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  • Fall Fashion Trends and Matching Jewelry

    Camel.

    No. Not this one:

    This one:

    According to The Los Angeles Time fashion section:

    COLOR ME CAMEL‬‪

    If there was any doubt that camel is the color of the fall season, it was cleared up by designer Hannah MacGibbon. Her Chloe collection was a study in the classic hue and every other shade of beige, from caramel to bark to bisque.

    Camel is a fresh alternative to black, reflecting fashion’s renewed interest in classic American-style sportswear, a trend that we saw on the runways in New York at Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs and Derek Lam, and in Milan at Gucci and Max Mara.

    In Paris, nearly every designer had a camel coat on the runway. Chloe’s MacGibbon showed sturdy man-tailored camel’s hair coats alongside sleek high-waist trousers, dotted bow-front blouses or chambray shirts, and cowboy boots.

    At Stella McCartney, the camel coat was sportier, more akin to an anorak. At Hermes, it was cut close to the body with a smart black leather collar. Lanvin’s camel coat had sculpted power shoulders.

    Hussein Chalayan showed a camel’s hair poncho. And at Martin Margiela, camel came in the form of a classic turtleneck sweater, paired with a crimson red coat — a color combination that’s definitely worth trying on at home.

    As for the perfect jewelry acompaniment, we think Gemesis is a real standout and a natural pairing against the rich, lush texture and color of camel.

    Here’s a perfect suggestion:

    Style 9026GM

    Filigree Diamond Pendant

    Hand engraved pendant with hand applied scrolls and a 3/4ct Gemesis cultured diamond with fancy yellow or orange color on an 18″ wheat chain. Pendant measures approx. 8mm in diameter.

    Available Metal: 18kt White Gold and Platinum

  • The A – B – C and even D of Jewelry Terminology

    Moissanite? What the heck is that? Does a baguette setting go with butter and jelly? Do I really want fire in my diamond? Won’t that hurt?

    Jewelry terminology is a language in and of itself. Here at Joseph Schubach Jewelers, we’re happy to provide you with needed information so you can make a smart and educated jewelry purchase.

    So sit down, boys and girls…and take that gum out of your mouth.

    Here’s a quick lesson to get you started:

    Baguette setting — A rectangular-shaped stone with rows of step-like facets. If the baguette’s two long sides taper inward, it is called a Tapered baguette. Baguettes in long, thin cut rectangles are often used as enhancements to a lager center stone, or on a watch bezel.

    Bar setting — Similar to the channel setting, it is a circular band of diamonds or gemstones that holds each stone in by a long thin bar, shared between two stones.

    Barion cut — This has a traditional step-cut crown and a modified brilliant-cut pavilion. A square barion cut diamond has 61 facets, excluding the culet.

    Bearding or girdle fringes — The outermost portion of the stone, called the girdle, can develop small cracks that resemble whiskers during the polishing process. The bearding can sometimes be removed, if not too dramatic, with slight re-polishing, and if the weight allows.

    Bezel — With a bezel setting, a rim holds the stone and completely surrounds the gem. It is the upper portion above the girdle of a cut stone. Bezels can have straight edges, scalloped edges, or can be molded into any shape to accommodate the stone. A watch bezel is the upper part of the case surrounding the dial. They can be set with diamonds or other gemstones.

    Blemishes — The term blemish is used when the diamond has scratches or marks on the external area of the stone.

    Brilliance — Liveliness, or sparkle in a stone when light is reflected from the surface and from the total internal reflection of light.

    Brilliant-cut — Brilliant cuts are scientifically found to reflect the most light from within the stone, and often are considered to have the most brilliance of all cuts. A round brilliant-cut diamond has 58 facets. Other brilliant cuts include the heart, oval, marquise and pear shaped.

    Cabochon — A facet-less style of cutting that produces a smooth surface. They can be in many shapes, including round with high domes to squares.

    Carat — Unit of measure of weight of diamonds and gemstones. One carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams. One carat can also be divided into 100 “points.” A .75-carat stone is the same as a 75-point or 3/4-carat stone.

    Certification (or Diamond Grading Reports) — There are many recognized gemological laboratories that can grade your stones for a fee. The most well known is the GIA, Gemological Institute of America.

    Channel setting — Used most frequently for wedding and anniversary bands, a channel setting will set the stones right next to each other with no metal separating them.

