Archive for May, 2006
Alaska woolly mammoth ivory excavated for jewelry, scrimshaw
Pravda
In Anchorage’s downtown ivory shops, alongside whale baleen baskets and walrus tusk statuettes, are souvenirs made from the fossils of shaggy Ice Age beasts that died on the tundra thousands of years ago.
The bones, teeth and giant curving tusks of woolly mammoths can be found in abundance in Alaska, and the fossils of the elephant-like beasts are routinely, if not always legally, turned into jewelry and other curios.
As the warmer weather and round-the-clock daylight of summer draw tourists to Alaska, ivory shop owners anticipate the inevitable questions from visitors about mammoth ivory.
“Most people don’t even know about it until they come up here, and then they see it in the store and go, `Hmmm, mammoth ivory?”‘ said Barbara Lynd, owner of Alaska Arts and Ivory. A few customers have asked where they can go to see a live mammoth.
“They’re not really clued in to the fact that they’re extinct,” Lynd said.
The woolly mammoth died out more than 10,000 years ago, killed off either by humans or climate warming, according to the main theories debated by scientists.
At Lynd’s store, a piece of tusk in front of her cash register is engraved with an image of a herd of mammoths. She said the scrimshaw, as engraved ivory is called, will sell for about $4,500 (Ђ3,505). Necklaces of polished mammoth-ivory beads sell for $100 (Ђ78) to$400 (Ђ312).
Woolly mammoth ivory can legally be taken from private land with the owner’s consent, then sold and carved.
The removal of mammoth ivory from state or federal land is banned in Alaska. But with mammoth fossils spread over hundreds of thousands of square miles of sparsely populated land, law enforcement cannot protect them all.
And because mammoths are extinct, the ivory, unlike hundreds of other wildlife products, can be taken across nearly any border in the world without fees or permits, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Dale Guthrie, professor emeritus at the Institute of Arctic Biology in Fairbanks, said many scientists fear that trafficking in mammoth ivory could lead to the taking of even rarer fossils, and “we could lose the story of our past.” Researchers use the tusks to learn about mammoth growth rates, eating and drinking patterns and migration trends.
Alaska contains the largest caches of mammoth remains in the United States. Mammoth fossils, which look like large pieces of driftwood, are often exposed by shifting rivers and eroding coasts, reports AP.
O.Ch.
May 31st, 2006
3 Weeks After Shooting Jewelry Store Owner Works Again
KETV.com
OMAHA, Neb. — An Omaha jewelry storeowner who was shot in the head three weeks ago is now back to work.
Larry Gilinsky lost his left eye in the shooting, but he told KETV NewsWatch 7 that he’s not going to let it hold him back. Gilinsky is back doing what he said he loves — selling jewelry — at his Bergman’s Jewelry store near 94th and F streets.
“I just feel tremendously fortunate,” Gilinsky said.
Gilinsky was shot twice the afternoon of May 9. The bullets landed in his leg and his head.
Police identified the shooter from store surveillance cameras as Steven Berentson, 56. Gilinsky said his employee yelled as the suspect fled from the store.
“She screamed, ‘Larry, he’s got our rings,’ and I was here and I saw him run out the door and I foolishly chased after him,” Gilinsky said.
Gilinsky said he knows he should not have run outside after the robber, but he said it was instinct to try to figure out where the man was going.
“It’s a gut reaction. He was violating us. He was taking goods that belong to us,” Gilinsky said.
It was then, Gilinsky said, that the man pulled a gun and shot.
“I think I’ve been very fortunate. No hangover from the incident. No nightmares, no second thoughts,” Gilinsky said.
Gilinsky said he knows the shot to his head could have been fatal, but the bullet just took the sight in his left eye.
“How lucky is that? It’s incredible,” the grateful businessman said. “It’s a blip on our radar screen and go forward.”
Omaha police are still searching for Berentson. An arrest warrant has been issued. If you know where Berentson is, call Crime Stoppers at 402-444-STOP.
