AuctionsMay 17, 2024
Piece of the Week: Cartier’s Ring-Tailed LemurCollectionsMay 31, 2024
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.
Francesca Villa’s “The Blink of an Eye” pearl pendant with a vintage VariVue lenticular image set in 18-karat yellow gold and framed by enamel, pearls, and diamonds totaling 0.98 carats. ($15,550)
There are a multitude of pieces to fall in love with at Couture this year, but Francesca Villa’s “The Blink of an Eye” pearl pendant is the perfect piece to become your token of love for the show.
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.
Related stories will be right here …
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 vintage VariVue lenticular image of an eye blinks as the piece moves with its wearer.
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.
More on Collections
The Latest
GradingJun 27, 2024
GIA Debuts Jewelry Report ServiceThe pilot program will provide grading information for diamond jewelry.
SourcingJun 27, 2024
De Beers’ Rough Diamond Sales Sink 31%The company sold $315 million in rough in the fifth sales cycle of the year, down from $456 million in the same period last year.
MajorsJun 26, 2024
Q&A: Watches of Switzerland CEO Brian Duffy Talks Jewelry StrategyDuffy spoke candidly about the company’s plans to watch and learn, his love for the U.S. market, and what he learned from his mom.
Brought to you by
The End of an Era? Lab-Grown Diamonds' Journey Towards Price StabilityAs the demand for lab-grown diamond jewelry may still be increasing, the most notable change we are likely to see is price stabilization.
Policies & IssuesJun 26, 2024
EU Pushes Back Sept. 1 Diamond Traceability Deadline, US Yet to ActThe European Union has delayed its deadline for implementing a “robust” traceability mechanism for rough diamonds by six months.
Weekly QuizJun 20, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SurveysJun 26, 2024
Consumer Confidence Slips in June Amid Rising PricesThe costs of food and groceries remained a top concern, followed by the labor market and U.S. politics.
SourcingJun 26, 2024
Lucapa Sells Stake in Mothae MineThe Australian miner has signed over its 70 percent share in the diamond deposit to Lesotho company Lephema Executive Transport.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionGIA®’s most advanced microscope has new features to optimize greater precision and comfort.
Events & AwardsJun 26, 2024
2024 AGTA Spectrum Awards Open for EntriesThis year marks the 40th anniversary of the jewelry design contest.
SurveysJun 25, 2024
Jewelry a Top Performer in ‘Stalled’ Luxury Market, Says Bain & Co.Its recent report dives into the current dilemma facing luxury brands.
ColumnistsJun 25, 2024
The Smart Lab: 4 Strategies To Boost Your Jewelry Site’s SEO RankingsEmmanuel Raheb runs down the list of tried-and-true SEO tips and details a couple lesser-known tricks.
SourcingJun 25, 2024
Miriam ‘Mimo’ Caplan Joins Family Business as VPThe founder of Mimo Gem Traders is the newest executive at Evan Caplan Company.
WatchesJun 25, 2024
Formula One Driver Latest High-Profile Investor at Chrono24Charles Leclerc and his brother, Lorenzo Leclerc, have sunk money into the watch marketplace.
MajorsJun 24, 2024
See What Inspired Tiffany & Co. Silver Designer Edward C. Moore A collection of the silversmith’s personal objects, as well as items created during his time at Tiffany, are on display at the Met.
MajorsJun 24, 2024
JA to Offer Beginner Bench Jeweler Certification at GIA Carlsbad HQThe on-site exam will be administered from Aug. 8-9.
SourcingJun 24, 2024
Gemfields' June Ruby Auction Fetches Nearly $69MThe sale marks the miner’s 10th anniversary of its first auction of rubies from the Montepuez Ruby Mine in Mozambique.
CollectionsJun 21, 2024
Say Howdy to Zadok Jewelers’ New ‘Texas’ CollectionCowboy boots, horseshoes, and longhorn motifs make an appearance in the Houston-based jeweler’s new line.
SourcingJun 21, 2024
Julius Klein Partners With WJA on New InternshipThe Ella Klein Internship will take place in New York this summer.
CollectionsJun 21, 2024
Piece of the Week: Eriness’ ‘Snake Coil’ NecklaceJoin Eriness’ garden party with this emerald-eyed snake.
GradingJun 21, 2024
ASA Elects New Gems and Jewelry Discipline Governor, Members-At-LargeWarren H. Morss is the new governor, while Monica L. Caldwell and Mark T. Cartwright are the members-at-large.
Policies & IssuesJun 20, 2024
5 Safety and Preparedness Tips for Jewelers This Hurricane SeasonJewelers Mutual is advising jewelers along the coast to prepare for above-normal hurricane activity this year.
MajorsJun 20, 2024
Sara Yood Appointed JVC CEO As Tiffany Stevens Moves OnThe leadership change at the organization charged with guiding the industry on legal issues will take effect next week.
SourcingJun 20, 2024
Jewelry Expert Helen Molesworth to Release First Book“Precious: The History and Mystery of Gems Across Time” will be available on Sept. 17.
MajorsJun 20, 2024
Claire’s CEO Ryan Vero Steps DownChief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer Chris Cramer has been named interim CEO.
Policies & IssuesJun 18, 2024
JA, Industry Leaders Take Russian Diamond Import Concerns to D.C.The group met with lawmakers to raise awareness about the financial, operational, and supply chain harms posed by an EU proposal.
Events & AwardsJun 18, 2024
Driehaus Museum Displaying Rare Jewels From Chicago CollectionsThe museum also will host jewelry heist-themed movie nights throughout the run of “Chicago Collects: Jewelry in Perspective.”
CollectionsJun 18, 2024
Pomellato’s New High Jewelry Collection Celebrates Milan“The Dualism of Milan” collection features two chapters representing the monochromatic and colorful spirit of the city.
