I’ve got to be honest — London is a bit of an overwhelming city for me. It’s absolutely ginormous, and there’s so much to do, see and eat. But I want to share an itinerary for jewelry lovers that will make this big city feel all cozy and sparkly. My first stop is always Liberty. (I actually visited three times on my last visit!) Not only do they have an incredibly well-edited collection of clothing, but there’s the fabrics, the home area, and of course…the jewelry department.
Isn’t the vibe just too cool with the dark beams, the greenery, and the ultra-modern cases? You’ll find a wide array of jewels here, but I spent quite a bit of time in the Annina Vogel area. This gold-centered line includes both vintage/antique and it’s combined with her own designs. I always have a soft spot for old meets new in the world of jewelry.
Layers of Annina Vogel necklaces
I was VERY partial to this diamond and gold necklace… (Where’s my bottomless wallet when I need it?!)
By this point in the day, I’m always ready for lunch, and eating at the Arthur’s Restaurant at Liberty is a real treat. Once your stomach is satisfied, you can walk to Browns, which is completely different than Liberty, but equally enticing. Browns is a large split-level boutique, and you’ll find fabulous merchandise at each turn. I’d been following Browns on Instagram, so I did a little happy dance when I got to the jewelry department.
Stephen, the dashing sales associate, was just lovely, and he gave me tour around the cases. While I was pleased to see some of my favorites, like Foundrae and Marla Aaron, I also enjoyed seeing brands I don’t see in my regular travels in SF, such as Daniela Villegas, Sabine Getty and Anissa Kermiche.
Daniela Villegas
Sabine Getty
Anissa Kermiche
Depending on how your schedule (and wallet) are doing, you can also pop into Grays Antiques, which is just around the corner from Browns. Although I warn you, this place could easily take up the rest of your day! And if that’s the case, enjoy!
If your spending limit has been hit, then this is the perfect time to cab over to the Victoria & Albert museum. While there are always numerous exhibits to see and enjoy, being that this is a “jewelry day” I’d head straight to the jewelry room, where your jaw will seriously hit the ground!
The V&A
Excited to walk through the door…
Breathtaking exhibit!!
While of course it’s wonderful to drool over the collection, it’s also fun to try things on, right?! Down in the V&A gift shop, they’ve got a diverse jewelry section with all sorts of modern designers, many of which were new to me, which is always fun.
Jed Green jewelry
By this time, your feet will likely be in need of a rest, so take a load off and enjoy happy hour! Hope you’ve enjoyed this little bling-filled tour of London. Let me know if you have any favorite jewelry spots in the comment section below — I’d love to hear from you!
One of the highlights from my recent trip to Seattle was seeing Monica Stephenson, a dear friend and the founder of ANZA Gems, a truly unique jewelry company. I first met Monica when I was a newbie jewelry blogger. She was a fellow (though very experienced) jewelry blogger, among many other roles in the jewelry industry. Her passion for gems and her philanthropic heart melded in a perfect way when she founded ANZA Gems. Read the interview with Monica below to find out more about this exciting company.
Here I am trying on two rings designed by Wendy Brandes. The three-stone two-finger ring contains, from left to right: green garnet, spessartite garnet, and pink Mahenge spinel. The bypass ring contains a green and golden tourmaline, both from Kenya.
I know you have an extensive background in the jewelry industry the past 20 years. What drew you to East Africa and developing your own jewelry business?
It started with reading a tweet about a documentary film about tracing the journey of a gem beginning in the mines of East Africa, called Sharing the Rough. I was completely intrigued and couldn’t stop thinking about going to Africa for the filming. I have been involved in the jewelry business for many years, but had never visited a mine–this was an opportunity to truly see where these sparkly gems come from. I went on that film trip (and ended up in the film, somehow!), and there was something so captivating about being there and meeting the people involved there.
East African gem miners
For months after the trip in 2014, I literally couldn’t stop thinking about how hard people were working, and how little they directly participate in the global gem business. I created ANZA Gems to support artisans, from the miners who dig for gems, to the cutters and designers responsible for the finished jewelry. All of my experience working in various capacities in the industry, plus my relationships from writing about jewelry designers as a blogger, combined to create this circle of development.
Holding rough tsavorite garnets from Kenya
Rough gems at the ANZA Gems studio
I love how you have a very philanthropic aspect to your business. Would you please tell us a bit about that?
