Gemesis teams with jewelry maker - February 5, 2004
2/5/2004
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
February 5, 2004
Partnership will combine Gemesis' cultured diamonds with titanium jewelry
By MARGARET ANN MIILLE
LAKEWOOD RANCH -- A Deerfield Beach company that makes titanium jewelry is expanding a product line using cultured diamonds made by Gemesis Corp.
A deal announced Wednesday calls for Spectore Corp. to design, produce and market a line addition to its Edward Mirell jewelry collection.
David Hellier, vice president of marketing for the Lakewood Ranch-based Gemesis, said the agreement doesn't specify the quantity of diamonds to be sold to Spectore.
"We don't know the size of the deal," Hellier said.
The Edward Mirell line is sold at independent jewelry stores, national jewelry chains and department stores in North and South America, Europe and Japan.
"In order to get broad acceptance of our product, we need to be broadly available," Hellier said. "Our plan is that this turns out to be a beneficial relationship financially for Gemesis."
Gemesis, which makes fancy colored diamonds of up to 2 carats using intense heat and pressure at its plant at Professional Parkway East, will work with Spectore to test consumer and retail response to the line in preparation for the 2004 holiday season.
Spectore's Edward Mirell line is being displayed through Friday at the Tucson Gem Show in Arizona and from Saturday through Monday at one of the nation's premier jewelry events, the JCK Show in Phoenix.
Gemesis is showcasing its diamonds through Monday in Tucson at the GLDA, a show of mainly precious gems that attracts international attention.
The new partners characterize their new agreement as the "first in jewelry design history to marry two high-tech materials that deliver both beauty and value to the consumer."
Hellier said Spectore labored for years to get the jewelry industry to accept titanium as a precious metal and a viable jewelry product.
Spectore is Gemesis' only manufacturing partner. Gemesis also sells diamonds online through its U.S. and European partners. It has nine retail partners in seven states, including Shrode Jewelers in Sarasota.
