About Ruby

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…

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

Exotic metals used 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.

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…

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…

Jewelry Designers Honored At The 2016 GEM Awards Jewelry designers have been honored by the GEM Awards at the annual event held in Manhattan. Jewelry designers from the fine jewelry industry consider these awards as the “Academy Awards of Jewelry Design”. These awards are prestigious and an industry high point of the season. Jewelers of America sponsored this event which is in it’s 14th year. Jewelry designers have many different industry recognition awards throughout the jewelry world. The jewelry design industry is far more reaching than just one event such as the GEM Awards can cover. Many jewelry designers never see their designs in award ceremonies yet they have outstanding deigns and concepts for the jewelry market. It is such an expansive industry and has so many facets from fine jewelry to children’s jewelry no one award ceremony can cover it all. Aspiring designers sometimes are intimidated by the fact that they don’t feel their designs are up to the standard of the industry. Keep in mind that if your concepts are not for one genre` they will find there place in another area of the jewelry world. Just keep working and refining your designs until you find your niche in the jewelry design community. By Alexandra Suarez The annual GEM Awards is a gala event that is widely recognized as the “Academy Awards” of the fine jewelry industry. At this year’s 14th annual GEM Awards, which took place on Jan. 8 at Cipriani 42nd St. in Manhattan, some of the top fine jewelry designers and editors in the industry were honored for their achievements in design and innovation. The Jewelers of America (JA), a national trade association for business in the fine jewelry market, hosts the gala event in order to, “honor the achievements of individuals and companies whose work raises the visibility of fine jewelry and watches.” According to WWD, this year’s attendees included legendary names in the industry, from David Yurman and Stephen Webster to Pamela Love and Neiman Marcus’ Larry Pelzel. 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…

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…

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…

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…

Vintage-inspired engagement ring trend The Jewelers Information Center offers very good information on trends in jewelry design and sales. Following trends help keep your sales rising. Staying abreast of the many aspects and factors that drive jewelry style trends are looked at and investigated by the JIC. This jewelry designers resource is one that should be bookmarked and exploited for ideas on new inventory and advertising campaigns to get the word out on your trendy new acquisitions. Many other resources for jewelry trends can be found and are also great sources or information to aid in your success as a jeweler designer or jeweler Vintage inspired rose gold engagement ring No two brides are the same, so why should all engagement rings look alike? Brides looking for a unique engagement ring that represents their personality will love this engagement ring trend that’s all about vintage inspiration and ornate, custom designs. More brides are choosing colored metals like yellow and rose gold for their settings and bands. Bespoke and ornate details like open work, halo settings and unique custom designs set these engagement rings apart. Engagment rings with vintage and art deco appeal have a classic elegance, and the custom nature of the piece allows the wearer to show off her personality. If you’re shopping for an engagement ring and are looking to incorporate a vintage or custom design, visit your local Jewelers of America jeweler for more information. A bench jeweler can work with you to find the perfect setting or bring your custom idea to life! READ MORE… A proud affiliate of 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…

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…

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

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.

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

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…

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…  

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…

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

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…

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…

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…

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…

Gemstone Treatments and Enhancements Heat treatment is the most common way to enhance the color and appearance of gemstones. Gemstone treating is not a new phenomenon and dates back as far as 50AD. Treating gemstones is normal in the industry and may or may not affect the value. High quality unheated rubies and sapphires are extremely rare and command a higher price over treated stones. These untreated stones comprise about ½ of 1% of the total market so a normal consumer is unlikely to find one at the local jewelry store. Most people buy jewelry for appearance so treated stones fill the bill nicely and keep the prices reasonable. Common Gemstones that are treated ◦Ruby: nearly all are heated to improve color and appearance. ◦Sapphire: nearly all are heated to improve color and appearance. ◦Tanzanite: heated to produce violet blue color. ◦Emerald: oiled with colorless oil to improve appearance. ◦Aquamarine: heated to improve color. ◦Blue topaz: irradiated and or heated to produce blue color. ◦Jade: generally impregnated with colored resins and or colorless waxes.

