Zale reports smaller loss, plans to rebuild management

Zale Corp. bought itself expensive time to turn its business around. Now it just needs to sell jewelry.

On Wednesday, the Irving-based jeweler reported a decent start by posting a narrower third-quarter loss and saying it plans to restore some of the organization behind each store brand that prior management eliminated.

Zale has five years to pay back Golden Gate Capital, which gave it a $150 million lifeline earlier this month. Interest payments to Golden Gate alone will be about twice the $10 million Zale paid last year. But Zale needed money to start making money again.

It used about $125 million of the Golden Gate infusion to pay down its revolving credit line. After the infusion, its debt stood at $310 million and its available borrowing capacity was $250 million.

Securing new financing was a key first step in Zale's turnaround, allowing executives to focus on "fixing the business in order to return it to profitability," said Theo Killion, interim chief executive.

Not having merchants and marketers dedicated to each brand's performance contributed to deteriorating results at Zales, Gordon's and Canadian chains Peoples and Mappins in recent years, Killion said during a call with analysts.

Historically, each chain had its own president and supporting staff running the company's multiple brands. They competed against one another to be lead performers and for resources.

But management started to dismantle that organization and systematically merge brands in 2006, Killion said. The two businesses that have performed most consistently are Piercing Pagoda and Zales.com. "The teams who manage those businesses have remained intact with a singular focus on increasing profitable results," Killion said.

Each brand's customer is different, he said.

"The Gordon's brand has about 18 percent Hispanic customers, and that has certain implications for what the merchandise assortments should be," Killion said.

In Canada, its customers are primarily urban. At Zales Outlet, the shopper is mostly a female self-purchaser with a higher average income than at its mall-based Zales Jewelers.

The old structures aren't going to be put back exactly, but each brand will have merchandising, planning and allocation and marketing people, he said.

Fifty suppliers are coming to Dallas in June for a "vendor summit" as Zale develops a plan for the all-important holiday quarter. Zale has been working with suppliers "to restore terms more in line with our historic norm," Killion said.

The event also is partly to thank them for their support, he said.

Suppliers are shipping merchandise to the company again after stopping last December when Zale couldn't pay its bills. Normal shipments didn't resume until mid-April.

That meant stores didn't have the merchandise needed over the key Valentine's Day weekend. Also, nearly all advertising was eliminated for the Zales brand as the company was preserving cash. Sales over the long weekend rose 5.5 percent, Killion said. He credited store sales staff.

Same-store sales in its third quarter, which ended April 30, declined 2.2 percent from a year ago, when that key measure fell 20 percent.

Zale reported a net loss of $12.1 million, or 38 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $19.5 million, or 61 cents a share, a year before.

Excluding a $12 million tax benefit and other items, the net loss totaled 76 cents a share. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected a larger loss of 95 cents a share and sales of $354 million.

Revenue fell 5.1 percent to $360 million from $379 million last year. Zale ended the quarter with 1,901 stores and kiosks – 149 fewer than a year earlier. The company doesn't plan to shutter more stores as part of its restructuring, Killion said Wednesday. This month, Zale launched its Piercing Pagoda online store.

Investors initially reacted positively to Zale's financials, pushing the stock up 9 percent. However, retail stocks turned negative Wednesday afternoon, and Zale fell 16 cents, or 6 percent, to close at $2.52 a share.

Analysts asked when Zale might resume advertising, but management didn't say.

Merchandise focus is moving away from collections and back into the core bridal diamond business and lower priced diamond fashion jewelry, Killion said.

During last year's awful holiday season, lower-priced merchandise was taken out of the assortment, leaving Zales' core customer with average annual income of about $50,000 without much of an "opportunity to shop with us," he said.

In a report this week, Ken Gassman, president of the Jewelry Industry Research Institute, said as a result of the recession's "new normal," last year's data shows Americans are buying less expensive jewelry. But that's not all bad news for retailers that pick the right mix to put in their glass cases because profit margins are much higher in lower-priced goods, he said.

Bulgari shows off elegant jewelry from its archives

Only a few women are lucky enough to own a necklace worth 20 billion won ($17 million). And although most Seoulites may not get to own such expensive jewelry they can see it at a special exhibition organized by luxury house Bulgari.

