Archive for May 2013

Home Archive for May 2013

I have said it before and I will say it again, the Cannes Film Festival is the best red carpet and the one of the most important when it comes to setting trends. This year's festival was no different with new trends and emerging fashion stars. The jewelry, especially, had a moment because there was not one, but two, jewelry heists, and, it was the anniversary of Elizabeth Taylor's "Cleopatra," which of course is a vehicle for jewelry.

Mi first pick for best jewelry look is Jessica Biel in a Bulgari necklace in their classic serpent design. For her husband's premiere Jessica chose a Marchesa Fall/Winter 2013-2014 silk bustier gown with feather embellishment, paired with the white gold diamond pavé Serpenti necklace by Bulgari, featuring two pear-cut diamonds and emerald snake eyes.

My next pick is of course Jessica Chastain in those oh so magnificent jewels. Chastain brought a little Elizabeth Taylor spirit to the red carpet in the form of the Bulgari deep blue sapphire pendant given to her in 1972 by Richard Burton, for her 40th birthday. Jessica paired it with the Bulgari Trombino ring, for the presentation of Cleopatra, digitally restored to mark the film's 50th anniversary.

Next is Ines de La Fressange in yet another serpent inspired piece; it is, after all, the year of the snake. The oriental-inspired white gold Boucheron Python bracelet was the perfect accessory to her Chanel Paris-Bombay dress. She also wore the label's Cinna Pampilles earrings to match her diamond-studded bracelet.

Another look I loved was Emma Watson's minimalistic and age appropriate simple pieces and black and white column dress. Known for her role in the Harry Potter series, Watson who took a good-girl-turned-bad role for the movie, ditched The Bling Ring’s skin-tight dresses and skyscraper heels to show her true Cannes colors in a Chanel haute couture gown from Spring/Summer 2013. To elevate the dress further, she reached for two of the Repossi house’s most coveted pieces, including the Berbère ring and a white gold and diamond multi-piercing earring.

Also in the earrings category is the wonderful star of Abdellatif Kechiche's Blue is the Warmest Color, Léa Seydoux. Lea chose a black Armani dress for the film's screening accessorized simply with a pair of magnificent 24 carat emerald Chopard earrings. Maybe they were a good luck charm because the film won the Palme D'Ore, the festival's highest honor.

Next up is emerging starlet Claire Julien who made her film debut alongside Emma Watson in Sophia Coppola's The Bling Ring. Claire walked the Cannes red carpet wearing a made to measure dress by Emilio Pucci. The dress' powder pink color went perfectly with the rose gold and diamond Allegra bracelet and Gypsy earrings, both by De Grisogono. Like Watson, she gets bonus points for keeping things modern and age appropriate.

Proving that age is really just a number, Jane Fonda killed it on the red carpet. Here she is in Chopard. For the red carpet for Jimmy P. the face of L'Oréal Paris Jane Fondawowed the crowds in her diamond necklace with incredible 123 carat ruby, from Chopard's Red Carpet collection. I'm not sure what's more amazing, Fonda or that crazy gemstone.

My last pick is red carpet legend Sharon Stone. For the screening of Behind the Candelabra, Stone wore a diamond and emerald necklace and earrings from the new De Grisogono collection, in honor of 20 years of the jewelry house. Her emerald and diamond pieces are just divine, and Stone, like Fonda, is further proof that age means nothing if you have style and grace.

So there you have it folks. It was exhaustive but I managed to bring to you the best of the best at Cannes. See you next year!

Love Always

Dani K

Cannes is almost coming to an end and it's official: Black and White, as in the trend, has won all of the awards. Considered the height of contrast, and the chicest of trends black and white, which has been gaining strength through the winter and spring, is not going anywhere. An answer to last year's bright colorblocked hues, the achromatic opposite is a perfect way to take your jewelry collection to the next level, and have more fashion forward pieces in your arsenal for the rest of the years holiday parties taking you all the way to the new year's festivities.

This year my favorite's in the black and white trend were Gatsby's Carey Mulligan, and Bling Ring star Emma Watson. The both brought the trend to the height of perfection and elegance. There were other notables as you can see here.

Designing jewels that are on trend, in addition to the classics I am known for, is a very important thing to me. I often do research and am in the know of all the latest fashion trends. I love moving forward, and I sincerely believe that staying ahead of the trends and looking towards the future is one of the main reasons for my success and rise to stardom.

For my black and white pieces I chose white agate and black diamonds. I have worked with these gems before, but never together until this year, and never with such a dramatic effect. Take a look at this fabulous "Cuore" pendant from my "Charmed" collection. The chain is in rose gold, which brings an unexpected femininity to the back and white

Below is my "Zebrine" statement ring also in white agate and black diamonds. For this piece I selected black gold for that bit of edge so true to the "Zebrine" pieces. As you can see, every detail in this piece has been very thought out. Even the back of the ring has an intricate design, which is not only beautiful but also functional at the same time. The geometric black gold web has a purpose, to hug the finger and to protect the white agate from impact. It also lets the finger breathe, as well as allows for the special shape that I have designed. Without this innovation, the ring would be just a fantasy, as it would not be able to hold itself or any of the diamond details.

