Jewelry

With Valentines Day looming, the stores are full of items to buy your special someone. Lots of women will get flowers, boxes of candy, and sentimental cards from the one that they love. Many will get a small jewelry box holding a beautiful diamond ring attached with a question of commitment and moving their relationship forward.

Being proposed to is such a memorable occasion for anyone. My husband surprised me with a traditional military saber arch with him kneeling at the end, with ring in hand, and a simple question that changed my life forever. Even if he wasn’t the one for me, it would have been hard to say no to such a proposal. Accepting it was truly the best choice I have ever made.

Unfortunately, for many, the joy of this event disappears as the hype of the wedding dies down and real life begins. All too often, women forget about another important question they should have answered before they were proposed to: “Is he the one?”

All too many couples today are “sliding” instead of “deciding” in their relationships. They meet and like each other well enough to go out a few times. When no one better shows up, they continue the relationship. After a year or so of this, they decide they’ve gotten along well enough, and maybe should more their relationship to the next level and move in together. Eventually they marry for the same reason: moving the relationship forward is easier than moving on to the right relationship. But did they ever ask, “Is this the right person for me?” Often they do not, and wonder why the marriage falls apart.

It’s hard to imagine, but studies show those who live together before marriage actually have a higher divorce rate. How is this possible? I believe it is because of the way people choose their marital partners nowadays. Instead of deciding on who to marry based on compatibility and future goals, couples now slide into marriage more as a matter of default.

This doesn’t have to be you. As you wait for him to pop the question, take time to an equally important question. Decide if he really is the right one for you. It will make all the difference in how you remember his proposal ten years from now.

Is it possible to answer the question, “Is he the one?” Your heart is fluttering too fast to make sense of it, and your friends and family all are biased. I recommend looking for an outside, impartial source to help guide you in answering this question. Compatibility tests combined with an honest evaluation from you is a great place to start. Remember, you can’t really control when he proposes, but you can make the effort to ensure you make the right choice when he does.

White Gold Earrings
Many of us love the look of the expensive metal platinum. When it comes to buying jewelry for your ears, you may want to look to white gold earrings. There are a few reasons that you may want to consider white gold over platinum for your earring collection.

White gold earrings are relatively affordable. Platinum is a little more expensive. In some cases it is a lot more costly than its golden counterpart. You can achieve the same rich look of platinum without the hefty expense.

If you have sensitive ears you may have had some very painful experiences with certain metals. Platinum is wonderful but it can really wreak havoc on some sensitive earlobes. White gold earrings are much nicer to your ears. I have had to put some of my earrings away for good just because they irritated my ears way too much.

There are also many more items to choose from with the golden variety. I prefer white gold earrings over yellow gold ones because the metal works better with most gemstones. When it comes to jewelry for the ears you really want to focus attention on the gem rather than the setting.

I immediately noticed the difference between yellow and white gold earrings when it came to enhancing the look of the gemstone. My particular set was a diamond pair of white gold earrings that were absolutely stunning. My husband mentioned that the stones were not nearly as big as my other pair but something about the earrings caught his eye.

The smaller stones didn’t appear to be smaller at all. The white gold earrings with the diamond gemstones looked as large as the bigger pair. In fact, I didn’t believe that they were not the same size. I had to compare.

He was right. The yellow gold set of earrings had diamonds that were considerably larger than the white gold earrings. However, they appeared to be the same size at first glance. You really couldn’t tell until the pairs of earrings were right next to each other.

The reflective quality of the lighter gold tone seems to expand the gemstone while the yellow version encases it. If you really want to focus on the gemstone you want to keep the color of the setting as light as possible to set off the stone. I find that white gold earrings make wonderful settings for even the smallest gemstone.

Jewelry Appraiser

Do you have a valuable piece of jewelry? Have you had an appraisal? Yes? Good move! If you’ve had it appraised, is it insured? An appraisal without insurance is worse than useless. If the jewelry is lost or stolen, you’re out the jewelry and the price of appraisal!

Sadly, it’s only when you’ve lost that valuable jewel that this becomes important. When you invest in a diamond or other gemstone, it just makes sense to find a jewelry appraiser and follow up with insurance.

