Ukraina Archives | gioiellis.com

The jewelers that close in Russia

Published on March 9, 2022

The real drama is that of human lives lost in vain, of overwhelmed lives, of lives that will never be the same. But the war in Ukraine also causes a smaller, much smaller, but not irrelevant, drama related to jobs, in the West and in Russia, which will be lost to a stupid aggression. Both Russians and Westerners are dealing with the inevitable sanctions announced in time, before the invasion, which will have an impact on the accounts of companies, for example those of jewelry, as well as on the people who work there. The collapse of the ruble and the blocking of the credit card service, in fact, led many jewelry companies to suspend their business. Maybe they will close completely or reopen, if it all ends, but who knows when.

At the time of writing this short article, the last Western brand to close the boutique in Moscow was Swarovski, while Tiffany was among the first to lower the shutter, along with Vuitton. Others have already done so, others will follow. The list of Western Maisons that have opened a boutique in Moscow, St. Petersburg or other Russian cities is long. In Moscow, for example, they have a boutique Chopard, Van Cleef & Arpels, Akillis, Piaget, De Beers, H. Stern, Stephen Webster, Carrera y Carrera, Mauboussin, Mont-Blanc, Dior, Chaumet, Pandora, Frey Wille, Cartier , Trollbeads, Vuitton, Thomas Sabo, Bulgari, Pomellato, Adamas, Damiani, Buccellati. Other brands, such as Pasquale Bruni or Alcozer, are distributed in non-owned jewelers, or in airport duty free shops.

According to an analysis concerning Italian jewelery conducted by ICE (the state body for exports) in general, the Russian buyer is oriented towards medium or medium-high level jewelery. Also according to the analysis, the daily use of rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces, especially in the capital and large cities, is now seen as a form of accessory to one’s image, not necessarily combined with luxury clothing or for events special. The favorite items of Russian women are rings, chains and earrings; men prefer chains and bracelets, while brooches and necklaces are bought by a minority of the female population, while typically male jewelry such as cufflinks and tie pins are in low demand. In recent years, however, silver jewelery has been more successful than gold, due to the unfavorable ruble-euro exchange rate. Italy (2019 data) exports about 77 million jewels to Russia, about 22 million France, the United States 21 million and the United Kingdom 23 million. However, the one who exports the most to Russia is China with over 88 million.

Oberig, the jewels of Kiev that ended up under the bombs

Published on March 3, 2022

Rings/Showroom

Bracciale in oro bianco, diamanti bianchi e neri, rubini

The ancient Slavic traditions are transformed into the jewels of Oberig, a Maison based in Kiev. An art that risks being crushed by war ♦ ︎

The war devastated Kiev, with hundreds of deaths. Before the invasion, Oberig Jewelry was active in the capital city of Ukraine, which two years ago made itself known with a participation in GemGèneve. It is difficult to know now if the company and its artisans and designers survived it. For ten years the Maison has created jewelry using only the highest quality gemstones and 18K gold. High quality, but also roots sunk in the soil of the Slavic tradition: the jewels are made with a spirit that absorbs the ancient aspirations of that land, the decorations of folk art that Oberig transfers on the jewels with the use of pavé diamonds and stones precious.

They are jewels that the Maison has associated with talismans, the first objects worn by humans. Symbols that are repeated and that, even if they are no longer worn with the intent of driving away evil spirits, retain their authenticity. This Ukrainian jewelry also underlines it: it is not important to believe in the function for which the symbols were created. If the Oberig Jewelry designers and artisans survive the war, maybe we will be able to see their work again, but it won’t be easy.

Collna con pendente in oro rosa, diamanti, zaffiri e rubini — Collana con pendente in oro rosa, diamanti, zaffiri e rubini

Anello in oro rosa, diamanti, zaffiri e rubini

Pendente con pietra luna, onice e diamanti

Anello in oro bianco con zaffiro, diamanti, smeraldi

Tetiana Kondratyuk, fondatrice di Oberig

The Ukrainian crisis raises the price of diamonds

Published on March 1, 2022

news

There are more important things than jewelry, when life is at stake. But this does not take away the fact that the operators of the jewelry, and even those who want to buy a precious object, are wondering what the effects of the war in Ukraine will be. One consequence can already be deduced: diamonds will cost more. And gold too. One thing, in fact, is certain: the United States has sanctioned one of the largest extractive companies, the Russian Alrosa. The blockade is part of the halt to a number of Russian companies as a result of the invasion of Ukraine.

Il diamante è stato ricavato da una pietra grezza di 179 carati — Diamante di Alrosa ricavato da una pietra grezza di 179 carati

Alrosa is the world’s largest diamond producer by volume and increased its sales by 49% last year. In 2021, it mined 32.4 million carats, with sales exceeding $ 4 billion. The US government explained that the Russian company is responsible for 90% of the diamond mining capacity, an amount that represents 28% globally. And the Russian government holds a 33% stake in the company. In short, when you buy Alrosa diamonds, at least a third of the profits go straight to the Kremlin, not counting the proceeds from taxes. The sanctions decided, however, do not provide for the freezing of Alrosa’s assets, nor a complete ban on doing business with the company.

Furthermore, the penalties do not apply to diamonds purchased by Alrosa before February 24, 2022. But the block will have an effect on the near future: all open deals with terms longer than 14 days should be modified to shorten the terms and / or closed quickly. There is also the problem of the embargo on Russian banks, which makes any transaction with normal financial channels difficult if not impossible.

JVC also advises any US company currently in business beyond. Among the oligarchs affected by the blockade is the chief executive of Alrosa, Sergey Ivanov Jr., son of Sergey Ivanov Sr., a senior Kremlin official who is on the list of targeted citizens. In fact, he is on the board of Gazprombank, the third Russian financial institution and other sanctioned body.

And what about gold? When the war broke out, the price per ounce jumped above $ 1900. Not surprising, given that gold is considered a safe haven asset. But its value remains linked to the progress of the Ukrainian crisis. Until the conflict is over, with a convincing pacification process, the price of the yellow metal will remain hot until it becomes, perhaps, incandescent.

The global gems of Nomad’s

Published on April 23, 2020

Showroom

History of Nomad’s, precious stones involved in History, with the initial capital letter. The company is one of the most dynamic in the gem industry and was born in Ukraine after the fall of the Soviet Union. In those years Mikola Kukharuk worked in a company that extracted quartz for optical use. But the company was discarding beryl, topaz and quartz crystals: for the economy of the country’s, at the time, they did not interest.

So four friends, Mikola, Slavik, Max and Olli, thought of using the discarded semi precious stones. They studied, read, inquired and, over time, moved to Bangkok, one of the world capitals of the precious stones market. The mission of the young Ukrainians also included a life spent from one mine to another, in search of the best gems. A nomadic life. And for this they founded the company with the name of Nomad’s. And after beryl and topaz, the company has expanded its range of action to a wide variety of gems, such as tourmaline, spinel, peridot, aquamarine, garnet and sapphire.

Over the years Nomad’s has become known for its ability to choose and cut gems, unique pieces that are used in the best jewelry industry. In the meantime, the company has become a tribe of artists, scientists, gemologists, traders and explorers. Nomad does not sell directly to private individuals: it is aimed at jewelers. But if you want to buy a stone to have it mounted on a ring by your jeweler you can use the website and send a request to find out where you can find it.