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Lapidary Gem cutting  and polishing is also known as lapidary it can be done with minimal equipment however very elaborate equipment is available. Most novice lapidary enthusiasts can get along with basic gear. This is enough for high quality results in the faceting and polishing of gems. Tumbling is the most basic form of the lapidary arts, stones are placed in a cylinder with abrasives, these abrasives are replaced with finer and finer grits until the degree of polish sheen is achieved. Cabbing or Cabachons Cabbing or Cutting cabochons is probably the most common form of gem lapidary work. These cabs often have a retail value Cabs are gems with a domed top and a flat bottom. The retail value will depend on the material the cab is cut from. Many gems are cut and then mounted in precious metals for fine jewelry. Learning how to cab a stone requires investment in specialized tools and equipment. The skill one achieves depends on training and time invested in practicing the art form.

Chrysalis targets new jewellery category Children’s jewellery is a growing market with designers and producers alike. The possibilities within this niche market are expansive and exciting. The ever changing environment of children’s jewellery design is dynamic and challenging. But when a children’s design or style catches on with the children hold on because rocketing sales booms and busts are coming. Because just like all other jewellery customers they are fickle and sometimes have short attention spans. This means that the child market is extremely challenging and wrought with pitfalls. But if you get in for the long run and stay abreast with the trends then it can be a very successful market for those with the vision needed. Posted November 30, 2015 | By Stephanie Chan | Journalist The local distributor for Chrysalis has announced the launch date of the UK jewellery brand’s first children’s collection, which could open up a new market for Australian retailers. Chrysalis, which specialises in stackable charm bangles, will launch the new range of children’s jewellery known as the Wishes collection next year. Designed by Willow Maine, the eight-year-old daughter of Chrysalis’ two co-founders, David and Andrea Maine, it was said to have been inspired by “Willow’s favourite things”. The new line features 12 colourful enamelled bangles and necklaces that target a younger demographic by incorporating childhood motifs, such as cupcakes, princesses, mermaids and ice cream. The in-store marketing material also features children’s themes; for example, one of the jewellery displays offered is shaped like a teddy bear. READ MORE…

Romancing the Source: Montana Sapphires Montana sapphires are making their mark in the gemstone industry , although these wonderful sapphires have been mined in the area since the 1800’s they had not been a big influence in the markets. They have in recent years been growing a clientele through the internet. Three main areas are the source for these spectacular stones. near Helena along the Missouri River, in the Sapphire Mountains at Rock Creek, and near Deer Lodge at Dry Cottonwood. There are a few other areas but the main concentration of sapphires in the state are in these three places. Sapphires are highly valued in the jewelry industry and designers are always looking for new sources and colors to use in their designs. Rough Montana Sapphire Montana’s rich history of gold and sapphire goes back to the late 1800s. A GIA field team traveled to the Rock Creek and Missouri River areas, where sapphire mining is still underway, to document the current industry and collect rough sapphire samples for our research reference sample collection. During our time in Montana we visited three mining operations, each with its own business model and its own exciting story. They all shared some common traits, however: amazing natural beauty and a passion for both the area and sapphires. Join us on this adventure and learn about the legacy of North American gemstones as we travel by speedboat with a mine owner down the Missouri River, witnessing historical mining sites and current operations. Then visit their mine (Spokane Bar Mine) with us, where we document the entire mining process, and feel the thrill at the end of the day when we pull rough sapphires right out of the jig. The Spokane Bar Mine usually mines for tourists, but on this day we had the entire mine to ourselves to collect samples for the GIA reference collection. READ MORE…

Smithsonian Gets its First Piece of Citrine Jewelry Citrine has made it into the National Gem Collection at the Smithsonian in Washington DC, with a 177ct pear shaped Citrine with a tapering necklace chain of cushion cut matching stones mounted in 18k yellow gold. Citrine has long been sought for use in jewelry. But occasional exception stones combined with a very talented jewelry designer a piece special piece comes forth. This particular gem combined with a incredible designer have reach a new pinnacle by being the first Citrine design ever display at the museum. Although Citrine is in the Quartz class of semi precious gems, most citrine of gem quality comes from Brazil but is mined in a number of places most notable are Argentina, Bolivia, France, Madagascar, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Uruguay and Zambia. As a gem it holds a spot in the hearts of many jewelry designers  and now it has been recognized in a most proud means by being displayed in the national gem stone collection. I expect that with this new milestone for this long loved gem it will be showing up in more and more collections from designers around the world. After all very few gems get this level of recognition in the designers world. You can visit the exhibit at the Janet Annenberg Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals at the Smithsonian Institute. December 16, 2015 On display as part of the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection, the 18-karat yellow gold Jolie Citrine necklace features a 177.11-carat pear-shaped citrine drop. Washington–Angelina Jolie Pitt and jewelry designer Robert Procop have donated an “extraordinary” citrine necklace to the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection. The 18-karat yellow gold necklace is from the Style of Jolie jewelry collection, the charitable collaboration between the actress and Procop, and features 64 graduated bezel-set cushion-cut citrines, with a 177.11-carat pear-shaped citrine drop. Named the Jolie Citrine Necklace, the piece went on display Friday in the Janet Annenberg Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals, taking its place among such storied gems as the Hope diamond. It will remain there indefinitely. READ MORE…

 Jewelry designer breaths life into antiques A growing trend in the jewelry design world is to re-purpose antique pieces of stone and other materials into new beautiful jewelry. One Chinese designer is getting recognition for her use of gold, silver, jade and porcelain in her new designs. But this trend is not just in the Chinese markets it is happening around the world, many designers are beginning with antique stones and other materials to create new innovative jewelry design concepts. These pieces coming forth infuses the new with the old and offers a new way to look at jewelry design in general. Start looking at the old to find your new design inspirations and concepts, there are innumerable antiques out there that need a new life pumped into them. This is a spectacular means of paying tribute to the work of the craftsmen of the past and making their works available to be used long into the future. This is not to say that antique inspired jewelry designs can have modern design concepts and trends built in, but just the opposite. New design inspirations can be found in unusual places like o;d military buttons that can be re-purposed into pendants and charm bracelets. Antique cut crystal that has been broken can be reground and incorporated into necklaces of sparkle. Just use you imagination and try something new, you just may be surprised what can come of whimsical design ideas. By Tong Wangyue | January 17, 2016, Sunday IN many ways, the jewelry of designer Zhang Lijun’s is emblematic of her native Suzhou. It’s modern and elegant and strives to combine the old with the new. Her passion for traditional Chinese culture and old art objects as well as the picturesque Suzhou Gardens, which she says have helped form her style, are all mirrored in her jewelry design. Walking the streets of Suzhou, Zhang is always on the lookout for small antiques and, by incorporating them into her designs, she gives them a second life instead of just restoring their old beauty. Her exquisite designs are a perky mix of these rustic elements with metals like gold and silver as well as with more traditional Chinese jewelry elements like jade and porcelain. The combinations come naturally and are spontaneous — Zhang says she follows her feelings and instincts in creating her designs. READ MORE…

National Jeweler has an article about the second largest rough diamond ever unearthed, a 222 gram or 1,111ct spectacular rough diamond was discovered in Botswana recently. This particular mine has also recently found three other diamonds over 300 carats. Rough gems this large are extremely rare and to have this many found in a single year is very big news. The Karowe mine is located in Botswana at the AK6 kimberlite pipe. Congratulations are in order here for such a spectacular discovery of mother natures finest creations Lucara President and CEO William Lamb said the 1,111-carat diamond workers found Monday at the company’s Karowe Mine is “slightly smaller than a tennis ball.” This picture provided by Lucara shows how big the diamond is when compared to a loupe.The diamond, which measures 65 mm x 56 mm x 40 mm, is too large to fit in any of the rough evaluation machines Lucara has on-site in Botswana and likely will be sent to Antwerp for further evaluation. Read More…  

Safe Jewelry Shipping Advice from Jeweler’s Mutual Jewelers Resource Bureau With shipping losses currently affecting several Jewelers Mutual policyholders-with recent claims attributed to address errors, lack of communication between shipper and recipient and improper packaging–the organization has issued important precautionary measures. 1. Place merchandise in a medium-sized cardboard box and seal with tape. Label this box with your return address (using non-jewelry-related words) and the tracking number. This will serve as identification if the outside container or mailing label is destroyed in transit. 2. Place this box in a strong, oversized shipping box (i.e., 12 inches by 12 inches by four inches). If possible, use a packaging box from a delivery service. If you do not have a box from a delivery service, disguise your shipment in a sturdy box from a different product. Never use an envelope or a box marked with any jewelry-related words. Also avoid using old boxes that lose strength. 3. To prevent the inner box from rattling, tape or glue it to the shipping box. Fill the remainder of the shipping box with packing material to help protect it during transit. Do not use jewelry catalogs or ads. 4. Seal the shipping box with reinforced mailing tape, pressure-sensitive shipping tape, tamper-evident tape or stamp over the tape so that any tampering is evident. Do not use string, masking tape or cellophane tape to seal the box. 5. Confirm and double-check the correct address. 6. Address the package clearly. Do not indicate that the package is coming from or going to a jewelry-related business. Use a name that does not contain jewelry terms and do not use abbreviations that could be misunderstood. Change the name regularly. Disguise the return address in a similar fashion. Use the name of a business associate (with their permission), such as your accountant or attorney, who is at a different location, not in a jewelry district or with a prominent jewelry zip code. READ MORE…  