May 31st, 2006
BOTSWANA PRESIDENT MEETS WITH JAPANESE DIAMOND JEWELRY INDUSTRY LEADERS
Tacy, Israel
During a trip to Tokyo in Japan, Festus Mogae, President of Botswana, met with local diamond jewelry industry leaders, following a meeting with the Prime Minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi.
Moage was in Japan to participate in ‘Botswana Week’ activities in Japan. The week is a major collaborative initiative on the part of public and private stakeholders in both Japan and Botswana intended to promote greater economic and social ties between the two countries.
May 30th, 2006
Pakistan : Gems & jewelry sectors set export target of $500mn
May 29, 2006/Fibre2fashion.com, India
Pakistan Gems and Jewelry sector is attracting better investment as local players turn more competitive through skills and technology upgradation, informed Pakistan Gems and Jewelry Strategy Working Group (SWOG).
SWOG is made of industry leaders, Government officials and relevant NGOs that work together to form strategies and implement them in proper manner.
Pakistani players are eager to take leading position in $80 billion international jewellery market.
Pakistani Small and Medium sized enterprises is being supported by “Pakistan Initiative for Strategic Development and Competitiveness” (PISDAC)and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded activity is managed by J.E. Austin Associates Inc to increase global competitiveness.
Gems and Jewelry SWOG plan to grow though effective value chain. It has aims to establish Pakistan as world class hub for precious stone cutting and jewelry manufacturing.
It works to bridge the divide between Pakistan and other countries offering strong presence in these sectors.
Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority and Export Promotion Bureau are supporting USAID and PISDAC to achieve export target of $500 million by 2010.
May 30th, 2006
Hip-Hop Jewelry Becoming Mainstream Fashion
LiveArticles.org, CA
Profit demands are reducing the sources for quality wholesale custom sterling silver jewelry manufacturers daily. Some now prefer to produce the more lucrative gold jewelry and most of the others will only accept very large orders. Samsoneinc.com is one of the few quality
wholesale custom sterling silver jewelry manufacturers that will produce small quantities of custom designs at a reasonable price.
Quality wholesale custom sterling silver jewelry manufacturing starts with good craftsmanship and materials.
The basic information needed to create wholesale custom sterling silver jewelry are the designs, the volume of the order, the metal weight and, for the manufacturer to properly calculate silver weight and cost, the dimension of the jewelry and gemstones required must be given. Of these, the order volume will have the greatest impact on the final cost.
Once we receive this information and a sample of the design at Samsoneinc.com, there is an $80 charge for making the mold of the design and a minimum order quantity of 50 pieces per style with a required 50% deposit. Usually it takes us 4-6 weeks to manufacture custom sterling silver jewelry.
In cases where the order volume is very large, the charge for the mold can be waived.
If you are using gemstones and/or diamonds in your designs, take care to discuss the selection process beforehand. Be aware when you are choosing a manufacturer for your wholesale custom sterling silver jewelry that very often you will find manufacturers who use extremely low grade diamonds and gemstones, which can be effected by poor color, inclusions, cracks and other flaws to cut costs.
To produce quality wholesale custom sterling silver jewelry you need a certain metal weight. When you use a light weight of silver, the costs may be cheaper, but the result is jewelry that will bend or twist at the slightest impact. It will prevent your gemstones or diamonds from being firmly mounted, resulting in frequent repairs which is not the ideal for sterling silver jewelry.
Bear in mind that wholesale custom sterling silver jewelry manufacturing is a labour intensive process that requires skilled craftsmen, which are not easy to find and whose fees are quite substantial.
Although your wholesale custom sterling silver jewelry will be made by a mechanical casting process, it requires hand finishing by skilled craftsmen to be complete. Time is a factor in this process, but this is the best way to ensure good quality wholesale silver jewelry.
