June 2008
Olsen twins ink deal with Robert Lee Morris
Olsen gemini ink deal with Robert Lee Morris
Jewelry line to debut in September
June 17, 2008
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| Mary-Kate Olsen, above, and her twin sister, Ashley, are partnering with designer Robert Lee Morris on a jewelry collection to debut this fall. |
New York—Fashion mavens Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen aren’t limiting themselves to designing vesture these days. According to a story published yesterday by Women’s Wear Daily, the famed twins are partnering with jewelry designer Robert Lee Morris to create a licensed jewelry collection.
The collection will fall under the label Robert Lee Morris for Elizabeth and James, the latter being the Olsens’ contemporaneous apparel brand.
According to Women’s Wear Daily and confirmed by Heidi Schuster, instructor of sales and communications for Robert Lee Morris, the line will hit stores in September and will consist of 80-plus styles, including thick metals cuffs and rings, earrings and necklaces accented with turquoise beading, crosses and daggers.
Pieces in the collection will retail from $65 to $700 and will debut in Intermix stores nationwide.
IDI upgrades diamond, jewelry Web site
IDI upgrades diamond, jewelry Web site
June 17, 2008
Ramat Gan, Israel—The Israel Diamond Institute Group of Companies (IDI) has upgraded its Web site, Israelidiamond.co.il, to contain new features and services for the diamond and jewelry industries.
The site since features its own interactive encyclopedia of diamond and jewelry provisions, Wikidiamond, which, in addition to its already established content, invites users to propose and add additional terms.
In addition, the site has added a currency converter and an interactive index of polished-diamond prices, based on data supplied daily by Polishedprices.com.
The site has also expanded its news coverage to include financial news from Israel and around the world. Moreover, the site now features in-depth articles about a wide range of subjects of interest to diamond and jewelry professionals—including the Internet, the economy, new markets, technologies and more—while not amiss as monthly video interviews of industry personalities.
Under development is a new section of essential information about diamond-trading countries worldwide (such as main cities, embassies, currency, weather, banks, courier companies, Jewish life and more). In addition, the Diamond Needs Board feature is being upgraded to make it even more user-friendly.
CBG members sign onto M. Geller Bridal Ring Builder
CBG members sign onto M. Geller Bridal Ring Builder
June 16, 2008
Chicago—A clump of retail members who belong to the Continental Buying Group (CBG) have joined the Web-based retail program Bridal Ring Builder, designed to give brick-and-mortar stores the type of inventory levels and convenience offered by online competitors.
Developed by means of diamond importer M. Geller Ltd., the program gives the CBG members a platform that provides their bridal customers access to an inventory of 30,000 certified diamonds, a choice of settings, plus 3-D technology that allows users to view virtual engagement rings from all angles. The program also offers research and comparison capabilities, and the option to buy online or at the retail location.
Although M. Geller supplies the commodities, retailers are practical to maintain control of the branding and the proceeding.
“As far as customers are concerned, they’re doing office with the retailers they know, not a third party,” M. Geller Executive Vice President Jay Gerber said in a media release.
In addition to being able to peruse 30,000 certified diamonds, customers can use the program’s 3-D computer imaging to superimpose any of the diamonds into their excellent of settings for a computerized witness of the final creation. Customers can then have the ring, along with the original certificate for the diamond, delivered directly to them within days, or they can ask that it be sent to the retail locating where they can view it before buying.
The process also allows retailers to track and analyze consumer visits to their Web site and by that means adjust their own pricing for maximum sales, Geller said.
CBG’s retail members using the M. Geller Bridal Ring Builder program are GM Pollack, Alters, Amidon, Brownlee, Sachs, Bond Diamonds and Laurays. The newest members join an expanding list of users that includes Sherwood Management, Diamonds Direct, CR Jewelers, Rogers Ltd., and Andy Thornal. Ultra and Rogers and Holland use the Intranet rendering of the program.
Editor’s note: This story originally ran on May 29, 2008, and incorrectly referred to Rogers and Holland as Rogers and Netherlands due to a technical error with the National Jeweler Network. We apologize for any inconvenience.
AWDC board elections underway
AWDC board elections underway
June 17, 2008
Antwerp, Belgium—Elections are underway in Belgium to elect six representatives to the 12-person board of directors of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC).
Members of the diamond community in the Belgian city of Antwerp are heading to the polls today and Wednesday. Results will be announced late Wednesday, according to the AWDC.
The votes are divided among Antwerp’s diamond companies according to average turnover. Two directors are elected by diamond companies with an average turnover of about $155 million or more; two by diamond companies with an average turnover between $155 million-$47 million; and two by diamond companies with an average turnover between $47 million-$776,000.
All diamond-dealing companies registered with the Federal Government Services, Economy—more than 1,800 total—are entitled to vote in their category.
The other six members of the 12-person board are selected by other means. Three are representatives of the bourses and are chosen by bourse members, two represent the industry and one is the choice of one independent director.
The AWDC is the official representative of the Belgian diamond sector, managing the relationship between the sector and the government and promoting the interests of the industry worldwide.
HRD Antwerp offering jewelry design course
HRD Antwerp offering jewelry design course
June 16, 2008
Antwerp, Belgium—HRD Antwerp NV is now offering a five-day design course in contemporary diamond jewelry in Antwerp, Belgium.
The course is designed to breed designers on how to translate their creative ideas into practical concepts on paper. Students will learn the fundamentals of modern diamond-jewelry design and the aesthetics of presentation on paper.
Instructors for the class are Laurent-Max De Cock, a jewelry designer and associate professor at the Royal Academy of Fine arts in Antwerp, and Veerle Van Wilder, associate professor at St. Lucas in Antwerp and also a jewelry designer.
According to a release from HRD Antwerp NV, the dates for the Contemporary Diamond Jewellery Design system in English are July 28-Aug. 1, Oct. 20-24 and April 2-6, 2009.
HRD Antwerp NV also will offer the course in French from Feb. 2-6, 2009.
Classes are limited to 15 students and no prior experience is required.
For more information, contiguity HRD Antwerp’s educational department at education@hrdantwerp.be.
HRD Antwerp NV is a subsidiary of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre, the private foundation formerly known as the Hoge Raad voor Diamant (HRD). HRD Antwerp operates the Diamond Lab, the Precious Stones Lab, Education, Graduates Club, Equipment and Research.