jewelry

Tenth Annual Sudha Sale to Benefit Bread & Roses, Angel Island Conservancy and Gateway Public Schools

courtesy of Marian @ Bread & Roses

October 22, 2013 – . The Tenth Annual Benefit Sale “Sudha’s Treasures” will take place Saturday – Sunday November 9 – 10, and 16 – 17 from 10 am to 6 pm at Strawberry Village Shopping Center in Mill Valley.  The sale features unique hand-crafted items from the collection of acclaimed designer Sudha Pennathur who is generously donating her works to benefit three nonprofits: Bread & Roses, Angel Island Conservancy and Gateway Public Schools.   Bay Area television celebrity Doug McConnell will kick-off the two-weekend sale at a Friends & Family reception on Friday, November 8 from 5-8:30pm.  For more info, visit www.pennathur.com.

McConnell, star and producer of “OpenRoad,” is best known for his long-running series “Bay Area Backroads.”  At the preview reception, he will talk about Ms. Pennathur’s work in India where she travels each year to sponsor and mentor a select group of master craftspeople to create her distinctive line of jewelry, scarves, decorative objects, Christmas ornaments and other gift items.  Her works are featured in prestigious stores including Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks 5th Avenue, and in the National Geographic Society and the Art Institute of Chicago.

“Every year the Sudha sale benefits the craftspeople of India as well as Bread & Roses which brings live music to isolated people in the Bay Area,” said Cassandra Flipper Executive Director of Bread & Roses.  “We are grateful for Sudha’s incredible commitment to people globally and locally.”

“Angel Island Conservancy is thrilled to be a beneficiary of the Sudha Sale for three years,” said Gail Dolton, Board President of the Conservancy.  “The funds donated will be put to good use as we continue our efforts to create an awe-inspiring visitor experience on Angel Island State Park.”

The Sudha Sale will feature wholesale prices for shoppers.  Hours are:  Friday, November 8 from 5pm – 8:30 pm; Saturdays & Sundays November 9 & 10, and 16 & 17 from 10am-6pm at  # 124 Strawberry Village Shopping Center in Mill Valley, next to La Boulange.

Bread & Roses, based in Corte Madera, brings hope and healing through live music to isolated audiences around the Bay Area.  www.breadandroses.org Angel Island Conservancy works in partnership with Angel Island State Park to raise funds and develop programs. www.angelisland.org  Gateway Public Schools provide a gateway to college for all students through a public charter high school and middle school in San Francisco. www.gatewaypublicschools.org For additional information about Sudha’s designs and work in India, visit http://pennathur.com.

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Diamonds in the Sky Gala

The much awaited benefit “Diamonds in the Sky” soirée took place on October 5th at the elegant home of philanthropist, Elisabeth Thieriot. TV personality, of the Bay Area Back Roads fame, Doug McConnell was on hand to kick off the gala evening. I had acquired and designed the jewelry especially for this evening.  A small group of powerful woman from the Board of the Redwoods organized this event, Barbara Young, Jill Greenman, Joanne Spotswood along with the Executive Director , Barbara Soloman and Jeannie Elrod. Gary Morgret did the flowers and display and Joy Spicer (with Gary’ s help) was the official photographer for the evening. The 11 lovely ladies sold the jewelry with as much passion as I had in creating them, each donned in a silk sari! Craig Potter and Jim Prigoff were the cashiers.

Diamonds and gold jewelry was showcased from my collection in all its splendor. Over 80 guests came to celebrate and indulge knowing that their purchases would help renovate and refurbish the main auditorium at The Redwoods making a major difference in the lives of the community of seniors. The evening was a resounding success and could not have been possible without the support of Elisabeth Thieriot, who mingled with the crowd all evening and put her stamp of approval on the event. I am happy to say that Ed and I were able to not only donate all the profits from the sale, but also made a matching grant.

