First penned by William Shakespeare in his 1594 classic tale, Romeo and Juliet, the phrase “…a rose by any other name would smell as sweet…” has appeared in numerous references from traditional Valentine’s Day cards to modern romance.

Mr. Shakespeare intended for these flowery words to mean: that what matters is what something is, not what it is called.

So, while “65 Roses” might mean a quantity of flowers it also is what some children with cystic fibrosis (CF) call their disease (because the phrase is easier to pronounce than their life threatening condition). You might be wondering how this relates to moissanite or Charles & Colvard or Brilliance of Me. And, no doubt you are wondering, “Who is Christy?”

Under the brilliant leadership of Dr. Christy Shaffer, Inspire Pharmaceuticals located in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina is developing a medical treatment for CF–the chronic and inherited disease that predominately affects children. As its President and CEO, Dr. Shaffer is an experienced pharmaceutical executive and Ph.D. scientist (biology & chemistry) and has played the major role in making Inspire a leader in pharmaceutical products for ophthalmic and respiratory diseases.

We are especially proud to announce Dr. Christy Shaffer as the first woman selected in the 2008 Class of “Women of Brilliant Achievement”. Honored for her outstanding leadership in an industry traditionally dominated by men, her inspiration to other women and for her many community contributions, Dr. Shaffer is truly an accomplished role-model.

If you haven’t checked our “Women of Brilliant Achievement” program, please do so! Charles & Colvard honors these brilliant achievers with a stunning pair of 4 carat total weight round brilliant moissanite jewels set in platinum martini earrings, a big bouquet of spring flowers, a box of delicious Godiva chocolate truffles and a beautiful engraved crystal award—plus we donate another pair of magnificent moissanite martini earrings to a charity of the honoree’s choice.

In weeks to come you can read more about Christy and other WBA honorees!

The first comment Dennis mentioned about his trip to Dubai, was that the UAE’s national bird should really be the crane, not the falcon as it is. He wasn’t referring to the great bird revered by some Japanese and Chinese as symbolic of longevity and immortality but rather the industrial crane commonly seen at a construction site. As you have seen on the news and through newspapers, Dubai is exploding with development and quickly becoming an important world business center. From the engineering of the Burj Dubai (designed to become the world’s tallest structure) to the countless number of yachts docked at its shoreline, Dubai is an international scene of luxury.

I understand key discussions at the CIBJO conference focused on the acceptance of a worldwide standardization of precious metals (i.e. tolerances, alloys, weights); the development of a corporate social responsibility foundation, and creating a worldwide retailer’s guide on gemstones and precious metals. Charles & Colvard is not only an active and sponsoring member of CIBJO but we are very involved in the U.S. jewelry industry as a champion of disclosure and supporting consumer education.

One such project we underwrote and worked on with the Jeweler’s Vigilance Committee (another CIBJO member) is the “Buying Gemstones and Jewels with Confidence”. This is an informative brochure written to dispel the confusion consumers oftentimes encounter when some products aren’t identified clearly in their marketing. If you would like to request a copy of this brochure, simply visit www.jvc.org.

And with that said, please keep in mind, there is only one moissanite—Moissanite created by Charles & Colvard!

I had the privilege to visit beautiful Basel, Switzerland for BASELWORLD (April 3-10). It may sound like the Disneyworld of jewelry and it certainly might seem to be as large as a theme park, but it’s actually one of the world’s leading watch and jewelry shows. And for those of you who haven’t been to Switzerland in the spring, it reminded me of North Carolina as the countryside is green and alive with daffodils, other spring flowers and blossoming trees.

This was Charles & Colvard’s 11th year participating in this international show. It like, the Hong Kong Jewellery Show which we attended in early March, provided Charles & Colvard with an opportunity to meet with moissanite manufacturers and distributors from around the world and a venue to promote the beauty of moissanite to those retailers, manufacturers and publications who are not familiar with our magnificent jewel.

Show management reported that over 100,000 retailers, jewelers and wholesalers attended the show. While we didn’t see all those people at our exhibition stand, we did spend a week meeting some amazing people who repeatedly commented on the unmatched brilliance of moissanite.

