Mountz Jewelers - The LX Magazine Fall/Winter 2013

Featuring

Mountz Jewelers’ BREATHTAKING JEWELRY FOR THOSE CHERISHED MOMENTS

from the publisher

Welcome.

Trends come and go, but classics endure.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word “classic” as something serving as a standard of excellence, historically memorable, the best of its kind. And, that is precisely what you will find in this issue of Mountz Jewelers - The LX Magazine.

In the world of popular culture, the name Audrey Hepburn is capable of standing alone, without superlatives to accompany it. An icon of style, beauty and grace, Ms. Hepburn remains one of the most beloved figures in all of cinema. Photographer Berry Behrendt has gloriously captured the essence of this extraordinary woman for our Behind the Lens feature.

Behrendt’s love of Hepburn is beautifully reflected in the imagery he created.

Speaking of imagery, in the world of fine automobiles, one name conjures images of distinctively sleek silhouettes into our imaginations.

Who among us does not envision the classic lines of the 911 sports cars whenever the name Porsche arises? It’s hard to believe, but that iconic automobile was introduced 50 years ago—in September of 1963. You’ll find the story of that glorious coupé here as well.

In the world of architecture, the name Frank Lloyd Wright holds considerable esteem. Quite possibly the most famous architect the world has ever known, Mr. Wright’s personal photographer had never taken on a professional assignment before being engaged to document the work of the legendary artist. Remarkably, the rest of Mr. Guerrero’s life story is even more amazing. You’ll get to know him a bit in this issue.

And that’s just the beginning. We hope you enjoy this issue of Mountz Jewelers - The LX Magazine.

Warm wishes to you and yours, Ron Leitzel and Tonia Leitzel Ulsh mountzjewelers.com

Features

inside

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Community 10 Mountz in the Community Jewelry 36 Gift Guide 64 The Tacori Story Photography

19 Behind the Lens of

Berry Behrendt: A Tribute to Audrey Hepburn

54 Documenting Genius: Pedro

E. Guerrero

Lifestyle

28 50th Anniversary of the Porsche 911

Mountz in the Community

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Mountz Jewelers Gift Guide

43 New York Serenade Piano Fashion 12 Pantone Fashion Color Report 39 Shoe Trends Travel 46 Best New Luxury Hotels Holiday 32 Signature Holiday Recipes

Behind the Lens of Berry Behrendt: A Tribute to Audrey Hepburn

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28 50th Anniversary of the Porsche 911 7

cover on on thethe cover

Publisher RON LEITZEL & TONIA LEITZEL ULSH Editor JON ROBERTS Senior Designer ANGIE HALTER Project Coordinators NICOLE HIGGINS ASHLEY ANDERSON COURTNEY DRENTH

Featured on the cover is the work of international fashion, beauty and portrait photographer, Berry Behrendt. Behrendt has gloriously captured the essence of Audrey Hepburn for our exclusive Behind the Lens feature on pages 19-27.

LX: a coffeetable magazine Mountz Jewelers - LX® Magazine is published by LX Publications, LLC, 524 North Main Avenue, Suite 110, Sioux Falls, SD 57104. LX® accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. LX® reserves the right to edit, rewrite, refuse or reuse material, is not responsible for errors or omissions and may feature the same content on lxmagazines.com, as well as other mediums for any and all purposes.

Copyright © 2013 LX Publications LLC. All rights reserved. The entire contents of LX® are protected by copyright© and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of LX Publications, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part or storage in any data retrieval system or any transmission by any means therefrom without prior written permission is prohibited. LX® and LX® Magazine are trademarks™ of LX Publications, LLC.

M O R E N A BACCARIN FOR H EARTS ON FIRE

in the Community

At Mountz Jewelers, we are committed to supporting the community that so graciously supports us. For this reason, we continually strive to share our passions, expertise and time in order to enrich the Central Pennsylvania community and we have a lot of fun doing it. This past year, we’ve enjoyed watching you dig for diamonds, we’ve walked with you to benefit a local non-profit and we’ve shared Thanksgiving turkeys – all to be part of our thriving, caring and prosperous community. We do these things because we know, were it not for you, there certainly would be no us.

Bill O’Brien Raymond Weil Penn State Watch Presentation

The Carlisle Chamber’s 100th Anniversary Kickoff Celebration welcomed Penn State University football Coach Bill O’Brien as a guest speaker to discuss overcoming adversity. As a tribute to Coach O’Brien and for the leadership that he has shown as the Head Football Coach at PSU, Tonia Ulsh Chief Operating Officer and Co-Owner of Mountz Jewelers presented him with a Raymond Weil Penn State Watch.

Mountz Mile Movers

Mountz sponsored the Carlisle Downtown Mile, an annual 1-mile walk and fun run which benefits the Carlisle Employment Skills Center. Mountz Jewelers’ employees comprised the Mountz Mile Movers team.

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Mountz Gives 50 Turkeys to Project Shares

With the help of local chamber members, Mountz Jewelers presented Carlisle Food Bank - Project Share with Thanksgiving meals. Leading up to Thanksgiving, attendees of the Mountz Jewelers Chamber Mixers were encouraged to bring canned goods for the local food bank. The response was overwhelming as the attendees and Mountz employees collected 253 cans and over $200 for the less fortunate. Mountz Jewelers met their donation with 50 turkeys for the local food bank.

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Mountz COO, Tonia Ulsh, Honored as Woman of Influence by Central Penn Business Journal Tonia Ulsh was recognized as one of the top 25 Women of Influence in Central Pennsylvania. The awards recognize the region’s top women business leaders for their leadership achievements and community involvement.

Terry on WINK104’s Morning Show with Sue Campbell Camp Hill manager Terry is a regular guest on the WINK104 Wake Up Show. Terry regularly talks to Sue Campbell and the Wake Up Show about upcoming events at Mountz Jewelers. Tune in to 104.1FM.

Over 200 Central PA Women Compete in the 5th Annual Mountz Diamond Dig Following the Harrisburg Senator’s baseball game in early August, over 200 women competed in the Mountz Diamond Dig in an effort to unearth a diamond pendant valued at $3,000. After 10 minutes of digging up the infield with spoons, the pendant was finally found!

