Jewelry is an important ingredient of our life. Here I would like to share my views about various forms and fashions of jewelry. The trends keep changing but always for the better.
Gold costume jewelry is a bit that has fascinated roughly one and all on this globe and the lone object that will in no way slack its rage. Prices of gold jewelry continue bombarding up day by day but have slight consequence on the fascination of buying it. Gold is acknowledged to be purest form of metal and has made an enormous gist in our lives from the time when it was revealed. One of the most practical reasons behind gold being most frequently used in jewelry and stuff is that it does not retort with the human skin whereas supplementary metals do. Purest gold besides with silver and diamonds are collectively used as jewelry. An added excelling attribute of this yellow metal is its capability to figure up as preferred and still being sturdy. This enables the goldsmith to whittle gold into dazzling designs. Karat (K) is the constraint with which the clarity of gold jewelry is patented. 24 K is the purest form of gold. Pure gold is assorted with a number of other metals to make it further hard-wearing. In various cases just a varnish of gold is also used to make artificial jewelry appear comparable to gold jewelry.
Gold jewelry is also well thought-out as fortunate and is very universally used as a gift to the near and dear once. Buying gold though requires a scrupulous learning. So many new designs keep varying the trends and it’s hard to opt from. Keeping limpidness as well as variety into concern, most people buy gold jewelry only from apparent close by stores and reliable sources online.
Another most common ingredient of jewelry is Diamonds. Diamonds are one of the most gorgeous possessions in this globe and can intrigue nearly each person. Diamonds are expensive but still they are bought and sold on an incredible velocity. This can very well verify the connotation of diamond jewelry in our lives. Everyone in particular females has an allure for diamonds and consequently somebody extremely appropriately said that diamonds are women’s top associates. Diamond jewelry lift a sagacity of unexplainable exhilaration and just a peep of a diamond can fetch a smile. Diamonds are well transformed into jewelry by craftsmen and that further amplifies its grandeur by countless folds.
Diamonds are pricey and are not gettable for all segments of society but their appeal is such that they can’t go unnoticed at all. On weddings and alike exceptional junctures, diamonds play a chief component. Gifting of diamond jewelry to someone close to your spirit has been a long lived practice. Diamonds are stunning, high-priced and enduring. Precisely talking diamonds are the hardest probable structure of stone. But who cares what unerringly it is, till the time it augments the attractiveness of your near and dears.
While buying a diamond one have to think about all the sources to make certain that you get the finest designs alongside with cleanness and that too at fairly fewer prices. There are loads of trusted trademark names that deal in diamond jewelry. One must put exceptional importance on factors like shade, mass, lucidity and caret of the diamond you obtain.
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I have been collecting Antique and Vintage Costume and Fine Jewelry for over three decades. Most of what I bought was from the Saturday and Sunday flea markets at the local drive-in theater and at a once a month massive open air antique market held in the mountains near where I grew up. I never paid much, a quarter here, a dime there and sometimes a few dollars however over the years until I really became a serious collector, I probably had no more than $500.00 in an amazing collection of over 2,500-3,000 pieces.
Over the years I have collected many types of jewelry. At first it was bracelets, then rings and when I got out of college and pursued my career as an interior designer, I found pins and earrings to be practical and suitable. In the mid-60’s to early 70’s I bought a lot of colorful and heavy “plastic” pieces and most were bracelets. I just loved the dull clunk they made when they hit against my desk… well I am sure you know where this is going… you’re right most were Bakelite. One in particular is a wonderful art deco black, red, orange, yellow and green fins clamper bracelet and it is like having a carnival on your arm. It fits great and feels sturdy andit brings me joy. It wasn’t until I received Harrice Simons-Miller 2002 third edition Official Price Guide to Costume Jewelry, that I realized the bracelet is called “Philadelphia” and has a market value of up to $5,000 making it the Holy Grail of Bakelite jewelry.
