Archive for March 10th, 2006
Claire’s shares light up, hit fresh high
Mall favorite says sales hot, international growth’s on track
By Jennifer Waters, MarketWatch
Last Update: 4:30 PM ET Mar 9, 2006
CHICAGO (MarketWatch) — Investors cheered Claire’s Stores Inc.’s sharply higher fourth-quarter results, news about international growth and a brighter forecast to send shares sharply higher Thursday.
Claire’s Stores
CLE
Sponsored by:
shares jumped 9.4% to close at $33.03 after setting a 52-week high of $33.25 in heavy trading.
The costume-jewelry retailer — a mall favorite among teens — said its profit shot up 16.7% to $69.1 million, or 69 cents a share, compared with last year’s profit of $55.5 million, or 56 cents a share. The company also operates the Icing by Claire’s concept.
Stripping out a charge linked to incremental taxes, earnings from continuing operations were 75 cents a share
Net sales were higher by 5% to $414.7 million. Same-store sales — a key industry measure of receipts rung up at stores open longer than a year — rose 6%. At Thomson First Call, analysts were looking for an average per-share profit 68 cents on revenue of $414 million.
The fiscal year was “a time of growth” for Claire’s international division, said Bonnie Schaefer, who shares the chair and chief executive posts with her sister Marla. “Beyond increasing our store count, we began conducting business in three new countries, namely Spain, Holland and Belgium.
March 10th, 2006
How to Clean Gold Jewelry
I-Newswire.com (press release)
Jewelry is valuable and priceless till it does not loose its charm and original worth so; protect your gold jewelry to retain its ever lasting value and worth.
(I-Newswire) - Gold jewelry is priceless and timeless. Over the years, it has made millions of followers who are charmed by its never ending appeal and charisma. Though gold comes in different colors such as yellow, green, white and red, the precautions for all is almost the same. But do you know its glorious effect can get diminished if a proper attention is not given to it? Here are the few tips that will help you to keep your gold jewelry in order
As a precious metal, gold jewelry is generally not affected by tarnish, discolor and smudge rather it becomes dull in contact with soaps, perspiration and other items of daily use. In fact, simple daily use oil can also lower down the brilliance of gold jewelry a lot. That’s why, it is always preferable to wear any perfumes or creams before putting gold jewelry as it may get affected after that. Also, remove your rings made in gold before washing your hands to retain its glow.
Cleaning gold jewelry through different cleaning solutions and cleaner is also a good option these days as there are lots of solutions easily available in this concern. Use ammonia solution for sixty seconds that loosens the dirt from the jewelry to make it shine as before. Mild detergents can also be very useful in this concern. Do not forget to rub it gently by a soft brush to restore the lost glow of the gold jewelry.
Nowadays, jewelry cleaning cotton cloths have also emerged as a very bright option that not only protects the gold jewelry from unnecessary dirt but also for making it fresh like before so, ensure you have enough cloths to remove the dirt. Avoid wearing jewelry in contact with soap water and chlorine affected water.
Thus, proper jewelry storage is essential to maintain the eternal radiance of gold jewelry that looks good on every one. Keep it in a box or case where gold jewelry has its own space that saves it from scratching and tear. You can also wrap your gold jewelry items in a plain tissue paper that protects its original shine and luster. In fact dipping your gold jewelry in running alcohol for few seconds can also bring back its lost luster again.
Jewelry is valuable and priceless till it does not loose its charm and original worth so; protect your gold jewelry to retain its ever lasting value and worth.
For more information on gold jewelry visit http://www.glimmerrocks.com/Product/gold_jewelry.html
If you have questions regarding information in this press release contact the company listed below. I-Newswire.com is a press release service and not the author of this press release. The information that is on or available through this site is for informational purposes only and speaks only as of the particular date or dates of that information. As some companies / PR Agencies submit their press releases once per week/month or quarter, make sure check the official company website for accurate release dates as our site displays the I-Newswire.com distribution date only. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of information on or available through this site, and we are not responsible for inaccuracies or omissions in that information or for actions taken in reliance on that information.
March 10th, 2006
Oscars Jewelry Fashion Report: Drop Earrings & Hair Jewelry
IDEX Online
(March 9, ‘06, 6:24 IDEX Online Staff Reporter)
Â
All eyes were on Los Angeles, as the Academy Awards got underway. While all of Hollywood had gathered to honor the film industry, movies took a back seat to fashion and jewelry as the stars made their way down the red carpet.
