About Ruby

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…

Diamond Market Update: Sales, Prices Pick Up Caution is the word of the day when it comes to diamond prices at the moment, but if you will be needing a quality diamond for an upcoming jewelry design now may be the time to look. The latest rough sales have shown increases in prices so that means as they exit the cutting houses the prices for polished diamonds will rise as well. The markets for diamond jewelry remain soft and uncertain even with that rough sale prices rose. As amateur jewelry designers begin buying higher valued gems like diamonds caution is advised. Be sure who you are dealing with, be sure to ask for full disclosure of the gemstone for enhancements and source. Beginners should never be scared away from trying to do diamond designs but they need to ask for resources and information about how to buy wisely New York–Rough diamond sales and polished diamond prices continued their recovery in February, yet caution remains the trade’s watchword as global demand for diamonds still is relatively weak. In its monthly price report released Tuesday, Rapaport said that polished diamond prices remained firm last month. The RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI) for 1-carat GIA-graded diamonds rose for the fourth consecutive month, albeit very slightly (0.3 percent). Compared to a year ago, however, 1-carat diamond prices remain depressed, down 8 percent. Prices for 0.30-carat and 0.50-carat diamonds also were up in February, 0.4 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively. The RAPI for 3-carat diamonds slipped 1 percent. Rapaport noted in its report for February, “Midstream Inventory Replenishment,” that the upturn in polished prices is due mainly to shortages in select categories of better quality diamonds, not growth in demand for diamonds at the consumer level. Retail demand in the Far East remains weak and dealers are looking to the United States for “encouragement” as sales here are steady, but jewelers remain cautious. There are lingering concerns about the economy and the volatile stock market, and there’s also the fact that consumers tend to be more frugal during election years, the report noted. On the rough side of the market, both Rapaport and De Beers said that it continues to show signs of recovery as excess inventory, which kept manufacturers from buying in the second half of 2015 and caused them to cut back on production, works its way through the pipeline. De Beers reported Tuesday that preliminary results for its second sales cycle of the year indicate that it moved $610 million in rough diamonds, up from $545 million in the first sales cycle of the year and more than double the $248 million in rough it was selling at the end of 2015. READ MORE… Jewelry Designers Resource Center is proudly affiliated with The Jewelers Resource Bureau  

Shenzhen: The Frontier of China’s Gem and Jewelry Industry… It is hard to believe the tremendous changes that have taken Shenzhen from a provincial fishing village to a world class economic and business zone. This has taken more nearly four decades and along the way a thriving gem and jewelry industry has grown and taken real root. Jewelry designs abound throughout the region, gem and jewelry manufacturing have found a long term market there. GIA has taken notice and started keeping the demographics up to date. There are now thousands of jewelry and gem dealers registered and it is expanding still. As one who is into the jewelry industry for these same decades has watched this phenomenon take shape. To see these humble beginnings grow into a world class destination for jewelry manufacturing and sales is an amazing journey to behold. The reforms that began in the 1980’s and were furthered along in the early 2000’s has taken this village to the top of the jewelry world. INTRODUCTION Over the past 35 years, Shenzhen has transformed from an extremely poor fishing village to one of the most economically developed cities in China, witnessing countless advances along the way. In May of 1980, the city was designated one of China’s first special economic zones, acting as a cradle for many start-ups. Today, it is China’s biggest jewelry manufacturing and trading hub. Over the years, Shenzhen has been at the forefront of pioneering trade reform. The “China Jewelry Index” (CJI) was initiated, born, and maintained in Shenzhen. It was launched in October, 2014, after three years of preparation. The Index, like Rapaport’s diamond report, was the first national-level database to provide comprehensive information on China’s gem and jewelry industry. Considered a milestone of business development, CJI is fully supported by the local Shenzhen government, with intellectual support from the Gem and Jewelry Trade Association of China. The city’s GDP rose from 1.96 million Chinese renminbi (RMB) in 1979 to 1,600.20 billion RMB (US $267 billion) in 2013. The growth rate in Gross Domestic Product was 8.8 percent from 2013 to 2014, which was higher than the overall growth rate for all of China. This fast growth attracted new migrants from all over the country and the world. The permanent population grew from 30,000 in the early 1980s to about 18 million today. Its demographic consists of 99 percent migrants, although the exact population has never been consistent or easy to count. READ MORE…

