While on the plane home from Jewelry Week in Las Vegas, I started writing down my observations on the trends I saw. Most definitely ear jackets are very on point right now, and I think they will be growing in popularity in the months to come. (WWD was clearly on the same page, as they published an article about it on Monday. Unfortunately, since I don’t subscribe, I wasn’t able to read the article. Know what any overlap in content is purely coincidental!) Exploring ways to creatively adorn the ear has been extremely on trend, staring with the resurgence of multiple piercings and ear climbers. Ear jackets are just the next step in this evolution. In fact, while perusing the jewelry counter at Sak’s yesterday, look what the woman next to me was donning in her lovely lobe!
With the assistance of Kathy, the kind saleswoman at Sak’s, I tried on this spiked “Ice Pick” jacket by Jacquie Aiche.
You may be wondering how these work. Basically, you take a stud earring, and then thread the ear jacket through the post behind your ear. Some jackets come with a coordinating stud, but in the case of the one I tried on, the jacket is sold separately, and you can use it with any stud you already have. Here’s what it looks like on its own.
You may be wondering why there are three different holes you can use. This is because there are a range in sizes and shapes of earlobes, and this design is made to accommodate a variety of ears. If you remember back to middle school biology class, you may recall learning about detached (the dominant gene) and attached (the recessive gene) earlobes. Both look great with ear jackets, so you just need to find the correct fit for you.
Which type do you have?
There is also a plethora of styles out there to choose from, from the very subtle to some real statements. Here’s a little taste of different styles. Do any of them inspire you to try this trend?
None of these are fine jewelry, but I think fashion jewelry is a great way to go if you’re trying out a trend to see if it works for you. Then when you’re confident the style resonates, it’s a great time to invest in the fine jewelry versions, such as the one I tried on at Sak’s.
You’ll also notice that some of these are sold in pairs, while others are sold individually, or with a coordinating stud. This is one of the great things about current earring trends — things don’t have to be symmetrical. You have license to get as creative as you want!
There’s something enticing, sparkling, and yet serene (though these qualities may seem like they contradict) about Sara Weinstock. When I began speaking with her, I was instantly drawn in — devouring her stories and entranced by her demeanor, let alone by the captivating jewels shining in her cases.
Amy and Sara
I knew that she was my kind of gal when she told me she brought her mother’s engagement ring to her first day of kindergarten. Eager to share with her friends, the ring was sadly lost. (This is so reminiscent of when I picked out all the real gems from my jewelry at around the same age and was horrified when I lost them as well.) Our mutual life-long love of jewelry led us along our own journeys, which brought us both to this day at the Couture show in Las Vegas.
A fellow San Francisco Bay Area Native, Sara was born into a family of female artists. When she found herself single and with both children out of the house, jewelry was a natural path for her. She needed something to fill her days and bring her joy, and making jewelry surely does that.
One of her new collections, French Tulip, is inspired by the intricate ironwork on the bannisters and balconies of Paris, as well as by the patterns in lace. Here’s a vignette of her inspirations.
This diamond necklace is most definitely a star in this collection!
These three rings, made in her own alloy of pink gold, are also part of the French Tulip collection. They are equally beautiful on their own, or worn in multiples.
I was also very enamored of her Taj collection, with its perfect use of negative space and clear architectural influences. Aren’t these rings just great worn on the same finger?
Sara’s line is made in Los Angeles, and she’s now in her eighth year of business. She puts her heart into this line, which is a “mirror into her soul.” This particular bracelet is named Cecilia after her grandmother. Can you guess why? It’s because the shape of the bracelet is the pattern of her grandmother’s silver. What a modern, yet sentimental interpretation!
I adore this photo she instagrammed while in Vegas, showcasing a total Sara Weinstock arm party!
The Paba collection is among her current favorites. Paba= pave + ball. Cute! Here’s another of her photos which shows her Paba layered necklace.
I think the different permutations of the Paba rings are both whimsical and elegant at the same time.
While you may find her dining at Nobu (her favorite restaurant) or shopping at Barney’s (one of her fave stores), her number one place to rest and relax with family is up at Lake Tahoe. At any of these venues, she’ll likely be wearing her 17-stone ring, which is from her French Lace collection. I can certainly see why it’s her go-to piece.
If you’d like to get your hands on a piece of Sara’s work, then click here for a list of stockists. Sara, it was an absolute pleasure to meet you!
