Finding the Right Ones - Gemstones

Gemstones embody life force like us, the earth is enlivened by life force. Accordingly, gemstones are identified by the same scientific methods as minerals. Gemstones radiate their life force with great power.

Gemstones are great at keeping their value, a necklace, earrings, brooches, lockets, even small charms are excellent ways to pass wealth from generation to generation--becoming estate jewelry then antique jewelry.

A range of scientific instruments has been devised especially for testing gemstones. Gemstones and gemstone beads add an unusual glance to all types of jewelry like silver jewelry as well as diamond jewelry etc.

Gemstone pendants can be worn with a neck wire, chain, or a complimentary matching necklace. The pendants are very eye catching and can accent any costume. It is always an adventure to handcraft pendants from gemstone cabochons or donuts to see the interaction of the silver or other metals with the colors of the stones. Matching earrings are available for any handmade gemstone pendant.

Why are some gemstones like ruby and emerald, red and green, yet diamond is colorless. As with many things in life, when it comes to gemstones, looks can be deceiving. When impurities are added to colorless gemstones, brilliant colors are frequently produced. Many gemstone distinctive colors come from the presence of transition metals as impurities in an otherwise transparent crystal lattice.

Examples of different gemstones, colors, and impurities, colorless gemstones corundum (right) and beryl, like diamonds, have properties characteristic of gemstones - brilliance, transparency, and strength. sapphires and other gemstones are universally valued, jewelry and art created from these gems are regarded as personal treasures.

When clearing gemstone necklaces it is best to use the dry sea salt method. Moonlight is another way of clearing your gemstones. Try hanging your gemstone necklace in a tree where the moonlight can cleanse it. It is not recommend to ever place your crystals and gemstones in the sunlight, many stones tend to fade their colors in the sun.

The most important factor in evaluating gemstones, those with the brightest, most vivid colors usually command the highest price. Heavier gems are more rare and expensive than smaller ones, in fact, there is no bulk discount in gemstones, for every $1.

Some people think this should make them more valuable, but the fact that they are not natural, combined with the lower cost of production, makes some lab-created gemstones far more affordable than natural stones. If you would like to learn more about gemstones, visit the American Gem Society.

There is a gemstone jewelry buying guide that presents some basic information to help you recognize and select quality stones that could become treasured family heirlooms, from simple bracelets to extravagant necklaces, from inexpensive children's jewelry to couture designer jewelry. Male and female jewelry in all types, including one-of-a-kind jewelry and vintage jewelry--can be had at great prices from Overstock.

Just take care when searching that you find stores and dealers that specialize in quality gemstones. It is fairly easy to locate good stones these days with the local markets around you and of course the internet is a good place to look also.

Visit Jim Woodalls new Gemstones Website located at: http://jwoodl.com/gemstones, lots video and news feed as well as articles on Gemstones for your enjoyment. Also you can visit his website at http://freegiveaways.jwoodl.com/index.html be sure to get your 3 mktg ebooks no obligation

New iPod Shuffle Gets Fashionable as Bangle

When Apple held its Let's Rock event earlier this year, the iPod shuffle somehow got lost in the series of updates. The iPod nano got a shiny new form factor and an accelerometer for your shaking pleasure. The iPod touch got Nike+ integration. What about that poor shuffle? NO love for you? While this is certainly not an official design coming out of Cupertino, it could offer another way for Apple to get its iPod line into our digital lifestyles. Dreamed up by Isamu Sanada, this is the iPod Shuffle Bracelet. Naturally, a design like this would cater more to the ladies in the audience. Functioning just as much as a fashion accessory as a portable media player, the bracelet-style iPod would make it completely seamless to wear while on the go. As it wouldn't be particularly fine to run a wire from your wrist to your head, the design calls for the inclusion of stereo Bluetooth. I find this feature to a little on the wishful thinking side of things, though, seeing how even the iPhone doesn't do stereo Bluetooth yet. Even so, one can dream. What makes the iPod Shuffle Bracelet particularly cool is that it would have to have a flexible build and the iPod dock connector could be built right into one end. In keeping with the iPod shuffle mentality, the bracelet variation lacks a display (but it wouldn't be hard to toss a small curved screen in there). I wouldn't buy one myself, but I see how something like this could appeal to the active women on the go. Via techeblog.com

Peruvian Blue Opals - How to Spot a Fake

If you're looking for blue opals, then a Peruvian blue opal should be your gemstone of first choice. These gems are becoming more and more rare as time goes on, as they can only be mined n the Andes mountains near San Patricio, Peru. The unfortunate result is that some mines are producing different types of gemstones and dying them blue in order to pass these stones off as Peruvian blue opal. (Luckily, if you're looking for an opal inlay ring, this is less of a problem, as the fake opals tend to be used for beads). Opal inlay rings made with blue opals would be a beautiful addition to any jewelry collection.

There are a few ways for you to tell if the Peruvian blue opals you're looking at are not real. The most obvious clue is that fake blue opals will be relatively cheap - around $30-$40 for an entire strand of beads. Since the real opals are growing more and more rare, you would never be able to buy a string of beads for so cheap. After all, an opal inlay ring made with blue opal will be several hundred or even thousands of dollars.

Generally, if a company is making fake Peruvian blue opals, they will take white opals and then work to dye them. If you're worried that you might be buying fake blue opals, you should take a good look at the stones. In a lot of cases, you can tell that it is just a dyed white opal by looking with the naked eye. The blue coloring will be uneven, especially when you turn the stone so the light hits it from different directions. This is very useful if you're thinking about buying an opal inlay ring with blue opal, since you won't be able to tell by the price in some cases, and the weight will be difficult to determine due to the rest of the ring.

Antoinette Boulay writes the popular blog medopedia.com

Pearl Jewelry - A Timeless Fashion Statement!

Pearl Jewelry with its exquisite classic outlook has always fascinated women all over the world. Because of their natural and lustrous appeal, they are always alluring and glittering. Pearl jewelry has a long history. People in ancient Greek civilization used to wear them to promote marital bliss.

Pearl symbolizes happy marriage and that`s why in many countries pearl jewelry is considered as ideal wedding gift. Many celebrities such as Jacqueline Kennedy and Princess Diana have made them a style statement for them.

Once considered as traditional wedding attire, today pearl jewelry is the latest fashion statement due to its delicate and elegant outlook. With in the changing time, Jewelry manufacturers give a modern twist to make the traditional jewelry look more chic and stylish.

Even though they are of best quality, it`s hard to find natural freshwater pearls these days because of their scarcity. Hence the other alternative is cultured freshwater pearls. Cultured freshwater pearls that are easy to produce and easy to find too. Currently they are the popular fashion statement for their trendy and stylish looks and easy as well as affordable availability in a variety of styles, sizes and colors to dazzle the eye.

Cultured freshwater pearls are produced from mussels that live in rivers, ponds, and lakes rather than in the ocean. They have a unique characteristic of striking arrangement colors. Starting from beautiful, natural pastel white, this jewelry is also available in milky cream, pink, yellow and orange colors.

The variety of colors, shapes, sizes, makes this cultured freshwater pearl jewelry most fascinating. Women these days prefer to adorn matching pearl jewelry with their dresses. Starting from casual to party wears this modern pearl jewelry go very well with most style of dresses. Because of its easy matching qualities, it is popular attire of women both in boardrooms as well as ball rooms.

Even teenage girls prefer wearing it because of its chic designs and availability in a wide array of colors. It is available in different price range. Normally the price of pearl depends upon its size. Bigger the size, higher is the pearl value. Small size pearls can fetch more value because of its exceptional quality.

As Pearl is a very soft and delicate material, the pearl jewelry requires special care. It should be saved from scratching and should be stored carefully preferably in a velvet cloth-clad jewelry box. Standard cleaners can degrade the surface of pearl; hence it is always suggested to wash it with specific pearl cleaner.

