Louis Vuitton has just launched two patented diamond cuts.

These tough economic times give us few excuses to splurge on items that will be out of fashion in a couple of months. Louis Vuitton diamonds are the antidote to this problem.

You probably recognized the maker of these diamonds before even reading the heading. That's the kind of brand recognition that guarantees the longevity of Louis Vuitton.

These classic cuts, reminiscent of Louis Vuitton's signature prints, are sure to be in style forever. Size may vary, but these are the kind of diamonds you pass down to your grandchildren. They are not so much a splurge as a sensible diamond investment.

The rounded and pointed flower cuts you see at right may not be right for an engagement ring (who would brand love like that?), but for earrings and other decorative jewelry, these cuts are sure to be a hit.

The Vuitton diamonds have between 61 and 77 facets and have been set into a bracelet, a pair of earrings, two brooches, a ring and a necklace-the latter consisting of 1,001 tiny brilliant-cut diamonds totaling 15 carats, coexisting with 65 round flower diamonds (49 carats) and 79 pointed ones (44 carats), for a combined bling bang of 108 carats that retails for about $4 million.

I'd most like a pair of studs just like these. Mismatched, but recognizably a pair.

[via W Magazine]

Heavy, chunky, and bold, this bracelet from H. Stern's Feather Collection still manages to have an air of delicate femininity about it. The coordinating earrings are dainty and fluid, and I think the pair would make the perfect "little black dress" accessory set and would be sure to get admiring glances. Made of just over 123 grams of 24k brushed yellow gold (I would prefer it in silver myself), this little bit of arm candy can be yours for $21,000 (add the earrings for just $4,900 more).

Brazilian designer Manoel Bernardes creates beautiful pieces using the gemstones mined in his homeland. His pieces are bold styles that reflect the Brazilian spirit. Manoel Bernardes jewelry uses stones such as amethyst, citrine, rutilated quartz, and topaz in pieces that are colorful and oversized and often highlighted with small diamonds. His Photon series has a spacey, futuristic look while the Romance series uses stones in a heart shape like the earrings above. Some of his most dramatic styles are the Lace pieces use gemstones combined with large loops of gold. These and other designs are in the gallery below.

Fashion designers have their haute couture lines and their ready-to-wear collections. High-end diamond jeweler, Daniel K, has a dazzling diamond and platinum couture jewelry collection but now there is Daniel K Prêt-à-Porter, the luxury jeweler's first entrée into the gold arena, the jeweler's version of ready to wear. Since 1999, Daniel Koren, the young jeweler behind Daniel K has been creating jewelry with diamonds and platinum and his pieces have been worn by celebrities including Debra Messing, Mary J Blige, Sigourney Weaver and Halle Berry.

The Daniel K Prêt-à-Porter line is a a recently unveiled, collection of modern earrings, bracelets, rings, and necklaces featuring pavé diamonds set in 18k rose, yellow or white gold. The collection offers a variety of pavé diamond encrusted, round and oval hoops in different widths and sizes. I also love the colorful stacking bangles which are available in different colors featuring rubies, sapphires, tsavorites and diamonds and can be worn together or individually. The bangles are hinged and have a release button for getting them on and off easily.

The most dramatic pieces are the ones that feature black and white diamonds. The bracelet above is part of a set that has black and white diamonds set into rhodium blackened white gold for a distinctive and slightly gothic look. The Prêt-à-Porter collection is more moderately priced than the Daniel K Couture collection, retail prices range from $2,500 - $60,000.

Thistle & Bee sells a variety of luxury objects including jewelry, picture frames, home goods and baby gifts. The company has a full range of sterling silver products including a large range of enameled pieces such as cufflinks and keychains. The American flag keychain shown above has handpainted enamel detail and sells for $250.

Thistle & Bee has now expanded into gemstones and fine jewelry with new collections of gold pieces featuring diamonds and colored stones. Examples and prices are in the gallery below.

Jewelry designer Emily Amey takes her inspiration from nature's small wonders. A sprig of seaweed becomes a delicate necklace, the tendril of a vine coils to form a slim bangle, the tentacles of a squid are reimagined as dramatic hoop earrings under her keen eye. She designs in both gold and silver, using found beachglass in ethereal shades of blue-green as adornment. One of her biggest inspirations from the aquatic world is the lace-like seafan, whose image is shown in the three pieces above.

