Who Doesn’t Love Pearls

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Unblemished perfection, sophistication, unique, purity and innocence are words that describe pearls. Pearls illustrate ladylike chic and iconic status as we have seen with Coco Chanel, who built a brand on the magnetism of the pearl. She was never seen without a strand of pearls around her neck. In a famous scene in “Sex and the City,” fictional fashionista Carrie Bardshaw, actress Sara Jessica Parker, wears many strands of pearls around her neck in a tribute to Coco Chanel.

Pearls are the oldest gem known to men and for many centuries the pearl was considered the most valuable commodity. Not one peal is the same as another, each one is unique.

Pearls are an elegant piece of jewelry that can be worn in many different ways. In a more formal event, a single strand of pearls with your signature little black dress would really bring elegance to your look. A 16 inch Mikimoto Strand Necklace with White a Gold Clasp would be absolute perfection. Whenever paring a single strand of pearls, a good size white pearl earring stud about 8-9mm and a beautiful pearl ring would really bring that little extra sophistication to the outfit and as a plus it never goes out of style.

Pearls look fantastic with jeans and a simple tee as well. A long strand that can layer up your neck can create a fashionable yet elegant look. Chunky pearls, pearls with color, and petite pearls look great layered as well too. Try a pearl necklace with another chain necklace of different lengths and style to give it a little more urban flair. Adding a pendant or cluster of brooches can give it that ultra chic look. Ladies, remember, sometimes less is more and don’t overdo it with too many different types of pearls and pendants.

Keep it simple in the workplace. Wear one single strand of pearls with your business suit to keep that more professional look. A V-neck with a single strand would just look superb. Don’t pair a pearl necklace with pear earrings and a pearl bracelet though, because you don’t want to overdo it at the workplace.  Just keep it simple and professional.

For a night on the town, try a dramatic pearl look. For a simple colored party dress, wear a large long colorful pearl necklace to add that extra little something to your outfit. Strings of pearls mixed with chains will give you that extra evening glam trendy look you were trying to achieve. If your dress is a little more bedazzled, try a simpler pearl necklace that has smaller pearls.

It is wedding season, which means a great time to pick accessories to compliment a beautiful wedding dress. The bride is the star of the wedding so she should have the most beautiful pearls that reflect the theme of the wedding as well as her personality. The pearls should be color-coordinated with the pearls on the gown and veil, rather than the color of the dress. If a bride or bridesmaid is wearing a pearl necklace then it should be at least one inch above the neckline, so it doesn’t look like it is falling into the dress.  If the bridesmaids are wearing pearls, it should reflect the bride’s pearls but at the same time it should never overshadow hers.

As with any jewelry, pearls should be a reflection of your own unique personal style so try different things with different looks. It’s all about experimenting and playing with different lengths and sizes, and don’t be scared to step outside the box with your individual style.

By: Lindsay Rosenbaum

All Diamond Ring

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By Lindsay Rosenbaum

If you thought Elizabeth Taylor’s 33 carat Krupp diamond engagement ring, which is said to be worth 1 million dollars was impressive, then you should check out Shawish Jewellery’s first 150 carat all-diamond ring that is priced around $68 million.

Before the one-of-a-kind impressive all diamond ring was even a design, a little background on Shawish Jewellery will give some perspective on the piece.

Shawish Jewellery is a Geneva based jewelry company that offers a full range of rings, necklaces, pendants, brooches, bracelets, charms and earrings. Shawish’s owners were fascinated with the gems of the world and after some formal education they fell in love with diamonds. They were creative in their designs, craftsmanship and quality of stones. The inspiration for Shawish Jewellery is drawn from global cultures and poetry. Their jewelry is combination of sophisticated and beauty that makes it feel luxurious when wearing it. The jewelry has a unique artistic aesthetic that holds a romantic feminine sentiment.

With the first launch of the all diamond ring was in Il Bottaccio, London where only a select few could view the ring, Shawish also presented their new collection. The collection was a wide range of contemporary and eccentric designs for a younger audience. There were also more traditional pieces for a more sophisticated audience. All in all the whole show was a success.

