Custom Jewelry, Diamonds
The Story of Diamonds and Diamond Jewelry
The diamond begins its centuries-long story in the 1st century AD with a memorable statement from Roman naturalist Pliny: Diamond is the most valuable, not only of all precious stones but of all things in the world.
Of course, diamonds came into existence billions of years ago; they’ve seen dinosaurs come and go, civilizations rise and fall, and become one of the most valuable, appreciated, and hyped precious stones on the planet. What turned the tables when it comes to diamond jewelry was an interesting ad by De Beers in 1947 that remains the most notable advertising campaign of the 20th century thanks to the phrase that’s popular to this day – “Diamonds are Forever”.
How It All Began
It all began with a Big Bang but when we focus on what we know about the diamonds and their value today, it’s safe to say that their story begins in India where they were discovered almost 3000 years ago. At the time, their value wasn’t about their beauty but the ability to refract light. This is why these stones were mainly used for protection against evil and were often incorporated into decorations and talismans to serve this purpose.
As years and centuries passed, the diamond’s notion of value shifted to medical uses during the Dark Ages, when people believed that holding or even ingesting the diamond could cure various illnesses, and finally to the object of beauty and prestige during the Middle Ages.
It was only in 327 BC that the diamonds came to Europe from India thanks to the king of Macedon at the time, Alexander the Great, who brought them there. It took more than 7 centuries for diamonds to become a part of jewelry. It’s believed that the origin of this practice dates back to 1074 when the crown of the Hungarian queen was decorated with diamond stones. Three hundred years later came the invention of the Point Cut, allowing for more efficient use of diamonds in jewelry as it was possible to cut them according to their natural shape. Before that, all diamonds that didn’t have an already well-formed shape were discarded.
The Evolution of the Diamond in the Jewelry World
With the new diamond cutting technique, the value of this precious stone quickly found its place in the jewelry world. In 1447, the tradition of proposing with a diamond ring started when the Archduke Maximilian of Austria proposed to Mary of Burgundy with a diamond piece. Soon, new cuts followed, with the Rose Cut in 1520, the Peruzzi Cut in 1681, and many more.
To this day, India remains one of the main diamond sources in the world, especially when it comes to larger stones. However, other sources have been discovered across the globe, including Australia, Russia, Brazil, Canada, and South Africa. The original meaning that was attributed to diamonds has been replaced with valuing them for their prestige, rarity, and beauty, but the fact that their durability represents loyalty that stands the test of time remains unchanged.
What’s So Special about the Diamond?
You might not be aware of this but the diamond is the hardest known natural material on the planet; hence the name for this stone, which translates to “unbreakable” in ancient Greek. On the Mohs scale of hardness, they rate 10 out of 10, while sapphires and rubies rate 9 and emerald rates 8.
The prestige and unparalleled beauty of diamonds also come from the fact that these precious stones are quite rare in their most valuable quality form. And not only are the diamonds rare, but the number of people who possess the adequate skill to cut them is equally so.
These days, it’s possible to find both natural diamonds and those that are made synthetically. Amazingly, natural diamonds tend to be very old, even more than 3 billion years old. When you consider that the planet Earth is 4.54 billion years old, it’s no wonder that diamonds are so special and powerful.
The Diamond Jewelry Lore
As a precious stone, diamond has many properties associated with it, which makes for some rather interesting diamond jewelry facts. The popular ones include:
Strength. There’s nothing too outrageous with this particular property. As mentioned, diamond is the hardest natural material in the world, which is almost impossible to break or scratch – unless one uses another diamond. What’s more, they’re very stable and tend not to react to the majority of chemicals. Their strong radiance is said to represent the stone’s energy of strength that can affect the wearer.
Protection. Diamonds are not just hard and beautiful to look at; they’re also great electrical insulators. This is precisely why wearing a diamond was a traditional way to ward off evil spirits and protect from negative energy for hundreds of years. Essentially, it was believed that the diamond’s energy field was strong enough to resonate with and act as a shield for the wearer’s personal energy.
Purity. Due to its amazing strength, durability, and structural integrity, it rarely ever happens that some intrusion can affect the stone’s value negatively. More often than not, certain impurities/foreign substances only tend to increase the stone’s value. The best example involves colored diamonds, with pink, blue, and brown being the most popular ones. Thanks to this particular fact, diamonds are often said to have a strong energy of purity.
There are plenty of other fascinating diamond properties across the globe, some of which are rather spectacular and magical, such as using diamonds to become invincible or to secure an everlasting love.
