Jewelry Sparkles at Dior and Bulgari Bashes

When two of the most celebrity-friendly fashion houses celebrate themselves, they usually have plenty of A-list wattage on-hand to turn up the star power.

Case in point? The Dior Store re-opening in New York City last night, that featured the likes of Amy Adams and Natalie Portman in black and white with minimal sparkle and Liv Tyler in a feathery frock with a funky statement necklace.

The 57th Street flagship store was closed for the past five months for a complete makeover, WWD reports. Architect Peter Marino aimed to bring the spirit of the Parisian flagship on Avenue Montaigne to New York with a look inspired by the residential feel of a Paris hotel.

The jewelry jaw-drop award, though, had to be the chunky emerald earrings worn by Wendi Murdoch (yup, wife of Rupert). With a household income like theirs, you can bet your assets those puppies are real. Wow.

Alas, my favorite Dior girl, Charlize Theron, was nowhere to be found. Maybe because Natalie Portman is the new face for their new perfume, Miss Dior Cherie? Hmmm...

Across the pond in Paris, the venerable Italian jewelry house, Bulgari, continued to celebrate their 125th year with the opening of '125 Years of Italian Magnificence Bulgari au Grand Palais.'

 

On display until mid January will be some 600 shiny baubles, including famous jewelry worn by the biggest movie stars of the century, including the stunning diamond and emerald brooch Elizabeth Taylor wore at her first wedding to Richard Burton, alongside sparklers worn by style icons Sophia Loren and Grace Kelly.

Bulgari's A-list spokesmodel, Julianne Moore, was there to celebrate in what appear to be peacock-inspired gemstone earrings, along with celebs Juliette Binoche, Lenny Kravitz and Clive Owen.

 

Dear, Santa: All I want for Christmas is a jewelry spokesmodel contract. Love, Laura

Julianne Moore: Bvlgari's Blingy Beauty

When Julianne Moore bared all for the Bvlgari Serpenti campaign last year, I was - shall we say - skeptical about her choice to add 'jewelry spokesmodel' to her resume. Why does a serious, successful actress need to get naked to peddle high-end jewelry?

The answer, of course, was - she gets to peddle (aka wear and probably OWN) some of the most beautiful baubles on the block. And since they've always got her in her birthday suit (what better way to wear 50+ carat emerald earrings?), she's certainly reminding Hollywood that she's still viable leading lady material.

So I'm over my concern. Ms. Moore knows EXACTLY what she's doing. Even though the city of Venice banned her lion-laden campaign ads for being to 'lewd'. (Italians? Not appreciating nudity? What gives?)

Just look at the jewelry she gets to wear - like this latest entry from Bvlgari's recent 'Save The Children' event in Rome earlier this week.

 

The emerald earring choice just keep on giving...

What do you think of Ms. Moore's new career as the jewelry world's lucky leading lady? Sell-out or smart cookie?

Julianne Moore's Golden Globe Emeralds

Update: I was able to confirm that yes, indeed, these are the very same emerald earrings Julianne Moore wears in the Bulgari campaign. All $3 million dollars worth! Holy jaw drop!

Well, jewelry hounds - we have another emerald earring red carpet jaw-dropper. Julianne Moore just showed on the 2010 Golden Globe red carpet with (what I assume) are the Bulgari emerald earrings she wears in their latest campaign. And, as I expected, they are even MORE magnificent than Angelina Jolie's emerald earring stunners at the Oscars last year - if that's possible.

These Bulgari masterpieces are 115 carats (!) of pure Colombian emerald bliss, folks. I die!

Stay tuned for more Golden Globe coverage...the A-listers are still on their way!

Julianne Moore Bares All for Bvlgari

Like Charlize Theron for Dior, Julianne Moore is entering the luxury lexicon of jewelry spokesmodel-dom, appearing in famous watch and jewelry brand, Bvlgari's, latest campaign peddling their 'Serpenti' line, among other styles.

Almost as jaw-dropping as her nude photo shoot is the pair of Colombian pear-shaped emerald earrings she'll wear, weighing 52.86 and 62.32 carats each. The stunning emeralds were part of Bvlgari's first retrospective exhibition at Il Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome earlier in the year.

