Fun Facts
What to Do When a Ring Is Stuck on Your Finger?
There are few feelings as dreadful as realizing a ring is stuck on your finger. Suddenly, a thing of beauty has turned into a thing of horror – your cherished piece of jewelry has trapped you and you just might have to destroy it. Fortunately, there are some tricks on how to get a stuck ring off easily!
A Warning Before We Go On
If your finger is injured in any way, getting a stuck ring off can cause the injury to worsen. If your finger has turned a different color, or if you feel a tingling sensation, see a doctor immediately. Remember, your health is more important than jewelry, and anything more serious than normal swelling needs medical attention.
What to Do When a Ring is Stuck on Your Finger
The absolute first step of how to remove a stuck ring is to stay calm. It’s very easy to give in to panic, and if you do, you will likely try to pull it free by force. This is a bad idea. You can easily irritate your finger and cause even more swelling and itching.
Instead, cajole your ring off. Relax your hand and finger as much as you possibly can and use gentle twists and turns to try to get the ring off. This way, you won’t have to worry about hurting your hand or accidentally damaging your ring.
If the ring still won’t move, you should stop, and give your hand(s) a rest. Then, try to reduce the swelling by putting your hand under a stream of cool water, or cover your finger with some ice for 10 to 15 minutes. Once you notice the swelling’s lessened, try to remove your ring gently.
If the ring still stays stubbornly on, try some of these techniques:
- Make Your Finger Slippery
You can use soap or petroleum jelly to make your finger slippery. This will boost your efforts, and the ring might just slide off. Remember not to yank and pull because you’ll irritate your finger.
- Use Plastic Wrap and Butter
Wrap your finger in plastic wrap in a way that one side of it is as close to the ring as it can be. Make sure you’ve wrapped your finger fairly tightly. Then, take a tiny bit of butter and spread it around the ring. This will give the lubrication necessary for easy removal.
Gently twist and turn your ring off. The ring should travel the length of the plastic wrap around your finger. Once you’ve gotten past the knuckle, you can remove the wrap and simply remove your ring from your finger!
- Use Dental Floss or String
Even Harvard has a thing to say about how to get a ring off – their method involves a string or dental floss!
Pass one end of the string under the ring, and use the rest to tightly wrap around your whole finger. Make sure the string is even and smooth. Once you’ve done that, take the piece of the string that you’ve passed under the ring, and begin unwinding it. The ring should be moving along with the string as you unwrap your finger.
If Nothing Works
If you find that the ring won’t budge, and your finger is showing some worrying symptoms, seek help. A jeweler will likely have to cut the ring off, but losing a ring is far better than losing a finger! Now you don’t need to worry about struck rings anymore! In case you’d like your ring resized or modified in any way, drop by one of our jewelry stores in Miami, Florida, and we’ll make sure your jewelry fits your seamlessly!
Fun Facts
5 Secrets for Buying a Woman Jewelry – Jewelry Help Guide
Buying someone a gift is never an easy task – what if they don’t like it, how do you know what they like anyway, what if they’re just being kind when they smile and say thank you? When it comes to buying jewelry for your wife or girlfriend, the task is just as hard. Here are some secrets to getting it right.
Listen Closely
If you’re set on, for example, a couple of cute bracelets for your girlfriend, you should pay more attention than usual when style and fashion come up in the conversation. She has probably mentioned once or twice before that she loved (or hated) pearls, that she thought (or didn’t think) statement jewelry was tacky, or that she did not care (or cared a lot) for the glitter of diamonds.
Get Her What She Loves
You might think that your girlfriend would look great wearing tasseled earrings, so it would seem like a good idea to get her a pair as encouragement. This is far from a good idea.
When it comes to jewelry, it’s an expression of personal style and personality. Getting your partner something that doesn’t speak to her in the slightest will result in your gift staying in the jewelry box forever. Choose jewelry for your girlfriend or wife in style you know she adores.
