DANIELLA KRONFLE

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

Glitz and Glamour Cannes 2013

Black and White: The Biggest Trend at Cannes