Holiday Jewelry

It seems almost obvious: if people are feeling comfortable enough to buy luxury items such as jewelry, it may indicate that the economy may be slowly creeping up once again.  Though, as this article points out, customers may be willing to splurge a bit more, but “tap out” easily. The momentum, in short, is choppy:

All the quarterly financials for the major chains covered by National Jeweler and included in that particular newsletter were positive. Comps rose 14 percent for Sterling Jewelers, 6 percent for Zale Corp., 15 percent for Tiffany & Co. in the Americas and 8 percent for Neiman Marcus.

The sales figures released by major chains are in harmony with the reports we received from retailersand the post-Black Friday sales figures released by a myriad of different analysts and agencies.

In short, it was a strong weekend for sales.

But, will this momentum continue through the holiday season and into next year? The answer seems to be nobody knows, or, at least, nobody can agree on a prediction.

In analyzing sales on Black Friday, The NPD Group Inc. said that the day came in with a “roar” as consumers packed stores early to take advantage of heavily advertised savings but went out with a “whimper.”

According to NPD, 56 percent of consumers who shopped on Black Friday said they weren’t likely to shop again that weekend, an indication that consumers are “tapped out,” one industry analyst said.

Read more.

Choker collars don’t have the best reputation. If you’re like me, you harken back to the punk rock era, when they were worn with spikes jutting out of them – not really quite dinner attire! But choker collars offer a striking touch to a dramatic outfit. So what do today’s choker collar necklaces offer? According to a recent New York Times article:

These are not Victorian-style velvet ribbons adorned with cameos or hearts, but clean metal bands, tougher and more graphic. At Lanvin and Rag & Bone, many spring 2012 looks were accessorized with severe bands, tight to the neck. And just as with those buttoned-up collars, chokers confer a naughty/nice suggestiveness. Early proponents include anything-but-uptight dressers like Lauren Santo Domingo, Margherita Missoni and Taylor Tomasi Hill.

Zanna Roberts Rassi, the senior fashion editor of Marie Claire, has been wearing a minimalist metal choker — a half-inch silver band by Robert Lee Morris — day and night. By day, she wears it with a long skinny chain, a T-shirt and leather pants; by night, with off-the-shoulder sequins, her hair scruffily pinned up. “Earrings drag my face down, but a choker seems to frame it,” Ms. Rassi explained. “There is something elegant and a little sexy at the same time. It make you hold your head up high!”

If the look sounds too extreme for you, remember a short necklace can give you the effect of a choker collar necklace without the drama (or possible discomfort). This necklace, for instance, works nicely with a shorter chain:

Round Moissanite Circle Pendant Circle pendant with approximately 1ct t.w. (dia equiv) Charles and Colvard created round moissanite set on an 18' singapore chain. Available in 14kt white gold only.

Before you go hit the “matches” button, think again. I stumbled across this piece this morning that really exemplifies the importance of contrasting jewelry and fashion. So today, when you’re opening up your jewelry box, pick the contrasting piece and give it a spin.

These two mannequins in a store window kindly demonstrated the difference between jewelry that matches your outfit (on the left) and jewelry that contrasts with it (on the right):

Even though the gal on the left is wearing more jewelry (a double-strand necklace plus a bracelet and ring), you can hardly see her jewels at all.

Meanwhile, the fashion-savvy gal on the right wears just one piece of jewelry (a single-strand necklace), but it really makes a visual impact – even from farther away:

Now if only these two gals had good heads on their shoulders, the fashion-savvy one on the right could drop a hint to her friend on the left about accessorizing. :)

Source: Rena Klingenberg

It’s not too late to get with the “seasonal” fashion program. And here at Joseph Schubach Jewelers, we can take any of these pieces and custom design a piece so it becomes distinctly your own, especially since many of these trends have a warm, personal side built right in. Take a look:

Bangles and Cuffs – Stacked bangles, cuffs and bracelets continue to be the strongest of all accessory trends. Broad solid cuffs and layered stone bangles are hot! Mix materials – yarn with leather, plastic with metal and glass and watch your style quotient go zoom. This is a very adaptable trend and inexpensive too.  Pick up some glass or plastic bangles from the roadside and pair them with a broad metal piece from your closet – but for the trend to work this season remember to keep all our cuffs/bracelets in the same or coordinating colours.

Leather & Lace – Internationally both leather and lace are big trends in clothing and that has reached the accessory segment as well. Dainty laser cut leather that looks like lace and leather cords or lace ribbons with crystals as bracelets and necklaces are getting really popular.

Bold Chain Necklaces – From high end to faux jewels, big and bold chain necklaces are so very in. Heavy bag handle chains like have become necklaces. Chains with Pendants, adorned links and heavy metals are great ways to make a statement in silver, gold, rose or oxidized metals.

Super Chunky Rings: Statement making rings in metal, acrylic, fabric, stones and leather are the in things now. Bigger the better is the mantra here. But if you are not comfortable wearing huge rings or have very dainty fingers then try the stacked ring trend. Stack together 2 or 3 thin beaded or metal rings on the same finger to create this look.

