Éclat International 104

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Table of

Contents

int ernat ional

Summer/Fall 2013

No. 104

19 Complicated Beauties

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PARIS EVENINGS The Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden

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Piaget shares its passion for the incomparable rose

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Petal Power

Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona

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International

éclat International is published bi-monthly by Kalbe Associates, Inc., 257 Adams Lane, Hewlett, NY 11557. For postal requirements, this is considered the August/September issue. Periodicals postage paid at Hewlett, New York, and at additional entry offices.

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Editor'S Outline

As summer ends and fall approaches, we look forward to the newest trends in fashion and jewelry. The fall season creates subtle differences in the colors of the light spectrum. Designers can be motivated by these variations in color to create unique designs in fashion and jewelry.

Jaeger-LeCoultre has been making watches in Switzerland’s Vallée de Joux for the past

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180 years, and the brand’s equally long history as a maker of women’s watches is featured in Complicated Beauties, revealing how Jaeger-LeCoultre sets a standard in mechanical, jeweled watches for women.

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What better way to begin the fall than to anticipate a glorious visit to Paris. Please enjoy Paris Evenings, featuring the elegant designs of some of the world’s most distinguished jewelry brands.

Not to be missed, The Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden, an annual event in which one feels transported to a variety of different habitats where magnificent orchids abound.

Artwork can be as much about the experience as it is about physical and stylistic attributes.

Perceiving Light: James Turrell’s “Aten Reign” at the Guggenheim Museum is equally concerned with creating an experience as it is with exploring light, color and form.

Stephen Webster has long been a mentor of new talent. He selected 10 designers to exhibit their work for the first time in America at the Couture Show in Las Vegas this past June.

Stephen Webster Rock Stars showcases emerging talent in jewelry design.

Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona highlights Gaudí’s iconic architecture in Barcelona, which attracts visitors from around the world. Gaudí’s buildings are exemplary of modernisme, the Catalan answer to the European art nouveau style.

International

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international

Summer/Fall 2013

No. 104

PUBLISHER Bertram Kalisher

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Nancy K. Siskind

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Jay Lazar

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Carol Besler Lorraine DePasque Bertram Kalisher Jeff Prine Andrew Siskind Hannah M. Zweifler

PRODUCTION OFFICE Lazar Advertising & Marketing 222 West 37 St., 6 Fl. New York, NY 10018 Tel: 212-889-9660

PARIS OFFICE AlmaKarina Agency Thomas Claisse and Karina Rikun 36 rue Fabert 75007 Paris, France +33(7)60461213 contact@almakarina.com

ART DIRECTOR Raj Walia

ONLINE EDITOR Samuel Siskind

EXECUTIVE OFFICE Editorial Advertising Circulation 257 Adams Lane Hewlett, NY 11557 Tel: 516-295-2516 Fax: 516-374-5060

ÉCLAT International is owned and published bi-monthly by Kalbe Associates, Inc., 257 Adams Lane, Hewlett, New York 11557. Special permission is required to reprint anything which appears in ÉCLAT International.

No responsibility is assumed for unsolicited manuscripts.

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Showcase

Edited by Jeff Prine

The craftsmanship found in the finest jewelry rivals that of any piece of fine art—as these examples testify to. The intrinsic value of precious gemstones and metals is further enhanced by the creativity of the jeweler, who envisions them as miniature, wearable masterpieces. These are treasures meant to be worn and adored.

No Shrinking Violet Italian designer Pasquale Bruni is known for his almost painterly use of gemstone color. Nowhere is that better demonstrated than in this Ghirlanda necklace of 18K white gold with diamonds and Tanzanite drops, a regal gemstone if there ever was one.

Pasquale Bruni www.pasqualebruni.com

Fly by Night Winged creatures of all sorts are one of the most popular motifs to be found in today’s jewelry. British designer Stephen Webster uses black diamonds to resemble night moths fluttering among the leaves. These 18K statement drop earrings, feature emerald vines that seem to be rustling in the night breeze.

Stephen Webster www.stephenwebster.com

Golden Garden The rarest natural pearls in the world come from carefully maintained oyster farms in the South Pacific. Experts in their cultivation, Jewelmer has some of the most exceptional specimens—like these 10 perfectly matched Golden South Sea pearls that grace this 18K gold floral cuff bracelet with diamonds.

Jewelmer Joaillerie www.Jewelmer.com

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Alex Soldier www.alexsoldier.com

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Showcase

Edited by Jeff Prine

Collector Caché Every year, Italian fine jeweler Antonini selects an outstanding gem specimen to feature in a one-of-a-kind collections piece. Here a rich emerald is cupped in 18K white gold and diamonds awaiting its place to hang resplendently around a fortunate wearer’s neck.

Antonini www.antonini.it

Man in the Moon Whether you believe there’s a Man in the Moon or not, there’s no denying the elegant whimsy found in this 18K gold crescent moon pendant/brooch with brilliant cut diamonds. Barcelonabased Masriera is expert in recreating iconic emblems and symbols from its Art Nouveau heritage. Their pendant/brooch is a perfect example.

Masriera www.Masriera.es

Dark Lady There’s almost a decadent lushness to Brazilian designer Carla Amorim’s Humaita ring. Made from 18K black gold, the setting adds a layer of mystery to the emeralds that surround the centerstone, a faceted hematite. It is femininity at its finest.

Carla Amorim www.carlaamorim.com.br

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Showcase

Edited by Jeff Prine

Jazz Age One of the key trends this fall is a tribute to the Roaring 20s and all things “Great Gatsby.� Nowhere is that trend more evident than in this South Sea pearl and 18K gold necklace from Utopia. The long necklace silhouette has a slimming effect, too. You can double it over for a shorter statement look.

Utopia Jewels www.utopia-jewels.com

Heavenly Bodies British designer Rodney Rayner looks towards the heavens for inspiration on his latest colored gemstone jewelry collection. These 18K Comet rings resemble the fiery heads and tails of comets as they sail through outer space, rendered here in multicolored, various-sized gemstones with diamonds.

Rodney Rayner www.rodneyrayner.com

Call of Nature A mesmerizing one-of-a-kind 18K gold pendant from Simon G. features a spectacular 48.79-carat natural Tanzanite, a rare and very collectible gemstone. Accenting the centerstone are blue sapphires, tsavorites and white diamonds.

