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eBay Sadness and Goodness

eBay seller: gemsymons

eBay is an exciting place–the search is riveting, the bidding is intense, and the win in triumphant.  But what about the bidding losers? Or the amazing finds that you miss out on?  It is sad when you find a piece of jewelry that is so perfect and beautiful, only to see a bidding war, followed by a “Bidding has ended on this item” alert.  This is exactly what happened to me with this gorgeous ruby and diamond navette style ring.  My search for the perfect navette ring has been a long one, and when I clicked on this little stunner I felt that it was a sure win.  Final bidding price?  $236.26  Still clearly below any retail or boutique would have marked on a ring like this, but man, just too much for me at the moment.  Oh well…the search continues!

>>Do any of you have a certain piece of jewelry that you have been searching for, but just haven’t found the perfect one?

Alexa Chung’s Jewelry at the Whitney Museum Gala

Alexa Chung looked gorgeous in the prettiest periwinkle minidress at the 2009 Whitney Museum Gala in New York. Fashion bloggers loved her look, but I was more concerned with her jewelry. Her choices were so subtle, and so perfect. I love the skull cameo necklace, with two antique rings worn on the pinkie and ring finger on her right hand. Below are two similar rings along with the exact cameo skull necklace.

The exact skull cameo necklace worn by Alexa Chung at the Whitney Museum Gala can be yours as well! This necklace is done in 18k yellow gold, designed by Iosselliani. It can be purchased at Aloha Rag by clicking here. Price: $992

On Alexa’s ring finger is a dark stone ring–not exactly sure what it is but I think this would be a good choice. It has a similar dark feel, but rather than a skull it is a lady. This ring is vintage Art Deco from Sylvia’s Antiques. It is done in 18k white gold with a black hardstone intaglio. Price: $595

As a contrast to the two “non-sparkly” pieces, a white gold antique diamond ring is perfect. The 1950s style of this ring is so collectible. These little rings from this time period are fun–this one’s done in 14k white gold with 1.2 carats of diamonds. From Beladora2 and priced at $1350. Beladora also has several others!

Gorgeous Necklaces from Phoenix Roze

Phoenix Roze. Have you heard of them? The jewelry world’s best kept secret, with impeccably talented designer, Guy Rozenstrich, behind the name. I was taken by the delicately beautiful necklaces within the collection. See for yourself below, and check out more necklaces along with other pieces here. You will love Phoenix Roze too!

This necklace is like a gorgeous tangled mess–makes me want to purposefully tangle my extra chains to create a similar look. This one is cool because it is 14k yellow and rose gold. The stones are pink tourmaline and priced at $475

Love the one-sided placement of the stones, but it doesn’t stop there, the stones also go from dark to light tourmaline. This one’s done in 14k gold, features a simple cross and priced at $425

The “Y-necklace” style is evident, but it doesn’t define the entire design. It is very subtle, just the small gold chain hanging in the center. Done in 14k yellow gold with blue and pink colored sapphires. Price: $275

This is a cute everyday staple piece–a delicate three ruby necklace. I like how the chain attaches to the pendant that way. Done in 14k yellow gold, priced at $365. Just think only $1 a day for a year!!

Antique & Treasure Hunting in Southern California

A fun portion of my trip to California was spent antiquing.  We went to two areas–Solana Beach and Ocean Beach, both near San Diego, both totally different. Solana Beach was sort of in an upscale area, while Ocean Beach was right on the ocean and had more of a surfer-dude vibe. It is interesting to compare the two after spending a day antiquing in each. I thought I would be able to find more jewelry in Solana Beach than Ocean Beach–but I was wrong!

