Articles and News
BRAND AND INDUSTRY NEWS: ALPINA AT LE MANS, GIA CAREER FAIR RETURNS TO NY, LE VIAN VIDEO, MORE July 18, 2012 (0 comments)
Alpina Watches To Sponsor Team at The 24 Hours of Le Mans Auto Race
Geneva, Switzerland—Alpina Watches is proudly partnering with Level 5 Motorsports, who races in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. Last year, the team reached third place, a success that give it even more ambition to win this year.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world’s oldest active endurance car racing event. It takes place in France, on Le Circuit de la Sarthe. It began in 1923 with a yearly race but only one winner every three years—calculated on a cumulative total. The race has since evolved, but the goal always was to change it as little as possible and keep its originality.
Technically, it is probably one of the hardest races to drive today, because of both its extremely long racing time and its quick change in from racing track to public roads. Teams consist of three members who usually do two-hour shifts, resting between shifts.
Level 5 Motorsports’ team for the 24 hours of Le Mans 2012 consists of Scott Tucker, Luis Diaz, and Christophe Bouchut, three men of different backgrounds, ages, and nationalities. Says Scott Tucker, age 57, “We’ve surrounded ourselves with the world’s best technical partners, proven crew members and championship drivers. With Alpina Geneve we’ve found another great partner that shares our vision for excellence.”
Alpina Geneve created a watch especially for the partnership, the Alpina Racing Automatic, above left. It features a 47 mm stainless steel case with black dial, black leather strap with red contrasting stitching, full 12-hour chronograph function, sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, and an automatic movement with transparent case back to view the movement.
GIA Career Fair Returns To New York After Three-Year Hiatus
Carlsbad, CA—GIA (Gemological Institute of America) Jewelry Career Fair returns to the Jacob Javits Center in New York on July 30, with recruiters from more than 38 renowned gem and jewelry companies. Among those firms seeking to hire include Harry Winston, Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry, LVMH Watch & Jewelry, Montblanc, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co. and Zale Corp., who are looking for professionals at every career stage. Opportunities will range from retail sales and jewelry design to diamond grading and production.
The Jewelers for Veterans Foundation, created in 2012 to help find jobs in the jewelry industry for returning servicemen and women, also will also be on hand to meet with and assist U.S. military veterans in their job search.
“GIA’s Jewelry Career Fair is returning to the East Coast for the first time since 2008, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the caliber of participating companies and speakers,” said Kathryn Kimmel, GIA vice president and chief marketing officer, and founder of the GIA Jewelry Career Fair. “We encourage anyone with an interest in the fascinating world of gems and jewelry—whether new to the industry or experienced professionals—to come out and meet with some of the most prominent global companies in our field.”
In addition to meeting with recruiters and receiving one-on-one career coaching, attendees will hear from some of the industry’s most prominent figures during the panel discussion “Job Success in Today’s Market.” Panelists David Yurman, founder of David Yurman Inc.; Ann Arnold, CEO of Lieberfarb; Lex Graham, a recent GIA graduate and retail jeweler at Betteridge; and Rahul Kadakia, jewelry department head of Christie’s New York, will discuss the jewelry business today and offer their advice for both aspiring and seasoned professionals. Later in the event, Paola DeLuca, creative director of Trend Vision Jewellery + Forecasting, will present her findings on the socio-cultural phenomena of jewelry.
GIA’s New York Jewelry Career Fair will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 30 at the Javits Center. Recruiting will occur from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This leading industry event is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by JA New York. Anyone interested in attending is urged to RSVP prior to the event. For a full list of companies hiring, visit GIA’s Career Fair website.
Le Vian Releases Red Carpet Revue Video
Great Neck, NY—Le Vian has produced a video of the 2013 edition of its famous Red Carpet Revue, sponsored by Harper’s Bazaar magazine. The annual fashion show highlights upcoming jewelry trends as seen by the designer and supplier of high-end color gemstone and diamond jewelry. This year, the show was highlighted by celebrity appearances from Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna.
Eddie Levian takes the mike for the 2013 Red Carpet Revue. Click on the image or the link below to watch.
The design and color trends highlighted this year include:
- Waves, buckles, framed clusters, and animal prints.
- "Honey Do," using Le Vian's trademarked Honey Gold
- "Neon Elegance," featuring vivid fire opal and Paraiba tourmaline
- "Soothing Pastels," featuring Le Vian's trademarked Cottton Candy Amethyst and Sea Blue Aquamarine in fashion and bridal jewelry
- "Midnight Berries," featuring Le Vian's trademarked Blackberry and Blueberry Diamonds and Blueberry Tanzanite.
