Gem Cutting History: Early Renaissance Gem Cutters

Italian & Flemish Renaissance Lapidary Gem Cutters

Article Copyright © 2012 AllAboutGemstones.com

Perhaps the most significant Renaissance cutter of precious gemstones during the late 15th century was Giovanni delle Corniole (c. 1470 - c. 1516), who studied his craft in Florence, by emulating the detailed gemstone engravings of the Medici family's 'Grand Ducal' art collections[2].

15th century Genoese gem-engraver Giacomo Tagliacarne is also credited with being one of the founders of Italian Renaissance gem-cutting, having tutored Pier (Pietro) Maria Serbaldi da Pescia (c. 1455 - c. 1522) who became a master gem engraver and jeweler in his own right. Serbaldi eventually went to Rome under the patronage of Pope Leo X [3], befriending fellow Renaissance artist, Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni.

Within the main Facade of the Kunsthistorisches Art History Museum in Vienna, Austria, there are several Metopes or relief-carvings of famous Renaissance artists. The Metope of gem-cutter Giacomo Tagliacarne (above, left) is from the early 16th century. Painter, architect and documentarian, Giorgio Vasari included Giacomo Tagliacarne in his biography "Lives of the Artists" (above, right) and credited him with being on a par with the 'ancient masters' in terms of style and technique. Vasari notes that Giovanni delle Corniole (above, middle), was also an incomparable Renaissance gem-cutter of the period.

Vetri Domenico (di Polo di Angelo) de' Domenico di Polo (c. 1480 - c. 1547) was another notable Italian gem-engraver of the period. Vasari documented that he was a disciple of Giovanni delle Corniole, and it is known that he studied his craft with Pier Maria Serbaldi da Pescia, whose atelier he joined in 1501. Vetri Domenico spent most of his career as court medallist for Alessandro de' Medici from 1510 to 1537.

Image (left): Diamant Museum Brugge

The principle of 'absolute symmetry' used in the placement of facets, was introduced by a Flemish stone-cutter from Bruges, Belgium, named Lodewyk (Louis) van Berquem in 1475 [7]. His advancements in faceting symmetry produced the pear-shaped "Pendeloque" or "Briolette" cut (below, left), but the pendeloque was not commercially viable due to the insufficient fire, brilliance, or 'play of light' from the stone, and the large amount of waste in the cutting process.

During the 15th century a new type of cut known as the "Rose" or "Rosette" was introduced (below, center). The Rosette was a popular cut for over a century due to the higher amount ofbrilliance it produced when compared with the Pendeloque cut and the reduction in the loss of weight in the cutting process. The drawback was that the stone needed to be cut thick in order to reduce light loss and this cut did not produce sufficient fire. These limitations lead to the invention of the "Mazarin" or "Brilliant" cut in the mid-1600s.

Early variations of the "Brilliant" cut were first introduced in the 17th century and are largely credited to Jules Cardinal Mazarin (Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino) (1602 - 1661). The first brilliants were known as "Mazarins" (above, center) and were called "Double-Cut Brilliants." These Double-Cut Brilliants had 17 facets on the crown. A 17th century Venetian polisher named Vincent Peruzzi introduced the "Triple-Cut Brilliant" or "Peruzzi Cut" (above, right) by doubling the number of crown facets from 17 to 33.

Copyright © 2012 AllAboutGemstones.com. All rights reserved.

You can also find me at: https://www.facebook.com/JustFabMe

https://twitter.com/JustFabulousMe

https://justfabulousme.kitsylane.com/join/yLhVyQv

Thank you AllAboutGemstones for this article.

Designer Spotlight: Jenny Bird

Rising designer Jenny Bird delights in indie-luxe style: that oh-so-rare gem where art, soul, and innovative design meet expert, yet affordable craftsmanship.

The result? A jewelry line that boasts a distinct personality and gives any style mood a unique flourish.

You can also find me at: http://www.facebook.com/JustFabMe

http://twitter.com/JustFabulousMe

http://justfabulousme.kitsylane.com/join/yLhVyQv

Thank you The Style Hub at Kitsylane.

