Jewelry News

From a marketing standpoint, celebrities and jewelry lines are a natural pairing. Jewelry lines don’t always get the attention they deserve, drowning in a sea of “other.” But bring a celebrity into the mix and suddenly, bam! The jewelry line in inextricably connected with the celebrity.

As this article points out, one bejeweled hands washes another!

What do Heidi Klum, Paula Abdul and Brad Pitt have in common?

They’re just a few of the stars who have partnered with manufacturers, to produce jewelry collections that let retailers dangle the celebrities’ names and images before an audience of fame-obsessed American consumers.

Jewelry manufacturers say partnerships with celebrities set them on the fast track toward a branded product. Instead of spending years on advertising and marketing, their brand gets instant name recognition.

“To go in the direction of branding, you have to look at all of the options out there,” says Chad C. Haggar, president and chief executive officer of Kristall Smolensk USA, which worked with American Idol host and former pop star Abdul on a jewelry collection that was launched last September.

The Innergy line, available at Sam’s Club stores, includes diamond charm pendants engraved with inspirational messages and priced from $250 to $500. Kristall Smolensk has several other celebrity partnerships in the works, but Haggar declined to reveal them before deals are complete.

“I think celebrities are kind of branding their name and associating their name with these products,” says Pascal Mouawad, president of Mouawad, which has collaborated with supermodel Klum on a jewelry collection for about three years.

By designing the collection, which includes about 100 pieces of fine jewelry priced from $300 to $80,000, Klum can offer her fans a product with more than just her stamp of approval as a spokesmodel. Klum is heavily involved in creating the line, and Mouawad provides the expertise in production and distribution.

“The collection is doing very well,” says Mouawad. “We’re building our distribution. It’s very well received.”

He attributes the success of the collection to three things: design, price and marketing.

In addition to her involvement in the design, Klum is extremely visible in the jewelry’s marketing, appearing in advertisements and at special events promoting the line, to help consumers make the connection between the products and her name and image.

A-list actor Brad Pitt partnered with Damiani for a fine jewelry collection after working with the designer to create weddings rings for himself and his wife, actress Jennifer Aniston.

“For us it has been both a personal and professional privilege to have the opportunity to work with such an outstanding talent as Brad Pitt,” says Giorgio Grassi Damiani, vice president of the Damiani group and president of Damiani USA. “He has a unique sense of style and, combined with his passion for design and architecture, he provides a very special perspective to the collections in which Damiani and he work together.”

One bejeweled hand washes the other.

Source: AllBusiness.com

Brad Pitt’s engagement ring to Jennifer Aniston. And remember, we can bring out your inner celebrity by designing a ring just like this, with your personal touch in mind:

We fancy ourselves educators at Joseph Schubach Jewelers. Every week, we instill upon you yet another history lesson connected to the wide world of jewelry.

Of course, we don’t quiz you at the end (though we might – you never know) but we hope you’ll become more informed buyers of moissanite, Gemesis, diamonds, gold, platinum and all the other special gems and metals we have to offer.

Today, a very interesting history of the engagement ring, thanks to the people at Ancient Jewelry Facts.

Since at least 5000 BC, men and women have worn rings – on their thumbs, fingers and even toes.

Some rings have been purely decorative, seal rings and archers’ rings have had useful purposes, while a few have been thoroughly nasty specimens, harboring poison that turned a handshake into a deadly clasp.

The earliest written reference to rings as love tokens is in the second century BC, in works by the Roman playwright Plautus.

The practice of exchanging wedding rings, apparently common in Rome, was “Christianized” by the 4th century AD.An early example of an engagement ring featuring Eros, the ancient symbol of love.

By the 14th century, wealthy Europeans had their wedding rings set with precious jewels, somewhat like modern engagement rings, but it was not until 1477 that the diamond engagement ring as we know it came into being.

That year, the Hapsburg Emperor Maximilian I gave a diamond engagement ring to his fiancée, Mary of Burgundy. This first instance of a royal engagement ring fueled the European passion for diamonds, already aflame by the taste for fine jewels promoted by Mary’s father, Charles the Bold (1433–77).

