PEOPLES CHOICE AWARDS

People's Choice award winner Taylor Swift stepped out in Amrapali blackened gold and diamond drop earrings for the Jan. 5 event. She wore the earrings with a bangle bracelet and ring from Neil Lane.

Los Angeles—It was a night of power pairings when celebrities convened for the People's Choice Awards last week, with earring and cocktail ring duos, or earring and bangle bracelet combinations, ruling the red carpet.

A number of stars, including Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Minka Kelly and Kaley Cuoco, wore all three styles at once, sporting earrings, a ring, and a bracelet or two.

Country star Swift, the People's Choice winner for Favorite Country Artist, donned blackened gold and diamond drop earrings from Amrapali, paired with a coral and gold bangle and pearl and gold ring from Neil Lane.

Fellow teen queen Selena Gomez (top) hit the red carpet in a similar trifecta of jewelry: green amethyst and diamond drop earrings from Tresor's "Interchangeable" collection, a 14-karat gold and sterling silver bracelet with diamonds from Alwand Vahan and a pink quartz, rose de France amethyst, citrine, garnet and diamond "Melange" ring (above) from Brumani.

Kelly and Cuoco both turned to Neil Lane for their People's Choice baubles. Kelly, formerly of Friday Night Lights and next up in the film The Roommate, wore drop earrings, which she paired with bangles and a ring, all featuring colored diamonds set into gold. Cuoco, who stars in CBS's The Big Bang Theory, selected gold and pearl chandelier earrings from the designer, matched with a gold and pearl bangle and ring.

Additional trends spotted on the red carpet included plenty of diamond and platinum designs and blackened metal pieces. Actresses Kate Walsh, Malin Akerman and Autumn Reeser all went with the classic red-carpet combo, looking to designer Neil Lane for platinum and diamond rings and bracelets.

Meanwhile, People's Choice attendees selecting blackened or oxidized metal designs included reality star Kourtney Kardashian (above) in Amrapali diamond starburst earrings; Queen Latifah in M.C.L. by Matthew Campbell Laurenza bangles and earrings; Ashley Benson of Pretty Little Liars in Sutra rose-cut diamond earrings and Benson's co-star Lucy Hale, in Amrapali gold and diamond designs.

Hale (above) made sure that necklaces weren't ignored for the evening, as she sported a glam diamond and blackened gold necklace with her diamond bangle bracelet and drop earrings. Kim Kardashian, too, changed up the status quo for the evening, wowing in an 18-karat yellow gold square link necklace from Rina Limor.

Photos: Courtesy of D'Orazio & Associates

GOLDEN GLOBES SPOTLIGHT

Actress Scarlett Johansson, a Golden Globes presenter, was just one of many actresses to sport diamond stud earrings and bracelets for the evening's festivities. The jewels Johannson wore, set in platinum, were from Van Cleef & Arpels.

January 18, 2011 Beverly Hills—From gowns in a rainbow of pinks to emerald green, one-shoulder sheaths to full-length sleeves, the fashions on display at Sunday night's 68th Golden Globe Awards revealed a number of key trends. For jewelry, it seemed that most stylists and their stars received a similar style memo: choose either simple earlobe-hugging earrings or large, nearly shoulder-grazing pairs, matched with a bracelet or two.

Golden Globes winner Claire Danes, recognized for her role in the HBO miniseries Temple Grandin, went this route, pairing a yellow gold and diamond cuff with small diamond and platinum drop earrings, all from Fred Leighton. Black Swan actress Mila Kunis, one of a handful of stars to wear emerald green to the Globes, went with a bracelet and earring combo, too, selecting a yellow gold and diamond cuff and diamond stud earrings from Lorraine Schwartz. And Mad Men's January Jones, who wowed in a barely there Versace, was another actress to go the popular jewelry silhouette, selecting diamond and platinum column earrings and a trio of diamond and platinum bangle bracelets from Neil Lane.

Meanwhile, right-hand rings don't show any sign of going out of fashion, as quite a few stars topped off their earrings and bracelet combinations with a ring—or a few. Annette Bening, one of the evening's big winners for her role in The Kids Are All Right, wore a diamond and black onyx cuff bangle, diamond cluster earrings and two diamond cocktail rings. Catherine Zeta-Jones, whose husband Michael Douglas presented the final award of the night, looked to Van Cleef & Arpels for her "Crescendo" diamond bracelet, "Laureen" diamond ring and "Eliza" earrings, the latter featuring 26.8 carats total weight of round-, pear- and marquis-shaped diamonds. Presenter Jennifer Lopez went with a jewelry trio, too: a diamond cuff with over 600 diamonds, plus cluster earrings and a diamond suspension ring, all in platinum from Harry Winston.

