Fall is generally a time when people start reaching for sweaters and scarves; where summer brights are put away in favor of fall’s more muted tones.

Well, not this year.

The hot color for fall is purple. One of the benefits of purple is that it really livens up an ensemble in fall’s muted earth tones. Is it possible to be understated and still make a statement? Apparently.

Here are a few of the pieces that I’m loving for fall in fall’s new signature color.

1. Earrings: Give Me a Hint

Anthropologie Bouli Earrings, $28 at anthropologie.com.

Anthropologie dips a toe into the waters of this color trend by taking a classic pair of dangly earrings and adding a hint of purple with ribbon. The results are subtle and classy — a way to wear the trend without trying too hard.

2. Ring: Drop It Like It’s Mod

Target Sterling Silver Chess-Cut Amethyst/Cubic Zirconia Twist Band Ring, $31 at target.com.

Make a modern statement with a new twist on the classic cocktail ring. The twisted band and chess-cut stone make this ring a great conversation starter. The topic of conversation? “Where did you get your fabulous sense of style?”

3. Bracelet: Grapes of Wrath

Bebe 3-Piece Stretch Fireball Bracelet, $44 on bebe.com.

Fall is a time of harvest, and the beads on this luscious bracelet are reminiscent of freshly plucked wine grapes, ready for pressing. How apropos!

4. Necklace: Made in the Shade

Banana Republic Ombre Three-Strand Necklace, $29.99 at bananarepublic.com.

This necklace graduates from shades of calm lavendar to a violent violet. Show your passion this fall with a necklace that can match your own intensity.

Those are just a few suggestions to get you started. But I’m sure that all you Woobies out there will find ways to take the hot color for fall and make it your own!

Passionately,
Olivia

At the Pasadena Bead and Design Show, I had the pleasure of meeting Rita Chung of Asian2Woman.

Rita wearing a rose quartz necklace by Asian2Woman.

Rita is SUCH a personality — so vibrant and full of life! And her style is just as unique as she is. The day I met her, Rita was wearing a bracelet made of mahjongg tiles… with, um, naughty pictures on the backs. That piece totally represents Rita: beautiful and classy, but secretly irreverent, and with a wicked sense of humor.

Jade Pendants from Asian2Woman.

Rita has been all over China, finding the very best materials to create her wonderful designs — Asian flair with a modern twist. The rich color of these jade pendants is like nothing else!

It was such a pleasure meeting Rita. Her designs are fresh and simple without being boring, and full of life — just like Rita!

Vivaciously,
Olivia

Novica is a website affiliated with National Geographic. It sells the work of designers from around the world who would otherwise wither away in oblivion, far from the world’s eye. But Novica gives silversmiths and craftsmen like Buana from Bali the opportunity to show their work to a world hungry for new talent.

Buana, a Balinese silversmith.

Buana has been working with silver for almost twenty years now. He lives in a region of Bali called the Gianyar Regency. Thanks to Novica, he is able to sell his jewelry to a much wider audience than he has in his native Bali.

Buana for Novica “Face of the Moon” Ring, $49.95 at novica.com.

Look at the intricate detail on Buana’s hand-carved cow bone ring. This piece is exquisite! And there are hundreds more artisans and designers worldwide that are featured on Novica. Only National Geographic could find work this unique and bring it to the world stage!

If you’re looking for a special gift for a savvy traveler, I highly recommend that you “wookit” this site.

Globally,
Olivia

I don’t really own any fine jewelry. I don’t have an engagement ring, all of my pearls are faux, and I decided that it would be irresponsible of me to spend my life savings on one diamond necklace.

But for those of you who do, here is something to consider if you want to protect your investment: jewelry insurance.

Sometimes, a cleverly disguised hiding place isn’t enough to protect your valuables.

Many people depend on their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance to protect their fine jewelry. What they don’t know is that many policies only cover jewelry theft. So if your house burns down and your engagement ring gets lost or damaged in the debris, you’re out of luck.

You’re also out of luck if your jewels aren’t stolen from your home. If they’re stolen from a hotel, for example, they wouldn’t be covered by your homeowner’s insurance.

If the thought of losing your engagement ring keeps you up at night, you may want to consider purchasing a separate insurance policy specifically for your fine jewelry.

The value of your jewels, the amount of coverage you want, and whether or not you are willing to pay a deductible in case of a claim are all issues that you want to consider when looking at policies. If you can’t afford to pay much (or aren’t willing to), then you may be better off sticking with the theft coverage in your homeowner’s policy. But make sure it’s a risk you’re willing to take before you settle on it.

Jeweler’s Mutual is a fairly reputable company that offers a wide range of policies. And if any of you Woobies out there have insurance and can recommend other companies, we’d love to hear about them!

Not everybody needs to take this step, but you know what they say: better safe than sorry. And we definitely think you should play it safe when it comes to your jewels!

Cautiously,
Olivia

We recently posted an article about the difference between palladium and platinum. As we head into the weekend, we here at WooMeOver want to know:

Robbins Bros. Vivant Palladium Engagement Ring, $595 (without center stone) at robbinsbros.com.

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All that talk about cubic zirconia got me thinking that CZ gets a bad rap.

Sure, you want the real thing when it comes to your symbol of your future husband’s eternal love for you. But what about using it for, say, more temporal pieces?

Well, I don’t care what other people might say about it. I’ve decided to fall in love with cubic zirconia in fashion jewelry.

