Jewelry For Your Next Adventure

Hello my beautiful friends!

I know this has been an unusual year for planning a vacation or even for travel in general, however as things open up, and the occasion does arise to venture out on the that next adventure, I have some tips for planning what jewelry accessories to take with you. Whether, it’s by plane, train or automobile…I know that I only like to carry a few jewelry pieces with me to my destination and I want to make them count.

What I specifically take, really depends on what the destination occasion calls for. Is this a fun vacation trip or a business trip? Trip to visit family and casual or a more dressy affair?

I’ll start with the business trip or meeting. For a standard business meeting, you can never go wrong with the classics. Simple hoop earrings (like these classic sterling silver hoops above), simple pendant necklace or a nice strand of pearls, conservative rings, nice watch and maybe a bracelet. Less is usually more when it comes to the regular business meeting, and that also means less to pack! Is this a power meeting with a client you are trying to impress? Go bold! Make a statement with a bold and unique necklace or ring. Make one piece a conversation starter, but not all. You don’t want to overdo the bling. Do you need to break the ice? Try this really usual Trilobite necklace (shown below) for a great conversation starter.

For a vacation trip I really like to have fun with my jewelry. Bold necklaces or earrings to accent that beautiful beach dress. Stunning ring for that nice dinner out with the husband or family. Eye-catching cuff bracelet like this beautiful Laguna Agate cuff bracelet (shown below) to grace your newly tanned arms. The possibilities are endless.

Is your vacation on the more adventurous side? If so, then I like to keep things a bit more simple and will usually wear a smaller pendant necklace, such as this 14kt gold and pink sapphire necklace (shown below) paired with some simple stud earrings. I keep it really simple, especially if I’m doing something like hiking, biking or horseback riding.

I usually don’t like to take too much jewelry with me when I travel, so I try to have my jewelry do double duty, and will usually take one bold piece (either a bracelet or necklace), a simple necklace for everyday wear and earrings I can wear for the majority of the trip. The idea is to have fun with your jewelry pairings and enjoy your jewelry no matter what the occasion.

When traveling, I know that storage can be an issue. If I’m flying, I will keep my jewelry with me in my carry-on for safe keeping, and when in the hotel, I’ll utilize the hotel safety deposit box that is usually at the front desk, or the safe that is in the room.

I do want to mention that most jewelry does not do well with chlorine, so if your next outing involves a trip to the hotel pool, just remember to take off your jewelry before it takes a dip in the chlorine. Sterling silver can be permanently blackened and pitted from the chlorine in the pool, and 14kt gold can become pitted from chlorine, so it’s best to not wear your jewelry while swimming.

I hope wherever your next adventure takes you, that you will have fun and a fantastic time!

All the best,

Chrissi

Peridot for August

Peridot is the official gemstone for August. It’s beautiful yellow-green hues are the perfect compliment for the lush green foliage of summer. I thought I would share a little bit about this beautiful gem. In the past, peridot was commonly referred to in mineralogy as olivine, due to it’s olive-green color. Peridot was brought to Central Europe by the crusaders in the Middle Ages and was often used for religious purposes. The largest cut peridot weighs 319 carats and was found on the island Zabargad. It is currently located at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.

Peridot has a Moh’s hardness of 6 1/2-7, which makes it a great gemstone for jewelry. However, the gemstone can be brittle, much like Zircon, so care should be used when wearing, especially in a ring or bracelet setting.

Cool Aquamarine is the Favorite for March

Aquamarine is the birthstone gem for the month of March. It’s beautiful cool blues to shades of green are the perfect wake-up after the dreariness of winter’s slumber.

The name Aquamarine comes from Latin for seawater. Legends surrounding the gem say that the gemstone was meant to keep sailors safe on their journeys across the seas. It was also thought that Aquamarine would enhance the happiness of marriages*.

The majority of aquamarine is found in Brazil, however, this beautiful gem is also found in Russia, Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya and Central Madagascar…along with Colorado. One of my favorite exhibits of aquamarine is located at the Denver Museum of Natural History. It’s an amazing specimen that was found in the Rocky Mountains and meticulously mined and placed on display in the museum.

Aquamarine has a Mohs hardness of 7.5 to 8.0, which makes it an excellent gemstone for all types of jewelry. Care should always be taken when cleaning any gemstones. Common treatments include heat to enhance color of the gemstone.

*source: GIA website on Aquamarine

February Gemstone of the Month: Amethyst

With it’s deep purple to light, almost pinkish mauve shades, Amethyst has been a revered gemstone for centuries. This beautiful variation of quartz is the perfect gemstone for jewelry and other objects of worth because of it’s hardness and ability to take harder wear. Not to mention, it’s beautiful color.

Amethyst is most notably found in Brazil and Uruguay. Naturally colored crystals that exhibit both yellow and purple hues are called ametrine. Amethyst can be found in geodes as well as large crystal deposits.

Amethyst was once considered to be one of the most valuable gemstones next to diamonds. Large discoveries in South America have brought the price down considerably over the years. Amethyst is found in a variety of cuts to highlight this gemstone’s natural beauty. Most commonly, amethyst is cut in cabochons or in faceted forms depending on the quality of the stone. Amethyst is also the birthstone for the month of February.

Green Amethyst commonly called Prasiolite is usually heat-treated amethyst. The color ranges from a pale green to nearly light yellow, depending on the treatment.

Care considerations when wearing Amethyst include taking care not to hit the stone on hard objects that could cause the stone to chip or fracture along natural cleavage plains. Depending on the type of setting, you should avoid wearing all sterling silver jewelry in swimming pools. When cleaning, it’s best to use a mild detergent and soft brush to remove dirt and grime.

Jewelry Care Tip of the Month

Hi Everyone,

This year, I want to start something a little new. I’m going to feature a jewelry care tip or jewelry educational snippet each month. I’m also resurrecting my newsletter with lots of new and exciting information including gemstone facts, jewelry care, product features and much more! Please be sure to sign up for the newsletter! I promise, I won’t spam you with a lot of emails…I really don’t have time for that and I don’t care for it myself!

For the month of January…the focus is on cleaning your soft stone jewelry. For soft stones, such as turquoise, opal, kyanite, amber, lapis., etc. I recommend only using a soft cloth or jeweler’s cloth. These stones can be very porous and absorb chemicals quickly. Avoid using lotions or wearing these stones in the shower as well. Also…avoid wearing your fine jewelry while swimming, especially around chlorine as chlorine will permanently etch sterling silver.

I hope you found these tips helpful!

All the Best!

Chrissi