New jewelry designers at German show

More than 20 new jewelry designers will showcase their wares at the new Decorate Life consumer goods show in Germany.

The show is scheduled for July 4-8 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

According to a release, the show will present a "new and fresh" approach to jewelry design ideas from 22 "up-and-coming designers, young entrepreneurs and students."

Pieces showcased will include traditional gold and silver pieces, as well as pieces made from plastic, the seeds of the South Africa ivory-nut palm, latex and tagua nuts.

Designers from nine different countries, including Hong Kong, Netherlands, Australia, the Czech Republic and Norway, are slated to attend.

Decorate Life includes a total of four events: Tendence Autumn + Winter, Collectione Preview Spring + Summer, Outdoor Living and The Design Annual. The jewelry designers will be included as part of Tendence Autumn + Winter, and will be located in Hall 6.0.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Vintage Costume Jewelry History Designers

Turquoise Jewelry from Di Modolo, De Grisogono, John Hardy

A burst of interest in turquoise jewelry is occurring this year with several different luxury jewelry designers by introducing a few choice jewelry items set with turquoise. Each designer creates jewelry with a different style, feel and mood. For this reason, the jewelry creates a cohesive balance rather than competing against each other. Each designer creates a niche for the jewelry style giving each piece an appropriate time and place.

Italian designer Di Modolo has had turquoise jewelry in the Favola collection for some time. In this collection, turquoise is held by bars of white gold or yellow gold set with diamonds. These Di Modolo pieces have a medieval feel with a contemporary style. De Grisogono showcases turquoise on white gold, with diamonds, or rubies and emeralds. These couture rings and bracelets represent high craftsmanship especially in setting techniques. Like all of the de Grisogono jewelry, the turquoise pieces have rhythmic movement and are seductively entrancing. John Hardy pairs turquoise with his signature metal of choice – sterling silver – and makes pieces that have an exotic and even ethnically rich aesthetic. With designs and jewelry making techniques inspired by the Balinese culture, his jewelry is a marriage of old world custom and new age intrigue.

For those who thought turquoise jewelry was not fashionable, allow Di Modolo, de Grisogono and John Hardy to persuade you otherwise. They can be easily convincing.
Source: vialuxe

Egypt's first lady of jewelry

At London Fashion Week, all eyes are usually on the clothes.

But the Arab and Islamic-influenced brooches, bracelets, necklaces and rings adorning the models heading down Julien Macdonald's catwalk are also getting attention.

They are part of a collaboration between the fashion powerhouse and former British Designer of the Year and Egyptian jewelry designer, Azza Fahmy.

"I really love the craft and the skill and the romance that goes into the pieces. So, that teamed with my sense of high octane glamour and my London high living twist is a great mix and a contrast. And that's what I like," Macdonald enthused to CNN.

In return, "Azza Fahmy Jewellery" gets international exposure, to the likes of Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal and OK!.

But don't -- as one London paper did -- call the catwalk collection "designer bling."

"It's quite a deep and nice collection -- not bling bling. I hate bling bling collections," Fahmy exclaims.

Starting at $250 to 'the sky's-the-limit', Fahmy's pioneering blends of gold, silver and precious stones, makes her one of the Arab world's preeminent jewelry designers.

The only problem is, a mere 30 percent of these 'jewels of the Nile' are sold outside Egypt -- Fahmy was missing out on the lucrative Gulf Arab market.

One of the challenges of marketing designer jewelry in the Middle East is getting past the traditional mentality that measures an item's worth not by exceptional finishes but by its weight in grams and karats.

To do well in the East, Fahmy and her daughters Fatma and Amina steered the family business to the West.

It started with the Julien Macdonald collaboration, and now exclusive Western stores like Kabiri, Harrods and Harvey Nichols are selling their jewelry.

Arabs tend to imitate Western spending habits, paying big money for luxury foreign items like Bulgari or Cartier -- but they don't give the same attention to their own Arab brands.

Fahmy believes that as her jewelry becomes popular in the West -- more Middle Eastern buyers will follow suit.

The marketing strategy seems to be working. Her team says the collections now sell in the U.A.E., Qatar and Bahrain. Next stop -- Saudi Arabia.

"To have a product which stands beside Cartier, etcetera -- it's a challenge. But we are sure of the ourselves because we are presenting something special, something which is different from all these brands," Fahmy said.

At her workshop on the outskirts of Cairo, Fahmy's craftsmen work in the belief they're turning precious metal into something different -- art.

Fahmy's daughter, Amina Ghaly, works for the family business as a designer and says there's value in the design, the marketing and workmanship poured into each item.

"At least 20 to 25 people will have touched that piece just to have one perfect piece at the end," Ghaly explained.

In the 60's, Fahmy was the first woman to apprentice in Egypt's jewelry district. The one-time government employee used to run a one-woman shop in her spare time.

Today, more than 180 employees drill, solder, hammer and file under her watchful eye, crafting two to three thousand pieces every year.

