Sandra‘s Closet

Last week, I went one day to the famous International Jewelry and Watch Show in Basel, Switzerland: BASELWORLD. In the morning, I was picked up by Tesla for my first ride ever in an electric super car and brought directly to the VIERI showroom, located in a beautiful location in St. Margrethen, Binningen, to explore their stunning new Haute Joaillerie collections.

I have become a huge fan of the jewelry brand lately that is looking back at over 70 years of experience in the jewelry industry. Launched in Pforzheim, Germany, the company moved its headquarters to Switzerland in 1999. Not long ago, I met Guya Merkle, granddaughter of VIERI founder Rudolf Merkle, through common friends. I was fascinated by her taste and vision. The charming 28-year-old took over the management of the company spontaneously in 2007, following her father’s sudden death. Since then, VIERI has produced all its collections in Valenza, a small municipality in northern Italy famed for its gold and jewelry.

Under the forward-looking leadership of Guya, VIERI Haute Joaillerie has been moving into a new era. »What is true luxury? Shouldn’t a luxury product have a positive effect on everyone who comes into contact with it?« Guya decided to give the company her personal stamp and to instil it with her own values. She travelled to Peru to get a true picture of working conditions in several gold mines – an experience that left a deep and lasting impression on her.

Afterwards, she founded earthbeat foundation, a foundation for responsible gold mining, and transformed VIERI into one of the first high-end jewelry companies to work exclusively with ethically sourced gold.

Please enjoy some more of VIERI’s impressive designs below:

Lily Collier Fireworks

VIERI – Lily Ring Fireworks

VIERI by Bibi van der Velden – The Pearls Light Earrings

VIERI by Bibi van der Velden – The Cobweb Bracelet

For further information, please visit the VIERI homepage.
More from my visit to the Baselworld 2014 coming up soon!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Vieri and © Sandra Bauknecht

This upcoming Saturday, London’s Victoria & Albert Museum‘s hotly-anticipated new fashion exhibition will officially open its doors. Dedicated to ‘The Glamour of Italian Fashion 1945-2014‘, it illustrates the history of Italian Fashion from the Second World War to the present day, and will be held until July 27th 2014. It features many looks from the archives of different Italian designers which pay tribute to the quality of the Made in Italy style.
Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7, +44 (0)20 7942 2000

To celebrate the opening, NET-A-PORTER and the The Victoria & Albert Museum present a 22-piece limited edition jewelry collection that will be available as an online exclusive with 10% of all sales being donated to the V&A. Below you can explore my favorite pieces.

LoL, Sandra

Gold-plated, resin and macramé lace clip earrings by Dolce & Gabbana + V&A

Swarovski crystal and resin necklace by Marni + V&A

Set of two gold-plated knuckle rings by Moschino + V&A

Gold-tone agate clip earrings by Etro + V&A

Set of three palladium-plated woven bracelets by Missoni + V&A

Photos: Courtesy of NET-A-PORTER and The Victoria and Albert Museum

The emblematic trunk continues its journey through the Louis Vuitton universe.
From the initial reality of a tangible utilitarian object, in another dimension a collection of modern, feminine watches and jewelry pieces, the new EMPRISE line will surely be loved by women around the globe.

The structural elements of the famous travel luggage are transported into the world of High Jewelry. Powerfully structured shapes, the choice of stones, some in vibrant colors have one thing in common: an infinitely Parisian attitude.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton © Charles Helleu

Just in time for the new year, have a look at Sal y Limon‘s sizzling hot Rose Gold Special Edition! Enchanting a woman’s arm with those feminine hues that flatter every skin tone, the new bracelets are available in five color sets – Grey, White Swirley, Crystal Blue, Powder Rose and Beige. Which one is your favorite?

LoL, Sandra

Grey

White Swirley

Crystal Blue (The set I am wearing in the first photo and in this post.)

Powder Rose

Beige

Photos: Courtesy of Sal y Limon and © Sandra Bauknecht

Together with Piaget, I hosted a very special evening called “Soirée de la Couture Précieuse” at the Swiss brand’s store on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich this month. I invited a small circle of friends that also enjoy the beauty of outstanding high jewelry creations.

