Jewelry PR Division

This month Heidi Klum had her first appearance on QVC to launch her collection for Mouawad. This highly anticipated debut certainly got a big piece of the QVC pie. Her appearance was well received and everyone loved her pieces as the collection sold out of 14 of 16 styles in the first 36 minutes. Klum’s collection is inspired from a four leave clover as well as the pattern from the Duomo in Milan. (Duomo is the Italian word for the church in the middle of the city/town. Most Italian cities have a Duomo—Milan’s is the most well known for its gothic architecture.)





Personally, I really like this collection. I love the playfulness of the shamrock but I love that it can also be dressed up (ie. Heidi at the Emmy’s this year.) It could also be that I love Heidi Klum and everything she does! The nice thing is that, if one can’t afford the pieces from Heidi’s collection, there are options with similar designs and styles. My favorite kind of steal is from Endless Diamonds. They have similar pieces with a diamond in the center of the pendant.





Either way, we can all look beautiful in diamonds! After all, they are a girl’s best friend!

A favorite line of accessories editors the world around is "and then take one piece" off referring to the rule of removing one piece of jewelry after you are fully dressed and prepared for the day.

Of course another editor tip through the ages has been stretching a wardrobe of basics through clever jewelry usage. But if you are instructed to constantly downsize your accessorising options for day is it possible that you need a wardrobe of jewelry basics too?

Given the classic popularity of a string of pearls, diamond stud earrings, and the tennis bracelet it seems that jewelry lovers the world over agree. This makes discovering the right pieces of jewelry for your even more critical. Even the classics make different statements. Pearls make any outfit more conservative whereas a diamond stud is a classic touch that ups the elegance factor on any outfit. The same principles of choosing basics in clothing applies to jewelry.

But remember even when the editors appear to know better than we mere mortals do it can be good to break the law sometimes and throw it all on. You can always take a few pieces off at the end of the night. That is still technically following the laws of accessorising right?

STORM Watches is a proud sponsor of this year's EMA's, MTV's European Music Awards has especially commissioned 4 Unique Limited Edition watches that will be your access all areas pass to the legendary MTV Europe Music Awards 2006, being held in the Scandinavian party town of Copenhagen on November 2nd.

You will get the full VIP treatment at the pre-party and then get to see the main event itself, where some of the biggest names in music are performing. Finish the night off in style dancing until the early hours at the VIP after show party.

To enter the competition you must be 18 or over. Competition closing date 14th October 2006.

Please read The Terms & Conditions and enter to win!

Judith Ripka is a Award winning designer Judith Ripka creates jewelry of understated elegance that is meant to be worn everyday, from day into evening, from black tie to blue jeans and everything in between. Taught by her mother, a European couturier, to see the beauty in all the little things around us, each piece of jewelry Judith designs is an expression of that beauty as shared through the eyes of her mother.

Taking cue from her busy life as wife, mother, grandmother and business woman, Judith designs versatile jewelry with a special twist, ancient inspired, classically informed, timeless, yet modernized to complement today's wardrobe.

Amongst her many achievements and awards, Judith won the prestigious DeBeers' Award for Diamond Design and was inducted into the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Please read the full interview on National Jeweler Network

Being persistent and surrounding yourself with positive, encouraging friends and associates can catapult your business into the big time, jewelry-design powerhouse Judith Ripka told attendees of the Women's Jewelry Association's Women in the Know Conference at the Fashion Institute of Technology on Friday.

Passion for creating jewelry can also take your business a long way, she added.

"Even if it had not become my business, I would still design jewelry," Ripka said. "Persistence is one of the keys to my success. I've sketched two days a week religiously for 34 years."

Ripka told the story of her business, the Judith Ripka Companies Inc., a multimillion-dollar wholesale and retail jewelry company that now employs 150 people (90 percent of whom are women) and is opening its 13th retail store in Las Vegas this year. [...]

But when Ripka started out, she was a struggling mother of three running her business out of the living room of her house in Long Island, where she was one of the few working mothers in her neighborhood at the time.