Simon G www.simongjewelry.com

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The Colorful Side of Gemlok

For the store nearest you call 800.221.4438 www.gemlok.com

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Showcase

Edited by Jeff Prine

Y-Not? The blushing beauties found in the pearls of this 18K lariat necklace are hand picked by designer Tamara Comolli to complement a women’s skin tone. The versatile lariat style, or Y-necklace, can be adjusted, layered, and wrapped making it a perfect style for travel.

Tamara Comolli www.tamaracomolli.com

Drop Back A longer drop is one of the most important trends in earrings this year. Designer Pamela Hutzenga answers the call with these versatile black diamond and emerald earrings. They are the ideal length: wear them for day, yet they are dressy enough to wear into the evening.

Pamela Hutzenga www.pamelahutzenga.com

Mediterranean Blue Tunisian-born designer Adel Chefridi handsets his exceptional gemstones all the while influenced by the ancient cultures surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. This 18K gold ring features a cabochon-cut aquamarine with diamond and ruby accents.

Adel Chefridi www.chefridi.com

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Rock Hard.......Silky Smooth Modern Brilliance, Etienne Perret incorporates jet black gem ceramique creating dramatic contrast between the wide ceramique band and the sintillating diamonds.

etienne@etienneperret.com

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001.207.236.9696

www.ceramicjewelry.com

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BE AT YOUR BEST WITH PARIS AT YOUR DOORSTEP Ideally situated in the heart of the City of Lights and facing the Tuileries Garden, The Westin Paris - Vendôme is just a few steps from the Place Vendôme and the very chic rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.

Relax in one of our elegantly decorated 428 rooms and suites, featuring the perfect balance of traditional Parisian style and contemporary design and enjoy the magnificent views over Paris. “le First, restaurant boudoir paris” invites to taste authentic and inventive cuisine, in an elegant setting designed by Jacques Garcia.

Energize both the body and mind in our spa, the first Six Senses in France.

THE WESTIN PARIS - VENDÔME 3 rue de Castiglione, 75001 Paris, France thewestinparis.com

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Complicated Beauties

sets the standard in mechanical, jeweled watches for women

by Carol Besler

J

aeger-LeCoultre has been making watches in Switzerland’s Vallée de Joux for the past 180 years, gaining a reputation as an important mechanical innovator. The brand has created 1,242 calibers and holds over 400 watchmaking patents, but because many of these calibers have been cased in men’s watches that are highly coveted by collectors, the brand’s equally long history as a maker of women’s mechanical watches is often overshadowed.

Jaeger-LeCoultre was actually one of the first to create wrist and pendant watches which, in the 1880s, were in demand by women, while men still preferred pocket watches.

The sleeveless gowns of the era cried out for jewelry to adorn women’s exposed arms and wrists, and it was a natural progression for watch brands to incorporate their mechanical movements into bracelets and pendants. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s original specialty was ultra-thin mechanical movements, starting with the Calibre 7HP, a movement that was used primarily in enameled watches that were set with diamonds and pearls.

Jaeger-LeCoultre believed a movement should follow the contours of the case housing it, and the company quickly became a specialist of what were called shaped movements.

This resulted in an impressive array of rectangular, tonneau,

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Cordonnet Duetto, with lapis dial

baguette, almond and square-shaped movements, such as the LeCoultre Calibre 6EB created in 1908. It measured barely more than one centimeter wide and a mere 1.5 mm thick.

It was designed specifically for what we would today call Summer/Fall 2013 19

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The mother-of-pearl side of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Cordonnet Duetto

cocktail watches – dainty, Art Deco style timepieces, worn by women in the Roaring Twenties. Next came the Duoplan, introduced in 1925, housing with the LeCoultre Calibre 7BF, another miniaturized movement that could be used in a brooch watch or a “secret” watch with a cover.

In 1931, the brand introduced the famous Reverso, designed especially for polo players who needed to protect their watch dials during play. This reversed case design, which today allows two watches to be driven by the same movement, was also used in ladies watches. For ladies, the 20

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Duoplan was relaunched as the Duetto in 1997, with a lightcolored dial for day and a darker, diamond-rimmed dial on the reverse, for night.

This year, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduces a high jewelry watch, the Reverso Cordonnet Duetto, as a celebration of its heritage as a ladies’ watchmaker. It contains the mechanical manual-wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 844, and is designed as a diadem or tiara, set with over 1,250 diamonds. Inspired by a 1936 model, the watch is highlighted by a cordlet-style bracelet. The creation of a diamond-set wristlet seamlessly

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The Grande Reverso Lady Ultra Thin Duetto Duo

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso Ultra Thin High Jewelry

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso Lady Ultra Thin Duetto Duo

following the curve of the wrist was a challenge. Each of the links is individually paved with diamonds, and interlocks to form a rounded Art-Deco-inspired design. One dial is lapis lazuli and the other is mother-of-pearl; both are surrounded by diamonds.

The brand is also launching two Grande Reverso Lady Ultra Thin watches as part of the celebration, including an extra-slim Duetto Duo and a high jewelry model that celebrates the brand’s expertise as a maker of gem set watches.

The Duetto Duo features a dual time-zone display using an

ultra-thin movement, a technical feat. One dial features a central sunburst guilloché pattern surrounded by dancing hour numerals, while the other more contemporary dial is composed of inset mother-of-pearl. The jewelry version is adorned with mother-of-pearl on both sides, one of which is set with diamonds. The case is set with 90 diamonds.

As we enter a new golden age of ladies’ watch design, Jaeger-LeCoultre is well positioned to undertake the creation of magnificently designed as well as technically challenging watches.  Summer/Fall 2013 21

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DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED IN NEW YORK CITY

TO VIEW THE COMPLETE GALLOP COLLECTION V I S I T WWW.GUMUCHIAN.COM

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THE GALLOP COLLECTION

BY GUMUCHIAN

FOR A JEWELER NEAR YOU

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WWW.GUMUCHIAN.COM

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PARIS EVENINGS

TEAM : Photography : Thomas Claisse @AlmaKarina Agency Art Direction : Karina Rikun @ AlmaKarina Agency Make up artist : Laura Forget Hairstylist : Jonathan Dadoun @B4 agency Location : Suite Présidentielle, hôtel The Westin Paris – Vendôme Special thanks to Hôtel Westin Paris Vendôme

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Provocante Necklace, Gourmande Ring Dior Joaillerie

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Provocante Necklace Dior Joaillerie Gourmande Dior Joaillerie Mimosa Bracelet, Flutti Necklace and Anima ring Damiani

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Mask headband Louis Vuitton

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Thetis Necklace and charms timepiece Van Cleef and Arpels

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Buccellati Watch Cleopatra, Necklace Lucrezia and Cocktail Ring

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“Constellation du Lion” Necklace “1932” collection “Camélia Gansé” Ring “Jardin de Camélias” collection CHANEL Fine Jewelry

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The Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden photography by Raj Walia

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T

he New York Botanical Garden held its eleventh annual Orchid Show this past spring. The show was designed

by Francisca Coelho. Housed in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, the designer integrated trees damaged

by Hurricane Sandy on the grounds of the Gardens into the exhibition.

