Creative Channels fpr Designing Your Jewelry - Part 2

If you can draw a little, then buy a good sketch pad 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. Key words 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, calligraphy books or sites that specialize with lettering styles.

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.

It certainly helps when you know someone who can draw or is even a professional artist, as one of our customer’s sister-in-law is. Designing her ring and matching pendant was a breeze. Ciara knew exactly what she wanted. Her sister-in-law with her fine sketching pencils and artist pad started sketching as Ciara started describing in fine detail the design. As the design was beginning to evolve it became more and more refined as Ciara looked on and guided the “artist”. When the sketches were complete she took them to her jeweler and a few weeks later was elated to see the final outcome of her original design—her ring and pendant.

An artist can also recreate a piece from pictures that you have collected. It would probably make their job easier to see actual pictures. As you communicate what you vision from the various pictures, it becomes that much more focused and exact for the artist to create the desired piece of jewelry.

Creative Channels for Designing Your Jewelry - Part 1

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 mixed bag 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 in certain pieces of jewelry that can then 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 or folder and as you come across more pictures just keep adding them to your collection. You may come across other designs that appeal and get you excited and as you continue to find more designs, you might choose to scrap others that you have collected previously.

If you don’t collect magazines, then your computer will be you next best source. As you find pieces, that you like, 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 pad 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.

Designing Your Own Custom Jewelry

While most consumers will purchase a jewelry item at their local jewelry shop, or on-line, there are also consumers who choose to have their jewelry custom designed. While it is more convenient and less complicated to purchase a piece of jewelry from a nice selection within a showcase, those that choose to take the path for custom design know that they do not want a commercial piece of jewelry that can be seen on the average person.

Choosing to have a custom jewel piece made has significant meaning to the individual. As an example, we have recently made 3 identical family crest rings for one of our customers. The coat of arms emblem, which is carved from lapis lazuli, is from her husband’s family; and while Heidi proudly wears the ring on her pinky finger, she wanted her three grown children to wear a piece of their ancestral history. She plans to give these rings to her children for their upcoming birthdays this year.

For most connoisseurs of that 1-of-a-kind piece, their input into the design is very important; while others design the entire piece on their own. There is something to be said about a piece that you had significant creative influence in designing or co-designing with your jeweler. You know when you wear that piece that it truly is a part of you—it is as unique as your signature.

Check List for Maintenance of Your Rings

Rings that are set with claws and/or prongs, should checked annually as they can wear down with time and get broken which will result with a stone breaking or falling out of the mount. A jeweler can re-tip the prongs. Sometimes in our daily routines and activities whether at work or home, a ring can be knocked or hit against something which can damage the claw—-most of the time we are not even aware. I can tell you first hand, it happened to me—two of the claws in my engagement ring were bent sideways, when my hand accidentally hit a wall. I could hear a distinct rattling sound because the diamond was loose in the setting.

If you wear your rings quite frequently and if the shanks are thin, they can wear out and snap off your finger. A jeweler can rebuild a new shank for you by making your exsisting shank wider and thicker or make a completely new shank.

Are you aware that soaps, shampoos, powders and lotions can build up a lot of residue and leave a filmy build-up under and around a setting? This would reduce the brilliance of a diamond or the brightness or intensity of a colored gemstone.

Most people enjoy outdoor activities—whether its sports or chores. However, these can also cause havoc for your jewelry. As an example, if you are an avid gardener, and like most people, you want to feel the soil and avoid wearing gardening gloves, you risk losing your rings as they could slip off your fingers. Also, dirt could be embedded within the setting and the stones could possibly get chipped.


Try to keep your rings in small plastic bags—they look like mini Ziploc bags and are avilable in craft/dollar stores.or their original ring box. This will prevent your rings from scratching against each other.

At home care for your rings requires minimal time and is so simple. By cleaning them on a weekly basis they will continue to sparkle and shine.

TIPS FOR BUYER AWARENESS WHEN PURCHASING JEWELRY DURING YOUR TRAVELS

You have heard the expression "buyer beware". When you are on vacation and venture out to shop, especially for jewelry, there are a few key things that you need to be aware of in order to make sure that you are safe and that you are not being ripped off or conned when purchasing a piece of jewelry.


1.Purchasing from a street/beach vendor does not guarantee that you are going to get a "bargain" in some cases people have paid much more from these vendors than if they would have purchased it from a reputable store. Also, there is no guarantee that the item is genuine. Sterling silver can be stamped 925, but could be metal. Also, the gemstone could be a simulated stone.

