Engagement Rings
8 Ways to Identify Original Yellow Sapphire
Yellow sapphires are absolutely gorgeous and a perfect choice to bring a little light to your days! In all the excitement and anticipation, it’s easy to be fooled by fake stone. To help you avoid fraud, we’ve prepared a list of ways how to identify an original yellow sapphire!
Ask For a Certificate
Possibly the easiest way you can check the authenticity of a stone is to ask for a certificate. This way you are sure the stone was examined and approved by a trusted, official organization.
Certificates provided by some of the national gem societies (like the Gemological Institute of America or the American Gem Society) are good indicators that you have a pure sapphire on your hands.
Compare It With (Yellow) Glass
Many might claim that yellow glass and yellow sapphires are not so different. The truth is – of course, they are! One of the easiest ways to check if you’ve got a real gemstone is to compare it to a piece of yellow glass.
When placed next to each other, the difference between a real yellow sapphire and glass is drastic. The sapphire will be rich in shading and clearness, while the chunk of yellow glass will look pale in comparison.
Bubbles Or No Bubbles?
Any inclusion a yellow sapphire might posses shouldn’t be visible to the naked eye. So, if you notice tiny bubbles, or anything resembling liquid glass, inside your gemstone, it’s most likely fake.
Check for Scratches
Sapphires are unbending, hard stones that rank at 9.0 on the Mohs hardness scale. The only stone higher on the scale is a diamond, at 10.0! As a comparison, your fingernail ranks at 2.5.
Knowing this, it’s easy to check if your yellow sapphire is fake. If there are any scratches on your stone, it’s sadly not a real sapphire.
The X Sign
Carefully check the facets of your stone. An “X” cut, also known as scissors cut, is often present on fake (mostly synthetically manufactured) gemstones.
Is It Groovy?
If you’re in the possession of a 10x loupe, you can easily check for groves. A real yellow sapphire will be completely smooth, while a phony stone will have noticeable imperfections.
Under 10x magnification, you might notice grooves similar to that on a vinyl record. If that’s the case, the sapphire is synthetic.
Fillings
Negative space and inclusions can be found in any stone – of course, yellow sapphire is not exempt from them. When cutting gems, these imperfections can “rip” and cause a small hole to develop.
Trustworthy jewelers will keep the hole intact, perhaps as proof of the sapphire’s authenticity. Jewelers of a different kind might choose to fill this hole with paste or glass to make the stone look as though it’s of a higher quality than it actually is.
Shine a light on your stone and examine it – uneven patches can be a good indicator the stone has been filled. Fillings in your stone are something you want to avoid.
Hold It Close And Check For Warmth
If you’re dealing with a loose stone, you can simply hold the yellow sapphire in your hand to see if there’s a chance of it being fake.
A real, natural sapphire should feel warm in your palm. If, on the other hand, you don’t feel anything in particular, you should suspect that the stone you’re holding is synthetic.
Whether you’re choosing a perfect yellow sapphire for an engagement ring, a necklace, or a bracelet, you can make sure you have the real deal on your hands using these tips. Drop by one of our jewelry stores in Miami and make your pick today!
And if you want to match your sapphire jewelry with your clothing we got you covered in our another article.
Diamonds
Ultimate Diamond Guide: Different Types of Diamonds
Carats, cuts, colors, grades and scales – there are so many ways to describe a diamond your head is in a spin! To help you orient yourself, we’ve prepared for you a simple guide about different types of diamonds.
Diamonds by Carat
It may come as a surprise, but “the more carats, the better” is simply not true! A carat merely classifies a diamond by weight, and the bigger the diamond, the higher the carat.
One carat equals to 200 milligrams. This means that a two carat diamond, for example, weighs 400 milligrams. Since a lot of diamonds weigh less than one carat, the carat is subdivided into 100 points. What this means is that when you hear “3/4 carat” it means the diamond is “75 point diamond,” or that is weighs ¾ of 200 milligrams.
A carat number is simply not, and can never be, an adequate measure of the stone’s quality.
Remember, quality always trumps quantity!
