PR firm makes room for jewelry designers.

D'ORAZIO & Associates has a jewelry showroom, which may not seem unusual except for the fact that D'Orazio is a public relations firm. And the showroom isn't even a sales office; it works like a library--you can borrow the gems but not buy them.

Before it started the showroom, the company promoted high-end jewelry designers in the traditional manner: press releases and in-store parties. About two years ago, Chief Executive Ginnina D'Orazio decided on a different approach. She borrowed $25,000 from a friend, rented space in West Hollywood and opened a private showroom to display jewelry from six international designers.

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The jewels are loaned for red-carpet events and photo shoots. Celebrities, stylists, set decorators and magazine editors come to the showroom and borrow baubles.

The jewelers pay a monthly fee for her PR service, which includes display at D'Orazio's showroom, and in exchange In they get their diamonds draped on celebrity decollete.

During the recent awards season, D'Orazio arranged for her clients' creations to be worn by Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry, Eva Mendes, Teri Hatcher, Rihanna, Queen Latifah, Vanessa Hudgens and others.

"You know a PR agency is doing its job when you can walk to a newsstand and its clients' products are on the covers of magazines," said D'Orazio.

The pieces in D'Orazio's showroom range in price from $5,000 up to $1 million. But D'Orazio won't sell them, even if a celebrity begs her. Instead, she refers the sales lead to the designers: Amrapali of Jaipur (India), Hellmuth (Germany), Autore (Australia), Frey Wille (Austria), and Boehic and Le Vian (both of New York).

"After an award show with celebrities wearing our jewelry the phone calls start straight away," said David Joseph, a designer for Bochic. "Our total sales over the past year have doubled." If that's the case, why don't other PR agencies copy her business model? Because it's expensive.

"It's a huge risk," D'Orazio said.

"You're dealing with millions of dollars worth of product."

Bob Epstein, president of Silverman Jewelers Consultants Inc. in New York, cites security as a concern, even though the jewelry business has developed mechanisms to lessen the threat, including double-door entry, panic buttons and full-time security guards.

D'Orazio declined to give details, but said the company has high-tech security systems in place.

Besides physical security, D'Orazio has plenty of financial protection.

"All our clients have insurance. We have insurance. And just to make sure, we get insurance from the person we're loaning to," she said.