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August 21st, 2008 by Judi

madonna.jpgFrom: JewelryInsider Great news! The New York Times Style Magazine reported this weekend that “Jewelry is back in a big way.” And by big they’re saying that women should no longer be afraid to wear a true ensemble (earrings, a necklace, and (gasp!) a bracelet). Or to combine costume with vintage. Or to layer their looks. That’s where the chains come in. A close sister to this summer’s pendant necklace craze, statement chains should go big. Varying lengths and link sizes are key. Confused? Enter Madonna. Madonna not only turned 50 this weekend, but she - yet again - showed us all how to rock the jewelry trend of the season. Her birthday bash outfit was your basic black, but was complemented by a Mr. T-like showing of bling.

August 18th, 2008 by Judi

a-hiphop.jpgFrom: JCKonline  Blinged-out hip-hop jewelry has often been dismissed by “serious” jewelers as a fad or a tiny niche, but auction house Phillips de Pury & Co. is lending the category a new level of industry cred. In a first-of-its-kind event by a major auction house, Phillips will hold a “Hip Hop’s Crown Jewels” auction on Oct. 1. Phillips calls the 50 pieces of jewelry “complex cultural artifacts embedded with style, and indelibly marked with narratives of class, religion, materialism, and the American Dream.” A portion of the sales will benefit Russell Simmons’ nonprofit organizations, including the Diamond Empowerment Fund. The items, from celebrities ranging from LL Cool J to Tupac Shakur to Jay-Z, are broken down by Phillips into the Golden Era of hip-hop (1980 to early 1990s), the mid-1990s battle between East and West Coast sounds, and hip-hop’s current mainstream age. Among the highlights of the auction are Biz Markie’s black-and-white diamond Headphones Pendant in white gold; Slick Rick’s multicolor diamond-set eye patch; Tupac Shakur’s diamond, ruby, and gold Crown Ring engraved “Pac & Dada 1996″ (Dada refers to Quincy Jones’s daughter Kidada, who was dating Shakur); Notorious B.I.G.’s yellow gold, stainless steel, and diamond Rolex; and the world’s largest diamond pendant (according to Guinness World Records), Lil’ Jon’s colorless and fancy yellow diamond and gold Crunk Ain’t Dead pendant, measuring 7.5 inches tall and 6 inches wide. The auction is led by Phillips’ worldwide head of contemporary jewelry Alia Varsano and Minya Oh, hip-hop authority and author of Bling Bling: Hip Hop’s Crown Jewels. The public preview of the jewels will be held at Phillips de Pury’s New York location Sept. 22 to Sept. 30. www.phillipsdepury.com

August 18th, 2008 by Judi

ebayindiaruby.jpgFrom: JCKonline An American has purchased a 3.69-ct. ruby on eBay India for $19,600, making it one of the most expensive jewelry items sold on the country-specific Web auction site.

Arvind Juneja of Jaipur, listed the ruby, eBay India said in a statement. Juneja has a family jewelry business on eBay. He has sold more than 90 pieces of jewelry and gems since October, 2007 on the Web site. His eBay id is “Jewelsafari.” “I am an avid collector of precious gemstones,” said Juneja, in the statement. “I wanted to trade my collection with the buyers who really understand the worth of these priceless and unique gemstones. I am glad that this stone is in the hands of someone who appreciates its true worth.” The ruby is certified by American Gem Trade Association Gem Testing Center, according to the statement.

August 14th, 2008 by Judi

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With a little help from Whiteflash, one of our customer’s recently proposed to his girlfriend, while serving in Iraq! Earl asked us to write a “will you marry me” note to include in the package that we sent to his now fiance’ Michelle! Of course she said yes!  Look for pictures of Earl in Iraq further down the blog from a previous post.

