Punks in Platinum - Celebrities at the MET Costume Institute Gala

Celebrities selected PLATINUM jewelry for the "PUNK: Chaos To Couture" Costume Institute Gala in New York on May 6th:

Katie Holmes in Platinum by Lorraine Schwartz

-Platinum and diamond earrings

Jessica Biel in Platinum by Fred Leighton

-Multiple platinum and diamond bracelets

Gwen Stefani in Platinum by Fred Leighton

-Platinum and diamond necklace from the 1930's

-Platinum ring with red spinel and diamonds

Carey Mulligan in Platinum by Tiffany & Co.

-Platinum and emerald-cut diamond ring ($800,000)

-Platinum and emerald-cut diamond bracelet ($375,000)

-Platinum and emerald-cut diamonds earrings ($165,000)

Claire Danes in Platinum by Van Cleef & Arpels

-2 platinum and diamond bracelets

Olivia Wilde in Platinum by Fred Leighton

-Art Deco platinum ring with onyx and diamonds 

Rooney Mara in Platinum by Fred Leighton

-3 Platinum and diamond rings

Elle Fanning in Platinum by Van Cleef & Arpels

-Platinum ring with ruby and diamonds

Platinum is popular on the red carpet since it holds 

diamonds and colored gemstones most securely.

http://www.preciousplatinum.com/

Circle of Distinction Honorees To Be Recognized at AGS Event in July

The American Gem Society has announced the 2013 Circle of Distinction Honorees, who will be recognized at the Society’s Circle of Distinction Dinner on July 30 at the historic Plaza Hotel in New York City.

The recipient of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award is Beryl Raff, Chairman and CEO of Helzberg Diamonds. The Triple Zero Award recipients are Howard Hauben, CEO of Centurion, and The Bromberg Family: Frank Bromberg, Jr., Ricky Bromberg, Clayton Bromberg of Underwood Jewelers (Florida) and Bromberg Jewelers (Alabama).

“The 2013 recipients are all well-deserving of this honor,” said Ruth Batson, CEO of the American Gem Society and AGS Laboratories. “Each has made a tremendous contribution throughout their career and we are proud to recognize their accomplishments. Beryl is one of the leading industry leaders, Howard has made Centurion a must-attend show, and the Bromberg family are valuable members of not only the Society, but of our industry.”

The Circle of Distinction event will begin at 6:00pm with cocktails, followed by a three-course dinner and the awards presentation at 7:30pm. To order dinner tickets or to learn about advertising opportunities in the Circle of Distinction Tribute Book, contact Christina Davila at 866-805-6500 x1005 or email cdavila@ags.org.

About The American Gem Society

The American Gem Society, founded in 1934 by Robert M. Shipley, is a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to proven ethics, knowledge, and consumer protection within the jewelry industry. The American Gem Society is an international professional organization awarding credentials for its members, who are held to the highest ethical and professional standards in the industry and must pass annual recertification examinations to maintain their titles. Less than five percent of jewelers in the country have met the exacting requirements necessary for membership.

Liljenquist & Beckstead's New Digital Storefront Website!

Liljenquist & Beckstead Launch New 

Interactive Website Featuring Digital Storefront

Brilliant!   I totally LOVE this idea - each Designer shop - introduces the Designer through video while showing the items available in their store ...more info below the photo!

Liljenquist & Beckstead Jewelers, in partnership with ARTYSO creative agency, is pleased to announce the launch of its new luxury website www.liljenquist.com. The interactive site built as a “virtual store”, and it allows customers and jewelry lovers to explore and experience Liljenquist & Beckstead’s elegant collections of high end timepieces and designer jewelry.

"We wanted to excite our customers and share our passion for jewelry and watches, and that’s exactly what ARTYSO's creative team delivered. Our website visitors feel as if they are walking into our virtual store, you can almost touch the beautiful pieces and meet our team of dedicated professionals " shared Sherrie Beckstead & Sheila Liljenquist, Head of Business Development and Operations at Liljenquist & Beckstead.

The new website offers a glimpse into the world of exquisitely crafted fine jewelry and collector’s timepieces created by such prestigious design houses as Rolex, Patek Phillipe, Omega, Cartier, Chopard, Bulgari and many others.

