A River of Diamonds

The rivière necklace remains one of the most sophisticated and classic of pieces. This style was especially popular during the Georgian period (1714-1830) but has not lost any of its caché over the years, and this modern Cartier version is a good example of why.

Rivière necklaces are named for the French word for river, and consist of a single row of graduated “flowing” gemstones. The stones are mounted with a very small ring of platinum or white gold so that each stone is as visible as possible, giving them great movement. Rivière necklaces are typically associated with diamonds, but can also hold other gemstones, such as rubies and emeralds.

The necklace pictured here is comprised of 77 diamonds with a total weight of about 34 carats. They begin by the clasp at approximately ¼ carat, and graduate to a center stone of 1.5 carats. As one would expect from Cartier, these are all collection quality diamonds of high color and clarity grades. The setting is platinum and ends at a diamond encrusted clasp with the Cartier signature (see picture at right). This is a contemporary Cartier piece, but in general, rivière necklaces can be difficult to date to a specific time period due to their simplicity, and lack of tell-tale signs. We were excited to come across this particular necklace because it came with Cartier papers in its original box. This is a rare find, making this piece particularly valuable.

Guest Blogger - Guille Aguero

As the Hamptons polo season winds down, we sat with Guille Aguero, one of the stylish men of CIRCA polo, to find out what influences his style:

Name: Guille Aguero

Hometown: Pehuajo, Buenos Aires, Argentina

How long have you been playing polo: 20 Years

How did you first start playing polo: I started playing polo at the Mashomak polo club, because my father used to play and I liked it.

Style icon: Madonna – she has been able to evolve with the times and stay relevant as both a cultural and a style icon

Favorite jewelry piece or watch: My Jaeger-LeCoultre watch.

(Note: Jaeger was the first company to create a watch collection specifically for polo players when it introduced the Reverso watch in 1931. The Reverso flips around to an all metal backing to protect the timepiece from being broken in the heat of the game.)

Images: Madonna's Cover Shot for the May 2008 Green Issue of Vanity Fair, Courtesy: www.vanityfair.com; Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Gyrotourbillon 2, Courtesy: watches.infoniac.com

Retro - Jewelry's "New Look"

At the end of World War II, designer Christian Dior blew away the fashion world with his lavish and feminine “New Look”. Dior focused on colors, floral motifs and volume, in sharp contrast to the austerity of wartime fashion. Joan Crawford is often identified with this style, with her nipped waist accentuating her shoulders and long, feminine skirts. Echoing this change in fashion was the introduction of Retro jewelry, which replaced the geometric patterns of the Art Deco movement with curvy, open, asymmetrical pieces. In fact, Retro was in many ways the anti-Deco, and represented a changing mindset as nations emerged from the Great Depression and war. Whereas Art Deco was predominantly made of platinum and diamonds, giving it a sleek, industrial look; Retro jewelry consisted of colorful pieces with more naturalistic themes symbolizing life and hope. Rubies and diamonds were the colors du jour, and gold replaced platinum, after the latter become scarce during wartime rationing.

This 18kt gold flower brooch is a perfect example of Retro jewelry. Like the stunning retro ring we featured previously, it is made of rose gold with rubies and diamonds. Although it is just two inches in height and 1.5 inches wide, this piece is quite animated and full. Each petal of the flower is manipulated to make the piece more 3-dimensional. All of these elements make this a classic 1940’s Retro piece.

Guest Blogger - Magoo Laprida

As the Hamptons polo season winds down, we sat with Magoo Laprida, one of the stylish men of CIRCA polo, to find out what influences his style:

Name: Cristian (Magoo) Laprida

Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina

how long have you been playing polo: I’ve been playing polo since I was 9 years old.

How did you first start playing polo: I started playing with my father, Cristian, who was a top player on the Revlon team in the early 90’s.

Style icon: Tennis Star Rafael Nadal – a sportsman and a true champion.

Favorite jewelry piece or watch: I like the timeless elegance of Rolex watches.











