It’s likely that either you or someone in your family may have a vintage cameo in their jewelry box. They’ve been around for centuries, carved in a traditional manner and commonly found in the form of a brooch. Recently I’ve seen many rings I would consider a “modern cameo.” The first such ring I saw was at Metier in Hayes Valley (San Francisco) by Gabriella Kiss. Instead of a whole face, it features just one eye — another, with a tear falling from the corner. Wouldn’t you agree this is a modern interpretation of a cameo?
Then there’s Anthony Lent, who has a bevy of smiling faces among his collection. I appreciate the rectangular boarder in juxtaposition with the curves of the face in his Brickface ring.
Israeli designer Ari Kuperman has a more rustic version, made of sterling silver and gold. I could see this fitting in with a more bohemian/rock’n roll personal style.
I had to look twice when I first saw this Jurio Fujita Gold Face ring. Is it a human face? Or an alien? “It’s the elongated, otherworldy skulls of the Paracas excavation, deemed by Fujita as ‘neither homo sapiens nor Neanderthal.'” Interesting!
Then there’s this Fraser Hamilton Signet Head ring, which I suppose more resembles a modern intaglio ring, as the face is recessed.
I don’t know about you, but I’m completely intrigued by these unique designs. Perhaps it’s time to add one to my ring repertoire. What are your thoughts?
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.
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 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!
Here are earrings and a ring from the same Marquis collection.
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.
This statement ring is from his pillbox collection. Wow!
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.
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?
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!
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.
Even though it’s not my birthstone I’m quite partial to the aquamarine, with its oceanic hues of light blue to blue-green. Named after the Latin word “aqua marinus,” meaning water of the sea, this stone is associated with all things ocean. It’s said to protect travelers on the sea, and those traveling near water. Aquamarines come from Brazil and Columbia and are part of the beryl family. Among the qualities associated with this birthstone are:
-self-love
-inspires truth and letting go
-aids in articulation and clear speaking
-helps one release emotional baggage
-stone of courage
-brings peace and serenity
I like it — especially the “letting go” part, as my word for 2016 is release. Given how much I love the shades of aquamarine, I was eager to embark upon my virtual shopping spree and see what I could find. In no particular order…
If I had a bottomless wallet, I think I’d just have to buy them all. Which piece is your favorite? And if you’ve got a birthday this month, may all your birthday wishes come true!
I suppose I should be an expert on amethyst, as my birthday is this month…but I’m not. I enjoyed researching this birthstone and going on my (much-loved) virtual shopping spree. Unlike so many stones which come in a wide range of colors, amethyst really sticks to the purple family, from lavender and lilac to deep purple and red-violet. The amount of iron in the quartz determines the shade of purple. Though I have heard of green amethyst over the years, I learned this is a misnomer. Green amethyst is in fact created by heating a natural amethyst, and its true name is prasiolite. (Click here for a more detailed description.)
Amethyst comes from the Greek word meaning “without drunkenness” and has often been referred to as the sobriety stone. It can be transparent or opaque (didn’t know that!), and it has some potent qualities, such as:
-guards against overindulgence
-aids with curing addictions
-it is “nature’s tranquilizer,” helping soothe the mind and emotions
-brings the wearer balance and peace
-wonderful in meditation, as it opens the channels between realms
-enhances intuition and psychic ability
Having this new knowledge in mind, I set off on my quest for amethyst jewelry. With colored stones currently so en vogue, I was surprised there weren’t more pieces to be found. Many popular jewelry sites I visited didn’t have a single amethyst piece. (What?!) I have a feeling this is going to change with the coming season. I know many designers are amping up their color game. Nonetheless, I found many items I would be very happy to have in my own jewelry box. In no particular order:
So what do you think? Do any of these gems spark your interest? I guess it’s time for me to find my self-gift for my birthday! (But where is my bottomless wallet??) Sending warm birthday wishes to my fellow February-ians. (Yes, I just made up that name.)
Each year when Valentine’s Day rolls around, it’s not my single-ness that first pops into my mind, but rather, “Yay!! It’s time for another self-prezzie!” If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know I’m a firm believer in what I call The Boyfriend Gift. In a nutshell, when important days come along (or heck, even a Tuesday, for that matter!) I use the opportunity to treat myself to a new piece of jewlery…because why should I have no boyfriend AND no jewelry? There’s nothing right about that! I may not be able to do anything about the boyfriend situation, but I can certainly do something about the jewelry situation. So any money I would have spent on the boyfriend, I spend on myself.
To give you some jewelry inspiration, I thought I’d take it back to my Jewelry Box Basics format, which is a series I began back in 2013. In this series, I describe 6 different personal styles, and then I suggest pieces of jewelry which would be harmonious with that style. Granted, no one fits in any one box, so please use these as general guidelines. To catch up to date, click on each of these styles to read more in depth: The Lady Who Lunches, The Bohemian, The Rock Star, The Minimalist, The Romantic, and The Trendy Gal.