I also became quite passionate for the charm bracelets made in the 1960’s by Napier. At one point I had over 30 of them and I rarely wore them I just loved holding them. I had the colored fruit, the Asian theme, and my favorites was the marine theme with seashells and seahorses. Over the years I paid between $1.00 – $5.00 each for them and in early 2000, I sold them individually on eBay for $125.00 and up to 245.00 each. What a great return, right. Well yes but a day does not go by that I regret selling them. They gave me more happiness than the monies they brought.
As I became more sophisticated in my jewelry search I began to love all things Miriam Haskell, Eisenberg, Pennino and Boucher. All of these names seemed to come with a higher price but still affordable and all quite luxurious. Then there came Staret, McClelland-Barclay, Schreiner, Dujay, DeMario, Reja, Deja and Alfred Philippe and Alfred Spaney’s extra special pieces made for Crown Trifari. Needless to say I was smitten and would never turn back. After a while and as I was getting older, I started to understand the beauty of 19C Victorian and Art Nouveau and in particular the mourning pieces made during and after the Civil War. The Art Deco period pieces also caught my attention because of their architectural angled designs. Well enough about me…
Throughout the years it was truly guesswork as to what I should pay for a piece and then the harder part came when trying to find out how much a piece was worth. As a result I found that the public library had many jewelry price guides and I poured through them all for days on end and would pick out my next piece I was obsessing for. Through this research, I found three authors who stood out as being the best at giving the right information for just about anything you might need to know as an antique and vintage costume and fine jewelry collector or dealer.
The first is Jeanenne Bell. Jeanenne Bell has been on Antiques Roadshow as a jewelry appraiser and is one of America’s leading authorities on antique jewelry. She has written many books and the first book I bought of hers was “How to be a Jewelry Detective”. This book is filled to the brim with priceless information about the clues to solving jewelry mysteries. She gives easy to understand tips for testing materials, gem cuts, hardware and findings throughout the ages, marks and a whole lot more. I have recommended this book to literally 100’s of my buyers on eBay who may not be sure what gutta percha is, or is it ivory or bone and what is a briolette cut stone. She answers them all and she even has a small pocket size field guide to take along to the shops and flea markets.
My favorite book of hers is Collecting Victorian Jewelry which is a real treat for the eyes and is beautiful enough to be left out for others to peruse. In this book she shows an amazing range of incredible museum quality pieces of Costume and Fine jewelry. Each piece is a work of art and each has an easy to understand description and value assigned. She imparts the history associated with the Victorian era and who all of the main characters were. She enlightens the reader about this period in time that was all about romance, passion and heartache. Very good read and a very good aid to the serious period piece collector.
My next favorite author is Harrice Simons-Miller. I have two of her price guides, Costume Jewelry 2nd edition and Official Price Guide to Costume Jewelry 3rd edition. What I love about her books is that she knows her stuff as it relates to costume jewelry dating from early Art Deco up to the present. Her books are very good for identifying the major players in the costume and fashion design industries. She really clarifies what each jewelry designer’s signature look is and her photographs and descriptions will give you an edge when you are out in the field. Her values are truly representative of retail in fine antique or jewelry boutiques and give the reader the parameters as to what to spend to get your jewelry collection “fix”. She has bought from me on eBay on a couple of occasions and each piece she purchased was always a little odd and unexpected, making me think she knew of or was creating a trend which others were yet aware.
My third favorite author is Roseann Ettinger. She has a series of price guides that are not only about jewelry but other vintage collectibles with a lot of concentration on fashion and the fifties. Her jewelry price guides include her “popular” series and include “Forties and Fifties Popular Jewelry”, “Popular Jewelry of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s” and my all time favorite of hers “1840-1940 Popular Jewelry” the revised 3rd edition. Her price guide covers jewelry pieces that you actually might come across and be able to own for not a lot of money. Unlike Bell and Simons-Miller who are showing museum quality and hard to find pieces, the pieces shown in Ettingers are really quite attainable and I have actually had many of her pieces that she has described. Her photographs are quite large making it easy to see the details of the pieces and she doesn’t dwell on the glitzier side of jewelry but the real down to earth stuff that most of our mothers and grandmothers would have worn.
