Fresh Gems: Newsflash
Help for Haiti
January 16, 2010
Ken & Dana Design has created a necklace to aid in the relief efforts for Haiti. Half of the proceeds for these fine silver necklaces will be donated to the Red Cross in order to get much-need food and medical supplies to the survivors. According to the designers, “This special piece was designed in the wake of the horrific earthquake in Haiti as a way for us to take part in the relief efforts. Living in New York is a daily reminder that we are all immigrants and in a sense we are all Haitians right now. For the text on this particular necklace we chose the identifier for the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. This Public Law (PUB.L.) abolished the national-origin quotas that had been in place in the United States since the Immigration Act of 1924.”
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Share Ring
December 20, 2009
Three Ventura jewelry stores have teamed up to send a united message of giving and volunteering with the Share Ring necklace. Fox Fine Jewelry, Nerces Fine Jewelry, and Lynn’s Jewelry Studio are offering circular sterling silver pendants inscribed with the words “Hope,” “Strength,” and “Unity.” One hundred percent of the proceeds for these symbolic necklaces are donated to the Points of Light Institute, a nonprofit organization that distributes over 50 million dollars annually to thousands of charities nationwide. The “Share Ring” necklace will also be given away to those without jobs this holiday season. “Our local jewelers are demonstrating that in spite of the bad economy, we can all help,” notes Debbie Fox, co-owner of Fox Fine Jewelry. “Buying, wearing, and giving the Share Ring reminds people to volunteer and donate, and gives hope to those who are out of work. We can pull ourselves out of this crisis by finding ways to give and help others.”
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No Dirty Gold
November 26, 2009
The No Dirty Gold campaign enlists the help of both retailers and consumers to reform harmful mining practices. The website lists the companies that have agreed to do business by its “Golden Rules”: sourcing an increasing percentage of their gold from mining companies that respect basic human rights and labor standards, responsibly dispose of waste, provide a financial guarantee for clean-up costs, and more. You can take the No Dirty Gold pledge, too, to let the industry know that consumer demand is growing for cleaner, “greener” gold. A growing number of designers are getting on the “green” gold bandwagon. Mauri Pioppo’s LiveGreen Collection is a great example—each piece is crafted from reclaimed metals, and fifteen percent of the proceeds are donated to the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
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It’s a World Record!
October 26, 2009
The spectacular Annenberg Diamond, a 32.01-carat flawless diamond, set a world record when it sold at Christie’s last Wednesday for an astounding $240,000 per carat—which translates to a jaw-dropping $7.7 million. The diamond was donated by billionaire philanthropist and passionate art collector Leonore Annenberg’s estate. According to the Associated Press, Ms. Annenberg purchased the diamond for her 90th birthday. Chairman of Christie’s Europe and international head of jewels Francois Curiel praised the diamond for combining the best of the 4Cs: “[The diamond has] top color, perfect clarity, ideal cut, and excellent weight. And if you add to this the impeccable provenance of the Annenberg name, you have one of the finest gems to appear on the market in many years.” As if that weren’t enough, the diamond is set into a ring that was designed by renowned Manhattan jeweler David Webb.
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Diamonds for a Cure
September 20, 2009
Jewelry designer and breast cancer survivor Neda Behnam has created a jewelry collection with a heartfelt message, inspired by the belief that “diamonds are precious…so is life.” Her first collection is designed especially to help raise funds for Stand Up to Cancer, an organization working to find a cure for various cancers through critical and innovative research. The Diamonds for a Cure collection includes creations drawn from vintage jewelry motifs, exquisitely detailed art deco pieces, and classically inspired designs. Each piece includes a Certificate of Authenticity and a personal message from the designer, and a percentage of sales goes directly to Stand up to Cancer.
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