- "Black Tie," featuring black and white diamonds
- "Eye Candy," featuring brilliant mixes of colored gemstones.
The firm also introduced a new bridal jewelry line.
Watch the video of the event here.
Victoria Tynedale Joins Belle Étoile
New York, NY–Belle Étoile designer sterling silver jewelry recently appointed Victoria Tynedale as its new West Coast sales director. Tynedale, a GG with 18 years’ experience in the industry, most recently worked at European Time Corp., and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in sales, training, marketing, and merchandising to the new position.
Says Jim Grohn, Belle Étoile president, “We are very pleased to add such an experienced talent to our growing team at Belle Étoile. As we continue to build this wonderful brand, key players like Victoria with a proven track record of excellence in sales and customer service, add a new depth to our already strong team.”
Meet Diamond Empowerment Funded Students at JA, July 30
New York, NY—The Diamond Empowerment Fund will have a special exhibition Monday, July 30, at the Jewelers of America show. DEF will be housed in a unique ‘pop-up’ space in the Italian Pavilion of the show, featuring its benefit products, merchandising kit, and message of helping Africans through education.
At 2 p.m. in the Inner Circle Lounge at the show, DEF will host “Conversations with African Leadership Academy Alumni,” a wine and cheese reception and discussion with graduates of the academy, one of the schools that receives funding from DEF.
ALA Alumni will tell their amazing stories of rising from poverty and challenges to become the empowered future leaders of their countries. The students will share their goals for contributing to the economic and social development of their countries. ALA Alumni will also be at the booth throughout the day to meet industry leaders and visitors. DEF helps support all ALA students from diamond-producing nations.
DEF also will be previewing new sales support materials to accompany its upcoming lineup of DEF-benefit products, including the Empowerment Charm, a collector’s edition charm uniquely crafted in sterling silver with genuine Swarovski Elements, offered by the Richline Group; the Empowerment Green Bracelet, an updated version of the original green malachite beaded bracelet with diamond accents on the bezel, offered by Simmons Jewelry Company; and Empowerment Rings, part of Royal Asscher’s Stars of Africa and Shining Stars Collections. Retailers are encouraged to give feedback and suggestions for the sales support materials before the final versions are printed, in time for the fall selling season.
DEF’s mission is to raise money to fund education initiatives in African diamond-producing nations. Its beneficiaries include: CIDA City Campus, South Africa’s first non-profit university to offer a four-year business degree; the African Leadership Academy, a university preparatory school in founded on the belief that ethical leadership is the key to sustainable development on the continent; and Botswana Top Achievers program that selects the top high school students nationwide in Botswana, and affords them the opportunity to study at a university of their choice anywhere in the world. Graduates then return to Botswana to contribute to its economic, social and political development.
GCAL Earns ISO Forensic Designation
New York, NY—Gem Certification & Assurance Lab, Inc. (GCAL) passed its fifth annual ISO 17025 audit in May 2012, and has expanded its ISO scope in the field of forensic testing for diamonds and gemstone analysis.
ISO 17025 is certification of both management and technical requirements of a laboratory, and requires rigorous annual testing by the certifying body, in this case, L-A-B (Laboratory Accreditation Bureau). GCAL has built systems and procedures for accurate and consistent expert forensic services, culminating in additional ISO scope certifications.
GCAL experts are frequently called upon by legal, insurance, government, and banking institutions to affirm or disclaim legal, financial, or scientific issues in dispute. GCAL’s founder has been called upon to provide forensic expert evidence in courts in the United States and around the world.
“ISO 17025 accreditation confirms our competence and dedication to integrity and excellence in the diamonds, gems, and jewelry certification business,” says Angelo W. Palmieri, GCAL’s ISO management representative.
MJSA Online Honored For Website Content
Attleboro Falls, MA—MJSA has received a 2012 APEX Award for the content and writing of its website, MJSA Online. The annual competition recognizes outstanding achievement in graphic design, editorial content, and overall communications effectiveness and excellence. The competition is sponsored by Communications Concepts, the publisher of Writing That Works: The Business Communications Report. MJSA Online, which offers a wide range of technical, business, and legislative expertise as well as information about the association and its members, was chosen from among 215 entries in the website category.