During the summer holidays, I received the message that VicenzaOro was going to invite a select group of journalists, influencers and bloggers from around the globe. And I was part of this group!

BaselWorld is a yearly event in the jewelry and watch industry. According to many, one of the most important watches and jewelry trade shows in the world. It may be the most prestigious trade show, but when it comes down to jewelry, it all depends on what one is looking for. With just a handful of affordable jewelry brands, this is the playground for the rich or those who aspire to be so. I have worked at BaselWorld myself for many years, but this year I had the pleasure to come back as a jewelry blogger, who accidentally also fell in love with a watch brand...

This blog is purely to entertain you. It’s very unlikely that you are about to buy one of these pieces. One is probably a little out of reach for most of us. The other, well...see for yourself. Van Cleef & Arpels did an amazing job with their Automate Fée Ondine. It is not just pure art. It’s a genius piece of work!

The TIER exhibition of Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren and Armando is held at the MOA Museum, situated in a lovely park just outside Utrecht. The park and the museum are beautiful, the area is so green and a magnificent example of the age of Enlightenment and worth a visit even without this wonderful exhibition, but as I am huge fan and deeply intrigued by the work of the Dutch taxidermists artistic displays, I did not want to miss the opportunity to see their artwork with animals from up close!

Image: A room, high expectations. Two stars enter, one is blue and one is pink. Both are very rare diamonds. The bidding starts and it crashes records within no time. One person walks away with two very precious and ridiculously rare gemstones, mounted both as a matching pair of earrings. It’s a world that most of us will never take part in, but one struggles to establish what amazes us more. The rarity and the beauty and sheer size of the stones? Or the price that people are willing to pay for this.

Is it an investment, or will some lady really wear this?

Ever since I laid my eyes on jewelry, way back in the late ‘80’s, I have fallen in love with the world of jewelry. Although I had my moments of deep love for a certain piece of jewelry, it has always been about the business around jewelry for me. Sales and marketing on one side, creativity, craftsmanship, and strategy on the other side. And I have learned so much along the way! Here are the 5 things that working in the world of jewelry has taught me:

In the Kono District, an area known for its diamond mines, a large diamond,weighing 706 carat, was found. The Christian pastor Emmanual Momoh, made the discovery and handed it to the local chief, who brought it to president Ernest Bai Koroma. It’s the thirteenth biggest rough diamond, so far, ever found

Giovanna Bittante is an Italian jewelry designer who went to Spain. She did not find just love, but also her path that led her to new ideas about how jewelry should look like. Meet Giovanna and learn about her unusual jewelry and how she loves to challenge your ideas about jewels. Her own most precious jewel? Easy! Her son!