She balanced caring for the children with sketching during all of her free moments, initially selling jewelry out of her own living room from a $12 case she bought in the Bowery section of Manhattan.

Her business got off the ground with a $1,000 loan from a dear friend who was among those who encouraged her as she began making jewelry at a manufacturing facility in 1973, Ripka said. Other friends lent her cars to get around since she didn't own a vehicle.

"Don't have anyone around you who doesn't wish you well," Ripka said. "There were countless people along the way who told me to give up, that the chances were slim. But I am telling you, the chances are not slim."

With statement rings being one of the jewelry trends this Spring, David Lundahl has designed a collection that will leave you humming the tune, “I want candy.” These oversized crystals come in a variety of colors set in gold or silver toned metals.

For more information about David Lundahl:

Jewelry PR Division Christina at piercemattie dot com

Via National Jewelry Network: New York—Two iconic Japanese design forces, Mikimoto and clothing designer Yohji Yamamoto, will collaborate on a fine jewelry collection set to launch this fall. Three groups of designs will comprise the Yamamoto-designed collection of about 20 pieces, which will make its official debut in Paris during Couture Week this July.

Mikimoto and Yohji Yamamoto stores worldwide will begin selling the designs in November. "The pearl is a symbol of feminine perfection, and, in the quintessential universe of fine jewelry, it stands alone," reads a Mikimoto statement. "Its perfect form, the subtlety of its irridescence, its refinement singularly unique ...the pearl radiates magnetic attractions. For these reasons, Yohji Yamamoto has decided to design a jewelry collection focused on the pearl.

Mikimoto's incomparable reputation for designing, producing and selling the world's finest cultured pearl jewelry made it a perfect choice for Yohji Yamamoto." Yamamoto, who rose to prominence with his bold designs in the 1980s, is famous for clothing featuring glossy textures and dramatic silhouettes.

Frederique Dessemond is a talented painter turned jewelry designer hailing from France. After studying art history and working as an interior designer, Dessemond felt there was more out there for her and in 1999 she landed in New York. After getting her feet wet in the fashion industry, she began to design her own jewelry and now eight years later; ginette_ny has its first one of a kind jewelry boutique in New York’s West Village.

While her jewelry can be found in Henri Bendel’s and Barney’s, the ginette_ny jewelry bar offers customers a different jewelry buying experience. Dessemond wanted to provide her customers with a personalized sense of customer service with a unique way to shop for jewelry. One can sit and have something to drink while perusing the display stands on the bar and received personalized service from Dessemond herself. In a time when engaging with customers seems to be more product-focused than customer service-focused, ginette_ny offers something unique that is not merely “shopping,” but instead an experience.

The ginette_ny line of jewelry consists of signature gold disc necklaces, custom monogrammed necklaces, keys, coins, chains, rings and earrings. Besides the new jewelry bar, ginette_ny jewelry can be purchased at a variety of locations, all of which are listed on her website. Her jewelry collection is also available for purchase online at ShopBop.com

ginette_ny Jewelry Bar
172 West 4th Street, NY

Colors aren’t just about fashion anymore, they stand for worthy causes. Lance Armstrong gave us yellow, Bono gave us Red, and now jewelry designers are giving us a new reason to go green. Lately we’ve seen Simmons Jewelry Company come out with the Green Initiative collection, and even more recently Mauri Pioppo offers the Live Green collection with 30% of her proceeds going to the Natural Resources Defense Council. But to jewelry designer John Hardy, giving back to the environment is nothing new, not to a man who built his entire design studio out of bamboo.

John Hardy’s collections reflects his love for color and detail, but what he's most known for is his mastery of silver.

You’d never guess that the designs for his sparkling diamonds and glowing sapphires are actually sketched from under a thatched roof deep in the rice farms of Bali. But that’s John’s style, sustainable living. That’s why he keeps his own cows, goats, chickens, and rabbits, as well as cultivates sugar cane and rice, so that he can feed his seven hundred employees a healthy lunch everyday.