Arusha Gem Fair The show features a wide variety of colored gemstones and diamonds. 19-21 April 2016, Arusha, Tanzania. A truly African promise of friendship and partnership, AGF offers a regional African show that brings together exhibitors from East, Central and Southern Africa. Read More…

Northwestern University’s FUSE program on Jewelry Design Local Jewelry Designer Creates FUSE Challenge The FUSE program at Northwestern University has touch thousands and local  jewelry designer Christopher Duquet has offered a design contest to students which has become successful and is getting more and more attention. Offering jewelry design help to students that have never been interested in jewelry design prior to this incredible program. Students are finding that they can design things they never thought they would be able to do in the past. Using state of the art 3d software to print out the designs and even wear them home has sparked tremendous interest. The winner of the design contest will have their design cast in sterling silver EVANSTON, Ill. — Like many teenagers, Isabel Pietri loves wearing jewelry. But designing her own pieces? The idea had never crossed her mind. Then Pietri won a chance to work with Evanston jewelry designer Christopher Duquet through Northwestern University’s FUSE program, a series of challenges designed to get students excited about science, technology, engineering, arts/design and mathematics (STEAM). For Pietri, now a sophomore at Kelvyn Park High School in Chicago, the experience changed the way she thought about math and science and sparked a newfound interest in computer-based art. “At first my ideas were really simple, but after talking with Christopher they got better,” Pietri said in a newly released video that showcases her collaboration with Duquet. “I had no idea I could do something so technical and complicated.”Read more…

The polishing of platinum is more difficult than silver or gold due to it;’s hardness.

Check Out This Amazing Way to ‘Mount’ Your Jewelry Packaging and presentation of fine jewelry is always a challenge for odd shapes and sizes. But new solutions are coming forward recently like silicone film technology to make a even the skeptics sit up and take notice. It employees a simple film of tear resistant silicone to sandwich your jewelry design in and make it appear as if floating in mid air. This is a very innovative way to make use of technology and keep it fresh and complimentary to your jewelry. The presentation of this new style is amazing it puts emphasis on the jewelry or gem and fits many needs for classic and odd shapes of jewelry design.   by Frank Stankus It’s not often that we get excited about something new in packaging. But this time we did. Here is a way to display and package your jewelry that is sure to wow even the most jaded customer. It makes it appear almost as if your jewelry is floating in the air! You know, of course, that it isn’t, but the presentation is so striking that you have to say to yourself that this has to be the next best thing. You can see the jewelry extremely clearly from all around without getting fingerprints on it, and the silicone conforms very nicely to the contours of the piece. It’s not the same as shrink wrapping because the silicone just hugs the piece tightly — it is not drawn into every nook and cranny like shrink wrap. READ MORE…

Understanding everything about Blue Zircon gemstones Among one of the most misunderstood gems is the zircon because the general public confuses it with the synthetic stone called Cubic Zirconia (CZ). Zircon is a natural valuable gemstone that comes in a variety of shades and colors, stretching from colorless to Bright blues, brilliant reds, greens and yellows all find their way to jewelry designers. Places that produce gem quality Zircons are Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar), and the Ural Mountains. Common Brown Zircons can be heat treated to create clear colorless and blue zircons for the gem and jewelry markets. Some colorless stones are used as diamond substitutes, blue, yellow and green zircon gems show up in many high quality jewelry designs. Although not popular in some markets these stones are very collectible and worth taking the time to learn about so you can make an informed purchase of a high quality gem for your designs or collection. Blue – Zircon in Jewellery Zircons are especially unique due to how they grow when forming into a crystal. They have an attractive fire to them that works well when creating gemstones for jewellery. You can purchase these gemstones loose or crafted into jewellery both. We recently spoke to Patricia Brady at Gemsncoins and asked her what she thought of the Blue Zircons they offer to buyers from all around the world. “Wholesale Blue Zircons are rare due to the growth of the crystal, which grows in a twinning shape. Rather like two pyramids linked together at the base. In order to cut these beautiful shapes, the rough gems have to be a fine quality. These Cambodian Blue Zircons have the trademark double refractiveness of zircons, which is even seen on the product images we offer. Double refraction is when the light enters through the pavilion, hits the facets and splits into two rays. Then these rays of light bounce back hitting your eyes with double the sparkle of other gemstones, even diamonds. That’s the secret of these Blue Zircons. Their extra sparkle making them look like blue diamonds at a fraction of the cost, as a much more rarer gemstone than diamonds” READ MORE…

Diamond recycling is a growing industry, also called re purposed diamonds, they are basically a cut and polished gem that has been used in jewelry then recovered and remounted for commercial sale. With the decline of control of the diamond market by DeBeers. Recycling of these precious gems is growing, another factor is the price of diamonds has been rising of late. The market for re purposed diamonds is estimated by some to be almost $1 trillion dollars and growing. One of the big players in diamond recycling is WP Diamonds in the United Kingdom. One of the main factors in this markets growth is the cost of extracting fresh diamonds from the earth is increasing. Diamond recycling has been happening more often lately, but what does it actually mean? As a mined diamond will last forever why not introduce it back into the market? This is exactly what diamond recycling is. Recycling a diamond is becoming more popular as it can drive down the overall cost of the jewellery item. The diamond has already been cut, polished and ready for setting. Read More  

Jewelry Designer Kara Ross Is Redefining Diamonds in a Truly Empowering Way Diamonds can be for girls to buy for to buy for themselves, this is the belief of New York Jewelry Designer Kara Ross and I agree, her designs are wonderful and should be worn by any woman who desires. Gemstones like diamonds are timeless to this day, but times are changing on the acceptance and desire of women to buy diamond designs for themselves. I feel that white diamonds are too limited when there are so many beautiful colored gems and colored diamonds on the gem markets to be ignored and not put in new concept jewelry designs. Countless possibilities are there for the use of white and colored diamonds for whimsical jewelry designs that a woman can treat herself to. Classical designs will always be in style, with many new concepts and the out of the box thinking that is coming into the gem and jewelry designers palette and reaching the markets. Kara Ross has long been passionate about rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and other rare gemstones. But it’s diamonds that are most captivating the fine jewelry designer these days—and not in the way that you’d think. The New York City designer has long pushed the envelope when it comes to creating unexpected, whimsical and artistic fine jewelry. And after making waves in the world of fine jewelry by drilling gems into baroque pearl (unheard-of!) setting semiprecious gemstones into fobs on handbags (jewelry on handbags!), Ross is daring to break another longstanding tradition in the category: She wants you to buy your own diamonds. “There is a stigma attached to buying a diamond, [mainly] that you have to wait until you get engaged to have one,” Ross told Glamour, “Women buy their own cars, houses—diamonds are the only commodity that still have the stigma that women shouldn’t buy themselves one. I want to break that.” And that’s just what Ross is doing with her new initiative and collection, called Diamonds Unleashed. Diamonds Unleashed is not simply a really gorgeous fine jewelry collection, it celebrates and supports women through various outlets including salons, where women can discuss important topics that make a difference and women’s charitable organizations across the world, such as She’s the First and Girls Who Code. READ MORE… We are proud to be affiliated with the Jewelers Resource Bureau consider becoming a member.

A 23.16ct rough pink diamond has been uncovered in Tanzania, one of many large rough diamonds found there recently.by Petra Diamonds. This is one of a series of incredible finds in recent months. The color of this rough is wonderful and it should cut into a spectacular finished piece. Tanzania has produced other large rough one is the second largest rough diamond ever discovered at 1111ct. More is expected to be produced from the region with many large pieces coming from the region in recent months, with some over 300cts. National Jeweler articles are a good source of news for diamond enthusiasts. I would love to see the finished pieces after cutting.. London–The large diamond finds continue, with mining company Petra Diamonds Ltd. recovering a 23.16-carat pink and Lucara coming up big again with two more exceptional stones. The pink diamond, which Petra said has “exceptional color and clarity,” is the company’s most significant recovery to date from its Williamson mine, which is located in Tanzania. Petra said it will offer it for sale by appointment in Antwerp as part of its December tender. Read More…

