Heidi Klum discontinues jewelry line

Heidi Klum kisses goodbye her clover-inspired jewelry collection with Mouawad.

Los Angeles–Model and reality TV star Heidi Klum is crossing one item off of her loaded resume: jewelry entrepreneur.

In a recent interview in the Los Angeles Times, the German supermodel acknowledged that she no longer does her jewelry line with Mouawad USA Inc.

In the interview, Klum gives a few reasons for abandoning the line, which was called simply “Heidi Klum,” including the trademark-infringment lawsuit filed against Klum and Mouawad by high-end jewelry house Van Cleef and Arpels Inc. in 2007.

Van Cleef, which is owned by luxury goods giant Richemont, claimed in the suit that Klum’s lines copied the vintage clover design featured in its “Alhambra” line.

Last year, a federal judge dismissed the suit without prejudice (meaning it could be brought again in the future) after the two jewelry houses opted to settle the controversy themselves without any admission of liability.

“I think when you’re a small company, which we are, we’re not a Van Cleef–they have a thousand lawyers. I’m a small fry next to that,” Klum said in the interview.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/mrp964

Celebrity bridal designer JEAN DOUSSET opens shop on eBay

Engagement ring designer-to-the-stars Jean Dousset has launched his own store on eBay, JeanDoussetDiamonds.com.

Beverly Hills, Calif.–Celebrity engagement ring designer Jean Dousset has opened a store on Internet auction site eBay.

The store, accessible at jeandoussetdiamonds.com features affordable, quality bridal jewelry by Dousset, who has designed engagement rings for celebrities such as Amy Adams and Eva Longoria Parker.

Dousset came up with the idea for an eBay store while building his own e-commerce site, which will launch this fall.

“I felt that luxury jewelry designers were absent from eBay, and that customers were not offered an opportunity to buy value and quality at the same time,” he said in a media release.

Dousset’s bridal designs for the auction site include four distinct engagement ring styles with diamonds featuring the four most popular cuts, F and G color, and VS clarity, all graded by the Gemological Institute of America.

The rings range in price from $2,900 to $11,900, depending on the carat weight of the center stone.

The site also includes wedding bands, diamond earrings and a “build-your-own ring” feature.

According to the release, all of Dousset’s jewelry is handmade in his Beverly Hills, Calif., workshop using platinum and rhodium-plated 18-karat white gold. Each ring has its own individual serial number and is stamped with the Jean Dousset hallmark.

Born in Paris in 1971, Dousset is an ancestor of Louis Cartier and launched his own collection in 2005.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/mtnszl

Lily Allen launches jewelry line

Lily Allen

British Singer Lily Allen has launched a jewelry line called ‘Lily Allen.’

Comprising of nine ranges and aimed at women between 14-40 years old, Allen’s jewelry line features cute and whimsical motifs such as enamel flowers, fruits, traffic signs, pandas, flamingos and pumpkins, in silver, gold or covered in crystals.

The line will launch in September, but store availability has not been announced yet.

Allen says, “I love jewelry, always have. I feel that it completes an outfit.” “All of the designs stem from anything whether it’s the surroundings of places I’ve been to around the world, objects I’ve seen…anything. The list could go on forever.”

Source: http://tinyurl.com/lb3nlu 

Rebecca becoming fast friends with recessionistas

Beyonce wore Rebecca jewelry on the cover of Los Angeles Confidential magazine.

Empoli, Italy–As U.S. jewelers scramble after affordable merchandise that will appeal to stylish recessionistas, the Italian brand Rebecca has steamed onto the scene like a shot of espresso.

Alessandro Testi, who founded Rebecca distributor Testi SpA a decade ago, has major ambitions in the U.S. market, where attractive designs at equally pretty price points have made Rebecca (named after his eldest daughter) a fast-growing brand since its 2006 stateside debut. In 2008, a tough year for jewelry, its sales rose 325 percent.

“We consider the American market the most important market outside of Italy,” Testi said in an interview at the company’s headquarters outside of Florence, Italy, where a group of U.S. retail clients and editors were invited in late March. “We have been waiting to get into the United States for 10 years.”

Rebecca’s jewelry is not typical of Italy, nor is the company. Crafted in gold-plated bronze, stainless steel and bronze, or sterling silver, with or without gemstones, Rebecca designs retail from $125 to $1,000 and average about $495, straddling the fine and fashion jewelry markets. About 90 percent of the pieces sent to the U.S. market are either made of bronze and gold or bronze and stainless steel, while 10 percent is crafted in sterling silver.

“We’re one of the few companies in Italy that produces fashion jewelry, and we make everything on-site,” Rebecca President Agostino Magni said.

The site is quite a busy one, filled with high-tech, expensive equipment that gets the job done fast. Some 250 employees are among three shifts of staffers working 24/7 to produce 8,000 to 12,000 pieces daily, with 85 percent of those made to order and delivered “just in time” to jewelers in 42 countries.

More at: http://tinyurl.com/l4n28f

Model-mania at the Costume Institute Gala

Anne Hathaway

Given that the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York chose the “Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion” as the theme for this year’s Costume Institute Gala, cover girls and six-foot-tall glamazons were de rigueur on the guest list, with everyone from Kate Moss and Gisele Bundchen to Lauren Hutton and Twiggy negotiating the Met’s red-carpeted stairs.

But the Hollywood set enjoys sartorial shindigs just as much as the catwalk crowd, and Tinseltown’s leading ladies represented at the glamorous celebration of all things fashion.

