Sending Healing to Celebrity Stylist Michael O’Connor

Prayers for celebrity stylist and veteran home shopping vendor Michael O’Connor, who recently disclosed he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

We loved Michael when he was the Affinity Diamond rep on QVC, and we’ve enjoyed his stints on other nets like Jewelry Television and as the rep for Passport to Gold on HSN. He is charming and informative.

Michael said he has known for a year now that he has cancer, and at this point he has decided to take a more aggressive approach to his treatment, with surgery.

Wishing him health and happiness.

We Give QVC A G-H On Its Diamond Event

Kudos to QVC for its diamond event on Thursday, where the home shopping network fully committed to disclosing and discussing the color and clarity of the stones used in its jewelry.

We have long complained that QVC would describe its Affinity Diamond pieces as being colorless or eye-clean but not say whether they were H-I or whatever.

The No. 1 home shopping network in recent months began releasing that info on some of its diamonds, but in its event this week it really went into color and quality for nearly all is jewelry.

And QVC not only offered its TSV rings in 14 karat gold, there were a smattering of pieces where for the first time the network set its diamonds in 18 carat gold!

Were these baubles cheap? No, we like seeing higher quality goods.

And QVC’s Peyton Kelley did a nice job of explaining what the various color grades on a diamond mean.

 

 

 

 

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Is QVC Ending Guessing Game On Diamonds?

We were snoozing on the couch early this Thursday morning, too exhausted to move to bed after staying up to 2 a.m. to watch the election results, when we saw something remarkable on QVC.

During its Affinity Diamond segment to kick off its TSV, QVC’s Peyton Kelley was telling viewers the precise clarity and color of the stones of one of the rings being featured.

He also offered a tutorial – using Gemological Institute of America guidelines — on what the various measures of a diamond’s worth mean. We have been asking for this forever from QVC and HSN, questioning why someone should buy diamonds without know how good they are, or aren’t.

For example, a five-stone emerald cut ring, selling for $2,449, had diamonds that were H in color and VS2 “or better” in clarity.

http://www.qvc.com/Halo-5-Stone-Emerald-Cut-Diamond-Band-Ring-14K-Affinity.product.J333440.html?sc=J333440-24HR&cm_sp=VIEWPOSITION-_-1-_-J333440&catentryImage=http://images.qvc.com/is/image/j/40/j333440.001?$uslarge$

If QVC has been doing this before, we missed it. But we say bravo to the Q for finally providing this info.

We only wish that QVC revealed the quality of the diamonds of all its jewelry. For example, it was not provided on the TSV, a five-stone band ring. Kelley simply described its stones as “eye clean” and “near colorless.”

You’ve hear of “TMI,” too much information. We call that too little information.

Ex-QVC Diamond Expert Michael O’Connor Moves To HSN

QVC’s loss has turned out to be HSN’s gain: Celebrity stylist and jewelry expert Michael O’Connor is coming to the No. 2 home shopping network.

The classy, genial gentleman posted the news on Facebook Wednesday.

Next week HSN celebrates Gem Week featuring new and unique discoveries from your favorite designers and experts. I’ll be making appearances throughout the week from 10/20 through the evening of 10/24.

Michael O’Connor

I hope you’ll tune-in everyday for the best of HSN’s gemstones and some trend and styling tips and gemstone information from me.

On a personal note, I want to thank all of you who have said that you miss seeing me on TV! I’m thrilled to be working with HSN next week. I hope you’ll watch and I hope to speak to you. XO

We certainly will be glad to see him back. O’Connor was usually the guest for QVC’s Affinity Diamond shows. He was knowledgeable and funny. We think that he and the ol’ Q parted ways because he wanted to do some work for Reelz, the cable network.

In any event, he was a real asset to the ol’ Q. Now he’ll be an asset to HSN. Can’t wait to see him with Colleen Lopez!

HSN Gets Its Own Michael O’Connor, A Diamond Expert

It looks like HSN has found its own Michael O’Connor! The much-missed O’Connor was QVC’s former diamond guru.

