Just Ask Leslie: Jewelry Tips

Dear Leslie,I’d love to sell my house, quit my job, and move to the beach! But until I win the lottery it’s off to work I go! In the meantime, I love to wear ocean and beach inspired jewelry – especially during the summer. I’ve got it all – from sand dollar earrings to less that elegant sharks teeth pendants! Can you suggest something that might be new to me?

Nature inspired jewelry is always in fashion. In the summer it’s fun to wear jewelry that is light and breezy or makes us think of upcoming vacations! This 18K Gold Over Sterling Silver Starfish Pin is just the thing! At $65 it’s a great bargain. This pin features a starfish – a symbol of good luck. The pin is simply delightful and perfect for any beach lover. Beautifully rendered in luminous 18K yellow gold over sterling silver, this versatile piece can be worn any time.

Dear Leslie,
Are pink pearls real pearls?
Dawn in Mississippi

Pearls are mysterious and that adds to their distinctive beauty and romance. Pearls are unique among gems because they are made by a living creatures – types of mollusks. Those animals create pearls in a variety of colors inlcuding pink. Pink pearls are real pearls. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and osme people prefer pink. Pink pearls can be a wonderful choice for people with fair skin tones.

These fabulous pink cultured freshwater pearl earrings in 14K gold really show off the beauty of pink pearls. They are a wonderful way to add warmth and grace to any outfit. These $60 earrings are perfect for the office and other occasions that require a classic look.

A little sparkle punches up this 18 inch strand of pink cultured freshwater pearls. Pink Swarovski crystals add a unique touch and allows you to pair this necklace with a party dress for an extra special look – very pretty in pink! It’s a more youthful look and will also look fabulous with pink topaz!

Dear Leslie,I want to buy my wife a romantic gift for our first anniversary next month. I’ve seen lots of beautiful jewelry, but nothing that I think will really show her how crazy I still am about her. What do you suggest?

Dear Adam,

No gift is more romantic than a locket! Not only can you give your wife a beautiful piece of jewelry, you can also give her a photograph of yourself to keep with her and cherish. This beautiful citrine, diamond, and pearl 14-karat yellow gold pendant is just the ticket. This locket is beautifully wrought in white gold, citrine, and diamond, while the attached chain featured luminous white freshwater pearls. The front of locket says “I Love You” in tasteful script. Give it today for just $295.

Pearls are the perfect jewels for summer. They remind people of the sea, capture light beautiful, and come in a dazzling array of gorgeous colors. This elegant chocolate pearl and pink gold pendant with chain is the perfect way to wear a pearl this summer. A cultured Tahitian chocolate pearl nests in a dramatic swoop of 14-carat pink gold. The pink gold and chocolate pearl complement each other wonderfully, and the pendant comes with its own 17-inch matching chain. This is a wonderful piece that will add vibrancy and color to any summer jewelry box. Show it off today for just $195!

Dear Leslie,I’m looking for something stylish and unusual to wear on my vacation this summer. What have you seen that will make me the toast of the island?

Dear Vicki,

Any good piece of jewelry is great for home or away, but if you’re looking for something with extra style for your summer getaway, check out this triangular link sterling silver necklace. Triangular links of sterling silver alternate with small round silver beads in this bold, glamorous necklace. The amazing luster of sterling silver and the clean, unique design of this necklace are sure to make you stand out on your holiday getaway – but at only $175, won’t cut into your travel budget!

Dear Leslie,
I’ve always wondered about pink gold. Most gold that I see is yellow or white gold. Can you tell me what pink gold is exactly?
Thanks,
Sarah in New Haven

Gold in its pure form is a yellow metallic element but it’s too soft to use in jewelry that way. Most of the time, gold is mixed with other metals to make something called an alloy. An alloy is simply a mixture of two or more metals. Pink gold, sometimes called rose gold or red gold, is a gold alloy where the amount of silver has been reduced and the amount of copper has been increased. So, pink gold is really gold with copper added to give it a special rose color.

This 14K polished pink gold wavy bangle is diamond cut to give it some terrific sparkle. It’s a wonderful example of pink gold. This bangle is a great piece to add to your jewelry collection and will help you stand out compared to the sea of yellow and white gold. It’s definitely unique and it’s just $95!

Another wonderful way to accessorize with pink gold is with these lovely 14K polished pink gold drop earrings. Bringing warmth and grace to any outfit, these pink gold earrings are just $140 for an incredible look. The rose tones of the gold bring out fresh, peachy colors in your skin and look stunning in any light.

Few stones are more striking than black diamonds. They’re beautiful, unusual, and work wonderfully on their own or as accents to other stones. Two round-cut diamonds are set next to a vivid, trillion-cut blue tanzanite in this chic white gold ring. This contemporary and attractive setting shows these beautiful stones off to their best advantage. This is a lovely piece to add a touch of extra sparkle and glamor to an evening outfit – buy it today for just $295!

