Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Sunday, July 21, 2013
"Elf" of Knowledge - Pearl Care
DIG, our "elf" of knowledge, likes to drop a few "pearls" of wisdom on the occasion (I promise that's the last play on words!). Mostly how to care for your jewelry.
Today's "Elf" of knoweledge: never let your pearls get wet! Originally pearls were strung using silk. Today we use nylon. Nylon is more durable and doesn’t stretch out as quickly as silk. Regardless, if the string gets wet it’s more likely to rot which means the string will break. If any pearls are lost it will be difficult to try and match a replacement.
Today's Look
Absolutely love these citrine earrings from Designs In Gold. Chambray shirt from Anthropologie.
www.designsingoldnashville.com
- Lisa
Saturday, July 20, 2013
GEMSTONE PENDENTS AND THE DRUNKEN HISTORY OF AMETHYST
Working in a jewelry shop is so tough. This morning I had to put on a few of our necklaces and experiment with layering gemstone pendants with a chunky silver chain. I chose these hand-made pendants from Designs in Gold featuring amethyst and citrine. The twin gem pendant is a combination of a cabochon-back amethyst and citrine; both gems have faceted tops for maximum sparkle. The matching single gem pendant is also citrine. The stone holds beautiful silk bands that are a naturally occurring feature in the stone. The gem pendant necklaces are layered with a complementary heavy silver chain. Each link is individually sauntered, and a tag charm for a engraving adds a feminine touch.
Upon researching amethyst, I discovered that the stone has a bit of a wild and ancient history. It was worn in Ancient Greece to guard against intoxication, and its Greek etymology translates to “not intoxicated.” The hardness properties of amethyst make it great for carving, and wine goblets were often made of amethyst in Ancient Greece. (And I thought crystal was fancy!) According to a medieval French poet, the Greek god of wine Bacchus is responsible for the color of the purple stone.
As far as the suggestion that amethyst guards against intoxication, I’ll have to wear this pendant and do a little research. I’ll report back.\
-Caroline
Friday, July 19, 2013
Today's look
My bracelets are a mixture of new and antique reproduction. All real gold and diamonds, from Designs In Gold! www.designsingoldnashville.com
Loving that my shirt is so bright, it's reflecting on my arm!
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Red Rubies for July
July is the month of intense heat, ripe red watermelon, and fiery red fireworks. Rubies, then, are the appropriate birthstone for the “reddest” month of the year. According to Hindu beliefs, the inner-fire of a ruby causes its brilliant color that cannot be extinguished.
A Little Art History (Art Nouveau)
Art Nouveau began in the late 19th century and lasted until the First World War. The name derived from and art gallery in Paris called L’Art Nouveau. Like Post-Impressionism, Art Nouveau continued to move away from the rigidness of the Victorian Era. Long, sinuous, and organic lines where the main characteristics, as were natural motifs of insects, lizards, snakes, maidens with long flowing hair, crescents rendered in wavy whiplash, and sunbursts. Japanese prints were becoming very popular in Paris and were hugely influential on the Art Nouveau artist.
Though short lived, it was one of the forces that pushed painting towards abstraction. Unlike other movements, it was deliberate. The idea was to reject historicism. Instead it encouraged Art & Craft, a process that bridged the fine artist and the cradtsman. Broadening the range of influence resulted in some beautiful and unforgettable works. This concept encouraged the artist to explore new subjects and materials. For the jeweler this meant experimenting with nontraditional materials such as horn and flass. Expensive and inexpensive gems were used together to produce dreamlike design fantasies.
Fireworks
We always tell customers to come and see us whenever they see fireworks. With the 4th of July only four weeks away, I thought I would remind you with this lovely photo I took of the fireworks from New Years.
Bring in you ring and we will make sure your stones are straight, tightened, and stable. Before you leave we will give it a great clean for maximum sparkle. If any work needs to be done we can discuss it with you!
Drop by or give us a call.
Pearl History
Since it’s first cultivation in China, dating before 1000 B.C. pearls have been a symbol of unblemished perfection. It’s one of the oldest gems in history and was considered the most valuable.
Formed by Mollusk, pearls consist of the same material as the inside of the shell. They can be harvested in both fresh as well as salt water, taking between 13 months to 2 years to develop.
Japan and Northern Australia are the largest regions for cultivating salt water pearls, with the Mississippi River being one of the U.S. largest region for fresh water.
Meet DIG
An “elf" of knowledge, DIG is an important part of our team. Always the first one in and last one out, DIG has been working at Designs In Gold from the beginning. Over the years DIG has accumulated a lot of information about jewelry design and care, constantly advising team members on best practices.
We decided it would be wasteful to keep all this information we’ve learnt to ourselves, so we created this blog to give back tips, tricks, and design inspirations.
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