Sunday, May 28, 2017

“Anyone who has ever bought a diamond or an engagement ring appreciates how intimidating the process can be for the consumer,” said Matt Spetzler, Partner at Francisco Partners. “ What we love about JamesAllen.com is they are using innovative technology to bring simplicity, vast selection, pricing transparency and overall value to the process by letting consumers shop directly for the exact diamond they want, but at a much lower price.” 

JamesAllen.com has tripled in size in the last two years as consumers have embraced James Allen’s 360° Diamond Display Technology and innovative virtual showroom experience.  With a curated selection of nearly 150,000 conflict-free, fully certified loose diamonds and hundreds of ring settings, JamesAllen.com allows consumers to design or customize their own personalized jewelry pieces. 

"We are thrilled to partner with the team at Francisco Partners to continue our journey of disrupting the diamond industry.  We have a shared vision that consumers deserve a better diamond buying experience and we are demystifying the process.  We provide better pricing and better value by utilizing innovative technologies that enhance everything from our Diamond Marketplace to the end consumer experience,” said R2Net’s co-founder and CEO Oded Edelman. 

An engagement ring is forever.  And what we consider the norm for engagement rings has held steady for many, many years.  The diamond, the solitaire setting, the antique pedigree...you know the drill.  None of these variations goes out of style — and there's certainly no reason to mess with a classic. 
And yet, there are certain welcome adjustments here and there that keep things interesting (and keep us ogling).  What's the latest diamond craze?  What kind of setting can set your ring apart?  What trends are making a comeback? 
We've rounded up the top 5 engagement ring trends to help identify what's up in the wedding-jewelry world — and the results will have you hearing wedding bells. 

Karan Johar’s upcoming big release Ae Dil hai Mushkil starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Fawad Khan has been surrounded by a lot of controversies.  But even as the release date of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is not clear, people are looking forward to this beautiful project by Karan Johar.  The movie has managed to impress everyone be it the teaser, trailer or all the beautiful songs.  It goes without saying that both the leading actresses Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma are looking strikingly beautiful.  Especially Anushka who has taken us by surprise with her never-seen-before bridal look. 
The Ae Dil Hai Mushkil actress stunned us with her quirky ways in the trailer and then enchanted us once again with her breathtaking bridal look in the ADHM song Channa Mereya.  Flaunting her best looks, Anushka is giving all the brides-to-be some serious goals for their wedding look.  So if you are wondering, how did Anushka manage to pull off the Ae Dil Hai Mushkil bridal look, we will help you decode the exact look so that you can go ahead and try out this pretty look on your special day. 

If you aspire to look like a Mughal Princess, get inspired by ancient Muslim dresses, colors like Iranian turquoise with gold and perfectly cut silhouettes. 

mughal

For jewelry, it's all about layering!  Don an emerald necklace along with a nice choker that sits well around the neck, a big maang teeka, earrings and a statement nath.  But it's the elegant and traditional passa that takes your straight into that era so don't forget to wear that! 

passa
As far as makeup is concerned, dark smoky eyes with lots of kajal, lots of blush, glossy lips and pulled back hair should do the trick. 

If you want to opt for a typical Hindustani look, then that has to include some fresh mogra flowers in your hair, a striking maathapatti and a bindi.  To add a modern nuance with that, you can keep your hair textured, skin dewy with dark and smoky eyes. 

mathapatti
If you are a boho bride, go in for an unconventional color with an even more unique pattern on it.  Let your hair be messy and don't forget to add a 'me' touch in anything you do! 

The department store chain is stepping up its nuptials game in the hopes of winning a bigger slice of the $60 billion U.S. wedding pie.  Among other moves: Macy's is adding higher-end bridal jewelry to its assortment and training its army of personal shoppers to advise anxious couples. 
While Macy's has long served people who are getting hitched, its offerings have traditionally revolved around gift registries.  Macy's has typically become part of the average couple's planning eight months into the process, meaning it has been missing out on chances to sell items earlier, like the engagement ring or even a skin care and weight-loss regimen as the bride and groom prepare for their big day.  Yet the average length of an engagement in the United States is 14.5 months, according to a 2015 survey of 18,000 brides by The Knot, a leading wedding marketplace. 
"We have an opportunity to service the couple throughout the entire wedding journey, not just at the point of registry," Shawn Outler, the Macy's senior vice president overseeing the wedding strategy, told Fortune on a tour of the retailer's Manhattan flagship. " We weren't quite messaging to those opportunities but we knew we were selling the product." 

Chinese form the largest addressable racial group as they constitute over 75% of both the male and female population in Singapore
- By age: Males and females between age 30 to 49 years form the largest segment of the population.  Within this group, males age 35 to 39, as well as females age 30 to 34, could be a potential target segment for the bridal jewellery as their marriage rates have been steadily rising and also registered the highest increase across the decade
- By income: Income groups between S$2,000 to S$3,999 per month constitute the largest segment for mass market targeting.  For the higher end market segment, it is noteworthy that males outnumber females by a ratio of 3 to 1 for monthly income categories aboveS $10,000

Reem Acra won’t just be using Tiffany & Co.’s Fifth Avenue flagship to debut her spring bridal collections.  The designer also plans to create wedding gowns and dresses inspired by Tiffany style and glamour. 

While not a brand collaboration, Tiffany first connected with Acra when one of her gowns was featured as part of the Moda Operandi exhibition at the store last fall.  Afterward, Acra “shared her affinity for the Tiffany brand,” a Tiffany spokesman said Monday. 

Two hundred guests are expected at the April 18 fashion show.  But there will be no cobranding or cross-promoting of the 20-style collection beyond the event invitations, the Tiffany spokesman said. 

By staging a bridal show at Tiffany, Acra will be following in the footsteps of Carolina Herrera, who held one there in 2009 inspired by Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Matisse and other artists.  And another bridal powerhouse, Vera Wang, teamed with Tiffany for a runway show at the Audi Fashion Festival in Singapore in 2011.  Acra declined comment Monday through a spokesman. 

For months, wine importer and hospitality entrepreneur Josh Hackler had been planning to propose to his college sweetheart, jewelry designer Pili Restrepo, during an upcoming vacation in Turkey. ( He even convinced his sister and her husband to buy tickets and join them in Istanbul to celebrate as a surprise.)  But a last-minute change of plans led the trip to be canceled and the proposal was put on hold.  Months later, Josh came up with another plan, this time in Cartagena, but again, things didn’t work out quite as he expected. 
“He had planned a surprise trip to Cartagena for New Year’s Eve, but I told him we couldn’t go because my mom was already excited about all of us spending the holidays with her in Cali, Colombia, the city where I grew up,” Pili recalls. “ He ended up canceling everything and flying to Cali instead and, as is tradition, he brought along my Christmas stocking as well.”  The day after he arrived, Josh surprised Pili with a diamond ring attached at the end of the stocking. “ It was my last present and the most precious one of 2013!”  she says.  The ring had been chosen by Josh’s grandmother years ago, with the intention of gifting it to her future granddaughter-in-law. “ I never met her, she died before I started dating Josh, but she was an amazing woman: elegant, lover of parties and vintage jewelry, the best hostess.”  The couple then celebrated their engagement with the bride’s family and friends and toasted with a very special bottle of Champagne. “ My dad had bought it before he died,” she remembers. “ We were saving it for a very special occasion.”  A night of salsa dancing with friends at Pili’s favorite teenage haunt, Éxtasis, followed well into the wee hours of the morning. 

Kolkata: Dubai has imposed a 5% import duty on gold and diamond jewellery, a move which is likely to hurt Indian exports at a time when demonetisation has hit business at home. 

The new levy may , however, boost bridal jewellery sales in India because many Indian shoppers had turned to Dubai owing to the cheaper gold there and the price difference may no longer be attractive enough. 

“Nearly 45-50% of gold jewellery consumed in Dubai goes from India. It will hurt some big ..