Navajo Silversmith History

Despite their inherent love of ornamentation and jewelry, the Indians of the Southwest did not learn to Silversmith until the latter part of the 19th century.
Before that they acquired the few Silver ornaments they owned through trade with Hispanic settlers and neighbouring Plains Indians. The Plains people had acquired their Silver in trade with English, French and American Trappers. The photo above is of Navajo Mountain located in the west-central part of the Navajo Nation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the first Native American Indian metal smiths was a Navajo known as Atsidi Sani who learned to form black metal from a Mexican blacksmith living in the New Mexico territory, about 1850. About 1865, Atisi was introduced to Silversmithing and thus Navajo Silversmithing began.

Henry Dodge moved to a house near Fort Defiance and married a Navajo woman. Dodge brought with him a blacksmith and a Mexican Silversmith. Years later, after the Navajos were released from their five-year confinement at Fort Sumner, (Bosque Redondo), Atsidi Sani came to the Indian agency to observe the two Silversmiths at work and refine his primitive Navajo Silver skills.

Atsidi Sani taught his four sons to become Navajo Silversmiths and they, in turn, taught others. Later, in the 1880s, J.L. Hubbell hired several Mexican Silversmiths to teach the craft to Navajos at his Trading Post in Ganado, Arizona. The Navajo Silversmiths learned to cast Silver in sandstone or tufa as well as produce hand-hammered work.

Above is a photo of Hubbel Trading Post from the early 1900's. To the right is an example of a Navajo Silver sandcast bracelet.

Turquoise, a traditional favourite of the Navajos, began to be combined with Silver work in the 1880s. J.L. Hubbell capitalized on its popularity by importing Persian Turquoise for trade to the Navajos and to be incorporated into Navajo Silver. Eventually, the local supply of Turquoise increased as more mines were opened in America. The photo below on the left is another example of a sandcasted piece made by a Navajo Silversmith and the piece on the bottom right is a hand hammered concho, also made by a Navajo Silversmith.

Originally, Navajo Silversmiths made Silver Jewelry for themselves or for other Indians. After 1900, Navajo Silversmiths began creating Native American Indian
Jewelry for commercial consumption as well which was promoted by anglo Indian Traders. The availability of Turquoise and Silver, together with better Silver working tools, enabled the Navajo Silversmiths to supply the growing market among Indian Traders and Tourists who were arriving in droves by railroad to visit the Southwest. The entry of women into the craft was another measure of its rapid commercialisation. Although Navajo Silversmithing had been practiced only by men, Navajo women had begun working the metal by 1918 and began to make beautiful Native American Turquoise Jewelry as well.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
American coins were the primary source of Silver for Jewelry until 1890, after which defacing a U.S. coin was outlawed. Mexican pesos were substituted until 1930 when their export to the American Southwest was forbidden. Sterling Silver ingots with a slightly purer Silver content replaced the coins. In the 1930s, sterling Silver in convenient sheets and wire forms became increasingly available from Indian Traders. Today, the majority of Indian jewelry is still made using Sterling Silver sheet and wire.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Zuni History - Metalworking had a different history among the Zuni. In about 1830, the Zuni learned to work with copper and brass salvaged from old kettles. They did not begin Silver crafting until four decades later. Around 1872, the Navajo Silversmith Atsidi Chon, who traded frequently with the Zuni for livestock, taught a Zuni blacksmith named Lanyade the skill of Silversmithing. Much of the earliest Zuni Silver jewelry was essentially identical to Navajo work. 

Early Zuni pieces were plain, hand-wrought Silver occasionally decorated with simple die-stamping or rocker engraving. Around 1890 they began to include Turquoise in their work, as had their Navajo neighbours. Until about 1920, the Zuni fashioned jewelry primarily for themselves and other native peoples. By 1930, the Zuni were creating much of their jewelry for tourists. Within ten years, jewelry making had become a major source or revenue.

The emphasis on small stone work and inlay Turquoise work began to emerge in the 1920s, developing partly from a revival of prehistoric designs. Today, this style of jewelry, needlepoint, petit point, and inlay is most strongly associated with the Zuni Jewelry making tradition.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hopi History - Hopi Silversmithing is of a more recent vintage than Navajo or Zuni. Early Hopi Jewelry was made from natural materials, Turquoise, shell, wood, and seeds. Silver working was introduced to the Hopi around 1890 when the Zuni Silversmith Lanyard began to trade some of his Silver Jewelry among the Hopi, apparently in return for hand-woven native cotton textiles. 

