GLAMOUR PHOTOGRAFY

. . . with thoughts still lingering on the sandy shores of bora bora, it is no surprise that, on this late-winter day, drawn to the sea-inspired creations of jeweller, sarah brown, whose irregular and beautiful compositions, woven together of island legends and tales of creatures beneath the sea, come together in collections of enchanting, evocative pieces drenched in a sense of curiosity and the unknown . . .

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. . . and while on the topic of perfect juxtapositions, these briar root bracelets lined in silver, by chicago-based metalsmith, gillion carrara, combine natural and industrial elements, and are so stunning, they are works of art . . .

In ancient history, glittering gemstones were thought to have enchanting powers to heal. Although gems were rare, they were precious because of the powers they were believed to have imparted to those who wore them, and kings and queens had gems set into their crowns in order to obtain their potency.



The mystifying qualities of gemstones do not only lie in their healing powers, but also in the ravishing beauty they exhibit. Opening a gift box to find glimmering jewels can sweep one away into a dream world befitting a monarch and make one feel like royalty in just an instant.



Suzanna Dai, the jewelry line of Suzie Gallehugh, takes the elegant and timeless jewels once reserved for queens and princesses and transforms them by adding a modern flair. With intricate embellishments and regal antique touches, Suzanna Dai jewelry takes a ride through history -- the glittering emeralds in the Jaipur Collar necklace may evoke an empress looking out her window at the Taj Mahal in the 1600s; the smoky topaz and shining black diamonds in the Windsor collection may sweep one away to a state dinner at Buckingham Palace; and the bold and breathtaking marriage of turquoise blues and greens in the Amalfi cuff draws from mosaics in ancient ruins in its namesake coast off Italy. It is clear, Suzie Gallehugh’s greatest influence in creating her pieces comes from the magnificent beauty of the world and its cultures.



Her sparkling collections, that have adorned the likes of model Elizabeth Hurley and is a favourite in the wardrobe department on the set of Gossip Girl {above}, can be found in luxury department stores like Henri Bendel on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

As Suzie continues to jet-set the world over searching for the most exquisite gems, we were delighted to catch up with her and find out:

Jewelry is made by creating bonds: melding precious metal and stringing luxurious pearls, jewels and gems, melting pieces of glittering gold; but the most important bonds are not made with jewelry, but through it -- the bonds between people that a piece of jewelry can create are eternal.



M.Flynn creates the kind of jewelry that memories are made of, whether the bracelet that glistens in the summer moonlight on a stroll after a first date, the sparkling crystal earrings that glitter in photographs from a best friend’s wedding, the necklace that marks a first anniversary, or the the ring that is passed down to a granddaughter.

Elizabeth Taylor, who owned one of the most admired jewelry collections in history, once said, “My pieces of jewelry are my most cherished stories about a lifetime of fun and love and laughter.” Memories can be made of the details--after all, it is all in the details . . .



The savvy duo that makes up M.Flynn is comprised of Megan and Moira Flynn, two sisters with a passion for jewelry who got their starts studying business and marketing. Turning their passion into a business, Megan and Moira recently opened a boutique {second from top} in Boston's South End neighborhood to showcase their enchanting designs.

From their chandelier tiered drop necklaces to their antique Swarovski flower earrings, each charming and elegant piece is made with the utmost attention to detail. Their special occasion accessories line, faire la fête, (French for "to party") features the perfect accessories for weddings, galas, balls and soirées.

Along with their own designs, Megan and Moria re-create timeless pieces from their grandmother's expansive costume collection and also re-work antique heirloom jewelry.



This week, in a special two-part Favourite Five feature, Moria and Megan each share with us:

. . . always adore a perfect juxtaposition -- vintage & modern, old & new, simple & ornate -- and what could be better than rough-hewn, natural elements paired with delicate chains and glamorous gold?

nallik, a word borrowed from the inuit language, cannot be translated directly, but means protection and nurturing in a loving way; according to designer jean balke, the "Inuit people appreciate that we are all connected to each other and our surroundings. They respect the environment and know it contains everything we need to live."

balke, who grew up in germany, lived in helsinki, london and san diego, currently resides in nyc; before she began designing jewelry, she worked as a photographer and art director, and has travelled to over 45 countries, drawing inspiration from the people and landscapes she has experienced along the way; the result is this utterly perfect mix of rock & refined . . .





















