Jewelry PR Division

September 19, 2006, New York, NY – Today Angara announced the launch of its online jewelry retail site Angara.com, boasting a wealth of fine jewelry, diamonds and accessories ranging from simple to opulent and all reasonably priced. With the philosophy and mission of affordable luxury, Angara provides customers with an easy and convenient shopping experience for superior quality jewelry at sensible prices.

“We are very particular in the pieces we choose to sell on the site,” says Chief Executive Officer, Ankur Daga, “Whether the items are bridal, engagement or in our exclusive Strong Box Collection, each piece is selected with the utmost care.”

Blood Diamond, the movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio with several Academy Award nominations today, is based on the violent civil war in the 1990’s in Sierra Leone in which the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels attempted to overthrow the government, and an illicit diamond trade was used to fund the war effort. The movie has brought attention to the diamond trade and many times what is involved in mining diamonds that are the most sought-after gem in the world.

So it’s no surprise that there are laboratories out there, such as Apollo Diamonds and Gemesis, that are perfecting on creating real diamonds in a lab setting. Not your typical chemically produced Cubic Zirconia, but diamonds created through a process involving real diamond seeds that come together under pressure to create a diamond that matches or exceeds a mined diamond in quality and brilliance. Same natural diamond, only it takes 2 weeks to produce one in a lab setting versus billions of years in the earth. Obviously it is also much safer to create than the risks involved in mining and what it does to our environment.

Creating and mimicking what is real is nothing new. It’s in how man-made products are taking its toll on the industries that produce the real deal. Cultured Pearls are almost indistinguishable to the naked eye compared to its natural counterpart. Fake fur, really well produced pieces, can often be mistaken for the real thing. While the industry that brings you the real products is beginning to feel its effects, it tries to counteract the new demand for man made quality copies by stressing the importance and value on their non-synthetic product.

The movie Blood Diamond really brought the issues revolving around the diamond industry into focus. With this controversy brought to light and brands going green, now not only are diamonds becoming a hot topic, but gold is as well. In a new effort that includes brands like Tiffany & Co., Zales and 19 other jewelers in a campaign called “No Dirty Gold,” the big question for the jewelry consumer is becoming: “Is your jewelry politically correct?”

The mission behind the No Dirty Gold campaign is stop the jewelry industry from further enabling gold mining companies destructive ways by standing behind and signing a commitment to “The Golden Rules.” By establishing a set of rules that participating jewelers adhere to, the hope is that it will not only bring to the forefront the issues revolving around mining gold, but force the hand of gold mining companies into a better practice of mining, thus preserving the reputation of gold.

Some of the effects of mining gold involve massive pollution, developing large open pits in the earth and solid waste, endangering natural areas (both officially and unofficially protected), community health effects, worker dangers and human rights abuses. Prior to wearing any of my gold jewelry, I never considered where it came from and how it was mined, and honestly, who does?

Diamonds have always been a status symbol of the wealthy and there are more wealthy people throughout the world now, then there were ten years ago. Fancy Diamonds have made their way onto the bodies of the elite, showing that their rarity outweighs the brilliance that many colorless diamonds can bring. Diamonds have always been in demand, but quite curiously despite conflict diamonds and the issues that the movie Blood Diamond brought to light, more people are demanding them while supply is not increasing.

In fact, supply is almost impossible to increase when it comes to diamonds simply because of the process involved in mining and the fact that only one new diamond mine has been found in last 10 years. So when I read about prices going up because the demand is there, I had to wonder how this would affect the cultured diamond market. Not yet a huge market, it is certainly one that can be looked to as natural diamond prices begin to rise. As I mentioned in a previous post, cultured diamonds are indeed real diamonds, only grown in a lab environment. Obviously this cuts out the “million years” to create it part that can be an obstacle when diamonds are in demand, but as we all begin to look at the toll mining takes on our environment, cultured diamonds may be the perfect alternative and a price increase the perfect time to look into them.

Not only are designer handbags prime targets of knock offs and fakes, but many more times fine jewelry is often sold with a designer price tag, when the unsuspecting consumer has bought a fake. Of course many people don’t mind wearing an imitation jewelry piece, just as long as they aren’t paying top dollar for it.

Since diamonds are the most sought after stone with the largest price tag, it is most often diamonds that are faked, and sometimes even the best jewelry appraiser cannot distinguish a real diamond from a fake one. So how do distinguish a real diamond from its imitator?