When people hear that I’ll be spending six days in Las Vegas, they instantly assume I’ll be lounging by the pool, seeing shows and gambling. I cannot tell you how far that is from the truth (OK, I did donate $40 to the slots one evening.). This was my fourth year attending Couture and JCK, and I thought I’d give you, my lovely readers, a glimpse into what really happens when I’m there. WARNING: There will be no beautiful jewelry showcased in this post. SECOND WARNING: If this is TMI and not quite your cup of tea, then I won’t be offended if you skip this post and wait (eagerly, of course) for my next article, which I promise WILL showcase beautiful jewelry.
Year #4!
So for me, it all starts weeks in advance, when I realize that I, the girl who is used to the cool temps in San Francisco, need about 10-12 Vegas-worthy, photo-ready outfits. Not only do I need to stay cool in 104 degrees (yes, that’s how hot it got this year), but I know that the countless photos I’m in with designers and jewelry industry peeps will be on the internet forEVER! No pressure there, right?!
If you know me, then you’ll know that black is my color of choice, but it’s a bit challenging to make that look resort-worthy. Oy vey…all I can say is that Eileen Fisher saves my a** in situations like these. Some of you may be asking why I can’t re-wear certain pieces and mix-and-match them. And I will tell you, that 104 degrees combined with peri-menopause does not bode well for re-wearing. You get my drift.
And then there’s the shoes. Given that I will be walking miles a day, flats are the only option for me. While #VegasShoes took on a life of its own on Instagram, I believe I was the sole woman that went for flats only. And yes, there were Birkenstocks in the mix. It’s OK–think what you must. I can deal with it.
#VegasShoes
My fellow image consultant, Jennifer Bressie, was (as always) my accomplice for the first few days of the show. Not only is she instrumental in interviews, but she is also a guest blogger for this site. Though we did manage a few hours of shopping right after we landed, we were soon immersed in the land of jewelry.
One of our first missions was to attend the JCK Talks session, The Power of Blogging. I was honored to be there to support my fellow jewelry bloggers, Monica Stephenson (iDazzle), Barbara Palumbo (Adornmentality), Danielle Miele (Gem Gossip), Katerina Perez (KaterinaPerez.com) and moderated by Diane Warga-Arias (Jewelry Activist). It was great to hear their perspectives on our niche space — they really represented! And as an added bonus, Robyn Hawk of A Fly on The Wall was seated right next to us!! (Not only is she completely in the know in the industry, but she was fabulous with introductions. Grazie!)
Photo courtesy of Peggy Jo Donahue
And while hanging out in the hallway afterwards, I was psyched to meet Danielle (from the panel) and Jean-Noel Soni, gem-cutter extraordinaire, from Top Notch Faceting. Though I’m “virtual” friends with both of them, it was our first face-to-face meeting. This is one of those times when I’m so thankful for social media, as we probably wouldn’t have met if not for that. (Side note: It would have been even better if I hadn’t been inhaling a sandwich on the sidelines while all this was happening, just sayin’, but a 3:00 lunch is late for me, and my blood sugar was plummeting!)
On the way back to the Wynn, there “may” have been a little retail therapy side-trip at Ceasar’s. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know how I got into a bit of trouble. 😉 And then there’s Jen…I don’t know quite how to break it to you, but she was convinced she needed a selfie stick. (It’s all you fault, Ray Griffiths!) Not only that, but she wanted one that was totally blinged out. Say what?! Yes. She found it it in the cheesiest of shops, and I was not happy about it at all, to put it mildly.
I was NOT in favor of her purchase!
Thursday night of Couture is the big opening night party, and that’s always one of the highlights of the trip. They have a cool band, yummy food, and it’s a chance to reconnect with jewelry peeps and make new friends. Thank the lord that Jen’s selfie stick did not fit into her clutch!
Darn…it’s too big to bring to the party!
This year they had acrobatic tree climbers, and Fitz and the Tantrums were the headliner.
Since Jen didn’t have enough time with her new selfie stick, I did indulge her with some play time back in our room. (OK, it was a wee bit fun.)
A (quite) late night (for the girl who usually sleeps 9+ hours a night) meant ordering room service for breakfast. I know this is completely indulgent, but there’s no way I wanted to be late for my first interview in the morning, and skipping breakfast is so not an option for me.
This brings me to a pertinent point — why I’m even at the shows. These shows are not for the public to go buy jewelry. This is where stores go to place their orders for their establishments. I’m there as editorial — interviewing designers, interpreting the trends, etc. I’m there to write, which I love. My goal is to share the world of jewelry with you.
Pampered!
