Archive for category News
Leon Megé Wins First Place in AJDC’s New Talent Design Competition
This past week Leon was given the great honor of First Place in the American Jewelry Design Council‘s New Talent Design Contest. The award was especially important to Leon because it honored his entire body of work as a custom fine jewelry designer. It was a one time only chance, and Leon took home the top prize.
The New Talent Competition is a major event in the world of fine jewelry. Many important figures in the industry come to the show to see the year’s new talent. Editors from all different types of magazines come to discover who is the next designer they will feature in their publications. It’s a great opportunity to be a part of. At the show, Leon was interviewed by television reporters, magazine editors, and journalists–everyone wanted to meet the New Talent winner.
At the ceremony was renowned designer Jose Hess. Hess is one of the first great American designers to make a name for himself in the world of fine jewelry. He has won many awards throughout the span of his illustrious career. Hess was the first American president of the CIBJO, an international trade association that works on creating standards for the jewelry industry throughout the world. Hess is a decorated designer and is the winner of numerous design competitions. He has won the prestigious DeBeer’s Diamonds International award multiple times and his work has been featured throughout W, In Style, and Vogue. To say that it is an honor to have had him present for the awards is an understatement.
While at the show, Leon had the pleasure of meeting other great designers who competed in the in the New Talent Design Contest. It was a testament to the competition to be surrounded by such great talent.
As the first place winner, Leon was given a booth in the New Designers Gallery at the JA Show to showcase the best of his custom made fine jewelry.
The beautiful award Leon received is a special piece designed by Michael Good, a prestigious sculptor who is known for his use of the Anticlastic Raising technique.
Here’s an interview Leon did on his experience at the show:
It was a great event and a great honor to take part in. Congratulations to all those involved for such a successful show.
Requiem for an Innovator
The death of Steve Jobs is a tragic loss to us all. I was very saddened to hear the news of the death of the innovator who stimulated the technological revolution and inspired us throughout all these years.
I revered Steve as an artist. He didn’t simply create technology; he made technology an art form. He treated his works not simply as utilitarian objects, but as works of art that enrich our lives. Steve created his products with the same philosophy that I create my jewelry – produce something that isn’t merely a practical upgrade from the original, but something that also has the aesthetics and soul of the original.
We extend our profoundest condolences to everyone in Cupertino and Steve’s family and friends. I only hope that upon my death someone would say one millionth of all the fondest praises that people have expressed for the Father of Innovation, Mr. Steve Jobs.
Get Your Platinum Ring Now!!!!! (Update to Gold, Silver, Platinum Prices Post)
Gold price 8/9/11
Last night, for the first time since Dec. 2008, gold prices rose to platinum price levels. This is a clear indication that shortly platinum prices will rise once more.
The logical conclusion is simple: there has never been a better time to use platinum in your jewelry!!!
A few months ago we predicted that platinum prices will be rising within a year or two. The fact that gold became on par with platinum last night supports this forecast. ” “…history shows that when a market does go parabolic, or into an acceleration phase, it’s usually the final stage of a major bull market run” -Forbes
Using platinum is jewelry is a golden opportunity!!!
Current gold price 8/9/2011: Last – $1,733 Open: $1,748
Current platinum price 8/9/2011: Last -$1,741 Open: $1,732
Sources: “Comex Gold Goes Parabolic” -Forbes
Platinum price 8/9/11
Gold, Silver & Platinum Prices Forecast and Analysis
You hear it all the time: “Gold and silver are at an all-time high!”
Some important questions arise from this fact that we would like to address:
Why are gold and silver prices so high? What is the forecast for metal prices?What impact will this price increase have on jewelry?
Word on the street is that the main reason for gold and silver prices increases has nothing to do with inflation, currency, or the economy’s status quo. In reality, predatory billionaires with schools of brokers, traders, and speculators surrounding them are driving commodity prices up for their own selfish gain.
This is not sustainable given our current economic climate. We believe that prices would significantly decrease if they were disconnected from those traders. Unfortunately, we live in the real world. Such a situation is impossible. Given the insatiable appetite of rapacious billionaires who are willing to suck all of the blood out of the proletariat (along with their money), we continue to see prices creeping up slowly. Unless there’s a catastrophe, no sudden price jump is forecasted.
