Movado Artists' Series

It's a rainy Monday here in NYC, so I was looking for something bright to post this morning. These fun watches are were designed by the artist Kenny Scharf as part of the limited edition Movado Artists' Series. I love that Movado does so much for the arts, and Scharf is just one of many artists that have collaborated with the brand to create special timepieces.

The Artists' Series started in 1988 with Andy Warhol and has included Arman, James Rosenquist and Max Bill among others. Check out this calendar to see some of the unique, colorful watches that were born from the collaborations.

Even if you know little about Movado, you probably recognize the brand's single dot at 12. It's now called the "Museum Watch" because it was chosen, in 1960, as the first watch dial to be housed in the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection.

Shop Portero's collection of Movado watches.

JIC's Jewelry Trends

I would be crazy not to point you in the direction of one of the trend-savviest women in the jewelry industry, my friend and Jewelry Information Center maven Helena Krodel. She's recently published her FALL 2009 FINE JEWELRY TRENDS and it's a must-read if you're into beautiful baubles.

According to Helena, these shapes were prominent on the Fall runways and will be big in the upcoming season:

U-Shape Necklaces
V-Shape Necklaces
Cuffs
Big Chandelier Earrings
Big Necklaces

Want to read all about the details? Definitely check out the JIC's site for specifics.

Excited by the big necklace craze? I love this Xing Fei Gold Plated Crochet Wire Purple Green Pearl Iolite Purple Chalcedony Bib Necklace that's pictured above. So chic and perfectly on trend for the season!

Newest Arrivals

I hope you've been taking some time to play around with the (relatively) new site--a lot of changes and updates have gone live and shopping is easier than ever now. One of my favorite tools is definitely the "Newest Arrivals" button that you can find under each category. This is absolutely the easiest way to see just what is new for sale on Portero.com.

That's why this week's homepage slides are all about the latest and the greatest via the Newest Arrivals search feature. It's just a friendly reminder that shopping is easier than ever on Portero 2.0.

Runway shoes to reality

I had to share this fantastic video from New York magazine's website--it's the staff trying on and walking in some of Fall '09s most gravity-defying shoes. How crazy are those Nina Ricci platforms?

If you're looking for something a bit more manageable, these Jil Sander Slate Gray Leather Pointed-Toe Lace up Shoes are all the rage come fall, and they sure look more comfortable than those sky-high heels.

Shop our huge selection of shoes for a wide range of styles and brands for the upcoming season.

New Look for Hope Diamond?

This is pretty interesting: to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the donation of the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian, the museum will be putting the 45.52 carat blue diamond in an entirely new setting. The public gets to vote on and choose the winning design by jeweler Harry Winston, and it will be on exhibit starting May 2010. (You can vote through September 7, 2009.)

For now, the museum has created a page dedicated to the mysterious blue diamond, and you can learn a lot more about the gem, it's myths and it's science by checking it out.

I'm not personally sold on any of the HW designs--I find them a bit dated--but I do love all of the legend surrounding the Hope Diamond.

Want to shop Portero's diamond jewelry? While we don't have any blue diamonds, we are stocked with gorgeous pieces, including some lovely colored diamond options.

Find Fall Fashion

Yes, it's still summer, but once the September fashion magazines are out, it's time to start thinking about warm-weather gear. We've done the hard work for you and sussed out the trends that perfectly on point for late '09.

If you want to get an inside peek of how the famous September issue of Vogue gets put together, definitely check out the aptly namedThe September Issue--I've heard it's a fantastic glimpse into the world of high fashion and notorious editor Anna Wintour.



See what we've picked with our selection of exotic skin bags, rose-gold watches and bold statement jewelry.

Summer Sale is still on!

Have you scored anything fantastic yet from our first annual Sidewalk Sale? You still have a few more days to get in on the action in watches, bags, accessories and jewelry.

Just like summer, it's going fast, so be sure to stop by and find something perfect to celebrate the season.

Go Gray

Maybe it's all the rain we've had this summer, but I'm still hopelessly addicted to gray for the upcoming season. It's the perfect neutral shade that has a bit more edge than brown or black. Just take a look at Rachel McAdams, above, carrying her favorite Bally "Keli" bag in gray suede--she manages to dress it up and down with no problem.

I think that scoring a gray bag for fall will have you perfectly in line with the trends. We have a fantastic selection available right now at prices up to 80% off retail. Want a peek at some of my favorites? Check out:

Chloe Grey & Black Patent Leather East West Bay Bag at 49% off

Louis Vuitton Automne Hiver 2008 Kohl Monogram Suede & Python Whisper PM Show Bag at 25% off

Nancy Gonzalez Grey Columbian Crocodile Shoulder Tote at 34% off

Timely Art

I just read about this great watch pictorial shot by Charles Helleu for Intersection magazine. I love how he took common industrial elements and paired them with gorgeous, high-end timepieces. I particularly like the shot above, of a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Squadra chronograph GMT set among chain links turned on their sides.

And how cool is the Audemars Piguet Offshore Volcano Royal Oak Chronograph below? I love the pop of orange on the face with the coiled springs.


Visit the entire collection of images on Intersection magazine's blog, and shop our selection of Jaeger-LeCoultre and Audemars Piguet now!

