amy roseveare – Page 9 – Jewelry Fashion Tips

“My Charmed Life” Book Review and Giveaway

When I first heard about My Charmed Life by Beth Bernstein, I knew I had to read it! In this memoir, she shares her life story through the jewelry she wore, from “rocky romances, precious family connections and searching for a band of gold.” While I knew that I would certainly enjoy the story, I had no idea how much I’d resonate with her feelings, her stories, and how powerful jewelry is in ones life story. In fact, many times I felt like I was reading from the pages of my own life!

Simply the introduction brought tears to my eyes, as she described a ziploc baggie of jewelry she was handed as her mother unexpectedly passed away. I can only imagine such heartache and grief…and then reliving all the memories that each special piece in the bag carries with it. Personally, I know that each time I wear my grandmother’s opal ring or my Nonie’s engagement ring, I feel as if they’re right there next to me. Images flash before my eyes of our times together.

I just adored the chapter about her wanting to get her ears pierced, and her only ally in the “grand scheme” was her much-loved grandmother. It was written with such young feminine angst that I could honestly feel her deepest yen to get them pierced. (But I won’t tell you how that chapter turned out!) I was emotionally right there with her when growing up, as my dad forbid me to pierce my ears until college graduation, threatening to stop paying my tuition. Luckily, when I tempted fate and went through with it my sophomore year, he didn’t make good on that threat. 😉

The way Beth describes her relationship with her niece, Sammie (and later her nephews) is purely magical. She made a gorgeous jewelry box for her to celebrate her birth. As she states on pg. 172, “I wanted to be the first person to purchase her jewelry that she would cherish and remember later on, and that would connect us as it had my grandmother, mom and me.” I, too, gave my niece a jewelry box for her birth, and deemed myself “the jewelry aunt.”

I feel like the author and myself have lived somewhat parallel lives when I read lines such as, “…while I was multitasking — flipping through fashion magazines, writing an article on buying estate jewelry and perusing profiles on Match.com.” Seriously?! I’m not the only one? In fact, much of the book is dedicated to the different relationships Beth has had in her life, and I admire her penchant for foreign men and taking that risk. Her romances take her all over the globe, and in each one, there is a jewelry story as well.

It was through her life experiences that she really found the joy in self-gifting, which you know I’m a huge proponent of! On pg. 197 she reveals, “I learned that it might be easier to find the right ring than the right man.” Oh, how true, sister! Thus began her fabulous practice of self-gifting, with a lovely platinum and diamond eternity band. I completely agree with what she says on pg. 199, “I’ve joined the growing ranks of self-purchasing women who are in touch with their tastes, more confident about their personal styles and know they’ve worked hard and are worth it.”

Well you, my dear readers, are worth it as well. And while I encourage all of you to buy and read this delightful book (because I know you’ll love it!), I do have ONE autographed copy available for you to win! So enter the contest below, and best of luck to you all!

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Battery-Powered Bling: Jewelry Judge

My niece is 7, and she just adores anything that glows, sparkles or blinks. But when you’re a 50-something year-old woman (and not accompanied by a child that would explain this), I have a problem. Yes, it was evening, but we were not at an amusement park nor a concert. In my opinion, leave the battery-powered jewelry at home. Just sayin’.

blinking blue bracelet — And her outfit was so classy….

Konstantino: Designer

Apparently “trunk show season” is now upon us, and there seems to be numerous happenings in the Bay Area each week. This past week, I was psyched to meet Konstantino for the first time, and he was quite a character!

konstantino and amy roseveare — He has quite a sparkle in his eyes!

This Greek born and bred designer still stays true to his heritage. His entire line is designed and produced in Greece, under one roof. His goldsmiths are trained by him and work only for him. He doesn’t outsource a single thing, even marketing. You have to love that commitment! With about 30 years under his belt now, his sterling silver and 18K gold designs are inspired from everything from “Socrates to Jimmy Hendrix.” (his words…no joke) In fact, music has played an integral part in his life and his line. He stated that, “sometimes the walls of my studio are just moving with the music when I design.”

Here’s a photo I snapped of some of his gorgeous rings.

I was actually blown away by his men’s line, and I spoke with quite a few male customers while making their purchases. I love the weight of his chain bracelets, and the uniqueness of his pendants. In fact, I would certainly love some of these, even though they were part of his men’s line.

konstantino men's bracelets — Love these!

konstantino pendants — I think many of of these are unisex

When I asked him what most people don’t know about him, his response was, “I just love women.” Personally, I don’t think that’s really a secret. This father of 16 and 19 year-olds was oozing charm to all that were gathered to try on his gorgeous line. And I just adore that he had people of every age admiring his jewelry.