There are many great costume jewelry price guides out there from Nancy Schiffer, Lillian Baker, Christie Romero for Warman’s, Cheri Simonds, Ronna Lee Atkins and more, but my first three will give the beginner or even well seasoned antique and vintage costume or fine jewelry collector or dealer a well rounded wealth of knowledge and pricing guidelines.
For even more super jewelry tips and great jewelry to buy, visit Vintage Gems Emporium at www.vintagegemsemporium.com. Registration is free and easy.
About the Author: My name is Candace Daugherty and I live near Charleston, South Carolina. I am an entrepreneur and have worked as a retail design and marketing consultant with many internationally known retailers and fashion designers over the past 30 years. My true passion however is Antique and Vintage Costume and Fine Jewelry. I have collected jewelry for over 35 years and own many incredibly fabulous book pieces as shown in the many of the jewelry price guides discussed above.
Since October 1, 2008, I along with three others have founded the first of its kind, an exclusive auction boutique for antique, vintage and new costume and fine jewelry. We started Vintagel Gems Emporium at www.vintagegemsemporium.com with three philosophies in mind. The first is to be a specialty boutique in an Auction Venue just for the collector and specialist of antique and vintage costume and fine jewelry. The second is to be the lowest cost auction or fixed price venue on the internet. And the third is to put the entire Virtual Gems Emporium community first with unbelievable customer service and fair equal treatment of all trading partners.
www.vintagegemsemporium.com
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In my opinion there is nothing more elegant than a fine piece of sterling silver jewelry ANKLET a woman clutching the ankle. I truly believe that it is simply because of the sparkle and shine, which broadcasts in sterling silver. It radiates the glow is brighter than other precious metals known to man. There is just something to say, without words of a woman who is a beautiful piece of jewelry to adorn the ankle, as it is through his day.
Rings gold anklets are good, as well as other materials such as white gold, platinum, pearls, and others, however, for the simple brilliance and sparkle of silver there is no comparison. Sterling silver is 92.5 percent pure and the only reason why it can not be 100 percent because pure silver is very soft so if it must be mixed with other metals to give it enough rigidity to be made into jewelry or other things.
Silver jewelry is also becoming very popular because it is a bit more affordable than gold, platinum, diamonds and other gemstones. There are countless styles and themes for anklets, rings and there is even the possibility to have custom jewelry made from the artisans and manufacturers of Jewelry.
In short, ANKLET silver jewelry is a piece that can be worn at all times by a woman and should be very good because it is a simple, elegant and classic accessory that no woman should be without. All my best to all those that adorn the ankles, whatever the style ANKLET.
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someone FINE JEWELRY as gift. There’s so much to know, both about the person you’re giving it to and the jewelry you are buying.
If you want to buy a gift for your wife, then here are some suggestions for your reference.
1. Choose popular jewelry, such as a 3-stone diamond pendant, earrings or ring. Recommend you Mirna’s 10.6 TCW Cushion Cut CZ Diamond Earrings- Garnet. Splash some color to an elegant look with these garnet beauties. They feature a post backing; a focal cushion cut garnet CZ stone, and a smaller round cut CZ top stone.
2. A right hand ring. It’s quite popular right now to wear a right hand diamond ring. They’re available in a nice range of styles.
3. A colorful mother’s ring. A mother’s ring is a beautiful way for her to celebrate being a mother. Wearing a different piece of jewelry will make her attractive and glamorous.
4. Dangling gemstone earrings. Briolette is popular in dangling earrings right now. It’s a cut of gemstone that looks quite lovely. Pick the color based on what you think would match her.
Fine jewelry is a gift meant to last a lifetime. Some people have a very hard time finding the perfect item to give, The look of delight you are likely to get should make the challenge of shopping worth the time.
