necklaces

Piaget Launches Limelight Garden Party Collection

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Piaget Limelight Garden Party Collection Ring

With a series of events that included the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, a Champagne toast at their New York boutique, and an outdoor celebration in Palm Beach, Piaget launched their spring-themed Limelight Garden Party collection.

In New York, the Piaget boutique on Fifth Avenue took on a terrarium look for the evening's event, with the collection set in cases decorated to look like a wood nymph's jewelry box.

Cradled amongst the various faux flora, 18-white gold pieces sparkled under the display lights.

A miniature, diamond-encrusted bird perched itself on a ring, seemingly ready to dip its beak into a cushion-cut rubellite gem. Other birds perched on a white gold sprig of diamonds and pearls, while a floral ring bloomed diamonds, emeralds and pink sapphires. One necklace's 289 brilliant-cut diamonds seems to represent drops of dew caught on a diaphanous spider web. Another sprouted buds of pink tourmaline and pink sapphires, reminders that spring is, finally, here at least.

(On view by appointment only.)

Gallery: Piaget Limelight Garden Party Collection

Piaget 18-carat white gold and diamond watch

Piaget 18-carat white gold, diamond and pearl earrings

Piaget 18-carat white gold, diamond and pearl necklace

Piaget 18-carat white gold, diamond and emerald earrings

Piaget 18-carat white gold, diamond, pink sapphire, pink tourmaline, white chalcedony and pearl necklace

Tags: Collections, diamonds, jewelry, jewerly collection, Limelight Garden Party, necklaces, piaget, Piaget Limelight Garden Party Collection, rings, watches

Tiffany Follows Up Keys With Locks

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Tiffany has had a hit on its hands the last couple of years with its line of key designs. It's no surprise then that the jeweler has gone back into its archives to create Tiffany locks. The new line seems to take its inspiration from two popular Tiffany lines, the aforementioned keys and the Return to Tiffany oval and heart-shaped tags. I stepped into the Tiffany & Co. store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills to take a closer look.

Tags: necklaces, pendants, return to tiffany, tiffany, tiffany and co, tiffany jewelry, tiffany keys, tiffany locks

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Samantha House Jewelry Circus Collection

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Designer Samantha House was once in the business of choosing jewelry to feature in magazines (she was a Fashion and Beauty Editor of The Improper Bostonian Magazine and has appeared on television as a style expert). She has now journeyed to the other side, creating her own line of simple and striking necklaces, rings and bracelets. Her latest collection is called Circus. The inspiritation was the traveling circus shows of the 1920s and the result is pieces that are a little vintage, a little playful and dramatic whether worn with casual clothes or gussied up for nighttime. House's designs have been sold at Barney's, Henri Bendel, Fred Segal, Intermix and shopbop.com to name a few. She has also designed jewelry for a number of fashion week shows in the tents such as Erin Fetherston, Christian Siriano and Gen Art. The pieces can now be ordered off her own website.

Gallery: Samantha House Jewelry Circus Collection

Tags: jewelry, jewelry designers, necklace, necklaces, samantha house

Monique Pean Jewelry

by Marsha Reid (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Monique Pean creates minimally designed jewelry that packs loads of fashionable character. We originally came across Pean two years ago when we featured her nature inspired pieces and highlighted her charitable efforts. Since that time her work continues to exude an air of refinement without being ostentatious. Everyone seems to be a fan. Take a look at how beautiful Mrs. Obama looks wearing Monique Pean jewelry.

Pean infuses natural materials like buffalo horn, woolly mammoth tusk and walrus ivory with sparkling diamonds in simple yet classic silhouettes. All of her materials are both fossilized and obtained through naturally melting glaciers, have naturally shed or are conflict free. It's refreshing to see a designer who is thoughtfully deliberate in their role to ensure that materials used have a minimal effect on our surroundings.

Featured, is one of our many favorite pieces by Pean, the Olanna Ring ($7020). It's a stunning ring made with a beautifully colored fossilized piece of walrus ivory and surrounded in conflict and devastation free diamonds set against 18K recycled yellow gold. Given its simplistic design, choosing such an exquisite and vibrant stone really sets the ring apart. Take a peek at Pean's other gorgeous jewels.