The jewelry maker is showing some 60 pieces out of its Italian archive in celebration of its 125th anniversary at the Shilla Hotel in central Seoul. The capital is Bulgari’s first destination in Asia for the exhibit, called “Between History and Eternity: 1884-2009,” which debuted last year at Palazzo delle Esposizioni, a neoclassical exhibition hall in Rome.


This necklace and pendant earring set made of emeralds, diamonds, turquoise and amethyst once belonged to Lyn Revson, wife of Revlon founder Charles Revson. Provided by Bulgari Korea
The collection includes an emerald platinum necklace worth 20 billion won that consists of seven cushion-shaped emeralds weighing a combined 118.46 carats and 224 smaller diamonds. Many of the necklaces, earrings, necklaces and watches on display are the only pieces of their kind in the world. Some of the pieces were once owned by rich and famous personalities, others were loaned to Hollywood celebrities for red carpet events.

The exhibition will run through June 15, from 9 a.m. through 9 p.m. every day.

China Urged to Develop Jewelry Designs

RAPAPORT... Total trade volume on the Shanghai Diamond Exchange (SDE) in the first quarter of 2010 reached a record high of $559 million, with a 91.1 percent increase year on year, according to recent statistics from the Diamond Administration of China (DAC). Total imports and exports increased by 100.7 percent to $524 million, while net imports increased 127.5 percent to $261 million, most of which came from Belgium, India, Israel and South Africa. The DAC attributed the sharp increases to rising domestic demand, business from the trade shows and stricter enforcement of laws in the aftermath of a major smuggling ring bust early in 2010. Membership in SDE also increased to 253, as more trade members rushed to obtain licenses to import diamonds. The exchange is the only authorized channel for importing diamonds into China under the favorable tax policy.

A Force in Jewelry Design

Speaking in Shenzhen on May 14 at the inauguration of a new trade association called China Jewelry Culture and Creative Industry Association, CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri stated “China has firmly established itself as a major consumer market and manufacturing center. It now is time to assert itself as a force in jewelry design, and put its stamp on the industry, much in the same way that my colleagues in Italy have done for so long. I am confident that the new association will play a role in the injection of Chinese design and artistic perception into the international jewelry arena.”

Cavalieri recognized China’s development into a significant force in the jewelry industry, emphasizing that it now has a responsibility to others in the global jewelry sector. “It is most important to remember that we are an international market, and that what happens here in China impacts throughout the global chain of distribution, just as what happens elsewhere will have an effect on the Chinese business,” he said. “In our industry, it is extremely likely that any item of jewelry represents the combined efforts of literally thousands of people living in different parts of the world. Every single individual who was in some way responsible for the manufacture of an item of jewelry — from the miner to the refinery worker, to the diamond cutter and the jewelry designer, the manufacturer and the retailer — plays a critical role in the process.”

World Expo 2010

Shanghai World Expo 2010 opened on May 1 with 189 participating countries.
Shanghai was a commercial and shopping center in China even before the republic was founded 60 years ago but this is the first time it has hosted a world expo of such magnitude and prestige. During the six months of the expo, an estimated 70 million visitors are expected to visit Shanghai, 95 percent of them Chinese nationals, which is expected to bring a huge boost to domestic consumption, including jewelry.

More than 50,000 people a day are expected to visit the Belgian Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010 every day, a very popular site that is distributing free chocolate and hosting a diamond prize giveaway. The Diamond Exhibition Corner will display modern jewelry designs and illustrate the history of diamonds. In addition, Antwerp’s 550-year diamond heritage will be illustrated with ten of the most prestigious antique diamond jewels from the Diamond Museum of the Province of Antwerp, together with the world-famous European Community Championship (ECC) diamond tennis trophy, a tennis racket made of 3.2 pounds of gold and 1,600 diamonds with a total weight of 150 carats, all perfect “Cut in Antwerp” gems.

In the long term, the expo is not only a gesture of doors being opened wider, but also a huge economic propeller, especially for Shanghai. The city has gone through a major overhaul in preparation for hosting the expo. Since 2005, Shanghai has built eight new Metro lines and extended existing lines. By the end of April 2010, Shanghai’s Metro and light rail length increased to 260 miles, more than four times that of 2005. Hundreds of miles of roads have been built or improved. The high-speed trains, which can reach over 186 miles per hour, also connect to other major cities, enabling people to travel between different cities within the same day for business and leisure. The city has spent billions of dollars on infrastructure, which has greatly improved the business environment and reinforced Shanghai’s position as the commercial and financial center of the country. The Chinese government’s slogan for the pre-expo work was “Keeping in mind the next 60 years’ development while preparing for the six months’ Exposition.” The event is expected to leave a legacy to the nation and the city of Shanghai for decades to come.