Visiting this spectacular exhibit, one felt transported to a variety of different habitats.

Orchids are the largest family of blooming plants and are exhibited in many ways. The display seemed endless, and portrayed orchids’ natural diversity in size, color, and shape. They have the ability to grow in almost every habitat, ranging from semi-desert to the arctic tundra - in fact the only continent you will never see an orchid growing in is Antarctica.

Living on host trees, a plethora of hanging orchids were suspended from vines and limbs above the exhibit creating a canopy effect. The exhibit had a beautiful pool with cascading waterfalls surrounded by species from Australia, Africa, South America and Madagascar.

Orchids thrive alongside aroids, ferns, bromeliads and epiphytic cacti. ď ľ

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Upcoming 12th Annual Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Gardens March 1, 2014 through April 21, 2014

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Petal Power

Piaget shares its passion for the incomparable rose

by Carol Besler The flower is perhaps the most widely used motif in the world of jewelry design, but few designers or brands can claim a flower named in their honor. Yves Piaget, scion of the Piaget watch and jewelry company, has been so honored for his lifelong passion for roses, a passion that is reflected in the brand’s Rose jewelry collection.

"T

he rose is the most universal flower,” he says. “For me, it brings to mind childhood, and my first love for the wild roses called Sweet Briars. I have always been in love with roses, fascinated by the work done by breeders, whose imagination is matched by their absolute discipline. They seek only beauty and performance.” His penchant for roses was strengthened in 1976 when be became a member of the jury for the Concours International de Roses Nouvelles de Genève (Geneva International

Competition of New Roses), where he annually awards the winner with a gold rose crafted in the Piaget workshops. In 1982, the winning rose, created by the famous horticulture company, Meilland, was christened the “Yves Piaget Rose.” It was a peony rose with 80 petals, of which Yves Piaget says, “I love the graded shades from pink to mauve, I love its exceptional perfume. It’s a true delight.”

In 2012, Piaget officially honored the brand’s connection to this beautiful flower with the Rose collection, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Yves Piaget rose. This year, 15 new models introduce color into the gold and diamond collection, with pink tourmalines, amethyst and pink opals set in necklaces with pearshaped diamonds and earrings with mobile stones.

Piaget’s jewelry craftsmen have developed a technique to give volume and life to the rose. The petals are cut from a gold plate and

Timepieces from the Piaget Rose collection

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Melody Gardot, a Piaget ambassador, recently recorded “La Vie en Rose� in honor of the new collection

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Supermodel Bar Refaeli models a cuff and earrings from the Piaget Rose collection

Ring from the Piaget Rose collection in 18k white gold with diamonds, rubellite, amethyst and pink opal

then individually formed by pliage, a method of folding. To enable each diamond to be magnified by light, the jeweler pierces the metal on the back of each petal at the exact spot where the gems are positioned, using the “honeycomb” technique. This method brings additional sparkle to the setting. He then sets the final touch by making a delicate engraving on the perimeter of the petals in order to accentuate their curves. Each piece is mounted from the inside, from the top to the bottom of the flower. Many of the pieces are elaborate, but much of the collection is also quite accessible, with an opening price point of $1,900.

Indy actress Brit Marling recently wore some pieces from the collection on the red carpet at the premier of her new film “The East” of which she is the co-writer and the star. Marling, who has made a name for herself in the world of independent film, was the first to wear the Rose pendant from the new Piaget Rose collection, in 18k gold with 36 diamonds. Piaget, which has a longstanding commitment to independent film and the arts, has been a principle sponsor of the Film Independent Spirit Awards for many years, and feels that Marling embodies the youthful spirit of the Rose collection.

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Ring from the Piaget Rose collection in 18k rose gold and a center diamond

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Earrings from the Piaget Rose collection in 18k with diamonds

Ring from the Piaget Rose collection in 18k white gold with diamonds

American singer Melody Gardot serves as an official ambassador for the collection, commemorating it with her recording of “La Vie en Rose.” Gardot performed the song as part of a private concert for 350 guests this past June at the first Piaget Rose Day, which took place in the Orangerie of the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris. A guard of honor composed of gardeners guided invitees towards a greenhouse where a gorgeous wall of Piaget Roses awaited them. Bar Refaeli, who models the collection, was among the celebrities in attendance.

Piaget’s involvement in the world of roses does not end there. In tribute to the Empress Josephine, who also devoted her life to the flower, Piaget became involved in the renovation project for the historical rose garden of the Château de Malmaison last year to restore the grounds to their former splendor. A keen rose lover, Josephine had succeeded during her lifetime in putting together a collection of 250 varieties. Unfortunately, this botanical treasure was damaged over the years and very little remains of the former rose garden. The Malmaison museum, with Piaget’s support, is set to give it a new lease on life by planting 750 old rose bushes in order to revive the work of Josephine, after whom an admirable rose was named in 1814, the year she died. Next year, Piaget will celebrate the inauguration of the revived rose garden, as well as the bicentenary of Josephine’s death.

Piaget also sponsored the first Monaco International Rose Show last year, organized by the Monaco Garden Club, and teamed up for the first time with the prestigious Concours International de Roses Nouvelles (International Competition for New Roses) held in the Bagatelle Rose Garden in Paris. On the occasion of these events, Piaget created a trophy reflecting the design codes of the Piaget Rose collection, crafted in pink gold and featuring delicately rounded, curved petals, the trophy is set with a diamond pistil.

“In 1982, when the rose peony was christened the Yves Piaget Rose, it was an extremely emotional moment for me,” says Yves Piaget, who now shares his legacy through a jewelry collection that rivals the real rose in its beauty. 

