Weekend Designer Spotlight - Two New Collections from Miseno

http://misenousa.com

Antwerp Diamond Trade Fair Launches Facebook Page

Antwerp Diamond Trade Fair launches Facebook page

Antwerp, Belgium - January 8, 2012: The organizers of the Antwerp Diamond Trade Fair have launched the fair's own Facebook page ahead of the fourth edition of the event which takes place in three weeks. The ADTF communications team will post daily reports, news releases and photos on the ADTF Facebook page during the January 27-30 fair. The ADT Facebook page can be found here. The aim of the ADTF Facebook page is to provide real time updates on events at the fair for the global diamond business community and trade media, said Daniel Fraenkel, a member of the ADTF Organizing Committee. "The page already features extensive photo galleries of past fairs, as well as exhibitor profiles of many of the many participating companies," said Fraenkel. "During the fair, we'll post daily reports and interviews, as well as numerous photos. In this digital era, we felt that a Facebook page would be the right tool to report on the fair's proceedings and to relay news about it," he stated. Members of the international trade press, as well as the international diamond, gemstone and jewellery business community, are invited to keep an eye on the ADTF Facebook page. "Of course, we need your 'likes, 'comments' and 'shares' to make this page widely known and so that we can provide exactly the information that the media and the trade require," Fraenkel added.

Designer Spotlight on Bavna!

Bavna jewelry was created in 2008 by designer Sunny Jain. The essence of his line is deep rooted in the ancient language of Sanskrit where its meaning gives rise to many forms of development. Development of mind, body, and soul. It is in this profound connotation that Sunny’s philosophy for design resonates.

Bavna features 18 K gold, raw diamonds, rubies, emeralds and other various gemstones that manifest into a beautiful piece of art. Each piece is handcrafted capturing an ageless aura of exquisite craftsmanship interpreted for a modern lifestyle. His pieces are worn by confident women who express their individual style through fresh and exciting jewelry that will last a lifetime.
http://www.bavna.com/

Michael O'Connor Predicts Golden Globes Jewelry Trends

GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS JEWELRY TREND PREDICTIONS

FROM LEADING STYLE EXPERT

Michael O’Connor Hosts Jewelry Style Event for Show Nominees and Presenters

Los Angeles, CA (January 7, 2013) –This week Michael O’Connor, leading style expert and host of MovieStyle with Michael O’Connor on Reelz Channel,will host StyleLab’s jewelry event for Golden Globe Award nominees, presenters and stylists at a private venue in Los Angeles. O’Connor has curated a selection of one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces from world-renowned designers for celebrities to borrow for the red carpet. From ornate cuff bracelets to black diamond cufflinks, O’Connor will accessorize Hollywood’s leading stars with the most exquisite, highest quality jewelry.

O’Connor sees an overall fascination with colored gemstones and intricate designs this year – both modern and vintage styles. As the Golden Globe Awards quickly approach, O’Connor offers the following trend predictions:

Emerald Green

It’s the Pantone Color of the Year and gorgeous on red heads like Amy Adams – so expect to see a lot of emerald green on the red carpet. A breathtaking pair of tassel earrings from Abellan New York includes over 71 carats of emeralds that will make everyone green with envy. Beverly Hills designer Dena Kemp will unveil a one-of-a-kind emerald cocktail ring surrounded by diamonds. Trendsetting jewelry brand Just Jules will highlight a pair of rose-cut diamond and emerald slice chandelier earrings that will make a major statement. We will also see emeralds featured in a captivating necklace by Takat. This $145,000 design includes over 85 carats of Zambian emeralds in pear and oval cabochon cuts, and more than 15 carats of diamonds, all set in platinum and 18k yellow gold.

