Sculptural Beauty At Beladora.com

Because my daily work wardrobe has little of the soft, flowy, and flowery and tends to the severe, minimal and monotone in terms of style, I tend to wear big, bold jewelry, usually in yellow or rose gold.
Since Vogue.com is showing the trend for sculptural bracelets, (my kind of trend)
I thought I'd show you some of my favorite sculptural pieces from Beladora.com

Retro Scalloped Link Bracelet in 18K $5450

Retro Tank Tread Bracelet in 18K $9250

Sculptural Gold Cuff Bracelet in 18K $11,250
(designed by artist Patricia Von Musulin, I believe)

Sculptural Gold Dangle Earrings in 18K $1450

The only issue with this type of jewelry is that it takes a lot of gold to create this big of a look. Gold is expensice and I don't expect the price to drop anytime soon....unlike the price of US debt when it loses its AAA rating. But in the long run this jewelry is an investment wearable art.

We're Voting For The Blue Dress

It's not even March yet and already there's a lot of activity for the Oscar's red carpet.
USA Today has a reader poll to choose the red carpet look for Entertainment Tonight's Mary Hart... and look what she's wearing with royal blue dress.
(There's a video on the USA Today page which doesn't seem to want to be embedded on BHB, but in it Mary hints that she wants to wear the royal blue)

So yep, we are voting for the blue.

Guy Style - Off The Cuff

When it comes to women's jewelry my basic attitude is anything goes...

from dainty little hoop earrings to huge diamond pinky rings,

from vintage pearl sautoirs to tremendous tiaras

it's all good

When it comes to men's jewelry I'm all about subtlety.

IMHO a wedding ring, a watch and cufflinks are all any man needs

But since men need so little in terms of accessories

(let's face it they are pretty much perfect without accoutrements)

they should have the very best

a straightforward platinum or 18K band

a Cartier, Patek or Jaeger LeCoultrer dress watch

and of course

interesting cufflinks for his monogrammed Turnbull and Asser french cuffed shirts

Since blue is my favorite color I tend to favor sapphires

and here are my choices from Beladora.com

Sapphire Cufflink in 18K $2250

Sapphire Bar Cufflinks in 18K $2050

(made by Charles Gold & Co, who manufactured the Van Cleef cufflinks)

Sapphire Square Cufflinks in 18K $3250

Sapphire Cufflinks in 18K $2250
(Charles Gold & Co)

Sapphire Cabochon Cufflinks in 18K $1850

Maybe the man in your life needs a little Beladora box in his Chrismas stocking

...or maybe a special gift after Xmas but in time for New Year's Eve...

Don't forget the discount code HOLIDAY09

Samantha Harris Brings The Bling To Dancing With The Stars Finale

Can you imagine how psyched we were last night when Samantha Harris wore Beladora jewelry on the finale show of Dancing With The Stars.

There we were at home watching the show and texting each other about how awesome she looked.

The Outfit

The Close Up

and the pièce de résistance

Fancy Yellow and White Diamond Earrings $35,550
Metal: 18K Yellow and White Gold

Yellow Diamonds = 13.89 carats

White Diamonds = 13.01 carats

Total Diamond Weight = 26.90 carats

Sam's stylist from ABC just dropped off the earrings

hmmm....maybe I should wear them to the Opera tonight....

Dancing With The Stars With Diamonds

I know that I've mentioned before that for the last two seasons Beladora has been providing jewelry for Dancing With The Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba. Well this season Beladora has continued bejewelling Carrie Ann as well as for Samantha Harris.

Here's Samantha in some big bling from a couple of weeks ago looking every bit the goddess.
(damn, I want that silver sliver of a dress!)
And here is the detail photo with the serious emeralds and diamond earrings and ring and with Art Deco bracelets.

If you are happen to get a chance to see the season finale show tonight, check out Samantha's jewelry.

Oh, and lest you think that this sparkly stuff is just for show, let me say for the record that it is all for sale.

All offers will be seriously considered.

Savvy Shopping - Boucheron Beasts

Fashion blogger Savvy Mode blogged today that she isn't a big fan of the new animal jewelry from the extravagant bestiary collection by Boucheron.