 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…

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…

Atlanta police, Crime Stoppers seek man in $16K jewelry theft Jewelry safety is always an issue I make it a point to point out these incidents to remind everyone there are always those who would take advantage of people in the jewelry industry. Please pass this issue on to your circle of contacts. Jewelry designers and jewelers are always a target for thieves and scammers. Vigilance and constant reminders help keep this threat in check. Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016 Atlanta police and Crime Stoppers on Tuesday asked for the public’s help identifying a man who allegedly stole more than $16,000 worth of jewelry during the Scott Antique Market show at the Atlanta Expo Center. An off-duty Atlanta police officer working an extra job at the center was notified of the theft, which occurred about 10:45 a.m. Jan. 9. Diamonds & Such jewelry owner Bobby Steverson told the officer he and his staff members were in a booth at the show when they noticed four necklaces were missing from a display case, police said. Atlanta police, Crime Stoppers seek man in $16K jewelry theft photo Atlanta police and Crime Stoppers are looking for a man suspected of stealing more than $16,000 worth of necklaces at the Scott Antique Market show. (Credit: Atlanta Police Department) Surveillance video shows a black man looking at the display cases at the end of the booth. The suspect is seen leaning over the tables as if examining jewelry, but is then seen opening the case, taking the bottom row of necklaces, hiding them inside his coat and leaving.  All five of Steverson’s employees were occupied either in the center or far end of the booth at the time of the theft, police said. An 18-karat gold necklace valued at $8,860.25 was taken. Three other necklaces — one worth about $3,200 and two others worth about $2,000 each — were also stolen. 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…

Three Young Labels Making Old Methods New Again Looking to old time tested techniques and designs is a wonderful means of discovering new jewelry markets for your designs. Jewelry designers around the world are tapping into this concept in a big way, they are renewing interest in old even forgotten styles and techniques of producing wearable desirable jewelry.  Manufacturing methods from the past and designs that they create are now becoming modern fashion statements. This article below shows how ancient Indian beadwork can be renewed and made into a saleable piece of distinct jewelry with the style of the ancestors. It covers the use of cloth and wax to create new interest in the old Sri Lankan methods. I takes a look at the East African cultures influences in today’s fashions. These type of old to new design inspirations are common if one takes the time to look beyond the ordinary and the current trends. In fact an ambitious designer can start a new trend with old manufacturing  using new colors and updating some styles of old world techniques that have been tested by time. A crop of new jewelry and fashion designers are incorporating practices they discovered while traveling to their ancestral homes. Here, three brands taking cues from ancient methods — and employing artisans trained in them. Etkie Southwestern United States Etkie’s Sydney Alfonso When Sydney Alfonso decided to start her jewelry line, Etkie, in 2014, she was living in Istanbul. But instead of using the Turkish kazalik technique of silk wire weaving, she chose to create bracelets and necklaces inspired by traditional Navajo beadwork and created on the same looms that have existed for centuries. Alfonso is well on her way to achieving her ultimate goal: creating dignified jobs in local communities by honoring their inhabitants’ customs and traditions. The jewelry is made primarily on a Navajo reservation, just 30 minutes from the ranch in New Mexico where Alfonso grew up. Kinsfolk Sri Lanka The jewelry designers Jessica and Josie Fernando have early memories of visiting batik and woodcarving workshops during childhood trips back to their father’s native Sri Lanka. So when they founded Kinsfolk in 2013, they launched a line of batik scarves. “Sri Lankan batik has a very old history,” Jessica says. “We are completely devoted to preserving the craft of handmade textiles by combining traditional batik methods with a more modern aesthetic.” Kinsfolk founders Jessica (left) and Josie Fernando The sophisticated designs, drawn on pure, untreated silk with hot wax before dyeing, are inspired by nearly every corner of Sri Lanka Mataano Ethiopia and Somalia Twins Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim moved from their native Somalia at age 9 to escape civil war. In 2012, decades later and three years after founding Mataano, they returned to East Africa for Hub of Africa Fashion Week and traveled to the Harari region. “We found ourselves taking photos of indigenous tribes and old architecture, scouring the markets for fabric and print inspiration,” Ayaan says of the trip. READ MORE…

