Emmy Award actresses mad about drop earrings

Los Angeles--Mad Men may have snagged one of the top series nods at last night's 61st Primetime Emmy Awards, but the show's over-the-top, much-buzzed-about jewelry wardrobing seemed to have little influence on the styling choices of modern-day television actresses.

While characters on the 1960s drama flit about in matched earrings and necklace sets, a vast majority of the nominated or presenting attendees at last night's awards show followed a more subtle style dictum: wear diamond drop earrings and pair them with bracelets and/or a cocktail ring.

Witness even the accessories worn by Mad Men's leading actresses: Christina Hendricks in Fred Leighton fern pendant earrings with rose-cut diamonds and a cushion-cut black-diamond ring, and Elizabeth Moss in Chopard cushion-cut diamond earrings paired with two fancy-cut diamond bracelets and a cushion-cut diamond bracelet. Rounding out the trifecta, January Jones matched a diamond leaf bracelet with diamond drop earrings, both in platinum from Neil Lane.

As for additional top winners from the evening, Damagesstar Glenn Close, outstanding lead actress in a drama series, wore Fred Leighton rose-cut diamond and platinum pendant earrings, while her comedic counterpart Toni Collette, of United States of Tara, wore short, earlobe-hugging drops paired with a Fred Leighton platinum, diamond and jade bracelet.

Kristin Chenoweth, outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series, kept the focus on her bedazzled dress, smartly accessorizing with only a pair of diamond stud earrings in platinum from Tiffany and Co. Big Love's Jeanne Tripplehorn also went with a shimmering pailette-studded dress and minimal jewelry. Like Chenoweth, she kept her hair pulled back, showing off her "Orielle" natural, rough, cognac-colored diamond stud earrings from Diamond in the Rough.

Also making a red-carpet splash was De Beers' new "Everlon" diamond jewelry, the diamond giant's "big idea" for the fourth quarter. Breaking Bad actress Anna Gunn debuted Everlon Diamond Knot Collection earrings, a four-row diamond bracelet and a marquise-cut diamond ring, all designed by Martin Katz.

Among the TV personalities breaking from the short drop earrings, bracelet and ring combo was a very pregnant Heidi Klum, who paired a handful of rings with black tassel-like drops. Presenter Hayden Panettiere, nominee Chandra Wilson and Big Love actress Ginnifer Goodwin were among the handful of attendees donning necklaces. Panettiere chose a 19th-century snake necklace featuring old mine-cut diamonds from Fred Leighton; Wilson wore a 37-carat fancy-diamond number in platinum from Chopard; and Goodwin selected Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry's 18-karat rose-gold and emerald-shaped rock-crystal necklace, finished off with a ring.

Buy jewelry, help in fight against breast cancer

Brighton Collectibles, located in the Westfield Shopping Town Galleria at Roseville, is offering two special pieces of jewelry during October to empower women who are or have been challenged by breast cancer.

Proceeds from this jewelry promotion will be donated to Sutter Roseville Medical Center’s Breast Health Center and to Necessities Bag Sacramento for post surgery items, research, education, treatment and prevention of this life-threatening disease.

Sales for the Power of Pink Bracelet and the Power of Pink Badge Clip will run through Oct. 31. Brighton will donate $10 for each piece sold.

“We were delighted that our store was able to generate this gift for the Breast Health Center,” said Bethanie McKinney, assistant manager, Brighton Collectibles. “We are committed to doing our part to help with breast cancer prevention and finding a cure.”

To sell diamond jewelry, mind your price points

Throughout the recession, bridal has held up as the backbone of diamond jewelry sales. But that doesn't mean retailers can abandon diamond earrings, pendants and bracelets--even if the price points are lower.

What works

Non-bridal diamond jewelry sales make up 40 percent or less of total diamond sales for the majority (70 percent) ofNational Jeweler's product panelists.

Non-bridal sales are undeniably hurting, with 43 percent of respondents reporting that sales of fashion diamond jewelry are "significantly down" amid the economic crisis.

What is selling, the results say, are pieces priced between $750 and $1,000, a range marked by 30 percent of panelists as the "sweet spot" for sales.

