Women seek 'minimalist' gold accessories   20 September, 2007

A recent World Gold Council study has revealed that working women are increasingly seeking out jewellery with 'everyday wear' appeal. The report said that there is a trend away from elaborate, ornate gold pieces in favour of more adaptable items that can easily transition from the office to an evening out or a weekend at the shops. Lama Al Saheb, public relations manager for the World Gold Council, said that today's gold jewellery is designed to be worn and enjoyed, rather than to be kept in a safe.

"[Women] would rather buy versatile pieces that can be worn on regular days as an extension of themselves, their unique stature and individual essence," she said. The study also revealed that today's trendy women are inclined to reward themselves with gold jewellery for personal achievements and that they tend to change their accessories every day and for every occasion. Research conducted by the Reed Gift Fairs Research Panel in Australia indicates that jewellery this season will be highly adaptable, allowing customers to mix and match to achieve their own individual style, according to Inside Retailing Online.



Stars wear gold to music awards   10 September, 2007

A number of glamorous celebrities were spotted sporting gold and diamond jewellery at the recent MTV Music Video Awards, it has been revealed.The Diamond Information Centre reports that singer Mary J Blige was spotted in Ofira 18-carat gold bangle bracelets and diamonds.

Also, Jennifer Hudson was seen wearing the same gold adornments, while Blige also wore a Lorraine Schwartz white and brown diamond ring set in 18-carat gold.Gold earrings also played their part at the awards ceremony, with the celebrities described as wearing 18-carat gold earrings by Ofira.

However, taking centre stage in the bling stakes was Audrina Patridge who donned an Erica Courtney diamond enchantment bracelet for the occasion. Set in 18-carat gold and featuring a 56-carat oval diamond set in rose gold the jewellery was valued at $33,000 (£16.5,000).One celebrity however was hitting the headlines for less glamorous reasons, with Britney Spears reported by the Associated Press as looking "bleary and unprepared" for her performance at the event.

Gold jeweller sees increase in sales  04 September, 2007

Jewellery retailer Pure Gold Jewellers has reported an increase in its half-year sales, it has been revealed.According to AME Info, leading Arab jeweller Pure Gold reported a rise of 53 per cent per cent during the first six months of 2007 compared to the same period in 2006.

Furthermore, according to AME, it has predicted a sales rise of 85 per cent by the close of 2007."The excellent results that Pure Gold Jewellers has recorded for the first half of the year, confirm the success of the strategy we are implementing. Such strategy includes timely expansion of Pure Gold Jewellers to other parts of the region," Firoz Merchant, chairman of Pure Gold told AME.Pure Gold also intends to incest 250 million AED (£33 million) in the coming months in an expansion programme.It also intends to open its 100th retail outlet in the Gulf by 2010.

Wedding bands made out of white gold are gaining increased popularity, it has been claimed.

An article by Editors Choice notes that white gold wedding bands are gaining popularity as they are considered stylish-looking and modern. It claims that selecting a wedding ring is "not as easy as it looks" and must be something that neither bride or groom will tire of wearing.

"The materials from which wedding rings can be made of have evolved through the years. Gold rings remain to be very popular both for wedding and engagement," the article noted.Furthermore, it is claimed that white gold matches up well with other jewellery and clothing fabrics.According to Discount Wedding Guide, bride and groom's wedding rings are among the "very important" facets which make up a perfect wedding, along with how to make the perfect cake.

A 20-carat gold dagger and 5,000 year-old gold rings are among the many treasures that have been found in Bulgarian ground recently. According to a report in the Telegraph, Bulgaria is behind just Italy and Greece in Europe in terms of the number of antiquities that can be found in the country's soil, with numerous artefacts discovered on a regular basis.

Svetla Tsaneva-Dimitrova, head of the Bulgaria National Museum's restoration team, said that a number of gold rings were found in a box in a shop drawer."We found 25,000 of them when we went into a grocery shop a couple of months ago," she said, according to the Telegraph."A farmer's wife was wearing them as a necklace. Her husband had just dug them up in a field nearby. As you can imagine, we were stunned."

Ms Tsanev-Dimitrova added that items similar to the tiny rings found were found at Troy. Bulgaria is home to a number of Unesco sites, including the Kazanluk Tomb, which dates back to the fourth century BC, and Sveshtari Tomb, a Thracian site dating back to a similar period, according to Bulgaria Travel.

