Monday, 19 January 2009

Are You An Amber Gal

Amber is a beautiful gift from mother nature. It comes in many different colors - yellow, orange, red, white, brown, green, blue and almost black. It may be transparent or clouded. Transparent tones range from pale to dark yellow, to yellow light brown. Cloudy amber comes in many colors.
Amber is fossilized resin of ancient trees that grew in “amber forests”. Through various physical and chemical changes the resin becomes Amber. Amber is unique because it is able to preserve the organic tissues in it. It is very common to find pieces of plants and insects, trapped in amber making it extremely valuable to both collectors and the scientists. A beautiful and fascinating gem!

Amber is found in various parts of the world. The largest amber deposits are off the shores of the Baltic Sea. Baltic Amber is the most sought after and valuable for making amber jewelry.
Baltic Amber has been used for decorative items since prehistoric times. A Baltic amber amulet has even been found in Egyptian tombs . Amber was also very popular in ancient Rome during the reign of Neron when: jewelry, ornaments, amulets, and even dice were made from amber. During the Middle Ages, amber prayer beads were exported. From the 16th century into the 18th century item made from amber included jewelry, dishes, buttons, pipe mouth pieces, chess sets and a host of other fine products.

The majority of Baltic amber comes from a 400-square-mile area - the Samland Peninsula, now known as the Kaliningrad region. The Kaliningrad amber mine supplies 99% of the Baltic amber. Up until the 19th century amber was retrieved manually from the sea. During the latter part of the 19th century operations became much more sophisticated as they began dredging and mining for amber. Since then millions of pounds of Baltic amber have been mined.. A small town in the Kaliningrad region has the world’s largest amber mine.

Amber has a special beauty in its ability for each piece to be truly original in nature and content. The downfall to amber is like anything organic it does not last forever. Baltic amber is known to have the longest life expectancy. Taking proper care of your amber will result in enjoyment for many years, sometimes thousands of years as seen with the recovery of jewels from the past.
Some important tips for caring for your amber:

* Never store amber where it may rub against hard surfaces such as metal or other jewelry.
* Do not expose amber to harsh chemicals such as soap, jewelry cleaners, perfumes, hair products.
* Do not expose amber to direct sunshine or heat.
* To clean your amber wash in lukewarm water. Use a soft cloth to wash and dry. To restore the shine polish with pure olive oil.
* Treat your amber like any fine gem

Where amber with pride, add it

Antique Jewelry: a timeless and elegant adornment

Antique jewelry is a timeless classic adornment which can never go out of fashion. It is the epitome of ethereal charm, delicate grace and a gentle reminder of a bygone era. It is that jewelry which has been made during and before the early 1900's.

The jewelry has its own unique character which cannot be copied or imitated. In most cases antique jewelry is handcrafted. It has exquisite craftsmanship and a very special whimsical aura surrounding it, which sets it apart from all other jewelry, however beautiful or expensive they maybe. There is an understated classic elegance inherent in the design and styling. Though widely looked upon as being something worn by only those who are older; perceptions are gradually changing. It is now also seen as a very fashionable ornament which is quite in vogue and is worn by almost anyone, irrespective of their age group.

This kind of jewelry is not available in just any departmental store or some other normal jewelry shop, it can most often be found in niche show rooms, exclusive boutiques, and big auction houses and in antique dealer stores. These are the more reliable places from where you can acquire antique jewelry. Though there are many websites online and other shops which sell this kind of jewelry; it is best to be cautious. The reason being that in many cases the antique jewelry being sold is not actually an original . Also you could charged an exorbitant price for a piece which is not actually that expensive. Unless you have a trained eye and know the difference, it is easy to be fooled.

In many cases antique jewelry has also been handed down from one generation to another and is a part of the family heirlooms. Some antique jewelry can actually be quite expensive and a real collectors item.

Just a simple piece of antique jewelry can greatly enhance your over all appearance, add to your appeal and lend a sophisticated charm to your entire persona. Being the beautiful pieces that they are, this jewelry can easily attract attention and can become the focal point of any conversation. However not every one can carry off antique jewelry, you have to have a certain inner beauty and dignity to wear it.

One of the best things about antique jewelry is that its value only appreciates with time. In fact some of the pieces are valuable collector's item and can fetch huge sums of money. They can in the long run, actually prove to be good investments.

Antique jewelry is a wonderful thing to buy for yourself, a delightful possession and also a great thing to gift to some one special in your life. Whether it is your daughter, mother, wife, girlfriend or sister; antique jewelry is that gift which lets the other person know how much they mean to you. Also this jewelry is not just restricted to women; there are beautiful intricate pieces which are there for men too.

So go ahead indulge yourself and relive the beauty of a bygone era.

After The Engagement Now What

Your minds in a whir all the things you need to do to have that perfect wedding. You begin to panic everytime you think of the planning ahead of you. Your mind is going a mile a minute with ideas and plans what to do when to do it, so many questions, so little time. First don’t get ahead of yourself. Before doing anything you should grab a pen and paper and follow these simple steps.

