STEFANIA LUCCHETTA

Titanium Crateri 25 ring

In the mind of many Italy’s Island of Capri evokes a romantic rendezvous amidst gorgeous scenery, and they would be right.  

The isle has an almost magical aura filled with lovely backdrops that include crystal clear waters and historic structures like the Garden of Augustus.  Italy is also home to featured jewelry designer Stefania Lucchetta.

SHIRLEE GRUND | LICHEN and LYCHEE

Sterling Silver Twig Stacking Ring Set
from Ember and Frost Collection

The Virginia V (Roman numeral five) steamship was the fifth of steamships built to carry passengers and ship goods within the Puget Sound region of Washington State. 

Constructed of “old-growth fir” the steamship once served as a transport for young girls traveling to summer camp. 

Presently, the Virginia V takes visitors to festivals and is also available for private charters.  Washington State is also home to Shirlee Grund.

HANS MEEVIS

Housing nearly fifty thousand pieces of rare paintings and sculptures the Netherlands’ Rijksmuseum is a haven for historical information on the country but it is also a place to find exquisite artifacts collected from the Far East and Southeast Asia.  The Netherlands is also the ancestral home of featured jewelry designer Hans Meevis.

14-Karat Gold and Titanium Amethyst Bangle Bracelet

So far the Netherlands has been the premier location to find the unexpected in jewelry design.

JEWELRY FOR SENSITIVE SKIN

For this month's Splendor Sidebar, our topic is jewelry for sensitive skin.

Like many people, I have to be careful about what I put on my skin.

Certain types of fabric or cologne can cause sudden and irritating reactions (even some of the pricier items) forcing me to be more selective.

The components of some jewelry, particularly mixtures of alloys that include nickel, can cause earlobes, or other areas to swell or itch.

In some cases, nickel is a component of the base metal of gold-plated jewelry and as the plating wears off--this will happen faster when the piece is worn everyday--the skin will powerfully react to the nickel base.

Gold is a non-toxic, stable metal and because nickel is commonly mixed with pure gold to create lower karats, many people mistakenly believe they are allergic to gold. Of course, this is no fun when you are someone who loves to wear jewelry.

Fortunately, there are jewelry manufacturers who respond to a demand for those individuals with a skin allergy to nickel. These manufacturers provide beautiful gold-plated stainless steel, platinum or titanium jewelry, or plain stainless steel, accented with stunning gemstones like rubies and garnets.

From what I have read online, hypoallergenic jewelry can be a little on the expensive side due to manufacturers' use of unmixed metals and authentic gemstones.

It is probably a good idea to compare prices, as well as to do some investigating to make sure the manufacturer or jewelry designer uses legitimate hypoallergenic materials.

With this in mind, check out the lovely selections of hypoallergenic jewelry of Massachusetts-based Simply Whispers, creating either stainless steel jewelry, or jewelry with 24-karat gold plating over a stainless steel base.

RUTH BAIRD

Today we take a trip to New Zealand and stroll along the picturesque grounds of the Wellington Botanic Garden.

It is a beautiful area with winding hills, an expansive rose garden, and a large Victorian-style glass house. New Zealand is also home to featured jewelry designer Ruth Baird.