Welcome to the world of beautiful open heart jewelry.
Emerald Heart Pendant with Diamonds in 10K White Gold with Chain - Retail Value: $249.00 Sale Price: $129.00
Jewelry can come in various forms and shapes and types. Beautiful open heart jewelry is no exception to this rule. It is very popular these days to incorporate gemstones into jewelry. Do you know of all the various types of gemstones that are often used? Do you know which are the most popular and which are the most valuable? In this short article we will be focusing on the various gemstones that are often used in the creation of pretty jewelry.
Amber is not made from minerals, but from compressed tree resin. This tree resin has to harden for over 1 million years before it can officially be called “amber”. Many of the Baltic States, such as Lithuania, are leading producers of the world’s finest resin. Some amber can be over 120 million years old.
Heart Shape Diamond Earrings in 10K Yellow Gold: Retail Value: $275.00, Sale Price: $129.00
The most prized gemstone in the quartz family has been amethyst for many years. Prized for its purple hue, it can range in tone from light to dark.
Emeralds are a very ancient gemstone. It is believed that the Ancient Egyptians mined these fine gemstones as far back as 3500 B.C. They are known for their fine green to bluish green color.
The most popular color for the gemstone Jade is “green”, but it can come in other colors as well. It has a nickname: “The Stone of Heaven”, and it has been closely linked to Asian tradition, culture, and history.
Jasper comes in a variety of colors. It is a gemstone of the chalcedony family, and often has very interesting and beautiful patterns. Picture jasper, a popular form of jasper, is known for it’s beige’s and browns and elaborate swirls.
Garnet Earrings with Diamonds 3/5 Carat (ctw) in 14K Yellow Gold - Retail Value: $210.00, Sale Price: $99.00
Do you know which gemstone is called the “king of precious stones” in the Sanskrit language (i.e.: “ratnaraj”)? The answer is ruby. Known for its intense red color, it is amongst the most highly valued of precious gemstones.
One of the most popular gemstones in the United States is the sapphire. One reason could be that it is much more affordable than an emerald or ruby. Sapphires can come in various types, but “blue sapphire” tops the list. It is known for its medium to deep blue color. If you love the color blue, this is the gem for you!
Turquoise is found in only a few places on earth. Here’s a question for you. Which region of the world is the world’s largest producer of turquoise? The answer is the southwest United States. This gemstone is prized for its attractive medium blue to greenish blue color.
Heart Diamond Pendant 12 Carat (ctw) in 10K White Gold with Chain - Retail Value: $500.00, Sale Price: $249.00
Do you know what an organic gemstone is? It is a gemstone that is produced by living organisms. Examples of these gemstones are pearls, corals, and amber. Inorganic gemstones are those gemstones that are composed of minerals. Examples of these gemstones are diamonds, rubies, and emeralds.
Did you enjoy this little journey into the world of the various gemstones that can be utilized in jewelry production? We hope so. Gemstones can add beauty and value to jewelry designs, and heart jewelry is no exception. Colorful and beautiful, gemstones such as these can add considerable value to a jewelry item.
Filed under Precious Gems by on Jan 2nd, 2010. Comment. 
The subject of this article is the most precious of all gemstones…the diamond. We start off by exploring some of the various myths that have been associated with the diamond over the years, and then start to evaluate some of the finer properties.
14K White Gold Open Heart Three Stone Diamond Pendant Retail Value: 175.00 Our Price: $99.00
The diamond, also known as the “King of Gems”, has been coveted and desired by man since the early ages. Uncut diamonds were worn by knights on their armor. Cut versions of the same gemstone were situated on the crowns of kings and queens. Internationally recognized as the symbol of love, they have become the center of attention because of their unique investment potential.
There was a time when the diamond was thought to be endowed with magical powers. It was thought that by merely possessing a diamond, the holder would be endowed with bravery, courage, and superior strength. Hence the reason that knights wore them on their suits of armor. As a side benefit, it was thought that the diamond could ward off the devil and other evil creatures of the night.
The diamond has been attributed to many different things over the years. For example: (1) Sexual Prowess, (3) Sleepwalking, (2) Spiritual Ecstasy, and (4) Invincibility. In order for the holder of the diamond to benefit from these attributes, they would have had to have found the diamond in the wild, its natural location. If the diamond was purchased from another person, then this “contract” would be void. One exception was if the diamond was offered in an exchange of love or friendship (for example, an engagement ring). In this particular case, the magical powers that were associated to the diamond may return.