Regular wearing can have a negative effect on the luster or sheen of pearl jewelry; hence it is a good idea to wipe them down with a damp cloth after you have worn them.

Also keep them away from your hairspray, perfumes makeup and other chemicals. Try not to wear them in hot and humid weather, as your body sweat can have a negative effect on the surface of pearl jewelry. Proper maintenance and care of them will make it last for ever.

Apart from being a symbol of purity, virtue and modesty, pearls are real organic gems on this earth. If diamonds are forever, then pearl jewelry with its lustrous appeal is a timeless fashion statement and will always be in style.

Pearl jewelry is one of the best gifts you could give to your loved ones. However while buying them you should be careful about imitation pearls. Always choose a reputable brand and make sure you double check the pearl quality before buying your pearl jewelry!

Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for Polomercantil.

Wholesale Fashion Jewelry - 5 Shortcuts to Retail Success

Something in the human spirit is always itching for independence and this itch translates to a constant flow of new entrepreneurs that so often gravitate towards fashion jewelry. What is so irresistible about this accessory? Beyond the high profit margins that wholesale fashion jewelry can open for retailers lies an intrinsic beauty that creates truly wearable art. Yes, wholesale fashion jewelry offers plenty of profit potential that enables retailers to turn small investments into the longest mark-up in the fashion industry, but the magic of fashion jewelry's beauty stops consumers in their tracks and this magnetic attraction, more than anything else, brings the entrepreneur into retail sales specializing in jewelry.

Many of these new fashion jewelry businesses begin on the simplest level with retailers buying wholesale fashion jewelry and presenting it to friends and co-workers. Easy sales and new found profits ignite a fire to grow the business, but what step comes next? As a twenty-five year veteran of the wholesale fashion jewelry industry, I have seen business after business start in this way and often grow to become the major supplier of fashion accessories in a community. The learning curve never ends as fashion jewelry evolves as well as retail tactics, but some things never change and these key techniques will have positive impact on your fashion jewelry business.

But first, how are you going to sell your treasure of wholesale fashion jewelry? Outgoing personalities love the active sale. Visit businesses, do parties, set up in flea markets or craft shows, and bubble over with enthusiasm as you introduce stunning fashion jewelry to consumers. All they need is a crowd and permission to set up. Bingos, festivals, school picnics, car shows, sporting events-the list is endless. Overhead is low and actually stops when not engaged in sales activities. But so does sales, so many prefer brick and mortar businesses with a higher overhead, but continuing business even when you're not there.

The quieter, methodical personality may not be up to this bubbling enthusiasm and choose a passive sales mode. Successful businesses often build without the entrepreneur ever engaged in active sales to the consumer. They connect with beauty shops and other locations to provide fashion jewelry on consignment with the owner profiting as well as the entrepreneur. Methodical personalities think out the details like how to handle shrinkage of missing items with no sales recorded. Increasing price and lowering consignment fees compensates for losses when fashion jewelry has open exposure that can result in more shrinkage. The flip side is reduced sales in secure environments like showcases or behind the counter, which reduce shrinkage, but unfortunately, also sales.

Okay, both personalities have a selling method they are comfortable with and both can expand their business with online marketing by working on websites while their sales support them as the websites grow, climbing higher in the results of major search engines. But what about the 5 shortcuts to retail success? They boil down to pricing, selection, presentation, knowledge, and benefits.

-First comes pricing the wholesale fashion jewelry. New entrepreneurs often feel shock waves as they see the wholesale cost compared to retail prices they paid as consumers. The first temptation is undercut all the competition. Stop there!-because fashion jewelry is cyclical and low prices generate low profits that don't carry retailers through the tough times. Do you want to spend all your earnings on restocking wholesale fashion jewelry and covering overhead? Of course not, you want to grow your business and make a profit and pricing is important.

Retail uses a term called keystone-a nice word for doubling the wholesale price. Make keystone the minimum for mark-up in fashion jewelry and look for the items that give you room for far longer mark-ups. The upside has no rules. Let your intuition guide you because prices can always come down, but it is difficult to go up.

-Next comes selection and this is a factor that major retailers like fine department stores are always struggling to get right. Stroll through one and you will see they have reduced staff on the floor so selection often has to sell itself. The fine department stores need "no miss" choices and have resources, forecasts, statistics, and trained buyers to make these decisions. Small retailers don't need to be discouraged because this isn't rocket science and you are closer to the clientele in your location than any major retailer.

Making the perfect selection rests on the age and demographics of your main customer base. Add this to the fashion trends of the season and you are close to perfect. How do you keep up with all those rapid changing fashion trends? Well rapid change is a myth. Trends change very slowly-often over a decade. Yes, colors and subtle adjustments occur every season, but today we are in the midst of classic trends that started in the early 21st century and have a promising future. More on this when we cover knowledge.

-Now for presentation-making the fashion jewelry look special. Ever notice how necklaces clumped together on a tee bar on top of a showcase seem to scream "I'm on sale" while the stuff in the showcase whispers "I'm special". That's presentation and how it has changed even for fine department stores.

Teri Agins in The End of Fashion details how department stores that were once "the first visual contact with fashion" and "introduced merchandise concepts to customers" changed in the late 20th century to a collection of brands. Agins quotes one upscale shopper who "was appalled when she discovered $19.99 Nine West shoes displayed right next to $350 Chanels" in her favorite department store that was compromising its image of elite fashion. Make an item look special and it takes on the perception of higher value.

-Next comes knowledge that is worth more than price. Don't believe it? Think of items you bought because the sales person impressed you with a deep understanding of the product. That was worth more than price. I personally experienced this lesson when I did a trade show with a colleague. I told my customers the fashion jewelry was a real value at the price. His sales person painted a word picture of the wholesale fashion jewelry with the season's apparel and wrote more orders without the customers even knowing the price.

Knowledge is knowing the trends and knowing the item. Consumers trust a well-informed source and when you know what is today's style and why it looks right on the customer, you remove the burden of choice from the buyer.

Knowledge today goes deeper because classic trends in fashion jewelry bring gemstone components, shell, Murano style glass, Millefiore, and more to jewelry designs. A story is worth volumes in explaining glass jewelry and knowledge of gemstones that removes the doubt about whether it is real. Don't be overwhelmed about understanding the trends and knowledge of today's components because everything is detailed in a report, Wholesale Fashion Jewelry-The Magic of Trends (find a link to the report at the foot of this article).

-Finally there are benefits. Think of benefits as vision-what the customer envisions. Anyone that buys fashion jewelry wants to make a positive statement. They want a look that is flattering and appropriate. So like the car commercial running on the radio, features describe the details like length, color, texture, and shape while benefits say "matches apparel while complementing your complexion", "draws attention to your slender neck", or "creates a youthful look that is so you". The old adage of sell the sizzle, not the steak, gets to the point. Pick the right item for the customer, be sincere, and sell the sizzle.

Will all this work in a slowing economy? Absolutely! In worrisome times women appreciate an escape valve of some small new purchase. What fulfills this better than fashion jewelry? Apply the five shortcuts and lift your customers' spirits with a feel-good experience.

Mike Gietl draws from 24 years of experience with Accessory Wholesale Inc and contributed to the Wholesale Fashion Jewelry --The Magic of Trends report.

Teach Your Kids How To Make Jewellery At Home

Parents today understand the importance of art and craft in their children's extra curricular activities. They know that it is that activity which would help their children grow creative, imaginative and also independent to a large extent. And therefore they do take care that their children are into origami and other handicraft making activities. One of the best kind of handicraft activities is jewellery making. It is simple, it is fun and it is a very creative activity.

Being a very creative activity, it will widen the horizons of their thoughts and imagination. They will think of various arrangements and how they are going to make their jewellery designs interesting. This will give them a fresh perspective and encourage them to deal with other kind of problems in a creative way. And this will be become a habit from a very tender age and only improve as they grow up.

