Jewelry Blog

Gothic Crosses – Hallmarks of Gothic Design

Jewelry Adviser — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:38:19 +0000

The Gothic style stems from a period in art history that can be seen today still in churches and various monuments, such as the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. This style of design was meant to impress viewers, inspiring the awe of religion and God in them. However, Gothic design is not only seen in architecture. It can also be viewed in simple objects or pieces of art, including Gothic crosses. Another association that many may have of Gothic style is with the passing lifestyle that is typified by listening to The Cure or wearing all black clothing. Gothic jewelry is used in a fashion sense, and may incorporate the older elements of design that date back to several centuries ago.

There are several facets of design that are seen not only in Gothic crosses and architecture but in anything else that is said to have a “Goth” aesthetic. For example, ornate detail and rich flourishes are often used in the design, including scrollwork. Rich jewel tones are also used in addition to the basic black color scheme, and metallic accents such as silver or gold are often seen in the jewelry and crosses that are part of Gothic design. Shadows, shading, and a heavy, haunting mood also typify the Gothic period of art and design.

All of these different aspects can be seen in Gothic crosses. The Gothic cross design may be used for tattoos, or for jewelry. They allow the wearer to express their religious views, as many different religions throughout society use crosses as part of their imagery. The cross provides an anchor for other Gothic embellishments, and provides a wide range of room for individuality with the design. The piece can end up being as simple or ornate as the tattoo or jewelry artist determines to be necessary.

Some of the embellishments that help make a regular cross can include vines, flowers, and jewels that are worked into the cross itself, or delicately wind their way around the basic cross design. Gothic crosses may also make use of swords, gargoyles, or skulls and bones for a darker edge to the finished work. This is particularly seen in tattoo design. When you are comparing different designs and looking for that perfect piece of jewelry, think about the symbolism behind all of these various decorations, to find a final piece of art that holds some meaning for you on a personal level.

How to Make Beaded Jewelry – Basic Wire Wrapping Techniques

Jewelry Adviser — Sat, 28 May 2011 21:29:01 +0000

One of the most satisfying hobbies that you can have in terms of output of a finished product is jewelry making. By making beaded jewelry, you can have an endless supply of gifts to give to your friends and relatives, and the process of learning how to make beaded jewelry is one that many people find extremely soothing and rewarding. There are a variety of different skills that go into making the final product, from learning how to choose the right designs and color combinations of beads, to crafting the best clasp for the necklace, bracelet, or earrings that you have so carefully designed.

A more advanced skill that is essential to the process of learning how to make beaded jewelry, however, is wire wrapping. This is the means with which you can shape your jewelry in the way you want, and it is also important for keeping your final product secure. Wrapping the wire in loops can serve as the closure method rather than using a clasp, in some cases. To work with wire, you will need three basic tools. These include round nose pliers, for bending wire and making loops, chain or flat nose pliers, and wire cutters. Most jewelry supply stores or hardware stores will have these.

Another factor to take into consideration when you are using wire to learn how to make beaded jewelry is the size of the wire. These are measured in various gauges, ranging from 26g to 12g for the most delicate types of jewelry. Most jewelry projects can be completed with a 20 gauge wire, but if you are crafting something more delicate or need to loop the wire around heavy stones, you’ll want to examine your options. Wire is also available in varying degrees of hardness, depending on your needs.

The final factor to consider when you are learning how to make beaded jewelry with wire is the material that you want your wire to be constructed from. Just as there are many different types of beads, there are also different metals used for the sculpting wire. Copper, plated, gold, and silver wires are all frequently used in jewelry making at home. When you are just getting started with this process, it can be helpful to play around with small amounts of these wires, to construct bracelets or other small projects, before branching out to more ambitious projects that could require a tighter skill set.

