Happy Stories From our customers

As per usual, award shows often showcase up-and-coming jewelry and fashion trends. And this year was no different, with colored gemstons, diamonds and sapphires sparkling strong:

The CMA carpet brimmed with head-turning looks, as many of country’s leading ladies selected gowns in saturated hues, from Miranda Lambert in magenta and Swift in true red to Katherine Heigl, actress and wife of singer Josh Kelley, in sapphire blue. To accessorize, Heigl and Lambert both turned to colored gemstones, with Heigl donning her own diamond and sapphire stud earrings and a pendant necklace, and Lambert wearing ruby and diamond earrings from Amrapali. The nearly shoulder-grazing drops (below) feature carved ruby and colorless diamonds that pop against their blackened metal setting. Lambert topped the look off with a wrist full of Amrapali stacked rose-cut diamond bangles.

Sheryl Crow also looked to color for her CMA night out. The singer wore stacks of diamond, gold and coral bracelets, plus coral and gold chandelier earrings and a diamond cocktail ring, all from celebrity favorite Neil Lane.

Meanwhile, diamond jewelry alone got plenty of play. Swift, who performed her new single “Back to December,” made her red carpet arrival in a suite of diamond jewelry from Neil Lane, including long leaf earrings, plus a bracelet and ring, all featuring diamonds set in platinum. Gwyneth Paltrow, who hit the stage to perform the theme song from her new film, Country Strong, wore earrings in a similar silhouette. The actress, who wowed critics with her vocals, accessorized with long curling leaf-like earrings reportedly from S.J. Phillips.

In addition to the evening’s many bold earrings, classic jewelry—including smaller diamond drops and studs, paired with simple line bracelets—also continued to make its red carpet mark. Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott selected a diamond earring and bracelet combo from Bulgari, while Nicole Kidman looked to classic styles from Fred Leighton. The evening’s co-host, Carrie Underwood, set the sartorial stage, appearing on the red carpet in a gray-tiered frock, simple diamond earrings and a bracelet, followed over the evening by a bevy of quick-changes and a rotating accompaniment of jewels.

Source: National Jeweler

Miranda Lambert in Amrapali statement earrings and a series of bangles:

Taylor Swift in Neil Lane diamond dangle earrings

Katherine Heigl in sapphire button earrings with a starburst pendant from Ryan Ryan

Tiffany’s economics up and downs have been quite indicative of the general outlook of our economy overall. And it’s no surprise, right? If you can afford a diamond anniversary ring for your wife, chances are your pursestrings aren’t as tight!

Here’s the latest:

Tiffany & Co. sounded an optimistic note for the holidays, saying its sales in the retail industry’s most important season are running ahead of target.

The comments from luxury jewelry company come as retailers are gearing up for the frenzy of Black Friday weekend and a holiday season that the National Retail Federation forecasts will be the best in four years.

“We are now a few weeks into the all-important two-month holiday season, and sales growth is exceeding our expectations,” Tiffany Chief Executive Michael Kowalski said.

The comments followed a strong third quarter for the company, which raised its profit forecast for the year. Tiffany’s shares rose to a record high in early trading Wednesday, and the outlook gave a boost to companies like Coach Inc., Nordstrom Inc. and Saks Inc.

The luxury-goods industry has rebounded sharply this year after a disastrous 2008. Coach said in October that it is pleased by its sales trends, and French luxury goods company Hermes International predicted earlier this month that it would have a record year.

Punctuating the rebound, Tiffany said it is seeing the most strength in its higher-end goods. “We continue to see bifurcated performance, with declines in sales and transactions below $500, but double-digit percentage increases in most every other higher priced category,” investor relations chief Mark Aaron said on a conference call with analysts. “This indicates to us diverging effects to one degree or another that the economy is having on consumer spending.”

Tiffany has benefited from higher pricing of late. For the period ended Oct. 31, Tiffany posted a profit of $55.1 million, or 43 cents a share, up from $43.3 million, or 35 cents a share, a year earlier.

Sales jumped 14% to $681.7 million following last year’s 2.9% drop. The company’s gross margin widened to 58.5% from 54.8%, due in part to higher prices.

Sales in the Americas rose 9% and climbed 5% on a same-store basis excluding currency impacts. Internet and catalog sales in the Americas climbed 7%. At Tiffany’s New York flagship store, sales declined 3%. Sales were up 24% and 22% in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe, respectively.