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…

Contemporary jeweller Romilly Saumarez Smith The recycling of ancient art pieces into jewelry is taking hold in Newfoundland, Canada. The art and designs of jeweler Romilly Saumarez Smith is proving to be both inspirational and innovative. The more than 70 new designs exhibited at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts of re-purposed Roman and Anglo-Saxon metalwork have sparked interest and acclaim in the design world. Although one does not usually think of Newfoundland as a hub of innovation in jewelry designing. At least one jeweler is proving that the remote location is not a hindrance at all. The jewelry pieces are unusual and eye catching as well, making a statement of how to take the old even ancient and modernize it. The designers world can find new directions in many uncommon sources but sometimes a new way of looking at the old creates the new. Newfoundland Sat 5 Dec 2015 – 10 April 2016 Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich Newfoundland is an exhibition of work by contemporary jeweller Romilly Saumarez Smith and artist Verdi Yahooda. Each of the 70+ pieces in the exhibition are unique and have at their core Roman, Anglo-Saxon or Mediaeval metalwork, dropped or discarded hundreds of years ago. In 2011, Romilly became fascinated by the amazing availability of these antique objects, which she discovered on eBay – the finds of metal detectorists who scour the countryside in search of lost treasure. She quickly recognised the inherent beauty of buttons, pins, thimbles and metal buckles which arrived in the post, tightly wrapped. Originally these objects were everyday domestic things, but lost in the ground and buried in time they have become particular and special. 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.

Although she has the advantage of her family name her inspiration came from a piece of her great grand mothers jewelry. She found her passion to become a jewelry designer herself. This story is a perfect example of how a jewelry designer can find inspiration in an unexpected place and become a viable jewelry designer with a marketable line of jewelry designs. Finding a particular concept and running with it can be a challenge, look for a simple plentiful source of unique materials, gems, wood, leather or what ever the material the jewelry is created from. Ms. Vanderbilt may have had name recognition, but she had no experience in jewelry designing until she was inspired by her great grandmothers jewelry, look for your inspiration wherever you can find it do not limit where you look for and find design inspiration. My jewelry designs way back when I started were inspired by such things as the textures and complex curves of the inside of sliced vegetables, and plants, I later went on to find ideas in insects and animals. I have also used engine parts and industrial equipment to base my designs on. I have even used design concepts from patterns in water when you add food coloring and freeze it without mixing it so it stays in bands of color. Talk about a family inspiration! Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin is part of the Vanderbilt family dynasty and says after inheriting a ring from her great-grandmother, she knew she wanted to design jewelry. The line of affordable pearl and diamond fashion jewelry is currently available on http://www.hsn.com. Watch as Consuelo introduces us to her jewelry line and how each piece has a story behind it, just waiting to be told. broach Family heritage – Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin is a direct descendent of shipping and railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt, and cousin of Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt. – Family heritage: – Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin’s mother was Serena Vanderbilt Ingen McCallum, – Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin’s grandmother Iris Ada Vanderbilt – Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin’s great grandmother Consuelo Vanderbilt Earl – Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin’s great-great grandfather William K. Vanderbilt II – Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin’s great-great-great aunt Consuelo Vanderbilt (Duchess of Marlborough) neck– “The Duchess” Choker was developed in homage to the Duchess of Marlborough, who wore a stunning multi-strand pearl choker to accentuate her legendary long neck; the envy of many society women during the early 19th century. – The single strand pearl necklace that each Vanderbilt woman receives on her 18th birthday inspired ”The Coming of Age” Necklace, which comes with a matching Tennis Bracelet,. The exquisite “Five Generations” Pearl Ring and Necklace feature five pearls in a nod to the legendary women that inspired the process. READ MORE…

