Welcome to the November 2007 issue of J-Dex online monthly magazine.
If you're new to J-dex then please take the opportunity to add your name to our subscribe list of internet magazine readers and we'll update you each month.
J-dex Magazine continues to be published in print and to the left of your screen, you'll see a list of the major articles featured. If you would like to receive a print copy of the magazine through the post, please select the subscribe link at the top of the page.
The J-dex newsletter and J-dex online allows us many more opportunities to allow advertisers to promote their services directly to our readers or indeed inform them of special events or promotions as soon as they happen. If this is of interest please give Sheena a ring on 01249 656230 .
I’ve been wanting to visit the Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair for quite some time.With an invitation to see the International Bullion Brokers (IBB) Thailand factory, it seemed an opportunity too good to miss.
In the recent past a number of UK companies and factories have started dealing with Thailand in a much more serious way. They are forming trading partnerships with Thai companies or setting up factories in advantageous economic zones. IBB started manufacturing in Thailand more than 15 years ago and more recently Abbeycrest, the UK’s largest jewellery manufacturing company, purchased a Thai manufacturing company and then built a large purpose-built factory in the north of Thailand.
There are hurdles to doing business in Thailand. Any company setting up in Thailand has to be 51% owned by a Thai national although this used to be a formality, with nominee accountants and lawyers holding shares, this is now much more difficult with prosecutions of companies and individuals making these types of agreements. One English businessman I spoke to explained that the law in Thailand is byzantine in its complexity and worse still keeps on changing. He concluded that it’s a great place to visit, and trade, but not to set up a company.
The background to the 40th Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair was summed up in the official fair magazine. “Even though the Thai economic outlook is stable and the stock market has picked up, coupled with the good feeling, good hopes factor about the coming elections, unfortunately this year has been disastrous at all the shows because there was no business to speak of. We know this has been primarily caused by the US economic slowdown. Yet despite the adverse market conditions in the last few years more and more business people have been making their bid at entering the production side of our business and other sectors of the market as a whole.”
In his opening speech at the Fair Thailand’s Minister of Commerce, Krik-krai Jirapaet, underlined the major role Thailand commands in the international gems and jewellery trade as providing an important source of jewellery and finely cut gemstones. According to the minister, Thailand’s gems and jewellery exports last year exceeded $3.6 billion, up 12.7 percent on the previous year. In the first seven months of 2007, gems and jewellery exports increased 5.41 percent year-on-year to $2.18 billion.
By the end of the Fair the organisers were reporting stronger business and a greater increase in attendance than expected. The number of visitors had increased by 10% over the previous year to more than 30,000. The next Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair will be from 27 Feb to 2 Mar 2008.
At the Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair
The Fair is held at the Challenger Hall, Impact Exhibition Centre which is about 25 minutes by car from the centre of Bangkok. An efficient minibus shuttle collects visitors from the major hotels in the centre of Bangkok. The event is held in one very large hall with 1500 exhibitors from 35 countries.
Thailand claims to handle about 80% of the world’s gemstones involving approximately 300, 000 craftsmen. Although it is difficult to quantify there are around 5000 companies in the Thai jewellery industry. The government are promoting the large and thriving retail and wholesaler districts around Silom and Mahaesak, Surawong and Charoen Krung in Bangkok, where there are more than 1500 retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, exporters, importers and traders of gems and jewellery products.
Creation Bijoux
I spoke to a number of companies at the Fair who were offering their own patterns and designs as well as making to order. Typical of these were ‘Creation Bijoux Co., Ltd’ who had about 1000 designs of their own and also make to order. The company employs about 100 bench-workers and delivery is about three months at the moment. Creation Bijoux charges $50-$100 to make a master pattern and has a minimum order in silver of 200 pieces.
info@creationbijoux.com
Benson Jewelry Co., Ltd
Sally Saowaluk is the sales agent for Benson which has a factory of over 600 workers. The company works in silver, gold and platinum made to their own designs and also customer patterns. When I asked how many patterns the company had, I received the standard Thai answer, “Lots”.
Minimum orders were 50 pieces in silver, 25 in 9ct and 25 in platinum. There was no master pattern charge given an initial order of 200 pieces.
Kate Duangrat is the owner of B.V.N. Chain which produces a large range of silver chain which easily competes with the best manufacturers world-wide. The company has 500 chain machines and also produces silver findings. The factory employs 100 staff plus office staff. A typical manufacturing charge for belcher chain is 19 baht (at the moment there are around 68-70 baht to the pound).
www.bvnsilver.com
Acme Jewellery Ltd of Belbroughton.
Paul and Carole Mason of Acme Jewellery had a great four days at the Fair. The company specialises in ultra-lightweight pendant chain down to 0.25g per piece. This is an area of chain-making not favoured by Italy, the world’s largest chain making country. Paul explained, “The Italians make their money on loss and there is virtually no loss on a chain which weighs less than half a gram.”
Paul is a self-taught engineer employing 50 at his Belbroughton UK factory. “We have over 250 machines in our factory, over half dedicated to chain production and the challenge is to run as many as possible 24/7.
At the other end of the scale the company makes heavy silver diamond-cut chain from 1/2oz to 10oz. In contrast to the ultra-lightweight gold, silver bars are offloaded by forklift truck on 500kg pallets.
Acme also make hollow and solid crosses, religious jewellery, stamped family jewellery, bangles, bracelets, hoops and stud earrings. The company is one of few in the world still making solid and hollow hinged sleepers which are still very popular in South Africa, Australia and the UK. “We make about 200,000 pairs a year,” says Paul.
As well as selling finished product to the wholesale and multiple-retail jewellery trade Acme supply other manufacturers, both jewellery and industrial, with semi-finished products, components and raw material..
It was a pleasure to see Acme at the fair but sad that they were the only company actually listed as a UK manufacturer. Paul and Carole had made a last minute decision to show at the fair to try to increase the 20% of the company’s export sales. Paul concluded “We thought that we could sell more to Indian and Chinese manufacturers, who are selling lightweight jewellery into the American market and the response from the fair has proved us right. They’ve got to hang the jewellery on something!”
www.acmejewellery.co.uk
paulm@acmejewellery.co.uk
International Bullion Brokers
One of the highlights of my trip to Bangkok was visiting the IBB factory in Pravet District, just outside Bangkok. The factory director, Nee, is a marvellous maternal figure, held in the highest regard by every employee, who controls every aspect of running a large organisation with 500 employees on-site.
