Articles and News
BRAND NEWS FROM PENNY PREVILLE, LEO SCHACHTER, TODD REED, ALISHAN, HARRY WINSTON, MORE January 16, 2013 (0 comments)
Penny Preville Featured in Russian Lux Publication and Blog About Engagement Rings
New York, NY—Designer Penny Preville is turning heads around the world. Her 18k rose gold leaf moonstone earrings were featured in the December 2012 Russian edition of Collezioni Luxe, and she was recently interviewed by the blog Merci New York, to discuss the ins and outs of choosing an engagement ring (two of her designs shown at left). Key tip from Penny, speaking as both a designer and a mom: Guys, if you’re looking to give your girl an engagement ring, don’t surprise her! Involve her in the choice, or at least listen very, very carefully because she’s probably giving you hints all the time about what she likes. If you must get traditional and whip out the ring without her knowledge, at least please (!) talk to her mom, her sister, her friends, or anyone she’s likely to mention her style preferences to. That probably includes all of the above.
Penny Preville's moonstone earrings, top center right, were featured in the December 2012 issue of Collezioni Luxe RUS. Other names you know: Damiani and Antonini also had pieces in the spread.
Leo Schachter Named As Top Israel Diamond Exporter; Also Receives DEF GOOD Award
Ramat Gan, Israel—The annual list of Israel’s 25 largest polished diamond exporters was published by the Israel Diamond Controller’s Office in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor. For the second consecutive year Leo Schachter Diamonds tops the list, with a net $317 million in 2012.
Total net exports of the 25 largest companies in 2012 stood at $2.15 billion, or about 38% of Israel’s net total polished exports of $5.7 billion. The list of 25 does not include 12 companies who chose not to publish their export figures. They accounted for $878 million or 15% of Israel’s net polished exports in 2012, bringing the total sum of the polished exports of the top 37 companies to $3.03 billion, or 54.3% of Israel’s net polished exports for 2012.
Click here to read the full list of Israel’s top 25 polished diamond exporters.
Separately, Leo Schachter was one of three recipients of the Diamond Empowerment Fund’s 2013 annual GOOD awards, presented each year to companies and individuals who demonstrate commitment to corporate responsibility and promoting education empowerment and prosperity in African diamond mining countries. Along with Leo Schachter, GOOD Awards were presented to Tiffany & Co. and model/humanitarian Noella Coursaris Musunka.
At the January 10 event at LAVO nightclub in New York City, Russell Simmons, music mogul/entrepreneur and co-founder of the Diamond Empowerment Fund, emphasized the importance of the diamond industry to give back and empower the communities where their precious resources are found. “A strong Africa is an educated Africa. For the diamond industry to be sustainable in the future, empowerment of youth through education is essential.”
A distinguished and varied audience convened for the GOOD Awards, including celebrities from the music, film, and fashion worlds. Along with Simmons, the event drew celebrities Estelle, Jeffrey Wright, and Selita Ebanks; global industry leaders Varda Shine and Stephen Lussier of De Beers, Mike Kowalski of Tiffany & Co., Mark Light and Mike Barnes of Signet (parent company of the Kay and Jared retail brands); and African ambassadors from the diamond producing countries of Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa.
Leo Schachter was honored by the Diamond Empowerment Fund on January 10. Here, members of the DEF board pose with five students who graduated from two of three DEF-beneficiary schools (the Botwsana Top Achievers Program or African Leadership Academy) and who now are enrolled in various universities in the United States. L to R: student Tebogo Maruping, student Gomolemo Modise, DEF board member Ed Hrabak, DEF president Phyllis Bergman, DEF co-founder Russell Simmons, student Dhavni Tombush, student Joseph Munyambanza, DEF board member Ellen Haddigan, and student Kabo Kula.
Todd Reed to Sponsor the Boulder International Film Festival
Boulder, CO—Todd Reed is nothing if not an art lover. He lives, works, employs, and entertains in one of the art enclaves of the American West, Boulder, CO, and takes great pleasure in sponsoring the art community. His first official sponsorship of 2013 is for the BIFF (Boulder International Film Festival), known as one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World.” It’s a four-day celebration of the art of cinema, and surrounding the film presentations is a constant celebration of parties, forums, workshops, and red-carpet events. Todd will host the kick-off party for the BIFF at his studio on January 24, honoring the organizers, planners, and sponsors of BIFF for their contributions to this important part of Boulder culture.
BIFF 2012 attracted over 19,000 attendees. It honored Martin Sheen and William H Macy for their contributions to film. Entertainment legends James Franco, Oliver Stone, Blythe Danner, Chevy Chase, Maria Bello, and Alec Baldwin were all in attendance.
Jeff Cooper Names Matt Broerman As Northeast Regional Sales Director
NEW YORK, NY—Leading platinum bridal design house Jeff Cooper Designs has named industry veteran Matt Broerman as the company’s Northeast regional sales director.
Company president David Cooper said, “With over 25 years of industry experience, we believe that Matt will not only grow the business of existing Jeff Cooper customers, but will also successfully form new relationships throughout the Northeast region. We are thrilled to have him on the team and excited to see what 2013 will bring with his presence.”
Broerman has represented brands such as Christian Bauer and Raymond Weil in his extensive career.