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Diamonds in the Sky

“'Diamonds in the Sky", an October 5th fundraiser for The Redwoods, a Community of Seniors, will be dedicated to bringing some much needed sparkle to the main auditorium at this revered retirement home in Mill Valley. The exclusive one-night, invitation-only event is being held at the lavish home of Bay Area philanthropist, Elisabeth Thieriot.

I will be offering my collection of especially designed diamond jewelry for sale at this gala and 100% of the profits will go to The Redwoods and the cost will be given back to the artisans. The funds raised will underwrite important improvements to the auditorium at The Redwoods, the activity center.

I was asked why I chose diamonds for this event.

The properties with which diamonds are associated with are enhancing relationships,(God knows we all need that), and increasing inner strength (who doesn’t in these days of constant turmoil in the world?).

Diamond is said to create balance, clarity and abundance on the wearer. All good things and much needed.

Although diamonds were first discovered and mined in ancient India, at least as far back as 5,000 years ago, today they are no longer the exclusive domain of royalty and the wealthy. By using silver where there was platinum and 14 karat or 18 carat where there was 22 K, I have made these precious gems more affordable, but keeping the look of the more expensive pieces. Many pieces take their inspiration from Victorian designs and the Royal jewel of India. But many are also designed by me for the contemporary woman who is looking for something to wear both during the day and in the evening.

Just like diamond set in a circular setting symbolizes eternity, we want this sale to have a long lasting effect on the health of the seniors at The Redwoods. I was happy to not only provide the jewelry for sale here but have also promised a matching donation of the profits from the sale. A guilt free shopping spree is hoped for on October 5th.

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Diamonds in the Sky

The Bay area is known for a lot of things…its sense of responsibility to its community, its sense of style and its love for the unusual and unique.  So what better way to celebrate the spirit than to kick off the capital campaign with a gala to benefit The Redwoods, a community of seniors.

“True to its Spirit, the Board, donors and attendees of this soiree will gather at a philanthropist’s beautiful estate to buy the stunning designs presented by Sudha” remarked a donor.

I will be introducing this unique collection of alluring jewelry of diamonds and gems created for the discerning American woman! When you hold one of these pieces you realize that art and history come together. The different eras of India, the Mughal Nizam’s, The British Royalty and the Indian Princely States all fuse together and are represented in my collection.

You just need a little black dress to look spectacular in the diamond necklace, earring, ring or bracelet. Each is set with uncut pave diamonds in 14K gold with touches of silver.  A look that has taken the world of the beautiful people by storm.

This year at the Cannes Film Festival there were several celebrities with diamond collars and drop earrings parading their wares.  Again at the 2010 Oscars, Mariah Carey wore the heaviest diamond hoops I had ever seen.  My customers would definitely think twice about wearing them. So to keep a balance between beauty and comfort, my earrings are lighter and more wearable. Also, I believe jewelry should be able to be worn from morning business meetings and transition easily to more formal evening events.

Check out the jewelry thatthe stars wore and compare it to how much easier and “wear-friendly” mycollection is with all real rose cut diamonds at a fraction of the cost! (click HERE)

One writer commenting on the Oscar night said, “Jennifer Lopez’s Armani Prive gown was so full it warranted its own red carpet. That meant in many cases, the jewelry focus shifted from the neck to the wrist. Sarah Jessica Parker layered on as many diamond bangles as her delicate arm could bear to accentuate her Chanel Haute Couture gown.
Amanda Seyfried wore three stunning brown, champagne and mint diamond geometric cuffs by Lorraine Schwartz totaling 250 carats along with her voluminous Armani Prive gown.  And Sigourney Weaver pinned a diamond and ruby brooch to the shoulder of herred Lanvin gown. Best Actress Nominee Carey Mulligan’s dark Prada gown with cutaway hem was perfectly accented with 19th century cascading diamond and diamond briolette earrings and a delicate Everlon Diamond Knot Ring” (ref)

With so much talk of diamonds this year at Cannes and at the Oscars, is it little wonder that I am getting all this attention for the diamond jewelry line I am introducing this Fall? People who buy the jewelry on October 5thwill be pleased to know that I will be donating 100% of the profits from this event to The Redwoods and in addition I will be making a matching grant.

