April 2010 Archives

We asked Simon G, famed jewelers to the stars, to show us what to splurge and save on when buying jewelry. June brides take note, splurge when buying the most important piece of jewelry of your life!  Read on to discover how you can start a snob worthy jewelry collection!

There has been much discussion over whether to purchase a platinum or white gold engagement ring and to be honest, platinum is best. The engagement ring is something you will have for the rest of your life and may even pass down to future generations, so you want to be sure the ring you purchase will stand the test of time. Platinum is the most pure, rare and eternal metal available and in most cases with the price of platinum dropping and gold rising, purchasing a platinum engagement ring will only set you back 300-1000 more than a gold ring, however the benefits will far outweigh the sting of the greater price, so we believe platinum is definitely a splurge.

(See Simon G collection here)

There are days when practicality goes out the door and it is all about decadent fun. This fringe ring is the perfect accessory for fun nights out, the swinging of the fringe will accentuate your animated talking with your hands. Definitely not something you wear when you need to sit still and be demure! Select strands are dotted with diamonds for more oomph (0.115-karat of white diamonds). The fringes are 18 Karat gold with a mesh base. Comes in a gorgeous black velvet box. At Net-aPorter for $6300.

I am still obsessing over the all white watch and I finally found one that is easy on the eye and on the bank. This super fun and irresistibly chic watch is an amazing Frugal Snob find. A must have for summer!! I can hit the beach and go to a nice cocktail reception without missing a beat. It is incredibly fabulous to pair this with your favorite au courant ensemble. You get all the function of a luxury watch - chronograph movement, mineral watch crystal and enamel dial. They also come in a variety of bright fun colors, Tahitian Jelly Beans by Michele for $295. Great gift for your hip and cool mom!

My mother is one of those lucky women (or not depending on your perspective), who think she does not look good in jewelry. Personally I don't believe in such a thing, but every time she has a wedding anniversary, birthday or some other occasion I (usually at my father's request no less!), try to force some piece of jewelry on her. She is very slender and always feels that jewelry attracts unwanted attention to her thin wrists, bony fingers and neck (if only I had that problem!). On most days she sticks to nothing more than her wedding ring and Cartier watch (diamond-less Santos:-( ). While this would unfortunately not fit for my mother, if you have a mama that's more into jewelry, how cute are Marissa Alperin's sweet pea necklaces? With prices from $120 to $800 they fit a variety of budgets and you can pick the one that features her fave stone/birthstone...or go for my fave 18K white gold with diamonds:-)

Add some unique dimension to your stacked bangles. These can be worn by itself or mixed with other bangles or bracelets to create a truly personalized look. I also love wearing one big bangle with some smaller bracelets. It gives you a look that is full of character and confidence. These Mark Davis bangles are spectacular with a vintage look that you know will be in your collection for years.

Dot Bangle in solid cream vintage bakelite set with yellow gold circle inlay, $5200.

Olga Bangle in deep red marbled vintage bakelite with semi-precious gemstones set into 18k yellow gold, $8900.

Eunice Bangle in solid blue vintage bakelite with amethyst and 18k yellow gold dot inlay, $4380.

Jane Bangle in solid grey vintage bakelite with 2.72ct rhodolite and .64ct blue topaz set into 18k white gold, $1230.

In my opinion, every mom deserves jewelry (preferably diamonds) for Mother's Day (we gave birth for crissake, created another human being from nothing and provided milk!!! That's what you shout at the hubby if he protests). And if you need help picking something out, I have just the thing for you-- the Jennifer bracelet from Loren Jewels (named for designer Loren Ridinger's dear friend-- that's J.Lo to you) with 22 cts of diamonds. This bracelet is insanely glamorous, each meticulously crafted round ball is covered with sparkling diamonds but it's neither pretentious nor over done, just like the designer herself. This is a piece that will fit many lifestyles-- you'll be able to throw it on with jeans or a cocktail dress and look casually elegant each time. So, whether you're a working mom or stay at home mom, you deserve a piece of Loren Jewels! Check out the addictive jewelry collection here.

Rhinestone lovers you're going to go gaga over Winifred Grace's line! The designer is all about bunches of rhinestones and multi-chains and most of her pieces are vintage-inspired. They're bling-heavy, but not in an obnoxious in-your-face way (most pieces retail for between $150 and $450). They're a fun way to spice-up an outfit and the mix of gold, silver, and crystal make them easy to style.

I've been contemplating getting one of these Nicholas King cuffs for awhile now. The cuff on the left is the Silver Stud Cuff  (£218), and the one on the right is the Diamante Cuff (£230). Both pieces are handmade in London and uniquely eye-catching...so fun! I've never seen anything like these and the idea of covering the studs and diamante with resin is completely ingenious! Nicholas King has worked with everyone from John Galliano to Donna Karan and you definitely see that mix of modern boldness with classic touches in his designs. I just wish these particular cuffs weren't so thick...they sadly always look a bit too big for my wrists:-(

I am all about the statement rings. The bigger the better! But this is not just bold, it is spectacularly cool. Yes, sure you have to be kinda careful with those raised spikes but that adds to the allure. Collect all the Alexander McQueen accessories you can from his last collection, they will be one for the fashion history books. And this fabulously fun piece is a Frugal Snob buy for only $146.58 at Browns Fashion. Comes in only large sizes for your index and middle fingers, which is where you want to wear this!

