BRIEF: Police investigate jewelry store robbery
Police are investigating a robbery of a Greensboro tiffany jewelry jewelry store Tuesday night.
Shortly before 6 p.m., Greensboro police said a man and two women with handguns robbed the Custom Jewelers Gallery at 2447 Battleground Ave.
The suspects took items from an unlocked safe and display cases. Police did not say exactly what was stolen or the value of the items but said they recovered four rings in the store's parking lot. No cash was taken, and no one was hurt.
Police said the suspects were last seen running toward Carroll Street. Police had incomplete descriptions of the suspects.
Anyone with information about the incident can call Crime Stoppers at 373-1000.
FOUR MEMBERS OF NEWARK-BASED ‘SMASH AND GRAB’ JEWELRY ROBBERY RING SENTENCED TO PRISON
The U.S. Department of Justice's Federal Bureau of Investigation Newark Field Office issued the following press release:
Four members of a Newark-based "smash-and-grab" buy tiffany jewelry store robbery ring, which targeted jewelry stores in shopping malls in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida and Georgia, were sentenced today to sentences ranging from 57 months to 102 months in prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr. announced.
U.S. District Judge Garrett E. Brown, Jr. sentenced Regaldo Hernandez, 27, to 102 months in prison; Angel Concepcion, 24, to 87 months in prison; Valentin Cedeno, 25, to 57 months in prison; and Quadir Snell, 27, to 96 months in prison.
Judge Brown also ordered the defendants to pay restitution in the approximate amounts as follows: Cedeno, $485,000; Snell, $322,000; Hernandez, $458,000, and Concepcion, $488,000.
Hernandez and Concepcion pleaded guilty before Judge Brown on Sept. 19, 2008 to Count One of a Superseding Indictment, which charged a conspiracy from July 2003 until September 2005 to commit "smash-and-grab" robberies of seven jewelry stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Florida:
* Bailey, Banks & Biddle at the Garden State Mall in Paramus, N.J.;
* Corbo Jewelers at the Rockaway Town Square Mall in Rockaway, N.J.;
* J.E. Caldwell Company at the King of Prussia, Court Mall, in Upper Merion Township, Pa.;
* Sherman & Sons Jewelers at the Bridgewater Commons Mall in Bridgewater, N.J.;
* Mayors Jewelers at the Seminole Towne Center Mall in Sanford, Fla.;
* Mayors Jewelers at the Mall of Georgia in Buford, Ga.;
* Ultra Diamond Outlet in Jackson Township, N.J.
According to the Superseding Indictment, the conspirators robbed six of the stores, taking cufflinks jewelry valued at more than $1,270,000. They also attempted a seventh robbery but aborted the robbery prior to reaching the targeted jewelry store. The Superseding Indictment further charged the conspirators with selling the stolen jewelry here in New Jersey.
Cedeno pleaded guilty on Sept. 25, 2008, to Count One of the Superseding Indictment, which charged him with joining the conspiracy described above.
Snell pleaded guilty on Sept. 29, 2008 before Judge Brown to Count Eight of the Superseding Indictment, charging him with robbing the Mayors Jewelers at the Mall of Georgia.
Three other co-conspirators, William Valentin, Hector Perez, and Hiram Ortiz, are scheduled forsentencing later this month.
Marra credited Special Agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent In Charge Weysan Dun in Newark, Investigators with the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Wayne J. Forrest, and Investigators with the Union County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow, for this successful investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott McBride, of the U.S. money clips Attorney's Office Government Fraud Unit.
Jewelry store takes $4 million hit from robber
Palm Beach police are looking for a man who they say stole $4 million worth of diamonds and other precious stones from a shop on exclusive Worth Avenue over the weekend.
The man went into Lee Havens' Tiffany and co jewelry store shortly after noon Sunday, said he was robbing the place and ordered the owner, Lee Havens, 53, to remove items from the display case, police said.
Havens and saleswoman Joan Maguire, 68, were tied up, and the robber escaped through the back door of the store in the 200 block of Worth Avenue.
"The suspect threatened the employees with a weapon. However, none was seen," said Janet Kinsella, spokeswoman for the Town of Palm Beach Police Department.
