Polly Wales!
Keeping this post short and sweet ~ mostly self explanatory.
Mosaic of precious stones set in random display in solid gold.
Love the simple, elegant, and spontaneity in this haphazard design.
Price Scale: $$$$
Tag: gold
Jessica McCormack
Bringing up a post from my drafts collection (I have quite a few unfinished pieces).
Confession: fairly positive there’s a direct correlation with snow days / cabin fever/ and me searching for shiny baubles on the web. Every time it snows, I find myself browsing hashtags on instagram of sparkly baubles.
Bringing me to this posts’ star: Jessica McCormack.
Hailing form land of the kiwis, native New Zealand. As her website states, her love for antiques propelled her career move to Sothebys in London. The rest is history. Her passion and exposure to exquisite priceless pieces naturally directed her in starting her own jewelry line. I fell in love with this jewelers’ eye and talent in taking antique heirlooms and transitioning those same exact pieces into timeless modernity.
Key and point (large pic below) an antique brooch turned ring pair to match her client’s engagement ring! Full-sized picture for full-sized shock and awe. Is that not the most gorgeous match made?
This jewelry artist has an eye for transformative pieces. She has quite a few collections out, but in my opinion her ring jackets are to die for.
Candace Covelli
Candace Covelli ~ company that designs luxury pill inspired jewelry.
A short but sweet little post. Because who doesn’t like pills?
14kt gold (all types) paved with the possibility of any and all types of precious jewels imaginable. Pricing is fitting for those with a Pharmacist salary 😉
Niche designs. Perfect for gifting (especially for those in the pharmaceutical industries).
Looking forward to more designs to come! (other pill types perhaps?)
Diaboli Kill
New year, new post right? Right?
Anyways, I have been waiting to post about this particular brand as I only really like one piece and have been patiently waiting for the designer to produce more designs. Needless to say, patience paid off.
Introducing Diaboli Kill, a New York brand founded by New York born Egyptian- Dominican Angie Marei.
Diaboli Kill’s website boasts of designs as a ‘tie between sinister and sexy’, and this could not be closer to the truth.
I first fell in love the Damian Horn collection and lusted after their Damian Brevis Horn Ring in gold vermeil. Alas, my tiny hands would not do this baby justice as statement jewelry is designed for larger longer fingered statement hands… (that I do not possess~ tiny short baby hands is what I have).
Newer lines like the Isadora have also caught my eye; colorful stones cohesively aggregated together with precious gold metals to adorn the ears are my new eye-candy.
Luxurious jewelry for the rich and famous. Like most my posts, way too expensive for a mere working girl like me to afford. Best to stare with awe and wonder in my eyes from afar… like way way far. Their Garnet Isadora ear cuff in 18k will set you back $6.6k. The infamous Damien Onyx Horn Ring in various vermeil/ silver / gold ranges from $395- $7,500 USD.
Pricey.
Daniela Villegas
Deep diving into one of a kind beauties in the world of fine jewelry. One artist of quite notable mention is Daniela Villegas.
This Los Angeles based designer uses only the best materials to create one of a kind works of art. Each piece stems from a love and appreciation of nature.
I’m not usually a fan of symbolic and close renditions of animals, but the sheer craftsmanship and attention to detail Villegas puts into her work is nothing but breathtaking.
However, don’t be too tempted to pour your soul out to own one of these beauties. Each piece is literally one of a kind with a sky high price tag.
(This gorgeous Alpaca ring on the left retails for about $25,000+ USD!) This particular piece on the comes from her Peru collection inspired by the colors and culture of historical Machu Picchu. Handcrafted in 18k rose gold with a string of roughly 5 carats worth of multicolored sapphires, this ring sure is a sparkly stunner.
Incredible prices for incredible pieces. I think I’ll just look from a far… by that I mean really really far… definitely jewelry made for the luxurious.
Currently: work, work, working hard ~ but not on jewelry things….
Music: Too Good at Goodbyes by Sam Smith
Tasaki Intl.
Back tracking to a few of my recent favorites. Always a love for Japanese brands, this is no exception. I’ve been meaning to write this post for quite sometime but wanted to gather a bit more research on company background.
Introducing Tasaki Intl. a subsidiary of the infamous DeBeers company head quartered in Japan. Tasaki Intl. is a luxury Japanese brand with new and innovative designs adhering to old school materials such as the classic pearl.
With pearls making a bold resurgence; design head Thakoon Panichgul creates fresh new ideas to showcase the elegance of pearls. And quite frankly, I’m a fan.
Small background on Thakoon Panichgul: he is Thailand born, Omaha Nebraska raised, and currently NYC based designer. Truly brilliant designer who brings new ideas to his creations. I have nothing but respect for him. Panichgul’s work like many but few have graces the presence of many a famous celebrity (including the Obamas!).
As always I digress.
With a flare for elegance, modernity, the Tasaki branded jewelry never feels clunky or too much. Feast for the eyes to follow. Each line of jewelry is distinct in design (and designer) as each line is created in collaboration with different jewelry designers such as Melanie Georgacopoulous, Mare-Helene de Taillac etc. Collaborations with these designers generate new styles while keeping the beauty and elegance of the materials quality still at 100%.
