Jewelry from Your Favorite Idol

December 10, 2008

Paula Abdul may send American Idol contestants home without a record deal, but she doesn't let them go home empty-handed. The former pop star has been designing jewelry since her debut on the show in 2002, and she graciously likes to give her baubles to departing wannabes as glittering parting gifts.

"I wanted something the kids could touch and feel to remind themselves that their talent got them here," Abdul told reporters.

And now the former pop star's jewelry creations are being offered to all of her fans as part of the new HSN Forever Your Girl line, which makes its debut Saturday. The collection also includes handbags and other accessories, with a price range of $29 to $200.

Among her newest pieces are dangling heirloom earrings and a beaded leather cuff bracelet that will go to the female participants in the new season. She inscribed it with the words "reach for the stars."

Abdul says she's looking forward to welcoming her old friend and new judge Kara DioGuardi when the top-rated Fox show returns Jan. 13. "Hopefully she'll give Simon hell," Abdul says.

The singer-dancer-choreographer's other plans for 2009 include her first album of new material in over a decade and a new reality TV special for MTV called "Rah! Paula Abdul's Cheerleading Bowl."

Star jewelry makes anyone a singing sensation, and Jewelry.com has a glittering array for the Idol contestant in all of us. Who cares if your stage is the living room, your band is the karaoke machine and your audience is the dog?

Bring out the star power this holiday season!

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Paris Bandits Seize Millions from Harry Winston

December 5, 2008

Diamonds and gems valued at $108 million were seized yesterday in a shocking robbery of the Parisian branch of high-end jeweler, Harry Winston. The bandits were said to know the names of several employees and the location of secret jewelry storage units.

According to Bloomberg news, four armed men entered the store on Avenue Montaigne near the Champs-Elysees shortly before their closing time. They took nearly everything on display and forced staff to hand off diamonds stashed away in the back. No one was injured and no shots were fired.

This heist comes on the heels of a similar raid on the very same branch over a year ago, where thieves escaped with more than $25 million in glittering gems. Coincidence? Or is this the same outfit back for another grab?

"We are clearly dealing with well-organized, ruthless criminals," Winston spokeswoman, Isabelle Montagne, said yesterday.

Parisian TV crews and curious passersby littered the road outside the store and marveled at the millions lost.

"How on earth are they going to fence all that," asked Richard Conacher, a 39-year-old pub worker from Melbourne.

The largest-ever jewelry heist took place in February 2003, when thieves took diamonds valued at 100 million euros from vaults at Antwerp's diamond exchange, according to Agence France- Presse.

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Real Housewives of Atlanta Take a Bow

November 19, 2008

It’s finally over. The Real Housewives of Atlanta took Bravo by storm this fall, and last night the ladies of leisure put an end to the bickering, blubbering and backstabbing in the season’s finale.

For those of you who have managed to avoid the Housewives phenomenon, the Bravo series follows a group of wealthy wives in various ‘gated communities’ throughout this fine land of ours. We’ve been to sunny Orange County, sophisticated New York and now the wilds of Atlanta.

The southern belles this season filled their days planning parties, hiring assistants, and dropping cash like it grows on trees. And when the ladies didn’t have anything better to do? One housewife started a clothing line (even though she knows nothing about design – or clothes) and another attempted to jumpstart a fledgling country-singing career (even though she is completely and tragically tone deaf).

It’s riveting television.

One housewife in particular, Lisa Wu Hartwell, does seem to have her act together. The busy mother of three is a successful real estate agent, has a children’s clothing line, Hart 2 Hart Baby, and a high-end jewelry line, Wu Girls. Not too shabby.

The Wu Girl look features colored gemstones in chunky designs with both 14 and 18 karat gold. Retailing from $1200 on up, the pretty pieces can set you back a few if you don’t have a sugar daddy around to pitch in.

If you want to channel your inner Housewife without breaking the bank, Jewelry.com has the same looks here for less:

Rings

Necklace

Bangle

And if you thought you could get a reprieve from gawking at how the ‘other half’ lives, think again. The Housewives of Atlanta reunion special airs next week (with a surprise showdown between Lisa Wu and another housewife), and the Orange County ladies return on November 25th. Just in time for the holidays.

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Rolling Stone Names Top 100 Singers

Sure to send music fans in a frenzy, Rolling Stone has announced their list of the top 100 singers of all time. And in a stroke of genius, the magazine enlisted the help of today’s top artists to write about and rank their favorite songbirds. Mary J. Blige covers #1 entry, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel sings the praises of Ray Charles (#2) and Lenny Kravitz gushes about the Mick Jagger swagger (#16), to name a few.