The Marketplace

• The retail market was very busy during the May Day holiday and quieted slightly afterward, which resulted in a slight slowdown in wholesale activity. Overall, the market is very stable.
• Demand is good for 0.30-carat to 1.10-carat, D-J, VVS-SI, GIA-certified and preferably EX stones.
• Demand is stable for parcel goods in 0.20-carat to 0.30-carat, H-J, VS-SI.
• Demand is good for World Expo–themed jewelry, decorations and gold and silver bars.

How to care for and travel with your nice jewelry

Love your jewelry? But don't dare to take it along with you when you're traveling?

"When it comes to storing, caring and traveling with jewelry, it is best not to use the one-size-fits-all perspective," says Jayson Miller, with Robert & Jayson Miller Fine Jewelry.

Here are a few suggestions to think of before you pack up your pearls and travel with your jewels:

First, when you travel, you will want to use a first-class approach for pearl jewelry!

"This is not the type of jewelry that should be jumbled together with other pieces as pearls are delicate and can be scratched or cracked if they rub, or bump against gemstones or metal," says Miller.

Remember to protect the family jewels and pearls! Your best bet is to find a special compartment in a jewelry box or jewelry roll.

Also, remember to keep the luminous spheres away from other jewelry items (this is a good suggestion for travel AND at home).

"For extra protection," says Miller, "store pearls in a soft, lint-free bag to add protection against scratches and dust."

When traveling, take extra care to prevent losing jewelry.

Storing items in a small, travel jewelry box or jewelry roll is one solution. Ring boxes (either the one it originally came in, or one from another ring) have a slot and will help keep the ring in place.

Necklaces can become tangled, so it is best to fasten the clasp (a good idea at home in the jewelry box as well).

If you do not have the original container for your necklace, you can recreate one by cutting long, vertical slots in a thin piece of cardboard, and sliding the necklace through the cut to keep it in place.

For extra protection, you may want to wrap a thin piece of foam around the piece, and then placing it in a plastic bag and taping it shut.

Jewelry, if properly cared for, can last indefinitely and even become an heirloom for future generation.
Tips to keeping your pearls looking their best
Whether you are traveling or not, pearl jewelry needs a little TLC. Here are a few tips to keep your pearls looking their best from Jayson Miller:

· Fasten pearl necklaces, bracelets and rings after you’ve applied your make up, perfume and lotion to avoid putting pearls in contact with chemicals that could dull their finish or nacre.

· Remove pearl rings before washing your hands or applying lotion.

· Wipe pearls with a soft, lint-free cloth immediately after wearing them and before putting them away.

Do not use abrasive cloths as they can wear away the luminous, nacre coating.

· Never clean your pearls with solutions that contain ammonia or harsh detergents or chemicals.

· Do not put pearl jewelry in an ultrasonic cleaner.

Thief Pulls Off $8M Jewelry Heist In Paris

(AP) A lone man carrying a gun stole between euro6 million ($8.5 million) and euro6.5 ($9.1 million) worth of jewels Saturday afternoon from the Chopard jewelry house on the chic Place Vendome, police and a police union official said.

No one was reported injured in the robbery.

Police said the operation was carried out by one man.

An investigations officer with the Alliance police union, Olivier Lebon, said a man in his 50s and wearing a suit walked into the boutique in the afternoon. He threatened employees with a gun, and, minutes later, walked calmly out of the store with his loot.

It was not immediately known whether he had an accomplice outside the store or waiting elsewhere.

Numerous jewelers, as well as France's Justice Ministry, are located on the elegant Place Vendome which is usually filled Saturday with strollers soaking up the sunshine.

The estimated value of the stolen jewels is far below the euro80 million in watches and jewels stolen from the Harry Winston shop in Paris in December 2008.