There’s also a building in the complex known as the showroom where grass and bamboo walls come together forming an arch covered with waxed cotton which is reminiscent of a hand-hewn cathedral. Inside John has furniture and shelves fashioned from the roots of riverine trees off the island of Sumbawa. He apparently rescued the trees when he found out they were going to be burned.

John’s deep respect for nature is truly inspiring. And as more and more jewelry designers heed the call to become environmentally friendly, it cannot be denied that John Hardy will always be the greenest of them all.

Despite Paris’ recent trouble with the law, when it comes to endorsing brands, she proves to still be in high demand. Damiani jewelry has just made her the face of its newest collection, Bliss, and with the E Network!’s recent decision to not pick up another season of the Simple Life, this opportunity could not have come at a better time.

“It’s an honor to be part of this campaign, Hilton told E! Online. “I love fashion and I love diamonds,”

The new collection, designed for a younger target, features not only diamonds but also pieces with gold, stainless steel, and wood. Its prices range from $60 to $3,000 and vice president, Silvia Damiani, feels that Paris is perfect for the jewelry’s fashionable and youthful image.

While an Italian designer, Damiani has become a favorite for American celebrities including Brad Pitt who designed his own wedding rings when he married Jennifer Aniston, and Gwyneth Paltrow who was featured in previous advertisements.

For Hilton though, her three-year commitment is just beginning. Already photographed by fashion photographer Ellen von Unwerth, Hilton’s face will soon be seen in magazines, billboards, and on television after Bliss premieres in Italy.

Photo credit: Popbytes

Gina Nigrelli draws from a myriad of life experiences, ranging from living in southern Africa, to launching her career in fashion in Las Vegas, to receiving a graduate degree in Fashion Design while acting as Director of Marketing and Events for a national, online shopping destination. After relocating to the Virgin Islands in 2005, Nigrelli followed her lifelong dream of pursuing a creative venture. Her husband, Brian Smith, a perpetual entrepreneur, works behind the scenes aiding in bringing the project to life.

Nigrelli and Smith reside in St Thomas, USVI. Driven by a firm belief in appreciating everyday beauty and life’s simple pleasures, Jules Smith Designs is a reflection of life in the Virgin Islands. The azure waters and lush landscapes offer a compelling setting for unburdened creativity. The laid-back lifestyle and vibrancy of the Caribbean allows Jules Smith Designs to maintain a genuine and realistic approach to fashion. Jules Smith Designs takes pride in accessibility and honesty, using only precious metals, semi-precious and precious gemstones while keeping price and wear-ability a priority. Expressed through a mutual adoration for the beauty that surrounds them and a love for everything fashionable, Jules Smith Designs creates Luxe Resort Jewelry.

Shannon: You have your graduate degree in Fashion Design; what lead you to choose jewelry as your main focus over fabric?
Gina Nigrelli: After I graduated design school we relocated to the Caribbean. The jewelry industry is dominant in that part of the world and it just seemed to make sense.

Shannon: What are the basic elements of design and how are they used when making your jewelry?
Gina Nigrelli: Color, texture and efficiency. Every design must have a unique blend of the aforementioned.

Shannon: How does living in the Virgin Islands play into your jewelry designs?
Gina Nigrelli: It makes it extremely difficult to get things done, yet being stranded on a desert island sparks the creative juices for sure.

Shannon: How do you stay inspired and motivated to create different design styles?
Gina Nigrelli: Designing is an escape for me and I never would have imagined that I would enjoy my job this much.

Shannon: What vision do you have for your brand and your jewelry?
Gina Nigrelli: Luxe Resort. Approachable luxury. I aspire to grow organically, but of course want to become an internationally recognized brand, a household name would be nice.

What do poison, Queens and lockets have in common? When it comes to Wendy Brandes designs for her company Gigi Caron, it means jewelry inspired by history. From fruit in the Eden Collection to Poison Rings in the Vivat Regina Collection, each of Wendy's pieces tells a tale of powerful women and the jewelry they wore.

Gigi Caron was launched in 2004 as a partnership between Wendy and a New York-based gemologist. Wendy came to the business with more than 15 years experience in media and marketing, including key positions at the Wall Street Journal, CNN and People.com. Her first jewelry designs were for her own engagement and wedding rings.

