Off to NYC: What I can't wait to see

Next month I will finally be doing something I have long dreamed of - I'm going to the Big Apple! Being December it will be lovely and chilly - maybe even snowy - so it will feel like "proper New York", and I can't wait to wrap up warm in the multicoloured patchwork scarf my Nana knitted me when I was 18, and stroll the streets of Bleecker et al.

The reason I'm going to New York is to meet my boyfriend, who has been travelling in Central America for the last two-and-a-half months. We had planned to go to New York at some point, and no time felt like the present. And luckily for him I'm already making a long list of jewellers I'd like to visit while there.

Among those is Catbird - a jeweller whose site I love to click on to now and again to coo and want over, well, almost everything it sells. I adore its tiny letter rings and am tempted to get N & Y as a little souvenir, or maybe even a little heart.

Of course I can't go to New York without dropping in to see Alexis Bittar. The don of Lucite, and the jeweller that has fuelled my little obsession over the past few years for his colourful bangles. I own about 15 now, and the last two were purchases from the boyf the last time he was in NYC, so I cannot wait to add one (or maybe two!) more.

I've also been told that Barneys jewellery dept is a must-see. Forget Saks, Macy's, it's all about Barneys and of course its charismatic creative ambassador, the English-born Simon Doonan, who continues to work wonders at the store. Its jewellery collections are right up my street - delicate, tiny diamonds, pop colour stones and organic shapes, just like this Sara Beltran necklace.

Greenwich Jewelers also looks worth a look. It has a stunning in-house line, the Greenwich Collection, with some truly gorgeous jewels made from slices of stones, and some fabulous clashing jewellery such as the agate and cognac coloured quartz bracelet. It also stocks my favourite fine ring designer, Anne Sportun.

Of course no trip will be complete without a trip to Tiffany & Co.. At least to stand afore the window and have my photo taken. I am a tourist, after all...

A little something: Celestial rings by Andrew Geoghegan

I'll admit, I'm a sucker for colour at the moment (well, pretty much all the time)... And with blossom on the trees, crocuses in punchy purples and oranges popping up and the birds already singing bright and early, the need to throw on some colour each morning is filtering its way into the jewels I'm wearing. Other than my beloved Alexis Bittar bangles, most of my jewellery is simply silver or gold, but these striking gemstone cocktail rings by Andrew Geoghegan are a fun way to add a splash of bright colour.

Andrew kindly loaned me some of his jewels last year, to wear during Professional Jeweller's Hot 100 party. Needless to say I've kept an eye on his creations ever since. These space-inspired Celestial rings are made with loving attention to detail and often have a contrast between the stone and metal colour, while a halo of diamonds orbits the stone. Andrew's also a big fan of rose gold and pink stones which suits me just fine (though I do love the aquamarine Celestial ring, and wait with baited to breath to see if a sapphire version ever appears...)

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18ct yellow gold Celestial ring set with rose quartz
18ct rose gold Celestial ring set with sunstone
Top view of 18ct yellow gold Celestial ring set with golden rutilated quartz
18ct white gold Celestial ring set with aquamarine 

Designer: Alice Cicolini

Ms. Cicolini's name has been buzzing around in my head for a while. Her jewels keep popping up here and there so I thought it was about time that I featured her work on Like Gold Dust. She takes inspiration from the architecture, patterns, colours and textures of the Silk Route between Europe, Africa, India, Arabia and China. 

Alice Cicolini's work is handmade using detailed and beautiful Persian enamelling techniques, as well as atypical materials such as ebony, chrysophrase and carved gemstones designed to look like lotus flowers. While Cicolini has become recognised in recent years as a jeweller (she graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2009) she is also a highly regarded author and has curated a number of international exhibitions. Just looking at her jewellery conjures up an images of faraway lands and with inspiration including Uzbekistan's richly tiled temple roofs, the wallpaper patterns seen along the Silk Route and the motifs of Turkey and China.

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Memphis Ring from the Designers' Guild collection in silver with pink tourmaline.

 Necklace from the Jodhpur collection made with Brazilian crystal and rose quartz, pearls and chrysophrase beads.

Tile Ring from the Silk Route collection made using gold, lemon topaz and peridot stones.

Ebony ring, necklace and earrings from the Temple collection made 18ct gold, ebony, diamonds and rubies.

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A little something: Rings by Brazen Studios

I was having a lovely chat about engagement rings earlier on with Sarah Raffel, the founder and director of Brazen Studios in Glasgow, for a piece I'm writing at work. The subject also touched on commissions, which always intrigue me.

I guess it's just the way that people get so thrilled (even those of us who think we don't have a creative bone in our body) being able to let their imagination run wild a bit. They soon realise that they can help create something beautiful that is all their own. It makes me think: just open your favourite childhood book, watch your favourite film, trawl through your wardrobe, think about that inspiring photograph or colourful piece of art and realise what's 'you'.

All of this is what brings a commission together and is something that Sarah actively encourages, creating visual briefs - mood boards of sorts - for each of her commissioning customers. One came to her with a page of architecture, full of Art Nouveau designs and unusual gothic ceilings and cornices. Bet you can guess which one of these it was. Utterly lovely.

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Marianne ring: green tourmaline ring set in 18ct yellow gold and palladium

Nouveau ring: 18ct red gold, palladium, brown diamond, white diamonds

Margo ring: 18ct red gold, pink sapphires, amethyst

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!

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.