Diamonds by Cut
A diamond’s finish, symmetry, proportions and polish are called the cut of the diamond. Depending on the way a diamond is cut, it will be more or less brilliant. For example, a rose cut diamond will give off a subtle, almost ethereal, shine, while a brilliant cut diamond will reflect light in a more dramatic manner.
Some of the popular cuts you can choose from are:
The princess cut – a classic among engagement rings, these diamonds are square in shape and they’re suitable for any style of ring;
The round cut – the most popular cut around for a good reason. When the light hits it just right, this shape can be blindingly brilliant;
The marquise cut – football-shaped, long and narrow, it makes the illusion of a bigger shape;
The pear cut – a combination of a round and a marquise shape, it has tapered point on one end, and excellent symmetry.
Diamonds by Color
Despite the fact we see all diamonds as completely colorless, each of them contains a smidgeon of yellow or brown. This is mostly invisible to the naked eye, so don’t worry!
Color is graded alphabetically where grades D-F are colorless, G-J are near colorless, K-M are slightly tinted, N-R are very light yellow, and S-Z are light yellow or brown.
The differences in these grades are subtle, so you can pick a visibly tinted diamond (grade K, for example), and if it has good clarity, and is beautifully cut, your K grade diamond will look as jaw-dropping as the most colorless stone!
Diamonds by Clarity
No one wants a smudgy diamond, full of imperfection and lacking in shine! Clarity, while important, is not something you should be too worried about. Each diamond lies somewhere on the clarity scale.
The very top of the scale is FL – a flawless grade diamond, which includes less than 1% of all gemstones. The bottom of the scale lies at I2-I3, where the inclusions are visible under 10x magnification.
The golden middle of the scale is an “eye-clean” diamond, VS1 – a stone with some blemishes, though they are invisible to the naked eye.
When picking a diamond, your best bet is to choose one that lies somewhere between VS1 and Fl. The grades you can look for are, in ascending order: VS1, VVS2, VVS1, IF, and, the highest of them all, FL.
There you have it, the four Cs of diamonds, in one handy guide. This is what makes diamonds so special. When it comes a time in your life when you’re walking on clouds and thinking about that happy day, you’ll be fully prepared to make the best possible choice. And if you need any assistance, we at Santayana are always happy to help!
Now that you know what to look for in a diamond, check out our Miami jewelry store – you might even be tempted to shop right now!
Custom Jewelry
6 Common Types of Gemstone Cuts
You may have already picked the perfect shape you want your stone to be in, but there is more to stone than just its shape! Types of gemstone cuts are many and the cut of your stone, the facets made and combined, can make a difference between a subtle shine, a dazzling show, or a depth of color you can just fall into.
The shape of your stone – be it round, square, or rectangular – is only half the story. So, let’s start with the basic types of cuts and how they can make your stone shine the way you want it to.
The Basics: Brilliant, Step, and Mixed Cuts
Even though you may not know their name, you’ve likely seen the three basic cuts already. The brilliant, the step, and the mixed cut are most common and most recognizable gemstone cuts. Look around your jewelry collection, and you’re sure to find at least one of them!
The brilliant cut is, as its name suggests, the one cut that can make your gem shine the most. It almost triangular in shape, with kite-shaped facets that spread from the flat top of the stone.
Sometimes called emerald, and sometimes a baguette cut, the step cut is of a rectangular shape – its facets are rectangular, which descent and ascent it gem’s sides. This kind of cut is perfect when you want to showcase depth of color, and have your stone gleam in a subtle, though powerful way.
The mixed cuts are, quite simply, the combination of the brilliant and the step. Brilliant cuts on the bottom of the gem, and a step on the top, or vice versa – any and all of these combinations produce gemstones that shine even on the darkest days.
Briolette Cut
The Briolette is shaped as a drop, or a pear, with no less than 84 triangular facets over its whole surface. Such a gem doesn’t exactly have a ‘top,’ ‘sides,’ or a ‘bottom’ and that is why this is the most difficult to produce. During one day, a cutter can make no more than about ten briolette jewels. A gem cut in this style is perfect for earrings – they dangle and move, letting the light shine off the many, many sides of a briolette, and in that way show off its color and radiance.
