Victoria's Secrets: Hot Jewelry Trends for Summer

Large Earrings:
Large earrings are back again by popular demand. This time around, they look a lot like the styles of the 1980s, with colorful gemstones that look beautiful near the face. Other earring styles that will take spring by storm include marquise-shaped “flutter earrings” comprised of multiple layers of metal layered strategically and made to look like bird wings when the wearer moves her head.

Colorful Bracelets:
Ladies who love to layer will enjoy this trend! Colorful bracelets, whether thick or thin, are all the rage for spring. Cuff bracelets have been very popular over the past two seasons. In spring consumers will shake things up by selecting versions in bright colors. The fine jewelry versions of this trend will feature colorful enamel, black paired with white gemstones, and shiny or matte metal versions.

Multi-Media Necklaces:
 The new necklaces evolve from the fall and winter versions, continuing to be large and colorful. “Shipwrecked” versions, in which many elements of the necklace are tangled and twisted, have hidden treasures and trinkets interspersed throughout the piece. Multi-Strand necklaces that connect in the back are the perfect option for ladies who are trepidations about layering necklaces themselves. Cascading chains with charms as well as mixing various metals are contemporary styles of this trend. Elongated “U” shaped necklaces are also going to be a pretty way to bring attention to simple cotton tops and flowing dresses. The “U” portion is made of beads typically and suspended by chain or fabric for a softer, vintage vibe.

Also hot this summer: Blackened Metals, esp. Sterling Silver and Mixing Metals, pairing Turquoise with Red, Evil Eyes, Fringe, Grey Diamonds, and High/Low Pairings

Courtesy: Jewelry Information Center

July’s Birthstone: The Glorious Ruby

Things are heating up! Glowing in the heat of the summer sun is July’s birthstone, the glorious ruby. Called the Rajnapura, or King of Gems, by the ancient Hindus, July’s birthstone is among the most highly prized of gems throughout history.

The word ruby comes from the Latin “ruber,” meaning red. It’s found as crystals within metamorphic rock, and is a variety of the mineral corundum, the second hardest mineral after diamond. Although corundum comes in a variety of colors, it’s considered a sapphire in any color except red, which is designated as a ruby. Rubies range in color from an orangey red to a purplish red, but the most prized ones are a true red in color. Large rubies are as valuable as they are rare.

Rubies have been mined for more than 2,500 years. The most beautiful ones come from Burma (now Myanmar), but quality stones are also found in India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Kenya, Tanzania, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the United States. But strong worldwide production and the development of new treatments have increased availability and put rubies within the reach of most customers.

The red glow of the ruby is associated with love, heat, fire, passion, and even blood. In ancient times the ruby was considered to have magical powers, and was worn by royalty as a talisman against evil. It has been said that the ruby's red glow comes from an internal flame that cannot be extinguished, making a gift of this stone symbolic of everlasting love. Its hardness and durability – second only to diamonds – also makes it a perfect engagement gem.

RGC offers a variety of beautiful pieces featuring our July birthstone. If you’re celebrating a special occasion this month, whether it’s a birthday, engagement, wedding, or anniversary, make sure it’s one your loved one will remember.

Simon Says...

With the gold market poised to break another record, this is a great time to bring in your jewelry and precious items for us to evaluate the treasures your jewelry box holds. We can advise you to either re-design or repair your items, or we will pay you to recycle the ones you no longer wear. Analysts say that even at current levels, investors in gold have already made a profit of approximately 7.92 percent, and that investor desire for gold will remain strong and support higher prices. If you’re in the mood to invest, we have a good assortment of estate pieces at a great value for you or some one you know to enjoy! So Simon Says let’s rock your jewelry box by bringing it into our shop so we can do a free evaluation and cleaning for you!

Fine Estate Jewelry: Featured Item of the Month

This month’s estate selection features our July birthstone, the glorious ruby. Look at this beautiful ruby and diamond necklace set in white gold, in remarkable condition and recently cleaned and polished just for you.

Details:

25.95ctw Rubies

6.51ctw Diamonds

34.80grams 14k white gold

Cool as Ever Creation of the Month

From our Cool as Ever collection of original RGC designs by Simon, our featured piece this month is a stunning recently completed white and pink diamond ring.

Details:

RGC Designed Platinum & Rose Gold

Center Diamond: 2.29ct Radiant Modified Brilliant

Side collection diamonds: 1.12ctw Round Brilliant

Side natural pink diamonds: .65ctw Round Brilliant

23.14 grams Platinum/Rose Gold

Simon Says...

