Geometric Jewels on Adorn London

I wrote this little post up a few week's back, with a keen eye on geometry in jewellery design, as part of Adorn London's geometric fortnight. It was a tough one scouring for my favourite geo jewels and I ended up with a selection of designs from across the board, whether Lua Lua's sterling silver and acrylic bangles or Hannah Martin's Pyramid ring from her new The Man Who Knows Everything collection. I also couldn't resist Faberge's gorgeous new Constructivist earrings and Jacqueline Rabun's amazing Grace ring. Stunning!

Apologies... but here's a Mawi video!

It has officially been MONTHS since I last wrote. Things have been crazy with house moving, BaselWorld, magazines to get done and dusted and press days. I've also been without internet at home, which as we all know can pretty much put an end to regular blogging. Nevertheless, I'll be back on track in the next few weeks, with lots of things to write about and some photos to get up there. In the meantime, here's a cheeky video of me interviewing the lovely Mawi - albeit more of a quick chat and an unsteady hand on a digital SLR - for Professional Jeweller. Enjoy! Kx

A little something: Katie Rowland's Satori collection

Katie Rowland is best known for her fashion-forward, triple finger St.Tropez knuckledusters of 2010 - giant gold plated rings set with hunks of neutral hued quartz. These amazing rings caught many an eye and placed Katie firmly on the fashion jewels map. 

For 2011 she's released her debut fine jewellery collection, made in 18ct rose gold and set with unusual diamonds which glitter with a 'cracked glass' appearance. The Satori collection has been designed with a particular Japanese teaching in mind: finding beauty in objects which don't fit the notion of perfection. For many, where a diamond should be inclusion-free, of the rarest white colour and well cut, Katie is turning both that idea and the diamonds themselves on their head, creating alternative fine diamond rings suitable for any savvy jewellery lover.

Poolside Palm Springs jewels on Adorn London

This fortnight's Adorn London feature is all about poolside jewels inspired by 1950s Palm Springs. I've got my own little write-up on there, focused on a contemporary Plam Springs look heralded by (you know I love her) Merle O'Grady, Lucy Hutchings and Alexis Bittar this spring/summer. Take a look here... wishing away these wintry months!

A little something: EC One take us around Pebble London

Just a quick one tonight - and a chance to see behind the scenes at the treasure trove that is Pebble London. Peter Adler, the gent behind the gorgeous trinkets, necklaces, bangles, earrings and sculptures that make Pebble London what it is, takes EC One's Basia behind-the-scenes, letting his charismatic personality shine through - but of course, not beyond the walls of gemstone necklaces, stacks of abalone shell bangles and tribal jewellery. Un-be-lievable.

A little something: Katie Hillier paperclip necklaces

I first spotted these playful necklaces about a year or so ago, following the launch of the now ubiquitous paperclip rabbit necklace. Katie Hillier's irreverent style has seen her designing accessories for everyone from Marc Jacobs to Luella. She's even been involved in Victoria Beckham's new handbag collection (yes, please). I love the little sausage dog pendant, being a huge fan of those little dogs. Now available in silver and with new designs including the tortoise and the hedgehog, I've fallen very much head over heels! <3

Top - bottom

Katie Hillier

Silver and blue topaz hound necklace

18ct gold and champagne diamond bumblebee necklace
18ct gold and navy diamond tortoise necklace

A little something: Disaya SS11 rings

Just stumbled across these little beauties on ASOS. Disaya's new collection of jewellery, including this cute, very aptly timed enamelled swan ring and a colourful mosaic-style enamel ring that has me yearning for warmer evenings and a pastel-coloured sun dress. Love the real azure greens and blues... Check out the British soldier hat ring, too. Little beauties!

Multicolour enamel jewel ring and white enamel swan ring, both by Disaya

A little something: Dior Joaillerie - Making of a Milly Carnivora ring

J'adore the Diorette rings by Dior, but the Milly Carnivora is something else. Victoire de Castellane, the designer behind Dior's jewellery collections, is fun and silly and you can see it in the bright colours and whimiscal style of her jewellery designs... Despite the fact they cost thousands.

Check out the making of one of the Milly Carnivora rings (worth it for the rose-cut diamonds alone, aaaaah!) which packs four months of work into three and a half minutes. Et voila indeed!

P.S. Sorry, still on a video roll it seems!

A little something: Tina Lilienthal's 'Little Rogues'

I'm really quite surprised that I've never written about Tina Lilienthal's jewellery here before, having been a fan for sometime... Her jewellery is a cute mix of tiny skull and rabbit pendants, with some beetles, strawberries and cherries thrown in for good kitsch measure. Lots of colour makes Tina's work really eye-catching, and her silk thread necklaces are a must-have for their £20 or so price tag...