The good news is that re-orders of the same design will cost less than the initial one, because the mold is already made. Outside of this factor, remember that the cost of the silver and gemstones can vary and this will affect the total cost.
Samsoneinc.com can provide you with exquisite wholesale custom sterling silver jewelry pieces, which are perfect accessories for any occasion.
May 30th, 2006
Horace Designs Silver Jewelry
Luxist, CA
There’s a new jeweler in town. Well, only if town for you is London. But don’t worry, Horace Designs will ship to the States. Their pieces are all unique and both designed and manufactured in their studio in London. All of the jewelry looks quite nice, but prices may be a bit steep for only sterling silver. Their men’s curb chain (number two) is $360, that’s Tiffany’s type prices but for a shop that doesn’t have Tiffany’s history and recognition. True, this is due to exchange rates, but still. And just a warning, the front page is possibly NSFW.
May 30th, 2006
Gold Prices Fall in London on Slowing Investor, Jewelry Demand
Bloomberg
May 29 (Bloomberg) — Gold prices fell for the first trading session in three in London on speculation that a surge in prices is slowing demand from investors and jewelers.
Two years of increased investor demand spurred by accelerating inflation helped send gold prices to a 26-year high on May 12. Consumption by jewelers, the biggest buyers of gold, will plunge 15 percent this year, the first drop in three years, Barclays Capital forecast in a May 26 report.
“Gold is losing all fundamental demand at these prices,” said Jay Mehta, managing director of Mumbai-based Maximus Commodities. “Jewelers won’t buy unless they have a confirmed order.”
Gold for immediate delivery fell $3.20, or 0.5 percent, to $650.50 an ounce at 12:06 p.m. in London.
Gold has dropped 11 percent from the 26-year high of $730.40 an ounce. That decline has forced some speculators who were expecting prices to keep climbing to sell, and probably won’t end until prices go to $600 an ounce in the next month, Mehta said.
Hedge-fund managers and other large speculators have decreased their net-long position in New York gold futures by 17 percent in the two weeks ended May 23, according to U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission data.
Lower jewelry demand this year would follow gains of 3.8 percent last year and 5.5 percent in 2004, according to the Barclays Capital report. “There is little physical justification for the high prices,” Barclays said.
Barclays still raised its gold price forecast for this year, by $135 to $660 an ounce, citing expectations of a decline in the dollar and the threat of inflation.
Fifteen of 30 traders, investors and analysts surveyed on May 25 and May 26 from Sydney to Chicago advised buying gold. Seven respondents advised selling and eight were neutral.
May 30th, 2006
Web Diamond Outlet - A Diamond Jewelry Shopper’s Internet Friend
Newswire Today (press release)
NewswireToday - /newswire/ - Beverly Hills, CA, United States, 05/28/2006 - Web Diamond Outlet offers diamond engagement rings, diamond pendants, diamond earrings, diamond wedding bands, diamond bracelets, diamond gold chains, loose diamonds and one of a kind unique diamond jewelry.
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Tired of paying high inflated prices?
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Agency / Source: Internet Advisors Group
Availability: All Regions (Including Int’l)
Distribution: [+] Press Release & Newswire Distribution Network. via PRZOOM - Newswire Today (NewswireToday.com)
May 29th, 2006
Mammoth ivory excavated in Alaska for jewelry, curios
Jeannette J. Lee /Associated Press May. 28, 2006 12:00 AM
AZ Central.com, AZ
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - In downtown ivory shops, alongside whale-baleen baskets and walrus-tusk statuettes, tourists finger curios made from the fossils of shaggy Ice Age beasts that died on the tundra thousands of years ago.
Woolly mammoth fossils, abundant on riverbanks and beaches in the interior, are shaped into jewelry or etched with scrimshaw, then sold to collectors and retail shops.
Alaska’s borders contain the largest caches of mammoth remains in the United States, and a consistently cold climate has kept much of them in carvable condition.
