One of my favorite animals is the elephant. They're majestically massive and at the same time incredibly intuitive and nurturing. They are complex creatures which explains why they are so prominent as a motif in several cultures. Here I'm wearing some of my favorite LAGOS pieces while taking a look at the iconography of the elephant.
One of the most popular depictions of the elephant is through the Hindu religion. The god Ganesha is easily identifiable with his large elephant head on a human body. His likeness will be found across South Asia in countries like India, Nepal, and Thailand. Ganesha is a patron of the arts and sciences and looked upon as the remover of obstacles. A steadfast god to look to in times of trial.
In Buddhism you will find the presence of the elephant pair Kangiten, represented as male and female elephant headed humanoid figures embracing as a symbol of the unity of opposites. Enforcing the belief of the oneness of all things though they may be seemingly different.
In Islam, the Quran has a chapter entitled "The Elephant". A story of a Abraha's white elephant, Mahmud, that refused to cross into Mecca, foiling Abraha's plan to lead Yemen to conquer the holy city. Mahmud could not be persuaded to cross by reason or violence, once again depicting the elephant as a creature of intelligence and resolve.
The elephant is not indigenous to Europe but was discovered through their exploration or Asia. Awed by the ferocity of the war elephant in battle, Europe adopted the beast as a symbol of militaristic strength. Napoleon even commissioned a giant cast bronze elephant fountain to be made from guns confiscated in victorious battle. The fountain was never completed (hello Waterloo).
America adopted the elephant to represent the Republican party in 1884. The origin is a political cartoon done by Thomas Nash. The elephant is shown charging in dispersing other smaller animals representing other political interests at the time. Another account of dominance and strength.
Lastly Elephants are native to Africa and usually where most people imagine them. In Africa the elephant is revered for its strength, wisdom, and memory. The elephant was depicted on several coat of arms throughout time in Africa including South Africa, The Ivory Coast, the kingdom of Laos, and the kingdom of Dahomey.
Globally you can see the elephant is respected and admired for it's strength, it is looked to for it's wisdom, and it is a symbol of conquering obstacles and embracing change.
Fall is my favorite time of year for several reason;, scarves, foliage, spiced cider, but most of all craft fairs.
My pumpkin spice fiance and I decided to enjoy the newly crisp fall air by moseying through the Ladies Night Art Crawl. The event consisted of a string of predominantly female owned studio spaces opening their doors to the public to come look, touch, and buy made in Philly art.
Scrawled below is the map distributed by the vendors, the starting point being The Common Room , a creative space to curate woman created art.
There I came across two new artists to follow. The first being Sadie Francis of Only in the Forest. Francis has worked in the environmental field for 15 years, in doing so she carried her hobby over to shareable wearable art. The flowers she encases in resin are found during long daily walks through Philadelphia’s expansive park system. I’ve seen this type of jewelry before, so what really makes these pieces poignant is knowing they’re local and made by someone who deeply cares about sustaining nature. They’re not just flowers, they’re flowers from our community.
The second artist I came across was MEO-C.28 who created an exciting take on the necklace bib. She paints exaggerated baubles onto re-purposed fabric to create the look of a bib without the heft of it. Light weight and handcrafted, these works give new life to a tired trend.
Last but not least is always a favorite of mine, Forge and Finish. A trio of Temple ladies working together to handcraft jeweled treasures. My current favorite collection is Talo, jeweled with a tasty bluish green tourmaline. Forge and Finish does an excellent job of echoing shape between collections allowing a wearer to mix and match between collections. Each piece is a work of art with a slight edge that sets it aside from it’s peers. Very wearable while still making a statement.
The Gangsters, Outlaws and Lawmen auction took place on June 24th in Boston, Massachusetts. The auction featured a ring crafted by the notorious American gangster, Clyde Chestnut Barrow. The piece was a gift to his sweetheart, Bonnie Elizabeth Parker, as a promise ring since the couple was never wed or able to do so during their intense two year courtship.
Barrow and his brother Buck were both amateur craftsmen that made jewelry, leather-work, and woodwork during their time in Eastham Farm Prison in Texas. The “Bonnie Ring” was believed to have been made during Barrow’s time there from 1930 to 1932.
The three headed snake ring is most likely silver plated copper, and like most jewelry tells a story. The ring bears the hallmark of an arrow striking a music note, Barrow’s signature. It’s well-known that the gangster had a passion for music, and the arrow is thought to be wordplay on his surname (B)arrow. The serpent is a Victorian symbol used to represent eternal love. The snake ring trend was popularized when Prince Albert gifted Queen Victoria an emerald set snake ring in 1840. We see that this fashion remained strong nearly a century later with the creation of “the Bonnie ring”.