Personally, I’m a fan, and if you are, then go explore the collection! I was at Neiman Marcus in San Francisco for this trunk show. You can also find him at specialty retailers around the globe.

NYC Urban Edge: Jewelry Judge

I was thrilled to be working in NYC last week! After I finished outfitting my clients, I had a couple days to really explore the city. And no surprise how I spent my time…no shows…no visiting ground zero…just shopping!

As I cruised around the shops in the Meatpacking district, I stopped by Scoop. The most darling guy greeted me from behind the counter, and we started chatting. I was immediately drawn to his array of bracelets and ring. It seemed so spot on, both for his personal style and for the vibe of NYC.

jewelry judge — He rocked this combination!

The widest bracelet he has had for “ages” (he mentioned since high school), the thinner nail bracelet was purchased his first day working at Scoop, the cross, well because he’s obsessed with crosses (though I failed to ask his religion), and the awesome ring was from an ex. I think it comes together in a uber-cool, harmonious collection. Dee-lish.

UrbanSpace, Meatpacking District

While working in New York City this past week (oh my fabulous!), I had the opportunity to do some exploring. Hopping off the E subway line at 14th, I started wandering the increasingly retail-oriented streets. Though there was on and off rain, it didn’t stop the vendors in UrbanSpace from showcasing their wares. It’s located on Washington, between Little W 12th and 14th.

Basically, this is a semi-permanent market, packed full of stalls selling jewelry, t-shirts, and other assorted items. There were also food vendors, but I didn’t check them out. (Priorities, right?!) Many of the vendors will show through the holidays, braving the sleet and snow when they come. While I was intrigued by so many of the jewelry booths, here’s a snapshot of some of my favorites.

First is Bora ([email protected]), a brooklyn-based designer. His work is inspired by the Ottoman empire, and I was just loving his ornate rings! And yes…one just may have gone home with me.

bora rings — These look MUCH more expensive than they cost.

Then there was Edward Owl (named after the designer’s grandfather’s name and her grandmother, who loved owls).

edward owl necklaces — Simple and organic — lovely

The brightly colored necklaces at Wink and Flip are totally on-trend. This spring trend has no signs of dying down and has transitioned right into fall style.

wink and flip necklaces — This table was just happy!

I also appreciated the clean lines at We See Stars, also made locally.

we see stars necklaces — Minimal and chic

They also had these cool cast brass rings.

we see stars rings — A little bit edgy, and easy to mix with other rings

This is just a glimpse of the array of jewelry available at this market. If you’re in the area, I definitely suggest you stop by. And if you find yourself there around lunchtime, as I did, I highly recommend eating at The Standard Grill at the nearby Standard Hotel. (It’s on the same side of Washington, just across the street from the market) The potato/leek frittata was absolutely delicious!

Colette: Designer

When I approached Colette’s booth at the Couture show, I assumed that the woman I saw was a model for the jewelry. But no! This beauty was actually the French-Mexican designer herself. As I spoke with her, I discovered that her personality is just as lovely.

Colette Steckel and Amy Roseveare — I so enjoyed meeting Colette!

Raised part time in Paris, and part time in Mexico City, Colette Steckel is a big-time nature lover. The majority of her designs seem to be inspired by nature, whether it be the starry sky, the sea, or even a singular leaf. In fact, she told me that her leaf logo actually was based on one she spied outside her door in Paris. She adored that it was not perfect, yet beautiful at the same time. Here is that leaf come to life in the form of a stunning black gold and white diamond bracelet.

colette bracelets — The Saint Germaine Bangle

One of her most famous collections is the “galaxy” group, inspired by the cosmos. Just like the dark sky full of sparkling stars, this collection is comprised of elements such as black diamonds, labradorite, pearls and Sri Lanka moonstones. Here’s a ring from “Galaxia” (in Spanish), made of 18K black gold, white diamonds and obsidian.

Colette’s hand-made line is very feminine, yet definitely out of the ordinary. In her words, “I like my designs to be very real, but with a twist of fantasy and edge.” She hopes to create heirlooms that will be passed down to future generations.

Most recently, her jewelry has exploded with color! After spending a month in Corsica, she was truly moved by the sea. Each day she would note the ever-changing tones and colors of the water. She also loved the colorful dragonflies that would skim above the sea, their delicate wings reflecting both sun and sea. Here is one of her dragonfly necklaces, created from black gold, emeralds and diamonds.

I was very drawn to quite a few pieces made from vintage purple turquoise. I’ve never seen such a stone! And in fact, I found out that they aren’t being mined anymore, so it’s rare indeed. Here’s a pair of earrings showcasing this purple turquoise, along with pink tourmaline and white diamonds.

