MJSA conFab - Profit Lessons for Jewelry Designers

SERIOUSLY - if it is being presented by MJSA - it is always worth the time...and Members get some pretty great perks!  ;)

Only 9 Days Left until MJSA conFab--Have You Registered?

This is your chance to make a better living doing what you love! Thanks to some conFabulous presenters (see list at left), you'll get to the heart of what it takes to create a successful business:

* Sit in as Andrea Hill leads Cindy Edelstein, Malak Atut, and Bree Richey on a freewheeling discussion about strategicplanning, marketing, branding, and other business topics in The Business of Design. After this session, you'll find that making a profit just got a whole lot easier.

* Watch as Arthur Skuratowicz and Gary Dawson address the crucial issues of pricing jewelry, game-show style, in The Price Is Right. Plus, as an added bonus, you'll receive theconFab Pricing Checklist--formulas, factors, and other considerations that you can apply when pricing your own work!

* Play along as Andrea Hill conducts From INventory to OUTventory: The Game, in which the winners will be able to better control their inventory and speed stock turns. The best part: Everyone who attends this session will be a winner.

* Listen as Lee Krombholz describes how you can Put the "Custom" in "Customer" and deliver personalized designs that not only meet but surpass customer expectations.

* See Gary Dawson and Eugene Brill critique some of the many websites submitted by fellow conFabbers, in their Websites That Work for You session. Discover what you can do to make your site more effective.

The Best Part--Every Day Can be a conFab Day, All Year Long

Thanks to our conFab Online Extras, which we'll keep adding  to all year long, you'll be able to continue the conFabexperience. The conFab ID and passcode you receive upon registering will enable you to view articles, interviews, web apps (such as our Inventory Analysis Aide), andeven videos of all the 2012 conFab sessions, whenever you want.

New Online Extra: The Designer as Entrepreneur

An interview with designer Bree Richey, winner of the 2012 Future of Design competition, on what it takes to get a jewelry design business to the next level. (You'll need to be a registered conFabber to access this article; if you're not, click here to register and receive your conFab login and passcode.)

Source:  MJSA Email Reminder...

Weekend Vendor Spotlight - Katrina Kelly Jewelry

Twitter -  http://twitter.com/katrinakelly
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KatrinaKellyJewelryPage
Website -  http://www.katrinakellyjewelry.com/

Celebrate The Holiday In Carl Bucherer

Carl F. Bucherer gets ready to celebrate this holiday season
with its newest editions to the innovative and timeless collection.

The Patravi EvoTec DayDate – stainless steel, rubber bezel, black dial with a black calfskin leather strap

The Manero CentralChrono – stainless steel, silver dial with a brown alligator leather strap

Patravi TravelTec – 18k rose gold, black dial with a black calfskin leather strap

Lets make this Holiday a special memory in time with the Carl F. Bucherer Team!

See more of the Carl F. Bucherer collection on the website at: www.carl-f-bucherer.com


About Carl F. Bucherer:

Carl F. Bucherer is a worldwide distributed, independent watch brand with over 90 years of experience in creating high-quality watches in the premium segment. The brand stands for uncompromising quality as well as highly beautiful and stylish products. It combines the best in watchmaking craftsmanship with fine jewelry-making skills, and the sophisticated useful, additional functions surprise time and again.

Christie's: Archduke Joseph Diamond Expected to Soar Above $15M

WRITTEN BY AFP WIRE SERVICE  

WEDNESDAY, 03 OCTOBER 2012 08:57

The 'Archduke Joseph' Diamond, an unmounted cushion-shape Golconda diamond, weighing 76.02 carats (D color, internally flawless clarity). Estimate on request. Photo ©Tony Falcone. Courtesy Christie's Images Ltd. 2012.

GENEVA (AFP) - One of the world's most historic diamonds, the Archduke Joseph, is up for sale in Geneva with an expected price tag well in excess of $15 million (11.6 million euros), Christie's auction house said Wednesday.

"It's a 76.02 carat cushion-shaped D-color diamond (considered to be the most flawless), from the famous Golconda mines in India," Christie's senior international specialist Jean-Marc Lunel told AFP.

The colorless gem, which is about the size of a domino and 1.5 centimeters (more than half an inch) thick, is to be exhibited from Oct. 13 in New York, Hong Kong and Geneva before the auction in Switzerland on Nov. 13.

Described as the "star lot of the fall jewellery auction season" by Christie's, the diamond has the same provenance as other illustrious jewels including the Koh-i-noor -- part of the crown jewels held in the Tower of London -- and the Regent, believed by many to be the finest diamond in the French crown jewels and now in the Louvre museum in Paris.

All three jewels come from the now closed Golconda mines, which produced the purest gems, Lunel said.

Next month's auction will be the second time Christie's has sold the Archduke Joseph after it fetched $6.5 million at a Geneva sale in 1993. The jewel, which belonged to Archduke Joseph of Austria (1872-1962), was put in a vault of the Hungarian General Credit Bank in 1933 by his son, the Archduke Joseph Francis.

The diamond was sold three years later to an anonymous buyer who left it in a safe during World War II, escaping the attention of the Nazis.

It finally resurfaced in 1961 at auction in London and was offered for sale in November 1993 at Christie's Geneva.

Since then the diamond has changed hands privately, but Christie's declined to comment on the identity of the current owner.

