Suzanne Syz New High Jewelry And Her Elizabeth Taylor Connection

'Ali Baba's Trove' titanium ring topped with a 55-carat Mozambique paraiba with reverse-set diamonds that appear like spikes.

Suzanne Syz, an interior decorator and avid modern art collector, was frustrated with the luxury jewelry that was available—which she found heavy, uncomfortable and designed for a bygone era. 

“It tended to make you look older,” Syz said in a New York hotel room where she was showing her new collection to clients and press. Their public unveiling will be at Masterpiece London, June 25 – July 1. 

Mushroom brooch and ring with yellow gold and silver paved with diamonds and sprinkled with red spinels and emeralds.

This frustration led her to start creating her own jewelry about 15 years ago. One of her first pieces was a turquoise necklace that she wore to lunch with none other than Elizabeth Taylor. The iconic actress and world famous jewelry collector admired the necklace so much that she bought it.

It was quite a way to start a career. Since then, in a relatively short amount of time, Syz has developed a reputation for being one of the world’s top high jewelry artists. Under the name Suzanne Syz Art Jewels, she and her small staff of craftsmen produce about 50 one-of-kind pieces per year from a workshop in Geneva where she lives. It is the only place where one can buy her jewelry outside of her travels. Her clientele, as one would expect, are those with wealth, power and taste. They include Princess Glora von Thurn und Taxis, the Archduchess Francesca von Habsburg-Thyssen and actress Michelle Yeoh.

Sapphire earrings encased micropearls that is airy and delicate in appearance while being durable and flexible

Her pieces are light and lively and are contemporary interpretations of traditional high jewelry themes—such as nature, childhood and fairy tales. She will use pretty much any gem or metal as long as it is of high quality and often finds new uses for traditional materials. 

Her appreciation of contemporary art began in the 1980s when she lived in New York and ran in the same circles as Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Jeff Koons. Her jewelry reflects those influences. 

Titanium cuff enhanced with large sliced diamonds

“My pieces are understated, fun and on the creative side—while always using the best materials,” she says.

Titanium is used for many pieces in her new collection. She says gem colors really shine in contrast with the metal. She also admires its strength, durability and adaptability. It also is one of the lightest known metals. 

“I like it when you don’t see the material too much,” she says. “You can put stones in it without it getting heavy. Jewelry has to be comfortable.”

A purple Burmese sapphire cabochon is encased with twisted purple titanium sprinkled with diamonds 

In the new collection, titanium is used in many colors and often paved with colored gems or diamonds. A ring made of titanium is topped with a 55-carat Mozambique Paraiba. The side of the ring features reverse-set diamonds that appear like spikes and give the piece texture. Titanium strands are twisted and curved in a variety of different ways and paved with diamond or colored gems for rings and earrings. It also is used for a wide chunky (but lightweight) cuff, enhanced with large sliced diamonds.

Gems range from green-blue Mozambican paraiba and pear-shaped red spinels to more traditional emeralds and blue sapphires. 

'Shanghai Lilly' Earrings in titanium, jade, sapphires and diamonds

One of the boldest pieces in the new collection is a mushroom brooch with yellow gold and silver paved with diamonds and sprinkled with red spinels and emeralds.

Tiny pearls “micropearls” are used in ways that challenged the craftsmen, Syz says. For example, curved rows of these pearls extend outward from an emerald for a ring; and they encase sapphire earrings in an elaborate egg-shaped cage that is both airy and delicate in appearance while being durable and flexible. 

Emerald ring with curved rows of micropearls

Syz says the fun and whimsy expressed in her pieces may fool admirers into not recognizing them as high-priced, high jewelry. That’s fine with Syz who prefers to not discuss pricing. 

“The stones look good, the wearer looks good. Nobody needs to know (the cost). Just you need to know.”

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Chopard and de Grisogono Rock the Red Carpet at Cannes Film Festival

Julianne Moore in Chopard

Switzerland is known for its world renowned watch industry but there are a few companies that produce world class luxury jewelry as well. Two brands, Chopard and de Grisogono, sparkled during Tuesday’s opening night Red Carpet ceremony at the Cannes Film Festival. 

Chopard’s partnership with what is arguably the world’s most glamorous film festival has marked its 60th year, which includes creating the Palme d’Or trophy, the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. The High Jewelry Red Carpet Collection, developed each year for the opening red carpet event, consists of 68 unique pieces this year. They were unveiled Tuesday, worn by world renowned actresses and models as well as Cannes officials. The jewels are designed by Caroline Scheufele, co-president of Chopard.