The man was described as between 35 and 45 years old, white with an olive complexion, about 6 feet tall and weighing about 185 pounds, police said.
The two victims freed themselves and called police.
Havens told Sun-Sentinel partner NewsChannel 5-WPTV the ordeal left rings him nervous and shaken, but he didn't realize it until the robber was gone and police arrived.
"Prior to that, I don't know what I was thinking or feeling. I was just complying," he told the station.
The jewelry store was open for business on Tuesday.
Kinsella said police have asked the FBI for help with the case. She would not comment when asked if surveillance cameras captured the robber's image.
Police ask anyone with information about the crime to call Detective bracelets Larry Menniti, 561-838-5454 or 561-227-6371.
Jerome Burdi can be reached at jburdi@ SunSentinel.com or 561-243-6531.
Credit: Sun Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Old gold jewelry can mean cold hard cash
A broken gold necklace or an old class ring might be a source of nostalgia.
But in these tough economic times, it also could be more attractive in the form of cash.
On his middle finger, Mike Ponsart, owner of Great Lakes Coin & Jewelry in Willoughby, displays an old class ring that he says could sell for $20 to $100.
Ponsart said some people turn to selling old or unused tiffany jewelry jewelry for the extra money or to pay the bills.
"That's the first thing that's liquid. If they need the money, at least they have something they can part with," Ponsart said. "You can't use a piece of gold to pay your electric bill."
With gold selling for about $900 an ounce, the precious metal is at its peak, said Dr. Rolando Santos, economics professor at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland.
The price of gold is "very volatile. The only reason why it's holding value right now (is) because we have a financial crisis," Santos said. "If the economy goes back to stability, most likely the gold prices will go down."
Typically in tough times, people turn to gold because they think it's a safe haven in the short run, Santos said. Over a longer period of time, gold tends to lose its value.
"The price of gold has to go down at some point to stabilize to the true market value. They'll move away from it in time and go toward something more transactable, more marketable, like the U.S. dollar or euro," Santos said.
Keith Fauver, owner of Geauga Pawn in Newbury Township, buys gold jewelry and other precious metals like platinum and silver, though they sell at a fraction of the cost of gold. While prices are good now, Fauver said the market is difficult to predict.
"I've stopped trying to guess after 20 years in the business," Fauver said.
The price tag on any gold jewelry depends on its weight, spot price and karat (amount of pure gold).
Aside from jewelry, Ponsart also buys rare coins, such as silver dollars, which can pay out as much as $20, depending on year, mint mark and condition.
When customers exchange a ring or broken earring, pawn shop owners do one of two things: display it in their showcases or send it to a gold refinery.
The jump-in prices have been profitable for many refineries, said John Brown, operations manager of a Chicago-based precious metals refinery.
"The prices of gold have more than doubled in the last three years," Brown said. "The bangles weak dollar is really the biggest issue.
"If the dollar is weaker, price has to go up."
The price of gold has not been this high since 1979-80 when it sold for $877 an ounce, Brown said.
When the gold jewelry comes to a refinery, it is first melted down and then analyzed to determine the purity of the metal, Brown said. Once refiners have the pure gold content, they pay the dollar amount to the pawn brokers.
That solid piece of gold is then sold to casters,rings jewelry-makers and banks, Brown said.
While business is not booming for pawn brokers, it appears to be steady.
"I don't think it's gone up. It's a mainstay. It's steady," Ponsart said.
"Some weeks we buy a little more, some we buy a little less. But at the end of the month, it's all the same."
JamesAllen.com Offers New Collection of Hearts & Arrows Diamonds at Near Wholesale Diamond Prices
This new collection of diamonds comes exclusively to JamesAllen.com just in time for Valentine's Day. The days leading up to February 14th are traditionally busy for jewelry retailers, but given this year's economic downturn, brick-and-mortar tiffany jewelry shops are anticipating slow sales.
By contrast, online jewelry retailers are predicting strong sales, as consumers turn to the internet to find savings. Internet-based retailers like JamesAllen.com have low overhead, which enables them to offer high quality jewelry at more affordable prices than jewelry stores.