Solana Beach has its own “Design District” full of amazing shops and boutiques.  In Solana, we focused mainly on one large antique place since time was limited. It is called the Antique Warehouse, known to have over 101 vendors inside. The amount of items was overwhelming, but in a good way. They have about ten large glass cases full of fine, antique jewelry. At the time, nothing jumped out at me and items that I did sort of like were priced higher than I was willing to spend. I always make sure not to buy for the sake of buying when it comes to jewelry–I have to REALLY like something before I purchase. That is the biggest tip I have when it comes to antiquing.

After looking for a whole solid hour, I went back to this velvet jewelry box from the ’70s that I thought was so amazing. I like the color and especially the golden puma on top. I loved that the bottom had “Made in Italy” in gold written, which sealed the deal for me. My grandparents would be proud.

Antique Warehouse
212 South Cedros Avenue
Solana Beach, CA 92075

The final antique trip was made to Ocean Beach a few hours before my plane was set to leave. At this point I had not purchased any jewelry yet! Newport Avenue is full of antique shops and neat places to grab a bite to eat. We started with several shops, and left disappointed at each one. My departure was quickly approaching, but we were told that Empire Enterprises had “a lot” of estate and antique jewelry.

And wow, did we hit the motherload! I was in heaven and it was nice to find out that this place had been owned for over 30 years by the same people who enjoy buying and selling items people don’t want anymore. The neatest thing was something I spotted and had to ask about. It was a large treasure chest full of rings–just piles of them, about 200 I’m guessing. If a customer would like, they can go to town looking through the entire treasure chest and “treasure hunt” themselves. Each item in the chest was priced incredibly well. It took me about 15 minutes to go through all 200 rings, but I came out with three that I love.

[10k white gold onyx ring
14k yellow gold, filigree rhodolite garnet solitaire ring
18k yellow gold curved diamond band]

Empire Enterprises Antiques
4926 Newport Avenue
San Diego, CA 92107

Vintage Finds at Erie Basin

Gorgeous sparkler from the 1920s, featured at Erie Basin. This is such a unique style which is done in 18k & platinum, with 1.5 carats total of diamonds. Price$3350, look for it later this week online.

I am really loving the garnet and onyx rings. The garnet has some beautiful filigree work going on, it is from the 1900s (unfortunately it is already sold). The onyx is from the 1900s and has a very pretty diamond, in white gold. Funny how I picked up two rings on my trip to California that are incredibly similar–look for a photo of them in tomorrow’s post!

Designer Spotlight: Jennifer Fisher Jewelry

Jennifer Fisher’s jewelry line is described by the designer as having a “casual edge.”  I say it is gorgeous, but what I am most fond of is how her collection of necklace charms is the coolest I’ve seen.  Each charm is one that I would wear–and it is a neat concept to start with one charm, and then continually add more.  This idea will create your very own customized necklace story.  Jennifer Fisher designs each piece so it can be worn alone or layered, so whether you wear a necklace with one charm or several, it will look great.

Besides charms, Jennifer Fisher has some other amazing jewelry pieces such as two-finger rings encrusted in black diamonds, studded cuffs and rings, gothic letter necklaces, and insect earrings. Check them out for yourself here. You can also find her jewels at Broken English.

Flower key $660
Malabar crest $750
Quill with diamonds $2500

Green Tahitian Pearl $1000
Gray Tahitian Pearl $1000
Spider with Sapphire & Ruby $1560
Wishbone branch $800
18k feather $800
Medium circle, black diamonds $2500

Antler $400
Ivy crest $715
Star with diamonds $720

Jennifer Fisher Jewelry ♦  270 Lafayette Street Suite #1206  New York, NY 10012  ♦  212.625.2380

An Unexpected Combination…

After my trip to California, I arrived home with a lot of new, little goodies.  The sad part is almost always when I purchase a ring, it needs to be sized before I can wear it–that means I have to part with the new jewels for a week.  Just when I was about to get excited to wear them!  More about those soon.

