Just Ask Leslie: Jewelry Tips

Dear Leslie,

Sarah in Arizona

These delicately feminine 3 1/2 Carat Multigemstone 14k Yellow Gold earrings glitter with a pastel rainbow of multiple gemstones. A beautiful row of multi-hued gems are set in a sculpted design of glistening yellow gold with swirls of color and diamonds. It’s a fresh, colorful look for everyday. The variety of colors means that you’ll be able to wear these with any outfit. They’ll become a favorite in no time!

White is probably not a “color” you think about when considering colorful gemstones. However, white stones can be dramatic alone or paired with other gems as in this 1/3 Carat Black and White Diamond 14K White Gold Pendant and chain. Charming and elegant, this oval pendant is studded with sparkling white diamonds and exotic black diamonds which get their color from an enhancement process set in lustrous 14k white gold. This delightful piece also comes with a delicate white gold chain. It’s very reasonable at just $295.

Other white gemstones include pearls, mother of pearl, opals, and, of course, diamonds.

Like so many of you, I’ve been following the 2008 Summer Olympics in China. I love all of the drama and team spirit of the Games. I’ve been inspired by what we can do as a world – coming together for this special event.

The closing ceremonies were spectacular – as were the opening ceremonies. All of the fireworks reminded me of 1/8 Carat Diamond and 14K White Gold Starburst Ring. A delicately crafted starburst design gives this beautiful ring a whimsical, yet sophisticated air. Lustrous white gold is beautifully accented with round, brilliant white diamond accents. It’s a truly spectacular look! You can add fireworks to your outfit any time of year!

Dear Leslie, I’d like something new to add a splash of color to my summer wardrobe. These long hot days can have me dragging! Is there anything you can suggest that will help put some pep in my step?

This pair of 18K Gold over Sterling Silver Peridot Hoops by designer Andrea Barna is just the thing to add a touch or bright summer fun to these dog days of summer. Peridot is the birthstone for August, so now is the perfect time to wear them! These stunning earrings have an exotic, refreshing appeal. Crafted in 18k yellow gold over sterling silver, these luminous earrings feature peridot gems that dance with eye-catching movement.

You may no longer be able to do that gymnastics routine you learned when you were a teenager, however you can still do your part to cheer on the 2008 Olympic team from the USA.

This 3/4 Carat Ruby, Sapphire and Diamond 14K White Gold Heart Pendant and Chain is just $395. The dainty heart shaped pendant is patriotic and sweet. Crafted from gleaming 14k white gold, this piece is artfully studded with red rubies, white diamonds, blue sapphires and comes with a delicate white gold chain. It’s perfect for the Olympics, the 4th of July, Flag Day and any other national holiday.

Black gems are often over-looked when we discuss colorful gemstones. But black gems can really add a sexy touch of glamour to just about any outfit!

Some black gemstones include: black rhodium, black onyx, black pearls, granite, and black cubic zirconia. Also black ceramic and and black enamel make fascintating pieces of jewelry.

This Sterling Silver and Black Cubic Zirconia Necklace is a perfect piece to help add a touch of black to your jewelry collection. The exquisitely crafted sterling silver design is overlaid with dramatic black cubic zirconia in this striking pendant. It’s a modern and chic look that is just $50.

Well, I thought that I had finished up my series on colored gems with my last post about purple gemstones. However, I received several emails from folks asking me about other gems – including brown, black, and white gems.

In this post I’d like to share with you about brown gemstones. Chocolate diamonds, chocolate pearls, champagne diamonds, cats eye, tiger eye, and smokey quartz are just a few of the many gems that are shades of brown. These are all wonderful choices for accessories going into the Fall season.

A perfect accessory this Autumn is this beautiful 1/4 Carat Chocolate Diamond and Chocolate Cultured Freshwater Pearl 14K White Gold Ring. For just $295, you can add a breath-takingly beautiful and regal accent to any outfit with this spectacular pearl ring. Highly sophisticated, these chocolate cultured pearls are crowned with gorgeous brown diamonds and set in 14k white gold.

In my final post in this mini-series about colorful gems, I’d like to feature purple gemstones. Purple gems are great any time of the year, however we see many purple tones in the spring time.

Purple gemstones include amethyst, purple jade, and tanzanite.

This lovely Purple Jade and Quartz Sterling Silver Pendant and Chain is a great way to incorporate purple into your wardrobe this winter. Fancy purple jade is set in cool, lustrous sterling silver and enlivened with a Quartz snowflake motif. A delicate chain completes the piece. It’s a very feminine pendant.

The next color of gems that I’d like to feature in my series of colorful gems is blue. Blue is a dynamic color that is perfect any time of year. In the Winter blue echoes the icy weather. In the Summer, blue reflects the clear sky and blue waters of the pool or ocean.

Blue hued gemstones include blue diamonds, blue sapphire, blue topaz, blue agate, and blue chalcedony.

This 7 3/4 Carat Sky Blue Topaz, Tanzanite and Iolite Sterling Silver Pendant and chain is perfect for anyone that loves blue. This gorgeous pendant is an enchanting whirlpool of indigos and pale blue gemstones. The center jewel, a beautiful sky colored topaz, is surrounded by tanzanites and iolites and set in sterling silver. It’s available at an amazing price of just $85!

This pink gold geometric bangle is a wonderfully delicate, feminine accessory. A slender, graceful octagon is wrought in 14-karat pink gold, hinged in the middle for easy on and off. This piece is a glorious addition to a summer outfit, and can be worn alone or stacked with other bangles. On sale for just $135!

