Men’s Jewelry: The Bling of the Season This Holiday

Typically, we think of jewelry as speaking to the desire to add sparkle, flair, and excitement to our wardrobe and experiences. As these are often thought of in feminine terms, men tend to be left out of the equation and considered monochromatic in fashion. Yet, just as with women’s jewelry, men’s jewelry is designed to speak to the person wearing it.

For the Gents there are many options available to enhance their wardrobe and feature their style. For instance, Gents fashion bracelets, with their bold touches, are a great way for men to show off their strength. Gents rings, with their versatility in design, are a great way for men to honor their self-expression. For the classically inclined, a variety of cuff links is available to match their appreciation of tradition. No matter their style, passion, or personality, there are a variety of options for the men who choose to break the mold of one-sided jewelry design.

Fashion Rings are the Beginning of Something Much Bigger!

Not every ring that a girl wants is always the diamond, fancy, engagement kind. Sometimes, all a girl wants is a gorgeous fashion ring! There are several different categories that these pieces can fall into. It just depends on what your girl is looking for. Does she want a beautiful cocktail ring for this year’s hottest New Year’s Eve bash, or is she simply looking for a stunning gemstone fashion ring that she can wear more often with her everyday ensembles?

No matter what your lady is looking for, accessories like diamond fashion rings are this year’s hottest fine jewelry trend. With the holidays knocking on our doors, jewelers everywhere are stocking up on the trendiest and most chic pieces that are available. Your trusted jeweler can always help you pick out the perfect accessory to give as a gift to the woman in your life. They are the ring professionals; after all, so relying on their expertise and advice is always a smart move!

Another clever tactic to figuring out what she will want? It never hurts to listen. Most women are very, very good about dropping hints, and this couldn’t be truer than when Christmas time starts getting closer. So, listen up! Failing that, you could always ask a best friend or two. Little sisters are always easy to bribe, and mothers are always willing to get in on the jewelry action - especially when you say there is a “ring” involved! So, while it’s a fashion ring for now, it may be a whole different kind of ring next year!

Loose Diamonds: Protect Your Investment

Diamonds are one of the most coveted precious stones in existence today. Whether you are a celebrity flaunting your wealth or a bride-to-be, your diamonds make you feel spectacular. The best way to keep your loose diamonds looking great and remaining shiny is to make sure you store them properly. By wrapping your diamonds in a soft cloth, you are preventing them from rubbing against other pieces of jewelry in your jewelry box. This could result in scratches or other forms of damage that could decrease the value of your stone.

Since diamonds are fairly expensive, no matter how big they are, it is always wise to protect your investment. Regular cleaning is another great way to prolong the length of your diamond jewelry. Take your loose diamonds to your local jeweler a few times a year to have them cleaned by a professional. This will ensure they keep their luster and will also appear like new again. By following these simple steps, you are making good decisions that will prolong the life of your diamond. You may just want to pass it down to your child as a family heirloom. This is a time-honored tradition among many families.

Earrings Provide Diversity that can Complete Every Outfit

When I wake up every morning, I plan my outfit according to the events of my day. Some days I have to meet with clients, while other days I get the luxury of working from home. Obviously, these outfits are extremely different. No matter what outfit I choose to wear for that day, I always make sure I have a pair of earrings to match. Decorating my ears is my way of feeling as though my outfit is complete. Whether I am wearing some simple silver hoops or a dashing pair of diamond earrings, I always feel better when my face is complemented by those little accents hanging from my ear lobes. 

Many women these days have their ears pierced at a very young age. Therefore, they are exposed to many different styles before they are even able to buy a pair themselves. This is absolutely great for the jewelry industry and is even more spectacular for jewelry lovers everywhere. With demand comes supply, so be certain there will always be a readily available supply of beautiful earrings in all shapes and sizes at your local jeweler. Also, if you are not in the mood to grace the general public with your presence, you can always find a vast selection of jewelry online. From the comfort of your own home (and probably in your pajamas),you can dive into the enchanting world of jewelry. With just a few clicks of a mouse and a little patience, you can have any design you want at your house in no time at all.

Loose Diamonds and Certification

Certified loose diamonds can come in all shapes and sizes. If you are not quite sure what this term means, then allow me to inform you: Loose diamonds are certified when they come with documentation stating all of the attributes the diamond possesses, any treatments the diamond has withstood and authenticity of the origins and export of the diamond. All of these requirements come together to make sure you know exactly what you are getting and to make sure the diamond is legally distributed through a diamond retailer. Without this certification, your diamond could potentially be a blood diamond or a diamond that was purchased on the black market illegally.

