The Beading Gem

Picture Credit : Prokofiev

Gander Airport as the planes began to stack up on 9/11

That’s the point of the show: You overcome differences and you take care of one another in response to darkness.

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I went to see the new hit romantic comedy movie Crazy Rich Asians just a few days ago with no preconceptions of what it was all about. Ended up thoroughly enjoying this funny and engaging movie. While it had all the elements of a typical rom com, it is also a satire about the over-the-top conspicuous consumption of the super rich. Much has been said about how refreshing it was to see an all Asian cast - all of whom are from incredibly diverse backgrounds themselves  -  but you don't have to be Asian to recognize the universal longing for love and acceptance for who you are, and not where you're from or who your family is.

You don't have to be a Marvel Superhero movie fan to notice the roaring opening success of  Black Panther. This movie tells the tale of the new king of Wakanda, a secretive but highly technological African nation harboring a metal which imparts superhuman capabilities. He has to face a vengeful challenger and naturally, save the world in the process.  Lots of action all round (see trailer ) but what really caught my eye were the amazing costume and jewelry designs. I can't wait to see the movie soon.

The 2016 Disney movie, Moana, was a delightful hit with beautiful animation, outstanding music by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton musical fame) and vocal talent.  The strong young female lead has captured the attention of many girls.  One asked for the Heart of Te Fiti necklace so her mother, Melanie, of A Peace of Creativity on Etsy, made her one!  The Heart of Te Fiti, according to the story is "an ancient gem belong to the living Mother Island."

Star Trek Ring

Paul Michael Bierker is the goldsmith, designer and technologist behind Geek Jewelry.  His small jewelry company, Paul Michael Design, is located in Pittsburgh, PA.  His amazing designs reflect not just his affinity with pop culture but his commitment to the technological advancements available to jewelry designers today.

The popular HBO Game of Thrones series is not just about powerful story telling but the set, props and costume designs are all incredibly good.  The artistic work for the series has inspired many artisans. One of the finest of the fan art work - the Dragon's egg and the Direwolf emblem of the Starks  - is by Rextorn Metalwork

I think I can safely say Michele Carragher's Amazing Bead Embroidery from the Game of Thrones TV Series blew our minds!  Well, almost all of us are certainly nowhere near her caliber but we can content ourselves with other DIY Game of Thrones fan material! 

Julian Fellowes' (Downton Abbey) recently released film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet is the celebrated scriptwriter's attempt to make Shakespeare's play palatable for modern audiences. He said, "Every generation is interested in love. But there is something about young love that is heartbreaking, and I think every teenager in the world would agree. All of that is very powerful. The point about teenage love is it’s before cynicism comes in to reshape one’s attitudes. You love when you’re young in a way that you’ll probably never love again."

Douglas Booth and Hailee Steinfeld as the star-crossed lovers

The Game of Thrones is the highly acclaimed HBO TV adaptation of George R.R. Martin's fantasy book series, A Song of Ice and Fire.  It is a rich tapestry in every sense of the word.  Many compelling and sometimes morally ambiguous characters, engaging multiple plot lines, great acting and strong designs and backgrounds have all made it wildly popular.  The use of nudity and violence drew some criticism and no doubt also contributed to its appeal.

Jewelry lovers are in for a visual treat if they were to go and see the latest movie version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's, The Great Gatsby.  The tale of decadence, betrayal and murder is set in the 1920's.  From a jewelry design perspective, the movie beautifully evokes jazz age glamor with the stunning art deco pieces.

Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan

Are you a Downton Abbey fan like me?  I enjoy period dramas and this one is excellent. The writer, Julian Fellowes, did a super job bringing history to life. His drama series outlines the changes the First World War and its aftermath brought to British class structures.  He certainly cooked up some delicious humor and added a generous helping of soap opera which made this series a runaway success.

I don't usually care much for the testosterone laden James Bond movie franchise.  But I will be making an exception for the upcoming movie, Skyfall, for several reasons.  Daniel Craig arguably the best Bond yet, Judi Dench, Adele's rendition of the theme song and one superb costume design in particular.

Planning to see the latest movie Snow White and the Huntsman?  The special effects, the medieval style and a cool retelling of the fairy tale all combine to make it a spectacular feast for the eyes.


Colleen Atwood, the renowned costume designer picked Cathy Waterman  to create the special pieces for the movie worn by  the evil Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) ,Snow White (Kristen Stewart), her mother (Liberty Ross) and other characters.

My feature on Hunger Games Inspired Jewelry was a popular one. No wonder as the movie has proven to be a popular one ever since it opened.


Do you know a fan of the Hunger Games movie?  Or are you one yourself?  Either way, here is a really easy Hunger Games necklace tutorial by The Wandering Reader.

Some of you may have been dismayed with the huge amount of jewelry listings (more than 2.5 million on January 6) on Etsy I wrote about in A Day of Jewelry Selling on Etsy. But you needn't be. There is a way to get into a smaller niche with much less competition. Just tap into your other passions.

On a chilly April 15 back in 1912, the great White Stars ocean liner, Titanic sank on her maiden voyage. The ship labelled as "unsinkable" had tempted fate. 1518 people perished.


