SONJA PICARD COLLECTION

Sterling Silver Small Lotus Heart Earrings
from Studio Line

At over 200 years old Canada’s Old Town Lunenburg is still a wonder of meticulously crafted architecture making it a National Historic District.  Canada is also home to Sonja Picard.

TEMEL BAHADIR | TEMEL'S METALWORK

Mixed Metal Ring with Copper, Bronze, Brass
Alpaca and Titanium

You can take your pick of exploring either mountain ranges or exotic beaches within Antalya, Turkey. 

Walking along the beaches of Antalya provides a precursor to water activities including wind surfing, sailing and water skiing.  Turkey is also home to featured jewelry designer Temel Bahadir.

THE SCOOP ON 2011 JEWELRY TRENDS

If keeping up with jewelry trends is not your thing it may become rather overwhelming.   However, if you enjoy making sure your jewelry collection contains an eclectic mix of styles and materials then you my friend are a die-hard fashionista!

While I have touched on various jewelry trends in blog posts over the last two years (and in many cases without knowing it) for this Splendor Sidebar you will learn some of what is abuzz for jewelry trends in 2011.

BARRY WILSON

Sterling Silver Killerwhale Pendant Necklace
with Abalone and Turquoise Inlay

Let’s take a trip along the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec, Canada to see the island known as Percé Rock. 

A hulking mass of lime stones at over 1,000 feet long and nearly 300 feet wide it is one of the world’s largest natural arches.  Canada is also home to featured jewelry designer Barry Wilson.

NURDAN SEN

Within Mysia, Turkey lie the remnants of past kingdoms. The Pergamon Ruins is a complex of Grecian structures that include the Hellenistic Theater, the Sanctuary of Athena, and the Trajaneum. Turkey is also home to featured jewelry designer Nurdan Sen.

ORIANNE COLLINS JEWELLERY

Today we visit one of Switzerland’s top tourist attractions, the Jungfrau summit.

The Jungfrau is considered one of the most picturesque mountains in the Swiss Alps and its summit was reached approximately two hundred years ago by Aarau resident J.R. Meyer. Switzerland is also home to featured jewelry designer Orianne Collins.

TOUS JEWELRY

Located in Burgos, Spain is a 16th century structure, the Burgos Cathedral, which boasts Gothic architecture of double-arched windows and stonework traceries.

Spain is also the home base for featured jewelry brand TOUS.

FRITZ MAIERHOFER

Revered as one of Austria’s “most important Baroque buildings of the 18th century” the Belevedere Palace is a wonder of exquisite architecture noted for its spectacular painted ceilings and sculptures. Austria is also home to featured jewelry designer Fritz Maierhofer.

JOHN MILLER DESIGN

Within Australia’s Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park lies the striking visual of dome-shaped, crimson rock formations known as the Olgas (or the Kata Tjuta).

The captivating scenery is best viewed during spring or fall through alternately easy and challenging guided, walking trails. Australia is also home to featured jewelry designer John Miller.

VICTORIA BUCKLEY

Sydney, Australia is a cosmopolitan hive of culture, history and, of course, great beaches.

There's something for everyone. For the animal lover there's the Taronga Zoo, and Sydney Wildlife World; for architecture buffs there's the Queen Victoria Building, an astonishing structure housing shops and cafés; and for the antiquity lover, the Australian Museum.

Australia is also home to featured jewelry designer Victoria Buckley.

FABIAN Y FELIPE JEWELRY

Bronze Crusader Cross Pendant Necklace

Today let's forget about the worrisome details of the news and think about the white, refreshing sands of Cancun Beach in Mexico. No matter what's happening, the sand is not going to change anytime soon.

Cancun Beach's sands are an imperceptible combination of plankton fossils and crushed coral and are cool to the touch; the soles of your feet won't burn even when the sun is at its hottest. The beautiful, turquoise-blue water of the ocean is like a liquid jewel glistening under the sun.

Let's then take a trip to the seaside city of Mar del Plata, in Argentina, which is known for it's high cliffs, beautiful ravines, and sprawling beaches.

There's a new twist to this intro, designer Felipe Barbosa is from Mexico, and Fabian Ojeda is from Argentina. The two joined creative forces and established Fabian y Felipe Jewelry.

MARK SCOWN

G'day mate!

Amidst the rugged turf and wild surf of Australia we visit jeweler Mark Scown, proprietor of Byron Bay Fine Jewelry.