Diane Warga-Arias posted on Facebook today, “It’s OFFICIAL: I am the Resident HSN DIAMOND EXPERT ….ON-AIR MAY 1st with COLORS OF DIAMONDS! I am so excited!”

https://www.facebook.com/diane.warga.arias

We believe we’ve seen Diane on HSN as the guest on some diamond shows, and if so, we welcome her back.

As any QVC watcher knows, for years O’Connor served as that home shopping network’s diamond expert. A celebrity stylist for jewelry, O’Connor hooked up the stars with diamonds for the red carpet and was the guest for QVC’s Affinity Diamond shows.

He was charming and informative, but apparently he wanted to do another gig on another network, and QVC wouldn’t let him stay on and do both.

We miss him, especially during April, our birth month and diamond month. The clear carbon sparkler is our birthstone.

First Diamond Dean Michael O’Connor, Now Makeup Queen Leslie Blodgett Gone From QVC?

Thanks to posters on our blog and on the QVC.com boards for giving us the 411 on what is happening with QVC diamond maven Michael O’Connor, who has exited the home shopping network. And they dug up news about doe-eyed Bare Minerals/Bare Escentuals founder Leslie Blodgett.

http://community.qvc.com/forums/viewpoints/topic/412221/michael-oconner-affinity-diamond-rep-leaving-qvc.aspx

First, O’Connor told a Facebook friend why he left QVC.

Leslie Blodgett says goodbye QVC

“Unfortunately, there would have been a contractual conflict with other projects that I’m working on for future and therefore I had no choice,” O’Connor said.

O’Connor, a celeb stylist, also posted a video on Facebook with a clip for an outfit called Engagement 101 TV. It is launching next year — and O’Connor has a show on it.

QVC’s Affinity Diamond line will go on without him.

And a sharp-eyed poster on the QVC forums said that Blodgett will no longer be hosting the Bare Escentuals mineral makeup shows on the home shopping network.

“Leslie said it on her FB page,” the QVC poster said. “She took a sabbatical, and she’ll be back with BE, but her QVC days are over.”

We went on Blodgett’s Facebook page and couldn’t find this announcement, but apparently she’s been MIA from QVC so it sounds real.

UPDATE:

A smart friend found Blodgett’s post.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/leslie-blodgett/letter-to-leslie-blodgetts-fb-page/584814471543928

Blodgett sold her company to Japanese giant Shisedo for $1.7 billion a couple of years ago,

Diamond Expert Michael O’Connor Leaving QVC

Here’s a real shocker for a Saturday morning: Celeb stylist and diamond expert Michael O’Connor is exiting QVC.

We got up today and went on Facebook and saw O’Connor’s posting about him no longer the home shopping network’s face for its Affinity Diamond collection.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-OConnor-Qvc/240234302695453?hc_location=stream

O’Connor — one of the classiest, most charming and knowledgeable guests to grace QVC — was thanking fans who — like us — were sorry he was leaving the network. It looks like Friday was his last appearance on the channel.

Here is his post:

YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!! Thank you all for the most lovely messages and comments that anybody could ever ask for. The decision to leave QVC was a VERY difficult one and I wish it could have been different.

Not only will I truly miss the great talents that I have the opportunity to work with but I will miss your calls into the show, your comments here on Facebook, the times you have stopped me in airports and stores and shared your own stories with me and all the times you’ve simply “liked” my posts here on Facebook.

You’ve made me feel very special and very lucky to have known you. I hope you’ll continue to keep up with me on Michael O”Connor Style – plenty of things on the horizon to share with you…. but for now, God bless and may the angels watch you always. XO Michael

We don’t know the scoop, but here are some likely scenarios. O’Connor may be so busy picking out jewelry for stars on the red carpet that he doesn’t have time for QVC. Or the home shopping network couldn’t come to terms on a new deal with O’Connor. Or QVC decided it didn’t need O’Connor anymore to hawk Affinity.

You decide.

QVC Comes Clean With Diamond Quality In New Line

Holy crap!

QVC has come out with a diamond line where it is actually telling customers the color and clarity of the stones it is hawking. The collection, Facets by Michael Beaudry, debuts Friday night at 9 p.m.