Oscar nominee Felicity Huffman was decked out in $2 million worth of jewels from Martin Katz. The Desperate Housewives star wore a platinum and diamond bracelet with 38 carats of round diamonds, valued at $125,000; pear shaped diamond drop earrings of 7 carats, each valued at $750,000; 15 carat cushion cut diamond ring, valued at $850,000; Diamond “Gardenia” brooch worn in her hair, over 100 diamonds totaling 40 carats, valued at $190,000.
Â
Dolly Parton, who is usually more rhinestone than diamond, wore more than $2 million worth of jewelry from Fred Leighton. Parton’s earnings, diamond briolette pendant earrings with old European cut diamonds of approximately 5 carats and briolette diamond drops of approximately 16 carats each, alone were valued at $1,215,000.
She also wore two vintage diamond bracelets (one from the 1930s, one from the 1920s), valued at $265,000; a diamond chain necklace with approximately 47.8 carats of round brilliant cut diamonds, valued at $100,000; 10.58 carat antique cushion-cut diamond ring ($350,000); 3.01 carat pear shaped diamond ring ($75,000); a pair of 1920s diamond flower clip brooches in platinum ($12,500); a diamond bon-brooch ($120,000); a pair of 1930s diamond “string bean” brooches ($60,000); a pair of 1930s “string bean” brooches ($40,000).
Â
Heralding a new fashion, one of the trends of the night was for stars to wear diamonds in their hair. The look was embraced by Jessica Alba, who sported a 5 carat, $13,000 champagne and cognac diamond hair pin with 44 round diamonds. Jennifer Garner wore an 8 carat vintage diamond hair brooch from “Paris 1964,” worth $76,000. Bai Ling wore a $250,000 32 carat diamond cuff worn in hair from Effervescence collection, while Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon wore a $45,000, 19th century diamond bird hair pin.
Drop earrings continue to be extremely fashionable. Best supporting actress winner Rachel Weisz, wore emerald cut white diamond demi-drop earrings with round white diamond studs from Chopard, which she matched with a two-piece rose cut diamond ring with 2.71 carat diamond centers surrounded by 19 rose cut diamonds, 2.69 carats, also from the Swiss jewelry house. Salma Hayek opted for a pair of 15.66 carat Asscher-cut diamond earrings and a fancy intense orangy pink diamond ring of 15.23 carats, both from Leviev.
Â
Charlize Theron sported 8 carat fancy yellow diamond chandelier earrings, which she matched with three bracelets: a 44 carat fancy yellow bracelet; a white and yellow 23.41 diamond marquis-cut bracelet; and an alternating fancy yellow and white diamond bracelet, comprising 43.52 carats
Â
But this year, the men of Hollywood gave their female counterparts a run for their money in the sparkle department, with many comments being made about Terence Howard’s $500,000 30 carat platinum pear and marquis shape diamond brooch. Howard also wore a 20 carat diamond ring, worth $1 million, both from Sol Raphael, while Samuel L. Jackson wore a platinum and diamond aire traveler time piece, worth $125,000 and a personalized “SLJ” platinum tie pin, $15,000, both from Chris Aire.
March 10th, 2006
Kanada Boyong Berlian dan Icewine ke Indonesia
Selasa, 07 Maret 2006  15:20:00/republika
Jakarta-RoL– Kedutaan Besar Kanada untuk Indonesia memamerkan dua dari produk mewah terbaik Kanada yaitu berlian dan icewine Kanada di Jakarta mulai 7 Maret 2006.
Untuk pertama kalinya di Indonesia, cincin berlian Polar IceTM sebesar 1.5 karat dari Kanada, dan icewine dari perkebunan anggur Inniskillin dan Pillitteri yang terkenal di Kanada akan dihadirkan.
Berlian Kanada yang dihasilkan dari pertambangan di daerah Kutub Utara Kanada terkenal akan kualitas dan kejernihannya karena dipilih secara seksama sebelum dipotong dan diasah mengikuti standar yang tertinggi di dunia
Untuk menjamin keasliannya, berlian itu juga dilengkapi dengan sertifikat dari pemerintah Kanada dan juga nomor keaslian yang diukir dengan sinar laser.
“Dengan reputasi internasional yang dimiliki untuk kualitasnya yang luar biasa, saya yakin berlian Kanada akan dapat meraih popularitas di antara para pencinta berlian di Indonesia yang menginginkan hanya yang terbaik,” kata Duta Besar Kanada untuk Indonesia, Randolph Mank.
Kanada saat ini adalah negara penghasil berlian mentah ketiga terbesar di dunia, setelah Botswana dan Rusia.
