Jewelry Education and Advice

Striking a balance between fashion, comfortability and professionalism isn’t always easy. And to do it five days a week? Well, there are some basic rules to adhere to, making choosing an outfit easier, especially first thing in the morning!

According to Sherry Maysonave, founder and president of Empowerment Enterprises, it’s important to accessorize properly. She states that “most business casual outfits need a boost from jewelry to convey professionalism and authority”.

However, with jewelry you need to be especially cautious in order not to cross an almost imperceptible line of what is considered work appropriate and what is not. Here are some good advices which will help you stay true to yourself and look work appropriate at the same time.

• A must-follow rule: no nose jewelry, eyebrow jewelry or any other extreme face jewelry. You can show off your sleek and urban personality to your friends, but not to coworkers.

• Bracelets are timeless, but jangly ones, like charm bracelets or multi-chain bracelets, will annoy your colleagues with constant clicking. Try to wear one or two bracelets at most. Great work-appropriate options would be a bangle bracelet, a single chain bracelet or a small cuff bracelet.

• Stay away from the earrings that are too big and dramatic, such as huge hoops or chandelier earrings. Opt for pearl or gemstone stud earrings.

• Necklaces can definitely add some flavor to your outfit. Although, think twice before wearing something too long, overly bulky, and too sparkly. Go for a thin necklace with a cute small pendant or choose a single pearl necklace.

• If you like stone jewelry, choose the stones that match your suits, blouses or any other clothing. One of two beautiful jewelry pieces will make you look more polished and put together. Labradorite, opal, carnelian, amber, mother of pearl, onyx, and jasper are all classic colored stones that would work right for the office.

Source: Because.com

Here’s a great choice for any day of the week:

Single Strand Freshwater Cultured Pearls – 8.5mm – 11.5mm

Single strand freshwater cultured pearls, 17″ with 14kt yellow gold clasp.

Just like clothing, jewelry needs to match the wearer. Though interestingly, we don’t usually think of jewelry that way – you just like it or you don’t, right?

Take earrings for instance. Face shape comes heavily into play when choosing earrings. Here’s what one expert has to say:

Earrings can work towards or against the shape of your face. Depending on the shape of your face, you can use particular earring styles to emphasize a deemphasize flaws in the shape. When we talk about face shapes we are referring to the basic shapes of round, rectangle or, heart-shaped, oval, or square

Those with an oval shaped face are the luckiest because they can wear pretty much any style and look good. If your faces round, however, you don’t want to emphasize the fullness so you want to stay away from big button style earrings or hoops. Long earrings or square or rectangular shaped will help to elongate your face.

Heart-shaped faces are thinner by the chin and so you want to wear earrings that can widen out your chin such as triangular shapes or chandeliers are wider at the bottom. if your faces long or rectangular shaped you don’t want to wear longer dangling earrings as this will tend to elongate your face. Stick with smaller stubs to match your face shape.

Here’s a chart to help you decide your type of face:

These clarity enhanced stud earrings work with just about any face type:

Style 10316CE-

2ct t.w. Clarity Enhanced Round Diamond Stud Earrings

Classic stud earrings with 2ct t.w. round brilliant, clarity enhanced diamonds.

Birthstones are a wonderful way to really personalize a piece of jewelry. If you’re giving that certain someone a jewelry gift, adding the “birthstone touch” makes it that much more special. Here’s a great list we found on Buzzle that not only details each month’s birthstone but the meaning behind it.

And remember, any custom designed jewelry we make can include the stone of your choice. Special orders do not upset us!

January Birthstone – Garnet
Garnet is similar to a ruby in appearance and is found in almost all colors except blue. A garnet has a hardness of 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale. It has a very high refractive index, which is responsible for its brilliance. Garnet is found in abundance and is a much sought-after gemstone, for making fashion accessories. It is considered to channel faith, consistency and virtue to the people born in January.

February Birthstone – Amethyst
This is an extremely beautiful gemstone with brilliant violet color. It is said to possess miraculous powers and bring good luck during wars or hunts. It is also believed to ward off the evil spirits and keep them at bay. Besides, it also has medicinal and cleaning properties. The color palette of amethyst ranges from pale lilac to deep purple. Amethyst gives sincerity to the people born in February.

March Birthstone – Aquamarine
Aquamarine is found in myriad hues of blue, from pale yellowish blue to deep blue. Aquamarine is very hard and the hardness ranges between 7.5 and 8 on the Mohs scale. The price of aquamarine is directly proportional to its intensity. It fosters feelings like sympathy, trust, harmony, friendship, etc.

April Birthstone – Diamond
Diamond is the most precious and expensive gemstone. It is most desirable as it is extremely luminous and rare. Color, clarity, cut and carat are the properties which rule the appearance and durability of a diamond. Diamonds symbolize true love, commitment and passion.

May Birthstone – Emerald
Emerald is a fascinating green colored gemstone, desirable for the people born in May. A fine quality emerald can be more expensive than a diamond, and hence was favored by kings and monarchs of the past. Emerald enhances clairvoyance, love and commitment. They are also said to possess healing powers.

