Beautiful gem
June 3, 2005 | 12:00am
LOS ANGELES, California – You don’t have to spend so much money in order to look expensive.
Most stylists would say a combination of attitude, personality and personal style is needed to achieve the luxurious look. And for years, women of the world believed that . . . until last year when a privileged few dig up and discovered unimaginable treasures in Bella Gemma – a collection of jewelry created from gemstones and genuine pearls.
"They are so beautiful! They make me feel like a million dollars," exclaimed 1997 Miss Universe Brooke Lee who’s been a dear friend of the Filipino-American community, appearing at events and even emceeing some programs for them.
Last year, Lee hosted "Reflections XVI" where outstanding members of the Fil-Am community were recognized for their contributions in uplifting the image of Pinoys in the United States. Proudly, Lee wore and endorsed Bella Gemma jewelry.
And so it was also fitting that Emma Tiebens, creator/designer/CEO of Bella Gemma was one of those honored in the said event. She was given the Award for Excellence in Jewelry Design.
"I believe that every woman, to some degree, possesses some qualities of a beautiful gem. Therefore, women should feel the luxury of wearing real gemstones and genuine pearls and not settle for fakes, but not have to pay an arm and a leg, either," Tiebens said of her Bella Gemma creations. Belle Gemma is Italian for "beautiful gem."
The mission of the company is: "Luxurious jewelry you can afford." According to Tiebens, Bella Gemma aims to bridge the gap between costume jewelry and fine jewelry by offering award-winning designs at affordable prices.
"Our goal at present is to be the jeweler of choice for brides, as well as for women who want to update their jewelry wardrobe," she said in an interview with The Filipino Channel (TFC).
She sat with me through the whole process. She asked me how my mom was like, what she does, her favorites. And from my descriptions of my mom, Emma made a beautiful bracelet. And because we chose the stones ourselves, based on my mom’s personality, it suited her perfectly. She totally loved my Mother’s Day present for her.
Tiebens is very proud to offer her clients a free service where she sits down with them and together they create the most suitable jewelry to enhance their wardrobe, to come up with an exquisite collection for a special occasion, or in my case, string together the perfect gift for a special person.
Bella Gemma designs bring out the striking beauty of highly lustrous freshwater pearls and the brilliance of faceted gemstone briolettes which include aquamarine, citrine, peridot, tourmaline, topaz, garnet, and amethyst, to name a few. Earrings, necklaces and bracelets are available as single items or in sets from The South Sea Pearl Collection, The Bridal Collection, The Emma Collection and The Cristalli Collection.
Armed with these four collections, the chic and very stylish Tiebens is another Filipina that is slowly but surely conquering the mainstream market. Orange County-based Bella Gemma is currently very visible in the mainstream wedding industry, having recently been the featured jeweler for OC Bride Magazine for 2005. The popular "bible" of brides-to-be described Bella Gemma as "The hottest jewelry for the bride."
Nonetheless, Tiebens, a Filipina whose maiden name was Emma Yambao, has been very supportive of Fil-Am events. The Marikina-born and raised fashionista has been a co-sponsor of several concerts including Queens on Fire, which featured Songbird Regine Velasquez and Concert Queen Pops Fernandez. Tiebens presented Velasquez and Fernandez with a set of Belle Gemma jewelry created exclusively for them. Tiebens has also done the same for her dear friend, Megastar Sharon Cuneta who is currently on her 2005 US concert tour. A few of Tiebens’ jewelry pieces have also been handed to some Hollywood celebrities, including rock sensation Gwen Stefani and reality-TV star Paris Hilton.
Look like a million bucks without having to spend a fortune. That’s what art fashionistas worldwide are still trying to master . . . and an invitation Tiebens extends her clients through Bella Gemma available on www.bellagemma.com.
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