Jewelry Website: http://www.emitations.com/
Title: Cubic Zirconia Jewelry, Silver CZ Jewelry, Imitation Jewelry, Discount Cubic Zirconia Rings.
Description: Buy cz jewelry online! Emitations specializes in cubic zirconia rings, sterling silver earrings, cubic zirconia necklaces and fake jewelry imitations.
Read more about FASHION JEWELRY
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There are many articles on precious metals on the web and some of them are quiet professional with a lot of details and data. I will try not to give you just another one. Here I will offer you a simple version and avoiding extensive technicality add my professional opinion on the best use of these metals in order to utilize their unique properties.
In this article we will focus on the most popular precious metals used for jewelry: gold, platinum and the fast growing in popularity palladium. Pure gold and platinum are soft metals which are extremely dense. pure gold is about two and half times heavier than iron and pure platinum is just under three times. While really bright in color pure metals are not suitable for fine jewelry because of their softness. Soft metals are easy to damage, difficult to polish, and unsuitable for detailed work. This is why they are mixed (alloyed) with other metals, in order to give them the desired properties. This is also where all this “carats” and confusing numbers come into play. In fact it is pretty simple. All pure metals in nature are white or gray in color except two, gold – bright yellow and copper- reddish pink. Now we go back to precious metals. All different colors of precious metals are achieved by mixing these colored metals with white ones.
Carat is a confusing name for purity or fineness of precious metals. It is confusing because the same word is used as a weight measurement for precious stones. That carat is equal to 0.2gr. and have nothing to do with metal fineness. To differentiate the one carat from the other, in some standards, weight carat is marked with ct and purity karat with kt or k. We can accept this rule to avoid confusion in further articles, therefore when we address metal purity we will use “karat”. Karat is used mainly to define purity of gold alloys. Different countries have different standards for gold purity and the most used globally alloys are: 9kt or 375, 10kt or 416, 14kt or 585, 18kt or 750, 21kt or 875 and 22 or 916. The alternative number which alone can be used as hallmark indicates the number of fine gold parts in the alloy out of 1000. The easy way to translate this into a manageable information is to perceive it as the percentage of fine gold used x10. For example 750 means 75% pure gold content or 18kt.
Platinum is used in almost pure form and 95% hallmarked 950 is a standard alloy. All alloys with pure platinum content of 95.0% or higher can be also marked with the full word “platinum” or “”plat.” Other used alloys are 900 (90%), 800 (80%) and 585(58.5) also called karat platinum. The amazing qualities of this amazing metal are better described in another article where I am comparing it with the white gold alternative.
Palladium 950 alloys are as white as the platinum, blending well with white diamonds and eliminating the need of rhodium plating. Palladium is a light metal with weight close to the one of sterling silver and much lighter than platinum and high carat gold alloys, thus making it the metal of choice for items like large earrings. At the time of writing, the price of 950 palladium alloys is about a third of the price of the 18k white gold offering great possibilities for large solid pieces at significantly reduced price. One disadvantage though is that quality casting of palladium requires materials and equipment, currently not viable for small workshops
The hallmarks you will usually find on your precious metal jewelry are:
1). Karat or fineness stamp (e.g. 18kt/ct or 750)
2) Manufacturer’s stamp
The karat stamp does not have much value without the manufacturers stamp because the declaration of purity is not signed. Beware; in most countries you can buy a karat stamp for few dollars.
