Jewelry News

Chanel has traditional kept its distance from e-commerce, until recently. In pop-up style, Net-a-Porter.com will display a small but significant collection of Chanel’s jewelry wear for a three week period.

“The six-piece Coco Crush collection will be available on the site from April 15 until May 6. It then will be available only in Chanel stores. The collection, in 18k white and yellow gold, consists of five rings and one cuff, each in Chanel’s iconic quilted pattern. The pieces retail for $2,049 to $19,762.

“We are thrilled that Chanel has decided to work with Net-a-Porter on this exclusive initiative,” said Alison Loehnis, president of Net-A-Porter. “Chanel is a brand that we admire greatly and we are incredibly honored and proud to partner with them on their first ever fine jewelry eCommerce project. This fabulous collection completely embodies the unequivocal chic Chanel spirit – classic, modern and timeless – that is sure to resonate with the Net-a-Porter customer.”

In a post announcing the collection on her Instagram, Natalie Massanet, executive chairman of the Net-A-Porter group, wrote, “Have waited 15 years for this!”

 

Source: JCK

This timepiece is so dazzling, I had to put on my sunglasses while reading the article in JCK this morning. Seriously, have you ever seen such an ornately detailed, dazzling watch? Probably not. Since its one of a kind…and there’s the matter of that pesky pricetag.

A hearty “wow.”

Graff Diamonds once again made a splash at Baselworld, introducing a $40 million watch topped with a 38 ct. D Flawless that can be converted to a bracelet or ring. 

Billed as the world’s most valuable transformable timepiece, the Fascination is covered in 152.96 cts. white diamonds and topped with a 38.13 ct. D Flawless pear shape.

The pear-shaped stone can also be worn as a centerpiece in a bracelet or ring, the company said.

Check out a recent article in the New Yorker that details the discovery of a trunk of intricately designed Callot dresses, designed by three sisters who are considered by some to be the most amazing designers in fashion history. Their detail to craftsmanship is astounding and will inspire us to continually raise the bar higher.

A “Callot dress” is one that was made by the Paris haute-couture house Callot Soeurs—Callot Sisters. The sisters are not much remembered now: there has been no monograph on their work, and no retrospective. Yet, not long after Callot Soeurs opened their atelier, in 1895, they became one of the great names in Belle Époque fashion. Madeleine Vionnet, one of the most influential and radical designers of the twentieth century, was the sisters’ head seamstress. She ranked them higher than the self-proclaimed King of Fashion, Paul Poiret. “Without the example of the Callot Soeurs,” Vionnet said, “I would have continued to make Fords. It is because of them that I have been able to make Rolls-Royces.”

Few dresses made by Callot Soeurs have survived. So when the cache of some twenty gowns was found moldering in the trunks in the villa, it was a major discovery. The villa was La Pietra, built by a Medici banker and bought, in 1907, by Hortense Mitchell Acton, a Chicago heiress, who was the wife of Arthur Acton, an Anglo-Italian antique dealer. Their son, Sir Harold Acton, the Oxford memoirist, historian, and aesthete, bequeathed the estate to New York University, in the nineteen-nineties.

 

One of Hortense Mitchell Acton’s Callot Soeurs gowns in the Camera Verde of Villa La Pietra. The gold and silver lace at the neck, the apron skirt, and the five metallic rosettes across the chest recall the forms of a Gothic cathedral. The sleeves are made of metallic lace, now oxidized.

 

“Without the example of the Callot Soeurs,” Vionnet said, “I would have continued to make Fords. It is because of them that I have been able to make Rolls-Royces.”

 

An orange silk dress with silk and metallic fringe, in the garden of La Pietra. Hortense Mitchell Acton likely wore it at one of the extravagant parties she hosted there, among the Actons’ collection of sculpture.

 

Made of silk velvet, and embroidered with blue silk, this dress suffered from being stored beneath a gown with “glass-bead disease.”

One can only imagine the utter thrill and excitement archaeologists must feel when uncovering items from thousands of years ago. These items consist of a rare cache of jewelry and silver coins, minted during from the reign of Alexander the Great, and have been discovered in a stalactite filled cave in northern Israel.

Two coins of Alexander of Macedon, three rings, four bracelets, two decorated earrings, three other earrings, probably made of silver, and a small stone weight.

Nested in the clay oil lamp, the agate stones are extremely well preserved, as if they were brand new.

Source: Discovery News

Have you ever heard of a gorget? Neither have I, until today. But just imagine it: the jewelry you wear today has a vast history of meaning and significance. So vast, it extends to the beginning of humankind!

This particular gorget showcases a combination of a bird and a cat, similar to a composite animal that would fall in the same category as a unicorn. The bird and cat each represent a different spirit.

NEWTOWN, Ohio —An American Indian gorget, or wearable ornament, dating back to prehistoric times was discovered by chance two weeks ago in the village of Newtown, Ohio.

“These things are engraved with these animals on it and we rarely see engraving or artwork that goes back this far in time. That’s why they’re so wonderful,” Archaeological Curator at the Cincinnati Museum Center Bob Genheimer said.

Watch this story

It’s not the first time that such an artifact has been found, but it is the first time in more than 30 years.

“And that’s really the way all of them have been found — sort of accidentally,” Genheimer said. “(It’s) not work that we have done ourselves, but construction work. We would love, at some point, to get out there and really take a look and see what’s going on.”