The art of jewellery making will help your child in acquiring other soft skills as well. For instance, they will grow independent and this would help them in the long run. When they make their jewellery they would need a lot of tools and equipments and other materials to make the jewellery. You can get them the tools and equipments like ex-beading accessories from internet sites that provide these things. They can use these safe equipments and give shape to their imagination. This will grow a sense of self dependency in them.

Jewellery making can also give your kid the much demanded raise in her monthly allowances. She can make jewellery for her friends and school mates and earn from it. She can also make her acquaintances happy by providing them customised jewellery and can earn that extra pound and friends too. Not just her friends, she can also make jewellery for herself for various occasions.

Paul Shane cherishes a hobby of studying and collecting jewellery, to dig out the making and story behind them, especially the rare or exquisite ones, also the Crystal being used for manufacturing the jewellery. He also loves studying consumer behaviour related to jewellery selecting and buying. At present he is associated with a leading group called E-Beads Limited.

Wedding Jewelery - Make it Special

If you have spent hours trying to choose the perfect wedding dress, then you will have to spend as much time or more to choose the wedding jewellery that matches with your dress. Your wedding day is one of the most special days in your life. You have to put careful thought into buying the best jewellery for wedding. You will realise this once you buy your wedding dress. The perfect combination of necklace, bracelet, and earrings may be needed to make your bridal dress look even better. You have to feel like the star of the day with your dress and your sparkling wedding jewellery set that should reflect your joyful mood.

One of the most important jewellery for wedding is the wedding ring. It will probably take days to find the perfect ring or you may happen to see the perfect wedding ring for your partner in your first visit to the jewellery store. You can also get your ring custom made. This is a good idea for people who already have the stone. You should remember to get a ring that is apt for everyday use. It would be a good idea if you observed the kind of rings your partner wears and base your design upon that. The biggest advantage a custom design gives you is the uniqueness factor and also the joy of picking a design only to impress your partner.

You can consider some vintage jewellery to go along with your bridal dress as jewellery for wedding. The uniqueness that the various items of vintage jewellery lend maybe just the factor that you are looking for. There are many elaborate designs available in vintage wedding jewellery with many that have their designs based on ancient cultures. Napier jewellery comes to mind when talking about vintage jewellery. They have so many different varieties of necklaces, bangles, bracelets and earrings that you will definitely find the perfect combination of all four that will go along with your bridal dress. Napier jewellery is much better than the regular costume jewellery that you would have otherwise bought. The makers of Napier jewellery consider their line as fashion jewellery.

There are many other wedding accessories like bridal tiaras that you can pick to make your bridal dress look all absolutely stunning. If you want handmade jewellery for wedding, then buying a bridal tiara that is handmade is perfect for the occasion. You can choose the color schemes and make the bridal tiara unique.

There are many bridal jewellery shops in the UK that sell amazing wedding jewellery sets. If you visit these shops, then you will definitely be able to pick the wedding costume jewellery that will make the day the most special one of your life.

Chicks Love caters to all your jewellery needs. To know more about us CLICK Wedding Jewellery

Moissanite Jeweller

There are many jewellers in the world and if you want to be precise there are millions. They are situated in every country and they all seem to have something different to offer you. For example jewels found in Asia will be different to the ones found in North America so each jeweller will have different jewels in their shops. However finding a moissanite jeweller will be a mammoth task to complete. This is due to the startling fact that moissanite jewellery has only been available to jewellers for a few years. So a moissanite jeweller will not be as easy to find as a diamond jeweller. However if you are the sort of person that likes to have jewellery that is unique and new then you will love purchasing moissanite jewellery. You could very well be the only person that you know that has moissanite jewellery in your jewellery box.

Each piece of moissanite jewellery will look absolutely stunning and this is because moissanite is easy to form into many shapes. You can even tell your moissanite jewellery how you want your design to be. This will give your moissanite jewellery an even more unique design. If you do find a moissanite jeweller then you should make sure that you become good friends with the jewellery shop owner. This will mean that you can get all the information on moissanite jewellery.

Every moissanite jeweller is learning about moissanite jewellery and it is possible that a lot of jewellers are not used to this jewel yet. Instead they might have just received some moissanite jewellery and so they might still be getting used to everything that moissanite can offer them. It is hard to believe that moissanite is just coming out in jewellery form. It took 104 years to perfect this jewel so you should use it to your advantage. During the next 5 to 10 years it is very likely that moissanite jewellery will become more and more popular so this is your chance to own an exclusive piece of moissanite jewellery before everyone gets some.

Moissanite is a great jewel and it is being compared to diamonds. It seems also that moissanite will always beat diamonds when it comes to the crunch. Even though they are both perfect jewels it seems that moissanite will become more popular then diamonds soon. Get your foot in early and buy yourself some moissanite jewellery from your nearest moissanite jeweller.

http://www.artificialdiamonds.net/

Win a £1,000 diamond in time for Christmas

We’ve teamed up with Nicholson & Coulthard Ltd, Carlisle’s leading goldsmiths, to offer readers the chance to win a 0.25 carat certified diamond worth up to £1,000, to be set into a mount of your choice, ready in time for Christmas.

A diamond ring. Photo for illustration purposes only

You can select either a pendant or ring mount and have the certified diamond mounted to your specification.

Martin Coulthard, director of Nicholson & Coulthard Ltd, says: “We have been crafting bespoke pieces for clients all over Cumbria for many years now, and have seen an increase in customers wanting to experience a more personal way of purchasing a unique piece of jewellery.

Very often a piece of jewellery is bought as a gift for a special occasion; an engagement, birthday or a surprise Christmas gift – these occasions are once-in-a-lifetime moments, so why not create a piece of jewellery that reflects these emotional occasions?

Martin explains: “We can supply certified diamonds in many different shapes and grades, from smaller more affordable stones to the highly prized internally flawless stones.

“We have also made many pieces using our customer’s existing stones, either from a ring that has been passed through their family or maybe from some stones bought on a memorable holiday.

"All mounts and settings are hand-made in our workshops and then hand polished to a high finish.

“Many people may think jewellery may be beyond their budget this Christmas”, says Martin, “but great value has always been our priority, coupled with a friendly informative service. We look forward to welcoming customers old and new at our premises at 10-12 Crosby Street, Carlisle. Alternatively, visit our website at www.lakelandjewellery.co.uk.”

Just answer this question:

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A English Street
B Lonsdale Street
C Crosby Street

There are three ways that you can send us your answer:

Text: just type in the word DIAMOND on your mobile followed by a space and then your answer (A, B, or C) and send to 85158

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Text terms & conditions: All entrants must be 16 years or older. Please get the bill payer's permission before entering. Texting this service will cost £1 plus your standard network charge. This service is provided by CN Group, Newspaper House, Dalston Road, Carlisle, CA2 5UA. Customer services 0808 144 8 144.

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RULES: Closing date is 9am, December 5, 2008. The prize(s) will be awarded to the first all correct entry/entries drawn after the closing date. There is no cash alternative and the prize is non-transferable. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence can be entered into.

By supplying the information above, you accept that you are happy to receive offers via email/SMS from, or in association with, Cumbrian Newspapers Ltd, directly (or via its agents) and receive mail or telephone calls about new promotions, products and services. Please tick if you do not want to receive these from us, or carefully selected companies.

link: http://www.cumberland-news.co.uk/home/competitions/win_a_1_000_diamond_in_time_for_christmas

Online Shopping is the Easiest Way to Buy Jewellery

Jewellry is the adornment of the human body. Jewellery has been a favorite of women since a long time. They used to wear jewellery in order to make them more beautiful and appealing. Fashion jewelry is the most popular jewelry that is favored by its grace and elegance. Fashion jewelry can almost compare to the deluxe custom made jewelry. There are three elements Design, Quality, and Cost which are key factors considered by every Jewellery lovers at the time of Jewellery shopping. Their decision is inspired by the proper proportion of all three things.

