I’ve written plenty about my love of redesigning old jewelry — including engagement rings. Once in a while, I’ll redesign clothes, which is how I wound up in a completely redesigned outfit last Saturday. I didn’t get to take a proper outfit photo due to an uncharged camera, so we’ll have to make due with…
Jewelry
Official Portrait of My Black-Diamond Skull Medallion
In June, I shared photos of my “Carpe Diem” medallion — which boasts a 3-carat black diamond cut into the shape of a skull — but it’s worth taking another look now that expert jewelry photographer Ed Parrinello of SquareMoose has taken the official picture. Ed’s photo even shows the tiny ruby “tongue” in the…
Small Cats for Leo Season on 1stdibs; Week in Review
Leo season started last Sunday, and I’ve got the lion jewelry of your dreams. That said, big cats aren’t always better! Why not do something different and get some small-cat jewelry for a feline-loving Leo’s birthday? I’ve got designs inspired by my own beloved FitzRoy the cat on 1stdibs. Fitzy is Instagram-famous for sitting in…
Thirty-Five Years of Madonna Fandom
On July 27, 1983 — 35 years ago today — Madonna’s self-titled debut album was released, and I became an instant fan. I have a big video about Madonna that I’ll post next month, but to celebrate the album anniversary, here’s a little teaser in which I talk about choosing a Madonna concert over my…
Wednesday’s Video: My Wedding Band Has Gone AWOL
MrB and I celebrated our 17th anniversary on Sunday with a low-key local dinner. I wore a t-shirt and denim shorts rather than the Gareth Pugh outfit I wore for our previous two anniversaries. Another thing I wasn’t wearing was my chunky wedding band. Why? Because I lost my own damn ring! I always give…
Getting Introspective With 1stdibs
Thank you to writer Kareem Rashed for interviewing me for Introspective Magazine, the publication of online luxury marketplace 1stdibs! Kareem asked me and four other contemporary jewelry designers who sell on 1stdibs to pick a favorite antique piece from the site and talk about how that work inspires us. I chose this Art Nouveau tiara…
Throwback Thursday: Bastille Day Memories and Jewelry
Bastille Day was last Saturday, but I was home in New York, much to my chagrin. MrB and I spent the holiday in Paris in 2009, 2010, and 2011, and I still feel like Paris is where I’m supposed to be on Le Quatorze Juillet. For Throwback Thursday, here’s what I wore on my three…
Jewel of the Month: New Signet Ring Style
I’ve been designing signet rings since 2016, when I introduced my big “No Class” ring style. In 2017, I added smaller signet rings “for rebel women.” The little signets were designed to be worn as pinkie rings, but you can order them in any size through my website. A signet for every mood, for every…
Wendy Brandes Jewelry in Paper Magazine
Paper Magazine’s summer publication is its first-ever “Sports” issue, and I’m so excited to see one of my pieces in it! Interestingly, the design is NOT my solid gold Virginia Woolf Whistle. Stylist Shannon Stokes went a less literal route — which I like! — and used my 18K gold Queen of Scots snake tiara…
Bonus Jewel of the Month: A Fern for Jāņi
Happy Jāņi to all you Latvians out there … especially my gorgeous client Sandra, who is also celebrating her wedding anniversary with her dashing husband. For the edification of my non-Latvian readers, Jāņi is a holiday linked to the summer solstice. The actual solstice was on Thursday, but the holiday is officially celebrated during the…