The first time Syna appeared on my radar was when I saw Monica of iDazzle wearing one of their Mogul drop necklaces. I couldn’t help but want to reach out and touch this glorious moonstone pendant with yellow gold and black diamonds on the cap; with its clean lines and elegance I was just mesmerized. Lucky me, as I got to see the line in person at the Couture show and spend some time with Dharmesh and Namrata Kothari, the husband-wife team behind the brand.
Syna Mogul Drop Necklaces
Syna, which means “together,” is clearly a life’s passion for this creative duo. They took an enormous leap of faith when they began their line and moved to the United Stated about thirteen years ago. Believing that “the possibilities of design, and life, are limitless when people work together,” they have come to create a truly beautiful and meaningful collection.
After drooling over the Mogul drops (Which stone would I want for myself??) I moved on to this outstanding peacock pendant surrounded by blue diamonds and tsavorites. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It’s so serene, yet powerful, at the same time.
There was also a bevy of bracelets from their Baubles Collection waiting to be tried on. Well OK, I don’t mind if I do!
I enjoyed mixing and matching until I came up with this combination in garnet, diamonds, opal and peach moonstone. Pretty dreamy, right? And so comfortable on the wrist!
Definitely known for their use of color, I was blown away by this pendant of hand-carved and hand-painted bone. Wow!
Incorporating aspects from their rich heritage are extremely important to Dharmesh and Namrata. They aim to take such ideas, and show them in the most simple and refined way. When I saw various horses in the line, they explained to me that horses stand for bravery and royalty in their culture. In fact they told me at weddings the groom comes in on a horse! I tried on a horse head ring and admired a pair of cufflinks in 18k yellow gold with hand-carved blue sapphires with black diamonds.
I could have stayed and chatted with them all afternoon. Their warmth and knowledge was so inviting. And I don’t know about you, but when I find a connection with designers, it makes me love their work even more. Thank you, Dharmesh and Namrata for your time and kindness. I hope to see you soon!
Melissa Kaye is a New York-based jeweler who works with 18K gold, diamonds, and precious stones. I was very pleased to meet her at the Couture show in Las Vegas, and I was immediately taken with her earrings. Now this is certainly not to say that her necklaces, bracelets and rings aren’t fantastic (which they are!), but for this article I want to focus on the earrings. Here’s a shot of a woman wearing three of her designs in a perfectly harmonious combination.
Don’t you just adore the shape of the hoop, with its elongated, pointed shape? It’s her Cristina earring, and it comes in three sizes. Her Catherine earring is another take on the hoop, and I’m always looking for chic variations on this classic.
Melissa has a background in finance, but she’s had a life-long interest in jewelry.(#preachingtothechoir) She attended FIT, and now has been in business over two years. She describes her line as, “modern edge to classic shapes.” I think that’s a perfect description.
She has a variety of long, dangling earrings with great movement. Here’s a few I saw at the show.
Speaking of studs, this line has it going on! Here’s 9 different styles I was drooling over at the show. I seriously could not choose my favorite one…perhaps the one on the lower left? As Melissa told me, “It’s a lot of detail in not a lot of space.” So true — it’s like a whole little universe in each earring.
She also has an array of ear climbers which are perfect to mix and match with all her designs.
Here’s a couple sapphire pieces worn together.
As I was browsing through her web shop, I had to investigate these two more closely: the Lorraine and the Tori.
This is just the tip of the Melissa Kaye iceberg, my friends! If you want to see more, then check out her website, or see her work in person at these retailers.
Thanks, Melissa, for introducing me to your line — it was an absolute pleasure!
I also want to thank all of you, my lovely readers, for your dedication to my blog. I am going to take the next couple weeks off to enjoy the holidays, but you can still get daily doses of bling on my Facebook page and Instagram feed. I wish you and your families a joyous holiday and I’ll see you in 2017!
Over the past few years, antique jewelry has really made an entrance in my life. And with it, I’ve been experimenting with some ways to style antique necklaces so that they look current and express my personal style. I certainly don’t want to look like a “fashion don’t” when stepping out the front door! I want to share two different ways to utilize antique necklaces. The first is layering, and the second strategy is using one necklace as a focal point.