August 14th, 2008 by Judi

teething.jpg From: parentalguidance Get some bling for your baby’s grill — and we don’t mean gold dental work.
You can wear these funky big necklaces from Teething Bling if you don’t have an infant. But if you do, baby can gnaw on them instead of a binky. The jewelry, made from the same materials as teething toys, can pass for jade, coral, onyx or turquoise. It costs between $18 and $24. Teething Bling is free of phthalates, latex-free and dishwasher friendly, claim the makers. Pendants comes with a breakaway clasp as a safety feature. Buy them at smartmomjewlery.com.

August 11th, 2008 by Judi

iphone_diamondcase.jpgFrom: tgdaily Does the idea of a cheap iPhone 3G case make you think twice about wrapping your new phone in it? How about if the case were set with diamonds and projected to cost you around $15,000? That’s the idea of this new Diamond Case from Noreve. The Noreve Diamond Case is set with 272 diamonds, amounting to around 6.8 Karats. The diamonds are woven into the handcrafted leather of the case, with fifteen color choices being available for the case’s body. The diamonds, for those wishing to know, are all said to be “between 18 and 22 points and of VS1 quality and G color.” Each case is custom made as well, taking three weeks to construct. Now we aren’t saying your average person will run out and buy one of these cases, given they cost as some compact cars.

That being said, if you have the dough and don’t mind raising your mugging factor risk on the streets, especially if you considered purchasing the $1000 I am Rich application , it might be a way to flash your wealth and iPhone 3G at the same time. If you buy one of these though, you probably have enough cash as well to get yourself a security guard.

August 10th, 2008 by Judi

From: askmen.com For many guys, buying jewelry for a woman is intimidating and discouraging. Like her shoes and her clothes, her jewelry speaks directly to her personal tastes, yet it uses a language and lexicon most of us find obscure and barely familiar. Meanwhile, some pieces of jewelry are loaded with symbolism ready to pop us like land mines if we’re not careful. As a result, buying the right piece of jewelry begins to feel a lot like being down to your last dart, and in the wide sprawl around the bull’s-eye, around getting it right, there seems to be a thousand ways to miss the mark and get it all wrong. So, here are some suggestions — both general and more specific — to steer you in the right direction. GENERAL SUGGESTIONS:

Listen to her  Easier said than done for many of us, but in this instance it more accurately means to be listening for when she does drop a hint. If push comes to shove, try to induce a hint: Take her to the mall on some pretense and walk her past every jewelry store in the complex. She’s bound to point out something that catches her eye.

Look at her    Over the course of a week, as you see her dressed up for different occasions — work, a dinner out, a party — take inventory of each piece of jewelry she wears, noting as best you can the nature of the jewelry. Ascertaining what she wears and what she doesn’t gives you a solid head start. After all, if she never wears earrings, there’s little point buying her a pair; but if she can’t make up her mind between hoops or studs, you may be on to something.

Appraise her taste   Using the results of your inventory, then broadening that scope to include her wider style in clothes, appraise her tastes. Does she have finer tastes, getting weak-kneed in the presence of another woman’s massive diamond ring? Or are you one of the luckier guys whose companion prefers the variety and accessibility of less expensive costume jewelry?

Avoid rings   You’ve heard of promise rings, engagement rings and wedding rings. Ever heard of a girlfriend ring? Of course not, because they don’t exist. Nor should they. You can’t win a fight against centuries of symbolism, so unless you’re already married or you plan to give her this ring on bended knee (more symbolism), the gift of a ring is just too loaded. It’s not cute nor is it appreciated by women unless your intentions are clearly that of solid commitment and a future walk down the aisle.

Ask for advice    This is dangerous ground, so tread lightly. The problem with asking her friends for advice is that you’re engaging one woman in a conspiracy of silence against another , and almost inevitably something’s gonna give. Instead of having to find this out too late, eschew the friends and stick with reliable family members. Sisters are an excellent source of information, especially if they are close in age and spend a great deal of time together. No doubt they’ve poured of many a childhood fantasy about knights in shining armor — and their gifts.

