the pinterest whisperer.

adam gorman told me a great story the other day. a man came in, wanting to get something special for his wife. the man was very sweet and incredibly enthusiastic, but not very specific when describing the woman he loved. adam needed a bit more information than her stature, age, career, etc. to help this wonderful husband select the perfect piece of jewelry for her.

the veritable lightbulb went off. "does she have a pinterest page?" adam asked oh-so-nonchalantly. indeed she did. and success was born. it turned out that adam could tell a great deal about this lucky woman's taste in jewelry from her pinterest page.

it's true! we had some fun testing him on random pages and we all agreed with his selections of jewelry to match the mystery women behind the pages. (mind you, this was a TOTALLY unscientific experiment and we are hardly unbiased judges, but, still...)

for even more entertainment, i showed him all the photos i've attached here (with apologies to pinterest) and asked him to select a piece of jewelry for the woman who might have created this particular page. here's his critical analysis: "she obviously loves art, leaning toward things that are hand-crafted, graphic and unusual. i also think she's probably a foodie who loves quirky cafes as much as beautifully presented plates in fine dining surroundings. there's an appreciation for organic, simple things. she's bold and leans fashion-forward more than trendy. and she either owns or likes one of the cutest dogs i've ever seen."

after all that, he looked carefully through the cases and offered up these incredible, brand new earrings by Alishan; they're hand-crafted, unusual, organic, totally stunning and make a very bold statement. what do you think? i think he nailed it :)  seriously – don't the golden curls remind you of the dog?

all this is just to say that if you are in need of a fabulous piece of jewelry for a holiday gift for a special someone, and you aren't terribly eloquent with descriptions, get access to her pinterest page and talk to adam. see what magic he can work for you.

a promise is a promise.

if you think about it, most jewelry purchases are for a promise of some sort. not only the obvious implied promise of engagement and wedding rings, but almost every piece of jewelry is given to someone else as a promise of love, or gratitude or friendship. and let's not forget the equally important promise of self-love! 

so i. gorman offers a promise of our own, that comes, in writing, with every purchase. it's what's on that silvery card poking out of every shopping bag: if any piece of jewelry purchased from us ever needs repair – regardless of fault – i. gorman will repair or replace it at no charge. forever. (yes, it's really in bold italics.) 

that promise has been in place for every day of the 31 years – and counting – since we first opened our doors. it's very simple. it's what we believe. it's what we practice. and it's all a part of why every customer somehow becomes a customer for life. 

it will be unfortunate, but if a clasp breaks, a stone falls out or anything else happens, bring it in. we'll fix it. or replace it if we can't. forever. pinky swear.  

with these rings...

let's get wed! i just did and i highly recommend it, especially if you get incredible todd reed rings like ours! (more about that in a future post.) the important thing is now you can have them, too, because it's time for another ultimate ring event – those magical two days when i. gorman brings the designers to you for some serious bridal playtime. 

ten fabulous designers from around the world are coming and bringing stacks and stacks of bands and engagement rings – you'll definitely want a glass of the champagne that will be flowing just to help you get through it all. mark your calendars for friday and saturday, september 21-22, and show up either day between 11am and 6pm.

here's a little heads up so you can manage your game plan:

alishan is back! his delicious intricate carvings make every ring he creates super-special.

chris ploof is out of this world. seriously. he'll be bringing his meteorite bands (i wasn't kidding) – perfect for the guy who wants something different (and styles for her, too.)  

gebruder schaffrath's incredible floating diamond has some beautiful new company in the rest of his always-sleek collection.

if diamonds are your girl's best friend (next to you, we hope) meet precision set... lovely, sparkly and fit for a princess.

coge's bands are always popular, and they have some incredible new styles to share.

omi privé rules in the universe of colored stones. gorgeous settings. knockout gems. 'nuff said.

even bez ambar's simplest pavé pieces turn heads – they can't help it. and wait 'til you see what else he's bringing!

we've missed the ultra-modern niessing folks for a couple of recent events and are thrilled that they could make it this time. their latest designs introduce ombre hues and texture in brand new ways.

lovely, sleek, totally current sholdt is back with their sensuous, luxurious sparklers.

and, finally, todd reed. tamer of raw diamonds. todd and his work will always have a special place in my heart, and i'm not alone. true story: the day after our wedding, we were showing our rings to a friend in an art gallery, and a woman walked by just as i said "todd reed" and she turned abruptly, repeated "todd reed!" and i swear she swooned (understandably.) but as i said before, more about that later! before then, there's a fabulous event to get to...

hope to see you next weekend!

v-a-c-a-t-i-o-n!