Mountz Mother’s Day Contest Winner

Mountz hosted the ‘Special Moments Mother’s Day Contest’ with ABC27. Children were encouraged to submit a drawing which highlighted what their mom meant to them. Liam of Mechanicsburg was the winner, and his ‘Owl Always Love You’ drawing was handstamped into a one-of-a-kind Heather Moore pendant. Liam presented the prize to his mom Gretchen for Mother’s Day.

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PANTONE FASHION COLOR REPORT

Pantone LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated. © Pantone LLC, 2013. All rights reserved.

A PALETTE OF MANY MOODS Nanette Lepore

This season, designers express the many moods of fall with skillfully arranged collections that will enhance and enliven customers’ outlooks as the colder months set in. Similarly, colors come together to create moods that range from sophisticated and structured to lively and vivid, encapsulating our inherent need for wardrobe variety to reflect emotions that run from thoughtfully introspective to irrepressibly elated.

“Just as the leaves change in autumn, the consumer will enjoy the ability to change their ‘look’ and try a new approach to their wardrobe for brisk days ahead,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “The fall 2013 palette allows for that versatility and experimentation.”

With the changing season, the greens from spring evolve and develop. Multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate, bringing luxury and elegance to the palette, while yellow-toned Linden Green brings a lightness and brightness to the deeper shades of fall. Try pairing both with Mykonos Blue, a bold, meditative blue, for a classic and relaxed fall look.

Exotic Acai adds mystery and richness to the palette, and can be incorporated with the other colors to create a number of powerful fall combinations. Pair the elegant shade of purple with Emerald for a regal disposition, or spirited Samba red for an expressive and dramatic look. Koi, a decorative orange with dazzling and shimmering qualities, is a statement color that serves as a pick-me-up for your wardrobe.

Vivacious, an unruly and wildly deep fuchsia, adds an ebullient sensuality to the palette.

Nicole Miller

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Pair Vivacious with anchoring Deep Lichen Green, a naturally lush shade of green, for a dynamic juxtaposition that captures both ends of the seasonal spectrum. Rounding out this season’s cornerstone colors, Turbulence, a dark mercurial gray, and Carafe, a rich, glamorous brown, provide more interesting and sophisticated alternatives to the black basics usually worn in colder months. Both staple neutrals pair gracefully with more expressive colors within the palette, such as Samba, Koi and Vivacious.

Ella Moss

Hervé Léger

For more than 20 years, Pantone, the global authority on color, has surveyed the designers of New York Fashion Week and beyond to bring you the season’s most important color trends. This report previews the most prominent hues for fall 2013.

WHIT–NY

Kelly Wearstler mountzjewelers.com

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A VERSATILE AND UNISEX COLOR PALETTE This season, more than ever, there is a shift towards a unisex color palette. Similar to the women’s palette, the versatility of the men’s colors for fall 2013 allows for more experimentation as the weather cools.

Luxurious Emerald, a sophisticated and vivid green, should be paired with Mykonos Blue or Linden Green for a clean and classic look. Acai adds exotic mystery when paired with bold statement colors like Samba, while Koi remains decorative and dynamic, adding a pop of orange to a neutral wardrobe. Deep Lichen Green acts as the cornerstone color for the men’s palette as well; however, pair the shaded mossy green with Beaujolais, a fullbodied red, for an elegantly masculine, quintessential fall look.

Unpredictable Turbulence and warm, rich Carafe, also play vital roles in men’s fashion trends, serving as strong staple hues for outerwear throughout the cooler months.

Create a well-balanced look by combining either neutral with Beaujolais or Koi. The colors featured in the PANTONE Fashion Color Report are culled from the PANTONE FASHION + HOME Color System, the most widely used and recognized color standards system in the world. Each season, Pantone surveys the designers of New York Fashion Week and beyond to collect feedback on prominent collection colors, color inspiration and color philosophy. This information is used to create the PANTONE Fashion Color Report, which serves as a reference tool throughout the year for fashion enthusiasts, reporters and retailers.

Tommy Hilfiger

Angelo Galasso

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behind the lens of berry behrendt

By Lyndon Conrad Bell

a tribute to

audrey hepburn

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Photographer Berry Behrendt Styling Wouri Vice Market Editor Ade Samuel Makeup Sonja Yaso Hair Andreas Schoenagel, Artist Management (using EZ Keratin) Photographers Assitant Anna Dilthey Model Rachele Schank, Women Direct, NY

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Berry Behrendt, born in Hamburg, Germany, started his career as a photographer after touring and recording as a musician in Europe for several years. His distinctive style won him considerable demand quite quickly.

In short order, Behrendt received assignments to shoot fashion and beauty spreads for a number of well-known European and American magazines, including German Vogue, Soma, Vibe, Essence and Sunday Telegraph Magazine. Behrendt has also produced images of musical artists such as Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Moby, Busta Rhymes and Bootsy Collins.

While he maintains a Hamburg office, Behrendt has also lived and worked in New York City since 2001. To learn more about the man, his work and what happens behind the lens of Berry Behrendt, we commissioned him to shoot this series of photographs so we could discuss them with him in detail.

Fashion inspires me, sure, but it’s really more about the personality of the model, which I choose based on the assignment.

- Berry Behrendt

Top Enekyo Pants Gucci Shoes Edmundo Castillio

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Dress Blumarine Necklace Fenton Fallon Bracelet Larucci

LX Magazine: Clearly you were going after an Audrey Hepburn theme with this shoot; please describe the process you went through to create these images.

Berry Behrendt: As soon as I learned what we were trying to accomplish, the film Breakfast At Tiffany’s popped into my head and became our theme. With the Hepburn theme, we had a terrific head start because explaining to the stylist, makeup artist and hair stylist what we were going after was very easy. Everybody in fashion knows Audrey Hepburn, so we were off and running in pretty short order.

LX: What did you see in this particular model that made her right for the shoot?

BB: I met Rachele on another shoot I was doing and thought of her right away when this project came up. She has an outgoing personality that works particularly well for what we were going after. She’s very friendly and very lively. Even before this assignment, I had already seen an Audrey Hepburn-esque quality in her. Rachele really made the shoot. In fact I conceived the project with her in mind, so the shoot just sort of evolved around her.

LX: What is the foundation of your photographic approach?

