A little something: Laura Tabor on ASOS

Tasty tasty... It's Friday and there's mega Friday feeling in the office today. Strong coffee, fudge from Devon (end of the holiday season, you see) and jelly babies. Continuing my good-enough-to-eat theme, which began with Boucheron's Ma Jolie ring a few weeks back, I've just stumbled across Laura Tabor on ASOS. I've been eyeing up her collection for a while - especially the Sugar Mice earrings - so it's a sweet treat that she's now on ASOS. Check out some of the goodies below...

Sweetie Bracelet with 'Sweet' tag, by Laura Tabor

'I Want Candy' dog tag necklace, by Laura Tabor

'Sweet' chocolate bar ring, by Laura Tabor

A little something: Wright & Teague 'Gala' bangles

Oh, the first day back at work after the bank holiday... Fuzzy head and tired feet (I blame all the dancing at Carnival) but also time for me to get back into the swing of things on Like Gold Dust!
Last Saturday night I found myself on the fringes of Stoke Newington, at a party with a Surrealist theme. I went as one half of Magritte's Les Amants and while I was there got talking to Claudia, a lovely gal who works for Wright & Teague. It's been a while since I've looked them up but I'm glad I did, because I discovered a fun collection of jewels and these cute 'Gala' bangles. Horse heads, tassles, stars and coins. I especially adore the charms engraved with 'Amor' and 'Love Divine'. Such a sucker for romance..!

Gala bangles by Wright & Teague. image courtesy of wrightandteague.com

A little something: Assya Tourmaline Peace necklace

After a weekend spent dallying about in the Cornish countryside my inner country gal - relaxed, free spirited and a little too partial to cider - has raised her head and as a result I'm currently loving all things bright and colourful (as seen below in Boucheron's 'Ma Jolie' ring). Walking past Assya's store most days on the way to work, I've fallen for this pretty, rosary-style Tourmaline Peace necklace. Complete with its gold vermeil peace sign, I know this would be one to layer up with some vintage necklaces and wear with a cute dress and oversized knitted cardigan.

Tourmaline Peace necklace by Assya. Images courtesy of Assya.co.uk

A little something: Servane Gaxotte necklaces

I frist saw these little lovelies in Fortnum & Mason of all places. Now also stocked at Browns in London and Prey in Bath, it seems the time has come to give mention to Servane Gaxotte's necklaces. To quote my workmate Rainy, "If Tim Burton made jewellery, it'd look like that". Enough said. Now enjoy these freaky little things!

 

All designs available at Browns Focus.

Images coursesy of brownsfashion.com

A little something: New Month, Same Philosophy...

Last month I wrote about Lindsay Pearson, specifically her 'YES' engraved necklace, which from the moment I saw it I fell in love with. With its positive message it's the perfect talisman for everyday, a little memento to have and to wear, to touch while deep in thought or - when you catch your reflection - a reminder that saying 'Yes' is rather a good thing. Eeek, I now have my very own necklace (thank you Lindsay!) and hopefully I won't take it off for a while... Especially because it looks so lovely with my little trio of Becca Jewellery charms. <3

Silver 'YES' engraved necklace, by Lindsay Pearson

Simple but effective!

Lindsay Pearson 'YES' necklace, alongside Becca's Rabbit & Crown charm, engraved Pia Face and Hello Petal charm.
(I put the Becca charms on my own chain)

A little something: New month, new philosophy

The poor girl has to put up with me at work most days, but Lindsay Pearson is an absolute gem of a girl, and luckily for me creates jewels which I looooove! Soon to grace my neck will be Lindsay's 'YES' necklace. A word so short yet so positive, on a pendant so simple that wearing it everyday is pretty much guaranteed. you see, good things only happen when you say yes...

Keep an eye on Like Gold Dust for me announcing her new website launch, or read more or Lindsay's blog

Oria: 18ct gold Star collection

With ethical jewellery ever-growing and a demand for luxury jewellery with a conscience, it's great to see that Oria have just launched a new 18ct gold collection to complement their already established Bibbi and Nina collections. 

