Shopping & Lifestyle

This story originally appeared in the March/April 2018 issue of Elite Traveler. Forget rock crystal’s costume-jewelry reputation. Recently, designers have been using the clear stone to showcase important gems in their high-jewelry lines, sometimes even letting it take center stage.Winter and whimsy feature heavily in these collections. Rock crystal’s transparency complements winter-inspired pieces, such as in Boucheron’s range that explores frigid […]

JB Star platinum ring with 3.14 carats unheated oval Padparadscha sapphire, 0.60 carats half moon diamonds and 0.84 carats round diamonds, $59,990, borsheims.com Padparadscha has always been a fan favorite among avid gemstone collectors, but my friend,  Douglas K Hucker, CEO of American Gem Trade Association, says it’s gaining fame and recognition outside the gem community as well. Known for […]

Oscar Heyman platinum Alexandrite ring with 4-carat Alexandrite and 1.69 carats diamond, $170,000, oscarheyman.com William Noble platinum ring with 3.81-carat cushion-cut Alexandrite and 0.92 carats diamonds, $96,000, williamnoble.com What could be more intriguing than a rare and beautiful gemstone with an interesting past? Image a Finnish mineralogist climbing down into the mines of the Russian Ural Mountains in the early […]

Deciding which jewelry to bring on vacation is always a dilemma. It’s difficult to find the perfect statement piece that is also casual enough to blend in wherever you end up. Our recommendation is to pick distinctive earrings in a brightly colored stone and keep the rest of your look simple. And if you can match the stone’s origin to […]

This story originally appeared in the January/February 2018 issue of Elite Traveler. While we are far from the days when Queen Elizabeth I forbade anyone outside the royal family from wearing purple, the color remains associated with power, prestige, wealth and yes, royalty. Channel your inner queen with these purple jewels, which feature amethyst, tanzanite and sapphires. From Cartier’s latest high-jewelry […]

David Yurman 18K white gold High Jewelry Chain Stax bracelet with 2.75 carats blue sapphires and 9 carats custom-cut baguette diamonds, $58,500,  davidyurman.com It wasn’t the first jewelry piece David Yurman made when he and wife, Sybil, launched the David Yurman company back in 1980, but it was arguably the one that put his name on the map: the cable […]

This story originally appeared in the January/February 2018 issue of Elite Traveler. Whether it’s a playful octopus swimming in the ocean’s depths or a palm tree swaying gently on the beach, the marine world offers plenty of inspiration for designers. In a recent addition to his beloved Crazymals series, de Grisogono founder Fawaz Gruosi rendered an endearing octopus called Buddy in […]

I’ve been intrigued lately by the unique way jewelry designers are using metal colorations in their fine jewelry collections. Some are forsaking traditional 18K gold altogether for stronger and lighter titanium, while others opt for ceramic and rhodium-plating to enhance 18K gold. The wonderfully creative and exquisite jewelry below showcases varying applications of all three materials. Neha Dani titanium and […]