An interesting story about the amazing Cindy Chao (Taiwan) and the induction of her stunning butterfly pin inducted into the National Museum of Natural History:

Amongst the Earth’s rarest and most beautiful creations are precious stones, in which beauty not only remains undiminished with time but accumulates history. Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of Natural History features the most significant and famous pieces of gems and minerals in the world; the esteemed collection includes the deep blue Hope Diamond, Napoleon Diamond Necklace, Marie Antoinette’s Earrings, Inquisition Necklace.

The melding of creation – first the natural process that occurred more than a billion years ago that formulated these stones which are then taken and crafted by artisans into a new creation – thickens the layer of history and lore into the precious stones as they pass through human hands.

Cindy Chao’s 2009 Royal Butterfly Brooch perfectly exemplifies this melding of creation, her detailed masterpiece entailing over 2 years time. Heralding a unique usage of rough diamonds, her work representing a breakthrough in the art of jewelry craftsmanship. The annual creation of an iconic butterfly symbolizes the ongoing metamorphosis in the advancement of Cindy Chao’s craftsmanship and techniques in utilizing rare gemstones.

The vibrant “Royal Butterfly,” is balanced by a pair of rough diamonds on the scales; features more than 20 color gradients, precisely 2,318 diamonds, colored diamonds, color-changing sapphires, colored sapphires, rubies, and tsavorites, meticulously set on both the front and back.

In 2010 this classic piece was inducted by the National Museum of Natural History, the world’s largest educational and research museum complex serving as the global beacon for the diffusion of public knowledge. This contemporary art jewel was created not only of the hopes of the artist that this art can be appreciated in a new medium, but will also inspires people to dream and create, always continue to contribute to the evolution of culture and the world around them.

Source: BusinessWire

Fall is upon us. We are officially post Labor Day. (No more white shoes, for the more traditional reader!) Here’s a little sampling from Fashion Week, showing us looks that you’ll be seeing more of this season.

First, the urban warrior look, combining chic with a slight edge. And second, a return to old school glamour, with clean lines and rich fabric.

Urban Warrior:

Conservative Glamour:

When it comes to conservative glamour, we think our Sweetheart Pendant necklace is the perfect accompaniment:

Style 10119-4.5mm (1/3ct)

Classic Sweetheart Pave Necklace

Classic Sweetheart pave necklace with 1/5ct t.w. round brilliant stones set on an 18″ cable chain. Fits a 4.5mm (1/3ct diamond) round center stone. (setting only, does not include center stone).

It’s slow but we are seeing a subtle change in our economic outlook. Tiffany’s is a possible barometer of economic changing and consumer spending. In short, if people are shopping at Tiffany’s again, then maybe the storm is passing by – though half of their sales are overseas.

“Guarded optimism” indeed:

Tiffany Q2 profit up 19% on overseas sales, raises outlook

New York ( August 27, 2010 ) Tiffany & Co.’s second-quarter net income rose 19% on higher revenue as shoppers bought more of its high-end jewelry around the world, particularly in Asia and Europe.

In the three months ending July 31, the company earned $67.7 million up from $56.8 million a year ago. Revenue rose 9% to $668.8 million, below analyst estimates of $690.2 million. Same-store sales increased 5%.

Roughly half the company’s revenue now comes from outside the United States. Growth in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Japan, was the company’s strongest in the quarter as those economies continue to prosper.

Tiffany raised its full-year earnings guidance to a range partly above analyst estimates, and CEO Michael Kowalski said the company looked forward to the second half “with a sense of guarded optimism.”

Americas, seven in the Asia-Pacific region and two in Europe. The company operated 223 stores and boutiques at the end of July, up from 211 at the same point last year.

Source: ChainStoreAge

Style 1185MR

Classic Tiffany Style Princess Cut Moissanite Solitaire

Princess cut Tiffany style solitaire engagement ring with Charles and Colvard created moissanite.

We are VERY excited to showcase our latest bridal line product by Valina. Their pieces have extraordinary detail and offer a complex and distinctive look. According to their website:

This exciting collection allows you to purchase a designer engagement ring without sacrificing quality or style.  Valina Bridals offer the look of designer engagement rings without having to pay the designer price!