Rapaport, May 13, 2009: Big beautiful blue diamond for $9.5 million

Platinum pricing chaos impacting manufacturers

Platinum prices plummeted in April, with the precious metal losing nearly 10% of its value in just two days. The sharp decline could hit jewellery manufacturers as volatile base metal prices make it difficult to price pieces.

Due to high mark-ups, the design-led market will be less affected by fluctuating platinum prices, but Johnson Matthey’s Neill Swan said that wedding band manufacturers could be at risk. “Wedding bands are closer to a commodity,” he explained.

Some manufacturers have tried to implement price band structures to help stave off the effects of fluctuating prices. However, the quick pace of price changes has meant that companies are faced with moving bands several times a week

Lily Allen to launch jewellery line

Lily Allen to launch jewellery line

Singer wants to get more involved in fashion


Lily Allen wants to create her own jewellery collection.

The singer, who has designed clothes for high street store New Look, hopes the range will be out ‘the back end of this year.’

‘There are lots of things I want to do in my life,’ she told Capital Radio.

‘I just don’t know what they are yet. I am quite unnatural in front of the camera.

'It can be a little bit intimidating but fun on some levels.’

Italy Q1 jewellery exports down over 10 percent

* Q1 jewellery export volumes fall more than 10 percent
* Modest positive signs recently, full-year export to fall
* Lobbying to cut U.S. import duties on hold for now
(Adds comments, details)
By Svetlana Kovalyova
MILAN, May 14 (Reuters) - The volume of precious metal jewellery exports from Italy, Europe's top producer, fell more than 10 percent in the first quarter of 2009 and full year exports are set to decline due to weak demand, a senior industry official said.
Jewellery manufacturing is the main consumer of gold and other precious metals. Falling export tonnages from Italy, the world's leading exporter of gold jewellery, mean demand for the metals from jewellery makers has been dropping too.
"I am afraid export volumes fell more than 10 percent in the first quarter," Stefano de Pascale, director of Italian goldsmiths' body Federorafi, told Reuters on Thursday in a telephone interview, revising his earlier forecast of an 8-10 percent fall.
Full-year export volumes would also fall, despite some modest signs of recovery in purchase orders by clients and of metal purchases by jewellers, de Pascale said.
"We should wait and see if these small signals gain strength in the second half of this year... But they will not be able to reverse the negative trend and the year will close with a minus sign," he said, while declining to give precise forecasts.
De Pascale hoped the fall in sales would slow in the second half of 2009, with wholesale and retail buyers resuming purchases after a destocking period that has lasted several months because the economic crisis has hit consumer demand.
But it would require strong signs of recovery in the global economy and consumer demand to reverse the decline of Italian jewellery sales since the early 2000s, he said.
Italy sells abroad about 70 to 75 percent of the jewellery it makes and it used to dominate world markets. It has lost market shares to rivals from lower cost India, China and Turkey which have improved quality over past few years.
Last year exports of Italian precious metals jewellery fell 13 percent to 211.8 tonnes, according to data from another industry body, Club degli Orafi.
De Pascale said Federorafi had put on hold its efforts to push for a cut in U.S. import duties on European Union jewellery, which put Italian manufacturers at a disadvantage with their non-EU rivals on the world's key jewellery market.
"We are waiting to see clear signals from the Obama administration of what its trade policy is going to be," de Pascale said.
In the meantime, Italian jewellers would back a "zero duty" initiative to cut import duties on jewellery and some other goods as part of World Trade Organization talks, he said.

Online Customer Satisfaction Drops for Many Major Jewelry Retailers

Consumer survey group ForeSee Results found in its latest study that customer satisfaction with major retail Internet websites has fallen. The decline "threatens to smother an online retail recovery," according to ForeSee. Overall satisfaction dropped 3 percent, the group found, and Larry Freed, ForeSee's president and author of the study, said it was a bad time for retailers to drop the ball on customer satisfaction. "Revenue will tell you a lot about past performance, and by that measure, things don't look great. But customer satisfaction will tell us a lot about what's ahead, and more companies are losing ground. That's a real canary in a coal mine for future sales online and offline, loyalty, retention and return visits," Freed said of the results.

