Spring—the season of renewal—brings visions of warmer days, brighter sun, budding trees and new flowers. It also means it’s time for spring cleaning. Depending on your outlook, this is either a chore or an opportunity. While nobody likes washing windows or swabbing out the kitchen cabinets, the opportunity to sort out, pare down, and get rid of things you no longer need is good for both your psyche and your taxes.

In a jewelry store, spring is also a good time to do some cleaning. Apart from the physical plant—yes, we’re talking windows and light fixtures and the pile of old boxes in the stockroom—there’s also a good opportunity to clear out the safe and get rid of stale merchandise. Here are some ideas:

1. Melt it down. With metal prices t...Read More

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Andesine Update

 

Well, the Mongolian/Chinese andesine rough courtesy of Jewelry Television has made its way to some pretty intelligent folk, including Dr. Shigley at GIA, Dr. Rossman at Cal Tech, and Dr. Emmett, in Washington State.

 

They are testing the material and I am guessing that the results may take another few months as the “recipe” calls for some fairly long cooking times.

 

The Tucson rumor of diffusion treatment is still in question, but weakening a bit. The Japanese lab which has bee...Read More

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We interrupt our Tucson blog .... Part II

Well, Jewelry Television's "Jewel Hunter Jack" has gone and found an Andesine mine in Mongolia. And Jack found one other thing: Andesine starts out as near colorless feldspar, and is then heat treated.  

It turns out that all of that red-orange and green andesine we've been seeing over the past few years is the result of heat treatment. Of course, no supplier up to this point has said anything about any enhancement, so the lack of enhancement disclosure is back in the lime light here.  

Jerry Sisk, co-founder of JTV, is rightfully proud to have found the Mongolian source, and to have a...Read More

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The Centurion Jewelry Show, always a highlight on the early-season show circuit, wraps today. This year was the show’s seventh, and Howard Hauben, president of H2 Events, which produces the show, says this year's edition has more retailer attendees than ever before—and, despite the nervous-making economy, fewer cancellations. It feels like it, given the crowds on the show floor—and given that for the first time ever, yours truly was bumped from the headquarters Westin La Paloma hotel to the admittedly lovely but offsite Loews Ventana Canyon, I’d say he’s right. And, kudos to Howard and his team: as usual, this is a beautifully-organized event and a favorite destination for suppliers and retailers and press alike.

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This article appears in the Winter 2008 issue of JCK Luxury magazine. JCK is starting to get quite a bit of feedback about the piece, which explores violations of U.S. Customs law regarding country-of-origin marks on imports. Interest is especially high among some of the exhibitors at the high-end Centurion Jewelry show being held in Tucson.  Since subscribers to JCK Luxury are high-end jewelry store owners only...Read More

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We interrupt our Tucson blog to bring you this important, um, well, weird announcement.

According to JTV, that's Jewelry Television, Andesine/Labradorite is selling out fast and here's their announcement..."We are on the cusp of announcing information regarding andesine-labradorite that no one in the gem world has been able to discover!"
 
OK - we haven't been able to discover what? Why it's selling out at $40-$100/ct? Where it comes from (China? Tibet? the Congo? Oregon? some lab in Bangkok?) Hmmm. Well I'm curious. I'll keep you posted if I hear anything... and if you have time, you should read thru some of the posts below their huge announ...Read More

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In October 2007, Platinum Guild International USA (PGI-USA) hosted a select group of leading jewelry retailers and manufacturers on a ten day “Platinum Experience” trip to South Africa to learn, share and experience the source of all things Platinum. 





The ...Read More

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Start with PGI's South African Experience Part I

Included in the Platinum adventure was an educational visit to the Anglo Platinum mine which showed visitors first hand the intensive labor that goes into Platinum’s production and mining that gives Platinum it’s rarity of the world’s most precious metal. The guests also enjoyed a cultural experience at a South African winery where all were able to indulge in another important South African export and even had a rare chance to watch the South African Rugby Team take home the world championship! To truly embrace the South African culture PGI took t...Read More

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Tucson Countdown #5 – Free Seminars

 

OK – 5 down, 5 to go, and only 5 days until I take off for sunny Tucson. (It is sunny isn’t it? Better click on weather.com here and check. Ah, sunny and mid 60s throughout the week – but look at those evening temps! Brrr. Hi 30s! No tanning this year!)

 

Well, time to check out which seminars I’ll be reporting. No, I haven’t forgotten the other 40 gem and mineral shows, but I thought I would take a quick break and talk about the seminars that I will be attending… and the ones you might want to attend if you are going to be there.

&...Read More

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Tucson Countdown #6 – Welcome to the Hotel Arizona.

 

Inside the Hotel Arizona (an easy walk from the convention center) is the Worldwide Gem and Jewelry Show, but few people actually call it that. For this and other shows, besides the AGTA GemFair and the GJX, most will simply give you the name of the hotel or motel. Now, the Hotel Arizona show is a MUST if only for the Upper Starlight Ballroom. Inside this small ballroom in the back-end of the hotel houses some of the best gem cutters in the world: the Germans from Idar Oberstein and surrounding villages. I typically spend half a day in here. I want to see them all. Some of the highlights will be:

 
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While at Vicenza I sat in a press conference where officials from the India International Jewellery Show announced their newest venture, Signature Goa.

Take a listen ...

IIJS Signature - Everything about this Show is Exclusive

India is fast emerging as the most sought after sourcing hub of jewellery. Its leadership in diamonds and colored gemstones, as well as its unique design sensibilities and the introduction of cutting-edge technology, has made the country the competitive centr...Read More

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Start with IIJS Announces Signature Goa Part I








Jump to IIJS Announces Signature Goa Part III


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