Wearing silver earrings were once thought to keep the evil spirits from possessing an individuals body. Silver earrings were seen to create a protective barrier about an individual so that no evil spirits could penetrate exposed orifices. Also wearing silver earrings were thought to keep the devil away from the wearer. So sporting a simple pair of hoops could keep your body possession free while the wearer is being stylish.

The superstition of the engagement goes as is, if you have a ring on your ring finger don’t remove it, if you don’t have one there don’t put one there. It was considered bad luck if a woman removed her engagement ring for any reason before her wedding day. The reason for this was because of the fear that the wedding may never take place. It was also a big no no to let another woman try on your engagement ring. It was said that if that occurred, the woman that tried on the ring would steal the soon to be husband away. For the single ladies, it is considered bad luck to display a ring on the proposed engagement ring finger. If a woman was to wear a ring on that finger, she would be cursed to be alone forever.

Some believe that it is bad luck to wear a birth stone that isn’t yours. If that were the case, every bride in the world would be cursed unless their birthday fell in the month of April.

pic via

“I removed my bottom row of teeth and put on diamonds instead”, West responded when asked about his shiny new set of dentures. Diamond Jewelry in the form teeth would strike most as somewhat odd and excessive, and yet excessive is what West is all about. Just consider his latest performance for the BET awards this past August. West reportedly wore $300,000 in extravagant Egyptian inspired, golden jewelry. It is a wonder he could even stand upright let alone perform with the monstrous 24k gold chain dangling from his neck.

“I like archeology and love the idea of them being found somewhere 1000 years from now and recognised as an ancient treasure and still as good as the day they were made,” Shellis told the Australian Courier Mail.

Five pairs have been sold. One of the new owners is rumored to be Victoria Beckham.

» 10 fabulous diamond rings under $999

18k “White” Gold, rough metal, not covered.

18k Gold ring after finish and Rhodium dipping.

Pure gold is too soft to hold valuables like Diamonds with claws (prongs) therefore the Gold Alloys were invented. 58.5% pure gold in any alloy will be called 14k Gold, 75% of pure Gold is 18k Gold, 24k is pure gold, %100.
Since Gold is a yellow metal “18k White gold” is an alloy of Gold (75%) and Nickel (8%) or Gold (75%) and Palladium (15%).

10 to 15% of women are allergic to Nickel released to their skin while wearing a jewel. This will result in different skin rash levels.

Metal prices as of 13th April 2010

Pure Platinum      US$ 55      per Gram.
Pure Gold           US$ 37      per Gram.
Pure Palladium    US$ 16.4    per Gram.
Nickel                  US$ 0.025  per Gram !!!

It is clearly seen that using Palladium to make the alloy white will significantly increase the price and put it close to Platinum price.
The use of Nickel is banned by countries like Switzerland and controlled by regulations in the EU community; there is yet any Nickel use regulation in the USA.
European regulations limit the amount of nickel that could be released from any item which is intended to come into prolonged and direct contact with the skin.The regulations entitled “The Dangerous Substances and Preparations (Nickel) (Safety) Regulations 2005″ clearly require that any finding component that pierces the skin may not release more than .2 micrograms of nickel per cubic centimeter per week, and that no other jewelry component release no more than .5 micrograms of nickel per cubic centimeter per week.
Nickel exposure is tested under BS EN12472 and BS EN 1811:1999. The first of these separate tests replicates two years of wear under normal use, and the second tests for subsequent exposure to nickel.
We at Diamonds-USA.com use only “Nickel free” metal alloys as required by the EU regulations.

The romantic trend- ‘Alice in wonderland’ brought to our world not only a massive amount of merchandise but also the trend of romantic pieces.
Bows, bunnies, hearts, miniature kitchen supplies- everything goes and you can wear just about anything as a necklace or as a ring.
How to wear this trend? Well, since these pieces are so cute and trendy you can wear them with just about anything- you can go for the classic sweet look if you’re looking for an Alice total look or you can mix it up with casual pieces of clothing like a tank top and a nice pair of jeans.