Wendy's current collection consists of "Vivat Regina," each piece named after a different Queen; "The It Girls" whose names span kings' paramours to Swinging '60s chicks to Wendy's family and friends; and "Eden," which is inspired by nature.

Wendy only uses precious metals, conflict-free diamonds and precious gemstones to masterfully create her clever jewelry designs. My personal favorite is the Victoria Buckle Ring. Made from 18k yellow gold with diamonds, the buckle lifts to reveal an inscription.

Wendy's jewelry can be purchased online and at Kaviar And Kind in Los Angeles.

Tension Jewelry is an art form like no other. A stone seems to float effortlessly as its brilliance catches the refractions of light throughout, all the while it is the jewelry designers craft and skill that knows the perfect amount of tension to create between the metal bands holding the stone to create this illusion.

No one does it better than GelinAbaci. Modern jewelry design meets flawless style, GelinAbaci's Tension Collection boasts perfection in design with the appearance of fluidity of the stones. With only a handful of jewelry companies selling tension jewelry, GelinAbaci is only 1 of two companies found right here in the US; all of their jewelry is designed and crafted within the US as well.

Tension jewelry vs. prong jewelry is always a hot debate, and while the concept of tension jewelry is not new, it appears to be increasing in popularity. Have you owned tension jewelry? Do you feel its benefits outshine traditional jewelry settings?

Simplicity and grace is what defines Rita Fusaro's jewelry. These estate-inspired pieces speak to those who love the look of formality in a one of a kind design. With platinum being the metal that the Fusaro Jewelry Company has best become known for, all of her jewelry has an air of luxury and elegance.

Rita loves creating one of a kind jewelry and buying unsual stones. She creates her pieces to be timeless, so that whether you purchased her jewelry today or several years from now, they will never look outdated by the latest trend.

These are some of my favorite pieces:

Ridotta Drop Platinum earrings with two 1.50ct. round diamonds dangling from 1.00ct. of full cut micro pave set diamonds.

18kt. white gold earrings with pave set diamonds (0.45ct.t.w.) with oval yellow sapphires (4.75ct.)

18kt. white gold pendant style necklace with 0.50ct. of full cut diamonds and 8.37ct. vivid oval green tourmaline.

Fusaro Jewelry offers private consultation services at its showroom in Greenwich, Connecticut for clients who prefer to work closely with the designer to create a custom-designed piece that reflects the owner's individual taste and style. You can contact Rita at 1-800-258-0385. To see all of Rita's exquisite jewelry, visit her online at www.fusarojewelry.com.

* Images copyright Fusaro Jewelry, published with permission.

Old world tradition meets the pursuit of perfection with Simon G.'s exquisitely handcrafted pieces of fine jewelry. The artisanship of each design is truly breathtaking...and just the way Simon Ghanimian envisions your reaction to be, one that is physical and emotional with understanding of the passion that goes into each piece of jewelry created.

I've fallen in love with the sparkle and intricacy of the Vanity Fair ring with its intermixing of white, rose and yellow gold complimented by white and canary diamonds. Both stylish and sophisticated, it is a design that is timeless across all trends.

Pink and diamonds, my two favorite things. Simon G.' s Malibu ring with its micro pave set brilliant white diamonds, capture the essence of grace and femininity in this rose and white gold ring.

Gloriously detailed, pridefully created; Simon G.'s jewelry speaks to your heart and the legacy of jewelry passed down through the generations.

To find a Simon G. retailer near you, visit www.SimonGjewelry.com.

*Photo Credit: SimonGJewelry.com

I adore Ivanka Trump. For a girl who is the daughter of one of the wealthiest men, she has such a solid head on her shoulders. Instead of flaunting her money and partying late into the night as most celebrity daughters do, she uses something much more valuable to garner attention: her brain and the endless creatively that flows through it. Ivanka Trump commands respect and not only is that sense of respect interwoven into the jewelry brand she has launched, it's something that her name alone comandeers.

