Links of London to Serve as Official Jewelry of the London 2012 Olympics

London, UK – Links of London announces its affiliation as the Official Jewellery Collection of both the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, to be held in London next year.

As a British brand, born in London and built on the art of giving, Links of London is proud to offer jewellery that creates connections between people. Links of London will provide consumers with the chance to purchase and create their own individual memories of the Games. Several new collections will also be released in celebration of the occasion.

“We are delighted to be working together with the London 2012 Games,” said Andrew Marshall, CEO of Links of London. “With the capital city at the heart of both brands and our closely aligned values, we view this as the perfect partnership.”

Links of London will feature four British Olympic and Paralympic ambassadors in an advertising campaign to be featured throughout the United Kingdom – Olympic swimmer Keri-anne Payne, Olympic track athlete Christian Malcolm, Paralympic cyclist Sarah Storey OBE and Paralympic rower Tom Aggar.

With 205 participating nations, 10.8 million tickets and a potential global television audience of 4 billion, London is preparing to host the greatest sporting event on earth. London has aimed to create a Games for everyone, reaching young people all around the world, connecting them with the inspirational power of the Games.

About Links of London: Links of London was founded in 1990, the result from a request for a pair of fish cufflinks. Links of London offers an eclectic mix of men’s and women’s jewellery in sterling silver and 18k gold, with an enviable collection of charms and charm bracelets as well as leather and silver items for the home or for the perfect gift. Links of London has grown internationally with stores in the UK, Hong Kong, USA and Canada.

In celebration of their affiliation as the Official Jewellery Collection of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Links of London announces the launch of multiple new collections and styles that commemorate the history of the Olympics, the joy of the games and their London home. The collections will launch in-stores July 27, 2011, the ‘1 Year To Go’ milestone London 2012 Games, offering a chance to celebrate a moment in history with a luxurious keepsake.

ENTWINE COLLECTION

Taking inspiration from the ancient Olympic Games, Links of London announces the creation of the Entwine collection.

Entwine is a journey through Olympic history inspired by both the ribbons attached to the medals given to winning athletes, and the curling scrolls of ribbon represented on heraldic shields and monuments at the first ever Olympic Games in Athens. Links of London designers were able to craft this striking London 2012 heritage collection following a visit to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Twists of silver and gold curl like ribbons into sculptural cocktail rings and cuffs evoking the dance of ribbons through the air during Rhythmic Gymnastic displays. Fine layers of silver chain and luxe citrine stones are encased in spirals to form drop earrings and pendant necklaces.

Links of London’s female Olympic and Paralympic ambassadors Keri-anne Payne and Sarah Storey will model the Entwine collection in the lead up to the Games.

UNION JACK COLLECTION

Created as part of Links of London’s official jewellery range as licensee of the Games, the Union Jack collection for men and women allows patrons to parade British fashion and celebrate the London 2012 Olympics.

Offering fun, fashionable and collectible designs for men and women, every piece includes a slanting Union Jack – a modern take on this classic motif. For women, a brand new alternative flag print charm has been created, featured on heart shaped beads and charms of varying sizes in sterling silver, yellow gold vermeil or rose gold vermeil that can be strung onto Sweetie bracelets, necklaces and charm bracelets to create a British inspired story.

Strong, masculine men’s styles include dog tags, chunky bracelets, cufflinks and robust rings crafted from solid sterling silver and tough ruthenium. Cut-out sterling silver Union Jack beads that can be looped onto leather cords or sterling silver chains evoke a bold 3D cage effect, projecting patriotism in style.

PLAY COLLECTION

The brand new versatile Play collection allows consumers to thread beads and charms together to collect moments from their favorite London 2012 experiences and capture a unique set of memories. The London 2012 colors are featured in an array of delicate heart, star and four leaf clover beads. A selection of sports-themed charms allows for endless choices to “play” with. Each fastening allows you to clip on additional silver rope bracelets for an individual multi-layered look. With additional beads in the range, including Union Jacks and faceted spheres, this collection is a fun and vibrant way to celebrate the Games.

SWEETIE, CHARMS AND FRIENDSHIP COLLECTIONS

Synonymous with the Links of London brand, the Sweetie and Friendship bracelet collections are given a London 2012 twist. The official London 2012 colors are seen in Sweetie stones and Friendship threads, while a new family of charms represent many of the Olympic and Paralympic sports. The Olympic logo can be seen on the toggle for these new Friendship bracelets. Together with shooting stars, clovers and hearts, consumers can create a complete London 2012 charm bracelet or collect all the London 2012 Friendships to remember this unique event in British history.