I thought I’d write a quick post about my thoughts on costume jewelry since it is sold everywhere.

I think costume jewelry is awesome! I own some costume jewelry and wear it when it fits with the situation and my outfit. I think costume jewelry is great for staying with jewelry fads, trying out new things, having something fun to match a specific outfit, etc. I don’t think costume jewelry should be expected to last a life time.

My definition for costume jewelry is jewelry that is inexpensive. I don’t think the label “costume jewelry” actually says anything about what type of metal or stones are used and whether they are quality or not. I have pieces that I would consider costume jewelry that have genuine stones but that were very inexpensive. That also means that “fine jewelry” doesn’t actually define what the piece is made of either. You can have non-genuine stones in fine jewelry. I feel that saying something is “costume jewelry” is more a comment on how much is cost or the reason the piece was purchased.

Costume jewelry is often made out of brass or other very inexpensive metals and is plated to look like either gold or silver and the stones are everything from genuine rocks (turquoise, quartz, onyx, carnelian, etc.) to glass. The materials are why one should not expect costume jewelry to necessarily last a life time. When something is plated, the plating can wear off. In some cases, it can even chip off. With all stones there is a risk of chipping or breaking the stone. The stones and materials used in costume jewelry are often softer than some of those used in fine jewelry which means they are more likely to chip, scratch, or break.

None of these things mean that I don’t think anyone should buy or wear costume jewelry. I just think consumers should be aware of what they are getting.

I am often asked if I would ever consider making costume jewelry so more people would be able to afford my designs. The answer is yes and no.

I wouldn’t ever want to make the same designs in brass that I would make in gold. I would make some things in silver if there were customers for it, but I don’t want to get into base metals and plating in my work. I would also make inexpensive earrings and necklaces out of silver findings that would hit lower price points. Findings are pre-made pieces like rings that you can buy and put together to make a piece of jewelry. The true key to hitting price points for me would be volume. If I can buy 50 jump rings and use all 50 in different pieces of jewelry that is different than buying those same 50 rings in order to make one piece.

Here are a few renders and pictures of the types of costume jewelry I can and have made.

A couple weeks ago I was watching Good Morning America (I know, I’m such a suburban mom) and they were talking about “push presents.” I’ve talked about the idea of giving a mother jewelry after the birth of a child but I never knew there was an actual name for it! And such an obnoxious name at that. I have some new opinions on the topic after watching the story on GMA and also after having a baby myself.

The story on GMA had some really ridiculous examples of actual “push presents” women received for having a baby. One woman they talked to had a diamond bracelet her husband bought her after having their baby. They also had examples from Hollywood of celebrities spending thousands and thousands of dollars on presents for women having babies. I think their examples were completely crazy.

I think I said before that if I had a baby, I wanted a present. I’ve totally changed my mind. The baby is my gift. My husband’s support through pregnancy and his help in taking care of our son is my gift. I don’t need him to spend money on me that we could put into a college fund for our baby. Of course, I am in a little bit of a different situation than most people.

I happened to have a diamond baby (born in April.) He was supposed to be born in May which would have been Emerald but both worked for me. I liked the idea of May baby because I have an Emerald from my grandmother

but April works too because I have a nice diamond pendant that I wear all the time.

I don’t need to spend any money to have pieces with my child’s birthstone. I also have an extensive collection of stones that would cover pretty much any month. Even if only had the stone, I don’t think I would have pushed to have piece made right after my son’s birth.

I think mothers’ jewelry is very fun and special but I think it has to be sensible and I don’t think it should be a reward for having a baby. I will probably wait until I am finished having children and maybe even until we have a lot of money saved for their college funds before I spend any money on myself. Having a baby should be the reason for having a baby, not diamonds.

So apparently now that I am pregnant, I am sassier than normal. I thought I would take advantage of this extra pizazz and write a super fun blog post for my least favorite holiday of the year–Valentine’s Day.

We all know Valentine’s Day is a Hallmark holiday (I say this with love since my mother-in-law works at Hallmark) and yet some people, ahem women, put a lot of importance on what their significant other does on this day. Here are some of the things they expect, and what I think should be done instead.

1. You have to propose on Valentine’s! IT’S SO ROMANTIC!!!!
Yeah, no. It’s extremely unoriginal to propose on Valentine’s Day. If he proposes on Valentine’s Day, he took the easy way out. Everything is already set for him that day–the flowers, the candy, the date… come on people. I think if she is expecting a proposal on Valentine’s Day, you should do everything she would expect, except give her the ring. Take her out for a wonderful dinner, go dancing or whatever floats your boat, and then wait until the 15th when you are at home in your pjs to ask her to marry you. Trust me, that’s a better story.