As the dukes of Burgundy controlled Europe’s major diamond–cutting centers in Antwerp and Bruges, Charles’ encouragement of wealthy Europeans to buy diamonds appears to have a commercial side.

By the 16th century, it seemed no royal marriage was complete without a diamond ring. Mary, Queen of Scots, chose one when she married Lord Darnley in 1565 and in 1673, James II of England sent a diamond ring to Mary of Modena for their proxy wedding in 1673.

In 1839, Prince Albert gave Queen Victoria a diamond ring as a memento of their first meeting, perhaps inadvertently setting the royal seal of approval on diamond engagement rings.

It was during the second half of the 19th century that the practice of giving two rings for the bride became firmly established.

Prince Philip carried on the royal diamond tradition when he gave his fiancée, now Queen Elizabeth II, an engagement ring made with diamonds from the tiara of his mother, Princess Alice.

Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon gave his fiancée a diamond engagement ring that he said was the same one his father gave his mother, and his grandfather King Olav gave to Queen Martha.

Not every royal lady has had diamonds in her engagement ring. The Queen Mother’s ring was sapphire and diamonds, as was Princess Anne’s. Lady Diana Spencer was given a £42,000 sapphire and diamond engagement ring by Prince Charles, while Sarah Ferguson received a ruby and diamond engagement ring from Prince Andrew.

However, Sophie Rhys–Jones took the more traditional line with a three-diamond ring when she became engaged to Prince Edward.

But for size, nothing comes close to the engagement ring Prince Rainier of Monaco gave Grace Kelly. She wore the 12ct diamond ring in her last movie, “High Society”, in 1956. In the film, Bing Crosby looks at the ring and quips, “Some stone, did you mine it yourself?”

A New Take on an Old Tradition - Style 9501M Tension Set Engagement Ring With A Round Moissanite And Side Diamonds

Moissanite is not the same as a naturally-mined diamond. It is a synthetic, lab-created diamond and not considered a fake. This differentiation is important to remember.

Listen, most of us would love nothing more than to give a big rock to our girl for that on-one-knee proposal. But most of us realize that’s financially difficult if not downright impossible.

So how do you broach the topic of buying a moissanite engagement ring with your wife-to-be?

1. Be honest. Don’t tell her its a natural diamond when it’s not. Trust us on this one – it could get you into some serious hot water later on, if she bothers to do some research.

2. Discuss your finances openly. Many feel that talking about the financial aspects of engagement is somehow…not romantic. Well, it may not be wine and roses, but it’s real. The way you handle finances together helps you understand very important lessons about one another. Your partner will respect that you honor her opinion and that you can discuss matters of import.

3. Visit a jeweler. Remember, a qualified jeweler can do a lot of the hard work for you!  He or she will detail the pros and cons of purchasing quality moissanite. The pros include a gem that is as durable and brilliant as a naturally mined diamond, the reminder that moissanite is in fact a diamond and that moissanite is an ecologically-sound and long-lasting alternative.

4. The rock size just grew! That’s right – all of a sudden a bigger stone is a possibility, which for many women is an exciting proposition. By choosing moissanite, shopping for  engagement ring can include a range of beautiful rings with a real “wow” factor.

5. Offer the option of an upgrade in the future. If you’re planning a surprise engagement, go for it! You can explain to her later that you’ve chosen moissanite for the reasons mentioned and if she’s unhappy with it, you can plan an upgrade when finances allow. Chances are, she’ll grow attached to her ring just the way it is…because it came from you. Really, isn’t that the most important part?

The idea here is to embrace the idea of buying moissanite. There’s no need to hide it, like a secret. In a day when naturally-mined diamonds are becoming a questionable prospect ecologically (mining is continuing to damage the earth and cause political disruption), moissanite is a smart, informed choice you can be proud of.

