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A Moissanite Ring

Finished jewelry sales increased 319 percent to approximately $1.7 million, compared with approximately $410,000 in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Loose moissanite gemstone sales, however, decreased 4 percent to approximately $2.5 million, compared with approximately $2.6 million in the corresponding period of the previous year. The drop was due primarily to the timing of restocking orders from a number of the company?s existing wholesale customers as they managed existing inventory ahead of the planned second quarter of 2012 rollout of the Company?s new Forever Brilliant?-enhanced gemstones.

Operating expenses increased $989,000, or 53 percent, during the quarter compared to the same period of 2011. Of this increase, sales and marketing expenses increased $821,000, or 120 percent.

The company said the increase was primarily due to its ongoing investments in marketing and branding initiatives to better position Charles & Colvard?s product lines in the marketplace, as well as key strategic personnel additions in support of its direct-to-consumer Moissanite.com e-commerce and Lulu Avenue? home party businesses.

?I?m very pleased with a $500,000 gross margin increase for the first quarter of 2012 over the first quarter of 2011,? said CEO Randy N. McCullough. ?This demonstrates that we?re on the right track toward building profitable long-term sustainable revenue.”

McCullough said that while investments in Lulu Avenue and Moissanite.com have unfavorably impacted the company's bottom line today, he believes it has laid the groundwork to drive substantial revenue and profits in the near future.

?The company today is positioned to reap the benefits of the past two and a half years since I came on board and refocused on developing a jewelry-producing entity that leverages the moissanite gemstone,” he added. “We expect our finished jewelry business to continue to grow, and in addition, our ability to produce jewelry supports all of our consumer-direct initiatives.”

The triumphant players arrived in the capital fresh from a night of celebration to parade the trophy on an open-top bus ride through west London yesterday.

And they were greeted by a sea of blue, made up of thousands of ecstatic supporters waving flags, singing songs and chanting their names.

Kieron Lee, a 19-year-old shop worker said: “This is the best day of my life. I’ve been up for the last 28 hours without any sleep. Since the game we’ve just been drinking, celebrating and just thinking about it over and over again.”

Charlie Holder, 35, who was joined by his children Billy, nine, and Patsy, three, said: “I cried today, this is just the most incredible day. When the game finished I went out and slipped into an alcoholic coma. I’ve had a little bit of sleep but it is just a massive day.”

Katie Winkworth, 27, who was celebrating with friends in Parsons Green said: “We haven’t been to bed yet – I haven’t even washed. I am actually a Man United supporter but I’m here because my other half supports Chelsea and he said it was a one off.”

Some supporters climbed lampposts, traffic lights and trees to catch a glimpse of the players as they stopped for 20 minutes beside Eel Brook Common on the New King’s Road.

Sophia Florentzos, 39, who went to Munich to watch the match, said: “I got back to London at 4.30 in the morning. I’ve probably had about eight hours sleep in the last three days, but it was worth it – the atmosphere was amazing.”

Life-long Chelsea fan Sabrina Nash, 35, said: “It is just an unbelievable feeling, I thought we weren’t going to do it, but it was definitely the best moment of my life when we won. I watched the game at home but as soon as we won I came down to the streets to celebrate.”

And the players took their turn to thank the crowd, with captain John Terry – who missed the final through suspension – leading the way with chants of “Champione, champione, ole, ole, ole”.

He told the fans: “We’ve waited eight years for this trophy. We love you guys – Chelsea’s your club, so we deserve this.”

The team looked less than fresh after a night of celebration, and defender David Luiz drew loud cheers when he told the delighted crowd: “I’m so tired, I don’t know if I can play any more games”.

They were joined on the blue bus by Chelsea’s owner, Roman Abramovich, who has reportedly pumped £1 billion into the club since he bought it in 2003.

And when Terry paid tribute to the Russian, he stood up to accept the adulation of the crowd, who sang his name.

The party showed no sign of ending after the players said their final thanks, with thousands flocking to local pubs.

