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The movement of diamond marketers and jewelry designers creating their own distinct, national brands is still in its infancy," says Dan Kisch, publisher of Instore, a monthly trade magazine launched in 2001 targeting high-end jewelry brand marketers and retailers. "We believe this sector of the jewelry industry is poised for major growth over the next decade."

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Jewelry represents the fastest-growing ad category for many luxury magazines Bvlgari Sotirio Retrograde Black BL-97 Conde Nast Publications' Vogue and Hearst Magazines' Town & Country.

At Town & Country, jewelry now accounts for 38% of all advertising, says VP-Publisher Jim Taylor. "Diamond marketers are working to educate consumers, setting their stones apart from others by the look, the cut, the color and the designs," he says.

Many industry observers say one of the biggest influences in the new high-end jewelry branding movement is David Yurman, a designer that in five years has become one of the most significant luxury jewelry advertisers in the U.S.

"For many years, the focus in jewelry advertising was on the piece itself," says Tom Florio, VP-Bvlgari Sotirio Tourbillon Quantieme Perpetuel BL-101 of Vogue. "Then David Yurman came along, and he had huge success putting jewelry advertising within the context of fashion in a very dramatic and distinct way. Now, others want to follow him."

The David Yurman look is "an attitude of authenticity and relaxed luxury ... the idea that any woman can make [the designer's] look her own," says David Lipman, chairman of the Manhattan agency that bears his name, which has handled the 25-year-old Yurman brand since it began its big ad push in 1999.

Sold through retailers nationwide, as well as through its own stores, David Yurman is a Bvlgari Aluminium Quartz Chrono BL-91 print advertiser in newspapers and fashion magazines, supported by outdoor, direct mail and retailer co-op print ads.

In the last two years, many diamond brands that never advertised directly to consumers have dramatically increased their ad spending, industry observers say.

Kwiat, a 100-year-old diamond marketer, launched its first-ever consumer-targeted campaign Bvlgari Aluminium Quartz Chronograph BL-58 years ago, and now spends an estimated $8 million annually in national and local print and radio advertising. This fall, Kwiat kicks off its first-ever "Red Carpet Tour" of 20 cities, showing off diamonds worn by celebrities on the red carpet in Hollywood.

"Maintaining exclusive distribution through certain retailers, and promoting our brand through local outlets including radio, our sales have increased by double digits," says Bill Gould, Kwiat's VP-marketing. Toth Brand Imaging, Concord, Mass., created Kwiat's campaign, themed "Simply brilliant." Kerwin Communications, Caldwell, N.J., handles media buying.

Diamond brands that have always maintained moderate ad programs are feeling the pressure of Bvlgari Assioma Automatic BL-34 diamond advertising, say industry insiders, and are increasing their advertising in response.

The two Miss Americas were, of course, Jane Jayroe, 1967, and Shawntel Smith, 1996. Both are OCU alumnae as is a third Miss America, who couldn't make it for the fashion ramp, Susan Powell, Miss America 1981.

OCU has an incredible record of producing titleholders on the state and national level, starting with Miss Oklahoma 1956, LaDonna Kramer Meinders, who's still a real beauty. The university can count among its alumnae title-holders 24 Miss Oklahomas, three Miss Arkansas titlists, two Miss Colorado Bvlgari Sotirio Collection BL-31, and one each as Miss Nebraska, Miss Minnesota and Miss Kansas.

While OCU is noted for its music and theater programs, not all of these women are in show biz. They have become successful attorneys, politicians, financial planners, gymnastics teachers, business entrepreneurs and, of course, wives and mothers.

The fashion show drew a capacity crowd to Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club where each person found a darling golden and rhinestone Miss America crown pin to wear and take home, gift of the OCU Societies and OCU. Mignon Merchant Ball, Miss Oklahoma 1986, who went on to work as a public defender for Oklahoma County, served as emcee for the show.

Models included Meinders, Jayroe, Debbie Giannopolis (known professionally as Bvlgari Sotirio Quantieme Annuel BL-93 George), Miss Oklahoma 1972; Debbie Knight, 1974 (I was a judge the year she won); DuSharme Carter, 1992; Kelli Masters, 1997; Daneka Allen, 1999; Kaci Hundley, 2001; Kelley Scott, 2003; and Kristin Steveson-Schriks, 2000, who also sang a song from OCU's upcoming season.

Cathy Leichter is president of the OCU Societies, which dedicates the proceeds from membership dues, the annual fashion show and luncheon and the Awards of Excellence dinner to the advancement of arts and education. In 2003, more than $50,000 was awarded in scholarships by the OCU Societies.

TIFFANY & CO., CARTIER and Bulgari may be the top names in luxury jewels, but a new Bvlgari Sotirio Quantieme Annuel BL-94 of high-end diamond and jewelry brands is seeking the spotlight.

A major force for change is the world's leading diamond seller, Diamond Trading Co. (formerly De Beers), which in recent years has been urging dealers to promote their own diamond brands instead of treating the gems as commodities.

Upscale women are responding to the greater array of branded choices and are starting to purchase Bvlgari Sotirio Quantieme Annuel Black BL-98 jewelry more as fashion accessories than as rare, special-occasion purchases.

