Articles and News
Brand News From Imagine Designs And Forevermark; Hearts On Fire; Charles Garnier; More October 21, 2015 (0 comments)
Imagine Bridal Announces Partnership With Forevermark Diamonds
Stamford, CT and Great Neck, NY—Forevermark and Imagine Bridal announce the new Imagine Bridal for Forevermark collection, the latest partnership between the De Beers diamond brand and upscale jewelry manufacturers. The Imagine Bridal for Forevermark collection (left), available exclusively to authorized Forevermark retailers, will feature unique anniversary bands, eternity bands, engagement rings, pendants, and earrings in Imagine Bridal’s signature designs, paired with the quality of beauty, integrity, and rarity that Forevermark diamonds stand for.
“Imagine Bridal offers retailers a wider breadth of high-quality, classic bridal designs that capture the beauty of each Forevermark diamond,” said Forevermark U.S. president Charles Stanley. “This partnership will give our Forevermark retailers an exciting collection to continue increasing their diamond business.”
“The Imagine Bridal and Forevermark partnership brings together two brands with the same common vision,“ said Brian Hakimian, co-president of Imagine Bridal. “We will handcraft and design classic heirloom jewelry with Forevermark diamonds, and we will distribute our collections with the help of our Forevermark retail partners.”
Hearts On Fire Reorganizes Executive Team; Announces Promotions
Boston, MA--Hearts On Fire, a Chow Tai Fook brand, has named Caryl Capeci as president and Tom Carlo as chief operating officer. Capeci formerly was chief marketing officer, while Carlo adds to his existing responsibilities as chief financial officer. Together, they will be responsible for creating, implementing and driving the Hearts On Fire brand’s vision, strategy and day-to-day operations.
Caryl Capeci, new president of Hearts On Fire.
“The amount of momentum that Hearts On Fire has seen in the last year has been truly outstanding, and our expectations for the future are even stronger,” said Capeci. “Together, Tom and I—alongside our fellow executive partners and the rest of the Hearts On Fire team—are excited to lead Hearts On Fire into the next generation of its growth.”
Hearts On Fire was acquired by the Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group in 2014. Since then, the brand has implemented a series of initiatives to further increase its awareness and expansion around the world, including the launch of its new brand platform and advertising campaign, Ignite Something, in August.
Tom Carlo, left, is COO of Hearts On Fire and Gilly Strauss, right, has been named president of Mémoire.
Gilly Strauss, formerly HOF executive vice president of sales, was named president of Mémoire, another brand owned by Chow Tai Fook and managed through the U.S. headquarters of Hearts On Fire. With his extensive sales and strategic background and the support of CTF, Strauss will look to grow the Mémoire business into a brand that far exceeds its current focus on wedding and anniversary bands.
Glenn Rothman remains CEO of Hearts On Fire, serving on the executive committee. Bill Anderson, formerly the president and COO, also will remain a member of the executive committee.
“These moves are truly an essential next step for building both the Hearts On Fire and Memoire brands for the future,” said Rothman. “All three of these team members have been with Hearts On Fire for many, many years, and have helped us to reach unbelievable levels of success. We are very excited to see where their leadership and vision will take both brands in the years to come.”
New Charles Garnier Catalog Introduces Silver Line With Hearts-And-Arrows Diamonds
Los Angeles, CA—Charles Garnier Paris has released a catalog of its new collection of sterling silver jewelry featuring Hearts and Arrows Diamonds. The company is also using faceted gemstones in 10 different colors, such as blue topaz, amethyst, lapis lazuli, and more.
“This is the first time in the U.S.A. that a company is exclusively using Hearts and Arrows Diamonds with sterling silver jewelry,” said Julie Franco, vice president of sales. “The response has been excellent and our customers--based mostly of independents—love the opportunity to differentiate themselves from the chains. The quality and the cut of our diamonds make all the difference to close the sale,” she added.
Retail prices for pieces in the collection start at $295 and most of the collection retails under $1000.
Stuller and Gemvision Launch CounterSketch 5.0
Lafayette, LA—Stuller Inc. and Gemvision have added major enhancements to the latest CounterSketch Studio CAD program update. Launched in 2009, CounterSketch Studio is a creative software program with full 3-D capabilities, including features that allow a jeweler to interact with customers to design a piece of jewelry in real time on the showroom floor.
“Whether a jeweler is altering an existing design or conceptualizing from scratch, this program has everything needed to create a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry. We’ve enhanced the custom design experience to a new level with version five,” says Jeff High, president of Gemvision and chief innovation officer for Stuller. And through the Projet 3D Printer, jewelers can print a resin model right from the software and present their customers with a tangible version of their unique design, he added.
New features in version five include:
- 3D Printer Integration. Export and print precise resin models of your customers’ creations for them to try on
- Design Around a Specific Diamond. Start a custom job by picking a specific Red Box Diamond® from Stuller’s diamond inventory
- Exact Price. Get an exact price for most jobs created in the software.
“Offering your customers an opportunity to truly be a part of the design process is an unforgettable experience for them,” says Stuller founder and chairma, Matt Stuller. “Customization is on the rise, and we will continue to offer jewelers innovative tools and solutions that will help grow their businesses.” For more information about CounterSketch Studio, call Stuller, (800) 357-6272, or see Stuller.com/countersketch.
Polo Player Joins Frederique Constant’s Ambassadors
Geneva, Switzerand—Frederique Constant has tapped renowned Indian polo player Samir Suhag to be a brand ambassador. Suhag is well-known in the Indian as well as the international polo circuit, and has always wanted make the sport of the royals available to enthusiasts rather than just a privileged few. Similarly, Frederique Constant founders Peter Stas and Aletta Bax wanted more people to be able to enjoy some of life's luxuries without worrying about the price tag.
The association with Suhag reflects the brand's commitment to substance and passion. Suhag is an Arjuna award winner who outperformed competition to reach the very top of his profession and was ranked number one in Asia in polo from 2000 to 2008. During the span of his career, he has been part of three Indian World Cup teams and was a member of the first ever Indian Snow Polo team for the World Cup of Snow Polo in China in 2012. Today he is not just recognized in India but also in leading polo playing countries such as Malaysia, Australia, Argentina, France, England, and the United States.
Apple Continues Push Into Luxury Fashion Circles With Met Gala Sponsorship
New York, NY—Apple is serious about positioning its smart watches for the luxury crowd. In addition to its collaboration with Hermès, the design-centric consumer electronics brand has been announced as the sponsor of one of New York City’s premier society and high fashion events: the annual gala organized by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. The Met Gala, as it’s called, draws a laundry list of the city’s rich and glamorous every year.
The next Met gala, titled “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology,” will take place May 2, 2016. The theme addresses the fashion industry’s fascination with technological innovations—one of which is wearable technology. Apple, meanwhile, has been tapping the fashion industry for talent, such as Burberry alumna Angela Ahrendts who now heads Apple retail.
The Brady Bunch: Pats’ Star QB Tagged To Represent Watch Brand
New York, NY—Not only did New England Patriots’ star quarterback Tom Brady throw off Deflategate unscathed, it hasn’t slowed him down for a moment. The four-time Superbowl winning quarterback has led the team to a 5-0 record so far in the 2015 NFL season, and also was just named as brand ambassador for TAG Heuer watches.
TAG-Heuer made the announcement last week in New York City, at the launch event for its Carrera - Heuer 01 watch. Jean-Claude Biver, president of the LVMH Group Watch Division and CEO of TAG Heuer, surprised attendees by officially introducing Brady as a TAG Heuer ambassador.