Jewelry

BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS Police looking for invasion robbers Newport Beach police are looking for three people suspected of barging into a Balboa Peninsula home Saturday morning, robbing its residents at gunpoint and getting away with cash and jewelry, officials said. The trio was spotted in the 1900 block of East Bay Avenue at about 10:30 a.m., Sgt. Steve Shulman said. "The owners of the residence thought they were solicitors and opened the door," he said.

-- Deepa Bharath Huntington Beach police on Thursday arrested a 36-year-old parolee suspected of burglarizing several Newport Beach homes, officials said. John Robert Hershowitz was caught by detectives as he was allegedly trying to break into a home near Newland Street and Arnett Drive, police said. Officers received Hershowitz's license plate number from Newport Beach police. They spotted his 1977 white utility truck Thursday morning. Hershowitz tried to escape in his truck but was caught after a brief vehicle chase and foot pursuit.

-- Story by Deirdre Newman, photo by [TK] HE IS In the business of making his customers sparkle DESIGNING WITH FLAIR Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but jewelry designer Bruce Lambert is a close second because his customers can be assured that no one else will be sporting the same distinctive design. While most of Lambert's work is in engagement, wedding and anniversary rings, his specialty is designing custom jewelry. Lambert tries to get to the heart of exactly what his clients are looking for, like when he designed an angel pendant for a man whose wife was battling cancer.

Pia Jones David Yurman, an American phenomenon in fine jewelry and watchmaking, is now located in South Coast Plaza with a brand-new showcase boutique. The recently opened location is only the second David Yurman retail store in the world, the other being the original New York store. "It was time for us to venture to the West Coast," says David Yurman. "This store provides a showplace for us to offer our loyal customers a chance to experience our exclusive one-of-a-kind pieces as well as our classic designs, which have become the recognized hallmarks of the brand."

Sometimes a trip is more than just a great escape. That's what happened to Kallie Dovel when she first traveled to Uganda in summer 2007. It was there that she saw what women were going through: little to no education, lack of health care, extreme poverty. But there was one thing they had: paper beads they made by hand and turned into jewelry. Unfortunately, there wasn't a market for them to sell the items. Dovel started thinking. She brought home a box of jewelry and showed it to friends and family who were amazed.

Paul Saitowitz At a small workbench with her blowtorch's blue flame mercilessly turning a sturdy, chord-like piece of raw silver into putty, Shirley Price performs her version of alchemy. But instead of turning lead into gold, she turns raw, jagged metals into twisty works of wearable art. Then she takes the scraps and turns those into art. Between the sinewy silver, she inserts ovular stones, sometimes more than 2 inches long, to punctuate the appearance and create necklaces, rings and earrings.

Costa Mesa police on Wednesday said they have found one of two men who pepper-sprayed a Tiffany & Co. security guard while 20 customers looked on, then smashed a display case and ran off with more than $100,000 in jewelry in a dramatic crime last February at South Coast Plaza. Yet the man accused already sits in prison, convicted of an unrelated charge in December. Citing DNA evidence found at the scene, Costa Mesa police obtained an arrest warrant for Emerson Paul, 20, of Los Angeles on suspicion of second-degree robbery.

GREER WYLDER Three-time Olympian Xeno Muller instructs addictive indoor rowing workouts at the Iron Oarsman in Costa Mesa. Since Muller is training for the 2004 Olympics, he can offer classes only Monday through Friday at 6 a.m., 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. (except Friday there is no 4 p.m. class). Saturday classes are at 7 and 8 a.m. Muller says that compared to other injury inducing sports, rowing offers a gentler approach to fitness. It's a great class for water rowers in training, or just for people who want to get into or stay in shape.

COSTA MESA — Christian Dior lovers now have a new reason to adore Dior. The Christian Dior store at South Coast Plaza celebrated its grand reopening this week complete with flowing champagne, models in the designer's latest dresses and an appearance by actress Eva Mendes, who's been photographed on several occasions with a camel-colored Dior Libertine Hobo bag slung over her shoulder. The store location may be the same, cater-cornered from Hermes in the Costa Mesa über-mall, but the interior has undergone a complete facelift.