Which includes this diamond swan necklace interestingly worn as a hair ornament


and these charming carved gemstone turtle rings

I do like animal motif jewelry
when it is cleverly conceived and constructed
and I'm rather fond of Beladora's newest acquisition

Boucheron Tsavorite, Sapphire and Ruby Iguana Ring in Blackened Gold $13,550

OK, so I admit that it is a bit pricey at $13,000

but waaaay better priced than Boucheron retail price of $28,000

And god knows that I'd much rather have a jewelled iguana than a live one

The Essence Of A Photo Shoot

Even after watching several magazine fashion shoots in progress, I'm still impressed with the the coordination it takes to put one of these things together.
Yesterday I was at Milk Studio in Hollywood for a cover and fashion shoot with a young movie star for the March issue of a major national magazine.

The studio was impressive with one huge room for the photography

and another huge room for hair, make-up, wardrobe

and a caterer who was making omelette's to order for breakfast and then who came back a couple of hours later with a huge spread for lunch for the talent and crew

Beladora brought some diamond necklaces, earrings and bracelets in platinum

and a couple of trays of Jean Mahie jewelry

Of course there was an additional two tables of jewelry and maybe 50 pairs of shoes and 20 linear feet of outfits hanging on rolling racks.

Since there are large quantities of clothes and accessories for a magazine fashion shoot you never know if your pieces are going to make it into the actual publication.

You just loan the goods and hope for the best.

The talent (who shall remain nameless because we don't want to jinx our chance of getting the cover photo) starred in a major sci fi movie last spring and is coming out in a mega movie next spring, was so very pretty.

And she had an adorable personality.

When you have lived in LA as long as I have you tend to be jaded when it comes to actors and the entire entertainment business

but even with my ho hum attitude, it was hard to take my eyes off of the talent because she was just so pretty.

NY Recap - The Shoppping

OK...so there might have been a little shopping done while I was in NY. It was so cold outside that I just might have had to duck into Bloomingdales, Bergdorfs, and quite a few 5th Avenue boutiques, Fendi, Prada, etc., just to keep warm. (And to keep warm I just might have had to buy a pair of flat black boots and something warm and snugly that rhymes with "yearling"...)

But above all the shopping was for business, due diligence if you will, like visiting my estate jewelry dealer friends on 47th Street.
And no NY shopping is complete without a walk through of Bergdorfs, at least through the jewelry section on the 1st floor
Bergdorf's jewelry department didn't disappoint.
(yes, I was that odd woman taking photos of the jewelry cases with my iphone!)

I couldn't decide if I loved or hated the Lorraine Schwartz stuff

like this big fat bright green emerald ring

Is that the same one that Angelina Jolie wore on the red carpet

or does Lorraine Schwartz keep making these rings?

There were the usual high end lines, Verdura, Buccellati, De Grisogono, Van Cleef in it's own boutique and jewelry lines that I've never even heard of....I don't get out much.

But I was pleasantly surprised to find a couple of cases of jewelry by Carnet like these multi stone earrings with huge diamond dangles. Michelle Ong, who designs for Carnet, is in my opinion on the level of JAR in Paris and James de Givenchy at Taffin in New York. She is certainly one of the top three jewelry designers in the world in terms of creative use of fine gemstones.

She does really amazing work, like this elongated oval sapphire cabochon ring.

It is a work of art.

And note those black and white earrings in the corner of the photo.
They sell for $48,000 at Bergdorfs.

The Beladora price for the Carnet Diamond Fan Earrings is a just t'wee bit lower at $33,500

Yeah, Carnet jewelry is expensive, but it is truly stunning.

No matter the season the shopping scene in NY is always energized and fun. Here at home, from Neiman's to Barney's on Wilshire Boulevard, and up and down Rodeo Drive and the Beverly Hills side streets, I never feel that same kind energy as I do in NY, except maybe around the holidays.

Rodeo Drive is being dressed up for Christmas this week and maybe some of that NY shopping spirit will liven up the street.

Just The FAQs Ma'am

Hoping that I would get tagged with random questions about things like what's my favorite color
and where's my favorite place to party.
But no tagging for BHB

Instead it's all questions about Beladora...

FAQ:
Why are there two websites
Beladora.com
and
Beladora2.com
and what's the difference between them?
Answer:
Having never had a retail store because Kazanjian & Fogarty, the renown estate jewelry firm, was a wholesale business that dealt only with the jewelry trade and select private clients, the brain trust at K&F decided to create a website that would bring K&F's incredible collection of antique and estate jewelry directly to the public.

