In an industry founded on the classic value of semi-precious metals and gemstones, John S. Brana’s choice of non-traditional materials like copper, bronze and aluminum gives a new sheen to the jewelry industry.. Also in this issue: Discover the torched copper work of Kindred Spirits, get an inside look at Arizona Copper, learn about North Carolina’s reclaimed Capital Building Art, find copper events, and more.

Get an inside look into the studio and work of Chicago-based sculptor Richard Hunt, recent recipient of the International Sculpture Center’s Lifetime Achievement Award.. Also in this issue: Visit the studios of Dick Robert and Emmet Culligan Designs, learn the latest on the new Frick Photography exhibit, find copper events, and more.

Meet the signature artists of the Artisan House, a metalsmith studio that was formed by noted jewelry maker Jerry Fels and his brother-in-law Curtis Freiler in 1964 with the mission of creating affordable fine art for the home collector.. Also in this issue: View the intriguing copper art of Roland Hockett, discover the eco-friendly lamps of J Crocker Designs, learn about the restoration of an early Wurlitzer pipe organ at the City Museum, find copper events, and more.

Lava Onyx and Moss Green Freshwater Pearl Necklace

Few things are more admirable than a lack of complexity. Straightforward, clean lines are always classic. When it comes to jewelry, a strand of gold or silver ornamented with a petite gem is enough for most events. But, there are times when you don’t feel the need to be stylish, or want to adorn something that articulates your mood, your panache, and your individuality. Whether you are at work, out on a date, or just out shopping, something that is more unique and more “you” is suitable. Beaded gemstone jewelry is some of the most exclusive type of jewelry available, and virtually endless in styles and character.

Beaded gemstone jewelry is usually a combination of semi-precious gemstones and gold or silver. Just because the stones are semi-precious does not imply that they aren’t prized by the wearer. This classification of stones isn’t based on how classy or costly the gemstones are, but more exactly how exceptional they are to find.The rarer gems – diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds – are considered to be precious gems because of their rarity.

Semi-precious gems comprise of those which are frequently found in lower-priced jewelry, such as serpentine, peridot, and amazonite. Although these gems are often less costly, that does not imply that they are in any way lesser in quality to traditional precious stones. Moreover, many quality jewelry manufacturers will combine precious and semi-precious gems in one piece.

Citrine Amber Agate Necklace

The gems found in beaded gemstone jewelry can be found in many different forms. Although most of the pieces will be small in size, they may or may not be polished or identical in size. With semi-precious gems, the scarcity of their color, clarity, or additional qualities may add to their value – and jewelry designers often do not want to polish out those characteristics.

Gems used in beaded gemstone jewelry may or may not be polished and refined. Modern styles in citrine jewelry, for instance, favor less even stones. In countless cases, the more unusual the gems are, the more expensive the piece of jewelry. Conversely, pieces that highlight absolutely uniform beads of semi-precious gems can be quite costly and cherished by the owner.

Beaded gemstone jewelry is a breathaking addition to any wardrobe. It is often the jewelry of option for daywear, but when worn with the right outfit, it can show off any wardrobe. The styles and designs are so wide-ranging, that this sort of jewelry is suitable for practically any event.

Onyx Crystal Quartz Citrine Necklace

Whether you care or not, you craft an impact whenever you greet someone new or see an old acquaintance. Research shows that in the first 30 seconds, an attitude is formed based uponyour appearance. Your jewelry and what it exposes about your personality is part of that consciousness. If you want to project a certain vision, either individually or professionally, using your jewelry is a very useful way to do it. Here are some helpful pointers to get you started:

Stand Out from the Crowd

Treat yourself to a truely amazing one-of-a-kind piece of custom made jewelry. For instance, a custom piece of hand made jewelry designed by an artist will really make you stand out. Handcrafted jewelry will not only set you apart from the crowd, but you will be flabbergasted at how often you will be complimented. Make sure to select the right design to flatter your personality. Various designs induce certain personalities. Vibrantly colored designs usually evoke a enjoyable, overenthusiastic, affectionate personality; Modern designed jewelry usually evokes an artsy personality; Ethnic jewelry usually evokes a bohemian or free spirit personality.

