Jewelry Highlights from Paris and Milan

Jewelry hunting at last year's spring ready-to-wear collections was like shooting fish in a barrel. Everywhere you looked there were huge statement necklaces, boatloads of bangles and lots of layered links.

This year? The runway shine is as dull as a Michael Bolton quickstep.

HOWEVER - there are two noteworthy designers that used the jewel to make their lines pop: Giorgio Armani in Milan and Zac Posen in Paris (his show wrapped just hours ago). Observe...

Armani's Spring Ready-to-Wear collection was all about midnight madness. The navy night sky in Africa was Mr. Armani's inspiration, according to Style.com - and the jewelry he chose echoed the sentiment beautifully (I'm digging out my midnight sapphires as we speak...).

Zac Posen's line was more flirty, feathered and flapperish - with mesh jewelry styles that scream "Industrial Maven meets Prohibition Chic". Bravo.

With the Parisian pret-a-porter extravaganza just underway, some of my favorite designers are still on the calendar - Dior/Galliano, Chanel and Jean Paul Gaultier. Will they bejewel their beauties? Stay tuned...

Moths last night

1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 1
1342 Eudonia angustea 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta truncata) 1
1914 Dusky Thorn (Ennomos fuscantaria) 1
1923 Feathered Thorn (Colotois pennaria) 1
1961 Light Emerald Campaea margaritata 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 1
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 2
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri) 2
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 6
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 30
2272 Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago) 2
2364 Frosted Orange (Gortyna flavago) 1
2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Caradrina clavipalpis) 1

Christina Applegate Designs Jewelry

 

Celebrity jewelry designers are a dime a dozen these days, but I'm happy to report Christina Applegate is flexing her creative muscles for a cause other than the status of her own bank account. 

People reports the pregnant Samantha Who? star is assisting designer, Alex Woo to create a pendant necklace to honor Breast Cancer Awareness month and raise money for her Right Action for Women foundation.  A breast cancer survivor, herself, Applegate was honored to be a part of the process.

“This piece reminds me so much of the roses I made out of ribbons for my friends and family while in the hospital,” Christina told People. “I am so grateful to Alex for creating such a beautiful piece to benefit Right Action for Women. Proceeds from the necklace will help women at high risk for breast cancer get the screenings and testing they need to beat this disease.”

The tree and branches within the pendant–offered in both silver ($198) and gold ($998)–are designed to signify balance, peace, harmony and the curves of a woman. The seven leaves represent each day of the week, reminding women to live everyday to the fullest.


Interested in joining the fight - and looking fabulous while you're at it? Visit alexwoo.com to purchase the tree necklace just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness month in October.

80s Synth/Bay Rap Edit: No Hoe Remix

Here's a new take on the old D-Lo joint, featuring Beeda Weeda, E-40 and The Jacka. Super Disco Hyphy still in the buildin'.

D-lo feat e-40 beeda weeda & jacka - no hoe (b.cause invitation edit) by djbcause

Name Your Own Pink Diamond

Pink diamonds always give us jewelry hounds the shivers (in a good way), and when one this big goes on the auction block? We're talking 'commotion'.

According to Luxist, a rare 10.11 carat orangy-pink diamond is causing a stir up in Canada and with good reason: it's the most expensive diamond ever auctioned in the great land of the maple leaf. The pink gem  is estimated to bring in $2.5 million US and comes from the world-renowned Argyle mine in Australia (the producer of most of the world's pink diamonds).

And the best part in my book? Whoever grabs the gem on October 3rd will get the honor of "naming" the stone for the record books.  What would you name it if it came into your grubby little hands, jewelry hounds?

I'm thinking: "The Pink Parker"... "The Parker Pink"..."Laura Parker's Pink Perfection" "Can't Touch This Perfect Pink Parker Purchase"....Ok. Quitting while I'm ahead...(too late?)

Can't get enough pink? Neither can Jennifer Garner. Check out Jewelry.com's fashion recap of her perfect Pink Party this weekend!

Lindsay Lohan: Jewelry Lover to Jailbird

Lindsay Lohan was spotted last night at Ana De Costa's jewelry show in Los Angeles looking fresh-faced and ready to consume - far from the frightened soon-to-be sentenced drama queen we might have expected.

The jewelry show featured D-listers Brittny and Lisa Gastineau's new jewelry line, 'Tres Glam' which features their signature 'eye' theme - a power symbol known to 'ward off danger' according to the mother-daughter duo.

Too bad Lindsay didn't pick one up, cuz...well, it's slammer time again for our favorite tabloid fixation.

People Magazine reports the stunned actress was cuffed and led away by authorities after the judge sentenced her to prison until her next hearing on October 22nd - almost a month away!

At least she spent her last night of freedom doing something worthwhile. What do you guys think of Li-Lo's latest chapter?

