Posts Tagged ‘fashion jewelry’

Even if you purchase costume jewelry that is high quality, a general rule of thumb, is that no costume jewelry will be as durable and reliable as fine jewelry. fashion jewelry does, however, allow you to follow the newest trends without having to spend the hundreds of dollars fine jewelry may cost you. It would be unreasonable to expect costume jewelry to last indefinitely; even fine jewelry will not look new forever.

However, with proper usage and care, you can prolong the life of your jewelry. You need to make sure that a cleaner doesn’t contain ammonia, vinegar, or any other acids or alcohols. Read the label and make sure you are using a cleaner safe for whatever material your costume jewelry is made from (silver, gold, brass, bronze, copper, chrome, stainless steel, aluminum, pearls, opals, marble and any gems.) Don’t use soap and water, because most soaps will leave a residue on the metal and make the stones look dull. Windex can damage delicate stones and finishes. Vinegar is also harmful to the gemstones. Use a very soft cloth to clean the surface of stones and gold or silver, using a bit of water. Do not submerge your jewelry entirely.

I. Keep your jewelry away from the following as much as possible: Water, lotion, perfume, or other harsh chemicals.

II. Perspiration will also shorten the life of your costume jewelry.

III. For Rhodium Plated Silver and Vermeil Jewelry – Do not use soap/water or jewelry cleaner to clean your jewelry as the soap will leave a film clouding your jewelry. This plating is known to prevent tarnishing but can certainly be compromised when exposed to harsh chemicals. Again, a soft jewelry cloth should do just fine!

IV. Most importantly, after you have cleaned your jewelry, you must make sure your jewelry is completely dried before wearing it or storing it.

Storing

How you store your costume jewelry depends upon the space that you have available, your budget, and whether you want to display them, wear them, or simply protect them. Here are some tips for safely storing your jewelry:

I. Temperature change – Any extreme change in temperature can affect stone settings and glue.

II. Moisture – Moisture is the worst enemy of costume jewelry. Not only can it destroy the foil backing of rhinestones; it can also damage the metals used.

III. Space – Vintage jewelry must never be allowed to rest on top of another piece or be jostled together. This can dislodge or scratch stones.

IV. Oak – Oak cabinets or boxes can release fumes that damage costume jewelry.

V. Cardboard boxes – Even the cute little boxes that jewelry is sold in has been treated with sulpher, which tarnishes gold and silver.

Good storage choices:

1. Ziplock bags
2. Metal drawers
3. Plastic boxes
4. Soft cloth
5. Curio cabinets

Fashion Jewelry, sterling silver jewelry and faux gold jewelry or vermeil jewelry can certainly last for years and years with proper care. There are many vintage costume jewelry pieces that have been passed from generation to generation and many stunning pieces can be found in historical museums all over the world!

PortiaJewelry.com Jewelry Information, Care Guide & Jewelry Rulers

Author: Isabel Manzo
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Shoppers gravitate to the irresistible baubles in boutique and department store showcases. The preview to this glamorous ornamentation is in the wholesale jewelry market that sets the course months before shoppers see it. So a look into the crystal ball of things to come is found in the showrooms and trade shows of jewelry wholesalers. Veteran retailers that visit these showrooms and trade shows regularly see a change–a line that is blurring.

Labels easily categorize wholesale jewelry in the past-labels like “costume jewelry”, “fashion jewelry”, “semiprecious jewelry”, and “fine jewelry.” Today that is not so easy. A current in fashion trends moves wholesale jewelry to a new level. The driving force is the classic look. Think Joan Crawford, Audrey Hepburn, and Grace Kelly. Think beauty that appeals to every generation in your family and you have classic fashion.

Classic reigns on the runways and in the fashion magazines. This overall look cannot be held down by labels. Suddenly wholesale jewelry showrooms that were called “costume jewelry” are filled with designs showing turquoise, coral, agates, and rose quartz that once belonged to the rock and gem wholesalers. The shell jewelry of the beach resort wholesalers finds beautiful expressions in these same showrooms.

The sterling silver of fine jewelry has been in fashion jewelry showrooms for more than a decade, but the once obscure art of glassmakers has suddenly joined sterling silver in these same showrooms. Murano glass, lamp work beads, and diochroic glass that were once niche markets, have now become household names and grace the showcases of boutiques and fine department stores.

