Tagged with 'Pearl fashion'

It’s August in London and it can be a wonderful time to visit the city. If you are planning some shopping, here is a short guide on the best places to visit and how to wear pearls in Mayfair and St James.

Begin the day in style with a grandiose breakfast at The Wolseley on Piccadilly. Originally commissioned in 1921 as a prestigious car showroom, The Wolseley has been a destination café restaurant since 2003 that exudes the charm of a European Grand Café. At breakfast the atmosphere is classic and exquisite so wear a long rope pearl necklace, perhaps in grey to match the modern restoration.

 

Cross Piccadilly, via the historic Burlington Arcade, towards Bond Street's luxury jewellers and fashion houses displaying their most sought after jewellery and latest fashions. For more contemporary choice and design make a short detour to the Dover Street Market, an inspirational and unique store for anyone obsessive about style.

 

Turn into Maddox Street towards Pollen Street for lunch at the Pollen Street Social. Jason Atherton's new restaurant is a both a modern meeting place and a fabulous place for a relaxed lunch. Wear a baroque Tahitian pearl bracelet with its shimmering black pearls.

 

Fill your afternoon with art by catching the last days of the annual Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy. This is the largest open contemporary art exhibition in the world and this year Michael Craig-Martin is curating one of the largest galleries. We love the exhibition and it's the perfect place to wear a classic Akoya pearl set with a pearl necklace, bracelet and stud earrings.

 

Finally, finish the day off with some glamour in the heart of Knightsbridge at Bar Boulud at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park. The bistro bar is beautiful and the red leather banquettes welcoming to collapse into. The dress code says Smart Casual, but only diamonds and pearls can match the atmosphere. Wear a golden South Sea pearl necklace with a stunning and sparkling diamond pave ball clasp.

 

Next stop.....a short guide to Geneva for the Autumn.

The sun is shining, the sky is blue and the mood relaxed. Let's hope so, as the summer holidays are finally here!

Packing a bag for a holiday can be quite a headache though. How do you fit so many favourite fashion essentials into a small travel bag? Versatility is the name of the game and pearl jewellery is perhaps the perfect holiday fashion accessory. Here are our top three tips:

1. Simple yet pretty Akoya pearl earrings will match nearly any wardrobe item in your bag, be it a pair of jeans or a colourful beach dress, and can be worn every day.

2. If you are in the city for some casual shopping, a long pastel-coloured freshwater pearl necklace worn in layers is a understated style, but can later in the day transform most outfits.

3. For the evening, why not also sneak in a pair of Tahitian pearl earrings or a pearl pendant in the corner of your handbag to wear on a romantic night out.

Remember to take care of pearls when you are on holiday. Don’t forget to remove your pearl jewellery if you go for a swim or play sport. The nacre that gives pearls their characteristic shine will be damaged by acid and chemicals. Giving them a simple wipe with a damp cloth is the best method for cleaning pearls.

Finally, pack your pearl jewellery in a soft pouch, separated from sharp metal jewellery that may scratch the surface of your pearls. Our Winterson pouch is ideal for protecting your loved pearl jewellery.

Have fun!

One of the highlights of the summer season is the English horseracing calendar and, on a sunny day, Ascot is surely one of its most celebrated events.

What to wear for the races? Ascot is known for its strict dress code, for which Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle famously wore her signature ivory ribbon embroidery lace dress and hat in the film My Fair Lady.

Outside of June's Royal Ascot week the fashion stakes at the racecourse are more relaxed but smart, with hats and pearls still the winning bet.

Winterson went to Ascot in support of the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust, the largest dedicated brain tumour charity in the UK. Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and people under 40 in the UK, with diagnosis times falling short of international standards.

The Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust recently launched its HeadSmart campaign, to promote awareness of tumour symptoms amongst parents and health professionals as improving diagnosis times can significantly help reduce life-limiting disabilities.

To find out more about the symptoms to be aware of in your child and to support this important initiative, visit HeadSmart here.