Top Gems of 2015 The Fashion and Jewellery industries are linked at the hip one is dependent on the other in an equal symbiosis of trends in color texture as they evolve. This past year has seen four gems stand out in the fashion designing world. They come in varied vivid colors which compliment and contrast the latest fashion designs as accents in jewellery. Some are surprising new names that have come into their own as accepted and recommended by designers. Sapphire is a surprisingly durable gemstone seen in fashion design circles and jewelry shows around the world. A surprising top performer in Morganite as it surged in sales in 2015 from industry sources, it did not out perform the near perennial blue sapphire. But was the most advanced contender for attention in the design and fashion world this year according to a number of retail and wholesale jewelers. Fashion and design trends also can help bring a gemstone back in vogue as popular shades and hues trickle down to the fine jewelry market, and it’s interesting once a new year gets going to notice what’s popping up again and again, whether that be loose or in finished jewelry. I love watching to see which gems I notice throughout the year are really having their time in the spotlight and how market trends pull certain stones and shades to the forefront. After a year of attending shows, press previews and looking at a lot of new jewelry, here are the gems that I thought were hottest in 2015. READ MORE…

Training video on how to properly repair a jewelry hinge

Wadsworth Hosts Lecture By “Downton Abbey” Jewelry Designer Period jewelry being designed for British TV his Downton Abbey by Andrew Prince is getting plenty of attention. The late 19th and early 20th century setting of the show has renewed interest in the jewelry designs and trends from 1890-1929. These years were special in that the world expanded and influences from the opulence created during this period made jewelry designs flourish. And now renewed interest in such retro designs is growing. Is it due to this one show, who knows but I can say that when a designers works are featured in TV or movies it always helps peak interest. The stranded pearl necklaces, tiara’s, chokers, combs, and  brooches are all wonderful fanciful examples of period jewelry that seem to have become newly invigorated by the works of the cast of Downton Abbey and the shows designer Andrew Prince. Jewelry designers are many and many a designer never sees the success that Andrew is having. Jewelry designing is a passion for most and a business for a few, so don’t let the lack of fame and sales success intimidate you into not putting forth your jewelry designs. A little bit of the hit PBS series “Downton Abbey” comes to Hartford later this week. The ups and downs of the aristocratic Crawley family enthralled viewers for six seasons, and part of the allure for many was the show’s dogged dedication to authenticity — especially the period clothes and jewelry. Andrew Prince, the jewelry designer for “Downton Abbey,” will give a lecture Thursday night at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford on jewelry and fashion from 1890 to 1929. Pieces of jewelry worn on “Downton Abbey” will also be on display. For his work on the show, Prince said it was important to get the jewelry right for each individual character. “Somebody like Maggie Smith, she was playing someone in their 70s, so she would be wearing jewelry that was 20 or 30 years out of date,” he said. “She wouldn’t be wearing bang-up, to-date modern jewelry. READ MORE… Learn more about the resources we can provided you for free at the Jewelry Designers Resource Center, take your dreams to the next level let us help you get there. We are proudly affiliated with The Jewelers resource Bureau.

How to draw rings A wonderful video from YouTube that illustrates a technique to drawn ring designs for yourself. Take a few minute to view it and learn this super simple trick to making your jewelry designs pop up off the sketchpad for you. This video is by Ioana Avram, It demonstrates a technique of drawing rings that is simple and concise with the ability to position the ring in any manner you wish to. Learn about this and find some designing aids and sketchpads to get started with all those jewelry designs floating about in your creative mind. Even designs with gemstones can be made to look just like your vision and easily learned this is a super video for a starting point. Learn more about jewelry on video jewelry design, jewelry making, and jewelry repair

Gemological Laboratories American Gemological Laboratories Founded in 1977, and located in the heart of New York’s gem and jewelry district, American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) is an international gemstone testing facility specializing in comprehensive colored gemstone analysis. International Gemological Laboratories IGL Laboratories are respected diamond grading laboratory. We have pioneered the development of the first scientific system used to evaluate how well a diamond has been cut. A diamond’s cut is the most important C of all of the four C’s. EGL Each EGL USA Gemological Report provides a clear, concise view of your stone. So, it’s more than an exceptional document. GIA Established in 1931, GIA is the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls. A public benefit, nonprofit institute, GIA is the leading source of knowledge, standards, and education in gems and jewelry.

Chicago-Area Jeweler Delivers Using a Drone I suppose this is a sign of things to come, more and more technology for drone delivery is appearing in the marketplaces of the world. Here is a local company innovative in the way they work on customer service. It was a simple delivery but it was also their first delivery by drone. As the technology develops I think it will eventually become more common and even expected by clients. This way of conducting business is in it’s earliest stages but shows tremendous potential in many industries and applications. Drones are new in the jewelers world but at least one is attempting to develop a new means of delivering satisfaction to their clientele. I don’t see this as an instant phenomena, but over time it will likely find it;’s niche in the jewelry market. December 09, 2015 Distinctive Gold Jewelry customer Paula receiving her anniversary gift, an 18-karat gold Concord watch, on the front lawn of her suburban Chicago home back in September. DGJ deployed a drone to bring her the gift, a first for the store. Frankfort, Ill.–Ever since the notion of delivering goods via drone hit the news, jeweler Tony D’Ortenzio wanted to get in on the action. His dream was to give one couple a memorable engagement by flying the ring in mid-proposal. That hasn’t happened yet but, thanks to the help of a longtime sales associate and a local photographer, the store did pull off the drone delivery of a $10,000 watch, a tremendous feat for an independent retailer in an industry notorious for being behind the times. D’Ortenzio owns Distinctive Gold Jewelry (known as DGJ) with his brother Joe. The store, which has been in the family for more than 40 years, has had three Chicagoland locations and now is in Frankfort, a southwest suburb. READ MORE…

12 Jewelry Trends for 2016 Each year predictions of new trends in jewelry design emerge, although not always accurate they do offer good insight into the markets up and coming trends in colors and design. The fashion industry does influence the color and design trends in both gemstones and jewelry.  Vintage designs are making a comeback in some jewelry markets, they are also influence modern design variations of classic designs from the past. This recycling of design concepts is bringing new designers into the jewelry business. Welcome to another year of jewelry predictions! This post marks the fifth year for our list of buying guidelines based on red carpet jewelry trends, runway fashions, and industry-specific jewelry and gemstone offerings. And with 45,345 page views—a drop of 0.04 percent over last year—we thank you for the continued support of clicks and shares. Best wishes for a robust year of  sales in 2016. READ MORE…  Top trending gemstones in the 2015 market were the perennial Blue Sapphire but is was edged out by Morganite in a pressurizing rise to fame, also included where Opal, and Tourmaline. Diamonds as always are in the favorites but colored stones have surged forth in recent years. The fashion industry has affected this positive trend to subtle colors like in Morganite, as well as the brilliance of the Sapphires they use as accents to their designs. The types of jewelry styles that have trends is varied as well, some of the favorites have been chokers, Asymmetric stone settings on rings and new very black Rhodium designs with white stones. New interest in Eco friendly and ethically mines gemstones is another factor in driving recent jewelry trends. Fancier gem cuts are showing up with new and old designers. Special cut gems have a new popularity coming along in this past few months. Take a few moments to look at The Jewelers Resource Bureau as a source of support in the design and making of jewelry.

JNA is a top magazine in the jewelry industry offering news and information on the jewelry trade industry, they track trends and changes in the industry and have a huge amount of information for those looking to track sales, trends and new design techniques Celebrating its fifth anniversary next year, the JNA Awards, the jewellery and gemstone industry’s premier platform for recognising innovative and high-achieving individuals and enterprises, has announced changes to its award categories in 2016. The organiser of the event, JNA (Jewellery News Asia), has made adjustments to a few award categories to encourage greater participation from more regions and, at the same time, consolidate some categories that are judged against a similar set of criteria. In 2016, the JNA Awards will have 11 categories, including the Lifetime Achievement Award – the recipient of which will be selected by the organiser. Read More…

Jewelry Designer Margot McKinney Draws Inspiration From the Desert Here is a great example of a jewelry designer who thinks out of the box, her simple and at the same time complex designs are inspired by the desert. Here bold designs are not for the meek, they are intended to make a statement an entrance factor so to speak, her designs get noticed. This is a way for any designer to build a name for themselves, find what inspires your and your designs and work to create a unique concept for that. One does not have to be a top line designer to apply these techniques to grow interest in their designs. Jewelry designers of all levels and skill sets can make their niche in the jewelry industry by simply finding what inspires them to challenge their limits. Look at mother nature for design ideas, when you slice open and piece of fruit try slicing it at an angle and look at the pattern it creates. Take a leaf from a tree add it to the background, mix and match natures wonder it is a super easy way to create concepts and then put your twist on them. Look at gemstones as part of mother natures pallet and dont apply limits to where and how to employ them. In other words don’t be limited by conventional thinking try new things. You do not have to be a designer for Neiman Marcus or recognized in Beverly Hills just get out and try it will come to you. Jeweler Margot McKinney’s statement pieces — think bold cuffs and drop earrings adorned with orange and yellow sapphires, rubies and white diamonds — are not for the faint of heart, but rather for the woman looking to make an entrance. Need to punch up your ensemble for the next red carpet or black tie function? Look no further. Prior to her Tuesday evening fete at Neiman Marcus, Beverly Hills, where the designer will show off some of her most red-carpet worthy gems to stylists, Pret-a-Reporter sat down with the Australian designer to chat about her family business, her inspiration and her dream Hollywood client. Margot McKinney: I find travel to be the most inspiring of activities. To take in sights and sounds, new surroundings, people and activity is immensely invigorating to me. I travel for well over half the year buying gems, visiting workrooms around the world and of course selling my jewelry. I am always at my most creative after our summer holiday, which we spend at a beautiful beach in Queensland, close to where we live. The rambling house right on the beach is the perfect place to recreate and the sound of the rolling waves and the gentle swish of the breeze through the palm trees seems to stay with me for months afterwards. It is after this restorative holiday that my mind seems to overflow with new ideas for creations. READ MORE…

