Jewelers, Maurice Lacroix, DeLaneau, diamonds star at 2003 Emmys

The primetime Emmy Awards (Sept. 11) may be TV’s night to shine, but several jewelers, watch brands, and jewelry products were among this year’s stars, too.

One of the event’s best-reported new traditions are the Emmy gift baskets. Containing tens of thousands of dollars worth of goodies, they’re given to presenters, winners, and—for the first time this year—to nominees who don’t win by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences during rehearsals for the show.

Upscale Swiss watch brand Maurice Lacroix, a participant in the 2003 Emmy presenters gift basket, is using the event to launch its newest timepiece collection, “Calypso” ($1,425-$2,800 retail). Each basket contains the brand’s new catalogue featuring “Calypso” and an invitation to visit the company’s U.S. headquarters in California to select the “Calypso” model of the recipient’s choice. Last year, Maurice Lacroix also launched its “Les Classiques” timepieces at the Emmys … and netted an immediate 150-piece sale to the cast of the show Will & Grace.

Other watches were on display, too, at Emmy events. Actress Kim Cattrall, of Sex and the City fame, for example, wore Swiss brand DeLaneau’s new “First Lady” watch—white 18k, with a bezel set with 75 diamonds, a mother-of-pearl dial and pearl bracelet—to the 2003 Emmy Creative Arts Awards on Sept. 13.

Meanwhile, seven leading independent jewelers have been asked to participate in the Emmys’ first-ever “Everyone Wins At The Emmys” presentation of gift baskets to all nominees who don’t win. Those jewelers are the Diamond Cellar, Columbus, Ohio; Fortunoff Jewelers, New York; Molina Jewelers, Phoenix, Ariz.; R. F. Moeller Jeweler, Minneapolis, Minn.; Traditional Jewelers, Newport Beach, Calif.; Underwood Jewelers, Fayette, La.; and Windsor Jewelers, Winston-Salem, N.C.

Diane Warga-Arias, head of DWA Communications, planned, organized, and coordinated the jewelers’ participation with the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in conjunction with the Diamond Promotional Service (DPS). Every nominee in the 12 major 2003 Emmy categories—including outstanding lead actor/actress in a comedy, drama, miniseries, or movie, and outstanding actor/actress in a comedy, drama, miniseries, or movie—will receive a lavish gift basket worth thousands of dollars. Each basket includes a $10,000 gift certificate from each of the seven participating jewelers, says Warga-Arias, which can be used towards the purchase of diamond jewelry or other fine watch or jewelry products offered by that participating jeweler. All together, some 60 certificates are being presented, she said, “and all are beautifully boxed in jewelry boxes of the individual jewelers.”

While the value of certificates from the seven jewelers is the same, some embellished theirs with add-ons. Molina and Diamond Cellar’s certificates are done in brass, for example, while Underwood includes a CD about its company with its certificate. Moeller offers each recipient “a confidential, personal consultation” to view its diamonds, gems, watches, and jewelry, says Glen Sorenson, director of marketing for Moeller, “and we’ll fly to California to do that if they wish.”

In addition, examples of the diamond jewelry that the actors and actresses can purchase will be highlighted on pre-Emmy shows Sept. 21 on the E! network and CNN, courtesy of the DPS.

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