PLATINUM GUILD INTERNATIONAL USA WINS FIVE PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS FOR VIDEO SERIES

PLATINUM GUILD INTERNATIONAL USA WINS

FIVE PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS FOR VIDEO SERIES

Awards season has started early for the jewelry industry with Platinum Guild International USA being awarded a bevy of prestigious awards for their recent video series. Produced by Elias World Media, PGI’s Behind the Scenes with Platinum Designer and Editor Series took home several coveted Telly Awards, which honor excellence in video and television across all screens each year.

The campaign was designed to raise awareness of the use of platinum and to educate
consumers about the benefits of choosing platinum when making self-purchases or gifting
fine jewelry. The 9-part series featured day-in- the-life vignettes of notable jewelry designers
and fashion editors, including Wendy Brandes, Myriam Gumuchian, Deirdre Featherstone,
Engagement 101’s Severine Ferrari and Brides’ Shane Clark.

PGI and Elias World Media won three Bronze Telly Awards in the following categories:

Bronze Telly Award

Category – Craft: Videography/Cinematography

Bronze Telly Award

Category - Craft: Editing

Bronze Telly Award

Category - People’s Telly Award

In addition, PGI and Elias World Media won two platinum Hermes Creative Awards, which

honor outstanding achievement and service to the communication profession administered
and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. Founded in
1995, the AMCP’s mission is to foster and support the efforts of marketing and communication professionals who contribute their unique talents to public service and charitable organizations.

PGI and Elias World Media won in the following two categories:  

Platinum Hermes Award

Category - Educational

Platinum Hermes Award

Category - Documentary

“It is an honor to be recognized for our work by an organization outside of our industry and
in categories that feature such an amazing array of nominees,” said Jenny Luker, President of
Platinum Guild International USA. “We are proud to share this award with our featured
design partners, editors and Elias World Media.

“In today’s cluttered visual world it is imperative to push the creative boundaries when developing a successful video content strategy,” shared Monica Elias, CEO + Founder of Elias World Media. She continued, “The ability to think outside the box and to take creative risks is a “must” especially for the fine jewelry and watch industries that have generally opted to use more conventional mediums. Video content is fundamental when creating conversation and engagement and with the right “know-how” it can be especially powerful when connecting with today’s millennial consumer audience. Our work with PGI is a testament of how a fresh, partner-minded approach that is proactive, innovative, and discerning can be incorporated while continuing to excel at the tried-and-true techniques of
the past.”

To view PGI’s award-winning videos, please visit
https://vimeopro.com/user30514878/live-with-passion-live-platinum

About Platinum Guild International:
Platinum Guild International is dedicated to promoting platinum and its pure, rare and eternal qualities to the consumer and the jewelry trade. PGI has offices in each of the world major jewelry markets, providing information, assistance, and education on all aspects of platinum jewelry. For more information, please visit www.platinumjewelry.com

About Elias World Media (EWM):
Elias World Media (EWM) is an award-winning full-service multimedia company specializing in video content production and distribution. EWM excels in the areas of strategy, creation, and placement of branded video content for television and the web. EWM’s clients and expertise span vast industries which include fine jewelry and watches, luxury, fashion, beauty,
healthcare, automotive, finance and technology. With its strategically assembled team, the company’s powerful network is also adept at supporting global multimedia content production and distribution needs. EWM offerings are comprised of video, digital, live broadcast and radio services which include satellite media tours, video content integration with media, website and content channel development, campaign videos, product launch videos, news videos, corporate identity videos, documentaries, spokesperson alignment, and more. For more information, visit www.eliasworldmedia.com

Dona Dirlam Retires as Director of the Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library and Information Center

From a Press Release

Dona Dirlam Retires as Director of the Richard T. Liddicoat

Gemological Library and Information Center

Robert Weldon named Library Director

We will miss this smile...
Dona Dirlam, here thumbing through volumes from GIA's rare book archives, built the Liddicoat Library
and Information Center into the largest, most comprehensive resource of its type in the world. Photo: Michael Justice

Dona Dirlam, director of GIA’s library and information center, retired August 25 after 38 years of service to GIA’s (Gemological Institute of America) mission of ensuring the public trust in gems and jewelry. She was largely responsible for establishing and expanding the Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library and Information Center, now the world’s leading resource center for gems, gemology, and jewelry. Dirlam’s successor will be Robert Weldon, who has been the manager of photography and visual communications for GIA since 2006.

