Just Ask Leslie: Jewelry Tips

Yes, it is possible to give Mom an elegant and memorable jewelry gift this Mother’s Day for under $100! In my searches, I found many high quality pieces that would make perfect Mother’s Day gifts. In particular, these 14K White and Yellow Gold Diamond Heart Earrings for just $85 will make this Mother’s Day a special one. Two tones of precious metal are beautifully combined in these romantic, versatile earrings. Due to the two tones of gold, these earrings can be matched with yellow gold, white gold, platinum and silver jewelry! The stylized heart designs are exquisitely crafted from warm yellow and cool white golds and accented with twinkling diamonds. These precious earrings feature traditional post backs.

I’ve made it my personal mission this year to make sure all of my readers’ mothers receive beautiful jewelry this Mother’s Day. One of the best gifts I’ve seen this year is this 14-karat yellow gold and diamond butterfly pendant. This is a light and graceful piece that will bring a smile to any mother’s face. You’ll be smiling, too – not only because you’ve given a great gift, but because you did it for only $165! As an added bonus, ice.com is offering free shipping on all orders over $150, and guaranteed Mother’s Day delivery on orders received before 1 P.M., Wednesday, May 7th!

May 5th is the one hundred and forty-sixth anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, in which the Mexican army dealt the French army a crushing defeat. Today, this is celebrated in the United States with a celebration of all things Mexican, especially tequila, salsa… and turquoise! Show your Cinco de Mayo spirit with this beautiful turquoise bead bangle by Andrea Barna. Cubic turquoise beads are attached by short links all around this lovely sterling silver bracelet, allowing them to move slightly and give this piece a festive and exotic feel. Wear it your next fiesta for only $175!

Mother’s Day is just around the corner – exactly two weeks from today! Show your appreciation for Mom with this lovely freshwater pearl and green Swarovski crystal bracelet. Delicate pale green Swarovski crystals alternate with luminous freshwater pearls in a beautiful two-strand bracelet. The luster of the pearls alternating with the twinkle of the diamonds produces an arresting effect in light that any mom will be thrilled to wear. Buy it today (and beat the last-minute rush!) for just $35.

Dear Leslie,As a father of two, I have no idea how to help my kids pick something out for their mother this Mother’s Day! Help! I am totally lost!

Well, the first step is asking for help! Good for you! It’s great to involve the children in picking out a Mother’s Day gift. This is what the holiday is all about. However, children don’t always have developed and sophisticated tastes in jewelry. My suggestions is “limited choice”. Limited choice means find two or three pieces you think your wife will like at Ice.com. Then get your kids around the computer and ask them which ones they like out of just those two or three pieces you’ve pre-selected. Get their feedback and then make a decision with their help. Of course this isn’t as easy as just signing their names to a gift you chose. However selecting a gift this way will be so much more meaningful!

One way you can help make Mommy sparkle is with this pair of Cultured Freshwater Pearl and Diamond 14K Gold Earrings. At just $75, these earrings will fit any Mother’s Day budget. These elegant earrings feature round, luminous, white 6.5-7mm cultured freshwater pearls, accented with diamonds, and suspended on delicate 14k gold European latch wires.

This is the second part of a series highlighting wonderful jewelry investments that you can make with your upcoming economic stimulus package payments. You can read my first post about a fabulous diamond ring here. To help jumpstart the economy, the IRS is sending taxpayers like you and me between $300 and $600 each to spend any way we like.

If you do not have a classic gold chain, using this windfall to gift yourself with this 14K Yellow Gold Necklace is a perfect way to go. The beauty of warm, gleaming yellow gold is on display in this spectacular necklace priced at just $495. A classic sleek snake chain is exquisitely crafted from lustrous yellow gold and finished with a secure clasp. This very versatile look is elegant and you’ll find yourself wearing this piece all the time

I’m sure a lot of you upcoming June brides have been running through your checklists and making sure everything is set for the big day. Make sure you don’t forget something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue! If you’re really stressing, why not combine something new and something blue by purchasing this lovely sapphire, diamond, and white gold pendant. A graceful, symmetrical design hold a four diamonds and three sapphires. This is a delicate piece that will accentuate, not overpower, your look for your special day. Best of all, at $150, it won’t make the slightest dent in your honeymoon funds!