The all diamond ring was created by Shawish’s president and CEO Mohamed Shawish, who thought this could only be a fantasy but has now has become a work of art. The ring took a year to secure the copyright. Impressively, it was chiseled out form one single faceted diamond.

The idea for the design of the ring began in 2009, and in 2010 it became reality. Many tests had to be constructed with the design to get the precision of the circle right. Diamonds are very precious, so when a jeweler goes to cut a diamond, they must be very careful because the color can be altered. Special lasers were bought so the diamond could be cut into directly. The most important part of this process is to keep the integrity of the diamond and of course the most difficult part was precision of cutting an entire diamond into a ring.

Even with all of the diamonds in the world, none can really compare to this unique all diamond piece. Richard Burton most famous diamond he gave to Elizabeth Taylor was a 69.42-carat pear-shaped diamond that was cut from a diamond weighing over 240 carats. The diamond was purchased from a famous jeweler Harry Winston, and the diamond became known as the Taylor-Burton diamond. Another famous piece was Lady Diana Spencer’s ring from Prince Charles. It was an 18 carat sapphire ring surrounded by 14 carats of brilliant cut diamonds. When Prince Charles became engaged to Camilia Parker-Bowles in 2005, he gave her an Art Deco inspired emerald-cut ring formerly owned by the Queen Mother. The ring happened to be a family heirloom and set in 1920’s platinum setting with a large square-cut diamond flanked by six diamond baguettes.

Now that we know some of the most famous diamonds of the world, the question on everyone’s mind now is who will buy this magnificent one-of-a-kind all diamond ring?

The Panther

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Cartier never ceases to amaze us with its one of kind pieces, and it has done it again with a one-of-a-kind panther bracelet. In the eyes of the average person one sees a huge panther bracelet, but to a jewelry expert it is a 784 diamond show stopper with 91 onyx spots that form the panther’s body.  To really get the full understanding of this fantastic piece it is best to start from the beginning.

In 1919, Jeanne Toussaint was the first to introduce the cat to Cartier. She was a young fearsome designer who broke the limits of her time, and the panther became her signature. It symbolized freedom, elegant femininity, wild in nature and somewhat dangerous. Soon after Toussaint became the first woman artistic director for a high-end jewelry house, Duchess of Windsor commissioned her to create the first of many feline jewelry pieces. The trend soon spread all the way to New York.

The panther today is still a significant figurative motif at Cartier. The personality of the cat changes from decade to decade but the meaning still stays the same. The first felines were ferocious with yellow eyes and sharp claws, but eventually turned into more playful animals. Now it seems that Cartier is going back to the original motif with the more ferocious look as seen with its new piece.

Some ask why the panther is such a popular and significant piece. The answer is simple, the panther today represents a woman who is sensual yet self-assured, but has an element of danger.

The new panther bracelet took about six months and one jeweler spent over 500 hours placing the 784 diamonds and 91 onyxes in the panther’s body. The final product is a feline crouching toward a stone which symbolizes its prey.

The panther bracelet was also featured in the new Cartier campaign “L’Odyssee de Cartier.” The campaign was a three-and-half minute “ad-film” that artfully recounted Cartier’s last 165-year legacy of the Cartier House. The film took two years to make and is a journey between dream and reality.

The star of the film was Cartier’s icon, the panther.  The campaign highlighted Cartier history, values and inspiration. It featured seven chapters which included: First Breath, Land of the Tsars, Love and Trinity, the Celestial Dragon Joins the Menagerie, Indian Dream, Conquering the Skies and finally the most magnificent chapter Panther, where model Shalom Harlow displays the new stunning panther bracelet.  In the different chapters, the Cartier panther travels across the world, first starting in snowy St. Petersburg, then China, an Indian Palace where many pieces of Cartier are archived, the panther then jumps onto a replica airplane built by Alberto Santos-Dumont showcasing the classic Cartier Santos watch, and finally lands in Paris, the birthplace of Cartier.

Just like the panther bracelet, “L’Odyssee de Cartier” was a one of a one-of-a-kind campaign that Cartier should be very proud of. It displayed magnificence, beauty and elegance just like the Cartier brand.