12 Jewelry Trends for 2016: 10 Pairs of Studs and Earring Jackets… If these earring designs are trending there must be complimenting pendents and necklaces along with them. It is a good thing to watch trends of jewelry design when creating new designs each season. However you can become a trendsetter by varying the design trends with your own twists and concepts. Design concepts and trends should not be driven by fashionistas, but by jewelry designers with vision. This simple rule will help you create more innovative designs based on trending colors or styles at the moment of creation. But classic timeless jewelry designs are always in style and they can become a signature of the trends that you set for yourself when you look for new avenues of styling your goods. So this year earring studs are trending, try putting a new wave into your earring studs, try new colors, new geometric’s, new mountings, all within the trend yet new in concept with a classic base of style. The annual list of 12 Jewelry Trends for 2016 serves as a guideline for store purchases in the new year, highlighting pieces and materials trending now, based on the clothing, color, red carpet, and real-life influences at work in the market. Studs and earring jackets are the second trend on the list. Here are 10 new pairs for retailers to consider stocking. Studs and earring jackets. These have shaped up to be a consumer fave! Wearing studs solo offers some versatility, while the addition of jackets builds up another cool look. Easy to understand, studs and earring jackets are available across a wide range of price points. READ MORE…

The jewelry of the Marcos era in the Philippines is being appraised by by a premiere auction house. The legacy of the Marcos years continues to amaze the world for its opulence and excesses. MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is appraising the dazzling jewelry collection seized three decades ago from Imelda Marcos, the former first lady famous for her massive stash of shoes, as it decides what to do with the jewels one expert compared to those owned by royalty. The jewelry was seized when dictator Ferdinand Marcos and his family fled to Hawaii in 1986 following a popular revolt that ended his two decades in power. The pieces include a barrel-shaped diamond worth at least $5 million and a Cartier diamond tiara that’s likely multiple times more valuable than the previous estimate of $30,000 to $50,000. Read More…

Indiana Jeweler Killed, First Industry Homicide This Year An Austin Indiana jeweler was shot to death on 7 November 2015, this illustrates the need for vigilance of personal safety. The gem and Jewelry trade has had these tragedies happen far too often over the years. Consider the JSA Jewelers Security Alliance for a resource of safety information. This industry is prone to such crisis issues and the more you know about how to secure your goods and yourself the safer it will be for you. Rob Bates | November 12 2015 The tragic killing of an Indiana jeweler marks the first industry-related homicide this year. According to Indiana state police, John Turner, 78, was killed by a gunshot wound sustained during a robbery on Nov. 7 at his Austin, Ind., store, John’s Coins and Jewelry. Police say they have nabbed a person of interest in the case, who was arrested on Nov. 9 along with two others who were wanted for auto theft. After a search of the property, police uncovered property, money, and jewelry linked to Turner’s murder. John Kennedy, president of the Jewelers’ Security Alliance, says that he was hoping that the year would end without any jewelers killed in the course of business. “It would have been the first year in history,” he says. He notes that homicides remain at historically low levels, due to greater support from law enforcement. Read More…

Diamond Cut: Anatomy of a Round Brilliant A perfectly cut diamond is hard to achieve but should always be something strive for. This is a good article on the Brilliant Cut Diamond the Gemological Institute of America the worlds authority on diamonds has offered this for the public. It is well written so that anyone can understand what goes into a cut diamond and apply this knowledge to purchasing gems for your jewelry designs. The more one reads and researches the better choices and be made and it will show in your jewelry designs. The cut of a gemstone is very important to the presentation of the gem in jewelry. The brilliant cut was developed to get maximum light to enter the stone and reflect the brilliance of the piece in at it’s best. I have even he used this brilliant cut on my sapphire designs because it looks so good. It uses more gem weight but displays the gem in a better light than a step cut. A specific set of terms is used to describe parts of a polished diamond. Each part of a diamond makes its own contribution to the diamond’s appearance. In the standard round brilliant, there are 57 or 58 facets. The table facet, usually the largest facet on the diamond, helps gather light from above and either reflects it back to the observer or directs it into the diamond’s interior. The crown facets, consisting of 8 bezels, 8 stars, and 16 upper halves, gather and disperse light to create brightness, fire, and a scintillating pattern of light and dark. The pavilion facets, consisting of 16 lower halves, 8 mains, and an optional culet, reflect the light back through the crown to the viewer’s eye. All of these facets work together creating each diamond’s unique appearance. Average Girdle Diameter The diameter of a round diamond is the distance from one girdle edge to the opposite girdle edge, straight through the center. Because even well-cut round diamonds are never perfectly round, the diameter is measured in several places, recording the minimum (smallest) and maximum (largest) measurements. The average girdle diameter is a calculated value obtained by the following formula, which is then reported to the nearest hundredth of a millimeter (0.01 mm): Average girdle diameter = (minimum diameter + maximum diameter) ÷ 2 This proportion is used in calculating certain percentages such as table size, total depth, crown height, and pavilion depth. READ MORE…

Silver has been used in jewelry for centuries Silver has been used by jewelers for centuries. Combined with gold they are the two most popular in today’s modern world. Used with gold both as an accent but also as a alloying medium in the creating of white gold. Silver is highly malleable and ductile. It does tarnish however in recent years the newest alloying technology has help reduce the tarnishing of new silver jewelry to a minimum.

It seems that during a Christmas tree lighting ceremony this fellow is alleged to have taken 11 pieces of jewelry including a $35,000.00 ring. Santa Fe Police have issued a warrant for the perpetrator who was believed to have fled the state. He was later captured and plead guilty to theft charges by Alastair Jamieson and Ali Gostanian An arrest warrant was issued Thursday for the main suspect in a $1.3-million jewelry store heist which happened while the New Mexico capital’s Christmas lights were being switched on. The Santa Fe Police Department are hunting Luis Villalba Boca-Negra, 45, over the Nov. 27 theft from Diva Diamonds. Read More Here…

Thailand’s gemstone manufacturers look to China for growth There have been many big changes in the Thai gem markets in the last decade. At one time the majority of the worlds commercial colored gemstones where processed in Thailand, but since the economic turmoil of the early part of this century the cutting business is forever changed. It has become leaner but more competitive in the recent past. A new rising star in innovation is entering the Chinese market  exhibited by companies like Gemburi Co. Ltd. I had a personal experience with this company in September 2015 when i was attending the bi annual Bangkok Gem and Jewelry Show. I found Gemburi to be offering quality stones at competitive prices with a good variety of colored stones. The experience was very positive overall and I would do business with them again, The blue sapphires I purchased became a very nice pair of dangling earrings in 14k white gold with 10pt white diamond accents. 19/05/2015 By Olivia Quiniquini Gemburi Co Ltd’s booth at the 55th Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair Gemstones are a star performer in Thailand’s industry repertoire, with the country building a formidable reputation over the years as a reputable producer of coloured stones. Last year, it exported $917.18 million worth of gemstones, an increase of 21.16 percent over 2013’s $757.02 million. And while the country is particularly famed for its expertise in corundum, its manufacturers have exhibited equal prowess with other coloured stones. This year, Thailand’s gemstone dealers are banking on China’s voracious appetite for gemstones to keep coffers full. Companies interviewed at the 55th Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair in the Thai capital from February 24 to 28 and the Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show from March 2 to 6 reaffirmed that China would play an important role in their business strategies this year, despite acknowledging a slowdown in the market since late 2014. READ MORE…  JDRC.US is an official affiliate of Jewelers Resource Bureau