From the beginning, I wanted this endeavor to benefit the communities that supply the gems. I was not interested in being a typical gem dealer. I had heard about “triple bottom line” businesses and wanted ANZA Gems to do a greater good. First, I pay fair prices for the rough gems that I purchase directly from licensed miners and dealers in Tanzania and Kenya. Visiting the mines and meeting the people is my favorite part of the business, and ensures I see what people need in the mining communities. When I pay for gems there, the money goes directly to those families and communities. The rough gems that I bring back are faceted by US cutters, which is kind of a rarity. The faceted gems are set into capsule collections by incredible studio jewelers like Jennifer Dawes, Rebecca Overmann, Wendy Brandes, Alexis Kletjian, Erika Winters, Lika Behar, Vicente Agor, and we’re adding more all the time! The final part of the journey is that we contribute 10% back to schools in Tanzania and Kenya at the primary and trade level. We are reinvesting in the people where the gems originate…
Cut gems at the Anza Gems studio
When you go to Africa in search of gems, do you go looking for a certain type? Or do you just play it by ear when you get there?
On my first gem buying trip after the documentary and my epiphany, I naively made a list of gems beforehand of gems I wanted to buy. Ha! East Africa is nothing if not humbling! I quickly had to recalibrate and adjust on the fly, purchasing the gem quality rough I could find, with sweaty palms! It can be such a risk to buy rough–you never know what it’s going to actually yield! The next trip, I found very different gems available. Bottom line, I never truly know what I’m going to see or purchase. It’s a great lesson that this is artisanal mining and you never know what is going to come out of the ground there.
On my ring finger, the rhodolite garnet (deep red/violet) is by Alexis Kletjian, the ring higher up on my ring finger is a zircon by Rebecca Overmann. On my middle finger is a yellow chrysoberyl by Jennifer Dawes Design, and on my index is a kiwi green garnet ring by Jennifer Dawes Design.
When you have a stone all cut and ready to be made into jewelry, how does that process work? Do you and the designer collaborate?
I have to say that I love ALL of the jewelry that has been created so far for ANZA Gems. I give the cutters autonomy to coax the ultimate beauty from each rough gem, even though that means that every gem is truly one-of-a-kind. I give similar freedom to the jewelry designers, though I may give some general guidance on whether it should be a ring, pendant or earrings, or if we need something in rose gold or platinum, or maybe general price range. I might tweak a detail here or there. But I think the beauty of this is how organic the process is and the truly gorgeous finished pieces.
Almandine garnet shield pendant by Erika Winters
Rhodolite garnet brooch by Wendy Brandes
When I was at your studio, I noticed you had a lovely collection featuring rough stones. Please tell us about this group.
I am so excited about the new rough collection, ANZA PURE! Wendy Brandes of Wendy Brandes Jewelry had often played with examples of rough when we have our design meetings over lunch at our favorite cafe in NYC. We both agreed that the rough gems are beautiful straight out of the ground, and she figured out a way to set them simply in 18k gold. The result is a collection of green garnets and pink spinels set into clean, modern designs that show off the pure gems. It’s relatively affordable (starting at $345 for a single stud earring), one-of-a-kind jewelry made in NYC! I love that it’s accessible, and each purchase supports a gem cutting school in Arusha, TZ.
ANZA Pure necklaces and earrings by Wendy Brandes
So, my readers, how excited are you about this company?! So amazing, right? I cannot wait to see the latest and greatest pieces that come to fruition. If you’re looking to keep up too, then I highly recommend you follow the ANZA Gems Instagram account.
Even the packaging makes a contribution!
Monica, thank you for your time, your fierce passion and your entrepreneurship. You are definitely helping make the world a better, and more sparkly, place!
I think I first fell in love with fringe back in grade school, when one of my dance recital costumes had red fringe all around the skirt. I would just twirl and shake to see it dance in my bedroom mirror. What really drew me in was the movement; it was mesmerizing. This feeling is translated in a plethora of fringe earrings this season. You really get the full effect of the fringe in the form of an earring, as it sways with each movement of your head. (unlike in a necklace, where it can be a more static look, but still lovely) I’ve gathered up nine different designs to share with you. The first I got to see in person at the Sorellina booth at Couture. So fun!
You can see there’s a real range out there, from minimalist to ornate, kitschy to modern, and varying in scale. Do any of them strike your fancy? Do you have any fringe in your jewelry box? I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.
As is often the case, I first came across the intriguing designs of New York-based jewelry designer, Page Sargisson, on Instagram. I was at once taken by the texture of the gold, and the wearability of this fine jewelry line. I could easily envision wearing it every day and then dressing it up for a special occasion. I was so thrilled to finally meet her in person at the Couture show in Las Vegas. I hope you enjoy learning more about the line from Page herself.
I had to try on this statement cuff!
Can you tell me a bit about how you transitioned from a corporate job to jewelry making?
