Just Ask Leslie: Jewelry Tips

Dear Leslie,

Rob in Charlotte

Often times men buy their wives and girlfriends flowers on special occasions or when they’re thinking of them. Why buy flowers that will fade when you can select a gift with enduring beauty? This Rose Blossom Brooch with 24K Gold Accents is just $30 and is a perfect “thinking of you” gift. The glorious beauty of nature is on gorgeous display in this delicate brooch. A perfect rose blossom, complete with leaves, is exquisitely preserved, touched with gold plated accents, and placed atop a dainty yellow gold plated pin. It’s a lovely look.

Nothing says Fall like the beautiful combination of orange sapphire and brown smokey quartz. This pair of 2 1/3 Carat Smokey Topaz and Orange Sapphire 14K Yellow Gold Earrings will add elegance and class to those first chilly Autumn days all the way through the holiday season. These elaborate earrings have classic glamour. The brilliant 14k yellow gold setting is complemented by the unique orange sapphires and gorgeously contrasted with the impressive smokey topaz center stones.

Remember, sapphires are September’s birthstone. While the traditional September sapphire is blue, the orange sapphire in these earrings would make a wonderful and unique gift for a September birthday.

Celebrate the changing of the seasons with a new ring this Fall! For just $295, you can own this earthy and elegant 14K Yellow Gold Citrine and Tiger Eye Ring. Unique and enchanting, this chunky ring is stylish and bold. Crafted from 14K yellow gold, this great piece features a brilliant citrine gemstone surrounded by earthy tiger’s eye. A versatile and powerful look perfect for Fall!

While doing my research for September’s birthstone, the sapphire, I ran across many beautiful items of sapphire jewelry. I’ll try to feature them in the next few posts. One piece of sapphire jewelry that really caught my eye is this pair of 2 3/8 Carat Yellow Sapphire, Orange Sapphire and Diamond 14K White Gold Earrings. They’re very reasonably priced at just $495 – especially considering the large number of gemstones in these earrings. Two stunning blossoms are artfully composed of orange sapphires, yellow sapphires and white diamonds. These lovely earrings are set in 14K white gold and offer a vibrant splash of color to any outfit. In spring they’ll resemble beautiful blooms. However, the Autumn hues in these earrings will go perfectly with Fall attire.

As you know from my previous posts, the traditional birthstone for September is the blue sapphire. However, if you’re ready for a little more excitement, there’s no need to leave the sapphire family. Sapphires come in a rainbow of colors.

A great example of the diversity of color in sapphires is this 1 1/2 Carat Multi Sapphire 14K White Gold Heart Pendant and Chain. Vividly hued sapphires add a touch of dramatic color to this beautifully modern pendant. A graceful, stylized heart motif is beautifully crafted from gleaming white gold, set with multicolored sapphires, and suspended om a dainty chain. The wide range of colors means that this pendant will be suitable to match with any outfit. At just $295, this pendant is also wonderful priced and right for any budget.

Named after the Greek word “sapphirus”, meaning blue, Sapphires have long been a favorite among priests and kings, who considered them symbolic of wisdom and purity. These gemstones are prominent among the British Crown Jewels, and Prince Charles chose this as the engagement stone for his fiancée, Princess Diana.

In ancient times, Sapphires were thought to be protective against envy, and even against poisoning. A common belief was that a venomous snake placed in a Sapphire vessel would rapidly die! Ground to a powder, the blue stone was believed to cure colic, rheumatism and mental illness, and to strengthen eyesight.

The Sapphire is second only to the Diamond in hardness, making it a durable gemstone for setting into jewelry. A gift of Sapphire represents sincerity and faithfulness. As nourishing to the soul as gazing up at the sky on a summer day, this brilliant blue gemstone is truly a heavenly choice!

If you or someone you love is celebrating a September birthday, a blue sapphire is the right choice. This 1 Carat Blue Sapphire and Diamond 14K White Gold Pendant and Chain is a wonderful choice at just $350. Brilliant sapphires and fiery diamonds sparkle together gorgeously in this simple and very elegant pendant. A gracefully curving design is beautifully wrought in lustrous white gold and studded with dazzling, graduated, 1.60mm to 1.80mm sapphire stones.