Of course where there is a list, there is controversy. How can Christina Aguilera make the cut but not Beyonce? Bob Dylan is number 7? And how on earth can the iconic jazz chanteuse, Nina Simone, get a nod but not Ella Fitzgerald, Edith Piaf or Billie Holiday? And perhaps their biggest oversight? Barry Manilow is nowhere to be found!

But despite your personal singing persuasions, Jewelry.com wants to add a little bling to your sing by creating a special jewelry selection to compliment some of the ladies on the list.

Add a little sparkle to your inner songbird!

Feelin’ a little bit country? Bonnie Raitt (#50) and the always-perky Dolly Parton (#73) would tip their cowboy hats to this little diamond and gold gem.

Aretha Franklin’s gold hoop earrings were an iconic presence during her early days. Pay ‘respect’ to the list’s top dog with a glittering pair of your own.

When you see butterfly jewelry, who else do you think of but the list’s leading lady, Mariah Carey (#79)?

Tina Turner’s big wheels keep on turning with a spot at #17 on the list. Big hair and big earrings are the only way to pay homage to this icon.

Christina Aguilera (#58) has come a long way from Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club. Get a cocktail ring similar to the glamorous gem she wears here for a fraction of the price.

Whether you are a die-hard Whitney Houston fan or a Janis Joplin rock-n-roller, this classic diamond note pendant will tell the world you write the songs that make the whole world sing.

For a complete look at Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, click here!

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$1.27 Million Diamond Jeans

Jewelry.com, 04/30/2008

Recession? What recession? Rumors abound that the economy is heading down, down, down and consumer confidence is danger of flat-lining. Obviously the analysts and the doomsday sayers have not been thorough in their research. I mean, if people are buying jeans for over $1.2 million, things can’t be that bad – can they?

During London Fashion Week, Secret Circus Clothing Company unveiled a $1.27 million pair of jeans and, by the close of the last show, announced the first pair of diamond-encrusted jeans had been sold.

The jeans are hand-made (obviously) and the back-pocket is embellished with 15 diamonds that include some rather large rocks: a 4.63 marquise diamond, 2 round brilliant six-carater diamonds, one 5.09 carat princess cut gem and a pear-cut diamond weighing in at 5.37 carats. Not forgetting of course 10 single carat diamonds.

Irma Matulionyte modeled them at the label’s launch at London Fashion Week in February, and since then, the brand has stirred up quite a buzz. The owner of the million-buck denims didn’t want to be named, but the company did state the jeans will fit a 27 inch waist. Practicality is, of course, another important consideration when buying jeans with diamonds. Before shoving them in the wash, let’s hope the laundry remembers to use the clasp that will remove the diamonds.

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jewelry news

JEWELRY NEWS

Is It Or Isn’t It?
The World’s Largest Diamond

Unconfirmed reports are in from South Africa regarding the discovery of what may be the world’s largest diamond.

According to Brett Jolly, a shareholder in the small South African mining company that found the diamond, the stone is around 7,000 carats, twice the size of the world’s largest diamond - the Cullinan Diamond.

In 2000 police foiled a plan to steal the 203-ct. flawless pear-shaped Millennium Star diamond and 11 other rare blue diamonds, including the 27.64-ct. blue Heart of Eternity diamond from London’s Millennium Diamond. In a scene right out of the James Bond movie "The World is Not Enough," the robbers planned to make their getaway via a speedboat on the nearby Thames River. But police, acting on a tip given several weeks ago, had prepared for the theft and had officers stationed around the Millennium Dome dressed as members of the cleaning staff carrying weapons in their refuse bags. Some 100 officers lay in wait as a gang attempted to use a mechanical digger to steal the gems valued at £350 million. The robbers only managed to damage the glass display case, however, the police, had swapped the jewels for worthless copies

The Cullinan, the centerpiece of the British crown jewels, was discovered near Pretoria in 1905 and weighs about 3,000 carats. The unpolished Cullinan, also known as the Star of Africa, was 3,107 carats when De Beers found it in 1905. The cut stone now resides in the Tower of London, set in the sceptre of King Edward VII.

But industry experts are skeptical about the unconfirmed claim. In a photograph emailed to the BBC, the 'stone' appears to be about the size of a coconut, and has a greenish tinge.

But a spokesman for De Beers, the world's biggest diamond mining company, said the north-west province was not known for producing gems and greenish stones were even rarer.

Ernie Blom, chairman of the South African Diamond Council and president of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses, said from what he could see in the photograph the gem did have the characteristics of a diamond in terms of shape and color.

