Gold Rush

There were several gold rushes throughout history which drew droves of eager prospectors from all over to an area pregnant with the promise of wealth and prosperity to those lucky enough to find the golden nuggets nestled waiting within the earth's crust.

This image sprang to mind while reading that an Australian man recently uncovered a large amount of gold in the northern goldfields of western Australia worth up to $110,000.  I really hadn't realized that the dream of striking gold was still alive for some.  Then I really thought about it, where does gold even come from?

Recently discovered "Duckfoot"

For years I've written on the history of gemstones and jewelry and why they are so preciously expensive, but why is gold precious?

Gold is an element and lives on the periodic table as a transitional element with the atomic number of 79.  It is considered to be one of the least reactive chemical elements and is the most noble of all the noble metals, making it the most resistant to corrosion.

Gold is considered very rare since it is believed there is only a finite amount in the solar system that was present as dust the day it formed. So whatever we have on earth is what we get, it does not have a recipe to form like a gemstone does. It is an element created on a celestial level and cannot be reproduced.  Gold ore is found in solid form usually as a nugget, granular, or in veins, but also exists as flakes and dust.  Gold does not have a habit formation like a gemstone does further proving it is the most malleable of all the metals.  When found during mining, what is being found is gold that is by chance clumped together in a mine-able form, and sometimes this gold is naturally alloyed with other elements and is not pure. To get pure gold, it must be refined to extract impurities and other metals.

  

Gold in it's purest form is very soft and to be used for jewelry needs to be alloyed with another metal for strength and sometimes color.

The most familiar karats of gold are:

10K or .417 meaning 41.7% pure gold alloyed with other metals like silver, copper, zinc, and/or nickel.

14K or .585 meaning 58.5% pure gold alloyed with other metals.

18K or .750 meaning 75% pure gold alloyed with other metals.

24K  or 999.9 is considered fine gold at 99.95% pure gold.

10k is much harder and more durable than 18k or 24k but not as rich in color is the main difference between these karats besides gold content and price.

For example I chose 18k for my engagement ring because it's rich color to matched my yellow center, and I know I'd be gentle with my ring knowing that it will be more susceptible to scratches and nicks.  For someone hard on their jewelry I always recommend 10k or 14k.

Pyle on the Jewels

Fresh off the heels of New York Fashion Week a hunger was stoked for new fall style and it can be satiated by the independent artists featured at The Pool Trade Show this weekend taking place at the Jacob Javits Center in NYC.

One jewelry artist, Amy C Pyles, has an edgier collection perfect to invigorate anyone’s wardrobe that is really looking to bolden their style.

There is a strong energy in her jewelry that is brought to life with a repeating line motif found intermittent with leather and gem elements to create a striking visual palette.

Contemporary in foundation, Pyles incorporates non-traditional items like found vintage objects as a focal points and elevates their purpose by integrating them with various types of chain, her specialty.

I always love coming across work like Pyles’ because you can invest in one piece and it will serve you all season.  With this much versatility, you can easily style a new necklace or bracelet into your current outfit favorites to freshen them for fall.

If you’re in the NYC area this weekend be sure to check it out:

http://www.amycpyles.com/

http://www.pooltradeshowbrandbook.com/

Jewelry of the DNC

The Democratic National Convention is not the first place you would think to see remarkable jewelry, but this year had a tremendous amount of feminism was personified via wardrobe.

Katy Perry dazzled in her patriotic ensemble as she belted out her empowering anthems “Roar” and “Rise”.  The usually outlandishly dressed star had a more subdued look Thursday evening, wearing a sparkling neutral pencil dress by Michael Kors. She did opt to add a little of her famous pizzaz by donning 1970 vintage Bulgari. The neck-piece was from Bulgari’s 1973 “Stars and Stripes” collection, originally donned by that decade’s superstar Cher to commemorate the opening of Bulgari’s New York boutique.

The necklace was borrowed from Carlo Eleuteri’s personal collection, the bold piece glossed in red and blue enameling, accented by diamond detail to create a star spangled statement piece. The piece is fun,eclectic, and was the perfect addition to style Perry’s DNC look.