Yves Piaget and his namesake roses

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Perceiving Light: James Turrell’s Aten Reign at the Guggenheim Museum

by Hannah M. Zweifler

James Turrell, Aten Reign, 2013 Daylight and LED light, dimensions variable © James Turrell Installation view: James Turrell, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, June 21–September 25, 2013 Photo: David Heald © Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York

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James Turrell, Aten Reign, 2013 Daylight and LED light, dimensions variable © James Turrell Installation view: James Turrell, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, June 21–September 25, 2013 Photo: David Heald © Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York

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I

n many ways, an artwork is as much about an experience as it is about physical and stylistic attributes. Such is certainly the case with Aten Reign (2013), the sublime centerpiece of the Guggenheim’s exhibition on contemporary artist James Turrell. Aten Reign is equally concerned with creating an experience as it is with exploring light, color and form.

filled rotunda–crowned by an ocular skylight–which allows visitors the unique opportunity to watch other museum-goers spiral their way upwards through the museum. This summer, however, James Turrell’s installation, Aten Reign, changes this experience of the rotunda entirely, offering a very different spectacle of light and people watching.

In fact, visitors to the Guggenheim this summer are in for a museum experience far from the traditional.

Famous for its Frank Lloyd Wright building, the Guggenheim is revered for the spectacle embedded in its light-

The Guggenheim’s is one of three concurrent exhibitions this summer (the others are taking place at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston) to commemorate the work of James

James Turrell At the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum June 21, 2013–September 25, 2013

Turrell, a leading member of the looselydefined Light and Space movement which originated in Los Angeles in the mid-late-1960s. The artist’s lifelong investigation into human perception, light, color and space is at the heart of the Guggenheim’s exhibition—the first on Turrell in New York since 1980. The artist’s interest in creating site-specific works is a focus for the show. This aspect is most conspicuously apparent in the ambitious installation of Aten Reign.

Fitted to the museum’s rotunda, the work is the largest temporary installation ever undertaken by either Turrell or the Guggenheim.

James Turrell, Aten Reign, 2013 Daylight and LED light, dimensions variable © James Turrell Installation view: James Turrell, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, June 21–September 25, 2013 Photo: David Heald © Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York

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In addition to Aten Reign, the exhibition includes a few earlier pieces by the artist taken from the museum’s own collection—to provide an overview of Turrell’s artistic trajectory. While the small number of works renders the museum oddly empty, those on view effectively capture the essence of Turrell’s output.

the other hand, are perceived vividly as they fill the space of the rotunda, casting a tangible hue over everything and everyone in it. At times, Aten Reign emits intense reds, oranges, pinks and violets. At other points the work offers more ethereal pale grays, greens and yellows, which in their subtlety produce a more profound experience.

lying face up to the ceiling (with heads propped up by backpacks and sweaters) in an effort to really soak it all in. In this way, the spectacle of the work inspires a spectacle of human reaction.

Viewers are instinctively moved to carry out Turrell’s intentions—that is, to take the time to see, and to reflect on how one sees and perceives.

Two of Turrell’s early works from the 1960s are exemplary for their candid exploration of perception, light and form. Afrum 1 (White) (1967) at first appears to viewers as a floating, three-dimensional cube of light affixed to the corner of the gallery. Yet, after a closer look, visitors discover that it is an optical illusion—the work is not a solid object at all, but rather mere planes of light projected onto the walls. Prado (White) (1967) also consists of a simple rectangular projection of white light against the gallery wall. Still, the work is perceived as something more—a dissolution of the wall, an opening into a mysterious light-filled space beyond.

Part of the spectacle of Aten Reign derives from the reactions of other museum visitors. Some loudly “ooh” and “ahh” in between snaps of their camera shutters. Others take a seat and lean back in the reclining benches (constructed for the installation), and engage in quiet contemplation. Many find their place on the museum floor,

For some viewers, the work seems to offer a transcendental experience.

Although, this seems fitting in the context of a work concerned with the introspective nature of light. In fact, the name of the work, evocative of an Egyptian sun god, offers a clue that spirituality may be an intended dimension of the work.

James Turrell, Meeting (from the portfolio First Light), 1989–90 Aquatint, 108 x 75.6 cm © James Turrell Photo: Courtesy Peter Blum Edition, New York

Like Aten Reign, these works are difficult to comprehend through photographs alone. In fact, Turrell considers his work “non-vicarious”— that is, to view them second handedly is hardly to view them at all. As this exhibition makes clear, Turrell’s works are meant to inspire a process of expectation, perception, discovery and reflection that demands they be experienced firsthand.

To this end, Turrell’s intentions are at no point more obvious than with Aten Reign. The installation, which obscures the rotunda’s iconic skylight and spiraling walkways, turns the space into what Roberta Smith of the New York Times calls the “oxymoronic” experience of “a meditative spectacle.”

Constructed of five tiers of white scrims and LED light fixtures, Aten Reign is a space-filled conical structure that appears as a set of colorful, concentric ellipses. In this way, the work uses artificial light to materialize the light and air of this very specific space.

Over the course of 60 minutes, the lights cycle through the color spectrum.

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Born in Los Angeles in 1943, Turrell’s Quaker upbringing is credited as the source of a spiritual thread throughout his art. In the 1960s, the artist attended Pomona College, where he studied psychology and mathematics, and later attended Claremont Graduate School, where he studied art. To a large extent, Turrell’s art may be understood as a product of its time. When the artist first began to experiment with light in his early 20s, his contemporaries were similarly moving away from the traditional physical art object (painting, drawing and sculpture) in favor of other art forms (video or performance art, for example).

Aten Reign, a skyscape made primarily with artificial light, stands in contrast to the scores of natural light skyscapes—small spaces with sky-lit openings—that Turrell has created over his lifetime. Aten Reign does, however, call attention to another art project— ongoing—for which Turrell is known.

Since discovering the Roden Crater in 1974, Turrell has been transforming this extinct volcano near Flagstaff, Arizona into his magnus opus—a massive observatory containing subterranean chambers and several of his skyscapes.

for the exhibition, the artist points to the “primal relationship” that humans have with light as a driving force in his art, including his project at the Roden Crater. He explains that, in creating “an art that has no image…no object” and often no “place of focus,” the art becomes more about “seeing yourself seeing, understanding how we perceive.”

A reward awaits those who take up Turrell on this challenge to see. To experience his work fully, he says, is “a little like stepping into the painting.” 

In a video interview the Guggenheim conducted with Turrell

James Turrell, Ronin, 1968 Fluorescent light, dimensions variable Collection of the artist © James Turrell Installation view: Jim Turrell, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, April 9–May 23, 1976 Photo: Courtesy the Stedelijk Museum

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Symphony in Ceramic

by Carol Besler

Etienne Perret Ceramique Saturn rings with diamonds in 18kt gold and gem ceramic

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tienne Perret is an awardwinning jewelry designer with a reputation as one of the world’s premier designers of colored diamond jewelry.