The Hindus classified diamonds into four separate castes. They were: (1) The Brahmin diamond, a colorless diamond that provided riches, power, friends, and good luck. (2) The Kshatiya, a brown/champagne colored diamond that prevented old age. (3) The Vasiya, a diamond the color of the “kodali flower” which brought success. (4) The Sudra, a diamond that was gray or black and glistened like a polished piece of metal, which brought about good fortune. In addition we have the red and yellow diamonds, which were gems exclusively for kings.
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From a chemical perspective, the diamond is the simplest gemstone around. It’s just plain ole’ crystallized carbon. This is the same substance that makes our lead pencils. A lead pencil is much cheaper to purchase than a diamond, so it’s this crystallized pattern of the diamond that makes it special…and is the reason that it is so prized by collectors.
What is the hardest known substance? Any idea? It’s the diamond of course. Even though it’s hard, it can be chipped (if it is struck at just the right angle). This ability to be “chipped” is what allows a gemologist to shape the diamond into the thing of beauty that we buy in our jewelry stores.
Did you know that diamonds come in every color of the rainbow? This is true, but the white diamond is definitely the most popular version of the gem. Irregardless, diamonds of any color make a perfect addition to any fine piece of jewelry.
Filed under Precious Gems by on Jan 2nd, 2010. Comment.
Gold was a form of currency before the American Dollar, the Indian Rupee, or the British Pound was even thought of. In fact, gold has been valued as a form of currency almost since the first piece of gold ore was found in the dirt many years ago. In some parts of the world today it is still used to denote power and wealth. Rare and very heavy, it has been used throughout the ages as a status symbol for the rich, kings, and merchants alike. Welcome to our little tour into the world of gold. We hope you enjoy it.
Denoting itself as one of the worlds most valuable and precious metals, gold sets itself apart from the rest of the precious metals. It is so malleable and soft that just one mere ounce of it will produce a wire that can stretch 5 miles in length. If you would prefer to pound it rather than stretch it, you could create a sheet that will cover 100 square feet. Because it cannot corrode or rust it will last almost indefinitely.
It can be found almost everywhere around us. It is in our rivers and seas, in the crust of the earth, and in our plants as well. Unfortunately, it is expensive and difficult to extract…which is why it is so pricey. It takes about 2.5 to 3 tons of gold ore to produce one single ounce of pure gold.
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Gold is the most popular metal in today’s jewelry. This is pretty much a given. It is used in fine jewelry, heart jewelry, good jewelry, cool jewelry, you name it. Most of the gold goes into one “shape” though. Do you happen to know what it is? It’s the simple wedding band. Since gold is so soft and malleable, it is not used by itself though. It is often combined with other metals to give it strength and durability. When two or more metals are combined they form what is known as an alloy. Most of the gold that we use in our jewelry production today is in the form of an alloy.
So, what are these various types of jewelry you ask? How about: (1) Gold jewelry, (2) Rose gold jewelry, (3) Wholesale gold jewelry, (4) White gold jewelry, (5) Gold plated jewelry, (6) Gold body jewelry, (7) 18k gold jewelry, (8) Gold charm jewelry, (9) 24k gold jewelry, (10) 14k gold jewelry, (11) Gold horse jewelry, (12) 22k gold jewelry, (13) Indian gold jewelry, (14) Plus other beautiful gold jewelry items.
You have probably heard of the word karat before, but do you know what it means? The word itself is derived from the word for the fruit of the carob tree. For example, the Arabic word girat, the Italian word carato, and the Greek word keration. The seeds of the carob tree were used in the measurement of the size of precious gems in the ancient world. There was a pure gold Byzantine coin called the solidus. It weighed in at 24 karats, so the 24 karat mark (i.e.: 24K or 24KT) became the mark used to indicate that the item being looked at was make of pure gold.
Filed under Precious Metals by on Jan 2nd, 2010. Comment.
Did the Ancient Greeks and Ancient Romans have anything to say in regards to jewelry? The answer is yes, and we will be addressing this issue in this particular article.
The first true examples of Ancient Greek Jewelry are pieces which utilized beads shaped in the form of various animals and shells. In the years before Christ the Greeks had started to incorporate gemstones and gold into their jewelry. By the year 300 B.C they ventured into the area of colored jewelry, utilizing pearls, amethysts, and emeralds as well. They also made cameos from the Indian Sardonyx (a striped down pink and cream agate). In reality, Greek jewelry started off with very simple designs, but they became increasingly more complex and elaborate as time went on.
