Award-winning fine jewellery designer Tomasz Donocik creates unique pieces that blur the boundaries between art and jewellery. Born in Poland and raised in Austria, Tomasz now lives and works in London where he founded his eponymous brand in 2008. Tomasz graduated with a BA from Central Saint Martins in London, followed by an MA in Goldsmithing, Silversmithing and Jewellery Making from the Royal College of Art in London. Immersed in these culturally rich surroundings, Tomasz has developed a life-long passion for art, film and literature, which continuously inspire his award-winning designs.
Text above from Tomasz Donocik’s ‘About Me‘ section on his website
Lovely jeweler with even lovelier designs. This post a long time coming; the lilypad ring is something of a marvel and something that keeps the eyes busy. Donocik does a great job playing with color and geometry of stone shapes. Here are a few of his stunning pieces I particularly like. His styles range from sharp geometric to ethereal nature pieces.
This year, after getting a very generous retention bonus from my employer, I finally bit the bullet and made my most expensive luxury jewelry purchase.
It’s.. a basic piece and classic at the same time. I’ll admit, growing up in an economical household where saving and finding bargains are deeply ingrained in daily life, this purchase made me sick to my stomach. Post purchasing, it sat in the box for a few days before I decided to take it out and wear it. Even then, I babied the piece for quite awhile- taking care not to bang it on tables, metal utensils, anything that would cause any type of scratches. Now, a few weeks in and a few hairline scratches as well- I’ve grown to appreciate the piece and my choice in making this big purchase.
Guess the piece:_______ ____ ________
I’ll give you a few hints. Luxury jeweler. Timeless motto. 1970s. Bracelet. Red box. That’s right, I got myself the one and only Cartier Love bracelet!
Now that the cat’s out the bag… I’ll share reasons why I made this hefty purchase. I’ve been eying this bracelet for quite some time now. The meaning behind it, LOVE~ was the main reason.
Cartier’s LOVE bracelet line stemmed from the idea that a lover would screw a bracelet onto your wrist as a sign of everlasting love. Something that required someone else to help put it on, with no intention of it being taken off.
My Love bracelet is the white gold thin version.
I know alot of folks opt for the original in yellow gold. For me, I’ve always hesitated at the original one. I never 100% quite enjoyed the idea that I would need someone else to help me put on a bracelet. I’ve also read quite a few articles and youtube videos about folks having the screws get loose and having the bracelet fall off their wrists. Not to mention the price of said bracelet was ever out of my reach (as a much younger person just getting started on my career I didn’t have spare thousands of dollars to spend). So when the thinner version came out in 2017, Cartier piqued my attention. It wasn’t until the last year or so being stuck in Covid pandemic living that I really considered making this big purchase.
Life is super short, I’ve witnessed and heard real stories of folks dying or getting into one mishap or another and never getting to do the things they’ve always wanted to do. Mishaps like the guy who broke his neck and died trying to jump a turnstyle hoping to avoid a $2.75 train fare, a coworker’s brother in law who died in his sleep, a guy who passed away choking on his lunchtime hotdog, the woman who got shoved to death onto the tracks of an on coming train, an uncle who got admitted to the hospital for Covid and his wife receiving his ashes some many weeks later; never getting to say goodbye, a father diagnosed with the trifecta that is high blood pressure- diabetes- cholesterol and having to take so many daily pills and change his routine, the coworker who has dreamt of international travel all her life only to have to cancel and lose a huge chunk of money, a cousin who lost her job half a country away barely keeping it mentally together with all the social injustices happening in the news, Jan 6th 2021, wildfires blazing with trees perishing in record heatwaves, volcanic eruptions causing massive tsunamis, losing someone I never thought I would lose and having them turn into a stranger leaving a gaping void in their wake spiraling my life out of control … to name a few.
So much has happened and the world is a wild place. So much more will happen.
Anyways, all of the above were the thoughts in my head and are what fuel my current mindset. Do what you want today, if it is within your means. You don’t know what tomorrow will bring, and nothing is ever guaranteed.
Greece Boutique; credit to Google search
On a recent trip to Greece (yes, also stemming from the duck it, I do what I want mindset), I happened to walk past luxury row in Athens. It was blistering hot that day and my desire to enjoy some much needed free air conditioning prompted me to walk into the Cartier store there. Now, I’ve always hated luxury stores in the states since I find alot of the sales associates look you up and down and rate your wealth by what you wear. I will say that in all the international luxury good stores I’ve frequented, I always get the best service. Something about US stuck up ness I’ll never understand (or appreciate). The lady at the Athens Cartier boutique was ever so graceful and kind. I recall I was wearing a $5 Gap tanktop, paired with equally economical shorts and my plain beatup black nike sneakers. It was at this boutique that I got to try on an actual Love bracelet!
