of a kind

If you haven't been introduced to Of a Kind yet, you need to be. This amazing site sells limited edition designs from some tremendous up and coming designers. My current favorite (sadly already sold out) is Erica Weiner's geode lariat necklace.

name engraved ring

Now I am obsessed with ideas for a new mommy gift (or what some lovingly call a "push present"). I love this ring by St. Kilda... it's a great starting point for the design I have in mind. But instead I envision the ring being around 1.5mm wide (a super thin ring, as we all know I love) and 2mm high in a matte white gold finish with just 3 tiny diamonds inset into the band, like the Saundra Messinger ring above, with the child's name engraved into the side like St. Kilda's ring. (I think I just pin pointed why my husband doesn't like to buy me jewelry anymore!)

name necklace

Have you been watching Up All Night? (I highly recommend it.) I love the name necklace Reagan (Christina Applegate) wears in every episode with her daughter's name. This jewelry trend skyrocketed with the "Carrie" necklace in Sex and the City but I find myself wanting a necklace like this even more with someone I love's name instead. Such a great idea for a new mommy gift! (For a more subtle approach, you could have the child's name engraved on a ring like St Kilda's Loved Ring.)

rose cut diamond rings

During my search for loose rose cut diamonds, I stumbled across some AMAZING rose cut diamond (and in one case, sapphire) rings. Love, love, love, love!

the elusive rose cut

I have been searching high and low for a loose pear shaped rose cut diamond for a necklace I have in mind to make. But sadly, the search has been frustrating and unsuccessful due to the scarcity of loose rose cut diamonds available for sale in the US (at least from the point of view of a small handmade jewelry artist who is not purchasing in bulk).

If you follow jewelry trends most likely you have seen a ring with a rose cut diamond lately. The resurgence in popularity is actually a surprise to many people in the jewelry business due to the antiquated cut, the overall feeling that this cut makes diamonds look glass-y, and that it does not capture the 2 things people, at least in the US, look for in a diamond: brilliance and fire. I, for one, LOVE this cut. It allows you to set the diamond in a lower setting, it gives you a larger diamond surface size (we are talking millimeters not carat weight) for a more reasonable price, and generally the cost per carat is lower. And for someone who loves imperfect stones, often the modern diamonds cut in this fashion are "lower quality" and have visible inclusions (which in my mind makes each stone unique and beautiful, not to mention better for someone with a smaller budget in mind).

My search will continue and I am sure eventually I will find the perfect diamond I am looking for. And I know the diamond will feel even more special in the end due to the effort it took to find it. But part of me still crosses my fingers that we will start to see these wonderful diamonds available more in the US market in the near future. (above image from here.)

importance of a good photo

I saw this ring in the Sundance catalog and immediately put it on my jewelry wish list, but after seeing the photo posted on their website (above) makes me question whether I still want to buy it. I honestly think this photo is just an unflattering shot of the ring taken from a bad angle that does not highlight the beauty of the diamond, but it did make me realize that having good shots of your jewelry is so unbelieveably important. Just another encouragement to follow my New Years resolution for better photos!

descension

Made this piece last night. Since I haven't been able to find a lavalier locket yet, I thought I could make a lavalier necklace in the meantime. Once again, I combined oxidized silver with gold (can you tell I love it?!). I love that the small chain drop (only about 1/2 of an inch) makes this relatively small labradorite pendant (about 3/4 of an inch long) seem so much more dramatic. (P.S. I updated my portfolio with some new pictures, including this necklace... check it out!)

east west marquise

I have to admit, I have never been a huge fan of marquise diamond engagement rings. But after seeing some of these amazing east-west marquise settings, I may be a convert. (images from here, here and here.)

happy new year!

2012 is here! I hope you all had a wonderful New Years! Here are a few of my jewelry resolutions for this upcoming year:

1) Focus more time on photos- I so desperately want to increase the quality of my photographs. I'd love to update my portfolio with better shots of my work and I'd love to feature more inspirational photos on here.
2) Form new relationships with local retailers- Working with local boutiques was one of the biggest highlights for me in 2011 and I'd love to connect to more people this way in the new year.
3) Find a balance with all the changes happening this year- I've kept it a secret so far, but I guess it is finally time to let my readers know that me and the mister are expecting a little baby girl this April! Since this is our first, I expect some monumental life changes this year. I'd love to find the perfect balance between my career, my personal work and my family life. I am determined to stay motivated with Villette Jewelry but I anticipate a lot of trial and error before I can find the right balance for everything important in my life.

Here's to an exciting 2012!!!