Stephen Webster: Seven Deadly Sins Rings

Last week I got to luxuriate in the headiness of high-end jewellery - being involved in the launch of British jewellery designer Stephen Webster's exclusive new collection - Seven Deadly Sins - at EC One in Notting Hill. This was the first time the rings had been unveiled in the UK, and the idea behind the collection is Stephen through and through - a little bit dark, a little bit playful; showing off the beauty and the atrocity of the theme simultaneously. The desire for Stephen's jewellery is reflected in these rings' exclusivity: only seven of each design will ever be made... And with two of the seven styles already selling out, the Seven Deadly Sins rings are in demand - despite starting at £15,000 and peaking at £125,000...

So here we have them: Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Pride, Sloth, Wrath and Lust.... and a few little snaps from the evening at EC One

Envy - white gold set with a central green tourmaline, black and white diamonds

Gluttony - white gold set with a central fire opal, white agate 'teeth' and rubies

Greed - yellow gold set with round brilliant-cut diamonds

Pride - set with a central emerald-cut amethyst in anodised titanium, with blue and pink sapphires

Sloth - yellow gold set with a cushion-cut aquamarine, diamonds and rubies
Wrath - rose gold set with a deep red garnet, rubies and black and white diamonds

Lust - white gold set with a central tanzanite and white diamonds

A little something: Elisa Solomon jewellery

Cute cute cute. Having another little browse at Cat Bird recently I spotted a delicate black diamond ring by Elisa Solomon; checking out more of her work I was hit with a real sense of the 1960s; flower power and free love, cute handmade rings with multicoloured gemstones and playful shapes.

 
Think butterflies, hearts, daisy garlands. In fact, reading more about Elisa and her style, she explains "[my] designs reflect the pure belief in love, freedom and kindness of the 60s... These symbols are a subtle reminder of what is important to focus on in daily life". Though she's based in New York (and our nearest stockist is in France!) I can definitely see the appeal this side of the pond. Looks like I'm feeding my sapphire addiction again... Oops!

Silver Butterfly ring set with pink and orange sapphires

Yellow gold Peace necklace set with multicoloured gemstones include sapphires, garnets, emeralds, aquamarine and iolite

Yellow gold Heart ring set with sapphires and turquoise gemstones

Yellow gold Moon pendant set with pearls, rose-cute diamonds and opals (my birthstone!)

Designer: Mabel Hasell

I spotted Mabel Hasell's jewellery at New Designers a few weeks back, and loved the way her pieces looked so haphazard yet beautiful, sharp yet wearable. Her jewellery plays with organic shapes of pewter, and solid silver randomly set with gemstones in a variety of shapes and hues, from violet and pink to royal blue.

Top: A smiley Mabel
Middle and Bottom: Mabel's Floating Gems ring

In Mabel's own words, "[they're] unorthodox pieces that emphasise the vibrant gemstones even more so than just setting them traditionally". Having trained in jewellery design at Middlesex University and graudating this year, Mabel's work exemplifies what I love about new jewellery design - it's quirky, it's wearable and will guarantee plenty of admiration! See Mabel's Flickr page for more images.

Top: Floating Gems cuff

Middle: Floating Gems Flat ring

Bottom: Floating Gems Flat pendant

All images courtesy of Mabel Hasell

Azendi's 20th store opening - Kings Road, London

This week I was invited along to the press launch of Azendi's 20th UK store, on London's Kings Road. Living in Battersea a few years ago, the Kings Road was my local haunt for shopping, working (I was an Office girl once upon a time!) going to the cinema, snapping up bargains in Zara and knitting paraphernalia in Peter Jones. It was a little bit of a nostalgia trip heading back west for the first time in a while, so I took along my old Battersea flatmate Sophia to peruse the gems and jewels in the new store...

Azendi have been selling a design-led range of silver and gold jewellery since the opening of their first store in 1989. Locations now include York, Bath, Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester, with the Kings Road store their newest addition. The great thing is there's something for everyone, whether simple pearl studs for a bridesmaid, a gem-set cocktail ring or a necklace for mum...

 Top: Rose Gold Vermeil and Silver Lace Heart necklace and earrings
Middle: Silver and Vermeil bangles
Botton: Sophia trying on a long Pearl and Abalone rose necklace

I was impressed with thier price points, not to mention the delicious but lethal champagne and vodka cocktails which were served up, alongside cute cupcakes that had me in awe of thier yumminess. Back to the new store though! The lovely Vicky helped Soph and I try some goodies on; she was full of knowledge of gemstones and the designers they are currently hosting in store, who include Shaun Leane, Stephen Webster and Jayce Wong (the first and last were there on the night).

  Jayce Wong's Octahedron Ring, with Crystals and Rubies

It was Jayce Wong's collection in particular that I was drawn to, with her fun use of gemstones in silver settings, the ring (above) was made around two central crystals, chosen by Jayce because they glow bright  purple under UV light. We watched Jayce demonstrate it, and it was definitely unique. I love the ruby surround as well, making it feel all regal alongside my Zoe & Morgan skull ring! 

 Top: Sophia trying on Jayce's Rutilated Quartz and Sapphire Ring
Bottom: Loving the antique mirrors!

So overall a fabulous evening, and it's definitely put Azendi on my 'ones-to-watch' list.  Soph left with a lovely gold vermeil bangle, set with Onyx, Tiger's Eye and Smokey Quartz. Fabulous. And with the Azendi online shop just making waves, I'm sure I'll be writing more again soon!