Properly sizing a ring with stones can be tricky, this video helps avoid the pitfalls

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 Underrated Pleasure of Wearing Jewelry Made Just for You The pleasure of wearing jewelry made just for you is gratifying, imagine the gratification of being the one to design it for yourself. Many amateur jewelry designers began this way, first having an image of a piece of jewelry they would love to have, they sketch it and  have it made up fr them. More often than not this starts a trend and they begin designing more and more, until one day they realize they are a jewelry designer. In this article see how a twist on this theme is started when an author gets into jewelry related to publishing her works. In any regard having jewelry made just for you is a buzz one won’t soon forget. The fact that these designs can be very exclusive and even one off pieces is a satisfying factor as well. Regardless of the reasons having jewelry unique to you is a pleasure in itself, with years of use ahead. Theme inspired jewelry is just one type of special made custom designed fashion accessory. Many aspects of the jewelry business are related to branding other products such as books or even fashion, this is a very effective means of gaining name recognition. By HANYA YANAGIHARA APRIL 6, 2016 I am not embarrassed to say that one of the great benefits to publishing a book is jewelry. When my first novel, “The People in the Trees,” came out in 2013, I bought just one thing with my advance: a deep-blue enamel ring that I had lettered with the first line — Kaulana na pua a o Hawaii/Famous are the flowers of Hawaii — of one of the most resonant Hawaiian protest songs, “Famous Are the Flowers,” written in 1893 to voice support for the overthrown Queen Liliuokalani, the islands’ last monarch. My book was an allegory of Pacific colonialism, and it seemed right that I should wear this reminder of Hawaii, what it had been and what it had lost, on my hand. When my second novel, “A Little Life,” was published last March, I didn’t buy any jewelry. But people gave it to me anyway: a reader sent me a silver cuff. A group of my close friends got together and bought me a ring — a heavy gold bird with round, brilliant-cut diamonds for eyes and dangling a briolette-shaped ruby from its mouth like a drop of blood — from the renowned Jaipur-based jeweler Gem Palace. (This very creation had actually inspired a similar piece of jewelry that appears in the book’s final chapter.) But even so, I wanted a piece of custom jewelry, something to commemorate the novel’s characters, who had become as vivid and complicated to me as my own friends: certainly it felt as if I had spent more time with them in the year and a half it had taken to write the book than I had spent with actual humans. And then my friend Claudia, a jewelry editor, told me about a label called Foundrae. When we wear a piece of custom jewelry, we are adding ourselves to a legacy as old as the Romans, the Greeks, the Persians — older. READ MORE… We are proud to be affiliated wit the Jewelers Resource Bureau, they have loads of highly useful tools and sources for all aspects of the jewelry industry.

‘Crimson Flame’ ruby sets world record at Christie’s HK auction Jewellery News Asia is a premiere publication that puts you inside the pulse of the Jewellery trends in Asia and the world. A great resource for jewellery designers and gem professionals, it has concise articles and timely information for design trends, shows, new colors and so much more. In my opinion well worth the subscription expense. Far more information about the jewellery industry than can be covered in this simple post. I find it thoroughly satisfying to read and do research with for my designing work. Some other online resources that is well worth looking into is the Jewelers Resource Bureau with many great articles some dealing with personal safety for jewelers and those in the gem and jewelry industry. Help with shipping and insurance issues around the world. Jewellery News Asia 02/12/2015 Crimson Flame Ruby An exceptional ruby and diamond ring set a world record at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale in Hong Kong when it sold for HK$142 million (US$18 million), beating pre-sale estimates. The ‘Crimson Flame,’ a rare 15.04-carat cushion-shaped Burmese ruby, fetched a record-setting per carat price of US$1.2 million, according to the auction house. Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction realised HK$747,894,000 (US$96,904,062), selling 80 percent by lot and 83 percent by value. Vickie Sek, deputy chairman for Asia and director of Christie’s Asia Jewellery Department, commented, “It’s the year of the ruby at Christie’s Hong Kong. Totalling US$97 million, this auction brings our overall Hong Kong jewellery sales to US$215 million, the highest annual result ever achieved for this category in Asia.” READ MORE…

