Jennifer’s Jewelry Lust List

Enjoy this article from guest blogger, Jennifer Bressie. I certainly see a theme among her picks, do you?

Every May/June, when I attend the Couture show with Amy, after drooling over all of the jewels, I come up with my lust list, which is the list of pieces that would actually fit into my lifestyle and wardrobe. I have determined there are five main reasons to buy me jewelry throughout the year. First comes my birthday in February. (This year I’ll be turning fifty which means I think I deserve a pretty exceptional piece!) This is quickly followed by Valentine’s Day, then Mother’s Day, our anniversary is in August, and finally Christmas. Here’s what I can’t stop dreaming about from this past show.

These earrings from Dana Bromfman were one of the first things we stumbled upon this year. Made of 18k gold, rutilated quartz and diamonds, these earrings can easily be worn with jeans and a t-shirt or a ball gown!

I am totally obsessed with these earrings from TAP by Todd Pownell. I think they are such cool and fresh take on the standard diamond hoop. These stunners consist of over 11 carats of marquis cut diamonds set on 14k white gold and sheet backed with 18k yellow gold. They sparkle like crazy!

The next piece, the Devi Ring from ARK Fine Jewelry, is so special. Made of 18k yellow gold, white mother of pearl, moonstone and diamonds, the ring is inspired by ancient Tantric Goddess temples. Each piece in this line, with the initials of designer Ann Korman and a reference to protection, safety and constant forward movement, has thoughtful meaning. The moonstones in the Devi Ring run north and south and symbolize intelligence, energy and inertia; the mother of pearl helps the wearer feel centered. If you are not familiar with this line, I highly recommend taking a trip over to her website where you will not only be tempted by the beauty of the pieces, but you will be inspired by the beautiful meaning and energy infused within.

I went crazy for this pearl necklace from Lene Vibe! The South Sea pearls, combined with the 18k gold and the intricate details make for a spectacular piece! I would also dress this necklace up or down.

The last piece is a small obsession of mine. Full disclosure, I encouraged my husband to purchase this for me for our recent anniversary! It’s a gorgeous Grandfather Compass from Retrouvai made of rose gold, pink opal, pink lotus garnet and diamond. In a note from designer Kirsty Stone she wrote, “Wear this pendant as a reminder to let your intuition guide you as your inner compass.” I absolutely adore this necklace and wear it all the time.

One of my favorite things about attending the show is meeting the amazingly talented designers and hearing their stories — how their life and experience influences their designs makes each piece so unique, and I feel a real connection to them when I eventually do make a purchase!

Pat Flynn: Designer

Do you believe in fate? I most definitely do. As I was flying to Las Vegas to attend the Couture jewelry show, I made a short list of those designers I really wanted to meet while I was there. After ogling Pat Flynn‘s nail bracelets online for quite some time now, and seeing his name on the list of first time attendees, I knew he was definitely on my list. As luck (or fate) would have it, he happened to walk in the hotel room one evening where I was hanging out with a few friends. Really? Really. Lucky me, as I got to chat with him a bit before visiting his booth at the show.

pat flynn nail bracelets
When I met with Pat at his booth, I couldn’t help but pile on a few of his nail bracelets— an iconic mainstay of his line. They are surprisingly light on the wrist, and they stack effortlessly. Pat explained that he himself hand forges each and every one of the iron nails. The juxtaposition of the hand-forged steel and the sparkle of diamonds and gold is just fantastic.

Pat grew up in rural Pennsylvania, and he began making jewelry in high school. He bought an old Craft jewelry toolkit and went to work. (He said he still has some of the original tools from this kit!) He went to art school, and then began working in factories in NYC as a young father, commuting hours a day, and then coming home to work in his own studio at night. I couldn’t write fast enough to capture all the work experience he’s had, including making the model for the first twist bracelet at David Yurman! How cool is that?!