The very name of fashion implies change. Without change there is no fashion, so how long can we expect the upscale momentum of wholesale jewelry to blur the lines between all the categories that exist? A new season is opening with a surprise of bright colors. Again wholesale jewelry takes the high road accessorizing the vivid hues with gorgeous dyed shell. This natural beauty of the sea goes beyond trendy chokers for teens in the beach shops and even beyond the upscale shell jewelry of seaside resorts. Designers craft brilliant shell colors into high fashion jewelry that takes its place in boutiques and stylish accessory stores to give the season’s tropical brights a classic counterpart in jewelry. This season leaves no doubt wholesale jewelry continues to follow classic trends, but what about the fall?

The palette is in place for the fall and fashion shows begin to shape the wholesale jewelry that will carry the season. Wholesale jewelry for the fall season shows no movement away from the classic trends that society is embracing. After all, it is society that ultimately determines fashion and it was the mood following so many tragedies like September 11th, The Tsunami, and Hurricane Katrina that put the brakes to rapid fire changes and fast forward fashion. A reflective mood set in and a look back captured beauty in art and nature that gelled into the classic designs of wholesale jewelry houses. Fashion does not magically appear from thin air. Leading designers have a network of feedback from society that influences direction and the feedback is keeping the focus on classic beauty. Expect designers to dig deeper to uncover more obscure art forms and wonders of nature.

Like all roads lead to Rome all that is beautiful leads to classic jewelry. Even the most isolated arts will be swept into the current. So this season and next classic dominates. Drop labels and expect surprises of eye-pleasing beauty that fit under the umbrella of wholesale jewelry.

Mike Gietl has a 23 year association with Accessory Wholesale Inc, a company that provides wholesale jewelry and fashion accessories to the fashion industry nationwide through its website, http://www.awnol.com

Author: Michael Gietl
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Canada duty

Costume jewelry basically means that it is not extremely expensive stuff. It’s also known as fashion jewelry or junk jewelry. However i don’t like either of those names! It basically means jewelry that is made out of less valuable metals and stones than fine jewelry. For instance costume jewelry is normally made from base metal, glass, man made stones, and plastic.

Modern day costume jewelry can be made out of a variety of substances, the metals used may be brass plated with gold or silver. Sometimes you can even buy sterling silver costume jewelry. Costume jewelry is loved all around the world, it’s not as expensive as fine jewelry however it is beautiful and can be pretty valuable. Just be careful where you purchase your costume jewelry from, if you buy it from a market then you could really be buying junk.

Finding nice costume jewelry can be difficult, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. You certainly don’t have to wear it with costumes! You can wear such pieces with your everyday outfits, you just have to know where to buy nice pieces.

What’s best?

You should think about what your options are before you rush out and get costume jewelry. There are a number of great stores all around the world that stock amazing designer costume jewelry. Try searching on the Internet for some rough ideas as to which styles you like. If you’re not careful then you could find yourself getting lost in the sea of costume jewelry that is out there!

Estate Jewelry International

Estate Jewelry International is a company that sells a wide range of different designer costumer jewelry, all at very reasonable prices. They offer jewelry under different categories such as bridal jewelry, vintage costume jewelry, fashion jewelry, and estate wedding jewelry.

Another great company is Freesia, if you are trying to find affordable costume jewelry then you should defiantly remember the name of this company! Freesia jewelry is of a very high quality and is suitable for a number of different people. The jewelry that this company stocks is currently changing to keep in lines with current trends.

Costume jewelry isn’t as expensive as fine jewelry, however that certainly doesn’t mean that it is cheap. You want to make sure you are buying high quality jewelry, you don’t want something that will break within seconds of wearing it! Learn about the store you’re buying it from and assess the quality for yourself.

The columnist Guy Morris is especially interested in things dealing with ring. Recording his experience in publications on ring and antique engagement rings he affirmed his expertise on the topic.

Author: Guy J Morris
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Having grown up immersed in south Asian culture, I came to be familiar with jewelry as a standard accessory and essential part of a woman’s expressive identity. In my culture, women adorn themselves with precious jewels as readily as one would put on their wristwatch here in the west. Upon moving to the United States as a young woman, I discovered that jewelry is looked upon as a luxury, usually bestowed upon a woman by her significant other, and only on special or rare occasions.