It could have even been exported from a foreign country to support their rebellions and vicious civil wars. The last thing you want in your life is to know that you helped some horrible people in the world raise money to buy guns for their extremist ways. Always ask your jeweler for this certificate. It may cost just a little more because you know the precise quality of your diamond, but it is worth it. There should be a big red flagged waived if you are told the diamond has no certificate.

Non-Traditional - Engagement Rings

You want to propose to your special someone, but the usual diamonds don’t really speak to you or your relationship. If you’re looking for something different in engagement rings, consider non-traditional pieces and unique elements. Rubies, sapphires, or emeralds make stunning pieces that are often overlooked in the wedding jewelry market and multiple stones or bands that have inset stones are designs that can be personalized. Additionally, nontraditional stones, such as blue topaz, opal or tanzanite, will make your dollar go even further. Any combination of these elements will give you a striking piece that is as unique as your relationship.

On the other hand, tradition speaks loudly when it comes to diamond engagement rings.  While the color of a gemstone might do for a moment, the sparkle and brilliance of a solitaire stone casting a prism of color across a sunlight room is entirely another.  Think your decision through, thoroughly.  This ring is the one that will grace the hand of the woman you love.  An engagement ring, no matter the stone, the metal or even the value, remains as the symbol of a love eternal. It is the love that matters, isn't it?  Mmmmm, that diamond engagement ring sure is pretty...

Sneaky Engagement Ring Shopping Tips

You're sure that this is the person with whom you want to spend the rest of your life. However you might not be so sure on her taste in jewelry. How can you suss out your partner's tastes without losing the element of surprise?

Shop for other things Estate sales are a great way to do this. Peruse the jewelry sections, maybe offering the ruse that you're looking for a broach for your aunt Ethel, you know how she loves her themed broaches, and just take a long detour by any vintage engagement rings around. Often times, these are rather quite affordable anyway, and way below a normal market price.

Enlist your friends. Is another friend of yours planning to get married? Have them take your almost-fiance out to help them pick a ring. This can seem a bit transparent, but you'd be surprised what a little confusion can do to make someone open up.

Get something professionally cleaned. Go to a real jeweler and get your broken watch fixed, or borrow your mom's ring to get it cleaned (say she asked you to run the errand) and watch what your partner-to-be looks at.

Well, there's a handful of sneaky tips to help you pick out the perfect ring! Dear readers, did you have to go through any shady lengths when you were trying to find the perfect engagement rings? Let us know in the comments.

Ivory Being Considered the New Blood Diamond

As if we thought things couldn't get any worse for Africa, now a new wicked trade is taking hold of the country’s insurgent operations. We have all heard the stories. Men, women and children forced to work in the diamond mines located within war zones. Profits from stones go to finance militant insurgencies, buy weapons and pay off corrupt officials.

Now, these radical groups are turning to even more evil forms of trafficking. It’s being called the new blood diamond and people across the globe are in an uproar over it. Ivory tusks are being sold on the black market for staggering prices. A kilogram of elephant tusk can be bought for a mere $2,000. That’s nothing compared to what a rhino horn is going for. According to African affairs at the National Security Staff of the White House, a kilogram of rhino horn is priced at $66,000.

Apparently, the demand is coming from the wealthy nations of China and Southeast Asia. Elephant deaths have risen dramatically over the past several years. Increased illegal poaching is driving them even further towards extinction. Wildlife monitoring groups have been recording the astounding developments and warn that if serious action is not taken soon, we could very well see these amazing creatures wiped off the face of the earth.

Fine Silver: An Age Old Tradition

Whenever you watch soap operas, the rich families walk into their candlelit house with no windows and dark wooded furniture and pour themselves a drink from a fancy decanter filled with brown liquid. If not alcohol, they mosey on over to the fine silver and pour a delectable cup of coffee into a china cup.

It’s pretty funny to me. Perhaps I’m just hanging around the wrong group of people, but I don’t know a single soul who keeps their scotch in a decanter or the coffee in a fine silver coffee holder on a silver tray. They may have those things in a curio cabinet, but they’re purely for decorative purposes.

With the exception of church events that I do remember seeing fine silver being used at their appearance is rare. It was usually at Mother/Daughter teas when I was a kid. They really liked to make those fancy and I always got to bring home a bag of mints and a flower.