'It would be an extremely rare find. It would almost be like finding another Rembrandt,' he said. He said the stone would have to be certified by an expert.

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Scotland Yard Foils Heist of 203 Carat Diamond

In commemoration of the spectacular "would-be" diamond heist on London's Millennium Dome, the Diamond Trade Commission (DTC) this week presented the capital's police department with a replica of the stunning 'Millennium Star'.

The Millennium Star, one of the finest diamonds in the world, was on display as part of the De Beers collection of diamonds at the Millennium Dome when it became the target of a gang of thieves. The Star, widely regarded as the purest and most beautiful of diamonds in the world was the chief attraction of the collection, and the centerpiece of the Dome's opening night when a laser was shone through it, throwing shafts of light around the entire Dome. It is a D-color, internally and externally flawless pear-shaped stone of 203.04 carats.

The diamonds were housed in the Dome's high-security Diamond Experience when a gang of five wannabe diamond thieves attempted to bulldoze their way into the Dome. The set of 12 diamonds in the collection were insured to the value of 150M Pounds.

The thieves bulldozed their way into the Thames-side tourist attraction shortly after the Dome opened that morning and attempted to gain access to the armored-glass display case using sledgehammers and a nail gun. Other gang members threw smoke grenades towards tourists and staff, while another stayed outside in the 'dozer. A boat, skippered by the final member of the gang was waiting to take them across the Thames to a getaway van parked by a creek on the other side.

Unfortunately for them, authorities had already received word of the planned heist and were lying in wait for the thieves. The Star itself and the collection of 11 rare blue diamonds surrounding it had already been substituted with replicas an added security measure.

The real Millennium Star was crafted from one of the biggest rough diamonds ever mined. The 777-carat stone was discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1990 and was later fashioned into the 203-carat gem that was on display in the Millennium Dome.

The replica of the famed diamond awarded to the police for their ingenuity in capturing the bandits, will be permanently on display in New Scotland Yard's Crime Museum. "The replica Millennium Star will act as a lasting reminder of one of our most successful operations," Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens said at the presentation ceremony last Thursday.

FYI:

The Guinness Book of Records says the world's biggest jewelry robbery took place in August 1994, when three thieves burst into the most famous Carlton Hotel in Cannes. Firing machine guns, they robbed the Carlton's jewelry store just as it was being closed. They made off with £30m in jewels. It was later discovered that the rounds they had been firing were in fact blanks. If the Millennium Dome diamond robbery had been a success and the Millennium Star taken, it would have dwarfed this theft.

Although priceless, the crown jewels at the Tower of London have only once attracted the efforts of thieves. In 1671, one Colonel Blood gained entry to the Tower, dressed in the robes of a priest. Along with two accomplices, he overpowered the guards and exited with the crown, orb and sceptre. The plan fell apart with the getaway. The Colonel only made it to the East Gate of the Tower. Fortunately for him, in days not renowned for the lenient treatment of criminals, Blood was pardoned by Charles II.

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In Search Of Sunken Treasure

Who among us hasn't dreamed at one time of finding sunken treasure? Who hasn't thrilled to the prospect of recovering antique gold and silver coins, jewel-encrusted goblets and other priceless artifacts that may have been lost on the ocean floor for hundreds of years?

Treasure hunting is one activity that promises mystery, adventure, romance, danger and exotic locales. It has also been the basis of many a novel, film, and childhood fantasy. Jewelry lovers especially seem to be enthralled by undersea treasure, judging from the brisk sales of authentic coins and jewelry salvaged from actual shipwrecks, as well as the healthy demand for replica coins and coin jewelry pieces. Case in point: thanks to the tremendous buzz surrounding the movie blockbuster Titanic, crystal replicas of the stunning "Heart of the Ocean" blue diamond necklace featured in the film were hot items.

Here are some famous shipwrecks that yielded vast fortunes in coins, jewels and other treasures:

Atocha -- This Spanish galleon (full name: Nuestra Senora de Atocha -- Our lady of Atocha) was lost during a hurricane in the Florida Keys in 1622. The ship was laden with 47 troy tons of treasure. The wreck site was discovered by noted salvager Mel Fisher in 1985. Since its discovery, the site has yielded an estimated $500 million in treasure. It has been called the richest sunken treasure ship ever found. Many collectible reproductions of coins and jewelry found from the Atocha -- including those struck from actual Atocha silver -- are available to collectors.

Conception -- In 1641, the Nuestra Senora de la Pur Y Limpia Conception (Our lady of the Immaculate Conception), a large Spanish treasure galleon laden with Mexican gold and silver, sunk off the coast of Puerto Rico after being damaged by a severe storm. An English salvage crew recovered about 60,000 pounds of silver from the wreckage site in 1687, but left much of the treasure on the sea floor. After 10 years of searching, Burt D. Webber Jr. rediscovered the wreck in 1978 and found a huge hoard of coins, marking the Conception as one of the greatest finds in history.

