Hot Fine Jewelry Trend: Cool Looks for Less
from The Providence Jewelry Examiner
This week, New York hosts one of the jewelry industry's big trade events, and beautiful new fine jewelry is on display for buyers and the press. Given the economy, many didn't have high expectations. But the author has to hand it to designers because, instead of hawking old wares or abandoning creativity, they are actually pumping up their artistry, proving the old adage that necessity is the mother of invention. More    

AGTA Spectrum Awards™ Returns With Platinum Honors Division
from AGTA and Platinum Guild International USA
Platinum Guild International USA (PGI) is proud to announce their continued sponsorship of the American Gem Trade Association's Spectrum Awards competition. AGTA will once again have a "Platinum Honors" division as part of the annual Spectrum Awards honoring the most beautiful combinations of colored gemstones set into platinum. The "Platinum Honors" division of the AGTA awards has proven very popular since its relaunch and has introduced 'platinum opportunities' for competing designers. More    

Surrealist Jewels
from First Water News
Spontaneity was one feature of Surrealism, the art movement which had a significant impact on the worlds of design, theatre, fashion, film, architecture, and advertising through the 1930s. But there is nothing spontaneous about Salvador Dali’s Starfish brooch. Each arm of the life-size pearl, diamond, ruby and emerald pin is fully articulated so that it can wrap around a hand like fingers. More    

Jeweler Doesn't Have to Refund Money to Heirs
from The Louisville Courier-Journal
A Jefferson Circuit jury unanimously that Louisville jeweler Jim Jackson does not have to refund $800,000 to the family of former Brown-Forman Corp. chairman Robinson S. Brown Jr. for a necklace he sold Brown in 2005. Brown's sons, Robinson S. Brown III and J. McCauley "Mac" Brown, had asked jurors to rescind the sale of an emerald and diamond necklace, claiming Jackson tricked their father into spending $800,000 on jewelry that was worth about $500,000. More    

Rare Chameleon Diamonds
from Just Luxe
The chameleon diamond is considered by many one of the rarest gems found on earth. It is very uncommon that one of these stones appears on the market, but Leviev alone has three of the dazzling stones, one soaring in price at $2,100,000.      More    

Survey: Luxury Consumer Confidence, Spending Up
from Tacy
Luxury consumers are starting to recover from the recession, suggests the latest Luxury Tracking survey conducted by consulting firm Unity Marketing. Some 48 percent of affluent luxury consumers believe that their personal financial situation will improve over the next twelve months, the highest level reached since the third quarter of 2007, finds the survey. However, while the survey shows definite signs of improvement, Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing, warns luxury marketers not to be overconfident or assume that affluent shoppers will demonstrate the same enthusiasm for conspicuous consumption as they did before the recession. More    

New CEO Good Fit for Jewelers Mutual
from The Green Bay Press Gazette
Sometimes a good job is too hard to pass up. That was the case for Darwin Copeman. In late May, he took over as CEO for Jewelers Mutual Insurance Co., a provider of insurance services to the jewelry industry and policies for individual jewelry owners. More