Rose Cut
A cut that has been around since the 16th century and never once lost its brilliance is the rose. Gemstones cut in this style are flat on their back and have a domed top that consists of up to 24 triangular facets, which merge together to form a single apex. This shape might remind you of a rose – the facets are somewhat like petals opening up and unfolding into a single, richly brilliant rosebud. These kinds of gemstones reflect light gently, almost as though you are carrying a dewdrop on your finger.
Princess Cut
The princess cut, one of the most popular choices for a gemstone, is square in shape. What a princess cut can give you is between 58 and 76 facets off which light bounces beautifully. This cut is also known as ‘square modified brilliant’ which says something about its dazzle! Its best used for light and transparent stones.
There are many more gemstone cuts used today, but these are the ones you might hear a lot about. Now that you know the basics, you will definitely be confident when making a decision about what stone you want and how you want it to shine!
Whichever cut, shape and size you prefer your gemstones to be, we can help you find the perfect fit. Just drop by one of our Miami jewelry stores, and take your pick!
Fashion Life, Necklaces
What Necklace to Wear with What Neckline?
A good necklace can make or break an outfit – but which one should you choose?
Knowing how necklaces for different necklines work can be your perfect shortcut to an outfit that wows!
You can match the necklace with your outfit by colors, motifs, design, length, or put it on just because you feel like it, and then… And then, something seems off. The necklace might not suit the outfit after all, despite the gorgeous pendant and the shimmer it makes in the sun.
The problem might be that the necklace doesn’t compliment the neckline of your outfit. Fortunately, that’s easy to solve!
Here are our recommendations on what types of necklaces to wear with what necklines:
V-neck
With V-necks, the necklaces that work best are the ones that compliment it. While a V-neck can be shallow, deep, narrow, or wide, the necklace that suits it best will be the one to compliment the V shape. For a more casual look, try a shorter necklace. If you want to go out and dazzle, pair your V-neck with a longer Y-shaped necklace.
What’s good to avoid are statement pieces or chokers – they’ll only shorten the neckline.
Button down
If you want to spice up your office button down (or button up) shirt, there’s no better way to do it than with a necklace. If you prefer to button up your shirt, almost any necklace can work – though a short statement necklace that spreads right under the collar can look fantastic. If you want something more discrete, opt for a delicate necklace – for example, a sleek strand necklace.
Strapless
With strapless dresses and necklines, the best choice is a shorter necklace. A chocker, collar, or other short necklaces will pair perfectly – any necklace that leaves some space between it and the neckline is a good choice.
Try to avoid very long and thick necklaces – these distract more than accentuate your neckline.
Scoop
A scoop neckline is accentuated best with some layer and volume to your necklace. This can be one broad necklace, or you can wear multiple necklaces – a multitude of strands, beads, and pendants can make your outfit pop. For a more subdued look, you can pick simple chains, with hanging pendants or lockets.
Crew neck
The necklaces best for crew necks are short – bibs or collars. The round, close-fitting neckline can also be matched with longer necklaces, chockers that follow the neckline itself, or even statement pieces that fall over the top of the neckline.
Since the crew neck is very common, feel free to experiment! If you find that you don’t like how the bib sits, you can always pick one of the other options.
Boat neck
A boat neck neckline (a wide neckline that runs across the collarbones) is not commonly found in daytime outfits. These necklines are typically more elegant, so the necklace you choose should lean to the elegant side. Long, simple necklaces are the way to go if you want to keep your boat neck elegant.
Statement necklaces can clash with this type of dress, so try to avoid them.
There you have it – one list for a quick and easy way to choose the best necklace for your neckline! Whether you’re going out, or putting any old thing on, a necklace that complements your neckline can add that little extra to your outfit.
Do you already have a necklace in mind? Check out our jewelry stores in Miami, FL and we’ll make sure you find the right fit!
Custom Jewelry
Handmade Jewelry Trends – Spring, Summer 2018
It’s hard, keeping up with trends in jewelry. They’re very easy to miss unless to keep a close eye on them, and by the time you get around to updating your accessories, they might be gone. This is especially true if you’re the kind of person who prefers handmade jewelry rather than mass-produced pieces.
