Endless talk of all things sparkly.

Obsessions

Diamond found in Africa may be one of the World’s Largest!

Well I have two interesting stories today--one about a diamond that has recently been discovered in Africa and another about how you can possibly find a diamond hidden in your Secret deodorant! So recently, September 8th actually, the mining company called Gem Diamonds based in London, made a discovery of a 478 carat rough diamond!  That may be one of the top 20 largest diamonds ever discovered.  Since the gem has not been cut and polished yet, they are still unsure of what they could potentially have.  A spokesman has said that it could possibly be at least 150 carats when all is said and done.  To compare that to other famous diamonds, I've added these pictures.  The diamond remains unnamed.  I'm excited to hear what happens with that.  You can read more about famous diamonds at this interesting website devoted to world-famous diamonds: https://famousdiamonds.tripod.com/famousdiamonds.html Koh-i-Noor diamond, 105 carats   76 carats, found in the same mineMy other story is pretty exciting...how would you like it if you were getting ready early in the morning, and while you put on your deodorant, you felt something funny?  Only to discover it was a diamond gamepiece, which means you are the winner of a 1 carat diamond from Secret's Diamond Giveaway Sweepstakes!  That could be the case...from now until June of next year, Secret is promoting their new deodorant called flawless by giving away a flawless diamond worth $15,000!  To be eligible, just buy the deodorant that has the special label featuring the prize giveaway and see if yours has a diamond gamepiece hidden inside.  You can also enter your email address by following this link, and receive a game code in your email.  Other prizes will be given away, like Visa gift cards, movie tickets, and restaurant gift cards.  You can check back to the site to see who wins! Read More

Obsessions

Trend: Stackable Stack Rings

What type of ring are people craving for this season? It has to be none other than the Stackable Rings that have been ever so popular these days. Designers have embraced this trend and have been creating the most delicate and elegant pieces ever. A great aspect about these rings is that you can stack a bunch together or just wear one. Another perk is that they are more affordable than large, ornate cocktail rings. I like win-win situations! Check out my favorites below! This ring can be ordered in your choice of the teal tourmaline or green tourmaline. The ring is done in 14k yellow gold that was carved to look like tree bark! They have such an earthy feel, for a price of $345. They are featured on Lunessa, a site featuring a wide variety of designer jewelry. Designer Jennifer Meyer created these tiny little gems. You can have it your way when it comes to these--you choose the gold color (white or yellow) and which gem you want (diamond, turquoise, emerald, ruby or sapphire). Mix them up or match them up, whichever you prefer! They are only $125 each and can be found on Roseark. I especially like that you can order them in a size 3 :) When I look at these stack rings, I immediately think that an architect designed these. Dana*David designs jewelry keeping her interests in mind, one of them being architecture! I like the one that is a square, and the diamond is off center, placed up in the corner. On her site, you can click on stores, and from there choose your state to find the nearest retailer. Read More

Obsessions

Statue of David; Gold Gold Gold

A gold rush has come over me.  With all these commercials convincing viewers to "sell your old gold jewelry" I think we should also be investing in gold as well.  Not like the big bars of solid gold, I mean gold jewelry!  Big, chunky pieces.  Some of the best gold jewelry I own is from my grandparents.  They would bring back gorgeous pieces from their trips to Italy for my sisters and I.  We would get so excited to see what treasures they'd find. Photography by ALisha Above is an 18k yellow gold oval link bracelet from one of my grandparents' trips overseas, given to my sister. Its our favorite keepsake. Now that my grandparents are older, they don't really go to Italy as much, so we treasure our gold Italian jewelry even more. Below are a few finds that remind me of some of the pieces we treasure. Greek key is a design that will never go out of style. What better way to capture this classic design than by wearing it around your finger. This ring is a steal at $265...that's only a dollar a day for a year! From Ross-Simons. Another classic motif is the fleur de lis. These 18k gold earwires are one-of-a-kind! Designed by Dana David, they remind me of Europe in so many ways. A lot of the Italian jewelry my grandparents would bring back had enameling on it. This bracelet has green enamel outlining the ends. It is a vintage piece from the 1830s and can be found at Fay Cullen for $3900. The etched detailing is remarkable! Read More

