Diamond Empowerment Fund Unveils Jewelry And Watch Collection At Donna Distefano’s Atelier

Banneker watches, Royal Asscher Pendant and Donna Distefano “Illumination” bracelets that are being sold to fund DEF charities. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

Jewelry industry representatives crowded into the Donna Distefano atelier in New York recently to view new products that will be sold to raise funds for educational programs in the diamond-producing countries of Africa.

Three members of the Diamond Empowerment Fund, a diamond industry charity, unveiled the following items, which are being called "Empowerment” products: A green tsavorite and diamond pendant from Royal Asscher, the Dutch diamond company; “Illumination” bracelets from goldsmith Donna Distefano; and three watches from the Banneker watch company. About 10 percent of the retail cost of each product will be donated to DEF.

DEF was co-founded by Russell Simmons, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Benjamin Chavis, civil rights and business leader, and diamond industry leaders. It provides higher education opportunities for youth in diamond producing countries of Africa.

The crowd attending the DEF event at the Donna Distefano Atelier. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

Among those in attendance to show the new products were Distefano, Lita Asscher, president of Royal Asscher America, and Derrick Holmes, CEO of Banneker, Inc. Phyllis Bergman, DEF board president, and Nancy Orem Lyman, DEF executive director, were also in attendance. 

Distefano’s line of “Illumination” bracelets (pictured above) depicts symbolic African designs in sterling silver and diamonds. Each bracelet represents core values of DEF: transformation, tranquility and strength. The collection of three bracelets is made of suede with a silver and diamond and buckle. They retail for $200 each and are available through the Donna Distefano website. For every purchase, DEF receives a $20 donation. 

 
The DEF green tsavorite and diamond pendant (pictured above) is part of the Shining Stars of Africa collection by Royal Asscher. The pendant contains green tsavorite and diamonds encased in a fluid-filled natural sapphire dome allowing the jewels to fall freely like snowflakes in a snow globe. The price is $1,250 and can be purchased through the Royal Asscher website. With every pendant purchase, a $125 donation is made to DEF.
 

Banneker DEF watches (pictured above) have a Royal Asscher diamond at 12 o’clock, green crystals on the dial and bezel, and natural Ebony wood from Indonesia or Mahogany wood from Madagascar on the dial and band. All Banneker watches contain real wood as a way of paying homage to its namesake Benjamin Banneker who, in 1753, engineered and built the first working clock in America constructed entirely from parts he carved of wood. The “Euro Face” collection (gold and silver availability) retails for $390 and a $39 donation is made to DEF. The “Large Face” collection retails for $490 and $49 donation is made to DEF. The watches, which are scheduled to be available in time for the holidays, can be purchased through the company’s website.

Empowerment jewelry will also be available in the future through a dedicated DEF e-commerce website.

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NOMOS Glashütte Supports Doctors Without Borders With Limited Edition Watches

Tangente 33 and Tangente 38

NOMOS Glashütte has launched a limited edition of its classic mechanical watches to support Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) and their relief operations worldwide. The watches are scheduled to be released in the U.S. this month.

The German watch brand has launched special models of the NOMOS Tangente 38 and Tangente 33 to benefit the Noble Prize winning international medical humanitarian organization. 

With these particular models the 12 o’clock indicator on the white silver-plated dial is in red, the name “Doctors Without Borders” is below the seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock and an engraving on the back refers to the organization. In addition, these models have black oxidized hands instead of the Tangente’s usual tempered blue ones. Both watches have in-house mechanical movements.

NOMOS Glashütte is making 1,000 of each model to support Doctors Without Borders in the USA—namely the NOMOS classic Tangente in two sizes: 38mm and 33mm. One hundred dollars from the sale of each watch goes directly towards the organization. However, customers pay no more than they normally would for a regular Tangente, as NOMOS Glashütte and retailers are waiving a share of their margin.

The 38mm model costs $2,140 and the 33mm model is $1,840.

“We’ll be delighted if a large number of watch enthusiasts opt for the best of both worlds: to help and, at the same time, enjoy an excellent timepiece,” said NOMOS General Manager Uwe Ahrendt. “Every look at your watch will also remind you of the people around the world in need of help.”

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Style of Jolie Jewelry Collection Funds Girls School in Afghanistan

Angelina Jolie in a black spinel necklace she designed with Robert Procop.

Angelina Jolie has reportedly said that the all-girls school she is building in Afghanistan funded by her eponymous jewelry collection has opened.

The actress and philanthropist told E! News that the school located outside of Kabul educates from 200 to 300 students. It was funded by the Style of Jolie jewelry line—a collection of jewelry created by Jolie and Robert Procop, a gem expert, private jeweler and jewelry designer. She told E! that the new school will be one of many girls schools that will be built and funded through the jewelry collection.

The "Angelina Jolie Exceptional Emerald Necklace" features 44 cushion cut emeralds with a total weight of 103.48 carats, many of which have attained the exclusive gemstone classification of vivid green. The necklace is sculpted in 18K yellow gold. Photo credit: Robert Procop Exceptional Jewels

The high jewelry pieces for the Style of Jolie collection are known for using statement gemstones cut in the shape of tablet, an exclusive feature. Procop told me in an interview published in January that Jolie wanted something with an historical message and spent a great deal of time studying how a tablet is held. Together they designed the shape. 

View the Style of Jolie jewelry collection.

All proceeds from the sales are used to build schools for girls in impoverished countries through the Education Partnerships for Children of Conflicts, co-founded by Jolie.

At the time of the interview in his Beverly Hills studio Procop pointed to the ring and said: “This is a 27-carat emerald. When the stone is sold we give the money to the charity and then we build another school.”

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Royal Asscher and CoutureLab to Support the Seven Bar Foundation

This Shining Stars ring is among the Royal Asscher jewelry that will be available on CoutureLab. Photo credit: Royal Asscher

Royal Asscher said Thursday that it is selling jewelry from its Stars of Africa and Shining Stars collections on the website CoutureLab to benefit the Seven Bar Foundation.

CoutureLab is a luxury gift website that sells fine and rare products that focus on quality, heritage and craftsmanship. Seven Bar Foundation is a social enterprise that empowers women in the developing world by providing microfinance opprtunities that fuels local businesses that enrich communities.

A total of 20 percent of retail profit from sales of Royal Asscher jewelry on CoutureLab will benefit the Seven Bar Foundation and help extend ladders to women out of poverty.

Royal Asscher’s Stars of Africa and Shining Stars collections consist of diamonds encased within fluid-filled sapphire domes, which allow the diamonds to float freely like snowflakes in a snow globe. The result is cascading diamonds that emit light, fire and beauty. Each piece is handcrafted by expert craftsmen in Florence, Italy.

The idea behind the Stars of Africa and Shining Stars jewelry lines has always been to raise funds and awareness for children’s programs in Africa through its Star of Africa initiative. This is just another way for the company and priduct to achieve this goal, said. Renata Black, founder of the Seven Bar Foundation says, “We are honored to call the Royal Asscher.
 
In addition, Royal Asscher, founded in 1854 and known for cutting some of largest and most famous diamonds in history, fits right in with a website that focuses on heritage.

“Royal Asscher supports CoutureLab founder Carmen Busquets’ vision for her website as a place where the stories of the products and the people behind them would be celebrated—where clients could not only learn about the heritage and see the true value of it, but also fall in love and own a piece of it,” said Lita Asscher, president of Royal Asscher of America.