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If you think the name Thistle & Bee conjures up a very British heritage filled with a rich history of craftsmanship and heraldry, you wouldn't be far off track.
Established in 1998, Thistle and Bee was created to fill a niche for high quality, luxury sterling silver in jewelry and giftware. Richard Castagna, President and Co-founder, had a long history of creating fine sterling silver silverware and hollowware for some of the top British and American retailers under their brand names.
But as demand for these expertly crafted silver products increased, Castagna saw the opportunity to take the same quality and craftsmanship and expand sterling silver into a wider range of products.
Initially the collection was focused on giftware, exquisitely detailed candlesticks, pillboxes, salt and pepper shakers, etc. But unlike many of the sometimes stodgy traditional renderings in sterling silver, Castagna took a more contemporary approach "with a dose of whimsy." Honeycomb candlesticks had little bees sitting on them.
The proverb "What the eye does not admire the heart does not desire" could be the mantra of Thistle & Bee. The company's design team keeps a keen eye out for inspiration while globetrotting for research and development.
Inspirations may come from antiquities happened upon in Marchés aux Puces in Paris or among the bamboo forests of the Far East.
"Patterns and texture are some of our most important sources of inspiration," says McLoughlin.
Prime examples include the waffle-like texture of beeswax candles, the nodules on a bamboo branch or a ruffle on a high-necked blouse -- all of which were translated into designs that have become signature looks in fine jewelry.
Surface textures have been important sources, too. A puffy, quilted coat with intricate stitching and the quilted patterns on leathergoods were replicated in sterling silver. Gleaming examples of how a simple detail can become an enduring statement in silver.
Many hours of mechanical and technical skill are required to come up with the perfect rendition.
No matter what the inspiration, there's always Thistle & Bee's original touch to any creation.
Even exotic animal print patterns found on leathers and fabrics, a perennial fashion favorite, was realized in silver in a complicated process of reproducing the patterns in a cutout look in silver. In Thistle & Bee's interpretation the animal skin patterns become almost lace-like.
Recently, the company began adding colored gemstones to many of its designs. These, too, are hand selected for their quality and cut. After all, there's a sterling reputation to uphold.
Whether it is a sterling silver basket weave frame or a dramatic honeycomb patterned cuff bracelet, Thistle & Bee pays particular attention to exact details, top quality finishing and design ingenuity.
In a few years, the jewelry collection expanded to an impressive array of designs. The company's design team, lead by Castagna and Jodi McLoughlin, Director of Design, expanded its jewelry based upon what's happened in the world of fashion, art and architecture.
The Thistle & Bee style is a perfect blend of classic and trendy with its own distinctive twist.
What's more, the breath of the selections available, has garnered Thistle & Bee fans of all age groups.
Many of the company's bestselling designs, such as quilted, woven, ruffles and bamboo, have become iconic in the jewelry industry sought after by collectors.
By adhering to the same exceptional standards that many centuries old brands have done, Thistle & Bee has earned its own authentic heritage of excellence in the 21st century.
Distinguished looks, classic designs that make women look beautiful.
Carolina Herrera.
Oscar de la Renta.
Valentino.
Our collections cover a wide range of lifestyles. They're sophisticated working women who know
how to accessorize: a great pair of pumps, fitted jeans, a black cashmere sweater and a big cuff bracelet.
A few of the wide statement cuff bracelets.
1. A finely textured ladylike top handle handbag.
2. A pair of exquisitely designed 4-inch heels.
3. A belt with equestrian hardware details.
4. A great pair of fitted jeans.
5. A cocktail ring.
Barcelona, especially Gaudi's architecture.
Engraveable lockets, perfect for a Sweet Sixteen to a gift for grandmother
Carla Bruni. She looks exquisite in everything.
Millicent Rogers. Legendary and then there's her love for silver.
A wonderful little black or white dress with ruching or fine pleated detailing.
Kate Middleton now the Duchess of Cambridge.
A fashionista who is in the know but whose style is driven by the love of jewelry.
Inspired by the ruffle on a blouse, Thistle & Bee fashions its sterling silver into a similar feminine flourish. The undulating, pleat-like folds in the Ruffles collection mimic ruffle details that are so important in fashion these days. In shiny silver, the ruffle effect is crisp, clean and modern, too. Indeed the gathered effect in metal becomes almost architectural, resembling the wavy designs in a Frank Gehry building. To heighten the folded effect, Thistle & Bee pairs a high polished and sandblasted finish that captures the dimension and soft pleating of gentle ruffle shapes.
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Take a walk on the wide side with Thistle & Bee. Animal prints, a fashion favorite, get reinterpreted in sterling silver in a most imaginative way. Tiger and zebra stripes are revealed as open work on the silver pieces. The irregular shapes of a giraffe's spots appear in silver to be almost lace-like. Fun and fashionable, these animal-friendly looks are versatile enough, they can be worn everyday with any color.
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In many ancient South Asian cultures, legend has it that humanity emerged from the stem of a bamboo plant. Ever since, this perennial evergreen has been symbolic of nature and abundance. Thistle & Bee imagines the plant's distinctive, noduled shoots as an ideal motif for sterling silver jewelry. And while its origins really are natural and organic, the tailored look of Thistle & Bee's Bamboo collection makes it a true classic, a design that never goes out of style.
The quilted look of a status handbag or of a fine coverlet served as inspiration for one of Thistle & Bee's signature collections in sterling silver. Each piece has the lines of needlework and an almost puffy like dimension, as if a seamstress had carefully sewn each. A new addition to the collection includes styles mixed with a quatrefoil design reminiscent of decorative gothic tracery. This sterling silver collection is at home with the most traditional as well as the more adventurous.
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