QUINTESSENTIAL

Hop Onto a John S Brana Lily Pad

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 03:35:56 +0000

San Franciscan jeweller John S Brana’s handcrafted jewellery is inspired by his surroundings. His Muir Woods Collection is pastoral in tone…patina-ed lily pads and verdigris-rich pond life. Each piece is handcrafted in his idyllic neighbourhood and if you close your eyes and feel the pieces, you too can be transported to a sun-dappled pond in a forested glade.

We Wear it Well at Q

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:12:24 +0000

Designing couple Lisa and Mike have a wonderful attitude to life which they impart in their jewellery. Says Lisa: “In a world where gloom is in and wearing skeletons is trendy, we never stray from our true love. Our Wewear collection is unabashedly cheerful, always whimsical and playful. Come join us on a fun ride! Parce que…la vie est belle (Because life is beautiful)”.

So if you love a simpler childlike world filled with wonder look at WeWear where carousels spin, penguins are garbed in tuxes, ladybugs sit on leaves, swans swim on a mirrored lake and hummingbirds are “caught” hovering over nectar.

Embrace the Feminine with Filigree from Roma

admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 01:16:22 +0000

Bali-based Roma has modernised the centuries-old craft of of filigree and openwork jewellery by imbuing it with a modern slant. Roma plates 925 silver with 18k gold and dots her super-delicate creations with beads, turquoise, onyx, tourmaline, tiny seed pearl and garnets to enhance the delicacy and lacy nature of the hoop earrings she designs. Come see for yourself!

On A Jaunt with Graf and Lantz

admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 01:05:12 +0000

Munich PhD holder Holger Graf and Japan-trained Daniel Lantz make products – including bowls, wine holders and bags – that are luxurious, aware, modern and functional. Using German-produced 100% merino wool combined with high-density, very durable and pill-resistant felt we are pleased to present their series of Jaunt Bags which like the name suggests are both “jauntily” coloured and textured. Enjoy your Jaunt at Q.

Soo Ihn Kim now “Ihn” Q

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:20:44 +0000

I actually thought the brand was created by a Korean designer but it’s not!! Photographer Kelly Bruggema and stylist Gisella Lemos started to create accessories to complement the fashions that they photographed and styled respectively. The pieces piqued the interest of reader/fans who kept calling in to find stockists for the line! One thing led to another and in 2009 the duo – Parsons alum – are now pushing their brand Soo Ihn Kim onto the arms, neck and fingers of fashionable women everywhere!

Rainbow Carnivale from Tara-Tata

admin — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 09:48:27 +0000

French trio Bernard, Helene and Philippe have parlayed their whimsical style with enamel with great verve in their latest Carnivale Collection….acrobats. aerialists, animals, the Tara-Tata Big Top Circus has come to town with a selection of rings, charm bracelets and necklaces!

Words to Wear by Victoria Contreras

admin — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 02:32:22 +0000

Spanish artist Victoria Contreras has experimented in various media to deliver her artistic renderings. Her latest creation was born after she found that she could achieve detailed arabesques and filigree-fine effects from laser cut acrylic. This modern material is used to frame her favourite quotations from Samuel Beckett, TS Eliot, Virginia Woolf and Spanish poet Antonio Machado. A double quote from him below followed by one from Vernon Lee:

The past is not dead, and neither tomorrow - nor yesterday - is written. Today is always still.

Love that Lasts, Cruel Love

Marilyn Tan and Ridho Andrea at Q

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:45:32 +0000

Celebrate nature in all its glory through the textural jewellery of Singapore-born jeweler/artisan Marilyn Tan whose love of nature: birds, bees, flowers, trees and the teeming sea shore has created an inspired collection of ergonomic cuffs, necklaces, rings and bangles made of beaten silver, hammered gold and studded with raw stones.

Indonesian designer Ridho is inspired by all the possibilities of working with exotic python skin and wants to extend the beauty of this material to all. .. His extraordinary collection caters to everyone, from the minimalist who likes a spare bag and classic shapes, to the extrovert who loves embellishments and jeweled colours to the bon vivant who loves everything wild, witty and wonderful, and who of course, shops at Q

Put a Bib on it Nicole Whisenhunt

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 01:53:19 +0000

We are pleased to welcome Filipino designer Nicole Whisenhunt to Q. We have been long time admirers of Filipino craftsmanship, style and innate flair – their beautiful women know how to dress and definitely know how to accessorise - and have always wanted to stock more wonderful lines from The Philippines. We found just the ticket with Nicole Whisenhunt’s range of semi-precious bib necklaces. Meant for the bold and beautiful – all of you out there – the pieces are made of semi-precious stones, coin pearls, freshwater pearls and crystals that are hand-sewn and embroidered onto luxe velvet and satin. Each piece takes up to 100 hours to complete. We love, love, love it!

A short aside: many international labels are made in the Philippines which has ready access to the most wonderful raw materials ranging from shells to shagreen.

Azuni from Ashley

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 01:35:28 +0000

Ex-chef Ashley Marshall swapped out one set of ingredients for another…sterling silver and all its accompanying jewel-making techniques: hammering, buffing and polishing to create his range of highly wearable silver jewellery all proudly made in the UK. The first collection sold at Le Bon Marche, Browns, Liberty and Paul Smith and we loves his aesthetic as we find the rough-and-tumble look of broken hearts and crosses suits fans of our Low Luv collection (Are you reading this Jocelyn)!