22 Jewelry Gifts for $50 and Under

I have been receiving quite a few inquiries from readers about jewelry gifts that fit in their holiday shopping budget. With the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals upon us, I’ve gathered a range of ideas for you that fall in the $50 and under range. Some are as low as the $20 range, yet they have no shortage of style in my opinion. In no particular order…

Isharya Mirror Gems Marquise Bangle

isharya mirror gems marquise bangle
Sundance Lucky Labradorite Ring

sundance lucky labradorite ring
Antrhopologie Clustered Crest Cuff

anthropologie clustered crest cuff
J.Crew Brûlée Crystal Drop Earrings

j.crew brulee crystal drop earrings
Kate Spade “Make me Blush” Pave Bangle

kate spade make me blush pave bangle
Pradelles Drop Earrings

Predates Drop Earrings
Rebecca Minkoff Feather Knuckle Duster Ring

rebecca minkoff feather knuckle duster ring
rebecca minkoff feather ring
Sam Edelman Pave Spike Pendant Necklace

sam edelman paave spike pendant necklace
Tai Stardust Earrings

tai stardust earrings
Nordstrom Oversize Crystal Statement Necklace

nordstrom oversize crystal statement necklace
Gorjana Cress Shimmer Split Ring

gorjana cress shimmer split ring
Anthropologie Luminous Feather Pendant Necklace

anthropologie luminous feather pendant neckalce
Sundance Window Box Ring

sundance window box ring
Ted Baker London Lynda Stud Earrings

ted baker london lynda stud earring
Lucina Layered Necklace

lucina layered necklace
Melinda Maria Trillion Ear Jackets

melinda maria trillion ear jackets
Kendra Scott Elisa Pendant Necklace — comes in a wide variety of colors

kendra scott elisa pendant necklace
Rebecca Minkoff Rhinestone Stud Earrings

rebecca minkoff rhinestone stud earrings
BaubleBar Canopy Crystal Drop Earrings

baublebar canopy crystal drop earrings
Starlight Climbers

starlight climbers
Madewell Dala Layering Necklace

Madewell Dala layering necklace
SonyaRenee Lee Semiprecious Stone Pendant Necklace

sonyarenee lee semiprecious stone pendant
Some of these items are already marked down on the websites, yet others may have a code you need to enter at checkout, so shop carefully. Also, act fast, as these deals won’t last long. Happy clicking!

Ana Katarina

It all started when Roseark posted this photo on Instagram, featuring rings by Ana Katarina and K. Brunini. I was mesmerized!

Ana Katarina and K Brunini rings
Ana-Katarina Vinkler-Petrovic launched her Venus in Furs collection just this past September in Paris, France. This line “…taps into the feminine mystique; the duality of seductive and demure.” And can’t you just see the sensuality in the enticing curves in her designs?

Ana Katarina
As a huge proponent of ethically sourced and made jewelry, Ana Katarina is a member of both the Ethical Metalsmiths and the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA). She uses 18K recycled gold and palladium, and all her stones, diamonds and fossils are conflict-free and fair trade. In addition, each piece is hand crafted in NYC. Fabulous!

Ana Katarina jewelry truly is art to be worn. Take a look at how these rose gold and diamond earrings perfectly complement the shape of the ear.

Ana Katarina rose gold and diamond earrings
Ana Katarina earring
Her rings come in a variety of styles, and they enhance ones hands, as shown in the photo from Roseark. Here are four styles to show you the range in design.

Ana Katarina rose gold, blue opal and green dimaond ring
Ana Katarina palladium and black diamond ring
Ana Katarina rose gold and black diamond ring
Ana Katarina yellow gold, fire opal and diamond ring
They are all so unique and different, I honestly can’t decide which one is my favorite!! If your neck is in need of some adornment, then this necklace would be perfect, with its combination of blue and pink opals, blue/green diamonds, rose gold and palladium. Wow!

Ana Katarina blue and pink opal, blue:green diamonds with rose gold and palladium
If you’d like to keep up with Ana Katarina, then follow her on Instagram. And if you’re in southern California, you can see her jewelry at both Roseark in West Hollywood and Seaside Luxe in Santa Monica. I’m hoping to see it in San Francisco one day soon!

November Birthstone: Citrine

Those of you lucky enough to be born in November have not one, but two birthstones! (If you missed last week’s article on Topaz, click here.) While topaz is known for it’s calming and balancing properties, citrine is here to bring you success and abundance. In fact, citrine used to be known as the “merchant’s stone” as traveling merchants always carried a piece with them to assure profitable sales. Coming in a range from pale yellow to brownish tones, it’s really a lovely stone.

