Jewelry PR Division

This month Heidi Klum had her first appearance on QVC to launch her collection for Mouawad. This highly anticipated debut certainly got a big piece of the QVC pie. Her appearance was well received and everyone loved her pieces as the collection sold out of 14 of 16 styles in the first 36 minutes. Klum’s collection is inspired from a four leave clover as well as the pattern from the Duomo in Milan. (Duomo is the Italian word for the church in the middle of the city/town. Most Italian cities have a Duomo—Milan’s is the most well known for its gothic architecture.)





Personally, I really like this collection. I love the playfulness of the shamrock but I love that it can also be dressed up (ie. Heidi at the Emmy’s this year.) It could also be that I love Heidi Klum and everything she does! The nice thing is that, if one can’t afford the pieces from Heidi’s collection, there are options with similar designs and styles. My favorite kind of steal is from Endless Diamonds. They have similar pieces with a diamond in the center of the pendant.





Either way, we can all look beautiful in diamonds! After all, they are a girl’s best friend!

A favorite line of accessories editors the world around is "and then take one piece" off referring to the rule of removing one piece of jewelry after you are fully dressed and prepared for the day.

Of course another editor tip through the ages has been stretching a wardrobe of basics through clever jewelry usage. But if you are instructed to constantly downsize your accessorising options for day is it possible that you need a wardrobe of jewelry basics too?

Given the classic popularity of a string of pearls, diamond stud earrings, and the tennis bracelet it seems that jewelry lovers the world over agree. This makes discovering the right pieces of jewelry for your even more critical. Even the classics make different statements. Pearls make any outfit more conservative whereas a diamond stud is a classic touch that ups the elegance factor on any outfit. The same principles of choosing basics in clothing applies to jewelry.

But remember even when the editors appear to know better than we mere mortals do it can be good to break the law sometimes and throw it all on. You can always take a few pieces off at the end of the night. That is still technically following the laws of accessorising right?

There is no industry that appreciates an ugly duckling story more than fashion. In a business that banks on miraculous outward transformations for the "inwardly" beautiful nothing is better than a good makeover story. ABC is counting on just this type of appeal with their new show Ugly Betty.

In the superficial world of high fashion, image is everything. Styles come and go, and the only constants are the superthin beauties who wear them. How can an ordinary girl – a slightly plump plain-Jane from Queens – possibly fit in?

And of course the last time fashion magazines were used as a backdrop for this premise in The Devil Wears Prada there were plenty of cool product-tie ins to help all of the plain Janes watching feel like they were part of the miracle of fashion makeovers. The Hobo bag designed by stylist Patricia Field that was sported by Andrea Saches sold out within days.

For jewelry fanatics Ugly Betty offers a similar promise of cool by association with the big "B" necklace worn by Betty Saurez

You can buy it at the clever Enlightenment Through Shopping and feel just a little bit closer to makeover nirvana yourself.

Ellen's Wedding Ring

Ellen Barkin's jewelry, more than 100 pieces that included her wedding ring from her marriage to Revlon billionaire Ron Perelman, has fetched $20.3 million at auction. A hush came over the packed Christie's sales room Tuesday evening when the auctioneer announced the sale of the ring, a wide band set with four rows of bell-cut diamonds topped in 18-carat gold.

It sold for $130,000, surpassing a presale estimate of $50,000. The auction house did not disclose the buyer's name. Among the other 103 lots, ranging from period jewels and gemstones, a 22.76-carat diamond ring was purchased by a private American collector for $1.8 million - the highest price of the night.

Canada's Excellence in Design 2006 competition awarded the top prize in the diamond category to designer Tracy Borlase for her Oprah Winfrey-inspired diamond necklace.

Borlase—originally from South Africa—said the piece was designed for one of her clients who was set to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show. She created the necklace "O Afrique" as a tribute to her own heritage and Winfrey's African heritage. The small "O" shaped pendant represents the disc-shaped jewelry popular in Africa and also stands for "Oprah." It also features a zebra-striped pattern of 225 black and white diamonds, and hangs from a black, rhodium-plated, 14-karat white-gold chain.

The 35-year-old designer ran a successful business and studio in Johannesburg, South Africa, before deciding to move to Toronto eight years ago. She made the move to get away from a violent post-Apartheid climate where, as a young woman, she felt increasingly at risk.

Excellence in Design 2006 is the first competition Borlase has entered since arriving in Canada. The annual competition is sponsored by Canadian Jeweller and Jewellers Vigilance Canada.

