The Daily Jewel: 7/16/17

Friday, July 21, 2017

#JWLV NEW In 2018 Las Vegas Estate Jewelry & Watch Pavilion Debut Within JCK Las Vegas Show

From a Press Release

Latest Addition to the 2018 JCK Las Vegas Show

Las Vegas Estate Jewelry & Watch Pavilion
Makes its Debut Within JCK Las Vegas

Brought to You by the Palm Beach Show Group

The Palm Beach Show Group continues to expand its impressive line-up of shows with the launch of the Las Vegas Estate Jewelry & Watch Pavilion, located in the center of the world renowned JCK Las Vegas show floor. JCK Las Vegas will once again return to the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino next June 1-4, 2018 introducing over 23,000 visitors to the new prestigious Pavilion.

The Pavilion is poised to be an exciting new addition to the already well-established JCK Las Vegas event, showcasing a remarkable array of antique and estate jewelry and pre-owned watches as well as select contemporary pieces. The Pavilion will present the finest jewelry and watch dealers from around the world, showcasing their one-of-a-kind pieces and offering a momentous shopping experience to the trade.

"We are thrilled to be able to work with the Palm Beach Show Group to bring the best antique and estate dealers to the main JCK Show floor at Mandalay Bay in 2018," stated Yancy Weinrich, Senior Vice President of Reed Jewelry Group. "This new content of one-of-a-kind and vintage pieces to offer the buyers of JCK, will be just another reason that they can't miss attending the show. Attendees will now be able to see a fine selection of antique and estate under one roof - at JCK."

Scott Diament, President and CEO of the Palm Beach Show Group, anticipates the announcement of the Las Vegas Estate Jewelry & Watch Pavilion to come as no surprise to the industry.

"The production of a dedicated pavilion within the JCK Las Vegas event has been created in response to high dealer demand," stated Diament, "antique and estate jewelry and watch dealers want the tremendous buying traffic that JCK Las Vegas offers. We could not be more excited about working with Reed Exhibitions"

Over the past three years, Show Director, Andrea Canady has helped the Palm Beach Show Group expand its portfolio of events to include high-end jewelry and watch shows. After successfully launching both the New York City Jewelry & Watch Show in 2015 and the Miami Beach Jewelry & Watch Show in 2017, dealers endlessly encouraged the Palm Beach Show Group to explore participation during Las Vegas Jewelry Week. "Dealers were so impressed with the quality and success our first annual Miami Beach Jewelry & Watch Show," stated Canady , "I had countless of satisfied dealers express interest in exhibiting with us in other cities - reiterating the obvious demand to add Las Vegas to our show schedule."

Exhibiting space in 2018 is very limited - only allowing for 75 of the most prominent dealers. Dealers interested in applying for participation at the 2018 Las Vegas Estate Jewelry & Watch Pavilion can contact the Las Vegas Show Director, Andrea Canady for additional details.

Andrea Canady
Palm Beach Show Group • Show Director
Andrea@palmbeachshow.com • 239-732-6866

Owned and produced by the Palm Beach Show Group, the inaugural Las Vegas Estate Jewelry & Watch Pavilion at JCK Las Vegas is designed to meet the needs of domestic and international dealers alike. The Palm Beach Show Group is committed to creating environments to grow dealer and buyer relationships through exciting experiences, networking opportunities and powerful marketing campaigns.

Las Vegas Estate Jewelry & Watch Pavilion

Date: June 1-4, 2018

Location: Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino

3950 S Las Vegas Blvd

Las Vegas, NV 89119

About the Palm Beach Show Group:

Palm Beach Show Group is the leading full-service show production company in the world, specializing in fine art, antique & jewelry shows. The Palm Beach Show Group produces high-end events that create unique meeting places for collectors, art advisors, museum curators, interior designers and dealers.
The Palm Beach Show Group believes that bringing together dealers and attendees in major cities throughout the country allows for an incredible culmination of education, entertainment and commerce that cannot be found anywhere else. Whether young or old, seasoned or novice, a Palm Beach Show Group event creates bonds between generations.

The Palm Beach Show Group produces shows in major cities throughout the United States:

Hamptons Market Art + Design Show.........................July 6-9, 2017
Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show.............August 24-27, 2017
Baltimore Fine Craft Show..................................August 24-27, 2017
New York City Jewelry & Watch Show ............October 27-30, 2017
LA Art Show ...................................................January 10-14, 2018
Miami Beach Jewelry & Antiques Show...............February 1-4, 2018
Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show........February 14-20, 2018
Palm Beach Fine Craft Show...........................February 16-18, 2018
Naples Art, Antique & Jewelry Show.................February 23-27, 2018
Las Vegas Estate Jewelry & Watch Pavilion...............June 1-4, 2018

For more information, visit www.palmbeachshowgroup.com

About JCK:

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 Magazine - the leading industry publication in print & online - JCK offers a suite of tools and events to deliver sound solutions, innovative opportunities, and essential information. For more information on JCK, visit jckonline.com/lasvegas.

