When it comes to choosing gifts for your colleagues, friends, and loved ones, there are almost always a few people on your list who are easier to buy for than others. It can be frustrating when you are racking your brain to come up with a gift for that person who has everything, or for a new friend, love interest, or boss. Giving a gift can be especially anxiety producing when you want to give something meaningful, and not just a token or throwaway gift.

What if there is someone on your gift list who has vision loss? You want to give a gift that will be useful, right? A tech gadget? Some sort of daily living aid? Before you go there, realize that people with disabilities are people first, and just like everyone else, people who are blind or visually impaired enjoy the fashionable, fun, and frivolous as well! Not every gift has to be practical, useful, or sensible. So, what makes an ideal gift for a person with vision loss?

Presenting the Elegant Insights Braille Creations 2018 holiday gift guide. When you want to give a gift that is beautiful, personal, sentimental, or romantic, we’ve got you covered. Here is a short list of suggestions, categorized by price and recipient. Happy shopping!

For Mom, Sis, Nana, or GF:

The “I Love You” necklace. Really, what else is there to say? This necklace says it all. A large heart pendant is braille-embossed with the words “I love you” in grade 2 braille. It’s available in three color ways, either copper with rose quartz beads and copper accents, brass with lavender jade beads and brass accents, or steel and aluminum with blue agate and hematite accents. The pendant hangs from the ring of the toggle clasp, which is worn in front, and is enhanced by a pretty little cluster of the beads and embellishments. the chain is a solid cable chain in the metal that matches the pendant.

The I Love You Necklace, $50.00. Shop the I Love You Necklace here.

The “Always and Forever” dangle earrings are a great match to the “I Love You” necklace, as they are heart shaped charms, and they are available in the exact same metal and bead colors. One earring says “always” in grade 2 braille, and the other earring says “forever” in grade 2 braille. The hearts and bead clusters dangle about an inch or so from a leverback earring finding.

The Always and Forever Heart Dangle Earrings, $25.00. Shop the Always and Forever Earrings here.

For Dad, Bro, or best bud:

The Spot-on Military-style Dog Tag is available in your choice of metals and sizes. We call these “military-style” because the tags are just like the ones worn by our men and women in uniform. They feature a rolled edge, and they are available in brass, copper, and shiny stainless steel. We offer the tags in your choice of ways to wear them. As a necklace, we drop them onto a 24 inch ball chain. If you want to use it as a key tag, we offer a carabiner clip and split ring so it can be attached to backpacks, belt loops, laptop bags, or just about anywhere. Most importantly, the dog tags can accommodate up to 2 lines of up to 7 braille characters, so if you want us to personalize one for you , don’t forget to include punctuation, spaces, and special characters such as the numbers sign or the capital letter dot. Want more space? We also offer a jumbo tag, available in steel only, which can accommodate up to 4 lines of up to 9 braille characters. the jumbo tag is a great luggage tag.

The Spot-on Military Style Dog Tag, standard size, $20.00. Get the Spot-on Dog Tag here.

The Spot-on Luggage Tag, jumbo size, $25.00. Go here for the Luggage Tag.

Our Decanter Enchanter ID Plaques are elegant identifiers for your libations. If you decant your wine or spirits, we have a set of brass, copper, or aluminum charms that will help you to identify or differentiate between the contents of your containers. Each set of 3 plaques is available braille-embossed with the names of popular wine varietals or spirit types, but you can also request a custom set. Add the Elegant Insights tactile touch to your home bar.

Decanter Enchanter Plaques, set of three, $60.00. Find the Decanter identifiers here.

For the Big Kahuna, Fellow Office Drones, Teacher, or the Hostess with the Mostest:

If you know someone who is an avid braille reader, perhaps your boss or book club members, our Mark Your Spot Bookmarks are a classy gift. Available in shiny brass or gleaming copper, we can custom emboss a name, date, or even a company name or special quote for a gift that’s perfectly personalized. A leather cord and bead accent drapes over the book binding to add a pretty touch to the bookmark, even when tucked inside their favorite braille book.

Mark Your Spot Custom Embossed Bookmark, brass or copper, $30.00. See the options here, then call to request your customization.