I grew up always making things – knitting my dolls clothes, wood carving with my grandfather and I’ve always made jewelry. After college I worked in corporate communications at a biotech company and at night I’d craft or make jewelry. People at my company started asking if they could buy the necklaces that I made, and before I knew it, I had a full-on side business. Sometimes I felt like a drug dealer when people would come into my office and I’d open my desk drawer full of necklaces. I ended up taking classes in wax carving and metalsmithing, and the wax carving brought me back to working in my grandfather’s basement studio carving ducks and dovetailed boxes.
Tools of the craft…
The aesthetic of your line is so unique. How would you describe it to someone seeing your work for the first time?
I want the end customer to think of the person who created the piece. I think of my file marks as brushstrokes in a painting – it gives a connection to the process of making the piece that you’re wearing. It is raw and rough – it’s not everyone’s aesthetic but it makes the sapphires a little more casual, which I think allows people to wear it everyday. I wouldn’t wear a traditional round, brilliant cut sapphire ring set in gold prongs everyday, but I do wear my rose cut sapphire bands set in 18KT gold everyday with jeans or a dress.
I know being a jeweler with ethically sourced materials is important to you. Would you please you elaborate on this?
I make a lot of engagement rings using old Euro and old mine cut diamonds – my clientele seems to respond to the idea that it was mined ages ago rather than recently. I also re-do a lot of client’s inherited jewelry. It’s so sad how much jewelry just sits in a safe. Change it, melt the old gold and re-make for your style. It’s just another way of recycling.
Do you have a favorite piece or two in your collection?
I have been wearing this signet ring on my pinky for a year now – I get so many compliments on it. It’s basically a new take on a classic.
And then I’ve really been loving these opal and ruby earrings.
What do you like best about being a jeweler? And biggest challenge?
I love creating pieces, I love working at the bench – I could be there all night carving (and sometimes I am!). The longer I’m in business, the more I realize that I’m more of an artist than a business person. I’m more excited about creating a piece that I love than hitting a sales target. And that would also be my challenge; it’s really hard to run a small business. I have to deal with accounting, inventory management and everything else while also creating pieces that I love but will also sell. It’s really hard!
Page, thank you so much for your time and insight into your luxe jewelry collection. I cannot wait to see what you’re up to next!
What do you think of enamel jewelry? Personally, until a couple years ago, I hadn’t given it much thought. But with its resurgence in popularity, I’m becoming a big fan!! Certainly enamel is nothing new, as it dates back to the 13th Century BC! (If you want to read more about the history, Lang Antiques has an amazing article about enamel jewelry.) Basically enamel is when a certain type of glass, called an allochromatic, is fused to the metal below. You may be familiar with Closionee and Champleve, which are two popular types of enamel.
Today, some jewelers are really taking this tricky technique to new heights, mixing enamel with jewels and themes that really make what’s old new again. Foundrae is one company that really has melded enamel, gold and meaningful talismans together. Here’s their Dark Blossom cuff.
Erica Molinari combines my love of momento mori and enamel in a new type of heirloom ring.
Just about a month ago I visited August in Los Angeles, and tried on this incredible emerald ring from Alice Cicolini. Not only is the peacock pattern on the side of the ring fab, but the red rim of enamel around the emerald really makes it pop!
Brooke Gregson adds a whole new dimension to enamel work with hand engraving. She said, “It is really tough to create an enamel that also can enhance the engraving and I feel this piece was successful in doing so!” Agreed, Brooke — it’s awesome!
When I first met Marc Alary back in 2015, I wrote all about his jewelry featuring animals. Now, I’m a bit obsessed with his rings with accents of enamel and diamonds. I can’t decide which design is my favorite!
But let’s not forget that enamel was quite popular during the Georgian era as well. This past summer I picked up this white enamel mourning ring from Lucy Verity. She taught me that the white enamel signifies that the person died young and/or unmarried. The inscription inside is still very clear, so I must research who this man was who perished too soon.
As you can see, there’s an extremely wide array of enamel jewelry out there. Have you been noticing it where you live? Or perhaps you already have some in your jewelry box? I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.
I’ve been a fan of Elie Top long before he launched his own collection in 2015. Before that, he designed the jewelry for Lanvin, under Alber Elbaz. Countless pieces from the runway shows made it onto my “I want it!” list. Elie designed for Lanvin for 15 years, after working with Loulou de la Falaise at Yves Saint Laurent. Talk about a pedigree! Though he originally thought he’d be a wardrobe designer, I couldn’t be more thrilled that his path led him down the road to jewelry.