Variety in gold colors and mechanical properties is achieved by alloying fine gold with one or more other metals. White gold for example is a gold alloy with whitening metals, usually palladium, nickel or silver or combination of them. Since the fine gold is always yellow, it is the alloy (base) metals that give the karat gold its color and properties. For example to be able to stamp an item as 18k it must content at least 75% of fine gold. The remaining 25 percent of alloy metals will determine its color and physical properties. If 8.4% of copper and 16.6% silver is used in the alloy, we will end up with the traditional rich 18k yellow gold color. If we mix the same amount of fine gold with 15 % of palladium and 10% of silver we will have good quality white gold. The constant content in 18k gold alloy is always 75% pure gold. Higher than 18k white gold alloys are not possible because the alloying metals are not in sufficient quantity to absorb the yellowness of the pure gold. 21k or 22k gold is always yellow, very yellow. The same principle applies for platinum and palladium, although these metals are used in much purer form (95% is a standard) and there is not detectible changes in color. The only changes there are in physical properties.
Now, with our newly acquired knowledge of precious metals we will probably arrive at the questions: What are the best alloys? What metal jewelry should I buy?
Different metals are good for different purposes. As a general rule (and if you can afford it) buy alloys with higher precious metal content. That applies mainly for gold, since platinum and palladium are used in almost pure form. 18kt gold or higher have distinctive gold color and real precious metal properties. My opinion is that alloys with less than 50% gold content (under 14k) should not be called gold, but gold brass or something else defining the inferior gold content. If you are looking for big bold and heavy pieces the best is to go for silver with gold accents or the very new precium (25%palladium and silver alloy developed by Handy & Hartman)which may be already on the market at the time you read this article. For your fine jewelry pieces choose 18k gold and platinum. 18k white gold can be used for heavier, thicker pieces while platinum is the best for delicate settings with a lot of detail. It does not make sense to set $10 000 diamond in white gold just to save $ 300-400 difference on platinum setting. Besides the aesthetical superiority, the security of platinum setting is immensely greater. When we come to earrings, especially large ones, choosing lighter alloys is essential. Palladium is the first choice followed by 14k white. For yellow, stick to 18k. You can never get the right color in lower karats. Then, your goldsmith’s ability to work light will come handy. Try to find the right craftsman. It is really making all the difference. The weight of the stud settings is rather small even in the case of large diamonds, thus making the platinum the obvious choice for white metal. The difference in price will be insignificant but the difference in strength and safety and quality – vast. Another advantage of the platinum studs – they could be made very delicate and retain their strength.
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For fashion lovers, just wearing the latest clothing, shoes, and accessories is not enough. Over two thousand years ago, the Celtic people adorned themselves with handcrafted jewelry made from precious metals and stones. Today, people’s desire for fine jewelry has only grown. For many, their fashion ensemble simply isn’t complete without some form of jewelry adorning their neck or wrists. While any jewelry may do, it is best to invest in jewelry pieces with designs that will be loved even after five generations. This is where Celtic jewelry offers something very unique and different that other jewelry do not possess.
Celtic jewelry dates back to the time before Christ in the form of the Celtic cross. Despite having been designed so long ago, Celtic jewelry maintains it’s everlasting luster as a fashionable piece of jewelry worn by many. One does not have to be Irish or Scottish to wear Celtic jewelry as Irish jewelry. The symbolism and metaphysical connotations of the ancient designs found in Celtic rings and other Celtic jewelry make them increasingly popular items to give as gifts and to consummate wedding vows. The intricate designs in Celtic jewelry are an everlasting reminder of the proud traditions of the Celts. Many of the popular Celtic symbols have their own meaning that are as timeless as the jewelry design and Celtic jewelry’s popularity will only grow more with time.
Celtic jewelry enables the jewelry wearer to express their unique personality. In particular, custom handcrafted Celtic jewelry trumps mass-produced jewelry any day simply because it can be tailored to your preferences. For more affordable options, you can go with existing, pre-designed Celtic jewelry that is made to your size such as Celtic rings and add your own personal touch to it such as an engraving.
Celtic jewelry comes in different forms. Celtic crosses, mentioned earlier, is a form of popular Celtic jewelry. One of the most popular forms comes in rings. Celtic rings and Claddagh rings are very often used in special occasions such as an engagement or a wedding. Celtic engagement rings and Celtic wedding rings are perfect jewelry for such occasions because of their timeless charm and deep meanings. Other jewelry you will find are Celtic pendants and earrings.