Alishan Halebian Among First Palladium Design Contest Winners
Billings, MT—Palladium Alliance International (PAI) announced today the winners of “The Biggest Jewelry Design Contest Ever,” its first, exclusively showcases innovative designs crafted in palladium.
Designer Dawn Muscio of D. Muscio Design Studio in Atlanta, GA won first place. Alishan Halebian of Irvine, CA finished in second place and Mackenzie Sala of Providence, RI finished in third place out of 300 entries.
Alishan's entry was a palladium flower ring featuring white and black diamonds surrounding a Tahitian pearl.
The winners, along with 88 other pieces, are part of a special collection headed to Hollywood for the awards season that started this month. The finalists and grand prize winner will be taking part as the stars of a national marketing campaign for the metal. The contest launched in May 2012 with submissions of cads, images, and photos, and as the deadline came to a close in October, PAI commissioned certain designers to create their pieces with PAI reimbursing up to 5 oz. of 950 palladium.
“We are delighted with the number of participants, the finalists, and of course, the winners. This first design contest went well beyond our wildest expectations, said Frank McAllister, chairman of the Palladium Alliance.
The Palladium Collection will be used as part of a national editorial and celebrity initiative by the Palladium Alliance for the coming year. The three top designers will have their names and pieces featured in national and trade PAI print ads in top magazines, such as InStyle, W, Elle and Marie Claire. In addition, the grand prize winner will also receive a contract to create a line of palladium jewelry with PAI supplying the metal alloy to facilitate its manufacturing.
The High-Low Project: Swatch Buys Harry Winston’s Retail Division
Toronto, Canada—First it was designer capsule collections for cheap-chic stores like Target and H&M. Then HGTV created a decorating program by that name, based on the premise that any luxurious décor can be re-created at an affordable price point. Next, Target and luxury retailer Neiman Marcus got in bed together for Christmas 2012. Now the latest marriage of high and low comes between Swatch, the brand that brought fine Swiss engineering to affordable plastic watches, and Harry Winston, über-jeweler to the stars.
In a one billion dollar exchange, The Swatch Group has acquired Harry Winston’s retail and timepiece division. Swatch paid $750 million for the brand, plus it will assume up to $250 million in pro-forma debt. This report in National Jeweler and IDEX says Harry Winston was looking for a way to finance its recent $500 million purchase of BHP Billiton’s Ekati diamond mine. This purchase will accomplish that goal, and possibly help finance another mine purchase in Canada, the 60% of the Diavik mine still owned by Rio Tinto. Harry Winston currently owns 40% of that mine and, according to reports, is interested in acquiring Rio Tinto’s stake in it.
Harry Winston, acquired by mining company Aber in 2004, is famous for its legendary diamonds, and was almost as famous for its infighting among family members following the patriarch’s death. After the purchase, the firm achieved some stability and became a minor player in the world diamond mining market, accounting for approximately $0.3 billion in annual production. The addition of $0.75 billion from the Ekati mine production brings the company’s total to approximately $1.05 billion, trailing only De Beers, Alrosa, and Sodiam among larger diamond mining companies. If it can acquire the remainder of Diavik from Rio Tinto—which has expressed a desire to exit the diamond mining business—it will move into third place, says Bloomberg and will be unique in its focus on Canadian diamonds.
The retail and timepiece division now owned by Swatch will retain the Harry Winston name. The mining company once called Aber will henceforth be called Dominion Diamond Corporation.
Harry Winston brings the total number of watch and jewelry brands owned by the Swatch Group to 20. The company, based in Biel, Switzerland, spans the market from luxury to basic brands, where its namesake plastic Swatch brand sits. Its luxury and prestige brands include Breguet, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Jaquet Droz, Léon Hatot, Tiffany & Co. (watches), Omega, and now Harry Winston.
Aurora Collection Belongs to Bronstein, Court Says
Bronx, NY—Renowned colored diamond expert and dealer Alan Bronstein will get to keep both his company and the collection of stones that made him something of a legend among collectors.
Bronstein, along with his late business partner and stepfather, Harry Rodman, had assembled what’s arguably the world’s most comprehensive collection of rare colored diamonds, the Aurora Collection, during the 1980s and 1990s. The collection—displayed as both a pyramid called the Aurora Pyramid of Hope and a butterfly called the Aurora Butterfly of Peace—has been on exhibit in such prestigious museums as the Smithsonian Institution and the American Museum of Natural History, and is now on display at the Natural History Museum in London.
After Rodman died in 2008 at age 99, five distant relatives—a grandniece and four grandnephews—sued Bronstein for the half-share of the collection they believed to be Rodman’s. But Bronx Surrogate Judge Lee L. Holzman ruled in late December that Bronstein fairly bought out his partner’s interest in the collection and the business. The Rodman family suit had alleged Bronstein of duping the elderly man into selling his share of the business for $10,000, but Judge Holzman dismissed the suit, writing that “the court finds no basis to set aside the transaction,” nor any reason to conclude that Mr. Bronstein had committed fraud. Nor was the collection entirely financed by Rodman, either, says Bronstein; he bought many of the stones himself.
“Harry Rodman was like a father to me. I loved him, honored him, and respected him greatly,” Bronstein told The Centurion. “I’m just happy that my name has been cleared and I can put this behind me and move forward with my life and my goal of bringing the beauty and magic of colored diamonds to the world.”