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There are jewelry boxes and then there are amazing forms of detailed art. This box falls in the latter category.

Can you imagine storing your jewelry in it? We could. (Though you’d certainly need a lot of jewelry to fill it!)

This fabulous antique jewelry box or casket was sold for $11,000 in 2007. Holman’s detailed description of the antique jewelry box helps us understand why the casket was so unique: This antique jewelry box is a mid-19th century antique Italian ebonized jewelry casket with 89 hand painted enameled panels set in with rosettes & braided wire, Roman figural finials, four full caryatid columns, cherubs riding swans to corners & top, applied metal faces & florals, multiple doors & drawers with interior & exterior decorations. The antique jewelry box measures 16″h x 14″w x 11″d. [Photo courtesy of Stuart Holman] [Article source: Victoriana.]

What a fascinating look at Nadja Swarovski in the Telegraph, especially during a time where we see more women breaking through the glass (in this case, close to literally) ceiling in a myriad of ways, including the recent nomination of Hilary Rodham Clinton for President.

Swarovski has had a storied history, not all of it good. The famous crystal company had a besmirched reputation decades ago, where the media and public regarded it skeptically, as cheap or dated product.

You do the swan and the duck – why would we ever want that in fashion?” Nadja Swarovski shudders  as  she recounts the withering put-down from a snooty magazine stylist twenty-five years ago.

The sole female member of an Swarovski executive board, which counts four male distant cousins, she fought her way back into the family business and gave the crystal group a new lease of life -transforming it from a dated tableware and chandelier business to one which counts collaborations with feted designers such as Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane, Karl Lagerfeld, Peter Pilotto and a new home range that includes Aldo Bakker and the late Zaha Hadid.

Read more about this fascinating woman and how she expanded the vision of Swarovski to include fashion and so much more.

10.5mm, 11mm, and 11.5mm round brilliant cut Forever One moissanite

Any article that contains “red diamond” catches our eye. Not only is it a stunning gem to behold but its very rare. (According to reports, red diamonds will become even more rare and and their price is expected to double in the next couple of years.)

Known as The Kimberley Treasure and for sale at AU$1 million, the breath-taking collectable has been crafted from one kilogram of 99.99% fine gold, and features a radiant cut 0.54 carat red diamond unearthed from Rio Tinto’s Argyle Diamond Mine in the east Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Unveiled by the Premier of Western Australia, the Honourable Colin Barnett MLA, The Kimberley Treasure is issued as legal tender under the Australian Currency Act 1965.

Simon Trott, managing director of Rio Tinto’s diamonds business said “We are delighted to collaborate with The Perth Mint on the exclusive release of this distinctive investment piece. It is a beautiful symbol of the unique treasures of Western Australia and sets a new benchmark in limited edition craftsmanship.”

The Argyle Diamond Mine produces a very small proportion of rare pink diamonds and an even smaller proportion of rare red diamonds. On average one carat of rare red diamonds a year is produced from the Argyle mine.

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We poured over this latest article in InStyle magazine, which details model Georgia May Jagger (daughter of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall) jewelry preferences. Why? Because you know a celebrity like this has access to amazing jewelry and is on top of all the cutting edge trends. (Plus she also proudly admits she “nicks” jewelry from her mother!)

So what does the girl who could wear anything wear?

“I have a lot of her [mother’s] costume jewelry from when she was modeling, like stuff from Chanel,” she told InStyle. “It was funny because I asked her the other day, ‘When you first worked for Chanel, who was the designer there?’ She was like, ‘Coco Chanel.’ I was like, ‘Oh my god, really?’ It’s quite amazing.”

And what other essentials should every girl own?

“I think a great pair of earrings like hoops or studs, and a cocktail ring, which is always nice for an evening,” she said.

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7mm

The lines and designs of jewelry extend far beyond what we wear on our bodies. Look at one of your favorite pieces of jewelry. Take a moment to note if you see that design or style elsewhere in your life, like in your home or office. Most likely, you have.

And that’s the beauty of jewelry design: it reflects artistry seen all around us.

Take the teaming of Rem Koolhaas who spearhead the redesign of Gaia Repossi’s flagship store on Place Vendôme in Paris. The jewelry reflects the design itself.

According to W Magazine, Repossi explained, “the new Lateral high end emerald cut diamond earrings that twist along their structure, which is a little like the billboard (the flipping panel window) on the ground floor. I had that idea for a long time, and that took a lot of time to develop.”