Continuing with my series of colorful gems, today I am featuring green. Green is a versatile color for gems. Depending on the hue or richness of the gem, green gemstones can be a perfect accessory year-round. Bright colored greens are perfect for Spring and Summer while darker tones work well in Fall and Winter. Green is a great compliment to holiday reds.

Green gems include jade, green garnets, tourmaline, green quartz, malachite, and of course emerald.

This 3/4 Carat Emerald and Diamond 14K White Gold Multi Circle Pendant and chain is a great way to add rich green tones to any ensemble. At just $225, it’s totally affordable. Vibrant green emeralds give this delicate pendant glorious color and sparkle. The emeralds form delicate circle motifs accented by dazzling diamonds in a beautifully crafted setting of lustrous 14K white gold. A white gold chain completes the look.

Although we may still be dealing with summer heat, it’s never too early to get your jewelry collection. This garnet and yellow gold bracelet is just the thing for a fall jewelry collection. The rich, beautiful red of garnet and the shining yellow old create a warm, autumnal look that’s just the accessory for the coming season. A simple, elegant piece for just $225!

This tri-color gold heart necklace showcases the beauty and versatility of gold. Gold beads separate three hanging heart charms, in yellow, white, and pink gold. This is a delicate and feminine piece appropriate for any age and nearly every occasion – and a wonderful bargain at just $125!

This month I’m featuring a rainbow of colorful gems. Already I’ve written about red and orange gemstones. Today I’d like to share with you the beauty of yellow gems.

Yellow is a great color for Spring, Summer, and Fall. Yellow gems are also the perfect accessory to wear on a tropical cruise in the winter months. Citrine, yellow sapphire, and yellow quartz are three gems that will bring bright yellow color to your jewelry collection.

This 10 1/4 Carat Citrine and Diamond 18K Yellow Gold Ring packs a bold yellow punch. The name citrine is derived from the French word for lemon. This fantastic ring showcases a cabochon citrine haloed by round citrines and accompanied by dazzling diamonds. All this beauty is crafted on a band of lustrous 18K yellow gold. This ring is the perfect way to add yellow to your wardrobe.

Dear Leslie,My sister’s favorite color is purple, and I’d like to buy her some purple jewelry for her birthday, which is coming up. Believe me, she has enough amethyst – what else can you recommend?

Dear Dee,

While amethyst is the best-known purple stone, there are a number of others to choose from. Tanzanite, one of the most newly-discovered gemstones, is an excellent stone. Since its discovery in Tanzania (guess how they picked the name?) in the late 1960s, it’s been cherished for its pale blue-violet hue, which is shown off marvelously in this tanzanite and diamond white gold ring. This is a sure bet to delight all purple-lovers – and all jewelry lovers!

Chocolate diamonds are becoming more and more popular, and for good reason. The warm, clear brown hues have recently become more prized as jewelry buyers continue to seek new and exotic materials. The hue and delicacy of these lovely stones is showcased brilliantly in this elegant graduated chocolate diamond pendant. Seven chocolate diamonds in graduated sizes are set in a simple yellow gold setting. This is a beautiful accessory for evening wear, and only $895 – much less than the $1800 retail price!

For centuries, Venice has been renowned for the wonderful quality of the glass produced there. Artisans fleeing the Crusades and, later, the Ottoman expansions often settled in the territories of the wealthy, trade-friendly Venetian Republic. There, inspired by the beautiful scenery of the Adriatic coastline, they established a thriving industry creating beautiful, colorful glass that was – and is – appreciated around the world. You can have a piece of this colorful history with this multicolored Venetian glass bead bracelet. An elegant silver bracelet is decorated with a cluster of fine, brightly colored Venetian glass beads. This is an excellent conversation piece, a wonderful accessory, and an amazing bargain at just $25!

Another great way to add a touch of Fall color to your jewelry collection is with bright bold touches of orange. Orange gems look great with grey, green, and brown colors of Fall fabrics. Of course, orange gems are perfect for Halloween!

Typical orange gems include orange sapphires, citrine, fire opal, and carnelian to name a few.

Discover the beauty of orange tones with this 1 3/8 Carat Citrine and Orange Sapphire 14K Two Tone Gold Ring for just $250. This piece has classic elegance. Set upon a band of 14k white gold, this ring is beautifully ornamented with an impressive sunshine yellow citrine center stone, unique orange sapphires and 14k yellow gold detailing. It’s a perfect ring for Fall!

This stunning amazonite and silver bracelet is just the thing for a late-summer jewelry buy. Pastel, blue-green amazonite beads are connected by slender sterling silver links and accented with two silver circles, one polished and one set with shimmering clear crystals. This is a lovely, lighthearted bracelet that’s sure to charm and delight. A wonderful bargain for just $55.

I receive so much email that it’s hard to respond to all of them individually. Many people write to me asking for advice about their favorite gems. Over the next few posts, I’ll feature gemstones in a rainbow of colors to help you all add some color to your jewelry collections!

A popular accent color in the past few seasons has been red. As we move into Fall, red accessories are a great way to add a touch of fall color to the classic earth-tone fabrics worn in Autumn.

Red gems include red jade, red onyx, red coral, garnet, and rubies. This Sterling Silver Bracelet with Natural Red Stones is a great way to add bright red color to your outfits on a budget. It’s only $75. Richly-hued red agate makes a dramatic statement in this significant and bold bracelet. 18K pink gold plated and white sterling silver links complete the piece.