Sterling silver is probably the most common material for jewelry production nowadays. There are jewelry garments in all styles and price categories made of sterling silver. But what is it that makes producers to choose sterling silver as their main material for jewelry?
Firstly, let's look at what the name of sterling silver has in itself. If translated from ancient Greek, stereos (transformed into sterling) means solid. It is not true though, as sterling silver consists of only 92.5% of pure silver, and the rest is made up of different material, usually copper. It is node made to trick consumers into thinking that they are buying pure gold when they don't, it has a more important reason behind it. Pure silver itself is a very soft material, and there is no point in using in in production of any items as it will be damaged quickly. On contrary, when silver is melted together with another metal, it becomes sturdier without losing much of it's flexibility. It means that sterling silver gamrents, when made using right technologies and using high quality material, will be less prone to damages and will last their owners for decades and even generations (remember silver cutlery, holloware and flatware which was passed for many generations).
This way, sterling silver became the most popular material due to its' outstanding qualities. Sterling silver is not only used on its' own, but is also improved by plating with different metals. It is made for different reasons, one of them being that silver items are prone to tarnish, so they have to be contantly cleaned to maintain their polished finish. Instead, if silver is plated with another metal, it will never tarnish. Another reason for plating silver is achieving look of more expensive metals, such as gold and platinum, without having to make an item of solid gold, which would be too expensive. Among different types of plating the most popular ones are gold plating and rhodium plating.
Gold plating can be of different colors, like yellow, rose or white gold, and rhodium gives silver a highly polished look and makes it to remind of platinum. Plating can be of different thicknesses, which will of course affect both the price and durability of the garment. But when plating is done well, it will last you long no matter how thin it is. In any case, you can always bring your jewelry to a trusted goldsmith and have it replated again.
More about jewelry in Danish at http://smykketemp.wix.com/smykker
onsdag den 28. januar 2015
mandag den 26. januar 2015
Georg Jensen, a Danish silversmith which turned into world-wide known brand
Georg Jensen was born in 1866, and when his family recognized hiw interest in art and sculpture, he started working as an apprentice to a goldsmith in Copenhagen as well as attending a technical school. He spent his young years modelling from clay and sculpturing, and at some point we was granted admission into Royal Academy of Arts, from which he graduated at the age of 25.
Even thought one of his sculpture works was exhibited at Charlottenborg annual exhibition, he never became a famous sculptor. Instead, the need ogf supporting his family, which consisted of his wife and two children, made him to turn to pottery making. It didn't bring a big income, but the family could survive. Later, when Jensen's wife died, and pottery making business didn't lead to any success, Georg Jensen was encouraged to exhibit one of his pottery pieces at The Free Exhibition, which was an annual event where alternative artists were presented. Jensen's "The Maid on the Jar" got positive reviews from critics when exhibited at the World's Trade in Paris.
When he returned to Denmark, he decided to open his own workshop, where he focused of crafting silver jewelry. He wanted to create every day objects with personal touch, as he disapproved mass-production items. He chose to make silver jewelry because silver was an inexpensive material and selling jewelry would provide a bigger margin than selling household items. It also required a lot sell space for storage.
In his jewelry style he often followed Art Nouveau principles, combining natural motives, which included leaves, flowers and other organic patterns. He used natural semi-precious stones for decoration and every piece was one of its' kind. He made a lot of brooches, earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets. He concentrated on making unique pieces of exceptional quality and attention to details.
He also collaborated with other artists and sculptors, which made his success to grow even bigger. Over the years he succeded not only as a jewelry maker, but also as a producer of silver household items. He worked with many talanted designers who created plenty of unique designs, which were praised all over the world.
Contemporary design silver jewelry at http://www.spiriticons.com
Even thought one of his sculpture works was exhibited at Charlottenborg annual exhibition, he never became a famous sculptor. Instead, the need ogf supporting his family, which consisted of his wife and two children, made him to turn to pottery making. It didn't bring a big income, but the family could survive. Later, when Jensen's wife died, and pottery making business didn't lead to any success, Georg Jensen was encouraged to exhibit one of his pottery pieces at The Free Exhibition, which was an annual event where alternative artists were presented. Jensen's "The Maid on the Jar" got positive reviews from critics when exhibited at the World's Trade in Paris.
