Are you #addictedtoTwitter? Show your love by wearing my sterling-silver hashtag ring. Originally, the hashtag ring was only available as part of my four-ring swear-ring set, but due to popular demand, I’ve given it a solo role. (Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter at @WendyBrandes.) The swear-ring set previously led to two other designs:…
jewel of the month
Jewel of the Month: Cleves Swan-Wing Earrings
In 2007, I proved that Anne of Cleves, the fourth wife of Henry VIII, was a damn genius. Geniuses are very inspiring, so I created an 18K gold and onyx necklace in Anne’s honor. The necklace features a swan because Anne was born in Schwanenburg (Swan Castle). I was so taken with my Cleves swan…
Jewel of the Month: May Flower, Customized for Christine
In the spirit of “April showers bring May flowers,” the Jewel of the Month is the poppy ring I created for my designing friend Zang Toi’s 2007 spring runway show. I also designed a matching bracelet, choker and giant belt buckle — all in gold-plated silver. With Zang’s approval, I wore the ring myself with…
Jewel of the Month: Heather’s Engagement Ring
I’m sometimes surprised by the jewelry designs that take off. When I originally designed my Siobhan perma-stacked stacking ring, I didn’t envision it evolving into an engagement ring. But evolve it did! First, gorgeous blogger Susan of Une femme d’un certain age asked me to redesign her original engagement ring, Siobhan style. I never expected…
Jewel of the Month: Empress Wu Dragon Ring
One of my favorite wicked royal ladies is the 7th century’s Wu Zetian, the only female emperor of China. She became known as Empress Wu after her death, but she ruled under a name she chose for herself — Emperor Shensheng. I wrote about her in 2007: Empress Wu, Part I Empress Wu, Part II…
Jewel of the Month: Emoticon Heart Ring
Right on time for Valentine’s Day, here is my latest design, the emoticon heart ring. Don’t know how to make an emoticon heart? Just put a less-than sign and a 3 together, and voilà! A heart. Like my swear rings and asterisk ring, the emoticon heart ring is solid sterling silver. The band starts at…
Jewel of the Month: Black Swan Ring
Phew! January’s Jewel of the Month sneaked in just under the wire. Fine jewelry, like the cheese in Cheez-Its, can’t be rushed into maturity. A jewelry designer without her own factory must work with other people’s schedules. Last year, I wrote about lost-wax casting, a process in which a design is carved in hard wax….
Jewel of the Month: Heart-Shaped-Diamond Ring
December’s Jewel of the Month had two inspirations. I first blogged about it in October, when I mentioned that I was working on a ring that was partly a tribute to this photo of Yoko Ono. This issue of Rolling Stone came out in October 1981. I was always attracted to the solemnity of this…
Jewels of the Month: Hathor Ring and Earrings
Meet Hathor! Hathor was an important — and multitasking — ancient Egyptian goddess. She was the goddess of beauty, joy, romance, dance and incense. She was also the Sovereign of Stars who welcomed the dead into the afterlife. In her spare time, she was the Mistress of Turquoise and the patron saint of miners. She…
Jewels of the Month: Halloween Treats
I enlisted what seemed to be friendly neighborhood Peeps to help show off my Halloween-appropriate Jewels of the Month. Click the photos to buy the jewelry. Oh noes! One of these Peeps is not like the others! Luckily, I had my stake necklace, so I could defend myself from the Peep-gone-bad. The moral of the…