The luxury goods market is a crowded one, as Fahmy well knows: "Like any business, it's not a joke," says the designer.

Going to the West to find a better footing in the East is seriously savvy move.

A move that could lead to future success on the catwalk -- and with more consumers worldwide.
Source: cnn

Young designer shapes future in jewelry

Who knew, when Jessica DiRubio started stringing beads as a little girl, that she’d grow up to see her jewelry sparkling back at her from a movie screen?

At just 24, the up-and-coming designer has already had her bejeweled, 18-karat gold pieces worn on a half-dozen television shows. Several more of her items will be seen adorning the stars of a Hollywood film that is due to be out this fall.

The New Canaan native was also selected by industry leaders as one of eight “Rising Stars” this spring at JCK Las Vegas, a trade show attended by more than 3,000 exhibitors, including big names such as Cartier and Tiffany & Co.

“As a new designer, it’s one of the highest accolades you can receive,” said Ms. DiRubio, who was judged on the uniqueness of her jewelry and its ability to adapt year-to-year. “It’s really a validation of your designs and you as a designer and as a new force in the jewelry industry. It really gives you some validity approaching stores.”

Along with being assigned a prominently placed booth at the show, she will join the ranks of previous “Rising Stars,” which include David Yurman and Leslie Greene.

Ms. DiRubio, who has no artistic training, started seriously making beaded jewelry while studying English at Colgate University. She got her start in town when, as her father put it, “she used to come to the Sidewalk Sale and knock them all out of the park.”

Although she now lives and works in Manhattan, Ms. DiRubio will return to her roots with a trunk show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Friday and Saturday, May 9 and 10, at Henry C. Reid & Son, 72 Elm Street, her exclusive distributor in New Canaan.
Jewelry has been Ms. DiRubio’s full-time pursuit since she graduated in 2005 — “I don’t even have a resume,” she said.

Her beaded collections were sold in stores up and down the East Coast, but she turned her attention last year to the launch of her 18-karat gold line, starting at $290.

“I’ve always loved fine jewelry,” she said. “The other line just really wasn’t scalable.”
Ms. DiRubio works in green gold — a softer-colored alloy than traditional yellow gold she said is popular in Europe — and embellishes with cut stones and cabochons of diamond, tourmaline, pink sapphire, blue topaz, aquamarine, chalcedony, moonstone, kunzite and peridot.

She hires seven goldsmiths and gem-setters in the city to manufacture her jewelry by hand, but shops for materials herself in New York’s Diamond District.

“That’s the fun part, playing with the stones,” she said, barely pausing for breath to rattle off a gemstone hardness scale.

The soaring price of gold is of concern to Ms. DiRubio: “It’s the first thing I check in the morning and the last thing I check at night.”

Inspiration comes from “all over and everything,” from antique jewelry and buttons from the 1920s to the windows of Manhattan architecture.

A long-stemmed rose in her studio blossomed into the rings, earrings, necklaces and cuffs of her “Vine” collection, while peacock’s feathers are the theme of another set.
Snorkeling in St. Bart’s gave her the idea for a ring patterned after a sea anemone.

“It was really important to me to design for everyone,” she said, from “people who work in corporate New York to my mom. A lot of our pieces are very classic but have a sort of whimsical look. It’s all meant to be wearable, very mix-and-match. You want a hand-me-down feel to it, something you’d love to pass down to a daughter or a granddaughter.”

The wearability and comfort associated with each design is a major concern: “It’s important to be aware of the texture of the piece, how the piece feels on. If it’s uncomfortable, you’re not going to wear it,” she said.

Her set of three separate, stacking vine rings are meant to be worn together, but their flexible design allows freedom of movement.

Bezel settings, “with no prongs to pull out,” are common throughout her work.

A computer-aided design program is a handy tool for designing comfortable, perfectly symmetrical ring bases and for determining whether a concept even workable, she said, holding a pair of earrings that took three tries to get the curve of an earlobe just right.

“Some pieces,” Ms. DiRubio  added, “we bail ‘em because mechanically, they just won’t work.”

How long from fantasy to finished piece? Anywhere from three weeks to three months.

Her parents, Jeff and Joanna, deserve credit for their roles in what has “really become a family-run business,” she said.

“My mom has been hugely involved in terms of design work. I think a lot of inspiration I get from her, she has a great eye and a great sense of color.”

That her father, also an entrepreneur, has worked from home for the past 13 years has been a boon for her business education, she said.

“He really has been a guiding hand and a wealth of knowledge. I would never have been able to do it without my dad.”

Learning the financial side of her livelihood was hard at first, she said, but now, “It’s definitely business first and foremost and design second.

“I think, ‘How many models can I get out of one piece, one model, one concept? How can I allocate the money from selling a ring so it’ll make me three more rings?’” she said, “Even though I love the design aspect.”

