The Andrea Bocelli Foundation Gala

Andrea Bocelli presents Girard-Perregaux World Timer timepiece to Quincy Jones.

Swiss luxury watch brand Girard-Perregaux partnered with international classical singing superstar Andrea Bocelli for the launch of the Andrea Bocelli Foundation with a benefit gala on December 9 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

At the event, Bocelli presented the first foundation award of a Girard-Perregaux World Timer timepiece (pictured left) to iconic music recorder and producer Quincy Jones for his worldwide philanthropic efforts. Andrea Bocelli also wore his own Girard-Perregaux 1966 watch for the evening.

The Gala featured a dinner and performances by Bocelli as well as David Foster, Heather Headley and Anna Maria Martinez and a surprise performance by Michael Bolton.

Bocelli performs while wearing the Girard-Perregaux 1966 watch

 

GP 1996

The Andrea Bocelli Foundation will be a grant making body, aimed at supporting those living in poverty or overcoming barriers caused by illness and disability in order to deliver tangible real life results. Two types of programs will be supported: those that alleviate poverty and those that help people overcome physical limitations caused by illness. The Foundation will actively seek to identify innovative and original projects to support.

Read More

Royal Asscher and CoutureLab to Support the Seven Bar Foundation

This Shining Stars ring is among the Royal Asscher jewelry that will be available on CoutureLab. Photo credit: Royal Asscher

Royal Asscher said Thursday that it is selling jewelry from its Stars of Africa and Shining Stars collections on the website CoutureLab to benefit the Seven Bar Foundation.

CoutureLab is a luxury gift website that sells fine and rare products that focus on quality, heritage and craftsmanship. Seven Bar Foundation is a social enterprise that empowers women in the developing world by providing microfinance opprtunities that fuels local businesses that enrich communities.

A total of 20 percent of retail profit from sales of Royal Asscher jewelry on CoutureLab will benefit the Seven Bar Foundation and help extend ladders to women out of poverty.

Royal Asscher’s Stars of Africa and Shining Stars collections consist of diamonds encased within fluid-filled sapphire domes, which allow the diamonds to float freely like snowflakes in a snow globe. The result is cascading diamonds that emit light, fire and beauty. Each piece is handcrafted by expert craftsmen in Florence, Italy.

The idea behind the Stars of Africa and Shining Stars jewelry lines has always been to raise funds and awareness for children’s programs in Africa through its Star of Africa initiative. This is just another way for the company and priduct to achieve this goal, said. Renata Black, founder of the Seven Bar Foundation says, “We are honored to call the Royal Asscher.
 
In addition, Royal Asscher, founded in 1854 and known for cutting some of largest and most famous diamonds in history, fits right in with a website that focuses on heritage.

“Royal Asscher supports CoutureLab founder Carmen Busquets’ vision for her website as a place where the stories of the products and the people behind them would be celebrated—where clients could not only learn about the heritage and see the true value of it, but also fall in love and own a piece of it,” said Lita Asscher, president of Royal Asscher of America.

Read More

D.E.F. Supports Flaviana Matata Foundation

The Diamond Empowerment Fund has granted $10,000 to the Flaviana Matata Foundation, which empowers young orphan girls through education, skills training and micro-finance projects in Tanzania.

Founded by fashion model and former Miss Universe Tanzania, Flaviana Matata (pictured left), the FMF seeks to create a future through education and improve livelihoods among the youth in Tanzania.

“When you empower a girl, you empower an entire community,” Matata said. “Providing opportunity for these young girls will encourage others to stay in school and vastly improve their chances for employment and productive livelihoods.”

Matata received the “Face of Africa” award in recognition for her leadership and dedicated service to the African community at the African Diaspora Awards on December 8 in NYC.

The Diamond Empowerment Fund will be hosting its GOOD Awards on January 10 in New York—recognizing leaders who are making a difference in Africa.

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Web site.

Read More