Ah, if only the falcon headdress worn by Elizabeth Taylor in the 1963 for the movie, Cleopatra could talk. What tales it would tell about how she fell madly in love with her co-star and soon to be two-time husband Richard Burton (Notice we said two-time, not two-timing. That would be a whole different story.)…
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Earrings are one of the most popular options for wedding jewelry. They go well with any hairstyle, any neckline, and any body type. Of course, the variety that earrings offer help complete your look depending on their style, metal, size, stones and proportions. Unlike, say, a necklace, earrings won’t compete with even a busy neckline…
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We adore big aquamarine rings – the bigger the better. The airy, sky blue hue of aquamarines allow you to go big or go home. While they still give you fantastic, sparkling presence on your hand, they won’t overwhelm your outfit or “wear you”. So when we spotted this fabulous aquamarine ring in Betteridge’s 1st…
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It’s stunning; it’s expensive; it has a little window so you can see its inner core, known as the tourbillon. It’s meant to be a showpiece. It even keeps time, but it does require winding. Maybe most people today have no need of a watch, what with smart phones and their built-in alarms, and the…
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What an elegant designer Coomi has become, she delivers the most exquisite jewelry to compliment every taste and fashion. Her signature collection is made of high fashioned gold pieces with rose colored diamonds. Coomi’s designs are worn by famous women who want to make a statement, also women with discerning taste in beautifully made jewelry…
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Mikimoto has done it again. All of his creations are displayed on beautiful back drop sceneries. Mikimoto has been providing exceptional jewelry for more than 120 years. The most impressive symbol that would best describe the Mikimoto brand are the beautiful Akoya Strand Pearl Necklace. These fabulous pearls are available in various sizes, styles and…
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Green drinks are all the rage right now. From wheatgrass to baby kale, swiss chard and all manner of flat leaf parsely, it’s totally normal to see someone sipping on something bright green. However, it’s Thirsty Thursday, and happy hour, and thus calls for a significantly less healthy but even more delicious concoction. On the…
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Here in July it’s all about the Royal Family. There’s also another event scheduled for September that will regain our attention. That is the scheduled release of Diana, a motion picture coming to theaters. The movie stars Naomi Watts as Princess Di, and while there are on-going debates about her portrayal, no one is disputing…
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We love a tri-color ring. Not only is it practical, matching all your different jewelry regardless of the metal, but it’s beautiful. From Cartier’s signature trinity ring to individual rings just begging to be stacked, we’re hooked. These 18kt gold stacking rings in Jack Weir & Sons’ shop are a perfect example. Beautiful rounded edges…
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Lions have long been a sign of dignity, royalty, and above all else, pristine and precise regality. Chanel has opted to cash in on the majestic personality and standing of the king of the jungle with their new line of lion themed jewelry, the Eye of the Lion. The pieces include brooches, rings, bracelets, necklaces,…
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Our Van Cleef and Arpels case has been filling up lately! It’s never a bad day when we get to buy vintage or pre owned Alhambra pieces, but when customers want to sell rarer pieces of VCA jewelry – like these Van Cleef and Arpels Flowerlace earrings – we get extra excited. Not only are…
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This week the streets of Paris are teeming with fashion industry figures from all over the world. They are getting a first hand glance at the haute couture fashions and accessories slated to hit the fashion world in the autumn and winter of 2014. The French maison of high end jewelry Van Cleef & Arpels,…
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Given the fact that Tiffany is one of the oldest and largest jewelry stores in the world, you would think that it would be impossible for an employee to successfully steal and resell $1.3 million worth of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and pendants from the company. However, Tiffany’s former vice president of product development Ingrid Lederhaas-Okun…
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We love nail art. We love engagement rings. We love the pairing of nail art and engagement rings. So it’s high time for a follow up on our favorite game of mix and match. When engagement rings are so perfectly tailored to one’s personality, it only makes sense that your wedding day manicure would be…
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Young jewelry designers these days have been using some unique materials to fashion their masterpieces from. Bronze, malachite, agate, ceramics and even wood and glass are mixed in with precious or semi-precious stones. The designs bespeak lofty inspirations and ideas. Now Kesha (or Ke$ha) as she is better known by in the entertainment world has…
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Welcome to July, readers! Stateside, we’re celebrating Independence Day this Thursday (which might explain the slow auction week – no jewels up for grabs!). But no matter, we have an entire month to appreciate the glorious ruby birthstone. Ruby jewelry captivates its audience every time – the stone commands attention, breathes warmth and pure luxury…