I’m a tiny person, so another one of my hesitations in the past on getting this bracelet was the size and look of the bracelet. Putting it on felt like a ginormous golden weight and shackle put on my wrist. Watching her struggle with the screws, I knew the original wasn’t for me. The lovely associate however was clever to offer me to try on their smaller version. I obliged as I oogled the white gold version through the glass. I remember her opening the bracelet and explaining to me in detail the differences in opening/ locking mechanisms between the two bracelets. I loved the ease with which she was able to open and put it on me. Once I had it on, my subconscious eying the bulky security guard and me doing mental math of what that bracelet cost, I laugh politely and tell her its not for me. I was so nervous at wearing such an expensive piece and I didn’t want to put any scratches for fear I would damage anything and be required to pay!
I will admit, she must’ve sensed my excitement of the piece, because she urged me to keep the bracelet on for a while and that many do for 30mins at a time to get a feel of the weight and how it falls. I remember declining politely and holding my wrist out for her to take the bracelet back. Here’s the kicker though. As all good savvy luxury shoppers know, as US citizens traveling to the EU, depending on the country and how much you spend, you can receive VAT tax back on purchases. This lovely associate, keen on my interest, shared with me this information (this of course I already was well aware of) and wrote down the final price in USD for me with the VAT refund. I was almost so ready to purchase then and there. But I didn’t. I’m not an impulsive buyer and this would be a small fortune to spend on a whim. So I walk away. The price she wrote down haunts me to this day. After returning home, google results reveal that Greece has one of the highest VAT tax % returns of any other EU country. Slight regret follows, but I missed my chance. And let’s be honest, I wasn’t sure the size she gave me was the right size for me. My wrists are tiny and she only had the sz 16cm. I know there’s a sz 15cm that I wanted to try, but she didn’t have it. The 16cm felt a bit more bangly than I had hoped it to be.
WG Love Thin Version
Anyways, when I had the extra income, I got myself an appointment slot at Cartier’s 5th Ave mansion to try on the sizes and hopefully make my purchase. At this point, I kept seeing buzz about prices hikes on a lot of luxury good brands. Comparing the price I captured it to be when I first added this to my luxury goods wish list, this was already 20% more expensive! It was now or never, prices rise yearly now and for me there is definitely a limit on what I am willing to spend.
On sizing: I tried on the 15cm and while it fit on my wrist and there was room for it to move up and down a dew inches, it was a bit tight. The 5th avenue Cartier sales associate was really great in sharing with me that I’m one of those half size folks.
To put into context, Cartier recommends the following for sizing Measure your wrist around the widest part of the bone. Take that cm measurement and add the following: 1cm – tight fit 1.5cm – perfect fit 2cm – loose fit
My wrist measures a clean 14cm. Which makes my perfect fit a 15.5cm. But they don’t make that size!
I opt for the 16cm and struggled the first few days thinking it was the wrong size. But after wearing it awhile, I realize it is indeed a good fit for me. I hate things that stick to me! After a few outdoor workouts and runs with my heart pounding and sweat pouring, I’m grateful for a looser fit.
My choice for the white gold version comes from my natural desire to blend in and not stand out. The Love bracelet in itself already speaks so much and sort of screams LUXURY so much that it was sometimes also a deterrent for me to buy. I’ve always known that I would be a white gold girl. Yellow gold is just too flashy for my style! For a bracelet that I don’t plan on taking on/off often especially since I love to travel in anonymity white gold was the way to go. I don’t care too much about folks who don’t know thinking its sterling silver. In fact, I’d welcome that. I wear it on my right arm like a little secret.
As for buying it for myself, I’ve always dreamed of someone gifting me this but honestly with my up bringing I don’t think I would ever be able to accept such a hefty gift from a guy.
So that’s the story of my Love bracelet. From me, to me, for me.
British designer hailed for his work while at Alexander McQueen has been on my list of folks to write about for a bit. I’ve eyed his hook/ sabre lines for a while but never quite got to writing or getting remotely close to jumping the gun on purchasing a piece. I don’t think these statement earrings work well with my style!