The set of 6 Sublime Vine Wine Glass charms add a touch of style to any stemware, and are a great gift to bring to a holiday party. Make everyone’s wine glass easy to identify with charms that are both visually as well as tactually distinct. Each set includes 6 different words in braille, and are available in several shapes and themes.

Sublime Vine Stemware Charms, set of 6, $65.00. Check out the choices available in our Sublime Vine Stemware Charms. Cheers!

For your Girl Gang:

When you want to give a little somethin’ somethin’, but don’t want to go overboard on the budget, you’ll be a hit when you give a personalized gift of a bracelet or necklace with your recipient’s initials in braille. Choose from 3 shapes in 3 metal colors, brass, copper, or steel/aluminum, and request up to 3 initials on a heart, star, or mini dog tag. Each necklace is 18 inches long with a toggle clasp, worn in front, and the bracelet is 7 and 1/4 inches long secured with a toggle clasp. They’re pretty, personal, and perfect for your best friend forever.

Initial Impressions Bracelet, $30.00.

Initial Impressions Necklace, $35.00. Shop for both Initial Impressions Necklace and Bracelet here!

Our Zippity-do-dot Zipper Pulls Set is just plain cute. Clip them on any standard zipper that has a hole, and add a fun flash of style to a jacket, wristlet bag, or backpack. Available in several styles and metal colors, we have some that are already braille-embossed, and some that are available for you to customize. Let us know which set you’d like to give, and enjoy the gratitude. You’ll get a set of two zipper pulls.

Zippity-do-dot Zipper Pulls Set, $20.00. Click or tap to check out the choices of zipper pulls sets.

The “wow” gift for Daughter, Sis, or BFF:

Our Butterfly Dreams necklace and Earrings Set is so pretty, uplifting, and flat-out happy-making. If she loves butterflies, this set will let her dreams take flight. A gleaming golden brass pendant butterfly is braille-embossed with “dream,” and features a cluster of white and blue faux pearl beads and crystals that all dangle from the toggle clasp, worn up front. Matching earrings feature baby butterflies with blue beads and crystals on a steel ear wire. Chain is an 18 inch solid brass cable chain. earrings are an “in line” style about an inch long from top to bottom.

Butterfly Dreams Set, $75.00. Make her butterfly dreams come true here.

The “wow” gift for the LOYL (love of your life):

Will you love her always and forever? Proclaim your adoration with our 3-piece “Love Always and Forever” necklace, bracelet, and earrings suite. The set comes with our “I Love You” necklace described above, with the coordinating “Always and Forever” earrings. Additionally, you’ll receive our beaded bracelet with a heart charm on one end embossed with “always” in grade 2 braille, available in the same 3 color configurations as the necklace – copper with rose quartz beads, brass with lavender beads, and our stainless steel and aluminum version with blue agate beads. It’s a stunning set, and it’s a gift that we promise will keep on giving. She’ll love it, and you.

Love Always and Forever 3-Piece Set, $125.00. Shop for the Love Always and Forever Set here.

Need more gift ideas? Just drop us a note or call us! We also offer a complete custom design service, so if you want to know whether or not your braille jewelry gift ideas will work, we will help you make it happen. the final date we can accept a custom order for guaranteed on-time holiday delivery is Monday, December 10th, so get your ideas on our drawing board! Call 702-605-1265 or email customer.service at elegantinsightsjewelry.com.

Wishing you a very happy holiday season from all of us at Elegant Insights Braille Creations!

Sparkle on!

Laura

Genuine precious metals are expensive. As of the date of this writing, the spot price of gold is $1,222.10 per ounce. That number varies daily, and it also has very little to do with what you pay for a piece of gold jewelry in a jewelry store. Since fine gold is out of reach for many, you may be interested in picking up a piece of jewelry that looks like gold, but…isn’t…quite.

Gold plating is an alternative for consumers who may not wish to pay for fine karat gold, but may instead want to achieve the look for less. After all, if it’s just the look you’re after, well, then the joke is on all the chumps who are shelling out for the real deal, while you sit back and admire your nicely padded bank account. When jewelry shopping, you might see designations in ads or on the price tag such as “gold filled,” or “gold plated,,” and wonder, what’s the difference?