The study found that Netflix remained at the top for a fifth year in a row, followed by Amazon, but the largest improvement in customer satisfaction came from retailer Kohl's at kohls.com, with a 6 percent increase from a year ago. Only 16 of the top 100 e-retailers improved, the survey found, while more than half declined. Neiman Marcus' website was hit particularily hard — satisfaction was down 7 percent.

n analysis of the study found that consumers are more price-sensitive than in previous years. "This doesn't mean companies should start slashing prices, but it does reflect the current mood of the consumer," said Freed. "Online shoppers are a savvy group, able to compare price and merchandise at the click of a mouse. In an economy where rising unemployment, plummeting home values and tight credit continue to make headlines, consumers are punishing retailers if they feel prices aren't fair or competitive."

For the websites that sell jewelry, listed in order of highest to lowest ranking, the survey found the following: Customer satisfaction rose 1.2 percent at Amazon.com, and it fell 3.6 percent at QVC.com. There was no change for JCPenney's website jcp.com, and a 2.7 increase at walmart.com. HSN.com dropped 3.8 percent. Kohls.com was up 5.6 percent. Nordstrom.com decreased 1.3 percent. Costco.com grew 2.8 percent. There was no change at SaksFifthAvenue.com. Macys.com declined 2.7 percent. Sears.com was down 1.4 percent. NeimanMarcus.com fell 6.7 percent. Overstock.com dropped 5.4 percent. ShopNBC.com decreased 4.2 percent. BlueNile.com fell 2.8 percent, and bidz.com was down 1.4 percent.

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A Great Collection of Diamond jewelry by Damas

CORUM Manufacture & History, La Chaux De Fonds

Woman Allegedly Smuggled $12M in Gold Bars Using Purse

A longtime employee of a major Queens jewelry manufacturer stole a staggering 500 pounds of gold by smuggling it in her handbag over a nearly six-year period, prosecutors announced.

Teresa Tambunting, 50, of Scarsdale, N.Y., allegedly stole the shiny merchandise by concealing it in a false bottom she created in the lining of her pocketbook, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said Wednesday.

"With gold trading at nearly $900 an ounce, the defendant is accused of establishing a virtual mining operation in Long Island City which siphoned off millions of dollars' worth of the precious metal from her employer," Brown said.

Officials at Jacmel Jewelry in Long Island City, where Tambunting had worked for 28 years, noticed they were missing up to $12 million worth of gold in January.

After an investigation was launched, Tambunting, who became a vault manager in 1991, arrived at Jacmel's offices with a suitcase containing 66 pounds of gold with an estimated value of $868,000. Tambunting allegedly told detectives that she had taken the gold, Brown said. A subsequent search of her home revealed 447 pounds of fine gold. The thefts allegedly occured between January 2004 and April 2009, Brown said.

Tambunting was released on $100,000 bail and ordered to return to court on May 19. She faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted on charges of first-degree larceny and first-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

Jewelers make a date with social networking

New York--In an economy where marketing dollars are hard to come by, viral marketing--the kind that can spread a message far and wide by word of mouth--might be part of the cure for ailing retail jewelers.

Social-networking Web sites such as Facebook, for which membership is free, can help jewelers expose their business to thousands of potential customers, particularly young engagement ring shoppers, without spending a dime.

The "2008 Channel Preference Survey" from Indianapolis-based e-mail marketing software company ExactTarget shows that of those U.S. Internet users surveyed within the 18- to 24-year-old age range, 75 percent use social-networking Web sites.

That number drops to 57 percent in the 25- to 34-year-old age range, 38 percent for the 35- to 44-year-old group, 29 percent for the 45- to 54-year-old demographic and 13 percent for Internet users ages 55 to 64.

If a store demographic is on the younger end of the spectrum--or if a retailer is looking to diversify its customer base--experts recommend taking the plunge into social networking, but say retailers need to make sure they have the staff to keep up with the 24/7 nature of doing anything Internet-related.

Au-Co Mai, founder of online jewelry store Emitations.com and vice president of technology on the Women's Jewelry Association board, recommends Facebook as a venue for retailers seeking out a more retail-minded demographic.

Founded in 2004, Facebook says it now has more than 140 million active users (defined as those who have returned to the site in the last 30 days), with its fastest growing user demographic being those who are 25 and older.

"To me, this [is] a huge opportunity to develop relationships with a large pool of people who are educated and who like to engage not only with friends but also for things they feel connected to," Mai says. "This includes causes, charities, political groups and brands."

Mai says retailers can create "fan pages" for their stores, allowing friends and contacts to sign on as "fans" of their brand.