Luckily, we’ve prepared a handmade jewelry trends 2018 list!
Be Yourself
The biggest allure of handmade jewelry is its uniqueness – this is why handmade has been gaining traction lately. Why wear something that thousands of other people can easily wear when you can stand out with handmade pieces? We at Santayana make custom jewelry, so you can make sure no one else on the world has the same necklace, bracelet, or ring like you! Being unique and original will never go out of style.
All About Nature
One trend we never seem to get tired of is nature. From ancient times, artist of all kinds – painters, sculptors, designers – have found their inspiration among nature, both its flora and fauna. In 2018, handmade jewelry continues taking inspiration from the world around us.
Vines, rosebuds, blooming flowers, delicate leaves, bold patterns or gentle designs – as long as the jewelry features a natural element, it’s completely on trend.
Going Raw
The nature trend becomes even more exciting and unique – uncut minerals, raw stones, and a look that says ‘graceful, but strong’ are the hallmarks of going raw when it comes to handmade jewelry.
Using raw minerals for jewelry gives it a rugged look that screams original. This is doubly true when it comes to handmade jewelry – ever curve and indentation will be yours and yours alone. The whole look will give an extra edge to your outfit, and it can easily become a conversation piece too – especially if you had it custom made!
Don’t Forget the Arms
Arm cuffs are back! Fashion has a tendency to go round and round, making the old new again, and handmade trends are no different. Arm cuffs that wrap around your wrist and hand are gaining on popularity in 2018.
Whether they are chunky, thin, delicate, bold, wire, wood – handmade jewelers are experimenting with a variety of styles when it comes to arm cuffs. You can wear only one, or if you want an extra effect, you can stack multiple cuffs and create a real statement look.
Filigree Goes Handmade
Filigree detailing on a piece of jewelry is nothing short of magical. The delicate metalwork – strings, threads, and beads, that twine along the jewelry piece and create such an intricate look – is nothing short of magic.
Jewelry featuring filigree is typically of gold and silver, but in 2018, handmade jewelry featuring filigree is spreading out. It’s no longer just for expensive heirloom pieces – handmade filigree jewelry can be plated in patinas including copper, sterling silver, and brass.
One thing that custom handmade filigree jewelry can offer you that nothing else can is having your own design on the jewelry of your choosing. These can be various shapes, vines, arabesques, or you can even choose to spell something out. What better way to be trendy and unique at the same time!
Finally, what these trends tell us is that the one eternal trend when it comes to handmade is uniqueness and the freedom to be an individual, to be unabashed, shamelessly yourself. At our shop, we specialize in handmade custom jewelry. You can come round, visit our design studio, and tell us exactly how you want your jewelry to look. Visit our store in Miami or at Coral Gables!
Fun Facts
How to Match Sapphire Jewelry With Your Outfit?
The striking blue of sapphire just might seem intimidating – how in the world can you match your outfit to make your jewelry shine brighter than ever? What if you make a mistake and instead of elevating your sapphire, you make it look gaudy? Read on for some tips on how to match sapphires with your outfit!
We all know sapphires are blue – not just any blue but a deep, rich color that sooth and inspires all at once. Other sapphires are called “fancy sapphires” and can come in shades of violet, yellow, pink, and orange. Those colors sound like easy to match outfits with!
The “real” blue sapphire is a tad more tricky. It’s a color that demands attention, and can almost hypnotize you if the jewelry is worn well. So, how to match your outfit to your sapphire jewelry to blow everyone away?
Here are some tips:
Complementary Colors
It’s all about color! The three primary colors are red, yellow and blue. When these colors are mixed, they made secondary colors: green (yellow and blue), purple (red and blue), and orange (red and yellow). This means that cooler colors will look good when combined with oranges, yellows, and reds.
Combining a sapphire bracelet with an orange top might sound a little off, but those two colors actually go really well together! If you’re not feeling the bold colors, a top or dress the color of pale peach or even blush can bring your sapphire to the forefront.
