Nadia Jewelry

Don’t Let Unused Jewelry Lie Forgotten

Isn’t it true that often times we over look a really great piece of jewelry just because we forgot that we even had it? Often, women get gifts of jewelry and end up having so much that they forget where the pieces are. This, combined with the fact that the items are small and can easily get lost at the bottom of a purse or fall from a dresser and remain hidden on the carpet for years is exactly why the Jewelry Frame was invented. This clever piece of wall decoration is one of the most innovative in years because it provides the perfect solution to those who want to be able to get their collections organized in a thoughtful way that is also utilitarian. Since the frame will let them hang their pieces right out where they can see them, it ends up that the jewelry gets rotated more and used far more regularly than if we simply had to place it in a drawer.

This is a smart device to have because it helps make sure that none of our better pieces of jewelry go to waste. Since the frame can hold a huge number of pieces there is always a lot of room. The best part is, these make great gifts for friends and loved ones who share our fondness for jewelry. They are not only immediately useful in the sense that they help us organize the pieces we already have, they can be used for years to come to help all of our pieces stay in great shape and not lie forgotten in the bottom of a drawer.

Rebecca and Baci Perugina Match Chocolate and Jewelry for Valentine’s Day

Italian jewelry brand Rebecca, a subsidiary of Testi USA, has concocted a delightful marketing concept for customers to enjoy this Valentine’s Day by pairing its products with chocolates from famed Italian chocolate company Baci Perugina. The giveaway will offer a combination that both companies hope will lure women with two products they are sure to adore: chocolate and jewelry.

During the special promotion, those customers who purchase any jewelry with a heart motif will be a complimentary box of chocolate, thus making the products more appealing for women or men who are buying gifts for the romantic holiday. Since the word Baci is Italian for ‘kisses’, the appropriateness of the giveaway is strengthened and both companies foresee a substantial expansion in their business from this promotion.

Most of the jewelry offered comes from Rebecca’s Tropezienne Collection which features, along with many heart shaped pieces, fashion forward jewelry with cutting edge design and a Romantic style. The chocolates from Baci Perugina come wrapped inside a love note written by a renowned writer or poet and are filled with a hazelnut crème.

As the first of many such innovative partnerships, Agostino Magni suggests that many more promotional business pairings are in store for customers of its North American branch who appreciate the Italian charm the company offers.

Gemstone

Throughout history, gemstones have held a very high status in nearly all major world cultures because they have fascinated humans from the very earliest days with their beauty. Despite any other cultural differences, people have long shared an appreciation of gemstones as well as an affinity for the gemstone jewelry created using such gems. Over time, values have shifted, but the fact remains that gems continue to enchant the world with their sparkle, shine, color and ability to evoke a sense of wonder in the observer. For these simple reasons alone, gemstones hold an aesthetic importance that will not soon be replaced.

In order to understand exactly what gemstones are, it is important to turn to science. According to scientific categorization, gems are minerals that are valued for traits which make them useful in jewelry. While most gems are actually mined out of rock, several types of gems including coral, amber and pearls, are made from living animals or plants are therefore classified as organic gems. Since the natural processes that create gems occur over such enormously long periods of time, gems are very valuable. Their rarity is part of their value, but their beauty, durability, clarity, color, shine, sparkle and in some cases, their lack of color – as in the diamond.

Even though there are more than two thousand different types of minerals found on earth, only fewer than one hundred of these could properly be considered gems and among these, only sixteen have risen to any great level of importance on a global level. These sixteen precious stones are: zircon, diamond, opal, olivine, turquoise, tourmaline, quartz, spinel, topaz, lazurite, feldspar, garnet, chrysoberyl, jade, beryl (of which emerald and aquamarine are both sub species) and corundum (sub species of which include rubies and sapphires). While other semi precious gems such as onyx, amber or pearls are also used in the creation of gemstone jewelry, and greatly favored by those who prefer them, they are not held at the same level of value for a variety of subjective reasons.

