Fresh Gems Blog

Jennifer Trask

2010-03-01T00:47:39Z

Whether you’re stepping out with gal pals to see the latest Twilight flick or strolling through the moonlight with your very own Edward Cullen, go a little goth with jewelry that’s as dark as it is delicious. Designer Jennifer Trask magically mixes bits of raw nature with precious gems and metals to create spellbinding works of art. Her list of materials reads like a recipe for a witch’s brew: snake vertebrae, dragonfly wings, deer bones, glass fish and reptile eyes, snake skin, and sea urchin shells. Her otherworldly jewels often hold startling surprises: branches of gold, silver, or delicately wrought iron bear fruit of bone or seeds of stone, or even sprout fish-eye blossoms that return your gaze!

Soft Chic

2010-02-03T03:12:34Z

Feminine, romantic adornments featuring sumptuous silks, luscious laces, and silky satins send a clear message this season: “soft chic” has taken the spotlight. Laurie Kaiser’s new Be Charming necklaces are a perfect example of this trend. These effortlessly elegant pieces offer up a symphony of delicious textures: richly hued hand-knotted silk shimmers against finely detailed charms accented with blackened gold and sprinkled with tiny gemstones. Try your hand at “soft chic” with pieces you already have in your jewelry box: weave delicate organza ribbon through a chunky chain, tie tiny satin bows onto a pair of drop earrings, or clip a silk corsage to a multi-strand pearl necklace. The possibilities are endless for adding a dash of soft chic to your style.

Help for Haiti

2010-01-16T17:19:08Z

Ken & Dana Design has created a necklace to aid in the relief efforts for Haiti. Half of the proceeds for these fine silver necklaces will be donated to the Red Cross in order to get much-need food and medical supplies to the survivors. According to the designers, “This special piece was designed in the wake of the horrific earthquake in Haiti as a way for us to take part in the relief efforts. Living in New York is a daily reminder that we are all immigrants and in a sense we are all Haitians right now. For the text on this particular necklace we chose the identifier for the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. This Public Law (PUB.L.) abolished the national-origin quotas that had been in place in the United States since the Immigration Act of 1924.”

Scribbles

2010-01-02T14:28:10Z

Designer doodles are showing up everywhere. From Max Mara to Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta to Yves Saint Laurent, fun, flirty scribbles are livening up clothing, purses, shoes and, of course, jewelry. Color outside the lines with an effortless, exuberant piece, such as Dana David’s yellow gold and leather Scribble bracelet. May your new year be filled with the joy of self-expression. Cheers to YOU!

Share Ring

2009-12-20T15:48:48Z

Three Ventura jewelry stores have teamed up to send a united message of giving and volunteering with the Share Ring necklace. Fox Fine Jewelry, Nerces Fine Jewelry, and Lynn’s Jewelry Studio are offering circular sterling silver pendants inscribed with the words “Hope,” “Strength,” and “Unity.” One hundred percent of the proceeds for these symbolic necklaces are donated to the Points of Light Institute, a nonprofit organization that distributes over 50 million dollars annually to thousands of charities nationwide. The “Share Ring” necklace will also be given away to those without jobs this holiday season. “Our local jewelers are demonstrating that in spite of the bad economy, we can all help,” notes Debbie Fox, co-owner of Fox Fine Jewelry. “Buying, wearing, and giving the Share Ring reminds people to volunteer and donate, and gives hope to those who are out of work. We can pull ourselves out of this crisis by finding ways to give and help others.”

Floating Diamonds

2009-12-09T15:02:14Z

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.”

Cocktails, Anyone?

2009-12-04T22:09:16Z

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.

No Dirty Gold

2009-11-26T18:56:10Z

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).

Turkish Delight

2009-11-21T15:55:02Z

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.

Opposites Attract

2009-11-17T02:01:03Z

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.

Kifani Collection

2009-11-09T03:19:00Z

Rough meets refined in a stunning new collection that puts a little polish on rough colored diamonds. Designer Tamara Goldfiner of Rahaminov Diamonds presents the Kifani Collection of distinctively shaped rough diamonds that harken back to ancient times, when these entrancing gems were lauded as fragments of stars and the tears of gods. Tamara’s twist on an ancient tradition gives today’s jewelry lovers the delightful contradiction of wearing something that’s at the same time luxurious and humble—a delicious secret for those in the know.

It’s a World Record!

2009-10-27T01:32:11Z

The spectacular Annenberg Diamond, a 32.01-carat flawless diamond, set a world record when it sold at Christie’s last Wednesday for an astounding $240,000 per carat—which translates to a jaw-dropping $7.7 million. The diamond was donated by billionaire philanthropist and passionate art collector Leonore Annenberg’s estate. According to the Associated Press, Ms. Annenberg purchased the diamond for her 90th birthday. Chairman of Christie’s Europe and international head of jewels Francois Curiel praised the diamond for combining the best of the 4Cs: “[The diamond has] top color, perfect clarity, ideal cut, and excellent weight. And if you add to this the impeccable provenance of the Annenberg name, you have one of the finest gems to appear on the market in many years.” As if that weren’t enough, the diamond is set into a ring that was designed by renowned Manhattan jeweler David Webb.

Lenora Dame

2009-10-22T18:16:24Z

Lenora Dame’s bold-spirited Bohemian Collection is bound to bring out your inner gypsy. Textiles, wood, glass, resin, and found objects come together in an eclectic mix of vintage and new. Lenora’s fabric-covered bead necklace gives earthy colors a hip twist with retro prints. A trio of silk dupioni-wrapped bangles coordinate just enough without being too matchy-matchy.

Pretty as a Peacock

2009-10-13T00:21:09Z

Fan your passion for fashion with glorious Peacock earrings from Gumuchian handcrafted from platinum, diamonds, and stunning Colombian emeralds. These earrings are an excellent example of two fall trends—chandelier earrings and jewelry with movement—that will frame your face with playful sparkle and visual excitement. They’re a perfect way to strut your stuff as you head into the holidays.

Count Me Healthy

2009-10-05T00:12:05Z

Count Me Healthy sterling silver bracelets give you an easier—and prettier!—way to reach your daily health goals: drinking enough glasses of water, getting enough servings of vegetables, or whatever goal you’d like to set for yourself. Each time you take a step toward your goal, move a bead from one side of the bracelet to the other. A patented jump ring system ensures the beads won’t slide back until you want them to (it just might help keep you from backsliding, too). At the end of the day, if you’ve moved all the beads—wah-lah! You’ve met your goal, and quite stylishly I might add.