Diamond.com pagato 7,5 milioni di dollari
Nella settimana del 20 maggio potrebbe essere stata effettuata la compravendita di domini dell'anno: infatti www.Diamond.com  è stato acquistato per 7,5 milioni di dollari in una cessione privata. Ice.com ha acquistato gli asset di Diamond.com da Odimo Inc.
Ecco l'articolo il comunicato stampa in inglese

MONTREAL, May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Ice.com, Inc., the leading online
provider of high-quality, great value jewelry, today announced the
acquisition of the Diamond.com assets of Odimo, Inc. The purchase of
Diamond.com, a popular Internet destination for diamond engagement rings,
individual diamonds and other fine jewelry, is a key element of Ice.com's
ongoing strategy to offer a wide range of premium products for both female
and male jewelry buyers while providing the most convenient online shopping
experience.
    Ice.com will continue to operate the Diamond.com brand, and Diamond.com
customers will gain access to the same demanding merchandise standards and
secure shopping and buying experience that consumers have come to expect
from Ice.com. The transaction follows Ice.com's recent completion of an
external financing round from Ignition Partners, a premier venture capital
firm based in Bellevue, Wash.
    "Our Ice.com customers today are primarily women with a range of
budgets and tastes. They all love the convenience, choice, and information
they get by buying online," said Shmuel Gniwisch, CEO and founder of
Ice.com. "We dedicate ourselves every day to provide them superior quality,
style, and a great shopping experience so they can buy from us with
confidence. We are thrilled now to offer them both the everyday style and
the high end selection they want. We are also excited to apply our decades
of experience in the diamond business to extend the same level of service
and quality to the growing number of male online jewelry buyers as well."
    "This is another step in providing jewelry customers with the very best
online shopping experience," said Pinny Gniwisch, Ice.com's executive vice
president of Marketing. "Jewelry makes people feel special. We are in this
business because we believe that both men and women deserve to have many
purchasing options, whether buying for an important event or for feeling
great about their style. We will continue to generate new and innovative
ideas in order to better serve our customers."
    As part of this plan and ongoing commitment, Ice.com recently received
an injection of capital from Ignition Partners, a prominent venture capital
firm founded by operating executives from the software, Internet and
communications industries. Joining the board are Ignition partners Brad
Silverberg, a longtime software industry leader and pioneer of Microsoft's
Internet strategy, and John Zagula, a former direct and interactive
marketing leader at Microsoft and American Express.
    Matthew Kratter, a banker at Cascadia Capital, advised Ice.com on the
acquisition transaction.
    About Ice.com
    Ice.com is the leading online provider of high-quality, great value
jewelry. With over 20 years of experience, the Ice.com team brings an
unprecedented record and reputation for bringing quality jewelry to some of
the world's most prestigious stores, now affording our customers the
opportunity to acquire exceptional jewelry at incredible savings online.
Ice.com is dedicated to providing its customers the very best shopping and
service experience online and the very best value, quality and selection of
jewelry in the world.
    About Ignition Partners
    Ignition Partners, (http://www.ignitionpartners.com), headquartered in
Bellevue, Wash., is a premier venture capital firm focused on investments
in software and communications technology, with a particular emphasis in
enterprise and consumer facing software and services, telecommunications
and network infrastructure. Ignition brings together an unparalleled
combination of domain focus, technical expertise and global operational
experience. Ignition's partners are proven business leaders who have built
some of the world's most successful businesses of the last two decades,
including Microsoft Windows and Office, McCaw Cellular Communications, and
AT&T Wireless. The VC's founders are also credited with leading McCaw's
entry into wireless and Microsoft's Internet turnaround.

Articolo del 20 maggio 2006