Jewelry Business Guru by Cindy Edelstein

Reorganization of NYIGF Handmade Planned.

NEW YORK, NY - George Little Management, producer of the NY  Int’l. Gift Fair announced they are making changes to the structure of the show that will have a direct impact on the Handcraft section of the show.Beginning with the Summer 2010 show,  NYIGF Handmade will consist of two new sections: Designer-Maker and Global Resources.

“Beginning in 2010, and culminating at the summer 2013 event, temporary and permanent NYIGF floor plan changes will align with planned construction and renovation of  the Javits Convention Center," according to GLM.

“The transformation of the Javits Center will include installation of a new green roof; construction of the new Javits Center North which extends the building North to 40th Street; and major renovations to building systems, skylights and roof.”'

Designer Maker will include some 360 designer-makers from across the United States and around the world, and Handmade: Global Resources will include some 200 imported resources featuring traditional designs and craftsmanship and Fair Trade production from around the world.

Call for Entries: Halstead Bead Sponsors $6,000 Jewelry Business Development Grant

COMPETITION DEADLINE JUNE 9, 2010

Halstead Bead, Inc. is calling for entries to its fifth annual Business Development Grant competition for new American jewelry designers entering the bridge jewelry trade. The deadline for packet submissions is June 9, 2010. The winner of the 2010 Grant will receive $6,000 in cash and merchandise as well as other benefits.

The Halstead Bead Business Development Grant differs from other jewelry industry competitions and awards because of its emphasis on business skills. Entrants must demonstrate not only extraordinary design, but also a strong business strategy. The application experience promotes the business planning required to make a jewelry brand commercially viable at the national level in today’s competitive market.

Designers utilizing a wide variety of fabrication techniques including casting, lampworking, metal clay, beading, or metalsmithing are eligible to enter the competition. Candidates must be US citizens who began their businesses after January 1, 2007. Their design companies must focus on “bridge” jewelry which is the segment between costume jewelry and fine jewelry that includes accessories in sterling silver, Argentium, semi-precious stones, crystal, freshwater pearls and other similar materials.

Complete application details can be found at http://www.halsteadbead.com/Grant/Application/. Candidates must submit a design portfolio, resume and answers to several business planning questions. Applications must be received between April 15 and June 9, 2010. The grant website also includes several helpful articles on launching a national jewelry brand as well as information on past winners and finalists. Previous grant winners include VOSTENAKstudios, Bridgland Studios, Belle Brooke Designs, and Ananda Khalsa Jewelry.

The grant sponsor, Halstead Bead, Inc., is one of North America’s leading jewelry supply wholesalers. The firm was established 37 years ago and now supplies thousands of component resellers and jewelry manufacturers around the globe. Halstead Bead, Inc. is wholesale only and sells findings, chain, wire, sheet & beads for the bridge jewelry segment.

World Gold Council Call for Entries in Blue Ribbon Panel

World Gold Council is calling all new gold jewelry designs for their annual blue ribbon panel judging. Learn how you can submit your new designs at: http://www.marketing.gold.org .

From the home page of marketing.gold.org, under "New Product 2010", you can click "more info" on the right to read the entire invitation to participate letter with instructions. Those selected will be photographed for WGC’s press book, retailer catalogue and potentially be included in the WGC’s booth at the JCK Las Vegas Show.
 

Fill out the online form by March 15 and submit your new designs by March 30. Good Luck!

 

The Cultured Pearl Association of America has launched the International Pearl Design Competition 2010 - 2011

 

The nonprofit Cultured Pearl Association of America, comprised of manufacturers, wholesalers, dealers, and suppliers of cultured pearls in the U.S., has unveiled the International Pearl Jewelry Design Competition. The announcement was made during the AGTA GemFair Tucson, and the contest aims to drive awareness, interest, demand, and marketability of cultured pearls for retailers and consumers.

Pearl jewelry submissions can be by sketch, drawing, painted or digital image on a DVD or CD in jpeg format only, and should be no larger than 5" x 11" (any larger will not be accepted).

First entries cost $150 while each subsequent entry is $100; entries are limited to a maximum of five.

CPAA members receive a 25 percent discount. The deadline for entries is September 1, 2010, and winners will be announced November 1.

Winning entries will be on display during the AGTA GemFair Tucson and JCK Las Vegas shows in 2011. Winners will receive award recognition as well as prestige for being the first recipients of this inaugural competition.

Judges will include a variety of industry professionals, including buyers of pearls and editors.

For more information, click here or call CPAA at (888) 317-3275. Or, to enter, click here.