Study the Way She Makes a Choice
If you’re still uncertain about her tastes, a good idea would be to spend a day going round the shops with her. The woman in your life has a particular way of choosing what to wear, just like everyone else. If you take her shopping and pay close attention, you can find out what styles excite her.
Discreetly veer over to the jewelry stands and watch her reactions. Do her eyes sparkle when she notices a certain piece? Does she make a comment on her likes and dislikes? You can use this knowledge to get her a piece of jewelry she’ll definitely wear with joy.
Personal Meaning is the Best
No matter your budget, a piece of jewelry with special meaning will be a sure hit. It can be as cheap as a plastic costume ring or as expensive as a diamond necklace – what matters is the meaning behind it.
For example, if you’re thinking about necklaces for your girlfriend’s birthday, think about the place you met. Or the place you fell in love with each other. Maybe it happened underneath a blossoming cherry tree. You could choose a delicate chain gold necklace with a rose quartz stone for a pendant to represent the cherry petal.
A charm bracelet can also be a great choice. Each charm can represent a meaningful moment of your relationship. What’s important is that you choose something of great personal meaning and combine that, if you can, with her style of jewelry – statement, subtle, delicate, or whatever you notice she likes best and wears most.
Let Her Choose
If you’re really stumped, or want to be 100% certain she’ll love the jewelry, you can simply let her choose. A gift card can be a beautiful gesture if paired with a love letter. Another option is to surprise your wife or girlfriend by taking her to a jewelry store and letting her browse until she finds that one special piece.
From delicate to bold, and from simple to statement, we can help you find the right fit. Drop by one of our jewelry stores in Miami, FL, and you can choose a perfect present from bracelets, earrings, necklaces, to custom made jewelry!
Fun Facts
Difference Between Antique Jewelry and Vintage Jewelry
Lately, it seems like everything and the kitchen sink is declared “vintage” or “antique.” Both these terms signify something old, but what is vintage jewelry really and how is it different from antique pieces? Does it mean your mother’s necklaces from when she was a young woman or is it just another buzzword?
To help you set your feet on firmer ground, here is a short and sweet guide on what is vintage and what is old antique jewelry:
What is an antique?
To put it plainly, an antique is a piece of jewelry older than 100 years. That means that all that flapper-girl beads from the 1920s are much closer to being antiques than vintage jewelry! However, don’t be surprised if a European scoffs at the idea of 100 years – overseas, many dealers simply don’t consider a century-old enough for a piece to be considered antique.
Most commonly, this kind of jewelry is made from higher-quality materials and a very high level of craftsmanship. Its age, beauty, rarity and even historical and emotional connections affect its value – needless to say, today you can find many antiques in museums and private collections!
These pieces are not very suitable for wearing often or for a longer period of time. Firstly, because of its age, and then because of its enormous value.
What is vintage?
The term vintage is a bit harder to pin down. Some say it’s anything 20 years or older, others claim anything younger than 50 cannot possibly be vintage. One exception to this rule can be Art Deco and Mid-century pieces – despite being almost of age for antiques, they’re often classified as vintage pieces by dealers.
But the most important thing is that, unlike antiques, vintage pieces can be worn freely, without fear of damage.
Since fashion is cyclical, vintage jewelry will always be on-trend! It’s easy to incorporate into your own style, and their special designs can be real show stoppers! So, your mother’s diamond necklace or sapphire ring is a perfect example of true vintage jewelry.
When researching that perfect vintage piece, remember that it cannot be made! If a piece is described as “vintage style” or “vintage-inspired” what it means is that it’s new – by definition, it cannot be really vintage. If your jewelry is made of components of a vintage piece, this also means the piece itself is not vintage.
Vintage vs Antique
The difference between vintage and antique are pretty clear – the former is older than 20 years, the latter is at least 100 years old. Both vintage and antique mean that the pieces are not made, but rather “found” – they are old jewelry that has not been modified or remade recently. Antiques are more precious, delicate and rare, but vintage pieces can be worn freely and elevate your style to another level.