Eliot Danori Cubic Zirconia & Crystal Pendant, $40 at macys.com

I mean, take a look at this pendant. I love statement jewelry. I love the size of this piece. I love the bling factor. I love that I could wear this piece with a cute cocktail dress or a black tank top and jeans.

And just to ice the proverbial cake, this piece is deliciously affordable! A diamond this size would bankrupt me. This CZ piece leaves me plenty of room in my budget for matching earrings and a bracelet!

Cubic zirconia may have a reputation for being fake, but I think its fashion value is definitely for real.

Keepin’ It Real,
Olivia

At the Pasadena Bead and Design Show, I had the pleasure of meeting Mariella of Mariela Designer Jewelry.

Mariella with some necklaces from her latest line.

Mariella draws inspiration from design motifs from her native Peru. The ancient Incans worshipped the sun as a god, and Mariella has designed a one-of-a-kind necklace with a sun pendant that you will want to worship!

She’s also been working on a technique to combine all-natural bullhorn with sterling silver to create some clean and modern rings and bracelets.

Some horn jewelry designed by Mariella

She loves working with natural materials; she sees so much beauty in nature. It’s easy to understand her love for nature once you meet her and see her own natural beauty.

She loves using traditional techniques to create her jewelry, and is totally committed to creating eco-friendly pieces by eco-friendly means.

She’s also working on a top-secret new technique with a top-secret new material. I would tell you what it is, but… it’s top-secret! If you want to know what it is, you’re going to have to wait until Mariella launches her new line!

Due to copyrighting concerns, Mariella does not have a website, but she’d be happy to send you a catalog if you want to see more of her work.

It was such a pleasure meeting Mariella and seeing her sleek, modern pieces! This all-natural girl has an all-natural sense of style that we at WooMeOver just love!

Naturally,
Olivia

I had the pleasure of attending the Pasadena Bead and Design Show last Friday, and it was well worth the hour-long commute to the Pasadena Hilton!

The Pasadena Bead and Design Show

I had a great time at my first industry show. It was an excellent opportunity to meet hot new designers in the area (look for interviews and profiles in the days to come). I also learned a ton about the latest in current trends and innovative techniques.

Those of you aspiring designers out there should keep an eye out for our top ten secrets to marketing your jewelry, compliments of Angela Lovesmith of Lovestone Beads.

The Pasadena Bead and Design Show did a great job of bringing together a diverse group of exhibitors — designers and suppliers in all kinds of genres and styles, and from different walks of life — and joining them all into one unified show that actively demonstrates that, while we may all have different styles, a common love for jewelry is the only bond we need.

Connected,
Olivia

Tomorrow, I’ll be attending the Pasadena Bead & Design Show with a colleague.

Graphic by Pasadena Bead and Design Show.

I’m pretty excited about attending my very first industry show! Don’t know what I’ll see there, but I’m looking forward to seeing as much as possible!

From the show’s website:

“Pasadena Bead and Design Show is managed by Garan-Beadagio on behalf of Anna Kathleen Johnson. Having been in the artisanal trades for many years, Anna wanted to produce a show that mirrored the relationship of nature and art, the way they are lovingly interlaced in colors, textures, and patterns, at the deepest levels of the mind, and discovered through the expression of traditional handwork. She believes that art is the embodiment of dream, and that in a mystical sense, ownership is more like custodianship, passed on from generation to generation, and that it is essential that we discover the tradition continuously.”

If you’re in the Pasadena area, I encourage you to come and check it out! Maybe we’ll even get to meet!

Showing Off,
Olivia

Palladium. It’s a word I’ve been seeing a lot on the internet lately, especially in ads.

After a friend asked me what it was, I decided that I needed to look into it, for the good of Woobies everywhere.

Palladium.

Palladium is a “platinum group metal” (”PRG”), a group of metals that have chemical properties similar to platinum. Palladium has an atomic weight of 46, and is actually 12% harder than platinum. At different times in history, platinum has actually been more plentiful than palladium, driving up the price of this precious metal.

However, due to recent innovations in palladium production, palladium is about a quarter of the price of platinum right now!

People tend to look at the price of palladium and assume that it is of a lesser quality than platinum. However, the only significant downside to palladium vs. platinum is that palladium tends to discolor at high soldering heats, become brittle with repeated heating and cooling, and also reacts to strong acids. But unless you plan to wear your palladium ring in a fire or handle some sulfuric acid without gloves, you’re okay — and, even then, you’re going to have bigger problems than your ring getting ruined.

Palladium is about the same price as white gold, but has the added advantage of being hypoallergenic. Also, it’s far more resistant to tarnishing and fading than white gold. In fact, white gold is often an alloy of gold and palladium, which gives it its white luster.

The Robbins Brothers website has a great comparison chart that you can look at to see exactly how palladium stacks up against more popular metals.

Photo credit robbinsbros.com

I also found some beautiful palladium engagement rings on their website.

Vivant Palladium Engagement Ring with Round Diamonds, $595 (without center stone) at robbinsbros.com.

At a fraction of the cost of a similar ring in platinum (all the platinum designs I saw that even came close cost at least $2,000), think of how much money your fiancé will have leftover to spend on the diamond! Let’s face it: the only reason for the band is to house the diamond!

And now is a great time to buy palladium, too. There’s been a huge advertising push for palladium and, as it grows in popularity, the demand is bound to rise, which means that the cost will rise right along with it (hey, I took high school economics). So get in on the ground floor with this new trend in precious metals!

Preciously,
Olivia