Happy Stories From our customers

Most of us are familiar with the paisley pattern, a design with a lengthy history. Persian in origin, the design became popular in the West in the 18th and 19th centuries.

What is a “paisley” exactly?

Well, Paisley is a town in Scotland where paisley designs were produced. But the actual symbol resembles a twisted teardrop or a fig.

Paisley became hot during the psychedelic era of the 70’s where the influence could be seen in decor, fashion and even in rock and roll (where bands like the Beatles brought this design motif into the forefront).

But what about paisley design in jewelry?

Often overlooked is the paisley imprint in jewelry making, which extends back centuries. A symbol of growth and fertility, the paisley motif can be seen in jewelry around the world.

As custom design jewelers, we too have worked with this powerful design, most recently in the eternity bands below. What better symbol to represent long-lasting love than a design that’s been equally as long lasting?

If you have a symbol in mind that you want integrated into your custom design jewelry, contact us.

Style 102984 info, click here

North/South/East/West prongs

Learn the loupe! Don’t just leave the job to your jeweler. When you’re purchasing something important as an engagement ring or other heirloom, the loupe provides invaluable insight into your new piece of jewelry.

(Loupes aren’t just helpful for a new jewelry purchase. They make an ideal tool for at-home jewelry repairs as well.)

As the United States wavers economically in several key markets around the world, its interesting to note the flux of the gold jewelry market globally.

According to The Motley Fool:

The World Gold Council reported world jewelry demand was up slightly in Q1 2017, driven largely by India, where gold jewelry demand increased 16% year over year to 92.3 metric tons.

Nonetheless, it’s China that remains the largest market. In the first quarter of 2017, China’s gold jewelry demand was 176.5 metric tons, while global demand for the same period was 480.9 metric tons.

How does the United States rank? Despite the U.S. reporting its strongest first quarter since 2010, its demand — 22.9 metric tons — pales in comparison.

Historically, gold is a symbol of luxury and wealth in China, even though for years, ownership of the precious metal was illegal. Since 2004, the ban (since the 1950’s) was lifted and since, gold purchases have experienced a sharp and dramatic resurgence.

The future is uncertain but one thing is for sure: gold has maintained a high degree of popularity for thousands of years and shows no sign of holding its powerful reign.

We’ve seen it before and we’ll see it again. A stuck ring on a hand that undergone some changes. Whether you’ve gained weight or deal with arthritis (which can cause joints and surrounding tissue to swell), when a ring becomes stuck, you just want the darn thing off.

Before you start pulling at maniacally, try these simple little tricks we found at ASSH.

1. Squirt some Windex – yes Windex – on the finger and ring. Or, use any lubricant such as soap or oil.
2. Elevate the hand overhead for 5-10 minutes with ice around the ring and finger.
3. Use dental floss or a thread to compress the swollen finger as shown:

a. Slip the thread or floss under the stuck ring with the bulk of it toward the fingertip.

b. Beginning at the top of the ring, snuggly wrap the finger with the thread/floss around and around, compressing the finger, all the way up and over the knuckle.

c. With the end that was under the ring, begin to unwrap the thread or floss with the ring sliding over the knuckle as you go.

If you are still having trouble, the ring can be cut off with a ring cutter in most jewelry stores, fire departments and emergency rooms.