When he returned to Denmark, he decided to open his own workshop, where he focused of crafting silver jewelry. He wanted to create every day objects with personal touch, as he disapproved mass-production items. He chose to make silver jewelry because silver was an inexpensive material and selling jewelry would provide a bigger margin than selling household items. It also required a lot sell space for storage.
In his jewelry style he often followed Art Nouveau principles, combining natural motives, which included leaves, flowers and other organic patterns. He used natural semi-precious stones for decoration and every piece was one of its' kind. He made a lot of brooches, earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets. He concentrated on making unique pieces of exceptional quality and attention to details.
He also collaborated with other artists and sculptors, which made his success to grow even bigger. Over the years he succeded not only as a jewelry maker, but also as a producer of silver household items. He worked with many talanted designers who created plenty of unique designs, which were praised all over the world.
Contemporary design silver jewelry at http://www.spiriticons.com
torsdag den 22. januar 2015
Harald Slott-Møller, another Skonvirke fundamentalist
Harald Slott-Møller was born in 1864 and after training at Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, began his painting career. He received recognition shortly, and some time later he decided to take his ideas into decorative arts, too. He designed many ceramic items, but he was more passionate about jewelry.
He was one of the first jewelry designers who strove for a lot of decorative elements of different kinds, including precious and semi-precious stones, colored enamel, ivory and pearls. He used silver and gold for his jewelry, which together with the uniqueness of the garments (evry piece was one of it's kind) made it really expensive. In terms of themes, which his jewelry was inspired by Reneissance artists and their motives in painting and sculpture.
He designed truly unique garments, which weren't always accepted and liked by the publicity. He was critised a lot for using excessive decoration and many bright colors. Nevertheless, the fact that he made his jewelry himself, only taking silversmiths' help for difficult part of the work and fine settings was appereciated. It was inherited from Arts and Crafts movement, which originated in Britain some time before that.
Another life achievment of Harald Slott-Møller was founding of Den Frie Udstilling (The Free Exhibition) exhibition in Copenhagen. It is still open now and works of contemporary artists, who are less prone to be appreciated by the critics, are exhibited there. Every year in Autumn Den Frie Udstilling holds a exhibion, where anyone can take part in by submitting works to the comission, which consists of artists, who were exhibited there earlier.
He was one of the first jewelry designers who strove for a lot of decorative elements of different kinds, including precious and semi-precious stones, colored enamel, ivory and pearls. He used silver and gold for his jewelry, which together with the uniqueness of the garments (evry piece was one of it's kind) made it really expensive. In terms of themes, which his jewelry was inspired by Reneissance artists and their motives in painting and sculpture.
He designed truly unique garments, which weren't always accepted and liked by the publicity. He was critised a lot for using excessive decoration and many bright colors. Nevertheless, the fact that he made his jewelry himself, only taking silversmiths' help for difficult part of the work and fine settings was appereciated. It was inherited from Arts and Crafts movement, which originated in Britain some time before that.
Another life achievment of Harald Slott-Møller was founding of Den Frie Udstilling (The Free Exhibition) exhibition in Copenhagen. It is still open now and works of contemporary artists, who are less prone to be appreciated by the critics, are exhibited there. Every year in Autumn Den Frie Udstilling holds a exhibion, where anyone can take part in by submitting works to the comission, which consists of artists, who were exhibited there earlier.
tirsdag den 20. januar 2015
Skønvirke Jewelry, or Danish Art Nouveau
As I have mentioned before, skønvirke style appeared as a Danish interpretation of European Art Nouveau style in design and architecture. Common skønvirke features were floral patterns and design, organic shapes and natural curved lines. Skønvirke jewelry was usually made of silver and decorated with natural semi-precious stones as well as colored enamel.
The moral aspect behind skønvirke movement was the desire to go away from cheap bad quality mass produced jewelry and providing well made pieces for affordable price. This way, silversmiths tried to come up with a balance between quality and price, while providing unique jewelry garments.
