About Ruby

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…

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

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

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…

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…

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…

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

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…

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…

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…

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…

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.

Rough or uncut gemstones Gemstones are sometimes uncut or polished in the creation of custom designed jewelry

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  

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…

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

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… 

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…

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.

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.

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…

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…

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…

 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…

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…

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 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.

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.

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

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…

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…

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…

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.

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…

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

There are three good reasons why the FBI investigates jewelry and gem theft. There are many major gem thefts and robberies that cross state and national borders, so this is part of why the Federal Bureau of Investigation gets involved. Organized groups are often involved so diligence is important is keeping yourself, your employees and your goods safe… First, the thefts usually cross state and even national boundaries—so they need a federal agency with offices across the nation and overseas to investigate these highly mobile jewelry thieves. Second, these crimes are increasingly committed by organized criminal enterprises or “theft groups” that likewise require a federal agency with tough laws and with offices across the U.S. and overseas to bust. And third, these theft groups are often involved in other kinds of organized crime activities already under scrutiny by the FBI. Read More…

‘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…

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…

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

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

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…

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.

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

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…

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

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

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.

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…

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

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…

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:

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…