Labor Day might be the last chance to wear your favorite summer accessories, so prepare for the holiday weekend accordingly. Though the holiday is all about fun, hopefully in the sun, there are still some things to look out for. Here’s our style guide for any holiday occasion or activity.

Occassion: The Beach
If you are headed to the beach this Labor Day weekend, you will need to take many precautions if you plan to bring your favorite jewelry. There are so many different elements that can cause harm to your jewels, including salt, sweat and sand. When deciding what you want to bring, start with what you definitely cannot bring. The salt from the seawater will corrode copper, so do not bring anything copper or rose gold, since rose gold is a gold and copper alloy. Any sweat contact can cause sterling silver to turn black, so try to avoid anything with silver. Finally, sand is abrasive and may scratch metals and stones, so avoid soft materials. Your best choice is yellow gold or platinum, but be sure to remove these pieces if you plan to go swimming!

Occassion: Family
A family get-together on a holiday weekend calls for a festive look. Labor Day was officially recognized by the US Congress in 1894, making this holiday over 100 years old. The day is to celebrate the contributions of the American worker to the strength and success of the U.S. Celebrate your family and loved ones over the weekend and have fun! Try festive and colorful jewelry in patriotic shades or motifs like stars. Unless your family is planning something formal, Labor Day festivities are typically casual events, so costume jewelry is probably the best choice for the occasion.

Occassion: Friends
This might be the most casual get together for the holiday. If you plan on a casual weekend with your closest friends, then your accessories should stay as simple as your weekend. This is truly a chance to accessorize as you please, whether it’s simple pieces like a pendant necklace and charm bracelet, or a bold statement piece you’ve been dying to wear. If you are feeling festive but want to keep things casual, consider wearing a piece from an American jewelry company like David Yurman, Lagos, Judith Ripka or Tiffany & Co.

Occassion: The City
If you are spending the day in the city, perhaps in a more formal celebration, then you have the chance to wear your nicer jewelry pieces — a glittering statement necklace or gemstone ring wouldn’t be out of place. This is also a great time to try out a new trend or a summer style you missed out on. Labor Day is often thought of as the unofficial end of summer, so take this as as the last opportunity to wear your favorite summer statement pieces.

The summer season is coming to a close and buyers are preparing for fall and sellers are listing for a new season. If you are looking to add to your jewelry or watch collection or trying to sell before the new season, then this list of best-selling products from August will help you understand what people are buying.

Men’s Watches

This August, the best-selling brand was Rolex, with the Datejust II, GMT-Master II and Submariner, selling the most. Previously, Breitling was selling an increased number of Super Oceans, and although the model is still a top seller, the Chronomat was the most popular from the brand. Vintage Omega watches are always a collector’s favorite, and vintage Omega Deville watches were at the top for the brand. Other popular models included the Seamaster, especially ref. 2561.80.00, and the Aqua Terra. Finally, the TAG Heuer Aqua Racer and Formula 1 saw an increase in sales for August.

Women’s Watches

Women’s watches trended towards fashion watches and watches from designers that primarily produce jewelry. Michael Kors watches were among the top selling with the Skylar and Darci models favorite choices. The ladies Cartier Muse de 21 greatly increased in popularity for the month of August. The Gucci 112, a bracelet watch, was another fashion watch that gained in popularity. Finally, the Bulgari Diagono was the best selling women’s sports watch.

Bracelets

Each month, Cartier Love bracelets are typically the best-selling jewelry item, and this was true for August. However, while we usually see yellow gold Love bracelets as the top metal, this August white gold bracelets surpassed yellow gold. Although the white gold Love bracelets are slightly more expensive than the yellow gold, they retain their value better. The Love bracelet was followed by David Yurman cable bracelets, another consistently popular jewelry piece. Hermes enamel bangles and H bracelets, along with Tiffany & Co. toggle bracelets were also best sellers for the month.

