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pearls

Welcome to the Year of the Tiger

February 1, 2022 by WendyB

Happy Lunar New Year! The Year of the Tiger calls for a throwback to a custom tiger ring I created years ago for gorgeous client Christine. I would love to make a new tiger ring for the Tiger Year — with some changes, of course, so that Christine’s ring would remain uniquely hers. It would…

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Filed Under: Animals, holidays, Jewelry, pearls, rings, Special Occasions Tagged With: lunar new year, tiger jewelry, tiger ring, year of the tiger

Jewels of the Month: Tolula in a Tiara and More

May 31, 2021 by WendyB

In 1985, I listened to British singer Belouis Some‘s song “Imagination” on repeat. Kids these days don’t appreciate the dedication it took to play a song obsessively back then! It was a delicate operation, what with lifting the turntable needle up from the vinyl record and moving it to that flat, grooveless space in between…

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Filed Under: 80s style, Arts & Entertainment, Fashion, featured jewel, Gangsta Boo, gold, jewel of the month, Jewelry, jewelry designer, lockets, music, pearls, poison rings Tagged With: belouis some, bridal tiara, marian kwei, the story, tiara, tolula adeyemi

The Weeks in Review

January 13, 2019 by WendyB

In case you missed it, here’s what’s been on the blog recently. Monday, December 24: MrB knows how to give good gift. Tuesday, December 25: Merry Titmas! Wednesday, December 26: The voluminous fashion trend isn’t going away, and that’s good. Thursday, December 27: My YouTube highlights for 2018. Monday, December 31: My Jewels of the…

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Filed Under: About Wendy, pearls, video, week in review Tagged With: fashion vlog, jewelry vlogger, youtuber

2019 Golden Globes: The Jewelry Trend to Watch

January 8, 2019 by WendyB

We’ve finally reached the jewelry portion of my Golden Globes coverage. You’d think that as a jewelry designer, I’d start with that, wouldn’t you? The thing is that, as a designer, I’m looking for a “Wear What You Want” jewelry moment with something so daring that I think, “I wish I’d made that.” I want…

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Filed Under: awards shows, Best Dressed/Wear What You Want Award, Celebrities, Fashion, Golden Globes, Jewelry, pearls Tagged With: cathy waterman, hair jewelry, joanna newsom, neil lane, rodarte

Wednesday’s Video: Pearl Perfection After 20 Years

January 2, 2019 by WendyB

Talk about slow fashion! In November 2011, my Jewel of the Month was my redesign of a pearl pendant that I got in 1998. Late last year — seven years after that blog post — the same pendant suddenly became my favorite everyday necklace. How and why did this happen? Let’s go to the videotape,…

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Filed Under: About Wendy, Jewelry, jewelry designer, my designs, necklaces, pearls, redesigns, video Tagged With: pearl necklace, pearl pendant, redesign jewelry

Jewelry for My Imaginary Golden Globes Outfit

January 11, 2018 by WendyB

Yesterday, I showed you the two outfits I would have chosen between if I’d had gone to the Golden Globes last Sunday. Here’s a closer look at the jewelry I would have worn with either outfit — all my own designs, of course. (I had to raid the vault for this little photo shoot!) From…

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Filed Under: About Wendy, awards shows, Celebrities, earrings, Fashion, Golden Globes, Jewelry, my designs, necklaces, outfit post, pearls, pictures of me, rings, skulls, Special Occasions, video, What Wendy Wore Tagged With: golden globes jewelry

Solar Eclipse Video: Moon-Inspired Jewelry

August 21, 2017 by WendyB

I’m sharing this week’s YouTube video a couple of days earlier than usual because it’s inspired by today’s solar eclipse. Sun- and moon-themed jewelry is quite common. In the sun category, I’ve had my Gloriana necklace style around for a long time. Usually I prefer the 18K yellow gold version, but white gold is nice…

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Filed Under: Jewelry, necklaces, pearls, platinum, rings Tagged With: eclipse jewelry, solar eclipse

What Wendy Wore: WJA Awards for Excellence

July 28, 2017 by WendyB

When I was nominated for a Women’s Jewelry Association award last month, MrB asked if I would be wearing a recently acquired dress to the dinner, or if I needed an even newer dress (What a nice man, right?). I said no to both. I wanted to wear a ’20s-style dress I got 10 years…

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Filed Under: About Wendy, awards, dresses, earrings, Fashion, homegrown vintage, Jewelry, necklaces, outfit post, pearls, pictures of me, What Wendy Wore Tagged With: double vintage, slow fashion

Jewel of the Month: Queen of Scots Snake Tiara

July 18, 2017 by WendyB

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…

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Filed Under: featured jewel, jewel of the month, Jewelry, my designs, pearls Tagged With: bridal jewelry, tiara

Flashback Friday: Pearls From the Past

June 30, 2017 by WendyB

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…

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Filed Under: birthstone, Custom work, earrings, gems, gorgeous clients, Jewelry, my designs, necklaces, pearls, redesigns, rings Tagged With: birthstone jewelry, june's birthstone, pearls

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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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