When it comes to astrology, a diamond is the birthstone of Aries as it’s seen as a perfect match for this sign’s strength, power, and overall energy. Other diamond qualities across different cultures are as follow:
- Enhances relationship harmony
- Promotes energy cleansing
- Increases good luck
- Boosts creativity and endurance
- Provides mental strength and clarity
- Stimulates spiritual growth
- Grows courage while dispelling fears
- Betters the eyesight
The Best Way to Wear a Diamond
When you’re looking into getting precious stone jewelry for yourself, it’s important to keep in mind two criteria: your budget and the way you wish to benefit from the piece.
It won’t come as a surprise that the most popular way to wear a diamond is a ring. After all, it’s extremely resistant to wear and tear, which makes it easy to wear every single day and enjoy its energy without compromise. Other popular ways to wear diamonds include necklaces and earrings. You can find amazing offers in our diamond jewelry store in Miami for very reasonable prices.
That said, whatever diamond jewelry piece you choose, the essentials remain the same – always look for the 4 C’s: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat.
If you’re interested in getting your own diamond jewelry piece, feel free to check out our offers at Santayana Jewelers, be it online or at one of our stores in Miami or Coral Gables. Our staff will gladly help you pick the perfect piece and answer all of the questions you may have. We’re known for our innovative designs and custom jewelry, thus allowing you to remain unique and true to yourself while wearing a Santayana piece.
Custom Jewelry
14k vs. 18k Gold Jewelry: What’s the Difference?
If you pay a great deal of attention to the accessories you wear and the quality of the product you wish to purchase, it’s only natural that you spend some time choosing and researching the best options available for you to buy. This is especially true when it comes to gold jewelry. Not only will you have to pick the style you fancy the most, but it would be wise to focus on the matter of quality as well. After all, you want your gold jewelry to last you a long time with as little tarnish as possible, right? In that respect, you’d probably want to invest in gold that’s marked with karats (k). The most popular types involve 14k and 18k gold, so keep on reading to learn more about the 14k and 18k gold difference.
What Exactly Do Karats Entail?
Karat is not the same as carat. Karat (k) describes the purity of the gold while carats describe the weight of a diamond. For example, the description of this lovely 14k white gold black diamond ring features the purity of the gold, which is 14k, as well as the diamond weight, which is 2.85 carat.
So, when we talk about gold karat, we’ll be talking about how much gold there is in the piece or the purity of the gold item in question.
That said, the numbers used in front of the k (karat) are there to suggest the gold’s purity. Essentially, the scale goes from 1 to 24, with 24 karat gold being the 100% pure gold. Gold items that are under the 24 karats will also have some other metals thrown in the mix, known as an alloy.
In order to learn how much gold a jewelry item you’re interested in has all you have to do is divide the number stated in front of the k (karat) with the number 24. A rather simple task when you have a calculator on your phone. For instance, this 14k gold necklace has around 58% of gold. How to get that percentage? Divide 14 by 24 and then multiply the result by 100.
Since we’re talking about the difference between 14k and 18k gold, it’s important to mention that 14k gold is approximately 58.3% gold, while 18k gold is approximately 75% gold.
What Is Alloy Then?
As mentioned, only 24k gold is pure gold, with a percentage of 100. Gold that’s labeled under 24k includes a mix of other metals known as an alloy. In order to get a finished product, a jeweler would mix alloy with gold. This means that 14k gold requires more other metals (or alloy) in order to get to the final look compared to the 18k gold, for instance.
The most common metals used for the alloy mix include silver, copper, nickel, and zinc. If you’re looking to buy a jewelry piece made of yellow gold + alloy, you can be sure that the added metals won’t change the color of your chosen piece. Still, if you don’t plan to take off your jewelry pieces all that often, it’s always better to opt for timeless items made of 14k gold such as this butterfly pendant necklace or this beautiful diamond ring.
Different gold shades such as rose gold or white gold will usually involve the mix of different metals to change the said shade. In that respect, rose gold will have more copper, while white gold will have more nickel and/or silver.
Why Not Just Buy Pure Gold?
While we’re discussing the difference between 14k and 18k gold here, you might be wondering why you shouldn’t just buy 24k gold, when it’s known to be pure. Well, the thing about pure 24k gold is that it’s incredibly expensive. What’s more, pure gold is very soft. This means that the money you’d pay for pure gold jewelry items wouldn’t guarantee durability at all.
That said, it’s very rare to spot a jewelry piece where the seller claims it to be 24k. If you feel like the price is too reasonable for such an item, chances are that the seller is lying about the item’s purity in the first place.