Necklaces

Tiffany & Co. necklaces are typically the best-selling necklaces overall and this was true for August. Elsa Peretti Open Heart and Paloma Picasso Loving Heart designs are extremely popular and the top selling in the necklace category for Tiffany & Co. Chanel CC logo necklaces and long ropes of faux pearls followed Tiffany & Co. Finally, Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra necklaces, especially in mother of pearl, were favorites for the month.

Earrings

Chanel dominated the earrings category for the month of August. Earrings from the French designer are typically at the top of the category. The most popular styles included button earrings and CC logo earrings. Behind Chanel earrings was another David Yurman favorite: Albion earrings. The colorful gemstone earrings perfectly pair with the best-selling cable bracelets. Finally, Tiffany & Co. knot earrings made for the perfect, simple earring for August.

Rings

Along with Cartier Love bracelets, Cartier Love rings are one of the best-selling items on the site. Although the Love bracelets sold the most in white gold, the Love rings sold the most in yellow gold. Following the Love rings was another Cartier classic — the Cartier Trinity ring. Beside Cartier, Bulgari B.Zero1 rings in white gold and Tiffany & Co. Atlas rings in yellow gold were also top sellers in the ring category.

Although the summer season is coming to a close, there’s always looking forward to the fall season. A new season means new styles to try, and we’ve been scouting the runways so you can try the latest trends for the fall. Keep reading to find out 5 new trends to try this upcoming season.

1. Pearls

Pearls have been trending the last few seasons, and it isn’t letting up soon. In previous shows, the pearls were typically worn with a modern twist. However, this season, it’s all about oversized statements. We saw pearls worn in new ways from designers like Chanel, Rag and Bone, Marni, Jason Wu, Gucci and Coach. Try searching for an extra long string of faux pearls, like Chanel, or extra-large baubles.

2. Raw Stone Pendants

This trend isn’t necessarily naturalistic anymore. In the past, we’ve seen the raw stones worn with a more organic look with earthy styles. However, this season the raw stone look was styled with a new aesthetic, like the above pictured from Givenchy (left). This modern style can be worn with a piece monochromatic, preferably with a silver metal setting. Other designers, like Calvin Klein, preferred bright stones with an earthy look.

3. Drop Earrings

Drop earrings are still a massive trend heading into the fall season — the only requirement is the length. The runway saw two, opposite styles: button earrings or extra-long drop earrings. Designers like Roberto Cavalli, Louis Vuitton, Lavin, Gucci, Chloe and Salvatore Ferragamo all featured this look. It’s also one of the simplest to pull off because you can choose a pair to compliment any style.

4. Chokers

You might have noticed the ’90s are back, and chokers are only gaining in popularity as the fashion seasons change. It seems every designer had their own high fashion take on the current trend. We saw the look from Calvin Klein, Alexander McQueen, Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Oscar de la Renta, Alexander Wang and Dolce & Gabbana. We particularly liked the simple ribbon with glamorous gemstones from Ralph Lauren and the extremely detailed glittering choker from Oscar de la Renta.

5. Charm Jewelry

This charming trend is back, so pull out your old jewelry. Charm jewelry was spotted on the catwalk from designers like Tory Burch, Chloe, Prada and Etro. If you have an old Tiffany charm bracelet, then pull it out and give it a polish. Designers also favored necklaces with this trend. Prada and Tory Burch used quirky and oversized charms around the neck to make a new kind of statement necklace.

Photo Credit: vogue.co.uk

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso may be one of the finest timepieces to start as a sort of sports watch. The unique design may have been inspired by a polo match, but the Reverso has made its place among the most iconic wrist watch designs in history. Keep reading to learn more about the history of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso.

The Reverso was envisioned after British officers in India complained to a watch importer that the glass cases of their watches often shattered during polo matches. The importer, Cesar de Trey, mentioned the problem to his supplied, Jacques-David LeCoultre, who then consulted Edmund Jaeger and Rene Alfred Chauvot. Together the three developed a watch case that would slide and swivel.

The watch was finally introduced in 1931 under LeCoultre, though not with a LeCoultre movement, and designed by Jaeger — this was before the two companies were one. In the beginning, LeCoultre didn’t supply the movement for the watch as the cases were produced before the right movement was developed. However, in 1933 LeCoultre started to manufacture Reversos with an in-house movement.