There are several different types of gold plating techniques, and some are better than others. The biggest downside of gold platings is that they simply do not last. Depending upon the manufacturing process used, and how thick the plating, how long it will last on a piece of jewelry largely depends on how often it’s worn, and how carefully the jewelry is handled and cleaned. Fine karat gold, on the other hand, lasts just about forever. Ever heard a news report of some lucky treasure hunter who stumbled (floated? swam?) across a sunken ship filled with gold coins from centuries gone by? Well, the reason it’s worth hunting for sunken treasure is that gold does not tarnish or corrode, and it can last a very long time in the harsh environment of freezing depths and seawater. The ancient gold coins will look just as gloriously luminous as the day the ship went down. Genuine gold is impervious to practically everything. There’s only a finite amount of it, though, and since it is a natural substance which requires great effort to extract from the earth, real gold can be very pricey.

If you decide to go the plated route, be aware that there are different methods used for plating metals, and if you are going jewelry shopping, there are some signs to look for that may help you to decide how much you are willing to spend for a look-alike.

Plating can be applied by a few methods, including pressure bonding, dipping or overlaying, electroplating, gold washing, or gold flashing, and a technique called rolled gold. Each of these processes deposits a different quantity of gold onto a base metal.

If you are comparing techniques as to good/better/best, the plating technique that offers the most gold thickness is called Vermeil, pronounced “ver-may.” Here is what the Federal trade Commission has to say about gold vermeil, from the www.consumer.gov web site: “Vermeil, a special type of gold plated product, consists of a base of sterling silver that is coated or plated with gold.” The FTC allows a product to be described as “vermeil” if it consists of a base of sterling silver coated or plated on all significant surfaces with gold or gold alloy of not less than 10 karat fineness, and a minimum thickness throughout equivalent to 2 1/2 microns of fine gold. A micron is a metric measure and is defined as 1 millionth of a meter or 1 thousandth of a millimeter. An average piece of paper is about 100 microns thick, so that’s not much gold.

How do you know what type of plating or coating is on the jewelry you’re considering? Like with karat gold, if an item is plated, there should be a quality mark somewhere on the piece that identifies what technique was used, and the fineness of the gold plate that was applied. If an item was plated with 10 karat gold, the quality mark should look something like 10KGP. If an item is gold filled, the piece should be stamped with 9KGF, if an item is rolled gold, the item might be stamped 14KRGP.

Gold Flashed, or Gold Washed, are terms that describe products that have an extremely thin electroplating of gold (less than .175 microns). This will wear away faster than gold plate, gold filled, or gold electroplate. Gold electroplate describes jewelry that has a layer (at least .175 microns) of at least 10 karat gold applied on a base metal by an electrolytic process. “Gold filled” does not mean the jewelry is filled with gold. In fact, an item marked as gold filled is also plated, but the manufacturing process is different. Gold filled jewelry is usually heat and pressure bonded in multiple layers over a core metal of jewelers’ brass.

One of the many desirable properties of gold is that it is extremely malleable. According to www.chemicool.com, one ounce of gold can be drawn into a wire 1,250 miles long (if the thickness was 1 micron). This means that you could make a gold wire long enough to go around the earth with just 20 ounces of gold. A layer of gold can be applied so thinly you could read a newspaper through it. Ever seen a baseball card with a gold overlay? Yeah, that’s really gold, but it’s also really thin gold.

Finally, you may have heard of a type of plating called gold foil or leaf. This is a process whereby gold is hand-hammered into very thin sheets. The sheets are then wrapped or applied to jewelry as an embellishment or fine detail. It can also be melted and either painted onto furniture, a picture frame, vase, or art object as decoration.

If you decide to save your hard-earned dollars for something more important to you than jewelry, and you are willing to go the gold plated route, go with vermeil. Gold plating is available in all of the gold colors, such as white gold, which may be the best option. Since the underlying metal is sterling silver, and not an unsightly mystery metal which may eventually show through, or irritate your skin after the plating wears off, you’ll probably get the best and longest wear out of a white gold vermeil, which is what matters if it’s a design you really like. I promise, I won’t tell, so sparkle on!