He is most famous, however, for his work in high-tech ceramic, a material

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that is changing the way we look at fine jewelry.

His high tech ceramic is made of zirconium dioxide powder and yttrium that has been pressed into a mold and then heated to more than 1400 degrees centigrade. The result is a beautiful,

hardened ceramic that is scratch resistant, extremely hard and takes a very high polish that remains permanent.

The smooth, sensuous surface of high tech ceramic jewelry is skin friendly – it is hypoallergenic, and conforms to your body temperature when you put it on.

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Etienne Perret’s high tech ceramic jewelry is graceful, colorful and very durable “High tech ceramic is used on the space shuttle and for hip replacements,” Perret points out. “This is a testament to its important qualities of being completely hypoallergenic and exceptionally durable.” Zirconia ceramic is so hard that diamonds cannot be set directly into it. Instead, explains Perret, gold is inlaid into holes or grooves machined into the hardened ceramic, into which gems are set. “It is that same hardness that allows it to take and maintain a much higher polish than black jade or black onyx.”

The son of Swiss parents, Etienne naturally incorporates European design sense and dedication to fine craftsmanship, in all that he does, along with an American flair for fashion.

For the past 35 years, he has lived and worked in Camden, on the coast of

Maine. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Rhode Island School of Design and a graduate gemologist’s degree from the Gemological Institute of America.

He began working in ceramic after being inspired by the use of ceramic in the watch industry. “When I first saw Rado watches, I thought, this is really cool, you could make jewelry from this,” says Perret. It was a feat easier said than done. Crafting jewelry in high tech ceramic is not easy. Pieces are made from a mold, then baked in a kiln, which makes them shrink to twothirds of their original size, something that has to be accounted for in the original design. Keeping pieces uniform in size requires perfect consistency in all other parameters, such as temperature, duration and raw material mix.

Ceramic is most often found in white or black. It can be produced in a number of other colors by adding certain trace rare earth elements to the mix, but Perret, an expert in sourcing and working with colored diamonds, prefers to allow the gems to provide color in his pieces. He specializes in rings, particularly in bridal collections, with a large collection of men’s wedding bands. High tech ceramic is practically indestructible and does not conduct electricity as do gold and silver, which makes it ideal for men’s wedding bands.

But he also uses ceramic for his fashion jewelry collections. “It weighs about half as much as silver, and far less than platinum, so it can be used to create a big look in earrings or pendants without creating too much weight,” he says, adding, “I have based my career on the

Etienne Perret Ceramique Accent Cindy rings with color enhanced natural diamonds in 18k gold and black gem ceramic

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Etienne Perret Ceramique Saturn rings, in 18k white gold and black gem ceramic

idea that fine jewelry should be designed to complement a woman’s form, and be not just beautiful but wearable. It must fit like a glove and never compromise comfort.”

Ceramic is becoming more widely used in the fine jewelry world, alongside gold and platinum, partly because the price point is much more accessible. While many of Perret’s pieces, particularly those set with diamonds, are priced over $10,000, most prices fall well under that mark.

“It is difficult to go into a jewelry store with $200 to spend and walk out with a piece of gold jewelry, but a number of my ceramic rings are priced at under $100,” he points out. “You can wear

them alongside gold jewelry, or with another piece of ceramic jewelry set with diamonds to completely change the look of something you already own.

You can have fun without it costing a fortune.”

Perret works with ceramic not just because of the cost to value ratio, but because its beauty and durability are particularly suited to fine jewelry design. “If chosen carefully, a piece

of fine jewelry is nothing less than an extension of one’s self,” he believes. “A well designed jewel can become as much a part of a woman’s entity as her flowing hair or graceful gait.”

Perret’s gold, ceramic and gemstone jewelry is sold through an elite network of fine jewelry retailers across the U.S. For store locations, please visit his web site, www.etienneperret.com 

Etienne Perret Ceramique Starlight bangles with color enhanced natural diamonds in 18kg & gem ceramic

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Rock stars Stephen Webster’s world grows larger as he recruits a troupe of young designers and takes them on the road

by Carol Besler

Dragonfly ring by Tomasz Donocik, with green beryl and diamonds in palladium

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tephen Webster’s outrageous aesthetic – a noirinfused flourish of avant-garde design motifs – changed the way we look at fine jewelry when it debuted in the late 1980s. It was the first time that such unconventional designs had been rendered according to the strict terms of traditional craftsmanship and combined with high-quality, often unique gems. The formula made him famous, and the “rock ‘n’ roll jeweler,” as he was called, gradually built a strong jewelry brand with a global reach.

jewelry designers based in London, England, Webster’s home base. Aside from Donocik, Rock Vault designers included Imogen Belfield, Fernando Jorge, Jo Hayes Ward, Melanie Georgacopoulos, Hannah Martin and Yunus & Eliza.

Webster’s style may be avant-garde, but his values, like his craftsmanship, are old-world. He has long been a mentor of new talent, and this year Webster hosted ten young designers as exhibitors in his ballroom suite at the Couture Show in Las Vegas, where the jewelry trade goes to shop. Webster chose 10 out of 53 applicants to join him, allowing them to exhibit their work for the first time in America. Webster curated the show, and chose well: one of the young designers Tomasz Donocik, won two Couture Design Awards, one for Best Diamond Above $20,000 and the other for Best Designer Debuting at Couture.

Webster is also cognizant of how hard it is to break into the competitive jewelry design business. “Most people who start out as designers drop out after one year, because it’s so difficult,” says Webster. He believes the Couture Show, which is attended by America’s top retailers, helps put designers on the map, so he came up with the idea of introducing them in his space at the show. “I first exhibited here 14 years ago, and this show helped me grow,” says Webster. “I have some amazing clients, and I wanted to introduce them to these designers. They are all seriously talented, with some amazing creations that could be plugged straight in to any jeweler’s showcase. And they’re all enthusiastic. I love it when someone says ‘ I want to be the best jeweler in the world,’ because it reminds me of

The British Fashion Council Rock Vault, as the exhibit was called, was conceived and created by Webster to help showcase and nurture the talent of young creative fine

“I have always enjoyed passing on the knowledge I have acquired throughout my career to people entering this amazing business,” says Webster. “Curating the Rock Vault for the BFC has given me the ultimate platform, along with the panel to help mentor and guide emerging talent.”

