anne sportun – Jewelry Fashion Tips

Green Gems: My Top 20 Picks

I try not to discriminate in the world of gemstones, but I must admit that emeralds have never been one of my favorite stones. (I guess it’s lucky I wasn’t born in May.) So I thought I’d give myself a challenge this St. Patrick’s Day and delve into the world of green stones, from emeralds to green diamonds to tourmalines and beyond. I decided to send myself on a virtual shopping spree, with no budget constraints and see what gorgeous green gems I could come up with. Folks, I was definitely NOT disappointed, and I now have a completely new appreciation for lovely baubles in all shades of green. So here goes, my top 20 picks.

Earrings

First up is this amaze-balls pair of earrings by Sutra.

Next I started drooling over these oval cravellit earrings by Armenta.

With the bar necklace trend still fresh in my mind, I expanded further by adoring these bar earrings by Jennifer Meyer. Though they are made of opals, they definitely read “green,” don’t you think?

For a classic tear-drop with a twist, take a look at these chrysoprase earrings by Irene Neuwirth.

And taking a more yellow-green approach, I think Anne Sportun has a lovely design in green garnets and diamonds!

Necklaces

Moving down the body, I started looking for green ways to adorn my neck. And oh, what lovelies did I find! First, I fell in lust with this tourmaline and diamond necklace by LFrank.

For a truly dramatic look, Irene Neuwirth nailed it with this emerald necklace.

irene neuwirth columbian emerald necklace

I also explored the world of vintage jewelry, and I fell in love with this antique “Mogul” emerald and diamond pendant. The emerald was carved 1695 — so pretty!

antique amogul emerald & diamond pendant

Back to a simpler design, I think this green diamond paisley by Sethi Couture is beautiful.

And finally, this pendant necklace by Emily Amey would be great in creative layers.

Bracelets

Taking us to the wrist, I was loving the array of choices in which you can adorn yourself in green gemstones. This ombre look in chrysoprase and green quartz by Mary Esses is phenomenal.

Since I am a fan of stacking bracelets, I thought this bangle by Nak Armstrong would be a fab addition to my jewelry box. I love how the emeralds are such an unusual hue — veering more toward the aqua-green side.

I am often seen wearing my Hermes click-clack bracelet, and perhaps one in green would be just the right way to add a punch of color to my oft-neutral ensembles.

This delicate cuff by Jemma Wynne made of Zambian emeralds, gold and diamonds is perfection.

And given that this exercise gave me an unlimited budget, why not go for this tourmaline and diamond bracelet via Sotheby’s?

sotheby's tourmaline and diamond bracelet

Rings

Lest we forget our fingers, I kept on the search. The first ring to catch my eye was this emerald slice and diamond stunner by Monique Pean. The stone has such a smoky quality to it — love it!

For a much more organic, boho look, I’d opt for something like this adventurine and sterling silver ring from Circle & Square.

Given my penchant for stacking rings, I know that I could incorporate some of these skinnies by Suzy Landa into my collection.

I think this opaque green diamond ring by Sethi Couture would look amazing with my skin tone.

And to end with another vintage piece, I think this emerald and diamond ring from the late 1800’s/early 1900’s via Bonhams is exquisite. I’m actually shocked that it sold for under $3K.

emerald & diamond ring late 18th century

So what do you think of my virtual shopping spree? Do you see some pieces that you’d like as well? Wishing you a fabulous St. Patrick’s Day!

Essenza: Fab Seattle Boutique

I recently returned from a girl’s weekend in Seattle with my cousin Rachel and my “cousin-to-be” Megan. We had a blast, despite the rainy weather, exploring this beautiful and friendly city. Since they were hanging with me, a professional shopper, I know that they weren’t surprised when I pulled out my page of hand-written notes on all the shops I wanted to visit. And bonus, Megan had a rental car! So off to the Fremont neighborhood we went, which is about a 15 minute drive from downtown Seattle.

One of the shops on my “must see” list was Essenza, which is a unique combination of jewelry, bath/skincare products, sleepwear, and some kid’s items. I knew I liked the store before I entered, which was painted in a pale aqua-blue (my favorite color).

And my thoughts were confirmed as I entered this charming store, with a central fountain surrounded by beautiful cases of jewelry.

So many of my favorite designers were represented, from Megan Thorne to Rebecca Overmann to Sarah McGuire.

Peering into the cases from Zoe Chicco and Jamie Joseph definitely brought a smile to my face!

I was excited to find a new men’s jewelry line, The Blue Hound. It’s so rare that I see a men’s line represented at a store like this, and I loved it! It was very industrial, and had a great price point. Here’s some bad-ass skull cufflinks and a couple edgy bracelets.

If you’re in the Seattle area this coming week, then it’s the perfect time to stop by the store. They will be hosting an Anne Sportun (oh, how I love her and her line!) trunk show. Here’s the details on the show.

I hope that the next time you’re in Seattle, you’ll make the effort to visit Essenza. I met Wendy, the owner’s sister, and she was just charming. And in a typical small world style, it turns out that she used to live in the San Francisco Bay Area and knew tons of people in common with my cousin. Go figure! I love how the universe keeps connecting us all in that special way.

Anne Sportun: Designer

A few years ago, I bought this ring by Anne Sportun at a local shop, and it quickly became one of my faves! (In fact my friend Karen liked it so much, that she bought one as well!)

Since then, I’ve been trying to meet her…but I always seemed to be out of town or busy when she had a local trunk show. But the stars were in alignment at Couture this year, when I got to spend a good amount of time chatting with her, finding out more about her line, and really getting to know her as a person. Let me tell you, she is just as lovely as her jewelry line!

Anne had her first jewelry order at age 16, when she was making jewelry out of stained glass. (Clearly jewelry designing was in her blood!) She is based in Toronto, Canada, and is fortunate to have her home, her studio and her shop all within a mile radius. How cool is that?! While her original plan was to study archaeology, she decided to sign up for a gold smithing class on a break before university. One thing led to another, and her jewelry business grew.

Anne explained to me that she has three different parts in her line: fashion, bridal, and alternative bridal jewelry. Each piece is hand-crafted in her studio, and many pieces have her signature stardust finish. This ring is her all-time favorite, with diamonds and an organic edge.

Being that aqua is my favorite color, I was instantly drawn to this aquamarine ring. It reminds me of the sea with a strand of sparkling sand.

In that same collection, she has these amazing earrings, which can be worn three ways! The pendant can be worn on either side, and it can be totally removed so that you are just left with the studs.

Voila --chic studs! — Voila –chic studs!

Anne’s tagline is “Precious. Everyday.” and I whole-heartedly agree with that sentiment. When you have a beautiful piece of jewelry that you love, then wear it — don’t leave it for “good” hidden away in your jewelry box. Case in point would be this ring, which I would rock every day if I owned it! The three main stones are sapphire slices, surrounded by white diamonds and set in white gold.

I couldn’t resist trying on a few of her bridal rings, either. They are all made for stacking, which is a great selling point. My favorite was this one — I love how the center stone is round, yet the outer setting is oval. It’s definitely a design I haven’t seen before!

Anne is really an outdoor girl, and she gets much of her inspiration from nature. She gets so much joy from spending time at her lake house with her husband and three children. She told me that she has a “calm, blessed, happy life” and I know that this is true. She just exudes a feeling of peace when you spend time with her. “Life is a series of synchronicity,” she told me, and I think that’s such a cool way to look at life. It was such a pleasure to meet her, and I will now picture her in my mind’s eye in this fantastic room at her lake house, dreaming up her next design.