Authorities said the cultural significance of the piece represents American Indian culture. The gorgets typically accompany human remains. All three were found in Newtown, just a few hundred feet from each other.

This particular one showcases a combination of a bird and a cat, similar to a composite animal that would fall in the same category as a unicorn. The bird and cat each represent a different spirit.

Historians said the gorgets are so rare that there are only six or seven in the country, and three of them are in Cincinnati.

 

Source: WLWT in Ohio.

In time for Easter, Faberge has broken the shell on its latest egg in almost 100 years.

February 26, 2015

Faberge’s new Pearl Egg, its first Imperial Egg in nearly 100 years, features 139 white pearls and 3,305 diamonds as well as other precious gemstones.

London–Fabergé is returning to its roots, bringing back the tradition of creating objets d’art with a new pearl egg that marks the first since the early 1900s.

To celebrate the coming 100th anniversary of the last Fabergé Imperial Eggs ever delivered, the brand collaborated with the Al-Fardan family, renowned pearl collectors; each pearl included on the egg was selected by Hussain Ibrahim Al-Fardan from his private collection.

The new Pearl Egg marks the first egg objet in Faberge’s “Imperial Class” since 1917 and required the work of 20 highly skilled workers to come together.

Its design is inspired by the creation of a pearl within an oyster–the mother-of-pearl outside opens to show a unique 12.17-carat gray pearl from the Arabian Gulf. An innovative clasp allows the exterior to rotate on its base, allowing all six sections of the egg to open simultaneously and unveil the pearl within.

Source: NationalJeweler

We’ve seen subdued years, trust me. You know, diamond stud earrings or bare necks. The light touches were effective, sure. But we expect more from the Oscars, don’t we? We want pomp, circumstance. We want frill and feathers. We want fun! This year, we weren’t disappointed. This year, the jewelry extrovert was highlighted:

From Forbes:

Early on it appeared that Margot Robbie was going to be the highlight of the jewelry show wearing a Van Cleef & Arpels “Zip Antique Colombine” emerald necklace featuring diamonds and sapphires set in 18k yellow gold. The zipper is fully functional. But it turned out that Robbie was going to be joined by a parade of others wearing a variety of statement necklaces.

 

 

Scarlett Johansson (looking non-plussed after surprise kiss from John Travolta) pretty much stunned everyone with a large bib emerald necklace that ran from the top of her neck to her chest. I’m still trying to find out the creator of this show stopper (Bulgari?). She matched the necklace with Piaget Mediterranean Garden ear cuff set in 18k pink gold with five pear-shaped emeralds, 278 brilliant-cut diamonds, four pear-shaped aquamarines and two pear-shaped green tourmalines.

 

Lupita Nyong’o may have out-done everybody with a white Calvin Klein gown adorned with approximately 6,000 white pearls, which were reportedly a mix of fake and real.

 

Anna Kendrick wore a diamond collar of five rows matched with marquis and pear-shaped diamond cluster earrings totaling 13 carats, reportedly by Norman Silverman. The necklace was tucked into the neckline of her gown.

 

Cate Blanchett went with a multi-row turquoise necklace by Tiffany & Co. In contrast to other bold necklace statements, Jessica Chastain went with a delicate and refined diamond necklace by Piaget. The actress was recently named a brand ambassador for the luxury jewelry and watch brand.

 

It wouldn’t be an Oscars without Nicole Kidman making a red carpet jewelry statement. This year she wore more than $7 million worth of Harry Winston Diamonds, including 7-carat emerald-cut diamond earstuds, an 82-carat Caftan diamond bracelet, a 16.5-carat emerald-cut diamond solitaire ring and a 5.3-carat bezel-set diamond band ring.

Congratulations, Joe! You did a great job.

 

VALENTINES #DIAMOND CHALLENGE with @SchubachShine @joeschubach gotta see this segment before you buy!! pic.twitter.com/dQg01SP8DY

— Nicole Crites CBS 5 (@nicoleCBS5) February 12, 2015

CBS 5 – KPHO

No, I didn’t catch it. But catching up on it this morning. Kanye West interrupts another acceptance speech (as a joke apparently, ha, ha), Hozier and Annie Lennox teamed up for an interesting musical duet…and the fashion? Well here’s a few of our faves.

Ariana Grande in Atelier Versace

Whoa…Rihanna in Giambattista Valli Haute Couture

Gwen Stefani in Atelier Versace

Sia in Giorgio Armani

Ciara, in Alexandre Vauthier Haute Couture

And our personal favorite look from last night’s Grammy’s:

Este Haim in Chloé, Danielle Haim in Stella McCartney, and Alana Haim in Stella McCartney

It’s almost hard to conceive 3-D jewelry. How can you “print out” jewelry? Well many jewelers have figured out a way, including Glenn Lewis.

Though jewelry has been worn throughout human history, Lewis Jewelers is part of a trend taking jewelry high-tech.

Glenn Lewis works with a 3-D printer to create original jewelry pieces. About half the pieces sold at Lewis Jewelers are created in-house, Tim Lewis said.

“If we design it on the computer, we can actually print that model with incredible precision and accuracy,” Lewis said. “We print it, we cast it, we polish it, we set it, we polish it again, and it’s ready for sale.”

The Lewis brothers started their business together at ages 19 and 21. Today, Lewis Jewelers has about 2,000 unique wedding pieces, and it would take 6 ½ days to try on every ring in the store if you spent 90 seconds with each, Lewis said.

Source: NewsOK