PATRICIA NICOLAS

Located smack dab in the heart of Madrid, Spain is the Puerta Del Sol (Gate of the Sun); an energetic area that is the center point of a network of Spanish roads. Spain is also the birthplace of featured jewelry designer Patricia Nicolas.

According to Nicolas, the designer’s hard-hitting glam punk style is not entirely intentional. “I try to make simple pieces but I always end up designing bigger, chunkier jewelry.”

Her palette of inspiration is equally perplexing encompassing the cool sophistication of fashion model Kate Moss, Vivien Leigh’s genteel yet impulsive Scarlett O’Hara, and even Shelley Duvall’s portrayal of Olive Oyl in the film Popeye.

“Duvall was made for the role,” she says, “Her beautiful, big eyes steal the show. I love her long, tall silhouette—not unlike today’s models—with the elegantly tied back hair, the gorgeous frills around her neck, and simple makeup.”

While Nicolas clearly has an appreciation for softer types of beauty, she is a rebel at heart embracing the challenge of finding her own visual language. Her design approach is a direct extension of thorough research in which the London-based designer covers a lot of territory.

“I visit museums, exhibitions, and I travel extensively to draw inspiration from the cultural richness I observe. I also visit the Central Saint Martins University library in London. Whenever I go there I go through an assortment of magazines from the 60s and 70s’", she says.

Born into a family that has designed and manufactured jewelry for over six decades, perhaps Nicolas’ exaggerated sense of style is a subliminal effort to set a line of demarcation between herself and the family’s longstanding company.

In any event, her collections of 24-karat gold and rhodium-plated items, accented with a plethora of stunning Crystallized Swarovski Elements, are strident, garish and I love that!

Although this style of jewelry is a growing trend, I do not believe it is considered as mainstream as more timeless designs. I like that she built a brand that is not “safe,” and embodies an independent, fearless spirit.

“My style tends to be very eclectic, diverse and edgy. I draw inspiration from different style eras. Every collection I design is different, and I love to use different materials to create a piece.”

To me, Nicolas’ use of bold color is an interesting choice because I feel it actually softens the dark edge to a certain degree. At the same time, there is something very playful about her collections like her implementation of bat and star charms, the curved skeletal hand of her Skull and Gold Chain Bracelet, as well as the quirkiness of her hat-wearing, crystal and enamel Cowboy Frog Ring.

Her Boyfriends Collection, the designer’s homage to the many personalities of the rough-and-tumble opposite sex, is highlighted by the contrast of skull pendant necklaces delicately accented with crystals.

There is no shortage of personality in her assortment of bijouterie, and such famous names as Sienna Miller, Kate Nash, Kate Moss, and Beyoncé Knowles have taken a liking to Nicolas’ striking assemblages.

“Appreciation of my ideas motivates me to create better and more inspiring collections. To me, having a friendly, creative atmosphere in the studio is the key to creating great jewelry collections.”

In addition to Nicolas' official website, items from her bold collections are available to buy online at MyFlashTrash.com.
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Photo 1 (top right): Fringe Necklace from Memory Lane Collection
Photo 2 (center): Acid Wash Bracelet with Swarovski Crystals Photo 3 (bottom left): 24-Karaat Gold Plated Cowboy Frog Ring from Natural Instinct Collection

PAMELA COULSTON

The Canada Olympic Park sets just a few minutes away from downtown Calgary with the majestic Rocky Mountains serving as a picturesque backdrop. Aside from housing a ski jump tower, and bob sleigh/luge track, the Olympic Hall of Fame and Museum is a great place to visit. Canada is also home to featured jewelry designer Pamela Coulston.

You might say that Coulston likes to keep it real. The graduate of California’s Gemological Institute of America, as well as an Accredited Jewelry Professional, wants her customers to feel the weight of her 18-karat gold, and sterling silver bangles, pendant necklaces, and earrings.

“Jewelry is not just a visual pleasure but a tactile one as well. Pieces are not just meant to be seen, but to be felt.

As such, one of the greatest features of my jewelry is the quantity of gold and sterling silver I use,” says the designer.

“My jewelry items are solid not hollowed out from underneath. My bangles and rings are solid metal not hollow wire; if it looks big it will feel big.” No need for alarm, Coulston’s design style is reminiscent of an Eastern European aesthetic; strong, clean angles and subtle proportions.

Through her 19-year-old company, Disegno, Coulston skillfully cultivates a combination of trendy pieces including stackable rings, and heart pendant necklaces with an explorative streak producing such items as her visually striking and edgy Vertebrae Ring, as well as the texture-rich Whelk and Tortoise Shell items. Prices vary from as low as $30 (for some sterling silver jewelry) to $2,990 (for some white or yellow gold jewelry).



