Other News

2011 U.S. holiday spirit recommences

Momentum is good, but headwinds intensify

(NEW YORK) - The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) forecasts that U.S. holiday sales in 2011 will post a moderate gain, though somewhat subdued relative to its prior year’s pace. Based on ICSC’s metric of industry performance, shopping-center sales are expected to increase by 2.2 percent during November and December 2011 and relative to those same months of the prior year. In 2010, the holiday season posted a 5.0 percent gain following two back-to-back declines, which were a result of the severe 2007-09 recession.

JIC’s Fall Trends media frenzy garners attention

(NEW YORK) - Jewelry Information Center (JIC), the consumer education arm of Jewelers of America (JA), kicked off a jewelry-centric media frenzy on September 14, 2011, when spokeswomen Amanda Gizzi and Helena Krodel appeared on over 20 TV morning shows via satellite. They promoted fall fine jewelry and fashion trends in tandem with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City.

AusRegistry International to support .jewelers new Top-Level Domain

(MUNICH, Germany) - On September 27, GJB Partners, a US leader in business and brand management, announced they have appointed AusRegistry International as the Domain Name Registry Services provider for its bid to operate the .jewelers new Top-Level Domain to provide jewelers within North America with a distinct and authoritative home on the Internet.

AGTA Spectrum Awards adds Palladium Prestige Awards

(DALLAS) - The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) is pleased to announce the addition of Palladium Prestige Awards™ for the 2012 AGTA Spectrum Awards™ jewelry design competition. Palladium Prestige Awards™ will recognize excellence in jewelry design using palladium as the featured metal.

Cleaning up a hot trend

The Kingswood Company urges customers to use gentle cleaning formulary for bead cleaning

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) - With jewelry trends running heavily toward fashion pieces featuring beads and pearls, The Kingswood Company is launching a campaign to remind customers that The Kingswood Company’s Gentle Jewelry Cleaner and polishing cloths are the perfect products for cleaning beads, pearls and other stones requiring gentle care.

Jewelers of America’s website features industry-specific search engine

(NEW YORK) - Jewelers of America (JA), the national trade association for businesses serving the fine jewelry retail marketplace, now features Verichannel - the jewelry industry search engine - on its homepage at www.jewelers.org. Verichannel’s search function complements JA’s “Find a Supplier” online directory - which allows JA Retailers to search for products and services from JA Suppliers (www.jewelers.org/retail/find-supplier/).

NRF welcomes proposed regulatory relief but says administration must go further

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The National Retail Federation (NRF) welcomed plans announced by the Obama Administration in late August to streamline hundreds of government regulations, but said the plan does not go far enough.