If you are going to a party or out on the town to ring in the New Year, of course you want to shine. To show how to add that sizzle to your outfit like the stars do, Dawn Yanek, editor-at-large at Life & Style Weekly magazine visited The CBS Early Show.

Here are some of her ideas and some of the products that were used to illustrate them on the show:


Glittery drops:

• Bakers, $14, Bakers stores nationwide
• Express, $22.50, Express stores nationwide. For help finding an Express store, click here.
• Aqua, $28, Bloomingdales stores nationwide, or try Bloomingdales.com
• 14K white gold diamond earrings (2.02 carats), Endless Diamond Collection, $2,544 at Macy's, Zales and several independent jewelers nationwide.

Diamond.com and ICE.com, the leading online providers of high quality jewelry, are proud to announce that their companies’ jewelry will be showcased at a new, glamorous red carpet affair for celebrities and movie industry insiders during Hollywood’s high-profile Academy Awards week.

Movie stars and other celebrities attending this special event will receive complementary gifts of Diamond.com and ICE.com jewelry which they may wear to various glittering pre-event and post-event Oscar parties.

These celebrities looked stunning on the red carpet, but you don't have to pay a fortune buying the same jewelry they wore to replicate their look. See these and more jewelry and fashion styles at ShopStyle.com

The Stylists behind ShopStyle.com are Danica Lo and Kevin Sanders. Danica is a New York City Fashion writer, a prior fashion model and author of the book, "How Not To Look Fat." Kevin has styled for the Oscars, Tony's, Grammy's, Golden Globes, SAG and People's Choice Awards. He is known as the Stylist with the Golden Touch and that is because every celebrity he has been a Stylist to for an awards show has come home with the gold. If anyone can help you achieve the celebrity look whether it is fashion or jewelry, Danica and Kevin can.

Cate Blanchett

Kate Landry Large CZ East-West "Right Hand" Ring A large cubic zirconia flanked by engraved leaves with CZ accents makes this sterling silver band the perfect "right hand" ring. Buy it at Dillard's for $22

J & L Designs Large CZ Ring This rhodium-plated, nickel-free ring offers the look and quality of silver, only it's stronger. The etched band features a large faceted jet cubic zirconia. Buy it at Dillard's for $38

Hand-painted ivory enamel cuff One-inch-wide hinged cuff, hand-painted with glossy enamel and plated with antiqued silver. Magnetic closure with safety lock and chain. Import. Inner circumference: 6 1/2". Buy it at J. Crew for $88

Jennifer Lopez

Stephen Dweck Rock Crystal Necklace Sterling silver with faceted and linked rock crystals. Toggle clasp. Buy it at Bergdorf Goodman for $945

Single Row Sculpted Link Necklace Long single strand necklace with sculpted links in varying sizes. 36" long. Buy it at Ann Taylor for $29.99

Crislu Cubic Zirconia Round Stone Tennis Necklace Platinum plating over sterling silver Clear, 19.0 ct. total weight, Clasp closure, 16"L Buy it at Bloomingdale's for $215

Rachel Weisz

R. Dayan Cubic Zirconia Drop Necklace Cubic zirconia necklace and oval drop. Sterling silver clasp and findings. Buy it at Bergdorf Goodman for $970

FANTASIA CZ Antique Set Necklace 22K white gold-plated sterling silver chain link cubic zirconia accents and antique set pendant. Spring ring clasp, 16" long Buy it at Bloomingdale's for $350

Sterling Silver Cubic Zirconia Double Circle Pendant This pendant features round-cut cubic zirconia (2-1/10 ct. t.w.) set in sterling silver. Chain measures 18 inches. Buy it at Macy's for $50

When Tony Parker proposed to Eva Longoria with a Jean Dousset created emerald cut diamond ring (which has 248 diamonds), it was a no brainer that other jewelry involved in the nuptials would be just as spectacular. Both Longoria and Parker sparkled this past weekend with wedding bands by Piaget Possession. Longoria's wedding band was made from 18K white gold with two rows of 80 brilliant-cut diamonds. The two rows of diamonds were separated by a row of 27 square-cut diamonds, for a whopping total of 107 jewels. Her husband had the same band minus the stones according to People Magazine.

On her wedding day, Longoria wore one-of-a-kind H. Stern jewelry. She chose H. Stern's "Hebe" earrings and "Zephyr" and "Geometric" hair clips for the ceremony and the company's "Isis" earrings for the reception. She also gave H. Stern "Giardino" earrings to each of her 13 bridesmaids.

According to The National Jeweler Network, every female guest at the wedding, including Longoria's co-stars Nicolette Sheridan, Terri Hatcher and Felicity Huffman, received a Van Cleef and Arpels "Sweet Alhambra" bracelet made of 18-karat yellow-gold and features a miniature mother-of-pearl clover charm.