When it comes to deciding which is better – vintage or antique – there’s really no clear winner. While antiques are rife with historical meaning, they are fragile and often too valuable to be worn. You might find antique pieces absolutely gorgeous, but unsuitable to today’s fashion trends.
If you’re looking for a unique, precious piece of jewelry you can wear any time you’d like, you might want to go with vintage jewelry. If, on the other hand, you’d like an investment that closer to art than it is to wearable jewelry, antiques are your best bet.
Another way to reap all the rewards of the uniqueness of vintage and antique style is to look for vintage or antique-inspired pieces! You can check out some of our traditional and vintage-inspired jewelry at our Coral Gables Jewelry store. If you have a vintage piece you’d like repaired, contact us and you’ll be the talk of the town in no time!
Fun Facts
What Is a Cocktail Ring?
Cocktail rings invite visions of sophistication, style and elegance, a gentle hand of a gentler touch, emphasized with a glittering jewel. They’re the perfect piece if you want to dazzle a crowd and feel effortlessly confident!
These pieces have long been one of the pillars of the fashion world, but sometimes they might be tricky to pin down. If you don’t know what a cocktail ring is, or if it would fit your personal style, don’t worry – they encompass an array of designs and styles, so a perfect match for you is out there!
Cocktail Rings in History and Today
A cocktail ring is most usually a bold, dramatic piece of jewelry, one that catches everyone’s eye and has such an aura about it, it’s impossible to turn away. Think bigger and bolder, a statement piece that can sometimes border on the gaudy.
Their allure is magnified by their history – their first boom in popularity was during the 1920s and the prohibition era. Sneaking in and out of speakeasies, enjoying the abandon of a good drink and better music, cocktail rings were just another way to show off your indomitable spirit!
Wearing such a piece was another way to claim and proclaim your confidence and independence as a woman. The original power jewelry, cocktails rings were worn on the right hand, making it glaringly obvious it was not a wedding band and that it was bought by your own money.
While there were no rules about what makes a ring a cocktail ring, classics among these pieces are diamond cocktail rings – a ring with a large diamond in its center, with smaller, just as dazzling stones, encircling it.
Fortunately, there are so many designs and styles today, you’re not limited to diamonds, so you can match these pieces with any outfit you please!
How to wear a cocktail ring?
Your flapper-girl ancestor would likely say ‘just wear it, darling’ but if you’re still hesitant, here are some style pointers:
- They’re most usually not for everyday wear. Wear your cocktail ring on those occasions where you feel comfortable bringing a little extra to your outfit.
- Wear it on your right hand, just like the independent women of the early 20th century! However, this is by no means a rule – left or right hand, any finger you please, cocktail rings have no restrictions.
- When it comes to choosing a finger, a long design can suit all of them, aside from your littlest one. A large and round cocktail ring can be worn on your middle finger, while smaller size rings can fit on your little finger.
- While these pieces are bold enough, you might want to consider pairing a cocktail ring with your earrings. This can give you a more elegant, put-together look.
- Wear more than one! Mix, match and play with your collection of cocktail rings. If you coordinate their styles, designs, and colors, a smattering of rings might make a better impression than just one. Remember, when it comes to cocktail rings, it’s all about fun, confidence, and razzle-dazzle!
- Match the ring to the outfit. There are so many cocktail rings – gold, diamond, emerald, jade, simple, minimalistic, bold, abstract, and a lot more than it can fit here! You can dress your outfit up or down. For example, you can amp up the elegance in the office by wearing a more discreet, sculpted, architectural cocktail ring. For a little black dress occasion, you can wear a glittering, bolder piece.
After all this, there really is no reason not to wear cocktail rings! They elevate your style, elevate your confidence, and they’re a real showstopper. If you want to start, or expand, your collection, check out our Miami jewelry store – we’re sure you’ll find a piece to fall in love with!
Fun Facts
5 Simple Ways to Identify if Gold is Real
Have you ever wondered how to tell if gold is real? After all, fakes come in all shapes and sizes, and that old heirloom of yours may just be a quality ersatz version of the real thing.
