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• Lois Benes, Retired Teacher, Collector & Amateur Photographer
• Carole Tanenbaum, Author, Colllector & Vintage business owner
• Tracy Martin, Collectables Expert
• Juliet Hutton-Squire, Editor
• Minnie Marx, Actress
• What's in My Jewellery Box?

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• Linda
• West Wales
• Retired

• What's your style chunky or dainty?

• Chunky

• Modern or vintage?

• 1.      Definitely vintage. I'm a vintage person, my jewellery has aged with me although I am enjoying the resurgence of big chunky plastic pieces currently on the high street.

• Do you collect anything in particular?

• 1.      Anything bakelite. My passion extends to bags, carved animals, especially bags and carved animals combined.

• How many pieces in your jewellery box? 1 -1 0, 10 - 30, more than 30
• 100+
• Who is your favourite jewellery designer/brand?

• 1.      No particular designer or brand, whatever appeals to the eye.

• What piece of jewellery couldn't you live without?

• 1.      My modern big dangly earrings. They give me a sense of not being out of touch.

• Are they your most worn item?

• 1.      Yes, closely followed by a selection of chunky vintage Bakelite bracelets.

• What has been your best ever jewellery bargain?

• 1.      A bakelite pirate necklace, being one of my favourites. Not only does it tell a story but was a steal at £5 from St Albans flea market in the mid 80's.

• What piece was the most expensive?
• A platinum parure, consisting of bracelet, ring and earrings. A very dainty set, each piece decorated with three detailed flowers.
• What's on your jewellery wish list?
• Nothing. I satisfied my cravings long ago. The only piece I vigorously pursued was my bakelite Philadelphia bracelet. I've never hunted for particular pieces, I've been lucky enough to fall over them.

• Gill May
• South East
• Collector
• What's your style chunky or dainty?

• I have both styles in my collection. Chunky bakelite bangles to dainty art deco necklaces.

• Modern or vintage?

• 1.      I would say I have more vintage than modern pieces, although I notice Top Shop have some interesting designs just now. I am always on the look-out for interesting bangles!

• Do you collect anything in particular?
• Lea Stein brooches form my largest collection by far. My other areas of collecting include lucite handbags and art deco necklaces
• How many pieces in your jewellery box? 1 -1 0, 10 - 30, more than 30
• Many more than 30! I am very fortunate
• Who is your favourite jewellery designer/brand?
• Lea Stein, although I have a small amount of Butler and Wilson pieces.
• What piece of jewellery couldn't you live without?
• My Grandmother's 'old gold' ring she gave me when I was 16. It includes a gold heart in the band. I never take it off.
• Is that your most worn piece?

• Yes it is, along with my gold wedding band made by my sister-in-law, Susan May, silversmith and jewellery designer

• What has been your best ever jewellery bargain?

• 1.      Never had a great 'bargain' as such! The original gold serie 'bee' was a very good price for a rare piece. Also the first 'Valley' piece I bought from Australia which remains my favourite Lea Stein brooch.

• What piece was the most expensive?
• One of the original ladybirds pictured!
• What's on your jewellery wish list?
• Rare vintage Lea Stein pieces especially geometrics and the larger 'optical illusion' pins like the turquoise one (pictured)

Above: Gill's fabulous collection of brooches by LEA STEIN PARIS. TOP ROW Picture 1: Black Leontine, Squaw, Poulbot with hoop, Elvis & John Travolta. Pic 2: Triple dove, BIg Beak, Double dove, Double duck, Flamingo. Pic 3: A collection of vintage geometric design brooches. MIDDLE ROW Pic 1: Full Corolle, Toti & 3 assorted Poulbots with Umbrellas. Pic 2: A collection of vintage brooches from the Golden Series. Pic 3: Four vintage fox heads. BOTTOM ROW Pic 1: A collection of geometric designs. Pic 2: Two vintage ladybirds, eagle and Yin Yang. Pic 3: A collection of vintage brooches with rhinestone decoration. LEFT: Optical illusion and Valley brooches

• Katie Ingham
• London
• Manager, Productionbase

• What's your style chunky or dainty?

