Opal Jewelry

Forget the Afterlife, These Are for Here and Now

source : nytimes.com
By SUSAN JOY
Published: May 12, 2010

TOMB RAIDERS Clockwise from top left: Lanvin gold and turquoise serpent choker, $2,875 at Barneys New York; Fallon gunmetal and crystal Isis earrings, $150 at Barneys Co-Op; Anndra Neen mixed-metal pyramid pendants, $495 and $550 at kirnazabete.com; TomTom 18-karat gold-plated link necklace with gunmetal chains, $325 at evanewyork.net; Eddie Borgo Step Collar in 18-karat gold plate and black pavé crystals, $1,250 at Bergdorf Goodman; A Peace Treaty handmade antiqued gold-plated bronze earrings, $170 at apeacetreaty.com; Low Luv by Erin Wasson 14- karat gold-plated hieroglyphic cuff, $105 at mywardrobe.com; Fallon oxidized sterling-silver-plated brass Cairo bangle, $170 at Fenton/Fallon, and Tomb cuff, $198 at shopbop.com.

PYRAMIDS, pharaohs, snakes, hieroglyphics and plenty of golden jewels — yep, King Tut is back in town.
Should a childhood fixation with all things ancient Egyptian be rekindled by the arrival of the latest blockbuster Tut exhibition, “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs,” now at Discovery Times Square Exposition, we’ve unearthed a trove of cool spring jewelry that would be the envy of a pharaoh.
Two of this year’s nominees for the accessories award that the Council of Fashion Designers of America will bestow next month found their way to Egypt via quite different routes. ...

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Nice ice - Diamond jewelry still tops for retailers

source : nationaljewelernetwork.com
By Catherine Dayrit
May 04, 2010

Carla Amorim's "Champagne" ring in 18-karat yellow gold with 1.5 carats of diamonds; suggested retail price is $9,000. CarlaAmorim.com

New York--Despite widespread efforts to reduce inventory, there are some items that jewelers simply must keep in stock.

Diamond hoops and studs, as well as delicate pendants, are can't-go-wrong options for need-it-now customers, while trendy diamond charms and colored diamonds might catch the eye of customers seeking the unique.

Diamond jewelry continues to represent the largest category of sales among jewelry retailers, bar none, thanks in part to a marketing machine matched by no other jewelry category. Credit is also due to innovative new styles--who would have thought rough cuts and brown diamonds would become designer darlings?--offering a welcome retreat from the familiar. ...

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Sotheby's blue diamonds set another color record

source : nationaljewelernetwork.com
May 12, 2010

This 7.64-carat, cushion-shaped fancy intense blue diamond ring sold for $8.03 million, or $1.05 million per carat, Tuesday at Sotheby's in Geneva.

Geneva--Two blue diamonds broke records Tuesday in Geneva at Sotheby's "Spring Sales of Magnificent and Noble Jewels" in yet another display of the strength of natural colored diamonds at auctions worldwide.

In what Sotheby's terms the "standout moment of the day," a 7.64-carat, cushion-shaped fancy intense blue diamond mounted in a ring sold for $8.03 million, or $1.05 million per carat, following fierce competition from three buyers. According to a news release from Sotheby's, the sale sets a new record per-carat price for a fancy intense blue diamond sold at auction. ...

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Tanzanite celebration of life jewelry design awards 2006

Sabine Roemer

Sabine Roemer’s ring was inspired by the vivid blooms of a blue-violet wreath flower which, like tanzanite, is unique to the country of Tanzania. Sabine wanted to combine these two gifts of nature into a piece that is both organic and refined.

Ruth Grieco

Ruth Grieco has created a captivating, versatile piece which like many of her designs can adorn the body in different ways, here being both a brooch and a necklace. For Ruth, tanzanite’s changing blue-violet hues capture the mystery of maternity, and her piece is a magnificent celebration of tanzanite’s spectrum of colors. The detachable tanzanite drop lends movement, whilst the elongating effect of the diamond leaf forms give the piece a grace and fluidity, allowing it to fall perfectly whichever way it is worn.

James Powell

Delicate and richly detailed, James Powell’s design evokes the traditional motif of a stork delivering a baby.

