Jewelry Industry

Some people wait years before their creative talents are recognized. Robert Keith waited less than 24 hours. It was 2005 and Keith, a fashion photographer looking for a new challenge, had just made his first piece of fine jewelry: a gold ring that looked like a miniature version of a ship's anchor chain. "I was so proud of it, I put it on my finger and I went down the street the next day to a Starbucks," Keith said, "and a lady tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'Excuse me, where did you get that ring?

Some people wait years before their creative talents are recognized. Robert Keith waited less than 24 hours. It was 2005 and Keith, a fashion photographer looking for a new challenge, had just made his first piece of fine jewelry: a gold ring that looked like a miniature version of a ship's anchor chain. "I was so proud of it, I put it on my finger and I went down the street the next day to a Starbucks," Keith said, "and a lady tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'Excuse me, where did you get that ring?

State officials have filed a lawsuit against 16 downtown Los Angeles jewelry stores and distributors, accusing them of selling items with toxic levels of lead. Capping a three-year investigation, the state Department of Toxic Substances Control said at a news conference Tuesday that it had seized 306 pieces of jewelry that were found to be tainted with high levels of lead and cadmium. The jewelry seized was mainly inexpensive adult and children's jewelry, said Brian Johnson, the department's deputy director of enforcement.

State officials have filed a lawsuit against 16 downtown Los Angeles jewelry stores and distributors, accusing them of selling items with toxic levels of lead. Capping a three-year investigation, the state Department of Toxic Substances Control said at a news conference Tuesday that it had seized 306 pieces of jewelry that were found to be tainted with high levels of lead and cadmium. The jewelry seized was mainly inexpensive adult and children's jewelry, said Brian Johnson, the department's deputy director of enforcement.

The sparkle has returned to the jewelry industry after years of, well, lusterless sales. An improved economy, repeal of the luxury tax and new marketing options, such as home-shopping television, are behind the turnaround, which began a year ago. "I think the confidence in wearing jewelry is coming back," said Simon Teakle, who heads the U.S. jewelry division of Christie's auction house, where 1993 sales rose 25% over the previous year.

First he raided your grooming products. Then he usurped your aesthetician. And now, ladies, not even your jewelry box is safe. Today, men are buying themselves bracelets, rings and pendant necklaces with increasing frequency and wearing their bling with a confidence and flair heretofore unseen in the Western world, according to fashion experts and industry observers.

I knew things would be bad even before I set out this week to see how jewelry stores were faring this holiday season. I knew owners of these small businesses were facing a triple whammy: the crappy economy, sky-high gold prices and a product that's a luxury and by no means a necessity. I expected to hear more than a few tales of woe. But I wasn't ready for the complete devastation I came across. "It's almost Christmas," said Joel Taban, owner of Oro Shop in the heart of the jewelry district in downtown Los Angeles.

I am compelled to correct a misperception that was created as a result of several statements attributed to me in Timothy Williams' article, "A Case With Many Facets" (Sept. 29). Regrettably, the article has reinforced an undeserved image regarding the merchants in the Los Angeles jewelry district. Further, the observations I made to Williams, when viewed out of context, serve only to fuel the perception that the downtown jewelry industry is replete with corruption. As with any segment of society, there is and likely always will be an unprincipled element who will prey upon the unsuspecting.

Re "Citing Health Hazards, State Halts Jewelry Making in an L.A. Building," July 28: We know there is a problem with toxic materials in the jewelry district, but here is another case of "Big Brotherism" in the form of the California Environmental Protection Agency. This sort of thing has been responsible for most of the corporate flight from Los Angeles over the last 45 years. How many of us remember the extensive auto and furniture manufacturing industries in this city? Now we have a focus on the jewelry industry.

A ring of jewelry thieves that for decades has terrorized the jewelry industry throughout the country is resurfacing locally, police say. "It's rearing its ugly head again," said Det. Mike Woodings of the Los Angeles Police Department. Woodings, who has been tracking the ring since 1988, said the holdup of an Encino jewelry manufacturer last week appears to be the work of the national syndicate.

