Happy Stories From our customers

Ancient Egypt still influences our choice of fashion today, if you can believe it. Or perhaps you are already aware, since any of the images below are hardly foreign to our eyes. Cleopatra and her wondrous ways certainly had a direct influence.  Kind of amazing to think of that kind of fashion lasting power!

And remember, we know our jewelry and our history – if there’s a piece that makes you feel like an Egyptian queen, let us create one for you.

Jewelry was extremely popular throughout the history of the Egyptian nation. Excavations of tombs have shown that queens of Egypt were almost always buried with a multitude of jewelry to be used in the afterlife. The amount of jewelry worn by an individual often indicated their social position and level of wealth.

Even the poor, who could not afford much, attempted to adorn themselves with as much jewelry as was possible. While not nearly as expensive, the jewelry of the commoner was usually very brightly colored and was constructed of materials such as pottery.

The Egyptians did not confine themselves to a limited selection of materials: a very wide variety of minerals were crafted into jewelry including amethyst, cornelian, jasper, onyx and quartz crystal. Today these stones are classified as semi-precious versus precious gems like diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds.

Tutanhkamun pendant (photo: J. Bodsworth)

19th Dynasty inlaid diadem, or wig (J. Bodsworth)

Source: Ancient Egypt online

Many women face a problem when it comes to choosing wedding and engagements rings: they don’t like their hands.

“My fingers are short and stubby.”

“I don’t have time for manicures. My hands are a mess.”

“My hands are bony. A ring just accentuates it!”

We’ve heard it all here. But just like any other fashion choice, a properly chosen ring can enhance what you like about your hands and downplay what you don’t like.

According to this fashion expert Melanie Spark:

Rings can elongate your finger. If you choose a ring style that is longer than it is wide, it can actually make your fingers appear longer. If you have short fingers, perhaps you enjoy the look of an elongated and graceful hand.

The length of a ring is measured from top to bottom or, visually, as it would appear from knuckle to knuckle. The width of a ring is measured from side to side or, visually, as it appears horizontally while sitting on your finger.

See? There is hope for you and your hands. Here’s a simple, elegant engagement solitaire ring that we think works with most women’s hands, across the board:

Style 9915-7.5mm

Round Solitaire Engagement Ring With Pave Diamonds

Four prong solitaire engagement ring with 1/10ct t.w. pave’ diamonds. Fits an 7.5mm round center stone. (setting only, does not include center stone)

What’s your totem animal? Are you stealthy and cat-like or more the lovable puppy? Perhaps you simply love frogs and they adorn your house (not the live kinds!)

Or you’re intrigued by any TV show featuring sharks. Or you’ve never gotten rid of that childhood love of dinosaurs.

Whatever your motif, we can create a piece of jewelry out of it. This has been done for centuries of course, and is tribal in origin. Some believe you are empowered by your totem animal or symbol and wearing it serves to strengthen you. Wear coins and bring money into your life. Wear sunshine and find your spirits lifting!

Here’s a little more on motif jewelry for 2010:

Don’t shy away from strong imagery this season.

Snakes, elephants, flowers, birds, and coins are some of the most popular motifs.

These elements add a very particular mood to a collection so find one that you like and then style it in a way that makes it your own.

Emphasize a motif by repeating it in many different ways.

For example: a necklace dripping with metal textured elephants, enamel elephants, carved wood elephants, and mixed with cords and chains can be a statement piece.

Applying chains in a snake-like pattern to a fabric frontal necklace can evoke the feeling of the snake without actually using the image.

Mixing and layering colorful flowers in fabrics, beads, and metals can create a romantic statement.

– Jewelry Business Blog

Here’s one of our motif pieces – The Key of Love pendant necklace. Who knows what doors you could open?

Style 10347

Key of Love Necklace

Thanks so much for the beautiful ring. My wife loves it. I just got back from England and now I am back in Kuwait where I am working for the rest of the year.

My brother in law picked me up at Gatwick Airport in England and hid me in the trunk of the car once we got close to my wife’s mothers house.

He had my wife retrieve a package from the trunk where I surprised her when she opened the trunk.

I gave her the ring and she loves it. She is not the flashy type but has been getting compliments for the past 2 weeks.

It is truly a beautiful ring.

Thanks again
J

The Surprise Ring (except with a 3ct)!