This is my final post in a series about precious metals.

Now that you’ve seen how many choices of precious metals we have in our jewelry, why settle for just one?! Nothing could be more versatile than combining as many precious metals as possible. That way you can pair the piece with anything in your jewelry collection.

This 1/2 Carat Diamond Geometric 14K Yellow, Pink and White Gold Pendant and chain is just the thing to get the versatility you need. This piece features a modern and very chic design with the unmatchable combination of icy diamonds and three tones of precious gold for just $395. Delicately crafted interlocking ellipses are beautifully crafted and pair up for an elegant, versatile look.

Show off one of the world’s most beautiful stones in this arresting opal and yellow gold starburst pendant. Marquise-cut, shimmering opals are arranged in a dramatic, eye-catching starburst pattern. The changing, iridescent colors of the stone and the classic warm gold of the setting are sure to catch the eye and charm. An absolutely glorious piece for just $175!

Now that you’ve learned all about a variety of precious metals from my series “More About Metals”, I wanted to take a moment to show you how beautiful mixing two tones of gold can be. Jewelry pieces featuring both white and yellow gold have always been popular. They combine the best of both worlds: the warm, rich hue of yellow gold and the sleek sophistication of white gold.

Jewelry with both white and yellow gold means that you can wear it with any of your other jewelry pieces. Many times women chose to wear one color of gold – white or yellow – rather than mixing up the colors. Jewelry with both yellow and white gold can be worn with both white and yellow gold jewelry already in your collection!

This 14K White and Yellow Gold Ring is a perfect example of the the very best in two tone gold jewelry. For just $295, you get so much beautiful white and yellow gold. The lustrous beauty of cool white and warm yellow gold is on gorgeous display in this sophisticated ring. An openwork design of polished yellow and white gold make a dramatic, minimalist look that complements any ensemble.

Add some femininity and romance to your jewelry box with this gold and diamond double-heart pendant. A heart rendered in fashionable white gold encloses a smaller heart in warm, feminine rose gold. Both heart are studded with twinkling, delicate diamonds. This is a gorgeous piece and a great buy in its own right, but it comes with something extra. During September and October, 15% of the sales from this necklace will be given to Bright Pink, a charity that helps victims of breast and ovarian cancer. This is a great gift for any occasion.

This is another installemt in my series about precious metals.

Platinum is an extremely rare metal, occurring as only 0.003 ppb in the Earth’s crust, and is 30 times rarer than gold! It is sometimes mistaken for silver but platinum is whiter in appearance.

Platinum’s rarity as a metal means that is associated with exclusivity and wealth. Platinum is considered a precious metal, although its use is not as common as the use of gold or silver. The frame of the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, manufactured for her Coronation as Consort of King George VI, is made of platinum. It was the first British crown to be made of this particular metal.

Bridal bands and wedding rings are the perfect place to use platinum. This 1 1/6 Carat Diamond Bridal Ring with 1 Carat Center Diamond and 1/6 Carat Diamond Baguettes reflects how special platinum jewelry can be. A gorgeous round 1 carat solitaire diamond is the focal point of this distinctive engagement ring. The center stone is beautifully accented by 1/6 carat baguette diamonds in a lovely filigreed setting of cool platinum.

If you liked yesterday’s pink pearls, you’ll love these gorgeous pink pearl and gold earrings. Faint pink, luminous cultured freshwater pearls are set in a classically simple gold setting. These are a wonderful accessory to be dressed up or down. The pink is intense enough to be eye-catching, but faint enough not to clash with other jewelry you might wear. Also, 15% of the sales revenue from these earrings during September and October will benefit Bright Pink, a charity that provides support for victims of breast and ovarian cancer. Buy them today!

No accessory is more classic and feminine than the single-strand pearl necklace. This beautiful necklace offers a fresh take on the classic – it uses warm, delicate pink pearls instead of the classic white, adding some color and elegance to the classic look. This necklace will be especially gorgeous paired with a classic little black dress. 15% of the sales from this necklace during September and October go to benefit Bright Pink, an agency devoted to raising awareness of breast and ovarian cancer. A marvelous buy for a number of reasons.

