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

Pearls, the gem of the sea.

The sea evokes a sense of mystery and beauty. it’s calming waters can be stormy at times and provides a sense of passion and wonder to it’s observers. I miss the sea. The sound of the waves crashing in a steady rhythm, lulling one to sleep or to a sense of calm. Hopefully, soon, we can travel back to the ocean’s waters and enjoy the beaches again soon.

Pearls are the gemstone for the month of June. Pearls are one of the only gems that make their origin from the sea. Mother-of-pearl is the other one, and is usually gathered from the same shells we collect pearls from. The beautiful colors of the mother-of-pearl shells are the influence for the color of the pearl.

Pearls are one of a handful of gems that are organic in nature, meaning that they originate from a live organism, rather than inorganic, such as coming from not alive, such as rocks.

Pearls have a fascinating history. They were well regarded for their beauty, and valued much higher than diamonds for many, many years. Marie Antoinette’s famous baroque pearl earrings, recently came up for auction. They are large baroque pearls, and highly unusual and definitely beautiful! I suggest googling them to take a look!

We have a lot of pearl jewelry to choose from in our collections. Pearls have always been one of my favorite gems. They always seem to have a quiet beauty about them to me. They don’t sparkle as much as other gems, but have a rich color and depth of tone that draws you in. The range of colors is also fascinating. I love the dark pearls as much as the bright white. They all have beauty.

Because pearls are a natural gem and are created from the nacre of the mollusk, they do require some considerations when it comes to their wear and care. Pearls are not well suited for rings or bracelets unless the stone is well protected in the setting, such as a bezel setting. They are most ideally suited for necklace, earring and brooches. When it comes to cleaning your pearl jewelry, avoid harsh chemicals such as bleach or ammonia. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners as well. When storing your pearl jewelry, it is best to keep it in a soft cloth bag, away from other jewelry, especially diamonds, or harder gemstones, as they can be damaged when they make contact with those other gems.

All the best!

Chrissi

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