CYNTHIA SERRANO

24 Gold Plated Brass Upsala Volcano
Pendant Necklace

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, or Los Cabos, is a premier tourist attraction where breathtaking natural scenery and sumptuous cuisine are major highlights.

Located on the Baja California Peninsula visitors can enjoy whale watching, snorkeling, sunbathing and parasailing.  Mexico is also home to featured jewelry designer Cynthia Serrano.

SUZIE GALLEHUGH | SUZANNA DAI

Calypso Earrings with M-O-P Disc Beads, Seed Beads,
Bugles and Rhinestones

One of the most iconic theaters in New York City is the Albany Palace Theater.

Opened to the public during The Great Depression, the one-time vaudeville theater is renowned for its “ornate Austrian baroque design” and murals. 

New York is also home to featured jewelry designer Suzie Gallehugh.

CAT HAMMILL JEWELLERY

Yellow Gold Heritage Love
Bracelet Set

A trip to Australia would be incomplete without a visit to Surfer’s Paradise. 

Located along the Gold Coast in the State of Queensland this bustling area has plenty to offer the beach bum that includes jet skiing, fishing and of course surfing, wake-boarding and body surfing.  Australia is also home to featured jewelry designer Cat Hammill.

VOULA KARAMPATZIAKIS

Amphitrite Ring with Silk Threads,
Swarovski Crystals and Wire

Take in the gorgeous coastline of the Paros Naoussa Village in Greece.  

The balmy weather and hot sands of Paros Kolmbithres Beach energize visitors to dabble at windsurfing and then round out the day’s activities with parties into the night.  

Greece is also home to featured jewelry designer Voula Karampatziakis.

TIRAPHAN HASUB

Lilac Green Orchids Bracelets with Amethyst,
Peridot and Brass Beads

With a moniker that means “dawn of happiness” the city of Sukhothai, in Thailand, is a locale of remarkable historical sites.  

Thirteenth century ruins known as the Sukhothai Historical Park provides the city with an aura of antiquity.

Thailand is also home to featured jewelry designer Tiraphan Hasub.

ALEXANDRA AMARO | GLOBAL FUSION JEWELRY

Blackwood Espirala Ring from Contempora Collection

With the exception of three short weeks, California’s Santa Monica Beach is graced with nearly nonstop sunshine.  

Well-groomed sands make for great fun-in-the sun, lounging and kicking back.  California is also home to featured jewelry designer Alexandra Amaro.

CRYSTALYN YASON

Positioned in the Intramuros district of Manila, Philippines is the ominous Manila Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica. During the course of more than three centuries, the structure underwent numerous reconstructions due to natural catastrophes. The Philippines is also the birthplace of featured jewelry designer Crystalyn Yason.

Ladies, sometimes we feel the stirrings of our inner goddess, and on those occasions we feel the need to make an unforgettable entrance to a party or even our workplace.

We often respond to those stirrings by getting a new haircut or trying out a new hair color. We try a different clothing style, or look for a great accessory like a bold jewelry piece.

Yason's statement making, one-of-a-kind bead jewelry collections are a perfect contrast for adding just the right amount of oomph to a solid-colored turtleneck, or tank dress.

The self-taught designer's first foray into the jewelry industry came in 2001 after establishing a small jewelry business with her mother. "My mother taught me some basic techniques on bead stringing and wire working. The business lasted for almost a year," she recalls.

"Several years later my husband and I moved to the United States due to his occupation. My visa does not allow me to work in the United States, so I had a lot of free time and since working with my mom I felt that I should be doing something in terms of jewelry making and design.

One day, while in a bookstore, I found some books about bead weaving and bead embroidery techniques, and I wanted to learn them. I read books like the Bead Romantique by Lisa Kan, and The Art and Elegance of Beadweaving by Carol Cox Wells, as well as finding information on the internet.

It took me around three years of study, and a lot of trial and error before setting up my online store, Cryst Jewelries, to share my passion with others."

Two of Yason's brilliantly colored collections, Hollywood Glamour, and Fit for a Queen, highlight bold, chunky pieces reminiscent of designers Ayala Bar (Israel), and Elizabeth Wahyu (Indonesia), while her collection Simple yet Elegant displays her panache for streamlined proportions.

She builds her incredible designs from vintage glass, seed beads, semi-precious stones, and Crystallized Swarovski Elements making certain Mother Earth informs many of her creations. The polychromatic assortment of beads and crystals brings to mind shaved ice drenched with multi-colored syrup.