To choose moissanite or not to choose moissanite – that is the question. But what is the answer? Well, it’s not as clear cut (excuse the semi-pun) as you would like. It requires a little research, which you should do before a major purchase anyway.

Here are some of the pros and cons, as listed on the Diamonds-are-Forever website:

The Pros and Cons of Moissanite – The Pro’s

• • Cost – The cost of Moissanite is roughly an eighth of the price of natural diamonds but is generally more expensive that Cubic Zirconia at one tenth of the price of natural diamonds

• • Appearance – Moissanite is so optically close to diamond that even some jewelers cannot tell the difference without the aid of various tests

• • Clarity – Moissanite is not separated into different grades of Clarity like diamonds because each stone must meet set specifications before being released to distributors. The set specifications of Moissanite are comparable to diamonds which have been graded VS1-VS2 on the Diamond Clarity Chart

• • Inclusions / Flaws – Manufactured to appear more like diamonds, Moissanite gemstones have inclusions which is a plus-point when compared to the flawless Cubic Zirconia – the growing process produces tiny, unnatural, white, ribbon-like inclusions

• • Moissanite stones are equivalent to the H – J grades in the white Diamond Color scale. Moissanite is not as white-white like the Cubic Zirconia (which is equivalent to a perfect “D” and therefore less believable imitation, as white-white color diamonds are extremely rare.

• • Hardness – Hardness denotes resistance to scratching as opposed to Toughness which relates to the ability to resist breakage from falls or impacts. Moissanite is much harder than most natural gems, and Cubic Zirconia, at about 9.5 on the Mohs scale, however it is nowhere near as hard as a diamond at about 10.0 on the Mohs scale

• • Toughness – Moissanite is tougher than diamond because it has no natural fractures that can crack if the stone is subjected to an impact of some kind.

• • Moissanite has a slightly higher index of refraction (brilliance) and much greater dispersion (fire) than diamond. It retains its fire if it gets dirty, oily, or smudged, whereas Cubic Zirconia looks very dull when dirty. The excess fire is seen as a ‘pro’ by some and a ‘con’ by others

Moissanite – The Con’s

• • Investment – Jewelry containing synthetic gemstones like Moissanite are not a good investment – they do not hold their price.

• • Color – Can have a slight yellowish / greenish tint which becomes more noticeable with increasing gem sizes.

• • Fluorescence – An undesirable hazy effect that causes them to appear slightly green or yellow. The effect  of fluorescence on Moissanite is much greater under natural light or in sunlight.
    

• • Moissanite is highly birefringent (a birefringent crystal splits a light beam into two) which is a desirable quality in some optical applications, but is not desirable in gemstones. Moissanite jewels are therefore cut along the optic axis of the crystal to minimize birefringent effects

• • Fire – Has more ‘fire’ or brilliance producing a more synthetic effect. The high dispersion of 0.11 is apparent in Moissanite (nearly 2.5 times greater than that of diamond) and readily distinguishes it from diamond with a dispersion of 0.04 which is virtually unnoticed. The excess fire is sometimes considered cheap and fake looking.

• • Hardness – Diamonds are harder than Moissanite  which is 9.5 on the Mohs scale compared to a diamond at about 10.0 on the Mohs scale

• • Inclusions / Flaws – Manufactured to appear more like diamonds, Moissanite gemstones have inclusions. Natural flaws are absent in Moissanite replaced instead by tiny, unnatural, white, ribbon-like structures that are a result of the growing process.

• • Rarity – Moissanite is not rare and can be made quickly and in vast quantities, whereas natural diamonds take millions of years to form.

• • Symbolic Value – Diamonds have long symbolised love and purity – Moissanite has no such symbolic value yet.

Because our moissanite comes from Charles and Colvard, the creators and top manufacturers with the highest standards in moissanite, you can be assured your choice is a smart one. But again, research is key. A jewelry purchase is for life, and we understand that.

No, we’re not talking about copper jewelry that turns green from oxidation. Eco-friendly jewelry is becoming an increasingly popular term in our world.

More and more people are become aware of the damaging effects of mining around the world. And many are opting for jewelry that has an “eco-friendly” status. But what does that mean exactly? Is your jewelry of a lesser quality?

From our website:

Are recycled metals as high quality as non-recycled metals?

Precious metals can be repeatedly recycled with no degradation in quality.