Being young and breaking into a competitive, male-dominated industry that requires significant start-up capital poses its own challenges.

“Most people take one look at me and think I’m not the designer because I look really young,” said Ms. DiRubio, adding that her long, blonde head of hair doesn’t help.

But selling and the ability to read people comes naturally, she said, and by now she’s pitched her company to hedge funds and venture capitalists.

“Explaining your jewelry to a man isn’t always the easiest thing,” she said. “I’ve found I’ve really been able to start holding my own in terms of what I need from investors. But the jewelry has really spoken for itself. With most stores, we come back with an order because people have seen something new and fresh.”

Ms. DiRubio balances a dream of long-term success in the jewelry industry with a desire to add sparkle to the lives of others. From the very beginning, she has donated pieces to raise money for local causes, including domestic violence awareness, animal welfare and a multiple myeloma charity.

“I love what I do, I wouldn’t trade this for anything. If I do end up big and successful with this I’d love to find a way to inspire women in business because I do think there are so many opportunities for women in business and so few who really get there,” she said. “I’d love the opportunity to give back.”
Source: acorn-online

Designer Showcase to open in New York

The National Jewelry Institute will inaugurate its first-ever exhibition of contemporary jewelry from leading designers, the "2008 Designer Showcase," opening this week at the Forbes Galleries in New York City.

Almost 40 designers, including prestigious global brands and independent designers, are represented in the show, which is curated by jewelry expert Ralph Esmerian, with the help of guest curators Beth Rudin DeWoody, Saks Fifth Avenue and the World Gold Council.

The exhibition opens to the public this Friday, April 25, and the jewelry will be on display through June 28, 2008.

Designer Showcase will then move to Pittsburgh, where it will run from July 19, 2008, through Jan. 18, 2009, at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

Jewelry designers featured in the exhibition are: Stephanie Albertson, Giorgio Armani, Cynthia Bach, Elyssa Bass, Lorenz Baumer, Marco Bicego, Katy Briscoe, Bulgari, Cartier, Cinta by John Hardy, Dominique Cohen, Roberto Coin, Lydia Courteille, Adria de Haume, Enigma, Tanya Farah, Mia Fonssagrives-Solow, Veronica Garaycochea, Graff, Gucci, Gurhan, Erhan Gursen, Christine Hafermalz-Wheeler, Joan Hornig, Ippolita, Marchak, Sandra Muller, Judith Ripka, Fabio Salini, Leila Tai, Temple St. Clair, Utopia, Vhernier, Donna Vock, Stephen Webster, Tracey Zabar, Zaffiro, Steven Zale, Irene Zelinsky.

The National Jewelry Institute is a New York-based nonprofit whose mission is to preserve, research and exhibit fine jewelry from all over the world.

For more information about the institute and the 2008 Designer Showcase, visit Nationaljewelryinstitute.org.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Designers stick their necklaces out

Finola Hughes of How Do I Look? fame says both minimal and overstated jewelry will be appropriate accessory choices for this fall's ladylike looks.

Fashion is indicative of the times, and with the headlines portending a tough year ahead, expect a departure from the predominant baby-doll look and a return to grown-up chic next autumn.

Designers tapped into their serious side, sending sleek silhouettes down the catwalks at 2008 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City. This doesn't mean all-black looks (although it can), but rather the polished appearances that dark tones tend to imply, with purple hues infiltrating many of the collections.

Still, bow-accented necklines, fur flourishes and ruffles all managed to survive the more somber takes on clothing.

Although jewelry merely played a supporting role, at most, on the catwalks, big "statement necklaces" held their own at the Feb. 1-8 event, with models frequently sashaying down the runways in major neckware. Other top trends included drop earrings, chain necklaces and bracelets.

Finola Hughes, host of The Style Network's How Do I Look?, says a return to more ladylike apparel with slender silhouettes was a strong theme at Fashion Week.

"The waist is coming back," Hughes says.

As for jewelry, Hughes observed it came in one of two ways at the shows: minimal or large and overstated.

She says both looks are interesting, and the minimal, personalized-charm look specifically lends itself to the emerging ladylike trend.

Helena Krodel, associate director of media for the Jewelry Information Center, says it was one of the better years for fine jewelry on the runways of Fashion Week.

When it comes to apparel, Krodel says, designers are moving away from the cutesy baby-doll look in favor of more sophisticated fare, in shades of blue, burnt orange, purple, green, brown and red. For jewelry, this translates to the use of opaque stones such as topaz, malachite, jade, jet, onyx and tiger's eye.

Necklaces carried a lot of importance, with U- and V-shaped versions making repeat appearances, Krodel says. One extreme example was a highly structured necklace that resembled a breastplate and was accented with dangling rectangular- and oval-shaped pendants. But multistrand necklaces dominated the runways too, ranging from Victorian styles (think white metals paired with diamonds), to those achieving an ombré effect or confetti-style mixes, with gemstones in various grades of color, Krodel says.