 Designs from the new Star collection

 

18ct gold Star ring, set with a diamond

Featuring elegent star shapes and ethically-sourced white diamonds, the Star collection consists of stacking rings, simple pendants and pretty studs - perfect for everyday wear. The designers behind Oria - Tania Kowalski and Synnove Saelthun - are two lovely and talented ladies with great design ideas up their sleeves and a brilliant history in jewellery. Can't wait to see what they come out with next (their silver collections are already a hit with me!)

 

18ct gold Star studs

 

18ct gold Circling Star necklace

Tania Kowalski and Synnove Saelthun or Oria

A little something: Jewellery By Boe

Today has been a lazy day, so today will be a quick blog post to fit with my mood. Strangely it's been the London Marathon which means for many, their day has been the entire opposite of mine. Back to the jewellery however, I'm finally writing having spotted By Boe's jewellery a few weeks back and then noticing it crop up in a few magazines. So long overdue, here's a brief account of all things gorgeous from this American jewellery designer. 

Heart Necklace on 16" chain

Founded in 2000, By Boe is a jewellery collection by Annika and Philipe Salame, originally made and sold in Annika's workshop in New York's Upper East Side, and today found the world over. Mixing Annika and Philipe's Scandinavian roots with a love for architecture, Saudi Arabian dressmaking and Parsons educations, their designs are quirky, dainty and very covetable indeed.

Knotted Green Leather Ring

Oval Frame Ring

Made in sterling silver and 14ct gold fill (silver with a fine layer of gold rolled over the top), the jewellery is the most affordable I have seen for a time, but of course that's not everything. The styling is simple - bows, circles, squares, knots, alphabet letters, flowers and chains. It's super delicate but perfect for layering up - pretty much everything the jewellery in New York has been about recently, and something I've noticed has crossed the pond to London. 

Long 'Alfabet' Necklace - on 29" chain

Plum Petal Trio Necklace

I'm not a big earrings person, but By Boe's are - like the rest of their designs - wearable. Whether bridal or day wear, the shapes are everything. Simple studs or daring, lengthy drop earrings, I could probably have any of these and be happy! Shop in the UK at Red Ruby Rouge - I'll be keeping an eye out for most stockists, for sure!

 

Stacked Sphere Earrings

Tiny Double Oval Earrings

Designer: Wendy Brandes

Admittedly, I have some genius workmates. They're an endless source of inspiration, who keep leading me to fabulous websites of fabulous jewellers, that (I hope) equal fabulous blog posts! Today is Wendy Brandes, an American designer introduced to me by my American workmate Maia, a London resident by way of New York, Boston and originally Vermont. Earlier this week she introduced me to Wendy's blog, a funny, witty read about the jewellery industry and her interesting clientele. But the jewellery is the thing that's really caught my eye. Inspired by 'fascinating women of past and recent history', Wendy's jewellery includes poison rings and lockets amongst other quirks and charms. Making in both silver and gold, her price range spans from a mere $50 to $9000 or more. Really, though, I should just let the jewellery do the talking...

Venus Ring, 18ct rose gold, with rose quartz and white diamonds, by Wendy Brandes. Image courtesy of Wendybrandes.com

Silver Little Woolf necklace, in praise of Virgina Woolf. Image courtesy of wendybrandes.com

Livia Poison Ring, 18ct yellow gold set with a cabochon aquamarine. Image courtesy of wendybrandes.com

Queen Min Ring, named after the last (assassinated) empress of Korea. 18ct yellow gold and lemon quartz with hand-engraved crane detail. Image courtesy of wendybrandes.com

Eleanor Necklace, names after Eleanor of Aquitaine. 18ct yellow gold, with black onyx. Image courtesy of wendybrandes.com

Designer: Becca Jewellery

When it comes to Becca's jewellery, it was love at first sight for me. Vintage-inspired, with gorgeous details - think enameled flowers, engraving, tiny charms - I knew I had found something special in her designs. Taking inspiration from traditional jewellery such as lockets, charm bracelets, cameos and sovereign rings, Becca's designs are an updated, but somewhat nostalgic play on the trinkets of times passed. 