By Lindsay Rosenbaum

The Best Week…of Fashion

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The best week of the whole year has come and gone, and no we are not talking about Shark Week, but the most incredible fashion week, New York Mercedes Benz Fashion Week of 2012. This year an astonishing 90 designers showcasing their work and hundreds of other presentations, including trunk shows displayed their work.  This is the one week where fashion designers gather at the Lincoln Center to show off all their hard work from the previous year, and determine what the fashions will look like for the upcoming fall and winter season. The trend at the show this year seemed to be comfortable staples with vintage inspirations, and an immense mixture of fabrics, patterns, and prints, but the top three trends would have to be bright colors, faux fur, and metallic.

Color blocking seems to be a big trend for the fall, and was seen a lot in the BCBGMAXAZRIA show.  Azria paired color blocking with teal, bright blue, and a somewhat-subdued Tangerine Tango, also known as orange with a lot of depth to it. The silhouette that Azria used was very tight color paired with more relaxed shapes. The clothes were shapeless around the waist, with uneven sleeves. As with the trends that seem to appear throughout the different shows, Azria used faux fur as some of her fabric choices, along with faded silk, sequins, lace and cotton.

At the Badgley Mischka show, the designer duo really turned up the volume with Metallic’s.  They used a lot of dirty gold, pewter’s, and rich brasses. What is great about metallics is you can wear it with anything. You can also wear it with any color or any material. Pairing a metallic skirt with a basic top could be quite spectacular. The duo also featured in their collection faux fur and sharp shoulders.

Hats off to Marc Jacobs with his Alice in Wonderland inspired show that he can only describe as craziness.  The stage was set in a Rachel Feinstein designed storybook inspired castle-in-ruins winter wonderland to keep his whimsical theme of the collection.

Jacobs paired his giant hats with oversized outerwear along with massive safety pin closures, diamante-buckled heeled pilgrim shoes, ostrich handbags, and more, making him stand out in the crowd at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Show.  Jacobs also used a lot of black and white’s with accents of color in his collection this year.

Richard Chai LOVE and Richard Chai men were seen this year at New York fashion week. The collection was urban inspired.  Keeping with the bright trend, Chai used more muted colors with a splash of red in his collection. He did a wonderful job of was creating a mix of masculinity and femininity in his tailoring and boxy proportions. Chai LOVE is a mix of florals and wide stripes, which was inspired by the men’s collection. He used a lot of floral in the skirts, dresses and blazers, which were cut longer and drape over the models shoulders. Both men and women featured jackets and trousers with functional oversized pockets were also seen in the collection.

 

Ralph Lauren wrapped the season up with a great collection inspired by “Downton Abbey.”  All of the classics made an appearance, including three-piece suites, smoking jackets, Jodhpur pants, silk neckties, pockets squares, top hats and walking sticks. There was a mix of velvet, wool and cashmere.  A beautiful Fair Isle sweater appeared with the fall’s bright color trend.  To add a stunning detail, Lauren added a pop of purple and red into the collection.To give the collection that extra special something, a dramatic black and gold ostrich feather shawl flowed across the shoulders of one of the models as she strutted down the runway.

Great things must always come to an end like New York Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 2012, but let the countdown begin for next year. Let’s see what the fabulous designers come up with next!

By Lindsay Rosenbaum

It Starts With a Ring

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By Lindsay Rosenbaum

Fashion trends change from season to season, same goes with jewelry photography. New techniques are discovered, along with color scheme that coincides with the trends of the season. This Spring it seems to be all about the pastels; especially pink and lilac, with a touch of blue.

It all starts with a ring. Gentlemen, proposing can be a very stressful time. Will she say yes? Will she say no? What about the ring?  Well here is a little suggestion; you can never go wrong with a white diamond in a platinum setting. Platinum is a precious metal that is classic and is never going out of style, and we all know diamonds are a girl’s best friend. If your bride-to-be is unique and eccentric, try a colored diamond such a rare yellow diamond surrounded by white diamonds. If your bride-to-be wants to be even more unique, a black diamond is very distinctive. It may not get the same kind of sparkle as white diamond because it absorbs the light instead of reflects it, but it is a rare gorgeous piece within itself.

