• Signet Jewelers Limited appointed Helen E. McCluskey as an
independent director to the board with an effective date of August 1, 2013 and
Eugenia M. Ulasewicz and Robert J. (Bob) Stack as independent directors with an
effective date of September 1, 2013.
McCluskey was the president and CEO of Warnaco Group Inc.
prior to the company’s acquisition by PVH Corporation. Ulasewicz retired as
president of Burberry Group PLC’s division that included the U.S., Canada,
Latin America, Central and South America. Stack retired in 2008 as global head
of human resources for Cadbury Plc. after joining the company in 1990 as vice
president of human resources.
• Dominion Diamond Corporation elected seven nominees to its
board of directors during a special vote held at the company’s annual
shareholders’ meeting in Yellowknife, Canada on July 19. The list of directors
includes: Graham Clow, chairman of the board of Roscoe Postle Associates Inc.;
Robert Gannicott, the CEO and chairman of the board of Dominion Diamond; Noel
Harwerth, former chief operating officer of Citibank International PLC; Daniel
Jarvis, vice chair and chief financial officer of Concert Properties Ltd.; Tom
Kenny, chairman of the board of RTL Westcan Group of Companies;
Manuel Lino Silva de Sousa-Oliveira, corporate finance director and
director of De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd. and Chuck Strahl, director of
Canada’s Manning Centre for Building Democracy and chair of the Security
Intelligence Review Committee of Parliament.
• Frederick Goldman Inc. appointed Michele Dowling Johnson as
its new chief marketing officer. Prior to joining Frederick Goldman, Dowling
Johnson held various senior level positions in marketing, strategy and brand
management at L’Oreal and Revlon as well as King and Balducci’s Food Markets.
• HRD Antwerp will launch its Synthetic Diamond Certificate
service effective September 2, 2013. In its release, HRD Antwerp explained that
the certificate will be issued if a diamond is found to be synthetic after
testing. In accordance with the International Diamond Council (IDC) rules, the
certificate looks different than the standard certificate and states “Synthetic
Diamond Certificate” on the cover. Each synthetic diamond is laser inscribed
synthetic and the presence of the laser inscription is noted on the
certificate, with a statement that the diamond has been lab grown.
• The Diamond Council of America (DCA) was re-accredited by
the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), continuing the status that
it has held since 1984. The company noted that it created a new membership
category, added courses to the curriculum and moved to online delivery since
its last review.
• Joseph M. Menzie was given a “Lifetime Achievement” award by
the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA) at the organization’s
biennial congress in Changsha, China in May. Menzie, who began his career at
his grandfather’s company, Charles F. Winson, received the recognition for
making significant contributions toward developing the global gemstone
industry. Menzie served for 16 years on ICA’s board of directors, including as
vice president and two terms as president from 2003 to 2007. During his tenure,
ICA expanded its reach into emerging consumer markets such as Russia and Korea,
launched initiatives in China in 2003 and spearheaded social responsibility
initiatives in South America and Africa.
• CIBJO is currently preparing a corporate social
responsibility (CSR) educational program for the jewelry sector in conjunction
with Fiera di Vicenza. CIBJO president Gaetano Cavalieri announced the proposed
program at a meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in Geneva.
The proposed CIBJO-Fiera di Vicenza program will be presented at UN
headquarters in the fall and will be offered worldwide to promote the industry’s
involvement in sustainable development.
• Element Six plans to open its consolidated synthetic diamond
research and development facility at the Global Innovation Center (GIC) at
Harwell, near Oxford in the U.K. The facility is expected to employ more
than 100 scientists and technologists. The complex will develop a pipeline of
innovative synthetic diamond and related supermaterial products for Element
Six’s customers in industries from oil and gas drilling to precision machining
and electronics.
• BVC Group Logistics entered into a strategic partnership
with Brinks India to provide what the company described as “seamless service”
throughout India and internationally for the gems and jewelry sector. BVC
Group, a diamond and jewelry supply chain management company, will handle
pan-India diamond and jewelry exports and imports for Brinks India. BVC stated
that it now handles more than 45 percent of the international trade of gems and
jewelry in India.
• Hari Krishna Exports celebrated its 21st anniversary on July
2, 2013. Started in 1992, the company now employs more than 5,000 people.
• Gitanjali Gems Ltd. of Mumbai, India received approval from
the Office of The Trade Marks Registry on the trademark “GITANJALI (1909000).”
Gitanjali Gems filed for the trademark on January 14, 2010 and it has been in
use since August 21, 1986. The trademark comes under Class 16, which covers
paper goods, stationery, artists’ materials and office supplies, among other
categories.
• The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued the
following trademark terms:
- “Preferred Jewelers International” to Continental Buying
Group Inc. of Florida on June 25 with registration number 4357384. Preferred
Jewelers International consists of the stylized word “Preferred,” a seven-point
star adjacent the top left of the “d” in “Preferred” and the block-letter
wording “JEWELERS INTERNATIONAL” below the word “Preferred.” The trademark
primarily relates to promoting the interests and businesses of vendors of
quality diamonds and diamond jewelry.
- “Vanilla Diamonds” to diamond and jewelry manufacturer Le
Vian Corporation on June 25 with registration number 4361484. The trademark
applies to all types of fine jewelry, diamonds and watches.
- “The Juliet Cut Diamond” to JCB Creations Inc. of New York on
July 2 with registration number 4361740. The description of the trademark does
not claim color as a feature, but consists of “The Juliet Cut” stylized wording
over the word “DIAMOND.” The trademark applies to cut diamonds.
- “The Original Push Gift” to the Merit Diamond Corporation of
Florida on July 2 with registration number 4362527. It applies to jewelry,
usually intended for a new mother.
- “Ten Table Diamond” on July 9 to diamond brand Hearts On
Fire Company LLC of Boston with registration number 4363086. The trademark Ten
Table Diamond refers to diamond jewelry, jewelry and precious gemstones.
- “The Fifth C Is For Conflict Free” on July 9 to Market
Street Diamonds Inc. of Washington D.C., with registration number 4365487. The
trademark refers to diamond jewelry.
- “Diamond Inside” to Shrenuj USA on July 16 with the
registration number 4369260. The trademark applies to jewelry containing
diamonds, namely maternity jewelry and jewelry for expectant mothers.
• The Birmingham Assay Office in the U.K. created a new
one-day training course titled “Understanding Watches” to provide an in-depth
understanding of the technical aspects and benefits of different types of
watches. The course will be held on September 18, October 23 and November 12.
The course fee is $295 (GBP 195) plus VAT with a maximum of six delegates per
course. It provides six hours of continuing professional development (CPD)
activity.
• The Diamond Development Initiative (DDI) announced that
jewelry designer Todd Reed has again donated at the Millennium Star level. Todd
Reed launched his company in 1992 and designs fine jewelry using raw, uncut
diamonds and recycled metals.
• Applications are being accepted to the sixth annual
Centurion Emerging Design Competition now through September 13, 2013. Sponsored
again by Stuller, it is open to any jewelry designer who has never before
exhibited at a U.S. fine jewelry trade show. The competition is open to all
designers, regardless of experience, formal training or background in jewelry
design, but entrants must show lines or one-of-a-kind designs that are suitable
for a luxury jewelry store environment and be capable of both exhibiting at a
trade show and fulfilling any wholesale orders received at the show. Two
winners will receive a showcase and exhibit space at the Centurion Scottsdale
show in Arizona, slated for February 1 to 5, 2014.
For more information and to access the entry form, go to: http://www.h2consult.com/Centurion_2014_Emerging_Designers_Form.pdf.
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - August 2013. To subscribe click here.