Happy Stories From our customers

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.

The difference between precious and semi-precious gemstones may seem self-explanatory (“Precious gemstones are just more…precious!) And to some extent, you would be right. But it depends on when you ask the question. Precious and semi-precious gemstones have changed titles, in a sense, throughout history:

In modern usage the precious stones are diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald, with all other gemstones being semi-precious.

This distinction is unscientific and reflects the rarity of the respective stones in ancient times, as well as their quality: all are translucent with fine color in their purest forms, except for the colorless diamond, and very hard, with hardnesses of 8-10 on the Mohs scale. Other stones are classified by their color, translucency and hardness.

The traditional distinction does not necessarily reflect modern values, for example, while garnets are relatively inexpensive, a green garnet called Tsavorite, can be far more valuable than a mid-quality emerald. Another unscientific term for semi-precious gemstones used in art history and archaeology is hardstone. Use of the terms ‘precious’ and ‘semi-precious’ in a commercial context is, arguably, misleading in that it deceptively implies certain stones are intrinsically more valuable than others, which is not the case.

So as you can see, “precious” and “semi-precious” are terms with changing meanings. And of course, whatever gem you like is precious to you!

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So you just read the title and you’re sighing already. Spiritual power of gemstones? How is that possible? What kind of new-agey post is this?

But think of it: people do become deeply attached to a piece of jewelry. Many consider it their “good luck charm.” So maybe there’s some truth to it afterall. Take a read…wait. Let’s light a candle first:

Ahh…that’s much better. Nothing like a little ambiance:

Gem stones hold onto energies. It is this which makes them so helpful in magical tasks and healing. They act as containers for magical energy. This makes gem stones ideal as altar tools and charms for spells.

For healing, stones are willing to have disease transferred into them. They then hold onto it until it can be safely flushed away. Healing stones don’t need to be gem stones – river and lake stones work wonderfully.

This ability to hold onto energy also means that new gem stones aren’t “fresh.” They are holding energies from past owners, people who mined them, people who polished and set and sold them, and people who held them in the shop before you picked them up . . .

So take care to cleanse all new stones thoroughly before using them.

Popular Gem Stones And Their Meaning

	Amethyst	Healing on all levels – body, mind, and spirit. Raises vibrational frequency and protects against negative energies.
	Amber	Transmutes negative energy into positive. Bridges conscious self to the Divine.
	Diamond	Purifies. Amplifies thoughts and feelings – both positive and negative.
	Hematite	Grounding. Clarifies thought, improves memory, and calms anxiety.
	Lapis Lazuli	Deep wisdom and intuition. Opens the third eye and leads to enlightenment.
	Moonstone	Balances yin and yang. Enhances the inner feminine, and acceptance for yin attributes.
	Opal	Amplifies emotion, insight, and spontaneity. Very potent, and can cause difficulties with the wrong person. Each colour of opal has its own properties.
	Pearl	Pure mind and heart. Balances emotions and reduces stress.
	Quartz Crystal	Attracts, amplifies, and sends energy. Easy and safe. Useful for all kinds of healing.
	Rose Quartz	Balances yin and yang, restoring harmony after emotional wounding.
	Turquoise	Highly spiritual yet grounding. Uplifting to unconditional Love. Aligns chakras and opens heart.

Precious Metals

	Gold	Symbol of the Sun and the God, as well as purity of spirit and eternity.
	Silver	Symbol of the Moon and the Goddess, the soul, and the beauty of the Wheel of Life.
	White Gold	Symbol of the pure and eternal Light of the Divine, the union of Goddess and God in One, the Spirit manifest in physical for

Source: Wicca Spirituality

Dear Joe,

I felt compelled to write you re: one of your employees, Beth Nicastro. She is, without a doubt, FABULOUS! I have been dealing with her since last year and each and every time we have had to work together, she is nothing but professional, extremely courteous and always prompt to get back to me and keep me updated on the status of my purchase.

In short, Beth is a joy to deal with. I will definitely purchase more jewelry in the future from your store mainly because of her — besides the beauty and quality of the pieces I have already purchased — because good customer service (and, as far as I’m concerned, Beth provides PERFECT customer service!), is hard to find.

Many thanks,

WOW!!!!  Theres not much else to say!

Misty