Boaz Kashi is a famous household name in Israel, and I had the pleasure of meeting him stateside at the Couture jewlery show. This charming designer has an extremely unique line — it’s raw, edgy and sculptural all at the same time.
Boaz and Amy
I tried on this ring, with wrapped metal and stunning diamonds.
Here’s another ring, which truly shows his unique aesthetic.
Founded in 1889 by his grandfather, Boaz is a 3rd generation jeweler. He has been designing for about 15 years now, and he’s really taking the line in a powerful direction. Here is a bracelet made from wire-wrapped lava stones, highlighted with a spattering of colored gemstones.
How did he think of this design?
This bracelet is substantial, to say the least. It’s crafted from 18K blackened solid gold with diamonds and a huge Tourmaline.
Finally, this cuff is just amazing, rough and elegant at the same time. It is made from 18K oxidized white gold, set with diamonds in 24K gold frames. I think it’s a work of art!
I can see this line worn by a variety of personal styles, from the rocker to the bohemian and beyond. He says his jewelry is, “…pieces to fall in love with, a reflection of self, a mirror to the owner’s personality and life style.” Would you like to have a piece of Boaz’s work in your jewelry box? I certainly would!
While at Couture in Las Vegas, it was so fun visiting the booths of designers that I interviewed last year! Colette’s new designs were overwhelmingly creative and beautiful. She had well over 100 unique pieces — how does she have the time?! The one I just HAVE to share with you is this amazing hand jewelry, crafted in just one piece with sparkling diamonds and emeralds. Have you ever seen anything like it? I certainly haven’t!
Here’s how it looks on the hand….
And here’s how it looks off…
With hand and body jewelry becoming increasingly popular, it’s clear that Colette is at the forefront of this movement. You can find some of Colette’s work at Fragments in NYC. (one of my fave stores!!) And I also want to congratulate Colette on winning a Couture Design Award this year in the category of diamonds below $20,000. Well deserved!!
I’ve been following The Woods Fine Jewelry for quite some time now, though I’ve only seen a few of their pieces in person at Carrots, one of my fave SF boutiques. When I saw that the two sisters, Shawn and Sam, would be doing a personal appearance and trunk show at Carrots the day after I got home from 3 weeks of travel, game on! I battled major traffic and a parking dilemma, but it was well worth the effort.
The two sisters, based in Denver and Aspen, launched their line about 7 years ago. When I inquired how they co-design while being in two different cities, they told me that they are really each on their own design path. How interesting! But their aesthetic blends perfectly, and their luxe, naturally gorgeous line has really taken off.
Here’s a shot from their website which gives you sort of a feel for their line.
They have a neutral color palate that transcends trends
While they have traditionally been known for their beaded pieces, they are now moving more into chains, with a variety of pendants that can be interchanged. Take a look at these gorgeous chains (on my jewelry lust list, for sure!) and this re-claimed deer antler with inlaid diamonds. Seriously, this pendant was the size of my hand!!
notice the diamond details
amaze-balls!
Here’s another stunning enhancer, which would look fabulous on a variety of chains.
Yes…you know I have a thing for Buddah!
I tried on a stone arrowhead pendant, surrounded by diamonds, on a pyrite bead chain. Can I say l-o-v-e? Fab on it’s own, or easily layered with other necklaces.
This trunk show was the first time I’ve tried on some of their rings. I think the design on this articulated cross ring is fantastic.
Though it’s one piece, it felt very comfortable!
Here’s a shot of me wearing another of their rings, along with a diamond bracelet with a resin horn. Oo la la!
This line really is a natural, organic way to rock some diamonds. Do you think it would meld with your personal style? If so, check them out!
While working in Montecito this past week, I took a quick break to check out one of the newer shops in the upper village, called Julianne. It’s a modern, highly curated shop, and I thoroughly enjoyed browsing and chatting with the kind staff.
On my way out, I took a peek in the jewelry area…and stopped…and asked the gal to take out her key pronto. Was it a watch? A bracelet? I was completely intrigued.
Look at that mother of pearl face!!
It turns out that it was indeed a bracelet, designed by Ann Dexter Jones. The sheer scale and weight of the $14,000 piece was impressive. Here’s a shot of it draped over my wrist, to give you an idea of its size.
Wow!!