What You Need to Know About Allergies
In general, gold is completely hypoallergenic. Therefore, you won’t have to worry about allergies being caused by gold at all. The issue may occur with other metals mixed in the alloy, most commonly nickel. If you’re aware that you or someone you’re buying the jewelry for has a nickel allergy, you can opt for other metal mixes such as palladium or platinum.
14k vs. 18k Gold: What Are the Differences?
So, why is all the focus on 14k and 18k gold? Well, if you’re looking to buy a good quality gold jewelry piece, going with either 14k or 18k would be the best choice since anything under 14k contains more alloy than actual gold. And, as we already said, by going over 18k you’d be paying a hefty price for a piece that’s not really durable or scratches-free.
But how are you supposed to choose between 14k gold and 18k gold? In all honesty, both 14k and 18k jewelry pieces look rather similar. 18k may be slightly deeper and closer to the true yellow gold while 14k gold tends to be slightly brighter. However, appearance-wise, that’s the only difference and most of the time, it’s a rather difficult one to spot.
The obvious difference is the amount of gold used in the making of the jewelry piece, with 14k being 58.3% gold and 18k being 75%. In that sense, the price of the 18k gold will be considerably higher compared to 14k gold items, too.
On the other hand, 14k gold is more durable compared to 18k gold precisely because it contains more alloy. Other metals used in the mix typically make the final product harder and less prone to tarnishing, bending, and scratching. That doesn’t mean that 18k gold is not durable, because it is, but it’s still less durable than 14k gold.
Making the Right Decision
If you’re not dead set on owning an 18k gold jewelry piece, 14k gold will win this battle. Of course, it all comes down to what you want, the style you prefer, the budget you have, and so on. But, in terms of money and durability, you really can’t go wrong with 14k gold. This is precisely why we suggested going for 14k gold if you don’t want to take off your jewelry all that often.
The difference in appearance between 14k and 18k gold is rather small, which can easily make it trivial. It’s up to you to decide whether sacrificing durability and affordability in favor of a slightly better appearance is justifiable. After all, 14k gold cannot be considered “cheap” whatsoever, even if it may be more affordable compared to 18k gold.
If you’re looking to buy top-quality gold jewelry pieces, be it 14k or 18k gold, don’t hesitate to check out our jewelry store in Miami for unique and trendy yet timeless and stylish jewelry pieces. We pride ourselves on delivering the much-needed personal touch and statement piece to one’s own style without making compromises on quality.
Bracelets, Custom Jewelry
5 Different Types of Bracelets
So many bracelets, so little time. It can be hard to decide which one is for you and which one goes perfectly with your own particular sense of style, especially when the sheer amount of types makes your head spin.
Here, we want to introduce you to some of the bracelet styles that are on the market. Explaining exactly what kind of bracelet you want and knowing what to look for will definitely help you find that perfect piece of jewelry for your collection!
How come there are so many different types of bracelets?
There are so many bracelet styles that choosing one can sometimes be overwhelming! We have been wearing them for millennia – even the oldest archeological digs uncover a bracelet or two that point to status, wealth, or even the person’s position in the societal hierarchy of the times. We grew and developed, and so did our bracelets. No wonder we have so many different types you can choose from these days!
Our word for bracelet comes from the old Greek “brachile” which means “of the arm.” Way back, when Greek soldiers wore embellished leather armbands, and as time past by, women started to wear their own versions of it. The first use of the word “bracelet” in English comes in the mid-15th century – “ornamental ring or clasped chain for the wrist.”
Today, there is truly a bracelet for any occasion, so to help you navigate the vast bracelet choice more easily, here are just a few of the many bracelets and their types available on the market:
5 Types of Bracelets
Pearl bracelets
Among the many different styles of bracelets, there’s one that stands out with its elegance and timelessness – pearl bracelet. While this is very similar to a beaded bracelet – pearls are beads – it does merit its own spot on the list.
Pearls can make anything more elegant, even a pair of jeans and a simple tee shirt, and thanks to their natural versatility, you can wear them day or night, no matter the occasion. So, you won’t have to change your jewelry if you’re going to brunch and to a formal event on the same day! A pearl bracelet can fit your style easily.
There are so many different kinds these days – from the color of the pearls themselves, to the way they are connected on the band, in a single or multiple rows, you’re sure to find the one that suits you best!
Charm bracelets
While charm bracelets are often looked down on as infantile, they are anything but. They can actually be a beautiful and elegant way to keep the most important things in your life close to your heart at all times.
Modern charm bracelets are designed with style and sophistication in mind. The materials and the thickness of the band itself are not that important – the key aspect is, of course, the collection of charms.
