Happy Stories From our customers

Many people have a particular metal preference when it comes to jewelry. “I only wear silver” or “Gold is my favorite” for example. But (and its an important “but”), those favorite metals might not go well with your skin undertone.

This video goes into detail so you too can find the true undertone to your skin (not to be mistaken by skin color, which can change). That way you can choose your jewelry accordingly.

This Spider Brooch is a reproduction of an old design (1800’s), made from 14K rose gold. sapphires, diamonds, black enamel.

HALLOWEEN QUOTES:

I’ll bet living in a nudist colony takes all the fun out of Halloween. ~Author unknown

A grandmother pretends she doesn’t know who you are on Halloween. ~Erma Bombeck

Eat, drink and be scary. ~Author unknown

Pixie, kobold, elf, and sprite,
All are on their rounds tonight;
In the wan moon’s silver ray,
Thrives their helter-skelter play.
~Joel Benton

Witch and ghost make merry on this last of dear October’s days. ~Author unknown

Halloween is huge in my house and we really get into the “spirits” of things. ~Dee Snider

At first cock-crow the ghosts must go
Back to their quiet graves below.
~Theodosia Garrison

Never let your kids buy an off-the-shelf Halloween costume. Forbid it, no matter how close you may be to the witching hour. Instead, help them make their own. Encourage them to use their imaginations and their ingenuity. Show them that what can be created is often better than what can be bought. And besides, don’t the darkest, most frightening things live inside us anyway? ~Joe Kita, “What I Know” (The Best Halloween Costume), Wisdom of Our Fathers, 1999

‘Tis now the very witching time of night,
When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out
Contagion to this world.
~William Shakespeare, Hamlet [III, 2, Hamlet]

Where there is no imagination there is no horror. ~Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet, 1887

Just like a ghost, you’ve been a-hauntin’ my dreams,
So I’ll propose on Halloween.
Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you.
~R. Hirsch, M. Shapiro, & H. Middlebrooks, Jr., “Spooky,” 1968

There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls. ~George Carlin

There is something haunting in the light of the moon; it has all the dispassionateness of a disembodied soul, and something of its inconceivable mystery. ~Joseph Conrad

This video is geared toward other jewelry designers but applies just as easily to jewelry lovers who want to show off their new bling on social media. A good jewelry shot really shows off aspects of your new piece that you might not have even seen yourself!

Post-production editing can also do a lot to make an okay shot into a killer image.

Pearls are considered a timeless classic. And for good reason. Pearls have been a form of adornment and status for thousands of years, all around the world.

As early as 2300 BC, pearls were the go-to gift for royalty, symbolizing loyalty (from the giver) and wisdom (of the receiver). In the first century, Julius Caesar even passed a law that declared that pearls should only be worn by the ruling classes.

Meanwhile over in India, pearls were believed to pass on calm to its wearer, attracting both good luck and wealth. The Mahraja Khande Rao Gaekwad of Baroda donned a legendary seven-strand necklace, so much so that the prized necklace gained a name: the Baroda Pearls.

Pearls were also a significant part of trade, especially after they were discovered in Central and South America in the 15th century. This ushered in what was called the Pearl Age.

An obvious form of wealth and status, the demand escalated, especially in Western Europe, where royals and aristocrats wanted to emulate their peers in China, India and Arab states.

And by the 19th century, demand for pearl jewelry became so high that the supply of natural pearls began to dwindle, making natural pearl jewelry prices skyrocket to six or even seven figures at auctions.

Today people can choose more eco-friendly freshwater pearls who use sustainable practices to create the opalescent final product. See below.

Freshwater cultured white pearl necklace, 7.5mm-8mm with .06ct t.w. diamonds on an 18″ cable chain.

Even during a precarious political and economic time world-wise, high-end jewelry brands continue to experience sales growth. Euromonitor International (a leading market research firm) recently reported that 2017 will yield a total of $37.8 billion spent in the luxury jewelry market. Wow.

Many of these established brands have a long history of popularity, with decades worth of marketing behind them. And that’s to say nothing of their amazing craftsmanship.

WHAT ARE THE TOP 10 DESIGNER JEWELRY BRANDS OF 2017?

1. Tiffany & Co.
2. Harry Winston
3. Cartier
4. Chopard
5. Van Cleef & Arpels
6. Graff
7. David Yurman
8. Buccellati
9. Bvlgari
10. Boucheron

[Source: WP Diamonds]

If there are any of well-known designer pieces that really speak to you, speak to us! We specialize in custom design that takes elements of what you like and combine them into the jewelry of your dreams.

Classic Tiffany style solitaire engagement ring for a square stone (setting only, does not include center stone).