(above) A ring’s worst nightmare!

I know a friend who never takes his wedding band off…until he realized he couldn’t take it off! After about an hour’s worth of trying, he finally succeeded.

It got me thinking of the importance of knowing when to remove your wedding ring.

1. Remove it occasionally just to see that you can! Fingers change size due to weight gain, water retention, etc. It’s important to take off your ring and let your finger breathe a little. It might also be a good time to re-evaluate your ring. If it’s too constricting after years of wear, it might be time to resize it (which we can do).

2. Sports. Wearing your wedding band constantly might not be such a smart idea if you love surfing, for instance. Again, fingers can change in size and water can be the perfect slippery conductor for that precious ring of yours to slip right off and into Davy Jone’s Locker.

3. Work. For certain type of jobs (such a blue-collar work) rings can just be dangerous. Find a smart place to store it and always keep it in that place. (Having several places where you keep your ring can lead to “I thought I put it here…but sometimes I put it there.” One spot consistency can save you a lot of stress!)

4. The Dreaded Dishes. You’ve seen it in the movies but it happens in real life too. Slippery, sudsy hands practically beg for that ring to slip off and potentially down a drain. When doing dishes, we advise putting the ring somewhere other than the kitchen entirely, like the top of your dresser. Again, consistency: one spot where you put your ring when you take it off.

Estate jewelry can be a fantastic way to find a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry for a great price. But of course there’s a “buyer beware” aspect any shopper needs to be heed. Here are a few points from Christie Romero, a respected jewelry historian, gemologist, collector, and author of Warman’s Jewelry, a guide to 18th – 20th century jewelry.

What are the most important things to consider when buying estate jewelry?

I call it the seven criteria: condition, craftsmanship, color, design, demand, scarcity and size. Condition is huge and affects value a great deal. That’s why using a loupe is so important. The first thing I teach people in my workshops is how to use a loupe. Sometimes you can overlook things without magnification. Look for damage and to see if parts are original or if they need repair. Lead solder on precious metal is a bad thing. You have to train your eye to notice these things and anyone can do that. You don’t need special training, it’s just matter of training your eye.

Read more about buying estate jewelry.

 

	Style 102095 Estate Platinum Diamond Pear Shape Ring Starting from $5,995.00
Style 102097 Estate gents diamond and sapphire ring   Starting from $1,495.00	Style 102096 Estate Platinum Diamond Pear Shape Ring Starting from $1,995.00

In light of Lindsay Lohan’s recent theft charges (she was at a party where the owner’s jewelry went missing), we wanted to impart some advice regarding keeping your jewelry safe. Some of the tips are as simple as taking a photograph:

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The comfort of jewelry is often drastically overlooked. That’s because jewelry captivates us. It’s that dazzling, pretty eye-catcher that defies logic. But anyone who has spent time with that magical little piece realizes quickly that it has some real life consequences.

Clasps can repeatedly catch on hair, earrings can be too heavy, necklaces can be hard to put on by yourself, sturdier rings can bang and break delicate items…and of course, there is ring fit; a critical component in its wearability.

Feel free to wear the piece prior to purchase and wear it around the store for a while. For a higher end purchase, this is imperative. Generally speaking, a piece of jewelry will not show its problematic side at first, but only after some wear. Buying jewelry is an investment; take the time to look beyond the dazzle!

Style 6860WB 14kt Yellow Gold Comfort Fit Ring, Satin Finish With High Polished Edges 14kt yellow gold comfort fit wedding band, satin finished with high polished edges, 6mm wide. Trade Up Our Guarantee

Most of us don’t realize the rich history of jewelry making. In communities throughout the world and through time, the jeweler was considered a powerful craftsperson, imbued with magical traits. This video exemplifies this tradition. Makes you think twice when you visit the jeweler!

Here’s an excerpt from a documentary about Ehadji Koumama, a Tuareg jeweler of the desert, and a demonstration of making silver jewelry in the lost wax method.

Perhaps you’ve seen the Om symbol around or know firsthand what it signifies. For those who don’t know:

What Does “Aum” Mean??

Aum (or OM) is a mantra, or vibration, that is traditionally chanted at the beginning and end of yoga sessions. It is made up of three Sanskrit letters, aa, au and ma which, when combined together, make the sound Aum or Om. It is believed to be the basic sound of the world and to contain all other sounds. It is said to be the sound of the universe. What does that mean?

Somehow the ancient yogis knew what scientists today are telling us–that the entire universe is moving. Nothing is ever solid or still. Everything that exists pulsates, creating a rhythmic vibration that the ancient yogis acknowledged with the sound of Aum. We may not always be aware of this sound in our daily lives, but we can hear it in the rustling of the autumn leaves, the waves on the shore, the inside of a seashell.

Chanting Aum allows us to recognize our experience as a reflection of how the whole universe moves–the setting sun, the rising moon, the ebb and flow of the tides, the beating of our hearts. As we chant Aum, it takes us for a ride on this universal movement, through our breath, our awareness, and our physical energy, and we begin to sense a bigger connection that is both uplifting and soothing.

The Aum symbol design can be seen as a symbolic representation of the various psychological compartments of the psyche; an inner dimensional map of the various compartments of human consciousness and the relationship each has to the divine within.