Despite the economic crisis, hope is on the rise as Americans look to a new era with President Barack Obama. All eyes were on Obama yesterday as he took the official Presidential oath of office and delivered a moving inauguration speech.
Following the inauguration, Barack and Michelle Obama attended a series frank gehry jewelry of glamorous inauguration balls. At the Neighborhood Ball, the Obamas shared their first dance as President and First Lady as Beyonce sang the Etta James song "At Last." The First Lady, who looked stunning in an ivory silk chiffon gown, has already become a fashion icon. Throughout the evening, she showed off an impressive display of diamond jewelry: a diamond ring, diamond bangles and dangling diamond earrings.
JamesAllen.com is the only online retailer to feature ideal cut Hearts and Arrows diamonds at such affordable prices. paloma picasso jewelry The entire collection can be viewed through a virtual loupe, allowing customers to examine the diamond of their choice. In honor of its new Hearts and Arrows diamond collection, JamesAllen.com will be offering an additional 10% off these exclusive, ideal cut diamonds through February 14, 2009.
Thousands of dollars of jewelry stolen from Kmart
Someone stole thousands of dollars in tiffany jewellery from the Kmart store at the Laurel Mall early Thursday morning, state police at Hazleton said.
The burglar smashed two sets of glass doors with a blunt object to gain entry to the store just before 12:30 a.m. and went to jewelry display cases, several of which were taken, police said.
The burglar then left the store and fled the area with the frank gehry jewelry, police said.
Store personnel are taking inventory to determine exactly how much was taken, but they estimate several thousand dollars worth of jewelry was removed, police said.
State police are also reviewing store paloma picasso jewelry surveillance videos for information on the suspect.
Elle Macpherson Donates the First Timepiece in the Aspen Jewelry and Watches Collection to Challenge Aspen
"Challenge Aspen was honored to be a co-beneficiary with AVSC from the generous gift of the Aspen One watch given by Elle Macpherson and Rene van Ass, CEO of Aspen Tiffany and co Jewelry and Watches," says Cowan of Challenge Aspen. "The proceeds from this watch will scholarship more than 50 families with disabilities to enjoy Challenge Aspen's winter and summer programs. Elle and Rene have truly helped us take the 'Dis out of Disability' for some very special young people." As a result of the donation, the Aspen One watch will be presented in Washington DC at the Kennedy Center for the launch of Challenge America on June 8th, 2009. Vince Gill and Amy Grant along with other entertainers are hosting the event and Honorary Chairs are Former Presidents Carter, Bush Sr., Bill Clinton, along with Colin Powell, Bob Woodruff, and former Senator Bill Frist. Challenge America is a national movement to initiate and support programs and services to meet the needs of our returning wounded warriors and their families. "Aspen One is honored to be a part of this challenge and participate in this very important cause," states Rene van Ass.
Mark Cole states, "As a mother and skier, Elle knows how important it is for all children in the valley to have the opportunity to experience our mountains in winter. Her wonderful generosity and the amazing cooperation from Aspen Jewelry and Watches means AVSC can help the many families who need support this year. What a beautiful way for them to give back to the community which has become special to them."
The second watch will be given to the Quality of Life Foundation, based in the Netherlands, which has already raised earrings more than $10 million for children's cancer research. The trip ended with lunch at Sneaky's Tavern in Snowmass and dinner at the Hotel Jerome.
Aspen One Launch
Press from countries including France, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, Italy and the US documented Aspen One events at a plethora of local establishments. The itinerary Press were the first to see the Aspen One timepiece at a media-only unveiling of not only Aspen One, but of the new http://www.aspenjewelryandwatches.com at Meridian Jewelers, the first of fifty exclusive retailers worldwide. Press then visited the Aspen One monument, which was placed on Aspen Mountain's Black Diamond Lode, designed to display the names of each buyer, along with their number, which represents one virtual foot of Aspen Mountain's 3,276 feet.
Aspen One-The Timepiece
Founder and CEO Rene van Ass states, "Aspen is internationally known for its natural beauty, perfect slopes and the glamorous appeal of its famous visitors. Aspen is a brand...a very strong brand. Aspen Jewelry and Watches has been granted the worldwide license to use the Aspen name for the collections we are introducing, the first being Aspen key rings One. By marketing this collection, we are marketing Aspen as it is...and what it was. We will emphasize Aspen's rich history and we want people all over the world to fall in love with Aspen even more."