 

diamond cuff bracelets
diamond cuff bracelets

Pat is clearly passionate about his work, and he enjoys teaching as well. I find it fascinating that he combines old-school forging with fire and hammer with the art of goldsmithing and stone-setting. He is a one-stop shop! This photo is from his website, and it really gives a feel for his process.

pat flynn at work

I couldn’t help but admire this necklace, with a detachable freshwater Chinese pearl dangling from the center.

pat flynn necklace
Since feathers are one of my talismans, I was certainly drawn to this dramatic feather brooch.

pat flynn feather brooch
And what about these earrings? I would describe them as contemporary, elegant, and yet a little bad ass all at the same time!

pat flynn earrings
Pat has made an indelible mark on the world of jewelry. You can find his work in permanent collections at The Met in NYC and the Chicago Arts Institute, just to name a couple. It was a real honor to meet you, Pat. Thank you so much for your time and all your travel tips about your beloved Scotland. I can’t wait to see it myself!!

amy roseveare and pat flynn

Sydney Lynch: Designer

I got my first in person look at Sydney Lynch jewelry at De Novo in Palo Alto. I was immediately a fan. The color combinations in this contemporary line are simply gorgeous. You can imagine how excited I was to meet Sydney in person at the JCK show in Las Vegas! I didn’t know what to try on first! Can you believe the statement this boulder opal cuff makes? I couldn’t stop taking photos of it.

sydney lynch opal cuff
Or what about the luminescence in this rainbow moonstone ring?

sydney lynch moonstone ring
Sydney began her career in jewelry 1981. She spent time during college working at a Navajo reservation, where she met her first silversmiths. Although she had been a jewelry girl since childhood, this seemed to be the impetus that got her going on her own line. (And I’m so glad it did!) She now resides in Lincoln, Nebraska, where each and every piece is hand-crafted in her studio by her and her assistants — two of which have been with her for over 20 years!

Sydney was born with an acute sense of color, and you can see the result of this talent in her work. Here’s a shot from her website showing her and Tammy working on the layout for some bracelets.

sydney lynch working with tammy designing bracelets
You can see how carefully each gem and hue is placed in order to create a stunning result. Here’s an example of a bracelet from her archives in a parade of blush tones.

sydney lynch aurora multilink bracelet
In this bracelet, she extends the palette from pinks to browns. Isn’t the result just breathtaking?

sydney lynch tundra twig cuff
If you take a look at Sydney Lynch’s Instagram feed, you can see that nature is a definite influence in her work. It’s not only the colors that inspire her, but the shapes as well. She does, in fact, have a wide array of mixed metal pieces in her collection that would be perfect neutral additions to any jewelry box. Here’s a couple pair of earrings, one with Baroque Tahitian pearls, which would easily complement any color palette.

sydney lynch silver lake earrings with black diamonds
sydney lynch baroque tahitian pearl earrings
This bold cuff would add punch to an outfit, don’t you think?

sydney lynch skyline cuff
While at the show, this necklace really caught my eye. It would definitely function as a neutral in my own wardrobe.

sydney lynch necklace
If you’d like a little inside look at Sydney and her process, take a minute to watch this video.

What you’ve seen here is just the tip of the iceberg, let me tell you! Click here to see a list of retailers. In addition, you may enjoy her journal/blog — I signed up for it, and I love receiving it in my e-mail inbox. Thanks, Sydney, for your time — loved meeting you and seeing your luscious line!

amy roseveare and sydney lynch

Hillsborough Antique Show: My Picks

This past Saturday I was supposed to shop with a client, but he unexpectedly had to reschedule. Knowing this would allow me the opportunity to visit the Hillsborough Antique Show in San Mateo, CA, more than made up for this schedule change. I decided to go through the show with my “virtual bottomless wallet” and pick out what I would buy if the sky was the limit. This made the excursion so much fun!

Just a few booths in on the first row I walked down, I found a couple swoon-worthy pieces. First up is this Victorian bracelet from France with angel skin coral and natural pearls. I learned the ornate work in the 18K gold is called “tracery work.” (I am constantly learning new things whenever I speak with such knowledgeable dealers like Lisa!) This bracelet is from A Pocket of Rocks.

victorian bracelet from a pocket of rocks
At the connecting booth I met Alison from Duvenay. She was showing an exquisite pair of Victorian cut steel earrings from the late 1800’s. I knew a bit about cut steel jewelry, but when I came home, first thing on the agenda was to research it a bit more. This article from Lang’s AJU has a fantastic description of this genre of jewlery. I think these earrings are the perfect way to get a special occasion look with glowing sparkle.