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Diamond Polki Jewelry

Until the late Middle Ages, diamonds were most prized in their natural octahedral state.. Around 1300, the flow of diamonds into Europe increased via Venice’s trade network, with most flowing through the low country ports of Bruges, Antwerp, and Amsterdam. During this time, the taboo against cutting diamonds into gem shapes, which was established over 1,000 years earlier in the traditions of India, ended allowing the development of diamond cutting technology to begin in earnest.



The Indians associated diamonds with divinity. The first Indian diamond jewelry was created for the purpose of decorating religious icons. According to Indian religious heritage diamonds were believed to be bearer of good fortune. Diamonds were considered to be so powerful and precious that the ownership of diamonds was actually controlled. Every caste was restricted to own specific colors of diamonds. Only the ruling king of the time was allowed to possess diamonds in all colors. This goes to show how exclusive diamonds were considered to be amongst the Indians.


The earliest recorded reference concerning Indian diamond jewelry has been found in a Sanskrit text known as “Arthashastra”. This was a historical Buddhist text dating back to 296 BCE.


Victorian jewelry is known for its exquisite ornate detail, often having laborious pave diamond settings or detailed filigree designs. The diamonds used in rose-cut jewelry or Polki jewelry are evaluated or graded in pretty much the same way as a regular round brilliant cut diamonds barring the last C which is for ‘Cut’.


More on how I have developed the designs for the contemporary woman in my next blog.

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Museum catalogs featured Gemstone jewelry from Designs by Sudha


Precious stones have always fascinated me. IN the old days the costs of these stones were so prohibitive, few could afford them . People wore their wealth in the form of gold or silver and counted their blessings. Now with modern technology combined with less expensive ways of mining for these stones, more people can buy and wear them.


Emerald earrings, from Designs by Sudha was featured in the National Geographic catalog. Set in vermeil, it was attractive and affordable with a rich look! Emerald is symbolic of love and romance and is called the “stone of hope”. Ancients believed it treated eye problems and was a strong healing stone. It is said increase awareness of the beauty around us. It is the most precious of the beryl group.

Garnet brings Inner Strength. It is the “stone of constancy and commitment”; It provides the wearer with a sense of rootedness. In the Victorian era it was the stone of passionate love and fidelity, ruling all emotions and passions of the heart It inspires and promotes self-confidence in new beginnings. This simple yet elegant necklace was carried by The Art Institute of Chicago for many seasons.

Iolite symbolizes Inner Knowledge. It is also called cordierite and “water sapphire”. It is said to aid in resolving conflict; eliminates debt; facilitates responsibility; aids intuition. They say it helps the wearer to remember and to increase dreams; stone of power; enhances leadership, power, inner strength. This was one of my favorite necklaces and was carried by a wonderful catalog of handicrafts called Eziba. I had designed this in both iolite and garnets.


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Trends in Christmas Ornaments and Jewelry Adornments


In my world of unique crafts, “Ornaments” are small decorative objects for the Christmas tree and “Adornments” is jewelry used to beautify oneself, whether it be a necklace, a bracelet, ring or a pair of earrings. Designs by Sudha is in the business of both these types of ornamentation’s and adornments.

This year these have taken on an interesting twist. Customers who loved gold and glitz in their Christmas ornaments have turned to bright jewel tone colors. Fun stuffed animal ornaments made by gypsy craftsmen, hand painted papier mache animals from Kashmir, beaded birds and snowflakes from Agra have been the top choices of retailers. The traditional gold and silver has taken second place to the jewel tone ornaments. Skirts and stockings too have become more colorful with reds and golds with pearls.