Anyways, always happy to see his pieces evolve over time. His newest creations on stackable transformative interlocking pieces really caught my eye.
More pictures than words with this post. I love a good stackable ring and even more when stackable rings aren’t symmetrical and can be flipped up and down to make a different look! I especially love set rings that look good by themselves in addition to with their set pair. I pass by only a few engagement sets on social media that do this very well (without the engagement wedding band being the commonly seen eternity bands- quite boring in my opinion). If I ever get married, I’d wish for an eye catching set that is a feast for eyes separate and together. Shaun Leane has one such example: Ariana set.
Ariana Wedding bandAriana Engagement ringAriana set
Again as most of my posts go: $$$ – expensive! Mixed metals, mixed stones but also lots of love for these pieces!
I’ve never been much into candles. I remember back in high school, I received a gift of some cinnamon-y glitter vanilla candle that my friend absolutely loved and I never quite got into it. It sat in the corner of my room more of an air freshener and piece of decor; I never got to burning it for whatever reason. Some many years later, after a few house warming parties later of which the hostess kept many a pleasant smelling candles burning throughout their new place, my interest in candles was piqued. I’ll admit, I didn’t know where to begin. I remember inhaling the scents of yankee candles which were nice but … not exactly to my liking.
While at a dinner gathering held by one exceptionally classy friend and his wife (which included caviar amuse bouche), a stop at their restroom had me using an amazingly fragranced hand soap, among the soft glow and light wifts of a simple glass candle burning by the counter. Wiping my clean hands on a exceptionally soft hand towel, and making mental notes of brands to search up later for personal use, I went back out to socialize. Returning home after that delicious meal and nursing an additional glass of wine by my laptop, I searched up these two brands (I’ll admit I was a bit shocked at the price) and browsed with an arched eyebrow at what luxury living might look like.
Note: up until that point, I grew up in a household that taught me the value of money and being economical. We always purchased things on sale, or in bulk when on sale. So a $36 Maison Louis Marie candle or the $65 Suede Byredo hand soap was just a different world to me.
Quite a while passed till I actually purchased my first candle. A few more house parties later where lovely scented candles burned, a musty smelling house (not for lack of cleaning), and a small influx of cash finally had me making a purchase. I’m the type of person who values quality over quantity, so I didn’t really have a monetary budget. I googled up articles and researched in depth all the best candles people raged about. The brand Diptyque came up many times. In the past, I’ve stopped by a few of their sample sales but always came out empty handed (later realizing all the good scents were already gone and that I’m not a a fan of the spicy, woody, musky smells). All my research prompted me to go in person to their Soho location. After slight pause (I have slight anxiety from luxury good sales associates eying you up and labeling your worth), I stepped in the store for a sniff test of their best selling Baies candle. I hated it. The ‘cold throw’ was way too sweet for my liking. Now you might ask what’s a cold throw? Is there a hot throw? – A ‘Cold Throw’ is the scent a candle gives off before you burn it. – A ‘Hot Throw’ is the scent a candle exudes as you burn it.
Back to the story though… I was determined to spend something that day so I tried sniffing a few other scents. Now, I’ve never been a fan of overly floral scents since they often come paired with the gross powdery smell I associate with grandmas. (I’m not about to be labeled a grandma!) But lo and behold, after test sniffing their Roses scent, I was sold. I remember holding it to my nose and being super surprised at how their candle artisans were able to grab the fresh smell of roses (no powdery grandma smells at all!). And that was how I made my first luxury candle purchase. Went home, didn’t burn it for a few days- did some more research on how to properly burn a candle as not to waste a single drop of that luxury fragranced wax. Did more extensive research and learned what candle tunneling was and how to prevent this with trimming candle wicks upon every burn to 1.4 inch. Learned about wicks and that mushrooming effect from burning was due to excess carbon etc etc. I learned alot- also google really is amazing isn’t it?
