Day: February 23, 2009

Bulgari helps rewrite future

Bulgari is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year by raising €10 million to help provide education to eight million children living in conflict-affected areas. Money…
Posted in News, World News
Bulgari is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year by raising €10 million to help provide education to eight million children living in conflict-affected areas.
Money raised by the company will be donated to Save the Children’s ‘Rewrite the Future’ campaign which has already helped improve the lives of 6 million children by protecting them from abuse and exploitation and rebuilding schools and supplying school materials.
Bvlgari has created a silver ring to symbolise its commitment to Save the Children  and commemorate the silversmith origins of the company’s founder Sotirio Bulgari.
The ring will be on sale until December 31 this year at all Bulgari stores throughout the world, in some department stores and on Bulgari’s e-commerce site.
Besides the ring, Bulgari is also currently developing a collection of 15 high-end jewellery pieces and eight high-end timepieces valued at around €3 million.
The collection will be officially launched on June 4 in Rome at the opening of the company’s retrospective exhibition ‘Between Eternity and History’ which celebrates its 125th anniverary.
This collection of jewels and watches will then be displayed at high-profile Bulgari events throughout the world until they are auctioned in New York on December 7.
All proceeds from the auction will be donated to Save the Children and all initiatives connected with the fundraising campaign will be “totally non-profit” for the Bulgari Group.
Bulgari Group CEO Francesco Trapani said that for Bulgari “being part of history and at the same time being able to help change it by giving less fortunate people the possibility of a new future is the best possible way of celebrating its 125 years”.
“I am convinced that, thanks to the help of both our customers and Save the Children supporters, we will succeed in achieving – and hopefully in exceeding – the ambitious target we have set ourselves.”

Frederique launches online TV channel

Swiss watch company Frederique Constant has launched,an online TV channel devoted to screening video clips about the brand.
Posted in News, Tech, World News
Swiss watch brand Frédérique Constant has launched, http://www.frederique-constant.tv/, an online “TV channel” devoted to screening video clips about the brand.
According to Peter Stas, CEO of Frédérique Constant, the endeavour is not only one of the first in the watch industry but also in the luxury goods sector in general.
“When we started the project, our aim was to create an entertaining and learning experience, for everybody who likes watches,” said Stas.
The TV channel, which features video clips on a variety of brand-related issues including product launches, manufacturing process and worldwide promotional events, is accessible through the Frédérique Constant corporate website, http://www.frederique-constant.com/, or directly via http://www.frederique-constant.tv/.
Stas said Frédérique Constant TV uses the latest in internet technology which enables users to receive full-screen TV on a PC screen at bit rates as low as 400 Kb.

Oz diamond pen sparkles in New York

A fountain pen covered in nearly 500 champagne diamonds from WA’s Argyle diamond mine was one of the objets d’art on display in New York…
Posted in News, World News
A fountain pen covered in nearly 500 champagne diamonds from WA’s Argyle diamond mine was one of the objets d’art on display in New York during G’Day USA Australia Week.
Rio Tinto, a supporting sponsor of G’Day USA, commissioned several designers to create one-of-a-kind pieces using champagne diamonds for the Nomad Two Worlds Exhibition which featured Australian art based on the reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
Made from solid sterling silver, the ‘Colours of Australia’ pen was designed and created by Glenn Curtis, the managing director of Curtis Australia.
He said the pen makes full use of the diamonds in “a fluid, swirling design evocative of Australian landscapes and indigenous art, while the rich sparkling hues of the champagne diamonds reflect the colourful Australian outback”.
The pen also features two circles of white diamonds with a cognac diamond in each centre, three 18 carat gold bands, engravings of three small kangaroos and the Southern Cross as well as a titanium inlay on the clip emblazoned with heat-treated coloured titanium accents inspired by the Sydney Opera House.
“It (the pen) was one of my most exciting challenges to do justice to the remarkably beautiful and unusual champagne diamonds,” said Curtis.
Other pieces at the exhibition included the ‘Infinite Echo’ sterling silver pendant by Aurora Lopez Mejia and a neckpiece depicting a boab tree, the Southern Cross and Kimberley stars by Kimberley Fine Diamonds.
 
The New York exhibition is a prelude to the launch of Rio Tinto’s 2009 Argyle Champagne Diamond Design competition.

Countdown to opal awards

The June 30 closing date for entries in the 2009 International Opal Jewellery Design Awards competition is fast approaching.
Posted in Local News, News
The June 30 closing date for entries in the 2009 International Opal Jewellery Design Awards competition is fast approaching.
The biannual Awards event, which attracted 167 entries from around the world in 2007, will be held at NSW’s Lightning Ridge in July.
Lyn Carney, president of the International Opal Jewellery Design Awards Association, said the competition promotes freeform opal with undulating surfaces and its use in jewellery.
“In 2007 extraordinary benchmarks were created for innovative design using freeform and/or undulating opal,” she said.
Categories in the 2009 Awards include:
  • Haute Joaillerie – Jewellery Design/Manufacture
  • Apprentice –  Jewellery Design/Manufacture
  • Non Professional – Jewellery Design/Manufacture
  • Carving
  • Object D’Art
  • Jewellery Hand Sketches
  • Fantasy – Jewellery Design/Manufacture
The Awards will be presented at the International Opal Jewellery Design Awards Gala Dinner on July 31.
For more information visit: www.iojdaa.com.au
Pictured above is the winning piece in the 2007 Awards prestige professional category – designed and created by Vicki Rodd from Ricco Ricco Jewellers in Sydney.