Two categories of diamond jewelry emerged as the front-runners for jewelry sales: Diamond earrings were selected by 47 percent of respondents as the most popular non-bridal pieces in their store, while pendants/necklaces ranked second, the choice of 37 percent of panelists.

Keeping inventory flat

Not surprisingly, when asked about their game plans for the upcoming fourth quarter, the majority of respondents said they planned to keep their diamond jewelry inventory flat.

As one panelist put it, "I will keep inventory flat because I have enough."

Those who are stocking up are turning to bridal and lower price-point jewelry pieces to dazzle from their display cases.

One survey respondent said keeping fresh bridal jewelry in stock has brought the store much success.

"We add diamond bridal weekly and will continue," the respondent wrote. "This has greatly increased our sales. We are currently adding lower-end price point [diamond] rings and pendants."

To see the complete results of National Jeweler's Product Panel survey on diamond jewelry, download diamond facts.

GIA to Show Special Diamond Jewelry During Open House

The Gemological Institute of America’s (GIA) annual Jewelry Career Fair and Open House will be held October 16 at the Institute’s worldwide headquarters in Carlsbad, California. This is a once-in-a-year opportunity to visit GIA and its Museum without a pre-arranged appointment.

On display will be a necklace recently seen at this year’s primetime Emmy Awards worn by an actress on the program “Beverly Hills 90210.” The piece “Shibuki,” meaning “splash” in Japanese, is made up of 5.52 carats (cts.) of diamonds set in 158 grams of platinum. The Shibuki (pictured) is one of four necklaces from the Platinum Guild International’s “Aqua Collection” that will be on exhibit.

New items have been added to the popular “Facets of GIA” exhibit. A notable collection includes 73 large, trilliant-cut gems ranging in size from seven to 81 cts. They represent many gem species in a variety of colors, including tanzanite, emerald and aquamarine, and were mined from exotic locations all over the world, such as Brazil and Madagascar.

Other pieces on view include a bracelet with approximately 630 diamonds by Fulco Verdura; exquisite diamond brooches by Pierre Sterlé; and handcrafted, intricate enameled jewelry and objets d’arts set in 18 karat gold by contemporary artist Larissa Podgoretz.

“From gemstones to minerals, diamonds to platinum, this year’s open house will be filled with a wide spectrum of unique and eclectic pieces,” said Terri Ottaway, GIA Museum curator. “Whether you’re interested in the science of gemology or in the artistry and fashion of jewelry, there is something for everyone to see.”

There are more than 130 pieces to view in the GIA Museum, including gem crystals, gemstones, objets d’arts, jewelry, equipment and books.

Classroom demonstrations will be held throughout the day so visitors can learn more about gemological education as they tour the Institute.

The GIA Jewelry Career Fair is a free, all-day event running from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Octobter 16.

GIA’s Jewelry Career Fair and Open House was founded by GIA and The Jewelers 24 Karat Club of Southern California, which is also a sponsor.

Diamonds Jewelry: Not so shiny

During tough times, people have always raided their jewelry box to come up with ready cash. This recession is no different. Spurred on by the high price of gold and non-stop TV ads promising big bucks for old gold, people have been flocking to trade in their bling.

But how much can you really get for your rings and necklaces? Unfortunately, very little. A jeweller or pawnshop will pay only 25% to 50% of what you bought a diamond ring for in a store. And you’ll get 10% or less of the retail price for jewelry that’s going to be melted down for its gold. “Most people assume jewelry is an investment that rises in value. But that’s an urban myth,” says Debra Sawatzky, a gemologist and estate jewelry appraiser in Toronto.

Even if you have a certificate from a professional attesting to the value of your ring or brooch, don’t expect to receive the amount on the certificate. An appraisal merely represents the retail value of your gems for insurance purposes. The price you paid includes the store’s retail markup and the labor that went into crafting the ring. Jewellers and pawnshops deduct those costs when they buy old diamond rings, says Renée Newman, a Los Angeles gemologist and author of the Gemstone Buying Guide.