So let’s start with layering necklaces. With this, you can layer various antique/vintage necklaces, or you can mix old and new together. Doyle & Doyle recently shared this photo on Instagram, which is a fantastic example of how to layer with panache.
My personal collection doesn’t have so many amazing antique necklaces (#goals), so my own style experiment only involved two necklaces: one non-antique (a Marla Aaron chain & lock with a Monica Marcella enhydro quartz pendant and a tiny pearl pendant from Erica Molinari) along with one antique (a 57″ 9K gold chain from Lenore Dailey with a Victorian “A” locket from Erica Weiner).
I’ll share what I did with them two days last week. On Monday I looped the long antique necklace around my neck twice, creating a choker effect, and paired it with the non-antique necklace.
In my typical black, I liked how they looked with my harem pants and sandals. I describe my personal style as “urban bohemian” and I thought this ensemble was true to my style.
Then on Wednesday, I wore a dress over a pair of cropped, frayed-hem jeans. I wore the 57″ necklace long, layered the new necklace. I’d never worn a necklace so long! But once I figured out how to maneuver it (and not get it stuck in the seatbelt), I felt pretty swishy! It’s true that I don’t necessarily look like anyone else on the street, but in my book that’s a good thing.
Now let’s take a look at just using one necklace as a focal point. While I was at the Hillsborough Antique Fair a couple weekends ago, I spent quite a bit of time with the charming Lenore Dailey. I photographed two different necklaces to use in my examples. The first one is a Victorian 18K and silver necklace with rose cut and old European cut diamonds. At first glance, you might think, “Oh, this is gorgeous, but certainly best worn for a dressy occasion.” I feel the complete opposite. I think it would look just amazing worn during the day. Don’t worry…I’ll give you some ideas how in a minute.
The second necklace that caught my eye in her booth was this Georgian 15K gold flower chain with the most amazing clasp — check out the cabochon turquoise. What workmanship!
So yes, of course you can wear these necklaces with a cocktail dress. But how cute would they look with a t-shirt, jeans, boots and a biker jacket? Or what about this — a simple pencil skirt, a pull-over sweater, and funk it up with some Golden Goose Sneakers. (yes, I might be just a wee bit obsessed with these sneakers).
If you add one of these necklaces to the sporty chic look, it’d be awesome! I like how the turquoise would look against the raspberry color. Not too “matchy-matchy,” if you know what I mean. And the juxtaposition of the diamonds with sneakers would be so cool — not a combination someone might typically come up with while getting dressed.
The bottom line is I want you to know that it’s much easier to incorporate an antique necklace into your look than you might think. Try it on with unexpected garments, and you might be very surprised at how original and unique it looks. And with any item you purchase, remember that the more it costs, the more you should wear it so that the cost-per-wear goes down. Never save anything “for good.” Now venture forth into your jewelry box and your closet and have some fun! Send me pix of what you come up with.
OK…I’m going to show you two images from Ananda Khalsa’s website and I want you to think about the feelings they evoke. Think about adjectives to describe them. Are you ready? All right, here they are:
What words came to mind? For me, adjectives such as feminine, colorful, organic, and fit for a bohemian goddess popped into my head. Although I first started becoming familiar with Ananda’s gems on Instagram, I was lucky to meet her in person and play in her cases at the Couture show. All I can say is that the line was even better in person!
I actually got to try on the vibrant tourmaline necklace from the second photo above.
And what about this stellar trio of rings, the middle featuring a delicious boulder opal?
And then there’s her inviting chandelier earrings, such as these with labradorite and garnet.
She also has a silver collection in her line, with equally beautiful detail.
Seeing all these incredible designs got me thinking about how I’d style them. (After 18+ years as a wardrobe stylist, this is the default setting in my brain!) Given that the line definitely has a more bohemian vibe with a nod to ancient jewelry, I thought it’d be fun to share how I’d incorporate Ananda’s jewelry into a whole look. Spring/summer would be easy — a Grecian dress, gladiator sandals and layers of jewelry to start. But what about now, when it’s getting cold outside? For a great, casual everyday look, I’d start with a feminine blouse, perhaps with some lace detail and a killer suede jacket. This ivory Rebecca Taylor blouse and wine-colored suede moto jacket from Capulet set the tone. (FYI, wine is a HOT color this season, and it looks great on a variety of skin tones.)