Nee met Frank Kovacs, the managing director of IBB, at a trade fair 16 years ago.
She had been working in a stone company but was persuaded to join IBB and run a new manufacturing venture for them in Bangkok. The factory set out to be purely an exporting organisation and has achieved this with sales to Japan, Korea, Australia, Europe, Russia, China and Italy. They find that the US is excessively price conscious at the expense of quality.
The current factory is set to expand dramatically when the new building, next door, goes live. This will allow the company to increase the workforce to 1200 and include stampings as part of the factory production.
The customers who use IBB reads like the who’s who of the global jewellery trade from television sales companies to major department stores, multiples, designer makers and brands. Frank Kovacs explains that IBB works with their customers on designs and the practicalities of production.
“We have 14 model-makers in the factory who interpret designs and drawings to make the first master pattern, which we generally don’t charge for,” says Frank.
There are many great aspects to the IBB factory the first of which is the working conditions which are up with anywhere in the rest of the world. This follows through to a great pride in the quality of the work that is being produced.
Frank explained, “We have a large quality control department who up-hold world-class standards of manufacture and finish.”
I certainly felt that IBB competed with the best Italian jewellery companies in terms of finished product.
“The Thai people have fantastic hand-work skills which shows through in the finesse of the jewellery produced and quality of the finishing,” says Frank.
The new factory building has been a long fought for project with negotiations with the local landowners with agreements on landswaps and purchases.
The building will add a further 40,000 square feet and be another model factory.
Meeting with a retail client recently I enquired what questions are commonly asked by customers about coloured stones. Perhaps if any J-Dex readers might like to email jason@gfwilliams.co.uk with any of their own, I shall be happy to answer them in a future column.
During the meeting, the topic of conversation turned to names one question that arose was;
‘Can I sell Rubelite as Ruby?’
To answer this was an easy and categorical ;
NO.
I did explain further the distinct difference of the Gem family types ie. Corundum and Tourmaline and the more complex sub categorisation of Pink Tourmaline and Rubelite. This client cares deeply about her customers and informing them correctly and we were happy to provide guidance on the correct terminology.
This got me thinking:-
The naming protocols of different materials are quite inconsistent. For example:-
Amethyst shades – may be referred to as Purple, Violet or Lilac or alternatively African, Uruguayan or Brazilian.
Similarly with Garnet which can be orange, red or brown and may be described as African, Thai or Indian, and sometimes pyrope, spessatine or almandine.
Emerald is often referred to by origin ie. Brazilian, Columbian or Zambian, which can be confusing as Zambian and Brazilian rough is routinely mixed before it is cut.
Simply put, there are many ways to describe colour in a Gemstone, often when a geographical location is used it is merely a description of a familiar material colour, not an accurate indication of origin.
Postal strike.
Jason Williams
An Alleweireldt at the
‘Look What I Found’ exhibition at the Lesley Craze Gallery
Cycles
I have always been fascinated by the things I see around me: To me, the shape, materials and use of daily objects are an inexhaustible source of inspiration for new possibilities.
I see the life of an object as never ending. Whatever its purpose and state, it keeps evolving, both in a material and physical sense and as a source of inspiration for possible re-creation and further cycles of existence.
It is those possibilities that I want to reveal when I design, by pointing one or more out through composing.
Richness
Because “precious” is traditionally equated to “rare”, we tend to underestimate the beauty of outwardly humble or common objects and materials. Value is subjective and the structure, and therefore possibilities or limitations of various materials, can make them much more exciting and valuable than whether or not they are rare. I try to look deeper into something we think we know, rather than look for something that may or may not exist.
Every single piece of material and object around us offers its unique beauty, it is there for us to explore and discover not only “it” but also who we are through our perception of the outside world.
Balance
I designed the pieces for this exhibition so that each one would reach the point of exact balance between introduction and recognition. What I have in mind is a subtle confrontation of past and new shapes and forms in order to cast a new light on every dimension of the object’s life and meaning, revealing its depth and full beauty.
This quest for a way to balance the past and new aspects of the pieces is also challenging in a very concrete and physical way. When combining diamonds, precious metals, vinyl, waxed cord and other materials, one has no choice but to face their physical truth. Each material will only mould itself to an imagined shape if it is treated in a very specific manner. At first, it often seemed impossible to find a way to create one piece that would respect the requirements of all the materials I wanted to involve.
Perspective
As a designer, I have always been drawn to turning 2D material into 3D objects. I use images, drawings or flat materials as building blocks, piecing them together to reach a 3D reality. Photography, as a 2D reflection, often inspires to start on a new piece but it also gives me a different insight on a finished piece, allowing a shift in perspective.
www.lesleycrazegallery.co.uk
Miners rescued from South African gold mine
Johannesburg, South Africa—More than 2,000 of the 3,000 gold miners trapped in a mine accident have been rescued in a dramatic all-night operation with efforts continuing today to bring hundreds more to the surface.
According to the Associated Press, no casualties occurred when a pressurized air pipe snapped at the gold mine and tumbled down a shaft yesterday, causing extensive damage to an elevator and stranding thousands of workers more than a mile underground.
Harmony Gold Mining Co. owns the mine, located near Johannesburg.
Mining company officials reportedly hoped that all the miners would be out by lunchtime, but said it would more likely be early evening.
The time-consuming rescue operation involves bringing workers to the surface in a second, smaller cage in another shaft. Most of the miners have reportedly emerged looking dazed and exhausted, but with no signs of injury, though there was one report of dehydration.
“We nearly died down there,” one man reportedly yelled while walking past reporters. “I’d rather leave [the job] than die in a mine.”
Deon Boqwana, regional chairman for the National Mineworkers Union, said officials were in contact with the miners below ground by a telephone line. He said the smaller cage used to bring miners to the surface can hold about 75 workers at a time. Normally, he said it takes three minutes to reach the surface, but rescuers were moving more slowly to be careful.
Workers still underground are said to be near a ventilation shaft and have been given water but no food for fear of provoking a scramble among hungry miners, according to Peter Bailey, health and safety chairman for the National Mineworkers Union.