With spring fast approaching brides are preparing to take that magical walk down the aisle, but before they can do that the floral arrangements must be made, a dress must be chosen and most importantly jewelry has to be picked out for the big day.

Jewelry photography can take on two aspects. Clean crisp shots that display the jewelry piece itself, or the artistic shot that focuses around the jewelry piece but also adds an artistic element to the shot. Many times a prop is added for that extra creative component, such as a flower in wedding jewelry photography.  More recently photojournalistic techniques are used in wedding photography rather than staged posing. Capturing a moment in time seems to be more appealing than stiff posing. This year’s trend in wedding photography is not so much about the obscure angles and added filters, but a more formal classic approach. It is more a panoramic wedding portrait that displays every single wedding guest in one shot.

Vintage seems to be in full swing this year, so blue is a perfect color to add to a vintage looking wedding.  Adding a hint of yellow to the scheme would also be a nice touch. Blue is also a fabulous color to photograph in jewelry form as well. It is a color that always seems to standout in a photograph, and draws the attention of the viewer. Another popular color this year seems to be tangerine, tango and pink. The combination is perfect for a spring and summer wedding, with bouquets of tangerine and pink roses, and possible hint of yellow would just be divine.

James Free Collection

Marilyn Monroe is the epitome of old Hollywood glamour, which is exactly the style of wedding dress that is being seen this season. The dresses display deep V-neck’s, extravagant lace, intricate beading and form fitting bodices. With statement piece dresses jewelry is more difficult to choose to add the perfect touch of elegance.  Keep in mind navy is the new something blue. A deep rich sapphire bracelet could really bring that extra sophistication to the already stunning attire. A stunning drop earring would also add to the dress perfectly. Even turquoise gemstones could make for some unique pieces and give it some extra pop, but remember simple can be elegant.

James Free Collection

It all begins with a ring, a single piece of jewelry that will change the rest of your life.

Finding your style for a trip down the aisle!

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By Tara Michelle Holtmeier

You have found your soul mate, said yes to the ring and have set your date. Now comes the most fun part of the wedding planning process – selecting your dress and accessories. Whether it has always been your dream to wear a ball gown to channel your inner princess, or maybe 1950′s inspired Old Hollywood glamour is your ticket, there are absolutely no rules! The trends that we are seeing as of late are all over the board, and I will talk about my favorite trends.

Off the shoulder necklines! Ladies, it’s time to show off your decollate, for 2012 we are seeing gorgeous sweetheart necklines. This trend is perfect for showcasing jewelry. Think an amazing statement necklace; Phillips Frankel diamond pendant from “The Affair” collection, paired with the delicate balance of the diamond Infinity earrings by David Yurman. This trend allows brides to show off some skin, and balance a gift from their husband-to-be at the same time.

Ball gowns! For the princess in all of us, we are seeing frothy ruffles, full dramatic skirts, for a beautiful whimsical look. Paired with long satin gloves, and Roberto Coin diamond bangles, this look is utter romance for the bride that wants to make sure that we all pay attention when she enters the room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peek a Boo hemlines! Oscar de la Renta does it best, a play on the hemline to showcase some amazing strappy Jimmy Choo’s or Louboutin’s. Tea length and shorter hemlines are making a comeback as destination weddings are becoming more popular ever day. Marco Bicego, brushed gold Jaipur collection is perfect for the bride that wants her ceremony beachside, and wants her style to be effortless and playful. Have fun when choosing the silhouette of your dress, play with the proportions and draping to what looks best for you, not what are the most popular dresses featured on The Knot.

Jewel toned accents! My favorite way to jazz up your bridal beauty is by adding some personality and style into your customized look without going overboard. I opted for Old Hollywood glamour, complete with a red lip, smoky eye and feather hairpiece with amethyst accents. My favorite part of my bridal look was the hairpiece and I wish I could wear it again. Have fun, this is your day in the spotlight, whether you choose a colored sash, a blue topaz Charles Krypell necklace perfect for your something blue, satin gloves, a small hat, brides for 2012 are defining their own style – featuring color.

