Archive for December, 2008
BY VALERIE MILLER
The World Jewelry Center plans to scrap designs for nearly 100 residential condominiums and delay its opening for another year or more, its developer said.
The latest setback for the proposed 1.1 million-square-foot wholesale jewelry marketplace is the second delay in about a year, and comes as Union Park is researching cutbacks in its own residential plans.
The World Jewelry Center, a major Union Park project first postponed a year ago will now likely not be completed until 2012 or later, said Bill Boyajian, the jewelry mart’s managing director. The 98 planned residential condos will also likely be eliminated and a proposed 50-story tower be reduced by 10 stories.
The jewelry mart’s developer said the project’s opening could be delayed beyond 2012 unless the economy improves significantly.
“I would hope it would be 2012, but the longer it is stretched out, the harder it is and the more expensive it is to keep the project out there,” Boyajian said. “It really depends on the capital markets. There is money, but nobody wants to loan it.”
Project developers are conserving money on hand. World Jewelry Center sales staff and promotional costs have been cut. Most of the jewelry mart’s funding to date has come from developer and visionary Robert Zarnegin. The project, first announced more than two years ago, was supposed to be a mixed-use development that included a 125,000-square-foot jewelry retail center and a 50-story trade tower with residential condos at its top. The 98 condos would have accounted for 800,000 square of residential space. The project was designed to cater to gem and jewelry makers, but nonindustry investors would have been the likeliest condo buyers, Boyajian said.
Eliminating the residences wouldn’t take away from the mission of drawing jewelry-industry people to Las Vegas, and would save on construction costs, he said. The expense of building has left the project’s time line up in the air.
“I really don’t know when you look at designs and costs … real estate prices have gone down but the costs of raw materials — glass, steel from Dubai and China — has ratcheted higher,” Boyajian said.
Even so, developers already have received about 150 letters of intent to lease retail space.
The jewelry center’s developers, Probity International Corp., would need the city of Las Vegas’ approval to alter its development agreement. Boyajian expects cooperation from both the city and Union Park’s residential developer, Newland Communities.
The city knew of the World Jewelry Center’s plans to reduce its size and cut out its condos, said Steve Van Gorp, deputy director for the city’s Office of Business Development. He was unsure whether plans had been formally submitted to the city at press time.
Newland Communities also plans to go before the city early next year, most likely in February, to request an extension for a yet-undetermined period of time to break ground on the first residential parcel, Newland Communities development director Rita Brandin said. Newland, which is developing about 2,600 of the 3,000 residential units planned for the site, received a 14-month groundbreaking extension from the city in June to delay the start of construction until the second half of 2009.
Now the economic crisis has made it necessary to push the start back even farther, she said.
“We won’t break ground in 2009,” she said of the initial residential development. The market turbulence made it impossible to predict how long the delay could be, Brandin added.
Work on the residential portion of the $6 billion Union Park development was to begin in October and finish in 2017, city officials said. Brandin, however, said she always pictured the entire development’s completion as a “10- to 15-year” endeavor.
Requests for postponements of residential or other upcoming Union Park projects could be made with the city well into next year, Brandin added.
“Nobody is under obligation to start construction before mid-2009,” she said.
Contact reporter Valerie Miller at vmiller@lvbusinesspress.com or 702-387-5286.
Source: www.lvbusinesspress.com/articles
December 24th, 2008
LOS ANGELES - If there is one thing 2008 will be remembered for when it comes to fashion, it’ll be for bringing back big, bold “Dynasty”-era jewelry. We saw it on the runways at Balenciaga, Lanvin, Vera Wang and Louis Vuitton as the fall shows ushered in the trend of the “statement” piece. We also saw it on the red carpet. Remember that 1,400-carat rough-cut diamond necklace Nicole Kidman wore to the Oscars in February? We even saw it on the campaign trail, where Michelle Obama single-handedly brought back the brooch when she pinned an Erickson Beamon starburst on her teal-blue dress at the Democratic National Convention. (Erickson Beamon has since scored a Target collection, due in February.)
