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

What I’m reading: Vol: 76.

What I'm reading

I’ve decided to start writing you little notes in these posts! It’s been an interesting couple of weeks, hasn’t it?

Last week, I marched alongside 100’s of thousands of people who are as concerned right now as I am. Some of you let me know on Instagram that you think it’s inappropriate for a jewelry blogger to hold political opinions. I disagree! I’m going to keep sharing my opinions when I feel like sharing my opinions. You’re welcome to ignore those bits, or stop following my content together, but I hope you’ll stay.

It’s so hard to strike the balance between staying informed about current events and feeling overwhelmed by everything that’s going on that I find upsetting. I’m not really sure what the answer is, but I’m trying my best.

I’m heading off to Tucson tomorrow to bring you a taste of all the colored gemstone glories the AGTA has to offer!! Be sure to follow me, the AGTA, and my fellow Gembassador, Hannah Becker, on Instagram so you don’t miss anything. If you’re going too, you should join is in playing AGTAiSpy!

I’ll be back soon! I hope you’re all taking care of yourselves.

xoxo,
Becky

What I’m reading:

Suddenly You by Lisa Kleypas. This book is delightful. Slightly older heroine (for a historical) who has given up on love and so decides to hire a male prostitute for her birthday. Things do not go as planned.

Somewhere I’ll find you by Lisa Kleypas. I’m on a Lisa Kleypas kick! I don’t think this one is going to end up being, one of my very favorite ones of hers, but “not one of my very favorites” from Lisa Kleypas is still thoroughly enjoyable.

Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas. I like this one a bit better, although I wish the hero was a smidgen less domineering. It looks good on him, though.

Internets:

I love this post from my friend Beth Bernstein on the multi-talented woman jewelry pioneers of the 20th century.

The NYT ran an article lamenting the fate of the poor men who had to take on the monumental task of looking after their own children while their wives protested in the Women’s March. Here’s an article from Slate about why that article was idiotic.

Apparently 2017 will be the year of the infantalizing “oops, did I put my finger in my mouth?” selfie.

U.S. Mint Unveils 2017 American Liberty Gold Coin, Featuring A Black Woman As Lady Liberty.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon just won the Newbery Medal! I loved this book.

Trump signed an Executive Order reinstating something called the Global Gag rule, which forbids giving US funding to non-Federal organizations that offer information about abortion (the “offer information about” is key – it’s not organizations that offer abortions,  it’s any organization that would even discuss the fact that abortion is an option.)

Here’s information about how the last time such the Global Gag rule was in place, abortion rates in 20 countries rose 40%, and it contributed to the deaths of 3,000 women per year in Nigeria alone. Trump has been President for less than a week and he’s already killing women.

The Olsen twins are adding vintage jewelry to The Row’s offerings.

This designer has started a fascinating trend: what do you think of a bracelet that is soldered permanently onto your wrist, too closely-fitted to remove?

For more reads, check out my Amazon recommended books store. This post contains affiliate links. 

My January Bidsquare wishlist.

Today we’re going to have an other edition of one of my favorite pastimes: looking at jewelry I want to buy through Bidsquare!

When I feature auctions, the temptation is always to show you the most spectacular, mind-blowing pieces. We’re still going to do a little of that today. But my main focus is going to be on highlighting the achievable Bidsquare pieces: the ones that a person like you or I could potentially afford and wear in real life.

Because that’s the real fun of auctions, isn’t it? The thrill of the hunt, the chance for an unexpected find or a spectacular deal.

I know you’re with me, because I also know that a few of you are the new owners of auction items I featured in December. Thank you for giving those pieces good homes! I can’t afford to adopt them all myself.

An incredibly cool Egyptian revival style enameled silver necklace by renowned Mexican jewelry designer, Margot de Taxco.This is an incredibly cool Egyptian revival style enameled silver piece by renowned Mexican jewelry designer, Margot de Taxco. The silver keeps it affordable while its provenance guarantees quality. It’s awesomeness, I believe, is apparent; it’s so bright and interesting. The bidding for this beauty starts at just $250.

This necklace would fit right into any number of contemporary wardrobes. It’s funky and vibrant, with an obvious quality of craftsmanship that keeps it feeling luxe.

The coolest thing about Bidsquare – as we have discussed before – is the fact that it brings you lots from many different reputable auction houses, all in one place. The lots in this post come from a couple of different sales; click on the links below the pictures to go directly to each piece’s listing.

Antique abalone ring in 10K gold filigree.This is SUCH a cool ring. It’s antique and features luminous abalone in a lacy, filigreed 10K gold. The design is so interesting, and the bidding starts at just $100 so it’s wonderfully affordable as well.

This is a perfect buy for someone who’s new to auctions and wants an exciting piece to start with that won’t do toooooo much financial damage.

A stunning 5.23 ct Ceylon sapphire and diamond ring.This ring is not low budget. But it’s so, so, so good that buying it could never be a bad idea. That’s a 5.23 ct no heat Ceylon sapphire framed by 12 full-cut diamonds and flanked on the shoulders by a pair of baguettes.