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…

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…

GIA is urging the return of 175 diamonds for re examination due to a recent hacking attack on their data base. The two hackers appear to have operated between November of 2014 and October 2015. GIA is offering a no cost re-confirmation of any reports issued during this period of time. Again it demonstrates GIA commitment to the integrity of the diamond market. The article in the National Jeweler is a poignant reminder of the issues facing the system in the electronic age. December 01, 2015 Carlsbad, Calif.–Only 175 of the 1,042 diamonds with a grading report that was invalidated after two individuals hacked into Gemological Institute of America’s grading information database earlier this year have been returned to the lab for reexamination. To address the trade’s concerns and to emphasize the importance of all the diamonds and their reports being returned, the GIA announced last week that it is offering a no-cost confirmation service for any diamond grading report that was issued by the lab between November 2014 and October 2015. Read More…

NY jewelry store’s diamonds weren’t stolen In a weird twist the suspected stolen diamonds at J. Birnbach Inc in New York city were never stolen, An employee threw them out during a move from one office to another… A security guard found them in the trash and sold some to another jeweler in the same building, This mistake emphasizes the need of taking time to check all the things thrown into the trash in the jewelry and gemstone industry. This would have been a $5 million dollar loss for Birnbach and cause a great deal of anxiety for a long time to come. Since I have personally had a similar experience although not for the same value, I had in the past accidentally thrown a few pieces of jewelry away in a move I was making some years back. Gem and Jewelry safety are as important to the designer as it is to the jeweler. The mystery of how nearly $5 million in diamonds went missing from a Midtown jewelry store has been solved. As it turns out, some dimwitted workers at J. Birnbach Inc. were helping their boss move to another floor and tossed three weathered wooden boxes filled with diamonds in a heap of trash without bothering to look inside, law-enforcement sources said. But a building security guard patrolling the third floor allegedly did take a peek — and discovered the mother lode: READ MORE…

Quick Tests You Can Do to Test for Fake Gemstones There are many fake or simulated gemstones out there and unscrupulous traders will be trying to pass them off to the unsuspecting uneducated consumer. Amateur jewelry designers have fallen victim to these dealers with a lack of ethics. Having full knowledge of who you are buying from and a guarantee of authenticity is important to maintain integrity in the design and sales process. Selling fake or simulated gems is an accepted practice in the jewelry industry as long as disclosed fully in plain language. Buyer beware and due diligence is needed to be observed. Learn about the tricks that are used, but the  most important piece of advice i can give an aspiring jewelry designer is to know who your buying from, ask lots of questions and get assurance that if a problem occurs with authenticity that they will stand behind the goods you purchased from them. Any kind of gemstone can be faked, from diamonds and sapphires to pearls and beyond. There is nothing wrong with fake gemstones. They are affordable and fun so long as they are never sold as the real thing. That would be fraud.  But did you ever wonder if the jewelry you bought or acquired was real? Or if you have got some of your bead supplies horribly mixed up and need to tell them apart? Here are quick tests for genuine gemstones that don’t require special equipment. Glass vs Gemstone Passing off glass as gemstones dates back to the invention of glass around 4000 BC. Even the Ancient Egyptians moaned about the practice in their papyrus writings. An old test was to put the piece in the mouth. Glass will soon feel warm. Gemstones feel icy for a lot longer because they have higher thermal conductivity than glass. They take heat from your mouth so they themselves feel cold. READ MORE…

