XValuation

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Why Humans Have Always Used Jewelry? ---

https://tinyurl.com/y9a5m2hw

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Jewelry From His Dorm Room to Barneys.

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Jewelry Industry Disruptor, Mene, Goes Public; Takes On Pandora, Tiffany & Co.

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Roy Sebag, the visionary behind GoldMoney, is taking aim at the jewelry sector and looking to disrupt Western views on gold with his latest venture, Mene, set to make its TSX debut today. https://tinyurl.com/y7hwgn2x

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Victoire de Castellane Reflects on 20 Years as Dior’s Creative Director of Fine Jewelry. ---

“I can’t imagine my life without jewelry,” says Victoire de Castellane, surrounded by glittering pieces from her latest Dior high jewelry collection in the brand’s 57th Street boutique.

“It would be so sad. It’s really a part of my life.” Much of De Castellane’s success can be attributed to that sincere, genuine, unpretentious passion for bijoux: This year, she’s celebrating 20 years as Dior’s creative director of high jewelry, and is working on a 100-piece collection—her largest yet—to toast the milestone at the Spring 2019 couture shows.

Last week, she was in New York to meet with private clients and offer the rare opportunity to shop pieces from every collection she’s ever designed.

In one corner were De Castellane’s very first cocktail rings from 1999, which were extra-extra-large and wildly glamorous, akin to what John Galliano was designing for the runway at the time.

Then there were pieces with hidden symbols and secret compartments from her recent Versailles-inspired collection; her now-signature Tête de Mort skull necklaces (especially popular with young women with smaller budgets); Rose Dior Bagatelle rings with stunningly realistic, diamond-encrusted 3-D petals; and candy-color earrings from her Granville collection, named for Christian Dior’s childhood home in Granville, Normandy, among many other treasures.

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Pomellato Jewelry Reopens in Beverly Hills. --- The iconic Italian fine jewelry line, Pomellato, celebrated its late August grand reopening last week in Beverly Hills — a new space with a luxurious design, taking customers through an elegant atmosphere that focuses on timeless yet modern jewelry.

The stores red laquer, gold chains, and royal purple chairs honor the brands signature colored gems. The brand hosted an elegant cocktail hour at the Pomellato store, bringing together guests like Chiara Ferragni, social media influencer and the face of the Pomellato From Women campaign.

Following the gathering, Chiara joined guests who proceeded to the rooftop terrace at Christie’s, where they viewed the campaign that was originally introduced in May on International Women’s Day. At the heels of the brands 50th anniversary, the Pomellato For Women’s campaign celebrates women through “the timeless beauty of individual personality”.

Ferragni’s blog The Blonde Salad launched back in 2009 has propelled her into entrepreneurial success, which proves why Pomellato describes her as an “influencer-model-guru-CEO”. In talking to the radiant Chiara, we learned more about her work with Pomellato and why her voice represents one of the many women changing the tide in leadership, art and culture. www.xvaluation.com

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Fine Jewelry For Proud Moms

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Fine jewelry is extremely personal. If you were to ask a woman about a necklace around her neck or that ring on her finger she will most likely tell you a story that marks a special moment in her life.

Such is the magic and mystery of jewelry that it goes beyond the functionalities of adornment to become reminders or markers of milestones, promises and sometimes, even a goal we hope to one day attain. Because of the heavy sentimental value attached to jewelry, designing these exquisite pieces can be considered one of the most challenging.

How do you conceive of a bracelet or cuff that many will connect with on a personal level?

How does one determine the kind of gemstones and metals the best resonate with a marketable and willing to spend top dollar for their next purchase?

When fine jewelry designer Tali Gillette developed her eponymous label, she anchored her brand on a universal language the many women strongly associate with: motherhood. She explains the genesis of a fine jewelry line crafted with a mother’s journey in mind.

“Perceptions of motherhood are shifting, both the way mothers are seen and how they see themselves.” It was her son Max who inspired one of her first few pieces for the label—circular pendants and rings with the words “ma,ma,ma” carved. “When Max started calling me ‘ma,ma,ma,’ I felt an instant connection to the countless mothers who had come before me and sensed a strong bond with new mothers everywhere.”

