Other News

CPSC, legislators vow to regulate cadmium levels in children’s jewelry

MJSA encourages members to take precautionary steps

(ATTLEBORO FALLS, Mass.) - Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America (MJSA) has alerted its members to take precautionary steps to ensure any base metal jewelry imported into the U.S. market is not made with cadmium. The alert came following an Associated Press (AP) investigation of U.S. retail outlets, in which 12 of 103 pieces of mainly Chinese-made children’s costume jewelry were found to contain dangerous amounts of the toxic metal-a finding that has spurred the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and state and federal legislators to vow regulatory action.

JA and JFC raise over $100,000 for Haiti relief

(NEW YORK) - In January, Jewelers of America (JA) and Jewelers for Children (JFC) urged members of the jewelry trade to join them in donating funds to support Haiti relief efforts. The associations pledged to match contributions made between January 15th and 25th, at JFC’s website (www.jewelersforchildren.org), up to a total of $30,000. Due to the industry’s generous response, after only ten days of donations, the organizations had raised a total of $111,280.

Texas jeweler, Mac House dies at 89

W. M. “Mac” House, lost his battle with cancer on December 22, 2009.

House opened his first jewelry store in Baytown, Texas in 1949. In 1953 he opened a store in Paris, Texas and went on to open several other stores in surrounding communities.

Jewelry Information Center to launch “Ultimate Proposal Contest”

Prizes up for grabs for jewelry retailers, sales associates and consumers

(NEW YORK) - Jewelry Information Center (JIC), the consumer public relations and marketing arm of Jewelers of America (JA), launched a nationwide search for the best engagement proposal story on Monday, February 15. Retailers are asked to sign up to become participating retailers of JIC’s Ultimate Proposal Contest. The contest offers a variety of prizes for consumers, retailers and sales associates.

MJSA offers PR & Pix program to members

(ATTLEBORO FALLS, Mass.) - Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America (MJSA) has introduced a new benefit, the PR & Pix Program, to help its member companies best promote their products and services through trade media. The program provides an array of cost-effective services, including:

Cartersville Jewelry Exchange Treasure Chest promotion draws huge crowds, raises money for military families

(CARTERSVILLE, Ga.) - Cartersville Jewelry Exchange’s Treasure Chest promotion drew huge crowds in November, at all 3 of their locations, for the chance to win 1 of 3 pairs of 2 carat diamond stud earrings. Ten percent of the days sales at each store was donated to the Fisher House Foundation. The events on November 15 in Cartersville, GA, November 22 in Jasper, GA and November 29 in Calhoun, GA raised $750 dollars for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund’s new Fisher House - built to help accommodate the families of our injured returning soldiers during their rehabilitation.

GIA’s Career Search Engine is a free online resource and open to anyone

(CARLSBAD, Calif.) – The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) announced, as of November 2nd, its GIA Career Search Engine has more than 300-plus active gem and jewelry industry positions available.

The Career Search Engine service is the largest free online employment database in our industry, according to GIA Career Services Advisor, Anna Hayman. More than 7,000 industry jobs have been posted since it was launched in 2000.