August 9th, 2008 by Judi

olympics.jpg From JCKStyle: The Olympic Games opened this week in Beijing, and athletes will, of course, be competing for those top three medals. What they won’t be competing for, however, are simply the usual three metals. For the first time in Olympic history, winners will don more than just gold, silver, and bronze. In honor of Chinese culture, where jade plays an important role, the stone has been incorporated into the medals. Each of the 3,000 medals awarded to athletes will bear bands of jade, which symbolizes honor and virtue. Gold medals will incorporate white jade, silvers bear light green jade, and dark green jade will highlight bronze.

Meanwhile, in other Olympic/precious jewelry news (who knew?), gymnast Shawn Johnson has her own new line of fine jewels. Brodkey’s (an 11-store chain in Iowa and Nebraska), developed the line bearing the name of the 16-year-old Iowa native after a necklace they gave her as a gift (featuring her name in diamonds across emerald-, sapphire-, ruby-, and onyx-encrusted Olympic rings) garnered widespread attention. Pieces from the Shawn Johnson Jewelry Collection start at $99, and a portion of the sale price will go to the U.S. Olympic Committee, which helps athletes train.

August 9th, 2008 by Judi

rubies.jpg From: JCKonline Bush signs legislation banning imports of ruby and jade from Myanmar
– JCK-Jewelers Circular Keystone, 7/31/2008 11:06:00 AM
President Bush signed legislation Tuesday designed to punish Myanmar’s brutal ruling regime by banning the importation of rubies and jade from that country into the U.S.

The “Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE Act of 2008” bans Burmese gem imports, something that already is the voluntary policy of retailers such as Tiffany’s and Bulgari. U.S. officials say Myanmar has been evading earlier gem-targeting sanctions by laundering the stones in other countries before they are shipped to the United States. Congress approved the bill July 22. (more…)

August 3rd, 2008 by Judi

From: Blogimages The oldest piece of gold jewelry ever found in the Americas has been discovered near Lake Tikicaca in Peru. The necklace was made about 4,000 years ago. It is 600 years older than any other gold jewelry found in the Western Hemisphere to date. Mark Aldenderfer discovered the necklace while excavating a site for human remains. The necklace was actually found about seven years ago but the find was kept quiet for fear of looters raiding the site. It is believed to have belonged to the Andean people who lived around that time period. The Andeans were hunters and gatherers before settling down in the Lake Tikicaca area. This important find shows the emergence of status symbols long before the rule of kings and queens. The necklace is being held at the National Institute of Peru and might soon be displayed in a museum.

August 3rd, 2008 by Judi

crown.jpg From: Blogimages Part of a very turbulent history and much thievery, the British Crown Jewels represent the regalia and vestments worn by the king or queen of the United Kingdom during a coronation ceremony and other state functions. In all, the collection includes crowns, orbs, swords, scepters, and other regalia.

Under British law, the originals of the crown jewels and implements of the State cannot leave England and are displayed in the Tower of London. Many of the objects descend directly from the pre-Reformation period and hold religious and sacral connotation. Worn by monarchs at their coronation, the Imperial State Crown was made in 1937 for King George VI. The crown is set with jewels of great antiquity and historical significance. In all, the crown possesses 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and five rubies. The Imperial Crown of India was created when King George V visited Delhi as Emperor of India. As British law prohibits the removal of a Crown Jewel from the country to prevent pawning, a new crown was made. One of the heaviest crowns in the collection, the Imperial contains more than 6,000 diamonds. After they were stolen from Westminster Abbey, the Crown Jewels have been kept in the Tower of London since 1303. It is believed that most, if not all, of the jewels were recovered not long after being found in display window of a London jeweler. During World War II, the jewels were taken out of the Tower and stored somewhere in secret. Stories suggest they may have been kept in the basement vaults of the Sun Life Insurance company in Montreal, Canada or in the Round Tower of Windsor Castle. It is more probable that they were housed at Windsor Castle since by law the Crown is not allowed to leave the country. The dollar value of all the gold, silver, platinum, diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds and pearls in the royal collection make it beyond comparison. Added to the fact that the crowns and other artifacts have all been worn and used by kings and queens of England makes the collection absolutely priceless.

