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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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."

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.

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.

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.