Jewelry PR Division

(New York, New York) - This year marks the 50th anniversary for nationally recognized jewelry manufacturer, Fantasy Diamond Corporation. Founded in 1922 by the Wein family, originally as a watch company, Fantasy Diamond grew to be a specialty jewelry manufacturer in 1956. The company is well known in the jewelry industry for producing unique designs, including the most popular Endless Diamond® setting.

Current Fantasy Diamond President, Louis Price says he is “incredibly proud of the success Fantasy Diamond Corporation has achieved. For a family owned company, we have surpassed all expectations and are looking forward to the next 50 years of success.” Price began with the company in 1989 and encouraged an aggressive growth in sales and relationship with national and regional retailers with support from the Wein family. This expansion resulted in a national reputation as a leading source of quality diamond products and trend setting designs.

With the commitment to customers to produce quality pieces, Fantasy Diamond prides itself in having an American made product. With manufacturing facilities in home base Chicago, Illinois and U.S. Virgin Islands they are able to reach key national retailers. The intense focus for product development and creative designs is what makes Fantasy Diamond products the finest quality and most distinctive in the industry.

In addition to Fantasy Diamond’s extensive line of fashion diamond jewelry the company has developed a winning marketing partnership with its retail customers – with a complete co-op advertising program and professionally-produced TV, radio, print ads, direct mail, and in-store advertising for retailer customization.

About Fantasy Diamond Corporation:
Fantasy Diamond Corporation is a nationally recognized leader in diamond jewelry manufacturing and design. The company is respected and known for three collections including Endless Diamonds®, Masterpiece® and Everafter® brands.

September 19, 2006, New York, NY – Today Angara announced the launch of its online jewelry retail site Angara.com, boasting a wealth of fine jewelry, diamonds and accessories ranging from simple to opulent and all reasonably priced. With the philosophy and mission of affordable luxury, Angara provides customers with an easy and convenient shopping experience for superior quality jewelry at sensible prices.

“We are very particular in the pieces we choose to sell on the site,” says Chief Executive Officer, Ankur Daga, “Whether the items are bridal, engagement or in our exclusive Strong Box Collection, each piece is selected with the utmost care.”

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!

An ad campaign launched this week is asking jewelers to boycott gold from a proposed open pit mine that many Alaska Natives fear will ruin their way of life.

The campaign in National Jeweler, an industry newspaper, is designed to educate jewelers about the Pebble Mine project in the Bristol Bay watershed, home to the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world.

"Our biggest concern is what will the future generations have?" said Bobby Andrew, spokesman for Nunamta Aulukestai, an association of eight Alaska Native village corporations in Bristol Bay. "This type of massive industrialization at the heart of Bristol Bay will forever harm the abundant fish and wildlife resources that sustain this region."

Earthworks, a Washington D.C.-based environmental group, is paying between $10,000 and $20,000 to place the ad in the January, February and March issues of National Jeweler.

"We need your help. Bristol Bay is the wrong place for a gold mine. No responsible jeweler would knowingly buy gold mined there," the ad says. "Your support will let customers know that you care about preserving your company's glowing reputation."

Via Business Wire: The Silver Institute has released a comprehensive report on trends in the global silver jewelry market. The report was prepared, on behalf of the Silver Institute, by GFMS, Ltd., the London-based precious metals consultancy. GFMS Ltd also produces the annual World Silver Survey for the Silver Institute, a role they have undertaken since 1994, and it is the report of record for the silver industry.

Two of the key areas of silver fabrication demand are jewelry and silverware. Since its inception, the World Silver Survey has featured jewelry and silverware as a combined total in the main country-by-country tables. In the report issued today, entitled, Silver Jewelry Report, global statistical series have been produced that separate jewelry and silverware for the first time as well as a detailed review of the country-by-country data.

The report features a 10-year global series for jewelry and silverware, as well as a detailed qualitative analysis of the silver jewelry market. In addition, the report also examines the following key areas:

* A review of trends in silver jewelry fabrication, both at the regional level as well as focusing on countries with manufacturing volumes exceeding one million ounces, including China, India, Italy and the United States. The analysis brings out the main trends, specific to each market that have impacted silver fabrication over the past decade;

* Separate data on the leading silver jewelry consuming nations is provided in this report, including country-by-country data for the 10 largest consuming countries for the 2000 to 2005 period;

* Jewelry consumption, and in particular, competition for silver jewelry. The review is not limited to competition from white or yellow gold but extends to other materials, both precious and non-precious;

* The global trade in silver jewelry, focusing on the top five importing and exporting nations; and

* The impact of trends in the silver price, economic developments and the effect of changing fashion on consumption.

This Silver Jewelry Report makes an important contribution to the transparency and understanding of this fascinating area of the silver market. A copy of this report, may be downloaded from the Silver Institute’s home page: www.silverinstitute.org

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.

Endless Diamonds offers patented touch setting, which will help to celebrate endless love. For a summer wedding every bride wants to be a reflection of happiness. There is no better way to sparkle in the summer sun then to wear jewels. Add enchantment to a summer fairytale wedding with diamonds.