Necklaces were fewer on the evening's stage, but they did get some very high-profile exposure. Natalie Portman, Golden Globe winner for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, accessorized her strapless Viktor & Rolf gown with a multi-row diamond necklace set in platinum, topped off with oval diamond stud earrings in platinum and a diamond ring in 18-karat white gold, all from Tiffany & Co. Presenters Helen Mirren and Kaley Cuoco hit the stage in necklaces, too, with Mirren wearing a platinum and cascading diamond necklace from Cartier, and Cuoco donning a 29-carat oval-shape diamond necklace in platinum from Chopard.






Unique diamonds, from rough stones to Ashokas, plus colored gemstones, also made their mark on the red carpet. Glee's Heather Morris wore Diamonds in the Rough's "Orielle" drop earrings and a bangle bracelet, both featuring natural rough diamonds, while Boardwalk Empire's Kelly Macdonald (above left) sported an Ashoka diamond ring and 18-karat rose gold earrings (above right) set with "rustic diamonds" from Martin Katz. Gabourey Sidibe looked to designer Martin Katz, also, but for colored gemstones. The actress wore a pair of the designer's oval amethyst earrings microset with 422 diamonds and 357 amethysts. Other Golden attendees sporting colored gemstones included Maria Menounos (below left) in Adeler South Sea pearl earrings and a smokey and pink quartz Brumani ring (below right) with diamonds, plus actress Jennifer Love Hewitt in Le Vian chocolate diamond and topaz rings.

Pop Princess, Aguilera, Inspires Jewelry Line

London—Jewelry designer Stephen Webster will mark his foray into the women's silver jewelry market with Christina Aguilera at the helm.

The Grammy Award-winning singer will appear in Webster's spring 2008 ad campaign wearing silver earrings, necklaces, cuffs and rings that she inspired.

The campaign, which will break in the April issue of W magazine, is based on legendary Alfred Hitchcock films with Aguilera looking like a classic Hitchcock heroine.

Webster said he is excited to launch the new advertising campaign since Aguilera is a close friend of his as well as the main source of inspiration behind the collection.

"I have always loved Hitchcock's films and to be able to transport Christina and my jewelry into that classic setting was an amazing experience for me," Webster said in a media release.

The campaign was photographed by Vincent Peters and styled by Victoria Adcock, with hair and make-up by Peter Savic and Kristofer Buckle.

Stephen Webster entered the fine-jewelry market in 1976, and has won many awards including "Luxury Jeweler of the Year" in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005, as well as "Jewelry Designer of the Year" in 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2006.

Stephen Webster operates worldwide with independent boutiques in Kiev, Ukraine; Moscow; Seoul, South Korea; and St. Petersburg, Russia; and in more than 50 concessions in the United States as well as in Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

For more information about the designer, visit Stephenwebster.com.

Red carpet ripped out from jewelry designers

February 05, 2007

By Beth Braverman

Hollywood, Calif.—George Clooney and Julia Roberts were not the only losers at the 65th Golden Globe Awards. Also among the disappointed were fashion houses, makeup artists, hotels and—of course—jewelry designers.

The Globes appeared a lot less golden this year, as organizers did away with the red carpet and the traditional black-tie trappings. The annual ceremony, which kicks off Hollywood's awards season, has served in the past as a harbinger of jewelry and fashion trends for the Academy Awards and the rest of the year.

"The Golden Globes give such exposure to jewelry designers," says Helena Krodel, associate director of media for the Jewelry Information Center. "A good picture of a celebrity wearing a designer's jewelry will appear not only in coverage of the event but also throughout the year in trend reports and in dos and don'ts lists.

Without the Globes, jewelry companies are
placing product at smaller events. Sarah Michelle Gellar
wore 18-karat yellow gold rose-cut diamond earrings
and bangles by Amrapali of Jaipur to a movie premiere on Jan. 15.

"Savvy to this significance, Platinum Guild International (PGI) has, for the past five years, hosted a suite to outfit celebrities with millions of dollars in borrowed jewels for the bash.

