This past  June, Ed and I attended The Robert Verdi Event, which was a Housing Works Charity cocktail party to promote the upcoming Robert Verdi reality show. Being a board member for the charity and the organizer for this event, I was in my usual state of tension-drenched euphoria, hoping that all would run smoothly. While standing there sipping my cocktail, I noticed this impeccability dressed breathtakingly beautiful blond woman walking in my direction.  Although her beauty was stunning,  it was the deliciously organic necklace she was wearing that caught my attention. It was comprised of wood beads inset with DIAMONDS!!!! I had never seen anything of the sort before. I was captivated by the entire package of the beautiful model and the sinfully decadent jewel around her neck. Being pulled in every direction, I was not able to formally meet the mysterious lady, but I was able to briefly compliment her taste in jewelry.

Fast forward to last night. Our dear friend Derek Warburton from the fabulous website ‘Derek Loves Shopping‘ invites us to a cocktail party being held in the studio of New York based jewelry designer Kara Ross. The soiree was held in honor of her new web site, and the guest list was made up primarily of bloggers from various fashion websites. Upon entering the studio, fashionably early as we always are, I was greeted by one of the many beautiful ladies who make up Ms. Ross’ staff. Attempting to cool off (the temperature outside was in the 90’s), I notice another lady entering from the back office who introduced herself as Kara Ross. As we were exchanging pleasantries, I notice behind her on a wall of her Resort jewelry collection the same necklace which I had seen months before at the Housing Works event! My heart started pounding because I realized that Kara Ross was the same breathtaking lady I had briefly met that evening wearing her own creation. The necklace on display was constructed in the same shape as the previous one, except that the materials were resin and rock crystal instead of the wood pebbles and diamond creation Ms. Ross had been wearing. Upon realizing our previous connection, she graciously showed Ed and I her Resort costume jewelry collection, Kara by Kara Ross, which was on display in her studio. It is a combination of modernistic pieces of brass with gold plating, semi-precious gems and python and stingray skins in vivid colors such as turquoise and coral,  bringing to mind a retro jewelry style that was popular in the 70’s and 80’s in Italy. Also part of the collection are vintage inspired snake cuff bracelets and necklaces that coil around a wrist or neck beautifully, a modern version of Whiting & Davis pieces from the 40’s and the 50’s.  Her collection ranges in price from the low $100’s to the $500 mark and is available at department stores such as Bloomingdales and online at KaraRossNY.com.

Along with the collection of jewels, Ms. Ross also has a line of luxury handbags in skins such as stingray, python and leather in subdued pastels and muted creams. Some were adorned with jeweled clasps, which add just the right touch for the endless cocktail parties in the waning summer months.

Of course I could not leave without purchasing a piece of jewelry. I was trying on various cuff bracelets in bright colors when Kara informed me that she had the same bracelets in a gun metal finish with black python and hematite. I was ecstatic when she presented it to me from the back stock and I knew that it had to be mine!

Although her Kara by Kara Ross jewelry collection is stunning, my head kept swimming from the memory of the fabulous wood necklace that I had seen, and so I asked her if  she had it in the studio. Alas it was not, BUT she did have other wooden couture pieces that she could show me. Upon inspecting a tray of wooden cuff bracelets, pendants and an amazing massive wooden chain link necklace, I was intoxicated by the feel of the perfectly polished wood and precious metal/jewel combination. It is something that has to be touched in order to be appreciated fully. Pure organic luxury is the only way to describe the pieces. If Eve ever wore any jewelry in the Garden of Eden, these baubles are what she would be rocking. No doubt!