Christina Applegate Designs Jewelry

 

Celebrity jewelry designers are a dime a dozen these days, but I'm happy to report Christina Applegate is flexing her creative muscles for a cause other than the status of her own bank account. 

People reports the pregnant Samantha Who? star is assisting designer, Alex Woo to create a pendant necklace to honor Breast Cancer Awareness month and raise money for her Right Action for Women foundation.  A breast cancer survivor, herself, Applegate was honored to be a part of the process.

“This piece reminds me so much of the roses I made out of ribbons for my friends and family while in the hospital,” Christina told People. “I am so grateful to Alex for creating such a beautiful piece to benefit Right Action for Women. Proceeds from the necklace will help women at high risk for breast cancer get the screenings and testing they need to beat this disease.”

The tree and branches within the pendant–offered in both silver ($198) and gold ($998)–are designed to signify balance, peace, harmony and the curves of a woman. The seven leaves represent each day of the week, reminding women to live everyday to the fullest.


Interested in joining the fight - and looking fabulous while you're at it? Visit alexwoo.com to purchase the tree necklace just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness month in October.

Name Your Own Pink Diamond

Pink diamonds always give us jewelry hounds the shivers (in a good way), and when one this big goes on the auction block? We're talking 'commotion'.

According to Luxist, a rare 10.11 carat orangy-pink diamond is causing a stir up in Canada and with good reason: it's the most expensive diamond ever auctioned in the great land of the maple leaf. The pink gem  is estimated to bring in $2.5 million US and comes from the world-renowned Argyle mine in Australia (the producer of most of the world's pink diamonds).

And the best part in my book? Whoever grabs the gem on October 3rd will get the honor of "naming" the stone for the record books.  What would you name it if it came into your grubby little hands, jewelry hounds?

I'm thinking: "The Pink Parker"... "The Parker Pink"..."Laura Parker's Pink Perfection" "Can't Touch This Perfect Pink Parker Purchase"....Ok. Quitting while I'm ahead...(too late?)

Can't get enough pink? Neither can Jennifer Garner. Check out Jewelry.com's fashion recap of her perfect Pink Party this weekend!

Lindsay Lohan: Jewelry Lover to Jailbird

Lindsay Lohan was spotted last night at Ana De Costa's jewelry show in Los Angeles looking fresh-faced and ready to consume - far from the frightened soon-to-be sentenced drama queen we might have expected.

The jewelry show featured D-listers Brittny and Lisa Gastineau's new jewelry line, 'Tres Glam' which features their signature 'eye' theme - a power symbol known to 'ward off danger' according to the mother-daughter duo.

Too bad Lindsay didn't pick one up, cuz...well, it's slammer time again for our favorite tabloid fixation.

People Magazine reports the stunned actress was cuffed and led away by authorities after the judge sentenced her to prison until her next hearing on October 22nd - almost a month away!

At least she spent her last night of freedom doing something worthwhile. What do you guys think of Li-Lo's latest chapter?

Color-Changing Sapphires, A Love Story

Sapphires aren't just the blingy blue bauble often likened to the color of Elizabeth Taylor's eyes - they're crazy chameleons that wear a coat of many colors. While deep blue is certainly what most of us think of when it comes September's birthstone, the gem also comes in a rainbow of hues - from pink and green to yellow and red (also known as - a ruby!) Cool, right?

But sapphires have a special shade that I recently discovered, and it's downright drool-worthy: the color-changing sapphire.

Not quite purple, not quite red, not quite blue - the ever-elusive color changer is a slippery little devil that injects some much needed intrigue into the gemstone world. I admittedly just came across the 'c-c sapph', when writing about the gorgeous 'Royal Butterfly' brooch a few days ago - and decided to do some digging to find out more.

Here's the skinny:

While many sapphires may exhibit faint color changes upon exposure to incandescent or fluorescent lights, the 'c-c sapph' is a dramatic diva, bless her heart. Most color change sapphires belong to one of two groups depending on their color change: the green to red (alexandrite), and the blue to purple kind.