While diamonds of colorless type are the most valued, most gemstones are more value if they are of a deeper, richer color. This will affect their value, as will what style of cut has been applied to them. Gemstone jewelry offers several cuts including pear, marquis, princess cut, heart and round brilliant, for diamonds. With gemstones, one has a wide array of choices and since there are birthstones for every month of the year it is very possible to make a gift of gemstone jewelry be a very personal and sentimental affair. Understanding the colors and gems that a person likes most can help one pick the perfect gift, but be sure to know which precious metals they prefer since gemstone jewelry can be made combining any gems and precious metals on the market today to create a rainbow of different looks to suit just about any tastes.

People today might not believe that gemstones contain magical powers, but one thing is for sure: gems continue to fascinate us in ways that no other objects of beauty on Earth can ever come close to.

Gold

For thousands of years, gold has been considered the most valuable of the precious metals due to its ability to withstand corrosion from the elements and the fact that it does not oxidize with water or air as many other metals due. Add to this the fact that in its pure form it is easily shaped with hand held tools and one can easily see why it has been considered such a valuable metal down through the ages. Although it is perfect for coins and jewelry, gold has many other uses in other applications such as gourmet foods, dentistry, medicine and electronics. Due to its rareness combined with its wide range of uses, gold is very valuable and even today, there have only been a little over 161 tonnes of gold mined throughout the world according to historians of the subject.

Gold jewelry is valued using a number of features, but one of the most important is the gram weight of the gold contained within a piece. This is the amount of pure gold that exists within a given piece of jewelry and it is one of the most important points a person should know about any item of gold jewelry they intend to buy. The more gold an item contains, the greater its value. However, since gold is such a soft metal, it is often combined with other metals to give a piece of jewelry more strength and greater resistance to damage, thus preserving its value for longer. This mixing of metals with gold creates what is called a gold alloy. The amount of gold in any given alloy is rated by karats (also called carats in some countries) and this factor is represented by a symbol, such as 24k, that is stamped somewhere into the gold on a piece of jewelry. The higher the karat count, the higher the percentage of purity of the gold within a piece. By understanding these two factors, consumers are well on their way to assessing the value of any gold jewelry they encounter.

While pure gold jewelry certainly does exist, for practical reasons it is not always the best for pieces that one intends to wear daily. There are gold plated jewelry items and these do contain gold, but they have only a very thin coating of pure gold. This is done to reduce the price, but there are also items described as gold filled which contain more gold than the plating process provides, but cost less than pure gold. Hollow gold jewelry is sometimes used in earrings in order to make them lighter and less strain on the wearer’s ear. The jeweler should definitely tell customers if this is the case.

In the end, choosing the right gold jewelry is a matter of taste and personal preferences regarding its value. For some, it is the look that matters most or the sentimental nature of the particular piece, but others are more in tune with the monetary worth of the piece in harmony with its appearance. No matter what a shopper is looking for, knowing about jewelry before shopping is the smartest way to go.

Silver

Down through history, silver has been considered a precious metal and in some cultures it was valued more highly than gold, being commonly associated with the moon and spirituality during those times. Since it is the element most conductive of both heat and electricity, silver’s value is intrinsic rather than purely ornamental. While today both platinum and gold exceed it in value, silver jewelry is still widely used. The metal itself has other applications in other fields such as clothing, medicine, coins, photographic equipment and mirrors. Due to its attractive color, silver is favored as a lower cost alternative to the other more expensive precious metals, with sterling silver being cheaper than fine silver.

Sterling silver jewelry utilizes an alloy (compound of metals) that generally includes copper. This is the most common form of silver used for jewelry because the combination of these two metals creates a much more durable alloy that holds up better for the wear and tear put on traditional jewelry, especially those pieces that one intends to wear on a daily basis. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulates how silver jewelry can be termed when it is sold and unless a piece has at least 92.5% silver it cannot be termed silver, sterling, solid silver, sterling silver or even utilize the abbreviation Ster. When a piece reads either 925 or 92.5 this means that it meets the commonly held standard, allowing it to be considered sterling silver jewelry in the official sense. Most other nations around the world follow a similar philosophy.

Unlike gold, silver will tarnish and so its care is crucial. A soft cloth or toothbrush and warm water are the best ways to care for silver jewelry, but some people prefer to use specialized cleaners. If one uses a special cleaning solution it is very important to ensure that the solution will not damage any of the gems or other precious metals used in the jewelry. Some people prefer not to treat the silver, though, and appreciate the blackening effect on the silver, known as a ‘patina’, because they feel that it adds character to their jewelry. If this is the case then one does not need to use any means of cleaning the jewelry and can simply allow it to age naturally.

