It's a stylish Italian family affair over at Mary Mahoney, 351 Worth Ave., this week.
Sabbadinis have taken over much of the first and third levels of the emporium. Stefania, Alberto and Piero Sabbadini are at Mahoney showing their latest jewelry designs — about 500 pieces — through Wednesday, when they take their display cases and safe filled with glittering jewelry over to the Palm Beach County Convention Center for the Palm Beach! art and antique fair.
Known for their jeweled bee pins, often worn in multiples, the Sabbadinis are introducing a new series of pins that feature invisibly set gems such as sapphires, diamonds, rubies and garnets. They are star-shaped and, like the bees, can be worn individually or in groups. The star pins are a bit pricier than the bees, which start at about $1,000. Sabbadini stars range in price from $10,800 to $13,000.
Also featured is a new group of light-colored turquoise brooches, necklaces, earrings and rings, priced from $5,000 to $40,000.
Piero Sabbadini is especially keen on the family firm's new collection of cascade-style earrings featuring small diamonds set together in shapes that appear like much larger stones. "They may look like $250,000 earrings, but offer that look for just $25,000 to $50,000," he said.
The jeweler is also quite proud of a rare Cartier Mystery Clock with jeweled panthers flanking the face, which is topped with a striking and quite large rough diamond he's included among the offerings. "The replacement cost for this clock is $1.2 million, but I'm selling it for $600,000," said Sabbadini.
Up two flights, Alberto Sabbadini's sister (and Piero's aunt), Juanita, is showing her 70-piece spring collection of mostly made-to-order women's day, cocktail and evening wear. The Milan-based designer will be at the Mahoney store through Saturday. "I am in a garden mood," said Sabbadini, whose clothes often feature floral elements. Sabbadini will take a customer's measurements at the Mahoney store and in about a month's time return to Palm Beach with a garment for a second, and usually final fitting. Her couture-style clothes cost $2,500 to $7,000 for what she calls "an important dress."
For this show, her second on the island, Sabbadini has designed a ready-to-wear collection of dresses and embroidered knit tops that can be purchased and carried out on the spot. The 15 dress styles, priced from $2,000 to $3,000, are mostly tea-length numbers in floral-printed silk chiffon. The silk-cotton knits are $1,000 to $1,800.
To schedule an appointment to see the Sabbadini jewelry or the fashions, call 655-8288.
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Vase based — Having worked as a ceramicist for more than 30 years, Countess Carolinda Tolstoy of London has branched out into creating wearable works of art decorated with the Islamic patterns and motifs that inspire her. On Friday and Saturday, Barzina, 66 Via Mizner, 833-5834, will be exhibiting her latest creations — vessels and robes — in a show called "Ceramics & Silk."
It's the first time Tolstoy's collection of silk gowns will be shown in the United States.
"The silks I decorate are mostly Italian, soft and fluid," she said. Tolstoy's elegant hand-painted silk creations are $2,000. Her ceramic pieces range in price from $975 to $5,600.
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Bijoux preview — Frédéric Beziat, who hails from Paris and Lyon, has set up shop amid the art and antiques at Lars Bolander's 375 S. County Road store through Feb. 8. The 38-year-old jewelry designer, whose company is called L'Oree du Bois ("golden wood") is a former lawyer who got bored with the practice and took on jewelry in 1992. He works with exotic woods, precious and semiprecious stones and mostly natural subject matter when he creates his pieces. Beziat also incorporates ceramic and leather elements.
"I work in a style that could be called organic, but is stylized in a way comparable to art deco or art nouveau," Beziat said. "I try to capture the spirit of the animals," he said of his dragonfly, parrot, and other animal-form pieces.
Beziat is also known for his sleek wood cuffs set with stones.
The jewelry designer has brought in about 300 pieces for the Palm Beach show. Prices range from $1,000 for a wood and semiprecious stone bangle to $90,000 for a large amethyst and diamond brooch. Call 832-2121 to schedule an appointment.
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Back at Chanel — Mary Clare Sharp, Chanel boutique manager, has returned to the nest. Sharp took some time off to assess her situation and made the decision to come back to the work and the world of Chanel, she said.
— rjanjigian@pbdailynews.com