Jewellery's web blog

CHIQUITA MCKENZIE, an aspiring mortician who finished first in the Miss Big Beautiful Woman Pageant two years ago, is coming back, this time with an arsenal of new tricks in her wardrobe, which she doesn’t mind letting you know includes sizes 18 and 20.

She’s a big girl and proud of it. At 5 feet 7,Bead bracelet, the 37-year-old weighs a hefty 250 pounds,

Pak Fahru, 65 but wizened and hunched like a man of 100, smiles a gap-toothed smile.

He’s sweating and exhausted – his wife has a steadying hand on his back, as if he might keel over at any moment – but excited too.

"I really love SBY,Bead bracelet," he says.

Pak Fahru lives in a kampung – a slum –

An Ayden man surrendered to the Kinston Department of Public Safety early Tuesday morning for allegations he held his girlfriend against her will in her car and stole the vehicle when she broke free.

Julius Moncree Williams, 29, 4133 Park Ave., faces charges of aggravated assault, kidnapping and motor vehicle theft for the domestic dispute Monday evening.

Woody Spencer, a spokesman for KDPS,

With Wall Street in freefall and fear of a worldwide economic collapse spreading rapidly in 2008, there was no lack of pundits predicting the impending implosion of the jewelry industry. However, even though jewelers–like most retailers focused on luxury items and discretionary purchases–have endured their share of pain since then, most have managed to keep their doors open. A big factor behind that resilience has been the industry’s success in launching gold-buying programs, Buxbaum Jewelry Advisors executive vice I Love You drop pendant Stevan Buxbaum writes in a May 2010 article on jewelry industry news site Diamonds.net.

To be sure, jewelers are still struggling, notes Buxbaum, a 20-year veteran of directing consumer product appraisals and liquidations for asset-based lenders. While operational tweaks such as inventory adjustments and cost-control initiatives have allowed many jewelers to stay afloat, his article proposes that one of the biggest reasons can be summed up in three words: “We buy gold.”

Skyrocketing gold prices and growing numbers of consumers clamoring for instant liquidity combined to form a “perfect storm” for jewelers astute enough to spot the opportunity and capitalize on it–and many have. The strategy has been “extremely profitable for retail jewelers,” Buxbaum writes. “The smelters are running hotter than ever, so jewelers have no trouble reselling these pieces. In some cases, they are even able to do ‘gold-for-store-credit’ deals–a win-win if ever there were one.”

How big a role has the retail jewelry industry’s embracement of gold-buying played in its ability to ride out the recession? The Agoura Hills-based Buxbaum Jewelry Advisors had anticipated a tremendous number of store closings in 2009, the article reports. Instead, the firm spent most of last year helping I Love You Lock charm necklace turn their retail operations around. About three-quarters of its engagements ended up being promotional sales designed to drive business to existing stores rather than true going-out-of-business sales, with many clients “benefiting from the irrationally high price for gold,” Buxbaum writes.

With cash-for-gold ads popping up everywhere from strip mall storefronts to the windows of mall-based jewelers to cable TV stations–not to mention banner ads streaming across thousands of Web pages–competition for this new profit-enhancing business has been intense. “Fortunately, well-established jewelers have several advantages when it comes to capitalizing on this trend,” Buxbaum emphasizes. “Smart sellers know that the design and craftsmanship of a piece can greatly affect its value. Before they commit grandma’s heirloom ring to the melting pot, they will want to talk to a trustworthy jeweler–someone who can make an informed assessment about whether the piece is worth more than its weight in gold.”

Emphasizing their trustworthiness and community standing in gold-buying ads is a smart strategy for jewelers, Buxbaum advises, especially since the high price of gold has been attracting some shady operators. While “caveat emptor” always applies, and both buyers and sellers have legitimate incentives to strike the Link necklace deal they can, jewelers can still steer business their way by emphasizing their expertise, their willingness to educate sellers and the transparency of their transactions.

Of course, gold-buying is not an end unto itself for jewelers. Theirs is a business of creativity, and an astute gold-buying strategy can help support those activities. The jewelry business is about giving customers “stylish pieces at the right price, offering great customer service and mounting smart and effective marketing campaigns,” Buxbaum writes. He adds, however, that as one of many sectors now struggling to make it through a challenging economy, jewelers “must seize any competitive edge,” and gold-buying’s high profitability “clearly is one such point of leverage.”