Years ago, a woman I know received a beautiful 1-carat diamond ring in a gold setting, as a gift from her beloved. Such a beautiful ring! The stone had a pale yellow color with spectacular fiery sparkles that shone in the dimmest of restaurant lighting.

To make a long story short, her gorgeous diamond slipped off her hand while playing with the kids at the park. She discovered the loss upon arriving home. She frantically retraced her steps, but the ring was never found. She took some comfort knowing she’d had it appraised and insured.

She filed a claim, and was told by her insurer that her “jewelry appraiser” was unqualified, and her claim was denied!

Don’t let this happen to you! The world of the jewelry appraiser is a bit more complicated than you might think. Every jeweler is not a qualified jewelry appraiser. There is no single designation of certified jewelry appraiser. There are many areas of expertise.

For example, a Graduate Jeweler, highly skilled in grading gemstones and able to produce a fine piece of jewelry from raw materials, may not be a qualified jewelry appraiser.

It’s up to you to determine that the person you select is qualified. So how do you choose a jewelry appraiser? Remember that a qualified jewelry appraiser will welcome your questions! They are proud of their credentials. Here are just a few questions you’d be smart to ask:

1. In what areas of jewelry appraisal do you specialize?

If your prospective jewelry appraiser looks blank or says “All!”, you’d best look elsewhere.

2. Are you a member of a professional appraisal organization?

If the response is “Yes”, ask if the prospective appraiser has taken courses and exams, or if it is a membership only organization.

3. What equipment do you use to establish the value of my piece?

It may surprise you to know that, for example, a qualified diamond appraiser must own what’s known as a certified diamond master set, with five master stones. These sets are used to compare all other diamonds with an extensive set of criteria and are accompanied by a certification of authenticity!

A good jewelry appraiser attends ongoing classes and keeps up to date in his field.

So you can see there’s much more to the subject than meets the eye. If you have a trusted jeweler, ask him for a referral. If not, contact the International Society of Appraisers (ISA). They’ll steer you in the right direction.

Shopping for jewelry is a pleasurable and out of the ordinary experience. Nearly every jewel is inimitable, and with a few exemptions, two like pieces of jewelry from two stores are seldom of matching quality. Due to the personal facet of this endeavor, it is also a fantastic way to bond with your mate.

Trying the jewels on is one of the best facets of the whole experience, which you cannot get delight from if the clerk is trying to coerce or overcharge you. Consequently, it can also be a serious endeavor.

An important part of the process is to be a well-informed shopper and be aware somewhat of the value of the specific piece you’d like to purchase. Go to numerous different stores before you buy. You can even compare prices online.

For example, for my wife’s last birthday I bought her a necklace. The price at the jeweler was $195. The least they agreed to sell it for was $170. I came across the same piece online for $135. Remember to do your research!

Another important thing I advise you to do is to go to several places to get a sense of how different the prices and quality can be. Anybody can call themselves a jeweler, but not everyone is. More than likely, places that have been in business for many years will be the most legitimate.

If you go into a brick and mortar store, make sure the jeweler gives you personal attention without smothering you. If you go to several jewelry stores and talk to over a dozen salespeople, you may just grab yourself a great deal.

Online shopping is another option. It is more than likely the best method of finding wholesale jewelry unless you live in a large urban area where there is more competition. You should always check for online specials, as many websites may have sales not offered in stores.

If bidding online for jewelry makes you nervous, don’t worry. Nervousness is a rational reason for avoiding online shopping, but there are many advantages to shopping online, the main advantages being selection and price.

When shopping for jewelry, just remember to have fun, do your homework, and visit multiple jewelers. A good understanding of jewelry terms and jewelry components makes it so much easier to buy the “right” jewelry when you shop for jewelry online and off. If you remember these main points your experience is almost guaranteed to be a success.

Italian Jewelry
The Italian people are vivacious, expressive, artistic and are passionate about life. Everything is art! Whether you’re talking food, festivals, drama or art, every Italian is an artist, and the rendition and presentation are beloved traditions of celebration.

Italian women are elegant when it comes to fashion, and shopping for jewelry to accessorize is almost a hobby.