Many Danish designers and artists followed the skønvirke movement, but there was one special person, who formed Danish silver style of the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century. Thorvald Bindesbøll (born in 1846) was an educated architect, but it never became his main occupation and source of income. We was interested in literature and translating, as well as arts. He developed passion for designing while travelling around Europe. At first he was designing ceramic pottery, as well as seldom pieces of furniture and books, but later he was influenced by Arts and Crafts movement, which originated in England in 1880's.
Thorvald Bindesbøll started designing a large amount of sketches for jewelry in skønvirke style. His jewelry had natural forms, and repeated shapes of flowers and plants. It was often decorated with colorful enamel or semi-precious stones. Because of the fact that Thorvald Bindesbøll didn't receive silversmith training himself, he had to cooperate with silvermiths to convert his designs from sketches into tangible items. The first silversmith who he worked with was Anton Michelsen, but the stongest connection was developed between Thorvald Bindesbøll and Holger Kyster, who also became artist's friend. Together they led Thorvald Bindesbøll's design ideas to success.
Thorvald Bindesbøll declined offers of mass producers and prefered for his jewelry to be hand made by trusted silversmiths. He strived for a personal touch to his garments and was insisting on the technique where traces of smithinjg were visible. His favourite motives were flower ornaments and other organic shapes such as sea shells and waves.
After Thornvald Bindesbøll's death in 1908, Holger Kyster proceeded to produce jewelry by Bindesbøll's sketches as well as jewelry, inspired by his overall style.
The moral aspect behind skønvirke movement was the desire to go away from cheap bad quality mass produced jewelry and providing well made pieces for affordable price. This way, silversmiths tried to come up with a balance between quality and price, while providing unique jewelry garments.
Many Danish designers and artists followed the skønvirke movement, but there was one special person, who formed Danish silver style of the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century. Thorvald Bindesbøll (born in 1846) was an educated architect, but it never became his main occupation and source of income. We was interested in literature and translating, as well as arts. He developed passion for designing while travelling around Europe. At first he was designing ceramic pottery, as well as seldom pieces of furniture and books, but later he was influenced by Arts and Crafts movement, which originated in England in 1880's.
Thorvald Bindesbøll started designing a large amount of sketches for jewelry in skønvirke style. His jewelry had natural forms, and repeated shapes of flowers and plants. It was often decorated with colorful enamel or semi-precious stones. Because of the fact that Thorvald Bindesbøll didn't receive silversmith training himself, he had to cooperate with silvermiths to convert his designs from sketches into tangible items. The first silversmith who he worked with was Anton Michelsen, but the stongest connection was developed between Thorvald Bindesbøll and Holger Kyster, who also became artist's friend. Together they led Thorvald Bindesbøll's design ideas to success.
Thorvald Bindesbøll declined offers of mass producers and prefered for his jewelry to be hand made by trusted silversmiths. He strived for a personal touch to his garments and was insisting on the technique where traces of smithinjg were visible. His favourite motives were flower ornaments and other organic shapes such as sea shells and waves.
After Thornvald Bindesbøll's death in 1908, Holger Kyster proceeded to produce jewelry by Bindesbøll's sketches as well as jewelry, inspired by his overall style.
mandag den 19. januar 2015
Art Nouveau Jewelry in Denmark
Art Nouveau was a style in decorative arts, popular between 1890 and 1910 in Europe. In French "Art Nouveau" means "new art", and its' typical features are ornamets with plants and flowers as well as curved, natural forms. Artists wanted to achieve harmony with nature in their creations.
Art Nouveau style was applied to every exisiting type of creative work, not only decorative items, painting and sculpture, but also to architecture, furniture and household items. Art Nouveau was especially popular in Western and Northern Europe, although it was spread all over the world.
In Denmark Art Nouveau style was localized and given name "skønvirke", which means "aesthetic work". In Denmark skønvirke style wasn't applied in architecture, but was widely applied in designing of smaller household items and especially jewelry. The majority of skønvirke style jewelry was made in sterling silver. It was a beautiful connection between cold and hard metals and and natural, organic and floral shapes.
