Happy Stories From our customers

Ready for some easy jewelry transformation? It’s just a spray can away!

No, we’re not talking graffiti art. A lot of that old junk jewelry hiding somewhere in a drawer or jewelry box could be magically transformed into fun, fanciful baubles ready to be worn again!

First: you’ll want to use high enamel paint. If you use another type of paint, you’ll need to seal your non-enamel spray paint with a product like Rustoleum Clear Gloss enamel and let it dry for 48 hours.

Second: use plastic wrap or scotch tape to cover any parts of your old jewelry you don’t want colored. This is a good idea of clasps or hooks, for instance.

Third: Clean the exposed jewelry with soap and water. You want the cleanest surface possible for your fun new color.

Fourth: Hang your jewelry to a constructed line of some sort, so it hangs like clothes would on a clothing line. This makes for an easier distribution of the paint.

Fifth: Spray away! But spray lightly, especially for the first coat. Wait about an hour then spray (again, lightly) a second coat.

Sixth: Wait. Yes, a good, long while. Enamel paint can take up to 48 hours to fully dry. But it will be worth the wait. The enamel paint forms a hard, durable coating on your fun, new(ish) jewelry!

An example of ceramic jewelry by Anne Laycock/Liverpool Design Festival.

Burnishing sounds like a combination of “burn” and “polish” but what exactly is this process? On a basic level, burnishing smoothes the texture of a rough surface and makes it shinier.

But how does burnishing apply to jewelry?

Well, all jewelry has some type of finish, whether its hammering, brushing, burnishing, microblasting or more. And the kind of finish is a part of an expression of a jewelry designer and his or her final product.

Burnishing compresses the surface of the metal to a mirror polish. It can be done mechanically, where jewelry is placed in an electronic agitator that shakes in a circular motion. The longer the pieces tumble about, the brighter the surface will become.

Another method burnishing is done by hand and is a more costly way to finish jewelry. Hand burnishing results in a highly reflective finish and uses a variety of tools to flatten and compress the surface of the precious metal. In addition, a lubricant is used as well.

Burnishing can also be used to fix scratches and get into tight recesses of jewelry.

So there you go: a brief tutorial on burnishing. If you’re thinking of a custom designed piece of jewelry, let’s talk about the kind of finish you’d like on your piece!

Tell Joe it was a great success! She loved it.

103172-halo engagement ring with air line white from Joe Schubach on Vimeo.

One reason people enjoy wearing gems (other than sheer beauty, of course) is that each one has a significant meaning and spiritual significance. One may serve to protect you from harm while the other might heal a broken heart.

But what about moissanite and lab grown diamonds? Can a gem grown in a lab really have any meaning if its not from nature?

The surprising answer: yes.

According to one gem-related website:

Natural moissanite is a tremendous rumination stone, provides composure within and strengthens the acquaintance with your inner adolescent. It is an immense crystal that supply buff radiance in all areas of life. It unites all the chakras and sanitizes brainpower, cadaver and spirit. It persuades suspicion and abolishes annoyance and any computer related grievance. It has a prospective of flickering vividness, blaze and gleam.

Remember: a gem or metal can be imbued with any powers you decide. Spend some time with your gem and quietly feel its subtle effects on your spiritual body. Then wear your lab grown diamond both powerfully and beautifully!

When it comes to stacking, there’s often an unspoken rule: more is better.

But that’s not necessarily true. Stacking requires a balance of looks on both wrists. As this video points out, if you wear a statement bracelet on one wrist, its important to “go light” on the other wrist and let the statement bracelet be the centerpiece.

Good advice for those who are newbies to bracelet stacking:

We live in a world that makes us believe in something as impossible as physical perfection. And that’s no surprise. We all know how mass media and other external forces can do a number on our self-esteem, even though we cognitively realize the bar is set unrealistically high.

So how do you deal with those times when you’re not feeling pretty and perfectly…imperfect? Do you “fake it til you make it” or do you simply accept that it’s all right to not feel your best?

Many advocate the “fake it til you make it” approach. Don’t feel good? Dress up and carry yourself with confidence and authority anyway. It will eventually and magically seep into your psyche and you’ll feel better about yourself.

And while that sounds good on paper, its not always the easiest thing to do. Why? Because “faking it” requires effort and when you’re not feeling so good about yourself, its hard to muster that extra oomph that forced confidence would require.

How about a gentler approach?

If you’re not feeling good about your physical appearance, what would you wear to comfort yourself? What small beautification ritual can you undertake that lifts your spirits even a little (hint: lipstick or a beloved piece of jewelry)? What ways can you work to accept and nurture your inner feelings instead of having to force a change upon them?

When we’re not feeling good about our external appearance, we’re often experiencing internal conflict as well. It might be time to withdraw, nurture and nurse yourself into inner beauty.

Acceptance = the most beautiful act we bestow upon ourselves.