Diamond expert Jacob Worth, founder of I Want What It's Worth, has gone undercover at some of New York's most recognizable diamond stores to 'prove' that customers are being ripped off
'At Tiffany you are basically paying a massive markup up for a blue box which you can buy on eBay for 25 dollars.' 
Worth visited all four luxury diamond retailers with an undercover camera as he claims customers are paying thousands for little more than the brand name. 
At Tiffany's, a simple two carat, round solitaire diamond ring with platinum band was selling for $80,000. 

At Costco, an almost identical two carat, round solitaire diamond ring with platinum band costs around $19,000. 
When Worth compared prices of a basic round solitaire ring, he reported that Tiffany's had a 253 per cent mark up, at Cartier it was 276 per cent, at Van Cleef it is 314 per cent and at Harry Winstone's it is 336 per cent. 

Marchesa's Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig whip up beyond exquisite bridal creations season after season.  Their latest example?  The brand's fall 2016 collection, in which they delivered more of that signature glam-meets-romantic style, like dramatic tiered-to-there ruffles and lavishly embroidered thread work. 

"We wanted to create an airy feeling.  What we have here is a lot of silver and mother-of-pearl embroideries, and ball gowns that turn into sexy dresses after," Craig says, calling out the detachable skirts along with bejeweled bodices. " The jewelry adornment is a signature for us now.  It's something that really resonates with our customers—it's got the romance, but it's a statement look that we love." 

Designer Reem Acra found something even better than Breakfast at Tiffany’s (or, you know, nibbling on a croissant while peering into the jewelry store’s legendary windows).  How does happy hour at Tiffany’s sound?  Featuring appearances by diamonds, champagne and orchids—and wedding dresses. 

Such was the vibe on Tuesday evening, when the designer debuted her Spring/Summer 2018 bridal collection, within the walls of Tiffany & Co.’s Fifth Avenue Flagship.  Around dusk, ethereal models, swathed in layers of diamond-studded tulle and enrobed in lace, emerged from the store’s iconic elevators and strolled between display cases of jewels.  The first 12 looks, which featured slim black dresses dotted with sparkles and accented with capes, were a definite nod to Audrey Hepburn’s iconic Hubert de Givenchy gown. 

But despite the disruptive appearance of black dresses at a bridal show, the most notable creation shown was the finale dress.  In theory, it was a simple frock; the strapless white satin design was finished off with a huge voluminous skirt and a train.  But a closer look offered more info on the dress’ approximate $1.6 million price tag: it all had to do with the Tiffany & Co. jewelry that was affixed to the wedding gown.  Dripping down the bodice and skirt were four butterfly brooches, 12 dragonfly pins and exactly 134 earrings.  According to Vogue, that tallies up to 165 carats of diamonds and 61.91 carats of gemstones, totaling exactly $1,611,144.  The good news here is that every single one of these pieces are currently available in Tiffany & Co. stores individually, so you don’t have to drop a million dollars to emulate this Acra design. 

Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo threw joint bachelor and bachelorette parties on Monday's episode of Counting On. 
Jeremy, 29, and Jinger, 23, invited friends and family to Arkansas a month before their November wedding on TLC's Jill & Jessa Counting On. 
But there was no wild partying for the couple who spent time at an escape room, playing golf and making bridal jewelry. 

'I think when people typically think of a bachelor party they think of it being mischievous, a last hurrah to do whatever you want,' said Jeremy. 
'For me it is completely different, I have no desire to go out on the town and run around.  I want to spend good quality time with dear friends and reflect on good memories as I enter this new season in life,' he said. 

As the millennials' role in the jewelry market gets increasingly larger, Hong Kong jeweler Chow Tai Fook, one of the prominent and influential players in the market, is giving an artistic touch to its product designs, to attract younger consumers. 

Chow Tai Fook brought on board two popular South Korean stars, Lee Minho and G-Dragon, as part of its branding campaign, especially in jewel design segment. 

In 2014, it acquired Hearts on Fire, a US premium diamond brand, to enlarge its collections, such as premium diamond and bridal jewelry. 

"Influenced by the Western lifestyle, the millennial generation has been more and more fond of cultural aspects like memorable marriage proposals and dream weddings.  Diamonds fit in with this theme," said a spokesperson of Chow Tai Fook who sought anonymity. 

"An increasing number of young Chinese women choose diamond ornaments for everyday wear.  Last year, we launched some new jewelry collections.  They are not only fashionable but relatively lower priced and affordable for young consumers," he said. 

Agreed Neil Wang, president of market research agency Frost & Sullivan Greater China. " Consumers shopping for diamonds have evolved from rings to decorations.  These days, consumers tend to own multiple diamond ornaments.  Diamond purchases are likely to become more common." 

In his 25 years as a jewellery designer, Yoshinobu Kataoka’s ethereal creations have earned him widespread recognition in Japan.  But it wasn’t until he launched his own brand in 2011 that his designs caught the attention of a wider audience. 

Incredibly delicate and feminine, these nature-inspired jewels, handcrafted in Tokyo, have a fairytale quality that lends itself particularly well to engagement rings.  Breathtakingly pretty, many of them feature intricate milgrain detailing, which gives each ring an authentic handmade feel. 

It is this appreciation for the artisanal, for jewels that have been lovingly made by hand, that is at the heart of the Kataoka brand.  We talk to founder Yoshinobu to find out more. 

I started working with pearls after the birth of her son.  I think Pearl is close to pregnant women.  From a grain of sand in an oyster pearl grows - everything like a child ", - says the Danish jeweler Sofi Bille Brahe.  Her earrings simple clear lines and laconic ring Sophie Bille Brahe with pearls created jointly with the Japanese brand Sacai, sold at Dover Street Market.  Itself Sophie confidently blended in a galaxy of fashion jewelry designers working in a minimalist genre and skillful with the conservative pearl classic. 

On the natural instincts and Japanese Mizuki says Goltz, the founder of the brand Mizuki Jewelry.  The designer prefers all kinds of baroque pearls - asymmetrical shapes, grungy.  She likes how it complements the cool simplicity of modern jewelry.  For smooth classic pearls Mizuki looking for a special form, which allows him to "live on the body."  Her earrings Marquis in the form of a stroke two lines within which settled a large drop pearl, are all - from Mishel Obama to Hollywood starlets.  Designer insists on the "close relationship" with the carrier and decorations like when playing with a pearl body contours. 

Perfect metaphor sensuality of pearls - jewelry in Italian Lia Di Gregorio.  Leah found a new position for him hides a pearl inside the ring and a bracelet - and they are always in contact with the skin. 

Motor boat docks to the wooden bungalows on stilts in the lagoon island of Huahine near the small village of Fare.  Captain Smiley wants a good day for passengers and sails away.  We find ourselves on a small platform next to a small wooden house, covered with palm leaves and branches.  From bungalows, long arrows go to sea piers.  In fact it is not at all the piers and platforms, which are attached to special nets full of pearl oysters.  Here, on a small island lost in the Pacific Ocean, cultivated black pearls. 

"Lace - the finest imitation fantasy nature.  A pearl is always right ", - claimed the great Koko Shanel.  Earrings and ring with white freshwater pearls one can hardly surprise anyone.  Where unusually Japanese pink or golden Australian pearls.  But the rarest and unusual - black pearls from French Polynesia - French overseas territories in the South Pacific.  Pearl farms are located in three of the five archipelagos of the region: The Gambia and the Tuamotus and Society Islands, to which refers Huahine. 

On the pearl farm is constantly working only three people: Tiare consultant, jeweler Vaymiti captain Reimann.  Tiare leads us to a special booth to tell all about how there is a miracle of nature - the black pearl.  According to Polynesian legend, pearls gave people the god of fertility Oro, who occasionally came down to earth on a rainbow and once fell in love with the princess with magical island of Bora Bora.  To win the heart of beautiful, he presented her with an amazing gift - a black pearl, the iridescent colors of the rainbow. 

Where did this unusual color?  The fact that only in French Polynesia lives a unique species of pearl oyster - Pinctada-margaritifera.  This cranky clam not tolerates cold and die when the water temperature drops below 11 degrees Celsius.  In addition, the oyster is very demanding on the composition and purity of the water and the microclimate of the surrounding waters. 