Anyways, back to Diptyque. Earlier this month, Diptyque released a limited edition series featuring their Roses scent, among a few new pieces: Litchi, Chamomile, Artichoke. I’ve browsed through a few other limited editon pieces over the years but always passed on purchasing. The candle designs were just meh. This time though, I cound’t help myself. Their box design and fragrance list just sang in harmony for me. Couple with a special limited edition mini Roses gift and free samples over $176? Who could say no? (I mean I did cringe a little when seeing the final price on my credit card statement). I’ve yet to burn these babies, and I’ve heard rumors that this set does tend to tunnel… I hope my research on anti tunneling techniques will be put to good use if this is indeed true. The packaging is just perfect and so so pretty. I’m one to keep and burn candles on special occasions, so my original Roses candle has lasted me the whole year. These guys will be sure to last just as long, so I don’t regret my purchases at all. Besides, 2021 has been a bit rough on everyone. The whole ‘You think the pandemic might be over? Pysch! Here’s omicron for you! ‘ and all that. It’s nice to treat yourself every now and then. Burn a nice candle, open a bottle of wine, inhale a nice scent as you watch a scary Netflix series at home. Its a vibe.
Side story that also went into me purchasing and continuing to purchase Diptyque: Part of my trial and error on tunneling was based off of another gifted tin candle… While I was burning this gifted tin candle (some sort of linen scent), C who lives with me who has a very keen nose always complained about how bad this candle smelled. A few days post burning my first Diptyque Roses candle, C made a remark that they loved this candle. ‘This new candle is great and the other one really sucks.’ Living with C, and knowing praises come few and far between especially when it comes to smells had me thinking, of course you would like the Diptyque candle. And of course it had to be the expensive one you like. Just a nod to all the times we go shopping without looking at price tags, seeing something we like and it always turns out to be the most expensive items on the rack. What can I say, we have a taste for expensive things. I can’t help it. Neither can C.
Long time no post; and short post today. Wanted to share a delectable piece I’ve been eyeing recently sported by the stunning Chiara Ferragni. Those who don’t know who she is, look her up. In short, Italian entrepreneur who married singer Fedez (Federico Leonardo Lucia) with currently with two gorgeous children. Her road to infamy originated from her fashion blog https://theblondesalad.com/, known for her edgy street wear and street styling. The rest is history! She now has her own brand and partnerships with a multitude of luxury brands etc.
But I digress; back to the topic at hand. So as an avid follower of Chiara (and the Ferragni’s in general- their kids are so cute!) and with an eye for shiny things (of which Chiara is never sparse with), I’ve noticed a bracelet she’s been wearing that seemed vaguely familiar. A gold cuff with diamonds in rectangular parallel pattern. I couldn’t quite place it, but knew I’ve seen it before while window shopping luxury brand bracelets. I remember when seeing it, my first impression was “edgy, chic, not everyone can pull off”. On Chiara however, it looks wonderful as a companion to all the other bracelets she wears and yet also a statement. So I decided to find out just where to get this bracelet in the off chance its slightly affordable- though who am I kidding, I don’t think I’d purchase it anyways. I make my morning latte, open my laptop to Google and open up tabs for all the luxury brands that I know sell fine jewelry pieces.
Gem Dior Bracelet/ WG & Diamonds
When I do find it on the Dior site, I nearly spit out my coffee at the price. It’s $30,600 USD. Yes. You read right, thirty thousand dollars (and change). Let that fact marinate for a moment. That’s the price of a car… Anyways, thought I would share that tiny tidbit. I love Chiara and her style but can only dream of owning, and wearing such a piece on a daily basis.
My next feat is to search up where she got another bracelet from. Its similar to Cartier‘s bejeweled diamond LOVE bracelet but its not… it has emerald eye motifs. Dazzling to say the least. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a custom piece.
Netali Nissim/ YG, Diamonds, Emeralds
Update:30mins later. I found the eye/love bracelet! Brand/Jeweler: Netali Nissim Their USA online boutique doesn’t have that exact one for sale (or a pave version) so I mused at this being a custom piece. However some more digging pointed me to another site that did carry the exact piece. This Italian website sells the exact one that Chiara sports, so it looks like this isn’t a custom piece. Still gorgeous at a mind boggling 15,000 EUROS (~ $18,300 USD) I coughed at the price, but barely. Pave is expensive… that much I know and this brand is not well known luxury brand. Netali Nissim: on the brand as a whole features colorful gemstones with eye motifs. Def cute!
I’ve had my eye on this particular jeweler for quite a while. Words escape me every time I try to write about her work. Something about her brand aesthetic just captivates me. Hailing from my very own city of New York is Eva Fehren.
Her designs speak a mixture of minimalism, geometric, high shine and glam. Simply complex yet stunning in equal parts precision craftsmanship, all pieces are a joy to online browse.