The enduring fascination with this tragedy will peak once more with many planned events as the 100th anniversary approaches.

There are even Titanic memorial cruises!  One $60,000  2-week cruise also includes an 8-10 hour dive in a submarine! Only for those with very deep pockets and who don't suffer from claustrophobia!

On April 11,  Guernsey's Auctioneers will be selling off more than 5000 Titanic artifacts as a single collection. One of the items is this bracelet below.  This very personal of belongings is a poignant reminder of this devastating event.


This auction is controversial as is the company which is selling the artifacts.  The artifacts were collected via submarine from what is essentially an underwater grave site - something some people prefer it remain undisturbed.  Having said that, artifacts are often salvaged from other wrecks which also involved the loss of human life, so the Titanic is no different except in the scale of the disaster.

There are conditions to this sale. The collection cannot be broken up and must be available for research, education and public display. So it will most likely go to a museum. 

April will also see the re-release of James Cameron's 1997 Titanic movie in 3D format.

Perhaps it's been a while since you watched the movie. But do you remember that beautiful blue diamond necklace worn by the fictional heroine,  Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet)?  Check out the movie trailer which shows several scenes featuring this necklace.

Heart of the Ocean by Ben Sutherland via Flickr

The Heart of the Ocean necklace was created specifically for the movie. The London based Asprey and Garrard designed it using a blue cubic zirconia set in white gold.

There really was a blue gemstone necklace on board the Titanic but it was a square cut blue sapphire. It belonged to Kate Florence Phillips. It was a gift from her married lover, Samuel Morley. Both were fleeing to America to begin a new life. This love story is believed to have inspired the movie.

Morley did not survive the sinking.  Placed in a lifeboat, Kate made it with just a nightgown, the necklace, keys and a purse. She bore his child, conceived on the crossing.  Likely due to the shame of being an unwed mother and a husband-stealing one at that, Kate neglected and abused their love-child. She eventually died in an asylum.

Their daughter, Ellen Walker,  lived until she was in her 90's.  After Ellen's death,  her ashes were scattered near the area where her father was lost. Ellen Walker had tried for years but failed to get her father's name put into her birth certificate. For some reason, she sold that necklace years before her death. More of Ellen's story is here.
 
Much of the jewelry that went down with the Titanic were small items.  However, Lady Duff Gordon (played by Rosalind Ayres in the movie), a noted London fashion designer, had a $50,000 strand of pearls on loan from her jewelers in Venice. It  was placed in the purser's safe which went down with the ship.

Madam Lucile, Lady Duff Gordon via Wikipedia

Also lost were her emerald and pearl cross earrings shown in her picture below. These were Duff Gordon family heirlooms, a wedding gift from her husband.

Madam Lucile, Lady Duff Gordon The Sphere (London, 27 April 1912),  p. 72

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (north-east of New York) where I live, is significant in the story of the Titanic.

Route and location of the Titanic via Wikipedia

Even though Halifax was the nearest major seaport with rail connections, the survivors were taken directly to New York because the captain of the rescue ship, Carpathia, had to turn southwards to avoid the icebergs.

The grim tasks of body recovery and burial were left to Canadian cable ships and the city of Halifax.  150 bodies were buried in various city cemeteries including that of Irishman Joseph Dawson who was a coal trimmer in the ship's boiler room.

Although James Cameron denied Dawson was the inspiration behind the movie hero, Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio), busloads of young female fans nevertheless wore down the path to his gravestone which is simply marked, "J. Dawson". They left flowers, movie ticket stubs and so on there in the aftermath of the blockbuster movie.

One of several permanent collections of Titanic exhibits is located here at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Many of the artifacts were donated or loaned by the descendents of mariners who not only helped recover the bodies but salvaged floating debris as mementos in an old maritime tradition called "wreckwood".

A particularly poignant and moving exhibit at this museum is this pair of toddler's shoes from the body of an unidentified little boy.  Unlike other personal belongings on the recovered bodies, no relative claimed them. They should have been burned along with other unclaimed items in order to deter souvenir hunters. But the police officer in charge was so overcome, he couldn't bring himself to burn the tiny brown leather shoes, so he kept them. Many years later, his grandson donated them to the Maritime Museum.

Titanic Lounge (Picture Source)

Halifax will inundated with visitors this year due to the anniversary. One interesting event is a historic dinner theater production called Titanic :The Fated Voyage .  The tasteful production aims to set the right historic mood for the audience with the first class lounge setting, period songs and music and an authentic menu - the same that was served to the actual passengers on that fateful night. The cast of 8 will play real and fictional characters in the 3-act show.

References

• 882 1/2 Amazing Answers to Your Questions About the Titanic (book)
• Titanic in Nova Scotia 
• Nova Scotia Archives - RMS Titanic Resource Guide
• Titanic Auction Not Popular at Maritime Museum

Before You Go :

• H. Stern's Amazing Alice in Wonderland Rings
• James Cameron's Avatar Movie Inspired Jewelry
• The Jewelry of an Epic Bollywood Movie

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