Celtic rings and jewelry can also be found made out of silver. This makes it an affordable option for those jewelry lovers on a budget. Oftentimes, these are mass-market versions of these fine handcrafted jewelry. If you are truly serious about buying Celtic jewelry that will be treasured for generations though, buying jewelry made out of precious metals such as gold and platinum are highly recommended. Celtic jewelry also includes precious stones such as diamonds, sapphires, and rubies as in the case of Celtic rings, Celtic earrings, and Celtic pendants.
Whether Celtic jewelry is to be given as a gift or to be used in a wedding, it makes any fashion outfit perfect. Since Celtic jewelry never goes out of style, you can be assured that it will match any outfit of the current times.
Article written by Tim O’Malley.
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Jewelry making has long been an art form passed on from father to son, all the way back to ancient times; people have adorned themselves in Silver, Gold, and Gemstone Jewelry,
African tribes, the Native American Indian tribes and numerous ethnic tribes have used Bone carved pendants, Animal Ivory, Bird feathers and Seashells, to fashion accessories to use as jewelry.
Today we give our Jewelry titles ,such as Ethnic Jewelry ,Tribal Jewelry ,Antique Jewelry, Fashion Jewelry and so on .In this article we are going to Talk about Designer Hand made jewelry ,How to make it either for fun or for those really keen students how to do it and make money from your hobby .
Right lets get going .You have two options to start with, you can either buy raw silver from your local distributor, or find a Jewelry Manufacture that will supply you with the materials, there is a choice between 925 or 985 in the grade of silver you buy, I prefer to work in Fine silver 985, but you may find this a little difficult to buy. For the purpose of this article we are going to choose the second option and buy our material from a reputable Jewelry Manufacture and we are going to start with making a simple Sterling silver 925 pendant with a Turquoise cabochon Gemstone.
The majority of tools needed can be purchased form a good hardware store and some of the more hard to find items you will be able to get from either a Silver Jewelry Manufacture or Supplier.
Your heat source can be either a gas bottle with extension hose and flame adjusting nozzle or as we use in our workshop a petrol bellows and hose set with adjustable nozzle, its important witch ever set you buy that you can regulate the flame and heat .Next comes the hand tools you will need a small brass hammer, tweezers about 7inches long, small tin snips, brass block 4inches by 4inches and 1inch thick ,rags,2part epoxy, battery acid, fine grade file , a flexible shaft grinder and a ceramic base to heat your silver on ,here is a handy tip a house brick and unglazed roof tile work just great. That should be enough for you to get started.
Step1 is to cut a strip of silver slightly wider then the thickness of the turquoise and long enough to wrap around the diameter of the gemstone, and carefully cut it so as the 2 ends meet tightly around the gemstone.
Step2, take your solder and place a small amount of flux on the two joins, heat the silver strip till red, apply the solder carefully, and it’s joined. If you haven’t done any soldering before try a few practice runs first, you will be able to use that silver later on.
Step3, take your sterling silver band and place it on a flat piece of silver plate, check that the turquoise still fits, then as in step 2 apply flux and solder the band to the plate.
Step4, remove the excess silver with your tin snips and sand off any rough edges.
Step5,decide on a shape for your bail and cut it out of silver accordingly, bend into shape .now solder that to the pendant ,and while hot dip the whole pendant into a small jar of acid ,rinse in a jar of clear water and dry.
Step6, Place your turquoise into you silver and carefully trim away any surplus silver. Once your happy with the fit you can sand the silver again with fine grade emery paper, give a small amount of epoxy to the inside of the pendant and insert the turquoise stone .Now take a spoon and using the back work it around the pendant to give a snug fit with the silver and allow to dry.
Step7, Using your flexi grinder insert a polishing cloth disc, add some silver polish and buff the silver to the required finish.