Industri berlian di Kanada saat ini bernilai lebih dari 2 milyar dollar Kanada (Rp16 triliun), dengan total produksi sebanyak 9.7 juta karat pada tiga kwartal pertama tahun 2005.
Sementara itu industri icewine Kanada juga diakui di seluruh dunia untuk kualitasnya yang terbaik.
“Dari hanya satu perkebunan anggur beberapa tahun yang lalu, para penggemar wine di Indonesia kini dapat menikmati minuman icewine yang berasal dari setidaknya tiga perkebunan anggur yang terkemuka di Kanada,” kata Duta Besar Mank.
Dibuat dari anggur yang mengalami proses pembekuan secara alami, yaitu buah anggur yang dibiarkan tidak dipetik selama musim dingin, minuman icewine Kanada memberikan rasa yang manis dan sensasi yang penuh aroma.
Sebagaimana berlian Kanada, icewine Kanada juga memiliki cap keaslian yang diberikan oleh perhimpunan pengusaha perkebunan anggur, yaitu Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA).
Cap itu untuk meyakinkan para konsumen bahwa minuman icewine tersebut asli terbuat dari buah anggur yang dibekukan secara alami.
Kanada saat ini tercatat sebagai negara penghasil icewine terbesar di dunia, dengan sekitar 50 produsen di propinsi Ontario dan British Columbia.
Asia merupakan pasar nomor satu untuk icewine Kanada di mana 60 persen dari total produksi icewine Kanada diekspor ke negara-negara Asia, termasuk Indonesia. antara/pur
March 10th, 2006
Avoid ‘Rash’ Fashion Choices
March 8, 2006
CBS News
(WebMD)Â Jewelry metals and fragrances top the list of substances most likely to cause serious skin rashes, Mayo Clinic dermatologists report.
When you get a skin rash after contact with an allergy-causing substance (an allergen), doctors call it allergic contact dermatitis. It can be a devastating condition, says Mayo’s Mark D. P. Davis, M.D.
“Patients with contact dermatitis can get a very itchy rash from head to toe or in a confined area,” Davis says in a news release. “If it’s on the hands and feet it can be disabling, and patients at times can’t do their jobs.”
How do you know what causes your itchy rash? Using a panel of common allergens, doctors put a small amount on a patch of skin and see whether there is a reaction. It’s called patch testing.
Davis and other Mayo researchers patch-tested more than 1,500 patients with a series of up to 73 allergens in their study. The top 10 culprits:
Nickel (nickel sulfate hexahydrate): A metal frequently encountered in jewelry and clasps or buttons on clothing.
Gold (gold sodium thiosulfate): A precious metal often found in jewelry.
Balsam of Peru (myroxylon pereirae): A fragrance used in perfumes and skin lotions; it’s derived from tree resin.
Thimerosal: A mercury compound used in local antiseptics and as a preservative in some vaccines.
Neomycin sulfate: A topical antibiotic common in first-aid creams and ointments; it’s also found occasionally in cosmetics, deodorant, soap, and pet food.
Fragrance mix: A group of the eight most common fragrance allergens found in foods, cosmetic products, insecticides, antiseptics, soaps, perfumes, and dental products.
Formaldehyde: A preservative with multiple uses. It’s found in paper products, paints, medications, household cleaners, cosmetic products, and fabric finishes.
Cobalt chloride: Metal found in medical products; hair dye; antiperspirant; objects plated in metal such as snaps, buttons or tools; and in cobalt blue pigment.
Bacitracin: A topical antibiotic.
Quaternium 15: A preservative found in cosmetic products such as self-tanners, shampoo, nail polish, and sunscreen or in industrial products such as polishes, paints, and waxes.
Davis reported the findings at this week’s annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology in San Francisco.
When a patch test is positive, the best thing for patients to do is to avoid the substance to which they are allergic. Treatment with corticosteroid cream can help — but 3% of patients are allergic to the cream, Davis says.
How well does patch testing work from the patient’s point of view? In another conference report, Mayo’s Leigh Ann Scalf, M.D., and colleagues surveyed about 1,500 patch-test patients.
More than three out of four said they were at least “somewhat satisfied,” and more than half said they were “very satisfied.” After testing, 58.3% of patients reported improvement in their condition.
Why so few? A third conference report suggests an answer. Davis, Scalf, and Joseph Genebriera, M.D., find that fewer than half of patch-test patients remember all of the things that make them itch.