Meanwhile, de Grisogono and its highly charismatic founder and creative director, Fawaz Gruosi, always makes a mark at this event showcasing its highly creative designs. This year the company displayed white gold and diamonds accented by warm hues. 

The two brands best examples of its high jewelry pieces on the red carpet include: 

2015 Academy Award winner Julianne Moore in pear-shaped emerald earrings (52 carats) set with white diamonds in platinum from Chopard’s Red Carpet Collection and an octagonal step-cut emerald ring (13 carats) set in white diamond pavé‎ in 18k white gold (top photo).

2014 Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o wore Chopard pink quartz earrings (13 carats) with rubellites and white diamond set in 18-karat white gold, an amethyst ring with tanzanite, tsavorites and white diamonds set in 18k white gold; an aquamarine ring (5 carats) with amethyst, tanzanites; and white diamonds set in 18k white gold, all from Chopard’s Temptations Collection. She also wore a white diamond bead necklace (41 carats) set in 18k rose gold and a marquise-cut white diamond ring set in 18k white gold.

Fashion model Bar Refaeli wore de Grisogono cabochon-cut India earrings, Sensuale ring and the brand's iconic Allegra ring in gold, brown and creamy warm hues. She is pictured with Fawaz Gruosi, founder and creative director of the luxury jewelry brand.

Chopard ambassadress, Chinese actress Fan Bingbing in a pair of Chopard earrings featuring pear-shaped emeralds (25 carats) and white diamonds (24 carats) set in 18k yellow gold, a white diamond bracelet (29 carats) set in 18k white gold, an emerald-cut emerald ring (30 carats) set with white diamond pave in platinum and a round-cut white diamond ring set in 18k white gold.

Actress Natalie Portman wore de Grisogono diamonds, pairing the teardrop shape of Gocce earrings with the fan-shaped Jane ring and the Tubetto bangle 


French Actress Emmanuelle Beart wore a pair of Chopard white diamond hoop earrings (13 carats) set in 18k white gold, a white diamond bracelet (44 carats) set in 18k white gold and two ashoka-cut white diamond rings set in platinum.

Chinese actress Zhao Tao wore Chopard marquise-cut white diamond chandelier earrings (30 carats) set in 18k white gold.

Victoria’s secret Supermodel Karlie Kloss wore de Grisogono Sole earrings and a sculptural Onde ring

Model Doutzen Kroes wore a Chopard marquise-cut white diamond bracelet (8 carats) set in 18k Fairmined white gold and a marquise-cut white diamond ring set in 18k Fairmined white gold, both from Chopard’s Green Carpet Collection.

Indian actress Katrina Kaif wore Chopard white diamond drop earrings (8 carats) set in 18k white gold and a pear-shaped white diamond bracelet (37 carats) set in 18k white gold. 

Actress and model Liya Kebede adorned her Louis Vuitton silver dress with the de Grisogono Allegra ring and 1-metrer long sautoir necklace.

Member of the Jury, French actress Sophie Marceau wore three Chopard white diamond bead necklaces (totaling 270 carats) set in 18k white gold, a white diamond bracelet (33 carats) set in 18k white gold and a pair of white diamond stud earrings.

Member of the Jury, Spanish actress Rossy de Palma sparkled in a white diamond necklace, earring and ring suite (totaling 100 carats) set in 18k white gold.

Italian actress Isabella Rossellini wore Chopard ruby earrings (57 carats) set in 18k rose gold and a ruby ring (24 carats) set in 18k rose gold. 

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Hollywood Jewelry Fashion At White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Chanel Iman wore Harry Kotlar diamond earrings and Harry Kotlar bracelet

For better or worse politics in the US has largely become another form of entertainment. Nothing epitomizes this more than the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. Hollywood celebrities, political leaders, political opinion makers and White House reporters rubbed shoulders at the Washington Hilton Saturday night for the annual event that celebrated its 101st year. 

It began as a way to acknowledge award-winners, present scholarships, and give the press and the president an evening of friendly appreciation. White House correspondents often invited their favorite sources to the event. A few still do.

In recent years the celebrity guests, pre-dinner receptions and post-dinner parties have in many ways overshadowed the main event, which is largely a friendly roast of the president along with skits by journalists a d a well-known comedian as a featured speaker. I attended the correspondents’ dinner in 1998 and the post-dinner parties are fun. 

With stars comes fashion and with fashion comes jewelry and on this note several of Hollywood’s finest were well adorned. Among the standouts: 

Chanel Iman in Harry Kotlar diamond earrings and Harry Kotlar bracelet (top photo).

