Good Times at Metal & Smith

The Metal & Smith jewelry show took place on Monday, and a good time was had by all! If you’re looking for an event space in Manhattan, I recommend the Mercantile Annex: I love a modern-looking venue with a white floor and white walls. Great natural light too!

My right-hand woman Eryn and I introduced our industry friends to our giraffe-like new employee.

Ahead of the event, I had told Eryn to do whatever she wanted with the display. Seriously, I didn’t even glance at what she was ordering. But when I opened a package and saw an extremely long-necked bust, I was like, “Eryn, they got your order wrong and sent something weird!” Then she took a look at it and said, “That’s what I ordered.” I remained dubious for a couple of days but, as the song goes, I grew accustomed to her face. Or, in this case, her lack of face and excess of neck. We named her Diana and she seems pleased with any necklace we offer her.

It’s always nice to visit fellow designers and vendors at events like this, especially after the Champagne gets passed around. Eryn had a good time playing with the vintage and antique rings offered by Jewels by Grace. She’s wearing five of them alongside two of my designs in this photo.

If you’ve never mixed your vintage and modern jewelry — do it! Alyssa of the Jewelry Altar showed how fabulous that is when she snapped a photo of her vintage snake bracelet next to my Queen of Scots snake earrings.

Now, of course, I want to do a Queen of Scots snake bracelet to go with the earrings and matching necklace. I’ve been contemplating that concept for ages, but now it’s moved higher on my to-do list. I have a very long, mental to-do list of jewelry designs. No. I take that back: Most of my design ideas spend their time floating around my mind in no particular order. I envision it as a cloud formation. When I’m ready to do a new jewelry design, I pluck an idea out of the cloud. Other times, a design pops out of the cloud on its own after I see a friend’s bracelet, a stranger’s tattoo, or a beautiful opal. An interesting book, museum visit, or political situation can also cause me to rearrange my design priorities. I’m amused by how often the design that pops out is one that had been lurking so deeply inside the cloud that whenever I peeked at it, I thought, “Maybe I’ll get to that in a few years. Definitely not now.” Then, suddenly, that’s the design that is in the works. As to how concepts get into the design cloud in the first place — a lot of people asked about my inspirations on Monday — that’s for another post.

Anyway, back to Metal & Smith, where Jennifer Gandia of Greenwich St. Jewelers gave my hinged, barbed wire ring a workout.

Cool manicure, right? And yes, Jennifer, I can size that ring for your middle finger. Nudge, nudge.

It wouldn’t feel like a real jewelry event if jewelry expert Cheryl Kremkow didn’t stop by. In this photo from Metal & Smith‘s Instagram, you can how intensely Eryn feels about Diana’s long neck. I’m smiling because I was so happy to chat with Cheryl — also I might have four glasses of Champagne by then. (I like that Metal & Smith mentioned my long-lasting lipstick in the caption!)

Cheryl and I agreed to disagree about the massive ring party that Tracee Ellis Ross wore at the Golden Globes on Sunday. Ten rings were too many for Cheryl; meanwhile, I wished Tracee had squeezed in another full-finger ring (preferably designed by me). However, we both were impressed by how joyful Tracee looked that night, and that’s what it’s all about. Wear what you want! There’s no such thing as too much happiness!

Speaking of rings, the folks who came to the event got to try on a major new design of mine. You’ll see photos in a week or so. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook if you’re not already doing that. Sometimes I preview designs there before I put them on my website, and it’s first come, first served. All you have to do is email me at info at wendybrandes dot com, and you can get the latest design hot off the presses. Fresh out of the oven? Whatever! It’s new!

If you’re a retailer who didn’t make it to Metal & Smith, you can email the same address — info at wendybrandes dot com — to contact Eryn and learn about our new retail strategy. You’re going to love it.

UPDATED TO ADD: Thanks to Becky Stone of Diamonds in the Library for including my Marie Antoinette ring in her post on the event. She also took a video for Instagram.

I also need to shout out Amy Elliott of JCK for linking to my acorn locket here.