Color Coordinate

14K Gold Filled Wire Wrapped Earrings with Onyx

The easiest way to be sure to color harmonize your outfits is to buy matching jewelry sets whenever possible or financially feasible. Having matching sets guarantees you will always have coordinated well put together outfit. A coordinated outfit suggests an organized, careful, and professional person with great taste and a gift for fashion. Having a blend of nicely harmonized colors doesn’t mean that your jewelry has to be the same color as your outfit, but it does have to be part of a harmonized set of colors that blend nicely together.

So, you don’t think that statement jewelry is of great consequence? Statement jewelry is a part of you that directs your inner style, your beliefs, actions, needs, place in life, line of work and status. It makes you feel good about yourself when you admire it in the mirror. Every time you look at your handmade jewelry, it gives you serenity inside when you recollect where you acquired it or why you have it. Handcrafted designer jewelry makes a affirmative statement about you every time you wear it, and on every occasion you recieve or buy something new, it is a memory of that moment in your life.

Chanel may have grounded Zaha Hadid’s Mobile Art Pod late last year, but one of the Pritzker Prize-winning architect’s most recent fashion collaborations, a jelly shoe for the Brazilian brand Melissa, has just landed in Brooklyn. “We’re the main destination for Melissa shoes in New York City, so our customers have been making the trek out to see the Zaha,” says Adele Berne, who co-owns the Carroll Gardens shop Epaulet with her fiancé, Michael Kuhle. “We’ve had a few customers, including several guys, buy them just to display in their home.” Berne assures us that despite some shoppers’ proclivities to collect them like art, Hadid’s curvy rubber shoes are actually quite comfortable. They’re waterproof and washable to boot, and we prefer them to her design for Lacoste. Epaulet is the only store in the U.S. currently selling the shoes, and they’re going fast.

Betsey Johnson celebrated her 30th anniversary in the business last year, and she’s more relevant today than she’s been in ages. If you’re anything like us, you’ve got your eye on a few pieces from the designer’s new collaboration with Opening Ceremony, Betsey Johnson Archive. Now we’ve learned that she’s following up last season’s Betsey Crocker flick (which seems pretty prescient in light of the recent release of Julie & Julia) with the launch today of archival show footage going back three decades. Think the neon brights, big shoulders, and Patrick Nagel-esque styling all over the Fall runways look new? Click play: Johnson was working them back in 1979. See the videos here, but be warned: They’re addictive—and inspiring.

Fashion Wire Daily – They were the cool couple in black, he in a linen suit and she in a fabulous, form-fitting strapless leather dress. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stopped traffic on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles on Monday, Aug. 10, as they joined Quentin Tarantino at the premiere of “Inglourious Basterds.”

I like Jon Hamm for several reasons: One, obviously, is the hit TV show that he stars in, Mad Men, which glorifies those lovely be-suited 1960’s hunks. The other is that, like me, he grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, sporting head-to-toe prep gear (Gap khakis for him, Banana Republic V-neck sweaters for me). Only later in life, when he went west and I came east, did we discover the joys of three-piece suits, girls in tight pencil skirts, and fashion. As he told me at last night’s Banana Republic-hosted (how appropriate?) screening of the first episode of the show’s third season, which debuts on AMC on August 16, he drove himself to L.A. in 1995 with only $150 in his pocket and a dream in his eye. (I, on the other hand, had Bill and Carol Blasberg driving me to NYU in 2000 in a rowdy, overly stuffed Suburban.) Playing Don Draper has given him exposure to a skill he never learned interning in St. Louis or toiling as a struggling actor in L.A.: “I definitely dress more savvily now, and I pay more attention to detail,” he said. “I didn’t think of it as a part of the show in the beginning—I was just drawn to the script at first—so it’s surprising that the fashion has become such a big element. And all the attention paid to it is a wonderful compliment.” Hamm was on the circuit last night, swinging by the screening for just a few minutes during cocktail hour after filming the Jimmy Fallon show and before another commitment. But he did manage to explain that no matter how many suits he puts on, he still retains one style rule from our hometown: “If it’s comfortable, I’ll wear it. That’s a lesson I learned in St. Louis.”