Made of sterling silver, 18K yellow gold and yellow diamonds, it was quite a spectacular bracelet, unlike I’ve ever seen before. I wonder who it will end up going home with. Oprah does live about 3 minutes from the store…just sayin’. 😉
In addition to being a jewelry-obsessed wardrobe stylist, I also have a penchant for interior design. I often joke that this will be my career in my “next life.” I admire the work of a range of designers, from modern to eclectic to traditional. Kelly Wearstler has intrigued me ever since I saw her as a judge on “Top Design” and purchased her book, Hue. My interest was further piqued when she branched into the jewelry scene.
I was delighted to visit her flagship store on Melrose during a recent trip to Los Angeles.
Entering the store is like walking into a fabulously appointed abode, from the interior elements, to the racks of edgy clothes (I scored a great oversized teal biker jacket for 60% off!), and the tables of jewelry (of course!).
The jewelry was very accessible, begging to be tried on
I consider architectural elements to be one of her hallmarks, and these necklaces with ball pendants are a perfect example of her aesthetic.
And these wrapped brass pieces are so cool. In one display, she used the bracelets as stunning napkin rings.
There were also some amazing one-of-a-kind pieces in the store. This ring really made my jaw drop. Not only is the stone gorgeous, but the architectural setting is noteworthy. Wow!
Kelly often incorporates gems into objects d’art, as shown in these stunning boxes. I remember seeing some of these at Bergdorf Goodman in NYC and drooling over them…
Kelly’s pieces are fabulously modern, eye-catching, and they have a great feel when you wear them. Click here to find out where her line is available near you.
I can’t quite remember the first time I saw a piece of Nan Fusco’s jewelry online, but I instantly fell in jewelry lust! Her pieces are edgy, feminine, and organic at the same time. I’ve been dying to see them in person! While on a recent trip to southern California, I was so excited to meet up with her in Laguna Beach and find out more!
Our hour together just flew by, as she pulled out trays upon trays of treasures. We started with bracelets, and this stunner made from natural Kasumi pearls, wrapped with oxidized silver chain, made my jaw drop.
The range of color in the pearls is amazing!
Next she showed me some bracelets with a staurolite as the center medallion. I had never heard of these before! She explained that they are also known as the “twin cross.” They are found naturally in the ground in just a few places, such as Georgia (it’s actually their official state mineral) and in the Swiss Alps. Legend says that they are formed when a fairy’s tears hit the ground.
Staurolite with fossil coral and malayan garnet
This is one of the unique aspects of Nan’s line. She “artfully composes” things that she finds on her wanderings. Often, it might be something that others would pass by (such as the staurolite). But not Nan — instead she comes up with singular designs, some of which wakes her up in the middle of the night, having dreamt about it.
Nan’s bracelets stack beautifully, as shown in this garnet stack, which includes everything from Keishi pearls to elk antler to cognac diamonds. Stack-tastic!
Another fabulous thing about many of her pieces, is that they can be worn many ways. Take her “quattro” necklace (which means 4 in Italian) It starts out looking like one long chain. BUT…you can wrap it multiple times to wear as a bracelet, or style it in three different necklace variations. Check it out!
The Quattro
Wrapped as a bracelet
Worn as a lariat necklace
Worn hooked to the side
Or simply tie it!
With a background in graphic design, she started her jewelry business in 2003, along with her husband Michael. She clearly has a mind for design and balance, as so many of her necklaces have elements of asymmetry, yet they all hang perfectly. Case and point are her claspless “loop” necklaces, which have a small loop of chains that allow you to adjust the necklace to any place you’d like. Here’s an example of this inventive concept shown in oxidized chain, elk antler and a diamond loop.
Yes, please!!
And what’s not to love about this raw ruby tie necklace? And of course, it can be worn various ways as well.
Nan is a self-taught, one-woman show. She designs and makes each piece by hand in her southern California studio. And I don’t know how she finds time for it, but she and her husband also run an ad agency as well. How does she do it?!
I love how Nan really uses unique stones. She told me that she looks for high quality, yet not “perfect” stones. The uniqueness and natural variation in her materials really inspires her. Take a look at these exquisite baroque pearl earrings, with her signature chain wrap. (did I mention she oxidizes all the chains herself as well?)
They balance perfectly!
I could definitely go on and on about this line, and I encourage you to check out her website. She said the most common thing she hears when people see her work is, “I’ve never seen anything like it!” I must agree.
When I met Victor Velyan at the Couture show, I knew that I was meeting one interesting and talented guy. Full of stories of his “second” home in Africa, I know he could keep anyone entertained for hours! (In fact during the show, I heard a couple designers affectionately refer to him as “African Vic.”) But sooner or later, I had to get to exploring his incredible line, the likes of which I haven’t seen before.