Lanyade eventually taught his craft to a Hopi named Sikyatala. Early hand wrought Silver beads, rings, and bracelets made by the Hopi are virtually indistinguishable from those made by Zuni and Navajo Silversmiths. Some Hopi created cast Silver work, as well. But it was not until the 1930s that a distinctive Hopi style emerged, and it developed only with non-native encouragement.

In 1938 Dr. Harold Colton and his wife Mary Russell Colton of the Museum of Northern Arizona initiated a project encouraging Hopi Silversmiths to create a unique type of Silver Jewelry that would be instantly recognized as Hopi. As a result, Silver overlay, is today the most widely recognized type of Hopi Silver work. Using designs drawn from traditional pottery, textiles and baskets, Hopi Silversmiths soldered together two sheets of Silver after cutting out designs in the top layer so that the under layer is visible. The under layer is blackened or oxidized and usually textured with chisel marks or stamp work. Turquoise, coral, and other materials occasionally have been set in Hopi overlay Jewelry, but for the most part, the elegant Silver overlay has stood alone.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Through the 20th century, Southwestern Indian jewelry gradually diverged into clearly recognizable styles associated with Navajo, Zuni, Hopi and Rio Grande Pueblos. Today, these distinctions have again begun to blur as native artisans, inspired by pioneering artists like Charles Loloma, James Little, Lee Yazzie and Preston Monongye, redefine the tradition and move toward a contemporary, more universal style of "new Indian Jewelry."

Thank you Durango Silver Company for this article.

The History of Jewelry: Jewellery of Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia, Sumeria & Babylonia

Article Copyright © 2012 AllAboutGemstones.com

Considered to be one of the cradles of civilization, the Mesopotamian, or "Sumerian" culture flourished from the pre-pottery Neolithic (Hassuan) period of around 8,000 BCE, through the Late Bronze Age of around 1,200 BCE. Mesopotamian civilization relied on the life-giving rainfall of the region's "Fertile Crescent," and by the Ubaid period, around 5,000 BCE, village settlements began to spring up near the mouth of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, in present-day southern Iraq.

The first great city of the Sumerian culture was Eridu (present-day Tell Abu Shahrain, Iraq), which may have been founded as early as 5,400 BCE. Until recently, it was believed that the Sumerians developed the first written language [6], but this is now being attributed to the ancient Egyptians. After a long succession of ruling dynasties beginning with the First Dynasty of Kish, and ending with the Third Dynasty of Uruk, the first great empire arose in the land of Sumer. The Akkadian Empire was founded by Sargon of Akkad (aka: Sargon I, Sargon the Great) who ruled from 2270 to 2215 BCE.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon c. 16th century

Towards the end of the Akkadian Empire, king Ur-Nammu (2112—2095 BCE) ushered in the 3rd dynasty of Ur (aka: Ur III, or the "Sumerian Renaissance"), and a complex network of trade developed around the city of Ur. After the fall of Ur III, greater Mesopotamia was ruled by the Amorites (1953-1730 BC), then by the Babylonian Empire (1728—1686 BC) which ruled the lower Mesopotamian marshlands between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (Babylon), and the Assyrians who ruled upper Mesopotamia from the city of Assur along the Upper Tigris river near Anatolia. In around 1180 BC, the Assyrians were conquered by the Hittites, who had ruled the Central Anatolian plateau since the 18th century BC, but to the south, Babylonia continued to flourish.

Assyria and the Gold of Nimrud

Perhaps one the greatest surviving treasure-troves of ancient jewelry and artifacts is the so-called "Gold of Nimrud," or Nimroud, which was found in the tombs and throne-room of the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II at Nimrud. The Nimrud complex was situated to the south of the ancient Assyria capital of Nineveh (modern-day Mosul, Iraq), along the Tigris river. Although the ruins at Nimrud was discovered in 1848 by a British archeologist named by Sir Austen Henry Layard, the treasures that were hidden beneath the ruins lay undisturbed until 1988, when an Iraqi archaeologist named Muzahim Mahmud noticed that floor tiles within the ruins had been relaid at some point in the distant past.