First you need to make a list of the things you need to discuss with your fiancée. Don’t go any further until you’ve done this. Although you might be inclined to rush out and start planning. Remember this is his big day too, and he should have a say in the planning of it.

You’ll need to discuss:
• the maximum amount your going to spend
• How many people your going to invite
• How you are going to finance your wedding
• What type of wedding your going to have – big, small, formal, informal
• How many people will be in your wedding party

You'll need to make some time to meet with both sets of parents to further discuss the items above. You need to find out how much, if any the parents will be able to contribute to your costs. You’ll need ask them to make a list of who they want to invite - get them to make the list from most important to least important, that way if you need to cut guests you know which ones to cut.

Next set your wedding date. Most wedding facilities advise booking 6 months to a year in advance. You’ll want to take into consideration the time of year you plan to get married, any holidays, vacations, or family events that might not work with your date. Once you’ve determined a date that works for your bridal party and family members, as well as yourself, you can move ahead. It never hurts to have a couple of date options

Now you can get those creative juices flowing. Your wedding should fit both your style and your fiancée’s style. Will it be a trendy wedding, traditional, beach, park?? Get ideas from bridal magazines, books, and the internet which has a wealth of free information available. Start a scrap book. Add items and ideas you like to the scrap book. Then you can use your scrap book for reference as you start to fine tune.

The more organized you are the easier it will be to plan and the less stressful it will be. Keep a day timer of what you’ve done and what needs to be done on or before specific dates. Make to do lists and as you complete tasks scratch them off your list. Be sure to keep your list up current. You might want to buy a wedding management software package or print style. There are some great choices available!

Your wedding is the beginning of a whole new adventure in life. Make the planning an enjoyable part of that planning by being prepared.

A Visit To A Jewelry Store

think that one of the most exciting times in a little girl’s life is her first visit to a jewelry store. Then again, I think that a lot of women never grow out of that feeling of excitement either! There is something magical about looking at all of the sparkling pieces glittering in the jewelry store window, even if you cannot afford to buy everything that you see.

My youngest daughter’s face lit up when she saw all of the lovely children’s items when I first took her to a jewelry store. When we went inside she felt like a princess being able to try on all of the bracelets and necklaces with cute designs and the jewelry store workers seemed to enjoy the experience of watching her almost as much. When we left the jewelry store with her new bracelet safely wrapped up she was clinging onto the bag as if it was the most precious thing in the world. She still has that bracelet even now, although it has long since gotten too small for her to wear, and it reminds me of that first trip we took to the jewelry store together.

Of course, a jewelry store can also be an extremely romantic place. Sound strange? Well, think about it. How many couples go to a jewelry store together to pick out their wedding rings? I know how electrifying it felt when my fianc? and I went to choose our wedding rings and finally found a jewelry store that had the perfect ones in their window. When we went inside we both had a feeling that this was going to symbolize the start of our new life together and the jewelry store played an important part in that.

I guess it doesn’t matter what you buy in a jewelry store they always seem to have an air of something special about them. It might be the fact that there are a lot of expensive items around and everything is shimmering with that newly-cleaned look that only jewelry store workers seem to be able to achieve!

Sometimes it is easy to feel a little underdressed, especially when you enter some of the more exclusive types of jewelry store that you have to ring a bell to be let into but I love them all the same. I must admit that I am not a big jewelry wearer but I do like to have a couple of nice pieces for special occasions and often take a look around the local jewelry store when I need cheering up. It might sound silly but maybe you should try it too – all that brightness around me certainly seems to rub off and raise my spirits.

A Little About Navajo Jewelry.

Anyone who knows jewelry knows about Navajo jewelry. The Navajo, a native American tribe have inspired and have been admired because of their creativity in the design of their jewelry and other works of art. Every piece of Navajo jewelry is made with skill and in a unique design.
Navajo jewelry is the product of the Navajo people. These nomadic people were discovered by the Spaniards around 1540. They Spaniards introduced them to many things including sheep and horses. And, they also learned silver smithing from the Spaniards. Now, they are famous for their Navajo jewelry.

Navajo jewelry is beautiful. It is full of rich colors and textures that represent the Navajo people. Not only do they make Navajo Indian jewelry, but they are known for their pottery, rugs, paintings, and sculptures. And, they are known worldwide.

Today it is not hard to find Navajo jewelry. There is no need to travel to find it, it is available at your fingertips online. There are many web-sites that offer Navajo jewelry. Suppose you are on a quest to find Navajo turquoise jewelry. Enter this into your search box and click search. You will receive a page of web-sites that offer Navajo jewelry of all types including what you are looking for.

Navajo jewelry is known worldwide because of the unique and distinctive look that comes from their history and culture. Owing a piece (or several) of Navajo jewelry shows a love of Indian jewelry.

A Guide To Costume Jewelry

Costume jewelry is often created with non-precious metals, usually gold or silver plated, and with or without beads and stones. Costume jewelry has been extremely popular around the world for thousands of years. The Ancient Egyptians are known to have worn decorative beaded necklaces and Cleopatra is probably one of the original wearers of what we now call costume jewelry. In more recent times the people of the Germanic and Slovak regions became highly skilled at developing intricate patterns in glass beads. However, beadwork used in costume jewelry is not only limited to glass.