Given that jeans are a staple, I’d go one of two routes. The first option is a skinny jean tucked into tall boots. I picked a pair of jeans from Good American, as they just debuted two weeks ago, and they come in sizes 0-24. (Can I get a “hallelujah” on that extended size run?!) I ordered a pair for myself, and I can say that I give them a thumbs up. They are built for curvy girls, they are high-waisted (no muffin top!) and the stretch is fabulous. They are clearly flying off the shelves, as the style I ordered isn’t even available anymore! I like the scrunchy vibe of these Steve Madden boots to go with them.
Let’s imagine you have a pair of Ananda’s chandelier earrings on with this outfit, and you’ve got other piercings as well. She’s got you covered with a variety of stud earrings.
Personally, I may also add this turquoise and diamond ring. Can’t go wrong with it! Heck, I’d wear rings on multiple fingers!
Ananda also has another very unique collection in her line which I can’t help but mention. She paints small watercolor pictures and then sets them under crystal. They have either gold or silver bezels and many have gemstone accents. Have you ever seen anything like it? This girl has #talent! If you go to her website and click “painting” you can see she has 17 different themes to her painting jewlery, from koi fish to ravens to willows.
I began my trek back through jewelry time in July, when I published the article What is Georgian Jewelry? This was the first in a series exploring the different eras of antique jewelry, including Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco. It’s now time to delve into the fascinating genre of Victorian jewelry, which hails from 1837-1901. Some major historical events occurred during this time, including the conclusion of the Industrial Revolution, the rise of the middle class, the American Civil War, and gold being discovered in a few countries, including right here in California. You may ask, “Why is it even called Victorian?” Well, it’s all from the time period when Queen Victoria sat on the throne of Britain. Pretty amazing to think that this one woman had such a profound influence on jewelry during her reign!!
Personally, every single item of antique jewelry I’ve purchased has been from the Victorian period — how strange is that?! It’s simply what I’m drawn to, before even knowing much about it. Here’s three examples of Victorian turquoise from Erica Weiner, Studio Collections and Metier. (It also doesn’t hurt that Victorian jewelry is generally much more affordable than Georgian jewelry!)
The Victorian era can be separated into three different segments. The first, called the Romantic period, was from 1837-1860. Queen Victoria was young and in love, and her jewelry reflected this. Sentimental motifs of flowers, clasped hands, and hearts (to name a few) were all the rage. Even snakes were extremely popular, as they represent wisdom and eternal love. In fact, Victoria’s engagement ring was a snake with emeralds, rubies and diamonds. (photo from aboutgemstonejewelry.com)
When Queen Victoria’s husband died in 1860, everything changed. Gone were the whimsical and light-hearted themes. In its place was dark jewlery, both in feel and color. This time is called the Grand period, and lasted for the next 25 years. Mourning and memorial jewelry were abundant, and stones such as onyx, Whitby jet, and garnets were very en vogue.
Things began to lighten up in later Victorian times — this third part is called the Aesthetic period, and took place during the last 15 or so years of Victoria’s reign. There was a return to more delicate designs, with more of a feeling of prosperity and optimism. This period also overlaps some other jewelry movements, such as Arts & Crafts.
Not only did styles of jewelry change during the Victorian era, but so did production methods. During the Industrial Revolution, both stamping and electroplating were invented. So while in the first part of the Victorian period all jewlery was handmade, in the second half it was often machine-made. In addition, in 1854 Britain made it legal to use lower karats of gold in jewelry, thereby really opening up the world of jewelry to the growing middle class, where once it had been reserved for only the very wealthy. Silver also became available in the mass market, making jewelry much more accessible.
I want to share some of the popular styles for this time period. With some, you’ll see some overlap with that of the Georgian period, such as in mourning jewlery and hair jewlery.