2. She wants DIAMONDS!!!
That may be true, but if all she cares about is diamonds on Valentine’s Day, she’s shallow. I never think people should buy jewelry just because Kay’s told them to. Yes, buy her jewelry, when it means something. Save your money for one truly special piece, don’t buy the $99.99 crap that’s in all of the jewelry stores for Valentine’s Day. It will break and then you’re out $99.99 that you could have put toward something meaningful. What most women want on Valentine’s Day, and every other day during the year, is to be appreciated. Tell her she’s pretty. Tell her you love her. Let her pick the movie. And then do all that again tomorrow–I promise she’ll appreciate that more than crappy mall diamonds.

3. RED, PINK, PURPLE!!!
I have been there and picked all of those pink, red and purple heart shaped pieces of jewelry to put in a jewelry store catalog. Unless you are with someone who really loves that cheesy stuff, then again, save your money. If my husband bought me ANYTHING pink, heart shaped or not, I would be mad. I don’t like pink. I don’t care what holiday it is, I still don’t like pink. Buy me something yellow, or orange, or blue, just not pink. KNOW HER LIKES! Most women I know, don’t like pink and purple hearts so buy them something they will like. (I do also know some women who do like pink hearts but I know more that don’t.)

4. Hearts RULE!!!
Yeah, the only heart shaped jewelry I would wear, would look like a REAL heart, not an upside-down butt. Go to www.etsy.com and search for Anatomical Heart. Now there are some cool heart pendants.

5. Women want Lingerie.
I hope no one actually thinks this anymore. Lingerie is for MEN. Most of it is itchy and it never fits right and we just end up feeling gross and then it gets ripped off in 5 minutes. What’s the point? If you want to buy her pjs, make sure they are cotton and soft. Women like soft things, not lace.

This year I bought my husband marshmallows and Rice Krispies so I can make him Rice Krispie treats. Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be a big deal. Make sure if you have a special someone, that they know you love them, not that you know how to use your credit card. If you don’t have someone, get over it and eat CAKE!

My last post was about what to take into consideration when choosing a gemstone, but how do you pick what metal you want?

The metals I work with are Platinum, Palladium, Gold in 10K, 14K, 18K, White gold in 10K, 14K, 18K and Sterling Silver. There are obviously more metals out there like titanium, steel, and tungsten but these metals are very difficult to work with and I don’t currently have a way to cast them.

When choosing metal, I always start with the color you want. If you want a yellow metal, your choice is gold. The only other decision to make is what karat of gold you want. The plus to 10K is that it is the least expensive since it has the lowest actual gold content. The downside is that you don’t know what alloys are being used to dilute it so if you have very sensitive skin you could have a reaction (not likely but possible) and also the alloys tend to dilute the color so the metal might not be as yellow as higher karats of gold. 10K gold will however be harder than any other karat. 14K is the most common karat you see in the US and has a higher content of actual gold which makes it slightly softer than 10K and also maybe more yellow depending on the mix. 14K is a great middle of the road option for gold and it’s easy to find! 18K is the most expensive option when looking at gold because it has the highest gold content over 10K and 14K. It is the softest (though you probably would notice much difference unless you are a jeweler) and will most likely have the deepest yellow color. I would recommend using the highest karat that your budget allows when using gold. The higher karats are going to hold their value better and also be easier for a jeweler to work with. If you go to another country, you can get other karats of gold like 12K or 22K. Those would follow the same trends with softness and color as the ones that are common in the US.

If you want a white metal, the decision gets more complicated. White gold is the obvious choice and the same rules apply for white gold as do for yellow gold. The most important thing to understand about white gold is that GOLD is never white. It is the alloys mixed with the gold that make it whiter. Almost all white gold in the US is plated with rhodium which is a platinum family metal that makes the piece look absolutely white. This plating wears off over time and whatever gold is underneath will show through. Re-plating is easy though if you have the time to go to the jeweler every 6-12 months. The options for white gold start, like yellow gold, with 10K. 10K white gold is the least expensive gold option and will be the hardest and also the whitest because it has a lower gold content and a higher content of white metal alloys (white gold also has more chances for allergic reactions because the white alloys are metals more people are sensitive to such as nickel). 14K will be a little softer than 10K, a little more expensive and a little more yellow. 18K will be even softer, even more $ and even more yellow. Some people really like the slight yellow of white gold and choose not to have it plated. This is an awesome option, you just have to know what you are starting with as far as the color of your piece.