You might have noticed that thus far we’re only addressed gold and silver. What about platinum?
Platinum will in all likelihood increase in price within a year or two to unprecedented levels. The rule of thumb is that when price of platinum falls to under 10% more than the price of gold, it becomes strongly undervalued. Currently, it is only about 15% more than gold.A realistic platinum price would be about 80% more than gold.
Today, platinum prices are unbelievably low. So why exactly are platinum prices so low?
1) Due to platinum’s rarity the sheer volume of platinum doesn’t allow vicious traders to put massive bets on the metal.
2) With the auto industry in the latrine (where most platinum is consumed –unlike popular belief that it’s used mainly in jewelry), platinum prices are artificially depressed.
Therefore, we advise a “strong buy” for this metal.
Effect current metal prices will have on jewelry:
When prices adjust accordingly with real world supply/demand value, people will be stunned to realize how “inexpensive” gold jewelry really is compared to platinum. People will see a flood of poorly made, low cost, imported gold jewelry on the market which will push the trend for jewelry that has few diamonds or gemstones. Given this, we forecast a shift to a growing popularity of flowery styles, and bold geometric shapes designs. Stone Jewelry (high-end jewelry with diamonds/gems and very little metal) will once again be relegated to the higher and finer spectrum of the market.
Wearing platinum engagement rings will be a luxury reserved for a few lucky people –just as it was 20 years ago.
Leon Megé in Show Biz -May Attractions: La Petite Collection
Leon Megé is soon joining Hollywood. Having now mastered ultimate heights of jewelry craftsmanship and design, Leon Megé decided to take his career to a new level and enter show business. Check out our latest feature movie release:
Leon Mege La Petite Collection Crash Course
As we prepare for our Le Petite Collection launch, some of you might wonder: “why did they do this?” “who would wear these?” “are they for real?”
Why we did this: Oh so many reasons. If you don’t quite get why see a list of their uses: http://tinyrings.com/(for those of you that can’t find it the “List of Uses” button is at the bottom of the page.
La Petite Collection by Leon Mege (Yes those are candies with the rings)
Who would wear these? Women.
Are we for real? As real as these rings.
All of you love ‘em. Some are confused. “Well, love ‘em or leave ‘em.”
If you’re wondering about the prices, the range is approximately between $999 and $2299. To find out individual prices of each ring, you’ll just have to wait until tomorrow May 10th, 9:00 AM EST.
Other Answers to common questions:
You buy them at www.micropave.com. They’re available May 10, 2011 at starting 9:00 am.
Yes, these are worn as a pendant or charm. They’re 10mm (less than ½ inch for those who don’t know the metric system).
No, they won’t fit your pinky even if you’re the tiniest human woman.
Please keep out of reach of children and don’t try to put it on them.
These rings are collectible and come in a special collector’s box upon request. When Leon Megé croaks you will be able to sell them for an exponentially higher price than at which you bought them. They come with a certificate of authenticity and an edition number.
No, they don’t undermine a traditional engagement. That’s why they’re petite.
Any other questions? Feel free to contact us at 212-768-3868 or via email at info@artofplatinum.com
-Leon Megé Inc. Team
Kate Middleton’s Engagement Ring: Second Hand’s Fit for a Princess
We extend our congratulations to the British people on the nuptials of the royal couple. We’re very happy for our British friends and express our love for British culture, shoes, and music. We do not express gratitude for British food at this time, however.
Royalty is the new version of a celebrity in modern times. The difference in notoriety of icons such as Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, or Charlie Sheen and Prince Charles is that after Charlie Sheen goes to Bourbon heaven, his children will be wealthy but won’t be celebrities unless they go on a cocaine binge (allegedly). However, Prince Charles’ offspring will have celebredom for generations to come.
Living in the U.S. –the land of the free– we can’t quite grasp for the necessity of freeloaders who stay on the payroll of taxpayers indefinitely. It would make more sense to help victims of the Japan disaster than spend so much money on such an extravagant event at someone else’s expense.