As gorgeous as Katy Perry looked, the real talk of the night was Madeleine Albright’s flawless “Shattered Glass Ceiling” brooch.  A very powerful piece worn by the first woman to become Secretary of State, worn as a symbol to continue to push social boundaries for the female gender.  Hillary Clinton is the first female presidential nominee for a major U.S. party, following in the steps of Victoria Woodhull who dared to run for president in the far less progressive time of 1872.  Albright acknowledges this by wearing a simple gold bar accompanied by crushed glass that glittered to catch every eye at the convention.  A very poetic piece exemplifying the pride Albright has for the women that keep us dreaming big and do not take no for an answer.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/madeleine-albright-brooch-glass-ceiling-pin_us_579aa5d0e4b0e2e15eb5476a

http://blog.hmns.org/tag/stars-and-stripes-collection/

http://theadventurine.com/culture/celebrity/katy-perry-shines-in-red-white-and-blue-jewelry/

Chic Up the FitBit

I've noticed the movement on Social Media of the constant need to share and relay our fitness accomplishments.  This innate need to share our personal growth is so much easier with how so many of us are incredibly attached to our phones. At our finger tips we literally have hundreds of Apps at our disposal to satisfy any kind of fitness fad we decide to choose next.  I am guilty of it myself, sharing my run statistics daily to an online running club group.  

So now we have accessories that aid us in our endeavor to monitor our steps, heart rate, sleep REM, you name it, there is an APP or some kind of device out there created for it. What I have run into is I would love a fitbit, as an avid city walker I'd love to know how much I run around in a day.  The thing is, I just cant see myself wearing one, as someone who works with jewelry, I cannot fathom putting something on my body that does not match the rest of my wardrobe.  So my question is, can we make these tech devices pretty?

It's a new market field that some companies are jumping on, to make science fashionable.  With more people than ever using social media to share every aspect of our lives, it only makes sense to try to gain more consumers, and by doing so you want to cater to those that want their fitbit to scintillate in the sun because the chances are they will take a picture of the product and share it to their followers. Easy free brand advertising! It's a perfect recipe for success, so I wanted to take a look at who decided to take the risk and try out this market.

The first is Tory Burch one of the chicest brands out there has delved elbow deep into making the fitbit fab by partnering with the fitbit brand itself. They know their clientele would not be caught dead wearing something bulky and clashing on their wrist so they took care with their design.

The Tory Burch design is their iconic "T" that is offset by radiating grooves to echo the "T" pattern. The bold geometric gloss of metal gives a very Greek Goddess feel. This piece of merchandise is style savvy but a bit pricey since you are paying for a brand.

https://www.fitbit.com/toryburch

 

Another contender is a company that has built its brand on the merriment of fashion and technology, Bezels and Bytes.  With cute alliteration I'm already sold on the fun and hip vibe that the company sends out.  It seems more down to earth than the Tory Burch campaign, more approachable, much more likely something I could wear daily. Here we have a rectangular metal case with a patterned motif whether it is hammered metal, studs, or a woven pattern, they went for a uniform finish easy to style. Paired with the case are fun colorful straps, a much lighter option than a bangle, and definitely a better wear for the impending summer.

http://www.bezelsandbytes.com/

 And for all the thrifty shoppers out there, there is always Etsy and Amazon.  Doing a cursory search I see copious styles and variations to fabulously wear a fitbit.  As I always, I warn that with Etsy the quality may not be there and as someone who breaks out from cheap metal, I tend to avoid users that do not have reviews. However if you like to live dangerously, delve right in because there are a ton more options there than there is anywhere else. 

All in all, I really dig fashion getting fit, there are plenty of styles to peruse through to find a look that works for you.

Sources:

https://www.fitbit.com/toryburch

http://www.bezelsandbytes.com/

http://www.chipchick.com/2014-07-tory-burch-fitbit-collection.php

A look at Heritage in Bloom

   Pictured above "Heritage Flower Gaze"

Chinese jewelry retailer, Chow Tai Fook, purchased the Cullian Heritage rough diamond in 2010 at 35.3 million dollars.  Weighing in at an astounding 507.55 carats, artist Wallace Chan undertook the task to cut this miraculously (D) in color, near flawless diamond into several smaller counterparts in the journey to create his masterpiece, “A Heritage in Bloom”




47,000 hours of manipulation to yield the gorgeous and innovative neckpiece that can be worn 27 different ways.  Adorning the very center is a 104 ct Forever Mark inscribed diamond cut from the Cullian Heritage.  It is set in a layered seat to create dimension and to keep continuity of the piece, the eye completely remains undistracted by the setting and can focus on the form of the piece.  This centerpiece is echoed by its smaller cut brethren descending from the same Cullian Heritage diamond creating a sense if unity and completeness.  Historically we rarely see a cohesive plan for a high grade diamond, typically it gets passed around and cut down several times , so it’s truly beautiful to have it cut and set altogether in one place, one story from beginning to end.