Laura

Laura Legendary is a speaker, author, and educator specializing in disability awareness, advocacy, accessibility, and assistive technology. She is also a jewelry designer and the owner of Elegant Insights Braille Creations at elegantinsightsjewelry.com/. Elegant Insights offers a distinctive collection of jewelry and accessories, all handcrafted, made in the USA, and embossed in braille. Follow us on Twitter @ElegantInsights, Instagram at www.instagram.com/elegantinsights or Facebook at www.facebook.com/Elegant.Insights

Earrings have a special place in my jewelry-loving heart. One of the reasons I am especially fond of earrings is that, unlike other jewelry, they are worn close to the face, and therefore can make a big difference when trying to achieve a particular look. The right earrings can be quite flattering, they can bring light and warmth to your skin, they can balance the shape of your face, enhance your bone structure, and can be very eye-catching if wearing earrings that have movement. Unfortunately, the wearer is unable to enjoy the earrings unless one is looking into a mirror, but earrings can certainly be appreciated when looking at others. They frame the face, can set off the color of the eyes, and can really make an outfit by adding a perfect finishing touch.

There are so many styles of earrings, and so many ways they are made, that I plan to devote a post to each type. Today, I’m going to share a bit about one of this year’s jewelry trends, that of the hoop earring.

Hoops have come into and out of style over the decades, enjoying popularity in the 1960’s, and finding a resurgence in the 70’s, 80’s, and at some point in each decade since. However, hoop earrings date back thousands of years, and may have originated in a part of the Middle East that is now Iraq. Hoops have also been found to have been worn by people in the ancient cultures of Greece, Egypt, Rome, and many others. Sadly, hoops have not always had a great reputation. Associated with slavery, pirates, and thieves, hoop earrings have even been at the center of a controversy calling out certain wearers of hoops as engaging in cultural appropriation. Hoops are also not usually permitted as part of business attire in more conservative workplaces, as they are seen as casual, unprofessional, and distracting. Bad hoop earrings. Bad, bad!

Negative vibes aside, hoop earrings are trending now, so I thought I would give you a rundown of hoop styles and sizes.

For those of you who do not own hoop earrings, or who have never seen them on anyone else, a hoop earring is exactly what it sounds like. It is a round ring, usually formed using metal tubing, unbroken except for a short segment open just enough to allow for a straight post or wire to be attached to one side of the opening, and a catch or notch at the other side. The post may be either flush with, or “in line” with the metal tubing, or soldered atop the tube. Once slipped through the pierced ear, the post snaps down into the tiny catch on the other side, at the back of the ear, which creates the appearance of a continuous circle. Hoop earrings can be made out of just about anything – precious metals, various types of wire, shell or other organic material, even pearls or seed beads threaded onto a strand of wire and curved into a loop. Generally, the standard size hoop is approximately 1 inch in diameter, no matter if the gauge, girth, or thickness of the material used to fashion the hoop itself is wider.

Whether or not a hoop earring looks good on you can depend upon your face shape. Some people can look fabulous in huge hoops three inches in diameter, while others would look ridiculous trying to pull off that look. If you want to rock a hoop but want to keep it real for your sense of style or lifestyle, type of work or workplace, then you might prefer a more demure diameter.

A hoop earring that is three quarters of an inch is roughly the size of a nickel, a half-inch in diameter earring is approximately the size of a dime, and there are even tinier hoops that are just about one quarter of an inch across, referred to as “huggie” hoops, as they appear to hug, or tightly wrap around the earlobe. Side note: For my screen reader users, you may have heard a mispronunciation. The word huggie is spelled H U G G I E, and pronounced hug-ee.

When referring to the size of a hoop earring, a hoop is typically measure from one side of the circle to the other at the widest point, if laying the hoop down flat. Another measurement that may interest you is the “front view” measurement, which is from side to side as you are looking at a person wearing the earring. An earring may be a diminutive gauge of 1/8th of an inch as you measure the girth of the metal, but it may be 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Or, a hoop might be a mere quarter-inch in diameter, but the side-to-side width from the front view is one-half inch, meaning the hoop is wider across the front than it is in diameter. Some hoops can be shaped more like a donut, a life preserver, or a bike tire. It could be flat like a ribbon or as bulbous as a bagel. I’ve seen some pretty crazy big earrings, some that have looked more like a bangle bracelet in the ear, rather than a hoop earring.

