Diamond Diva Dish

Against the dramatic backdrop of the Great Wall of China, Karl Lagerfeld and Fendi orchestrated a show of opulence and grand scale on a catwalk 300 meters in length. A fusion of Lagerfeld’s womenswear collection with accessories by Fendi, the show was a couturier coup.

Among the fashionistas in attendance was actress Zhang Ziyi of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon fame. Pictured wearing a Lagerfeld couture creation, it is fabricated of fur. At a time when consumer social consciousness has reached new heights, Lagerfeld boldly substantiates his use of animal fur by pointing out that other companies have, and still do, use leather, and that to use one and espouse military opposition to the other animal product, is nothing short of hypocritical.

Consumer social consciousness has also given rise to concern about the use of conflict free diamonds in the manufacture of jewelry items. Conflict free, or cruelty free diamonds, are those which are not mined by warlords with the intent to control a country’s mineral wealth.

Regulations within the diamond industry are helping to certify the origin of product, which serves to satisfy jewelry merchants as they can then assuage the concern of the consumer.

If this is important to you, and so it should be – look for industry integrity when choosing to make a conflict free diamond purchase.

Notice Zhang’s earrings – the popular linear drop style is an absolute favorite among the fashion elite at the moment.

Here is an array of delightful dramatic dangles:

From left to right:

Two Tone Oval Diamond Drop Earrings are slimming in effect with the versatility of two precious metals.

White Gold Diamond Drop Earrings go to great lengths of luxe!

Peridot Drop Earrings feature the perennially popular peridot with the sparkle of dew drops.

Linear dangle earrings add a touch of drama to both day and evening wear!

Looking as fresh as the velvety petals of a rose in full bloom, Jennifer Garner rocks this Zac Posen mermaid-style dress which is vibrant in color and captivating in interest. The design – with horizontal shirring, and linear detailing - and color, create an impact perfectly suited to a Paris fête — the premiere of her new movie, “The Kingdom”.

Appropriate to enhance her choice of dress are the statement earrings she is wearing. Statement earrings, whether exclusively crafted of precious metals, dazzling with diamonds, embellished with fanciful filigree, gemstones or pave, are the number one accessory choice for this season and beyond. It’s time to plan your festive wardrobe and add a pair or two of these to your jewelry options!

The Diamond Pave Dangle Earrings in the above image are so very striking – they incorporate several of the hot trends – flirty and pendulous with pave these are a perfect stand alone piece, giving the overall effect of jewelry items which cost far in excess of the actual price.

The same can be said of these Diamond and White Gold Tear Drop Earrings They are elegantly crafted in a style and tradition which could best be described as “Glamour Goddess”. Minus the outrageous price tag, they arrive nestled in the green signature Diamond Harmony box — a new acquisition with a nice touch!

This month Diamond Harmony has a sweepstakes draw for a pair of 14K gold chandelier earrings – three tiers of delicate droplets to sparkle and sway with your every move. Good luck!

An actress, model, mother of 4 children, partner to Brad Pitt, Spokeswoman for humanitarian causes, Angelina Jolie does it all, and still manages to maintain a glamour goddess exterior. She is pulled together whether out toy shopping with her children, appearing at a gala, or taking the platform at a speaking engagement.

As you can see from these images, her most oft worn pieces of diamond jewelry, those which are appropriate in any setting, are her diamond stud earrings and diamond solitaire pendant. These are the basic “building blocks” of your jewelry wardrobe – those you will reach for as stand alone pieces, or to layer with others. Sometimes it’s nice to escape the fashion frenzy, though you don’t have to be conservative as the ultimate look is contingent upon which clothing you choose to pair your jewelry items with.

I feel like the proverbial kid in the candy store when I look at these little rock stars of the jewelry box — either in white or yellow gold, diamond solitaire pendants are available in myriad carat weights, cuts and settings.

My favorites are the classic 14K white gold 4 prong round cut diamond stud earrings with matching 1.5 Ct Four Prong 14K White Gold Diamond Solitaire Pendant. As with any diamond purchase from which you intend to get a lifetime of use, choose those of the best quality (and a size visible to the naked eye!) which you can afford.

You may not have Angelinas flawless skin, her full lips, or her man, but you can take a page from her fashion tome and emulate her look in the context of adding some modicum of sparkle to your life!

Katherine Heigl looked stunning at the recent Emmys. She was both a presenter and a winner, receiving an emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series in the role of Izzie Stevens on Grey’s Anatomy.

Wearing a gorgeous Zac Posen white fishtail gown with glamour reminiscent of old style Hollywood sirens, her accessories are playful and consistent with the fabric of which the gown is constructed. Would you believe it is made of denim? I absolutely love the use of this otherwise casual, heavy duty fabric for evening wear. Layered bangles, chunky bead bracelets, a jeweled bag and over sized hoop earrings with dangling charms complete her look.

I’m partial to hoops and love the option of adding earring charms to create an entirely different look. Casual by day, your hoops can be instantly transformed for either a more polished or an elegant look with the simple addition of earring charms.

Take a peek at those which I found via Diamond Harmony!

These 14K White Gold Diamond Bezel Earring Charms have an estate jewelry look and would be perfect to add a touch of tasteful elegance to a simple pair of white gold hoop earrings.