Jewelry designer Kimberly McDonald combines the worlds of fine jewelry and mineral collecting with Rockras, jewelry that combines geodes and agate with diamonds and sapphires. Each bespoke piece of Rockras jewelry is made by hand in the United States. The earrings shown here feature pink sapphires and rose cut diamonds.

Reversible and detachable elements highlight this designer's beautiful work but truly her entire line currently at Neiman Marcus is stunning. Whether you prefer the Day & Night earrings and necklace, the feminine flower ring or the necessary gold hoops with a splash of sapphire or tsavorite, Nam Cho's work will bring the beauty out in you. Personally, I love the idea of jewelry that translates well from the work day to an evening out with just the flip of pendent...more likely I won't miss Happy Hour by fumbling for that other pair of earrings in the depths of my handbag.

[via Luxury Launches]

Fitting into the long, straight earring style with a bit of fiery flare, the matchstick earrings by Laura Lobdell are kind of fun! Sterling silver with copper tips, two-inches in length, they are hand cast from real matches and come in a cute little box that says, "I play with fire". For $175 they certainly bring subtlety and originality to your Valentine's gift. There's also a necklace for the same price if you want to go all out. Tell her she's 'hot' with this gift and she'll be happy you noticed.

If you couldn't get enough of skulls last year when we featured Leila's Skull Earrings in anticipation of Halloween, then you are in luck because Me & Ro has gorgeous Gold & Diamond Skulls Studs to help you enjoy the upcoming festivities. Who says Halloween has to be all about the scary stories, dressing up in outrageous outfits and eating candy? Well, one should never need an excuse to eat candy - that should be a given no matter the day. But, in whatever you do for ghosts & goblins day, at least be fashionably scary with Gold & Diamond Skulls by Me & Ro. Price: $590.

Carlos Souza lives a fabulous life (for proof just check out the pictures of his homes in Rome and New York on Habitually Chic). Not only has he worked with Valentino and other designers during his decades-long career but he is also the Creative Director behind Most Wanted Design, an innovative jewelry company with a variety of collection that are wittily elegant. The ring shown here is from the You Are My Queen collection and sells for $3,000 at Vivre.

Of course you have heard of the tennis bracelet but what about tennis earrings? Like track star Sanya Richards, who I mentioned last week, tennis goddess Serena Williams likes to compete while adorned in diamonds. At the U.S. Open Serena wore long dangling diamond earrings from Euphoria New York. JCK Online reports that the two row graduated diamond earrings total seven carats. of diamonds with three marquis cuts at the top and sell for $15,000. Robert Manse of Euphoria says that the company loaned Serena the earrings for the U.S. Open but that she decided to buy the one-of-a-kind jewels now known as tennis earrings.

Diane Griswold Johnston is a champion equestrienne as well as a jewelry designer. Naturally therefore she creates a range of equestrian jewelry for the horse-obsessed. The jewelry is set in 18K gold and includes a hand-carved onyx horse head pendant, silver horse coin earrings, horsehead earrings, an onyx horse head bracelet and a charm bracelet that features a gold horse and gold ribbon charms with tiny lapis centers. Her jewelry can be ordered online, through Saks or at selected horse shows.

Fibula Jewelry has great taste in store locations. They have stores in both Santa Barbara and Deer Isle, Maine. The jewelry shows great taste too, classic and luxurious pieces that remain distinctive. Take for example their "Girl with a Pearl Earring." The simple pearl earring gets updated with ornate curves of 18K gold that perfectly suit the charming lumpy baroque white pearls. They sells for $1,750.

I knew that when Mikimoto jewelers teamed up with designer Yohji Yamamoto the results would be interesting and they don't disappoint. The end result is a 29-piece collection called Stormy Weather. As you might suspect from the name, the line is moody and innovative with pieces that evoke both rough weather and a sort of celestial feeling. A necklace features pearls nearly enclosed in with gold discs with different sized openings that correspond to the phases of the moon. The line was unveiled in Paris last week and the International Herald Tribune's Suzy Menkes calls it a " powerful mix of elegance and edge." The pieces range in price from a $1,100 swirling silver cuff to a the moon necklace which sells for $55,000. The line will be available at Yohji Yamamoto and Mikimoto stores starting in November. More pictures of the debut of the line can also be found here.

[via JCK]