• Chunky.  I love big and bold jewellery

• Modern or vintage?

• 1.      A mix. Vintage pieces are great for originality but the high street also does some great fashion pieces

• Do you collect anything in particular?
• Anything that makes a statement. Whenever I go away I always buy unusual local artisan pieces. Whilst in Cuba last year I bought a fantastic bracelet made out of a fork and a silver crab ring.
• How many pieces in your jewellery box? 1 -1 0, 10 - 30, more than 30
• Tons! It's an organised jewellery jumble! I keep everything regardless of whether or not I wear it.
• Who is your favourite jewellery designer/brand?
• I love pieces by the Italian company Pianegonda (see ring)
• What piece of jewellery couldn't you live without?
• Probably the simple silver pieces like my Van de Berg fairy necklace and my Dinny Hall bracelet. I can wear them both with anything.
• Is they your most worn pieces?

• I wear them a lot but my most worn piece is a 1960's three stone diamond ring which used to be my Gran's. I never take that off. 

• What has been your best ever jewellery bargain?

• 1.      I love the goldtone jangly charm necklace I bought from Hennes for a bargain £10! It has so many stones and charms hanging from it! Whenever I wear it everyone always wants to know where it came from

• What piece was the most expensive?
• The most valuable is my diamond ring
• What's on your jewellery wish list?
• I'd really like to buy myself a beautifully hand crafted Art Nouveau diamond and emerald ring

PRODUCTIONBASE - the industry's network for people working in  TV, film and commercial production www.productionbase.co.uk

ABOVE. TOP ROW from left:Katie at the BAFTA award ceremonies wearing an onyx & silver bracelet loaned from Decogirl, Katie's 'organised jewellery jumble', Katie wearing a 1950's rhinestone bib necklace from Decogirl. 2ND ROW: One of Katie's many jewellery boxes, Van de Berg silver fairy necklace, with Jonathon Ross at the BAFTAS wearing a favourite silver heart necklace 3RD ROW: Crystal embellished hairband bought in Spitalfields Market, with Ant & Dec at the BAFTAS wearing the butterfly hairband, Pianegonda silver ring and Dinny Hall silver bracelet BOTTOM ROW: the bracelet made from a fork bought in Cuba, the crab ring and a crab pendant, Hennes bargain £10 charm necklace

• Lois Benes
• California, United States
• Retired teacher, Amateur Photographer & Collector

Lois Benes

• What's your style chunky or dainty?

• Chunky.  I want the jewellery I wear to have something special to my “eye”.  It must compliment what I am wearing rather than clash and, if I’m really lucky, it will start a conversation.

• Modern or vintage?

• 1.      Mostly ‘current’.  Those collected fifty years ago were current then but would be considered vintage now.    During the 1980’s I discovered my interest in collecting  jewelry which I considered art.  It was upon me before I knew it.   

• Do you collect anything in particular?
• For the last five years I have been collecting the French artist Lea Stein.  I am particularly interested in the early work that led her to refine her pins into today’s beauties.  Before Lea Stein  I collected the work of local artists.  The Falkenstein copper pin (below) is an example.  I also have pins from other artists local to me, Susie Ketchum [low fired ceramic skeletons], Astrid Preston [landscape on aluminium], and Dustin Shuler [hand-painted wearable airplanes].
• How many pieces in your jewellery box? 1 -1 0, 10 - 30, more than 30
• Of Lea Stein there are better than 400 pieces.   Keeping an accurate inventory is a challenge.   
• Who is your favourite jewellery designer/brand?
• Actually, I have no one favourite. I do not know what attracts my eye. I am content to live with the point of view that something is so special and meaningful to me that it belongs in my collection.
• What piece of jewellery couldn't you live without?
• Probably the Falkenstein pin. I was at lecture she was giving on landscape art and she was wearing it.  Figuring the worst thing that could happen was that she would say no –  I asked her if she would sell me the pin.  She said yes, I wrote out a check and wore the pin home.  Claire became a friend.  Making new friends is the part of collecting I like most.
• Is that your most worn piece?

