Studio Collections Jewelry in Sonoma, CA

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.

studio collections jewelry
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.

beth hanson at studio collections jewelry
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.

yed omi earrings
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.

yed omi earrings
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.

bess nathan rice necklace
bess nathan rice pendanat
She also showed me this necklace with tourmaline, Tahitian pearls and some excellent swinging tassels.

bess nathan rice necklace
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!

patti crandall rings
patti crandall ring
I also had to try on these three opaque diamond rings in 18K…

patti crandall diamond rings
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.

patti crandall coin necklace
patti crandall coin necklace
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.

studio collection jewlery sonoma
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.

traditional mexican earrings with coral
traditional mexican silver earrings
traditional mexican silver earrings with turquoise
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.

vintage mexican gold and pearl earrings
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.

antique rings
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.

jennifer dawes rings
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.)

studio collections jewelry gift wrap
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
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…

ELUP4 — The Roman Collection

What a treat to go into my e-mail inbox and find out about a NEW jewelry collection! Thanks to Kellie from Elu on Sacramento Street in San Francisco, I got an inside look at ELUP4, a jewelry collaboration between Cristina Nicoletti, Elu’s founder and creative director, and Evan Sugerman from Parts of 4.

ELUP4 rings
Although the look has visual weight, the pieces themselves are actually quite light, being made from a composite of silver, brass and bronze. The result is a metal which has a very unique patina. You may wonder where the whole idea originated. It came from a ring that Cristina has worn for many years, a 2000 year old Israeli artifact found in an archaeological dig. (Wow!) Evan was able to disect the ring to see how it was made and use this knowledge to co-create the line.

ELUP4 jewelry
The jewelry incorporates stones such as labradorite, quartz, raw diamonds and fossilized coal.

ELUP4 rings
The price points in the collection range from $150 to $1800, and are currently available at Elu stores in San Francisco, Melrose (LA), and Aspen.

ELUP4 bracelets
ELUP4 jewelry
They are also taking custom orders if you’d like a design in gold with precious stones. Of course, the price point would reflect the materials. So what do you think? Does this collection resonate with your personal style? If so, then head over to one of the locations I mentioned and try it on for yourself!

ELUP4 bracelet

#JewelryUniform

The title of this blog post may confuse you — especially if you aren’t on Instagram; so let me explain. The talented Tura Sugden has created the hashtag #jewelryuniform to challenge other Instagrammers to show a pic of the jewelry they wear each day…in other words, your “jewelry uniform.” I’ve been loving getting a peek into the jewelry boxes of so many jewelry-addicts I admire. And then, I was challenged by both Dana Bronfman and Becky from Diamonds in the Library to show mine. Ack! My immediate reaction was, “How can I possibly do this? I wear different things almost every day!” But the more I contemplated the jewelry in my life, I decided it was possible to narrow it down to the key pieces which have been making me smile this summer. Just like Becky, my fellow writer, I cannot limit this to just one photo, so here I am writing an entire article about it. 😉

First off, I tend to have more silver-oriented days, and others that veer more towards yellow and rose gold. I never have on only one tone of metal from head to fingertips, but there’s definitely an emphasis each day. So let’s start with the “gold” days.

#jewelryuniform gold
For me, this ensemble starts with the shorter necklace, comprised of an enhydro quartz pendant by Monica Marcella on a hand-fabricated chain by Tura Sugden. I pair this with a super long chain of oxidized silver with little gold beads. I have no clue where I purchased this — I’ve had it for a zillion years.

Ears are adorned in my most favorite rose gold and moonstone studs by Nak Armstrong. (Nak helped me pick them out when I visited him at a trunk show he was having at Barney’s in SF; it’s like they were made for my tiny earlobes.)

The wrist is pretty simple with a dark silver chainlink bracelet with a rose gold and moonstone clasp by Alberian & Aulde from Gallery of Jewels.

Then, there are many rings to create a combination from…

rings
I do not wear them all at once, nor all on one hand. My mood and the state of how puffy my fingers are (am I the only one whose fingers are puffy in the morning?!) help me decide what to wear. Top to bottom, left to right, here’s the designer info:

  • Third Eye ring with a faceted black diamond from Fiat Lux
  • Polly Wales diamond eternity band (definitely the piece I wear every single day, no matter what)
  • Vintage gold, silver and sapphire ring bought over 20 years ago
  • Erica Molinari gold and enamel ring
  • Alberian & Aulde “Jupiter” ring with labradorite
  • Megan Thorne wide gold band with diamonds
  • Victorian diamond ring from Metier
  • Rose gold and labradorite navette ring from Arik Kastan

Now, let’s turn to the days where my outfit calls for more of a silver vibe.

