Happy Stories From our customers

As part of our ongoing DIY (Dream it Yourself) Custom Design Jewelry contest, we’re happy to share with you the personal back stories behind each piece.

In JT’s words:

Over the course of 11 years, Evelyn and I have went from casual acquaintances, to friends, to each other’s best friend, to dating. And hopefully, we’ll be engaged at the end of October.

This ring speaks of our relationship: a delicate and beautiful piece of art with traditional styling, but it’s own little twist that makes it unique from any other. Depending on how you look at it, the side stones radiate a warm purple that feels like home, a vibrant blue that reminds you of a playful summer day , or even a subtle green, full of life. These stones perfectly accent the framework of something that is as timeless as it is spectacular, and together they make an inspiring and sensational symbol of our love.

 

In Joe’s words:

Alexandrite is a rare and special gem, known for it’s many radiating hues. It was a real honor to create a ring with such depth and complexity.

– Joseph Schubach

Every piece in our DIY (Dream it Yourself) Custom Design Jewelry Contest has a story to tell.

Here’s one of them:

In Peter’s words:

We know that having wedding bands that reflect us really matters. It is a feeling of being individual, sure. But even more, it’s a feeling of truly honoring and loving who we have become and how we got here.The design that Joe helped us create reflects our path, totally.

You can see that they are two slim bands joined at the top. Slim and elegant is how I think of Liliana (I won’t pretend to say what she might think of me.) Joining her at the top of our game is exactly what I want to feel. We are so very different, so having one band of white gold and one of yellow gold just works. And we are very connected, so three diamonds to represent that sharing feels just right.

We came together from different continents. Liliana has lived in Australia and I, North America. Now, we share a home on each continent, a connection on each side of the world. These rings reflect that, too.

The two bands are clearly individual.They show that we connect without fusing to each other. That is how we live and want to continue to live our days.

What you may not be able to see in the pictures is that Joe designed the bands as infinity symbols. For us, this is perfect. I can write about how we met teaching metaphysics. I can talk about teaching the meaning of infinity. But here, I would rather share the feeling, the romantic sense of infinity, as it applies to us today.

We teach a science. But when we look at these rings that are so very us, so very uniquely us, I am living the feeling, not the thinking. Life is infinite joy, as are we. And life is good, getting better, and we are sharing that.

All that from two rings? No, it comes from us, but with Joe’s help, the rings are a perfect reflection. I hope that you like them even half as much as we do.

– Peter and Liliana, contestants of the 3rd Annual DIY (Dream it Yourself) Custom Design Jewelry Contest

 

Palladium is definitely the new black. Well, maybe not the new black, but at least the new metal of choice. Why? With the climbing costs of gold and platinum, palladium is an affordable and gorgeous choice for those in the know:

Actress Christina Hendricks is the new face for the “Get a Life” palladium jewelry collection by Vivienne Westwood. Here, she wears the collection’s heart pendant with a Gaia inscription on a palladium chain.

New York—The Palladium Alliance International (PAI) and designer Vivienne Westwood have announced Mad Men actress Christina Hendricks as the face of the new Vivienne Westwood “Get a Life” palladium jewelry collection.

“Vivienne Westwood has always been one of my favorite designers,” Hendricks said, “So it was a great honor for me to be asked to represent the ‘Get a Life’ palladium jewelry collection.”

Featured in the line are both couture and retail pieces crafted from palladium, a naturally white precious metal belonging to the platinum family. The collection’s design is inspired by nature and symbols of paganism, such as the acorn, the oak tree and the heart.

“I love that there are dramatic pieces, such as the crown and the heart necklace, as well as more simple pieces, such as the acorn earrings,” Hendricks (below) said.

“Christina is the embodiment of beauty, and we were delighted to have been able to involve her with this new jewelry collection,” Westwood said. “Her style is just so complimentary to my designs.”

Westwood’s “Get a Life” palladium jewelry collection will be available in Vivienne Westwood boutiques in London and Los Angeles March 2011. Prices for the retail collection range from $445 to $900. The couture collection is made to order.

The PAI is an organization dedicated to establishing palladium as a precious and distinctive metal. This is the first time in history that palladium will be marketed to consumers as a precious jewelry metal.

Vivienne Westwood began designing in London in 1971 and is regarded as an influential fashion designer.

Source: National Jeweler

The rings are both amazing but people currently only get to see the engagement ring and it has attracted many oohs and aahs. People think it is amazing and they cant stop looking at it. Thank you so much for all your work with us. The rings turned out better than we could have even imagined and working with you was so easy and alot of fun.

Received my order yesterday, the earrings are great.   Thanks much for the excellent price and service.

Hello Joe,

–E

There’s no easy answer to the question. Most of assume the jewelry is “on loan” for the evening but that’s not always the case. Here are a few case in points:

CBS) Actress Anne Hathaway was reportedly paid a pretty penny just to wear a few flashy gems during Sunday’s Oscar ceremony.An insider tells Us magazine that the 28-year-old show host was paid $750,000 to exclusively wear Tiffany and Co. jewels throughout the evening.

For her red carpet appearance, Hathaway paired her strapless red Valentino bustle gown with a $10 million Tiffany Lucida Star diamond necklace, diamond earrings and ring.

Show performer Gwyneth Paltrow was reportedly also generously compensated to wear Louis Vuitton jewelry. Paltrow, who sang “Coming Home” during the ceremony, accented her shimmery Calvin Klein Collection gown with a pair of multi-toned earrings, ring and brooch from the fashion house’s “L’Ame du Voyage” collection.

Others stars to make a statement with their baubles include presenter Cate Blanchett, who wore a Van Cleef & Arpels vintage bracelet, which boasted 127 yellow and white diamonds, and best supporting actress nominee Amy Adams, who reportedly wore $1,350,000 worth of Cartier jewels with her sparkly, midnight blue L’Wren Scott gown.

Source: CBS News