StyleNotes August 2019

Posted on August 21, 2019

TRE Chic

In this age of e-commerce, there’s much to be said about a locally-owned retail boutique that has been around for 35 years. A place where you can try on the clothes and feel the fabric; a place where they know your name. TRE, founded as The Rare Earth by Bobbi Martini in Del Mar’s Flower Hill, has since grown to two additional locations in Encinitas Ranch Town Center and The Village at Pacific Highlands Ranch in Carmel Valley.

Now owned by Martini’s stylish daughters, Sheree Vihon Bergthold and Rochelle Johnson, TRE is very much a family affair. The sisters are also savvy businesswomen who know their customers well. They select clothes for them on buying trips and styling them for everyday life, getaways, or special events. Whether the Del Mar races, fundraisers, or fêtes, “we look for good quality, good fit, and good value,” says Bergthold.

Popular brands include Bailey 44, Hale Bob, Joseph Ribkoff, Liverpool, Michael Stars, Fifteen Twenty, Red Haute, Parker Smith, Sanctuary, and Veronica M. The boutiques also carry local jewelry designers such as Amy Joy, Tassel and Rock, and Catherine Max. TRE sponsors luncheons and trunk shows with a percentage of sales donated to charity. Sign up online for exclusive rewards and perks. 858.755.7227, treboutique.com

All that Glitters

An eye-popping 18-karat white gold amethyst-and-diamond necklace from Jacqui Grande Fine Gemstones and Jewelry is among the exquisite opportunity prizes at The Country Friends Art of Fashion on September 12 at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. The one-of-a-kind necklace, valued at $18,350, has a 6.24-carat amethyst and 2.67 carats of diamonds in all. Opportunity drawing tickets, one for $40 or three for $100, can be purchased at The Country Friends Consignment Shop in Rancho Santa Fe, or by contacting events manager Christine Byrne at events@thecountryfriends.org.

Grande, a longtime international gemologist, took what might seem to have been an unconventional path. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in biology at Purdue University, she began working at Salk Institute as a biological research assistant while pursuing her master’s in immunology. Furthermore, it was a passion for colored gemstones led her to exotic mining locations around the world. One of which included Sri Lanka, where she invested in a dredge mining operation. There, she mined and cut sapphires and rubies, selling them to top international gem houses.

The experience, while physically demanding and dangerous at times, gave her “a true respect and appreciation for the rarity and natural beauty of every gemstone that reaches the market,” she says. Later, she became a graduate gemologist and appraiser at the Gemological Institute of America. Now based in Del Mar, Grande designs jewelry for discerning buyers, while supporting ethical trade practices. 858.350.1900, radianceintl.net