Neil Dunning, manager of the Duke on the Green pub in Parson’s Green said: “The atmosphere has been electric here all weekend. When the final whistle went on Saturday night everyone moved into the streets around Fulham Broadway and they have been there ever since.”

A huge clean-up operation was underway today to clear the streets of the debris fans left in their wake, including thousands of sticks of celery – the subject of a favourite Chelsea chant.

One day, the founder of SabineSatie was eating in a restaurant and while waiting for the food, she glanced curiously around her. In front, at the left and right tables, there were two girls dressed beautifully. They were dating their boyfriends. They wore little black dresses with shiny flat ballet shoes. They wore their hair long and sleek. They had smoky eye make-up. They looked like they read the same fashion tips. They looked SIMILAR but they were strangers to each other. Where has the personality gone to? How can they stand out among the masses?

So it is simply not enough to be beautiful. You want to express your personality.

And it is the little changes, the little touches of creativity that count.

Maybe a t-shirt dress rehemmed at the sleeves. Now it looks like a unique designer piece.

a gorgeous belt, that sassy haircut and amazing earrings1 A combination of all three would be good but not necessary. Most of all it is the person who makes the statement, not what is put on them. But then a person with personality would never want to look cookie cutter. They yearn for that extra special accesoire, different from all the rest.

These cannot be found in big department stores. They will most likely come from individual handcrafting artist that love to express their unique talent in an artistic way. Handcrafted jewelry is among the most beautiful ways to express your individuality.

Using metal that you don’t see often or making combinations of metals dance with each other like copper and silver together is what it takes to attract attention.

The picture above shows a custom piece of wood, but any old pole will do provided it fits outside the box. Throw your clothes on the makeshift hanger, turn the hanger diagonally and drop it in the box. This way you’ll be able to keep the clothes on hangers and skip the expensive wardrobe boxes. If that seems like too much work, you can always try the dead body bundle technique.

LPT: An easy way to pack a bunch of clothes on hangers [Reddit]

Government Auction announces its Historic Government Auction Assets Sale with over 1,500 items and bidding starting as low as $2 for most items on the online auction site LiveAuctioneers on Sunday, April 29th.

Tehachapi, CA (PRWEB) April 24, 2012

Assets to be liquidated in this one day auction event include precious ruby necklaces, rare gold coins, limited edition prints, bronzes, oil on canvas, and diamond rings.

A featured item in this one day auction event is a large 15.35CT Brilliant Cut Natural Alexandrite Gemstone. The stone is extremely rare in this size. What makes this stone so unique is its surprising ability to change colors from green in natural daylight to a golden yellow in incandescent light. The color change is attributed to the stones natural chemical composition. “An Alexandrite stone of this quality and size is highly sought after by gemstone experts, enthusiasts and investors alike,” stated Paul Sabesky, Chief Auctioneer. The stone has an estimated value of $83,580-$167,160. The piece has been certified by GIA, Gemological Institute of America.

Another top lot in this auction is a spectacular 4CT Tanzanite and 4CTDiamond Necklace. The main large purple tanzanite is oval shaped surrounded by 82 round faceted diamonds on the main pendant and another 300 diamonds encrusted in the chain part of the necklace. This piece has an estimate value of $23,049 – $46,098 with a starting bid of only $2.

A major draw for this auction will be the large quantity of gold coins offered. A coin garnering a number of bids is a 1872-CC $20 U.S. Liberty Head Gold Coin,also called the 1872-CC Double Eagle. The 1872-CC was minted in Carson City, Nevada. There were only a little more than 26,900 circulation strikes of these coins with an metal content of 90% gold, 10% Copper.

The auction will commence at 7:30 a.m. Pacific Time – 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, April 29th.For additional information on any lot in the sale, call Debbie on 661-823-1543 or e-mail info(at)governmentauction(dot)com.

To view this auction please click the link below

Historic Auction Government Assets Sale – Sunday, April 29, 7:30 AM PST

liveauctioneers.com/catalog/29539_historic-auction-government-assets-sale/page1

About Government Auction

Government Auction was founded as a general resource to buying assets such as jewelry , gemstones, memorabilia, collectibles, art, prints, antiques, and vehicles throughout the United States. Most people don’t realize there are hundreds of thousands of assets and valuables that are seized everyday and made available through various resources. Many of these confiscated assets are passed on to us for immediate liquidation. Some examples of how we acquire requisitioned objects are from bankruptcies, IRS, estate sales, trusts, and more.

