Upfront Rewind: Best Bench Tip JUNE 2015 “Always pass on skills and knowledge to keep our trade alive. Without this, many specialist skills will be permanently lost.” LINDA SMITH EMIL BRAUN/ LINELA FINE JEWELLERY HISTORIC GEMSTONE Pearl of Lao Tzu 4The Pearl of Allah, also known as the Pearl of Lao Tze, was once considered the largest known pearl. The pearl was discovered in the Palawan Sea in the Philippines. It is not considered a gemstone pearl and is instead known as a Tridacna pearl from a giant clam. It measures 24 centimetres in diameter and weighs 6.4 kilograms. The only knowledge of the pearl's provenance comes from Wilburn Dowell Cobb, an archaeologist from San Francisco, who purchased the pearl in 1939 and owned it until his death in 1979. The pearl is owned in three equal shares by the heirs of Joe Bonicelli, Peter Hoffman and Victor Barbish. In the US, the pearl was exhibited at the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium in New York, valued at $US35,000,000. Enter the Matrix 4Virtual reality has been a hot topic in <strong>2023</strong>, transforming the online retail environment by enabling customers to visualise products before making a purchase. Whether it’s trying on jewellery virtually or placing furniture in a virtual room, this technology bridges the gap between the physical and digital worlds. The hope is that this will improve consumer confidence and reduce returns. Virtual reality offers unique opportunities for retailers to create digital showrooms and shopping environments. Virtual showrooms are also a cost-effective solution. Trend Spotting 4Pearls have been the talk of the town so far this year, lighting up runways and fashion shows around the world. Australia’s own Autore Pearls recently hit the silver screen, with a collection appearing in Netflix’s Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Head of marketing and communications Ruby Autore said: “Pearls have always been in fashion, but are really a strong trend now." Campaign Watch 4Malaysian jeweller HABIB has launched a new campaign, GemFest, beginning with a private masterclass session on gemstones at Majestic Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Each store will be showcasing a different range of masterfully crafted designs and styles, showcasing the beauty and durability of colour gemstones and diamonds. Image credit: Netflix Image: HABIB, GemFest Stranger Things Weird, wacky and wonderful jewellery news from around the world Buried treasures 4A diamond worker has been arrested in India after he allegedly spiked his colleagues' tea with a sedative and fled with diamonds valued at $US14,000. Police said the suspect made tea during a night shift for eight co-workers. He fled the workshop with more than 2,500 diamonds, with a total weight of 250 carats. The accused was arrested and the diamonds recovered. Crime doesn’t pay? 4The Jewelers' Security Alliance has released a report suggesting crime impacting jewellers has more than doubled in the US in the past 12 months. Losses soared to a record high of $US129.4 million according to the 2022 annual crime report. That figure sat at just $US70.1 million in 2021. President John Kennedy, urged jewellers to remain vigilant. "Soaring crime needs to be a concern for the entire diamond, jewellery and watch industry," he said. The total number of crimes committed was a record 2,211, an increase of 31.1 per cent on 2021. Under the sea 4A starfish brooch designed by Salvador Dali featuring diamonds, rubies, and emeralds sold for $US982,000. It was the highest price ever paid at auction for a piece of jewellery created by the Spanish surrealist artist. The Etoile de Mer belonged to socialite Rebekah Harkness. She founded her own ballet company and had Dali paint backdrops for her. 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