http://www.gold.org/news/ World Gold Council, the information resource for gold, investment, jewellery, science and technology, historical and culture . The news feeds on this site are independently provided by Adfero Limited (Copyright) and do not represent the views or opinions of the World Gold Council. en info@gold.org Copyright 2009 http://www.gold.org/news/2009/07/03/story/12412/gold_jewellery_ideal_for_summer http://www.gold.org/news/2009/07/03/story/12412/gold_jewellery_ideal_for_summer
Jeweller Ernest Jones pointed to the fact that such pieces have been ideal choices for those attending the Wimbledon tennis championships, currently taking place in London, England.

It highlighted its Chamilia range in particular, which was established in 2002 and features gold bracelets and necklaces that buyers can customise as they wish.

According to the company, designer Killian Rieder created the collection with a view to allowing women to adapt their jewellery according to their mood, "like a chameleon that changes to suit its environment".

Last month the company, which was founded in London 60 years ago, announced that gold items were among the new additions being made to the Chamilia range.

National Jeweler recently predicted that the precious metal would feature heavily in summer fashion this year, after observing large earrings and stacked bangles in spring collections.

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Forever Jewels already supplies 850 retailers worldwide, but is now set to offer products under its own brand name, Reuters reports.

The first of these will be released in September of this year and gold is to be a major feature of all the collections.

Marjory Lim, managing director and co-founder of Forever Jewels, told the news source that she expects demand for gold jewellery to remain high despite the current economic climate.

"No matter whether times are good or bad, people will always desire things that make them feel happy when times are tough," she explained, adding that the difference is "they will look for quality and value" and the firm will offer both.

Meanwhile, Italian fashion brand Gianfranco Ferre is planning to introduce its own range of jewellery, according to an AFP Relaxnews report appearing in Malaysian newspaper theSun.

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According to an AFP Relaxnews report in Malaysian newspaper theSun, the pieces include gold items both for men and women and will go on sale later this year.

Gianfranco Ferre is teaming up with Damiani - a jeweller also based in Italy - to offer the products at stores across the world from September.

A pair of creative directors at the fashion brand are responsible for the collection and the news source explained that gold necklaces, as well as earrings and bracelets, will be inspired by Gianfranco Ferre's hallmarks.

Its outlets will stock the range, as will Rocca stores - which are owned by Damiani.

The move comes following the launch of a range of Steven Hafner pieces at Damas boutiques in Dubai.

A number of gold items are included in the Ortensia range, which chief executive of the company Ilaria Furlotti described as a unique offering.

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According to the National Jeweler, gold pieces from the country are desired by affluent clientele in particular.

John Green, owner of a number of luxury stores in the US, told the news source that Italian designers offer the "finest quality" and this, along with value, is what is being sought.

Pam Danziger, founder and president of Unity Marketing, which monitors the spending of high-end customers, added that retailers are set to stock more of such products.

"Made in Italy adds lustre to a product and - among many other things - our survey found that luxury consumers do show definite preference for luxury goods manufactured in certain countries," she stated.

Jewelers Lounge recently observed that men in the US are increasingly expressing patriotism by wearing gold jewellery such as cufflinks, ahead of this weekend's July 4th celebrations in the country.

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According to Coin News, statistics show that last month was the third best of the year so far for sales of American Eagle gold coins.

A total of 116,000 were purchased during June, nearly double the 65,000 that were bought in May.

However, the figure was behind the 147,500 that was recorded in April and the 136,500 sold in March.

A total of 670,500 have now been sold in the country since the start of the year and the news source noted that many are bought as investment purchases.

The figures also revealed an increase in demand for 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle gold coins, with sales of these climbing to 68,114.

In related news, a coin museum in the US state of Georgia recently announced that it is to produce a second run of limited edition coins made from the precious metal.
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The artefacts belonged to Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj - known as the Tunku - and the safe had not been opened since 1970.

Included in the pieces are a pair of commemorative gold coins and Bernama reports that information, communication and culture ministry secretary-general Datuk Kamaruddin Siaraf has described them as priceless.

According to the news source, two gold keys - one of which had been a gift from Robert Wagner, former mayor of New York - were also in the safe, in addition to two sets of cufflinks.

This week, the central bank of Malaysia announced that commemorative coins made from the precious metal are being produced to mark the 50th anniversary of the country's parliament.

Bank Negara Malaysia explained that two versions will be available, both being legal tender.

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New Guinea Gold revealed that output rose by 40 per cent in the second quarter of the year, compared to the previous three-month period.

