Tiffany & Company - 175 Fabulous Years

175 years of a great American Company
Tiffany and Company
Here is a great video about what makes Tiffany and Co. special.
Every wonder where the Tiffany blue came from?
Watch this video and find out

Red Carpet Jewelry - It's All About Pay To Play

We've all known for years that A-list celebrities borrowed gowns and jewelry to wear on the red carpet.
It's one thing to wear goods on loan,
it's another thing altogether to get paid to show off the swag.

According to Jewelry Insider, golden girl Gwyneth Paltrow, was paid a rumored $500,000
to sport that gorgeous multi-gemstone brooch and earrings set by Louis Vuitton.
I loved the colorful jewelry look with the neutral gown,
but doesn't Mrs. Martin have enough already with all of the Cold Play cash.

And then we have Anne Hathaway who was paid $750,000 to wear Tiffany.

Granted, as co-host she had multiple outfit changes

so lots of jewelry was needed 

But really, three quarters of a MILLION dollars, to model the goods for one night!

The next time that you go shopping at Tiffany, keep in mind that you the client are being charged sky high prices so that Anne Hathaway can be paid to wear their jewelry one night of the year.

Tiffany Takes On Ebay... And Ebay Wins

Don't mess with Ebay
(no really, don't mess with Ebay)
After a 6 years of litigation, the Federal court just ruled against Tiffany & Co. on all counts in their lawsuit against Ebay.
From National Jewlery
Ebay Prevails on Final Claim in Tiffany Lawsuit

New York—A federal judge has again ruled in eBay's favor in its ongoing legal battle with luxury retailer Tiffany & Co., rejecting the latter's false advertising claim against the online auction site.

The Tiffany-eBay case dates back to 2004, when Tiffany first filed suit against eBay charging it with trademark infringement, unfair competition, false advertising and trademark dilution. The allegations arose from the jewelry retailer's own investigations of "Tiffany" pieces sold on eBay in 2004 and 2005. Those surveys found that between 73 and 75 percent of items listed as genuine Tiffany merchandise were counterfeits.

I can certainly understand why Tiffany initiated the lawsuit, but really, did they really think that they could stop the Tiffany name from being used on Ebay?  That would have been like stopping a volcano from erupting.

Still, I do think that when it comes to jewelry on Ebay, caveat emptor.
There are lots of fakes on Ebay. 

And on the subject of Tiffany, do you like the new line of Tiffany leather goods?
This clutch is nice, as it should be for $1,195. 
Of course if I needed this type of look I would buy a much less expensive bag 
and then add a vintage brooch  from Beladora.
But that's just moi. 

Jewelry Biz - Found Objects and Refound Brands

From Idex.com
After reporting this
Petra Diamonds posted an $8.6 million loss for the fiscal year, ending June 30 compared to a $25.5 profit in 2008. Group losses totaled $88.9 million, according to unaudited results announced September 29.

So why is Petra CEO Johan Dippenaar smiling?

Along with the results, the company announced the recovery of an exceptionally large rough white diamond weighing 507.55 carats at its Cullinan mine in South Africa as well as three other white diamonds of 168, 58.50 and 53.30 carats. At 507 carats, the diamond ranks as one of the top 20 largest high-quality rough diamonds ever found.

You'd be smiling too if you found a high quality, high color 507 carat diamond.

But I'm amused about the timing of the announcement. Did they find this diamond months, or even years ago, and then sit on the news until an opportune time to deflect the negative news about the annual loss?

What else going on in jewelryland?

Tiffany & Co. is opening a third store on the Las Vegas strip.

The new store will have approximately 10,000 square feet (930 square meters), a two-storey, 85-foot (25 meter) glass facade, slightly canted over the street and shaped like a diamond.

Why I wonder...can business really be that good?

Every time that I stay at the Bellagio and walk by the Tiffany store it is empty.

Granted this is anecdotal rather than hard evidence but I can' fathom how they can do enough business to justify three retail stores in one small town.