The principles above are applied to all silver work; no it’s up to the imagination of the jewelry designer and skillfulness of the jeweler.
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Diamond Earrings and Other Fine Pieces
Diamond rings and diamond necklaces are the most popular diamond jewelry, but bracelets, charms, and necklaces are also quite popular. In fact, diamond jewelry has been around since the days of the Roman Empire, although it took almost 15 centuries until diamond jewelers discovered how to cut diamonds into attractive shapes that displayed their “fire,” or shine and brilliance. Diamond earrings are but one way that people adorn themselves with this mystical, precious gem.
A Fascinating History
Chances are that the first diamond jewelry was from India. The tremendous geologic forces required to form diamonds exists mainly in regions of the world where one tectonic plate slams into another; the Himalayas, where the Indian subcontinent plows into Central Asia, is one such place. Loose diamonds from deep underneath these mountains have been known to appear in the rivers that flow south and westward from the Himalyas: the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Irriwaddy have all been sources of these rough, octagonal crystals.
Before diamond jewelers had learned the art of precision cutting, diamond earrings weren’t particularly beautiful; rough and dull-looking, they were nonetheless prized for their hardness.
One early example of diamond jewelry in the West was actually a crown made for a Hungarian princess well over 1000 years ago. One of the first diamond wedding ring was the one given to Marie of Burgundy on the occasion of her wedding to Archduke Maximilian I of Austria in 1477. It wasn’t until over fifty years later however, during the reign of Henry VIII of England that diamond cutting had reached a level that was suitable for jewelry such as diamond earrings.
Dull and Lifeless
Up until then it you were buying diamonds, you would have been disappointed; those early cuts did not show the kind of brilliance that we see in fine diamond jewelry today. It wasn’t until the 1800s that art of diamond cutting had reached a level of refinement that allowed the gem’s real beauty to shine through the way it does in contemporary diamond jewelry.
Fiery and Brilliant
Today, there are many different cuts to choose from when buying diamonds. Round cuts and square cuts both have characteristics in their favor, but a relatively new cut, called the “princess,” has been gaining in popularity over the past thirty years or so. This particular cut combines the best features of round and square cuts, and causes the least wastage of all cutting methods – so the gem retains much more of its original weight. All three cuts however will make for highly attractive and valuable diamond earrings.
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Beautiful Investment – .925 Fine Sterling Silver Jewelry
Published September 10th, 2008 by Fred Ackourey
Silver is replacing gold as the metal of choice in this season’s fashions. .925 Fine Sterling Silver Jewelry contains 92.5% pure silver and is mixed with other alloys to strengthen it and reduce tarnishing making it a practical metal for jewelry design.
The rise in metal prices, especially gold, have begun to change jewelry styles. Designers are using sterling silver more today because of its edgy appeal and affordability. Designers like David Yurman and those from Tiffany’s have shifted their focus and are creating A-list pieces from .925 Fine Sterling Silver
Although Silver is affordable its price has quietly risen 300% in the last 5 years and is up over 50% this year alone. Many investment advisers* recommend a portion of your wealth be in silver and gold.
Trend setters who were the first to begin wearing the metal to match tatto chic and other current styles also benefit by having jewelry worth more than they paid for it.
Now is the perfect time to take advantage of Telegaleria’s new .925 Fine Sterling Silver Jewelry Collection, it is both beautiful and an investment. Whether is it fine jewelry designs inspired by David Yurman, Tiffany, Cartier or Gucci you are sure to find a fashionable value that will make you feel good. Every piece is guaranteed and comes with our famous customer service. We know now is a great time for silver, visit Telegaleria.com and you will know too.
*Telegaleria does not give investment advice. The statements of in this article are taken from research. See your own investment adviser for what might be a good investment for you. Telegaleria does sell fine products at affordable prices. We can advise you to visit our website to find great values.