Dare I say that they rival Angelina's emerald Oscar earrings from Lorraine Schwartz? I'm just saying...

The Serpenti collection is designed around snakes and scale shapes - a slithering genre that's trending big for 2010 (including Brangelina's line for Asprey). Bvlgari touts the new collection as a return to the design aesthetic that made the brand famous to begin with, with the A-lister ads (called "Eccentric Charisma") set to debut in February.

Does Julianne Moore's tasteful nudity and amazing emeralds make Bvlgari more attractive? I've always admired her talent, but have never taken her for the 'spokesmodel' type - so it's a surprise they would choose her out of all the other 'sell-outs', I mean, serious actresses out there.

What do you guys think?

Baubles, Bvlgari and Barbie

With all the diamonds, designer duds and dream homes a girl could want, what’s left for Barbie to do but wish Ken’s arms would bend and hope for a better blinking mechanism?

Well, luxury jeweler, Bvlgari, has a plan to get Barbie out of the house by putting her to work for their latest charity campaign, “Rewrite the Future”.

Babs along with other celebrity spokesfolks like Jessica Biel, Mischa Barton, Ben Stiller and Sting are working with Bvlgari to promote Save the Children International’s latest efforts by wearing a special ring designed to celebrate the company’s 125th anniversary. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the worthy cause.

Save the Children is one of the largest independent international organizations for the defense and championing of children's rights; they are present in over 100 countries around the world and are committed to providing quality education to 8 million children living in conflict-affected areas by the end of 2010.

The ring retails for $555 and you can nab one for yourself by visitng their website here.

In the meantime, I’m diggin' Barbie’s high fashion makeover for the ad campaign. Cheer up, Barb. Blinking is so last season.

Jessica Alba – Campari’s Coruscating Calendar Girl

A luminous Jessica Alba dazzled in Milan last week for the red carpet launch of her 2009 Campari calendar. The lady in red paired a stunning scarlet Dolce and Gabana dress with Bulgari vintage ruby and diamond jewels that made this jewelry hound drool on first sight.
Rubies haven’t looked this good since the red slipper renaissance!

Hunky husband, Cash Warren, attended the event with his lovely leading lady, and Donatella Versace, Alegra Beck and other glittering Milan residents kept them company.

The 10th anniversary edition of the Campari Catalog was directed by Jean Paul-Goude and photographed by world renown, Mario Testino, in Malibu – the perfect place to capture the “Club Campari” theme. Pics feature a curvy, post-baby-bod Alba in black and white swimsuits and elegant evening wear.

"I'm usually walking around in comfy clothes with a baby on my arm, and it's nice to dress things up and feel sophisticated, sexy and surrounded by so much beauty," Alba said of her sexy shoot. "Also being surrounded by Brazilian models made it even easier!"

Glamazons, Eva Mendez and Salma Hayek, have graced the pages of the calendar in year’s past, and I think we all can agree that Ms. Jessica has successfully carried the torch.

Campari will distribute the calendar internationally, but will only print 10,000 copies - -so get your guys a glittering eye-full before Santa runs out this season! You can, of course, always get a glimpse on their website: www.campari.com.

Bling Interrupted –Winona Ryder ‘Loses’ Loaner Jewelry

How does a diamond-encrusted bracelet and ring worth more than $125,000 go missing? That’s exactly what authorities in Madrid are asking actress and convicted shop-lifter, Winona Ryder.

The Girl Interrupted star told Bulgari jewelers that she ‘misplaced’ the gems that were on loan to her for a Marie Claire bash. She then told authorities that she lost track of the baubles after handing them in an envelope to her hotel’s front desk for safe-keeping.

French celebrity-news magazine, Voici, reported that no hotel surveillance cameras captured Ryder giving the jewels to front-desk personnel.

Hmmmmmmmm…

Ryder's European trip got off to a shaky start last week, when the actress fell ill on a Los Angeles-to-London flight, forcing pilots into a fast landing at Heathrow Airport.

Medics greeted the 37-year-old actress at the gate and rushed her to a west London hospital, where she was treated and released within hours.

Ryder's representative said the actress was fine, but didn't elaborate on what ailment she had suffered.

Five-finger discount syndrome, perhaps?