Fleet of 1715 -- In 1715, a hurricane off the east coast of Florida sunk 11 of 12 Spanish treasure ships. The vessels were laden with millions of gold and silver coins, ingots, jewelry and other treasures. Salvager Kip Wagner found several of the wrecks in the 1960s and ultimately recovered a priceless treasure trove of jewels, silverware and gold and silver ingots -- as well as more than 10,000 gold coins and more than 100,000 silver coins.

Whydah -- In 1717, this pirate ship under the command of Captain "Black Sam" Bellamy ran aground in a violent storm and was lost in the shifting sands of Marconi Beach on Cape Cod. The ship had been carrying priceless booty taken from more than 50 ships. In 1984, a team led by underwater explorer Barry Clifford located this fabled wreck and has since recovered thousands of gold and silver Spanish coins called "pieces of eight" and numerous other priceless artifacts.

Capitana -- This Spanish galleon (full name: El Capitana el Rubi Segundo) was part of a treasure fleet that sunk along the Florida Keys in the hurricane of 1733. Some 18 ships in the armada were lost. The Capitana had an estimated $6 million in precious metals on board; altogether, the fleet was carrying a combined $12 million (most of which was recovered by Spanish salvagers right after the wrecks). Famed salvager Art McKee salvaged the Capitana and several other ships in the fleet in the 1940s. McKee recovered thousands of artifacts from the wreckage and opened a treasure museum in Plantation Key, Fla., to display the collection.

Central America -- In 1857, a side-wheel steamer on its way from Panama to New York sank off the coast of Cuba following a severe storm. What made the Central America notable was that it was carrying nearly 600 passengers returning from the Gold Rush and some 21 tons of California gold then valued at $13 million. In 1987, the wreckage site was located by treasure hunter Tommy Thompson, who has since used high-tech equipment to help locate and recover thousands of gold coins, tons of gold bullion and other artifacts that rest thousands of feet below the surface.

HMS Edinburgh -- This British Destroyer was torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1942. It was abandoned and sunk by the British Navy to keep its precious cargo out of the hands of the enemy: five tons of Russian gold bullion that had been en route to the United States as payment for military supplies. The wreck, located more than 800 feet down in the icy waters near the Arctic Circle, was beyond the range of divers and forgotten about for some 40 years. However, the Edinburgh was finally salvaged in the 1980s by author Ric Wharton, who used deep diving technology developed for the North Sea oil industry to recover gold bars worth approximately $70 million. Wharton's salvage effort was the deepest ever carried out by divers.

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No Buyers For 179-Carat "Vulcan" Diamond

The largest single-crystal diamond ever to go on sale -- the 179 carat 'Vulcan' failed to find a buyer even at its opening price of 400,000 euros (dollars). The egg sized gem, weighing over 380 carats in its rough form, was expected to go under the auctioneer's hammer for well in excess of US$1 million, but the ten or so potential buyers attending the auction in Saint-Amand-Montrond, central France decided to forgo bidding on the stone.

The auctioneers blamed volatile global economic markets for the lack of interest in the rare gem. Skilled craftsman worked on the stone for some 15 years, cutting and polishing the black, pear-shaped diamond, which is now mounted on a platinum and white gold brooch.

The Vulcan is now headed home to its owner, where it is likely to remain for another decade or so.

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Diva Las Vegas -- WJA Diva Awards June 19

JUNE 19, 2002 - LAS VEGAS -- Entrants in the Women's Jewelry Association DIVA Awards managed to inject character and creativity into the competition's "Expressions of America" design theme.

At the ceremony held during the recent JCK Las Vegas Show, the winners of this year's contest were announced and their jewelry renderings were displayed.

First place and $2,500 was awarded to Shinka Kimura for her "Constitution" bracelet, created in homage to the historical document.

Keiko Mita received the second place award and $1,000 prize for her "Light of the World Trade Center" brooch designed to be manufactured in platinum and 18-karat gold and feature indicolite, ruby, sapphire and diamond.

Third place and $250 went to Naoyo Terada's "Stars in Melting Pot" necklace of 18-karat yellow and white gold and diamonds. According to Terada, "Even though each star (American) seems to have its own strong characteristic, the diversity of America's culture is what makes America a unique, great and strong nation."