The majority of the remaining days are spent seeing collections, trying on gems (someone has to do it!) and interviewing designers. Most of my time I’m wearing my reading glasses, with pen, notebook and iPhone in hand. (Many people comment about how old-school I am with my lined notebook.) I bought an extra-pretty one this year, as it will live on my desk, and I like to look at something that makes me smile.
pretty Christian Lacroix notebook
It’s not as glamorous as you may think…but it’s damn fun! One day I interviewed for 7 hours straight! Yes, there are the deodorant breakdown times, such as on the shuttle between JCK and Couture, but even on those rides you’re bound to meet some interesting people.
I try to spend some time each night processing all the cards, pamphlets and flash drives I get each day, but it’s hard to keep up. Just trying to find/follow everyone’s social media takes hours.
Trying to keep up
Sadly, this is what the desk in my room looked like the last morning. I you know what an organizing maniac I am, you’ll know this was painful for me to look at.
Saturday night of Couture is the big awards ceremony, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.
I was lucky enough to sit with a posse of CJDG designers, and we cruised across the street for a Mexican dinner after the ceremony. (Sorry that I didn’t manage to grab the massive skull bottle, Jack!)
After all the excitement, and a last full day of interviews, I was content with a sandwich in the cafe and the spectacular view from my room.
Water and a tuna sammy
There is never enough time to see all the people that I want to see, and I know you may find that hard to believe. Between seeing new designers, and catching up with those that I already know, the time just flies by. But the good thing is that it always leaves me wanting more and looking forward to next year. When I came home, I immediately blocked out the dates for next years’ shows. And if I’m really crafty, maybe I’ll even work in a day at the Antique Jewelry Show, which takes place at the same time at Paris. A girl can dream, right?!
So now, for those of you who want to see the BLING, let me get to work on that. I know that I have months of articles to come that will not disappoint!
As I approach my 400th article (400?!), I can’t help but ask you what you’d like to learn, read about, or honestly just look at for eye candy. As a blogger, I’ve learned a lot these past 4+ years. Meeting and interviewing talented designers, commenting on trends, sharing cool stores while traveling, and more. And in other ways, I still feel like a total newbie.
What constantly surprises me is what’s popular with you, my readers. Sometimes I can spend countless hours researching and writing a post that I think will go viral, and it flops with only 100 page views. At other times, something I write just at the spur of the moment can garner multiple thousands of views. I have yet to figure out what makes certain posts successful, but I’m eager to investigate. What makes you want to read a post?? What rocks your boat??
Just for your reading pleasure (and in case you’ve missed something along the way), these have been my top 10 posts ever.
With these posts as inspiration, what’s your biggest jewelry desire? I greatly appreciate any comments on this article about what you want to see and read. Please leave them in the comment section below. Or if you want to contact me directly, you can do so at [email protected]. I know you are a creative, inquisitive, and stylish group, and I want to hear from you!
I’d also like to let you know that I won’t be posting any articles for a couple weeks. I’ve got friends visiting from abroad, and then I’m off to the big jewelry shows in Las Vegas. I will return with lots of new ideas (including the ones you suggest below), so get ready. Of course, you can always keep up with me on Instagram and Facebook in the meantime.
Though spring in San Francisco currently seems to be colder than our winter, my eye is still being caught by the ever-popular insect motif in jewelry. As I was walking up Sutter Street the other day, this little Victorian beauty buzzed my name from the front window of Lang Antique & Estate Jewelry.
While so beautiful, this intricate piece is certainly an investment for most people. It got me thinking about how this pin would be on the catwalk at Fashion Week. But how to translate this to the street? Or as often dubbed, “Runway to Realway.” I took a look around and compiled a collection of ideas. Here they are, in no particular order.
Tomorrow, as I head out for the day, I’m going to see how many of these winged creatures I see, both in reality and in the form of jewelry. I hope you have a lovely spring day!
I love weeding through my clients’ jewelry boxes. It’s amazing what one can uncover when you get to the far corners, pulling out items that likely haven’t been seen in years. When you start making a little pile of singular earrings that are missing their mate, perhaps a wedding ring from a former marriage, or something that is just SO not your style anymore, things can stack up fast. This is exactly what I did with a client a few months ago, and here’s the handful we ended up with.
Knowing we had some great diamonds and gold in hand, we headed to Rebecca Overmann’s studio in San Francisco for a design session. The possibilities were endless, and Rebecca took to her notebook to start sketching out some ideas.