But instead of a stork, James has created two exotic, ethereal hummingbirds that hover watchfully above their precious cargo. A stunning tanzanite drop represents newborn baby, and the cherished gift of new life.

Maria Canale for Suna Brothers

As with many of her designs, Maria Canale drew on nature’s inspirations for this pendant. The beauty of the changing seasons is captured in the opaque backdrop of a frozen lake, re-created through the innovative use of a circular optical lens. Graceful etchings depict fallen leaves trapped just beneath the water’s surface, whilst a dazzling tanzanite in deepest blue rises through the ice as a symbol of vitality and new life. When worn, the lake’s diamond circle is anchored to the necklace through a delicate chain of leaves, but the tanzanite appears to float, suspended gracefully against the skin.

Dima

Dima’s work is characterized by her instinctive blending of cultural styles and faith symbols. In these hoop earrings, crafted in Egyptian beaten gold, she intertwines the story of the Maasai’s traditional affinity with blue as the color of fertility with the biblical depiction of the snake in the Garden of Eden. As the snake coils sensually around the hoop, the tanzanite drops from its mouth, symbolizing the fruit of temptation.

Zoltan David

In Zoltan David’s winning necklace, flawless technical craftsmanship brings to life a richly detailed, timeless design. Zoltan’s “Flowerfly” captures the vitality of a flower in full bloom. The signature metal ornamentation technique that is Zoltan’s patented creation adds depth and texture to the wings and petals that flank a rare and spectacular matching pair of trilliant cut tanzanites.

Rodrigo Robson

Entitled “Start,” Rodrigo Robson’s necklace is a bold, contemporary exploration of the Be Born to Tanzaniteä theme. Highly innovative and original, Rodrigo’s design features real ultrasound film to portray in a modern, literal form the ever-inspiring miracle of new life. His circular links evoke the unbreakable bond between mother and child, whilst tanzanite, the precious gemstone of the present generation, perfectly completes this youthful celebration of birth.

Stephen Webster

Best known for his striking designs that bring out the fire in unique and exotic stones, Stephen Webster needed no greater inspiration than this 29 carat heart shaped tanzanite in deepest midnight blue with flashes of red. With Stephen’s signature edgy, contemporary touch, the traditional symbol of love becomes a show-stopping statement of passion. Highly stylized scrollwork set with diamonds give this classic cut a look that is spectacularly rock ‘n’ roll.

Ginny Dizon

In creating her cuff bracelet, Ginny Dizon drew her inspiration from the Maasai legend of tanzanite’s discovery, where a bolt of lightning set the land ablaze, transforming crystals on the ground into shimmering blue-violet gemstones. When the last cinders dissolved into the earth, awestruck Maasai tribesmen filled their pouches with the extraordinary gems, intuitively knowing that they would bring about a better life. Ginny’s cuff bracelet captures the drama of the lightning, whilst her use of both rough and facetted tanzanite symbolizes the journey each stone takes from its raw state in the earth to its final polished perfection. In Ginny’s interpretation, the theme “Be Born to Tanzaniteä” becomes a story of discovery, and a celebration of the natural miracle of this rare and elusive gem.

Colin Waylett

Colin Waylett’s stunning arm cuff is evocative of the noble traditions of Tanzania’s proud Maasai people. The interlocking shields represent the unity of warrior tribemen returning at sunset from a hunt against a blue and golden sky. The glinting of the last drops of sunlight catching the tips of the tribesmen’s spears is captured in the cuff’s diamond tips.

Laurence Ratinaud

Laurence Ratinaud’s unique ring was inspired by the creation of life before birth. White gold is elegantly crafted into a mesh egg shape representing conception. It holds and protecting within it a simple tanzanite oval that signifies life itself. Laurence’s piece symbolizes both the simplicity and its fragility of the seed of new life, showing how something that becomes so infinitely complex can at its earliest moments be held in the palm of the hand.

Claire Woolley

The universal and iconic image of the stork delivering a newborn is captured in Claire’s pendant. A beautiful tanzanite drop, representing the child, is delicately suspended from the necklace’s abstract depiction of the stork in this simple, graceful interpretation of the theme.

