Piece of the Week: Francesca Villa’s ‘The Blink of an Eye’ Pendant
Couture attendees should stop by booth 410 to see Francesca Villa’s rendition of antique “lover’s eye” jewelry.

The limited-edition pendant features a rare vintage lenticular image of an eye as a nod to antique “lover’s eye” jewelry.
As you move the pendant around, the eye appears to be opening and closing.
The illusion of movement in a lenticular is created through tiny plastic prisms which are placed over multiple images that have been sliced and interlaced together.
The eye is framed by blue and white enamel with diamonds totaling 0.98 carats and pearls around the border.
Francesca Villa, the designer of the namesake brand, included pearls as they were often used in lover’s eye jewelry as a token of love because of their value, purity, and rounded perfection, as well as diamonds since they were found in more elaborate versions of these pieces.
She loves the playful movement that the lenticular creates in the pendant, a cheeky wink, as the jewelry moves with the wearer, said the brand.

The story of lover’s eye jewelry is said to have begun when King George IV of England laid eyes on the twice-widowed Maria Fitzherbert at the opera when he was still the Prince of Wales.
It was love at first sight, but as Fitzherbert was Catholic and the 1701 Act of Settlement prohibited people of this religion from being monarchs, their love was forbidden.
History says the two wed in secret and exchanged miniatures depicting each other’s eyes, set into jewelry, as tokens of their love.
It then became popular for couples to gift each other portrayals of their eye in pendants or brooches as a keepsake of their love, forbidden or not.
To see the magic of Villa’s “The Blink of an Eye” pendant, stop by booth 410 at Couture.
The Latest

He retired last month after 28 years traveling the world to source the very best gemstones for his family’s jewelry business, Oscar Heyman.

The charm necklace features six nautical charms of shells and coral that founder Christina Puchi collected on Florida’s beaches.

The organization elected its youngest vice president as it looks to draw in fresh talent.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Campbell joins the company as vice president of business development while Liebler is the new vice president of operations.


Sponsored by The INSTORE Jewelry Show 2025

Globally, travel and transportation brands reigned, while in the U.S., alcoholic beverage companies and a lingerie brand took the top spots.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

The Brooklyn-based jewelry designer is remembered as a true artist and a rare talent.

Production at the mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories topped 1 million carats in Q2, the third consecutive quarter of growth.

A new slate of Learning Workshops will take place in Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Georgia.

The middle class is changing its approach to buying jewelry and affordable luxury goods, the NRF said.

It marks the third consecutive quarter of growth for Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Buccellati, and Vhernier.

The reseller’s market trends report, based on its sales data, also shows exactly how much Rolex prices have jumped since 2010.

The auction house will be hosting a retrospective paying tribute to jeweler Jean Dinh Van and his company’s 60th anniversary.

Jake Duneier and Danielle Duneier-Goldberg have stepped into the roles of CEO and president, respectively.

The Texas-based jewelry retailer has set up shop in Tennessee and Arizona.

Eric Ford will step into the role, bringing with him decades of experience.

In addition to improved capabilities, the acquisition will allow the jeweler to offer support to other independent jewelers.

The “Celestial Blue” capsule collection campaign features Olympian Kateryna Sadurska.

The seasonal store, located in Mykonos, Greece, offers exclusive events, personal styling, and curated experiences.

The New England jeweler is hosting a bridal event for the month of August.

The trade-only event will host its debut fair in the Emerald City later this month.

Its sessions will focus on inventory strategies, staff performance, retention and acquisition, emerging market trends, and more.

For its 10th anniversary, Miseno designed the “Arco” earrings based on the Arco Felice, an arch conceptualized in A.D. 95 in Miseno, Italy.

The jewelry company is one of several contributing to relief efforts in the region after the recent floods.

Inspired by fiancé Sid Wilson’s nickname for her, the white and yellow diamond ring features a unique honeycomb design.