REMEMBERED
>>?Leon Finker, 100, founder of the Trillion Diamond Co. and the inventor of the Trillion Cut, died Oct. 9 in New York City. He was profiled by JCK in February 2010 as “The Man With a Trillion Stories.”
>>? Ken Pachesky, 61, a sales representative for Memorie for 19 years, died of cancer on Oct. 7 in Pittsburgh. He is survived by his wife, Anne.
COMINGS AND GOINGS
>>?A. Jaffe announced on Oct. 25 that Laura Moynahan will become its vice president of product development and merchandising. Moynahan will be responsible for product development, merchandising, product resourcing, and pricing. Previously, Moynahan worked as director of design for David Yurman.
Niveet Nagpal
>>?United Brands Creative Management and United Brands Worldwide appointed John Gugliada executive agent for United Brands Worldwide. Gugliada will assist the company with retail projects and brands.
>>?Chicago-based Casting House has appointed Robert Previti vice president of manufacturing. Prior to joining the company, Previti was employed at Fantasy Diamond Corp., most recently as vice president of manufacturing.
>>?The American Gem Trade Association has announced the results of its 2011 board of directors elections. Robert Bentley (Robert Bentley Co.), Betty Sue King (King’s Ransom), Gerry Manning (Manning International), Bill Larson (Pala International), and Niveet Nagpal (Omi Gems Inc.) were each elected to three-year terms.
Betty Sue King
>>?San Francisco silver jewelry designer Belle Étoile has named Jim Grohn president. Grohn previously worked at A. Jaffe and Hearts On Fire.
>>?On Nov. 7, Los Angeles manufacturer Charles Garnier appointed Ron Hoffman to the position of national sales director. Hoffman has been in the fine jewelry industry for nearly 30 years. His last position was as vice president of Hellmuth Simply Good.
COMPANIES
>>?LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton announced Oct. 23 that it now holds 14.2 percent of the shares capital of Hermès International. The company plans to be a long-term shareholder of Hermès, but stated it has no intention of launching a tender offer, taking control of Hermès, or seeking board representation.
Bharat Diamond Bourse
>>?The Bharat Diamond Bourse, billed as the world’s largest, opened in Mumbai, India, on Oct. 17. It will house some 2,500 small and large diamond traders as well as service providers that cater to the gem and jewelry trade, including banks and insurance, freight, and security companies. When fully operational, the complex is expected to have an influx of 20,000 people a day.
AWARDS
>>?De Beers was declared the winner at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants’ annual sustainability reporting awards ceremony in Johannesburg on Oct. 21. De Beers’ “Report to Society” is the first to be recognized by ACCA in this way.
>>?Ebel, the Swiss watch manufacturer, was awarded the prestigious 2010 Swiss Watch Campaign Prize for its advertising campaign in an October ceremony held in Geneva.
Ebel’s Marc Michel-Amadry
>>?On Oct. 20, the International Titanium Association awarded Spectore Corporation with the 2010 Titanium Advancement and Development Award. The company was recognized for 30 years of developing and manufacturing titanium in consumer products.
>>?The Jewelry Information Center announced Oct. 21 the honorees of the 2011 GEM Awards, taking place Jan. 7 in New York City. The GEM Award for Lifetime Achievement will be presented to Dr. Jeffrey E. Post, curator of the U.S. National Gem and Mineral Collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Breitling will receive the GEM Award for Corporate Communications; Marie Claire magazine will receive the GEM Award for Journalistic Excellence; and Neil Lane will receive the GEM Award for Jewelry Style.
ASSOCIATIONS
>>? Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America has announced its support of the U.S. government’s recent decision to remove duty-free, preferential treatment on gold rope and gold mixed-link necklaces from India. The decision was made during the Obama administration’s annual review of the Generalized System of Preferences program.
>>?The Gemological Institute of America will host Symposium 2011: Advancing the Science and Business of Gems at its headquarters in Carlsbad, Calif., on May 29–30. The event will also commemorate GIA’s 80th anniversary.
>>?The American Gem Society’s 2011 Conclave will feature keynote speakers Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, and Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com and author of Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profit, Passion and Purpose.
>>?The Jewelers Vigilance Committee launched a new program with Veratad Technologies to assist in protecting their customers and business partners by verifying identities and preventing fraud in person or online.
>>?CIBJO president Gaetano Cavalieri recently discussed corporate social responsibility in the jewelry industry with two Nobel Prize laureates, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and economist/New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, during the World Business Forum in Milan Oct. 27–28.
>>?The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers will hold its 33rd Annual Winter ACE It Education Conference in Tucson Jan. 30–31.
CHARITIES
>>?Montblanc announced Oct. 25 that it had donated a year’s subscription to Lapham’s Quarterly to 300 U.S. public high schools and libraries. The donation is in correlation with the watch manufacturer’s commitment to arts and educational initiatives.
LABS
>>?Hong Kong–headquartered EGL Asia in October opened new labs in Taipei, Taiwan, and Shenzhen, China.
TRADE SHOWS
UBM announcing the Rotaforte news
>>?United Business Media in October agreed to acquire a 65 percent stake in Rotaforte International Trade Fairs & Media, owner of Turkey’s largest jewelry fairs, on behalf of UBM Asia.
EVENTS
>>?Diamond Trading Co. sightholder Julius Klein Group took a prominent group of American Gem Society retailers through southern Africa in August to see how diamonds are benefiting those countries. Participating in the trip were Cathy Calhoun of Calhoun Jewelers in Royersford, Pa., president of the AGS board of directors; Lawrence and Kathy Bock of Bachendorf’s in Dallas; Clayton and Christy Bromberg of Underwood Jewelers in Jacksonville, Fla.; Frank and Theresa Brown of Brown & Co. in Roswell, Ga.; Jim and Carolyn Clark of BC Clark Jewelers in Oklahoma City; and Mark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers in Manhasset, N.Y.
OPENINGS
The sparkling new Zachary’s Jewelers
>>?Waldin Jewelers opened a 1,103-square-foot store at the Francis Scott Key Mall in Frederick, Md., on Oct. 1.
>>?Zachary’s Jewelers opened a second store in Severna Park, Md., on Nov. 5. The store opened five years after a fire destroyed the original store.
CLOSINGS
>>?Dustin’s Jewelers in Clarksville, Tenn., has closed its doors after 40 years. Owner Dustin Rushing is retiring from retail to focus on manufacturing gold jewelry designs.
ANNIVERSARIES
>>?Bellataire Diamonds recently celebrated 10 years of selling high-pressure, high-temperature–processed stones.
ONLINE
>>?On Oct. 27, Endless.com launched its new jewelry category featuring 68 brands and more than 3,500 styles. The site will carry names like Auden, Devon Leigh, Mi Asunta, and the Nicky Hilton Collection.
MINES
>>?The government of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh announced its support for Rio Tinto’s plans to build a “world-class diamond mine” there. The development would enable Madhya Pradesh to rank in the top 10 diamond-producing regions in the world.