ah, the dog days of august. congress is on vacation, and so are the rest of us. and maybe we're on vacation right here. aside from the excruciating heat and humidity, a dc-based staycation is actually great. there's no traffic – when else can you drive around dupont circle in less than 2 minutes? you can get into hard-to-get-into restaurants; you can find a parking spot in georgetown. life is good. but sometimes it is even better to be away. 

for fun, and to live a little vicariously, i decided to do a quick survey of the i. gorman staff to discover their favorite summer escapes. it was sort of the quintessential "back to school" assignment of "what i did on my summer vacation." (some got gold stars and some lost their homework!)

they traveled by plane, train and automobile to beaches, big cities and calm countrysides. they swam, they shopped, they dined, they slept. here's just a sampling; hope you had as much fun as we did!

ivan and i go to smith mountain lake. it is our favorite place on earth. we do nothing but eat, drink and relax. every evening we go out on the water and watch beautiful sunsets. you have to drag us kicking and screaming back to dc. - bonnie

this is a picture of steve and i at the beach.  we drove our big truck filled with lots of beach stuff. we went with our two boys, gavin and levi. on my summer vacation, i plopped my bum on the soft sand and never wanted to get up! - nicole

one hour outside san francisco, oysters are pulled right out of tomales bay and served on decks with heavenly views. a true hidden gem. fantastic wines are served from sonoma and napa which are only about 50 miles away. - adam

on my summer vacation my girlfriends and I drove to the virginia state fair where we ate too much fried fair food, but that didn't stop me from ridding the zipper 3 times! i also discovered that my inner child loves fried oreos. - amelia

we chilled out in wisconsin. the highlights were kayaking, browsing wonderful art galleries, spending fun times with friends and eating artisan cheese. lots and lots of cheese. - me

antonio: the golden boy.

i swear, almost every piece i see by antonio bernardo has me speechless, with the possible exception of one word: genius. the fact that he trained as an engineer is explanatory, not surprising. the way his pieces twist and turn, frequently becoming something else...brilliant. (i love saying that. i really should have been born british.) how i would love to get inside his head, or at least into the toy box of ideas that is his studio.

take his 360° earrings (oh, if only i could!) definitely high on the "how'd he do that?" meter. gold wire forms circles that, well, are hard to explain but amazing to look at. round and round they go and where they stop, nobody...wait a minute, they don't stop!

a peek into his showroom in his rio de janeiro headquarters puts you face to face with a giant version of his vivo pendant and earrings. which came first? he's not telling. the sketch, we assume. 

ah, rio. the sun. the water. the absolutely gorgeous people. no wonder his work looks like it does. his minimalist pieces are right at home in this exotic urban locale. and the movement that is integral to so many of his designs mimics every bikini-clad hip on the beach. then there's the romance of the portuguese language itself – can you think of a sexier way to say "bracelet" than "pulseira"? didn't think so.

behind it all is the dashing, affable, man himself (pictured with nicole...she gets to go everywhere!) -- fun and friendly in spite of his well-deserved fame. which is the perfect segue to a very exclusive heads-up...antonio is coming to i. gorman, in actual, live person, in december. you don't want to miss it, but you will have to get in line behind me. it may finally be time to treat myself to antonio's ressonância earrings. then again, maybe i'll wait and see what he dreams up next!

i'll take manhattan.

not that i don't love DC, i do. and i have since i moved here long ago. but a stint in NYC for my first "real" job had me leaving there still loving it. so when an opportunity comes up for a weekend in "the city," i'm all over it. DC finally has great theatre and fantastic restaurants. But new york has broadway. and eleven madison park. 

eleven madison park redefines impeccable service. and innovative cuisine. and, and – well, everything you ever imagined about a top-line restaurant experience, especially when your more-than-generous host declares "we'll all have the tasting menu." omg. this includes a fantasy-fulfilling course served in the spotless kitchen: a made-to-order frozen cocktail for four. cheers.

new york also has the high line – a real gift to the city literally high above 10th avenue. you walk up the stairs on 20th street and can't believe what you see. originally built in the 1930's to move dangerous freight trains off the industrial-district streets, the high line is now a beautifully designed and twisting walkway bordered by lush landscaping with surprises at every turn. worth the trip all by itself.

and when you go into annisa in the village, and you're waiting at the oh-so-stylish bar for your table (that you somehow scored that morning over the phone) and anita lo, herself, walks out from the kitchen and starts chatting with you; you know that this is a special place. chef lo's cooking is as unique as expected, and your waiter pairs it with the perfect wine that is so good, you want to try to track it down later. not only are all the details carefully transcribed for you, but they're on a lovely, printed notecard. even his handwriting is stylish.

then there's broadway. you don't need a crystal ball, just great friends, with great taste in all things theatrical. so when your best theatre buddy says don't miss "once," you immediately obey and snag the tickets before the tony nominations are even announced. wow. a stunning show on so many levels. it deserved "best musical" and every single one of its seven other tonys. it probably deserved the few awards it didn't win. simply brilliant. 