Talento Joias

Talento Joias’ delicate, distinctive necklace combines twirling strands of tanzanite beads with polished tanzanite ovals set in starburst diamond clusters. Representing hope and life, its designers’, Rachel Tavora and Renata Bessa (featured above), were inspired by the Greek myth of the first woman, Pandora. Created under the direction of the god Zeus, Pandora was a poisoned gift to mankind. According to myth, Pandora was tempted by her curiosity to open the forbidden box given to her by Zeus. In doing so, she released all of mankind’s miseries locked inside, closing the box only in time to capture hope. Although paradise seemed lost, the myth ends with hope’s survival, showing that even in the bleakest of times, so long as hope survives, mankind keeps its chance to be re-born to a new and better life.

Maria Webster for Boodles

Maria Webster’s graceful birth pendant for Boodles was inspired by the precious bond between mother and child. Fashioned in platinum and encrusted with diamonds, Maria’s pendant represents the cradling arm of a mother as she nurtures her baby.

Louis Mariette

Louis Mariette’s spectacular design, fittingly entitled “A Dream in Africa,” was inspired by memories of his own childhood in Africa. Louis describes this as a dazzling assault on the senses, from the vibrant colors of exotic flowers in bloom to the jumble of semi-precious stones and crystals he would collect to create handmade bracelets and necklaces for his friends and neighbors. Louis’ tanzanite adorned headpiece is a vision of exuberant flowers, handmade in painted resin using a specially developed technique. Twirling metal work is encrusted with pink and lilac pearls, and on the largest cluster nestle sparkling tanzanite gemstones. Louis set the gemstones so that they would sit at the center of the wearer’s forehead, to signify the birthplace of all creativity, a person’s ideas, thoughts and dreams.

Sevan Bicakci

Sevan Bicakci’s extraordinary tanzanite ring was inspired by the traditional Tales of One Thousand and One Nights. In this tale, part of a frame story (stories within a story) the wives of the Sultan Schahriah live to see only one dawn after marriage because he has them beheaded the morning after their wedding night. However, his new wife, Princess Scheherazade, outruns her fate by telling the Sultan a new story each night, always stopping at the most exciting point so that he will let her live until the following evening. The ring re-creates the atmosphere in which Princess Scheherazade weaves her magic, enthralling her audience with her tales of mystery and adventure. In this way, the characters Aladdin, Ali Baba and Sinbad the Sailor were born, and in bringing them to life, the Princess earns her nightly reprieve, and survives to see another day.

Shaun Leane

Shaun Leane’s ring, innovative in design and breathtaking to behold, is set with a 10 carat tanzanite centerstone around which flows a coil of pavé set ocean blue sapphires. The tanzanite cleverly locks together with interchangeable bands designed to complement its magical and mysterious qualities. Shimmering natural black diamonds capture its intangible energy, whilst shimmering white diamonds intensify its refreshing brilliance. While the white diamond band is to wear by day, the black diamonds are perfect for evening.

Arabel Lebrusan

Arabel Lebrusan’s delightful, unusual earrings were inspired by the crochet work women in her native Spain use to create baby clothes and crib linen for newborns. The combinations of different thread structures with the resulting variety of forms and finishes are reflected in Arabel’s blending of white gold, silver and enamel to create the fans, swirls and teardrop forms in her feminine piece.

Stuart Weitzman and Le Vian

The Stuart Weitzman and Le Vian pair of evening shoes are true show-stoppers: a $2 million dollar creation in glistening silver leather embellished with over 185 carats of tanzanite and 28 carats of diamonds. Stunning ankle bracelets are set with museum quality tanzanite gemstones, painstakingly matched and cut by Le Vian’s master craftsmen, each crowned with a spectacular 16 carat, sparkling tanzanite drop which adorns the front of the foot. The shoes are balanced with a delicate diamond front strap that perfectly complements Stuart Weitzman’s timeless, elegant shoe design.

Kwiat

Janice DeBell’s tanzanite earrings for Kwiat were inspired by a desire to celebrate the gemstone’s unique spectrum of colors, from shimmering lilacs to deepest blue-violet. Juxtaposing trilliants and ovals, Janice has created a look that is powerful and full of drama, echoing the form of a traditional African tribal spear but with an aesthetic that is edgy and modern. But there is a final, unexpected touch of old-school glamour: turn over each spear and you will find a delicate dusting of diamond micro-pavé.

