Montecito and Santa Barbara: Two Must-shop Boutiques

I make it a point to visit Montecito and Santa Barbara at least once a year. I just love the beachy atmosphere, the stunning views, and of course…the shopping! This past week I visited one of my favorite destinations in Montecito and discovered a very cool new shop on State Street in Santa Barbara.

To put it bluntly, I’d pretty much like to live in Maison K. The neutral palette highlighted with metal, glass and exotic materials just speaks to me. Kimberly Phillips, the store’s owner with a discerning eye and fabulous taste, finds treasures from around the globe to share with her clients.

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Me with Kimberly Phillips, owner of Maison K

What really caught my eye this visit was the extraordinary case of jewelry she just brought back from Istanbul. I didn’t know where to look first–pearls? coral? turquoise? gold? Oh my, the choices!

maison k jewelry
Some baubles from Istanbul

This is definitely a must-stop for unique jewelry that you most certainly won’t see coming and going.

As I did my stroll along State Street in downtown Santa Barbara, checking out all the familiar windows, I did a double take. (I love when a new store pops up!) Plum Goods is the creative product of Amy Cooper, and it opened just this past October. It’s a very eclectic shop with everything from jewelry to art to gift items. I just adore her motto, which is on the front window.

plum goods motto
Words to live by

Much of her merchandise is made by local artists, which is a huge plus in my book. Her wares are hand-crafted, fair trade, recycled and eco-chic. I spent quite some time perusing the various cases of jewelry, when a buddah necklace by Iris di Santo really caught my eye.

plum goods jewelry
A small sample of jewelry at Plum Goods

So for those of you who know me, jewelry with a buddah is right up there with horn pendants as part of my signature style. I don’t think you need to think too hard about whether or not this necklace went home with me.

buddah necklace
Buddah necklace from Plum Goods

So next time you are lucky enough to find yourself in the Santa Barbara/Montecito ‘hood, definitely check out these two gems in the world of retail and enjoy!

Polki Diamonds: Beyond the Four C’s

Last summer, as I sleepily stared out the window on a bus tour of Copenhagen, I suddenly sat upright in my seat. I had spied the most amazing jewelry store, and I vowed to find it on foot as soon as I was through with the tour. Being the jewelry-o-holic I am, I found it and purchased the most beautiful diamond ring. But…it was unlike any diamond that I had seen before. It was not perfect, not even really “cut” and I could see that the clarity was not there at all. The price certainly didn’t reflect what I was accustomed to in the world of diamonds either. Yet still the diamond had subtle luxury, and that’s when I officially fell in love with polki diamonds.

Thanks to Meredith Marks, jewelry designer extraordinaire, I was turned on to this term “polki.” Until then, I had been going under the false assumption that this type of diamond was called rose cut. In fact, in almost every store and catalogue I’ve seen in the United States, these diamonds are mislabeled. (Rose cut diamonds actually look like a rose about to bloom–they look like a diamond which has been cut upside down, creating more of a faceted dome.)

Here is a pair of Meredith’s earrings made with polki diamonds, surrounded by smaller, single-cut champagne diamonds.

Meredith Marks "Susan" earrings
"Susan" earrings by Meredith Marks

Basically, polki diamonds are uncut, rough diamonds that don’t have any of the enhancements found in traditional cut diamonds. They originate from India and are set with Kundan techniques, which don’t involve prongs or claws to set them in the metal. It’s an ancient artform from way, way back in the time of Rhajastani kings. The diamonds are typically a bit larger in size and have a subdued shine because they’re not highly polished.

Meredith Marks
Meredith Marks' Alexia ring--oh my gorgeous!

Personally, I love that these diamonds have a more ancient look. I have seen them set in oxidized sterling with gold, and they truly sparkle in that setting. They most definitely fit in with my “bohemian luxury” personal style. I think this bangle is now officially on my covet list….

Meredith Marks
Gloria bangle by Meredith Marks

I don’t know if it’s that polki diamonds are now on my radar, or that they’re becoming more popular, but I am definitely seeing more of them here in the States. (I’ve even seen a polki eternity band in the Sundance jewelry catalogue.) So keep your eyes open and you may run across a diamond with your name on it!

Julez Bryant: Designer

“Be your own sugar daddy” is Julez Bryant’s tag line, and I couldn’t agree more! I have shopped for my own jewelry with this very mantra in mind my whole adult life. Why wait for someone to buy you a beautiful gem when you can buy it for yourself? You’re worth it!

julez bryant candy bar
Julez' tag line on a chocolate bar...yum!

I was so pleased to meet her at her recent trunk show at Les Duex Copines in Burlingame, California. Julez, formerly of the tech world, has been making jewelry for about eleven years now. In speaking with her, her passion for design and sparkle were evident. She believes that jewelry should be versatile and “add a zing of casual luxury” to your wardrobe–wear her pieces with jeans or a cocktail dress. Her collection is meant to be mixed and matched, both within the line and with other jewelry you may have.

julez bryant
Meeting Julez Bryant at Les Duex Copines

She makes her jewelry in house, down in southern California. (Gotta love that!) When she started the line, she worked mostly with rose gold, and that is her signature. Now she also works with yellow and white gold, along with sterling silver. Her beautiful designs are highlighted by white, black, and cognac diamonds.

Stacking rings and a cross necklace

She is also known for her charms, which can be purchased individually or on a necklace. And if you see one of her pieces yet would like to tweak it a bit, she’s more than willing to do that as well. (as evidenced by my friend who did exactly that at the event)

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a selection of Julez' disco ball necklaces

Another very cool thing about her is that she will “remodel” one of your own pieces of jewelry, incorporating the older piece with something new. While I was at the trunk show, a woman came in with a baggie of vintage jewelry, and Julez jumped right into creative gear thinking up inventive redesign plans. Just fabulous!

If you want to check out Julez Bryant’s line for yourself, be sure to visit Les Duex Copines or her website for a store location near you! You won’t be disappointed by her (and I quote) “little pieces of magic.”

Layering Necklaces: It’s all in the Mix

You may have noticed that one of the hot trends in the world of jewelry has been layering necklaces. But have you been afraid to try this out yourself? Don’t be, because there are no hard and fast rules. Instead, just play around a little and see what sparks your creative eye.

Start with one necklace that hits around your upper balance point. Then add another one that’s a bit longer, maybe even two more. You might try one of your longer necklaces and doubling it. The following picture demonstrates how a longer necklace was wrapped around twice and combined with a shorter necklace for a stunning effect.

jen layered necklaces
layering a short necklace with a doubled longer one

This photograph shows how a shorter necklace is layered with a doubled longer one. Then added to the mix is yet another one, worn long, for sort of a three-tiered effect. I’m just lovin’ it.

three-tiered layered necklaces
layering three necklaces

One more thing you may want to experiment with is the scale of the necklaces you’re layering. Sometimes a combination you may have never thought about just looks hot. I practically accosted this woman, Janet, in Neiman Marcus when her creative combination really got my attention.

Janet-layered necklaces

I just think the chunkiness of the carved wood necklace creates beautiful juxtaposition with the more delicate blue beaded strand with the gold medallion.

So here’s your mission, should you choose to accept it. Go to your jewelry box, haul out all your necklaces (even the ones that have been hiding in the deep recesses) and start playing around. I’m sure you’ll find some combinations that really resonate with your personal style.