Part 2 of 5

By Jacquie De Almeida

Neon tangerine fire opal ring by Le Vian, with pink gold.

The Vicenza fair’s emphasis on collaboration to build the Italian brand also came in the form of a new deal with the Associazione Orafa Valenzana (AOV), which represents Italy’s Valenza district, a manufacturing centre for high-quality jewellery and precious stone mountings.

The agreement identifies Fiera di Vicenza as a strategic partner in the organization of national and international events for the jewellery sector, and premium jewellery in particular. The deal also calls for AOV to promote About J starting with the 2013 edition.

As work continues on a pavilion and multi-storey parking garage to be completed this year, the fair announced a new exhibition formula it is dubbing the ‘Boutique Show.’ Starting with ‘Winter’ 2014, exhibitors will be organized into ‘communities’ reflecting categories identified by TrendVision, the fair’s independent research centre.

VicenzaOro’s commitment to staying ahead of the curve is one of the main reasons behind a series of international summits focusing on future business trends that will lead each of the fairs this year. The discussions will centre on issues such as new scenarios and distribution markets, online trading opportunities and through social networks, strategies for promoting brands, advertising and promotion, forecasting, new perspectives for luxury goods, and the evolved consumer.

Chaired by Financial Times writer, Simon Brooke, ‘Winter’s’ inaugural summit brought together industry experts like Nadja Swarovski of Swarovski; Artak Udumyan, executive director of the Armenian Jewellers Association (AJA); and designers Stephen Webster and Roberto Coin.

“To develop the jewellery sector, we have to communicate on an international level,” fair president Roberto Ditri told a packed house of about 2000 people. “It is important that people get their information from all over the world. If the place of demand is far, we either have to go there or bring it to us. We can’t just operate in Italy or the United States or in Europe. We have to operate in the world to be successful.”

More to come of this story in Part 3.

Read the full article: VicenzaOro ‘Winter 2013’

Part 1 of 5

By Jacquie De Almeida

White gold swan brooch by Oro Trend, with natural mother-of-pearl, along with white and brown diamonds.

Elisabetta Molina Valerani removes one of her latest gold designs from its case, placing it next to a few of her signature pieces.

All are exquisite and in the unmistakable style of Garavelli, a Valenza-based manufacturer. None look out of place, save for perhaps a barely noticeable difference in colour in one. In fact, if you didn’t look at the necklace closely enough, you would think it was just the booth lighting bouncing off its surface.

Instead, the explanation is in the piece itself. Garavelli’s taken two of its more successful designs and re-worked them using nine-karat gold, rather than its staple, 18-karat.

“It’s brand new,” Valerani says from her booth at VicenzaOro’s ‘Winter.’ “We’re testing it here in Italy and at New York, Centurion, and the Hong Kong shows. It’s a way to keep the price of gold in a design down to what it was five years ago.”

That translates into about half the cost at the retail level, she explains. It’s perhaps also an evolution in Italian design, particularly among manufacturers like Garavelli that mainly export.

While the fair has traditionally been a hub for local retailers, the growing presence of international buyers—some of them part of organized buying groups—has become apparent. It’s a result of the emphasis the show’s organizer is placing on bringing the ‘Made in Italy’ brand to emerging markets eager for Italian design.

The fair’s focus on instilling optimism among exhibitors and buyers alike came to the fore in its theme, “The Future. Now.” In fact, fair president Roberto Ditri’s emphasis on the word, ‘now,’ when speaking about the theme at various press events helped convey the message that today’s work lays the foundation for tomorrow’s rewards.

Part of that includes the announcement the fair’s invitation-only event—About J—will bring together 35 select Italian and international brands, 100 international buyers and top Italian retailers, and journalists from leading Italian and foreign publications. Running from Sept. 4 to 7, About J will be held in Venice this year, a location combining Italian history and culture with artistry and manufacturing.

More to come of this story in Part 2.

