Happy Stories From our customers

What’s there not to love about hoop earrings? Not only are they fun and flirty, but for the practical jewelry wearer, they’re comfortable and stay put on the ears.

Hoop earrings have been around for decades, appearing throughout fashion history in all sorts of different shapes and sizes. They reached a popularity apex in the 70’s when they were funky, oversized and fit with all the “mod” outfits of the time.

Now, you may still see some oversized earrings (we suggest everyone has at least one fun pair) but they also come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, perfect for everyday or evening wear.

Why not consider a custom design pair of hoop earrings? (We’ve done many in the past.) We also have a sweet selection of high quality earrings waiting to ship to your doorstep.

Prong set inside out hoop earrings set with round brilliant stones. 2ct t.w. (40-2.4mm) measures approximately 22mm tall 2.50ct t.w. (60-2.2mm) measures approximately 32mm tall.

Practically every culture lays claim to a particular style of jewelry making, with no culture being exactly like another, yet many having distinct similarities. Celtic jewelry possesses its own powerful and mystical beauty, unmistakeable and distinctly its own.

The origins of this amazing jewelry date back to somewhere between 2000 BC to 550 AD. This is when silver and gold were used by Celtic craftspeople and adorned with Celtic symbols. Silver (commonly associated with the moon) was often used for Celtic torques and bracelets, whereas gold (very rare and precious in those days) was reserved for the wealthiest society members.

Much could be written about various Celtic symbols, but for sake of ease, let’s focus on the most common:

Celtic knots or interlaces are one of the instantly recognizable hallmarks of Celtic jewelry. Tracing the line of one thread of most Celtic knots, for example, reveals that the thread is unbroken, returning over and over again to complete its path. The organic form of Celtic knots as revealed in bracelet patterns throughout the centuries symbolizes one’s strong connection to nature and the cosmos.

[Source: Celtic Culture]

Incredibly, 25 centuries later (!), this same intricate symbolism can be seen in modern day jewelry. If you’re interested in your own Celtic piece of jewelry, talk to us about your ideas. We’re happy to custom design a piece especially designed for your spirit and personality.

The Snettisham Hoard Great Torc. The torc is one of the most elaborate golden objects from the ancient world. It is made from gold mixed with silver and weighs over 1 kg. Torcs are made from complex threads of metal, grouped into ropes and twisted around each other. The ends of the torc were cast in moulds and welded onto the metal ropes.

Style 103323 with diamond band

Cast settings

We’ve seen it before. The wrong earrings can have a dramatic effect on the look of your face. For instance (as this video mentions) long earrings (the type that almost touch the shoulder) can have an elongating effect on face–good for a round face but certainly not so good for a longer face.

The easiest way to tell? Grab a selection of earrings, pull your hair back and stand in front of a good, well-lit mirror. Then try each pair, one by one. When you try earrings on sequentially like this, its much easier to tell whether a pair is a right fit for your size face.

Ah, the cushion cut diamond. A longstanding favorite among our clients (as well as us–we love the cut!). But how did the cushion cut come to be? What gives it such a captivating appeal? Let’s take a look at how this stunning cut came to be.

First, what is the cushion cut exactly?

Well its shape is somewhere between the rectangle and the oval shape. And while it may seem like a modern cut, it actually has quite the history. Cushion cuts were very popular from a good portion of the 19th century until the early 20th century.

The core of the cushion cut is the “old mine cut” (a square cut with round corners), generally with a high crown, a small table and large facets. This “old mine cut” usually possesses 33 crown facets and 25 pavilion facets.

So what is the modern cushion cut then?

Consider it a cross between the old mine cut and a modern oval cut. But instead of the old mine cut’s  58 facets, the modern cushion cut possesses 64 facets. The cushion cut also has an open culet (which is the bottom of the gem) and more of a rectangular to square shape, with rounded corners and a facet plan that provides the gemstone’s depth.

The cushion cut should not be confused with today’s brilliant cuts, intended to maximize the light returned to the human eye. While the cushion cut is not quite as brilliant or fiery as other modern cuts, it contains within it a classic, romantic look that maximizes a gem’s luster.

How about some examples?