Drop Earrings and Vintage Pendants

While chandelier earrings are a classic, the latest styles are drops in all shapes and sizes. Bellarri’s linear drop earrings include over 26 carats of amethyst and diamonds. Jewelry By Gail’s “Staircase to Royalty” linear drop earrings also feature amethyst, however hers include a long vine-swirl French wire design, making them perfect for the lovely French actress Marion Cotillard. American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) designer Campbellian’s Bella Campbell designed a pair of round drop earrings that feature royal blue moonstones surrounded by diamonds. Since all of these baubles will draw attention to the jawbone, they will look perfect with plum colored lips! Be on the lookout for the return of pendant necklaces. Trendsetting stars like Sienna Miller or Zooey Deschanel will fall in love with AGTA’s My Blue Heaven designer Cara Lichtenstein’s black enamel pendant brooch set in platinum, featuring a 41 carat black opal accented with white diamonds…very vintage-inspired.

Cuff Bracelets

Whether they are worn as the sole piece of jewelry or stacked on both arms, cuffs remain in vogue on the red carpet. We’ll see more intricate metalwork like Canadian designer Mark Lash’s flexible mesh bangle bracelet with a diamond clasp, set in yellow gold. Silver Promotion Service (SPS) designer Slane will feature a sterling silver cuff bracelet with a sequence of ribbed and smooth rows along a diamond studded hinged closure. SPS designer Thistle & Bee’s thick sterling silver cuff looks like a stunning piece of modern art.

Men’s Jewelry

Hollywood’s most stylish men including Hugh Jackman, Bradley Cooper and Leonardo DiCaprio understand the importance of modern men’s jewelry. Traditional square cufflinks and chains are taking a backseat to styles with interesting patterns and materials. Designer Edward Mirell launched a cufflink and bracelet collection featuring black diamonds, textured leather, and cable. 

ISRAEL'S 2012 POLISHED DIAMOND EXPORTS: $5.6 BILLION

While the global diamond industry experienced major declines during the year, Israel saw a steady improvement in its diamond trade in the third and fourth quarters of the year, according to Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor Diamond Controller Shmuel Mordechai, who published figures for Israel’s diamond imports and exports during 2012.

 

Israel’s net polished diamond exports stood at $5.6 billion for the year, compared to $7.2 billion for the same period last year, a decline of 23%.

Mordechai said that Israel’s diamond trade seems likely to continue to improve in 2013 and return to levels of 2011, which was a record year.

 

Israel’s net rough diamond exports totaled $2.8 billion in 2012, compared to $3.5 billion in 2011, a 20% decrease.

 

Net imports of polished diamonds were $4.27 billion, compared to $5.68 billion for the year, a 25% drop.

 

Net rough imports stood at $3.8 billion, 13 % less than in 2011, when they totaled $4.4 billon.

 

The United States continued to be Israel’s major market for polished diamonds, accounting for 36% of the market. Hong Kong was the next largest market with 28% of exports, with Belgium accounting for 8%, Switzerland 5%, U.K. 5% and the rest of the world 18%.

Moti Ganz, Chairman of the Israel Diamond Institute Group of Companies (IDI) said that he was confident that the Israeli Diamond Industry was back on track to renewed growth. “While the economic challenges of 2012 affected the entire diamond industry, we saw a marked recovery in Israel’s diamond trade from mid-year. This year we look forward to continuing this positive trend and even to beating our record of 2011,” Ganz said.

 

IDI Managing Director Eli Avidar said, “We are upbeat about Israel’s diamond trade in the coming year. The US economy is showing improvement, and so is Europe. The Israeli Diamond Industry has weathered the economic difficulties of 2012 and has emerged on a growth path. We’re proud to say that our industry is an island of stability.” Avidar added that the Israeli Diamond Industry continues to be a key factor in markets worldwide. “As a result of our members’ demand, IDI will organize industry participation in more trade shows and in additional markets during 2013,” he added.

Minabea Brings Boho Vibe to Golden Globes Celebrity Gift Lounge

Minabea Jewelry’s Moroccan Boho Earrings Bring Exotic Vibe to GBK’S 2013 Golden Globes Celebrity Gift Lounge

Minabea Jewelry’s Moroccan Boho Earrings bring an exotic vibe to GBK’s Luxury Gift Lounge in Honor of the 2013 Golden Globe Awards. The earrings will be included in The Artisan Group’s coveted swag bag. The Gift Lounge takes place January 11-12, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California.