Tiffany and Co. recently created its own fan page on Facebook, after a number of the brand's devotees had taken it upon themselves to create unofficial Tiffany fan pages where they discussed items they owned or that they wanted to own.

The company's own official page featured a display of the work of Tiffany designer Paloma Picasso, which fans had a chance to weigh in on.

"We like the new range from Tiffany and Co.," one user wrote.

The Tiffany Facebook entry also includes a link to a page explaining Tiffany's environmentally friendly philosophies, another link to a page featuring celebrities and a discussion board on Tiffany-related topics, such as fans' first-ever or favorite piece.

The company also had fans from countries including Australia and Bulgaria joining a discussion in which they detailed their first-ever gift or purchase from Tiffany.

Members only

Instead of creating a fan page, retailers can simply become members of a social-networking site, as did New York's Firenze Jewels, which recently stepped into the MySpace and Facebook spheres, hoping to drum up new business, says Christian Montalvo, the store's Internet marketing manager.

While uncertain of how successful that maneuver will be initially, Montalvo is sure that social networking is the wave of the future.

"Today's younger consumers [about 35 years of age and under] demand to communicate and interact with companies in ways we've never seen before," Montalvo said in a message to National Jeweler sent via Facebook. "These people are buying engagement rings, wedding bands and gifts for their significant other. This informed generation is more comfortable with making larger purchases without ever stepping foot in a physical store. A business' reputation and 'social' presence on Web sites like these helps these buyers be more comfortable with making that decision."

Whether it's a fan club or just a regular page, social-networking sites allow jewelers to communicate about upcoming in-store events, post pictures from past events and provide helpful product information.

Facebook, for example, features a "wall" and/or a discussion board, two places on the home page where users can post comments about a store's products or their own shopping experience--remarks that can be read by other online "friends" of the store.

Minding the virtual store

When developing their social-networking pages, however, retailers should remember that they are not just putting up an online advertisement but opening up a dialogue with consumers--and one that should be monitored, says Susan Barns, a professor of communication and associate director of the Lab for Social Computing at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, N.Y.

Retailers need to be prepared to offer their social-networking friends benefits such as tips on buying diamonds, or information about the store's custom engagement ring program.

"It's not just in-your-face-marketing," Barnes says. "That's what these online things are all about, developing relationships, not just advertising products."

Retailers should also be on guard for negative remarks that might be posted and post responses to them quickly, she says.

"You need people to check and see what's being said about you," Barnes says. "It is more work."

Steven Singer, who owns Steven Singer Jewelers in Philadelphia, assigned two of his female staffers, both in their early 20s, to the task of creating social-networking pages for the store on Facebook and MySpace, hoping the store's accessibility on the sites would appeal to his clientele.

The majority of customers at his bridal-focused store tend to be in their 30s. One drawback of being part of the social-networking world, Singer acknowledges, is that the sites require monitoring, and he currently doesn't have the staff to do so more than every few weeks.

To address the issue, Singer says he just expanded his staff to include a more active Internet department that will be charged with monitoring the store's social-networking activity, among other duties.

"It's just another vehicle, another way to reach out," Singer says. "People like it."

New site 'spots' jewelry for consumers

Paso Robles, Calif.--MVI Marketing Ltd. has announced the launch of a new Web site designed to help the jewelry industry sell more jewelry on the Internet and attract consumers to jewelry Web sites.

Called Jewelry Spotter--We've Spotted the Best Jewelry Deals For You!, the Web site allows jewelry brands, manufacturers and retailers to upload photos and information about jewelry products for sale on their Web sites.

In turn, Jewelry Spotter allows consumers to define their search for specific jewelry products and price points and allows jewelry Web sites to match their offers to the same specifics that consumers have listed.

Jewelry Spotter will also have jewelry accessories such as jewelry boxes, repair kits and cleaners listed for consumers.

"Nearly 90 percent of consumers use search engines to research their purchases online before buying anything, and almost 30,000,000 people type in the word 'jewelry' in Google each month," MVI Chief Executive Officer Marty Hurwitz said in a media release. "These consumers are the future for the jewelry industry. We need to tap into these consumers and get them to visit specific product offerings that match their search requirements."