It’s always best to stay on top of things – even when buying jewelry. Gold is a sound investment, so it’s best to make sure it’s the real deal before you commit. The answer to how to tell if something is real gold can come in many forms, but, here are 5 easy ways you can find that out on your own.
How to Tell if Gold is Real?
The Hallmark
What real gold looks like is not only a question of color and heft. Real gold comes stamped with hallmarks that indicate the carat weight of the jewelry.
Each piece must be stamped with a certain number somewhere on the jewelry – the clasp, the inner side of the ring, and suchlike. It will almost always be a number, followed by the letter K. However, if your jewelry comes from Europe, the hallmark stamp will be a decimal number – for example, “.585” which indicates that the gold is 58.5% pure.
If your gold is fairly old, it may not have a hallmark. So, don’t give up on that heirloom just yet!
Liquid foundation test
While this is not the most reliable test there is, it may give you a clue about the realness of your jewelry. Apply some foundation and powder on your forehead, then take the gold jewelry and rub it across the area. If there’s a black mark left behind on your skin, the gold may be fake.
The water and magnets test
Real gold should sink – it’s as simple as that. Drop your piece in a cup of water and if it floats, you have a reason for suspicion. However, if the piece is naturally hollow or very thin it may float even if it’s real gold.
Now, the magnet. If you feel a tug, and your gold piece is attracted to the magnet, it’s likely not real gold. The magnet should be fairly strong, but gold should never be attracted to it.
Use nitric acid
Using nitric acid on a piece of jewelry can harm it irreparably, so use it only if you are absolutely certain you can part with the jewelry. Use gloves and goggles, and do this experiment in a place with proper ventilation during this test. After all, you’ll be dealing with acid.
Make a tiny scratch on the surface of the piece, then apply a small drop of nitric acid to the etched surface. If you see green – it’s not gold. If you see a milky substance – your jewelry is most likely gold over sterling silver.
Still unsure? Find a professional
If these ways of how to tell if jewelry is real gold seems too unreliable to you, it’s always best to consult a specialist. You can find a professional who’ll determine the validity of your jewelry in almost every jewelry store. Each has a special kit (and years of experience) that can confirm or deny that you have real gold on your hands with absolute certainty.
We hope we’ve helped you find out whether your jewelry is real gold or not! If you want additions to your collection, drop by our Coral Gables Jewelry store – we can repair your old favorites, make a custom design for you, or you can simply find a piece you will fall in love with!
Fun Facts, Jewelry Trends
Mixing Silver and Gold Jewelry: How to Do it Right?
Like any old adage in the fashion world, the rule to never mix your metals when wearing jewelry is gone. Finally, mixing gold and silver is no longer a taboo!
Wearing gold and silver together can give you a fresh, new look, enhance your style and natural beauty, and even give a spring to your step. When mixed, gold and silver can match your outfit, mood, and personality.
Mixing Silver and Gold Jewelry
Can you make a mistake when combining different metals? No, not really – after all, fashion is not what’s in, but how you wear it. Even the most shocking trends (just remember that it was a sin for women to wear pants) had to start with one confident woman. So, when combining gold and silver, your best guide is your own taste and sense of style. If, however, you still feel insecure about it, we can give you some tips and tricks.
Tips for Properly Mixing Silver and Gold Jewelry
Focus on one spot
While you can wear bracelets, necklaces, and rings all at once, what works best is having a focus area. This can be your neck, wrists, hands, or ears.
To avoid wearing too much jewelry, pick an area you want to focus on, and let that be the spot where you’ll combine silver and gold jewelry.
If you want to accentuate your neck, for example, you can choose a gold necklace, and layer some silver necklaces over it. On the other areas, choose jewelry pieces that won’t take the attention away from your focus – this means small, delicate jewelry.
The perfect bridging piece
To combine silver and gold well, you should always have a bridging piece of jewelry – this means there should be one piece that stands out, so you can build around it.
For example, if you want to show off an antique gold ring, you can wear it on your index finger and wear smaller, simpler rings on your other fingers. This way the gold ring is the focus, while the other rings serve as a backdrop that only makes it stand out more.