In terms of their sheer volume and wealth, the treasure hoard at Nimrud has been compared to that of Egytian king Tutankhamen. Astonishingly, these treasures were also overlooked by the ancient Medes and Scythians, who had sacked the Nimrud palace in 612 BC.

Painting of Nimrud by Austen Henry Layard (left), Portal Guardian from Nimroud (right)

In one tomb alone, there were over 450 items of gold and silver jewelry weighing around 22.5 kilograms! These included a single gold crown and diadem, 14 amulets, 79 earrings, 90 necklaces, 30 rings, and 15 gold or rock-crystal vessels. The Nimrud treasures were on display in the Assyrian galleries of the Iraqi Museum in Baghdad until 2003, when the museum was looted during the Iraq invasion. Some of the treasures were spirited off to wealthy collectors in Europe, but many of the items were hidden for safe keeping, and are now on display as part of the touring "Gold of Nimrud" exhibit [14, 15].

Many historians believe that the great Akkadian emperor Sargon of Akkad was the inspiration for the mythical figure Nimrod, who was a Mesopotamian monarch mentioned in the Book of Genesis. Nimrod, who's name is derived from the Hebrew word marad, meaning "rebel," was credited for constructing the "Tower of Babel" [16], which was an ancient ziggurat, or man-made "mountaintop" with a temple at its peak.

Babylonia

The city of Babylon was transformed into one of the "seven wonders of the ancient world" under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar II (c. 630—562 BC) from the Chaldean Dynasty. The city became famous for the "Hanging Gardens of Babylon," shown in the speculative 16th century engraving by Dutch artist Martin Heemskerck (above, right). The city made for a tempting target, and in 539 BC, Babylon was conquered by the Achaemenid Empire under Cyrus the Great, who breached the city's fortified walls and its infamous Ishtar Gate. Under the Persian king Darius the Great, Babylon became the capital city of the 9th Satrapy of Persia.

Mesopotamian Jewelry

Mesopotamian jewelry was constructed from bronze, gold, silver, and the natural alloy known as electrum, which was imported from Lydia (Anatolia). Exotic gemstones such as agate,chalcedony, carnelian, jasper, onyx, lapis lazuli, and sardonyx were not locally produced [3], and had to be imported from such far-away lands as Anatolia, Egypt, and Persia (Iran and Afghanistan). Jewelry production extended from the cities of Akkad and Assur in Assyria, to the Babylonian cities of Nineveh, Sumer, and Ur.

Sargon I of Akkad, aka Nimrod? (left) c. 2300 BC

Lion from Babylon's Ishtar Gate reconstruction

Raw materials such as ivory, lapis lazuli and exotic hardwoods, as well as carved carnelianbeads were also purchased from Harappan merchants who sailed over 1,500 miles from the Indus Valley [4].

Jewelry in Mesopotamia was worn liberally by both women and men, and popular items included multi-strand necklaces of carnelian and lapis (photos below), gold earrings, hair ribbons made from thin gold leaf, ankle bracelets, silver hair rings, gold medallion pendants with elaborate filigree, signet rings, cylinder seals, and amulets.

Mesopotamian Jewelry - Metropolitan Museum of Art

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Popular jewelry design motifs in Mesopotamian included leaves, twigs and bunches of grapes, or cone and spiral shaped objects and pendants. Jewelry craftsmen employed a wide variety of metalworking techniques such as cloisonné enameling, engraving, granulation (later history), filigree and repoussé. Jewelry was made for human use, as well as for adorning statues and idols.

The Babylonian cylinder seal was a type of signet stone that was one to three inches long, and carved with an elaborate intaglio design that depicted both mythical scenes, and a unique personal signature [8]. Text was in cuneiform which was the written language of the Sumerian, Akkadian and Elamite cultures. These cylinder seals were typically made fromchalcedony, jasper, serpentine or soapstone. These cylinders were used to mark/seal shipments that were destined for some distant land along the ancient Silk Road.

The use of signets or personal seal-stones may have also been responsible for creating the art of gem-carving known as "glyptic art." Glyptic carvings were used on ring-stones which were worn by men, women and children. The ancient lapidary would use emery fragments or flint to carve softer stones, and rotary tools driven by a bow were used on harder materials.

Jewelry was buried along with its male or female owner, and in the Royal tombs at Ur an extensive amount of jewelry was uncovered in the graves of both noblemen and noblewomen.