This from her website:
EVA DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM THE CITY’S GEOMETRIC URBAN PATTERNS AND ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS, LIKE THE CHRYSLER BUILDING, THE CRISSCROSSING OF POWER LINES AND THE INTRICATE PATTERNS OF CRACKED SIDEWALKS.
EvaFehren.com
Her style and aesthetics are simply gorgeous. I can’t wait to own one of her pieces in the future. I just love how she plays with black/ white and shadow colors. Fahren also makes use of uncommon diamond shapes to celebrate their uniqueness; each piece a showstopper on their own.
Fehren’s got an amazing new ‘Nova’ line based off nova stars. A lovely collection that gives a head nod to the stars we see in Chanel’s COMÈTE line, though absolutely 100% different. Fehren’s Nova line showcases stars as glowing triangular diamonds arranged in the most artistic way. At a whopping $39.75k, you can have you very own nova star earrings.
I’ve been on the prowl for some new earrings. Naturally, I do some online window shopping the the jewelry section on Net-a-porter. Found the cutest solid gold, multi color stone crab earring by french jeweler Yvonne Leon.
Little is known about Leon save for her quirky designs that breathe life into precious metals.
Her website displays a multitude of designs; from sea creatures like lobsters and manta-rays to more abstract geometric designs. She certainly creates something for any woman at every age.
I particularly love her creations focused on ears. Pictures to follow.
A bit on the pricy side. I do wish some of her pieces were smaller (the crocodile in particular looks like it would cause sagging earlobes if I wore them everyday!
Super cute! Hope to one day own a piece for myself.
Taking a side street to post something slightly different today. Not entirely unrelated to jewelry, but also not jewelry at the same time.
Introducing the amazing artist AngieCrabtree.
An extraordinary oil canvas painter in her own right, she captures the very essence of the shiny things I am so very captivated by; that’s right, she paints diamonds. Her website states: Angie Crabtree’s work examines luxury, materialism, and humanity’s unique relationship with the commodification of nature.
My response :you are damn right she does.
I stumbled upon Angie Crabtree on instagram while scrolling through my feed. Tapped to view more, promptly followed her and the rest is history. Her work never ceases to amaze me.
Her paintings speak for themselves with a clear display of attention to detail and focus on all the things.
Upon discovery of Angie Crabtree and the idea of gemstone painters, I did a little bit of research. It turns out, there aren’t that many out there. There’s about a handful of gemstone painters out there and in my opinion Angie is the best.
No other gemstone painter that I have researched gets to that certain level of detail in painting. No other painter gets it looking that real. Like you can almost see and touch the gem as a real 3D (albeit 5ft tall) gem right in front of your face.
Bonus points as she sells phone cases of her paintings! (sadly they are currently all SOLD OUT as of Dec 2019)
On another note, I certainly did not realize how many colors can go into painting a colorless diamond (her swatches include pinks, reds, and greens etc.)
A current artistic jeweler favorite is Stephen Webster. Words can only do so much to describe the splendor and amazement his pieces invoke in me. World renowned British jewelry designer Stephen Webster spins masterful pieces from a multitude of sources and materials. Each piece tells a story like no other and is unique alone as statement pieces worthy of conversation at any event. I personally would love to own a piece!
Each piece is a show stopper.
Feast your eyes on a few of my personal favorites:
Hammerhead shark bangles in solid gold +/- colorful gems would look great coupled with the simpler Cartier Love bangle.
Jeweled long finger lobster rings or his cuckoo bee or two piece jitterbug rings would be perfect for cocktail parties.
Elegant thorn drop earrings & many more look amazing for red carpet events.
Price: $$$$+++ (way way out of my budget)
Would love if he created a separate mini sterling silver collection for those of us who aren’t gazillionaires!
Currently Listening to: Johnny Run Away
By: Tones & I
I’ve been on the prowl for some new earrings. Naturally, I do some online window shopping the the jewelry section on 
Upon discovery of Angie Crabtree and the idea of gemstone painters, I did a little bit of research. It turns out, there aren’t that many out there. There’s about a handful of gemstone painters out there and in my opinion Angie is the best.
A current artistic jeweler favorite is Stephen Webster. Words can only do so much to describe the splendor and amazement his pieces invoke in me. World renowned British jewelry designer Stephen Webster spins masterful pieces from a multitude of sources and materials. Each piece tells a story like no other and is unique alone as statement pieces worthy of conversation at any event. I personally would love to own a piece!
Shine & Starfire 