But it's not only sterling silver which was used in skønvirke jewelry. Enamel and semi-precious gemstones were used widely for the first time in history of Danish jewelry tradition. The main reason behind it was goldsmiths' willingness to design affordable jewelry, which anyone could buy. Another reason for using such unuasual for that time materials was the desire for bright colors, which both semi-precious stones and colored enamel could provide. This was it was possible to make very bright and naturalistic jewelry pieces in shapes of leaves, flowers, and so on.
Many skønvirke style jewelry designers were people, who were trained for arts and crafts, for instance painters. Having that kind of skills together with goldsmithing skills was important at that time, as the artists started working not only with precious metals, but also with colors, making their creations bright and outstanding.
At that time Danish Museum of Decorative Art was established, which encouraged artists to exhibit their works, which inspired other artists. The museum's collection was expanded by works of various French and English artists, and it influenced Danish designers a lot.
Even now, hundred years later, Danish jewelry garments from skønvirke period are valuable among collectors all over the world due to the sophisticated style and original taste for jewelry.
As skønvirke represent a very important period in the development of Danish design, the following posts will be dedicated to the most famous Danish goldsmiths and designers of skønvirke epoch. Stay tuned!
Art Nouveau style was applied to every exisiting type of creative work, not only decorative items, painting and sculpture, but also to architecture, furniture and household items. Art Nouveau was especially popular in Western and Northern Europe, although it was spread all over the world.
In Denmark Art Nouveau style was localized and given name "skønvirke", which means "aesthetic work". In Denmark skønvirke style wasn't applied in architecture, but was widely applied in designing of smaller household items and especially jewelry. The majority of skønvirke style jewelry was made in sterling silver. It was a beautiful connection between cold and hard metals and and natural, organic and floral shapes.
But it's not only sterling silver which was used in skønvirke jewelry. Enamel and semi-precious gemstones were used widely for the first time in history of Danish jewelry tradition. The main reason behind it was goldsmiths' willingness to design affordable jewelry, which anyone could buy. Another reason for using such unuasual for that time materials was the desire for bright colors, which both semi-precious stones and colored enamel could provide. This was it was possible to make very bright and naturalistic jewelry pieces in shapes of leaves, flowers, and so on.
Many skønvirke style jewelry designers were people, who were trained for arts and crafts, for instance painters. Having that kind of skills together with goldsmithing skills was important at that time, as the artists started working not only with precious metals, but also with colors, making their creations bright and outstanding.
At that time Danish Museum of Decorative Art was established, which encouraged artists to exhibit their works, which inspired other artists. The museum's collection was expanded by works of various French and English artists, and it influenced Danish designers a lot.
Even now, hundred years later, Danish jewelry garments from skønvirke period are valuable among collectors all over the world due to the sophisticated style and original taste for jewelry.
As skønvirke represent a very important period in the development of Danish design, the following posts will be dedicated to the most famous Danish goldsmiths and designers of skønvirke epoch. Stay tuned!
fredag den 16. januar 2015
Do gemstones really mean something, part 2
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Today I offer you to look at the specific meaning of birthstones. As mentioned in the yesterday's post, birthstone list was determined by the American National Association of Jewelers, but gemstones are also said to have some extraordinary powers and properties, which will be attributed on a person who wears the stone.
January - Garnet.
Garnet can be any colour, but usually it's represented by stones of different brightness of red. One of the garnet's properties is the ability to protect's its' owners friendship and cure depression. Garnets are also said to promote one's self-esteem.
February - Amethyst.
Amethyst is a type of quartz, which can have different shades of violet, from very light ones to very deep and dark. The name of it originated from Greek language, and means "not intoxicated". This is because in ancient times amethyst was believed to protect from drunkenness. Another property of amethyst is curing insomnia and headache, protecting from being fearful Amethyst jewelry symbolizes sincerity and spiritual wisdom, as well as protection from witchcraft.
March - Aquamarine.
Aquamarine is a type of beryl, which colour varies from light blue to light green watery shades.Aquamarine is often used in meditations and also is a talisman of sailors, as it is believed to protect them while at the sea. Another widespread belief is that aquamarine protects from gossip. Wearing aquamarine necklace will give you a relief and calm your nerves.
