Black Opal

We’ve scoured the globe for suitable sources of these for a number of years and it’s with great pleasure that we can offer bespoke and ready-to-order designs featuring these special gems types.

White Opal

Our opals come from Lightning Ridge in Australia. Currently we have both a white and rare black  opal available. I’ve carefully selected the most beautiful examples of each for our inventory; the white is translucent and features green, blue and pink flecks. Opals display an unusual optical effect; the colour plays within the stone and flashes through the spectrum. For this reason, we’ve inclulded a photograph of both opals against a neutral background, shot in natural daylight (on a grey Scottish winter day. In fact for those of you in Scotland, the shots were taken 8th Dec 2011; the day ‘Hurricane Bawbag’ hit Scotland!)

These ‘naked’ shots let you see how spectacular the colours are, even in dull light. The colours in the opals look alive; as the light changes so to does the spectrum visible.

The black  opal is particulary special; these rare gems can sell for millions of dollars. Our beauty is a fine example of pattern and of bright splashes of colour across the stone. Opals are the birthstone for October and are for 14th and 18th Wedding anniversary jewellery.

Those of you who follow us on Twitter or Facebook may have seen our exciting partnership withy Jersey Pearl recently, for the Elephant Parade in Singapore. Fifi Bijoux was asked to design and paint a life size baby elephant , which will be on display in TANGS Plaza in Singapore until January 2012. The elephants are then auctioned by Sotheby’s, with a percentage of the sale price being donated to the Asian Elephant Foundation and other charities who carry out valuable work in the region to protect these majestic animals.

Jersey Pearl are the first Carbon-neutral pearl company and share our values of the significance of both bio-diversity and equitable trade for producers. Their pearl fisheries operate (in a ecologically senstive manner!) in the very areas where some of the Asian elephants are diminishing.  I used Jersey Pearls to decorate our elpehant (called Yunnan) and we hope those of you in Singapore enjoy the Parade!

Bespoke design are now available with Jersey Pearls, as well as fancy coloured mabe pearls from New Zealand which are available  in distinctive blue and green colours.

Pearl is  the birthstone for June and for anniversary jewellery in the 1st, 12th and 30th year of marriage.

Awesome!!

Don’t forget we are kitted out for Valentine’s day with a host of gift choices.

Here’s our top 5:

1. Ardent pendant, 9ct gold with white topaz[SinglePic not found]

2. Adore pendant (contact us for your nearest stockist).

3. Mile High collection in Ethical Silver 

4. Sex on the Beach in Ethical Silver

5. Angel pendant in Ethical gold with Aquamarine [SinglePic not found]

Or – if you’re ready to make it the best Valentine’s day ever, contact us to discuss Ethical Engagement rings, such as our ‘Arc’ ring from £1000, as featured in Marie Claire Feb 2010 issue.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER SHOP

Our Online Gift Voucher delivery cuts through all the angst of snowy roads and treacherous driving.

Stay at home, safe and warm.

click here to shop for vouchers

Here’s how we can help

1.Fifi Bijoux Gift Vouchers. £10 to £100 vouchers available. Job’s a good ‘un.

2. Email our Christmas Elf to help you choose the most suitable gift. Tell us:

-If you’ve been naughty or nice.

-Who you’d like to choose a gift for, their age, your budget

and one of the following descriptions:

-Fashionista

-Understated Elegance

-Quirky

-Super-glam

We’ll email you back with our suggested pick-list from www.fifibijoux.com/shop

3. We hate dreary phone queues too, so leave your name and number on 0208 133 2531 and a Fifi Elf will call you back.

Simples!

Lots of Love

Fifi B xxx

This week sees the convention of diamond officials who will discuss the continuing problem of Blood Diamonds.

As Mugabe’s diamonds remain on the global market, can anyone be sure that they aren’t currently buying a diamond from the high street which has been mined amidst the murder of some 200 civilians in Zimbabwe in the diamond fields?

The profits from these conflict diamonds are being used to finance political militia.

Sierra Leone has yet to make a full recovery from it’s bloody conflict, funded by diamonds, 1991-2002. Tens of thousands of civilians lost their lives and over 2 million people were displaced by the war.

As Christmas seems to quicken it’s pace towards us, the surge in engagement ring enquiries for Christmas delivery has got well under way. However, for those who aren’t ‘in the know’ about conflict diamonds, far less fair trade diamonds, they could well be unwittingly placing a Blood Diamond on their loved one’s finger.

Zimbabwe’s Rio Tinto mine alone produces approximately 260,000 carats per year and has plans to increase production up to sixfold.

This week saw the launch of the brand new Silver Collection for Fifi Bijoux. ‘Two Hearts Colliding’ takes a frivolous look at romance, with pieces such as ‘Sex on the Beach, and ‘Mile High’.

(‘Kiss me Quick’ pendant and earrings were snapped up by our stockists too. However, you’ll have to be patient as these are for Spring/Summer 2010 and won’t be in store for a few months yet!).

Just as well the collection was doing well, as I could barely keep my eyes open. A nasty dose of flu had me in a fever all weekend, trying to maintain my lip gloss and bronzer despite being told I was ‘grey’ and literally climbing into a cupboard to blow my nose (which kept bleeding in protest).  Now, I know you have a moral duty to stay at home under the duvet at such times, but I’d worked my trotters off to get ready for the show and I was not going to sit at home during the highlight of the fashion year.

Luckily, I had brilliant medical attention. The divine Jimmy Choo popped by for a chat and on hearing my phelm- induced Mariella Frostrup impression and my Scottish accent, offered his assistance. (Scottish people have excellent Chi he tells me and it’s one of his favourite places in the world).

His diagnosis- I was suffering from exhaustion due to not sleeping for exactly 2 1/2 weeks. (Spookily accurate..) and dehydration.

Jimmy then laid his hands on my head, peered into my eyes and told me he would rebalance my chi.

Jimmy Choo’s choice; the Limited Edition 18ct gold Bahia Ring with rutile quartz from mines which re-invest profits in organic farming and fairly traded diamonds, from a women’s co-operative in Lesotho.

The next 10 minutes were something of a blur- staring into Jimmy Choo’s blue eyes, his fingers moving in front of my forehead and him making prayers to call upon my yin and yang to restore their balance and my fever to leave me. My nose grew extraordinarily hot and my upper lip began to sweat. Then he gave me a wink and told me to get a good nights sleep and drink some sweet lemon tea.

Whether it was simply the kindess of such a brilliant man who exults craftmanship taking the time to show such human warmth and kindness which made me feel better, or whether Mr Choo is indeed blessed with healing hands I can’t say. Whichever it was, my temperature reduced and my snuffling abated a good deal after his visit.

Fashion week is remarkable; the most incredible friendships are formed in a spirit of camaraderie. The image of the fashion diva is farthest from the truth in my experience. Despite tabloids snatching on ’size zero’ debates and designers choices of larger models, or Anna Wintour’s reported displeasure at being kept waiting for shows to begin, from the inside London Fashion Week is a hotch potch of youth and experience, a trade of catwalk glamour and real life grit. Most of all, its an enormous credit to London and the British Fashion scene.

Next stop Paris.

Lots of  love,

Fifi xxx