Academy Awards Jewelry - Cuffs

There were so many beautiful jewels on the red carpet last night along with a few trends and some very special pieces.  First...diamond cuffs and wide diamond bracelets.

Do you think photographers don't remove the stunned background humans on purpose as a way to get  back at celebrities for being such assholes.  Could this woman possibly think this was her photo op?  Regardless, you know right now she's wishing she spent that extra time at the gym.

Gwyneth wears Anna Hu Haute Joaillerie Hearts of Winter cuff bracelet made of 2,368 rose-cut, round brilliant diamonds weighing 163 carats and valued at $1 million; and the double hoop Duchess Hibiscus Ring made of rose cut and round diamonds with purple sapphires set in 18-karat white gold and valued at $160,000.  Ahhhmaazing.

Viola Davis looked lovely, if not a little "from the valley of the jolly....ho, ho, ho, " in Vera Wang and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.

Viola recycling Lorraine Schwartz's wide champagne and white diamond cuff.  It seems to be the "go to" bracelet because it has also been worn by Taylor Swift and Ashley Green at events earlier in the year.  See below...

Taylor Swift - not making an odd face for a change.

Ashley Green - not sure who she is but she nailed the look.

Penelope Ann Miller from "The Artist" wears a rare three-carat pink radiant diamond ring, surrounded by pink and white diamonds; an art-deco 24-carat diamond encrusted cuff bracelet; and 11-carat halo drop diamond earrings, all from Blue Nile.  Blue Nile is one of the best on-line resources for diamond knowledge.

These are Kristin Wiig's hands showing off three wide platinum and diamond bracelets along with a platinum, emerald, ruby and diamond ring by Neil Lane.  Since she usually wears flesh-tone on the red carpet she should have lost that dark nail polish.  Every time I see a woman wearing it I know her nails are skoovatch underneath.

Nina Garcia from "Project Runway" wearing a vintage Fred Leighton platinum ring set with a 14 carat rose cut diamond and a 1950's platinum bracelet.  

Miss Piggy, also wearing Fred Leighton.  Oh... wait, is that a nipple slip?

PBS And Their Dasterdly "Downton Abbey" Deed

If you are like many people in America right now, you have been sucked into the Downton Abbey" vortex on Sunday nights.  My Sunday night television obsession has gone from the depths of the Real Housewives of Wherever to the current highbrow Downton Abbey, and directly following, "Sherlock".  Now I feel very intelligent when I watch TV on Sunday night instead of the goober I used to feel like when I watched the housewives.

But PBS has recently come under fire for selling a collection of jewelry based on Downton Abbey on their website.  They are under fire not because as some have said, the collection is tacky, but because they did it without informing the shows creator.  See for yourself...

A replica of a cameo from the show.  Cameos were very popular in the early 20th century.  Typically carved in shell, cameos were also carved in gemstones like agate, onyx and sardonyx.

Pearls were often used in jewelry during the Victorian and Edwardian age.  They were small and natural, (unlike these Downton Abbey replicas which are faux).

Downton Abbey's Crawley women. 
This is what women looked like before Gloria Steinem, masters degrees, the gym, wine and Starbucks.

The girls and their pearls.  Here are the ladies and some of their PBS knock-offs.
Some felt the tea set (shown in the bottom right corner) was particularly heinous.

So really, what is all the fuss about?  Did Willow or Patrick at PBS get a little too aggressive when brainstorming beg-a-thon ideas?  PBS stuck their neck out in an effort to raise funds and with all the cutbacks in contributions, if they don't stay on their toes, they will go dark...and that would be bad. 

It's a shame PBS had to pull the jewelry off their website.  Had they collaborated with the shows creator from the beginning, together they could have spawned a new trend in clothing and jewelry.  Yes people, women now want the clothes too - especially the blouses. 

Come on...who would you rather see in pearls?

Jewelry at the 2012 Golden Globes

Here's some of the fantastic jewelry from last night's Golden Globe's award show.  If your name was Fred or Lorraine, you were more important than the friggin' award's...

Looking a little like a Q-tip tinged with a drop of blood, Angelina looked so bored I wondered why she even showed up.  Scarecrow...I'll miss you most of all.

Then... I saw these.  Lorraine Schwartz's 25 total carat weight round diamond earrings.  You can't even call them studs.  Each diamond weighs a whopping 12.5 carats.  I hope Angelina is comfortable about where these diamonds came from... like not her daughter's backyard.

Julianna Margulies wearing Lorraine Schwartz's amazing green jade and diamond double drop earrings.

Julianna Margulies.  The mistress of simplicity and the opposite color wheel.
She always gets it right... and, as a bonus, you get a smile.

Beautiful Freida Pinto wore a Chopard necklace made with 145 carats of yellow diamonds and 1705 micro pave diamonds.  The necklace was important enough to come with it's own bodyguard...Freida, not so much.

Elle Macpherson looking a little wrinkly in her Lorraine Schwartz bangles.

I find Julianne Moore incredibly annoying...however, her Fred Leighton emerald earrings are not.
She has redeemed herself in my eyes... for the moment.

