Manifesto

196 Manifesto blue print flash
May - June 2015 197
FIRST GLIMPSE
What the in-crowd is bidding on and pining for…
DIOR JOAILLERIE’S
ROSE DES VENTS BRACELET
This medallion holds everything you need to know about Monsieur Christian Dior’s
story – he was superstitious, loved roses, kept a lucky charm in the shape of a star, and
his childhood home in Granville was named Les Rhumbs alluding to the 32 divisions
of the wind rose (it translates to rose des vents in French). So what does wearing this
medallion on your wrist mean? For starters, we hope to inherit a pinch of Monsieur
Dior’s luck – just look at the empire he built. The double-sided medallion bracelet
comes in various executions: yellow gold and mother-of-pearl with lapis lazuli or
turquoise, or rose gold with pink opal. Good luck finding the one you fancy most.
www.dior.com
PIAGET’S POSSESSION RINGS
You’ve probably been told about one of these rings before. You know,
the kind that encourages those with the habit of touching one’s band and
spinning them like a tell-tale sign for anxiety. Well, there is a ring for that
too and they’re called spinners. Such rings feature a second rotating band
that allows its wearer to smoothly turn the ring without moving the entire
band around the finger (ouch). For the rest without the habit, be prepared
to cultivate one because such rings are as stylish as they are addictive. Our
current faves are those in pink gold set with diamonds by Piaget, who first
launched these rings 25 years ago. The truth is, these make great wedding
bands too. Helps with the anxiety, no?
www.piaget.com
MOODMETRIC’S RING
They say that technology is doing all the work for us, and they’re probably right.
That’s because some of us even require tech to confirm our own emotions (no,
we don’t mean emojis). Enter Moodmetric, a smart ring that markets itself as the
“technology that promotes happiness”. Think of it as your mobile psychiatrist.
When worn on the finger, it partners with your smartphone app to give a
statistical breakdown of your emotions, that’s if you weren’t already touchy
feely with your inner self. It tracks your emotional levels (on a scale of 1 to 100
with the higher numeral being your most stressful) by measuring electrodermal
activity of the skin (i.e. sweat glands), a method said to be widely adopted in
psychological research. The ring also monitors your emotional peaks so as to
inform better control and awareness of one’s stress levels, and advising when to
take five. If you’ve got a higher budget, hire an assistant first.
www.moodmetric.com
100.20-CARAT DIAMOND SOLD
It is touted as the largest classic emerald-cut diamond to be sold in
auction, and many have coined it as “perfect”. The 100.20-carat internally
flawless D colour stone, mined by De Beers in South Africa, received the
final hammer price of US$22.09 million at a Sotheby’s auction in
New York, falling within the pre-auction estimate of US$19 million
to US$25 million. Sotheby’s record in this department is well established
having sold a 118.28-carat diamond in 2013 for US$30.6 million.
www.sothebys.com
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS’S
TWO BUTTERFLY BETWEEN
THE FINGER RING
You’re shedding clothes because winter’s over but your jewellery game
still remains the same. We can’t blame you for siding with the wedding
band but why shouldn’t your other jewellery choices hail the change of
seasons too? Start spring right like the rest of your floral-themed outfit
with Van Cleef & Arpels’s bejewelled butterflies. The gold butterfly
motifs perch on the periphery of your fingers recall that magical
Disney princess moment when woodland creatures answer to your
beck and call. This version is available with tsavorite garnets and
diamonds, with another option in yellow sapphires and diamonds.
BULGARI’S
DIVA PENDANT
NECKLACE
Whether she is surfing or
sleeping, it never leaves her side.
But have you ever wondered
why she walks around with that
little pendant around her neck?
That’s because the superstitious
amongst us favour a talisman or
an amulet, a precious item that
we swear by to provide extra
luck or protection at all times.
The thing is, they don’t have to
be shaped like a horseshoe or a
four-leaf clover to be considered
worthy or effective. Take for
example, Bulgari’s Diva pendant
necklace. It features a little
brilliant stone of turquoise, lapis
lazuli or precious coral along
with a drop of diamond at the
tip. Its simplicity is profound
and its style is pretty. And your
belief that it’s lucky is all that
is required.
www.bulgari.com
MYINTENT’S BRACELET
When you’ve got Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and Rihanna wearing your jewellery,
you’ve got yourself a business. Throw Kanye West and his Time magazine
cover into the equation and some would call it a career. That’s the story
behind Los Angeles-based MyIntent’s ascent into the primetime as A-listers
are starting to throw their weight behind this US$12 bracelet that features a
brass or nickel medallion strung together with a hemp rope, black wax cotton
or silk. While it might sound simplistic, the value is in its concept. Wearers
get to engrave a word of their choosing – up to 12 letters – which answers
two questions: what one wants more of in life and what challenge one wants
to overcome. (West chose “beautify”, Rihanna chose “faith”, and Beyoncé
chose “surrender”.) The bracelet then becomes a daily reminder to its wearer
to achieve those goals.
