Stones That Rock Your Heart

There is something so satisfiying about old jewellery: it has a story to tell. It is then up to us as to whether we want that story to be part of our lives and at the same time to give it a new lease of life with the history we are set to write. As Roby and I were getting engaged, I was adamant my engagement ring would not be brand new, and that it would serendipitously cross our paths, show up to us without us looking for it. Vintage was my only prerogative and I was trusting the fact that items of a certain age come with underlying design quality and originality.

A ring named desire...

Roby and I were in Paris, and we had already come across a couple of jewellery shops but none had any vintage pieces. Then one day we walked into a posh antiques shop a breath away from Ile de la Cité and the lady there referred us to a friend of hers with an aristocratic name who sells vintage pieces. But then again I just wasn't feeling it, so we didn't pursue it.

... bearing a sapphire with deep mysterious blues that will never dull its shine!

The following day, as we were running some errands down the Boulevard de Magenta, I screeched to a halt outside an unassuming small boutique that looked like it had been stood there for decades but probably had seen better days way back. A quick casual browse through the shop-window and there it was: the ring that was to become mine!

I liked the fact the Marquise ring was white gold, and that its centre stone, a sapphire, was a moody blue: it was cloudy and had a lot of hues going on underneath the surface. Its ultramarine hues reminded me of the sky reflected in a choppy sea: a troubled, intriguing stone you can just lose yourself into! This has to be one of those sought-after, one-of-a-kind, Color-Change Sapphires.

Edwardian Antique Aquamarine Rose Diamond Ring, via Romanov Russia

The jeweller did not have much information on the ring, except that he played the old snake oil salesman trick of: "if it's not sold this week, I will have it sent out to a colleague in London for him to sell it for me." He was unable to provide a definite manufacture date, yet acquiesced when I ventured 1930s/ 1940s. I am no expert though and on closer inspection and with a little further research under my belt, I was enclined to believe the ring to be actually older, as in Edwardian (see above). But then I came across a Marquise Ring from c.1940 and it bears a close ressemblance to my own. Judge for yourself:

Marquise-Shaped Emerald Ring, c.1940, via Isadoras Antique Jewelry

If diamonds are a girl's best friends, sapphires have to her best assets! Find out more about sapphires: The Natural Sapphire Company teaches us about natural, unadulterated sapphires and The Knot tells us more about sapphire engagement rings.

Lady Di's Ceylon Sapphire and Diamond Engagement Cluster Ring by House of Garrard (pict source)

Sources: (1-2) Sapphire Marquise-Shaped Ring, c.1930s, mounted on a white gold band (brand new), and purchased from a small jeweller's on the Boulevard de Magenta, Paris, France. Photography by Mirabelle Design Inspiration. (3) Edwardian Antique Aquamarine Rose Diamond Ring, via Romanov Russia. (4) Marquise-Shaped Emerald Ring, c.1940, via Isadoras Antique Jewelry.
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This article was last updated on 07-Aug-2017.

Frills and Thrills

In her day job, New York Times fashion writer Charlotte di Carcaci ravishes her readers with fashion that goes beyond skindeep - with a researched historical bias. In her leisure, she ravishes her Instagram followers with a delightful riot of frills and thrills of the painted portraiture kind, captured in cropped detail.

'Portrait of Lady Hillingdon', oil on canvas by Sir Frank Dicksee (1905)

Plunging necklines sparkling with bevelled jewels, captivating bosoms hemmed in intricate lacey patterns, fine and delicate shoulders draped in shimmering brocade, virginal waists corseted in acreages of soft ribbon, puffed up sleeves made out of silk, powdered-up diaphanous skin and cascading curled-up locks as canvasses to seamstresses, gold-threaded embroidery turned to an art form, shimmering vaporous fabrics floating about like peony blossoms... And all artistically immortalised by talented painters.

