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Bonjour, joaillerie!

If you're looking for an early dose of holiday cheer, there's no other place like New York, where twinkling lights and tinsel start going up the day after the pumpkins are put away.

For city dwellers and visitors out and about doing some holiday shopping the week before Thanksgiving, a jewelry exhibition taking place at Aaron Faber Gallery will be worth coming in from the cold.

In conjunction with UBIFRANCE and the French Trade Commission, the gallery will host the Jewels of France Exhibition and Trunk Show featuring the creations of 13 French jewelry houses.

If you have some time to stop in during the exhibition's Nov. 16-20 run, check out some of the pieces you'll find:

Left: Ximena Alarcon Cavrois "Eliptica" ring with Tahitian pearl and diamonds set in 18-karat yellow gold.
Center: Antoine Camus "Hippopotamus" ring in silver and 18-karat yellow gold.
Right: Marchak "Octopus" crafted from a baroque pearl, sapphire, aquamarine and diamond on white gold.

Want (what might be) Penelope Cruz’s ring?

Rumors have been swirling for the past few weeks that Penelope Cruz and boyfriend Javier Bardem are engaged. The notoriously private couple has yet to confirm anything, but one jewelry company is already offering a replica of what is supposedly Cruz's engagement ring.

The Nine actress has been spotted out and about sporting on her left ring finger what seems to be a large sapphire surrounded by small diamonds, and now The Natural Sapphire Co. is offering up its own take (rendering seen above and below).

Up for grabs, at the price of $11,500, is a 2.58-carat natural blue sapphire circled with a halo of colorless diamonds.

It's a gorgeous ring, and I love the idea of brides doing something different and diverging from the diamond. I'm not so sure, though, that I'd love to look down at my engagement ring and think, “Penelope Cruz has the same one,” no matter that I think she's a dynamo on the big screen.

Perhaps it's just the "replica" wording that has me uneasy. But one cool thing that The Natural Sapphire Co. does is make any design changes or customizations via computer renderings before the piece is cast. That has me resting easier, and I think they've gone a smart route: bringing attention to their company (or to colored stones in general) via an event currently in the news, but allowing customers to make the piece their own.

What do you think? Would customers go for it?

Tech-focused displays

Working on the interactive display story this month gave me a fun taste of what's to come in jewelry retailing, and it’s something I'm very much looking forward to.

I love perusing jewelry in stores--who isn't attracted to bright, shiny things?--but I have to admit, I don't know that I would call it the most fun experience. I often feel slightly uncomfortable when I see that I’m being watched like a hawk, add to that, unlike in stores such as Apple, where I can test out products to my heart's content, I can't touch and feel the jewelry without the help of a salesperson.

I know that's simply safe jewelry retailing, but a few new technologies are helping to add more excitement to the experience.

 

   

At Geneva's l'Heure Asch, an interactive display located right in the store window helps to draw passersby indoors. Pressing a touch pad located on the outside glass turns the displays inside, allowing customers to see a greater array of timepieces.

Amsterdam-based retailer Ace Jewelers Group uses an augmented reality tool on its Web site. Customers who visit the site are invited to virtually "try on" rings on their own computer. They simply print out a marker item, such as a paper ring, put it on and point it at their Web cam. The user will then be able to select from various pave rings on Ace's Web site, and their chosen ring will show up on their hand onscreen, in the place of the marker ring. If customers like what they see, they can purchase the ring online or visit one of the retailer's stores. Devised by London-based Holition, retailers can use the tool on their Web sites or via in-store kiosks.

Ivanka Trump's wedding jewelry

Ivanka Trump, the real estate scion, sometime model and owner of Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry, tied the knot last night with New York Observer owner Jared Kushner, and while I don't envy her three-month whirlwind engagement--I can't imagine all the planning in such a short time--I'm definitely jealous of what the process to select her wedding jewelry must have been like.

Can you imagine? I'd love to walk into my own store or thumb through my design archives and pick out the pieces for my dream day. Here's what Ivanka selected:

Platinum and mixed-cut diamond cluster earrings with 9.67 carats total weight of diamonds ($130,000).

Custom-designed, platinum and mixed-cut diamond hair piece with 6.38 carats total weight of diamonds ($45,000).