Brooches: These were especially popular when the fashion was wearing high necklines. It was much easier to don a brooch instead of figuring out how to have a necklace lay properly over a high collar. Not only is the bow a key motif of the period, but the engraving and the cabochon turquoise were very on trend as well. (brooch via antique jewellery company)
Cameos: They were most popular during the Grand period, and often were in onyx, coral and amethyst. These cameo earrings feature Roman centurions, and the agate is surrounded by seed pearls, another popular Victorian design detail. (earrings via Lang Antiques.)
Hair Jewelry: As you saw in the Georgian period, using a loved ones hair in jewelry was all the rage. It could be simply to honor a living person in your life, or it could be in memorial of someone who had passed. (brooch via The Rusted Anchor)
Mourning Jewelry: This piece of hair jewelry is clearly also mourning jewelry. The initials RC are on the outside, and “mama” is engraved on the $1 gold coin hanging from the ring. (ring via Gold and Silver Brokers)
Portrait Jewelry: In my mind, this is sort of an expansion of the Lover’s Eye lockets from Georgian times, which just showed a painting of the eye of one’s lover. In Victorian times, it was popular to wear small portraits of loved ones. In this example, you’ll once again see pearls being used as an edging. (brooch via Doyle & Doyle)
Posy Rings: I find these to be so charming. Posy comes from the French word “poesie,” meaning poetry. In posy rings, you’ll find short inscriptions. This particular posy ring was a wedding ring, inscribed with “A hope fulfilled. 18th March circa 1880.” (ring via Lucy Bedeman)
Acrostic Rings: These are pretty darn cool, I have to say. Basically, stones are chosen for the ring in which the first letter of each stone spells out a secret word. This one secretly says “dearest” with diamond, emerald, amethyst, ruby, emerald, sapphire, and topaz. Pretty awesome, right?! (ring via Erica Weiner)
Mizpah jewelry: Though I’ve seen mizpah jewelry here and there, I honestly had no clue what it was until I did research for this article. Mizpah signifies an emotional bond and means “watchtower” in Hebrew. It’s given to a loved one when separated by distance. How romantic! This mizpah ring is extra-special, as the word is hidden behind a hinged buckle. (ring via Erica Weiner)
Bracelets: Braclets, from bold to matching bangles to stacks, were very stylish in the Victorian period. Here’s a couple examples of popular styles. First is a snake (there’s that theme again!) with rubies. (bracelet via Lang Antiques) The second is a wide silver and gold overlay bangle with sunflowers. (bangle via the Antique Jewellery Company)
Lockets: With photos, hair, and sometimes even teeth inside, lockets were key in this period. This one also has enameling, which was also very of-the-day. (locket via Metier)
Etruscan Revial: More and more people started traveling during this time, so it makes sense that fascination with ancient time periods rose. You’ll find evidence of Egyptian and Greek motifs, as well as the granulation seen in the Etruscan Revival pieces. (earrings via Butterlane Antiques)
Out of all these different styles, which would be your first pick? I think if I were living back in Victorian times, I’d definitely be wanting an acrostic ring from my lover. And I’m definitely warming up to the idea of snake jewelry…sorry, mom!
Tej Kothari was born into the world of jewelry in India — his mother was an antique jewlery aficionado and developed her own successful business. Though Tej studied molecular biology in college, he began designing jewelry in 1997 and launched his brand in 2009. Kothari is a Bay Area based company. (I am once again amazed by the wealth of talent we have locally!) I can definitely see the influence of his science background in the line. Take, for example these polki diamond dish earrings, which come in two sizes. They are like bejeweled cells in a way!
The polki diamond theme also translates beautifully into these bracelets.
This particular pair of earrings really spoke to me. Again, I’m seeing the design as something we’d see in nature — the diamonds like dew drops on a frond.
Kothari is now moving into more color. I was blown away by the pieces made of agate and jasper with inlaid diamonds. The single cut diamonds enhance the natural patterns in the stones, which are all hand-picked.
Being ever-attracted to the moody palate of blacks and greys, I would SO wear this petrified Alaskan black coral and diamond necklace. It’s truly a melding of nature and luxury.
I also want to share their kAuge Collection, which features sterling silver or 18k gold in streamlined designs. I’m totally into it!