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

Diamond Sales Light Up Solid Season for Jewelers The early slowness of sales of seasonal sales turned out to be just a bump in the road. Diamond sales for the holiday season were stronger than expected and up by double digits overall. A few retailers showed minor dips in sales, but overall retail jewelry sales were better across the board. Other stones like Blue Zircon came into play this season as well. They have been gaining popularity and growing desire from the buying public, as well as the growth in sales for Paraiba tourmaline’s which are one of the new trending gems in the fashion industry. Marketing efforts have paid off however these efforts never end and continue to be a big part of sales efforts for most designers and jewelers. The markets have been somewhat nervous for a time but seem to be resilient and are making an effort to stabilize to some degree. Along with better diamond sale increased interest in colored gems has been seen as a trend for the coming 2016 sales season. Interest in Blue Sapphire and Morganite have been influenced by fashion designers and are expected to continue to see greater sales. The industry had a few jitters coming into the holiday season, but overall it appears better than expected particularly for diamonds and designer lines. After surveying nearly two dozen jewelers, JCK found that few saw declines, and even those whose sales dropped didn’t have huge falls. But quite a few said sales were flat. Among the trends we found this year: This was a last-minute nail-biting season, but in the end shoppers came through.  As usual, jewelers griped that the weather hurt sales but this year the problem was good weather, as unseasonably warm temperatures dampened the holiday mood. Gemstones and silver also did well, although JCK heard less about charm brands than in past years.READ MORE… What is the Jewelers Resource Bureau?

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.

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…

How Rihanna’s Favorite Jewelry Designer Built an Empire Some designers never intended to be one. This article documents one highly successful jewelry designer’s road to the top. Jacquie Aiche began her designing career as a hobbyist and never considered that she might have a lifetimes work ahead of her for her much sought after designs. Over the years her designs took on a life of their own and eventually she returned to her design work full time, starting in her garage. She is now an “A”  list designer in the celebrity world of Hollywood with clients like Miley Cyrus and Rihanna. So when you think that you can’t become a designer keep her lovely story in mind. She went from a hobbyist housewife to a top designer in the Hollywood world of fashion. This woman’s designs are becoming more and more popular with the celebrity crowd. Now not everyone becomes a famous Hollywood creator of fine jewelry, But anyone who is persistent and works to challenge themselves can have a satisfying experience in the jewelry industry. by Meghan Blalock  Rihanna isn’t hurting for big designer names in her wardrobe, but when it comes to her jewelry collection, one name reigns supreme among them all: Jacquie Aiche. (The pop star’s so obsessed with Aiche’s designs that she even partnered with the designer on a line of jewelry-inspired body art earlier this year.) But RiRi is far from the only celebrity client Aiche counts as a fervent follower; Victoria’s Secret model Behati Prinsloo loves her work, as do Diane Kruger, Kylie Jenner, Miley Cyrus, and countless other stylish ladies. But like many of the career success stories we’ve chronicled here on Who What Wear, Aiche wasn’t always such a household name in the celebrity style world. READ MORE…  Jewelry Designers Resource Center is proud to be affiliated with The Jewelers Resource Bureau

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…

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…

Exotic metals in jewelry are nothing new For as long as man has known about exotic metals like titanium, platinum group metals like rhodium, and palladium have been used in jewelry designs,. Although over time the designs and manipulation of the metals has changed and now more than ever they are getting attention again by jewelry designers and the jewelry manufacturing industry. Gold is the most malleable and ductile precious metal on earth Everything for and about Jewelry Gold Gold is the most malleable and ductile of all metals; a single gram can be beaten into a sheet of about 1 square meter, Gold leaf can be beaten thin enough to become translucent. The transmitted light appears greenish blue, because gold strongly reflects yellow and red. Such semi-transparent sheets also strongly reflect infrared light, making them useful as infrared (radiant heat) shields in visors of heat-resistant suits, and in sun-visors for spacesuits. Gold readily creates alloys with many other metals, like silver, platinum, and even aluminum which creates purple gold. These alloys can be produced to modify the hardness and other metallurgical properties, to control melting point or to create exotic colors. Gold and Green sapphire Christmas Tree Pin Gold is a good conductor of heat and electricity and reflects infrared radiation strongly. Chemically, it is unaffected by air, moisture and most corrosive reagents, and is therefore well suited for use in coins and jewelry and as a protective coating on other, more reactive, metals. However, it is not chemically inert. Because of it properties and rarity gold is a great medium for jewelry designing. Jewelry made from gold has been found dating back to the Byzantine era. Goldsmiths from this era used the most rudimentary tools like alcohol lamps and blow pipes to fuse and soldier there works. Platinum is one exotic metal used in jewelry design it has a high melting temperature Platinum Raw platinum nugget shown here does not look like finished platinum jewelry. Platinum is used to alloy gold to make it white in color, but do to its high cost Platinum has a number of closely related metals like rhodium, and palladium. These exotic metals are found naturally in the earth. Where as exotic jewelry metals like titanium are man made. Palladium For years jewelry customers have been investing in platinum and white gold jewelry. Until recently, these have been the two real options for customers favoring a white metal over traditional yellow gold. Now however, an alternative metal is emerging into the market and it’s known as Palladium (Pd). 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. Titanium and resources for other exotic metals Titanium and other exotic metals like platinum, rhodium, palladium, purple gold are becoming more and more popular with modern jewelry designers. We will try to provide sources for both raw exotic metals, manufacturers for designers finished jewelry created from exotic material. •Titanium Bar Locate premium titanium bar and other titanium mill products at the friendly wholesale supplier, Titanium Metal Supply. •Purple Gold Designs in ceramic and diamonds