victorian cut steel earrings from duvenay
Another booth that drew me in by some sort of jewelry magnetic force was that of Laurel Stearns’ PassItOnLTD. Within just a few moments of chatting we discovered we have a mutual very dear friend, and we’ll both be at her wedding this summer. Is that a small world, or what?! But back to the jewelry…I couldn’t decide between these two rings, and since I didn’t have a limit for this exercise, I chose both! The one on the left is a Victorian navette from around 1890, set in silver wth a 14K shank. The ring on the right features a converted Georgian pin from the late 1700’s-early 1800’s. Which would you choose?

victorian and georgian diamond rings from passitonltd
I had to stop at Lenore Dailey’s booth, which always exceeds expectations. The pair of earrings that was calling to me this time around was these late Georgian hand earrings. Do you see the little ruby ring each hand is wearing? So precious and romantic.

late georgian earrings from lenore dailey
I’ve been following TheOneILoveNYC on Instagram for quite some time, but this is the first time I got to meet Mia in person. Boy were her cases brimming with sparkle — tons from the Georgian era! But typical me, who seems so drawn to Victorian jewelry, selected a Portuguese pendant on a long yellow gold chain. I THOUGHT the pendant was Georgian, due to how the diamonds were set, but I was wrong. (So much to learn!) Isn’t it pretty?

victorian necklace and pendant from theoneilovenyc
Her next-door neighbor was Jewels by Grace, a fantastic vendor whom I’ve had the pleasure to meet at a couple shows in the past year. At her booth, I tried on this diamond and turquoise “tiara” bracelet, which was a very popular motif during Victorian times. How can you not admire the 2.65 ctw of rose cut and old European cut diamonds?

victorian bracelet from jewelsbygrace
But then…I spied “The Olsen Twins” — a truly remarkable pair of elongated cushion cut diamond earrings totaling 9.46 carats!! I had seen photos of them on Instagram before (such as this one below) and in Grace’s ears, but this time I got to try them on myself. Ack! I truly felt like royalty wearing them. Can you see my virtual crown?!

jewels by grace diamond earrings
diamond earrings from jewelsbygrace
Near the end of the show, I stopped at Mary Ann-tiques, as I spied a particularly fetching pair of Art Deco earrings. Granted, this is not typically an era I’m drawn to, but this pair of carved rock crystal and onyx earrings had it going on with the mis-matched earring trend that’s so en vogue right now. To give you a sense of their size, I took the photo with my full-sized pen next to them. Pretty incredible, right?

art deco earrings from mary ann-tiques
Though I didn’t leave the show with all these stunning pieces, I still got a thrill seeing them and trying them on. Thanks to all the kind dealers who spent time chatting with me, and furthering my education on antique jewelry. If you’d like to learn a little more, you may enjoy articles I’ve written about Georgian and Victorian jewelry. And if you’re interested in attending this show, which is open to the public, it’ll be back in San Mateo July 21-23 and November 3-5.

Little H Pearl Jewelry

As I explored the floor of the JCK show in Las Vegas, there was quite a buzz about Little H jewelry. “Amy, you just MUST stop by her booth! You’ve really never seen anything like it,” exclaimed more than one friend of mine. My curiosity was most certainly piqued, as I couldn’t imagine what could be done with pearls that was so revolutionary.

Ok — everyone was correct — my eyes opened wide in amazement when I saw what Hisano Shepherd was doing with pearls. She has created pearl geodes!! Look at these rings I tried on! They are filled with black and white diamonds.

little h pearl geode rings
How did she come up with this idea? Well last year she was at the Tucson Gem Show and was quite taken by all the geodes, such as these amethyst ones.

amethyst geodes from the tucson gem show
Having a history in the pearl business, she came up with the idea of cutting a pearl in half, polishing the inside, and then lining them with gems and seed pearls. How cool is that?! Here’s some of the pearls, both whole and cut open, to show you what they look like.

baroque pearls
Hisano uses mainly three types of pearls in these collections: Tahitian, South Sea, and Souffle (which I had never heard of before.). Souffle pearls are grown in such a manner that they are hollow inside. She goes to Hong Kong three times a year to source all the pearls and gems. She cuts each pearl herself, and each stone is handset in her Los Angeles studio, with the assistance of her one assistant. Very labor intensive, to be sure.