Nonetheless, one positive trend of royalty of any kind coming from activist royals is that they instituted gem stone engagements. Finally, a knight in shining armor stood his ground and tried to slay the Dragon of DeBeers with a magic blue stone.
We applaud the British monarchs who stand tall against the diamond cartel who are shoving crystallized carbon down our throats.
It is perfectly acceptable to get engaged using a classy sapphire or any other natural colored stone. This won’t diminish the amount of love or loyalty two people share with one another.
Of course, it’s always difficult to be a trendsetter. It’s not that simple to persuade someone who’s raised on the diamond engagement ring dogma, that a sapphire is just as majestic. It’s not a sign of stinginess; it’s merely another option.
Regardless, we could imagine a conversation that took place in the Buckingham Palace kitchen circa October, 2010 after Kate Middleton recovered from the Kenyan yellow fever:
Kate Middleton's Engagement Ring -18 carat
Kate Middleton: Sapphire? Sapphire! Where’s the diamond???
Prince William: But darling, a sapphire is a bloody good stone. The ring is almost new. Look at it, it’s brilliant!
Kate Middleton: Brilliant my arse! It’s a hand-me-down. Your mother used to wear it, didn’t she?
Wait a minute… is this heated??? Does it even come with a certificate? What am I going to say when I take it to an appraiser? I always suspected you were cheap but not royally cheap.
Prince William: You silly girl. It takes real class to acknowledge the value of a sapphire. But it’s ok, it will come to you with time.
Kate Middleton: Are you calling me a commoner?
Prince William: No, I’m calling you a shrek in a frock!
Russian Emperor Alexander II gave his wife Empress Maria Alexandrovna, a gorgeous sapphire –she didn’t complain.
Kate Middleton: Hers was probably over 250 carats. Mine is only 18! Look at it, it’s an old lady’s ring. I wanted an elegant micro pavé halo. If you really wanted to give me a sapphire you
should have gone with Leon Megé’s ring from http://www.micropave.com.
Prince William: I did call him but he told me that I ask too many questions and blacklisted me!
Kate Middleton: Bloody fool! Why didn’t you just let him do his job? Don’t you love me?
Prince William: But of course! I love you more than Grey Poupon. What if I would get you the lead role on Housewives of Buckingham Palace.
Kate Middleton: (Stunned. After a pause…)
You would? Really? Oh darling, you do love me!
Prince William: So… shall we shag now or shall we shag later?
Leon Mege Three-Stone Sapphire Ring
We were obviously not witness to this conversation, and can’t promise that it actually occurred. However, we are glad that more people will start using sapphires in their engagement rings.
The diamond wasn’t even the standard engagement ring stone until the 19th century. Throughout history sapphires were a preferred stone among royalty. Queen Victoria’s State Crown houses a sapphire which journeyed through the hands of kings and cardinals since 1214. Catherine the Great’s “unidentified lover” presented her with a gorgeous sapphire which she cherished. King Edward VII’s ring to Queen Alexandra didn’t feature a single diamond. It had beryls, emeralds, rubies, topazes, jacinth and emeralds.
We’ve completed a full circle and are now returning to colored gems as center stones for engagement rings. As with most trends in fashion, we look to the past to establish the future. The spectrum of engagement should include all colors of the rainbow, not just diamonds.
NY Magazine Wedding Show: An event to remember
A special thanks to Bonnie Cohen for introducing us to this event and for her flawless organization of it.
The New York Magazine Wedding Show last evening exceeded all of our expectations. Held at the elegant Metropolitan Pavilion, the overall setting and atmosphere was just as chic as the venue. Vendors from every specialty of the wedding industry gathered and displayed their best work. A full house, women and (a few men) flocked to get a peak at the top vendors of each trade. Indulging on wine and appetizers, they glided through the pavilion with immense intrigue. The event was absolutely nothing short of pure class, beauty, and sophistication.
It was truly a great honor and wonderful opportunity for us to be present at the show. We were even lucky enough to be placed across an unnamed caterer who offered the most delicious hors d’ oeurvres. Though, I never did make it to the bar due to the overwhelming amount of people that gathered by our display, showering us with oohs and ahhas. We were pleasantly surprised at this, given what we perceived to be our lack of preparedness.
