necklaces – Shine & Starfire

Messika Paris

February 4, 2019February 4, 2019 shineandstarfireLeave a comment

Messika Paris is a french jewelry brand founded about 12 years ago by Valeria Messika. Their signature design plays upon movable diamonds (Move). Other notable collections are their ‘skinny’ technology diamond pieces. These pieces are advertised to meld with all different body types.

Interested in the brand’s history? Attached here is a lovely article written by the New York Times : https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/19/fashion/jewelry-messika.html

Honest Confession: Messika has not been very high on my list.
When I first glimpsed at their trademark pieces a few years ago, I’ll admit I wasn’t very impressed. I tally-ed Messika in my list of jewelry brands to watch as it would be a hit or a miss. I will say that with time and the additions of new design pieces, Messika Paris is most definitely one to watch. Their modern take on jewelry fit the mark in luxury with the times. Attached below are are few pieces I especially love running my eyes over.
Furthermore, I can definitely see one of their bracelets sitting side by side the iconic Cartier Love bracelet in a lovely arm stack.

One small thing I will mention that continues to leave me perplexed is:
How on earth do you keep these jewelry pieces clean?
Closer inspection of the mechanics between movable pieces and main pieces include so many tiny little crevices... with which dead skin cells can linger and flourish… I mean… have you ever taken a multi stone pronged ring under a microscope and seen like grey/ brown stuff caked within the tiny little nooks and crannies ???

That aside, actually really obsessed with the new collaboration My Soul collection with Gigi Hadid.

Currently Listening to:
Zombie
By: The Cranberries

Noor Fares

August 28, 2018August 28, 2018 shineandstarfireLeave a comment

Definitely one a showstopper, Lebanese jewelry designer Noor Fares has been on my radar for quite some time.
Her signature wings earrings are almost always sold out on her website. I’ve seen a lot of winged jewelry renditions overtime, but Noor Fares creates the best balance of flashy, and elegance. Each piece is hand carved made of various different stones, materials and attached to precious metals; from wood, sandstone, diamonds, quartz, jade, ebony, mammoth ivory etc. you name it, she can probably craft it. Her iconic ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ earrings have shot her straight to fame since 2009.

Noor-Fares-Earrings-19_1000x1000_crop_center

Each and every piece she creates provokes meaning and almost beckons someone to come forth and inquire. Would love, love, love to eventually be able to purchase and own one of her pieces! Feast your eyes on some magnificent jewelry porn below!
18k Chandra Crescent

One of her latest pieces I absolutely adore is from her rainbow collection. The Crescent Chandra earrings are particularly sublime. That slice of crystal in the shape of a crescent moon sitting on a golden bed of rainbow stones is just gorgeous.

Rich and richer.
Noor Fares is the daughter of Lebanese multi-millionaire Issam Fares. Hailing from Tufts University, she learned all about gems at London’s GIA. Some can only dream of being able to fulfill endless inspirational pieces with boundless resources! Her father is said to be a very successful entrepreneur and it looks like his daughter most definitely followed in his footsteps!

everette nyc

January 27, 2017January 27, 2017 shineandstarfireLeave a comment

I absolutely love dainty shiny things. Diamonds on thin bands display a certain subtle sparkle that simply light up my day. Everette nyc does just this with their delicate yet well crafted jewelry. From what I hear, if statement pieces aren’t in, its most definitely the tiny fortunes.

Everette nyc jewelry can be described as sort of hipster Brooklyn jewelry. Subtle, with a bright flash of diamond to depict a sort of hidden richness; not overly fancy just a tiny sparkle from a diamond here or there. Simply beautiful. To be quite honest, Everette reminds me of the brooklyn based Catbird.

Earlier in the year (more like late 2016) what initially caught my eye about Everett was their collaboration earring piece with ABLE cosmetics. Diamond stud earrings with whimsical cat eye/eyebrow earring jackets look absolutely adorable! Available in white, yellow, and rose gold a single earring (right or left) costs about $275.

10% of all proceeds are also stated on their website to be donated to The Seeing Eye, an organization with a mission to raise and train cute adorable puppies as seeing eye dogs.

In addition, looks like Everette is hosting a sample sale with markdowns on select pieces making pricing a tad more agreeable (peep the large starlight gold/diamond earrings at $300USD from $430USD; while not an absolute steal worth a gander). Sample sales are usually followed by new designs, those of which I look forward to seeing!

Tilda Biehn

September 19, 2016September 19, 2016 shineandstarfireLeave a comment

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.

LUMO Jewelry

April 28, 2016April 28, 2016 shineandstarfireLeave a comment

Currently still obsessing over thread bare stackables! (mostly rings)
LUMO Jewelry is California based and features similar if not the same theme as Jennie Kwon Designs. (Pricewise again is around the same- pricey).
Noticeable difference in design keep LUMO and Jennie Kwon separate and yet similar in the thread bare minimalist hand, arm, and neck jewelry.
I especially love LUMO’s ‘cuff’ rings- offered in a varity of colored stones and designs.

There is something about cuff rings that really catch my eye. I guess its a design that when stacked with a solitaire or statement ring, adds some sort of brilliance. I especially love LUMO’s atria cuff ring as the three cut diamonds just intrigue me! Not to mention the fact that this design sort of reminds me of Tiffany & Co.’s victoria line of star arranged diamonds. Absolutely love. LUMO Jewelry also stocks necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. Thin cuff and thin chained bracelets are currently in (with the whole Alex & Ani craze still pretty popular with college students). Personally, my thin wrists would only allow for very few stackables (fingers included). Perhaps the reason why my eyes currently gleam over thin threadbares? But I digress. LUMO Jewelry has a thumbs up from me. A bit on the pricey side, but handmade designs warrant more TLC! A few snapshots below of some of my likes taken from google and LUMOs website.