BB: Fashion inspires me, sure, but it’s really more about the personality of the model, which I choose based on the assignment.

My approach is also driven by the theme. You have to make sense of the clothing first, or the jewelry or whatever it is you’re featuring. Beyond that, you just have to impart a particular feel to the images. My overriding goal is to always try to do something interesting with the person I’m shooting. Ultimately, my work is driven more by the person in the image.

LX: These photographs have a very definite look and feel to them, even if I didn’t know you shot them all, I would know they were all shot by the same photographer. In other words, you have a clearly identifiable style. How did you develop it?

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Dress Novis

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BB: Thanks for saying that. Honestly, I’m actually always debating with myself if I truly have a style. These days, there are so many photographers out there; it’s difficult to stand out.

One of the things that concerns me these days is for so many photographers out there now, their work all looks the same. It’s almost as if photographers are becoming somewhat interchangeable to a degree. I’m not saying I’m any better than anyone else, but I really try to make my work look different somehow.

Having been doing this for more than 20 years now, I have learned in most cases the style is dictated by the client. Of course, I like to think the nature of the look I achieve is why my clients come to me. That said, you must have a variety of ways to get there. The main thing is I do what I do, and I make sure I like what I do.

Typically, if I like it, others do too, and this seems to work consistently for me.

Most of all though, I try to have a believable relationship with the model—and see that relationship conveyed in the finished photographs.

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Turtleneck & Pants Moschino Hat Patricia Underwood Necklace Fenton Fallon Earrings W29

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Dress Furne One Gloves Sermoneta Earrings Circa 66

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Fur & Feather Boas Adrianne Landau Gloves Caroline Amato Earrings Fenton Fallon

Hat Patricia Underwood Top Enekyo

LX: What’s your background? Did you study photography formally? How did you decide to become a professional photographer?

BB: Actually, no, I didn’t study photography formally. I was a working musician for a while and started in photography as an assistant for an established photographer to supplement my income. In doing so, I learned enough to take on small assignments on my own. After a couple of years of doing this, people started seeing my work and asking me if I could shoot things for them.

Truthfully, photography just sort of evolved into my career.

LX: Coming up, who were some of the photographers you admired? How did their work influence yours?

BB: Richard Avedon, Cecil Beaton, Irving Penn and many of the other classic photographers have informed my approach. This particular shoot was definitely inspired by Avedon’s work with Audrey Hepburn. There are a number of young contemporary photographers I enjoy as well. And while their work is completely different from mine, I still find inspiration in what they are doing.

LX: What was your first professional assignment?

BB: My first assignment was for the photographer for whom I was assisting. It actually came about by happenstance. He was off skiing in the Swiss Alps when this big catalog shoot came in. He couldn’t get back in time, so I had to shoot it for him. Doing that shoot forced me to take responsibility for producing images for the first time. From doing this, I learned I could take the responsibility—I could actually execute a shoot. When you’re the photographer, it’s your responsibility to make sure everyone on the set is instilled with the confidence the work will turn out well. That shoot was my baptism by fire so to speak.

LX: Describe your dream assignment.

BB: Honestly, every assignment I get is a dream assignment these days. I really love to work. A client who respects what you do and is happy with the pictures you make is the absolute best. This, for me, is a dream assignment. I also like photographing interesting people from a variety of fields; musicians, politicians, actors—fascinating people I’d like to get to know. I suppose that qualifies too. More than anything else though, I really like what I do, so any chance I get to do it is a dream come true.

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A Tradition of Brilliance

By Lyndon Conrad Bell

In September of 1963, the world got its first glimpse of what would become the most successful sports car the planet has ever known. Over seven generations of steady development, the Porsche 911 has continually evolved in a manner in which there can be a straight line drawn between the first Porsche Type 901 show car and today’s Porsche 911 50th Anniversary Model grand touring/sports car.

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When the 911 was initially shown at the 1963 Frankfurt Auto Show, it was called the Porsche Type 901. The people running the French car company Peugeot objected, declaring their company had established the rights to use three-number model designations with a zero in the middle. Rather than get caught up in a prolonged legal battle, Porsche replaced the zero with a one. When the car went on sale in 1964, it was billed as the Porsche 911.

Porsche has applied the principle of continuous evolution to the 911. In other words, rather than remaking the car from scratch every five to seven years, Porsche works to improve some aspect of the car every year, altering its aspects only to improve the performance of the model.

As a result, the overall mechanical layout of the Porsche 911 is essentially the same as it was on that first Type 901 introduced in 1963. Further, the profile of today’s car mimics the original car’s almost perfectly.

In fact, the shape has become so iconic, it is immediately recognizable as a Porsche 911—whether you’re looking at the 1963 car, the 1983 car, the 2003 car or today’s 2013 car. Interestingly though, the 911 is actually an evolution of an even older model, the Porsche 356, which was introduced in 1948. Although truthfully, if you want to go all the way back, both of those cars owe their powertrain layout and overall shape to the Volkswagen Type 1 originated by Dr. Ing. Ferdinand Porsche—the namesake of the company and one of the most prolific automotive engineers of all time. www.lxmagazines.com www.lxmagazine.com

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For the record, it is POR-sha—not “PORSH”.

Porsche is credited with creating the first gasoline electric hybrid automobile; one of the earliest purely electric automobiles; the Volkswagen Beetle; and the Mercedes-Benz SS/SSK range of automobiles—in addition to some of the most formidable racing cars of his time. As remarkable as all of that is, his crowning achievement—the one towering over all of the others— is the creation of the Porsche sports cars.

Except…Ferdinand Porsche didn’t do the 356, nor did he do the 911.

Porsche’s son, Ferry, did the 356 based on the rear-engine/rear-drive Volkswagen Type 1 (also known as the Volkswagen Beetle) his father created to fulfill Adolf Hitler’s desire for an affordable automobile for the German people. So, while we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Porsche 911 this year, the truth

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of the matter is the car’s lineage goes all the way back to 1931.

Development of the actual 911 started in 1956, under the direction of Ferry Porsche. The other people key to the development of the car were Porsche’s automotive stylist son, Butzi Porsche, body engineer, Edwin Komenda and powertrain engineers, Hans Tomala and Ferry’s nephew, Ferdinand Piech—who joined the project in its latter stages to do some finishing work on the engine. Where the 356 used a swing arm rear suspension and a horizontally opposed air-cooled four-cylinder engine mounted behind the passenger compartment, it was decided the 911 would use an independent rear suspension setup to improve handling. For more power, the new car would employ a horizontally opposed air-cooled sixcylinder engine.