If you’re still intent on selling your jewelry, follow these tips for the best deal:

Don’t accept the first offer

Diamond rings especially need to be shopped around to more than one store. A former co-worker of mine had a diamond ring appraised at $8,500. He visited several jewellers and found offers all over the map. The lowest was $900. The highest—$2,900.

Avoid the melting pot

Old necklaces, rings and earrings are usually worth more as jewelry than melted down for their gold content. Avoid shops that only offer to pay for the value of the gold. If your jewelry is not that expensive, go to a jeweller or pawn shop that specializes in reselling jewelry rather than one that sends it to a refinery. If your jewels cost you more than four figures or come from high-end jewellers such as Tiffany or Cartier, consider putting them up for auction. There are two main auction houses in Canada: Dupuis Fine Jewellery Auctioneers (Dupuis.ca) and Waddington’s (Waddingtons.ca). Dupuis’s commission is only 10% to 25% ofthe sale price at auction. The rest of the money goes to you.

Understand the value of your gold

If you do end up selling your gold for scrap, it’s important to know how much gold your jewelry has in it and what it’s worth. It’s an easy calculation. First, go to Kitco.com and find the current price of gold per troy ounce. As I write this, the price is $935 (U.S.). Convert that amount into Canadian currency: $1,030. Then multiply by 0.0311. That’ll give you the price of gold per gram, in this case $33.11. You need to know that number because when a jeweller weighs your jewelry he’ll tell you how many grams of gold it has.

An 18K wedding band might only have five grams of gold, which means the ring has $166 worth of gold. Most jewellers will offer you less than half that amount: $50 to $75 would be typical. But if you know what the gold is worth, you can haggle for more money.

Sharon Saindon's jewelry marries sturdy metals and a feminine touch

Port Townsend-based jewelry designer Sharon Saindon creates metal jewelry that calls to mind images from nature: the heavily textured center of a daisy or the subtle lines of a maple seed. Saindon, who received her BFA in metal design from the University of Washington, thinks of her jewelry as small-scale sculpture and designs with attention to texture and shape. Her unique silver and gold jewelry is the happy marriage of sturdy metals and a decidedly feminine aesthetic.

Though Saindon's jewelry has an understated, earthy feel and her pieces are inspired by natural details like seeds collected in her garden or a coastline, the process of creating each piece is intense. Working with fire and extreme heat, Saindon has to remain focused at all times and could easily burn herself or melt her piece if she's not attentive throughout the process. "It makes you very present in your work," she says.

Saindon, who has studied and interned with blacksmiths, uses a process called fabrication to create her jewelry. Unlike casting metal jewelry, which is pouring heated metal into a mold, fabrication requires the designer to use steel hand tools to form metal wire, sheet and tubing into individual pieces of jewelry. Through fabrication, an accomplished metalworker can produce "more attended-to pieces of jewelry that are never exact replicas," Saindon explains.

Chasing and repoussé are techniques Saindon uses with highly patterned pieces such as her bumpy cuff. Keeping a metal sheet supple over a bowl of heated tree pitch, Saindon hammers the sheet with special steel hand tools to create intricate designs in the continuous metal. As do most of Saindon's techniques, this metalworking technique has a rich history: one that dates back to the third century B.C.

Saindon likes that her jewelry will last virtually forever. It can be buried or tossed aside and, since it's crafted from some of the least corrosive substances on the planet, it will survive. Aware of the impact each piece could have, Saindon ensures that all of her earrings, bracelets, necklaces, rings, brooches and hair pieces are durable yet light enough to be "worn a lot and loved a lot." Her silver designs start at $90 -- earrings average $130 -- and her gold pieces start at $250.

Shaadi Jewelry Pakistan

Shaadi_Design_Jewelry. Pakistani Jewellery is Famous for its Wide Range of Styles Designs.

Pakistani Jewellery is famous for its wide range of styles designs and delicate hand work. Jewelery is a very special item among Pakistani women on any occasion or celebration.

Looking for a wedding ring or an engagement ring? At www.PakWeddingServices.com you will find great value on wedding jewelry ranging from wedding bands & bridal sets to diamond, Gold & Silver Jewellery.