Even if designers kept their models necklace-free, many incorporated bows into the necklines.

"There's a lot of attention around the neck, no matter what," says Krodel, who also noted layered cuffs and brooch trends.

When it came to playing up the neckline, no one could compete with Badgley Mischka, which sent many of its models down the runway in layered necklaces or big, bold pendants. The designer also chose dangling earrings and bracelets as it channeled high-glam and day-in-the-woods, hunting-type aesthetics in many of its looks.

Though some of the jewelry was costume, Badgley Mischka teamed up with jewelry manufacturer Zalemark for several fine-jewelry pieces and also made some of its own.

Anna Sui chose to use bold accessories to complement her fall collection, with the most notable piece resembling a large, bold flower attached to a choker.

Marc Jacobs sent several of his models down the runway sporting cuffs on each wrist.

Vera Wang blew the runways away with jewelry too, playing up statement necklaces especially, as well as bold cuffs and braided rhinestone necklaces by Philip Crangi for Vera Wang.

A model wears an oatmeal-colored, knee-length, touch-shoulder dress with silver fox fur by Venexiana, paired with high-karat gold cuff bracelets by Gurhan and Coomi at Venexiana's Fall/Winter runway show at 2008 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City. Photo: Jonas Gustavsson, courtesy of the World Gold Council and Venexiana.

3.1 phillip lim's show also sent unusual, bold necklaces on multiple trips down the catwalk.

Other designers opted for delicacy, with Jason Wu, Jonathan Saunders Rag and Bone and Carlos Miele going the more subdued route, sending a few long necklaces, pendants and bracelets down the plank.

Venexiana's Fall/Winter 2008 show shined with models sporting high-end gold jewelry designs, with cuffs and link bracelets foremost among the pieces by Angélique De Paris, Carla Amorim, Coomi, Cynthia Gregg, Doris Panos, Gurhan, Henry Dunay, K. Brunini, Mahlia Collection, Maya Jewels, Mehr-Un-Nissa, Oro Vi for Gold Expressions and Rezzadore for Gold Expressions.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

"The Art of Jewelry" Designer Launches New Line of Bridal Bijoux

Like the final brush strokes on a masterpiece, it's the details that complete the portrait of a bride's wedding day. The satin ribbon that gathers together the bridal bouquet, the proper veil to frame the bride's face, and of course, the right jewels to add extra dazzle to her I do's. Marrying the fire of Swarovski crystals and the refined romance of pearls with silver and gold, "The Art of Jewelry" creator Kellie Sutton has designed a new collection of adornments for a picture perfect walk down the aisle.

Indicative of the artist's style, the earrings created for wedding planner Angelique Sobschak of WE TV's Rich Bride, Poor Bride, which were christened "Angelique" in her honor, showcase the sense of sophistication which runs throughout the collection, whether it's a bracelet dripping with freshwater and coin pearls or a necklace accented with a single Swarovski crystal teardrop, glistening beneath a solitary pearl.

Sold in boutiques across British Columbia, Kellie Sutton's Bridal collection can also be purchased online.
Source: lovetripper

Weston Jewelers brings John Hardy to Pridefest

Weston Jewelers in collaboration with John Hardy New York will present the John Hardy Men's Collection at Pridefest South Florida.

According to Weston Jewelers, this is the first time a luxury brand of John Hardy's caliber is being made available to the gay community in this type of venue.

The event will be held from April 12-13 at Holiday Park from 12 p.m.-7 p.m. and is expected to attract between 20,000-25,000 attendees.

"We have always supported [the gay] community, and I saw this as a perfect opportunity to bring such a desired brand to [an] event and target a strong demographic audience," Weston Jewelers Vice President of Marketing Paul Slutsky said in a media release.

John Hardy's handcrafted collection will feature silver, 18-karat gold and semi-precious gemstones, all brought directly from the Bali-based headquarters of John Hardy. The collection will be available for the entire two-day event.

Attending the event along with Weston Jewelers will be Debbie Zimmerman of John Hardy New York.

Weston Jewelers is home to such luxury brands as John Hardy, Cartier, Breitling, Audemars Piguet, Baume and Mercier, Vacheron Constantin, IWC, Chopard, Piaget, Bedat, Roberto Coin, Sauro, Raymond Weil, Philip Stein, Bulgari, Marco Bicego, Damiani, Kwiat, Charriol and Corum.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Edward Levin, Jewelry Designer, 87

Edward Levin, of Cambridge, N.Y., and Cedar Key, Fla., died Feb. 23 at his home in Cedar Key. He was 87. He was an artist, craftsperson, jeweler, painter, sculptor, ceramist, and inventor of machines, tools and processes to enhance creativity in jewelry-making.

Levin was born Feb. 4, 1921, in New York City and grew up in Long Beach on Long Island. He studied fine arts at Columbia University, and later at Alfred University, the New School, and the Barnes Foundation.

