Kate - The Girl with a Fake Pearl Earring

Would someone please tell the new royals
 they do not have to wear paper bags on their heads all the time?

What did you think about the Duchess of Cambridge's faux pearl earrings?  I don't know about you but her frugal nature is beginning to get a tinkly bit old.  She must have access to some of the most amazing jewels in the world and, dammit, I want her to wear them.  I know she's trying hard to fit in with the Royal family's desire to be seen as non-squandering leeches by wearing the same schmatta more than once and by recycling those L. K. Bennett shoes until the heels are scuffed, but come on, they are one of the world's wealthier couples. Don't you miss Princess Diana's pearls, sapphire and diamonds? 

Remember the jeweled headband she wore that night?  Where did that come from?

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.

Zara Phillips Wears the Meander Tiara

Zara Anne Elizabeth Phillips, (1981-), pierced-tongue daughter of Princess Anne, Princess Royal, (1950-) was married July 30, 2011 in Scotland to Michael James Tindall, (1978-), an English rugby player who plays for Gloucester Rugby.  Not quite the too-doo of the April wedding of Prince William and clothes hanger Kate Middleton, this brawny and sports minded bride and groom will live a more casual lifestyle.  No honeymoon for them as they are both off to prior sporting commitments, Phillips in career as a show-jumper, and Tindall due back at his England rugby training camp on Monday.

Phillips chose to wear her mother’s tiara, The Meander, which was given to Princess Anne by her mother, Queen Elizabeth in 1972.  The Meander is well known because Anne has worn it time and time again as if it was the only piece of jewelry she ever owned.  The tiara is made from platinum and features a center brilliant cut diamond surrounded by a laurel wreath motif.  The sides of the tiara feature a Greek key design with a floral scroll component on each side.  Originally owned by Princess Alice of Battenberg, (1885-1969), later Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark, mother of Prince Phillip.  Alice gave the tiara to her daughter in law, Queen Elizabeth as a wedding gift…as if she needed it.  But you know how it sometimes is with mother in law gifts…the Queen has never been seen in public wearing this particular tiara.  Not unlike the sequined sweatshirt from the Stone Harbor collection I received from my mother in law.

Princess Alice of Battenburg, mother of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

A young Princess Anne wearing The Meander.

  

An older Princess Anne wearing The Meander...again. 

Annie and Granny.  When we were little girls, my sister and I had Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret dolls.  Of course, my sister had the Queen doll.

I'm 50 - My tiara thanks you Spanx.

 A more recent photo and she's still wearing it.  
I am now calling this the Groundhog Day Tiara because it keeps coming back the next day.

Zara and her father, Mark Phillips, former husband of Princess Anne.  In August 1985 Phillips fathered a daughter as a result of an extramarital affair.  He was confirmed as the father as a result of DNA testing during a paternity suit in 1991.  Phillips and Anne divorced in 1992.

 

Zara in The Meander and her Stewart Parvin dress.  He is a favorite of the Queen.  What every young girl wants, her Grandmother's dress designer to make her wedding dress.

From some angles he's very handsome...and from others he looks like that guy from Goonies.

 

She is getting a gaunt.  Even the size 0’s are hanging off her.

Nothing that a little Round-Up can’t help.

I thought these girls were being coached.  
Next time, they must get more than the shoes right.   

The Jewelry Catherine Duchess of Cambridge Wore Through The North American Tour

Catherine and William are back in England now that their North American tour is over.  William wants to fly helicopters and Catherine wants to grow herbs and get pregnant.  However, she’s going to have to eat a little something because developing embryo's don't do all that well on watercress.  At 5' 10", some say Catherine is hovering around the 100-105 pound range.  Jewelry doesn't look good on a broomstick.

Kate’s royal tour fashion was nice but I feel a little meh about it because the royal corporation has a lot to say about how she must dress when on these official visits, i.e., British designers, no short skirts, pantyhose is usually a must, discreet hairstyles, and even closed toe shoes most of the time, so – kudos to Kate for going against the grain and wearing those Jimmy Choo, five inch heeled, silver, Housewives of London foot jewelry while in LA.   

Although tasteful and demure, the jewelry she wore (some her own – some on loan) was very pretty.  She didn’t establish any new trends (other than pantyhose, ugh) so don’t worry...I don't think we'll be wearing maple leaf pins on our shoulders this fall but if we're not careful, there might be a Ruth Buzzi sighting in my neighborhood.

I'm warning you...do not bring pantyhose back.  Do I need to say anymore?

Something new, the human fascinator.  
No, wait - that's William's hand, Ottawa, 7/01/11.

Really very beautiful - and you know how I feel about pins.

While in Yellowknife, Catherine and William received beautiful gifts of a diamond polar bear pin and diamond polar bear cuff links made with Canadian diamonds, by Northwest Territories Diamonds.  It was presented to them by Premier, Floyd Roland to commemorate their Royal tour of the country.  Both of the gifts were created with diamonds mined at the Diavik Diamond Mine and donated and designed by Harry Winston.  Diamond is the official gemstone of the Northwest Territories and the region produces about 15% of the world’s rough diamonds.  Who knew Canada was the world’s third largest diamond producer (in value) after Botswana and Russia.  I could almost drive there.  Yellowknife, 7/6/2011.