Jaeger-LeCoultre finally merged in 1937. The Reverso was widely praised as an elegant “sports watch” before sports watches became a utility. The classic, Art Deco design was also a great success for the watchmaker. However, the success waned after WWII as tastes shifted to round cases. Then, with the introduction of the quartz movement in the ’60s, the Reverso seemed a relic of the pre-war past.

In 1972, an Italian watch dealer, Giorgio Corvo, discovered a supply of empty Reverso cases, bought the entire lot (approximately 200 cases), and fitted them with mechanical movements. Corvo sold out of his supply and attempted to convince JLC to resurrect the line with mechanical movements. I9 1982, JLC did bring back the Reverso collection, but with quartz movements. Three years later, JLC introduced their first water-resistant Reverso.

While the original Reverso case was made of approximately 30 parts, the modern cases feature 50+ parts, making it one of the most complicated watch cases ever produced. The revitalization of the collection ultimately proved to be a success, with over 20 new models introduced since 1982.

Some of the most notable new models include the Duoface which features a face on both sides and a dual time zone complication. There’s even a three-faced model called the Reverso Grande Complication a Triptyque. Other models feature perpetual calendars, moon phases, self-winding movements and more.

Photo Credit: timezone.com / monochrome-watches.com / ablogtowatch.com

The Patek Philippe Nautilus was a breakthrough for the legendary Swiss watchmaker. This signature sports watch elevated the category and was one of the designs to put a luxury twist on a stainless steel sports watch. Today, the Nautilus remains one of the most sought-after Patek Philippe models available. We explore three backstories that made this unconventional design into a true icon.

1. The Patek Philippe Nautilus was designed by Gerald Genta.

Gerald Genta (1931-2011) was one of the most renowned watch designers of our time. He is credited with designing some of the most iconic timepieces of the past several decades: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, the Bulgari Bulgari watch, the Omega Constellation and the Patek Philippe Nautilus.

In the 1970s, Patek Philippe wanted a refined sports watch that catered to the luxury watch enthusiasts and could compete with the recently released Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Naturally Patek Philippe tapped Genta for the job; the Swiss luxury watchmaker hoped Genta could out-do himself and his Royal Oak design. (To learn more about Genta’s work on the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Watch, read our post, “6 Facts About the Royal Oak Watch” here.)

Watch legend has it that Genta was struck with the inspiration for the Nautilus while eating lunch at a café outside of the 1974 Basel Watch Fair. He asked the head waiter for a pencil and paper and quickly sketched out the preliminary design for the Patek Philipe Nautilus. Genta’s original illustration was rich with nautical references that Genta knew would appeal to Henri Stern, the owner of Patek Philippe and a passionate sailor. Genta took inspiration from the hinged portholes on oceanliners and modified it into the Nautilius’s now-iconic case shape.

When the watch made its debut in 1976, it was nicknamed “Jumbo” after its hefty 43mm case which, at the time was considered exceptionally large.

2. The Nautilus helped Patek Philippe survive the Quartz Crisis.

Starting in the 1970s, the luxury market nearly went bust with the introduction of the quartz movement. Traditional watchmakers prided themselves on their complex automatic movements that required a substantial amount of resources and manpower to design and produce. In turn, these automatic watches garnered high price tags. However, when synthetic quartz movements flooded the market, it upended the industry and devalued automatic watches. This economic downturn became known as the Quartz Crisis.

Consumers no longer felt they needed to pay a significant sum for an accurate timepiece. This market-shift towards inexpensive quartz movements left many luxury watch brands scrambling to compete.

Instead of cutting their costs to widen their appeal, Patek Philippe released the Nautilus as a high-end luxury timepiece at a steep price. This risky strategy paid off for the brand as Patek Philippe Nautilus created a sensation at the 1976 Basel Watch Fair and was touted as the “Costliest Watch Made of Steel.” Thereafter, Patek Philippe continued producing extremely high-end watches to appeal to a narrow and affluent market segment.

