This post has been brought to you by the World Gold Council
As a good Portuguese wife, my wedding ring is a solid yellow gold band, and my husband’s matches mine. This is not to say that any other choices are wrong (of course they are not), but my choice was conditioned by my cultural heritage and tradition, and one I was always very keen to continue and will do so.
While researching places to visit in preparation for my recent trip to Istanbul, I came across these gorgeous Gold Jewellery Shopping Guides on LoveGold.com and I was really quite intrigued. I was also gutted that my discovery took place the day after I had returned from Los Angeles and New York. Why?
Well, because New York and Los Angeles are two of the 9 cities who are part of the LoveGold Shopping Guides. The others are Istanbul (Turkey), Sao Paulo (Brazil), London (UK), Paris (France), Mumbai, Delhi and Jaipur (India). My next trip was to Istanbul and Mumbai and Jaipur are also on the horizon – so some stories are just meant to be told.
The concept behind LoveGold’s jewellery guides is simple – there are extraordinary jewellery designers around the world, and many up and coming ones, especially in cities where gold is traded as a commodity and you are never really sure what you are buying. Needless to say, if you want to buy gold in Istanbul’s grand bazaar, you are doing so at own risk.
By using the LoveGold guides, you will not only find unique jewellery designers in the 9 cities, but also buy with confidence. The website is very sexy and makes for an interesting read, I promise!
In Istanbul, Turkey, I chose to visit the Melié by Melike showroom, located in the über trendy Nişantaşı district. I honestly did not know what to expect – I obviously knew that it would be lovely! And oh my God.
To say that the showroom was stunning, would be an understatement – you knew you were walking into someone’s personal space, and someone with impeccable taste. Melike, the designer, was also there and was as lovely and pretty – it kind of all felt like a fairy tale!
But what I loved? The pieces – very unassuming, discrete, and using real high carat yellow or rose gold and a variety of precious stones.
I wear jewellery quite a bit – but only very small and discrete pieces. A ring, very small earrings and a small pendant. I am not one for bracelets, for example.
So at Melié, I was spoiled for choice. I enjoying looking at pieces which were very different to what I would normally wear (like the rings you can see below), but I was also delighted to find not 1, but 27 things I truly loved.
I loved the rose gold pendant with a black stone (which changed colour according to what I wear), and I had to buy it (i.e. not a gift, it is mine mine mine!).
We were also treated to impeccable Turkish hospitality and I have to say, the Turkish delights and chocolates were outstanding. It was a very personal shopping experience and I truly enjoyed every minute of it.
Without the LoveGold Shopping Guides, I would have not actually discovered this great part of town, and certainly not come across Melié by Melike. I know what I bought was of the highest quality, and the design had my name written all over it.
Next time, I shall take my LoveGold adventure around London, which is something I have never done, outside Old Bond Street, where most of my jewellery comes from.
Do you also #LoveGold? What do you think of this concept?
Xo
Mrs. O
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by LoveGold. Needless to say, and as you will know if you read my blog regularly, it reflects my personal opinion about the shop and the designer, whose creations I purchased on the same occasion, and were not a gift.