Fallon Shark Tooth Jewellery

Occasionally I'll feel my tough exterior soften and veer away from the path of my New Year's Resolution, including eating junk food and not exercising as well as favouring silver jewellery over gold. The extremes are when I wish I could wear the surfer girl necklaces of carved hooks and shark teeth for a fleeting moment. Fallon, another brand I have discovered from Barneys New York has invented a compromise that is pleasing to look at as well as ingenuitive.

What first attracted my attention was this large and wide cuff covered in created shark teeth entirely made of rose gold which sells for $400- it's the perfect shade of rose gold mixing the copper and gold together to create this new compound that's pleasing to the eye and hopefully strong too. When wearing a piece as extravagant and bold as this I wouldn't be going too many things to put the integrity of the metal in danger but it is always nice to know that should I be clumsy enough to bang the cuff against something it come off best in the scuffle.

While I may not be able to afford $400 for a single piece of jewellery, I can certainly afford these shark tooth earrings in rose gold at $80 a pop. I usually forget to change my earrings or fail to see the occasion to change them but for these ferocious fellas I think I could make an exception. It's hard to be able to be certain of the size of these fangs without something in the background but even if they did make dwarfs of my small ear lobes I would be none the less happy to wear them and brighten up an average looking outfit.

What's appealing about this range of pieces from Fallon is the variety within their pieces as well as rhodium- I haven't yet seen a really glamorous looking wristlet with detail on the ring which connects the bracelet but it seems that Fallon has an answer to everyone design question possible.

Irene Neuwirth Jewellery

Once I get started there's no stopping me- I'm still addicted to looking online at Barneys New York for gorgeous antique jewellery pieces and I was enthralled when I clapped eyes on the amethyst necklace listed below as well as this large boulder opal necklace strung on a rose gold chain. I have a small love affair with rose gold- it has to have just the right coppery tone about it and tasteful as well. In my last few months before all the panic of shopping for Christmas hit I had my eye on some really gorgeous opal necklaces that had a great variation of colour and this large rectangular piece of opal is a thousand times better in terms of quality and clarity.

The antique jewellery I've been chasing up within the last few hours such a timeless and classic appeal in it's design- I'm most impressed with the generous proportions of the stones and gems compared to the great numbers of small and tiny gems you see incorporated into modern jewellery. My mother's favourite description of this is that "you're being robbed blind and paying for stones the size of boogers." As you can probably tell, I've inherited every bit of my mother's way with words and class.

Irene Neuwirth
Mint Chrysoprase & Diamond Necklace
$18,880.00
I've never heard of the chrysoprase stone, it has a jade like quality but seems sort of creamier and smoother, thought that may just be the professional lights as well as the polished finish of the stone. I don't normally wear a lot of green and not in gem stones either but who in their right mind would turn down the opportunity to wear a necklace that retails for almost twenty thousand dollars? Not me, certainly not me. I love the contrast between the two shades of green as well as the gold chain but I'm not used to seeing as many claw sets holding the gems. I never have been much of a fan of claw sets unless it was used as an intrinsic part of the jewellery design but if an antique piece has survive however many years and not lost a gem yet then it must be sturdy and fine craftsmanship that put this piece together.

The most appealing cut of a gemstone to me will always be emerald cut- seeing this necklace is like a match made in heaven combining my favourite metal colour in the perfect tone (rose gold) with my favourite colour and in an exquisite cut. I know the perfect dress to wear with it from T.R. Ensemble in lilac with a bustier dress and gather at the waist letting the skirt pleat out. It seems ironic to wear a dress that costs a few hundred dollars with a necklace that costs some thousands of dollars but a necklace can be a nice addition to make yourself look expensive. It's a pity I have money for neither piece but with anyone luck no one else will come along and snatch them from under my nose if I ever save enough money to afford them.

Olivia Collings Antique Jewelry

I'm in way over my head when it comes to looking at all the gorgeous jewellery I can't afford, I thought it was bad enough when I was lusting over a kimono that cost some hundred dollars but the jewellery from Olivia Collings Antique Jewellery I found online at Barneys New York costs thousands of dollars for diamond earrings in tarnished metals but the craftsmanship is superb. I don't know a lot about diamonds or about the quality of metals but I do know what i like in terms of design and I adore this romantic looking and antique jewellery. It looks like something from a celebrity off a red carpet event and while I normally don't lust over jewellery of this style I can't resist it.