Soap solution.  From time to time it is necessary to take the baby soap and adding warm water, whisking foam.  Then, using a soft cloth carefully handle every pearl of the foam.  After this procedure, pearls should be wiped with a soft cloth, periodically rinsing it in clean, warm water.  Dry it should be in a horizontal position, spread out on a soft cloth.  Since when dried in limbo string stretched. 

Professionals jewelry pearls are used for cleaning very weak solution of acetic or hydrochloric acid. 

To clean the pearls may be used toothpowder.  To do this, place the pearls in the composition and then soak them in a very weak solution of malic or hydrochloric acid.  Wipe pearls can not be in any case. 

Home cleaning pearls also permit the use of potato starch.  If you rub each pearl starch, it will be removed from the dirt and excess moisture. 

To return to a natural pearl luster use olive oil.  A small amount to be applied to a soft cloth and wipe each gem.  Jewelry also needs to clean after the procedure with a soft cloth. 

Pearls - a unique jewel, which is located in the shells of mollusks, and needs to know how to care for her and take care of.  And most importantly - how to clean the pearls will not harm him. 

Since a part of the Pearl, there is only 2% of water, when her lack of time, pearls lose their luster and can begin to flake.  Excess moisture also adversely affect the pearls - it becomes turbid and loses its natural shine. 

Pearls "afraid" 4 things:

A very bright light. 

The elevated temperature. 

High humidity. 

Dust. 

What should be the proper care for pearls in the home? 

Even ordinary house dust, which settles on the pearl and can leave micro-scratches on it, which will lead to loss of gloss.  Therefore, it is necessary to store it in a box, padded inside with something soft.  In addition, it is desirable to keep it separate from other jewelry. 

Do not wear pearls as soon as came out of the bathroom.  As already mentioned - high humidity bad for pearls.  Especially, do not wear it in rainy weather.  After addition of moisture, it is exposed and exposed pearls acid which corrodes over time nacreous pearl shell and loses luster and "melt". 

If planning a trip to tropical countries, it is not necessary to take the decoration of pearls along.  Under the influence of the bright sun and pearl fade and lose their luster.  Moreover, far from home, you will be difficult to properly clean the pearls and the decoration as a whole on their own. 

The fourth international event titled "Jewelry and Art", which organizes the Jewels of the World, held in Baku, in the prestigious Luxury Apartments Four Seasons Hotel. 

Built in the style of Bozar, the most luxurious hotel of Baku traditionally opened its doors to the creators of the world famous and exquisite jewelry and rare watch brands.  Such exclusive brands as De Laneau, D 'Joya, Greubel Forsey, Lydia Courteille Creations, Magnificent Hong Kong, Tenzo, Urwerk, Yvel presented to the Azerbaijani public their exclusive collections. 

This year, special attention was paid to the elegant combination and harmony between high-quality precious stones, a collection of "South Sea Pearl" and handmade clocks.  During the exhibition held seminars, during which it was possible to get acquainted with the unique process of creation of unique jewelry.  Each brand welcomed its guests in a specially decorated Suites, which, in turn, created an atmosphere unique. 

Art has always been an integral and important part of the concept Jewels of the World, which this year will also be happy to take the Paris gallery Stanislas Burg (Parisian Gallery Stanislas Bourgain), which together with the Fund YARAT introduced Suite Russe - astounding collection of modern art. 

Love for jewelry - one of the characteristic traits of women, in fact quite difficult to imagine a woman without all kinds of earrings, chains, bracelets or rings.  Fashion jewelry of various kinds, shapes and materials are mandatory and rather weighty part of the collection of accessories of every woman.  And in winter, when we wear clothes mostly dark tones, jewelry is given a special role in emphasis of the female image.  Let's take a look at fashion trends in the world of decoration for the season 2017.  What costume jewelry worth decorate your image?  Brooches If you think brooches accessories obsolete, something very wrong: any dress, jacket or sweater will become a completely different look if you combine them with a stylish brooch.  And today it is fashionable to decorate clothes by several brooches that can be performed in the same style or different in size, style, and design.  Do not limit your imagination: brooch - «must have» the female image.  Jewelry with pearls Well, if you have plenty of string pearl necklaces, rings, earrings or bracelet with pearls, pearl jewelry because of today - at the peak of popularity.  Pay attention to the Chanel collection in which the pearl beads adorn the graceful neck models or Gucci collection, which represent the luxury ring with pearls.  Matt radiance pearls give any woman's image of the perfect elegance and incredibly feminine. 

Designer Lyusi Mayerus Luxembourg demonstrated at the Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven (Netherlands) jewelry that she made from human teeth.  On it informs edition Professional Jeweller. 

The idea Human Ivory visited Majerus, when her wisdom teeth removed.  After she turned them into rings and earrings, some teeth diy donated teachers from the Design Academy in Eindhoven and familiar dentist. 

Majerus cleans, bleaches and polishes the material, giving it a resemblance to pearls. " In the process of cautious transformation of the human tooth unpleasant associations and disgust replaced the attraction and beauty," - explained on the project website. 

The designer offers to turn teeth into jewelry lost by age. " The older you become, the greater will be your personal collection of pearls of teeth" - she writes. 

In March it was reported that the Dutch designer Marlies Dekkers lingerie corsets released with eyes on the ground chest.  Unusual collection was dedicated to Scandinavian warrior Lagertha. 

Luxembourg jeweler Lyusi Mayerus joined the profession and the work of "Tooth Fairy"

Jewelry that the designer Lyusi Mayerus Luxembourg made jewelry of human teeth, made a splash at the Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven.  How to tell the designer itself, an unusual idea to do "tooth" occurred to her after doctors removed her wisdom teeth.  Designer made one for herself a ring and earrings.  Then a few teeth sacrificed her teachers from the Design Academy in Eindhoven and familiar dentist - so the idea of jewelry design Human Ivory. 

Majerus cleans, bleaches and polishes the material, giving it a resemblance to pearls, and calls himself a kind of "tooth fairy".  Designers are advised to turn teeth into jewelry lost by age. " The older you become, the greater will be your personal collection of pearls of teeth" - she explains.  Lucy offers to make of them earrings, rings, cufflinks, brooches, pins. " Give me your teeth dropped out - and you get a personal pearl jewelry" - a call Lyusi Mayerus posted on its website. 

Saturday, May 27, 2017

once again open its doors the legendary jeweler Festival "Symphony of Gems".  The first exhibition - fair "Symphony of Gems" took place exactly twenty-three years ago in May 1994, in the halls of the Moscow House of Artists on Kuznetsky Most.  Its main idea was to show not only the natural beauty of the stone but also to give the opportunity to demonstrate their masters' jewelry creations.  The exhibition's popularity has gained momentum, and the number of participants has increased from one hundred to three hundred.  It was getting close and the participants and visitors.  Later it has been conducted at the State Geological Museum Vernadsky on Moss.  For a long time, fairground event was the Moscow Art Lyceum at Krymsky Val.  Given the requirement of time, since the beginning of 2015 monthly exhibitions held in the new steel premium "Amber Plaza" business center at street Krasnoproletarskaya house 36 near the Novoslobodskaya metro stations and Dostoevsky.  Now it is not just an exhibition, it has become a significant event for all lovers of stone from geologists and gemologists to jewelers - painters, polishers and mineral collectors and lovers of jewelry and all those who are not indifferent to the infinite variety, beauty, and natural stone magic.  This kind of club where you can show off your work, exchange creative ideas.  And so far, the exhibition is very popular due to its originality and uniqueness.  And because every month come here masters from many parts of Russia.  Essentially, it is a museum: this number and variety of gems are not found in any jewelry stores or in the salons and galleries.  Here you can see and buy the crystals and samples of virtually all types of stones - semi-precious raw materials, and has polished precious, semi-precious and jewelry - precious stones.  It will be widely represented at the exhibition various types of artistic stone-cutting products, souvenirs, and handicrafts.  They will also be exhibited paleontological and petrified objects and remains of ancient organisms on earth. 