Citrine sounds pretty darn awesome, bringing the wearer:

-cheerfulness and joy
-confidence
-self-esteem
-generosity
-personal power
-AND it combats negative energy

I’m loving this list! While I don’t (yet) own any pieces of jewelry with citrine, it might be the time to add some to my jewelry box. If I were, here are some of the gorge items I may consider. (in no particular order)

Disa Allsop cushion cut citrine ring

disa allsopp cushion cut citrine ring
Margo Morrison citrine and white sapphire earrings

margo morrison citrine and white sapphire drop earrings
Jamie Joseph citrine ring with diamond accent

jamie joseph citrine ring with dimaond accent
Renee Lewis double citrine pendant necklace

renee lewis double citrine pendant necklace

Nak Armstrong labradorite and citrine earrings

nak armstrong labradorite and citrine dangle mosaic earrings
Disa Allsopp citrine spaghetti ring

disa allsopp citrine spaghetti ring
Devon Leigh rainbow jasper and citrine necklace

devon leigh rainbow jasper and citrine necklace
Miseno Sealeaf Collection 18K diamond and citrine earrings

miseno sealeaf collection 18K diamond and citrine earrings
Julie Wolfe cage ring with citrine and opal

julie wolfe cage ring with citrine and opal
Michael Aram 18K twig diamond and citrine pendant necklace

michael aram twig 18K and diamond citrine pendant necklace
Ippolita Rock Candy shell and citrine earrings

ippolita 18k rock candy earrings in citrine and shell
Oh…if only I had a bottomless wallet….

Happy November birthday!! xo

Marc Alary: Designer

I never knew monkeys and jewelry could blend so effortlessly, but Marc Alary demonstrated how it’s a perfect fit. Though he doesn’t have an explanation for exactly why he loves monkeys so much, Marc definitely has made them come to life in fine jewlery!

marc alary ring
And what’s even cooler? Check out how it moves!! (Enjoy this 17 second video I shot.)

I throughly enjoyed chatting with the charming Marc Alary at the Couture show in Las Vegas. With his French accent (born in Toulouse) and passion for his craft, I was completely intrigued by his line. Have you ever seen two monkeys fighting over a banana in a necklace? I certainly haven’t.

marc alary necklace
And then there’s a diamond-encrusted monkey, and monkey earrings, dangling with bunches of bananas.

marc alary diamond monkey
marc alary earrings
Marc started as a print designer in NYC, working for DKNY, Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs. While at Marc Jacobs, he discovered he wanted to focus on jewelry design. In 2009 he was given an opportunity to sketch for 2 hours and show them to Marc Jacobs. The feedback was definitely positive, and he headed back to the studio to work. The result was three animal charms — a jaguar, a zebra and an elephant. When they overlay, it creates a more abstract piece. In 2011 he left Marc Jacobs to pursue his jewelry career full time.

marc alary charms
As Marc explained to me, “The tangible object of jewelry is what my passion is; it’s better than print.” I’m with you, Marc! His collection of charms continues to grow, and he talked about how you can create different stories by stacking the different charms.

marc alary charms
While speaking with him, I couldn’t help but notice his bracelet, which is part of his Caravan collection.

marc alary bracelet
As a runner-up for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award in 2013, there’s no doubt that Marc is on the rise. This is why it was no surprise when I saw his rings featured in the latest issue of Harper’s Bazaar magazine. Way to go, Marc!

marc alary harpers bazaar november 2015
I’m also very excited about Marc’s latest collaboration with Spinelli Kilcollin, a long-time favorite of mine. It’s truly a perfect alignment of designers, and the result is tres chic. Here are a couple photos they shared on Instagram.

marc alary and spinelli kilcollin ring
marc alary and spinelli kilcollin collaboration
I’m so glad I had the opportunity to meet Marc and explore his line. I look forward to seeing what he has in store next!!

amy roseveare and marc alary
For a list of retailers, click here.

November Birthstone: Topaz

How is it that it’s already November?! I truly don’t know where the time goes. November is another month that has two birthstones — topaz and citrine. In this article, I’m going to focus on topaz. Many of you are likely familiar with this stone, as both blue and smoky topaz are very popular in the marketplace. But they can come in a wide range of colors, from colorless to orange, yellow, pink and purple. The word topaz comes from the Sanskrit word for “fire” although it’s popular meaning, being know as a calming stone, is certainly the polar opposite of fire! Perhaps the fire element was referring to the color of certain stone specimens.