Consider Mens White Gold Jewelry as a Special Occasion Gift

Jewelry Adviser — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:44:08 +0000

There are some men out there that would never be seen in public or even in private wearing any type of jewelry other than a wedding band perhaps. Other guys, particularly young urban males, are fond of wearing a variety of jewelry to promote a certain sense of fashion or style. Sometimes these guys wear mens jewelry as a hip hop statement, signifying they relate to the musicians and culture of the hip hop world. Other guys may simply like a particular type of jewelry and wear it discretely as a personal choice. Some men like a simple gold chain around their neck and others like wearing a unique ring or etched band. Whatever the taste of the man in your life, you can find a piece of jewelry to fit almost all special occasions as necessary.

Mens white gold jewelry is a popular holiday, birthday and other special occasion gift. If you are tired of Christmas shopping and want to get one more memorable, significant gift for a boyfriend, husband, or brother, consider a personalized piece of jewelry. If you know the tastes of the recipient, you’ll have an easier time finding the piece of jewelry you want either online or in a physical jewelry store. Your recipient may only wear this gift on special occasions. For example, your male recipient may only wear white gold cuff links to a wedding or other holiday attire once a year. Even if the gift is only used once a year, it can remain a stylish and thoughtful reminder of your kindness.

Weddings are a special occasion when both womens and mens white gold jewelry is a common gift between the couple getting married as well as the member of the engaged couple’s wedding party. Bridesmaids may get special necklaces or pendants and the groomsmen may be recipients of cufflinks or other special pieces of jewelry as a memento of the wedding.

If you don’t easily find the style or symbol you are looking for in mens white gold jewelry, you can contact an experienced, reliable jeweler online or in person for a design consultation. It will likely cost you a bit more to create and have a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry designed for your male recipient, but if it is the perfect gift for that recipient, it can serve as a sentimental and financial investment for a long time to come.

How to Clean Platinum Jewelry

Jewelry Adviser — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:51:51 +0000

If you have a valuable piece of platinum jewelry, you will want to keep it looking shiny and clean. You can spend money on a pre-packaged jewelry cleaner, or you can use a homemade cleaner. If you opt for the latter choice, then you need to mix one part of ammonia with one part of warm water.

Once you have the needed cleaner, and then obtain a soft cloth. Dampen the cloth with the soapy solution, and rub that solution on your platinum possession. That cleaning should manage to enhance the natural luster in your prized piece of jewelry. Still, no matter how well you might clean any piece, you will not be able to perform a truly professional job. Therefore, you should arrange for each of your platinum items to be cleaned and polished by a professional jeweler two times each year.

Seek out a jeweler that has been trained to work with platinum. You might need to seek the services of that jeweler more than twice a year. After all, you might find that you need to resize a platinum ring, making it smaller or larger. If you have failed to locate a professional jeweler, one with an expert knowledge of platinum, you could be asking for problems. In the past, trained professionals have discovered white gold in resized platinum rings. Jewelers who had failed to recognize a piece as “platinum” had used white gold, when adjusting the size of that same item. The presence of the white gold reduces the value of that lovely platinum piece. You need to make sure that none of your jewelry suffers a similar fate.

By the same token, you should make an effort to maintain the quality of your metal jewelry. Do not wear a platinum piece while doing heavy work on the job, or around the house. Do not expose a platinum accessory to harsh chemicals. Such chemicals can damage the metal. They can also change the color of any gemstones used to decorate that metal. Moreover, the combination of chemicals and metal can set off an allergic reaction.

Over time, you can expect a piece of platinum jewelry to develop a natural “patina.” You will want to consult with a jeweler about how you can help your piece to retain that attractive patina. This again is a time when you need to seek out someone who is familiar with the specific characteristics of platinum. This can help you to avoid making a fatal mistake. You do not want to be like the graduate student who wore her ring while working with acetic acid. She was worried about the way the acid ate off her nail polish. She did not even think about what damage she might be doing to her lovely platinum ring.

When you remove your platinum accessory, do not store it with your other jewelry. Store it in a separate compartment, so that it is less likely to become scratched. Moreover, you have dimished chances that your platinum item might scratch the metal on some of your other lovely accessories.