Heidi Klum wearing early Lorraine - back when she knew Wilma.

I thought Kate Beckinsdale was probably as close to perfection as they came.
Lorraine Schwartz diamond duster earrings complimented her outrageous hair. 

Jessica Alba (who is she...what did she do)...was actually a close tie (in my opinion) to best dressed.
Especially with these 37 carat Bulgari diamond earrings.

I am only showing Reese Witherspoon's Fred Leighton arm because the rest of her was...what?  Questionable?  Some say she looked like an extra pound had been applied equally around her normally near perfect body?  So hoo keyhas?  Jewels by Fred.

This is one of Sophia Vagara's most famous features on which rests the most amazing Harry Winston diamond cuffs.
Need I say anymore. 

This is Madonna.  Remember her?  Please tell me...what was with the glove?

Tilda Swinton's jewels by Fred Leighton...

Tilda Swinton's hair by Woodstock.

There is nothing like a Dame...Dame Helen Mirren in 1950's Fred Leighton's diamond and sapphire earrings.

Glenn Close wearing Wilfredo Rosado's 32 carat sapphire and diamond earrings.
Glenn is obsessed with Albert Nobbs as she is still in make-up.

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.

Now This Is A Collar I Would Like To Wear

The Cushion Chiclet Necklace shown in citrine.
Please click on the link to see it in prasiolite.

If you read my recent post on collars, you'll remember that if you're not careful, you could wind up looking like Charlton Heston in a diaper, and that is not a good look.  So I'd like to show you a collar that's guaranteed to make you look much better than that.

The David Yurman Prasiolite and Diamond Cushion Chiclet Necklace (shown to the left in citrine) is made in sterling silver, pave diamonds, aqua chalcedony, prasiolite (green amethyst), and white agate. Beautifully made on the back as well as the front, rounded squares made from these stones line up next to each other to form a soft, neutral hued sparkler that would look great during the summer with a tan and flowing white silks, or during the winter with a white blouse and black pants.

This necklace would even be at home with a strapless gown on New Year's Eve!  Pair it with small earrings because this piece is the showstopper, and maybe add a silver cuff to balance out the look.

This is the best way to spend your money on a big piece of jewelry. Make sure you can wear it multiple ways with multiple outfits. David Yurman jewelry is perfect for this type of wear because casual luxury is the look you are going for. You know you've achieved it when your friends who never compliment you are moved to say something nice about how you look.

Even better, this piece, which retails for close to $5,000 in retail stores, can be found for $2,850, almost half the retail price, at bellatutto.com.  Bella Tutto is a company that offers designer jewelry at less than retail prices. Today, women churn through jewelry like we churn through pantyhose, so why should you pay retail.  Great bargains and deals can be found for all of your favorite jewelry designers on websites like bellatutto.com.

The Elizabeth Taylor Auction

My sister and I recently had a girls' get away in New York City. The main reason for being there: to check out Elizabeth Taylor's jewelry and accessories prior to the Christie's auction. With our 11:30 AM-timed tickets in hand, we made our way to Christie's at Rockefeller Plaza and got in line behind people of all ages, including a couple of those weird women who thought they looked like Liz when they were younger, but who are now in their late 70's, and guess what  girls: bouffants and black eyeliner just doesn't work for you like it did back in the 50's.

We entered and were teased with the first exhibit: a display of the jewelry boxes her baubles came in. Red Cartier box after red Cartier box on tables and shelves, most labeled with white tape indicating what came inside. There was even the box with the formed indentation of the famous La Peregrina Pearl necklace.  I was excited about the forthcoming jewels...I couldn't wait to see the pearl, the rubies, the diamonds.

Christie's recreated Taylor's room where she kept her jewelry. She was well-organized, keeping the baubles in their original boxes and making sure those that were gifted had their name on the box.

However, what was next was Caftanville. I don't care if they were Dior, YSL or Valentino; it was really a lot of schmattas for one person to own for godsake. This told me Liz languished in her fat phase for an excessive number of fashion cycles.

 

Wasting Away In Caftanville Looking For My Lost Shaker Of Salt...

Next we came upon the handbag room. With only one window for viewing, a logjam was created by all of us trying to see the bags from Chanel, Louis, and Hermes. Of course, no real exhibit like this would be complete without your designated rude bitches, and they were located right here.  Refusing to budge, and not allowing anyone else to see what was inside the handbag vault, their hands and noses were pressed on the glass like they were visiting their Uncle Nunzio, a death row prisoner, right on the other side. One turned to me and said, "you're just gonna have to go around me cause I'm cataloging everyone of these handbags,"like I dare you to get in front of me. Even the friend  accompanying her tried to pull her away, telling her they should come back later. I told her Christie's has already done the cataloging for you--that's why you buy the book at the beginning of the exhibit.  (Obviously her first auction preview). 

The Get Outta My Way Bitch Handbag Room...a replica of Liz's actual accessories room.

