JCK eMonday - October 30, 2006
Dear Reader,
Jewelry industry officials, politicians, and developers met in Las Vegas to create buzz for a new project. The DTC calls it quits in five markets. The upcoming diamonds movie also is creating a buzz, but the wrong kind. JA updates a benefit for its members. Arizona jeweler makes an acquisition. Watch companies to invest big bucks for watchmaking program. JIC announces the recipients of its gem awards. Oklahoma jewelers honor its members. GIA announces plans to immortalize a gemological pioneer. A watch brand goes sporty. Swatch continues to build brands and watchmaking centers. Lazare Kaplan joins the races. Intellectual property law will be the subject of upcoming seminars. The Smithsonian curator is the featured speaker at an upcoming event.1. World Jewelry Center unveils its home and vision
2. DTC to stop support in five markets
3. Warner Brothers denies 'broken promise' charge
4. Amputee victims reportedly accuse 'Blood Diamond' movie execs of broken promises
5. 'Blood Diamond' movie awareness up but interest down, says survey
6. JA revamps conflict diamonds self-assessment tools
7. Molina buys Black, Starr & Frost
8. Swiss watch organizations pledge $1.1 Million to OSU Watchmaking program
9. Jack Heuer and Kwiat to receive JIC Gem Awards
10. Newest OJA members inducted into Hall of Fame
11. GIA to house bronze bust of Gübelin
12. Raymond Weil launches first sports watch line with multi-million dollar campaign
13. Swatch Group’s DYB builds jewelry-making center
14. Lazare Kaplan to sponsor a NASCAR race car
15. Law firm to host seminars on intellectual property law
16. Jewelers Mutual to host Smithsonian curator
For more news and updates, please go to the JCK magazine Web site at www.jckmagazine.com. 1. WORLD JEWELRY CENTER UNVEILS ITS HOME AND VISION
LAS VEGAS, Nev.,—Right now it's just a barren parcel of land downtown, but plans are underway that will turn this piece of desert into a 5.4-acre international marketplace dedicated to the jewelry industry. To read more click here.
DTC TO STOP SUPPORT IN FIVE MARKETS
The Diamond Trading Company announced it is ceasing, at the end of the year, to provide or make available local marketing support in the following countries: Thailand, Spain, Germany, Canada, and the United Kingdom. To read more click here.
3. WARNER BROTHERS DENIES 'BROKEN PROMISE' CHARGE
Responding to the recent article in the New York Post that said the producers of the "Blood Diamond" movie reneged on a promise to give the amputee children who served as extras new limbs, a Warner Brothers spokesperson told the tabloid, "There were no broken promises" (see next story). To read more click here.
4. AMPUTEE VICTIMS REPORTEDLY ACCUSE 'BLOOD DIAMOND' MOVIE EXECS OF BROKEN PROMISES
Warner Bros. movie executives are being accused of reneging on a promise to provide prosthetic limbs to orphaned African amputees so the studio's "Blood Diamond" movie could get extra publicity, a New York City tabloid is reporting. To read more click here.
5. 'BLOOD DIAMOND' MOVIE AWARENESS UP BUT INTEREST DOWN, SAYS SURVEY
Consumer awareness of the upcoming movie, "The Blood Diamond," has doubled since June, according to a followup Internet survey. However, fewer respondents intend to see the movie than initially reported. To read more click here.
6. JA REVAMPS CONFLICT DIAMONDS SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Jewelers of America has updated its Conflict Diamonds Self-Assessment Tools, a series of four one-page documents that provide guidance on steps retailers should be taking to fulfill their responsibilities to the World Diamond Council System of Warranties. The SoW supports the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme in ensuring that conflict diamonds do not reach the consumer market. To read more click here.
7. MOLINA BUYS BLACK, STARR & FROST
Molina Inc., parent company of Phoenix, Ariz.-based Molina Fine Jewelers, has purchased Black, Starr & Frost. Its most recent owners, Paul and Serena Lam, acquired it from Kay Jewelers in the early 1990s. Paul Lam died in 2004; Molina purchased the store from his widow, Serena. To read more click here.
8. SWISS WATCH ORGANIZATIONS PLEDGE $1.1 MILLION TO OSU WATCHMAKING PROGRAM
A new $1.1 million agreement has been signed by several Swiss luxury watch brands and groups in continued support of the watchmaking program at Oklahoma State University's Okmulgee campus. To read more click here.
9. JACK HEUER AND KWIAT TO RECEIVE JIC GEM AWARDS
The Jewelry Information Center has announced the recipients of the association’s fifth annual Gem Awards, which recognizes some of the most prestigious fine jewelry and watch companies and journalists for their outstanding achievements in raising the visibility and status of the industry. To read more click here.
10. NEWEST OJA MEMBERS INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME
The Oklahoma Jewelers Association inducted three new members into its Hall of Fame during the group's 100th anniversary celebration. The festivities took place during the association’s centennial convention in Oklahoma City. To read more click here.
11. GIA TO HOUSE BRONZE BUST OF GÜBELIN
The late Edward J. Gübelin, an esteemed gemological pioneer, has been immortalized in a lifelike bronze bust recently donated to the Gemological Institute of America by Robert E. Kane, president and chief executive officer of Fine Gems International in Helena, Mont. To read more click here.
12. RAYMOND WEIL LAUNCHES FIRST SPORTS WATCH LINE WITH MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CAMPAIGN
Luxury Swiss watchmaker Raymond Weil has launched RWSport, its first venture in performance sport timepieces, with a multi-million dollar ad campaign. Titled "Not a Moment Missed," it features ESPN sportscasters Dan Patrick, Trey Wingo, and Steve Levy instead of athletes. To read more click here.
13. SWATCH GROUP’S DYB BUILDS JEWELRY-MAKING CENTER
The Swatch Group, the world’s largest watchmaker, on Oct. 20 laid the cornerstone for a new three-story jewelry-making center for its DYB Dress Your Body company. To read more click here.
14. LAZARE KAPLAN TO SPONSOR A NASCAR RACE CAR
Claiming a jewelry industry first, Lazare Kaplan Intl. Inc., on Monday said it is sponsoring the number 49 car in the NASCAR Nextel Racing Series. To read more click here.
15. LAW FIRM TO HOST SEMINARS ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
LAW Peter L. Berger, of the law firm Levisohn, Berger & Langsam, will be hosting a series of monthly breakfast seminars beginning on Nov. 9. To read more click here.
16. JEWELERS MUTUAL TO HOST SMITHSONIAN CURATOR
Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company is hosting an exclusive presentation by the curator of Smithsonian's National Gem Collection in Washington, D.C., Jeffrey E. Post on Nov. 1. Presentations will be held 4:30 and 7 p.m. at Jewelers Mutual's office in Neenah. The reservations-only presentations are free and open to the public. To read more click here. That's all for this week!
Yours,
The Editors of JCK eMonday