The precious Swiss-made timepiece, offered in four-color combinations of 18 kt white or rose gold, carries unique features that communicate elements specific to Aspen. A specially-designed compass shows you where you are once on top of Aspen Mountain, and the watch tells you when it is time to change your ski-strap to your apres-ski strap (done in a few seconds with a patent-pending technique similar to removing a ski from a boot) at four o' clock. Orange is the color of the number four on the dial, which in the tradition of the Ute Indians, indicates prosperity, and it would be later known to represent mountain safety. Four is also the time that Aspen Mountain closes its lifts, marking the time for apres ski. On the mountain and around town, Aspen One also presents gloves, specially designed to showcase the face of the watch.
MANCHESTER MAN CONVICTED OF ASSAULTING ELDERLY MOTHER, STEALING HER JEWELRY
The New Hampshire Attorney General issued the following news release:
Attorney General Kelly A. Ayotte tiffany jewelry today announced the conviction of Aaron Snyder, age 34, for domestic assault and three counts of receiving stolen property. The victim was the defendant's mother.
Snyder, age 34, of Manchester, NH, was found guilty after trial in the Manchester District Court on February 11, 2009. The Attorney General's Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Unit, a specialized unit that was created in 2004 to prosecute cases of elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation, prosecuted the case.
In July 2008, the elderly victim called the Manchester Police Department to report that Snyder had physically assaulted her by grabbing her arms during an argument. The victim, who was suffering from terminal cancer, required hospitalization as a result of the assault. The defendant was arrested later that same day and admitted that he grabbed his mother's arms. Detectives from the Manchester Police Department's Domestic Violence Unit discovered that Snyder had recently pawned several pieces of jewelry at a Manchester Pawn Shop. Detectives determined that the pieces of jewelry belonged to the defendant's mother and that the defendant stole them and pawned them without her knowledge. Two of the pieces of key rings jewelry were recovered. The third piece, a cameo that had been passed down through the victim's family and had great sentimental value to the victim, was not recovered.
The victim, weakened by the terminal cancer, had to be transported to and from the courthouse by ambulance. Paramedics and a nurse stood by while she testified that the defendant assaulted her and stole jewelry that she kept in a jewelry box in her bedroom.
National statistics suggest that only 1 in 12 cases of elder abuse ever come to the attention of authorities. "Victims, oftentimes out of fear, embarrassment, or dependence upon the abuser are reluctant to report the abuse, and as a result, suffer in silence", Attorney General Ayotte said. " necklaces It is my sincere hope that the victim's strength and courage to report the abuse and testify in spite of her terminal illness will encourage other elderly victims of abuse to reach out for help."
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for April 8, 2009 in the Manchester District Court.For more information about US Fed News contract awards please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, US Fed News, Email:- htsyndication@hindustantimes.com.
Keeping the sparkle in the fine jewelry business
Jewelry is the sort of purchase that promises a certain poignancy, the gift that often holds its value and can hold an emotional meaning for generations to come. Yet, in this economy, it's a luxury many consumers have decided to forgo.
"Even with clothing, you still have to put something on, but for Tiffany and co jewelry?" asked Deborah Cohn, an associate professor of marketing at Touro College Graduate School of Business. "It's not food. It's not clothing. It's not shelter. You can just do without it."
As the recession continues to pummel the big national and regional players in retail jewelry sales, many of Long Island's independent jewelers say their revenues also have taken a hit. To stay alive, Long Island jewelry shops say they've adopted an array of strategies, from emphasizing their restyling and resetting services and buying old jewelry to flying to their best clients' winter homes to stage jewelry shows.
"It's not like we're going to reinvent the wheel, but we are trying to do as much buying of old gold, diamonds and jewelry, whether estate or vintage, that we can resell in its present form and give people a better value because the costs to create it are less expensive," said Len Margolis, owner of Le Joaillier Fine Jewelry in Garden City and Locust Valley. "And we are stressing the repair business, because I think more than ever people are wanting to maintain the value of the jewelry they do have."
