Today's Look

Absolutely love these citrine earrings from Designs In Gold. Chambray shirt from Anthropologie. 

www.designsingoldnashville.com

- Lisa

Today's Look

"Rocking" some tourmaline earrings. www.designsingoldnashville.com

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

Hand-twisting silver for a set of bangles.

3 down. Many to go.

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! 

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.