• My most “worn” piece is a papier mache three strand necklace of animal icons, strung on string, that was made in Mexico.  I get more compliments on it than any other necklace I own.  Once had to gently withdraw part of it from the mouth of a rather large dog who thought it would be nice to eat.  Surprise.  I won.

• What has been your best ever jewellery bargain?

• 1.      I don’t know.  Almost never think about my jewelry in that way.  Probably my Alison Saar pin I bought for $50.00 and sold for $600.

• What piece was the most expensive?
• It would have to be a rare Lea Stein serigraphy.  It really must be special for me to pay more than $100 (and I RARELY do that).  I also must want to wear the pin, not just collect it.
• What's on your jewellery wish list?
• Filling in holes in my Stein collection. 

• Carole Tanenbaum
• Toronto, Canada
• Author, Collector & Vintage Business Owner
• What's your style chunky or dainty?
• My taste runs to the extravagant! The bigger the better. So chunky is more my style than dainty
• Modern or vintage?
• I am a vintage collector
• Do you collect anything in particular?
• I have a varied collection but I especially collect Schreiner jewelry
• How many pieces in your jewellery box? 1 -1 0, 10 - 30, more than 30
• I have over 5,000 pieces in my personal collection
• Who is your favourite jewellery designer/brand?
• My favourite vintage designer is Henry Schreiner, who's work in the late 50's and early 60's is best known for it's unusual color combinations, unusual custom crystal cuts and  unorthodox settings (crystal set upside down in crinkle cups with unique prong designs)
• What piece of jewellery couldn't you live without?
• I could not live without my collection of around 600 Henry Schreiner pieces
• Are they your most worn pieces?
• What I wear most are combinations of jewelry from different periods, a chain from the 50's together with a Victorian locket and Venetian beads. My arms might, on any given day, sport 3 bracelets on each arm. I wear my brooches in groups as well. I am never without a 'vignette' of vintage jewels
• What has been your best ever jewellery bargain?
• My best ever buy, a gold overlay bakelite bracelet for $25, worth over $2.500!
• What piece was the most expensive?
• My most expensive is an unusual bakelite horse necklace and bracelet which cost $3,500
• What's on your jewellery wish list?
• I always look for Schreiners that are missing from my collection

You can visit Carole's website on www.caroletanenbaum.com

Top row from left: Bakelite horse bracelet & necklace, Fabulous Fakes, a Passion for Vintage Costume Jewelry by Carole Tanenbaum (see book page to buy). Bottom row: brooches & necklace by Henry Schreiner