"The details of the things I find in nature--the color combinations and variety of shapes influence how I create a piece. For instance, my Abstract on the Beach Necklace is inspired by the shape and color of ocean waves," she explains.

"A nature photograph I saw from the book The Nature of Wisdom inspires the colors of my A Walk in Nature Necklace. The image is of a lake surrounded by trees that are different shades of green, and I emulated the color combinations."

Nature is not Yason's only source of influence and inspiration, her homeland plays a large role as well.

"My designs are also influenced by my birthplace, a municipality named Lucban. It is known for its annual Pahiyas Festival. Houses are adorned with colorful decorations made of fruit, vegetables, and miscellaneous handicrafts," she says.

"The creativity of the people here – how they create magnificent and colorful decorations by using native products and sharing them with people from around the world--is such an inspiration.

Whenever I lay out a bunch of beads on my work table, design ideas start to pop in my head until a complete design emerges from mixing and matching the beads."

To create her designs, Yason implements four stitching techniques: Peyote, Square, Brick, and Ndebele, as well as Right-Angle Weave and Fringe.

"I express my individuality through my jewelry and my mission is to provide women with truly distinctive pieces they won't find on anyone else."

Yason's skillful arrangement of materials is visually stunning, and also very affordable.

Yason's jewelry prices are listed on her website in Php (Philippine Peso) beneath photos of her jewelry items, so be sure to enlist a conversion table to obtain prices for your region. For example, 1000 Philippine Pesos is the equivalent of $21.62 in USD.
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Photo 1 (top right): Abstract on the Beach from Fit for a Queen Collection
Photo 2 (center): Awesome Beauty Necklace from Fit for a Queen Collection
Photo 3 (bottom left): Red Flower Necklace from Fit for a Queen Collection

ASHKA DYMEL

Today we visit the Krasiński Palace in Warsaw, Poland.

The striking fortress built over three centuries ago, is a marvel of detailed sculptures and interior designs heavily based in the baroque style.

Poland is also the former home of featured jewelry designer Ashka Dymel.

CAROLYN ROUMEGUERE

The regal beauty of the Château de Chambord is a striking fixture situated within a wooded park in France's Loire Valley.

The beautiful 16th century fortress houses 84 staircases, 365 fireplaces, and 440 rooms.  However, despite its ominous proportions the structure served more as decoration than a safe haven from military attacks. France is also the birthplace of featured jewelry designer Carolyn Roumeguere.

HUGO LARIOS

The construction of Mexico's Chapultepec Castle began over two centuries ago by the order of Viceroy Bernardo de Gálvez. However, due to changes in Spanish captains overseeing the project, the fortress was not completed until after it was purchased in 1806 by the municipal government of Mexico City. Mexico is also the home of featured jewelry designer Hugo Larios.

Larios, a father of three and former accountant, draws much of the inspiration for his work from the manual arts of central Mexico's Huichol, or Wixáritari, people.

Although his Novica page contains only two items, they display Larios' amazing deft at capturing intricate patterns found in Huichol embroidery and beadwork. He handcrafts these items by threading multi-colored, tiny chaquira glass beads.

"My passion for jewelry is something I inherited from my parents," he says.

"I have always felt an affinity toward designing and making jewelry although I studied accounting. I strive to honor the talent and creativity of Mexican jewelers, and the rich artistry of the Huichol people."

I would love to see more of his work. The pieces at Novica certainly display the painstaking aspect of building the complex, tapestry-like patterns found in Huichol artwork; although he creates a separate collection in silver and gold (these items are not featured on Novica or elsewhere that I know of), his beadwork is a great reflection of his love of culture and artisanship.

"I took courses in gemology and silversmithing. My first piece was silver and turquoise ring and I participated in an art-jewelry project cultivating celebrated works of art from sterling silver. To me making jewelry is relaxing--it is like occupational therapy."
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Photo 1 (top right): Huichol Exuberance Beaded Bracelet with Gray Chaquira Glass Beads
Photo 2 (bottom left): Huichol Protection Bracelet with Diamond Pattern Multi-Colored Chaquira Glass Beads

YAEL KRAKOWSKI

The serene beauty of Ramat Hanadiv in Israel is a welcome change from the daily hustle and bustle.

The Visitors Pavilion leads us into a world of botanical wonder that spreads out over 1,000 acres. Israel is also the home of featured jewelry designer Yael Krakowski.

MAYA OFFER JEWELRY DESIGN

The chill of winter is beginning to settle over Tel Aviv, Israel, but we still want to stroll along beautiful Gordon Beach as we overlook the rough surf. Israel is also the home of featured jewelry designer Maya Offer.