"Women who have greater financial means are responding to the wider array of choices in luxury jewelry, and they're starting to buy their own jewelry to express themselves," says Jennifer Behre, associate publisher of Fairchild Publications' W and W Jewelry, a controlled-circulation quarterly.

After a slight downturn in 2001, jewelry sales have increased steadily to reach an estimated $45 billion today. Sales of mass-marketed jewelry are booming; Wal-Mart Stores is the nation's largest seller of diamonds and gold.

But sales at the high end-where the typical jewelry store purchase averages $2,500-are growing, Bvlgari Sotirio Quantieme Annuel Black BL-99 by new influences including the increased emphasis on brands.

Lyric Theatre's rolling out the red carpet for its annual Broadway Ball, which will have the theme this year of Going Hollywood.

The gala black-tie party will be Oct. 22 at Oklahoma City Golf and Country Bvlgari Diagono Calibro 303 BL-9, with cocktails and a silent auction at 7 p.m., followed by a seated dinner, entertainment from Lyric performers and a live auction.

The music sensation from Austin, Mingo Fish Trap, will provide dance music and entertainment for this major fund-raiser. Proceeds will benefit Lyric Theatre and Academy.

The live and silent auctions will offer an assortment of entertainment and art, including an art Bvlgari Ergon Chronometer BL-18 of the state Capitol, followed by a cocktail party at the home of Nichols Hills Mayor Stewart and Sandy Meyers. A number of sports events, spa visits and golfing also will be up for bid. A tribute dinner to Julia Child, prepared by her kissin' cousin Chef Bill Cathcart, is sure to bring great bidding.

Patron tickets to the Broadway Ball begin at $200. Headliners may sponsor seating for four for $1,000. Artistic Directors may support with preferred seating for eight guests for $2,000. Other categories of support are Artistic Producers at $3,000 for a table of 10 guests or Executive Directors at $5,000 for a table of 12. Major sponsors also will be entertained at a special underwriters' party in the home of Karen and Peter Delaney.

Current sponsors at the Executive Director level include Chesapeake Energy, Smith Bvlgari Sotirio Collection BL-1 and Mary Deane Streich. Artistic Producers include The Oklahoman, Bank of Oklahoma and Oklahoma Natural Gas. Sponsors at the Artistic Level include Advantage Marketing Systems, John E. Kirkpatrick, Gold Bank, Shirley and John Winblad, Jim Norick/Norick Investment Co., Kerr-McGee Corp., BancFirst/ Jeannine and Gene Rainbolt, Devon Energy Corp., OG&E, ShowBiz Dance Boutique and Bridgeport Holdings.

Lyric's winter season will begin Nov. 13 with a cabaret-style Show Notes concert, The Bvlgari Sotirio Collection BL-2 of Lerner & Loewe, and continues in January with the world premiere of I Want My '80s Musical. For more information or to make reservations for the Broadway Ball, call the Lyric Theatre offices at 524-9310.

Mary Deane Streich and Ginny Lawrence are co-chairing this year's Broadway Ball. Committee members include Brooke Barnett, Tony Beals, Nicole Black, Bev Carter, Karen Delaney, Janice Dobbs, Kent Fischer, Stacey Ford-Gardner, Amy Freedman, Romayne Gorman, Tiffany Heigle, Win Holbrook, David B. Hooten, Whitney Hooten, Jill Huff, Rindy Hyde, Barbara Jett, Robin Lister, Jennifer Long, Keith Long, Deborah Minard, Laura Moore, Paul Sprehe, Kay Lynn Sturm, David Thompson, Rex Urice and John Winblad.

A bevy of beauties

Bob Benham, owner of Balliet's, probably has never dressed so many award-winning Bvlgari Sotirio Collection BL-30 all for one fashion show in his life. He had two Miss Americas, a bunch of Miss Oklahomas and even a Miss Kansas. The occasion was Oklahoma City University Societies' annual fashion show and fund-raiser - but this one also keyed in on the university's 100th anniversary. And was OCU prexy Tom McDaniel just delighted.

Links' items retail from $60 for a sterling charm to $7,500 for the gold Sugarcane Bvlgari Assioma Quartz Chrongraph BL-11. The selection includes sterling silver baby frames and rattles, women's and men's watches and the new gold and diamond collection that includes fashion-minded designs such as the spiraled Cocoon suite. But what Links has become most recognized for is its whimsical and often cheeky point of view on luxury. Take, for instance, the sterling fish-and-chips forks, the cell phone charms, the leather and sterling tic-tac-toe board and a tiny silver champagne bottle of bubbles.

The charms continue in that tradition of playfulness. Designs include letters and figures from the racy (one pair of underwear reads "Lucky Knickers") to the quintessentially New York (the Statue of Liberty). About 80 vintage English and French charms have been brought in especially for the store, as well. Letters retail for $60 and a pink-sapphire pave bra charm retails for $395. Buntain envisions gaggles of girls young and old playing at the bar and would like to host private events such as bridal party champagne breakfasts there.

