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The Bead Shop Features John S. Brana – Distinctive Jewelry

December 26, 2006 By 1 Comment

The Bead Shop Features John S. Brana - Distinctive Jewelry

In celebration of its 25th anniversary and introduction of 2007 spring class curriculum “Awaken Your Creativity,” The Bead Shop (www.beadshop.com) of Palo Alto, CA features former student John S Brana. Owner Janice Parsons remarks “Over the past twenty-five years, I have seen students become recognized jewelry designers, bead store owners, and successful importers. I remember when John Brana first walked through the doors of The Bead Shop. John came in to take a class and from then on, he will tell you, he just wasn’t the same. What happened to John happens every day at The Bead Shop; I call it the “Creative Light Bulb Moment”. It’s the instant when a new beader realizes s/he can actually make something… s/he can actually make jewelry! And, when you have that epiphany, you feel fantastic!”

Bold in scale, unique, and distinctive, John S. Brana’s pieces are perfect for those who enjoy interesting jewelry design and are seeking to make an unusual statement. Working in sterling silver, fine silver, 14K, 18K, 22K, 24K yellow and white gold wire, and pure silver and 22k gold precious metal clay, John combines various hand carved semi-precious gemstone beads, fresh water pearls, and natural faceted gemstones to create unique, one-of-a-kind, custom handcrafted art jewelry for both men and women.

For an online portfolio, please visit www.johnsbrana.com

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Handmade Jewelry Blog by Jewelry Designer John S Brana
1043 Portola Drive San Francisco, CA, 94127 USA 
 • 415-664-9737
Filed Under: Press Tagged With: Art Jewelry, Bead Shop, Bead Store, Beader, Class Curriculum, Creative Light, distinctive jewelry, Faceted Gemstones, fresh water pearls, Jewelry Design, Jewelry Designers, John S Brana, Palo Alto Ca, precious gemstone beads, Precious Metal Clay, semi precious gemstone beads, Shop Www, Spring Class, Th Anniversary, Twenty Five Years

JQ International Jewelry Quorum features John S. Brana’s Hidden Pearl Ring – November/December 2006 Issue

December 18, 2006 By Leave a Comment

International Jewelry Quorum Features John S. Brana - Distinctive Jewelry

JQ - International Jewelry Quorum

JQ – The International Jewelry Quorum – is currently featuring my Hidden Pearl Ring in”Pearls – The Quintessential Accessory,” an article by Deborah A. Yonick, in its November/December 2006 issue.

The article focuses on how pearls have diverged in two distinct directions – fashion and luxury. “The fashion direction plays with the versatile and chameleon qualities of pearls, with designers exploring fancy shapes and colors to the max, and mixing pearls with a variety of other materials” while “the luxury direction focuses on the glamour and voluptuousness of pearls, with big pearls or pearl clusters set in precious metals richly embedded in diamond and gem pave.”

John S. Brana’s “Hidden Pearl Ring” from the Sea Cliff Collection is featured on page 32 of the magazine. The Sea Cliff Collection features custom handcrafted unique pieces that are bold in scale and accented with dramatic sea creatures, unusually shaped beads, and precious and semi-precious gemstones. Because each piece in this line of marine-themed necklaces, rings, and brooches is fashioned from hand-selected elements, no two are alike. The result is striking jewelry that truly makes a splash. Click here to see more of the Sea Cliff Collection.

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Filed Under: Press Tagged With: Beads, Brooches, Chameleon, Clusters, Distinct Directions, Fancy Shapes, Fashion Direction, Hidden Pearl, International Jewelry, John S Brana, necklaces, Page 32, Pearl Ring, pearls, precious metals, Quorum, Sea Cliff, Sea Creatures, Semi Precious Gemstones, Shapes And Colors

Starfish Ring Added to the Sea Cliff Collection

November 20, 2006 By 1 Comment

Starfish Ring - Sea Cliff Collection

Found over 20 years ago off the west coast of Florida on the beach at Sanibel Island, I ran across this little starfish the other day and decided to turn it into a ring. Handcrafted in Fine Silver using PMC(Precious Metal Clay), the ring is set with a 4mm faceted Peridot and finished with a patina to enhance detail.

Peridot is the birthstone for the month of August. According to folklore, Peridot brings its wearer success, peace, and good luck. Peridot has been found in Egyptian jewelry dating as far back as the early second millennium BC and was mined from the volcanic island of Zebirget, or St. Johns Island, in the Red Sea. Native Hawaiians referred to Peridot crystals as the tears of Pele, their goddess of fire.

This ring, along with other sea creatures can be found under my Sea Cliff Collection. Keep watching for more critters over the next few weeks.

