Jewelry Caring tips

Happy Monday everyone, today’s post is primarily on key tips which we should all do when caring for our jewelry. Although its not often done, there is a level of maintenance that we should all maintain in order for our jewelry to glow as if we just bought it. Below i’ve outline a few of the key main techniques that will keep you and your jewelry shinning.

Return of the Sparkle – Cleaning your Jewelry

To keep diamond and other jewelry looking as sparkly and brilliant as when you first bought it, I highly recommended to have it cleaned once or twice a year professionally by a jeweler who may clean the jewelry ultrasonically or with steam. Similarly, you can achieve excellent results cleaning it at home using a jewelry cloth (a flannel cloth or piece of cotton can be substituted), a jewelry brush, and simple cleaning solution.

Be mindful to check that all diamonds are secure before cleaning, otherwise pack your jewelry securely and immediately take it to your jeweler. If they are secure, use a cloth to wipe your jewelry clean and then run under the tap for a few seconds. Soak jewelry for 3-5 minutes in a solution of hot water and detergent free soap, such as dishwashing liquid. Scrub with the brush and repeat the process 2-3 times. Dry with the jewelry cloth.

For Soft and Scratchy pieces- Re-polish the Piece

Since Gold and silver are soft metals and the greater the purity the softer the metal. The bands of rings and exposed metal parts are subject to scratches from normal wear and tear. Most scratches can easily be removed by having the metal re-polished. This work should only be performed by a professional jeweler.

Rhodium Again – Re-plating the piece

White gold jewelry unbeknownst to many is actually rhodium plated and usually is a jewelry that is susceptible to wear and tear, over time this will affect the appearance of your white gold jewelry. White gold has a slightly different color to rhodium and once the rhodium plating begins to wear off, the off-white color of the white gold will begin to show through. Consequently, it may be necessary to re-plate white gold periodically, according to the appearance of the jewelry. Any reputable jeweler can re-plate white gold jewelry.

Hopefully these tips were enjoyable and fruitful in use.

As always, Live, Life, Lamour,

R.Lamour

 

 

Mother’s Day Jewelry tips!

Today’s post is of course, centered around mother’s day. What makes mother’s day so special to most people is chances are that a woman made you and that woman is your mother. No one understands unconditional love like our mothers love and Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity for us to express just how much we appreciate the first great woman in our life. For this great occasion we tend to offer the usual dinner, flowers, candy, or my favorite jewelry. Here are a few tips to help you pick a gift this Mother’s Day that she will be sure to love forever:

 

1. Remember that, any jewelry piece of jewelry offered should be a handmade work of art, a gift straight from your heart to hers.

A beautiful piece from ethnicharms.

 

2. What’s her favorite color or favorite gem?

Get her something in sapphire blue, coral red or jade green but remember that many gems come in a variety of shades to suit her specific personality.

3. Where was she born? Where has she lived?

Many states offer official gems, such as Texas with a blue topaz, Oregon with a sunstone or West Virginia with a chalcedony.

Other stones related to birth although it may seem a tired cliché are birthstones. They range from a January garnet to a December zircon and they are the classics!

4. How often does she wear jewelry?

Consider a ring or set of earrings for everyday wear; or even a bracelet or necklace for special occasions.

I found this at in this Etsy store.

 

5. Has mom always wanted to travel?

Bring that exotic dream vacation home to her (or remind her of one she has already taken) with fine jade or oriental pearls.

Get something exciting – something not all her friends are already wearing – something with a tiger-eye opal, a brilliant turquoise or an amazing rainbow jasper.

 

Happy Mother’s Day

 

As always, Live, Life, Lamour,

R.Lamour

Baselworld!

Today’s post is about Baselworld which opens this Thursday in its new $454.9 million home, with fewer exhibitors in a smaller space, but this years look is much more modern, according to shows organizers.  The conceptualizer’s of this years Baselworld is seeking “Quality and not quantity”.  This is also a message that is highly emphasized by Baselworld executives at the show’s opening press conference which was held this morning at the Congress Center Basel, across the street from the exhibition space.

This year, a total of 1,460 companies are set to exhibit at the show, which is down 24 percent from 1,815 last year. Some notables absent include David Yurman. News surfaced this past December that the popular U.S.-based jewelry brand opted to withdraw from the show this year after a  tense exchange with event organizers.

In addition to a simpler design, the show also gave its halls simpler names, Hall 1 is for global brands, or watch and jewelry brands with worldwide reach. Hall 2 is for international brands, or brands that sell in a number of countries but don’t have quite the global reach as those brands in Hall 1. Hall 3 is for jewelry containing precious and semi-precious stones and pearls, while Hall 4 is for the machine and supply industry.

Although the show includes both watches and jewelry, Baselworld is traditionally a timepiece-centric show–an executive from one luxury brand described it as “the new year of the watch industry”–that brands anticipate as a stage for their latest innovations.

Francois Thiébaud, who heads the committee of Swiss exhibitors at the show and is a member of the board of watch giant Swatch Group, said this year he expects watches with many complications as well as those with gold, diamonds and—interestingly–pearls, to dominate the trends.