I couldn’t help but admire the ombre effect she created in this pendant.

little h pearl geode necklace
Hisano doesn’t want pearls to be thought of as dowdy, and she has really come up with a way to make them relevant for today’s woman. Here are a couple more pieces from her Pearl Geode Collection, including a bracelet and earrings with jackets.

little h 3 pearl geode bracelet in black and white diamonds
little h 3 pearl earring and jacket set with black diamonds and rubies
I think her Finestrino Collection (meaning little window in Italian) is so special. You can see how she has created windows into the pearls, and then filled them with gems.

little h pink souffle pearl finestrino pendant with pink to yellow sapphires
little h white south sea pearl necklace with diamonds
There’s alto the Grotto Collection, where you can see through the whole pearl on the earrings and pendants, and the opening is then gem-encrusted.

little h grotto collection emerald earrings with diamonds
I must say, I had such fun trying on all her designs!

little h grotto rings
And she has not forgotten about the men out there. How about these Tahitian pearl and black diamond cufflinks?

little h tahitian pearl and black diamond cufflinks
Although I think if my significant other owned these, I’d be “borrowing” them and pairing them with an untucked white tuxedo shirt and frayed-hem jeans. Luxe casual!

If you’d like to see more of Hisano and hear about her process, you’ll enjoy this video.

What is Victorian Jewelry?

I began my trek back through jewelry time in July, when I published the article What is Georgian Jewelry? This was the first in a series exploring the different eras of antique jewelry, including Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco. It’s now time to delve into the fascinating genre of Victorian jewelry, which hails from 1837-1901. Some major historical events occurred during this time, including the conclusion of the Industrial Revolution, the rise of the middle class, the American Civil War, and gold being discovered in a few countries, including right here in California. You may ask, “Why is it even called Victorian?” Well, it’s all from the time period when Queen Victoria sat on the throne of Britain. Pretty amazing to think that this one woman had such a profound influence on jewelry during her reign!!

Personally, every single item of antique jewelry I’ve purchased has been from the Victorian period — how strange is that?! It’s simply what I’m drawn to, before even knowing much about it. Here’s three examples of Victorian turquoise from Erica Weiner, Studio Collections and Metier. (It also doesn’t hurt that Victorian jewelry is generally much more affordable than Georgian jewelry!)

victorian turquoise rings
The Victorian era can be separated into three different segments. The first, called the Romantic period, was from 1837-1860. Queen Victoria was young and in love, and her jewelry reflected this. Sentimental motifs of flowers, clasped hands, and hearts (to name a few) were all the rage. Even snakes were extremely popular, as they represent wisdom and eternal love. In fact, Victoria’s engagement ring was a snake with emeralds, rubies and diamonds. (photo from aboutgemstonejewelry.com)

queen victoria's engagement ring via aboutgemstonejewelry.com
When Queen Victoria’s husband died in 1860, everything changed. Gone were the whimsical and light-hearted themes. In its place was dark jewlery, both in feel and color. This time is called the Grand period, and lasted for the next 25 years. Mourning and memorial jewelry were abundant, and stones such as onyx, Whitby jet, and garnets were very en vogue.

Things began to lighten up in later Victorian times — this third part is called the Aesthetic period, and took place during the last 15 or so years of Victoria’s reign. There was a return to more delicate designs, with more of a feeling of prosperity and optimism. This period also overlaps some other jewelry movements, such as Arts & Crafts.

Not only did styles of jewelry change during the Victorian era, but so did production methods. During the Industrial Revolution, both stamping and electroplating were invented. So while in the first part of the Victorian period all jewlery was handmade, in the second half it was often machine-made. In addition, in 1854 Britain made it legal to use lower karats of gold in jewelry, thereby really opening up the world of jewelry to the growing middle class, where once it had been reserved for only the very wealthy. Silver also became available in the mass market, making jewelry much more accessible.

I want to share some of the popular styles for this time period. With some, you’ll see some overlap with that of the Georgian period, such as in mourning jewlery and hair jewlery.