From its original displacement of 2.0-liters and 130 horsepower, the 911’s engine has grown to as much as 3.8-liters. Further, it now employs liquid cooling and has produced over 400 horsepower in production applications. Turbocharged racing versions have produced in excess of 1000 horsepower. As much a trademark of the car as the Porsche badge on its nose, the aural signature of the 911’s flat-six engine is uniquely distinctive.

It can be argued quite successfully the Porsche 911 is more than a grand touring/sports car. It is an icon around which a cult-like following has developed. The people who love the 911 are so fanatic about the model they will literally spend hours arguing with other people about the correct pronunciation of the company’s name. For the record, it is POR-sha—not “PORSH”.

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Much has been written and discussed about the secret of the success of the Porsche 911.

To date, in excess of 300 books have been produced about the car. Further, new tomes are published each and every year. The car has been examined from every conceivable angle. However, the answer to the question of the success of the 911 is actually very simple. The Porsche 911 is unique in the automotive world. Like no other automobile, it seamlessly combines opposites. With a 911 you get sportiness and everyday usability, tradition and innovation, exclusivity and social acceptability, design and functionality.

Since 1963, some 820,000 copies of the model have been built over seven generations. More than just the most successful sports car in the world, the Porsche 911 is also the most successful sports racing car human beings have ever known. In addition to competing on racetracks, the 911 has also been modified for rallying purposes and proven quite successful in that area of motorsport as well.

Ferry Porsche described the exceptional versatility of his masterpiece quite succinctly when he said; “The 911 is the only car you can drive from an African safari to Le Mans, then to the theatre, and onto the streets of New York.”

Thanks to its continuous evolution, the Porsche 911 comes just about as close to perfection as any car will ever get.

With that said, the next one will be even better, and the one following it will be even better still. What we have in the 2013 Porsche 911 is the culmination of everything the world’s most successful sports car company has ever learned about building cars—all contained in one model.

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SIGNATURE

By Nichole Odijk DeMario

There is nothing like holiday recipes, those that stay nestled in recipe boxes or in cookbooks reserved for that special time of the year.

When bar professional, Tony Abou-Ganim was selected to create the cocktail program at the Bellagio Las Vegas in 1998, he made sure to include something unique to commemorate the holidays—Hot Buttered Rum. “I wanted to create a signature holiday drink that would be served every year at every bar and with luck it would become a Bellagio holiday tradition," said Abou-Ganim. “I feel creating special traditions are a huge part of properly celebrating the holidays.” Abou-Ganim, whose accomplishments include, but not limited to: author of The Modern Mixologist: Contemporary Classic Cocktails among other titles, three time winner of Iron Chef America and one of two Americans to win the Bacardi Martini World Grand Prix.

Hot Buttered Rum Serves 10 to 12

Batter ingredients: 1 pound light brown sugar 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 to 2 teaspoons allspice Freshly grated nutmeg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Each drink: 1 – ½ ounce rum, preferably Mount Gay Eclipse Boiling water, as needed

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Beat together the brown sugar, butter, spices and vanilla extract until well combined. Refrigerate in an airtight, resealable container until ready to use. When ready to prepare drinks, combine two heaping tablespoons of the batter and rum in a warmed coffee mug. Add boiling water, fill to the top and mix well. Serve with a spoon.

Notes: Must be served steaming hot, not lukewarm. For a non-alcoholic option, omit rum.

It is best to make the batter in advance so the spices have an opportunity to mingle. Be sure to remove the batter from the refrigerator at least six hours before serving to allow it to soften. Batter may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 month or frozen for up to 2 months.

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photo: Tony Abou-Ganim www.lxmagazines.com

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Photo: Hedy Goldsmith

Maple Flan Serves 8

Ingredients: 3 cups heavy cream, at room temperature ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 1 vanilla bean, split 2/3 cup sugar 1 cup maple syrup, preferably Grade B earl amber 7 extra large egg yolks, room temperature

Hedy Goldsmith, who among her many accolades, is a 2012 and 2013 James Beard Award Finalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef, author of Baking Out Loud: Fun Desserts with Big Flavors and guest on Iron Chef America. She loves adding an element of surprise to her holiday desserts.

In a large saucepan, bring the maple syrup to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the syrup is reduced to ¾ cup. Keep an eye on the pot; reduce the heat if the syrup threatens to boil over.

“I love creating non-traditional, unexpected holiday desserts.

Maple Flan is a great one that can be made well in advance. It’s flavor-forward and plays beautifully in the sandbox with figs, apples, pears, grapes, chestnuts and chocolate,” Goldsmith says.

Slide the pan of cream off the heat, fish out the vanilla beans and slowly add the cream to the caramel whisking until blended.

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream and salt. Scrape all the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the saucepan along with the bean. Cook over medium heat until just simmering, about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and set aside for at least 30 minutes.

Arrange eight, 6-ounce ramekins in a baking dish that has 2-inch high sides.

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and 3 tablespoons of water and cook over low height, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is clear. Increase the heat to medium high and boil without stirring, 3 - 5 minutes, or until the sugar begins to turn golden brown. Gently swirl the pan over the heat to even out the color and cook for 2 - 3 minutes longer or until the sugar turns deep amber. Carefully and quickly pour the liquid evenly into the ramekins, swirling each one to cover the bottom completely.

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In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until blended. While whisking constantly, slowly pour the warm maple mixture into the egg yolks until blended.

Pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl.

Pour the custard into the prepared ramekins in their baking pan. Put the baking pan into the oven, and carefully fill it with very hot water halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Tightly cover the pan with foil and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the center of the custard jiggles slightly when the ramekin is shaken.

Carefully transfer the baking pan to a wire rack, uncover the pan and let the flans cool completely at room temperature.

Remove the ramekins from the water bath and cover them with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 2 days.

To serve, run a thin knife around the edge of the custards and invert them onto small serving plates.