(From Etsy)

The floral trend- The entire world went crazy for h&m’s garden collection and that might have launched the floral trend. What can be more appropriate for spring that patterns and shapes of roses, daises and butterflies?
We were happy to find out that our beloved floral prints are appearing not only on clothes and fabrics but also in pedants, cameos and earrings.

(From Etsy)

The Eco trend- Since spring is all about getting in touch with nature and with our environment it’s no wonder that the Eco trend is catching speed as well. Recycled pieces are all the rage not only in clothing but also in the jewelry department. Eco friendly jewelry are just as trendy and good looking asother fashion jewelry with the unique perk of being environment friendly .

(From Etsy)
Colors- when we thing of spring, pastel and almost angelic colors pop into our minds.  When spring times arrive we enjoy feeling like a butterfly ourselves and we wear lots of nude colors as well as pinks and purples. Since we enjoy wearing color so much, why shouldn’t we integrate it in our jewelry selection as well? Colorful gemstones are all the rage in the jewelry world therefore you should definitely consider adding a pink cocktail ring or a emerald pedant to your collection.

(From Marie Claire)

When it comes to applying hot trends always make sure to find your personal taste and tendencies in order to become a fashion dictator instead of a fashion victim.
Happy spring time!

Each zodiac has a gemstone that rules its sign and conducts its energies. However, the traditional astrology also mentioned that a single gemstone cannot control an entire zodiac sign which is why there are several gemstones that conduct energies with a single zodiac sign.
With all that in mind, it’s time to find out which gemstone represents your zodiac sign and the meaning of it:

Aries (March 21-April 19): The main gemstone is Ruby (although some believe it is diamonds) and it represents personal qualities like primal energy, daring, initiative and self assertiveness.

Taurus (April 20- May 20): The main gemstone is Sapphire and it represents personal qualities like pure substance, physical beauty, stewardship and passive force.

Gemini (May 21- June 21): The main gemstone is Topaz and it represents personal qualities like dualistic, facile intelligence, mimicry and instinctual mind.

Cancer (June 22- July 22): The main gemstone is Emerald and it represents personal qualities like motherliness, protective and fertility.

Leo (July 23- Aug 22): The main gemstone is diamond and it represents personal qualities like self assertive, playfulness, sexuality and love, pleasure seeking and chance taking.

Virgo (Aug 23- Sept 22): The main gemstone is Jasper and it represents personal qualities like discrimination, conservativeness, attention to detail, hygiene conscious.

Libra (Sep 23- Oct 23): The main gemstone is Aquamarine and it represents personal qualities like cooperativeness, businesslike, persuasiveness.

Scorpio (Oct 24- Nov 21): The main gemstone is Black Opal and it represents personal qualities like Metaphysical, passion, violence and destructiveness.

(From Opal33.com)

Sagittarius (Nov 22- Dec 21): The main gemstone is Garnet and it represents personal qualities like philosophical, expansive and extravagant, expended conscious and independence.

Capricorn (Dec 22- Jan 19): The main gemstone is Topaz and it represents personal qualities like organization, constructiveness, serious and materialistic.

Aquarius (Jan 20- Feb 18): The main gemstone is Turquoise and it represents personal qualities like humanitarian, socialistic, progressive and idealistic.

Pisces (Feb 19- March 20): The main gemstone is Amethyst and it represents personal qualities like self- sacrificial, sensitive, vague and emotionally receptive.

What is your zodiac sign? Did you find yourself nodding in agreement to the personal characteristics mentioned it this post? Did this information change your perspective towards gemstones?

The Oscars is a fairly conservative award ceremony, and that is probably the reason why big statement jewelry weren’t anywhere in sight on the red carpet. In fact- minimalism was the bright star of the ceremony- most celebrities chose not to wear jewelry at all or just settled for a nice pair of decorative diamond earrings instead.