Jewellery is on top of fashion chart these days. Jewellery designers feel the need for innovative, elite, and unique jewellery designs, and they are coming up with their new collections to attract the mass.

Online jewellery shopping in India is being very much popular these days because of the lack of time, fear of facing a traffic jam, weekend crowd, and overall the convenience to meet the daily requirements online is leading India to the virtual market. There are several online jewellery stores providing various facilities to their customers. The online jewellery shopping gives you quick delivery of the order you have placed. You can always make a unique selection from the large varieties of jewellery that are put on for the sale. While shopping online one must take notice of the shipping and delivery process that the online store provides. In the case of shipping it must be seen whether the carrier is insured or not, for the full value of the content, as buying a piece of diamond jewellery online is always a matter of great excitement only with a pinch of a bit high expense. The positive point of such online jewellery stores is that it is available 24 hours of the day. It is a blessing in disguise for all those who have an access to the internet at work, at home or both. Apart from these features, online shops also provide money back or return of items in most of the cases. You can also avail free cleaning and polishing facilities for your jewellery. It's cheaper option to buy jewellery online, because the rates are cheaper than your neighborhood jewellery shops.

Monty Alexander is a well known writer and has a lot of experience in article writing, his articles cover all topics i.e. Tips to buy jewellery online, home shopping, online shopping and more.

Jewelry Boxes - One Phrase, Two Spellings

You might have seen the phrase Jewellery Boxes used on websites from time to time. For many, this is seen as a blatant spelling error. However, for those in or from the United Kingdon (UK), Jewellery is the proper spelling.

Latin Origins

Somewhere down the line the spelling changed from Jewellery in the UK to Jewelry in the US. The word actually originates from the Latin word iocus. Oddly enough iocus is defined as "joke" in Latin. How Jewellery evolved from iocus is unclear but because of its origins and lack of "L"s in the word, there was no established usage of the letter in the word.

Possible Reasons

One suggested reason for the spelling change originates from the creator of Webster's Dictionary - Mr. Noah Webster. During the 19th century, Noah Webster led a movement in America demanding the simplification of word spellings. It's a good assumption that the words Jewellery, Jewellery boxes, jeweller, etc. fell victim to the movement and one of the "L"'s was dropped from the words.

When it comes down to it, no one knows the precise reason how and why Jewellery evolved into Jewelry in the United States. It's one of those words that "just changed" over time. Jewellery is still considered the proper spelling in the UK and Jewelry is the official spelling in the US. As with many words, this one just changed. Whether it was Mr. Webster's doing or some official movement to separate American culture from British culture, the end result is two different words that mean the same thing.

If you're shopping for Jewelry Boxes and come across a site that spells it Jewellery Boxes, don't worry. The website is either based in the UK or run by a British individual.

Lisa Becker is an avid jewelry box collector and writes for Jewelry Boxes 123: Shop For Your Perfect Jewelry Box. Her expertise regarding jewelry boxes provides insight into the world of jewelry boxes and armoires. For more articles, visit Jewelry Boxes 123 Articles.

Different Times - Different People - One Common Passion - Jewellery

Seasons change. Fashion changes. So does the styles and accessories. But one thing has always remain constant – our love for jewellery. Come fall, come spring, the styles and trends of jewellery may have changed. Various elements or materials have ruled different times and different seasons; some have successfully made a comeback like gemstone jewellery, and some have always been around like gold, silver and beads. Sometimes, the trend is brought on by new inventions, and sometimes the credit goes to the various fashion designers around the world.

Jewellery has never been restricted to one gender. Both genders have equally loved wearing jewellery right from the start of human evolution. With time, this love for jewellery has evolved along with human development and evolution of jewellery. Today, we have men donning and flaunting neck chains, rings and bracelets. Men flaunt different kinds of bracelets and pendants that best express them or their mood.

Jewellery has never been restricted to any particular strata of the society or any particular clan or tribe. Everyone loves wearing jewellery and everyone has their own set of trinkets for different kinds of occasion. Even the tribal communities have their own kind of jewellery, which are most of the times made by themselves and, therefore, are closer to nature. On second thought, some people, though they belong to different strata of the social hierarchy, prefer tribal jewellery as these ornaments have a very ethnic touch.

Apart from tribal jewellery, people prefer jewellery of other materials such as beads, pearls, gold, crystal, silver, platinum etc. The list is endless. In fact, it is not what material the jewellery is made of; rather, it is about what goes best with your personality, the surroundings you are in, your social status and the occasion you are part of.

Paul Shane cherishes a hobby of studying and collecting jewellery, to dig out the making and story behind them, especially the rare or exquisite ones, also the beads being used for manufacturing the jewellery. He also loves studying consumer behaviour related to jewellery selecting and buying. At present he is associated with a leading group called E-Beads Limited.

What is Cheap Jewelery?

Every girl and woman loves a piece of jewellery. However, unfortunately due to the different classes created within our society not every girl and woman can afford a piece of jewellery made of precious metals. The jewellery made of precious metals can only be afforded by people of upper and upper middle class. That is why those belonging to the lower class are not able to adorn themselves with such jewellery.

For that reason jewellery made of other artificial materials was started in for manufacture. It was not only cheap, but also could be mass produced in various colors and sizes. Cheap jewellery is made of many materials, consisting of thread, beads, plastic, stainless steel, etc.

The jewellery however, may have been designed by the underprivileged to adorn themselves with beautiful kinds of jewellery, but it is fit for all. It is beautifully made of so many materials in so many various shapes, sizes and colors. All women and girls buy this jewellery to match every dress for their daily wear. There are forms of jewellery like bracelets and necklaces made of cheaper material available for men as well.

Due to its cheaper price it is bought by both men and women in bulk, as it is affordable by all. The cheap refers to the lower pricing not necessarily the lower quality. It is available in all sorts of quality, and it depends upon the buyer to make their choice.

It is commonly used as costume jewellery. It can be made in bold and rich colors, befitting use as costume jewellery and on stage. It has sprung out from the globalization of the market place, which has encouraged production of cheaper and higher quality material. There is no proper definition of cheap jewellery, but one shouldn't take it to mean low quality jewellery.

Alan Dunne is a successful freelance writer providing advice on your professional development My Jewelers Place if you have time drop by her site for some tips and information.

Malabar Gold launches Mine jewellery brand

Kerala-based Malabar Gold has teamed up with Mahendra Brothers to launch a new jewellery brand entitled Mine, says a reported posted in the World Gold Council web site.

The exclusive brand will go on sale in Malabar Gold showrooms across south India and the United Arab Emirates.

Under the new joint venture, Mahindra Brothers Malabar Gold, the two companies are combining their expertise in gold and diamond fine jewellery to produce the new line.

Launched in Bangalore, the gold and diamond jewellery range includes bridal items and custom made designs.

MP Ahammed, chairman of Malabar Gold, told Indiantelevision.com: "Mahendra Brothers has a strong legacy of producing the best diamonds and diamond jewellery and combined with our retailing strength, we want to create a platform for a great consumer experience."

Based in Kerala, India, retail chain Malabar Gold has a total of 25 stores and sells exclusive collections including world class designer jewellery from Italy, Turkey, Korea, Bahrain and Singapore, traditional jewellery, the Mughal Royal Collection, Karachi Bangles and the Sania Collection

Fashion Jewellery Information Tips

Fashion is the one thing that everyone wants to follow. Staying in fashion is even more hyped these days with the media coverage and mounting people's interest. Fashion isn't completed if it's not complemented with the right kind of jewellery. Be it a simple formal dressing or a wedding dress or a casual wear it is matched with corresponding jewellery to get the complete look. Thus fashion jewellery needs to be in sync with the trend of clothing in the market.