Uncredited

'L'Innocence', by William-Adolphe Bouguereau (circa 1893)

All in all, this is a tale of aristocracy and fine living, old European money that watches its Ps and Qs... on canvas. It almost makes us yearn for the good old days until we remember the privileged lifestyle was essentially out of reach for those outside the tight circles. Unfortunately the portraits are left uncredited by the curator for the most part but we guess that Madame de Pompadour, Pauline Borghese and portraits by Jean-Honoré Fragonard might hide in some of them.

Uncredited (timewise the empire dress hints at early 1800s)

'Young Lady with a Small Dog', by Vittorio Matteo Corcos (circa 1895)

In any case, the carefully-curated catwalk is of a high calibre and depicts how fashion in those days was at least as extravagant and opulent as it can be today. It is also a playful, instructive, delicious and visual-pleasing way of (re-)acquainting oneself with museum treasures of bygone times, all in the noble name of art and fashion. An ode to elegance, to feminity, that is a delight for the eyes!

Uncredited

Uncredited

Sources: (1-8) Charlotte di Carcaci Instagram. If you are able to credit any of the above (uncredited) portraits, please do so in the comments, this would  be so appreciated! (9) 'The Souvenir' by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, via The Athenaeum.

'Queen Charlotte', oil on canvas by Thomas Gainsborough (circa 1781)

Mirabelle couldn't help it! Here are some suggestions - we'll leave it to Charlotte to crop the images:

'The Souvenir', oil on canvas by Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1776-1778)

'Ianthe', oil on canvas by John William Godward (1889)

'Portrait of Anna Pitt as Hebe', oil on canvas by Elisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun (1792)

'The Mischievous Puppy', oil on canvas by Emile Vernon (1915)

Mineral Marvels

From the midst of time, minerals have been sought after, carved, polished, scuplted, faceted, architectured and worked some more in order to adorn bodies as items of jewellery, and homes and wares as not only mere incrustations of nature into the human habitat, but as both receptacles and distributors of magical, godly powers they had been conferred by our mortal selves lauding deity and seeking divinity. And more prosaically, their precious or semi-precious state would assign them monetary value that in turn would translate into or reaffirm material status to the beholder, a worth guided by materialistic acquisition and ownership.

Yet no matter how many mysteries from the natural world we have conquered and defeated, we remain fascinated by the raw, rough and somewhat brutish beauty of gemology that surrenders to our coveting gaze and yearning desire for possession. Objects like minerals transcend their material assignation to dominate our minds and hearts and delight our senses to the point of deadly sin.

Meanwhile each mineral seems to unveil a microcosm of its own, supranatural, extraterrestrial, with transposed and imagined rockfaces and crevices, deep canyons pitted against shard-like peaks, shallow lochs lapping lush forests of coalescence, dormant lagoons encrusted into opaque robes of solidified lava, imprints of reflected skies into pools of calcified ores, underground seas unfolded, nebulae suspended in basalt, landscapes of the mind set in stone... Sought-after, visually-pleasing, stratified decorative pieces of geology that fuel the imagination like no other!

Azurite with Malachite

Calcite

Volborthite

Brochantite with Barite

Enargite with Pyrite

Calcite with Fluorite

Malachite

Actinolite

Source: All photography via Andy Seibel, Fine Collector Mineral Specimens. The minerals pictured are available to purchase directly from Andy Seibel.

(1) Ref: S17234 - Azurite with Malachite, Touissit, Oujda-Angad Province, Oriental Region, Morocco. Overall Size: 6 x 5cm. For Sale: USD$950. 'This unusual and distinctive specimen is packed with outstanding coverage. The morphology of this azurite is obviously rare, flat and nearly exposing every face, and the malachite is rather attractive. Here we also have the addition of calcite.'

(2) Ref: S17057 - Calcite, Campomorto Quarry, Viterbo Province, Latium, Italy. Overall Size: 17 x 14.5 cm. For Sale: USD$1800. 'A naturally sculptured specimen of calcite hemispheres adorn vuggy basalt, and make this large plate very presentable for display, considering the matrix and crystals have appeal. This piece is in mint condition.'

