Jewelry…own it, love it, wear it!
You may have heard them called ear climbers, ear crawlers, and even ear cuffs. But the common denominator is that these earrings are not your typical pair. They are often singular or mis-matched, and they quite honestly, crawl up your ear a bit. Over a year ago I wrote an article about this trend (click here to read it), and it appears to be one that’s not just a flash-in-the-pan. Not only are the celebrities wearing them, but it’s hitting the streets all over.
If you live here in the San Francisco Bay Area, then there’s a high likelihood that you’re a 49er’s football fan. Though I, myself, don’t know too much about the sport, I was certainly excited to see jewelry intersect with our home team.
Last week I attended a jewelry launch hosted by Jennifer Montana (with Joe there rooting her on) at the Four Seasons in Palo Alto, CA. Jennifer created this “key to the stadium” necklace as a wearable way to raise money for the 49ers Foundation and their own foundation, the Four Rings Montana Family Foundation, as well as commemorate the historic opening of the new Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.
The mission of this company is to, “create high quality, casual yet elegant handmade jewelry that inspires people to be positive — simultaneously providing underprivileged individuals with economic opportunity and support.” Her team at Harbor House, a non-profit community center in Oakland, upcycles keys into “chain reaction” necklaces, inscribed with one of ten different inspirational words, such as love, courage and hope. Each piece is handmade by the women at Harbor House.
Jennifer also likes to get into the creative process, and she had quite a few of her own designs for sale at the launch. She likes to frequent vintage and antique stores, where she sources jewelry that she, herself, then re-works into original designs. Many of her finds come from New Orleans, where she goes to visit her son, who attends Tulane University.
I’m thrilled to have Jennifer Bressie, a fellow image consultant and friend since kindergarten, as a guest blogger today. Enjoy her recap of her visit to the Atelier Swarovski villa at the Couture show!
So this is like that episode of Batman and Robin, where Robin takes over the hour. The last three years I have had so much fun attending the Couture show with Amy as her sidekick/assistant. I am there to take the cute photos of Amy with the designers; I shop for my clients (and myself . . .this blog has cost me a fortune!) and just generally provide comic relief when necessary. This past spring, after registering myself for the show, I received a lovely invitation to view the Atelier Swarovski line, which would be located in the Wynn Villas. As a lover of all things sparkle, of course I was interested in seeing this cool collection. Also, I love visiting the Villas at the Couture Show! Not only are they beautifully decorated, but the Villas feel so separate from the hustle and bustle of the showroom floor. I welcomed the opportunity to focus on the jewelry without distractions.
My morning in the land of sparkle was just as dazzling as expected, maybe a bit more so. Upon entry to the beautiful villa, the most beautiful crystal-encrusted flowers greeted me. I love flowers almost as much as jewelry, so to see this combination just thrilled me. The flowers, animals and bugs are sold exclusively through private sale with Bergdorf Goodman. These flowers would brighten any home!
After getting to know Anne Sportun at the Couture show in 2013, I was eager to visit her booth and see what she’s been up to this past year. It was no surprise that she’s been very busy. Here’s some pieces that caught my eye. (and fingers, and wrists…and neck)
Next I tried on this amazing ring which is part of the bamboo collection. I learned this group is an evolution from the stick collection, and it still has her signature stardust texture. While this ring, with its seven layers and 73 diamonds, looks like it might be too wide for some, the design is actually quite brilliant — there’s only one band on the backside, so it’s extremely comfortable.
I hope you read my recent article explaining what the different types of pearls are. (If you didn’t, click here for the full scoop.) Well now that you’ve purchased your lovely new necklace (or ring, or bracelet…), how do you take care of and store it? Well have you ever hear the saying, “Pearls should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off?” Well make that your mantra, and you’ve won half the battle.
When you wear your pearls,
Avoid contact with chemicals. This includes everything from make-up and perfume, to household cleaners. Even our own sweat is bad for them, so if you’re going to work out, then leave the pearls at home.
Avoid getting your pearls wet. Please do not bathe or swim with pearls on. If they do happen to get wet, then let them dry completely before storing them.
When you store your pearls,
Store each piece in an individual bag or pouch. Your items should come with a bag or box, which is usually great, so don’t throw it away. If not, you can certainly purchase a soft velvet, satin, or felt-lined bag. You don’t want to store your pearls together with other jewelry, as they can easily be scratched by metal or other gems. That would not be good!
Don’t store where exposed to heat or direct sunlight. Remember, your pearls are delicate, and the heat and extreme light can cause harm to them.
Store your pearls flat. Hanging a pearl necklace can stretch and weaken the cord it’s strung on. Speaking of which, you should get your pearls re-strung every year or two. I recommend having them knotted between each pearl to protect them from rubbing against each other. It’s also a good idea for safety. Should your strand happen to break, you’ll only be looking for one pearl on the floor, instead of all of them.
Don’t store them long-term in a safe. Pearls are meant to be worn. Storing them in a safe or safety deposit box for long periods of time will cause the pearls to dehydrate and possibly cause surface cracks. Now you don’t want that to happen, do you?!
When cleaning your pearls,
Never use an ultrasonic cleaner. This will just destroy them.
