The Editor’s Corner is Lussori’s weblog platform where experts and users exchange information, offer advice and share personal experiences. The experts have a combined 75 years of experience in their respective categories. From the finest timepieces to the most exquisite in jewelry, what's new, what's hot and what's not. Feel free to pose questions, offer insight or ask for advice. Enjoy!
As much as I love an outrageous pair of chandelier earrings, sometimes a look calls for a demure stud. Yes, you could always go for diamonds, but – gasp! – sometimes bling is just not the thing. For those moments when your ears require subtle adornment, there’s nothing better than these textured, organically-shaped 18 karat yellow gold studs from Marco Bicego‘s “Siviglia” collection.
Here are three different and extremely varied looks featuring said studs:
The organic shape and matte finish keep these studs firmly in the here and now. No one will accuse you of wearing dated gold jewelry when you don one of these Marco Bicego pieces:
Every year the awards shows are a parade of the latest fashion trends. I ohhh, ahhh, or boo each designer gown as much as any girl. But, as you may have gathered from my first blog, I am a bit of a watch geekette!
I spent Emmy night glued to the set, ready to spot not only the “Best Dressed” but the “Best Accessorized.” The Emmy Red Carpet still had me shouting, “Why don’t the ladies wear watches?” My girlfriends remind me, “Why do you need the time, when you can have Diamonds? Duh!”
Cheryl Hines from Curb your Enthusiasm is a perfect example of where accessorizing with diamonds AND a watch would have made perfect sense. InStyle.com’s parade of Red Carpet Arrivals shows her posing in a silver one-shoulder Zac Posen gown accented with 70-plus carats of Chopard jewels.
Most of my girlfriends – and a certain arch-nemesis – might still argue that a diamond watch does not a diamond statement make. But what’s more luxurious, or do I dare say more frivolous, than wearing a diamond watch when time is the least of your worries? Seriously, I don’t’ think any of the Emmy Red Carpet starlets had a coach waiting for them that was going to turn back into a pumpkin at midnight!
Here is a little something you might not know about those of us in the jewelry industry: we quickly become jaded jewelry snobs. It’s terrible, I know. Much like a drug addict who needs a bigger and bigger hit, I need bigger and bigger jewels. Three inch pavé shoulder dusters? Ha! That’s no shoulder duster in my book. A three carat D flawless? Please. Bring on the five carats, cushion cut preferred. (What, no takers?)
Sadly, my beer budget doesn’t align with my champagne tastes, so I’m forced to feed my habit vicariously through others. Have endless blunt to spend, and need a personal jewelry stylist? I’m your girl. We’ll start with something from Chopard’s 2010 Red Carpet Collection, which I’ve been dying to show you. Here are some things I would have sent down the Emmy red carpet:
Chopard has put together a stunning catalog of its 2010 Red Carpet Collection, which includes dozens and dozens of awe-inspiring pieces like the ones above. If I could choose only one, I’d have to go with the pear shaped morganite ring surrounded by pavé set amethysts at the upper left.
After a hit like that, how can this addict recover? Is there a 12 step program for the jewel obsessed? Or should I just spend a couple hours a day over at Ugly Overload to keep my aesthetic chi in balance? While you ponder that, here’s some more goodness from Chopard:
Uh-oh. Overdosing on pretty. Need something foul and frightful to look at now . . . where’s that boss of mine?
As my watch obsessed colleague recently pointed out, it’s that time of year. No, not my birthday, though you should start hunting for the perfect gift (hint: just read some of my recent posts, and I’m sure you’ll find something in your budget). It’s the time of year when I can forgo my upper arm workouts, because toting phone book sized September issues up three flights of stairs from mailbox to flat is workout enough.
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 (here in the States, at any rate), 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:
Well, here’s a way to be dripping in diamonds without anyone mistaking you for a Lady Who Lunches. Our imaginary slave to fashion may or may not be your cup of tea, but no one can deny that she makes that massive diamond bracelet look more rock-n-roll than Upper East Side. With a title like “Granny Revamp”, perhaps our guest stylist imagines this rebellious downtown girl nicked it from her very own country club gran? Naughty girl.
The pavé diamond charm bracelet is from Norman Silverman, and is encrusted with three full carats of diamonds. Yowzers. Here it is along with a few other pieces worthy of liberating from grandma’s jewel box:
The pavé diamond ring is from designer Sasha Primak, while the earrings are from Lussori. Both are 18 karat yellow gold, and boast diamond total carat weights of 3.50 and 5.70, respectively.
Sigh. Now if only I had a rich granny . . .
Note: No grandmothers were harmed in the production of this blog.
August is the time of year when ALL the fashion magazines are rolling out the fall season trends. I love looking at the new styles, but tend to get a little exasperated with all the clothes, shoes and handbags shouting from the pages.
My spirits soared, though, when I came across this Must-Have Accessories for Fall editorial over at Harper’s Bazaar online! They included a few ladies’ watches. Sure, they were spotlighting this fall’s on-trend leopard and bold red, but my eye was quickly drawn to the model’s wrist. Lo and behold, there was my must-have fall accessory – a gold watch!