Total gold production reached 2,246 ounces, while figures for June were said to be 65 per cent above those for April.

Chairman and chief executive of the firm Bob McNeil explained that much of this can be attributed to improvements that have been made to New Guinea Gold's vats.

"By mid-June, as a result of these changes, in two of six vats solution flow rates were 50 per cent to 70 per cent higher than in April," he said, adding that plans are in place for the remaining vats to be updated in the next two months.

The company currently has interests in eight gold properties in the country.

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Speaking to MSNBC, Chad Mirkin of Northwestern University in the US noted that the subject has become more approachable in recent years and is now an "appealing" topic due to the fact that it involves the miniaturisation of materials.

"What we do with gold is a beautiful example," he told the news source. "You can miniaturise gold to the nanometre-length scale to make … little particles."

Explaining that in the Middle Ages gold particles were used to create red dots for stained-glass windows, Mr Mirkin stated that there are a lot of "neat applications" for the technology, including using gold nanoparticles to locate diseases and improve diagnostic techniques.

Mr Mirkin, who is the director of the International Institute for Nanotechnology at the university, recently won the $500,000 (£306,000) Lemelson-MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) award for his work in the sector.
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Writing for iStockAnalyst, Peter Blake argued that holding an investment portfolio that does not contain gold is now "embarrassing" for companies.

He said that gold has numerous investment benefits - such as being a hedge against inflation and having a high liquidity value - and is also the main supporter of many currencies.

"Gold is known to be the principal currency of the world and has an indisputable value, unlike the paper currencies," he stated.

Mr Blake advised firms considering investing in gold to opt for bars and coins, but noted that all forms of the precious metal are a "safe and prudent option".

Equity analyst Tim Morris told the Sydney Morning Herald earlier this week that strong demand for gold is benefiting companies involved in producing the precious metal, with some doubling the amount of ore they process.
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Chief executive of the company Ilaria Furlotti explained that the Ortensia collection - which includes a number of gold items - is a unique offering.

Speaking at the launch in the emirate, she noted that all the designer's work combines the "rare talent of its goldsmiths" with inspiration from a range of disciplines, including architecture, theatre, fashion and photography.

Earrings and pendants are among the jewellery now on offer and Ms Furlotti commented: "Highly contemporary yet classic in essence, the latest pieces exude joy while heightening beauty."

National Jeweler recently suggested that gold jewellery will be a key part of summer fashion this year, after a number of spring collections showcased the precious metal.

Large, bold earrings and stacked bangles were among the items the news source predicted to be most popular.

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According to UAE paper the National, sales of the precious metal increased by more than 30 per cent last month.

Director of Ajanta Jewellers Tushar Patni told the news source that the growth may have been as high as 40 per cent when compared to May's figures and this is expected to increase in the coming weeks.

"Sales were good in June because of holiday buying," he said. "Expatriates, mainly Asians, take gold jewellery and gold bars as gifts back home every year in the summer."

It comes after investment banker Jens Willenbockel suggested that gold coins and bars could be ideal gifts for children.

He was commenting following the launch of the first of a line of vending machines stocking the precious metal in Germany last month.

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With the July 4th celebrations that mark the signing of the country's Declaration of Independence approaching, Jewelers Lounge explained that the precious metal is popular among men in particular.

Gold cufflinks were observed as being one way that Americans are showing their love for their country, with special pieces being created to meet the demand.

According to the portal, Italian designer Herzog has produced two kinds of 18-c cufflink in a star shape that are proving to be an exclusive option.

In addition, gold coin cufflinks have been launched by other companies and are being considered collectors' items.

Earlier this week, Celtic Rings announced that it is reintroducing its Celtic Warrior range of wedding rings, which are designed to celebrate Irish heritage.

The new pieces are said to offer a more comfortable fit without compromising on design.

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The company confirmed that the first gold had been produced at the Kiziltepe deposit, following the conclusion of trial mining.

Managing director of the company Kerim Sener explained that 387 ounces of the precious metal had been produced and plans to expand capacity are being considered.

"This is a solid result from the initial trial mine at Kiziltepe and discussions regarding an extension to this trial for the processing of a further batch of ore are underway," he said.

Mr Sener added that a sale of investment ingots, made from the first gold to be produced by the operation, is currently being considered.

Ariana Resources was established in 2002 and currently owns a number of projects in Turkey, having acquired its first exploration licences in 2004.

The Sindirgi project was bought by the firm from Newmont Mining in 2005 and is located in Balikesir Province.

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Profits from the items, which are made to order, will be used to fund the construction of displays for the centre, the Times Georgian reports.

