This year’s honorees include a Midwest retailer and two multi-store independents, one in New York and the other in New England.
B.B.'s Best
My mind has already moved on to next week's turkey dinner, making it a bit hard to concentrate on anything else. Lucky for me, jewelry designers showed a multitude of new offerings this week to distract me from my distraction....
My mind has already moved on to next week's turkey dinner, making it a bit hard to concentrate on anything else. Lucky for me, jewelry designers showed a multitude of new offerings this week to distract me from my distraction.
While costume jewelry sometimes flies below the fine jeweler's radar, the quick turnaround and focus on the younger consumer means that these companies can often provide a glimpse of upcoming fine-jewelry trends. Costume jewelers Carolee and Megumi showed new collections this week that promise layered chains and funky pearls will stick around for at least another season. On the fine-jewelry front, C.H.A.R.M. showed awesome new and vintage charms in a variety of settings, Donna Distefano updated her funky, cool "Iron to Gold" collection and Garrard dipped into its royal archives for the new "Regal" collection.
Here are my picks of the week:
Oceanaut, (310) 372-0457
The larger, square-faced version of the "Bella" watch makes it super-chic, but the muted pink and white mother-of-pearl dial and diamond markers make it sweet as well. The watch features a diamond-covered case, interchangeable straps and a Swiss ETA chronograph. Suggested retail price is $1,895.
Founded in 1999, Oceanaut is a watch manufacturer based in Southern California, owned-and-operated by brother and sister team Frances Ibarra Blair and Gabriel Ibarra.
H. Stern, (212) 655-0300
This "Heritage" ring offers a fresh take on the classic cocktail ring. The knuckle-duster comes in 18-karat gold with rock crystal and diamonds. The soft color palette belies the eye-catching design and statement-making heft of the piece.
The suggested retail price is $2,700.
I'm a huge fan of H. Stern, the Brazilian-based company known for its gemstone designs and contemporary style. The brand celebrated its 60th anniversary last year, and remains family-run and focused on meeting the needs of its discerning clientele.
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