Without further ado, here’s some ideas for each personal style…
During my 17+ years as a wardrobe stylist, I’ve learned that this woman likes high quality, and having something that’s a name brand doesn’t hurt. They don’t want to be ostentatious, but rather tastefully elegant. This Chopard rose gold bracelet with two hearts, one of coral and the other with a moving diamond, hits this desired note. Equally lovely worn alone or in a stack.
The Bohemian gal wouldn’t likely gravitate toward traditional heart jewelry. Instead, taking inspiration from Cupid’s arrow sounds much more up her alley. These bold arrow rings from Otto Jewels are very chic, from the finish on the metal to the sparkles. Yes, please!
I feel like I practically know Marla just from her fabulous Instagram feed. I’m obsessed with her line of locks, which come in a variety of sizes, metals, and even embellished with gems. Her heart locks are ideal for the rocker in you and would be killer layered up with some of your other fave necklaces.
The Romantic personal style is most certainly drawn to vintage and antique jewelry. When I came across this clever ring, I was instantly intrigued. It has two clasping hands, which swivel open to reveal the sweetest of hearts. Don’t you just love it? The sentimentality and the history would definitely resonate with a Romantic’s heart, as well as her personal style.
The true Minimalist has the smallest jewelry collection of all the styles. She usually has her “uniform” of jewelry she wears each day, which may be as simple as a watch and a pair of stud earrings that are never changed. This is not to say that this woman lacks fun in her life, so I think if this gal wanted to give herself a Valentine-themed treat, it would be in the form of the most delicate and simple heart ring. I found two I really like. The open heart is in 14K rose gold, from Ariel Gordon, and Jennifer Meyer has a precious 18K gold ring with a singular, solid heart.
This personal style likes to play, experiment and have some fun with fashion. What a better way to show a little sass than with this Alison Lou necklace? It’s surely a conversation starter with its ruby lips and fancy lashes. It makes me smile just looking at it.
Now that you’ve taken a glance at these categories, which personal style seems to suit you most? Has it inspired you to visit your local jewelry store this week? I certainly hope so! Have fun shopping and Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!
Your fingerprint is one of the most unique things about you. Sarah Graham has found the perfect melding of fingerprints and incredibly meaningful pieces of jewelry. It all ramped up when she became a mother. When her son was four months old she created a necklace which had his fingerprint on it. Soon, all her mom friends had to have one too. (This is SO not your typical “mommy jewelry,” right?!) She was then tasked with figuring out a way to take this outside her studio and offer it to people far and wide. She knew there was a market for these future heirlooms. When I stopped by her booth at the Couture show, I was thrilled to see some of the collection in person!
Instead of using the old-fashioned technique of taking wax impressions of the prints and then translating them into jewelry (as she originally did), she is now using CAD technology. This allows her to take the line to a whole new level and expand her audience across the country. Take a minute (and 18 seconds) to get an up-close look at how this works.
Pretty awesome, right? And you can see that the finished product still looks very organic, as if you really did push your finger into wax. Her use of recycled gold and her signature black oxidized cobalt chrome make her designs all the more intriguing.
I cannot imagine a more meaningful wedding ring, with the prints of your bride, and perhaps your children on it as well. (How ideal would this be for a second wedding with a blended family?!) I tried on a couple men’s designs while at her booth.
One of the things I like about this collection is that the prints are so subtle, that others may not realize what a treasure you’re wearing until they look closely. It’s like wearing a precious little secret…and definitely a conversation starter.
Though Sarah has been based in San Francisco for many years, she has recently teamed up with Richards and West Jewelers, a family owned business of master bench jewelers. This is allowing her to get out in the world for more inspiration and focus on design. She is currently doing a winter-long artist in residency with Elliott Yeary Gallery in Aspen, Colorado. I can only imagine how her new environment with inspire her. I greatly look forward to seeing her new creations at the Couture show in Las Vegas in June!
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always thought of a garnet as a red stone. Well who knew, but they come in a wide range of colors, from clear to (even) black. Green is apparently the rarest color, and red and orange hues are more common. The name garnet comes from the word “granatum” (seed), as it resembles pomegranate seeds.
Garnets also have a stellar repertoire of benefits to the wearer, including:
-strengthening the bloodstream
-symbolizing friendship and trust
-uplifts the attitude/ brings a light heart
-stimulates metabolism
-if you put it under your pillow, will aid with bad dreams and depression
-balances energies
-inspires love
-stimulates success in business
Sign me up! For this installment of birthstone jewelry, I thought I’d take a different focus and just look at rings. In no particular order, here’s some truly beautiful garnet rings.
#RoughBeauty is the hashtag you’ll find on Variance Objects’ Instagram feed. (Click here to see their images.) It’s the perfect description of this line from Santa Cruz, California, with its semi-raw stones set in oxidized silver and various shades of gold. The juxtaposition of rough and beauty suddenly makes perfect sense when you see the jewelry in person; it’s raw, yet sophisticated. It’s wonderful.
I had the pleasure of meeting Nicole Rimedio, the designer, and her partner, Scott Zankman, who runs the business side of things and takes the stunning photographs of each piece, during their trunk show at Metier in San Francisco.