The Mitanni

The Mitanni and Hurri were two of several minor kingdoms that were founded by the Indo-Iranians in Mesopotamia and Syria. These Indo-Iranian empires were centered in northern Mesopotamia, and flourished from about 1500 BC to 1360 BC. The Indo-Iranians were probably members of Aryan tribes that later settled in the Indus Valley, but they broke off and migrated to Mesopotamia where they settled among the Hurrian peoples becoming the ruling noble class, called the maryannu.

The Phoenicians

The Phœnician civilization was a maritime trading culture whose influence spread across the eastern Mediterranean between 1550 BC and 300 BC. The Phoenicians were based in Canaan, in the city-states of Tyre (modern-day Lebanon and Israel), and Sidon (modern-day Syria).

The name "Phœnicia" was derived from the Latin word punicus, and the Greek word phoînix, for the purple dyes they manufactured. They were particularly well known for their highly-prized Tyrian purple dye (aka: royal purple, imperial purple), and indigo dye (aka: royal blue or hyacinth purple), which were made from the glandular secretions of a predatory sea snail (gastropod) known as Haustellum brandaris (Murex brandaris).

Phoenician traders would deal in exotic gems and materials that were imported from Asia Minor and the Orient, via the Silk Road. The Phoenician culture was known for the art ofgranulation which they learned from the Etruscans. The Phoenicians were also known for their interesting glass beadwork motifs, sometimes taking the form of a simple mosaic, and sometimes taking the form of whimsical bearded seafarers. In fact, the Phoenicians may have been the first culture to develop the technique of glass core-forming. It was in this region that the technique of glass-blowing may have been invented during the 1st century BC.

Copyright © 2012 AllAboutGemstones.com. All rights reserved.

You can also find me at: http://www.facebook.com/JustFabMe

http://twitter.com/JustFabulousMe

http://justfabulousme.kitsylane.com

Thank you AllAboutGemstones and YouTube.

9 Famous Jewels from the Movies

Posted By Christina in 

Famous Diamonds

Whether they be real, items of legend, or completely fictitious, jewels from the movies are definitely “the stuff that dreams are made of”. With story arches, background, and in some cases almost a personality all their own, these so called “props” could easily be seen as characters themselves.

Spoiler Alert: “The Maltese Falcon”, “Titanic”, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (The Sorcerer’s Stone), “Romancing the Stone”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “The Dark Crystal”, and “Blood Diamond” plot revealed.

The Maltese Falcon – Several centuries ago, the Knights of Malta would send an annual gift to the king of Spain as tribute for allowing them the use of his land, the Isle of Malta. In the year 1539, the Knights of Malta sent tribute in the form of a jewel-encrusted gold falcon. Unfortunately, en route to Spain, the ship carrying the statue was seized by pirates and the priceless treasure disappeared. In the film “The Maltese Falcon”, detective Sam Spade, played by Humphrey Bogart, must discover the mystery of the falcon as he becomes entwined with a group of veritable thieves who have been on the falcon’s trail for years. In the real world, the falcon is believed to be based on the “Kniphausen Hawk ” a ceremonial pouring vessel made in 1697 for Count Kniphausen.

The Heart of the Ocean – Premiering in 1997’s Titanic, the “Heart of the Ocean” is a large, blue diamond necklace. The diamond itself is said to be from a ring worn by King Louis XVI of France before he was executed. In the film Titanic, it is the diamond that treasure hunter Brock Lovett is searching for when he uncovers the nude sketch of Rose Dukater. When Rose is found to still be alive, she recounts the story of her voyage on the RMS Titanic. The “Heart of the Ocean” had been purchased by Rose’s fiancée, Caledon Hockley as a gift for her. In the end it is revealed that the diamond did not go down with the ship, Rose has had it all this time. The “Heart of the Ocean” is actually based on the “Hope Diamond” a 45.52 carat blue diamond that was part of a larger French crown jewel known as “Tavernier Blue” or “French Blue”. It is currently housed at the Smithsonian.

