#DEF #GoodAwards - Honorees Announced for Diamond Empowerment Fund's Annual ‘GOOD AWARDS’ January 8, 2015

Press Release provided by DEF

The Diamond Empowerment Fund has announced it will honor Jane Seymour, an accomplished actress, artist, jewelry designer, and philanthropist and Jewelers for Children including its highly respected executive director David Rocha at its fourth annual GOOD Awards to be held January 8, 2015 at the Empire Penthouse Lounge in New York City. Seymour, Jewelers for Children and Rocha are being honored for their global leadership and making a positive difference in the lives of countless youth and communities around the world. 

The Diamond Empowerment Fund established the GOOD Awards in 2012 to recognize
individuals, organizations, and corporations in the diamond and jewelry industry for
outstanding leadership in the areas of global good corporate citizenship, sustainability
and promoting opportunity in diamond communities.

Jane Seymour, a true renaissance woman, is an Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning actress for her role as Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, among other performances. She is 

known in the jewelry world for her successful ‘Open Hearts’ Collection of jewelry. Ms. 
Seymour is also the co-founder of the ‘Open Hearts Foundation’ whose mission is to 
positively impact lives in the area of health, education, arts and sports. “It is an honor that the Diamond Empowerment Fund has chosen to recognize the work that I’ve done with my Open Hearts Foundation where we focus on organizations and individuals who turn adversity into an opportunity to serve others” says Ms. Seymour. 

David Rocha has been the driving force behind the diamond and jewelry industry supported ‘Jewelers for Children’ (JFC) organization. JFC’s mission is to help children in need. Since its founding by the U.S. jewelry industry in 1999, over 45 million dollars has been donated to organizations including Make-A-Wish and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as relief efforts following hurricane Katrina, the Asian tsunami, and the earthquake in Japan. Mr. Rocha, who has led the organization for the past 10 years says, “the impact the jewelry industry has made on the lives of countless children around the world inspires me every day”.

Phyllis Bergman, President of the Diamond Empowerment Fund, says, “we are thrilled to honor the exemplary achievements of Jane Seymour and David Rocha & Jewelers for Children."  

For a limited time, D.E.F will be offering an early pricing special on two tickets. Visit
www.goodawards.org for more information on tickets, journal ads and sponsorship

About the Diamond Empowerment Fund: 

The Diamond Empowerment Fund is a global non-profit based in New York City and co-founded by Russell Simmons and leaders in the diamond industry in 2007 to empower diamond communities around the world. 

Its beneficiaries include: CIDA City Campus, South Africa’s first non-profit university to offer a four-year business degree. CIDA has an 80% employment rate among graduates; the African Leadership Academy, a university preparatory school in Johannesburg, South Africa, founded on the belief that ethical leadership is the key to sustainable development on the continent and drawing students from all 54 countries in Africa, and the Botswana Top Achievers program that provides the top high school students countrywide the opportunity to study at a university of their choice worldwide.

Graduates then return to Botswana to contribute to its economic, social and political development.           www.diamondempowerment.org.

My #Latest Obsession - Amazing Paraiba Tourmaline from TAKAT!

Designer Oval Paraiba and Diamond Ring 

PARAIBA TOURMALINE

Weight: 15.7Carats

Dimensions (LxWxD): 16.21 x 14.52 x 9.89 (mm)

Color: SKY BLUE

Shape: Oval

Clarity: CLEAN

Certified by GIA

Round Diamond 3.65Ct. - Marquise Diamond 3.84Ct.

*All diamonds are F/VVS Quality Conflict Free.

ALL DIAMONDS ARE GRADED AT LEAST -  F / VVS

Website:  http://takat.com/

TAKAT on Facebook

TAKAT on Twitter

My #LatestObsession - Autumn in New York Gathering Acorns at Reinstein|Ross!

Autumn in New York............

Autumn in New York City [Credit: Vivianna_love, Flickr.com]

We're gathering up Acorns at Reinstein/Ross!

Their NEW downtown store on Gansevoort Street has been open since June, this new larger space includes a very busy, workshop - fully integrated into the store and the NEW R|R Gallery connected to the store and workshop.

It's acorn season - with or without diamonds!

Photograph: Chris Stein

At the R|R Gallery through October 16th - the premiere, "Wear It Loud" which opened during Fashion Week. The show is an exploration of the on-going conversation between art jewelry and fashion, and exhibits the work of 16 international artists - many of whom work directly with some of the biggest fashion houses in the industry. 