While it is certainly an attractive alternative to more expensive gold jewelry, one must be careful when considering silver jewelry because there are definite instances when it would be deemed inappropriate to select silver instead of gold. For engagement rings and wedding bands, silver is not a good choice because gold is traditionally chosen due to the fact that it does not tarnish. This is a symbolic value, but much of jewelry itself is about symbolism so erring in this area can create an unintended offense, particularly for men who are choosing jewelry with which they hope to impress a woman. For other pieces, such as dress rings, pendants, bracelets or necklaces, silver can be a good choice but if one intends to give silver jewelry as a gift it is best to find out the wearer’s taste in advance to avoid purchasing something they would not like.

Pearl

Few gems carry the elegance factor that a silky white pearl can offer to jewelry. Pearl jewelry boasts a sense of refinement, a truly classic look that is rivaled by no other gem. While it is considered to be a precious gem, it is not to be confused with gem stones because it is not a stone mined from the earth in the traditional sense. Instead, pearls are harvested from mollusks, shelled sea animals commonly known as oysters. This bounty of the ocean has brought us pearl jewelry, a standby for decades in a variety of cultures around the world that appreciate the unique beauty that pearls of all colors have to offer.

The pearl itself is formed within the oyster not from a grain of sand, as is commonly thought, but usually from some other irritant to the tissue of the shellfish. The tiny irritant causes the oyster to exude a liquid called nacre, the same fluid that lines the shell of the oyster itself. This iridescent nacre throws a rainbow of colors when turned in the light and it is this shell lining that is often referred to as mother of pearl. The application of the nacre is a long process that can take months or even years to form the gems that we see in pearl earrings or pearl necklaces. In the wild, it is very rare that a pearl of gem quality is formed and due to this, several tons of oysters would have to be harvested to find even a few pearls beautiful enough to be used in jewelry.

It should be noted that wild pearls are far more valuable than those which are farmed in the oceans or rivers. Different species of pearl producing oysters can be found in both freshwater or saltwater environments, but those harvested by oceanic oysters in the open seas are by far the most expensive. Farmed pearls offer an affordable alternative, but one would need to buy from a trusted source because an x-ray is usually needed in order to determine the difference between farmed and wild pearls. Sources for pearls include most of the major seas around the globe and countries that are known for collecting them include: Australia, Tahiti, Japan and China.

While these gems of the sea can come in colors such as yellow, pink, blue or black, white is the most commonly sought after because it is the most prevalent in nature and considered to be the most perfect. However, black is a very close runner up with wild black pearls from Tahiti being considered nearly priceless. Other indicators of value for pearls include their size, perfection of the surface, how round perfectly spherical they are, and how shiny the surface of the pearl is.

For those who can afford the high prices, wild pearls found in nature are definitely the wisest choice for a long-term investment and family heirloom. Those who have less to spend will find that farmed pearls provide a high quality alternative that is nearly as beautiful and definitely sentimental.

Diamond Jewelry

When ancient people first discovered what we now know to be the diamond, they were shocked by the properties of this incredible gem. Its ability to scratch not only other gemstones, but metals, as well, made it a remarkable gem unlike any other. The other aspect of diamonds that made them so popular was their ability to ‘throw light’ out into the different colors of the light spectrum, giving them a property known as ‘fire’. This magnificent combination of durability and beauty quickly led to the stone being one of the most sought after on the planet and it remains so to this day. Very few gems can approach the diamond in value or cultural importance.

Since their discovery in India, diamonds have been seen as meaningful stones and attributed a great number of super natural powers such as protecting the wearer from evil spirits. Today, diamond jewelry is seen as a symbol of wealth and the tradition of the diamond engagement ring has become one that is very strongly held in the Western world. This tradition of a woman being given a diamond ring by her suitor has been with us since the 1400’s where it started in Europe, but rose to much greater prominence in the early 1900’s when De Beers diamond company ran ads to convince consumers that the diamond made the best romantic symbol on Earth.