April - Diamond.
Gemstone's name come from a greek word meaning "unbreakable". Diamond is the hardest gemstone out there, and is also the most expensive one.It can have different shades, but the best diamonds are as clear as possible. Diamonds symbolize innocence and constancy. Ones used in crowns, the most popular diamond garment now is an engagement ring.
May - Emerald.
Emerald's name originated from a Greek name meaning "green gem" and is known as a sacred stone of goddess Venus. The best emerald is the one having bright and deep green colour and without any bubbles or distractions in it. Since ancient times emerald was believed to preserve faith, love and hope, bring wisdom to the one wearing it.
June - Pearl.
Pearl is a completely different from others gemstones out there, because it has organic origin. It is extracted from oysters, and for many centuries it was considered the most valuable gem. Traditionally, pearl symbolizes innocence and purity, and is believed to help to deal with emotional stress and amplify wisdom.
July - Ruby.
Ruby's name originated from a Latin word meaning "red", and it fully reflects the appearance of the gemstone. Ruby is a mineral which can have different shades of red. The best rubies though, are bright red. In astral terms, ruby is considered to be the most powerful stone in the universe. It is said to bring peace and when kept close while sleeping, will protect you from nightmares. When a jewelry garment with inlaid ruby gemstones is given as a gift, it symbolizes friendship and love. Ruby also symbolizes royalty, which is probably one of the reasons it was widely used in decoration of royal attributes.
August - Peridot.
It is hard to tell where Peridot's name originated from, but the most common suggestion is that it raised from a Latin word with a meaning "a kind of opal". Peridot was know for thousands of years B.C, and is a sacred stone according to Bible. Due to it's bring green color, peridot is considered to symbolize springtime, immortal love and admiration. When peridot is inlaid in a necklace, it is believed to protect from negative emotions.
September - Sapphire.
Sapphire's name originated from Greek language, and means "blue". It's true, because sapphire gemstones usually come in different shades of blue colour, varying from dark blue which appears almost like black to light sky blue, nearly translucent. The best sapphires though have bright blue colour. There are different colour sapphires, but they are not valued as high as blue ones. Sapphire is said to symbolize heaven and devotion to God, as well as contribute to mental clarity.
October - Opal.
Opal's name originated from Roman term "opalus". At that times, opals had the highest value among all other gemstones. Opal is a very tender stone, and should be well cared of, otherwhise they can crack and become less bright. Opals are said to stimulate one's creativity and imagination.
November - Citrine.
Citrine means "yellow" in Latin and is a type of quartz, and can be of different shades of yellow and brown.Citrine is said to increase mind powers, promote clarity of thought as well as have a positive effect on financial matters. Wearing citrine will protect you from negative energy and make you more open-minded, will hive you love and joy.
December - Blue Topaz.
Word "topaz" from Greek ancient name of St. John's Island in the Red Sea, where the first topaz was believed to be discovered. Having topaz will protect you from having bad dreams, stimulate confidence and self-realization. Topaz will also guard you against disease and envy.
Today I offer you to look at the specific meaning of birthstones. As mentioned in the yesterday's post, birthstone list was determined by the American National Association of Jewelers, but gemstones are also said to have some extraordinary powers and properties, which will be attributed on a person who wears the stone.
January - Garnet.
Garnet can be any colour, but usually it's represented by stones of different brightness of red. One of the garnet's properties is the ability to protect's its' owners friendship and cure depression. Garnets are also said to promote one's self-esteem.
February - Amethyst.
Amethyst is a type of quartz, which can have different shades of violet, from very light ones to very deep and dark. The name of it originated from Greek language, and means "not intoxicated". This is because in ancient times amethyst was believed to protect from drunkenness. Another property of amethyst is curing insomnia and headache, protecting from being fearful Amethyst jewelry symbolizes sincerity and spiritual wisdom, as well as protection from witchcraft.
March - Aquamarine.
Aquamarine is a type of beryl, which colour varies from light blue to light green watery shades.Aquamarine is often used in meditations and also is a talisman of sailors, as it is believed to protect them while at the sea. Another widespread belief is that aquamarine protects from gossip. Wearing aquamarine necklace will give you a relief and calm your nerves.
