Archive for January, 2012

Winter is often thought of as the least exciting time of the year when it comes to fashion accessories and fine jewelry items, as many people tend to wear darker colors and thicker clothing. However, if you prefer to think outside of the box, you might be looking for ways to infuse each ensemble with a pop of color. If this is the case, there are several approaches you can take with fine jewelry in order to support your need for flash.

Cocktail rings that are infused with colored gemstones are frequently the best items to take advantage of when wearing blander shades of clothing. For example, blue Kashmir sapphire goes extremely well with platinum or white gold. Pink sapphire and emeralds can also make a fitting match with these precious metals.

Although there are many contemporary styles that can suit your needs, your preferences might lean more toward the traditional. In this case, go for vintage jewelry pieces that are designed with these popular gemstones.

It's not uncommon for grandmothers and moms to pass down elegant fine jewelry pieces from generation to generation, allowing these unique items to boast a lot of sentimental value. However, many people would be surprised to discover how much certain antique jewelry pieces are actually worth. After all, it can be incredibly satisfying to dig up an old item in the closet and learn that it can be more than just a matter of family pride.

If you're curious about the actual value of estate jewelry, there are many ways to find out. However, one of the most reliable methods is to use local museums as a reference.  

According to MLive.com, Kirk Hoofman, a resident of Muskegon, Michigan, and collector of costume jewelry, is inviting other collectors to attend a group appraisal for their antique pieces.

"Much of this jewelry just got thrown away in the 60s, but has since come up in value," Hoofman told the news source. "There were very cheap pieces, but also very high end ones. We categorize them as good, better or best."

If you shopped online for holiday gifts this year in order to avoid huge crowds, you're not alone. In fact, so many people did their shopping over the internet this year that online sales reached record levels. Fine jewelry was no exception.

According to JCK magazine, online revenue for November and December 2011 reached $37.2 billion, which is a 15 percent increase from 2010. Those are huge numbers, proving that it's now easier than ever to shop online for luxury items and household goods.

Cyber Monday was the biggest day for sales, bringing in $1.2 billion. Many retailers had promotions that were hard to pass up that day, so it's no wonder consumers flocked to their computers.

Brick and mortar stores only experienced a four percent jump in sales from last year, proving that the online industry is set to take over the traditional retail market.

If you're looking for items like fine jewelry, there's no better place to shop than online. You'll have plenty of information at your disposal so you can make informed choices. Plus, you'll be able to comparison shop to find a vintage jewelry item that fits your taste and budget.

A new variety of Ethiopian Opal has been developed by Jewelry Television (JTV), which is the world’s largest retailer of loose gemstones for fine jewelry. The gem's name, the Chalama Black Opal, comes from the Amharic (Ethiopia’s native language) word that means “to darken.”

According to DiamondNe.ws, Ethiopian Opal was discovered in 2008 and is known for its vibrant colors and unique patterns. The colors of the Chalama Black Opal are even more striking, as the stones are treated with smoke to deposit carbon into the gem, making the background appear black.

JTV described the smoke treatment process on their website. "In the smoke treatment process, the opals are wrapped in silver foil paper and heated. The smoke penetrates the opal and darkens the background color. This process results in a brighter play-of-colors in contrast to the darkened background color."

Although other black opals are on the market, there are few with the dazzling range of colors that come with Chalama Black Opals. If you're a fan of opals, you may want to check out a couple of vintage jewelry items that might strike your fancy.

When you think of the NFL's Super Bowl, images of fine jewelry probably don't come to mind. However, the retailers in Indianapolis are getting ready to cater to the high-class attendees of the game, who will reportedly spend plenty of time and money in the city.

According to IndyStar.com, fine jewelry, furs and fancy clothing items are being flown into the area in time for the Super Bowl in an effort to get wealthy patrons to spend. Normally, the city doesn't carry such high-end goods, as there's not much demand.

The Super Bowl is expected to bring Indianapolis around $300 to $400 million dollars, much of which comes from consumer spending. Retailers are stocking their shelves with high-end gear for everyone, from families to corporate executives.

Christian End, a professor of psychology at Xavier University, told the news source that about 50 percent of Super Bowl-goers don't have a preference for either team. "That means 50 percent are spending a lot of money to attend a game between two teams that they don't care about," he told the news source. "And for someone to have the money to do that, probably they possess the money to buy high-end items."