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What a way to kick off the weekend – with some fabulous celebrity engagement ring eye candy! Matthew Morrison, star of Glee, proposed to girlfriend Renee Puente, and their engagement was announced last night in a perfectly musical way. The couple, who have been dating since 2011, attended the White Tie and Tiara Ball in…
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Diamonds may be a girl’s best girl, but James Bond was every woman’s dream. In the 1960’s women went wild over the infamous James Bond. He was the British actor, with charm a great accent and a body to match. Luckily, for James Bond fans, there was more than one James Bond on the screen.…
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Today, the Supreme Court struck down the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), marking a huge stride in the gay civil rights movement. It also marks a huge opportunity for couples around the US to be legally married. And those couples who live in states where same-sex marriage is legal (and will now be recognized…
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Following trends may not be everyone’s cup of tea but there is one trend that is universally flattering, easy to pull off, and super fun for summer, arm cuffs. Cuffs come in all shapes, sizes, designs, colors, and materials and can add instant interest to just about any outfit. With the simple addition of a…
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Passion and creativity are two of the characteristics that have led to Lorenz Baumer’s success in the world of fine jewelry design. He has designed stunning works for names like Guerlain, Channel, and Baccarat. He also designs pieces under his personal name as well. Baumer’s works of art range from rings and earrings to bracelets…
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You might have noticed that malachite doesn’t get a lot of love among the gemstone world. Precious stones like diamonds, rubies and sapphires get most of the love in the jewelry world. And even semi-precious stones like opals, pearls and topaz seem to get a lot more attention than the deeply mysterious malachite. But, there’s…
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Life is full of awkward moments. Remember that one time at your sister’s house-warming party when you thought it’d be a good idea to start making jokes? The awkwardness crept in somewhere between Joke #2 and Joke #5 when you realized the only laughter was your own. This is awkwardness. Luckily, us “normal” folk aren’t…
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Well, it’s not Blue Steel but frankly we’ll take these blue ice cocktails any day. The ring in question puts even Derek Zoolander’s best look to shame with a 16 carat precisely pear shaped aquamarine. A beryl cousin of emerald, aquamarines’ gorgeous, crystal clear facets display their brilliant blue color. And nothing complements a beautiful…
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Christie’s This week Christie’s features one and only one fine jewelry sale ‘Jewellery’ Sale no. 8967 at the London, South Kensington location on June 19th (although we’re currently stalking the Vintage Couture handbags and accessories sale for pre owned luxury handbags along with our sister company.) Luckily, a Christie’s sale never disappoints, and even just…
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Although he died nearly 80 years ago, Georg Jensen continues to set the gold standard for silversmithing today. Jensen’s eponymous Danish luxury brand began as a small workshop and expanded into an internationally known brand celebrated all over the world for its unique amalgam of extraordinary craftsmanship and innovative artistry. The sculptural lines, clean design,…
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Fashion legend and Chanel founder Coco Chanel once said, “Fashion passes, style remains.” While this statement holds true for the entirety of Chanel’s impressive design legacy, it is a particularly accurate portrayal of Chanel’s iconic J12 watch, which continues to make an elegant impression nearly 15 years after its innovative introduction. Launched in 2000, the…
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From our family to yours, we’re wishing all the RLJ dads out there a Happy Father’s Day 2013! From the time you nervously bought your wife’s engagement ring, to giving her her first pair of diamond earrings, or buying your little girl her first set of pearls, we’ve been so lucky to be the jeweler…
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No one can accuse Friedrich Kochli of being a man without means and talents. He was perhaps, one of the greatest jewelry designers of his times. His style and originality cannot be imitated by anyone. Among his work is the “Egg.” It is an elegant piece with exquisite details, and a nice gold touch on…
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If it seems like this year’s celebrity engagement rings have paled in comparison to last year’s, it’s because they have. 2012 was the year that gave us Jennifer Aniston‘s ring, Angelina Jolie’s, Kelly Clarkson’s radiant cut fancy yellow (which she lost and thankfully found this week). We saw Blake Lively’s rose gold and oval engagement…
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This week it’s time to show our emerald cut engagement ring selection some love. Trust us, we’ve been ooh-ing and ahh-ing over all of the new round brilliant engagement rings we’ve been adding to the showroom lately. But for every three new round brilliant diamonds that join our bridal case, we add a beautiful fancy…
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Diamonds, rubies, pearls, opals and sapphires. Though there’s no arguing over whether or not these stones are rare, beautiful and expensive, there is some confusion about which gems are precious and which are semi-precious. Do you believe that semi-precious stones are less valuable than precious, or more common, or lesser in any way? It’s a…
