Fresh Gems
Ellie Rocks NYC
August 29, 2009
Inspired by the love for her pet Dachshund “Ellie,” NYC-based designer Suzanne Mates created Ellie Rocks NYC, a line of canine couture encrusted with micro-pave white, brown, and black diamonds, hand-cut black onyx, and sparkling pink, blue, and yellow sapphires. Some of her most clever creations are the “Dog and Cross Bones” rings and pendants (shown here on Ellie), offered in either a happy dog or a mean dog version, depending on what kind of day you’re having. Suzanne uses only conflict-free diamonds in her pieces and donates a portion of the proceeds from her jewelry line to no-kill shelters.
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Vote for Hope!
August 25, 2009
The fate of the Hope Diamond is in your hands! In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the donation of the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, the American public will get to vote on a new setting for this legendary 45.52-carat blue diamond. The stunning stone was given to the Smithsonian as a gift to the American people by the House of Harry Winston. The venerable jeweler has now designed three potential settings, each symbolizing modern hope in America. You can vote online from August 19 through September 7. The winning setting will be revealed in mid-September at a press conference in Washington, DC.
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Bead On
August 22, 2009
Who could eat just one potato chip, and who could buy just one bead? Collectible beads have become so hot that jewelers aren’t just stocking up—they’re offering “charm bars” and opening bead-only stand-alone shops. Bead designers are working overtime to create styles to suit every personality and taste. This fun, colorful “Monarch” bracelet is from Halia. With charms that start at $18, you’ll be wearing your heart on your wrist before you know it.
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Love & Light Collection
August 16, 2009
Here’s a sneak peek at Laura Alexander’s new Love & Light Collection, available this fall. “My intention was to create a modern version of talismans that personify age-old truths,” says Laura. Her sublime jewels feature romantic, sculptural curves and intricate, interwoven knots. Laura drew inspiration from the ancient belief that wearing talismans or charms comprised of knots offered protection and brought good fortune. “Each talisman is a reminder that we are a vast net of glittering jewels—each reflecting the light of all the others in an infinite, interconnected harmony.”
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Not-So-Lucky Clover
August 12, 2009
After five years of creating jewelry based on a clean-lined clover design, Heidi Klum is being forced to discontinue her line, which launched with Mouawad USA and later sold on QVC. In the LA Times, Klum commented on the lawsuit, started by Van Cleef & Arples: “They wanted to have the clover, even though our designs never matched…I don’t know how many designs I had done in five years, maybe 800 different designs—but they just wanted to own the clover motif.” Klum was inspired to create her line as she admired the four-leaf clover pattern she saw repeated in cathedrals in Milan, Italy.
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