The price of diamonds

Not only are we moved by sustainability and ethics in our jewelry production, but we are mindful of cost, as well. I found it interesting to see in this weekend's New York Times a comparison of diamond costs based solely upon where you purchase. 

At Tula, our diamonds are 100% conflict-free and are sourced from small, family-run, local Los Angeles businesses!

From NYTimes:
"Color and clarity impact the price of a 1/2-carat diamond solitaire ring, but so does location, as evidenced by the price difference between Van Cleef & Arpels, on Fifth Avenue, and Solitaire Creations, a diamond-district standby."

 

with love, 

Marisa

Happy clients

We LOVE hearing from our happy clients. Enormous thanks to Channa Nin Ja for these kind words about her custom Tula Jewelry ring (shown below)!

"it's GORGEOUS!!!! You are so great at what you do, and I can't wait to own more of your pieces. Thank you so much for working with me. saving up for your turquoise ring, and that geode necklace. top priority!"

 *I love making custom pieces, so if there's something you'd like to create that's all your own, possibly using old gold you already have, recycling it into something new and beautiful, I'm thrilled to make this creative journey with you. Email me! 

Shopping for gems in Arizona

For the past few days, we've been in Tucson, Arizona for the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, which happens to be one of the largest gem shows in the entire United States. You can only imagine the inspiration we're finding here! Diamonds, sapphires, minerals, metals, druzies, chains, and countless jewelry accoutrements from hundreds of dealers hailing from all over the globe. We're completely overwhelmed with the diverse and beautiful collections and can't wait to start creating new pieces back in my Los Angeles and Santa Barbara studios.

Yes, carats are good for your eyes.

Gems and gems and more gems and yours truly.

Why jewelry is the best Valentine's gift to give

Henri Cartier-Bresson, Sidewalk, Diderot, Paris.

So it’s nearly Valentine’s Day and your beloved is, quite possibly and most likely, stressing over your gift. 

Chocolates? Done that. 

Lingerie? Who’s that gift for, really? 

Dinner? Uninspired.

Jewelry? Always and forever a genius idea. Why's that?

When women wear jewelry we adore, especially pieces that have been given to us as gifts, we love when friends notice and ask us about our glittering gold ring or delicate pendant or stunning cuff. We're then given license to subtly boast, “My husband/lover/girlfriend/wife bought this for me.” Our friends thusly and appropriately “Aw” and we’re reminded of how much we’re loved.

Jewelry is for collecting memories, just as much as it’s for adorning. We hold onto these precious things of beauty with the recollection of where they came from, the love that came along with that gift, and the joy we felt upon receiving it. This memory endures along with the piece itself. And when we wear a piece of jewelry, we’re revisiting that moment in time.

Need another reason? If you shop with an independent jewelry designer (such as Tula Design!), you can customize every element of a hand-made ring, necklace, bracelet, or earrings – from the gems to the gold color to the very smallest details. Tula Jewelry, in particular, encourages the use of older pieces in creating new jewelry. By transforming older pieces (heirloom or otherwise) into new creations, Tula Jewelry is championing sustainability and environmental mindfulness. Win/win.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Go get your lady something gorgeous and show your love!

(from guest blogger, Rebecca Cox) 

Engagement Rings!

We were happily surprised to discover that earlier this month the blog Your Style Journey featured our sapphire and rose gold ring and our recycled gold and diamond ring in their round-up of "Unique Engagement Rings Under $1000!"

Thanks so much to Your Style Journey - definitely a blog worth following.
You can check out the post here: http://bit.ly/18Up82C

Three Top Picks:: A Vintage-Inspired Holiday

The energy and joy of the holidays is upon us and I trust you're all basking in the glow of early December's holiday spirit as much as I am!

With only a few weekends left before Christmas, no doubt your social calendar is growing increasingly full with parties and fetes and gatherings with loved ones to celebrate the season. And, of course, this requires a few new ensembles for every engagement, right?

While I will forever adore the little black dress for its simplicity and timelessness, sometimes a girl's got to mix it up and give homage to the greatness of the past and its classic, radiant style.

1 - Gold sequined vintage sheath dress with delicate inlay. The style is incredibly feminine and drapes beautifully, while the addition of the black collar lends an extra element of sophistication and refinement. This Burberry dress has a similarly glowing and gorgeous golden feel to it.