Brooches: These were especially popular when the fashion was wearing high necklines. It was much easier to don a brooch instead of figuring out how to have a necklace lay properly over a high collar. Not only is the bow a key motif of the period, but the engraving and the cabochon turquoise were very on trend as well. (brooch via antique jewellery company)

victorian 15k gold and turquoise bow brooch via the antique jewellery company
Cameos: They were most popular during the Grand period, and often were in onyx, coral and amethyst. These cameo earrings feature Roman centurions, and the agate is surrounded by seed pearls, another popular Victorian design detail. (earrings via Lang Antiques.)

victorian cameo drop earrings via lang antiques
Hair Jewelry: As you saw in the Georgian period, using a loved ones hair in jewelry was all the rage. It could be simply to honor a living person in your life, or it could be in memorial of someone who had passed. (brooch via The Rusted Anchor)

victorian mourning braided hair brooch with faceted jet via the rusted anchor
Mourning Jewelry: This piece of hair jewelry is clearly also mourning jewelry. The initials RC are on the outside, and “mama” is engraved on the $1 gold coin hanging from the ring. (ring via Gold and Silver Brokers)

victorian gold mourning hair ring with gold coin via gold and silver brokers
Portrait Jewelry: In my mind, this is sort of an expansion of the Lover’s Eye lockets from Georgian times, which just showed a painting of the eye of one’s lover. In Victorian times, it was popular to wear small portraits of loved ones. In this example, you’ll once again see pearls being used as an edging. (brooch via Doyle & Doyle)

victorian painted miniature portrait pin via doyle & doyle
Posy Rings: I find these to be so charming. Posy comes from the French word “poesie,” meaning poetry. In posy rings, you’ll find short inscriptions. This particular posy ring was a wedding ring, inscribed with “A hope fulfilled. 18th March circa 1880.” (ring via Lucy Bedeman)

victorian posy ring via lucy bedeman
Acrostic Rings: These are pretty darn cool, I have to say. Basically, stones are chosen for the ring in which the first letter of each stone spells out a secret word. This one secretly says “dearest” with diamond, emerald, amethyst, ruby, emerald, sapphire, and topaz. Pretty awesome, right?! (ring via Erica Weiner)

victorian acrostic ring via erica weiner
Mizpah jewelry: Though I’ve seen mizpah jewelry here and there, I honestly had no clue what it was until I did research for this article. Mizpah signifies an emotional bond and means “watchtower” in Hebrew. It’s given to a loved one when separated by distance. How romantic! This mizpah ring is extra-special, as the word is hidden behind a hinged buckle. (ring via Erica Weiner)

victorian hinged mizpah diamond buckle ring via erica weiner
Bracelets: Braclets, from bold to matching bangles to stacks, were very stylish in the Victorian period. Here’s a couple examples of popular styles. First is a snake (there’s that theme again!) with rubies. (bracelet via Lang Antiques) The second is a wide silver and gold overlay bangle with sunflowers. (bangle via the Antique Jewellery Company)

victorian ruby snake bracelet via lang antiques
victorian silver and gold overlay bangle with sunflowers via the antique jewellery company
Lockets: With photos, hair, and sometimes even teeth inside, lockets were key in this period. This one also has enameling, which was also very of-the-day. (locket via Metier)

victorian 9k enamel locket via metier
Etruscan Revial: More and more people started traveling during this time, so it makes sense that fascination with ancient time periods rose. You’ll find evidence of Egyptian and Greek motifs, as well as the granulation seen in the Etruscan Revival pieces. (earrings via Butterlane Antiques)

victorian etruscan revival amphora earrings via butterlane antiques
Out of all these different styles, which would be your first pick? I think if I were living back in Victorian times, I’d definitely be wanting an acrostic ring from my lover. And I’m definitely warming up to the idea of snake jewelry…sorry, mom!

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…

Zoe Chicco: Paris Collection

I must say I have quite a few Zoe Chicco aficionados among my clientele. They are drawn to her effortlessly chic dainty chains, slim cuffs with diamonds, and earrings (which she brilliantly sells as singles). Whenever we shop, we have to check out the latest offerings here in San Francisco. While at the Couture show I, too, had to visit her booth to catch up with her and see what she’s been up to. Here’s a shot of the ear party she had going on when I stopped by. (Ear cuff envy!)

zoe chicco wearing her earrings
If you’re not already familiar with her line, let me give you a little background. She had a high school teacher who taught her soldering, and she was hooked from that day forward. She studied metal smithing in college, and began her line in 2000. Based in Los Angeles, each piece is made in house by her and her team. She has come a loooong way since she began her line in the closet in her apartment in San Francisco!

