It’s that time of year again! The holidays are upon us, and it’s time to enjoy a full season of festivities, parties, and gift-giving. Why not make things easier on yourself by gifting your loved ones with classic jewelry? You really can’t go wrong with jewelry – and with customizable options from J. Briggs & Co., like choosing which precious metal to use, that Christmas or Hanukkah bauble becomes extra special. Oh, and don’t forget to pick up a little something for yourself while you’re at it.
When picking out Christmas jewelry as a gift, make sure to choose pieces that are sentimental and can be worn year-round. A cross pendant, for example, is a classic shape that can hold a great deal of meaning when given as a Christmas gift. Plus, it doesn’t hurt if the cross is composed of several pear-shaped diamonds. When selecting a J. Briggs & Co. pendant and customizable chain, pick the platinum chain for Christmas. Might as well go all-out.
Take a look: http://www.jbriggsandco.com/product-p/pearcross-pd.htm
For the stylish man in your life (or a younger brother you wish would dress better), custom cufflinks are the perfect Christmas gift or stocking stuffer. If he’s a sports fan, these baseball-inspired cufflinks with precision cut diamonds have just the right balance of bling, masculinity, and that “typical guy” factor.
Take a look: http://www.jbriggsandco.com/product-p/bball-cl.htm
With eight days to fill with presents, Hanukkah jewelry gifts are a surefire way to shake things up a bit; and deep blue sapphires will definitely stand out from the rest. Add in a hint of ice – aka diamonds – and you’ve got a game winning combination. A beautifully crafted pendant with diamonds and sapphires makes an elegant statement, yet it’s still simple enough for everyday wear.
Take a look: http://www.jbriggsandco.com/product-p/sfapod-pd.htm
A large cocktail ring is super classy when holding a martini glass, but fashionistas can also create their own unique look with stackable rings. And in this case, we’re not referring to those throwaway stackable rings made of plastic or nickel. This Hanukkah, wrap up a stunning sapphire eternity band (or several) for a memorable gift. Whether they’re worn stacked or solo, a sapphire and diamond band is an exquisite addition to any lady’s jewelry wardrobe.
Take a look: http://www.jbriggsandco.com/product-p/shrdsapdia-rg.htm
Holiday shopping is exhausting – go ahead and reward yourself with some shiny new Christmas jewelry. Christmas-themed jewelry can be so kitschy, but incorporating a subtle holiday motif into your jewelry collection is charming. Instead of the normal tennis bracelet, treat yourself to a glitzy HopeStar diamond bracelet that mimics the look of snowflakes with eye-catching sparkle. It’s the ultimate accessory for any holiday party or special occasion.
Take a look: http://www.jbriggsandco.com/product-p/hstar715-brc.htm
If a barrage of diamonds isn’t your thing (don’t worry, we won’t judge), try a strand of multicolored pearls peppered with diamond HopeStars. Worn with the perfect little black dress, this necklace is a total showstopper. Rather than the cliché red and green combo, a pastel array of South Sea, Tahitian and freshwater pearls add a splash of color that you can wear during Christmas, Hanukkah and beyond. Sure, you could give these pearls away as a gift – but we recommend stashing them away for yourself.
Take a look: http://www.jbriggsandco.com/product-p/hstar41-pls.htm
If you’re looking for something extra special this holiday season, contact us to see if we can create something custom for you.
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Gemstones for Everyday Wear
J. Briggs & Co.
The saying “diamonds are forever” has its basis in fact. Among the sturdiest of gemstones, diamonds stand up to punishment better than many other stones. In fact, diamonds rate a score of 10 on the Mohs gemstone hardness scale, the highest rating of any gem. That’s one of the reasons that diamonds are the timeless, popular choice for all types of jewelry, from engagement rings to diamond studs.
But hardness is not the only measure of a gemstone. Toughness is also a factor to consider when deciding whether to wear your gemstone out to a certain occasion or during everyday activities. While hardness refers to a gem’s resistance to scratching, it doesn’t necessarily describe its durability. A gem’s toughness relates to its resistance to cleaving, chipping, or wearing. Some gems simply crack or wear down more easily than others.
