Happy Stories From our customers

As we lead up to the only fun holiday (sorry Christmas and Thanksgiving, but you’re a bit more heavy-handed), we’ll be posting some Halloween pieces we found. Remember, we can make a custom made piece for you, using affordable and beautiful material such as moissanite and Gemesis (which looks great in Halloween jewelry). Some of these pieces can be worn all year round. Or it’s nice to know you have a special necklace, bracelet or pair of “fearrings” for this time of year, each year.

Platinum is hot…but was it ever not? Known for its rarity, purity and durability, platinum is the perfect choice to represent ever-lasting love. Here are some recent bridal ring trends that use this classic metal:

Color
From ever-popular sapphire to trendy “champagne” and “cognac” hues and rare pinks and yellows, colored diamonds and precious gemstones continue to be bridal favorites among ladies seeking a little something different.

Above: Fusaro engraved wedding band in platinum with diamonds and sapphires; suggested retail price is $4,600. (800) 258-0385 or FusaroJewelry.com

Above: Yves Frey oval-shaped yellow diamond ring with two kite-shaped side stone diamonds flanked by small brilliant-cut diamonds and six small yellow diamonds.

Vintage-style
Brides continue to show a penchant for new rings that don’t look quite so new. To help them tap into the vintage-style bridal trend, point out platinum designs with milgrain detail, engraving and halo settings.

Above Left: Beaudry “Boutique Colisee” semi-mount ring in platinum for 0.90-carat round brilliant center stone.

Above Right: Kirk Kara platinum and diamond wedding band for her from the “Charlotte Collection” and platinum satin-finish wedding band for him from the “Artin Collection;” suggested retail prices are $4,160 and $5,220, respectively.

Entry-level
Platinum bridal designs at entry levels have been making further entree into the market as designers continue to cater to cost-conscious yet value-seeking consumers via platinum pieces with lighter diamond weights and less metal.

Above Left: True Knots 6-millimeter brushed-finish wedding band for him and 5-millimeter brushed-finish wedding band for her; suggested retail price is $1,500 for the men’s ring and $1,000 for the ladies ring.

Above Right: Ostbye ladies engagement ring in platinum; suggested retail price for semi-mount is $2,186.

Floral
Floral motifs have been blooming in bridal designs, with jewelry artisans finding newfound inspiration in the beauty of nature. Ever romantic and supremely feminine, intricately detailed floral designs fit right in with the trend for antique-style jewelry.

Above Left: Saturn Jewels platinum semi-mount engagement ring with 0.50 carats of diamonds and wedding band with 0.52 carats of diamonds.

Above Right: Ritani floral design engagement ring in platinum with round center stone supported above micropave diamond-encrusted petals and micropave diamonds on the mounting. The ring features a graduated diamond shank with two rows of micropave diamonds.

Source: NationalJewelry.com

And remember, we specialize in designing rings just like ones above for a fraction of the price (but the quality and craftsmanship remain firmly in place!)

Right now, our Design it Yourself contest is officially ON – you tell us about the piece of jewelry you’ve dreamed of and we create it, with your budget in mind. If your piece is chosen by our online audience, you save even bigger!

I stumbled across this article by columnist James Alperinover coffee this morning. Good points about the changing mindset of today’s customers:

When you consider the traditional products that older generations considered to be within the realm of luxury, it seems that the younger generation has set its sights in a whole new direction. The status symbols for Gen Y are not fine china, crystal and sterling silver flatware as much as they are the latest big-screen TV, computer or i-whatever.

Ask a young person, “What time is it?” and they will answer you by pulling out their cell phone, not by looking at their watch, an object that most of their peers consider an artifact. After all, a watch only tells time; today’s “cell phones” connect their owners to the world via the Internet.

Our industry is not just facing a crisis because of the global economic downturn. We are faced with a crisis of changing tastes and realities. We tend to think that the Internet has affected our industry only through changes in customers’ buying habits and their heightened abilities to become educated consumers. It is true that the days when a customer knew nothing about products they wished to purchase disappeared when “Google” became a household word. But it goes beyond that. Besides changing the way the world educates itself and shops, the digital age has actually changed what consumers want and turned what generations of Americans have perceived as luxury upside down.

Remember, we are engaged in a “want” business, not a “need” business. The younger generation has broken ties with the past, for better or worse. Nearly gone are the days when people visited their trusted family jeweler just as they visited their trusted family doctor. Even in medicine today, you no longer meet with a family physician who made house calls (remember those?) carrying a black medical bag. Now, you go to a large multi-doctor practice and proceed to sit in a waiting room.

There is, today, a lack of commitment in society, a fickleness that is all around us in our “throwaway” culture, and one that is reflected in what is happening within the jewelry industry. Today’s young people do not want the commitment of one expensive piece of jewelry. They prefer fashionable costume jewelry to accessorize the styles of the moment. When costume jewelry breaks or goes out of style, it is discarded, its ultimate destiny the same as the sweater that it was purchased to go with.

There is no insurance premium to pay, nothing to cover a potential loss. There is no sense of, “I have to wear this piece because it was so expensive to buy.” There is no sense of obligation, because, to the younger generation, it is frankly easier and often more fun to own and wear many pieces of costume jewelry than it is to cherish one expensive piece of fine jewelry. Fashion jewelry is an accessory, not an item of luxury, but it fills a niche in today’s world.