Shard ring, in sterling silver with black titanium, by Yunus and Eliza

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Orbit Enlightenment ring by Hannah Martin in white gold and black rhodium with diamonds, sapphires and amethyst

Crystal Haze BatMoth ring from the Fly

By Night collection by Stephen Webster

when I was starting out. It’s a bit like that with these designers.” Webster, always up for a party, also enjoys having a troupe with him: “It’s a bit like having a band,” he jokes.

Webster himself started from humble beginnings.

Webster studied jewelry design and silversmithing at the Medway College of Design, near London, at the age of 16. By the end of his first term, he was hooked on jewelry design and craftsmanship. After completing his training under Tony Sheperd, a former Prime Warden of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, Webster worked as a craftsman for several established London design houses. Among many highly regarded commissions was the honor, on two occasions, of setting the De Beers Diamond Stakes Trophy in 1982.

Following that, he relocated to Canada to design for an independent jeweler for two years. Following a brief return to the UK in 1984, Webster identified an opportunity for his jewelry in California. His bold, iconic style and use of exotic and unusual gems attracted the fashion-savvy and uninhibited audience there. After much success and expansion, he returned to London in 1990 to establish the company that is known today as Stephen Webster Ltd. He has designed one-of-a-kind pieces for the likes of Watch from the Fly by Night collection

by Stephen Webster

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Madonna, Sharon Stone, Kate Moss, Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Pink and Christina Aguilera. He has also created jewelry for Elton John, Jay Z, Ozzy Osborne, Johnny Depp, Mickey Rourke and Russell Brand to name but a few.

Throughout his career, Webster has been an advocate of ethically and socially mined materials.

He has traveled to mines in Tanzania and Peru to learn about the mining communities and trace the origins of the materials he knows so well. He is now an ambassador for Fairtrade and Fairmined Gold, and works closely with Forevermark Diamonds, the De Beers program of ethically sourced diamonds.

Earrings in 18k yellow gold with diamonds and emeralds

by Fernando George

This year, he was awarded with an MBE – Most Excellent Order of the British Empire – for his services to training and skills in the British jewelry industry.

The MBE is an “order of chivalry” established on June 4, 1917, by King George V. It was awarded to Webster by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace this past February, 2013. 

Belle Epoque blue sapphire and diamond earrings by Stephen Webster

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Famed Italian Jeweler Pasquale Bruni brings one of fine jewelry’s most distinctive collections to the United States

Madame Eiffel Ring

Coming to America

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ach one of Pasquale Bruni’s creations is much more than a jewel. There are carefully selected noble metals and precious stones, there is refined creativity, unmistakable design, avant-garde techniques and

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manufacturing excellence, continuous experimentation, and a constant search for new shapes and forms, colors and inspiration from around the world.

“Our mission is to showcase fine jewelry throughout the world, with

creations that epitomize the elegance, creativity and seduction of products that are designed and produced in Italy,” says Pasquale Bruni. “Our products, and the cultural values that they embody, merge tradition with

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innovation and convey the love that goes into their creation.”

Pasquale Bruni was drawn into the world of jewelry as a very young boy in the workshops of Valenza, the longtime center for the jewelry production in Italy.

He rapidly mastered the techniques and learned the secrets of the goldsmith's trade, as well as one of the fundamental traits of the trade: a keen eye for detail.

Bruni started his first business in 1976 when he founded Gioielmoda, a small artisan firm consisting of Bruni and five assistants. By 1997, his company became Pasquale Bruni SpA. The name of the founder was used to identify the brand and to plan an international development strategy.

By 2001, the company opened its flagship in Milan at Via della Spiga.

Eugenia Bruni, Pasquale’s daughter who inherited her father’s artistic talent and creative inspiration, became the creative director. (His son, Daniele Bruni is the company’s gemologist).

“In my youth I was inclined towards tailoring,” recalls the family patriarch. “Moving to Valenza, however, brought me into touch with the world

of jewelry, a world which immediately fascinated me. At the age of 14, I started to work as a goldsmith in an artisan's workshop, and when I gained the right level of knowledge I decided to produce my own creations based on shapes and forms that were at that time unheard of in the world of fine jewelry. Images of my homeland, Calabria, with its radiant sun, its star studded skies and its cobalt blue sea – ever present before my eyes– have inspired my work. Fine jewelry was not a family tradition, but it is now...”

For Eugenia Bruni, jewelry played a major role in her life ever since she was a child. “I would spend days with the designers who worked together with my father on developing new collections. I have always loved this magical, precious and fantastic world,” she says. “As I grew up it was a natural choice to pursue studies that were related to the profession, and so after attending Valenza's Arts Institute, where the courses specialize in jewelry design, I traveled to the United States where I continued my studies in art and design in San Diego and New York. My passion for jewelry has become all-embracing: it takes your heart and soul to give life to

Bon Ton Pendant

Naja Naja Ring

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Animalier Ring

your creations. Today I create jewelry that forms an intimate bond with the women wearing it, because the jewelry is full of meaning and because from it emanates a mysterious energy.”

The Brunis dedicate their collections to those women who have left their mark in history through their charm and charisma. These women include Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Empress Sissy of Austria, and Lady Diana Spencer, but also the Goddesses Venus, Chloris and Abundantia. “These women, be they real or mythological, are a symbol for us all,” says Eugenia Bruni. “They have left a mark because they are captivating, enigmatic, strong and obstinate souls, who have lived their life to the full without hiding their fragility.” Besides the real (or imagined) women who inspire the collections, Pasquale Bruni jewelry is often instantly recognizable became of the symbols that have become 54

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so iconic for the brand, namely: flowers, hearts, stars and moons. Pasquale Bruni has used them in his creations right from his very first collections.

Additions to the iconic symbols were added by Eugenia Bruni, born out of her own cultural heritage: butterflies and elephants. Each symbol represents an element: air, water, earth and fire.

The fifth element is “love” which the family hopes runs through the entire world of Pasquale Bruni.

Many of the maison’s iconic symbols are to be seen in the latest collections: to mention a few, Bon Ton, Madame Eiffel, Naja Naja, Sensuelle and Animalier.

The precious flowers of the splendid Bon Ton bouquet, inspired by the five-petal flower that is a symbol of Pasquale Bruni, has some design iterations. The new Bon Ton collection is inspired by Abundantia, the divine personification of prosperity and the

guardian of the Cornucopia. The Bon Ton Bonheur jewels echo the shape of the mythological “horn of plenty” that represents one of the most profound wishes that exist: to obtain whatever one desires. Each jewel is transformed into a precious cornucopia with deep grooves forged into the 18K pink gold and topped with flowers made from milky quartz, pink quartz, and smoky quartz surrounded by white diamonds.

