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.