SOURCES: Davis, M.D.P. Abstract, American Academy of Dermatology, San Francisco, March 3-7, 2006. Genebriera, J. Abstract, American Academy of Dermatology, San Francisco, March 3-7, 2006. Scalf, L.A. Abstract, American Academy of Dermatology, San Francisco, March 3-7, 2006. News release, American Academy of Dermatology.
March 10th, 2006
Collectible vintage costume pieces are bright, bold fashion statements
BY MARTA SALIJ
Detroit Free Press
Can a woman ever have too many fabulous jewels?
This is a question we put to Carole Tanenbaum, collector extraordinaire of antique and vintage costume jewelry.
Too many? Consider: She has more than 3,500 pieces in her personal collection and more than 8,000 in her retail Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection. (Ogle them at www.truefaux.com.)
Fabulous? Oh, yes. She has a particular love for bold, colorful jewelry from the 1950s, the sort of statement-making pieces that take a strong personality to carry off.
Which Tanenbaum cheerfully agrees she has. “I love the `wow’ factor of `50s jewelry,” she says by phone from her home in Toronto. “Like my personality is kind of bigger than life, so is my jewelry. I’m a very small person - I’m 5 feet - but I wouldn’t think twice about wearing three pins at one time or multiple necklaces.
“I love the rhinestones, I love the color that was used and I love the scale of the `50s.”
Now, Tanenbaum is sharing her love of jewelry from all eras in a book, “Fabulous Fakes: A Passion for Vintage Costume Jewelry,” and a bookstore tour.
“It’s a passion that I’ve had for more than 20 years,” she says. ” I’ve worked very hard at trying to find the special pieces … really art pieces, objects of art rather than jewelry, in many cases.”
“Fabulous Fakes” offers hundreds of mouth-watering, full-color photos of jewelry from the late Victorian period through today, bracketed by Tanenbaum’s stories of how history and personalities became reflected in jewelry.
One surprise in her research was to discover the extent of the feud between Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli in the first half of the 20th century. You know Chanel: the creator of slim, simple suits that begged for multiple costume jewels to adorn them.
As for “Schiap,” as she was called, she’s the designer who coined “shocking pink” as a name for her favorite color. She also dreamed up new ways for women to dress and adorn themselves with costume jewelry, but there the resemblance ends, Tanenbaum says.
Chanel’s designs were classic and elegant, she writes. Schiap’s were influenced by surrealism and were bolder and more daring, with unusual colors of crystals often used in pear and octagonal shapes in the same piece. Those are much-sought by collectors today, Tanenbaum says.
Other personalities loomed over jewelry in unexpected ways, Tanenbaum discovered.
Queen Victoria, for one.
“Really, all of the Victorian era was influenced … all of the jewelry that was made was influenced by what Queen Victoria did,” she says.
Take the jet mourning jewelry that came into vogue then or the jewelry woven from the hair of a loved one, which seems a little morbid to modern eyes. We have Victoria’s protracted mourning of Prince Albert to thank for that, Tanenbaum says. Victoria’s influence continues today, she says, “like when you have a baby and you cut off the baby’s first locks and keep them,” she says.
The photos and histories in ” Fabulous Fakes” are fun, but many readers will want to know how to start a collection themselves.
Tanenbaum herself buys with an eye to condition first, and that’s her advice for new collectors. Look for pieces in excellent, original condition and pass by pieces that have been remade or renovated.
“If I needed a piece to fill in a certain area in my collection, and the condition is not great, I would buy it until I found another one to substitute it out when I find one in great condition,” she says.
Another question: What’s the difference between costume and fine jewelry?
Today, she says, the line is well-drawn: Fine jewelry has precious stones and is set in gold or platinum. Most everything else is costume.
But in earlier eras, some semi precious stones figured in what would today be collected as fine antique jewelry.
Other pieces, such as the Scottish plaid pins she shows in her book, are carved from agate, malachite, bloodstone and even granite - no sparkly gemstones at all. Nonetheless, they are highly collectible.
As for eBay and Web sites such as www.rubylane.com and www.trocadero, among many others, Tanenbaum thinks they’re a boon to collectors - if buyers approach them with proper care.
“When they go to an antique show, or when they go to the store, they can see eye-to-eye the person who is selling it to them,” she says. “They can examine the piece, they can ask questions about the piece, etc. Online, you know, it’s `buyer beware.’”
To protect yourself, don’t even bid unless you have an assurance from sellers that they’ll take the piece back, should you discover it’s not what was advertised.