Your bridging piece can be the most exotic, or most unusual piece in your collection. That one silver necklace you love but you believe never pairs well with any of your outfits can be combined with several gold chains and voila – a new look that suddenly perfectly matches your style!
Precious stones are always a good choice
The centerpiece of your gold and silver jewelry combination can be a precious stone. Topaz, sapphire, emerald, and amethyst can pair perfectly with the silver-gold combination.
Choose your perfect stone and try to build around that. If, for example, you have a necklace with a blue sapphire pendant, you can layer delicate gold and silver necklaces around it so that, in the end, it shimmers and shines like the night sky – and the sapphire as the brightest star!
Go simple… or go bold
There are simply no limits to what you can do when mixing gold and silver, so don’t be afraid to experiment! The way you combine your jewelry can vary from casual and simple to bold and unique.
A look for the office can be your silver watch flanked by thin gold bangles – this sounds simple, but it gives you a sophisticated, elegant look, even if you’re wearing a pair of jeans and a simple t-shirt. A bolder look can be combining your showstopper ring with a dozen of smaller, delicate bands.
All you really need to successfully wear a mix of gold and silver is one thing – confidence! Feel free to experiment, and don’t be afraid to have fun. If you’re on the lookout for a perfect piece of jewelry, drop by our gold jewelry store – we promise you’ll find it!
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!
Fun Facts, Jewelry Trends
6 Jewelry Trends To Master in 2020
It’s no secret (nor a surprise) that jewelry trends change from season to season. And as always, the runways have provided us with a peek inside the jewelry trends 2020.
What’s most evident is that the trends verge on the bolder, more experimental, and striking styles. Old, vintage pieces have been reimagined and reshaped for the new year, so it’s safe to say that 2020 bring us the old transformed into braver, bolder, and more extravagant.
Here are some of the most prominent jewelry trends spotted on various runways:
Stacking and Layering
We’ve seen stacking jewelry, most prominently stackable wedding rings, are growing in popularity, slowly but surely. The trend is quickly spreading to other pieces of jewelry. As seen on the runways of Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Chloé, and others, stacking has crossed over from dainty to more bold looks.
You can stack, layer mix, and match multiple pieces of jewelry with abandon – from necklaces to rings, bracelets, and even toe rings.
Hoop Earrings, Reimagined
A staple of style for decades, hoop earrings are coming back full force in 2020. They are, however, no longer simple. Hoop earrings are reimagined in bolder, more experimental looks, that’ll make anyone wearing them a style icon.
Eliminating the bottom part of the hoop (as seen on the Valentino runway), mobile-inspired pieces (brought on by Givenchy), or placing a pearl in its center (the Rodarte runway) – hoops are coming back, brighter than ever.
Updated Chokers
Since their comeback in recent seasons, chokers have been unstoppable – and 2020 is no different! Chokers will continue their reign, but with a new, more experimental look.
Dior, Marni, and Hermès all updated the choker to a rugged, striking chain look, while Marc Jacobs presented an extra large choker. Chokers have not gone without a more elegant makeover – Yuna Yang updated them with pearls, while Brandon Maxwell dressed them up in gold.
Statement Earrings
Another daring look coming in 2020 is that of a statement earring or a pair of statement earrings. These go beyond just bold – from beaded styles to free-from metal, designers are choosing either only one or a pair of earrings as a perfect way to frame the face.
Oscar de la Renta presented only one woven earring, whose tassel reaches below the collarbone, as a striking way to style your outfit, while other designers (such as Givenchy, Gucci, and Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood) chose to elongate and enlarge earrings to the point where they can easily rival necklaces.
Bold, Built-In Jewelry
Possibly the most fearless new jewelry trend of 2020 is the built-in jewelry. Striking pieces are incorporated into clothing, either as decorative embellishments or as a part of the clothing’s structure.
The Reign of Headpieces
Tiaras, coronets, and crowns are no longer reserved for only the most elegant events. A multitude of headpieces strolled down the runways and made their place in 2020 jewelry trends.
