is a trusted partner connecting jewelry retailers and manufacturers/suppliers with trends, news, products, education and partners to build business. Whether attending face‐to‐face events, building inventory with online and onsite sourcing or obtaining authoritative news and insights from JCK, the leading industry magazine in print & online, JCK offers a suite of tools, events and information to deliver sound solutions, innovative opportunities
and essential information.  The JCK Events portfolio includes JCK Las Vegas, LUXURY by JCK, LUXURY Prive New York and Panama, and Swiss Watch by JCK.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

#WordlessWednesday - Vendor Spotlight Introducing Demarco

With over five decades of jewelry design and craftsmanship, Demarco has a special story and simple goal; to provide every woman a heirloom piece that artistically showcases their personality and beauty. With this ideology and the knowledge that no two women are alike, they've created five bridal collections: Lovers Knot, Eternal Devotion, Love Token, Infinite Hearts and Love Story.

Lovers Knot is a collection that floods each ring with diamonds, encompassing the band inside and out. The Eternal Devotion collection is made up of halo design rings. With its lacey designs the Love Token collection is for those who seek the feminine touch. The Infinite Hearts collection focuses on rows of exquisite channel set diamonds. And the Love Story collection is made up of shared prongs and micro-pave rings. 

As their signature, Demarco has incorporated a unique pink diamond in every single ring, symbolizing the hidden unspoken emotion and bond with their significant other.



CAROLEE Announces Design Competition With FIT Jewelry Design Students


CAROLEE Announces Winners of Year-Long Design Competition With FIT Jewelry Design Students




Fashion jewelry company CAROLEE announced the winners of its year-long jewelry design competition with the Fashion Institute of Technology as part of the company's 40th anniversary celebration.

Under the guidance of the FIT Jewelry Design Department and the professional design team at CAROLEE, students began the design process last September and presented their final designs for judging in the Spring. Students competed in four key categories: Pearls, Metals, Fashion, and Bridal/Social. A fifth "People's Choice" winner was voted online through a Facebook contest.

The winners are...

Palwasha Iqbal in the Fashion category:



Yoonji Choi in the Pearls category: 



Prakshi Sharma in the Social/Bridal category: 



Christine Gonzalez in the Metals category:  



Elyse Spencer as the People's Choice winner:




In addition to winning $1000 apiece, all five winners' jewelry designs have been manufactured by CAROLEE and are making their debut in major US and international department stores in the Fall. The FIT students' winning collections will also be featured extensively in advertising and in top fashion and lifestyle publications in the fall.

The collections will make their official debut at a special event on the first floor at Bloomingdale's 59th Street on September 13th. Students will meet with Bloomingdale’s VIPs, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and press, and their pieces will be shown in Bloomingdale's windows for two weeks. For each piece of the FIT winning designs sold, CAROLEE will donate $5 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. CAROLEE will also officially announce an ongoing Jewelry Design Scholarship at FIT to support the future development of 21st century jewelry design.

About FIT
FIT - where creativity gets down to business - New York City’s internationally recognized college for design, fashion, art, communications, and business. FIT takes innovation to skyscraper heights. When you enroll at FIT, you join a long line of ambitious, energetic pacesetters. 

MJSA Education Foundations Awards over $5,000 in Student Scholarships


MJSA Education Foundations Awards over $5,000 in Student Scholarships 

ATTLEBORO FALLS, MA--To further the next generation of talented jewelry makers and designers, the MJSA Education Foundation recently awarded $5,400 in scholarships to six students enrolled in degree programs across the United States. They are:

William Sammut ($900, top left) of Sterling Heights, Michigan, who is working toward a BFA in Crafts-Metals at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. He is scheduled to graduate in spring 2013.

Sara Cochran ($900, right) of Brooklyn, New York, who is completing a BFA in Jewelry at the Pratt Institute in New York City. She is scheduled to graduate in 2013.

Kristen Glanzman ($900) of Maplewood, New Jersey, who is pursuing a graduate degree in Metalwork and Jewelry at Montclair State University in Upper Montclair, New Jersey. She is scheduled to graduate in 2015.

Alexander Walker ($900, left) of Reed City, Michigan, who is completing a BFA in Metals/Jewelry Design at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A past MJSA scholarship winner (2010), he is scheduled to graduate in 2013.

Chelsey Hammersmith ($900) of Temperance, Michigan, who is pursuing an MFA in Fine Arts at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. She is scheduled to graduate in May 2013.

Jessica Armstrong ($900, right) of Edinboro, Pennsylvania, is working toward an MFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She is scheduled to graduate in May 2013.

Since 1997, the MJSA Education Foundation, a 501(c) 3 subsidiary of MJSA, has awarded nearly $165,000 in scholarships to students enrolled in jewelry design, jewelry making, or other jewelry-related degree programs at colleges, universities, and technical schools throughout the United States. Funds for the scholarships are generated through the MJSA Education Foundation Scholarship Group, which consists of six permanent endowment funds managed by the Rhode Island Community Foundation on behalf of MJSA and the MJSA Education Foundation.

Any student enrolled in a jewelry program, who intends to pursue a career in the jewelry industry, and who can demonstrate financial need is eligible to apply for an MJSA Education Foundation scholarship. Applicants are assessed on the basis of course of study, academics, career plans, recommendations, and industry experience. Students must be U.S. citizens.