Style 9937-6.5mm

Contemporary Solitaire Engagement Ring

Contemporary solitaire engagement ring. Fits a 6.5mm round stone. (setting only, does not included center stone)

Sure, it sounds a little macabre but really, why not? For some, a divorce ring represents a renewed sense of freedom or rebirth or simply, a symbol of healing. For others, it means that their marriage and its ending have been part of their life – a part for which they are proud. A transitional ring, if you will.

According to a piece in the New York Times:

When her divorce was nearly final three years ago, Wanda Dibben, 41, who lives outside Kansas City, Mo., asked a jeweler, George Rousis, to transform her wedding ring into a divorce ring. Ms. Dibben, who had been married 13 years, said she had been “very attached” to her wedding ring and hoped that reconfiguring it could “be kind of a buffer into my independence again and help facilitate healing.”

Her jeweler severed the gold band and refashioned it into a ring with a gap, across which strands of silver are stitched. For Ms. Dibben, those strands represent her son, Trevor, now 14, “because although the bonds have been broken, the stitches still keep that unity together,” she said.

Remember, rings are for everyone, not just the happily married. YOU choose what they symbolize for you and let us design it for you. Every detail can remind you or who you are and who you want to be.

Whether you go with moissanite or naturally minded diamonds, or black and silver tungsten or rose gold; whether you want a more traditional look or something more distinctive and now, we can make a piece tailormade to fit your dreams.

Here is a sampling of some of our latest arrivals at Joseph Schubach. Some of these pieces are totally sharp and cutting and edge in design while others maintain a classic allure.

Black and Silver Tungsten Carbide Ring

We are very excited to display this new arrival. It’s sleek, futuristic and a definite eye-catcher.

Black comfort fit tungsten carbide wedding ring with silver tungsten center, 8mm wide

Style 10471

Titanium and Diamond Wedding Ring

Similar in its “now” appeal, the diamonds in this ring add another level of complexity in look.

Titanium comfort fit wedding ring with 3 diamonds (.09ct total weight) and 4 black inserts, 7mm wide

Style 10469

Hand Made Pave Diamond Engagement Ring

This delicate but bold ring features three rows of perfectly set and perfectly matched pave diamonds. Each row of diamonds gradually and elegantly tapers from the top of the ring to the base of the ring. The ring also has pave set diamonds between the prongs and beneath the prong assembly highlighting your center stone even more.

This is one of our Specialty Items which means each piece is made specifically to your specifications of ring size, metal preference, center stone size and preference and incorporating any other changes or ideas you might have.

Location, location, location…and it applies to the world of proposals as well. Whether you’re giving a moissanite engagement ring or a fancy colored gem like Gemesis, atmosphere is everything, as this MSNBC article points out:

THE CLASSICS

La Basilique du Sacré-Coeur, Paris

Proposing in Paris may be a cliché, but clichés exist for a reason, especially this one.Near dusk, head to the top of Montmartre; if you can tolerate the steep streets and steps, which aren’t too difficult, skip the funicular and go by foot. Walk through Le Moulin de la Galette (the setting for Renoir’s masterpiece of the same name), but avoid Pigalle (the setting for Paris’s red-light district). Head to the illuminated Basilique du Sacre-Coeur and relax on the white stone steps of the famed church. From here you’ll get the best view of Paris that doesn’t require an admission fee or lengthy wait.

If that vista doesn’t inspire love, tell your sweetheart it was the setting for U2’s “Two Hearts Beat as One” video. And while it might make that engagement ring you bought dim in comparison, time your walk back so that you see the Eiffel Tower after nightfall: At the start of every hour until 2 a.m. (1 a.m in winter), its 20,000 bulbs glitter for 10 minutes.

Central Park, New York City

With 843 acres of lawns, woodlands and lakes, Central Park is a relaxing retreat in the middle of Manhattan. If you can’t find a romantic setting here, it’s your fault, not that of the park’s main designer, Frederick Law Olmsted, whose general plan for the park persists today despite many additions.

In the winter, ice-skating at Wollman Rink is a great way to get your beloved’s heart racing. Later, take a break for hot chocolate and popping the question.