There’s a nice selection online at Twist if you’d like to take a closer look. Wonderful meeting you at the Couture show, Tej! I appreciate your time and talent.
While Italian-born, New York resident Emanuela Duca is probably most well-known for her textured jewlery, I have to say I was quite enthralled with her sleek new collection, Thoughts Frequency, when I met her at the NY Now show.
As you can see from this handful of rings I just had to try on, they are so highly polished that it was impossible to photograph them without getting a reflection of my cell phone in the image! In fact, they practically function as wearable mirrors, and they are intended to reflect the thoughts of those around us. Emanuela talked about how all thoughts are energy, and the thoughts of others certainly influence us. Hence, the name of the collection, Thoughts Frequency.
Made in sterling silver and 18K gold, I find this line ultra-contemporary and very wearable. Here’s two of the 18K rings; you’ll see a yellow sapphire shining in each one.
Emanuela, as lovely on the inside as on the outside, modeled this sterling cuff from the collection for me.
She was wearing this delicate 18K choker, which would be a perfect luxe, everyday look. I could envision it easily layered with other necklaces as well.
The clean surfaces of each piece feel like a calm in this crazy world we live in. They inspire me to take a deep breath… Wonderful to meet you, Emanuela! If you’d like to see more of her work, here’s a list of retailers around the country.
It never ceases to amaze me that after 5+ years of jewelry blogging and into my 18th year of personal styling (where I pretty much am in the stores constantly), I can STILL come across such unique jewelry designs…those that stop me in my tracks and speak to me. This is exactly what happened as I walked down the first row of the NY Now Handmade show in New York City. I have a new jewelry crush on Ruth Tomlinson. Once I started chatting with Ruth, I was even more hooked. She is soft-spoken, yet passionate about her work. She is incredibly talented with detail, and when you see the intricacies of her pieces, you are truly drawn into a miniature world of gold and gems.
Ruth led me on a tour of her four collections. The first up was Lustre, which features lots of diamonds. You can see both raw diamonds, just as they come out of the ground, right next to faceted stones in this collection. She told me how she really appreciates the inner glow of the stones and how they add a bit of mystery to the piece. I completely agree! This particular ring includes grey, champagne and white diamonds in 14K gold. She selects what carat of gold to use based on what will best complement the colors of the stones.
Ruth graduated with an MA from the Royal College of Art, and still resides in London, where her line is all made in studio. (Note to self: visit studio on next trip to London!) Though she does sketch designs, she is also very led by the process itself, seeing where the materials take her. She is constantly drawn into a miniature world. Boy, do I like this world!
Midas is the next collection I explored. Inspired by her travels in India, it’s full of color and reminiscent of treasures from long ago.
The stacking bands in this group are quite swoon-worthy as well. Perhaps I need one?!
Next up was the Hoard collection, based on found treasures such as Victorian and Georgian diamonds. I could see many of these rings as alternative bridal options, couldn’t you?
How about stacking a bunch together? Fine by me! These four rings include all old hand-cut diamonds.
Ruth was wearing a couple bracelets from the Hoard collection as well — SO lovely!
Last, but certainly not least, is the Encrustations collection, inspired by the sea. Aqueous colors, pearls and shades of aqua, coral, tourmaline and more all in textured gold. Delicious!
Looking through this collection on her website, I’m quite enamored with this tourmaline and diamond ring. The subtlety and combination of hues is fabulous.
If you are as entranced by this line as I am, then take a couple minutes to watch this video which takes a closer look at her inspiration and process.
Sometimes I come across something so darn clever, I just have to share…and this is one of those times! To be honest, I’ve never really thought about where doctors or nurses put their rings during medical procedures. Now that I think about it, I would assume they put it in a locker like they have on Grey’s Anatomy. Well Atelier Gigi (who you may remember from when she designed the engagement ring my brother gave to my now sister-in-law) just came up with something WAY cooler than stashing your ring in a locker.
The story goes something like this: She was working on an engagement ring for a young man who would be proposing to a medical student. While it didn’t work out to incorporate any medical theme into the ring itself, Gigi designed a stethoscope pendant to hang around her neck. Not only is this awfully cute on its own, but it serves as a place to hang her ring, right next to her heart, when she can’t be wearing it.