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HEATHER MOORE

HEARTS ON FIRE

14K Yellow Gold and Sterling Silver Custom Hand-Stamped Jewelry

18K White Gold Round Fullfillment Earrings (available up to 3.0 ctw diamonds) starting at $2,450

HEARTS ON FIRE 18K White Gold Intermingle Right Hand Ring (featuring .97ctw diamonds) $6,800

JOHN HARDY Sterling Silver Men’s Batu Bedeg Cufflinks featuring Rectangular Hematite Gemstones $350

ALEX & ANI Positive Energy Charm Bracelets starting at $24

JOHN HARDY Sterling Silver Men’s Classic Chain Cufflinks featuring Silver Black Braided Designs $395 36

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IPPOLITA 18K Yellow Gold and Diamond Earrings $2,700 Ring $3,750

HEARTS ON FIRE 18K White Gold Lorelei Diamond Floral Pendant with 1.01 ctw Diamonds $4,975

IPPOLITA 18K Yellow Gold Cascading Open Earrings $2,295

ROBERTO COIN 18K Yellow and White Gold Primavera Pave Diamond Bracelet featuring .35ctw Diamonds $3,600

RAYMOND WEIL Gent’s Swiss-made Maestro Automatic Watch $1,495

RAYMOND WEIL Ladies’ Swiss-made Noemia Watch with Diamonds $1,895

ROBERTO COIN 18K Yellow, White and Rose Gold Primavera Bracelets starting at $780 mountzjewelers.com

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This time of the year brings about a particularly special feeling when it comes to fashion. The fabrics are richer, the cooling temperatures allow us to layer on all of our favorite pieces in one outfit, and—let’s face it—from flats to pumps and booties to boots, the shoe options are endless. Fall 2013 runway shows have long concluded and now its time to start shopping our favorite trends. For most ladies, that starts with the shoes.

Designed for the modern woman who appreciates sophisticated craftsmanship and is always at the forefront of fashion, the Carolinna Espinosa brand has launched the company’s first collection available to U.S. shoppers, which offers a perfectly curated selection of shoes exemplifying this season’s key trends, all designed of the highest quality Italian materials.

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Flashback to the 80s and 90s anyone? Pointed toe shoes are making a serious comeback in 2013, without the chunky platform. The smaller heel allows for a more sophisticated sleek look. They go great with skinny jeans, cropped pants, and dresses which is hard to say about most styles, so we hope this style lasts a long time. Carolinna Espinosa has many styles to help you obtain this look, with strappy pumps to retain lady-like sophistication with a playful, sexy touch as you step out on the town this fall.

Scarlet Pump $275 Lilou Pump $255

Briana Pump $325

Edith Flat $295 Women everywhere seem to be ditching their high heels on more occasions than ever before to give their feet a much-deserved break. This season, flats take on a more stylish look as fun textures and details are added to simple silhouettes such as calf hair and bow accents, making flats much more than just that extra pair of shoes you tote around, in case your feet start to ache mid-day.

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Boots of any height, from small ankle bootiess to the highest models are in fashion. Tall boots took a back seat for a while but this season the most coveted styled boot is once again over the knee and tall boots. Colorful looks with accents is the look most spotted on models at the fall 2013 runway shows. With ankle booties being a trend that’s not likely to fade, this season it’s all about the details when it comes to this easy, transitional fall shoe.

Jenny Bootie $350

Kimmie Boot $525

Elliot Bootie $395

This season, tomboys everywhere are poised to become the most stylish girls around, with boyfriend shoes.

Have fun with your flats this season, with a perfectly dainty, yet understatedly chic shoe for every day.

Serena Smoking Slipper $245

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Moments in Time on Luxury Piano All photos courtesty of Piano Solutions XXI

When Guennadi “Gene” Korolev established Piano Solutions XXI, he had a new vision for piano restoration. He wanted to build a “one-man shop” and be able to restore a piano from start to finish. Gene dedicated his whole life to perfecting the restoration process and now has the most innovative and technologically advanced shop in the industry.

In February of 2012, Gene, along with his daughter Katherine Banyasz, began working together on a custom piano project — dubbed “New York Serenade” — featuring the most advanced technology and use of new materials on a piano. While Gene used his scientific background and great knowledge in piano technology, Katherine provided her creative input and knowledge in arts and design. www.lxmagazines.com

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The New York Serenade is adorned with 164,000 cubic zirconia stones; with every stone inserted by hand into the piano case.

They selected Steinway and Sons unique model A-III for this challenging custom piano project.

As a tribute to the Swing years in America, the artistic inspiration for New York Serenade, according to Katherine, came from the periods of the 1920's to the 1940's, when the Art Deco movement and the Swing era of jazz and big bands flourished in New York City.

This custom piano is adorned with 164,000 cubic zirconia stones that sparkle with various intensity, showcasing nostalgic imagery of New York City’s familiar places like Grand Central Station, The Cotton Club, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park and of course Steinway Hall. The lid shows the New York Skyline and a magical moon shining over the Hudson River. The designs continue thoughout the piano with overlapping images. The mystical floral-like patterns bring together images to one magnifying effect.

The soundtrack also transmits wireless on a home theatre system or highresolution sound system that enables this piano to produce the effect of a full symphony orchestra or a live jazz band entertaining.

One of the most important innovations in this piano design is a trapwork made from aircraft aluminum with ballbearings in rotating points of the moving mechanism. The friction and durability of this trapwork surpasses any existing trapwork on the market today.

New York Serenade is a piano made for someone with great taste for luxury, art and design. A piano that will serenade you and take you to a new world of music and elegance.

Every stone was inserted by hand into the piano case, and took the fatherdaughter duo 16 months to put into place.

In addition, this piano also comes with seamless installation for Live-Performance Model LX, a high resolution sound reproducing system, with sustain and shift proportional operating pedals. A completely wireless operation with using an iPad.

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BEST NEW

HOTELS

By Martin Sayers

The world may still be in the grip of recession but the globe’s leading hoteliers don’t seem to have noticed. A range of high-end resorts across the world have recently opened and offer no compromise in terms of location or facilities.

Palais Namaskar - Morocco Palais Namaskar in Marrakech is one of the newest pretenders to the title of Morocco's most luxurious hotel. This spectacular Moorish building is nestled between the Atlas Mountains and Djebilet Hills, and offers immaculately kept grounds studded with lakes, ponds and scented gardens, as well as a variety of outdoor baths, heated swimming pools and Jacuzzis.