The first decision we needed to make was what to do with the large, round solitaire diamond. My client spends countless hours a week out on the tennis court, so we thought a bezel-set pendant on a simple chain would be ideal. It wouldn’t get in the way of her backhand, yet it would certainly add a little glitz to her tennis whites. Boy did it turn out beautifully!
Not only is it elegant on its own, but it layers so easily with other necklaces.
My client has also really gotten into stacking rings, so a couple new ones were definitely in order. Here’s a great shot of the first one off the bench.
The second one she made is a bubble design, shown paired with the ring above, on her middle finger. So fun!
Here’s another combo I spotted her wearing. (The larger ring is Tap by Todd Pownell.)
Finally, my client was in need of a pair of diamond studs that would also be great for her athletic lifestyle. Rebecca did not disappoint.
So now, instead of old, unused items gathering dust in her jewelry box, my client has a new necklace, two beautiful rings, and a pair of earrings that she will wear all the time. Thanks for everything, Rebecca!
I think it was the sinuous, exotic shapes and deeply colored stones that first drew me to Anahita’s booth at the Couture show. Perusing her collection, it’s no surprise that the first bracelet I tried on was this this horn cuff, with an ebony wood dome, accented with 18K gold, diamonds and moonstones. It was right up my luxe bohemian alley, and she explained that it was inspired by her travels to Bali and Cambodia.
I was so pleased to meet Anahita (Ana) Stein and see her line in Las Vegas. Her Persian heritage and background in architecture are perfectly melded in her sculptural, fluid designs. Take, for example, her “Wave” bangles, which stack together in an organic pattern.
Tear drops are a common theme in her jewelry, and she told me she’s inspired by the tears that Persian soldiers shed with their wives before going off to war. This pair of earrings has drops of both beryl and Mandarin garnet, alonside blue sapphire, tsavorite and yellow beryl in 18K yellow gold.
This “Sultan” ring has tears of ruby briolettes with diamonds and a fabulous grey moonstone, all set in white gold.
The brushed finish on the gold really makes these labradorite cabochons pop, don’t you think?
I’m sure you’re now seeing the exotic allure of this line, and the curves continue with this cuff, featuring cognac diamonds and prehnite cabochons. I just adore the yellow-green glow of the prehnite.
Made in New York City with recycled gold and conflict-free stones, Anahita’s “wearable architecture” is a beauty to behold. Click here for a list of retailers near you.
This is a question I am often asked, and one that I’ve thought about a lot lately. I’ve been doing some MAJOR purging the past month or so, in both my closet and my jewelry box. I’ve become increasingly clear on my personal style, and I realized that so much of what I own isn’t resonating with that style. I keep asking myself, “Would I buy this today?” More often than not, the answer is, “No.” So out it goes. I’m striving to have an extremely edited wardrobe, with way fewer pieces that are the best quality I can afford, and things that I absolutely love. I relish having so much space between hangers in my closet, and empty areas in my jewelry box.
While I’ve traditionally used a brick and mortar consignment store for my clothes, bags, and shoes, I haven’t really known what to do with my jewelry, aside from giving it to friends and family. It’s not like I’m getting rid of super fine pieces from Cartier or Bulgari (since I don’t own anything like that!). I’m talking more fashion jewelry, from J. Crew to Tiffany & Co. (Side note: I have sold a couple pieces on Craig’s List, but I don’t like all the work it takes and having to set up a time/place to meet the buyer.) I want to share how I’m going about selling my purged items. First up, I took each piece I wanted to sell, put it in an individual baggie, with a sticky note with the designer and purchase price.
Purged jewelry, all organized
You may wonder how I knew the purchase price of each item. Believe it or not, I’m so OCD, that I actually have spreadsheets of everything I own, with their original purchase price. I update this twice a year. I also keep all the receipts in a binder, in separate sections for each category. (i.e. kitchen items, linens, jewelry, art, etc.) If you aren’t as nuts as I am, you can easily find out what items sell for with little online search.
So now that that (very long) project was done, where to take them? For the majority of the items, I’m utilizing an online resale site called Threadflip. This Bay Area-based company, which was referred to me by a fellow image consultant, has been a breeze to deal with. Once they received all my items, they went through them, photographed them, and added a detailed description, including a rating of the condition of each item. Then, they are all placed in my virtual “closet,” which I named Amy SF Stylist. Click here to take a peek inside! (And of course, feel free to shop if something is calling your name!)