April - Diamond.
Gemstone's name come from a greek word meaning "unbreakable". Diamond is the hardest gemstone out there, and is also the most expensive one.It can have different shades, but the best diamonds are as clear as possible. Diamonds symbolize innocence and constancy. Ones used in crowns, the most popular diamond garment now is an engagement ring.
May - Emerald.
Emerald's name originated from a Greek name meaning "green gem" and is known as a sacred stone of goddess Venus. The best emerald is the one having bright and deep green colour and without any bubbles or distractions in it. Since ancient times emerald was believed to preserve faith, love and hope, bring wisdom to the one wearing it.
June - Pearl.
Pearl is a completely different from others gemstones out there, because it has organic origin. It is extracted from oysters, and for many centuries it was considered the most valuable gem. Traditionally, pearl symbolizes innocence and purity, and is believed to help to deal with emotional stress and amplify wisdom.
July - Ruby.
Ruby's name originated from a Latin word meaning "red", and it fully reflects the appearance of the gemstone. Ruby is a mineral which can have different shades of red. The best rubies though, are bright red. In astral terms, ruby is considered to be the most powerful stone in the universe. It is said to bring peace and when kept close while sleeping, will protect you from nightmares. When a jewelry garment with inlaid ruby gemstones is given as a gift, it symbolizes friendship and love. Ruby also symbolizes royalty, which is probably one of the reasons it was widely used in decoration of royal attributes.
August - Peridot.
It is hard to tell where Peridot's name originated from, but the most common suggestion is that it raised from a Latin word with a meaning "a kind of opal". Peridot was know for thousands of years B.C, and is a sacred stone according to Bible. Due to it's bring green color, peridot is considered to symbolize springtime, immortal love and admiration. When peridot is inlaid in a necklace, it is believed to protect from negative emotions.
September - Sapphire.
Sapphire's name originated from Greek language, and means "blue". It's true, because sapphire gemstones usually come in different shades of blue colour, varying from dark blue which appears almost like black to light sky blue, nearly translucent. The best sapphires though have bright blue colour. There are different colour sapphires, but they are not valued as high as blue ones. Sapphire is said to symbolize heaven and devotion to God, as well as contribute to mental clarity.
October - Opal.
Opal's name originated from Roman term "opalus". At that times, opals had the highest value among all other gemstones. Opal is a very tender stone, and should be well cared of, otherwhise they can crack and become less bright. Opals are said to stimulate one's creativity and imagination.
November - Citrine.
Citrine means "yellow" in Latin and is a type of quartz, and can be of different shades of yellow and brown.Citrine is said to increase mind powers, promote clarity of thought as well as have a positive effect on financial matters. Wearing citrine will protect you from negative energy and make you more open-minded, will hive you love and joy.
December - Blue Topaz.
Word "topaz" from Greek ancient name of St. John's Island in the Red Sea, where the first topaz was believed to be discovered. Having topaz will protect you from having bad dreams, stimulate confidence and self-realization. Topaz will also guard you against disease and envy.
torsdag den 15. januar 2015
Do gemstones really mean something or is all just spiritual nonsense?
Since ancient times gemstones were admired in different cultures all around the world. They were said to have ability of protecting its' owner from evil eye, bring him luck, health, money or something else. In some cultures, especially in the east, gemstones are often associated with zodiac signs, which means that for every zodiac sign there is a gemstone that suits the bearer of the sign the best.
Let's see which gemstones are said to be talismans to you according to your zodiac sign.
Capricorn - Ruby
Aquarius - Garnet
Pisces - Amethyst
Aries - Bloodstone
Taurus - Sapphire
Gemini - Agate
Cancer - Emerald
Leo - Onyx
Virgo - Carnelian
Libra - Chrysolite
Scorpio - Beryl
Saggitarius - Topaz
As you can see, talisman gemstones are very different, and there seem to be no particular pattern in them. Some precious stones are included (ruby, sapphire and emerald). The rest of the list is made up of semi-precious stones.
The question is, how the gemstones were selected and do they really acquire any special properties when worn by a person who was born in the according month?