Real jewelry can be a sound investment in uncertain times. But for most of us, the new reality calls for faux — small indulgences that can make an old frock seem new.
Although many of us may just now be discovering (or rediscovering) costume jewelry, Sonia Boyajian has been designing and wearing it since 2001, when she sold her first pieces to Mameg in Los Angeles. (She’s now in some of the most trendsetting boutiques in the world, including Susan of Burlingame in northern California and Ikram in Chicago.)
Boyajian has had a particularly good year. She designed Scarlett Johansson’s 3-carat, gum-ball-size diamond engagement ring, was approached by Anthropologie to do a collection for the chain and met her soon-to-be husband on a hiking trail in Los Angeles.
That meeting was serendipitous in more ways than one. To Boyajian’s delight, she discovered that her fiance, songwriter Alexander Rousmaniere, is the grandson of New York art dealer Klaus Perls, who launched sculptor Alexander Calder’s career.
“They have Calder work in the house, and to be able to dissect and touch and see how he made things was amazing,” she says.
Boyajian is a lifelong fan of the artist, who invented mobiles in 1931 and whose inventive jewelry is on exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York through March 1. When you look at her kinetic pieces ($300 to $1,800), you see why. They are rooted in fantasy, both delicate and sculptural. She makes ample use of wire — cutting it into carefully balanced cascading arcs, dangling onyx beads on a necklace, coiling it into a ring, wrapping it around chunky crystals and dramatic feathers to create a headpiece, and bending it into a fish shape suspended from a choker — always designing three-dimensionally, instead of on a flat surface.
New York-based fashion designer Brian Reyes, who collaborated with Boyajian on jewelry for four of his runway shows, says it’s “her ability to transform exotic elements” that makes her unique.
“I want my jewelry to evoke a sense of whimsy and happiness,” says Boyajian, who has a bohemian look, wearing her hair long and her jeans fashionably high-waisted. “I want my clients to feel like they are in a storybook, like they are children looking at a mobile above their crib.”
You can’t help but be enchanted by the 28-year-old designer, who lives in a leafy 1929 dollhouse of a place in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles. Her jewelry hangs from tree branches in the dining room, along with her bridal gown, which she is hand-embellishing with pearls for her wedding this month.
In her living room, an antique English apothecary chest is filled with glass jars of colorful crystals and beads from Thailand, Japan and L.A.’s jewelry district. Goblets of milky pearls sit on the coffee table, and a cuckoo clock hangs on the wall. Two baby tortoises bask under a heat lamp in a glass aquarium near the fireplace. Their names are Dot and Dotless, and Boyajian has no idea what she’ll do with them when they grow to be as big as 180 pounds.
Dropping into her world is strange and wonderful, kind of like visiting your grandmother’s house. And it’s no wonder. “Since I was born, my grandma was a crafty Ms. Fix-it,” Boyajian says. “She lived across the street from … (a) flea market, where she would buy broken jewelry and show me how to fix it. That’s all I had to play with when I visited her.”
Boyajian went to Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles before moving to Belgium in 2001. “I thought I wanted to be a clothing designer, and I wanted to be part of the Antwerp scene. It was my dream to work for Dries Van Noten.”
No sooner had she arrived than she walked into the influential boutique Louis wearing a few pieces of jewelry she had made and the the owner snapped them up. Suddenly, clothing design didn’t seem so important.
Later that year, she moved back to the United States and opened a showroom in Los Angeles, selling to Mameg and Barneys New York. By 2007, she needed a bigger space and happened upon her spectacular house, hidden behind trees and ivy walls in Los Feliz. “The picture window, the trees, I wanted a place that had the same feeling as my jewelry.”
Sonia Eram, who owns Mameg, praises Boyajian’s “whimsical and intellectual” work and hangs it alongside clothing by avant-garde designers such as Yohji Yamamoto and Hussein Chalayan.
Whereas many designers would jump at the chance to talk about making Johansson’s engagement ring, all Boyajian will say is that the actress is one of her best friends and that her work may soon be seen on an even bigger stage. Ikram Goldman, the Chicago retailer, has asked Boyajian to make a few pins for Michelle Obama.