Does environment influence creativity? And can an old dog learn new tricks? This debate has been renewed with the imminent relocation of Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design to a new home.

Central Saint Martins is the renowned art and fashion college of the University of the Arts London, Europe’s largest centre for education in art, communication, design and performance.

The College has a truly outstanding list of alumni including fashion designer Sarah Burton, artist Antony Gormley and jewellers Theo Fennell and David Morris. Many of the UK’s up and coming jewellery designers graduate through its doors each year.

Central Saint Martins is currently located across 11 old buildings on six different sites in London, but in Autumn later this year the College will be integrating most of its schools into a purpose building at King’s Cross, London.

The £170m redevelopment for the art school will occupy a group of industrial buildings and train sheds, transformed into modern spectacular spaces to serve the College’s future needs.

For more than 150 years, Central Saint Martins has been a pioneer in teaching and learning of art and design. Supporters of the move believe that bringing together the different artistic disciplines under one roof will create a dynamic and rich environment with unique opportunities for collaboration. Its critics are concerned whether the new location and environment will have an impact on the creative spirit and heritage of the school.

We are excited to discover the work of the next generations of Central Saint Martins graduates and hope the College with its world-class teachers will continue to thrive in its new surroundings. Later this year, we plan to introduce a new range of designer jewellery to Winterson, designed in collaboration with one of its graduates. More news on that soon!

Jewellers have worked with diamonds and pearls for hundreds of years and even today this is an adored combination of gems.

 

There is an astonishing choice of gemstones available to designers, including precious stones such as sapphires, emeralds and rubies, and semi-precious stones such as amethyst, topaz and peridot, so why is it that diamonds and pearls continue to be two of a girl’s best friends?

 

Diamonds have a remarkable appearance. They appear pure, translucid, nearly colourless and reflect incredible sparkles of light. Pearls are made with an equally exquisite material called nacre. They appear silky to the touch and smooth with a dazzling iridescence and overtones of colour. The unique synergy of diamonds and pearls creates a captivating elegance that is quite unrivalled.

 

Depending on the culture and the period in time, there are many traditional symbols associated with the matching of diamonds with pearls. Diamonds represent strength, purity, love and eternity, whilst pearls are symbols of good luck, chastity, innocence and friendship. With this symbolic history, it is easy to understand why diamonds and pearls are a perfect choice for bridal jewellery or wedding .

 

A white Freshwater pearl necklace  can also be finished with a clasp set with diamond pave, and is versatile enough to be worn either for evening or business occasions. For a more relaxed every day look, pearl pendants and earrings can be mounted with sparkling diamonds for a twist of glamour.

 

If you love this combination of gems, view a selection from our Diamonds and Pearls collection.

Christies have announced this week that jewellery from the estate of the late Elizabeth Taylor will be auctioned this Autumn. In honour of the celebrated film star and fashion icon, pieces from the collection will tour a series of special events, including stops in London, Paris and Geneva.

Elizabeth Taylor was a renowned collector of jewellery and a selection of her Legendary Jewels will go to auction on 13th December. Proceeds from the events and sales will be donated to The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, which has provided humanitarian funding and assistance to those living with AIDS and HIV since 1991.

One of the most famous pieces in the collection is La Peregrina, one of the most historic and remarkable natural tear drop shaped pearls ever found. Weighing in at a staggering 55 carats, this pearl was discovered in the 16th century and given as a wedding gift to Queen Mary I by Phillip II of Spain.

After a period of ownership in France by Joseph Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon, it was sold by his exiled nephew to Lord Hamilton, Marquess of Abercorn in England.

It remained in the Hamilton family until 1969 until it was bought by Richard Burton as a Valentine Gift to Elizabeth Taylor. The pearl was reset by Cartier as a pendant to a stunning necklace of pearls, rubies and diamonds.

It is not known yet if La Peregrina will tour with other items from Elizabeth Taylor's collection. If so, this will be a unique opportunity to view one of the most celebrated pearls in history.