Luckily one of the rings that I picked up was actually my size.  It is the bottom band in the stack–the 5 diamond, slightly curved band ring. These types of rings often get overlooked or stereotyped as “anniversary bands” or “wedding bands.”  I hardly see them as so.  They are great for stacking, like seen how I did in the photo.  I was only playing around with different ring combinations, and when came up with this it became my new favorite.  Do you like it?

[14k yellow gold
chocolate & white diamond
swirl ring from
Ross-Simons
purchased in 2004]

[18k yellow gold
slightly curved diamond
band ring from
Empire Antiques, San Diego]

[14k white gold
sapphire eternity band
from DoverJewelry]

[14k yellow gold
textured band
from QVC]

Charlize Theron has great Earrings

Polaroid credit

Do you have a favorite movie which stars Charlize Theron? Not really sure what mine is, but I do have a few favorite jewelry looks of hers.  I’ve noticed she wears the best earrings.  Check them out below, along with similar earrings so you can get her red carpet looks.

This look is elegant and formal–the earrings are dripping in diamonds that are very Art Deco in a drop style. These are very similar, done in platinum from the 1920s with 76 diamonds total. From John Salibello Jewelry, featured at 1stdibs and priced at $6800.

Here Charlize Theron is dressed down with some fun gold stud earrings. These are 14k yellow gold by Lena Wald, found at Aloha Rag. They come in three different sizes, the medium is priced at $175 for one.

Black onyx drop earrings are always so chic. The similar pair is from Beladora and are done in 18k white gold with diamonds and onyx. These are characterized with so much detail and are priced at $995.

Charlize Theron looks great with this style of earrings–it consists of a large cushion cut gemstone with surrounded by diamonds. I like the chunkiness of the look, with our choice being more radiant with a dark plum garnet. These earrings are 18k yellow gold designed by Dov Padeh and can be found at Delamina, price: $2200

Q & A with Rago Arts Auction Jewelry Specialist: Sarah Churgin

Rago Arts is an auction house which specializes in fine art, decorative arts, furnishings, ethnographic artifacts and my favorite--jewelry!  Although they have a worldwide marketplace and global outreach, the personal service they provide is something Rago Arts is proud of.  The big jewelry auction is every December, and this year’s date is the 6th and is sure to be full of beautiful pieces.  I recently got a chance to ask Rago Arts’ Jewelry Specialist, Sarah Churgin, a few questions to get more details.  She has also sent me a few “sneak peeks” of a few pieces that will be in December’s sale.  Enjoy reading and looking at the fine jewels!

GemGossip: How long has Rago Arts offered a selection of jewelry for auction?

Sarah Churgin: Rago Auctions had offered some jewelry since it’s inception 28 years ago. The identity of the auction house is connected to ” 20th Century Design”.  For two years prior to my arrival in 2001,  Bakelite and Designer Costume Jewelry  had been the direction of the jewelry department.   We still love those collectibles but now we cover gems, fine jewelry and antique categories as well.  A recent trend has been a growing market for late 20th century studio artisan jewelry.

GemGossip: Where do you get most of your pieces that get auctioned off?

Sarah Churgin: All of our pieces come from estate or inherited consignments.  With very few exceptions we do not take anything from jewelry dealers.
Some of our best pieces come in during our weekly open appraisal event.

GemGossip: How many lots of jewelry are you expecting for this year’s December sale?   More or less than last year?

Sarah Churgin: Now in it’s 9th season, the December Great Estates Sale has a growing following, and the auction house is becoming recognized as a good place to sell estate jewelry.  We have expanded our multi departmental semi-annual Discovery Sales to accommodate the increased number of consignment so the average lot in the upcoming sale is of higher quality than the average lot of any year to date.  We estimate a 325 lot jewelry sale.  Many of those lots consist of multiple pieces.

GemGossip: Have you ever acquired a piece of jewelry that ended up in your jewelry box rather than the bidding block?  Have you come across a really interesting/unique piece of jewelry that you will never forget?