Victor and Amy
Based in Los Angeles, Victor has been in the jewelry business for 30 years. But about 5 years ago, he really got the urge to create something extremely new and edgy that no one had seen before, so this particular line was born. It’s all completely hand made with NO electric tools! He only uses old-school tools such as chisels and hammers. The first thing that really struck me about his line was the amazing patina on some of his pieces, which he described to me as, “copper trying to come back to life.” Take a look at this exquisite cuff, and the detail of the carefully carved crocodile pattern. The patina process took him 5 years to develop, but I think the hard work was worth it!
He also has a white patina on some pieces, which are made using a pure acid bath. The result is extremely unique! This white patina is beautiful on these drop earrings, accented with pink sapphires and sea blue onyx. And a fabulous feature about these earrings is that you can take off the drops, and add others. Great versatility!
I also think these tourmaline and sapphire earrings are quite spectacular, with the color harmony of the stones — fab combo!
Victor also loves pearls. This necklace of pink tourmaline, diamonds and South Sea white pearls is worthy of a princess! And the back of the pendant is just as beautiful as the front.
While I was admiring his collection, I happened to meet Soraya Cayen, who has a fine jewelry store, Cayen Collection, in Carmel, CA. Small world! She carries his line, and is a collector of his work herself. Since Carmel is definitely one of my favorite places to visit, I’ll be sure to stop by next time I’m in town!
This year was the first time I visited the JCK jewelry show, which happens concurrently with the Couture jewelry show in Las Vegas. It boasts over 3000 booths, so it was a bit overwhelming to say the least. But I just knew that there were many treasures to be found, and find one I did! While passing by Anna Ruth Henriques‘ booth, my eye instantly gravitated to the MOST amazing stingray clutch. (Side note: stingray is also known as shagreen)
Now I must admit, that I have a bit of a “thing” for stingray. It’s one of the most durable natural materials in existence, and I love the texture and organic feel of it. (even my iphone case is made from it!)
Anna’s bag is made from sustainable materials, made in the USA, and she uses recycled metals and diamonds. The gorgeous clasp was crafted from sterling with bezel-set diamonds. But the even cooler thing is that she created a cicada clasp that can be attached over the silver one to create a whole new look! If you notice the details of the cicada’s wings, you can see that she painted a very detailed pattern on the mother-of-pearl wings that sparkles under faceted quartz. It’s truly a work of art. And it can be used as an alternate clasp, as a pin, or on a necklace.
Cicada clasp on the clutch
Here’s a close-up view of the cicada. Can you see the amazing detail?!?
She also had some beautiful stingray cuffs. One of which features a spider, which is her signature. Granted, I’m not a big fan of spiders in the flesh. But when I found out that she uses them as a symbol of independence and self-sufficiency, I must admit that I will start to look at these 8-legged creatures in a whole new light.
One of the coolest things about attending Couture for the second time was running into some of the designers that I met and loved last year. Mary Esses is one such lady, and when I approached her booth this year, her smile just warmed my heart. (and that was before I even checked out her jewelry!)
So excited to see Mary!
Nominated for a coveted Couture Design Award this year (brava!), she really has some amazing new pieces. This bracelet, from her new feather collection, just yelled, “Amy…try me on!!” The spectacular creation of countless brass chains with a centerpiece of silver and grey diamonds felt like silk on my wrist.
I instantly fell in jewelry love. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
One of the perks of living in Burlingame, CA, is that I can walk to a completely darling downtown, rife with cute shops and eateries. Margaret O’Leary is definitely one of my favorite boutiques, and I must say that I frequent their shop a few times a month. While known for their own knit line, I’ve got to tell you that they also have some stunning jewelry, and each location carries different treasures. Most recently, I’ve been drawn to a couple bracelets by Seattle-based designer Shannon Koszyk. Her pieces are a bit of history, yet with such a modern aesthetic.
This bracelet is simply divine. It’s made of three different widths of sterling silver chains, with a bronze Victory Angel Medal from WWI. I learned that this medal was commissioned by the French after the war — on one side is an angel, and on the other side are all the flags of the victorious countries from the war. Crazy cool!
The other stellar piece that I tried on was this bracelet, composed of British South African coins.
I’m so glad this designer is now on my radar! Upon research, I see that she was at the JCK show in Vegas. Bummed to have missed her (that show was beyond huge!!), but I will make it a point to visit her booth next year!
