It can be a challenge for still photography to do justice to ultra-luxe jewelry, no matter how talented the photographer is (and, trust me, I work with incredibly talented photographers). That’s because limited-edition, wearable-art designs — the type of jewelry I make for my Wendy Brandes Gold collection — are more than pretty accessories meant…
gold
See the Chicken at Hummingbird
On Friday, I announced that 10 of my classic designs are available at Hummingbird Jewelers in Rhinebeck, N.Y., over the holidays. You can see them all in the front window there. The second of the three layered necklaces in the back is my chicken-in-egg locket in 18K yellow gold and blackened silver. I’ve shared this…
Here Comes the Bride!
Woot! We’ve got the official photos of our beautiful bride, Alyssa Brownell, wearing my 18K gold snake tiara as her “something borrowed” at her wedding last month in Manhattan. These were taken by my own wedding photographer, Bill Fredericks, for Heathwood Photography. In addition to the tiara, Alyssa wore my Cleves swan earrings in 18K…
Jewel of the Month: Queen of Scots Snake Ring
June’s Jewel of the Month is my Queen of Scots snake ring … … and if you don’t know why I associate Mary Queen of Scots with a snake, watch my new YouTube video to find out. I figured it was time to do a jewelry video after four weeks of talking about vintage clothes. My…
I Agree With Pantone: Let’s Do Lapis!
This week, the color experts at Pantone released its picks for the 10 top colors for spring 2017. I’m most excited about Lapis Blue, because lapis lazuli is one of my favorite gems. I’ve loved lapis ever since I went to see the blockbuster King Tut museum exhibition in the 1970s and saw Tut’s solid-gold…
Interview: May Is Gold Month
Thanks to the lovely people at May Is Gold Month for interviewing me for their blog! Click on over to read about my first pieces of gold jewelry; the essential gold jewelry styles; and my signature gold look. CLICK HERE TO READ THE INTERVIEW.
Jewel of the Month: Jonah and the Whale “Maneater” Ring
I introduced my “Maneater” collection in January with my Frog and Prince ring. For that design, I created an 18K-rose-gold frog perched on an 18K-yellow-gold branch … … and I hid an 18K-white-gold prince inside the band. I’m all about secret details and covert luxury. When I unveiled the frog ring on the blog, I…
Gold-Chain Sticker Shock Strikes Again
The price of gold has more than tripled since I started my first jewelry business in 2005. If you have questions about why gold costs what it costs, I have answers for you in these posts: Get Smart (About the Price of Gold) Get Smart (About the Price of Gold), Part II If those posts…
Why I Love Gold
I don’t love the high price of gold, but I just can’t quit that metal. It’s a beautiful color, of course, but it also malleable and resistant to tarnish and corrosion. That makes it good for complicated mechanical jewelry (as well dentistry). As I’ve said before, my signature Wendy Brandes jewelry line is inspired by…
“Silver to the Third Power” Manicure by Tracylee Percival
Celebrity manicurist Tracylee Percival and I always name the manicures she gives me, and this one is called “Silver to the Third Power.” Tracylee’s concept was silver on silver on silver. The bottom layer is a gunmetal Minx application. She covered that with clear, long-lasting nail gel, then sprinkled silver glitter on. Finally, she added…