In addition to hardness and toughness, it’s important to consider the piece of jewelry in which a gemstone is set. Rings see the most abuse of any jewelry because we use our hands so much and the gems end up being exposed to more bumps and bruises. Other pieces, like earrings and pendants, are less likely to come into contact with other surfaces, keeping the stones within them safer than those in a ring.
When considering gemstones that are most suitable for rings, a Mohs hardness rating of 7 or higher is generally deemed suitable for mounting in a ring setting, but toughness does come into play. For example, while emeralds rate an 8 on the Mohs scale, they are prone to fracturing easily. Certain types of settings can prove protective to vulnerable gems, so choosing the right setting in which to mount your gemstone is a conversation to have with your jeweler when designing a ring.
Gemstones that don’t rate high in hardness and toughness can still be mounted in rings, but should be worn occasionally and with greater care than a ring would normally see in everyday wear. After all, a ring sees very different action during a night out on the town than it does while cooking or cleaning at home.
It’s important to know the specifics of your gemstones. Some, like pearls, can be susceptible to chemicals because they are porous. Others, like peridot and aquamarine, shouldn’t be exposed to acids. Opals are very susceptible to damage being low on both hardness and toughness. To better understand your gemstones, their wearability, and how to care for them, consult your jeweler (or certified gemologist). If you’re designing a new piece, your jewelry designer can help you take into account the features of the gemstone you are mounting and work with its unique features to design a setting and piece that is the most protective.
Diamonds are both hard and tough (plus they go with just about everything!), making them ideal for wearing on most occasions. And you might not realize that diamonds come in more than one color, but that’s a topic for a future blog! Below is a short list for your reference. If you have questions about the suitability of your gemstones for everyday wear or if you’re looking to set a stone in the an appropriate setting to get the most use from it, contact designer and certified gemologist J.Briggs to set up a consultation.
Adopted from the Greek work “adamas,” meaning invincible, diamonds come in a wide range of colors such as black, blue, green, pink, red, purple, orange and yellow.
If you have a hard time remembering what different cuts of diamonds look like or are called, here’s your perfect cheat sheet for the Top 10 Cuts for the birthstones of our April babies:
ROUND: The most popular shape — owning nearly 75% of all diamonds sold — round cuts are considered superior to ornate shapes. At the proper reflection of light, their maximum potential brightness outshines the competition.
Diamond Eternity Engagement Ring
PRINCESS: The princess cut diamond is the most popular ornate diamond shape, especially for engagement rings. Like rounds, princess cuts are practical choices because of their flexibility in working in almost any style of ring.
Cushion Halo Princess Cut Center Diamond Engagement Ring
OVAL: The oval diamond has an elongated shape often creating the illusion of being a larger diamond.
Three Stone Oval Diamond Ring with Trillion Sapphires
MARQUISE: This cut is football-shaped. Because the marquise diamond is long and narrow, it can also create the illusion of greater size. Carat for carat, the marquise diamond has one of the largest surface areas of any diamond shape.
Marquise Halo Diamond Ring
PEAR-SHAPED: The pear-shaped diamond is a combination of a round and a marquise shape, with a tapered point on one end. In a perfect world, this type of diamond should have very good symmetry, with the point lining up with the apex of the rounded end, and the shoulders and wings (the upper and lower curves on the right and left side of the diamond) should be uniform.
Bezel Three Stone Diamond Halo Engagement Ring with Pear Side Stones
CUSHION: The cushion cut diamond combines a square cut with rounded corners, much like a pillow (its namesake!). This classic cut has been around for almost 200 years. Refinements have led to a resurgence in popularity for this lovely cut.
Three Stone Cushion Woven Diamond Engagement Ring & Wedding Band Set
EMERALD CUT: The emerald cut is quite unique. Although not designed to sparkle, by interchanging light and dark planes during refinement, a “hall-of-mirrors” effect is achieved — a beautiful illusion that creates extraordinary broad flashes of white light to contrast the dark planes. This “step cut” process varies from the more traditional “brilliant cut” method, which provides more sparkle. Emerald cut diamonds will make inclusions or body color easier to see.
Emerald Diamond Dome Ring
ASSCHER CUT: First produced in 1902 by the Asscher Brothers of Holland, an asscher cut diamond is similar to the emerald cut, but in a square shape with larger step facets, a higher crown, and a smaller table (the uppermost, flat surface of a diamond). This combination often produces more brilliance (sparkle!) than the emerald cut.