shopping? of course. it's hard to believe the changes to the meatpacking district (awesome) and soho (a little sad.) museums? one should never, ever stop worshipping at the shrine of moma. thank you, new york, for a wonderful weekend. you're still a very, very nice place to visit.

petra in wonderland.

we all know the cheshire cat is smiling. i like to think it's because he imagines himself wearing a collar similar to a petra meiren necklace. bold and sassy – absolutely perfect paired with a big, toothy grin.

nicole discovered petra at inhorgenta this year -- her work has graced the pages of european magazines and the necks, wrists, and ears of characters in movies and models on runways. but this is not "serious" jewelry – petra's whole attitude and philosophy is that jewelry is fun for her to design and it should be just as fun for you to wear. so it's utterly playful, but creatively glam at the same time.

you look at her metal work and realize it is totally new. like when two stark pieces of silver join to become striking earrings that are jewelry lollipops. and, at the opposite end of the spectrum, metal threads are knitted into almost textile-like fine, woven ropes that she mixes up in all sorts of fanciful combinations.

her metals may be precious, but her other materials are, well, plastic. rubber. acrylic. pvc, even. and that's a good thing! because they're sturdy but soft (comfy and lightweight) and they are the vehicle that transports the all-important colors -- bright, happy, gotta get 'em colors.

petra designs for self-confident women who flaunt their own style and wear whatever they please. they wear their petra meiren pieces as if they were headed to the mad hatter's tea party, embracing the wonderland concept of "curiouser and curiouser" with each statement-making step.

(with grateful appreciation for Lewis Carroll's book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and the fantastic imaginations it helped to create!)

don't cry for me.

i am soooo lucky. on two counts. first, i got to attend signature theatre's sondheim award gala honoring the one-of-a-kind patti lupone. before you start pointing out that "don't cry for me argentina" was written by tim rice and andrew lloyd webber and not by stephen sondheim, i, um, realize that. but ms. lupone's role in evita really is a classic. even wikipedia lists it first among her many roles. and it was a better title for this post than, say, "everything's coming up roses" (she also played a fabulous rose in sondheim's gypsy.) but i digress.

the other reason i'm so lucky? i got to wear jewelry from i. gorman for the occasion! this gig definitely has its perks. so there i was, all dressed up in the middle of a monday afternoon, in the store, to pick jewelry for my big night at the italian embassy. nicole was my personal dresser and we had a blast.

since my iridescent bronze top was strapless, we started with the necklace. guess what was perfect? todd reed's 41-diamond stunner. rose cut and raw diamonds have never commingled so well as on this beautiful piece. then it was off to earrings... and not being a matchy-matchy type, we walked away from todd (sorry, todd!) and visited antonio bernardo's gold collection. let's just say i've always had a weakness for his unbelievable 360° earrings. would they work? and how.

it was time to give my very bare arms and hands some attention. a statement ring? a bold bracelet? both? (definitely not!) in the end, peter schmid's one-of-a-kind quartz and brown diamond atelier zobel ring won, hands down (pardon the pun.)

bejeweled to the hilt, i gathered my stash and ran off to deal with a much-needed manicure, makeup, and other girly things. once at the event, i felt like cinderella at the ball – which was exactly what i was. and although not a single piece turned into a pumpkin, it was definitely tough to give up my fabulous gems the next morning! hmmm...wonder where i can go next?

oh todd!

you know the lichtenstein blonde? the one with the dots? and the dreamy, faraway look? that's me. and todd reed. only he has no idea. (note: my fiancé and todd's wife have nothing to fear. really.)

todd is such a sweet, warm, deep soul that his boatloads of talent are almost secondary. almost. where would we all be without his quarry of raw diamonds to fascinate us? you can see the love he has for each and every stone. you can feel his earnestness in every purposeful scratch of metal, every teeny edging detail, every fanciful, tipped angle of each little stone within a setting.

"my todd" – a one-of-a-kind grey raw diamond with a halo of white diamonds. ahhh.

he is quiet and gentle but his work is anything but. it is bold, brash, in your face. even something as small and lovely as an engagement ring becomes a can't-miss-it statement. and when he purposefully goes big? watch out. those rocks rock like nothing else.

todd's palladium cuff bracelet, featuring a stunning aquamarine accented with

grey and white diamonds, won Best of Show at the AGTA Spectrum Awards.

i cornered todd at our recent ring event and asked him to talk on camera. what did i get? you can see for yourself, but all of a sudden we were in deep about the "ness" of diamonds. which made me think about the "ness" of todd: kindness, happiness, artfulness, goodness, cleverness, adventurousness (it's a word! i looked it up!) sweetness, friendliness, expressiveness, cuteness...

color me happy!

