CIJ TRENDS & COLOURS Spring BaselWorld 2009

INTERNATIONAL JEWELER

COUTURE International Jeweler 286/1 BaselWorld 2009

www.couturejeweler.com

BASELWORLD 2009

1330 West Avenue - Suite 1102 - Miami Beach FL 33139 - USA - info@operajewels.com

Distributor USA

1330 West Avenue - Suite 1102 - Miami Beach FL 33139 - USA - info@operajewels.com

Distributor USA

When a simple gesture reveals great feelings.

Emotions__Made in Italy Diamond Strings Designed by Carlo Palmiero in Valenza

www.palmierogioielli.it

Made in Italy and Distributed by Davite & Delucchi - Customer service phone 0039 0131 941731 - patent models - www.davitedelucchi.it

CHARME COLLECTION

M A D E I N I TA LY

V I C E N Z A RO M A M I L A N O TAO R M I N A B A S I L E A N A P O L I L A S V E G A S TO K YO N E W YO R K B A H R A I N D U B A I M A D R I D L O N D R A S A N P I E T RO B U R G O D U B L I N O AT E N E

Davite & Delucchi Davite & Delucchi interprets the elegance and charm of the deco crossover ring in white gold and diamonds.

Designer Fausto Delucchi

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Mickey, Oscar and me Los Angeles is rarely thought of as a hub of the diamond and jewelry trade, but during one week of the year it matters more than all the other centers combined. I realized this in February, when a visit there happened to coincide with Oscar week.

Even though I grew up in LA, the Hollywood of popular imagination eluded me because I lacked an entree into its exclusive circles. This time, armed with invites to a few Oscar gatherings, I had every intention of soaking up the spectacle.

My first stop was Erica Courtney’s 10th annual Oscar party at the W Hotel in Westwood. The designer, profiled in this issue’s special report on ethical jewelry, has teamed up with the Tanzanite Foundation on a collection featuring the rare, blue-violet gemstone. It seemed only fitting in this milieu of outsize personalities that a flawless 525-carat specimen with a rich, velvety sheen was the example on display.

Next up was the Thompson Hotel in Beverly Hills, where H. Stern was hosting a suite. International Communications Director Andrea Hansen had brought a collection of baubles gorgeous enough to woo the most snobbish of stylists, the real fashion powers in Hollywood. She showed me vintage cuffs from headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, an 80-carat diamond necklace worn by pop princess Fergie during her recent nuptials, and the new Giverny collection, described in this issue’s global brands feature. But not even these stellar jewels could guarantee H. Stern a coveted red carpet endorsement.

Meanwhile, down the street, at the iconic Beverly Hilton Hotel, another Oscar suite hosted by the PR firm TMG was in progress. I arrived just in time to watch a crew from the TV show Access Hollywood tape a segment on Sethi Couture’s ornate diamond jewelry. TMG was hoping to dress Slumdog Millionaire’s Freida Pinto in something extravagant. (Good luck, I thought; they were hardly the only ones.)

My stay in the mythical Hollywood ended at the Spirit Awards for independent films, a raucous, irreverent ceremony held on Santa Monica beach on the day before the Oscars. As a guest of Piaget, a premier sponsor, I sat behind the table occupied by the crew from The Wrestler, including director Darren Aronofsky, his partner, actress Rachel Weisz, and the star of the film, Mickey Rourke. Every time the cameras panned to Mickey (which was often, given that he won for best actor and the film won for best feature), there I was in the background, giggling at my image on the big screens flanking the stage.

When Mickey, a gregarious and gracious if somewhat strange personality, learned we were with the company responsible for outfitting him with a luxury watch, he pulled back the sleeve of his silk jacket and flashed a Piaget Polo in white gold with diamonds. “Is that you?” he asked no one in particular.

The gesture made me wonder what the brand actually meant to him. Like the other celebrities Piaget dressed that day (Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba and Alec Baldwin, to name a few), Mickey almost certainly wore what his stylist had chosen for him after some intense brokering. I doubted his own taste figured much into the equation. It was a simple but revealing moment. The Oscar dressing game is an illusion we collectively — and happily, might I add — embrace. Why? Because much of our industry’s success comes down to helping the Hollywood myth sparkle even more seductively.

Victoria Gomelsky Editor vgomelsky@couturejeweler.com

Italian Jewellery

ANDREOLI s.r.l Vicolo dei Sarmati 1/A - 15048 Valenza (AL) Italy tel. +39 0131 946665 - Fax +39 0131 946095 e-mail: andreoli@andreoli-gioielli.com - www.andreoli-gioielli.com presenti alle fiere - present at the fairs BASEL Halle 2.2 Stand E90 - LAS VEGAS JCK - NEW YORK - VICENZA Pad. B Stand 661

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On the cover Picchiotti «A 10 ct. fancy yellow cushion diamond is the focal point of this important ring. Belonging to the Unique Diamond Collection, the cushion is enhanced by a special «trellis-workmanship» where each single diamond is set in its own box creating an irregular grate. Typically Picchiotti, it clearly denotes Picchiotti’s mastery in working with calibrated stones.»

Cover Feature on page 12 BaselWorld Hall 2.2 Booth B30 www.picchiotti.it no 286 - 1/2009

14 Global Luxury How are the world’s leading luxury brands greeting this tumultuous year? Judging by their bold spring collections, a lot less conservatively that you might have guessed.

19 Couture Spotlight

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34 SPECIAL REPORT: Ethical Jewelry There’s no denying the zeitgeist: In a world gone mad for money, one way to promote luxury is to make sure it’s affiliated with the right ideals.

The good, the green and the utterly gorgeous is how we’d characterize our spring jewelry feature. Not all of the jewels are green in the philosophical sense of the word, but that’s okay. Even if they’re green in appearance only, just think of them as spreading the word.

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Designing for a cause 38

42 Tastemakers This issue’s influencers — a

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medievalist, a video artist, an artisanal crafts advocate and a cutting-edge retailer — project pure passion.

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Nicole Mackinlay Hahn 42 Tania Machado 44 Liliane Jossua 45

50 Influences Jewelry inspired by the unlikeliest of icons.

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Vicolo dei sarmati, 1/A - 15048 Valenza (AL) - Italy tel. (+) 39 0131 946665 - fax (+) 39 0131 946095 e-mail: andreoli@andreoli-gioielli.com www.andreoli-gioielli.com Presenti alle fiere di: BASILEA - NEW YORK - LAS VEGAS (Couture JCK) - HONG KONG (edizione di settembre) - VICENZA - VALENZA

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46 Designer Roundup The royals of Editor’s Letter 06

Saudi Arabia, collectors of art jewelry, lovers of fine colored stones and fans of modern Indian style would applaud our designer fantastic foursome.

Marketplace: Vicenza 48 The First fair in Vicenza set the stage for a showdown between Italian jewelers who side with trends or tradition.

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Advertiser/ Editorial Index 55

47 52 Couture Practices Online used to be a dirty

Freely Speaking 56 Under new show director Liz Hitchcock, the Couture event in Las Vegas is undergoing a subtle transformation.

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word in the fine jewelry sphere, but a coterie of sophisticated Web entrepreneurs are gradually helping to change that.

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The Official Jewelry Magazine of Couture 2009 COUTURE International Jeweler, 25 route des Acacias, CH - 1227 Genève, Switzerland Tel. +41 22 307 78 37, Fax +41 22 300 37 48, Help desk: jricher@europastar.com

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Modern, vibrant concepts by Picchiotti Picchiotti needs little or no introduction. Founded in 1967 by Giuseppe Picchiotti in Valenza, Italy, today the jeweler from the ‘City of Gold’ is renowned worldwide.

The latest addition to the vast Royal Star Collection is this beautiful parure of a necklace and earrings. In 18 carat white gold, the central stars are enhanced by a cluster of buff-top square rubies, surrounded by white diamonds and outlined by a fine line of black rhodium. An innovative, elegant and sophisticated design.

Picchiotti’s understanding of jewelry and the industry in general, his long-term commitment to excellence, sound business ethics and the rich tradition of artistic excellence combined with a modern twist, ensures that the family-run business will enjoy continued success.

Picchiotti’s sophisticated and distinctive jewelry is created entirely in-house and Giuseppe Picchiotti himself oversees every aspect of the design and production process, and yet spends much of his time searching the world for the rare stones which highlight his collections.

Often, his travels result in the discovery of stones of such incredible size, beauty and uniqueness that they become the inspiration for his signature pieces. He is above all a connoisseur of colored gemstones – which feature as a highly recognizable trademark in the Picchiotti collections.

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New challenges With the current challenging economical environment in mind and an evolution in consumers’ needs and tastes, Picchiotti has been gradually introducing new lines inspired by modern concepts and vibrant fashions that blend together to give an enduring style with what is clearly a distinctive motif. These collections include inventive designs and settings that have been conceived to be worn as an ‘everyday’ accessory. However, every piece of jewelry that emerges from the workshops still reflects the high standards of quality and craftsmanship associated with Picchiotti and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. In addition, each and every piece in the exclusive collections is stamped with the ‘Picchiotti’ signature mark. This seal is the purchaser’s assurance that the jewelry is a genuine creation

by Picchiotti.

Picchiotti’s jewelry is favored by the fashion conscious, well-dressed, sophisticated woman, one who does not like to show off, but who appreciates the beauty of these finely designed and treasured pieces of jewelry and is very much aware of the fine craftsmanship behind Picchiotti creations.

2009 Collection Highlights To further enhance the unique elements of its signature pieces, Picchiotti has made extensive use of one of the rarest and purest metals to be found on earth: platinum.

Picchiotti’s signature pieces feature important diamond, emerald and sapphire necklaces, earrings and rings enhanced by platinum that give a classic, yet contemporary look.

These collections are designed as a showcase for the different cuts of the precious stones chosen by Picchiotti: exquisite and unique solitaires as rare and eternal as the platinum in which they are set. The jewelry is simple yet unique, modern but still classic, in short, a genuine reflection of contemporary femininity.

A very refined and elegant brooch, the Feather, is the expression of Picchiotti’s talent in reproducing the complex beauty found in nature and giving it life as a piece of jewelry. Of a sinuous and elegant shape, this 18 carat white gold brooch features sparkling white diamonds and an elegant, thin line of buff-top baguette sapphires.

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G L O B A L

L U X U R Y

What recession?

Based on the spring collections from the giants of the jewelry world, the consensus is clear: No matter how unpredictably the economy behaves, luxury goes on.

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Bulgari

Chances are good that even the casual observer, if asked to characterize the jewelry made by Bulgari, would describe it as bold, colorful and utterly recognizable. The firm, founded in Rome by a Greek immigrant named Sotirios Voulgaris, celebrates its 125th anniversary this year, cementing its place among the pantheon of 20th century jewelers. The occasion has prompted a return to the styles that made the house famous: namely, a series of haute joaillerie pieces, including this cabochon aquamarine and ruby ring, that combine the finest stones with a bigger-than-life approach to design.