In early January, PGI decided to cancel the suite because many actors had said they would not cross picket lines to attend the Golden Globes. A few days later, NBC and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced plans to downsize the Golden Globes from a three-hour, glitz-filled TV event that draws more than a thousand celebrities and media moguls to a Golden Globe Awards Winners Special hosted by Billy Bush and Nancy O'Dell.

In the absence of the red carpet, celebrity presenters, audience members and the actual handing out of awards, Bush and O'Dell were reduced to delivering the names of the winners as if they were a couple of news anchors. Normally fantastic fodder for the juggernaut of celebrity media, this year's event received little coverage.

"From the [perspective of the] jewelry industry, it is really a shame," says Michael O'Connor, PGI's senior vice president of marketing communication and public relations. "We had 42 designers [who would have shown in the suite] who literally had the red carpet pulled out from under them. They have lost the consumer brand awareness and celebrity placement that they normally get."

Besides garnering press play for stars and for platinum, the PGI awards suite provides stylists and their famous clients access to lesser-known jewelry designers.The writers' strike began on Nov. 5 when scribes walked off the job after failing to arrive at an agreement with studios regarding, among other things, their right to digital distribution profits.

"Even the big houses rely so heavily on public relations and the red carpet at these events," Krodel says. "This is one of the only chances for the really big pieces to get exposure.

These sapphire and diamond earrings

in platinum by Oscar Heyman

exemplify the type of blockbuster-level

jewelry Hollywood stars might have

worn on the red carpet at the Golden Globes.

"The People's Choice Awards, typically less important for jewelry designers, also cancelled its red carpet and traditional format when it aired on Jan. 16. The Screen Actors Guild Awards proceeded as planned on Jan. 27, thanks to its union ties and included a red carpet. But it was barely a blip on the ratings radar, with just 6.1 million viewers compared with the nearly 40 million who watched last year's Academy Awards.

At press time, writers had not yet announced whether or not they would picket the more influential Academy Awards, set for Feb. 24, which could lead to a similar scaling down of the ceremony.

"We are keeping our fingers crossed, because the Golden Globes are important, but the monster is the Oscars," says Chris Aire, a jewelry designer and red-carpet regular. "If the Oscars still happen, I think we'll be OK."

At press time, writers had agreed not to picket the Grammy Awards, scheduled for Feb. 10.However, Aire and other designers have also begun looking at other opportunities for product placement to make up for the lost Globes red carpet. Aire has jewelry appearing in three upcoming movies and plans to bulk up his advertising this year.


These rose-cut diamond earrings by
Amrapali of Jaipur would likely
have made the red carpet at the Globes.

Bochic, the New York-based designer-jewelry firm, saw its star soar last year after Angelina Jolie wore its vintage-style necklace and earrings to the Golden Globes, and that alone seems to have prevented a case of red-carpet withdrawal this year.

"Red-carpet events are a fixture right through the year in Hollywood, and because we have the Bochic collection in our public relations showroom year-round, we are known to celebrities and their stylists as a source for red-carpet jewelry," says Ginnina D'Orazio of D'Orazio and Associates, which handles publicity for Bochic as well as for other red-carpet brands such as Le Vian and Hellmuth. "In addition, we provide jewelry for many editorial shoots with celebrities throughout the year, so in many ways, it's simply business as usual."




Globe trends that struck out

If the Golden Globes had aired, you would have seen these trends, experts say:

Shorter earrings: Shoulder dusters get brushed aside this year for shorter drop earrings and larger cluster-style earrings that lie on the lobe.

Brooches: Pins have popped back into fashion's forefront, especially flower- and starburst-themed brooches.

Colors: Large, smooth gemstones—particularly in pink, blue and green hues—accent colorful gowns that stars are choosing lately. Cocktail rings remain a red-carpet favorite.

Yellow gold: While platinum remains a hands-down favorite at Hollywood's most dressed-up events, risk-taking, fashion-forward celebrities have made the move to rich, yellow gold designs.
Bold pendants: Shorter earrings put the emphasis on the neck, where big, vintage-feeling medallions look just right this season.


Editor's note: This story first appeared in the February 2008 issue of National Jeweler.

ACTRESS, EVA GREEN "SPARKLES" IN WHITE GOLD

11:44:38 GMT, 31 December, 2007
World Gold Council

Actress Eva Green sparkled in unique gold jewellery items at a recent film premiere, BusinessIntelligence Middle East has reported.