Little Black Dresses
Always a classic – black can go with anything. The little black dress and every outfit composed primarily of black clothing can make your sapphire jewelry stand out. Even more laid-back outfits, like a black top paired with some jeans and a black jacket, can make your sapphire pop.
There is nothing like seeing how a sapphire necklace just gleams and glitters when you’re wearing black!
If black is not your style – try grey. Simply cut grey clothes can only bring attention to the blue of the sapphire. You can let your sapphire be the only blue in your outfit, or add some more blue details and make the sapphire your centerpiece.
Color Harmonization
Another way of combining sapphires with your outfit is to match it with colors that have some blue hues within them. So, violet top that leans more towards blue, a piece of sapphire jewelry can easily fit in.
Since sapphire is a shade of blue when choosing colors to harmonize it with, remember that blue mixed with red produces violet – so any shade on that spectrum that is closer to blue can work well with sapphires. Blue mixed with yellow produces green – so the color spectrum for that choice will encapsulate blue-ish shades of green.
Embrace Nature
Where better to turn to for inspiration than nature? The azure of the skies, the cerulean of the seas, the blue in the wings of a bluebird, not to mention so many of its shade in flowers!
What you can do is look at nature and its patterns. Once you find the theme you like best (for example, flowers) you can easily build upon it an incorporate sapphires in your outfit.
At Santayana, we can offer you sapphires for any occasion. From a trip to the supermarket when you just rolled out of bed (a small stone nestled in a simple band would be a good choice here), to a white tie even that requires gowns and glitter (a statement necklace perhaps), Santayana is here to help you pick the best piece of jewelry!
Come into our jewelry store in Miami, Florida and find what you’re looking for – all you need to do is pick your favorite!
Custom Jewelry
How to Choose The Best Earrings for Your Face Shape?
How to choose earrings for your face shape might not be a question you’ve ever asked yourself – but there is a reason to do it! There is more to choosing an earring than just its beauty – if you really want to wow with your jewelry choices, you just might want to pick a pair of earring that will perfectly compliment your face. Read on to discover which earring is perfect for you!
While every face is unique in its beauty, they all share a certain characteristic – a shape. This can be oval, square, long, round, heart-shaped, diamond.
Just like with makeup and hair, certain shapes can be made more striking by choosing a perfect pair of earrings.
Earrings for a round face
A round face means that your face is wide at your cheekbones and does not narrow down to your chin. Celebrities with a similar face shape are Kate Winslet or Drew Barrymore.
Round faces can benefit from choosing long, drop earrings – a perfect choice to offset the roundness! Studs and hoop earrings have a tendency to enhance the roundness, so if you don’t want that, steer clear!
Earrings for a heart-shaped face
A heart-shaped face is the one that narrows towards the chin, and the forehead is wider than the cheeks. Similar to Reese Witherspoon.
Earring best for hear shaped faces are wider at the bottom – for example, teardrop earrings would be a great choice.
Earrings for an oval face
Oval faces are the lucky ones – almost any earring will work well! Oval faces’ foreheads are not too wide, the line from the forehead matches with the cheekbones, and it may narrow slightly towards the chin. Kate Hudson and Beyoncé Knowles have oval shapes faces.
While pears and teardrops might really compliment these faces, ovals are free to pick, choose and experiment fully!
Earrings for an oblong shape
These kinds of faces are similar to oval shapes, though they are just a little longer and thinner. Angelina Jolie has a similar face shape.
Earring best suited for an oblong face shape are earrings that can give your face a fuller look. Studs, clustered earrings, pearls are some of the choices that can work really well.
Earrings for a square face
Square faces are generally the similar in width from forehead to jawline. One example you may have seen is Salma Hayek.
Hoops are perfect for this face shape, as are any earrings that are longer in length. Any pair with round, soft edges is a great choice.
Earrings for a diamond shape
Diamond faces’ forehead and chin are narrower than the cheekbones. Katherine Hepburn and Sophia Loren are some of the women with diamond-shaped faces.
A good choice for diamond faces are tasseled or wide earrings that can compliment this shape. Earrings with delicate drops are also a good choice.