This debut exhibit will be followed by, "RiverStones", the next exhibit which opens on November 20th, and will feature glass vessels and jewelry by an artist from Murano, Italy. The art work is stunning -  the jewelry bold and contemporary. 

Madison Avenue Store and Workshop

29 East 73rd Street 

New York, NY 10021

212.772.1901 Store and Workshop

917.885.8125 Direct

NEW! Downtown Store , Workshop and Gallery

30 Gansevoort Street 

New York, NY 10014

212.226.4513

http://www.ReinsteinRoss.com

http://www.Facebook.com/ReinsteinRoss

Gem-A Speakers, Workshops and New Sponsors for 2014 Conference

Press release provided by Gem-A

Gem-A Speakers, Workshops and New Sponsors 

for 2014 Conference

The Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A)) has announced its sponsors for this year's international Conference at the Business Design Centre in Islington,  November 1-4, 2014. 

The Conference invites members of the Association and the wider gem and jewellery industry to join them for a four day event comprising of speakers, workshops, trips and social events for anyone from the aspiring gemmologist to the seasoned professional.

The line up at this year's conference is impressive to say the least...

Saturday - November 1st - Speakers:

Bruce Bridges - The history of Tsavorite and legacy of Campbell Bridges 

Edward Boehm gg cg - Analyzing gems on the go: tips from the field

Dr Thomas Hainschwang fga - The challenges faced by green to greenish blue diamonds 

coloured by natural or artificial irradiation

Alan Hart fga dga - Gems at the Natural History Museum: a review and a forward look

Dr Ulrich Henn - The different types of moonstone 

Brian Cook - Paraíba Tourmaline: an update and Bahia golden rutilated quartz: introduction

Vincent Pardieu gg - From Jedi to Windex: a quest to the origins of the ultimate red and blue spinels

Sunday - November 2nd - Speakers:

Craig Lynch gg - The recovered jewellery of RMS Titanic

Dr Laurent Cartier fga - An update on worldwide cultured pearl production

Chris Smith fga gg - Ruby and sapphire source — type classification: an objective approach to help make country of origin determinations more consistent

Dr Menahem Sevdermish fga - Further developments into digital colour analysis, grading, 

pricing and trading of gems

Terry Coldham fgaa - Australian sapphire — a forgotten foundation stone of Thailand’s gemstone industry

Richard Hughes fga, with special guest John Saul - Heretical gemmology

Monday, November 3rd - Three practical seminars will take place at Gem-A Headquarters in London. Guest hosts:

Richard Drucker fga gg, President of GemWorld International Inc. 

Coloured Stone Grading and Pricing Workshop

Mikko Åström fga and Alberto Scarani gg, GemmoRaman

Gemmological Applications of Raman and Photoluminescence Spectroscopy

Dr Franz Herzog

A Portable EDXRF Device in Gemmology: Toy or Dream?

Register HERE

Gem-A has recently confirmed two new sponsors and one associate supporter for the 4-day event in November, adding to an A-list of top companies already backing the event. Recently confirmed sponsors include The Company of Master Jewellers (CMJ) who, alongside taking up position as a sponsor, will be backing Gem-A education courses by marketing them directly to members over the coming months. Joining the CMJ will be Italian-based gemmological laboratory Gemological Education Certification Institute (GECI), who will make up the final of our current sponsorship spots.

Alongside our sponsors are our associate supporters; avid supporters of the Association that have pledged sponsorship money or resources for the event. The most recent addition to this list is C W Sellors, who support the conference for the 2nd year running and will also be bringing the largest piece of Whitby jet ever found to be studied by attendees.

In addition to these three sponsors, the Gem-A Conference is also supported and sponsored by a number of companies from across the globe, including: 

US TV-giant Jewelry Television will be joining the conference as Major Sponsors

Spectrometry wizards, GemmoRaman532 will be joining the conference as Sponsors

AnchorCert, Institute of Registered Valuers (IRV), GemWorld International and Marcus McCallum FGA will be joining the conference as Supporters

The British Jewellers' Association (BJA), T.H. March and Aspara Gems will be joining as Associate Supporters.

Commenting on the raft of sponsors lined-up to support the 2014 Conference, Gem-A CEO James Riley said: "For another year Gem-A has managed to pull together some of the largest international companies to sponsor our conference. It's no wonder, with the calibre of speakers at this year's event, that we've had such overwhelming support from all aspects of the trade. We're extremely pleased to have the CMJ, GECI and CW Sellors on board, alongside our other sponsors. It's a welcome return for CW Sellors (who supported and spoke at our conference in 2013) and a huge bonus to have GECI and CMJ joining us for the first time. Having all three of these companies supporting our Conference is superb news and we thoroughly look forward to working with them in the coming months."