The star, who previously played a James Bond heroine opposite Daniel Craig in Casino Royale and is currently starring in The Golden Compass, sported the Montblanc Dentelle white gold jewellery set at a London premiere in Leicester Square.

Ms. Green's white gold and diamond necklace was the result of eight years of painstaking research and has an estimated value of $2.1 million (£1.04 million).

Her earrings, also a combination of white gold and Montblanc diamonds, had an estimated value of $750,000.

Ms Green has chosen to wear jewellery crafted by Montblanc on a number of occasions since she first presented at the Acadamy Awards last February, the firm said.

Born in Paris, France, Eva Green has also starred in The Dreamers and Kingdom of Heaven and is the fifth French-born actress to play a Bond girl, according to the Internet Movie Database.



The news feeds on this site are independently provided by Adfero Limited © and do not represent the views or opinions of the World Gold Council.

Eddie Murphy engaged!

July 30, 2007
Source: OK! Magazine

Questions about a ring worn by Tracey Edmonds prompted Shrek star Eddie Murphy to respond, "If I were gonna do an engagement ring, it would be much bigger." Two days later the actor/comedian proposed to his girlfriend of 10 months, slipping an estimated eight-carat yellow diamond Cartier engagement ring on her finger.

The couple is planning to have a romantic, low-key wedding before the end of the year. This will be the second trip down the aisle for both Murphy and Edmonds, who was previously married to singer Kenneth “Baby Face” Edmonds for 13 years. Murphy and his first wife Nicole Mitchell were married for 12 years.

His previous relationship and recent paternity battle with Melanie Brown of the Spice Girls have been an ongoing topic in celebrity news.

Brit’s cover sit-down not okay!

August 1, 2007

Source: E!Online

After last week’s cover shoot for OK! Magazine, Britney Spears helped herself to a $6,387 Kaviar and Kind diamond ring and other high-end fashion items totaling $21,267. OK! Magazine published the details of the debacle in an issue that hit newsstands last Friday.

Ironically, it was Spears’ handlers who first contacted OK! The subsequent interview was supposed to give the pop star a chance to “set the record straight,” addressing the ongoing rumors surrounding her personal life. Unfortunately, her behavior at the cover session left OK! confirming that the fallen star is in need of help.

For the complete story see E!Online article:

Brit's Cover Sit-Down Not OK!

by Gina Serpe

Houston museum to highlight Verdura

July 20, 2007



Houston—The Houston Museum of Natural Science will offer the first-ever exhibit of Verdura-designed jewelry this fall.

Verdura's "Wrapped Heart" brooch will be on display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science this fall.

"Verdura: The Life and Work of a Master Jeweler" will appear in The Lester and Sue Smith Gem Vault at the museum from Nov. 16-Feb. 17.

Duke Fulco di Verdura (1898-1978) created intensely colored jewelry inspired by natural forms and classical patterns. He began his career in 1927 as a textile designer for Coco Chanel.

Chanel named Verdura head designer for her private and boutique jewelry collection, a title he maintained for eight years. In 1935, he created the iconic Maltese Cross Cuffs that Chanel wore throughout her life.

The cuffs will go on display at the exhibit, along with a curb-link bracelet watch created for Greta Garbo and brooches created for Clare Luce Boothe.

Admission to the exhibit is free with general admission to the museum.

Jewelry designers to support Simmons gala

July 20, 2007



Rachel Roy's "Stacey Twist" cocktail dress is one of the yellow-themed items being donated to the Simmons' "Art for Life" charity event.

New York—Russell and Kimora Lee Simmons' "Art for Life" gala, an East Hampton, N.Y., fete slated for the end of this month, continues to draw jewelry designers to its cause—support for art programs and organizations for underprivileged youth in New York City.

Newly announced participants to the event's "Yellow Wardrobe"-themed silent auction include jewelry designers Jeri Cohen and Ana Reign, as well as Russell and Kimora Lee Simmons' own brand, the Simmons Jewelry Co.

Cohen, whose jewelry has been donned by such stars as Jennifer Lopez and Sharon Osbourne, will donate an 18-karat yellow-gold diamond-flower necklace, which retails for $7,500.

Reign will donate a tiered necklace with yellow jade and silver, retailing at $1,600. Celebrities Heather Locklear and Nicole Richie are among the designer's loyal followers.