    Clarity — A diamond often has natural imperfections, commonly referred to as inclusions, which contribute to its identifying characteristics. Inclusions are found within the diamond, and can be white, black, colorless, or even red or green. Most are undetectable by the human eye, and can only be seen with 10X magnification. Inclusions are ranked on a scale of perfection called clarity.

    Cleavage — A natural area of the diamond where a weak bond holds the atoms together. The gem will be split along these planes by the cutter.

    Cluster setting — This setting surrounds a larger center stone with several smaller stones. It is designed to create a beautiful larger ring from many smaller stones.

    Color — Diamonds are graded on a color scale established by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Fancy colors refer to diamonds with hues like pink, blue, green, yellow, and very rarely red. Fancy colors are not included in this color scale and are considered extremely rare.

    Crown — This is the upper portion or the top of a diamond.

    Culet — The bottom point of the diamond. It may be polished in some stones. Sometimes, a cutter may choose to make the culet a surface instead of a point.

    Cushion cut — A mixed-cut diamond shaped like a square pillow.

    Cut — Cut refers to the angles and proportions a skilled craftsman creates in transforming a rough diamond into a polished diamond. Based on scientific formulas, a well-cut diamond will internally reflect light from one mirror-like facet to another and, disperse and reflect it through the top of the stone. This results in a display of brilliance and fire. Diamonds that are cut too deep or too shallow lose or leak light through the side or bottom, resulting in less brilliance, and ultimately value.

    Cutting style — Cutting styles are different than diamond shapes. The simplest and most common way to explain cutting style is to categorize it into the following three basic types: Step-cut, Brilliant-cut and Mixed-cut.

    Deep cut — When a diamond is cut too deep, it will lose or leak light through the side or bottom. This results in less brilliance and value.

    Diamond — A diamond is the hardest known natural substance. It is crystallized carbon. Diamonds are mined in their rough form and then, cut and polished to reveal their brilliance.

    Diamond Grading Reports — There are many recognized gemological laboratories that can grade your diamond for a fee. The most well known is the GIA, Gemological Institute of America.

    Dispersion — When light enters a diamond it reflects off the facets and the angles cut into the stone. This distribution of light is known as dispersion, or the display of the spectral colors.

    Source: Jewelry.com






    A baguette:







    Wedding band with baguette stones (do not eat!)

    Style 10151WB

    Wedding Band With Round And Baguette Stones

    Matching wedding band with approximately 2/3ct t.w. round brilliant and baguette stones.

  • Matching Jewelry to your Fashion – the Basics

    Joseph-schubach-jewelers

    Image from http://carmaworldindianshopping.wordpress.com/tag/jewelry/

    You've seen her before. She seems to have all the most fashionable clothes, the most "in step" pair of shoes and most dazzling jewelry yet somehow looks like…like a virtual train wreck!

    All of us can fall victim to fashion sometimes. It's easy enough to do. Some of the latest fashions looks great on a runway model – but not on you!

    So here are some pointers to reduce the "fashion train wreck" quotient in your life:

    1. Find that metal that suits your mood. Just because its gold doesn't mean it glitters on you. These aren't ironclad rules but for the most part, brunettes,
    redheads and grays look better in silver jewelry, while blondes look smarter in
    gold. Women with black hair can go either way.

    2. Match your jewelry to your clothing. Sapphire earrings can really showcase your favorite deep blue dress, for instance. But take some time to experiment. Sometimes really powerful earrings can overwhelm a dress. You're looking to accentuate not overpower. If you're wearing black, you can pick from numerous pieces (hence why black is such a "go to" color, fashion-wise.)

    3. Match jewelry with other jewelry. Some people play jewelry a little too safe! Try a series of bracelets or two necklaces that naturally compliment one another. Try two complimentary but different earrings. Take some fashion chances – but ask a friend first, before you walk out the door!

    Here are some other tips from the experts:

    Tips

    1. Black makes bright colored stones pop.
    2. Wedding rings don’t have to match other metals in your jewelry.
    3. Wear necklaces 3”-4” below your neckline.
    4. Wear larger earrings for a "smaller" appearance.
    5. Use proper sizes of jewelry to match your body shape. Petite women
      will often be overwhelmed by a piece of jewelry that looks delicate on
      larger women.
    6. Keep textures the same – antique with antique, shiny with shiny etc.
    7. Wearing 3 bracelets on one arm is an attractive option.
    8. Wear a bracelet with your watch.
    9. Long necklaces create vertical lines, thus making you appear taller and more slender.
    10. Jewelry is the most cost-effective accessory you can own & changes the look of each outfit.
    11. Wear jewelry to add color. For example if you're wearing an all
      black and white outift, a pink necklace, and/or bracelet, and/or watch,
      will really dazzle.