“The newly redesigned website elegantly intertwines feature-rich functionality with luxurious feel. Innovative integration of interactive Google Maps allows visitor to easily explore and interact with Liljenquist and Beckstead’s boutique locations and friendly personnel ” states Andrew Max Link the CEO of ARTYSO.

About Liljenquist & Beckstead:

Since 1978, Liljenquist & Beckstead Jewelers has demonstrated a commitment to excellence, passion for prestige and a pledge to provide extraordinary service at all times. Founded by college friends turned business partners, Tom Liljenquist and Sidney Beckstead have worked side-by-side for 35 years, as their once small Ocean City, Maryland jewelry shop has blossomed into five flourishing boutiques along the Metropolitan Beltway.

For details, visit http://www.liljenquist.com

CIBJO Releases Special Report on Advertising Standards

CIBJO Releases Ethics Special Report, 
looks at advertising standards and prevention of misleading claims

  

With the opening of the 2013 CIBJO Congress in Tel Aviv on May 7, 2013, the fifth of the CIBJO commissions' Special Reports has been released. Prepared by the CIBJO Ethics Commission, headed by Cecilia Gardner, the report lays out a programme designed to advance the principles of Corporate Social Responsibility in the jewellery and gemstone sectors.

In the report, Ms. Gardner suggests that a Blue Book of general advertising standards may be a useful tool to assess the advertising used to promote the image of the industry and the products it sells. "Clear guidance from a well-known and respected standards-setting organisation will work towards the goal of creating a level playing field for all companies, and promote fair dealing with consumers. Furthermore, clear and general guidance will provide standards against which companies can judge the claims they make about their products," she writes.

Also proposed is a complaint mechanism designed to combat misleading representations of products, and also a failure to comply with Blue Book standards. "A mechanism could be developed within the structure of CIBJO to assess allegations of non-compliance, collect the substantiation that is available, and then take corrective actions by educating the company or individual who has acted in non-compliance," Ms. Gardner writes.

To download a full copy of the report, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

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The 2013 CIBJO Congress will take place at the Dan Panorama Convention Centre in Tel Aviv, Israel, from May 7 to May 9, 2013, with pre-congress meetings starting on Today. More information is available on the dedicated 2013 CIBJO Congress website. 

Kristall, Russia's Leading Diamond Company Celebrates 50 Years in the Industry!

Kristall Production Corporation to celebrate 50th Anniversary

Kristall Production Corporation, Russia's leading diamond manufacturer, will celebrate its 50th anniversary on May 24, in Smolensk, with an exclusive, by-invitation-only event. Taking part in the celebration will be local diamond industry leaders, government representatives and dignitaries, as well as many foreign guests, predominantly representatives from other diamond manufacturing centers.  

Kristall Production Corporation is a pioneering Russian diamond manufacturing company. It is the only diamond manufacturer that continued to operate after the fall of the former Soviet Union. Since that time, Kristall has significantly raised its output of polished diamonds.

Since its establishment in 1963, the company has polished 80.5 million diamonds with a total weight of 9.3 million carats. The government-owned firm specializes in top-quality cutting and polishing, and markets the Triple X Russian Cut. Kristall employs 2,200 people, and operates sales offices in Antwerp, Dubai, Hong Kong and New York. Kristall is on Russia's official list of strategically important corporations and operates under the direct control of the President of Russia. The company is a sightholder of the Diamond Trading Company (DTC) of the De Beers Group.

Kristall's CEO, Maxim Shkadov, who is also president of the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA), said: "Kristall Production Corporation is proof that in spite of the enormous changes Russia has gone through during recent decades - politically, economically and geographically - a solid, well established company like Kristall can overcome these difficulties and even thrive. We are very pleased and extremely proud to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of our company, together with our peers and international colleagues."

Among the Russian dignitaries participating will be Vladimir Zhirinovski, leader of the  Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), Vice-Chairman of the  State Duma and a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; Anton Siluanov, Minister of Finance, the Russian Federation; Sergei Ivanov, Chief of Staff, Presidential Administration of Russia; YegorBorisov, president of the Sakha Republic; Alexei Ostrovskiy, Governor of Smolensk; Fedor Andreev, President of Alrosa; and Vladimir Rybkin, Head ofGokhran, the State Precious Metals and Gems Repository of the Russian Federation,

In addition to the celebrations, the invited guests will have the unique opportunity to tour the company's production facilities, and will be offered a sightseeing tour of Smolensk's historical sites and landmarks.