Because of the soaring prices of gold and silver, many jewelers are using less metal in their work. That means a knuckleduster-size ring feels surprisingly light considering how big it looks. My jewelry has always been about heft, because I like the feel — not just the appearance — of luxury. I have pieces that…
rings
Jewel of the Month: Hashtag Ring for #peoplewhotweet
Are you #addictedtoTwitter? Show your love by wearing my sterling-silver hashtag ring. Originally, the hashtag ring was only available as part of my four-ring swear-ring set, but due to popular demand, I’ve given it a solo role. (Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter at @WendyBrandes.) The swear-ring set previously led to two other designs:…
What Wendy Wore This Weekend: Celebrating the Undead
Once again, I’m thankful that gorgeous blogger and bossypants Jennine from The Coveted told me last year to post more outfit pictures. It comes in handy when I’m working on a couple of complicated posts only to realize it’s Monday and I’ve got nothing ready for publication. But wait! I wore something! Instant post. I…
Let Your Fingers Do the Walking on Instagram
Here is my latest nail look by celebrity manicurist Tracylee Percival. We’re calling this one “Tutti Frutti.” The colors are all by Gelish. Starting at the thumb, they are Tiger Blossom, Passion, Gossip Girl, High Bridge and Light Elegant. I’m wearing my own ring designs: the Siobhan perma-stacked stacking ring and the Gravity. Last year,…
Jewel of the Month: Cleves Swan-Wing Earrings
In 2007, I proved that Anne of Cleves, the fourth wife of Henry VIII, was a damn genius. Geniuses are very inspiring, so I created an 18K gold and onyx necklace in Anne’s honor. The necklace features a swan because Anne was born in Schwanenburg (Swan Castle). I was so taken with my Cleves swan…
Beautifully Invisible, the Vampire Diana Ring and True Blood
I love it when my gorgeous clients take beautiful pictures of their new WendyB jewelry. Blogger Beautifully Invisible always amazes me with her photos, thanks to the quality of the photography as well as her lovely hands. I put her picture of my swear rings on my website a while ago. Beautifully Invisible recently purchased…
Making a Spectacle of Myself
I’ve resisted getting reading glasses for a couple of years even though it’s getting increasingly difficult to see up close. I can see far away just fine. For a while, my rule was, “As long as I can still read a restaurant menu by holding it at arm’s length, I’m okay.” Then I had to…
Jewel of the Month: May Flower, Customized for Christine
In the spirit of “April showers bring May flowers,” the Jewel of the Month is the poppy ring I created for my designing friend Zang Toi’s 2007 spring runway show. I also designed a matching bracelet, choker and giant belt buckle — all in gold-plated silver. With Zang’s approval, I wore the ring myself with…
My Clemence Necklace in April’s InStyle
I am thrilled to see my Clemence necklace featured in the April issue of InStyle! (Thank you, InStyle contributing editor Marion Fasel!) My piece is the black and white necklace on the right side of the page below. Clemence (1293 – 1328) was the second wife of King Louis X of France. In the historical…
Jewel of the Month: Empress Wu Dragon Ring
One of my favorite wicked royal ladies is the 7th century’s Wu Zetian, the only female emperor of China. She became known as Empress Wu after her death, but she ruled under a name she chose for herself — Emperor Shensheng. I wrote about her in 2007: Empress Wu, Part I Empress Wu, Part II…