No gem is more exotic and steeped in history than jade. Jade is one of the longest-used ornamental stones in the world, with an especially long tradition in China and New Zealand. Jade has a particular translucent luster and richness of color that is unmistakable and arresting. One of the best ways to showpiece the beauty and variety of jade is in this green, yellow, and red jade gold bracelet. Polished pieces of red, yellow, and green jade alternate around the bracelet in an attractive and simple 14-karat gold setting that lets the jade speak for itself! This is a bold piece that begs to be shown off, and a real bargain at $395!

Like a garden full of summer flowers, this 2 1/2 Carat Multi Gemstone Sterling Silver Journey Pendant and matching chain is simply stunning. This festive pendant has an enchanting array of bright colored gemstones. Set in lustrous sterling silver, this charming piece is perfect for warm summer weather and can be worn day or evening. It’s the perfect piece of jewelry to take on vacation because it will match just about anything! At just $50 it’s easy on any budget.

I think we all have that person on our list who’s just difficult to shop for – a friend or relative whose taste and preferences are just hard to pin down. We try and try, but we’re just never satisfied with what we buy them as gifts. Well, recently, I’ve had an idea. I’m giving my hard-to-shop-for girlfriend a diamond and white gold initial pendant from the Corsiva collection. Fashions may change, styles may vary, but her name will be the same, and white gold and diamonds will never be out of fashion. The letter is rendered in shiny, sleek white gold accented with three flashing diamonds. If your hard-to-shop-for doesn’t like it, it’s time to give in and present her with gift certificates! A great buy for only $95.

If you’re a regular reader, you already know that July’s birthstone is the ruby. The ruby is also the traditional gift for your 40th wedding anniversary.

If you’re celebrating a July birthday or a 40th anniversary a wonderful way to show how much you care would be with a gift of this 5/8 Carat Ruby and Diamond 14K White Gold Ring for just $195. This simply elegant ring features deep red rubies and diamonds channel set in a delicate white gold setting.

Celebrate in July with its birthstone: the ruby. Believed to be the symbol of fire and passion, rubies are known as the “lord of the gems” because of their rarity and beauty. Rubies go particularly well with with fashion wardrobes featuring greys and wine colors.

For a little fun this HOT July, you can get her these festive 2 Carat Ruby, Green Garnet and Diamond 14K White Gold Chili Pepper Earrings! These colorful Chili Pepper earrings are a symbol of good luck and are simply delightful. This prong backed pair is crafted from 14k white gold and studded with rubies, green garnets and diamonds.

Summer is in full swing and I am having a ball! I hope that you’re enjoying your summer as well. Summer is a perfect time to experiment with bright and bold colors. I really love this 1 carat yellow sapphire and diamond pendant in 14K white gold. It is perfect for adding summer’s sunshine yellow to any outfit. At just $395, this piece is totally reasonable for the amount gold and the number of diamonds you get. Some larger pieces of jewelry can look tacky but the setting on this piece is just so classy. It’s very elegant and is a style that will stand the test of time.

Dear Leslie,
Summer is my favorite season! I just love the warm weather, trips to the beach and afternoons by the pool. Do you have any recommendations for jewelry with a summer style?
Felicia in Chicago

Summer can be a glorious time of year. The bright sunshine really does the trick for picking up your spirits. Just remember the sunscreen though! To add a little bit of that summer warmth to any time of the year, jewelry with a summer theme will do just the trick.

These wonderful multi-color mother of pearl sterling silver earrings feature a beautiful sun. Priced at just $45, these earrings have a Southwestern feel with the mosaic of small mother of pearl tiles. They’ll be a great look with jeans and are a perfect accessory for everyday wear.

This 14K two tone gold sun pendant is a great way to bring a little bit of summer sun to even the cloudiest of days. The brilliant beads really sparkle and shine. This pendant is on sale now for just $150.

The hot August sun finds its equal in this citrine and peridot sterling silver pendant. Peridot is the birthstone for August and adds its dramatic green color to this necklace. This spectacular pendant can be yours for just $50 making it the deal of the summer!

Some say that blondes have more fun. Well, I say that anyone can have loads of fun with the right accessories! Picking the right jewelry for blondes can be tricky. Pastel colors tend to wash out blondes’ skin. A wonderful choice for blonde hair is to go with deep shades of blue. Blue contrasts beautifully with a blonde’s golden locks and creamy skin tone.

One way for blondes to achieve a stunning look with blue gems is to go with sapphires. For the sapphire lover, this blue sapphire and sterling silver bracelet would make a perfect gift. Three rows of deep blue sapphires sparkle in this bracelet. 98 gems – over 29 carats – of sapphires are in this bracelet for just $125!

