Beth,

OMG, I absolutely love it!!!!!!! . . . . it’s perfect! Correction — it’s more than perfect!!!. . . . .

Also, please send along my gratitude and happiness to Joe!!!  You guys are awesome!
Hugs,
Mary

An interesting story about the amazing Cindy Chao (Taiwan) and the induction of her stunning butterfly pin inducted into the National Museum of Natural History:

Amongst the Earth’s rarest and most beautiful creations are precious stones, in which beauty not only remains undiminished with time but accumulates history. Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of Natural History features the most significant and famous pieces of gems and minerals in the world; the esteemed collection includes the deep blue Hope Diamond, Napoleon Diamond Necklace, Marie Antoinette’s Earrings, Inquisition Necklace.

The melding of creation – first the natural process that occurred more than a billion years ago that formulated these stones which are then taken and crafted by artisans into a new creation – thickens the layer of history and lore into the precious stones as they pass through human hands.

Cindy Chao’s 2009 Royal Butterfly Brooch perfectly exemplifies this melding of creation, her detailed masterpiece entailing over 2 years time. Heralding a unique usage of rough diamonds, her work representing a breakthrough in the art of jewelry craftsmanship. The annual creation of an iconic butterfly symbolizes the ongoing metamorphosis in the advancement of Cindy Chao’s craftsmanship and techniques in utilizing rare gemstones.

The vibrant “Royal Butterfly,” is balanced by a pair of rough diamonds on the scales; features more than 20 color gradients, precisely 2,318 diamonds, colored diamonds, color-changing sapphires, colored sapphires, rubies, and tsavorites, meticulously set on both the front and back.

In 2010 this classic piece was inducted by the National Museum of Natural History, the world’s largest educational and research museum complex serving as the global beacon for the diffusion of public knowledge. This contemporary art jewel was created not only of the hopes of the artist that this art can be appreciated in a new medium, but will also inspires people to dream and create, always continue to contribute to the evolution of culture and the world around them.

Source: BusinessWire

Buying your jewelry is only half the battle. Maintaining it so it looks great for years takes a little know how. Here’s  what one expert has to say:

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Monica_Mo

Fall is upon us. We are officially post Labor Day. (No more white shoes, for the more traditional reader!) Here’s a little sampling from Fashion Week, showing us looks that you’ll be seeing more of this season.

First, the urban warrior look, combining chic with a slight edge. And second, a return to old school glamour, with clean lines and rich fabric.

Urban Warrior:

Conservative Glamour:

When it comes to conservative glamour, we think our Sweetheart Pendant necklace is the perfect accompaniment:

Style 10119-4.5mm (1/3ct)

Classic Sweetheart Pave Necklace

Classic Sweetheart pave necklace with 1/5ct t.w. round brilliant stones set on an 18″ cable chain. Fits a 4.5mm (1/3ct diamond) round center stone. (setting only, does not include center stone).

Moissanite is often unfairly compared with cubic zironia. While cubic zirconia still remains the most popular diamond simulant, moissanite, a relative “newbie” to the market, is gaining ground quickly.

Cubic zirconia is a colorless, lab grown diamond simulan while moissanite is more durable and provides more brilliance.

According to The Moissanite Buyers Guide:

Unlike cubic zirconia, moissanite jewels are doubly refractive. This means that light is bent twice as it passes through the moissanite jewel. This double refraction is directly responsible for moissanite’s superior brilliance. You can see this with a 10x loupe. Viewing through the crown or pavilion facets is recommended. Do not look directly through the table of a moissanite stone; the double refraction is less apparent as seen from this angle.

Comparison Chart: Beauty, Durability, Specific Gravity

So if you’re searching for that perfect engagement ring that’s both eco-friendly and still maintains the qualities of a natural diamond, it might be time to give moissanite a try. Because its priced so much better than a mined diamond, you just opened up the possiblities to all sorts of amazing rings, like the one below:

Style 9501M

Tension Set Engagement Ring With Side Diamonds

Tension set ring with .70ct t.w. natural side diamonds (setting only, does not include center stone)

Your heart races. Your eyes widen. You begin a mad search, all the while saying, “Oh no, oh no!” Losing jewelry is stressful and upsetting. That’s because jewelry is such a personal item – losing it can feel like losing a part of ourselves.

Here’s a few tips on how to protect yourself from the commonly lost earring:

1) EASY No-Lose Earrings

The best style of earrings (that are are able to be removed but hard to lose) are leverback earrings. They are made in such a way you can’t lose them as they fasten closed. That is why Diamond Leverback Earrings are so popular. They are worth investigating when buying earrings as they look beautiful, are simple to use, and are hard to lose.

Many dangle earrings can be converted to a leverback style at your local jeweler — but you may want to try our next tip as an inexpensive alternative.

2) Earring Stoppers For Your Fish Hook Earrings

Many people don’t realize that when they buy earrings and there are rubber stoppers on the back of the card, that they can use them to keep the earrings on their ears.

If you already own fish hook earrings but didn’t keep the rubber safety stoppers (or the earrings didn’t come with safety stoppers), you can buy rubber stoppers for the back to make sure your won’t lose them. They take an extra moment to put on, but they work like magic.

3) Easy Storage When NOT Wearing Your Earrings

Storing earrings properly makes it much harder to lose earrings. You’ll want 2 places to store your earrings.

One place will be in your purse so if for any reason you need to take your earrings off, you have a designated place. A second a known place should be where you live. If you only own a few pairs of earrings, you can keep them all in the same portable place. However, many of us have several pairs of earrings.

To store earrings in your purse, I recommend one of the small silk zippered bags. A small silk pouch can easily hold any pair of earrings, look beautiful and usually be very inexpensive.

Not being able to find your earrings in the morning, is almost the same as losing them as you can’t wear them when you want. So make sure the place at home keeps your earrings neat and easy to find like an earring tree.

So follow these earrings tips and save yourself money and time.

Here’s a pair of leverback earrings guaranteed to stay in place:

Style 452MR

Classic Wire Basket Lever Back Moissanite Earrings

Classic wire basket lever back earrings with Charles and Colvard created round Moissanite.

Source: JewelryMall

It’s slow but we are seeing a subtle change in our economic outlook. Tiffany’s is a possible barometer of economic changing and consumer spending. In short, if people are shopping at Tiffany’s again, then maybe the storm is passing by – though half of their sales are overseas.

“Guarded optimism” indeed:

Tiffany Q2 profit up 19% on overseas sales, raises outlook

New York ( August 27, 2010 ) Tiffany & Co.’s second-quarter net income rose 19% on higher revenue as shoppers bought more of its high-end jewelry around the world, particularly in Asia and Europe.

In the three months ending July 31, the company earned $67.7 million up from $56.8 million a year ago. Revenue rose 9% to $668.8 million, below analyst estimates of $690.2 million. Same-store sales increased 5%.

Roughly half the company’s revenue now comes from outside the United States. Growth in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Japan, was the company’s strongest in the quarter as those economies continue to prosper.

Tiffany raised its full-year earnings guidance to a range partly above analyst estimates, and CEO Michael Kowalski said the company looked forward to the second half “with a sense of guarded optimism.”

Americas, seven in the Asia-Pacific region and two in Europe. The company operated 223 stores and boutiques at the end of July, up from 211 at the same point last year.

Source: ChainStoreAge

Style 1185MR

Classic Tiffany Style Princess Cut Moissanite Solitaire

Princess cut Tiffany style solitaire engagement ring with Charles and Colvard created moissanite.