catalogs ten broeck creations, the jewelry division of national diamond syndicate inc., offers a new 64-page catalog of guild-quality and price-point jewelry, including engagement rings, wedding bands, earrings, bracelets, pendants and wraps. national diamond syndicate inc., 67 e. madison st., suite 1610, chicago, il 60603; (800) 621-5057, fax (312) 782-4553.

gem experts spar over treated emerald case after more than two weeks of testimony, two jewelry retailers and an appraiser were found liable for costs incurred by a customer who bought an allegedly undisclosed treated emerald. the case has ignited a war of words between two notable gem experts. a superior court jury in washington, d.

not so long ago, diamond traders believed all they needed to know about diamonds was what they could see through a loupe. today, researchers at the gemological institute of america and de beers are spending millions trying to unlock the innermost secrets of the diamond so consumers and the trade can benefit from better cuts, more accurate grades and advance warnings of gem treatments and synthe…

exhibition explores the ‘nature of diamonds’ the jewelry industry markets the diamond as a blanket statement of love and adoration, but millennia of violent geological events, cultural lore and human struggle also lie behind the sparkle of the everlasting stone. every facet of the diamond and its history will be explored during “the nature of diamonds,” an exhibition scheduled…

wisconsin jewelers name winners of design contest the wisconsin jewelers association announced the winners of its annual design competition at the wisconsin jewelry expo this spring. best of show went to john langenfeld of plumb gold inc., racine. winners in the rings category were joe magiera of william thomas designs, middleton (up to $500 retail); michael blair of william thomas designs ($50…

culture creates the majority of jewelry companies exhibiting at the annual basel fair are italian or german and, unlike the u.s., both countries have distinct, recognizable traits in their jewelry design. typical italian design is characterized by soft, sensuous, rounded surfaces with classic styling and curves as feminine as the women who wear it.

when retailers gather, a recurring topic of discussion is how to motivate the sales force. there’s no argument a staff with vitality performs better on the sales floor, but the methods to spark that enthusiasm vary widely. several successful retailers shared their views on this topic during seminars presented at the jck international jewelry show in las vegas.

ja new york is the traditional forum for design competitions such as ja’s annual new designer of the year award, the ja jewel award and the american jewelry design council’s new designer prize of a free booth in the new designer gallery. all three were announced at a champagne reception dubbed “designer sunday” by the show in the designer gallery.

theo fabergé celebrates his 75th though he is the only living grandson of master craftsman peter carl fabergé, theo fabergé spent much of his life refusing to make the ornate easter eggs for which his ancestor was famous. he changed his mind at the request of a 12-year-old boy in 1979, creating a wood-turned egg that launched a legendary career.

national conference plans event the jewelry and watch division of the national conference of christians and jews will hold its annual dinner dec. 8 at the hotel pierre in new york city. dinner chairman paul w. nordt iii of john c. nordt inc., new york city, will honor howard hauben, director of the miller freeman jewelry and gift group, for his commitment to the jewelry industry and to communit…

forgive my sarcasm, but the pious outrage in the jewelry industry recently over the fact that some dealers and jewelers continue not to disclose gem treatments reminds me of the scene in casablanca when claude rains, playing the corrupt official renault, pockets his winnings in rick’s cafe as he says “i’m shocked, shocked, to find that gambling is going on in here!” anyo…

renewing trust in a new, promising and reportedly stable emerald treatment has hit the market. composed of a secret patented formula of synthetic resin and hardener, it is touted as the latest and best solution for reducing eye-visible inclusions and increasing emerald durability. it’s called the arthur groom & co.

church & co. of toms river, n.j., is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. founded in newark in 1922 by charles church, the company is operated today by family members david and douglas hopkinson. the company manufactures die-struck, hand-engraved signets and colored stone jewelry using many of its original tools and techniques.

in this column, members of the jewelry industry can state their views, wax poetic or otherwise pen their thoughts in slightly longer form than the traditional letter to the editor. we welcome your submissions. please send them to p.j. donahue, jck, one chilton way, radnor, pa 19089; fax (610) 964-4481, e-mail pdonahue@ chilton.

jewelers mutual expands program jewelers mutual insurance co. has expanded its jewelry appraisal liability program for jewelers and jewelry appraisers. the changes follow a tightening of standards for appraisers by insurance companies in recent years, says jmi president ron harder. jewelers mutual’s original appraisal liability coverage was designed for retail jewelers whose appraisal wor…

do you have a site on the world wide web to promote your business? does it feature well-designed consumer and product information? the correct answer to both questions is probably yes, whether or not you know it. in a move unique to any retail segment, polygon network inc., dillon, colo., is putting most independent u.

wendy graham was named director of course development at the gemological institute of america. she succeeds john hummel, who retired. graham is a specialist in curriculum development and theories of learning. she holds a doctorate in program evaluation from cornell university in ithaca, n.y. graham hopes to expand gia’s curriculum on cd-rom and the internet as part of the on-going course …

i.b. goodman now ags member i.b. goodman co., cincinnati, ohio, has been accepted as a registered supplier in the american gem society. membership is awarded to companies that have passed extensive gemological examinations, have solid experience in the jewelry industry and have earned a reputation for ethics and honesty in their community, according to ags guidelines.

e-zines bring specialized news straight to you by stacey king, associate editor e-zine is yet another previously meaningless term, ignored by webster and his cohorts, that suddenly has great significance in the ’90s world of the web. it’s actually a sensible abbreviation of “electronic magazine,” and there are thousands of them on the web, covering a number of topics bey…