Incorporated into the necklace are winged bats, a symbol of good fortune in the Chinese culture.This iconography is coupled with diamond and jade encrusted butterflies, a symbol of eternal love.

                                                  "Heritage Bright Day"


This neckpiece has an optimistic undertone of love and fortune apparent in the symbolism described above, but the mood is well executed in the utilization so soft pink diamonds and light shades of jade.  It portrays a soft tone of innocence and delicateness that we associate with love.  The sharpest edge in the piece is that of the bat wings that rest upon ones shoulder, even that has a sensual curve that we would not find in the bat anatomy in nature.

                                                    "Heritage Ethereal"

In past decades, even centuries, a piece as ornate as this would be created to showcase the wealth and power of the commissioner.  Here in the modern era we are treated in the delight to marvel it as a spectacular piece of museum quality art.  A means to push our ideas of how we can create something beautiful from something rough and amorphous, and have the end game be something to be admired for years to come.



Sources:

Artist's Site: http://www.chowtaifook.com/en/node/30685

Pictures: http://www.nationaljeweler.com/galleries/editorial/A-Heritage-in-Bloom-10004.shtml#4

Information: http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonydemarco/2015/09/03/wallace-chan-creates-statement-necklace-from-507-carat-diamond/#5edce2ae7629

http://www.barrons.com/articles/200-million-masterpiece-lifts-luxury-to-new-heights-1441335925

Nane Adams' Flex Rings

Contemporary jewelry artist Nane Adam’s typical work is the combination of differing metals to create swirls reminiscent to that of a fingerprint.  A staple trend that most have seen at any craft show they have attended in the last few years.

It is her work from 2004 that has really caught my curiosity, a plain silver band with colored nylon stretched within the ring’s inner circumference.  The simple design creates an exciting display of line as well as playing upon the stark contrast between cold hard metal and the colorful flexible give of nylon.  That contrast is driven further as the artist has scuffed the silver edge of the band to invoke it’s hard nature as in the same perspective you see the smooth surface of the nylon taut with tension.  Two opposing materials coming together in design triumph of aesthetics and functionality.

The nylon strands create give within the interior of the band, allowing for a custom fit unique to the wearer.  Often we are bound to a size scale of quarter sizes, and most of us cannot find a perfect fit because of the unforgivable nature of precious metals.  German designer, Nane Adam, has discovered the perfect remedy to the classic craft show dilemma of sizing, no one likes having to leave their newly purchased jewelry behind to be re-sized.  In this case the consumer can just walk away with a perfect fit as well as an exciting piece of art the echoes the architectural feats of Santiago Calatrava Valls whose bridges served as her muse. 

Sources:

Nane Adams website: http://www.naneadam.de/kollektionen/flexible.html

Images of Flex Rings: http://en.dawanda.com/product/2454893-flexible-rings

Santiago Calatrava's bridge in Dallas images: http://www.evolo.us/architecture/santiago-calatravas-new-bridge-in-dallas/

Awesome Kickstarter for a Bangle from Beacon & Lively

So my fellow Tyler Alumni has been involved with developing a very chic way to wear modern technology.  The company she works for, Beacon & Lively, have been working on a kickstarter for a bangle that lights up when your receive messages, email, phone calls, etc.

                   

 I love the design, it's very futuristic with an exaggerated curvature to accentuate the grooves that light up various colors via LED.  I love the concept of wearable technology, personally I always have my phone in hand so it would be nice to have a fashionable element that alerts me of messages versus carrying around my cellular.

                          

                          

However, I did show this bangle to a couple of my friends to see their reaction to the idea, and the consensus was the same. What else can it do?  That's where I get stuck with my excitement, I got so caught up in design that I didn't really consider functionality.  The every day jewelry wearer isn't going to be provoked into purchasing something that just lights up when their phone does the same thing.  Same goes for the tech nerd, with all the technology in Garmin watches, why would they buy something that just lights up?

