Happy Stories From our customers

Years ago, freshwater pearls meant poor quality “rick krispies” type pearls. Not anymore. The past ten years has seen amazing improvements in the process and cultivation of freshwater pearls. So now, we have at our fingertips (and our necklines) a higher quality pearl that rivals its saltwater counterpart.

We don’t sell anything unless we review it in-depth first and these opulent pearls make a great gift for just about any woman. And affordable. Mom? Perfect. Wife? She’ll love them. 

And the colors? Most aren’t aware of the fun colors that freshwater pearls come in. Our staff particularly like the rich chocolate brown pearls. But black is a stunner as well. Give them a try this holiday. It’s an “across the board” likable – and high-quality – gift.

Starting at $79

I just received the ring and it is awesome!!!!!!!! I think she will love it and you all did a great job from service to ring completion. Thank you for getting it done in time:) I don’t know if I can wait to give it to her….. A big thank you to all!

Just when you thought the madness of Black Friday was over. You made it through the weekend, including Small Business Saturday and then Sunday, the busiest travel day of the year. But you’re not in the clear yet! No, it’s Cyber Monday – time to buy online. And it doesn’t end there!

“Cyber Monday” was coined in 2005 when a retail trade group noticed a spike in online sales on the Monday after Thanksgiving when people returned to their work computers and shopped. While more people now have Internet access at home, retailers still offer discounts and other online promotions for the day. Last year, it was the busiest online shopping day ever, with sales of more than $1 billion, according to research firm ComScore Inc.

Marketers are hoping to strike gold again. Many are doing so by appealing to Americans who’ve become disenchanted with big business and commercialism.

Nonprofit Green America is launching “Green Tuesday” this week to encourage people to buy gifts with the environment and local communities in mind. The group is planning to push the event every Tuesday through December.

Green America, which says it aims to support society and the environment through economic programs, plans to showcase deals on its website, including jewelry made from recycled nuclear bomb equipment from online retailer Fromwartopeace.com and a self-watering system for plants by Dri Water.

“Mass culture encourages people to run out of their house, now at midnight, and go shopping,” says Todd Larsen, director of corporate responsibility for Green America, which vetted the businesses it’s highlighting on its website to ensure they meet certain environmental and ethical standards. “Why not wait another day or more and buy something that helps others?”

Last year, American Express named the Saturday after Thanksgiving “Small Business Saturday” to encourage Americans to shop at mom-and-pop shops. This year, it offered a $25 credit to cardholders who register on social media website Facebook and shop at participating stores.

The company says it launched a multibillion-dollar campaign to promote it the day. The campaign included TV ads and marketing materials for small businesses to display in stores.

The effort has worked. Small retailers that except Amex had a 28 percent increase in revenue during the daylong event last year, compared with a 9 percent rise for all retailers, according to card activity measured by American Express. The company did not disclose the dollar amount spent that day.

It’s not clear yet how small businesses fared during the event this past Saturday, but a company survey before “Small Business Saturday” showed that 89 million consumers had planned to “shop small” on the day.

Source: NPR

 

If you’re interested in our Cyber Monday sales, take a look at our Holiday Sparkle Sale, where most high-quality, staff picked pieces are under $500.

Tension set engagements rings are a popular engagement ring choice that allows the diamond or moissanite stone to appear as if it is simply floating on the band. This process is nearly 40 years old and has been perfected to allow for this beautiful visual design while being secure enough to ensure that the diamond will stay safely in place. In short, tension set engagement rings also provide the gem with greater visibility.

History of tension set rings

Tension set rings were created in the early 1960’s by German goldsmith and kinetic jewelry creator, Friedrich Becker. Mr. Becker utilized lateral pressure to secure the stone between a spring-hardened ring shank.

By the 1990’s, tension ring setting methods were improved upon, by using a mixture of alloys to create spring compression. These tension settings exert approximately 12000 pounds per square inch, securely holding the precious stone in place. Only the hardest of gemstones can be tension mounted. This includes moissanite, diamonds, rubies and sapphires.

Are tension set stones lost more often?

Many worry about losing the stone. And who wouldn’t wonder? The stone can seem precariously placed on the ring. But created correctly, these rings will last hundreds of years before losing even a little of its compressive strength.

Interestingly, a four-pronged engagement ring has a higher likelihood of gem loss. And as long as proper metallurgy techniques are put in place (which we ensure), you can have a ring that truly showcases the gem in an almost magical way.

After:

Before:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DG2VrlsUf4

We’ve often given you, our reader, a sneak peek into the upcoming season’s color schemes. And as the skies darken earlier and rain turns into snow in many part of the country, looking at Spring’s colors-to-be can be a bright spot to your day!

The spring 2012 color trend is influenced by “renewed energy, optimism and the promise of a brighter day”.

The colors for this season reflect a variety of moods with a mixture of sunny brights, light-hearted pastels, and gentle neutrals.

Here are the ten Pantone colors for Spring 2012:

Spring 2012 Color Palette

Top row, left to right:

• Cabaret (an intense rose)
• Driftwood (a weathered blend of gray and beige)
• Bellflower (an ornamental purple)
• Cockatoo (a light hearted blue-green)
• Tangerine Tango (a juicy orange).

Bottom row, left to right:

• Margarita (a tangy yellow-green)
• Sweet Lilac (a gentle pink-lilac)
• Solar Power (a bold cheery yellow)
• Starfish (a warm-weather neutral)
• Sodalite Blue (a seaside classic blue).

Source: Rena Klingenberg