Following is a Top Rated list of Jewelers who deal in wedding Jewelry. Shaadi_Design_Jewelry

UPDATE 1-Bon-Ton to operate jewelry departments at its stores

* To take over jewelry department operations from Finlay * Says to start operating 86 departments in late October

Sept 29 (Reuters) - Apparel and home-furnishings retailer Bon-Ton Stores Inc said it will start operating jewelry departments, earlier licensed to bankrupt jeweler Finlay Fine Jewelry Corp, at 86 of its nameplate stores in late October.

"We believe internally operating and building this destination business will provide increased sales and profits as well as drive traffic into our stores," Chief Executive Bud Bergren said in a statement.

Bon-Ton expects to have a full assortment of merchandise in its jewelry departments for the 2009 holiday selling season.

The company, which operates the Elder-Beerman, Boston Store and Carson Pirie Scott chains, said former Finlay store associates in good standing will be offered equivalent level positions in these stores.

Finlay Enterprises Inc FNLYQ.OB earlier operated 77 licensed jewelry departments with Bon-Ton and recently said Gordon Brothers Retail Partners LLC won an auction to buy its assets in bankruptcy court and will handle closing sales at all its retail stores. [ID:nN24461478]

Shares of Bon-Ton were unchanged at $7.59 in midday trade Tuesday on Nasdaq.

Chunky Jewelry With An Edge from Milan

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JEWELRY INDUSTRY CONCERNED ABOUT GOLD PRICES EXCEEDING $1,000 BARRIER

Retailer Jeweler reports that the prices of gold broke the $1,000 barrier in September for the second time this year. According to forecasts, gold prices might grow even further.

CRU analyst Prem Chaphekar stated that it wouldn't be surprising if gold prices went up and stayed up.

Meanwhile, Italian Vicenza fair President Dino Menarin expressed his concern over the high gold price in his opening speech on September 12: “Fluctuations in the price of gold do not help the Italian gold jewelry industry, linked to speculative movements that have little to do with the real market.”

According to the World Gold Council, the global financial crisis caused a sharp decline in the demand for gold for jewelry in the first half of 2009

Artificial jewelry in demand; gold out of reach

PESHAWAR: The artificial jewelry is vogue of the day in Peshawar like other cities of the country, as the burgeoning gold prices pushed the metal out of people’s reach, Geo News reported Wednesday.

The bullion markets in the city are less crowded and even on the wedding occasions, the gold purchase is less witnessed. The increasing gold prices spurred the business of artificial jewelry.

The women buying the artificial jewelry said going for the artificial jewelry has been necessitated by not only the gold prices but also the street crimes that forced them to wear artificial jewelry.

How To Wear Statement Jewelry

Statement jewelry is such a strong trend for Fall & Winter 2009 – or for anytime you want to make an impression with your jewelry!

But are you having problems incorporating big, bold jewelry pieces into your wardrobe?

I’ve got a few suggestions and outfit ideas to make statement jewelry into a great accent for your wardrobe. The key is figuring out how to make statement jewelry work for you, instead of feeling overwhelmed by it.

First of all – what is “statement jewelry“?

Well, to me, statement jewelry is any kind of jewelry that makes a big impact. Wide cuff bracelets, generously-sized chandelier earrings or big bib necklaces all qualify as statement jewelry.

In general, statement jewelry makes such an impact that you’d only want to wear one piece (a pair of earrings count as one piece) at a time. Of course, for black tie events you can bend the rules a little…

Let’s start with something relaxed and casual:

Multi-colored and layered chain necklaces are still a popular look, so I’ve chosen the multi coloured chain bib necklace by ertz, from Charm & Chain. It’s a combination of black, brass, pink, brown and turquoise chains.

The skinny jeans, t-shirt and booties keep the outfit relaxed and casual. I added another dash of color with a soft sweater – it’s fall, you might need another layer to stay warm and cozy! The turquoise makes the chain necklace really pop without looking too matchy-matchy.

So you want to go for something a little more feminine?