—Matt Jarzemsky contributed to this article.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Shared Prong Princess Cut Diamond Anniversary Band - Click on image for more information

It’s been a trying time economically but we’re starting to see a glimmer of light at the end of a long tunnel. Fashion, as usual, displays hints and themes that are relevent to our current state of affairs. Hence why the winter jewelry trends of 2010 – 2011 show a return to the basics, with a few over-the-top pieces showcasing an emerging sense of hope and celebration.

Take pearls for instance. Pearls are seeing a definite resurgence and for good reason – they imply a sense of purity and hope. They represent simple beauty and remind us of jewelry “way back when.” This gives us a connectivity to our past that’s needed when times are tough.

In addition, eco-friendly jewelry has never been…friendlier! People are becoming increasingly aware of the global implications of their fashion choices.

Here are some other pieces to include in your collection:

• Antique, Vintage, Retro & New Combinations
  Dramatic, unique, unusual necklaces (simple… yet exotic)
  Ornamented Bracelets
  Eclectic Natural Look
  Crystal, Rhinestone & Venetian Art Glass
  Black, Grey and Neutrals
  2011 Color Predictions
  Faux & Real Pearls
  Over-The-Top Rings (not gaudy, but daring)
  Enormous Hoops and Chandelier Earrings
  Green Eco Aware Movement

Source: Squidoo.com

Fresh water pearls - a Constant Classic - click on image for more info

From one of our Australian customers:

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Behold the pink diamond – a dazzling, natural color 25 carat gem, just sold for the low, low price of $46.16 million!

Laurence Graff again raised the auction stakes for natural color diamonds on Tuesday evening when he paid a world record price of $46.16 million for a 24.78-carat fancy intense pink diamond at Sotheby’s.

The legendary diamantaire, who immediately dubbed the diamond “The Graff Pink,” called the emerald-cut stunner the “most fabulous” diamond he has seen in the history of his career.

“I’m delighted to have bought it,” Graff said.

The diamond’s $40-million-plus price sets a new world record for any jewel sold at auction, shattering the previous record of $24.3 million held by Graff’s 2008 purchase of the blue Wittelsbach diamond at Christie’s.

Four bidders competed for the stone Tuesday at Sotheby’s “Magnificent Jewels” sale in Geneva. Sotheby’s Chairman in Asia Patti Wong, bidding on behalf of Graff, finally emerged as the winning bidder.

David Bennett, chairman of Sotheby’s International Jewellery Department for Europe and the Middle East, echoed Graff’s sentiments about the stone.

“Tonight’s spectacular result demonstrates that truly extraordinary objects will bring truly extraordinary prices,” he said. “This outstanding pink diamond combined exceptional color and purity with classic emerald cut and fully deserves the exceptional price [it attained]. It was simply one of the most desirable diamonds I have seen during my 35-year career at Sotheby’s.”

The diamond, mounted as a ring, is classified as a Type IIa diamond, diamonds that comprise less than 2 percent of all the world’s gem diamonds. It came to the market from a private collection and had not been seen on the open market since being purchased from Harry Winston some 60 years ago. The pre-sale estimate on the stone was $27 million to $38 million.

Source: National Jeweler

If $46 million is a little out of your price range this holiday season, why not check out our fancy colored gems, like the warm and wondrous Gemesis or our pink champagne diamond ring:

Pink Champagne Color Enhanced Natural Diamond Ring With Pave' Diamonds Stunning .70ct pink champagne, color enhanced princess cut natural diamond, VS2 clarity handset within a 14kt rose and white gold frame with .36ct t.w. pave' diamonds.

We’re pleased to announce our most recent collection: petite pave rings. These wedding bands and engagement rings are delicate and finely styled. It’s perfect for the woman who wants a delicate and subtly eye-catching ring.

What does pave mean exactly? Pavé settings are made up of lots of small gemstones, often diamonds or moissanite, set closely together. The gems are separated and held in place by little beads of the setting metal. The result is what looks like a continuous surface of diamonds or other gems.

Here are a few samples below. Or stop by here and take a look at our entire collection.

Petite Pave' Engagement Ring With Prong Set Round Side Stones From the Petite Pave' Collection: Split shank engagement ring with approximately 1/6ct t.w. prong set round brilliant diamond side stones (setting only, does not include center stone).

Style 10513WB Petite Pave' Wedding Band With Prong Set Round Stones From the Petite Pave Collection: Matching prong set wedding band with approximately 1/4ct t.w. round brilliant stones.

Petite Pave' Wedding Band With Round Diamonds From the Petite Pave' Collection: Matching wedding band with approximately 2/5ct t.w. round brilliant diamonds.

Alternating blue sapphires with side diamonds on one of our existing styles.