As for the event's hosts, Kimora Lee Simmons will donate a Hello Kitty diamond pavé watch with a yellow lizard strap from her "KLS for Hello Kitty" collection, and Russell Simmons will donate matching his-and-hers diamond, green rubber and stainless steel bracelets from the "Green Initiative" collection. Both collections are under the Simmons Jewelry Co. brand.

Jewelry designer Lorraine Schwartz had earlier been announced as a participant in the event. Schwartz will donate her gold "Evil Eye" bracelet, which retails for $8,300.

The "Art for Life" gala will take place on July 28, with all proceeds from the silent auction benefiting the more than 70 New York City art programs and organizations supported by the Rush Philanthropic Art Foundation.

And the Bride Wore Bling; Parker, Longoria Wed

MODERN JEWELRY TRENDS

by Cheryl Kremkow

You’ve heard of trophy wives, of course. A newer phenomenon is trophy couples: celebrities who wed in the spotlight, prompting a mad race to see whose jewelry, dresses, and other bridal booty will benefit from the reflected starlight. Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria and NBA star Tony Parker married at at Saint Germain L’Auxerrois Church in Paris in what is the celebrity wedding of the year so far, one of the couples tying the knot on lucky 7-7-07.

So who won the bridal placement sweepstakes? If you follow these things, you have no doubt heard that the five-carat emerald cut engagement ring was designed by Jean Dousset, a jeweler from Paris who has now also opened a studio in Los Angeles, no doubt to capitalize on the publicity. (Dousset also designed the pendant with Parker’s number 9 that Longoria wears to Spurs games.)

The wedding bands are Piaget, two turning Possession bands in 18K white gold. Hers has two rows of 80 brilliant-cut diamonds separated by a row of 27 square-cut diamonds. His is plain 18k white gold. At the couple’s request, an inscription was engraved inside both rings in French.

The bride’ wore H.Stern’s half-a-million dollar Hebe Earrings in 18K Noble Gold with 17 carats of marquise, cushion, oval & round cut diamonds. The earrings were designed in collaboration between Eva’s longtime stylist and friend Robert Verdi and H.Stern Creative Director Roberto Stern. She also wore a $100,000 diamond bracelet from the H.Stern 2007 Red Carpet Collection to accent her Angel Sanchez gown. Hair Stylist Ken Paves added sparkle to Eva’s hair with H.Stern Zephyr and Geometric hair clips with with more than 15 carats of cognac diamonds.

The gifts for the 13 bridesmaids were also H.Stern: Giardino earrings, each pair $1,000. The bride gave her husband a Piaget watch customized with a large pave diamond number nine on its face.

Some of the gifts to the couple were also occasions for industry publicity. The happy couple received engraved his and her Oceanaut Pacha Cobra watches, set with 1.25 total carats of VS1, G-color diamonds, conflict-free, of course.

Parker/Longoria Engagement photo courtesy of White Lace Wedding

With this bling, Parker, Longoria wed

July 09, 2007

Paris—Tony Parker and Eva Longoria weren't the only lucky ones on July 7. At least three jewelry companies are celebrating after their product was featured at the celebrity wedding this past weekend.

Desperate Housewives star Longoria donned one-of-a-kind H. Stern jewelry as she wed San Antonio Spurs point guard Parker at Saint Germain l'Auxerrois Church in Paris on Saturday, followed by an elaborate reception at the 17th-century Chateau of Vaux le Vicomte.

Longoria wore H. Stern's "Hebe" earrings (left) and "Zephyr" and "Geometric" hair clips for the ceremony and the company's "Isis" earrings for the reception. She also gave H. Stern "Giardino" earrings to each of her 13 bridesmaids.

Each female guest at the wedding, including Longoria's co-stars Nicolette Sheridan, Terri Hatcher and Felicity Huffman, received a Van Cleef and Arpels "Sweet Alhambra" bracelet (right). Based on Van Cleef and Arpels iconic Alhambra design, the 18-karat yellow-gold bracelets feature a miniature mother-of-pearl clover charm. The Sweet Alhambra collection will reach U.S. stores in October.

In addition, a movie producer in attendance gifted the couple with matching his-and-her Oceanaut "Pacha Cobra" watches (left). The Swiss timepieces feature an ETA three-phase chronograph movement, a curved sapphire crystal and a diamond bezel.