Training video on how to properly repair a jewelry hinge

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…

Jewelry news Resources for the latest jewelry news are very good places to find jewelry design trends and changes in the jewellery markets. See the sources below that we have used over the years. National Jeweler is one resource where one can find the very latest in Jewelry news, the stories below are just an example of what a good source of information the National Jeweler is to the jewelry industry. Take a few moments to review the article and the website you may find more information about jewelry design than you knew was available. The companies mentioned below are also valuable resources for jewelry design inspirations and ideas. By Hannah Connorton October 30, 2015 The big story of the week was the news that the GIA has invalidated grading reports for 1,042 diamonds after discovering two now-former employees of TCS, the contractor that supports its grading information database, had gained unauthorized access to the database and altered the reports. Tiffany & Co. also made headlines, first announcing it was partnering with another retailer to create a capsule collection inspired by designs in the brand’s Blue Book from the 1970s. (more…)

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.

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…

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…

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…

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…

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

Sri Lanka: From Mine to Market Following the GIA travel logs is a great way to learn about the far flung emerging and established gem markets of the world. Sri Lanka is a unique place in the world where many types of gems abound the landscape. The centuries have taught the Sri Lankan gem miner how to take his goods from mine to market with as few steps as possible. In recent years the changes in import export rules for the gemstone industry have helped them expand and bring in large amounts of foreign stones for cutting and processing into jewelry for the world. With the mining, trading, cutting, treatment, jewelry manufacturing, and retail sectors all on fire, the future is looking good. Sri Lanka has massive deposits of a variety of gemstones, The gravels yield sapphire, ruby, cat’s-eye and other chrysoberyls, spinel, garnet, beryl, tourmaline, topaz, quartz, and many other gemstones. The ability of cutters from Sri Lanka to orient a stone for cutting is legendary and among the natural talents of this centuries old trade. Gem cutting skills are well established in this island nation. The color orientation is key to the presentation and light penetration of any gemstone. The natural eye of these stone cutters is a huge asset to the gem markets in Sri Lanka. Still using traditional methods of stone orientation for cutting are still employed in this modern day, this is because it works and needs no changes. These traditions have serve well the gem cutting industry in Sri Lanka and it is slow to change with modern tools and techniques. Gemstone deposits in Sri Lanka are based in gem-bearing gravels called illam. To visit Sri Lanka is to experience one of the great gem sources and trading centers in the world. This country has a rich, almost unparalleled tradition and remains vitally important to the modern gemstone market. Sri Lanka has a true mine-to-market industry, both domestically and for export. Its evolution over the last two decades blends the best of traditional practices with modern technologies and business models. In this field report, we take you on an expedition to this magnificent island and its remarkable mine-to-market industry. An Amazing Island Traveling in Sri Lanka, you realize it is a large island with very diverse environments. Most of the terrain consists of flat or rolling hills, but there are beautiful mountains in the southern central interior. Agriculture is a constant presence as you drive around the country, with intense green rice fields and rubber tree plantations. In Elahera’s rice fields, there are treehouses for agricultural workers to climb into when a herd of wild elephants passes through. In Ratnapura, Elahera, and Balangoda, green rice fields also enclose small pit-mining operations, sometimes covered with V-shaped roofs for a little protection from rain and sun. Gaining elevation, you encounter beautiful tea plantations where it is common to see workers picking tea leaves by hand. Driving along the coast offers views of Sri Lanka’s beautiful coastline and fishing industry. READ MORE… We are proud affiliates of the Jewelers Resource Bureau take a few moments to look at the resources they offer to the jewelry industry