Now that you know which earrings will best compliment your face, come into our store and find what you’re looking for! We can even make you a custom pair, but if you already have a favorite, you can bring it over for our Miami jewelry repair services!
Custom Jewelry
25 Interesting Facts About Emeralds
One of the most praised, valuable, and undoubtedly beautiful precious stones in the world is its green highness, the emerald. Not only is this green gem special for its unique color that has raised some scientific waves, but it also has a plethora of its own mythical stories that make this stone even more spectacular. Interested to learn more about this magical-like gem? Here are 25 facts to quench your curiosity.
- Emeralds are mined all over the world, but the most famous mines are located in Columbia (more than 50% of the global amount). Where are emeralds found you may ask? Just follow the trail of quartz! They’re typically abundant in the vicinity of quartz deposits.
- In the USA, emeralds were found in North and South Carolina, Nevada, Montana, and Connecticut. They were first discovered in 1997 in the Yukon Territory.
- The oldest emerald mines were discovered in 1818 in Egypt while the oldest emeralds in the world are thought to be around 2.97 billion years old. Carroll Chatham was the first to make a synthetic emerald in 1935.
- 1500 BC is the first time emeralds were mined.
- Along with rubies, sapphires, and diamond, emerald is one of the four recognized precious stones. Emeralds have a lower density, which means that a 1-carat emerald will be more sizable than a 1-carat diamond. On the Mohs Scale of Hardness, emeralds fall around 7.5-8 mark. This means that they are durable but they’re still not chipping-prone. Actually, precisely because of their tendency to chip when being added to jewelry pieces, emeralds are some of the most expensive gemstones.
- The green in the emerald comes from trace amounts of vanadium or chromium. The intensity of emerald’s green color has always been associated with nature and landscapes. This led to some interesting nicknames. For instance, Ireland is also called the Emerald Isle, Seattle is known as an Emerald City, and we even have the Emerald City in the popular fiction movie The Wizard of Oz. The Irish poet William Drennan first coined the term Emerald Isle as a nickname for Ireland in his poem When Erin First Rose.
- The deeper and richer the green, the more valuable the emerald. If the color is not lush enough, the stone is often classified as beryl.
- High-quality emeralds are just right – not too dark and not too light, and also very transparent.
- Unlike diamonds, whose clarity is graded with the help of a magnifying glass, emeralds’ clarity is often assessed with the naked eye. When it comes to the rarity of emeralds vs. diamonds, emeralds are actually more than 20 times rarer than diamonds! Even though they’re rather rare, around 6 tons of emeralds get produced annually!
- The largest uncut emerald weighs in at 1383.93 carats and is called The Duke of Devonshire Emerald. The largest emerald cluster that has ever been found is known as the Bahia Emerald. It weighs 752 pounds with an estimated price of incredible $400 million! The biggest amount someone paid for emerald was the necklace that belonged to Elizabeth Taylor with an emerald pendant that actually sold for $6.5 million in 2011.
- Some famous emeralds today include one of the most important and rather unique Indian artifacts known as the Moghul Emerald, which is a 217.80-carat gem of square shape with carvings on both of its sides. It dates back to 1695. There’s also Queen Elizabeth II’s Vladimir Tiara with striking emerald drops, which is reportedly her favorite and it’s rumored to have belonged to the Queen’s great-great-grandmother, Augusta of Hesse-Kassel, who supposedly won the gemstones in a charity lottery.
- Like any other stone, emeralds have imperfections and inclusions. The dealers, however, prefer to refer to them as Jardin (the French word for garden).
- While it’s the most common cut for emeralds, the rectangle is not the only shape for emeralds. They can be cut in a variety of shapes.
- Cleaning emeralds with an ultrasonic cleaner is a bad idea – what’s best is cleaning it by hand using warm water. You can also coat it with baby oil to prevent it from becoming too brittle.
- The birthstone for the month of May.
- One of rather interesting facts about emeralds is that they’re also commonly recognized as the gemstones of not one, but two (and sometimes three) wedding anniversaries and commonly gifted as a 20th, 35th, and even 55th wedding anniversary present in the USA.