Rooms, suites and villas are available for booking, as well as two multibedroomed ‘palaces’ that include private kitchens, swimming pools and 24hour butler service. The hotel even has its own liveried private jet that is on hand to collect guests from any airport around the world and fly them directly to Marrakech.

Palais Namaskar

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Hotel Burj Al Arab

Hotel Burj Al Arab

Hotel Burj Al Arab - Dubai

This new hotel in the billionaire’s playground of Dubai has been designed to resemble a billowing sail and at around 700 feet tall, dominates the skyline.

The 28 double-story floors of the hotel accommodate 202 luxury suites, with prices ranging from $1,000 to over $28,000 per night. Chauffeur driven RollsRoyces are on offer to all guests and each floor of the towering structure boasts its own reception desk, while a team of butlers provides 24-hour service. Private shoppers are on hand to ensure that guests can benefit from Dubai’s legendary shopping scene without leaving the resort and the hotel, which features six signature restaurants and its own private beach.

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The Shangri-La at The Shard - London

London’s most anticipated luxury hotel opening for many years has been legendary Hong Kong hotelier Shangri-La’s contribution to the incredible skyscraper known as ‘The Shard’. This new building, designed by architect Renzo Piano, is the tallest in Europe standing 70 stories tall and is scheduled to open this fall.

The hotel is the first new-build, five-star hotel in the Central London area in over a decade. With 202 deluxe guest rooms, averaging more than 452 sq. ft., The Shard will be amongst the largest in the city — introducing a new standard of ‘suite-style’ accommodation to the British capital.

Facilities include a Champagne bar situated on level 52, which boasts spectacular views over the River Thames and the city of London.

The Shard

Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti - Tanzania

Set in the heart of Tanzania’s famous Serengeti National Park, this property has a collection of rooms, suites and private villas that enjoy views over unspoiled wilderness. The setting offers guests the opportunity to get close to wildlife in a safe and ecologically responsible environment while still enjoying the height of luxury.

Four Seasons Safari Lodge

Featuring contemporary African architecture sympathetic to the natural landscape, the centerpiece is a two-story great house that offers several dining options with indoor and outdoor seating, which is connected to guest accommodations and a spa by elevated wooden walkways. The hotel’s large infinity pool overlooks an active watering hole that is regularly visited by a herd of elephants.

St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort

St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort - USA

Heralded as the ‘most anticipated luxury hotel opening of 2012,’ the new St. Regis resort in Miami is certainly an attractive option for anyone who wants to vacation in Florida.

Each of the hotel’s 243 rooms and suites features glassenclosed balconies that offer floor-to-ceiling panoramic views of the beach and ocean beyond. The location doesn’t get any better as far as Miami is concerned as the hotel is perched oceanside in the exclusive Bal Harbour district, directly adjacent to the world renowned Bal Harbour Shops and just minutes from the buzz and vibrancy of South Beach.

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Ballyfin - Ireland

Nestled at the foot of Ireland’s Slieve Bloom Mountains, Ballyfin is a Regency-era mansion that was once the family-seat of the Cootes family before being run as a school. After falling into disrepair, the site was bought by developers and the house underwent eight years of meticulous restoration before opening as one of Ireland’s most luxurious hotels in 2011.

Just fifteen guest rooms are contained within this huge house, which boast 600-acres of parkland containing a lake, ancient woodland, garden buildings, follies and grottoes.

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The Alpina Gstaad The Alpina Gstaad

The Alpina Gstaad – Switzerland

This luxury hideaway in the heart of the Swiss Alps represents the first luxury hotel to be built in the exclusive ski resort of Gstaad for over 100 years. Although new, the hotel has been built in traditional Swiss style, with all the stonework handcrafted by local stonemasons, and Alpine herbs and flowers have been planted in the lush gardens that surround the property The Alpina boasts attractions such as a wine tasting room, a cigar room, a private cinema, and a 25-meter indoor lap pool, whilst its spectacular location ensures incredible views of the surrounding mountains from every room. The hotel will also host the first Western European location of the renowned Japanese restaurant MEGU.

Palace Hotel Tokyo – Japan

This contemporary Japanese hotel occupies the most enviable position in Tokyo – right next to the moat that guards the Imperial Palace, home of the Japanese royal family. The 23-story property cost $900 million to build and the 290 guest rooms are all built on the palace side of the building to offer uninterrupted views across the Imperial gardens.

Palace Hotel Tokyo

Guests can also avail themselves of seven restaurants, the first Evian spa in Japan and an in-house shopping mall that features seventeen high-end retail outlets.

Palace Hotel Tokyo

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Amanzoe - Greece

The Amanzoe is perched on Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula and boasts 38 guest pavilions that are all built on different levels to ensure privacy and allow for uninterrupted views across the sparkling Aegean. Each pavilion has its own courtyard featuring marble walls and a private terrace, while guests also have access to the hotel’s private beach, as well as restaurants, a library and an art gallery.

Dusit Thani - Maldives

New hotel openings tend to go unnoticed in the tourist Mecca of the Maldives but the Dusit Thani Maldives is something special. Encircled by a reef that supports an abundance of marine life this exclusive resort is housed on its own private island and is also close to Hanifaru Huraa — a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve renowned as a feeding ground for manta rays and whale sharks.

The complex also boasts the largest swimming pool in the Maldives, while guests are able to enjoy a unique spa experience thanks to the Devarana Spa, which features six treetop treatment pods nestled amongst the leaves high above the island.

Amanzoe

Dusit Thani Maldives

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Documenting Genius Architectural Photographer Pedro E. Guerrero

By Lyndon Conrad Bell

Faced with the prospects of a future career as a bilingual clerk at a department store or a carryout boy at a supermarket, 20-year old Pedro Guerrero left his childhood home in Mesa, Arizona to learn a craft at which he would be accepted for who he was, rather than what he looked like. His quest took him to Los Angeles, where he enrolled in the Art Center College of Design.

Fate has a way of leading us to our destinies, and for young Pedro, fate chose the path of photographer.