Photos: www.caroletannenbaum.com, www.collectorsweekly.com, www.romanialibera.ru

• Tracy Martin
• Leigh-on-Sea, Essex
• Collectables Expert, Author & Journalist
• What's your style chunky or dainty?
• Definitely Chunky, statement pieces are so on trend at the moment
• Modern or vintage?
• Mostly modern but I do have some fabulous vintage pieces as well
• Do you collect anything in particular?
• I adore Butler & Wilson, Lulu Guinness and just anything that is a little different and quirky
• How many pieces in your jewellery box? 1 -1 0, 10 - 30, more than 30
• Gosh loads, definitely more than 30 but probably less than 100. I'm only 38 years old so have, hopefully many years of collecting ahead of me yet
• Who is your favourite jewellery designer/brand?
• Difficult as I love my Butler & Wilson necklaces and bracelets. However there are so many great designers in jewellery out there that I don't really have a favourite, just love them all
• What piece of jewellery couldn't you live without?
• My Great Grandmother's Art Deco flapper girl glass beaded necklace, black and pink and so of the time I would never be able to find another
• Is that your most worn piece?
• No, because I worry about losing it, my most worn piece is the Butler & Wilson multi-coloured beaded necklace and when I cruise on ships I tend to wear my glitzy 1950's Austrian crystals which belonged to my Nan
• What has been your best ever jewellery bargain?
• Most of mine are bargains as my Mum is also a jewellery nut and buys most of them for me as pressies. Although a recent purchase at auction was a vintage Butler & Wilson heart necklace which only cost £30.
• What piece was the most expensive?
• Most of my necklaces are in the £100 bracket but the most expensive is a gorgeous diamond  and ruby vintage watch which cost £590 from a collectors' fair
• What's on your jewellery wish list?
• At the moment it's a Holly Fulton Art Deco style chunky necklace; at around £300 I will own one - I have to own one.

To find out more about Tracy visit her website www.collectablesexpert.co.uk

Above top row: Butler & Wilson multi coloured beaded necklace www.butlerandwilson.co.uk. The lovely Tracy Martin. Middle row from left: Beaded Art Deco necklace which belonged to Tracy's Grandmother, Tracy's Art Deco watch bracelet shown both closed and open. Another favourite, Matisse enamelled pendant. Bottom row from left: Lulu Guinness 20th Anniversary charm bracelet £250 www.luluguinness.com, Holly Fulton Deco style necklace & skyscraper earrings image www.vogue.co.uk,  Holly Fulton Chrysler building Deco necklace £245 www.brownsfashion.com,

        Juliet Hutton-Squire

             Editor, Adorn London

Juliet Hutton-Squire

1.     

• What's your style chunky or dainty?
• Both, I love statement pieces and then usually just wear the one piece. I do also like dainty but then it  would need to be a really fine choker chain with a pendant no bigger than a 5p! I wear two delicate eternity rings on my wedding finger - timeless and classic but then I have carte blanche on my right hand but only ever wear one statement ring at a time. I am full of contrasts!
• Modern or vintage?
• Gosh both, I love contemporary styling but my favourite pastime is to scour car boot sales and charity shops for the perfect find.
• Do you collect anything in particular?
• It would have to be vintage clip-on earrings  
• How many pieces in your jewellery box? 1 -1 0, 10 - 30, more than 30
• Confession time – more than 30. I have been fortunate enough to travel extensively and pick up treasures en route. My jewellery is not very expensive but each piece has a story. 
• Who is your favourite jewellery designer/brand?
• I love the creativity of Marni, the earthiness of Pippa Small, the imagination of Victoire de Castellane from the House of Dior and the industrial glamour of Mawi.
• What piece of jewellery couldn't you live without?
• Statement rings
• Is a statement ring your most worn piece?
• No, my most worn piece is a pair of vintage diamante crystal cascading earrings that a friend gave me for my birthday years ago. I wore them with a graphic Holly Fulton dress the other night but have also worn them with a floor length gown.

• What has been your best ever jewellery bargain?
• My 1960’s signed Italian clip-on earrings for £2
• What piece was the most expensive?
• My wedding rings

• What's on your jewellery wish list?
• A baby Astley Clarke ring and the Mawi Rose printed pearl and bow bracelet from the India Rose collection

4.    

"I have a glass fronted cabinet in my bedroom full of my jewels..the beads hang on a dowel and then I have a lot of little boxes filled with sparkly treasures."

