’Net News

Staff -- JCK Online, 7/1/2000 2:00:00 AM

Ashford.Com Launches Fine Jewelry Line

Ashford.com (www.ashford.com), an Internet retailer of luxury products, has launched its own line of fine jewelry. Called the Ashford Collection, it?s the first in a series of luxury and premium product lines coming from Ashford this year. Other merchandise will include scarves, leather goods, and writing instruments, say company officials.

The Ashford Collection offers more than 350 pieces of jewelry in yellow and white gold and sterling silver. Retail prices range from $22 for a trendy sterling silver and rubber ring to $24,500 for a diamond necklace. The top price will hit $380,000 later this year when Ashford adds some fancy colored diamond earrings.

The collection includes three new diamond lines. The Ashford Colored Diamond Collection features natural colored diamonds, including ?intense yellows, vibrant oranges, and exotic blues?; the Ashford Ideal-cut Diamond Collection offers round gems of ?Ideal? proportions; and the Ashford Elite Diamond Collection contains the largest, highest-quality, and most valuable stones on the site, including many that weigh more than 5 cts.

A 30-day money-back guarantee comes with each diamond or piece of jewelry. Diamonds are certified by well-known independent gemological laboratories, including the Gemological Institute of America?s Gem Trade Laboratory, the American Gem Society Laboratory, the European Gemological Laboratory, and the International Gemmological Institute. Each diamond comes with complimentary one-year insurance coverage and a complimentary independent appraisal.

The site also has expanded its search options and added a tool that allows customers to create custom-designed engagement rings interactively. ? William George Shuster

JEWELRY ARTIST HAS ONLINE PRESENCE

John Medeiros of Fall River, Mass., an emblematic jewelry artist, has a Web site, www.jmeddesign.com.

Medeiros specializes in art and design work for corporate, recognition, and school jewelry.

WEB SITE ADDS TRADE AREA

A trade area has been added to the Web site of Vintage Creations and Jenna Nicole, Freehold, N.J. Visitors who enter a user ID and password may view pieces from Vintage Creations? prong-set marcasite line or Sterling Filigree Collection or from the Jenna Nicole Crystal Collection, which features prong-set Austrian crystals in sterling silver designs. Customers also may review their order status and account information.

The site may be accessed through www.vintagecreations.com or www.jennanicole.com. It has been operational for more than a year as a source of information for consumers and retailers.