Art deco platinum fancy-link estate bracelet with 26 carats total weight of diamonds ($90,000).

Photos: All Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry

Rough demand is picking up, but why?

I came across this great article on IDEX Online on Thursday by my colleague Edahn Golan in Israel attesting to an increase in rough-diamond demand ahead of De Beers’ upcoming sight.

The sight, scheduled for Nov. 2-6, is the ninth of the year and is usually a small sight, partly because the Diamond Trading Co. (DTC) sightholders buy what they need for the holiday rush prior to the first week of November. 

According to the article, however, this ninth sight is seeing a lot of sightholders submitting applications—requests to the DTC for extra rough—that will result in the sight totaling around $350 million, above the pre-determined allocation believed to be about $300 million.

This is great news for an industry where the DTC sights sunk as low as an estimated (by Rapaport Group) $129 million earlier this year, though still doesn’t represent a return to pre-crisis levels, when sights ranged between $600 million and $700 million.

What’s the source of this excess demand for rough?  

My first thought when I read this article was that sightholders must be feeling optimistic about the approaching holiday season in the United States and spending in November and December, even though an article I wrote just this week tells that shoppers are going to be hitting the malls earlier this year, either to spread out their spending or to make sure they get what they want before it’s out of stock.

In the article, though, Edahn presents another strong possibility: anticipated healthy demand in China for diamond gifts to mark the Chinese New Year, celebrated in February. He also mentions the fact that Indian banks are stepping up their lines of credit, lining the pockets of various industry players with cash that hasn’t been seen in months and fueling the pursuit of rough among buyers.

Perhaps more interesting than these theories, however, is what the article doesn’t say. Nowhere in the story does Edahn ever utter the words “United States” or “holiday season.”

This is further proof that many in the diamond industry have stopped worrying so much about the U.S. market—What’s happening there? When will demand return? When will debt-ridden consumers feel comfortable enough to start spending again?—and simply moved on to emerging markets such as China.
 
*Image courtesy of the De Beers Group

Getting up close with the Annenberg

For me, Friday mornings are usually pretty cheery. It's the end of the week, only one more day of work to go and the weekend is right there, just looming on the horizon.

Last Friday was especially so despite the dreary weather, as I trekked up to Christie's in New York City and spent a very informative morning getting an up-close look at a number of pieces that will be on the auction block this Wednesday.

First and obviously foremost was the Annenberg Diamond. The 32.01-carat D-flawless diamond was set into a ring by designer David Webb and purchased by well-known philanthropist and art collector Leonore "Lee" Annenberg in 2007.

Annenberg, who died in March at the age of 91, bought the ring as a present to herself on her 90th birthday.That's a self-purchase that would make Ken Gassman proud.

My visit to Christie's on Friday brought to mind this article I read in The New York Times early last week, telling us that luxury is gravitating east. I don't disagree with that notion—the growing importance of Chinese consumers to the diamond industry has been a story for a long time. 

But thinking of this article prompted me to ask why Christie's didn't make the Annenberg part of its December auction in Hong Kong, where a 5-carat pink diamond called the "Vivid Pink" will be up for sale.

A Christie's spokesperson said that they always place jewelry at the auctions where they feel it will do best. For a diamond with a name like Annenberg, that means putting it up for sale in New York.

Lee Annenberg was the wife of Ambassador and publisher Walter H. Annenberg, whose empire included The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Daily News, Seventeen magazine, TV Guide and radio and TV stations.  Lee Annenberg also served as President Ronald Reagan's first chief of protocol back in the 1980s, admitting at that time that the $50,000-a-year gig was her first real job.

Together, she and her husband gave away billions to cultural, educational and medical institutions throughout their lives.

Though it's not known what Lee Annenberg paid for her 32-carat diamond when she purchased it in 2007, it's expected to fetch between $3 million and $5 million on Wednesday. 

If you saw the ring in person, you'd see why. It is an amazing stone.

When I finally recovered my eyesight after being blinded by the Annenberg, another piece that caught my eye at Christie's was an Art Deco diamond and multi-gem "wave" bracelet by Rubel Freres (right).

Channeling our fashion editor Cate here, I couldn't help but think how great the multi-colored piece would look with just a plain little black dress.