2 - A low-slung chignon is never, ever, ever flawless and gorgeous. Paired with the perfect red lip (I'd recommend MAC's Viva Glam 1 lipstick), you'll be the talk of the party.

3 - My Old Mine Cut diamond ring is the epitome of radiant, sparkling, vintage style! One of the earliest cuts used for engagement rings, Old Mine Cut diamonds were all cut individually by hand. While modern diamonds are cut with lasers to specific specifications in mass quantities, Old Mine Cuts are all truly unique and one-of-a-kind. These vintage diamonds are very rare and very difficult to find. This particular ring here is so original that it's already sold (as of today!) and no other quite like it currently exists. That said, I can keep my eyes open for another Old Mine Cut and create a new ring in the future.

Happy vintage-style holidays!
~ Marisa

Fall Favorites!

The Santa Ana winds have overtaken Southern California, and it's warmer than usual here for the middle of November. Nonetheless, the fall styles beckon me and I've put together another assemblage of beauties you might adore!

1 - I've long loved the envelope clutch, as it goes from day to night and carries all of the essentials (phone, lipgloss, business cards, car keys). This one here is the Eaton clutch from Madewell. I especially love the gold bar detail and the mix of black and brown leather.

2 - The black blazer never, ever, ever goes out of style. Perfect over jeans or a dress and, in Los Angeles in particular, fantastic over a little fitted tee shirt, paired with a loose scarf, as the evenings get chillier. The Reveur Blazer from Anthropologie is available in black and brown - I'd suggest buying both!

  
3 - The queen of incredible nail colors, OPI offers everything from azure blues to sparkling metallics. They're my go-to nail polish and their gel neutrals not only last for weeks and weeks, but they're beautiful and minimal and complement absolutely everything.

4 - Tula Design's Trillion cut diamond ring, shown in 14K yellow gold, is available as a custom ring in whatever you desire - rose, white, or yellow - and in any size you need. Because of its prong setting, it's easy to stack with other skinny, petite rings, but also looks pretty wonderful on its own!

Kind words and happy clients

I just received this lovely note from one of my clients, along with her gorgeous photos of the custom ring I designed for her. Thank you, Channa!  

She writes: "Thank you. This was my birthday present to myself, and I love all your original designs, as well as this custom job that you did for me. I hope to send many of my brides your way."

Happy clients always make me happy. 

Thank you for keeping me in love with and wholly inspired by what I do!

A happy Tula Design client shares her thoughts!

I'm delighted to share with you this blog post about Tula Design by lifestyle and fashion blogger Erika, who was looking for a ring to replace her wedding band. Here's the link.

This is what Erika has to say, among other things, about Tula Design: "The first thing that attracted me to her site was her amazing handmade and sustainable jewelry. Seriously, everything she makes is just beautiful." 

Thank you, Erika! So thrilled you love your new Tula band and are sharing it with the world.

Custom rings and tiny baby feet

As you know, I specialize in creating custom pieces - from engagement rings and wedding bands to pave diamond earrings, delicate pendants, and one-of-a-kind bracelets, all environmentally-kind in my production and using recycled gold and silver. (All my diamonds are obviously conflict-free.) Working so intimately with clients to create the perfect piece, I often feel a genuine connection with them; they quite often share images of their Tula Design jewelry with me once it's officially become a part of their world. Here's a beauty I'd love to share - a client's engagement and wedding ring, draped on the feet of their newborn babe! Too adorable.

For new and past clients, please feel free to share your photos with me! It's wonderful to know how much these Tula Design pieces are loved by you.

Druzy + Diamonds

I've been extremely busy in the studio lately, creating pieces for my fall collection. Here's a sneak peek at some new druzy and diamond post earrings I've just finished! If you're not familiar with druzy gems, they're known as "the stone of star dust," a collection of fine crystals on a geode fracture's surface. Not only are they exquisite, but they allegedly bring lightness and harmony to the wearer.

Happy Labor Day weekend (+ a few custom pieces to share!)

I hope you're planning for a long weekend of relaxation and fun!

A newly married client of mine just sent me these photos of her custom Tula Design rings and I felt compelled to share them with you all, as the photos are so gorgeous. Enjoy!

And have a safe and wonderful weekend.

xx - Marisa