Brand, specializing in wedding fashion, actively producing collections for 2018: all must be prepared in advance so that future bride did advance orders and got sewed to an individual measures wedding dress in time.  Naeem Khan presented a collection of clearly written for a wide range of brides: there are feminine and hems in a renewed spirit of the new look, and toilets with lush lace, feathers and embroidery, and concise white dress, decorated only scatterings of pearls, and even overalls. 

For lovers of " roaring 20's" in there Naeem Khan dress-flapper: length , of course , as it should be at the wedding, on the floor, rather than just below the knee , but the rest - and a fringe of beads, and geometric embroidery in the spirit of Art- Deco, and feathers at the hem - the style observed. 

The main finding of the stylistic collection was cunningly devised strands of pearl beads, spanning the shoulders model several times and skew on the chest.  This method should take note not only the case of the wedding but also in general for special occasions and parties. 

Years go by, and the style of Audrey Hepburn and her heroines are still captivated by the girls - still would be black dresses and jewelry Tiffany & Co. go out of fashion.  How to be like Audrey and do not bump into cosplay and do not look old-fashioned?  We take into service a few universal lessons of style. 

All sexy dress with open neckline Audrey Hepburn favored sweaters and blouses under the throat.  Ideally - if with a cut-boat.  Please note: these outfits fit well on fragile young ladies with small breasts; girls with broad shoulders horizontal cuts are contraindicated - they are visually making a massive figure. 

Fashion bloggers are advised to wear a concise black dress with delicate ornaments or thread or two pearls and costume "Breakfast at Tiffany's" Edith Head - with a massive, dazzling shiny jewelry.  Just like in the iconic breakfast scene at the window of a jewelry store. 

IN GENEVA, THE DIAMOND WILL BE SOLD AT AUCTION, CALLED "LEGEND".  THE STONE IS ESTIMATED AT 18 MILLION EUROS. 

The largest heart-shaped diamond ever offered for auction will offer auction house Christie's on May 17 in Geneva.  According to experts, the stone can be sold for 18 million euros. 

This lot will be the "star" of the traditional trades of the famous auction house, dedicated to jewelry.  According to the publication Le Matin, diamond is an integral part of the cultured pearl necklaces and has a weight of 92 karats. 

White diamond without any impurities called "Legend".  Experts estimate its value at between $ 12 to 18 million euros.  At the auction will also feature jewelry from the collection of movie star Elizabeth Taylor. 

Instagram-gallery ornaments on canvases of all historical periods.  yet the author prefers to remain anonymous but is willing to talk to Instagram-correspondence about how the technology have brought to us the world of art and that we are no longer "see" the familiar vision of work many times.  Careful scrutinizing brooch led him to the study of the history of art - it was necessary to seek an explanation for the change of tastes and shapes. 

There is similar @charlottedicarcaci account - however, there are all the girls in bloom.  Among truly pink flash pearl earrings, high hair in ribbons and plump rosy-cheeked children. 

Account antique shop in Milan with the jewels of 18-20 centuries.  Luxury Australian opals in a frame with emeralds, corset brooch in the form of bows and flowers, Edwardian twisted parade earrings, carved coral, strict rings, and bracelets Art Deco platinum and white diamonds - in the compilation of the sense of taste to the brazen, and ornate jewelry. 

Instagram magazine devoted to jewelry.  Published twice a year since last year.  Valuable not only for its bizarre shooting jewelry, which tries to show the decoration something more artistic than they are (and it's funny).  There are a lot of invisible retro pictures (mostly Vogue archives), which, due to the universal inspiration in fashion not often published in books or albums.  Many are accompanied by short journalistic texts cultural orientation. 

In recent years, only talks about politics.  Moreover, the main newsmakers are not men and women.  First Ladies of America and France are competing for the attention of the fashionable audience, the British Prime Minister shocked the public choice once a daring pair of shoes, Vice President sets a new trend in Azerbaijan.  What Russians?  Women who decided to connect his life to politics, have to look good.  And fortunately, our government representatives to cope with this, if not perfectly, then a solid four-plus.  We offer you to evaluate their images and consider in detail the jewelry, which they supplement their conservative outfits. 

We decided to move away from the standard scheme and not to discuss outfits and jewelry that is chosen well-known Russian women politicians.  Some people prefer the expensive articles of gold and diamonds, others are something more simple.  But, as it seems, it's still not in the cost, and how each of the jewelry complements the image of its owner.  Striking blonde Tatiana Golikova bets on interesting necklaces and pendants, authoritative Valentina Matvienko does not recognize anything but heavy suites (her collection of diamonds and pearls are not discussed just lazy), and knowing the value of money Elvira Nabiullina does not change by the same clock (by the way not the most expensive) for many years. 

How to tell the organizers of the exhibition, Alexander Zakatnova been designing clothes, creating jewelry and accessories in the technique of tatting and Ankars, loves to embroider.  A few years ago, Alexander learned to draw ... beads. " Each new job - it's like magic.  The source of inspiration is everything: an amazing and beautiful nature, beautiful music, interesting films and, of course, the people, - says Alexander. -  I really love their job and genuinely happy to be able to create beauty, adding to your unique image detail, giving inspiration and admiring glances! " 

Pearl - one of the most popular precious stones.  It was as if lit from within, which could not but attract the connoisseurs of art since ancient times.  It is not surprising that by the early twentieth century when few people even heard about what a cultured pearl formed by a serious shortage of this beautiful stone.  Unlike other gems, pearls are not in the bowels of the earth, and in the shells of mollusks, where it occurs naturally in a few years.  Pearl led in popularity of some of these mollusks to almost complete extinction. 

The way out was found by the Japanese Kokichi Mikimoto, who was able to provide a method of pearl cultivation in artificial conditions.  In the wild pearl, formation occurs when the random grain of sand falls into a conch shell.  Incredibly sensitive mantle mollusk for its protection starts to produce a special substance - Pearl - which layer by layer covers grit.  That is how the stone is formed, which is so valued by humans for several years.  Mikimoto learned how to artificially create the conditions to re-create the process.  To create cultured pearls clam was placed in a natural environment and the mantle of the artificially placed a small ball of nacre.  In fact, to this artificially implanted ball rose a real jewel, leaving the same number of years that would be required to create a pearl in nature. 

Cultured pearls are to be distinguished from the artificial.  A method of creating cultured pearls almost no different from the natural, except for corn, from which it was grown.  When you create cultured pearl mussels are not used, the simulation is carried out exclusively by means of man-made technologies.  Cultured pearls can have a variety of shapes and colors, but even the best quality simulation can not fully replicate the texture and glow of pearls, created by the mollusk. 

As a rule, artificial pearls natural and easier it is perfectly smooth.  In addition, it does not have the elasticity inherent in pearls, created by mussels - if you throw it on a smooth surface, it will roll, while natural or cultured rebound from it.  Another important difference between cultured pearls - the absence of special inner glow, for which so prized natural pearls. 

Cultured pearls are usually different from the natural form only.  The fact that the shape of the pearl depends on the grain from which it grew.  The basis for cultured pearls are usually pearl bead is smooth, so cultured pearls, as a rule, have a more regular, rounded shape than the natural ones. 

The new project brings together all services, Mercury brands and services that can be offered to customers as part of the wedding organization: the creation of images and advice in the selection of wedding dresses, costumes and accessories, unique collection of wedding dresses, men's suits, jewelry and accessories that help in creating wish-lists and purchase gifts.  In addition, the couple always available possibility of holding weddings and related events in the "Barvikha Luxury Village». 

In the wedding space will be exclusively represented by the collection of Vera Wang Wedding Dress, Elie Saab, Oscar de la Renta and Zuhair Murad, as well as Carolina Herrera, Ines Di Santo, Monique Lhuillier, Marchesa, Inbal Dror and others. 

Also in the boutique will feature accessories Irish brand Philip Treacy and American Jennifer Behr, as well as exclusive - brand veils Homa. 