If you like mixing your precious metals, Two Tone Gold Rope Tear Drop Diamond Earring Charms can take either your plain white or yellow gold hoops to new heights.

I don’t know about you, but I’m going to lead a “charmed life”, too!

image via justjared.com

I’ve long admired Reese Witherspoon – she is bubbly without being a bimbo, effortlessly classy though not stuffy, managed to transcend a much publicized and messy divorce all while juggling career and motherhood without compromise. She seems to be “the complete package”!

Reese was on the red carpet last week to promote “Rendition”, the Gavin Hood film featured at the renowned Toronto International Film Festival. Starring such notables as Jake Gyllenhaal (with whom Reese has been linked romantically since both worked on the film), Alan Arkin, Peter Sarsgaard, and Meryl Streep.

Timely in it’s storyline, the film’s title derives it’s origin from the term “extordinary rendition” a policy which maintains that alleged terrorists can be extradited to foreign prisons and subsequently tortured outside the protection of the legal framework of their country of origin.

Reese plays Isabella, the pregnant wife of an Egyptian-American chemist, who, returning from a business trip, is taken into custody (interrogated and beaten) on suspicion of having been linked to the Middle East suicide bomb-linked death of a CIA officer. Heavy stuff, though the thriller has gleaned rave reviews for Hood’s treatment of this sensitive topic.

Reese’s unfettered couture provides the perfect canvas to showcase her stunning diamond pieces. Note that her diamond link bracelet is very similar to, if not the same, as the one worn by Jennifer Lopez at the “El Cantante” premiere. Reese layers this with a complimentary triple row diamond tennis bracelet. Notice the intermixing of black diamonds , currently quite popular. A jewelry staple, the diamond stud earrings (ample in size!), complete her look.

Emulate Reese’s look with these comparable choices –

Brilliant 1.00ct 14 K white gold diamond stud earrings

Gorgeous 14K white gold diamond link bracelet

This pièce de résistance (above) a 14 K white gold blue sapphire and diamond tennis bracelet

Further to all things bangle and bracelet – this month you can enter the Diamond Harmony Sweepstakes for a chance to win a 14K white gold bangle. The retail value is $299.00! Good luck!

It is unofficially official that the “Indian Jones 4″ love interest will be Cate Blanchett, age 37.    Harrison Ford is 64.  Ooooh, sexy!  By which I mean to say, yuck!

Wild and crazy drop earrings, right? I love the onyx. Not so sure whats up with the wraparound diamonds-on-gold deal. How many piercings are involved there? Please post your guess.

It is also unofficially official that Emma Watson is bailing on the last two Harry Potter movies. Oh no! What will Harry do? Rupert Grint (the red-haired kid) blithely told a London tabloid, “Daniel and I don’t even text her anymore.” Well, indeed.

She looks exhausted. And why not, because, you know, she’s only 16! She’s Hermione Whoever! A stalker showed up at her school last week! She wearing pearl earrings with a lime quartz pendant! She needs a vacation, a bodyguard, a jewelry consultant! Best of luck, Emma.

OK its not really an update because we already knew that hoops are huge again this year and chandeliers are back with a vengeance.  but today we have really great supporting evidence LOL

So, hoops are just hot, and there’s no denying it. They make you look so free and happy.

This is Beyonce shooting a Samsung commercial in New York. She’s the real deal.

And: chandeliers have REALLY come back.

This is Salma Hayek at the 18th annual Producers Guild Awards in Century City. I’ve been staring at these for almost twenty minutes. I might never get this posted if I don’t stop staring!!!!

So, you know Elizabeth Hurley? She’s that woman who was dating Hugh Grant when they caught him in a car with a hooker? And she stayed with him but then she dumped him and had a fling and a baby with Steve Bing, who they sweetly decided to name Damian?

So now she’s gone and had a multi-continent wedding to a randomly rich guy called Arun Nayar, who cheated on his wife to get with Liz. What a lovely bunch right? Well, whatever, because just LOOK at these heart-shaped diamond Journey drops.

I say, why would you buy Journey jewelry unless you’re prepared to desecrate it’s meaning on an international scale? You go, girl.

(She apparently has a line of beachwear, cleverly titled Elizabeth Hurley Beach. She’s also executive producer of Project Catwalk, the Brit version of Heidi Klum’s “Project Runway.”

OK. You may have to fan yourself with the nearest copy of “Hollywood Wives,” but I am now awarding the top prize of Oscars 2007 to the woman who has written 25 romance novels, endured the death of two husbands, and still has the guts to show up at the awards for absolutely no reason except to show off her diamond drop earrings and her diamond necklace. Here she is: Jackie Collins.

Drop earrings were clearly the popular favorite on the red carpet. My three top picks:

1) Natalie Portman.

Funky diamond and onyx. She’s wearing the same dress as Madonna, but who cares? I trimmed it so you won’t have to think about that.

2) Anne Hathaway.

Exquisite teardrop pearls. (I did you a favor and cut off her unfortunate collection of bracelet bangles.)

3) Jessica Biel.

Chunky diamond medallion drop. She got flak for her dress, apparently, so I cut that off too. We’re here to take about jewelry, after all.