couture jewelry show – Page 3 – Jewelry Fashion Tips

Katherine Jetter: Designer

It must have been back when I was about 8 years old or so…my grandmother went on a cruise to Austraila, and she brought me back (what I thought was) THE most amazing necklace. It’s pendant was a kangaroo with some opal chips in it. I had never seen an opal before, and I thought I’d died and gone to heaven! Well let me tell you, Australian-born jewelry designer Katherine Jetter takes opals and other Australian themes to a whole new level!

I was drawn to Katherine’s booth at the Couture show because I had seen one of her rings in a glossy publication in my hotel room. It’s called the Madame Butterfly ring, and it’s made of hand-carved white opals, accented with diamonds and a Mandarin garnet in the center. Mesmerizing, right?!

katherine jetter madam butterfly ring — Now THIS is a floral ring!

Katherine is just as lovely as her jewelry, and she generously spent her time showing me her line and educating me about it.

katherine jetter and amy roseveare — Wearing one of her amazing bracelets

Here’s a close-up of the stunning cuff I was wearing. It’s made of 18K yellow gold with diamonds. The detail is amazing! Look at the turtle and the coral — it’s just like you were under the sea! Speaking of turtles, this is Katherine’s signature on all her pieces. Whether it’s prominent, as in this cuff, or hidden in the back of a smaller earring, there is a turtle on each and every piece of her jewelry. According to Egyptian mythology, the turtle symbolizes good luck and protection. I love this sentiment and detail in her collection.

katherine jetter cuff — Great Barrier Reef cuff

The main inspirations for her line come from her home country — the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. Though she spent time in the corporate world, she was drawn to jewelry design over 6 years ago. I’m so glad she followed her heart, as her designs are truly unique! (And trust me, I’ve seen a lot of jewelry lines!)

Much of her collection features opals, sourced from Austaila, Peru, and Mexico. I’m not quite sure how she comes up with her exquisite designs, but here’s a prime example. This is the Whitsunday Island pendant, which showcases a lightening ridge black opal that’s over 34 carats! Combined with 18K white gold, diamonds and a moonstone chain, the result is fantastic!

katherine jetter necklace — Whitsunday Island Pendant

Here is how she used white opal splinters entwined in sterling silver with pink mist tourmaline, to create a pair of earrings unlike any I’ve ever seen.

katherine jetter earrings — Hanging vine earrings

I’m clearly not the only one intrigued by her designs. She’s definitely getting a celebrity following. Both Renee Bargh and Naomi Watts will be adorned in her jewels while walking the red carpet at the Australian Film Insitute Awards this Wednesday, June 27th. I think I’ll have to tune in and check it out!

Vibe’s by Lene Vibe Dahlgren

One of the coolest parts of attending the Couture jewelry show was meeting designers from all over the globe. Case and point…meeting Lene from Copenhagen, Denmark, and learning about her “magical” line, Vibe’s, the likes of which I’d truly never seen before!

vibe's jewelry denmark — Learning about Lene's line

The Vibe’s studio and shop are located in a quaint two-story terra-cotta colored building built back in 1750. One of the key selling points to Lene was the antique safe from 1820. No, this safe is not used for securing jewelry. In fact, it would be useless considering it has a huge hole in the back of it from a robbery back in the “olden days.” No…Lene uses the safe to store her port wine, which she enjoys sharing with special customers. Love that!

So back to the jewelry…the Vibe’s line is inspired by the fairy tales of Hans Christen Andersen. When you think of these tales, you envision fairies dancing, mystical animals moving through the enchanted forest, and other whimsical creatures. This is exactly what you’ll find in her designs. Check out the exquisite detail in this ring, from the little insect to the tiny sea shell!

And here are some more examples of her rings. Notice the raw, yet carefully curated beauty in each creation.

vibe's rings — Fit for a wood-nymph princess!

You’ll notice a variety of pearls in her line, from baroque South Sea to Keshi to freshwater. Combined with other gems and brushed 18K gold, the result is quite stunning. Each time you look at her pieces, you’ll notice more and more detail.