Companies who are interested in offering product links on Jewelry Spotter should contact Hurwitz at Marty@JewelrySpotter.com or visit the Jewelry Spotter Web site, JewelrySpotter.com.

"We are looking for products from every part of the fine-jewelry industry, including diamonds, colored stones and all metal jewelry before the first consumer visits," Hurwitz said. "Consumers use the Web for 'value and convenience' at the speed of light and JewelrySpotter.com will give it to them. The quality of the consumer search is paramount."

Jewelry Spotter's consumer launch and press campaign is set for June 2009.

MVI Marketing is a consumer market-research company for the worldwide gem, jewelry and watch industries, providing market intelligence, strategic direction and research about the industry and the consumers who purchase the product though its Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council (JCOC).

Landstrom's Black Hills Gold History and Manufacturing Process

Rihanna seeks return of $1.4 million in jewelry

Singer Rihanna has asked the LA police to return jewellery taken as evidence the night she was allegedly attacked by her boyfriend Chris Brown.

Police took earrings and three rings from the singer hours before the Grammy Awards ceremony in February.

The items, which were on loan from a shop, are worth over $1.4m (£1m).

Lawyer Donald Etra, who represents the 21-year-old star, said the detective overseeing the case did not object to the return of the items.

The shop which owns the jewellery has asked Rihanna to give the goods back as soon as possible.

'Photographs'

Mr Etra told the BBC: "Apparently, initially, the police felt that it would be needed as evidence. Now the belief is that photographs would be more than sufficient.

"That being the case, we're asking the District Attorney to return the pieces."

The request for the return of the jewellery states that lawyers for Mr Brown are also happy for the pieces to be released.

Mr Brown, 19, was arrested after rowing with Rihanna in a parked car. Both singers cancelled their scheduled appearances at that evening's Grammy awards.

Later Mr Brown said he was "sorry and saddened" by the incident and had already sought counselling.

He also withdrew his name from Nickelodeon's Kid's Choice Awards after coverage of the events "shifted the focus from the music".

Last month Mr Brown was charged with assault and making criminal threats and is next due to appear in court on 29 April. He denies the charges.

Black Hills Gold Jewelry by the South Dakota Gold Company

Salon Privé Haute Joaillerie Dubai under preparation Share

Salon Privé Haute Joaillerie Dubai- is an exclusive by-invitation-only fine jewellery event, which Dubai is gearing to host during October 18-22, 2009 at the Madinat Jumeirah. The event is a joint venture between two veteran luxury marketing organisations, The Nancy Robey Partnership, Inc., headquartered in New York City, and Turret Middle East, based in Abu Dhabi and a foundation partner of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company.

The orgainsers have begun outlining the show’s deliverables - showcasing exhibits of the prominent elite jewellers and luxury timepiece designers and manufacturers, offering introductions to new retail business opportunities in India, China, Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, according to event organizers, a conference programme being planned in association with The Luxury Marketing Council Middle East led by CEO T.B. McClelland, Jr., said Nancy Robey, of The Nancy Robey Partnership. Exhibitors will be limited to 82 designers as well as select high-end non-jewellery sponsors, including other luxury brands, publications, and service organisations. Approximately 130 international luxury retail companies, will be invited and a group of high net worth consumers who reside in the Emirates and Middle East will be invited on the fourth and final day, as is customary for shows in the region.

“Dubai was the chosen venues as Richard Hease, chairman of Turret Middle East explains; “The World Wealth Report 2008, produced by Capgemini and Merrill Lynch, showed a 15.6 percent increase in the number of high net worth individuals in the Middle East in 2007, and they direct 32 percent of their “investments of passion”—which reportedly the rich buy to display their wealth— into jewellery purchases. This is the highest percentage of all regions of the world, with other target markets, Russia, Eastern Europe and Asia, next in ranking. In addition, Dubai is a tax-free, duty-free zone”.

Salon Privé Haute Joaillerie Dubai Advisory Council comprises some of the most distinguished names in luxury and jewellery brands, including Antoine Hakim, Bapalal Keshavlal, Daniela Ufken of Precious Times Middle East, Dhamani, Doris Panos, Judith Ripka, Luxury Marketing Council Middle East, Meeling Wong Associates, Nabil Masri, Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, Richard Zucker of Exhibit Management Corp., Tamara Comolli, Tanzanite Foundation, and Tiret New York.