"SICKO" a new movie by Michael Moore

Although I don't often sound off about much and I'm not a fan of Michael Moore, his new movie "Sicko" is right on target. It is time to forget about blaming Republicans or Democrats and get down to the basics of life. 41 million uninsured Americans are the unwilling participants in this blight on our great country. It is of the essence to care for our people.

We encourage you to read this review posted by Lifted Magazine, one of our favorite blogs.

We'd appreciate your feedback.

Dale

Monday, July 2, 2007

New Releases: Sicko
Michael Moore is one of the most controversial documentarists of this time. He has made many friends and enimies with previous films such as Bowling for Columbine and Farenheit 911. But now he has used his personal connections to take his research to a whole new level and perhaps make a positive impact on the lives of many individuals in America.

Although Moore is famous for being one-sided in his political plight, this film is made for the American people in a hope to promote understanding and encourage change in our system. The argument Moore makes is one of a moral and ethical tone. If the United States is one of the richest countries in terms of GDP and other health indices, why do we fall so low in our health care system?

In his film, Moore uses juxtaposition to analyze the US health care system versus counties like Canada, Britain and France. Because these citizens pay for universal health care through taxes, doctors and health-aids are government employees and patients need not worry about their medical bills. Citizens can chose which hospital, pharmacy, and doctor to see – without paying any money. This may seem like a mythical utopia, but as Moore captures in his film, this is a reality. Read our full review online.

For more information on Sicko and local show times, please visit http://www.michaelmoore.com/


Posted by Tiffany at 9:45 AM
Life At Lifted Magazine

Soap star appears in Caressa ads

"All My Children" star Leven Rambin is the new face of Caressa. She portrays Lily Montgomery on the show.












June 19, 2007

Belgium—Caressa, a designer-jewelry division of De Beers sightholder Taché, has tapped All My Children star Leven Rambin for its new advertising campaign.

"I am thrilled to be a part of this campaign," Rambin said in a statement. "The Caressa brand is synonymous with elegance and empowerment. It inspires me to achieve my dreams as my most beautiful self.

"In the ads, Caressa unveils two new collections, both inspired by women from the 18th or 19th centuries and aimed at modern female self-purchasers.

The Georgia Collection features a rose motif, and the Lady Brooke Collection features lace dripping with diamonds from a silk or satin and organza cord.

"Women today are not as simple as we pretend to be," Caressa Executive Vice President Kendra Bridel Weinman said in a statement. "We want to do it all—have a successful career, keep up with the fashion trends and have a loving relationship with our perfect family. We tried to capture this in our jewelry collections.

"Photographer Sergio Kurhajec, whose clients include Cosmopolitan, Glamour and GQ, shot the new campaign. The ads debuted in the May 2007 issues of Vogue and W magazines.

APPLAUSE, APPLAUSE!!

Hat's off to Johnny Damon and Barthman Jewelers for their efforts to benefit injured veterans. Having a Disabled Vet in my family, we appreciate any gesture of kindness in their behalf...even a simple "Thank you for serving our country" means a lot.


Yankee star & Barthman Jewelers raise funds for vets

June 18, 2007
New York—New York Yankees center fielder Johnny Damon brought his star power to downtown Manhattan when he and William Barthman Jewelers hosted an exclusive charity event to benefit injured veterans.

The June 14 event featured a silent auction, with 100 percent of the proceeds and 10 percent of all sales being donated to the "Wounded Warrior Project," whose mission is to provide assistance and services to injured men and women during their transition from active duty to civilian life.

Items that were auctioned included signed Yankee memorabilia and luxury jewelry by Cartier, David Yurman, Judith Ripka, Montblanc and Rolex. The event took place at William Barthman Jewelers' new location in downtown Manhattan's financial district. In addition to raising funds for the Wounded Warrior Project, the event also celebrated the revival of the store, which suffered major damages on Sept. 11.

Father's Day Image Gallery

Actor Eddie Murphy and children

John Lennon and son

George Bush, Sr. and sons

Actor Will Smith and son

Martin Luther King and children

Paul McCartney and family

To view even more pictures, visit the photo gallery.

PEARLS, new political statement?

Although I'm not a fan of Ms. Pelosi, I must admit that she brings back an old trend with new flair; that of dressing like a lady. In this day and age of "come as you are" even to church or the theater, it is refreshing to see some of us still dress with respect and dignity.