He successfully obtained conscientious objector status during World War II. In 1948, Levin lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and studied with a Florentine master jeweler. In 1949, Levin married Ruth Perlmutter, and lived on the Upper West Side in New York City.

In 1950 with his wife, he founded Ed Levin Jewelry and made jewelry on the stove top in their New York apartment. He traveled by bus throughout New England to sell his jewelry to college students. In 1953 the couple moved to Shaftsbury, Vt., where Levin sold his artwork and jewelry from Ed Levin Arts Workshop, established in a building on their property. In 1964, he moved his workshop to Bennington where he opened a retail shop.

In 1968, Levin married Ruth Pearl Bluestone Dale, bought a house in Cambridge, N.Y., and moved his wholesale business to Cambridge. While Levin continued to design jewelry, he also spent time in his studio at home painting, sculpting, throwing pots, and inventing tools.

Ed Levin Jewelry, Inc., considered the oldest and largest hand-crafted jewelry manufacturer in the United States, is owned by the family and currently sells to hundreds of retail shops throughout the country.

Levin was adamant in his beliefs and followed his own path. Life, for him, was a continuing exploration of ideas, the senses, and challenging the status quo. He actively supported peace, human rights, civil liberties, and environmental protection. Levin said, "The diversity and richness of the natural world and all of the peoples who have inhabited it will always inspire both art and jewelry. The connections are not necessarily direct or obvious...Nevertheless, our present is still connected to the earth forms and ancestor creations that abound and still touch us."

Ed was predeceased by his second wife, Ruth Dale Levin, and his brother, Ernest Levin. He leaves his first wife, Ruth Perlmutter Levin, his three children, Rachel Levin, Flo Levin, and Alexander Levin; and two stepsons, Paul Bluestone and Donald Bluestone.

Levin will be buried in Cambridge, N.Y., in the spring. Contributions in Levin's memory may be sent to: Allen Gilbert, ACLU Vermont, 137 Elm Street, Montpelier, VT 05602.
Source: jckonline

Jewelry designer teaches consumers to be savvy

California-based jewelry designer Cynthia Sliwa will hold a series of seminars teaching jewelry owners what and what not to wear when it comes to jewelry.

Sliwa, author of Jewelry Savvy: What Every Jewelry Wearer Should Know, will cover topics including why earrings are the most important pieces of jewelry, optimal necklace length and how jewelry can be used to emphasize a wearer's best features and distract from her less-flattering ones.

Attendees will study pictures of celebrities and other individuals to grasp the dos and don'ts of wearing jewelry.

"My ultimate goal is to help each attendee sort through her jewelry box, learn what flatters her and develop a jewelry wardrobe that works for her," Sliwa said in a statement. "I expect every attendee will learn immediately useable ideas about jewelry and also will achieve a better understanding of how best to adorn her own unique beauty."

The classes will be held on alternate Wednesday evenings at Eliopulos Jewelers in Torrance, Calif., from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

Upcoming sessions include "The Perfect Earrings/The Perfect Necklaces/Seeing the Art in Your Face and Features" on March 5; "Bracelets, Brooches and Rings/Developing a Jewelry Wardrobe" on March 19; and "Caring for Your Precious Baubles/Trend Watching/Choosing a Signature Style" on April 2.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Necklace Ascending a Staircase

THIS month, Justin Giunta plans to introduce two collections under his jewelry label, Subversive.
THE SUBVERSIVE Justin Giunta

On Friday, he will present what he describes as his “couture collection,” made up of one-of-a-kind elaborately constructed compositions, which will be shown on a chorus line of synchronized dancers and sold through his New York studio. On March 23, he will begin selling a less expensive variety of necklaces and bracelets, from $14.99 to $59.99, at Target.

It is one of fashion’s more delicious little ironies when a line called Subversive goes mainstream.

This was perhaps a predictable outcome, as Mr. Giunta’s ornate, intellectual, collagelike designs have been a hit since he began making them on a whim after arriving in New York from Pittsburgh. He had first tried to make a living selling chandeliers, T-shirts, “anything I could to survive in New York City,” he said. When he applied himself to jewelry, by piling pearls, charms, cameos, filigrees and whatnot onto necklaces that looked like beautiful train wrecks, he seemed to strike a chord.

“I was a one-man sweatshop for supplying the demand I had created,” he said.

Although the prices were low when he started (out of necessity), they have gone up over the years along with the preciousness of materials involved and the grandness of scale. His designs now range from $300 to $3,200.

So the opportunity to design for Target, Mr. Giunta said, could be viewed as a return to his original philosophy: “the undermining of an institution, which is jewelry.” In other words, he was an artist making necklaces while questioning the very idea of what a necklace is — kind of like a Duchamp or Magritte for the Vogue mind-set.