The long lower curve represents the dreaming state.

The upper curve stands for the waking state.

The curve which emanates from the center represents deep sleep, beyond dreams.

The crescent stands for the veil of material illusion.

The dot is the transcendental self.

Source: SacredFunk.com

Style 5563 High Polished OM Pendant With Bezel Set Diamond High polished “OM” pendant with a bezel set round brilliant diamond on an 18″ cable chain, approx. 5/8″ tall. Trade Up Our Guarantee

We often get many questions re: the various degrees of gold in jewelry. (Take a moment to look at our extensive selection of gold jewelry.) Before you purchase any gold, know the various terms first.

Pure gold: When 100 percent of the metal is gold, it’s called 24-carat gold, or 24k. That’s the stuff worth almost $1,100 per ounce. But don’t expect jewelry to be pure gold because that metal is too soft for a durable design. Virtually all gold gets mixed with other metals — such as palladium, nickel, copper, silver, zinc, silicon and boron — to increase its hardness. Mixing, however, dilutes the gold’s value.

Solid gold: In the United States, a metal doesn’t have to be pure gold to be called solid gold. Metals containing as little as 41.7 percent gold — also known at 10-carat gold — legally can be called solid gold.

14-carat gold: This is what most fine jewelry is made from, a mixture of 14 parts of gold and 10 parts of a base metal. Thus, a 14k-gold bracelet is just 58.3 percent gold. Some very fine jewelry is 18k gold (75 percent gold) and some is just 10k gold (41.7 percent gold). Many “class rings,” for example, are 10k because that tends to be a stronger alloy and less expensive than rings made with a higher percentage of gold. U.S. jewelry that is 10k or higher usually will be marked with its carat quality, though marking is not required by law. Near the carat quality mark may be a U.S. registered trademark of the company that will stand behind the mark. The trademark may be in the form of a name, symbol or initials.

Gold-filled, gold overlay and and rolled gold plate: These are terms used to describe jewelry that has a layer of at least 10k gold mechanically bonded to a base metal. Jewelry marked gold- filled, gold overlay or rolled gold plate should include the karat quality of the gold used. Example: 14k gold overlay, 12k RGP or 1/20 12k GF. If the layer of gold is less than 1/20th of the total weight of the jewelry, any marking must state the actual percentage of carat gold, such as 1/40th 14k gold overlay.

Gold-plated: Jewelry can be thinly plated with gold in various ways, including mechanically plated or electroplated. Gold-plated jewelry has significantly less gold than gold-filled, gold overlay or rolled gold jewelry. Eventually, gold plating wears away, and how long that takes depends on the plate thickness. Gold electroplate has a layer at least 0.175 microns thick of 10k or more gold. Gold-flashed or gold-washed jewelry has an extremely thin plating of gold less than 0.175 microns thick.

Read more here: http://www.modbee.com/2010/01/01/991880_p2/seller-beware-as-gold-buyers-can.html#storylink=cpy

Style FS1629 18kt White Gold Diamond Leaf Designed Band 18kt White gold band with .08ct t.w. diamond leaf design, (readily available in ring size 6, please call to order other sizes). Metal: 18kt White Gold Stone Size: .8ct t.w. Ring Size: 6 Trade Up Our Guarantee

A client told us about an experience she had not too long ago that went something like this:

She really wanted a new piece of jewelry. She hadn’t purchased something new in years. Unfortunately she and her husband were going through a trying financial time and simply couldn’t justify a new purchase. So she sat down with her jewelry box and dumped the contents on the bed. She spent a good deal of time untangling necklaces and matching earrings, finding the correct backings. She put aside pieces she no longer wore and readied them for a local thrift store. She arranged her jewelry properly, for easy, no-tangle access. She cleaned a few necklaces for a much needed shine.

And what did she find? That she had a forgotten treasure chest in her very own jewelry box.

What pieces do you have that you’ve forgotten about? What about a jewelry makeover for older pieces that you’ve always loved but need a new and improved look? Here’s a great example.

Many don’t know good faceting from the next. Or at least they think they don’t know. But truthfully, it’s just as plain as the ring on your finger. Most people, consciously or not, do know good faceting, since it so drastically affects the look of the piece.

This video gives a good idea on gems and faceting so when you buy your next piece, you’re in the know.

As big proponents of moissanite, we also understand people’s hesitation. What exactly is it and will it hold a candle to a real natural diamond?

Moissanite  is an amazing stone that resembles a diamond in nearly every sense. To the naked eye it appears just as, if not even more, brilliant than it’s expensive natural counterpart. In a simple traditional thermal probe, this stone even shows up as a diamond. When it comes to the moissanite vs. diamond battle, test yourself and you will see it is nearly impossible to tell the difference. No scratching or buffing ever and the stone will never turn cloudy or dull.

Moissanite is so durable, it’s nearly as hard as a diamond. While a diamond score a 10 on the hardness scale, moissanite comes in just below at 9 1/4. In fact, it’s harder than sapphire or ruby. When you shop our moissanite rings on sale, you never have to worry about them scuffing or scratching – just like a natural diamond.

This great video illustrates on of moissanite’s strongest points: it’s amazing sparkle.