chrysoprase is the medium yellowish-green variety of chalcedony. the word chrysoprase comes from the greek chrysoprasos: chrys, meaning “golden,” and prasos —or prason —meaning “leek” (the garden herb, similar to, yet much larger than, a spring onion). chalcedony is a cryptocrystalline (or microcrystalline) variety of quartz.

nicolas g. hayek sr., 73, chief executive and chairman of the swatch group, the world’s largest watchmaker, is stepping down this year as ceo, though he will remain chairman. hayek’s marketing and business expertise is widely credited with reviving the swiss watch industry in the 1980s. succeeding him as ceo of the conglomerate, which owns 18 major watch brands in all major price categories, i…

charriol luxury watches and jewelry expanded into the canadian market in april, distributed by a’lor international ltd., which operates charriol usa. the brand has been in the united states for 15 years. charriol initially will concentrate on major canadian cities and then expand quickly to the rest of the country, says sandy zemer, president of a’lor international/charriol usa.

the swatch group in april acquired 100% of the shares of the prestigious watch dial manufacturer rubattel & weyermann, located in la chaux-de-fonds, switzerland. former owner michel theurillat will continue to head the company, founded in 1890, which employs some 80 persons. the company supplies watch dials to watch brands in the upper price segment both in and outside the swatch group.

mary agnes (hughes) shipley, wife of robert m. shipley jr., son of the founder of the gemological institute of america and a pioneer in creating gemological instruments, died on may 27 at the age of 92. in the late 1930s, mary hughes worked as a secretary for bob shipley jr., who was instrumental in helping his father establish and develop gia and the american gem society.

some well-known watch brands are making big changes in the business they do with u.s. jewelers. swatch watch, one of the world’s most popular brands, has pulled out of jewelry stores. meanwhile, other brands—including popular fashion names—now want jewelers as primary retailers of their swiss-made watches.

after 10 years in thailand, where he operated businesses involved in mining and cutting colored gemstones, joseph schall decided to return to his hometown of st. louis and open a jewelry store … but he didn’t want a typical jewelry store. “i always wanted to open a jewelry gallery as opposed to a mom-and-pop jewelry shop,” he says.

“the year 2002 promises to be an eventful one for the watch industry in washington, d.c.,” said robert filotei, american watch association chairman and president and chairman of piaget usa, in his spring address. the awa is the lobbying arm of the u.s. watch industry. watchmaker education, counterfeiting, tariffs, mercury in batteries, and regulations on products using endangered species (such …

the al qaeda terrorist organization has transferred its money out of banks and into “untraceable commodities, including gold and diamonds,” according to a june 18 report in the washington post. the story by post staff writers karen deyoung and douglas farah alleges that al qaeda began to move its money out of banks and into gold and “precious stones such as diamonds, tanzanite, and sapphires…

the american society of appraisers (asa) offers the following classes on appraisal methodology: for information on membership and upcoming courses, call (703) 478-2228 or visit www.appraisers.org.

about 150 jewelry designers, wholesalers, and retailers attended the sixth annual designers by the bay jewelry show, featuring 22 local designers. unlike the usual jewelry “show,” designers by the bay was held at shreve & co. jewelers in san francisco and aimed to introduce local retailers to local designers.

the new approach school for jewelers (nasj) in virginia beach, va., is adding a new eight-week course for bench jewelers. nasj’s new commercial bench jeweler program is slated to begin sept. 8, with three courses scheduled annually. the curriculum is designed to teach students new to the bench essential mechanical skills including sizing, retipping, chain and general repairs, and various stone-…

the associated press reported that 42 miners were killed in an underground accident at the mererani tanzanite mines in tanzania. apparently, an air compressor failed after a planned blast in an area of block b worked by small-scale miners, and the subsequent lack of oxygen proved deadly. in the first hours after the accident, ap reported that 14 bodies had been recovered.