When the weather’s warmer, the Conservatory Garden’s six acres make a great proposal site — they’re filled with hedges, as well as an impressive number of roses. Or propose marriage on a rowboat rented from the Loeb Boathouse.

And if you’re afraid that a proposal in a free public park might seem cheap and less than romantic, don’t be — Central Park’s property value was appraised at $528 billion in 2005.

Piazzale Michelangelo, Florence

This 19th-century terrace with a sweeping view of Florence, framed by the Arno River and the Tuscan countryside, is one of the most romantic sites in a country full of them. (While on a solo trip through Italy, I almost proposed to myself here.)

The plaza attracts a lot of tourists, however, so make sure the subject of your wooing is looking out to the Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio, rather than at people dripping gelato on their jean shorts.

Guidebooks suggest riding local bus No. 13 to Piazzale Michelangelo, but it’s better to go by foot; it’s a romantic 30-minute stroll through a charming part of Florence’s Oltrarno district that you wouldn’t otherwise visit. And public transportation is rarely romantic.

Grand Canyon National Park, Ariz.

There’s something about looking into a gaping display of two billion years of the Earth’s history that says, “Hey baby, we can make it until death do us part.” The colors brought out at sundown give the Grand Canyon one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world (try to catch it at Hopi Point on the South Rim, which has a view that stretches at least 30 miles and includes a glimpse of the Colorado River). At 277 river miles long, as much as 18 miles across and a mile deep, the canyon’s got plenty of secluded spots of proposing.

And if getting to such a place on foot or by mule doesn’t appeal to you, there’s always helicopter: Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters, a tour company, has had many customers get engaged during a romantic picnic on the canyon floor (just make sure your intended is comfortable hovering 5,000 feet above the ground on the trip there and back).

Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Authors’ Lounge, Bangkok, Thailand

Is sipping afternoon tea on white rattan furniture as Siamese umbrellas, bamboo, and palm trees shield you from the sun coming in through the translucent roof romantic enough for you?

While all this atmosphere doesn’t come cheap, you’d be hard-pressed to find its idyllic combination of colonial East and West elsewhere. Afterward step outside and buy your betrothed flowers from a wooden long-tail boat as you walk along the banks of the Chao Phraya River.

Siasconset, Nantucket Island, Mass.

‘Sconset, as it’s sometimes called, is so quaint, rustic, and free of brash day-trippers from Cape Cod that it makes Nantucket’s other villages seem like Tijuana.

Rent bikes at Young’s Bicycle Shop near Steamboat Wharf ($25 for the day), but avoid the tandem models, which are romantic in theory only. From there pedal to Siasconset, on the island’s eastern shore. Buy some picnic food at the ‘Sconset Market, and head to one of Nantucket’s most secluded and beautiful beaches.

It doesn’t matter whether you face the ocean or the bluffs — both are gorgeous. On your way back, stroll along Baxter Road, a grassy lane, to admire the picturesque cottages. It’s best in the late summer, when the hydrangeas are blooming.

Wailua Falls, Kauai, Hawaii

There are almost as many places in Hawaii for a kitschy proposal as there are for a romantic one. Stay away from man-made attractions like Don Ho’s Island Grill and instead opt for a natural setting.

Wailua Falls, on the east side of Kauai, is one of the best. Although the 173-foot-high falls are in a lush green setting, they are easily accessible by car. And Wailua Falls has a long history of being a choice spot for romantic bravado: In ancient times, Hawaiian men leapt from the top to prove their manliness (unfortunately, they often killed themselves in the process).

And while your friends might not have heard of Wailua Falls, getting engaged here will impress them once you tell them it was in the opening credits of the frequently romantic (and even more frequently campy) TV show Fantasy Island.

Burning Man, Black Rock Desert, Nev.

Held annually in late summer since 1986, this eight-day festival’s intention, as stated on its Web site, is to “generate society that connects each individual to his or her creative powers, to participation in community, to the larger realm of civic life and to the even greater world of nature that exists beyond society.” (You may also know it as a New Age event where a bunch of naked people come together to make art and party.)