#jewelryuniform silver
Again, I start with the necklace, in this case the “egg” pendant from Sophie Buhai. When I ordered it, I requested two chains of different lengths. This has given it more milage, since different lengths give me more options with regard to what looks best with the neckline of what I’m wearing.

My white gold and diamond earrings by Sethi Couture are a definite go-to. And on my wrist, I stack three bracelets: a silver chain link with gold lock from Marla Aaron, a silver Hermes Collier de Chien bangle, and an oxidized silver bangle with square labradorites from Nak Armstrong.

For rings, I typically choose among these 4, which include three by Rosa Maria (from Betty Lin) and a Spinelli Kilcollin multi-metal ring with topaz.

silver rings
No matter if it’s a silver or gold day, I always wear gold studs in my 2nd piercing. It’s the only metal that doesn’t seem to infect my ear at this point. So, I opt for either my Gabriella Kiss “slug” from Quadrum Gallery or a tiny disc with white sapphires from Polly Wales.

gabriella kiss and polly wales gold studs
So there we go…my #jewelryuniform. What about you? Do you have one? Definitely post a photo on Instagram, use this hashtag and tag @amyroseveare so I can see what baubles make you happy every day. Join in on the fun! Thanks to Tura for creating this, and to Dana and Becky for the tag! xo

Gretchen Ventura: Designer

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I just “click” with people, and I can start chatting with them as if we’ve known each other for years. This was exactly the case when I stopped by Betty Lin (one of my absolute favorite boutiques in San Francisco) for the Gretchen Ventura jewlery trunk show. No joke, within about 10 minutes we were bonding over health issues from our past and laser hair removal! Gretchen’s warm, welcoming personality is the perfect complement to her killer jewlery line. So that you can get to know her and her collection a bit, enjoy this series of questions and answers.

amy roseveare and gretchen ventura
You made the transition from tech to jewelry three years ago. What inspired you to do so?

After a life-altering/threatening illness I gained many insights. One of the strongest was that while I enjoyed and spent my entire professional career in technology (and primarily the use of my left brain),  I considered myself an artist.  I did not wish to leave this lifetime without using the right side of my brain!

gretchen ventura bracelet wtih diamond pendant
Where do you find the inspiration for your designs?

I find myself in the flow when I am creating my work. My belief system is all about balance, or the middle path, and so I am drawn to the mix of luxe and raw, organic and fine. The work lends itself to a sense of timelessness, with the use of old and patina’d materials, as well as the truth of our interconnectedness. Found objects from far away and ancient times allows me, the creator, as well as the wearer, an experience of a soulful connection to all that came before — what is present and the mystery of what is yet to unfold.

gretchen ventura necklaces
gretchen ventura horn pendant
What’s your current favorite piece or two in your collection?

Much of my work is long, languid and layered (like life), but right now I am loving the choker–raw leather with the elegance of a bit of diamond–or the crocodile cuffs with diamond plates on them. Both signify strength, boldness and whimsy.

gretchen ventura choker
gretchen ventura choker with pendant
gretchen ventura croc and diamond bracelet
What is your goal as a jewelry designer with regards to sharing your work with the world?

I struggled a bit when I started designing and creating jewelry, as I really wish to be purposeful in my work. Then, in a seminal moment, truly understood that bringing beauty is a spiritual pursuit (and one of my favorite kundalini teachers used to call me “bringer of beauty” long before this work). When one wears something soulful and beautiful, it elevates one’s experience. When you feel more beautiful and connected to others, you can’t help but bring more kindness, care and love into your world.

gretchen ventura wrap bracelet
What do you find are the biggest challenges and joys as a jewlery designer?

The biggest challenge for me is finding the right manner in which to connect my work with those who may resonate with it — the right stores, an online/social presence, the right markets. Secondly, to create pieces which resonate with me, given the components (ancient talismans or beads, or fine gems such as diamonds), which can be purchased at a price point that works in the market.

The joys are being a part of experiencing someone’s wonder or happiness as they try on a piece and feel beautiful wearing it!!!

amy roseveare wearing gretchen ventura necklace
When you’re not busy in your studio, how do you spend your free time?

I love to work out, do yoga, try new restaurants, hike, read, travel and see friends!!

For those visiting your town (Minneapolis, MN), what’s your favorite:
restaurant: Burch Steak or Café Lurcat
store: Grethen House or D.NOLO
gallery/museum: The Walker or Mia

gretchen ventura layered necklaces

Gretchen and her gorgeous jewelry!
Gretchen and her gorgeous jewelry!

So wonderful to meet you, Gretchen! I look forward to keeping up with you and seeing how your line keeps growing and evolving.

