Stefanie Schaeffer, winner of the 2007 edition of Donald Trump’s The Apprentice, can now add the title of jewelry designer to her ever-expanding resume.Prior to becoming “The Apprentice” and working with the Trump Organization overseeing a project in the Dominican Republic and concurrently serving as vice president of sales and marketing for Trump International Hotel and Tower in Las Vegas, Schaeffer worked as an attorney defending employers against workers’ compensation claims. She has since become a television host for such projects as “Know Your Rights,” where she uses her knowledge as a trial attorney to enlighten people about legal ways in which to resolve everyday issues, and “The Hidden Jewels of Golf,” as well as guest hosting stints on TV Guide Channel and The Golf Channel. An avid golfer, Schaeffer reportedly started having dreams about jewelry after getting hit in the head with a golf ball and decided to start designing and making her own line. According to a media release, all the earrings and necklaces in the line are handmade by Schaeffer, taking between four and six hours to make. The gemstones, all of which are natural, include amethyst, aquamarine, citrine, garnet, lemon quartz, peridot, purple zircon, scorpolites, topaz and turquoise, and are intricately held in place by delicate 14-karat gold coil. The collection is priced between $75-$350. For more information, visit StefiJDesigns.com |
Heidi Klum discontinues jewelry line
Model and reality TV star Heidi Klum is crossing one item off of her loaded resume: jewelry entrepreneur. In a recent interview in the Los Angeles Times, the German supermodel acknowledged that she no longer does her jewelry line with Mouawad USA Inc. In the interview, Klum gives a few reasons for abandoning the line, which was called simply “Heidi Klum,” including the rademark-infringment lawsuit filed against Klum and Mouawad by high-end jewelry house Van Cleef and Arpels Inc. in 2007. Van Cleef, which is owned by luxury goods giant Richemont, claimed in the suit that Klum’s lines copied the vintage clover design featured in its “Alhambra” line. Last year, a federal judge dismissed the suit without prejudice (meaning it could be brought again in the future) after the two jewelry houses opted to settle the controversy themselves without any admission of liability. “I think when you’re a small company, which we are, we’re not a Van Cleef–they have a thousand lawyers. I’m a small fry next to that,” Klum said in the interview. |
Drop earrings win big at Daytime Emmys
Los Angeles–While fashion designers showing their Fall 2009 apparel collections on runways this year tended to focus their jewelry wardrobing on the necks and wrists, stars on the red carpet at the 36th annual Daytime Emmy Awards showed ears the love, favoring drop and hoop styles as the accessories of the night.One of the evening’s biggest winners, bubbly television host Rachael Ray, snagged her “Entertainment Talk Show” nod while wearing a pair of yellow gold hoops that matched the beaded necklace detail of her gown.
And soap opera veteran Judith Chapman hit the red carpet in oversized hoops featuring layer upon layer of concentric circles. But it was drop styles that got the most play at the Sunday evening event, which honored the best in talk shows and soaps, among other daytime programs. From classic diamond styles to pearl and gemstone numbers, the style proved to be an understated, flattering look, drawing attention upwards to the face. Classic diamond versions abounded, with everyone from Ugly Betty’s Vanessa Williams to Better off Ted’s Portia de Rossi to the actress called “Daytime’s Leading Lady,” Susan Lucci choosing them. Neil Lane was among the favored designers for the evening, with General Hospital’s Julie Berman and Kirsten Storms, 90210 actress Jenny Garth and Entertainment Tonight correspondent Thea Andrews each choosing diamond and platinum pieces from the go-to designer. Michelle Stafford, AKA Phyllis Summers on The Young and the Restless, chose white gold, diamond and crystal floral earrings from Spanish brand Carrera y Carrera to match the motif of her black and white gown. The Young and the Restless alum Heather Tom, currently starring on The Bold and the Beautiful, went with pearls in her drop earrings. Though she did a quick-change from a short flapper-style number on the red carpet to a long silver gown to present on stage, Tom wore the same silver-tone Yvel pearl earrings and ring. Emmy winner Tamara Braun, who received a nod for her role on Days of Our Lives, chose color for her drops, selecting Neil Lane’s coral earrings also featuring black and colorless diamonds set in platinum. The most common companions for earrings were bold cocktail rings or diamond bracelets, with many stars choosing to balance their looks with a single large ring. Breaking from the evening’s trends, yet right on trend with the runways, was talk show host Tyra Banks, who scooped up an Emmy for “Informative Talk Show.” The former model triumphantly raised her award while wearing a single metal cuff bracelet on each wrist. |
An extraordinary rough and polished diamond sautoir necklace designed by L’Wren Scott debuted on the Red Carpet at the 80th Academy Awards. The spectacular sautoir, worn by Oscar Presenter Nicole Kidman, contains a total of 7645 diamonds including rough, faceted, and polished diamonds, which total nearly 1400 carats.
The sautoir, which was designed by Scott, produced and manufactured by Uni-Design Ltd. in Paris and India uses a wide range of shapes and cuts of diamonds. Each diamond was individually selected by the designer to fit together into an overall design. The intricate design required in excess of 6200 man hours to handcraft. Diamonds have never been used in such a truly unique way on the Red Carpet. It is a tribute to the visionary direction of the designer that such an astounding quantity of diamonds can be worn so effortlessly.