breitling, the prestigious brand known for its precision watches for pilots, has opened a state-of-the-art operation in la chaux-de-fonds, switzerland. the new plant specializes in the development and manufacture of mechanical movements. the intent, says a breitling report, is to equip its chronographs and watches with “ever more efficient motors and to meet the merciless demands of 100% chrono…

what jewelry designer or manufacturer isn’t trying to capture the attention of the stars these days? from high-end to mass-market, jewelers look to celebrity power for a marketing edge. two of the latest are scott kay and charriol. platinum poster boy scott kay has long been one of the leaders in tying his brand to consumer consciousness of celebrities.

the cja showcase 2002, sponsored by the california jewelers association, is scheduled for oct. 20 at the beverly hills hotel and is open to all california retail jewelers, designers, and manufacturers. the event provides an opportunity for attendees to meet and talk with representatives of companies that provide products and services for the jewelry industry.

the diamond promotion service and the independent jewelers organization have launched a joint program to promote three-stone jewelry. ijo retailers that purchase a minimum of $2,500 worth of three-stone diamond jewelry from a participating ijo manufacturer will receive free materials created by dps to use in merchandising and advertising programs.

kathryn kimmel, vice president of marketing and public relations for the gemological institute of america (gia), recently was selected as a recipient of the ywca’s tribute to women in industry (twin) award for 2002. the awards luncheon was held may 30 at the san diego convention center. kimmel, a leading executive in the gem and jewelry industry, has served in her current position with gia for …

the new york diamond dealers club recently hosted a luncheon and awards ceremony for former new york police department chief allan hoehl and assistant chief michael fox. the two were honored for their dedication to the security of the diamond district, the diamond dealers club, and its members.

respondents to a recent jck retail panel survey supplied the following money-saving ideas: tip: whenever possible, pay bills with credit cards that offer air miles or other rewards. use the miles to attend jewelry shows or for leisure travel. hint: the key to making this work is never to spend more than you can afford and have a good credit rating.

the american gem society (ags) has named diane flora director of education and promoted gwen carrington to director of marketing and communications. flora will plan, direct, and coordinate the educational programs of ags. most recently, she served as an instructor of extension education for the gemological institute of america, where she presented courses in diamond grading, gem identification,…

the international gemmological institute will offer a five-day rough diamonds course beginning in september 2002. previously, the course was available only in antwerp, belgium. the class will cover the following topics: rough diamonds—crystallography, chemistry, and properties; mining, diamond production, and rough diamond characteristics; sorting rough diamonds—color, clarity, jew…

nearly 300 exhibitors showcased their wares to an audience of 3,500 at the las vegas antique jewelry and watch show, held may 31-june 3 at the rio suite hotel and casino. vintage watches, fine estate jewelry, rare gemstones, and antique reproduction designs were available, and many exhibitors reported that buying was brisk.

gemfind.net recently launched a new marketing tool for jewelry retailers—gflink. although gemfind.net is a b2b site, it provides an online service for retailers who wish to showcase and sell diamonds to the public, allowing them to compete with online diamond sellers. gemfind.net offers retail jewelers more than 30,000 certified diamonds to showcase as their own, with features such as mar…

the chanthaburi (thailand) gem and jewelry association (cgja) met with local gem heaters on june 8 to develop a response after two major gem labs—the american gem trade association’s gem testing center (agta gtc) and the gemological institute of america’s gem trade laboratory (gia gtl)—decided to add the term “bulk diffusion” to descriptions of the new heat-treated yellow and padpar…

exhibitors at this year’s jck show ~ las vegas showed their colors. turquoise was the favorite, but orange hues such as coral, carnelian, mandarin garnet, fire opal, and citrine also livened up showcases, and the subtle rainbows of stones like opal, mother-of-pearl, and abalone had plenty of admirers.

rep. tony hall (d-ohio) recently introduced a “sense of congress” resolution calling for a united nations embargo on conflict diamonds from the democratic republic of congo. hall noted that at least eight other resources in addition to diamonds were fueling the war in congo, but he said diamonds in particular should be controlled because they “are one of africa’s most liquid resources, the worl…

actress, model, author, tv celebrity, jewelry designer, wife, and mother cristina ferrare will speak about “following your passion” at the women’s jewelry association’s annual summer breakfast, held during the jewelers of america new york summer show at the javits convention center (room 1e03/04). the breakfast, which starts at 8 a.