Gallery: Monique Pean Jewelry

Pean Buffalo Horn & Champagne Diamond Earrings

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Tags: bangles, bracelets, buffalo horn, diamonds, earrings, jewelry, monique pean, necklaces, rings, walrus ivory, WalrusIvory, woolly mammoth

Gemvara - the First Website for Custom Designer Jewelry, Exclusive Interview

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Gemvara is "the world's first site for creating custom designer jewelry." You may have reservations about the possibility of ordering custom jewelry online. I know I do. I interviewed the VP of Content and Merchandising Cheryl Kremkow (former editor-in-chief of Modern Jeweler, pictured below) about how Gemvara works, curious about the first of what will surely lead to many online custom jewelry services. Does it save money? What if you don't like the piece? How can one be assured of quality? These questions and more are answered below.

Luxist: Do you think it's wise to have jewelry custom-made online? Why?

Cheryl Kremkow: What's different about designing jewelry on the Gemvara site is that it's interactive. You find a design concept you like, then you can click to change all the gemstones and metals to create exactly the look you want. You don't have to imagine how it will look, you can see it. Every design on our site can be made any way, which means you can create jewelry that suits both your style and your budget. We make pieces in platinum and diamonds and pieces in amethyst and sterling silver: or diamond and sterling and platinum and amethyst, if that's what you want. We've done both.

L: What if someone gets the final piece and doesn't like it, will you take it back?

CK: Yes, of course. We want to make sure people are delighted with their jewelry. Actually, we haven't had any returns yet. I think it's because our customers create exactly what they want themselves and see exactly how it will look. Most people tell us that the real piece looks even better than they expected. Fortunately, our customers have good taste, so the pieces really do look great!

L: Are there significant savings associated with buying online?

CK: We don't carry inventory since we make each piece to order, just for you, one at a time. So, we are able to offer a really good value, even if you don't consider the added luxury of having the piece made just for you just the way you want it.

Gallery: Gemvara Custom Jewelry

Stargazer Earrings (14k yellow gold with citrine)

Lotus Ring (in white gold with diamonds and a blue sapphire)

Tags: bracelets, Cheryl Kremkow, custom jewelry, designer interview, Gemvara, jewelry, necklaces, rings

Continue reading “Gemvara - the First Website for Custom Designer Jewelry, Exclusive Interview”

Dana Rebecca Designs Jewelry

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Some people know what they want to do at a very early ages. Dana Levy, designer for Dana Rebecca Designs seems to be one of those lucky souls. Levy, a third generation jewelry designer, grew up in her father's jewelry factor and launched her first line while still in high school. After graduating from college she then went to the Gemological Institute in Carlsbad, California to learn the core basics of jewelry design. She launched Dana Rebecca Designs in May 2006.

Her pieces are inspired by her love of travel and adventures in places including India, China, Hong Kong, Tanzania, Kenya, and Brazil. The colors and textures from each culture show up in stone choices like sleeping beauty turquoise, angel skin coral, blue topaz, and chrysoprase. Many designs feature carved gemstones.

Each piece of the collection is named after a family member or loved one. The jewelry has appeared in O, The Oprah Magazine, Inside Weddings, Elle Accessories, CS Chicago Social and Michigan Avenue Magazine and been worn by celebrities including Debra Messing, Lauren Conrad, Lo Bosworth, Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Katy Perry. The collection can be found in specialty boutiques throughout the country and prices range from $750-$6000.

Gallery: Dana Rebecca Designs

Tags: bracelets, dana levy, dana rebecca designs, gemstones, jewelry, necklaces, rings

A Peek at Chopard's Animal World Jewelry Collection

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Chopard is celebrating its 150th birthday with an Animal World collection of 150 glorious animal-inspired pieces, which also happens to be the largest collection its ever made devoted to a single theme. The collection required a total of 20,000 hours of work to complete and involved setting over 250,000 stones. Chopard co-president and artistic director Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele told WWD "I really wanted to make them like sculptures."

