Take my gift back...please
Two relatively new commercial labels for retail shopping entered my
consciousness Return to Tiffany Double Heart Pendant: "Black Friday" and
"Cyber Monday." I'm sure you have seen these terms used ad nauseam in retail
news stories. I'll briefly explain these terms and give you a novel third term I
am proposing shortly.
The first label - Black Friday - applies to a day of frenetic buying
activity, usually on the day immediately following Thanksgiving, whereby devoted
shoppers drop enough dough to cause several major retailer balance sheets to
produce black numbers, i.e. to become profitable.
Cyber Monday is a neologism coined by the U.S. National Retail Federation a
few years back as a result of observed online sales rising rapidly on the Monday
following Black Friday. The term "Cyber Monday" is still gestating but that need
not concern us here.
In my view, the day after Christmas day (usually called "Boxing Day" in the
U.K.) should be named "Returns Day." On this day, shoppers and gift recipients
would be able to return items purchased or given as gifts between Thanksgiving
Day and Christmas Day (plus or minus three or four days) with no questions
asked.
I'm sure FedEx or UPS could set up several temporary storefronts in shopping
malls to handle the deluge of returnable items. The process would work somewhat
like getting a medical prescription filled at a supermarket pharmacy. All the
work would be done Cupcake charm and chain the staff of what I'll call "The
Returns Store."
You would take in the return items and their packaging. The Returns Store
staff would figure out the refunds and shipping costs, obtain a Returned
Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number, print shipping labels, box the returns
and send them, and you would walk out with a check or credit card refund.
Contrast this simple, straightforward and efficient process with a typical
returns procedure for an Amazon "storefront." Just in case you are not familiar
with the storefront concept, let me explain as briefly as I can. Storefronts are
electronic online retailers whose products are displayed on Amazon's website in
the same style as Amazon's goods and are processed just like any other
items.
The differences are that the shipping and handling are done by the storefront
and any returns have to be processed by the storefront employees according to
that company's own policies, which can be, and often are, very different from
Amazon's policies. This procedure can work well but it can also be a nightmare
for the purchaser.
Let me give you an example that I had to deal with recently. I am omitting
the actual name of the storefront to protect the guilty. I'll just call it the
"storefront." The process began with reviewing my Amazon account to find the
storefront's return polices. This consisted of a full page of single-spaced tiny
type - Sections (a) through (m) with detailed descriptions of getting an RMA,
restocking fees, unacceptable returns and much more.
I followed the storefront's instructions to the letter. After three
800-number calls (long waits), I obtained an RMA, boxed up the product, and
dropped it off at the local post office. Cost of shipping: $9, time expended:
about three hours. All this for an item priced at $20! I did get an
acknowledgement that the storefront had received the return but after a month
had passed I had yet to get a refund. Bricks-and-mortar stores are looking much
better at this point.
As I was preparing to say "Never again!" to the Amazon storefront method of
online shopping, I Elsa Peretti Open Heart earrings across an article in The Wall
Street Journal (page R7, Nov. 30, 2009) entitled "Get Smart About Product
Returns," which should be required reading for marketing, sales, and support
managers in both online stores and conventional retail operations.
The authors, two business-school professors, show how a carefully crafted
returns policy can be a revenue generator rather than a revenue drain. Such
policies can build customer loyalty and increase sales, say the authors, by
actively managing returns and providing first-class service.
Published Date:
28/06/2010
Modified Date:
28/06/2010
Cuban youth arrested for wearing bracelets
?????Nov. 2--The latest fad among Cuban youth is a simple white rubber bracelet
emblazoned with the word "CAMBIO" -- change -- and it landed up to 60 young
people behind bars this week, according to human-rights activists on the
island.
Several dissidents in Cuba said a group of about 16 young people took to the
street in Havana on Sunday to protest the second round of Cuba's municipal
elections. Many of them were wearing the white wristbands, similar to the
cancer-awareness bracelets made popular by cyclist Lance Return to Tiffany
heart tag Charm and bracelet.
The bracelets were sent to Cuba as part of a Miami-based initiative to foster
dissent, and appear to have become a fashion trend.
"My son was not even at the protest on Sunday, but they came to the house
with an arrest warrant on Tuesday looking for him," anti-Castro activist Aurelio
Bachiller said by phone from Havana. "They took the bracelet from him and tossed
him in a cell."