My fellow Americans:

Our tax refunds should be arriving any day now! It should come as no surprise to any of you that I intend to do my part to stimulate the economy by purchasing some new jewelry. I’m leaning toward this emerald and round cut diamond pink gold ring. A central emerald-cut diamond is surround by twinkling smaller diamonds that also extend halfway around the band. I love emerald cut stones – they’re so elegant, and one of the best cuts for emphasizing the play of light within a gem. Pink gold is also coming into style, which I’m happy about. It’s a modern look that remains feminine and tasteful. Best of all, this ring is only $595, so my tax rebate should cover it!

Starting in May (just in time for Mother’s Day!) the US government will be issuing the first checks of the “Economic Stimulus Package”. The checks are distributed based on your social security number. Click on over to the IRS website to learn more. Many Americans will receive around $600 to spend any way they like. If there’s a piece of jewelry you’ve had your eye on, this is a perfect time to get it.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing with you some great investments you can make for your jewelry wardrobe with your economic stimulus windfall. You know, diamonds are forever! This 1/3 Carat Diamond 14K White Gold Ring by Dalumi is just $495 and would make a dramatic statement with any outfit. Geometric and elegant, this contemporary ring beautifully combines the fire of diamonds with the cool gleam of white gold. Glamorous diamonds sparkle amid a gracefully swooping cutout ring design. It’s a perfect right hand look.

Yesterday I clued you in to a way to get two great looks for the price of one, and today, I’m going to do myself one better. Here’s a beautiful three-of-a-kind set of matching pearl stud earrings. Simple, classic pearl studs in pink, black and white come in a set, so the perfect pearl accessory is always at your fingertips. Between the three, you should have a great accessory for every outfit. You could even mix and match individual earrings for a unique look! (Don’t actually do this.) This set is only $50 – less than $17 a look!

Have the freedom to change your mind with these 14 carat gold and pave crystal reversible earrings. These earrings are unlike any I’ve ever seen – they are fully reversible! You can change your look in seconds as the mood takes you. One side is a classic lightly detailed gold hoop, and the other is packed with glamorous, shimmering pave crystals. This is the perfect piece to wear to your day job, reverse, and slip out to the night life. They’re only $135 – only $67.50 per look!

I’m sometimes a little late making my holiday gift recommendations, so I wanted to be sure and start my Mother’s Day advice early! Dazzle your mother, grandmother, wife, or any special mom in your life with this rose gold over sterling silver. A graceful sterling silver bangle sports one single link of delicate rose gold. A unique anytime piece sure to warm any mother’s heart – and at $95, easily leaves you room for chocolate and flowers!

If you’re feeling down, I have just the thing to lift your spirits! This lovely Blue Agate and Diamond 14K Gold Pendant and chain is a great way to brighten your day or for someone you love. Agates are believed to soothe the mind, promote eloquence and bring victory over enemies. This enchanting blue agate and diamond pendant will surely be worn with good conscious. This piece is beautifully detailed with 14K yellow and comes with a chain.

What’s more – the natural look is in for spring. In all of the magazines I’ve seen, nature and the great outdoors are inspiring fashion. Just goes to show you that Mother Nature never goes out of style. This blue agate pendant is a perfect way to give a natural touch to all of your outfits.

Not my most creative post title, but one that’s certainly appropriate for the time of year and its fun, festive jewelry. Show off your springtime spirit with this fetching and unusual multi-gemstone ring. Three cut stones – pink tourmaline, blue topaz, and peridot – are each ringed with smaller diamonds, together with a loop simply of diamonds. The band and setting are white gold, featuring varied finishes around each gemstone to help bring out its own vivid color. A perfect piece for some fun in the sun. Dazzle your friends today for only $295.

