#DesignSpotlight - Introducing a Very Tipsy #Maneater from Wendy Brandes

Introducing a Very Tipsy #Maneater 

from Wendy Brandes 

If you have ever had the opportunity to meet Wendy Brandes you know she sees the world from a different viewpoint. There are volumes of knowledge packed in among all the wacky fun that you never expect from this tiny bundle of energy that, by the way, looks to be in her early twenties!

I met Wendy at the Pricescope Soiree during Jewelry Week in Las Vegas where I was introduced to her New York Taxi Cab Ring the latest (at the time) from her Maneater series...

Wendy explains the concept behind her Maneater Series:

“The rings are inspired by my lifelong interest in powerful women. My signature Wendy Brandes jewelry line started with pieces that were named after real-life bad-ass women, including the warrior queen Xenobia and the 12th-century Empress Matilda. A lot of these strong women have been called “dragon lady” or “man eater” in pejorative ways. A tough man is just a guy doing his job, but there always has to be some kind of mean-sounding name for a tough woman, right? I got to thinking that some of these wimmins might have relished being called these names. I’m sure 7th-century Empress Wu would have been like, “Ha ha ha! Dragon lady! YOU’RE RIGHT!” before she executed the guy who spoke those words. Accordingly, each Maneater ring has a triumphant animal on top and a man tucked away inside the band.”

This week Wendy introduced the latest member of this esteemed assemblage - the "Pink Elephant and Tipsy Writer" ring.   Now I'm with you - how will Wendy give Pink Elephants an historical provenance?  well she did it!

"Novelist and journalist Jack London (1876 – 1916) was the first person to write about pink elephants as a hallucination suffered by a certain type of heavy drinker. My elephant is made of 18K rose gold and covered with 262 tiny pink sapphires totaling 2 carats. (She also has white diamond eyes.) The 18K-yellow-gold shank of the ring — representing a wooden bar — is set with 174 brown diamonds weighing 2.15 carats.

You can peek inside the ring to see the too-drunk, 18K-white-gold writer,  slumped between a wine bottle and a glass that’s adorned with another small white diamond - The look of the writer isn’t based on Jack London. Instead, it was loosely inspired by this photo of Cary Grant.

But Cary Grant looks a lot more dapper than my guy, who is really hurting."

 Just reading the stories of these rings will bring a smile to your face - so - I am going to introduce you to the entire Maneater series as daily posting as #DailyJewels next week! 

#CoutureJewelry - What makes Jewelry, Couture? It's In The Details....

Disclaimer- I work with Atelier Leseine but that in no way changes my use of the brand in the following article. It is, in fact , what inspired this article...and I have access to photos  ;)

#Couture - What makes Couture Jewelry Couture?  

It's In The Details....

What makes jewelry "couture"?   While there are rules in place in Europe as to who can be designated a Couturier or what can be called "haute couture" - in the US these restrictions, for better or worse, do not apply.

Personally I question the use of Couture whose  roots come from the term "to sew" - but I do understand the concept. I have put the question to several people in the Industry and you will see their responses throughout this piece.

Following dozens of jewelry trade shows from Tucson to Las Vegas, LUXURY to COUTURE, as I see it couture when referring to jewelry means..."unique design, classically constructed with designer appointments."    BUT - can at the same time mean "classic design elements with old world craftsmanship" or "old word design with a modern twist" but above all it means quality.

However, since this is MY blog - you get to hear my opinion....for me - Couture Jewelry is about the details.

It is more than just a pretty design - it is the custom designed clasp....from a simple design for a daily look as in this custom take on a centuries old design.  Atelier Leseine uses this elegantly simple design for their Men's Collections.

...to a completely inclusive design for a limited edition design.  With "Le Charmeur" Atelier Leseine had their Custom customer in mind and went one step further to include a clasp that became one with the Charm Bracelet links and speaking of those links - the knife edge and sandblasting of every other link stand out.

....to a custom under carriage as in this piece by ZORA B

It is the amazingly unique gems - like these remarkable Fossil Corals from Pamela Huizenga Jewelry Design...

...and rare gems like the Zultanite used by Gurhan ...and the quality of those gems - these cats-eye zultanite are truly inspirational.

or these gemmy beauties from Zorab Creations.

Then there are the special features like this specially designed bail for the Moana Mana Collection by Atelier Leseine....

...the craftsmanship, the overall quality of the fabrication, I think this thought from JCK's Jennifer Heebner sums it up.

#ThrowbackThursday - EMOJI JEWELRY AND A SHOUT OUT TO TAYLOR SWIFT!

EMOTICON via Wikipedia - An emoticon (/ɨˈmoʊtɨkɒn/) is a metacommunicative pictorial representation of a facial expression which in the absence of body languageand prosody serves to draw a receiver's attention to the tenor or temper of a sender's nominal verbal communication, changing and improving its interpretation. It expresses—usually by means of punctuation marks—a person's feelings or mood and can include numbers and letters, as well. These emoticons are usually flipped sideways. As social media has become widespread, emoticons have played a significant role in communication through technology. These emoticons offer another range of "tone" and feeling through texting that portrays specific emotions through facial gestures while in the midst of cyber communication.

Who knew back in the day when "emoticons" became the language of the internet, and later found it's niche in text messages and social media, that Emoji Jewelry would be a real category and is even found in fine jewelry!  ....hmmm emoji heirloom jewelry?

Just think you could buy this fabulous Ring Set by Wendy Brandes Jewelry  and find yourself explaining to the Grand Kids just how "hip" (?)  you were!  OK - that just outed my age ;)

Of course the minute I start talking Wendy Brandes I have to bring up the piece of jewelry that, for me, put Wendy on my radar.  Years ago on Twitter (wow, who ever thought we would be saying THAT!) I saw a jeweler talking about her new necklace...Mud Flap Jill!  I couldn't believe that someone gave my FAV traffic distraction, Mud Flap Girl, a name - AND immortalized her in Gold!!!   ...this is on my To Buy List  - just link Mud Flap Girl  heirloom jewelry - that makes me smile!

Before this turns into a Wendy Brandes love fest which would be so easy to do!   More recently the designer made my Top 5 Daily Go To Jewelry  List for her fabulous mismatched "Heart U" earrings.  I may work in Jewelry but I am a Huggies and Studs girl.

...and then there is the ultimate in Emoticon Jewels - Lorraine Schwartz' Happy Face Bracelet!

How can you see these and not smile?