The people of Ancient Greece did not wear jewelry in their daily lives. It was worn during special events, occasions, or public appearances. A common gift for women, it was displayed to show off not only their incredible beauty, but also their social status and tremendous wealth. It was thought that jewelry had mystical powers. Many believed that it could ward off the “Evil Eye” (a look that one person could send your way that would bring you injury or other forms of bad luck). Most of the Greek jewelry of this time period was made from (1) silver, (2) gold, (3) ivory, (4) gemstones, (5) clay, and (6) bronze.
The Ancient Greeks developed two types of jewelry. These types were: (1) cast jewelry pieces and (2) those that were formulated by hammering out sheet metal. We have only a few examples of these cast jewelry pieces available today. They were made by casting the metal onto two moulds made out of either clay or stone. These two moulds were joined together with wax, and molten metal was poured into the center of the mould. This technique had been passed down since the Ancient Bronze Age. Jewelry made from hammering sheet metal was much more common. Sheet metal was hammered to the desired thickness, and then soldered together.
The Ancient Romans were known for a number of things, but their jewelry is not one of them. They were very fond of brooches, an item which they utilized to to hold their clothing together. As the Roman Empire was vast and huge at the time, they took full advantage of it, importing various materials from the far-flung reaches under their control. In the early years they made a lot of their jewelry out of glass beads and pearls, but in later years they incorporated bone, bronze, and gold. Imported sapphires from Sri Lanka were also popular. They also used Indian diamonds, emeralds, and amber, as well as Sri Lankan sapphires.
Like their neighbors the Greeks, one of the purposes of Roman jewelry was to ward off the “Evil Eye” given by one’s enemies. Women wore jewelry all over their bodies, but for men, it was often only a ring on the finger. It was expected that Roman men would wear a ring on one finger, but some Roman men wore a ring on every finger, while others wore no jewelry at all.
Filed under History by on Oct 2nd, 2009. Comment.
If you have been surfing the web and looking for articles on “open heart jewelry”, it is very possible that you have come across an article or two that we have written in the past. We regularly contribute to various blogs and forums, and try to offer our “points of view” on this subject to the public at large. If you haven’t read any of our articles do not worry…you will probably come across one of our articles at one point or another… 
We would like to take a “step back” in this article and write about the overall history of jewelry in general. Jewelry as an art form has been around for thousands of years, and different cultures have used it in different ways. As we examine these pieces of jewelry we will gain insight into how these ancient cultures actually worked.
In Ancient Africa the homo sapiens provide us with the first signs of a culture using jewelry. Snail shell beads have been found at the Blombos Cave in South Africa that date back to over 75,000 years ago. At Enkapune Ya Moto in Kenya beads made from ostrich egg shells have been found that date back to over 40,000 years ago.
When we think of Egypt we think of the pyramids and the sphinx, right? What about jewelry? Well, it is here that we find the first signs of established jewelry making around 3,000 – 5,000 years ago. Egyptians made their jewelry out of the same materials that we make jewelry out of today. For example, gemstones, but they preferred to make their jewelry out of glass, which they could color to satisfy their particular tastes. This meant that for every gemstone that they could find in nature, they were able to manufacture a glass replication that could mimic it. Other cultures have used the template of Egyptian jewelry in their own jewelry making. Consider the Phoenicians for example, who copied many Egyptian designs.
We all love colored jewelry for it’s beauty, but to the Ancient Egyptians it meant different things. Take for example the color red. The necklace of Isis that was to be placed on the neck of a mummy needed to be red in color. It was thought that this color would satisfy Isis’s need for blood. On the other side of the coin, the color green was used to symbolize growth in crops and fertility. The Ancient Egyptians made their jewelry in large workshops that were often attached to their palaces and temples.
Jewelry development and production started to spring up in the cities of Sumer and Akkad (in Ancient Mesopotamia) around 4000 years ago. It tended to be made from metal leaf, and was often set in a large number of brightly colored stones, such as lapis, agate, carnelian, and jasper. Various shapes like leafs, grapes, cones and spirals were often utilized in their designs. Being masters of record keeping, the Ancient Mesopotamians have provided us with huge archives of detailed records detailing both the creation and trading of jewelry.
Did you enjoy our little departure from our regular heart jewelry articles? It’s very interesting to see how the art form of jewelry making has developed over the history of man.
Filed under History by on Sep 25th, 2009. Comment.