June Birthstone – Pearl
Pearl is the only gemstone formed as a result of biological activities of living creatures. A pearl is used for making jewelery, since ages, due to its luminance and inner glow. It symbolizes beauty, love, happiness and wealth.

July Birthstone – Ruby
This brilliant gemstone is most famous for its fiery red color. It is responsible for bringing peace and prosperity. It also has certain medicinal and healing powers. It stands for blood, love, romance and passion.

August Birthstone – Peridot
A green gemstone, the peridot is rightly called the ‘evening emerald’, as it resembles emeralds in the glow of lamps. During ancient times, it was taken internally for curing asthma. It is considered as a symbol of power and influence.

September Birthstone – Sapphire
Even though blue is the only color associated with sapphires, they come in various other colors as well. They are one of the hardest, durable minerals. Sapphires render the qualities like clear thinking and wisdom, to the people born in September.

October Birthstone – Opal
Opal is available in almost every shade of each color. From translucent to transparent and milky white to dark black, opal exhibits all the colors of the rainbow. This vivid-colored birthstone is said to impart hope and harmony, to the people born in October.

November Birthstone – Topaz
Topaz is usually found in shades of yellow and brown. Topaz is believed to offer long life and fidelity to those born in November. It symbolizes beauty, splendor and joy.

December Birthstone – Turquoise
Clear blue Persian turquoise is considered as one of the most expensive and precious stones in the world. Turquoise brings very good fortune and prosperity to those born in the month of December. It also promises good health and peace for these people.

Birthstones are considered as lucky charms by many. Wearing the appropriate traditional birthstones can heal your body and soothe your mind. Birthstones are a great way of harnessing the cosmic power of planets and using it to enhance your living.
By Ashwini Kulkarni

Though the London exhibit is officially over, the photographs live on! The exhibition, “Maharaja: The Splendour of India’s Royal Courts,” which took place at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London several months ago, focused on the “the colonial years when the Indian princes, deprived by the British of their absolute rule, could concentrate on the decorative things in life.”

Pictured above is the Maharaja of Patiala, wearing a diamond and platinum parade necklace created by Cartier in 1928.

Pictured above is the Maharaja Sir Sri Krishnaraja Widiyar IV Bahadur of Mysore, 1906, by K Keshavayya.

Photo: N. Welsh-Cartier

Pictured above is the Watson Turban Jewels from mid-18th Century. A replica of this jewel is on sale in the Victoria and Albert museum shop.

Sterling silver is a common alloy used in jewelry making. But a lot of myths surround sterling silver. Some say it tarnishes too quickly or that it’s not high quality.

Truth is, there are many different types of sterling silver and it’s important to know your facts before making a purchase. Sterling silver can be a great, affordable element to your jewelry collection, if you choose wisely.

1. When buying sterling silver, look for .925 silver. It is by far the highest quality of sterling silver you can buy. If it is. 925 silver more than likely you will be told that or it will be advertised as such. If it is not advertised that way, be sure to ask, as more than likely it is not.
2. When buying sterling silver you need to know that it is natural for it to tarnish. The process of air and oxygen exposure to silver tarnishing it is called oxidation. This can be prevented by keeping your silver in a plastic bag (like a sandwich bag), with a small piece of carbon paper enclosed. This will stop the oxidation process.
3. Buying sterling silver is easy and keeping it clean is as well. Be sure to buy a couple of polishing clothes and give it a quick wipe or two before you wear it just to add that extra shine. If you keep it in the bag with the carbon paper though, it should not need much polishing.

No, you cannot wear gold ETF – but if you’re lucky, you can buy some really nice gold  jewelry with the profits you make!

First off, a definition, according to Comparing Fashion:

The word ‘ETF gold’ stands for gold exchange traded funds. This is a gold market, just like the stock exchange. This concept was initiated in Toronto, Canada in the early 1990s. The concept was later adopted by the United States of America. Over the passage of years, it has now become a fully developed market of the world.

Gold has always been considered a safe investment, mainly because it’s held its value during economically trying times. There was a time when people owned gold in the form of bars or coins. But of  course, there were obvious problems with this – one good thief could wipe out all of your savings!

Gold exchange traded funds is a facility that has only gold as a standard asset. The exchange traded funds do not give substantial gold bars or coins to any person, but the financier is made a component of gold plagiaristic agreement and receives cash equivalent to the market worth of gold at the exacting time. It is comparable to owning shares in a corporation and receiving returns with the enhancement in their market worth. In a Gold ETF, gold is the only article of trade for trading.

Through Gold ETF, people acquire gold not in the physical intelligence but in terms of gold marketplace worth. A straightforward description of Gold ETF is an exchange traded fund that has stocks and finances in gold and trades on the foundation of these resources.

In a Gold EFT, gold is the only commodity for trading. Through Gold EFT, people buy gold not in the physical sense but in terms of gold market value. A simple definition of Gold EFT is an exchange traded fund that has stocks and funds in gold and trades on the basis of these funds.

So is gold a good investment for you? Talk to your financial investor first. In the meantime, check out our site for some gold jewelry which we guarantee will have endless amounts of payoff!