So fast forward to June 2016, and I found myself gazing into this case, which displays her new Paris Collection.

zoe chicco paris collection
Always curious as to where designers get their inspiration, Zoe explained that the ceiling in her Paris showroom inspired the collection. Here’s a photo of that ceiling and one of the signature necklaces it inspired. What a cool evolution to see!

 

The ceiling that inspired Zoe's latest collection
The ceiling that inspired Zoe’s latest collection

 

Voila -- Zoe's interpretation in gold an diamonds!
Voila — Zoe’s interpretation in gold and diamonds!

Here are a few more of the necklaces, showing how Zoe’s creativity can see different permutations of a theme.

zoe chicco paris collection necklaces
I also like the various earrings in the group, ranging from dainty to bolder than I’ve seen her do before. Love the long drop hoops.

zoe chicco earrings
Zoe kindly modeled one of the earrings for me — clever how the large hoop ear jacket can be taken off, leaving you with two totally different looks.

zoe chicco paris collection earring
Oh, and I also have to mention Zoe has now added some black pearls to her line. Though not part of the Paris Collection, I had to share them with you. Pretty, right?

zoe chicco black pearl rings
If you are wanting to keep up with Zoe’s line, you should check out her Instagram feed. AND her Instagram is shoppable through her Instashop, which is tres convenient!

I always enjoy seeing you, Zoe. I can tell how happy you are doing what you love! Thanks for the tour. I know my clients will be psyched to see this new work! xo

zoe chicco and amy roseveare

Yoko London

If you’re looking for red-carpet worthy pearl jewelry, then look no further. Yoko London is the answer! In fact, you may remember back in January I included Zendaya, wearing Yoko London earrings and ring, in my jewelry report from the Golden Globes.

zendaya in yoko london jewelry
Thanks to D’Orazio and Associates, I was able to spend some quality time with Mandy Namdar at the Yoko London booth at the Couture show. Mandy, along with her two siblings are the second generation in a now three-generation jewlery business, started back in 1973 by her father. (The line is still made in London.) Within moments of our introduction, I found myself wearing this bold pearl and diamond lattice cuff from their Classic Collection. I’ve never tried on anything like it.

yoko london pearl bracelet
Perhaps your personal style veers towards a more minimal look, yet still with the wow factor? Then this bracelet might be calling your name.

yoko london diamond and single pearl bracelet
Yoko London is known for the ombre effect they create with pearls, as shown in this three-strand necklace.

yoko london ombre pearl necklace
This year at Couture they were debuting their tassel collection, which this necklace and earrings are a part of.

yoko london necklace
yoko london earrings
Showing the range in their collection, compare the exquisite detail of the earrings above with the cleaner lines of these two pair.

yoko london gold, diamond and purple pearl earrings
yoko london pearl and diamond earrings
Then, they go very fashion-forward and edgy, yet still elegant, with ear cuffs such as this one.

yoko london ear cuff
The same goes for their rings. From a major pearl statement ring to a unique multi-finger option. I could picture myself wearing either of them, depending on what I was doing that day!

yoko london pearl ring
yoko london multi-finger ring
I think one reason they have such a diverse line is that they let the pearls dictate the designs. Mandy told me that sometimes they may wait a year for just the right pearl to come along to complete the vision for a piece. That is supreme patience and dedication. I can’t imagine how long it took to select just the right pearls for this necklace.

yoko london multi-colored pearl necklace
And should I ever find myself attending a function with the Royal Family of ANY country, this would be the necklace I would want to wear. Wow!! I can envision it with a dreamy multi-layered chiffon dress in hues of the sea, with a plunging neckline to showcase the necklace…

yoko london diamond and pearl collar necklace
Mandy, thank you SO much for sharing your time and expertise with me. Your passion for jewlery and connecting with your customers is truly contagious. I left smiling and with a new appreciation of pearl jewlery.

mandy namdar and amy roseveare

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