New jewels have also been added to the Bon Ton Clori line that pays homage to the fascinating elegance of the Flower Goddess. These new Bon Ton jewels, floral talismans of love, feature smoky quartz and red rhodolite circled by white diamonds.

Another new collection, Madame Eiffel is Pasquale Bruni's tribute to Paris, one of the world's most romantic and strikingly beautiful cities. The solid, elegant structure of the Eiffel Tower has been turned into a precious

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jewel embellished with tiny hearts and flowers to represent Paris's love of art and nature. The Madame Eiffel jewelry sparkles with white diamonds and romantic rose-cut diamonds. Hung from a long gold chain, the rings of this sure-to-be-iconic collection turn into distinctive, elegant pendants.

They perfectly interpret a cosmopolitan woman who loves to personalize her look and break the rules in search of innovative new ideas.

Naja Naja is a new collection in 18K white gold and white rose-cut diamonds. The design is inspired by the sinuous shape of the cobra dancing to the sound of the flute. Like a cobra, the jewels encircle the woman's body with entrancing movements. Its teardrop-like head symbolizes protection, while its body expresses the power of instinct. The luxurious scales are formed by diamond pave. Naja Naja rings, pendants and earrings also come in burnished gold with white diamonds. “Naja Naja is

intriguingly beautiful with its sleek spiraling form that hypnotizes you with its labyrinth of details and seductive emotions," says Eugenia Bruni.

The Sensuelle collection is dedicated to love and passion. In the language of love, ivy represents the “passion that unites lovers and spurs them to embrace.” It is a symbol of faithfulness and undying love and serves as the inspiration for this design. An 18K pink gold stem, embellished inside with tiny hearts, an iconic symbol of the maison, grows with the splendor of white diamonds to hold a multi-faceted prasiolite with a cabochon heart at its center. The collection is available also in a smoky quartz version.

New charming good-luck creatures are the subjects of the Animalier collection, a classic line for women who love to add a playful touch to their jewels.

These precious sculpture-like rings are the result of artisan workmanship that is profoundly rooted in the art of

jewelry-making and translated into objects with contemporary design.

Some primary examples: the regal, powerful dragon is a symbol of inner strength. The precious jewel in red or white gold with diamonds and yellow sapphires bestows the determination needed to overcome any difficulty.

The tortoise—bearer of protection and wisdom—is made of red or white 18K gold and diamonds. It is the cosmic symbol of the encounter between earth and sky. The sinuous serpent is the guardian of the immense, primordial power of Mother Earth. Symbolizing the power of transformation, the serpent makes the woman who wears it even more alluring and mysterious. The frog, the queen of water, possesses precious powers and secrets. It is a symbol of fertility, regeneration, and rebirth. The rings of the collection are excellent for travel because they can ensure a pleasant and positive journey. 

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18kt gold Circle of Life pendantEquestrian Spur pendant on a cordEmerald cut diamond pendant

Hand woven macrame bracelet with a sterling silver hook and parachute cord

Catherine M. Zadeh’s understated elegance

by Carol Besler

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atherine Zadeh considers herself first a mother, then a designer. Her entry into the world of jewelry design was gradual, thoughtful and never rushed. Her husband, who worked in the diamond business, started it all in 2001 by encouraging her to create

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a jewelry line, recognizing that she had an eye for good design. “After taking a basic wax carving class at the 92nd street Y I fell into the world of men's jewelry when a client commissioned me to design some cuff links,” The cuff links were a hit, and before long, Zadeh had embraced men’s jewelry as her chosen niche. “I established

myself as a woman designer with a masculine vocabulary,” she says. “I have been designing men’s jewelry that has a quiet elegance, but somehow, my designs are rather androgynous, and women love them as well.” Thus, she extended her repertoire to belt buckles, bracelets and pendants. “The buffalo horn bracelet

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is my most unique creation, I believe”.

“Worn equally by men and women, it is made from hand-carved strands of buffalo horn, with a simple 18k gold clasp.”

Her eye for design is not without influence. One of her inspirations is Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi, whose distinctive modernist style has been described as neo-Gothic and organic.

“I learned of Gaudi during a trip to Barcelona” says Zadeh. “I was quite taken by his unconventional view of architecture, and in awe of his precociousness, his courage to not follow rules and create edifices that were ahead of his time. He was a true visionary.

His original and meticulous designs, his use of material and odd shapes is breathtaking and refreshing.

“Like Gaudi, I pursue freedom of form in my designs. In contrast to my peers, I disregard pieces that are representational. I don't design a hamburger, a car, a bumble bee or a golf ball as a pair of cuff links. To me that is too easy. Even though a piece can be made quite intricately, for which I would revere the craftsmanship, it is still a replica of a living form. I need to bring some sort of intellect to my work, and design unique yet simple shapes that

appeal to the eye. In contrast to Gaudi, I try to exude simplicity in my designs and bring in a quiet elegance to my aesthetic”

The woman designer of men’s jewelry brings a global eclecticism to her minimalist designs

heavy ornamentation because you have to think your way through the pure appeal of the form, to the abstraction of beauty.” “In my designs, intellect needs to come into play: by adding an emotional underpinning and an intellectual presence to my pieces, I strive to create jewelry and accessories that add refinement and elegance to a person's aesthetic.”

Catherine’s work is not defined by collections, and she does not consciously follow trends. “I design as it comes and somehow, new designs fit into old trends: pieces that were

The first store to carry Zadeh’s cuff link line was Bergdorf Goodman.

“Today, my jewelry is featured at Barneys, Neiman Marcus and many specialty menswear stores,” she says. Last year, she collaborated with Restoration Hardware to include some of her pieces in the company’s catalogue. “However, I have made a conscious effort to grow slowly and carefully. “I am just starting to introduce the collection to jewelry stores.”

Born in Iran, raised in Paris and now settled in New York, this citizen of the world brings a global eclecticism to her designs. She describes her signature style as minimalist. “Simplicity is very difficult to achieve yet that is what I strive for. Understatement and simplicity are more sophisticated than

Set of Weave rings 18kt gold White, Yellow and Rose gold

designed 16 years ago are still relevant today,” she says. Everything inspires me: art, architecture, nature, family, life, but also poverty, sadness, wars intolerance. To me, everything can be a source of inspiration, beauty as well as ugliness. It's the way you transform that inspiration into your work that makes an artist.” 