3. The nautically-inspired Patek Philippe Nautilus was named after the book Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

The Nautilus was named after Captain Nemo’s submarine in the Jules Verne book Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. And in further homage to its nautical inspiration, the Patek Philippe Nautilus arrived in a cork box. But for all its seafaring design flourishes, the Nautilus is not a dive watch. It is, however, water-resistant up to 120 meters.

Photo Credit: timeandwatches.com / gearpatrol.com

This year, the Cartier Tank watch celebrates its 100 year anniversary. To commemorate this significant milestone, we take a look at the history and round up five interesting facts about the iconic watch.

1. The Cartier Tank was the first watch designed with a holistic, style-first approach.

Before Louis Cartier debuted the Cartier Tank Watch, watchmakers focused their design nearly exclusively on the face and dial. Little to no thought was given to the style of the strap—it was merely a means to keeping the wristwatch on. As for the watch itself, it was designed to keep time, not to be a flashy commentary on your personal style.

Having built his reputation as a jeweler, Cartier approached the Tank Watch’s design holistically, melding together form and function. Cartier himself eschewed the incredibly ornate Art Nouveau look that was enjoying its heyday at the time. Instead, Cartier took a boldly minimalist approach to his Tank Watch: four lines, with two parallel shafts, and a sapphire cabochon on the crown and a leather strap.

2. The Cartier Tank Watch was in fact inspired by military tanks. 

Cartier was inspired by the French military’s Renault Tanks which were used during World War I and again during World War II. Renault Tanks are considered the first modern tank, setting the precedent for nearly all tank designs thereafter. They were introduced in 1917 and, as the war progressed, production ramped up throughout 1918.

Cartier adapted the distinctive caterpillar tracks of the army tank to his Tank Watch’s bracelet. He also channeled the strong lines of the Renault Tank to inform his square dial and rectangular shape of the lugs and strap.

3. There have been over 30 variations of the classic Cartier Tank Watch design.

Since the Cartier Tank Watch’s debut a hundred years ago, Cartier has re-imagined and updated watch style in clever and novel ways. To wit, in 1922, Cartier introduced the Tank Chinoise (photo above) which features prominent lugs inspired by the architectural lines of Chinese temples.

And in 1928, the Cartier Tank à Guichets was released. The mysterious-looking watch has only windows to display the hours and minutes number. The rare Cartier Tank à Guichets has become a highly sought-after collector’s item. Other popular models include the Tank Louis, Tank Francaise, Tank Americane, and Tanek Anglaise.

4. The Cartier Tank is a celebrity favorite.

The Cartier Tank Watch has been the timepiece of choice for history’s biggest style icons and remains a fashionable fixture in these celebrity circles. Couturier Yves Saint Laurent, dancer Fred Astaire, artist Andy Warhol, actors Gary Cooper and Warren Beatty number among the most well-known Cartier fans. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis wore a Cartier Tank with a black alligator band. The late Princess Diana received a Cartier Tank from her father and left it to her son, Prince William. And First Lady Michelle Obama wore her stainless steel Cartier Tank Francaise watch in her official White House portrait. Today, the Cartier Tank can be seen on the wrists of actresses Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Garner and rock legend Mick Jagger.

5. The Tank Anglaise was the first Cartier Tank to include an in-house movement.

When Cartier was first developing the Cartier Tank watch, he turned to Edmond Jager to create the movement and Swiss manufacturer LeCoultre for the raw materials. In 2012, Cartier released the updated Tank Anglaise watch. This was the first in the Tank collection to include the in-house Cartier 1904MC automatic movement. The movement’s name is an homage to 1904, the year Albert Santos-Dumont who commissioned Louis Cartier to design the wristwatch that would ultimately become the Santos.

Photo Credit: watch-insider.de / fratellowatches.com / luxuo.com / refineur.com

Yves Saint Laurent is one of the most celebrated fashion designers in history. His first designs were widely controversial, but his daring led to some of the most classic fashion styles today. His jewelry was as eclectic and eye-catching, complimenting his unconventional fashion designs. Keep reading to learn more about Yves Saint Laurent.