Piaget‘s enchanting couture collection, first presented at the Biennale des Antiquitaires in 2012, was flown in from Paris on this special occasion. It was a true feast for all senses. While we were enjoying a gourmet dinner by Marco Pfleiderer at the large festive table in the middle of the shop, models presented the finest and most precious jewels, an ode to femininity and seduction. Later, we were able to explore the different facets by trying the pieces ourselves.

If you need a last minute inspiration for a Christmas gift, here you go. To find out more about the Couture Précieuse collection, I kindly invite you to read this previous post with all the details.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Pascal Pazanda

Are you wondering why I named this post Million Dollar Baby? Have a look at my neck… this amazing white gold and diamond choker necklace “EIFFEL MIDNIGHT” is worth CHF 1’190’000 and I had the great honour to wear it recently to a very exclusive event “La Soirée de la Couture Précieuse” hosted by Piaget and my humble self at their store in Zurich on Bahnhofstrasse (photos coming up soon). Believe me, it was hard to take it off…

My look: Houndstooth pencil dress by Alexander McQueen, pointed leather Mary-Jane pumps and Sac du Jour leather tote in emerald green, both by Saint Laurent, Limelight Gala watch, necklace and rose diamond ring, all by Piaget and Twenties stay-up by Wolford.
On my nails: Toasted Sugar by Tom Ford.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Pascal Pazanda and © Sandra Bauknecht

Inspired by the innovation and seductive glamour of 1940s haute jewelry, PRADA presents a collection of cuffs, bangles, bracelets and earrings with a contemporary point of view. Each piece is finely crafted using artisanal haute jewelry techniques and exquisite detailing but is made with unexpected materials in daring colours and forms. The collection brings together PRADA’s signature Saffiano textured leather in rich shades of orange, emerald green and turquoise with bold formations of geometric crystals, inspired by the art deco era and the natural world.

A hibiscus flower motif taken from the S/S 2014 men’s and women’s collections appears in Saffiano leather on bracelets and in crystal on drop earrings. Exotic crocodile skin appears in different colours: jade green and ruby red amongst the others. Luxurious plated gold or palladium finishes the pieces, each a unique interpretation of a new modern decadence.

I love those pieces!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Prada

This fall, I hosted a very special event at my place: The PIAGET Rose Garden Party. Being an ambassador for the brand, I was very excited to invite my friends to explore the PIAGET ROSE collection and the amazing COCKTAIL inspired statement rings during a beautiful late summer night. My garden was filled with lots of Yves Piaget roses that have the most exquisite scent one can imagine and we all enjoyed this night surrounded by precious jewelry pieces, good friends and delicious food. Enjoy some impressions below!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Eddymotion and © Sandra Bauknecht

Recently I was invited to explore PANDORA‘s new Essence Collection during an extremely yummy lunch at the Park Hyatt in Zurich.

The contemporary concept is featuring a slender sterling silver bracelet with an accompanying assortment of 24 sterling silver charms, hand-finished from precious metals and symbolic stones, each representing an inner value. It taps into current trends for personal and emotional connection, presenting different women that are each expressing their inner values such as joy, trust, passion, confidence, love, courage, faith and wisdom.

The new Pandora Essence Collection is in stores now around the world and a wonderful gift idea for a dear friend, a beloved sibling or your dear mother for Christmas. It is also the perfect way to express the essence of you, something meaningful around your wrist that reminds you every day of the values you care about.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Pandora and © Sandra Bauknecht

Last night, Sotheby’s achieved the highest jewelry sale in history with a total of $199,512,930 (CHF 183,054,500) in Geneva, Switzerland.

The highlight of the auction was an enormous diamond known as “The Pink Star”, which sold for $83,187,381 (CHF 76,325,00), far surpassing its expected price of $60 million. It is the highest price ever paid for a gemstone at an auction.

Representing an anonymous buyer, the vivid and flawless 59.60-carat vivid pink diamond was bought by the famous New York-based diamond cutter Isaac Wolf, who has renamed it after the sale “The Pink Dream”. It received the highest color and clarity grades from GIA for pink diamonds. Mined by De Beers in Africa in 1999, the 132.5 carat rough diamond was painstakingly cut and polished over a period of two years and transformed into this stunning gemstone. It was presented for the first time at auction last night.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Sotheby’s and The Associated Press