Pairing Gold with Silver Equals Affordability

With the soaring price of gold and no indication that the prices will go down, prices have only escalated on jewelry. This translates into hesitation in purchasing gold jewelry since your buying power may be more limited.

An option that I would like to suggest and for you to consider, if you are looking to acquire a quality piece of jewelry with a limited budget, is to look at silver/gold combined jewelry.

Aesthetically it is a very attractive and a classy combination and also very practical since you can wear your existing gold and silver jewelry together with it. If you strictly wear white gold jewelry then this is a win-win combination since it will look like so natural beside your silver jewelry, as well, the accenting gold can also be white. You can choose which ever carat and color of gold you would like combined.

In our jewelry combinations, we use 9kt - 10kt gold because it keeps the price down. We also use pink gold since we find this color so attractive and alluring beside silver. The cool and sleek look of silver beside the warm and elegant glow of pink has such an appealing and elegant look together.

Most importantly, the AFFORDABILITY factor is the KEY reason for the co-blending of these two beautiful metals. The same gemstone gold ring can cost you hundreds more, say for example $450.00, while its alternative can cost you $150.00.

You see, purchasing a quality piece of jewelry can be quite affordable with a little ingenuity, leaving you with a nice chunk of change in your bank account :)

I welcome any inquiries or questions.

Stay in the positive,

Baya
http://www.eternalfinejewels.rubylane.com/
http://www.artisanjewelshop.com/

Designing Your Own Custom Piece of Jewelry

How often I have heard "I know in my imagination what I want, I can picture it, but I can't get it down on paper".

This is a pretty common expression by consumers who desire to design a custom piece of jewelry for themselves. They try sketching and then when they hit a roadblock, get frustrated and give up all attempts at creating their dream jewel.

Well I have good news; you do not need to be an artist to be inspired. You need creative channels to inspire you towards the end result, which is your ideal custom design special piece.

So where do you begin, where is the starting point?

Look through fashion and jewelry magazines. You may notice a certain setting that is exactly what you want, while in another publication, you may see the right shank - call it a hodge podge of designs or as my Hungarian background would say, a good goulash.

In other words, you can see bits and pieces of features that appeal to you and can be executed into one design.

I can tell you one thing, designing the specific piece is not done overnight, it can take weeks, months and even years.

As you begin to cut out pictures, store them in a scrap book and as you come across more pictures just keep adding them to your collection. Other designs may appeal to you and you may change your mind numerous times.

If you don't collect magazines, then your computer will be your other best source. As you find pieces that appeal to you, bookmark them or print them up.

Let's say you are interested in a sporty ring. Google, "sporty rings", it will yield multitudes of pages which you can print up and collect.

Has your library card been gathering some dust? You will have a pleasant surprise when you visit your local library and see their collection of books on jewelry.

You have to decide what style, type and era of jewelry you are looking for. If you want your jewelry to be inspired from a certain time period, you may explore books that focus on a certain genre or style, i.e. Modernistic, Art Deco or Victorian.

Carrying a small camera or your phone's camera can often capture the right picture at the perfect moment.

You may see a person wearing an extraordinary piece of jewelry, or you may pass a jewelry shop window and see a piece that attracts you - you can instantly capture it all with a single click. Your camera can also capture images of objects, animals, foliage, landscapes - anything that can inspire a shape, theme or color.

If you travel to different countries you can be influenced by their own jewelry designs. So many countries have their own distinctive design concepts - you will definitely want to capture those on film.

Now if you can draw a little, then buy a good sketch paid and when a creative moment strikes you, fill that pad with shapes and textures. You may have bursts of ingenious creativity use those moments passionately and let the creativity in you flow.

Carry a small notebook with you because you never known when a creative idea hits you - it can be a thought, image or a word.

Think of words that are associated with the theme or type of jewelry you wish to have designed. Descriptive words evoke images, patterns, shapes and shades.

As an example, if you are a boater, the words associated with that are speed, nautical, adventurous, waves, compass and buoys.

Keywords that would describe a swimmer include wind, water, athletic, strength and endurance, movement, flowing and graceful. When you look at these words, you can visualize shapes, lines and textures which can be incorporated into your design.

If you are looking at designing an initial, name, or expression, look at various types of fonts or calligraphy books or sites.