At the age of 17, Yves Saint Laurent moved to Paris to study fashion design and editor of French Vogue Michel De Brunhoff quickly took notice of the young designer. After noticing similarities in design, Brunhoff set up a meeting between Saint Laurent and Christian Dior. Dior then immediately hired Saint Laurent.

Hired at Dior in 1953, Saint Laurent began working on small tasks and designs, including decor and designing accessories. Over the years, Dior gave more opportunities to Saint Laurent and each season more of his sketches were included in the final collections. Upon Christian Dior’s death in 1957, Yves Saint Laurent found himself as Dior’s chief designer at the age of 21.

Christian Dior always featured detailed jewelry pieces created and designed specifically for the collection, something not entirely common with fashion designers of the time. This consideration for accessories was passed on to Saint Laurent after his departure from Dior. Saint Laurent’s first collection for Dior was widely accepted, but his later collections were not met with acclaim.

In 1960, during the Algerian War of Independence Saint Laurent was conscripted to serve in the French Army. During his absence, he was fired from Dior and subsequently opened his own eponymous design house in 1961, Yves Saint Laurent YSL. He’s often credited as the first designer to release a pret-a-porter, or ready-to-wear, line of clothing, and many popular designs and silhouettes.

YSL is known for designs like the trapeze dress and Le Smoking, a tailored tuxedo for women, as well as popularizing the safari/beatnik look. In the 1970s, YSL introduced its jewelry collections, including colorful and bold pieces. His runway pieces are also highly sought-after pieces and considered a bolder step above his ready-to-wear collections.

By the 1980s, The House of Yves Saint Laurent became one of the biggest forces in fashion. Saint Laurent was the first designer to be honored while living with a solo exhibition by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. In 2001, Saint Laurent was honored with the title of Commander of the Légion d’Honneur by the French president. He then retired in 2002.

Photo Credit: forbes.com / senatus.net

The famed French fashion house was one of the elite labels who helped bring costume jewelry mainstream. While many designers chose to compliment their fashions with subtle accessories, Dior considered jewelry part of the complete look. He specifically designed pieces for his collections, not as an afterthought. Keep reading to learn about the history of Christian Dior and its fine jewelry.

Christian Dior was founded in 1947 Paris by the designer of the same name. Dior’s initial designs, revealed for Spring/Summer 1947, were referred to as the “New Look.” This collection would mark a change in the fashions post-WWII. The collection was characterized by large and full skirts, narrow waists and structured tops. The looks were decidedly more feminine than the styles before and during the war. The New Look’s design motifs are now ubiquitous in today’s fashion.

Christian Dior differed from many designers with his use of jewelry. Dior believed that jewelry was as much a part of fashion as clothing. The jewelry for each look was designed in detail for his collections, without worry of undermining the clothing. By 1948, Dior had opened a fashion house called “Dior Costume Jewelry” in Germany in 1948. In 1957, Christian Dior died at the age of 52, leaving Yves Saint Laurent as creative director. Saint Laurent then took control of jewelry design for Christian Dior SE.

In 1998, the fashion house announced its official jewelry division called “Dior Joaillerie.” Victoire de Castellane was also announced as the creative director of the new division. Castellane worked at Chanel under Karl Lagerfeld from 1984-1998 as a studio assistant and then designer of costume jewelry. Castellane is known for her creative and bold jewelry designs and is often cited as one of the best and most innovative jewelry designers of her time.

Dior jewelry, from the beginning, was very much inspired by nature. Many designs since the late ’40s featured depictions of animals and floral motifs. Dior himself spent much of his time in the French countryside and the scenery clearly influenced much of his work, including jewelry. Castellane, like Dior, prefers feminine styles and much of her work is inspired by nature and features floral motifs.

Dior’s latest fine jewelry collection, designed by Castellane, is called Dior A Versailles. The collection, true to its name, was inspired by the grand Palace of Versailles. Castellane was inspired by the Hall of Mirrors and the idea of viewing the jewelry by candlelight. The pieces were made with 18th-century jewelry-making techniques and the metals were darkened for a more convincing antique look.