Dirlam has long been recognized for her innovation and contributions to the industry. She received the Outstanding Gemologist Award from the Association of Women Gemologists in 1989 and GIA’s Staff of the Year award in 1991. In 2004 she received GIA’s highest honor, the Richard T. Liddicoat Distinguished Achievement Award. In 2015 she received the Accredited Gemologists Association Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2016 was honored with the Women’s Jewelry Association’s Award for Excellence in Special Services. She has coauthored more than a dozen articles for GIA’s quarterly professional journal Gems & Gemology (G&G), five of which received a G&G Most Valuable Article award.

Over Dirlam’s tenure, she expanded the collection to more than 57,000 books, 700 journal and magazine titles, 198,000 digital images and 1,800 video recordings. With the addition of the 14,000-volume John & Marjorie Sinkankas Gemological Library in 1987 and the creation of the Cartier Rare Book Repository & Archives in 1998, she has helped to build the world’s largest library for information on gems and jewelry. Her commitment to providing greater access to GIA’s rare books led to a significant project to digitize the collection’s rarest holdings and make them available for free to the public and global gem industry. Since the project launched in 2015, more than 300 books have been scanned and are available at https://archive.org/details/gialibrary. 

“Dona’s groundbreaking efforts on behalf of the Institute’s research, education, and outreach capabilities have kept GIA at the forefront of gemological scholarship,” said Susan Jacques, president, and CEO of GIA.

“Cultivating our library’s collection and creating accessibility for the public has been the library’s main goal,” said Dirlam. “It takes dedicated individuals to handle the projects that come through our door and for that I am honored to have worked with a phenomenal team. What we have accomplished in the past decades will continue under the leadership of Robert Weldon.”

Robert Weldon named Director of the Richard T.
Liddicoat Gemological Library and Information
Center.    Photo: Judy Colbert/GIA

Weldon assumed responsibilities as library director on Dirlam’s retirement. He plans to carry on Dirlam’s legacy of expanding GIA’s collection and making it available to students, the trade, and the public.

Dirlam holds a Master of Science degree in Geology and Geophysics from the University of Wisconsin (Madison). She began her career as an earth sciences teacher before following her passion for minerals and gems to GIA’s Santa Monica campus in 1979. Upon completion of her GIA Graduate Gemologist (GG) diploma, she joined the Institute as a staff gemologist and later was offered the opportunity to build the Institute’s library by Liddicoat himself. She began as a GIA research librarian in 1980 and became the director of the library in 1995. She also served as abstract editor of G&G from 1981-1994 and has given more than a hundred lectures on a variety of historical topics.

Weldon has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville). After receiving his GIA GG in 1987, Weldon spent three years working in the GIA library for Dona Dirlam. In 1990, he joined JCK magazine as colored gemstone editor; he later joined Professional Jeweler as a senior writer. Since returning to GIA in 2006, his photographs and articles have been featured in numerous gemological, jewelry and consumer publications. He has authored or co-authored more than half dozen articles in G&G and his photographs have appeared on 31 of its covers.

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. 

Alan Revere to Retire in December 2017. The #RevereAcademy is Currently for Sale.

A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT FROM REVERE ACADEMY!

Alan Revere to Retire in December 2017.  The Revere Academy is Currently for Sale.

"It has been a wonderful journey so far.  And the journey continues, just in a different direction."   After nearly 40 years, Alan Revere has decided to retire from teaching and directing the school that he founded in San Francisco. The Revere Academy is currently for sale. Classes will continue as scheduled through 2017. This is a great opportunity to take more classes right now.   "My goal has always been to share my love of goldsmithing and bring traditional jewelry techniques across the millennium," says Revere, who is looking forward to quieter days roaming the west in his VW camper. "With thousands of graduates creating jewelry around the globe, I feel satisfied that my efforts have been successful. Now, we are looking for the right person to purchase The Revere Academy and lead it into the future."   Regarding the sale of the school, Revere believes it's a unique opportunity for someone to own an iconic, thriving fixture in the jewelry world and carry its traditions of excellence into the future. The school offers 100 classes in traditional and contemporary jewelry making skills each year. The Revere Academy offers certificates for individual classes, such as fabrication, repair, design, and gemology and diplomas for longer programs, all of which are authorized by The State of California, Department of Education, Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.    Revere established The Revere Academy in San Francisco in 1979, bringing European-style jewelry training to the Bay Area. Since then the school has trained more than 10,000 students. Many graduates are working as bench jewelers and designers around the globe, sitting at benches every day using the skills they learned at the Revere Academy.   Please direct purchase inquiries to Paul Terry at pta@paulterry.com.   Many classes are still open. Register at revereacademy.com

From a Press Release

GENEVIVE PROMINENTLY FEATURED IN 

NEW DASU VIDEO FROM UNIVERSAL MUSIC

Video tops more than 2.2 million views within days of release

Genevive, the New York-based designers of attainable luxury jewelry, had a starring role in a new music video that has garnered more than two million views on YouTube during its launch week. Shot
on site at EAST Miami over the course three days, the video for Indian pop sensation Dasu’s Turn Back Time, featuring reggae artist Charly Black, showcased a bevy of models wardrobed in Genevive. From a multicolored gemstone choker to all-white chandelier earrings, the jewelry fits seamlessly into the visuals, adding a heightened element of glamour to the video’s steamy South Beach vibe.