Here’s the bride wearing the necklace with her ring placed on it. So not only is her ring safe, but it’s so precious in its sentimentality!
Knowing there are likely many in the medical field who would love to have one for themselves, Gigi is now selling these pendants on Etsy. You can order them in silver, 14K & 18K yellow or rose gold, or platinum. Perhaps this will give you a little head-start on your holiday shopping for the medical professional in your life!
It has been years since I’ve been up to Sonoma, even though it’s only a two hour drive from where I live, so I was very excited to head up there this past Friday. Not only was I meeting a dear friend and colleague for lunch, but I was also finally going to visit Studio Collections Jewelry. I have been “virtual” friends with the owner, Bess Nathan Rice, for quite some time now. Located just off the main square, this store sells a very wide array of styles, from dainty to bold, new to vintage. I have no doubt that whatever your personal style, you’d be able to find something to complement your wardrobe in this boutique.
As I walked in, I met Beth Hanson, who is the woman in charge of all the styling and merchandising at the store. Her love of jewelry had us chatting non-stop.
There are quite a few lines that were new to me, and I want to share a few of them with you. The first one, Yed Omi, was located at the counter right as I walked in. It’s handcrafted by a husband/wife team out of Portland, Oregon.
I tried on the gold earrings on the right, and they were quite fabulous! Not only are they extremely lightweight, but the line is very reasonably priced.
Bess, the owner, also sells her own line. Luck would have it that she had just brought in trays of new designs while I was there. This necklace can be worn long, doubled, or even tripled. It features a rose-cut diamond and sterling pendant, with Tahitian Keshi pearls; these pearls are quite unique, as they are non-nucleated.
She also showed me this necklace with tourmaline, Tahitian pearls and some excellent swinging tassels.
You may be getting the gist that Bess is definitely a pearl girl. If you’ve got some pearl jewelry that just isn’t doing it for you anymore, Bess can help you re-design them.
I couldn’t help but notice a display of larger-scale jewelry by Patti Crandall. I wasn’t familiar with her line, and I found out why — Studio Collections is the only place she sells her work! Take a gander at these three rings. I tried on the one with citrine topaz and moonstone. Now that’s a statement!
I also had to try on these three opaque diamond rings in 18K…
This necklace was also very intriguing. Made from a replica of an ancient Greek coin, you can see there are four spinels on the back side. Definitely a conversation piece.
On one whole wall of the store there are these great shadow-box cases, just beckoning you to come closer and inspect the treasures inside.
One case in particular was calling my name — that which was full of traditional Mexican earrings. They are all hand fabricated in Oaxaca and Taxco. Although they look like they could be vintage, they are newly made, and ready for the right buyer! Here’s a few pair of earrings from this group. Whether or not they’re your personal style, you’ve got to appreciate the detail in the workmanship.
As I was looking at the selection of earrings, Bess pulled out a very special pair of gold and pearl “gusano” (meaning caterpillar) earrings. This pair is in fact vintage. I’ve honestly never seen anything like them.
Speaking of vintage, there is a carefully curated section of estate jewelry. Since I’ve been educating myself on different eras of jewlery, I enjoyed trying them all on.
But have no fear if your taste is more on the contemporary side. You can find some beautiful designs, such as these rings by Sonoma County’s own Jennifer Dawes.
Should you decide to purchase something, either for yourself or for a gift, know that you’ll be getting a very specially wrapped box. As I watched Beth wrap up this ring box, we were laughing about how it reminded us from that scene from Love Actually where Alan Rickman is purchasing a necklace for his secretary. Humor! (Oh, and if you haven’t ever seen that movie — download it right away. It’s one of my all-time favorites.)
Bess, I so enjoyed visiting your store and getting the chance to know you in person. Thank you for all your time and expertise!
With Bess, the owner of Studio Collections Jewelry
Oh, and if you’re looking for a yummy lunch nearby after jewelry shopping, I really enjoyed El Dorado Kitchen, right on the square. I’m still dreaming about the heirloom tomato salad…
