August 2009 Archives

While walking up Madison Ave, we chanced upon the Solange Azagury-Partridge boutique at 68th street.  She's a British jewelery designer who recently opened this boutique, her first in the US.  In the window were some examples of the "Platonic" line of mathematically inspired pieces, including the "Lonestar" earrings in one and two ball models.


(picture source)
That same set of wireframe solids appears, augmented with other shapes and a smaller star-ball, in more earrings, a overwrought necklace and a fantastic bracelet.

(Picture from her website)
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More on the theme of animals in jewelry, this time from Dior Joallerie.

Idylle a Valparaíso bracelet.

Idylle Dans la Baie d'Along bracelet.

Idylle aux Fidji bracelet.
All designed by Victoire de Castellane

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Previously referenced here is the Boucheron/Marc Newson joint project the Julia Necklace.  Boucheron now has some more information, mostly in flash animation, available on their website.

They have also released six new animal-themed watches, the Rondes Bestiaire in their relatively new, 2005, Ronde collection.  All three are powered by a modified GP Cal 4000, augmented to have the subsecond dial at 7 o'clock, and unique to Boucheron.   The subsecond hand has been replaced with a disk decorated to correlate to the dial designs.  The six depict 3 animals, each available with and without an elaborate(eg. a frog with feet dangling off the edge of the watch) jeweled bezel/

The three are the Chouette(owl), Grenouille(frog) and the Caméléon (chameleon).  For the element animated by the sub-second disk, the Owl and the Frog have a rotating eye and the poor Chameleon is forever trying to catch a small fly.

[VIA] Finally we have the newest additions to the MEC collection for 2009, the Bat and the Feather.

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The movement of a JLC Reverso Art Deco, with the point of focus on the deepest part of the movement.

The movement fully in focus, showing the skeletonizing of the plates and bridges and their engraving.

A close-up of an engraved bridge and the openworked ratchet wheel.

From: http://www.wiglaf.org/~aaronm/watches/jlc/


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We won! Peter Schmid accepted the 2009 Couture Design Award for Best Pearl Jewelry in Las Vegas, United States on May 31, 2009. The Couture Design Awards, the signature event of the Couture Show, exists to recognize the world's most visionary designers, uncover new and emerging talent, and promote the appreciation of jewelry and timepiece design worldwide. Over 200 elite jewelers competed in this international competition, and Atelier Zobel is honored to have been selected for this prestigious award among so many talented artists and designers.

Thank you to all those who voted on-line as well as those who attended the Couture Show in Las Vegas this year and voted in person. We are truly grateful for your support. We look forward to seeing you next year, June 2nd to 7th, 2010.
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"I was so excited to win the Haute Couture award at this year's show. I have been a part of Couture for many years and receiving this prestigious award for the second time will inspire me to keep designing pieces that reflect the haute couture tradition. Winning this year was even more special because my dear friend Rachel Zoe presented the award to me! I look forward to many more years as a competitor in this category."
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"It is appropriate for the Brand [Milus] to have been selected at this moment as we feel that all the key ingredients are in place increasing the aesthetic value. Even the economic situation has presented opportunities to improve our positioning within the pure Swiss universe. This was a very fortuitous moment and a great honor to win Best in Timepiece we thank Couture and our colleagues for their support."
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