Charlotte Ehinger-Schwarz 1876

Charlotte Ehinger-Schwarz’s extraordinary necklace is a tribute to the abundant geological landscape and the magnificent native wildlife of the country of Tanzania. A giraffe, elephant and ape nestle among precious rubies, tsavorite and zoisite. A detachable diamond drop carries the necklace’s centerpiece: a dramatic 25 carat marquis cut tanzanite.

source : tanzanitefoundation.com

The bridal category remains solid as a rock

source :nationaljewelernetwork
By Michelle Graff
Nisan 12, 2010

Natural blue and pink diamond ring by Scarselli Diamonds, Scarselli.com. Blue was the second hottest natural color diamond choice (behind yellow), with 22 percent of the vote, while 7 percent picked pink.

While consumers may remain hesitant to splurge on fashion jewelry, nothing seems to stop them from falling in love and getting married, the results of National Jeweler's Product Panel on bridal jewelry show.

Nearly half (47 percent) of the retail jewelers who took the survey reported that their loose diamond, diamond engagement ring and wedding band sales have increased over the last three years, while 36 percent said they have remained steady.

As the economy continues to bounce back, bridal will no doubt remain central to any jewelry store's success, as retailers find creative ways to adjust to a post-recession world and continued Internet interference. ...

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By choice or not, jewelers fall off brand-wagon

source : nationaljewelernetwork.com
By Michelle Graff
April 15, 2010

Hearts on Fire says it is renewing its focus on bridal pieces, like this "Beloved" ring, featuring a 0.75-carat center stone and 0.37- to 0.47-carat side stones; setting retails for $2,650.

New York--In a month known for hearts and cupid's arrows, some of the industry's biggest brands weren't showing recession-battered retailers any love.

In February, both diamond company Hearts on Fire and the Richemont Group-owned Cartier acknowledged they were severing ties with under-performing retailers, and both cited essentially the same reason: They wanted to maximize their brand's potential by partnering only with those retailers who really know how to push their product.

Stories detailing these divorces blew up online at NationalJeweler.com, remaining on the site's top-viewed list for weeks. But was the frenzy whipped up by the jewelers directly impacted or by the love-hate relationship jewelers often harbor when it comes to their favorite brands? Longtime retailers and industry observers suggest the latter. ...

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In Pictures: America's Most Popular Diamond Cuts

Round

With one out of every three diamonds sold in the U.S. being a classic round brilliant diamond, this cut is far and away the most popular.

Scarlett Johansson and singer Fergie both sport classic rounds.
Princess

The princess diamond was created in 1980 but has catapulted into massive popularity, making it the second-most popular diamond cut in the U.S. Diamond analyst Kenneth Gassman estimates that princess cut diamonds make up approximately 13% to 20% of diamond sales.

Freddie Prinze Jr. proposed to Sarah Michelle Gellar with a princess cut.

Emerald

The third-most popular cut has long clear "step cuts," which emphasize the diamond's clarity and gives it a more subtle appearance than the "brilliant" cuts of most diamonds.

Nick Cannon proposed to Mariah Carey with a reported $2.5 million emerald-cut diamond.

Pear Shape

The pear shape, the fifth-most popular diamond, is also called a "tear drop" for its single point and rounded end.

The most famous pear-shaped diamond has to be the 69-carat pear-shaped diamond given to Elizabeth Taylor by her fifth and sixth husband Richard Burton. Taylor wore the Taylor-Burton diamond in a necklace.


Asscher

The Asscher cut has been around for a century but soared in popularity, especially in Hollywood, after being featured in an episode of Sex and the City in which nice-guy Aidan proposed to protagonist Carrie Bradshaw.

Kate Hudson and Elizabeth Hurley were both given Asscher cuts by their soon-to-be husbands.

Source: Kenneth Gassman, The Diamond Source of Virginia, Blue Nile.
source : http://forbeslife.nl/2009/04/17/engagement-weddings-diamonds-forbes-woman-style-retail_slide.html?partner=contextstory

Citrine Jewelry

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