Similarly with the price of metals going through the roof this year, I have focused on jewelry with more semi-precious stones and gold plating on silver (vermeil), and less on the pure precious metals. Diamonds once only set in gold are now being set using “polki diamonds” (these are uncut diamonds and very popular in the days of the Maharajas) , set in sterling silver with just accents of 14K gold in the bezel and backing. We will see a lot more of these interesting mixtures of metals and stones in my line this fall.

Pearls have become a girl’s best friend
and is featured throughout my line of jewelry and is a jewel of choice my museum catalogs.

Next week I will be featuring the art of lacquer in all areas of decorative handicrafts.

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Summer Stones


Summer is fast approaching and the flowers are in bloom. The colors of the gem stones resemble the flowers in nature.
Silver took a plunge after an enormous hike this year. Prices in India, however, did not ease too much. With silver being somewhat out of reach, I have been working on jewelry with semi-
precious and precious stones. As I uncover the significance of stones , symbols and colors in Eastern culture, it has been fun weaving them into meaningful jewelry and textiles. Here are a few stones that are in my collection:
Amethyst stands for spirituality:

Aquamarine is for courage

Carnelian protects the wearer (protects against envy, fear, and rage. Brings acceptance and serenity):
Stay tuned, more stones to follow…

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Seventh Annual Sudha Sale to Benefit Bread & Roses and The Redwoods

Launching the Seventh Annual Sudha Sale this year has been a special labor of love. I am grateful to Harriet and Tom Kostic for donating their prime retail property in down town Mill Valley for the Sudha Sale this year. Amidst all the production we encountered the worst monsoons in 50 years and riots in Kashmir that brought the state to a total stop. Rivers overflowed under flood conditions and artisans had to flee their homes. We could not get goods out of the country for several weeks. Through the diligence of my staff and a lot of hard work by the artisans we were able to complete production for our customers and managed to stock the Sudha Store with precious merchandise. This has provided much needed employment to the displaced artisans.
People often ask me what percent of the proceeds goes to the non- profits. I am happy to say that for the last 7 years I have been able to donate a 100% of the sales shared equally between The Redwoods and Bread & Roses in the USA and the artisans in India. I will also personally bear much of the expenses of bringing the products to the US.

What I love best about this sale is I can personally help customers pick the right piece of jewelry or scarf and give them fashion advise on what looks good and how things are made. This is the only opportunity for me to interact with the final consumer since I sell directly only to high end retailers.
Once again I will be able to offer beautiful master crafted jewelry, scarves, Christmas ornaments and gifts for the holidays at 50 to 75% off retail. Prices range from many items at a dollar to some at several hundred!
The Sudha Store brings together my products from the world of the artisan to the supporters of these two wonderful Marin non profits! Seeing this pairing has created a compelling reason for me to carry on this tradition. It allows philanthropy and marketing philosophy to merge for a couple of weekends every year. In addition customers can get a sample of what is offered from my collection at such stores as Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Museum stores and catalogs across the country.
This year TV personality of the famed “Bay Area Back Roads” and a good friend, Doug McConnell has graciously agreed to host the auction at the Sudha Sale. As always through their generous support, Peter Merts will capture the sale through his lens and Gary Morgret will transform a bare building to a beautiful and glamorous store!
I am grateful to the two executive directors Cassandra Flipper of Bread & Roses and Barbara Solomon of the Redwoods who tirelessly scouted for retail space and organized the volunteers to make the sale come alive. Also Jim Prigoff, Barr Hibbs, Ed Messerly and Craig Potter who put in their time to make this sale a success over the last 7 years, the Board of the two organizations (past and present) and the many volunteers who give their time joyfully to make this a roaring success! What started as a small sale at a home of a friend, the Wolfe’s, to benefit Bread & Roses seven years ago, has taken a life of its own.
In addition to the Sudha Store at 23 Throckmortin in Mill Valley for the weekends of November 6-7 and 13-14, we will also launch a web store with a few special items for our east coast and other friends who can’t make it to the store.

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