Jewelry Magazine : Ross-Simons Gets Busy with Two New Titles

Apr 18, 2006 6:48 PM , By Jim Tierney and John Fischer

Cranston, RI-based jeweler and décor merchant Ross-Simons has launched two new titles. Last month it mailed Via, which sells fashion-forward jewelry. And this month it introduced Global Treasures, specializing in jewelry and gifts from around the world.

Via mailed in early March to 1.1 million customers and prospects, primarily women 30-50 years old who have an average annual income of $60,000. This audience is both younger and less affluent than the typical Ross-Simons customer, a 58-year-old woman with an average income of $120,000-$150,000. " identified a new customer segment that we werent capturing," says Ross-Simons director of merchandising Patricia Ginesky.

Ginesky describes Via as 'chic, trendy, stylish, edgy, teetering on a little sexy!'.With items such as Italian gold hoop earrings for $275 and multistoned necklaces from $225 to $395, Via moves away from Ross-Simons's more traditional, conservative offerings of cultured pearl bracelets and rainbow butterfly pins.

Ross-Simons dropped 865,000 copies of its other new title, Global Treasures, this month. It plans to follow up in mid-May with a mailing of 735,000. So far the book is going primarily to customers, says senior marketing director John Buleza. Items range from hammered-silver cuff bracelets from Israel that sell for $127.50 to a pink-tourmaline-and-diamond necklace from India for $2,995. A smattering of non-jewelry items for travelers are also included, such as a $299.95 cashmere travel kit that includes a throw, a pillow cover, socks, and an eye mask.

At the same time it launched the titles, Ross-Simons also killed two others: Gift Book Digest and Fashion Preview.

source : http://multichannelmerchant.com/mcmweekly/Ross-Simons_new_04182006/

Sapphire : as a mineral

General
Category	Mineral Variety
Chemical formula	aluminium oxide, Al2O3
Identification
Color	Every color except red (which is ruby)
Crystal habit	massive and granular
Crystal system	Trigonal
Cleavage	None
Fracture	Conchoidal, splintery
Mohs Scale hardness	9.0
Luster	Vitreous
Refractive index	1.762-1.778
Pleochroism	Strong
Streak	White
Specific gravity	3.95-4.03
Fusibility	infusible
Solubility	insoluble
Other Characteristics	Coefficient of thermal expansion 5e-6–6.6e-6/K

Sapphire refers to gem varieties of the mineral corundum, an aluminium oxide (Al2O3), when it is a color other than red. It can be found naturally or manufactured in large crystal boules for varied applications, including infrared optical components, watch faces, high-durability windows, and wafers for the deposition of semiconductors such as GaN nanorods.

The mineral corundum consists of pure aluminium oxide. Trace amounts of other elements such as iron, titanium and chromium give corundum their blue, yellow, pink, purple, orange or greenish color. Sapphire includes any gemstone quality varieties of the mineral corundum except the fully saturated red variety, which is instead known as ruby, and the pinkish-orange variety known as padparadscha.

source :wikipedia,the free encyclopedy
more information at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapphire

Diamond : as a mineral

Diamond
A scattering of round-brilliant cut diamonds shows off the many reflecting facets.
General
Category	Native Minerals
Chemical formula	C
Identification
Molecular Weight	12.01 u
Color	Typically yellow, brown or gray to colorless. Less often in blue, green, black, translucent white, pink, violet, orange, purple and red.
Crystal habit	Octahedral
Crystal system	Isometric-Hexoctahedral (Cubic)
Cleavage	111 (perfect in four directions)
Fracture	Conchoidal - step like
Mohs Scale hardness	10[1]
Luster	Adamantine
Polish luster	Adamantine
Refractive index	2.4175–2.4178
Optical Properties	Singly Refractive
Birefringence	none
Dispersion	.044
Pleochroism	none
Ultraviolet fluorescence	colorless to yellowish stones - inert to strong in long wave, and typically blue. Weaker in short wave.
Absorption spectra	In pale yellow stones a 415.5 nm line is typical. Irradiated and annealed diamonds often show a line around 594 nm when cooled to low temperatures.
Streak	White
Specific gravity	3.52 (+/- .01)
Density	3.5-3.53
Diaphaneity	Transparent to subtransparent to translucent

Diamond is an allotrope of carbon. It is the hardest known natural material and the third-hardest known material after aggregated diamond nanorods and ultrahard fullerite. Its hardness and high dispersion of light make it useful for industrial applications and jewelry.

Diamonds are specifically renowned as a material with superlative physical qualities; they make excellent abrasives because they can be scratched only by other diamonds, Borazon, ultrahard fullerite, or aggregated diamond nanorods, which also means they hold a polish extremely well and retain their lustre. Approximately 130 million carats (26,000 kg) are mined annually, with a total value of nearly USD $9 billion, and about 100,000 kg are synthesized annually.^[2]

The name diamond derives from the ancient Greek adamas (αδάμας; “invincible”). They have been treasured as gemstones since their use as religious icons in ancient India and usage in engraving tools also dates to early human history.^[3][4] Popularity of diamonds has risen since the 19th century because of increased supply, improved cutting and polishing techniques, growth in the world economy, and innovative and successful advertising campaigns. They are commonly judged by the “four Cs”: carat, clarity, color, and cut.

Roughly 49% of diamonds originate from central and southern Africa, although significant sources of the mineral have been discovered in Canada, India, Russia, Brazil, and Australia. They are mined from kimberlite and lamproite volcanic pipes, which brought to the surface the diamond crystals from deep in the Earth where the high pressure and temperature enables the formation of the crystals. The mining and distribution of natural diamonds are subjects of frequent controversy such as with concerns over the sale of conflict diamonds (aka blood diamonds) by African paramilitary groups.

references :
1.^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k} Gemological Institute of America, GIA Gem Reference Guide 1995, ISBN 0-87311-019-6
2.Yarnell, Amanda (2004). "The Many Facets of Man-Made Diamonds". Chemical and Engineering News 82 (5): 26–31. American Chemical Society. ISSN 0009-2347. Retrieved on 2006-10-03
3.Pliny the Elder. Natural History: A Selection. Penguin Classics, p. 371. ISBN 0140444130
4."Chinese made first use of diamond", BBC News, 17 May 2005. Retrieved on 2007-03-21
5.Wikipedia,the free encyclodepia