The South African government has accused Harmony Gold Mining of not informing it of the potentially devastating crisis. Government officials—including Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica—said they had heard about the accident on the news. Sonjica said President Thabo Mbeki also found out about the accident from a news bulletin.
The accident has already spurred allegations of corners being cut by the industry for profit. Almost 200 mineworkers died in accidents last year, mostly rock falls, the government’s Mine Health and Safety Council reported last month. One worker was killed last week in a mine adjacent to the Elandsrand mine.
“We have to recommit ourselves to refocus on safety in this country; our safety record both as a company and an industry leave much to be desired,” Harmony Gold Mining Chairman Patrice Motsepe said according to the South African Press Association.
A spokesman for the National Mineworkers Union, Lesiba Seshoka, told the AP that the mine was not properly maintained.
“Our guys there tell us that they have raised concerns about the whole issue of maintenance of shafts with the mine [managers], but they have not been attended to,” he said. Amelia Soares, a spokeswoman for Harmony Gold Mining, reportedly said the mine had won a number of safety awards and had never seen any fatal accidents. She said the company was likely to suffer considerable loss in output during the closure, but was unable to give a precise estimate, saying that attention for now was concentrated on the rescue operation.
Senzeni Zokwana, president of the National Mineworkers Union, said the accident should be a wake-up call for the industry.
“We are very much concerned. We believe that this should be a call to the industry that secondary exits underground be mandated,” Zokwana said.
Pink tender on view in New York
Sixty-five of the rarest pink diamonds in the world are currently on view under tight security in a posh Manhattan hotel suite, as the 23rd annual Rio Tinto Diamonds Argyle Pink Diamond Tender makes its annual New York stopover.
The collection—which was previously in Hong Kong and Perth, Australia—was in New York City from 1-12 Oct. Attendance to the tender is restricted to approximately 100 key clientele from around the world.
Diamonds included in the tender are extremely rare and valuable, and can fetch more than $400,000 per carat. Robyn Ellison, communications manager for Rio Tinto Diamonds, said the diamonds must be at least half a carat in size and in the upper-end of the fancy-intense colours to be considered.
Of the average 30 million carats of rough diamonds produced at the Argyle mine in Western Australia each year, only about 8,000 to 10,000 carats of polished pink diamonds are produced—primarily in melee sizes—with only a small fraction of the finest making it to the tender.
Gavin Pearce, senior sales executive for Argyle Diamonds, said the collection will become even more rare in the years to come. The mine will transition to an underground operation after 2008, cutting production by half, and is expected to run out completely by 2018.
He says this year’s stones are among the most vivid and deep in terms of colour.
“I expect it to be extremely strong this year,” Pearce said of the tender.
Among the stones available this year are four extremely rare purplish-red stones, including a 1.74-carat oval-shaped fancy purplish red.
Pearce said there are usually one or two stones of this hue in the collection.
Bids closed on 17 Oct at noon EST, and bidders were notified of the outcome on 18 Oct. The company does not reveal the names of winning bidders or prices.
South Africa: ‘7000ct Stone’ was
Only Plastic
After more than a month of speculation, the “world’s largest diamond,”said to be twice the size of the famous Cullinan, was denounced as a “piece of plastic.” Brett Jolly, who originally told the press the diamond had been found, said he was seeking legal council against the mine operators for fraud.
The Earrings Book by Yvonne Kulagowski
Almost every jeweller or jewellery student has worked on earrings at some point. They can be simple or complicated; expensive or moderately priced and made in any number of different materials from precious stones to pebbles or feathers – this flexibility makes earrings an ideal starting point for any budding jewellery maker.
In this book Yvonne Kulagowski considers issues of design and aesthetics, and offers practical advice about choosing metals and materials, techniques, and using different tools and equipment. She also discusses earrings in terms of fashion shows and catwalk collections, as well as earrings made exclusively for theatre productions and exhibitions.
Packed with thorough and concise information for students, this book introduces important earring designers and also includes lists of further reading and other useful sources. Projects show the manufacture of simple stud, hanging and complex two part drop earrings in detail. These explain and clarify design and technical process. Additionally, because it is illustrated with the work of international jewellers, it will also be an inspiring reference for experienced makers.
Yvonne Kulagowski is a very experienced British jeweller, who teaches at Central Saint Martins and Camberwell College of Arts. She was jewellery manager and exhibition curator at Contemporary Applied Arts for over ten years; her own work has been internationally exhibited.
Signed copies from:
Contemporary Applied Arts
2 Percy Street
London
W1T 1DD
020 7436 2344
Email: hscott@caa.org.uk
http://www.caa.org.uk/shop/books-and-magazines.html
On-line from A&C Black:
http://www.acblack.com/catalogue/category.asp?dept_id=4&category_id=86
Marie Antoinette’s pearls to fetch more than £350,000
By now, the much-maligned “Let them eat cake” phrase, attributed to Marie Antoinette’s treatment of the poor, has been ruled out as nothing more than a fable.
That’s not to say, however, that the most-famed queen of France’s legacy of extreme extravagance is at all false. Marie Antoinette continues to be remembered for the exorbitant amount of money she spent on everything from clothing to jewels.
Auction house Christie’s is now offering a part of that legacy to the public. In its upcoming “Magnificent Jewellery” sale, to be held on 12 Dec, Christie’s is offering a historically important natural-pearl, diamond and ruby necklace, the pearls of which belonged to Marie Antoinette.
The necklace has never before been offered at auction, and the pearls have been in the same family for more than 200 years, Christie’s said in a statement. The necklace is estimated to fetch between about £350,000 - £400,000.
The necklace was made in 1849 and features a fringe of 21 graduated drop-shaped natural gray pearls, each suspended from an old-cut diamond collet surmounted to a diamond ribbon. The ribbon is intertwined with a ruby collar that is set with 12 button-shaped natural gray pearls, mounted in gold.
The historically important pearls came into the possession of Elizabeth Leveson-Gower, the Lady Sutherland, during Marie Antoinette’s imprisonment at the height of the French Revolution. The queen gave the pearls, along with the diamonds, to Lady Sutherland for safekeeping.
Anyone caught in possession of this jewellery risked severe punishment, but Lady Sutherland, the wife of the British ambassador, had diplomatic immunity, so she was one of the few who could be trusted to return the jewels when the queen escaped.
