A timeless favorite, butterfly jewelry is often breathtakingly beautiful – and highly symbolic.
Consider how the humble caterpillar wraps itself in a cocoon. After about ten days it emerges as a butterfly, the once-earthbound dweller now free to flit from leaf to leaf. This spectacular metamorphosis speaks to our own potential for growth and transformation. (more…)
While holiday jewelry purchases are predominantly for women, many men would love to be on the receiving end of the jewelry-giving. Today, GIA’s Holiday Buying Guide series continues with tips for buying jewelry for men.
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Everywhere you look, you’re likely to see lots of leather: leather bracelets, leather belts, and a wide array of leather jewelry.
PUNK: Chaos to Couture, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibit on punk style, whipped up interest in leather. The Green movement (some people view leather as a natural product), urban fashionistas wanting to look hip, and the rising prices of gold and platinum have also spiked interest. (more…)
A treasure trove of jewels that lay hidden underground for nearly 300 years is now on display at the Museum of London. Nearly a century after its discovery, the entire collection is being exhibited together for the first time. Workers demolishing a tenement house in the Cheapside district of London in 1912 discovered the priceless Elizabethan and Jacobean jewelry, loose gems and objects buried in a cellar. The treasure became known as “The Cheapside Hoard,” but the identity of its owner remains an enigma. (more…)
After years of being overshadowed by white gold, yellow gold is making a comeback! The demand for colored gold is usually dictated by fashion trends. Whenever shades of blue and silver are fashionable, the demand for white gold tends to increase. With Earth tones currently at the forefront, there’s a growing desire for yellow gold. (more…)
Vintage jewelry is experiencing a revival in popularity, perhaps inspired by a surge of period movies and shows like the PBS hit Downton Abbey. Art Nouveau in particular influences many contemporary jewelry designs today. The Art Nouveau design period lasted between 1890 and 1914, and was in many ways a response to the Industrial Revolution. (more…)
The June birthstone, the pearl, has a long and rich history. For many young women, pearls are just something you wear when you wanted to look classy and put together. But the unique creation of the pearl, the only gem made from a living creature, tells us that this is an incredibly special little sphere. (more…)
When your guy gets down on one knee and pops the question, you know what you want to see inside that little box. But does he? When it comes to engagement rings, even the most well-intentioned soon-to-be fiancé can use a little help. That’s where you come in—read on for 5 easy tips to getting the diamond you’ve always dreamed of. (more…)