Some kind folks have written in (thanks for your emails) and asked me about the perfect pendant for spring. Not to over-do the alliteration, but I have a passion for purple. I think that spring is the perfect time to wear all of your purple jewelry. There was a woman that I worked with once and purple truly was her signature color. She wore purple every day. Not only did she always looks great, she didn’t have to worry too much about putting an outfit together. Everything in her closet matched! Purple was her black.

This 3/4 Carat Amethyst and Diamond 14K White Gold Flower Pendant comes with its own chain. It’s affordable at just $125. Traditionally the stone of royalty, the regal purple hue of amethysts will make you or the one you love feel like a queen. In this gorgeous pendant, violet stones are set in a graceful flower design. It’s a feminine look that you’ll enjoy wearing every day – even if everything in your wardrobe isn’t purple!

If you’re anything like me, you probably find that a lot of your wardrobe is black. Black is elegant, simple, easy to wear, and always looks great. From time to time I like to spice up my black outfits with a little extra something. This Sterling Silver Link Bracelet with White and Black Agate and Silver Beads will give any black ensemble a boost! For only $95, you get three rows of gleaming silver links that are sprinkled with black agate, white agate and dazzling silver beads in this chunky and funky bracelet. It’s a great looks for the office but transitions to evening wear as well! All in all, you’ll definitely get a lot of wear out of this piece.

Just the other day, I recommended a wonderful multi-gemstone pendant for summer wear. I got a lot of feedback from that post! Thanks everyone! Well, many folks suggested anklets. Some people don’t care for anklets. No matter if you’re pro or con on the great anklet debate, anklets really are summer jewelry. If you’re going to wear an anklet, I have just one rule – no hose, please. Anklets and pantyhose are like oil and water. They do not mix!

That said – enjoy your anklets this summer. They look great with a nice tan and are a lot of fun! This 14K Gold Italian Rolo Anklet with Heart Charms for just $95 is the perfect way to celebrate summer! This Italian-style piece sparkles with yellow gold crafted into a delicate chain accented with romantic hearts.

Dear Leslie,My daughter absolutely loves pink, and so for her birthday I’d love to get her a piece of jewelry with a vivid pink stone. What’s the pinkest thing you’ve seen lately?

You can’t get any pinker than pink sapphires, and you can’t set them any better than in this white gold pink sapphire ring with black rhodium accents. Eighteen pink sapphires are lined up and outlined in black rhodium, making the color really shine forth. This is a fun, youthful look that any fan of pink (or of jewelry!) is sure to adore – and at $125, you’ll have enough left over to buy her plenty more pink.

Dear Leslie,Can you help me pick out a great piece of jewelry for summer? I’d like to get a piece that I could wear during warm weather with no worries.

Summer weather can be rough on jewelry. Perspiration and sunscreen can quickly dirty any piece of jewelry. Insect repellent and perfumes are other ways we put our precious gems through the wringer. Springtime is great for pearls but when it gets really hot, you’ll want to put them away. Pearls can be damaged by those conditions I just mentioned. Brighter colors, like the flowers of summer, are appropriate when the weather gets steamy. Larger designs will allow you to clean the piece more easily.

This festive 2 1/2 carat multi-gemstone journey pendant in sterling silver is perfect for warm weather and can be worn in day or evening. It features a delightful array of enchanting bright gems including citrine, peridot, blue topaz, amethyst, and garnet. For just $50, this elegant pendant is perfectly priced for any budget.

After finding that beautiful ring a couple of days ago, I kept browsing through the vault and discovering wonderful things! I think my best find was these beautiful white gold, diamond and black pearl earrings. As you may have guessed by now, I absolutely love colored pearls, and they’re shown off here to their best advantage. Two large Tahitian black pearls hang from a white gold post, and both the post and the chain connecting it to the pearl are absolutely dripping in diamonds. This is a stunning set that will draw gasps whenever you wear them. Yours today for $1595 – less than half the $3200 list price.