When you are researching the area / subject that focuses on your jewelry, pull out detailed information, choosing only the most significant feature(s) so that as the design evolves, it becomes that much more exact and detailed.

You have a starting point from which to begin; from there you can add, take away, substitute, analyze until it is the way you vision it.

If you wish to explore this topic any further, or have any questions, please email me at anytime.
Have fun!

Collecting Vintage/Antique Jewelry

While contemporary and modern jewelry have their own unique beauty, antique and vintage jewelry have their own characteristics, designs from their era, uniqueness and sentimentaity.

There are many reasons why people wear vintage jewelry; perhaps they inherited it, it has sentimental value, they are drawn to the design of a certain era, i.e. Art Deco, they are looking for unusual pieces, they want to own and wear a piece of history, etc. Many collector's feel a connection to their family history. There are those that only collect a certain type of jewelry, i.e. watches, rings, lavalieres because they might have a favorite maker or designer.

There are those collector's who will travel, within reason of course, to find or acquire the right piece. So often there are vintage/antique markets located out of town, auctions where you will see the "regulars" week by week, month by month, year by year--depending how often they have events or are open.

A recent comment I heard from a lady about her passion for collecting antique jewelry was because it gave her the chance to express her unique personality. She said that her jewelry collection represented her.

Quite often when one inherits or is given a piece of jewelry from the past, this is the beginning of their collection, especially when they truly adore the piece. Others just discover it on chance. It could be as simple as walking by a jewelry store that has an estate section, a piece captures your eye and you are hooked.

With today's high price of gold, investing in an heirloom piece is wise, since the value will go up with time. Do your homework before purchasing an expensive piece. Make sure the the gemstone and metal are in good condition, that there are maker's markings, karat markings. Ask for a professional appraisal.

Any questions, my pleasure to answer them.

A List of the Unique Facts About the Victorian Jewelry Period

The period for the Victorian Jewelry Era spans approximately 60 years (1837-1901). It also has three different periods - Early, Mid and Late Victorian. Named Victorian, after Queen Victoria of England during her 60 years as the ruler of England. She loved her jewelry and loved designing her own.

During the EARLY VICTORIAN era when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were married, sentimental jewelry such as lockets and jewelry made of human hair were very popular. Engagement rings given during this era, were not diamonds,but were gemstones that represented a bride's month of birth. Snake jewelry, such as rings and bracelets represented fidelity and love. Their love for Scotland, popularized Scottish jewelry in England.

After Prince Albert's death, Queen Victoria went into a very deep mourning period that lasted 40 years, during the MID VICTORIAN era, mourning jewelry became popular made from jet, dark oak and other dark materials. Many forms of jewelry were made from these materials--cameos, brooches, bracelets, necklaces.

During the LATE VICTORIAN Period multi colored gemstones made a big comeback as well as gold jewelry. Bangle bracelets that were engraved became quite popular to wear. Whimsical jewelry became popular, as well as nature jewels such as butterflies, flowers. As well, crescent moons and stars set with seed pearls and worn as brooches became very popular. Diamonds were set in many pieces of jewelry for that added sparkle.

Check it Out - Classic Jewels Mixed With Contemporary Jewels

When you open your jewelry case, do you come across some sentimental older pieces of jewelry that once belonged to a grandparent and you were fortunate to receive it as an heirloom keepsake? Vintage and antique jewelry have their own unique styles and designs that were significant to their era. I personally love the Art Deco and Victorian periods.

The beauty of these older treasures is that they are sought after today as they were back in their time. In other words, people are always on the lookout for quality vintage/antique pieces. The pieces may be gold, silver, gold filled, metal–but you can do so much by combining them with your contemporary jewelry.

A classic example is how you can take a gentlemen’s watch chain and depending on length, you could wrap it around your neck as a unique necklace, or wrap it around your wrist as a bracelet. Either way you wear it, you could combine any contemporary jewelry with it and it would look absolutely classic.

Your wedding band and engagement ring on one hand, would be very complimenting with a vintage or antique ring on your other hand. If you like to wear multiple earrings, you could wear a small stud combined with an older pair of earrings. Imagine a simple little diamond stud with a beautiful antique chandelier style earring. A classic watch worn with a simple link bracelet beside it is a beautiful combination.

Mix and match and have fun, be creative and you will see the diversity you can create from your own collection. The ideas are endless, the imagination immeasurable.