(3) Ref: S17062 - Volborthite, Gold Chain Mine, Mammoth, Tintic District, Juab Co., Utah, USA. Overall Size: 11.5 x 8.5 cm. For Sale:  USD$750. 'This is an outstanding specimen of the species volborthite, a yellow-green mineral containing copper and vanadium. This one is significant not only for size, but more importantly as an almost completely crystallized display face without damage.'

(4) Ref: S17082 - Brochantite with Barite, Blanchard Claim, Bingham, Socorro Co., New Mexico, USA. Overall Size: 5.6 x 3 cm. For Sale: USD$300. 'This specimen of brochantite is sporting acicular needle-like crystals in pristine condition without scuffed up areas. On top of that, this thing has crystals all over it!'

(5) Ref: S16940 - Enargite with Pyrite, Leonard Mine, Butte District, Silver Bow Co., Montana, USA. Overall Size: 3 x 2.5 cm. For Sale: USD$300. 'This very fine cluster of enargite and pyrite is an American classic. It is likely Earl Shaw obtained this specimen from Ed McDole since he use to supply them with Butte material. Si & Ann Frazier and Bill McBride also owned the piece.'

(6) Ref: S16657 - Calcite with Fluorite, Denton Mine, Harris Creek District, Hardin Co., Illinois, USA. Overall Size: 5.1 x 4.6 cm. For Sale: USD$1450. 'An absolute prize of freely and fully developed calcite sitting nicely on fluorite. The overall beauty is great and every face is in pristine and spotless condition. This specimen was illustrated in The Mineralogical Record’s Illinois issue, page 30. Ex. William Severance collection.'

(7) Ref: S16365 - Malachite, Ekaterinburg, Sverdlovskaya Oblast, Urals Region, Russia. Overall Size: 6 x 4.2 cm. For Sale: USD$250. 'An old-time botryoidal malachite specimen from the historic Ural Mountains in Russia. [...] This piece came from George Burnham of Burminco fame, with his label accompanying it.'

(8) Ref: S16396 - Actinolite, Minaret Mining District, Madera Co., California, USA. Overall Size: 5.7 x 4.8 cm. For Sale: USD$400. 'An outstanding and balanced cluster of 'uralite' crystals collected by Chris Lehmann in 2001 from the Minaret Mining District in California. This is technically actinolite pseudomorphing some type of amphibole mineral' [...].

Belle of the Ball and Lady of the Rings

Dainty to the fingertips of the soon-to-be-engaged-to-be-married Lady Mirabelle. The rings by British jewellery designer Alex Monroe are little dewy gems of faerical inspiration that are catchy, not out of brash and ostentation, but out of the exact opposite. The fact that they are slimline, discrete, whimsical, delicately feminine and original in design makes them stand out. So then, no sign of Liz Taylor-style XXL rocks here, and no exuberant price tags either!

Alex Monroe's designs feature precious and semi-precious stones set in 18 and 22ct yellow, rose or white gold, or platinum or sterling silver textured bands that are fashioned in such a way that they resemble twigs and other organic arts of nature. The rings are hand-crafted to spec in the artist's London atelier. They are statement pieces in their own right for all of life's occasions. This selection herein of eight affordable quality pieces of understated luxury, set in timeless aesthetic style, polished with character and individuality, resonate with Mirabelle's personality, as a match made in Heaven between form and function!

Source: Alex Monroe. Photographic compositions by Mirabelle. Clockwise from top left: (1) Enchanted Ring, (2) Half Eternity Papina Ring, (3) Wild Posy Twist Diamond Ring, and (4) Heritage Ring Seven.

Clockwise from top left: (5) Green Amethyst Forest Jewel Ring, (6) Teeny Tiny Pink Sapphire Ring, (7) Pale Green Sapphire Eyebright Ring, and (8) Morganite Hoya Ring.