Perfect for the office, these blue enamel and diamond earrings in 14K yellow gold are a fresh way to add blue color into your wardrobe. The technique of enameling is a centuries-old process that adds a spash of bright blue to these classic earrings. These earrings are a great choice for the mature career woman and they’re conservative enough to wear to many religious services.

You’ve heard of a blonde bombshell, well, this blue topaz and iolite necklace in 14K white gold is a knockout itself at just $250. Perfect for a strapless dress or peaking from under a blouse, this necklace combines two shades of blue that would look stunning on blondes. The iris blue hues of the iolite are particularly unique and coordinate perfectly with the icy blue topaz.

Dear Leslie,
I love the look of diamonds but often times they are out of my budget. Are there any economical options?
Faith in Little Rock

Cubic zirconia is a wonderfully affordable option when diamonds are out of our budgets. Cubic zirconia was first discovered by German scientists in 1937 but was finally made very economical through laboratory advances in the 1970’s. Cubic zirconia is formed through a complicated process from zirconium oxide and yttrium oxide where these chemicals are combined together at almost 5000 degrees Fahrenheit. Then they are carefully cooled to create flawless crystals. Because of their clarity and brilliance, cubic zirconia stones are often compared to diamonds. Cubic zirconia is extremely durable, and can come in almost every color of the rainbow. Cubic zirconia is so optically close to diamond that only a trained eye can easily differentiate the two – some differences are observable only under the microscope or loupe.

For just $40 you can add a ton of sparkle to a special occasion with this cubic ziconia and sterling silver ring. This classic three-stone design looks fabulous on a band of elegant sterling silver.

In this exquisite butterfly brooch, a delicate butterfly motif is beautifully crafted from sterling silver and studded with dazzling cubic zirconia. This piece, if made from diamonds and white gold, would be priced at hundreds of dollars. It’s an economical way to add drama to any outfit.

This cubic zirconia sterling silver tennis bracelet is an economical alternative to the timeless diamond tennis bracelet. At just $50, you may find yourself wearing this bracelet more than you expect. The graceful setting provides fluidity of movement and will look amazing with any ensemble.

Often women with red hair think of their crowning glory as a mixed blessing. Their uniquely colored locks and matching skin coloring require special attention when picking fashion colors. Strawberry blondes to true redheads take extra care and pride showing off their tresses to their best advantage. Jewelry should be no exception!

A beautiful and sure fire look for jewelry for redheads is to go with green. From deep shades of jade, lucious emerald hues, to other verdant colors, wearing accessories featuring shades of green is a wonderful way to coordinate with red hair.

Elegant yellow gold and flattering green tourmaline make a beautiful combination in this necklace. Graceful and understated, this necklace is perfect for work attire or to accent evening wear.

This festive pair of green garnet and peridot biolette earrings in 14K yellow gold are a deal at just $95. The two tones of green mean that you’ll be able to coordinate these earrings with just about any other green jewelry you own. The groups of sparkling biolette beads hang delicately from yellow gold hooks. It’s an elegant look that will satisfy the demands of the most discriminating redheads!

Finally, this Russian diopside and diamond ring in 14K white gold is an attention-grabber with its brilliant green gems. Russian diopsides are a perfect way to add bright green color to any outfit. This ring shines with three emerald-cut diopsides in a diamond-studded white gold band for just $150. A gift of this ring will make any redhead smile!

Dear Leslie,
Platinum jewelry is expensive! Why is that – what makes platinum so special?
Anne in Ohio

Platinum is rare and has long been considered a treasure by discerning individuals. Platinum is found in very few places around the world and there’s not much of it either. This exquisite metal is 30 times rarer than gold. In fact, it is estimated that if all the platinum in the world were poured into one Olympic swimming pool it would be scarcely deep enough to cover your ankles. Gold would fill more than three pools of that size. Platinum’s rarity makes it exclusive and distinctive – a celebration of your individuality.

Platinum’s density and weight make it very durable. Platinum holds precious stones securely and doesn’t wear away. Because it is generally 95% pure (18 karat gold is 75% pure), platinum jewelry does not fade or tarnish. Platinum jewelry is ideal for those with sensitive skin because its purity makes it hypoallergenic.

This gorgeous diamond and platinum engagement ring represents beautifully the versatility of platinum. This classic design reflects couple’s enduring love and investment in each other. This ring will become a family heirloom that generations will appreciate.

Day or night, these platinum and cultured pearl earrings will bring refined elegance to any outfit. They are sophisticated and dramatic with large pearls gracing the end of the curved ear wire. Now’s the time for you to have an authentic piece of platinum jewelry! These earrings are on sale for just $195!

Jewelry for men is also crafted from platinum. Men are especially rough on jewelry and need a metal that can stand up to their tough treatment. Platinum is just the thing! This mens 5mm platinum wedding band is masculine and is a classic design that will last a lifetime.