Spectacular Icy Jade Jewelrytops auction sale A pair beautiful jadeite earrings with diamonds and designed by jewellery designer Alessio Boschi recently was sold at auction for $3.33 million dollars in a Hong Kong auction. These are exquisite in quality of gem and quality of design. December 6 auction, Tiancheng International said that a telephone bidder bought the earrings. And that also sold was a jadeite and diamond pendant with a  ‘Bamboo’ motif. Natural unheated Burmese Mogok ruby and diamond pendant earrings were among the other items in this auction held December 6 2015. The entire auction saw $245,000,000HKD in total sales. Other top pieces in the event were Icy Jadeite bangle bracelets and  icy lavender jadeite and diamond pendant known as Laughing Buddha, and a Jadeite and Diamond double stranded necklace. That accounts for only a few of the pieces that drew attention during the auction by Tiancheng International   A set of jadeite and icy jadeite earrings, rings and pendant accented with diamonds by jewellery designer Alessio Boschi was the top performer at Tiancheng International’s Jewellery and Jadeite Autumn Auction in Hong Kong. The jewellery set generated HK$26 million (US$3.33 million), well within pre-sale estimates. It was sold to a phone bidder during the December 6 auction, Tiancheng International said in a press release. Other star lots were a pair of icy jadeite bangles and a 10.22-carat natural unheated Burmese Mogok ‘Pigeon’s Blood’ ruby and diamond ring, which both sold for HK$21.24 million (US$2.72 million); an icy lavender jadeite and diamond pendant nicknamed ‘Laughing Buddha,’ which fetched HK$18.29 million (US$2.34 million); and a double-stranded jadeite and diamond necklace, which was snapped up for HK$17.7 million (US$2.26 million). READ MORE…

The world jewellery confederation The World Jewellery Federation is an outstanding resource for jewellery designers and jewellers alike, it is both authoritative and informative. They are self described as the United Nations of the jewellery industry established in 1926 it represents the jewellery , gemstone and precious metals industries along with individuals and organizations in these industries, from mine to market. They have developed a code of ethics that is designed to protect the consumer who is dependent on the expertise and integrity of their suppliers. CIBJO has developed a Blue Book system to advance the goal of universal standards and terminology in the jewellery industry. In 2004 they were able to get a German company stop marketing their high quality synthetic diamonds as cultured diamonds to the public a success for the CIBJO Blue Book standards. The Munich court issued a restraining order to that effect. These blue books are living documents and are revised and updated as new information Although these Blue Book standards are voluntary it is recommended that these standards be applied by all persons and companies in all aspects of the jewellery industry from source to final sale in the on the standards set jewellery system. These blue books are living documents and are updated when new information is brought forward. This means that as new treatments for gemstones appear they can have an affect on the standards set forth in these blue books. With books specializing on Diamonds, Gemstones, Pearls, Coral, Precious Metals, and Gem Labs, they have extensive reference materials for anyone looking to seek information and find what factors are applicable to the sector they are working on. CIBJO offers a resource for news in these industries as one of many free source of trends and changes taking place in the jewellery and gemstone world. There are many other resources for the gem and jewelry industry, but this one sets the world standards. As an example many designers, jewelers, and gem traders are affiliated with The Jewelers Resource Bureau a resource of tremendous help to all. But the standards accepted in the world are set are set by CIBJO.

Jewelry designer working on third career This is an example of how becoming a jewelry designer can happen to and for anyone at anytime in their life. Here is a story of a woman who was a nurse by profession, a stylist and image consultant, and then became a jewelry designer. Our resources here are designed to help such individuals achieve their desires to design jewelry. Even if they have never been involved in the jewelry business in any form ever before. Once you have the bug to design jewelry that is all you really need, all other resources can be found at the Jewelry Designers Resource Center. A career makeover is often the reason for people come to jewelry designing as a second or even a third career. I started life working on fishing boats in Boston and my uncle was a artist/coppersmith who made amazing concept hand hammered copper sailing ships. This is what inspired me to attend night school at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston‘s night school programs. Take that next step and begin designing your dreams, don’t let lack of experience or training keep you from trying this satisfying work. Jabez Jewelz Kathryn Pfeiffer Bold beginnings • “I’m bold, so that’s how I started out,” Pfeiffer said. “You know, there are natural personality types, including the bold and (the people who prefer) the classic styles. So I’ve expanded to include genres for each of the personalities. If someone’s very naturally classic, I know not to bring out the big pieces.” But she said that some people just need a little push to embrace a look-at-me piece. She said that over the years, she’s developed an eye for who she can push a little and who gravitates toward the less dramatic items. Career makeover • Pfeiffer started out as a stylist and image consultant and had her own business for 19 years. She said that the jewelry business happened gradually. At first, she just had a hard time finding the right pieces for her clients who wanted to wear statement jewelry pieces, so she decided to start making it herself. READ MORE… Jewelry Designers Resource Center is proud to be affiliated with the Jewelers Resource Bureau    

Gemstone industry in Nigeria In recent times the hap hazard approach to gemstone sourcing in Nigeria has began to organized and mechanized mining is now beginning to take hold and the market is responding well to this change. Nigeria has become a major gemstone supplier in the past few decades. Now with the markets opening up to this source of colored gem industry is getting government support and organizing assistance. Tourmaline, Spessartite, Rubellite, Mambilla Sapphire, and even Emerald are all finding their way into the jewelry markets in Thailand for processing  and manufacturing. “Gemstone exports from Nigeria have always been somewhat poorly organized, and mainly of rough stones. Recently, however, there has been an attempt to improve mining capacity, to make exporting less cumbersome and transparent, and to encourage value addition for the country’s rough gemstones. These are the steps that a World Bank-assisted project has proposed.” Read More… The gemstones coming out of Nigeria are of high quality and are examples of how an emerging market can make real contributions to the worlds gemstone industry. We are looking forward to seeing more from this relatively new contributor to the worlds gemstone and jewelry industry…

Jewelry Tool Suppliers   The list below represents jewelry operations that I have personally used without problems. There are hundreds of credible operations and vendors throughout the world. Individual jewelry tool companies are also too numerous to list. This list will give you a place to start your journey knowing that the businesses you are dealing with are fair and honest. Gesswein 201 Hancock Avenue  P.O. Box 3998 Bridgeport, Connecticut 06605-0936 U.S.A. 1-203-366-5400  Fax: 1-203-366-3953 Website: email: Otto Frei 126 2nd St, Oakland CA 94607, USA 1.510.832.0355  1.800.772.3456 Website: email: Zak Jewelry Tools 55 West 47th Street 2nd floor New York, New York 10036 1-800-369-6424 1-212-768-8122  1-212-764-7847 Website: email: Stuller Jewelry Tools 302 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette, LA 70508 Website: Rio Grande Jewelry Tools 7500 Bluewater Rd NW Albuquerque, NM 87121 USA 1.800.545.6566 Website: Jewelry Tools 1521 West 2550 South, Ogden, UT 84401 Website: email: 1-866-453-6147 World Jewelry Tool Company 119, BIS Building 1st Floor Maheasak Road, BanRak Bangkok, 10500 Thailand +66-2-635-9998 Website: email Teck Thai Group Website: email: +66-2-226-0055

About Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company Jewelry and jewelers insurance are a very important part of security for your gemstones and jewelry. Jewelers Mutual specializes in these types of insurance coverage. Find all the information you need at the website, I found this jewelers resource at the Jewelers Security Alliance which is also a great resource to be exploited by jewelry designers, jewelers, and even manufacturers of jewelry. Jewelers Mutual has partners in the jewelry and gem industries like the American Gem Society, Canadian Jewelers Association, and the Jewelry Information Center just to name a few. These strategic alliances and partnerships add to the strength and viability of the insurance programs. The entire issue of jewelry and jeweler safety is one to be taken very seriously. Jewelry related crime is a reality that must be addressed. Best to be educated on the risks and solutions to mitigate those risks. Jewelers Mutual was founded by jewelers in 1913 and remains the leading insurer solely dedicated to insuring jewelry and the jewelry industry. Jewelers Mutual: Offers coverage for jewelry businesses in retail, repair, custom design, jewelry appraising, wholesale, and manufacturing. Provides coverage for individuals’ personal jewelry for residents throughout the U.S. and Canada. Is licensed in all 50 states and in Canada, except for personal jewelry insurance in Québec. READ MORE…

How to begin jewelry designing It is a simple process to begin jewelry designing. All you really need is a picture in your mind of what you want to see in your hand. Anyone can design jewelry if they have the desire to try, although there are many training courses and schools, desire is the most important factor. Jewelry design is as simple as putting on paper or computer screen what you see in your head, Start with a sketchpad. Try drawing the basic design, vary it in a few ways, to see the possibilities and get the creative juices flowing. Some famous jewelry designers have started out as housewives, and even corporate executives. No formal training is needed to design jewelry, however if you are serious about it you may consider looking at some jewelry design training lessons available online. Many YouTube videos simplify the seemingly complicated process and make you see it is not so difficult. Be daring and never give up trying new things and concepts, ask loads of questions and find free jewelry designer resources online to learn from. Look at nature in a different way, the patterns of nature make great jewelry designs, the veins on a leaf, the pattern of seeds inside a piece of fruit, the petals of a flower, insects and animals can all give inspiration to a person with a burning desire to design their own jewelry. There is no one way to begin, just get started and read, watch and learn as you go along. There are many ways, materials and techniques that can be used as a means to envision a new jewelry design. Colored semi precious gemstones can also be a source of ideas and a starting point, just look at everything you see as a potential design concept. Simple household items like string can be the beginning of new hot jewelry design ideas. Jewelry design and trend setting is not the exclusive world of the professional, many famous designers began as amateurs and found that they had a unique way of looking at the world that appealed to others. There is no wrong way to get started, except not to try. Old, young, male and female all make their mark in the world or jewelry design and there are some many facets to the jewelry industry there is always room for new ideas and input. I began designing jewelry on an spring morning with a piece of bone from the lamb dinner I had the evening before. I had seen a show about the ancient art of scrimshaw on whale bone. I broke out my little Dremel tool and began to carve away. That first piece became a concept religious cross, family and friend encouraged me by telling me they thought it was a cool design, it all came from my head no sketch, no final design, it just came out of trying to see if I could make something, anything from that little bit of bone. Many folks into hobbies like beading find their way into designing jewelry and look for resources to help them along the learning process.  Look for resources online to help you learn the terminology, materials and tools you may need. Don’t be intimidated by the volume of things to learn, just work your way through one at a time, some may be of great interest to you others may not. Keep in mind there is not right or wrong way to get started all you need to do is get started. Don’t be afraid to ask questions from people in the industry, try to attend a gem and jewelry show in your area, they are great resources for ideas and supplies to help you learn and expand your knowledge.