2.Do purchase your jewelry from a reputable store that has a return policy for merchandise that can be returned in a reasonable amount of time for a full refund, not a store credit if you are not satisfied with it.

3.Be aware of "deals". If the price is too good, be cautious.

4.When entering a jewelry shop make sure that no one follows you in or follows you out.

5.Never shop alone.

6.When making a purchase, especially an expensive piece, don't put it on to wear out of the store. You do not need to draw attention to yourself.

7.Be a good negotiator. Try to get the best bang for your buck. Even the finest jewelry shop will have some flexibility in price.

There are so many tourists that travel to destinations that are known for their beautiful beaches and 5 star hotels, but the citizens are dirt poor. You need to be very careful when shopping to insure your safety.

Tips for Insuring Your Jewelry

A standard homeowner’s policy will provide a limited amount of coverage up to a specified dollar amount as stated in your homeowner’s policy. Some losses may not be covered and that is why it is advisable to purchase additional coverage, also known as a floater.

When purchasing the extra floater insurance, an updated appraisal certificate and pictures of your jewelry will be required so the insurance company has them on file. The floater would cover those pieces if they would be lost, stolen, or in some cases, if you lose a stone, they would be covered under this policy.

It is very important that your jewelry is appraised by a certified appraiser. An appraisal certificate will outline all the details of the item, i.e. size of stone, karat of gold, weight, type of metal, unique features, current market value. It is also recommended to have the appraised pieces updated every 2-3 years because of the fluctuations in the gold market.

Imagine owning piece a piece of jewelry that was appraised several years ago with a replacement value of $2,000.00. Years pass and the value has increased to $4,500.00

Now if that piece is lost or stolen, and the appraisal is not current, the replacement value will be based on the $2,000.00 value.

Insurance companies have their preferred jewelers, also know as their preferred vendors and will indemnify you to your exact state before your loss. So for example, your 1kt VS1 diamond will be replaced with a 1kt VS1 diamond.

If your ring was insured for $6,500.00, and the insurance company can have it replaced for $5,500, you have the option to have their jeweler replace your ring or you could choose to have your own jeweler replace your piece. In the latter case, the insurance company would pay you out, also known as cash-out on the actual value—in this case you would receive $5,500—less your deductible, if applicable.

With regard to antique jewelry, which would be difficult to replace, the appraisal certificate would provide all the details and it would be based on the replacement value. You would receive a cash settlement.

Please note, this is a very GENERAL OVERVIEW and may not apply to your own specific insurer. I strongly recommend that you contact your individual agent to determine your insurance company’s specific policies with regards to insuring jewelry.

SLIDE BRACELETS - A PIECE OF WEARABLE HISTORY

There are specific types of jewelry that have historical significance as well as reflecting your own personal history. As one example, a charm bracelet, with its lifetime collection of charms can reveal quite a bit about you. Another type, which dates as far as the Victorian era, is the slide bracelet.

During the 19th century, women in England wore them as a fashion accessory. Since wrist watches were not created at that time, they wore heavy watches, often referred to as heavy hunting case watches, on a necklace. They added decorative “slides” to their chains which were placed under the watch that allowed them to shorten or lengthen the necklace by moving the slides up or down as well. Also, the slides prevented the watch from twisting and turning on the chain.

Women used to collect a variety of slides to match what they wore. Many of the slides were designed from old watch fobs that were engraved; others were set with gemstones and were very ornate. Other unique slides that were collected included stick pin heads that would be mounted on plain slides. Lucky for these ladies if there were a lot of men in their family who would give them their stick pins!

During the 1930’s, after the Victorian period, the watch slide became a very popular family heirloom. The 6-9 slides that were interchanged on a necklace were now being used to create a functional piece of jewelry; firstly as a time piece, but also as a fashionable bracelet. I am sure that most ladies never forgot to put on their watches, especially such exquisite pieces of wearable art. Very successful business men would reflect their affluence with the amount of jewelry that their wives wore and some ladies also wore slide bracelets on one arm and a watch slide on the other.

A slide bracelet is comprised of a double chain or cable bangle on to which a slide is placed. Slides have four drilled holes (two at both ends) so that the chain or cable can slide through. Many vintage slides had a small piece of cork placed within to hold it in place on the chain. Today, they are held in place with spacers such as beads that are placed between each slide.