Italian jewelry has a rich and interesting history and the craftsmanship is world-renowned. Come with me and see why.

Fine Italian jewelry making is a centuries old traditional art, and Italian jewelers today are as passionate about their craft today as they were in the 1300’s. In fact, classical Italian jewelry made today still reflects the influences of ancient civilizations encountered in the far reaches of the Roman Empire. Egypt and Greece were particularly influential.

Over the centuries, various designs and techniques of many cultures have been synthesized into the Italian jeweler’s repertoire, producing the stunning creations you’ll find in Italian jewelry design today.

Gold is still the metal of choice of many Italian jewelry designers. Techniques gleaned from Etruscan designs dating to the 9th century B.C. are still in use today. One famous Italian artisan, Pio Fortuna Castellani, is credited with reviving the Etruscan technique known as granulation, a particularly beautiful and unusual effect in gold work. The House of Castellani carries on this work today, passed down from Pio Fortuna. Granulated gold work is revered by jewelry connoisseurs and today’s top Italian jewelry designers passionately craft their works of art for many eager customers. The granulation technique is signature to classical Italian jewelry.

Sterling silver is not neglected by the Italian jeweler. Necklaces, pendants, earrings, pins, hair ornaments and bracelets are some of the types of adornments you’ll find. Italian jewelry has a centuries-acknowledged reputation for creative pieces of the best quality.

Even costume, everyday-type Italian jewelry reflects the creative design and vivid imagery with which every Italian seems to be blessed. Everyday Italian costume jewelry is often vividly colored, elaborate, or simply over sized. The word “flair” comes to mind when thinking of their designs. Any Italian jewelry piece is bound to be a trend setter.

Several years ago, I was lucky enough to visit Rome. My daughter and I were shopping near the Vatican one evening. The shops were each a work of art in their own right, and the Italian jewelry shops were spectacular displays of true art! So beautiful were these pieces, it made you want to eat them!

If you can’t visit Italy, here’s the good news: you can take a virtual tour of Italian jewelry shops right from your computer. Italian jewelry websites are as artful as their brick-and-mortar counterparts, with high-quality images of this luscious jewelry. Go take a look for yourself!

Jade Pendant
I have always loved sparkling jewelry. Diamonds, blue topaz and other sparkling gems usually top my list. I was never attracted to solid gems until I came across a jade pendant. Jade gemstones typically come in a variety of colors. I prefer green. The jade pendant caught my eye because it is a solid stone that has a translucent quality to it.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t in the position to purchase the item that originally caught my eye. My friend owned the necklace and I am certain that she is in no hurry to part with it. I decided that I would love to find the perfect jade pendant for me. I began my search at the local department stores, but every jade pendant that I came across was not a very interesting design.

The designed usually centered on elephants or plain, round pieces. None of them appeared to do the stone justice. I then took my search to high end jewelry stores. Again all of the jade pendant designs that I saw did not do the stone justice. I expanded my search to the Internet. I was still finding all of the jade pendant designs to be basically the same as well.

I came across a raw jade stone on the Internet. The website offers the gemstones with no settings. I contacted the website and told them of my interest in finding the perfect jade pendant. They responded by telling me that there were several jewelers who would make a piece of jewelry for me from the gemstone.

I purchased the stone and it arrived shortly after. I began searching through the jewelers that the website mentioned. I found one that would create a jade pendant for me. I had a choice of having the stone set into one of their designs or I could create one of my own. I found a setting that they already had that was perfect for the project.

The stone would set inside of a spiral metal cocoon. The metal was open enough to display the green gemstone beautifully. I received my gem in the mail and measured it so that it would lay right. I then wrote down how long I wanted the chain and left specific instructions not to drill into the stone.

The jeweler was able to make the pendant for me without compromising the stone in any way. The stone is free-floating inside of the gold metal cage. It jumps around inside when I walk. I swear that the stone moves with me. It may have taken awhile, but now I have the perfect .

Valentine Jewelry

Valentine’s Day - Jewelry & Watches For Your Valentine

There’s a reason that jewelry and watches make such popular Valentine’s Day gifts. They combine the elegance and fun of romance with beauty and practicality. In short, they represent everything that this day of celebrating love is all about.

