The Jewelry Brief » Bracelets

Style Setters: The Jewelry Brief Interviews Sami Zeira

The Briefer — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:13:16 +0000

Sami Zeira studied classical jewelry making at the Jewelry Arts Institute and with Fred de Vos, learning the ancient art of granulation. In Zeira Signature, he translates his love for ancient pieces and its techniques into chic jewelry for the modern woman.

Zeira Signature line offers bold pieces crafted from 22kt yellow gold. My favorites in the collection feature Italian coral. The deep red combined with the yellow of high carat gold simply radiates warmth. Turquoise and other gem stones hold a prominent place in Zeira’s designs; most stones are bezel set, as in ancient jewelry, and often accented by granulation. This technique is best associated with Etruscan jewelry, although it can be dated to pieces of even earlier times, where the goldsmith applies small spheres of a precious metal to a jewel in a decorative pattern.

Zeira Black is Sami’s second collection and features the hottest trend in jewelry: oxidized silver. While still applying ancient jewelry techniques, these pieces are hip and very fashion forward.

What is the source of your design inspiration?

It’s very hard to pinpoint one particular thing. From the concrete to the abstract, I can walk in the streets and be inspired by a building, a car or nature. The ironwork in gates, the head lights of a car, the curves of a woman’s body…beauty is all around us, we just have to open our eyes.

More concretely, I can look at ancient jewelry and be inspired by the richness of design, technique and concept. Sometimes from just looking at stones I envision a finished piece.

There is a great emphasis on color in your pieces. How does color fit into your creative process?

Life is full of colors. Sometimes my pieces are made up of one color and sometimes it’s the harmony of the colors blending together that makes a piece of jewelry attractive. It’s color that makes the world so diverse and beautiful.

Who has had the greatest influence on your life?

My mom. She is strong, loving, giving and sees the good in the most challenging situations.

What do you love most about what you do?

I make women feel beautiful. And I do it by expressing my own creativity. My jewelry gives elegance to the entire presentation of a woman: the sophistication of a personal timeless accessory.

It is through my work that I get to meet a variety of people and some of them have become my best friends and art is one of the only things that is not bound by religion, race or ethnicity.

Jean Schlumberger and the Colors of Summer

The Briefer — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:49:59 +0000

Summer afternoons: a crisp linen tunic paired with the bright, colorful enamels and warm, sunny yellow gold of my favorite bracelets designed by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co.

Jean Schlumberger was born in Mulhouse, France in 1907. It was not until after WWII that he moved to New York and open a jewelry salon. In 1956 he became the first designer invited by Tiffany & Co. to stamp his own name on the designs that he created for the famed retailer. Jean Schlumberger is most known for his use of precious gem stones together with semi-precious stones to create interesting color juxtapositions in naturalistic forms. Mr. Schlumberger died in 1987, but his pieces are still offered by Tiffany & Co.

Not All That Glitters Is Gold

The Briefer — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:30:26 +0000

Every outfit looks better with the right accessories. This season several of my favorite designers have introduced fantastic jewelry collections to compliment their latest looks.

Tory Burch has come out with a line of statement necklaces and several cuffs that are just to die for. My favorite is the wide Studded Cuff. The bracelet has a bold, geometric, high polish gold look to it, but the edges are soft and would be the perfect splash of style to your favorite skinny jeans outfit.

J. Crew launched new jewelry to accessorize their style of the season: many soft, often sheer layers and ruffled collars in earth tones and neutral pastels. The Duchess Stone (emerald cut glass) pendant necklaces, bracelets and ear pendants are very eye catching. The colors of the rectangular step cut glass mimic the warm, deep neutrals of quartz. The necklace is designed as a gold tone chain suspending seven of these large stones, and the earring is a drop featuring one of these stones accented by smaller brilliant cut stones. The bracelet is bolder; it is a straight line bracelet composed of the over size glass pieces, really featuring the depth of color of the glass.

Kate Spade has a wide range of jewels this season from casual to evening. Her use of pearls in multi-strands is a great look for day or evening, but my favorites are the enamel bangles (shown here). In a range of color choices, to compliment any outfit, the bold enamels are crisp and geometric in design, and are easily stackable.

Off the Cuff

The Briefer — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:13:43 +0000

Bold yet easy to wear, cuff bracelets are our new (old) favorite. The statement making bracelets can be found in every material; and they look just as great with a sweater and jeans as they do with a little black dress.

