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Industry News: DEF Honors Seymour And Rocha; JSA, JVC Host Awards; Neiman’s Pelzel Saluted; More January 14, 2015 (0 comments)
Diamond Empowerment Fund’s GOOD Awards Tap Jane Seymour And David Rocha
New York, NY—Actress Jane Seymour and her Open Hearts Foundation together with David Rocha and Jewelers for Children were honored Thursday by the Diamond Empowerment Fund, for their commitment to giving back to the community.
Actress, artist and philanthropist Seymour is the designer of the ‘Open Hearts by Jane Seymour’ jewelry collection (sold at Kay Jewelers) and the founder of the Open Hearts Foundation that positively impacts young lives in the areas of wellness, education, sports and the arts. As she received her award, Seymour said, “We have an opportunity to create positive social and cultural change with our collective desire to make a difference in the world. When we do that, everyone wins and the entire world can be impacted by doing just a little good.”
David Rocha, executive director of Jewelers for Children, exalted the jewelers he works with who “are constantly involved with helping others in the community, not for any personal recognition, but because it is their community and they truly care about making it a better place to live and work.” JFC’s global story can be found here on the Diamond Empowerment Fund’s recently launched consumer site, www.diamondsdogood.com.
The Diamond Empowerment Fund (D.E.F) established the GOOD Awards in 2012 to recognize individuals, organizations, and corporations in the diamond and jewelry industry for outstanding leadership in the areas of global citizenship, sustainability and promoting opportunity for others.
Phyllis Bergman, D.E.F’s president, summed up the evening by saying “we are blessed to be working in an industry whose commitment to bettering the lives of others truly lets us say ‘diamonds do good’.”
The GOOD Awards sponsors included Presenting Sponsor Signet Jewelers Limited (Kays Jewelers, Jared the Galleria of Jewelry, Zales Jewelers), and Friend Sponsors Fred Meyer Jewelers and JCK. Empowerment Circle Partners include Forevermark, Asian Star, De Beers Group of Companies, Exelco, Leo Schachter Diamonds, Signet Jewelers Limited and Rio Tinto Diamonds.
JSA, JVC Honor Supporters
New York, NY—Both the Jewelers Security Alliance and the Jewelers Vigilance Committee honored supporters at their annual luncheon events, held last weekend in New York.
The Jewelers Security Alliance on Saturday presented its 2015 Industry Service Award to John W. Ryan, security director of Rolex Watch USA for the past 10 years. Prior to joining Rolex, Ryan served 20 years with the New York City Police Department, retiring from its Major Case Squad. He has worked with law enforcement on both local and national levels to identify stolen and counterfeit Rolex product and help solve crimes involving Rolex product.
JSA also presented its 2015 James B. White Award To Law Enforcement to three officers who were instrumental in arresting a dozen gang members responsible for a series of violent jewelry store robberies across the Philadelphia metropolitan area, stretching down into Delaware and north into central New Jersey. Honored at the lunch were supervisory special agent James A. Tarasca, FBI, Philadelphia Division, Violent Crimes Task Force; and Detective Mark McCullion and Task Force Officer John L. Benham of the Philadelphia Police Department.
At the Jewelers Vigilance Committee 2015 annual luncheon last Friday, chair Beryl Raff presented JVC’s annual Stanley Schechter Award to David Bouffard, vice president of corporate affairs for Signet Jewelers Ltd., parent of Kay Jewelers, Jared, Zales and other brands.
Keynote speaker for the event was Edward Asscher, president of Royal Asscher Diamond Co. in Amsterdam, and also president of the World Diamond Council. Asscher addressed the importance of keeping ethics foremost in the industry and going above and beyond the limits of the Kimberley Process, which covers only the rough diamond trade. But everyone has to do his or her part in ensuring ethical behavior all the way down the pipeline.
“We have to take our responsibility wider. We are competing for consumer dollars and the luxury industry spends far more money on advertising than we [the jewelry industry] do,” he said. The industry cannot afford to have any suspicion of taint on its reputation.
The industry—especially the diamond industry—also is competing for the dollars of lenders, he said. Bankers will finance the industry if it is transparent, compliant, and audited—not shrouded in secrecy as has been tradition.
“If [banks] don’t finance the purchase of rough, we all suffer,” he said.