Target customers may be satisfied that his designs are still pretty and do not look watered down. A gold-tone cluster of bangles and beads, for example, looks recognizably Subversive, as does a tangle of pearls (actually shell and glass) attached with a fringe of chains to a pocket-watch frame, floating like a squid underwater.
Source: nytimes

Creative twins use nature’s leftovers to craft cool silver jewelry

Heather Goodwin loves winter. “When the trees are bare, they all look like big twig necklaces to me,” the 35-year-old silversmith said.

Goodwin means that literally. Goodwin and her twin sister, Kerry Alice Collins, are the duo behind the unique Nahant, Mass.-based jewelry line Twigs & Heather. Using wax and burnout casting methods, the sisters make sterling silver necklaces, bracelets and earrings from the sticks, bark and seeds they collect around New England.

It is jewelry for the true nature lover: Birch bark curls into a wide cuff bracelet, rippled maple seeds dangle from earrings and small acorns bob along a silver chain.

“You’ll see us at night with backpacks and big scissors looking for twigs,” Collins said, laughing. The twins both have easy laughs; they speak over each other and finish each other’s thoughts.

“I’m constantly looking up to find the right trees to use,” Goodwin said. “We’re always outside.”

To make their one-of-a-kind pieces, the sisters put organic objects onto wax rods in heat-resistant plaster. Slowly, they heat the mold until the wax and natural material burn out, leaving a recess in the plaster. Finally, melted silver is poured into the mold, creating a near-perfect replica of the original.

When the sisters work on custom orders, they are actually preserving moments in time, memories. Goodwin and Collins gush about a man who asked for a twig necklace made from the tree under which he and his girlfriend fell in love. Then there was the mother (apparently with a sense of humor) who asked them to cast the shriveled black beans her toddler stuck up his nose. Goodwin made her husband’s birch bark wedding band.

Although the sisters were always artistic, they got into casting by chance. After graduating from high school in 1990, they enrolled at Northeastern University, but both quickly realized college wasn’t for them.

“I was this weird punk rocker who should’ve gone to art school,” Collins said. “We stuck out like sore thumbs at college.”

They dropped out after a year. Collins got a job sewing and making clothes and bags. Goodwin waited tables and landed an apprenticeship with metal casting business. She liked working with her hands, so continued waitressing until she had enough money to buy a kiln and other casting supplies.

They launched Twigs & Heather in 2000, but it wasn’t until last spring that they found a house in their hometown of Nahant with a basement space perfect for a studio.

In addition to their nature pieces (they also work with sea glass), Collins has launched an edgier line of jewelry that features skulls, hearts, and rabbits. Prices range from $40 to over $300. Twigs & Heather is available at etsy.com and Boston-area stores.

“We don’t meet many other women casters,” Goodwin said. “We are proud that we melt the metal, that we do all the work on our pieces from designing to finishing.”
Source: thenewstribune

Designer's one-of-a-kind jewelry inspired by Istanbul's history

Istanbul is the only city in the world that stretches across two continents. Connecting Europe with Asia, the city straddles more than the Bosphorus River, it straddles cultures. As a child, Sevan Bicakci lived on a street with a church, mosque and temple – three different beliefs that serve as inspiration for the very enigmatic jewelry designer now known simply as Sevan.

"Where I am from, rings are the mirrors of the personality of the wearer. They tell all about the wearer," says the imposing 35-year-old, speaking through an interpreter as he points out favorite pieces in the jewelry case at Stanley Korshak.

His calloused and burned hands seem too huge to finesse the delicate details that are the signature of his three-year-old label, but offer proof of the labor he devotes to each necklace, bracelet and ring.

Sevan (pronounced sevAHN) began working as a jewelry model-maker at 17 in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar. He developed a reputation as a skilled goldsmith and problem-solver, but spent most of his time producing commercial versions of work by other Turkish jewelers.

Everything changed six years ago when he set out to make a gift for his wife. "There is one sweetheart in life," Sevan says. "If she's going to wear a present from me, it should be a unique one."

A ring was made – and a manifesto was born.

Inspired by the early 20th-century Arts and Crafts movement, Sevan rebelled against mass production. He began working with his brother and produced 30 rings the first year, throwing away more than he sold. Incorporating non-jewelry techniques, such as stained-glass and mosaic, into his work, Sevan earned a new reputation in the Grand Bazaar, this time inspiring other artisans to join him.

Today he oversees a team of 35 craftsmen, but produces only 400 one-of-a-kind pieces each year. A single ring, his specialty, can take from three months to a year to complete. The more laborious pieces involve micro-mosaic, a Sevan signature that may incorporate up to 12,000 pieces of ceramic tile or porcelain.

Reverse hand-carvings are another signature. Sevan personally carves each stone from underneath, depicting remarkably detailed, three-dimensional sculptures of whirling dervishes, the Virgin Mary, or even ladybugs.

The loss percentage is high, with eight to 10 stones ruined for each success. The gem's interior is then painted and filled with clear enamel, before being set on an elaborately intricate band.

