STYLE

12 Must-Have Jewels As We Head Into Fall 2017 August 28, 2017STYLE, WHAT TO BUYOff

On the East Coast, our warm weather months seemed to zoom by.and as September approaches, I am hoping for an Indian summer (one that lasts, say, until next spring). Perhaps it’s time for me to move to a milder, warmer climate.

I still love the smell of freshly sharpened pencils and outings for school supplies and can remember throughout my youth, how I longed to go shopping for back to school clothes. Today, my purchases lean toward notebooks (yes I continue to use them,-albeit leather bound versions) and get the feeling of a fresh start when opening the first blank page and beginning to write. Yet, I prefer a new pair of earrings or juicy gemstone ring in autumnal colored gemstones to the latest handbag or boots that might set me back even more than my new jewels and not be as enduring.

After a summer filled with press events and trade-only shows, which allowed me to preview the season to come,  I have gathered 12 jewels that represent must-haves as we head into fall.

RINGS

A Large Gemstone Ring. whether it be in a cabochon,  faceted or more rough-hewn cut stone. The best versions of the season feature a pared-down setting that allows the gem to make the statement, such as in this Gabriella Kiss ring in oval cabochone of specrolite or hessonite Garnet.

An Ancient Inspired Ring– This Lily Fitzgerald ring is a perfect example of taking historical elements and reinterpreting them with a modern touch into relevant and elegant ring styles that can be worn every day. The horizontal design is curved to hug the finger and displays tiny granulation work in between the magical iridescence of the marquise shaped moonstones.

A Modern Take on an Eternity Band: They still encircle the finger with diamonds or precious gemstones, but designers like Suzanne Kalan have upped the ante on creativity and have shaken up the look of classic eternity bands.  These are anything but your traditional channel-set baguettes. Instead, Suzanne offers varying sizes in a collection she has named Fireworks, in which she sets these vibrant stones in different directions, offering an explosion of sparkle. Diamond and colored gemstone versions in all colors of gold can be mixed and stacked but wearing a single band comes witsit’s own elegant impact.

EARRINGS:

Hoops with Attitude: They don’t have to be blinged out or shout  ‘look at me’. The type of attitude I am talking about is how these hoops stand apart from those we’ve seen. Like these Fernando Jorge hoops which curve to create a delicate silhouette that graces the ear. These are from his ‘Bloom’ collection and are inspired by delicate stems that seem to be sprouting their first buds. They swirl sensually to highlight the neck, and offer just the right mix of femininity and form.

Organic Gemstones Single Drop Earrings: By now we all own easy-to-wear single drops earrings in one or more colors. Now it’s time to go for a pair with gemstones that come out the earth with an inherent beauty and intricate pattern like these trapiche emeralds with their star-like formations. This pair dangle from hoops and are designed by   Lily Fitgerald who has a way of choosing some of the most glorious of gemstones.

Pendants/Necklaces

Mesh Style Bib: Alberian & Aulde has spun oxidized silver and 18K gold into two different versions of necklaces with a tactile woven feeling. The silver necklace is interspersed with labradorites, while the shorter gold version is mixed with moonstones. These are sophisticated and singular yet offer a low key approach to a statement piece–they allow the wearer to stand out.

Hand Woven Lariat: Speaking of pieces with a feeling for textiles, Sara Freedenfeld from Amali Jewelry has outdone herself with her hand-woven long necklaces that can be worn in numerous ways. Her newest offerings include different sizes of bead and 18K gold styles in mixed tourmalines and other gemstone varieties.

Not Your Victorian Padlock: Ever since I first met Polly Wales when she launched her collection at her first trade show in the U.S., she’s gone back to the roots of her native England and has redefined and modernized the most popular styles and cuts of stones of antique jewelry. While I have many favorites in Polly’s collection, her contemporary take on the Victorian heart padlock won my own heart. While still feminine it is anything but sweet. The different cuts and colors of sapphires make it all the more enticing as does the chain that can come with or without the padlock.

BRACELETS

A Bracelet of Many Colors: Marie Mas landed on the U.S. scene at the Couture show in Las Vegas during jewelry week and was an instant sensation with press and retailers. I wrote about her in my first story about my finds at the show and then later in one of my earrings stories. The ingenious designer’s collection ‘Swinging Stones’ feature different gemstones in one piece.  Earrings sway, bracelets move and necklaces and ring turn and twist to reveal contrasting colors. Here is one of Marie’s bracelets that is set with a warm tonal mix of stones on one side and a cool tonal mix on the other-so when you are moving your wrist, you will continue to be surprised and mesmerized.

Stack ‘Em High-Bangles: Jane Taylor continues to be one of the forerunners in colored gemstone designer jewelry and her bangles are vibrant and versatile. But if you are like me, you won’t be able to stop at just one. Jane is pretty clever, knowing what women want and designed these beauties to stack in multiple color variations. But you don’t need to purchase an armful at once. The fun of these bangles is in the adding on as you go and creating different combinations. So roll up your cashmere sleeves, there are a lot of bracelets to see.

And then there are Marlon Aaron’s Locks. For those who are and have been fans since Marla first engineered these beauties that work in various ways such as  hooking together to create d different links for necklaces, add on as stations in between  chain and allow you to ‘lock on’ charms to dangle at different lengths from charm necklaces., Marla seems to never run out of ideas for new locks.  She has offered her classic look in three sizes and now in a diversity of gemstone cuts, settings and color combinations. She also offers her heart and crescent moon shapes with and without stones.  There are so many ways to wear these locks, you will keep wanting o to add to your collection and Marla’s imagination will keep you locking in the love of her creations for a long time to come.

Clasp One On : Beth Bugdaycay of Foundrae continues her theme of designing collections of meaningful charms and medallions to layer on a necklace and helps tell a woman’s story. In keeping with this theme,  she has also designed annex links that click to open and close to attach any one of her charms to a chain. You can wear one or more depending on the number of medallions and charms you are adding. They are available in 18K gold with tiny bead work or with beads and small bezel-set diamonds. In this case, less is definitely not more. You can use as many as you want to hang Foundrae’s pendants at various lengths.