Buffalo Horn cuff links with matching stud sets- 18kt

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Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona Written and photographed by Hannah M. Zweifler Façade of Casa Milà/La Pedrera

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ooking out over Barcelona from high up at Park Güell (1900–1914), the sprawling city below seems almost neatly contained by Montjuïc, the wooded hill to the southwest of the city center, and the glittering Mediterranean beyond. Standing there on the park’s panoramic terrace, surrounded by its whimsically wavy benches covered in a rainbow of fragmented tiles, one can spot the construction cranes towering over the

sandcastle-like spires of La Sagrada Familia, a work-in-progress now for one hundred and thirty years. From this vantage point—in the midst of one Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926) masterpiece gazing out onto another—it’s easy to understand how the architect has become the city’s icon, attracting visitors from around the world.

Gaudí’s buildings are exemplary of modernisme, the Catalan answer to the

European art nouveau style. More generally, modernisme was a response to the industrial age, which brought with it new building technology—specifically, iron and concrete.

Characterized by organic shapes, curved lines, plant motifs, and the unification of the functional and the decorative, early modernisme was somewhat neo-gothic, but Gaudí adapted the style to his own vision. At once a craftsman and an artist, the architect was extremely technical, and had an unfettered creativity—he created his own language of color and form, while also drawing from architectural styles as diverse as oriental, neoclassical, and neo-Mudéjar (a style inspired by medieval Spanish-Muslim architecture.)

Along the elegant Passeig de Gràcia, an avenue lined with chic shops and restaurants in Barcelona’s Eixample neighborhood, is the so-called “Block of Discord”, named for the three very different modernisme homes lining it. The most famous among them is Casa Batlló (1904–1906), a home that Gaudí was commissioned to remodel by the textile industrialist Josep Batlló. This was no simple renovation, however. For the project Gaudí was given total creative freedom, and the house is a true showcase of Gaudí’s aesthetic.

The Casa Batlló façade, perhaps Gaudí’s most famous, and definitely a highlight, is made up of green-blue fragments of stone and glass, tibia-like pillars, and skulllike balconies. What appears as the scaly humpbacked spine of a dragon crowns the façade, which is also topped by an ice-creamcone-like turret with a cross. Some say the façade represents the legend of Saint George (the patron saint of Catalonia) slaying the dragon. Others compare it to Claude Monet’s Water Lilies paintings and to the shape of a harlequin’s hat.

The interior, just as fanciful, is replete with opulently colored stained glass windows and curvy walls. Each element—from the mushroom-shaped fireplace, to the ergonomically-designed door handles and banisters—was carefully thought out and designed by Gaudí himself. The highlight, however, is the light well in the center of the building. During Gaudí’s renovation of Casa Batlló, he enlarged the existing light well and covered its walls with glazed tiles of varying shades of blue. In order to achieve an even distribution of sunlight, Gaudí used darker blue tiles and smaller windows at the top of

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Light well, Casa Batlló

the well, and lighter blue tiles and larger windows towards the bottom. The result is a beautiful ocean-like light well that energizes the entire home.

Just a few blocks away on Passeig de Gràcia is Casa Milá, an apartment building built by Gaudí between 1906 and 1912, intended to serve the neighborhood’s growing bourgeoisie population. Nick-

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named “La Pedrera” (“The Quarry”) for its uniquely undulating exterior, said to resemble an open quarry, Casa Milá is one of Gaudí’s most innovative works, and is similarly an exploration of light, form, and color. The building is oriented around a large colorfully-painted atrium in the middle, while the apartments are designed in an open floor plan, intended to maximize sunlight.

The highlight of La Pedrera, however, is the roof, consisting of thirty chimneys and ventilation towers, some twisting, others covered in colorful tile fragments. The roof undulates, following the shape of the façade. To experience the uniquely creative vision of Gaudí’s Casa Milá is to weave through the parade of anthropomorphic chimneys while taking in the view of the surrounding city.

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Rooftop of Casa Milà

In fact, from here, one has a clear view of the Basilica of La Sagrada Familia, further afield in the Eixample, Gaudí’s most famous work, the icon of Barcelona, and, for the later years of the architect’s life, Gaudí’s obsession.

Commissioned in 1883, Gaudí worked on La Sagrada Familia for fortythree years, until his sudden death in

1926. Profoundly devout, Gaudí, who acquired the nickname “God’s Architect”, aspired to write the whole history of Catholicism in this one building. When complete, the basilica’s Nativity, Passion, and Glory façades will essentially be the New Testament written in stone.

La Sagrada Familia has been under construction for one hundred and thirty

years, making it the longest running architectural project in the world. Gaudí knew that La Sagrada Familia would not be finished in his lifetime and left behind numerous plaster models, which continue to serve as the key to the completion of the building. The interior is nearly complete, though the roof and flooring were only finished in 2010. The current goal is to

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Entrance staircase, Park G眉ell Rooftop turret, Casa Batll贸

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View towards the altar, La Sagrada Familia

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Façade, Casa Batlló Wrought iron gate, Casa Milà

Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona

finish La Sagrada Familia in 2026, the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death. When it is finally complete, the church will be 48,000 sq. feet, accommodate 8,000 worshippers and 1,000 choir singers, and have a 566-foot-tall steeple, the tallest in the world (though three feet shorter than Barcelona’s highest point on Montjuïc—Gaudí believed a man-made structure should not eclipse nature.)

The interior of La Sagrada Familia is truly awe-inspiring.

Fifty-six columns made of various materials—brown clay, gray granite, dark-gray basalt, and porphyry—look like tree trunks, weightlessly branching out towards the ceiling and forming a leafy canopy in stone to support the soaring 150-foot-high nave.

Stained glass windows filter colorful light through the forest of columns, recreating, in a way, the experience of being outdoors.

Gaudí’s attention to detail is again everywhere apparent. What La Sagrada Familia makes most obvious, however, is Gaudí’s capacity to see space in a different way, his vision of architecture as sculpture. In this regard, Gaudí was totally modern. 

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24 Karat Club June 2013 Outing

Left to Right; Bert Kalisher Dennis Ulrich, Roger Gesswein, and Franz Brunner

Left to right: Henry Edelman, Nancy Kalisher Siskind, Werner Sonn and Franz Brunner Dan Kisch

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What a wonderful day for all who attended.

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Left to Right; Jose Hess, Nancy Kalisher Siskind and Ed Coyne

Left to Right: Ray Mastaloni, Koichi Takahashi, Tom Heyman and Jonathan Suna

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