Last week I had the pleasure of attending a Bloggers Breakfast hosted by Tiffany and Co. where we were served coffee, crepes and diamonds — the perfect way to start a girl’s day! As we oohed and aahed at some of the biggest and most beautiful rings in the store, I was particularly drawn to the ‘Tiffany Enchant‘ collection, which debuted earlier this year in celebration of the company’s 175th year anniversary.  Inspired by the scrolled iron gates of secret gardens, it’s easy to get lost in the swirls of white, pink and yellow diamonds that are hand cut and set in platinum and 18 karat rose gold.  My love for the Old World is definitely encapsulated within this collection, yet the pieces are perfectly suited for today’s modern woman.

For this elegant affair, I decided to wear my white PINK TARTAN shirt with crystal collar that you saw here, along with a black PINK TARTAN skirt, Dior patent leather booties and a Lady Dior handbag.  Tiffany jewels, Wolford tights and a BCBG wool hat completed the look on this wintery day.

Once upon a time, there was a Maharaja who lavished himself with pretty, shiny objects.  He fell in love with a 234.69 carats De Beers diamond found in 1888, the seventh largest diamond in the world that was as big as a golf ball.  In 1928 he, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of the princely state of Patiala, commissioned the House of Cartier to make a masterpiece to adorn his neck, which held 2,930 diamonds and weighed almost a thousand carats.

Mysteriously, the Patiala Necklace disappeared in 1948 only to be discovered later in 1998 at a second hand jewelry shop in London, stripped of all its diamonds.  Cartier acquired the remains of this art deco bib necklace and spent four years restoring it with substitute stones.

The result can be seen at the Maharaja: The Splendour of India’s Royal Courts exhibit which runs at the AGO until April 3rd showcasing the rich history and flamboyant lifestyles of the maharajas during the period 1700 to 1947.

The Patiala Necklace - restored by Cartier