My grandmother had a very fancy set from Norway that she used periodically. If it was a fancy gathering, that silver came out and itlooked very elegant on her lace tablecloth. It was also from Norway, which made it far cooler than the norm. I inherited that silver when she passed away. I think it’s time I found a place to use it now as this is trend that really should come back into fashion.

Class Rings Keep Precious Memories Alive

There are just some things that never go out of style, especially when it comes to rites of passage type stuff. Bachelor parties will always be celebrated before a man becomes a groom. First Communions, confirmations and Bar and Bat Mitzvahs will continue on forever. In addition, during our high school years, we want to wear our class rings.

There is a reason that everyone says the years you spend in high school are some of the most important years of your life. It is during this period that you start to get a sense of who you are and who you want to be. While the time you spend in college will be more important in defining that future, it is the formative years between the ages of fourteen and eighteen that create the social bonds you will carry forever. Like anytime you break up with someone, times passes, and you find yourself thinking only about the good times that the two of you had together, the same can be said for those years you spent in high school. Time will separate the wheat from the chaff and you will think fondly back on the good stuff and what it taught. That is why class rings still hold a special place, because they serve as a bridge back to those memories.

Why a Gift of Baby Jewelry is a Gift for the Future as Well

It may seem silly that, for all the gifts you could get for a newborn, people will buy them a piece of jewelry. Some of it is just fun, to be sure, some sort of novelty necklace or a tiara that they can wear for their big day out and everyone can say “Oh isn't that cute.” There is actually a practical side to making a gift of baby jewelry, though. It is a gift that is also an investment.

Any other gift that you give a child, especially a baby, runs the risk of not being around by the time they start kindergarten. Even if is something that manages to last that long, like a stuffed animal, it is certainly going to be the worse for wear. Most of the toys that a child receives end up being discarded in the end, anyway. The only toy I have left is a stuffed Curious George. Now, I’m glad I still have it for sentimental reasons, but what is that gift worth now? Unfortunately, not much monetarily.That’s the beauty of a gift of baby jewelry. Not only is it a gift that the child can wear, but once it is out grown and put away, it will continue to get more and more valuable, so that someday in the future it can help that now grown child when they are ready to have children of their own.

Birthstone Jewelry: Good Luck or Pretty?

Birthstone jewelry has been around since ancient times, yet the beginning of the stones is unclear. With meaning and beauty, these stones signify a month in which one is born. The Aztec and Incas believed that birthstones contained curative powers and that they can deliver peace in the afterlife. Many believe the origin of the stones comes from Tibetan culture thousands of years ago and they are known as mythical birthstones. There are many different categories of birthstones.  The modern birthstone was developed in 1912 by jewelers. They felt the need to categorize stones according to months instead of astrological assignment. Astrological assignment was according the signs of the zodiac. It was believed that the signs gave insight into everyone’s daily life. Describing varying qualities and personality according to the day one was born, the Zodiac sign carries with it an astrological symbol and gemstone representing it.  Many people will wear their birthstone in jewelry as a good luck charm. Forms of birthstone jewelry include rings, necklaces and pendants. Charms are also very poplar and many mothers are known to wear a birthstone charm for each of her children.

Each birthstone signifies certain characteristics. They are as follows:

• January: Garnet - safe travel
• February: Amethyst - courage
• March: Aquamarine - health
• April: Diamond - love
• May: Emerald - fertility
• June: Pearl - purity
• July: Ruby - protection against evil
• August: Period - strength
• September: Sapphire - protection against poison
• October: Opal - confidence
• November - Topaz - affection
• December: Turquoise - fortune

Wearing a birthstone is believed to be good luck in many cultures.

Home Town Jewelry Stores

Home town jewelry stores get what you need when you need. With highly personalized focus that allows small businesses to really focus on outstanding customer service. The best thing about any and all local business, after all, is not just getting the purchase that you need. What is most important is creating a satisfying shopping experience for the average local customer. 

One of the things that really make the experience is building a relationship with the people who run the store. After all, jewelry is a lifelong investment and you wouldn't want to trust your pieces with anyone you cannot trust completely. Personable customer service representatives can help you with all of your needs, having years of experience in the field, but are also people you can get to know. Local business owners and workers know how important it is to establish a sense of trust with their customers, because it is that trust that gets stuff done. 