Cubic Zirconia is the easiest diamond fake to spot. Cubic Zirconia is much heavier in weight than a typical diamond and a jewelry appraiser can easily measure this with the right equipment. It is also softer and easier to scratch than a diamond. A Cubic Zirconia can be spotted using ultraviolet light as well. Where diamonds will glow blue under UV light, Cubic Zirconia will glow mustard yellow.

 Moissanite is the most difficult of stones to distinguish from a genuine diamond. It is a naturally occurring crystal that has been able to be replicated by man and so closely resembles a diamond that many times even skilled appraisers mistake it for the real thing. This is the one synthetic gem that requires its own specific equipment to make the distinction between a diamond. If you suspect that the jewelry you have purchased is Moissanite, make sure to see a jeweler who is well versed about Moissanite and has the equipment to test your gem.

We all have a wish list of jewelry brands that we are all dying to wear and many times it is the price tag that prevents from doing little more than window shopping. I know I would love to dawn something by Vera Wang, Gucci, Kara Ross or even Stephen Dweck; maybe a gorgeous bracelet, an intricate ring or eye catching earrings. Now we no longer have to window shop, when we can simply borrow these gorgeous baubles at a fraction of the cost of buying them.

Bag Borrow or Steal and Borrowed Bling both offer jewelry that you can rent out whether it be for a big evening out or to impress a few friends. Bag Borrow or Steal offers genuine name brand jewelry while Borrowed Bling offers imitation gems that are said to look as close to the real thing as possible. Both operate on membership with various levels that determine which brands and how many pieces you can borrow at a time. Each site is different in the way you can borrow and which site you chose to borrow from depends on your budget and desire for the luxurious.

The comparison:

Bag Borrow or Steal:

4 membership levels:

+ Couture—Runway worthy handbags and jewelry from top designers such as Gucci and Rosiblu starting at $175 a month.

+ Diva—Luxurious, dream bags and jewelry from designers such as Louis Vuitton and Charriol starting at $90 a month.

+ Princess—Confidently versatile accessories from designers such as Betsey Johnson and Pianegonda starting at $40 a month.

+ Trendsetter—Fresh, trend-forward accessories from designers such as Dooney & Bourke and Lori Bonn starting at only $20 a month.

There are additional fees (per week or per month) for each item borrowed. The first 3 months of membership only allot you up to 3 borrowed items, and after that timeframe you can borrow up to 5 items at once. There is no time limit on how long you can borrow an item for. Borrowing frequency is based on your account being in good standing.

Via Business Wire: The Silver Institute has released a comprehensive report on trends in the global silver jewelry market. The report was prepared, on behalf of the Silver Institute, by GFMS, Ltd., the London-based precious metals consultancy. GFMS Ltd also produces the annual World Silver Survey for the Silver Institute, a role they have undertaken since 1994, and it is the report of record for the silver industry.

Two of the key areas of silver fabrication demand are jewelry and silverware. Since its inception, the World Silver Survey has featured jewelry and silverware as a combined total in the main country-by-country tables. In the report issued today, entitled, Silver Jewelry Report, global statistical series have been produced that separate jewelry and silverware for the first time as well as a detailed review of the country-by-country data.

The report features a 10-year global series for jewelry and silverware, as well as a detailed qualitative analysis of the silver jewelry market. In addition, the report also examines the following key areas:

* A review of trends in silver jewelry fabrication, both at the regional level as well as focusing on countries with manufacturing volumes exceeding one million ounces, including China, India, Italy and the United States. The analysis brings out the main trends, specific to each market that have impacted silver fabrication over the past decade;

* Separate data on the leading silver jewelry consuming nations is provided in this report, including country-by-country data for the 10 largest consuming countries for the 2000 to 2005 period;

* Jewelry consumption, and in particular, competition for silver jewelry. The review is not limited to competition from white or yellow gold but extends to other materials, both precious and non-precious;

* The global trade in silver jewelry, focusing on the top five importing and exporting nations; and

* The impact of trends in the silver price, economic developments and the effect of changing fashion on consumption.

This Silver Jewelry Report makes an important contribution to the transparency and understanding of this fascinating area of the silver market. A copy of this report, may be downloaded from the Silver Institute’s home page: www.silverinstitute.org

De Beers is one of, it not the biggest diamond jewelry brand out there. They dominate the diamond industry and own most of the diamond mines. However, for being one of the biggest jewelry names, they have been a little behind in the times with their information only website. This summer that will all change.

The National Jeweler Network published an exclusive report confirming that De Beers will begin to offer their jewelry for sale on the website by this summer. The amount of jewelry will be limited however, and visitors will continue to be encouraged, as they are now, to make an appointment with a Senior Collection Advisor.