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Cartier’s new Trinity collection, an updated version of an iconic motif in which bands of pink, white and yellow gold are intertwined, makes evident the mystical power of threes. You might say the bands represent friendship, love and fidelity; past, present and future; or simply a distinct brand of French elegance. But one thing is certain: Whether it’s the Trinity XXL bracelet, entirely paved with 126 carats of diamonds; a coiled sautoir; or the Trinity Crash ring shown here, good tidings come in threes.

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Katel Riou Š Cartier 2009

Cartier

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Chanel

Coco Chanel preferred the camellia to the rose — “for its sobriety, its almost geometrical roundness and the classical arrangement of its perfectly regular petals” — so it’s no surprise that the house she built has made the white flower its emblem. Paired with one of Mademoiselle’s timeless little black dresses and glistening with diamonds, the camellia, seen here in the Fil de Camelia bracelet, is a seductive flower, indeed.

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Chopard

Chopard debuted the Happy Diamond line in 1976 as a tuxedo watch for men but over the past three decades, it’s become closely linked to the brand’s jewelry. Featuring free-floating diamonds sandwiched between thin slices of bezel-set crystal, the collection welcomes yet another variation into its midst with this spring’s launch of the Teddy Bear pendant in 18-karat rose gold. Set with three mobile diamonds, the pendant also comes in a mini version, conveniently just in time for Mother’s Day.

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De Beers With the Diamond Trading Co. focusing its marketing message on the notion of owning “fewer, better things,” it makes sense that its retail progeny, De Beers, is back to promoting the classics. Simple studs, bridal basics and straightforward solitaires, as in this selection of single-stone pendants, will be front and center throughout the company’s global network of retail stores this spring, proving that when times get tough, the tough embrace that which is timeless.

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L U X U R Y

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That Dior Artistic Director Victoire de Castellane is one of the most extravagant personalities in Paris goes without saying. Simply look at her jewels. The former costume designer and descendant of French aristocracy creates ornate, gem-set pieces — including this Carnivora Devorus ring from Dior’s new collection of garden-inspired confections, in yellow gold with diamonds, tsavorite garnets, sapphires, Paraíba tourmalines and lacquer — that never fail to capture her motto: “It’s not because it’s real that it has to be boring.”

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H. Stern Giverny, the village in northern France where Claude Monet kept his garden, his lilies and his home, lends its name to H. Stern’s new collection of rose gold leaf-shaped pendants and rings dusted with beige diamonds. The Brazilian jeweler is sticking to a favorite theme — the colors, textures and elements found in nature — but has decided that a global brand needs a global approach to style, promising that more collections inspired by the world’s gardens are to follow.

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Mikimoto

Not long ago, baroque pearls were seen as sub-par, mis-shapen lumps of pearlescence, valued, sure, though not nearly as highly as their round counterparts. The design renaissance of the 21st century has squelched that belief and has instead elevated the baroque pearl from reject to rarefied. Witness the new Baroque Couture collection from Mikimoto, whose one-of-a-kind jewels, like this diamond-accented pendant, prove that the distinctive shape of the baroque pearl is by far its most charming attribute.

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Piaget

Piaget celebrates life on the high seas with its new Limelight Paradise collection, a clever take on the yachting lifestyle. From the coralinspired diamond pendant at left to a bracelet strung with whimsical charms such as an 82-carat citrine cut to resemble a pineapple, to a series of cocktail rings that take their mandate all too literally (one ring, called “Sex on the Beach,” features a pink tourmaline center stone accented by a peridot lime), Piaget offers a vicarious escape to the tropics, even, or perhaps especially, for the deskbound.

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Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & Co. dug into its archives to develop its new Keys Collection of pendants and charms evoking a time of keepsake boxes, diaries, steamer trunks and country manors, all the while channeling the jeweler’s great legacy. Designs of vintage skeleton keys are rendered in medallion or heart shapes, decorated with flowers or diamonds, and suspended from fine 18-karat gold, platinum or silver chains. Designed to be worn alone or layered, the keys, in Tiffany’s expert hands, are nothing less than talismans.

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Van Cleef & Arpels The art of gardening is the ultimate expression of man’s desire to tame nature, but each culture approaches the task differently. The French garden is a masterpiece of spatial geometry, while the classic English version is overflowing and unruly. The Italians emphasize nature’s relationship to architecture. In the Orient, harmony, balance and tranquility are key. At Van Cleef & Arpels, the new Les Jardins collection offers a glorious tour of this sublime garden universe, with jewels, like these Pavillon d’Or sapphire and diamond earrings from the Orient series, that speak to the enchanting power of Eden.

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S P O T L I G H T

The green years When it comes to color palettes, Mother Nature knows best reen is a paradox. Signifying nature and money to some, poison and envy to others, it’s a color that has long projected contradictory images. In this, our first ever green-themed issue, we attempt to settle the score.

It’s easy to defend green when you see the trend and color pages that follow. They pay homage to jewelry in gorgeous shades of green — grass green, mint green, lime green, and, of course, emerald green — as well as to multihued jewels that rely on green as the cohesive force keeping all the other colors together (not unlike Mother Nature herself).

We’ve also included jewelry celebrating green as a philosophy, a concept and a way of life, be it through its use of recycled materials, its glorification of botanical forms or its rendering of animals, from butterflies to frogs. Ultimately, we’d like to explore the best ways in which to fuse a concern for the earth’s resources with our industry’s legendary attention to beauty because soon enough it will be unseemly, if not impossible, to segregate the two.

Green may indeed be the new black but let’s be clear: Our love for the old black (not to mention the old white, blue, orange and yellow, the colors most in vogue this season) has not wavered. In that spirit, we kick off with a collection of statement necklaces that look good no matter the color.

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The Necklace Affair Who cares about the dress when bold and beautiful collars are the mark of a true fashionista?

1. Necklace in 18-karat gold with carved turquoise bead and turquoise, and ebony and blue zircon pendant clasp by Katy Briscoe, Houston 2. Bochic abalone shell, diamond and raspberry tourmaline necklace on Marisa Tomei at the 13th Annual Art Directors Guild Awards, Beverly Hills, Calif. 3. Necklace in 18-karat gold with green tourmaline by Yvel, Jerusalem 4. Venus necklace with silk cord, shells, corals, pink gold and rubies by Fabio Salini, Rome 5. Soleil necklace in 18-karat gold by Calgaro, Vicenza, Italy 6. Tea Time one-of-a-kind necklace in 18-karat gold with cabochon-cut rose quartz, topaz, aquamarine, turquoise, citrine, amethyst and sapphire by Tous, Barcelona 7. Necklace in 24karat and 14-karat rose gold with Jasper cabochons

by Devta Doolan, Devta Doolan Jewelry, Portland, Maine, for the 2009 AGTA Spectrum Awards 8. Disc bib necklace in 18-karat gold by DML for Gold Expressions, Vicenza, Italy 9. Dancing 1 Elephant tiger’s eye necklace from the Wild Things collection in fine silver and 22-karat gold vermeil by JJ Singh Jewelry, Washington, D.C.

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Blumer GmbH Manufacturer of fine jewellery LuisenstraĂ&#x;e 60 75172 Pforzheim Germany Tel.: +49(0)7231-13 83- 0 Fax: +49(0)7231-13 83-290 E-Mail: info @ blumer.de Internet: www.blumer.de

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On the Money There’s no going wrong with jewelry that evokes both nature and the bounty of riches it bestows

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1. Large teardrop ring in 22-karat gold with emerald and rosecut diamonds by Nancy Chapman, Houston 2. Cuff and ring in 22-karat yellow gold by Amrapali on Camilla Belle at the 12th Annual Hollywood Film Festival’s Award Gala Show, Beverly Hills, Calif.

3. Archi ring in platinum with rectangular-cut chrome green tourmaline and diamond melee by Tanagro, New York 4. Triple-strand emerald necklace in 18-karat gold by Mia Katrin for Jewel Couture LLC, Fleetwood, N.C. 5. Samoan earrings in sterling silver and black rhodium with resin by Angelique de Paris, Allentown, Penn. 6. Heart Breaker pendant in 18-karat white and rose gold with diamonds and tsavorites by Sartoro, Bangkok 7. Lucky Animals Grenouille ring in 18-karat gold with peridot by Mathon Paris, Paris 8. Earrings in 18-karat yellow gold with green amethyst and diamonds

by Al Coro, Cologne, Germany 9. Degustateur ring from ArteFacto collection in 18-karat gold with emeralds and diamonds

by Isabel & Canseco, Oviedo, Spain 10. Fancy yellowish green diamond ring in 18-karat white gold with diamond melee by Nice Diamonds, New York.

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11. Duo ring in 18-karat gold with emeralds by Yael Sonia, New York 12. Huge apple green early 20th century vase available through 41 Main Antiques and Collectibles at Vintage & Modern, Inc. (VandM), New York 13. Earrings in 18-karat gold with tsavorites and diamonds by Atelier Minyon, Ankara 14. Biodegradable canvas tote with recycled leather and 18-karat gold plated chain and leather handles by CC Skye, Los Angeles 15. Huge ring in 18-karat yellow gold with chrysophrase and diamonds by Boaz Kashi, Tel Aviv 16. Capri Plus necklace in black rhodium plated gold with chrysoprase by Roberto Coin, Vicenza, Italy 17. Two ring in 18karat white gold with hand-carved green jadeite trimmed with cognac diamonds by tête-à-tête limited, Bangkok 18. Precious Beads mixed aqua necklace in 18-karat gold with champagne citrine jewel bead clasp by David Yurman, New York 19. Dolce & Gabbana Stone sunglasses at Ilori, Cincinnati, Ohio 20. Bracelet in pink gold with brilliants and prasiolite by Casato, Rome 21. Opal green handbag by Shana London, London.

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Eternal Blooms

1. Apple blue floral handbag by Shana London, London 2. Paisley Lace pendant in 18-karat white gold with natural green and white diamonds by Sethi Couture, San Francisco 3. Day Lily earrings in 18-karat gold with plique a jour transparent enamels, garnet centers and garnet grape drops by Leila Tai Jewelry Design, New York 4. Leaf earrings in 18-karat white gold with graduated pink sapphires, tsavorites and diamonds by Sartoro, Bangkok 5. Glacée bracelet in matte sterling silver by Tous, Barcelona 6. Three-Finger U ring in high-karat gold with granulation, oxidized silver and purple spinels by Patricia Tschetter, Dallas 7. Dionea rings in white and yellow gold with white diamonds and sapphires by Io Sì, Valenza, Italy 8. Zorab rubellite tourmaline flower ring in rose gold with diamonds on Scarlett Johansson at the premiere of her film “He’s Just Not That Into You,” Los Angeles 9. Wilton House necklace in 18-karat gold with emeralds, pink and white diamonds by Van Cleef & Arpels, Paris.

