March 2005: What is happening at the Gem Faire Tucson? Claudia Endler Designs

March 1, 2005

March 2005 NEWSLETTER
“Spring comes: The flowers learn their colored shapes. ” Maria Konopnicka,Women Poets of the World.”

NEW “JEWEL”

“Evolution” -ce

This 2ct diamond is suspended by a wire leaving open space between it and the walls of the elipse. It is reminiscent of some of the features characterized in the Art Deco period and then brought to their minimum.

Also called “art moderne” or “streamline moderne”, Art Deco was characterized by linear decorative designs that were reminiscent of modern technology. It emphasized long, thin forms, curved surfaces and geometric patterns, symbolizing the expanse of the machine age. Although it was popular in the 1920’s and 1930’s, the movement received its name in the 1960’s derived from the 1925 Paris Exposition of Decorative Arts.

Art Deco was a modernization of many different artistic styles and themes from the past. It borrows from Far and Middle East design, Greek and Roman themes and also Egyptian and Mayan influence. It also emphasized abstraction, distortion and simplification by use of geometric shapes and intense colors. The movement derived these characteristics from the avant-garde painting styles of the early twentieth century, including Cubism, Constructivism and Italian Futurism. Similar to the Art Nouveau and Precisionist movements of the same time period, Art Deco is distinguished by an even more modern look.

CED – News & Events

Events
March 12-13th (Saturday-Sunday) – Claudia Endler Designs will be exhibiting at the Contemporary Craft Market at Fort Mason in San Francisco. This well-known juried craft exhibition shows the work of artists of textiles, sculpture, furniture, clothing, accessories and more. For more information on attending, visit www.CraftSource.org.

March 31st (Thursday): What is Pink? – A MUST SEE exhibition of Live BodyPainting and Photography of world-renowned Body Painter Filippo Ioco. Mark your calendars for March 31st to attend an evening of amazing images driven by color, provoking emotions and fantasy. This event breaks the confines of pre-conceived barriers and judgments based on skin tones. The exhibition will consist of 100 Glicee color prints of painted fashion, landscapes and animals. Ioco will create a special live body painting installation at the reception that will be sure to put a “smile” on everyone’s face. Proceeds go in support of RAIN/LA BAC. For more information and to RSVP, visit www.karleeartist.com/pink. We are not missing this one.

Host a CED home show with your friends – Creating a Claudia Endler Designs jewelry event in your home is an opportunity to get together with friends and have fun. We offer special gifts and incentives for you and your guests. Contact Claudia@claudiaendlerdesigns.com for more information or to reserve a date.

MARCH’S FEATURE: What is happening at the Gem Faire Tucson?

COLOR is what is happening at the Gem Faire. There was a spectrum of color, from pink and green tourmalines to fancy colored sapphires to rutilated quartz and interesting fossils. Tucson has always been the place to look for unusual things. Unusual stones. Unusual shapes. Many designers and collectors go to the fair for inspiration and to find the right gem source for their designs. We saw exceptional pieces like a peridot, 228ct suite of necklace and earrings cut from the same piece of rough material. This is a rarity in the gem world. Traditionally mined in Kashmir, Burma and Thailand, smaller specimens of sapphires can also be found in Montana. The rarest color of green jade can be $75,000 for a modest size stone. Dealers come from all over the US, Asia, Brazil, Italy, India, and China to show their wares, hoping to find a new home for some of them.

As much as color is what gives these gems their character, so does the cut. Left in their polished, but rough state, topaz, quartz and beryl are surprisingly attractive. Interesting and unusual cuts are what caught our eye this year. The new “mirror cut” gemstone basically has only 5 facets with a flat top. It “shows off” the inclusions within the stone, rather than hiding them, creating an effect of viewing natural art. We were particularly drawn to the unusual cuts, most of which came from Germany, Austria and Brazil. Idar Oberstein is the gemstone cutting capital of Germany and is highly regarded worldwide for hand-precision cutting techniques. Some of the stones had sculpted bottoms with flat tops, creating an amazingly architectural visual effect. All unique, they are a perfect compliment to our design aesthetic.

Upcoming from Claudia Endler Designs will be more use of color. This year we are particularly attracted to the aquamarine. The light blue with natural greenish undertones, has a calming visual effect. Orange, teal greens and smoky quartz colors were also some of our favorites. For those who appreciate bigger styles, several more diva rings are in design.

Here, again, the value of the stone is as much in the rarity, as in the cut. And beauty, as always, is in the eye of the beholder. How else can one make those difficult buying decisions? One lesson to be learned by us at the Tucson show, and perhaps by you as well, is, “If the stone inspires you, purchase these one-of-a-kind gifts of nature, before someone else discovers their allure.”

What is Aquamarine?

It’s color ranges from light sky-blue to green-blue to deep blue. The deepest blue are the most rare. Many aquamarines are heated to permanently achieve that deep blue hue.

According to legend, it has its origin in the treasure chest of the mermaids, and is reputed to be a lucky stone for sailors. Its name is derived from the Latin terms “aqua” meaning water, and “mare” meaning sea, “A stone the color of seawater.” Aquamarine has been credited with providing courage, curing laziness and quickening the intellect. In the Middle Ages, it was believed to give the wearer both insight, foresight and freedom from insomnia. Among some, it had the reputation of providing happiness and everlasting youth and, modernly, it is the birthstone for March.

It belongs to the beryl family, along with stones such as emeralds, morganite and heliodor. Other beryl gems are simply referred to by their color, such as red or green beryl. It is 7.5-8 on the hardness scale. (Diamond is 10.) It is mostly found in Brazil, but it’s also mined Kenya and Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Russia.

The largest known aquamarine was found in Brazil, in 1920. It was 19 inches long, 16 inches wide and weighed 243 pounds, but was subsequently cleaved into many smaller gemstones. A green 13-pound uncut piece of the outer portion resides in the American Museum of Natural History. The British Museum of Natural History owns an 879.5ct, flawless, step-cut aquamarine with a lovely sea-green color. It is much easier to find large gem quality pieces of aquamarine than emerald. Claudia Endler Designs intends on taking full advantage of their color and scale.

FROM ONE OF OUR CLIENTS
“Every email I type up today provides me with more time to admire my new ring� I love it.” – Julie W.

THE WAY OF CHIC: Creating a memorable event is chic.

STYLE RECOGNITION: You’ve got the ring, so now what?

CUT: When planning your wedding, you need to consider the essentials for making your dream wedding a reality. While some couples know exactly what they want, others need a little help with the different choices. Having a wedding professional can best provide options and guidance that will lead you to a clear-cut vision of your wedding. Some wedding planners extend a complimentary first meeting to discuss the possibilities. Los Angeles based event planning and design company, COBALT EVENTS, offers such services as a courtesy to the newly engaged.

CARAT: The size of your wedding is one of the most difficult decisions a couple must make. The wedding size can add extra weight to your budget, so make sure to think about with whom you want to share in your special day.

COLOR: Color is a contributing element to the look and feel of the wedding. It is represented in areas such as the invitations, bridesmaid dresses and flowers that create a unique and signature event.

CLARITY: Furthermore, the day should run with ease and clarity. Your hard work is behind you. This is yours and your partner’s day to shine. From the ceremony through the reception, everything should run as smoothly as possible. With all the elements to coordinate, it’s important to have someone there to see that everything gets done.

By attending to all of these details of your wedding, not only will your ring shine, but your wedding day will hold a sparkle to remember. Contact Nicole Hirsty of Cobalt Events at 323.655.8098 or visit www.cobaltevents.com for more information.

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
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