Small businesses are what run America. Support them by using the resources available locally instead of depending on cold and distant chain stores and their employees, who are often stuck in their own corporate bureaucracy. After all, the most important investments in your life might involve jewelry - engagement rings, jewelry rings, anniversary presents - and you can’t trust those to just anyone.

Stop Stressing, Buy Her (or Him) Diamond Bracelets

Choosing the proper gift for someone with whom you are in love is usually as stressful as you can imagine, but only because you allow it. When it comes to buying a piece of fine jewelry, everything seems to have an added level of meaning and importance. What am I saying, you find yourself thinking as you stare at the jeweler’s selection of affordable trinkets, what if I buy this instead of that? I’m here to tell you to stop. You can’t read minds, no matter how long you've known a person. The perfect option, whether you are buying for a woman or a man, is to look at the diamond bracelets.

Any professional jeweler will tell you the reasons why this is choice you want to make. It is a gift that is beautiful. No one is going to argue that point. Regardless of what type of jewelry they adorn, diamonds are always gorgeous. It is a gift that is practical. Diamond bracelets have more versatility than most other styles of fine jewelry being able to be worn with almost anything. Finally, the third reason is almost a combination of the first two. They will treasure it because of how beautiful it is and the near constant wearing of it will always remind them of you.

Article Source: http://ellisfinejwlrs.wordpress.com/2013/07/17/diamond-bracelets/

A Brief History of Men’s Jewelry

The percentage of the jewelry that is sold to or for women is astronomical. What if I told you however that wasn't always the case? Could you believe that throughout history men actually wore as much jewelry as women, if not more? I’m not just talking about the mostly forgettable decade of the 1970’s, either, when what was passing as fine jewelry for men seemed to consist of a hundred gold necklaces draped over too much chest hair. No, the world of men’s jewelry goes back much further than that.

Keep in mind that the first uses of jewelry were either ceremonial, for priests to wear during religious events, or decorative to show the power and wealth of pharaohs and kings. Throughout most of history those two categories were populated by men. The tradition of sailors (and all sailors, not just pirates) wearing a gold hoop was based on practicality as much as fashion: if they were to pass away while not at home, the earring would be the payment for the funeral.

Now men’s jewelry is more popular than ever. Visit any professional jeweler and you will see that the selection of affordable jewelry that is designed for men takes up more space than you might imagine. This isn't to say it’ll overtake women’s jewelry anytime soon, but you’d be surprised just how many options there are out there.

Watch Repair Services: All But Forgotten

Most people have abandoned or completely lost interest in their wristwatches these days. Why would you bother wearing something clunky and heavy when you have your i-Phone or other super-tech savvy smart phone? Our phones practically provide everything we need. Including the time. So shops forwatch repair services have all but disappeared.

I remember getting ice cream from the local ice cream shop after school growing up. We would go a sit in the hot sun and slurp up our homemade ice cream cones and hot fudge sundaes. My best friend and neighbor relatives that owned a professional watch and jewelry repair store right next door. Sometimes, we would go in and bug her family members. They hated when we had ice cream, because we would leave the evidence of our visits on their glass showroom cases.

There were so many watches in that store. Most in boxes and long forgotten bins strewn about the back of the store. The left over remnants were the empty shells of watches that once housed gears and parts of all kinds. The store took the parts and used them to replace others. I asked her once where they all came from. She said people didn't wear watches anymore and didn’t really use watch repair services like before. I remember seeing the out-of-business sign hanging in the door a couple of years later. Hollowed out watches still strewn about the backroom floor.

Pendants: A Tradition of Old

One of the earliest types of adornments worn on a necklace are called pendants. There are many different types of pendants you can get to spice up a necklace. One of the most popular pendants would be diamonds. The type of fine jewelry pendant could be a solitaire, heart, cross, or other designs. 

At the jewelers you can find many different types of pendants. Glass art is a new popular type of embellishment. Each design is different from the next like the variation in snowflakes. They come in a variety of colors and shapes. This kind of pendant can be worn on any type of chain, leather or ribbon. Some of the glass art pendants are very affordable but some can be quite costly.

Some people like to wear their initials or their birthstone on their chain as a more personal charm. Another type of pendant that usually has the owner’s initials on it is the locket. The locket is a pendant which opens up and has space inside. Many women wear a locket with the picture of a loved one as it rest closest to the heart. After a locket is purchased, the owner’s initials are then engraved by a professional.