Renowned NY Designer joins Luxuria!!

Well, it's been a few weeks since my last post; life suddenly became super busy. But I am so excited to announce that a new designer has joined Luxuria. New York designer Victoria Tillotson's beautiful pieces can now be seen on our website (www.luxuria-jewellery.com)

Victoria and I connected by chance as neither of us have a typical jewellery designer background (both of us have academic/science backgrounds). I guess neither of us imagined that there would be another scientist interested in contemporary/modern jewellery.

Victoria's designs have been showcased in Allure, InStyle and Lucky magazines, as well as adorning the earlobes of a very famous MTV Diva!!!!

She is also the author of 'Chic Metal-Modern Metal to Make at Home' and has contributed to many other jewellery and jewellery making books. Now you can understand why we are so honoured that she has joined us.

Just take a look at some of her gorgeous earrings (all are available from Luxuria).



Silver hammered double hoops with 12 sparkling gemstones in rich purple Amethyst and black streaked tourmalated Quartz.



A sparkling cascade of 5 hammered silver mini squares, accented with a faceted Aquamarine stone. Earrings are 3" (7.5cm) long.These would look fab at a Christmas celebration/party. One of my favorites!!!


These earrings are absolutely DIVINE, and so unusual.Gorgeous hammered silver with Iolite gemstone.


These are the "famous" MTV Diva earrings!!



I am definitely buying these. They are hammered into an organic pomegranate shape (perfect for Fall/Autumn). Gorgeously
discreet enough to wear during the day without looking like a Christmas tree.


So there you have a sneak view of Victoria's designs. More can be seen on our site, along with all the prices.

As a special promotion we are offering FREE shipping for any one of Victoria's designs,from now until Thanksgiving Day (offer ends on Thanksgiving Day)

Would love to hear your views on this collection.

The Drink of All Divas!

One drink that is always associated with decadence and divas, is Champagne (well bearing in mind Mariah Carey won't sing a note without a dressing-room supply, then you can see how this perception has grown.

Here's some more facts/trivia about the bottle we always love to pop when there is a celebration:


*Hip hop favourite Cristal was the first prestige brand created in 1876. P Diddy did his bit for the brands street cred when for his 29th birthday at New Yorks Cipriani, the bill for SIX free-flowing champagne bars was $500,000!

*The world's ritziest concoction is the Diamond Martini served at London's Sheraton Park Tower. For up to 4,000 Pounds (approx $6,500) a glass, you get a heady mix of vintage cognac, Champagne, Angostura bitters, a sugar cube- oh, and a loose diamond of your choice!



*Despite the recession, Champagne sales leapt by 14% in the UK last year.

*Legend has it that the champagne "coupe" (a shallow broad rimmed goblet) was modeled on the shape of Marie Antoinette's breast, using wax moulds.

*James Bond is portrayed as a frequent drinker of champagne. A count reveals 35 occasions in which he is portrayed drinking Champagne. I am surprised as I always thought his drink was Martini; shaken not stirred!



*A Champagne corks leaves the bottle at a velocity of approx.38-40 mph, but can pop out as fast as 100 mph!

*The pressure in a bottle of champagne is 90 pounds per square inch, about three times that in an automobile tire.



*There are approximately 49 millions bubbles in a 750ml bottle calculated by scientist Bill Lembeck. Wouldn't you have loved to be involved in the fact-finding?



*Marilyn Monroe is said to have once taken a bath in the bubbly. According to her biographer, it took 350 bottles to fill the tub.

*The average 120ml glass contains 90 calories and contains antioxidants that lower blood pressure.Compare to some calorie laden cocktails,what more excuse do you need to indulge?

So there you have it, some facts about the Divas drink of choice. Having put this post together, I can now confess I don't like Champagne!

What about you? Can you take it or leave it, or is it really your drink for celebrating in style?


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The Million Dollar Bracelet

A £3 million collection of jewellery once owned by Wallis Simpson went on display ahead of its auction at Sothebys.

The pieces chronicle Mrs Simpson's scandalous affair with Edward VIII that shocked Britain and led to the King abdicating in 1936 for the woman he loved.
Messages of love and support are inscribed on some of the items that also document Edward's brief period on the throne and his married life with the American.



The 20 pieces, many made by Cartier, were first sold in Geneva 23 years ago with a host of other objects owned by the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, as the pair were later titled.

Sotheby's will auction the collection in November but is exhibiting the pieces in London until September 29 before showing the items in Hong Kong, Moscow, New York and Geneva.

The objects are not only beautifully preserved, incomparable examples of the genius of Cartier in collaboration with the Windsors, but also pieces whose inscriptions tell the story of perhaps the greatest love story of the 20th century, the romance that led Edward VIII to abdicate the throne of Great Britain.

Highlights of the sale include an onyx and diamond panther bracelet and a flamingo-shaped ruby, sapphire, emerald, citrine and diamond clip, both by Cartier and estimated to fetch up to £1.5 million each.



The jewels not only represent the height of fashion at the time they were made but give an insight into the life of the famous couple, and many pieces in the sale are dated and bear inscriptions of an intimate nature.

A diamond dress suite estimated to make £90,000 and made by Cartier in 1935 is engraved with the initials W and E and the inscription 'Hold Tight' - a phrase used by the Duke and Duchess in their correspondence during the abdication crisis.

The Duchess' favorite diamond Cartier bracelet, which supports nine gem-set Latin crosses, has one cross engraved with a reminder of an assassination attempt against the King - 'God save the King for Wallis 16.VII.36'.



The auction is estimated to make up to £450,000.

I trust we will ALL be going !!!



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Friday Jewellery Quotes

"You can always tell what kind of a person a man thinks you are by the earrings he gives you." (Audrey Hepburn)




"My husband gave me a necklace. It's fake; I requested fake. Maybe I'm paranoid, but in this day and age, I don't want something around my neck that's worth more than my head!" (Rita Rudner)




"I would rather lose a good earring than be caught without make-up." (Lana Turner)

Hope you enjoyed these quotes. Wishing all you lovelies a great weekend.


(All images are the property and copyright of Luxuria).

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