Los Angeles-based Minabea Jewelry (http://www.minabea.com) is pleased to announce that its “Moroccan Boho Earrings” will be included in The Artisan Group’s coveted swag bag, to be gifted to celebrities stopping by its exhibit at GBK’s Luxury Gift Lounge in honor of the 2013 Golden Globes Nominees and Presenters. The Gift Lounge takes place January 11-12, 2013, at an exclusive location in Beverly Hills, California.

The models with their center parted hair and low ponytails gave me the idea to create an earthy but dramatic earring with an architectural edge. The earrings also have a nomadic, spirited vibe that is pure Boho.

Christi Schimpke, designer/owner, Minabea Jewelry, says the “Arabian Nights” intrigue of fashion designers like Naeem Kahn and her passion for Moorish architecture were the inspirations for these earrings.

“Kahn’s looks for the spring 2013 runway were evocative of the past but modern too; which as a former art historian, I can’t help but love,” smiled Schimpke. "The models with their center parted hair and low ponytails gave me the idea to create an earthy but dramatic earring with an architectural edge. The earrings also have a nomadic, spirited vibe that is pure Boho.”

View the Minabea 2013 Golden Globe Awards slideshow video to see the Moroccan Boho earrings and other Minabea jewelry designs.

Schimpke forged and formed the earrings out of rich yellow brass to which she gave a shimmering, hammered finish. Each earring is accented with wire wrapped briolette drops in olive green or dark navy blue and elongated "dagger" beads of blue chalcedony or cherry quartz. The earrings are available for sale to the public as a limited edition and can be purchased on the Minabea website.

Schimpke notes that she procured the main brass component for the earrings from Laura’s Jewelry Workshop. This small community workshop, located in central Mexico, is dedicated to lifting Latina women out of poverty by teaching them jewelry making skills. “Laura is amazing and I’m happy to support her cause,” remarked Schimpke.

Besides creating a mind-blowing 100 pairs of earrings for the Golden Globes, Schimpke is finalizing a deal with Los Angeles jewelry rep Daren Kirk and putting the finishing touches on “Crash by Minabea,” a collection ofupcycled jewelry created from the salvage of late model crashed Mercedes Benz automobiles. Schimpke just returned from a Palm Springs fashion shoot, where Maëlle Andre photographed her pieces on models Madison Cook and Madi McQueen (granddaughter of Steve McQueen).

On the celebrity gifting front, Minabea’s “Silver and Howlite Spiral Dagger Pendant” was recently included in a gift bag put together by The Artisan Group for Leigh Leverett, wardrobe stylist for the CW’s popular teen drama, “The Vampire Diaries” and its “Rhodochrosite and African Brass Bead Necklace” is with Dorothy Amos, long time personal stylist for Jennifer Love Hewitt and wardrobe stylist for Lifetime’s hit show “The Client List.” Both pieces are being considered for use in upcoming episodes.

Schimpke is also preparing for GBK’s 2013 Academy Awards Gift Lounge and an upcoming Earth Day 2013 Gift Bag that will go to eco-conscious celebrities including Hayden Panettiere, Ginnifer Goodwin, Edward Norton, Adrian Grenier, Kate Bosworth, P!nk, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rachel McAdams and Emily VanCamp, among others.

“It’s been a busy fall/winter season,” laughed Schimpke, “but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

To learn more about Minabea Jewelry or its participation in The Artisan Group’s celebrity gifting initiatives visit itswebsite . follow it on Twitter (@minabea) or become a fan on Facebook. Press with inquiries about The Artisan Group can visit The Artisan Group website.

ABOUT MINABEA JEWELRY
Minabea Jewelry (http://www.minabea.com) is owned by jewelry designer and former art historian Christi Schimpke. Founded in 2010, the company specializes in hand-fabricated, one-of-a-kind and custom jewelry created with sterling and fine silver, gold and fair-trade semi-precious gemstones. Minabea is a proud member of The Artisan Group, an exclusive, by invitation only group of artisans who collectively provide their handcrafted products to celebrities at Hollywood’s elite award show gift lounges.