'Gold' Part II: Gucci S/S 2011 Details

magpie tendencies: attracted to the agleam, burnished, gleaming, glossy, lustrous, polished, satiny, slick surfaces, details and textures.

Gold (pronounced /ˈɡoʊld/) is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from Latin: aurum, "shining dawn", hence adjective, aureate)

A selection of slides by Photographer Eliot Elisofon. This series of photographs were taken when Eliot Elisofon traveled to Africa from March 17, 1970 to July 17, 1970. (Photos taken from the Smithsonian Archive. For more information on each photo: I, II, III, IV.


Paramount Chief Nana Akyanfuo Akowuah Dateh II and regional chiefs, Kumasi, Ghana, 1970. This photograph depicts Asante Paramount Chief Nana Akyanfuo Akowuah Dateh II, regional chief Kwaku Addai (R) and the heir to Asafo stool (L). He was both Akwamuhene (chief of Akwamu, one of the early Akan kingdoms) and Asafohene (captain of an Asafo company, or a ceremonial head of a group of kinsmen).









Kyaman chiefs and notables, Anna village, Ivory Coast, 1972
The photograph depicts Ebrie (now Kyaman) dignitaries wearing prestige clothes and regalias. From left to right, seated: Alphonse Akre, sub-chief, Anna village. Blaise Ake Djoble, Anna village notable and party member. Jean-Baptiste Mobio, Adiopodoume village notable and party member. Standing: Maxime Ake Akossi, Anna village notable. Michel Afram, party representative, Anna. Marc Akouman, party delegate, Akouedo village. Barthelemy Akre, Chief of the Catholics, Anna. Katherine Ake Agouabe, daughter of notable, Anna. Francoise Dao Alouette, niece of Michel Afram. Alphonse Adja, Akouedo notable. Nicolas Tchapa Gouedan, Abatta village chief. "During the colonial period the French sought to consolidate their authority over the peoples of the south-eastern region by creating district and cantonal chiefs. Though untraditional, these offices have survived, and their occupants have increasingly sought to gain status by adopting Akan-style regalia (as have the few traditional paramount chiefs in the region)." [Timothy F. Garrard, 1989: Gold of Africa, Prestel]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for National Geographic and traveled to Africa from January 19, 1972 to mid April 1972.


Ornaments of a royal attendant at the Asantehene's court, Kumasi, Ghana. 1971

Color-Changing Sapphires, A Love Story

Sapphires aren't just the blingy blue bauble often likened to the color of Elizabeth Taylor's eyes - they're crazy chameleons that wear a coat of many colors. While deep blue is certainly what most of us think of when it comes September's birthstone, the gem also comes in a rainbow of hues - from pink and green to yellow and red (also known as - a ruby!) Cool, right?

But sapphires have a special shade that I recently discovered, and it's downright drool-worthy: the color-changing sapphire.

Not quite purple, not quite red, not quite blue - the ever-elusive color changer is a slippery little devil that injects some much needed intrigue into the gemstone world. I admittedly just came across the 'c-c sapph', when writing about the gorgeous 'Royal Butterfly' brooch a few days ago - and decided to do some digging to find out more.

Here's the skinny:

While many sapphires may exhibit faint color changes upon exposure to incandescent or fluorescent lights, the 'c-c sapph' is a dramatic diva, bless her heart. Most color change sapphires belong to one of two groups depending on their color change: the green to red (alexandrite), and the blue to purple kind.

Most alex type color change sapphires are from Songea, Tanzania while the blue-purples occur in Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Burma, and other parts of East Africa and Tanzania.  In all color change stones, the strength of the change is probabably the most important factor affecting their value - but the blue to purple variety tend to be the more pricey option.

Do any of you designers out there have a color-changer in your coffers you'd like to share? Make a comment here or send me a Twitpic with a link to an image/description, and I'll post it here.

In the meantime, here's a one-of-a-kind engagement ring featuring a color changer from The Jewelry Experts to whet your whistle.

Terns, Ferry Meadows

A party of 8 Black Terns dropped in on Gunwade Lake at Ferry Meadows this morning as I cycled to work. One juvenile Common Tern also remains and this was close enough for a shot at one point.

Common Tern Sterna hirundo, juvenile

Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 ad Leica APO77x20

Dusky-lemon Sallow

Only the second for the garden. The first was on the same date in 2006.

Dusky-lemon Sallow Xanthia gilvago


The Sallow Xanthia icteritia


1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 3
1342 Eudonia angustea 3
1707 Small Dusty Wave (Idaea seriata) 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 1
1825 Lime-speck Pug (Eupithecia centaureata) 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1913 Canary-shouldered Thorn (Ennomos alniaria) 1
1914 Dusky Thorn (Ennomos fuscantaria) 2
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 4
2134 Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa) 1
2198 Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura) 2
2267 Beaded Chestnut (Agrochola lychnidis) 1
2270 Lunar Underwing (Omphaloscelis lunosa) 16
2274 The Sallow (Xanthia icteritia) 1
2275 Dusky-lemon Sallow (Xanthia gilvago) 1
2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Caradrina clavipalpis) 1
2477 The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

The Situation - Gym, Tan, Laundry, Jewelry?