Jenna Dewan-Tatum in Casa Reale earrings and Casa Reale ring. 

Carla Gugino in Jewelmer south sea pearl earrings. 

Gina Rodriguez in Harry Kotlar diamond earrings, Harry Kotlar ring and Chimento bracelet. 

Bethany Mota in Brumani earrings.

Laverne Cox in Forevermark  by Natalie K Diamond Line Bracelet, Forevermark Diamond Drop Earrings, all in 18k white gold and Forevermark Cluster Shield Ring, in oxidized gold.

Darby Stanchfield in Forevermark By Pluczenik Integré Double Drop Earrings, Forevermark by Galili and Co. Diamond Line Bracelet, Forevermark by Natalie K Three Row Diamond Bracelet, Forevermark by Natalie K Line Bracelets and Forevermark Oval Swirl Ring, all in 18k white gold.

Hannah Davis in Arya Esha earrings and rings. 

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Van Cleef & Arpels Used 8,000 Gems For Its Carpe Koï Watch Bracelet

Van Cleef & Arpels is known for its exceptional artistry, craftsmanship, creative uses of precious materials and storytelling. The Carpe Koï watch bracelet is the latest piece from the Parisian luxury house that displays all of these talents. The one-of-a-kind high jewelry piece was unveiled at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) held January Geneva and I had the opportunity to see it up close.

It is an orange-colored Koi carp in lifelike detail that represents what the brand calls its Mains d’Or (Hands of Gold), the skills of artists who first draw the piece in intricate detail followed by the hand-crafted techniques of its jewelers to create the jewel. This fish has a body made of 8,000 precious gems that took 3,450 hours to create. 

The bracelet combines yellow gold, white gold, diamonds, yellow sapphires, spessartite garnets, black spinels and “Paraíba-like” tourmalines (I’m assuming these are tourmalines (likely from Africa) with the same bluish and greenish color characteristics as the rare Brazilian Paraíba).

The carp has more than the sparkle of thousands of gems. It also has movement. The main feature is the mouth, which opens to reveal a quartz-powered watch dial, made of yellow gold, princess-cut diamonds, spessartite garnets and yellow sapphires. 

The watch bracelet is unfastened by pressing on the carp’s tail.

The Carpe Koï watch bracelet is the brand’s tribute to Japanese culture, as the Koi is “a symbol of love, as it enlivens Zen gardens with its bright colors, contributing serenity and life.” Known for swimming against the current, the brand says the Koi is also “a symbol of strength and courage.”

It appears to be a happy fish and with all of those gems I can see why. 

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Shawish Opens Dreamy London Boutique

The staggered chandelier serves as central design element

Swiss high jeweler Shawish Genève continues to expand into new markets and ventures. Recently, it opened its first London boutique in the affluent central London neighborhood of Chelsea. 

The dream-like space matches its enchanted jewelry inspired by magical forests, fairytale legends and exploratory voyages.

The fish scale motif for the entrance

The facade of the space employs a motif in the likeness of colorful fish scales backed by black marble that reflect light in the same way that fish scales do in the sunlight. Inside, walls of neutral off-white shades and gray carpeting are offset by touches of purple, the Shawish corporate color. The centerpiece is a chandelier of luminescent glass tubes hanging in staggered columns a bit like stalactite formations in a cave. 

The display for the one-of-a-kind Octopus bracelet

Ten display cases contain the one-of-a-kind and limited edition pieces in staged fantasy settings. For example, the Octopus bracelet sits on a pillow resembling an underwater throne surrounded by five columns. Two Teddy Bear pendants, which depict bejeweled teddy bears resting on crescent moons, are displayed in a night setting, with one on the corner of a starlit sky looking down on its partner resting on a cloud. 

The nighttime display for the Teddy Bear bracelet

Shawish’s Moonlight Necklace, with its twisted branches of white gold paved in white diamond, commands center stage in front of a portrait of an orange moon. Flanking the necklace are matching earrings and ring. In another display, jewels are encased in a frosty winter scene with mounds of snow below and stalactite formations above. Bejeweled Magic Mushroom pendants are suspended on the showroom floor near the entrance. 

The display for the Moonlight suite of jewelry

This is the company’s second boutique, the other being at its headquarters in Geneva. Mohamed Shawesh, co-founder, said the boutique was designed to reflect the cosmopolitan and quirky nature of London and its people. 

A winter scene for a jewelry display

“We are here for the wonderful weird people, the English flavor, and to stir up the international glamour factors of the city,” he said. “Most of all we’re here to celebrate high jewelry with a heartbeat.”

