[ChrissyM]

Quote:

Helen Ficalora A diamond glistens in the center of a golden pansy. A chain of daisies forms a ring of white gold. Golden discs emblazoned with letters are timeless reminders of affection. These are some of the designs of Helen Ficalora. Her jewelry reflects the art and beauty of nature, and conveys the elegance of simple organic form. Living in Montauk on the Atlantic Ocean and Olympia on Puget Sound, Ficalora has always been inspired by the rhythms of the natural world and began designing jewelry more than a decade ago. Handcrafted and cast in gold, her work has an enduring grace. Ficalora's focus on technique sets her apart from other contemporary designers. Her jewelry is more than adornment; it brings to life Ficalora's philosophy of harmony with the environment. Her commitment to beauty pays tribute to the ethos of Louis Comfort Tiffany, using color and texture to luminous effect. Her pieces are delightfully unexpected. She has redesigned the traditional signet ring, bringing to it an organic twist that embodies the sophistication of her collection. Her thin rose gold bracelets, capped by delicate diamond clasps, give a fresh take on the classic bangle. And bold cabochon rings showcasing gleaming gemstones are an original interpretation. Featured in a host of television shows, movies, and magazines including Harper's Bazaar, In Style, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and Real Simple, Ficalora's jewelry offers a seamless transition from day to night. Since the launch of her line, Lucky has time and again singled out Ficalora's work on its editor's picks page, and has raved that she is an "enormously talented designer," who creates "gorgeously feminine jewelry." Her immensely popular alphabet charm necklace has been deemed a "must-have" by Harper's Bazaar, and In Style's accessories editor has called her designs "both romantic and simple." Her mastery of craftsmanship is apparent in the showcasing of precious stones whose vibrant colors shimmer in floral castings: an eternity band of French daffodils interspersed with yellow sapphires; a commitment ring of tulips of pink gold twinned with pink sapphires; rubies offset by tea roses. These are the pieces that mark life's milestones with a style and serenity unique to Helen Ficalora.

www.helenficalora.com

[ChrissyM]

Does anyone have any of her pieces?

She's got lots of great pendants..

Her "alphabet charms" in particular are very popular..

Jennifer Garner designed a tulip charm to benefit ovarian cancer research..
There is a rose gold breast cancer charm..

I'll try to upload some pics..

[ChrissyM]

I think a lot of them are less than $100 but you can get them with diamonds as well..

some pics of Jennifer Garner...

wearing the Ovarian Cancer tulip charm:


wearing some Alphabet charms in the movie Electra


garnergeeks.tripod.com

[ChrissyM]

Some more charms...


earrings..


helenficalora.com

[ChrissyM]

some rings..


you can get these with or without diamonds..

there are some more styles on the web site..

the necklace charms are nice because you can get one at first then build on them through the years with additional letters and charms..
they can make a great gift i think..

helenficalora.com

[mkd1187]

Thank you so much Chrissy for posting. We need more jewelry threads here =)

I checked out her site and loved her simpler bands with etchings and stones.




as well as the details in some of her wedding bands



but to be honest, I feel the initial pendants are just so literal. The horseshoe/diamond one is cute up close - but I do not feel casual jewelry is worth buying real gold - especially 14k which will look like brass when worn often. (and the ridiculous price of gold nowadays )

Thank you tho again for posting - I love seeing new jewelry designers!


helenficalora.com

[ChrissyM]

i think the charms look better in real life..
especially when they have diamonds in them (which certainly drive the price up)..

I think they can be nice for every day wear..
and they often have sentimental value..
like wearing your children's initials or supporting a cause you care about (breast cancer, ovarian cancer etc)

one of my coworkers recently was diagnosed with breast cancer and my boss wanted to get her and their group of friends the breast cancer charm for them all to wear in solidarity and to also have some of the money go to a good cause..

i like the simplicity..

[mkd1187]

^ how much do the charms run? (with or without diamonds)

bc the site does not list it.

[ChrissyM]

i just found a pdf document on her site with prices from november 07..

alphabet charms in yellow gold are $105 each, $115 for white or pink gold
specialty charms (mom, xox, love, heart etc) are $115 for gold, $125 for white or pink gold

horsheshoe with one diamond - $175 for yellow gold, $195 for white or pink gold

alphabet charms with one diamond - $175 for yellow gold, $195 for white and pink gold
alphabet charms with pave diamonds spelling out the letter - $425 for yellow gold, $450 for white or pink gold..

they also sell a couple chains in a variety of lengths..

[ChrissyM]

i figured i would find some more celeb pics...

Nicole Richie..
with her diamond H pendant
celebritybabies.typepad.com
justjared

[Deborah]

The alphabet charms are pretty cute but quite epensive for what they are. The shells are nice too. Some look a little like tags for your pets collar.