Added features of the Valina Bridal Collection include the use of special Euro shanks which allow the rings to have their own distinctive look while keeping them from spinning on the finger.  Additionally, all engagement rings have a matching wedding band, both containing the signature diamonds.

Take a look:

Style 10476

Valina Designer Engagement Ring With Pave Set Diamonds

Valina designer engagement ring with .49ct total weight pave set natural diamond accents (setting only, does not include center stone). Shown with a 3/4ct center stone. Matching band available separately.

Valina Designer Engagement Ring With Pave Set Diamonds

Valina designer engagement ring with .22ct total weight pave set natural diamond accents (setting only, does not include center stone). Shown with a 1ct center stone. Matching band available separately.

Valina Designer Engagement Ring With Pave Set Diamonds

Valina designer engagement ring with .28ct total weight pave’ set natural diamond accents (setting only, does not include center stone). Shown with a 1ct center stone. Matching band available separately.

Jackie O was a fashion plate for her generation. So obviously any jewelry she chose weighs heavily at auctions – even if it’s not the real deal!

A three-strand pearl necklace belonging to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis will be auctioned off as part of Bonham’s “Pioneers of Popular Culture” Sale on August 15th.

According to British auction house, Bonhams, the necklace Jackie wore in the 60s is made from champagne-colored pearls with an emerald and diamond sterling silver clasp, with an estimated price of $39,300 to $47,200.

Yet, insider sources are buzzing that Mrs. Kennedy’s neck candy is only worth about a few hundred bucks. The First Lady often chose to wear simulated pearls since she was prone to misplacing them, so it’s the Jackie O legacy that’s driving the price skyward.

Source: Jewelry.com

If 30 or 40 grand is out of your price range, consider our phenomenal freshwater price at a very un-auction price:

Single Strand Freshwater Cultured Pearls

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

8.5mm-9.5mm: Now $299
9.5mm-10.5mm: Now $399
10.5mm-11.5mm: Now $499

Fancy Colored Diamonds

You may or may not know that diamonds come in all of the colors of the rainbow, from reds and pinks to blues, greens and yellows. However, not all fancy colored diamonds get their color naturally. Below is an article explaining the color enhancement processes of natural diamonds.

COLOR ENHANCEMENT OF NATURAL DIAMONDS
TREATMENT OF DIAMONDS TO CHANGE THEIR COLOR HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1940’S. INITIALLY IT WAS DONE BY EXPOSING THEM TO RADIATION FOLLOWED BY HEAT TREATMENT (ANNEALING). THIS PROCESS IS SIMILAR TO SANITIZING FOOD PRODUCTS. THE RESULTING DIAMONDS ARE FREE OF RADIATION AND SAFE TO USE. THIS TREATMENT PRODUCES COLORS OF BLUE, YELLOW, GREEN, AND VERY RARELY PINKS AND REDS. WHILE THESE COLORS ARE PERMANENT, INDUSTRY TEST SUGGEST CAUTION BE USED FOR EXPOSURE TO TEMPERATURE ABOVE 300-400 C.
Since the 1990’s, the color of diamonds has also been altered by HPHT process (High Pressure High Temperature). Polished or rough diamonds (natural and synthetic) are processed in the lab under very high pressures and temperatures, mimicking conditions deep in the earth where diamonds are formed. Depending on the composition of the diamond the results could be colorless as well as yellow, green, orange, and very rarely pink and blue. Colors produced by HPHT are permanent and they have the same features as a regular natural diamond.
There are other methods of diamond treatment such as PVD (pressurized vapor deposit), a color coating scheme, and clarity enhancements such as lasering, [fracture filling] treating, or filling. Color treatment can be done on any synthetic or [natural/minded] diamond. In the US these processes are done under strict and safe conditions.    Article written by Cendico Diamond

It seemed like only yesterday we were watching grow up in the Oval Office. Now, she’s grown up and marrying a college beau.

Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky were married in an interfaith ceremony on July 31, 2010, at the Astor Courts Estate in Rhinebeck, New York. The estate was built by John Jacob Astor IV in the early years of the twentieth century, and sits on the Hudson River, a couple of hours north of New York City.Chelsea’s wedding jewelry included diamond earrings — each earring was made from two clusters of diamonds set to resemble small flowers. Her diamond bracelet repeated a single version of the floral setting.