He also said he anticipates watches that bear a neo-classical look with references to styles from Ancient Greek and Ancient Rome in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The anticipation that brands will display more complicated watches and embrace the use of gold and precious stones makes sense for the Swiss watch industry, which has seen sales of higher-price watches grow at a faster pace than watches with a lower price point.

As always, Live, Life, Lamour,
R.Lamour

Tiffany Blue Book!

Today’s post is centered around the most recent celebrity-studded event that Tiffany & Co. held to celebrate the launch of its 2013 Blue Book and subsequent collection at a ball at Rockefeller Center in NYC on April 18.

With their first released in 1845, the Blue Book is an event which annually publishes and showcases Tiffany’s latest and most spectacular jewels. In its inception, it was initially designed to serve as a means of personal communication between the company and its top clientele as a means of reaching customers who may have needed a bit of enticement to visit the store. Soon after as with history serving as our vessel for hindsight, it has ballooned into the star studded event it is today.

This year’s Blue Book features Tiffany jewelry primarily inspired by the Jazz Age, concurrent with the “Roaring 20s.” Jewelry from this period includes Art Deco designs, illustrated in streamlined and curved pieces, angular lines, and geometric shapes. Many of their pieces encompass the sheer creativity and vibrant energy of the jazz period.

Here is a sneak peek at what we missed from the event.

Tiffany yellow diamond rings (above) with pink and white diamonds and sapphires ($90,000 to $180,000).

 

The Savoy headpiece, part of The Great Gatsby Collection, with diamonds and freshwater cultured pearls in platinum ($200,000) and can be acquired here.

 

Tiffany white diamond tiara with 8.43 carats of yellow diamonds ($335,000) .

 

As always, Live, Life, Lamour,

R.Lamour

Tacori Jewelry!

Today’s  post is primarily a showcase of some of  my favorites from Tacori jewelry. They have been very instrumental in fusing classic glamour with subtle hints of  modern sophistication. Honestly with a formula such as theirs, its no wonder they have acquired the world renowned popularity which they’ve been able to have. Being a personal fan of statement jewelry, it always intrigues me at how many designers have the ability to grasp the attentions of seasoned professionals such as myself time and time again.

I had the liberty of being able to take a peak into their most recent collection which is ideally dubbed “The Vault”. This Tacori collection is one that features one-of-a-kind platinum designs that have been worn to major Hollywood awards ceremonies such as the Academy Awards and the Emmys.

These beautiful dropped earrings feature strands of white gold embedded with brilliant diamonds which cascade down from white gold and diamond embedded chandelier tops. They can be acquired or better viewed here.

 

This exquisite necklace features elegant diamonds which create the precious petals on this fabulously floral pendant enhancer in a feminine, sexy shade of pink-purple Rose Amethyst. With luscious 18k pink gold details, this botanical beauty is a centerpiece of a stunning look. Also available by simply clicking here.

These earring are certainly due to be the highlight of any evening no matter the season. These incredible scarlet showstoppers with a natural edge feature a set of Rutilated Quartz that add a raw (je ne sais quois) look which make these diamond-crescent framed earrings luscious, glittering, and utterly wearable works of art. They can be seen for purchase or perusal here.

 

 

As always, Live, Life, Lamour,

R.Lamour

 

29 Carat excitement

As a jeweler and jewelry blogger, nothing brings about more excitement than the sight of diamonds. I guess it may be a combination of superb marketing or the image of the stones rarity, but overall the fever of diamonds have nonetheless been ingraned in our DNA ‘s as one of the most beautiful stones to acquire. Recently at a Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong, A D color flawless diamond made history when it set a new price per carat world auction record for a round white diamond. This 28.86-carat round brilliant sold for an astronomical $6.9 million, or $239,352 per carat, at the April 8th sale, which was a figure that significantly topped its pre-sale high estimate of $5.8 million. The stone set a new world auction record for primarily its level of clarity and size. To be able to have a diamond of that proportion and still be nearly flawless is rare for diamonds in general.

I honestly can imagine the buyer of this stone wearing this and having armed security around them just for protection in the event someone is brave enough to try and snatch it away from them. Nevertheless for the price paid and its size, it may just end up in a museum somewhere or wealthy individual’s precious lock box for safe keeping. As favorable the previous options may seem, I strongly believe a diamond of this magnitude and  such beauty should be show cased and allowed to breathe. After all whats the point of having an object with such brilliance and not allowing it to shine?

 

As always, Live, Life, Lamour,

R.Lamour

 

Handmade Murano glass jewelry

The origins of jewelry glass making dates back to 12th century-Venice,  this technique gained its popularity back to the times of the Roman Empire when molded glass was used for illumination in bathhouses. The raw Blend of the Roman experience with the skills learned from the Byzantine Empire and trade with the Orient, Venice emerged as a prominent glass-manufacturing center as early as the 8th century. Fast forward to the 20th century where through continuous trade and improvement on techniques, the master glass-makers of Murano were still reproducing classical styles and rediscovering ancient techniques, which was evident at Murano and Venice Exhibition of Choice Glass and Glass Objects staged in 1895 inside Murano City Hall.

