Week twenty-three

Water water everywhere........... Oh Mum why do you live in Newcastle and not in London so you can come with me to things like London Jewellery Week and bring your wallet with you?  Actually, not even so you can buy me things but just to gaze in awe with me as another lover of beautiful jewellery.

This week was the fourth capital's annual celebration of all things bling and the first of my blog escapades where I could really indulge......and buy.  I think I almost love jewellery more than clothes and unfortunately for me, that is expensive taste......again, thanks Mum.

At the heart of the week was Treasure at Victoria House;  a contemporary jewellery exhibition where more than 120 jewellers and design-makers were showcasing their latest collections.  I didn't really think about how much jewellery that was before getting there but I was, to say the least, a little overcome.  There were about 10 of these rooms in the building and I had to make sure I saw every single one and of course decided I would leave with just one magnificent piece.........

The first thing that really caught my eye was this stunning ring, which I did come very close to buying.  Its made by Cindy Dennis Mangan who was just a joy to talk to and she told me how this ring and her other 2011 collection is inspired by a Princess that gets captured and wrapped up by a python.  I've never really thought about what inspires designers but this was something that I found very enchanting.  The enveloping scales and jagged edges of the ring are a stunning result of Cindy's magical imagination.

www.cindydennismangan.com

I also really loved a collection by Elinor Voytal, a designer who has used a combination of knitted fabrics with metal and crystals to create some really unusual but gorgeous items.  Most of them were complete statement pieces that I could never pull off but I would love this bracelet to be in my possession.

www.elinorvoytal.com

Another designer that makes stunning statement pieces and really makes me wish I was skinny with no boobs is Zelia Horsley.  She makes the type of necklaces that should be photographed on beautiful naked ladies and in my fantasy I do the vacuuming wearing nothing but a pair of high heels and one of her necklaces (with Jake Gyllenhaal watching)

www.zeliahorsley.com

Also exhibiting were several MA jewellery design students, some of whom were displaying their final graduation pieces.  One particular gem that caught my eye was a necklace by a student called Emma Louise Simmonds.  She actually won a rising star award this year and gets to showcase sellable pieces next year.  I hope this will be there.

elsimmonds@hotmail.co.uk

There wasn't a single designer that didn't have at least one piece of jewellery I would be happy to wear, but it was the very last stall I came to that had something that was definitely going to make me part with cash.  I knew it straight away - probably because there were skulls involved.  Skull jewellery is probably a bit too done now but I still can't escape the fact that I have a slightly weird obsession with skulls - not deathly gruesome hollow ones but bold, stylish and graphic ones.  I wanted every single thing by Tina Lilienthal but in the end we designed a bespoke necklace for me then and there and I completely love it.

www.tinalilienthal.com

Here are a few photos from other designers I liked - all of them have websites you can check out.

www.jianhui.co.uk

www.karlkarter.com

www.tomaszdonocik.com

Yes, another fantabulous reason for starting my blog.  Not only finding out about certain events but making myself going to them and constantly being surprised.

For week twenty-four I'm going to see Terry Jones and Michael Palin in conversation.  I hope they tell me the meaning of life.  I might also ask them about the knights who say neeeeeeeeeeee.