As you know I always have something to say about the properties of all the gems I work with. Today is no different. As far as magical properties go, agate is the must have protection stone. It protects from stress, from bad dreams and is said to even protect children from danger. It enables the wearer to distinguish between false friends and true ones. It brings prosperity and creates an appreciation of nature.

Black diamonds are also a very special gem with its own set of magical properties. I have always loved the exotic magic and allure that black diamonds invoke, and I have worked with them for years in most of my collections, but, make no mistake. It's 2013, and black diamonds are definitely having a moment.

I love working on pieces solely made with black diamonds, but I also am very fond of using them as a complementary element in my designs, like I did with these pieces. Take for example the elegant white agate earrings above and below. Black is the perfect companion to any opaque gemstone, because it brings out the smooth nature that most opaques are coveted for, and adds the sparkle and shine element that keeps it interesting.

A lot of people worry that black diamonds won't be as valuable in the future or that they are too trendy. I say, together with the celestial white agate, that they are pure magic. Scientists even attribute to them extra terrestrial qualities because some of their geological material is only found in space and meteorites. They have even found that black diamonds were formed in a carbon rich supernovae explosion before the formation of the Solar System!

Hope this post helped you a bit with some ideas for summertime looks and of course presents. Everyone loves to receive a piece of jewelry and these beauties will not disappoint. Till next time.

Love Always
Dani K

Happy Friday my gems! For today's piece of the week, I actually have two pieces that make you roar with excitement. Without further ado here are my "Panthers in Love" rings in rose gold and white gold versions.

The beautiful rose gold version above is the first one, and come encrusted in diamonds, both champagne and white, with eyes of ruby to seal the deal. The white gold "Panthers in Love" is also detailed in champagne and white diamonds, and its eyes are also ravishing rubies.

This ravishing pair was inspired by one of my idols, the legendary House of Cartier, however, panthers have been in jewelry design longer that people think. When designing these pieces I researched the intriguing myth of the panther in different cultures and found that panthers are considered by most ancient cultures a symbol of ferocity and valor. The panther is also a symbol of femininity and motherhood, and is associated with the darkness of the moon.

Panthers have long been considered mythical creatures. Of all the panthers, probably the Black Panther has the greatest mysticism associated with it. It is the symbol for the life and power of the night. It is a symbol of the feminine energies manifest upon the earth. It is often a symbol of darkness, death, and rebirth from out of it.

When the Black Panther enters your life as a totem, or in this case a ring, it awakens the inner passions. This can manifest in unbridled expressions of baser powers and instincts, and it can also reflect an awakening of the kundalini, signaling a time of coming into or reclaiming one's own power.

All of this panther imagery is very powerful. I believe it does have an effect on the wearer, like a T-shirt or favorite pair of jeans that make you happy, and that is why I am inspired to work with different mythological creatures in my designs.

I have worked a lot with serpents in the past, and they continue to be one of my most popular pieces season after season. The panther is no different, and I believe it might even reach serpent levels of popularity. After all, it was the ever popular piece by Cartier made especially for Wallis Simpson that made this creature so popular, and since then, the world cannot get its fix. Here is a picture of her legendary panther bracelet, which has inspired countless pieces through the years, as well as these amazing rings.

My "Panthers in Love" rings are not my only pieces with feline inspiration. In the past I have created bracelets, and earrings too, which will be shown in an upcoming post. The panther theme has always been very special to me, and has always been an important inspiration through the years I've worked as a designer. In mythology, a panther signifies a beautiful woman fiercely guarding her young, so my "Panthers in Love" rings would actually be a great gift for a mother, or grandmother.

Nietzsche once said that "that which does not kill us makes us stronger." It is this same idea that is awakened in the lives of those who open up to the power of the panther, and in this case, carry it around with them in their jewels. Hope you enjoyed this post on panthers and their myths; I promise I will go into the subject a bit more when I continue with my feline inspiration.

Love Always

Dani K

Happy Monday my gems! Hope you spent your weekend having fun and enjoying some relaxing times. I had a great weekend, but of course it's Monday, so I'm back to work. Thanks to my new collection, the last couple of weeks have been very productive, and I have new pieces to share with you. Today I have a fabulous and fresh version of my super popular Papillon ring.

For this season's Papillon ring I tried something a little different. In this version the delicate butterfly wings are designed in rutilated quartz , a gem credited with the power to enhance one's understanding, increase self confidence, and aid in concentration and communication. Quartz is also very powerful and is known to amplify one's psychic energies because it emits an actual electrical charge. If that is not enough, it also aids in relaxing the body and the mind, as well as helping with anxiety.

Although the rutilated quartz wings are beautiful on their own, nothing could complement them better than the champagne and canary diamonds that I chose to surround them. If you look closely you can see my intricate design, which matches that of a true papillon. Diamonds are always beautiful, and add value to a piece of jewelry. They also add powerful mythology and history.