Hoops can be set with gemstones, have charms or beads hanging from them, or be highly polished or diamond cut. The post that slips through the piercing can be straight like any post earring, or it can be slightly curved so as to provide better symmetry hanging from the earlobe. If the post is too long, the size inappropriate for the face or placement of the piercing, or the earring is not well balanced, the hoop can tip forward or backwards, exposing a length of the post, getting caught in your hair, or sitting oddly sideways as one views the earring from the front. If you are blind or low vision, I recommend that you try on several hoop styles with someone who can objectively assess what size, shape, and style of hoop earring best suits your features. Too small, and the hoop can get lost in your lovely locks. Too large, and it might become impossible to talk on the phone, the earrings may rub against the side of your neckk or jaw line and irritate your skin, or the earring may catch on everything, including your collar, necklace, or hairbrush. Ouch.

If you have a round face, you may not like the way hoop earrings look on you. Round hoops can emphasize a round face shape, and exaggerate it. Round eyeglasses can also create a repetitive shape that may not be as flattering, so go with a smaller hoop. On the other hand, if you have a longer face shape, or sharp features, a round hoop can provide a bit of balance and soften your look. Hoop earrings aren’t always round, though. I’ve seen triangle hoops, teardrop shapes, rectangles, and hoops within hoops within hoops. I’ve even seen some that aren’t really hoops at all…just sort of a large continuous spiral that starts in the earlobe and curls around and around, terminating in the very center of the spiral, like a snail shell. There are multi-tiered hoops, where one hoop is hanging from another, hoops embedded with diamonds all the way around, and a style that was popular about ten years ago called the “inside outside” hoop, where gemstones, usually diamonds or CZs, were set around the hoop both on the inside of the hoop as well as the outside, or front view, and even around the side of the hoop as you would view the wearer in profile. Hoops can also be made using tubing in a variety of shapes. Metal tubing can be round, again, think of a bike tire, or it can be square, which is usually what gemstones are set into, or the tubing can be triangular or D-shaped, creating interesting angles with which to catch the light.

Thinking myself more conservative, or classic in my taste, wearing hoops for me was way outside my comfort zone. My first pair cost a whopping $29.00, made of very small 14kt gold wire, and purchased from QVC. they were so cheap, I thought if I hated them on me, I’d just give them away. I was on the fence about wearing them for the longest time, I didn’t really see what they did for me, I kind of felt tragically unhip, and not really able to pull it off. Since then, I’ve found my ideal size and shape, and I now have a dozen pairs of hoop earrings, mostly in sterling silver. They are great fun to wear.

Whatever style of earring you love, you can look forward to lots more posts on earrings, which are my second favorite type of jewelry to wear. I’ll tell you my very favorite in a future post. That’s the hoopla on hoops, so sparkle on!

Laura

I have to admit, when preparing to write this post, I thought I knew what there was to know about birthstones. I mean, most of us probably know what our own birthstone is, if not those of our friends and loved ones, but I could easily rattle off all of them if you asked, along with a list of the alternates, the less expensive versions of the more pricey standard birthstone such as the one for April, which is diamond. So, in the spirit of “the best way to learn is to teach,” while reading up on birthstone lore, I discovered a few details I did not know. For starters, I always thought the whole birthstone thing was little more than a marketing gimmick. you know, a lure to drive customers into a jewelry store in pursuit of their gemstone talisman, a way to personalize an otherwise frivolous item which was out of reach for most people, and create demand.

Well, I was wrong. Okay, partially wrong. turns out, in 1912, an organization called the Jewelers of America published the definitive list of birthstone gems, which in fact became the modern marketing masterstroke we know and love today. However, experts claim birthstones can be traced all the way back to the bible.

According to the American Gem Society (americangemsociety.org), the origin of birthstones is believed to date back to the breastplate of Aaron which contained twelve gemstones representing the twelve tribes of Israel.