as promised, here's more from munich...and it's a direct reflection on what you're already seeing in fashion everywhere: color, color, color. pick up any magazine or newspaper, check out any fashion website or style blog and what do you see? big, bold, beautiful color. missed it? well, crawl out of your dark hole and see the light. shed the blacks and grays of winter (winter?) and embrace it all.

if you want to tiptoe into adding color, or tip-finger to be precise, go straight for these fun, funky rings from designer monika seitter. we've had some pieces from her in the past, compliments of gellner, but these new, delectable goodies are sassy personified – no wonder i love them. who can wear just one? put on a couple – it's like wearing a fistful of totally tasteful jelly beans!

nicole's big discovery at inhorgenta this year was german designer petra meiren. petra's work is as colorful and fun as anything we've seen in a long, long time. while her "low" materials may be unusual for high-fashion jewelry, the budget-friendly prices let you dabble with as many palettes as you can handle.

and what would a color report be without mentioning our dear friends at margoni? their grecian delights are brighter and dreamier than ever. with vivid turquoise added to their rainbow of gemstones, if you must hide behind a rock, you should definitely pick one of theirs!

the fashion police are already giving out tickets for dull and drab, day and night. don't get caught colorless – there are too many bright and beautiful baubles around to keep us all safely stylish!

nicole went to inhorgenta and all i got was...

a sneak peek at all the new pieces that will be coming! first, let me explain... as much as inhorgenta sounds like some fascinating country you've never heard of, it's really a humongous international jewelry trade show in munich. but it almost sounds like it could be its own country: vast acreage of all that is beautiful and brilliant (in the jewelry universe, at least.)

i digress. nicole is back but the poor girl is exhausted – she left mid-sale, and returned just in time for our ultimate ring event. i let her rest, but not for long, and then i was in her face, like a little kid, with a demanding "what'd you bring me?"

well, let me tell you...she brought me – ok, all of us – some fabulous finds. i can hardly wait for the first shipments to arrive!

nicole did not shop small. a visit with i. gorman favorite gellner found her (with gellner's randy pavlow) actually holding the biggest baroque white south sea cultured pearl in the world. seriously. could i make that up? she promises she ordered dozens of beautiful pieces (with slightly smaller pearls) for spring. one of her faves is an ombre-inspired strand of tahitian pearls that gradually goes from light to dark and back again.

peter schmid from atelier zobel didn't fail to surprise her with his latest one-of--a-kind pieces of innovative gold work sprinkled with diamonds and sporting incredible stones. try on a piece and you won't want to take it off. in fact, i still haven't determined if nicole gave that magnificent cuff she's wearing back to him or not...

what about majoral? niessing? michael weggenmann...? actually, nearly all of i. gorman's designers were there with all of their latest collections. there's plenty more to report, but we'll save it for another post...promise.

one final note: one of the few designers not represented at inhorgenta was antonio bernardo of brazil. but fear not...the globe-trotting nicole will have an exclusive one-on-one with the amazing jeweler on his home turf next month. don't think i won't be nagging her the second she returns!

are you that girl?

it's fascinating to see which designers attract which brides and vice versa. so we took a totally non-scientific approach to the topic and thought we'd match up the dozen designers at our ultimate ring event with the type of girl we envision selecting one of their designs as the ring of her dreams.

if you consider yourself arty, funky, offbeat or simply singular, we see you orbiting the powerfully particular universe of todd reed and alishan. todd's unique work with raw diamonds is absolutely magnetic to a certain audience (full disclosure: i'm a todd girl; more about that in a future post.) alishan's handcrafted rings are a little frillier, but far from fussy – think teeny, intricate, artistic carvings and you're headed in the right direction.

below: todd reed, alishan

slinky? sensuous? dramatic? look no further than etienne perret or the colorful world of omi gems. even before etienne blew us away with his ceramic bands, his sense of style was always in a class all its own. omi gems colored stones are intentionally sensational, not shy. you want drama? you've got it.

below: etienne perret, omi gems

the classic, vintage, society girl can go easily from kirk kara to ambar to mona taner to precision set. lots of diamonds and sparkle turn all their very pretty rings into heirlooms you can only wish you'd inherited. or add a twist to traditional and sashay down the aisle in a just-a-step-away beauty from sholdt or maevona.

below: kirk kara, ambar, mona taner, precision set, sholdt, maevona

finally, we have the ultra-modern, sleek sophisticate. if you can walk past coge or gebruder schaffrath without turning your head, you'll leave us scratching ours. their designs are straight out of a modern art gallery – just the thing for the way, way, modern bride.

below: coge, gebruder schaffrath

so that's our match game for today...we hope to see you at the ultimate ring event friday and saturday, february 24 -25. let us know which girl you are...or which girl you're marrying. did we get it right?