And although her wholesale business has slowed a bit, so far the designer is surviving the economic storm. Business from private clients is growing so much that she’s hired Johnston Marklee (the architectural firm that designed the Mameg and Martin Margiela stores in Beverly Hills) to convert her garage into a magical wonderland that will be her workshop and retail store.
She’s also branching into silk scarves featuring drawings of her jewelry, artfully laid out.
With a little help from Johansson and Obama, who knows? Next year maybe we’ll all be wearing statement scarves.
Source: http://www.azcentral.com/style
December 23rd, 2008
For college students in countries around the world spring break has become the perfect opportunity to book tropical vacations in paradise. Many students spend weeks picking out their wardrobe for spring break. While the clothes are important the accessories are even more important. To purchase those hot, summer accessories, shop at Fashion Obsessed.
There are several different pieces of jewelry that are perfect for spring break. While swimming in the ocean or working on your tan make sure you look your best with the right fashion accessories. Some of the hottest spring break looks include what is known as “beach” jewelry.
Shell necklaces are sold in countless stores located within walking distance of the beach. A shell necklace screams spring break, vacation and fun. Many shell necklaces come in different colors. The lighter shells, such as the white or pink shells, look great on any one who has a tan.
Another great piece of jewelry that is trendy during spring break is a hemp necklace. A hemp necklace has been popular for many years during the warmer months. Many hemp necklaces or bracelets are decorated great press release colored beads or crystals. This is a great way to add a dash of color to a casual spring break outfit.
Spring break is about hitting the nightlife scene hard. When going out wear colors that will attract others attention in a good way. Wear a press release submission necklace, bracelet or earrings. To dress up an outfit wear a precious or semi-precious stone. Spring is about colors so make sure to choose vibrant jewelry such as turquoise, amethyst or pink sapphires.
Fashion experts agree that yellow gold is another spring break must have. Yellow gold is a sun friendly material. This type of gold is fantastic to wear during the summer months because it does not lose color intensity from being exposed to the suns rays for a long period of time.
Spring break goers should make sure to pack beaded jewelry in their accessory bag. Beaded jewelry is an excellent write a press release to reveal your individuality, versatility and creativity. There are so many different possibilities when working with beaded jewelry. Let the inner you speak with a gorgeous beaded necklace.
Jewelry that is worn during spring break should be light and airy. This means thin necklaces and thin bracelets are better choices then chokers. Other materials to wear during short term health insurance break are leather and wood. A chunky leather bracelet is a must have. To find out more about spring break fashion accessories visit the website fashionobsessed.
Source: www.meadowfreepress.com
December 22nd, 2008
By ASHLEY M. HEHER
Swirling snow, packed parking lots and massive markdowns greeted many shoppers across the country this weekend as retailers tried to woo consumers to open their wallets during the final holiday countdown.
From flagship department stores to main street shops, consumers found extended hours — in some places, around-the-clock shopping — and even some extra-cheery customer service as merchants hope to salvage one of the worst shopping seasons in decades, brought on by the recession and growing economic uncertainty.
“They’re really trying to get you in there,” said Raleigh, N.C., resident Kim Rardon, who was surprised by the price cuts she saw while searching for gifts on Saturday at Crabtree Valley Mall in north Raleigh.
For those willing to spend, the deals abounded.
In Miami, Ana Solis bought T-shirts from the Disney Store featuring Kermit the Frog and Tigger. One shirt — original price $24.99 — was marked down to $7.99 before another 40 percent discount.
At the flagship Macy’s store on 34th Street in New York, shoppers swarmed racks offering 65 percent off women’s clothing. Elsewhere, the store was offering 50 percent off handbags by designers such as Dooney & Bourke and Coach and 40 percent off gold earrings.
Thirty-eight-year old Chris Moscardelli found even deep discounts when he snagged a cashmere blanket for more than half off.
“It’s been a great day,” he said.