CRACKDOWN
Picked up at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Macdonis Bachiller, 21, was released
Thursday afternoon. Apparently incensed over Sunday's protest, Cuba's security
and police agents conducted round-ups Monday and Tuesday, detaining anyone on
the street wearing one of the bracelets, Juan Carlos Gonzalez Leyva, a board
member of the Council of Human Rights Rapporteurs said by telephone in
Havana.
He said about 60 young people were swept up, including two who are relatives
of known Elsa
Peretti Teardrop bracelet.
The arrests triggered fears that the Cuban government has kicked off a new
wave of repression to crack down on dissent -- one that ensnared largely
apolitical teens.
Although some of the youth wear the bracelet as a sign of protest, the
majority are enjoying the same fashion craze that swept the United States,
Gonzalez said.
"Some people wear the AIDS ones which are yellow," Gonzalez said. 'These are
white, but in the schools a lot of kids wear it backwards, so you can't see the
word 'change.' For a lot of kids, it's nothing but a distraction. It doesn't
matter to them if it says change or anything else."
But it matters, he added, to the government.
The young people detained Monday and Tuesday were warned that authorities
were preparing files on them to later charge them with "social
dangerousness."
Cuba's opposition journalists have reported similar detentions and seizures
of the bracelets in sporadic cases around the island since early this year.
IN WASHINGTON
The case triggered strong reaction in Washington, where Cuban-American
members of Congress -- and President Bush's Cabinet -- fired off statements in
support of the youth.
"I wear the bracelet, but it's easy for us to wear whatever bracelet you
want," Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said in a telephone interview. He
said he wears his every day, even to bed.
"In Cuba, they wear it and 70 students are mistreated and thrown in jail. It
takes courage for students in Cuba to wear it. I admire them."
Macdonis Bachiller already has a new Elsa Peretti Open
Heart bracelet wristband: his dad brought it to him when he picked him up at
the police station.
El Nuevo Herald staff writer Wilfredo Cancio Isla contributed to this
report.
Credit: The Miami Herald
Published Date:
22/02/2010
Modified Date:
22/02/2010
Shoulder-Grazing Earrings
?????LEAD: A few years ago, the discreet diamond stud was the all-purpose earring
for fashionable women. Now the pendulum has swung. Big bold buttons are the
earrings of choice for daytime, and shoulder-grazing drops are the way to go for
evening. With the new short hairdos, something has to fill in the space between
head and Elsa
Peretti Open Heart bracelet.
A few years ago, the discreet diamond stud was the all-purpose earring for
fashionable women. Now the pendulum has swung. Big bold buttons are the earrings
of choice for daytime, and shoulder-grazing drops are the way to go for evening.
With the new short hairdos, something has to fill in the space between head and
shoulder.
There have always been drop earrings, but the newest versions are going to
new Flower charm
braceletbracelet - from
four to six and sometimes even eight inches. These shoulder dusters might be
delicate cascades of pearls or tiny gems, or they might be a jumble of oversize
stones, but they are definitely long. And frankly fake. Real jewels that big
would be vulgar, unless, of course, you're the Queen of England.
''Romeo Gigli started it,'' said Joan Kaner, the fashion director of
Neiman-Marcus. ''He showed earrings that were three or four strands of tiny
drops of jet or hammered silver. Paris couturiers then picked up on it for the
shows in July. It's made a big impact, and we see it going into holiday and Tiffany Cushion
Toggle bracelet.'' Jane Tuma, the fashion director for accessories at Saks
Fifth Avenue, likes the movement these exaggerated drops add to the long, lean
lines of the new evening dresses and expects to see lots of them in stores.
Published Date:
20/02/2010
Modified Date:
20/02/2010
Earrings From Antiquity to the Present
?????Keywords Jewellery, History
Archaeological evidence suggests that both men and women have been wearing
earrings from the third century Bc. Originally the idea for piercing ears and
inserting a metallic ornament comes from the Orient. This book, however, focuses
on the history of mainstream earrings for Western women from pre-history to the
Paloma's Zellige
bracelet.
From earliest times through to today, earrings can be divided into two types
-- hoops and pendants and this is reflected throughout this historical survey
The book is divided into four main chapters, which each cover a major historical
time period. Photographs are placed at the end of each section to illustrate the
preceding text. The illustrations in this book are particularly fine, with more
than 600 examples of designs, 108 in colour. The book concludes with an index,
glossary and very useful and detailed biographical notes on designers.