Here, Harper’s Bazaar styles a gold Cartier and gold Chopard Ice Cube with their fall looks. Cartier and Chopard have long been the ultimate go-to for ladies fashion and high-jewelry. If you’re like me, though, and want something a bit out of the ordinary, obsess with me over these gold watches:
I love the sporty yet totally feminine look of this red gold Corum Admiral’s Cup Competition 40 watch with its mother-of-pearl dial and unique 12 side diamond-set bezel.
And what is there not to love about this totally elegant yet quirky Piaget Limelight Magic Hour pink gold watch. Its movable oval diamond-set bezel gives you 3 different looks in just one watch.
So now when you feel like you can’t look at another pair of shoes or another “it” handbag, remember this season’s true must-have accessory — a gold watch at your wrist.
PS. Here’s another picture of the Piaget Limelight Magic Hour so you can see each of its three looks. Thanks for your question, Silvia!
We recently discussed the forthcoming collaboration between renowned Brazilian jeweler H. Stern and renowned Brazilian architect Oscar Neimeyer here. Jewelry is in many ways simply architecture of a smaller scale; beauty and function must be balanced in a delicate art of engineering. It’s no surprise that throughout the years so many architects have lent their creativity to our bejeweled world.
This new H. Stern collection finds its inspiration in Neimeyer’s hand-drawn sketches. Thus, we find graceful arcs and squiggles embellished with diamonds, all impeccably executed by H. Stern’s craftspeople. The collection is due to launch this fall. Here is a sampling:
I leave you with this charming video homage to Niemeyer. I like its playfulness, and how effectively it shows the power of line. We need very little to convey a story or create beauty. Diamonds, though, always help.
Last week I somewhat gleefully shared a tale of heartache, woe, and (alleged) battery, so I thought, lest you think me nothing but a cruel beast, I should share a heartwarming tale of redemption. Consider this my version of Chicken Soup for the Jeweler’s Soul.
I recently read the story of a woman who, thirty years later, returned to the scene of her crime – a jewelry store at which she’d worked – to confess the theft of some two dozen jewels and return the loot. Amazing, no? The skeptics among you may read the story in greater detail here. Tears were shed. Forgiveness was granted. And the world became a better a place. Amen.
Crafting inspiring parables is no easy feat, and I make no claim to success. But how can I focus on elevating your minds, when my own is distracted by the question: Well, Miss Goldsmith, if you were to abscond with a bevy of beautiful baubles, which would they be?
It seems I must do a little more Chicken Soup reading myself, and I’m sure this curmudgeon’s beleaguered coworkers would second that. As for the other, my employer needn’t worry. Miss Goldsmith doesn’t have the combination to the safe.
I loved The September Issue, so imagine my embarrassment when someone else pointed out to me that Anna Wintour practically lives in an H. Stern necklace (or two) throughout the film. Sherlock Holmes, I am not, for my powers of observation were apparently on holiday, or perhaps I was just distracted by a giant tub of popcorn.
While I’m not one to dwell on my failings, my guilt has inspired me to show some extra H. Stern love, and what better place than here? Anna Wintour wore several necklaces similar, if not identical, to the citrine “Sunrise Necklace” featured in this look:
As always, I love to see bold, gem encrusted jewels worn sans evening gown. This piece illustrates the wonderful color variation to be found in natural gemstones. Here, citrines travel from pale butter to caramel to triple malt scotch. Here is the H. Stern “Sunrise Necklace” with some of its kin:
I love the skinny, pointed prongs on these gumdrop-like gems. The ring is tourmaline, and the earrings are, I suspect, tourmaline, peridot, citrine and blue topaz.
Last week, I mentioned all the press that designer K. Brunini has been getting for her latest collection, Body Armor. These mixed-material, fit-for-a-warrior pieces have been getting well deserved attention, as we discussed here and here. Meanwhile, her earlier, nature-inspired work has – quite rightly – been no less ignored. None other than Gisele Bundchen wore a K. Brunini orchid brooch in a recent issue of Muse:
I wasn’t familiar with Muse, which bills itself as “the Fashionart Magazine”. There is some undeniably gorgeous photography on its website, so if you’re turned on by that sort of thing, check it out here.
There is also an arty video of Gisele, though the brooch in question cannot be seen. There is a pair of earrings, though, that look as if they could be attributed to K. Brunini. Without the magazine in hand, I can’t say for certain. They are appropriately twig-like. Perhaps one of you Dear Readers could enlighten me?
Before you venture off to suss that one out, here is some more of K. Brunini’s nature-inspired work:
All the above jewelry is fashioned from 18 karat gold, sterling silver, and gemstones such as diamond and ruby. In addition: the hummingbird pendant is carved from mammoth tusk; the orchid brooches are carved from bone; and the raven ring is carved from jet. Each one is a miniature sculpture you can wear.
Every year the awards shows are a parade of the latest fashion trends. I ohhh, ahhh, or boo each designer gown as much as any girl. But, as you may have gathered from 