Jewelry direction includes the line of engagement and engagement rings brands such as Mercury, Chopard, Mikimoto, Garrard, Graff, Messika, Pasquale Bruni et al.  Soliters-rings represented with diamonds of different facets to 0.3 and above. 

Auction house Christie's auctioned the wristwatch that belonged to the former US first lady Zhaklin Kennedi.  The auction will be held in late June in Rockefeller Centre in New York.  This was reported in the press release that went to the editor "Lenta.ru" on Friday, May 12. 

Cartier watches are made of gold 750, in the crown encrusted with sapphire.  Kennedy presented the decoration of her brother in law - Prince Stanislaw Radziwill.  On the reverse side is engraved with the inscription «Stas to Jackie Feb. 23 63 2:05 am to 9:35 pm ».  According to experts, the estimated value of the lot varies from 60 to 120 thousand dollars. 

Cartier jewelry and watch house founded by Louis-Fransua Karte in 1847 in Paris.  It produces jewelry, including items of fine jewelry, watches, accessories and perfumes. 

Zhaklin Kennedi Onassis - US first lady from 1961 to 1963.  She became one of the most famous women of her time, a trendsetter and style icon. 

In 2010, the auction Pioneers of Popular Culture in London were sold to three decorations, once belonged to the wife of the 35th president.  Among them there were clips of faux pearls and diamonds and two necklaces made of artificial pearls.  One of them - necklace champagne color - Zhaklin Kennedi wore at the reception in honor of Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. 

Many holders of jewelry making the same mistakes in their selection.  For example, the same type of jewelry purchase.  Therefore, a change of sets does not affect the image of the owner and often remains unnoticed by others.  Director of network salons "Russian jewelery house" Nicholas Matsul talked about how to avoid common mistakes when choosing jewelry. 

There is a common mistake when choosing jewelry for work, especially in companies where there is a dress code.  Many ladies are quite monotonous gold earrings and necklaces with pendants inconspicuous.  Together with their suits of standard office colors it creates a feeling that all the beautiful ladies in the workplace become faceless labor personnel.  You can afford to throw a typical office style in the selection of jewelry.  Change subtle pebbles on the bright and deep colors semi-precious stone, pearl pearl shine or sparkle of diamonds.  Let your decorating reflect your character. 

Conventionally, decorations, which were presented at the Cannes Film Festival can be divided into four groups.  By the "heavyweights" are large earrings, necklaces and pendants.  But not only they were popular at Cannes beauties.  Lightweight design of pearls and trendy Kaffa also popular. 

Friday, May 26, 2017

Oopsies!  Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky revealed in a new interview that she dealt with a slight mishap on her wedding day—but it was for the best reason. 

The former reality star—who married Kevin Manno at the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, on March 3—opened up to Extra on Tuesday, March 14, about the highlights from her beachfront ceremony. “ I forgot to wear my veil!”  she recalled. “ Someone took it out of the garment bag… I never thought to go back and take the veil, I was obviously having too much fun.” 

One thing Fedotowsky will never forget from her wedding was the live music. “ We had this incredible band… They just blew us away!”  she said.  Fedotowsky previously told The Knot that she wanted her day to be eventful. “ I want to be able to let loose and completely enjoy myself at my wedding,” she said in an exclusive interview in 2016. “ I didn’t know how pregnancy would affect me so I didn’t want to risk feeling crappy on my wedding day.  It’s a good thing we didn’t get married then because I was so sick at the beginning of my pregnancy.  It would have been a rough night for me.” 

Hopper is inspired by nature, so much so, she's designed a jewelry line all built around it. 

"They're all just a little bit different, handmade and each of the gemstones and the aggregate slices and the druzy formations in the middle with the crystals.  They're all unique as well because they're straight from nature," she said. 

Hopper is the owner of Timber and Chain, a jewelry line sold on Etsy and at local markets.  She started the business just two years ago to complement her bridal line, All Things Tinsel, which was founded in 2009. 

They say diamonds are a girl's best friend, but that is probably as true for any other forms of jewellery.  Each and every girl or woman is beautiful in her own special way and jewellery can complement that beauty. 

Jewellery should be taken care of similar to how a girl would pamper herself.  And if a girl wants to indulge herself with jewellery that's in style, she deserves it.  After all, when jewellery is styled well, it can add oomph to any outfit and make a girl look radiant and full of confidence. 

CARE TIPS
Safely store your gold jewellery in a velvet box or in satin cloth.  Make sure to store pieces separately as this will prevent them from becoming tangled, scratched or damaged.  Avoid contact with anything that has chlorine as that can significantly damage your gold. 

Don't worry if your gold jewellery becomes darker or more copper in colour in certain areas.  This can happen from moisture.  Take it in for professional cleaning as it can be removed. 

Do not keep polki in velvet jeweller boxes if you want the shine to remain intact, instead, store it in-between sheets of butter paper inside a plastic airtight box.  This will keep your polki shining bright, and if your polki/kundan set looks worn out, take it in for professional cleaning. 

Take care of your single-piece diamond jewellery at home by washing them gently with a soft brush and toothpaste to remove makeup or dirt.  For all other diamond jewellery it is best to have them professionally cleaned once a year. 

Don't wear jewellery while working.  Protect it from contact with tough surfaces to prevent physical damage.  Harsh temperatures, perfumes, cosmetics and household chemicals are harmful for your jewellery and contact with these substances should be avoided.  Ensure your jewellery is the last thing you put on before stepping out of the house. 

If any stones or parts of your jewellery have come loose or become damaged, you can get it replaced or repaired professionally. 

COLOUR AND STYLE
Emeralds are very much in vogue right now.  They complement warm tones, including yellow, oranges and reds.  Alternatively, channel your inner peacock; pair your emeralds with sapphire because blue and green make a fabulous combination. 

Gold is timeless, and will always add a touch of pizzazz to your outfit.  By mixing rose, yellow or white gold, you can revamp classic gold jewellery and give it a modern twist.  These metals work very well together, and wearing two toned jewellery is a big trend right now. 

From the bachelorette to the bridal shower, your maids have been right by your side every step of the way.  And with your big day approaching, you want to do something special to show them how much they mean to you.  Personalized bridesmaid gifts always feel a little extra special.  And while — for many — monograms and initials may change, birthstones are forever. 
Just in case you need a quick refresher, think of this as crash course in birthstones 101.  For January birthdays, gift garnet.  Amethyst is a favorite among those born in February.  Aquamarine is beloved by March babies.  Diamonds really are an April girl's best friend.  May favors gorgeous, green emeralds.  Pearls are particularly precious to those born in June.  Royal rubies represent July.  Peridot is perfect for those with August birthdays.  Sapphires are symbolic of September.  October is all about opal.  November birthdays celebrate with citrine.  And last but certainly not least, December's stone is turquoise. 
Read on for the gift-worthy birthstone gems that will have your bridesmaids beaming. 

Middleton, 33, and Matthews, 41, will make their union official on Saturday, May 20, at St Mark’s in Berkshire.  The scenic 12th century church, which conveniently rests on a private estate, is located less than 50 miles from Westminster Abbey, where the bride’s sister, Kate Middleton, married Prince William in 2011. 

The church’s Reverend Nick Wynee-Jones will serve as the officiant.  According to reports, about 150 guests are expected to attend the ceremony itself.  St Mark’s holds a rather special place in the Middleton family’s heart: The bride and the Duchess of Cambridge attended the church from a young age after growing up in nearby Bucklebury. 

In 2011, Jason Payne and Lindsay Reinsmith went shopping for an engagement ring, but ran into what some might call a First World problem. 

Given the problem of conflict diamonds — also known as blood diamonds, jewels mined from war zones or brutal insurgencies that ultimately fund those conflicts — "we were not comfortable using mined diamonds.  We wanted something that was sustainable, ethical, vegan," Reinsmith told CNBC in a recent interview. 

Then, a burst of inspiration hit the couple: Why not grow a stone in a laboratory, free from bloody wars and ethical conflicts that taint the $79 billion diamond industry? 