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Historically, marketers of fine jewelry have targeted their advertising campaigns primarily towards men, but times have changed. With powerhouses like Debeers leading the way with their famous right hand ring campaign, jewelers have realized that the modern woman is now the target consumer and the rest of the industry is taking notice. Men still tend to purchase the higher ticket items, but they buy for special occasions, namely engagements, anniversaries, birthdays and Christmas. The workingwomen today have strong purchasing power and equally strong opinions of what they like. And what the modern woman wants, the modern woman buys. In fact, according to the JCK magazine, 80% of all jewelry purchasers today are women.
What are they buying? What is it that women are buying and not buying today? The first thing they want is “Big” with a lot of bling. They are doing this by sometimes sacrificing the quality of stone for size, other times by choosing pieces with multiple diamonds that give the illusion of a big look. The days of women being satisfied with a plain gold wedding band is gone. Anything paved, basically small round diamonds set everywhere, with minimal metal showing is in hot demand.
And the second thing they want is color…lots and lots of it. In fact,
They are opting for alternative semi-precious stones set around diamonds, rather then going for the traditional pricier precious stones. Sales of the traditional sapphires, emeralds and ruby stone jewelry have plummeted and have been replaced by the colorful and “cheaper” alternative semi-precious stone jewelry. All colors sell and the popularity of a certain color will vary with the season and fashion. Beryls, rubellite, rhodolite, garnet, topaz, citrine, garnets, jade, tourmalines, periodot, amber, carnelian, jade, the selection and colors are endless. Pink and blue-green are always hot colors.
Not only are stones big in rings but also gemstone bead strands have been the hot ticket item the last few years. Tourmaline, peridot, topaz, iolite, jade, lapis, onyx, beryl mixed with gold beads, pearls and accented with big centerpiece pendants have been popular. After enduring a decade of the white metal and diamonds minimalism look, women revolted and the “bigness” of size and color became the flavor du-jour for women’s necklaces. During the minimalist period where necklaces were all worn short, the necklaces of today have evolved to the belly button length. These necklaces are usually 32” or longer and worn long or doubled for a layered look.
Thus the designs of fine jewelry offered in the market today are as varied as each designer’s imagination. Even the traditional industries of diamonds and pearls have had to use modern technology and upgrade their designs to keep up with the demands of the female consumer. These consumers are no longer satisfied with the status quo; they don’t want just the round white diamond or the round white pearls. Diamonds are being color treated to come in blue, green, pink, yellow, brown and black. They are being cut with names like the asscher cut, cushion cut, radiant cut, criss–cut, lily cut. In fact, now that laser is cutting diamonds, many firms are out there putting their own spin on traditional cuts and renaming the cuts after themselves.
Also, pearls are hotter then ever. Some of the biggest name in jewelry designer made their mark specializing in pearl designs. Pearls are now being dyed every color under the rainbow and laser treated to turn them chocolate brown. The cast offs that used to be thrown away are being turned into designer masterpieces. Every part of the oyster is used to make all different shapes and size pearls. Cultured, Tahitian, south sea, fresh water, mother of pearl, mabe pearls come in all shapes and sizes. In the past, the Japanese dominated the industry with their traditional akoya pearl strands, but then the Chinese, Australia and many of the South Sea regions came up with their own farming techniques to make their mark with their own pearl specialties.
Women today want fashionable jewelry, they follow not only the fashion runway trends, but also their fashion icons. A diamond circle of life necklace worn by an icon such as Oprah Winfrey can start a major frenzy that can last up to 3 years. Women want versatility in their jewelry. They want jewelry they can wear to the office as well as go out to dinner and just plain live in. They want anything that gives her a feeling of change from day to night or that she can color coordinate with different outfits.
So whether it is a ring, earring, bracelet or necklace, it is all desired as long as it is accented with diamonds, stones or pearls. The price point that woman buy for themselves is still a lot less then what men spend on average, but there is something to be said about volume sales. Also where men have usually purchased traditional designs, women have forced the jewelry industry to evolve and revolutionize in a short period of time. This is the power of what women want.
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