In case you missed it, here’s what’s been on the blog recently. Monday, Sept. 5: September’s birthstone is sapphire and it comes in a rainbow of colors. Tuesday, Sept. 6: Love big diamonds? This is the wedding ring of your dreams. Wednesday, Sept. 7: Snake jewelry and signet rings have endured since ancient times. Friday,…
Jewelry
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…
Wendy Brandes Jewelry on National Jeweler
Thank you to Amanda Gizzi of National Jeweler for including my Cleves winged earrings in her post about black and gold jewelry! CLICK TO READ AMANDA’S STYLE FILE STORY. The earrings — inspired by Anne of Cleves, the fourth wife of Henry VIII — are onyx set in 18K yellow gold and accented with 41…
Wendy Brandes Rebel Jewelry on JCK Online
When I found out that JCK was looking for examples of jewelry with rebellious motifs, I hardly knew what to send in! I make a lot of jewelry with attitude. For instance … Finally, I narrowed it down to my silver middle finger emoji ring and my more recent 18K gold earrings celebrating 40 years…
Back to Work!
I took a couple of weeks off from this necklace design while my goldsmith was traveling, but now we’re back to work. That’s the labradorite feather carving that I got late last year, positioned on top of the sketch. Carved labradorite for a 2016 design #video #pretty #peacockcolors #labradorite #feather #mineral #jewelrydesign #jewelrydesigner #carving #oneofakind…
Katerina Perez Hearts New York (Jewelry)
Thank you to fine-jewelry expert Katerina Perez for including me in her “New York in Jewellery” post. CLICK HERE TO READ KATERINA’S POST ON NEW YORK-THEMED DESIGNS. In her introduction, Katerina describes how New York City inspires creative people of all kinds, including jewelers. “New York is a multi-faceted city, and has attracted creative types…
Everlasting Style: Snake Jewelry and Signet Rings
Thanks to the gorgeous Brittany Siminitz of JCK for including my 18K-yellow-gold Queen of Scots earrings in her post on the “everlasting allure” of snake jewelry. CLICK HERE TO READ THE JCK ARTICLE. “Everlasting” is the perfect word. The ancient Egyptians wore snake jewelry, and the double crown of the pharaohs included a representation of…
A Mind-Blowing Diamond Eternity Band
Every job has its peculiarities. For jewelry designers, one of those is the unexpected loaner. Last week, I met with a manufacturer who’d I seen in person maybe four times before. I came away with temporary custody of this amazing diamond eternity band. That’s what happens sometimes. You say, “Great ring,” and suddenly you’re wearing…
Jewel of the Month: September’s Birthstone, Sapphire
Most people think of sapphire — September’s birthstone — as a blue gem, but it comes in a range of colors. Pink is one of my favorites. In fact, I used 262 one-millimeter pink sapphires in my Pink Elephant and Tipsy Writer Maneater ring. Nevertheless, with sapphires in mind, I decided to wear blue for…
A Redesign for Amanda
Redesigning old jewelry is one of my favorite things to do. Why have pieces sitting in a drawer, unloved, when I can turn them into something you’ll want to wear every day? CLICK HERE FOR PREVIOUS REDESIGNS. I recently did a redesign for my gorgeous friend Amanda. Years ago, her grandmother gave her a small…