And you might expect Burning Man to disavow a tradition like marriage. But it can be the perfect place for a romantic and symbolic proposal: Its principle of communal effort is the pillar of a strong marriage; it’s in the beautiful, often very warm outdoors; and its emphasis on gifting means you’ll have one heck of an engagement party.
But why stop there? Weddings are common enough here (there are about 35 a year) that the official Web site has a page devoted to how to get hitched there. You may want to propose earlier in the festival rather than later, though — showering can be difficult.

Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs, Louisville, Ky.

Thoroughbred horse racing is the sport of kings, so what better way to make your would-be spouse feel like royalty than by proposing at the Kentucky Derby, one of the world’s premier horse races?

Held annually on the first Saturday in May, “the most exciting two minutes in sports” provides all the pageantry needed for a memorable proposal. While general admission tickets to the infield (a mob of alcohol-infused barbarians enjoying things other than a horse race) are easier and cheaper to acquire than grandstand tickets, get the latter.

There you can sip $9 mint juleps out of commemorative glasses and check out the expensive, and frequently bizarre, hats. And with plenty of celebrities in attendance, you’ll have a great story to share with your friends.

For example, if you’d proposed at the Derby in 2007, you’d have been able to brag that you’d gotten engaged in the presence of Queen Elizabeth (probably best not to mention that it would have happened in the company of O. J. Simpson too).

Macworld Conference & Expo, San Francisco

This one’s strictly for the fanboys. If you’re an Apple-lover and want your love life to be as integrated as your hardware, propose at Macworld. The world’s largest trade show dedicated to Apple technology has been held annually since 1985, most recently in San Francisco this past January.
Before going, make sure you’ve saved on your iPhone the Robert Hess Macworld Memorial Events List, which catalogs the parties and other events taking place, and you’ll have lots of options for a fun, fully geeky place to propose.

If the conference itself isn’t romantic enough for you, take a break and propose nearby while hiking in the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, or while looking out at the Golden Gate Bridge from Crissy Field.

Regardless of where you propose, we hope you’ll be as self-satisfied about your choice of a spouse as you are about your computer.

Okay, well proposing at MacWorld does seem pretty geeky but who are we to judge? Regardless, you’ll need the perfect engagement ring and that’s where we step in. Check out our Gallery for an affordable and stunning ring – or custom make one with our guidance!

Style 8799MR

Princess Cut Moissanite Bypass Solitaire

Bypass prong princess cut solitaire engagement ring with Charles and Colvard created moissanite.

Available Center Stone Size: 1.36ct-2.16ct

Platinum has a positive connotation for just about anyone in search of an engagement or wedding ring: It stands for the “best of the best.” It also feels different – it tends to be heavier, which most of us think of as more durable, solid.

According to Diane Breitman of Queen of Diamonds in Calabasas, California:

“The difference is when you hold [platinum] in your hand, it’s heavy, which is really nice,” Breitman says. “But is that enough for $800 more that can make the diamond that much bigger or better?”

At Lux Bond and Green, with locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts, co-owner Marc Green says that the “bridal category is still a great category,” but in terms of platinum, there has been “nothing real noticeable.”

“I would say on a percentage level, it’s gone up a little,” he says.

Yet Green also points out an obvious plus when it comes to securing the platinum sale.

“You do make more profit dollars because platinum is more expensive, so the dollar is there,” he says.

The plus side is that while platinum is more expensive, it’s at an all-time low for the jewelry market. For some, that means taking advantage of a window of opportunity to possess a ring made of one of the finest metals around.

You only buy your engagement and wedding ring once (hopefully!) If platinum is your dream metal, then it seems worth considering now. Sure, you may be spending a little extra – but its a lifetime purchase and you deserve to be satisfied.

Partial Source: National Jewelry Network

Take a look at our platinum wedding band. Even from the photo, you can the lusterous glow of platinum and why it is often the metal of choice:

Style 6816WB

Platinum Comfort Fit Band With High Polished Flat Center

Platinum comfort fit wedding band, high polished, flat center, 8mm wide.

