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"  Photo: Tommy Chung Diamonds for day is not a new idea. But diamonds for day as imagined by Houston jeweler Lauren Craft? Well, that&amp;#039;s a whole &amp;#039;nother story. &amp;quot;Usually there is this serious notion with fine jewelry,&amp;quot; said Craft, who was born and raised in the Lone Star State. &amp;quot;My jewelry is supposed to be fun and be taken lightly. I think that&amp;#039;s what makes my collection different.&amp;quot; Indeed. The 27-year-old designer, who studied English and corporate communications at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, worked as the fashion and social editor at a Houston-based lifestyle magazine for a year after college. She then moved to New York where she studied at the Gemological Institute of America and landed a job with costume jewelry czar Alexis Bittar. But she always yearned to start her own line, and returned to Houston in 2011 to do just that. Marrying an uber-luxe aesthetic with tongue-in-cheek charm, the Lauren Craft Collection is awash in champagne diamonds, precious metals, and semi-precious stones. The gems are fashioned into clever show-stopping pieces like the Pallor Mortis ring (a three-headed coral skull knuckle duster encased in champagne diamonds on a yellow gold band), the Disco Ball earrings (which look like diamond exclamation points for your lobes) or the Fang Me cuff, featuring deadly-looking champagne diamond chompers set in 18-karat yellow gold that encircle the wrist like an Eric Northman love bite.  &amp;quot;When I first visited India, I knew I had found my calling based on how I wanted to design my pieces,&amp;quot; says Craft. &amp;quot;This is when I fell in love with champagne diamonds. I also wanted to be known for the scale of my pieces.&amp;quot; For Spring and Fall 2013, it was all about &amp;quot;exploring contradictions and really finding who the Lauren Craft woman is,&amp;quot; she added. &amp;quot;This is clear as you browse each collection. You&amp;#039;ll see diamonds, of course. Skulls here and there\u2014a mixture of elliptical shapes, and some classic designs with a [twist]. It&amp;#039;s all about a balance. Can regalia be sexy? Sure. Can dark be glamorous? Yes. Can something exotic be more than an alluring mystery? You bet.&amp;quot; Standout pieces include a champagne diamond, pink sapphire, and quartz two-finger snake ring, joined by a draped chain; an elegant coral, emerald and champagne diamond gobstopper of a ring with coordinating stackable bracelets; and delicate, multi-colored sapphire and champagne diamond bangles. Those seeking a more subtle statement will find it in her crescent moon, cross, and skull diamond pendants. Next up, Craft is creating a line of high-end clutches that will give her fans even more ways to rock diamonds for day. The Lauren Craft Collection retails from $350 to $22,000 at boutiques nationwide, including Alchemist in Miami Beach, Coquette in Houston, Lissa Fine Jewelry in NYC, Elinoff Gallery in Telluride, Allison [By the Beach] in Manhattan Beach, and online at laurencraft.com.  Photo: Tommy Chung  Photo: Tommy Chung  Photo: Tommy Chung  Photo: Tommy Chung  Photo: Tommy Chung "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.elle.com/fashion/accessories/news/a23134/lauren-craft-jewelry-designer-profile/>