Jewelry News

How the Jewelry World Coped This Week

Creativity, hope, charity and a design challenge

by The Adventurine Editors

April 17—Last week we didn’t have a chance to catch up with the jewelry world in review so this post includes news we discovered mainly via Instagram over the last two weeks. Designers around the globe continued to share personal news, how they have been spending their time and finding all kinds of imaginative ways to use their talents.

Eva Fehren announced on Instagram that she was pregnant and shared some heartfelt words.

I could have never imagined, just a short time ago when Dimitri took this photo, the challenges the world would be facing just weeks before my due date. And while I am SO excited to share this news with you, I have also felt discouraged that what should be such a happy time has turned into preparing to give birth during a pandemic, researching federal loans instead of strollers, and being separated from my family.

While that’s all true for me right now, I am also choosing to celebrate the positives! My heart is filled with hope for the future.

To all the new Mamas to be: I’m afraid too, I know this wasn’t what we were expecting. Silver lining? Hanging with the best Quarantine buddy imaginable. I love you so much @herringandherring. Thank you for taking care of me (and dumpling) and for capturing this simple, beautiful moment. XEva

Emmanuel Tarpin has been passing the time quarantined in France drawing. He posted this beautiful bug on his main feed.  In Instagram Highlights, the talented designer is houses and architectural scenes on a gray paper with charcoal but lights on in the window once a day.

Stephen Dweck shared a series of candy colored pictures of a shuttered-up Coney Island. He took the images during a bicycle ride to the iconic destination that is near his home in Brooklyn.

Los Angeles based designer Sonia Boyajian, who has been sharing pictures of herself and her sons making ceramics in her studio, took a break from the art projects to post an image with her son. Both are wearing handmade masks by her friend Eliza Kenan. She said she bartered for the accessories with a “jar of tahini, citrus fruits and 50 years of elastic…I would say it was a great deal as I never felt a mask suited me better. Thanks friend.”

Brent Neale started making watercolors of flowers this week. When people asked if they were for sale, she was surprised,but worked fast with Randi Molofsky at her showroom For Future Reference and made a plan. She is selling 45 flower paintings for $250 each. Every single penny is being donated to the Central Park Conservancy to endow a bench dedicated to essential workers. The art goes live every day around 11am and sells rapidly.

Ana Khouri continued her charitable efforts in the fight against Covid-19. In an Instagram post she announced her latest initiative and said, “We are forever grateful to @doctorswithoutborders for their tireless work. To do our small part, we are donating our diamond and baroque pearl Lily earrings along with a very special experience as part of the incredible #alittlesomething auction put together by @chufy. I’m so heartened to see such generous souls and some of the brightest minds in the industry offer their creations and their time for this collective auction.

Together we are stronger. Together we can change the world. Thank you @chufy for putting us all together. Thank you to all our heroes on the battlefield saving lives.

Carolina Bucci is donating 25% of online proceeds to The Coronavirus Emergency Fund at Careggi Hospital in her hometown of Florence. She posted an image wearing a Grazie necklace to say a huge thank you to all of her clients who were supporting the cause. And that her company was making a second donation and would continue to donate until at least the end of April. Carolina added, “I hope it can make a little difference in a world that needs a lot of help.”

Jenna Blake shared a picture of jewels including her Hope charm that she is selling to benefit frontline responders and healthcare workers.

Tomasz Donocik is running a contest where people write on his Instagram post about the event to comment on their favorite gemstone and the theme they would like interpreted. The designer creates an original sketch of a jewel tailored to the winner’s comment and sends a signed print of the sketch to the winner.

The first week’s contest winning comment stone was ‘boulder opal’, and the chosen theme was ‘women empowerment.’ This theme lies very close to Tomasz’s heart as he has two lovely daughters who are 2 and 5 years old and who already show a lot of intelligence, individuality and perseverance. He put pearls on the side as an ode to Coco Chanel who, Tomasz, explained embodied female empowerment.

London based designer Sarah Ho is donating 100% profits of her Love Collection earrings to Covid charity initiatives. The earrings are available in rose yellow or white gold and in any language. The love earrings were to be launched later this year, but the designer has launched it now in support of the Covid charity initiatives. The designer explained on Instagram, “This collection we were planning to release much later in the year, but with this situation, we thought there was a reason to share “Love” for a much more apt reason. The earrings are available in yellow, white and rose gold and in any language. We are taking pre-orders now, and although there may be some delay in delivering this to you – the donation will be made immediately to this crucial fund.”

Theo Fennell hosted a seven-day silent auction at theofennell.com with 15% of proceeds going towards the Kensington and Chelsea Foundation’s Covid 19 Appeal. The auction featured five one-of-a-kind pieces designed by Theo Fennell in his design studio and crafted by hand by our team of talented craftsmen in their Fulham Road workshop. “While this dreadful virus is doing its worst here in the middle of London, extraordinary people are doing wonderful things,” explained Theo. “One of these is The Kensington and Chelsea Foundation. It is looking after people who really need it and, as Chelsea has been our company’s home for 40 years, it seemed only right to support them. We hope this auction will be a bit of fun in these perilous times but also raise some funds for our local heroes.”

Charlotte Cornelius is conducting a fun contest, open to anyone and of all ages, on the theme “staying connected.” The principals behind the label explained to potential contestants to “Be bold and give it a go, enjoy the process, we will be giving you tips along the way. We look forward to seeing your jewelry designs!” Entries must be submitted by April 20. The company will decide a group of finalists on April 27^th. Then the public gets to pick the winner who will be announced on May 4. Find out more here.

*This post was assembled by Smitha Sadanandan and Marion Fasel.

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