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Jewelry By The Numbers

March 22, 2013 Posted by admin

What goes around comes around, which means that if you wait long enough the fashion of old will become new again. That fact means that it is important to understand what the trends where from each decade.

The 1960’s

The 1960’s saw an emergence of a new material which made jewelry an affordable option for the masses. Enter the plastic bead. Most of the 1960’s was filled with color and shapes. One of the first stackable collections began in the 1960’s.

The 1970’s

The 1970’s saw the introduction of the minimalist movement and is characterized by materials like hemp and twine. Darker colors were all the rage making the pairing of leathers and dark metals a perfect option for your jewelry collection.

The 1980’s

The 1980’s saw the emergence of the punk rock movement and the reintroduction of bold colors in jewelry. During the 1980’s the motto was the bigger the better and everyone was vying for that next big piece to complete their collection.

The 1990’s

White gold dominated the 1990’s and the beginning of the body piercing movement can be traced to the 1990’s as people began to truly embrace jewelry as a form of self-expression.

As each decade passes, it leaves behind a trend and a pattern that will forever more be linked to a period of time. As an essential part of out style journey, we must first know where we came from. Once you have mastered those traits and characteristics, then you are ready to embrace the future in full force.

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New Year’s Eve Jewelry

January 1, 2013 Posted by admin

As the biggest party night of the year, you want to look festive and appropriate for the party you are attending. Here are a few options for the various types of parties going on this New Year’s Eve:

Cocktail Party

If you are attending a more festive occasion where “black tie required” is on the invitation, you may want to spice up your jewelry for such an occasion and pull out the diamonds. For cocktail parties, diamond stud earrings, simple diamond necklaces and single-band diamond bracelets are the recommended jewelry attire. With cocktail parties, keep it simple, but definitely add some sparkle to spruce up a nice dress.

Fancy Hotel Bash

If you are dressing up in a long evening gown for a lavish affair, a big, bold statement piece is very complementary to the occasion. Look for big, colored stones such as sapphires, rubies or emeralds to match your dress. If you prefer colorless diamonds, long strands on a necklace really stand out, as do cluff bracelets. If you aren’t one to wear a lot of jewelry on the body, try earrings with a lot of dangle to them—ones that come down to your chin.

Small House Party

For smaller occasions, it is perfectly acceptable to pair down the jewelry. Look for simple diamond earrings and single stand diamond bracelets. They will add a little bit of sparkle, but nothing over the top.

Dinner with Your Sweetie

If your significant other is taking you out to a nice restaurant with just the two of you, look for larger diamond stud earrings and necklaces with pear cuts, especially for off-the-shoulder dresses. While most of the country is very cold on New Year’s Eve, the pear shape will stand out even with a heavy winter coat on as you walk to and from the car.

Whatever the occasion, jewelry is an integral part of the wardrobe for the most festive day of the year—New Year’s Eve.

Engagement Do’s and Don’ts

December 15, 2012 Posted by admin

How To Propose

When it comes to finding the perfect engagement ring, we at Barclay’s Jewelers have you covered. We want to make sure you have the perfect proposal as well so that is why we interviewed the Proposal Planners at The Heart Bandits to ask for their expert proposal advice. Michele and Marvin Velazquez give the Top 5 Do’s and Don’ts of Proposing.

Proposal Do’s

Create a budget and stick to it, but also remember this is a once in a lifetime moment, so if there was ever a time to splurge– this may be it. Sure you just bought an engagement ring so hearing that you have to save more money for a proposal might not be the best news. But “Show me the ring” is always followed by the question “How did he propose?”. You want to make sure you give her a story just as beautiful as the ring.
Have a plan. If you want the perfect proposal you need to make sure you have a plan. Think of where you are going to have the proposal and who should be involved. Then think about everything that could go wrong the day of and come up with a Plan B.
Document the proposal. Social media is a part of everyone’s life now so when she announces that she just got engaged, everyone is going to want to see pictures. Think ahead by arranging a friend or a photographer to take pictures.
Get Help. Hiring a professional Proposal Planner is the way to go to if you want to guarantee your proposal goes off without a hitch. An experienced planner will have connections with vendors and experience in executing flawless events.
Get down on one knee. Some traditions should be kept and this is one of them. It doesn’t matter which knee you get down on, just do it.

Proposal Don’ts

Don’t Rush the proposal. When guy’s get the engagement ring in their hands, they feel like they have to propose right away. But proposing without a well thought-out plan is not a good idea. Even if you have the ring, take some time to come up with a great proposal idea. She will thank you for it.
Don’t Use Cliché Ideas. Please, please, please do not ever use cliché or generic proposal ideas. No woman wants to tell their friends that you proposed by writing “Will You Marry Me” on a dessert tray or by proposing at a public sporting event in front of hundreds of strangers.
Don’t make it about you. Whatever you do, do not build your proposal idea around your likes. For example, if you love hockey and she doesn’t, she isn’t going to appreciate you spelling out “Will You Marry Me” on a hockey puck. Think about her.
Don’t try to memorize a proposal speech. Of course you want the moment to go perfect and you want to tell her exactly how you feel. However, you are going to be so nervous the day of that you are likely to forget the entire speech you memorized. Just speak from your heart the day of and it will come across spectacularly.
Don’t Forget the after celebration. After you propose your girlfriend is going to be on a high so you can’t just take her home. Have a plan for what you will do after the proposal like have a glass of bubbly somewhere.