Competition Chairperson, Vivianne DelSignore, felt the judging process was difficult due to the entries' high level of craftmenship. "Our judges had an especially challenging time this year because so many entries were such creative and fabulous interpretations of the theme, Expressions of America," DesSignore said.

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House of Blues

Blue gemstones are red hot this year, thanks to their beauty, versatility, mystique, abundant supply and relatively affordable prices. From aquamarine to tanzanite to sapphire to blue topaz (and many more), blue gemstone lovers have a variety of gems to pick from -- each with its own special properties.

It's really no surprise that we're so enamored with blue stones. We have a deep familiarity with the color, which symbolizes the heavens and the oceans. Blue is also said to be soothing to the soul -- the ancients believed that blue gemstones could calm upset emotions, allow the wearer to have a peaceful, restful sleep, purify the body and mind, and reduce pain and stop bleeding. The color blue also represents loyalty to ones country and is thought to promote peace, understanding, good will and friendship.

Another plus for blue -- it's a year-round color that blends perfectly with spring and summer lights and pastels, spices up fall earth tones and brightens winter darks. In terms of jewelry, blue gemstones look fabulous with diamond accents and work equally well set in yellow or white metal. It also is a color that's flattering to most skin tones.

The "big four" blue gemstones are aquamarine, blue topaz, sapphire and tanzanite. Here is a quick rundown of each stone and the qualities that make it a good choice for your next jewelry purchase:

• Aquamarine - This gem is the birthstone for March, as well as the recommended gem for couples celebrating their 19th wedding anniversary. It comes in a range of blue shades, from pale pastel to greenish-blue to deep blue. The stone derives its name from the Latin term for seawater, and was prized by sailors who believed it would protect them while they were at sea. Aquamarine is the symbol for youth, hope, health and fidelity. The finest aquamarine displays a deep, pure blue, with no green tints. It ranks an 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness (out of 10), which means it is very durable and suitable for everyday wear. The stone is less prone to inclusions (internal flaws) than many other gems; therefore, it won't scratch or chip easily. Aquamarine is commonly heat-treated to permanently remove green overtones.
  
  
• Blue Topaz - Although topaz comes in a rainbow of shades ranging from red to pink to orange to yellow to brown to green, it is particularly prized in blue for its clarity, durability and availability. However, topaz is rarely found in blue shades in nature. The vibrant blue shade of the gem we have come to love is typically created through a combination of heat treatment and irradiation. Blue topaz is often viewed as a less costly alternative to aquamarine and is the recommended jewelry gift for couples celebrating their fourth anniversary. Topaz is thought to have the widest range of curative powers of any gemstone -- from improving eyesight to increasing strength to making the wearer invisible to curing insomnia and other ailments, as well as many other properties. With its 8 ranking on the Mohs scale of hardness, it is a very durable gem.
  
  
• Sapphire - Often thought of as the "ultimate" blue gemstone, sapphire has long symbolized truth, sincerity and faithfulness. Throughout history, this regal stone has been the gem of choice for kings and queens and is considered one of the "big four" precious stones (along with diamond, ruby and emerald). The birthstone for September, sapphire is also the recommended gem for couples celebrating their fifth and 45th wedding anniversaries. Although it is mined in many areas of the world, sapphires from Kashmir and Myanmar are particularly prized because of their vivid blue, velvety look. In addition to having an incomparable deep blue color, the most valuable sapphires are "eye clean," with little or no visible flaws. The gem has a ranking of 9 on the Mohs scale, making it one of the hardest known substances on earth (second only to a diamond). Most of today's sapphires are heat treated to maximize their color and clarity. Prices for premium stones can reach the stratosphere -- but for a less costly alternative, consider a lab created sapphire (such as pictured here). Since these stones are developed in a laboratory under ideal conditions, they often have color and clarity to rival the finest natural sapphires -- and they are available at a fraction of the cost.
  
  
• Tanzanite - This rare, exotic gem is currently mined in only one location: the Merelani Hills of Tanzania in East Africa. Tanzanite is considered a new gem, since it was first "discovered" by the Western World in the 1960s. However, it has already made quite a mark on the jewelry industry, thanks to its rich blue and purple shades. In fact, tanzanite has fast become one of the most exciting, popular colored gemstones. With a 6.5 ranking on the Mohs scale of hardness, tanzanite is comparable in durability to an emerald; however, care should be taken to avoid impacts, high temperatures or other extreme conditions that could damage the stone. It is the recommended gem for couples celebrating their 24th wedding anniversary. Tanzanite has been in the news since last fall, due to the stone's alleged links to terrorism. However, Tanzanian officials and major gemstone associations have called the allegations unfounded, and earlier this year gave the stone a clean bill of health.

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