Gem-A is still accepting offers for sponsorship from the trade and encourages any company interested in becoming a sponsor to get in touch. The Conference itself runs for 4 days from 1-4 November with tickets starting from £225 for one day. For more information on how to attend the Conference or be listed as one of our sponsors, visit the Conference pages on the News & Events section of the Gem-A website at: www.gem-a.com 

About Gem-A:   The Gemmological Association of Great Britain, or Gem-A, a London-based educational charity, is the world's longest established provider of gem education and a membership organization that forms an international community of gem professionals and enthusiasts. Gem-A seeks to serve the best interests of the gem and jewellery industries worldwide through its commitment to supporting gemmological research and high educational and trade standards. For information see www.gem-a.com.

Follow Gem-A:  Twitter:twitter.com/GemAofGB   Facebook: fb.com/GemAofGB and LinkedIn:linkedin.com/company/gem-a 

Gem-A will be holding its November 2014 Conference at the Royal Agricultural Hall, now the Business Design Centre. The Hall is a Grade II listed building, which opened in 1862 in the district of Islington in London, England, for holding agricultural shows. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Agricultural_Hall)

Rony Tennenbaum Jewelry Collection Extended To Three Ben Bridge West Coast Locations

Press Release provided by Ben Bridge

Ben Bridge Jeweler Extends Presence of 

Rony Tennenbaum Jewelry Collection 

To Three of its West Coast Locations

(San Diego, Seattle & Los Angeles)

Ben Bridge Jeweler is proud to announce the expansion of Rony Tennenbaum’s Wedding Jewelry collection to three of its locations in Seattle, San Diego and Los Angeles. In less than a year since inaugurating Tennenbaum’s collection in two of its Washington State stores, the world-renowned retailer has seen rapid growth in demand for Tennenbaum’s niche collections. 

As acceptance of gay marriage continues to grow across the country, the LGBT wedding market has increased dramatically. The expansion of the Tennenbaum Jewelry line to three additional retail stores mirrors the nationwide embrace of today's evolving culture, traditions, expectations and new frontiers of same sex marriage - now part of the new normal.

The Tennenbaum brand represents a growing movement offering unprecedented visibility to the LGBT wedding market.

This past April, Rogers & Hollands - one of the largest & oldest family owned jewelry chains in the country - added Tennenbaum’s same-sex bridal jewelry to its Chicago-area stores. More recently, Tapper’s Diamonds and Fine Jewelry, Michigan's most trusted jeweler since 1977, began carrying jewelry by Rony Tennenbaum in all three of its Detroit locations.

Continuing to expand its robust network of independent retailers and premier jewelry chains, Tennenbaum’s presence now extends nationwide to include major bridal markets such as California, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, Virginia and Connecticut, to name a few.

Rony Tennenbaum has been revolutionizing the bridal jewelry industry with 25 years of experience creating engagement, wedding, and anniversary rings for straight & same-sex couples. Tennenbaum’s unique pieces are built with fashion in mind and driven by classic, timeless features. Showcasing high-end designs beyond stereotypical rainbows and triangles, the Tennenbaum jewelry line distinguishes itself from the rest by focusing on love rather than sexual orientation.

Store locations:
San Diego - Fashion Valley Mall 7007 Friars Rd, San Diego, CA 92108
http://www.simon.com/mall/fashion-valley

Cerritos CA - Los Cerritos Center 239 Los Cerritos Center, Cerritos, California 90703
http://www.shoploscerritos.com/

Seattle WA - University Village 2623 Northeast University Village Street #7, Seattle, WA 98105
http://www.uvillage.com

About Ben Bridge Jeweler
Ben Bridge Jeweler was founded in Seattle, Washington in 1912 on a simple promise: to offer the finest jewelry, best selection, and friendly, knowledgeable service. Family-run for five generations, Ben Bridge operates more than 80 retail stores in 11 states including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. In 2012, the American Gem Society awarded the Bridge family with a Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of their significant contributions to the jewelry industry. For more information about Ben Bridge Jeweler visit www.benbridge.com.

Leading Pearl Producers and Conservation Practitioners Join Forces at First Sustainable Pearls Talks in Hong Kong

Press Release provided by Sustainable Pearl

Leading Pearl Producers 

and Conservation Practitioners 

Join Forces 

at First Sustainable Pearls Talks in Hong Kong 

Earlier this year the Sustainable Pearls Forum took place in Hong Kong, bringing pearl industry leaders around a table to discuss the importance of sustainability to cultured pearls. This event included companies such as Paspaley, Robert Wan, Jewelmer, Tiffany & Co. and Mikimoto. The Forum highlighted the potential of pearls as pioneers of sustainability in the jewellery industry and demonstrated that there is a clear business case for sustainable cultured pearls. All the videos and presentations of this event are now available online.

Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri (president of CIBJO) gave an opening talk introduced why sustainability is important in the jewellery industry, and why cultured pearls are in a unique position to be sustainability pioneers. 

The Forum was made up of three thematic sessions: Protection of the Biosphere, Management Commitment to Sustainability, and Promoting Sustainability throughout the Supply Chain.

Session One - Theme: Protection of the Biosphere:
James Paspaley (Executive Director, Paspaley Pearl Company, Australia): Commitment to minimizing ocean impact.    Presentation (pdf)

Robert Wan, (CEO & Founder Robert Wan Tahiti, French Polynesia): Farming pearl oysters in a remote coral atoll.   Presentation (pdf)

Douglas McLaurin, (Co-Founder, Perlas del Mar de Cortez, Mexico): Restoration of native pearl oyster beds in the sea of Cortez.      Presentation (pdf)

Dr. Kent Carpenter (Professor, ODU & IUCN): Marine conservation potential of pearl farming.    Presentation (pdf)

James Paspaley showcased how the Paspaley pearling company operates with little impact in remote marine areas by having only sea-based operations in Australia. Mr. Paspaley argued that "from my perspective the simplest and first step in sustainability is the preservation of the wild stock and the environment itself" and that "the overall conclusion is that the pearling industry is environmentally benign. In fact, it could be argued that the industry has an environmentally beneficial effect as, if not for the existence of the pearling industry, there would be fewer influential advocates for environmental preservation of this remote region."



Jacques-Christophe Branellec (Jewelmer, Philippines) emphasized the need to engage with surrounding communities in order to conserve the pristine marine waters in which the company's golden pearls are produced. Mr. Branellec highlighted that "by protecting the natural habitat of oysters, pearl farms also become the breeding grounds of a diverse group of marine life."

Session Two - Theme: Management commitment to sustainability: 
Andy Hart (Senior VP, Manufacturing, Diamonds & Gemstones, Tiffany & Co., USA).: Corporate responsibility at Tiffany & Co.    Tiffany & Co. video on sustainability

Jacques-Christophe Branellec (Exec. VP, Jewelmer, Philippines): Cultivating pearls in the most biodiverse area in the world.    Presentation (pdf)

Josh Humbert (Co-founder, Kamoka, French Polynesia): Social entrepreneurship in the Tahitian pearl industry.    Presentation (pdf)

Shigeru Akamatsu (Senior Consultant, Mikimoto, Japan): Linking sustainability and high-quality pearls.  Presentation (pdf)

Robert Wan from French Polynesia, a Tahitian pearl industry legend, looked back on 40 years of producing cultured pearls in remote Pacific coral atolls and the need to protect these. 

Douglas McLaurin and Josh Humbert, both smaller producers, have been pioneers of sustainable pearl farming since their beginnings by focusing on restoration of native oyster reefs and developing ecological oyster cleaning techniques.



Responsible pearl farming is unique because it is about not just preserving vital ecosystems, but also producing high-quality pearls. This economic and environmental synergy enables producers to market their pearls in unique and valuable ways.

Session Three - Theme: Promoting sustainability throughout the value chain:
Julie Nash (Sustainable Pearls): Marketing pearl sustainability: results of US consumer study.  Presentation (pdf)

Dr. Fiona Solomon (Director Standards Development, Responsible Jewellery Council RJC): The potential of certification in the jewellery industry.   Presentation (pdf)

Dr. Michael Krzemnicki (Director, Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF): Tracing pearls through the supply chain.    Presentation (pdf) 

Results of a US jewellery consumer market survey carried out by Sustainable Pearls and MVI Research were presented by Julie Nash and clearly showed that there was a business case for sustainable pearls. The Forum also included a side event in which pearl producers discussed Sustainability Principles for pearls, and these will be launched soon. 

The Hong Kong Sustainable Pearls Forum was unique in bringing together so many industry leaders to discuss sustainability.

For more information: http://www.sustainablepearls.org

About Sustainable PearlsThe Sustainable Pearls project was founded in 2011 and received initial 3 year funding from The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, through a grant to the University of Vermont. The aim of the project is to assess the synergy between pearl farming and coral health, as well as find ways for the marine cultured pearl supply chain and consumers to further support these positive environmental and socio-economic benefits and promote responsible pearl farming.