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Filed Under: Events Tagged With: Birthstone, Critters, Crystals, Egyptian Jewelry, Folklore, Goddess Of Fire, Good Luck, Handcrafted, Millennium Bc, Month Of August, Patina, Peace, Peridot, Precious Metal Clay, Red Sea, Sea Cliff, Sea Creatures, St Johns Island, Volcanic Island, West Coast

Rawhide Collection Featured on www.manChic.com

November 8, 2006 By 1 Comment

On November 7th, 2006 manChic – the ultimate male fashion guide, featured these selections from my Rawhide Collection and Redwood Collection of unique one-of-a-kind handcrafted jewelry for him. manChic is a unique website that showcases the newest and hottest in men’s fashion, cars, grooming, design, gadgets, travel, etc…and was recently featured in 7×7 San FranciscoThis online magazine for men, founded in November, 2004 has grown at a remarkable pace, and is referenced regularly by major bloggers and the press. It now averages 150.000 unique visitors a month. manChic is updated continuously throughout the day, links to stories and selected editorials, features exclusive interviews, and posts stories and commentaries from correspondents around the world.

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Filed Under: Press Tagged With: 7x7 San Francisco, Bloggers, Cars, Commentaries, Correspondents, Editorials, Fashion Guide, Gadgets, jewelry, Male Fashion, Manchic, Rawhide, Remarkable Pace, Showcases, Unique Visitors

Fine Silver Anemone Rings Added to the Sea Cliff Collection

November 2, 2006 By 5 Comments

Anemone Fine Silver Ring - Sea Cliff Collection

I always get asked where I get my inspiration for my designs, so I thought I would share with you how I came up with these two rings. On October 15th, Nature aired “Oceans in Glass: Behind Scenes of the Monterey Bay Aquarium The Aquarium features over 30,000 animals and plants that live in replicated ocean environments, so after taking a drive down to Monterey this past weekend, I thought I would try to capture the beauty of Anemones currently on view at the Rocky Shore exhibit.I handcrafted these two rings in Fine Silver using PMC(Precious Metal Clay), then finished by applying a patina to enhance the detail. These two rings, along with other sea creatures can be found under my Sea Cliff Collection. I plan on adding a few more critters to the collection over the next few weeks. Stay tuned!

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Filed Under: Events Tagged With: Anemone, Anemones, Animals And Plants, Beauty, Critters, Inspiration, Monterey Aquarium, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Ocean Environments, Oceans, Patina, Precious Metal Clay, Rocky Shore, Sea Cliff, Sea Creatures, Silver Rings

SoMa Jewelry Collection Expands to Include Hammered Multiple Link Chain

October 30, 2006 By Leave a Comment

Handmade 14K Gold Filled Chased Necklace

14K Gold Filled Chased Necklace

I have recently been working on expanding my very popular SoMa Collection to include multiple link chain necklaces. The pictured necklace is handcrafted in 14K gold filled and features three different sizes of handmade rings.

This collection was named after the South of Market Street district of San Francisco. SoMa’s character has been shaped over the years by the cycles of boom and bust…going from an edgy alternative art and music scene of the late 1980′s, through the soaring rent inflated internet start-up days of the late 1990′s and subsequent bust, to its present revitalized day of a mix of trendy restaurants, swank hotels, and high-rise condo’s. It’s also the home of the San Francisco Giants, and several engrossing museums including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Sleek and contemporary with a surprising bohemian undercurrent, the SoMa Collection features matching sets of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings in hand-forged fine silver, 14K gold filled, or 14K gold. The result is that each piece feels like a hidden treasure. This versatile line is as appropriate at swank nightspots as it is at trendy coffee shops.

Stay tuned for more handcrafted necklaces, earrings, and bracelets in multiple link chains and multiple strands set with semi-precious gemstone beads later this year.

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Filed Under: Events, Gold Jewelry Tagged With: Alternative Art, Bohemian, Boom And Bust, Chain Necklaces, Collection Features, Hidden Treasure, jewelry collection, Link Chains, Museum Of Modern Art, Music Scene, Nightspots, precious gemstone beads, San Francisco Giants, San Francisco Museum Of Modern Art, semi precious gemstone beads, soma, Trendy Coffee Shops, Trendy Restaurants, Undercurrent, Versatile Line

A New Addition to the Sonoma Jewelry Collection – Merlot

October 29, 2006 By Leave a Comment
Garnet 14K Gold Filled Chainmail Bracelet - Handmade Jewelry

Garnet 14K Gold Filled Chainmail Bracelet

Handmade Garnet 14K Gold Filled Chainmail Earrings

Garnet 14K Gold Filled Chainmail Earrings

Garnet 14K Gold Filled Chainmail Necklace - Handmade Jewelry

Garnet 14K Gold Filled Chainmail Necklace

I just finished working on this complete set of handcrafted 14K Gold Filled Chainmail featuring three sizes of Garnets. This set, along with individual sets in Amber, Amethyst, Pearls, and Serpentine can be found on my portfolio site under the Sonoma CollectionHere are some interesting factoids on Garnets:

Color: Red, Pink, Green, Orange, Yellow, Brown, Black
Birthstone: January (Modern & Traditional), May (Alternate)
Anniversary: 2nd, 6th (Alternate)
Occurrence: Worldwide
Rarity: Common
Temperaments: Love, Courage to Live, Stamina
Healing: Garnet regenerates the body. It stimulates the metabolism. Treats spinal and cellular disorders, purifies and reenergizes the blood, heart, and lungs, and regenerates DNA.
Attributes: Transparent or translucent crystal, often small and faceted or larger opaque piece.
Psychological: Garnet sharpens your perceptions of yourself and other people. It dissolves ingrained behavior patterns that are no longer serving you and bypasses resistance of self-induced unconscious sabotage.
Mental: It helps you let go of useless or old or obsolete ideas.
Emotional: Garnet removes inhibitions and taboos. It opens up the heart and bestows self-confidence.