The Philosopher’s Stone – Sought by Harry Potter in the story that began the series, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”, a.k.a. “The Sorcerer’s Stone” for American audiences, the philosophers stone is an item of legend dating back to the middle ages. The stone was said to have the ability to purify any metal into gold as well as purify any mortal human into an immortal being. In Harry Potter, the dreaded Voldemort seeks the stone in order to regain a physical form in the mortal world. In the end though, Harry Potter defeats his foe and Albus Dumbledore takes the stone away to never be seen again.

Kryptonite – Otherworldly, rarely cut, but indeed a crystal, Kryptonite is the famous weakness of Superman. Depending on its color, kryptonite can do anything from weaken Superman, to alter his personality, to strip him of his powers. Kryptonite first appeared in the Superman radio series in 1943 and moved to the comic books in 1949. As time progressed, the material’s appearance in storylines, along with its physical abundance in the Superman lore, grew to the point where nearly every common street thug had a stash of kryptonite somewhere just in case Superman came flying by. As it stands now, the amount of Kyptonite physically present in the Detective Comics universe has grown and been shrunk several times. In 1971 a story had most of the earth’s Kryptonite turn into iron. Then in the 80’s, after it had regrown, the amount was reduced to one apple-sized piece that had arrived with Superman as a child. Recently, however, several tons of Kryptonite have again crashed onto Earth beginning the cycle again.

The Pink Panther – First appearing in 1963, the large pink diamond known as “The Pink Panther” has had ten films made in its series. The diamond gets its name partially due to its color, but also because of an imperfection inside the gem that resembles a panther when viewed closely. Ironically, “The Pink Panther Diamond” itself has only appeared in half of the films in its series. The mainstay of the franchise is Detective Jacques Clouseau or his son. Doubly ironic, the film series was developed not as a serial for the diamond or Clouseau, but for the character Sir Charles Lytton. Clouseau’s character was so popular that he ultimately took over. The Pink Panther series continues to be developed to this day, with another film scheduled for release in a couple years.

El Corazon – “The stone” in the 1984 film, “Romancing the Stone” A send-up of romance novels, “Romancing the Stone” is the story of a romance writer, Joan Wilder, who finds herself living an adventure that closely resembles the stories she writes in her own novels. Charged with returning a treasure map to free her kidnapped sister in Columbia, Joan ends up teaming with adventurer Jack T. Colton and going after the treasure herself, so the map will be worthless when she and Jack turn it over. The treasure turns out to be “El Corazon”, an emerald the size of a fist. The jewel is the object of desire for several unruly characters who Joan and Jack must outwit if they are to keep the treasure, the most unruly being an emerald-hungry crocodile.

The Sankara Stones – “Fotune and glory, kid… fortune and glory.” The Sankara Stones, are the relics Indiana Jones quests for in the prequel to “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ”. When Indiana Jones arrive in a desolate Indian village, he finds the villagers starving and their children missing. The village elders explain that a mystic relic that protected the village was stolen along with their children by a malicious cult. The relic was one of the Sankara Stones, mystic Siva lingam stones containing diamonds. When the stones are brought together the diamonds within them glow. Heading to Pankot Palace, Indy discovers an evil cult who have gathered three of the five Sankara Stones and are using children they kidnapped to mine for the hidden remaining two. Fighting the cult, Indiana Jones strives to free the children and regain the village’s stone, but as with the other Indiana Jones films, it is the relic itself that ultimately saves Indy.

The Dark Crystal – On the planet Thra, the Crystal of Truth is the focal point of all things. A thousand years ago, when a shard of the crystal was broken off, the crystal was rendered incomplete and became “The Dark Crystal”. At that moment, the world’s protectors, the UrSkeks split into dual beings, one being benevolent mystics, the other, belligerent overlords, who took control of the planet. It was prophesized, however, that when the world’s three suns aligned (an event that wouldn’t happen for a thousand years) the missing shard would be returned to the crystal, thus restoring the Crystal of Truth, the UrSkeks, and the world itself that had fallen into darkness. While the original film, “The Dark Crystal” was released over 25 years ago, a sequel is now in the works along with a manga comic book, video game, and other products tied to the franchise.