Sarah Churgin: I love jewelry.  I wear it,  study it,  dream about it.  Would I be happy to get some of the lots into my own jewelry box? ….Of course! …. Many of the consignments inspire lust.  I am only human.  But it would be unethical for me to offer a consignor a cash buy-out.  The market sets the price.   The pieces I really like always end up selling for way more than I could pay for them.   Still I do get to try-on almost everything.

Innumerable important and memeorable pieces have come through.  Some of then now reside at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Every sale offers it’s rare finds.  this year’s sale includes a Cartier Stars and Stripes brooch, c. 1927,  unearthed from among a group of much lesser worth.  The moment of discovery is such a thrill!

GemGossip: If someone is interested in bidding, what are the steps they would have to take?

Sarah Churgin: The auction preview will be on the website by mid-November.  Anyone interested in bidding should contact us at “www.ragoarts.com“

Manya & Roumen’s whimsical jewelry designs

My pick of the week comes from Manya & Roumen, a husband and wife duo with some amazing jewelry designs.  Love this cute owl and cat team handing out on this ring from their “Stories Collection.”  This ring is done in 18k yellow gold with tsavorite garnets and white sapphires for eyes, and a pink tourmaline.  Funny to realize that their jewelry designing talent sprang from a promise that Manya made to Roumen stating that she would make their wedding rings.  Their collaboration has created jewels with a whimsical feel, filled with nature-inspired subjects.  They put it best by saying, “Each piece tells a story, but each wearer interprets the story differently.”

Back to Tennessee, with Beladora goodies

My trip to California was a quick one, and although there were so many things we wanted to do, the few that were chosen were amazing. An event that topped the list was a visit to the Beladora headquarters on Rodeo Drive! Never have I been on the infamous Rodeo Drive, but it is how most would describe it–unlike any other. The storefronts of places like Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Tiffany & Co. had their biggest jewels displayed in the California sun. Bentleys and Rolls Royces zoomed by, and over-accessorized pets were prancing in step.

Once inside Beladora, I got to meet Nancy along with her mounds of vintage, antique and estate jewelry. The selection at Beladora is truly unprecedented–it has access to the best jewelry being on Rodeo Drive, while being able to give its worldwide customers the best prices. The variety and selection, along with prices which don’t even compare to overpriced vintage boutiques is what keeps bringing me back to Beladora. I know when I am blogging and need some jewelry examples to represent a certain time period, Beladora is my first stop on my Internet searching adventure. They always seem to have just what I was imagining.

How cool is this lapis and jade apple pendant? It really stands out when you wear it and sits perfect when wearing a neckline like the one I’m in. The color combination is so vibrant. The pendant is from the ’70s and I have a very similar ring that has the same stones–lapis and jade. I think I am drawn to those two colors together. There is even a small diamond hanging off of the stem. If you love this necklace, you can purchase it (chain and all!) at Beladora2 (Beladora’s sister site).

The necklace is 16 inches long, on a 14k yellow gold chain. Price: $296.25 Click here to purchase.

Automotive Motif of the Art Deco Period

During the Art Deco Period within jewelry, automotive motifs became popular as a result of the first ever automobile.  This era occurred during the 1920s & 1930s.  I love all the vintage possibilities of this motif, and many of them are in the form of charms.  During my trip to California, I was wooed by the awesomeness of the Blue Angels jets as they tore up the sky (it literally sounded like they were tearing up the sky!)  At the Miramar Air Show I also got to see WWII war planes flying through the air.  Not only did that sight sort of transported me back in time, but it helped me to understand why planes were made into pieces of jewelry.