JA Honors Pelzel, Webster, Shinola; Acquires National Jeweler
New York, NY – Jewelers of America (JA) held its 13th annual GEM Awards January 9, at Cipriani 42nd Street. Winners were announced in the categories of Design, Marketing & Communications, and Media Excellence, while retailer Larry Pelzel of Neiman Marcus received this year’s Lifetime Achievement award. Norman Miller, GEM Awards Chair, served as host. The evening—including red carpet coverage and the awards program—broadcast live to viewers on www.gemawardslive.com.
The GEM Award for Media Excellence was given to Claudia Mata, accessories and jewelry director of W magazine, who is responsible for spearheading all jewelry editorial and whose love of jewelry is displayed in her quarterly article titled, “Claudia’s Jewelry Box.”
Shinola, the Detroit-based watch and leather goods brand, received the award for Marketing & Communications after a remarkable year marked with vivid ad campaigns, vast editorial coverage, a comprehensive brand launch, and multi-pronged communication campaigns. The other nominees for Marketing & Communications were Forevermark and TUDOR. Candace Krause, owner of Texas-based Krause Advertising, presented the award.
Stephen Webster was honored for design. Webster’s jewelry is celebrated for its bold combination of innovation, uncompromising attention to detail and the finest materials. Alexis Bittar and Todd Reed were the other nominees in the category. The award was presented by jewelry and style expert Michael O’Connor.
Larry Pelzel, Neiman Marcus vice president and divisional merchandise manager for precious jewels, began his career more than 34 years ago. Known for his happy-go-lucky disposition and remarkable eye for quality jewelry, Pelzel was gracious when accepting his award.
“Selling jewelry allows me the opportunity to have fun and make people smile . . . I love my job and I love this jewelry business.” He added, “While this is the Lifetime Achievement Award . . . I really don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon.”
Separately, JA has acquired National Jeweler magazine from Emerald Expositions, which owns the JA New York and Couture jewelry shows. The acquisition will take effect later this month. JA and National Jeweler will remain and act independent of each other.
“I’m excited about the National Jeweler acquisition and Jewelers of America’s ability to both better serve its members and the industry,” says JA board chair Bill Farmer, Jr., of Farmer’s Jewelry, Lexington, KY.
“This is an exciting day for Jewelers of America, as we expand into trade media and welcome National Jeweler to the JA family, says David J. Bonaparte, JA president and CEO. Michelle Graff, editor-in-chief of National Jeweler, says her team is looking forward to taking advantage of the additional resources being part of the JA team offers the magazine.
LGI Network Names Hanson Director of Client Services
Randolph, NJ—The LGI Network, an NPD Group company specializing in retail measurement services for the watch and branded jewelry market, has named Desiree Hanson to the newly created position of director, client services. The new position was created to drive development and growth of Diamond Tracker, the first retail sales and pricing measurement service for the U.S. diamond Industry. Diamond Tracker is targeted to launch in spring 2015.
The introduction of Diamond Tracker will further expand NPD’s cross category expertise. “NPD is poised to complete the next step in providing crucial market information to the fine jewelry and watch category with the launch of Diamond Tracker. The size and complexity of the diamond business requires building a team that can balance the detail demanded by our data as well as the understanding of the US retailer perspective, said Fred Levin, president of LGI Network and the Luxury Practice of the NPD Group.
Prior to joining LGI, Hanson was event director for JCK’s LUXURY, Swiss Watch, and LUXURY Privé shows. She sits on the Women’s Jewelry Association board as the east coast regional director.
GIA Offers Classes, Lab Service, Seminars at Tucson
Carlsbad, CA—GIA’s offerings at the 2015 Tucson shows will include a show service laboratory, lab class, two fee-based seminars, library exhibit, and the GIA Alumni Association’s annual party. GIA will be at the Tucson Convention Center during the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) GemFair Feb. 3-8, and the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, Feb. 12-15.
Highlights include:
GIA Museum Exhibit. GIA’s museum exhibit “Symphony in Gemstones” will bring music to the eyes at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, Feb. 12-15. Pieces commissioned by Art Sexauer, GIA museum benefactor, and hand-carved by master carver Lothar Hermann of Idar-Oberstein, Germany, make up an exquisite collection of musical instruments in gem materials and 14K yellow gold. Featured are tourmaline violins, a Persian turquoise trumpet, lapis saxophone, a tiger’s-eye harp and a black onyx grand piano with a white quartz keyboard and a rose quartz tuba.
