Lately celebrity moms have been spotted wearing necklaces engraved with the first letter of their new baby's name, a cute trend that's quickly increasing in popularity as more and more A-list ladies get pregnant. Among the first to do so was Nicole Richie, who is frequently seen sporting a gold "H" pendant (for daughter Harlow) . So who's behind the initial craze? Meet LA based jewelry designer to the stars Jennifer Meyer, she's the daughter of Ron Meyer (the President and CEO of Universal Studios) and she's married to Tobey McGuire. You can see her fabulous designs at the hippest jewelry boutiques around. Her famous 18K yellow gold and diamond initial pendants are now available online at twistonline.com, they cost $1,375.Diamond Initial Necklaces by Jennifer Meyer
Lately celebrity moms have been spotted wearing necklaces engraved with the first letter of their new baby's name, a cute trend that's quickly increasing in popularity as more and more A-list ladies get pregnant. Among the first to do so was Nicole Richie, who is frequently seen sporting a gold "H" pendant (for daughter Harlow) . So who's behind the initial craze? Meet LA based jewelry designer to the stars Jennifer Meyer, she's the daughter of Ron Meyer (the President and CEO of Universal Studios) and she's married to Tobey McGuire. You can see her fabulous designs at the hippest jewelry boutiques around. Her famous 18K yellow gold and diamond initial pendants are now available online at twistonline.com, they cost $1,375.Azza Fahmy Egyptian Jewelry
At London's Fashion Week something other than new clothing designs were making an impression: the jewelry and accessories by designer Azza Fahmy were not only noticed but they were loved as well.
Formerly a "British Designer of the Year" and always an Egyptian native, Azza Fahmy has been working diligently with her two daughters to market her unique jewelry designs far from home in Western markets (due to Middle Eastern tastes leaning more towards karat weights and grams of gold than art and creative design). Western shoppers are eating up the beautiful jewelry, no matter the expensive prices ($250 and up), and Fahmy hopes that popularity in the West will lead to better business in the East.
There's always a balance to be had, of course, but I have to say I'm happy to be part of a culture that values art and design over cold hard cash value. She's got some really beautiful pieces, especially the necklace above!
Gallery: Azza Fahmy Egyptian Jewelry
Raw Diamond Jewelry by Todd Reed
I've never been a big fan of diamonds (I even have a solitaire ruby on my wedding band instead of a diamond) but these raw diamonds in jewelry designs by Todd Reed are something else altogether. Not only are they colorful, but unique and not as flashy as traditional diamonds, which I'm sure is a love it/hate it sort of thing. To me there's something very cool about enjoying a stone thats been in the earth for ages without cutting or polishing it -- just appreciating it as it is. Although Todd Reed's latest release is a line of raw diamond cuff links for men, the rest of his collection is equally beautiful. My favorite is this cluster ring made of gold and raw diamonds for $9,375.
Thanks Marc!
Gallery: Raw Diamond Jewelry by Todd Reed
Kara Ross Zebra Wood Cuff Bracelet
Kara Ross is the designer that celebrities turn to for exquisite handbags and one of a kind jewelry, fans include Kate Beckinsale, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Oprah Winfrey! The new Kara Ross Zebra Wood Cuff Bracelet is unique and stunning, it features a single blue topaz stone atop an 18kt gold closure. Wood bangle cuff bracelets are in style this summer/fall, and so are animal prints, so this is the ultimate accessory du jour! Available online for $6,892.
Will the Real Asprey Please Stand Up?
It's one of the economic vagaries of the business that storied British luxury goods firm Asprey of London no longer has any connection (save an historical one) with the actual Asprey family. After the 200-year-old company was sold to Prince Jeffri of Brunei in the '90s, family scion William Asprey decided to start his own firm catering to the aristocratic trade (Asprey had long held royal warrants). However, he discovered to his dismay that he was no longer entitled to the use of his own last name; while Prince Jefri subsequently unloaded Asprey to a hedge fund, William opened a beautiful shop in London's Mayfair under the name William & Son.
Under its new owners Asprey has gone in an increasingly fashionable direction, and while producing some beautiful things it has suffered financial setbacks from over-enthusiastic expansion. William & Son by contrast hearkens back to Asprey's traditional roots, and still maintains an air of clubby exclusivity in its Mayfair premises (pictured above), which stocks high-end jewelry, silver, watches, leathergoods, china and crystal. A key facet of the business is its bespoke service, which will basically fashion anything you like in whatever precious material strikes your fancy as long as you can afford it. More recently William added an adjacent gun room, where beautiful silver-inlaid shotguns can now be had for $100,000 and up. He is certainly following through on his promise to "maintain his family's reputation in the historic splendour of No. 10 Mount Street." And what's in a name, after all?
Gallery: William & Son, London
Mikimoto Pearls for Mother's Day
You can buy your mother Mikimoto pearls and help fund breast cancer support this Mother's Day. Mikimoto donates 20% of proceeds from Everything is Possible With Hope, a special collection inspired by the pink ribbon, to the Young Survival Coalition. The YSC is a non-profit network of breast cancer survivors and supporters dedicated to young women, pushing for an effective breast cancer screening tool for women under 40 and research and support for this younger population of breast cancer survivors.
Gallery: Mikimoto Mother's Day
Diva's Pearls Go For Over $1 Million
You may never have heard of Umm Kulthoum but she's famous in the Arab world. In her day she was at least as popular as Marie Callas. She died over three decades ago and one of her prized jewels was just auctioned off for $1.38 million in Dubai by Christie's. The nine-strand necklace is made up of 1,888 pearls and brought in more than 10 times its $120,000 estimate. The reason for the high price is the immense sentimental value, it was her favorite piece, given to her by the late president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The necklace had remained in Kulthoum's family and was auctioned by her descendants.