The jewellery is designed as per the trends and the colours and metals are used accordingly. The forms of the jewellery are a very important factor in establishing the look, design and feel to sync with the current trend. Gold jewellery isn't used for formal wear and silver jewellery doesn't match well with the Indian wedding dress styles. However, trends do keep changing but some are followed for years together. Like wearing diamonds or gold during engagements and men wearing gold chains are evergreen jewellery fashions.

Seasonal jewellery is also in vogue and certain types of stones and colours are used seasonally. With simple designer wears it is coupled with chunky and heavy designed jewellery. Custom-made jewellery is in fashion and people are emphasizing on personalized look. Such emerging needs are enabling more careful choice of fashion jewellery shopping. There are online jewellery stores which boast a variety of options and forms of jewellery for all. These options are varied and suit all styles and needs.

The ethnic jewellery is always in fashion and suits the Indian wedding scene. There is custom-made ethnic jewellery for the people who want it designed in a special manner. This jewellery is also found from jewellery stores who offer varied options for the buyers. The buyer feels more comforted in shopping at the jewellery store which enables him to feel the jewellery before buying it. Ethnic jewellery could also be made in imitation jewellery form which reduces the otherwise costly price tag of the actual ethnic jewellery.

The jewellery purchased online saves on time and lets you get the design of your choice and that can be customized. Such easy options lets you save on time and can even get you a good deal. Fashion jewellery is meant to enhance the trend of the season and complement the dressing of the person.

Monty Alexander has good knowledge about online jewellery shopping stores. He has been writing articles for an online shopping portal for many years.

Diamond Jewellery Store, Gladstone Jewellery Launches Christmas Competition

London-based luxury diamond jewellery store, Gladstone Jewellery has launched a new online competition based around one of the company’s key themes- Romance.

Play online for a chance to win

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Nov 28, 2008 – LONDON- 28/11/08-- As a Christmas treat to its customers, Gladstone Jewellery is launching the exclusive ‘How Romantic Are You?’ competition. The competition targets those who love the luxury of Gladstone Jewellery and the fun of romance.

Entrants must take part in the Gladstone Jewellery quiz, answering six simple multiple-choice questions on their personal take on romance. The seventh question- ‘What is the most romantic thing you have ever done?’ must be written in the entrant’s own words and submitted to the judges online.

Prizes include £1,000 worth of Gladstone Jewellery vouchers for the overall winner and £500 worth of Gladstone Jewellery vouchers each for two runners-up. All prize vouchers are to be spent on diamond jewellery in store at Gladstone Jewellery’s London boutique located on Princes’ Arcade, Piccadilly.

Along with the chance of winning a prize, the quiz also gives entrants an individual romance rating, setting the romance novices apart from the incurable romantics.

Take part in the ‘How Romantic Are You?’ quiz at http://www.howromanticareyou.com. For more information, visit http://www.gladstonejewellery.com.

Terms & Conditions Apply.

**ENDS**

Press Contact:

For all enquiries please contact Gladstone Jewellery:
Maria Kunin
11 Princes Arcade,
Piccadilly,
London
SW1Y 6DS

+44 (0)20 7734 0038
+44 (0)845 555 7707

# # #

About Gladstone Jewellery
Our company produces luxurious and comfortable jewellery. The designs of Gladstone Jewellery are based on the principles of beauty, convenience and value.
Only precious stones of highest quality and best cut (diamonds, sapphires rubies and emeralds) are used in our unique combinations of chains and stones, which are patented in the UK and the EU.

How Do I Look After My Old Pieces Of Silver Jewellery?

It's a common fact that we all spend maybe a little too much on our appearance and jewellery sometimes makes up a big portion of the money we dish out. Do you have some old and dusty silver jewellery lying about? Chances are you do! Silver is quite an attraction as not everybody is a gold or diamond fan, but either way, silver is precious and should be looked after. Taking care of your silver jewellery doesn't have to be a long and stressful chore though!

If you have silver jewellery that has aged, it's most likely obtained a black colour, which is because of the silver reacting with the sulphur in the atmosphere. They're have been all sorts of tips and tricks, such as bathing your silver in jewellery, but you can just stick with the basic method of cleaning the piece in soap, rinse well with water and then gently drying.

Silver is also delicate, so remembering to take it off before swimming as one example is a great idea, not only for the safety of yourself, but the life of your silver jewellery too. Even taking a little more care on where you store your jewellery can work a treat, because commonly we mix our silver jewellery with alot of other jewellery and your precious pieces end up scratched and more or less 'worthless' to your fashion regime.

Our pieces of jewellery, may they be a representative of sentimental value or just as an accessory should be taken care of.

Maybe you have too much old jewellery? It's not uncommon. See http://lotsofsolutions.com/tell-me-about-getting-rid-of-my-old-jewellery/ for a great, easy tip on getting something back for your pieces.

Dazzling display of jewellery

POH Kong Jewellers recently gave an exclusive preview of its Autumn/Winter collection showcasing their luxury designs as well as the Schoeffel and Luca Carati international jewellers’ collections.

Themed an ‘Evening of Diamond Brilliance and Pearl Seduction’ the jewellery was showcased by models donning gowns designed by designer Randy Goh at the Evergreen Laurel Hotel in Penang.

Poh Kong Holdings Bhd executive director Alice Choon Yoke Ying said the company was not only creating its own line of luxury designs but was also bringing in top international jewellery brands to expand its customers’ selection.

“Schoeffel, the leading player in the pearl segment, was added into the Poh Kong Gallery last year and this year, we are pleased to be selected by Luca Carati, a leading jeweller from Italy. We believe that we were chosen over others because of our credibility and strong reputation in the retailing and manufacturing of exquisite jewellery,” she said in a statement.

Poh Kong presented 12 sets of gem and diamond collections created by its in-house designers and craftsmen while Schoeffel presented six sets – Hippie, Cascade, Esprit Des Roses, Fleur D’Amour, and L’amazone.

Luca Carati also presented six of its latest collections – Decor, Clouds, Luna, Elizabeth, Versailles and Portraits.

All these collections are now available at the Poh Kong Gallery, on the first floor of Poh Kong Headquarters at 16-20, Jalan 52/4, Petaling Jaya. The Schoeffel collections are also available at the Schoeffel Boutique in the Pavillion, KL.

Luxury jewellery and goods in auction

EXPENSIVE jewellery made by the designer of Madonna and Guy Ritchie's wedding rings is to go under the hammer at a Scunthorpe firm.

Town-based auctioneers CJM Asset Management will to put an extraordinary cache of designer jewellery, sculptures, furnishings and luxury goods up for sale following the bankruptcy of the two partners at a collapsed York-based property firm.

The jewellery includes a number of pieces by Stephen Webster, arguably Britain's foremost jewellery designer of the moment, who made the wedding rings for Madonna and Guy Ritchie.

Items ranging from wristwatches costing up to £30,000 and jewellery by the most exclusive modern designers to limited edition fountain pens which retailed for thousands of pounds are to be sold off in the auction at Oaklands Hotel, Laceby, on Tuesday evening.

It has been estimated the retail value of the 180 lots being put under the hammer is close to £250,000.

There will be three Rolexes, including an 18 carat white gold ladies' watch with diamonds for numerals.

For the full story, buy today's Scunthorpe Telegraph.

Source: thisisscunthorpe.co.uk

RFID jewellery tracking system designed specifically for the jewelry industry

Guangzhou, China -- The Jewelry System RFID development kit contains the hardware and software to allow companies to evaluate and begin deploying a comprehensive Jewellery RFID solution easily.

DAILY RFID has developed a RFID jewellery tag in 13.56MHz that guarantees accurate traceability and quick inventory checks of jewelry, from the manufacturers to the retailers.