Citrine by Stones was started by a mother-daughter team and everything in the line is handcrafted at their studios in Miami and Peru (they also donate 10% of all profits from their website sales to Bridges Across Bordersa, a non-profit organization that focuses on clothing, feeding and providing shelter and education for Cambodian children). I love the Greek goddess feel of some of their 18K gold pieces. Particularly the three pictured above which are all versatile and easy to wear. I can totally picture these looking great with a flowing boho or draped dress! Most pieces in the line retail for under $250 which is great considering their 18K and handcrafted.

From left -

• Wire Cuff Simple, $188
  
• Chain Wire Ring Gold, $155
• Triple Bangle Gold, $217

$150 to $1,400; available at J.Crew Madison Ave. Bridal Store and www.jcrew.com

Odds are you've never heard of Ben-Amun, but if you've ever flipped through Vogue, Elle, Bazaar, Marie Claire, or tuned your TV on to a red carpet, you've likely seen pieces from the collection. The brand has been in business for over 30 years and is designed by Isaac Manevitz who works extensively with lucite, pewter, glass, and crystal which help keep his pieces looking a lot pricier than they are (few pieces are over $400 and you can get many for as little as $60). Celebs love the line because they can wear pieces without having to worry about insurance, body guards etc. when they're doing casual on-air appearance. The line has also been used in Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, and Ralph Lauren shows. 

A lot of the pieces aren't my style (a bit too boho), but click through the site and you'll find some wonderful costume pieces at prices that won't have you stressing!

Pictured above from left --

Charm and Chain is a one stop shop for all the unique jewel designers you love. And they love you back by giving Jewel Snob readers 15% off their entire site, including items already on sale! Here are my favorites but you should go through the site, you will be amazed by the variety and selection, and savings! Use code JEWELSNOB when you check out to get 15% OFF.

Jac Necklace, Hot Pink Quartz by Gemma Redux, seen on Blake Lively in Gossip Girls, on sale, was $369 and now $174.25 with Jewel Snob code.

Magical Landscape Ring by Pade Vavra. This is a show stopper, it is so incredibly interesting, it is an attention grabber. $4000 - $3400 with code.

Clip-on Fan Earrings by Badgley Mischka. Timeless yet chic and fabulous, on sale, was $300 and now $204 with code.

Yellow Sunburst Coil, exclusively for Charm & Chain. Industrial is in, and this feminine mix of chains and crystals embodies this trend but still making you feel delicate, $575 - $488.75 with code.

I just discovered DAMA, named for the queen in the Greek deck of cards, while shopping at Henri Bendel where the line was discreetly displayed on their second floor. It's designed by Heather Keller who credits Greece and New York City for influencing her work (the piece above is called Helios Choker and she seems best known for her borough ring and gear motif "meant to reflect New York's machine-age modernism and Greek classicism").

As the former editor of Rizzoli and Gloss.com, Keller learned a great deal about accessorizing over the years and when she decided to leave the editorial world for jewelry design she opted to enroll in goldsmithing classes at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. The expertise she acquired have translated into a 70-piece collection which she debuted less than a year ago (I wish there was more on her site since Bendel's just had a limited selection :-( See here for more stores). The collection includes gold, silver and brass statement cuffs and necklaces which retail from about $400 to about $15,000.

Maybe it's only because she's Greek, but I'm totally thinking Keller needs to team-up with Sophia Kokosalaki somehow...the necklace above looks like it was destined to complement one of Kokosalaki's draped dresses!

The ladies behind Mctega, Sarah McLellan and Kristina Ortega, have just released their fifth collection and they explained to me in an email that they wanted "the pieces to incorporate the body more than the neckline," adding that they "wanted the jewelry not to be confined to the neck but have the ability to transform the wearers outfit into something more Mctega. We focused on perfecting our handmade gem technique, and playing with knotted fabric to imitate some of our resin forms." The result? See for yourself! The collection is versatile, bold, and features gorgeous textures. The two designers met when they were juniors in college -- Sarah was pre-med and Kristina was micro-bio - they each, separately, decided to switch to design majors which explains how much of their design work has science-based knowledge behind it.

Price points on the line range from around $100 to $500. I'm dying for the gold belt below and bracelets above!

If all my jewelry came from Ippolita, I would a happy girl and a very well accessorized one. The line is very clean and simple but not without boldness and character. The hammered sterling silver collection is one that I simply cannot live without, especially the Bastille Necklace for $1095. Amazing and perfect with just about everything. I would not necessarily wear these together but a complimentary look is the Chain Bracelet for $795. It is chunky and cool, great for layering or making a statement all by itself. The collection also comes in rose gold, which is so beautiful and equally timeless.