Harry Winston Q2 Retail Weak, Optimistic About Q4

• Total retail sales were down 40 percent.
• U.S. sales were down 48 percent.
• European sales were down 44 percent.
• Asian sales were down 21 percent.
• Sales in Japan were down only 5 percent.

But the good news is that Harry Winston is optimistic about Q4!

and finally we've got

Fabergé Brand Relaunched After 90 Year Hiatus

Famed jewelry brand Fabergé is being resurrected after the new owners of the brand launched a revamped jewelry line. Pieces in the new collection start at $30,000, with an average price of $200,000.

Well I don't know about you but I can hardly wait to see what they come up with in their new collection.

Especially given that the entry level price point is $30,000.

...and that all that expensive stuff will just make Beladora estate jewelry look better!

Playing with Polyvore - Sophisticated Semiotician

"Semiotics is concerned with everything that can be taken as a sign. A sign is everything which can be taken as significantly substituting for something else. This something else does not necessarily have to exist or to actually be somewhere at the moment in which a sign stands in for it. Thus semiotics is in principle the discipline studying everything which can be used in order to lie. If something cannot be used to tell a lie, conversely it cannot be used to tell the truth; it cannot in fact be used 'to tell' at all. I think that the definition of a 'theory of the lie' should be taken as a pretty comprehensive program for a general semiotics." -Umberto Eco, Theory of Semiotics, 1976

(A Miss de Ville Production)

Countdown To Valentine's Day - The Classic Peretti Heart

Congress risks criticism over luxury retreat trips
WASHINGTON (AP) - Members of Congress were quick to shame corporate executives for over-the-top extravagance during the economic crisis, flying private jets and taking luxury junkets. But some lawmakers are strolling fancy resorts spending tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars and mingling with lobbyists.
"We're very mindful" of perceptions, House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson told reporters Thursday camped outside of the sprawling Kingsmill Resort & Spa in Williamsburg, Va., where House Democrats spent about $100,000 on their three-day annual retreat. "It's serious and it's from morning till night. We've been dwelling, rightfully, on the economy," said Larson, D-Conn.

Very mindful of perceptions? I think not. The Congressional spending machine is working overtime with a Stimulus Bill so full of pork that pigs are taking umbrage.

But since we don't live in a fantasy world that is paid for by tax dollars, we're keeping it real...and frugal....here at home.

Especially this Valentine's Day.

Elsa Peretti Heart Pendant in 18K from Beladora.com $475

(New from Tiffany the price is $1250)

Ann Taylor Red Dress on Sale for 59.99

Can't Get Enough Of "The Big O"?

Admit it...you just can't get enough of "The Big O" can you?

And nooooo, I'm not talking about all things Obama...

Vintage Tiffany & Co Elsa Peretti Sevillana "O" Pendant With Diamonds $1950

Go ahead...

wear you vintage Tiffany Elsa Peretti diamond pendant to remind you everyday of your very own "Story of O"....

whatever that "O"may mean to you.

For me, of course, the "O" is for Optimism!

Savvy Shopping - Something's Fishy With Frank Gehry

Frank Gehry Fishdance Restaurant in Kyoto Japan

Frank Geary Fish Lamps

Frank Gehry Fish Pendant for Tiffany & Co.

Shell Pendant with Turquoise and Gold from Beladora 2

One of the reasons that I love living in Los Angeles is that there is so much great architecture. From the classic Art Deco buildings to the Disney Concert Hall at the Los Angeles Music Center by our our local genius Frank Gehry.


Since the time that Frank Gehry first astonished us with his Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, we've been observing his continual creativity with awe from his architecture to his furniture.

That is until he went into the jewelry design business for Tiffany & Co.

It's one thing to use a favorite motif like a fish for a restaurant or for decorative accessories...or even for an actual brooch that might... you know... actually look something like a fish. It's another thing to create an abstract piece of jewelry that is under-carated, overpriced, and all around banal.

Who...I ask who... is buying this pendant with a mere 0.08 carats in diamonds for a whopping $1300! In fact who is buying any of the Frank Gehry jewelry collection?