Without a hint the field would become a passion for him, Guerrero enrolled in photography classes there, largely because he had no experience in any of the disciplines offered. Well, that and all the other classes were full. Guerrero says after exposing his first roll of film, developing it and printing his first image, he knew photography was what he’d be doing for the rest of his life.

ve uerrero Archi © Pedro E. G

Thanks to that realization, we have some of the most beautifully crafted and carefully detailed photographic images of some of the 20th century’s most gifted American architects— including Frank Lloyd Wright—but we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

In 1939, Frank Lloyd Wright hired 22-year-old Pedro Guerrero as his resident photographer, the start of a collaborative bond that would last until Wright’s death in 1959.

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Guerrero studied photography at the Art Center; however by his own admission, he was in all probability, the worst student the school ever had. The Art Center College of Design was geared for commercial artists, and while Guerrero ultimately became quite celebrated for his commercial work, he was more intrigued by art photography. In fact, an administrator at the school once told him that even though Guerrero had come there to learn, he was defying the school to teach him.

Whether Guerrero was already aware of his own path, a rebellious individual, or a combination of the two is difficult to say. But ultimately, he became disillusioned with the school.

After studying there for only two years, Guerrero returned to his home in Arizona. Still working with his cameras, but moping around the family home, Guerrero’s father—who had been following the career of Frank Lloyd Wright—suggested young Pedro go to see Wright and inquire as to his needs for photographic services.

Guerrero knew very little about Wright, other than the fact he was an architect. Further, Guerrero knew very little about architecture.

He had seen a photograph of Wright, and he had also seen a photograph of Wright’s Pennsylvania house, “Fallingwater”.

But other than that, he really didn’t know much about the man.

This, as it turned out, was quite fortunate.

© Pedro E. Guerrero Archive Guerrero photographed Mr. Wright taking a tea break at his exhibition Sixty Years of Living Architecture in New York City in 1953.

Guerrero said if he’d had an inkling of how accomplished Wright really was, he would have been embarrassed to go see him. So it was a highly inexperienced and wholly unaccomplished 22-year old Pedro Guerrero introduced himself to Frank Lloyd Wright—one of America’s most revered architects—as a photographer.

Which, by the way was the first time he’d ever introduced himself that way in his life. However, it wouldn’t be the last.

With an extremely thin portfolio—but excellent timing— Guerrero was invited to come in and show Wright what he could do. By his own admission, Guerrero had the world’s worst portfolio. The school had tried to train Guerrero to be a commercial artist, but he had focused on fine art instead.

Because of this, his portfolio contained such jewels as an image of a girl and a dog, as well as a dead pelican on the beach with a beer can.

Fortunately though, Guerrero had also done quite a bit of artistic female nude work, which intrigued Wright. The two developed a rapport and within 15 minutes Wright had invited Guerrero to start work—that very day. What Guerrero didn’t know at the time was Wright’s previous photographer had just eloped with one of the apprentices, leaving Wright without photographic services.

© Pedro E. Guerrero Archive Mr. Wright appeared without shaving for this portrait in 1947. Guerrero had to move the camera back to conceal his stubble.

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With a charge to photograph everything he saw on the site, because everything there was important to Wright, Guerrero was hired as Frank Lloyd Wright’s photographer. An almost unbelievable situation, Guerrero’s good fortune really demonstrates the extreme value of timeliness—as well as being willing to work for very little money.

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Guerrero said Wright told him the pay wasn’t much, but he could live at Taliesin West and use Wright’s camera. Guerrero later found out the pay wasn’t anything, but he said it didn’t matter—after all, look where he was. Working for Wright was the equivalent of getting a postgraduate degree in commercial photography.

Interestingly though, the direction Wright gave Guerrero was very minimal. All he told Guerrero was he wanted to recognize the work as his own. Wright eschewed bird’s eye views, worm’s eye views, and abstract views. He wanted to see the work the way he drew it. Given Wright drew from a sitting position, this meant Guerrero shot from eye level more often than not. Further, as much as possible, he shot Wright’s designs in their entirety because Wright wanted to see as much of the architecture as possible in one shot.

© Pedro E. Guerrero Archive Taliesin West: This was one of Guerrero most dramatic photographs of Taliesin West. This 1940 view of the drafting studio shows the extravagance of the reflecting pool, designed to add both beauty and utility.

After Mr. Wright’s death, Architectural Forum assigned Guerrero to photograph the house in Bethesda, Maryland, he had designed for his son, Robert, in 1953. © Pedro E. Guerrero Archive

David Wright’s house in Phoenix © Pedro E. Guerrero Archive

Fortunately, this nicely dovetailed with Guerrero’s vision, so he found Wright quite easy to please. For Guerrero, the buildings were essentially large sculptures and he photographed them on that basis.

© Pedro E. Guerrero Archive Shot in 1947 for a House and Garden feature, this photograph never appeared because Mr. Wright did not have enough other postwar work to show.

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When World War II started, Guerrero served as a photographer for the Army Air Corps. Upon returning, he resumed his work with Wright. However, his photography had by then also attracted the attention of a number of other architects—as well as fine artists. Sculptors Louise Nevelson and Alexander Calder commissioned Guerrero to document their works, as did architects Philip Johnson and Marcel Breuer.

Still, out of loyalty to the man who gave him his first break, Guerrero avoided working for a lot of different architects until after Wright died in 1959.

A number of prominent magazines also gave Guerrero assignments based on his work with Wright. These included Architectural Forum and Harper’s Bazaar, as well as House and Garden. He also authored a number of books—among them; Picturing Wright: An Album from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Photographer and Pedro E. Guerrero: A Photographer’s Journey.

In 1962, Guerrero traveled to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to photograph the functional kitchen of the fabled Julia Child.

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Swathed in her plaid shirt, Indian vest and trademark scarf, sculptor, Louise Nevelson gazes at her artwork.

Alexander Calder posed with a stabile named Sabot (French for shoe) in 1976 in front of his huge Saché studio.

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POIS MOI COLLECTION

photo: AGfoto

Keeping A Past Tradition Alive

Wassail (pronounced WAHS-ul or wah-SALE) - It’s a noun, a verb and even a salutation.

The word comes from the old Anglo Saxon ‘wes hal’ meaning to be whole, in good health. By the 12th century, it had become the salutation you offered as you raised your glass for a toast.