The fashion for wearing precious metals spread from Egypt to the classical Tiffany Red heart
lock charm and bracelet, Roman and Hellenistic worlds to Byzantium. During
the Middle Ages, however, with the advent of high ruff collars, earrings
practically disappeared. It was not until the eighteenth century that earrings
became an essential form of adornment. The perfecting of techniques for cutting
coloured gemstones and diamonds paved the way for the development of very
glamorous and stylish designs. During the nineteenth century we see a great
vogue for classical and Roman motifs in jewellery design. The First World War
changed many people's lives forever, and in particular women, who became more
emancipated and adopted shorter dresses and shorter hairstyles. This gave way to
a rise in popularity for long pendant earrings, which has continued right
through to the 1990s. The introduction of clip earrings in the 1930s also
allowed women to wear heavy earrings without piercing their ears.
This is an excellent historical survey of the development of Party charm
bracelet, how styles evolved and the impact of technological developments in
cutting stone. Although there are many excellent works published on jewellery
generally, there is little to compare in terms of detail and depth of research
on the subject of earrings exclusively This book is likely to be of great
interest and use to professionals, students and collectors and is recommended
for purchase for all art collections.
Published Date:
12/02/2010
Modified Date:
12/02/2010
Real men wear earrings
?????A WELL-dressed Black man walks up to the fine jewelry counter in a department
store. He takes his time inspecting the various earrings-silver, gold, platinum.
After careful consideration, he settles on a pair of flawless, 1-carat diamond
studs. "Your wife will love these," the cashier says, handing him the Heart chain
braceletbracelet.
"They're not for my wife," the man replies. "They're for me." Earrings on men
have become so common that you may not have noticed who's wearing them. From
businessmen to actors, sports stars to blue-collar workers, earrings have
evolved from a shocking male fashion statement into an everyday accessory.
Today, there is no doubt that men who wear earrings are stylish, confident and
masculine. A growing list of men, including universally recognized role model
Michael Jordan and rugged football star Andre Rison, say, in effect, that real
men do wear earrings.
While some men deliberately seek diamond earrings,
others wear them by default. After discovering that an exgirlfriend was
unfaithful, model Tyson Beckford didn't know what to do with the expensive
diamond studs he was going to give her. Instead of returning them, he decided to
wear them himself.
In the early '80s, unwritten social rules restricted men to wearing a single
stud earring in the left ear. Anything too flashy or in the wrong ear was
considered taboo. If a man wanted to be taken seriously, he didn't dare wear an
earring to work.
Ed Bradley, 60 Minutes co-editor and correspondent, was prompted to get his
ear pierced after interviewing Liza Minelli in 1986. When the subject of
earrings came up, Bradley expressed his interest in wearing one. Minelli later
presented him with a diamond stud, and he had his left ear pierced soon after.
Bradley endured a lot of controversy when he wore the earring on-camera, but he
weathered the storm and proved that men of all ages and professions can wear an
earring with style. He continues to wear a hoop or diamond earring to work and
chooses from a variety of studs for social occasions.
Corey Johnson, a
37-year-old physical instructor for Lake Shore Park in the Chicago Park
District, got his ear pierced while in college. While his fraternity brothers
approved, his family was another story.
"My mom told me she had two daughters, and that was enough," says Johnson.
His father and brothers were even less accepting. "They told me only sissies
wore earrings."
Johnson originally wore a gold stud in his ear, which he was forced to cover
with a Band-Aid when he joined the police force. He let the hole close, then
decided to get a gold hoop five years later.
Is Johnson worried what the kids he works with think about his fashion
statement? Charm
bracelet at all, he says, considering that some of his male students, ages
6-11, are busy making statements of their own-some even wearing earrings.
Johnson's family has also grown to accept his earring, and the same brother who
disapproved 19 years ago now wears an earring of his own.
Times have definitely changed. These days, many men wear earrings in both
ears, sometimes with more than one in each ear. Comedian and Vibe host Sinbad is
rarely seen without the dangling crosses he wears in both ears. Singers Johnny
Gill and Keith Sweat have been known to sport a diamond in each ear.
