Fashion Mag Patrol: Gold Jewelry

I am more than willing to suffer, though, in the name of fashion. And just think, now we have so much to talk about! I already showed you the cover of this month's Harper's Bazaar, but something else caught my eye within its pages: an editorial chock full of heavy, bold, luscious, luxurious gold jewelry. With white metals hogging the spotlight for at least the past decade, it's about time we warmed up to yellow again.

The misguided Ms. Watch Fanatic, AKA Keri jo, may have convinced you that a gold watch is the must have fall accessory, but Ms. Goldsmith reserves (almost) all her love for jewelry. And so, taking inspiration from the Harper's shoot, I bring a selection of my all gold favorites. Really, how can you not take my side when confronted with these lovelies:

The multi-strand gold and diamond necklace is from Marco Bicego's "Marrakech" collection while the outrageous cocktail ring is from Di Modolo’s "Triadra" collection. Both the earrings and the bracelet are from H.Stern. All are beautifully executed in glowing 18 karat yellow gold.

Kimberly McDonald Sea Turtle Bracelets Raise Money For Oil Spill Relief

The jewelry designer Kimberly McDonald is most known for her pieces featuring geodes, agates and quartz accentuated with gold, diamonds and semi precious stones and she has an avid celebrity following that includes Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Hudson and Brooke Shields.

McDonald has recently created a new limited edition "Sea Turtle Macramé" bracelet collection in support of the National Wildlife Federation's efforts following the Gulf oil spill. McDonald has created 50 limited edition, hand crafted Sea Turtle macramé bracelets with 100 percent of all proceeds going towards NWF's efforts to respond to the wildlife crisis unfolding in the Gulf.

"When I learned about the amazing work that the National Wildlife Federation is doing to support wildlife rescue and rehabilitation efforts in the Gulf, I immediately knew that I needed to do everything in my power to support their efforts in easing the devastation occurring to our wildlife" McDonald said. "It is my hope that the collection will inspire people to get involved and take the state of our environment seriously. At the end we hope to protect vulnerable species such as the sea turtle by raising $100,000 for NWF."

Each bracelet is made from 18K recycled gold, reclaimed diamonds, a diamond briolette, and hand-woven silk macramé. The bracelets will retail for price at $2,000 - $2,500, and they are available at Mitchells in Westport, Connecticut, Richards in Greenwich, Connecticut, Marshs in Huntington, New York and Wilkes Bashford in San Francisco and Palo Alto, California.

2010 Investment Hot Point: Diamond

In 2010, the investment market appear the dramatic turning point, the property market downturn, the stock market. Face the status of traditional investments increased risk, more investors turned to the emerging field of investment wise - Diamond. Industry experts said in the past 15 years, diamond prices was fluctuate small, which is ideal for long-term investment.

Currently the main global diamond producer located at Australia, Zaire, Botswana, Russia, South Africa etc. 30 countries, and in accordance with the current annual extraction of about 1 million carats of progress to estimate,about after 25 years, it will be proved after digest all of the diamond reserves, in the most recent years, no new large-scale diamond mine original. Because over-exploitation, we are facing a large diamond mine mineral depletion, also combined with strong demand in Asia on the diamond, which is leading to the global diamond overall crisis. Many diamond company still decided to gradually reduce production in order to extend the life of diamond mining.

Compare with the small diamond that ordinary people to wear,it is more high-profile the stars worn on luxury diamond in the formal occasions, but a huge star to buy diamond jewelry just to show off their wealth? Of course not. Stars are see the potential value of the diamond investment and wide appreciation of the space. To choose the diamond investment of stars have an important factor: preservation and stable income. Diamond prices less volatile and always maintain a steady upward trend, the basic 5% a year to 8% increase, it is worth mentioning that the diamond mining areas in the higher degree of monopoly, so the diamond market has remained steady, too high or too low phenomenon on the price is rare.


The expert said that the large pieces of high quality bare diamond are more suitable for investment value, while the smaller diamonds is more suitable to wear as jewelry. The 1 carat diamond of high quality bare diamond will wait for rising in the value, and its 4C (color, clarity, cut, weight) all have a good level. For example, more than H color, purity more than the VS-type diamonds are a good investment. Although the data indicate that the current average of annual investment rate of return is generally stable at 3% -5% for diamond investment, but the rare gemstone diamonds is much higher than this figure in the rate of return.


The factors that influence bare diamond prices is many more, in addition to weight, clarity, color and cut (the so-called 4C standard), the GIA certificate and other relevant international certification are much have, also the origin of diamonds can represent their excellent origin, which is also noteworthy item.