For this outfit I’ve paired a cuff bracelet and a pair of chandelier earrings – which I realize that I just cautioned against For me, this pairing works because both the earrings and the bracelet are both made from matching metal. If they were bright colors or had lots of stones I would recommend just going with one or the other.

See – there are very few hard and fast rules!

The bracelet is an 18kt gold woven bracelet from Tiffany & Co, designed by Angela. The chandelier coin earrings are on the complete opposite of the price scale at just $4 from Charlotte Russe.

The earrings and bracelet dress up an otherwise quite simple dress, paired with a knitted cropped jacket in a warm mustard yellow. The simple necklines means that the earrings can stand out and make a statement without being overwhelmed by fussy details.

Let’s go for something really dressy for my last set of jewelry picks:

First of all, I am not suggesting that you wear four statement necklaces with the classic little black cocktail dress! I’ve pulled four necklaces out to show how many amazing statement pieces you can find these days, for any budget.

I think big necklaces like these ones can be a little overwhelming, so first of all – keep your colors restrained if you’re concerned about jewelry overkill. All four of these necklaces can stand by themselves as the only piece of jewelry that you’re wearing as well.

Clockwise from the top right, the necklaces are the “Glitter Flower” necklace from Browns, the “Twilight” statement necklace from Hannah Zakari, Rajana Khan’s mother-of-pearl necklace at Saks 5th Avenue and the last is the “Chain and Bead” necklace from Oasis.

The key to wearing statement jewelry?

Be confident! Wear it with a great attitude and you’ll look amazing…

Katherine Jetter Creates Industry's First Opal Brand

News & Trends: After several hundred years of silence from the opal, finally a sound can be heard. Katherine Jetter presents the first luxury Australian Opal Jewelry Brand the industry has ever seen.

The Australian native created her line featuring the opal, the Daintree Rainforest Collection, to commemorate the natural landscapes of her birthplace and focus on a gem so rarely seen in luxury jewelry designs today.

When looking at an opal, however, it is hard to deny its spectacular impact and the exclusivity the look implies, so one can't help but wonder why it has been so absent, and for so long.

A wide range of opal color classifications exist relating to the background hues of the gemstone, making it not only beautiful, but versatile. The stones vary from black, blue, green, pink, red, white and crystal (or transparent white). On top of their "background hue" are the color patterns and interplay of colors found within the stone, which results in a one-of-a-kind appearance.

Although the stone first originated from ancient mines in Czechoslovakia, 96% of the world's opals today are found and mined in Australia. Since the first discovery of the unique gem near Angaston, Australia has become the premier producer and distributor of opals in the world.

Katherine Jetter's distinctive collection of luxury jewelry designed specifically to highlight the intricacies of the opal pay tribute to the Daintree Rainforest in Australia. The pieces take their inspiration from the lush greenery and exotic flowers of the rainforest.

Jetter has expertly chosen only the finest, purest opals to include in her designs, which are then sculpted to an intricate level of detail allowing the gemstone to showcase each of its individual hues and flashes of color.

All the designs are available in sterling silver or can be made according to taste in 18K white or yellow gold. In addition to the stunning opals, Jetter also uses dramatic green Tsavorites, red rubies, aquamarine briolettes and more high-quality stones as accents in her pieces.

Since the discovery of the gem, opal has been coveted and sought-out by the world's most powerful and influential icons: the stone is favored by Queen Elizabeth and Napoleon gave a large, red opal called "The Burning of Troy" to his empress, Josephine. Now, the opal is back thanks to Katherine Jetter's spectacular designs and we can enjoy the stone just as royalty did.

What is Palladium?

Many people don't know what Palladium is. Here is a quick description of the new alloy that is becoming quickly popular:

Palladium is a noble metal like Platinum that is used to create fine jewelry, and like its sister metal, Platinum, it can be used as an alloy of 95% purity. Compare this to White Gold alloys which require a large percentage of alloying metals. 18K Gold is only 75% pure and 14K Gold is only 58.5% pure.

White Palladium is a white metal that, like Platinum, enhances the beauty of diamonds and gemstones set within it. Because it's white color is natural and not the result of plating or alloying, Palladium's white has great depth and luster.

