Anyone can simply wear diamonds - it's easy. But color? Color is for women with personality. 

~ Lucia Silvestri, creative director of Bulgari Jewelry 

Yes, this is true. Bright, lavish stones with a classy decadence need the right wearer to carry the bling. Take one of Hollywood's iconic celebrities, Elizabeth Taylor, who was often bejeweled with sapphires, rubies and emeralds from Italy's luxurious jeweler, Bvlgari. How exciting to experience the beauty surrounding the persona! Well, if you are as inspired by mixes of color and heritage as I am, there are two places to feast your eyes on holiday sparkle. And it's not  atop the Christmas trees already on display at the mall!

Currently running until February 2014 at the de Young Fine Art Museum of San Francisco is The Art of Bulgari: La Dolce Vita. The exhibit's 150 breathtaking pieces include not only Elizabeth Taylor's famous collection, but focus on unique styles inspired by Greco-Roman classics, Italian Renaissance and 19th Century Rome. Unlimited to finer jewelery, other showstoppers include encrusted clocks and watches. Time stands still in the midst of beauty and luxury combined.

From colorful jewels to jewels of the sea... Modern day society's fascination with adornments continues abroad at London's Victoria and Albert Museum. Their latest exhibit is simply titled Pearls running until January 2014. From their global exploratory beginnings to the celebrity of today, the opulence of the pearl is uncovered in this sequential display. Though pearl jewelry through the ages revealed power and rank, today the remarkable variety is making simple beauty a symbol of femininity and timelessness fashionable for any woman or occasion. The creativity exhibited shimmers in artistic interpretations with combined metals, textured surfaces and non-precious materials, offering visitors a dazzling repertoire of bling.

The influence of colorful gems and precious pearls can be seen in many fashionable places, including the current offering from Victoria's Secret 2013 Fantasy Bra and Vogue Netherlands September cover shot.

Fantasy, runway, reality - ba da bling! There you have it... xoxo-Sonya