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Unlike fresh flowers, the jeweled variety make up in longevity what they lack in scent

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10. Iris rings in 18-karat gold with diamonds, sapphires, garnets and tsvaorites by Paolo Piovan, Padua, Italy 11. Primavera Colore ceramic tile by Bardelli, Milan 12. Daisy Chain necklace in 18-karat rose, white and yellow gold with pink, blue and yellow sapphires by Janet Deleuse, San Francisco 13. One-of-a-kind necklace with antique 17th century Satsuma vignettes (porcelain-like material hand-painted with enamel) framed in pure 24-karat gold by Gurhan, New York 14. Flower ring in 18karat yellow gold with pear-shaped reddish brown opaque natural fancy color diamonds and white melee by Rahaminov Diamonds, Los Angeles 15. Art Nouveau earrings in 18-karat yellow gold with brilliantcut diamonds and fired enamel by Masriera, Barcelona 16. Kimi shoes with luxury kimono fabric by Hetty Rose, Milan 17. Botanicals Orchid brooches in sterling silver with enamel and CZ by Angelique de Paris, Allentown, Pa. 18. Florada Orchid earrings in 18-karat yellow gold by Carla Amorim, São Paulo, Brazil 19. Couture Collection Fleur d’Amour rings in 18-karat white and rose gold with Tahitian and South Sea cultured pearls, diamonds and/or sapphires by Schoeffel, Stuttgart, Germany.

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Eden’s Bouquet

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1. Bijou de Création pendant in white gold with pink tourmaline, peridot and diamonds by Gay Frères, Annemasse, France 2. Kiss Me-Love Me earrings in white gold with rock crystal, agate, amethyst, coral and diamonds by Suzanne Syz, Geneva 3. Kaleidoscope X2 ring in platinum with crystal surrounding diamonds, amethysts, aquamarines, fire opals, topaz, citrines, garnets and tourmalines by J.W. Currens, New York, for the 2009 AGTA Spectrum Awards 4. Pop crystal handbag by Shana London, London 5. Earrings in 18-karat gold with opal drops, tourmaline and peridot by Paula Crevoshay, Albuquerque, N.M. 6. Tricot bracelet in 18-karat gold with Tahitain pearls, emeralds and white diamonds by Utopia, Milan 7. Lucky Animals turtle ring in 18-karat white gold with opal, diamonds and colored stones by Mathon Paris, Paris 8. Baroque necklace in 22karat gold with pink tourmaline, aquamarine, peridot and golden beryl

by Anabelle, Palm Desert, Calif. 9. Mulitcolor pendant in pink gold with diamonds and colored stones by Ninetto Terzano, Valenza, Italy 10. Jaipur necklace in yellow gold with prism-cut colored stones

by Marco Bicego, Trissino, Italy.

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11. Vine bracelet in 18-karat gold with tsavorites, amethysts, rubies, diamonds and moonstones by Paula Crevoshay, Albuquerque, N.M. 12. Platinum earrings with pink tourmalines, teal blue green tourmaline briolettes and diamonds by Ricardo Basta for PGI, Los Angeles 13. Colibrì Mosaic by Sicis, Milan 14. Boulder opal and emerald ring in 18-karat gold by Jane Taylor, Amherst, Mass. 15. Cufflinks in 22-karat and 18-karat gold with bi-color watermelon tourmaline slices by Jack Bigio, Basser & Bigio LLC, New York, for the 2009 AGTA Spectrum Awards 16. Pod bracelets in reclaimed silver with various semiprecious stones by Nina Basharova, New York 17. Dim Sum rings with lemon quartz and citrine on gold-plated silver with hand-knotted green jade silk by tête-à-tête limited, Bangkok 18. Croco cuffs and ring in 18-karat gold with diamonds by Hellmuth on Rihanna at the Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party, Los Angeles 19. Nymphéa ring in 18-karat gold with tsavorites, pink sapphires and diamonds by Van Cleef & Arpels, Paris.

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Moonstruck Great whites abound in this season’s dreamy selection of jewels 1. White Bakelite bangle with diamonds, rubies and pearl lions in 14karat gold and silver by Bochic, New York 2. Rose-cut diamond earrings and matching bracelet by Amrapali on Freida Pinto at the 14th Annual VH1 Critics’ Choice Awards, Santa Monica, Calif.

3. White agate and gold ring by Idalia.com, New York 4. Chain bracelet in 18-karat gold with pearls by Schofer, Pforzheim, Germany 5. Flagship Collection platinum bracelet with rose gold fleur de lis set in white pearlescent enamel, accented with diamonds by Beaudry, Los Angeles 6. African Scent necklace in pink gold with warthog teeth and leopard pattern pavé-set brown, black and white diamonds by Fabio Salini, Rome 7. Chic Chic earrings in white gold with pearls and diamonds by Stefan Hafner, Valenza, Italy 8. Moonstone ring in platinum with diamonds by Stephen Russell for PGI, New York 9. Plastic white handbag by Shana London, London.

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Fade to Black Black is back with a vengeance, which begs the question: Did it ever leave?

1. Sara pendant in 18-karat black gold with diamonds by Cresber, C贸rdoba, Spain 2. Platinum and diamond cuff bracelet from the 1940s and platinum bracelet from the 1930s, both by Fred Leighton, on Liv Tyler at the 2008 Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Annual Gala, New York 3. Diamond and onyx ring in 18-karat gold by Davite & Delucchi, Valenza, Italy 4. Cuba Libre earrings in 18-karat gold with diamonds and black quartz by Carla Amorim, S茫o Paulo, Brazil 5. Black Flowers tile by Viva, Sassuolo, Italy 6. Sandals

by Gianvito Rossi, Milan 7. Juliet Flower ring in 18-karat white gold with black onyx and diamonds by Rhonda Faber Green, Los Angeles 8. Jacaranda Pod earrings in 18-karat gold with diamonds by Sarah Graham, San Francisco 9. Hematite and diamond cufflinks in white gold by Deakin & Francis, Birmingham, England 10. Pure Pyramid diamond bracelet in 18-karat white gold with diamonds and onyx by JJ Number 8 Jewelry, Orange County, Calif.

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Stuck on Blue From topaz to turquoise, some stones are guaranteed to make a lasting impression 1. Concerto bracelet in white gold with sapphires by Roberto Coin, Vicenza, Italy 2. Twinkle Twinkle Gem Drop earrings in 18-karat gold with aquamarine by Jane Taylor, Amherst, Mass. 3. Ring in 18-karat yellow gold with a chalcedony cabochon, turquoise cabochons and diamonds by Erica Courtney, Los Angeles, for the 2009 AGTA Spectrum Awards 4. Byzantine turquoise ring in 24-karat gold by Doris Panos, New York 5. Samarcanda bracelet in white gold with enamel, diamonds, blue sapphires and blue chalcedony by La Nouvelle Bague, Florence, Italy 6. Chopard diamond bracelet and earrings on Kate Winslet at the SAG Awards, Hollywood, Calif. 7. Blue and white Korean or Chinese ceramic Dragon vase available through Vintage Views Consignment and Consulting at Vintage & Modern, Inc. (VandM), New York 8. Angel handbag with blue and white Swarovski crystals by Shana London, London 9. Nuage de Palekh ring in 18-karat gold with diamonds and blue lacquer by Marchak, Paris 10. Double strand turquoise drop necklace by Nancey Chapman, Houston.

Photo courtesy of AGTA and Robert & Orasa Weldon

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Agent Orange & Yellow Fever Let the sunshine in with a jewel in one of the year’s hot new hues

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1. Precious Bead flat-faceted lemon citrine necklace with 18-karat gold sculpted cable disks by David Yurman, New York 2. Champagne Bubbles earrings in 18karat yellow gold with 27.76 carats of natural rough diamonds and micro pavé diamond accents by Diamond in the Rough on Alicia Keys at the Vanity Fair Academy Awards Party, Los Angeles 3. Ring in 22-karat gold and sterling silver with orange sapphire and gold granulation leaves by Patricia Tschetter, Dallas 4. Mid-century table lamps by Vintage and Modern Inc. (V&M), New York 5. Undivided Holiness brooch in 18-karat gold, silver, copper and bronze with yellow and black treated diamonds by Yehuda Kassif, Tel Aviv 6. Sunburst brooch and pendant in 18-karat white and yellow gold with mandarin garnet and diamonds by Tamir, New York 7. Dreamcatcher earrings in 18-karat gold with citrine by Io Sì, Valenza, Italy 8. Harvest Angel butterfly pendant from Beyond Color collection in 18-karat gold with rose quartz, pink tourmaline, rhodolite garnet and moonstone by Paula Crevoshay, Albuquerque, N.M. 9. Marlena yellow handbag by Liz Lange for Essentials Brands, New York. 10. Ring in 18karat gold with cognac quartz and diamonds by Brüner, São Paulo, Brazil.

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Jewelry fashioned from exotic woods is the epitome of eco-chic 1. Lacquered Chinese cabinet by Vintage & Modern, Inc. (VandM), New York 2. Enlightened unique ebony cuff with Swarovski gems by Christine J. Brandt, New York 3. Necklace in 18-karat gold with wood and diamonds by Br端ner, S達o Paulo 4. Wood necklace in 18-karat yellow gold and walnut wood by Tous, Barcelona 5. Sunday in the Jungle Running Zebra bracelet in ebony wood and 18-karat gold with micro mosaic natural color stones by Maya Jewels, New York 6. Sheaok wood earrings in rose gold with faceted salmon colored tourmaline by Scheffel Schmuck, Munich, Germany 7. Antler armchair in the Continental style available through Nina Griscom at Vintage & Modern, Inc. (VandM), New York 8. Amaranth wood ring in red gold with amethyst by Scheffel Schmuck, Munich, Germany 9. Sunday in the Jungle butterfly perfume pendant in 18-karat gold with a carved tiger shell butterfly and a purple heart wood bottle with ebony wood and diamonds by Maya Jewels, New York 10. Sunglasses in sapele pommele wood by iWood ecodesign, Louisville, Ky. 10

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Still Life Whether they fly, crawl or jump, critters that glitter are whimsical works of art

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1. Adam & Eve gold aqua handbag by Shana London, London 2. Chameleon brooch in 18-karat gold with colored stones by Palmiero, Valenza, Italy 3. Frogs in gold with brilliants and precious stones by Pieriz, Naples, Italy 4. Vintage platinum and 75-carat diamond cuff bracelet by Fred Leighton on Sarah Jessica Parker at the world premiere of her film “Sex and the City,” London 5. Frog brooch in 18-karat white and yellow gold with opals, moonstones and pink sapphires by Gregore Morin, Gregore Joailliers, Santa Barbara, Calif., for the 2009 AGTA Spectrum Awards 6. Papillon brooch in black and white enamel on yellow gold by Commelin, Paris 7. Butterfly brooch in platinum with natural color diamonds by Amgad, New York 8. Dreaming in Color one-of-a-kind butterfly ring in 18-karat white gold with uncut rose colored diamonds and pavé diamonds by Michael M, Los Angeles 9. Brooch in white gold with diamonds and emeralds by Andreoli, Valenza, Italy 10. Tribal Energy pin in silver by Celegato Jewels, Vicenza, Italy.