But, since there was such a broad selection within the collection, from the "affordable for all" to the "princess" or "couture" jewelry, it was decided to create two websites;
Beladora that showcased the rare antique, signed, and couture pieces
with most items priced at above $1000
but also a large selection of jewelry priced below $1000
and
BeladoraII that offered vintage fine jewelry affordable for all
with most jewelry priced below $500

For example, here are a couple of Edwardian pins in silver and mother of pearl, circa 1905
and a vintage pendant and earrings in sterling silver
all priced below $200 on BeladoraII

Vintage Antique Edwardian Cat Pin in Silver, Marcasite and Mother of Pearl $195

Vintage Antique Edwardian Turtle Pin in Silver, Marcasite and Mother of Pearl $195


Vintage Emerald and Filigree Pendant in Sterling Silver $195

Vintage Emerald and Filigree Earrings in Sterling Silver $195

FAQ:

Where does Beladora get all of that jewelry?

Answer:

Beladora (Kazanjian & Fogarty) purchases jewelry everyday from private clients, estates, auctions and dealers.

FAQ:

Does Beladora own all the jewelry shown on the websites or is most of it just on consignment?

Answer: Beladora doesn't take any jewelry on consignment. The company owns outright all the jewlery that it shows on both websites.

FAQ:

Does Beladora or BeladoraII ever have sales?

Answer:

Yes but infrequently because prices are already way below what you would find in an estate jewelry store.

If there is something that you see on either website that isn't on sale, but you would like to buy, send an email to sales@beladora.com and ask if they can give you any special discount. I'm pretty sure that they will try to give you the best price possible.

FAQ:

What is Beladora's return policy?

Answer:

The Beladora staff understands that jewelry really needs to be seen in person and tried on, because even the great photography on the website doesn't always show the size and scale of the jewelry. So, Beladora has the easiest and friendliest return policy of any online jewelry store. If a client isn't happy with their purchase, for any reason, they are welcome to return it for a full refund.

FAQ:

Does Beladora sell estate jewelry on any other websites?

Answer:

NO.

If Beladora listed its inventory on other websites, such as Amazon or 1stDibs, those sites would take a commission on sales and Beladora's jewelry prices would have to be raised to cover these additional selling costs.

FAQ:

Does Beladora work with an affiliate program?

Answer:

Yes...and No.

Beladora doesn't work with any large affiliate organizations like Link Share or Commission Junction because they charge huge fees, require long term contracts and add additional selling costs.

But, Beladora would love to have a bevy of bloggers as affiliates and and would be more than happy to pay commissions to any blogger who refers a client through linking from their blog. Individual affiliate code can be set for both Beladora and BeladoraII. You can become an affiliate by signing up here and here and you will receive your individual affiliate code.

FAQ:

What does "princess" jewelry mean?

Answer:

Jewelry purchased from a princess...of course!

If you have any questions about Beladora or estate jewelry

leave a comment or

email me at belledeville@gmail.com

Savvy Shopping - Onyx Options

Lusting for the new Lexus?

From Carlustblog.com
Lexus Unveils $375K LFA Supercar


When it seems that every other car that you see in Beverly Hills is a boring Bentley (yawn)
it's time for a little Japanese engineering


But the $375K price tag is a little steep
and you're not gonna get much in a trade in for your small German sedan


Yep, you will have to step up your game

Applying your motto for success at school
"dress well, test well"
now it's
"bring on the bespoke for a Wall and Broad Street style bonus"


but as much as you love Brioni and Battaglia
you can only afford Banana Republic

Banana Republic White Button Down with French Cuffs $59

Which is fine

because you don't believe in spending a lot of money on clothes that will not hold up over time.

Instead your allocated fashion budget goes to what you will wear

season after season, year after year....

like fine estate jewelry

Black Onyx Cufflinks in 18K $1550

Black Onyx Bar Cufflinks in 18K $2750

Black Onyx and Diamond Cufflinks in 18K $1450

Nothing says competence and class

and James Bondian ability to get the job done

like cufflinks

and if your boyfriend won't share his

buy your own pair

Bespoke no, but beguiling yes.