Below: Historical Gold chart is provided by Kitco.com

Chart: Central Fund of Canada

hi Joe. Thanks so much for helping Keith with the pearls. I love them! We are celebrating our wedding anniversary early tonight. Happy new year! Greetings to Katia! Teodora

Freshwater Pearl Necklaces

Pearls are always a great gift, and especially on anniversaries! Today, larger Tahitian, South Sea and Chinese freshwater pearls are all the rage ranging from 9-11+mm in diameter.

Check out our selection of Freshwater pearl necklaces ranging from 8.5-11.5mm.

Diamonds, sapphires, rubies…we know the gems and the mystique that surrounds them. But often we overlook the equally important metals in our jewelry. The metal is often behind-the-scenes, supporting and displaying its dazzling centerpiece – but each metal possesses a magic of its own.

This week, let’s focus on the many facets of gold:

GOLD

Gold is popular because it can be worked into almost any shape. Yellow gold jewelry of 18K and above does not tarnish and rarely causes problems for people with skin irritations. White Gold is popular for its appearance and price point compared to platinum alloys.

Technically there is no such thing as ‘White Gold.’ Gold can be lightened by combining it with light metals such as Rhodium; a member of the platinum family and the whitest precious metal after silver. This rhodium plating creates a hard skin with good resistance. Over time plating may wear through. Re-plating is a fairly simple process, depending on the condition of the piece. In most cases this will be done approximately as often as a platinum ring requires re-polishing, although a fine plating job may last longer than a polish on platinum due to the superior hardness of rhodium.

COMMON GOLD ALLOYS

24K gold (100% pure gold) does not work well for jewelry because it is too soft. A more durable option is 18K gold, which is 75% pure gold. It has the richness of 24K gold where some of the less pure alloys may not.

Identification

18K gold is the most recognized global standard and will be marked ’18K’ in the USA and ‘750’ in Europe.

1. 18K Yellow Gold

* 75% Gold, alloyed with Copper, Silver, Zinc and/or Cobalt
* Does not require plating
*  Very workable
*  Rarely causes skin irritation
*  Will wear down, but over a long period of time with heavy wear

2. 18K White Gold (nickel white gold)

* 75% Gold, alloyed with Copper, Nickel, Zinc and/or Palladium
* Requires rhodium plating and re-plating over time, depending on wear
*  Less workable, less ductile
*  Causes skin irritation for people with nickel allergies
*  Will wear down over a long period of time

3. 18K Palladium White Gold

* 75% Gold, 25% Palladium
* Requires rhodium plating and re-plating over time, depending on wear
* Very workable
*  Rarely, if ever, causes skin irritation
*  Will wear down over a long period of time
*  More expensive than 18K nickel WG

Comparison Photos

1. 18K yellow gold
2. 18K white gold, rhodium plated
3. 18K palladium white gold, not plated

Source: Pricescope Diamond Journal

Here’s our high-style, white gold gent’s engagement ring:

Style 7180WB

Gent’s 14kt White Gold Diamond Wedding Band

Gent’s 14kt white gold wedding band, diagonal design with .20ct t.w. channel set diamonds, high polished and matte finish, 7.75mm tapered.

Metal: 14kt White Gold
Width: 7.75mm
Stone Size: .20ct t.w.
Ring Size: 8.5 – 13

The fashion you wear should ultimately flatter and enhance your existing skin, hair and eye color. Most of us can quickly name the colors that we definitely can’t wear. When it comes to jewelry, the same applies.

According to one fashion expert:

Those of you with light-colored eyes will look best in earrings augmented by cool-toned gemstones with a blue or green hue, such as Blue Topaz, Opal, Turquoise, Ocean Sky, Jade, Green Quartz, Aventurine or Peridot.

Those of you with dark eyes will look best in earrings augmented by warm-toned gemstones with a reddish or golden hue, such as the Carnelian, Citrine, Champagne, or even the purplish Amethyst.

Below, a human eye color chart…amazing that there is so much variation!

Come on, wake up that groggy brain of yours! It’s Monday. Time to expand your mind, increase your knowledge and get some work done.

Jewelry has a vast and amazing history across the world, signifying so much more than adornment.Here’s some bite-sized pieces of jewelry info so you’re a little more “in the know”:

The word Jewelry is derived from the Latin word jocale, meaning “plaything,” and the word jewel, which was anglicised in the 13th century from the Old French word jouel. The word “jewelry” (spelled Jewellery in European English) is used to describe any piece of precious material (gemstones, noble metals, etc.) used to adorn one’s self.

Jewelry in its most basic form has been used since the dawn of of man’s use of tools and clothing. Researchers believed that the ability to use symbolism did not develop until humans had migrated to Europe 35,000 to 40,000 years ago. Recently discovered mollusk shells that had been perforated to be made into beads are now thought to be some of the oldest known man-made Jewelry.

Used as a symbol of wealth and/or status as well as to protect against harm, ward of evil, and heal ailments, jewelry was used to adorn nearly every part of the body and has been made out of almost every material known to mankind.

Source: The History of Jewelry