Articles and News
BRAND NEWS: LEVINSONS’ BUDDIES, HYDE PARK’S SPECIAL WATCH, PANDORA SALES DIP, MORE November 22, 2011 (0 comments)
Hyde Park Jewelers and TW Steel Offer Custom Watch For Heroes Charity
Denver, CO—In honor of the release of the movie The Movement, Hyde Park Jewelers and TW Steel are proud to offer a custom version of the watchmaker’s flagship TW1 model, left. 25% of purchase of the $375 watch goes directly to Make A Hero, which supports adaptive sports groups that help those with disabilities to participate in sports. The back of the special edition watch’s case is engraved with Make A Hero.
The Movement, narrated by Robert Redford and Warren Miller, tells the story of five everyday heroes; individuals who, through skiing, overcame incredible obstacles to discover or rediscover the freedom of movement. Learn more about Make A Hero and watch a trailer of the movie here. The watch is available online here.
The back of Hyde Park Jewelers/TW Steel's special edition watch is engraved with "Make A Hero."
Levinson Jewelers Fete Best Buddies
Fort Lauderdale, FL—Mark and Robin Levinson, co-owners of Levinson Jewelers, and Keith Rosen, president of Piaget, joined Anthony Shriver at the 2011 Best Buddies Miami Gala at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach on Friday, November 18. The 15th Annual Best Buddies Miami Gala celebrated Best Buddies’ expansion into Italy. Founded in 1989 by Anthony Shriver, Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement to create pportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Left: Co-owners Mark and Robin Levinson with Anthony Shriver, and right, with Keith Rosen, president of Piaget, at the 2011 Best Buddies Miami Gala
J. Lo, Camilla Belle, and Kate Walsh in Chopard, Neil Lane
Los Angeles—Jennifer Lopez, Camilla Belle and Kate Walsh all wore platinum jewelry at recent red carpet events. Jennifer Lopez, below left, wore 10 stacked platinum and diamond Neil Lane rings while accepting her award at the 2011 American Music Awards November 20.
Camilla Belle, right, was decked out in a Chopard platinum cocktail ring with a 15 ct. rose-cut diamond, at the jeweler's “Official Re-Opening in South Coast Plaza" on November 15 in Costa Mesa, CA.
Kate Walsh, below, wore a suite of Neil Lane jewelry at "GQ's Men of the Year Party" on November 17 in Los Angeles. She chose platinum, diamond, and emerald chandelier earrings, a platinum and diamond bracelet and platinum and emerald cocktail ring.
Cartier Launches Series of Facebook and YouTube Videos
Paris, France—Cartier is blending old-fashioned love and modern digital media in its latest campaign featuring three short videos and one full-length music video for its “True Love Has a Color and a Name” and “How Far Would You Go For Love” campaigns.
According to this article in Luxury Daily, the three short videos were released on Facebook and focus on love among different generations of affluent consumers. In one, a young couple sneaks away from their engagement party in the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, to a small room with a view of the Eiffel Tower, where the groom gives the bride a Cartier engagement ring. It’s the only time in the video—as with the others—that product is shown. The other two in this series show a slightly older couple taking a break from work, and a much older couple in the back of their chauffeur-driven car reminiscing about their engagement.
The full-length music video is part of the jeweler’s “How Far Would You Go For Love?” campaign, and features French band Air, which created an original music soundtrack and video to answer that question. In all, the product plays a very small part, which some experts call a brilliant tactic for this medium.
Click here to read the full Luxury Daily article, while the Cartier videos can be seen on the jeweler’s Facebook page and its YouTube channel.
Pandora Global Sales Down; U.S. Sales Up
Copenhagen, Denmark--Overall revenue for the Pandora Group declined 12.1% in the third quarter 2011 but sales in the United States grew 13% (in dollars, translating to a 4.1% increase in Danish krone). According to this report on JCK Online, company executives continue to blame price increases, saying they've compromised their "affordable luxury" positioning. As a result, there are no further price increases planned for the remainder of this year or 2012. The company also plans to look hard at marketing, product mix, and store design, and "accelerate the closure of low value dealers in certain markets," the article said.
PGI Reveals Top Global Bridal Ring Trends, New Video
New York, NY— As the holiday and key engagement season gets underway, Platinum Guild International (PGI) highlights the top global engagement and wedding ring trends, as predicted by renowned jewelry and style expert Michael O’Connor.
Throughout the past year, world-class designers have reinterpreted classic platinum styles with details such as hidden diamonds, specialty settings and bold metalwork. PGI’s “Platinum Soulmate” video, offers brides and grooms a glimpse at these new trend-driven rings.
Here are O’Connor’s picks for this year’s top platinum engagement and wedding ring trends:
Stark Simplicity. The diamond solitaire engagement ring has often been heralded as the ultimate in simplistic grace, and this year, designers took the classic design to new heights, such as Tiffany & Co.’s ‘Bezet’ ring that sets the diamond with no prongs, but encases the beloved pear-cut center in a sleek, polished platinum bezel. Mikimoto brings its trademark pearl to brides in a solitaire style featuring generously rounded and polished platinum shoulders in a ring designed by Giovanna Broggian.
Returning Romance. Rings like Fred’s “Delphine” platinum engagement ring features delicate pave-set tulip prongs, reminiscent of
bygone eras, while those who prefer to express their love in a classic fashion might like wedding bands by Damiani. These feature a simply polished platinum exteriorwith a single diamond hidden on the inside, a sparkling secret shared only by the couple.
Two Become One. Personifying the classic view of marriage as two people coming together to form one unit, designers illustrated the fusion of disparate elements in unique and beautiful ways. The “Double” engagement ring by Damiani combines an inner ring of pure platinum with an outer pave diamond-set platinum ring. De Beers demonstrates the everlasting bond formed between a couple with their “fused lines” wedding bands that join bands of polished platinum together into one everlasting ring.
Sector Appoints Kris Humphries Spokesperson
New York—Sector, an active lifestyle watch with Italian design, has appointed NBA player (and recent Kardashian ex) Kris Humphries as its new spokesperson. As a fashion-savvy professional athlete, Humphries is a natural fit for the brand, which has brought the sports-meets-fashion trend to the accessories market.
“The Sector brand has always been associated with world-class athletes involved in challenging sports,” says Phil Schwetz, president of Sector USA. “As both an elite athlete and a trendsetter off the court, Kris embodies our brand and our customers.”
Says Humphries, “I’ve always been a watch enthusiast, and the Sector brand represents everything I’m about—an active lifestyle, competitive spirit, and striving to be the best I can be.”
The brand, launched in Milan in 1973, introduced its Shark Master collection earlier this year. A portion of sales from the Shark Master series will benefit the Kris Humphries Foundation, which is dedicated to fighting childhood obesity through creating active communities.
Sector is distributed by Circa, New York.