‘Diamond’ Girl

Since one can argue that precious diamonds resemble ice, viewing diamonds can be a very cooling pastime and that certainly was the case on what has turned out to be the hottest day in memory. It was with great pleasure that I visited the 5th avenue showroom of Rosiblu Jewelers on Wednesday, July 27th, to preview both their fall/holiday 2005 fine jewelry collection as well as their collaboration with Vera Wang (who launched her first collection with them for spring 2004).

Ms. Wang, fresh from her CFDA Award for Woman’s Wear Designer of the Year, is known for her offhanded, modern approach to luxury, and she has integrated all of these elements within her various design efforts. Her latest collection for Rosiblu (a colorful, feminine and light mix of diamonds, semiprecious stones, feathers, and 18 karat gold) is marked by mixing its youthful verve, with an obvious respect for the classics of the past, as well as a slight nod to the vintage estate pieces like those which belonged to her elegant and well dressed mother.

In addition to its broad range of styles and colors, it is also notable for its lower price points (the price range is from about $500 to approximately $300,000). Standouts include several one of a kind rings that are between 5 and 8 karats (including one that is a red diamond), an unusual diamond brooch which is comprised of four flexible pieces – each of which are approximately $21,000, an elongated diamond and black feathered brooch, and a bold statement making gold dome and diamante ring and matching bracelet.

Intricate settings and the whimsical use of colored stones (including colored diamonds) are not the only signatures. In much the same way that within ready to wear, it’s become all about interesting and inventive mixes, this trend has found its way into the fine jewelry arena. This is not only evident within Vera’s jewelry designs, but in the fact that Vera is intent on getting her customers to experiment and mix metals and mix stones.

-Marilyn Kirschner