Most alex type color change sapphires are from Songea, Tanzania while the blue-purples occur in Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Burma, and other parts of East Africa and Tanzania.  In all color change stones, the strength of the change is probabably the most important factor affecting their value - but the blue to purple variety tend to be the more pricey option.

Do any of you designers out there have a color-changer in your coffers you'd like to share? Make a comment here or send me a Twitpic with a link to an image/description, and I'll post it here.

In the meantime, here's a one-of-a-kind engagement ring featuring a color changer from The Jewelry Experts to whet your whistle.

The Situation - Gym, Tan, Laundry, Jewelry?

He may not have won the judges' hearts on Dancing With The Stars last night, but Jersey Shore's alpha male, Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino, is betting his 15 minutes will get him a piece of the jewelry pie like all the other D-listers worth their salt (see Kelly Bensimon, Tori Spelling, and Priscilla Presley for more).

So, here's the situation: Sorrentino is partnering with Jeff George of Luxury Laces to start a line of rosary necklaces and sneaker jewelry. What good Italian Catholic boy wouldn't want to wear Rosary beads while he creeps, right? And sneaker jewelry - as in rhinestoned laces (what else?) - are the perfect way to avoid those 'grenades' on the dance floor.

“Luxury Laces has always been a favorite of the Sorrentino boys,” said a family friend according to Radoronline. “The guys wear them, and they give the rosary blinged out necklaces to their girls.”

And if Jersey Shore jewelry isn't your cup of tea, ladies, The Sitch is apparently designing a line of women's underwear, according to wetpaint.com.

Run, don't walk.

Blingy Butterfly Gets The Royal Treatment

Now that the jewelry-barren landscape that was New York Fashion Week is behind me, it's time to get back to blingy basics. And there's no better way to celebrate than by ogling this bodacious butterfly bauble that just joined the storied coffers of the Smithsonian Institution.

Designed by Cindy Chao, the "Royal Butterfly" is a three-dimensional diamond-and gemstone-studded brooch that took over two years to create. The design is balanced by four large rough diamond slices and includes more than 20 color gradients comprised of 2,318 colorless and colored diamonds, color-changing sapphires, colored sapphires, rubies and tsavorites.

Color-changing sapphires? Awesome.


Chao generously gifted her "Royal Butterfly" to the Smithsonian, which now lives with some of the world's most significant jewels, including the famous Hope Diamond.

The designer's 'hope' was not only for viewers to appreciate the art in a new medium, but that it would also inspire "people to dream and create" and "continue to contribute to the evolution of culture and the world around them."

Ms. Chao? You had me at 'color-changing sapphires'.

And if you're hunkering for more Smithsonian sparkle, they just launched a branded jewelry line with QVC based on many of the pieces in their treasure chest. Check out Jewelry.com for more.

Mad About Marchesa

Shut the front door! Marchesa just hit a Fashion Week home run with their stunning presentation of Oscar-worthy gowns. I'm sure Rachel Zoe has already hoarded the highlights for her growing list of A-listers.

With jewelry a veritable no-show on the runways this season, it's nice to get a lower jaw-drop moment from the fashion at least, and Style.com reports onlookers were gasping aloud in awe at the daring display of drapery.

Bejeweled necklines, hand-painted florals, loops of fabric. What's not to love?

While Marchesa is the go-to dress-up design house this season, Anna Sui presented my favorite casual collection.

As if channeling my inner Laurel Canyon layabout, the softer side of the 70s sprung off the runways here in feathered necklaces, beaded bodices, suede half-boots and flowy blouses.


Kate Hudson, eat your heart out!

What do you guys think? Do you have a favorite designer showing at Fashion Week? Weigh in! And be sure to check out the Jewelry.com Fashion Week trend recap hot off the presses!