RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Nov. 01, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Charles & Colvard, Ltd. (NASDAQ:CTHR), the original and leading worldwide source of created moissanite, today
announced its strategic partnership with VoyageOne, a leading provider of cross-border e-commerce solutions, to bring its brand and
highly coveted Forever OneTM moissanite directly to the Chinese consumer for the first time. Forever One jewelry from
Charles & Colvard is available through VoyageOne’s online department store, Liking, a top destination for fashion-minded shoppers
on Tmall. This strategic initiative establishes Charles & Colvard’s presence and brand recognition in the Chinese market.
“International expansion is a key pillar of our strategic growth plan, and we’re thrilled that our partnership with VoyageOne
helps us purposefully connect with consumers in the world’s largest global e-commerce market,1” said Charles & Colvard
President and CEO Suzanne Miglucci. “We can leverage VoyageOne’s go-to-market expertise to target the Chinese middle class, which
is projected to grow to over 550 million people by 2022,1 and these consumers are eager to experience western brands.
Though moissanite is currently available in China, this will be the first time Charles & Colvard’s high-quality brand is presented
directly to these consumers. This direct presence helps us tell the Charles & Colvard story, ensure brand authenticity and educate
consumers on the superior quality of Forever One moissanite.”
When it comes to online sales, Tmall far outpaces its business-to-consumer competitors in China, with 56.6 percent share of
retail e-commerce sales in 2016.2 Liking offers a curated shopping experience for the Chinese consumer on Tmall,
featuring the latest in fashion, footwear and accessories. Beyond this, Liking is a flagship store on Tmall, giving brands terrific
exposure on the marketplace. Charles & Colvard has curated a line of fashion, fine and bridal jewelry suited to Chinese jewelry
trends that VoyageOne showcases on the company’s Liking page.
“The unique characteristics of moissanite fit with Chinese consumer’s preference for authentic luxury brands that deliver a
great value, and a growing trend among millennial consumers for eco-friendly fashion,” said VoyageOne CEO Dennis Zhang. “VoyageOne
seeks out unique western brands that offer mass appeal and are poised to succeed in the Chinese market. We are excited about this
partnership because the quality, differentiation and brand experience offered from Charles & Colvard and the Forever One gemstone
will resonate with our Liking customers.”
Charles & Colvard has been creating moissanite for more than 20 years and has spent this time tirelessly refining the way this
beautiful, lab created gemstone is produced. Decades of innovation have culminated in breathtaking and accessible jewelry that
lasts a lifetime.
Forever One is the epitome of created moissanite. With a refractive index of 2.65-2.69 and more durability than sapphire, ruby
or emeralds, Forever One is a socially responsible, luxurious fine jewelry option for the consumer who is thinking beyond
traditional choices. Every Forever One gem comes with a limited lifetime warranty that protects against damage to the stone and any
changes in color, clarity or brilliance.
For more information about Charles & Colvard or to shop for Forever One moissanite, please visit www.charlesandcolvard.com. To experience Charles & Colvard on Tmall, click here.
About Charles & Colvard, Ltd.
Charles & Colvard, Ltd., based in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina, is the original creator and leading source
of Forever One™, Forever Brilliant® and Forever Classic™ moissanite gemstones for fine jewelry. Moissanite is unique, available in
three color grades (colorless, near-colorless and faint color) and produced from silicon carbide (SiC) crystals. Charles & Colvard
Created Moissanite® is sold with a Limited Lifetime Warranty to wholesale distributors, manufacturers, retailers, TV shopping
networks, and designers as loose stones or set in a wide variety of quality metal setting options. Charles & Colvard, Ltd. also
sells direct to consumers through its wholly owned operating subsidiary, charlesandcolvard.com, LLC and through third-party
marketplaces. Charles & Colvard, Ltd.’s common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “CTHR.” For more
information, please visit www.charlesandcolvard.com.
About VoyageOne
VoyageOne is an ecommerce technology company focused on enabling foreign brands and merchants to enter the Chinese ecommerce
market. Through its Liking store (available at www.liking.com and liking.tmall.com,) VoyageOne is also a bona fide online retailer, offering some of the hottest
fashion brands directly to Chinese consumers. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, and has offices in Shanghai,
Hangzhou, and Harbin.
Charles & Colvard Media Contact:
Jessy Fofana/LaRue PR
732.667.7777
jessy@laruepr.com
VoyageOne Media Contact:
Christophe Cremault
562-684-7967
christophe.cremault@voyageone.com
1. Iskyan, K. (2016, August 27). China’s middle class is exploding. Retrieved October 20, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-middle-class-is-exploding-2016-8
2. Alibaba’s Tmall Maintains Reign Over China’s Retail Ecommerce. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2017, from https://retail.emarketer.com/article/alibabas-tmall-maintains-reign-over-chinas-retail-ecommerce/58ada2369c13e50c186f6f32
