Another site besides Van Cleef & Arpels that has the ability to transport you into jewelry heaven, giving you an unreal experience, is Dior's Fine Jewelry website. It is the combination of the graphics and melodic music that will have you enthralled. Not only is Dior's collections all beautiful in their own way, but the designs are on the cutting edge of what is new and up-and-coming. So check out the site, you won't be disappointed! Read More
Losing the diamond in your engagement ring is the last thing any woman would want to happen. In fact, it is probably some's worst nightmare. That is exactly what happened to Catherine Hart on her trip to a sleepover at the American Museum of Natural History. Her fun-filled outing came to a halt when she noticed the diamond missing from her ring. After searching with no luck, the staff of the museum took action by sifting through vacuum bags, taking notice to "anything that sparkled." With seven bags to check, the staff stumbled upon some luck when the fourth bag brought the small 1 carat diamond back to its owner. The diamond is very special, since it is one of 2000 in De Beers' limited edition Millenium collection. De Beers Millennium Diamonds are unique limited edition of diamonds cut and polished by some of the world’s finest craftsmen. Selected for their exceptional fire and brilliance, each diamond has been inscribed, with a number up to 2000 and the name of one of the sky’s most beautiful stars. I am glad her diamond was found and I know Catherine Hart is incredibly happy. It is important to take your engagement ring to a jeweler every 6 months for an inspection, to check up on things like prong wear and tear, and to see how your diamonds are holding up in their settings. Diamonds can come loose at any given moment, no matter how good you think you take care of your ring. Courtesy of NY Daily News Read More
Well the auction hammers have been heard, and the estate jewelry auction has come to a close yesterday. Looks like the economy has affected this jewelry auction as well, since many lots sold for half of its expected price. The lots that I featured on my blog, however, went for more than expected. Whoever was the highest bidder for any of the auction lots is lucky to get such high quality estate jewelry. Did any of my readers bid? Win?? This edwardian ribbon necklace, featuring diamonds, jade and pearls, auctioned off for $3500 yesterday. That was $1000 less than expected end price. Read More
Chains aren't just for your neck...your fingers can now rock the chained look thanks to this great trend! This type of ring is able to be layered with other rings or worn alone for a delicate feel. I've found some great examples and they are featured below! Designer Dana David works her magic with this ball-chain ring. Done is 18k white gold with diamonds, here you have the graffiti star and it also comes in the graffiti heart design. Check them out at Dana David's website, where you can browse more of her work. These rings are both designed by Moritz Glik and can be found at auto. Here, Glik creates the illusion of the stones floating--beautiful green and blue stones! The white gold ring is done in 18k with an emerald in the center and two diamonds on each side--price is $1580. This yellow gold ring is done in 18k and features blue/green diamonds. The price is $1340. If you are looking for a chain ring without any stones, this one's for you. Just a plain, 14k gold ball link chain, slightly faceted to give you that extra sparkle. Each costs $64 and can be purchased at CatBird. Read More
The treasure hunting in the Nashville area is unreal! There are so many great antique shops and flea markets. The Tennessee State Fairgrounds has flea market event dates set for five times a year. Here are the dates: November 21-22-23 Holiday Preview December 19-20-21 Last Chance January 23-24-25 Winterfest Feb 27-28-1 Spring is the Air March 27-28-29 Spring Fling I have to admit, I've never been into a pawn shop before. However, after stubbling upon one which had a large sign that said "Estate Jewelry" I was intrigued and decided to have a look. The musty, old shop had two long cases filled with some amazing vintage finds! I had fun looking through, and trying some pieces on. After admiring/wishing/wanting, I decided to purchase! Check out the two rings I picked in the photo. The Victorian, filigree ring on the left is set in 14k gold, with sapphires and diamonds. This is a bold ring, and definitely makes a statement. I like how it elongates any finger it is on, and feels delicate as well. The other ring I purchased is a trendy panther ring said to have come from an estate in Louisiana. The panther's eyes are two tiny diamonds and its spots are black enameled. I was able to talk down the prices, and get a great deal since I bought two items. Treasure hunting is definitely fun and you never know what you will find! I will have to put my adventures on hold though, since I am all out of money! Read More
The Rago Arts auction house has another Estate Jewelry auction scheduled for December 7th. The company has many years of experience dealing with antiques, decorative arts and furnishings. Something fun and exciting to do is browse the archives. They have a complete catalogue of past auctions, including what the predicted estimate was for each item, and what the final bid price ended up as. These results give you a good generalization of how to price estate jewelry, and are great "study guides" if you are interested in bidding in the future. The next estate jewelry auction at Rago is set for December 7, 2008. The items are currently up to browse...and there are some amazing estate pieces! Below are a few lots of auction items that are my favorites! These are sure to get high bids. Read More
