Nugaard Designs handmade jewelry

Nugaard Designs is the passionate enterprise of Brazilian born friends and business partners Alessandra Feio and Erica Pacey. These ladies combine a talent for creating stunning jewelry with a lifelong passion for fashion and a love of their homeland. In addition to maintaining environmentally conscious practices in the extraction of the many natural materials used in their designs, including leaves and golden grass native to Brazil, Alessandra and Erica are also mindful about going green in their offices and with their business travel as well.

Read more at www.stylelist.com

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Georgian jewelry (1714-1830)

(you can click the pictures to get to their descriptive pages)

The Georgian period spans more or less the reign of the four successive English kings George I, George II, George III and George IV between 1714 and 1830.

Georgian jewelry is rather rare as when time passed most worn out, was melted or taken apart and re-used for more modern designs. Materials like gold, silver and diamonds were very scarce and expensive and little consideration for fine craftmanship was taken with the "old stuff" when the owners wanted to wear their gold and diamonds according to the latest fashion in jewelry.

Most Georgian Jewelry available is from the later dates characterized by highly dimensional repousse. Floral and scroll motifs are typical of the period and the most common stones used are garnets, precious topaz, coral and early faceted diamonds set in silver.

During most of the 18th century, diamonds were set in closed silver-settings, a technique used because jewelers of that time believed that only a silver mounting could render the true beauty of a precious stone. They were also aware of the fact that silver jewelry often left black stains on clothing or skin, so they resolved the matter by coating the backs of the jewels in gold. Jewelry was custom designed to suit the diamonds that were available. Stones were never specially cut for the pieces. The most common cuts used in Georgian designs were rose-cuts and table-cuts.

Georgian memory ring

Georgian bracelet

17th century cross

See also our:
other (pre-) Georgian jewelry
our latest acquisitions
extensive antique jewelry glossary
antique jewelry style overview

Antiqually yours,
The Adin team
www.adin.be

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Lecture on "Henri Vever"

The American Society of Jewelry Historians will present, “Vever, A Man For All Seasons: Jeweler, Artist, Historian” An illuminating lecture by historian and author Brenda Forman on the legendary jewelry designer Henri Vever.

Henri Vever was a leader in the blossoming Art Nouveau movement at the turn of the 20th century. History primarily remembers him as a superbly gifted jewelry historian. His three volume work “La Bijouterie Francaise au 19ème Siécle” (French Jewelry of the Nineteenth Century) remains the authoritative work on the subject. Forman, translator of this iconic work, will discuss Vever as the jeweler and the author.

The event is open to members and guests. Guests are welcome with a pass or they can pay $10 at the door. To make reservations, call the ASJH office at 914.235.0983 or e-mail, info@jewelryhistorians.org.

Thursday, November 13, 2008, 6.00 PM
Fashion Institute of Technology
7th Avenue and 27th St, “D” building, room 2
New York, NY

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Sotheby’s Revenue Down 11%

Sotheby’s reported operating revenues for the third quarter, ended Sept. 30, decreased 11 percent to $76 million. The auction house said the $9.1 million decline is largely due to a higher level of principal losses on auction guarantees, as well as lower private sale commissions and lower auction commission margins.

Read more at: www.jckonline.com

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478-carat diamond lights up Dubai conference

Dubai, United Arab Emirates — A nearly 500-carat rough diamond recovered from a mine in Africa earlier this year made its public debut—and received its official name—during a press conference on Saturday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The stone, a massive 478-carat rock from the Letseng Mine in the African kingdom of Lesotho, is now known as "Leseli la Letseng," which means, "she is the light of Letseng."

During the press conference, Tusetso Sello-Mafatle, the government-appointed director of Letseng Diamonds (Pty) Ltd., a 30-70 percent partnership between the government of Lesotho and Gem Diamonds, said the diamond is a symbol of Lesotho's economic potential, and she hopes it will go a long way in promoting the country.

"She marks the power, the flawlessness of the diamonds from Letseng," Sello-Mafatle said of the stone.

When polished, Leseli la Letseng has the potential to produce a round diamond of about 150 carats, making it the largest polished round diamond in the world, dwarfing the current largest, which weighs in at about 100 carats, according to Clifford Elphick, chairman of Letseng Diamonds.

The stone is the 20th largest rough diamond ever recovered and is flawless, Elphick said, as far as they can tell at this point.

Read more at: www.nationaljewelernetwork.com

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Blast from the past

Retro fashion is back in vogue once again, this time with some interesting twists.

Bell bottoms, bright coloured dresses and big sunglasses may be a throwback to the past. But if the current trends are anything to go by, retro fashion is back in a big way.

Falguni Peacock, for one, has even included retro influences in her latest collection under the label Spendthrift. “Retro has been in for a while now; it’s just that it’s now percolating down to the masses. But now is the time to go for bolder colours, bell bottoms and high-waist pants,” she notes.

Arshiya Fakih, on the other hand, feels that it all boils down to fashion being cyclical. “What goes around comes around; so yes, bright colours, funky jewellery and big sunglasses are the ‘in’ thing right now. Of course, the silhouette is very fitted, but the retro influence is very strong,” she explains.


Read further at www.dnaindia.com

See Adin's Retro jewelry

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Kate Moss Shares her Style Tips with Life & Style Weekly

The supermodel and Topshop designer tells Life & Style how anyone can look amazing.

1. Fail-safe party item: a little black dress.
2. The hot look of over-the-knee boots and a miniskirt is fine with bare legs if you’re in your teens, 20s or 30s. Anyone older should add opaque black tights.
3. Don’t be afraid to alter vintage outfits. When I was 17, I found a panther-motif black dress at a New York flea market. Recently, I chopped off the bottom and used it as inspiration for the mini dress version in my Topshop line.
4. A new hairstyle can transform your look. Be brave! Try a new hairstyle. It can inspire a new way of looking at your existing wardrobe.
5. Make the most of your figure. If you have great legs, show them off with a short dress and heels or a fab pair of jeans. Wear what suits you rather than following trends. Create your own style!
6. Never look like you tried too hard! Mismatching adds a personal touch
7. Don’t do the catwalk look head to toe. Mix old with new and designers with high street. I wore a Chanel maxidress to my friend’s wedding with a 1930s blue velvet cape and huge Turkish hoop earrings, which gave the dress a totally different feel.
8. Handbag essentials for hitting the town: keys, cash, black eyeliner
9. Best jewelry for a night out: antique diamonds
10. For evening, try unexpected outerwear-dress combos. Don’t be afraid to wear a battered leather jacket with a full-length gown or an extravagant, embroidered jacket with jeans and a T-shirt.

-courtesy of Life & Style Weekly

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