Her ring bands, in particular, are an eclectic group inspired by everything from Roman columns to front load washing machines. Her level of style and form experimentation is expansive while integrating accents of rose quartz, aquamarine, carnelian, lapis lazuli, and diamonds.

She also creates items with movable/removable parts. Her sterling silver Pelagia Ring, inspired by glass artist Dale Chihuly, features “three layers of frosted shells with high polished rims set with a pink freshwater pearl. The top two `shells’ are loose and rotate around the pearl,” says Coulston.

Her collections are a broad interplay of chic sophistication, subtle glamour and the whimsy of animal-inspired charms.

“I specialize in creating 18-karat gold custom made jewelry. I enjoy designing pieces that are wonderful to caress, to play with or fiddle with. My designs reflect my clients’ needs and lifestyles. Their happiness is very, very important to me.”
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Photo 1 (top right): 18-Karat White and Yellow Gold Vertebrae Ring
Photo 2 (center): Sterling Silver Large Pelagia Pendant Necklace with Freshwater Pearl
Photo 3 (bottom left): 18-Karat Yellow Gold Stackable Mountain Range Rings

NERVOUS SYSTEM

Today we visit the sprawling estate located in Ipswich, Massachusetts known as Castle Hill. Once owned by Mr. and Mrs. Richard T. Crane, the estate encapsulates finely coiffed landscapes, over twenty outbuildings, and a majestic mansion. Massachusetts is also home to jewelry design team Jessica Rosenkrantz and Jesse Louis-Rosenberg.

Oftentimes I forget that jewelry design and creation is as much a cerebral act as it is an act of instinct.

For me, the heart of creativity seems to lie within a deeper, intangible space that is not necessarily connected to the unambiguous functions of the intellect.

However, such jewelry artists as Marty Reynard (USA) and Simon Cottrell (Australia) are great examples of the inherent structured, almost scientific, quality of this art form. Rosenkrantz and Louis-Rosenberg's jewelry brand Nervous System is a fantastic representation of the keen intellectualism of jewelry making.

The designers met while attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) no less with Rosenkrantz studying architecture and biology, while Louis-Rosenberg majored in mathematics. They launched their company in 2007, two years after graduation.

"We are attracted to complex and unconventional geometries. Jessica is more interested in the interactions between forms and process," says Louis-Rosenberg, "My interest is in creating our designs in an open-source way using affordable and ethical manufacturing methods."


To create their unusual designs, the duo enlists graphic designer John Maeda's program called Processing to cultivate patterns that are "grown" using algorithms. Selective Laser Sintering and etching are implemented to produce these intricate patterns in tangible forms that mimic plant cells, honeycomb, dendrites, and sea anemones.

An array of materials including 24-karat gold plated stainless steel, nylon, silicone rubber, stainless steel, and wool felt are used to construct ethereal yet complex earrings, bracelets, and pendant necklaces.

I like that many of the lacy designs are patterned after the building blocks of the natural world, like cells, as opposed to something like a leaf or flower.  However, their Orchid Necklace is a stunning floral depiction of over fifty layers of sculpted stainless steel.

It is interesting that our inner space so to speak mirrors the outside world; outstretched tree branches are not unlike the spidery veins of our nervous system. It is all very poetic and lyrical with elements of transience and no sense of creepiness.

"Our inspiration is grounded in the natural forms and processes that construct our world, this is an essential ingredient to our design process. Our trajectory focuses on creating innovative products," says Louis-Rosenberg.

"The generative aspect of our design process allows us to also create mass, custom-made patterns," says Louis-Rosenberg.

"Our studio exploits this by releasing our work online as a series of interactive applets that customers can use to craft personalized jewelry products."
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Photo 1 (top right): 24-Karat Gold Plated Stainless Steel Algae Bloom Pendant Necklace
Photo 2 (center): White Silicone Radiolaria Bracelet
Photo 3 (bottom left): Fuchsia Wool Radial Necklace

DEEPSHIKHA

Built over three hundred years ago, the ominous Red Fort located in Delhi, India stands on the shoreline of the Yamuna River and is a popular tourist attraction. India is also home to featured jewelry designer Deepshikha.

The progeny of jewelers based in the cosmopolitan city of Jaipur, Deepshikha was steeped in a grand tradition of art and jewelry making.

"Jaipur is a mesmerizing city filled with majestic ancient monuments and architecture that enthrall people around the world," she says.

"I come from a family of jewelry artists, after completing my bachelor's degree in art, I joined them."