Regardless, topaz can help you with many things, such as:

-it heals and energizes
-balances emotions
-brings synchronicity to your life
-helps with love and hope
-brings good fortune

Going on yet another one of my virtual shopping sprees, I discovered some lovely topaz designs. Do any of them pique your interest?

Armenta blue topaz and diamond ring

armenta blue topaz and diamond ring
Larkspur & Hawk Lily Riviere gold-washed topaz necklace

larkspur & hawk lily riviere gold-washed topaz necklace
Gurhan Willow London Blue topaz and 24K earrings

gurhan willow london blue topaz and 24K gold linear leaf drop earrings
Rosa Maria Olfat smoky topaz and grey diamond ring

rosa maria olfat ring in smoky topaz and grey diamonds

Loren Stewart topaz and diamond pin and stud set

loren stewart curved pin and stud set
Emily and Ashley 18K blue topaz bangle

emily and ashley 18K blue topaz bangle
Ray Griffiths white topaz earrings

ray griffiths white topaz drop earrings
Anaconda pink topaz Leona ring

anaconda pink topaz leona ring
Elizabeth and James Windrose pave white topaz cuff

elizabeth and james windrose pave white topaz cuff
Kelly Wearstler mariposa white topaz sunburst earrings

kelly wearstler mariposa white topaz sunburst earrings
And because I’m truly a princess at heart….I just NEED this Ray Griffiths Regency tiara in 18K yellow gold, white topaz and diamonds! Absolutely INCREDIBLE!

ray griffiths regency tiara
Best wishes to you November birthday readers out there. I will have an article about your other birthstone coming soon.

Suzanne Kalan: Designer

While I certainly enjoy ripping into a sweet baguette right out of the oven and pairing it with some creamy brie, the baguette I crave even more is that brilliant cut of diamond. Suzanne Kalan is a master of creating out-of-this world designs with various colors of diamond baguettes. The top of my list? Her Fireworks bangles. Coming in three sizes, they are beyond comfortable to wear.

Suzanne Kalan diamond bracelets
While at the Couture show, I couldn’t stop trying them on, and for the life of me, I could not decide which was my favorite…There’s also rings in the collection, oh my!

Suzanne Kalan Fireworks rings
Based in Northridge, CA, Suzanne has been in business for over 25 years now and it’s truly a family affair. Her husband selects and sets the diamonds; her daughter, Patile Kalandijian, now is working on KALAN by Suzanne Kalan, their 14K gold collection which features beautifully colored stones and diamonds. Just during my time in their exquisite booth, I could feel the warmth of their family. They are passionate about their jewlery as well as their clients. I learned that Suzanne sold her own diamond tennis bracelet, which was a wedding gift from her parents, to get the funds to start the company! Every piece is still made in house in southern California. Awesome.

Here are a couple more examples of how Suzanne creates harmonious chaos with baguettes.

Suzanne Kalan ring
Suzanne Kalan diamond ring
And what do you think of these statement ruby earrings, highlighted with a frame of baguettes?

Suzanne Kalan ruby and diamond earrings
Or perhaps a linear design is more your cup of tea?

Suzanne Kalan diamond earrings
Suzanne was showing a “Starry Night” collection as part of the Rio Tinto collaboration. I was lucky to try on this double star ring.

Suzanne Kalan double star ring
The Vitrine collection is also mesmerizing. In this group, she takes a gemstone and cuts it flat on the top and bottom. This stone is then a window of sorts to peer at the diamonds behind the stone. Ooh la la!

Suzanne Kalan ring
Suzanne Kalan diamond earrings
Suzanne Kalan Vitrine ring
Giuliana Rancic showed off some Suzanne Kalan earrings at the Met Gala.

Giuliana Rancic@MET Gala in Suzanne Kalan earrings

The 14K KALAN by Suzanne Kalan line is a perfect complement to the 18K line. Originally developed for a younger audience and at more accessible price points, this colorful collection truly works for everyone. (Check out more of this line at Sak’s.) I first tried on this topaz and moonstone ring.

Kalan by Suzanne Kalan ring
J’Adore these long topaz earrings!

Kalan by Suzanne Kalan topaz earrings
This design, with it’s off-kilter rectangular stones, is so harmonious with the Fireworks collection, don’t you think?

Kalan by Suzanne Kalan ring
These earrings once again show how they reign supreme at unique stone configurations, really taking it to the next level in style.

Kalan by Suzanne Kalan earrings
Time definitely flew by while trying on all these dazzling gems. Thanks to Suzanne and her team member Rebeka for the tour!

 

Suzanna and Amy
Suzanne and Amy

If you’d like to enjoy more images, I encourage you to follow Suzanne Kalan on Instagram.