Happy Stories From our customers

A client of ours recently told us about her need to find a necklace she could wear frequently, on just about any occasion. It got me thinking about “everyday” jewelery–those pieces that fit the wearer like a favorite pair of jeans or perfectly fitted leather gloves. Comfortable jewelry that simply became part of who you are.

Here’s a piece that definitely fits the bill. It’s not ostentatious nor does it simply fade into the background. Its simply a nice personalized touch for daily wear.

Four Prong Princess Cut Pendant With Round Stone Bale starting at $445.

Often women (and men) are focused on the “ooh and ahh” factor when purchasing jewelry. They want something stunning and eye-catching. Practicality becomes a distant second…until they start wearing it for a while. Unless you’re buying a piece just for that special event, jewelry needs to pass a strict practicality test. Floridian jeweler Richard Alan has this to say:

A ring that is to be worn 24/7 has to be able to take the wear and tear of every day life. It’s that simple. Or is it? Even something as simple as gravity has to be considered. A ring that is top heavy or bulky will always slip to the left or right if improperly designed. All pendants require first finding the center of gravity to assure they hang correctly on a chain or omega necklace. Naturally rings, bracelets, and even pendants with clusters of stones requiring multitudes of prongs will snag clothing. Prongs also require constant inspection and maintenance. The loss of one prong on four prong settings will result in stone loss.

Designs that incorporate channels or bezels to hold diamonds or gemstones are absolutely snag-proof; there are many ways to hold gemstones in jewelry without the use of prongs.

I’m not saying that I’m totally against using prongs. In many design applications they are required to achieve a certain look. On my contemporary pieces I try to avoid the use of prongs.  As long as the prongs are short, strong, minimal in quantity, and not high up in the air, they are less likely to snag.

One of the worst design mistakes is attaching a pendant directly to a chain or omega. More times that I can count, I face an unhappy new customer with a new expensive pendant (not my design) that refuses to lay flat, or it flops to the left or right, which can be annoying.

Most of the time the problem is with the original designer who failed to address an obviously simple fact… GRAVITY. A pendant on a neck display in a showcase will lie perfectly. On a moving human being it’s another thing. Shape a chain or ome

Read more here.

Below is a great example of a pratical wedding band that doesn’t sacrifice beauty and designs. These comfort fit bands were created for serious wear, as a well-designed wedding band should be.

Platinum Comfort Fit Band With Satin Finish Center And High Polished Sides

Did you ever wonder how a jeweler’s work makes it to the red carpet? Does the celebrity own the jewelry or is it on loan? How is in insured? Does the jeweler seek out the celebrity or visa versa?

Jorge Adeler, an Argentina-born custom jeweler, had a crash course on award ceremony jewelry.

There’s no bigger stage upon which to announce your arrival into the jewelry big leagues than that scarlet-clad sidewalk leading into the Oscar, Grammy, Emmy or MTV Video Music awards shows.

Landing a stunning bracelet on Reese Witherspoon, diamond pendants on Angelina Jolie or a six-figure gem suite on Sandra Bullock can transform a well-kept secret into a household name overnight.

Just ask Jorge Adeler, an Argentina-born custom jeweler whose studio in Great Falls, Va., makes one-of-a-kind jewelry for the wives of movers and shakers in nearby Washington, D.C. Once Hollywood’s A-list caught a glimpse of Adeler’s artistry, he received so many requests to borrow his pieces that he was forced to open his own showroom in Beverly Hills, Calif., just to accommodate them.

“Hardly a week passes now without us being in one magazine or another: Redbook, InStyle, Martha Stewart, Brides magazine,” says 65-year-old Adeler. “It is a great compliment.”

Read more at Fox News.

Jorge Adeler and his work.

 

What an award-winning night last night, huh? I don’t remember the last time the Golden Globes received such a buzz. As for the fashion and the jewelry, we saw everything from the understated like these stud earrings worn by actress Anne Hathaway:

To the the over-the-top, as seen by Jessica Alba who sported this $5.7 million (gulp!) Harry Winston diamond necklace.

Here are a few other knockout necklaces:

Want to check out more of the hottest jewelry worn at last night’s Golden Globe awards? Check out Jewelry Insider for full effect.