The plan was never realized, however. Marie Antoinette was put to death by guillotine in 1793 on the precept of treason.
The diamonds were later fashioned into the Sutherland diamond necklace, and the pearls were mounted on the occasion of the marriage of Lady Sutherland’s grandson George Granville William Sutherland-Leveson-Gower to Anne Hay-McKenzie.
“It is exceptionally rare to be able to offer jewels that belonged to Marie Antoinette and which are completely fresh to the market,” Raymond Sancroft-Baker, senior director of Christie’s Jewellery, London, said in a statement. “The story behind the pearls and their integral integration into this necklace for the Sutherland-Leveson-Gower family wedding in 1849 adds to the fascinating history of this necklace.”
This historically important necklace, which feature pearls that once belonged to Marie Antoinette, is up for auction on 12 Dec.
Announcing ‘Coutts London Jewellery Week’ - the capital’s first ever city-wide celebration of jewellery design
From 11th to 15th June 2008 London’s jewellery industry will unite for the first time to celebrate the excellence of creative design in the capital. From Hatton Garden to Knightsbridge, Bond Street to Green Street, the event will offer a journey of discovery, from emerging talent to behind the scenes glimpses of some of the world’s finest designers; incorporating catwalk shows, exhibitions, seminars and open houses.
Created for the industry by the industry, Coutts London Jewellery Week is the first event that will showcase the city’s status as the home of world-class jewellery design to UK and international consumers. It will bring together leading names and cutting-edge talent in a week celebrating the passion, style and inspiration behind London’s jewellery. It will reflect London’s position as a trailblazing destination in global jewellery and, ultimately, convey the allure and diversity of London jewellery, creating a legacy for our talent.
Based on work commissioned by the City Fringe Partnership, the organisation behind the event, Coutts London Jewellery Week has been established in light of significant demand from both consumers and the jewellery industry itself. The event has already attracted a number of high profile patrons who have offered their support, including Laurence Graff, Nicholas and Michael Wainwright of Boodles, Theo Fennell, Sir Terence Conran, Philip Treacey, Mary Reilly, Chair of the London Development Agency, Shaun Leane and Stephen Webster. Visit London and Visit Britain have also offered their full commitment. Sarah Deaves, Chief Executive of Coutts & Co, commented:
“Coutts is absolutely thrilled to be the principal sponsor of the first ever London Jewellery Week. The connection between Coutts and jewellery is steeped through our 300 year history, and begins with the foundation of the bank in 1692 by Scottish goldsmith-banker, John Campbell, who not only supplied plate and jewellery but also a full banking service to clients.
Today, we are the co-sponsors of The Royal Ballet’s production of ‘Jewels’ which shows this November. And the last three years have seen us supporting some of the best of British fashion designers. This includes the redesign of our Account Card by Stella McCartney and World Card by Oswald Boateng, the hosting of an Alice Temperley fashion show for clients
and most recently, we announced our sponsorship of Matthew Williamson’s ‘Ten years in Fashion’ exhibition at the Design Museum.”
Cllr Guy Nicholson, Board Chair of the City Fringe Partnership, said, “Coutts London Jewellery Week is all about getting people excited about the jewellery that is designed and produced on their doorstep, right here in London. The City Fringe Partnership is delighted with the support received from across the industry and is proud to be able to offer a showcase for the diverse array of talent in London jewellery.”
The Mayor, Ken Livingstone, is a wholehearted supporter of the event; “London has a long and established tradition of jewellery design as well as being a creative hotbed for new talent. Coutts London Jewellery Week is a great opportunity for Londoners and visitors alike to discover the wealth of creativity that exists in the capital. London is the world’s most international city, with 300 languages spoken everyday. Its cultural offer is rich and diverse with many world class museums, galleries and theatres. Coutts London Jewellery Week will provide a welcomed addition, showcasing the diversity and quality of London’s designers.”
www.change-act-share.org.uk
B&N theft
B&N are appealing to the trade at large to be on the alert for any of their items which may be offered to you in the coming weeks or months.
One of their sample ranges was stolen from the boot of a car in the Bournemouth area on Monday 8th October but police are confident that the stolen items could surface anywhere in the UK.
The B&N range of wedding, eternity and engagement rings is very well known to the trade but there were also a number of semi precious gem set dress rings and a new collection of diamond pendants, earrings and bangles, all bearing the B&N hallmark.
If you are offered any item of jewellery with a B&N hallmark, please advise Gary Williams or Chris Sanders at B&N on 01707255000 or contact you local police station.
Winners announced for the platinum based
2007 Design Innovation Award
The winning designs of the Design Innovation Award 2007 are finally revealed. The eight winners from the platinum-based competition were selected from drawings of their design by a distinguished panel of judges in April, and these have now been made up as finished pieces of jewellery. They were seen for the first time on the Johnson Matthey Precious Metals Marketing Stand at International Jewellery London (IJL) from 2-5 September 2007.
The Design Innovation Award was set up by Blue Inc, publishers of the Platinum Collection, to recognise and reward outstanding design in platinum and on a more general level to push the design standards of all contemporary jewellery to greater heights. The Awards, now in their fifth year, are once again sponsored by Lonmin, one of the largest primary producers of platinum in the world, and supported by Johnson Matthey. For the first time, this year we welcome another partner, the International Jewellery London exhibition (IJL), supporting the Emerging Designer category.
For the second year, the Awards are divided into two categories. Emerging Designers recognises designers with less than five years’ commercial experience, and Established Designers gives its attention to those who have been in the business for more than five years. The Awards exist to encourage young designers, but equally importantly they give place to the ideas of those who have longer experience of working in platinum.
There are three winners in Emerging and five in Established Designers.
Both categories yielded exciting and innovative work, proving once again that jewellery designers in the UK are leading the world.
Albert Jamieson, Executive Vice President Marketing, Lonmin said:
‘Creating incentives for emerging and established designers to push the boundaries in platinum jewellery is what this competition is all about. We are delighted by the sustained interest and by how the quantity and quality of entries increases year on year.’
The winners in the Emerging Designers category are:
Yu Lan Burkmar, Shell Collar, inspired by shells and organic shapes
Yvonne Knights, Starburst Necklace, inspired by a starburst, symbolising rays of light.