Asscher Diamond Pave Pendant
RADIANT CUT: The radiant cut creates a vibrant and lively diamond with a modified square shape, a nice bridge between a cushion and a princess cut, making it look stunning when set with both rounded or square cornered diamonds.
Radiant Art Deco Halo Diamond Engagement Ring
HEART SHAPED: There’s no mistaking a heart-shaped diamond. Popular in solitaire pendants as well as rings, heart-shaped cuts are best utilized with diamonds more .50 carats in size, since the heart shape is more difficult to recognize in smaller stones, once set in prongs.
Wavey Heart Diamond Wide Band
Everyone approaches the world of jewelry in their own way. With so many wonderful options, it is the perfect medium to express your personal style, commemorate a life event, send a message or simply accessorize. But let’s face it; things change. Trends go in and out, families get larger or smaller, relationships fizzle, new ones ignite…what to do with the jewelry? I assure you, it does no one any good to leave it in a box unseen for years. And check this out: diamonds are between one and three BILLION years old! They do not expire. Let’s talk options.
The opportunities for re-designing older jewelry and giving it new life are endless. Taking a stone from a necklace and turning it into a ring, for example, can be an affordable option. Removing stones from several dated jewelry pieces and combining them into one modernized, custom pendant that fits your look and lifestyle, is another way to give your gems a new home. And as an added bonus, the metal from the old jewelry can be traded in as credit toward the new piece. Having a box of unworn jewelry is like having a box of cash just sitting there!
In other instances, you may receive gorgeous heirloom jewelry that has been passed down from generation to generation, yet you want to change a few aspects of it to make it your own and think, “How can I make this my own without losing Grandma along the way?” Preserving the integrity of the piece while customizing it to the current wearer takes a jewelry artist who can envision the bridge between the two.
Here are some tips on transforming your estate jewelry into works of art:
1. Don’t sell it! Make it your own…and work it. Selling your jewelry only yields 30-40% of its value, on average. Instead, turn it into something you’ll be excited to show off. This is especially true for diamonds, where the return can be even lower.
2. Gift it to your daughter. There is nothing more special than creating a custom design to give to your child. Engraving can add a special touch, as can adding birthstones.
3. When in doubt…remount! Remounting is a great way to preserve your jewelry. It gives you the opportunity to merge estate jewelry with your current pieces to create a new specialty design.
Taking your jewels from ho-hum to heavenly is worth the time and effort it takes. Mother earth has given us the gift of these beautiful treasures, and they are perfect for recycling, & reinventing. Seeking out a professional designer and certified gemologist who concentrates in this genre will ensure you end up with a stunning piece that represents you, the wearer.
Ask any woman what her favorite gemstone is, and you’ll most likely receive replies that range from diamonds and emeralds, to rubies, amethysts — perhaps even the popular tourmaline. And as gorgeous as those are, we thought it was time for a few less well-known rocks to have their moment in the sun! Check out two gemstones we think will surprise you with their beauty, while leaving you “ooohing” and “ahhhing” for more!
Pink Sapphire:
The second biggest seller in 2014, sapphires have always been a favorite gem. Blue ones, that is.But sapphires can also be found in yellow, white, green, purple, black and…drum roll please…a gorgeous, deep PINK.
Sapphires deepen in color as the quantity of chromium in them increases. In a pink sapphire, the deeper the pink color, the higher their monetary value, as long as the color trends toward the red of rubies. Second in hardness only to diamonds, sapphires are perfect for everyday jewelry and we think you’ll find pink sapphires quite the conversation piece!
Tsavorite Garnet:
Perhaps you haven’t heard of this brilliant beauty, but tsavorite garnet is type of stone in the “grossular” group, which is comprised of calcium and aluminium. Named in honor of the world famous Tsavo National Park in Africa, this gem’s homelands between Kenya and Tanzania have been the primary source of tsavorite since it was first discovered in 1967.
Tsavorite garnet’s rich green color make it almost mistakable for an emerald – until you sigh in relief at its far less-expensive price tag. A gemstone with a robust hardness, tsavorite is unlike many others in that it is neither burnt nor oiled for its shine. Any such improvements or alterations are unnecessary, as tsavorite garnet is a pure piece of Mother Nature in its natural state.