- The origin of the name emeralds comes from the Greek ‘smaragdus’ which means, simply, green.
- Ancients Romans often associated green stones to Venus, the goddess of love – emeralds included. Archeologists found some gorgeous emerald jewelry pieces in the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. It’s also known that Cleopatra loved emeralds so much that her passion for this lovely green stone was even documented.
- It’s recorded that Emperor Nero watched gladiators in ancient Rome with the help of a stone called ‘smaragdus’ – presumably, this was an emerald. Pliny, an ancient Roman naturalist, described the emerald in his Natural History with the words “nothing greens greener.”
- There are many myths and stories associated with the emerald across the world. Aztecs had their own emerald meaning around 1200-1500 A.C. as they believed it to be the Stone of the Earth that improves fertility. South American lore doesn’t end there as ancient Incas also had an emerald-related legend, telling a story about giant emerald that was the size of a man’s head and greatly worshipped. The Mystic Johannes van Ruusbroec who lived more than 600 years ago though the emerald stone to represent Christ’s holy spirit, bringing hope, love, and faith to whoever might be wearing it. In Indian astrology, emerald was thought to have a strong connection to Mercury, which made it a lucky charm to the wearer. You might be surprised to hear about the existence of medical astrology, but in this particular field, emerald is considered to be an effective treatment for nervous disorders, skin issues, and speech impairments.
- During the Medieval period, Christians attributed emeralds to Lucifer. It was said it was one of the precious stones in his crown. What’s more, stories about Holy Grail mention emeralds as a part of its décor, too.
- Emeralds are said to help with truth-seeking – one story says that whoever puts it under their tongue will speak only the truth. As you can see, this stone has many mystic powers associated with it, but the most magical one definitely involves the belief that this gemstone helps the user foretell the future.
- These stones were also believed to prevent memory loss and enhancing intuition.
- The Tabula Smaragdina, or The Emerald Tablet, was a tablet that presumably contained the secret to transmutation – the ultimate goal of the old alchemists.
- The symbolic meanings of emeralds today are inner wisdom, tranquility, insight to one’s self, attracting harmony, abundance and love, opening the heart chakra, connection with nature, growth, regeneration. Emeralds are also associated with creativity and inspiration, which is precisely why this has been a favorite gemstone for many an artistic soul. It’s said that if you and your partner plan to share your faithful I do’s soon enough, you might want to consider getting each other an emerald ring – the legend says that two lovers gifting an emerald to one another will enjoy everlasting love.
It’s safe to say that more stories and facts about emeralds are only going to pop up as time passes by. If you too want to experience the magic and elegance of this precious stone, don’t hesitate to take a look at our jewelry offers at Santayana. Feel free to check out our website or visit us in our Miami jewelry store for a first-hand look at our innovative pieces.
Industry News
Difference Between Gold Plated and Gold Filled Jewelry
When looking for gold jewelry, you may have noticed a particular detail – some are labeled gold plated, while others are gold filled. So what is the difference between gold plated and gold filled jewelry, and why does it matter?
Gold Plated VS Gold Filled
Aside from solid gold jewelry, which is often far too expensive, there are two more golden options – gold filled jewelry and gold plated jewelry. While they are both golden in color, so whichever you choose will have the color you’re looking for, these two options come with not so insignificant differences.
Gold filled jewelry
It does not, in fact, mean that a mold is filled with gold. Filled, in this case, means that there is a layer of gold present. A piece of gold filled jewelry is made by fusing a layer of gold to another metal (for example, brass). The whole process is pressure. This means that while your jewelry may not be solid gold, it does have a substantial amount of gold in it. For something to be marked as gold filled, it must contain at least 1/10 gold.
Gold plated jewelry
On the other hand, gold plated jewelry is made by fusing only a thin layer of gold onto other metals (commonly silver or copper). The amount of gold on these items is lesser than on gold filled items, and it’s also more common. The amount of gold that goes into plating a piece of jewelry is about 6 microns (0.0002 of an inch) – much, much less than in gold filled jewelry!