The couple was also gifted a pair of matching his-and-her Oceanaut "Pacha Cobra" watches, which feature an ETA three-phase chronograph movement, a curved sapphire crystal and a diamond bezel.

*Photo Credit: The National Jeweler Network

When it comes to the red carpet, not everyone is content to don the inspirations of jewelers, some celebrities would rather wear their own creations.

Courteney Cox and husband, David Arquette, recently teamed up with Satya to create this etched sterling butterfly necklace with black silk cord ($24). Understood to be a yoga-inspired jewelry line, Satya incorporates symbolism into each of its pieces and the butterfly is the symbol of hope and freedom. As part of that message, Satya is donating 100% of the pendant’s proceeds to the Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research, a foundation seeking to find a cure for the rare skin disease. According to Satya, this charity is of special to significance to the Arquette’s who has someone in their lives who has been affected by the disease.

Tori Spelling has caught the jewelry bug as well, launching her line, Maven, exclusive to the Home Shopping Network. Tori attributes the inspiration for her accessories to herself and claims the jewelry is what she would want to wear.

The 12-piece collection features gold-tone metals and semi-precious stones, retailing for prices of $29 to $129. Surprisingly, the collection does not feature any pieces for pedigrees. There's always next year, Mimi LaRue.

Photo Credit: satyajewelry, celebrity-pets.com

Despite Paris’ recent trouble with the law, when it comes to endorsing brands, she proves to still be in high demand. Damiani jewelry has just made her the face of its newest collection, Bliss, and with the E Network!’s recent decision to not pick up another season of the Simple Life, this opportunity could not have come at a better time.

“It’s an honor to be part of this campaign, Hilton told E! Online. “I love fashion and I love diamonds,”

The new collection, designed for a younger target, features not only diamonds but also pieces with gold, stainless steel, and wood. Its prices range from $60 to $3,000 and vice president, Silvia Damiani, feels that Paris is perfect for the jewelry’s fashionable and youthful image.

While an Italian designer, Damiani has become a favorite for American celebrities including Brad Pitt who designed his own wedding rings when he married Jennifer Aniston, and Gwyneth Paltrow who was featured in previous advertisements.

For Hilton though, her three-year commitment is just beginning. Already photographed by fashion photographer Ellen von Unwerth, Hilton’s face will soon be seen in magazines, billboards, and on television after Bliss premieres in Italy.

Photo credit: Popbytes

Everyone is talking about Ellen Pompeo's Fred Leighton rope necklace that she wore last night at the Emmy Awards. The gold rope necklace with tassles seems to be either loved or hated as red carpet fashionista's lend their opinions as to best and worst of celebrity style. While I usually prefer diamond and gemstone jewelry, I think this necklace fit in with her style perfectly.

Ellen Pompeo's style at the Emmys was glamorous, old-world like; just like Fred Leighton's jewelry. Known for his 19th century antique and Art Deco pieces, Fred Leighton's necklace seems to have been inspired from curtain tie backs from years past--yet there is nothing domestic and ordinary about it.

Fred Leighton Jewelry has adorned many celebrities necklines and fingers such as Debra Messing, Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Lopez, for red carpet events . Fashion Industry leaders such as Vera Wang and Oscar de la Renta have also come to recognize Fred Leighton's collection and design as timeless and classic. As for Ellen Pompeo, Fred Leighton's necklace was able to bring old Hollywood into the 21st century without looking too modern.

What did you think of Ellen Pompeo's rope necklace?

* Photo Credit: Getty Images Blog

Most admit (or at least I do) that they watch the Oscar's for the dresses and fashion savvy (or lack thereof) seen on the red carpet. Least we forget about the gorgeous jewelry that will take your breath away? Here are some of my favorites from Oscar's 80th:

You can see a vast array of celebrities and their jewelry at Yahoo Movies with images provided by Wire Image. Were there any jewels that captured your attention at the Academy Awards?

*Photo Credit: Wire Image & Yahoo Movies

Jacob Arabov, aka Jacob the Jeweler, will be reporting to federal prison come January 2009. For 30 months the jeweler well known for his celebrity following, will be serving his time for falsifying records and giving false statements to prosecutors regarding a case involving the laundering of drug profits. Jacob had an amazing talent and keen eye for incredible design in jewelry, it's unfortunate, but as the saying goes, crime doesn't pay.

You can read the complete story in National Jeweler. What will this mean for Jacob's jewelry company while he is away and once he gets out? We'd love to hear what you think.

  

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