Elegano.com

Hearts on Fire launches mobile-enabled ads

eleganonl — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:28:20 +0000

New advertisements for Hearts on Fire's bridal line featuring a mobile QR (quick response) barcode are set to appear in the next issue of Elle magazine, on newsstands April 21.

Boston--Branded diamond company Hearts on Fire has partnered with a Michigan-based technology company to launch a series of magazine advertisements designed to direct print advertisement viewers to the Web.

According to a news release issued by the Boston-based company, Hearts on Fire has teamed with Tappinn to create print ads that feature engagement rings from its bridal collection along with a mobile QR (quick response) barcode. By using their Web-enabled smart phones and the barcode, consumers can reach a mobile site that allows them to view Hearts on Fire designs and share those designs with their friends through the use of e-mail or various social media applications.

According to the release, the goal is to make it easy for consumers to learn more about Hearts on Fire products and create an experience that blends print ads with technology. ....

Yael Designs celebrates Earth Day with ‘Pacifica’

eleganonl — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:23:07 +0000

Yael Designs' new "Pacifica" collection includes earrings, pendants and rings, such as this one above, featuring tanzanite and colorless diamonds set into recycled 18-karat gold.

San Francisco--Fine jewelry design house Yael Designs has launched a new ocean-inspired collection just in time for Earth Day, and has also announced its role in an auction that raises funds for environmental causes.

The sea-centric "Pacifica Collection" features deep blue tanzanite stones, ranging in size from 3 to 22 carats, and set into diamond-accented rings, earrings and pendants. The 38 pieces in the collection are available in 18-karat recycled white or yellow gold, and retail from $5,000 to $25,000.

According to Yael Designs Chief Executive Officer Yehouda Saketkhou, the collection was inspired by the beauty of the Pacific Ocean, noting that its crashing waves lie less than a mile from the company's headquarters......

Is silver the ticket for Mother’s Day sales?

eleganonl — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:19:14 +0000

Isabelle Grace Jewelry's "Sweet Hearts" name charm necklace in silver with gold cable chain; suggested retail price starts at $135. (508) 951-1749 or IsabelleGraceJewelry.com

By Catherine Dayrit

New York--The brood may have long graduated from the days of crafting handmade button bracelets and macaroni necklaces as Mother's Day gifts, but that doesn't mean mom is over the appeal of hand-wrought, personalized gifts.

Designer jewelry offerings have been bursting with sentimental appeal, as of late, creating no shortage of pieces that can serve as beautiful and wearable reminders of loved ones throughout the year.....

Affordability helps colored stones grab attention

eleganonl — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:02:50 +0000

From Tresor's "Fin Collection," a multicolor quartz and diamond bracelet set in 18-karat gold; suggested retail price is $1,800. (201) 606-2612 or TresorCollection.com

by Michelle Graff

The recession has pummeled almost all jewelry categories, and colored gemstones have their share of bruises.

In National Jeweler's latest Product Panel, which focused on colored gemstones, the greatest percentage of respondents respondents, 42 percent, reported that the recession has negatively impacted their sales of colored gemstones and colored gemstone jewelry.

Still, there is good news for those who enthusiastically stock their display cases with ruby rings and peridot pendants: Since many colored gemstones offer a more affordable alternative to diamonds, they seem to be catching the eyes of more budget-minded consumers.

A total 39 percent of survey respondents said that the recession has actually driven their colored gemstone sales higher.....

Bridal brand A. Jaffe names McArdle CEO

eleganonl — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 14:56:36 +0000

Engagement Ring

New York--Bridal jewelry manufacturer A. Jaffe has announced the appointment of James McCardle as its chief executive officer, effective May 2010.

A senior executive MBA with national and international luxury branded sales experience, McArdle was most recently managing director of Todd and Duncan, a U.K.-based cashmere mill that supplies luxury textiles to many of the world's elite brands.

Prior to his four-year stint with Todd and Duncan, McArdle held senior retail and wholesale roles at Crabtree and Evelyn and L'Occitane en Provence, both in the United States and overseas. He began his career in the prestige tabletop arena.

In his new position, McArdle's focus will be on brand building by working closely with A. Jaffe customers and internal staff to ensure retailers' expectations are met and exceeded, the company said in a media release......

De Beers’ ‘Millenium Blue’ sells for $6 million

eleganonl — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 14:49:35 +0000

This 5.16-carat fancy vivid blue diamond sold for $6.4 million at Sotheby's Hong Kong on Wednesday, well exceeding its highest sale estimate of $5.1 million.

Hong Kong--A 5.16-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, once part of De Beers' Millennium Jewels Collection, sold for $6.4 million at Sotheby's Hong Kong on Wednesday, as diamonds continued to show strength in the auction market.