Bonnie Parker lost this ring when the couple’s stolen 1933 Ford Model B was riddled by a hail of police gunfire in Sowers, Tx. The couple fled on foot narrowly escaping arrest, leaving behind personal articles in the abandoned vehicle. “The Bonnie Ring” was claimed by officer Schmid who led the ambush, and the ring remained with the Schmid family until this auction.
The “Bonnie Ring” sold for $25,000; much less than its predicted selling price of $40,000.
Though the ring is not comprised of precious material, it is lofty in its historical clout as a testament to the whirlwind lovestruck romance the two gangsters shared for one another and how they enamored America with their wild escapade that ultimately ended in their very romanticized demise.
Typically I just post about jewelry projects that interest me and try to keep my blog light and informative, but as a millennial working in the jewelry industry I am tired of being told what I want and what I should be looking for by the founding diamond companies. It’s getting too painful to ignore the broadening disconnect between iconic brands and the millennial customers they are trying to impress. It almost seems like “millennial” is a buzzword that no one really bothered to research.
I keep coming across campaigns catered to my age group, like parents talking over their children's heads, like they are not there, incapable of listening and understanding. I see it, I hear you, and your are missing our thought process by miles.
The most recent campaign I have come across is Real is Rare, Real is a Diamond. Released by Diamond Producers Association (DPA) trying to appeal to the millennial with a whimsical video of a carefree couple lost in the wanderlust of life. The short video is comprised of flashes of incoherent images with a monologue detailing a topical description of their "real" relationship. DPA makes a desperate attempt to move away from the marketing archetype of diamonds = marriage, but it falls short. They are trying to loosen up and connect to millennials with a video that seems forced, insincere, and the diamonds weren't even the focal point. I lost interest in the strained story and actually ended up focusing more on the clothing in the video than the diamond necklaces that were being shown. In the end the same archaic message weakly came across, couples should solidify a relationship by gifting diamonds.
Another campaign I’ve seen recently is from De Beers. De Beers had the incredibly successful 1947 Ad campaign A Diamond is Forever by copy-writer Frances Gerety of N.W. Ayer & Son. At the time De Beers was top dog of the industry controlling the ebb and flow of diamond resources. So of course they would be able to control the media for the diamond as well. Now the diamond giant has been minimized due to bad press and in 2012 De Beers has shifted 85% of its ownership to another diamond company.
So now, with less clout than they had before, they tried to strike gold again with their 2015 campaign, Seize the Day. The campaign failed to impress since it was more of the same boring concept, shoving engagement rings at the consumer so aggressively that they walk away. We live in a time where our worth is not determined by marriage, so why does the industry keep advertising that way?
Too be blunt, most of the diamonds I own I have bought myself with my hard earned money. A treat I was proud to purchase for myself because I work with jewelry and like jewelry. As for my longtime boyfriend, he does shower me with gifts whether it be jewelry or artwork, it does not matter, the gift was thoughtful and by no means defined our relationship.
A powerful Ad I think people would respond to would cater to the fact most millennial women buy themselves jewelry as a deserved treat. The industry does realize that we are the bulk of the US diamond buying market, but they clearly still do not understand why. They do not understand that we have satisfaction in working hard and earning something we desired. It is completely gratifying to wear something you worked for. To go out with friends and say, “I worked overtime and absolutely owned my latest project, I treated myself to new earrings”.
Not at all to undermine the institution of marriage, I just went engagement ring shopping myself, but it needs to be realized engagement is not the cornerstone of the diamond market anymore, it’s a part of a whole view. And if you keep only looking at one small facet of an idea, you are bound to miss a major amount of opportunity. I love diamonds, I love the industry, I love my job, but I am at a complete loss every time I see a new campaign catered to “the millennial”.
My hair inspiration Rashida Jones just launched her own jewelry collection, Iconery, in time for the upcoming Holiday season. See Her line here.
The color palette is high contrasting yellow gold and black stones with the core design concepts of protection and life.
Historically gems and jewelry were viewed as talismans with mythical powers, so it’s fun seeing Iconery playing with those ancient roots even being clever with the name itself. The brand uses two prevalent portrayals from ancient religious iconography.
One motif used in the line is the Ankh, an Egyptian symbol meaning life. In Latin it is referred to as crux ansata “cross with a handle”. Ancient Egyptians believed we were to spend this life preparing for the next eternal life. A concept that other cultures adopted and transformed into newer religions. Egyptian gods were often pictured holding the Ankh by its handle or holding it whilst crossing their arms across their chest.
The other icon used is a Hamsa. Arabic/Hebrew in roots, it is a depiction of an open right palm. The Arabic work Khamsah translates to “five”, but could also mean “the five fingers of the hand”. The Hamsa is believed to be a symbol of protection, often worn in jewelry or used as decor in the home. It is heavily associated with the evil eye, the curse of a malevolent glare.