Silver Necklaces – Render You the Best Style

Jewelry Adviser — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:05:09 +0000

Some days back news was flashed in the Internet media, regarding the present fashion trends throughout the world. According to the report, for the last one decade or so there has been not been the emergence of any innovative trend of fashion. To the report, perhaps the human brain is failing to produce anything new so as to attract the people! Either there is the restoration of the old trends or the mere continuation of the existing ones. In this class, the most prominent are the silver necklaces. This is not a new one, even our grannies used to crave for the silver necklaces in their good old days. But it is strange that this very style is liked by generations, and even without a break!

Now, if you think that the silver necklaces are meant only for the females you are terribly wrong. There has always been the demand for unisex jewelries, or which can be used by both men and women. In this regard the majority of votes do go in favor of silver necklaces. It has been found, that many women at the time of buying for themselves also buy silver necklaces for their boyfriends or husbands. What has made them to follow this trend?

The main reason is that in this day and age, jewelries for men is no longer an obscure concept, but is an accepted one and do look quite fashionable. The silver necklaces happen to be most modest yet elegant, and this is the greatest attraction for this very jewelry to the men. It is for this, if a woman ever buys any for her boyfriend or husband, it is gladly accepted, and never ridiculed. In appearances they are neither flamboyant nor too complicated. In this regard, it can be said that the fashion of men jewelry is not a new one but even similar instances were much evident in the ancient civilizations.

Whether it ancient Indian or Roman or even Greek, the trend of men jewelry was much common, and in several periods it was regarded as a vital concept of style. The same thought has again resurfaced. Nowadays, even the men are perceived to select their own designs. But there is another aspect that is most liked by men while buying the silver necklaces. They are quite reasonably priced, for which they are not going to put too much dent in the pockets of the buyers.

If the concerned person prefers to go for gold or diamond necklaces, he will have to bear the burden. In this respect the silver necklaces are certainly not expensive, but the buyer can still stand out and give the impression of confidence and elegance. Now with the introduction of the web world and the Internet facility there are good provisions of purchasing silver necklaces online. There are immense websites where there are ample opportunities for you to purchase even sitting from home. The online companies are found to proffer discounts on these items first and foremost because they have lower overhead expenses.

Now there is another provision, you can save a lot more by the means of online shopping. Why? The online shopping is more convenient and with its 24-hour customer service and access do serve the clientele in the best manner. The need is just to click on the desirable items and by that you shall be on your way to have the fashionable silver necklaces. Remember on special days you do not have to buy new clothes to make you feel special, just put on a silver necklace and you’re good to go.

How To Get The Best Silver Anniversary Rings

Jewelry Adviser — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:23:14 +0000

If you are looking to get a silver anniversary ring for your spouse but are not sure where to shop or what to get I have a few suggestions for you. Read on and you will see the places to go and what to look for when you are planning to get that all important anniversary gift. When it comes to silver anniversary rings you have to be careful and make sure that you get the genuine article, so you will want to use some of the tips I provide to ensure this is the case. There are many silver anniversary rings that are just not up to par and you need to do your best to avoid them.

Silver Blue CZ Anniversary Ring

Before you even begin looking you need to set yourself up with a budget as to how much you are going to spend on your rings. While silver rings are no where near as expensive as gold or platinum rings, the price of a good quality silver ring can be pretty pricey. While you will not be paying for the material as much as the workmanship, you can get a well crafted silver ring for far less then you would a gold or platinum one.

Silver Infinity Anniversary Ring

There are many different types and styles of silver anniversary rings to choose from. For the most part they are adorned with some kind of gemstone usually this should be clear, although a sapphire is also acceptable. You can go with a band or domed ring as well and that is a matter of taste. Usually I like the look of matching bands as they symbolize the anniversary better then two distinct and different rings.

The silver anniversary is the marking of 25 years together and traditionally has been a gift of the finest grade silver that money can buy. The quality of silver that is the best representation of this anniversary is sterling silver. Fine silver, 99.9% pure, is generally too soft for producing any kind of jewelry or objects so sterling silver is the highest grade silver that can be used in jewelry. It is most typically 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals, this usually being copper. The term sterling was used in 13th century England to describe the 92.5% silver and get its origins from Easterling Silver in reference to a currency that was used in Germany called the Easterling. This area of Northern Germany traded with England and used coins that were 92.5% silver. In England they realized that these coins, referred to as Easterlings, were of a reliable hardness and of high quality. There are other ideas for where the origin of the term came from, but this is the most likely source.