While I think that many loyal De Beers customers may love the convenience of shopping online, out of habit they may still bypass the website and head directly to the store. The online store looks to be a way to capture the many jewelry consumers that wish to eliminate the need to go to the store and have the convenience of shopping from home or want to avoid the experience of potentially being haggled by a salesperson. Either way, the new direction for De Beers website looks to be a potentially profitable one.

What do you think?

With statement rings being one of the jewelry trends this Spring, David Lundahl has designed a collection that will leave you humming the tune, “I want candy.” These oversized crystals come in a variety of colors set in gold or silver toned metals.

For more information about David Lundahl:

Jewelry PR Division Christina at piercemattie dot com

It’s a wedding day tradition to wear your mother’s pearls, female politician’s wear them to look serious yet refined, business women wear them with their pantsuits to give off a casual elegance suitable for the workplace and when heading out the door for a family portrait, most women reach for the pearls as their jewelry of choice.

While the diamond exudes luxury, pearls exude that old time level of sophistication that is best defined through old photographs of Jackie Kennedy. In fact, the cultured pearls worn by Jackie in the famous photo of John Kennedy Jr. as a youngster trying to grab them from her neck sold for $211,500 at a Sotheby’s auction in 1995 when their true value was only $500. Jackie helped defined sophistication, not only through her fashion sense, but through her choice of style in jewelry as well, which many times included pearls.

No matter if you can afford the real thing or have to opt for cultured pearls, this is jewelry that can define your style and image. Most young girls yearn for the day when they can wear their mother’s pearls and this is true for generations both past and present. Through years of jewelry trends and the hottest gems, pearls have somehow been able to remain a staple to most women’s attire. It’s still a “fall back” piece of jewelry that acts as a chameleon and can go with almost any outfit.

No matter the woman, no matter the year, I can guarantee that she has at least one piece of pearl jewelry in her jewelry box.

What do you think? Is pearl jewelry a thing of the past or does it still define sophistication and elegance among today’s jewelry trends?

According to a story on The National Jewelry Network, Joan Parker former director of the Diamond Information Center and most recently head of public relations for DeBeers Diamond Jewelry, has been announced as Brand Ambassador for Gemesis Corporation. Gemesis Corporation has mastered the creation of natural diamonds grown in a lab setting.

The announcement of Parker as Brand Ambassador for a lab grown diamond corporation is very interesting for two reasons. First, DeBeers is the world leader for naturally grown diamonds and second, there is tension in the diamond industry that lab grown diamonds may become the next Cultured Pearl creating competitive pricing between naturally mined diamonds and cultured lab grown diamonds. With all of the knowledge Parker brings to the table, not only about naturally mined diamonds, but also about the inner workings of DeBeers, it may very well give Gemesis Corp. a lengthy head start to becoming an industry leader in the lab grown diamond market and quite possibly a true competitor to a naturally mined brand such as DeBeers.

Lab grown diamonds are produced from real diamond seeds that come together under pressure in a lab setting to create a diamond that matches or exceeds a mined diamond in quality and brilliance. You can read more about lab grown diamonds in a previous post I wrote here.

So what will this mean for the lab grown diamond industry? Surely raising a level of awareness about Gemesis and lab grown diamonds can only bring a positive overflow effect onto other lab grown diamond companies. As the public becomes more educated on lab grown diamonds, not to mention the fact that they are a real diamond at a much lower price, the natural diamond industry may just have an issue on their hands that will force them to become more creative in marketing naturally mined diamonds.

What do you think?

Via National Jewelry Network: New York—Two iconic Japanese design forces, Mikimoto and clothing designer Yohji Yamamoto, will collaborate on a fine jewelry collection set to launch this fall. Three groups of designs will comprise the Yamamoto-designed collection of about 20 pieces, which will make its official debut in Paris during Couture Week this July.

Mikimoto and Yohji Yamamoto stores worldwide will begin selling the designs in November. "The pearl is a symbol of feminine perfection, and, in the quintessential universe of fine jewelry, it stands alone," reads a Mikimoto statement. "Its perfect form, the subtlety of its irridescence, its refinement singularly unique ...the pearl radiates magnetic attractions. For these reasons, Yohji Yamamoto has decided to design a jewelry collection focused on the pearl.