Thus, the birth of the Mama Necklace, which, according to Tali, is a “badge of honor.” She adds that although mothers have different experiences and life journeys, as a collective, they are all mothers.

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The 9 Spring Jewelry Trends Everyone Will Be Buying in 2019. ---

The S/S 19 runways were crawling with new and exciting jewelry trends of all kinds.

For the first time in a long time, we are seeing the return of jewelry that is loud, colorful, and statement-making versus the dainty and “everyday” craze that has been at the forefront of the industry for quite some time.

Thanks to designers like Loewe and Chanel showcasing risk-taking jewelry—such as necks cascading with pearls and chains, and ears flocked with brightly colored feathers—a quirky charm bracelet and thick hoops suddenly seem approachable.

Here, we have rounded up the nine jewelry trends everyone will be buying come spring 2019, inspired by the runways.

After sifting through New York, London, Paris, and Milan runway imagery, it was clear which jewelry trends are going to reign supreme come the new season. Ahead, learn all about the trends the sartorially driven crowd will be buying into in just a few months’ time and shop the pieces we’re loving within each.

Heavy Hoops, The Colored Enamel, Linked in Chains, Gold-engraved Coins, Charms, Celestial jewelry, Flowers of all shapes and sizes, body chains, Drop Earrings.

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The New DIY: Custom Fine Jewelry.

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From finance to fine jewelry, TARA is changing the bling game by making it buildable.

TARA’s founder, Annette Lasala Spillane, is a Filipina entrepreneur who was determined to share the unique design perspective of the Philippines with the world.

Having come from a long career in finance, she set out to prove that women can create the world they want to live in. I sat down with her to hear her inspiring story.

LM: Let’s start with a snapshot of you and the company.

ALS: I am Annette Lasala Spillane and I founded and run the day-to-day operations of TARA.TARA stands for The Artisan Row Accessories, and we create buildable fine jewelry, with the intention of creating fine jewelry essentials that are modular, interchangeable, and can build on each other.

The company was founded in 2016 on the back of a partnership with a non-profit microfinance company in the Philippines called TSKI. We currently sell our products online and through independently hosted pop-ups and trunk shows.

LM: Tell me about your origin story. How did you come to start this company?

ALS: Believe it or not, my origin story begins in an accounting firm (Ernst & Young) in Manila, Philippines. In 2004, I moved to the US with the firm and built a career there.

In 2014, after having taken a year off from work, I realized I couldn’t go back to a career in finance. I wanted to be out in the world, creating work that was meaningful to me. I wanted to do something which involved highlighting the excellent design and craftsmanship from the Philippines. Specifically, I was always impressed with the artisanal home and fashion accessories made in the Philippines.

I had a real desire to show off, everything I love from there. Around that time, I began conversations with the non-profit microfinance company that loaned money to the most entrepreneurial artisans living in poverty. After a few conversations, it clicked, I want to co-develop product with their producers and get their work in front of a global audience.

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Silvia Furmanovich’s Latest Jewelry Collection Is Inspired By Brazilian Nature.

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For the past 16 years, Brazilian designer Silvia Furmanovich has incorporated elements from her travels into her jewelry. With her latest collection, Botanical, Furmanovich chose to keep her inspiration closer to home.

“My latest collection is based on wood marquetry techniques applied to sculptural, three-dimensional surfaces, which is very challenging to achieve”, says Furmanovich.

“I was inspired by the flora and fauna native to Brazil’s westernmost states and beyond, which I experienced during my travels for research. The pieces depict calla lilies, orchids, heliconias, begonia leaves, banana flowers, water lilies, chrysanthemums, pansies and even tropical funghi. The marquetry technique is realized by artisans located in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest using all kinds of indigenous woods”.

Furmanovich has lots of fans: her pieces have been worn by Gwyneth Paltrow, Naomi Campbell, Isabelli Fontana and Ana Beatriz Barros. The designer discussed her journey so far, and her plans for the future of her eponymous brand.

Why did you start designing jewelry?

I was born into a line of Italian goldsmiths. I used to watch my father work in his atelier when I was growing up, but it wasn’t until much later that I began designing jewelry. During this phase, I was feeling a profound need to recapture my family’s line of work. My great-grandfather created sacred adornments for the Vatican and I knew it was my destiny to go into fine jewelry.

