“Fleur de Lis” (or the Flower of the Lily)

Isadora’s owner, Laura, and I were speaking the other day of an art exhibit she had seen, featuring Yoko Ono.  She had placed two piles of rocks in a large room, one of small stones and the other of large rocks.  They represented the good and the bad in her life.  And since the large pile (her good pile) far outweighed the small pile (her bad pile) she felt grateful for the beauty of her life.

Georgian Diamond Fleur de Lis Brooch

And it made me think about how something can be so simple and yet so large.  I love art or images or ideas like that.  Something that is deceptively simple.  Something that grows within your mind and soul the longer you know of it.

A Classic Fleur de Lis

Some images seem that way to me.  They are not ideas that blossom but there is something profoundly beautiful about a image captured thousands of years ago that still continues to evolve in beauty as different artists interpret it and each of us has our own relationship with its beauty.

Vintage Fleur de Lis Cufflinks

It is how I feel about the fleur de lis.  It can be seen in religion, in royal heralds, in the flag of New Orleans and yet I still hold my breath each time I am presented with a new image of the fleur de lis.

Bangles, Bangles, Bangles

On par with the excitement of assembling a fantastic combination of rings is the joy of stacking beautiful, bold, delicate, exotic, simple bangles together.

Vintage Image of a Woman Wearing Beautiful Gold Bangles

I tend to be partial to yellow gold, but you can stack silver, ivory, tortoise, wood.  And in most instances the more bracelets the merrier.

Victorian Claw Brooch

Each of my co-workers has their own fantastic set of bracelets that express who they are.  Isadora's manager, Elizabeth, wears fantastic gold.  She pairs a bold men’s yellow gold watch with a Victorian yellow gold bangle and a yellow gold link bracelet.

Vintage Green Gold Bracelet

Isadora's owner, Laura, is all beautiful aged antique ivory and I know she is entering a room when I hear the particular clink of her bracelets.

Editorial Photo of a Woman Draped in Bangles

And me, I’m evolving.  Some days its tortoise and ivory together and other days it is a bold Etruscan styled mid century yellow gold bracelet juxtaposed with a classic Victorian bangle sparkling with old mine cut diamonds.

Victorian Gold Bangle

Whatever your fancy, there are a million ways to express yourself with the perfect collection of vintage bangles.

The Magic of Cut Steel

When I think steel I tend to think industry but the Georgians and Victorian saw so much more. 

Victorian Steel Cut Earrings

During the 1700’s France went to war and King Louis asked his subjects to donate their jewelry to the cause.  Many donated their jewelry and many hid their jewelry but the result was they needed an alternative to diamonds to take a turn on the town.  And so in 1759 cut steel became widely popular. 

Georgian Steel Cut Earrings

Made of tiny faceted steel beads riveted into steel plates, cut steel jewelry is as beautiful today as it was in the 1700’s.

Vintage Steel Cut Advertisement

Cut steel has a subtle glitter all its own and the French, and later the British, created beautiful earrings, necklaces, bracelets and buttons with their fantastic new art. 

Circa 1840 Steel Cut Earrings

Popular through the 19^th century, cut steel was truly lovely and it is rare and wonderful to find original pieces today.

Mondrian: Beautiful Geometry

This Bakelite Brooch has always reminded me of a Mondrian painting, something about its bold geometry and strong primary colors. 

One of Mondrian's Last Paintings and One of My Personal Favorites

I remember reading a quote about Mondrian once.  It said Mondrian’s art was both kinetic and serene.  

Vintage Bakelite Brooch

I really loved that because I love to love something but I also love to understand why I love what I love. 

A Classic Mondrian Piece

And that writer nailed a quality that I had never been able to codify for myself.  There is something in the simplicity of his colors and lines that brings these inexplicably opposite feelings to meet and I think that is why I have been drawn to Mondrian repeatedly over the years.

Cufflinks not only for the men

(Marianne Breslauer via The Sartorialist)

Marianne Breslauer was a German photographer from the 1930s who not only had a great eye for composition but had beautiful boyish style. She is my inspiration for women with cufflinks! enjoy.

(c.1870s niello cufflinks)

(Art Deco snap enamel cufflinks)

(French Art Deco Cufflinks)

Click Here to see all of our cufflinks for men and women!

Aquamarine the March Birthstone

Happy birthday to the greats!

 

(Cushion cut Aquamarine Ring)

Ms. Diana Ross. Singer, music producer, actress and fashion icon. Happy Birthday!

(Emerald Cut Aquamarine Ring)

And Nat King Cole and his pinky ring. 

(Retro Aquamarine Ring with Rose Cut Diamonds)