Gold and other metals are refined in order to remove impurities. Since gold and silver are elements, they are the same in the pure form, regardless of the source. There is absolutely no difference in the quality of the product you buy.

But there is a difference in how you feel purchasing recycled metals. It’s good to know that your jewelry purchase did not harm the ecosystem and you’re doing your part for this green planet!

Joseph Schubach Jewelers prides itself in our responsible, earth-friendly practices and a deep sense of community awareness. That means we care about the effect our business has on the planet.

In conjunction with the Harmony Metals program from Hoover and Strong, one of the greenest metal suppliers in the industry, we create pieces of jewelry that make you feel good on the outside and the inside!

Here’s a stunning example of an eco-friendly engagement ring made of 100% recycled material. Notice any difference? We didn’t think so:

This piece is made using 100% recycled metals and is proudly made in the USA. We strictly follow the Kimberly Process guidelines.

Eco-friendly Round Engagement Ring With Side Stones

Thank you again for that fantastic quality, and working so hard with me to finalize such a custom design! I know S. is madly in love with it, fantastic craftsmanship:)

In honor of the 4th of July celebrations in the states, we wanted to take a moment and review the fashion of our forefathers and foremothers.

Oh yes, these fashion choices seem a little constricting (and just damn hot) but somebody had to wear this stuff, right?

The lady wears strapless stays over a pink chemise. Her petticoat has pocket slits to access the free-hanging pocket beneath. "Tight Lacing, or Fashion Before Ease", 1770–75

French silk sack-back gown with closed bodice and panniers, trimmed with padded bands of blue satin, chenille blonde lace, flowers of gathered ribbon, feathers and raffia tassels, 1775–1780

Marie Antoinette was one of the most influential figures in fashion during the 1770s and 1780s, especially when it came to hairstyles.

Happy Fourth of July Weekend, from Joseph Schubach Jewelers!

Went out to dinner last night with a few girlfriends, they admired my new (stunning) engagement ring! My husband and I are really happy with the way it turned out. I’m registering my stone today, as well as having it (re) insured.

You see the label all the time. Or perhaps you see it less frequently than you remember. But what does “Made in the USA” really mean when it comes to your jewelry purchase? What if your necklace is made in the US but the gems were imported from India (as in the case below)?

These latest rulings will give you a clearer idea (hopefully) on the real meaning of the label:

To illustrate the point, consider two example cases (loosely based on actual inquiries) addressed by the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) below.

Two inquiries on origin

In the first inquiry, a manufacturer’s representative asked the JVC if the company could advertise a white gold sapphire necklace produced in New England as “Made in the USA.” The sapphires for the necklace were cut, polished and imported as loose stones from India, but the findings and chain were from a U.S. source.

The second inquiry involved finished rings that were imported from Thailand, checked for quality control at their U.S. destination, then boxed and shipped to retail stores. The wholesaler asked if he was required to provide “country of origin” information on the rings by marking or other means.

Before you read about the outcome, it’s important to understand a little bit more about the prerequisites of a “Made in the USA” claim:

First, for a product to qualify as “all or virtually all” made in the United States, the final assembly must take place in this country. To justify a “Made in the USA” claim if foreign articles are used in the manufacturing process, they must be substantially transformed in the United States, resulting in a new article of commerce that has a new use.

Even if the article is substantially transformed here, if the resulting product is then assembled or processed further, outside the United States, the FTC will not consider that product to be one that is “Made in the USA.”

So what happened in the cases mentioned above?

In the first matter, regarding the necklace, the imported material–gemstones–will be combined with domestically sourced materials to make a necklace. While the final manufacturing process will take place in this country, the gemstones were cut and polished in India. For that reason, a qualified origin claim, such as “Made in the USA of U.S. and imported material” is appropriate.  Had the stones been sourced from India in rough form, then “substantially transformed” here by cutting and polishing, a “Made in the USA” claim for the bracelet would more likely meet FTC standards.

As to the second inquiry concerning whether the Thai-made rings need origin markings, the one-word answer is “yes.” The imported rings must be marked, or tagged, as “Made in Thailand” to comply with U.S. Customs law.

The JVC provided the inquiring jewelers with information about the relevant law and guidance as to country-of-origin descriptions for their products.

Joseph Schubach Jewelers has taken “Made in USA” seriously for three generations. Nearly 100% of our jewelry has been produced right here in the states.