UPDATE

Dates for The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor Exhibition Taylor tour have now been announced, with the jewellery, fashion, art and memorabilia visiting Christie's, London 24-26th September 2011.

There are many ways to wear pearls and choosing the right length of necklace for your intended look is one of the first decisions to make.

The sautoir necklace, also known as a pearl rope necklace, is usually 95 cm in length or more. Worn as a single strand, the pearl sautoir can reach the waist and has a vintage style reminiscent of the 1920s, swinging round the necks of girls dancing the Charleston.

But the sautoir is also one of the most versatile rope pearl necklaces as it can be looped around the neck up to three times or can be worn knotted at the front. Recently the pearl sautoir has seen a revival with the trend for layering jewellery, perhaps worn with freshwater pearls of a different shape and colour, semi-precious stones or chains.

Certain clasp designs will also allow a sautoir to be twisted and worn like a short thicker necklace.

One of the most popular items at Winterson, the pearl rope necklace is a lasting addition to any jewellery box.

London Jewellery Week starts in just over two weeks, a treasure trove and celebration of beautiful design and luxury jewellery. If you have not attended before, there is a range of events and activities showcasing emerging designers, studio drop-ins and hands on demonstrations.

Be sure to also visit Treasure, the flagship design exhibition that runs from 10th to 12th June. We'll be looking out for designs with pearls by Lilly Hastedt, Leyla Abdollahi and Natalia Schroder, a winner of Professional Jeweller's annual Treasure competition with her stunning pearl ring.

London Jewellery Week runs from 6th - 12th June and all the information on the best events can be found here.

She chose not to wear a necklace yesterday but, with an iconic dress designed by Sarah Burton for the British House of Alexander McQueen that beautifully referenced the elegance of Grace Kelly, there was surely no need.

Instead Kate Middleton chose to wear the diamond Halo Tiara, given to the Queen on her 18th birthday by her father King George VI, and a pair of stunning bespoke oak leaf and acorn motif diamond drop earrings by Robinson Pelham in London.

 

With an event as symbolic as a Royal Wedding, family members and guests alike chose a selection of historic and contemporary jewellery and accessories. We loved Samantha Cameron's statement costume necklace by Erickson Beamon and even the couple's Aston Martin. But our clear favourite was the Queen with her choice of a beautiful pearl necklace, pearl drop earrings and the Queen Mary’s True Lovers Knot brooch that matched the occasion in royal fashion.

 

Many congratulations to the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!

The flags are decorating the Mall and Buckingham Palace already. There will surely be a lot of red, white and blue confetti in London next week!

Keen royal watchers, fashion observers and the world's press will eagerly be looking for their first glimpse of Kate Middleton. What jewellery will the new Princess Catherine be wearing at Westminster Abbey and will she choose pearls for a Royal Wedding?

For centuries a white pearl has come to represent perfection, purity and love. The wearing of a pearl tiara, necklace or earrings is an elegant addition to any bride’s jewellery and the British Royal Family has helped define this tradition over many years.

At the wedding of the future Queen Elizabeth II in 1947, the then King George VI and Queen Elizabeth gave her a present of a pair of pearl necklaces. The Queen Anne and Queen Caroline necklaces consist of 46 and 50 pearls respectively, but on the day of the wedding to Prince Philip the necklaces were almost forgotten. The Princess Elizabeth’s Private Secretary was despatched to retrieve them safely from St James Palace.

At the marriage of Diana Spencer to Prince Charles, the Queen gave a wedding present to Princess Diana of a diamond tiara called the Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara. The tiara was made by Garrard, the crown jewellers, in 1914 for Queen Mary and consisted of an open diamond lattice hung with 19 white pearl drops. Although the Princess wore the Spencer family tiara to her wedding, she wore the Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara on many occasions subsequently.

Both Sarah Ferguson and Sophie, Countess of Wessex also wore necklaces of cultured pearls for their wedding day.

Will the new Princess Catherine follow this magnificent history and choose to wear pearls for her royal wedding? Or will she surprise us all? We will have to wait and see!