Chopard Celebrates Starlite Gala in Marbella

Chopard recently celebrated the inaugural Starlite Gala in Marbella alongside Eva Longoria and Antonio Banderas.

The brainchild of Sandra García-Sanjuán and María Bravo, the event was sponsored by Chopard and raised funds for various charitable organizations. The gala was held at The Villapadierna Hotel, Spain.

Many of the stars donned pieces from the brand's Haute Joaillerie Collection including Eva Longoria who wore a pair of earrings set with 11 carat diamonds as well as a ring embellised with heart cut diamonds. In contrast María Bravo chose a pair of flower shaped diamond earrings and a diamond pavé ring from the “Animal World Collection”.

Elsewhere Sandra García- Sanjuán was spotted with a pair of hoop diamond earrings by Chopard as well as a black and white diamond ring, while the brand's 2010 Ambassadress Eugenia Silva (who also conducted the gala) donned seahorse earrings finished with diamonds and a Dalmatian bracelet from the “Animal World Collection".

Paul the Psychic Octopus Enshrined in 22ct Gold

An Indian jewellery company has taken the inspiration from Paul (the psychic octopus) to creating a 22-carat gold accessory to the cephalopod.

Paul dominated headlines during this year's World Cup when he correctly predicted the outcome of seven games on the trot, and now Kolkata based Shree Ganesh Jewellery has made a pure gold version of the animal, they presented at the India International Jewellery Show.

It is weighing about 3.3kg, and took 30 craftsmen to produce, it is value at INR5,000,000 (US$171,650).

Paul now lives at the Sea Life aquarium in Oberhausen, Germany.

GUCCI 2010 Fall Winter jewelry Horsebit Series

Horsebit attract the worldwide attention for the first time in 1953, when it is appears on classic Gucci loafers as the decoration, reminiscent of the Florentine nobility and riding world in the upper-class. Since then, it has evolved into eye-catching hardware, appears on the handbags and shoes; printed on canvas bags, and even silk, watches and recent fine jewelry series.

By modern way re-interpretation of the Frida Giannini Gucci's creative director, Horsebit's shape is more soft and emotional, and become the embodiment themes of the jewelry in the series.

Gucci Horsebit 18K gold jewelry bracelet won the Vogue Spagna Award (Vogue Joyas) of the "designer and jewelry" award. This bracelet is one of the earliest works of the Frida, then, Horsebit theme have been developed into a complete series; and to transform into many different forms.

The a variety of changes of Horsebit sequence derived from can be seen in the following series: Cocktail, Beverly, Drops and Horsebit Marina Chain.



Horsebit

The Fashion Statement: Woolly Mammoth Ivory is Everywhere

Luxury retailer Stanley Korshak in Dallas can't keep it in stock. Michelle Obama has been photographed numerous times wearing it. For CFDA design darling Monique Péan and Ivory Jacks in Bothel, Washington, that create jewelry out of the material, business has been good.

The First Lady wore woolly mammoth jewelry by Monique Péan on a trip to Mexico a few months ago-specifically earrings, cuffs and strands. She wore the cuffs again recently to greet President Obama on his 49th birthday. The cuffs go for $4,480 to $7,420. The earrings can fetch anywhere between $915 and $2,970.

Unlike elephant ivory which is primarily off-white, woolly mammoth ivory is unique in that it has many different colors-tan, brown and sometimes blue. Ivory Jacks jewelry designer Courtney Tripp explained to me this week at the Gift Show in New York that the colors are a result of thousands of years of mineralization. No two tusks are the same color. So no two mammoth jewelry pieces can be exactly the same.

The ban on ivory-implemented since the '80s to stop poachers from killing the elephants simply for their tusks-does not apply to this fossilized stuff. Trade in dead mammoth ivory is legal and has been for 300 years because it does not threaten any living species. This ivory is found in mammoth tusks that have been preserved in ice and permafrost of Arctic regions in Siberia, North Canada or Alaska. As the ice packs and glaciers have receded, more and more tusks have been found. Tusks have been unearthed in road construction or spotted from a plane in melting river banks.

Most jewelers claim that woolly mammoth jewelry is conflict free, eco friendly and sustainable. The truth is mammoth ivory is rare and costly because mammoths have been extinct for millennia.

"Mammoth ivory is absolutely a non-renewable resource, and it is absolutely being depleted, in part, by the commercial trade," Dan Fisher, a University of Michigan mammoth expert, told AFP.