This may not sound like a big deal if you are not a home-shopping viewer. After all, if you go to a quality jewelry store or even a place like Bloomingdale’s, they will tell you the ratings on a diamond. But on QVC, HSN and Jewelry Television, you are not given the color and clarity.

Diamonds can range in color from “D,” which is the best and colorless, to “Z,” the worse. In clarity, the range is flawless, with no inclusions or blemishes, to I3, heavily included.

In the case of QVC and its Affinity diamond collection, hosts will often say the diamonds are “white” or “eye clear.” But QVC never provided their ratings.

But the Facets line is different, according to QVC.com.

“As part of QVC’s quality requirements, randomly selected diamonds from the Facets by Michael Beaudry collection have undergone a survey by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to verify the diamonds are natural and at least H color and SI clarity,” QVC said.

“H” is a near colorless diamond, while SI clarity means slightly included.

QVC also offered some more details on its new diamond collection.

“Treat yourself to heirloom-quality diamond jewelry when you tune in for Facets by Michael Beaudry on QVC,” QVC.com said.

“Created by master diamond cutter and designer Michael Beaudry to accentuate each diamond’s singular beauty, this exquisite collection of rings, earrings and necklaces, all set in 14k yellow or white gold, features a mosaic setting in which the stones are virtually seamless with a master cut diamond crown as well as unique design techniques, that are the cornerstones of the Beaudry name.”

For truly remarkable jewelry designs, indulge yourself in the timeless, classic beauty and elegance of diamonds with Facets by Michael Beaudry on QVC. [Pron: Bow Dree]

Seamless Brilliance

Michael Beaudry, a master diamond cutter by trade, brings us this heirloom-quality jewelry collection featuring unique design techniques & distinctive settings in 14K gold. Plus, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has verified that these natural diamonds are at least H color & SI clarity.

Highlights Of QVC’s Gem Day: Affinity Diamond Highway Ring And Chrome Ceramic Watch

We’ve been backlogged again, and working Sundays, so couldn’t find time until today to comment on QVC’s Gem Day Saturday.

We weren’t overwhelmed, but since QVC has cut back so many of its jewelry presentations, we guess we shouldn’t complain.

QVC featured some new jewels for its airwaves, such as icy pink morganite. But that’s a stone that’s been a staple on ShopNBC and Jewelry Television.

The No. 1 home shopping network also hawked a lot of drusy, but once again the prices were exorbitant. QVC boasts that it only uses top-grade drusy. We’d rather have not top-quality drusy, and have a piece of jewelry that doesn’t break the bank.

The one thing we really were impressed with was Affinity Diamonds. Apparently so-called “highway” rings, which feature multiple bands attached to each other, are hot now. And QVC had a gorgeous tricolor one with diamonds.

Host Lisa Robertson and QVC diamond maven Michael O’Connor also showed off a chrome-colored ceramic watch with diamonds surrounding the face. That was a stunning piece.

O’Connor allayed our fears about the durability of ceramic watches. He said that the ceramic in QVC’s watches was an 8.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, harder than sapphires and almost as hard as a diamond. He added that the chrome color was baked through the watch, not just painted on. It was stunning.

ShopNBC Does ‘Twilight,’ And We’re Talking About Black Diamonds, Not Young Vampires

On its 30-hour Diamond Day Sunday, ShopNBC introduced a new line of black diamonds, called the Twilight Diamond Collection.

In fact, the network’s Today’s Top Value was a one-carat black and white diamond sterling silver stick cross.

The cross was $188, at five $38 Value Pays. We know we shouldn’t have, but we ordered it. We collect crosses, and a black diamond one was too much to resist. If it is really sparkly, we’ll keep it. If not, it goes back.

ShopNBC’s rivals have been selling colored diamonds for some time. QVC, as part of its trademark Affinity diamond line, offers Skylit Affinity blue diamonds, as well as champagne, black and yellow diamonds.

HSN sells black and blue diamonds, although not under any special name.

And just like QVC has its diamond expert, Michael O’Connor, ShopNBC trotted out its counterpart to him, “Jewelry Expert” Liz Bucheit, on Sunday.