In addition to the above-mentioned article, Buxbaum also was interviewed in a Rapaport News broadcast segment on Diamonds.net. Besides discussing how gold-buying was helping U.S. jewelers weather the Great Recession, he spoke about the state of the wholesale market, jewelry consumers’ changing buying habits and Buxbaum Jewelry Advisors’ efforts to help regional jewelers such as Colorado designer and storeowner John Atencio boost sales and margins. With the core patrons of Atencio’s five-store chain shifting their focus to lower-Love Knot bangle items, BJA helped him craft a strategy to introduce more-affordable pieces that would appeal to a wider customer base and to develop a new marketing campaign. To view the broadcast, visit: http://www.diamonds.net/news/NewsItem.aspx?ArticleID=30837 Keywords: Gold, Transition Elements, Buxbaum Jewelry Advisors.

The 7th annual Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition, one of the Elsa Peretti Teardrop ring leading events of its kind, was inaugurated today at the Doha Exhibitions Center in Qatar by His Excellency Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Ahmed Al Nuaimi, Chairman of Qatar Tourism Authority accompanied the Prime Minister. The six-day international exhibition, organized by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), will continue through 21 February 2010, and will showcase some of the world’s finest jewellery and watches collections.

Mr. Al Nuaimi welcomed Doha residents and visitors to the event during the opening ceremony saying, “I am delighted to present the largest edition of our annual Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition to date. We are proud to organize such a prestigious regional event in Doha, and we are honored by the overwhelming turnout at today’s exhibition opening. The high quality profile of the exhibitors continues to attract interested and enthusiastic consumers from around the region, which has helped to make this show one of the most successful in the Gulf.”

This year’s event features over 250 international brands of fine jewellery and luxury watches. In addition to an impressive list of returning exhibitors, the 7th annual exhibition is hosting for the first time more than thirty new participants representing some of the world’s leading names in the industry, including Engine-turned money clip, Vacherin Constantin, Salvatore Ferragamo and Fendi.

Commenting on the importance of the event for jewellery and watch exhibitors, HE Sheikh Nawaf bin Nasser Al Thani of Amiri Gems said: “We are keen to participate in the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition as it is an important economic event for our country. This show has become a highly anticipated annual event and contributes to putting the State of Qatar on the map internationally as a prime destination for exhibitions and specialized conferences.”

This year’s show promises to please. There will be a wide range of beautiful pieces on display – from the affordable to the ultra-expensive. Mr. Abdul Rahman Al-Muftah of Al Muftah Jewellery said: “We are very excited to be part of this exhibition and to have the opportunity to showcase our finest pieces. We invite everyone who wishes to buy high-end watches and jewellery to come visit this year’s Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition as it provides the opportunity to see the latest collections from world’s leading luxury brands.”

The timing of the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition is significant, as it falls Flower charm bracelet the two most important jewellery and watches exhibitions in Switzerland: the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva and Baselworld in Basel. As such, the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition has become part of the preview series for the season’s latest collections and many exhibitors will use the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition as a platform to unveil their new collections for the first time. Mr. Ahmed Al-Majed of Al Majid Jewellery said: “We have set aside for the 2010 Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition a rare collection of watches and jewellery – limited edition – which usually people would have to wait for years to see.”

Last year’s show attracted over 50,000 visitors with many of the visitors coming from around the region including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. With the return of the industry’s finest retailers and manufacturers showcasing their exquisite pieces along with the increase in the number of exhibitors for 2010, this year’s show is expected to see nearly 60,000 visitors.

Qatar National Bank (QNB) is the Gold sponsor of the event and Commercial Bank and Qatar Frank Gehry Fish pendant are Silver sponsors.

Saudi Arabia has Italian jeweler, Pomellato, to add to its Return to Tiffany Heart tag choker number of high-end luxury brands that are opening their doors in our nation of fashionistas and shopping addicts.

For those of you unfamiliar with the brand, think the European counterpart to Tiffany & Co., only with less silver and more color and gold. A welcomed addition, Pomellato is elevating bold pieces that are usually reserved to costume jewelers, into the heights of authentic, designer jewelry.

Established in 1967, the brand specializes in jewelry and watches. It has boutiques all over the globe and now, thanks to Amjad Al Dar Company, Jeddah boasts of its own.

The renowned jewelry company recently held an exclusive event on May 16 at its Return to Tiffany Heart tag necklace boutique located on the second floor of Star’s Avenue Mall. VIP customers were invited to this elite affair, which was complete with a red carpet and a classical violinist to set the mood.

Women were encouraged to decorate themselves with the latest in European jewelry design, as staff circled the boutique, holding up trays of beautiful cocktail rings and alluring chain necklaces of gems. The catered event allowed for the mingling of some of societies’ most prominent women to indulge their inner divas.