Precious Palladium is a Platinum Group Metal and is thirty times more rare than Gold. Mined together with Platinum in less than a half-dozen regions around the globe, Palladium is truly a precious metal and a fitting symbol of love, life, and other rare gifts. Palladium provides the luxury, purity and look of Platinum for approximately the price of White Gold.

Strong Palladium, like Platinum, is naturally strong and durable when used in a higher purity alloy than other metals such as silver and Gold. Resulting in a more hypo allergenic product, Palladium does not suffer from prong failure, which is typical of many White Gold settings.

Design Versatility Palladium strikes a harmonious balance: more durable and less susceptible to tarnish than White Gold, but as malleable as Platinum. Palladium can support delicate designs which are difficult to execute in White Gold yet has the malleability to facilitate easy sizing, repair, etc. With a weight similar to fine Silver, Palladium has enough heft to convey luxury but it is notably lighter than Platinum, allowing for bigger and bolder design looks that remain wearable and affordable.

Acqua Fiorentina, CREED Perfume's Latest Women's Fragrance

Luxury Perfume: Discreet and family-owned, Creed is known for being the best-kept secret of the perfume industry. Their hand-made and exclusive fragrances remind us that not all luxury scents come from huge, heavily-advertised, international brands.

This month, Creed debuts their latest fragrance for women: Creed Acqua Fiorentina. Sixth generation master perfumer and president of the House of Creed, Olivier Creed, and his son Erwin have expertly crafted the new fragrance, which will be sold exclusively at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.

For their newest fragrance, Olivier Creed turned to 15th century Florence, Italy for his inspiration. The city's history is a breeding ground for beauty and the culture lends its voice to the scent beautifully, allowing Acqua Fiorentina to stand out.

What sets the brand, and all of its fragrances, apart from the titans of the perfume industry is its unrivalled dedication to introducing products of the utmost quality and exclusivity. The fragrances are hand-made, which is something corporate-owned fragrance brands cannot say-- and the brand's unrelenting high standards keeps Creed's reputation in pristine condition.

Acqua Fiorentina consists of flowers and fruits from the orchards and gardens around Florence, taking not only its inspiration from the city, but its main ingredients as well. The top note of the scent is greengage plum, lightly sweet and often used in cuisine as a dessert plum. Bergamot orange, Calabrian lemon, pink carnations and Renaissance roses fill in the portrait of fruits and flowers as the middle notes and Virginia cedar and Indian sandalwood are warm base notes.

Fans of Creed have ranged from royalty (Queen Victoria appointed the brand an official supplier to the Royal household) to legends in business to their discerning clientele based all over the world.

Creed remains today as the world's only privately held luxury fragrance dynasty, passed from father to son since it was founded in 1760, almost 250 years ago. Now, Olivier Creed, sixth generation master perfumer and current head of the House of Creed, works alongside his son Erwin, who is preparing to lead the company as the seventh generation of the family.

Acqua Fiorentina proudly represents Creed as its latest, and one of its finest, fragrances to date. Pink in color, the fragrance also supports a cause: during the month of October, a portion of proceeds from US sales will support the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund.

Fall Fashion Trends in Jewelry

Now that summer is officially over, fashion trends are shifting with new colors and materials for fall. A plethora of pink, red and purple shades are prominent with particular emphasis on fuchsia and lavender. Another color that seems to be blanketing the landscape in sunny glory is yellow. Finally, classic fall shades of orange and brown are also working their way back into style.Candy-colored gemstone designs are always a fun and easy choice to add a dash of color to an outfit. The Jane Taylor earrings pictured here are available with a variety of gemstones; favorites for this season include rose de France, rubellite tourmaline, lemon quartz, and citrine. With the option of matching rings and pendants, Jane Taylor earring designs are a lively and flexible choice.

Bold rock crystal gemstones are another popular choice as evidenced by Ginnifer Goodwin's dazzling necklace at the Emmy awards ceremony. These gorgeous stones offer massive gem fashion for a very reasonable price-point. H.Stern's "Cobblestones" collection features a variety of rock crystal designs crafted in their distinctive 18k noble gold. From Rings to bracelets and necklaces, these bold pieces are right on trend.