This is the second series of solid gold coins that have been produced by the museum, with three first editions previously being manufactured and selling for $1,500 (£916) each.

One of the coins is on display at the museum and deputy city manager Jeff Reese told the news source that they are "most certainly collectors' items".

"There will never be any more of the first editions and once we close the second edition there will never be any others," he was quoted as saying.

In related news, the Royal Canadian Mint recently held free tours at its facilities in Winnipeg.

The event was held to mark Canada Day and gave the public the opportunity to learn about gold coin production.
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According to Coin News, the 24-c pieces - sales of which stop today (July 2nd) - could become hard to find as comparatively few have been bought since they went on sale.

Figures from the Mint showed that as of Sunday June 28th, 4,223 of the uncirculated coins and 6,950 of the proof examples had been purchased since the items became available 13 months ago.

The coins are part of a range first launched in 2007, which depict presidents' wives. They are to be withdrawn from sale and replaced by the 2009 Letitia Tyler First Spouse gold coins, one of the five examples due for release this year.

Other first ladies that have been commemorated in the series include Elizabeth Monroe, Martha Washington and Abigail Adams.
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According to Nanowerk, a researcher at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has used the precious metal to manufacture a sensitive nanoprobe that can highlight the presence of certain oxygen species.

Ros may occur due to factors such as smoking, lack of sleep or exposure to drugs and is often associated with ageing and cancer.

It is hoped the breakthrough will enable it to be used as an early indicator of the presence of various diseases.

"The fluorescent gold nanoprobes that we have developed highlight the future possibilities of gold nanoparticles-based imaging probes that can exceed conventional chemical imaging probes," researcher Hyukjin Lee told the news source.

He added that the gold nanoprobes are very stable when exposed to factors such as natural light and lasers.

In related news, research from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science recently proved that gold grains can help improve the wellbeing of animals suffering from joint pain.
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ViaLuxe noted that the brand's Seamaster Aqua Terra Chronograph is an 18-c gold timepiece that is likely to appeal to the high-end market.

The watch features gold hands and a new Omega dial that is intended to resemble wooden planks on yachts.

According to the portal, its functionality will be appreciated despite the fact that it is a lifestyle piece.

"The watch falls heavily in the direction of the person who wants an expensive watch from a brand they recognise, but that won't disappoint brand loyalists," it added.

ViaLuxe recently revealed that a unique gold watch had been specially created by Omega for an upcoming charity auction.

The model is a special version of the brand's Ploprof and will go on sale at the Only Watch event in Monaco on September 24th.

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According to National Jeweler, designers' spring collections showcased the precious metal in a number of forms.

Large, bold earrings are among the items expected to be popular, with stacked bangles also set to be favoured.

Explaining that many people are likely to be "playful" with gold jewellery, it added: "Designers answered the accessorising question by saying that more is more, piling on the jewellery in a bohemian throw-down of designs of a crafty, organic bent."

Earlier this week, Canada's Financial Post newspaper observed that summer tends to be a particularly popular time for the precious metal.

It stated that demand in India accounts for much of this, as jewellers need to prepare for the wedding and festival season that begins in October and runs until Diwali in November.

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Sotheby's will be auctioning off the piece, which dates from the 15th century, on Thursday July 9th, Art Daily reports.

The pendant was discovered in a field by an amateur metal detector and is thought to have been buried since the time of Henry VIII.

It is no bigger than a postage stamp, but features an engraving of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Carolyn Miner of Sotheby's sculpture and works of art department noted that the find is particularly rare, adding that the craftsmanship is "staggeringly ornate for such a small piece".

"It is remarkable that a gold pendant has survived intact and in such wonderful condition since the second half of the 15th century," she was quoted as saying.

A gold crucifix from the 16th century that was also discovered using a metal detector is being sold to an English museum, the Nottingham Evening Post revealed last month.

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The company has reintroduced its Celtic Warrior pieces, which feature patterns inspired by the Ardagh Chalice dating from the eighth century.

Sales manager at Celtic Rings Steven Forsyth said that changes have been made to accommodate modern preferences, with the new gold items coming with a narrower profile.

He explained that this leads to a more comfortable fit, while still allowing for detail and therefore the recognition of heritage.

"The Celtic Warrior ring collection has always been very popular. Today's brides and grooms like the combination [of] strength and beauty that [is] evident in the patterns on these rings," Mr Forsyth added.

Indian tribal culture was the inspiration for a range of jewellery that was recently launched by jewellery store Jetha Bhai Zaveri.

Known as Adi-Kriti, the collection features a number of gold pieces.

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