When you have to deep clean them, use a mild soap and water mix with a soft cloth. Never use any harsh detergents, dishwashing soap, a toothbrush, cleanser, etc. When cleaned, allow them to dry flat on a towel. Only when they’re completely dry should you store them. Of course, your other option would be to have them professionally cleaned.
Also, know that pearls look their best when they are lustrous, and over-cleaning them takes the luster away. So wear your pearls with joy and confidence! If you have any other pearl tips, please leave them in the comments below.
Each year I attend the Couture show in Las Vegas, it becomes more and more exciting. Not only is it a blast meeting new designers and seeing their collections, but it’s also a real treat to visit designers I know and love and see how their line is expanding. While Katherine Jetter is certainly known for her opals, she definitely has branched out this year, and I’m thrilled to show you my favorite new pieces in her line (in no particular order).
Roman Perfume Bottle
Bronze and aquamarine ring
Lava rock necklace
Pink diamond flower ring
Birdcage pendant
Katherine, you blew me away, once again! If you’d like to find out more about Katherine and her line, then check out her website.
Never having visited an actual jewelry studio before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. But I finagled a great parking spot in her east Mission neighborhood, and I was ushered up quite a few flights of stairs to an expansive, well-lit space. I was in heaven!
Rebecca has a solid reputation in the alternative bridal realm for both men and women.
Wanting to know more about the whole jewelry making process, she took me through her education and procedures. She was going to school in Savannah and decided to take a jewelry making class as an elective. While I was there, she pulled out an old hat box filled with her school projects, showing me her early attempts in silver. One of which is this highly complicated Celtic necklace, which was her first carved piece ever. “I don’t know how I actually did this in such detail!” Well clearly she has an innate talent!!
Though she did have a successful career in graphic design for an ad agency, the day after she was laid off she went out and bought her workbench, the same one shown in the photo above. She’s never looked back, and she’s been going full-time for 12 years now. (I just LOVE when people find their true calling!)
So back to her self-described “old school” process–she first carves her pieces in wax.
When the pieces are then cast in metal, she uses burs for setting the stones, and grinders and polishers for the final touches.
With her talent, vision, and creativity, the finished product is always something so special. She designs for a total range of clients, but she told me they all want something with a hand-crafted look. During my visit, she was getting ready for the NY Now show, which runs August 16-20. While she traditionally has used diamonds in her designs, she’s now branching out a bit into the world of color. This came about when she met a sapphire dealer from Sri Lanka who had some stunning gems. There were some woven pieces being made while I was at the studio as well, and here’s a glimpse of some of her colored sapphire rings. Given the rising popularity of colored gemstones, I’m confident that these will be a big hit at the show.
While I certainly appreciate the color, I had a few favorites from her various shades of neutral diamonds. She makes the most interesting and diverse collection of studs I’ve seen from one designer. (The photo below is a small snapshot.) I think the oval grey diamonds would make an outstanding addition to my jewelry collection, melding beautifully with many of my oxidized silver pieces…just sayin’.
My mind was whirling after our hour together, and I can’t wait to go visit again! Before leaving, she gifted me an autographed copy of Beth Bernstein’s Jewelry’s Shining Stars, which is a visual feast of a book featuring 38 jewelry designers who are really changing the face of jewelry today. No surprise that Rebecca is one of the featured designers.
I can’t thank Rebecca enough for opening her studio to me and letting me pick her brain about it all. It was an amazing field trip! xo
How many of you have avoided getting one of those step/calorie/basically “your whole life’s data is gathered right here” gadgets because it doesn’t blend well with your jewelry and outfit? I know that I certainly fall into that camp! Tory Burch has come up with a fashionable solution for those looking to wear a Fitbit Flex in a more covert way. She has developed a necklace and two different bracelet styles in which you can insert the device, yet it’s totally camouflaged.
She also has two silicone bracelets (in fuchsia and navy) with a subtle print. ($38)
So…does this array of stunning gems get your mouth watering? I know it does for me! Given the choice, I don’t know which one I’d want to wear first! Well all of these lovelies are the creation of Malak Atut from her jewelry line, Zaiken. (I learned the name Zaiken is a combination of her two sons’ names.) I was very honored to spend some time with her at the Couture show, and get an inside look at her collection.
Malak’s line is based in Manhattan, and every piece is made there. (Woot!) She has two main looks in her line. The first is Throwing Stones, which the above photo shows. This is where she “bezel-sets eye-poppingly gorgeous gemstones atop other gemstones.” The result is truly unique and lovely. Here’s a closer look at a pair of rainbow moonstone earrings from the collection.
Here’s another clever example in the form of a necklace.
Fashion runways are an interesting phenomenon, and I’ve been privileged to be “in the tents” in NYC for the shows. For the fall 2014 shows, various designers had models sauntering down the runway in one earring, from Louis Vuitton to Celine.
Louis Vuitton
And now that the pre-fall issues of all the fashion mags are hitting the stands (I know, while you are just breaking out your bikini and hitting the beach), it seems that the editorial staff is really promoting this look. While reading the July issue of Vogue, here are some of the images that were in their spread. (Definitely admire the quality of these photos that I took of the magazine pages–ha ha!)
