Gretchen Koback Pursel is the new chief people officer at the company formerly known as Saks Global.
Favorites from Vicenza
After getting my bearings at the Vicenzaoro "First" show on Saturday (and sitting in on a trend seminar held by research consultancy TJF Group--more on their 2010 trend forecast to come), I spent the next day taking a closer look...
After getting my bearings at the Vicenzaoro "First" show on Saturday (and sitting in on a trend seminar held by research consultancy TJF Group--more on their 2010 trend forecast to come), I spent the next day taking a closer look at the latest design offerings from the Italian brands.
By the end of the day, I found myself super impressed by three companies in particular. What I find interesting about the pieces that caught my eye is how varied they are in design. The latest pieces from two of the companies are quite technically innovative (and, it also helps that they're just plain lovely to look at), while those of the third fall at the other end of the design spectrum, striking me with their handcrafted nature and simple beauty.
Above left and right: Ring and bracelet in white gold with diamonds by Mattia Cielo, MattiaCielo.com
New from Mattia Cielo, this ring and bracelet (above)--from a yet-to-be-named collection--are crafted in white gold with diamonds, and the cool thing about them is that they feature what designer Mattia described as an "easy-fit spring." It's basically an elastic stainless steel spring that allows the ring and bracelet--which wrap all the way around the finger and wrist, respectively--to seamlessly open and close in the smoothest of motions.
Above left: Ring with ruby and baguette diamonds, Above right: Ring with diamonds, both from Staurino Fratelli, StaurinoFratelli.com
Meanwhile, over at Staurino Fratelli, the brand exhibited new pieces from its popular "Magic Snake" collection, including this diamond and ruby stunner (above left). Moveable hinges allow the pieces to shift in accordance to the bending of one's finger, as seen above right.
Above left: Hoop earrings in ebony with rose gold; Above right: Necklace in ebony with rubber rings and diamond detail, both from Raffaella Mannelli, RaffaellaMannelli.com
Taking a 180-degree turn, another of my favorites was designer Raffaella Mannelli. Rafaella handcrafts oversized statement pieces from boxtree wood and ebony. I love the organic nature and geometric themes of her handcarved designs, as well as the tiny luxe dashes she adds in, like the miniature rose gold stamp on these hoop earrings (above left), and the diamond detail on this necklace (above right). As the designer described her inspiration: "Nature is never regular, it's never perfect, and these are the sort of shapes I like."
The Latest

Bromberg is remembered as a Southern gentleman who always wore a suit and tie and treated others with kindness.

With high durability and a wide range of colors to choose from, sapphires may be the ultimate birthstone, Gizzi claims.

Submit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.

Laughter is often considered a distraction in the workplace, but it has benefits for both staff and management, Peter Smith writes.


The California jeweler is renovating its store in Fresno, with plans to show off the new space in December.

A lifelong practitioner of Pilates, Gabrielle looked to the springs’ tension and suspension when creating this ring, our Piece of the Week.

Retailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.

The deadline to apply is Nov. 13.

The auction house has promoted Remi Guillemin, formerly its head of watches for the Americas and EMEA, to the role.

Jewelers of America also revealed the recipients of the Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship and its own scholarship programs.

The British actor, known for his roles in “Twilight” and “The Odyssey,” will star in a campaign for the Master Control Chronometre.

The “Confetti Disco,” “Champagne Cheers,” “Tuxedo,” and “Classic Punk” jewelry collections each capture a distinct spirit of celebration.

Nelson Holdo of Newport Beach pleaded guilty to multiple counts of felony grand theft and writing bad checks and was sentenced Monday.

Cat ladies of the jewelry world, unite. Sandy Lerner’s “significant” collection of cat jewelry and other objects is going up for auction.

Arnaud Michon, the former Omega USA President, will now lead Messika’s Americas region during its international development.

The branding references the back-to-back jewelry shows that new parent company Forge will host in Miami's Coconut Grove this November.

The stainless steel Patek Philippe “Calatrava” watch from the 1930s sold for nearly $80,000 at a recent Hansons Cornwall auction.

Engagement rings are important but don’t ignore the customers who are buying jewelry “just because,” Emmanuel Raheb writes.

Former Pomellato CEO Sabina Belli has been named president of Kering Italia amid a shakeup of Kering's new Jewelry division.

The veteran luxury packaging executive was appointed to help the company grow its North American business.

Once the property of an Egyptian queen, the necklace was part of a larger exhibition of VCA jewelry at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK).

The labs’ separate investigations each determined that the East African country is producing copper-bearing tourmaline.

“Chicago Collects: Jewelry in Perspective” at the Oshkosh Public Museum will feature works by Fabergé, Lalique, and Louis Comfort Tiffany.

The “Worn Well” collection is Catbird's take on classic men's jewelry.

This Buddha Mama butterfly is our Piece of the Week honoring the legend, who embraced the beautiful insect as her symbol.

The former De Beers CEO, and perhaps its next owner, will be a featured speaker at the event, slated for Sept. 4-7 in Italy.
