[Thanks, Lana]
Jane Seymour's Jewelry Line
The latest celebrity with a jewelry line is Dancing With The Stars cast-off Jane Seymour. Seymour who also has a furniture and home decor line and is a painter, has created Open Hearts by Jane Seymour to be sold at Kay Jewelers. The line was inspired by Seymour's "Healing Hearts" paintings and represents the idea that if one's heart is open it will never stay broken. The two open hearts linked together also symbolize that two people can be one, while still retaining their individuality. The line includes sterling silver charms as well as gold and diamond necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings ranging from under $40 to $1,500. No word on if these jewels benefit charity likePetra Nemcova's heart jewelry does. [via National Jeweler]
Gallery: Jane Seymour Open Hearts Jewelry
Invisible Children, Charity Of The Day
Invisible Children is a charity that helps the impoverished children of Northern Uganda, in 2005 they started the Bracelet Campaign. Each bracelet is handmade in Uganda from reed and recycled wire and comes with a short film that tells the story of a child who has been affected by the war . After decades of war and upheaval, northern Uganda's economy has been decimated. Millions have been relocated to camps where they must depend on rations from international aid. The bracelet program provides work to the displaced families, and provides them with much needed income. Bracelets come in four different styles, and cost $20. What a great conversation piece, you can educate people by wearing one, and feel fabulous about helping a person in need.Gucci Bamboo Bracelet
This is the bracelet everybody is talking about! There was a waiting list a few months back and there are still some restrictions on when you can purchase them and how many you can get. You pretty much have to see it on to appreciate it, the charm doesn't look so huge when it's on an actual arm. 18 kt yellow gold, black enamel and the dramatic bamboo print make this bracelet a stunning addition to any accessories collection. Available online for $6,600!
Francesca Romana Diana Canapa Chic Bangle
Francesca Romana Diana is an Italian jewelry designer, who after opening her flagship store in Rio De Janeiro, quickly gained international recognition for her playful and bold large scale pieces. Her designs can be seen in boutiques from Paris to Palm Beach. Her colorful Canapa Chic Bangles were recently shown in InStyle magazine, they feature semi precious stones and gold accents atop meticulously woven raffia. Available in lime, red, turquoise and beige. I adore the beige one! They retail for $219 and are available on Ravinstyle.com.
The Louvre Picks Up A Crown Jewel
The wonderful thing about vintage jewelry is the history that comes with it. The intricate piece shown here is Empress Eugénie's brooch which was made in 1855 by the Parisian jeweler François Kramer for the French Empress. The brooch was set to be part of the Christie's Eye of a Connoisseur sale which was halted at the last minute due to a court order and a complicated situation involving Fred Leighton owner, Ralph Esmerian and a few outstanding loans from Merrill Lynch. Esmerian was having trouble paying his debts and had to surrender the collateral, his collection. Merrill Lynch tried to cash in the jewels at a Christie's auction in New York but Esmerian was able to block the sale although he had to declare bankruptcy in the process and will sell the pieces privately.The brooch had a pre-sales estimate of $4 million to $6 million but the Louvre paid close to $11 million, eager to get back a piece of the crown jewels. The brooch was first auctioned off in 1887 when the French government decided the property of French queens and kings would be sold to the highest bidder. The jeweler Emile Schlesinger bought the piece which was originally meant to be a belt buckle and was later turned into a stomacher: a pin that extends from the chest to the waist. Schlesinger bought the piece for Mrs. William Astor and remained in the Astor family for more than 100 years. The Astors were also, for a time, a type of American royalty so this beautiful piece acquired an additional worthy provenance.
Would the piece have been worth less without the history? A piece like this is just the sum of its parts, stones and metal. But it is also so much more, craftsmanship and history and that history was what the Louvre was willing to pay for.
Czech Crown Jewels Go On Display
Imagine having the crown shown above placed on your head. You can't do that but you can get a rare glimpse at the ornate creation. The crown is part of the Czech crown jewels currently on display at Prague castle. The gold crown is studded with 96 precious stones including rubies and sapphires. The AFP reports that it was first worn by the Holy Roman emperor and king of Bohemia, Charles IV of Luxembourg, for his Prague coronation in 1347. The crown is being shown along the the scepter, imperial orb and other priceless objects. Czechs and foreign visitors have only been allowed to view the jewels nine times in the last century. This time it is to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Czech Republic, the 90th anniversary of the foundation of Czechoslovakia and the re-election of President Vaclav Klaus and the object will be display for 11 days.
Gemesis $500,000 Diamond Necklace
Over the last few years, Gemesis, a company which sells "cultured" diamonds has gradually grown and they are now getting more designers to work with their stones. Last year designer Taryn Rose created a line using Gemesis stones and now Florida-based designer Lee Havens is displaying an impressive yellow cultured diamond necklace in his Palm Beach shop. The $500,000 necklace was created by Gemesis and features 72 stones for a total of 64 carats. The necklace is being sold to benefit The Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR) along with other pieces created by Gemesis such as rings and pendants priced from $20,000 to $40,000. Ten percent of sale proceeds will go to the charity.
[via Palm Beach Daily News]
Isharya Square Filigree Bangle
I love the unique antique look of this ornate over-sized bracelet. Made by the apparel & jewelry design duo called Isharya, the Square Filigree Bangle is an eye catching and stylish addition to any jewelry collection. Shimmering18kt gold vermeil is woven and twisted into intricate organic shapes, giving the delicate appearance of lace. This piece has a handcrafted feel that reminds me of India. Available on shopintuition.com for $472. Isharya has gotten loads of press in the last year, check out their impressive celebrity following and rave reviews from fashion magazines here.