Blood Diamond – Blood diamonds are diamonds mined, often by slave labor, in African war zones and then sold to finance those wars. In the film “Blood Diamond”, a Mende fisherman named Solomon Vandy is kidnapped with his son and forced to work in a diamond field while his son is brainwashed into joining the group who kidnapped them. Working in the fields, Solomon discovers a rare pink diamond easily worth millions. Shortly after discovering it, the diamond field is attacked and Solomon is able to hide the gem before he is captured. Solomon ultimately uses his knowledge of the gem’s location to obtain his release, reunite with his son, and reacquire the diamond itself. This is not without sacrifice, however, as many die on Solomon’s journey, and Solomon himself is driven to perform acts even he did not think he was capable of. Reunited with his son and the diamond, Solomon uses his newfound wealth to protect his family and make the world aware of the blood diamond trade happening in his beloved Africa.

It is ironic that while these items may have started their existence as props, the very fame they gained from their movies has often garnered them a value rivaling what they would be worth if they were genuine. The Maltese Falcon prop was sold at auction in 1994 for $398,500. The real falcon props are valued in the millions. After the film “Titanic” was released, several jewelry manufactures producers replica versions of the “Heart of the Ocean”, the most genuine being made by jewelers Asprey & Garrad. Their necklace featured a 170 carat heart shaped sapphire and 65 diamonds. Celine Dion wore it to the 1998 Academy Awards and later became its owner when her husband bought it for her at a charity auction for $2.2 million. Truly “the stuff that dreams are made of”.

You can also find me at: https://www.facebook.com/JustFabMe

https://twitter.com/JustFabulousMe

Designer: Debra Shepard

Debra Shepard is a pioneer in the modern jewelry world for designing an earring that requires no backing (yes, you can lose that stash of erasers in your fashion-fix-it kit). We love her lightweight yet dramatic designs that dazzle and command attention in every light - and so does Hollywood!

You have such a large celebrity following. How do you continue to design for the everyday woman?
Most of the designs spotted on celebs like Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Hilary Duff, and Fergie were initially created as one-of-a-kind or limited edition 24K gold designs. Today, I’m excited to offer both sterling silver and gold vermeil jewelry styled after my most popular celebrity designs.

How do you want women to feel when they wear your pieces?
I want women to feel pretty, playful, and feminine – with a genuine sense of ease and comfort. When I can make that happen, I know I’m on the right path.

Where do you find your inspiration?
My inspiration comes from the process of design itself. I love to surround my workspace with the colors, shapes, and textures of nature. I manipulate these natural elements to achieve new perspectives and insight.

What inspired you to pioneer a new style of earring?
I was convinced earrings could be designed without post backings in a way that would make them lighter and more comfortable.  But I also wanted earrings that would inspire a sense of playfulness and fun. So I attached a thin strand of sterling silver chain to the end of an earring post, then threaded the post and chain through three piercings in my right ear. Then I thought, “I’m on to something…”

How do threader earrings stay on?
With all threader earring purchases, we provide complimentary hypoallergenic, surgical silicone O-stop backs. To keep your threader earring in place, slide the O-stop onto the bottom of the earring post or slide further onto the chain at the length you want your threader earrings to rest. The O-stop will keep your threader earrings secure, however, many people wear our threader earrings without backs.

You can also find me at: http://www.facebook.com/JustFabMe

http://twitter.com/JustFabulousMe

You can also me at: http://justfabulousme.kitsylane.com

Thank you to the The Style Hub

In The Spotlight: Karine Sultan

Karine Sultan is an esteemed French artist and a go-to for Hollywood stylists. Her line, Karine Sultan Paris, is the result of a remarkable 20-year journey in creative jewelry design and craftsmanship. Now living in L.A., Karine designs for women of all ages. What we love? Her timeless manipulation of basic metals. Distressed, twisted, hammered, cutout... each piece is truly unique. 

Here, Karine shares a bit of the mystery behind her designs.

Where do you find your design inspiration?
My design is a reflection of what I feel and experience. It might start with a simple bracelet that anybody could find anywhere. After spending some time just looking at objects, clothes, or even people surrounding me, I turn my inspiration into shape.

What prompted your move from the high-style Paris scene?
I had the opportunity to open my first US boutique. And L.A. has a style reputation of its own – the beautiful and interesting architecture, the culture, and most importantly the people of the West Coast, have definitely influenced my design style – organic elegance.

You can also find me at: http://www.facebook.com/JustFabMe

http://twitter.com/JustFabulousMe

You can also me at: http://justfabulousme.kitsylane.com

Thank you to the The Style Hub