Gem Market Pulse – March 2016 Gem markets continue to be volatile in many areas, the financing industry that supports the gem and jewelry industries are moving from the sector more and more. The challenges that the gem traders face are numerous and fluid. This article accents these issues facing the markets such as fair trade and new resources for bringing new goods to market. The newly offered deep rich purple garnets from exotic locations like Mozambique, Malawi, and Tanzania came around during the recent Tucson gem show. The prices were good and the quality was awesome from all I have read and heard. Amateur jewelry designers would be well served to pay attention to new colors and sources for quality colored stones, they often have a buzz attached to them and can be sold much quicker when mounted in a unique setting. Another attraction is that the value can rise quickly and popularity can soar, this all adds to the buzz that a designer can transfer to their new designs following trendy gem sales. The Jewelry Industry Summit The goal is to reach consensus on a shared vision for responsible sourcing that works for all sectors of the industry – while meeting consumer demand for ethical products…featured gem Purple Garnet The gem and jewelry business has a large, multifaceted structure that functions at different levels often without any communications between participants from the various sectors. These sectors include but are not limited to mining, cutting, jewelry manufacturing, wholesale and retail. They can operate quite differently between diamond and colored stones industries. Both the colored stone and diamond sectors are dependent on a direct relationship with investors and banks and yet traditional lenders having been moving away from the gem and jewelry trade to develop business in other industries. Additional influential factors affecting the gem trade are government bodies, consumer rights groups and NGO’s. An industry wide meeting of representatives from all sectors of the gem and jewelry trade to address the increasing number of issues that currently facing the gem trade is overdue. Fortunately, a group of gem and jewelry professionals has taken the initiative to facilitate just such a meeting. READ MORE… Look for more free resources at Jewelry Designers Resource Center We are proudly affiliated with The Jewelers resource Bureau…

Polished diamond prices increased in December Although in 2015 the price of rough unpolished diamonds fell by about 15% in November and December they began to increase once again. The suppliers of rough have been increasing prices which had the polishing industry using up the reserves they had on hand. And they also decreased the numbers of diamonds being polished. De Beers has had dramatic a dramatic downward price adjustment in the rough during 2015 as much as 45% off the highs in the market. Production of polished diamonds has begun to rise and jewelry manufacturers are still unsure if the prices will continue to trend this way as demand is not stable. The overall market appears to be challenged for profit margins and as rough prices are higher than polished stones. Polished diamond market sentiment improved in December as shortages supported prices and dealers filled last-minute holiday orders. The RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI™) for 1-carat, GIA-graded diamonds rose 1.5% in December while RAPI for 0.30ct diamonds advanced 4.7% and RAPI for 0.50ct diamonds grew 3%. RAPI for 3-carat diamonds fell 0.1%. For the full year 2015, RAPI for 1ct diamonds declined 5.8% and RAPI for 0.30ct diamonds dropped 13.%, while RAPI for 0.50ct diamonds slumped 14.5%. RAPI for 3ct diamonds fell 14.5ct% in 2015. The Rapaport Monthly Report notes that there is a shortage of select diamonds as suppliers gradually sold off better-quality inventory and manufacturers limited polished production due to high rough prices. READ MORE…

Seeking the Legacy of Australian Sapphire Australian sapphire is little known in most markets because of the relationship the Australian mines have with the Thailand gemstone trade. Australia is a major supplier of Basalt hosted Sapphires and has large deposits being worked since the mid 1800’s and early 1900’s. The markets have had little knowledge of the existence of these Australian mining operations because they were often sold as being sourced from other areas such as Cambodia. These source of high grade sapphire in Australia and the relationship with Thailand’s gem industry have had a direct affect of the current markets in the gem and jewelry trades. Large amounts of these stones are cut and sold from Thailand and they often end up in Russia’s fine jewelry markets. Australian sapphire has more iron content than those from places like Myanmar, which is the reason for its rich deep blue color. The Australian sapphire mining operations were never mechanized until the 1960’s and 70’s so they had limited supply’s of rough stone coming out of the mines. Many operations are of alluvial nature and surface mined. It seems that no one is yet mining the main source of these alluvial stones at there volcanic source.     The moment I held that stone up to the sun and saw a deep vibrant royal blue color throughout the sapphire…I knew I was hooked. —Peter Brown, Sapphire Miner and Mine-to-Market Entrepreneur Author:Tao Hsu, Andrew Lucas, and Vincent Pardieu Sapphire was discovered in Australia during the 1850s gold rushes and 1870s tin mining. One of the earliest written records is from 1851, when sapphire was found in New South Wales. Though the long history of sapphire mining and commercial production spans at least the past half century, Australian sapphire has not received the recognition it warrants from either the global gem and jewelry industry or the consumer market. The top-quality Australian stones were sold as being from other sources, such as “Pailin” from Cambodia. Australia’s sizable commercial-quality sapphire production and its contribution to the rest of the world, especially the current corundum trading center of Thailand, are under-recognized. The trade between the Aussies and the Thais led to the global sapphire industry’s current dynamics. To enrich GIA’s global corundum research and learn the full story of the Australian sapphire industry, the Institute sent a group of field gemologists to explore the most important sapphire gem fields in eastern Australia. The group was led by GIA senior field gemology manager Vincent Pardieu and composed of field gemologist Andrew Lucas, Gems & Gemology technical editor Tao Hsu, assistant field gemologist Victoria Raynaud, and field cameramen Didier Gruel and Didier Barriere Doleac. The Institute’s field gemologists have covered all important sapphire fields in Australia—earlier this year another team led by Vincent Pardieu visited Tasmania’s sapphire fields. READ MORE… Jewelry Designers Resource Center is a proud affiliate of The Jewelers Resource Bureau

True North Begins Mining in Greenland Greenland continues to show the world that they have vast new resources for precious gems and metals. With the award of a mining license to begin mining Rubies and Pink Sapphires from what will be an open pit mining operation. This is the early stages of development of Greenland’s tremendous resources. Rubies are becoming more rare in places like Myanmar formerly known as Burma. New discoveries and mining operation that produce quality gemstones will likely do well in the markets around the world. Greenland’s extreme climatic conditions make recovering gems there difficult at best but the vast reserves that appear to be present then the conditions can be overcome. The beauty of the land combined with the climatic conditions and awesome potential resources for the worlds gemstone industry are something to behold. December 4, 2015 Aappaluttoq Ruby Mining beginning operations in Greenland Vancouver, B.C.–True North Gems has initiated mining operations at the Aappaluttoq ruby and pink sapphire open-pit mine in southwestern Greenland. The company contracted LNS Greenland, a joint venture partner in Aappaluttoq, as the mine operator. LNS Greenland’s mining extraction plans were submitted to the board of True North and it has attained approval to begin pit operations. The Vancouver-based True North said the gemstone recovery system currently is being shipped to Greenland, and the planned fourth quarter 2015/first quarter 2016 extraction will create a sufficient stockpile of ore to feed the processing plant once it has been commissioned. READ MORE… Jewelry Designers Resource Center is now officially affiliated with The Jewelers Resource Bureau a tremendous resource for all interested in the gem and jewelry business. Take a few minutes to learn more…