Choosing your own charms makes your bracelet truly unique. You can stack it with various charms or choose only one, you can make it as bold or as delicate as you please, there are no limits! Because of this kind of versatility, charm bracelets can be added to your look seamlessly.
When each charm represents a person, an event or a place you hold dear to your heart, this kind of bracelet will definitely be the most precious piece of jewelry in your collection.
Tennis bracelets
If you’re looking to invest in a quality piece of jewelry that is both gorgeous and will one day become a proud family heirloom, a tennis bracelet is a way to go! Classy, elegant, and timeless, this type of bracelet can bring about an extra dose of style to any outfit.
Tennis bracelets are, in fact, diamond bracelets – one delicate loop that wraps around your wrist and emphasizes your every move. Usually, this kind of bracelet was made of gold and set with connected diamonds. These days, there are countless variations – thick or thin, platinum or gold rose – it doesn’t really matter. The tennis bracelet is a sure win for any outfit, any occasion, and any kind of lifestyle.
Bangle bracelets
With no clasp, bangle bracelets are easiest to slide on your wrist. They can come in all shapes and sizes. One delicate bangle that you can stack with others, one wide bold bangle, or a bracelet can be worn together to achieve a unique look.
They are made of a wide variety of different materials and in various designs, with or without pendants or other gemstones.
When you ask for bangle bracelets, you will be presented with countless variations of a band with no beginning and no end. These can be thin, stacked gold bands that give you an elegant, delicate look. Or you can choose a bangle bracelet that looks more like a gauntlet.
Perhaps your style is a silver loop with a piercing precious stone in the middle. A bangle style bracelet is perfect if you don’t want to deal with pesky clasps!
Leather bracelets
If you’re not a fan of metal jewelry, leather is a perfect choice. Because the leather used in making bracelets is soft and flexible, you can be sure it’ll feel comfortable on your skin.
A leather bracelet is not a traditional choice, so it can help you stand out. They come in a variety of designs, but the one sure thing about this kind of jewelry is that it can transform your look. Consider this – if you wear a pearl bracelet with a pair of jeans and a white tee, you take on a more elegant look. If you, however, replace that bracelet with a leather one, your look suddenly becomes a bit more wild, a bit more bohemian chic, and just a tad more rebellious.
If your style doesn’t walk on the wild side, don’t be discouraged! A leather bracelet can be just as delicate as a tennis one. While you may not want to wear it for a gala event, a soft coil of leather around your wrist, maybe even with an elegant clasp, will give you that put-together look.
And you don’t have to settle for a boring brown either! Leather bracelets can be dyed black, beige, deep red, or any other color!
So how do I choose a good bracelet style for me?
Choose the one you like – it’s that simple! Whether it’s leather, pearl, charm or bangle, any of these types of bracelets can be adjusted to your style. If you feel like wearing a bangle, you can go for bold or delicate. If you feel a charm bracelet is a good idea, all you need to do is style it the way you want it to be – a simple piece with one charm, or a more bold approach, with charms aplenty!
Now that the bracelet world is not so overwhelming anymore, all you need to do is find the piece you’ll fall in love with. To add some glamour and elegance to your style with that perfect piece of jewelry, you can drop by the nearest jewelry store or browse our online shop if you prefer!
Custom Jewelry, Fun Facts
How to Travel with Jewelry: 5 Packing Tips and Tricks
The winter wonderlands are upon us, and it’s finally time to do some traveling! Before you get to fully enjoy your holidays, there is always some packing to do – shoes, clothes, and the most tricky thing of all – jewelry. How to travel with jewelry seems like a Herculean task – the earrings get lost, the necklaces tangled, and the bracelets end up folded inside sleeves.
Fortunately, we have some tips on how to pack jewelry for travel, so you can relax even while deciding which outfits to bring with you!
How to Pack Jewelry 101
Before we get to the actual tips and tricks, here are two very general guidelines when it comes to traveling with jewelry.
What’s most important when packing jewelry is to keep it neat and tidy. You can use plastic bags, pill boxes, specialized rolls, and pouches, or whatever else you feel works best. Maybe you’ll even want a custom jewelry box!
Another very important thing to note here is that you should travel with jewelry you don’t mind losing. You just may want to leave that heirloom ring at home instead of stressing about whether it fell into the lining of the suitcase or if you left it on the hotel’s bedside cupboard in a hurry.
If you’ve already chosen what to bring with you, here are some tips on how to pack:
Use Cardboard for Earrings
A simple piece of cardboard can help you organize your earrings on the road. All you need is a stiff piece of cardboard, pierce it with a pen tip to make holes, and simply insert your earrings into the holes. For extra safety, place the entire thing in a plastic bag.