Not a pretty picture
On many fronts, the picture hasn't been pretty in the bangles jewelry retail sector. In 2008, bankruptcies among retail jewelers and repairers jumped 21 percent from the previous year, according to the Jewelers Board of Trade, a Rhode Island-based credit reporting agency specializing in the jewelry industry.
Specialty jewelers, retailers devoted specifically to fine jewelry, account for 48 percent of the $64.7 billion U.S. jewelry market. The other half of jewelry sales are generated by multiline merchants such as Wal-Mart, Kohl's, Sears and others.
The holiday season -- when many jewelers record a significant portion of their annual revenues -- was disappointing but not entirely unexpected, with sales for that period dropping 30 percent to 50 percent among the several local jewelers interviewed.
The big players like Zale Corp. and Finlay Enterprises Inc. reported large sales drops -- 19.6 percent and 23.7 percent, respectively -- for November and December. And others, like Whitehall Jewelers Inc. and Christian Bernard, filed for bankruptcy and decided to liquidate their companies.
But many local jewelry shops say they have been able to hold their own so far.
Toni Lea Corwin and Timothy Corwin, a husband-and-wife team, are the fourth-generation owners of Corwin's Main Street Jewelers in Southampton. The shop has been in operation since 1879, and it's not unusual for their clients to approach them on the street or in another Southampton store with questions about rings jewelry, they say.
The Corwins, whose 2008 holiday sales were down about 30 percent, own the building where their shop is located, so they are able to keep their overhead costs down. And like other smaller jewelry retailers, they provide repair and restoration services, which help draw in foot traffic.
"Once you have the foot traffic established, while they are getting their ring sized or repaired, they see something they like, and then I get the sale," Toni Lea Corwin said.
Many jewelers said they adopted a more proactive style, using advertising, direct calls to longtime customers and their Web sites to make sales. At the same time, they have turned to highlighting some of their less expensive options, a necessary strategy in this economy, Cohn said.
Jewelers have to find a way to offer the gift "that says 'I love you' without breaking the bank," she added.
Spending less
Geoffrey Nance, 51, of Huntington is one of those bracelets jewelry customers who is spending less but is continuing to buy.
"When it's a special event, jewelry usually has a lot more meaning than buying a sweater or perfume," said Nance, who was in Maddy's Fine Jewelers in Syosset looking at bracelets as a seventh wedding anniversary present. ". . . And you'll have a much better chance of getting her something she will like."
Negotiating an 8 percent discount in his rent for six months helped lower expenses for Emanuel Sofiev, owner of Maddy's, but he also has geared his marketing toward the price-sensitive customer.
For the Christmas holidays and Valentine's Day, he sent out mailers to customers, promoting options such as resetting and restyling older jewelry to get a fresh look, or trading in their old gold and diamonds to offset the cost of a new piece of jewelry. He said he is able to keep expenses down because much of the labor is done in-house, and his family has a diamond wholesale business.
"They were able to get a fresh look with something modern without spending thousands," Sofiev said of his campaign.
Freedman Jewelers in Huntington has a factory and a service department that does cufflinks jewelry and watch repairs for other jewelers, said owner Eric Freedman. Freedman also is a partner in a ruby and sapphire trading business and is involved in a Colombian emerald mining operation, he said, so he was able to make a good profit from selling the stones.
Even so, Freedman traveled out of the state to hold jewelry parties at his friends' winter homes in North Carolina and Palm Beach and Boca Raton, Fla., to keep his 2008 holiday sales consistent with the prior year's revenue.
"They had their girlfriends over like a Tupperware party, except this was the real deal," Freedman said. "We offered some good prices to buy there, and they did."
Kara Avedisyan’s jewelry is eccentric, unique, and utterly playful
Does art imitate life or does life imitate art? While the age-old debate carries on in classrooms and galleries throughout the world, for Kara Avedisyan, one of Ar- menia's premier jewelers, the answer, un- doubtedly, is art imitates life. Her beauti- fully crafted collections of silver tiffany jewelry vary in style and show off her range of techniques, but they all bear one thing in common: they are inspired, very directly, by life.
From teapots to telephones, from harmonicas to handbags, Kara has the unique ability to turn ordinary objects into extraordinary jewelry. "I find inspiration in life, just from the everyday," says the artist with a smile.