gevril, one of luxury watchmaking’s oldest brands, has been reborn for the 21st century. named for 18th-century swiss watchmaker jacques gevril, spain’s royal watchmaker, it is being relaunched this year by timepiece entrepreneur samuel friedmann. gevril was revived in the 1990s by utc, a swiss conglomerate, which later sold the brand to a chicago financial firm, which in turn sold it to a phil…

“simple” is not the word to describe victorian jewelry. elaborate gem-studded pieces were de rigueur for the high-fashion victorian woman, and portraits from the time show female subjects draped in multi-strand necklaces, bracelets, pins, rings, and hair jewelry. fashioned by lesser hands, many of the elaborate jeweled pieces had a clunky or overblown feel, but those designed by the masters w…

the cbs newsmagazine 60 minutes ii recently aired another story on conflict diamonds and again suggested that consumers who buy diamonds are unwittingly financing brutal wars in africa. the bulk of the story focused on new mines in canada and included interviews with prospectors and shots of ekati, the first mine in the northwest territories.

it’s one of the ironies of the jewelry trade that while its products are worn mostly by women and often bought by women, the industry is dominated by men. even today, some feel the industry is still something of a boys’ club. “from the time i graduated law school, i was always surrounded by an equal number of women and men,” says cecilia gardner, executive director of the jewelers vigilance com…

titus engraving, plainville, mass., has purchased triad inc., dba royal findings. founded in 1969, triad holds the patent for sparkie, the mini-fusion welder; produces flash, a temporary tack welder; provides fusion welding services; and manufactures r.f. seals for medical and military applications. titus, founded in 1980, will add these capabilities to its existing array of services including …

belgium will not embargo israeli diamonds as the result of tensions in the middle east, officials said recently. the idea was briefly floated in the international media, but belgian officials now say they had no intention of ever doing so. ilan samuel, a member of the board of directors of the israeli diamond exchange, noted on a recent trip to belgium that the country would lose a significant …

relationships have forever been important in the sale of fine jewelry. both vendor/retailer and retailer/customer partnerships have been the focus of much of the industry’s business-building initiatives. at least two fine jewelry suppliers, however, are branching out in some unusual directions. aaron basha, perhaps best known for the popular baby shoe line of jewelry, has joined forces with the…

adnan aydin and nadir aydin, formerly of nyman jewelry inc., have created a new company called sabo jewelry llc. the company will focus on more upscale diamond jewelry lines, specializing in round diamonds with invisible sets, black and white diamond sets, braccio collection, and other lines. for more information, contact sabo jewelry llc.

the international jewellery london 2002 show will be held sept. 1-4 at the earls court 2 exhibition centre. attendees will find gold, silver, and fine jewelry as well as gems, silver hollowware, precious gift items, watches, clocks, specialist packaging, tools, and technology. highlights will include the on-site theatre of jewellery, with four fashion shows each day, and the jules awards prese…

the entries could be described as innovative and cutting-edge, the designers as forward-thinking risk- takers, and the contest as fertile ground that encourages fun, interesting design. now in its second year, the 2002 saul bell design award competition, sponsored by rio grande, honored eight designers in four categories.

in celebration of the 50th anniversary of gemorex international inc., the company is offering its customers a free round-trip airline ticket from new york to jaipur, india, to visit the company’s factory. selected customers also will be eligible for accommodations in jaipur’s five-star hotels. for more information, visit the gemorex web site at www.

jewelers of america (ja) recently received a communicator award for its membership newsletter, the j report. the publication received the award of distinction in the 2002 print media competition. the honor is awarded for projects that exceed industry standards in communicating messages and ideas. ja members receive the j report six times per year via mail, and the newsletter also can be view…

rembrandt charms has redesigned its web site to offer users a keyword, category, and style number search on the home page. additional enhancements include a “for retailers” section that archives the rembrandt report, the company’s monthly newsletter. new charms are highlighted by a separate category.

