[nlerner]

Hi guys! Want to play?

http://www.couturedesignawards.com/index.shtml

[Heidi]

Yay! I am a big fan of Barbara Heinrich, in general...and love the imagination in her piece here. Of course I am also transfixed by a few others. Melo melo, anyone? How about some wheat?

[nlerner]

I voted for Barbara Heinrich.
I loved the Mikimoto Conch ring too.

Yvel of the wheat is an Israeli company.

[Heidi]

Yes, that Mikimoto ring is pretty amazing, I agree. There are some nice designs on the newcomers page as well as the gold page. (I'm sure on other pages too, that's just as far as I have gotten.)

[knotty panda]

Even though it is Miki, love the conch. Have to give Barbara Heinrich rave reviews for creativity of materials, originality of design, proportion, and workmanship. But I'm sorry about poor Thumper and I just couldn't bare to gaze at it. (Mollusc survival rate, don't go there, I like my fantasy world.) I wish she had substituted feathers. Everything else is ordinary or a variation of another piece. So the winner is, Wheat!

[nlerner]

Originally Posted by knotty panda

Even though it is Miki, love the conch. Have to give Barbara Heinrich rave reviews for creativity of materials, originality of design, proportion, and workmanship. But I'm sorry about poor Thumper and I just couldn't bare to gaze at it. (Mollusc survival rate, don't go there, I like my fantasy world.) I wish she had substituted feathers.

100% agree with every word, knotty.
When I looked at the designs, the pendant was on the lower part of the page and I could not read the details.

[Heidi]

Originally Posted by knotty panda

Even though it is Miki, love the conch. Have to give Barbara Heinrich rave reviews for creativity of materials, originality of design, proportion, and workmanship. But I'm sorry about poor Thumper and I just couldn't bare to gaze at it. (Mollusc survival rate, don't go there, I like my fantasy world.) I wish she had substituted feathers. Everything else is ordinary or a variation of another piece. So the winner is, Wheat!

Even though I voted for Barbara Heinrich's piece, I close my eyes and sing "LALALA" loudly when I think about the survival rate...and thumper in this case. I fully understand going for the Wheat in that light.

Random aside - I am actually familiar with her work in colored gemstones which is gorgeous, so it's quite refreshing to see her creativity with pearls.

[pattye]

I accidently clicked something I didn't want to vote for trying to enlarge the photo--oh well, you folks will cancel out my vote hopefully--what an interesting site, I could have offered Barbara Heinrich her choice from a large selection of dandelion fluff in place of Thumper's fur-----

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[nlerner]

Pattye,

Try to click on the one you want, the first vote will be canceled. The same happened to me.

[pattye]

Thanks, Nora!

[Valeria101]

A peal bracelet by J Jewels in the 'Newcomers' section is my winner because I have not seen that idea done a thousand times, otherwise it would have been hard to break the tie between 3-4 in the mainstream Pearl section ...

To me, Lisa Sheldon's bracellet takes the cake of the entire show... Gotta have one like that!

[pattye]

Several of the designs used carved or etched mother of pearl--however it didn't seem to lower the wholesale value of the jewelry piece!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[Amrita]

My favourite one from the newcomers' section are the hoops by Joseph Murray. Love the colors and shape of the peridot and zircon and how the 18k gold wire entwines itself through the beads! Mmmm, would look gorgeous with a blue-green silk outfit!
Just editing to say thanks to Nora for posting this link here. It is not only fun but also gives a great opportunity to all here to see the creativity of jewellery designers. Thanks!

[knotty panda]

Yes, that is pretty, even though there are no pearls. It's also very "inspirational" if you want to make yourself a more affordable version. Blue topaz briolettes would work with the peridot, a little wire, and a half-hoop frame. I've never seen blue-zircon that color before. Very becoming.

But scroll down to the bottom left of that page. Is it a brooch? Is it a pendant? Or is it just the ugliest thing this side of a diamond-studded skull you've ever seen?

[Mikeyy]

I didn't like any of the pearl designs. So I didn't vote.