MONTSERRAT LACOMBA

Enameled Copper & Sterling Silver Dreaming Earrings

Known for its energetic festivals like the La Tomatina (or Tomato Throwing Festival), and numerous museums Valencia, Spain is a place of fun and historical significance. 

Spain is also home to featured jewelry designer Montserrat Lacomba.

KATHRYN BENTLEY

Solid Engraved Brass Mollusk Cuff Bracelet
from Dream Collective

Initially known as the State Exposition Park, the Los Angeles California Science Center is considered one of the West Coast’s largest “interactive” science centers. 

Exhibits such as the World of Life, and World of Ecology provide insight and information about life processes and eco-systems. 

California is also home to featured jewelry designer Kathryn Bentley.

GAURI TANDON and RADHIKA TANDON | ISHARYA

18K Plated Brass Goddess Honeycomb Earrings
with Green Amazonite

Considered the largest of five observatories constructed by 18^th century emperor Jai Singh II is Jaipur City’s Jantar Mantar.  

Constructed of stones, bronze sheets and marble the observatory contains the world’s largest sundial “which predicts seasons and eclipses.”  

India is also the ancestral home of design team Gauri and Radhika Tandon.

RUTH BALL

Sterling Silver and Enamel
Shoreline Pendant Necklace with Diamonds

A one-time “sleepy fishing village” Brighton, England is the place to be.  The pebble beach locale is known for its spring festivals, unique shopping goods and spectacular sunsets.  England is also home to featured jewelry designer Ruth Ball.

JADE GEDEON | WE DREAM IN COLOUR

Brass Nimue Bangle Bracelet

A scenic hour’s drive away from the Port of Spain in Trinidad-Tobago is one of the country’s best known attractions, Maracas Beach.  

Visitors can drive up a mountain trail in order to take in a breathtaking view of the sandy landscape.  Trinidad-Tobago is also the ancestral home of Jade Gedeon.

PEGGY HUNG AND TING TING TSAO | BOMB METAL & FRY JEWELRY

Sterling Silver and Enamel Bracelet
from Ceramic Series

Surrounding the island Lalu in Yuchi, Nantou, Taiwan is the picturesque Sun Moon Lake.

The lake’s distinctive shape in which its east side resembles the sun and the west side resembles a moon inspired its moniker.  Taiwan is also home to design duo Peggy Hung and Ting Ting Tsao.

SHEILA FLEET ORKNEY DESIGNER JEWELLERY

9-Karat Yellow and White Gold Pendant
Necklace from Reef Knot Collection

A popular tourist attraction in Scotland is the 12^th century structure known as the Holyrood Palace.  A one-time monastery, the palace continues to serve as the residence for Scottish royalty.  

Well-preserved and lavish interiors as well as beautiful exterior gardens make the palace an exquisite sight to behold.  Scotland is also home to featured jewelry designer Sheila Fleet.

MARIKA O'SULLIVAN

The landscapes of Ireland are easily some of the most beautiful in the world. Located within the Wicklow Mountains in Glendalough are gorgeous lakes, and monastic ruins. Ireland is also home to featured jewelry designer Marika O’Sullivan.

ADINA PLASTELINA

Situated in Tel Aviv, Israel are three magnificent skyscrapers that compose the Azriel Center. The center houses a mall, restaurants, and an 8-screen cinema. Israel is also home to jewelry designing team Adi Prachya and Sami Leder.

RACHEL EMMERSON

Located along the north bank of England's River Thames is the Palace of Westminster.

After many years serving as a primary royal residence, the palace is presently the location of England's seats of government, the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

Its clock tower, the as Big Ben, is one of the most recognizable landmarks of England. England is also home to featured jewelry designer Rachel Emmerson.

APRIL HIGASHI

There is a slow shift from winter to spring in some parts of the world, and the seasonal thaw can be felt as far as Japan's Kyoto Botanical Garden. Established a little over 90 years ago the grounds house 120,000 plants. Japan is also the ancestral home of featured jewelry designer April Higashi.


The painstaking technique of enameling, like other jewelry-making techniques, has origins dating back to early civilizations including the Byzantine Empire, and Rome's conquest of Greece.

Ancient jewelry artists implemented this precision-driven skill of fusing powdered glass to metal as a colorful alternative to gemstones.

Currently, powdered glass from the ethereal hues used in pliqué a jour to the glossy finish of vitreous enamel are used by such jewelry designers as Leila Tai (Lebanon), and Christy Klug (USA) to stunning effect. Higashi also incorporates this long-standing technique in her understated creations.

Raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the tender age of eight Higashi had already decided she would attend an "out-of-state" college, and by age 11, upon receipt of a sewing machine as a Christmas gift, she began creating her own clothing without the use of pre-packaged patterns.

In 1990, the energetic 20-year old studied textiles earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of San Francisco.

Eager to travel the world one year later, she dived into the garment industry gaining employment with Espirit de Corp. The experience, however, left her cold when during a company downsizing she was given the option of being laid-off. She took it.

In the interim, Higashi co-founded a jewelry company, Fortuna Metalsmiths, a successful endeavor that allowed her the financial independence to further her knowledge about all things artistic including tutelage by enamel artist June Schwartz.

By 2002, Higashi established her own jewelry company, Shibumi Studio, which not only exhibits her elegant work with enamel, and 18 and 24-karat gold but her companion's, Eric Powell, sculpture work.

Higashi's aesthetic is clean and understated but the gorgeous 24-karat gold, rich colored enamel, and glowing gemstones brings visual depth. Her enamel designs run the gamut of solid pops of color to mosaic blends of off-white, black, yellow, and red.

"I create rich color fields, markings, and textures with enamel. In most cases the enameling process requires a minimum of six firings in a kiln; however, for more complex patterns between 20 to 30 firings is required to enhance depth and bleeding of the brush strokes," she explains.

Something I have noticed thus far with designers from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan is their adherence to delicacy and their lack of ostentatious arrangement. The key focus is keeping the forms basic with simple accents and a quiet lyricism so that the artisanship takes center stage. Here again, highlighting the perfection in simplicity.

"I look to create a simple sense of beauty. I am attracted to the depth, textures, translucency, and bleeding which happens during the firing of enamel. I mark imperfections in the layers to create beauty and balance."
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Photo 1 (top right): 18-Karat Gold and Enamel Earrings
Photo 2 (bottom left): 18-Karat Gold and Oxidized Silver and Enamel Lady Bug Ring with Diamonds

KARIN JOHANSSON

It is springtime in Sweden and there would be nothing more refreshing than breathing in ocean air while standing on the sands of Sudersand Beach. Sweden is also the home of featured jewelry designer Karin Johansson.

SHONA CARNEGIE

Scotland's beautiful Auchen Castle Hotel serves a myriad of functions including a romantic setting for weddings, and an expansive location for business conferences. Scotland is also home to featured jewelry designer Shona Carnegie.

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.

ZOE BASSI JEWELLERY

The victories and defeats of any country's history lie within its architecture.

The castles of the Borders of Scotland practically vibrate with political intrigue such as Neidpath Castle, a residence and safe haven at different times for Oliver Cromwell and Mary Stuart. Scotland is also the birthplace of featured jewelry designer Zoë Bassi.

POUL WARMIND

Denmark is a country peppered with stunning architecture.

Among these splendid structures are Danish castles or slots including the Kronborg Slot, which Shakespeare used as his setting for Hamlet. Denmark is also the home of featured jewelry designer Poul Warmind.

CHRISTY KLUG

The Isamu Taniguchi Japanese Garden is one of the many highlights of Texas' Zilker Botanical Garden.

The tranquil garden features ponds fashioned into ideograms, which spell out the city name of Austin. Texas is also the home of featured jewelry designer Christy Klug.

LEILA TAI DESIGN

Visiting the centuries-old ruins of Baalbek, located northeast of Beirut, Lebanon in the Bekaa Valley, is an experience so powerful our knees buckle.

Observing the enormous slabs of crumbling stone, and what is left of the towering rose granite columns, causes us to ponder how the structures were made. Lebanon is also the birthplace of featured jewelry designer Leila Tai.

TANIA PATTERSON

Today we will take a guided tour of the 90-Mile Beach in New Zealand.

Along the way, we will see the "uncovered" 1,100-year-old trees of the Kauri Forest, observe the wild horses of the Aupouri Pine Forest, and ride across the Te Paki "quick sand" stream.

New Zealand is also home to featured jewelry designer Tania Patterson.

CARLOS MUÑOZ

The Toluca Botanical Garden in Mexico includes the deep purple leaves of the Santiaguito plant, beautiful Azucenas, Mexican orchids, and an array of plants from Brazil and Africa. Mexico is also the home of jewelry designer Carlos Muñoz.