Two Blonds & Co. offers a full line of the finest South Sea, Tahitian and Freshwater pearls.

Pelosi's Pearls
Pearl Scene
by Cheryl Kremkow, Editor-In-Chief



Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's popular pearl wardrobe features two spectacular strands.


It may be due to the fact that she's the first female Speaker of the House, but California Representative Nancy Pelosi's wardrobe has been getting a lot of attention lately. And the most ink has been devoted to Pelosi's signature strand of South Sea cultured pearls.

Make that strands. Because the well-dressed speaker has at least two spectacular large and lovely strands in her wardrobe. The first, which she wore on election night, is a multicolor Tahitian cultured pearl strand.

The second, which she wore to her swearing-in ceremony, is a golden South Sea strand. Both strands, but particularly the multicolor Tahitian, are helping to drive retail pearl sales. The Speaker, who just made Blackwell's best-dressed list, is becoming a factor in the pearl market.

"This holiday season, we sold a lot more South Sea pearl strands, expensive ones in the $20,000 and up range: in white, golden, or Tahitian," says Marilyn Rudd of Scheherazade Jewelers in Edina, Minnesota. "And we sold a lot of matching earrings, big 13mm pearl drops on a lever back. We called one of our sales associates ‘the pearl queen' because she sold so many. We believe the new Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi had a lot to do with these sales. She's been photographed so many times wearing her South Sea pearl strands and we had customers coming in and asking for the ‘Nancy Pelosi pearls.'"


Pelosi wore her multicolored Tahitian cultured pearls with a gray suit and black shirt, to the Washington Woman's Tea the day before her swearing-in, making the conservative suit instantly chic. In a noticeable style shift among these powerful women, many of the other women at the tea, young and old, wore similar strands.

Conservative blogger Lisa Schiffren of the National Review On-line wore the "traditional Republican double strand of choker-length eight-millimeter pearls" to a gala in Pelosi's honor that evening. "Just that morning, on the front page of The New York Times, was a picture of notables at the funeral of President Ford. In it, Barbara Bush, Lynne Cheney, Doro Bush, and Mrs. Ford herself all wore them." But Schiffren encountered a size shift in the pearls at the gala just as noticeable as the political shift taking place that day: "In honor of Nancy Pelosi and her signature strand of silver, gold, and white South Sea pearls (which my jeweler estimates at somewhere north of 80 grand), many women were wearing similar necklaces," Schiffren reported.

Pelosi's new role as a trendsetter has attracted the attention of the mainstream media, too. The Los Angeles Times has already devoted a story to Pelosi's wardrobe, leading with her pearls. The story quotes pearl dealer Leon Rebibo, who says he fielded calls from more than four dozen women of all political stripes who wanted a muted, multicolor strand of South Sea Tahitian pearls, just like the one Pelosi was wearing.

"I'm very disappointed the Democrats won, but I absolutely love her necklace. If my husband hears me, he's going to kill me," Rebibo recalled one Republican woman whispering into the phone.

CNN's "The Situation Room" also devoted a segment to Pelosi and her pearls. "When it comes to looks, they say female politicians get a lot more scrutiny than men. But instead of focusing on Nancy Pelosi's pearls of wisdom, the focus tends to be on her pearls, period," said correspondent Jeanne Moos. "For instance, this photo op resulted in requests for information on where to get the speaker-to-be's string of pearls. Shopping tips on-line to the rescue. These sure look a lot like Pelosi's pearls for a near $3,999. We didn't hear of anyone seeking information on where to get Senator Harry Reid's tie."

On-line shopping sites are selling "Pelosi" necklaces for $3,000 to $6,000. Pelosi's high profile means those pearls will be in the spotlight a lot during the coming months.

Barbara Walters interviewed her as one of the year's 10 most fascinating people. People magazine has written about her twice in recent months. An article in a Palm Springs newspaper ran with the headline: "How to Get the Nancy Pelosi Look."

If a lot of women take that advice, South Sea strands may become an essential part of dressing for success. — Cheryl Kremkow

"Grey's Anatomy" Star Engaged

May 17, 2007
Jeffrey Slonim


Grey's Anatomy star Kate Walsh now has another reason to celebrate: In addition to getting her own spinoff, she's also getting married. "I'm engaged," the actress, 39, told PEOPLE on Tuesday at the Entertainment Weekly upfront party at The Box in New York City. "Alex [Young, a production co-president at 20th Century Fox] asked me to marry him and I said yes. We were in San Francisco last week and I'm very, very, very happy."


