Online Moissanite Retailer Program Launched

The creator of moissanite, Charles & Colvard, has launched an authorized Internet seller program for moissanite, a joint effort between Charles & Colvard and its web retailers. All of the e-commerce retailers in the program have been pre-screened, met the program criteria and have been sponsored by a Charles & Colvard distributor or manufacturer.

The ‘Moissanite created by Charles & Colvard^TM Authorized Internet Retailer Program’ retailers are HSN, JCPenney, Joseph Schubach Jewelers, Moissanite Collection and Moissanite Fine Jewelry.

Charles & Colvard explained the initiative as a response to an upsurge in consumers buying and researching jewelry on the Internet.

“For customers, shopping for moissanite through [this] program helps ensure satisfaction as well as helps to assure authenticity of the moissanite they purchase. Plus, by using the select group of retailers, it guarantees the customer their moissanite purchase is accompanied by the Charles & Colvard Certificate of Authenticity and Limited Warranty,” the company said in a release.

Charles and Colvard launches WhatIsMoissanite.com

New York—Lab-created moissanite source Charles and Colvard is launching a new, interactive Web site, Whatismoissanite.com, to help consumers and jewelry retailers understand the unique jewel.

The site, launched during the second quarter, educates consumers about what moissanite is, how it came to be and how it's different from other gemstones. In addition, the site also educates retailers who sell jewelry set with Charles and Colvard-created moissanite.

"The marketing and advertising of gemstones and jewels, particularly on the Internet, can be confusing and, in some cases, misleading to the public," Charles and Colvard Chief Executive Office Bob Thomas said in a media release. "On Whatismoissanite.com, consumers will find fully documented information that serves as an excellent tool in helping them identify and truly understand why moissanite is such an amazing jewel."

Whatismoissanite.com offers the following educational tabs:

A Unique Jewel: Explains the characteristics and science behind the jewel's brilliance, fire, hardness, durability and stability.

Compare Moissanite: Explores the differences between moissanite, diamonds, cubic zirconia and other gemstones.

History: Details the history of silicon carbide and its transformation from its discovery more than 110 years ago into the unique jewel known today as moissanite.

Creating Moissanite: Details the course of turning rough silicon carbide into moissanite jewels, the process of grading and hand-faceting moissanite, as well as identifying the benefits of the company's certificate of authenticity and limited warranty.

Learn more: Frequently asked questions, including a glossary and video answers by world-renowned scientist and gemologist Dr. Kurt Nassau.

For more information about moissanite and Charles and Colvard, visit Moissanite.com, Whatismoissanite.com or Brillianceofme.com.

Charles & Colvard, K&G Creations in Dual Lawsuit Battle

K&G Creations and its former moissanite supplier Charles & Colvard have filed lawsuits against one another. Charles & Colvard announced June 16 that it had filed suit against K&G, seeking to recover $2.8 million, plus interest, “for moissanite jewels delivered and sold” to K&G.

A major customer of Charles & Colvard since 1998, K&G’s manufacturing agreement with the moissanite creator was terminated December 31, 2007.

K&G Creations on June 26 announced that it was filing a counter-suit against Charles & Colvard, seeking $50 million “for damages resulting from Charles & Colvard’s breach of its contract with K&G and fraud,” and alleging that, over the last four years, “Charles & Colvard engaged in practices that ruined K&G’s reputation and ultimately forced K&G out of the moissanite business.”

The lawsuit filed by K&G Creations accuses Charles & Colvard of “tortuous interference, unfair competition, breach of contract and fraud,” according to a release, as well as negligence on the part of Bob Thomas, who it claims was aware of and failed to correct “damaging actions on the part of Dennis Reed (President), Barbara Mooty (Director of Marketing) and others.”

Neil Koppel, president of K&G Creations, claimed that the company has proof that, “as far back as 2001, Charles & Colvard conspired to defraud K&G Creations by not honoring the pricing of the moissanite jewelry that was contractually agreed to.”

K&G Creations also stated that it is looking for other shareholders to come forward to join in a class action lawsuit.

Soft, geometric moissanite piece takes prize

The winner of a Charles and Colvard-sponsored design competition was flown to the JCK Las Vegas show earlier this month, where her winning moissanite piece was displayed.

The competition, launched in the United Kingdom last year, was created to raise awareness of moissanite in the jewelry industry and to promote that more than 71 percent of moissanite customers are women who buy for themselves.

Julie Wright, a designer from Devon England, won the 2007 competition and received an all-inclusive trip to the JCK show. Her winning design is a moissanite pendant set in 18-karat gold and valued at approximately $4,000. The piece was chosen as the winner because it reflects the trend for soft and geometric pieces, encompassed in an innovative design.

"We believe that last year's theme would show that moissanite, set into 18-karat gold, would lead to the creation of a more fashion-forward approach, and Julie's stunning piece demonstrated this concept quite flawlessly," Dennis Allen, who administers the competition for Charles and Colvard, said in a media release.

The first phase of the 2008 design competition, "Adventurous Moissanite," which encourages applicants to create bold and adventurous moissanite designs, has already begun. A panel of U.K. judges is reviewing all the design entries submitted in the form of jewelry renderings and sketches, and five semi-finalist renderings will be selected. Those designers will be given moissanite jewels up to a value of $1,000 to use in the actual manufacturing of their design. Finally, one finalist will be selected to win an all-inclusive trip to the Hong Kong Jewelry Fair in 2009.