I only ever admire such jewellery in secret because my mother usually offers me the realistic explanation that I have no where to wear such jewellery and it would be a waste of time really but I can't help but wonder what it would be like if I had money to splash around or if I won the lottery and could buy whatever my heart desired. Sadly I know the value of a dollar and that hard work and patience is a virtue, there is no short cut to success etc.

It was this romantic looking ring that first allured me into exploring the website, and I was delighted to learn of its origins through someone's blogspot or personal website. I've been casually looking at a few cameo necklaces and rings but nothing like this- I love the painterly quality about the ring as well as what looks like a rose gold base. It's a crystal portrait ring from 1790 and an 18K gold band. I don't think I want a boring gold wedding ring, I want this from the love of my life and would be happy with a gorgeous pair of diamond earrings too.

I've always wanted to have a ring of my birthstone, being born in September I have sapphire but the pink stones you see above are topaz and not my beloved sapphire. That won't stop me from wanting it though, certainly I will be stopped by a lack of funds and not being able to afford a three thousand dollar ring. I'm beginning to see the difference between modern jewellery available in stores and antiques; there's more size and sparkle behind the stones and I do like that.

JWB1D Butterflies from Pigeonhole

Let me introduce to you, just some of my favourite picks from the online store, Pigeonhole! In a nutshell, Pigeonhole is like a smaller version of Etsy and sells home made and crafted items such as jewellery, bags, lots of gorgeous stationery and home wares. There's even Polaroid film made new by The Impossible Project and you're own vintage Polaroid 600 camera you can pick up. Today though I would like to focus your attention on products from JWB1D, in particular their butterfly brooches and earrings.

When I was but a child and didn't really understand the mechanism of coping with death and loss, I drew my Aunt a picture of a butterfly when her husband, my Uncle had died. I still have the thank you note she replied to me with even after all these years and it says "butterflies do cheer you up don't they?" I have a more emotional link with them and this past Summer I have chased more butterflies than I can count with a camera in hand to try to capture them on film. Their numbers seem to have exploded within recent weeks, I spotted five together in once place just yesterday.

There's butterflies of all shapes and sizes and in a few different colours as well if you had a favourite colour or preference. My favourite of the brooches is the large white brooch first pictured for the amount of detail and depth of the scales of the butterflies wings. The grainy lines fan out so naturally, I really like that quality about the brooch. There's not a lot of background information given on the Pigeonhole website, but what I can tell you is that all the butterfly pieces shown today are 50% off and that you can purchase them here.

It's been a long time since I wore a brooch and when I do wear one I tend to place it in the middle of my collar in a sort of a vague Victorian style. As beautiful as these wooden looking brooches are, I think I prefer the earrings myself although I can never remember to change my earrings when I go out and usually stick with the same studs I wear day-in day-out. These studs would look very cute when worn with hair pulled up in a bun and maybe a bandanna- I'm still sort of looking for something to wear with an ear cuff in the shape of a dragon but I'm prioritising that below over pretty things I want to buy.

It must be difficult if you were to make these shapes from wood, particularly for the bird wing butterfly which has two slender and different parts to its wings. The earrings only cost $14 AUD and the brooches are $17.50. with the 50% off discount so hop to it and snag a pair for yourself! If not for yourself, than either of the earrings or brooches would make a killer gift for a leading lady in your life be it your mother of sweetheart.

Bird Brain

Birds and I have a long rich history together, mainly how they sort of terrorize me despite their little size and me being afraid of them. I mean sure, I've been swooped before and that was more annoying than anything but their dried out tongues sometimes freak me out a little. Not very good when you want to be a veterinarian I suppose. Still, I do quite like the use of birds in design such as their silhouette in a print repeated on silk of even their claws being used in jewellery whether they are clasping your wrist or a small gem as a ring. The combination of the two elements in this single outfit was rather ingenious though, I tip my cap to however put this together.

At the shop I work at a girl had a tattoo of silhouette birds; it had a softer tone to it and less detail on the wings. There wasn't the finely sketched out feather though and I have seen this motif before but I do like the way this single photograph shows three shots of the flying birds from a single tattoo. It's probably the best artistic execution I have seen. Seeing something like this really put my faith back into tattoos as a platform of art, each bird is different and has a unique position springing from the top of the feather and every fibre has been meticulously drawn onto the skin with care. Whoever did this must be a master of their art form.