Bottom line – it’s all about you! The dress, jewelry, shoes, accessories and flowers should be supporting the most important element, the love that you two have for each other. Surrounded by your friends and family you will look the most beautiful as you walk down the aisle and take a step closer to your new life, and your best accessory – your husband.

For Lovely Ladies and Those That Love to Buy For Them

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By Michel Weisenberger (Mike)

Let’s get those jewels out of the vault and start wearing them. Today’s fashion calls for fun and statement jewelry.

While wearing your jeans think of wearing a pair of pearl earrings and a pearl pendant. They are not just for the evening anymore. If you want to jazz it up even more throw on several strands of different lengths, sizes and colors and don’t forget opera length.

You do not have to spend thousands of dollars for this fun and fabulous look. Fresh water pearls are very affordable and attainable and come in many sizes, shapes and colors from pastel to vibrant and of course, the luxurious black pearl which can be worn casual or for that evening out with your favorite beau.

I have changed my fashion look by wearing my pearls with everything from jeans, which I have received the greatest comments on the versatility of the look, to my little black dress. I feel by wearing them all the time I am getting the best bang for my buck. So ladies, enjoy all your jewelry and let the vault open…and keep it open!

Until then, TTFN…

 

Zombie Apocalypse

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By Heather Huth

With Halloween here and the resurgence of The Walking Dead on AMC, many zombie theory discussions have popped up between our watch buyer Kevin Fink and myself. In the event of a zombie apocalypse, what would we do?

1) We would go to a car lot and get new hybrid cars so they would use less fuel. We would make sure we had a few extra gas cans as well as a siphon so we could get fuel as we needed it. We would also get some bike racks and keep a few mountain bikes so they would be handy when needed. Don’t forget basic items like blankets, clothes, tents, etc.. If you can find a few pop up campers to tow along behind you that would be good. An RV would be good as well but they are hard to maneuver.

2) We would hit the pharmacies and stock up on medical supplies and antibiotics. If possible we would get a few medical books so we have a good reference for things. The internet might still be up and it might not – so just in case we would need books as a reference.

3) Water!  We would get as much water as we could carry but we should always be able to raid another store along the way. We would also need containers to carry water so as we came across fresh streams we could store it.

4) Groceries and supplies would be necessary as well as cookbooks. Grab all the matches and lighters you can, canned foods, dehydrated foods, dried meats, etc.. to help keep you over when fresh meat is not available. Cookbooks on how to prepare wild game would probably be a great help if you want to survive on something other than processed foods.

5) Where to go? I say head for the islands but I am not sure if that would work.There has been great debate about if zombies can swim. Some say they can not swim while others say they can not drown but can walk under water. If it were proven that they could not swim then I would make my way across country to California and set sail for Hawaii. There you could clear the island and live off the land for generations. I seem to believe that they could not cross the ocean because they would be eaten by sharks and predatory sea creatures before they reached the island. I believe they could walk under water so lakes are probably out of the question.

6) Ammo is a must but it attracts attention. Machetes and bayonets would be better.  Crossbows work the best! Raid every hunting supply store along the way and restock constantly. Arrows can be used over and over if maintained properly. A basic weapons book and how to clean guns would be handy as well. Again – we don’t know if the internet will still work or not. Some dynamite and grenades might be useful as well. If you can find a military base to raid you would be set for many necessary items. Wow – a few tanks would be great to tool around in for total protection.

That about sums up most of our discussions. We can only hope and pray that we will never have to use these theories – but these might be useful for other scenarios. You just never know! Maybe I had better grab a few books on hunting to hone my weapons skills.  Happy Halloween everyone!

When does fashion become too dangerous?

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By Heather Huth

My husband and I were out Friday night listening to a live band. I always enjoy people watching everywhere I go so I was relaxing with a nice drink and watching everyone mill around the patio area at our local hang out. A woman walked by wearing 3 inch heels and walking with a cane. I couldn’t believe it! If you have to walk with a cane then you obviously have some impairment that requires the cane. Furthermore, if you are walking with a cane do you really have to be that fashionable while putting yourself at risk for an injury?