SIDE BAR // I’ve recently found myself gravitating to pearls. A personal favorite brand, Vita Fede has been showcasing pearls in a classic yet modern and elegant way. In general I’ve found more and more jewelry companies designing pieces in pearl or with pearl accents. I’ve also seen younger girls accessorize with pearly pieces (real or otherwise). To be honest, I’ve always believed pearls would be for… lets say… mature women (ok fine, old people). But seeing trends and I, myself owning a pair of black pearls; they’re not that bad at all; I do not think pearls age me as much as I feared they would. But then again… does that make me more mature/ old now?
Fernando Jorge
Fernando Jorge is Brazilian born based in the UK jewelry designer to watch for. The following is an excerpt pulled from his website
“Fernando’s pieces are imbued with sensuality, energy and movement – his aesthetic is inherently Brazilian. He often uses locally sourced gemstones and minerals, giving them his signature finish, including unique cuts and the use of delicate gold snake chain. The result has a distinctly sculptural feel that is both elegant and modern.”
Very, very accurate and perfect description of his work. Hard metals, molten into fluid shapes both flexible and sculptural.
I’ve been recently eyeing fine jewelry that resemble art work. I’ve also been looking at artists’ designs on a whole. I particularly love Fernando Jorge as he plays with almost all the colored stones out there. He is unafraid to use and abuse all the colors of the rainbow to portray his work. In all of his past/current collections, all sorts of stones are used from diamonds to opals to chalcedony and rubies. And I just love that it speaks about where he comes from as a person with all splashes of color.
Furthermore, as a whole all his collection names are similar and yet different- all and adhering to mother nature and at the same time modern. fresh. new.
High jewelry, high fashion, high price.
*Barney’s + Harrods is a fan; and also a stockist. I mean if its available on Net-a-Porter, its
Tilda Biehn
Been super busy and lots of things of my plate as of late. Everything just seems to bunch together in stress factors and I haven’t had the time to go out for my daily jog around the park much less post something short here!
Anyways, here is Tilda Biehn, a fine jewelry line founded in 2014 by jewelry designer Andrea Lipsky-Karasz. Featured below are a few of her designs that are worth mentioning.
I was on the look out for a new pointer ring and stumbled upon her Aurora band; which is a play on the simple chain investing in it a smattering of shiny shiny glittery rocks we call diamonds.
What also captured my attention were her Stratus line earrings which kind of remind me of Bibi Vandervelden’s use of baroque pearls to depict cloud shapes! I mean, just look at the similarities!
But I digress. Lipsky-Karasz’ Comet line is absolutely beautiful. The half cuff/ wrap style is very much in and this designer does not seem to miss it. Lovely wrap style “comets” with subtle geometric aspects ingrained with options for colored stones make everything just rainbow.
Pricing wise, as I do love the ability to customize with engravings/ stones/ types of metal, still out of my budget.
Northskull
Long time no post! Featuring Northskull, a men’s jewelry fashion brand based in London.
I originally was not going to post about this brand simply because I was not too much a fan of their designs. But recently, Northskull of London released a new collection that upped its appeal. Northskull brand signature bracelets feature quality leather, fine metals on bracelets with two skulls head to head. I do believe they have a few stingray leather leather pieces as well as beaded bracelets aswell.
Their newest collection entitled Construct/Disrupt of SS16 features sleek new bangles and bracelets. I’m a crazy bangle/ bracelet fiend and Northskull delivers such beautiful minimal and simplistic pieces with subtle design flare! They have a few aged silver cuffs in a sort of matte finish as well as 18k gold plated brass rings etc.
As far as pricing wise, Northskull is a luxury men’s fashion jewelry line so pieces range usually $100+USD. In my opinion, if a guy is going to buy jewelry for himself he is not going to buy like a gazillion different bracelets like I would… so it is worth it(?) I mean… some of these pieces feel very unisex… so I would totally go wild if sales were in play.
** I could totally see myself stack Northskull’s newest The End Cuff in gold with a Cartier LOVE bangle or Vita Fede‘s Mini Titan for a lovely arm stack!
Bibi van der Velden
Absolutely adore all that is Bibi van der Velden. Her jewelry pieces are truly wearable works of art. Another artist from the Netherlands and current favorite of mine. She creates luxurious one of a kind works of art to be enjoyed for years to come. Her materials list is off the charts! From commonly known precious metals like gold and platinum to rare finds like carved mammoth ivory, scarab beetles etc.. Each piece is definitely one of a kind piece of history in itself.
I particularly love her cloud series. Personally the pricing is not over the top for the delicate and intricate designs such as hers. I would love to own a cloud piece as carved quartz is very appealing to my eyes. I especially love the added dangling chains in her necklaces that make a great statement piece.
Craftsmanship is stunning. Carving techniques are one of a kind; but of course she is a sculptor like her mother. I could rave on and on and all would be positive things to say about her work. Pictures speak louder than words so please feast your eyes on the following!
Right now: Third post @ 3am. – I hope my noisy neighbors do not wake me prior to 10am with their squealing toddler in their pool 5 yards from my bedroom. I will wreck havoc.
Shine & Starfire 