Read the full article: VicenzaOro ‘Winter 2013’

Frédérique Constant has named actress Inès Sastre as its female charity ambassador. Frédérique Constant has named actress Inès Sastre as its female charity ambassador. Photo courtesy Frédérique Constant

Spanish actress Inès Sastre has been named Frédérique Constant’s female charity ambassador for the next two years.

A supporter of the World Heart Federation (WHF), the Swiss manufacturer has been involved in heartrelated charities since 2009. Sastre will play a major role in the brand’s support of WHF.

“Frédérique Constant is proud to support the World Heart Federation in its fight against cardiovascular disease—which includes heart disease and stroke— the world’s number one killer,” the company said in a news release.

“The partnership is a joint commitment to raise awareness, focusing on women and children as the most vulnerable. We share a passion to educate people about their risk and help avoid the millions of needless deaths that occur each year. By uniting our efforts, we strive to give families quality time together.”

In addition to a $50,000 donation, Frédérique Constant has introduced the ‘Ladies World Heart Federation’ collection. One hundred watches will be produced and donated to WHF member organizations to support their actions aimed at preventing cardiovascular diseases in women and children around the world.

The Maurice Lacroix-backed venture pitted Swiss brothers Geza and André Scholtz against the passage of water named after Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan. He was the first to sail through the 560-km (348-mi) strait in 1520.

“We congratulate the expedition team who has proved once again that we should always hold onto our dreams in order to make them come true,” said Marc Gläser, managing director of Maurice Lacroix SA.

“In spite of the difficult conditions, the time was right for the team to rise above all the challenges.” Maurice Lacroix supported the venture under the slogan, ‘Your Time Is Now.’

“We were stretched to the limit and we fought on to the end,” says Geza Scholtz. “To have achieved our goal is an indescribable feeling.”

The 12-year veteran of the company previously served as a sales account executive. In his new role, he will be responsible for organizational strategy to maximize revenue and net profit results.

In other company news, Charlene Chiu, a newcomer to Tacori, has been hired for the recently created position of retail relations marketing manager, while Kelly Cordell and Yolanda Lu have been promoted from territory managers-in-training to territory managers.

Lisa Porter joins the company as the Texas region territory manager.

Prince Charles presents the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) to Stephen Webster. Photo courtesy Stephen Webster Inc.

Designer Stephen Webster has been named to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his contributions to training and skills in the British jewellery industry.

“To be awarded an MBE for craftsmanship and training in the jewellery industry is a great honour and means so much to me and everyone at Stephen Webster,” the designer said.

“We have a passion for the craft and skills required to be great jewellers. I have always enjoyed passing on the knowledge I have acquired throughout my career to people entering this amazing business.”

Prince Charles bestowed the honour on Webster in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Webster’s career spans 37 years, including an apprenticeship with a Canadian goldsmith. His brand is now seen at more than 200 points of sale worldwide, and his designs are worn by a slew of celebrities, including Madonna and Elton John. He is a three-time winner of the British Luxury Jeweller of the Year Award, has an honorary degree from the Kent Institute of Art and Design, as well as holds the honour of being a Liveryman of the City of London.

In 2008, he was named creative director of Garrard, Crown Jeweller to Britain’s royal family. He is credited with steering the brand back to its core values and restoring the relationship between the company and Prince Charles.

A supporter of ethically and socially mined materials, Webster was one of the first mainstream jewellers to incorporate fairtrade and fairmined gold into his designs.

For an exclusive interview with Webster, see the December 2009 issue of Jewellery Business.

“The board of directors and the general management of Rolex SA express their deep sorrow on the passing of Patrick Heiniger… in Monaco after a long illness,” the company said in a news release.

“They would like to pay tribute to the memory of a man who marked the history of the company when he presided over its destiny from 1992 to 2008, and extend their sincere condolences to his family and friends.”

Heiniger joined the company as its commercial director in 1986 before being appointed its managing director in 1992. He led Rolex for 16 years, following in the footsteps of his father, André J. Heiniger, who in 1963, succeeded Hans Wilsdorf, the company’s founder.

Born in Argentina in 1950, Heiniger was a lawyer by training, specializing in international and intellectual property law. Under his direction, Rolex made strategic changes in the mid-1990s, opting for the vertical integration of its means of production. The decision was intended to guarantee control over manufacturing the brand’s essential components to ensure its autonomy.