This piece is gorgeous and a 5.23 ct Ceylon sapphire is nothing to sneeze at. Even cooler: we know its history. This ring comes from the Estate of Jane Warren Jones, of Greenwich, CT, and Toronto, Canada. She was an accomplished artist with a passion for jewelry, and many of the items in her collection were either custom made for her or purchased from the top jewelers in Greenwich and Toronto in the 1940s-60s.

The auction estimate is $20,000 – $30,000. So as I said…not low budget. But extremely worth buying if possible.

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Meet your AGTA Gemfair Gembassadors!

I’ve been hearing about the annual AGTA GemFair in Tuscon, Arizona for years. It’s become mythical in my imagination: I picture it as a vibrant desert oasis piled to the clouds with rainbows of precious stones and heaps of colored gemstone jewelry.

I have to imagine what it’s like because I’ve never seen it firsthand. But that’s about to change: I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be attending the 2017 AGTA GemFair as one of the AGTA’s very first official Gembassadors.

Becky Stone and Hannah Becker are the 2017 AGTA GemFair Gembassadors! Graphic by DiamonDoodles.What is a Gembassador?

Hannah Becker of DiamonDoodles and I are partnering up with AGTA to help bring the 2017 GemFair to you!

It’s our honor to serve as your Gembassadors, charged with the all-important mission of  giving the outside world a window into the AGTA’s legendary industry-only events.

Hannah and I will be walking the floor of the AGTA GemFair, digging through the mounds of treasures on display and sharing them with you on our individual Instagram accounts and through takeovers of the AGTA’s Instagram account. We’ll also be covering the prestigious Spectrum Awards, both exploring the masterpieces submitted for the awards and chronicling our glamorous adventures at the Spectrum Gala on the night of the ceremony, February 5th.

So basically: colored gemstones everywhere, all the time. I am SO EXCITED.

Peacock feather necklace by Robert Pellicca of J.R. Dunn Jewelers. With a 7.78 carat opal, sapphires, tsavorite garnets, yellow sapphires and diamonds.

Peacock feather necklace by Robert Pellicca of J.R. Dunn Jewelers.

Let’s lay down some background so that we’re all ready to embrace the fabulousness next week:

What is the AGTA?

The AGTA is the American Gemstone Trade Association. They represent the colored stone and cultured pearl industries in the US and Canada.

AGTA GemFair 101

The AGTA GemFair has been held yearly since 1982. Since its inception, it has grown into what is now considered the world’s most important annual marketplace for natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls. The wide array of carefully-selected vendors also includes designers offering finished colored stone and cultured pearl jewelry, as well as some antique and vintage jewelry dealers.

In addition, there’s a pavilion dedicated to jewelry tools and technologies, educational seminars, a CAD design studio, book signings, exhibits from the Cultured Pearl Association, The Smithsonian Institution, MJSA, the Gübelin Gem Lab, and more.

As your AGTA GemFair Gembassadors, Hannah and I will divide and conquer to bring you the best of all treasures on display! I’ll be hunting down the finest in finished jewelry to share with you, while Hannah, as a Gemologist, will focus more on the gemstones themselves.

Lapis and pink tourmaline earrings by Gregore Morin of Gregore Joilliers.

The spectacular Spectrum awards!

I’ve had the pleasure of attending the Spectrum awards press preview in NYC a couple of times, but I’ve never been to the actual Spectrum Awards gala before.

From agate to zircon, the Spectrum Awards challenge the jewelry industry’s greatest talents to surpass their abilities in jewelry design for colored gems and cultured pearls, throwing down the gauntlet for higher and higher achievement.

But it’s not just jewelry: in 1991, Spectrum expanded to include the Cutting Edge Awards, to honor creativity in lapidary arts, including faceted gems and pearls, carvings, and objects of art. I’ve seen pieces at the Spectrum Awards that I never dreamed were possible, and I’m sure this coming year’s submissions will open my mind yet again.

While I’ve been to the Spectrum Awards press events, I’ve never before seen any of the actual Spectrum Gala, the night that the awards are presented. But this coming February 4th, I’ll be right there in the middle of things with my fellow Gembassador, sharing it all with you.

Two emerald and diamond rings by VALANI.

Two emerald and diamond rings by VALANI.

I can’t even tell you how delighted I am about all of this.  And not only do I get to attend the AGTA events I’ve been dreaming of for years, I’m working with the AGTA directly to share it all with you.

How to make sure you don’t miss anything!

Follow Diamonds in the Library, DiamonDoodles, and the AGTA on Instagram. You can also use the individual event hashtags (#AGTAGemFair17, #Gembassadors, #AGTASpectrum16) to makes sure you see everyone’s posts – or to contribute posts of your own, if you’re going to be there too!

I’ll also be writing a big, juicy blog post once I’m home, detailing my adventures with many, many pictures. So if Instagram’s not your cup of tea, just hold tight and I’ll bring everything to you just a little bit later.

Now I have a very important question for you all: what do YOU want to see from the AGTA GemFair??? Give me requests, so that I can go out and take pictures of your favorite gemstones for you!

This sponsored post is brought to you by AGTA. AGTA graphic by DiamonDoodles; all other photos are mine from past Spectrum Awards press events. 

Follow along with me on Instagram