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Engagement rings get colorful KSEE News Share ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() From could-be Queen of England Kate Middleton to singer Jessica Simpson, more and more couples are ditching the typical engagement ring for jewels with more pizzazz. Celebrities sporting midnight diamonds, canary diamonds, topaz, rubies, sapphires and aquamarines have quickly turned away from tradition in the latest trend in engagement rings. More
GIA gem project: Edward J. Gübelin collection GIA Share ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() GIA has undertaken a systematic study of the Edward J. Gübelin Gem Collection and to date has compiled photographic images, gemological data and data acquired by advanced scientific instrumentation on over 200 of the important gemstones. GIA is committed to sharing this repository of gemological information and is making it publicly accessible via its website. More Jewelry sales rise 22 percent on Black Friday weekend Rapaport Share ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() More U.S. consumers bought jewelry during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend than had one year ago, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). A survey conducted by BIGresearch for the NRF showed that 14.3 percent of shoppers bought jewelry during the four-day holiday, compared with only 11.7 percent in 2009. Total spending, which included stores and online retail, grew 9 percent to $45 billion during the four-day weekend. The NRF estimated that the average spending per shopper was about $365, which was up from $343 a year ago. More
An overview of Australian opals Helium Share ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Most gems come out of the ground giving little hint of their scintillating beauty until they are cut and polished — but not the Australian opal. Even as it emerges from the surrounding rock, it glitters like stained glass with rich vibrant colors. This rainbow effect is caused by minute spheres of silicone gel that have been trapped in the fissures and cracks of the ironstone in which the opal is found. More Luxury brands must risk failure to succeed in new media Luxury Daily Share ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Luxury brands have made great strides on the Internet, but still need to experiment with their social and mobile media messaging to learn necessary best practices, according to an executive at Morpheus Media. The luxury sector was slow to make headway on the Internet as brands such as Marc Jacobs and Donna Karan have just recently launched ecommerce. While some high-end marketers seem determined to learn from their experiences on the Web and adopt new media marketing strategies involving social and mobile media, fear of the unknown is an obstacle that could leave many luxury companies in the dust. More
The Duchess of Windsor's flamingo The Wall Street Journal Share ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Edward VIII made one great gift to American divorcee Wallis Simpson: he gave up his rights to the throne of England in 1936 to marry her. But, he didn't stop there; he kept giving her lavish jewelry. Some 20 jewels and objects once in the collection of Mrs. Simpson, who became the Duchess of Windsor, went on sale Tuesday at Sotheby's in London. A single collector originally bought all 20 during a 1987 auction of the duchess's entire collection. That 306-lot sale totaled $50 million and benefited the Institut Pasteur. Then and now, one piece stands out: a 1940 flamingo brooch, made by Cartier in Paris and estimated to sell for at least $1.5 million. More Pink diamond sets record for Asia Jewelers' Circular Keystone Share ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() A 14.23-carat rectangular-cut fancy intense pink diamond sold for $23.2 million at a Christie's auction in Hong Kong this week, making it the most expensive jewel ever sold in Asia. The sale raked in $78.9 million, which is the highest number ever for a jewelry auction in Asia and the largest ever at Christie's worldwide. "Exceptional Burmese rubies and Kashmir sapphire also fetched top prices, as did jadeite which remains in great demand with Asian collectors," said Vickie Sek, director of the jewelery and jadeite department of Christie's Asia. More |
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