Mikimoto's incomparable reputation for designing, producing and selling the world's finest cultured pearl jewelry made it a perfect choice for Yohji Yamamoto." Yamamoto, who rose to prominence with his bold designs in the 1980s, is famous for clothing featuring glossy textures and dramatic silhouettes.

Frederique Dessemond is a talented painter turned jewelry designer hailing from France. After studying art history and working as an interior designer, Dessemond felt there was more out there for her and in 1999 she landed in New York. After getting her feet wet in the fashion industry, she began to design her own jewelry and now eight years later; ginette_ny has its first one of a kind jewelry boutique in New York’s West Village.

While her jewelry can be found in Henri Bendel’s and Barney’s, the ginette_ny jewelry bar offers customers a different jewelry buying experience. Dessemond wanted to provide her customers with a personalized sense of customer service with a unique way to shop for jewelry. One can sit and have something to drink while perusing the display stands on the bar and received personalized service from Dessemond herself. In a time when engaging with customers seems to be more product-focused than customer service-focused, ginette_ny offers something unique that is not merely “shopping,” but instead an experience.

The ginette_ny line of jewelry consists of signature gold disc necklaces, custom monogrammed necklaces, keys, coins, chains, rings and earrings. Besides the new jewelry bar, ginette_ny jewelry can be purchased at a variety of locations, all of which are listed on her website. Her jewelry collection is also available for purchase online at ShopBop.com

ginette_ny Jewelry Bar
172 West 4th Street, NY

As I sit buried under 12 inches of snow and another Northeast blast on it's way, my mind wandered towards Spring and anything associated with the season's newness and fresh color palette. I found myself perusing various jewelry designers websites and came to a screeching hault when I happened upon Alexis Bittar's Ruby Drop Branch Necklace.

Delicate like a young sapling extending its branches with fragile small flowers on its tips ready to bloom, Alexis has created a necklace that speaks to Spring's soft and gentle feel. Embellished with rubies, garnets, aquamarine and dark citrine drops, this necklace has an understated elegance that provides sparkle without being overdone.

Are you already thinking Spring? Which designers do you admire that have pieces that speak to the season?

* Photo Credit: alexisbittar.com

Simplicity and grace is what defines Rita Fusaro's jewelry. These estate-inspired pieces speak to those who love the look of formality in a one of a kind design. With platinum being the metal that the Fusaro Jewelry Company has best become known for, all of her jewelry has an air of luxury and elegance.

Rita loves creating one of a kind jewelry and buying unsual stones. She creates her pieces to be timeless, so that whether you purchased her jewelry today or several years from now, they will never look outdated by the latest trend.

These are some of my favorite pieces:

Ridotta Drop Platinum earrings with two 1.50ct. round diamonds dangling from 1.00ct. of full cut micro pave set diamonds.

18kt. white gold earrings with pave set diamonds (0.45ct.t.w.) with oval yellow sapphires (4.75ct.)

18kt. white gold pendant style necklace with 0.50ct. of full cut diamonds and 8.37ct. vivid oval green tourmaline.

Fusaro Jewelry offers private consultation services at its showroom in Greenwich, Connecticut for clients who prefer to work closely with the designer to create a custom-designed piece that reflects the owner's individual taste and style. You can contact Rita at 1-800-258-0385. To see all of Rita's exquisite jewelry, visit her online at www.fusarojewelry.com.

* Images copyright Fusaro Jewelry, published with permission.

So you're single and you want everyone to know that it's really not that bad--actually you are pretty happy and in a good place. Why not adorn your hand with the Ah Ring from Divine Diamonds.com? Meant to be worn on your pinkie, the Ah Ring means "available" and "happy." The Ah Ring contains 11 round full-cut (conflict-free) diamonds equaling a quarter carat set in 14k white gold.

While many celebrities like Selma Blair, Minnie Driver and Jessica Biel may be showing off the Ah Ring on their pinkies, don't expect this ring to cost you your first born. The Ah Ring is extremely affordable at $295.

* Photo Credit: DivineDiamonds.com

Please be sure to visit the NEW Pierce Mattie Public Relations blog on its new URL, just add the word "public relations" after Pierce Mattie and omit the word blogs: www.piercemattiepublicrelations.com


Other Pierce Mattie PR Division Blog Locations:
Beauty Pro A professional beauty and cosmetics industry blog.
The Fashion Rag Fashion, design and style blog co-written by Jason Jobson and Shannon Nelson.
The Jewelry PR Division Jewelry, precious metal and accessory industry blog.
The Fitness PR Division Our sports fitness, health and club industry blog.
The Industry Dirt Blog Media Industry Blog.

See you there!