Faberge to Sell High-End Jewelry Online

Online Jewelry Sales: Elite luxury jewelry house Faberge is preparing to enter the world of web retail with a special collection of pieces, some of which are worth up to $7 million.

Revived Faberge plans to enter the luxury online market, despite the current economic downturn and eventually combat other luxury retailers like Bulgari, Tiffany, and Cartier.

The Faberge website will showcase its signature jewels and gems to wealthy customers, but final transactions will be done with private showings.

"We decided to be bold. We saw this as a massive opportunity," Chief Executive Mark Dunhill said at a launch on Wednesday.

The plan is to lure in wealthy customers, who will then be interested enough to make a personal purchase. The decision was based on research that showed that 95 percent of millionaires made their last purchase on the web.

"If you are thinking of spending $1 million for a bracelet, why not have the designer come out to you and show it to you on your yacht?" Dunhill said.

The move to the web is strategic, as it will allow the company to put out a minimum investment, with a maximum return. In addition, the company will not have to pay the high price of selling at numerous luxury boutiques and will instead have only a small exclusive store in Geneva.

According to Dunhill, former president of Alfred Dunhill, the leather and accessories brand of Swiss luxury goods maker Richemont, Faberge is basically pioneering a business model for elite brands. While there may be a slump in the luxury market, many high-end names are still paying a premium to be able to sell to their exclusive customers. Like Louis Vuitton, which is spending $25 million to open a new shop in London.

The new venture will take time to become profitable, according to Dunhill. He explains, "This is a very elite business seeking to attract a devoted base of connoisseurs... realistically a business like this takes time to grow."

The current incarnation is owned by about 50 percent by Pallinghurst Resources, a mining investment group that bought the name from Unilever in 2007. U.S. private equity group Midstream & Resources has a 20 percent stake and South African bank Investec owns around 10 percent.

Faberge was originally founded by Gustav Faberge in 1842, a jeweler who created elaborate jewel-encrusted eggs for the Russian Royal Family.

Jewelry designer Frederic Zaavy, who has his own workshop and has been selling privately for over a decade, crafted the initial collection of 100 items at his Paris studio. Dunhill says that Faberge may also craft the first egg since the Faberge family was scattered by the Russian Revolution.

Zaavy uses hundreds or thousands of tiny gems on each piece to create mosaic effects on rings, brooches, earrings and necklaces. This initial offering will have a price range of $40,000 to $7 million. Future collections may start at prices of $15,000, with other luxury items added as well

Paragon Lake announces jewelry design winners

Lexington, Mass.--Paragon Lake, a mass-customization company that provides retailers and consumers a way to design one-of-a-kind jewelry online, has announced 12 winners in its Inspired Design Contest.

According to Paragon Lake, the goal of the contest was to attract top jewelry designers who will inspire the jewelry design community, retailers and consumers with original earring, ring and pendant designs along with the story of their inspiration.

The judging criteria included quality, creativity, manufacturability and the inspirational story behind each unique design.

The contest attracted nearly 200 well-crafted designs from all over the world, Paragon Lake said.

"The response was terrific. The contest was a great opportunity to reward brilliant designers for their jewelry-making skills and contribution to our jewelry design community," Paragon Lake Founder Matt Lauzon said in a media release. "The enthusiasm will be contagious as our retail partners offer new and existing designs to our customers through the Virtual Display Case."

Judges for the contest included Jennifer Heebner of JCK magazine, Greg Stopka of JewelSmiths, award-winning designer Jose Hess and Tony Rodrigues of Paragon Lake.

The first-place winner was Jeet Palavwala for his engagement ring design, inspired by a lotus flower.

The second-place winner was Dan Christie for his pendant design, inspired by Brain Warp, a mind-challenge game.

The third-place winner was Randy Dixon for his ring design, inspired by Greek/Roman architecture.

Honorable mentions included Michael Devlin, Randy Dixon, Dave Dorian, Martha Gomez, Claudio Gussini, Lee Krombholz, Elena Nazarova, David Nytch and Rosendo Rosas.