Jewelry

Jewelry

REAL PURE GOLD JEWELRY IS HARD TO FIND!

What has happened in the last 4 years in the gold markets?

Gold is in limited supply largely due to the wealthy buying up gold supplies as a means of investment wherein an economy whose dollar is rapidly losing value. This is why you see many advertisements enticing you to exchange your gold pendants, rings, gold necklaces, gold chains, gold bracelets, gold clasps, antique gold and even your gold teeth for cash.

Jewelry stores will gladly take in old gold scraps and scrap gold and hand you money for what they value it at. Be sure you go with a reputable merchant so that you get to as close to the gold MARKET value as you possibly can. Otherwise, why not hold onto it? It's still a valued commodity and wearable! You'll fabulous and feel a little bit better at having a small stash of personal gold in the case of a total dollar collapse. In fact, gold coins aren't the only thing that can give you a sense of security when it comes to living in an economy where we don't know if cash will be even useful anymore. That's why if you can't afford to invest in gold, hang on to that white, rose, chocolate and yellow gold jewelry!

If you hadn't noticed stores like Sears and JC Penny's sell very little pure gold bracelets, rings, pendants, watches, earrings or necklaces and there usually fused with gold plated over sterling silver. Or they are combined or cut with larger percentage of other alloys that you are no longer buying the real 14kt, 18kt, 22kt, 24kt gold in acceptable percentages. The gold jewelry in the stores appear slightly dull and more flimsy.

Even on the home shopping networks it now rare find actual solid gold pieces of jewelry. Keep in mind Gold Jewelry will never and has never gone out of fashion. However, in its place recent fashion jewelry trends have gone towards natural stones, semi-precious stones, gems, quartz, beads, copper, wire, agate etc. Jade of various colors such as lavender, pink, green and pale green are very much in demand. Onyx, turquoise and black agate and carnelian make beautiful jewelry and are also very much in demand. Tigers Eye, malachite, and various sea pearls are used in so many jewelry designs today. Jewelry artists are having a great time using beads, stones with silver and copper wire to fashion gorgeous works of art in the hand made jewelry industry which appears to have a long and happy future. Who wouldn't want to have that one of a kind look in hand made jewelry after all? I recently bought a beautiful Topaz and citrine bracelet and have had loads of complements on the hand-made look of it.

SILVER JEWELRY, EARRINGS, BRACELETS, RINGS

Silver jewelry is also another smart investment and is available everywhere. We love the silver jewelry and sterling silver jewelry pieces we see that so many people enjoy wearing and for a fraction of the price of gold. Sterling silver has been used by jewelry designers for years and everyone who use to hate the idea of buying silver as opposed to gold jewelry now seem to embrace gorgeous silver rings, silver earrings, silver bracelets, silver necklaces and silver chains because the artistry and look of silver in jewelry is stunning and gorgeous. Italian jewelry designers are doing exceptionally well in this industry because silver is affordable for most people and with that, the designs of silver jewelry have become total works of art and little tiny sculptures!

TOE RINGS AND ANKLE BRACELETS

Toe Rings and ankle bracelets of both silver and gold are fun accessories to wear if you like wearing jewelry head to toe! They are inexpensive little jewelry items for that added sense of flair and sensuality. These jewelry pieces look beautiful on a well manicured foot so most women who wear them either have a nicely done natural painted toe or a bold color to compliment their strapless shoes and the foot jewelry. If you haven't considered wearing foot jewelry maybe now is the time. In the summer months it is a rather lovely thing to look down and see a pair of feet in cute shoes with a bit of bling on top!

HAIR JEWELRY DESIGN, BROOCHES, INSECT JEWELRY

So many jewelry designers design jewelry as works of art for head to toe wear. There is nothing that can't be customized in hand made jewelry these days. Anyone who loves to do crafts or is into crafting might try their hand at jewelry making which has become a huge industry. Many people who don't have any formal artist training have learned to use beads, wire, stones and other gems to fashion wearable jewelry. Even hair jewelry is worn and especially loved by brides, performers and children in beauty contests. Not surprising are those who don't conform to more modest traditions are people who love wearing various pieces of designed jewelry anytime and any place. I hate spiders a lot - but LOVE insect jewelry. Give me a frog brooch with glazed enamel eyes and I'm a goner! Or, a small sparkly spider hairclip jewelry and I'm in love and will wear it before, during and after Halloween! And I'm not youngster. I'm a middle age Mother who loves, loves, loves jewelry and appreciates the artistry of the pieces in every form.