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SPECIAL REPORT ETHICAL JEWELRY

Style and In the world of fine jewelry, doing good and looking >> Victoria Gomelsky limate change is almost what the bomb was when I was a kid in the ’50s,” Simon Doonan, creative director of Barneys New York, says when he walks onto the stage for the final presentation of the 10th annual New York Fashion Conference. This year’s theme?

“Green: Sustainability, Significance and Style.”

Launching into a hilarious anecdote about his youth in Great Britain, Doonan brings three days of panel discussions about weighty issues of ecological and social import to a spirited, if irreverent, close. The gathering has covered everything from the scourge of “dirty gold” to the future of green fashion, and while the messages have been meaningful, the energy in the room has, as with any extended event, gradually been sapped from the room.

Doonan does his best to enliven the audience. In recalling his initial resistance to decorating Barneys’ windows with an earth-friendly green theme for the 2007 holiday season, he cuts right to the chase: “Let’s face it — it can be a bit earnest at times,” Doonan says, referring to the by-now obligatory need for companies to tout their green credentials.

“We added some style, humor and a bit of glamour in there,” he continues, describing his own cheeky approach to the theme: windows populated by elves clad in recycled Metro cards and a “Rudolph the Recycling Reindeer” display made entirely of recycled aluminum cans.

“You don’t have to be earnest and super-crunchy. That’s the vibe I got from people on the street. They were grateful that we’d married those two concepts.”

By poking fun at the clichés of the green movement while simultaneously honoring it, Doonan makes a strong case for luxury goods that are at once stylish and socially responsible.

The high-end jewelry industry has had a similar awakening. Over the past three to five years, the selection of high-ticket jewelry described as either green, sustainable, ethical, fair trade, fair made, charitable, causebased or “conscient luxury” has increased exponentially. The degree of green chatter in the jewelry business, famous for its conservatism and insularity, is today so great that it’s become abundantly clear even the old-timers have embraced the zeitgeist.

Civic style URTH brand jewelry, including the pieces on this page designed by Stephen Webster and the leaf pendants on the opposite page by Pippa Small, uses “ethical gold” sourced from communities – including the one pictured at left in Tipuani, Bolivia – that are expected to meet the firm’s fundamental values or agree to conform to them. In return, they receive a portion of profits to improve their quality of life and mining practices. Ruff&Cut, a New York-based jeweler that uses diamonds mined in Sierra Leone, takes a similar approach, channeling its profits to local organizations such as the Muddy Lotus Primary School.

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Tipuani community photo provided by Urth Solutions

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sensibility

Muddy Lotus Primary School photo provided by Ruff&Cut

good don’t have to be mutually exclusive But what does being “green” truly mean in a business that lacks a shared understanding of fair trade, not to mention an officially sanctioned third-party process to certify its products as such? One way to understand the movement is by looking at it as the industry’s collective effort to develop smarter, more efficient and sustainable practices to source and produce its goods. And one case to study, in particular, is that of Tiffany & Co., the iconic American retailer that has, in many respects, set the tone for how the luxury jewelry business addresses its commitment to social and environmental responsibility.

“I’m not about to tell you we’ve painted the blue box green, but sustainability is good business,” Michael Kowalski, Tiffany chairman and CEO, says at the outset of the Green conference. “We sell objects that matter, things that last: the very antithesis of excess. We owe it to our customers and to the earth itself.”

The company’s initiation into the realm of corporate responsibility came in 1995, years before the movement came into vogue, when it opposed the development of the New World Gold Mine outside of Yellowstone National Park, a project Kowalski described as “a reputational disaster in waiting.”

Then came the conflict diamonds crisis, a period of time in the late 1990s when stones mined in African war zones were sold to finance ongoing conflicts. It was a high-profile publicity nightmare, not exclusive to Tiffany but damaging all the same. “We were unprepared,” Kowalski says. “However, to the industry’s credit, there was quick mobilization. We became strong and vocal advocates for the Kimberley Process, and the result has been an effective control system.”

In 2001, Tiffany’s refusal to be implicated in other consumer confidence-threatening issues led it “to move beyond industrywide structure and take control of our own supply chain,” Kowalski says.

Not only did the firm create its own diamond unit, Laurelton Diamonds, it also advised vendors that it would be scrutinizing their sourcing methods. By 2004, Tiffany had discontinued the sale of two precious resources: Burmese rubies, banned by the U.S. government because of human rights abuses in that country, and coral, whose conservation environmentalists say is critical to protecting the health of the oceans.

Aided by the four-year-old Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices, a worldwide diamond and gold jewelry supply chain initiative of which Tiffany was a founding member, the company has also tackled the issue of “dirty gold,” a term for gold mined through practices that wreck the environment.

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Photo provided by Ruff&Cut

SPECIAL REPORT ETHICAL JEWELRY

According to the nonprofit No Dirty Gold, founded in 2004 by human rights groups Oxfam America and Earthworks, the production of one gold ring generates up to 20 tons of waste, including toxic cyanide and mercury runoff. In the most egregious cases, gold mining also destroys landscapes and displaces communities, impacting mostly indigenous peoples in countries such as Ghana, Indonesia and Peru.

While a company the size of Tiffany is expected — and can afford — to be a model of corporate righteousness (by sourcing the majority of its gold and silver from a single U.S. mine that upholds its considerable standards), scores of smaller jewelers have turned to recycled or reclaimed gold to assure their customers that they, too, have confronted the industry’s inconvenient truths.

“When I saw the No Dirty Gold Web site, I was shocked by how much devastation there is in metals mining,” says Toby Pomeroy, a boutique designer based in Oregon. “I thought, ‘I can’t do it, I can’t contribute to this kind of destruction.’ ” In 2005, Pomeroy asked Hoover & Strong, the largest metals refiner in the United States, if they would set aside their scrap gold and silver for him to recycle. Since that encounter, interest in the company’s reclaimed metals program has spawned a brand of its own: Harmony Metals and Gems, which consists of 100 percent recycled precious metals paired with conflict-free diamonds and fair trade gemstones.

For Pomeroy, it all boils down to a single point: “How can we bring ethics to an industry that has operated without accountability?”

Company benefits The Medallion bracelet by Tracy Matthews Design, Star earrings by Ruff&Cut, Boulder Cluster ring by Todd Reed and Large Lotus ring by Oria for Ruff&Cut all use diamonds provided by Ruff&Cut, as part of its effort to promote “socially responsible luxury.” Transparency and beneficiation, or the re-investment of profits in the communities where the diamonds are sourced (such as the one the Sierra Leonean diggers in the photo above call home) is at the core of the company’s philosophy.

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SPECIAL REPORT TOPIC

The good news is that thanks to the jewelry trade’s newfound environmentalist zeal, that question no longer prompts an uncomfortable silence.

Not everyone, however, agrees on the best approach. Take Urth Solution, for example. The Beverly Hills, Calif.-based company’s URTH brand jewels, a chic selection of designer pieces made by the likes of Pippa Small and Stephen Webster, are made from gold mined by artisanal and small-scale miners in Bolivia and Madagascar. In exchange for their gold, Urth pledges to ensure “a fair price while providing much needed resources, skills, education and technology through programs funded by the sale of URTH products.”

“We have an independent minerals and sustainability expert to develop a set of standards with a more attainable entry point based on the values of our company: dignity, peace, development, community, ecology, family, health and justice,” co-founder Meyghan Hill says.

“So, for example, we will purchase from a community that mines using mercury if, through our reinvestment program funded by the profits of URTH jewelry, they will participate in a mercury management and reduction course.”

Urth’s marketing materials, which describe the business as a “marriage of luxury and altruism,” reflect a sensibility that has only recently become if not quite commonplace then certainly not unique in the trade. Another example of the effort to help consumers effect change with their jewelry purchases comes by way of Ruff&Cut, a two-year-old jewelry company based in New York specializing in rough diamonds sourced from Sierra Leone, the country most ravaged by blood diamonds.

“Our goal is to create an invisible cord that ties the land and the people who bear the stones to those who wear them with singular conscience — a spiritual cat’s cradle, if you like, of beauty & rawness, of source & provenance, and of purity & distinction, all draw-stringed together,” states the company’s core philosophy.

To that end, explains founder and CEO Wade Watson, Ruff&Cut sells not only its own brand of jewelry featuring Sierra Leonean diamonds but also pieces designed by Todd Reed, Me&Ro and Tracy Matthews. On the Web site, concerned customers will find explicit remarks about where the materials have been sourced and how much money from their sale will go to nonprofit partners.

Watson is operating on the conviction that even, or perhaps especially, in a down market, jewelry that promotes lofty ideals gives consumers an extra incentive to buy. Yet given the dismal realities of the marketplace, he and his fellow activist jewelers are equal parts sanguine and concerned about their prospects.

“As a whole, I don’t really think the industry gets it yet,” Watson says.

“In the end it will be driven by the consumer and their desire to make the world a better place.” ■ FPO Caption Old The goldNavaratna, Oregon goldsmith or nine Toby Pomeroy had an epiphany in 2005, when he learned about gemstone, turtle brooch the No at Dirty leftGold pays campaign, homage toformed a a year prior to put an end to irresponsible gold mining traditional Hindu belief practices that thethat world wreak restshavoc atop the on the environment and devastate communities. Consequently, back of an elephant which Pomeroy stands began atop a using turtle. what The nine he calls “eco-gold,” referring to metal that’s been recycled or gems that decorate the shellreclaimed, are fashioned as in in this anpendant astrologiand cuff bracelet.

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SPECIAL REPORT ETHICAL JEWELRY

Cause and effect These four jewelers have made social responsibility a cornerstone of their work

Erica Courtney

Blue streak Erica Courtney’s 18-karat gold, diamond and tanzanite earrings and Tanzanite Aurora necklace with pink sapphires were the product of her partnership with the Tanzanite Foundation.

One of the many things that struck designer Erica Courtney on her trip to Tanzania last summer was the local Maasai tradition of wearing red and blue together.

In the bright sunlight, they looked violet, much like the color of tanzanite, the gemstone discovered there in 1967.