I knew things would be bad even before I set out this week to see how jewelry stores were faring this holiday season. I knew owners of these small businesses were facing a triple whammy: the crappy economy, sky-high gold prices and a product that's a luxury and by no means a necessity. I expected to hear more than a few tales of woe. But I wasn't ready for the complete devastation I came across. "It's almost Christmas," said Joel Taban, owner of Oro Shop in the heart of the jewelry district in downtown Los Angeles.

Merchants in downtown Los Angeles' Jewelry District gritted their teeth Wednesday as the price of gold soared $70.10 an ounce -- the highest-ever one-day gain in dollars -- and dashed even slim hopes that the struggling economy hadn't wiped out all customers. A gold chain that cost $450 last year at Acapulco Jewelry now costs $1,000 -- and isn't likely to be sold soon, said owner Raymond Cohan. "The economy's so bad customers can't even pay their mortgages.

Doris Payne never carried a gun. She never smashed a window or broke into a safe to take what she wanted. She just crossed her pantyhosed legs and murmured about the filigree ring under the glass. She wondered aloud about matching earrings. She would promise to return in 45 minutes, and only after Payne wafted away in her flowered dress would the clerk count the rings and come up short. But the decades passed, and the job grew more difficult. Her face became familiar.

Environmentalists want you to buy organic roses, and human rights groups tout conflict-free diamonds. Now, just in time for Valentine's Day, jewelry retailers are stepping up a campaign that aims to discourage the mining and sale of "dirty gold." A group of prominent jewelers including Tiffany & Co.

In February 2006, a 4-year-old child changed the jewelry business. The little boy, brought to a Minneapolis hospital emergency room because of vomiting and a stomachache, got steadily worse. After four days, he died. During an autopsy, a heart-shaped metal charm was found in the stomach of the boy, whose identity wasn't revealed. The piece of metal had the word Reebok printed on it. The charm had come with a pair of children's sneakers. A test revealed it to be 99.1% lead.

Jewelry and accessories retailer Claire's Stores Inc. said Tuesday that it would be acquired by private equity firm Apollo Management for about $3.1 billion. Apollo would pay $33 a share for Claire's, which targets girls and young women with its baubles. Shares of Pembroke Pines, Fla.-based Claire's rose $1.12 to $31.88 after the announcement. Claire's said members of its founding family, who own about one-third of the company's voting shares, would support the deal.

The boulders were as big as farm animals, and for $20 a month Feng Xingzhong's job was to slice them with an electric saw, cutting the hulks into fillets small enough to throw into a bowl. Other workers in the jewelry factory would trim the pieces of jade, turquoise, onyx and other gemstones into little hearts and beads, polish them, drill holes and string them onto earrings, bracelets and necklaces to be shipped off to American shoppers.

The diamond industry had reason to fear "Blood Diamond." The movie, set in 1990s Sierra Leone, is two-plus hours of brutal violence and corrupt gem dealing -- opening smack in the middle of the biggest diamond-buying season of the year. Early on, its star, Leonardo DiCaprio, went on record saying he now forbids his dates to wear diamonds. Amnesty International and Global Witness took the opportunity to publicize human rights abuses.

Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but when it comes to paying for the expensive sparklers, the boy's best friend may be Stephen D. Lux. Lux is a chemical engineer whose company, Gemesis Corp., turns out thousands of gem-quality yellow diamonds every month from a factory in Sarasota, Fla. Gem snobs may never go for them. But they're not fakes -- no cheap cubic zirconias, no moissanites these.

First it was organic fruits and vegetables. Then it was clothing manufactured outside of sweatshop conditions. Now, this Valentine's Day, the hottest item for the caring consumer is ethical jewelry -- diamonds, gold and silver that have been mined free of conflict and pollution. On the heels of the movie "Blood Diamond," several top jewelry retailers have pledged to support more socially responsible mining. A few companies have gone even further, selling recycled stones or diamonds from Canada.