But not for Ahmad Parpia, the store manager of Marquise Jewelers inside Dallas’ Valley View Mall, who’s seen his most profitable period of the year fizzle out. Few shoppers are coming inside his four stores to buy diamond-encrusted chains, gold watches and jewelry, despite signs advertising: “Financing available up to $10,000. Will beat any competitive price.”
“It’s almost like 80 percent down over the last two years,” he said. “I’ve never seen before a Christmas like that, and I’ve been in this business almost 15 years.”
The International Council of Shopping Centers expects established stores to post their worst performance for the holidays since at least 1969, when its index began. It predicts same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year, will fall as much as 1 percent for the November and December period, and fears the decline could even be steeper.
Still, shoppers were out at Kmart and Sears stores this weekend as customers stocked up on last-minute gifts and electronics like Nintendo’s Wii, Blu-ray players, digital cameras and tools. In some cases, shoppers lined up before stores opened for weekend doorbuster deals.
“For the most part, we beat our previous week, which was a great kind of benchmark, because last week was strong for us,” said Tom Aiello, a spokesman for the stores owned by Sears Holdings Corp.
But store traffic was slower in some parts of the Midwest and New England where storms dumped snow and ice, he said.
More than a dozen Macy’s Inc. stores were spending the weekend in the midst of a retail marathon, pledging to stay open around the clock until Christmas Eve.
At Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Ill., shoppers were making purchases at 4 a.m. and officials expected the overnight shopping crowd to grow each night as Christmas Eve nears.
“It was active,” said Mike Dervos, executive vice president of Macy’s upper midwest division, who added that shoppers are buying many of the same items they’ve sought in previous years, like cosmetics and fragrances. “We were pleased.”
Still, some people inside America’s malls seemed more like scouts than actual customers, waiting for last-minute bargains or browsing stores but holding few, if any, bags.
After electronic gadgets, practical gifts seemed to be among the most popular.
At Regency Square in Richmond, Va., items like sweaters, jeans, hats, scarves were some of the most common items being bought by shoppers. And at Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn, Mich., near the headquarters of Ford Motor Co. — which has been hurt by the drop in auto sales — shoppers were eschewing jewelry and fur and leather items for unisex apparel, boots and outwear, according to mall owner Taubman Centers Inc.
Philadelphia resident Amy Warner managed to cross off her shopping list items like DVDs, wine, jewelry and gift cards, including a grocery store gift card for her grandparents who live near Allentown, Pa.
“My grandmother said, ‘All we really want is a gift card from Wegmans,’” Warner said. “They’re retired. They have a fixed income. I don’t think there’s anything they really needed other than this.”
Associated Press Writers Lauren Shepherd and Vinnee Tong in New York, Andre Coe in Dallas, Jessica Gresko in Miami and Barbara Rodriguez in Raleigh, N.C., contributed to this report.
Source: www.google.com/hostednews/
December 22nd, 2008
WASHINGTON, Dec 18, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of product: Children’s Jewelry
Units: About 12,800
Importer: Aloha 808 Trading, of Honolulu, Hawaii
Hazard: The recalled jewelry contains high levels of lead. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: This recall involves eight styles of silver-colored metal jewelry: flower ear ring, three flower pendant, necklace with red flower and metal leaf pendant, and miniature sandals in aqua, purple, green, orange and turquoise.
Sold at: Small retail stores and kiosks in Honolulu, Hawaii from April 2008 through November 2008 for between $2 and $5.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled jewelry and contact Aloha 808 Trading for a refund or exchange.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Aloha 808 Trading collect at (808) 923-3660 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.
Photos at www.cpsc.gov
Firm’s Recall Hotline: (808) 923-3660
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
http://www.cpsc.gov
Copyright (C) 2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
Source: www.marketwatch.com/news
December 19th, 2008
By Steve James
NEW YORK, Dec 18 (Reuters) - In economic hard times, investors traditionally buy gold, but more people hit by the recession are now selling the precious metal, jewelry, and even gold teeth, to raise cash.
People are scouring through attics and jewelry boxes for gold, silver, diamonds and anything else of value to help pay the mortgage, the gas bills, or to buy gifts to put under the tree, gold industry observers said on Thursday.
