{at the shops: nallik by jean balke, new york}

. . . always adore a perfect juxtaposition -- vintage & modern, old & new, simple & ornate -- and what could be better than rough-hewn, natural elements paired with delicate chains and glamorous gold?

nallik, a word borrowed from the inuit language, cannot be translated directly, but means protection and nurturing in a loving way; according to designer jean balke, the "Inuit people appreciate that we are all connected to each other and our surroundings. They respect the environment and know it contains everything we need to live."

balke, who grew up in germany, lived in helsinki, london and san diego, currently resides in nyc; before she began designing jewelry, she worked as a photographer and art director, and has travelled to over 45 countries, drawing inspiration from the people and landscapes she has experienced along the way; the result is this utterly perfect mix of rock & refined . . .





















{p.s.} previous at the shops:
* florence & florence, uk
* lady grey, new york
* ralph lauren, paris
* neology by mina, brooklyn
* mrs. press, australia


{all images from nallik}

{favourite five: camille eddera}

There are very few things in a woman’s wardrobe that withstand the test of time, trends and life’s changes. It is for this very reason that Los Angeles-based French designer, Camille Eddera, set out to create elegantly refined, timeless pieces that become treasured family heirlooms. "Eddera", which means “ivy” in Corsican, is the inspiration behind many of Camille’s pieces.

Camille, a former model, attended both the French National Institute of Gemology and the esteemed Ecole Du Louvre in Paris, where she was selected as one of fifteen students to have the unique privilege to study under Adalbert Smoliar, the head jeweler for Van Cleef & Arpels. To this day, Camille recalls Smoliar's sage advice and still does everything the way she learned in Paris, before graduating as a bijoutier-joaillier and gemologist. While in Paris, Camille also worked for two of the world’s most prestigious names in jewelry: Boucheron and Chopard.



Each beautifully handmade piece Camille creates integrates classic details found in Parisian flea markets with elements of graceful modernity, incorporating the most stunning arrays of 18k gold vermeil, white topaz, aquamarine, tourmaline, green onyx, sparkling topaz and turquoise. Camille's pieces are adored by a loyal following, including stylist Rachel Zoe, Marion Cotillard, Victoria Beckham, and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Camille officially launched her own line of jewelry, Eddera, in January of 2008, and the rest is history . . .



This week, she sits down with us to share the:

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{top five most fascinating things about the jewelry-making process}

1. There are only 9 ways to set a stone. Eight of these were created during ancient Egypt! Egyptians were way ahead of their time...

2. Diamonds aren't actually that rare, and shouldn't be that expensive. The company De Beers owns basically 99% of the diamond mines and they only release a certain amount of stones each year to keep the prices high. We could all be covered with diamonds if it weren't for these people.

3. Rubies and Sapphires are kind of like non-identical twins. They're both Corundum. The red in the ruby is caused by the presence of more chromium. Most sapphires are heated up in order to have a more beautiful color. Oh, and when they tell you "This is a pink Sapphire", it's basically a marketing term. You think that a Sapphire is blue so you get the impression that you are looking at something rare. If you were looking at a pink Ruby, you would think "hey, that's not a very good Ruby since it's not red but pink." I know, it's sad, but it's the truth! It broke my heart when I found out, and I have a gemologist degree.

4. The only new way to set a stone was created by Van Cleef & Arpels, sometime around 1930 and is called "the mystery setting". The stone paving procedure uses no visible claw; basically, you don't see any metal in between the stones, it's invisible! I've been (unsuccessfully) trying to create a new kind of stone setting for the last 15 years. If anyone has any idea, call me!

5. You can see how good a jeweler is when you look at the back of the piece of jewelry. A true master will make the invisible as beautiful as the rest!

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{p.s.} previous favourite fives:
* designer: rachel ashwell
* actress & fashion muse: chloë sevigny
* floral stylist: denise porcaro
* entrepreneurs: rent the runway

~ laily

{at the shops: andrea bonelli jewelry, san francisco}

. . . have been having a wonderful time dreaming up holiday gift ideas, and quite adore self-taught san francisco bay area-based metalsmith andrea bonelli's beautifully simple and classic handmade jewelry line -- filled with diamond stacking bands and glittering moissanite studs, the collection is also eco friendly, using recycled and ethically mined diamonds and gems and would be the perfect gifts, boxed and wrapped in gold paper and tied with velvet ribbon, or, if you can not bear to part with them, equally perfect with silk-taffeta one-shouldered dresses for upcoming holiday parties . . .

{images: andrea bonelli jewelry}