magnificent jewels!

as I mentioned in a recent post, the christie's magnificent jewels auction preview is one of the highlights of my spring. this year, there were lots of colored diamonds and spectacular gemstone pieces. the auction brought in a total of $70.7m. I had a lot of fun admiring the jewels, and even trying a few of them on!

always love a good emerald and diamond statement necklace!

behold, the martian pink diamond!

this reminds me of one of the pieces I got to play with at Gem Palace in Jaipur. adore antique indian jewelry

more gorgeous antique indian jewelry

adore massive yellow diamonds

how amazing does this emerald ring look on me?! 

I always like to play a game called "if katie could have anything up for auction, what would she get?". this year I decided I would choose lot 109, a 47.08 ct cushion cut sapphire surrounded by diamonds. here is a photo of me wearing the ring. swoon!

intern needed!

I am excited to announce that I am looking for a part-time, unpaid intern for my jewelry company (based in midtown manhattan)! the hours are very flexible and some work can be done from home. the position entails assisting with company operations, social media/marketing, photo shoots, buying trips (in nyc), and trunk shows. the position is open to high schoolers, college students, or anyone looking for a creative outlet! if you are interested, shoot me an email at katie@katiebartels.com!

the creative process: part 2

as I mention in this post, I have been working on a necklace to wear to a friend's wedding next week. I decided to go bold and colorful, with lots of sparkle. I finalized my color combination and then the construction process began! check it out:

I went with colorful chalcedony, spinel, carnelian, labradorite, and amethyst

to make construction easier, I separated the gemstones into piles. it also just looks prettier on my desk :)

started stringing! that's my bead stopper at the end to make sure things don't go flying, although they still tend to anyway

first strand complete!

close up shot of completed necklace

ta da! final necklace. all set for pauline's wedding :)

the creative process

one of my favorite parts of what I do is custom projects. whether it be bridesmaids necklaces, a bridal headpiece, a necklace for a black tie event, or a necklace for my mom to wear with one of her new tunics (she definitely benefits from having a daughter who designs jewelry!)--I love being given a theme or color palette and the opportunity to design a piece.

so here is my newest custom project: a necklace for moi to wear to a friend's wedding later this month!!

this is the dress I'm wearing (its by kara janx and its my friend's favorite dress in my closet):

the wedding is going to be in tribeca so I can go a little trendy (as opposed to pearls). i've decided to go big and colorful.

step one of my creative process: throw lots of gemstones on my work desk

step two: start playing around with different combinations

stay tuned for step three (finalizing the color combination) and step four (construct the necklace)! and feel free to post a comment if any particular color combo strikes your fancy :)

color combinations I adore

pairing bright colors is always a good idea

via

absolutely adore this shade of green paired with subtle stripes

via

this cocoon coat is the newest love of my life. 

via

matching your nails to your top is always a good decision. love this paisley print.

via

loved how this marigold necklace looked with my colorful tory burch tunic.

(my photos, taken in jaipur, india)

swoon. purchased these fabulous bangles at the johari bazaar in jaipur, india.

(my photo)

always love a good camel and red combination (especially when the red involves glitter!).

(my photo)

rainbow colors are always a good idea

(my photo)

more pink and orange love. derek lam killed it this season with this bold, colorful pattern

(my photo)

these are a few of my favorite things...for april!

1. katie bartels wood and onyx earrings // 2. katie bartels wood and sparkle necklace // 3. tibi printed dress // 4. essie nail polish in pretty edgy // 5. kate spade clutch // 6. repetto ballet flats

happy april!