The team is back in the States now, following up with sales and marketing leads. However, our President, Dennis Reed after being in Basel for a week, traveled on to the UAE where he attended the international CIBJO conference. CIBJO (a French acronym for International Confederation of Jewelry, Silverware, Diamonds, Pearls and Stones) is a leading confederation of national trade associations from around the world. The cornerstones of this organization’s mission are to protect consumer confidence in the jewelry industry, promote international cooperation between trade associations and forward the industry’s concerns and issues worldwide. At past CIBJO conferences, world jewelry leaders have discussed the importance of disclosure related to diamond origin, the blood diamond conflict and issues with tanzanite.

Stay tuned, as I will write more about CIBJO as soon as Dennis returns. He is certain to have a perspective on the growing importance of Dubai as a world business center and I will be looking forward to hearing about this year’s CIBJO conference.

“Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” —Miriam Beard

Just recently I presented the award for the Moissanite Milestone Moments contest to Ms. Nichelle Eggleston. While the purpose of my trip was to represent Charles & Colvard at the presentation, it ended up being more than an award ceremony and so much more than “just a business trip”.

As I entered Nichelle’s place of work, I was overwhelmed with the amount of care and love everyone had for her. For those of you, who haven’t read Nichelle’s story on this site, I encourage you to do so. Nichelle is one dynamic woman and an 18-year, two-time cancer survivor! When you meet Nichelle, you are immediately taken aback by her radiant personality and larger-than-life positive attitude.

Nichelle’s “milestone moment” started when she found out she needed to have her leg amputated due to cancer. Her story of courage, strength and determination is truly an uplifting message to all.

I met Nichelle’s mom and dad, her aunt and her daughters Danita and Coryn, as well as her friends and co-workers who had gathered to honor her. They told me stories about how Nichelle has helped others through her dedication as a Social Work Director for Genesis Healthcare. One particular co-worker told me how Nichelle has always rejected the use of a “handicapped” parking permit… and how she has never considered her condition to merit special treatment.

It was both an honor and a privilege to present the Milestone Moments prize to such a deserving woman. As Nichelle said to me, “I focus on my abilities, not my disabilities.” Wow! It’s not often you have the chance to meet someone who has faced a tremendous challenge head-on and turned it into an opportunity to become the best person she can be.

On March 12, Nichelle wrote me an email and I wanted to share her message:

“The brilliance of me: growing, teaching, learning, living and just being me. Not being defined by what is obvious to see. I live to show you how brilliant, and fabulous you and I can be.”

Her email was signed, “God Bless, Nichelle—Who said that being FAB-U-LOUS isn’t an option?”

Traveling certainly brings you to unexpected, amazing places—but it’s the people you meet that teach you unexpected, amazing lessons.

Have a fabulous day!

As a professional woman who juggles a busy career, family, philanthropic and industry activities plus more, I know the importance of taking some time out for my personal life. I relish even the few moments a day I have to spend on ME—whether it’s sweating in a hot Bikram yoga classroom, reflecting on my achievements, sharing my goals and dreams with “the girlfriends”, other women, my boyfriend or simply enjoying a good laugh. My few moments a day give me the energy to recalibrate and continue on my life’s journey.

At Charles & Colvard, we recognize that women just like you are the ones that do it all—you’re the tireless moms, the dedicated volunteers, the assertive professionals, true-blue girlfriends and one-in-a-million neighbors. You’re likely attracted to moissanite because it seems to represent you, not to mention its dazzling beauty, quality and value.

We believe in moissanite, and we believe in the women who love and own moissanite. I invite you to spend your few moments a day on our new Web site, Brilliance of Me. This interactive site allows you to reenergize, share your strengths, life tips, stories and achievements with a community of amazing women—just like you.

Plus, very soon, we will be launching “Women of Brilliant Achievement” honoring amazing women with a track record of a 360º achievement in their lives—from their personal to professional lives and who make a lasting impact on their communities. These extraordinary women will be honored in the pages of our website, Brilliance of Me. I think you will find their stories and accomplishments both uplifting and inspiring.

Again, we applaud you for all you do, and I hope you enjoy Brilliance of Me as a place to spend your few moments a day reflecting upon how brilliant you really are.