{14k yellow gold British taxi, Price: $205 from CHARMCO}

{14k yellow gold with rubies airplane, Price: $215 from CHARMCO}

{14k yellow gold cruise ship, Price: $205 from CHARMCO}

{18k yellow gold propeller with diamond, Price: $225 from CHARMCO}

{14k yellow gold double-decker bus that opens, Price: $200 from Beladora2}

Mary-Kate’s Emerald Ring

Everyone has a favorite ring, whether it is because of the stone being a birthstone, because of the high value, or because it has significant sentimental value.  I think it is safe to say that Mary-Kate’s favorite ring is this huge emerald and yellow gold ring. She wears it quite often, no matter if the occasion is formal or not. Mary-Kate found the ring at a vintage shop on the Rue Saint Honore in Paris, France. One of the best parts about traveling is treasure hunting in antique shops, however if you are not lucky enough to do so, the Internet has so much to offer. Best resource for pieces that look like they are family heirlooms: Beladora. Want your own emerald stunner? Check out the ones I found below!

I love this choice because it is so similar. The green stone is actually jadeite rather than an emerald, it is circa 1970. The textured 18k yellow gold characterizes the seventies style of this ring. From Beladora2 and priced at $995.

Circa 1975, Beladora shows off this beautiful step cut emerald ring. This one is similar to Mary-Kate’s because of its grandness–that emerald looks so regal. Not only is the stone 4 carats, but the diamonds surrounding it are .60 carats. It is set in 18k yellow gold and priced at $5550, from Beladora.

This vintage ring from the ’60s features an emerald cut emerald. The emerald itself is 1.35 carats! It is set in 14k yellow gold with a few diamonds. This one-of-a-kind piece is from Ross-Simons Estate Collection and priced at $1195.

Obsession: Bario-Neal Senna Round Ring

I’ve already come to terms with my unknowing attractiveness to yellow gold and black, after a glance into my jewelry box.  However, the obsession continues!  Bario-Neal has some creative and delicate designs, yet the Senna Round Ring quickly became my favorite.  After inquiring further, I’ve got some good news that will shake up my repetitive gold/black palette–the ring comes in any enamel color (except purple)!  That is just what the doctor ordered!  A little splash of color is necessary, and with the fall foliage in abundance, I am feeling possibly a red, orange and yellow stacked trio?!  These three colors are $180 because they include flecks of gold in them.  Any other color will cost $168.  The Senna Round ring is done in 14k rose gold of which is reclaimed precious metal.  Read more interesting tidbits on Philadelphia-based jewelry designer Bario-Neal here.

My Jewel Box: My very own Serpent

I was running a few last minute errands before heading to California last week.  Stopped by Walton’s Antique & Estate Jewelry to get a few rings cleaned, trying hard not to look at the jewelry in the glass cases.  I had a plan to keep my eyes above the glass, but failed miserably.  Not only did I peek, but I also accidently saw a sign that advertised a small section to be 40% off.  And I had to open my mouth and state–”Wow, you guys never have sales?!”  Which was only then affirmed and made things that much more appealing.  Not sure what happened next, however I found myself driving home with this little guy around my neck!  Aye, forbidden fruit and temptation have won yet again!

[top photo: Victorian 14k yellow gold serpent pendant
converted from a stick pin, nestled on top
chunk of amethyst and herkimer diamond]

[bottom photo: special thanks to my dad
for letting me use his vintage Planet of the Apes
doll as a model]

Walton’s Antique & Estate Jewelry  ♦ 410 Main St. Franklin, TN  ♦ (615) 790-0244

Off to sunny California…

Hey readers!  I am off to California for a few days–won’t be back until Wednesday.  Many exciting things to share when I get back.  Of course I will leave you with some fun posts to read!  xoxo Gem Gossip

- – - – - – -

My favorite post from Gem Gossip: Becoming a Southern Belle

The most popular to date: New David Yurman Bridal Collection

Our first post ever!: Cartier Love Charity Bracelets

Did you guys know that the tiny asterisk is a secret page?!  Well, it is…check it out here.

Read more about me here. If you want to know more, leave questions in the comment section.  I will answer them when I get back!

Another favorite: Lookbook for August

Last but not least, check out my Etsy shop and purchase one of our charity bracelets!