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“In the rest of the country, it isn’t in very good shape and it’s rather rare. The permafrost and the muck helped preserve it better here,” said Dale Guthrie, professor emeritus at the Institute of Arctic Biology in Fairbanks.
As the warmer temperatures and round-the-clock daylight of summer draw tourists to the state, ivory-shop owners anticipate the inevitable questions about mammoth ivory.
“Most people don’t even know about it until they come up here, and then they see it in the store and go, ‘Hmmm, mammoth ivory?’ ” said Barbara Lynd, owner of Alaska Arts and Ivory.
Many don’t know that mammoth ivory is legal to carve and, unlike hundreds of other wildlife products, can be taken across nearly any border in the world. A few have asked where they can see a live mammoth.
“They’re not really clued in to the fact that they’re extinct,” Lynd said.
Delicate lines of scrimshaw depict a herd of the elephant-like beasts on a slab of a tusk in front of her cash register. The piece will sell for about $4,500, Lynd said. Necklaces of polished beads cost between $100 and $400.
Mammoth fossils, which look like large pieces of driftwood, are unearthed by shifting rivers and eroding coasts in a swath stretching from Fairbanks to Bethel, up the western coast and through the great oil fields of the North Slope.
For the past 15 years, Charles Foster of Kotzebue has searched for mammoth tusks and bones every summer at a secret location along a river. He sells the ivory to buyers in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau. He keeps leftover bones and tusk fragments in a bulging cardboard box under a table in his small living room. A dark closet next to the front door contains several dusty tusks.
Using a shovel and pick, Foster collects about 15 pieces a summer near Kotzebue, just above the Arctic Circle on Alaska’s western coast. A school maintenance worker known for his fossil-finding skills, he sells the teeth for $500 each, while the tusks sell for a higher price, which he wouldn’t disclose.
“I can get a four-wheeler with four of these teeth,’ ” Foster said as he picked through the box of mammoth tusks, teeth and leg bones.
The remains are somewhat protected by laws that ban their removal from state or federal land. But with an uncountable number of mammoth fossils spread over hundreds of thousands of square miles of sparsely populated land, law enforcement can’t keep tabs on them all.
Lynd said most of her inventory comes from people she has known for two decades.
“I trust they are getting it from the right places,” she said.
May 29th, 2006
Prices fall, bonanza for jewelry lovers
CNN-IBN, India
Mumbai: After Wednesday’s bullish trend in bullion prices, values of spot gold and silver crashed again on Thursday due to weak global advice.
Standard gold (99.5 purity) and pure gold (99.9 purity) opened low this morning at Rs 9,595 and Rs 9,645 per 10 gm, respectively, on poor demand by local dealers.
Both the yellow metals improved and closed high at Rs 9,365 and Rs 9,660 per 10 gm, with a huge gain of Rs 240 each from their yesterday’s close.
There were low demand by stockists due to bearish advice from international markets.
In London, gold was quoted low at USD 635.50/640.00 per troy ounce against the previous close of USD 660/662 per troy ounce in New York on Wednesday.
Reports from abroad says that gold steadied on Thursday after a sharp fall in U S trade, although traders were wary of another test lower, while a price dip in platinum attracted some buying by jewellers in China.
Silver .999 fineness variety also opened high at Rs 19,115 per kg on weak advice. Later, it improved and closed at Rs 19,365 per kg with a massive loss of Rs 325 from its previous close.
In London, the white metal was quoted low at US dollar 12.40/12.45 per troy ounce against USD 12.60/12.70 per troy ounce in New York on yesterday, which remained weak in the domestic prices, traders added.
Following were the spot silver and gold closing prices today: Silver (per kg) .999 grade: Rs 19,365 (Rs 19,690), Gold (per 10 gm): Standard mint 99.5 purity: Rs 9,610 (Rs 9,850), Pure gold 99.9 purity: Rs 9,660 (Rs 9,900).
May 26th, 2006
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