And like little sculptures they are, all representing different wild creatures and showing a definite bend to the colorful and whimsical side. The collection includes both jewelry and watches, see a few of the jewelry pieces in the gallery below and click here to see the watches, courtesy of our own Ariel Adams.

Gallery: Chopard Animal World Jewelry

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Tags: animal world, bracelets, chopard, diamonds, gold, jewelry, necklaces, rings

The Mediterra Collection From Kurtulan

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Turkish brand Kurtulan is bringing the exotic lure of ancient Byzantium to life in their Mediterra Collection of jewelry this fall. Kurtulan won a 2008 World Gold Council Award and does designs in rich 24K gold with gemstones (the metal is labeled 985K gold representing that some pieces are welded together using a gold-solder alloy that is 985/1000 which is approximately 23,64K). The designs are available at the fashion boutique Martier in New York City. The Mediterra Collection begins at $700 and includes rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets, necklaces and jeweled cufflinks.

Gallery: Mediterra Jewelry

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Tags: gemstones, jewelry, kurtulan, martier, mediterra, necklaces, rings

Pretty things from Andrea Lucille

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Andrea Lucille is an up and coming jewelry designer with an intricate, elegant collection.

Educated at Rhode Island School of Design, Andrea Lucille Shin moved to NYC in 2000 and started Andrea Lucille Designs. "To me," says Andrea, "I reach the epitome of design achievement when my novel artistic concepts elicit reactions of astonishment and intrigue; I know then that I have succeeded."

We are certainly intrigued by this ring from the Willow Collection. This 18k yellow gold is set with white cultured pearls and diamonds with an approximate total weight of 0.15 cts. We love the coral style, which makes it look as though the gold and jewels are just budding out of the ring.

Andrea Lucille Designs range in price from $60 - $6,000, and can be purchased from her website, as well as these stores. See the gallery below for a look at more of her luscious pieces.

Gallery: Andrea Lucille

Tags: andrea lucille, bracelets, jewelry, jewelry designers, JewelryDesigners, necklaces, rings

Lauren Wolf Jewelry

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Lauren Wolf has a terrific collection of gothic, ocean-inspired jewelry.

After studying jewelry design in coastal Mexico, Wolf moved to Brooklyn, NYC, where she currently lives and works. Her pieces tend to come in darkened silver and also in green gold, making for two price tiers - one in the low hundreds and one in the higher hundreds and low thousands.

At right are the Blackened Silver Palm Frond Earrings with 14k Green Gold Stingray Middle for $984.00. They are perfect for conjuring one's inner sexy sea witch.

Lauren Wolf's goal is "to bring together nature in form and industry in medium; to create jewelry of contrast that both complements and commands attention."

We find her work elegant and refreshingly unusual and daring! Check out some of our favorite designs below and shop Lauren Wolf here.

Gallery: Lauren Wolf Jewelry

One of a Kind Rutilated Brazilian Quartz in 14k Green Gold Stingray Claw Setting on 24

14k Green Gold Nautilus Ring with Blackened Silver Stingray Disc

Blackened Diamond Anaconda Bones on Steel Chain with 14k Green Gold Clasp (18

14k Green Gold Diamond Anaconda Bone Earrings

Tags: bracelets, earrings, green gold, GreenGold, jewelry designers, JewelryDesigners, lauren wolf, lauren wolf jewelry, LaurenWolf, necklaces

Jewelry for the Obama Inauguration

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Diamond and Pink Sapphire Cherry Blossom Brooch

The 2009 Presidential Inauguration is inspiring special commemorative clothing and jewelry all over the world. We found two jewelers in/near Washington D.C. whose pieces are truly extraordinary: Ginger and Chas Schwartz & Son.

Featured in our gallery are cherry blossom items, like the pink sapphire and diamond Cherry Blossom Brooch you see here ($36,000), silver and gold monuments, and a $10,000 diamond Obama necklace or brooch certain to create some real Obama Drama.