“When the price of gold upturns, a lot of people start rummaging through their closets looking for gold to sell,” said Eric Harris, co-owner of Niletti Creations, which sells jewelry in New York’s “Diamond district,” on West 47th Street.
“They use the money for whatever they need. It could be for necessities, it could be for vacation, it could be for Christmas presents.”
Harris said his scrap gold business was about 50 percent higher this year over 2007. Gold bought back from consumers is usually melted down by refiners and used to make gold bars.
With the recession starting to bite and gold hovering around $850 per ounce, more and more people are turning to the family jewels as a source of quick money.
The Internet is full of sites buying wedding rings and heirloom diamonds, while cable TV ads offer the highest prices for necklaces and bracelets which the seller can just pop in an envelope and deposit in the mailbox.
One site, Empire Gold Buyers (empiregoldbuyers.com), offers secure Federal Express shipping and advertises it will pay 98.5 percent of the current market price. For a 24-carat gold item weighing 25-50 ounces, it currently will pay $845 per ounce. For dental gold, the price is lower — $568.
David Becker, chief executive of Idonowidont.com — a website for jilted lovers or the divorced to sell unwanted jewelry and wedding items — said there was a huge spike in traffic and listings in September and October.
“In the absence of anything else I can only ascribe it to the economy and wanting to make Christmas brighter.”
THREE D’s — DEATH, DIVORCE, DEBT
“If someone has something in a drawer that can bring in a few thousand dollars, it can make the difference between making the mortgage payment or not,” he said.
The alternative is selling in a consignment store, which could take ages to sell, or hocking items at pawn shops for a loan worth sometimes only 25-30 percent of the real value.
“There are three D’s for why people sell — death, divorce or debt,” said Becker.
“Plenty of people have rings from a first marriage or something from Aunt Edna. Sentimental attachment might make it harder to sell, but if you can walk away with $3,000-$5,000, it makes a difference.”
Dr Joyce Brothers, a nationally syndicated psychologist, said it was easier nowadays to part with family jewelry. “You used to have gold and heirlooms passed down over generations and they had stories attached and were meaningful.
“But nowadays, with more divorces, you don’t have those long family lines, so why not get out from under bills by selling some old coins. Things don’t have the same meaning as Uncle Jack’s watch used to,” she said.
Jim Steel, a precious metals analyst at HSBC in New York, said gold recycling tends to be more related to prices than economic conditions. “But I would not discount the distress element of unemployment and things like that.
“But there was always a stigma attached to going into the pawn shop. My grandmother would never have hocked my grandfather’s wedding ring,” he said.
According to World Gold Council figures, more gold is being recycled this year as the global economy turned south.
An estimated 244 tonnes of gold were recycled in the third quarter of this year at an average price of $871 per ounce. That was up from 215 tonnes at $680 in the same quarter of 2007, but down from the peak of 321 tonnes at $925 in the first quarter of this year.
“There is an element of uncertainty, with growing fear of longer-term inflationary consequences, which has translated into higher gold prices,” said Steel.
“Scrap is a balancing agent. If the (gold) price is over $900 there is an increase in scrap; under $700 it dries up.” (Additional reporting by Frank Tang in New York, editing by Matthew Lewis)
Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/
December 19th, 2008
Christi Negrete Joins Tustin-Based Jewelry Exchange
TUSTIN, CA, Dec 17, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) — The Jewelry Exchange is pleased to announce that Christi Negrete has joined the company as Marketing Manager. Her role will expand the marketing department to include management of the Company’s online marketing efforts as well, where she will be responsible for CPC, banner and email campaigns. Negrete will focus advertising efforts on innovative creative that will keep the Jewelry Exchange in the top spot as the nation’s leading importer of diamonds.
The company’s drive to increase market share of online sales has shown some positive results. While sales in the company’s brick and mortar stores are down, internet sales are holding steady in comparison with prior years’ sales. Internet store sales now outpace all divisions. Negrete will assist the Company in its goal to increase market share for Diamonds on the internet.