When one is judging diamond jewelry, there are some crucial elements to understand that can help a person better determine the value of any given diamond. These elements are known as the Four C’s: carat, cut, clarity and color. All of these factors combined are what lead to an overall value of the stone so there is not one single value that is the absolute determiner of a diamond’s worth. The larger carats are more valuable because the carat represents the mass or size of the diamond and the clarity that is higher is also worth more because it means the diamond has fewer defects or impurities within the stone.

In terms of color, diamond jewelry can include diamonds of any color, but colorless diamonds are the most sought after with pink diamonds being next, but so valuable that they are beyond the budgets of most buyers. Since diamonds can occur in any hue of the rainbow, buyers have a wide range of choices and diamond jewelry can be authentic while displaying a range of colors. Cut, on the other hand, are a matter of personal choice and there is debate over which is the best. Round brilliant cut diamonds are currently some of the most popular, but cuts such as princess, pear, heart and briolette, also known as rose cut, are increasing in popularity, too.

When it comes to diamond jewelry, whether one wants diamond solitaire earrings, a diamond engagement ring or a necklace to dazzle the eyes, there are few choices that have quite the regal authority as a genuine colorless diamond. All throughout the world, people know that these stones are the most valuable of any gems so the level of respect for them is incredibly high.

Bracelet of Ex-Business Mogel Bernie Madoff Being Sold to Benefit Charity

When the United States Marshals Service auctioned off an Art Deco bracelet owned by now imprisoned financier Bernie Madoff in an effort to help victims of one of history’s most notorious con men, worldwide jewelry buyer CIRCA bought it for $50,000 – double the value that it has been appraised at. Now the jewelry company is selling it and donating a portion of the profits to benefit two major charities, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation that it has supported for the past 7 years and Florida based Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation which lost $2 million by investing with Madoff himself.

Bernie Madoff has become one of the most despised men in recent memory after being discovered running what is purported to be the world’s largest Ponzi scheme, a criminal enterprise specifically designed to defraud investors. Upon his fall from grace, his estate was seized and is being gradually sold off to benefit the victims of his crimes. Since a large portion of CIRCA’s customers lost money with Madoff and were forced to sell their own jewelry to cover their losses, CIRCA’s CEO Chris Del Gatto has noted that the company felt obligated to do what they could to help the victims.

The bracelet itself is in the Art Deco style popular in the early part of the 1900’s and features large square emeralds set in a paving of diamonds.

Marriage Proposal Focus of New Ivanka Trump Jewelry Line

Ivanka Trump, ex wife of world famous business mogul and reality TV star Donald Trump, is the owner of New York City based Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry, an innovative company that is stepping forward to offer more than just engagement rings. In an ingenious move, the company is stepping forward to take its business to the next level by offering not only a full line of products, but advice tailored to men who are planning to propose to the women of their dreams.

Speaking recently to the media, Mrs. Trump had this to say about her business’ latest plans, “We understand how challenging it can be for men to not only shop for a ring, but plan the perfect way to pop the question.”

A solution, it seems, is being offered in the form of a hotel getaway package to one of Donald Trump’s Trump Hotel Collection properties located in NYC. The concept of the New York Proposal Package is that the potential groom will receive a stay in one of these luxurious hotels along with the purchase of any diamond engagement ring from Ivanka Trump’s Bridal Bar. This offers customers an elegant setting in which they can conduct their proposal.

Clients who participate in the package will be offered either a single night’s stay at either the Trump International Hotel and Tower New York which offers a sweeping view of Central Park or, beginning February 2010, the new Trump SoHo New York, nestled in a highly fashionable district of the Big Apple. In addition to the hotel stays, the couples will be treated to a dozen long stemmed roses waiting in their room along with a bottle of complimentary champagne. Dinner that evening will be offered at either Trump SoHo’s Quattro Gastronomia Italiana or Trump International’s Jean-Georges restaurant, depending upon which hotel the client has chosen to make his proposal at. Dinners will include another bottle of champagne and the following morning, continental breakfast in bed will be provided free of charge.

The aim of the program is to acknowledge the high levels of anxiety that suitors experience in regards to proposing marriage and the uncertainty they face in finding an appropriate way to express themselves. The program seeks to make the proposal process fun for both sexes and educate men on the etiquette of a proper proposal that will create a memory to last a lifetime.

The Bridal Bar’s primary aim offerings are estate pieces and designs based on the more popular eras of history. Prices are rich, starting at $800.