To learn more about the MJSA Education Foundation and various educational and professional opportunities, click herehttp://www.mjsa.org/career_center.
About MJSA 
MJSA is the U.S. trade association for jewelry makers, designers, and related suppliers. It provides the resources to achieve professional excellence and maintain a competitive edge. For more information, call MJSA at 1-800-444-6572 or visit www.mjsa.org.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

GIA Expert Shines a Light on Synthetic Diamonds


Dr. Wuyi Wang presents the latest on synthetic gem-quality diamonds

CARLSBAD, Calif. – Synthetic diamonds - which have attracted attention from the global gem and jewelry market this year - will be the focus of GIA’s (Gemological Institute of America) GemFest at the Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair. 

Dr. Wuyi Wang, GIA,Dir. Research & Development.

Delving into the latest research findings on this timely topic, Dr. Wuyi Wang, GIA’s director of Research and Development, will present the “Current Status of Synthetic Gem Diamonds” on Sept. 19 and 22.

Wang’s presentation will examine synthetic diamonds today; in particular, developments in CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) and HPHT (High Pressure / High Temperature) synthetic “white” diamonds, as well as gem-quality nano-polycrystalline diamonds. The Summer 2012 issue of Gems & Gemology (G&G), GIA’s peer-reviewed scientific quarterly journal, covers these topics in-depth. Wang will review the findings presented in G&G and have samples available for viewing.

“Synthetic diamonds became a topic of much discussion in 2012,” said Wang. “GIA researchers have diligently kept up with advancements, and based on our research and experience, we’re confident in our abilities to detect every kind of synthetic available in the marketplace.” 

With more than 20 years of expertise in diamond geochemistry and the treatments of diamond and other gem material, Wang holds a doctorate in geology from the University of Tsukuba in Japan and a bachelor’s degree in geology from Beijing University in China. He is widely published in gemological and geological publications, including G&G, Journal of Gemmology, American Mineralogist, and Earth and Planetary Science Letters. He has also been recognized with numerous honors, including the Richard T. Liddicoat and American Gem Society awards, as well as the Dr. Edward J. GĆ¼belin Most Valuable Article Award from G&G.

GIA’s GemFest will take place on Sept. 19 from 2:30-4 p.m. in Room 204 at the AsiaWorld Expo, and on Sept. 22 from 9-10:30 a.m. in Room S421 at the Convention Exhibition Center (Wanchai). Attendees are encouraged to arrive a half hour prior to each seminar for a special reception. Seats are limited, so quests are urged to RSVP to GIA in Hong Kong by Sept. 10 by calling 852-3166-7001 or emailing giahongkong@gia.edu

Those interested in downloading the Summer 2012 issue of Gems & Gemology can access all of the articles at no cost through the publication’s iPad app.



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

Monday, September 10, 2012

Gemvara Introduces Tennis Bracelets You Can Customize


GEMVARA Introduces Tennis Bracelets You Can Customize To Suit Your Taste!

Gemvara is the darling of the jewelry industry's latest Hot Ticket!  

Customize-able Jewelry...Not custom jewelry, but classic pieces of jewelry that you can customize to fit your taste.

If you have ever looked at a piece of jewelry and said,  "that would have been so much prettier in rose gold!", YOU will love Gemvara!





ABOUT GEMVARA:

It's Not Business. It's Personal.
Gemvara isn't a traditional jeweler. We have the crazy idea that you deserve jewelry that's uniquely you. That's made only for you. Only when you create it. So inspire us to craft something beautiful. Put something of yourself in a piece of jewelry. You design it. You give it meaning. You make it you.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Calling All Women Jewelry Designers!

Calling All Women Jewelry Designers! 

AGTA Announces NEW Spectrum Award Category in 
Partnership with WJA for the WJA Gem Diva Award!

What are you entering - Sept. 21st is the Dealdine!


SAVE-THE-DATE: 2013 Antwerp Diamond Trade Fair Jan. 27 - 29th





MEMBERS OF THE TRADE - SAVE THE DATE !


The Fourth edition of the Antwerp Diamond Trade Fair (ADTF) will take place January 27-29, 2013. in the trading halls of the Antwerp Diamond Bourse and the Diamond Club of Antwerp.   

We'd most appreciate if you could please list the 2013 ADTF in the trade show and events calendars of your print publications, as well as in your online events calendars.     

The Antwerp Diamond Trade Fair is an exclusive, by invitation-only event, aimed at high-end diamond jewellery manufacturers, retailers, designers and distributors from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America.

Visitors must present a personal letter of invitation received from the fair organizers in order to be able to take part in the trade fair.  

To be considered for an invitation, one will first need to register online. A registration form will be available online via the "visitors" tab on the ADTF web site from early September, 2012.  

The majority of the fair's visitors are prominent jewellery manufacturers and retailers. The Antwerp Diamond Trade Fair offers them a unique opportunity, i.e. direct access to many diamond companies on the floors of the trading halls of the Antwerp Diamond Bourse and of the Diamond Club of Antwerp!

To be included in the distribution lists of ADTF press releases and ADTF newsletters, please email your full contact details to the ADTF Communications Liaison, Ya'akov Almor, at communications@antwerpdiamondfair.com.

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