Fashion

Fashion

Emerald, the birthstone of May

All you need to know about the most precious of green gems

Emeralds are the birthstone of May, the month-long association with peace, serenity, and the renewal that comes with the changing of the seasons. As such, they are associated with love, hope, fertility and rebirth. They formed in the belly of Earth as far back as three billion years ago, when our planet was a water world and the only life in it was single-celled organisms. Their incredible colour is due to their chemical composition, which includes trace amounts of chromium and/or vanadium. It is the former that gives emeralds the appearance of giving off light. They are 20 times rarer than colourless diamonds and often, dearer.

From ancient times, superstition and folklore quickly attributed them to all kinds of healing and supernatural powers. For example, the Romans believed emeralds could revitalise the souls of those who wore them. Several Middle Eastern cultures thought them a defence against snake bites and others were convinced that placing one under your tongue would give you the power to see the future.

Angelina Jolie and Jessica Chastain are two of the global stars choosing emeralds for Red…

Fashion

Flower Power Jewellery

The arrival of spring

On the first day of spring, we want to say good-bye to neutral and welcome the explosion of colour that comes with the new season. From trees and shrubs to modest wild flowers, this is the time of the pink blooms. Anemones, rubellas, pieris passion, magnolias and cherry trees among many others blossom at this […]

Fashion

The Dame Necklace & Earrings by Harry Winston

Hollywood glamour elevated to royal heights

“I’ve never thought of my jewellery as trophies,” Elizabeth Taylor once said. “I’m here to take care of it and to love it, for we are only temporary custodians of beauty.” Very few women loved their jewels as much as Elizabeth did. For decades the undisputable queen of tinsel town, the Hollywood star became the […]

Fashion, Lifestyle

Jewellery Speaks The Language Of The Heart

Gifts for St. Valentine’s that will hit the spot

There is a reason – well, actually many of them – why jewellery is considered an excellent gift for almost any occasion. From a practical point of view, jewellery is durable, versatile, and always comes in pretty packaging. From a more romantic angle, jewellery pieces often become heirlooms that are passed on generation after generation, […]

Fashion

L’AVVENTURA

Sensuous tales from a time of mystery

Michelangelo Antonioni was one of the most influential filmmakers of Italian cinema credited alongside Fellini and Bergman with defining the modern art house film in the 1950s and 60s. He was known as a chronicler of bourgeois languor and the shifting landscapes of post-war Italy. With actresses like Monica Vitti and Jeanne Moreau he created […]

Culture, Fashion

Shoes: Inside Out

The intriguing mystery of our obsession with footwear

It’s safe to say that shoes score top of the list when it comes to attire people are obsessed with. From the infamous Imelda Marcos’ reported 3,000 pairs to Paris Hilton’s 2,000 or NBA player Russell Westbrook’s 1,000, our obsession with footwear seems to date back to Ancient Egypt, where shoes said a lot about […]

Fashion

Exciting Stocking Fillers

Change candy and bath salts for a little bit of bling

I love Christmas stockings but, after all the anticipation in the build-up to Christmas, I do sometimes feel a little underwhelmed when I discover the usual chocolates and the obligatory tangerine. Instead, wouldn’t it be just wonderful to find some bling? If like me, you’d like to change stocking expectations, I invite you to read […]

Fashion

It’s cool to be square

The hottest shape of the season among horology’s trendsetters

What do Madonna, Steve McQueen and Brad Pitt have in common? A penchant for square watches, of course. Broad and daring in design, square timepieces have long been adored for their edgy, dressy vibe by some of the most influential luminaries in watchmaking – the aforementioned pop provocateur favouring Cartier’s emblematic Panthère, while the icon […]

Culture, Fashion

Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto

The legacy of a timeless icon

Opening on 16th September 2023, the V&A is to stage the first UK exhibition dedicated to the work of French couturière, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, possibly the most influential woman in fashion, ever. She devoted her life to promoting a new kind of elegance based on freedom of movement and revolutionised the world by introducing garments such […]

Fashion

Princess Suite by Harry Winston

Royal-inspired jewels with a modern flair

Ever since the House of Harry Winston was founded in New York in 1932, the name has been synonymous with the finest and most sought-after high jewellery in the world. In fact, Mr Winston earned the moniker of “King of Diamonds” and “Rare jeweller of the World”. Maybe part of the reason was his incredible […]

Fashion

Brighter than the sun

Jewels for a dazzling summer

As early as 150,000 years ago, humans started to wear jewellery. The first we have record of is a necklace made of seashells, found in Morocco. Gold jewellery emerged around 6,000 years ago among cultures such as Meso-America, Mesopotamia, Ancient China, Ancient Egypt, Ancient India, and Ancient Greece and Rome. Gemstones were incorporated by the […]

Fashion

The New Avenger

Memories of a blonde, sassy spy

With her blonde bob and martial arts skills, Purdey was the high-kicking embodiment of a sassy female secret agent in The New Avengers, which hit television screens in 1976 and 1977. Joanna Lumley played the fictional character working for British intelligence, alongside the bowler-hatted Patrick McNee, as Steed, in this television classic. She was a […]