Pandora angels help bushfire survivors

Pandora is planning to donate 15 percent of the retail sale price of its gold and silver Angel beads to the Red Cross Victorian Bush…
Posted in Local News, News
Pandora is planning to donate 15 percent of the retail sale price of its gold and silver Angel beads to the Red Cross Victorian Bush Fire Appeal this year.
Announcing the launch of the Pandora Bush Fire Angel Appeal, Pandora CEO Karin Adcock said the company hoped that the bead sales would raise around $400,000 for the appeal.
“We were deeply saddened by the bush fires in Victoria and felt compelled to help,” she said.
“We have started the ball rolling with a $100,000 donation to the Appeal and now we ask the public to get behind our Appeal and help us to keep giving during 2009,” she said.
Pandora’s silver and gold Angel beads retail for $30 and $491 respectively.
For more information visit www.pandora-jewelry.com.

Swarovski moves into watchmaking

After more than 100 years as one of the world's leading crystal producers, Swarovski, has moved into the field of watch making.
Posted in News, Watches
After more than 100 years as one of the world’s leading crystal producers, Swarovski, has moved into the field of watch making.
Announcing the company’s new venture, Swarovski executive board member Robert Buchbauer said the time had come for Swarovski to present its own collection of watches.
“Introducing Swarovski crystal to the world of watches is the culmination of over three years of research,” he said. “It’s also a real step forward for our company.”
“Swarovski has combined all of its savoir-faire with Swiss watchmaking expertise to guarantee its watches are of the highest quality and precision.”
Based on five lines, the company’s inaugural collection of 45 watches is expected to arrive in Australian stores by April.
According to Swarovski, the watches “maximize the extraordinary luminous qualities of crystal”  with exclusive cuts and faceting.
“Metal, leather and rubber are enhanced with crystals in all shapes and sizes to deliver today’s one-of-a-kind collection,” the company said. “Swarovski signatures and codes appear in every line as a unifying theme and Swarovski’s Swan logo and its emblematic Swanflower motif recur in each model.”
The watch’s features include a stainless steel case “faceted like Swarovski crystals”, a double-level 39mm dial with hand applied indices and luminescent hands, a unidirectional rotating bezel and a timer “at the heart of the ‘Soleil’ cut crystal”. It is available with a metal bracelet (black, prune or white) or on a soft white rubber strap enhanced by six faceted crystals.
The watch has a RRP of $1300.

Hill heads to Monte Carlo

Michael Hill will compete against entrepreneurs from 50 countries in a bid to win the title of Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year…
Posted in News, World News

Michael Hill will compete against entrepreneurs from 50 countries in a bid to win the title of Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year in Monte Carlo on May 31.

Hill, the chairman of directors of Michael Hill International, was recently named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for 2008 in New Zealand from a field of 18.

On news of the win, Hill said it was “an absolute privilege” to win the award.

“I’m going to give it my best shot for New Zealand at the world awards in Monte Carlo ,” he said.

Chairman of the judging panel, David Johnson, who is chief executive of Trends International and who won the inaugural Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 1998, said Michael Hill ticks all the boxes required to win the Award.

“He’s achieved everything he set out to achieve but what impressed the judges most was a desire to keep setting and achieving goals,” Johnson said.

Hill, who opened his first jewellery store 23 years ago after a three-month career as a watch maker, controls the Michael Hill International chain which has over 200 stores in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US – and aims to own 1000 stores by 2024.

JAA defends pink diamond grader

The JAA has defended one of its members, ADGL (Australian Diamond Grading Laboratory), against industry rumours about the laboratory’s incorrect grading of a pink coated…
Posted in Local News, News
The JAA has defended one of its members, ADGL (Australian Diamond Grading Laboratory), against industry rumours about the laboratory’s incorrect grading of a pink coated diamond as a natural pink diamond.
In a media release issued on February 13, JAA president Ian Hadassin said it been “widely publicised” that the ADGL had incorrectly graded the diamond, which was later correctly graded by DCLA (Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia).
“Some industry participants have gone out of their way to make sure that the trade in general, and ADGL customers in particular, are aware that ADGL was the laboratory involved” in the incorrect grading,” he said.
“It is a great pity that they did not consider contacting ADGL direct to discuss the issues involved.”
He added that although the incorrect grading was a serious matter the incident needed to be considered in a “balanced, objective manner”.
“Industry experts have advised that it is extremely difficult to tell if a natural diamond has been coated, particularly if the coating has been smoothly applied. The Diamond Sure testing machine that most laboratories have will not pick it up,” he said.
“In fact the only conclusive way of finding out is by using a test that results in the destruction of the stone. There is no other non-destructive way of determining whether a diamond is coated other than looking at the stone through a loupe or microscope and seeing if there are any blotchy areas or if the coating is missing on the facet joints.”
“It has become apparent that, at some stage between the stone being graded by ADGL and the time it was graded by DCLA the stone was heated or polished and this resulted in the stone losing most of its pink colouring and some of the coating itself.
“This explains why the stone that ADGL certified was a bright pink and the stone that DCLA examined contained very little pink colour. It also explains why it was easy to see that the stone was ‘blotchy’ and hence coated.”
Hadassin said that the ADGL have given the JAA a written undertaking that it will no longer grade coloured diamonds except where they are high-pressure high-temperature treated.
He stressed that ADGL’s competence to certify white diamonds had not been called into question.
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