Platinum is the other obvious choice for white metal. Platinum is the most expensive metal that I work with but it is a great one. Platinum is an absolutely white metal so it never has to be plated. It is much harder than gold yet it isn’t brittle so setting stones in it isn’t a problem. The downside to platinum, is that as it wears, the surface gets dented and starts to take on a matte finish. Gold scratches which is a little different and it stays shiny longer. With any metal, you can always have a jeweler polish it back to its original shine. The other major comparison with gold is that platinum is much denser and therefore heavier. If you want a big chunky ring, platinum might end up being too heavy for comfort so keep in mind how much metal you are working with for both price and weight.

Palladium is a great choice for white metal, in some cases. Palladium is the least expensive of all of the metals I have discussed so far (silver is the only one cheaper). It is great for large pieces or for smaller pieces just to keep the price lower. Palladium is also a platinum family metal which means it is absolutely white and never has to be plated. Palladium is also very hard like platinum but it is more brittle. I like to use palladium for bands (especially for men) because then there are no stones to set but with large pieces, the price stays reasonable. I have used palladium for some ladies rings with stones but never for anything very elaborate and I would never gypsy set a stone in palladium and even try to avoid lots of prongs setting like pave (click here for setting type explanations).

The least expensive choice for white metal is silver. I love silver, but it definitely has its limits. Silver is even softer than gold so it scratches and dents very easily. Also, if you have stones set in silver, it is easier to knock them loose. Silver is a white metal so it doesn’t have to be plated, but it does tarnish over time. Silver is great for staying on a budget but if you can afford it, I will always recommend upgrading.

Metals these days are insanely expensive so budget will no doubt play a large part in your choice but I hope this helps with any other questions!

In the last few months, I have had several clients come to me who do not want diamonds for their engagement rings. Not only do they not want diamonds, they don’t want other super popular stones for engagement rings either.

A long time ago, diamonds were not “THE” stone for engagement rings. Sapphires were. Then the big guys (DeBeers) got ahold of the diamond mines and they marketed the crap out of diamonds until every woman though she needed a diamond. I don’t think there is any reason someone should get a diamond if they don’t want a diamond. That being said, there are some limitations with other gemstones that should be taken into consideration.

Each stone type has a different hardness. The scale used to gauge hardness is called the Mohs Scale and it goes from 1-10. Diamonds are a 10 and are the hardest. This makes them great for jewelry worn every day for long periods of time because they don’t easily scratch, crack, chip, or break. All other gemstones are softer than diamonds. Sapphires are VERY hard and are a 9 on the Mohs Scale. They are also very durable like diamonds which make them a great option if you don’t want a diamond but want sometime that will last quite well. Rubies are also a 9 on the Mohs Scale (they are after all just red sapphires) which would make them another great choice for an engagement ring.

After you get past sapphires, you get into stones Chrysoberyl which is an 8.5 then Spinel and Topaz which are both 8 on the Mohs Scale. These would be pretty durable stones but probably the only one that sounds familiar to most people is Topaz.

Once you get into the hardnesses less than 8, stones are considered “soft.” When a stone is soft, it doesn’t mean that it will crumble in your fingers or anything. It just means that if you knock it on too many things, you could scratch the surface or even crack or chip it. Aquamarine, Beryl and Emerald are all 7.5 on the Mohs Scale. Emeralds are famous for being soft but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t used all the time and I even know several people with Emerald centers in their engagement rings. My aunt has an Emerald and while the stone is still intact, it is very scratched after wearing it every day for so long.

Going down the scale after that are:
Amethyst, Citrine, Garnet, Iolite, Quartz and Tourmaline at 7 on the scale.
Jade, Kunzite, Peridot, Tanzanite, Tzavorite Garnet and Zircon at 6.5 on the scale.
Moonstone and Sunstone at 6.
Opal at 5.5.
Pearl at 4.

I have never, and will never tell anyone to get a different stone than what they want because of the softness of the stone they want. I have made pearl engagement rings and am working on an opal one right now. People just need to be aware of how to care for and prevent damage to their stone.

The most important thing is to be careful when wearing your jewelry. Don’t do dishes or shower with your jewelry on. I basically don’t wear my jewelry unless I’m going out and trying to look nice. Take special care when cleaning your jewelry when you have soft stones. Some soft stones should never be put in an ultrasonic cleaner and even regular liquid jewelry cleaner can be too harsh on some things. There are jewelry cleaners specifically designed for pearls that should be safe on any stone. Most of all, try not to hit your jewelry on anything. I’ve never chipped a stone that way but I haven’t loosened stones by knocking my jewelry on things at work and at home.

Diamonds may be forever; jewelry is not. But, with special care and attention, any stone should be just fine though so buy what you like without worrying about what you are “supposed” to have for an engagement ring!