Just Ask Leslie: Jewelry Tips

Dear Leslie,My girlfriend is nuts about purple – it’s her favorite color. Do you have any suggestions about jewelry that has some purple in it?

Purple is one of my favorite colors too. February is a great time to wear purple. It carries right into Spring pastels too. Recently this 4 1/8 carat purple and lavender amethyst necklace in 14K white gold caught my eye. It’s just $175.00 and is delightful and trendy. The 14K white gold chain necklace is ornamented with beautiful lavender colored amethyst pendants and a charm engraved with the word “dream.” Charming and elegant, this lovely, versatile piece can be worn any time.

I don’t know about where you live, but in my neighborhood daffodils and other Spring flowers are pushing their way up. I just love those first signs of Spring. Spring flowers are like rays of hope. After all those long winter nights, I am ready for warm, sunny days!

When I saw this 7 1/4 carat square-cut multi-gemstone and diamond ring in 14K white gold, it just screamed Spring to me! Priced right at just $295, this ring features Vibrant jewel tones and gorgeous openwork design is beautifully crafted from white gold. The ring is set with deep purple amethyst, icy blue topaz, sunny yellow citrine, mint green amethyst, and dazzling white diamonds. It’s a great way to celebrate the season and would make a wonderful Mother’s Day gift. It’s never to early to start planning!

Usually I don’t write about celebrities here. I figure that you see enough of them in the grocery store check out line! However, this image of Ruby Dee resonated with me. This year at the Oscars we saw a lot of red – especially deep Ruby reds. This image seem to capture all of that Hollywood romance in a 21st century way.

Rubies are one of my favorite gemstones. They have depth and character that is so interesting. If you’re into rubies as I am, you’ll love the 1/3 carat ruby and diamond white gold pendant that is shown below. It’s at a great price of just $95. It is feminine and princess-like. This pendant shines with under-stated glamour just like Ruby Dee. In this piece a brilliant ruby is encircled with a ring of sparkling diamonds set in white gold. The delicate chain is crafted from white gold giving added dimension.

As soon as I finished responding to the ring question last week, I got this email also about commitment rings. I waited to post it until after the Valentine’s Day rush, but here it is:

Dear Leslie,I’ve been seeing a wonderful girl for a couple of years now, and I think I’m ready to ask her to be my wife. She’s mentioned to me before (and I wondered if it was a hint) that she’s always preferred colored stones to diamonds. So, of course, I’m stumped about an engagement ring! What should I do?

Dear Bill,

She’s certainly an unusual lady! But you’re right to take her jewelry preferences into account. An engagement ring should be something she’s thrilled to wear because it reminds her of you, but also because it’s a classic piece of jewelry. I would suggest something that combines the classic diamond with color, so that you can pay heed both to tradition and to your lady’s taste. I suggest this ring, with alternating diamonds and rubies. Rubies are the hardest gem in the world after diamonds, and the rich red has always been associated with deep, passionate love. And, since it’s only $195, you’ll have plenty left to take her on a romantic honeymoon!

Leslie

February’s birthstone is amethyst. Amethyst is a member of the quartz family of gems, and can range from the pale lilac “Rose de France” to the deep, vibrant violet with red flashes displayed by the “Russian” variety, with green and orange types not unknown. High-ranking members of the Roman Catholic Church often wear amethyst rings, because amethyst, in addition to being beautiful, has traditionally been associated with heavenly understanding. Show your February favorite you care with a piece of lovely amethyst, such as this lovely drop necklace. White gold and diamond accents bring out the delicate lavender of a briolette cut amethyst in this stunningly elegant piece. Wow your February birthday (or bishop!) with it for only $175.

It’s a couple of weeks after the beginning of Aquarius, so you’ll be spared any “Dawning of the Age of Aquarius” jokes. Instead, I’ll just call your attention to this Aquarius pendant. The traditional glyph is rendered in white gold, with an eye-catching diamond accent. According to astrologers, Aquarians are charismatic and individualist, while still being easy-going and playful. Pick up this lovely piece for yourself or your favorite Aquarian today for only $150.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. I just could not resist the Valentine’s Day jewelry sales, and so I took the opportunity to pick myself up a little something. Blue quartz is fairly rare – even a jewelry addict like me seldom sees it – so when I saw this large piece I decided to grab it. The flowers around the top give the pendant a festive, springtime feel, and the sliver loop around the bottom containing the carnelian adds a touch of sophistication. I’m going to wear this piece when the occasion is not formal, but I want something just a little dressier than everyday. It was a steal at $125!

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow! If you act now, you can still get free overnight shipping on any item from ice.com’s Valentine’s Day collection, but tomorrow, it will be too late – both for the free shipping, and to keep yourself out of the doghouse. For my last Valentine’s Day gift suggestion, I decided to show you another way to show off a chocolate pearl. This clever necklace has one chocolate pearl captured in a loop of pink gold, accented in the center with a small diamond, and comes already strung on a gold chain. The color of the pink gold brings out some of the subtler tones in the pearl and makes this an unusual and exciting piece any woman will be proud to wear. It’s hers for only $95.

You’re running out of time, but it’s still not too late! Here’s another gift idea for those of you who are just stumped: this pastel-tone jade, rose quartz, and pearl necklace. Playful without being frivolous, this piece is very feminine, and can be easily dressed up or down – the varied pattern makes it whimsical enough for casual daywear, but the pearls will allow it to be matched with an evening dress for a night on the town. It featured a sterling silver heart clasp, and when it moves to the front she’ll know you’re thinking of her. It’s a great gift not only for sweethearts, but any woman you love. You can give it tomorrow for only $95, and overnight shipping is free until Valentine’s Day.

That’s right, shoppers: there are only three days left to find a gift for your Valentine. Don’t despair if you’ve put it off this late; you still have time to find a great piece to show up with the big day. If you just can’t decide, think about giving her these brown Tahitian pearl earrings. While pearls are usually white or a near off-white, they can form in several other colors – pink in the rivers of Scotland, green in some parts of Indonesia, and, in the waters around the islands of French Polynesia and New Caledonia, black and brown. Give her a little piece of the tropics with these unusual earrings. The rich color looks great with any skin tone, and the pearls are crowned with a small diamonds. They’re hers for only $695 – and there’s free, guaranteed overnight shipping right up until Valentine’s Day.

Dear Leslie,
I’m getting married soon, and I’m having a hard time choosing a ring. (My husband-to-be doesn’t trust himself to pick.) I don’t want a traditional plain gold band. I want something unique, like our love, but the still captures the style of a wedding ring. What do you suggest?Miriam in St. AugustineDear Miriam,
More and more women (and men) are opting for non-traditional wedding bands they feel better reflect their personality – a nurse friend of mine cannot wear jewelry on the job, and so has a ring tattooed onto her finger! For the rest of us, though, there are a number of options that provide new takes on the timeless design. One of my favorites is the tri-color rolling wedding band. Available for men or women, this ring features three rolling bands of 14K white, pink, and yellow gold, creating a simple but original and eye-catching effect. At $250, it’s only a few dollars for every year you have to spend together.

It may be Lent, but I’m certainly not going to give up jewelry. Warm up the end of winter with these lovely four-carat amber and citrine earrings. Amber is gathered from the cold, windy shores of the Baltic Sea in Poland and Lithuania, but its rich golden color is sure to warm you up during these last few weeks of cold weather. The exotic tribal design and citrine accents make these earrings a unique and indispensible piece for any woman’s jewelry box – and at only $195, it would be downright sinful not to wear them.