We had the distinct pleasure of becoming acquainted with various vendors, including wedding planners Cheryl from Cheyl J. Weddings & Events, and Candice Benson from The Finishing Touch Events, both whom we hope to work with in the future.
Another special treat was meeting Desma Holcomb from Empire State Pride Agenda, a New York’s statewide civil rights and advocacy organization. Ms. Holcomb is running a campaign for NY Businesses to support same sex marriage, which we have joined. For a long time I wanted to design wedding sets for same sex couples and meeting Ms. Holcomb gave me inspiration to proceed with my project/
We finally had the pleasure of speaking with Kristyn Mangiamele and Antonia Baker from Women’s Entertainment Channel. Even as a straight man, I actually enjoy watching WE. I love Fraiser reruns and one of my kids (who aspires to be a chef) likes the Amazing Wedding Cakes show. Our Marketing Director, Olga T., also informs me that she’s hooked on Ghost Whisperer and pretty much every wedding show.
Weddingchannel.com offered an instant win contest for a $5,000 shopping spree. We didn’t expect to win, but we did think it was a cool idea.
Meeting all the vendors and (festively intoxicated) attendees definitely left a wonderful lasting impression. As a first year participant of the show, we weren’t quite sure what to expect. We will definitely be back next year!
P.S. The answer to last post’s riddle is fortune cookies. We had customized with funny wedding theme messages. Here are a few:
Size does matter! (When it comes to diamonds 
Esposas: Spanish for “handcuffs” and “spouses.”
Wedding transactions: Credit card = groom → bride; Bills = bride → groom.
If you’re a Bridezilla, we have your wedding Ringzilla.
China’s Diamond and Gemstone Shopping Spree
China: an affluent and rapidly developing influence in our world will have an impact on just about every industry. Jewelry is no exception. Currently, China’s buying rate of diamonds and gems is growing exponentially; as Asia is growing richer, she is going on a shopping spree.
What does this mean for you? Well, although the US is still a major market for jewelry, the center is shifting toward Asia. This means that with the increasing affluence of Asians, the diamond/jewelry market is getting hot and demand is increasing. However, the supply remains static. Therefore, the price will be increasing for quality gemstones. These will be natural unenhanced quality larger stones such as sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. They will become so scarce that in certain price groups these stones will be simply unavailable.
Diamond prices will certainly also increase due to the high demand from Asia. After all, 1 billion people in China are certainly an elephant on the market that cannot be ignored.
So, dear readers, get the stones while supplies last and you can still afford them.
Are You Free Wed Night? Have a Date with Perry Chen & Leon Megé
March 30th from 5:00 – 8:00 pm, we will be participating at the NY Magazine’s New York Weddings Event, at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC. A variety of jewelers, caterers, photographers, bridal fashion designers, venue liaisons, planners, etc. will all be under one roof. We’re all being hoarded into one place to aid the newly engaged (as well some die hard wedding fans) in planning the wedding.
Aside from Leon Megé and an exhausting list of vendors, there will be some notable participants including Kate Spade NY, Bloomingdales, WE TV and the Women’s Channel.
So, yes it will be mainly women, and of course a few stray men who were dragged there by their fiancés. So why are we going to be there you might ask? Yes, we are well aware that the people there will probably all already have an engagement ring. Well, our target rests in those needing wedding bands and earrings as we’ll be relentlessly giving out brochures. Oh, and yes the free wine and beer are a plus! (Come to think about it, I might just leave Perry Chen with the display and stick by the bar.)
Our products and of course diamonds will be on display. So if you want to meet me, Leon Megé and my Diamond Concierge Perry Chen, or are just after free alcohol as you look at luxury jewelry, then stop by even if you’re not engaged.
Riddle Lovers:
You’ll have the good fortune of getting a special treat from Mr. Chen. Can you predict what it is? If you paid attention, you’ll realize we already gave you the answer. If not, then go to the event or wait for our future blog next Thursday to find out what it is.
The Metropolitan Pavilion is at 125 W 18th St. (Between 6th and 7th avenues).
For more info go to: http://nymag.com/weddingsevent/
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