“Of course they have worn these colors long before tanzanite was discovered, but it’s as if the Maasai were telling us that the tanzanite was in the earth by the way they dress,” Courtney says. “I thought that was very poetic in a way, since the tanzanite find has given them so much opportunity: money, schools, roads, jobs, tourists buying their wares.”

Courtney saw those opportunities first-hand thanks to her collaboration with the Tanzanite Foundation, the nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of tanzanite. Upon her return to Los Angeles in September, Courtney arranged for 10 percent of the proceeds from the month’s sales at her Robertson Boulevard retail store to go to the Community Uplift Program, set up by the foundation to help sustain medical clinics, community centers and educational programs in the area where tanzanite is mined.

“I personally have plans on financially helping two schools and visiting every year to spend time with them,” Courtney says. “My heart has been absolutely stolen!” ■

Lori Bonn A few years ago, jewelry designer Lori Bonn attended a luncheon in San Francisco to raise money for the indigenous people living in the Amazon rainforest. At the end of the fundraiser, the hostess made an announcement: The entire event, she said, had been staged with a net-zero impact on the planet, thanks to a clever approach to carbon offsetting.

“It was an epiphany for me because, until then, I couldn’t find anything green that wasn’t also ‘granola,’ ” Bonn said, recalling the gathering as ultra-sophisticated, in stark contrast to the “crunchy” aesthetic she had previously associated with green activism. “It didn’t occur to me that you could be stylish and socially responsible at the same time.”

Although the Oakland, Calif.-based designer had always endeavored to ensure her jewelry, most of it produced in Bali, was manufactured under progressive standards, the luncheon proved to be a turning point. She now promotes her collections, including the Chrysalis line of recycled silver and speckled chalcedony jewels, under the “Clear Conscience” label, an umbrella term meant to convey that her jewels “tread lightly on the planet while respecting every person along the supply chain.” ■

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All clear Lori Bonn’s Chrysalis collection, including this Kaleidoscope cuff bracelet with smoky quartz, citrine and white quartz and Round Dot ring with polka dot chalcedony, is designed to be worn with a “clear conscience.”

SPECIAL REPORT TOPIC

Jaipur photos by Victoria Gomelsky

Monique Péan

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When her younger sister passed away unexpectedly in 2005, Monique Péan, then a banker with Goldman Sachs, turned to jewelry as a form of therapy. Today, the company she founded in her sister’s memory is at the forefront of a growing movement to help consumers effect change with their purchases.

“The whole idea behind my collection was to combine my love for art, business and philanthropy,” Péan says. “My father worked in development growing up, so I had the privilege of traveling to over 40 countries. And I felt indigenous art and culture is so rich, but it had never been at the forefront of the luxury market.”

The fall 2007 Bering collection, featuring smooth shards of fossilized walrus, caribou and wooly mammoth ivory sourced from the Alaskan Inupiaq and Yup’ik tribes living in the Arctic Circle and set in 100 percent recycled gold, was the product of her freshman effort. Ten percent of proceeds are directed to the Alaska House, a gallery in Fairbanks dedicated to preserving and promoting Alaska native arts.

Péan’s second collection, called Charity Water after the New York nonprofit of the same name, features chunky stones designed to evoke clean or contaminated drinking water, thereby drawing attention to the 1.1 billion people who live without access to safe drinking water. Each sale provides clean drinking water to 10 people for 20 years. ■

The kings

FPO deck here, the artisans of Gem Palace Sure things Every element in Monique Péan’s collection has been ethically sourced. From top, this hemihave created morphite and recycled yellow gold necklace includes 4 carats of “conflict- and devastation-free diamonds”

on a sustainably gathered stingray cord while the Mzibia agate necklace features fossilized woolly mammoth ivory set in 18-karat recycled yellow gold with a conflict- and devastation-free diamond clasp.

M Reed Todd

otorized rickshaws, mopeds, hand-drawn carts and cows dominate the relentless traffic on Jaipur’s dusty M.I. Road, except for the block that houses the esteemed Gem Palace, where tour buses are a conspicuous and everyday presence.

Todd TheReed retailbegan store—a experimenting Jaipur institution with raw since diamonds 1852,inwhen the early the 1990s, maharaja long who before ruledthethe idea city, of “socially capital of responsible India’s Rajasthan jewelry” entered province, the appointed trade’s the lexicon.

Kasliwal Fast family forwardcrown 15 years, jewelers—conjures and not only have images raw of diamonds such fabulousness become among Reed’svisitors much-admired that it is now (anda regular much-mimicked) stop on the trademark, tourist circuit, thelike industry the pink-honeycombed has finally come Palace around oftothe theWinds idea of and sourcing hilltop Amber responsibly.

Fort. Credit That, goes however, to eighth-generation doesn’t meanMunnu the Boulder, Kasliwal, Colo.-based the creative designer genius behind is doingGem things Palace’s differently. treasure trove, and his brothers, “I always Sudhir called and it ‘right Sanjay, relationship, who manage ’ which themeans retail and doing wholesale things for ends the of right thereasons business along regardless with their of the cousins, outcome, Ajay ” Reed and Pappu says. “It’s Kasliwal. alwaysEven something the ninth mygeneration customers iscared represented, about, my in the styleform — and of Munnu’s I don’t mean son,my Siddharth, aestheticwho stylerecently but my social joinedstyle, the business. my civic style.

Under ” theItfamily’s helps that careful Reed stewardship, has workedGem withPalace a singleearns diamond as much supplier respect for 12 from years, contemporary a sixthjewel-lovers generation family as it did business under in the New maharajas’ York thatpatronage. buys rough from eco-friendly locations and can “It’strace the mother its sources. lode,Last ” confirms year, he a partnered well-groomed with Ruff&Cut, American the woman, New cooing York company over a pair thatof carnelian builds designer earrings jewelry and matching collectionsring around on adiamonds sunny December mined in Sierra afternoon.

Leone,She’s channeling a media buyer a portion fromofMaryland profits toon community a two-week organizations holiday with based her husband there. It’s in a far Rajasthan. cry fromAReed’s visit to Gem early days, Palace when andthehilltop language Amber to define Fort. these Creditideas goes didn’t to exist, eighth-generation but, as they say,Munnu better late than never. “Maybe this is the time in jewelry when change happens,” he says. ■ FPO Caption Jaipur is called the “Pink City” because of the pink stucco walls that surround its carefulloveold Todd Reedbuilt prefers raw Jai diamonds theyHawa have Mahal, a less processed that’s lyRuff planned quarter, by ruler Singh inbecause 1727. The or Palace ofaesthetic the Winds, topmore left, lineofwith his eco-friendly lifestyle. necklace is made 18-karat recycled goldGem andPalace silver; raw isinone its enduring icons. Lying justThis outside the old city, onwith traffic-choked M.I. Road, is a diamond cubes, macles, octahedrons; natural color rose-cut diamonds; and white rose-cut diamonds, while retail store-cum-tourist magnet, regularly besieged by jewelry lovers who have come to see designer FPO the cuff bracelet features 18-karat yellow gold, silver, raw diamond cubes and colored brilliants.

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TASTEMAKERS NICOLE MACKINLAY HAHN

The poetry behind the purchase Using her lyrical style of video art, Nicole Mackinlay Hahn puts an original spin on conscious consumerism magine picking up an Ethiopian silk purse at the trendiest luxury boutique in town and focusing not on the purse but on a 30-second video showing the Malagasy man who helped make its raw silk, as he chases his friend around their village, waving a silkworm on a stick.

“I want people to be more emotionally attached to where their things come from,” says Nicole Mackinlay Hahn, a video artist whose Reap What You Sew project goes a long way in establishing such a connection.

Using documentary-style footage shot in Africa and then distilled into an interactive video piece called Mirror/Africa (which includes the silkworm clip described above), Reap What You Sew offers a fascinating glimpse into the supply chain that connects African communities to the American consumers who buy the fashions they produce.

Mackinlay Hahn, an accomplished video artist, launched the project in 2005, when the Edun clothing company took her to Lesotho to shoot footage they hoped to use in “an advocacy video to tell their brand story.”

“It was my weird initiation into fashion,” Mackinlay Hahn recalls. “I could not believe how many people touched one garment of clothing.”

The trip marked the beginning of her love affair with the continent. She has since returned five times. On those trips, she traced more designer goods back through the supply chain — including fashion from Duro Olowu, beauty products from Philip B and jewelry by Devon Paige McCleary — making sure that at least some of their components were sourced or produced in Africa.

Mackinlay Hahn then created hundreds of 30-second video clips that play through an interactive and transparent domelike sculpture that she installed as a temporary public art project at Barneys New York in May 2008 and hopes to bring to additional retail venues this year. When consumers pick up one of the items she tracked, a special bamboo tag prompts them to scan it at the nearby installation.

Depending on where the item originated or was produced, they see clips of Madagascar, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Uganda, Tunisia, Ghana or South Africa.

Photo by James Ryang

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Mirror images Nicole Mackinlay Hahn’s crystal ball-like sculpture plays clips from Mirror/ Africa, the video footage that lies at the heart of her ambitious Reap What You Sew project.

It’s an interactive exploration of the supply chain linking communities in Africa, such as the one pictured at right, to the American consumers who buy the goods they produce.

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Mackinlay Hahn says she was driven to create the project — and the feature-length documentary film it inspired, due to premiere in 2010 — after recognizing she could harness the Web’s interactive and touch-screen technology to convey information “way beyond [what could be contained in] the tag.”

She stresses that her work isn’t intended to preach but to delight, inspire and celebrate. More poetic than information-driven, the videos suggest that “you still need entertainment value in order to get an emotional reaction in a transactional environment.”

One sign that she has succeeded appears in a clip that could end up in the documentary, which Mackinlay Hahn has structured around the experiences of consumers using the installation. A middle-aged Barneys shopper is shown watching one of the videos. “I like to know that my consumerism isn’t hurting someone else,” says the woman, making Reap What You Sew’s point, exactly. ■

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TASTEMAKERS TANIA MACHADO

Craft master Under Tania Machado’s stewardship, Brazilian artisans are bringing their eco-friendly designs to the world

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ewelers may know Minas Gerais as the Brazilian state where the bulk of the country’s precious stones are mined (the name, in fact, translates to “General Mines”) but the region is also rich with talented artisans who have taken advantage of local materials to produce a range of arts and crafts distinguished by their respect for the earth.

In 2001, Tania Machado recognized the need to promote these crafts — mostly home décor items made from seeds, ceramic, glass, fiber, wood, paper, soapstone and ironwork — to an international audience, thereby generating income for poor families while encouraging recycling and environmentalism. Thus, the EcoArts program was born.

As an offshoot of a Brazilian nonprofit called Instituto Centro CAPE, which helps prepare artisans to sell their work abroad, EcoArts represents a collective of eight artisans, whose products are sold bearing a seal — IQS, or Sustainable Quality Institute — guaranteeing they are socially fair, ecologically correct and economically viable.