(Jewelry Insider)

Take Oscar winner Sandra Bullock for example- her only accessories were a hot pink lipstick and very subtle diamond earrings. Same goes for Jennifer Lopez: Lopez is usually the queen of drama but this year she decided to tone herself down a little bit by wearing a beautiful Armani dress with large stud diamond earrings.

As far as the other jewelry departments are concerned, we were able to spot some diamond tennis bracelets on celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Mariah Carrey and some gentle necklaces on starlets such as Kate winslet and the lovely Helen Mirren.

Some stars allowed their dresses to steal all the attention as they chose not to wear any jewelry at all- like the amazing Kristen Stewart: Although Stewart’s navy dress was truly a vision- we feel that the presence of chandelier earrings or a gentle necklace might have upgraded her performance to a perfect 10.

(Jewelry insider)

In terms of jewelry no big surprises were seen on the red carpet, it appears that no one wanted to make a big splash in this department (and the preference was to concentrate on the dress instead) and we can’t help but fondly remember Angelina Jolie’s beautiful emerald earrings that she paired up with an amazing black corset dress in the Oscars a few years ago. This Oscars ceremony had a no color policy and we think it’s quite disappointing.

(Etsy.com)

On a different note- you may have noticed the latest global buzz regarding Tim Burton’s recreation of “Alice in wonderland”. We might have gotten used to the fact that elements taken from the film have already sunk into the world of fashion but the latest news is that the jewelry world has also been affected by the highly anticipated film: nowadays you can find bunny necklaces, hat rings, key hole earrings, “Drink me” bottle necklaces and of course- the watch pedant necklaces in every fashion store. We can’t wait to embrace a necklace with a romantic pedant to ourselves while watching the movie.
Go Alice!

Just like in the world of fabrics and clothes- the designers are usually the ones that dictate which jewelry we would want to purchase next season. However, we can’t just credit the designers for morphing our stylish taste- celebrities have an important part in it as well.
How many times have we seen your favorite celebrity wearing a piece of garment or jewelry that you immediately wanted to have?
The designers may decide which jewelry will be trendy next season, but the celebrities are the ones that literally take off the jewelry from the runway and eventually make us fantasize about those wonderful pieces.

What are the current trends in the jewelry world?  Here is a sneak pick:

Colorful diamonds- It was probably Jennifer Lopez that made this trend such a huge success back in 2001 when she received an amazing pink diamond engagement ring from her than fiancée- Ben Affleck.
Ever since we began stepping out of the traditional world of clear diamonds and into a world filled with colors.
Nowadays if we take a look at the red carpet we can spot multicolor diamond necklaces and earrings and so it’s safe to say that this trend is here to last.

Eco friendly jewelry- it has been very trendy to become aware of our environment and therefore it’s no wonder that this trend has also touched the allegedly superficial world of fashion: from the growing population of vintage clothes and jewelry to the predictions of an ecological end to the planet by designers such as Alexander McQueen RIP and Vivienne Westwood in their collections- it was only a matter of time before this trend will find its way to the world of jewelry as well. Vintage jewelry, jewelry made of organic parts or recycled pieces are now all the rage in the world of the precious bijoux.
The most important trend in terms of jewelry is the growing awareness to the blood diamonds issue which is becoming more and more important for jewelry consumers all over the world.

The statement necklaces- statement necklace is the easiest way to make an appearance with no effort. You can wear a simple black dress and add a dominant necklace to the ensemble and surprise, surprise- you end up looking amazing.
The leader of this trend is undoubtedly the Parisian fashion house of Lanvin- they were putting jaw dropping necklaces on the runway before this trend became a worldwide mania. Although many of us can’t afford a piece of jewelry made by Lanvin, surely we could find a similar interpretation that will suit our taste.

Cuffs- when we think of basic jewelry, bracelets are probably the last to pop in mind after rings, necklaces, earrings and diamonds. However, these days the cuffs are a popular trend and we cans spot on every fashionable lady’s arm.
Cuffs from all sizes, colors and textures are currently all the rage in the world of jewelry and they came to replace the classic tennis diamond bracelets most of us learned to love so much.