{p.s.} previous at the shops:
* florence & florence, uk
* lady grey, new york
* ralph lauren, paris
* neology by mina, brooklyn
* mrs. press, australia


{all images from nallik}

There are very few things in a woman’s wardrobe that withstand the test of time, trends and life’s changes. It is for this very reason that Los Angeles-based French designer, Camille Eddera, set out to create elegantly refined, timeless pieces that become treasured family heirlooms. "Eddera", which means “ivy” in Corsican, is the inspiration behind many of Camille’s pieces.

Camille, a former model, attended both the French National Institute of Gemology and the esteemed Ecole Du Louvre in Paris, where she was selected as one of fifteen students to have the unique privilege to study under Adalbert Smoliar, the head jeweler for Van Cleef & Arpels. To this day, Camille recalls Smoliar's sage advice and still does everything the way she learned in Paris, before graduating as a bijoutier-joaillier and gemologist. While in Paris, Camille also worked for two of the world’s most prestigious names in jewelry: Boucheron and Chopard.



Each beautifully handmade piece Camille creates integrates classic details found in Parisian flea markets with elements of graceful modernity, incorporating the most stunning arrays of 18k gold vermeil, white topaz, aquamarine, tourmaline, green onyx, sparkling topaz and turquoise. Camille's pieces are adored by a loyal following, including stylist Rachel Zoe, Marion Cotillard, Victoria Beckham, and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Camille officially launched her own line of jewelry, Eddera, in January of 2008, and the rest is history . . .



This week, she sits down with us to share the:

. . . still and always a fascination with minerals, and most taken with the asymmetric bronze necklaces and angular bangles from brooklyn-based lady grey's beautiful sacred geometry collection, and most of all, with their stunning sprinkling of crushed jet & pyrite . . .

. . . and while we're on the topic of holiday soirées, now that a winner of the last glamorous give-away has been announced, it's on to the next, and utterly delighted to announce this week's holiday give-away: from swoon, vintage inspired handmade jewelry filled with the romance of forgotten vintage and antique pieces such as brooches, bracelets, chains and buckles, intermingled with semi-precious beads and stones to create beautiful works of art . . .



. . . and for the impossibly exciting news: one glamorous reader will win the adeline necklace {retail $200.00}, made of glittering strands of crystal in shades of powdery blue and smokey grey and adorned with a stunning rhinestone brooch, as perfect with a soft, brushed cotton t-shirt under a belted cardigan while at the shops searching for the perfect gifts, as with a sequined party dress and sky-high peeptoes on a festive december night . . .

to enter, {click here} to visit the swoon bijoux website, or {here} for another glimpse of the adeline necklace, then leave a comment below

{bonne chance!/good luck!}

* one winner will be randomly selected and contacted by e-mail after wednesday, december 8, 2010; if you do not have a blog or contact e-mail on your blog, please include it with your comment for notification; images: martha stewart living; maria kashleva, backstage at christian dior cruise 2011, shanghai; }

. . . absurdly late and for some unfathomable reason, still awake, and despite the darkness and stars beckoning with promises of dreams laden in romance and softly falling snow, they can never match the romance of being awake and in love, the new chilly-ness in the night air bringing with it a deep anticipation for all the adventures yet to come, and days have faded into weeks and soon the weeks into a new year and it's beginning to look a lot like . . .


{p.s.} tiffany's inspired décor

{images: doutzen kroes & neal bledsoe photographed by peter lindbergh for tiffany&co., facebook via priya on twitter, more at a glamorous little side project}

. . . have been having a wonderful time dreaming up holiday gift ideas, and quite adore self-taught san francisco bay area-based metalsmith andrea bonelli's beautifully simple and classic handmade jewelry line -- filled with diamond stacking bands and glittering moissanite studs, the collection is also eco friendly, using recycled and ethically mined diamonds and gems and would be the perfect gifts, boxed and wrapped in gold paper and tied with velvet ribbon, or, if you can not bear to part with them, equally perfect with silk-taffeta one-shouldered dresses for upcoming holiday parties . . .

{images: andrea bonelli jewelry}

. . . have fallen in love with these ultra-stylish and ever-so-thin gold & silver handmade rings and the beautiful way they stack and twist . . .

{p.s.} previous at the shops:
* mrs. press, australia
* rothschild & bickers, uk
* billy bride, australia
* satomi kawakita, new york

images: neology by mina on etsy via hip hip gin gin}