LUBERON - Vintage French Rhinestone Clip Necklace

An other find at an antique market in Provence, this 1950's rhinestone and silver tone clip with 2 strands of faceted shiny anthracite grey pyrite beads.

Circle & Square Blog Post: Elisabeth Michel-Meyrueix Jewelry

Peep This Indie Designer’s Studio

Elisabeth Michel, the creative mind behind EM-Meyrueix is an independent designer with a spark of inspiration in her soul. We caught up with Elisabeth to find out more about her unique studio.

CS: What is currently keeping you inspired?

EM: I work with a lot of antique and vintage pieces. It’s basically this: I go to France every year and find plenty of European pieces for my work. It’s just looking at what I have bought – that is going to inspire me to design, because I create around the centerpiece.

CS: Describe your style.

EM: ”Vintage, revisited.” For me, it’s jewelry. I tend to wear some of the ethnic pieces I work with, especially tuareg jewelry.

CS: Why do you love being an independent designer?

EM: Because it gives me the freedom to create!

CS: Tell us about your project style. How do you go from start to finish with a piece after antique shopping in Europe?

EM: I never know what I am going to work on. I get to my work bench and it just comes to me. I choose a piece, and everything flows together. It just comes to me, when it’s ready in my head.

CS: What is your favorite thing about Circle & Square?

EM: The fact that you leave a chance for independent designers to really be seen.

Inside her studio: Take a look at Elisabeth’s work bench. Creativity abounds! This is where the magic happens.

Shop her unique collection here. The beautifully selected antique centerpieces add history and charm to these fun pieces. Here are some of our current favorites:

Clockwise from top left: French Glass and Pearl Necklace // Nolan Miller Brooch Necklace // Faceted Glass Earrings // Antique French Limoges Brooch Necklace // Vintage Dome Brooch Necklace

Challenge yourself this March to take a fashionable step forward, combining vintage flair, fun baubles and your personal style. Take a deep breath, open your closet door and see what comes to you. Just like Elisabeth, the idea may strike you in that moment.

Swoboda Brooch Necklace

The centerpiece of this necklace is a vintage citrine and tourmaline starburst brooch signed Swoboda, the necklace has simple cut and puffed oval citrine beads, Swarovski crystal and vermeil. The brooch and the necklace can be worn each separately or together.
Swoboda jewelry was founded in 1956 by Edward Swoboda, who worked out of Los Angeles. He retired from the company in 1979 and his partner Nate Waxman ran it until it closed in 1985. Swoboda is known for its costume jewelry made with real semi-precious stones.
Before 1966 they used only hand tags, so this particular piece is post 1966, with a signature in the cast.
It is currently on sale at Circle & Square boutique in San Francisco.

Happy New Year

This necklace is so fun! I was very lucky to find on an antique market in France this gorgeous collectible Lea Stein pink pearlized parrot brooch from the 60's and I had for a very long time a necklace with graduated translucent pink beads from Marvella also vintage 60's. 

Stein, a French trained artist who was born in Paris in 1931, began making her whimsical pieces of jewelry in 1969, when her husband, Fernand Steinberger, came up with a process of laminating layers of rhodoid (cellulose acetate sheets) with interesting textures and colors. The layers were baked overnight with a secret component of his creation and then cut into shapes for various designs of pins, bracelets, earrings and shaped decorative objects.

These vintage pieces of jewelry were made from 1969 until 1981 and are identified by a v-shaped pin-back which is heat mounted to the back of each piece.




Marvella is the trademark initially used by Weinrich Bros. Co. founded about 1911 in Philadelphia. The Post WWII Marvella jewelry consists primarily of simulated pearls, and plain and faceted bead jewelry. In the mid 1950s, the earrings sold for $10.00, single strand necklaces for about $15.00 and multi-strand necklaces for $20 to $30. Marvella also offered simulated pearl jewelry set with quality goldtone findings and settings.
Marvella was purchased by Trifari in 1982. 

Happy Holidays!

 One of my last creations, perfect for dressing up for a Holidays party. Vintage filigree silver and crystal brooch with 3 strands of faceted high quality iolite. You can also wear the necklace without the brooch.

"Holidays in Paris" 4 French Artists at Giorgi Gallery

I'll be one of the participating artists at the exhibition "Holidays in Paris" at Giorgi Gallery , 2911 Claremont Avenue Berkeley, Ca.

       

 “Holidays in Paris”

Four French-American artists will present their most recent work at Giorgi Gallery. The show “Holidays in Paris” will be on display December 8th to 31st. Opening reception is on December 10 from 5 to 9 pm. The gallery visitors will then have the opportunity to meet the artists, enjoy some live music while sipping some wine: A great evening in perspective.

Fabienne Bismuth, Sculpture; Joe Boissy, Paintings; Elisabeth Michel-Meyrueix, Jewelry & Valerie Sobel, Mixed Media & Wearable Art.

French singer, Catherine Vincenti will perform with French opera arias and songs from well-known French singers like Edith Piaf or Yves Montand.

“Holidays in Paris”: a beautiful night, a night of beauty. Come enjoy this special event with us.

French Out of the Box Private Sale Nov. 18 & 19