Silver CZ Anniversary Ring

In any event, Sterling silver is the accepted type of silver to be used in the 25 anniversary. You can find many high quality rings and other jewelry made from this fine metal. For the most part this jewelry is very affordable and you can usually get a set of fine rings for around $100 or so. I would highly recommend buying the rings from a local jewelry so that you can take a look at them for yourself and make sure that they will work for you and your significant other. You may want to even take them with you so that you can make the selection process a part of the whole celebration of your anniversary.

Trendy Styles Of Blue Sapphire Earrings

Jewelry Adviser — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:01:07 +0000

Blue sapphire earrings are as beautiful as they are bright. There are several combinations of the blue sapphire as well, which can be added together or separately to make excellent hip and now jewelry for today’s fashions. The blue sapphire earrings go with any outfit for any occasions and they make brilliant gifts for the one you care most for. For a real treat for yourself and others purchase the earrings and necklaces to match. You’ll sure to be the hit of every gathering. There are so many new modern styles of blue sapphire earrings and each just as wonderful as the next.

Blue Sapphire Dangle Earrings

Spring is almost here and the time for breaking out of the winter blues and into the springtime blue hues is upon us. Blue sapphire earrings add a sparkle and shine to any outfit and occasion. There are so many hip and trendy styles and designs on the fashion markets today; it will be hard to choose from only one.

Oval Blue Sapphire Earrings

Beautiful white 14-karat gold butterfly blue sapphire earrings are a wonderful way to jump right into the warmer weather and seasons. These earrings each have four cut brilliantly pear shaped blue sapphires, two of medium size to form the bottom wings and two larger ones for the upper wings of the butterfly. The butterfly’s body is crafted of a lovely 0.04 carat diamond and the setting and antennae are all crafted of high quality 14 karat white gold, but can also be crafted in yellow gold instead. The total carats for the sapphires are around 3.3 carats. These unique butterfly blue sapphire earrings will cost about $449.00.

A sentimental beauty is the white 14 karat gold heart/butterfly blue sapphire earrings. These have a classic blue sapphire in a heart shape within a white gold setting which above the heart turns into a tiny intricate butterfly detailing in white gold with a tiny accented diamond in the butterfly’s center for an even more classical look. You will pay around $225.00 for these lovely earrings.

For a truly bold statement wear these magnificent pave dazzling blue sapphire earrings in 18 karat gold (yellow). These rare gems are vibrant blue sapphires that radiate color from them in a pave design. They are partial hoops with a domed slight appearance to them for added drama. They have rows of five blue pave sapphires on each with rhodium in black intermingled. The backs have spectacular designs of open work detailing for pierced earrings. The sapphire carats are 1.45. They measure 5 mm in width and in length 9-16th. The price of these blue sapphire earrings will be around $ 1200.00.

Blue Sapphire Heart Earrings

For a more elegant yet chic look at the office or a evening out on the town, the diamond and 1.38 carat round blue sapphire earrings are your winning ticket. These are crafted from 14-karat yellow gold and have brightly sparkling round blue sapphires of 6mm on each earring, within the milgrained detailed settings their lies several accents of diamonds in a rounded shape spread among the sapphires. The edges have a patterned v-type effect to them for even more elegance and style quality. These beautiful blue sapphire earrings have a price of around $600.00.

You cannot go wrong wearing any styles of these trendy and hot now blue sapphire earrings with any of your fashion trends this season or next. Sapphires and jewels never go out of style.

Do You Know The styles And History Of Toe Rings?