He may not have won the judges' hearts on Dancing With The Stars last night, but Jersey Shore's alpha male, Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino, is betting his 15 minutes will get him a piece of the jewelry pie like all the other D-listers worth their salt (see Kelly Bensimon, Tori Spelling, and Priscilla Presley for more).

So, here's the situation: Sorrentino is partnering with Jeff George of Luxury Laces to start a line of rosary necklaces and sneaker jewelry. What good Italian Catholic boy wouldn't want to wear Rosary beads while he creeps, right? And sneaker jewelry - as in rhinestoned laces (what else?) - are the perfect way to avoid those 'grenades' on the dance floor.

“Luxury Laces has always been a favorite of the Sorrentino boys,” said a family friend according to Radoronline. “The guys wear them, and they give the rosary blinged out necklaces to their girls.”

And if Jersey Shore jewelry isn't your cup of tea, ladies, The Sitch is apparently designing a line of women's underwear, according to wetpaint.com.

Run, don't walk.

Shut Her Bug: Steppers Edit

A Little Kells treatment of the B. Boi joint with some added keys, etc.

Big boi - shutterbug (b.cause hypnotic edit) by djbcause

Tanaka Toishi Kogyosho Exclusive Distributorship

Major announcement regarding JAPANESE NATURAL STONES!

Tanaka Toishi Kogyosho exclusive distributorship

As many of you know, on my last trip to Japan I visited Kyoto. Since that time, I have had many conversations with Tanaka, the sixth generation owner of Tanaka Toishi Kogyosho.

At this time, I am extremely pleased to announce that Michiaki Tanaka has selected me to be their sole distributor for their products, which include a broad selection of natural stones. This sole distributorship is for North Americas, which includes the importation of their products to the US, Canada, and Mexico. It does not exclude selling their products to other countries as well.

I am extremely proud and honored to have developed this relationship. In the coming days and weeks I will be developing a web presence regarding these products. I will be working closely with Mark of Chefknivestogo to help promote these products so expect further upcoming joint announcements. I am certainly interested in knowing what you, members of this forum, are interested in in terms of natural stones. I will be developing both a knowledge base of information about these fascinating stones as well as a selection of stones to choose from. While my primary focus will be towards the use of these stones for knife sharpening, it will be expanded to include sharpening straight razors, woodworking (and other) tools and sword polishing stones. I'm looking forward to a cooperative arrangement with other vendors as well as customers.

These stones will be primarily oriented to people who use freehand sharpening techniques, however there will also be announcements regarding the use of a select few natural stones for precision guided devices as well. There are other products that Tanaka carries, so expect to see other interesting product introductions in addition to natural stones too.

This announcement does not in any way mean that my current ongoing vendor relationships will cease. In fact you can expect them to expand as well and I look forward to additional cooperative ventures, which will be the topics of additional postings.

Dealer inquiries are welcome.

As many of you already know natural stones are quite unique and individualistic, unlike synthetic stones, so if you are looking to acquire specific types of stones, please let me know and I will help you find them. In some instances certain rarer stones will be unavailable, but there's no harm in asking.

Not only is the Tanaka family a seller of fine natural and synthetic stones, but they are also producers of natural stone.

They are owners of their own toishi-yama in Kameoka City, which is a source of natural stones.

---
Ken

Blingy Butterfly Gets The Royal Treatment

Now that the jewelry-barren landscape that was New York Fashion Week is behind me, it's time to get back to blingy basics. And there's no better way to celebrate than by ogling this bodacious butterfly bauble that just joined the storied coffers of the Smithsonian Institution.

Designed by Cindy Chao, the "Royal Butterfly" is a three-dimensional diamond-and gemstone-studded brooch that took over two years to create. The design is balanced by four large rough diamond slices and includes more than 20 color gradients comprised of 2,318 colorless and colored diamonds, color-changing sapphires, colored sapphires, rubies and tsavorites.

Color-changing sapphires? Awesome.


Chao generously gifted her "Royal Butterfly" to the Smithsonian, which now lives with some of the world's most significant jewels, including the famous Hope Diamond.

The designer's 'hope' was not only for viewers to appreciate the art in a new medium, but that it would also inspire "people to dream and create" and "continue to contribute to the evolution of culture and the world around them."

Ms. Chao? You had me at 'color-changing sapphires'.

And if you're hunkering for more Smithsonian sparkle, they just launched a branded jewelry line with QVC based on many of the pieces in their treasure chest. Check out Jewelry.com for more.