It's expected to fetch between $500,000 and $700,000, making it much affordable than the Annenberg.

An eventful couple of weeks

Deadlines, a brief trip to Boston and events have been keeping me away from this blog of late, but I’m not complaining. Better to be busy these days then to find yourself with nothing to do.

In any case, here are a couple of highlights from the past few weeks:

—Last week, I made my first-ever trip to the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) here in Manhattan for the premiere of a documentary on Swiss goldsmith and jewelry designer Lucie Heskett-Brem, who is known as “the gold weaver” for the unique way she has with the metal.

The World Gold Council and New York’s jewelry-focused art gallery Aaron Faber organized this exclusive screening, marking the addition of one of Heskett-Brem’s signature spider-web designs to the museum’s collection.

The 40-minute film, simply called The Gold Weaver—Lucie Heskett-Brem, gave viewers insight into the artist’s personal and professional life.

When Heskett-Brem first started out, she really didn’t know exactly what she wanted to do with her life, a dilemma that I’m sure sounds familiar to many. The film shows that before she found her calling, she tried a veritable cornucopia of careers, including working as a typist at a newspaper where she took dictation over the phone from the international correspondent and attempted to bang out his stories on deadline.

Newspaper work wasn’t a fit for Heskett-Brem and neither were the next few jobs she tried.

She finally found her calling—jewelry design—at an evening workshop.

London jeweler Bentley and Skinner was the first to pick up her pieces, and Heskett-Brem’s career took off from there.

The movie gives an amazing glimpse into the life of a truly talented and unique individual who comes from an equally amazing family of artists.

You can view The Gold Weaver in its entirety and learn more about Heskett-Brem here.

—On Wednesday, I headed downtown to Greenwich Jewelers to finally meet face-to-face with a family of New York retailers with whom I’ve had an over-the-phone relationship for two years.

What I found out there (among other things, some of which will be included in an online article I’m working on) is that just this month, founders Carl and Milly Gandia officially handed the business over to their daughters Jennifer Gandia and Christina Gandia Gambale, who have been working alongside their parents for years.

Their influence is evident all over the store.

Greenwich Jewelers’ display cases are filled with great-looking, fashion-forward jewelry—pieces by Melissa Joy Manning (her bracelet is pictured to the left) and Jamie Joseph were among my favorites (Hi, Rob)—in price points that are applicable to these times. 

I could easily see my friends and I spending a Saturday afternoon in Greenwich Jewelers picking out a few baubles,and having a great time doing it.

Now, how many jewelry stores do you think have women in their 20s and 30s saying that?

In addition to viewing The Gold Weaver and carving time out of my schedule to head downtown to Greenwich Jewelers, I’ve also been bombarded with event invitations as of late, as I mentioned earlier. 

There were two last week, three this week and I’m sure there are a few more late-October invites floating around in my in-box that I haven’t even had the chance to put on the calendar.

I can’t go to all of them, nor are all of them blog-worthy, but I choose to look at events as a positive sign the economy is picking up or, at the very least, that people are more optimistic than they have been in a long time.

500K wedding gown for sale

Last year, when I was running around looking at wedding dresses, I started to get sticker shock pretty early on.

So when I heard about the runway debut of a 500K gown, I was more than a little surprised, especially given the current trend of inconspicuous consumption. The figure is a hard one to fathom. I’m thinking that’ll buy a single-family house or cover four years of college tuition for more than a few kids.

But anyways, a six-digit price tag on a wedding gown does indeed exist. Last month, Platinum Guild International USA announced the debut of the “Platinum Wedding Gown,” a collaboration between wedding planner David Tutera and jewelry designer Erica Courtney.

The one-of-a-kind gown is valued at $501,640, and it’s not just a showpiece, as I was imagining a six-figure gown must be. It’s available for sale at New York City retailer Michael C. Fina.

So what is it that six figures buys?

The gown is ornamented with 10 feet of platinum chain, 33 carats of diamonds, 158.84 carats of aquamarine, plus white keshi pearls and a white South Sea pearl pendant suspended from platinum.

The dress also features a platinum-colored tulle veil and bouquet to match, and is accentuated with a sweetheart neckline and cascading white roses down the front.