Sevan says the environment of Istanbul and its history propel his work. "I enjoy dreaming of myself as an Ottoman sultan, and sometimes I become his concubine or a Byzantine queen. The question then becomes, what would they wear if they lived now?"

Latter-day Byzantine queens Halle Berry, Tory Burch, Mary-Kate Olsen, Brooke Shields and Celine Dion are among those who wear his designs. And, he affirms, they pay retail. (Translation: from about $7,000 for a gold and sterling bracelet, to $58,000 for a ring with an Istanbul mosque carved into lemon topaz.)

"The Ottoman Renaissance never happened," Sevan acknowledges, "but I like to think it is now.

"The ideas are new, but the techniques are old."
Source: dallasnews

A model displays a creation by Italian jewelry designer

Haute jewelry : A model displays a creation by Italian jewelry designer Gianni De Benedittis during the Women Spring-Summer 2008 Haute Couture collection of the Rome Fashion Week at Auditorium Parco della Musica.
Source: yahoo

Designer gives dressing down to dressing up

Bold, edgy and with a hint of elegance, Anastasia Darsono's jewelry collection, Tasha D. gioelli, is original and unique.

"My jewelry (designs) are very bold. They are big and funky. This is because I'm always experimenting with new materials," said Anastasia.

She uses unlikely materials and fuses them with the more classical, blending formica, ramie fiber rope and bicycle cables with pearls and diamonds.

"When you see something like a ramie rope rolled up, you would never imagine it could be turned into a chic necklace, but when you combine it with a little bit of diamond, it turns out to be chic and cute," she said.

Anastasia strives to add a timeless element to her jewelry.is moving way too fast. That's why my favorite pieces are those that are timeless. You can wear them this year, or next year or even 10 years later," she said.

This might be why she loves mixing the elegant and the edgy in her jewelry. One of her pieces is a necklace made from a combination of sophisticated gold chains and a stylish pirate skull pendant.

Another piece combines wooden branches with refined turquoise, inspired by the beautiful view of the underwater world she saw during one of her diving escapades.

"But my favorite piece of jewelry is still the most timeless one of all. It's called the "Tsarina", which mostly consists of pearls. When people hear pearls, they straight away think that it belongs to the older generation, but my Tsarina is a new way of wearing pearls. The younger generation can wear it anytime."

Another of her signature pieces is called the Moon Odyssey. The stunning piece of jewelry is a mix of faux diamantes, acrylic claw and tulle, all threaded together with a classy black and white velvet ribbon.

All pieces are made individually, by hand.pieces are just so intricate and delicate they take almost 10 days to finish, but I still want to continue making them individually by hand because it is what makes my jewelry special," Anastasia said.

Most of the jewelry in her collection is chunky and large, which according to Anastasia is the perfect match for simple jeans and a plain T-shirt.

"I always advise my customers to dress down. There is no need to get all glamorous from head to toe. Let the jewelry make the outfit," she said.
Source: thejakartapost

Jewelry designers prepare jewelry for Golden Globe Awards

Source: yahoo

Grima, Jeweler to Royals, Celebrities, 86

Andrew Grima, whose jewelry adorned royalty and celebrities, died Dec. 26, The Associated Press reports. He was 86.

Grima died at a hospital in the Swiss mountain resort of Gstaad after contracting pneumonia following a fall earlier this month, his family told AP.

Born to a Maltese father and an Italian mother in Rome in 1921, Grima came to prominence in the 1960s with a flowery and organic style that captured the mood of a new generation of postwar fashion designers.

"When he started, jewelry was a very different thing;” small, precious stuff," his second wife, Jojo Grima, told The Associated Press. "He went straight the other way."

"At that time everything was pretty representative," she said. "There were bows, there were bees, there were little dogs. Andrew used a lot of rough stones and he made large pieces. It was a completely different philosophy."

One of those who took an interest early on in Grima's work was Lord Snowdon, then married to Britain's Princess Margaret.

"Lord Snowdon had written an article in the paper saying that there was nothing exciting in jewelry," Grima's wife reportedly said. "My husband called and said, 'Would you like to come and see my workshop,' and they became good friends."

The Snowdon connection as well as numerous prizes Grima received for his work during the 1960s earned him a coveted royal warrant as a supplier of jewelry to the British royal family.

Among the pieces he made was a ruby, diamond and gold brooch given to Queen Elizabeth II by her husband Prince Philip and worn during her televised Christmas Day speech this year, a day before Grima's death.

Other customers included former U.S. first lady Jacqueline Onassis, actress Ursula Andress, and sculptor Barbara Hepworth.

Grima, who never formally trained as a jeweler, joined H.J. Company, owned by his first wife's father, after the war, during which he had spent five years in Burma and India with the Royal Engineers.

He first worked as an administrator, but one day persuaded his then father-in-law to buy a suitcase full of semiprecious stones from a pair of Brazilian dealers so that he could try his hand at designing a new kind of jewelry.