Her design style is one of elegance and class; it does have an inkling of "socialite" to it, but it is breathtaking and eye opening regardless. Ivanka describes her collection as:

"The return of romance, the reinvention of elegance, a sign of timeless glamour, a symbol of a new tradition."

Clearly, Ivanka is a true example of her design philosophy, "To inspire elegance among the women of a new generation." In a time when female celebrities are constantly in the tabloids for partying too hard, breaking the law and even having their kids taken away, it is so refreshing to see a young woman of stature looking to inspire and empower women. The collection captures her character, noble and influential, and every piece is just as beautiful as Ivanka herself.

Visit her Flagship store on Madison Avenue or visit her online at: www.ivankatrumpcollection.com.

*Photo Credit: Ivankatrumpcollection.com

If there is one jewelry designer who can take my breath away and leave me stunned, it's Chi Galatea Huynh. His amazing jewelry will leave you in awe of his craftsmanship, but also of his innovative thinking. Huynh gets his inspiration from nature's beauty and forges his designs with masterfully skilled hands. It is Huynh's out of the box thinking and humble spirit that are the true factors in his success.

The magnificent Mercy Pearl is Huynh's signature piece of jewelry formed from a natural black pearl carved away to reveal the nucleus--exposing a gemstone. There is nothing out there like it and it is an amazing work of art.

My favorite is his DaVinci Cut gemstones and diamonds. It was again Huynh's innovative thinking that brought to life a gemstone that could change colors at different angles and points of view. Pictures of the DiVinci Cut stones does not do it justice, you should see the video on Modern Jeweler's Jewelry Video Network to get a true feel for how exquisite this design is. Find it under Trunk Shows>Davinci Cut.

Chi Galatea Huynh's jewelry is available on his website, at various tradeshows and retail outlets around the country.

* Photo Credit: ModernJewelr.com

Jewelry, to me, is always breathtaking and intriguing. Sometimes, however, there are those designers whose pieces just jump out at you above all others and you revel in their ingenuity and splendor. David Yurman's Renaissance collection captures your imagination and leaves you feeling like a child coveting your most prized possession. Radiant, captivating and elegant, you may have just found a new love in your life.

I am definitely a purveyor of colored gemstones and my favorite by far is Blue Topaz. It's deep blue hues create the feeling of relaxing waters of tranquility and serenity. Blue Topaz is calming, peaceful but also understatedly elegant. The sterling silver used in combination with the Blue Topaz in David Yurman's Renaissance collection almost gives it a mythological presence. Citrine, Black Onyx and Smoky Quartz are stately and immediately bring forth images of taking their rightful place on the hands of Medieval scholars.

If the Renaissance was about rebirth, David Yurman's Renaissance is about the rebirth of luxury.

* Photo Credit: www.DavidYurman.com

DeAnna Cochran hadn't always had a career in creating fine jewelry. While she held a degree in Metalsmithing, she had focused her career on computer software resell and traveled extensively around the globe. It was after she had her son Jackson 4 months premature and his untimely passing 3 weeks later that DeAnna began to once again dabble in designing jewelry by creating mother's birthstone and memory bracelets. Once her 2nd son arrived, she put her passion into it full time and returned to metalsmithing and creating her hand carved collections.

"As an artist my ultimate goal is to create beautiful pieces both in design and meaning. Each piece is created one at a time, by hand, and carved down to the finest detail."

"I have introduced rough cut diamonds into several new 2008 designs. These diamonds are conflict-free diamonds and a perfect compliment to the leaves in their pure forms. The leaves and rough cut stones with their imperfections make them perfect in the world, much like people."

Jacob Arabov, aka Jacob the Jeweler, will be reporting to federal prison come January 2009. For 30 months the jeweler well known for his celebrity following, will be serving his time for falsifying records and giving false statements to prosecutors regarding a case involving the laundering of drug profits. Jacob had an amazing talent and keen eye for incredible design in jewelry, it's unfortunate, but as the saying goes, crime doesn't pay.

You can read the complete story in National Jeweler. What will this mean for Jacob's jewelry company while he is away and once he gets out? We'd love to hear what you think.

  

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