“Today, the whole world is worried about the environment, and recycling is well-respected by everyone,” says Machado, who is based in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais. “But in the case that the improvement of the economic situation of poor people is attached to the product’s good price, it’s even better.”

Among the artisans in the EcoArts stable is Maria Diniz. She uses coffee husks and grounds, rice husks and cardboard boxes to make decorative bowls. Leonardo Bueno makes furniture and household items by recycling the wood from shipping pallets, while Cristina Duarte recycles raw glass to fashion unique works of glass art.

In 2007, the program to which they belong exported more than $2 million of artistic handicrafts to the United States. (A similar program exists in Europe and is managed by a Lisbon-based company, Vitória Regia.)

The Brazilian government has been instrumental in nurturing EcoArts, whose existence is made possible through a collaboration between several organizations, including APEX, Brazil’s trade and investment promotion agency, and the Central Mão de Minas, a nonprofit aimed at helping artisans navigate the complicated world of exporting. Despite the economic downturn, Machado is optimistic that EcoArts will continue to thrive.

“We believe we have enormous growing potential,” she says. “There are 8.5 million artisans in Brazil. In the state of Minas Gerais there are 500,000, and only about 300 are currently exporting products to the USA. But in order to proceed we must continue looking for buyers. It’s necessary to adapt products, improve some of the technological processes for customs and trade barriers, and continue showing the creative work of the Brazilian people.” ■

Reduce, reuse, recycle The EcoArts collective promotes the work of Brazilian artisans who work with different recycled materials. Márcio Ferreira, for example, uses scrap iron to make his signature ants, while other artists work with glass, shown here in a delicate petal-like sculpture, or banana or coconut fibers, used to make decorative bowls.

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TASTEMAKERS LILIANE JOSSUA

The girl from Paris In 2005, Liliane Jossua set a precedent by opening the first multibrand retail shop on tony Avenue Montaigne venue Montaigne, in the 8th arrondisement of Paris, is arguably the world’s most illustrious shopping street. A mecca for high-fashion devotees, it’s lined with grand facades bearing the names of prestige brands with a global following: Valentino, Gucci, Chanel and Dior, to name but a few.

So sought after are the goods on Avenue Montaigne that in December, thieves stole diamond necklaces, gem-studded rings and luxury watches worth $108 million from the Harry Winston salon in one of the most ambitious — and successful — heists in history.

Yet the street’s monobrand domination can feel a bit monotonous. This explains why the ultra-chic Montaigne Market, the street’s first multibrand emporium, has a distinct edge.

Opened in 2005, the store boasts a high-low mix of designer merchandise that calls to mind the well-edited closet of a very stylish friend. This season’s new acquisitions include Elizabeth & James, the sophomore collection from Ashley and Mary Kate Olsen; retro-fabulous designs from Halston, the icon of 70s style; and the moody, phantasmagorical jewels of Fendi scion Delfina Delettrez.

But these are merely the tip of the iceberg; co-founder Liliane Jossua has excellent and varied taste, which comes through in the store’s assorted collection of jewelry. Besides Delettrez, Aurélie Bidermann, Repossi, Garrard, and John Isaac, a vintage Rolex dealer, are among the collections on display.

Fashion formula Liliane Jossua has perfected a buying strategy for Montaigne Market, the first multibrand boutique to open on Paris’s grand shopping street. Accessories, in the form of colorful Lanvin handbags, outrageous Brian Atwood platforms and très interesting jewels from the likes of Fendi scion Delfina Delettrez, make up 40 percent of the store’s merchandise.

A Parisian who studied fashion at Esmod in Paris, Jossua moved to Saint Barth with her family 16 years ago. It was there that she cut her teeth at retail with her first store, Calypso.

“When my oldest daughter was 10 we decided to go back home to Paris and then it was time to open something here,” she recalls. “We thought Avenue Montaigne was an amazing place for its history and we could find there the same customer I was used to working with in Saint Barth.”

Montaigne Market’s white wall, lacquer, and leather interior, designed by architect Johannes Zingerle, is the perfect showcase for Jossua’s myriad finds. Supported by her business partner, Alain Celhay, she makes all the buying decisions, gravitating to designers such as Alaia, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen and Balmain. Readyto-wear constitutes about 60 percent of the store’s inventory; the rest is made up with accessories, from Lanvin handbags to Gianvito Rossi heels.

“When you buy one of those it’s a clever choice,” she says. “You will keep the clothes and wear them again next season mixed with new ones. Time is not anymore to spend for eccentric and expensive things you’ll wear once.” ■

Photo provided by Montaigne Market

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DESIGNER ROUNDUP SHAHPOUR JAHAN

Royal engagements Pleasing princesses is jeweler Shahpour Jahan’s specialty ot long ago, Shahpour Jahan, a jeweler based in Geneva, took an order from a young Saudi princess who wanted a necklace “she could wear every day.”

A diamond-laden jewel anchored by a 9.5-carat fancy pink pear-shaped stone is what he created for her.

With clientele drawn from the royal families of the Persian Gulf, the Jahan family business, a seventh-generation affair that dates back to Tehran in the 1800s, has a different relationship with its customers than do most jewelers.

“A person has a doctor, a lawyer, and we consider ourselves an advisor,” Shahpour, the company’s creative director, says.

“We give them a service. We take their old jewelry that has no value, and we update it.”

When there is a major wedding, it’s not just the bride who is expected to shine. Mothers and grandmothers are also draped in jewels and will often bring their old pieces into one of the company’s three boutiques in Geneva, Riyadh or Jeddah to get a fresh re-working. A Jahan design album with a collection of dull photos documenting these quintessentially 1980s jewels (so passé looking they might as well be in neon) is a testament to this. Shahpour then re-imagines the pieces, sometimes as stylish scarf necklaces or as long cascades of stones.

The emphasis, it’s clear, is on the latter. “The real value to us as jewelers is in the stones,” Shahpour says. “Like land, antiques, paintings, the point is you have jewelry that will look good years from now. It’s not supposed to be like fashion.”

From a floral collar of sapphire and diamond roses to the suite of almond-sized Colombian emeralds about to be set into a diamond and white gold parure, the classic jewels

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that are Jahan’s bread and butter begin at 200,000 Swiss francs (about $175,000 at current exchange rates) and top out around 2 million Swiss francs.

Jahan’s singular commitment to providing a traditional, albeit modernized, selection of jewels to customers who have patronized the store for decades has placed it in a good position to ride out the current economic downturn.

Based in Geneva since 1980, when Shahpour’s father began using Swiss workshops to manufacture the jewelry he sold in Iran, the company has a reputation for creating sumptuous parures of the highest quality.

“Of course you feel it,” Shahpour says of the credit crunch.

“But high-level pieces like that always keep their value. If people are getting married, we are good.”

In order to accommodate the gift-buying proliclivities of clients who hail from the Gulf region, the company also stocks a reasonably priced selection of glam watches and perfumes, all on display in the Geneva boutique.

Situated in a prime location on the city’s famed Rue du Rhône, the store opened in 1995 and was expanded and renovated two years ago into a stylish black-and-white showroom of 200 square meters. Neighbors include practically every major luxury name in the watch and jewelry business, but that doesn’t faze Shahpour.

“We like that we have competitors,” he says. “When you go into a garden, you don’t just want to see roses.” ■ Bridal boom Shahpour Jahan, the seventh generation of the Jahan family business, has what many would consider the perfect plan to ride out this year’s economic turbulence: If the royal familes of the Persian Gulf who make up his clientele continue to get married, “we are good,” he says.

Mad about hue Elke Berr evolved as a designer when she succumbed to her love of color rained as a gemologist nearly two decades ago, Elke Berr began her designing career making tried-and-true styles featuring precious stones, such as rubies, sapphires and emeralds, in classic yet predictable settings. “The value was given by the stone itself, while the design was not the central interest of the jewel,” she says. Fast-forward 20 years, and Berr’s work is anything but conventional. It includes a slew of precious and semiprecious pieces in special cuts like the bubble-cut, mirror-cut, wave-cut and ice-cube cut.

Read on to discover her creative turning point.

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Who: Elke Fechner-Berr, Elke Berr Creations, Genève Age: 44 Home base: Geneva, Switzerland What: Feminine, trendy jewelry with colored gemstones in 18-karat gold Where to buy: Best

The namesake If you believe in omens, former banker Manju Jasty is living her destiny orn in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and raised in the suburbs of New York City, designer Manju Jasty spent her childhood summers touring Indian holy sites such as Tirupati, where a famous golden idol enchanted her. After college, she pursued investment banking, until she could no longer deny her fascination with gems and jewels, nor, perhaps, her destiny: Manju’s first name is derived from the Sanskrit word for “jewel box.”

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Who: Manju Jasty Age: 33 Home base: New York City What: Manju Jasty Fine Jewels Where to buy: Barneys New York or by appointment at www.manjujasty.com Philosophy: Wearing fine jewelry should be a physical

jewelry shops in Switzerland, Paris, Monaco, Munich, Milan, Kiev, Dubai, Doha and Jeddah Philosophy: A passion for gems, life and women who know what they want. My jewelry should be their favorite piece and make them look different, happy and passionate about life, at reasonable prices. Inspiration: Unusual stones and cuts, and traveling. I capture the colors, trends and people in different countries. Gemstone preferences: Stones with effects, like star rubies, moonstones, black star diopside and quartz in all colors, cut in unusual shapes. Design epiphany: At a certain point, coinciding with my son Raphaël’s birth seven years ago, I felt a drive to create jewelry for everyday wear, for myself and for a passionate, trendy woman, and I started designing with semiprecious stones and pearls.

Dream clients: The ones who take the risk to promote a new name and stand behind me Breakthrough moment: One year ago, I started to sell in Ukraine and the Middle East Training: I was a gemologist and gemstone dealer before launching my own collections. Retail price range: $800–$50,000 ■ A heart for stones Seven years ago, gemologist Elke Berr began creating designer pieces like this necklace strung with lemon quartz drops and ring featuring a wave-cut smoky quartz.

pleasure as well as a source of joy. Inspiration: All things beautiful, from the shapes of the Taj Mahal to the shape of a calla lily. Gemstone preferences: Diamonds: a simple and elegant statement, but a statement nonetheless.

Design epiphany: When my mom gave me permission to deconstruct a necklace and earrings I had inherited and I realized I could refashion it into something I would use and thoroughly enjoy wearing.

Dream clients: Julianne Moore and Charlize Theron Breakthrough moment: Meeting Julie Gilhart (fashion director of Barneys) the day I resigned from banking. I ran into her a few months later, at which point she admired my earrings (of my own design) and suggested I schedule an appointment with her office. Training: Design is self-taught; construction I learned by working with artisans in India. Retail price range: $4,000–$150,000 ■ Homage to India Manju Jasty’s Indian heritage is reflected in these bell-shaped earrings and carved emerald necklace.