Magic Mushrooms hang about at the entrance of the boutique

The company is reportedly opening a third boutique in Dubai. So the expansion continues. 

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Temple St. Clair Enters the World of High Jewelry

Flying Fish bracelet made with sapphire, Paraiba tourmaline, tsavorite and Royal Blue Moonstone.

Luxury jewelry designer Temple St. Clair held a public unveiling of her first high jewelry collection at The Salon: Art + Design show in New York. 

Titled Mythical Creatures each of the nine, one-of-kind pieces represents artistic representations of the work she has done for 30 years. Nature themes with more colored gemstones, a few either extremely rare or almost never used for jewelry, used in a variety of intricate ways go together with the goldsmith and jewelry craftsmen in Florence, many of whom having with St. Clair for decades. The pieces are complex and elaborate but still retain a sense of refinement.

Secret Garden Serpent necklace made with tsavorite scales, a tanzanite head, Royal Blue Moonstone eyes and diamond accents.

To reinforce their status as works of art and collectibles, she collaborated with artists outside of the jewelry world to create a complete individual package for each piece. Her main partner in this project is fine contemporary artist and personal friend, Nancy Lorenz—known for working with precious materials such as mother-of-pearl inlay, lacquer, and gold leaf—who created a signature jewel box for each piece. She also brought in the services of photographer Robert Clark, best known for his work with National Geographic. His stylized photographs, along with St. Clair’s sketches and stories behind each piece are included in a personalized, hand-bound leather book designed and built in Florence. The book and each jewel are sized to fit inside the wooden box, which were made in Kyoto and then lined in leather in Florence.

Sleeping Fox ring made with spinel, mandarin garnet, emerald & diamond.

The display at The Salon: Art + Design art show at The Park Avenue Armory in New York, opened Friday and runs till Monday, is the first public viewing of the jewelry creations. The only other public viewing will be at Les Arts Decoratifs, January 29, 2015, during Paris’ Haute Couture Week. After that, these pieces, which are commanding six-figure prices, will be sold and delivered to private owners. In fact, in an interview months ago, St. Clair says that the interest is so strong that she expects the entire collection will be sold before the Paris exhibition. 

Sea Dragon earrings using emeralds, rubies, sapphires, Royal Blue Moonstone and diamond..

For St. Clair this project is the culmination of a life in jewelry, art and design. 

“Three years in actually making (the collection) and 30 years of having it come together,” St. Clair said during an interview in her New York studio. “I do a lot of bespoke work in the high jewelry realm (for private clients) but I haven’t worked in that realm necessarily on my own. And most of the bespoke work and high jewelry work goes to individuals. So we can’t show it or really talk about it that much. This is my first entrance into this level.” 

Medusa Moon Jellyfish ring in 18k gold with Australian Andamooka opal, Lightening Ridge black opal, sapphire, tsavorite, hauyn & rock crystal.

She continued, “I love nature and animals so I played with my interpretation. I refer to them as my mythical creatures but I’m actually making natural creatures mythical.” 

Each piece uses a variety of gemstones, cut, polished and set in many ways. Several are extremely rare, such as Paraiba tourmaline and Australian Andamooka opal. One gem known as hauyn, considered too soft to be set in jewelry, makes an appearance in at least one piece. 

Phoenix Chicks earrings using 18k gold with tanzanite, Lightening Ridge black opal, tourmaline, Royal Blue Moonstone, tsavorite & sapphire.

“No one puts this in jewelry,” she said. “I’ve seen it for years at gem shows but I’m told it’s only for collectors, not to be put in jewelry. But we managed.”

In addition, a variety of gem setting techniques and elaborate gold adornments are used for each item. They are extremely complex pieces. For example, the Secret Garden Serpent necklace has more than 1,000 gems. Green garnet serpent tsavorite cut in cabochons is used for the vertebrae, finely crafted with flexible joints to give it a proper look and feel.

“He feels so real and scaly,” she said.

Turtles on the Rocks ring using 18K gold with diamonds and Paraíba tourmalines. 

Some pieces move with the light like the Flying Fish bracelet, which is taken from her time spent at sea actually viewing these fishes. Different shades of green tsavorite along with various blue gems (Paraiba tourmaline, blue sapphires and blue moonstones) are used to recreate the changing colors of scales when it reflected in the sun. 

“You catch a fish and turn it at different angles and it shows its colors differently,” she said. “It’s a super intricate piece. I’ve seen flying fish so I know what they should look like.”

Frog Prince ring in 18k gold with Mandarin garnet, tsavorite, sapphire and cat's eye.

