When in doubt…

A black cocktail dress with a fabulous pair of earrings is always appropriate for an evening out. Drawing from Audrey Hepburn and the glamour of the 1950s, keep it simple and elegant.

The earrings can also set the tone for the outfit; the same black dress could be worn with 1950s style platinum and diamonds cluster earrings for a night on the town, or dressed down a bit with large shell ear clips reminiscent of Seaman Schepps designs. Oversized yellow gold ear clips always make a cheerful statement. Keep it simple…keep it fabulous!

Do You See Red?

Red is a very emotionally charged color. It is the color of fire, but also of love and passion. Rubies have every bit of the allure as the color they bear.

Rubies are a variety of the corundum species, the same as sapphire, so they are relatively durable, scoring a 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness (diamond scores a 10). Rubies are red, ranging in color from an orangy-red to a purplish-red. The very finest rubies come from Burma, although the US government has put a trade ban on these stones. These are the stones that earned the now outdated, but descriptive, term “Pigeon Blood Red”. Rubies are also found in Thailand, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and parts of Africa.

Throughout history Kings, Queens and even the King of Diamonds, Harry Winston, have sought to assemble and exhibit the finest color rubies. Red has long symbolized courage, which is why is present in many national flags; and energy, which are the pure emotions drawn from the color itself. Red jewelry is very vibrant and attracts attention. Rubies “pop” right out of a piece when put next to diamonds.

So, if your red nails are not enough, why not invest in a ruby that will be a showstopper for generations to come.

Add Some Victorian Style to Your Jewelry Box

Bangle bracelets were as popular with the Victorians as they are today! While everyone is wearing them, be the one to wear the one that no one else has! Victorian bracelets were often sold in pairs; today in the estate market it is more difficult to find the pairs still together. Predominately yellow gold, bracelets can be found with fabulous Etruscan revival style applied gold beading and wire twist work, a unique cameo or a micro mosaic depicting a Roman scene or simple black enamel accents. Wearing Victorian jewelry today is fun, and believe it or not…fashion forward.

For more Victorian inspired jewelry fashion check out “Town and Country” magazine September 2008 article “Snake Charmers” to see Victorian-style snake rings for Fall.

Wow them with Your Necklace!

The statement-making necklace is here to stay, and you have many options to find the style that best suits you and your wardrobe. Today anything goes whether you prefer a chunky gold neck chain, a long fancy link chain, and whether you want to incorporate gemstones into your neckpiece.

Several things to consider when choosing a necklace: is there a certain type of neckline that you prefer? Are there colors that you wear more than others? And are you casual, business or dressy? …not that you can’t or shouldn’t be all three. Many designers are coming up with lines that can be versatile or may have different shapes or styles in each line.

A fabulous example of this is the fresh Florentine designer Marco Bicego, who incorporates color and dimension into all of his neckpieces. Shown here is a necklace from the Jaipur Collection. His lines offer a great choice in color and form, from peridot to amethyst to pink tourmaline and bib-styles to longer, almost ruffle-like combinations of gemstones and gold beads. His designs are unique, but all-around wearable.

Pearls

All pearls, whether natural, cultured from salt water or fresh are created in the same way. Natural Pearls are formed inside a mussel shell, or mollusk, where an irritant, such as a parasite, has entered the body and the mollusk secrets nacre to cover the irritation, making it therefore less irritating. Cultured pearls are formed in the same manner, but the irritant, generally a bead is placed in the mussel shell intentionally. The bead is obviously larger than a parasite, making the process much faster.

Natural Pearls are very rare and therefore quite costly. Occasionally pieces with natural pearls come up at auction, like the Baroda Pearls sold in April 2007 at Christie’s in New York. The historic two-strand natural pearl necklace of 68 pearls, ranging in size from approximately 9.47mm to 16.04mm, with a diamond clasp by Cartier, en suite with a pair of ear pendants, brooch and ring fetched $7,096,000!!! This price set a world auction record for pearls.

In general, when we refer to pearls as a contemporary jewelry item, the pearls are cultured. The price of these pearls takes into consideration several different factors, all of which are based on rarity. Simply put, the more “perfect” the pearl, the more rare it is and the price is higher. Pearls are valued upon their size, the larger the better. Round (spherical) pearls are considered the best shape. The shapes can be described as round, near round all the way to baroque, completely out of round and symmetry. Pearls can be found in almost any color of the rainbow, but the most common colors are neutrals. There are also several surface quality criteria, which examine the thickness of the nacre of the pearl and how perfect or imperfect the condition is. Finally, and perhaps most important, the pearls in any piece of jewelry should be well match. This is important for the look and the long-term value of the jewelry.

Saltwater pearls are primarily a product of Japan, and range in size from 6-10 mm, the average being the most common. South Sea pearls, cultivated mainly in Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines, are also saltwater pearls and are generally from 8-15mm in diameter. Tahitian pearls are cultivated primarily on the islands of French Polynesia, and range in size from 8-14mm.

Today freshwater pearls come mainly from China, and can be found in a large range of shape sizes and colors. Over the past few years the Chinese have been producing larger and rounder freshwater pearls.

**This section is based upon the Gemological Institute of America’s pearl grading system.

Should You Insure Your Jewelry?

Yes. While most jewelry has high sentimental value, it also has intrinsic value, and once the shock of loosing or damaging a favorite piece has passed you will want to replace it. Most insurance companies will require that a graduate gemologist appraise your jewelry, diamonds over 3cts. should be plotted, and taking pictures is always a good idea. Some homeowner’s policies give the policyholder the option of adding personal property as a rider. Other insurance companies, like Jewelers Mutual will write a policy for your jewelry alone; for more information visit www.jewelersmutual.com. Most fine jewelry stores offer appraisal services. The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers is the only appraisal organization dedicated solely to jewelry. For a list of member appraisers in your area visit www.najaappraisers.com

Victorian Jewelry

The reign of Queen Victoria lasted from 1837 to 1901; and various styles are associated with the long reign of Queen Victoria. Parurers, or matching suites of jewelry, remained a constant throughout the period, although later giving way to smaller demi-parurers. These often contained a necklace, drop earrings, brooch and a bracelet or two. Victoria’s reign can be divided in to early, mid, and late for fashion influences in jewelry.

Early Victorian jewelry can be referred to as the Romantic period. Throughout this period the jewelry was primarily composed of yellow gold, hardstones and semi-precious gemstones. Coral, cameos, turquoise, seed pearls and garnets are prevalent in the early Victorian period.

The mid-Victorian period is marked by the death of Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert; in 1861 a twenty-year period of mourning jewelry was begun. During this period black material such as jet, gutta percha and black enamel were greatly used in jewelry. Pietra dura and micro mosaics were very popular. Various motifs of applied gold embellishments on jewelry were influenced by different revivals, including Etruscan, Egyptian and Renaissance.

In late Victorian jewelry we begin to see the introduction of white metal, initially silver topped gold and later platinum. Jewelry is set with diamonds and lighter colored stones in general including moonstones and sapphires. Designs become lighter and more delicate. Finally in 1896, we see the addition of beautiful, delicate enamel pieces to commemorate the Jubilee of Victoria’s Coronation.