The lush boutique, which more resembles a chic lounge, provided the perfect atmosphere, while the unique jewelry provided the perfect accessories.

The classical Italian Capri collection presented two new gemstones: a translucent Return to Tiffany Heart tag ring blue chalcedony and a romantic dusty pink rose quartz. A delicate rose-gold chain highlights the feminine and spring aesthetic of the gemstones. Additionally, and to the excitement of ladies all over world, the Capri collection also marks the introduction of chandelier earrings to Pomellato’s coveted collection. The earrings are bouquets of floral gems, with each stone cut to resemble a flower petal. This collection is perfect for the ultra-fem girl of refined taste.

Also newly launched at the event, was the Bahia collection, which is made for the trendsetter who is unafraid to take risks and likes to wear her fashion both loudly and boldly. The new collection comprises of daring and colorful cocktail rings and earrings. Available in a variety of color combinations, the collection can be worn all season-round. The stones are individually multi-faceted, therefore, retaining their naturally irregular shapes and sizes. This gives Bahia an organic aesthetic that leads to its feel of effortless chic. The rings come in either a bold cluster of three with little accents of bright gems, or can be purchased in the minimalistic version of a single stone. These simple rings are a perfect example of understated luxury; whereas a few of them stacked upon each other create a customized statement ring that all will surely envy.

Whether you simply want to indulge, or are searching for the perfect Return to Tiffany mini heart tags bracelet gift, Pomellato is the place to start.

Kennewick We all consider our dogs stars, but does yours Tiffany 1837 ringwhat it takes to be the next Ameri-Canine Idol?

Find out Saturday — the second show for dogs and their owners in Columbia Park in Kennewick.

The event — a series of runs, fashion parades and fun contests — was the brainchild of Katie Stanford, a former Kennewick recreation coordinator.

“I helped Katie with last years’, not knowing I would be taking it over this year,” said Greg Sambrano, city recreation coordinator. “It was a fun event for the dogs, the owners and the people who just came to watch. It was well attended and I hope it doubles in size this year.”

Ameri-Canine Idol is organized by Sambrano and other recreation Tiffany 1837 tag pendantand funded by Kennewick with help from Meadow Hills Veterinary Center and McCurley auto dealerships and U.S. Cellular.

Registration forms are available at pet stores, veterinary offices, the Kennewick Recreation office at 210 W. Sixth Ave., and online at www.americanineidol.com, click on “Mail In Registration Form.”

Dog handlers must be 16 or older, or be accompanied by an adult. Entries are open to anyone, not just Kennewick residents.

Cost is $5 per dog for one event; $10 per dog for unlimited events. Tiffany Beads necklacefor spectators and dog handlers is free.

“It’s best to take your most mellow dog. When they all get together, there can be some problems,” Sambrano said.

All dogs must have up-to-date vaccinations and be kept on a leash unless directed otherwise by officials.

The day begins at 9 a.m. with sign-ups for the various events followed by a one mile fun run/walk.

Then the fun begins with a series of dog races.

“Just the dogs run,” Sambrano said. “You need two people, one to hold the dog at the start line and another at the finish line to call the dog to them.”

There also will be games including a peanut butter lick, Frisbee contest Tiffany Blue heart lock charm and bracelethow many tricks can the dog do in 30 seconds. There also are two contests for well-dressed dogs and one for dog owner look-alikes.

Have a hairy dog? Be sure to enter the shedding contest.

“Each owner gets a comb and three swipes to gather as much loose hair as possible,” Sambrano said.

Prizes and doggy gift bags will be various dog-related merchandise donated by merchants.

Between games, visit various vendors offering services, merchandise and information on dog care.

For more information on Ameri-Canine Idol, go to www.americanineidol.com or call 585-4293.

– Loretto J. Hulse: 582-1513; lhulse@tricityherald.com

As usual, postgame fireworks will be a very important part of the Madison Mallards’ Tiffany Somerset cuff schedule this season.

But there likely won’t be as many fireworks during games, which is just fine with manager C.J. Thieleke.

For the record, Thieleke isn’t anti-home run. He’d just rather field a team that doesn’t have to rely on power to score runs, as was the case last season for the Mallards.

That’s why this year’s team, which opens the season tonight at Warner Park against the Wisconsin Woodchucks, will have a different look than the 2009 version.

“It’s fun to hit home runs, it’s fun to see,” said Thieleke, set to begin his sixth season leading the Mallards. “But offensively, we were streaky last season. It was exciting to see the kids hit when things were going good. But when things weren’t good, we weren’t very good at all.

“I tried to put a little more emphasis on guys that can handle the bat and can run a little bit. Hopefully, that will keep us from being reliant on a three-run home run.”