Also known, Wassail is a time-honored drink served during the winter holidays, including Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Twelfth Night (concluding the Twelve Days of Christmas). It is especially popular in northern European countries, where it originates. It’s a hot drink that is made with holiday ale or hard cider with sugar and rich spices like cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg and sometimes even includes baked apples. Traditionally it is served in a large bowl, known as a wassail bowl. These bowls were originally hand-crafted from wood, pewter or silver.

You may have heard the Christmas song “Here We Come A Wassailing” and wondered what wassailing is.

Wassailing is an old English customary ceremony that involves singing and drinking to the health of trees, to ensure a good cider apple harvest for the following year. But many wassailers just skipped the trees, and instead went singing door-to-door, exchanging good wishes about the neighborhood with a bowl of drink—much like caroling today. It was a way of celebrating the season and toasting to friends, so the wassail bowl has become something of a symbol of community good will and hospitality.

Most commonly, Wassail resembles cider in our modern day. However Wassail can refer to a mulled wine. Mulled wine, usually a red variety and infused with cinnamon, cloves and citrus, is also a seasonal favorite because of its warming qualities. Other liquors have known to been added to versions of mulled wine like vodka, rum and brandy.

As you gather with loved ones, keep the tradition alive by pulling out a big pot or a slow cooker, simmer up a batch of Wassail and enjoy the sweet, warm and comforting smells of the season.

“Cheers. Wassail.”

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Winter has a style all its own.

raymond-weil.com | freelancer collection

The Story.

The Family.

Blending the finest traditions of old world sensibilities with exquisite contemporary designs, Tacori’s highly regarded works of the jewelry maker’s art are coveted by glitterati appreciative of its unique and distinctive European flair all over the world; familyowned, the Tacori company’s philosophies and traditions have made it legendary within the ranks of the crafters of fine jewelry.

Tacori’s designs are so intricate they defy duplication. Further, its strict marketing standards ensure its products are always presented in the most favorable manner possible. For these reasons and many more, the name Tacori has come to symbolize the absolute finest in presentation, quality, attention to detail and personal customer care.

Capably guided by the strong, yet gentle hand of the company’s founder and family patriarch, Haig Tacorian, Tacori’s fine jewelry brilliantly mirrors the passion guiding the family whose name it bears. Tacorian left Europe with his wife Gilda in 1969 to start a new life in the United States. The principles upon which he founded and guides the company have made it one of the world’s premier brands.

Paul Tacorian, the company’s president of sales & marketing, set the jewelry world on its ear with his innovative, full-page ads featuring achingly beautiful images of the masterworks his family creates. Tacorian’s advertisements were groundbreaking in that they were the first dynamically photographed, full-page, art quality advertisements run by a jewelry concern. So beautiful they could hang in an art gallery, it’s almost laughable today to think this wasn’t being done before he did it.

Nadine Tacorian, the company’s president of operations, fiercely adheres to the standards set for the company, yet simultaneously engenders ever more creative takes on the traditional cues established by Haig Tacorian for the brand. Remarkably, even while inspiring outstanding creativity from the design staff, she has also introduced a myriad of efficiencies to the processes employed in crafting their creations.

Together, in addition to creating and marketing intricately crafted artisan jewelry, the Tacorian family upholds an uncompromising legacy of passionately fusing classic elegance with modern inspiration.

“The Tacorian family upholds an uncompromising legacy of passionately fusing classic elegance with modern inspiration.”

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The Pieces.

It’s been said jewelry tells stories of timeless qualities — stories that transcend time.

In the case of Tacori, this radiates from the aura of heirloom elegance illuminating its progressive styles.

Modern, yet traditional, at the core of every Tacori design is the company’s signature crescent half-moon pattern. The pattern is so distinctive Tacori was granted both a copyright and a trademark for it. The crescent halfmoon is so difficult to duplicate, when one sees it they can be unmistakably assured they are in the presence of an example of Tacori’s artwork.

So timeless are the company’s creations, they just as readily grace the youthful beauty of a woman in her twenties as they do her grandmother. This quality sets Tacori’s heirloom pieces of timeless elegance apart from trendy “here today, gone tomorrow” designs endemic to mainstream fashion jewelry. Imbued with value transcending both time and currency, Tacori’s jewelry is nothing less than a work of fine art a woman can wear.

Whether it’s engagement or wedding rings, fine jewelry or diamonds, the Tacori name is engraved only after several degrees of rigorous inspection, certification and approvals have been conducted. Only the finest gold, platinum, and diamonds with at least G color and VS clarity will do. Setting aside the overarching beauty of the pieces themselves, these guidelines and processes ensure the transcending desirability of Tacori’s jewelry eternally endures.

Design Passion.

From the innovative vision of the designers, to the crafting and polishing of the intricate signature crescent details, the creation of Tacori jewelry takes place under the Tacorian family’s guidance at their design studios in California.

Their philosophy of personal care and quality guides every aspect of the process. Each piece is precisely matched to hand-selected gems. If it bears the Tacori name, you can be absolutely assured it has met the rigorous standards of quality and beauty unique to Tacori as established by Haig Tacorian, back in 1969.

Always innovating, one of Tacori’s most popular lines is its 18k925 creations rendered in 18-karat gold and the purest sterling silver. The Tacori 18k925 Collection represents a new collection of Tacori design; specifically referring to the 18-karat gold and 925 silver metal combination, which makes these pieces bold, fun and wearable. The new 18k925 Collection is full of colorful gemstones, stylishly taking iconic glamour and adding a modern Tacori twist.

Tacori’s Dantela Collection beautifully juxtaposes the modern with the traditional and the classic with the unconventional.

A veritable symphony of dazzling design and eye-catching allure, the collection’s name “Dantela” means “lace” in Romanian; a nod to the Tacorian family’s heritage.

Also a singular work unto itself, the Tacori diamond is certified by no less than two external authorities (the GIA and GemEX), in addition to Tacori’s own diamond experts. Fewer than five percent of the diamonds considered by Tacori’s diamond experts make the grade. Because of this, Tacori’s exceptional gemstones carry a titanium-clad guarantee of quality and are certified to be conflict-free. Chosen specifically to mesh in perfect harmony with the company’s designs, few diamonds match the fire and brilliance displayed by a Tacori stone.

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