Happy Stories From our customers

Zales was a good example of a tumbling company during the last few years. Small signs and managerial changes show it may be holding it’s own and won’t be “pawned” any day soon:

Zale Corporation has signed a new agreement with Citibank to provide the private label credit card program at Zales, Zales Outlet and Gordon’s brands in the U.S.

The five-year deal, which goes into effect on October 1, 2010, replaces the jewelry retailer’s current agreement with Citibank which was scheduled to expire in March 2011. The agreement also provides an automatic renewal for two successive two-year terms.

Citibank cancelled a penalty owed by Zale for a shortfall in credit sales, and the new agreement reduced the annual minimum volume of credit card sales required by Zale from $600 million to $315 million. Citibank has also pledged to provide financial support for Zale’s marketing activities during the initial five year term of the contract.

Separately, Zale has named Theo Killion as chief executive officer (CEO) to permanently replace Neil Goldberg who stepped down from the position in January. Killion has served as interim CEO since Goldberg’s departure.

Killion joined Zale in January 2008 after serving in senior management positions at Tommy Hilfiger, Limited Brands, Macy’s East and the Home Shopping Network.

Source: Diamond.net

Hello, I just received engagement ring Style 9771-6.5mm from my fiance on Friday. I just want to let you know that I absolutely love it! It is so gorgeous, and I have received so many compliments! Could you please recommend some wedding bands that might go with it?

Thank you, Melissa

Engagement Ring With Side Bezel Accents

We like to affectionately refer to any ring where the stone size is greater than the ring size as a Barbie Ring (8ct center stone, ring size 4 for instance)! This one fits the bill nicely. It’s a variation of a piece in our Custom Jewelry Design Gallery. You can see the progress along the way to making this ring, the wax carving is below. This was for one of our European clients who wanted a very tall ring!

The inspiration from our Design Gallery

In the client’s words:

Dear Joe and Beth:

I received the ring today and I’m honestly still in a bit of awe by just how beautiful it is and how perfectly it came out.  It is TRULY, TRULY gorgeous – it’s got all the organic, subtle curves we wanted and overall. You guys just perfectly nailed that unique yet tastefully understated look.

I really can’t thank both of you enough for all the hard work that went into this.  More than that, I really appreciate the fact that you insisted that we go onto iteration 4 to get it exactly 100% right when we probably could have been happy with iteration 2 or 3.

I haven’t presented this to A yet, but probably within the next week.  I know without any inkling of doubt that she will be as amazed by this as I am!!  Thank you SO much again…and wish me luck!!

Several weeks later:

Joe and Beth:

I presented the ring to Anna right before we left over a week ago for the holidays; unexpectedly, she said she would “Have to think about it.”

OK, just kidding! She loved it as much as I did and we’re now officially engaged!! There wasn’t a big, flashy proposal – just an opportune moment when we were talking about what gifts we should get each other for Christmas and I mention that I actually had a gift ready for her! I think it definitely took her a couple of days to get used to having the ring on her finger: both for “being engaged” and because she was also taken by how beautifully it came out.

Joe and Beth were extremely helpful and took care to both understand the changes we wanted and the subtleties we wanted preserved. They helped bring the design to the exact form we envisioned. We can’t thank them enough!

Most of you remember mood jewelry, big in the 70’s and having bubbles of resugence over the years. Well, apparently, you shouldn’t eat them. Now I’m not sure what to do for lunch:

A Tacoma company is recalling about 23,000 “mood” rings and necklaces after they were found to contain high levels of lead.

The heart-shaped jewelry, marketed under the brand name “Love Tester,” was sold for about $4 each in retail stores from September 2005 through June 2010.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which announced the recall, said some 19,000 rings and 4,000 necklaces are covered by the recall.

The jewelry poses a danger to young children, who can be harmed by the lead if they ingest it. No incidents or injuries from the jewelry have been reported, according the commission.