The Mallards finished 38-29 and missed the playoffs in 2009 despite a record-breaking power display.

The team hit 52 home runs, shattering the previous franchise mark of 24. The Mallards Tiffany Somerset heart ring set team records in batting average (.269), hits (614), doubles (123) and slugging percentage (.397).

For those fans who dig the long ball, don’t worry. The Mallards’ biggest power source from last season, first baseman-designated hitter Harold Riggins, will return to the Duck Pond for a second season.

Riggins led the Northwoods League with 48 RBIs last season and was second with a franchise-record nine home runs. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Riggins is hitting .348 with 12 homers and 44 RBIs as a sophomore at North Carolina State.

“He’s really been the talk of the ACC,” said Thieleke, who has seen Riggins and the Wolfpack play several times on television this season. “Every time they’re on, the announcers are gushing about him.”

Also returning for the Mallards is Sun Prairie native Kurtis Muller, who was named the team’s MVP last summer after finishing fourth in the Northwoods League with a .335 batting average. Muller, an outfielder at Iowa, led the Hawkeyes with a .379 batting average and 30 stolen bases this season. He set a Big Ten Conference tournament record last weekend with six stolen bases and was named second-team All-Big Ten.

Another player Thieleke is excited to see is outfielder Kyle Gaedele, who had seven homers, 63 Tiffany Somerset ring and hit .373 as a sophomore at Valparaiso this season.

“He’s a legitimate five-tool player,” Thieleke said. “I think he’s going to be exciting.”

The Mallards also have several interesting infielders, including Illinois’ Josh Parr, Portland’s Kris Kauppila and Virginia’s Stephen Bruno.

Meanwhile, Thieleke will have plenty of arms at his disposal. The team is carrying 17 pitchers on its 30-man roster after running into a numbers crunch last summer.

“It’s the most number of pitchers we’ve ever signed,” Thieleke said. “We got caught last year where we just ran out of arms. Hopefully, that won’t be the case this year.”

While there may not be any big names on the staff, Thieleke singled out Missouri State right-hander Grant Gordon as a pitcher to keep an eye on. Gordon was 4-2 with a 4.66 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 56 innings of work this season as a freshman.

Two other right-handers — Tyler Jones of Madison Area Technical College and Patrick Lala of Kirkwood Community College in Marion, Iowa — likely will hear their names called in major league baseball’s amateur draft next week, according to Thieleke.

As is the case most years, the Mallards won’t have their full complement of players for at Toggle bracelet a few weeks. Eight Division I programs that supply players to the team qualified for the NCAA tournament, which begins this weekend.

To fill out the roster, the Mallards have signed 10 players to temporary contracts. Included in that group is UW-Platteville junior Brett Benesh, a former Madison Edgewood standout.

“There won’t be many options on the bench for the first week or two,” Thieleke said, “but we’ll cross our fingers that we stay healthy that the group that does get here Opening Day can get us off to a good start.”

Even more important to Thieleke is a good finish. The Mallards haven’t missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since 2001 and ’02, the team’s first two years of existence.

“Last year leaves a sour taste in your mouth,” Thieleke said. “The expectation is to win a half or get yourself in position to do it.”

The girls soccer team joined their male counterparts as N.C. Independent Schools Tiffany Earrings Association 1-A champions with a 5-0 defeat of Shannon Forest Christian of Greenville, S.C., on Saturday night at Gillette Soccer Complex.

With 10 of their 21 players in 10th grade or younger, the Knights again rode the youth movement as eighth-grader McKenzie Blackwell had two goals and an assist, seventh-grader Katie Stokely had a goal and two assists and freshman Cameron Johnson tacked on the last two goals.

“I’m happy with ‘em,” said veteran head coach Ben Forbes. “They’ve earned everything they’ve got this year. They really have. … It’s been awhile and these young people have busted their butt to get where they’ve gotten.”

It was the sixth girls state championship for Greenfield — all under Forbes, who has directed the boys to 10 of their 11 state titles including the most recent one in October.

“It’s just one of those unusual years when the boys win it in the fall and the girls win it in the spring,” Forbes said.

In winning their first girls title since 2003, the No. 2-seeded Knights simply dominated in the postseason. Greenfield, which finished 15-3-2, outscored its foes 32-2 in the playoffs and 106-16 on the season.

But as one-sided as Saturday’s score might seem, the second 2010 meeting with the No. 5 Tiffany Necklaces (9-9-1) was far from that.

Greenfield, which beat Shannon Forest 4-0 in Wilson in March, survived two balls off the crossbar and a scoreless opening 30 minutes before a late first-half flurry of shots produced a 2-0 lead and some breathing room.