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The Most Iconic Jewelry Pieces in Movies

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Besides a captivating plot, some movies are remembered thanks to the ingenious work of costume designers and jewelers.

Some jewelry items worn by movie characters are just amazing! Looking at such pieces we are wondering if those stones are real or whether these are gold earrings.

Wouldn’t it be interesting to find where they bought or ordered these magnificent pieces? Not only do female characters show off jewelry, but men also sport some prominent ornaments, like the legendary Captain Jack Sparrow and his skull silver jewelry.

Let’s talk about the most iconic movie jewelry.

Moon of Baroda Necklace.

Marilyn Monroe singing the song that diamonds are a girl’s best friends wearing Harry Winston jewelry.

Today diamonds are still a dream of many girls. In this famous episode, Marilyn sports a unique Moon of Baroda necklace with a pear-shaped yellow diamond of 24.04 carats. Initially, the stone belonged to the Indian Maharaja family where it had been kept for more than 500 years. Later it was worn by the Empress of Austria, Maria Theresia.

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School of Jewelry Arts, L’Ecole, Supported by Van Cleef & Arpels, Comes To New York, Open To Public.

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Paris-based L’Ecole, School of Jewelry Arts, fully supported by Van Cleef & Arpels, is the first of its kind to be open to everyone from novices to experts in the field of jewelry arts.

Typically based in Paris, the school, which offers monthly classes in Paris in both English and French, has created a series of programs to take on the road to offer jewelry arts education around the world.

New York is next on the list, with classes, exhibitions and workshops hosted from October 25 to November 9 in New York City.

Led by jewelry experts, the event (held at 2 East 63rd Street) is geared for those who want a deeper understanding of jewelry making, of gemology, or even jewelry history. It is open to people of all ages, and there are even some children’s workshops being scheduled. In total, 15 courses, four workshops and eight discussions are planned.

There will also be three exhibitions free-of-charge that include a look at renowned American artist Daniel Brush’s bracelets, bangles and other jewelry inspired by India, and an exhibition of jewelry from the 19th century and first-half of the 2oth century.

A key exhibition, The Fabulous Destiny of Tavernier’s Diamonds: From the Great Mogul to the Sun King, presents replicas of 20 diamonds that were once owned by Louis XIV, and that were recreated by L’ÉCOLE experts along with the Muséum N ational d’ Histoire Naturelle in Paris.

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How to Copy Meghan Markle’s Best Jewelry Looks. ---

For Princess Eugenie’s royal wedding, Meghan Markle maxed out her minimalism by piling on the rings (in varying sizes, no less).

The stackable stunners in question hailed from ethical jeweler Pippa Small, who also designed Markle’s simple crystal stud earrings and complementary bracelet.

The perfect accents for her sleek Givenchy dress and coat, if we may say so ourselves! Get the Look!

Gorjana Avery Stud Earrings, $35; neimanmarcus.com

Kendra Scott Sadie Stretch Bracelet, $85; kendrascott.com

Monica Vinader Semiprecious Stone Stacking Ring, $150–$160; nordstrom.com

Irene Neuwirth Rainbow Moonstone & Yellow Gold Ring, $1,114; matchesfashion.com

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Should the Industry Fear Amazon’s (Possible) Jewelry Line? 

By ROB BATES JCK The Industry Authority.

In a well-worth-watching video that’s made waves this week, New York University professor of marketing Scott Galloway sounded the alarm about Amazon, declaring that the e-tail behemoth has grown too powerful, wrecking industries and stifling entrepreneurship.

“Amazon has become an invasive species that is unhealthy for our economy,” he proclaimed. ”

More https://tinyurl.com/y6u8gwx5

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Jewelry Store Donating to Breast Cancer Patients

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RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) – A local business is going pink and giving back to local women as part of its breast cancer awareness campaign. Kendra Scott has put out its pink jewelry line for October. On Oct. 13, the store will donate 20 percent of its sales to Inheritance of Hope, an organization that helps families with a parent battling metastatic breast cancer.