Simple diamond earrings are traditional and there’s nothing wrong with that for Valentine Jewelry. Some things remain popular because they’ve proven their value over time. But birthstone earrings are a nice alternative. They are represented by a different stone for each month.

But stones aren’t the only option. Gold, silver, and platinum continue to top the jewelry list, as well. Nothing says ‘I love you’ like the brilliance of a gold ankle bracelet. Especially if it’s actually inscribed with…. Well, you get the idea. Get a Valentine Jewelry silver bracelet studded with jade and you’ve got a gift that will be remembered long after February 14th has come and gone.

Necklaces are an excellent opportunity to combine stones and metal to form a Valentine Jewelry gift that both of you can appreciate for a lifetime. Small rubies wandering through a web of platinum are the ultimate. But even a simple string of pearls will show how deeply you appreciate the one you’re with.

Valentine Jewelry isn’t just for women, either. But, then, neither is Valentine’s Day! A finely crafted ring made of gold and onyx will look great on that guy’s hand. A gold watchband with a single brilliant diamond still makes a manly statement.

Speaking of watches…. Don’t forget that these timepieces are still a hot ticket. You would think that with all the cell phones, PDAs, laptops and more around these days that a wrist-worn clock would find no takers. Not so. Watches are more popular than ever.

A Hamilton Ventura still says everything it did 50 years ago: style, achievement, good taste. A great looking Bulova watch can easily be found for man or woman. Rolex, Tissot and others still make some of the finest and most stylish watches around. Making it the perfect Valentine Jewelry

A watch provides a double opportunity to personalize a Valentine’s Day gift as well. The back is still the perfect place to put that intimate, short phrase devised for that special person in your life. A leather or alligator wristband can easily be embossed or stitched with initials or a few timeless words.

Diving watches are a first rate alternative to more traditional timekeeping pieces. They combine the simple function of noting the time with much more complex features like a timer, depth calculations and more. For the sportsperson in your life, they can be the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.

There’s another type of diving watch, as well: a skydiver’s watch. They judge altitude, temperature, wind speed and direction, and many more vital parameters. Combine one of these with a day jump and you have a Valentine’s Day celebration that will be remembered for a long time to come.

Combine tradition with modern creativity and you won’t have to wonder what to give for Valentine’s Day. The answer will just appear on your body.

Sonic Jewelry Cleaner
A sonic jewelry cleaner is a wonderful item for getting your gems and precious metals to shine as if they were still in the jeweler’s display case. If you want professional results without all of the scrubbing and buffing you definitely want to look into purchasing a unit like this.

I found that my wedding ring set accumulated layers of sediment in record time. I probably should invest in some protective gloves for cleaning projects at home. I also should take my ring off when I’m taking a soapy shower or putting on my after bath lotions. But who has the time to really think about this stuff?

And who has the time to spend cleaning every nook and cranny in their fine as well as his not-so-fine jewelry? A sonic jewelry cleaner is fast and effective. No matter how much punishment you put your gems and fine metals through you are sure that your sonic jewelry cleaner will do the trick.

My wedding set has never been so sparkling. I don’t remember the diamonds looking so large and gleaming even when the rings were brand new. Now that I use the sonic jewelry cleaner to take off the years of punishment I have a sparkling new-looking wedding set that is the envy of my friends and family.

I found that the sonic jewelry cleaner works on all kinds of gems and precious metals. I have even cleaned my watches with the handy item. However, I also found a plethora of other great uses for the sonic jewelry cleaner that may come as surprises to many. I know that I was surprised.

The item is great for cleaning contact lenses and eye glasses. I even put my sunglasses in the sonic jewelry cleaner from time to time. This is a great way to help you keep your lenses sparkling and clear.

I hate the idea of using a nasty old toothbrush. Actually, I used to think that a toothbrush should be thrown away after each use. That was until I started cleaning mine with the sonic jewelry cleaner. This item works very well on dentures, too.