The auction house holds eight major jewelry sales a year, including two in Geneva.

"The first half of 2012 saw record sales, thanks mainly to the May auction in Geneva," said Lunel, "when part of the jewelry collection of billionairess Lily Safra was sold for good causes."

Histoire Naturelle - Sotheby's Paris!

The Auction Results are in for the Histoire Naturelle at Sotheby's Paris.

"Sotheby's Natural History sale on 2 October achieved €917,050. One of the top lots sold was A Rare and Complete Mammoth (Late Pleistocene, Siberia, Russia), that brought €240,750."

It is interesting to note that the sell through on these auctions isn't near as good as it is on their Art and Jewelry Auctions.

I wonder if that is due to the information about the goods in these auctions not getting to the right people or a down turn in the number of people following the fossils field?

Personally I choose to believe the former as I have noticed a keen interest in collecting and Jewelry made with Fossils of all kinds!


...with our little Wholly Mammoth friend above selling so briskly - I have to believe that a few museums are seeing funding.

There does seem to be a large following from the Interior Design field and items that are beautifully presented are definite winners!    ...as this "Coffret of Exotic Crabs" can testify!

HOWARD RUBIN EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP

HOWARD RUBIN EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP

The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA) is pleased to announce a scholarship fund created to honor the memory of Howard Rubin, NAJA's National Secretary, who passed away earlier this year. 

The Howard Rubin Educational Foundation was formed to advance education relating to gem and jewelry personal property appraising and to assist NAJA members through scholarships for educational development to improve their capabilities by attending courses, classes, workshop and conferences.

The Foundation will initially present general scholarship awards of $500 each to one new (less than two years experience) and one experienced member.  Education opportunities for NAJA members include and not limited to:  GIA  specialized courses (i.e., Pearls), World of Gems Conference, Accredited Gemologist Association  Conference, Jewelry Camp, Gem-A Conference, Scottish Gemmological Association Conference, Association for the Study of Jewelry and Related Arts programs, American Gem Society Conclave, MJSA Seminars, Society of North American Goldsmith Annual Conference, Diamond Council of America, Canadian Gemological Association Conference. 

                                               

Applications can be obtained through the NAJA website, http://najaappraisers.com/ScholarshipApp2012.pdf.    

Deadline for submission is June 30, 2013 and the final selection by the NAJA Scholarship Advisory Board will be announced July 30th, 2013.

The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers is the largest membership association specializing exclusively in gem and jewelry appraising and related appraisal issues.  It offers education and networking opportunities with knowledgeable appraisal professionals.  For further information, contact Gail Brett Levine, GG, Executive Director, The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers,   P. O. Box 18, Rego Park, NY 11374, 718.896.1536  fax 718.997.9057, naja.appraisers@netzero.net,  www.NAJAappraisers.com.            

La Vie Boheme: Dreaming of 'Resort' Escapes

As the weather outside gets frightful, fashionista jetsetters seek refuge to resort escapes at faraway isles, whether realized or dreamt. Free spirited and nomadic, these thrill seekers are always in search of la vie Bohème. Keeping true to this mantra, jewelry is worn as a form of expression, where exotic gemstones and geometric tribal patterns form bold baubles as unique as the wearer.

The groovy yet posh architecture and lush landscape of Moroccan bohemian epicenter, Marrakech, is reflected in the lavish, one-of-a-kind rings, necklaces and earrings worn by modern-day gypsies. Translucent and opaque gemstones such as amethyst, lemon quartz and citrine harmonize to create swanky, asymmetrical statement rings and jagged-shaped bib necklaces.

In true escapade fashion, an elephant safari adventure inspires the perfect backdrop to don 24K pure silver hammered earrings with brown patina and raw diamonds. The ultimate destination mantra-no shirt, no shoes, no problems-brings out chic swimwear and eccentric jewels that are the only suitcase necessities to find peace and tranquility in the life of a bohemian.

MARTIN FULLER NAMED NAJA's NATIONAL SECRETARY

MARTIN FULLER NAMED AS NAJA's NATIONAL SECRETARY

The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA) is pleased to announce that Mr.  Martin D. Fuller, GG, Certified Senior Member, as NAJA's National Secretary.  Martin ably replaces the position held by Howard Rubin, NAJA's National Secretary, who passed away earlier this year.

Mr. Fuller's primary responsibility will be to represent NAJA at the Appraisal Foundation and the Industry Advisory Council.  He will be attending all meetings and serve in an advisory capacity on other Appraisal Foundation committees, as needed.  Secondary responsibilities will be to assist the Executive Director in course development, conference proceedings and other administrative functions.

Martin D.  Fuller is the Founder & President, Lab Director, of Martin Fuller Appraisals, LLC and Fuller & Associates, both located in McLean, Virginia.  He is an active appraiser/gemologist for over 35 years and world renowned speaker, mentor, author and educator.  He serves as a personal consultant to private collectors, governments, various prominent gem and jewelry associations and museums as well as an experienced expert witness on both federal and state levels.  Additionally, he has consulted for the U.S. Customs and the Department of Consumer Affairs, served in many jewelry related court proceedings. 

The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers is the largest membership association specializing exclusively in gem and jewelry appraising and related appraisal issues.  It offers education and networking opportunities with knowledgeable appraisal professionals.    www.NAJAappraisers.com