From those early questions, Ada Diamonds — a start-up that provides lab-grown diamonds made through a special process using high pressure and temperature to make stones identical to those extracted from nature — was born.  The husband and wife team raised a seed round from 8VC as well as Winklevoss Capital and Autonomous. 

Ada Diamonds is part of a growing trend of diamond producers using environmentally sustainable, and ethical, means to produce jewels that don't have ties to insurgencies or politically unstable countries.  Using a proprietary process, the company makes bespoke fine jewelry, with a focus on high fashion and bridal jewelry.  Customers can custom order diamonds that contain mementos or mark special occasions, yet the entire process is ethically sourced. 

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Grays and silvers combined with neutral colors are predicted to be this year's popular wedding colors, according to Shae Sandritter, manager/designer at Touch of Love Florist. 

Sandritter was one of the several vendors in attendance of the fourth annual Royal Gorge Region Bridal Expo on Sunday at the Abbey Events Center.  The event was co-hosted by the Abbey and Sweet Cheeks Cakery. 

Touch of Love offers an unlimited variety of flowers to complement any couple's traditional or unique wedding. 

"We have such a wide selection of flowers to work with," Sandritter said. " Right now, a lot of people are liking orchids — calla lilies, lilies, stargazing lilies — depending on the bride, some people really like carnations." 

Decorated arches, store decor, vases and other items also may be rented from Touch of Love, Sandritter said. 

No jewelry request is too big, too small, or too outrageous for these visionary designers and retailers. 
A pair of jasper cufflinks carved and painted to resemble a client’s pet dogs; a wide platinum band dotted with inherited diamonds; a gold egg that opens to reveal an engraved family tree.  All were produced by jewelers in response to a request—some might call it a challenge—from customers eager to take home a one-of-a-kind treasure. 

Twenty years ago, custom jewelry design referred to little more than mixing and matching stones in premade settings. “ When my dad and my grandfather custom-made jewelry, they would open a casting catalog, show the client a picture, order it, and do a few adaptations,” says Lee Krombholz, third-generation owner of Krombholz Jewelers in Cincinnati. “ Very few jewelers at that time would carve waxes and design a fully custom piece because it was a ­fairly expensive process.”  Today, Krombholz chairs the ­newly formed Council of Custom Jewelers of Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America (MJSA) and considers custom work an integral part of his 76-year-old retail business, with commissions such as that golden family-tree egg. 

Because every Monday, no matter how sunny, can always take some good news, I cheered out loud when I saw these pretty things pop into my inbox.  The brand new: Dannijo's just-launched bridal collection, with pieces for the lady in white and her attendants.  All that sparkly goodness is followed up by the latest chic wedding collection from Reformation, just in time for fall weddings. 

The Dannijo offerings include bold statement necklaces, earrings, and bracelets in the shapes we expect from the designing sisters, but toned down a touch for the aisle in clear Swarovski crystals and pearls.  There's blue too, including that beyond-amazing pair of earrings that I might want for my own big day in October.  If you're likewise in love, good news: There are discounts offered for purchasing more than six pieces and a certain percent off if you snap up something that designer Jodie Snyder Morel wore for her own recent wedding. 

Statement jewelry has been steadily on the rise, but here’s the thing about making a statement: When the 12th person on your Instagram feed makes the same one, the shine wears off.  Naturally, the hunt for untapped, under-the-radar brands follows, and there is arguably no better place to find them than on Etsy. 

To date, the online marketplace has 1.7 million active shops (!!)  and more than 40 million items for sale; inside those numbers, jewelry claims a pretty big space.  You’ll find shops — old and new — offering everything from newly hand-crafted and vintage to custom and made-to-order pieces from all over the world. 

While so many options means a greater chance of finding something you like, the thought of sifting through endless pages of items can (and will) feel overwhelming. 

So in an effort to make things easier, we’ve sorted through the masses to bring you a list of our favorite Etsy shops for jewelry right now, all guaranteed to have people asking where you got your new earrings, bracelet, or necklace. 

In many ways, the move made official the transformation we’d all seen this past decade and a half or so as Ivanka played the mid-aughts Manhattan socialite game, notching fashion and jewelry lines and reality TV appearances and motivational book deals along the way.  Now that her father is the officially avowed leader of the free world, and her husband his most trusted adviser, it was time to say goodbye to all that—and to document the saying of goodbye, as any self-respecting millennial leaving New York knows.  Instead of a tortured Medium essay, we got Trump’s Instagram in the days leading up to the move: There was her daughter, posing in pajamas in their box-jammed apartment.  There was Ivanka herself, saying goodbye to her co-workers at Trump Tower with a cake on which a terrifyingly-not-to-scale figurine of her father was perched in front of the Capitol (in the background lurk books on American photography and Venetian villas—White House redecoration #inspo?).  And there she was on #datenight at Midtown’s Armani Ristorante, a luxury restaurant emblematic of a recently bygone New York, where serving $38 pasta in a hall of glass wasn’t kindling for populist outrage. 

What Ivanka is doing once she arrives in Washington remains tantalizingly vague.  Like her husband, Jared Kushner, she has resigned from her roles at both Trump Tower and the brand that carries her name.  But whereas Kushner has a formalized role as senior adviser to his father-in-law, Ivanka’s agenda, responsibilities, and goals remain ambiguous.  All we know is that New York City is home to Ivanka no more, and vestiges of former incarnations of the Ivanka Trump brand are scattered all over the town, in spaces long forgotten.  And as she leaves behind her eponymous brand’s team, her Upper East Side apartment, and her role at Trump Tower, one chapter of her life has remained curiously unexamined these past few months. 

Mills Menser grew up in the diamond business.  His father, Michael Menser, purchased Buchroeders Jewelers from the Buchroeder family in 1971.  Mills purchased the company in 2007. 

One hundred and twenty years after its creation in 1896, almost everything about Buchroeders has evolved, a trend Mills plans to continue. 

“Average is a failing formula now,” Menser says. “ You used to be average and keep your doors open and carve a living out of it for yourself.  Today, if you’re average, and you’re a small business, you close.  There are too many efficient businesses that will work harder than you.” 

Diversifying diamonds

Like many industries, the internet has impacted how the jewelry industry works. 

“It has flattened the profit margins in the jewelry industry, which is fine — it’s done that to every other industry, and those have all survived and thrived,” Menser says. 

While the brick-and-mortar Buchroeders sells 600 engagement rings a year, online sales have grown because Menser has embraced the technology.  The margins are thinner, he says, but their reach is much wider.  Operating online, Buchroeders recently sold a canary diamond to someone in Australia and a Rolex to someone in Hong Kong.  By 2020, their goal is for 25 percent of revenue to come from online sales. 

In case you missed it, Gali Janardhan Reddy’s daughter’s wedding has been in the news for some time now.  Gali Janardhan Reddy is a former politician and a Karnataka-based mining baron who hosted what is, arguably, the biggest, fattest, grandest and the most expensive wedding of 2016.  The bride was his only daughter Brahmani, who tied the knot with Rajiv Reddy, son of the Hyderabad-based businessman, Vikram Deva Reddy.  The wedding took place in the Bengaluru Palace Grounds on 16th November and the entire venue was made to resemble the ruins of Hampi, the great capital of the Vijaynagar Empire.  So you had sections of the ground that had replicas of King Krishnadevaraya’s palace, Lotus Mahal, Mahanavami Dibba and the Vijaya Vittala Temple among other buildings. 
Gali Janardhan Reddy’s daughter’s wedding had been making the news long before it actually took place.  The invite, which went out months before the wedding, reportedly cost Rs 5 crore.  It had an LCD screen which played a choreographed song starring the family.  It also included a silver Ganesha idol.  The wedding itself was touted to be a whopping Rs 500-crore affair with 50,000 guests that included politicians, celebrities and movie stars.  A blatant display of grandeur, each element of this wedding garnered crazy attention.  The bride, 21-year-old Brahmani, donned exclusive bridal fineries that comprised designer sarees, lehenga and, of course, diamond jewelry. 

