Blogs

Hi Everyone:

Happy New Year! I hope all of you had a happy, healthy and fun holiday and a great New Year.

After my last December shows, I took a long awaited  restful vacation, spent mostly with family and friends, catching up on my reading, relaxing, taking long walks with Ron in Florida and, as usual, making, with the best of intentions, my new year resolutions. Chief among them were to focus on eating well (including no more French fries). But so far, so good, except for the French fries.

           I would certainly love to hear about your resolutions and how well you are doing keeping them. So write in and share.

           Can you believe it has been over six weeks since I was last on QVC? I am so very much looking forward to being on air again. I actually enjoy the experience very much, especially the telephone calls which give me the opportunity to talk with you. I also learn so much from your feedback on the products when you respond to my blogs and your requests for specific designs or stone colors you wish me to produce in the future.

           The February 2^nd shows (a TSV and programming throughout the day and evening) are jam packed with new items and what I hope will become a celebrated tradition – one of a kind offers, special pricing and super surprises, which will be offered only during the half time of the Big Sunday Game. Last year, we created and introduced these special “half time surprises” which were so well received that we have done it again this year, and if it works again, will become a traditional part of the Judith Ripka Big Game program. But, like last year, these offers will begin and end with halftime. So stay tuned during half time or you will miss them. And to make it truly a surprise, we will not offer any previews.

           So now to products I can preview. In December, I premiered the special Judith Ripka Double Brilliant Cut Stone (118 facets), created solely for me in a collaboration among Swarovski, QVC and me. Each stone, in each design, has my name laser inscribed on its table. The 118 facets, an extraordinary achievement in stone cutting by the Swarovski master cutters, have over two times the facets of a traditional brilliant cut gemstone. It sparkles and shines in a doubly brilliant way. One of the new styles I am introducing using the 118 facet Double Brilliant stones is a cuff (J288478 in silver) (J288479 in choice of rose or yellow gold clad). 

It will come in all sizes, small, average and large and has stone clusters bezel set with my special angled beige texture on the sides and my signature hinge for ease of fit. This piece is a part of a suite and coordinates with the ring, earring and pendant that I launched in December (J288480, J288484, J288485, J288486, J288487 and J288489) 

which, if you missed them, are available on QVC.com.

           I am also premiering the first pieces of my new Amber collection, which I promised to you, when I wrote about my trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, where I visited the very special Amber Room of The Hermitage Museum. Amber is a traditional Russian gemstone, which is found in clay about 30 meters below the surface west of Kalinigrad and also in the seabeds in the Baltic region. Baltic Amber is especially known for its golden color. Amber has been used in Russia since the Middle Ages as a medicinal gem. It is claimed to have crystal healing properties and its resinous extract has been used to cure and alleviate a variety of health issues. My Russian friends have told me that it carries a “sunny” energy and wards off negativity. It helps to cheer up the body and is believed to draw sickness away from it.

           So look for an Amber ring, earrings and pendant throughout the shows and especially a cross enhancer which features a pear shaped cabochon of Amber at the arms (J290380).

           Another new collection will be a suite of Rhodochrosite jewelry which I chose in keeping with my theme of health and renewal in the New Year. Like Amber, Rhodochrosite, also known as “Inca Rose” stone, which comes in a variety of shades from bright red to soft pink, is an excellent conductor of energy and is reputed to soothe the heart, generate warm feelings of love and compassion, promote circulation and kidney health. I will be present a coordinating ring (J290449) and cuff (J290448). 

Then, of course, the coup de grace, the TSV. I am very excited about this TSV. The design which catapulted me into the big time was my PN necklace and bracelet system. It was the single most important piece of jewelry I ever made as it became the foundation of my interchangeable, versatile, day into night jewelry system.

           A friend of mine brought me her pearls, which she wore during her college days and into her early adulthood. She never wore them anymore as she felt that they were staid and out dated. She asked me to modernize them, to do something to make them exciting and wearable again.

           Inspiration immediately struck. I added removable textured links between the pearls and depending upon the number of links I added could be made into a long necklace or short one, and the links could be removed to form a separate necklace or bracelet, again depending upon the number of links. Thus, the pearl necklace system could be transformed into six different pieces of jewelry – an all pearl necklace, a short pearl necklace with gold or silver links, a long pearl necklace with more links, a short all gold or silver necklace, a long link necklace or a bracelet. My friends, staid pearl necklace had a new life as a multi-faceted and versatile piece of jewelry which could be fashioned into multiple looks and wears depending on her whim and fancy. I took out ads which read “Bring me Your Pearls” or “Diamonds are a Pearl’s best friend” to let the world know that the old pearl necklace nestled in the jewelry box and never worn could be reborn into this exciting jewelry system. Soon the Department stores and jewelry stores around the county were calling me to sell them this system.

          Those of you who have my coffee table book, have the story and pictures of the original system and the gold and diamond links which I made for them.

           Now my QVC customers can have their own sterling silver and cultured pearl necklace system. My most iconic piece, from me with love to you in either all sterling (J290467) or 14k gold clad (J209468).

So tune in starting midnight February 2nd and throughout the day and evening to see these new products as well as the special surprises during half time of the Big Sunday Game.

All my love,

Judith