Tiia Mannisto, Suave Men’s Ring, inspired by James Bond’s Aston Martin.
And in the Established Designers category:
John Bradley – Mesh Ring, inspired by purity, symmetry, geometry and light.
Georgio Gerakio, Sorbet Necklace, inspired by ‘60s fashion and shapes.
Jig Pattni, Devil in Disguise Necklace, inspired by Elvis, music, travel, art studies and women.
Tom Rucker, Wired Moon Women’s and Men’s Ring Set, inspired by architecture and technical structures.
Mark Veevers, Directions Ring, inspired by New York street signs
In addition to the pieces being displayed at IJL, the professionally photographed images of the winning designs also feature in the 10th edition of the Platinum Collection magazine and on the brand new website www.designinnovationaward.co.uk. They were also worn by models at a spectacular party and award ceremony to celebrate the winners which took place at the brand new Pavilion at the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens on Sunday 2nd September.
Stephen Webster, renowned jewellery designer, commented:
‘Every design competition likes to say the standard of entries was high. Having judged three design awards this year, I can honestly say the standard of entries for the senior section of the Design Innovation Award was the highest I have seen, certainly this year and probably for some considerable time beyond. Designers are not only extremely creative but the application of the use of platinum is now fully understood.’
BRILLIANTLY BIRMINGHAM 2007
A WORLD OF CONTEMPORARY JEWELLERY IN ONE CITY
The eighth annual Brilliantly Birmingham season of contemporary jewellery will open this November in the heart of the city’s Jewellery Quarter, launching a season celebrating the best new contemporary jewellery.
From November 22nd until January 13th 2008, the work of more than 80 designer makers will exhibit their work across Birmingham and the West Midlands.
The selling showcase of Brilliantly Birmingham will be Flux, an exhibition of the best new and emerging contemporary designer makers from the UK and around the world, held at the School of Jewellery at Birmingham Institute of Art and Design.
For detailed listings and information about events, venues and participating designer makers, visit www.brilliantlybirmingham.com or call 0121 464 1187.
Response to the article in October Magazine
‘Get yer diamonds ‘ere!
I write in response to Dan Seller’s letter in the October edition of J-dex ‘Get yer diamonds ‘ere, regarding the questionability of diamond certificates.
I note with some dismay that Mr Seller sees the retailer as having a large part to play in the certificate ‘debacle’. Does he mean the diamond dealers who have set up shop to sell directly to the public, or shops that trade entirely on their reputations, many of which now suffer at the hands of these public wholesalers?
I for one would never sell a diamond that did not match accurately the description on the certificate. Nor, like other like minded retailers would I involve myself in the ‘buy back’ market – another sure fire way to devalue our product.
As far as I can tell, retailers buy diamonds from dealers. Dealers are responsible for certificating their stock. Dealers should be confident that their stock is accurately described prior to sale. Dealers should question certification, not leave it to the retailers to decide!
You cannot blame the public for becoming more informed and certainly not for removing the ‘debating, passion, arguing and posturing over the merits of a stone’. Clarifying the mystique of diamonds is essential at the retail counter. Certificates, when accurate should help do just that and assist in a successful sale.
I agree our trade is heading for trouble, but don’t wave the finger of blame at the retailers. I suggest the people that introduce certificated goods onto the market, be confident in the integrity of the stock they offer for sale.
Nicholas James of Hatton Garden,
director Nick Fitch.
Jane Short has engraved and enamelled a tour de force of the enameller’s art. Richard Jarvis commented,
“It will be seen as one of the great pieces of enamelling this century.”
This work of art is probably destined for one of the great museums in Britain from the benefactor who has commissioned this stunning piece. Jane estimates the time taken as over 2000 hours of work and then lost count. We spoke to Jane about her achievement.
In 1999 I was one of four makers commissioned by the Goldsmiths’ Company to make a significant piece of enamelled silverware in celebration of the Millennium.
The resulting dish had an engraved and enamelled outer rim of 38cm diameter, and in order to enamel a piece of this size I acquired a new, larger kiln from Diatherm with an inner chamber of 43cm x 43cs x 20cm. This has enabled me to work on a larger scale, and since then I have completed several larger commissioned pieces of enamelled silverware.
Several years later I was approached by a private client to discuss the possibility of making a piece based on the theme of the four seasons. I realised that this would take quite a time to complete, and took some time to weigh up the pros and cons of such an undertaking before deciding to go ahead. It was decided that I should design a single item that contained all four seasons within it, represented largely by seasonal plants and flowers chosen by the client. Restricted somewhat by the demands of work and family and the activities of a most voracious snail population, I am still quite a keen gardener, enjoying its cyclical nature and marking of time passing. Past sketchbooks also held many drawings of various flowers, although I have not often used such motifs in my enamel work.
Some aspects of the design were easy to decide, it seemed appropriate that summer should be presented within a dish, but initially it was difficult to work out how to combine all the seasons to make a cohesive whole. Once I had decided to elevated the dish on columns the design fell into place.
Winter, the season of short days and long dark nights, is mainly represented on the insides of the columns by inky bluey black basse taille enamel with a few stars glinting. Its creeps into spring at the outside base of the columns with different varieties of snowdrops, crocus, primroses, iris, and cyclamen; further up spring is represented by bluebells, fritillaries, daffodils, tulips and primroses.
Summer, the season of abundance, is represented by a tangled garland of many different plants, wheat, poppies, irises and peonies chosen by the client, and clematis honeysuckle, raspberries and foxgloves, - plants that I look forward to seeing each year.
Autumn is, to my mind, the rich reds, browns, and yellows of leaves and berries, the season of spectacular sunsets over the dark hills of the Sussex Downs, and a drawing down into winter. So it lies caught in the columns like the disc of the sun, covered in rich autumnal colours and suspended over the dark blue of winter.
Although I have had some training as a silversmith, I have become specialised in champleve enamelling, and often work in conjunction with the silversmith Clive Burr, so the making of the piece was carried out in his workshops.
First a model was made in wood and gilding metal, on a project such as this it is helpful to show the client a three dimensional model, it is also useful to see how the decorative pattern works over various surface profiles. Then the silversmithing was carried out, the tazza being made up of seven different components that were engraved and enamelled separately before being polished and finally assembled onto the base.