Her gorgeous Little Rogues are a new collection, taking her classic Little Skulls as their base, and adding some personality with moustaches (very Salvador Dali), arrows, antlers and tropical flowers. Love, love, love. What's more, Tina has now added rose gold plating to her collections, which gives an even better meaning to her 'dead cute' tag line. Rose gold is so lovely and gives everything that girly blush - here its juxtaposition with the skulls and horror (awww) of her pieces is what makes it. And I love the little tropical-looking flowers too - just in time for summer. Better go and find that Hawaiian shirt of mine...

A little something: Pebble's rough-cut citrine ring

OK, so I know it's only Janaury, but I am in a summer bubble of excitement at work today, seeing the amazing things we've picked up from a recent trip to Pebble. The colours are good enough to eat and the gemstones are shimmering away. There is lapis, prehnite, aquamarine, coral, labradorite, moonstone, dyed jade, chalcedony... Then I spotted this AMAZING ring - the kind of mad thing I fall very hard for. I grabbed our camera, took a few snaps et voila. Pebble's rough-cut citrine ring. Luckily it's far too big for me, but I look forward to seeing which colourful (and very lucky) lady snaps this badboy up. <3

Like Gold Dust video - Merle O'Grady 'Navette' necklace

So here goes... My first ever video for LGD. It's an unedited, filmed-in-my-bedroom cracker of a first attempt, and I'm really pronouncing my words haha. I'm sure things will improve along the way! Anyway, enough about the filming, press play and watch my brief introduction to Merle O'Grady's lovely Navette pendant, from her SS11 Poolside collection. This beauty is made from sterling silver, howlite, Swarovski crystal and perspex. Lovely!

ps. I picked Merle as one of my 'ones to watch' for Adorn London earlier this month. Have a read here.

A little something: Belle Sauvage SS11 film

I stumbled across this gem recently. Love love love. Featuring jewellery favourites of mine Nicholas King, Pebble London, Maria Francesca Pepe (MFPepe) and insane costume jeweller Andy Farrow. Watch and be amazed...

Adorn London does a vintage Christmas

Back in December, Adorn London editor Juliet Hutton-Squire treated us Adorn contributors to a Christmas party - a day of decadence which saw us devouring cakes and sandwiches at CocoMaya (honestly the best chicken sandwich I've ever had!) before heading to Atelier Mayer for an afternoon of vintage dressing-up.

 Top - Bottom: CocoMaya's vintage crockery and stunning chocolates

CocoMaya is like nowhere else. Aside from its stunning handmade chocolates in a million colours and flavours, they do a wonderful afternoon tea. Sitting down to a gorgeous gift of vintage clip-on earrings from Juliet, we indulged in several cups of jasmine tea served up in vintage floral crockery and so many cakes that even I - a self-confessed cake fiend - was stuck on which to choose first.

At the table, sticking out our little fingers while drinking from vintage teacups!

After making a good go of the delicacies (there were enough that we left with a box of cakes each) and feeling slightly less dainty than upon our arrival, we headed a few steps around the corner to Atelier Mayer for a surprise. Juliet had organised an afternoon of heavenly vintage dressing-up with Atelier Mayer's founder Carmen Haid. Drinking champagne from kitsch 70s glasses, we dressed up in vintage gowns and posed for a few fun photographs. And we're not just talking old sun dresses and jackets - this was designer vintage: Chanel, Dior, YSL, Caroline Herrera...

The jewellery was out of this world; stunning Chanel clip ons with the classic 'double C' logo, Kenneth Jay Lane pieces, glittering diamante collars, chunky monochrome neckpieces... A fabulous, fabulous day and one of the best Christmas parties I've ever had!

Long time no see!

Tut-tut, I have been a bad girl. I've not written for about 6 weeks... I must admit I  feel very bad about it, and things have been super busy with lots going on (not to mention the busy run up to Christmas, which completely took the wind out of me)... But I'm back!

Some of you may know I work for EC One, a fabulous independent jeweller in London run by husband and wife Jos and Alison Skeates. With Christmas being the busiest time of year, it was all hands on deck in both the office and the shops over Christmas: writing newsletters, sending SS11 pieces to press, helping chaps choose the right gift, gift-wrapping, last-minute engagement rings orders, posting about 30 web orders a day, setting up the sale... Phew!

 Top: EC One's store in Notting Hill

Above: Jos and Alison

And then I had some fabulous news - another reason why my mind has been elsewhere - with a new job role at Professional Jeweller magazine working with Rachael Taylor. Rachael is an inspiring, forward-thinking editor, who has spent the last year single-handedly making PJ the best business-to-retailer jewellery magazine there is. I'm now her 'assistant editor' (so says my email signature!) and will be splitting time between EC One and the Professional Jeweller office in Hatton Garden. I've already helped with a bridal photo shoot for next month's issue, as well as chasing several other leads for The Jewellery Show at Spring Fair and thoughts on this year's bridal trends. 

So yes, expect the posts to continue as normal from now. I've got lots stored up including the Adorn London Christmas party, my new Merle O'Grady necklace (love it!!) and a slightly late pick of the sales piece.

Kx