Jewelry is the quintessential Valentine’s Day gift. While diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, gemstones add excitement and variety to jewelry wardrobes. From amethysts to zircon, gemstones offer a wide range of color and style choices.
“You can choose your gemstone gift by buying a piece in the recipient’s favorite color or birthstone, or you can choose a gemstone that symbolizes love and devotion,” says Natalie Parman, vice president of merchandising at Jewelry Television.
For example, one of the first gemstones that comes to mind for valentine’s day jewelry gifts is the ruby, with its brilliant red hue. Throughout history, rubies have been considered the “king of gems,” treasured by royalty and cultures throughout history. In fact, prior to the 20th century, rubies were considered more valuable than diamonds.
Current fashion trends can also help you choose a gemstone. “Tanzanite is one of the hottest looks today,” says Parman. “Its brilliant color and its exclusive origin in Tanzania combine to make it a unique and highly sought after gemstone,” she adds. The stone is highly valued for its shades of sapphire blue, amethyst and blue violet. “Wearing a well-cut tanzanite communicates self-confidence, individuality and maturity,” says Parman. The name Tanzanite was coined by Tiffany, which had first and exclusive rights to the stone for many years.
If you’ve never heard of tanzanite, or couldn’t distinguish a sapphire from an opal, a visit to Jewelry Television’s web site reveals a wealth of information about gemstone lore and quality to help you make an informed choice.
You’ll find out that most gemstones are enhanced, which allows the jewelry industry to use various forces of nature such as heat to unlock the inherent beauty of nature residing within a gem. Most Tanzanite, for example, comes from nature a rather drab brown. Once subjected to mild heating, however, these stones turn handsome shades of blue and violet.
No matter how well-informed you are, when buying a gemstone, you need to trust the seller. The appraisal process notes exact characteristics of an item and then determines the value of that item. Gemstone quality is determined by its beauty, rarity and durability. An appraisal determines these factors by recoding the exact carat weight, color, clarity and cut.
For more information go to website www.jewelrytelevision.com.
YOUR JEWELRY PERSONALITY — TRADITIONALIST OR TRENDSETTER?
When you shop for jewelry, do you gravitate toward the classics like pearls, diamonds and gold or are you drawn to the newest jewelry trends? Whatever your taste in jewelry, accessories are as much a part of your personal style as the clothes you wear.
“Finding your personal style comes from inside,” says Natalie Parman, vice president of merchandising at Jewelry Television. It means wearing what you like and what you know makes you look good. That doesn’t necessarily mean spending a huge amount of money; rather, it’s expressing who you are whether you’re wearing a cufflinks label or a thrift store find.
“The great thing about jewelry is that is lets women express their personalities, sometimes even more so than their wardrobe does,” says Parman. For example, if your job requires you to wear a conservative suit when you’re more comfortable in bright colors, you can let your style shine through by wearing a pair of sparkling earrings or a fabulous bracelet.
PEARLS OFFER PERENNIAL STYLE
Pearls never go out of style — a single strand of pearls is a perfect accent for everything from a little black cocktail dress to jeans and a t-shirt. Multi-color pearls, either in single strands or in groups, add pizzazz to any wardrobe. Pearls are not necessarily perfectly round, either. Oval or slightly flattened pearls are interesting variations.
Pearls are not just for necklaces, either. You’ll find a wonderful array of Tahitian pearl rings, bracelets and earrings to complement any outfit at Jewelry Television.
“Opt for cultured or freshwater pearls instead of faux pearls which can chip,” advises Parman. Also look for pearls that are individually knotted between each pearl instead of just strung one after the other. That’s a sign of quality.
BRIOLETTE BURSTS ONTO THE SCENE
If you’re looking for something more trendy and modem, briolette jewelry has been making the scene. Fashioned from tear- or pear-shaped gemstones cut in triangular facets, these pieces come in a rainbow of colors, including amethyst, peridot, garnet, citrine and tourmaline.
“Briolette is beautiful and dramatic,” says Natalie Parman with Jewelry Television. “It can be fun and modem like a citrine earrings pendant with silk cord, or drop dead glamorous like a pair of chandelier-style diamond earrings with one yellow sapphire and two green sapphire briolette dangles.