I’m still looking for more uses of the sonic jewelry cleaner. So far I think that if you can fit it into the unit then you can clean it in the sonic jewelry cleaner. This is one of the most versatile cleaning units I have ever owned. There is no replacing it.

American Indian Beadwork

American Indian beadwork is a popular collector’s item. Intricately beaded pieces of clothing, moccasins, and ceremonial head dresses are striking, and make a nice addition to any collection. Historic pieces of American Indian beadwork are featured in museums across the country, and include fabulous displays of early beadwork using seeds, beans, nuts, shells, bones, teeth, rocks, quills, claws, pearls, turquoise, coral, silver, gold, and other things found in nature. According to www.nebraskahistory.org, it wasn’t until the early 1800s that American Indian beadwork featured the use of trade beads in the colors of light blue and white taking the place of the more primitive pieces used before. The new beads allowed Indian artists to be more creative in their designs and patterns.

The bead work of the Plains Indian tribe is the most prevalent American Indian beadwork, with the use of intricate peyote stitch beading. There are a number of Native American beadwork traditions  seen across the country, and each is unique in the beading design, style, color, and stitch used. In pieces of early beadwork, designs and colors used were greatly influenced by the tribal community, and by what color of beads were available at the time. By the end of the 1800s a variety of colors were available allowing designs to become more intricate in both design and color. For more interesting facts about American Indian beadwork visit www.native-languages.org/beadwork.htm. This site also displays of sample works by Native American artists and links to their personal websites where their work can be viewed in more depth.

Today, American Indian beadwork artists use a variety of tiny glass beads in a variety of colors, and sometimes combine them with natural crystals and semi-precious gemstones. Earrings, necklaces, chokers, bracelets, purses, and beaded clothing items, such as moccasins are very popular and are offered for sale at Southwestern style trade shows and Native American cultural events year round in various parts of the country. There are still artists that create traditional pieces of beadwork using quills and other natural items. Some of these artists work only on commission and when the piece is completed, it is a piece that cannot be duplicated, a truly unique work of art. American Indian beadwork is beautiful and original and can be displayed proudly in the space of your choosing. Your purchase is a contribution to the Native American culture, and reflects your support of this historic traditional art form. Many online retailers only feature works by authenticated Native American artists, and pieces are usually signed by their creator with verification of authenticity.

Jewelry Cleaner

I have noticed that there are so many jewelry stores in the mall and around town that they are starting to do more promotional marketing techniques to gain customers. I have heard more radio spots and have noticed more advertisements in the local newspapers. I have not spent much time looking at the deals because we patronize a small local family store.

The last time I was in the mall I was surprised to see that the sales clerks from one of the jewelry stores were handing out colorful gift bags to the people walking buy. As I approached the area a sales clerk handed me the bag and stated it was a gift. In side was a jar of jewelry cleaner, as well as a soft cloth for buffing your jewelry. The clerk explained that they were handing out the jewelry cleaner to celebrate 25 years in business. I asked if the jewelry cleaner was safe for all jewelry and the clerk assured me that any piece of jewelry would look better after being cleaned. There were directions included for the use of the jewelry cleaner.

In a different area of the mall another jewelry store was advertising that they would exam and clean your rings for free. There were sales clerks standing in the mall inviting people to come in for the cleaning and examination. I thought this might be a good idea because I had not had my diamonds checked for a while. The sales clerk took my ring and started examining the diamonds and then placed it in the cleaning solutions. They said that it would take about 10 minutes and that I could browse while I was waiting. They had beautiful pieces in the cases, but I was not in the market for jewelry.

When the clerk gave me my ring back I was impressed with how much it sparkled. I had not noticed how badly it needed cleaning. The clerk handed me a supply of jewelry cleaner cloths that can be used to dry clean your watch bands and other pieces that you may not want to get wet.

I had come to the mall to pick out a birthday present for a friend and I had run into two marketing schemes for jewelers. There was a small kiosk that was selling watches with unique bands. This seemed like a perfect gift for my friend. The watches were on sale and with each purchase they were giving bottles of jewelry cleaner.

I have never had jewelry cleaner before and in one day I had two bottles of it along with a cleaning cloth. I decided that I would include the cleaning cloth for watch bands along with my friend’s gift.