Government Auction is the largest company of its kind and the only one in the United States that works closely with these agencies to acquire literally thousands of assets and confiscated goods, such as Ruby Gemstones, Sapphire Rings, and Men’s President Rolex Watches, Mercedes Benz, and Gold Coins. In most cases we acquire these treasures at a fraction of their actual retail value. Once acquired these items are liquidated through the auction site. Clients are made up of just the everyday person who wants to buy a Diamond Bracelet, Pearl Strand Necklace, Sterling Silver Pink Sapphire Earrings, Oval Cut Emerald Gemstone Parcel, Remington Bronze Reissue at an unbeatable price.

All assets that we offer are normally at a 30% – 60% savings to the client. What this means is consumers are making a good investment immediately. By purchasing assets cheaply people can make a sizeable profit if they decide to resell it later on.

Government Auction is one of the most reputable jewelry and gem clearinghouse company in the U.S., with over 20 years of experience.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/4/prweb9435228.htm

Source: New York Post

NEW YORK — Barneys New York just took its biggest markdown ever. The swanky retailer was sold Monday to hedge-fund tycoon Richard Perry, who took a majority stake in the struggling chain that values it at about $450 million, sources said. That is less than half the price Barneys commanded in 2007, when the Dubai-based investment firm Istithmar World shelled out a whopping $942.3 million for Barneys, only to be blindsided by a recession that squelched demand for designer clothing, shoes and handbags. The deal will relieve Barneys of a crippling debt load of $590 million, slashing it to just $50 million, and saving the retailer from the threat of a bankruptcy filing this year. Perry, who will become chairman, also will continue to back CEO Mark Lee, a former Gucci executive hired in 2010 for a turnaround. “The guy's a bit of a diva, but he's done a decent job with the company,” one source said of Lee, noting the sharp-dressed executive's snooty reputation. “Perry likes the [Barneys] brand, and he likes Mark Lee.” Indeed, Lee sparked chatter in fashion circles when he agreed to exclusively carry a fashion line this spring that was designed by Perry's wife, Lisa — despite the fact that her togs had flopped at other stores, including Bloomingdale's and Bergdorf Goodman. Perry — a snazzy dresser on Wall Street with a taste for skinny ties and trim tailoring — won a bidding war in recent weeks against Los Angeles billionaire Ron Burkle, who together with Perry had owned the bulk of the retailer's crushing debt, according to sources close to the situation. “It was a mutual decision” between Perry and Burkle to restructure the debt as a September due date loomed for a $200 million debt payment that could have forced a Chapter 11 filing, a source said. “They both wanted to avoid a bidding war from getting out of control,” the source said. “It was a case of, 'You're a nice guy, I'm a nice guy. This is two guys trying to make money. How can we make money?” Burkle — who in December 2009 tried to seize control of Barneys on the cheap after scooping up his chunk of the debt — sold his holdings at a profit and exchanged the proceeds for an equity stake of 20 percent to 25 percent, according to people close to the deal. Istithmar, meanwhile, still will retain a small equity stake in Barneys, sources said.