The famed jeweller not only applies his talent to rings, but also to necklaces, bracelets, earrings, lockets, brooches and cufflinks. More from Alex Monroe.

Club Tropicana

Heat is on, design is hot, girls are hip, colours are cool, drinks are cold, sounds are neat, night is chic. Welcome to Club Tropicana!

Sources: (1) If you can't take the biscuit, you might as well have your cake and eat it! Saint-Honoré Vanille, a classic French choux and whipped cream gâteau revisited by Cédric Grolet, chef pâtissier (pastry chef) at 5-star hôtel Le Meurice, Paris. (2) Be spiky! Piña Ring, in solid gold-plated glass, by Australian jewellery designer Vera Xane, via Nasty Gal. (3) Bring you bongos or fake it with a pineapple! 'Pebble' print fabric in 'Pollen', by Skinny laMinx, designed and printed in South Africa. Photography by Heather Moore. (4) A sweet and spiked taste of the Tropics: Grapefruit, Guava and Rum Sorbet by The Artful Desperado. (5) Wallflowers will sit prettier on a Magical Thinking Industrial Chair, a feminine take on the Helix Chair, exclusive to Urban Outfitters. (6) See and be seen! Oversized Opaline Talc Cat-eyed Acetate Frame Sunglasses with metal lettering logo and gradient ivory camouflage lenses, by Prada. (7) Ladies, tower over the crowds in 3 ¾ inch heels! 'Whichway' Sandals by Stuart Weitzman, shown here in 'Camel Suede'. (8) Tough luck! Our Tickle just got partied out! (9) Light up the way to the party! Copper Lantern String Lights, via Urban Outfitters. (10) Prickly Pear Cactus, in bloom, northern Corsica. Photography by Mirabelle.

@baguettemagique Beautiful!!

— Le Meurice (@LeMeurice) July 27, 2015

The 1940s Paris Apartment

Picture the scene - Five years ago, one Solange Beaugiron, a 91-year-old French lady, passed away in the south of France, leaving in her estate a mysterious Paris apartment located in the 9th arrondissement, less than a mile away from Opéra Garnier. The apartment belonged to her grandmother, a one-time actress and high-class courtesan known as Marthe de Florian (1864-1939).

Marthe died in the apartment that she shared with her only son, Henri (1884-1966). In 1942, under the German occupation of Paris, Henri's daughter, Solange, relocated down south. Meanwhile Henri carried on leaving at the apartment until his death. Solange never returned to clear the property, instead limiting her involvement to paying the obligatory taxes and expenses.

Miraculously for all of those years that the Paris apartment had been put to a forced and restful slumber like Sleeping Beauty incarnate, it remained untouched. A thin veil of dust enshrined its contents, as if to preserve them from the harshness of the passing of time. When the De Florian estate officials carefully pushed open that front door, they were faced with the stuff of fairy tales that transcends any secret expectation: a treasure trove of time-defiant relics and antiques-worthy artefacts (the monumental vanity table to begin with!), not to mention piles of love letters, and a portrait of Marthe by Italian painter and personal admirer of hers, Giovanni Boldini (1842-1931) that would go on to fetch a record €2.1 million at auction!

The apartment got Mirabelle's mind into overdrive. I imagine that some of the artefacts I have included below might well have found themselves at home in such a place! Just think of those little classy - short of rococo - vintage pieces that Madame de Florian would have fancied surrounding herself with: -

Are there any artefacts which you would like me to add to Madame de Florian's apartment? Let's have a little fun and email me the links to mirabelle.inspiration@gmail.com and I shall upload the pictures to this very article.

Sources: (1-3) Madame de Florian's apartment, via Démotivateur. (3) Portrait of Madame de Florian by Giovanni Boldini. The painting was found in the apartment. (4) Antique French Pink-Lined Trinket Box (jewellery case) and (5) Victorian 14K Gold Amethyst and Seed Pearl Ring, both via Paris Hotel Boutique. (6) Pellucid Earrings by Sorrelli, and (7) Pont d'Arcades Clutch by Santi, both via BHLDN. (8) Signed Art Nouveau 14K Gold Enameled Pansy Flower Pin Pendant and Watch Holder, via Ebay.