Another way of matching birthdate and gemstone is according to the theory of birthstones. Some say that this list evolved from stones mentioned in the Bible, the other assume that stones represent the Twelve Apostles.
Modern list of birthstones, which was adopted by the American National Association of Jewelers is represented by the following stones:
January - Garnet
February - Amethyst
March - Aquamarine
April - Diamond
May - Emerald
June - Pearl
July - Ruby
August - Peridot
September - Sapphire
October -Opal
November - Citrine
December - Blue Topaz
It's clear that some of the included stones correspond with the zodiac sign list, which makes us think there were some interconnections between the cultures. In the birthstone list all four precious stones are included (diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire), semi-precious stones as well as pearl, which has a completely different organic origin in comparison to the rest of the gemstones.
Wearing a birthstone is said to bring luck to the owner and protect from the evil. In reality, it just symbolizes the birth month. Jewelry with a birthstone can become a great birthday present for a woman of any age, as it has this delicate personal touch to it.
Of course, it's everybody's personal choice to believe in the power of birthstones or not, but I guess that if one truly believes in the power of something, then it also can become true.
Let's see which gemstones are said to be talismans to you according to your zodiac sign.
Capricorn - Ruby
Aquarius - Garnet
Pisces - Amethyst
Aries - Bloodstone
Taurus - Sapphire
Gemini - Agate
Cancer - Emerald
Leo - Onyx
Virgo - Carnelian
Libra - Chrysolite
Scorpio - Beryl
Saggitarius - Topaz
As you can see, talisman gemstones are very different, and there seem to be no particular pattern in them. Some precious stones are included (ruby, sapphire and emerald). The rest of the list is made up of semi-precious stones.
The question is, how the gemstones were selected and do they really acquire any special properties when worn by a person who was born in the according month?
Another way of matching birthdate and gemstone is according to the theory of birthstones. Some say that this list evolved from stones mentioned in the Bible, the other assume that stones represent the Twelve Apostles.
Modern list of birthstones, which was adopted by the American National Association of Jewelers is represented by the following stones:
January - Garnet
February - Amethyst
March - Aquamarine
April - Diamond
May - Emerald
June - Pearl
July - Ruby
August - Peridot
September - Sapphire
October -Opal
November - Citrine
December - Blue Topaz
It's clear that some of the included stones correspond with the zodiac sign list, which makes us think there were some interconnections between the cultures. In the birthstone list all four precious stones are included (diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire), semi-precious stones as well as pearl, which has a completely different organic origin in comparison to the rest of the gemstones.
Wearing a birthstone is said to bring luck to the owner and protect from the evil. In reality, it just symbolizes the birth month. Jewelry with a birthstone can become a great birthday present for a woman of any age, as it has this delicate personal touch to it.
Of course, it's everybody's personal choice to believe in the power of birthstones or not, but I guess that if one truly believes in the power of something, then it also can become true.
onsdag den 14. januar 2015
Is cubic zirconia a worthy diamond alternative?
Diamonds are the best known natural gemstones which have been used in jewelry manufacturing since ancient times. For centuries diamonds were praised for their pureness and hardness and were decorating jewelry garments of royal and imperial families as well as many noble people all over the world. Diamonds have been forming in the bowels of the earth for billions of years, and have perfect structure and are near to being absolutely colorless.
Their high price is caused by the difficulty of its' extraction, as mining is one of the most dangerous jobs out there, as well as difficulty of production and faceting. Being the hardest material in the world, it can only be faceted using diamond plated tools, which makes the process rather expensive.
The most expensive gemstone should be put into corresponding setting, so diamonds are usually set in gold or platinum. All together it makes a jewelry piece very expensive and makes it more like an investment, rather than an accessory.
This led to the need of the solution for less expensive but nevertheless beautiful subsitute. Cubic zirconia was discovered in the end of 19th century and commercial production began in 1976. Since then it has been the biggest competitor for natural diamonds.