Chelsea Clinton’s engagement ring is partially obscured by her bouquet, but the ring appears to be fashioned from a princess, emerald or Asscher cut diamond set in platinum (About Square & Rectangular Diamonds)

Chelsea’s strapless silk wedding gown was designed by Vera Wang, one of the couple’s 500 wedding guests. Chelsea’s mother, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, wore a gown by Oscar de la Renta.

The floral appearance of Chelsea Clinton’s diamond earrings was repeated in the design of her diamond “tennis” bracelet.

Marc Mezvinsky, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Chelsea Clinton and former U.S. President Bill Clinton pose during the wedding of Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky at the Astor Courts Estate on July 31, 2010 in Rhinebeck, New York.

Photo by Barbara Kinney via Getty Images

source: About.com – Jewelery and Accessories

60-plus ct. yellow diamond in 18k gold

We just had to show you a picture of this beauty. It was a recent winner at the recent JCK Las Vegas 2010.

According to one of JCK’s correspondents:

The 60+ Carat Yellow

Sure, there were plenty of diamonds strewn around the Venetian, but only one reached jawbreaker proportions. Amir Goldfiner, owner of Rahaminov Diamonds in Los Angeles, proudly presented his diamond—a radiant-cut, 60-plus ct. fancy vivid yellow—for the first time at JCK Las Vegas.

“A stone like that is crazy,” he says.

The rough responsible for the rock weighed several hundred carats; one of Goldfiner’s cutters spent nearly a year whittling down the original mass to its current size and shape. (The stone is now set in an 18k gold ring.)

Yet Goldfiner is reluctant to divulge much else, like grade or exact weight.

“I want to maintain the mystique,” he tells JCK, alluding to a possible auction sale. “There are very few stones like it in the world.”

And the price for that kind of ice? If you have to ask… —Jennifer Heebner

We’re here to tell you that a piece like this can be yours – and no, you don’t have to be drippingly wealthy. Gemesis is a magnificent fancy colored gem that will knock your socks off. Consider a piece like this for our upcoming custom design contest (details soon!)

You may or may not be aware of this extremely rare metal from the platinum family, but chances are you own some of the metal which was recently priced at $10,000/ounce. Rhodium is used in the fine jewelry finishing process. White gold jewelry is plated with rhodium to give it a bright white color (remember, all gold starts out as pure, or 24kt, which is extremely yellow. It’s only after alloying the gold that it gets its white(er) color). Rhodium is also used in catalytic converters in automobiles.

This informative article give some history and insight into rhodium, along with palladium which is another platinum family metal used in jewelry making. It highlights the extremely volatile price of the metal which has seen a greater than tenfold increase in recent years when rhodium reached its peak price of $10,000/oz in 2008. It also explains its extreme scarcity and increasing demand. Click here for the full article. To see examples and additional information on palladium and other metals, visit our Metals section of our blog by clicking here.

No, we’re not talking about copper jewelry that turns green from oxidation. Eco-friendly jewelry is becoming an increasingly popular term in our world.

More and more people are become aware of the damaging effects of mining around the world. And many are opting for jewelry that has an “eco-friendly” status. But what does that mean exactly? Is your jewelry of a lesser quality?

From our website:

Are recycled metals as high quality as non-recycled metals?

Precious metals can be repeatedly recycled with no degradation in quality.

Gold and other metals are refined in order to remove impurities. Since gold and silver are elements, they are the same in the pure form, regardless of the source. There is absolutely no difference in the quality of the product you buy.

But there is a difference in how you feel purchasing recycled metals. It’s good to know that your jewelry purchase did not harm the ecosystem and you’re doing your part for this green planet!

Joseph Schubach Jewelers prides itself in our responsible, earth-friendly practices and a deep sense of community awareness. That means we care about the effect our business has on the planet.

In conjunction with the Harmony Metals program from Hoover and Strong, one of the greenest metal suppliers in the industry, we create pieces of jewelry that make you feel good on the outside and the inside!

Here’s a stunning example of an eco-friendly engagement ring made of 100% recycled material. Notice any difference? We didn’t think so:

This piece is made using 100% recycled metals and is proudly made in the USA. We strictly follow the Kimberly Process guidelines.

Eco-friendly Round Engagement Ring With Side Stones