A snapshot of my “closet”
It’s such a clever melding of social media and consignment, as I get “followers” who like what they see, and then people can also “like” individual items. (Boy, there are certainly a lot of people who’ve “liked” my Mulberry leather bracelet!) When an item sells, or “flips”, I can see where it’s going and track progress. When the sale is complete, money is automatically put into my Threadflip account, which I can then transfer to my own bank. How cool is that? The commission rate depends on the selling price of the item. The more expensive the item, the higher percentage you receive, up to 80% of the selling price for items selling for over $75. I’m only about 10 days into this process, and at this time, I’ve flipped 15 pieces. I assume that the more followers and traffic I get, then the more quickly I’ll sell things. I really enjoy checking in each day to see what’s happening in my “closet.”
Now for my designer jewelry (that with a brand name, such as David Yurman and Tiffany & Co.), I’m giving The Real Real a spin. I don’t have much jewelry in this category, so I just had a few pieces to give them. This site also does a fabulous job photographing the items and writing a description. Here’s an example of one of my Yurman bracelets I sold.
Sold!
I must say, that my items are selling very quickly on this site. They pay out once a month, via either a check or direct deposit. I gave them my jewelry at the end April, and they were having a special commission rate for jewelry that month (lucky me!), so I’m getting 70% of the sale, instead of the normal 60%. Both of these rates are definitely higher than I’ve gotten in the past from consignment stores.
With both of these sites, if items don’t sell, you can request them back or have them donated. In addition, if there are items submitted that don’t fit their qualifications, you can get them back as well.
While I was purging, I also came across a small handful of old sterling earrings from the 80’s. I decided to head to a local family-owned store, Numis International in Millbrae, and just sell them for their weight in silver.
They were so friendly and efficient. Though my earrings were hollow (therefore they didn’t weigh a whole heck of a lot), I still got about $8.50 in cash, which means a free lunch for Amy! I definitely got a good vibe at this store, and if I have gold, silver or coins to sell in the future, I’ll definitely go back.
So that’s where I am with my current jewelry-selling experiment. So far, I think I’ve earned about $1,100, so that’s not all bad for just over a week! Hopefully sales will continue. Have you had any luck selling your fashion jewelry? Any tips or sites to share? If so, please let me know in the comment section below.
Now…off to take a peek into my relatively empty jewelry box. Fewer things, but things that I actually wear and that bring me joy. Yay!
I don’t quite know what’s going on with me, but I’ve got feathers on the brain. I see them on the ground, I’ve had more than one dream that I have a feather tattoo, and no lie, but as I was getting ready for work in the bathroom the other morning, a teeny, tiny feather drifted down right in front of my face. Where did THAT come from?! I also was lunching with a friend a couple weeks ago and she gave me a necklace with…wait for it…a feather charm! She had no idea what’s been going on with me, and I must say I got chills when I opened the box.
I’ve researched the meaning of feathers a bit, and there seems to be a common consensus that it is associated with ascending to a higher spiritual plane. Interesting. Of course, I’m not necessarily wedded to the idea of a permanent feather on my body at this point, so my mind has turned to feather jewelry. Here’s a few pieces that have caught my eye.
Feathered Soul diamond feather on leather necklace (Not to be biased, but this one is my favorite on the list.)
Being a self-taught cook, I can wrap my brain around. Perhaps even teaching yourself how to dance. But being a self-taught fine jeweler? That’s on a whole other level! Self-taught Elizabeth Garvin, based in the Village in NYC, has been designing jewelry for over 20 years, and she launched her fine jewelry line a couple years ago. It’s very modern, full of geometric design, and extremely wearable. Her signature is the “Cyclone Ring,” and I’m sure you can see why.
Hand-fabriating each piece with 18K gold, 950 palladium, oxidized silver and diamonds, Elizabeth truly comes up with original pieces, the likes of which I haven’t seen before. It would be worth creating an entire outfit around these earrings.
In the same “gust” series as these earrings, is this complex ring. I can envision the gusts of wind that the shape of the metal represents. (At least that’s how I’m interpreting the design…)
In keeping with sinuous curves, is this “Eye of the Storm” pendant. That’s a storm I’d be willing to brave!
This “Spiral” necklace would add interest when worn with any outfit, even on the most casual of days.
I am seeing this “Twist” ring as the perfect option for a bold middle finger ring.
Elizabeth says, “When a woman designs jewelry for another woman, there’s a sensitivity…carefully honed to suit a woman’s body, to flow with her lifestyle, and to become part of her own personal expression.” Well said. I can certainly see these earrings being part of my personal expression, with their mixed metals and diamond accents. So pretty!
It was wonderful spending time with Elizabeth at the Couture show. Click here for a list of retailers near you.