Images Charles Helleu via Luxist

The Sartorialist

Sometimes we all need a little bit of inspiration to get dressed in the morning. I take ideas from so many different places--advertisements, magazines, movies, and living in NYC, it's often times other people I see on the street. If you agree with me, than you'll probably love a blog called The Sartorialist that has been around since 2005. The real-life photography, captured by Scott Schuman, gives me new ideas every day.

I just found out that a book of his portraits is being released later this month. You can purchase it in paperback or a special, limited-edition hardcover and have access to 500 of his favorite images from across the globe. Need another reason to check it out? The Sartorialist was chosen by Time magazine as one of the Top 100 design influencers, and The New York Times called it "the bellwether American site that turned photoblogging into an art form."

Warhol Worth?

It's not surprising that the owner of one of Andy Warhol's Michael Jackson portraits has decided to put it up for auction on August 18. Just one of five known paintings that the Pop Art master created of the King of Pop, it obviously has tremendous value, especially after Jackson's tragic passing earlier this summer.

I'm definitely curious to see what it will go for. If you want to follow the action, check out the site for New York-based Vered Gallery.

Want to purchase your very own Warhol? Portero has a fantastic collection of serigraphs up for sale right now.

Look of the Day: Leighton Meester

I saw this image from the Teen Choice awards yesterday and I was compelled to create a whole post about it! I absolutely love Gossip Girls' Leighton Meester in this entire ensemble. (FYI: she's wearing a Louis Vuitton dress, Brian Atwood “Zenith” Mary Janes, Cathy Waterman jewels and a Nina Ricci clutch.) The look is young and fun but still totally chic. But what I'm really drawn to is the graphic black, white and red color palette--it's something that can be worn all year round if done right.

Just like Leighton added a fantastic punch of color with her shoes, you can do the same thing with a handbag. Here are two of my favorites in that perfect shade of fire engine red:

Chanel Vintage Red Suede Diagonal Quilted Envelope Style Single Flap Mini Shoulder Bag

Chanel Quilted Red Patent Leather Top Flap Handbag

Image via Just Jared. Credit: Steve Granitz/Wireimage; Photos: Frazer Harrison/Jason Merritt/Getty, INFdaily

Park Avenue Meets Portero Sidewalk Sale!

I hope you're ready for some amazing summer savings, because we're launching our first-ever Sidewalk Sale today! So what exactly does that mean? Basically, this will be unlike any other sidewalk or yard sale you've ever been to before, because we've gathered the absolute best brands from 'the best neighborhoods' into one online event. And no leaving home necessary!

We've broken it up by category: You can shop by jewelry, watches or bags + accessories, and pieces are at savings of up to 75% off retail.

Don't wait long--prices this good will not last long.

Fall's Fashions Now

If you haven't taken a look through Style.com's Fall 2009 Trend Reports, it's a great way to get a handle on what will be hot in the upcoming months. Definitely scroll through the photos, then look below to find the pieces that will look great with each trend!

Biker Brigade:

Lanvin Black Leather Flap Shoulder Bag

Betsey Johnson White Leather Brass Rhinestone Cuff Bracelet

Boudoir Crossing:

Prada Purple Satin Jewelled Slide Heels

Judith Leiber Gold Plated Clear Crystal Butterfly Clutch Shoulder Bag

Forties and Fabulous:

Loro Piana Tan Cashmere & Orange Mink Gloves sz M

Patek Philippe Vintage Platinum Diamonds Manual Winding Women's 3267/32 Watch

Party Like it's 1983:

Judith Leiber Shiny Vintage Black Crocodile Clutch Shoulder Bag

Rado Anatom Jubile Black Ceramic Gold Plate Diamond Men's Quartz Watch

In the Pink

I'm excited to see what this amazing pink diamond (Named "The Vivid Pink") will go for at auction this December at Christie's Hong Kong. Weighing in at 5.00 carats, it's potentially the largest Fancy Vivid Pink Potentially Flawless diamonds to ever hit the auction block and it's estimated at $5 to $7 million.

I'm a sucker for a colored diamond myself (my engagement ring is champagne: a beautiful brown-yellow that changes color in the light) and these natural colored stones are becoming more and more popular as the years go by. I've been seeing a lot of designers use small points of colored diamonds as accents on their jewelry (including blues, greens and reds) and engagement rings are also getting the treatment.

Like the look of a pink diamond? I think any girl would say 'yes' to this GIA Certified Platinum & 18k Yellow Gold 1.15 ctw Fancy Pink & Yellow Diamond Ring.

I also love this GIA Certified 0.45 ctw Orange Pink Diamond 18k White Gold Ring--the center stone is a gorgeous shade of pink with a slightly orange undertone that is very unique.

Cool Cuffs

This is the thing that I really love about the wide cuff trend--you can totally dress it up or down. Case in point: Blake Lively wears a blue gemstone and yellow gold bracelet in the Hamptons this past weekend and manages to carry off the perfect preppy summer vibe. On the other end of the spectrum, Frieda Pinto chooses a yellow gold and purple gemstone cuff for a fancy affair in London just a few days ago. The ladies could realistically switch bracelets and the results would still be totally appropriate.

Want to hop on the trend? Here are four of my favorite up for grabs right now:

Textured Gold Vermeil Teal Geode Slice Wide Cuff Bracelet

M+J Savitt Sterling Silver Teardrop Wide Crystal Cuff Bracelet

Kara Ross 18k Yellow Gold Wide Black Onyx Cuff Bracelet

M+J Savitt Sterling Silver Turquoise Crystal Cuff Bracelet