@parishotel You are very welcome! Your boutique items are all so lovely indeed!

— Mirabelle ♥ (@MirabelleDesign) June 23, 2015

Coastalicious Resort Fashion

With the weather warming up our northern hemisphere, Mirabelle is feeling Coastalicious. This article is no invitation for retail therapy, other than sending your Winter wardrobe into hibernation and sprucing up those Summery items from last year out of the closets.

Off you go, enjoy the great outdoors: feel the light breeze caress your hair, catch a glimpse of sunshine (no matter how elusive it might be), observe nature coming into its own, and listen to the songbirds! Take pictures out of wild flowers or try identify them with the help of a botanics book, or a knowing friend. Venture down the roads less travelled, make it an adventure for you and your significant others. Improvise a picnic or buy a bag of potato chips from the pier and share it. Pick seashells discarded by sea tide onto the local beach, or just lay a plaid onto the garden lawn and make out a teatime celebration with your loved ones, share stories and anecdotes. Make sure to include nature into whatever you do, for nature is a provider of peace and harmony.

Sources: (1) Cave Swim, Point Lobos (State Reserve CA), photography by Kevin Russ, via Flickr. (2) The Organic Certified 100% Natural Sparkling Citrus Bloom Body Oil by Swedish cult brand Estelle & Thild will invigorate the senses with a burst of citrus base notes and hints of mint. (3) Inspire Organic Cream Eye Polish ('Inspire' is a shade of metallic baby blue with a hint of silver) by RMS Beauty. The RMS Beauty product range was created by Makeup Artist Rose-Marie Swift, and are not only organic but also gluten-free, GMO-free, soy-free, NANO-free and not tested on animals. In addition, the formulations are based upon raw, food grade and organic ingredients in their natural state, allowing their living, healing attributes to penetrate and rejuvenate the skin. (4) Pancratium illyricum, a fragrant bulbous perennial found on the sandy beaches of Northern Corsica, photography by Mirabelle, (01/09/2012). (5) Raw Sapphire Earrings, part of the 1909 fine jewelry collection by Erica Weiner, inspired by antiques, and handmade in NYC. Sapphire is a very interesting stone indeed: "The ancient Persians believed that the earth rested on a giant sapphire and its reflection colored the sky. For millennia, this blue stone's healing powers have been associated with the eyes: Egyptian physicians created an eye wash with sapphire, and Medieval texts refer to it as an elixir for the eyes (particularly when dissolved in milk). [...] Buddhists believed that sapphires had a calming effect on people, which facilitated their devotion to prayer and meditation." (source: Erica Weiner). (6) Thin Multifaceted Pale Sea Glass Eco-resin Stacking Rings with Metallic Gold Leaf Flakes, by RosellaResin, via Etsy. (7) Marinière Glénans Délavé (Nautical Striped T-Shirt), by Tricots Saint James, image capture from their Printemps-Eté 2015 Collection (SS2015) catalogue. Tricots Saint James are a highly-reputed French coastal leisurewear manufacturer, based in Normandy and established 1889. They started off as a specialist knitwear firm, catering for fishermen, which soon enough appealed to a wider range of sailors, yachtmen and seaside tourists worldwide. (8) Harp perforated leather espadrille wedge sandals, with laser-cut scallop trim and ankle strap, by Tabitha Simmons, via Net à Porter. More footwear from Tabitha Simmons website. (9) Cape York Pearl Shells by Coastal Vintage. (10) Rizzaneze (Southern Corsica), photography by Eric Volto, via 500px.

@baguettemagique @rmsbeauty @ericaweiner @Etsy Sparkling Citrus Bloom Body Oil is a great choice for summer! Thanks for including us.

— Estelle&Thild (@EstelleThild) June 24, 2015