Thursday, July 8, 2010

American Chinoise Jewelry


Chinoiserie can be found in art, architecture, interiors, furniture, textiles, pottery, decorative objects, wallpaper, and gardens. Recently, many fashion designers have been influenced by Chinoiserie in their collections. In January, I posted about Ward Kelvin whose new jewelry collection "American Chinoise" is taking the luxury jewelry world by storm. His pieces can be found at Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan and Neiman Marcus in San Francisco. He previously worked with Tiffany & Co. and David Yurman, my two favorites. He has also designed for Estee Lauder, Ralph Lauren, and Steuben. Raised in a home he describes as High Style 70s Chinoise Chic, he was further influenced by 1930s Hollywood Regency. With its bamboo, lattice, and even a swinging monkey, his work is the epitome of Chinoiserie-whimsical, sophisticated, playful, and elegant. Here are some lovely pieces from his collection-the Chinoise Frame earring in Gold Tourmaline, the Garden Path earring in Rubellite Tourmaline, and the Waterfall earring in Green Tourmaline.



10 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness! That first pair quickens my pulse! All three shown are just beautiful!!! And here I sit, with no special occasion looming, that I could offer hints and suggestions to the husband for. I will just have to hang on until closer to October and our wedding anniversary. Thank you for reminding all of us!

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  2. Ward Kelvin's designs are some of the most original jewelery I've seen in years. Although shells are the hallmark of Seaman Schepps, Ward Kelvin's designs remind me of a chinoiserie equivalent in terms of the beautiful taste and original look. His website has spectactacular designs.

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  3. Love those bamboo earrings! What a classic piece of jewelry!

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  4. simply GAAWGEOUS as we say in the south! Ward has a knack for creating timeless and stunning original pieces. J'ADORE!

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  5. Vickie-I'll do another post on his work in the fall in time for the holidays.

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  6. Harrison-I'm sure he will be very pleased that you like his work.

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  7. The Glam Lamb-Indeed-thanks for stopping by.

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