Judith Ripka is My Candy

David Yurman who? Though I will always consider myself a fan of Mr. Yurman's, I've been having an affair with the designs of Judith Ripka from the first time I laid eyes on one of her sparklers. Ever since my best friend, Noor Multani, got a beautiful green amethyst sparkler for her 20th birthday, I had immediately developed an obsession with the sparkly and overtly-gaudy piece that exercised femininity but still showcased trend-setting sexinesss. Though David Yurman cuffs are definitely beautiful and timeless, Judith Ripka's designs combine the look of two-tone steel while incorporating bright diamonds and colorful precious stones that make me want to get rich even quicker so that I can buy everyone of her pieces.
Established out of the Big Apple in 1977, Ripka always had a fascination with jewelry design, but wanted to cultivate a line that was versatile enough to go with anything from "blue jeans to black tie", as she described it. All of her necklaces, bracelets, rings, and pendants are embellished with feminine characteristics ranging from cross-knit fleur de lis to diamond hearts, and that doesn't exclude the precious stones ranging from amber to pink quartine. She places an array of hearts, known to her as the Queen of Hearts, engraved in a secret place in each of her pieces in order to create "a shared secret for Ripka and the women wearing her jewelry". And what's more, her pieces are so beautiful that they actually look, in my opinion, a hell of a lot more expensive then they actually cost (not saying they are cheap, however), which definitely isn't a bad thing when you're trying to dress to impress. Plus, Ripka's prided herself in being involved and contributing to an array of charitable organizations ranging from Austism Speaks to the Mother's Voices AIDS Organization, creating some limited edition lines with profits contributing to such charities.
Whether you're trying to look sexy anywhere from the gym to Georgetown Cafe to the Gibson, buy a Judith Ripka piece to feel fabulous, rich, and beautiful.