End Of The Year Wrap Up

It's been a pretty interesting year in jewelry, fashion and human observation in general.  Here are some of the highlights...

I started off my blog with the one of the most awaited events in a long time: the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Evoking only the best memories of Princess Diana, I felt as if she was happily observing their every move. And who could be lovelier and skinnier than Kate. Her choice of jewels, fashion, and protruding clavicle is on par, but not greater than Diana's was, just like a good daughter-in-law should be: skinny enough so all your friends are envious, but not skinnier than you.  You know Di would have approved.

Oprah...pretending to look interested.

We said goodbye to Oprah this year...thank God.  I was really getting tired of her solving the problems of the world. I think I'm not alone as we all witnessed her new project, OWN, not realize the same level of success as her show. Oprah...please just go away and spend your OWN money.

And who knew so many people were interested in Paula Deen's diamonds? Next to Kim Kardashian, Paula Deen was the most popular blog I wrote. I don't know if it's her diamond rings or that she condones the use of huge amounts of butter, but people really like her.

Next it was the Van Cleef & Arpels, "Set In Style" exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt, a little boutique museum currently in the process of getting a 5th Avenue face-lift. Gorgeous sparkles with stories to match, we got a unique glimpse of the kind of jewelry women rarely wear today. When the occasion calls for it, I can pull some decent diamonds out of my safe, but nothing like the jewelry privileged women wore prior to WWII. Today we can't even smoke, let alone buy a $50,000 VC&A ruby and diamond studded cigarette case to carry them in. Women were so glamorous back then, even with emphysema as their accessory.

FYI - hands down, VC& A had the best holiday windows this year.   Each one had moving parts and told a little French story featuring their magnificent jewels.  What you can't see is the homeless person who was outside the store on the sidewalk loudly begging for money.  Quite a contrast to what was in the windows....

And who the hell knew the earth had spewed up so many big yellow diamonds? It seemed like every other day a 30 carat stone was being unearthed and auctioned off to a couple in Tennessee who looked like they lived in a trailer park. That's the millionaire next door for ya'.

Kim's diamonds on their honeymoon.

I did far too many Google searches of Kim Kardashian this year. What a waste of my time; however, her name was searched for so often I felt I needed to write about her, even if it was to write about what a waste of time she was.

I know they're easy to throw on, but come on...

Then there was Elizabeth Taylor.  An icon for most of her life, she amassed a serious collection of jewelry and art that belied her frivolous love life.  And her contribution to AIDS research cannot be denied. She was unique and generous, even if she lived most of her life in those ridiculous caftans.

I can't wait to see what 2012 has to offer jewelry, fashion and people-wise.