At what point does fashion become too dangerous? I see all types of jewelry designs on our buying trips and most of it is wearable. We look for jewelry pieces that are comfortable to wear and are functional while also being stylish and fashionable. There are always the rings that rub your finger wrong when you try them on or the necklace that entangles your hair in 30 seconds and becomes a torture device. Those are few and far between. Then there are the “editorial” pieces that were designed strictly for a fashion shoot and are not really meant to be worn. These are the bracelets that wrap up your entire forearm or neck collars that make your neck look twice as long as it is. Usually these pieces can be tried on and that is the extent of their wear ability. To wear them any longer than a “try on” would be extremely uncomfortable.

That was how I though of this woman in heels with a cane. Just because heels exist does not mean you have to wear them. You can try them on but that would be about as far as you should go if you walk with a cane. Sometimes you just have to think about your own stability and comfort first – that is if you don’t want to fall down and impair yourself more.

 

*Photo taken from justjared.buzzfeed.com

The Kardashian Wedding – Before the October 9-10 Special

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By Beth Darmour

Okay…so let’s talk about the K-Dash wedding! The gowns, the jewels, the cake! Oh my…

Newlywed, Kim Kardashian, (now Mrs. Humphries) wore a custom Ivory Vera Wang Dress at her late August ceremony. (So did all of her bridesmaids…who else other than her sisters).  Kim’s dress was hand pieced with Chantilly lace on the bodice and train. The same went for her second dress of the evening…an Ivory mermaid gown.   There are reports of a third gown, but to me…the first one was the most important.

The jeweler of the special evening was Lorraine Schwartz. Kim wore approximately 10 million dollars worth of borrowed jewels. A gorgeous 65 carat Diamond Head piece estimating $2.5 million dollars, and a pair of pear shaped diamond drop earrings said to be worth $5 million dollars and weighing in at an astonishing 28 carats! Now, her actual engagement ring and wedding band um, WOW…here’s the breakdown:

-20.50 carats in total featuring a 16.50 carat emerald cut center stone flanked by two 2.00 carat side diamonds
-Laced with secret bible passages
-Valued at $2 million (which could feed a small country and possibly blind someone).

I believe that an engagement ring is an investment. Not only is it a symbol of love and commitment, but a valued piece to a women’s jewelry collection that she looks at each  and every single day. It makes a statement, and stands for something! But love cannot be bought. It’s not about the size of the diamond, or the setting. It’s about what it stands  for and what it means to you.

Lastly, the wedding band is even more ostentatious…it’s a 12 carat Platinum diamond eternity band with an estimated price tag of $60,000. So all in all, totaling 32.50 carats  on one finger! It’s amazing and little much. But I guess in the socialite/celebrity world, anything goes.

Mrs. Humphries; with her amazing custom made gown(s), her abundant amount of bling, had to top off her special day with a ten tiered        wedding cake that stood 6 feet tall! (Yeah…I’m 5 foot – 5’4 on a good day in heels.) The couple reportedly wanted their cake to resemble Price  William and Kate Middleton’s…and spent approximately $15,000 trying to do so. Let’s think about this a little bit:

$15, 000 could A) buy you a Ford Focus = fully loaded, or B) pay for 1 full year of college tuition. Seriously!?!

But again, for or us realists, we all know that we are talking about a celebrity wedding, which in their minds, they are looking forward to those  5 minutes of fame. However, the jewelers to the stars make some irreplaceable and amazing designs just the same. Lorrain Schwartz will  forever be remembered for the rings and other jewels worn on Kim Kardashian’s special day. It almost got as much, if not more exposure than  The Royal Wedding. So finally we wish all the best to the happy couple, and let’s hope that this one will last.

One quote I found in my research from Twitter… “Here’s to Kim Kardashian’s Wedding & Fortune. Proof to children everywhere that if you set  your mind to nothing, you can accomplish anything.”