The best classic cuff design is the Maltese Cross by Verdura. Originally designed in 1936 by Duke Fulco di Verdura for Coco Chanel, the bracelet is still produced by Verdura today. Each bracelet is fitted to the customer’s wrist and some of the bracelets have a detachable cross that can be interchanged with cuffs of various materials. Elsa Peretti’s Bone Cuff for Tiffany & Co. is quite possibly the sexiest piece of jewelry around. The classic organic design is available in 18kt yellow gold, silver, or ruthenium over copper for the budget conscious.

Bakelite, which is a dense synthetic resin, is a colorful option for cuffs. Invented in 1907, it was popular in kitchen items and jewelry through the 1940s because of the ease with which it could be molded and carved. It can be found in modern and vintage jewelry; although some of the very colorful, unusual period pieces can be as expensive as their precious metal counter parts.

If you dare follow in the path of the great style icon Coco Chanel you may want to stack your cuffs or wear a pair, one on each wrist.

Charmed (Bracelets), I am sure

The Briefer — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:31:55 +0000

Charm bracelets are back. Whether you have spent years collecting one charm at a time or buy a bracelet loaded with charms, these bracelets are a fashionable piece of jewelry that is also a great narrative.

Bracelets where the owner has painstakingly added one charm at a time can tell the story of a woman’s life: commemorating milestones, achievements, foreign travel and favorite places. Many older bracelets include gold silhouettes of children with names and dates, a gold Eiffel tower or gondola, and a Phi Beta Kappa key. In addition to these traditional charms, which are still available, today we can have fun adding some hip charms from just about any theme imaginable.

Charms can also be exchanged or rotated. Just recently, I removed all of the charms of my “youth” from my bracelet and put on one over sized charm that is a real seashell with gold wire accents and cabochon citrine end caps. Some of the smaller charms were put on a necklace, some given to nieces and others put away until I tire of my seashell or decide I miss the familiar melodic chimes coming from my bracelet.

Retro Style

The Briefer — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:37:31 +0000

The term Retro, as related to jewelry history, refers to the period surrounding the Second World War. During this time, wearing extravagant, fancy jewelry was understandably out of fashion and precious metals were needed for the war effort. So, the bracelets that emerged were predominantly made from sheets of yellow gold in wide, bold geometric designs that complimented the tailored suits that were the fashion of the time.

Retro bracelets are composed of sculptural (often hollow) links that still add pizzazz to any outfit. Popular design motifs included scrolls, buckles and stylized arches, which might be accented with warm yellow or brown citrine or topaz. If you are lucky, you might find a bracelet with small faceted ruby or cabochon ruby accents. These yellow or rose gold chunky, bold designs are right in step with the fashion styles of today; and should be on every woman’s wish list.

Cocktail (Rings) Anyone?

The Briefer — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 09:50:34 +0000

Big, chunky, colorful rings have always been a favorite of mine but more and more they are popping up on the pages of all of the top fashion magazines. Best of all, they are not just for evening any more. Many oversized rings have a very casual and playful appeal to them.

Perfect for day, oversized rings most often feature cabochon or fancy cut semi-precious stones alone or in a bold combination of colors, in gold mountings. Bulgari, whose signature look is easily recognized and often copied, popularized this look for day. Another great look for day is big cabochons of coral or turquoise; both work in simple or heavy gold mounting and are a stylish and economical way to incorporate color.

For evening, many of the rings we are seeing today recall the glamorous cocktail rings of the 1940s. Like the period example in the photograph, these rings often boldly feature a large emerald-cut, or square-cut center colored stone. Most often these are semi-precious stones such as a beautiful, golden tone citrine or an eye-catching pink tourmaline, grass green peridot or aquamarine. For evening these stones may be accented by diamonds or by diamonds together with another pop of color such as ruby. Don’t be afraid to wear these rings on your middle finger, which is where they often look best.

Add Some Victorian Style to Your Jewelry Box

The Briefer — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 02:01:54 +0000

Bangle bracelets were as popular with the Victorians as they are today! While everyone is wearing them, be the one to wear the one that no one else has! Victorian bracelets were often sold in pairs; today in the estate market it is more difficult to find the pairs still together. Predominately yellow gold, bracelets can be found with fabulous Etruscan revival style applied gold beading and wire twist work, a unique cameo or a micro mosaic depicting a Roman scene or simple black enamel accents. Wearing Victorian jewelry today is fun, and believe it or not…fashion forward.

For more Victorian inspired jewelry fashion check out “Town and Country” magazine September 2008 article “Snake Charmers” to see Victorian-style snake rings for Fall.