My Jewel of the Month posts highlight my newest — or sometimes my newsiest — jewelry designs. Here are 2016’s hot jewels from both my luxe signature line and my social-media-inspired WENDYB by Wendy Brandes diffusion line. Click the photos to read the original posts. Redesigning old jewelry is one of my specialties. January’s Jewel…
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The Week in Review
My big news this week is that my friend Stef and I launched a new blog: The Activist Playbook. We want this website to become a centralized resource for people who wish to join the fight against fascism in America. It will include daily actions you can take to resist the dismantling of our democracy….
A Ruby Ring for a Good Cause
In July, I debuted the ruby dangle ring that I created for ANZA Gems. As I explained at the time, Monica Stephenson, who writes the jewelry blog iDazzle, founded ANZA Gems in 2014. Through ANZA, Monica offers a transparent journey from the gem mine to the customer. She personally sources ethically mined, colored-gemstone rough from…
Holiday Gift Suggestions and Black Friday Sale
Since the 1980s, PNC Financial Services has released an annual Christmas Price Index, which tracks current costs of the goods and services that are the gifts given by the “true love” in the song “The 12 Days of Christmas.” I’ve always been amused by the way PNC calculates the costs because — let’s face it…
Miley Cyrus Needs an Engagement Ring Redesign
Last week, Miley Cyrus told talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres that she doesn’t like wearing her engagement ring because it’s not her style. I look like a fucking strawberry. #looklikemyfuckingmomdressedmethisam #prettysureihadthissamelookat6 A photo posted by Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus) on Jan 18, 2016 at 7:07am PST I was like, “Um, hello, Miley!!!!!!!” One of my specialties is…
The Week in Review
In case you missed it, here’s what was on the blog this week. Monday: National Jeweler has kind words for my ANZA Gems design. Tuesday: Olympic pearls of wisdom. Wednesday: Summer jewelry ideas. Thursday: Jewels by Grace has a jewel by Wendy. Friday: Spending quality time with Paul McCartney. Over on Instagram, I showed some…
Thanks to the Academy … and National Jeweler
A million thanks to Brecken Branstrator of National Jeweler for selecting my two-finger ring design for ANZA Gems as one of her American Gem Trade Association’s Spectrum Award favorites! National Jeweler had already posted my ring on Instagram last week, but today Brecken included it in her Academy Awards-style blog post on her personal winners,…
The Week in Review
In case you missed it, here’s what was on the blog this week. Monday: My two-finger ring for ANZA Gems is getting a lot of love. Tuesday: Spinel is a new birthstone for August, and it comes in lots of colors. Wednesday: My JCK Las Vegas style. Thursday: I realized that a quadrille is a…
Jewels of the Month, Part II: More Punk Platinum
When I started in the fine-jewelry business in 2005, a punk-inspired safety-pin earring or brooch was on the top of my to-do list. I’d seen plenty of costume-jewelry versions, but, as a customer, I hadn’t come across any gold or platinum pieces that I liked. It seems strange now that I couldn’t find something that…
Spinel Is a New August Birthstone
Well, hello spinel! Earlier this summer, two fine-jewelry trade groups — American Gem Trade Association and Jewelers of America — announced that spinel would join peridot as a birthstone for August. I love the vibrant yellow-green hue of peridot. I used it in my Susan chandelier-earring design. But peridot is always some shade of green,…