While shopping with a client in NYC this week, I was thrilled to see Colette’s line at Fragments in Soho. It can also be found at other specialty retailers around the world.

Delicate Layers: Jewelry Judge

I was at the wrap desk at a boutique in Montecito paying for a blouse, when I was distracted the young 20-something salesgirl’s artfully layered necklaces. While I wouldn’t have necessarily thought to have put them together, I really admired the result! One was on a silver chain, one on a gold chain. One was a classic design, the other quite bohemian. Yet, they somehow worked together beautifully. Come to find out, the pave diamond and turquoise necklace was designed by her mother, a jewelry designer…clearly the jewelry gene is in the blood.

layered necklaces — Unexpected combination

Wooden Earrings: Jewelry Judge

OK…this combination virtually rendered me speechless. When I first saw these earrings, they sort of looked like beige lips with a darker-toned cherry on top…uh…and then combined with the pink/white striped floor-length dress and sequined shrug, I really think it was just one hot mess. Though I will say that the earrings were very light-weight for their size, and she was most definitely a lovely girl. But really, I don’t understand anything about this whole look. What IS her personal style?!?

wood earrings — How did she come up with this???

Monique Pean: Designer

I have this beautifully decorated folder called my “Style File” that sits front and center on my desk. Whenever I see something in a magazine that I love, I rip it out and add it to my file. These are not necessarily items that I can afford or even fit, but they just speak to me. Through this process, I’m really able to see my style direction, and it inspires me each and every time I look through it.

Well about a year ago I saw a pair of earrings (though I can’t even remember in what publication!) that just took my breath away. They were an elongated teardrop of some sort of horn, with the tiniest of diamonds carefully inlaid in each one. I HAD to try them on! So off I went to Barney’s, and voila, there they were, in the Monique Pean case! Yes! They were perfect — they suited my face shape, complemented my coloring, and they were as light as a feather. Had they been in my budget, I would have gone home wearing them. But alas…I am left to just dream about them.

With this experience still fresh in my mind over a year later, imagine how delighted I was to meet this talented designer in person at the Couture show.

monique pean and amy roseveare — Meeting one of my jewelry idols!

Once I started researching Monique, it wasn’t just her incredible designs that drew me to her. In fact, she is “committed to luxury bespoke products that promote social and environmental responsibility.” Her entire line is comprised of sustainable, conflict-free and fair-trade materials. She is active in the No Dirty Gold campaign, as well as various other charities. She explained to me that mining gold releases mercury into the earth. (that’s not good!) And creating just one ring NOT using sustainable materials can create up to 20 tons of waste!! I can’t even wrap my head around that one. One of her main thrusts has been to help people get clean drinking water. Currently, she has made that happen for over 5000 people for the next 20 years. Now if that’s not awesome, I don’t know what is!!

OK, I can go on and on about this highly-awarded designer, who’s line launched in 2006, but I’ll stop there. Let’s get down to the jewels!!

Here is a classic example of how she uses fossilized walrus ivory along with black diamonds to craft a one-of-a-kind statement ring.

monique pean ring — This would work dressed up or down!

And here is a bracelet also made from the fossilized walrus ivory. You can really see how the natural materials have great color variation.

monique pean jewelry — Organically stunning

Not all of her pieces are on the larger scale. She also has many delicate designs as well. I think these opal slice studs would be an amazing addition to my jewelry box! (dreaming again….) She told me that all the opals she uses are hand-chiseled, with no dynamite used.

monique pean — Another item on my lust list

While this necklace is about the same price as a luxury automobile, I’d still choose the necklace! It’s created from diamond slices and slices of fossilized wooly mammoth.

It’s no surprise that Monique has a huge celebrity following as well, from Michelle Obama to stars of screen and stage. Here’s Leighton Meester adorned in some lovely earrings by Pean.

I just love that this jewelry is making such a positive impact on the earth, in addition to making it more gorgeous. I hope to one day own my own piece by Monique, but in the meanwhile, I will keep appreciating the collection and all Monique does for our planet.

What’s Your Opinion???: Jewelry Judge

Ok…so I was meeting a friend for lunch downtown the other day. While waiting for her, I spied this gal pushing her baby carriage toward the door. Granted, I give her two big thumbs up for being “dressed up” with an infant — a feat to be applauded! So her jewelry struck me, and I was honestly not the big fan. I thought the cheap-looking bejeweled neon necklace really competed with the gold monogram necklace. In combination with the striped tee and the ruffled military jacket, I just thought it was a bit…uh…trying too hard. I think it would have been perfect minus the orange necklace.

SO interesting, though, that when my friend arrived (mid-photo shoot), she was completely in love with the look. So what’s your take? Thumbs up or down?