{"id":31208,"date":"2015-12-28T23:58:29","date_gmt":"2015-12-29T04:58:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/?p=31208"},"modified":"2015-12-29T00:15:29","modified_gmt":"2015-12-29T05:15:29","slug":"year-in-review-jewels-of-the-month-for-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2015\/12\/year-in-review-jewels-of-the-month-for-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Year in Review: Jewels of the Month for 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

My Jewel of the Month<\/a> posts highlight my newest — or newsiest — jewelry designs. Here are 2015\u2019s hot jewels from both my luxe signature line and my social-media-inspired WENDYB by Wendy Brandes diffusion line<\/a>. Click the photos to read the original posts.<\/p>\n

Most of the engagement\/wedding jewelry I do is customized to the clients’ taste. It’s not very often that someone hands me a sizable diamond and says, “Do whatever you want with it.” That’s the kind of thing only a mom would do. My mother, BarbaraB, had me surprise her by resetting a diamond from a necklace she didn’t wear anymore. She wears it as a right-hand ring, but I think it would make a fabulous engagement ring. I started the year off with a bang by making this January’s Jewel of the Month.<\/p>\n

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For an engagement ring, I could replace the rubies with diamonds. Or sapphires. Or emeralds. Or … your choice.<\/p><\/div>\n

February’s birthstone is amethyst. You can see February’s Jewel of the Month — amethyst cabochon studs set in 18K gold — in this photo with other birthstone studs and emojis.<\/p>\n

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If you don’t see your birthstone stud, contact me at info at wendybrandes dot com to special order it.<\/p><\/div>\n

Speaking of February, it will be here before you know it! Why don’t you do your birthstone shopping now: My stunning amethyst Queen Min ring is part of my holiday sale<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In March, I did my first Instagram video<\/a>. Some of my mechanical pieces need to be seen in action to be truly appreciated. I focused on my Vampire Diana ring — a gold heart pierced by a removable silver stake.<\/p>\n

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Click to see the stake pulled out!<\/p><\/div>\n

Anne Boleyn\/Tudor fans were captivated by Wolf Hall<\/em> on PBS in April, so I reminded everyone that I have Boleyn initial pendants in 18K gold and silver.<\/p>\n

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This photo of the “A” Boleyn necklace in silver was taken by the lovely Alice Olive.<\/p><\/div>\n

Cartier has its prestigious Panther design. I’ve got … FitzRoy, the cat who sits in a bowl<\/a>. Well, he’s got 15,000 Instagram followers, so that’s kind of prestigious, right? Here is FitzRoy as an 18K gold ear climber and May’s Jewel of the Month.<\/p>\n

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Click to see these modeled by Alyssa of the Jewelry Altar.<\/p><\/div>\n

I had a two-part Jewel of the Month post for June. First, I introduced my nine-piece Punk Platinum collection, with a barbed wire theme.<\/p>\n

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This full-finger, hinged ring stops people in their tracks.<\/p><\/div>\n

I focused on my barbed wire ankle bracelets for a second post. Hot summer days call for bare legs, and, I’m telling you, anklets are due for a big comeback. I have this style in platinum, 18K yellow gold and silver.<\/p>\n

\"barbedwireanklebracelet\"<\/a>

Eryn Patton wearing her silver anklet.<\/p><\/div>\n

My gorgeous ex-employee Eryn (whose ankle is seen above) had a passion for a dancing crab emoji that could only be found on Gmail. July’s zodiac sign is Cancer the crab, so the dancing crab was a must. My earring is pixelated just like the real thing.<\/p>\n

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Also available as a ring.<\/p><\/div>\n

August babies are so lucky to have peridot as their birthstone. It’s such a beautiful shade of green. The peridot in the earrings that were August’s Jewel of the Month are of exceptional quality.<\/p>\n

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Eryn Patton models my peridot and diamond chandelier earrings.<\/p><\/div>\n

In September, I introduced arrowhead Y-necklaces … or bikini necklaces … or lariats. It seems no one has settled on a term, so use whichever one you like. A necklace by any other name is still really sex-ay.<\/p>\n

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Modeling my own necklace in silver.<\/p><\/div>\n

My parents officially celebrated their 50th anniversary this week, but BarbaraB got her anniversary ring early. This was another job where a parent said, “Do whatever you want.”\u00a0 This time, it was GeorgeB giving me the go-ahead. I had a lot of fun with this.<\/p>\n

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Click to see the special detail INSIDE the ring.<\/p><\/div>\n

November was all about my seventh Maneater design — the Dragon and the Knight — ring. I have shots of the work in process and video for this special piece.<\/p>\n

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The dragon’s treasure chest opens.<\/p><\/div>\n

December is my birthday month, so I spoiled myself by highlighting a design that features two of my favorite things. Here’s FitzRoy the cat, as an orange-sapphire Y-necklace. Or bikini necklace. Or lariat. His toy is a gorgeous black opal even though in real life, he likes to play with pennies.<\/p>\n

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The real FitzRoy better keep his paws off that opal.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Jewel of the Month posts for 2016 will start next week! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My Jewel of the Month posts highlight my newest — or newsiest — jewelry designs. Here are 2015\u2019s hot jewels from both my luxe signature line and my social-media-inspired WENDYB by Wendy Brandes diffusion line. Click the photos to read the original posts. Most of the engagement\/wedding jewelry I do is customized to the clients’…<\/p>\n

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