 

L-R: 9ct Enameled Flower necklace, Silver 'Button It' Enameled necklace, Green Cameo necklace and Oxidised Silver and Coral 'Sweetness' necklace

 

Top-Bottom: Unworked Silver pendant with Gold Whippet center, Clear Glass Round Cameo necklace

 

A Central Saint Martins graduate, Becca works in silver, 9ct and 18ct gold, making necklaces bracelets and rings that are unique, quirky and oh-so-pretty. The perfect jewellery for your favourite tea dress! She can also design fabulous bespoke pieces, and - if you're lucky - you might get to meet her gorgeous whippet, Pearl. What a girl!

 

L-R: 18ct Gold matt-finished 'Button It' necklace, Silver and Pearl necklace

 

Becca and her beloved whippet Pearl!

A little something: Bittersweets NY

A little discovery made earlier on today, and a high to end the weekend on. Bittersweets NY is a jewellery collection by an unnamed New York gal, who takes her inspiration from everyday objects and design. A great example given on her site are those glow-in-the dark vampire teeth you buy on Halloween - the resulting Vamp rings (which come in a pair!) and necklaces are to die for... Hoho. And her Heart and Arrow earrings are super; made in 14ct gold, they're the perfect bit of precious for any jewellery lover.

 

14ct Gold Heart and Arrow Earrings

 

Baby Vamp Necklace in Silver

 

Baby Vamp Rings in 14ct Gold

 

Silver Single Cocktail Sword Earring

Like Gold Dust is ONE!

A quick one tonight, just to announce that - seeing as it's January - Like Gold Dust is one year old! I'd like to think things have progressed a little since my first post in early 2009, sitting down and umming and ahhing over where to start...!

But here we are! So maybe a little treat to self is in order? With fabulous sales across London's jewellery favourites (EC One, Tatty Devine, Astley Clarke, Kabiri etc.) there's definitely a few things on my wishlist. For now, though, I'm enjoying the thought of celebratory tea and cake, with thanks to Louise Buchan, and New York's Anna Sabino. Yum!

Gold ceramic teapot, on 9ct gold chain by Louise Buchan

Sterling silver cupcake necklace, by Anna Sabino at Lucid New York

Daisy Knights' Pop-Up Shop

A few months back I wrote a post introducing British jewellery graduate Daisy Knights. I had fallen in love with her collections, featuring tiny skulls and studs, in an organic-meets-playful style. Having first spotted her designs on the pages of Retail Jeweller Magazine, I wrote the blog post, headed to IJL to meet Daisy a few weeks later, and have returned this week from visiting her in her first pop-up shop venture, down on London's Fulham Road.

A smiling Daisy, outside her pop-up shop

It was fabulous to see Daisy again, aglow with excitement and news, filling me in with what's been happening with her jewellery. Alongside two new collections, and some glittering Drusy quartz stone rings, whispers of new stockists (Browns, anyone? Net-a-Porter?) ensure that Daisy has an exciting 2010 ahead of her.

 Drusy Quartz rings from the new Tallulah collection

 

Heart stud earrings, from Daisy's Sparky collection

Decorated with vintage printers' drawers, cream-coloured mannequins and gorgeous prints of her jewel-adorned friend and inspiration Tallulah, Daisy's shop was original, quirky and  laid-back - everything the girl is, and everything her designs are about.  After having a busy few weeks in-situ, it was only fair to add to Daisy's success, so I treated myself to a little something... A silver skull ring has found itself a home on my little finger. Happy days!

Upside-down stone-set stacking rings, from the Michelle collection

My little silver Kim skull ring