The desired longevity of your jewelry is another thing you have to take into consideration when choosing between gold filling or plating. Gold plating eventually tarnished and peels off, while gold filled jewelry carries no such risk – there’s absolutely no danger in getting it wet, wearing it while in the shower, or keeping it on when you’re washing your hands!
Since the gold-filled items are made by a pressure and heat bonding, and it does contain more actual gold, this kind of jewelry can last a lifetime. Gold plated gold is susceptible to tarnish, and it can even peel off after a while. The reason for tarnish, peeling, and the loss of gold in gold plated items is not only because they are made with a far lesser quantity of gold, but also because of the chemical process the jewelry goes through to be gold plated.
Another risk when buying gold plated jewelry is that when the color eventually peels off, the base metal can react with your skin and turn it green. You may have noticed this happening if you’ve ever bought beautiful but cheaper jewelry – most often it’s made of brass, so when it reacts with your skin, it turns it green, or can even cause very uncomfortable itching.
Gold filled items, however, have no risk of causing allergies. Since they do not tarnish, and cannot peel off, there is no danger of your skin reacting negatively. A much thicker layer of gold is on gold filled jewelry, so much so that it’s hardly distinguishable from solid gold jewelry. It’s also made of gold much higher in quality.
Ultimately, the choice of gold filled vs. gold plated jewelry is entirely up to you. If you want something beautiful, inexpensive, and maybe just for a night or two go for gold plated. If, however, you’re looking for something that can last you a lifetime, gold-filled jewelry is a better choice. Drop by one of Santayana’s jewelry shops in Miami Florida to view our collection of gold rings and jewelry and take your pick. Also, check out our website if you want to see more articles like this one!
Custom Jewelry
Creative Custom Jewelry Ideas for 2018
Expressing our personal fashion taste and style is very important for most of us. How else can we show the world who we really are? Of course, we can write books, blogs, and articles to broadcast our deepest thoughts, innermost desires, and most cherished ideas to illustrate who we really are. We can start podcasts, radio shows or make elaborate videos to let our bold, shining personalities roar out to the world. But for most of us, doing all of that is simply inconvenient or even unnecessary work just to let people understand who we are at our core. Are there any other type of alternatives to letting our personalities really shine and shout out to the rest of the world? Well, actually there is and you might actually have some of these solutions already!
As one of the top custom jewelers in the market, we know that fine custom jewelry is one of the best ways to showcase your unique view of yourself to everybody that can lay an eye on you. You can make a bold and unique statement without saying a word or do anything more than just getting ready for the day in the morning. You can just put on some of your favorite jewelry pieces and let them do the talking for you!
But where can you get custom jewelry designed and made?
You will have to go to a custom jeweler in Miami. However, make sure you choose carefully. Always choose a jeweler with a great reputation in the industry so that you can avoid getting low-quality jewels and precious metals or getting overcharged for sub-par work. Also make sure that the jeweler will closely listen to your thoughts on your custom pieces while still adding their expert advice to your ideas to make sure that your jewelry will be one of a kind, original pieces that you will leave with and love forever.
So what are some good custom jewelry ideas for you for 2018?
You can go in an infinite amount of directions when it comes to making your custom jewelry. However, one principle that helps while making unique pieces is to structure them around the Pantone Color of the Year. Pantone is the premier color company in the world and every year they choose a color that represents the latest trends in design, fashion and the world in general. Pantone chose UltraViolet as the color of the year for 2018. Ultra Violet has been historically known as the color of royalty and is thought to signify mystery and ingenuity. As a result, many custom jewelers have been using Ultra Violet colored gems in their designs this year. These jewels that are closest to UltraViolet in shade include gems such as Burmese purple jade, purple garnet, purple fluorite, Utah Tiffany stone and Lusaka amethyst.
Other trends you may see or be interested in include:
- Completely clear glass or crystal earrings and necklaces
- Fruit-inspired earrings
- Insect pendants
- New-age brooches
- Extremely lengthy earrings
- Natural pearls in anything
- Restyled baroque jewelry of any type
If you are looking to get some custom jewelry made from one of the best custom jewelers around, please contact us at Santayana anytime. It would be our pleasure to make you custom pieces that really show off who you are to the rest of the world!