Never before have I seen birds such as these but I'd love to know the species or at least be able to get a good look at the mixture of colours on the birds. There's something very picturesque about the way they travel in large crowds as well as the poise of the neck, the striking black tipped and yellow beak as well as the brighter and darker breast of the bird. I'm sure if taken on by the appropriate fashion label a digital print of this image on a silk dress along the hem of a long maxi dress could be a runaway success.

As well as the bird silhouette blazer in a khaki colour, silver bangle featuring a gnarled bird's claw like something out of Edgar Allen Poe's poem 'The Raven' there's a tiny bird skull necklace thrown in as well? I love the empty eye sockets used to thread through the necklace chain and the side profile which shows off this tiny feature in design. While I love everything about the coordination of this outfit I do hope that these pieces were worn more than once and not specially bought for this single shot. It looks like something from a magazine but it's distinctly missing the ghostly pale writing in the corner of the designer pieces and their price tags.

Henson Moon Jewellery

The label Henson first came to my attention after the tragic earthquake hit Auckland during a period of recuperation and rebuilding in which several of my favourite brands were collected and donated in the name of charity. At first I was only interested in the Diana Mini Valentine's Day special from Lomography but there were also concert tickets as well as dates with celebrities at stake. One such item among the auction with all proceeds going to help those in Auckland most affected by the disaster was a thick and chunk signet ring simply named moon by the name of Henson. The ring itself was made of solid silver with an oxidised brushed effect over the top- only a few nights ago I found the same ring online for more than 50% off RRP on a New Zealand fashion site (I'm going through a large New Zealand online store phase right now).

The features are so seemingly delicate, even for such an unyielding metal. I love the pursed lips, little button nose, gentle curve of the eyebrow and the sheer symmetry of the piece. For earrings you have a choice of polished silver discusses threaded onto posts and backed bu butterfly clips or the same basic design which is then naturally blackened in the chemical process known as oxidation. In the days of old when Chanel made large chunky gold earrings they favoured clips more so to support the large designs and I suppose I'd feel a little more secure knowing there was more than a single post supporting this solid moon face. My little lobes wouldn't be able to support this much weight but if I could manage to pull off the look, I'd probably opt for the darker earrings myself. There's always charm and intrigue in the dark and mysterious.

I can see why the outer rim was incorporated into the design of the rings as I have two large silver signet rings myself and it lends itself well to it but why there's a ring orbiting this lovely moon necklace is a mystery to me. From the first photograph it looks as if there's a split seem halfway through the pendant which would make it a locket rather than a pendant but there's no mention of it being a locket on the online store.

All jewellery are made from sterling silver and hand sanded to give each one a unique finish.
Some have been blackened by a process called oxidisation.
The black does fade away over time.
It takes 2-4 hours to finish each one.
All jewellery comes in a display box, the necklace box doubles as a stand.

I already have two large and chunky silver signet rings which can only really be worn on the one hand; one online from Najo and the other is Woodford and Co. but would it really be so bad if I were to add another ring to my collection and acquire a piece of jewellery of silver and brass as well? I really must curb my enthusiasm for signet rings and stop this growing collection and addiction. This was the ring design for auction all those years ago while I do like the brushed effect I am all too familiar with the effects and its tendency to fade. Luckily for me it's the brass ring that's 50% off from $310 to $155! It would be nice if I could get the necklace for cheap though, I'd love to wear that with a long and slouchy over sized shirt in black, or maybe a shirt dress.

I'm curious as to why the moon ring has also been manufactured in brass as well as the classic brushed silver, the bright reflective yellow toned metal looks almost like gold in the first profile photograph. Traditionally silver has been associated with the gods Phoebe/ Diana, Selene and Artemis and thought to have come through the moon whereas gold is associated by the sun and represents lofty Apollo. The dreamy and peaceful expression of the moon face reminds me a lot of the motifs from Thai jewellery but with more minimalist design and a broader face suggesting Western influence. With the simple design of the ring, even in brass maybe the moon ring would become a sun ring. Seeing this combination of silver and brass reminds me of a gorgeous cow skull necklace from Nick Von K, I really love seeing the two metals together!

Believe it or not, but my Woodford and Co. signet ring is probably wider than this heavy costume ring. Maybe not as tall judging from the slight side profile on the shoulder of the ring but still quite the statement piece. I'm not at all deterred by the fact these pieces are carried by sites specifically aimed at the male hipster audience, after all, I feel safe having large silver rings on my fingers. It just means there will be extra weight and impact to any punch I pack.