I think part of the reason Lene has such a vivid, fantastical imagination is that she treasures children and appreciates how they see the world. In fact, she always travels with drawings by her 4 1/2 and 7 1/2 year old children.

lene vibe dahlgren — Showing me the art in her "portfolio"

Personally, I would love to visit her shop in Copenhagen one day. But luckily, I can still see her work in person at one my FAVE jewelry stores in the USA, Fragments in New York City. This store is definitely a must-see on your next trip to the Big Apple!

Efva Attling: Designer

I arrived at the Couture jewelry show a couple days before it started, as I wanted some time to relax in Vegas. (OK…actually time to shop, who am I trying to kid?!) While lounging by the pool one morning, I saw a very stylish woman in an aqua bikini gracefully walking into the pool. The next night, at Couture’s poolside opening party (Taio Cruz!), I found myself sitting next to that same glamorous woman. Coincidence? I think not. I’m confident that we were supposed to meet.

Come to find out that she is Efva Attling, an amazing jeweler from Stockholm, Sweden.

We sat for quite some time in her salon, as she told me a bit about her life and how she came to be the woman and designer she is today. Her history includes being an uber-famous model (she was even on the cover of Elle at age 50!), headlining a gold-record band back in the 80’s, and hosting a talk show, just to touch the tip of the iceberg. Regardless of her fame, she is extremely open and down to earth. She exudes a positive energy that just draws you to her. I think this energy translates to the jewelry she designs.

Known for her silver work, her tag line is “beauty with a thought,” as she desires to connect with people with “short songs,” as she calls them. While she can’t put an entire song’s lyrics on her pieces, she instead carefully selects words to get to the heart of the matter and connect with wearer. I love the words embedded in this necklace, don’t you?! It’s a rod of rock crystal with silver.

efva attling necklace — This necklace says it all!

Here’s a very clever necklace, that has a heart tucked inside. When she gave one as a gift to Angelina Jolie, she had the names of her children inscribed on the heart. Precious.

And this unique cuff bracelet has a fingerprint on it — do you see it? Believe it or not, it’s the fingerprint of her mother, which she captured before she passed away. Truly, all her jewelry has a heart.

efva attling bracelet — A cuff with meaning

Her fine jewelry is also quite amazing. Here she is wearing one of her signature necklaces. All I can say is, “Wow!”

While we were talking, she told me the story of a very good friend of hers. She had tried for years to have a child, and was finally blessed with a son. This precious gift was then taken from her in the tsunami in 2004. In her grief for her friend’s loss, she designed a special angel necklace. This “Angels” necklace, in cooperation with the Red Cross, has now raised over a million dollars for the tsunami victims. I think this story clearly demonstrates the type of woman Efva is.

For those of you stateside who can’t quite swing jewelry shopping in Sweden, don’t despair! In addition to her online shop, she also recently opened a boutique in the fabulous meatpacking district in New York City. Personally, I can’t wait to check it out on my next trip to the Big Apple!

Couture Jewelry Show in Las Vegas!

I have had the privilege of attending the Couture Jewelry show the past few days in Las Vegas. Known as THE show to attend, you can only imagine that I was giddy with delight from my first step into the ballroom. No matter which way you turned, there were salons filled with the most gorgeous jewelry you can imagine. There were multitudes of talented designers that were new to me, some designers that I’ve only read about (and dying to meet) were there in person, and of course some of my long-time favorite lines as well. The diamonds, the pearls, the brightly colored gemstones…it was quite overwhelming.

I interviewed my little heart out, and in the months to come, I’ll be sharing what I discovered with all of you. I met people from around the globe, and I learned so much about design, the industry and how many jewelers are really becoming eco-conscious. Have you ever heard of the “No Dirty Gold” campaign? Well neither had I until I spoke with Monique Pean while drooling over her designs. No worries — I’ll fill you in on all the scoop.

So get ready, first up this week will be a treasure from Stockholm Sweden….