It doesn’t matter whether its a natural diamond or moissanite or Gemesis, a lost ring can hurt! This story will give you hope that in the world of missing rings, all things are possible!

A British woman who lost her wedding ring in her garden 33 years ago said she was shocked when a former neighbor called to say the ring had been found.

Anthea Capewell, 60, said her engagement and wedding rings flew off when she closed her garden gate in Stapleford, England, in 1976, and after a thorough search, only the engagement ring was recovered, the Daily Mail reported Tuesday.

Capewell said she and her husband, David, moved out of their home eight years after losing the ring, and she had long given up hope of ever seeing it again.

However, former neighbors Don and Carol Rigby called Capewell recently to say they had found the ring buried in some garden weeds on their side of a hedge shared by the two homes.

“I was absolutely gobsmacked and, of course, I was ecstatic,” Capewell said. “I just couldn’t believe it.

“It must have worked its way down into the soil after we missed it all those years ago. It came up like new with just a bit of soap water.”

Capewell said the discovery has inspired her and David to renew their wedding vows next year.

Source: UPI

Long time coming: Don Rigby points to the spot where his wife found the wedding ring that former neighbour Anthea Capewell lost in 1976

Check out this moissanite engagement ring… it’s a real keeper!

Three Stone Ring With Radiant Cut And Trillion Shape Moissanite

Three stone ring with Charles and Colvard created radiant cut and trillion shape moissanite.

Available Moissanite Total Weight: 3.0ct

Call for Platinum Pricing

Oh, the big rock! Many of us think a big, stunning diamond is the only way to go. But is it right for you? Let’s address the “bigger is better” myth for a second:

1. Consider your personality. Are you an extroverted type? Do you really like the “wow” factor? Then maybe a big diamond (or moissanite or Gemesis) is perfect for you, so you can dazzle with the best of them.

2. Consider your style. Are you an understated dresser? Or do your fashion choices scream, “Look at me!” A ring will be something you’ll be wearing for a long, long time. While a big ring looks great while showing it off to friends, it may not be appropriate for the long haul.

3. Quality counts for me than size. There are many large stones out there that have no life to them. Or they may be poorly cut. Or have visible inclusions. A subtle, smaller gem may speak more loudly than a big, ol rock.

4. Setting counts more. You can often have a big diamond feel on an appropriate setting. Diamond shapes such as marquise, pear shapes and oval can exude a larger feel, especially when set properly.

5. Diamond Alternatives. If you simply must have that big experience (but don’t have such a big budget to match it), you’ve never been luckier than now. There are fantastic alternative such as moissanite and Gemesis that are affordable and “wow”able!

All of these factors – and more – come into play when purchasing a piece of jewelry. Big gems may impress…but they may not be right for you. Or perhaps you can have a big rock experience based on a smart cut and setting choice. Bottom line: wowing people is great but a ring needs to match you and your soul. Then it’s a big ring, no matter what!

Here’s a ring of ours, where the simplicity and clean cut speak volumes:

Style 9915-7.5mm

Round Solitaire Engagement Ring With Pave Diamonds

Four prong solitaire engagement ring with 1/10ct t.w. pave’ diamonds. Fits an 7.5mm round center stone. (setting only, does not include center stone)

Joseph Schubach Jewelers keeps in step with the traditional, classic look of jewelry but isn’t afraid to take some bold and innovative chances.

Take our Joe Jewelry line, for instance. These are personally crafted pieces by Joseph Schubach himself that break from tradition and showcase sharp, distinctive lines with stylish and inviting cuts.

Joe Jewelry is for the customer who’s not afraid to take make a bold statement with her choice of jewelry. Reminiscent of the Art Deco jewelry movement, these pieces are geometrically fun and love to grab attention

Take a look at this video on Joe Jewelry to see the artist in action:

If you’re looking for an inspired piece that distinctly one-on-of-a-kind, contact us directly at (888) 724-8222 or email us. Joe Jewelry is waiting for you!

Here’s a few more samples:

Artist and Custom Design Jeweler Joe Schubach