Of course, I am referring to fine jewelry, as opposed to the fashion and costume jewelry that often fills the display cases at most department stores. In fact, in countries like India and my homeland of Sri Lanka, anything less than 22KT gold is not considered “real” jewelry, and wearing and collecting pieces of fine jewelry begins at an early age. My first pair of earrings, a pair of 22KT gold hoops that I still own, were in my ears at the age of six months old. Yes, six months old! No self-respecting south Asian girl would ever leave the house without accessorizing her ears, even in infancy.

My first introduction to American culture, as it pertains to jewelry, began at the age of sixteen when I was working at a jewelry store in the mall in Connecticut. In stark contrast to my own upbringing, I discovered that getting pierced ears was almost considered to be risqué and was often discouraged by parents, in young girls. I watched with fascination as little girls came into the store with their mothers, begging to get their ears pierced. More times then not, the parent would respond with the notion that their daughter was still too young.

The concept seemed foreign (no pun intended) after coming from a culture where almost every young girl has pierced ears by her first birthday. Another fact that came as a surprise to me is that, in general, western women and girls do not buy their own jewelry. Instead they hope that their boyfriend, fiancée or husband will surprise them with a beautiful piece of jewelry for a special occasion. Popular dates include birthdays, Christmas and of course, Valentine’s Day. Back home in Sri Lanka, it does not occur to us to wait for our significant other to buy us a piece of jewelry.

In regions like Sri Lanka and India, women are foremost consumers of jewelry, purchasing everything from simple baubles to extravagant pricey pieces that can be passed down to younger generations. From an outside perspective, it is fascinating that in the United States, a country that celebrates individualism and empowerment, even in the year 2007, women still do not feel empowered to make their own jewelry purchases. American women do not think twice about pulling out their credit card for a five hundred dollar pair of designer shoes or a designer handbag, yet when it comes to jewelry they are still desperately hoping to be presented with the proverbial “little blue box.”

Recently, a successful marketing campaign introduced the concept of the “right hand ring,” a diamond ring that women can buy for themselves as a reward for their own achievements; one that would be worn on their right hand, free of social stigma. This campaign went one step further, pushing the idea that a woman no longer has to wait for a man to buy her that much coveted diamond ring. This begs the question, why should we wait for anyone to buy us jewelry?? Instead of wasting hundreds of dollars on disposable costume jewelry, why don’t we indulge ourselves and buy the investment pieces that can be enjoyed over the course of our lifetime, and then handed down to our daughters and granddaughters? And why limit our own jewelry purchases to just the “right hand ring?”

American cultural norms seem to dictate that the diamond ring ought to be the main investment piece of jewelry in a woman’s collective assets and in her life. There are, in fact, so many beautifully crafted and diverse options to choose from.

It was during my own quest to find the right jewelry for my wedding that inspired my jewelry line, Crysobel. I wanted jewelry that would commemorate my special day and would also reflect and express a combination of my eastern roots and my current urban lifestyle. I certainly did not expect my wonderful Dutch fiancée to be able to meet my specific requirements in this area. As a modern day woman, I knew exactly what I was looking for, and after an exhaustive search I realized it did not exist.

I decided to design my own wedding jewelry and the seeds of the Crysobel Jewelry Line were sewn. During my initial quest to design and craft my own jewelry line, I was reminded once again how unusual it is for women to buy their own jewelry. It was then that I decided to commit fully to Crysobel. I chose to design a line that was not only a reflection of my aesthetics and cultural background, but one that would also introduce a new perspective into what people associate with women buying, collecting and investing in fine handcrafted jewelry.

My customers tend to be confident, fashion forward and independent women who choose to invest in finely crafted jewelry and who understand that a pair of fabulous 18K gold and ruby chandelier earrings can just as easily be worn with a pair of jeans and wedges as it can with a silky slip cocktail dress. They know that they deserve to enjoy their jewelry on a daily basis, and that they deserve it. I try to design my pieces accordingly, to afford customers all of the flexibility they could ever want in an “investment” piece.

After all, who wants to invest in an exquisitely designed piece of jewelry, only to keep it locked up in a vault and pulled out for the rare dressy occasion? Life is too short…every moment of our lives should be viewed as a red carpet event.

Gaitri Chandra Raj is a San Francisco based jewelry designer and owner of the 18K gold and precious gemstone handcrafted jewelry collection, Crysobel – http://www.crysobel.com

Author: Gaitri Chandra Raj
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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