Todd Reed: Designer

Todd Reed is quite a legend in the jewelry industry (and not just because of his wavy locks) — but rather for creating a line showcasing raw diamonds long before they were in the limelight. Little did he know the trajectory for his career would begin when he was only 10 years old and was mesmerized seeing a silversmith at work. Throughout his formative years, he was involved in creative endeavors such as leather work, sculpting and even graduating from the culinary academy. Creativity is clearly in his DNA.

amy roseveare and todd reed
Launching his jewelry business in 1992, Todd was on his way to making “Raw Elegance” one of the most popular and sought-after independent jewelry lines. I was thrilled to get an up-close look at some of his work at the Couture show. The first necklace I was drawn to was this one, which looks like river stones. They are all hinged together, so it lays beautifully around the neck. It’s easy to see nature as one of his inspirations. (Yes..all those stones are diamonds!)

todd reed necklace
Todd is known for his mixed metals and has created a long-lasting patina which keeps the metal blackened. This fabulous cuff is part of his Marquis collection. I wish I could have kept it on and gone home with it!

todd reed marquis cuff
Here are earrings and a ring from the same Marquis collection.

todd reed marquis diamond earrings
todd reed marquis diamond ring
Based in Boulder, Colorado, there are 20 jewelers now working at the studio! He’s got quite the team, and each item is carefully produced, from the initial design to delivering the finished product to the customer. Todd lays out each stone for each piece. With the amount of diamonds in his work, I can only imagine how much time he spends at his bench creating the ideal combinations. I tried on these two bracelets while at the show. The three-strand one is made of octahedron diamonds, which is a natural pyramid state of raw diamonds.

todd reed bracelets
This statement ring is from his pillbox collection. Wow!

todd reed pillbox ring
There is a lovely range in Todd’s designs. Earrings such as these are perfect for everyday use, and they’d look equally beautiful for a special night out.

todd reed earrings
And couldn’t you see this necklace looking fab with jeans and a leather jacket one day, and then with a red cocktail dress the next?

todd reed necklace
I particularly enjoy Todd Reed’s Instagram feed, and I stopped dead in my scroll when I saw this one-of-a-kind diamond ring recently. Yes, please!

todd reed one-of-a-kind diamond ring
Though Todd’s main base is in Colorado, he’s also opened a sublime studio and store on Abbot Kinney in Venice, CA. It’s most definitely worth the stop if you’re in southern California. And don’t worry if you don’t live near either location. His line is sold at many luxury retailers around the country.

Tahitian Pearl Event at Manika in SF

If you’re into pearls and will be in the San Francisco Bay Area on Thursday, February 4th, or Friday, February 5th, then you must visit Manika Jewelry for a very unique event. They are setting up a “Pearl Bar” in the store for their One Love, One Pearl event, where you can peruse thousands of Grade A Tahitian pearls from Black Market Pearls.

black market pearls
And THEN…the talented Paul Bartnik will help you design a custom piece! How cool is that? (Click here to read an interesting interview with him.)

 

Jewelry designer, Paul Bartnik
Jewelry designer, Paul Bartnik

The two-night event begins on Thursday, February 4th. This is “gentleman’s night” from 5-8 pm, complete with a cigar bar, island bites, and cocktails. This would be the perfect opportunity to design a meaningful gift for that special someone in your life.

Then the following evening, Friday, February 5th, it’s time for the ladies. From 5-8 pm you can sip a cocktail, receive a complimentary hand massage and design a one-of-a-kind piece for yourself or someone else. (You know what a big proponent I am of self-gifting!)

Manika Jewelry is located at 645 Market Street, near Montgomery. If this event sounds up your alley, then e-mail [email protected] to rsvp. Enjoy, and I can’t wait to see the incredible pieces to come.

black market tahitian pearls

Ana Katarina

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

August Birthstone: Peridot

Since August began, my Instagram feed has been full of sparkling peridot jewlery, honoring the birthstone for the month of August. Around August third I had one of those “Doh!” moments. Here I’ve been blogging about jewelry for over four years, and never have I written a series of articles about the birthstones for each month. (Sometimes my blondness amazes me.) So I’m very excited to explore the gems for each month, and we start with the peridot, which I learned is one of the few gems that comes in only one color. Ranging from a lighter yellow-green to a dark olive, the depth of the green is determined by how much iron is in the stone.

Known as “the gem of the sun” and “the emerald of the evening,” the peridot apparently has many benefits to its wearer, including the following:

-Happiness
-Prosperity
-Peace
-Enhances harmony in relationships
-Strengthens intuition
-Slows aging
-Attracts love into your life

What’s not to love about this list?! With that in mind, I started my search to see what fabulous peridot designs I could find. In no particular order, here’s eleven pieces that I would wear in a heartbeat.