The new 13.56 MHz RFID jewelry tag has a thickness of just 0.6mm and a rectangle figure of 12*26mm, and a customized logo can be printed on the tag.

The RFID reader is also the key that allows end users to offer its unique consignment and jewellery services to retailers. And the 13.56MHz RFID reader DL810,which uses advanced anti-collision algorithm, provides a high identification rate of tag processing speed to 30~50pcs/s.

The Jewellery System RFID development kit contains a 13.56MHz RFID reader DL810, Out-Built Antenn DL810a, 200 pieces RFID jewellery tag - 01 or - 02, DL810 Reader Demo Software and Dynamic Link Library (DLL).

Please visit ( www.rfid-in-china.com/RFID_Kit_663_1.html) for more infomation about RFID jewellery Development Kit.

DAILY RFID CO.,LIMITED , which belongs to PAN Group Co., ltd, is the leading company focusing on the research and development of EPC & RFID technology in China.

DAILY RFID specialize in producing arguably the world's most extensive line of RFID Tag,RFID Label,Smart Card and RFID Reader, which are suitable for any vertical markets, and have obtained the National Integrated Circuit Card Register Certificate, IC Card Manufacture License and ISO9001 Quality Management System Certification. Also, we own a factory covering an area of 26,000 square meters.

DAILY's products are designed and manufactured with recognized industry standards relevant to RFID and its markets but most notably for use in the demanding environments to recognize and understand your business's RFID needs.

DAILY RFID CO.,LIMITED
Rm D13,4/F,Baiyun Commercial Center, NO.131,Jichang Road
Guangzhou / Guangzhou
China

source: measurementdevices.com

burdened diamond dealers welcome supply cut

The head of a diamond trading group said a downturn in the United States, the world's top consumer, may compound his members debt burden, and as such he welcomed a move by De Beers to trim supply in the coming months. Avi Paz, president of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses, told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday he was concerned about the debt burden in the diamond industry.
"The banks are nervous, the banks are looking at every diamond dealer, and looking at the debt and how they are covered," he said by telephone from Israel.
"I call on my colleagues to be careful, to have liquidity."
A rough estimate of total debt in the diamond industry was $12 billion to $15 billion, but so far there had been only isolated problems, he added.
The Belgium-based federation is an umbrella organisation representing 26 member bourses that trade in rough and polished diamonds and precious stones.
Paz issued a statement last week asking diamond producers to reduce supply during the current economic turmoil to stabilise the sector.
He welcomed a move by diamond giant De Beers, which controls around 40 percent of the market, to reduce the amount of unpolished gems at its next two sales due to reduced demand.
"This is a very important statement, it will assure the diamond industry worldwide."
"BE CAREFUL"
He said De Beers "sightholders" -- tightly screened clients -- had an obligation to buy the unpolished diamonds on offer at periodic sales.
In the current economic climate, however, they might find it difficult to sell all the processed material to jewellery makers and end up with increased debt burdens.
Diamond prices, which have surged in recent years on tight supply and buoyant demand, have recently been hit by the global credit crisis.
Until now mass-market jewellery using small diamonds have been hardest hit by the downturn in the United States, the biggest consumer of diamond jewellery, accounting for half of the total market.
But recently, even prices of large, high-quality stones that appeal to the very wealthy have declined.
A lot of diamonds were still being sold in the United States and the product should appeal to people wanting a safe haven investment, Paz said.
But he urged those in the industry to be cautious about developments in the future. "I'm worried, I think people should be careful about next year... they should take steps to be liquid and not over-buy in polished and in rough (diamonds)."
De Beers, 45 percent owned by mining group Anglo American Plc, said in August it had boosted rough diamond prices by around 16 percent so far in 2008 due to strong demand.
But it said in July it was cautious about developments in the second half due to a downturn in the United States.

Warm Up for Fall With Hot New Jewelry From World Jewels

The weather may be turning cool, but fashionistas can still stay warm with hot new jewelry from World Jewels, the leading online jewelry store. World Jewels adds the hottest new jewelry designs to their site each week, including diamond rings, diamond engagement rings, diamond stud earrings and more.
As temperatures start to drop, many may find they have to cover up, but jewelry lovers can still shine with diamond jewelry. The biggest trends in jewelry this fall are just that -- big! Statement jewelry is all the rage. Rings with thicker bands and big gems and stones are in, and the same goes for necklaces with large pendants and chunky bracelets.

"World Jewels has all of the current trends in jewelry as well as classic diamond rings, engagement rings and more," said Allen Rashtian, owner of World Jewels. "We want you to be completely happy with our jewelry, so we offer a 30 day return policy and free ground shipping on all jewelry orders with insurance at no additional cost."

The newest jewelry designs added to WorldJewels.com can be viewed on their Hot Items and Specials pages.

To speak with a trained professional waiting to answer any questions or help find that perfect jewelry gift call 888-967-5353 or visit www.worldjewels.com.

About World Jewels:

Located in beautiful Los Angeles, California, World Jewels purchases and imports the highest quality diamonds, gold and silver from around the world. World Jewels specializes in semi-mounts for engagement rings, solitaire rings, wedding bands and sets, bracelets, earrings, necklaces and pendants. They also carry a wide selection of precious gem stones in different sizes and shapes, loose or set in 14k/18k gold or platinum mountings. World Jewels is one of the only online jewelry stores that manufacture their own jewelry in 14k gold, 18k gold and platinum. You can find new jewelry designs added to the "Hot Items" and "Specials" sections each week on WorldJewels.com.

White Gold & Black Pearl Pendant

White gold orbit pendant set with diamonds and a black pearl.

Most of Ofiesh's work incorporates moving elements. With the flick of a hinge, a ring becomes a pendant. Or among the artist's patented Orbit Collection, a band of brilliant diamonds set in platinum spins around a simple gold bead or an elegant ring.

All of the artist's work is designed, forged, and formed by hand. Since Ofiesh is a self-taught goldsmith, he uses tools in non-traditional ways, and his methods are often unconventional by jewelry standards. He is as creative in his approach to design as he is open-minded about how to make things work.

Ofiesh took workshops along the way with noted metal workers Heikki Seppa and Ronald Pearson. He also studied gem-setting at the Revere Academy in the mid 1980s. But mostly he continued to work on his own moving from silver to gold, refining techniques, and developing his interest in jewelry that moves.

Ofiesh travels around the country exhibiting at prestigious craft shows such as the American Craft Enterprises fairs in Baltimore, San Francisco and St. Paul. Over the years he has received numerous awards at these shows.

Unable to land a prep school teaching job, Ofiesh, an English literature graduate from the University of Virginia, traveled to the small town of Chatham, Virginia, in 1973 to try to sell some of the silver jewelry he made as a hobby. He made $400 in one weekend, and that small commercial success sparked the beginnings of a 30-year career as a jewelry designer.

Indian Brides Replace Traditional Gold Jewelry as Prices Rise

Ashima Lahiri will say her wedding vows in December wearing fake earrings, necklaces and bangles that cost a tenth of the price of gold, breaking a millennia-old Indian tradition that brides wear the precious metal.

``Gold is too hot now,'' says the 25-year-old fashion designer from Kolkata, eastern India, who'll spend 15,000 rupees ($305) on her bridal set instead of 160,000 rupees for a real one. ``You can't touch it.''

Lahiri's not alone. Indian families, the world's biggest buyers of gold, are canceling purchases before the peak wedding season because prices have touched a record high in India, putting traditional bridal sets out of reach. That's spurred sales of gold-plated, silver and brass gem-encrusted jewelry, designed to match the bride's wedding saris.

``People are not willing to be victims of high gold prices and are instead going for glittering imitations,'' said Roli Malhotra, head of marketing at Sia Lifestyles Pvt Ltd., a 24-outlet chain of fashion jewelry stores based in Mumbai. ``Sales of imitation bridal sets are on the rise.''