“There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.” Exodus 28:17-20.

The Breastplate was set with twelve Gemstones set in four rows of three: Sardius, Topaz, Carbuncle, Emerald, Sapphire, Diamond, Ligure, Agate, Amethyst, and Beryl, Onyx, and Jasper. In the 5th century AD, these gems became associated with the 12 signs of the zodiac, and eventually, with the 12 months of the year.

Not only have historians had difficulty in determining exactly which gemstones were being referred to in the breastplate “blueprint,” changing styles as well as changing availability of certain gems altered the standard birthstones list throughout the centuries. In 1952, the list was updated by the Jewelry Industry Council of America to include the addition of alexandrite to the month of June, citrine to November, pink tourmaline for October, replacing alternate lapis with zircon for December, and flipping the March standard and alternate gemstones of aquamarine and bloodstone. In 2002, tanzanite was added as a December alternate.

So, here is the standard birthstone list for your reference:

January – Garnet, February – Amethyst, March – Aquamarine, April – Diamond, May – Emerald, June – Pearl, July – Ruby, August – Peridot, September – Sapphire, October – Opal, November – Citrine, December – Topaz.

Here is a complete list of the alternates, according to the International Gem Society (gemsociety.org), along with the corresponding astrological signs:

Aquarius (Jan.21 -Feb. 21)
Garnet
Pisces (Feb.21 – Mar. 21)
Amethyst
Aries (Mar.21 – Apr. 20)
Bloodstone
Taurus (Apr.20 – May 21)
Sapphire
Gemini (May 21 -June 21)
Agate
Cancer (June 21 – July 22)
Emerald
Leo (July 22 – Aug. 22)
Onyx
Virgo (Aug. 22 – Sep. 22)
Carnelian
Libra (Sep. 22 – Oct. 23)
Chrysolite
Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov 21)
Beryl
Sagittarius (Nov. 21 – Dec. 21)
Topaz
Capricorn (Dec. 21 – Jan. 21)
Ruby.

Does it really matter which birthstone is yours? Not in my opinion. If you don’t like the color of your birthstone, then adopt a new one. Call it your “half birthday” birthstone, or your dog’s birthstone, or whatever you want. They’re all beautiful, so whichever you choose, sparkle on!

Laura

When most of us think of a metal such as gold or silver, cake batter doesn’t usually leap to mind. We don’t think of metals as being a mixture of ingredients, a metal “recipe” that, when the elements are combined, produce the delicious, gleaming, jewelry confection we wear around our neck or wrist. It is common, though, for jewelry metals to be joined with other substances to increase strength, durability, scratch-resistance, or to improve the color. when two or more metals are mixed together, it is called an alloy. The dictionary defines the noun alloy as 1: A substance composed of two or more metals, or 2: a less costly metal mixed with a more valuable one, or 3: A determination of quality or fineness. Here are some examples of alloys:

Steel – Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, and is often combined with other metal elements. there are many different kinds of steel “recipes,” the one most familiar to many of us is probably stainless steel, which is used for flatware, tools, knives, fencing, appliances, surgical instruments, and jewelry. Other types of steel may be used in hulls of ocean-going vessels, concrete supports for bridge or building construction, or for underground piping. Stainless steel can be polished to a brilliant shine that will not tarnish, and because of the composition, it makes an ideal sterling silver substitute for people who have metal sensitivities.

Bronze – One of the earliest alloys known, bronze is a dark brown color, and is made up of 75 percent copper and 25 percent tin or other metals. Bronze enjoyed a recent resurgence in the jewelry industry, as manufacturers found a way to lighten the mix, turning the bronze a lovely blush pink shade, making it a low-cost substitute for rose gold.

Brass – Brass is made of copper and zinc. It is a bright yellow color. A brass alloy can also include tin, lead, or aluminum. In some states, such as California, there are prohibitions against using brass or other metals containing lead, especially when used in jewelry. Brass is also used in home decor, plumbing fixtures, and musical instruments.