Necklace photographed by Rudy Lepoultier; ring photographed by Sarah Girard

DESIGNER ROUNDUP ELKE BERR AND MANJU JASTY

MARKETPLACE VICENZA

Brave new world eterans of the international trade fair circuit know there are two kinds of exhibitors at the First show, held every January, in Vicenza: Those who produce eminently chic, if fleeting, fashion jewelry and those for whom “made in Italy” is a battle cry for pieces that stand the test of time.

As business philosophies, they couldn’t be more different, yet for the 1,700 companies that showcased their newest merchandise at the goldsmith fair in mid-January, these two approaches represent flip sides of the same Italian coin.

The first approach is, arguably, the one that defines Italian merchandise in the greater context of the global jewelry scene, and the First fair is, naturally, where the trendiest of such trendy merchandise makes its debut. This year, the pieces most in vogue included those featuring black and white gemstones in matte and polished forms, ornate bib necklaces best suited to women with statuesque features (not to mention long necks), variations on the traditional diamond tennis bracelet using a mix of semiprecious stones and varying shapes, and a heavy dose of jewels evoking feathers, animals and leaves.

“Our industry is getting closer to the models and rhythms of fashion and is observing that trends of fashion and style merge with trends in our own sector,” Domenico Girardi, the

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fair’s new general director, said at a press conference. “It will be necessary to innovate more quickly, to speed up, and the business models will be different.”

Girardi’s fellow organizers are, it seems, in full agreement.

Witness the show’s new Glam Room, unveiled at the Choice event in September and enhanced for the 2009 gathering.

The pavilion of 26 exhibitors is dedicated to jewels that combine precious materials with alternative elements, such as wood, glass, ceramic, ebony, Perspex and steel.

By 2010, noted Girardi, the Glam Room “will become an independent pavilion where we celebrate the conjugation between fashion and jewelry.”

Yet the notion of jewelry as accessory is at odds with the way many of Vicenza’s finest exhibitors see their work.

In discussing his company’s plans for Baselworld, for example, Umberto Picchiotti, of the Valenza-based manufacturer, said: “We will concentrate on more valuable pieces and won’t do as much fashion or design collections. We never did.”

Likewise, Isaac Levy, founder of Yvel, the Israeli pearl jewelry manufacturer, said he would focus his merchandise Glam slam The entrance to the Vicenza fair’s new Glam Room, which General Director Domenico Girardi describes as “an independent pavilion where we celebrate the conjugation between fashion and jewelry.”

Photo by LaPresse provided by Vicenza Fiera

At the First fair in Vicenza, the Italians were split on whether the secret to their long-term success lies in promoting classic jewelry or fashion

Ne ew Ittalia an style e on higher-ticket items that required the same amount of effort to sell as lower priced goods. He also noted that his global marketing strategy hinged on finding “pockets of wealth” rather than conquering entirely new markets — a reflection of how thoroughly globalized our world has become: affluent consumers are invariably jet-setters, meaning their wealth is as mobile as their high-tech phones.

“You cannot target a country today,” Levy said. “You have to focus on a group of people. For example, we don’t sell in Belgium, but we sold to a group of Belgians.

We have a couple of wealthy people in Kuwait and Dubai. It’s about targeting the right customer.”

At the First fair, however, it was clear the Italians were struggling to define, or even recognize, who that might be.

“We’re still trying to understand what to do,” said a woman at the Andreoli booth. “I think everybody’s in crisis. We haven’t seen any Americans. The first day was noticeably quiet, and it’s supposed to be the strongest.”

Export statistics tell an equally disheartening story. According to figures released by Italy’s National Statistics Institute, the value of jewelry and gold exports for the first three quarters of 2008 fell by 5.54 percent compared to the same period in 2007. “The data is linked to the strongly negative performance of the month of August (-71%), but partially balanced by the good performance registered in the month of September,” according to the Institute’s statement.

One of the report’s bright spots affirmed that the United Arab Emirates is now Italy’s chief export market, with a 16.4 percent share representing a 14.56 percent increase from 2007 to 2008 — numbers that squared perfectly with sentiment on the show floor.

“Abu Dhabi,” Picchiotti said, referring to the capital of the UAE, “seems to be the next hot place.” ■

While black was ubiquitous in Vicenza this year, the selection wasn’t as somber as you might think.

First things first Clockwise from top: Roberta Porrati’s Ibiza ring with black diamonds and pearls; Marco Bicego’s resplendent Jaipur bib necklace; Palmiero’s graceful green Feather ring; Paolo Piovan’s seductive snake necklace; Picchiotti’s white diamonds and buff-top baguette sapphires feather brooch; and Picchiotti’s classic emerald earrings reflect the diversity of designs found at the First fair in Vicenza. The big question? Should Italian jewelers focus on fashion jewelry, Italy’s traditional strong suit, or timeless designs that transcend fashion to ensure their success during what promises to be a challenging year?

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I N F L U E N C E S

competitions

Winning brew A quirky contest inspires designers to re-imagine an unglamorous deli cup as a coveted piece of jewelry New York City has no shortage of icons. There’s the Statue of Liberty, of course, and the yellow taxicab, the Empire State Building and Times Square. One symbol that rarely gets its due, however, is the blue-andwhite Greek paper coffee cup — the one emblazoned with the words “We Are Happy to Serve You” — used by diners and coffee vendors across the five boroughs.

A number of enterprising designers who exhibit at the Couture show have done much to change that. In the NY Couture Jewelry Designer Challenge, held earlier this year at the JA New York show, they were asked to transform the instantly recognizable cup into a unique piece of wearable jewelry. They responded with a wealth of unconventional styles that were voted on by the Couture community and displayed at the show, thereby elevating an unglamorous deli cup to its rightful place among the Big Apple’s more celebrated trademarks.

Chad Allison designed the winning piece, a diamond and sapphire pendant incorporating the cup’s distinctive Greek border motif into a subtle tribute to a vintage only-in-New-York aesthetic. The other jewels also reflected just a hint of coffee inspiration. One clever designer, however, took the mandate rather literally.

“Use this and you don’t burn your fingers with the hot coffee,” said runner-up Heather Moore of her gold coffee cup holder that transforms into a bangle and armband. “When you’re done with your drink, put your cup in the recycling bin, slip the pieces on your wrist and you’re stylin’ for the day!”

Hold the sugar New Yorkers love their coffee, so they’re sure to love these coffee-inspired jewels. Clockwise from bottom: Chad Allison’s winning pendant features diamonds and blue sapphires in 18-karat white gold. Gurhan’s pendant is set in his trademark 24-karat gold.

Heather Moore’s coffee cup holder/bangle (shown with and without coffee) is, without doubt, the contest’s most clever submission, while Vibes’s pearl necklace, in a more subtle approach to the design brief, includes a mere hint of the cup’s iconic motif.

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COUTURE PRACTICES ONLINE LUXURY

Online luxury, reconsidered A fresh crop of sophisticated Web. 2.0 sites are courting the high end with renewed vigor he luxury industry’s experience with the Internet should be counted in dog years: For every seven years of Web-based progress in other fields, luxury providers have inched along by just one.

Look, for example, to the online jewelry market, and you’ll find that for most of its lifespan it’s been the domain of schlock merchants, con artists and loose stone dealers eager to dispense with the fripperies of romance in favor of promoting goods at bargain-basement prices.

Just consider this quote from Jim Schultz, founder of DirtCheapDiamonds.com, which appeared in an article in COUTURE’s sister magazine, National Jeweler, seven years ago: “DirtCheap is doing so well because we have a practical attitude,” he said. “We don’t romance the stone. Because we’re not face-to-face with a customer talking about a stone, we’re just looking at the facts. I think people appreciate our candor.”

While it’s true that price — and, more meaningfully, value — continues to be critical to the allure of buying luxury products online, the notion that e-tailers eschew story, tradition and a commitment to service has gone away as surely as Facebook has replaced Friendster in the social networking sphere. These days, the Internet is, without doubt, home to the jewelry industry’s most promising action. “[We’ve made] the empirical case directly from the voice of the wealthy consumer for luxury brands to make their Web sites the centerpiece of their online and offline strategies since 2006,” says Milton Pedraza, CEO of the New York-based Luxury Institute. “Nevertheless, the traditional luxury industry has been slow to adopt Web 2.0.”

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The term “Web 2.0” refers to changing trends in the use of Internet technology and design that strive to enhance creativity, communications, secure information sharing, collaboration and functionality.

Pedraza notes, “Innovators such as Gilt, Ideeli, A Small World, Portero, Vivre, CoutureLab and several off-the-radar players such as Bespoke Global, are gaining traction online via membership models, global communities, and by aggregating categories of bespoke luxury designers and producers in one-stop-shop destinations.”

This phenomenon is bound to grow. In light of the faltering global economy, more old-school jewelry merchants are adopting Internet-only policies, thereby ducking the enormous expenses associated with running brick-andmortar operations.

“We’ve got Madison Avenue products with the value only an online store can offer,” says Pinny Kaufman, a New York diamond wholesaler who recently launched Idalia.com, a luxury fashion jewelry site aimed at female self-purchasers.

“I don’t feel anyone’s targeting this niche. The industry standards are mall-type Web sites.”

For guidance, Kaufman studied the Web’s luxury visionaries, Net-a-Porter and Vivre, two sites that established, early on, reputations for expertly curating collections of high-end designer goods, from fashion to accessories to home décor The real deal Plenty of Web consumers are wary of shopping online due to questions of authenticity. To battle the thriving online knock-off market, Portero.com carefully vets its products to guarantee their genuineness. At Idalia.com, the focus is value: “Madison Avenue products” at online prices.

items, that appealed to discerning shoppers precisely because they fused the experience of browsing a luxury print catalog with the Web’s user-friendly technologies.

“The two together blend to form a potent mix that’s hard to resist,” wrote The Luxe Chronicles in a February 2008 blog post praising both Net-a-Porter and Vivre. “I’ve often compared shopping on these sites to shopping directly from the pages of your favorite print magazine, only better.”

More recently, CoutureLab, a next-generation version of Net-a-Porter (given that its owner, Carmen Busquets, was one of the latter’s original backers), has charmed luxury consumers with its chic selection of one-of-a-kind and limited-edition designer merchandise, sourced from around the world. No small part of the two-year-old site’s appeal lies in its crisp photography, stylish layout and engaging content, like the bios describing each designer represented on the site — including jewelers such as France’s Lydia Courteille, Spain’s Vicente Gracia and Kenya’s Carolyn Roumeguere.

For purposes of Web site marketing and search engine optimization (“SEO” in Web 2.0 lingo), the content quotient is key — a fact that Beladora, a two-year-old estate jewelry site based in Beverly Hills and affiliated with estate dealer Kazanjian Bros., has used to its advantage.