Though the bride might only get to wear the dress for a single day, perhaps the consolation lies in the jewelry. Post-wedding, she’ll have a whole lot of it to hold onto and wear again and again.

Live from Hollywood

Each month, I compile National Jeweler's "Star Sightings" page, a selection of images highlighting the jewelry celebrities are wearing on the red carpets and out and about. It's a fun, easy-to-digest page, but it also has a serious impetus: providing readers with information about the most au courant trends.

As a consumer, I definitely do my share of tearing out pages from magazines and taking style tips from editorials and the celebrities chronicled in the publications I pick up. Recently, I spent some time in Los Angeles scoping out the behind-the-scenes of how jewelry makes it onto the red carpet and into those very magazines.

If you haven't already had a chance, check out "Access Jewelry" on NationalJeweler.com for the inside scoop. Below you'll find the accompanying photos.

Above left: Stylists and celebrities visiting D’Orazio & Associates select jewelry from the likes of Amrapali, Le Vian and Sutra, among others, in a private showroom high above Beverly Hills, Calif.

Above center and right: Airy, openwork cuff bracelets, like these from Siera, are much requested at the D’Orazio showroom.

Among the biggest trends seen on the red carpets and easily imitable for every day are stacked bracelets and hoop earrings. Angelina Jolie wore 22-karat yellow gold hoops to the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles, as did Halle Berry at the British Film Institute’s London Film Festival. Berry also stacked her 22-karat yellow gold bangles high and topped off the look with a 22-karat gold ring. All jewelry is from Amrapali. Photos: Courtesy of D’Orazio and Associates

The hefty Zorab cocktail ring featuring kunzite and diamonds that singer Katy Perry wore to the 51st Annual Grammy Awards was sold soon after its red-carpet debut. The kunzite weighs in at 80 carats. Photo: Courtesy of D’Orazio and Associates

Among jewelry designer Neil Lane’s favorite memories from his years of dressing Hollywood’s leading ladies was the time he outfitted actress Catherine Zeta-Jones in layers and layers of diamond chains and a diamond pendant necklace.

Mad Men actress January Jones, who topped many a best-dressed list the day after the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards, wore this Neil Lane “Diamond Leaf” bracelet and diamond drop earrings to the awards show.

At the launch of Tacori’s new “18K925” collection, Heroes actress Ali Larter, seen above left with Paul Tacorian, donned several pieces that were later auctioned via Clothes Off Our Back to benefit The Art of Elysium, a nonprofit that encourages artists to dedicate their time and talent to children battling serious medical conditions.

Mad Men actress Christina Hendricks was among the surprise celebrity guests attending the launch of Tacori’s new “18K925” collection. A day after the Sept. 15 event, Hendricks was seen in an E! online video taped on Tacori’s blue carpet.

A look into Verdura's archives

I have yet to check out the new film Coco Before Chanel, but when I do, I'll definitely be keeping a close eye on the jewelry. The iconic fashion designer helped to launch Verdura founder Fulco Verdura's career, hiring him on as her head designer, charged with creating both her private and boutique jewelry collections.

After visiting Verdura's New York showroom last week and seeing the original cuff bracelets (above left) that Fulco created for Coco Chanel (seen together at center), I'll be watching to see if the gorgeous cuffs make an appearance. Meanwhile, I was lucky to check out the re-created cuffs (above right) that the brand has crafted in honor of its 70th anniversary. Stunningly similar to the originals, the cuffs are being released in a limited edition of 70 pieces, or 35 pairs.

         

As though that wasn't enough to make my day, one of the coolest things about visiting Verdura was seeing the original jewelry drawings from the company archives. The archives feature thousands of drawings compiled over the years by Fulco Verdura and his staff. Drawings such as these (above left), seen at the company's New York showroom, have allowed Verdura to create pieces such as the ones at right.

Verdura does a great job of infusing visitors' modern-day experience of the brand with glimpses of its past. Visitors to the New York showroom (above left) will find the brand's jewelry juxtaposed with images of some of the legendary women who have worn its jewelry, such as Babe Paley (above right).

Verdura's "Herkimer earrings" at center are seen against a painting from the archives featuring disk-like shapes that inspired the design.