Last month I wrote about customer service and how to maintain your jewelry by cleaning at home. Home cleaning is never quite as thorough as what we can provide at Rock’n Gold Creations with our professional equipment, but it helps cut the heavy grime that can get into your pieces. That’s why it’s important to bring your jewels into the store regularly, for us to keep them looking bright, clean, and inspected and make sure they are properly maintained and dazzling when you wear them. Remember, wearing dirty jewelry is like wearing clothes that have not been to the cleaners and properly pressed. So Simon Says you need bring your jewels in at least every three months or more to keep them bright and properly maintained, at no charge to you!

What’s Up, Doc? Carats, Karats, and Carrots

When you’re shopping for jewelry you’ll often hear the words “carat” and “karat” tossed around, and it may seem like they’re interchangeable. But if you pay attention you’ll see that one type of carat – spelled with a C – refers to the weight of diamonds and other gemstones, while the other type – spelled with a K – refers to the purity of gold.

Diamonds and other gemstones are weighed in metric carats: one carat is equal to 0.2 grams, about the same weight as a paperclip. Just as a dollar is divided into 100 pennies, a carat is divided into 100 points. For example, a 50-point diamond weighs 0.50 carats. But two diamonds of equal carat weight can have very different values depending on the other members of the Four C’s: Clarity, Color, and Cut. The majority of diamonds used in fine jewelry weigh one carat or less.

The karat, on the other hand, is a measure of the purity of gold alloys. Karat value of gold (or platinum) is determined using the following formula: the mass of pure gold or platinum in the material divided by the total mass, then multiplied by 24. Therefore 24-karat gold is fine (99.9%), 18-karat gold is 75% gold, 12-karat gold is 50% gold, and so forth. This is why the higher the karat value, the more yellow the gold looks. When you buy a piece gold jewelry, the karat value is usually stamped somewhere on it.

The word “karat” comes from the Greek kerátion, “fruit of the carob,” as carob seeds were originally used as weights on precision scales because they were thought (wrongly) to have a uniform weight. In the past, different countries each had their own karat, roughly equivalent to a carob seed. In the mid-16th century, the karat was adopted as a measure of gold purity.

As for carrots… well, those are probably in your refrigerator right now, and including them in your diet will help ensure you have sharp enough eyes to enjoy the brilliance of your carats and karats!

Victoria’s Secrets: June is Wedding Season!

Getting engaged or designing wedding bands? Here are some tips for designing the ultimate personalized ring:

1. Inspect the jewelry he or she wears to get a sense of your beloved’s ring personality. For example, does she like to make a bold jewelry statement, or would she be happier with a more discreet design? Would he want a stone incorporated into his ring or just a plain band? Decide if you want the ring to incorporate an element of cultural significance or to have a certain sensibility (to look Asian or antique, for instance) to help narrow your quest. Also be sure to scope out rings people are wearing at work or as you go about your daily life; when you see one you like, make a note of it or even a sketch.

2. If you want to create something totally original, with your own custom design, the toughest part is pinpointing what you want the ring to say. It can be tough to translate emotions into a concrete form. Work with what you know: Try writing a paragraph -- or make a list of adjectives -- that describes how your mate makes you feel or his or her traits that inspire you. If words elude you, look for graphic imagery that does the job: a Mondrian painting, a soft romantic coverlet, earthy waves, or stars. Reference the list or image when browsing through ring designs.

3. Start the process early; allow six weeks or more for delivery of the ring once ordered, but there is also finalizing the ring’s specs, which may require some back and forth communication, not to mention the extra time it takes to hand-assemble a ring and to inscribe the inside, if desired.

For Your Special Dads & Grads!

For this Fathers’ Day and Graduation, why not surprise your dads and grads with that special watch or sunglasses? Rock’n Gold Creations now carries an assortment of pre-owned Rolex, Patek Philipe, Raymond Weil, Cartier, and many other fine watches, and can also order new models for you at a great value. We also offer a great selection of fine estate jewels, all certified by Rock’n Gold Creations. Another gift idea that is sure to please is a selection from our assortment of Maui Jim sunglasses, some of the best polarized and fine designer glasses with great protection from the San Diego sunshine, just in time for summer for you or that special father or grad in your life. Make sure you place your order soon to receive your gift in time!