Due to steady growth in gold prices in recent years, many potential suppliers of gold jewelry were quick to raise their prices as well. To find and compare real prices for such gold jewelry pieces, many buyers have been increasingly using search engines to scan the Web. Sufficiently well-known web-sites offer a huge selection of goods with price tags, which clearly reflect the cost of jewelry.
In New York, at their April auction Christie's sold a diamond ring made of platinum for $ 3,666,000. The price for the flawless diamond of 3.25 carats reached $ 1.1 million per carat due to its incredibly beautiful blue color. As a rule, such rings are valued mainly for their unique gemstones.
Shimansky, a South African producer of platinum and diamond jewelry, surprised the international market with "Brilliant 10™," a new exceptional diamond cut, which was developed and patented by the company's owner Yair Shimansky after an in-depth study of chatoyancy in diamonds and their optic dispersion. This cut is best suited for diamonds. Polished with 71 facets, the Brilliant 10™ diamond reveals perfect proportion and symmetry and a cascading light with an intensity second to none. Each facet is shaped in a precise and calculated technique to reveal a perfect 10 arrow star when viewed from above and a perfect 10 heart pattern when viewed from below through the Ideal Scope. This effect was achieved for the first time ever.
A new competitor of Tiffany and Cartier, the Royal Asscher Diamond Company based in Amsterdam, plans to open a network of flagship stores in China, where there is a growing demand for diamond jewelry. Until the end of this year, the jeweler plans to open a store in Beijing in team with its Hong Kong partner, Sparkle Roll Group.
Asscher Diamond is known for its famous historical work, when King Edward VII asked Joseph Asscher in 1907 to handle the world's largest diamond Cullinan weighing 3,105 carats for the British crown.
In April, Swiss brand Chopard in an exclusive show held at Villa La Colombara near Milan presented a beautiful necklace of blue sapphires weighing 160 carats and bordered by three thousand diamonds to the view of honorable guests - this jewelry piece is considered to be one of the most expensive in the world. The show was organized in partnership with another no less famous luxury brand, Mercedes Benz, which also showcased its jewelry masterpieces.
The results of the first quarter posted by the PPR Group were short of double-digit growth. Total PPR Group sales rose 9% due to increased sales of individual luxury brands, which collectively showed an increase of 26%.
Revenue from the Gucci brand rose by the impressive 24 percent due to sales led by North America, up 35 percent, and Asia-Pacific, up 26 percent.
Yves Saint Laurent had a confident start into the new fiscal year of 2011 reporting successful sales in the first quarter in the markets in North America and Western Europe.
At the 28th international jewelry fair in Hong Kong, Italy played the role of a partner country. Italy’s various regions were represented by 130 companies coming from Vicenza, Valenza, Arezzo, Milan and Naples. Most of them were accommodated in a single national pavilion. There was a workshop to honor Italian jewelry displaying jewelry pieces to over 400 intrigued participants.
In 2010, Italy’s jewelry exports to Hong Kong totaled $ 539 million capturing 8.4% of the market. Italy won the fifth place among the suppliers of precious stones after China, India, France and the United States.
In 2010, Hong Kong’s jewelry exports amounted to $ 5.4 billion (+21.54% vs 2009), while imports grew significantly as well, reaching $ 6.24 billion, up 49.62%. In particular, Hong Kong’s exports to Italy totaled $ 236 million. Currently, Italy ranks the sixth among the countries of destination for Hong Kong exports after the U.S., Switzerland, China, Britain and France.
The 8th International Fair of gold and diamond products in Malaysia was attended by over 100 well-known jewelry companies from Italy, Poland, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, China, Sri Lanka, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and other countries. The fair was held from April 22 to 25, 2011 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. The exhibition showcased the latest masterpieces of jewelry made of gold and silver, as well as diamond jewelry, pearls and other precious stones, among which jade featured a prominent place.
Veronika Novoselova, Rough&Polished, from Italy
