Jewelry & Watch News

For this article, I'd like to show you how to sweat solder 14kt gold jewelry soldering ornaments onto sterling silver blanks. Sweat soldering is a wonderful technique to learn. When you sweat solder you have more control of the solder, the heat, and there's less clean-up. This technique will quickly become a favorite of yours if you're just starting out. Note: Adding 14kt gold soldering ornaments really will make a sterling silver piece stand out! Let me first start by saying, that we've recently added dozens of soldering ornaments to our inventory. Since normally I work almost exclusively with sterling silver, it has been a lot of fun adding 14kt gold soldering ornaments into the mix. Now, there are many positive benefits to adding these gold findings. The mixed metals look beautiful, it also adds value to your jewelry designs while at the same time, the ornaments are inexpensive to purchase. The combination of these benefits truly makes it worthwh

As a curator, I have always seen my role as the messenger, the one who carries the artists' voices to a larger audience. From the very beginning of my career, I tried to put that message forth either by publishing articles, then later, creating Platforma through which I co-curated jewelry exhibitions, then as the director of a contemporary jewelry gallery in New York where, from 2014 to 2018, I organized 23 exhibitions. Now, finally, I have co-founded New York City Jewelry Week. Certainly my most ambitious project to date! If staging a city-wide festival dedicated to jewelry and flooding the city with 100 events doesn't create a large enough platform for artists to exhibit their work, doesn't spread my mission, then I am not sure what will. Galleries Are Great, But You Need More As a curator I pay attention to themes in the field, similarities or contrasts in practices, and strong voices who are louder and more innovative then their contemporaries. Each s

An elevator pitch is the cornerstone of jewelry sales that every small business owner needs. If you missed out on the binge-watching era of Shark Tank and other business competition TV shows this may be a new term for you. Fear not, this article will take a deep dive into pitching concisely with a compelling call to action. You’ll be a jewelry sales pro before you know it! What the heck is an elevator pitch? The proverbial elevator pitch gets its name from the dream scenario of starry-eyed entrepreneurs for decades. Imagine you land an entry-level job at a huge investment firm and you have a million-dollar, brilliant, world-changing business idea. If only you could get it in front of the bigwig decision-makers in the c-suite you would be in the money. You suffer the daily grind for months until one day opportunity leaps in front of you. The big boss races to catch the elevator you just stepped into on your way to work in the 3rd-floor mail room. She hits the 30

 Jewelry clasps and closures are necessary components for most necklaces, bracelets, and anklets. Choosing the right type of clasp to customer satisfaction. Here is a glossary of the different jewelry clasp styles and how each one functions. Bulk spring rings Created in the early 1900s, spring rings have been a staple in necklaces and bracelets for years. These findings use a steel spring-loaded mechanism that works when pressure is applied to the latch. Spring rings are economically priced and best used with lightweight jewelry chains. They are also popular with charms as they can be used to snap a removable charm on and off with ease. Large, heavy spring rings are often called Bolt Rings. Safety Clasps The earliest known form of a jewelry clasp was created in the late 1700s and resembled the modern-day safety clasp. It consists of two pieces, one that features a spring lock mechanism that slides into a slotted groove located on the second piece. There are a nu

Alex and Ani has agreed to a new debt structure with its syndicate of lenders led by Bank of America, the company said in court papers filed Aug. 30. The assertion was made in a court filing that was part of the charm brand’s ongoing legal battle with KJ Brands, its former distributor for Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. Alex and Ani’s income averages around $15 million a month, according to an affidavit from chief financial officer Andrea Ruda. The brand declined comment to JCK . Last month, Lyndon Lea, a founder of Lion Capital, the private equity firm that owns 40% of the company, voiced his support for Alex and Ani in an email sent to JCK by the brand’s public relations firm. “ Alex  and  Ani  is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any private equity firm,” Lea said in the statement. “It’s a brand with roots, with story, with principle, and with pride. It’s an American-made, female-founded company—honestly and humbly born and, through hard work, a pheno

Bergdorf Goodman has had an action-packed fine jewelry events calendar since Labor Day. Starting Wednesday, the New York City luxury department store will welcome London-based designer Sarah Ho. Daughter of the late-’60s model and “It girl” Suki Potier, Ho grew up in Hong Kong and Macau before settling in the U.K. Those looking to shop and/or connect with her will have the chance to do so at Bergdorf’s through Friday, Sept. 20. Creating only a limited number of pieces per year, Ho has historically operated her business exclusively on a by-appointment and bespoke basis for international private clients, and she recently opened a showroom in London’s Mayfair district. Her Bergdorf’s engagement will be the first time she has presented her jewels directly to customers within a retail store.  As such, she’s packed her treasure chest with mounds of feminine, one-of-a-kind masterpieces featuring stones such as vibrant tourmalines and luscious rubellites in beguilin

SPONSORED October always reminds me of love, new beginnings and weddings (my wedding was on October 21, 2015). This time of year I always like to revisit engagement ring styles, scoping out the latest trends and seeing what brides are wanting. Just as much as ring selfies were so very popular a few years ago, they still are even more today. If you’re thinking about ring shopping, you know how important that will be when your time comes to say yes to the proposal. I’m learning how a variety of styles suit all personalities out there. If there’s one suggestion to make, I would say to find a designer that creates many unique engagement rings so you can find one that speaks to you most. Sylvie Collection has been creating designer engagement and wedding rings since 2007 and offers over 2000 different styles to choose from. I find her designs to speak toward femininity and elegance, as every design is made by a woman for a woman. Sylvie is involved in every aspect of the ring d