Jewelry Adviser — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 18:44:33 +0000

What exactly is the history of toe rings? Almost everyone in the spring and summer months look forward to sporting a new pedicure and a flashy pair of sandals. Add in a toe ring to the ensemble and you end up with a fabulous and fun look. How and why did this trend get started and where did the history of toe rings have its beginnings? Believe it or not there is history stating that toe rings are used as marital symbolism in some cultures and have been for a long time. There are many designs and styles available for you to choose from today than there where back then. Toe rings are a part of every women or girls summer attire, in different colors, styles and ornamental designs. The history of toe rings got their start in India. Where the act of wearing toe rings is still highly practiced today. Women who are Hindu wear the toe rings as a marriage symbolism. Mostly made from silver and traditionally worn on either or both feet’s 2nd toe.

Silver Toe Rings

Within the history of toe rings some are designed intricately and some have more modern and contemporary styling for new brides to choose from within India. Most toe rings are not allowed to be crafted out of gold as in Hindu religion it is quite the status of respect and can only be worn above waists. Sometimes this rule does get broken and then you may see bride’s wearing diamond and gold toe rings in sets.

In the start in the history of toe rings, a ring which was large could be worn on the left foots 2nd toe; this was an indication of the wearer’s marital status. Men’s often would wear there sets or toe rings on their biggest toe for purposes of comfort and masculinity. These were crafted mainly in hoops which were open for removal with ease.

Thanks to the earlier history of toe rings, today we have countless designs and colors to expand our options. They are crafted in gold, silver, platinum, beads or even elasticized bands.

Toe rings accentuate the best pedicures and the cutest shoes and add a fun and flirty vibe to you and your feet, which will keep everyone on the beach smiling.

Some designs in toe rings include semi-precious or precious gemstones, rare stones and other fascinating materials man made or natural as well. The lovely Celtic band toe ring is unique and trendy. The band interlaces with Celtic designs woven all the way around it and is crafted in sterling silver. There is also the Celtic Claddagh silver toe ring which has its own place within earlier history of toe rings and other Celtic jewelry.

White Gold Toe Ring

For more of a summer or beach feel to your feet, try one of the many designs just for those days of sun and fun. The cute gold sea turtle is a real gem; it looks like the real thing only much smaller and has a tiny ruby or emerald as the turtle’s eyes. The silver dolphin is another very popular beach side toe ring and is polished to give it a shimmering finish. There are even pink flamingos for the fancier feet on the beach. These are designed out of either elasticized bands or silver and are brightly colored and painted.

Sea Life Toe Rings

For a classier toe ring the 14 karat gold toe ring with diamond solitaire is the perfect match. These tend to be a little pricier than others, but well worth the extra cost once you see it shining on your fancy and classical feet. It adds class to even a cheap pair of flip flops.

So, now you know how the history of toe rings came about and what they were first worn to symbolize. Some people still use them as engagement rings to this day in beach locations.

Fancy Necklaces And Other Shining Treasures

Jewelry Adviser — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:43:03 +0000

As long as there has been jewelry, there has been those who crave to own the most fancy necklaces. Beginning with ancient societies and up until the modern time of the Oscar Awards, those who have money and/or high status most likely wish to show it by wearing fancy necklaces and other sparkling treats to the eye. Diamond chokers, 24 karat gold necklaces with multiple gems, gigantic rubies, emeralds and more continue to entrance jewelry lovers. Which element do you consider most important to establish a fancy necklace? Taste may change as time goes by; however our love of gold and gems never diminishes.

Multi-color Fancy Necklace

There have been many fancy necklaces worn by the rich and famous and royalty that we just can’t seem to forget. We all think of sapphires as being a beautiful dark blue so we were all surprised to see just how amazing pink sapphires look when model Dalarna wore them in a fashion show in 2006. The pink sapphire fancy necklace was made by jewelry crafter Chopard and shocked everyone with its reserved beauty.

Part of the famous fancy necklaces of recent time was one that opened eyes and was the rope diamond chain made by Martin Katz and worn by model Paula Miranda. It hung almost to her belly button and looked absolutely dazzling against her red evening gown. The diamonds sparkled like stars.

Tahitian Pearl Necklace

One more addition to fancy necklaces was the one that caught attention at a 2005 awards show. It was a beautiful aquamarine drop necklace that was made by the famous Harry Winston and worn by model Kerry Dyer. With the backdrop of an ice blue evening gown, the necklace stood out and sparkled like the sea.