Sidebar: LUMO jewelry makes their jewelery with either conflict free diamonds or Herkimer diamonds. Herkimer diamonds aren’t actual real diamonds- but double terminated (pointed) quartz known for their clarity and shine. Herkimer diamonds are legitimate herkimer diamonds if mined from upstate New York (Herkimer County). As wikipedia states, though double pointed Quartz can now be found in other areas, ‘Herkimer Diamonds’ only hail from Herkimer county!

The more you know.

Catbird

April 18, 2016 shineandstarfireLeave a comment

Been a long while since a post (busy with real life things now that I am no long fun employed woohoo for income!). But happy mid April everyone!

Current post on local jewelry haven for minimalist/ simple handmade jewelry from Catbird NY located in one of the trendier neighborhoods in Brooklyn.
This quaint little shop features dainty jewelry made in sterling silver, white gold, rose gold, and yellow gold. I’ve been on and off on their website eyeing their particular house made Famous Letter Ring as it has a cuteness factor of 7 coupled with 10 for customization! (and don’t I just love customizable jewelry).
Anyways, Catbird is one of those stores that sells their own small selection of designs aswell as being a major stockist for local (NYC) jewelers who share their style/ concept. It was from Catbird where I learned of jewelers like Satomi Kawakita etc.
Pricing wise, they are a little on the pricey side (simply for thin gold bands) but I wouldn’t mind purchasing from them as craftsmanship and customer service are A+. In addition- threadbare stacking rings are very in right now. Catbird also has their idea of the best ‘stack’. Currently they have a poppin online store that sells more than just jewelry – custom Catbird stationary, soaps, prints etc. In addition, earlier last year they opened up their own Catbird annex for the sole purpose of wedding, engagement rings. (I do adore their Odette the Swan). For me, I’m a sucker for rings so that is what I usually gravitate towards, but they do have a small selection of minimal earrings as wells as delicate chained bracelets and necklaces worth a gander.

Feeling: Tired as f***

Lionette by Noa Sade

February 17, 2016February 17, 2016 shineandstarfireLeave a comment

Let’s talk about statement pieces. To be honest, I don’t own any statement pieces simply because I do not feel like I can rock it. Lionette by Noa Sade is NYC based and creates beautiful statement pieces. I found them via famous popular fashion style blogger Chriselle Lim a few years ago and I just love their pieces. Each piece is so unique and definite statement pieces. You can wear bracelets and necklaces stacked up or by themselves- either way draw attention to the pieces.

Now while I love love love these statement pieces, I doubt I will ever purchase from them via sheer price alone. Lionette NY’s popularity is definitely real and present. (Trust me I’ve seen the prices rise along the years). The prices are (in my honest opinion) utterly ridiculous. I don’t mean to bash them, but their pieces are made of plated brass and simulated semi precious stones like turquoise or opals etc. Let me say that again, plated brass and simulated stones. Why are you charging $400+ for brass and fake stones? I just can’t wrap my head around it. Oh and the designs however beautiful and ingenious can most definitely be replicated via materials from your local craft store (maybe not the cone shaped stones but you know what I mean).

Long story short, while I absolutely love Lionette NY’s designs and pieces (because they truly are gorgeous) I would not buy them because honestly you can get a 14k gold ring plus a tiny diamond for that price. Call me cheap but its simply not worth it. – unless you are filthy rich and do not care.

And while I was lusting after their Sinead bracelet for quite some time, I wouldn’t purchase because my wrists are sooooooo tiny and I doubt they will adjust one for my size (must I mention the fear that they might charge more for an adjusted one? not to mention charge the full price for materials?).

MNGRM

February 5, 2016February 7, 2016 shineandstarfireLeave a comment

Let’s take a dip on the really uber cool very unique customizable side and talk about MNGRM. Whilst browsing on the 3d printing/ makerbot hashtag on instgram (because most of my finds are from instagram- go figure). I stumbled upon this little beauty of a find. MNGRM is a fine 3d print jewelry company (?) of little known background (well at least to me since I could not find who the owners are!)
So MNGRM takes two letters of your choice (usually your initials) and puts it through a 3d algorithm to create this kaleidoscope of a 3d pendant. The final product is a 3d mesh of one letter on one side that when you spin to the other side Voila!, it becomes the other letter! Pretty ingenious algorithm I must say and with all these personalizable pieces out there, MNGRM definitely take the cake and puts the spotlight on 3d printing and all its possibilities.

For those of you who are into the whole initials and personalized thing, go check out their website! I am definitely a supporter of all things unique and 3d printed but unfortunately, these pretty babies are out of my budget. MNGRM does have alot of options including stainless steel, polished steel, copper and even the precious metals like gold and platinum. The cheapest is the 1/2 in rough stainless steel option which starts at $70 USD. (ouch!)
Again, it’s not on the top of my list of must haves but it is one of those pieces that would get alot of attention and keep your ADD at bay.

Lastly, check out that dope packaging! Pretty 3d fine jewelry packaged in custom 3d printed white geometric boxes wrapped up in twine. Whats not to love?