Although it’s nice to purchase a trendy jewelry now and then- nothing can replace a timeless classic piece.
We encourage you not to invest huge amounts on jewelry that might run out of style during the course of the season and to invest it in jewelry that will forever be classic. Nothing is quite as classy like diamonds.

Status symbol- It is no secret that diamonds are quite expansive. In our society, especially with the financial recession we have been suffering from for the past year- many people can’t afford a sparkling diamond.
Diamonds, similar to a sports car or to a fancy apartment- are the instant symbols of wealth and riches.
We know that diamonds are a privilege to those who can’t afford it and we long for it so much because it’s expansive and it’s an indication of a successful lifestyle.

“Look at me!”- Every woman loves to stand out in the crowd and be noticed not only by men but by other women as well.
The most instant and the most visible way to draw attention is by the woman’s physical appearance. There’s nothing that says appearance quite like a sparkling diamond. Wearing a beautiful diamonds can assure that all eyes will be on the woman in question and especially on her piece of jewelry.

Simply beautiful- regardless of how we might choose to analyze our fascination with diamonds, the most legitimate reason for our love for these rocks is the fact that they are beautiful.
Many people, especially women, are automatically drowned to esthetic jewelry and nothing can be more esthetic than a lovely diamond.

Will you marry me?- A diamond is a very solid and expansive foundation and because of that fact, it is being considered that gifting a diamond is a sincere symbol of commitment.
That is also why most men offer marriage with a diamond engagement ring since it appears that nothing spells love quite like diamonds can.

Men love it too!- although it’s considered that diamonds are a territory belonging strictly to women, in the past few decades men learned to appreciate diamonds as well, and nowadays it is more and more common to spot men who are wearing diamonds.

Weather you wish to buy diamond jewelry to draw attention, to manifest your loving emotions or to prove how successful you are to the world- you should be able to agree that purchasing diamonds can enlighten your day and enrich your jewelry collection.

Diamonds have been featured in the Hollywood cinematography as early as 1932, in the film “Night after night” when the hat-check girl remarked to the character portrayed by legendary actress Mae West “Goodness! What diamonds!” which Mae respond to by saying “Goodness have nothing to do with it, dear!”.
Ever since, the role of the diamonds began to consistently grow in Hollywood roles until the point where diamonds “grabbed’” the leading roles in several of them!
From a symbol of good wealth and romance, diamonds have also been a subject of heists and robberies in such classical movies like “To catch a thief” starring Grace Kelly and the “Pink panther”.

In the year 2000, diamonds played a leading role in the dark witty comedy by Guy Ritchie named “Snatch”. The comedy thriller told us the story of gangsters, followed by orthodox Jews, followed by Gypsies all on the pursuit for 80 carat diamonds.
Seven years later, in 2007, diamonds still had a leading role in the drama “The loss of a teardrop diamond” that revealed a story based on turmoil, romance and conflict followed by the lost of a precious diamond.

The most important movie ever made about diamonds was without a doubt the 2006 “Blood diamonds” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The movie is based on a true story that took place in Sierra Leone and reveals the life story of a man who made himself a key character in the conflict diamonds business.  The movie takes place during the Political unrest in Sierra Leone in 1999 and describes very accurately how conflict diamonds affected (and still affect to this day) the tense situations in Africa.
Besides playing a leading role in the awareness raising movie “blood diamonds”, DiCaprio is also a well known activist regarding the issue of conflict diamonds.

Although it’s nice and fun to have references to diamonds in comedies and thrillers as the embodiment of wealth or romance, we actually prefer the more elaborate witty thrillers and the important dramas that showcase what can happen when our lust for diamonds gets out of proportions.
Since diamonds have been following us in modern cinematography for nearly 100 years, it’s safe to presume that diamonds will continue to play leading and supporting roles in films for many years to come.
Why the Hollywood industry is so obsessed with diamonds is uncertain but what is certain is that we enjoy films with references to diamonds and we are curious towards which roles the diamonds will continue to portray in the future.

What is your favorite diamond movie?