From the 20th century up until today, the techniques of glass-makers have been refined to become what it is today. The magnificent appearance and coloring of Murano glass now a day’s are achieved through adding gold or silver foil to the glass mixture and adding minerals such as zinc for white, cobalt for blue, manganese for violet. Once the jewelry piece is finished, it is placed in a cooling oven, called “tempera”, to cool down slowly; in this way it doesn’t break due to the extreme variations in temperature.

Today many jeweler’s through inspirations from universal sources and art have been able to create some very contemporary and fashion forward jewelry pieces. We have been fortunate to be able to bring to you some featured pieces from such jeweler’s which have had the opportunity to become known by media outlets globally. Below, I’ve featured some wonderful pieces from Hilary London and Pasionae.

Many of these wonderful pieces and more can be acquired directly from Hilary London’s site by clicking here.

 

 

 

These breath taking Pasionae pieces can all be viewed and acquired here.

As with anything, Murano glass jewelry may require a certain taste and appreciation to both jewelry and art as a whole. They are all unique and generally no two pieces will be identical in nature. Any Murano piece is sure to attract some attention and simultaneously be unique,  hence the reason it would be a great addition to your jewelry arsenal.

 

As always, Live, Live, Lamour,

R.Lamour

 

The Age of Silver!

Today’s post is primarily focused on the increasing use of silver in fine jewelry. My assumption for this newly trending phenomenon is due to the high and constantly fluctuating price of gold. Although in the past the inclusion of precious stones such as diamonds, rubies, and the like into silver jewelry were not always looked upon favorably, there are many well known silver jewelers and designers who are gaining much needed momentum from this new and growing fad.

One in particular is silver jewelry designer Cynthia Gale who recently celebrated the rebranding of her company and the launch of a new website at a party held at her Manhattan showroom. Gale’s company, formerly known as GeoArt by Cynthia Gale, through strategic re-branding is now Cynthia Gale Jewelry with a beautifully redesigned website, which has duel functions of both wholesale and e-commerce. Through a sneak peek into her site, I must say there are some very beautifully designed pieces well worth checking out.

All of which can be acquired through her site by clicking here.

Although she is not the only designer or jeweler  that is involved in properly positioning herself to take advantage of this silver revolution, in future upcoming posts, I will feature more designers which do.

 

As always, Live, Life, Lamour

R.Lamour

Jewelry semi-secret societies

Today’s  post is primarily centered around one of the many “elite” organizations that some may view as the propeller’s of the jewelry industry. As with many secret/ invite only organizations, image and status are usually the primary factors  which ultimately determine membership. Today we will discuss the infamous  “24 Karat Club”  their vague history and contributions to the industry.

The 24 Karat Club is an elite, invitation only membership organization which  seeks to forward the growth of the jewelry industry.  This club offers an impressive list of scholarship opportunities awarded annually to deserving jewelry industry recipients throughout each of their individual chapters in the United States.

The 24 Karat Club schedules its meetings, events and functions to run concurrently with other jewelry shows which are held every year.  Their members serve as volunteers on various committees to promote the efforts of the organization.

Although there are objects of skepticism that surround organizations with with secret natures, the fact that this is 1930’s club has such a vague nature usually sends anyone’s mind running for answers. As positive an image it may portray, we must always remember that everything that glitters isn’t necessarily gold.

As Always, Live, Life, Lamour,

R.Lamour

 

The Tie Pin!

Today’s post is on the hopeful resurgence of the tie pin, which like most things,  has had a varying span of popularity with experiences of peaks and valley. The use of tie pins (clips) gained prominence during the roaring 20’s, during which as we all know was a period where most men wore mostly suits and ties. During this period, straight ties were made of delicate materials such as silk which became more fashionable and in practically no time at all, they largely came to replace the more traditional ties made of non silk material.

As a clothing and jewelry accessory, tie pins are used to clip a tie to the underlying shirt front, which prevented it from swinging and ensuring that the tie hung straightly, resulting in a neat, uniform appearance. Hence the reason it was allowed to be worn by servicemen and women in the United States military, thus making it one of the few items of jewelry allowed to be worn.

The great aspect of tie pins of the time is that they weren’t just straight clips as we frequently see many of the today. They came in many assorted designs and were truly objects of  expression and statement pieces as with most jewelry pieces. Although many will critique to say that a tie pin is meant to be simple, I beg to differ and I believe its meant to hold duel function and be a piece that is both practical and expressive. Below are some of my favorite tie pins and of course if ever interested, the link to attain them.

 

Very unique bicycle or skull tie pin from our friends at ties.com which can be purchased here.

 

 

Skull and bones, 3bar, and red tie bar, which all can be purchased here.

Lastly AK47 tie pin which can be purchased here.

 

As we can see, tie pins come in varying colors, shapes, and sizes. Hopefully these varieties have peaked your interest into wearing and perhaps propelling back the once viral fashion trend.

 

As always, Live, Life, Lamour,

R.Lamour