The majority of the engraving was carried out by hand, and it was this work that took up the most of the more than two years that were then taken to complete the piece. Engraving the inside of the bowl was the biggest challenge, but the slowness of the pace of progress gave plenty of thinking time to get small details correct.
One unforeseen problem was the onset of repetitive strain injury, which prompted the decision to try out another way of removing the metal to create the recesses for the enamel. The autumn section of the piece was subsequently recessed by Jack Perry Ltd, using computer-aided technology, before being hand engraved to give the texture and detail that shows through the enamel. This was a good solution, and I can see potential in using this technology, but I was also a little relieved to see that hand engraving has an extra subtlety, so that all those hours spent cutting back the majority of the recesses by hand were worthwhile, and appropriate for the style of the design.
It has been very interesting to undertake such a commission, along the way I have been introduced to some of the technology of the 21st century, enjoyed the dialogue with my client, learned about keeping flexible and fit enough to combat RSI, and rather more sobering observed the way in which the seasons are changing and becoming less predictable. Hopefully this piece will remain a celebration and not a swansong.”
Now It's Going to Get colourful: Conspicuous Jewellery Is in Fashion!
Where are jewellery trends going? And do men wear more than a watch and wedding ring? Inhorgenta europe asked prominent people about their personal preferences.
Prominent Germans are currently leading the way. Armlets with bells, valuable pieces or shell necklaces, everything that shimmers and is exotic is fashionable. This is the conclusion of a current survey conducted by inhorgenta europe, the leading trade fair for jewellery and timepieces in the EU. “I like lots of colour!” Beate Igel said, for example. The show host wears earrings in all colours and shapes. She also loves opulent gold jewellery. Verena Kerth swears by jewellery “with beautiful, colourful stones.” And TV presenter Alexandra Polzin has the right motto for the upcoming jewellery season: “Regardless of whether silver or gold, the main thing is that is should stand out!”
But does this new joy in colour carry over to the men’s world too? Boris Entrup, jury member on the show “Germany’s Next Top Model“, only admits to a weakness for high-quality watches. And Sybille Beckenbauer warns them to keep it simple. “Men, dare to do something different!” the actress Michaela Merten demands on the other hand; conspicuous men’s jewellery has been in vogue for a long time in other cultures. Beate Igel agrees and also encourages men to find more pleasure in experimenting. It seems as if prominent people are divided into classic-exclusive and fashionable-avant-garde camps in matters of men’s jewellery.
Sybille Beckenbauer, Author
“I like white stones best, in other words, diamonds! I usually select jewellery, which fits to my clothing style. My taste conforms more to a rather classic and purist style. This means not too fanciful. The trend is clearly going in the direction of colour stones, set in yellow or even red gold. The rings are set with oversized solitary stones. I recently saw a rose quartz in a red-gold setting, which I also liked. Men and jewellery – that’s not for me. I find a chic watch on men totally sufficient.”
Doreen Dietel, Actress
“I like somewhat coarser silver jewellery. My favourites are old heirlooms. I always wear them. On the whole, I have a very special relationship with my jewellery and specific memories, which I connect with it. But in the end, jewellery also has to fit the outfit and the occasion. I find a great watch or plain bracelet very beautiful on men too. On the other hand, men with earrings or men’s chests with necklaces turn me off.”
Boris Entrup, Hair & Make-Up Artist at “Germany’s Next Top Model”
“I have a great weakness for high-quality watches, but also like to wear stylish cufflinks. For watches, the trend is for high-quality second or third watches. They are combined in a targeted manner as a fashionable accessory for the specific outfits. Big dial faces are trendy, including for women, who often wear big men’s watches and consequently dare to try out an incongruous style. Whether men should wear more jewellery depends above all on their age and fashion style. In general, men should emphasize quality more than quantity.”
Beate Igel, Show Host
“I like lots of colour!” I often wear earrings in all colours, shapes and sizes. In addition to opulent armlets, I above all love luxuriant gold jewellery patterned after historical models. Long necklaces are currently very fashionable, regardless of which material they are made from. But big stones such as aquamarine, amethyst and topaz of all kinds are becoming increasingly popular. Men should also dare to do more in matters of jewellery. I find necklaces in all lengths with expressive pendants very beautiful, for example. Above all, a watch of the right type in line with the occasion is mandatory.”
Silvia Incardona, Show Host
“My favourite is plain ring made of platinum with a fine gold trimming.
This ring is something very special for me. In principle, I prefer high-quality materials, but mix them now and then with costume jewellery. But it always has to fit to the occasion and the outfit: a shell necklace from the Caribbean with linen pants, and a fantastic necklace or striking earrings when I put on an evening gown. Not every man can wear jewellery, and especially not with every outfit!
A shark-tooth chain with a business suit is an absolute no-go. A request to the men: when your surfer mane gets thinner, please no shell chains or fiber armlets! Replace them with a plain pair of cufflinks, a beautiful watch and a wedding ring!”
Andrea Kempter, Show Host
“My motto for jewellery is ‘less is more’. When I wear jewellery, then only genuine precious metals. I especially like white gold or silver jewellery. I also like a simpler style on men. A stylish men’s watch underlines personality in my opinion. When men wear too much jewellery, it soon produces an overladen effect.”
Verena Kerth, Show Host
“I currently wear a lot of gold jewellery or valuable pieces with pretty, colourful stones.
I also like thin strips of material from the beach with little bells or bags with pendants very much. The trend is clearly going in a golden, rustic retro direction and away from crosses and necklaces. Earrings and armlets are in vogue now. Anklets are also becoming popular again. A ring and a watch on men are totally sufficient for me!”
Michaela Merten, Actress and Author
“I love jewellery! I consider jewellery the perfect expression of beauty. I select individual, precious materials very carefully to underline my style. But I love pearls best. I think that men should also wear jewellery more often. In earlier times, it was normal for men to wear a lot of jewellery, and that is still the case in other cultures. Unfortunately, this has fallen a bit into oblivion here.
I personally like unisex jewellery on men.”
Alexandra Polzin, Show Host and Photo Model
“My jewellery always has to be something very special. I like individual pieces from all corners of the world best. When I travel, I always bring back jewellery. Sometimes I have gold jewellery custom-made. In addition to silver, I like jewellery set with colourful stones best. I believe the current jewellery tend is also going in this direction. Jewellery is becoming really colourful with lots and especially with big stones. I agree with the motto “regardless of whether silver or gold, the main thing is that it has to stand out.” On the other hand, men should wear more subdued jewellery. I find an armlet or a ring here and there very sexy. But please, no gold chains around your necks.”