According to a news release from the auction house, Moussaieff of London emerged as the winning bidder for the pear-shaped diamond, which sold for well over its estimated sale price of $4.1 million to $5.1 million following "intense" bidding.

The sought-after stone was once one of the 11 blue diamonds in the Millennium Jewels Collection, a group of rare diamonds selected by Andrew Coxon, president of the De Beers Institute of Diamonds, to mark the turn of the millennium.

Wednesday's sale of the 5.16-carat millennium blue marks the first time one of these stones has been put up for sale since the diamonds were placed with private collectors in 2000......

Luxury Watches as an Investment

eleganonl — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 22:07:17 +0000

by Katya Kazakina

As a rookie collector, George Saviano bought watches because they fascinated him with their intricate mechanisms, not their potential price appreciation.

Since 2004, he has bought about 30 timepieces. Some increased by 50%, others would make him pennies on the dollar, he says. As he gained experience and knowledge about watchmaking and the watch market, he has become more selective.

"I saw that if I limit myself to buying fewer, more expensive and more exclusive pieces, I enjoy them more, and they are also a better investment," says Saviano, 58, a cardiologist who lives in East Brunswick, N.J.

Like BMWs and iPhones, most watches—whether they cost $500 or $50,000—drop in value as soon as they leave the store. The question: How to select the winning models that will hold value or increase in price over time?.....

‘Eco-chic’ designers to be honored in Washington

eleganonl — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 22:01:06 +0000

Alberto Parada necklace in recycled Harmony 18-karat gold with conflict-free diamonds, and Monique Pean rings in recycled 18-karat gold with conflict-free diamonds and fossilized walrus and woolly mammoth ivory. Monique Pean photo by Doug Rosa

Washington--On the eve of Earth Day 2010, Washingtonians will be busy celebrating pioneers of the "eco chic" movement, including ecologically and ethically minded architects, fashion designers and jewelry makers, among others.

"Eco Chic: Night of Stars and Rising Stars," an event produced by the Fashion Group International of Greater Washington D.C., in collaboration with the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Corcoran College of Art and Design, is set to take place Wednesday, April 21, and has been officially registered as an Earth Day recognition event.

The gala will kick off with a cocktail reception and fashion presentation featuring apparel from eco-friendly clothing brand TranquiliT, as well as jewelry from designers Alberto Parada, Calamarie and Monique Pean.

Each of the above brands will also be honorees in the Eco Chic awards ceremony, which will take place immediately following the fashion presentation......

Red-hot diamond on block at Sotheby’s Australia

eleganonl — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:30:19 +0000

The 0.82-carat center stone of this ring will mark the first red diamond to be offered for public auction in Australia. The ring is estimated at as much as $921,556 and also features fancy blue diamonds and brilliant-cut colorless diamonds set in platinum.

Sydney, Australia--Sotheby's Australia's upcoming April 12 sale of antique and contemporary jewelry will be a significant one for the auction house. The event will mark the Australian branch's first standalone jewelry sale, with the highlight slated to be the first red diamond ever offered for public auction in Australia.

The 0.82-carat, fancy purplish-red Argyle diamond is set into a ring and is flanked by a pair of fancy blue diamonds in a round brilliant-cut diamond surround, all mounted in platinum. Its value is estimated at between 700,000 and 1 million Australian dollars (between about $645,065 and $921,556) and will be accompanied by a letter from Argyle Diamonds attesting to its rarity.

Sotheby's said in a media release that despite the notable discovery of the Argyle pink diamond deposits in Western Australia, less than a handful of red diamonds have been discovered, and connoisseurs have long considered red diamonds to be among the most precious and rare of diamonds.....

Argentium inks silver deal with two new suppliers

eleganonl — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:26:37 +0000

London--Argentium International Ltd. has announced a partnership with two new suppliers, a move that is part of a new distribution strategy for the company, which manufactures tarnish-resistant silver.

The suppliers, GSM Metals Inc. and La.Met S.p.A., will provide Argentium sheet and wire products in the both the United States and Europe, Argentium International Chief Executive Officer Richard Leyens said in a media release.

The collaborations follow the appointment earlier this year of the Legor Group as technical partners and suppliers of Argentium silver grain, the first initiative of Argentium's new distribution strategy for the metal, one that its producers says is highly tarnish resistant, purer, whiter, stronger and harder than traditional sterling silver.

According to the company, the latest partnerships with GSM Metals and La.Met will help to further strengthen Argentium International's network of "best in class" manufacturers and suppliers.

Based in Rhode Island, GSM Metals is a manufacturer of precious metal alloys and is a supplier of finished jewelry items. La.Met, an Italian company, is known for its premium quality goods......