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.

For Your Wrist, Chips in Platinum Kate Unsworth, techno jewelry designer Jewelry design with  high technology functionality is becoming more popular all the time. Jewelry designer Kate Unsworth has made it fashionable and functionality built in. This will continue to trend as technology evolves and design becomes a driving force with the buying public. A new market category is emerging and is extremely exciting as it opens doors in jewelry design that were un-imagined just a few years ago. Connectivity is the buzz word now with the new tech jewelry designers coming forth. Imagine beauty and connectivity with your iPhone or Android phone to make you know what is happening in your world. A bracelt or pendant that vibrates when a message comes in. In bedded with platinum and a chip it is leading edge stuff for the jewelry world. The possibilities are enormous and unlimited in scope this is a new way of thinking and could even be a new category of jewelry market. Design and functionality are integral and they are making advances in this regard in leaps and bounds. It is a rapidly evolving new market and the excitement is just beginning to build. What will come next will be spectacular and will continue to change the face of the jewelry design world. The integration of technology with the design industry will be an exciting thing to watch, dont be afraid to look into it all. LONDON — Jewelry is continuing to undergo a technological revolution of its own with the debut of Altruis, a collection that features a gemlike centerpiece of zirconia ceramic with an embedded chip that vibrates to alert the wearer to texts, calls and other iPhone alerts. Unlike some other tech-connected pieces with rubber wristbands or fluorescent fittings, the Altruis necklaces, rings and bracelets are plated in precious metals like platinum and rose gold, so there’s little wonder they drew the attention of fashion-forward boutiques like Browns in London and Fivestory in New York, which, along with Altruis’s own website, began selling some of the pieces in mid-December. “Altruis challenges what fashion is, and is creating its own category,” Holli Rogers, chief executive of Browns, said. Kate Unsworth, the 28-year-old founder and chief executive of Vinaya, the tech start-up behind Altruis, said that the idea had come to her because “I want to break the bad habit of checking our smartphones for the sake of it. I want to silence the digital noise but still be connected to the most important communication tools.” READ MORE… We are proud to be affiliated with the Jewelers Resource Bureau take a look they may be just what you need as a resource. Great resources that compliment anyone in the jewelry industry.

Gemology Supplies and Equipment Esslinger: Gem identification, jewelry appraisals, diamond buying, grading gems and diamonds are all tasks that many gemologists do. GemOro All types of gemological tools and testers, diamonds testing, Moissanite testing…

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.

Gemfields Ruby Auction Nets $29 Million A recent sale in Singapore has resulted in a total of $29 million dollars in sales of rough ruby. This is a great result from Gemfields, both medium and high end rough stones were offered and large volumes of small stones as well including medium priced goods. The goods came from the Montepuez mine in Mozambique which has produced over 17 million carats so far. The auction offered heated and untreated goods that will boost the sales industry for ruby. The output of this mine has slowed but is still a significant source and will help the jewelry industry in a big way. Ruby output in Mogok, Myanmar has fallen off and the market was in need of new resources. December 24, 2015 London–Gemfields reported that its recent auction of higher- and medium-quality rough rubies achieved total revenues of $28.8 million and an average per-carat price of $317.92. The auction, held from Dec. 14 to 18 in Singapore, was 98 percent sold by volume and 95 percent sold by weight. The sale featured both higher- and medium-quality rough rubies in both untreated and treated form, including larger volumes of smaller size and mid-priced gems offered in “direct response to market feedback which indicated increased demand for rough rubies suited to the production of calibrated cut-and-polished gemstones,” Gemfields said. 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…

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…

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…

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…

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

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…

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.

