Boston - June 14, 2006

Pisa Party

Alanna Bess Jewelry

Junior year. Your semester abroad. You learned the difference between Puccini and Verdi, how to choose the perfect tomato at the market, and the fine art of dating three cute boys at once.

Nowadays? You barely have time to juggle a tomato, let alone one man.

Want to regain a little dolce vita in an instant? Slip on one of the creatively strung pieces by Bostonian Alanna Bess, a recent Northeastern graduate who did a stint in Florence, soaking up bold Italian style.

Now she’s pouring all of it into her vibrant jewelry, named for her favorite places in Italy. Lucca is a gleaming orchestration of a necklace — big gold hoops anchored by a beer quartz briolette. Positano is a riot of yellow freshwater pearls, coin pearls, tangerine and blue chalcedony, and other stones.

But our favorite is Ravello, an elegant melding of aquamarine and a London blue topaz drop. It’s so drop-dead fab, you’ll be inspired to wear it every night of the week.

Because it’s doubtful the same ragazzo will be seeing it, if you catch our drift.

Available at Grettacole, Copley Place, 10 Huntington Avenue (617-266-6166). To see styles, go to alannabess.com.