Mila Kunis kept things pretty low-key on her wedding day.  Her bridal philosophy?  Be practical AF.  And it paid off—she and husband Ashton Kutcher only spent a combined $190 on their wedding bands on Etsy, with her ring costing just $90.  Now that's how you do a wedding. 
"So, my husband and I got married a little while ago," Kunis told late night host Conan O'Brien on his show on Wednesday. " He got me a beautiful engagement ring.  Like, stunning, stunning, stunning!  But for our wedding bands—for when we got married—I decided to just get them off of Etsy."  Kunis explained that she didn't need anything showy or expensive—in fact, she was "appalled" by how pricey some of the more conventional bridal jewelry shops were.  So, bargain hunting she went. " I wanted the thinnest possible platinum band," the actress said. " So, I went on Etsy and I was like, '$90?'  I was like, 'Buy now!'"  Kunis revealed that Kutcher's band cost $100, so it cost a little more than hers.  But seriously, $190 for two wedding rings?  Sign us up. 

When it was time for Diane-Sophie Lanselle to receive her engagement ring for her upcoming marriage, she wasn’t about to leave the details to her future husband. 

The director of communications for the 403-year-old family owned Parisian jeweler, Mellerio dits Meller, knew what she wanted and it wasn’t a typical diamond ring.  Instead, she went for color choosing a ring with a pink sapphire center stone mounted on 18k white gold enhanced with diamonds. 

“It was my idea and I absolutely wanted a pink sapphire because I love the color and it was more original,” she said during my recent visit to the venerable high jeweler on Rue de la Paix. 

Of course, she purchased the ring from her employer saying there’s “no other place for personalized engagement rings.” 

Every fashion forward girl wants their jewelry to say something.  Literally.  One of the hottest trends this year is personalized jewelry.  Women are showing love for their partner, children, or even their pets, by letting their jewelry speak before they do.  Before you shop for jewelry online, there are a few things you should know. 

Most of you have probably heard of the 4Cs.  The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) created the now world-famous 4Cs of diamonds: Color, Cut, Clarity, and Carat Weight.  Before you purchase any diamonds you should determine which of the 4Cs is most important to you and inquire about the integrity of each characteristic.  If you’re purchasing diamonds online it’s important that there is some kind of money back guarantee so you can return the piece of jewelry if you’re not happy with the quality. 

If gold is what you’re into you’ll want to look at the karat (two kinds of carats/karats, I know it’s confusing but stick with me).  The World Gold Council guidelines say that pure gold is 24-karat (k), which is generally too soft for use in jewelry so it is alloyed with other metals to increase the strength.  For example, 18-karat gold is three-quarters pure gold.  14-karat gold is most commonly used in gold jewelry sold in the United States.  After identifying the karat you’ll want to look at the color – most common are yellow, white, and rose gold. 

When shopping for silver you want to look for “925 sterling silver”.  This is the best quality silver used for jewelry and simply means 92.5% pure silver alloyed usually with copper to make the metal harder. 

"With engagement ring spend on the rise, we're seeing men put more thought, time and energy into buying the perfect ring and creating a more memorable proposal," said Kellie Gould, Editor in Chief of The Knot. " Believe it or not, brides are taking an active role in their engagement, too.  In fact, more brides than ever are researching what they want in a ring and dropping hints to their husband-to-be.  Our study even reveals that a majority of brides know the cost of their engagement ring." 

As a leader in proposal planning, The Knot is the go-to source for soon-to-be engaged couples and acknowledges "Proposal Season," (November through February), when 38% of couples get engaged.  The Knot has launched The Ultimate Guide to Getting Engaged at TheKnot.com/proposal featuring expert-driven advice, content and inspirational imagery for everything one needs to know about getting engaged, from a ring buying guide to proposal etiquette and much more.  Additionally, The Knot is celebrating Proposal Season with a sweepstakes in which recently engaged couples can share their proposal story and be entered for a chance to win a grand prize including NFL Super Bowl or Pro Bowl tickets, a wedding gown from Allure Bridals, a three-day and two-night weddingmoon "test-drive" at a Sandals or Beaches Resort, $5,000 toward custom wedding bands from Simon G. Jewelry, and a $1,000 American Express gift card from Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company.  There will be five runner-up prize packages awarded. 

Though delicate jewels are gaining traction, there will always be a place in our wardrobes for statement pieces.  Impossible to ignore, these beauties say "I'm an interesting person" rather than simply "I wear interesting things."  And, especially when the occasion is as special as, say, your wedding, you definitely don't want to look like you're accidentally overcompensating for something. 
Dannijo has been our go-to brand for statement jewels; its larger-than-life rhinestones and metalwork always fit in with special occasions.  Now (today, actually) the brand is launching a section of its site that's dedicated to serving all your bridal-occasion needs.  Whether you're a bride looking to outfit your entire wedding party (including that elusive "something blue") or a proud mama who's much too "with it" to wear jeweled Crokies and brown-drop chandeliers, this line is for you. 

Even if you've never been a bride before, when it comes to weddings there's typically one major fashion focus of the day: the dress.  But, really we've never thought of ourselves as "typical."  And, that dress?  Well, that's just part of what makes our idea of the perfect wedding look.  It's all about the details, and one our favorite go-tos for pretty (and pretty-darn affordable) accessories gets that, too. 
Launched today, BaubleBar has kicked off its first venture into the wedding biz with BaubleBar Weddings.  And, whether you are the bride, the maid of honor, or just there to sip on bubbly, the site is offering us a bevy of bling to fit practically anyone's approach to wedding-day style. 
In honor of the kickoff, BaubleBar has also teamed with Style Me Pretty's Abby Larson (a.k.a.  the source of Pinterest wedding-board inspiration) to curate four unique collections that help you personalize your look for the big day, be it yours or someone else's.  Jump ahead for a first look at tons of the sparkling, showstopping pieces available now from $30 to $150.  And, don't feel limited to wearing them for black-tie only affairs.  Everyday ice is highly encouraged if you ask us. 

Talk about a Pitch Perfect wedding!  Stars of the musical-comedy hit Pitch Perfect, Anna Camp and Skylar Astin, are officially married after tying the knot in an über-romantic outdoor wedding.  And with another one of their co-stars serving as bridesmaid, there's no denying that this wedding was aca-awesome! ( Sorry, we had to...)
After meeting on the set of the 2013 film, the couple began an off-set romance, making fans sing over the too-cute match-up.  Then, while the couple was ringing in the New Year on vacation this year, Astin popped the question with a champagne-hued cushion-cut diamond (please excuse us while we swoon...). " He asked.  I said YES!!!!"  Camp captioned her engagement ring selfie, revealing her lovely new sparkler.  And just like with that bridal bling, these two hit all the right notes with their recent California nupitals.  Don't believe us?  Checkout the below photos for proof! 
Camp and Astin wed on the central California coast on Saturday, September 10, according to People. " It's the day of the show, y'all," Camp posted to Instagram before slipping into her Reem Acra wedding dress for her walk down the alfresco aisle.  Her gown featured a sweetheart neckline and a ball gown style tulle skirt, accented with lace appliqué.  She accessorized the wedding-worthy look with Imagine Vince Camuto heels, Neil Lane bridal jewelry, and — once she and her sweetheart said their vows — a Lorraine Schwartz wedding band.  Jealous of her bridal style?  You can totally snag Camp's haute heels for your very own wedding day ensemble.  Her Imagine Vince Camuto wedge sandals are available for only $150. ( Yes, really!) 

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Super Bowl winner Golden Tate says marrying Elise Pollard was the ultimate touchdown.  After a 15-month engagement, the couple finally exchanged vows before 250 guests in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on March 11. 

“I love the passion Elise brings,” the Detroit Lions player, 28, tells The Knot in an exclusive interview. “ People can feel her energy a mile away and it makes those who are shy more comfortable immediately.  She’s smart, beautiful, kind, and she makes me a better person.  The smartest thing I ever did was marry this amazing woman.” 

At first, it was tricky locking down a prime wedding date and location. “ With Golden in the NFL, we literally had to plan our wedding date around the season,” Pollard recalls. “ That lead us to the February and March time frame.  We couldn’t risk planning anything during playoffs or up until the Super Bowl, because we didn’t know how it could affect our guests, groomsmen, and of course, the groom.” 