This is another installment in my series on precious metals.

Silver is a precious metal and, much like gold, is too fine to be utilized in a 100% pure form. To make it durable enough for use in jewelry, pure silver, which has a .999 fineness (99.9%), is often alloyed with small quantities of copper (7.5%). The copper is added to strengthen the silver and the resulting product is .925 sterling silver (92.5%). This alloy is strong enough to be used in jewelry.

Sterling silver is widely used in jewelry. It’s an affordable alternative to white gold. This Sterling Silver Faux Turquoise Sterling Silver Bangle is only $125 and a great example of sterling silver jewelry. The vibrant blue tones of faux turquoise are beautifully complemented by the luster of cool sterling silver in this beautiful bangle. A simple and stylish look that brightens up any ensemble.

The only thing better than buying a beautiful new piece of jewelry is knowing that you’ve helped someone by doing so. During the months of September and October, ice.com will donate 15% of sales from selected pieces to Bright Pink, an organization that raises awareness of breast and ovarian cancer and provides support to sufferers. All this week, I’ll be featuring pieces from this collection – good for your jewelry box, good for your karma!

This is the third part in my series about precious metals.

Rose gold is a gold and copper alloy widely used for specialized jewelry due to its reddish color. It is also known as pink gold and red gold. Since it is an alloy, there is no such thing as “pure rose gold”; pure gold is yellow and pure copper is reddish. Although the names are often used interchangeably, the difference between red, rose, and pink gold is the copper content: The higher the copper content, the stronger the red coloration. A common alloy for rose gold is three-quarters gold and one-quarter copper by mass (18 carat).

If you are a fan of rose or pink gold, then you’re going to fall in love with these 8-8.5mm Cultured Freshwater Pink Pearl and Diamond 14K White and Pink Gold Earrings for only $275. Gleaming, luminous cultured pink pearls light up these gorgeously chic dangle earrings. Slender strands of lustrous white and pink gold provide fluidity of movement amid dazzling diamonds. An elegantly festive look.

As I mentioned yesterday, Virgos are often considered to be refined and conservative in their tastes, even demure. However, we all know that astrological predictions don’t always hold true. If yesterday’s pendant seemed a little staid for the vibrant Virgo in your life, check out this glittering diamond Virgo pendant. Covering in sparkling, shimmering diamonds, this pendant is perfect for the Virgo who loves to stand out and not bad for the gift buyer, at just $150!

Celebrate Virgo birthdays with this white gold Virgo glyph pendant. The traditional astrological symbol for Virgo is wrought in glamorous white gold and accented with a sparkling diamond. Virgos are said to be polite and refined, and are sure to love this classy and delicate pendant. A great gift for just $150!

This is second part of my series on precious metals.

White gold is an alloy of gold and at least one white metal, usually nickel or palladium. Like yellow gold, the purity of white gold is given in carats (karats).

White gold’s properties vary depending on the metals and proportions used. As a result, white gold alloys can be used for different purposes; while a nickel alloy is hard and strong, and therefore good for rings and pins, gold-palladium alloys are soft, pliable and good for white gold gemstone settings. The highest quality white gold is usually at least 18 karat, and made up of gold and palladium, sometimes with other metals like copper, silver, and platinum for weight and durability, although this often requires specialized goldsmiths.

While some higher-quality white gold alloys retain their shine and lustre, most will be coated with a very thin layer of rhodium. This gives the naturally more-dull white gold a shine comparable to platinum or silver; however the rhodium may wear off over time.

You can experience the beauty of white gold for yourself with this 1/10 Carat Diamond 14K White Gold Ring. This gorgeous ring is studded with thirty eight sparkling white diamonds. Set in gleaming 14K white gold, at just $225, this elegant piece makes a beautiful and unique gift of timeless affection or an exciting self purchase.

Before the modern list of birthstones was standardized, peridot often made an appearance on lists as a September birthstone. My longtime readers will remember that I love peridot, and try to showcase it as often as I can – like in this gorgeous peridot and lemon quartz necklace. Alternating briolettes of peridot and lemon quartz accent each other’s hues marvelously, and the addition of pearl beads within the gold chain adds beauty and glamor. This is a wonderful gift for just $325!