Prestige Promenade pearls and sweets
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1146463
Modern-Day Masterpieces When Theresa Bruno of Jordan Alexander got her start in jewelry in 2008, she was smitten with silver jewelry and pearls—particularly sliced ones—but her taste has evolved along with the elegant style of her creations. Today, many of her pieces are bold gold numbers for tony clients in her adopted hometown of Houston, most laden with robust cuts of gemstones in every color of the rainbow. Bruno chalks up the evolution to her refi ned concert pianist background coupled with the persistence of south Texans begging for bespoke. "The people of Houston want to dress up, and they've allowed me to stretch my hand in design," she explains. Sliced pearls are still in the line (though discreetly placed), while color has become a focus; think oversize earrings, one-of-a-kind necklaces, and a yellow gold alloy with almost no red tones. Long inspired by seasoned goldsmiths, Bruno tapped one to help her develop a composi- tion with just the slightest bit of green. Why? Personal preference, which skews Renaissance but with contemporary infl uences. Bruno favors lightly hammered gold, blue and green color palettes married to trillion cuts, lesser-known gems like zircon, rectangular-link chains, and U-shape shared prongs that mini- mize mountings. A four-pointed-star motif acts as a subtle signature, topping earrings, linking components in chains, scaling the sides of shanks and mountings, and punc- tuating many a graphic jewel with an inset diamond."I have a bold but femi- nine hand—an Old-World masters feel but with modern fl air," Bruno says. More updated statement jewels include a 36-inch rectangular box chain in 18k gold with negative space, some fi lled with long cuts of garnet and blue topaz. A nearly 21-carat trillion-shape morganite pendant dangles from a necklace of 63-plus carats of zircon and fat diamond-bar connectors. Over- size earrings may be her most notable eye candy, with plump, pretty stones like tanzanite and Brazilian blue zircon keeping company with dozens of diamonds for obscene sparkle. "My pieces are graphic, and my buyers have already collected the big names—they want a fresh look," she notes. many of her pieces are bold gold numbers for tony clients in her adopted hometown of Houston, most laden with robust cuts of gemstones in every color of the rainbow. Bruno chalks up the evolution to her refi ned concert pianist background coupled with the persistence of south Texans begging for bespoke. "The people of Houston want to dress up, and they've allowed me to stretch my hand in design," she explains. Sliced pearls are still in the line (though discreetly placed), while color has become a focus; think oversize earrings, one-of-a-kind necklaces, and a yellow gold alloy with almost no red tones. Long inspired by seasoned goldsmiths, Bruno 23 www.thejewelrybook.com www.jordanalexanderjewelry.com