"He basically was always an artist, but because he had never been formally trained he was able to change the look of jewelry in a way that others couldn't," his wife said.

Bonhams, which held a special auction of some of his work in 2006, described Grima as a designer who revolutionized his craft and "changed the way jewelry was looked at and worn by the public."

Among the items most sought-after by collectors are 80 unique watches created in 1969 for Omega, and several solid gold LED—or digital—watches that were commissioned by Pulsar.

Grima moved with his family to Switzerland in 1986 following the sale of his flagship store on London's prestigious Jermyn Street.

Besides his wife, Grima is also survived by a daughter, Francesca, as well as his first wife, Helene Haller, and three children from that marriage, Madeleine, Carole and Philip.

His funeral was held Thursday in Gstaad. A memorial service in London is planned at the end of May, his wife said.
Source: jckonline

Cindy Forrester's jewelry gives new life to old pieces

Cindy Forrester has always had the drive to create. As a child, she did drawings and paintings, but she recently discovered altered art and uses vintage and antique objects of almost any material imaginable to make one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry.

"I was browsing through an issue of Belle Armoire magazine one day and read about a lady who made jewelry from altered and discarded pieces," Forrester said. "I was fascinated and thought I'd give it a try." She started her Deltona business, Cindy Forrester's Designs, in July.

That same magazine, which gave her the inspiration for her "serious hobby," as she calls it, featured her work in its November/December issue. The article, "Altered Vintage Jewelry," pictured three pieces of her jewelry, and she sold all three.

The list of materials Forrester uses to make earrings, necklaces, bracelets and pins is endless. Her creations are formed from semiprecious stones, cameos, old religious metals, rosaries, chains, pieces of antique Bibles, chandelier crystals, old pocket watches, doll heads and tintype photos, to name just a few.

When not working as a claims adjuster for an insurance company, Forrester is searching for items to incorporate into her pieces.

"I shop on eBay, Etsy, which is a Web site to buy and sell objects and materials for handmade items, and visit antique stores," she said. "Often friends give me some of their pieces. I like to produce jewelry that looks old and vintage, and I give each a special name."

Forrester sells her jewelry on her Web site, cindyforrester.etsy.com. Prices range from $35 to $135 with earrings costing from $15 to $32.

One of her recent pieces, "Almost Heaven," is a 17-inch necklace of vintage rhinestones, pearls, topaz and garnet stones. For a pendant, she attached a tintype photo of a young lady, cutting it to size, backing it with a piece of crocheted lace and enclosing it in glass. She took the words "heaven" and "angel" from an 1800 German-English dictionary and put them at the bottom of the pendant.

It took her two hours to make, and it sells for $135.

Though concentrating on jewelry since July, Forrester still enjoys her acrylic paintings, and they have not been ignored.

She painted a portrait for country music singer Ricky Van Shelton and a picture of NASCAR driver Stacy Compton standing by his truck with the grandstand in the background.

Other individuals and corporations have commissioned her for her artwork and murals.

Looking toward the future, Forrester is considering doing shows and putting her jewelry in boutiques.

She also is looking into doing miniature paintings, making pendants for necklaces.
Source: orlandosentinel

Madrid: Helena Rohner

At 10 a.m. the Latina neighborhood of Madrid is absent the evening hustle and flow of tapas-seeking crowds. Nevertheless, a steady stream of shoppers makes a detour here — young women in vintage dresses, bourgeois mothers with blunt -cut hair, elderly ladies in nubby furs — ducking down Calle Almendro and buzzing the bell marked “Helena Rohner” on an unassuming 19th-century apartment building. They come to Ms. Rohner’s studio to scoop up her organic jewelry designs (for men, women and children) and home décor items.

Open the door and you’re in an artist’s workshop. Ms. Rohner, gamine and tidy with strawberry-blond hair and bright lipstick, oversees her team as they polish and shine. “They are made to be worn, to adapt to your body, to be comfortable, well made and not trendy,” said Ms. Rohner, 39, of her silver and gold rings for men and women, some set with wood, ebony or porcelain. She tries on a large, circular ebony ring (151 euros, or $222, at $1.50 to the euro), and a ring with a swooping base set with a dollop of black porcelain (120 euros).

Ms. Rohner was born in the Canary Islands and educated at the London School of Economics. Between high school and college, she spent a year in Florence, where she stumbled into jewelry.

Her necklaces, cuff links and rings set with wood and silver are particularly striking, as are the earrings enhanced with coral, and a gold collection with wedding rings made to order. Paul Smith sells a collection of her men’s jewelry.

The home-goods collection includes a ceramic tea set that looks like a Jonathan Adler adaptation meets Art Deco on the set of “Barbarella,” and a wood candlestick set inlaid with silver. Georg Jensen recently commissioned Ms. Rohner to create a steel tea-set collection.

Yet jewelry remains her special focus, she said. “Jewelry is a question of light, the light you add to your body.”
Source: nytimes