Nicole, Amy and Scott
I’m pleased to share some Q & A I had with Nicole:
I know you have a background in landscape architecture. How and why did you make the career switch to jewelry designer in 2013?
Well, there are at least two ways of looking at it. One is that I realized through being in graduate school and working some in landscape architecture offices that it wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life. The people working there didn’t seem happy or inspired. The other way to see it is that I always wanted to make jewelry, and being involved in what I didn’t want, made me realize what I have always loved doing. How did I make the switch? I just started…
Are you a self-taught jeweler?
Yes, mostly. I’ve taken some courses in metalsmithing but my way of doing metal work is self-taught. I used the skills I learned in these classes, but I sort of deconstructed them. Jewelry making is about order of operations. I just took some of the steps out and added others. I did the same thing with priorities. The teachers taught what was most important in the process; I changed it up some.
I am completely self-taught as a stone cutter. I did watch some youtube videos and talk to people working in rock shops but never took a class. By the time I started cutting stones, I knew how I wanted them to look and how I wanted to do it. I knew my way of cutting would be an alternative.
Has jewelry always been a passion for you?
Yes. Many of my earliest memories involve jewels or stones in some way. As a child, I used to carry stones in my pockets. I really cannot remember a time when jewelry wasn’t of great interest to me. As I already mentioned, I tried to take a more traditional road, but I was miserable. Now I’m not. Ha.
What do you find the biggest challenges and rewards are as a jewelry designer?
The rewards and challenges are really the same thing. As a jeweler and business owner, I feel like Scott and me are on a great adventure together. It’s a wonderful and exciting endeavor. At the same time, there’s so many aspects of it all we don’t have control over. The things we do have the ability to impact, have so many details to them. Variance is our baby; we want to do it right.
You and Scott live in Santa Cruz, CA, which is an area I adore! What’s your favorite:
Restaurant?Probably Bantam but if I really want amazing food, I go to SF. If I want love in my food, then Scott cooks it.
Retail Store?Cameron Marks – easy but sophisticated clothes, great objects and paper goods too. Also, there’s Judi Wyant Antiques. They have a great selection of antique jewelry with a focus on Victorian jewelry and unusual stuff.
Place for a great view (maybe with a cocktail?)I’m a big fan of just sitting on West Cliff Drive and looking out at the ocean.
So are you intrigued now? I bet you are! You can find out more about Variance Objects on their website. Oh, and while I took the photos in this article while at the trunk show, I have to share one of Scott’s professional pictures he recently shared on Instagram–over 5 carats of rose cut diamonds. Deeeee-lish!
Nicole and Scott, it was an absolute pleasure to meet you both and learn about the line!!
I’ve been a fan of turquoise ever since my dad brought me a necklace with turquoise beads from a business trip when I was about 4. (I still have it, in fact!) As a young adult I visited New Mexico, and I couldn’t decide which hue I liked best — from the true blue to the blue-greens. I’ve come to the conclusion I like it all! (shocker, I know) I’m a fan of everything from vintage Native American Squash Blossom necklaces to sleek, modern pieces.
Turquoise, which gets its name from the French words for “Turkish Stone” has been part of the human culture since ancient times. Turquoise beads have been unearthed from 5000 BC, if you can believe it! Throughout history, this stone has been an amulet of protection, a sign of wealth and wisdom. It’s considered sacred by many cultures. In addition, this stone promotes:
-strength
-serenity & peace
-relieves stress
-heightens creativity
-aids the immune system
-grounds oneself
-promotes honest communication
-helps your body detox
With all these amazing attributes in mind, which piece of jewelry from the selection below would you pick if you had a bottomless wallet?
Now don’t forget, that turquoise is one of four birthstones for the month of December. If you missed my article on tanzanite, then click here to get caught up. Happy birthday to you December babies!
How is it that December has FOUR birthstones? If you’re lucky enough to be born this month, then you can choose from tanzanite, turquoise, zircon and blue topaz. With it’s blue-violet hue, tanzanite is the subject of today’s article. Coming from only one place on the planet (Tanzania in East Africa), I was surprised to find out that this gem can actually be found in browns and yellows. It is heat, either from the earth or by man, which changes the stone to the most prized blue-violet color. Originally discovered in 1967, this stone is both rare, valuable, and fairly fragile. (Translation: Use care when wearing and never put it in an ultrasonic cleaner!)
Tanzanite is known as the stone of transformation, aiding in metaphysical healing and spiritual exploration. In addition, tanzanite helps with:
-happiness and freedom from worry
-compassion
-finding your calling
-getting rid of old patterns and opening oneself to growth
-self-awareness
-strengthens your immune system
I’m in! Are you? If so, here are some fantastic tanzanite creations by some very talented designers.
I think these selections will resonate with a wide variety of personal styles — from edgy to bohemian to luxe and beyond. If you had the *infamous* bottomless wallet that I dream about having, which piece would you desire most? Do tell!