A piece that accentuates your hairstyle, face shape, and elevates your style to that of royalty, no matter what kind of outfit you have on, is a piece of jewelry perfectly poised on the top of your head.
Simone Rocha presented a bejeweled headpiece inspired by portraits from the 16th century Tang dynasty, Gucci opted for a more dramatic, elven tiara-like piece, while the Miu Miu runway chose a more delicate headpiece – a glittering string of jewels that ties in a bow on the crown of the head. Another delicate look was presented by Saint Laurent – a gentle, though striking, band that wraps around the head.
Now is the perfect time to experiment with all the upcoming trends! Pick your favorite and drop by our Miami jewelry store to choose your perfect match!
Fun Facts
20 Fun Facts About Rubies: Why We Love July’s Birthstones?
The richest, deepest, most magnificent red stone – the ruby! These gorgeous stones have had a long history, and they continue to enchant us.
From India’s king of the gems to Dorothy’s red slippers, here are some fun facts about rubies:
Rubies History, Beliefs and Usage
- Rubies were most likely discovered in India, about 2000 years ago. “Ratnaraj,” the Sanskrit name for this stone is translated to something like “king of the gems.” The name we use today, ruby, comes from the Latin word for red, “rubeus,” “rubens,” or “ruber.”
- Only 4 gemstones are a part of the Precious Gem category in gemology, and ruby is one of them! The other three are diamonds, sapphires, and emeralds.
- A part of the corundum family, rubies are only classified as rubies if they’re red. Any other color and the stone is categorized as a sapphire.
- Rubies can sometimes be pink, but this depends on the hue, region, and sometimes it’s a question of personal opinion. Pink corundum is often classified as pink sapphire.
- The magical red color comes from trace amounts of chromium. However, this element also causes cracks and fissures, and that’s why rubies larger than 3 carats are extremely rare.
- Measuring at number 9 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, rubies are the hardest stones after diamonds.
- Highest quality rubies mostly come from Myanmar (formerly Burma). This is why top quality rubies are sometimes called Burmese rubies.
- The finest and largest Pigeon’s Blood rubies came from the Mogok mines in Myanmar, but they’re sadly almost fully depleted.
- Garnet doublets (a piece of garnet fused with a piece of reddish glass) are the Victorian version of “fake” rubies. They’ve been used since the 1850s.
- The first synthetic rubies were put on the market in the late 19th century. Auguste Verneuil was the chemist who perfected the method of making them, and he even presented them at the Paris World Fair in 1900.
- The precious red stone played a part in laser technology! Theodore H. Maiman created the first functional laser in 1960 using a synthetic ruby crystal. Synthetic rubies can even be used in microelectronics.
- These precious gemstones are mentioned in the Bible. They’re associated with beauty and wisdom.
- Stories say warriors often carried rubies in battle. These were used as amulets for protection, strength, and courage. It was also believed that carrying rubies into battle would bring victory.
- Maybe it’s because of their deep red color, or maybe because of the ever-enduring folklore spun around them, rubies are said to ensure everlasting passion and even increase the powers of seduction and virility.
- Some ancient Indian folklore says that rubies would help the person wearing it be at peace with their enemies.
- In medieval times, rubies were used in fortune telling. If the stone turned a darker color, there were dangers ahead.
- Ivan the Terrible, the 16th-century Tsar of Russia, reportedly believed that rubies had healing powers related to the heart and that they could increase mental acuteness.
- Some stories say that back in the 13th century it was believed that ground rubies could help cure liver illnesses.
- It’s thought that ruby stones possess some healing powers. These July birthstones are used for emotional balance, harmony, success, and contentment for the ruby wearer.
- The largest ruby in the world weighs at 8184 g (more than 40000 carats) and is owned by a Chinese jewelry company.
Have you fallen in love with rubies yet? Drop by one of our stores and pick the perfect piece of jewelry accented with this truly precious stone!
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!
Santayana Jewelry Store Coral Gables