Adorn London is the ultimate showcase of jewellery trends and style from High Street to Haute Couture www.adorn-london.com

Above: Juliet's wish list, Baby Astley Clarke ring £1,795 www.astleyclarke.com  Mawi Pearl & Bow bracelet £230 www.mawi.co.uk

• Minnie Marx
• Barcelona, Spain
• Actress

• What's your style chunky or dainty?
• Dainty (I think, but I like chunky sometimes…)
• Modern or vintage?
• Modern (with a hint of vintage)
• Do you collect anything in particular?
• Lea Stein, Christopher Clarke and anything art deco, glitz I also like
• How many pieces in your jewellery box? 1 -1 0, 10 - 30, more than 30
• 500 I think – my god, I must be nuts!
• Who is your favourite jewellery designer/brand?
• Christopher Clarke (Lea Stein comes right alter him)
• What piece of jewellery couldn't you live without?
• My diamond ring I got for my birthday from my Italian friends
• Is that your most worn piece?
• No, Christopher Clarke earrings are things I wear most (I only wear clips, no holes in my earlobes.  Would you buy something with a hole in it?)
• What has been your best ever jewellery bargain?
• A sapphire & platinum bracelet I bought from a friend who sold it to me when his mother died.
• What piece was the most expensive?
• The sapphire bracelet
• What's on your jewellery wish list?
• I am perfectly happy with my jewellery treasures, but I wouldn´t mind some vintage Lea Stein ítems.  And if I see anything crazy which leaps at me and tickles my fancy, I will consider if I can afford to buy it and probably will  buy it…

Top:- Actress Minnie Marx wearing a Lea Stein Ric the terrier brooch

Above top row from left:- Enamelled winged earrings, enamelled clamper bracelet and pearl & bead necklace (a gift from Minnie's husband) all by Christopher Clarke

2nd Row:- Liquorice Allsort necklace bought on a trip to Switzerland, enamel flower earrings by Christopher Clarke

3rd Row:- Multi coloured square beaded necklace bought in an atelier in Switzerland, Christopher Clarke orchid drop earrings, diamond ring, a birthday gift from Italian friends

Bottom Row:- Diamanté tiara bought years ago from an auction in Valencia and worn in the film Savage Grace, the true story of the Baekeland family (Leo Baekeland was the inventor of bakelite). A scene from Savage Grace with Julianne Moore

Many thanks to Minnie for her precious time and help with this interview.

The Christopher Clarke shop & workshop in Amsterdam is no longer trading

What's in My Jewellery Box?

I'm often asked by customers what kind of jewellery I wear so I thought it was time to satisfy everyone's curiosity. Well, first and foremost it has to be big and chunky. I don't do stud earrings and delicate pendants unless they're diamonds! My jewellery of choice has to be larger than life, the kind of pieces people stop to stare at. Old or new, cheap or expensive, designer or boot sale, I don't care. It just has to scream 'Wear me!' Whispers or barely audible pleas just don't get heard.

If I had to chose just one favourite piece I'd struggle. At the moment it's a cross between my big Marc Jacobs bow ring (unfortunately a bit too big) and the big sage green & black ball necklace but then I probably wear the big chain necklace (or my Rottweiler necklace as I call it) more than anything else. I very occasionally part with pieces but only VERY occasionally. When I buy something new it's usually there to stay. I always make a point of looking for jewellery additions on every trip I make out of the country and many pieces hold never to be forgotten memories. I can remember where I bought every piece I own and in most cases how much I paid. My daughter Katie has bought me some of my best loved pieces and Josh, my son has given me some great bargains he's picked up from charity shops and boot sales. Feast your eyes on some of my favourites below.

Middle row Left: My Rottweler choker (a 25p boostale bargain), a Deco buckle which my husband had made into a choker for me & a tribal wood & metal choker I found in an atelier in Arles in the South of France. Centre: A spiral charity shop bargain which Josh bought me, a 1960's Danish architectural design ring & a huge 1960's choker Katie found in an Amsterdam Antiques market. Right: A selection of my many rings.

Bottom row Left: one of my favourite necklaces (an East London market bargain) & my Marc Jacobs bow ring, Centre: Italian acrylic ball necklace. Right: My original Myspace photo taken in 2007

If you'd like to tell me what's in your jewellery box get in touch