Images: Rafael Nadal, Courtesy Listze.com; Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust Rolesor, Courtesy: Infoniac.com

European Vacation

I always make it a point to have a “wellness” treatment once a week – even on vacation. So recently, during a stay in Germany’s Black Forest, I decided to take the waters at the Cassopeia Therme located in the spa town of Badenweiler. The Europeans are very in tune with mind and body wellness, so it was no surprise to find an equal number of men and women there. (By the way, this is the only instance where a man wearing a Speedo is acceptable - barely!). We all relaxed by the baths and took in some sun but ultimately, I think I am more of a pool-side/cabana sort of gal.

Don’t get me wrong; I did feel the invigorating effects of the waters; but there was somewhat of a “mittel Europa” seriousness to an activity that is supposed to relax me. I think maybe it’s the poolside drinks that were missing… A few days later at Lake Como in Bellagio, Italy, I did get those, expertly served up by cabana boys with serious tans and Ray-bans. Their breezy casualness translated to an undeniable elegance apparent in their style and fashion. This stood in stark contrast to the discipline and preciseness of their northern European cousins.

Of course, both are marvelous in their own way. I suppose it is like the difference between Jil Sander and Miuccia Prada. I love both and have assembled wonderful pieces from both collections over the years! I was delighted when they each launched jewelry lines that mirror their fashion sensibilities. Jil Sander’s fine jewelry line is sleek, sophisticated and minimalist in style. Prada, on the other hand - who started a trend by incorporating large colored stones on cloth bib necklaces - is producing big, bold and colorful costume jewelry. I just can’t choose – luckily I don’t have to! Both styles are fabulous and both have their place in every chic woman’s wardrobe.

Images: Jil Sander gold spear earrings, Courtesy Style.com; Prada crystal drop earrings, Courtesy: Saks.com

In the Loupe is authored by CIRCA’s resident trendspotter and style maven. She’s traveled the world, dabbling in high finance, haute cuisine, and fine art at one of the world’s leading auction houses, before finding her true calling in the world of priceless gems. The result is a genuine global luxury connoisseur, with a knowledge and appreciation of beauty, quality and true style. She is one of the industry’s foremost experts on the valuation of fine gems and jewelry, and is now happy to share her discerning eye and impeccable taste to help you look and feel fabulous!

As You Like It

This 18kt yellow gold and pave diamond necklace is a classic Van Cleef & Arpels look from the early 1970’s. In the same way that the Alhambra collection is instantly recognizable as VCA today, circa 1968-1975, their pieces were all about textured finish such as the crosshatch pattern on this pendant and chain. This is a heavy piece, containing 13-14 carats of high quality diamonds set in platinum for a dramatic contrast to the yellow gold links.

This necklace has two attributes that make it particularly collectible. The first are the hallmarks located on each clasp that identify this piece as VCA, which is, of course, one of the most revered international jewelry houses.

The second feature that makes this piece so sought after is its versatility. Under closer examination, the 27-inch chain link necklace can be disassembled into 4 different sections making the length of the necklace quite adjustable. Each of the four segments is long enough to double as a bracelet if the wearer so desires, or segments can be removed simply to shorten the necklace to match the occasion. This type of interchangeability was typical of the jewelry of that time. We think the detachable 2.5-inch pendant is such a statement piece that one could even wear the pendant on a simpler chain for a more modern take on this classic.

At CIRCA, we especially love this iconic piece because 60’s and 70’s jewelry is so in vogue right now.

Guest Blogger - Martin Pepa

As the Hamptons polo season winds down, we sat with the stylish men of CIRCA polo to find out who their style icons are. First up, Martin Pepa:

Name: Martin Pepa

Hometown: Intendente Alvear, La Pampa Argentina

How long have you been playing polo: I’ve been playing polo since I was five years old

How did you first start playing: I was born in The Pampas the world capital of polo!

Style icon: Porfirio Rubirosa, the legendary diplomat, polo player and race car driver.

Favorite jewelry piece or watch: I don’t have a favorite piece, but would be happy with any that Cary Grant was after in "To Catch a Thief"...