Montblanc focuses on jewellery and watches By Claire Adler
Think of Montblanc and you probably think of pens. Not surprising really, when you consider the brand currently has its hold over 70% of the luxury pen market. But now, Montblanc wants you to think jewellery and watches. Claire Adler catches up with new brand manager, Stephen Delucchi.
Montblanc is upping the ante. Last autumn saw the opening of the brand’s largest store in Asia, a huge Montblanc emporium spanning three floors and overlooked by an atrium, located in a new building on the fashion-conscious Champs Elysées of Tokyo - Ginza’s Chuo Dori.
Designed by Montblanc’s international team of architects according to the concept developed by French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte (the man also behind plans for a new Chaumet store due to open on Bond Street later this year), the store incorporates a lounge area for meetings and relaxation. It is intended to be a haven of calm in the centre of the world’s busiest shopping district. Reflecting Wilmotte’s thinking and a general trend we’re now seeing in luxury retail, the shop is also designed to feel like a private home.
Earlier this year, Montblanc launched the second ever instalment of its fine jewellery collection, incorporating white and yellow gold and black diamonds.
As for Montblanc watches, 2007 marks Montblanc’s tenth year in the watch business and the brand is taking things up a notch. In line with a general trend in watches towards mechanical overtaking quartz, Montblanc will be bringing out automatic versions of many of its existing quartz watches, such as the popular Summit watch. This year an impressive 90% of Montblanc’s watch range is to comprise mechanical watches.
Montblanc already has 320 boutiques in more than 70 countries round the world. Its owner is the Richemont Group, one of the world’s leading luxury goods groups whose interests include Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Piaget and Alfred Dunhill.
“Montblanc is the conglomerate’s second biggest brand after Cartier,” explains brand manager Stephen Delucchi, who moved to Montblanc from Tag Heuer. “Watches and women’s jewellery are the key areas of growth for us now.
The pen market is much smaller than the marketplace for watches.”
Katherine Jenkins, 26 year old British mezzo soprano, has joined the ranks of Montblanc’s A-list international brand ambassadors who include Johnny Depp and Nicholas Cage.
Admittedly, the beautiful, photogenic, highly talented and word has it, charming, Jenkins may not be as well known as some of her Montblanc ambassador peers. But never mind, she’s been photographed by Canadian rockstar turned snapper Bryan Adams, who himself has even photographed the Queen. His close-up image of the monarch later appeared on a Canadian postage stamp.
There’s no doubt the images of Katherine Jenkins in Montblanc stores will help to feminise the brand and draw attention to the jewellery collection.
The 26th Hong Kong
Watch and Clock Fair By Martin Foster
Martin Foster reviews watch and jewellery trends at the Hong Kong Fair
Modern jewellery design philosophies dominated at the 26th Hong Kong Watch and Clock Fair (HKW&CF).
Opening September 5-9, 2007 in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, the 2007 HKW&CF featured over 800 exhibitors from 18 countries including Hong Kong, Canada, the Chinese mainland, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, UK and USA.
This fair is the worlds biggest exhibitor for watches and eclipsed Baselworld (2007 = 553 watch exhibitors) by more than 250 brands.
Hong Kong as a doorstep to China has singular significance. Where previously we saw watches, jewellery and luxury goods bearing the label “Made in Hong Kong” we now see “Made in China”. This is a change brought on simply by the move of practically all low/medium priced manufacturing industry into the Pearl River Delta area of South China. Here there is no shortage of power, space or low-cost labour. But Hong Kong as the “China portal” provides integrated, networked contact with those industries and trading through Hong Kong companies and agencies provides an essential bridge into the industrial engine-room of South China.
A number of manufacturers still maintain their production bases in Hong Kong for higher value products. Meanwhile, due to the growing concern of quality-conscious buyers, more companies have strengthened their quality assurance by setting up the Hong Kong Watch Grading & Certification System which provides manufacturers with quality testing at international standards.
In terms of watches Hong Kong perceives threats on the one hand from Swiss companies, which are endowed with famous brand names, goodwill and expertise and on the other hand from Japanese manufacturers whose edge relies on technical reliability and large-scale automation.
But these are perceptions rather than real threats in the low/medium price categories. The year-by-year advances in quality, finish, innovation, style and technology are completely outstripping series manufacture from Japanese, European and western sources.
Cross-industry utilisation of electronic devices has enabled timepiece manufacturers to incorporate additional features into watches and clocks. Timepieces with functions of voice announcement, electronic compass, calendar, incoming call alert for the mobile phone and even global positioning systems are feeding insatiable western and mainland China markets.
Some companies have added game functions to their watches, so that the wearers can communicate and play interactive games with others wearing the same models nearby. Other companies introduced watches capable of USB connection with computers and the Internet for data transmission.
There are a number of companies looking at the market potential of digital watches with MP3 players, which can be used for voice recording and data storage at the same time. In addition, production of radio-controlled watches and clocks is growing steadily. Pioneer markets include the US, Germany, the UK and Japan, where radio stations have been in operation to emit time signals for time adjustment, while the China mainland has also built its stations.
However none of these products threaten the “Swiss Made” ascendency which has steadily built its strength on the high, up-market range of watches, particularly mechanicals and diamond-set jewellery watches which command breathtaking prices from makers with pedigree and a venerable reputation to entice and hold their buyers.
But that is not to say that China makers are letting grass grow under their feet!
The movement manufacturing centres are mainly Tianjin (near Beijing) and Shanghai with casing parts, bracelets screws etc being centred in the Pearl River Delta only an hour or two north of Hong Kong by road.
Technological change and increased complexity is the Holy Grail of achievement in the watch industry but anybody walking through the halls of the Hong Kong Fair would be hard pressed to find them. They are a very small percentage of the exhibitors and indeed we could be forgiven for imagining we were at a jewellery fair. This is reflecting the change globally from the pure functions of a watch to an item of jewellery for both men and women. After all, how frequently do we pick up our mobile for a call or a text message and every time we do this the first thing we see, even subliminally, is the time. Buses, trains, shops likewise have the time on display which we unconsciously absorb simply by propinquity.