So what makes her fiancé so special? "Oh, everything," gushed Walsh, flashing her Neil Lane Jubilee-cut diamond. "He's the most amazing man I ever met. We're in the process of planning the wedding."


Walsh recently stepped out with Young at an April 28 fund-raiser for Barack Obama in Los Angeles. "He's a hotshot," a friend told PEOPLE at the time. "But Alex also has substance. He's a good guy."


Meanwhile, ABC this week formally announced that Walsh will star in her own Grey's Anatomy spinoff, playing Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd in Private Practice. The show will air Wednesdays this fall and costar Taye Diggs and Tim Daly. Walsh told PEOPLE the cast will start shooting the series in July. "It's super exciting," she said.


"Grey's is about interns starting their careers and starting their professional lives, and Private Practice is going to deal with people who are successful in their private lives." Her character, Walsh said, needed a change of scenery to improve her personal life. "How much more [could] Addison do at Seattle Grace? Her marriage failed, McSteamy and her did not work out. She tried to hook it up with Karev. She's either going to do some light filing or move on."


Her new castmates are thrilled about Walsh's engagement. Merrin Dungey, who plays Addison's best friend, was early to notice Walsh's new bling, she told PEOPLE at the EW party: "I was blinded. I saw when she walked into the room and I said, 'Jesus.' It's very exciting." (When Walsh later passed Dungey on the dance floor, they double high-fived.) And Diggs, who partied on with his costars into the wee hours at the ABC afterparty at Tenjune, characterized his own reaction to the news: "So excited!"

Chopard honors young stars at Cannes Film Festival

May 30, 2007

Cannes, France—Chopard celebrated its 10-year partnership with the Cannes Film Festival this year presenting the Trophée Chopard to two emerging film stars, American actor Nick Cannon and Indian actress Archie Panjabi.

The Trophée Chopard was created in 2001 through a partnership between Chopard, the Cannes Film Festival and Studio magazine, and is presented annually to honor a young actor and a young actress for their exceptional talent.

Among past recipients are such stars as Gael Garcia Bernal, Hayden Christensen, Diane Kruger, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Audrey Tatou.

This year's honored actor, Cannon, can be seen in the ensemble film Bobby, also starring Anthony Hopkins, Demi Moore and Sharon Stone; and actress Panjabi takes her place on the silver screen alongside Angelina Jolie in the soon-to-be-released A Mighty Heart.

At the awards ceremony, Chopard co-president and creative director Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele presented Cannon and Panjabi with trophies of her own design: a role of film handcrafted in gold by the master jewelers of Chopard.

Nick Cannon

Archie Panjabi

Necks Still Bare in Cannes

Friday, May 25th, 2007

With wheel barrels of diamond and gemstone jewelry in Cannes during the festival from official jeweler Chopard, de Grisogono, and others, there is no shortage of glamorous necklaces available for celebrities to wear. But the stars are sticking to the dress for red carpet success recipe that began at the Oscars: bracelets and dangling earrings or hoops. Necks, once again, are mostly bare. Sharon Stone managed to look chic, relaxed, and almost casual in gold lame at the amFar Cinema Against AIDS benefit thanks to her H. Stern hoop earrings and Diane Von Furstenberg Sutra bracelet.

Although neutral colors, the strongest trend from awards season, are still strong, some stars have broken out bright colors to stunning effect, notably Angelina Jolie and Helen Mirren in sunshine yellow and Kerry Washington in emerald green. Washington bucked the trend in another way: she also wore a dramatic matching emerald necklace by Boucheron.

Liz Hurley Steals the Limelight at Cannes

"Liz Hurley steals the limelight at Cannes" Well, no doubt! In her "Lady in Red" Valentino original (that's the designer on the right) with no sign of current hubby Arun Nayar with whom she tied the knot in March this year. Hurley, was in the French city not to promote a movie of hers, but for a party thrown by jewelers Chopard, that took place later on in the evening on May 16.

May 17, 2007 Source: SAWF News
British beauty Elizabeth Hurley turned heads at the opening of the Cannes Film Festival. The actress was there for a party thrown by jeweler Chopard. According to the Daily Mail she was wearing about £1 million worth of Chopard jewelry, accessories to her £8,000 Valentino gown.