Training video on how to properly repair a jewelry hinge

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…

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

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…

What It’s Like to Cut the World’s Most Expensive Diamond? Keeping in mind that it is very rare that a diamond like the Blue Moon diamond comes to auction, it is a noteworthy event to share with the world. Last November 2015 a 12.03ct vivid blue flawless diamond sold for nearly $50 million dollars. Not a lot of players in this market and they all came looking. In the end the rough piece went for approximately $26 million and the scene was set for the cutting to bring out the best price possible. Imagine if cut incorrectly it could have been a worthless rock. Diamonds like this piece are extremely rare, and even more rare in the opportunity to cut such a magnificent piece of nature. The planning to cut such a rare piece of earths treasure is a forthright process of accessing the color and size to maximize the presentation for jewelry designers to work with. They considered an emerald and round cut prior to settling on the cushion cut. Color was the priority factor in the cut design that was used, the cushion cut achieved it’s desired affect on the auction public. In November, Sotheby’s sold the Blue Moon, the 12.03 ct. internally flawless vivid blue cushion cut, for $48.5 million, setting a world record for a diamond at auction.  Before that, however, the stone, discovered at the Cullinan mine in South Africa, was a 29.62 ct. piece of rough, which was purchased by Cora International for $25.6 million at a February 2014 tender. But what happened in between? How is cutting such a rare and valuable stone—one significant enough to be exhibited at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County—different from cutting any other stone? Below, Cora chairman Ehud Laniado gives JCK an exclusive look at the process. Bidding on the stone. When assessing the rough at tender, the main thing is to gauge the color and the recovery. That usually doesn’t take more than a half hour. Then you do the homework, thinking about all the options. Even though the Blue Moon was a straightforward stone, there were a few options, and we added them up. We basically estimated the value of the end product, how much it will be worth at transaction prices on the market. We estimated the polished will reach from $40 million to $45 million. You discount the possibility that you might be stuck with it. Then you subtract the duration of the process, the margin, your expenses. You take into account this is a high-risk process because you don’t know 100 percent how a natural material will behave. 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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

The Italian luxury Jewelry Brand Repossi has a new investor in the LVMH who has also acquired the Bulgari Brand, and owns a number of other luxury brands. The Repossi brand has only two stores one in Paris and one in Monte Carlo. This new move is designed to develop distribution worldwide. The brand is available in 90 retailers around the world. This seems to be an effort to expand throughout the jewelry retail world.  The jewelry industry is tightly intertwined with the fashion trends and this move will be a big boost to the brand name Repossi… “The LVMH Group announced Monday that it will take a minority stake in luxury jewelry brand Repossi. The Italian company is led by Artistic and Creative Director Gaia Repossi, who took the lead at the company her great grandfather founded in 2007, at only 21 years old.” Under the direction of her father, Alberto Repossi, the brand opened its only two stores so far in Monte Carlo in 1977 and Paris in 1985. The line is available at about 90 retailers worldwide, including Barneys and Opening Ceremony in the U.S. The size of the investment was not disclosed” 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…

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?

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.

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…

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…

De Beers reports US$540m in its first sale of 2016 The diamond markets are moving well as De Beers the premiere suppliers has shown an increase of nearly 120 percent over the last sale of 2015. The diamond rough market is set to leap into the 2016 market with new goods that have set the dealers on the edge of their seats. Watching the sales set here can help predict trends and forecast what will be selling in the jewelry industry. Jewelry designers can watch these trends and learn when to be buying stones for their new jewelry designs. The colored stone markets are another one to watch to see what colors the fashion industry is looking for. Colored stone sales both precious and semi precious are affected by fashion trends and should be considered by jewelry designers when developing new design concepts for their clientele. When an aspiring designer begins to follow fashion and stone sales trends they can get a better idea on what the buying public is looking for. Watching these reports and such can help one develop a intuition of what they can do for the next set of designs they will create and hopefully sell. The De Beers Group of Companies sold US$540 million of rough diamonds in its first sale of 2016, almost 118 percent higher than the US$248 million recorded during the final sales cycle of 2015. De Beers attributed this year’s strong start to solid jewellery sales during the US holiday season. “A positive holiday season in the US from a retail perspective, low levels of rough diamond purchases by the midstream in Q4 2015 and a subsequent reduction in manufacturing saw polished diamond stocks pull through the pipeline. This has resulted in firmer polished prices,” said the company. Rough diamond demand broadened across the entire product range as cutting and polishing factories began to increase their activity, it added. Philippe Mellier, chief executive of the De Beers Group, commented, “We are encouraged by the result of the first sales cycle of 2016, and will keep working closely with our customers to deliver sustainable improvements in the diamond industry in 2016.” De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM), meanwhile, announced that it has completed the sale of Kimberley Mines, including the tailings mineral resources, to Ekapa Minerals (Pty) Ltd – an investor consortium comprising Ekapa Mining (Pty) and Petra Diamonds Ltd. READ 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…

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.

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.

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

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…

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…