A large variety of materials are traditionally used to make beads such as jet, wood, amber, gemstones, pottery, ceramic, metals, horn, coral, ivory, tortoiseshell and pearls. Some modern materials such as plastics, nylon and even polycarbonate variants are also used to make beads. Costume jewelry can be antique, period, or contemporary and there are many collectors of every style of costume jewelry. Venetian glass pieces of costume jewelry are particularly collectable as well as being extremely popular for people to wear.

Cleaning costume jewelry is extremely simple but needs to be done on a regular basis to prevent tarnishing. Simply use a mild detergent mixed in water to keep your costume jewelry in good condition. It is important not to soak the jewelry and to make sure that you dry it thoroughly before storing it. You can buy anti-tarnish paper for wrapping your costume jewelry in before you put it away for long periods of time but regular cleaning is the best defense against tarnishing. The tarnishing of costume jewelry is typically caused by the metal reacting with the atmosphere and oxidizing.

Unfortunately, there are a large number of people who are unable to wear costume jewelry next to their skin. This is because of their sensitivity to the metals used. It is important to make sure that anyone that you are buying the jewelry for is not allergic to nickel or copper, especially with pierced earrings. Costume jewelry may look beautiful and, especially in the case of contemporary pieces, be reasonably priced but it is not suitable for everyone to wear. For many people a piece of costume jewelry may be the first jewelry that they have worn and it is important to look out for signs of a reaction, especially after extended periods of wear. Often people will not show a reaction if they wear the jewelry for a short amount of time and this can be an ideal way to avoid any possible discomfort. You can also buy a special coating that you apply to the back of the costume jewelry to protect the skin from having direct contact with the metal.

6 Handy Tips on Buying The Right Diamond

1. Learn about diamonds
Sometimes, I just can’t help myself but to keep on emphasizing this to anyone who wants to buy a diamond online: LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT DIAMONDS! Sorry, I don’t mean to shout. But in reality, many people are still very ignorant about diamond.

Believe it a not, there are jewelers who are unable to differentiate a diamond cut from a diamond shape. Everyone is so hyped up about the carat weight and has totally forgotten about the other 3 characteristics of a diamond.

It won’t take you years or months to learn something about diamond. There are plenty of articles and information on the 4C of a diamond. Spend some useful time in the library or internet and learn about diamonds. Who knows, you may become an expert in diamonds.

2. Prioritize the 4 characteristics
There are much more about diamonds than just the 4Cs. But at the end of the day, the 4Cs are still the major factors influencing the quality and price of a diamond.

Before you start prioritizing the 4Cs, you got to know what your girl actually likes about a diamond. If she like big one, go for a diamond with big carat weight but with poorer quality in terms of color, cut or clarity. If she likes the brilliance of a diamond and doesn’t mind the size, choose one with excellent cut and clarity. Whichever the case is, prioritizing the 4Cs will give you a better idea of what diamonds will suit her taste as well as your budget.

3. Do a price research
With your list, do some price research at some of the online jewelry stores (Here are some of the top online jewelry stores). Based on your list, you should have a rough estimate of the market price of the diamond you are looking for. If the price is out of your budget, try going for a grade lower than your expectation and you may eventually find one that suits you well.

4. Do some background research on the jewelry stores
If you have been doing researching, you would have come across information on cubic zirconium diamonds. These synthetic diamonds are D-color graded, flawless and cut to perfection. In short, a CZ diamond is a ‘perfect’ diamond. It is brilliant, flawless and yet cheap. Their prices do not increase exponentially with their quality unlike diamonds.

And there are also some natural diamonds which have undergone treatments to reduce its blemishes thus enhanced its appearance. It is still a low grade diamond and dishonest dealers may try to pass it off as a good graded diamond and sell you at a higher price.

So, before you start swiping your hard-earned money away, do some research about the jeweler as well. Ask your family, relatives or friend who have purchased from the dealer. Online forum is a good place to ask around and there are plenty of sites that provide reviews on jewelry store online.

Give the jewelry store a call, talk to their staffs and decide for yourself if you are comfortable with the store.

5. Always ask for a money back guarantee
There are risks in very form of transactions, so do buying diamonds. Protect yourself and minimize any risks by making sure that the store has the complete details about their return policy. It should include information about the validity period, what to do if you wish to return your purchase and their address.

As a rule of thumb, online stores should offer you no less than 21 days return policy. In fact, most of them have a return policy of 30 days.

6. Choose jewelers who provide grading reports
Certified diamonds will come along with a grading report by reputable gemology organizations such as GIA or AGS. Some online jewelry stores certified their diamond by in-house gemologists and they may be using different grading standards from GIA or AGS, while others may not provide the grading reports. Diamonds from top online jewelry stores generally comes accompanied with a grading report.

After you have purchased your diamond, you should get it appraised again with the grading report by a trained gemologist. The grading report will be very helpful in ascertaining whether the diamond you have bought is up to the specifications shown on the report.