BITTERSWEET’S BRACELET
Remember that unsightly reddish mark left on the wrist thanks to the iron grip
of an elastic band for your long tresses? Yes, we’ve all been guilty of that more
times than we’d care to admit but we’re still not ready to give it up anytime
soon (how else are we going to rally our hair at a moment’s notice?) Now, there
is a temp solution in lugging this hair accessory around beyond the coverage
of a long sleeved top – and this looks way cooler. It comes in the form of a
fashionable bracelet by BitterSweet that blends in with the rest of your wrist
ornaments. How does it work? Think of the bracelet (available in gold and
silver or in various finishes) as a wearable holder for the elastic band. And such
is its refinement that spotting the ugly elastic band draped over the precious
metal is a blink-and-miss.
www.bittersweet.is
www.vancleef.com
www.myintent.org

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May - June 2015 199
LINKS OF LONDON’S
WIMBLEDON RACKET NECKLACE
We don’t have to tell you that Wimbledon is one helluva classy event
– Google for images of the spectator stand and it looks like folks were
dressed straight off a Ralph Lauren catalogue. After all, club members
and players have to adhere to strict dress codes which are unheard of
even at top-notch dining establishments. While we can only guess your
outfit choices to the epic two-week event, we do know what will earn
the approval of others faster than a Serena Williams serve: a yellow
gold pendant necklace by Links of London, the official jeweller of this
tennis spectacle. The pendant is fashioned after a tennis racket and
flaunts speckles of diamonds in the position of its strings – basically
the only symbol of love of this sport you need to be flaunting come
game day. And trust us, it goes with everything you’re probably
thinking of wearing to centre court.
BOUCHERON’S SERPENT
BOHÈME BANGLE
You’re looking at a classic that has been in the French jeweller’s history
books since 1968. The thing about buying iconic jewellery is that there isn’t
a season pegged to its purchase – it was popular then, it is still popular now.
And that’s the good news, because we all need jewellery in our possession
that can be called into action at a moment’s notice without looking out of
place at brunch or a ball. This Serpent Bohème bangle by Boucheron fits the
bill in status and style. It is offered in white gold and set with pavé diamonds
so that it stands out with your white tee on the weekend and that white gown
on the red carpet.
www.boucheron.com
www.linksoflondon.com
JOHN HARDY’S PALU DISC NECKLACE
If jewellery is a symbol of love, these Palu necklaces by John Hardy is a result
of it. These textured dots of sterling silver that mimic the shimmer of moving
water are the creations of husband-and-wife teams of artisans at the workshop.
The teamwork involves the wife softening the material over flame before the
husband hammers the Palu finish on the sterling silver – and yes, it might be as
romantic as that pottery scene in Ghost.
www.johnhardy.com
GEORG JENSEN’S
ARGENTUM BANGLE
Simplicity is your forte so if you could choose a uniform for life, it
would be the tee and jeans combo. We hear ya. The same goes for your
choice of accessory – a wristwatch for practicality and nothing fancier.
Do yourself a favour and strap on just one extra arm candy – a stainless
steel bangle with a hammered texture by Georg Jensen. Why? It would
elevate your style from flying under the radar to a low-key cool. Well,
unless you look like Robert Pattinson or Ryan Gosling, then it wouldn’t
make a difference.
BAUBLEBAR X ÁLE BY
ALESSANDRA’S TASSEL BIB
When running out of ideas in the wardrobe department, take a cue from today’s
top models. After all, dressing up is part of their bread and butter and missteps are
rare. One of those models we have spent countless hours studying their off-duty
look is Brazilian Alessandra Ambrosio. She has not only made a home for herself
on the world’s most important runways but has also recently launched a fashion
and lifestyle brand named ále by Alessandra, which only goes to show she must be
doing something right in her style game. Her next move is a collab with Baublebar
that centres on fashion jewellery that complements festival looks (yes, Coachella
is not the only music fest on the summer roster). One of our faves is this tassel bib
to rein in the craziness that is your colourful summer dress. Yes, there are rows of
silver chains, stones, neon fringes, resulting in an accessory that is large and heavy
– just about fulfils our “go big or go home” mentality.
www.baublebar.com
JACK VARTANIAN’S
DUO RING
You’re not buying into the trend of
stacking thin bands as though your
sizeable ring collection requires a
daily rotation on your fingers. Fair
enough. Instead, you’re looking for
that statement ring that is edgy but
not an exaggeration of wealth. Turn to
Jack Vartanian, the jeweller who has
an admirable track record of creating
A-lister jewellery that looks as good
in the diner as they do on the red
carpet. Call them rebel bling that even
the likes of Maleficent would agree
on. One of our recent faves is a black
rhodium-plated white gold Duo Ring
with a pair of teardrop rubies. The
stones are positioned as an extension
on the finger, a follow-up to the
horizontal rings that are also popular
with the designer. Wear this on the
middle finger – well, just because if
a lady needs to flip the bird, this will
help with the dramatics.
STENZHORN’S
PENDANT
NECKLACE
It was Monsieur Christian Dior
who said, “After women, flowers
are the most divine creations.” If
that’s not reason enough to base
your buys on a floral theme for
every season, then we don’t know
what it means to make logical
purchases anymore. That said,
spring is elected as the season
where the number of blooms in our
must-buy list is comprehensible.
One of the heavy hitters includes
Stenzhorn’s pendant necklace
that mimics a gorgeous blossom
featuring 4.15 carats of diamonds
and 9.90 carats of sapphires. Each
petal mimics the fragility of the
real flower thanks to the invisible
setting of its blue sapphires.
Simply divine, no?
www.stenzhorn.com
POMELLATO’S M’AMA NON M’AMA RINGS
If you were under the impression that all of your jewellery must look like a
costume piece from a Lady Gaga or Katy Perry music video, then it’s time
for a reality check. Not all of your buys have to break the internet and blind
the room; it’s best if they represent a part of your story too. New to this? Start
by acquiring jewellery with your birthstone. If you’re unsure, pick Pomellato
as this Italian jeweller has the uncanny ability to make semi-precious stones
the focus on your finger – and each piece looks like serious fun too. Try on
for size the new rose gold cocktail rings that flaunt centre stones such as
peridot, garnet, adularia, amethyst, and green tourmaline, just to name a few.
The second part of the surprise is that each coloured stone also represents
an emotion namely passion, desire, jealousy, hope, joy, and pleasure, among
others. Which one is yours?
www.pomellato.com
www.georgjensen.com
www.jackvartanian.com