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A lady with a love for literature and shiny things discusses books & bling.

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Annoushka Ethiopian opals: beauty for a cause.

I have a question for you. It’s a serious question, even though it’s not going to sound like one.

What’s even better than beautiful jewelry?

Three amazing Annoushka Ethiopian opal pendants with diamonds.

The answer: beautiful jewelry that does something beautiful for the world.

The new Annoushka Ethiopian opal collection is not only incredibly beautiful, 20% of its proceeds are going to  back to land where the opals originated. The Give a Future micro-finance program, funded by Annoushka, is dedicated to supporting Ethiopian women through small loans and practical support.

Annoushka Ethiopian opal pendant with a 8.37 carat opal set in white gold and black rhodium with 0.89 carats of champagne diamonds.

Each piece centers around a magnificent Ethiopian opal, ranging from 3 to 8 carats in size.

Annoushka Ethiopian opal ring with a 6.95 carat opal set in white gold and black rhodium with 1.33 carats of champagne diamonds.

Each glorious opal is set in white gold and black rhodium and embellished with champagne diamonds. I love the split shanks on the ring settings and how the two halos are each sprinkled with occasional larger diamonds among the small melee.

Annoushka Ethiopian opal pendant with a 3.38 carat opal set in white gold and black rhodium with 0.82 carats of champagne diamonds.

Annoushka Ethiopian opal pendant with a 2.41 carat opal set in white gold and black rhodium with 0.85 carats of champagne diamonds.

The pendants don’t have ring shanks, of course, but they feature champagne diamond embellishments on the bail; one larger diamond at the top and smaller ones dripping all the way down in two halos around the center stone.

Annoushka Ethiopian opal ring with a 7.07 carat opal set in white gold and black rhodium with 1.16 carats of champagne diamonds.What do you think of this Annoushka Ethiopian opal collection, my dears? Does any particular piece stand out to you?

Also, I’d love to get your thoughts: Does the fact that a percentage of the proceeds from this collection go to charity make you more likely to purchase a one of the pieces, or would the style of the piece still be more important?

Twenty percent of the profits from this one of a kind Annoushka Ethiopian opal collection go to a charity called Give a Future, which benefits Ethiopian women.

For more information on Annoushka’s charitable efforts in Ethiopia, or to find out how to contribute, please click here.

All images and info in this post are thanks to Annoushka.

Mimi So Couture tanzanite tassel necklace.

Are you in the mood for something cool and luxurious today, lovelies? Something calming and lovely, with shimmering shades of blues and purples?

I hope you are. Because this Mimi So Couture tanzanite tassel necklace is all that and more.

Full view of Mimi So Couture tanzanite tassel necklace with emerald and diamond flowers in gold

Here it is in all its luscious, liquid glory. Look at the smooth edges of those tanzanites, the way the light plays off of their curves, how they hang together to create a lovely, lively river.

Let’s get a closer look at that tassel detail, shall we?

Mimi So Couture tanzanite tassel necklace with emerald and diamond flowers in gold.

The top of the tanzanite tassel is adorned with a cluster of precious posies: 18 karat white and yellow gold posies, to be precise, ones embellished with Colombian emeralds and white diamonds.

I love this detail. A piece this dramatic – it’s 354.9 carats of tanzanite! – doesn’t really need a tiny, pretty detail at the top of its tassel, but I love what the little bundle of flowers adds to the piece. I also think the mixed metals of the petals along with the emerald and diamond accents serve as the perfect amount of color contrast for all of that marvelous purpley-blue.

Full and detail views: Mimi So Couture tanzanite tassel necklace with emerald and diamond flowers in gold.

What do you think of the Mimi So Couture tanzanite tassel necklace, my darlings? Do you like the flower detail, or would you prefer the tananite straight-up? How would you style this lovely piece?

All images and info are thanks to Mimi So.

Beauty in strength: Anabel Higgins.

Good morning, darlings!

I have some exciting designs to show you today. I loved Anabel Higgins’ work as soon as I saw it, and the more I see, the more I like it.

Three vintage-inspired gold and sterling silver pendants by Anabel Higgins

Anabel’s designs are bold and strong, eye-catching and unique. Her initial collection – which I am obsessed with – is inspired by the designs of sporting metals popular in Britain during the first half of the 20th Century. They’re elegant, beautiful, and most of all, they project strength.

Gold and sterling silver pendants by Anabel Higgins.

Gorgeous, yes? I love the idea of putting an inscription on this: they’re so regal, it would be like wearing your own name as a trophy.

Gold, silver, and diamond charm bracelet by Anabel Higgins. The charms are inspired by the design of antique sporting metals.

The powerful strength inherent in this collection makes perfect sense once you learn a little more about the designer: Anabel Higgins is a cancer survivor, and it was during her recovery that she found her way to creating jewelry. She still donates a portion of her jewelry sales to breast cancer charities.

Gold, sterling silver, and diamond pendant by Anabel Higgins.

I don’t want to take the focus away from the beautiful designs, but it would feel dishonest to post this without mentioning the personal connection I feel to the designs’ backstory.

The year after I graduated from college, my mom was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer. I was living at home to help out, though chemo and everything as we waited and hoped and hoped and waited. Thanks to a bone marrow transplant, her doctors, and good luck, she’s doing great now. But in that horrible waiting period between diagnosis and whatever was to come next, my mom also turned to creativity to process her own struggle.

As of this week, it’s been 5 years since her transplant and my mom is completely cancer-free.

My mom’s book of poetry was published a couple of years after her diagnosis and it was the first thing I thought of when I read about Anabel Higgins’ journey to becoming the designer whose jewelry I so admire now. The strength inherent in Higgins’ designs is no surprise when you learn that the designer has fought though such hardships of her own.

Vintage-inspired gold and diamond jewelry by Anabel Higgins.
I loved this jewelry before I knew anything about the designer’s life. It stands on its own. But I couldn’t write about it without also expressing admiration for the woman behind it.

For more about Anabel Higgins’ jewelry, please see her website. All images and info in this post are thanks to Communique LA.

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