Read More: Barneys bags new owner, skirts bankruptcy

Zimbabwe Finance Minister Tendai Biti said Thursday the country was failing to meet its budget revenue targets owing to lack of transparency in the marketing of Marange diamonds – a key component of the 2012 national budget. Presenting his state of the economy address in Harare, Biti said lack of funds may force the government to suspend some of its capital projects and fail to pay civil servants.He said the drying up of diamond revenues, subdued crop harvests, a rise in fuel prices and rentals will have an adverse effect on this year’s Gross Domestic Product projections. Biti, who projected economic growth of 9.4 percent this year, said “… it’s foreseeable that major projections will be revised downwards”.Revenues in the first three moths of this year were $771 million compared to a target of $870 million. The finance minister said he suspected there was a parallel government clandestinely overseeing the marketing of Marange diamonds as treasury is not receiving revenues from diamond mining companies operating in the Chiadzwa area.Biti accused one of the biggest mining companies operating in the Manicaland region, Anjin Investments, of not submitting any returns to treasury this year.Reacting to Biti’s address, Masimba Kuchera of the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development said lack of accountability and transparency in the mining of diamonds in Marange will impact negatively on critical capital projects.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat), announced this week that the rise in the prices of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, utilities and rentals drove year-on-year inflation from 3.98 percent in March to 4.03 percent in April.Zimstat said the month-on-month food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation fell from 0.80 percent in the same period to 0.14 percent while non-food inflation for the month of April fell to 0.21 from 0.26 percent in March.Economist Prosper Chitambara of the Labor and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe said Zimstat figures did not take into account a lot of inflationary pressures.

? Whiskey: There has been an explosion in middle-class tastes for fine liqueurs, particularly for whiskey, where Scotches lead the charge.

? Dairy products: Demand for butter is huge in India and Indians have begun to buy cheese rather than make it themselves at home, as has been the norm for generations.

? Jewellery: At the right price, shiny costume jewellery with some quality involved will set an Indian lady’s eyes sparkling.

? Confectionery: Luxury chocolates are a fast-growing market thanks to India’s burgeoning new cafe culture.

? Preserves: Relishes, sauces and preserves have always been a part of Indian cuisine and Indians delight in trying new versions.

? Film opportunities: Bollywood’s star is high.

Originally published in

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif., May 15 (UPI) — A California man said he may have survived an encounter with a great white shark because the fish attacked his kayak instead of him.

Joey Nocchi, 30, of Paso Robles was fishing with two friends Saturday afternoon off Moonstone Beach when he felt something bumping against the kayak, The (San Luis Obispo) Tribune reported.

“I got hit from underneath and started coming up out of the water. My buddies said I came out of the water 4 to 5 feet — it flipped me over the side,” Nocchi said. “The shark rolled the whole kayak over, rolled me out of it, and he went over the top of it. He swam across me — his tail touched me.”

Nocchi said his friends told him later the shark looked like it was out to kill. He was so scared he immediately climbed on the back of the turned-over kayak, only to be warned by Matt Kerschke of Los Osos that he was not safe.

“The shark knows it made a mistake,” he said his friend told him. “You’ll have to get off, turn the kayak over, and get back in. I’m going to go get the paddle, and I want you in the kayak when I get back.”

Occhi said he took that advice. When the three examined the kayak later they found a bite about 20 inches by 22 inches. They said the shark appeared to be 12 to 14 feet long.

He said he plans to stay out of kayaks for a while, fishing from the shore instead.

A pilot study was conducted to gather holistic data points on female sonographers who executed neonatal neurosonography over four portable scanning sessions. The hypothesis was that specific risk factors contributed to work-related musculoskeletal distress in the hand and wrist as a result of neonatal neurosonography. A preexperimental pre-post research design was used to gather data on work demands, self-rated physical and mental health, posture/position during scanning, physiologic change, and pain scores. No statistically significant changes were detected between pre-post measures for work demands, physical and mental health, or pain scores as a result of portable scanning sessions. The physiologic changes, between scanning sessions, were recorded with the use of a hand-carried sonographic unit. Sonographic measures were less than the published criteria for carpal tunnel syndrome with a proximal cross-sectional area ?10 mm 2 and an anterior bulge of the retinaculum of >4 mm. Sonography documented a statistically significant cross-sectional area change, within the median nerve, at the distal radius only after the first scanning session. Power and spectral Doppler was used to document perineural vascular flow within the median nerve, but it was not consistently obtained to allow for a rigorous comparison between pre- and postscanning sessions. This is the first pilot study to explore using a hand-carried sonographic unit to document change in the median nerve for an isolated sonographic examination. The results are only reflective of these particular participants, but much larger N and shorter scanning sessions are needed to confirm the hypothesis proposed.