Yellow gold is proving to be a popular choice for women in the United States, according to a jeweller. According to the company, as women become more involved in picking their engagement rings, yellow gold uptake as a choice for the metal used in their ring has climbed. "A woman who wears yellow gold on a regular basis may defy convention and choose a yellow gold engagement ring, knowing it will coordinate with her jewellery," said Andrea Hansen, a spokesperson for jeweller H Stern, according to New York newspaper the Sun.

This "logical style reason" has contributed to what is described as a spike in yellow gold sales for jewellers including Tiffany and Bulgari, as well as H Stern. Designers such as Neil Lane are also using yellow gold in designs, according to the newspaper, which notes that the Citrine drop earrings set in yellow gold from Neil Lane retail at nearly $7,000 (£3,480). H Stern has been functioning for more than 50 years, with roots in Brazil in the 1950s.

Demand for gold in India is expected to pick up ahead of traditional Hindu festivals, it has been reported. According to Reuters, the Rakhi festival which takes place on August 28th marks the beginning of a series of Hindu religious events that continue into November and sees gold demand rise to a peak.

Rakhi is also a Sikh festival and celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. It is celebrated on the full moon of the month of Shraavana. "This weekend will be very good till Rakhi festivities," Rahul Gupta, director of PP Jewellers, a leading jewellery chain, told Reuters.

Meanwhile, Satish Bansal, director of MD Overseas commented that people would only put off buying gold "if gold shoots up", adding that even in such an instance, those with a marriage in the family would still purchase gold. In other news, India's government is currently looking to implement a new mining policy which is aimed at boosting the exploration of gold deposits in the country.

A new series of rules are to be introduced which are designed to improve India's gold output, it has been revealed. India's gold and diamond prospecting and mining regulations will be updated in order to improve domestic exploration and reduce foreign imports, according to government officials.

Reuters reports that the country's gold reserves are estimated at around 14,000 tonnes, although India only produces three tonnes of its total annual demand of 800 tonnes, importing a fifth of global output in order meet the defecit."Under the existing rules if any entrepreneur invests money and finds gold, then he must apply again for mining," commented junior mines minister T Subbarami Reddy.

RK Sharma, secretary general of the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries, added that most foreign firms are interested in gold mining. New regulations are due to be sent for approval to the government this week and should make it easier for investors to receive mining licences. Furthermore, prospecting companies would be allowed to sell maps and information to mining companies, something currently illegal in India.

Famous faces such as Hilary Duff, Beyonce and Mariah Carey have been spotted taking to the beaches resplendent in jewellery. According to Jewellery Weblog, July's Life & Style magazine caught Duff wearing an "armful of bracelets" while Destiny's Child songstress Beyonce took a trip to the seaside wearing gold earrings that nearly reched her shoulders.

Singer Mariah Carey was also photographed wearing a thick gold necklace on her trip to the coast. Heiress Paris Hilton was another celebrity to be spotted on the sand recently, at the Lia Sophia jewellery clam bake at a private estate. According to reports in Now magazine, Hilton bought "thousands of dollars worth of jewellery from the line's Malibu collection". Meanwhile, the Brisbane Times reports that local designers sell their jewellery at the twice-weekly Surfers Paradise markets, which take place on the so-called Glitter Strip's beachfront on the gold Coast.

Demand for gold in China rose by three per cent since 2005, totalling 259.6 tonnes in 2006, it has been reported. The Associated Press reveals that China's gold production also rose by eight per cent in 2006, seeing the country move ahead of Australia, according to a study by Gold Fields Mineral Services (GFMS).

London-based precious metals consultancy Gold Fields also revealed that China is the third largest consumer of gold in the world behind the US and India. Demand for gold in 2006 included 244.7 tonnes for jewellery - a growth of one per cent - and 14.9 tonnes for investment - a rise of 27 per cent

"Consumer demand for gold in China will continue to grow this year following consecutive increases over the past four years," commented Philip Klapwijk, executive chairman of GFMS. Meanwhile, China's National Development and Reform Commission has reported that that total gold production in China will reach 1,300 tonnes between 2006 and 2010.