Cubic zirconia crystals are synthesized in the laboratory conditions, and due to that have perfect clearness in contrary to diamonds, which had been affected for billion years by natural conditions and often have yellow or brown undertone. Cubic zirconia is almost as hard as diamond and due to the fact of being synthesised in the laboratory, can reach any desirable size. It's many times cheaper than diamonds and can be as well faceted in many different shapes.
Cubic zirconia is often set in sterling silver, gold plated silver or gold, and is widely used for manufacturing any kind of jewelry, such as necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, cufflinks, piercings and so on.
This way jewelry embellished with cubic zirconia makes a great alternative to diamond jewelry, especially for everyday wear or young people. It means you shouldn't be afraid of buying, say, cubic zirconia ring or pendant, as when being properly faceted it will reflect light and shine not worse than a diamond. Additionaly, even large cubic zirconia stones will not hit price of thousands and million of dollars. Of course, you cannot consider cubic zirconia jewelry as an investment, but it's certainly a great way to accessorize and complement your outfit with a subtle luxury touch.
Just remember, that cubic zirconia jewelry is a part of fine jewelry, not costume jewelry, so don't be afraid of wearing it for special occasions and formal events with black or white tie dress code.
Their high price is caused by the difficulty of its' extraction, as mining is one of the most dangerous jobs out there, as well as difficulty of production and faceting. Being the hardest material in the world, it can only be faceted using diamond plated tools, which makes the process rather expensive.
The most expensive gemstone should be put into corresponding setting, so diamonds are usually set in gold or platinum. All together it makes a jewelry piece very expensive and makes it more like an investment, rather than an accessory.
This led to the need of the solution for less expensive but nevertheless beautiful subsitute. Cubic zirconia was discovered in the end of 19th century and commercial production began in 1976. Since then it has been the biggest competitor for natural diamonds.
Cubic zirconia crystals are synthesized in the laboratory conditions, and due to that have perfect clearness in contrary to diamonds, which had been affected for billion years by natural conditions and often have yellow or brown undertone. Cubic zirconia is almost as hard as diamond and due to the fact of being synthesised in the laboratory, can reach any desirable size. It's many times cheaper than diamonds and can be as well faceted in many different shapes.
Cubic zirconia is often set in sterling silver, gold plated silver or gold, and is widely used for manufacturing any kind of jewelry, such as necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, cufflinks, piercings and so on.
This way jewelry embellished with cubic zirconia makes a great alternative to diamond jewelry, especially for everyday wear or young people. It means you shouldn't be afraid of buying, say, cubic zirconia ring or pendant, as when being properly faceted it will reflect light and shine not worse than a diamond. Additionaly, even large cubic zirconia stones will not hit price of thousands and million of dollars. Of course, you cannot consider cubic zirconia jewelry as an investment, but it's certainly a great way to accessorize and complement your outfit with a subtle luxury touch.
Just remember, that cubic zirconia jewelry is a part of fine jewelry, not costume jewelry, so don't be afraid of wearing it for special occasions and formal events with black or white tie dress code.
tirsdag den 13. januar 2015
Another blog on passion for jewelry
This is the first post from the series on Danish jewelry brands and designers. In the course of the next few weeks I'll be writing about everything what has to deal with Danish jewelry design. I'll cover many interesting topics including history of Danish design with an overview of Scandinavian jewelry traditions and the most famous and less mainstream designers of the past and the present.
Danish design has been known for decades for its' minimalistic approach, simplistic style and great attention to details and quality of the items. Danish furniture as well as the whole segment of household items is very popular among contemporary style interior lovers. Nevertheless, industry of personal style shouldn't be missed, because there is a plenty of designers which make unique items of clothing as well as accessories.
Nowadays market for costume jewelry is huge, and it will also be mentioned in this blog, while the emphasis will be made on the fine jewelry made of precious metals such as gold and silver and embellished with semi-precious and precious stones, natural crystals and minerals.
Another aspect which I'll shed light on is choosing jewelry and taking appropriate care of it. There are many simple tips out there which will help you to keep you jewelry in great condition for many years even allowing your children to inherit it one day.
Jewelry is a topic which excites the majority of female population, so stay tuned for a chance to explore the world of Scandinavian jewelry without leaving your desk :)
Abonner på:
Opslag (Atom)