The day is in honor of Kendra Scott’s friend Holly, who lost hear life to breast cancer two years ago. All month long, every time someone buys an item from this breast cancer line a local breast cancer fighter or survivor will be given a piece of the jewelry as well. In Richmond, that could be more than 120 gifted pieces of jewelry each handed out with a hand-written letter of encouragement.

Last year, the small gesture had a big impact. “We showed up and they had no idea we were coming – we didn’t tell them,” said Chelsee Moe with Kendra Scott Jewelry. “We had all these Kendra Scott bags and we walked in and some of the ladies started bawling. They said, this made me feel beautiful in such a hard time of my life.” The breast cancer collection has candles and nail polish as well.

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Gem, Jewelry and Artifact Show is Back

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The Loup Valley Gem & Mineral Society’s Gem, Jewelry and Artifact Show is returning for its 41st year with the goal of recognizing a former member who passed away in 2017.

The two-day event will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday at First United Methodist Outreach Center, 3602 16th St. Admission is $2 for adults, 50 cents for students up to age 16 and free for children younger 5 and under.

Each attendee will be eligible to take home a piece petrified wood — said to be worth hundreds of dollars — from a raffle being held. The item was donated by the Lindstrom family in honor of the late Scott Lindstrom, former president and vice president of Loup Valley Gem & Mineral Society.

The group is a nonprofit organization promoting education in lapidary arts, geology, archaeology, fossils and artifacts. Society President Greg Johnson said Lindstrom was best known for his petrified wood collections, adding that his basement looked like a museum.

According to information provided by the organization, one of Lindstrom’s main influences was his mother, Jessie, who accompanied him during his many rock expeditions.

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“Save the Wild”: an Eco-friendly Jewelry Line by Tiffany’s

Tiffany’s & Co hold the planet and its wellbeing close to their hearts. It is for this reason that the infamous jewelers have designed a line of eco-friendly jewelry in partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Network. Each piece from this “Save the Wild” collection works in protecting endangered animal habitats across the globe.

Tiffany’s & Co new project #KNOTONMYPLANET engages in the protection of wild life and is represented by the likes of Doutzen Kroes, Imaan Hammam and Naomi Campbell. Their new jewelry line, “Save the Wild”, sees designs that pay three of the most endangered animals on our planet – elephants, lions and rhinoceroses. The line was initially released in 2017 and has been brought back this year due such well received support for the ecological cause.

Stand-out pieces from the collection include a diamond broch and matching necklace, available in a gold or silver base, which will be available for purchase later this month. A portion of the money made from sales goes to supporting the Wildlife Conservation Network, an American association dedicated to developing community-based projects that help wildlife and people co-exist.

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The Jewelry Industry Prepares for Supply Chain Trace-Ability

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Block chain technology is coming to the jewelry industry, and it’s coming fast.

Ultimately, this means absolute trace-ability of every element in the jewelry supply chain; from the mine, to the refinery, to the alloy manufacturer, to the production company, the retailer, and on to the consumer. But we’re still years from that level of supply chain cooperation.

You may have heard of blockchain technology as the technology behind internet currencies like Bitcoin. But blockchain can be used to track any virtual or physical good from one place to another, as long as all the participants in the chain-of-custody have access to a blockchain platform, and reliably enter their transactions into it.

This type of supply chain transparency will go a long way to reassuring consumers concerned about the jewelry industry’s impact on the world, and will be a huge relief to jewelry businesses everywhere that are struggling to buy and manufacture responsibly.

How Does Blockchain Work?

So how does it work? If you’ve ever watched a police procedural television show, you’ve seen how evidence is passed from hand-to-hand, carefully recording each person who touches it along the way. Evidence is bagged, tagged, and signed off on at each step, to preserve the integrity of the evidence from collection to trial. That’s what blockchain does.

It tracks raw materials – like gold or diamonds — from the mine, to the refiner (for metals) or gem cutter, through distributors and manufacturers, to the retailer, and on to the consumer. Only, instead of keeping a paper log, the raw material is assigned a serial number, and data is entered into the supply log, or digital ledger, as it moves from place to place, throughout the material’s transformation. Blockchain systems cannot be edited and they are extremely secure, so the data that is entered for each step of the process is permanent.

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