NINA BUKVIC

High-end resorts and secluded islands like Vis Island are just some of the great sights to explore in Croatia. Croatia is also the birthplace of featured jewelry designer Nina Bukvic.

TIFFANY & CO.

What better lead-in than diamonds to talk about today's featured jewelry brand Tiffany & Co. (Tiffany's).  Like the majority of people, I know Tiffany's for, of course, their spectacular diamond ring settings and timeless charm jewelry. What came as a surprise is that the company, when founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany and Teddy Young in 1837, initially sold stationery and silverware.

It was not until after Charles Tiffany took full ownership of the company, sixteen years later, that the company expanded into designing and making jewelry.   This decision quickly led to everyone from Hollywood actresses to royalty requesting and wearing Tiffany’s diamond jewelry.

The Tiffany Yellow Diamond, discovered in 1878, is among one of the largest yellow diamonds in the world. The diamond was a hefty 247 carats when initially found in South Africa's Kimberley Mine.  The diamond has since been cut into a cushion shape at 128 carats.

The Tiffany Yellow Diamond has only been worn by two women, one of whom was the late Audrey Hepburn who starred in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which featured the brand’s iconic New York flagship store.

Other interesting details is during the Civil War, Tiffany's supplied the Union Army with surgical implements, flags and swords. In 1919 the fine jewelry brand also revised a rare Medal of Honor design at the request of the United States Department of Navy.

Among Tiffany's featured designers are Frank Gehry, Paloma Picasso, and former model Elsa Peretti, who has designed the company's trademark simple, elegant pieces since 1974.

Be sure to mark your calendars in May 2013 you will get a chance to ogle official jewelry Tiffany's created for Baz Luhrmann's remake of The Great Gatsby.  Fabulous platinum, diamond and pearl jewelry will be featured on the entire cast including the male and female leads of the film Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire and Isla Fisher.

For more on the brand’s designs be sure to check out WatchMojo.com's video interview with Vesna Tabah of Tiffany's concerning the Return to Tiffany Collection.

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Photo 1 (top center): Jean Schlumberger's Bird on a Rock Brooch
Photo 2 (bottom center): Actor Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan in Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby  wearing jewelry by Tiffany & Co.

GEMSTONE OF THE MONTH | DIAMOND

Many times, I forget that gemstones and precious metals are just minerals dug up from the earth. I just don't think about that whenever I see all of that natural beauty.

When I think of diamonds, I think of diamonds are a girl's best friend. Diamonds and pearls. Diamonds are forever. To live and let die-mond. Okay, I made the last one up but diamonds are very real.

Aside from being the birthstone for the month of April, diamonds are the most unyielding of the precious stones and come in various colors. Diamonds form deep within the Earth, at least 120 miles below the Earth's surface and are millions of years old.

Volcanic eruptions expel these precious gemstones to the Earth's surface to later be discovered by overjoyed diamond diggers. The most prevalent clear, white diamonds are predominantly used in engagement ring settings. However, their colors can range from pink, yellow, brown, green, and even blue.

One of the most well known and rarest blue diamonds is also one of the largest (45 carats), the beautiful Hope Diamond (see above photo). Over the years, diamonds have come to symbolize purity and loyalty. According to folklore when combined with other gems, diamonds have the ability to supplement other stones' healing properties.

Click here to see a short video of the Hope Diamond currently on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

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Photo (top left): Hope Diamond