Valentine’s Day is just around the corner – if you’re searching for a gift for your special someone, you’ve come to the right place. Marion Carsten carries elegant, classic styles for both men and women, and her special 25% discount sale ends February 14th. For women, our luscious chocolate pearls combined with gold-plated coins in our Chocolate and Gold Coin Necklace make a romantic, luxurious keepsake. If she likes rings, you might consider our unique Coral Rose Ring – made of sterling silver and pink bamboo coral – a simple yet stunning accessory. Our new Coco Chanel-inspired Pearls, or the silver-with-gold-plating Shou Bangle also serve as classic tokens of elegance that are sure to impress.
If you’re looking for men’s items, Marion Carsten Jewelry carries a wide selection of sterling silver cuff links, including minimalist classic styles, pearl and mother of pearl inlays, and modern Asian-influenced silver links bearing the ancient Chinese symbols for ‘longevity’ and ‘return’. These items and more are available at our Shanghai, China Jewelry Store (Lane 210 Taikang Lu, Bldg. 9 Rm. 908) as well as at our online shop. You can also check out our newly –launched TaoBao online store – our 25% discount sale is valid online as well as in-shop until 2/14.

In some of her most famous portraits you will see Coco Chanel wearing strands upon strands of pearls layered over a simple black blouse, giving a feminine touch to her modern, slightly masculine designs.  Pearls were Coco’s favorite jewelry pieces and they were often artificial rather than real. This was a clear statement against the then-prevalent idea that having style meant adorning yourself with rare and valuable gems – the more the better. In this manner Coco actually revolutionized the concept of modern fashion and style, by becoming the first high-end designer to wear and sell artificial pearls as haute couture accessories.

Inspired by this concept of style, this fall we are introducing a lavish new creation of multi-strand ‘Waterfall Pearls’ to our collection.  They come in both fresh water pearls and imitation pearl combinations (which Coco would probably have preferred).  We combine various sizes of lustrous white pearls – from large marble pearls to small pebble size – into hand-strung, individually knotted strands, and secure them with sterling silver clasps that will keep your pearl strands safe and comfortable; for as Coco herself said, ‘Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury’.

Our multi-strand Waterfall Pearls are a stunning accessory for any formal occasion. You can find them, along with many other classic and original pearl creations, at our Shanghai store or at the ‘Exhibition Room’ of the MET Store in Bangkok.

Celebrate Fall with Warm, Radiant Colors in Sterling Silver Jewelry….
At Our New Shanghai Store Location

One of the most well-known Chinese idioms says that, ‘If the old doesn’t go, the new won’t come’. This fall we are ‘bringing in the new’, adding a bright new line of jewelry to our ‘Xina’ collection featuring the Chinese character “Shou”. The collection includes an eye-catching pendant, exquisite earrings, and a striking glass bracelet, all of which come in vibrant hues of wine red and sea spray blue.
These new ‘Shou Red’ pieces incorporate the ancient Chinese character symbolizing happiness and long life. In Imperial China, the symbol “Shou” was used in clothing and jewelry worn by the great Emperors, and even today the elegant character evokes memories of opulence and luxury.
You can find the new ‘Shou Red’ collection at our new Shanghai location: the recently renovated Tianzifang Building No. 9 boutique mall, on Taikang Rd. Lane 210 or at our online boutique.

P.S. Check out our other new items on our website, including our delicious new Chocolate-Gold Biwa Pearl and Chocolate Gold Coin necklaces.

Discover our newest creations in our Nature series inspired by the growing awareness about of our environment and the wish to lead a healthier live:

The Wave line is a fascinating variation of movements, volumes and light. Stylized waves fall delicately from necklines, ears or wrap around the finger. Have a close look at the ring of this collection – there is no top, no bottom, just a continuous oscillation of lines.

Looking at our second new design pattern some see abstracted sea snails, those colorful little wonders of the deep sea.
I personally favor another interpretation of theses voluminous spirals: the Chinese depiction of clouds so often seen in traditional Chinese ink paintings.

All our new designs come with matching pendants, earrings and rings. The very special feature is their rather unique surface treatment:
A brushed outer surface and a shiny, highly polished inside, which is plated with black rhodium. This creates a very interesting play with light and reflections.

A bohemian spirit has infected the staid pearl family: Lustrous colorful clusters, ‘misshapen’ blobs and very organic shapes had a ‘bad’ influence on the usual spare white strands.
With the emerging of countless shapes and colors proposed by explorative Chinese pearl farmers, pearl jewelry has definitely lost its ‘grandmother’-image and is one of the major jewelry trends this season
Baroque and organic shapes help pearls look great with denim – the 2009/2010 winter jewelry trends lean towards the ‘statement’-necklace and one of the best pearl styles is to wear multiple strands.

For several years chocolate pearls have been riding a popularity wave reserved only for those who could afford their pricey status. Recently, these beauties are being made available with the mainstream crowd at more affordable prices. These delights are actually freshwater pearls that have undergone an organic dyeing process that transforms them into that delicious chocolate hue.Those with a fashion-forward sense favor chocolate pearls when it comes to jewelry. They have an unpredictable flair that goes well with today’s fashions.

And fortunately, it’s a hue that wears well on nearly anyone. Worn against all the brown fashions available these days, the chocolate shade creates a tonal quality against camel, add soft contrast to creamy white and give the all-black urban style a new dimension. For the bride, chocolate pearls add a burnished dimension to wedding whites and creams

It was also home to a tight community of small independent foreign designers and artists. Over the course of a few years, the area flourished and became a new centre for the arts, crafts and design in Shanghai. We moved from the warehouse to a nice loft style showroom in one of the main lanes of what came to be known as Tian-zi-fang.

In spring this year we opened the doors of our second shop in Shanghai, allowing us to better serve our local customers. Meanwhile ‘marion carsten’ jewellery is also sold in several stores throughout China and Bangkok.

Many, many of our customers are ‘wanderers’ – expatriates, business travellers, foreign correspondents and globetrotters. Over the years, numerous emails reached us with the same question: “Can I order?”

It was possible but complicated for both sides, which lead to the idea of creating an online boutique.

Now,, you can order – easily and conveniently.
So – welcome (back) ot our (new) shop! Have a look at www.marioncarsten.com! You might discover many new designs and we hope you like it.
Your feedback is very much welcomed and for sure, your recommendation to friends too.

Yours,

Marion