Next was furniture, art, and some jewels, but nothing fantastic. Especially not fantastic were the many tacky gems Michael Jackson gave her. It appeared Liz wallowed in the Michael Jackson sequined 80's era for a while. Most of the gifts Jackson gave her were gaudy and cheap looking. Also on display was her Versace-sequined "Faces" jacket, featuring a version of her face in one of her many movie roles.  Estimated to fetch anywhere from $15,000-$20,000, I think it's just awful looking, and I loved the 80's.

Michael Jackson gave Elizabeth Taylor the "Monkey Necklace".

If Liz only knew about Purple Heart.

But where is the Taylor-Burton diamond? When was I going to see the pearl?  I knew they were saving the best for last as we approached the steps that led to a room that was emanating vibrating, sparkle space rays from the ceiling.  Inside this room was case after case of the most incredible jewels: diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds and pearls. They were all in there, the Taylor-Burton diamond (sold for $8.8 million to a South Korean hotel conglomerate who plans on exhibiting the ring in their hotels); the Cartier tiara Mike Todd gave her (sold for $4.2 million), along with the chandelier earrings she initially owned in paste and Todd later had made in real stones; and the emerald and diamond Bulgari suite Richard Burton started buying for her when they were filming Cleopatra in the early 60's. How romantic and fun it must have been to be Dick and Liz then, walking into Bulgari in Rome and buying even one gem like that, let alone ultimately the entire suite (which fetched almost $25 million - reportedly purchased back by Bulgari). The La Peregrina Pearl - who will own this important piece of history?  (sold for $11.8 million). The Bulgari sapphire saurtoir ($5.9 million) and Trombino ring? One could see that Liz didn't buy too many pieces herself. Most were given as gifts from admirers, serious and otherwise. 

This was definitely an exhibit of conspicuous consumption. I don't think celebrities live like this anymore - it's a bygone era.  I'm not sure what celebrities do with their money today, but it seems few flaunt it like Liz did. However, her fortune wasn't really earned through acting. Some agree she wasn't a great actress and earned her Oscars through sympathy, and the majority of her jewels were given as gifts. Maybe that's why she chose to auction them and not pass them on to her children. She truly believed she was just a guardian of the gems - never the real owner.

Would You Like A Little Sass With That Coffee Pot?

I am just taking a moment here to vent about the double negative customer service experience I recently received at my local Bed Bath and Beyond.  It's obvious that you can either get a deal or you can get service...but you can't have both.

Bed Bath and Beyond is the place you go for a lot of your kitchen, bath and infomercial gadgets.  Cheap and plentiful, you can usually find what you need when you go there.  If you are like me, however, you never remember to bring one of the many 20% off coupon's that clog up your mailbox.  As you approach the checkout line you just know they aren't going to replace that coupon and you are kicking yourself that you forgot yours.  This is the time you are buying a $50 item and the thought of losing $10 is annoying.  All that being said, if this store was really "customer centric" (the latest buzz word regarding how we treat the client) they would tape that freaking coupon to the register like every other store does and beep away at checkout time.  But no, they will not budge when it comes to accommodating you.  They will, however, tell you to drive home, find the coupon, and drive back for an adjustment...like you have the time for this.  I asked again just to be sure while checking out during my pre-Thanksgiving shopping extravaganza but, of course, they said no.  I just snorted and grabbed my salad spinner and left in a pissed off mood.

Take these from the mailbox and place directly into your handbag.

As I leave I'm telling myself I'm never coming back to this store.  But when I get home, guess what's in my mailbox?  A 20% OFF THE ENTIRE PURCHASE COUPON!...  good on Black Friday.  I read it carefully...it doesn't say "not valid on prior purchases", so what do I do?   I plan to head back on Black Friday to get an adjustment on my day before Thanksgiving purchase.  This time I am ready - the coupon is easy to find because it's big and colorful.  It's taking up my entire handbag.

I am greeted at the door by a happy and cheerful 20 year old "Customer Service" associate.  I ask politely about the adjustment and she speaks to me in a patronizing tone and says "I apologize, but we absolutely could not give you an adjustment because this is just for Black Friday purchases."  I tell her it's not stated on the coupon that it's not valid for prior purchases.  She tells me I should just assume the fact that it's just for Black Friday purchases.  I ask to speak with the manager (who never shows up).  I tell her I will just return everything and re-purchase it.  She tells me I cannot do this - it would be committing coupon fraud.   What?  Does this even exist? (as someone who interprets coupons for a living I can safely tell you, no).  I wonder, will they take me to jail where my sentence is being forced to watch "Extreme Couponing" 24/7?  No, I'd rather die.  This snit is taking her job way too seriously and I am getting nowhere so I leave once more...in a pissed off mood...which apparently I do a lot when I leave this store.

When I get home I go on the Bed Bath and Beyond website and write a scathing letter to the customer service hotline.  I am surprised when I get a quick response.  I catch up with their regional director the following day who takes my complaint pretty seriously.  I am pleased when she satisfies me with the adjustment and we have a nice conversation.  I tell her I'm not a complainer - working in retail myself I don't like it when people are in my face.  However I did suggest they put a muzzle on the little 20 year old "Customer Service" associate who's planning on being her CEO someday.