Gem and Jewelry Market Trends New trends in the colored gem markets have exciting prospects, colored diamonds and other colored gemstones are growing in interest by fashion and jewelry designers worldwide. With prospects looking good overall there are a few areas of concern that will need to be watched closely. Such as the Thailand supply market being in danger of loosing its status with the United States because of its growing economic market in the world. This could force many suppliers to move to such places as Cambodia. The pressure of a prolonged economic slowdown is also having a lasting effect on the gemstone supply markets. Competition from Sri Lanka and India continue to have some affect on the Thailand gem supply system, Vietnam has good supplies of Rubies, Sapphires and Spinel. Online and TV marketing is growing and many mid range buyers are now better informed and educated in purchasing gems, this in turn causes development of new strategies in selling the goods effectively. Watch for colored diamonds in the brown range to grow with more aggressive sales and marketing branding them with color names like cognac and champagne. A new trend is formatting during such change. Mid-range consumers start to purchase medium priced products through platforms like home-shopping via the television marketing. It shows that demands for gems and jewelry are still high. It is a great opportunity for the large-scale market expansion. Volumes of the mid-range consumers are much bigger than solely the creme portion. Top-end consumers have enough knowledge about the products, which makes them natural-ready buyers, so to speak. This segment will remain strong. But without doubt, mid-range customers will contribute to the majority. While the top consumers look for investing values in luxurious products, the mid-range ones look for individualism to speak up for their self-presentations. Tones and colors have been opening up from traditional red and green to new shades like orange, yellow, mint green and pink. Fashion designers are working closely with jewelry. Trends are getting vertically integrated. Certification and traceability will get in both the supply and consumer ends, therefore, image of confidence and knowledge are key determinant in emerging markets. READ MORE…

Jewellery Design Japanese jeweller sees dazzling future in coloured gem industry New designs and the creative use of colored stones are increasing interest in the worlds markets for fresh jewellery designs. The new interest in even some of the semi precious stones like alexandrite, and tourmaline, topaz, citrine, peridot and rose quartz is exciting. These new concepts are gaining the attention of many in the jewellery design industry. Even the established design houses are paying more attention to these fine colored stones. Companies like Kajita in Japan have come up with new concepts in the use of colored gemstones. In the article featured below we see that the 2016 season is expected to explode with new designs of a spectacular nature. The 2016 season is looking very colorful indeed especially in Asia and the middle east. The diamonds are still there it is just that new trends in colors are driving the design process for certain markets. Jewelry News Asia Issue No.: 376 02/12/2015 ‘Magic in the Air’ platinum necklace with diamonds, blue sapphires and a 5.3-carat Paraiba tourmaline centre stone Japan-based fine jewellery manufacturer Kajita Co Ltd expects an increase in demand for coloured gemstone jewellery among local and overseas customers in 2016, fueled mainly by rubies, sapphires and emeralds as well as the rising popularity of other coloured gemstones such as Paraiba tourmaline and alexandrite. With this in mind, the company is aiming to tap into potential markets in Asia and the Middle East to further strengthen its global reach, said Kengo Kajita, company executive director and COO. Established in 1920, Kajita Co Ltd is a family-run enterprise that specialises in fine jewellery and other luxury items. Its focus has always been coloured gemstone jewellery, Kajita noted, adding that the company successfully built its reputation as one of Japan’s major industry players. READ MORE…

7 Trends to Watch in 2016 Trends come and go but if your designing jewelry for fun and profit you should at least follow trending designs and add your own twist to them. Of course it is still alright to be totally original in design but following trends in gemstones and metals used in current trends will help you to increase your sales. Also following the fashion trends for clothing can give you an edge over other jewelry designers. Finding jewelry designer resources that offer this information will give you an advantage over designers who do not. Keep your eye on what colored gems are becoming popular and incorporate them into your design concepts, try new things as often as you can. This will increase your creative juices and expand your scope of jewelry designing. Try following the articles of the National Jeweler I find it very informative and timely on following trends in design color, gems and much more. this online magazine is a super resource for jewelry designers amateur or professional. Aspiring designers can learn much from the designer resources of publications like this. Many amateur jewelry designers lack simple resources to have their designs turned into jewelry. This was an issue for me way back in the 1970’s when I first began to design and create jewelry I found that I was paying far too much for professional services like wax carving and casting. Also my limit knowledge caused me to be far too dependent on the limited resources in my area. If you are an aspiring jewelry designer don’t let your limited knowledge or local resources be a problem, if you don’t find what you need on your own just ask I will be happy to assist you in locating your supplies, tools and services that will make your designs into the finished piece you envision. In other words just get started and do it, there is no longer any reason to fail in creating your beautiful jewelry designs. January 04, 2016 | By Brecken Branstrator Mixed metals in bridal, like this 18-karat rose and white gold ring set from LX Antwerp, will continue to be popular next year. New York–It’s going to be an exciting year in jewelry design. Trends have been taking new and innovative turns, and now spread across the country faster than ever, as social media and the Internet allow everyone to see and adapt to them in a short period of time. Because of this, retailers need to adapt to the trends more quickly or even be out ahead of them, said Amanda Gizzi, director of public relations and special events at Jewelers of America. Here are the trends that the experts think will be popping up, and staying put, in the fine jewelry market in 2016. 1. Stackables/layering. This trend isn’t going anywhere, especially for pieces that are personalized or allow for the sentimental. In jewelry, this includes layering delicate necklaces together as well as stacking rings and bracelets. “It’s really important (for retailers) to have and buy these pieces to drive in the younger generation,” Gizzi said. “It’s a buy-one-today, add-one-tomorrow mentality.” READ MORE… Jewelry Designers Resource Center is a proud affiliate of the Jewelers Resource Bureau take a moment to look at becoming a member. CLICK HERE…

A simple wax carver becomes rocking jewelry star Many people who design their own jewelry also carve the wax models for the production of the design. In some cases these designers have fame in two fields, a great wax carver is always in high demand. Paul Robilotti is one wax carver whose designs are very popular with rock stars, movie stars and presidents. Imagine having clientele so diverse after your jewelry designs. Mr Robilotti has done wax carvings for customers like De Beers, and Peter Max and more. His successes in both fields is somewhat unusual yet it demonstrates that no one should limit themselves. And jewelry designers who are not able to carve their own wax designs need a man like who understands both the design and wax portions of the industry.   If you were asked what Keith Richards, Ronald Reagan and Whoppie Goldberg could possibly have in common, you’d probably come up empty. The fact is, they all have a piece of Paul Robilotti jewelry, either chosen for them by someone close to them who knows their taste or picked out by themselves. That goes to show you the range of his appeal and only hints at the level of quality in his work. You can learn more about Paul and his jewelry designs at his website, reached here. What many of his fans are not aware of — and the point of this page — is that he has also been a prolific and highly-sought-after modelmaker and wax carver for nearly 30 years. He has worked behind-the-scenes for many of New York City’s most accomplished design houses on Madison Ave, Seventh Ave. and in the 47th St. Diamond District. READ MORE…

5-Carat Lab-Grown Blue Diamond Graded by GIA With labs perfecting the HPHT lab process for lab grown diamonds larger and larger stones are coming to the markets. Recent a 5.03ct blue diamond grown in a laboratory was inspected by GIA. These larger stones are causing a lot of interest in the markets, as the technology increases the quality is as well. Although a lab grown gem can be detected in a number of ways they still are causing the jewelry industry to sit up and take notice. This particular man made gemstone was significant enough to have the findings published early online by GIA. The company to produce it in Russia is thought to be the producer of the largest known lab created blue diamond in the world. Regardless of what you call them these man made, lab grown, lab created stones are getting more and more attention in the worlds jewelry markets. Jewelry designers are taking notice as well. Of course full disclosure of the source of these gems is taking place, it is important to have knowledge that the are coming onto the market. Although differing opinions on these created gems exist the fact is they are here to stay and are becoming a normal part of the industry. Regardless of what one thinks of these beautiful examples of gems, it is a fact that they are now a permanent part of the jewelry business and one should stay informed about the advances being made in creating them. New York–The Gemological Institute of America’s New York laboratory recently evaluated the largest lab-grown blue diamond it’s seen to date, a 5.03-carat stone made by a diamond company based in St. Petersburg, Russia. According to a Lab Note authored by GIA researchers Kyaw Soe Moe, Paul Johnson, Ulrika D’Haenens-Johansson and Wuyi Wang, the emerald-cut diamond was produced by NDT. NDT, or New Diamond Technology, is one of the founding members of the new International Grown Diamond Association. It’s also the company that produced the world’s largest known colorless diamond, a 10.02-carat, F color, VS1 stone cut from a 32.26-carat piece of rough and submitted to IGI Hong Kong last year. The Lab Note stated that the 5.03-carat diamond exhibited a number of traits characteristic of diamonds grown using the high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) process, including color zoning and a cuboctahedral growth pattern. READ MORE…