FINDING OR USING CLIP ON JEWELRY

If you've never even thought about adding interesting pieces of jewelry to your clothes, shoes or hats, think again. Clip on jewelry isn't just a vintage thing anymore. Remember those tightly clasped ear clips Mom wore? OUCH - but you can take that same concept and put them on your shoe tops, sandals, jeans, blouses, handbags, hats, cell phone cases, key chains or use them together with satin or rope necklaces and bracelets or as stretchy ring pieces. The ideas are endless so just because you think you aren't creative enough doesn't mean you can't put together items that give you a sense of fashion and style and more importantly creates INTEREST in you and your style.

THE CUFFLINK

Cufflinks are back with a vengeance and why shouldn't they be? They should have never went out of fashion to begin with. Cuff links are to the sexy, sophisticated man what pretty earrings are to the graceful jaw line of a woman. They exude masculinity and confidence and give the shirt cuff an added reminder that this man cares about what he looks likes and is in total control of his image! A man and his cuff links should never be separated until he takes them off and places them on his bed stand. Cuff links need not be stuffy reminders of the past although who can argue with anything reminiscent of vintage these days. Out with cuff links went the fedora and our men traded in their aftershave for big screen television and PC's...not that there's anything wrong with that because we need technology but today's styles and trends suggest we are a society that is moving fashionably backwards and in the case of the cufflink that's a very good thing!

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Jewelry Styles Through The Ages

The Victorian era was from 1837-1901. This was the reign of Queen Victoria of England. In that time people would wear whatever she thought looked good. In 1854, gold was standardized and had 9, 12 or 15 karats. It had to be stamped and hallmarked. The other metals used if not gold were electric gilt, mercury gilt, pinchbeck and silver. The design of Victorian jewelry came from nature. Birds, flowers and trees with detailed engravings. Repousse were large solid pieces that had fluted and raised edges. Cannatille jewelry used strands of gold wire that were twisted and wound into intricate designs. Near the end of the Victorian era, Egypt, Greece and Italy styles had big influences in design. This was because of archaeological expeditions that uncovered lots of ancient jewelry.

When Queen Victoria died, new jewelry designs rushed into the market. Because of the conservatism, jewelers could not push the boundaries of design while she was still alive. This surge in techniques of manufacturing and design eventually brought about the art nouveau period. Art nouveau jewelry was expressive, exotic and exuberant. They say the appreciation of it may take time and art nouveau means "new art" in French. Imaginative and mystical jewelry, art nouveau was from 1890-1910. With pale colors and gentle curves, art nouveau jewelry used amethyst, moonstone, peridot, opal, citrine and pearls. Copper, ivory, shell, horn and glass were also used. Flowers like lilies, irises, orchids, bugs and animals, even human forms were put into the designs. Mythical beasts or enchanted women were common. Enameling was used throughout the art nouveau period. The Edwardian period was from 1901-1910. The period that many have not heard of because of the two great periods before (art nouveau) and after (art deco). Diamonds were a staple of Edwardian jewelry. They were made to look delicate to be able to blend in with lace, feathers and silk.

Princess Alexandra had a huge impact on the periods fashion. In this period jeweler's progressed in gemstone cutting. Platinum was used a lot and sometimes made to look like hand made lace. Art deco is a style that relates to 1920's-1930's, which ended about 1935. The Art deco movement was mainly an American thing. The style of jewelry had strong lines, bright contrasts of color, geometric shapes, they also used bakelite. Symmetry and geometry were at the center of art deco. Influences in the design of the jewelry were Japanese, Paris, the machine age, Egyptian, jazz, cubism and Russian. Also art deco was influenced by the art nouveau and Edwardian periods. Taking the style and grace from art nouveau, diamonds and platinum from Edwardian and turning them into a geometric, symmetrical array of diamonds and platinum. Art deco had great vibrant colors, sapphires, emeralds, coral, rubies and turquoise were heavily used. Black and white was also used a lot. Cocktail rings, long pendants, brooches and bangle bracelets were all the rage. Cigarette cases and compacts of the time were covered in jewels. The movement of art deco halted because of WWII and the depression. The 1930's and 1940's brought about the retro period. Large gemstones were being used. Topaz, citrine and aquamarine were popular. Even synthetics were starting to become popular. Platinum was replaced by rose gold. Today everything from vintage jewelry to simple elegance is in. Going back to the old stuff and mixing it in with new pieces and designs.

About the author: Dave William G. runs VirJues a website devoted to all things jewelry. From designs to gemstones we try and cover it all. So please visit us today. You can sign-up for our 7 part mini-course on diamonds while you're there.

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