Bullion, considered an investment haven, has weathered a global rout in commodities that has sent the Reuters/Jefferies CRB Index down 18 percent this month, the biggest fall in at least 52 years. In India, gold has gained 14 percent this year, reversing a 6 percent decline in the global spot rate, because a 20 percent slump in the Indian rupee against the dollar to a record low has driven up the cost of importing the metal.

`Double Whammy'

``It's a double whammy for Indian buyers and retail demand has been a casualty,'' said Bharath K. Rekapalli, director of Global Financial Markets, a trading and research firm, in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad.

Demand traditionally spikes in the second-half of the year, spurred by Diwali, the Festival of Light, which is considered an auspicious time to buy the precious metal by India's majority Hindu religion. Brides also buy more gold and relatives offer bridal sets as gifts for the trousseau as Indians prefer to get married in winter to avoid the monsoon rains and summer heat.

``Gold prices have put a cap on the number of sets I can buy for my daughter,'' said Rekha Makhija, 52, who will buy two instead of three collections for her daughter's wedding in January. ``While I plan to give her a few of my jewelry sets, it will be nice to buy something fashionable and trendy.''

The yellow metal is considered the best gift by relatives because it insures the bride leaves her family with her own property, said Ravi Jalan, director of New Delhi-based Jalan Commodities.

Family Vaults

Households in India have 15,000 tons locked away in family vaults, almost double the reserves held by the U.S. Federal Reserve, according to consultant McKinsey & Co. That's worth about $376 billion at current prices after gold has gained for seven straight years.

The increase is crippling Bipin Zaveri, 52, and his family's D.P. Zaveri showroom in Mumbai's 141-year-old gold bazaar.

``Many of us will be out of business if prices continue to prevail at current rates,'' he said. ``We don't expect customers to rush back just because it's wedding season.''

Indian families buy gold when prices decline and not necessarily when their daughters are getting married, said Zaveri, surrounded by glittering chains and rings in a showroom devoid of customers.

Changing trends have also reduced jewelry sales, Ramesh, who only uses one name, of R. Kothari & Co. Jewellers in Mumbai said. His revenue has dropped by almost 50 percent in the past two years, he said in an interview.

Chunky Jewelry

``No one wants chunky jewelry anymore and even if they do buy something heavy it's usually a gold set studded with precious gems or diamond,'' said Ramesh, pointing to a wall-mounted display-case with necklaces. ``Everything seems to be going against us.''

India's bullion demand was 769.2 tons of in 2007, less than the 1,000 tons estimated by the World Gold Council, as more families chose to rework their mother's or grandparent's bridal collections instead of paying for new gold.

``Every home in India has enough gold so if there is a wedding all they have to do is melt old jewelry and make new sets,'' said Daman Prakash Rathod, director at MNC Bullion Ltd., the biggest bullion dealer in southern India.

For bride Lahiri, she'd rather wear imitation jewelry on her big day than melt and destroy her great grandmother's necklace.

``Gold is considered a family heirloom and passed through generations, so why would I ever sell my family treasure?'' said Lahiri, who was in Mumbai to plan her wedding with her fiancée and friends. A gold bridal set her mother has given her doesn't match her wedding outfit, so she'll wear imitations.

``Everybody will notice how coordinated my clothes and jewelry are, and not really bother whether those earrings are fake or real,'' she said.

Inspired by the classical

MODERN creations with an old world aura - that's how best to describe Temple St Clair jewellery. Inspired by European Renaissance aesthetics, they may be old world but they're certainly the hot rocks of this age - recognised as timeless modern classics.

Temple St Clair jewellery made its debut in Barneys New York in the late 1980s, setting the tone for the iconic department store's fine jewellery section. From there, a hobby and a means to support an interest in travel and research became a business for American designer Temple St Clair Carr who has crafted it further ever since.

Ms Carr's eponymous jewellery is now distributed through over 100 retailers in the US, and leading stores in a few countries, such as Harrods in London as well as Isetan in Japan. There are plans to roll out more points of sale in Asia by late next year, but the American designer was in town a couple of weeks ago to present her jewellery in an exclusive jewellery showcase, Zenith Affair, held at the Raffles Hotel.

Making jewellery is something she 'fell into', she explains, when studying Italian Renaissance art and history in Florence. 'I was very deep into 14th and 15th century Italy and looking at all the art and architectural details and then reading the great literature of the centuries, and I wanted a piece of jewellery (that reflected that). Italy is famous for its jewellery but nothing appealed to me. It was all quite commercial.'

So she decided to design her own, seeking out Florentine goldsmiths. 'The goldsmith guild in Florence has been and largely remains a man's world, so it was quite something for them to be approached by a woman,' records Ms Carr, in a new coffeetable book on her jewellery, published by Harper Collins.

One piece she sketched that was made by the goldsmith led to another, and yet another, and Ms Carr ended up staying in Florence for close to 12 years, designing jewellery that she would sell in small, private shows in America whenever she returned. The jewellery was spotted by a Barneys' scout in Italy and the rest is history.

'My early collection of jewellery designs were very historically-based inspirations then,' she says, as she studied goldwork of ancient Etruscans and early Greeks, and had incorporated a lot of tiny gold beading and granulation work into her 22-karat gold designs, featuring coloured cabuchon gemstones.

These days, her jewellery is much more contemporary, made with 18-karat gold, for example. Besides designs which still hint at ancient and classical worlds, egg-shaped rock crystals are another signature Temple St Clair design. Her latest Fall/Winter collection features serpents and dragonflies; while butterflies featured in the Spring collection.

For Spring 2009, the mermaid will be the central theme - what mermaids might wear, such as a crystal amulet with a 'netting' of royal blue moonstones and blue sapphires and diamond-studded starfish. She's already designing the Spring 2010 collection, disclosing that it'll be Matisse-inspired.

Asked to describe the Temple St Clair brand, Ms Carr says it's a young heritage brand, much like Bulgari and Cartier when they first started out, with individual designers at the helm. And yes, she already has fans who buy her jewellery as collectibles.

'People are looking for unique, special things, not only stylish, but made in fine way' - that, she reckons, is the appeal of her jewellery.

For the accidental designer, jewellery gives her the luxury of being both an artist and an academic, says Ms Carr, because she is constantly researching themes and ideas. Many factors have coincided to bring her interests and passions together in a career in jewellery, she notes in her book's foreword; but then again, it's a rare artist who is able to make art - in her case jewellery - that is collected as timeless pieces.

Italian Jewellery Awards to take place in Amalfi

The Italian Jewellery Awards, taking place 15 November 2008 in Amalfi, Italy announces the following five finalists to its selected judges:

• Sarah Ho; the devoted founder of SHO Fine Jewellery, aged 29 and qualified as Goldsmith & Gemmologist from the HRD Institute of Gemmology in Antwerp, Belgium. Sarah has integrated fashion into her jewellery by carrying seasonal trends, ensuring SHO designs stays fresh and exciting.

• Marisa Hodern, is one of the three jewellery designers behind Missoma; a mother and daughter team, all sharing a passion for modern and contemporary jewellery design. Specialising in 18ct gold vermeil jewellery with precious and semi-precious stones, Missoma has become known for its unique designs and instantly recognisable vibrant colours! Loved by style icons such as Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Biel and Scarlett Johanssen, Missoma has attracted a loyal and ever-growing fan-base in the UK and abroad, and is stocked in over 15 countries worldwide including department stores such as Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Liberty.

• Anthony Roussel, graduated as jewellery designer from London Metropolitan University in 2007. Although he is trained in metalwork, his real love for materials is found in wood. By combining an ancient organic material with new digital design tools, he has caught the attention of key international galleries and collectors.

• Ornella Iannuzzi, Ornella established her business after graduating from the Royal College of Art in June 2007. Ornella pays homage to nature through the jewellery using only materials from sustainable sources, exploring vulnerability and the impact of that man has had on the environment.