I'd rather invest in this pretty shell brooch in 18k with an interesting texture and pretty turquoise and coral detail for $495.

eBay vs Tiffany in Trademark Tussle

VS

Big news from WWD

Luxe Brand Smackdown: Tiffany Loses to eBay In Fight Over Fake Goods

A federal judge in Manhattan, ruling in a trademark lawsuit filed four years ago by Tiffany & Co., said the giant online auction house does not have the legal responsibility to prevent the sale of counterfeit goods.

eBay amongst other things, is global bazaar of counterfeit goods, and I'm really not sure how Tiffany or any other Luxe brand can police an online auction for the sale of counterfeit goods.

From time to time you can find little treasures on eBay but it annoys me to see items listed as antique or vintage which are obviously not true period pieces. And, there is so much garbage on eBay that it takes forever to find anything nice. Who has the time for that? I prefer to shop with known estate jewelry dealers who stand behind their product and have a full refund return policy.

Vintage Value Venture - 1970's To The Max

Beladora Tiffany Butterfly Set

Posh Vintage Maxi Dress

I never thought that I would see the Maxi dresses, that icon of the bohemian 1970's, come back into style....but it has.
Everyday in Beverly Hills I see women sporting this look....including some of the women in my office. It's comfortable and cool....and flatteringly covers up some of the not so perfect parts of your figure.
I don't think that I'm ready to adopt this look for the office but I wouldn't mind this pretty floral Maxi dress from Posh Vintage for cocktails by the pool, paired with this sweet Tiffany & Co. Butterfly set from Beladora.com.

Luxe Industry News

Lot's of business news today from Women's Wear Daily.

Tiffany's 4th quarter profits down 15.8% or 89 cents per share due to special charges including a bad loan to Tahera Diamonds, while US sales were up 4% and international sales were up 21%. Overall profits for last year were up 19.6% or $2.40 per share.
This year, the company expects “robust” growth outside of the U.S. and Japan, with overall earnings of $2.75 to $2.85 a diluted share.

Also, Wall St. Cutbacks Could Weigh on Luxe with layoffs in all the major firms and lowered bonus payouts next December. Luckily for the luxury market the dollar is low.
For now, weakness in the luxury market Stateside is being delayed by an influx of foreign shoppers. "It's definitely being offset to some extent...by the fact that the dollar's so weak and there's been so much international visitation to the U.S., and especially New York," said DiNatale.
As stores look out over the horizon, perhaps seeing the storm clouds of more declines, they might choose to pull back on their orders. "The fallout from the macro climate definitely is going to impact wholesale because stores are looking at it and they're going to plan their budgets," said Jeffry Aronsson, former ceo of Donna Karan International and Marc Jacobs, who now runs his own luxury investment firm. "If it's a big company that in effect has been betting on its future or has analysts on the Street that they have to please, they're going to be under pressure."

Diamond Industry Braces for Challenging Times with the decentralization of the industry and end of the control of diamond distribution from London.
"Because there is much more awareness of building demand and catering to demand rather than just producing diamonds and then selling them into the market, it can be summed up that the diamond industry is changing from a supply-driven model to a demand-driven model," said Jeffrey Fischer, president of the International Diamond Manufacturers Association. He added that control in the industry is becoming decentralized, with countries like Russia and Canada taking charge of their own distributions.

Tiffany & Co. Easter Eggs

No...I'm not really getting Faberge Eggs in by Easter Basket. But I wouldn't mind one of these pretty Tiffany & Co. gemstone eggs from Beladora.com.

Classy, Chic and Comfortable from Neiman Marcus

Une Femme has posted some great dresses with comfortable and flattering elbow length sleeves. I'd like add my picks to the category.

These classic dresses (priced $195 - $259) are from the fall - winter season at Neiman Marcus online. Take advantage of the sale, buy them now and put them in your closet. They will be perfect for next fall.

Perfect with this length of sleeve is a vintage Tiffany Bracelet or two and some great gold earrings from Beladora.com.