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Filed Under: Events Tagged With: 14K Gold, Behavior Patterns, Birthstone, Garnet, Inhibitions, Interesting Factoids, jewelry collection, Lungs, Metabolism, New Addition, Occurrence, pearls, Perceptions, Rarity, Sabotage, Self Confidence, Serpentine, Sonoma, Stamina, Taboos

Jewelry Designer John S. Brana Releases New Fall Jewelry Collection – Barbary Coast

October 18, 2006 By 1 Comment

Barbary Coast Collection

New for fall, John S. Brana’s most lavish and wild collection is the Barbary Coast Collection. This vibrant collection of unique and one-of-a-kind necklaces, earrings, and bracelets is reminiscent of the buoyant feeling during the California Gold Rush.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) October 18, 2006 — New for fall, John S. Brana’s most lavish and wild collection is the Barbary Coast Collection. This vibrant collection of unique and one-of-a-kind necklaces, earrings, and bracelets is reminiscent of the buoyant feeling during the California Gold Rush.

Featuring gold vermeil, 14K gold filled, and 14K gold (no silver to be found here) these pieces are perfect for those who want to have fun and make a statement with their jewelry. Completing the look, the pieces are set with dynamically shaped and textured semi-precious beads.

Other John S. Brana’s women’s collections include:

• The Monterey, evoking the magic of the sea with hand-forged metal filled with delicate Italian mesh ribbon.
• The Pacific Heights, featuring comprehensive swirls of 14K gold-filled wire accented with precious gemstones.
• The Sea Cliff, bold in scale and accented with dramatic sea creatures, unusually shaped beads, and precious gemstones.
• The SoMa, sleek and contemporary with a surprising bohemian-urban undercurrent.
• The Sonoma, an epitome of relaxed sophistication.

Selected John S. Brana’s jewelry is currently available at Residents Apparel Gallery (R.A.G), Porcelynne boutique in San Francisco and Marlowe & Company Jewellers in St. Helena. For online orders, please visit John S. Brana

For Hi-resolution images and media requests, please contact Leena@theprcafe.com or phone 415.205.7094.

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Click Here to Download a PDF Version of this Press Release

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Filed Under: Events Tagged With: 14K Gold, Amp Company, Apparel Gallery, California Gold Rush, gold filled wire, Jewellers, jewelry collection, jewelry designer, John S Brana, Kind Necklaces, Marlowe, Media Requests, precious gemstones, Resolution Images, san francisco ca, Sea Cliff, Sea Creatures, Semi Precious Beads, St Helena, Vibrant Collection

The Jewelry Weblog – John S. Brana Unisex Jewelry

October 16, 2006 By Leave a Comment

Four of my Men’s Collections were recently featured on the Jewelry Weblog by Tammy Powley. Tammy is a freelance writer and jewelry designer that maintains and writes the About.com Jewelry Making website since 1997.

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Filed Under: Press Tagged With: Collections, Freelance Designer, Freelance Writer, jewelry designer, John S Brana, Tammy, Unisex Jewelry

John S. Brana – Distinctive Jewelry

October 4, 2006 By 2 Comments

I am finally proud to announce the completion and launch of John S. Brana – Distinctive Jewelry. You can now preview my online gallery of premium custom handcrafted jewelry, wire sculpted jewelry, and fused silver and gold jewelry for both men and women, and locate a retail store near you where you will be able to view and purchase my jewelry.

Selected collections are currently available at Residents Apparel Gallery , Porcelynne Boutique & Gallery in San Francisco and Marlowe & Company Jewellers in St. Helena. For the remainder of 2006, I will be expanding my retail distribution throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and nationally in 2007. If you would like to be notified of store openings, upcoming trunk shows, or new collections, please feel free to add yourself to my Contact Form

John S. Brana

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Filed Under: Events, Press Tagged With: Amp Company, Apparel Gallery, Custom Handcrafted Jewelry, distinctive jewelry, Francisco Bay Area, Gold Jewelry, Jewellers, Jewelry Wire, John S Brana, Launch, Marlowe, Remainder, Retail Distribution, Retail Store, San Francisco Bay, San Francisco Bay Area, Silver Jewelry, St Helena, Trunk Shows, Wire Sculpted Jewelry
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