Titanium – Growing in popularity for use in jewelry, titanium is a silver colored metal that is very strong. It is also noted for having the highest tensile strength to density ratio of any other metal, and is very lightweight. Metals added to titanium include aluminum, vanadium, and iron. Because it is both strong and lightweight, as well as corrosion resistant, titanium is used for many industrial applications. Since it holds up well under lots of daily wear and tear, titanium has become popular, especially in men’s jewelry, as a preferred metal for wedding bands.

Sterling silver – Pure silver, also called fine silver, is very soft, and is seldom used for jewelry, at least, not as the primary metal. If pure silver is used in jewelry, it may be used for an intricate design detail or an embellishment, but without alloying, pure silver is easily damaged. Sterling silver is a grade of fineness that consists of 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent copper. Because such a small percentage of other metal is needed to create the alloy, almost any other metal can be added, but the combination that best results in strength, durability, and high shine, without affecting the color, is silver mixed with copper.

Gold – Depending upon the fineness and desired color, 10kt, 14kt, or 18kt yellow, white, or rose gold, many “recipes” or combinations of metals are used to create a gold alloy. For example, 18kt yellow gold is usually 75 percent gold, 12.5 percent copper and 12.5 percent silver. However, palladium, zinc, nickel, and other metals are commonly added so as to attenuate metal colors, such as to lighten pure gold, to create green, purple, white, or rose gold, or to increase strength or scratch-resistance.

Alloying metal produces a variety of useful properties that make the combination ideal for greater heat or electrical conductivity, hardness, resistance to tarnish and corrosion, and strength. Whether used in medical instruments, electronics, aviation, aerospace, tools, or jewelry, pure metals benefit by combining with other metals or non-metal substances. Also, the absence of certain metals can enhance the wearability of jewelry, for example, when nickel is eliminated from the gold, silver, or steel alloys, the wearer can avoid metal hypersensitivity – the skin reaction that results from the presence of an ingredient that can cause irritation such as a rash, blisters, or skin discoloration at the point of contact.

There are almost as many alloys as there are uses for metal, and the percentage of the added ingredients can augment the usability of a metal for innumerable specific purposes, not the least of which is to enhance the beauty of a piece of jewelry. Now, that takes the cake!

Sparkle on!

Laura

Let’s face it. We all can’t be Jenny from the block. Protestations of superstardom aside, Ms. Lopez can buy and sell us all ten times over, even though we’ve been admonished not to be fooled by the rocks that she got. She used to have a little and now she got a lot. She’s just Jenny from the block. Go Je-Lo. Thanks to the massive markup in the diamond industry that results in exorbitantly priced diamond jewelry, the only diamond most women will ever own is the one in their engagement or wedding ring. Still, we all want a bit of the bling, right? So, how do you get a little of the sizzle without any of the sting?

While it’s pretty tough to perfectly mimic the dazzling sparkle of a fine genuine diamond, there are a few alternatives that can get you close, and not all of them are flat-out fakes. Here are some alternatives to the real thing that might make a satisfying stand-in.

Cubic Zirconia: Cubic zirconia is the cubic crystalline form of zirconium dioxide, which occurs naturally. However, what is used in jewelry is not natural. This substance is very rare, and all cubic zirconia used in jewelry is man-made. There are similar sounding substances such as zircon, which is a zirconium silicate, zirconia, and zirconium, which are words often mistakenly confused with cubic zirconia. Because cubic zirconia, or CZ, as it’s called, closely resembles a natural diamond, is low cost and durable, it is probably the most popular substitute for a diamond since mass-production of CZ began in 1976.

Moissanite: In 1893, Henry Moissan was checking out mineral samples from a meteor crater in Arizona and discovered some sparkly rocks that he thought were diamonds. Sadly for him, no. Pouting face. About ten years later, the crystals were determined to be silicon carbide. However, since Mr. Moissan was kind enough to stumble across them, the crystals were named for him, hence, the name Moissanite. Smiling face with squinting eyes. Moissanite, in its natural form, is very rare. It has been discovered in only a few places, including, apparently, meteorites, so all Moissanite is synthesized. Moissanite was introduced to the jewelry market in 1998, and is now manufactured under several brand names. Some “gems” that are entirely man-made do share some optical properties with genuine diamonds, and in some instances, exceed those of a diamond, although under close scrutiny, they are easily revealed as the imposters they are.

