by Danielle Miele
Something about a killer bracelet stack that just screams summertime to me! I couldn’t wait to get a package of Vahan Jewelry’s bangles and bracelets to play with, and they arrived at my doorstep just in time as the weather here in Nashville has been nothing but sunshine. It inspired me to take these jewels poolside for a fun photo shoot that would put these designs in their rightful element. By the way, no jewels were harmed in the making of this and yes, I do understand chlorine and gold jewelry do not mix, but this was a saltwater pool and I never put the jewelry in the water! 😉
Vahan Jewelry was founded in 1968 by Leon “Sacha” Der Calousdian who can trace his family roots back to the jewelry business as early as the 1800s. He is the third generation in his family to enter into the tradition of fashion and jewelry design. Sacha was born in France and lived in Paris until the age of 19 when he came to New York, following his graduation from the prestigious Chambre Syndicale de la Bijouterie in the early 60’s, to pursue his dream of designing exquisite jewelry of the highest standards. He designed for David Webb where he honed his specialty for creating animal-inspired jewelry for a special clientele. Once he began his own company, he continued with his love for designing animal jewelry, however over time, he stuck with one animal that stood out more than any other to him—the jaguar. It has since seen several renditions throughout the years. Vahan Jewelry is most frequently recognized for its trademark Moiré Beaded stacking bracelets. First designed by Leon in 1994 and 1995, these bracelets quickly became the brand’s most widely demanded look. For me, I recognize Vahan Jewelry from their beautifully done ad campaigns that run in my favorite magazines and can be seen on billboards across the United States!
I learned quickly that with Vahan Jewelry, the more you stack, the better the look can be! I had seven bracelets I was able to style—all done in 14k yellow gold with diamonds. I added each one to my wrist, one at a time, and with each addition, the look got closer to perfection! The weight of all the bracelets when worn all together actually has an indescribably comfortable feeling. I also wore two pairs of leverback earrings from their collection—a diamond encrusted “bug” and a square onyx surrounded by a halo of diamonds. I styled the leverbacks worn together. Also got to try some of Vahan’s ring styles—two matching pairs of diamond bands. The wide bands have almost “wave” looking designs done in diamonds, which also seemed very summer-fitting to me. The plain diamond bands are cool because their signature “bead” look is incorporated into the channels of the band as well—so it is not just a plain band!
Jewelry Details:
- 14k white gold pair of diamond matching bands 0.19 ctw diamonds, item #12536GD
- 14k yellow gold “wave” wide band 0.35 ctw diamonds, item #12545GD
- 14k yellow gold “wave” wider band 0.45 ctw diamonds, item #12644GD
- 14k yellow gold diamond “bug” leverback earrings 0.28 ctw diamonds, item #42702D
- 14k yellow gold onyx square leverback earrings 0.12 ctw diamonds, item #42855GDBO
Bracelets worn from top to bottom:
- 14k yellow gold 3mm single bar of diamonds with beading along the edge 0.10 ctw, item #22547GD03
- 14k yellow gold 4mm single bar of diamonds with polished channel 0.13 ctw, item #22540SMGD04
- 14k yellow gold 3mm smooth band bangle with detail 0.05 ctw, item #22538GSMD03
- 14k yellow gold 8mm panther bracelet with 1.76 ctw diamonds and blue sapphire eyes, item #22609GDBSA08
- 14k yellow gold 4mm twisted rope bracelet with diamonds 0.18 ctw, item #22235GD04
- 14k yellow gold 6mm bracelet with double row of diamonds 0.26 ctw, item #22210GD
- 14k yellow gold 4mm open bangle with diamond ends 0.15 ctw, item #22355GD04
