I started work on July’s Jewel of the Month in January, shortly after Alyssa Brownell — one of my gorgeous jewelry designer friends — got engaged. Alyssa, who has always had adventurous taste in jewelry, initially asked if my Cleves swan earrings in 18K yellow gold and onyx could be her “something borrowed.” She’s worn…
my designs
Flashback Friday: Pearls From the Past
The last day of June is a good excuse for one more post about the month’s birthstone, the pearl. I made this one-of-a-kind pair of pearl earrings in 2008. The pearls are set in 18K yellow gold and accented by 83 points of black diamonds (there are 100 points in a carat). It’s a much…
Hathor Swivel Earrings on a Designing Woman
One of my earlier designs has become au courant in 2017! My Hathor swivel earrings — named after an Egyptian goddess — were worn by actress Margaret Anne Florence in March. This week, they were the accessory of choice for someone who really appreciates accessories: costume designer Melissa Toth (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,…
Jewel of the Month: Queen of Scots Snake Ring
June’s Jewel of the Month is my Queen of Scots snake ring … … and if you don’t know why I associate Mary Queen of Scots with a snake, watch my new YouTube video to find out. I figured it was time to do a jewelry video after four weeks of talking about vintage clothes. My…
Wendy Brandes Jewelry in the New York Times
Thanks to super-cool journalist Rachel Garrahan for including me in her New York Times article called “In a Time of Stress, Jewelry Becomes Armor”! It’s about how women are gravitating towards jewelry that makes them feel strong … and it just so happens that the concept of female strength is at the very heart of…
Wendy Brandes Jewelry in The National
A big thank you to the delightful Panna Munyal for interviewing me for an article in The National about secret-compartment jewelry and watches. (The National is the English-language daily newspaper of the United Arab Emirates, so hello to Abu Dhabi!) I told Panna about one of my jewelry inspirations — a ring I first wrote…
No, Thank YOU, Gorgeous Clients!
It’s such a joy when I get an email from a gorgeous client letting me know that she’s happy with her Wendy Brandes jewelry purchase. I like knowing that a woman and her husband both love an engagement-ring redesign. I always enjoy feedback from regular customer Heather because she gets very specific about what she…
#BuffySlays20
It’s been a 1990s kind of week! I started out obsessing over PJ Harvey’s 1995 album, To Bring You My Love. Today, I saw #BuffySlays20 trending on Twitter and realized that it’s been exactly 20 years since the premiere of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I have quite a few pieces of vampire-slayer-worthy jewelry, thanks to…
Jewels of the Month: Signet Rings for Rebel Women
Later today, I’ll be marking both International Women’s Day and A Day Without a Woman by joining a march in downtown Manhattan. Ahead of that, allow me to share March’s Jewels of the Month: signet pinkie rings for rebel women. These rings are completely customizable — you can select your own metal, insignia, and ring…
The Maneater Collection Gets Some Lovin’
A huge thank you goes out to image consultant Amy Roseveare for interviewing me at length about my Maneater collection for her Jewelry Fashion Tips blog! I always jump at the chance to tell people about Empress Wu, who was the main inspiration for this collection. CLICK HERE TO READ THE INTERVIEW. I met Amy…