#GIA Develops Free Gem Guide for Artisanal Miners #MineToMarket

From a Press Release

GIA Develops Free Gem Guide for Artisanal Miners

Institute works with NGO Pact and women’s mining group in Tanzania for pilot study

GIA’s Robert Weldon, left, instructs a miner from the
Tanzanian Association of Women Miners (TAWOMA)
in the use of Selecting Gem Rough: A Guide for Artisanal Miners.
Photo by Crystal Nel © GIA

GIA (Gemological Institute of America), working with nonprofit international development organization Pact, recently launched a pilot study to test a new rough gem guide. The guide was developed specifically to offer basic gemological and market knowledge for artisanal miners in gem-producing regions. The illustrated booklet, available in English and Tanzanian Swahili, was distributed to approximately 45 women miners in the Tanga region of Tanzania.

“This project is at the very core of GIA’s mission,” said GIA President and CEO Susan Jacques. “We are moving practical gemstone education as far up the supply chain as possible, to people who can benefit tremendously from greater understanding of the beautiful gems they bring to market.”

The content and form of the booklet, Selecting Gem Rough: A Guide for Artisanal Miners, was developed by a team of GIA gemology, market, education and design staff working in consultation with colored gemstone experts who have extensive experience buying gems in rural areas. The project, originally conceived by GIA Distinguished Research Fellow Dr. James Shigley, is part of the Institute’s mission-driven effort to share gem information and related skills throughout the gem and jewelry industry supply chain and with the public.

Tanzanian Swahili copy of Selecting Gem Rough: A Guide
for Artisanal Miners and included translucent tray.
Photo by Robert Weldon © GIA

All costs for the pilot – approximately $120,000 – were paid from the GIA endowment fund. GIA provided the booklet and training at no cost; the booklet will remain free of charge as the Institute expands the training to other small scale rural miners in East Africa later this year.

Participants in GIA’s pilot program for Selecting Gem Rough: A Guide for Artisanal Miners.
Dignitaries include Zepharia M. Nsungi, Tanga Tanzania Resident Mines Officer
(front row, sixth from right) and Eunice Negele, chairperson of the Tanzanian Association
of Women Miners (front row, seventh from right). Photo by Robert Weldon © GIA

A seven-person GIA and Pact team traveled to the Tanga region of Tanzania in January 2017 to conduct training with the booklet for approximately 45 women miners of the Tanzanian Association of Women Miners (TAWOMA). “Because the booklet is very visual with explanations in Tanzanian Swahili, the miners immediately recognized the practical applications and how they can benefit from this easy-to-use information,” said Robert Weldon, GIA manager of photography and visual communications, who helped develop and test the booklet. “It was incredibly fulfilling to see how sharing GIA’s extensive gem knowledge could directly impact the daily lives of artisanal miners.”

Marvin Wambua, GIA GG (right), helps participants in GIA’s pilot program examine a gem in the translucent tray included with the booklet
Selecting Gem Rough: A Guide for Artisanal Miners. GIA and Pact, an NGO based in Washington, D.C., distributed the booklet and plastic trays
to dozens of miners in the Tanga region of Tanzania in January 2017. Photo by Robert Weldon © GIA

Pact, a Washington D.C.-based international development nonprofit, has worked with diverse artisanal and small-scale mining communities throughout Africa for more than 15 years. “There is often a knowledge differential between artisanal miners and those further along the supply chain,” said Cristina Villegas, technical program manager for Pact’s Mines to Markets program. “This new GIA resource will help miners in rural areas better understand the quality and value of their products, which will help reduce that differential and improve their economic development opportunities."

The Tanga region was chosen for the pilot because of its diversity of gemstones and the expressed interest of TAWOMA leadership. Nearly every gem species mined in East Africa is described in the durable, waterproof booklet that includes illustrations of rough and polished gems. There are also graphical instructions on how to prepare and examine rough under a variety of lighting conditions using an included translucent tray.

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, Clarity, Cut 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.

#JWLV COUTURE Design Awards is Highlight of 2017 Jewelry Week Las Vegas #CoutureShow2017 #ThisIsCouture

COUTURE Design Awards is Highlight of 2017 Event
New Venue Elevates the Award’s Gravitas

Excitement and anticipation permeated the crowd within the Encore Theater as nearly 1,000 designers, editors and retailers from the COUTURE community gathered to celebrate the nominees and winner’s of this year’s COUTURE Design Awards. The change in venue left everyone in awe with the Art Deco decor of the lobby and the magnificent sparkle from the stage.

“Tonight is when we celebrate the incredible artists who labor an entire year to create these works of art, and showcase their hearts and souls within their salons,” COUTURE’s Director, Gannon Brousseau explained from the stage. He then went on to thank this year’s panel of judges, Melissa Geiser from Stanley Korshak, Julie Thom from Von Bargen’s, Daisy Shaw from Vanity Fair, Katerina Perez of Katerina Perez, and designer Yossi Harari, for their time, insight and expertise in selecting the winning designs and finalists.

Furrer Jacot, who won the inaugural Best in Men’s Jewelry Award thanked the designer who has been with him for 30 years saying that he “didn’t want to do another men’s piece - he wanted to do something great.” The winner of the Best in Diamonds Above $20,000, Fernando Jorge, enthused from the stage, "This was my first adventure with diamonds and therefore I feel very very honored to receive this award."

A touching highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Cindy Edelstein Award by Cindy’s daughter, Remy, to designer Stephen Webster. A video tribute showcased the designer’s passionate support of the industry, commitment to ethical sourcing and design practices and philanthropic endeavors.

Best in Bridal:

Winner: Jade Trau