August 3rd, 2008 by Judi

jeans.jpgFrom: jewelry2go Clothing firm Key Closet recently unveiled its new premium jeans, priced at $10,000, which feature hand-drawn designs and one-carat diamonds on the back pockets. These jeans are made in the U.S. of handcrafted denim. The graphics on the jeans are hand drawn, using a water-based paint that is both soft and luxurious. The graphics have foil and hand spray painted accents, and each pair is hand-threaded according to the style of the artist who designed them. The back buttons are made of white gold, and complement the one-carat brilliant set into both back pockets. In addition to the two carats of diamonds on the outer part pockets, there are thousands of shimmering Swarovski crystals all over the jeans themselves. The official debut of the $10,000 jeans will be at the upcoming Runway Magazine “Summer Splash” Fashion Show being held upon June 26 in Los Angeles at Boulevard 3.

July 29th, 2008 by Judi

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According to Jamie G., in Whiteflash Shipping, it sure feels like it! This picture was taken by Mike, one of our photographers, just the other day! If it weren’t for 100 degree tempertures, you’d think it was December!!!!

July 12th, 2008 by Judi

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JCKStyle: If adopting more eco-friendly business methods is perpetually stuck on your to-do list, the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts wants to help you achieve those jewelry-specific green goals. The San Francisco–based school and Ethical Metalsmiths, a nonprofit that promotes awareness of ethically sourced materials, created a one-day Green Jewelry course to help the industry answer consumer questions about green measures, initiate more eco-friendly studio practices, find green suppliers, promote healthier mining initiatives, and bring awareness to the cause of artisanal miners—seasonal workers who rely on mining to subsist in tough times, and who are frequently exposed to mercury during the mining process. Through course instruction, the Academy’s assistant director, Christine Dhein, hopes to help “improve the lives and working conditions of miners,” she tells JCKstyle. Dhein will co-teach the course with Jennifer Horning, cofounder of Ethical Metalsmiths. Horning recently addressed Revere students about eco measures in jewelry and her group’s initiatives, impressing both Dhein and founder and director, Alan Revere—so much so that Revere suggested creating a course to better spread the word. The class takes place on Aug. 23 at Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts, and costs $100 (half of which goes to Ethical Metalsmiths). Also included in the session is information on gold testing, ingot making, and possible green business certification. Space is still available; for information, visit www.revereacademy.com.

July 12th, 2008 by Judi

Contact Lens JewelryStylefrizz: Now this is what I call living in a crazy world! Like it’s not enough already getting used to wear contact lenses, now you can have jewelry contact lenses.  It’s made in Holland and wears Erick Klarenbeek signature. Attached to your contact lens you can have pearls or other gems like it’s nothing! Luckily it’s just a concept (for now). Could you wear such a thing? I find it hard to believe it’s not getting in the way of your sight. What do you say?

July 12th, 2008 by Judi

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1- Resize your favorite ring(s). Did you know that both sterling silver and gold rings are sizable? In most cases, either can be sized up or down by two sizes. The biggest deciding factor is the thickness of the ring and whether or not there is enough metal to make the change. In general, sterling silver is more affordable to size than gold.

2- Bracelets can be versatile. If you own a bracelet with a large enough clasp, you can use one of your pendants to convert it into a charm bracelet. To make it work, simply hook the clasp into the bail of your pendant. This works particularly well with coin pendants, which gives you the look of a very rich jewelry design

3- Necklaces have many uses. You can take a 20″ necklace, wrap it twice around your ankle and have the look of a 10″ double anklet. If you wear a 9″ anklet, you can do the same with an 18″ necklace. If you have a longer necklace, you may be able to use it as a delicate belt to adorn your favorite little black dress.