“We’re creating content that makes our site useful and helps the Google rankings,” says CEO Nancy Revy, adding that a flexible approach to pricing (read: no triple-key markups) and reliable customer service are the site’s strong suits.

“What’s amazing about this business is the amount of trust you build up with people who have never heard of you,” Revy says. “How do you instill confidence online? We respond to every e-mail and call within 24 hours. We are literally a 24/7 shop.”

At Portero.com, the secret to establishing customer loyalty is a fanatical devotion to authenticity. Launched in 2004, the company was one of eBay’s largest sellers of pre-owned luxury timepieces and handbags until its founders decided to create their own site in 2007, in part to escape the suspicions that seemed to taint the online marketplace, said Stephanie Pfair, the company’s outgoing vice president of merchandising.

“For a long time, online was considered the breeding ground for counterfeiting and the easiest way for counterfeiters to disseminate their product because it’s anonymous and accessible,” Pfair said. “Portero was created with the idea there could be a legitimate secondary market for authentic luxury products online, giving customers all the benefits of online — price and value — without fearing counterfeits.”

Even the Place Vendôme luxury brands are getting in on the game. One-hundred-and-fifty-year-old Boucheron, for example, recently announced that it was extending its ecommerce operations to the United States.

“Because Boucheron has always underlined elegance with a touch of audacity, it today turns toward investing in the Internet and the opening of a new online store,” CEO JeanChristophe Bédos said. “The Web is a modern opportunity to be present worldwide and an answer to Boucheron’s goal to take service to its clients one step further.”

A clarion call to other luxury providers to unambiguously embrace the Web’s possibilities? You bet.

“Look for all types of traditional luxury goods and services providers to begin to imitate the techniques of these luxury innovators, or to acquire them,” Pedraza predicts, referring to sites such as CoutureLab. He even goes so far as to tout the nascent field of “m-commerce,” or transactions conducted via mobile devices like iPhones and Blackberries, as the next big development in luxury marketing.

In other words: e-tailers, start your (search) engines. ■ Tactical moves CoutureLab’s magazine-like approach to content has made it a hit among the fashion cognoscenti. For estate dealer Beladora, a commitment to answering calls and emails within 24 hours has helped convince shoppers that there truly is a person at the other end of the line.

COUTURE International Jeweler l Basel 2009 l 53

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E D ITO R I A L & A D V E RTI S E R S I N D E X A Al Coro, 22 Alpilex, 43 Amgad, 33 Amrapali, 22 Anabelle, 26 Andreoli, 7, 9, 33, 49 Angelique de Paris, 22, 25 Atelier Minyon, 23 B Bardelli, 25 Barneys, 34, 42 BaselWorld, CIII Basser & Bigio LLC, 27 Blumer, 21 Boaz Kashi, 23 Bochic, 20 Boucheron, 53 Breuning, 11 Brüner, 31, 32 Bulgari, 14 C Calgaro, 20 Carla Amorim, 25, 29 Cartier, 14 Casato, 23 CC Skye, 23 Celegato Jewels, 33 Chad Allison, 50 Chanel, 15 Chopard, 15, 30 Christine J. Brandt, 32 Commelin, 33 Couture Show, 51, 56 CoutureLab, 52-53 Cresber, 29 D David Yurman, 23, 31 Davite & Delucchi, 4-5, 29 De Beers, 15 Deakin & Francis, 29 Devta Doolan Jewelry, 20 Diamond in the Rough, 31 Dior, 16 DML for Gold Expressions, 20 Doris Panos, 30 E, F EcoArts, 44 Elke Berr, 47 Erica Courtney, 30, 38 Eurostar, 40-41 Fabio Salini, 20 Fred Leighton, 29, 33 G, H, I

Gay Frères, 26 Gianvito Rossi, 29 Gregore Joailliers, 33 Gurhan, 25, 50 H. Stern, 16 Heather Moore, 50 Hellmuth, 27 Hetty Rose, 25 Hoover & Strong, 36 Iberjoya, 55 Idalia, 52 Ilori, 23 Io Sì, 24, 31 Isabel & Canseco, 22 iWood ecodesign, 32 J, K, L J.W. Currens, 26 Jane Taylor, 27, 30 Janet Deleuse, 25 JJ Number 8 Jewelry, 29 JJ Singh Jewelry, 20 Katy Briscoe, 20 La Nouvelle Bague, 1, 30 Leila Tai Jewelry Design, 24 Liliane Jossua, 45 Liz Hitchcock, 56 Liz Lange for Essentials Brands, 31 Lori Bonn, 38 Luxury Institute, 52 M, N Manju Jasty, 47 Marchak, 30 Marco Bicego, 26, 49 Masriera, 25 Mathon Paris, 22, 26 Maya Jewels, 32 Mia Katrin for Jewel Couture LLC, 22 Michael M, 33 Mikimoto, 16 Mirror/Africa, 42 Monique Péan, 39 Montaigne Market, 45 Nancey Chapman, 22, 30 Net-a-Porter, 52-53 Nice Diamonds, 22 Nicole Mackinlay Hahn, 42 Nina Basharova, 27 Ninetto Terzano, 26 O, P Oria for Ruff&Cut, 36 Palmiero, 2-3, 33 Paolo Piovan, 25, 49

Patricia Tschetter, 24, 31 Paula Crevoshay, 26-27, 31 Piaget, 17 Picchiotti, CI, 12-13, 48-49 Pieriz, 33 Pippa Small for URTH, 35 Portero, 52-53 R Rahaminov Diamonds, 25 Ramon, 18 Rhonda Faber Green, 29 Ricardo Basta for PGI, 27 Roberta Porrati, 49 Roberto Coin, 23, 30 Ruff&Cut, 35, 36, 37 S Sarah Graham, 29 Sartoro, 22, 24 Scheffel Schmuck, 32 Schoeffel, 25 Sethi Couture, 24 Shahpour Jahan, 46 Shana London, 23, 24, 26, 30, 33 Sicis, 27 Stefan Hafner, CII Stephen Webster for URTH, 34 Suzanne Syz, 26 T, U Tamir, 31 Tanagro, 22 Tête-à-tête limited, 23, 27 The Fifth Season, CIV Tiffany & Co., 17, 35 Toby Pomeroy, 36, 37 Todd Reed for Ruff&Cut, 36, 39 Tous, 20, 24, 32 Tracy Matthews Design for Ruff&Cut, 36 URTH, 34, 37 Utopia, 26 V, W, Y, Z Van Cleef & Arpels, 17, 24, 27 Vicenza Fiera, 48-49 Vintage & Modern, Inc., 23, 30, 31, 32 Viva, 29 Vivre, 52-53 Yael Sonia, 23 Yehuda Kassif, 31 Yvel, 20, 48-49 Zorab, 24

9-13 SEPTIEMBRE/ SEPTEMBER 2009

Salón Internacional de la Joyería, Platería, Relojería e Industrias Afines International Jewellery, Silverware, Watch and Auxiliary Industries Exhibition

ORGANIZA / ORGANISED BY

LINEA IFEMA / IFEMA CALL CENTRE

www.iberjoya.ifema.es

LLAMADAS DESDE ESPAÑA / CALLS FROM SPAIN INFOIFEMA 902 22 15 15 EXPOSITORES / EXHIBITORS 902 22 16 16 LLAMADAS INTERNACIONALES (34) 91 722 30 00 INTERNATIONAL CALLS iberjoya@ifema.es

FREELY SPEAKING LIZ HITCHCOCK

who have been loyal to the event since its inception. This year, Couture has attracted so many more top retailers that we’ve introduced the VIP program, which is the next top 300 retailers.

Couture redux Show director Liz Hitchcock is giving the Americas’ premier jewelry event a subtle makeover COUTURE International Jeweler, for those who haven’t read the fine print, is the official publication of the Couture show, the annual gathering of jewelry’s crème de la crème at the Wynn in Las Vegas during market week. The six-day event, beginning this year on May 28, has reigned as the single best networking opportunity for the American high-end jewelry community since 1994, when the Couture Jewellery Collection & Conference, as it was then known, made its debut in California before moving to Arizona. The show’s relocation to Las Vegas in 2005 ushered in a period of change. This year, Group Show Director Liz Hitchcock, new to Nielsen, Couture’s parent company, promises another dynamic event, including a greater focus on international exhibitors, a new take on the show’s popular design competition and an expanded retailer program.

COUTURE International Jeweler: Can you give us a little back story on Couture? Liz Hitchcock: It began as an event where North American retailers would meet and greet and network. As it grew with the popularity of U.S. designers, it became world-renowned. Because of the year’s turbulence, we’ve received a great deal of attention from the international community, which thinks that no other event around the world will have the same concentration of high-level designers.

CIJ: How will this year’s show be different from years past?

LH: We’ve expanded our retailer program. It’s always been catered to the “Cornerstone Retailers,” the top 100 retailers 56 l Basel 2009 l COUTURE International Jeweler

CIJ: Why was it important to do that? LH: What’s most attractive about that next level of retailer is they’re actively seeking brands and designers and are more open in terms of their sourcing than perhaps the Cornerstone Retailers, who have long-term relationships with the major brands. So this is us making sure we recognize and host them in a certain way.

CIJ: How will the design awards be handled? LH: This will be the 14th year of the Couture Design Awards [popularly known as the Town & Country Awards]. We’re expanding the program, enhancing the format, including celebrities and planning a great evening of entertainment. We’re hoping to add a few more categories and sponsors. They’ll be bigger and better than ever.

CIJ: You’ve talked about bringing more international retailers to the show. How are you reaching out to them? LH: We have a lot of internal Nielsen resources that we’re tapping into. We’ve launched five international Web sites in the past seven months, all in the specific language of the markets they serve: Brazil, Latin America, China, Russia and India. We have the widest global reach of any other business-to-business company in the jewelry industry, bar none.

CIJ: Do you expect Couture to evolve into an international event that happens to be in America, or will the focus always be on its roots here? LH: The focus of the retailers will always be toward the Americas. But we’ve always enjoyed international attendance because Las Vegas is fun, the Wynn is a world-class venue and we promote worldwide. We’d like to continue to grow the international participation of fine jewelry and watches. If you’re the exclusive carrier of a designer known in luxury circles, that’s something that differentiates you and gives people a reason to buy from you. Our hope is to give our retailers a better opportunity to find those brands.

One stop shop Couture is known for putting a cross-section of the world’s finest designers under one roof. For more info, visit www.couture09.com.

BASELWORLD THE WATCH AND JEWELLERY SHOW MARCH 26 – APRIL 2, 2009

WHERE BUSINESS BEGINS AND TRENDS ARE CREATED WWW. BASELWORLD.COM

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