Design Competition 2016 Two of the nine categories are for Jewelry Making and Jewelry Design this is the second annual competition. Florence is legendary for it’s inspiring designs in art and jewelry. I’m looking forward to hearing the results and seeing the designs for jewelry in next years competition. Take a few moments to look at the Accademia Riaci’s competition requirements pass this along to those you know in other words spread this opportunity far and wide. Good things come from such events. Florence, sometimes called the “museum of no roof ”, is the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. The city of which modern Italy is proud as a center of art had reached one of its pinnacles between the 14th and 16th centuries, when creative energies and techniques of artisans flourished. “The International Art & Design Competition” takes place in this marvelous environment. The aim of the competition is to contribute to the revitalization and internationalization of the entire Italian Art, Design and Crafts industries, by discovering new artists, fostering their talents, and in the meantime promoting the study abroad in Italy. Read More…

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…

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.

World Jewelry Tool Company | Website 119, BIS Building 1st Floor Maheasak Road, BanRak Bangkok, 10500 Thailand Tel: +66-2-635-9998 email: Teck Thai Group | Website: email: Tel: +66-2-226-0055 Gesswein |  Website 201 Hancock Avenue P.O. Box 3998 Bridgeport, Connecticut 06605-0936 U.S.A. 1-203-366-5400 Fax: 1-203-366-3953 email: Otto Frei | Website 126 2nd St, Oakland CA 94607, USA 1.510.832.0355 1.800.772.3456 email: Zak Jewelry Tools | Website: 55 West 47th Street 2nd floor New York, New York 10036 1-212-768-8122 1-800-369-6424 1-212-764-7847 email: Stuller Jewelry Tools | Website: 302 Rue Louis XIV Lafayette, LA 70508 Rio Grande Jewelry Tools | Website: 7500 Bluewater Rd NW Albuquerque, NM 87121 USA 1.800.545.6566 Jewelry Tools | Website: 1521 West 2550 South, Ogden, UT 84401 email:  1-866-453-6147 International Colored Gem Association | Website: Unit No.11, 8th Floor Heng Ngai Jewelry Centre No.4 Hok Yuen Street East Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: 852-2365 9318 email:

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…

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…

Aussie supplier lands Star Wars jewellery deal This is sure to be a big deal in the making, to get a deal for a Star Wars themed jewelry line is a big deal for Disney Couture. The movie memorabilia market is enormous and with the brand Star Wars it will definitely be a huge opportunity to show the world there goods. This type of marketing can be very lucrative and expensive to gear up for the production and distribution. Many other movies market jewelry as part of the their strategy to saturate the demographic customer they wish to target. This is a win win situation for the jewelry supplier and the movie production team. Posted December 08, 2015 | By Stephanie Chan • Journalist Michael Tran Disney Couture managing director Local jewellery supplier Disney Couture has announced the launch of a new Star Wars-themed collection, leveraging the hype surrounding the release of the popular film franchise’s latest installment. The Star Wars Disney Couture collection comprises a range of unisex jewellery, watches and accessories incorporating Star Wars motifs and messages. The line includes iOS and Android-compatible smartwatches and ‘smart’ bracelets, as well as dog tag-style necklaces, leather bracelets and cufflinks containing USB drives. According to Disney Couture managing director Michael Tran, The Walt Disney Company approached the supplier earlier this year about developing the new jewellery range. “It was instantly agreed that this would be a fantastic opportunity for Disney Couture,” Tran said, adding that the range would be treated as a stand-alone collection as opposed to incorporated within its existing Disney-themed offering. READ MORE…

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