4- Use your bracelet as an extender. If you have a matching necklace and bracelet set, you can add instant length to your necklace by attaching the matching bracelet to the clasp. For instance, an 18″ chain can instantly become a 25″ necklace if you attach a 7″ bracelet. This would allow you to wear the necklace over a turtleneck sweater in the fall and winter or drape it over your favorite tank-top in the summer.

5- Make the most of your charms. If you have matching charms, consider adding them to your hoop earrings for an instant dangle. This is a fun look that allows you to spruce up some simple hoops without spending a fortune.

6- Turn your pin into a pendant. If you love the look of a pin and would enjoy having the same design in a necklace, simply slide your favorite chain underneath the closed pin-back and you have an instant pendant. Be sure to take note of the weight of the pin and consider whether or not your necklace is strong enough to support it properly.

7- Create your own watch. If you have a bracelet that you absolutely love, why not consider turning it into a watch? Take your bracelet to a jeweler and simply ask him/her to remove a few links and add a watch face in their place. This should be a fairly simple process for a knowledgeable jeweler, and it can save you a bundle. Watches, both silver and gold, are expensive and it can be difficult to find a design that you love. But with you acting as the designer, anything is possible.

July 9th, 2008 by Judi

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Fibre2fashion  July 07, 2008 (India)

Create Your Destiny with Jewelry Designing Career
Jewelry, the first love of every human being, especially women is the oldest form of body adornment! The desire to look beautiful can be located way back in the Mohenjodaro - Harappa civilization as archaeological findings show that females used to wear different types and shapes of jewelries. If this is true then the concept of jewelry designing must be older than that? Yes, of course.

In the present era, where man is so conscious about his appearance, will opting for jewelry designing as a career, be considered a profitable one? Here also the answer is affirmative. Lucrative job openings, high-level salaries and striking growth rate of gems and jewelry sector across the globe are luring the gen X, to join this industry.  Today’s career conscious generation, is more focused. They know what to achieve in life and how to go about that. Jinal, an Indian Diamond Institute (IDI) student says about jewelry designing, “It’s my interest and secondly, the trend goes with it and most importantly, I will be able to work as a free lancer.” “Getting a job in this sector isn’t difficult as campus interviews are organized by renowned companies” says Tasneem, another aspiring IDI student. “Faculty in Indian Diamond Institute (IDI) inspires student to have their own business; exhibitions are organized to provide opportunities for the students to explore their marketing skills and they have gained good response in doing so.” (more…)

July 9th, 2008 by Judi

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Five Things You Never Knew Your Cell Phone Could Do…. For all the folks with cell phones. (This should be printed and kept in your car, purse, and wallet. Good information to have with you.) There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival.

Check out the things that you can do with it:

FIRST - Emergency  The emergency number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile network and there is an Emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly, this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.

SECOND - Have you locked your keys in the car? Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone:  If you lock your keys In the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other ‘remote’ for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk). Editor’s Note: It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a cell phone!’

THIRD - Hidden Battery Power  Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys*3370#. Your cell phone will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell phone next time.

FOURTH - How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?  To check your Mobile phone’s serial number, key in the following Digits on your phone: *#06#. A 15-digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe.  When your phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won’t get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can’t use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

And Finally….FIFTH - Free Directory Service for Cells  Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411  information calls when they don’t have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial: (800)FREE411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now.

June 23rd, 2008 by Judi

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PANDAS
This is for those that haven’t seen the 16 baby pandas. SICHUAN , China — One zoo in southwest China has its hands full with 16 baby pandas. The Sichuan Wolong Panda Protection and Breed Center is dealing with the results of a breeding boom where 16 pandas have been born. The brood includes five sets of twins. The cubs are weighed and measured every five days (see pics). The heaviest tips the scale at just over 24 pounds, while the lightest weighs about 11 pounds. The pandas are due to stop suckling soon - just about the time they’ll start learning to walk. Once weaned, the panda cubs will attend panda kindergarten. In the meantime, more little ones are expected at the centre since 38 giant pandas were artificially impregnated.