Use Towels for Bracelets
What you need to do is simply roll up a towel, then slide the bracelets over it. Put the whole thing into a bag (a plastic ziplock will do) and there’s no way one of your bracelets will wander off!
Use Straws to Organize Necklaces
Necklaces can easily become a horrible mess when traveling. If you want to take more than one with you, and their chains are delicate enough, you can use several straws to organize them.
Let one end of the necklace pass through the entire length of the straw, then fasten the clasp. This way, the chain of your necklace is inside the straw and securely clasped, so there’s no way it can end up entangled! You can place a whole bunch of straws in a bag or a special container so that your jewelry stays intact.
Use a Pill Case
A pill case is a way to go if you want to carry a minimal amount of jewelry that also delicate and dainty. The sections already provided by the pill case are perfect for delicate necklaces, earrings, and even rings.
Use a Jewelry Pouch, Roll or Box
A silk jewelry pouch or a jewelry roll is perfect for storing rings, bracelets, earring, and maybe even a necklace or two.
A jewelry box is an excellent choice if you want to bring more pieces. They come in many different shapes and sizes and have special sections for rings, necklaces, earrings, and all your favorite pieces of jewelry.
Now that you’re ready to pack, what pieces will you bring? If you want to refresh your collection, or get a special piece for a special holiday, drop by one of our Miami jewelry stores and treat yourself to a perfect piece of jewelry!
Custom Jewelry
How to Wear Turquoise Jewelry and Look Modern?
Turquoise has a strange, magical color – that’s clear. Its indescribable blueish, greenish hues, (sometimes with webbing, sometimes without) are simply fascinating. Sadly, for many of us, these stones can have the connotation of times long passed, and not in a good way. Cher, Woodstock, Jimmy Hendrix – not everyone wants to accidentally outdate their outfits!
So, how to wear turquoise jewelry and look modern? Here’s what we suggest:
1. Choose Discrete Pieces
If your style is simple but stylish, you can always opt for discrete turquoise jewelry. Minimalist, sharp, and striking, a delicate piece paired with a classic style can elevate your outfit. You could try throwing on a necklace with a small, simple turquoise stone on jeans and shirt outfit, or a delicate ring with a hint of turquoise when you’re going to the office.
2. Try Pairing It With a Gown
For a bolder choice, you can pair up a statement turquoise piece with a gown. Avoid combining your turquoise jewelry pieces with your gown, instead, pick a minimalist dress and add an extra oomph factor with a statement turquoise necklace or oversized earrings. You can always find a good example among celebrities. For example, Sofia Vergara strutted the 2014 Golden Globes in a simple little black dress which she elevated with a large turquoise necklace.
3. Don’t Be Afraid of Contrasting Colors
Sometimes matching colors gets boring. Beiges upon beiges or a perfectly coordinated cupcake pink is not the only choice you can make if you want to look all dolled up. For a bolder look, pair your turquoise with a contrasting color. A turquoise necklace with a purple top, a pair of statement earrings with a coral dress, or even try matching the clear blues with a neon-yellow outfit; all of these outfit combinations can make you look not only modern but on the peak of trends.
4. Pair Turquoise With More Neutral Colors
If such boldness is not really your style, you can pair the green-blue stone with more neutral colors. If you feel like you wore your classic camel coat one too many times and it’s begun to feel boring and monotone, brining turquoise into the mix is the perfect refreshment. Pairing statement turquoise pieces with your classic looks (for example, slacks and a white shirt or some of those hues of beige you have in your closet), can refresh and modernize your outfit.
5. Mix Up Your Black, White, and Denim
Just like the classics, you may get tired of your monochrome outfits, too. Luckily, turquoise is here to give you a pop of color and energize the whole outfit. If you’re wearing black, white, or denim, throw some turquoise on and give your outfit some edge. Just be careful here, because pairing a lot of turquoise with too much denim can have the opposite effect.
6. Going Boho is Always a Good Choice
A laid-back, fashionable boho style of outfit pairs extremely well with turquoise. You do need to be careful not to go overboard, though. You can achieve the boho style simply by pairing some turquoise pieces with a more simple outfit, like skinny jeans and a pair of leather fringed boots. You’ll get that boho queen vibe without looking like you’re wearing a costume.
Now that you have a multitude of tips for how not to look outdated when wearing turquoise, all you need is that perfect piece of jewelry. Drop by one of our Miami jewelry stores and complete your dream look!
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!
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!
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.
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!