Mayson peridot and diamond earrings via Zaver and Mor

mayson peridot and diamond earrings from zaver & mor
Ippolita five-stone peridot bangle

ippolita five-stone skinny bangle
Amrit birthstone necklace via Broken English

amrit birthstone necklace from broken english
Anne Sportun peridot wrap bracelet via Quadrum

anne sportun peridot wrap bracelet from quadrum
Carved peridot cameo with diamonds via Lang Antiques

lang antiques carved peridot cameo and diamond brooch pendant
Judy Geib peridot and emerald drop earrings

judy geib emerald, peridot and gold drop earrings
Jennifer Dawes square peridot stacking ring

jennifer dawes stacking square peridot band
Sydney Lynch Strata cuff with peridot, andalusite, tourmaline, and Umba sapphire

sydney lynch moss green strata cuff
Gabriella Kiss oval peridot ring via Quadrum

gabriella kiss oval peridot ring from quadrum gallery
Vintage peridot Jannecke ring via Brilliant Earth

vintage jannecke ring from brilliant earth
Melissa Joy Manning peridot earrings

melissa joy manning gold and peridot earrings
So what do you think? Is peridot a stone you can see yourself wearing? Happy birthday to my August birthday readers! I hope all your birthday wishes come true.

Virtual Shopping Spree at Manika Jewelry in SF

On Saturday I popped into the city to meet Delphine Richagneux, the new CEO of Manika. Now as you may know, I’ve been a fan of Manika since they first opened on Maiden Lane back in 2006. Not only do they have a new CEO, but they have they moved to a chic space on Market St. in the Palace Hotel. Of course, while I was there I had to imagine that I once again had a bottomless wallet — what would I buy?? Here’s my five picks, in no particular order

Jenny Reeves Seafoam Cuff in oxidized silver, 18K gold, chrysocolla and diamonds

jenny reeves cuff
Alberian & Aulde opal ring

alberian & aulde opal ring
How great does it look paired with the two rings I was wearing? (by Zaiken and Arik Kastan)

alberian & aulde, zaiken, and arik kastan
Jamie Joseph grey moonstone necklace, because it’s perfect for layering

jamie joseph grey moonstone necklace
Kanwar Creations cabochon rings…couldn’t decide between the tanzanite or the spessartite garnet

kanwar singh rings
Mary Ray Cactus Drop earrings of gold and diamonds — so fun!

mary ray earrings
Of course, I could have had 20+ items on my list, but I had a limited amount of time. Great meeting Delphine, Kira and Jenny! If you’d like to get to know the store, then definitely come out for a fun event they’re having on Thursday, July 16, from 5-8. Click here for more details. I’ll be there fore sure!

amy roseveare and delphine richagneux
 

Bottega Veneta Jewelry

I don’t know about you, but when most people think about Bottega Veneta, their luxurious woven handbags come to mind, right? What many people may not realize is that they also have a selection of both fashion and fine jewelry. I stopped into the San Francisco store recently to see what they were showing, and I must say that I really enjoyed the diversity in the fashion jewelry cases. Made in Vicenza, Italy, I couldn’t help but be lured by the colors and sparkle of these Pepita (meaning “nugget”) necklaces.

bottega veneta pepita necklaces
They come in two lengths. The shorter ones (14.5 inches) have a small silver link between each crystal, while the longer ones (18.25 inches) have a longer, more decorative link. I think this pyrite version is quite lovely and versatile. I learned that, “Pyrite is a unique protector, drawing energy from the Earth through the physical body and into the aura creating a defensive shield against negative energies, environmental pollutants, emotional attack and physical harm. It also supports one with a spirit of boldness and assertive action when protecting others, the planet, or in standing up for important issues of community.” Interesting that that’s the stone I was drawn to…

bottega veneta pepita necklace
It’s easy to layer these necklaces as well. Currently, this line comes in five colors: ciel (blue), saffron (the saturated yellow), new ascencio (deep green–their newest color), natural (clear) and pyrite.

bottega veneta pepita necklaces
If you just want a hint of this look, then you may find the rings right up your (style) alley.

bottega veneta rings
I couldn’t help but try on the turquoise pieces as well, as you know my inner bohemian goddess just gravitates towards it! Here’s a bracelet and a couple rings I played with.

bottega veneta turquoise bracelet
bottega veneta turquoise rings
And how sweet is this headband? Perfect with a diaphenous dress at an outdoor party on a warm evening, don’t you think?

bottega veneta headband

There were also two major silver necklaces that were quite the center of attention. While they look heavy, they are in fact extremely light-weight. The maltese cross with the druzy in the center is just fabulous. J’adore!

bottega veneta silver necklace
bottega veneta silver necklace
If you’re a big fan of the iconic woven texture of Bottega, then you can rest assured that you’ll find it in silver. Here are a couple pieces with their signature look.

bottega veneta silver intrecciato ring
bottega veneta bracelet
Thanks so much to Karina at the SF store for showing me around the collections!