June 17th, 2008 by Judi

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Icebergs in the Antarctic area sometimes have stripes, formed by
layers of snow that react to different conditions. Blue stripes are often created when a crevice in the ice sheet fills up with meltwater and freezes so quickly that no bubbles form. When an iceberg falls into the sea, a layer of salty seawater can freeze to the underside. If this is rich in algae, it can form a green stripe. Brown, black and yellow lines are caused by sediment, picked up when the ice sheet grinds downhill towards the sea.

June 10th, 2008 by Judi

From: IDEX A £1 million ($1.97 million) diamond-encrusted platinum handbag, designed by Japanese designer Ginza Tanaka, is set to be displayed in London jewelry retail locations to mark the inaugural Coutts London Jewellery Week, BBC reported. More than 2,000 diamonds adorn the bag. It will also be offered for sale, not just looks, according to London Jewellery Week organizers, who point out the piece’s versatility in the accessories department. The piece’s diamond shoulder strap can be detached and worn as a necklace or a bracelet, and its 8 carat pear shaped diamond centerpiece can double as a brooch. The jewelry shop locations have not been disclosed due to security concerns.

London Jewellery Week is to take place June 11-15. Sponsored by Coutts, the UK private banking arm of the Royal Bank of Scotland, the event will feature up-and-coming and established creative talent on display alongside well-known brands in a week of celebration of jewelry in London.

The week’s events will include catwalk shows, satellite parties, collection launches, exhibitions, educational seminars, window displays, auctions, workshops and demonstrations

June 5th, 2008 by Judi

Wedding season is upon us…..here are some “memorable” moments I found on “Utube”

June 1st, 2008 by Judi

Woman mistakenly gives jewelry to food driveFrom: KATU.COM  PORTLAND, Ore. - Theresa Hekel was in a hurry as the postman closed in on her home recently. The Vancouver, Wash., woman grabbed cans of food from her cupboard and filled a plastic bag to support the Postal Service’s canned food drive for those facing shortages. It wasn’t until later that she realized what exactly she had given away.
Tucked in with all her cans was a disguised safe that held her jewelry, most of which was family heirlooms and included her wedding ring.  Hekel said she completely forgot about the safe, which looks like a can of food but has a special lid on it. “It’s not the dollar amount, it’s what that jewelry meant to me,” Hekel said. Accompanied by her parents, Hekel journeyed to the Clark County warehouse where the food will be sorted and distributed. But they were overwhelmed by the size of the search. Hekel said the canned food was at the bottom of dozens of pallets that held dozens more boxes of food. They could not search them all.  Hekel hopes that either a volunteer that is distributing the food or a recipient of the food will find the fake can and return it. She is offering a reward for the return of her jewelry. 

June 1st, 2008 by Judi

FROM: JCKONLINE JCK Las Vegas opened Friday at the Sands Expo & Convention Center/Venetian Hotel Resort Casino.

The show, which runs till June 3 is hosting 3,100 exhibitors and 21,000+ retailers. Opening events included the JCK Welcome Reception and Fashion Show at Caesars Palace in the Augustus Ballroom and a keynote presentation by hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons,

The Design Center is featuring Eight New Rising Stars and is among dozens of specialty pavilions including the “VicenzaOro Pavilion at JCK.” Conference sessions were held Wednesday and Thursday.

In addition, the 6th Annual Swiss Watch by JCK also opened Friday in The Venetian Hotel Resort Casino and will run through Tuesday. Swiss Watch by JCK is a collection of the world’s most legendary Swiss watch brands including Baume & Mercier, Bell & Ross, Bulgari, Chopard, Corum, Ebel, Franck Muller, Gucci, Hermes, IWC, Maurice Lacroix, Mont Blanc, Omega, Piaget, Rado, Swatch, Longines, Tag Heuer, Tissot, Ulysse Nardin and Zeni

June 1st, 2008 by Judi

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