Tag: Unique

Tomasz Donocik

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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.

Jessica McCormack

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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.
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?
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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.

Fernando Jorge

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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

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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!
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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.

Bibi van der Velden

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BibiAbsolutely 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.

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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.

Kim Mee Hye

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Long time no post! I figured I’d write a post while I’m good and tipsy on a few glasses of Sauvignon Blanc after a long work week. My boss has been out of the office and certain things have come to light, so I have been working hard… or hardly working? You get the gist; that is all I’ll delve into.

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Now onto the topic at hand. Introducing Kim Mee Hye: Korean jeweler based in Antwerp, Belgium.
“By integrating extraordinary sophisticated and invisible mechanisms into her pieces, Kim Mee Hye creates jewellery that includes more than one single message.  The variable geometry shapes can either be worn casually or in more sophisticated ways. Kim Mee Hye create pieces with hidden messages, implying they can be shown or simply not.”
Very beautifully stated (taken from the profile section of her website). I just love jewelers who create works of art in precious metals/gems to convey different meanings!


bijoux-537x350What caught my eye for the most part was Kim Mee Hye’s handcuff series! The handcuff
engagement ring and bracelet are ironic and very much speaks to those who embrace the comedic and often joked about locked- downness (pretty sure that’s not a real word) to marriage and their significant other! Definitely tongue in cheek!

The new trends focus on rotating and customization of jewelry. I actually really love this idea and the mechanisms jewelers are coming up with in executing various different types of look using hinge plus locking methods in single pieced jewelry. Kim Mee Hye isn’t the first I’ve seen using the hinge method and I’m not sure who came up with it first- recent jewelry from Vita Fede also features hinged rings studded with crystals for various different looks and feels. My only teeny tiny problem with this is cleanliness! You can never stop the dirt and grime from acquiring in hinges. Kim Mee Hye’s jewelry are produced in various different materials; rose gold, white gold, diamonds, black diamond etc. Needless to say: this jewelry is for individuals with a fine source of income. Her pieces are available online in select suppliers. As her pieces seem to be made of solid gold, prices range in the 4digits! 

Signing off: Tipsy with no regrets. (I’m so sorry liver!!)

 

 

S. Kind & Co.

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S Kind and CoLovely constellation 14 diamond stone ring the current apple of my eye. Made with love in NYC from recycled metals and ethically sourced stones via S.Kind & Co.

I only wish it wasn’t so darned expensive! (+$1000) or they had a similar constellation band with less stones… for the economist. Also love their simple wheat engraved band ring- very delicate with a subtle design flare.

canadian-diamond-14-stone-wedding-band_large.jpgI’ve been eyeing contemporary and non traditional wedding/ engagement rings as the topic of work lunch these days have been the search for the perfect ring. Though I’m not quite yet ready to get hitched, window shopping doesn’t hurt. (I’m also one of those people who would buy themselves pretty rings to cycle though- for personal guilty pleasures hehe). Mind you, I also do not believe in giant 1 carat, 2 carat diamond rings etc because honestly, that’s a down payment for a house or a really nice vacation getaway.

Anyways, if you like rose cut stones and cannot afford large diamond rocks, S. Kind & Co offers moissanite rose cut stones with small pave diamonds in the band. Moissanite stones are popular replacement stones for diamonds. I believe almost all rings made are from recycled precious metals (yellow gold/ white gold etc). Did I mention, they like ring butts? Yes. Ring butts. Very cool. Very cool indeed.

Fun tidbit- Skind & Co is a resurrection of an old family jeweler (~144 years!) The more you know!

Mood: bleh. Work tomorrow ugh…

LUMO Jewelry

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LOGO.pngCurrently 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.

Atria_Cuff_ring_crop_large.jpgThere 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. 

 

Lionette by Noa Sade

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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.
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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

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Let’s take a dip on the really uber cool very unique customizable side and talk about MNGRM. 924636_808405482579822_445637043_n.jpgWhilst 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?