Fashion alert!  Let's see if any of the bear jewelry is ever worn.

Kate is a real fan of jewelry designer, Kiki McDonough.  A British designer who specializes in pieces made with semi-precious  stones with diamonds, Kiki McDonough has been in business for more than 25 years.  It only takes a celebrity with the status of Catherine to completely sell out many of the pieces she’s is offering on her website.  McDonough’s well priced jewelry features vibrant stones in contrasting color combinations set in 18K gold.   

Arriving at a private reception in Los Angeles, California.  Kate wears a Roksanda Ilincic Peridot dress. Her earrings are Kiki McDonough Grace Earrings, £695.00 ($1125, US).  Of course, they are currently out of stock.

California, 7/8/2011.

If you have a good local jeweler, these earrings are not hard to have made.  The white topaz is not an expensive stone and the diamonds are rather small.  The stones are approximately 9mm in size and, set if you set them in 14K gold (instead of 18K) you could have these made for much less than $1125.

Kiki McDonough white topaz and diamond earrings.  
Here's a closer look in case you want to have them made.

Kate is wearing Kiki McDonough citrine earrings featured in the photo below. 
Los Angeles, 7/09/2011.

One of Catherine’s favorite Kiki McDonough earrings.  
18K citrine drop earrings.  £495.00 (about $800 US).  Los Angeles, 7/9/2011.

Hard to see what earring she is wearing.  See below...

Cassandra Goad "Temple of Heaven" 9K gold earrings.   
£1,100, roughly $1750, US.  Seems very high for 9K gold.  
Check out Ippolita below for similar earrings but in 18K.

Ippolita 18K gold Open Oval Cascade Earring.  $2095 but 18K gold instead of 9K.  

I don't think I would invest that much money in 9K gold!

Catherine in Alexander McQueen and diamond earrings 
from the Queen's jewelry box.  Los Angeles, 7/10/2011.

A hard to find closeup of the diamond earring loaned by the Queen.  It's a posted earring with a bezel-set diamond at the top with three diamond stands, made with baguette and round diamonds attached.  Suspended from the center strand is what looks to be quite a large pear shaped diamond. Those LA beeyatches didn't have anything on her.

Almost jewelry.  That nice.

The Duchess of Cambridge's New Charm Bracelet

Kate wearing her new bracelet and
the dress that sold out in minutes.

We are taking a break from Van Cleef and Arpels for just a moment to report on a new piece of jewelry seen on the arm of The Duchess of Cambridge, aka, Kate Middleton. You probably owned a piece like this at one time but felt it was a little outdated and may have recently "sold it for gold" to make a little extra cash.  So who but the world's current fashion icon is seen wearing a very traditional yellow gold charm bracelet with an initial disc hanging from it? Reports say it was a wedding gift from mother-in-law, Camillia, who wears a similar bracelet on her wrist.

No matter how hard Italian jewelry designers like Roberto Coin and Marco Bicego are working to return the trend to yellow gold, white gold has remained a strong trend for the last 15-20 years.  As a matter of fact, most of the gold that's being sold for cash these days is the yellow gold we all have laying, unworn, in the bottom of our jewelry boxes. 

Kate has the fashion power to turn the trend back to yellow gold.

That's a lot of "C"'s, standing for Catherine, Cambridge, Camilla.  
What other "C" words could go on Camilla's bracelet?
The disc charm has Catherine's monogram on one side and Camilla's on the other.
Both "C"'s are under a coronet but Kate's "C" has an extra curl while Camilla's is surrounded by a circle.

 

Not to be outdone by Diana's stunning sapphire and diamond engagement ring,
Camilla takes possession of Kate's other arm with a replica of her own charm bracelet. 

I had to post this photo because I just love his coat.
Prince William: wearing a better outfit than the Duchess. 

The Royal Wedding - Did You Love the Jewelry?

Did you get up early? Of course you did.  If you are over 50 and totally loved Diana (and would still secretly love to see Camilla trip over something on the sidewalk) you were watching,  Or, you are menopausal and you were awake anyway. In any case, my sister and I thought it was beautiful. We watched the event while on the phone. We didn’t even Skype. I’m sure William and Catherine would skeeve if they knew how many women were out there watching them in their bathrobes with sticky up hair holding very large cups of coffee like my sister and me.

Did you love the jewels? I’m glad she wore a tiara but it could have been a little grander. There's nothing wrong with vintage Cartier and I guess if the Queen lets you pick through her jewelry you don’t automatically put your hands on the biggest honking piece of whatever is in the box like I would do… but that’s why she got the Prince.

And the Wartski-designed ring, although beautiful and loaded with tradition, should have been a diamond eternity band along with the plain gold band. (Even Tiffany & Co. agrees with me. Look to the left for the ad the company took out on the day of the royal wedding). Diamond eternity bands just say something....eternal. I myself prefer very large stones going around my finger but others prefer small, understated diamonds. Either way, they say forever and if you are given one by the Prince in your life, well, how could that be wrong.

The earrings given to Kate by her parents were another story. That’s what new money can do for you. Inspired by the new Middleton family coat-of arms and designed by Robinson Pelham to match her tiara, they are keepers for sure. Only your mother can do that for you.

TAGS: Kate Middleton, Royal Wedding, tiara, Cartier