                         

For me this kickstarter is about where technology and style can go.  This is the start of something incredibly classy, sophisticated, and tech smart.  I'd love to see this company take on the ever so design savvy Apple, and create a bangle that displays messages, connects to the internet, GPS compatiable, the works.  I can see this concept going places and would love to see people support a small independent company interested in a bright convenient future.

If you feel so inclined to donate to their cause, I have provided their link below.  Graciously they are providing incentives to people that donate, so if your looking to get your hands on one of these bad boys, donate.

Beacon & Lively Kickstarter Information

Images provided by Beacon & Lively

Laser Cut Statement Necklace

In Philadelphia we have a tradition called First Friday in which the galleries downtown turnover to new exhibitions.  This draws in flocks of creative talents and observers to partake in sipping wine while listening to hipsters have a jam session on the crowded sidewalk that is lined with artists, elbow to elbow, hovering over makeshift displays of their works.  A wide variety of work is on display from paintings, prints, ceramics, jewelry; any sort of imaginable aesthetic is available to your service.

This particular month I wandered into a gallery I have never been in before.  I’m not particularly a fan of carpentry but my boyfriend wanted to take a walk through The Center for Art and Wood.  Here we were entranced by the fine craftsmanship on display, the ingenuity of taking and ancient craft, and spinning a modern twist on the art, creating conceptual sculptures relevant to our modern day queries.

However what caught my eye in this wonderland of wood knots and wood grain was of course, a piece of jewelry.  I happened across a stack of laser cut balsa wood necklaces.  Ordinarily this would not catch my interest, but what did spark my inner child was that these pieces were interactive.  Each necklace was a different color scheme and shape, but all were completely comprised of gears riveted together.  When you spun one gear, all of them begin to spin.  It was a delightful work of modern art that is toy-like and playful.  And the burning of the wood from the laser gives the grain a nice shading to invoke a nice steam punk quality to the piece.

Overall this necklace was a delight to find in that it’s a piece of jewelry that is impressive artistically and conceptually but still just plain old fun.  Below I linked the website of the creators of the piece, Green Tree Jewelry. Enjoy!

                                                 http://www.greentreejewelry.com

Lamina Production Show and Metals Exhibition

Headed out to Tyler School of Art tonight to purchase some jewelry from the Lamina Production Show held by the Metals department of the school.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that they extended their hours this evening so that their show coincided with the MFA Thesis Show.

I have done this show in the past back in my Tyler days, but I must say this group was very well put together and prepared to professionally display their work.  One of the most difficult things about jewelry is the display.  At craft shows I often see veteran artists make the mistake of cluttered or unflattering displays that take away from their work, but here, these students used see through acrylic.  It was crisp, clean, easy to see, and I was not distracted by the display at all. It actually fell out of notice when I engaged with the jewelry.

Another aspect of the exhibition I liked was the professionalism.  The artists were standing ready to show their work, answer questions, and assist in trying on the jewelry.  The even had alcoholic wipes to disinfect the earrings after their were worn, something you see in retail jewelry stores.  They were able to establish and ground their pop up show by using cleverly placed decal stickers.  It gave a more polished presentation and legitimized the temporary show as an exhibition.

The work on display was definitely on par with things I would see at a craft show.  Each piece was excellently executed and functioned flawlessly. There was also a wide range of work from powder coated copper, classic silver, and well rendered CAD pieces.  Being in a classroom, it's often you see that students influence each other, and you tend to see repeated techniques or similar designs. I did not see that here. Just well thought out, diverse designs.

My only criticism of the pop up show would be the lack of display and attention to the statement pieces.  Most were just laid out on the table next to the displayed production jewelry.  It gave the insinuation that those pieces were put there as an afterthought.  The pieces themselves were gorgeous and very well done, I just wish that the same attention that went into making them was evident in their display.

I have a slew of photos of the event to be enjoyed.  If in the Philadelphia area please make an effort to go support these up and coming artists during tomorrow's business hours! I believe they are there Saturday the 26th 9am to 5pm

                   
                These silver ruffle like earrings were one of the pieces I purchased, very light

   This statement necklace I absolutely loved, the focal point was made up of silicon extensions that
                                                                flexed to the touch

                                                     
                              Fabric material and pearls giving nice motion to the pieces

                         This was my second purchase, dyed nylon, CAD modeled earrings

                                I see a future in toy design here, more dyed CAD pieces

                                             Fun colored powder coated pieces

Nice contrast utilizing CAD