HOW TO: Build a Facebook Landing Page for Your Business

You’ve probably seen custom Fan Pages like those of Best Buy and Victoria’s Secret. When you land there, you start on what is essentially a mini website within Facebook, instead of the Page’s wall or feed.

Mashable.com is a great resource to learn how to do so much online.

via mashable.com

Lark Books 500 Gemstone Jewels ready for pre-order on Amazon

So happy to have juried this book... it's beautiful.

So says the publisher:

Gems are the rarest and most enticing material a jeweler can work with, and this newest entry in the acclaimed 500 series showcases a rainbow of stones, from rough and natural to fully-faceted precious jewels.  The pieces include rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, pendants, and even a tiara, and they’re set in every imaginable kind of material, both precious and non-precious: gold, glass, platinum, palladium, iron, resin, silver, and more. The work ranges from Christo Kiffer's delicate and expressive "Tourmaline Moth Brooch," with its rich green tourmalines and sparkling diamonds, to a devastatingly beautiful necklace by master jeweler Daphne Krinos. 

 

THE INTERNATIONAL ROSTER OF JEWELERS INCLUDES:

Todd Reed  -  Cesar Lim  -  Eleanor Moty  -  Karl Fritsch  -  Ralph Bakker  -  Michael Zobel  - Gurhan  - Diana Vincent  -  Alex Sepkus  -  Mark Schneider  -  Barbara Heinrich  -  Gijs Bakker  -  Kent Raible  -  Pat Flynn  -  George Sawyer  -  Thomas Herman  -  Paula Crevoshay  -  Sarah Graham -Bernd Munsteiner -LAGOS -Dieter Lorenz  and hundreds more.

the Designer CEO Summit is the BEST Conference we've ever Created to help Jewelry Designers Grow their Business

We're featuring experts who have worked with dozens of top designers -- in sales, marketing, strategy, PR and more -- who will share their experience and know-how with you. Thousands of dollars worth of consulting expertise in one day of sharing.

Jewelry Designers at the Grammys - Glitter and Rock

I would never have guessed that the Grammy's was going to win Best Jewels on the Red Carpet. After last week's oh so somber SAG Award outfits the ladies really turned it out tonight. I saw MORE amazing jewels than the last two combined, it seems.

BIG diamond openwork cuffs and long glimmering earrings won the night. The most popular dress color seemed to be white/silver and the good jewels were out in force. Seems like Lorraine Schwartz is everyone's favorite gal but for a change I saw some other names, too.

Yup, the Grammy's are my new favorite Red Carpet. Everyone looked GLAMAZONish and fantastic!

Miley Cyrus shines on the red carpet in Herve Leger at the 2010 Grammy Awards held at the Staples Center on Sunday (January 31) in Los Angeles.jewelry by Lorraine Schwartz and Ofira Schwartz! Check out the ring on her first finger!

Miley’s dress and other special items will be auctioned off to benefit the Red Cross’ Haiti relief efforts - check out her auction updates at eBay.com!

Read more: http://justjared.buzznet.com/#ixzz0eFTgsKmo

 

Who's doorknockers are on Taylor Swift?

Thanks to JustJared.com I can see the jewels early and often! THANKS!

Fergie rocked the a Kwiat cuff with Jessica Robinson ring and earring.

 

Huge diamond cuffs are the look of the night -- with the big earrings but I never saw this many great bracelets at one awards show! Brava!

Nicole Kidman wore Fred Leighton’s 19th Century diamond cluster and black enamel earrings.

JustJared.com says Rihanna finished off her look with earrings and bracelet by Neil Lane and rings from Diamond in the Rough.

Pink rocked her diamonds ...  adding over 2.5 million dollars worth of Neil Lane jewels, including a diamond starburst hair pin.

Lorraine Schwartz jewels?? Amazing, on Beyonce.

More long dazzling earrings -- the evening trend. However I read about her Butterfly ring being the bomb - gotta find a photo of it.

Carrie Underwood chose Ippolita Silver “Triple Drop” earrings in clear quartz with matching bangles. Check out where the bangle is -- would you wear it that way?

Lorraine Schwartz jewels on Lea Michelle.

Olivia Munn accessorized with Carla Amorim 18k yellow gold, diamond and white agate “Pastis” earrings and “Colombina” ring.

 

Marisa Miller in Neil Lane jewels.

 

Mary J. Blige rocking the big diamond earrings.... and an AMAZING cuff!

Ke$ha showed off her Stephen Webster knuckbuster rings on the red carpet - we heard her!

You KNOW Elton's earring is something majah -- just don't know who's it is.