Jaipur's jewelry industry has been in existence for over three centuries and is the center for some of the world's finest jewelry. Styles ranging from Meenakari to gold to diamond and Kundankari pieces each have a place in the city's jewelry sector.

Incorporating sterling silver is popular among many contemporary Indian jewelers. Deepshikha's sterling silver creations of pendant necklaces, rings, and earrings are a subtle but distinctive amalgamation of ancient and modern aesthetics.

Her ability to create minimal yet complex structures, such as her Mirror Image Ring, is extraordinary. It is an ultramodern piece with sculptural outlines accented with dark red garnet stones.

I love the muted, ethereal color of moonstone and her Moonbeams Pendant Necklace is a great showcase for it. The gemstone overlays a rich detail of tiny, sterling silver discs fusing an aura of the ages within a streamlined arrangement that is refined and elegant.

Deepshikha's level of skill and artisanship is evident in all of her pieces from her choice of gemstones like lapis lazuli and carnelian to her varied metal textures.

"My husband, who is also a jeweler, works with me to design exclusive sterling silver models using gemstones with a touch of Jaipuri tradition. It feels great to work as a team and we are happy to reach out to people across the globe."
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Photo 1 (top right): Sterling Silver and Moonstone Moonbeams Pendant Necklace
Photo 2 (bottom left): Sterling Silver Mirror Image Cocktail Ring with Garnets

LOVETTA CONTO

Let's take a walk through time to the days of Egyptian Pharaohs and visit the
remarkable temple known as the Ramesseum near the Nile River in Africa. The foreboding structure features giant statues of Ramses II, as well as a well-preserved schoolroom made of mud brick. Africa is also the birthplace of featured jewelry designer Lovetta Conto.

There is no question that life is often a journey fraught with hardship, struggle, and setbacks.

The unexpected twists and turns--sometimes of our own creation--can seem like an endless maze of misfortune and heartache.

A home is lost, a long marriage suddenly ends, and a trusted friendship is irreparably broken. Such experiences staunchly challenge one's will to go on, and can darken the hope for new beginnings.

From a psychological and emotional standpoint, an onslaught of challenges occurring over a long period can have a diminishing effect on our self-esteem and the sense of connectivity to others.

Seventeen-year-old Conto is a singular inspiration to anyone who has ever felt forgotten, unloved, and disenfranchised. Due to a civil war in Liberia, as a very young child Conto fled with her father, Larry, to a refugee camp in Ghana.

Here she grew up living with the despair and hopelessness of others having fled their homeland. Despite the oppressive weight of the situation, Conto managed to maintain a positive outlook.

"No one around me saw a future for themselves. My dad taught me that education was the way to raise your life up, and he taught me to believe in my dreams," she recalls. "For some reason I would look around me and look for what was good. I saw beauty.

People told me there was no beauty but I knew another life, another way of being was possible. Going through the war gave me strength and I knew it was not the end of my life."

Conto's "future" came in the guise of Cori Stern, the founder of the Strongheart Fellowship Program. In 2005, while Stern visited with AIDS-stricken pregnant women in the refugee camp, Conto watched her feeling Stern was somehow the key to unlocking her future.

"She told me about her plans to help young survivors of civil war or genocide receive an education and access to resources that would help change their lives," Conto says.


"She told me I had the intelligence and inner resilience necessary for the Strongheart Program, and invited me to come to the United States to be the first to participate in the program."

The goal of Strongheart Fellowship is to help develop entrepreneurial opportunities for "orphaned or uprooted" young people by creating small businesses to provide financial stability to the program participant (or fellow) and their communities.

Initially Conto wanted to pursue the legal profession but realized she was more passionate about fashion. "I had no idea what to do for my project related to law. Nothing seemed right. Something inside me pulled me to fashion and design.

No matter how down women felt in the refugee camp they always found a way to express themselves with beautiful jewelry and clothes they made from what they had. I believe your spirit wants beauty no matter your conditions."

Conto chose shell casings scattered throughout Liberia as her building block. She reinvented this symbol of destruction and anarchy into a symbol that affirmed life, the Akawelle Necklace.

The pendant necklace hangs from a sterling silver ball bead chain, and comes in four lengths. The pendant necklace is also available on an Eco-suede cord, and as a bracelet.

"The leaf pendant is made from melted bullet shells; the part that is left over after the bullet is fired. The bead is the actual bottom of the bullet shell. I had the word "life" inscribed into the leaf to remind myself that new life can begin after hardship."

Conto's incredible maturity is a beautiful reminder of the inherent strength of the human spirit. Her steely determination to build a future despite her surroundings or naysayers is so uplifting.