So for three centuries a watch had only a perceived primary function as a timekeeper and now this is diminishing. Whilst for women this has been the case for some time it will take longer for this culture to osmote to the male psyche because there are fewer socially acceptable opportunities for the male to be a bit macho and still wear some jewellery! And a watch is his excuse. As more and more timepiece designers and manufacturers seek to add value to their watches there is a rapidly growing interest in high-quality products that double as fashion accessories or items of jewellery.
And this is the same message from the keynote speech given this year by Jean-Daniel Pasche, President of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH, Switzerland’s leading trade association. It has 500 members under its umbrella representing more than 90% of all Swiss watch manufacturers. “I feel most honoured by the invitation to attend the Asian Watch Conference,” he says. “It is my first participation in this event, which contributes much to the establishment of relationships between the different watch industries.”
The biggest challenge facing the industry, according to Mr Pasche, is to continue to convince people to buy watches. “It is not necessary to have a watch to tell the time. Time is displayed everywhere, for instance on your mobile, in your car. Watches have to show technical and aesthetic innovation and to offer emotions and dreams. Watches have to be unique and authentic. This challenge requires efficient educational programmes in order to get well trained employees . . ”
Meanwhile, Hong Kong based o.d.m Design & Marketing Ltd has created a revolutionary timepiece using SiPix Microcup® e-Paper display technology. It supports colour displays, and provides a wide range of design flexibility. The SiPix Microcup® e-Paper is flexible and highly resistant to impact and pressure. This display technology is highly reflective and may be used to produce paper-like readability, in addition to a viewing angle that is approximately 180°. O.D.M. have produced a cuff style bangle watch with the fashion colours of the case and bracelet, picked up in the e-Paper dial/display.
O.D.M’s touch screen bangle-watch combines intelligent use of the new technologies with colour and simplicity to produce their watches in multi-colours. It is an eye-catching bangle until you need to know the time ay which time it becomes an eye-catching bangle-watch!
Voila! watches are a Hong Kong design and marketing company with manufacturing connections in Switzerland and all their products bear the “Swiss Made” label. From Voila! comes high quality manufacture freed of the shackles of conservative European jewellery design.
Laban Pen Co Ltd from Taiwan exhibited pens manufactured using classic jewellery casting and setting techniques. The centre-piece of their display was a sold gold dragon pen and it was certainly a spectacular piece however anybody actually writing with it might seem a bit pretentious! But it is a celebration of all the fine arts.
The major watch and jewellery tool manufacturers were there such as Bergeon and some Chinese makers but these exhibitors only have real relevance at this fair for Hong Kong and mainland China.
Just as Baselworld is the mandatory industry fair for Swiss (and world) manufacture of watches and jewellery the HKW&CF fills this role for China. It is a growing role and one that is only lately getting the recognition it clearly deserves.
The Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair is co-organised by the HKTDC, Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd. and the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd. The next fair will be held from 3-7 September, 2008 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.|
High Jewellery & High Heels Cartier at London Fashion Week By Claire Adler
For jewellery aficionados, there was only one event to be at during London Fashion Week. Skyscraping Christian Louboutin heels, clusters of Jimmy Choo shoes and decadent bejewelled Cartier watches adorning skinny wrists were in abundance – and that was just the audience.
When Cartier staged a catwalk show of its newest high jewellery collection, Inde Mysterieuse, in Lancaster House this past September, it turned a government owned mansion in Central London into an Indian palace for the evening. A huge carved bush shaped like an life-sized elephant greeted guests alongside the flashing bulbs of paparazzi cameras and groups of police personnel. Lancaster House is a Grade 1 listed building, currently used exclusively for government hospitality and this was the first time it had been opened up for another purpose. Completed in 1840, Lancaster House was rated the most valuable private house in London. Its transformation involved a 12 foot floral display, 8000 hours of work on site, 300 metres of organza ribbon, 700 light projectors and 1500 metres of Indian fabrics to create the spectacle.
In total, 400 clients were flown in from round the world and Cartier CEO and president, Bernard Fornas and MD of Cartier UK, Arnaud Bamberger were present. A “substantial number” of pieces were sold during the four day launch event, according to a Cartier spokesperson, and the remainder will travel to various Cartier stores.
As top end brands increasingly focus on luxurious experiences which money can’t buy, this was just another example of a jewellery climate in which some of the hottest deals in the market simply don’t take place in the stores on Bond Street.
High heels and viva la diva glamour were very much on the agenda. And what with the likes of fashion guru Trinny Woodall of What not to Wear fame, shoe designer Christian Louboutin and fashion designers Amanda Wakeley and Carolina Herrera in the audience, there was simply no escaping this fact. Other style savants included gallery owner and former fiancé to Claudia Schiffer, Tim Jeffries and interior designer Nicki Haslam, the man responsible for decorating the marquis at this year’s Cartier International Polo tournament which hosted almost 800 guests for lunch.
But enough name dropping. We were there to see the jewels, designed to celebrate the opulence of Cartier’s maharajah clients in the 1920s. Sometimes it was hard to tell where the jewellery ended and the clothes on the models began or whether a jewel was a brooch or a necklace. Jewels dripped and draped like garments and threads, as children garnished the catwalk carpet with violet coloured rose petals, in preparation for men holding silk woven and gold parasols as if to shield women as they glided like swans amongst the guests. Cartier has never been a brand that favoured understatement. It adores unashamed indulgence.
Minutes after the show, the 34 key pieces from the new collection went on display behind glass cabinets framed like masterpiece paintings. All the models had been dressed and undressed in the gallery room next to the relevant showcase. There were a staggering 585 one off designs in the building that night. No wonder the police could be found in their droves outside the entrance.
DAVRAN
Despite reports to the contrary, weddings are still very much a part of our culture, and management at home and I usually receive several invitations each year for the same date!
Davran have made Celtic Wedding rings for many years, they are an “evergreen” product for us, and we now stock four different patterns in 6mm and 8mm, in 9ct yellow or white and 18ct yellow.
Very often a young man entering the tender trap, would like something a bit different for his beloved, and our rings might be just fit the bill, please ask for our catalogue, and don’t forget the minimum order at Davran is still one.
J-dex magazine 