One area of the jewelry industry that has bucked this trend toward fashion jewelry and ever-shifting tastes has been bridal. An important diamond ring now possesses even greater significance than it did in our grandmothers’ time. The diamond engagement ring has become more a symbol of success and status than an item of pure luxury. So although young people today want to feel free to change their minds without guilt about what items of jewelry to wear, they very much wish to show their friends that they have been successful in their selection of mates, who are, as their rings make evident, also good providers.

Back in the 1970s, the Swiss watch industry found itself in deep trouble as the Japanese quartz movement watches swept through the watch world. The Swiss government had to come to the aid of an industry left behind as the upstarts from overseas took over the market.

The industry was in turmoil and it took a lot of work, but the Swiss began to catch up and today are viable quartz watch manufacturers. Even more interesting is the fact that self-winding, automatic watches are again becoming popular. This supports the idea that the pendulum of fashion does, in fact, swing back.

So when it seems that today’s youth have less interest in fine jewelry than their predecessors, consider this: Before too long, once again, consumers will look to jewelry as a desired luxury item, maybe to wear while talking on their new iPhone and watching their new big-screen TV.

To add to his points about engagement rings, we also see a trend toward engagement rings and wedding rings made of eco-friendly (and affordable) moissanite, like this beauty below:

Style 9438M

Classic Tiffany Style Marquise Shape Moissanite Solitaire

Classic tiffany style solitaire with a Charles and Colvard created marquise shape moissanite.

Available Center Stone Size: 1/2ct-1 3/4ct

Call for Platinum Pricing

Here’s a great example of a semi custom piece. Our customer wanted the top/prongs from style #9930 set on top of the ring/shank of style #9254. They also wanted cushion cut stones channel set into the ring instead of princess cut stones. See the results below as well as links to the original rings – and an updated photo from the happy recipient!

Semi custom jewelry gives you the custom look at a non custom price.

Prongs from this style

Ring from this style

Buying jewelry online can be a scary prospect. There are a lot of scams out there and due diligence is firmly required. So what can you do to make sure your purchase is smart and secure?

* Research the company. Can you call the company easily? Do they have an easily, identifiable About Us page where you can learn more about them? What do others have to say? Do they have a long history of business or did they just magically appear last week? Do they have a guarantee for their product? A good return policy? Take the time beforehand to understand the company before looking at their product. Find the faces behind the company. Here’s the story of my company, including my father and grandfather, who founded and grew the business.

* Know your jewelry. It’s important to understand the grades, colors and quality of precious metals and stones you’re buying. Do you know the basics when it comes to buying diamonds or gold? This is done easily – most research can be done easily online by reputable sources. Or contact us! We’ll gladly answer any questions. Call (888) 724-8222 and someone will personally help you.

* Look for bargains. The good part about buying jewelry online is that e-commerce retailers have lower overhead and can offer you better prices than you’d find in a local jewelery store. Shop around for a similar piece – price compare for the best savings. Again, this is one of the big perks of buying your jewelry online – take advantage of it! If you’re getting married and you’re on a tight budget, buying online could be a perfect option.

* Ask questions. Send an email to the the jeweler. Ask a question and see the timely way in which it’s answered. It’s a great way to get needed information in addition to seeing the way in which the jewelry responds.

* Understand the return policy. You could do all of the right things and still not like your piece. But guess what? It’s not a big deal if the return policiy is flexible and clear. Often one round of returns is all it takes to correct something you didn’t like, like the length of a necklace for instance.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to purchase online. There are ways to protect yourself and save big.

Take a look at this piece below. You just can’t find prices like this easily in a bricks-and-mortar store:

Style 9505M-

Rose Gold Diamond and Pink Moissanite Ring

Stunning, delicate 14kt rose gold engagement ring set with a 1.0ct (dia equiv) Charles and Colvard created round moissanite color enhanced to spring pink surrounded by 1/3ct t.w. white diamonds. Matching earrings also available.

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MSRP: $2,169.00
Our Price: $1,505.00

The Art Noveau movement in jewelry, albeit brief, ushered in a tremendous amount of change in the jewelry making process. Suddenly a more expressive, mystical and personal form of adornment became popular.

The Art Nouveau movement, although short lived (approximately 1890 through 1910) made a lasting impact on the jewelry industry which is still felt today. It was a reaction to the mass produced jewelry that had become so popular late in the Victorian period. The style of Art Nouveau jewelry was a radical change from the somberness and adherence to strict rules which characterized both French and English jewellery in the 1860’s and 1870’s. There were few restrictions in the design of Nouveau jewelry.

The most common motifs incorporated life forms, orchids, lilies, irises, ferns, snakes, dragonflies, animal and human forms. Life-like to dream-like simplicity of metal alone to the complexity of enamel and precious gems. The rebellion against the strict customs of the Victorian and Edwardian periods released an incredible out-pouring of creative energy that not only produced pieces of subtle beauty but also touched the sublime and the mystical. No longer would a piece of jewelry be a mere adornment, now it became a part of one’s soul.

Source: ArtNouveau.net