Chandelier earrings: These never go out of fashion but this year the chandelier earring got even bigger and funkier. Cut to our TV serials if you need further proof. Light weight glass beads, pieces of chains hung together from a loop make a great statement. I recommend that you purchase items that are created with light weight materials, this way they will not be to heavy on the ear.

Layers of pearls: You can either wear multiple layers of pearls (different lengths) or go for a twisted multi strand pearl necklace or bracelet that is combined with other materials like ribbons or chain. It is very luxurious and looks fabulous.

Fabric Jewelry: Rise in expenses has really brought back this trend. Usage of fabric, yarn and fibre scraps combined with crystals and beds is really hot now.

Source: Sulekha.com

Layer these amazingly affordable freshwater pearls:

Single Strand Freshwater Cultured Pearls – 8.5mm – 11.5mm 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

Yes, we talk about all sorts of different gems here. From gemesis to moissanite, from sapphires to rubies, the stars don them all. But of course, the popularity contest is trumped by one consistent winner: diamonds. Award ceremonies and diamonds have a long history. But here’s a quick walk down the red carpet of some recent diamond encounters:

Sarah Hyland (below), an actress on ABC’s series Modern Family, wore Diamond in the Rough Sodwana diamond earrings ($16,500) and Orielle bracelet ($85,000) to a viewing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 at the Lincoln Center in New York City.

Singer Colbie Caillat (below) wore a Bavna silver diamond bangle ($600) during her performance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in Burbank, California.

Actress Olivia Munn wore a diamond, coral and 14-karat gold cocktail ring (below) by Neil Lane to a premiere of the new movie, Our Idiot Brother. The ring retails for $5,000.

Actress Jaime Pressly (below) wore Sutra’s 18-karat gold, 4-tier natural brown rough cut diamond earrings ($20,000) to the 10th annual InStyle Summer Soiree this month in Hollywood.

Check out more amazing photos at 10x!

Jewelry and hair have long gone together. Think Cleopatra or the Queens of England. Or closer to home, sparkling barrettes or gem-studded clip-ons. This designer goes one step further. Hair is part of the jewelry (again a concept that has been around since people placed a lock of hair in a pendant or locket.

PARIS — Curly wigs of orange, royal blue or butter yellow curls — as if in some mad movie — acted as nests for jewelry as the indefatigable and imaginative Delfina Delettrez introduced her latest collection: “Love Is in the Hair.”

(A piece from “Love Is in the Hair,” a new jewelry collection by Delfina Delettrez.)

The name was not just taken at random. The concept of the designer is to encase the hair of loved ones, as was done in the Victorian era, but in a heart-shaped in transparent resin rather than in a locket or brooch. Her daughter’s hair and a lock of the designer’s own tresses became wearable memory sticks, filled with fantasy.

“I wanted to return to the origin of jewels,” said the designer. “And I have always been obsessed with hair — especially men’s, when the larger the hair, the greater the power.”

Ms. Delettrez also played with rings, dangling a miniscule pink-silver purse on one finger, claiming, “It’s good for parties,” and creating an animalistic ring that slips over two fingers, leaving the leopard free to move his tail across the hand.

Source: New York Times

Delfina Delettrez Fendi

 

In the last few weeks, we’ve highlighted the economic trends in relation to purchasing engagement rings. Now we have some more specifics. Overall, you’ll see couples moving toward more affordable engagement rings with smaller carat sizes and alternative gems, such as moissanite.

The average American engagement ring costs $5,200. That’s just one of the results of the just-released 2011 Engagement & Jewelry Survey from XO Group Inc., formerly The Knot Inc., and owners of TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com. The survey polled more than 10,000 U.S. brides and 1,000 U.S. grooms who were either engaged or married in the past year.

Below are highlights of survey data, featuring average prices, carat weights, and more:

1.		Engagement ring cost: $5,200
2.		Carat size: 1 ct. for center stone; 1.4 cts. t.w.
3.		Most popular diamond shapes: round (53%) and princess (30%)
4.		Most popular engagement ring metal: white gold (73%)
5.		Time it takes for groom to find engagement ring: 3 months
6.		Wedding band cost: $1,126 for brides; $491 for grooms
7.		Most popular wedding band metal: white gold (70% for brides, 34% for grooms)
8.		Luxury ring segment: About 12% of couples spend more than $8,000 on the engagement ring
9.		Luxury engagement ring cost: $13,500
10.		Luxury engagement ring carat size: 1.5 cts. for center stone; more than 2 cts. t.w.
11.		Luxury wedding band cost: $1,560 for brides; $731 for grooms

Other data reveals that just 14 percent of grooms claimed to have scaled down the size and cost of engagement rings purchased due to the economy, while 1 in 4 grooms spent more than he originally budgeted. Buyers are, however, still spending less than they did a few years ago; today, couples are spending just under $5,200 on the ring, compared with $5,800 for engaged couples in 2008.

Read more at JCK.

Style 10214-6.5mm Twisted Shank Engagement Ring With Side Stones Twisted shank engagement ring with just under 2/5ct t.w. pave’ side stones. Fits a 6.5mm (1ct) round center stone. (setting only, does not include center stone)

Here’s a little video that gives you some ideas as to what is hot this fall and when you should splurge or simply save:

View more videos at: http://www.nbcnewyork.com.