Articles and News
Brand News: Oscar Heyman Seeks Pieces for Museum Book; Rio Tinto Offers Virtual Mine Tour; More May 26, 2014 (0 comments)
Oscar Heyman To Be Focus of Boston Museum Book About Jewelry
New York, NY—Oscar Heyman Bros. is collaborating with the Boston Museum of Fine Arts on a book about the influences of Oscar Heyman’s jewelry (sapphire, ruby, and diamond flag, left) on both American jewelry trends and the jewelry market overall since the house’s founding in 1912.
The jeweler is on a worldwide search to find the best pieces of Oscar Heyman jewelry, and is asking all retailers and members of the trade that if they or one of their clients—or even someone they know—has a piece of Oscar Heyman jewelry in their collection or family archives, please let the firm know. They would love to see it and discuss whether it could be included in the book.
Most Oscar Heyman pieces made after 1950 have the OHB trademark stamped on the shank or the clasp, but prior to 1950, OHB jewelry may be stamped with the names of prestigious jewelers, such as Marcus & Co., Bailey, Banks & Biddle, Shreve, Crump, & Low, J.E. Caldwell or JEC, Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels or VCA, Brock & Co., HW Beattie & Sons, Black, Starr & Frost or BSF, E.M. Gattle, Bert Satz, Marcus & Co., Shreve & Co., Bailey, Banks & Biddle or BBB, CD Peacock, Coleman E. Adler, Cowell Hubbard, Cyril Peck, Greenleaf & Crosby, Laykin et Cie, Mermod Jaccard King, and others.
Oscar Heyman also has drafted a special letter that retailers can use to send to clients to hunt for pieces and possibly arrange for those to be included in the book. Retailers who would like a copy of the letter, or any trade member who has a piece of Oscar Heyman jewelry are asked to call or email a photo to Tom Heyman, tom@oscarheyman.com. The first round of photography for the book will be held in Oscar Heyman’s office in New York the week of July 8th.
Visit Oscar Heyman at JCK in Prestige #19 in the Mandalay Bay.
Jewelers Mutual Announces First Inductees to New Agent Hall of Fame
Neenah, WI—Jewelers Mutual announced the first inductees to its new Agent Hall of Fame. The first inductees include Bob Carroll, Rick Franchi, Kent McClenahan, Karen Signorino, and Rhea Van Hook. These five agents were selected because they demonstrate extensive experience in jewelers’ block insurance and long-term partnerships with Jewelers Mutual.
The inaugural presentation was held among a group of agent peers during Jewelers Mutual's national sales conference last week.
"Jewelers Mutual agents are the leading jewelers block insurance experts, and our Hall of Fame inductees represent the best of the best," said Darwin Copeman, president and CEO of Jewelers Mutual. "All five of our Agent Hall of Fame inductees have built incredible careers serving the jewelry industry and partnering with Jewelers Mutual. They are experienced, knowledgeable, passionate and loyal, and they should be proud of their success with Jewelers Mutual. We look forward to many more years of working together to help protect jewelers and the jewelry industry from the unexpected."
Separately, at the same event, agent Bob Carroll of Robert G. Carroll & Associates was recognized with JM’s first annual Legacy Award.
"When people think of Jewelers Mutual, they think of people like Bob Carroll - agents who are passionate about the jewelry industry, know the business inside and out and understand the risks jewelers face every day," said Copeman. "He stands out among his peers for his commitment to loss prevention, his service to the jewelers in his area and his commitment to representing Jewelers Mutual."
Carroll, whose tenure as an agent spans 35 years, has been a long-time advocate for jeweler safety and security, sharing loss prevention information with jewelers through "CrimeFax," a crime alert and loss prevention bulletin sent to a network of jewelers throughout the Southwest, as well as writing "The Best Policy" column in Southern Jewelry News and Mid-America Jewelry News on topics related to security, loss prevention, and jewelry insurance. Carroll also serves on the board of the Oklahoma Jewelers Association, Arkansas Jewelers Association and Jewelers Executive Conference. In a related endeavor, Carroll serves on the Oklahoma Alarm and Locksmith Licensing Board, a gubernatorial appointment, and is the current Chair of that body. In 2009, Carroll was inducted into the Oklahoma Jewelers Hall of Fame. He began working with Jewelers Mutual in 1980 with the Thad Farmer Agency. In 1986, he set up his own independent agency.
Carroll lives in Edmond, Oklahoma with his wife Jean and is active in his local community serving on the board of YMCA Camp Classen, playing as principle cellist in the Oklahoma Community Orchestra, and volunteering for his church and other charities.
Accepting the award, Carroll stated, "I'm stunned. Thank you to Jewelers Mutual and the support staff. I learned from all of you. I'm thankful that Jewelers Mutual has given me a grand opportunity to do something that I love and make a living at it at the same time. It's a great combination. I'm stunned."
Josette Patterson Interviews Renowned Jewelry Author
Corona Del Mar, CA--Josette Patterson, wife and business partner of designer Mark Patterson, recently launched a blog for the designer's eponymous brand. In her latest installment, she describes how, while on a business trip, she stumbled across an article in the fashion section of the London Financial Times, written by Rachel Garrahan, a renowned blogger for The Jewellery Editor, who also is a goldsmith. Patterson caught up with the wordsmith/goldsmith and did an interview of her own. Read their conversation here.
Josette Patterson interviews designer/author Rachel Garrahan, above.
Rio Tinto To Offer Virtual Reality Mine Tour In Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV—Rio Tinto Diamonds will be using the innovative Oculus Rift technology during the JCK Show, to provide an interactive virtual journey into its Diavik Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories of Canada.
Oculus Rift will debut at the Rio Tinto booth, LUX105 at JCK Luxury. Oculus Rift is a virtual reality headset that provides a completely immersive, computer generated environment that allows the user to fly above the coast of Canada and land at the Diavik Diamond Mine. From here the user is taken on an interactive journey down the mine.
Brandee Dallow, manager of Rio Tinto Diamonds’ North American representative office, said, “The interactive technology brings to life the mining experience in a very compelling way. Our goal in showcasing Oculus Rift at this year’s JCK Show is to start the dialogue about the new approaches available to better capture the next generation consumer. It is important for the diamond industry, from the trade through to the final consumer, to gain an understanding of where Rio Tinto’s diamonds come from and how they are mined. The mine to market story is very important to us and so we are delighted to present this new tool to the industry.”
Indy500 Driver Pippa Mann Partners With Ritmo Time Group And Susan G. Komen Foundation
Indianapolis, IN—In conjunction with the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Ritmo Time Group, Pippa Mann of Indy Racing League will be driving in the Indinapolis 500 in an all-pink car, and will help select eight lucky winners to receive a Ritmo Time Group REFLEX slap-on wristwatch for their best pink wardrobe.
Participants must tweet Pippa Mann a photo of themselves wearing as much pink as possible. The competition began last week, and closed as the checkered finish flag waves for The Indianapolis 500 race.
Winners were announced on Monday, May 26. For more information about the campaign, click on www.racewithpippa.com.