“At halftime, I said it ought to be 2-2 — at best,” Forbes said. “I said, ‘But you’re dealing with luck, I reckon.’”

Forbes noted that while Greenfield held a 25-11 shots advantage by game’s end, it was the most shots the Knights had yielded all season.

The Crusaders nearly converted a header off a corner kick in the 29th minute. The shot hit the bar and caromed downward where Knights goalkeeper Ashley Hughes snatched it for one of her 10 saves.

Seventy-two seconds later, Greenfield’s Baker Bedgood found Blackwell alone in the middle where she connected from nearly 18 yards out.

Suddenly, the Knights had all the momentum as they went into attack mode. Shannon Tiffany Rings tried to hang on as Stokely, Johnson, Blackwell, Kenan Barnes, Bedgood and Walker Finklea were constantly pushing the ball.

“We put a lot of pressure on them and won the middle of the field and if you win the midfield, more than likely, you’ll win the game,” Forbes said.

Greenfield missed an open-net opportunity around the seven-minute mark before cashing in again with 2:28 to play. Stokely, who had been relentless for most of the half, wrapped a short cross to Blackwell who volleyed it to the upper left corner of the net for a 2-0 lead.

“Katie’s really good about taking it to the end line and crossing it in and we just play off each other so welll,” Blackwell said. “I guess she knew I was going to be in the middle and I just hit it and it went in.”

Stokely found the net herself 12 minutes into the second half when she pounded a rebound that bounced off the hands of Crusaders goalkeeper Macarena Rojas. Stokely collected the rebound and put it back for a lead that didn’t seem quite as big as 3-0.

Shannon Forest had another shot, a high arching kick, hit the crossbar and Hughes made a Tiffany Money Clips reflexive save from point-blank range. Still, the Crusaders were unable to deliver the offensive pressure as Greenfield had.

Forbes credited, as he had done all season, the middle of his formation,including seventh-grade stopper Mary Love Taylor and senior sweeper Sarah Moore.

“It’s hard to come down the middle on us with Mary Love, Baker, McKenzie and Sarah,” he said.

Johnson, the Knights’ leading scorer who had five of their six goals in Friday’s semifinals win, finally got on track late Saturday. She made a solo run for a 4-0 lead with just under two minutes remaining and finished a pass from Blackwell in the final 30 seconds.

Despite Forbes’ warnings to not celebrate too early, the Knights could finally celebrate.

“Amazing! I don’t even know how to describe how I feel!” Moore said Tiffany CuffLinks the widest of smiles. “It’s the best feeling in the world.”

New Keys Collection Unlocks Personal Style and the Heritage of a Legendary Jeweller

Tiffany & Co., the distinguished and legendary American design house and style icon, presents announces a new jewellery collection that holds the key to personal style and reveals the premier jeweller’s renowned legacy.

The new Tiffany Keys Collection is inspired by keys from the Tiffany & Co. archives. The work of skilled gold and silversmiths – these exquisitely crafted vintage keys unlock jewellery and keepsake boxes, diaries and steamer trunks. Other keys were designed as gem-encrusted brooches and charms. Even though Tiffany’s quality needs no seal of approval, the company guarantees impeccable quality and timeless style, one of the basic tenets of the jewellery house.

Commenting on the collection, Pegah Goldooz, General Manager Tiffany & Co., UAE said, “Tiffany’s new collection is amazing and perfect for the gifting season. Gifts are truly one of the highest forms of gratitude and good taste. And giving one at the right time makes it all the more special. These magical talismans are reworked in the Tiffany Keys Collection of pendants and charms in 18 karat yellow or rose gold, platinum with diamonds or sterling silver. Oozing ethereal beauty, these accessories are flashpoints of glamour for the season and years to come.”

The collection includes an array of fanciful designs: medallion-shaped keys that promise access to wondrous places; romantic heart-shaped keys that might keep love letters private; poetic flower-topped keys that are graceful and feminine; and luxurious keys set with sparkling diamonds. Worn alone or layered, Tiffany Keys are innately chic, keepers of a mysterious message for the keyholder to know and the curious to imagine.

Giving away a Tiffany pendant to your near and dear ones can create sparkle in their eyes. It is one of the best ways to celebrate love and friendship. Just pick one of them from your nearest store to create that incandescent gift-giving moment ever. Discover the new Tiffany Keys collection now available at Tiffany & Co. boutiques in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. What is more, each gift comes wrapped in Tiffany’s famous blue box, symbol of life’s finest moments. 2009 Al Bawaba (http://www.albawaba.com/)