Elie is a truly unique designer, seemingly with the mind of a mechanical engineer and architect with the soul of an artist. Only one with this combination of talents could produce a ring like this…
A still image doesn’t do the complexity of its design justice, so while at the Couture show in Vegas, I took this short video showing how the ring moves and changes, revealing as little or as much as the wearer chooses to show.
This is one of the clever aspects of Elie’s jewelry; things flip, turn, and morph. With one piece of jewelry, you can either be showing bling or toning it down with just metal. Elie has three different collections. The first one he launched is the Mecaniques Celestes, which draws inspiration from astronomical tools from centuries ago. One can see his love of Baroque as well as architectural elements in his work. I was completely mesmerized when I tried on this Aqualung Cuff, with distressed silver, gold, and diamonds.
I would wear the heck out of this necklace, also part of the same collection. I took a couple photos, so you can see it both open, revealing the inner workings of the pendant, and closed, which shows the distressed silver and gold. If you wore it this way, it would be like wearing a special secret around your neck. While speaking with Elie about his inspirations, he told me, with a grin and a glint in his eye, that the little sugar pots at the cafes in Paris helped with his design. I love that little nugget! It will give me all new appreciation when I’m in a cafe in Paris this summer.
The Cosmogonie Secrete is another of the three collections, otherwise known as Cosmo Element. One of my favorite things in this group are the rings, which flip to show two different stories. Here’s the two sides of two of these rings. On one side, you get your element (earth, water, etc.), and on the other side, your astrological symbol. This is most definitely not your average take on a signet ring!
I couldn’t help but snap a photo of the necklace that Elie’s sales and operations manager, Jehanne, was wearing. Talk about a statement necklace!
Another showstopper necklace is this one, from the Mecanique Celeste collection, crafted from ebony with amethyst, lapis, turquoise and diamonds. Once again, you can flip the components to show the jewels or keep it a little more discreet.
Elie’s Etoile Mysterious is his third collection, which has such a powerful vibe! It’s the ideal intersection of a futuristic look with nods to the past.
I could have stayed in Elie’s booth for hours, investigating the intricacies of each piece. Thanks to Elie and Jehanne for all your time and education!
As I sit down to write this article, I’m still recovering from the whirlwind weekend I just had in Beverly Hills. Did I really exchange words with Meryl Streep? Yep. And did I get a photo with Elizabeth Moss while she was holding her award? That happened. For a star-gazer like me, it’s all sort of a dream. So buckle in, my friends, this is going to be a long post, but hopefully an enjoyable one filled with lots of photos and tidbits.
It all started almost a year ago, when I became friends with some of the lovely employees at the Beverly Hilton while I was staying there during the Academy Awards. I found out that although the hotel is closed to the public during the Golden Globes, there are 100 packages which can be purchased to stay at the hotel and partake in some of of the festivities. After countless phone calls and months of waiting, I got the green light just after Thanksgiving. Woo hoo!
My mom and I flew down to LA on Friday, and already we were amazed to see the transformation taking place at the hotel. What was once a circular driveway was now a film set!
I’m really here!
Here’s where a car typically drops you off to check into the hotel. But not today!
Take a gander at this short video I shot from the balcony of our hotel room. This is a major production, to say the least.
I couldn’t believe when a luggage cart of Golden Globe statues just rolled right on by…
We did take a little shopping break that day, so we headed to the parking garage to catch a ride in the hotel car. (Love that service!) And who did we encounter as we were sitting there? Oh, just Seth Meyers, the host of the show…no big-ee. I wished him good luck on the show, and received a winning smile, twinkling eyes and a heartfelt thank you in return. Yeah…that doesn’t happen every day.
My brother and sister-in-law flew down on Saturday to meet us. This was going to be a family affair! Finally it was Sunday, the big event. We had seats on the second row of the bleachers on the Red Carpet. It was an ideal place to sit, as not only could we see and interact with the stars on the carpet, but we were also the closet seats to the press photography area. Can you see what a fabulous view this will be of all the stars?
Here’s a little video from my seat showing you the lay of the land.
It was actually very warm when we first got to our seats — a sunny 75 degrees, but the stage lights made it even hotter. Fortunately, we didn’t have to be too dressed up for this part — that’ll come later.
Here’s the family, ready to see the celebs!
As the Red Carpet began filling up, many of the stars would come to the area right where we were seated to sign a huge board celebrating the 75th anniversary of the event. While they were in this area, you could exchange some words and snap some close-up photos. When Allison Janney was in front of me, I said, “Yay for tall girls!” She got a huge smile and this was her response. I have to say, she is truly luminescent in person — glowing from the inside.
Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel were just darling. They looked SO happy and loved the crowd cheering them on.
One thing I noticed was that you really catch different views of things when you’re there, versus seeing it on TV. For instance, when Debra Messing stopped to touch up her make-up before a photo op, I couldn’t help but notice how the sun gleamed through the giant emerald ring she was wearing on her right hand. Can you see it in the picture below?
When I heard that everyone was going to be wearing black to the Globes, I was definitely all for what it stands for, but I thought I might be disappointed not seeing the typical array of colored gowns. Although some have referred to it as looking like a funeral, I must disagree. First of all, people were very excited, and there was a palpable energy in the air. Also, I’ve never seen so many variations of black dresses in my life, and people really made it their own with their interpretations and accessories. I’m not sure if Nicole Kidman has been getting many kudos on her dress, but I have to say that she was so ethereal, floating down the carpet with her darling husband, Keith Urban. The diaphanous fabric right next her face really suited her delicate bone structure.
I couldn’t help but be wowed when Merly Streep went by.
When Mandy Moore came through, her Irene Neuwirth earrings simply gleamed in the sunlight.
Any fans of The Crown out there? Well Claire Foy and Matt Smith were awesome. They kept giggling, and it was clear they were enjoying the moment.
I was also thrilled to see the recently engaged Catriona Balfe, one of the stars of Outlander.
Two of the stars from Black-ish, Anthony Anderson and Laurence Fishburne, definitely hammed it up for us.
Sterling K. Brown (and his gorgeous wife Ryan) was smiling SO huge, I bet his cheeks hurt by the end of the night.
It was hysterical watching Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson waiting to get their photos taken. Tom kept pointing at his wife and making faces — totally in line with the personality you think he has after watching him on screen for so many years.
Loved how William Macy was showcasing his “TimesUp” pin during his photo session. A good portion of the attendees were wearing this powerful accessory.
As the carpet was winding down around 4:30-ish, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw made an appearance, both seeming to enjoy the audience.
By the time everyone was inside, the signature board was completely full. I wonder where it’s going to reside??
So, after three hours on the carpet, and 100’s of photos taken, it was time to head inside. The show started promptly at 5. While they did have a viewing party with screens in the lobby, we opted to skip this and headed up to watch the show in our room, order room service dinner, and get all glammed up. I wanted to be outside the ballroom doors right when they opened and all the stars started flooding out!
We got there in time to have a family photo before the doors opened.
The Roseveares
In no time at all, this is what the lobby looked like!
One of the cool things about this awards show is that all the after parties (in this case there were 8!) are held at the hotel. So for the rest of the night, the celebs just party hop, and you can interact with many of them as they cruise around. Granted, some had major security surrounding them, but others you could definitely approach.
Given that my word for 2018 is “fearless,” I really put that into action. I had a slightly teary conversation with the fabulous Chrissy Metz about her being such a wonderful role model to us curvy girls. She had been walking with a very handsome guy, and I asked if him if he could take our picture. She said, “You do know that he’s a movie star, right?” Well, actually I didn’t, and I asked him again. They both giggled and he happily took the photo. I wonder who it was…
Some Kind of Wonderful was one of my favorite movies back in the day, and I couldn’t believe one of the stars, Lea Thompson, (you may also know her from Back to the Future) was next to me in the bathroom line! Turns out she introduced me to her husband, who happened to produce that film — we had a conversation about how innovative it was to have a female drummer as one of the leads.
Another of my all-time favorite shows is Gilmore Girls. What a treat to meet Amy Sherman-Palladino, who won for the new show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. (I binged and loved the whole season before heading to LA. I highly recommend it!)
Yay to Elisabeth Moss on her win! Loved that she was holding her statue during our photo.
I know that Connie Britton stirred up a lot of controversy with her sweater, but I enjoyed talking with her about it.
I, uh,…just maaaaaybe may have said a swear word when I saw Tracee Ellis Ross. (“Tracee, you are fu**ing awesome!”) But she didn’t seem to mind; in fact, she stopped and got a big smile on her face!
I don’t know about you, but I’ve become completely obsessed with This is Us. How gorgeous is Susan Kelechi Watson, who plays Sterling K. Brown’s wife on the show?!
Last, and certainly not least, I cannot tell you the power that emanated from the incomparable Viola Davis. Wow!! And side note, I thought her layers of diamond necklaces were out of this world — fave jewelry look of the night, for sure.
I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning and had a tough time sleeping after such an exciting day and night. The next morning, as I got ready to leave the hotel, it was a bit sad to see the show set being dismantled…
Now, it’s back to reality. But I know this is an experience that I will never forget!!