And Kara has every reason to smile. She is the proud new owner of a jewelry boutique on Pushkin Street in central Yerevan, called Kara Jewellery Boutique. Since its opening in Septem- ber last year, the store has become the talk of the town. "I've been in this busi- ness for almost nine years," explains Kara, "so I already had a strong client base. But since I opened the store, I have gained a lot of new clients, mostly through word of mouth. Somebody will walk in by chance and tell her friend about it, who will then tell her friend about it, and it just grows from there."
Before opening her store, Kara displayed her work every weekend at the Vernissage market, where she still likes to go on occasion, and at various exhibitions. Now, inher spacious, well-lit, and stylishly decorated boutique, Kara doesn't have to cart her jewelry around in a suitcase any- more. Instead, she can focus on crafting new creations while her completed col- lections rest safely in their beautifully ar- ranged display cases.
Kara works with different designers, though she collaborates most with Nur Design, a Yerevan-based jewelry design studio. Her rings, by far her most popular and unusual items, are usually based on various objects and often have unique moveable features. Her sewing machine ring, for example, has a lit- tle needle that and goes up down when you turn the wheel. Her drum ring comes com- plete with cym- bals that actually clap down and noise, and her snake can slither around your fingers in a myriad of differ- ent po- s it io ns . K a r a ' s money clips jewelry is fun, spunky, and interac- tive. It's based on the idea that inanimate pieces of metal can indeed come to life.
One of her latest collections, "Yerevan," is a series of rings based on Yerevan landmarks and Armenian symbols. It includes the Garni Temple, Zvartnots Airport, Lake Sevan, a map of Armenia, and a scroll inscribed with the Armenian alphabet. "I love this collection," says her sister, Gayane Avedisyan, who helps with anything from assembling bracelets to fashioning gift bags. "It's a truly patriotic collection," she continues. "These rings are great as souvenirs, even if you don't wear big jewelry. They can simply be displayed, and of course, they can be worn too."
The "Yerevan" collection is a great alternative for any visitor to Armenia looking for unusual souvenirs, who wants to bring back something that is truly unique, wearable, yet unmistakably Armenian.
The "Musical Instruments" collection is another favorite. It includes a piano, a French horn, a violin, a drum, an accordion, and even a gramophone. What's striking about this collection and the majority of Kara's rings is their construction. They are not simply molds of objects attached to bands. The objects themselves, twisted into just the right angle, are the rings.
Poised for international exposure
Kara Avedisyan didn't just stumble into making pendants jewelry. She grew up surrounded by jewelers and naturally developed an interest in the trade. "I have many friends who are jewelers, most of whom work with silver, and I thought to myself, ? can do this too. I want to do it,'" she says. "So I learned the craft, and here I am. I like working with silver the best. It's a versatile material to work with, and since the metal is not as expensive as gold, I can make very large, creative pieces."
In Armenia, as in most countries, making gold or sil- ver jewelry is a very male-dominated profession. "Kara is one of the few women in her field," boasts Gayane. "Her workshop is a very harsh place. She has to use a lot of strong chemi- cals, which of- ten have toxic fumes. The work that comes out in the end is beautiful and dainty, but the making of it is a very rough process."
Now that the boutique is up and running, Kara anxiously awaits what this year will continue to bring. "We have a lot of clients from the United States and Europe who come see me every summer when they return," she says. "This year, I think they will be excited to see the store."
While she is enjoying the early success of her boutique, Kara does not take a moment to rest. Always aiming high, she says her next goal is to participate in jewelry exhibitions around the world. "There is a big [exhibition] in Moscow that will take place this September and we definitely want to be a part of it," she explains. "Some of the biggest earrings jewelry exhibitions in the world take place in the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia, and, eventually, we'd like to participate in all of them. We want the world to recognize our work."
Recognizability is one thing this jeweler does not need to worry about. Her playful take on simple concepts and exquisite artistry made her work immediately stand out during her early days at the Vernissage. Today it continues to catch the eyes of curious passersby at her boutique, and, as life offers Kara an endless amount of inspiration, the future holds a multitude of exciting possibilities.