Tanenbaum has bought many pieces in her existing collection from online sellers, but she avoids the types of jewelry that counterfeiters seem to target - for instance, the much-collected mid-century jewelry of Miriam Haskell.
“I would never buy a Haskell on the Internet,” she says. “Eighty percent of those Haskells on the Internet are embellished `Haskells.’”
In January, Katie Hafner of the New York Times published a story about the growing discontent among jewelry collectors over fakes on eBay, such as fake Weiss brooches.
“That’s very discouraging because generally, when something is reproduced, it’s a high-end item, and people can get a lot of money for it,” Tanenbaum says. “But Weiss jewelry is generally not that expensive. The Weiss butterflies, the authentic Weiss butterflies, are not expensive. So it’s curious to me that anyone would reproduce them, when you can get the real thing for anywhere from $45 to $75.”
If you’re looking for an area to collect that hasn’t been picked over, Tanenbaum suggests you look at Bakelite dress clips - not the much-collected (and faked) Bakelite bangles.
Or consider wooden figural jewelry from between the world wars that was handmade, not mass-produced.
“It just hasn’t caught on yet,” she says. “I love the pieces, and I think that one day they’ll be popular.”
And if you have the money, buy present-day jewelry created for couture collections, such as Giorgio Armani or Miuccia Prada pieces. The jewelry is made in small quantities to create a fashion statement, so it’s often very original.
“Though it’s expensive today,” she says, “it’ll be the Mona Lisas of tomorrow.”
How much is that piece of yours worth?
Carole Tanenbaum, author of “Fabulous Fakes: A Passion for Vintage Costume Jewelry” (Artisan, $35), will assess a piece of jewelry for readers who buy the book at her Rochester Hills book signing on Wednesday . With more than 25 years’ experience and more than 11,000 pieces in her private and for-sale collections, Tanenbaum is confident she can tell you where and when your item was made and what it’s worth.
March 10th, 2006
Hutcheson Medical Center Auxiliary Hosts Jewelry Sale
posted March 7, 2006
Chattanoogan
The Hutcheson Medical Center Auxiliary will sponsor a $5 Fashion Jewelry Sale on March 27 and March 28 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will be held in the deli and vending areas. A large variety of fashion jewelry and accessories will be available at the sale.
All profits from the Auxiliary fundraiser go toward annual donations the group makes to Hutcheson Medical Center for patient-related services. Cash, checks, and credit cards will be accepted. If you would like to learn more about the Auxiliary or the jewelry sale, please call 858-2832.
March 10th, 2006
Indian Jewelry
PR Leap (press release)
(PRLEAP.COM) India is known as the ‘gem bearing’ country. You can find ornaments for every part of the body. Not only this, ornaments are also designed for elephants and gods which shows their expertise and excellence in jewelry making art.
Available data shows the rich history of nearly 5,000 years, which says all about the Indian love of jewelry. For the rulers, jewelries were the symbol of their power, richness and class. Though women used jewelry to distinguish them from men as that time jewelries were mainly feminine and matches well with the nature of women. It was started as a craft which became an art and now this art is getting popularity all over the world.
Temple Jewelry:
Temple jewelry is mainly worn at the traditional dances of India which originates from the temples of India. Mainly Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi dancers use these jewelry which takes from a month to a year according to its design. It is available in whole set containing jewelry for ears, feet, hips nose, hands, fingers and legs. These jewelries are made in gold with a combination of rubies, emeralds, diamonds, pearls and sapphires. Due to its toughness and hard labor, temple jewellery is professionally made by certain craftsmen, who have maintained its originality and charm.
Antique Jewelry:
On the contrary to its name, antique jewellery is modern fancy jewelry which goes through the process of oxidizing and other such process to give it a dull look. Because of its selected clientele, antique jewelry is really nominal in range and got an exclusive look.
Minakari Jewelry:
Minakari or enameling jewelry was born as the result of the great vision of Mugal Emperor Shah Jahan. It is nothing but a unique combination of gems, enameling pigments and precious stones. Each design is specially designed and arranged in such a way so, that the stones and gems also glitter with the enameling light of the jewelry. It is generally high priced and available in neck wears, earrings, rings and whole set.
Besides above mentioned types of jewelries, special Indian wedding jewelry is also very popular. The perfect wedding jewelry contains earrings, neck wears, bangles, toe rings, bracelets, anklets and Maang-tikka (worn generally at head to cover parting). There are also some special jewelry for married women like bangles and Mangal-Sutra, gold chain with black beads.
Different state of India has a different style of its jewelry which says the rich history of the Indian jewelry.
March 10th, 2006