Most fancy necklaces are made of gold or silver and have gorgeous gemstones in them. Gold has always been one of the most popular types of metals used in jewelry making, dating back to ancient civilizations. When purchasing gold, you will want to know about the different levels of gold: 24, 18, 16, 14, 12 and 10 karat gold. 24 karat gold is very soft and although it is pure gold, it is not suitable for making fancy necklaces. 18 karat gold is the most commonly used gold for fancy necklaces as it is very strong and is 75 percent gold. Many jewelers do not consider 10 karat gold to even be gold as too many other additives have been added to it.

Silver is very different than gold when it comes to measuring the levels of it in fancy necklaces and other types of jewelry. Unlike gold, pure silver is too soft to ever be crafted into jewelry. Silver must always, with no exceptions, be mixed with another element. For any piece to be called silver, in the United States, it must be at least 92.5 percent silver. This would include silver and sterling silver.

Sapphire and Topaz Necklace

Whether fancy necklaces are made out of gold or silver, you can bet that they will have diamonds on them or gem stones that are truly unique. One element that makes a gem stone unique is if you can find it in a color that is not common for that stone. Diamonds, for example are always thought of as clear; however diamonds have been found in a multitude of different varying colors, which make them rare.

History, Beauty And Facts Of Topaz Jewelry

Jewelry Adviser — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 18:45:54 +0000

When it comes to gems, topaz may be one of the most popular. Topaz jewelry is very elegant, trendy and for those who believe, topaz jewelry holds mystical powers that have been used for centuries. This sparkling gem stone that stands for the month of november has quite a history.

Blue Topaz Ring

November’s birthstone, the topaz is a very interesting gem. Those with topaz jewelry will find themselves with a piece that varies from a light and shiny aqua blue to a dark and dreamy turquoise blue that is known as London Blue. In many cases, the London Blue that is seen is created from Topaz that is treated with intense heat to cause a deeper color change. To have the gem appear to be a dark blue in nature is very rare and certainly would make the gem very valuable.

Blue Topaz Dangle Earrings

The gem is clear and its natural color actually ranges from a clear color, like that of a diamond to a pink, red, yellow and then the blue that we all know. The name actually means fire, perhaps those who named this gem were looking at the red variation? In that respect, it may have resembled a ruby. However, now-a-days, the topaz that is used for jewelry will be the beautiful blue that we all associate with this special gem.

Topaz jewelry is very popular for several reasons. One main reason is that it is very strong. It is also affordable. Topaz is easy to take care of; most of the jewelry is cleaned and taken care of with a simple gem stone cleaner that keeps it sparkling. The topaz jewelry that is popular today will be blue in color. This version may have been treated to produce the blue color; it is very difficult to know if a gem has been changed from its natural color. It is quite legal and accepted for these gems to be turned blue and that is one of the reasons that blue topaz jewelry is so popular and available.

Blue Topaz Large Ring

Topaz has long been used in the jewelry of ancient civilizations. Beginning with the Romans and the Greeks, topaz jewelry was very valued. This gem was mined in medieval times; although the topaz that was sought after was a maroon-yellow color. The rulers of the time would have topaz put in their crowns and was always considered to be a rare gem until the middle of the nineteenth century. It was at that time that very large deposits of this gem were discovered in Brazil. Once this happened, it allowed it to be popular and enjoyed by many. It is now found in Brazil, Australia, Burma, Nigeria and Mexico.

Blue Topaz Necklace

Topaz is considered to be very sacred in the Hindu religion, it is one of the scared stones of the Kalpa Tree and believed to ail those who thirst, give a heightened sense of intelligence and allow a person to live a longer life. In the country of Africa, the gem is used by the bushmen for aid in journeys and for healing. Long ago, topaz jewelry was believed to give the wearer an attraction to wealth and also aided in those who worked in the arts. It is said to give creative powers and helps people with concentrating. It was also thought to help wearers sleep well and to be of use when someone had an addiction to lustful sins. Now, we all know topaz jewelry to be simply beautiful and fun to wear.