    At Joseph Schubach Jewelers, we have jewelry to suit every occasion and any outfit. What makes us truly unique is our craftsmanship. We can create a piece of jewelry with only you in mind. Take a look at our site for some ideas. You dream it, we create it!

  • Inauguration Day Fashion and Jewelry News

    It
    seems that our good friend and colleague Todd Cislo over at
    Climate
    Pearl

    has some connections with the Obama Inauguration Celebration.

    We
    asked Todd if he would be our Jewelry Correspondent for the
    festivities while hobnobbing with celebrities and dignitaries. We're
    hoping he'll find some
    moissanite
    jewelry

    or
    Gemesis
    cultured diamonds

    in the crowd to report on. If not we're sure he'll find plenty of
    other interesting pieces.

    P1000586-sized

    Todd
    Cislo at Climate Pearl, Jewelry Man about Town

    P1000607-cropped

    Todd
    Cislo, basking in the radiant beauty of Ashley Judd and her rare South sea cultured pearl necklace

    The
    first dazzling star Todd came across was the luminous Ashley Judd
    with a stunning set of rare and distinguished South Sea cultured
    pearls grazing her neck.

    South
    Sea pearls have a longstanding history of being the hotshot
    pearl – large, rare, expensive and deeply lustrous, changing color
    and luminescence according to the existing light. Full strands of
    matched pearls are even more difficult to find, falling comfortably
    in the
    $100,000 to $300,000 range (with the
    perfection in size of these pearls, we’re guessing this
    necklace falls in the higher range!)

    This
    kind of pearl comes from the largest and rarest oysters in the world,
    the Pinctada maxima, found only in the stretches of ocean in the
    South Seas, hence its name.
    The sensitivity of
    this oyster makes the cultivation of these pearls considerably more
    difficult and the pearl itself, more expensive than any other.

    Judd
    made a smart fashion choice with this timeless piece, complimenting
    the radiant quality of her ivory skin as well as showcasing her
    upbeat satiny dress.

    Satin
    and pearls – a classic look on a classic beauty on a special day.

    Here’s
    another
    classic
    necklace

    that would have complimented Ashley’s Inauguration Day look.

  • Ice Cube Necklaces to Cool Down the Hottest Lady

    Jewelry has becomes so much more than a mere adornment over the last decade. Smart jewelry can tell you your heart rate or alert you of an email or help you find your way home, among a million other duties. But one woman dared to create a different kind of smart jewelry, made initially to cool down menopausal women but hitting a much bigger audience.

    According to Connie Sherman of Hot Girl Pearls:

    “I went to the store and bought a bag of those colorful plastic ice cubes — the kind that don’t melt in your drink. They’re filled with water and you just stick them in the freezer and they stay cold for hours. I taped them to a string and wrapped them around my neck and I knew, at that moment, I was on to something.”

    “They kept the chill for about 45 minutes. And I knew if I could find a way to make an attractive necklace that worked in the same way, there were lots of women who would want one. I couldn’t be the only one schvitzing her way through menopause.”

    But it wasn’t just women who were dealing with menopause who were logging on to Connie’s website. It was women who were undergoing chemotherapy, others who had migraines, even women who had lupus and multiple sclerosis — things she’d never considered.

    Source: Huffington Post

  • US Gold Figures Show Humble Increase, Affected by Government Shutdown

    gold-163519_960_720

    What is the Gold Market?

     

    The Gold Market refers to the buying and and selling of gold worldwide. Gold has been used as a trading commodity for over a thousand years. Even today, its essential value makes it a smart choice for moving wealth internationally and investing long term.

    How is the Gold Marketing Currently Doing?

     

    Currently, the gold market is expressing minor gains. U.S. gold jewelry sales rose only 1% in the first quarter of 2019, possible due to the prolonged government shutdown.

    A recent report states that “the prolonged government shutdown hit demand in January, as demonstrated by a drop in gold jewelry imports that month.”

    This was the ninth quarter in a row that U.S. gold jewelry sales have expressed year-on-year growth, although the 1% amount is less than the 4% recorded in the final quarter of last year.

    According to JCK:

    “The higher-end jewelry segment remains robust,” the report said. “And independent retailers in more affluent and/or Hispanic-dominated areas reported a strong quarter.”

    But the numbers weren’t as good from mass-market retailers, which are “less resilient,” according to the WGC report.