jewelry and gemstones being used to disguise money? imagine that! converting money to small, transportable, and generally untraceable objects of high value—whether to evade taxes or to fund a revolution—isn’t exactly news. it’s been happening since jewels, taxes, and revolutions were first invented.

jck magazine and the jck show are accepting grant applications for the jck industry fund until dec. 15. grant recipients will be announced at the jck show ~ orlando, which runs feb. 2-4, 2003, at the orlando convention center, orlando, fla. the fund, created in 1998, annually distributes $400,000 in grants to organizations and individuals who develop plans to enhance the jewelry industry’s i…

syratech corp., a provider of giftware products to specialty retailers, department stores, and major discount retailers, has named brenda goodell senior vice president and chief marketing officer. goodell will spearhead all marketing and advertising initiatives. bill fry has been appointed vice president of eisinger enterprises inc.

gemworld international, publisher of the guide (colored gemstone and diamond pricing and reference information), has released its latest update showing how gemstone treatments affect value. pricing grids include differences between natural and enhanced gems. in the case of emerald enhancement, prices can even vary depending on how much enhancement is noted.

western management recently purchased a new 95,000-sq.-ft., class “a,” 18-story office building located at 590 fifth ave. western plans to transform the building into a high-security headquarters building exclusively for the diamond and jewelry sector as existing office leases expire. the building’s 5,000-6,000-sq.

the auctionmarketresource.com web site provides users with the online capability to search for jewelry items sold at auction. it categorizes by type of piece and includes measurements, estimated weights, clarity, and color grades of diamonds and colored gemstones, plus condition reports, color photographs, and enlarged actual signatures (where possible).

the entire sales staff of designworks jewelry group ltd. (formerly odi) has successfully completed the diamond council of america’s diamond course. at a presentation ceremony before the opening of the jck show ~ las vegas, 17 designworks sales professionals received certificates from dca. dca’s diamond course consists of 22 chapters of study, four examinations, and a comprehensive final exami…

after numerous international meetings regarding the crisis of control in madagascar, former president ratsiraka finally gave up his bid to retain power and left the island nation in june. he’s allegedly now in france. when his reelection bid failed last december, ratsiraka maintained that challenger marc ravalomanana, now madagascar’s unopposed president, did not receive more than 50% of the vote.

an extremely rare gold wristwatch owned by american jazz legend duke ellington sold at auction for 2.5 million swiss francs ($1.59 million) on may 13 in geneva, switzerland. according to auction house phillips, de pury & luxembourg, the patek philippe split-second chronograph—one of only two ever made—was purchased by the international jazz great in 1948 at the luxury watchmaker…

iman, the somali supermodel and wife of pop star david bowie, has been tapped as a “roving ambassador” for the de beers lv retail chain. the announcement didn’t specify what iman’s role will be, but it lists her duties as being an “inspiration” and “style icon.” iman made her first appearance on behalf of the chain at an american foundation for aids research benefit at the cannes film festival.

red hot. fiery orange. sunshine yellow. red, orange, and yellow gems can evoke images of heat and flame. some even have trade names that fit their fiery natures: flame opal, in which ribbons of red play-of-color race across the surface of the gem; fire opal, with its vivid, saturated reddish-orange hue; and flame spinel, a fiery orangish-red.

fdallahan@reedbusiness.com a characteristic of the jewelry industry at its best—and one that has always appealed to me—is trust. trust is a fundamental part of any relationship. and in a business where the value of the products is high and the technical competence of the consumer is virtually nil, trust plays a crucial role in an individual business’s success.

“we’ve looked at this, and there is no current evidence of any kind that shows any systematic use of tanzanite for terrorism,” says mike o’keefe, u.s. state department desk officer for madagascar and tanzania. “of course, we wouldn’t have any information if one person were trying to sell a stone here or there.