“We are always looking for unique ways to reach our target audience and attract new eyes to our brand,” explained Victor, Chief Marketing officer, for Genevive. “Collaborating with Dasu on this video for Universal Music allowed for the opportunity to showcase the collection in a unique manner, beyond traditional public relations initiatives, introducing it to an entirely new group of potential
brand loyalists.” He continued, “The lifestyle element of this video was the perfect setting for Genevive to shine.”

All of the pieces featured in the video are available on Genevive’s website,
www.genevive.jewelry.

To see Genevive’s cameos in the video, visit  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxT2wBRwv8Y

About Genevieve:
Genevive was a vision that began to take shape more than 60 years ago. It was founded in 1950’s by European jewelers who eventually settled in New York City. With years of experience designing and creating exquisite jewelry, they realized there is a need for classic, cosmopolitan and carefully made jewelry that could be acquired by most women without sacrificing workmanship and quality. Genevive is inspired by the sophisticated cosmopolitan woman - strong and unique yet feminine and elegant. Multi-faceted, she is versatile in whatever she chooses to do and wear, while always coming back to the theme of being perfectly stylish at all times. Attainable luxury designed in New York City.
To learn more about Genevive, visit www.genevive.jewelry.

"Around The Neck" the Latest Publication from the Preeta Agarwal Workroom

presents AROUND THE NECK a jewellery coffee table book

A visual treat on trending necklaces... ~ Oodles of breathtaking jewellery ~ ~ Necklace trends with design and manufacturing tips~ ~ Features 55 internationally renowned jewellers ~ ~ International team of researchers and writers ~ ~ Published by New York based Crystal Art Publication ~ ~ Being sold worldwide through book stores, jewellery shows and Amazon ~ ...and authored by yours truly - Preeta Agarwal Read more about the book here For purchase and feedback, do write to me at a.preeta@gmail.com

#WordlessWednesday featuring Gem Cutter Dalan Hargrave

Today's Featured Artist -  

Gem Cutter Extraordinaire, Dalan Hargrave of GemStarz

I know - it's supposed to be Wordless - but these aren't my words.... 

"American Brilliant Series. It a lot of fun since there are so many possibilities for more artistic gemstone art. I’ve been doing similar style pieces for 19 years now since there wasn’t anyone going that direction at the time I began focusing on gemstone cutting. It is my artist creed to never copy or even emulate the work of those who have paved the pathway of this modern fantasy cut gemstone movement.

Even if I don’t place in a competition, the process of competing pushes me to try new things and develop new tooling to accomplish them. The American Brilliant Series is just reapplication of known techniques borrowed from the crystal glass industry and used in gemstone art. The name is simply a way of showing respect to that movement that flourished from the late 1800s to the early 1900s in the glass industry here in America. Multiplying patterns by using internal reflections like a kaleidoscope is something I’ve added to the art form.

The yellow orange stone is actually a nice tourmaline (14.6 cts.) from a relatively recent find in Tanzania and large fro it kind. The tricolor Ametrine is a very rare slice of an Ametrine crystal that had a clear area and was handpicked for me by Ramiro who owns the mine in Bolivia. The sunstone is from one of the Dust Devil claims called the Snakebite Claim and the rough was very recently found by a close friend."

....and more from the Master!

...and my personal favorite

Now you've seen his American Brilliant Series... check out the range this cutter has.

Praisiolite & Citrine

Canyon Survey- 265 cts natural blue topaz on petrified wood. 

Celestial City Series- Phantom quartz on angelite inset with black opal,
turquoise, lace agate and kyanite planets. The fountain is lit with led
lights that pass through filters made of cherry opal, yellow opal,
tourmaline and topaz.
Mounted on a black walnut root ball base. 17.5cm in height. 

Rose quartz from the Hogg Mine. via Doug Malby, Starlight Cut, Zig Zag Cut and Snowflake Cut.

Tools of the Trade...

• Contact Dalan through his website 
• http://www.gemstarz.com
• 
  

or his Facebook Page   https://www.facebook.com/dalan.hargrave

While you're in Denver this Fall, 
you can check out some of his pieces at:
The Crown Collection 4433 W. 29th Ave Denver, CO 80211