The unwritten rule of thumb seems to be that the older a man gets, the more
discreet the jewelry becomes. For example, trendsetting actor MalcolmJamal
Warner wears multiple earrings, and even had his tongue pierced last year. On
the other hand, distinguished music mogul Quincy Jones alternates between a
close-fitting gold hoop or discreet stud in one ear.
While men in the entertainment industry and other creative fields have the
freedom to wear whatever they choose, men in other professions must remove their
earrings when they go to work. The National Basketball Association and other
athletic organizations, for example, strictly prohibit players from wearing
jewelry of any kind while in uniform. When the game is over, athletes such as
Michael Jordan wear earrings to complement their unique sense of style.
In the '90s, a man wearing an earring is no longer unusual. No matter Tiffany Notes tag
bracelet a man's profession, self-confidence makes all the difference
between a man who simply wears an earring and a man who wears it well. "I did it
for me," Johnson says, "and I've never regretted my decision."
Published Date:
11/02/2010
Modified Date:
11/02/2010
Incoming First Lady
?????AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE FEATURES)--Jan. 18, 2001--First lady- to-be
Laura Bush today selected Austin-based jewelry designer Anthony- Nak to be one
of her inaugural accessory providers of choice.
The two-year-old company also has been enlisted to design Toggle bracelet,
earrings and bracelets to be worn by Bush daughters, Barbara and Jenna, during
the inaugural events Jan. 20 in Washington.
Anthony-Nak designers Anthony Camargo and David Nakard Armstrong developed
two separate necklace designs from which the incoming first lady will select.
One is a spinel and scarlet tourmaline necklace set in 18-carat gold. The second
is a multi-strand spinel and Burmese ruby necklace set in 18-carat gold. The
designers also crafted a set of Burmese ruby earrings to accompany the
necklace.
The former Texas first lady also will wear a triple strand of champagne
freshwater pearls set in sterling silver along with matching earrings during an
unofficial inaugural dinner Friday.
"Designing the inaugural jewelry for the new first family is a tremendous
honor for Elsa
Peretti Sevillana bracelet," said Camargo. "To know that we're playing a
small part in this historic event is extremely meaningful to us -- both
professionally as jewelry designers and personally as fellow Texans."
Camargo and Armstrong design jewelry for a number of celebrities, from
Cameron Diaz and Sandra Bullock to Cher and Sarah MacLachlan.
According to Armstrong, Anthony-Nak designers draw their creative inspiration
from past periods when jewelry was more than just an accessory, but an integral
part of women's dress. In designing their collection, the self-taught style of
Camargo and Armstrong integrates antiquity and art nouveau by drawing on these
past elements in a modern representation.
"Our goal is to create jewelry that is modern and sensual and conforms to the
body like a bias-cut fabric," Armstrong said. "Each piece combines precious and
semi-precious stones that are woven together with silver and gold in a lace-like
fashion, giving the jewelry fluidity and movement."
About Anthony-Nak
Formed in November 1998 and based in Austin, Texas, Anthony-Nak Inc., designs
fresh, unique and individual jewelry for a diverse list of clients. The
company's client list includes a number of well- known actresses and musicians,
including Cameron Diaz, Cher, Jewel, Sarah Elsa Peretti
Sevillana Mesh bracelet, Sandra Bullock, Lucy Liu, Jennifer Tilly and Geri
Halliwell. The company distributes its jewelry to Neiman Marcus stores in 21
U.S. cities, including Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Chicago and Seattle;
Dallas-based Stanley Korshak, Henri Bendel of New York; and Fred Segal of Santa
Monica, Calif.
Published Date:
10/02/2010
Modified Date:
10/02/2010
Cheyenne Dentalium Choker and Earrings
?????Cheyenne Dentalium Choker and Earrings.
Traded extensively throughout North America, dentalium shell (Dentalium spp.)
was used as a medium for decoration and ornamentation by many Native American
tribes. I have long admired dentalium chokers and ear drops, especially those
crafted by the Elsa Peretti Eternal
Circle Bracelet.
Numerous examples of early and late 19th century use of dentalium chokers and
earrings by Plains tribes can be found in early works by artists and
photographers. In Karl Bodmer's America (Bodmer, p 265), there is a watercolor
of a Cree woman wearing an elaborate set of dentalium earrings. Bodmer has also
included an insert to the portrait that highlights the earrings decorated with
blue trade beads. Other interesting and highly decorative uses of dentalium
shells for hair and ear ornamentation are further evident in portraits of Mandan
men "Mandeh-Pahchu" (Bodmer, p. 301), Si'h-Sa (Bodmer, p. 306), and Si'h-Chida
(Bodmer, p. 307).