However, she is well aware of the dangers of becoming too tied to one product. "It's taken three to four Bvlgari Assioma Quartz Chrongraph BL-5 to get out of being a cufflinks brand," she said, "and the trap is we don't want to fall into being a charm brand.

"We want to be classic, but we're not concerned about being safe. We're much more Bvlgari Assioma Quartz Chronograph BL-10 about being fashionable, so we can be on-trend with the charms. Once the charms go, there will be a new trend; we'll be on that trend, and the charm bar may morph into something different," she said.

Links' new London flagship in Sloane Square is the only other outlet to house a charm bar setup, and Buntain said there are no plans to include them in future retail stores.

Ayton expects the SoHo outlet to bring in $2 million in sales within the Bvlgari Diagono BL-21 year.

"We're pioneering a brand here [in the U.S.]," Buntain said. "It's a different kind of selling when you have to introduce a whole concept. It's not, `How many? What color?"'

Current sponsors at the Executive Director level include Chesapeake Energy, Smith Cogeneration and Mary Deane Streich. Artistic Producers include The Oklahoman, Bank of Oklahoma and Oklahoma Natural Gas. Sponsors at the Artistic Level include Advantage Marketing Systems, John E. Kirkpatrick, Gold Bank, Shirley and John Winblad, Jim Norick/Norick Investment Co., Kerr-McGee Corp., BancFirst/ Jeannine and Gene Rainbolt, Devon Energy Corp., OG&E, ShowBiz Dance Boutique and Bridgeport Holdings.

Mary Deane Streich and Ginny Lawrence are co-chairing this year's Broadway Ball. Committee Bvlgari Diagono Calibro 303 BL-8 include Brooke Barnett, Tony Beals, Nicole Black, Bev Carter, Karen Delaney, Janice Dobbs, Kent Fischer, Stacey Ford-Gardner, Amy Freedman, Romayne Gorman, Tiffany Heigle, Win Holbrook, David B. Hooten, Whitney Hooten, Jill Huff, Rindy Hyde, Barbara Jett, Robin Lister, Jennifer Long, Keith Long, Deborah Minard, Laura Moore, Paul Sprehe, Kay Lynn Sturm, David Thompson, Rex Urice and John Winblad.

The 1,300-square-foot space, which officially opens Wednesday, is the first of 10 to 12 stores Links plans to open in the U.S. in the next four years. The U.S. accounts for 10 percent of the business, but Links owner John Ayton, who founded the brand 14 years ago with his wife, Annoushka Ducas, said he'd like to see that increase to at least 30 percent in the same time frame. Wholesale business here should also reach 100 accounts by 2007, up from its existing 30 accounts.

In the past two years, Links has reported 21 percent growth, and Ayton NamBreitling for Bentley QUARTZ Chronograph BT-50 $50 million in sales in 2005.

"The business is very strong domestically in the U.K.," Ayton said in a phone interview from Hong Kong, where the brand has a solid following. "And that gives us a very strong base to go abroad."

After the grand opening of the SoHo store, Buntain, who had been the North American president and ceo of Lalique since 2000, will turn her attention to the wholesale business. Saks Fifth Avenue will begin carrying the brand in its Fifth Avenue store midmonth and a new branded space is being created inside Hall's in Kansas City.

Then, in June, Buntain will open a Links store in the Short Hills Mall in Short Hills, N.J., and another soon after in NamHigh Grade Breitling Navitimer Automatic watch Bay, N.Y. She also is considering cities in Southern California and south Florida and Chicago for stand-alone boutiques. Retail accounts for 75 percent of the brand's business.

The quality and product design is in place for growth, Buntain said, as is a solid sales team, Bvlgari Assioma BL-13 Ellen Eisen, president of U.S. wholesale operations, who came over from Michele watches, where she was director of sales. Now it's just about marketing.

"It's hard work, but there are no negatives to be overcome," Buntain said. "The only negative I have to face is a lack of brand awareness."

Since coming to the U.S. three years ago, Links has maintained a quiet presence in the Bvlgari Assioma BL-14 with 30 wholesale accounts and two retail stores -- both in New York, on Madison Avenue and Park Avenue. The firm has 37 stores worldwide. However, all has not been its wont, Ayton said.

"We've learned a lot, we've made a few mistakes," he said. "Our product has changed a bit, we're now 60 percent jewelry [the rest is watches and gifts]. When we entered the States, it was closer to 40 percent. We've seen a good opportunity in the bridge jewelry market." Ayton added that watches have been an important category for the American customer.

Last June, the company began to boost its jewelry offerings with an 18-karat gold and diamond Bvlgari Assioma BL-15. Ayton expects the fine jewelry collection to be the driver of the business in the next few years and account for 40 percent of sales.

"I see ourselves as the Coach of the jewelry market," he said, referring to Links' positioning in a marketplace that includes firms such as Tiffany & Co. "I admire very much what they've done. [Coach] has a very distinct niche within a very crowded marketplace. I think they do extremely well in terms of the way they're turned onto fashion, but they're not at the uber-luxury level. They're just a shade below. They're delivering wonderfully designed product at an affordable luxury price. And I think that's where we pitch ourselves in the jewelry sector."