The nascent field of AR portends a future in which consumers can try on their jewels virtually
One of the biggest hurdles in selling jewelry and watches online is the intangibility of e-commerce.  Shoppers can’t touch and try on items, so they’re forced to rely on their imaginations. 

But augmented reality (AR)—­technology that superimposes graphics and other digitally created content on real-world imagery through a screen (camera, tablet, laptop)—has become a popular way for brands to put the “try-on factor” back into the selling equation online. 

Retailers are also using AR to add excitement and expediency to the in-store shopping experience—by experimenting with mirrors, screens, and dressing rooms that create ways for shoppers to play with product. 

To debut its newest assortment of Bridal and Fine jewelry, Forevermark Diamonds hosted a luxurious "Bridal Academy" event recently at the Academy Mansion in Manhattan. 
Attendees were free to view some of Forevermark's latest sparklers from leading jewelry designers like Jade Trau and Maria Canale.  The event, an interactive preview set up as a beautiful English Tea, allowed guests to walk the Mansion's palatial space while indulging in treats and tea-infused beverages. 
In addition, a specialty, loose-leaf tea "Mixology" bar was set up where all were free to fill jars full of traditional and exotic teas varieties.  Diamond specialists were also on-hand to take guests through some of the new bridal pieces -- a dazzling selection of jewels to take any bride-to-be from an engagement event to the wedding day. 

Who: Powell is an artist at heart, drawing and painting since she was a child. “ I started experimenting with jewelry along with learning more about stones and crystals after feeling consistently unfulfilled in my job position at the time.”  Inspired by what she was learning, she began experimenting with jewelry and her designs evolved. 

What sets this apart: “Anyone who attends one of my events or opens a package from me can feel it: pure positive energy and love,” says Powell.  Powell says she donates a portion of the proceeds from some of her products and events to nonprofit organizations. 

Why it works: “Each part of my process is important to me, each customer means a lot to me.  I try not to take any of it for granted and continue to be blown away and grateful as the business grows and I make new connections.” 

Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but every girl still needs to pick the stone for her engagement ring wisely.  Today we're diving into behind-the-scenes details you didn't know about diamonds and the stores in which they're sold.  For example, are those Four C's really that important?  How much of a retail markup are we talking about here?  And what kinds of sales tactics should buyers be aware of?  With help from pros who work in the business, we're laying it all out there for you. 
There Isn't a "Diamond Season"
Lawn mowers go on sale in the fall, Christmas trees hit rock bottom prices in early January.  But diamonds?  They're purchased year 'round, and therefore don't experience much of a price fluctuation. 
"Diamonds are commodities, and prices are based on fair market value.  This means that there isn't necessarily an optimum time of year to make a purchase," says Tirath Kamdar, a 10-year jewelry business veteran and the CEO of TrueFacet, on online marketplace for pre-owned jewelry. " Savvy consumers can follow the market through Rapaport, but prices don't rise and fall all that drastically.  Make the purchase when you're ready and buy what you love." 
If you're all about snagging a good deal, consider shopping for vintage and antique rings.  Kamdar says these are typically priced lower than buying new, and are beautiful and unique. 
The Markup Ranges from 20% to 250%
We'll preface this by saying that every operation has different markup strategies.  Still, every store must markup the price, otherwise no profit will be made.  We asked a handful of diamond retailers about markup percentages, and their answers varied from as little as 20% (especially for online retailers), to as much as 250%.  Most fall somewhere in between a wholesale markup of 100% to 200%, though.http://www.brides.com/story/everything-to-know-engagement-ring-shopping-diamonds

With the complexity of issues in the jewelry industry—such as the changing retail environment, consumer spending habits, and fickle and fragile economic recovery—it is no wonder the “Luxury” jewelry trade show in Las Vegas elicited responses from exhibitors ranging from wildly ecstatic to deeply disappointed. 

As is typical with these kinds of reports those doing well were happy to speak on the record while those who struggled spoke on the condition of anonymity. 

Luxury, held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center May 31 –June 2, is billed as a preview to “JCK Las Vegas,” the largest jewelry trade show in North America that showcases the breadth of the jewelry industry.  Approximately 250 jewelry manufacturers and designers who create high-end jewels and watches exhibit to an invitation-only group of luxury retailers.  After the three-day period, Luxury is open to all attendees of JCK Las Vegas, which also is held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. 

When Lanie List wanted to grow her bridal dress shop business, she turned to an unusual route: franchising.  The seven-year-old business that first started with one shop in New York City’s West Village, now proudly numbers 12 stores across the country.  Three of those stores are owned by List herself, the others by her franchisees whom she has carefully vetted.  Lovely Bride isn’t just an ordinary bridal store.  The atmosphere is one of beauty and cozy charm from the moment you walk in the door.  I personally experienced the effect as a bridesmaid while I dutifully helped a friend try on dresses at the New York City location (now in TriBeCa) in 2015.  The aesthetics from store design to dress design cater to millennial brides who are attracted to independent designers.  Dress prices average $2,000-$3,000 each and last fall List introduced the first collection designed exclusively for Lovely shops called Louvienne, followed by two other exclusive collections since then. 

List says that every store is averaging 20-40 percent growth year-over-year.  She self-funded the business and currently has no debt, which she credits to the franchise model.  List counts approximately 24 employees; four corporate, and around 20 in her fully-owned shops.  List and I met for coffee one morning outside Laughing Man, right next to the Lovely NYC location, and then we popped inside the shop to take a couple of fun photos.  Read on to learn how List got started, her thoughts on which businesses make the best franchises, and what to look for in a franchisee. 

Meet Instagram’s new power sellers, style influencers who are changing the face of modern marketing
A recent Instagram post from jewelry retailer Bernie Robbins Jewelers showed a young blond woman standing in front of the colorful, whipped meringue–shape domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow’s Red Square.  The woman’s eyes were closed peacefully to the setting sun, her left arm flung over a shoulder.  Gleaming on her wrist was a chunky steel watch.  Jewelry brand Gabriel & Co.’s Instagram account (@gabrielandco) was tagged, and the hashtags included #BernieRobbinsJewelers and #BernieRobbins. 

The woman was Kristina Smolyar, a social media ­influencer with 14,000-plus followers, who’s based in Philadelphia—near two of the Somers Point, N.J., retailer’s four locations. 

The Instagram post—along with several others on both Smolyar’s and Robbins’ feeds—was the product of a partnership between the retailer and the up-and-coming style influencer.  Before teaming up with Smolyar, the store collaborated with Philadelphia style-guy-about-town Ian Michael Crumm, who has more than 300,000 Instagram followers, on posts and even an in-store appearance flagging Crumm’s favorite pieces.  Crumm was also the store’s face for the Swiss watch brand Tudor in late 2016, when he posted a series of artsy photos of his wrists strapped with Tudor timepieces. 

Harvey Rovinsky, owner of Bernie Robbins, says the campaigns with the young fashionistas have “dramatically increased the reach of what we do.  We all know that any kind of an editorial mention is more effective than advertising—and that’s what this comes down to.  These are people who are using their network to increase our reach.” 

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The ideal pearl is round and smooth, that what appreciated by pearl jewelry buyers, it looks the best in pearl necklace and pearl bracelets, although it may have other shapes as well, that looks more natural or wild pearl like baroque pearls.  The best quality natural pearls that collected from the wild have considerable value and are considered gems and treasurable objects for centuries in all cultures and traditions of all nations.  Pearl jewelry is a gift jewelry for bridal a wedding ceremony for brides and bridesmaids as well as for other important occasions in life of a woman.  Pearl necklace is the most common item in pearl jewelry along with other pearls jewelry like pearl bracelets, pearl rings and pearl earrings.  The most valuable pearls are formed spontaneously in nature, but it is very rare.  Wild pearls are referred to as natural pearls and are most expensive pearl jewelry items.  Cultured pearls come from pearl shells, such as oysters and mussels.