The zipper: A device used for fastening clothing, consisting of two tooth tracks, each bordering one of two edges to be joined and a piece that either interlocks or separates them when pulled. A simple, quotidien mechanism that Van Cleef & Arpels has reimagined as an ornate piece of jewelry. It takes a true genius to conceive of something so simple in design.
Read MoreTo start a new year, I like to take a few minutes to sit down and describe to myself what my year will look like to me. I decide what is important but also what I will give up — what I do not need to bring with me into the new year. I won’t spend hours on it, but I like to remove some footprints in my life to create space for the new to come in.
Read MoreI am a believer in giving things that are going to be worn. Otherwise, what’s the point? This goes for jewelry as it does other things. But jewelry is unique in that it is inherently a very versatile gift with endless possibilities (and price points). It doesn’t take up too much space. You can enjoy it without taking up too much of a footprint. It's easy to store. In that way it can be very practical.
Read MorePeople always ask me what gifts I like to give, and I have a very simple response: Travel. I work in an industry that explicitly deals in material things, so my gift giving philosophy of experiences over things is certainly at odds with my work, but I find travel to overall be a more rewarding gift—and one that takes a lot of guessing work out of the process.
Read MoreWhen I travel to Europe, which happens maybe a handful of times throughout the year, I try to make a stop in Brussels for a haircut. Many people might think that's crazy, but I suspect that many others might completely understand, given how important a great haircut can be and how it can change the entire way that you feel about your outlook on life.
Read MoreThe Italian edition of my latest book, Be Jeweled, is out now on Amazon Italy, and I am kicking off the release with a mini-tour of the book in Italy next month, traveling to Milan, Florence and Rome for a few appearances.
Read MoreLike the fashion world, the jewelry industry has its annual schedule of shows in locations around the world. Among the shows I attend is the Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Show, which happens three times a year, including earlier this month. The show is a great opportunity to find new pieces and to also learn how the Asian market compares to the American and European markets for jewelry and gemstones.
Read MoreEveryone knows of Capri and Ischia and Sardinia, and even Malta—all of those Italian islands that dot the Mediterranean with its postcard-ready coastlines and fishing villages that are now home to many ostentatious yachts and beachside resorts. But further south, smack dab in the straight between Sicily and Tunisia is the much lesser known island of Pantelleria. It is here that I spend the month of August, and it is a world away from my life in New York and my regular travels to other parts of Europe.
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