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Obsessions

Buddha-rama

Slightly buddha-obsessed, my sister and I were on a mission to find a good piece of jewelry featuring, none other than, the buddha himself. We wanted either a necklace or bracelet, something you couldn't find in Forever 21 or Claire's that would tarnish in three days. Fake jewelry is a waste of money for that reason. photography by ALisha We found a necklace, a pendant and a bracelet, although the bracelet is not real gold, we couldn't resist its similarity to the peace sign bracelets seen recently on The Hills' Stephanie Pratt. Check out our finds below! This pendant is our favorite. Priced at $150, it is a good buy for being 14k gold and carved jade. It would look great on a short or long chain, depending on what you like. This juicy treasure may even bring you good luck, and can be purchased at c.h.a.r.m. When we saw this necklace, we immediately wanted to take out our credit cards. Unfortunately, $420 is not in the budget. The buddha is made out of carved coral, with a mother-of-pearl leaf and turquoise bead dangling below. On a 14k gold chain with a lobster claw clasp, this little jigglypuff can be yours by going to Ylang|23 now! This is the bracelet we found...wish the buddha was made out of 14k gold. [sad face] But if you're into fake jewelry, he's good as golden! Max & Chloe is the neat online shop where you can purchase this bracelet for $63 in any color you want! Read More

Obsessions

Gem Gossip Charity Bracelet Gets a Makeover

In order to be more flexible for everyday wear; that is easy to slip on and give an even more "layered" look, I gave the Gem Gossip Charity Bracelet a makeover!  The new design lets you wrap it around your wrist a few times, and then adjust the knots by sliding them for a perfect fit.  At its full size you could even wear it as a necklace!  Pretty neat! I wore mine while in California, and it withstood a lot of activities like hiking, kayaking in the ocean and treking through the San Diego Zoo all day!  If you would like to own your very own, email me at charitybracelet@gmail.com Read More

Obsessions

Chain Gang; The Right Pendant for a Long Chain

Do you have a long, gold chain just laying in your jewelry box? Not too sure what to do with it? Well I've got the perfect pendant solutions to a long chain. First off, hopefully you've got a good, long chain to work with, preferably 20" or more. A box link chain will do fine, or you could change it up with a different type (maybe like the ones in the picture above). If you don't have one, and need to purchase a long chain, don't be afraid to pay anywhere from $300+ because a heavy gold chain will last a lifetime, is very versatile, and is actually an investment in terms of gold prices. Next, you need the perfect pendant. The size is important because it needs to be large either vertically or horizontally. I've noticed that this could get expensive, so certain gemstones like jade or mother-of-pearl are great choices because they are affordable and look great as a large pendant. Check out my choices below! Smokey Quartz is a great gemstone and very affordable. This pendant is almost 12 carats, however the price is still a very affordable $50. The elongated style is a great one to wear on a long chain. This pendant is from Jewelry Television--I'd recommend sticking to browsing the website and not watching it on tv. Hearts are always classic, and this pendant is not your typical diamond\plain\boring. The white part of it is called mother-of-pearl, and has a 14k gold filigree etched heart. It would be very pretty hanging from a long snake chain. It is from Ross-Simons and is $165. I love this pendant! I never usually like this many gemstones in one piece of jewelry, but I can make an exception! There are peridots, garnets, citrines, amethyst, and diopsides. The emerald cut gems mixed in with the round makes it so unique. It can be purchased for $265 at Ross-Simons. Did you know jade can be carved into beautiful designs like this? This is brown jade and the design is an intricate knot, called an endless knot. Jade has continuously been known for being a luck charm. Maybe this pendant will bring luck to its wearer. At only $100 from Ross-Simons, this would pull off the long chain look superbly! Read More