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What are The Benefits of Buying Custom Jewelry?

Benefits of Buying Custom Jewelry 

If you’re looking for the perfect gift for someone special, custom jewelry might be an excellent option. Customized jewelry can be tailored to the wearer’s style, personality and taste for a truly unique piece. From necklaces and rings to earrings and bracelets, custom jewelry offers many benefits that store-bought jewelry cannot. 

Creative and Unique Design

One of the main benefits of custom jewelry is that it can be designed specifically for the wearer. You can choose the metals, stones and other materials to match the recipient’s style and personality. A custom jewelry piece is truly a one-of-a-kind item that will be cherished for years to come.

Quality Materials

Custom jewelry is typically made with higher quality materials than store-bought jewelry, so you can be sure you’re getting an item that will last. The stones used in custom jewelry are often of better quality, giving them more sparkle and shine. 

Personalization

With custom jewelry, you can personalize the piece with an engraving or message. This adds a special touch to the gift, making it even more meaningful. 

Support Local Businesses

When you purchase custom jewelry, you are supporting local businesses and artisans. This is a great way to give back to your community and help support those who are making a living through their craft.

Repurposing Heirloom Jewelry

People often have jewelry they no longer wear or inherit something of value that is not the desired style.  Custom design is the ultimate way to create something new that accommodates heirloom gemstones.

At J. Briggs, Jennifer is an artist and jewelry is her medium. Jewelry stores most often have a sales person and sometimes a craftsman, but rarely a trained jewelry designer at your service! When you buy custom jewelry, you’re investing in a piece of art that can be passed down for generations. Many custom jewelry pieces also retain their value over time, making them a smart investment.

Buying custom jewelry is a great way to get a unique piece that is tailored to your exact specifications. From quality materials to perfect fit and personalization, custom jewelry offers a variety of advantages. Consider custom jewelry for your next jewelry purchase for a piece that is truly special.

All That Shines ~ More on Alloys

What do you think of when you hear the word GOLD? A vault of ingots at Fort Knox? Lost treasures from forgotten empires? Or maybe you have the same thing on your mind that I do … fabulous jewelry! I thought we could expand on our last blog about White Gold vs Platinum, and explore metal alloys a little deeper. Did you know that when it comes to gold jewelry, there are more options than the traditional yellow and white  gold familiar to most people?

Gold alloys come in a variety of stunning colors that can really make a piece of jewelry stand out from the crowd. In addition to yellow gold, most people have heard of white gold, but the options don’t stop there. Gold can also be rose, red, or pink, green, blue, purple, and even black.

What is the difference among these various hues? Let’s start with an explanation of “pure,” or 24K gold. Pure gold has no other metals mixed into it. Other gold classes, such as 10K (41.7% gold), 14k (58.5%) or 18K (75%) gold contain a smaller percentage of gold that is combined with other metals such as silver or copper. These types of gold are technically alloys because other metals are mixed into the pure gold. The higher the karat, the richer the gold tone. For people with sensitive skin, sometimes the other metals can cause skin irritation. Higher karat gold (18k & 22k) and Platinum (90-95%) are the most hypoallergenic metal for jewelry- but you already know all about Platinum from our last post!

 

So let’s start with our pure gold and mix in some different types of metal to make things more interesting.

 

White Gold: While some people prefer to have their gemstones set in platinum, white gold is a great alternative for those who prefer a silver hue to their gold jewelry. White gold can be mixed with manganese, nickel, or palladium to achieve its signature color. Standard white gold is a combination of 14K gold and a mix of copper, nickel, and zinc. White gold is often plated in rhodium to increase its shine. It is often necessary to re-plate after a year or two of wear to bring back the bright white color.

Green Gold: Also called electrum, green gold is a naturally-occurring alloy containing both gold and silver. Depending on the ratio of gold to silver, the hue can be subtle or deeper.

Red Golds: For gold to take on a pink, rose, or red hue, it is mixed with copper. The greater the amount of copper present in the alloy, the deeper the shade of red.

 

The following colors are less commonly seen than yellow, white, green, and red, but can still be used in jewelry.

Purple Gold: Purple gold is created by combining gold with aluminum. This alloy is too brittle to us in the traditional sense, but can be cut to look like a gemstone.

 

Blue Gold: A combination of gold and the metal indium or gallium gives gold a subtle, bluish tone. Indium or gallium is present in larger amounts than gold in this alloy.

 

Black Gold: Mixing gold with cobalt allows the surface to be oxidized resulting in black gold.

 

Purple, blue, and black golds can also be created using surface treatments to achieve the desired hue.

It’s important to note that not all gold alloys are appropriate for the same types of jewelry. Some are more malleable, some more brittle. Black, purple, and blue gold pose challenges while white, rose, green and yellow gold can certainly be crafted into traditional jewelry. It’s also worth mentioning that the color variations tend to be subtle.

Filigree Band Wide Band Rose Gold

Filigree Wide Band Green Golsd

 

 

 

 

 

Filligree Wide Band White GoldFiligree Wide Band Yellow Gold

 

 

 

 

 

Filigree Two Tone Wide Band

 

 

 

 

 

 

It can be fun to play around with the different colors of gold when designing a piece of jewelry. Using more than one type of gold within a piece can create a visually arresting alternative to standard yellow or white gold. At J. Briggs, we are happy to explore the different gold varieties with you to achieve exactly the effect you desire.

Gemstone of the Month: Peridot

The French word “Peridot” is originally derived from “faridat” in Arabic, meaning gem. Ancient peridot can be traced back to Egyptian jewelry in the 2nd millennium B.C. The stones came from a deposit on a small volcanic island in the Red Sea, some 45 miles off the Egyptian coast, which was not rediscovered until about 1900 and has since been exhausted.

Peridot is gem-quality “olivine,” a common mineral in mafic and ultramafic rocks. Formed as a result of volcanic activity deep inside the earth’s surface, gem-quality peridot is a rarity in olivine.

The demand for this beautiful stone was reignited a few years ago when peridot deposits were found in the Kashmir region; and the stones were so incredible in color and transparency.

Although it’s one of the only gemstones found in just one color, the intensity and tint of the olive green hue depends on how much iron is within the crystal structure. Varying from yellow to olive to brownish-green, peridot is most valued as a dark, emerald-resembling gem.

If you were born in August, you may be fortunate enough to receive a peridot as a birthday gift. If received as a ring, wearing this birthstone carefully is important, as it isn’t as tough as it looks. Prone to breaking, peridot are better suited for bigger necklaces; a bonus being that larger stones carry a richer color.

Throughout history, peridot has been thought to possess great mystical powers to ward off anxiety and inspire happiness, strength and loyalty. It is also believed to promote success in relationships and marriage.

Once called the “gem of the sun” in ancient Egypt because of its dazzling appearance in the sun, the curiosity and enchantment that surrounds peridot has made this radiant gemstone timeless.