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Christies This week, our eyes are on Christie’s as they prepare to auction the Stephen S. Palmer Grand Complication Patek Philippe watch tomorrow. And while the 18kt rose gold antique pocket watch might be grabbing headlines, there are several other beauties in its Important Watches sale, happening at Rockefeller Center in New York. Bonham’s This…
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Shalom Harlow is back! And while the rest of the world has gotten older, paler and puffier, she has somehow grown more preternaturally beautiful than ever. She also happens to be dripping in diamonds, most notably Tiffany’s stunning Yellow Diamond Daisy Medallion, which mingles the timelessness of a girl’s best friend with Keshi and cultured…
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If you’ve been in the market for a new pearl necklace but have been holding out for just the right piece, you may have missed your big chance. An elegant three-row natural pearl necklace certain to please any jewelry enthusiast sold at Christie’s earlier this week. Oh, and did we happen to mention it fetched…
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Leading haute horology brand Audemars Piguet and Art Basel, the world’s premier international art show for modern and contemporary works, kicked off their visionary collaboration during Hong Kong’s Art Basel in May of 2013 with a celebratory cocktail party at exclusive restaurant-cum-gallery Duddell’s. The swank list of partygoers included guests of honor Louis Koo, who…
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There’s no diamond shape more classic than the round brilliant engagement ring. That’s why we just love to take this traditional shape and shake up the 6 prong solitaire with unique and vintage style engagement ring settings. This week’s eye candy brings you some of our most beautiful diamonds set in white gold and platinum,…
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Mark Rubinstein would have been delighted to lay eyes on a snake; instead he spotted gold. While participating in a Florida Burmese python hunt last February, Rubinstein was deep in the swamps of the Everglades when he noticed an unusual glint half-buried in the dirt along a levee. Upon closer investigation, he discovered a penny-sized…
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Lapis Lazuli is Latin Language meaning blue stone. The stone is formed of layers of multiple minerals including Sodalite, Lazurite, Calcite and Pyrite ( which are the flecks of gold). A lower grade of the stone exists that is of a less brilliant blue with mostly white flecks and only a few of gold. Lapis…
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Alexandrite is one of the birthstones associated with June, along with the pearl and the moonstone. It is an uncommon, expensive stone that cannot be replicated synthetically because natural alexandrite has color-changing powers. They aren’t really ‘powers’, but the stone looks under different types of lighting. In daylight, alexandrite looks green with an occasional blue…
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There are three birthstones for June; moonstone, alexandrite, and the most traditional pearl. Pearls are mysterious gems that don’t even come from the places most precious gemstones are found! A pearl is an irritation that has been transformed into a beautiful globe by patient layers of nacre inside an oyster. Once, pearls were treasures discovered…
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Throughout its history Tiffany has carefully protected its brand and its place in the industry. They do this by setting their own standards and by continually offering jewelry that exceeds expectations. Well, the jewelry maker has once again added to its collection of engagement set options with the Tiffany Harmony. The engagement ring features a…
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Summer is here, and with a new season comes a new set of trends. Our favorite ongoing trend? Nail art, of course. Statement manicures, intricate patterns and interesting color combinations just intrigue us. It’s no small coincidence that a fancy mani is like jewelry for your nails – of course we’re into it! And the…
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Can you imagine knowing luxury watches from the time you were a child? Richard Paige has; he is a 4th generation watchmaker and retail jeweler. He collects watches, loves watches, and lately has lamented the high price of luxury watches in his blog. You see, he has the big-picture view on high-end watches because he’s…
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The Hublot watch brand of Switzerland has built links with competitive skiing throughout their existence. Since 2011, they have been the “Official Time Keeper” of the Alpine World Ski Championship at Garmisch-Partenkirchen. They support Switzerland’s Dario Cologna, the world’s greatest cross country skier, and have formed partnerships with two ski schools and the Tourist Office…
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Mauro Felter is an Italian artist that draws his inspiration from the beauty of the valley in Northern Italy of which he is a native. He has imparted that inspiration into his designer jewelry collections for a rugged, earthy look. Vallecamonia is the valley between the Concarena and the Pizzo Badile mountains where ancient nomads…
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This tradition of unity has the couple literally jumping over a broom that is laid on the floor. The jumping of the broom may come after the exchanging of the wedding rings, a short prayer, poem or even a song. It is said to represent the joining of families and the sweeping out of the…
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This week shows us jewelry and watch auctions at both Christie’s and Bonham’s. At Christie’s we spotted a Chopard Happy Fish watch (plus plenty more familiar looking pre owned watches) along with a gorgeous gold Tank Americaine, which is somewhat hard to come by pre owned (of all the clients who want to sell watches,…
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