Today she is working with different online galleries such as “Things we love” or “Object Fetish”- based in the USA. Her latest collections were featured in the press both nationally and internationally such as in the Retail Jeweller, Jewellery Focus, Jewellery In Britain, J-Dex, Goldsmith or Dreams magazine. Furthermore, she was shortlisted last July for the UK Jewellery Award, in both categories “Young Designer of the Year” & “Jewellery Designer of the Year”.

• Zinzi Coetzee 27 & Ursula Horton 26; founders and designers of Francesca Sibylla Augusta. Zinzi and Ursula graduated together at Central St Martin in 2005 and from London College of Fashion in 2007. Working with fine and precious materials, mixing traditional hand craftsmanship with modern technology, Francesca Sibylla Augusta offers pieces that are perfect and unique.

To uphold the multidimensional standards, The Italian Jewellery Awards has chosen Italian and British judges, all with significant field expertise, to evaluate the jewellery and design presented.

Platinum jewellery rules the show

There was a time when women discussed gold sovereigns, and their karats, like it was a matter of national importance. Though still considered a prized possession, gold jewellery is slowly being elbowed out by the trendy sleek accessories made of platinum. Combining the simplicity of silver and the glamour of gold, platinum is winning hearts and trousseaus of the new-age women. But let's warn you in advance, platinum jewellery does come with a price. Here's a low-down of Chennai's jewellery stores that you can visit for platinum jewellery. If you are tying the knot this season, you'd do well to have a dekko at any of the outlets of Prince Jewellery for an off-beat wedding ring. Owned and run by Princeson Jose, Prince Jewellery also stocks earrings, sexy nose studs and delicate neck pieces in platinum that successfully notch up your glam factor.

Captivating Swarovski crystal jewellery

Swarovski once again welcomes the festive season with its wonderful collection of crystals! Butterflies, flowers and birds in dazzling colours accented with special effects and patterns, in a price range of Rs 5700 to 46,500 are on display. Crystalline tea lights, candleholders, treasure boxes, crystal bowls and picture Frames come in the range of Rs 13,400- 25,000 Tinkerbell from the Disney collection for sale only in 2008 is available for Rs 17,600. The Bridal Collection of jewellery and bridal gifts deserves special mention for its elegance and uniqueness. Swarovski crystal jewellery is of international classy designs with either gold or rhodium finish, set with clear or coloured crystals or in a combination of both, in exclusive patterns. You can take your pick from a large collection of pendants, earrings, necklaces, finger rings, hair pins, broaches, bracelets and cuff links in affordable prices. Each and every piece comes with a universal warranty of 2 years and impeccable after - sales service.

Instant Ratings

Oakley Creates Special Edition Sunglasses to Support ALS Research

ALS destroys the nerve cells controlling muscles, ultimately causing complete paralysis while leaving mental function intact. Survival is typically two to five years after diagnosis, and no cure exists. With every sale of these special edition Augie's Quest HIJINX sunglasses, Oakley will contribute US$20 to Augie's Quest, creating a vision of hope in the fight against ALS.

"Augie has been a long time supporter of Oakley and we're proud to team with him and Augie's Quest," said Scott Olivet, CEO, Oakley. "We honor Augie's contributions to the fitness industry, his inspiration as an individual and entrepreneur, and the innovation he has brought to medical research and fundraising. For more than 30 years Oakley has made history, and with your help we will make history in the war against ALS."

"I'm extremely grateful to Oakley for creating these special edition sunglasses," said Augie Nieto, Founder and Chief Inspiration Officer, Augie's Quest. "Not only do they combine great looks with the best sunglass technology, but they are also a fitting way to draw attention to the cause. Augie's Quest is motivated by a bold vision of the day when the cure for ALS is found."

The Augie's Quest HIJINX sunglass from Oakley is available in two styles. The Polarized Augie's Quest HIJINX eliminates 99% of glare with Oakley's polarization technology. It also features a laser etched signature by Augie Nieto on the corner of the lens and on the inside stem, in addition to "Augie's Quest" in script on the outside frame. The Non-Polarized Augie's Quest HIJINX sunglass features a custom rendition of the Augie's Quest logo laser etched on the corner of the lens, in addition to the outside frame and inside stem.

Each special edition sunglass includes the clarity of Oakley's High Definition Optics(R) with patented innovations including XYZ Optics(R) for razor sharp vision at every angle of view. The lenses are enhanced with Black IRIDIUM(R) lens coating for balanced light transmission in bright sun. The comfortably lightweight polished black O Matter(R) frames are engineered for all-day comfort, shock absorption and durability. A specially designed pin and Augie's Quest MICROCLEAR(TM) bag are included for lens cleaning and eyewear storage.

The suggested retail price of the Polarized Augie's Quest HIJINX sunglass from Oakley is US$190 and US$135 for the Non-Polarized Augie's Quest HIJINX sunglass. Both are available at http://www.oakley.com/aq and select Oakley stores nationwide. Augie's Quest apparel and accessories from Oakley are coming soon.

About Oakley, Inc.

Oakley is a worldwide leader in performance optics including premium sunglasses, goggles and prescription eyewear. Headquartered in Southern California, the company's optics brand portfolio includes Fox Racing, Mosley Tribes, Oliver Peoples and Paul Smith Spectacles. In addition to its worldwide wholesale business, Oakley operates retail locations including Oakley Stores and The Optical Shop of Aspen. The company also offers a wide selection of Oakley-branded technical and active apparel, footwear, watches and accessories. Additional information is available at http://www.oakley.com.

About Augie's Quest

Augustine (Augie) Nieto, a prominent leader in the nation's fitness industry for nearly three decades, received a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease) in March 2005. Augie was co-founder and former president of Life Fitness and is now chairman of Octane Fitness. In September 2005, he received the fitness industry's top honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award. Augie and his wife, Lynne, work closely with MDA staff to coordinate fundraising events that will benefit MDA's worldwide ALS research program. Augie's Quest has raised $17.5 million for ALS research since it began in 2005. As co-chairs of the ALS Division, the Nietos help raise awareness through public appearances, speaking engagements, media interviews, and public service announcements.

This old bling? Why the seriously stylish are snubbing new jewellery designs in favour of re-vamping vintage

So, how are fashion lovers achieving this? One word: vintage.

Vintage jewellery is piping hot, be it rare costume pieces from yesteryear, or family heirlooms. It's become the ultimate way to avoid fashion-snap at parties while also hanging on to, or buying into history.

'Women tell me that they're on a quest to find something unique - something customised or personalised - and vintage holds the solution,' says Marigay McKee, fashion director at Harrods.

Indeed, now more than ever, there is something a bit tasteless about flashing something that everyone knows cost a fortune.

Vintage is more subtle. And you won't bump into anyone else wearing the same piece.

'I really love the costume jewellery from the Eighties and Nineties, the really bold stuff by Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel,' says Cameron Silver, owner of the hip LA vintage store Decades.

The shop counts Julia Roberts and Renee Zellweger among its fans, and has opened a concession at London's Dover Street Market.

He adds: 'Vintage pieces are also often cheaper than the new designer costume pieces and it's less disposable - more of an investment.'

Vintage pieces are timeless and created in an era when designs were meant to last beyond one season and coordinate with multiple outfits.

But, for those looking for a more updated look, there are also a host of labels putting a twist on vintage jewels.

Tom Binns, for one, is a favourite among celebrities (not least Michelle Obama, who wore a necklace to meet Vogue editor Anna Wintour) and has pioneered the nouveau- vintage look in costume jewellery, incorporating bits of old diamante with jewels and different clasps.

The pieces are instant hits each season at every upscale stores from Harrods and Harvey Nichols to Net-a-Porter.com. (His stockist list reads like a who's who of fashion retailer power players