Your car is waiting

Around Town - Dressing For Dinner At Mélisse

Making up for the snooty Beverly Hills service I received this week
mes enfants invited me to dinner at Santa Monica's finest restaurant
the two Michelin starred Mélisse
where the food is fabulous and the service sublime.

Mélisse Restaurant

Since none of us had ever been there before, we were anxious to try a nice selection of chef Josiah Citrin's famous dishes, so we each ordered the 4 course tasting menu.
I know..it sounds like a lot...but they were tiny servings.
The venison off of the seasonal game menu that my son ordered was probably the most interesting dish, and the duck and lamb were both equally delicious.

We were a little nervous about ordering wine off extensive wine menu, but Sommelier Brian Kalliel helped us choose a nice Côte du Rhone, a 2005 Domaine de Solitude, that complimented the food and (thank god) wasn't too expensive
.....we're gonna save the 1961 Château La Tour for another night...(in my dreams)

The perfect children looking happy and well fed

And, way more important than the food and wine
was the fact that my kids made the effort to dress up
They looked charming and I was so proud!

I wore my usual black suit and south sea pearls
and Miss de Ville, who wore the following vintage jewelry from Beladora
and Beladora2.com, looked so adorable.

Vintage Style Diamond Ring from Beladora2.com $995

Carnelian, Onyx and Diamond Chandelier Earrings from Beladora.com $495

Vintage Mid-Century Diamond Ring from Beladora2.com $1250

I'd like to make this dressed up dinner a regular family thing
at least until grandchildren come along...

XOXO Gossip Girl

Danielle of Gem Gossip - Seriously, how adorable is this girl?

Every once in a while one of my fellow bloggers ferrets us out at our top secret Beladora HQ, and this week I was thrilled to have Danielle, the Gem Gossip Girl stop by with her beau Scott. Danielle has a passion for jewelry and blogs about everything from which celebrity to wearing what, to period jewelry, to jewelry design motifs.

Not only does Danielle write about all things sparkly, she has created her own line of charity bracelets that benefit the Rutherford County PAWS organization for pet adoption and welfare service.

So, I suggest that you check out her blog for all things bling-y.

Also...her enterprising beau Scott is part of the brain trust behind

Valore Books, the ultimate online resource for buying used college textbooks.

For anyone who has a required college course with a syllabus of $100 books, you will want to shop at Valore.

Minding Your Metals

In the crazy world of fashion where hubris reigns
we have Lindsey Lohan as the "muse" of the Ungaro line
and
Alexander McQueen putting 12 inch heels on the runway
and
Albert Elbaz of Lanvin selling costume jewelry nonsense for over $1,000
it makes you wonder
Is there anything out there of actual value worth buying?

Well you know where this is going
GOLD...the investment you can wear.

Check out this chart showing that gold is up more than 20% this year against the Dollar
(and only up some 12% against the Euro...)

The Duchesse on her Passage des Pearls blog has written an excellent explanation of the terminology associated with gold including

karat weight

Karat weight refers to the purity of the gold. (The word is spelled carat, abbreviated ct in some parts of the world, and karat, abbreviated k in the US, Canada and Germany.)

and pure gold

Do not be misled by the term "pure gold": In the US, 10k and up is considered pure gold, but a 10k and 18k bracelet will look very different. In Europe (and in parts of Asia) a number indicating percentage of gold is usually stamped, instead of karat: 10k= 417 (41.7% gold) 14k= 585 (58.5% gold) 18k=750 (75% gold)The higher the karat, the higher the gold purity is in the piece.

And she gives great tips on shopping for gold while traveling.
Be sure to read the whole thing.

Having A Ball With Beladora

Agate and Sapphire Ball Pendant in 22K with 14K Chain $1650

For variations on a theme, this is my favorite ball pendant.
Beautiful enamel work, really nice sapphire cabochons and translucent agate.

A Beladora Ball or a Coach Cluster

I'm not a big fan of Coach bags, shoes, clothes or jewelry
but I thought that the pendant from this recent Coach ad looked cute

The costume jewelry option
Coach Cluster Charm $225

And that was probably because it reminded me of this

The real thing
Citrine Ball Pendant in 22K with 18K Chain $3250

with 300 carats of citrines