GIA Library Exhibit. GIA’s library will feature two of its rarest books at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, Feb. 12-15: James Sowerby’s British Mineralogy and Martha Proby’s one-of-a-kind British Mineralogy after James Sowerby. A mineral specimen, aragonite, which is featured in both books, will be on view courtesy of The Natural History Museum in London. The case will also include photographs and a map.
GIA Show Service Laboratory at AGTA GemFair. Show attendees will have convenient access to gem identification and country-of-origin services through the GIA Show Service Laboratory. GIA will accept gemstones onsite at the AGTA GemFair in the Onyx Suite Monday through Saturday, Feb. 2-7 from 9 a.m. to 5p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 8 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Free seminar. On Friday, Feb. 6 from 9 to 10 a.m., GIA’s Distinguished Research Fellow Dr. James Shigley will provide a free seminar on “The Latest News from GIA Research.” This will include an update on the Institute’s latest research on diamonds, colored stones and other timely topics of interest.
Education. GIA will offer one fee-based lab class (Diamond Grading, Monday through Friday, Feb. 2-6, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), and two fee-based seminars (Identifying Heat Treatment of Corundum, Saturday, Feb. 7, 9 to 11 a.m., and Identifying Glass Fillings and "Healed Fissures” in Corundum, Saturday, Feb. 7, 1 to 3 p.m.) during the AGTA GemFair. Pre-registration is required; call GIA admissions at (800) 421 7250 ext. 4001 to register for the seminars, and visit GIA’s website to register for the lab.
GIA at the CAD/CAM Pavilion. GIA’s Jewelry Manufacturing Arts experts will answer questions and discuss a variety of relevant topics, including CAD/CAM, zero-shrinkage from CAD file to photopolymer models to rough castings, jewelry engineering priorities, jewelry design concepts, 3D scanning of gemstones and importing content into CAD files for use in making jewelry, and Quality Assurance Benchmarking criteria when CAD modeling. The ongoing series will take place in the AGTA CAD Design Studio, booth #450 in the Gem Hall.
Party at the GIA Gem Mine: Rocking Down Under. The GIA Alumni Association dinner and dance party is Friday, Feb. 6 from 6:30 to 11 p.m. at the Marriott University Park Hotel. Ticket prices are $55 prior to Jan. 15; $65 after and at the door. GIA alumni, students and industry friends can click here to purchase tickets.
For more details about the Institute’s offerings at the AGTA GemFair, visit GIA’s website. More information, including registration, is available here. http://www.gia.edu/gem-event-agta-gemfair-2015.
Israel’s Diamond Exports Edge Up; Challenges Remain In Financing And Margins
Ramat Gan, Israel—The Israeli Diamond Industry finished 2014 slightly ahead of 2013, with a slight rise of $160 million in total polished and rough exports, according to figures published by Israel Ministry of Economy’s Diamond Controller Shmuel Mordechai.
Israel’s total combined exports of polished and rough diamonds stood at $9.324 billion in 2014, compared to $9.166 billion in 2013. (US dollar values).
Net polished diamond exports totaled $6.269 billion in 2014, a rise of 0.6% over the previous year. Net rough diamond exports totaled $3.061 billion, compared to $2.938 billion in 2013, an increase of 4.2%.
Net imports of polished diamonds stood at $4.514 billion, compared to $4.309 billion in 2013, a growth of 4.8%. Net rough diamond imports totaled $4.022 billion, compared to $3.990 billion in 2013, an increase of 0.8%.
The United States continued to be Israel’s major market for polished diamonds, accounting for 38% of the market. Hong Kong was the next largest market with 29.74% of exports; Belgium accounted for 8.5%; Switzerland, 6.47%; and England accounted for 3.74%.
Moti Ganz, chairman of the Israel Diamond Institute Group of Companies (IDI) said the figures mainly reflected the serious challenges faced by the global diamond industry, including a credit crunch, high rough prices, and low profitability. Though additional security during Operation Protective Edge had an impact, he expressed confidence that the Israeli diamond industry would grow in 2015, with a robust U.S. market and renewed Asian growth driving demand for polished goods this year.