Benefit for Nicole Porto

I’ve known Nicole Porto for several years as the public relations representative for the Royal Asscher Diamond Company. She is a sweet person who does her job extremely well and who is far too young to have such a serious illness.

In June Nicole was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare blood disorder. Since the illness was discovered she has undergone several blood transfusions and is scheduled for a bone-marrow transplant on December 6.

To help offset her medical expenses several of her many friends have set up the Nicole Porto Fund website where those who are interested can give a donation through PayPal.

In addition, friends of Nicole will hold a benefit on December 4 in New York at The Malt House on Thompson Street. It will include a jewelry sale, raffle and silent auction. The event admission is $25 that can be made at the website on in person at the event.

All of the proceeds from registration fees, silent auction and raffle tickets will go directly to Nicole's medical bills. Lita Asscher, Diana Widman and Lois Sasson are donating 35 percent of all jewelry sales to Nicole.

The raffle and silent auction prizes will include:

* Two free passes for flights anywhere in the U.S. on Virgin America Airlines!!
* Forty percent discount flight passes from Virgin America
* A 3-month membership to Equinox
* Dinner cooked by a professional chef
* Limited edition fine pens by Faber-Castell
* Nicole's favorite Diana Widman earrings
* A floating diamond necklace by Royal Asscher
* Fine jewelry donations by industry talent
* A summer weekend in a Vermont country house

More information and instructions about making donations and attending the event are on the website.

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

Hublot Raises $1 Million At Charity Boxing Auction

Champion boxers participate in WBC fundraiser. AFP PHOTO/Sandy Huffaker/Hublot

Swiss luxury watch brand Hublot created 12 unique timepieces dedicated and signed by 12 legendary boxers in support of the inauguration of the World Boxing Council Charities. The 12 watches were then auctioned off Saturday during the gala dinner at the at the Bellagio hotel raising $1 million for the fund.

The boxing champions who participated in the auction included Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Lennox Lewis, Jeff Fenech, Larry Holmes, Tommy Hearns, Roberto Duran, Azumah Nelson, Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya and George Foreman. 

Boxing legend Thomas "Hitman" Hearns is seen with the Hublot King Power timepiece. AFP PHOTO/David McNew/Hublot/Handout

The all-day event included a press conference with Hublot CEO, Ricardo Guadalupe, and the 12 legendary boxers. Each champion spoke about the partnership between Hublot and the WBC and presented their individual Hublot King Power WBC timepiece.

More than 300 persons then attended the evening gala where top boxing announcer, Michael Buffer, led the live auction on a staged ring with international auctioneers, Bonhams. The 12 winning bidders received their watch from each fighter.

All of the funds raised will support the charitable initiative of the WBC, including the retired boxer’s pension and emergency fund in over 40 countries around the world.

The World Boxing Council is the world's largest sports sanctioning body with operations in 164 countries and 10 federations. It is the owner of the “Green Belt,” the highest form of recognition a champion boxer can receive.

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page and on Twitter  @JewelryNewsNet.

Gumuchian’s Jewelry is for the Bees

B collection hoop earrings 

Luxury jewelry brand Gumuchian has created a set of 18k gold jewelry in support of the declining honeybee population. The “B” collection is a line of link and cuff bracelets, earrings, pendants, rings and five different bee-related charms. The shapes of the links are hexagonal, similar to the shape of a honeycomb. The gold is offset with diamond pavé accents. 

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the collection will be donated to the non-profit, HoneyLove.org, which supports urban beekeeping and home gardens. Citing recent studies, including those by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the family owned jewelry firm says that one in every three bites of food consumed in the United States is either directly or indirectly pollinated by bees.

The collection will be unveiled at the JCK Las Vegas jewelry tradeshow, which runs May 30 – June 2. 

“Many of our collections are inspired by nature” said Myriam Gumuchian, Gumuchian VP of sales. “But this aspect of nature didn’t just inspire the designs it also inspired us to be part of something bigger.”

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

Harry Winston Gives $1 Million to UCLA Children’s Hospital To Establish Fellowship Fund

Honorees Maureen Stockton and Bryan Stockton attend the second annual Kaleidescope Ball.

Harry Winston, Inc. presented a $1 million gift to the UCLA Children’s Discovery and Innovation Institute, part of the Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA, to establish the Harry Winston Fellowship Fund.

The gift was presented April 10 at the second annual Kaleidoscope Ball – Designing the Sweet Side of L.A. at the Beverly Hills Hotel, which benefits the children’s hospital. Hosted by Maria Menounos, the star-studded event honored Emmy Award-nominated Julianne Hough and Emmy Award-Winning Derek Hough with the Kaleidoscope Award - given to members of the entertainment industry who bring light and laughter into the lives of children through their professional achievements and personal humanitarianism. 

Additional honorees at this year’s event included Maureen & Bryan Stockton who received the Humanitarian Award for their commitment to civic philanthropy, and 9-year-old Grace Suomi - a former patient of Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA – who received the Innovator Award.

As the first corporate sponsor of Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA’s innovative pediatric fellowship program, Harry Winston will support the work of young pediatric physician-scientists who are conducting research to prevent, treat, and cure disease and illness in children.

“The Los Angeles community holds a very special meaning for Harry Winston.  It is where Mr. Winston spent his own childhood, and first began to realize his passion and future would be in precious jewels.” said Nayla Hayek, CEO of Harry Winston, Inc. “Through the Harry Winston Fellowship Fund, we are so proud to support the vital work of these talented young physician-scientists.  It is our hope that through their innovative research and groundbreaking ideas, all children will have the opportunity for a more brilliant and healthy future, to realize their own dreams.”

Harry Winston Fellows and fund recipients will be chosen annually by an internal selection committee led by Dr. Sherin Devaskar, physician-in-chief of Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA and executive director of the UCLA Children’s Discovery and Innovation Institute. The Harry Winston Fellows will represent physician-scientists in their second and third year of fellowship who have demonstrated a commitment to a career in academic medicine. 

“The UCLA Children’s Discovery and Innovation Institute promotes scholarship and lifelong learning at all levels of career development. The Harry Winston Fellowship Fund will support the best and brightest subspecialty fellows toward becoming exceptional academic physician-scientists who will go on to collaborate and establish networks locally, nationally and globally. The ultimate goal is to promote health and improve the quality of life for all children now and in the future,” said Dr. Devaskar.

The three Harry Winston Fellows, whose appointments are pending, are researching diseases that affect children and families worldwide.

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