Negrete’s previous marketing experience includes clients such as Anchor Blue, KFC, Lennar Homes, Paramount, Rubio’s Baja Grill, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Wienerschnitzel.
The Jewelry Exchange is owned by Goldenwest Diamond Corporation, and has been operating for over 30 years, doing business as The Jewelry Exchange in Los Angeles/Tustin, Chicago/Villa Park, San Francisco/Redwood City, Boston/Sudbury, Dallas, Tampa, Seattle/Renton, Philadelphia/Norristown, Washington D.C./Bethesda, Phoenix, Minneapolis/Eagan, Denver/Greenwood Village and St. Louis/Overland. The company operates as The Jewelry Factory in New York/Hackensack, Detroit/Livonia, and Cleveland/North Randall. And in Houston, the company operates The Jewelry Source.
SOURCE: Jewelry Exchange
Copyright 2008 Market Wire, All rights reserved.
Source: www.marketwatch.com/news
December 18th, 2008
NEW YORK, Dec 16, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — World Gold Council luxury survey finds rising gold price reinforces investment attributes of gold jewelry
Gold jewelry is one of the top three most popular items for women’s discretionary spending in the U.S. according to World Gold Council’s (WGC) 2008 survey, What Women Want: Global Discretionary Spending Report, conducted by independent research firm, GfK, among 1,068 American women aged 16 to 65. The study was also run in the key gold jewelry markets of India, China, Saudi Arabia, Italy and Turkey. The global survey, which was last conducted in 2005, examined the attitudes of nearly 7,500 females, aged between 15 and 65, toward luxury items and consumables, exploring their views on product attributes, price and competition for discretionary spend.
The findings of the survey, conducted in the spring, reveal that gold jewelry in the U.S. has continued to maintain its appeal despite a squeeze on women’s spending power, a volatile and rising gold price and increased competition from other consumer goods. In the U.S., gold jewelry maintained its position as the third most popular item chosen by a woman spending her discretionary income on herself. It currently ranks below spending on ’short breaks’ and ‘increasing savings’ but above such spending choices as a ‘meal at a nice restaurant’ or ‘beauty/spa treatment.’
Increases in price can have a negative effect on desirability in consumer goods categories; however, in the case of gold, the increase in price has underpinned its intrinsic value. According to the survey results, those who noticed the increasing price over the past 12 months were most likely to agree that the current price reassured them of the value of their gold jewelry. In the U.S., 68 percent of consumers who noticed a price increase said that it reassured them that “What I buy and own is valuable” while 67 percent said “gold jewelry is a good investment.”
John Calnon, Managing Director — Americas, World Gold Council, commented on the survey findings:
“In the context of a rising gold price, which reached new heights in early 2008, it was important that the survey focus on how the gold price may impact consumer attitudes and spending behavior. It is encouraging that gold’s price increase has re-emphasized the value of gold as an investment, as well as a fashion item, and has actually made it more desirable. This research has helped us to shape appropriate consumer messaging that will continue to build gold’s desirability during turbulent economic times.”
The survey, last conducted at a gold price point of US$444/oz — compared to 2008’s average of US$897/oz — showed that if given around $1,000 to spend, the number of women who would spend it on gold versus other products in 2008 (38%) was similar to the number of women who would spend around US$500 in 2005 (42%). This is evidence that the rising price has not eroded the desirability of gold jewelry for women who have the discretionary spend available to make purchases.
The survey also showed that while the ownership of gold has increased among those interviewed in the U.S., with 94 percent owning gold jewelry compared to 90 percent in 2005, the main competition for consumer discretionary spending does not come from other fine jewelry. Rather, it comes from other “must have” fashion accessories and gadgets such as mobile phones and other personal electronic goods. Ninety-six percent of US women surveyed own mobile phones or personal electronics, up three percent from 2005.
A number of attributes were identified that make gold unique. It has a perceived longevity, purity and value that sets it apart from other luxury goods and a clear differentiation from other precious metals and stones that is derived from its associated and relatively transparent investment value. At the same time, gold’s aesthetic qualities are acknowledged as versatile and suitable for everyday wear. In contrast to gold jewelry, which has clear financial value, other luxury consumables were viewed as having short-term aesthetic appeal and therefore lacked the investment value and the longevity of gold.