Images: Porfirio Rubirosa, Source: Askmen.com; Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief, Source: NewslineMagazine.com  

Pietra Dura

There are several examples of techniques that have been translated from architecture and other art forms to jewelry, such as the micromosaic piece that we featured recently. Another example is pietra dura. The plural pietre dure is an Italian phrase that translates literally to "hard stones," and refers to inlaid designs made from meticulously shaped, highly-polished colored stones. This craft was developed in Florence in the 16th century, and was used primarily within the architecture and furnishings. The Opificio delle Pietre Dure e Laboratori di Restauro, the court’s workshops for the preservation of semi-precious stones, was founded by Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, in 1588, and was one of the leading artistic workshops of the Italian Renaissance. The Chapel of Princes (Cappella dei Principi) in the Basilica of St. Lawrence (Basilica di San Lorenzo) in Florence is considered to be one of the masterpieces of pietra dura to emerge from this period.

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Bridgehampton Polo Round Up

CIRCA polo enjoyed a great run in the Mercedes-Benz Challenge Cup, making it to the finals of the prestigious tournament this past Saturday, August 7th, in Bridgehampton. The team reached the finals by defeating the famous Black Watch team (17-11), then coming from behind to beat Certified (11-10) and besting Heathcote (13-12) in the semi-finals in an overtime thriller. CIRCA entered Saturday's final against Peter Brant's powerful La Alegria team with momentum – and the crowd – on its side, but came up just short, losing 13-11 in the final minutes.

“Of course, you’re always disappointed with a loss,” said captain Magoo Laprida, “but the team did such a tremendous job throughout the tournament, that we’re really happy with the overall result.”

CIRCA is back in action in the Hamptons Cup this Saturday at 4:00 pm against Caballeros.

CIRCA Partners with ELLE Accessories

I’m happy to announce that CIRCA has partnered with ELLE to provide our jewelry expertise on their newly launched Accessories Channel. The partnership kicked off with the launch of the Jewelry Dictionary: Luxury Defined on the ELLE Accessories blog.

The Jewelry Dictionary was developed by CIRCA and contains more than 250 definitions – ranging from the very technical to more basic terms - all in language that is easily understood even by those with little or no prior jewelry knowledge. The goal for both CIRCA and ELLE is to provide accessibility to people interested in modern fine or estate jewelry, but who may have dismissed the category as too esoteric or intimidating. It underscores the  transparency that CIRCA champions, and we’re delighted to bring our experience and knowledge to an audience that may be new to the world of jewelry.

CIRCA will also have a weekly feature on the ELLE Accessories Blog, highlighting recent purchases of spectacular estate pieces and answering readers’ questions. And, we’re happy to have ELLE’s executive accessories editor as a regular contributor to the CIRCA blog, furthering our mission to be your online destination for all things jewelry.

We invite you to take a look at the Jewelry Dictionary and let us know what you think. We will continue to enhance the Dictionary with terms and images, so we’d love to get your feedback.

As always, we look forward to hearing from you.

Chris Del Gatto
Chairman & CEO

Guest Blogger - Kate Davidson Hudson

Every jewel tells a story. CIRCA asked Kate Davidson Hudson about her favorite jewelry piece:

I admit… I’m a chronic, compulsive vintage jewelry shopper. Call it an occupational hazard; I’m constantly on the lookout for rare finds, signed gems, and interesting design compositions that I haven’t seen before. In my work, I am privileged to see some of the most amazing pieces of vintage and estate jewelry on display in ateliers from New York to Paris to more far-flung antique jewelry markets from the South-end of Boston to Lambertville, New Jersey.  For me, a lot of the intrigue comes from the process of discovery. Last summer, I visited the Sowa Open Market in Boston on my way back from a weekend in Nantucket. As with most open- air markets, oftentimes you’re left with more quantity than quality; but that somehow makes the random discovery all the more exciting. On this visit, I came across a small booth with a haphazard mix of Victorian, more personal fine pieces and more retro costume from the savants of the period: Trifari, Napier, Sarah Coventry, and vintage Kenneth Jay Lane. Laid in a worn velvet box, buried about 10 trays under a stack of tangled vintage chains and orphan earrings, was a gorgeous green malachite signed Lanvin pendant, circa late 1960’s according to the owner of the booth.

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A Nod to the Past

At CIRCA we are fortunate to be able to purchase classic designs from elite jewelry houses. These beautiful 18kt gold earrings accented with ancient coins are signature pieces from Bulgari.

The earrings have a clean, minimalist, modern design with bezel set coins in the place of precious gems. This playful contrast of ancient vs. modern and the bright polish of the setting vs. the aged patina of the coin, make these earrings a work of art that acknowledges the past.

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