Oh what to do with your time when you're a rich and famous celebrity?  Savvy celebs know that the best way to fill their spare time is with ways to become even more rich and famous, and the favorite expansion of brandingdu jour is jewelry.  2009 has seen several famous faces lend their names to a jewelry collection, from Nichole Ritchie designing for Bebe (aiming at youngfashionistas not averse to whipping out their platinum cards for the latest bling) to Jessica Simpson who opted to create a line of affordable jewelry to be stocked in department stores such as Dillards and Macy's (created with middle-America firmly in mind.)

This week saw a flurry of announcements of other celebrities jumping on the jewelry bandwagon. 

The Kardashian sisters seem to be everywhere at the moment, and now they even threaten to adorn women's earlobes, necks and wrists with their new exclusive collection.  The designs will be available at selected LA outlets and atNordstroms nationwide.

While the Kardashian foray into jewelry design seems somewhat inevitable given their knack for franchising themselves for simply being themselves, (paralleled only by a certain Ms. Hilton) the next celebrity names surprised and interested me more.  Indeed, none other than Hollywood royalty Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have decided to design their own collection.  None of your department store or boutique nonsense though forBrangelina, who went straight to the jeweler to the British Royal Family, Asprey, to team up with.

Rather than the material and egotistical motives behind most celebrity fashion ventures though, their collection reflects their passion for family and charity.  The collection is named "Protector" and designs feature the key theme of a snake - regarded by Jolie as being a symbol of power and protection.  All profits from sales of the gold and silver accessories is being donated to Jolie's charity, the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict, which funds educational opportunities for children who have suffered in wars or natural disasters.