The designers include Chas Schwartz & Son as well as Suzanne Somersall and R-Nichols, both available from Ginger (in Bethesda, MD and Winter Park, FL). If you've never bought inauguration commemorative jewelry before, perhaps 2009 is the year for a change.

Gallery: Inauguration Jewelry

pink sapphire and diamond Cherry Blossom Brooch from Oscar Heyman at Chas. Schwartz & Son

Sterling silver cherry blossom drop earrings

Sterling silver cherry blossom charm necklace

Tags: 2009, brooch, brooches, charms, chas schwartz son, ChasSchwartzSon, commemorative, ginger, inauguration, inauguration day, InaugurationDay, jewelry, necklace, necklaces, obama, pins, president, r-nichols, suzanne somersall, SuzanneSomersall, washington dc, WashingtonDc, white house, WhiteHouse

Idalia Launch

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Holiday Guides

Idalia is a new website for the true jewelry connoisseur.

The Black Diamond Snake Ring (right) features black and contrasting white diamonds: 1 pear shaped diamond, carat total weight 0.38; 77 round black diamonds, carat total weight 2.01; and 17 round brilliant white diamonds, carat total weight 0.38; all set in 18k gold for $3,350.00.

Because the brand name is young and there is no showroom to support, their stunning pieces cost a fraction of what they would from other designers. I had the privilege of viewing the collection in person and was inspired by the variety, elegance, and exceptional quality.

Idalia diamonds are the best of the best - for example, the Double Diamond Square Set Eternity Necklace features diamonds with a total carat weight of 19.04, color grade F-G, and clarity grade VVS set in 18k white gold.

People are becoming more comfortable doing their shopping online, but to spend thousands on jewelry you've never seen in person might feel like quite a risk. From what I saw today, Idalia is one site that won't let you down. See the gallery below for a closer look at one of the most exciting new jewelry lines of 2008!

Gallery: Idalia Show in New York City

Criss Cross Diamond Cuff and Gold and Diamond Lattice Cuff (left to right)

Some of the items were so sparkly they appear slightly blurred in photos. Trust me, the effect was dazzling.

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Tags: bracelets, carat, carats, desginers, diamonds, gold, idalia, idalia.com, jewelry, necklaces, pink gold, PinkGold, rings

Ayala Bar Necklaces

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Ayala Bar designs beautiful necklaces with simple metals, glass beads, mineral stones, and crystal rhinestones. She also makes bracelets, earrings, and more, but her necklaces are the most stunning.

Sometimes called "Art Deco meets the Middle East," her style is inventive, bright, and geometric. Ayala had an eclectic career in theater and interior design and eventually turned her focus to jewelry. Each piece is hand made, and every season she creates 250 designs with different colors and matching pieces.

See more of our favorite necklaces from this prolific, visionary designer below. All the items are available from Setty Gallery.

Gallery: Necklaces by Ayala Bar

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Tags: jewelry, necklaces

New Audemars Piguet Haute Joaillerie Pieces

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Timepieces / Watches

Like fellow watchmaker Jaeger Le Coultre, Audemars Piguet has come out with some showstopper jewelry pieces. There are two sets of matching 18K white gold and diamond watches and necklaces for women, the Coup de Theatre and Carnet de Bal. Both watches use the AP calibre 2046 movement with manual winding (18 jewels) that beats at a frequency of 21 600 vph and provides 42 hours power reserve. The Coup de Theatre pieces are shown on the left and features a brick like arrangement of diamonds punctuated by an exuberant spray of bezel set diamonds. The Carnet de Bal pieces are more of a floral comet with brilliant, marquise, pear and baguette diamonds including bezel set stones mounted on trailing strands of white gold accented with gold beads. Larger pictures are in the gallery below.

Gallery: Audemars Piguet Haute Joaillerie

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Tags: audemars piguet, AudemarsPiguet, diamonds, jewelry, necklaces

Manoel Bernardes Jewelry

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

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.

Gallery: Manoel Bernardes Jewelry