What gets me more is she not only fought to transcend her experiences but she fought for her very soul. She fought to maintain the existence of her own humanity choosing to see beauty and light within a gloomy, violent landscape.

"I am not ashamed of my past. It has made me who I am. It does hurt--sometimes I wonder why I was born into war and strife--but I always hold on to what my father taught me and to the strength I gained through those struggles."

With the end of the civil war in 2003, the sale proceeds of the Akawelle Necklace help to support the Strongheart House, a safe house for the program's "fellows" located in Robertsport, Liberia.

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Photo 1 (top right): Akawelle Necklace with Sterling Silver Ball Beads Chain
Photo 2 (center): Conto Wearing the Akawelle Necklace with Eco-Suede Cord
Photo 3 (bottom left): Akawelle Necklace Bracelet with Sterling Silver Ball Beads Chain

MARCO BICEGO

Parco Sempione (Sempione Park) of Milan, Italy is a great place for people watching while also taking in the sights of famous local structures such as the Castello Sforzesco (Sforza Castle). Italy is also home to featured jewelry designer Marco Bicego.

For roughly half a century, Italy has maintained its place as one of the world's centers for groundbreaking strides in fashion.

However, the country's jewelry making history is longer dating back centuries. Directly influenced by Greek and Estrucan aesthetics, Italy is world renowned for its pioneering jewelry making techniques and idiosyncratic visual style.

Many contemporary Italian jewelers like Franco Pianegonda, Lucia Mattioli, and Ippolita Rostagno preserve the tradition of quality materials and longstanding jewelry making techniques. They also favor a subtle yet voluptuous aesthetic that adheres to fluid, sculptural lines accented with an assortment of meticulously faceted gemstones.

Bicego is no exception to this style trend. A devoted family man, the jeweler savors being able to combine his astute business sense with his creative inclinations to produce a high-end luxury brand highlighted by beautifully delicate renderings.

Like his contemporaries, Bicego manages to bring something truly unique to the most streamlined of pieces. Lucia Mattioli's collections highlight trademark Italian chain links in chocolate gold while Ippolita Rostagno is a master of sinuous, liquid-like form.

Drawing from the endless visual inspiration of the strange yet beautiful forms in nature, Bicego implements a technique fusing centuries-old, hands-on artisanship with cutting-edge technology. The union produces the artist's signature design: a flattened coil of 18-karat yellow, rose, pink, or white gold strands "wrapped around a flexible gold core."

The level of craftsmanship involved to cultivate this incredible detail in earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings is extraordinary. What initially appears to be a thin yet solid piece of gold becomes an object of stunning intricacy once you zoom in on it (be sure to do this when you view his website). This kind of innovation declares the unquestionable artistry of jewelry making.

Within these astonishing feats of engineering lies the heart of beauty. Bicego's jewelry creations are so buoyant and ethereal; his bracelets, necklaces and earrings in particular are like literal dances of golden light peppered with kaleidoscopic gemstones of champagne quartz, blue topaz, pink and green tourmaline, green amethyst, lemon citrine and white diamonds.

The designer's convergence of such influences as the shimmer of Cairo's sand dunes, the white beaches of the Indian Ocean, and the glistening waters of the Mediterranean is a testament that jewelry can be both minimalist and statement making.

His jewelry collections of sinewy gold chains and breathtaking gemstones are a beautiful celebration of the ancient and modern cultures of Italy, India, and Africa that embody elegant sophistication.

More importantly, the Bicego brand embodies integrity and is committed to obtaining ethically supplied gemstones through the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.

"We refuse to collaborate in any way with tyrannical regimes or organizations that do not respect human rights," says Bicego. "We insist on complete transparency from our suppliers about who they deal with."

The Marco Bicego brand is available to buy online at Mulloys Fine Jewelry.
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Photo 1 (top right): 18-Karat Gold Right-Hand Ring with Diamonds from Gao Collection
Photo 2 (center): 18-Karat Gold Citrine Peridot Bracelet
Photo 3 (bottom left): 18-Karat Gold Ribbon Hoop Earrings

SUSAN KERR

Today we visit the mysterious freshwater lake Loch Ness in Scotland. A "murky" body of water, filled with peat and mud, it is the country's second largest loch/lake boasting a length of over twenty miles. It is best known as the lair of the purported "Loch Ness" creature. Scotland is also home to featured jewelry designer Susan Kerr.

Floral-inspired motifs are a common theme of many designers' aesthetic from the detailed organic work of David Lee Holland (USA) to the buoyant, floriferous pieces of Jasmine Watson (New Zealand).

