NEWS

WIRES

OTHER

JCK TV Presents JCK Rock Star

The winning design will be featured in an exclusive photo shoot in JCK's June 2012 issue and showcased at the 2012 JCK Las Vegas show. Tune in each month and watch all 12 episodes at JCKonline.com.

The JCK Rock Star contestants:

Nina Basharova was born and raised in the Ukraine, where she studied fine arts before pursuing a degree in jewelry design at an art college in Haifa, Israel. Her work has been selected for display in museums and on magazine covers. Her "Milky Way" ring, set in 18k gold with a white sapphire and diamonds, was recently chosen by Brides.com for a feature on unique engagement rings. Basharova is a winner of the 2008 JCK Rising Star award.

Michael Bruder has no formal background in jewelry design. He began his career in the aerospace industry in Germany, designing the largest airship in flight. He later traveled to Thailand, studied at the Gemological Institute of America, and founded his jewelry firm, Corrupt Design. As a jeweler and gemologist, Bruder has traveled the world in search of stones for both clients and for his personal collection. His influences range from street art, graffiti, and electronic music to Art Nouveau and Art Deco.

Walter Adler Chefitz comes from a jewelry family in New Orleans. His great-grandfather founded Adler's Jewelry in 1898, and his new venture, Walt Adler Jewelry, builds on that heritage. Chefitz studied ergonomics at Tufts University and University College London, and fine arts at the Museum School in Boston. The recipient of several international awards, he has been designing jewelry for the past 10 years. Immediately prior to establishing Walt Adler Jewelry, he was a design director for David Yurman.

Rosanne Pugliese discovered her passion for jewelry while working as a fashion designer for Calvin Klein. It was there that she honed her talent for selecting chic and interesting materials and putting them to work in clean, modern, sculptural forms. She left CK to raise her young children and focus on her budding jewelry collection. The majority of her work is hand-wrought in 22k gold and features interlocking loops and delicate, cascading gems and chains. Pugliese's jewelry is sold at Barney's New York.

New York-based Alex Woo, whose father was a bench jeweler, studied fine arts and jewelry design at Cornell University, the American University of Paris and Parsons School of Design. Specializing in matte sterling silver necklaces and earrings adorned with semiprecious stones, Woo was named in Crain's New York Business' "40 under Forty" list of rising stars in New York. Alex Woo jewelry is sold at Henri Bendel, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, and fine boutiques nationwide.

The JCK Rock Star judges:

Daniel J. Cohen is a fifth-generation member of the Swarovski family and President of Swarovski North America. Since joining the company in 1993, Mr. Cohen has played a pivotal role in the global expansion of Swarovski's crystal business. Following a 3-year assignment in Zurich, Switzerland, he returned to the U.S. to head Swarovski's North American fashion jewelry operations, then Swarovski's consumer goods business in the region until 2003. He assumed global responsibility for Swarovski's synthetics and gemstone business in 2007 and Swarovski's lighting business in 2009.

Victoria Gomelsky is the editor in chief of JCK magazine, the 142-year-old, award-winning jewelry industry bible. Prior to JCK, Victoria served for five years as editor in chief of Couture International Jeweler, a Geneva-based trade journal. Before that, she was a senior editor at National Jeweler, a trade publication based in New York. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Publishers Weekly, and the Hollywood Reporter.

Randi Udell-Alper, vice president of London Jewelers, is a fourth-generation member of London Jewelers. Randi grew up in the jewelry business and began designing jewelry at an early age-even starting her own business out of her college dorm room. She spent several years designing for Honora, then returned home to London Jewelers, where she manages the in-house design, creative and marketing work alongside her mother, Candy Udell. In 2009 Randi and Candy signed on to design the "million dollar bra" for Victoria's Secret. Their work has dazzled the runway and red carpet, and most recently helped launch the jewelry line of celebrity model/heiress Ivanka Trump.

About TMG:

As the quality leader in custom media, TMG provides services to more than 50 corporations, associations and nonprofits. Its clients include corporations such as WebMD, Hilton, Reed Exhibitions and CDW; associations such as Consumer Electronics Association and the American Council of Engineering Companies; health organizations such as American Diabetes Association, Lupus Foundation of America and Cleveland Clinic; educational organizations such as American Association of Community Colleges, Howard University and EDUCAUSE; and scholarly institutions such as the Brookings Institution and Aspen Institute. The firm has won more than 650 awards for its work, including more digital awards than any other custom media firm.

About Reed Exhibitions:

The world's leading organizer of trade and consumer events, Reed Exhibitions excels in creating high profile, highly targeted business and consumer exhibitions and events to establish and maintain business relations, and generate new business.

Every year it runs over 440 events in 36 countries, bringing together over 6 million active event participants worldwide. With over 2,500 employees in 35 offices around the globe, Reed Exhibitions serves 44 industries worldwide.

TMG
Kate Ottenberg, 202-721-1474
kottenberg@tmgcustommedia.com