In the interest of full disclosure, Vannesa Tosoni is one of my best friends. I love her to death but I also think she is tremendously talented so there is no nepotism or bias for this feature. Just look at these, hammered gold square hoops, how awesome is that? I bought these as a gift for a friend of mine who is ultra picky and super chic and she loves these and wears them all the time. These are so easy to wear, you barely have to think on the day you wear these because they literally will go with everything. I love the texture of the hammered gold, it just adds so much intrigue to the already interesting shape for hoops. At Shop Rumor for $129. You can also email Vannesa for special orders, make sure you tell her Kelly sent you!

I never paid much attention to Catherine Malandrino's jewelry until her Spring Summer 2010 show (see below for some photos I snapped at the presentation). I'm completely gaga over these bold black necklaces which retail for $1,350 for the larger one and $950 for the smaller one. They have this wonderful tribal feel to them and look great paired with turbans. Of course most of us won't be walking the streets in a turban anytime soon, so luckily they look just as chic against pretty much anything black or white and low on detail. Don't these looks totally make you want to hop a plane to an exotic island somewhere? :-)

Pierre Hardy truly can do no wrong. The affable Frenchman, who's long been responsible for shoe design at Hermès, has extended his creative say at the luxe French brand, designing the label's first high jewelry collection. Dubbed "haute bijouterie," Hermès, which has until now been known for its silver jewelry, spent the last two years creating an aesthetically gorgeous capsule collection inspired by its equestrian heritage.

Take the Centaure collection, for example. Have you seen design inspired by horse's hoofs result in anything chicer? I think not. I love that a full suite of complementary pieces was designed for this particular collection as it's sure to be well received when it launches this fall as part of a world tour the pieces will go on (Tokyo in September, Hong Kong in October and Berlin in November). The bracelet, necklace, earrings and rings all focus on bold shapes--hence the hoof--and less on precious stones. They're cast in rose gold with a black jade or orange aventurine stone ringed with brilliant cut diamonds or entire paved with diamonds. I just absolutely love the Centaure necklace for evening and the ring for day!

Meanwhile, have you seen the Fouet necklace? Talk about slender elegance! A diamond necklace designed to mimic the lines of a whip, it's made of platinum and set with 3,669 diamonds, totaling 36.16 carats. The collection is priced from $23,675 for clip-on rose gold and black jade earrings to $880,000 for the diamond necklace. It'll take about five to seven months for the pieces to be made and delivered--clients can customize their pieces as they wish. Perhaps the best part? The pieces will come in custom-made boxes made of black alligator leather.

I love Lanvin jewelry (more so than even their handbags); it's super innovative and often vibrantly-colored and sassy. Plus you gotta give Lanvin credit for crafting bib necklace with bold accents way before they were the trend du jour. The one problem? The price. Yes, I know this is Lanvin we're talking about and they can't exactly offer their designs at frugal price points, but four figures for a fabric necklaces or $895 for the Lanvin Strawberry Earrings is just a tad outrageous!  I can't imagine that these red and green enameled brass strawberry-shaped earrings won't go on sale. Sure they're embellished with Swarovski crystals (though what isn't these days...), but who would wear these more than a handful of times? They're a fun gag when you're in a playful mood and nothing so reminiscent of Josephine Baker's banana costume should be priced at over $100.

What do you think? Snob or Slob?

My new favorite jewelry line, The Woods Fine Jewels, has designed a delectable collection of charms to be sold for a worthy cause-- The Marshall Direct Fund. 100% of the profits will go to the fund, who's mission is to improve relations between the West and the Muslim world by working together to alleviate poverty and illiteracy via sustainable educational and economic development in Southwest Asia.  Education is freedom my friends, yet we all take it for granted.  Buying one of these charms will not only make you feel good about donating to this charity, but you'll look so chic doing it!

I am currently contemplating my first purchase of one of these earthy glam pieces myself, the natural wood element really complement the old mine cut diamonds and shimmering pearls without being too "in your face", you know what I mean?  It's all about subtlety for me when it comes to jewelry but I still want luxe and glam-- "The Woods Fine Jewels" strike that perfect balance for me!  If you are also contemplating a piece, why not buy it through the Marshall Direct Fund so you can feel great about shopping with a purpose.  Go to Marshall Direct Fund here! 

A few weeks ago I was introduced by a mutual friend to Bianca Pratt while out for a drink at Monkey Bar in NYC. Pratt is a super-chic young designer (and strikingly beautiful mother!), who designs these precious little unassuming pendants inspired by her Brazilian/Canadian heritage. Her pieces sell at Barneys and a few other exclusive outlets  and she will be introducing e-commerce to her site soon. I love the fatima charm (pictured above in the middle), which is also available accented with a small diamond (a number of the pieces incorporate white, cognac, and blue diamonds, as well as rubies and sapphires). The pendant necklaces start at about $500 and include everything from Brazilian saints and Figa, to cold coin and bear charms (all 14K Gold). I love how pocket size and delicate these are. Definitely a thoughtful Mother's Day gift!