Note to Editors:
World Gold Council marketing programs are built on a foundation of understanding of consumer attitudes and behavior, enabling the gold industry to reinvigorate the promotion of gold jewelry.
World Gold Council
The World Gold Council (WGC), a commercially-driven marketing organization, is funded by the world’s leading gold mining companies. A global advocate for gold, the WGC aims to promote the demand for gold in all its forms through marketing activities in major international markets. For further information visit www.gold.org.
Contact: Lauren Carmody
CJP Communications
(203) 378 1152 ext 106
lcarmody@cjpcom.com
SOURCE The World Gold Council
http://www.gold.org
Copyright (C) 2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
Source: www.marketwatch.com/news
December 17th, 2008
Last month I wrote about Bead for Life, the colorful beads made from recycled paper by poverty stricken women in Uganda. I bought a bag of beads from the website with plans to make most of my holiday gifts this year. Yesterday, I did just that.
With high hopes of making a bunch of great bracelets for my friends, I walked into the Bead Boutique on 3rd Street thinking I would just buy some elastic or soft wire to string up all my beads, tying a little knot on the end and viola! It’s not that simple. It turns out there’s tons of different techniques that go into making even the most simple-looking accessory.
I ended up taking a “Basic Beading” class. The two-hour class is $45 and teaches you super useful skills on the basics of jewelry making. Even after my tutorial was up, they let me sit in the front of the store and work away at my bracelets all day long. I ended up with seven items made of a mixture of the Bead for Life beads and some fun vintage beads I bought at the boutique. Anything purchased the day you take a class is 10% off.
Throughout the day, crowds of people came through looking for ideas or supplies to create the holiday gifts they planned on making and giving. I sat in the front of my temporary “studio” feeling so clever and crafty. Check out my work above.
There are four classes: Basic Beading, Beginning Wire Wrapping, Intermediate Wire Wrapping and Silk Knotting. Call (323) 966-5880 for schedule and reservations.
Bead Boutique, 8313 West 3rd St., L.A., CA 90048
– Melissa Magsaysay
Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/
December 16th, 2008
There are actually a wide range of wholesale Indian jewelry that one could choose from online. While there are the classic designs of Indian jewelry like the ones that feature designs of nature, there are also those made of sterling silver that come in unique designs. These silver Indian jewelry comes in rings for men and women, bracelets, bangles and even pendants. Of course, if you are into precious stones or even just semi-precious stones, there are also a lot of wholesales Indian jewelry available for you. These stones could either be in designer items that most anyone could buy or you could have those that are made exclusively for you. There are bracelets made with cut stones and others that feature only your birthstone. You could have these wholesale Indian jewelry in stones set in gold or silver or even platinum. You could also get these stones as pendants to go with that perfect silver and gold chain that you got for Christmas. Because you are buying wholesale Indian jewelry, you could buy one particular stone that you like and have it set in different ways or you could have different pendants with different stones but set in only one specific design or pattern. The most common stones used in wholesale Indian jewelry are sapphires, topaz, amethyst, emeralds and rubies.
Aside from the usual jewelry pieces that you could most expect in the market, wholesale Indian jewelry also extends to other adornments like cuff links, hair pins or clips, brooches, among other jewelry items. You could avail of these types professional speaker Indian jewelry just in the same way as the traditional jewelry pieces. And just like the usual jewelry pieces, these types of ornamental pieces also come silver, gold and platinum and could also be studded with precious stones.
There are also the other pieces of wholesale Indian jewelry that you could get. These are the terracotta jewelry or the ones made with clay or those that are made with fine silver or gold wires that is woven into an intricately delicate design called the filigree. ones made of beads or shells could also be bought under wholesale Indian jewelry. Although these type of Indian jewelry are less expensive, it doesn’t make them less fun or stylish to wear.
Source: www.meadowfreepress.com/jewelry
December 15th, 2008
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