The Heart Bandits are a Marriage Proposal Planning company and create one-of-a-kind proposals for clients around the world.  Named one of “America’s Most Romantic Companies” by Business News Weekly, their proposals have been featured in the New York Times, NBC, ABC, Brides Magazine, and more.  For more information and samples of their work, please see www.theheartbandits.com

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Boho Chic Style Jewelry for the Bride with Bohemian Flair

July 25, 2012 Posted by admin

Every bride wants to feel like her style and her wedding are unique. One of the many hot trends this year is bohemian fashion, so bohemian brides are looking for jewelry that will complement their wedding day style and that also has the ability to be worn again to work or for an evening out on the town. Often, bohemian brides are choosing jewelry that contains a myriad of metal and gemstone colors with unique pieces featuring elements of nature. So, how do you find jewelry that is as unique as you are with eye-catching colors and a nod to nature? Consider the following aspects when deciding which piece will make you shine and look your best on your wedding day:

Metal Types and Colors

For a more casual, bohemian feel to your wedding day jewelry, consider metals that have textures. Warm, yellow gold tends to show texture more than a cold metal like white gold. The pink hues of rose gold also showcase texture exquisitely while adding a feminine touch.

Tacori Smokey Quartz Pendant With Diamond Crescent 18k Rose Gold Frame

Gemstone Colors

Turquoise oval stones provide the feel of the element of water. Just as the sun sets over the sea green of ocean waters, so too will the light shine off of turquoise jewelry encase in beautiful, warm yellow gold. For a more regal effect, brides may choose blue sapphires that evoke images of a Hawaiian sunset or coastal waters at night. With the multitude of colors in nature’s elements as their guide, jewelers can create stunning jewelry in any hue to work with a bride’s vision.

Tacori Cushion Cut Neolite Turquoise and Faceted Lemon Quartz Pendant

Nod to Nature

Jewelry featuring leaf and floral patterns is hot right now for the bride who wants to be unique on her wedding day. By combining multiple metal and gemstone colors into one piece, jewelers are also making the bold statement that nature has many elements to offer that are just as beautiful as white diamonds. Often times these pieces are dramatic and offer brides a way to accent their beautiful white or off-white gowns with a pop of color that shows their organic side.

Starbust Flower Pendant With Movable Petal Components in White, Yellow, and Rose Gold

Whether the bohemian bride wishes to showcase her love of nature or her appreciation for the colors nature provides, going boho chic with her wedding jewelry would be a unique choice and would provide her with jewelry she could wear many times after she says “I do.”

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Creating a Custom Engagement Ring

June 28, 2012 Posted by admin

When money is no object, a customized engagement ring is the preferred choice. Customized rings are more expensive since they are labor-intensive endeavors that require putting individual pieces together to create the perfect piece. Custom engagement rings can be worth the high price, as designing an engagement ring from scratch adds a layer of significance to the piece. Most of all, it helps ensure that the ring suits her perfectly.

Take Your Time

Hollywood heartthrob Brad Pitt took nearly a year to design Angelina Jolie’s engagement ring. You may not be a world-famous actor, but it would be wise to follow Pitt’s example and start developing the ring at least one year before you want to propose. The added time will guarantee that you get the piece right. The long hours and hard work will ultimately pay off once the engagement ring is finished.

Inspiration

Narrow down your design ideas by looking at the jewelry your significant other wears. Note whether her jewelry is modern, or if it has a vintage appeal. Does she have an interest in exotic pieces with Indian, Middle Eastern or East Asian motifs? Does she prefer traditional Western designs? Consider everything to ensure that you incorporate what she likes best.

You should also look at co-workers’ engagement rings for additional inspiration. Visit jewelry stores and peruse online jewelry collections to see what other options are available. If you are artistically inclined, sketch or draw the ring to get the idea down on paper.

Meaning

Create the perfect symbol of your love by considering what you want the engagement ring to say. List adjectives that describe your significant other, the unique relationship you share and hopes for the future. Research the meanings of gem stones and settings to produce a unique combination that reflects your feelings. For example, if you want to show her that the fire of your passionate love will burn forever, a three-stone ring with a fancy yellow diamond will fit the bill. Three-stone rings represent the past, present and future of love and fancy yellow diamonds symbolize passion and vitality.

Creation

Visit a local jeweler/jewelry designer and explain your design ideas. Look at their collection of loose gem stones, settings and precious metals and match the pieces you think will fit best together to create your vision. Clearly communicate your theme and overarching message with the jewelry designer to bring your ideas to life.

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