St. Clair says that as her children have grown and become more independent and with her business is doing well, she is able to take time to create in new ways, which will lead to similar projects in the future.  

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'The Power of Style: Verdura at 75' Opens To The Public

The Laurel Tiara was commissioned for Betsey Whitney and worn during the ceremony marking the appointment of her husband, John Hay Whitney, as UK Ambassador.

It’s rare that a retailer and jewelry design firm can put together a museum-quality exhibition as encompassing as the “The Power of Style: Verdura at 75.”

Original Coco Chanel Maltese Cross Cuffs 

The showcase not only celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Verdura brand, but more importantly it serves as a retrospective of the brand’s founder and namesake, Fulco di Verdura, whose work spanned five decades. The exhibition contains 216 pieces of Verdura jewelry in a museum quality space adjacent to the company’s Fifth Avenue flagship location. 

In the foreground is a bracelet worn by Greta Garbo on screen and in the background is a look at the Fulcon di Verdura and Coco Chanel photograph with the Maltese Cross cuff. 

“It started out being 150 pieces but as word got out that we were going to do a museum quality exhibition, people got excited about it and started opening their jewel boxes,” said Ward Landrigan, who purchased Verdura in 1985. “For people who wear this jewelry a lot, it’s a long time to be without it.”

Jewelry and photographs of famous women wearing verdura pieces, including Babe Paley, described as Verdura's muse, in the background.

The exhibition opened to the public Tuesday and will run till December 23 at 745 Fifth Avenue, 12th floor. Reservations can be made by following this link. 

A portion of the exhibition space is dedicated to ledgers that recorded sales and jewelry drawings by Fulco di Verdura.

Even though the business is a retailer and a creator of jewelry based on Verdura’s original designs, the company managed to put together a proper representation of the designer, his work and a glimpse into the man, known for his well-connected friends and for being the life of the party. At least part of the reason had to be because the exhibition was curated by international fashion designer, Carolina Herrera, and her husband Reinaldo, who were personal friends of Verdura. 

Bejeweled elephant

The items are arranged either by period, theme or style in large wall cases, where the jewelry appears to be floating, or in standalone cases for special pieces, such as the Chanel bracelets or the Whitney tiara. It is a well lit space from the inside and outside light colored walls and well-placed partitions give the space breadth and depth. 

Snail brooches

“First we get all this jewelry and then you try to make sense of what relates to what and how,” Landrigan says. “Luckily, because he did so many things that were of interest, we didn’t have any trouble with that.”

Kunzite Wing Brooch

Along with the pieces are jewelry sketches, photographs of Verdura, who died in 1978, miniature paintings by Verdura, and photographs of the many celebrities, aristocrats, politicians and business people (men and women) who wore his jewelry or collected his art objects. All of the business transactions, no matter how noteworthy the client, were recorded on ledgers. One ledger and photographs of others are on display, revealing some of the famous clientele.

Tea Rose brooch

All of the pieces have either been loaned to the exhibition by the owners or their estates or are part of Landrigan's personal collection. He stresses that none of the items are for sale. Those who donated their pieces include Brooke Shields, Sofia Coppola, Whoopi Goldberg and philanthropist Mercedes Bass. 

Fulco di Verdura and Coco Chanel. Verdura designed the Maltese Cross Cuff for Coco Chanel, which became an iconic fashion symblol for Coco, for Chanel and for Verdura. 

One of the standouts is the Chanel Maltese Cross Cuffs worn by Verdura’s personal friend and collaborator, Coco Chanel. These became her signature cuffs and were recreated as costume jewelry and sold by Chanel. Landrigan explains that people assumed Verdura made costume jewelry but he didn’t. He made jewelry for Coco Chanel who had them re-made as costume pieces. 

Greta Garbo wears Verdura gold bracelet in 1941 photograph by Clarence Sinclair Bull

Other pieces of note are a yellow gold bracelet worn by Greta Garbo on screen (one of many Verdura pieces worn in movies) and the Laurel tiara, commissioned for Betsey Whitney and worn for the occasion of her husband, John Hay Whitney, being appointed as UK Ambassador.

Blue Diamond Ring

One of the things about Verdura’s work is that he was a true bespoke jeweler, making one-of-a-kind pieces based on the personal preference of a client or a specific occasion. Just about every piece of jewelry and object on display has a unique story. There are many more examples of Fulco di Verdura’s creativity and imagination and many more stories in the exhibition. 

Verdura owner Ward Landrigan in the reflection of a display case that represents five decades of jewelry created by Fulco di Verdura. Behind Landrigan is a photograph of Verdura. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

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