were a token of love THE Duchess of Windsor’s love of fine jewels “was legendary. Her enduring love affair with Edward, the would-be king, can be charted by the trinkets he gave her as tokens of his affection. : There is the chain link bracelet, with crosses of emerald, ruby, sapphire and diamond baguettes. Each cross is engraved with a secret message, representing a stepping stone OO in their love story and a cross they had to bear. There are the His and gold compacts (his for ciga- rettes; hers for powder), each engraved with a map of the romantic holidays the couple took together. There is the white diamond ring the size of a postage stamp that the Duke bought from Harry Winston in New York in 1950. And, of course, there are the Duchess’ jungle jewels: the enameled frog bangle, the flamboyant flamingo brooch with glittering pavé-set body and feathers of emeralds, sap- phires and rubies, the diamond butterfly on a coral flower with emerald petals and Cartier’s Great Cats like the panther bracelet of pavé diamonds and onyx with emerald eyes. As the story goes, Louis Cartier was in Africa at the height of the Art Deco period when he saw a panther on the prowl. It wasn’t till years later that he created the Hers CARTIER’S Art Deco- inspired Mini Panther. diamond solitaire necklace (top) is from Birks. “A fool would know that with tweeds or other daytime clothes one wears gold, and that with evening clothes one wears platinum,” the Duchess of Windsor told a bomb-blitzed Britain in 1946. panther bracelet for the Duchess. Apparently, diamonds were suitable for any occasion. The Duchess had enough of J Today, the motif reigns supreme at the them. A snapshot of the more than 300 jewels auctioned by Sotheby's in Geneva April House of Cartier, where it takes many 1987 following her death. Selling price is in American fiinds: ‘ NEWS photo Mike Waketiold “MOST ladies who get the pendant want the earrings to go with it,’ says gemmologist Michael Dunne. The one-carat forms. a pair of 18-carat white gold,.sapphire and diamond carclips by Cartier, Paris, circa. 1950 — $47,667; .. ee : @ a platinum and diamonid necklace by Cartier, Paris — $58,667. ¢ @ a diamond clip, citca 1935, designed as plume and crown of Prince of Wales. Bought by Elizabeth Taylor for $623,333°.- @ an 18-carat.gold‘and diamond handbag mirror by Van Cleef & Arpels, New York, 1953, designed as heart — $51,333 * @ an onyx and diamond panther bracelet by Cartier, Paris, 1952 — $1,393,333 @ a pair of fancy yellow pear-shaped diamond earclips, mounted by Cartier, Paris, 1968 —$880,000. => uo @ a 14-karat gold, emerald and diamond pendant, circa 1937, medallion applied with diamond slipper, inscribed “Our Mr Loo” in memory of the couple’s beloved pug — $80,667 - The white gold Mini Panther watch is evocative of the trend, “with a splash of diamonds that’s never over-the-top or out of place,” report the folks at Cartier, Priced at $18,200, it would make a darling stock- ing stuffer for someone with rich tastes and a budget to match. Those of us who can only dream at such a purchase can still enjoy Cartier’s mastery when a display of $2 million in jewelled watches comes to Brinkhaus Jewellers at the Hotel Vancouver next Thursday. The collection, featuring classic Cartier styles like the Diamond Baignoire and the Diamond and Pearl Colisée is travelling to 15 North American cities. The display continues through Saturday, Nov. 30. — Layne Christensen Source: The Windsor Style by Suzy Menkes Sunday, November 17, 1996 — North Shore News - 17 OU SHOT LIFE Jewelry trade champions a new classic in diarnond solitaire necklace By Layne Christensen Fashion Editor IT seems that dia- monds are in vogue. Witness the number of occasions that celebrate this sparkly gem. In September in Vancouver, the brief visit of the Chanel Joaillerie Collection, $6 million worth of jewels, hand-craft- ed reproductions of Gabneile Chanel’s 1920s designs. In October in Calgary, the exhibition of $5 muillion in contemporary diamond creations, the wit- ning entries in De Beers’ Diamonds International Awards. Late last month, back in Vancouver, a dia- mond cleaving demonstra- tion at Birks. And this week, again at Birks, the display of one of the world’s largest uncut diamonds, 420 carats, arid a fashion show of dia- mond designs. It would appear that the diamond is enjoying immense popularity. Or is it a clever advertis- ing campaign, orchestrated by jewellers and diamond uppliers, to help us with our Christmas gift-giving? Topping the list of “sug- gested” items is the dia- mond solitaire necklace. The Diamond Information Centre (DIC), the publicity arm of De Beers, has tagged it “rhe next classic,” the first significant diamond design trend since the dia- mond tennis braceler emerged in the 1980s. It’s hard to say if its emergence to popularity was generated in the back room of an ad agency or in answer to consumer demand. DIC’s manager, Kim Sutch, says the trend is coming from the street. “Tt all started with Friends,” said Sutch last month at a reception for the West’s only Diamond International Award winner, Calgary's Jennifer Poon, The reception was, there- fore, in Calgary, and De Beers had flown in a num- ber of Vancouver media to view the collection. Sutch was talking about the stylish characters on Friends, as well as Melrose Place and Beverly Hills 90210 who had all sported a Y-chain at their neck over the past couple of seasons. “That delicate beaded look was hot for pvo to three years and it prompted a resurgence of interest tn the neckline.” said Sutch, who was of course wearing diamonds at her throat. Fine jewelers answered the mass ararket trend with their own, considerably pricier, versions of the necklace — a simple chain with a diamond of a half carat or more, bezel set in platinum or gold. In Traly, ic is known as the Venus Diamond. In Japan, it is called the Simple Dianiond. Sutch cals it a Grace Kelly classic. Michael Dunne, resident gemologist at Swedish Jewellers” Park Roval store, calls it a cop seller. “It’s a very informal type of piece thar is easily worn at afl times,” said Dunue, a 35-year veteran of the jewelry trade, The style is not new to him. “Ie’s funny that it's being hyped right now,” he said from behind the counter. “We've done well with that style in the past.” At Swedish Jewellers, the price for a diamond solitaire necklace starts at $695 for a 0.17 carat dia- mond of SII clarity and G cotor, a medium gem grade, says Dunne. Fora half-carat diamond the price goes up to $3,500. A half-carat is De Beers’ sug- gested minimum. Dunne agrees that it’s a popular size, especially for cus- tomers who come back to purchase matching dia- mond stud earrings with a combined weight of a half- carat. The pendant and ear- rings then have a one-carat total weight, which strikes a chord in most people. Sutch has her diamond studs already. They total a whopping 3.35 carats. She bought them for herself and wears them every- where. She’s nor alone. Famous faces of stage and sereen have been snapped wearing their dis- crect dazzlers at the Oscars, at sporting events and even the corner store. De Beers may be pro- moting the diamond neck- lace as today’s biggest trend but its sure to have a close rival in the understated stud.