FLA Best Jewelry Designer: Jennifer Meyer Here we are again with an article about a famous successful Jewelry Designer who started off with no experience and masterminded a solid popular designer line of fashion jewelry. Read about how a young aspiring designer was hesitant to begin her endeavors in design. Her story fits thousands of young designers looking for the courage and correct moment to jump into the jewelry designing fray. I take pride in my designs but I never found the success of some, this never deterred me from trying and failing, although with some successes along my way. If you are a frustrated designer and afraid to begin or have no idea where to start. Look though our free resources for support and resources for all levels of design skills and access to the entire world for inspiration. Look forward always forward, take baby steps towards your ultimate goal and learn all you can along the way, you never know when you may use that in a design. Read about fashion trends, color trends, gemstone trends. Take it in like a sponge soak it in and retain as much as you can, dont worry about what leaks out. Keep in mind your one final goal of designing and creating jewelry for others to enjoy. Never let the success or skill of other intimidate you into giving up or not even trying, that would be a tragedy. Jennifer Meyer She’s the mastermind of one of the most successful L.A.-based brands to emerge in the past decade, but Jennifer Meyer’s approach to jewelry has mass appeal that extends far beyond the borders of her native Hollywood. How did you learn to make jewelry? I taught myself! I always wanted to do it, but when I started out, I didn’t know what I was doing. At the time, there was no Instagram—you couldn’t go online and see what other people were doing. You had to focus on yourself and your own vision. I was scared to put myself out there. When people began to wear and love my pieces, my life changed. To get credit for being part of the L.A. fashion world gives me chills. What are the benefits of working in L.A.? All my best friends, my family, my husband [Tobey Maguire], and my children are here, so I get to enjoy my personal life, which is more important to me than anything. Look at L.A.! The weather is perfect, it’s green, you’ve got the beach, the mountains…it’s constantly inspiring. I have incredibly talented friends. L.A. breeds talent—people who are excited to create. I get to be around them every day. It’s amazing. Which friends were helpful when you launched? A million of them! Around the time I launched, I was doing celebrity public relations for Ralph Lauren. I was really young and loved doing it, but something was missing. My boyfriend, who became my husband, kept on saying, “What do you want to do? What’s your passion?” I finally said, “I want to do jewelry.” He used that Star Wars quote: “Do or do not. There is no try.” I had moved in with him by that time, and I saved my own money for my company. Over months and months, I saved about $7,500. READ MORE… We are proudly affiliated with The Jewelers Resource Bureau Learn more about them and their services click here…

50 Tips To Prevent Jewelry Store Robberies or Minimize the Damage Should They Occur Great information on staying safe in the jewelry industry. Read and learn, even if you think you are safe read it anyway there may be that one tip that saves your life and merchandise one day. JCK Magazine is an industry authority, they offer a tremendous resource to anyone with interest in gems and jewelry. Encountering an armed robber is one of the scariest things a jeweler can experience, but experts say there are certain ­measures you can take to prevent a robbery, or to minimize the damage should one take place, as well as advice you should ­follow during and after an encounter that will help keep you safe. These tips come from the Jewelers’ Security Alliance, insurance ­professionals, retailers, and other industry experts. BEFORE 1. Vary your route to and from the store and keep an eye on your rearview mirror to make sure you’re not being followed. 2. Don’t open or close the store alone. While one employee locks or unlocks the door, a second employee should watch from a safe distance that still gives a good view of the door. The second person also should have a mobile phone to call the police if the coworker is confronted. 3. Observe the surroundings of the store when you arrive. If a person or car is loitering by the building, or if doors or windows appear open or tampered with, stay out of sight and call police. Learn More…

Lapidary supplies and Equipment Inland’s lapidary equipment, diamond tools, and lapidary supplies are available to lapidary hobbyists and rockhounds all over the world. Our line of lapidary equipment includes diamond band saws and trim saws, plus diamond grinders and flat lap machines, – all designed specifically for use on rocks and minerals. Ameritool offers the highest quality lapidary and glass working machines.  Our trim saws and grinders set the industry standards for quality and design.  Our equipment is used by lapidary, glass, jewelry and beading artists around the world. Rio Grande, At Rio, we believe in jewelers. In the digital age, perhaps this is a radical idea. But we remain committed to supporting anyone who has ever picked up a piece of metal and made something wearable. Delta One Lapidary, we can supply your lapidary equipment, lapidary tools, rock hounding tools, and jewelry tools and equipment needs. Diamond Pacific is one of the major manufacturers of lapidary equipment for the rockhound hobbyist, professional gemcutter and jeweler, and for a variety of commercial uses, from deburring metal parts to testing geological specimens and concrete for highways.

Jewelry tools for novice and professional alike should be top quality Here is a list of jewelry tools and we ask that you help us to grow this list and the information about each of these jewelry tools. Feel free to contact us to add to this list… Shaping Pliers Parallel Jaw Pliers Cutting Pliers Jump Ring Pliers Prong Setting Pliers Planishing Hammers Chasing Hammers Rawhide Hammers Brass Hammers Wooden Mallets Chasing and Repose` Tools Pitch Bowls Jewelry Saw Blades Jewelry Saw Frames Stone Tweezers Soldiering EquipmentWax Tools Beading Tools Stamping Clamps Ring Mandrels Bracelet Mandrels Engraving Flex Drills Hand Drills Hand Polishing Equipment Power Polishing Jewelry Tumbling Machinery Centrifugal Casting Equipment Vacuum Casting Equipment Hand Casting Equipment Alcohol Lamps Blow Pipes Gold Testing Kits Touch Stones Diamond Testers Gold Testers Crucibles Carbon Blocks Ceramic Soldiering Blocks Jewelry Files Burnishing Tools Jewelry Production Tools Jewelry Machinery Pin Vise Dapping Tools Benzine TorchGemstone Saws Lapidary Equipment Rolling Mills Draw Plates Drawing Bench Jewelers Bench Moh’s Hardness Testers Jewelers Loop Diamond Lights Microscopes Magnifying Lamps Light Tables Jewelry Designing Software Rings Sizing Set Jewelry Torches

Will Gem and Colored Diamond Markets Crash? The colored gem and diamond markets have been doing well over the past few years yet many other aspects of the gem economy are troubling The Gemstone Forecaster shows markets slowing in the fall of 2015. Many of the top producers like Burma (Myanmar) show spectacular new goods but demand has slowed dramatically in recent months. The markets have been called a bubble by some, but I wonder if it is a bubble at all in regards to colored diamonds and gems. With the Chinese buyers drying up after years of rampant purchasing of gems this has had an affect across the trade. Many factors are at play of course in this high stakes game of chance, the gems of Mozambique are entering the colored stone markets like never before. The worlds largest ruby deposits are in this African nation. Violence and politics are negatively affecting the development of this resource. by Robert Genis The colored diamond and precious gemstone markets have been top performing assets for over a decade. However, many markets have now been hit hard or even topped. US stock markets are weak and emerging markets are crashing. Many commodities-including white diamonds, gold and silver have sunk in the face of a strong dollar. In the US, with a few exceptions, the residential real estate market never came roaring back despite low interest rates. The reason colored diamonds and certain unheated precious gemstones (primarily from Burma) continue to increase makes sense. They are truly rare, fun to own, can be owned privately, are easily stored, and have an enviable record of appreciation. Every substantial portfolio should have a small portion dedicated to these assets.  READ MORE…

New Madagascar Aquamarine Discovery When newly sourced Aquamarine shows up at a show it is news, collectors were excited to see 5 kilos of high quality unheated show up in Tucson. These are fine quality goods coming from Madagascar few inclusions and no green or gray stones that would require heat treatment. Cut in emerald and cushion shapes for the most part collectors could pick them for the best colors. Unheated Aquamarine is rare and color this nice is as well, the prices are reasonable and interest was high. A hardness of 7.5 is very suitable for jewelry designs a beautiful color and cut with sizes 5-10cts. These particular pieces should be a big hit when the are scooped up by collectors and jewelry designers. As members of the Beryl family of gemstones they will be treasured additions to a collection, jewelry designers are also lucky to have the opportunity to pick out some quality pieces for their new design concepts. Collectors are always looking for a new hot gemstone that’s inexpensive. Ideally, everyone wants to be in o n the bottom floor of the next Brazilian Paraiba tourmaline discovery. The Brazilian Paraiba story is unique but truthfully, may only happen once in a lifetime. However, as a general rule, collectors who buy gemstones before they become popular or known, generally see pretty nice increases in price appreciation as the material dwindles. New Large Find Madagascar Aquamarine has been intermittent for years but in January, 5 kilos showed up before the Tucson Gem Show. The market now has enough material to satisfy collectors, jewelers, and high end manufacturers. Large suites are being created for major necklaces. Jewelers can now get single stones for rings and necklaces and collectors can obtain single stones or suites of the new material. Brief Gemology Aquamarine is a beryl, the same family as emerald. Aquamarine gets its color from iron. Many aqua’s are greenish blue, although the pure blues are considered the ideal. Aquamarine is 7.5 in hardness, which makes it durable for jewelry. READ MORE…

Jewelers Resource Bureau Jewelry Designers Resource Center is proud to announce it’s newly formed affiliation with The Jewelers Resource Bureau. Which is a tremendous resource for jewelers and jewelry designers for jewelry trade shows and designer-friendly craft fairs, associations for designers, events for designers, design competitions and industry trade publications. All in a single spot help for marketing solutions, packaging solutions, jewelry tools and so much more. Take advantage of the short and long term sources and the latest in industry trends. Subscribing instantly guarantees immediate members area access to everything you’ll need to t grow o help grow your business.  Get access to  the How-To Library with many dozens of articles on operating your business, from concept of your design to pricing it to sell. The library is constantly growing because in a changing market, recent conditions can call for innovation. Over thirty years in jewelry journalism experience at your fingertips.