Each artist brings a unique palette of inspiration to their nature-based designs; influences that range from the lush varieties of plant-life in Alabama to the expansive, distinctive landscapes of New Zealand.

Kerr imbues a hint of whimsy to this design trend with jewelry items that are streamlined yet a bit unusual. Building her pieces from oxidized and sterling silver, Formica, leather, and semi-precious stones, the graduate of Edinburgh College of Art mixes the materials in ways that cause her pieces to seem more like cute, and delicate appliqué patterns.


"I take inspiration from the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods. I want to recapture the femininity of that time while also updating it with a contemporary, new interpretation," she says.

Her most uniquely formed items, in my opinion, are her cable necklaces, which are lovely, airy pieces composed of a sterling silver snake chain arranged into three connecting, oblong loops that build a curvy, petal design.

The jewelry is perfect for everyday wear and blending with the wearer to the point, in some cases, of seeming transient. The muted colors and organic shapes add a casual, relaxed quality to the collections.

Kerr's adherence to clean lines and simple forms create a clear visual language that is offset by the somewhat quirky idiosyncrasies of the floral patterns.

Overall, the jewelry style is soft and pretty, keeping within the flowery trend while also maintaining the designer's unique expression.
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Photo 1 (top right): Sterling Silver Snake Chain Necklaces with Garnets and Amazonites
Photo 2 (center): Sterling and Oxidized Silver Pattern Brooches with Leather
Photo 3 (bottom left): Sterling and Oxidized Silver Summer Garden Pendant

ANTONIO PINEDA

Located in Mexico City, Mexico stands the majestic Palacio Nacional (National Palace) building. At over four centuries old, the structure serves as a government building and highlights the beautiful yet foreboding baroque architectural style. Mexico is also home to the late jewelry designer Antonio Pineda.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, all aspects of society, including literature, religious beliefs, and social organizations, were impacted by the progressive ideology of the modernist movement.

The cultivation of new concepts and innovative approaches was a driving force in Western society influencing the ideas of everyone from political scientists to poets.

This period of enthusiastic exploration found its way into Taxco, Mexico in the form of American William Spratling.

At the time of his arrival in 1928, according to Pineda the city of Taxco was home to only one sterling silver workshop despite the issue that Taxco was the premier location for silver mining.

Spratling's presence motivated talented Mexican silversmiths to expand on their knowledge and metalwork techniques laying the groundwork for the emergence of such artists as Pineda.

"Spratling opened his workshop in 1933. I was 14 years old at the time, and was his very first apprentice. He ignited the fuse for the whole modern Mexican silver movement in Taxco," said Pineda.

In another six years, Pineda would venture out on his own establishing his studio in 1939. He continued to mature his design quality finding his own visual language and by 1945, he participated in a California-based exhibition, Palace of the Legion of Honor. Pineda's involvement was prompted by the interest of arts connoisseur Richard Gump who was also the proprietor for Gump's Department Store.

"I thought he was joking when he contacted me saying he wanted to show my collection. I had a very small collection, only 60 or 70 pieces but Gump was very excited about it," recalled Pineda.

"He told me I had a big future and that he wanted me to go to an exhibition in San Francisco. It was in February 1946 when we talked and his people told me to be ready with a complete collection by May. It was quite an experience."

Gump's excitement carried on throughout the exhibition as Pineda was given eight "windows" instead of the standard two to display his wares. A great advantage considering his collections sat alongside the likes of Danish jeweler Georg Jensen.

Pineda's style marked by his signature .970 silver, and distinctive identifying ZZ and YY hallmarks, is geometric yet fluid, contemporary yet lyrical.

His aesthetic is so powerfully clean and modern his vintage pieces from the 60s and 70s--his most popular designs--could easily be incorporated into a present-day ensemble without looking dated. It is no wonder he is deemed one of Mexico's greatest modern silversmiths.

Up until his death, from kidney failure in December 2009 at the age of 90, Pineda continued expanding his artistic vision while keeping his aesthetic fresh and modern. "I have been lazy for awhile, and I am taking on new projects. I am working on lots of sculpture," he said in 2000.

"I don't want to repeat old designs but the collectors ask for them. Taxco produced some of the best silversmiths in the world. Most of the great ones have already passed away. For that reason, I try to spur new directions."

A collection of Pineda's pieces from the 60s and 70s is available at Silver Huntress.com for $1,850 and up.
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Photo 1 (top right): .970 Silver Necklace for Tiffany & Co.
Photo 2 (center): .970 Silver, Stone, Pearl and Gold-Washed Cross Ring

Photo 3 (bottom left): .970 Silver Cosmos Bracelet

QUOTABLE GEMS - OPRAH WINFREY

The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.