Throughout history diamonds have been known for their extraordinary strength. Most importantly they are associated with true love and eternal commitment. They are also said to bring courage and strength to the wearer, while bringing clarity and balance to the relationship.

One motif that appears historically in art and jewelry, and consistently in my designs is the butterfly. Yes, it is a beautiful creature, but I love it because it is also one of nature's biggest holder of lore and mysticism. When I design a piece it has to not only be stunning, it also has to have meaning. The suggestion of transformation behind the butterfly is a very powerful theme, and one I love to design around. My papillon ring for 2013 is the epitome of this belief.

For ages this natural wonder has symbolized faith, transition, resurection, lightnes, soul and celebration in many cultures. In China, a butterfly means a long life. In Japan they are symbolic of marital bliss, young love or young womanhood. Germans have a very cute myth for butterflies, as they are usually found fluttering about milk pails or butter (butterfly, get it?) churns. They associate them with witches or spirits coming to have some cream, while Greeks link butterflies directly to a person's soul.

Women in general go through many changes (teen years, college, motherhood), and I think that a butterfly amulet is the perfect accompaniment to any of them. This gorgeous and symbolic ring is meant to encapsulate just that, the incredible power a woman has for transformation and change. I like to imagine that a gift like this can be symbolic of a change in someone's life, much like the little caterpillar's journey.

From caterpillar, to egg, to larvae to cocoon, the butterfly emerges with it's new, delicate wings, in full, unfurling glory. The energy it takes to change, and her acceptance of this change, is what is most amazing about this creature and why I like to include it in my designs year after year.

Love Always
Dani K

I'm a total momma's girl, so this coming Mother's Day weekend is a special one for my mom and me. My relationship with my mother Marjorie Adum is very important because she is not just my mom, but also my mentor and inspiration.

I knew I was going to be a jewelry designer at a very young age partly due to all the time we spent together in her jewelry store, Marge, in Guayaquil, Ecuador. I learned so much from her, and even though we have special times together, I usually try to indulge my mother with something different on this festive day. On today's post I will show you some great gift ideas for every type of mom.

Classic Mom: If your mom is more Jackie O than Frida Kahlo, then a great choice for her would be pearls. You can either go for a traditional strand of pearls or a more modern interpretation of them. Either way, she will be thrilled to find any of these pieces in her jewelry box come Sunday morning.

The epitome of elegance:
Gorgeous convertible pearl necklace with rock crystal
and diamond pendant. Handmade in 18k yellow gold.

A reinvented classic:
black and white pearls go modern with black gold
and pink sapphires in this beautiful design from
my Wanderlust collection.

Fashion Mom: Always a trendsetter, this mom loves to be in style. Someone who loves fashion usually loves color and unique pieces. They also are a bit more daring and don't mind that their jewelry is a little more daring or even outrageous. If your momma is into fashion, I recommend a piece in a unique gemstone such as sliced diamonds which are hot right now.

Fabulous Papillon ring in 18kt yellow gold and
sliced diamond wings. His eyes are ruby and his body
is also made of sparkly diamonds.

Modern Mom: This is someone who appreciates a beautiful piece of jewelry but is not over the top. A piece with clean lines and a functional design is best. I like this set of beautiful earrings and ring from myWanderlust collection because they are the perfect marriage between function and form. Added bonus: these beautiful pieces can be worn alone or together creating a variety of looks for different occasions.

Sleek and chic:
Stunning black onyx earrings and ring, in rose gold,
diamonds and sapphires.

Edgy Mom: This type of mama reminds me of Angelina Jolie or Gwen Stefani. Edgy mom favors one of a kind pieces and original designs that are powerful and delicate at the same time. She shows her wild side with animal motifs and rock and roll inspired pieces and funky jewelry. If this describes your mom, I recommend this panther bracelet in 18kt pink gold and diamonds. Vavavavoom!

It's only rock and roll but I like it!
Loving this beautiful solid gold panther bracelet,
covered in diamonds, with ruby eyes, this piece
will enchant your edgiest mamacita.

If none of these describe your mom, or if you are a little confused, giving her a piece of your heart is a great way to go. This beautiful necklace below symbolizes love in a very intentional way. I designed it in Tiger's eye because it is a very versatile gemstone, suiting all skin tones and tastes.

A gift for every mom:
Gleaming diamonds surround this Tiger's eye heart,
which dangles exquisitely from a chain, handmade
in 18kt rose gold.

I hope this little guide has been helpful, at least in giving you an idea for a present. Like I said before my mother has been such a great guide for me in my business and in life, and I just don't know where I would be without her. Here's to all the mom's out there! Cheers and Happy Mother's Day!

Love Always
Dani K

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Glitz and Glamour Cannes 2013

Black and White: The Biggest Trend at Cannes

Movie of the Week: The Great Gatsby

The Power Of The Panther

Papillon 2013

Mother's Day Gift Guide 2013