Fresh Gems

Floating Diamonds

December 9, 2009

Wear a tiny diamond snow globe on your finger! Royal Asscher has designed a line of 18 rings featuring loose diamonds floating beneath a natural sapphire dome. As you move, so do the diamonds, twinkling with fire and brilliance as they gently cascade from one side of these mesmerizing rings to the other. The rings are part of Royal Asscher’s Stars of Africa initiative, created to raise funds for health care, education, and self-sufficiency programs in Africa. According to Lita Asscher, president of Royal Asscher of America, the initiative gets its name from the Star of Africa diamond (a.k.a Cullinan, weighing in at 3,105 carats in the rough), originally cut by the Asscher family in 1907. “But the true Star of Africa,” Lita says, “its most precious resource, is her people.” Vice President Mike Asscher adds, “It is of paramount importance to our company that diamonds bring happiness and well-being to all, and that they are used for development purposes and not to fund civil destruction.”

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Cocktails, Anyone?

December 4, 2009

With party season just around the corner, the timing couldn’t be more perfect to try that most bold and audacious of baubles: the cocktail ring. If you love the limelight, an over-the-top ring will keep you shining strong all evening long. If you’re more naturally on the quiet side, a cocktail ring is a terrific conversation starter. Just slip one on, stand up tall, and get ready to sparkle. This fancy-cut amethyst and diamond stunner from the Haggai Collection is perfect for shaking up your style, stirring your senses, and serving it up with a twist.

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No Dirty Gold

November 26, 2009

The No Dirty Gold campaign enlists the help of both retailers and consumers to reform harmful mining practices. The website lists the companies that have agreed to do business by its “Golden Rules”: sourcing an increasing percentage of their gold from mining companies that respect basic human rights and labor standards, responsibly dispose of waste, provide a financial guarantee for clean-up costs, and more. You can take the No Dirty Gold pledge, too, to let the industry know that consumer demand is growing for cleaner, “greener” gold. A growing number of designers are getting on the “green” gold bandwagon. Mauri Pioppo’s LiveGreen Collection is a great example—each piece is crafted from reclaimed metals, and fifteen percent of the proceeds are donated to the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

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Turkish Delight

November 21, 2009

The luminous Istanbul Collection from Antonini features bold, contemporary rings inspired by Turkish sunsets, the domes overlooking the Bosporus, and the burnished glow of antique gold. Unveiled in Milan, this collection will soon be available worldwide in a limited and numbered edition in three stunning versions: pink gold with champagne diamonds, palladium white gold with white diamonds, and an extraordinary two-tone version in white and black gold, illuminated by small waves of white diamonds that reflect light and create sinuous lines. Each ring is created entirely by hand with an exclusive vintage finish.

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Opposites Attract

November 16, 2009

Black and white is always right. You’ll see it more than ever this holiday season as designers mix the unexpected with the always-elegant: diamond, onyx, white coral, blackened metal, and even Bakelite combine for a crisp, dramatic holiday look. Here, Yael Designs plays with contrast and pattern by creating stunning black and white diamond “Lava” drops, throwing traditional materials a contemporary curve.