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History

Jewel of the Month: Wear Wolves

October 30, 2021 by WendyB

Right in time for Halloween, I’ve got something for werewolf lovers … or anyone who wants to wear wolves. These Isabella wolf-fang earrings are actually one of my “vintage” pieces, but I haven’t had an 18K yellow gold pair available for quite some time. Now they’re available both on my website and 1stdibs.com. My gorgeous…

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Filed Under: featured jewel, Halloween, History, holidays, inspiration, jewel of the month, queens Tagged With: gold earrings, werewolf jewelry, werewolves, wolf claw earrings, wolf earrings, wolf fang earrings

20 Years After 9/11, Part I

September 11, 2021 by WendyB

“The days are long, but the years are short.” I think of that saying every September 11. On that date in 2001, in the wake of the deadliest foreign terrorist attack on U.S. soil, it felt like time stopped, or, at least, that it should have, because how could life ever be the same? Instead,…

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Filed Under: 9/11, History, In the News, politics Tagged With: 9/11 anniversary, september 11

Jewel of the Month: Queen Min Earrings

June 30, 2021 by WendyB

I’m extra excited to share June’s Jewel of the Month here, albeit at the last possible minute, because this is the first significant new gold design that I’ve created since 2019. Last year was a washout for jewelry design, but the pandemic wasn’t to blame. My manufacturers actually masked up and went back to work…

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Filed Under: 1stdibs, activism, birthstone, earrings, featured jewel, gems, History, In the News, jewel of the month, Jewelry, jewelry designer, pictures of me, politics, queens, Shopping Tagged With: amethyst, citrine, dragon jewelry, koi fish, koi jewelry, queen min

Activism Inspiration: White Rose Leaflets of WWII

February 22, 2020 by WendyB

On this day in 1943, Nazis beheaded three young Germans — Christoph Probst and siblings Sophie and Hans Scholl — for their part in writing, printing, and distributing six leaflets urging nonviolent resistance to the fascist regime. Embed from Getty Images The leaflets were produced by the White Rose — the name chosen by a…

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Filed Under: activism, History, In the News, news, politics, racism Tagged With: hans scholl, sophie scholl, white rose leaflets

Role Model: Auschwitz Activist Róża Robota

January 27, 2020 by WendyB

January 27 is designated as Holocaust Remembrance Day to mark the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration/extermination camp. This year’s Remembrance Day is the 75th anniversary of the liberation, which makes it even more atrocious that the Supreme Court today reinstated the “public charge” immigration policy that prevented Jews from escaping genocide by taking refuge in the…

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Filed Under: About Wendy, activism, History, In the News Tagged With: holocaust, role model, roza robota

The History of the Nixon Protests, From L.A. Kauffman

December 17, 2019 by WendyB

Despite what you may read or hear, it is morally right and MEANINGFUL to speak out against a ruling party that commits crimes and undermines democracy. Any “backlash” talk is designed to keep you passive, even though there is ample historical evidence that appeasement is a failing strategy. That doesn’t mean that fighting back is…

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Filed Under: About Wendy, activism, History, In the News, news, politics Tagged With: impeach 45, impeach and remove, nixon resignation

Jewel of the Month: Inspired by Empress Eugenie

November 13, 2019 by WendyB

Thank you to Brecken Branstrator of National Jeweler for alerting me that on Nov. 27, Christie’s in London is auctioning jewelry that once belonged to Eugenie, who was the last empress of France via her marriage to Napoleon III. I appreciate that the auction house has the full provenance of the jewels listed: Provenance is…

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Filed Under: featured jewel, History, jewel of the month, Jewelry, lockets, necklaces, queens Tagged With: christie's, empress eugenie, empress josephine, jewelry auction, juana la loca

Jewelry That Tells a Story

August 24, 2019 by WendyB

Just the other day, I was writing about how jewelry — especially jewelry created by individual designers — can rise to the level of art, with real meaning beyond physical adornment. So thank you to Tony Cooler, who pointed out this remarkable brooch by Phyllis Bowdwin, which was posted by the Smithsonian on Instagram. The…

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Filed Under: History, In the News Tagged With: 1619 project

Recommended Reading: Anne Thériault’s Queens of Infamy

July 15, 2019 by WendyB

I’ve been scolding myself for nearly a decade (seriously!) for giving up my Thursday Book Club posts, most of which focused on the bad-ass historical women who inspire my jewelry designs.  The last book-club post was the finale of my three-parter on A Distant Mirror, Barbara Tuchman’s book about the 14th century, which I posted…

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Filed Under: anne boleyn, featured jewel, feminism, History, jewel of the month, Jewelry, my designs, necklaces, queens, rings, snake Tagged With: bad-ass historical women, eleanor of aquitaine, leo jewelry, lion jewelry, lion necklace

She’s Not a Mad Queen; She’s an Angry Queen.

May 17, 2019 by WendyB

General Specific: Now is not the time to discuss this, Mad Scientist. Angry Scientist: First of all, I am not mad! I am angry! I am an angry scientist! That is what it is saying on my card of businesses! Sheep in the Big City “To Bleat or Not to Bleat,” Season 1, Episode 2…

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Filed Under: anne boleyn, Arts & Entertainment, History, queens, TV Tagged With: daenerys, dragons, game of thrones, game of thrones finale, lannisters, starks, tyrion, varys

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MEET WENDY BRANDES

Award-winning designer of fine jewelry inspired by women's history and pop culture. A former journalist who writes about jewelry, fashion, medieval history, news, feminism, dogs, cats and whatever else is on her mind. Blogging since 2007.
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Original jewelry designs, photos and text are © Wendy Brandes 2007-2016. All rights reserved.

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