THE ART OF THE NEWSLETTER WITH LITHOS JEWELRY

St. Petersburg, FL—A love of scuba diving, advanced education and training, and certainly a passion for jewelry and custom design has helped Lornie and Rose Mueller make Lithos Jewelry a favorite destination in St. Petersburg.

The Centurion spoke at length with Lornie Mueller about the couple’s...

LUXURY JEWELERS DOUBLE BOTH MOTHER’S DAY EXPECTATIONS AND INDUSTRY GROWTH STATISTICS

Merrick, NY—Affluent consumers were more than willing to shower Mom with jewelry this year, according to the results of an exclusive Centurion Newsletter survey of luxury jewelers. And while the total U.S. fine jewelry market grew by 6% according to the latest government report, luxury jewelry...

CLASSIFIED: CARELLE, ARMENTA, PANCIS GEMS/RAREST RAINBOW NEED SALES HELP; REP SEEKS LINE

Carelle Seeks Experienced, Energetic Sales Professional

New York—Carelle is seeking a self-motivated sales professional to carry a fine 18k gold fashion line. Candidates must have an active customer base. Email resume to contact@carelle.com.

Armenta Seeks Account Executive: Passionate,...

ACTRESS, PHILANTHROPIST GEENA DAVIS WEARS MATTIOLI TO GALA EVENTS IN NEW YORK

New York, NY--Oscar-winning actress Geena Davis wore Mattioli jewelry to the World Childhood Foundation USA Gala, March 8. The annual event, hosted by H.M. Queen Silvia and H.R.H. Princess Madeleine of Sweden, helps raise funds to support the foundation's work with children victims of abuse,...

INDUSTRY NEWS; JEWELRY, WATCHES TOP ONLINE SPENDING; PUSH TO REDEFINE CONFLICT DIAMONDS; MORE

Jewelry, Watches Help Drive 17% Gain in Online Spending

Reston, VA—Jewelry and watches were among the strongest categories for online spending, helping to drive total online sales in the United States up 17% in the first quarter of the year. According to figures released this week by comScore,...

BRAND NEWS: JACK ABRAHAM’S FOR CHILDREN; ALEX SOLDIER’S SOCIAL DIARY; SAKS, RICHEMONT PROFITS LEAP

Jack Abraham Celebrates Golden Anniversary By Giving Back

New York, NY—In celebration of his 50 years in business, colored gemstone jewelry leader Jack Abraham will be donating a portion of sales of his Precious Collection jewelry and gems (examples shown at left) to Jewelers for Children....

THE CENTURION MOTHERS’ DAY 2012 SALES SURVEY

Merrick, NY--The Centurion is conducting a confidential spot-check survey of luxury jewelers to gauge Mothers' Day 2012 sales. Please help us and click here to take a two-minute survey.

INDUSTRY NEWS: BIG DROPS FOR GOLD, SILVER; JBT LAUNCHES APP; JEWELERS FOR VETERANS IN VEGAS, MORE

Gold, Silver Hit Four-Month Low

Merrick, NY—Gold hit a four-month low this week, hampered by concerns that the economic turmoil in Greece will strengthen the U.S. dollar and lower demand for gold as an alternative investment, according to this report on Bloomberg.com. Traditionally, the dollar...

BRAND NEWS: BROOKE BURKE AT JCK; FRED LEIGHTON LAUNCHES WHOLESALE LINE; PANDORA, BLUE NILE PLUNGE

DWTS’ Brooke Burke To Attend JCK Show With Chad Allison

New York, NY—Brooke Burke-Charvet, co-host of the popular television show Dancing With the Stars, will be attending the JCK Show in Las Vegas, making a personal appearance at the Chad Allison Salon on Saturday, June 2, from 1:00 to 4:00...

IN MEMORIAM: MARTIN GATINS, CARTIER EXECUTIVE

New York, NY—Martin Thomas Gatins, 61, senior vice president of Cartier North America, died May 41 following a five-year battle with leukemia. Gatins joined Cartier in 1996, and quickly rose to the ranks of executive. He is credited with helping boost Cartier’s success as a luxury retailer, and...

DAVID YURMAN COO TO LUXURY CONFERENCE: STATUS IS NOT DEAD

New York, NY—In a recent address at the Aberdeen Group’s Third Annual Retail and Consumer Markets Summit, David Minster, chief operating officer at David Yurman, said the three key elements to succeed as a luxury brand are experience, status, and value.

In this article in Luxury Daily, he says...

WOULD YOU BUY JEWELRY FROM THIS MAN?

Omaha, NE—Billionaire financier and Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett took to the sales floor at Borsheim’s Fine Jewelry during the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders’ weekend meeting, held here last weekend.

For two hours on May 6, he manned one of the store’s counters, selling...

DAVID GARDNER’S BOASTS TEXAS-SIZED BRIDAL BUSINESS

This is the third of a three-part series about prestige jewelers who do well in the bridal category. Look for a special new Centurion PDF Book devoted to bridal, to be published and available in mid-May.

College Station, TX—A number of interesting, relevant, and surprising facts came to light...

NEW SURVEY FINDS AMERICA’S AFFLUENT OPTIMISTIC AND READY TO SPEND; All THEY NEED IS A NUDGE

Alpharetta, GA—Affluent Americans feel significantly more optimistic than they did six months ago, according to the American Affluence Research Center, which polls the wealthiest 10% of U.S. households twice yearly. In the Spring 2012 Affluent Market Tracking Study, the composite Affluent...

INDUSTRY NEWS: DIAMOND PRICES STEADY, PT TO STAY UNDER $1800, JEWELER EISEN’S NEW BOOK, MORE

Steady Polished Diamond Prices But Soft Trading in April

New York, NY—Prices for certified polished diamonds stayed stable in April, though trading was weak, according to the RapNet Diamond Index. Some of the soft sales can be attributed to diamantaires’ taking a break for both the Passover and...

BRAND NEWS: MONICA RICH KOSANN ON TV WITH NATE, ALPINA PAIRS WITH CESSNA, RICHLINE BUYS MORE FIRMS

Monica Rich Kosann Guest Stars on Nate Berkus Show

New Canaan, CT—“Lockets are sexy,” said jewelry designer Monica Rich Kosann, during an April 30 appearance on the Nate Berkus Show, a daytime style program on NBC television. “A locket has a bit of mystery. What does the wearer have inside?”...

AFFLUENT CONSUMERS RATE ROLEX “BEST WATCH” AND SIXTH-BEST OVERALL BRAND

Alpharetta, GA—According to a just-released survey by the American Affluence Research Center, luxury consumers consider Rolex to be the best fine watch, and the sixth-best brand among all products, in terms of quality. The survey, conducted biennially, polls the wealthiest 10% of U.S. households...

FRED WEBER RECIPIENT OF 2012 AGS SHIPLEY AWARD

Las Vegas, NV—Fred Weber, CG, owner of Weber’s Jewelers in Dayton, OH, is the 2012 recipient of the American Gem Society’s Robert M. Shipley award. AGS members presented him with the award April 28 at the Society’s annual Conclave in Miami, FL. He received the award for his expertise and...