Most Endless Diamonds styles come as a set which includes pendants, earrings, and rings. Almost every design is available in white, yellow or two toned gold. The patented touch setting gives an appearance that is three to five times larger than a single stone at a comparable weight.

Let your magical fantasies come to life on your wedding day with Endless Diamond’s collection of bridal jewelry that has a beautiful selection of diamonds. After all, Endless Love is worth it. The Endless Diamonds Collection by Fantasy Diamond is available at Macy's.

Media Contact:
Jewelry PR Division: Erin at piercemattie dot com

CIRCA, an international buying house that provides a liquid market to the public for previously owned jewelry is opening an office in San Francisco and in the DC metro area. CIRCA has been seducing the world’s finest antique, estate jewelry and diamond sellers since 2001. It is only fitting that the company expands into the bay area and the nation’s capital where a taste for fine gems and jewelry prevail.

CIRCA’s unique service has proven a successful entrée: an expert buying staff, the crème de la crème of customer-service and pricing that is unprecedented. CEO Chris Del Gatto credits CIRCA client’s intense loyalty to the company’s policy of being consumer advocates first. ‘By being honest and transparent throughout the entire process (A process which is daunted with misnomers!), this openness and honesty prevails in each transaction with CIRCA.

Del Gatto’s tenacity has carried the jewelry industry a leap forward. He notes, ‘Through professionalism, honesty, expertise and a tremendous depth of knowledge – CIRCA has set the new standard for caring consumerism. We see an incredible amount of jewelry and our depth of knowledge is truly valuable.’ Because of CIRCA, fine jewelry is now more liquid than anything in a family’s portfolio. Significant items often historically have remained frozen in the vault as ‘non-performing assets.’ At CIRCA once a client accepts an offer, they are immediately presented with a check. No commission charges or fees are deducted. It is a quick, efficient and press-free alternative to the gossipy and expensive atmosphere of the auction house.

As a senior executive that has run the jewelry department of an international auction house and having been in the jewelry business for over 18 years, I've seen that there is nothing else like CIRCA available for consumers,” states Peter Shemonsky Directof CIRCA's San Francisco office and frequent appraiser on The Antiques Roadshow. "The bay area is full of entrepreneurs, actors and socialites, which is the exact demographic that CIRCA would appeal to.”

CIRCA’s access to collections is in steady and solid growth. With offices in New York, Palm Beach, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington D.C., Las Vegas and Hong Kong; CIRCA has plans for cosmopolitan expansion to Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas and Boston; and internationally to London, Paris, Brazil and beyond. CIRCA works with clients from around the world and is not exclusive to the regional office areas. You can learn more about CIRCA at www.circajewels.com.

The Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council (JCOC), a division of MVI Marketing Ltd, has just published their annual JCOC Year-in-Review. A complete analysis of consumer research from 2007 JCOC omnibus studies is the foundation for the JCOC Year-in-Review.

“Each year, the JCOC is able to build on the archive of consumer research we have collected,” stated Elizabeth Chatelain, president of MVI Marketing Ltd., who goes on to say, “major topics of interest for the fine jewelry and watch industries have been covered in depth.”

This report was designed to be of maximum help to retailers and manufacturers in the U.S. and abroad to better understand their business and how North American consumers will affect it.

In the area of seasonal gift-giving, consumer confidence trends and jewelry buying habits, a few of the major topics covered include: self-purchasing on the rise, trends in Sterling Silver, and some surprising nuances of Valentine’s, Mother’s and Father’s Days, Graduation, and December Holidays. Where the consumer shops, how much they planned on spending and how much they actually spent are reviewed and the findings have already been used by retailers and manufacturers who are JCOC annual subscribers and others who have purchased JCOC studies throughout the year.

The 2007 JCOC Year-in-Review is available as a PDF download for US$695 by visiting www.jcoc.info.

The Emmys Celebrate their Diamond Anniversary 

In accoradance with wedding anniversary tradition, the Emmys would be having their “diamond year” with their 60th awards cermony this Sunday, September 21.  Of course the Emmys' red carpet is full of diamond drenched celebs every year, but an extra special piece, the "Platinum Clutch,” will be showcased at the annual Platinum Guild International USA (PGI-USA) Emmy Awards Jewely Preview starting tomorrow, the 18th, running through Saturday, the 20th.

History Repeats itself with Archival Inspired Fine Jewelry Lines

Designers in general often look to their predecessors’ work for inspiration.  This is clearly evident in a number of fine jewelry lines popping up around the world lately.

One example of this window to the past is Van Cleef and Arpels nod to a past collaboration with George Balanchine. Ballet master Balachine’s mystification by the Fifth Avenue Van Cleef and Arpels window display of rubies, diamonds and emerald was the jumping off point for collaboration between dance and precious stones in the 1960s. 

New York City Ballet dancer Suzanne Farrell models Van Cleef - Arpels jewelry with Claude Arpels and George Balanchine in 1976