The products change colors when the user’s “mood” changes. The rings and necklaces were sold separately and mounted on round red discs printed with the words “Love Tester” and “Are you in the mood?”

D&D Distributing-Wholesale of Tacoma imported the products from China, the commission said. The jewelry was sold to small retail shops nationwide.

On its website, the company said it tests products at independent safety labs. A spokeswoman was not immediately able to answer why the jewelry was sold for nearly five years before the high lead levels were detected.

The company also was not immediately able to provide a list of retailers who sold the jewelry.

The commission said consumers should return the jewelry to the store where it was purchased for a refund or replacement product.

Source: Seattle Times

SICK?

Estate sales can offer some amazing bargains…as well as some incredible pitfalls. Before you hand over your cash, consider these rules:

Identification

1. Estate jewelry made with real stones may be difficult to spot without the aid of a jeweler. Before you try to sell any of your jewelry, carefully look for any markings that would indicate gold or silver, or the manufacturer’s insignia. Identifying fine jewelry from costume may not be as simple as a quick look. The older the estate pieces, the more difficult this could be. The first rule of selling estate jewelry is to know what you have.

Considerations

2. Fine estate jewelry should always be appraised before you attempt a sale. Even though your necklace is only worth what someone will pay for it, you should establish a value so you can know what to expect before accepting an offer. Many costume estate jewelry pieces can be found online at auction sales, allowing you to determine an approximate value for these pieces.

Benefits

3. Another rule for selling your estate jewelry is to explore alternative markets. Selling your jewelry to a local jeweler or pawn broker may seem like a good idea, but you will likely receive a higher price at an auction or a private sale. The benefits of checking your options could translate into more cash in your hands.

Misconceptions

4. Inherited costume jewelry may have more value than just sentiment. One rule you should follow before selling this type of jewelry is to do your research. Online auctions are filled with vintage costume estate jewelry and the prices for these items may surprise you. Just because the jewelry in granny’s estate isn’t real does not mean that is has no monetary value.

Warning

5. Before you soak that old bracelet in some kind of cleaning solution, make sure you will do no harm. This rule should be followed for all of your jewelry, not just estate. Properly cleaning your pieces will add value and bring you a higher price. Improperly cleaning could eliminate any chance you have of selling the piece, particularly if it is costume.

Read more: What Are the Rules for Selling Estate Jewelry? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_4618265_rules-selling-estate-jewelry.html#ixzz10GGnVJ2Y

An antique bejeweled hummingbird broach

Nowadays, choosing a diamond simulant is a smart, viable choice for many. But still, people want to know how you tell the difference between a fake and real diamond. This article covers the basics, for the skeptical and curious:

To understand how to tell a cubic zirconia from a diamond, it is important to have a better understanding of what this particular stone is and why it looks so much like an expensive diamond. Cubic zirconia is a synthetic material made from zirconium dioxide. The material is extremely hard, strong, virtually flawless from a visual perspective, and colorless, although cubic zirconia can be produced in numerous colors.

One of the primary benefits of cubic zirconia is affordability. Obviously, diamonds are expensive, one of the most expensive of all precious stones. For this reason, if people can purchase a material that looks like a real diamond, has strong and durable qualities, and costs a fraction of what a diamond costs, it is easy to see why a cubic zirconia is so popular. However, with all the benefits, nothing can take the place of a diamond. Now understanding what cubic zirconia is, individuals need to know how to tell a cubic zirconia from a diamond.

Again, the main reason for learning how to tell a cubic zirconia from a diamond is to avoid being scammed. If a person were to sell existing jewelry, he or she needs to know without doubt pieces being sold are actually diamonds. Then, for buying, unfortunately it would be easy for someone to become caught up in fraud, spending hard-earned money on a fake stone. While this might sound farfetched, the truth is this happens often.