In 2002, Heiniger created the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, which is aimed at helping promising young artists realize their full potential under the guidance of a mentor in their discipline.

Heiniger retired from Rolex in December 2008.

The designs of four Canucks will sit alongside the work of more than 100 designers and lenders participating in ‘Out of this World! Jewelry in the Space Age’ at New York City’s The Forbes Galleries.

The exhibition includes vintage memorabilia and art objects relating to space, as well as jewellery from the following Canadian designers:

Niki Kavakonis (Toronto) with her ‘Ad Astra’ ring in silver and iron/nickel meteorite.

Claudio Pino (Montreal) with his ‘Magnificence Stellaire’ ring in gold, silver, black opal, chrome diopside, emerald, moonstone, and pearl; and ‘Infinity’ ring with gold, silver, moonstone, diamonds, and ruby.

Dan Cormier (Roxboro, Que.) with ‘Looking Back to a Less Complicated Tomorrow’ and ‘Astronaut Inro.'

Janis Kerman (Westmount, Que.) with a brooch in silver with chalcedony iolite and blue topaz; and a silver ring with cultured pearl.

The exhibition will be on display until Sept. 17.

Her appointment comes following the news her predecessor, Thomas Jansseune, has been promoted to head the mergers and acquisitions team at Umicore’s parent company in Brussels.

“I am very proud of the progress our team has been able to make [over the last two years],” Jansseune said. “We’ve achieved significant investments in our technical capabilities, certifications for quality, safety, and the environment, and the launch of new products such as our Butterfly recycled gold. I am, therefore, also grateful to all of our customers who have helped us grow our business over the years.”

Chuakay is a 30-year veteran of the Markham, Ont.-based company, and was head of its finance department.

“Her knowledge of the industry, together with her years of experience, will ensure the continued growth and profitability of both companies in the many markets they serve,” Jansseune added

When it launched 37 years ago, the Toronto International Film Festival had an inaugural attendance of 35,000. Today, more than 260,000 people attend the screenings. Having TIJF follow a similar path is something McClure, the festival’s cofounder and professor of jewellery studies at George Brown College, is working to ensure happens.

Organized by the not-for-profit organization, Jewellery Arts Collective Canada (JACI), the month-long festival coincides with the Society of North American Goldsmiths’ (SNAG’s) annual conference in Toronto. It’s the first time in 30 years the U.S. event— named Meta-Mosaic—will be held north of the border. About 1000 local and international jewellers are expected to attend.

McClure anticipates up to 45,000 people will take in the sights at 22 TIJF venues across downtown Toronto. So far, about 30 exhibitions are planned when the biennial festival kicks off in May. Jewellery Business is TIJF’s official publication.

The enthusiasm and support among Toronto’s arts and culture community has been tremendous, McClure says.

“Both the national and Ontario Arts Council have seen the value in the festival and provided seed money to get it going,” he says.

“Many of the local designers have seen the value in it and have come on board. It grew as fast as I’d hoped it would in terms of the number of venues.”

The local jewellery sector, however, has required more persuasion, he adds.

“The industry side and the retailers are still very conservative and don’t want to move outside the traditional jewellery box.” McClure is quick to say part of the problem in getting more larger-scale manufacturers and retailers involved is the fact this is the first time an event of this kind has been held in Toronto. In places like Barcelona, Madrid, Munich, and London, jewellery festivals are the norm.

“That’s what this first festival is all about—making sure everything is as professional as it can be so that the next time around, we have a track record. We would like to have the bigger players supporting our event.”

McClure says he would ultimately like to develop sponsorship opportunities with the diamond mining companies operating in Canada. “That’s the side to the business that has the potential and capital to invest in this kind of event,” McClure says, adding a focus on Canadian diamonds is one idea he has in mind to generate interest.

“We have the potential in Canada for mining all the way to market, and I’m hoping this festival promotes that concept. We just need to get everyone on board with it and make it happen.”