The line is easy to stylishly layer as it has basic pieces to go along with the more symbolic pieces. The gold tone invokes the ancient roots of the iconography used. The price range is incredibly reasonable to give as a gift or to treat yourself. Overall I can see it doing well and hope to see her elaborate more on this empowering idea.
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.
So I happened upon an interesting read while on LinkedIn: Here's the article
Lately colored stones have been taking center stage in the jewelry field, particularly since the prices of diamonds and gold continue to rise, and perhaps because a certain British princess rocking a gorgeously huge natural sapphire. And let's face it, it's much more cost effective to purchase a gemstone wedding set versus the grotesquely priced diamond counter-part.
I've always defended the high price of diamonds being justified in that I understood how unique and rare each well cut stone was. It's also an easy price to defend when you know that the retail price is typically marked up 3X, and you know you don't have to pay that price if you know where to look. However, lately I'm having a harder and harder time explaining away the price, especially when I see the speckled gray monstrosities that the big name chain jewelers are dishing out for an outrageous price.
The big mines that were spewing out the big, brilliant, beauties are depleting and there's no new miracle mine in sight. What I have come to love as a jeweler, is the vintage pieces that come through, because you just don't see that size, color, or quality anymore.
What's alarming about this read is that organizations, like De Beers, think that jacking up the price is really going to sell the rarity of the stones. Yes, good quality diamonds are rare, but not diamonds themselves. The rare stones are the natural Emeralds and Tanzanites out there that are in the same danger of depletion, but there are no companies out there interested in the longevity of those stones since the market has been built around the diamond.
I'm interested to see how this plays out in the next coming years. I've already seen a great decline in the purchase of gold jewelry, people are going for the tougher, cheaper metals. What I am seeing in people is that if they are going to spend that huge of a chunk of change, that want that piece to last. De Beers has famously coined the idea that diamonds are forever, but gold unfortunately does not. I've already been approached several times about setting stones in metals like steel and tungsten. So what kind of jewelry alternatives will a future with overpriced materials bring in?
Great article I found recently with The New York Times (Young Designers Re-imagine Jewelry) featuring five young women chosen as the latest up and coming jewelers. Most people in this industry know that the
large name jewelry designers are in New York, iconic store fronts that have
resided there for half a century pushing their latest fashions into the greedy willing
hands of the trend-setting masses.
However in this new era we have more people than ever
diligently learning this archaic craft, pushing themselves to compete with
classic timeless designs. How do they do
that? Contemporary jewelry. They take
the ancient art of jewelry making and push it further, branching out and giving
a new and exciting twist to the designs that we already know. Contemporary jewelry tends to find itself on
display in small trendy art galleries or available in chic boutiques, ready to
be snatched up by the careful eye of those who blog and Instagram because they
have a piece of fashion that is handmade and one of a kind that needs to be
shared with the world as the “hottest thing”.
Many small boutiques and budding designers have gained tremendous momentum
from this phenomenon allowing them to break through to be seen and share their
ideas.
This article in the
New York Times acknowledges this societal change and embraces it by showcasing
these four young women and their contribution to fine jewelry. For more information on the artists and where to see and purchase there work, see the article linked above and below.
Diamontologists everywhere are in a frenzy over the new record breaking sale that occurred at the Bonhams Auction in London last Wednesday. Bonhams is an auction house, established in 1793, that specializes in the fine arts, antiques, and collectibles. So it is not surprising for Bonhams to gain access to such a rare treat of a 5.3 carat blue beauty such as this. Sold at $1.8 million per carat, shattering the previous record for the sale of a blue diamond at $1.6 million per carat, makes this the most valued blue diamond sold in auction.
Blue diamonds themselves are a rare treat. Diamonds are comprised purely of the element carbon. However when boron, similar in structure to carbon, makes its way into the mix of heat and pressure, you are left with a blue diamond. Why is that? Because boron absorbs low energy red light which filters through as that gorgeous blue hue that we have all fallen in love with. Most colored diamonds are lighter in color leaving a want for rich saturation. Excitingly enough, this piece has been unquestionably been graded a fancy deep blue in natural color. A hard find indeed, but it gets better with VS2 clarity. No inclusions to be seen by the naked eye allowing us to revel in the deep blue cushion cut paradise. It's okay to drool over it because I know I am.
The diamond was not sold loose, which is often the case with these larger rarer gems. It was set in 1965 by Bulgari in a Trambino setting which truly accentuates it's center with the use of the baguette side stones. As you can see, the baguettes are set in a channel on either side of the center. This creates movement by utilizing the lines between the baguettes and the channel itself to forcefully drive the viewer's eye to the center. I applaud the daring of the design because quite frequently designers play it safe and leave large gemstones to stand alone. Here the designer took that beautiful stone and gave it importance when they made the bold move of placing the baguette channels on either side.
This stone has definitely earned it's place as the most expensive blue diamond sold in auction.