Ledger drawings offer additional evidence of dentalium choker and earring use
among Plains tribes (Powell, Vol 1, pp 129, 137, 349, 359, 361, 363, 543, 545,
547, 549; Vol 2, pp 963, 967, 979, 1103, 1105, 1109, 1110). From photographs and
ledger drawings, there does not appear to be too much variation in the
appearance of men's and women's styles for dentalium chokers, although earrings
tend to be longer in style for women than for men.
Because I did not have access to original pieces, 19th century photographs of
individuals wearing dentalium chokers and earrings were the most useful for me
in gaining insights on style and construction.
I found two excellent photos of dentalium choker in Vol 2 of Peter Powell's
People of the Sacred Mountain worn by White Buffalo (p. 1066) and White Hawk (p.
1127). I also found a good close-up of a plain dentalium choker in Hau, Kola
(Hail, p. 134, plate 107). On page 233 of Hail's book, is a photograph of Little
Wolf wearing an excellent example of fancy dentalium ear drops with what appears
to be abalone dress pendants.
Materials &valentines
gifts
The materials I used were old style smooth tusk dentalium shells (Dentalium
vulgare) and white abalone (Haliotis spp.) dress pendants courtesy of Chuck
Snell in Trinidad, Calif. (Genera and species epithets cited from Mr. Snell's
price list). For the spacers, I used latigo leather dyed with red earth paints
mixed with bear fat and a pinch of salt. The dentalia were sorted by size and
color and strung with split imitation sinew. After all the shells were strung,
#12 brass tacks were driven through the latigo spacers (be careful - one wrong
blow with your hammer and your shells can shatter!). The points were then cut
off with nippers. (The nippers were not able to cut off the shafts of the tacks
completely flush against the latigo spacers, so after I was finished, I glued
strips of braintan on the backside of the spacers, covering the exposed points.)
Small Glover's needles were used to string the dentalium through pre-punched
holes in the latigo and an awl was used to pop out sand grains that were lodged
in the small ends of dentalium (by gently applying pressure against the tip of
the shell, the awl was also useful for enlarging the holes just enough so that
the needle could be pulled through easily). Small jewelry crimp rings were used
to attach the abalone pendants to the spacers, and commercial hoop earrings were
purchased for the actual earrings of the ear drops. Two strips of brain-tanned
leather were looped through the ends in a "cat's paw" for tying the choker
around the neck.
Finally, I found a pair of narrow needle-nose pliers to be helpful in pulling
the Glover's needles through the latigo and Return to Tiffany
Bead Bracelet. Since the completion of this project, it has been suggested
that the brass tacks could be driven into the spacers and bradded flat before
stringing the shells to avoid breaking and to minimize scratches against the
wearer's neck.
Published Date:
09/02/2010
Modified Date:
09/02/2010
Techniques of Beading Earrings Video
?????VideoCorner: Techniques of Beading Earrings Square cuff
links.
by Deon DeLange. Produced by Bosworth Communications; distributed by Eagles'
View Publishing Co, 1993. VHS, color, approx 76 minutes. $29.95.
Techniques of Beading Earrings is one of the most complete beading lessons
that anyone could hope to view. It was wonderful to have the video narrated by
the author of so many successful and informative beading books. Not only is Deon
DeLange a very talented designer, she is an easy to understand and follow Tiffany 1837 Cuff
links.
Introductory parts deal with the basic supplies that one would need to bead.
DeLange takes her time to carefully explain and show why certain materials are
essential. The section on "Tips and Tricks of the Trade" is a treasure trove for
any level of beader.
Through the mechanism of start and completion of one pair of beaded earrings,
DeLange covers the whole process with close-ups of one part or another adding
greatly to the reader's understanding. One of the most interesting parts of the
presentation is DeLange's inclusion of natural materials such as porcupine Tiffany 1837 Cuff
links. The total impact is that Techniques of Beading Earrings is a highly
motivational video that this reviewer highly recommends for any level of beader.
Published Date:
08/02/2010
Modified Date:
08/02/2010