Case in point: Anne Hathaway (left). While her bouffant inspired its share of critics, one thing’s for sure: It did bring much attention to her fabulous earrings. The emerald and diamond “Camelia” earrings from Van Cleef and Arpels also provided a nice complement to Hathaway’s eggplant-purple Marc Jacobs frock. To finish the look, the Bride Wars star added two diamonds rings, Van Cleef’s “Lotus” and “Zip Paris Trocedero.”

Source: http://tinyurl.com/l99bey

Kevin Jonas pops question with Jacob and Co.

New York–Kevin Jonas, the eldest member of the hit music group The Jonas Brothers, is officially off the market.

Jonas proposed to his girlfriend, Danielle Deleasa, 22, last week with a one-of-a-kind platinum ring from luxury jeweler Jacob and Co.

The 21-year-old pop star, currently touring in Canada, reportedly took an impromptu flight back home to New Jersey, surprising Deleasa at her home.

The hefty ring features a 3-carat cushion-cut diamond surrounded by 210 round brilliant-cut diamonds weighing in at 0.72 carats.

Jacob and Co. has quickly become a go-to jeweler for celebrities. The company’s fine jewelry has been worn by everyone from Sir Elton John and Michael Jordan to Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Sharon Stone, among many others. The company also created a one-of-a-kind engagement ring for pop star Mariah Carey.

More at: http://tinyurl.com/lutcs9

MELINDA MARIA Jane Earrings, Black Diamond CZ

Isla Fisher joins her husband Sacha Baron Cohen on the red carpet for the premiere of his movie Bruno wearing Melinda Maria Jane Earrings with Black Diamond cz.

Any outfit will dazzle with these dramatic sparklers.

Available in Black Diamond cz (as shown), Platinum, White Diamond cz, Canary Yellow Diamond cz. 

Measurements: 3 1/2″ in length and 1 3/4” at the widest. ($585.00)

More at: http://www.melindamaria.com/earrings/1198

Celine Dion, Yang Lan debut jewelry line

Canadian diva Celine Dion and famous Chinese hostess Yang Lan

Beijing–International pop star Celine Dion has teamed with Chinese businesswoman Yang Lan to produce a new line of jewelry.

As reported by China Daily, Lan conceived the idea of collaborating with Dion after interviewing the singer backstage in May 2007 at Dion’s Las Vegas show at Caesars Palace.

Lan is well known in China as a talk show hostess and co-owner of Sun Television Cybernetworks. She has been called “China’s Oprah Winfrey” and is one of the nation’s wealthiest business people.

The Lan fine-jewelry line made its debut on June 28, with Chinese actresses Zhang Ziyi and Carina Lau in attendance. Dion sent her wishes through a video link.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/nob857

Chopard and Sir Elton John team up for Elton John AIDS Foundation

Featuring black, brown or pink crocodile leather straps, the new Elton John Watch Collection models boast a myriad of the precious gems of which Sir Elton John himself is so famously fond. Playful diamonds appear either alone or harmoniously combined with sapphires, rubies and emeralds, or even colourful yellow, pink or black diamonds. The dial comes either in a tone matching the gems set around it or in a white or grey-rosé mother-of-pearl version. Created to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation, a percentage of the profits from the sale of Elton John watches will be donated to the fight against AIDS.

The jeweller dressed many celebrities on the occasion of fund raising.

Chopard was a partner to the 11th Annual White Tie and Tiara Ball event at Old Windsor, hosted by Sir Elton John and David Furnish on 25TH June, 2009.

The event is for the sake of raising funds for the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

It hosted celebrities – Elizabeth Hurley, Kate Moss, Shirley Bassey, Lilly Allen, Nathalie Imbruglia, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Claire Danes and Rachel Stevens amongst others, with Chopard being a choice for many.

“I have always admired Elton John as an artist of incomparable talent.  We initially met at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival and it was then that I chose to support his fight against AIDS.  Over the years I have become better acquainted with him and we now have a strong friendship. 

The new chronograph which we have created together truly is The Elton watch – a watch that reflects both his personality and his generosity.  Elton is a connoisseur and collector of watches and jewellery. As such he made extremely wise comments throughout the creation of this watch which really radiates a strong character, just like the man himself.

Elton is a loyal friend and a generous man and I am delighted to have collaborated with him for such an important cause.  I hope the new Elton John designed watch collection will appeal to others as much as it does to him. The fight against AIDS is an ongoing struggle, tirelessly pursued by the Elton John AIDS Foundation.” stated Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele.

“It’s wonderful to be producing another Chopard watch edition with a royalty from each sale going to support the work of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. 

Having collaborated with Caroline on the design, I am very happy that we have together created a really bold and powerful timepiece. Despite the larger size, the case is beautifully formed to fit the wrist, and comfortable to wear. The options of either White Gold or Rose Gold really give each watch edition a very distinctive character.

Personally, of course, I love the jewelled watches from our collection – with a choice of white diamonds or coloured jewels to fit every taste.” declared Sir Elton John.

More at: http://diamondworld.net/contentview.aspx?item=3931

Russell Simmons ArgyleCulture Jewelry

Simmons Jewelry Co. introduces the Russell Simmons ArgyleCulture jewelry just in time for Father’s Day.

The collection was inspired by his ArgyleCulture clothing line and is available exclusively at kay.com and select Kay Jewelers. Prices range between $195-850.

The ArgyleCulture Collection is part of Simmons Jewelry Co. Steel Collection worn by some of the hottest celebrities like Boris Kodjoe. To find out more about all of Simmons Jewlery Co.’s jewelry collections check out www.simmonsjewelryco.com

Source: http://tinyurl.com/ntqdy6