The good news is that there are a number of easy tests that will help to determine whether a stone is cubic zirconia or diamond. For starters, there is the old method of scratching glass. If a piece of jewelry made with a cubic zirconia were to be run across a piece of glass, nothing would happen to the glass but the faux stone might scratch. However, if a real diamond were run across a piece of glass, the diamond would likely be undamaged and the glass scratched. The only downside to this particular test on how to tell a cubic zirconia from a diamond is that some of the higher quality faux stones are now made so well they can produce a small scratch on the glass.

Another method to tell cubic zirconia from diamond has to do with the stone’s transparency. Real diamonds are cut, producing facets on the inside. Because of the many lines, seeing through a real diamond is near impossible. For this technique, simply place a piece of newspaper behind the stone. If the print is readable the stone is a cubic zirconia but if not, the stone is a diamond.

The fog technique is an accurate and easy test to perform. To check the stone, simply breathe on it. The reason this is so reliable is that a real diamond is not capable of holding heat. Therefore, after breathing on the stone if it becomes fogged over, it is a cubic zirconia whereas if the warm breath clears up immediately, the stone is an actual diamond.

Now, people can go a little more high tech by using ultraviolet lighting. Officially known as an AUV test, the outcome would be based on the amount of fluorescent color produced. For instance, if the stone were a real diamond, it would show up as florescent color under the ultraviolet lighting. However, cubic zirconia stones would have no fluorescent color.

Another test that works amazingly well has to do with weight. The fact is that a real diamond weighs as much as 50% less than a cubic zirconia stone would weigh. Using a gram scale, the stone could be weighed against a confirmed diamond and the weight would show the stone to be real or fake. Obviously, the two stones should be the same carat to get the best results.

One last test that could be tried uses a loupe. Typically, this type of test is performed by a professional gemologist but anyone who knows how to look at stones through a loupe could do this. The purpose of this test is to look closely at the stone’s characteristic makeup, which includes the inside facets and girdle. A cubic zirconia stone will usually have a waxy appearance whereas a real diamond would be clear. Finally, some cubic zirconia stones will actually have the initials CZ stamped on the inside of the jewelry piece and a loupe would help reveal this.

Source: Abazias Diamonds

Style 10310-

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Custom created engagement ring with a 1.50ct (dia equiv) Charles and Colvard created round brilliant moissanite center and nearly 200 round cubic zirconia pave’ side stones in 14kt white gold, one piece only in ring size 7.

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Letter from Client:

Hello Beth!

I noticed the final pictures up on the blog, and they look amazing! I had my doubts on the wax but you assured me it would look stunning, and to trust in the professionals at Schubach Jewelers.  Your claims are self-evident.  It’s refreshing to do business with a company that offers both an excellent product and even better customer service. I will be sure to direct anybody I can to both visit your website, and to speak with you in person. Kudos to Joe for his remarkable craftsmanship, and keen eye for picking high quality, friendly people to support his trade.

So I believe my final question for you is, when am I gonna get my paws on it? =)  If you could supply me with a tracking number when it gets shipped out I would very much appreciate it.

Thanks again for all of your help,

J.T.

1. Realize the importance: Moms consider jewelry from a son or daughter to be a prized possession – something to be cherished for a lifetime. Take your time in making this purchase. Check your local jewelers and research jewelry online. Ask other family members for input by sending relevant links, images, etc. And don’t wait until a week before her birthday!

2. Recognize her style: Jewelry is not one size fits all! If your mother has hundreds of earrings, you might want to consider an engraved necklace or ring. Are her tastes classic or edgy? Is she a practical or romantic sort? (If practical, an oversized piece of jewelry might not be the way to go, for instance.) Look at her wardrobe. Is she a flashy or conservative type? What colors does she lean  toward?

3. Go ask your mother! There are ways to find out about your mother’s tastes without giving away the secret. Ask about a ring she’s wearing and why she likes it. Take a look through her jewelry box (discreetly, of course!) Again, ask other family members. In short, go to the source.

Giving the gift of jewelry to your mother is a big deal, simply because it’s from you. Why not make it really special by taking some time to research, asking around and picking just the right piece?