Thinking about popping the question? You aren’t alone – ‘tis the season to get engaged. You read that right, dear reader: December through Valentine’s Day has officially become known as engagement season. We asked our Style Council to share their insights on how to find the perfect engagement ring. Even if it’s just to dream a little dream, why not have a look at the height of luxury?
Fireflies is a recurring series of essays at Dandelion Chandelier written by our youngest contributors. Our Fireflies are sharing how they experience life, and what they love (and don’t). Prepare for sparks and flashes of insight about modern luxuries, large and small.
Still swooning over the Royal Wedding? Us too. To keep the magic going, we decided to investigate the purchase of a tiara for ourselves. Not to outdo the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex, mind you. Just to channel the joy and magic of both of their weddings at our next swanky event. In July, the new haute joaillerie collections will be unveiled in Paris. In the meantime, though, there’s still plenty of sparkle and shine in all shapes and sizes to suit the jeune fille, the madame and the grand dame in us all.
Let’s go shopping for diamonds! Here at Dandelion Chandelier, we’ve been exploring the dazzling world of haute joaillarie. In the rarefied sphere of high jewelry, the highest possible level is bespoke pieces, custom-made for individual clients. Like haute couture, haute joaillerie items are made to order and crafted by hand, with intense collaboration and interaction between the jewelry designer and the client. The items are heirloom quality and – like royal jewels – each one has a story behind it. If you’re operating at this price point, you have the option of working with one of the storied European jewelry houses: Asprey, Bulgari, Harry Winston, Van Cleef & Arpels, Graff, Cartier, Chanel and Dior. An alternative that many sophisticated clients are turning to is working directly with an artist who is designing jewelry independently. The advantage of this approach is that as a client, you are intimately involved in every step of the process. You’ll receive highly personal attention from a skilled artisan. You’ll also be the owner of a piece that is truly one-of-a-kind, …
The Dandelion Chandelier Luminary Café is the place to find a series of personal interviews with fascinating people who are stellar achievers in their chosen field of endeavor. Our Luminaries are sharing their origin stories, life philosophies, secret songs, guilty pleasures and hidden talents. It’s guaranteed to be illuminating. Jessica McCormack designs exceptional diamond jewelry, handcrafted in her dedicated London atelier. The daughter of an auctioneer, Jessica grew up in New Zealand and inherited her father’s passion for interesting and unusual antiques, which led her to London to work in the jewelry department at Sotheby’s. In 2008, she began her career as a jeweler in partnership with diamantaire Michael Rosenfeld. Her bespoke and collection jewelry is hand-crafted and inspired by a wide-ranging set of influences, including contemporary African art, the Bauhaus movement, mid-Century American architecture, feminist photography and ancient design work. Her studio is located in a 19th century townhouse in the heart of Mayfair.