     

    The United States is the world’s third-largest gold jewelry market.

  • A Brief History of Cubic Zirconia

    Cubic Zirconia has a bit of a bad rap. It’s often considered a cheap and obviously fake diamond alternative. But it has an interesting history and deserves props for being one of the many steps to smarter diamond alternatives today.

    So where did cubic zirconia come from? According to LovetoKnow.com:

    In 1937, two German mineralogists made an important discovery in Cubic zirconia’s history. The scientists found that melted zirconium oxide contained cube-shaped crystals. While this was a unique characteristic to any mineral, the men didn’t understand it as being anything useful since the same properties also existed in the mineral’s natural state. That redundancy seemed inconsequential to both men, and so they simply ignored their find. As with all scientific discoveries, the honor of naming the object or process is given to the one(s) making the discovery. In this case, neither man even considered naming their find, so cubic zirconia retained its scientific name. The world continued to overlook the mineral and its potential for several more decades.

    It wasn’t until decades later that scientists”rediscovered” this simulated diamond, while searching for a less expensive material to be used with lasers and industrial applications–not for jewelry yet.

    Finally, in 1977, Russian scientists discovered how to grow these crystals using a synthetic process. They named this synthetic crystal “Djevalite.” Under this name, they began to market them as simulated diamonds which took the jewelry world by storm at first.

    CZ possesses two traits that prevent it from having an identical appearance to diamonds: CZ has more sparkles in rainbow colors than diamonds and also has more fire. CZ is more brittle and softer than a diamond. Regardless, it gave consumers the opportunity to wear a lot more bling for their buck.

    Over the years, CZ has underwent some “bad press” because of its earlier cheap and often yellowish or greenish tints but, like other simulated diamonds, these synthetic gems have come a long way and seen substantial improvements in look and quality.

    Synthetic cubic zirconia.

    Synthetic cubic zirconia.

  • How to have sparkle, not just wear it

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    We talk a lot here about the powerful element of sparkle when it comes to gems. It’s that visual dazzling effect that flies off off a diamond (for instance) when light hits it. But did you know that you can sparkle without the enhancement of jewelry? That’s right: eyes sparkle…but how?

    According to body language expert Jack G. Brown:

    The primary reason why the eyes “twinkle” is that when there is a momentary partial closure of the lids – this squeezes the tear film (the very thin layer of a highly specialized fluid on the surface of our eyes) into a smaller space – thus this swallow layer of fluid gets “deeper” for a few seconds. This extra “depth” reflects light more effectively – so the eyes appear to twinkle.

    And just like gems, the light source is key:

    To give the greatest twinkle, light must be positioned behind the viewer (e.g. you). The source of the light may certainly influence the twinkle as well. If it is too bright – as very often is the case – it will cause the pupils to contract – thus detracting from the “twinkle”.  A candle’s light source has the advantage of being dim (so as to engender larger pupils) and dynamic. This constantly changing flicker adds considerably to the twinkle-effect. And you wondered why candles were romantic?!

    The takeaway? If you want your eyes to sparkle, be authentic when you laugh and smile…and do so in a dimly lit restaurant!

  • 22 Karat Yellow Gold Wedding Bands – Still, a Durable Choice

    22K gold jewelry means that 22 part of the piece are gold and 2 parts are another metal. In other words, 91.67% is pure gold while the other 8.33% is composed of metals like silver, zinc, nickel and other alloys. These other metals make the gold harder and more durable for jewelry making.

    22K gold isn’t a “solid” choice for diamonds and heavily studded jewelry but are a smart choice for plain gold jewelry, like the wedding bands pictured above.

    Why not choose 24K gold if possible?

    It’s simply too soft for jewelry making needs. Even gold bullions aren’t pure gold. Yes, they contain their full stated weight in gold but have an additional weight in alloy to harden and protect them against wear.

  • How to Choose a Diamond – a Four-Minute GIA Diamond Grading Guide Video

    We love informed customers. Why? Because they make smart decisions that lead to long-term happiness with their custom design jewelry.

    This quick and informative video helps you choose a diamond, with the help of GIA (Gemological Institute of America), creator of the 4Cs of diamond quality.

    Whether you’re looking to buy loose diamonds, or how to buy a diamond ring, look to GIA for unbiased diamond quality evaluation. No matter how gorgeous a diamond may look or how beautifully it sparkles, you simply cannot see its true quality. The 4Cs of diamond quality will provide you with the information you need to know the diamond’s actual quality, so that you can make an informed purchase.