Squash Blossom Necklace

     We recently had the privilege of repairing a beautiful antique necklace that one of our dear clients brought to us at Designs In Gold. It was a stunning Squash Blossom Necklace.

      Squash blossom necklaces are one of the most characteristic traditional jewelry designs from the Navajo and Native Americans of the Southwest. The necklace is commonly made with strands of silver beads, enriched with silver beads that have petal-like additions, called "squash blossoms". The centerpiece of the necklace is a crescent- (downward facing horseshoe) called a "naja"- often encrusted with turquoise, silver beads, or other stones set in silver. Many believe that the naja were adapted from the iron horseshoes that ornamented the horse bridles of Spanish conquistadores.

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Peridot for August Babies

Happy birthday to all of the August babies out there! August’s birthstone is peridot, the gemstone variety of olivine. Peridot gets its characteristic green hue from iron present in the rock.  It can, however, vary in colors ranging from white to black, although both are rare.

Ancient Egyptians began making periot beads as early as 1580 B.C. It was a symbol of the sun through the Middle Ages, and an Ancient Greek manuscript tells us that peridot was believed to confer royal dignity on its bearer.

Marbodius, an 11^th century bishop from France, suggested that peridot should be strung on a strand of donkey tail hair and worn on the left arm to be protected from evil spirits. Gross! We won’t be taking fashion advice from Midieval bishops any time soon.

We think the striking color of peridot looks best worn simply, as on this diamond halo pendant. It also looks nice worn on a mutli-colored stone necklace. Regardless of how you choose to wear your peridot this month, it always adds eye-catching pop and brilliance.

Advice to Wannabe Grooms

You’ve found the lady of your dreams and you’re ready to pop the question. Congratulations! Designs in Gold has been making engagement and wedding bands for happy couples over the past 32 years. We’ve been able to be a part of a lot of yeses and I-dos! Our little elf DIG has picked up on a few pieces of wisdom through the years, things that indicate a good marriage to come. Here are his tips:

·         Ask her parents

We know it’s the 21^st century and women are more liberated and than ever, but you still have to ask her parents for her hand in marriage. It’s not about tradition or the antiquated concept of dowries. It’s about respect. Respecting your girlfriend’s family proves to her that you care about her and the network of people who raised her.

·         Make it special

Certain times will remain imprinted in your memories forever, and becoming engaged is one of those moments. Neither you or your bride-to-be want to remember getting engaged in the car or in the jewelry store’s parking lot. (It happened.) Plan something special and beautiful that you’ll always remember fondly.

Our favorites have been:

• A café below the Eiffel Tower. The groom wanted to propose on top of the Eiffel Tower, but the cold and rain made the moment everything but romantic. He waited until they’d warmed up below and their noses had stopped running before proposing. The whole café clapped and bought the couple a bottle of champagne. C’est belle!
  
• A picnic at the top of a mountain. This couple’s first date was a beautiful hike in the Santa Lucia Mountain Range. Before proposing, the groom hiked a surprise picnic up to the top of the same mountain. He re-hiked the trail again with her and proposed. That’s dedication!

·         Design your bands together

The couple that designs together stays together. This is probably your first major purchase as a couple, so you should show each other support, interest, and commitment by being at the design appointment together.

·         Surprise her

Although some women don’t want to be surprised with a proposal, many women do. An engagement ring that’s a total surprise is very romantic, but make sure to get her what she wants! Does she want yellow gold, white gold, or platinum? An emerald cut diamond, princess cut, or other? What’s her finger size? To get this information, listen to her! Walk her into a jewelry store under the pretense of purchasing a necklace and casually ask her about rings, too. What’s her opinion of her mother’s ring? To get her finger size, put on one of her rings that fits her ring finger. Although it obviously won’t fit you, a jeweler can measure the ring size based on where it falls on your finger.

·         Add something unique

Include a feature on your rings that distinctly relates to your relationship. It can be as simple as an engraving of each other’s initials inside your bands, or as lavish as a seashell detail to always remember your wedding on a beach. Try engraving your wedding date inside the band to never forget your anniversary. Attention to detail on your rings is symbolic of the attention to detail you’ll show through your marriage.

A Tip from Tiffany's

Borrowing from the Best

 

Dr. George Frederick Kunz was the world's premier geologist when Charles Lewis Tiffany (yes, that Tiffany) sent him on a pearl hunt. In the Mississippi River Valley, he found a plethora of small, elongated "dogtooth" pearls. These were made into the Chrysanthemum brooch. The beautiful bud is set off by diamond studded leaves, and stems of gold and platinum. A comic opera star of the day, Lillian Russell, was given the brooch in 1904. It now resides in the Smithsonian Museum.

 

These freshwater pearl earrings were created to mimic the famous brooch. Their Art Nouveau style is at once classic and refreshingly unique. As one of DIG's few pieces made with stainless steal, their price point is a touch less than Tiffany's.

 

 

Art Nouveau has come back into vogue over the past several years. In the recent remake of The Great Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan (played by Carey Mulligan) looked stunning wearing similar Art Nouveau-style jewelry made by Tiffany's.

 

-Caroline