For a nice example of a diamond dupe that is fo’ real, as the kids say, I offer you the white sapphire. Of course the first thing that leaps to mind when you consider a sapphire is that they are blue. Actually, sapphires can be found in every color of the rainbow, and the white sapphire is a lovely diamond alternative. It’s a precious gem, it can be found in abundance, and it’s really pretty. Granted, it does not sparkle in the same way a diamond does. One of the magical properties of a diamond is that when it sparkles, a diamond throws off a rainbow fire that is truly unmatched, which is why they are so desirable. However, if man-made isn’t your thing, then consider a natural white sapphire.

Another genuine gem you might consider when shopping for a diamond dupe is a clear, or colorless, topaz, also called a white topaz. topaz, as you probably already know, is most recognized for the colors of pale blue, called…wait for it…blue topaz, or a deeper, more saturated blue, referred to as a London blue topaz. When in a lemon yellow or golden color, it is called a citrine. Topaz is a member of the quartz family, and quartz is one of the most abundant mineral substances on the globe. White topaz is not as hard as a diamond or a sapphire, but it is far less expensive. The white topaz is not usually cut with as many facets as a diamond, but some very nice glitter can be brought out of a white topaz. Gemstone cutting is a precision process usually reserved for gems that, due to their crystalline structure, benefit by a multitude of facets that take advantage of light that ignites a stone’s brilliance. That’s why you don’t often see faceted opaque stones. Still, if you want the suggestion of a diamond in a genuine gemstone with a bit of bling, a white topaz is probably priced within most budgets. A reflective white topaz set into high-polished sterling silver is quite attractive.

Gemstone simulants can be found in a variety of materials, from glass to resin to lead crystal. Swarovski, a company headquartered in Austria and founded in 1895, created what are now considered the jewelry industry’s premier brand of cut crystals. The founder, Daniel Swarovski, sought to make a “diamond for everyone,” by making crystals affordable. Swarovski crystals are now used throughout the fashion jewelry industry, as home decor items such as chandeliers and figurines, and another division of the company manufactures optical instruments such as binoculars and telescopes. Just a few years ago, the Swarovski company created “Zillion,” a copyrighted cut that adds maximum sparkle to their lead crystal “gemstones.” Coatings and backings are also used to bring out the rainbow reflectivity of their beautiful crystal objects.

Finally, it should be mentioned that the technique of diamond cutting into metal, which is a finishing technique whereby a diamond-tipped cutting tool is used to cut micro facets into metal surfaces, can add sparkle to a jewelry design without stones. Precision diamond cutting can, at a glance, create the illusion of glittery diamonds set into metal, when really the silver, white gold, or platinum is not set with stones at all.

When it comes to genuine diamonds, the expression “fake it ’til you make it” is probably apt. When your ship comes in and you hit the big time, say hi to Jenny for me. Until then, sparkle on!

Laura

Jewelry styles are as diverse as the people who wear it. As is the case with apparel, often, jewelry styles are categorized as belonging to a specific era. If you have an affinity for, or have lived through a particular time period, you may or may not have an appreciation for that style. Most of us associate different decades of our lives with clothing styles, such as the hippie or bohemmian look of the sixties, where tie-dye and love beads were the rage. if you were a child of the seventies, then you may have sported bell bottom jeans or wore your hair “feathered back,” in homage to everyone’s favorite poster girl at the time, who was one of the stars of a popular TV show. The eighties graced us with designer jeans and big hair. The nineties? I have only one word: Grunge. Cringing yet?

Jewelry styles, like fashion, has its time periods as well. Nowadays, it is popular to characterize the work of a designer or artist as having a particular “esthetic,” which is a way to describe in general terms the attributes most favored by the artisan in the design or craft of their products. Some of the terms used may be familiar, and are evocative of specific qualities or traits that make a jewelry piece instantly recognizable. Other terms are more nebulous, and are open to interpretation. I’ll begin by describing one of those.

The terms “contemporary,” or “modern” usually refers to a jewelry style that is of the moment. It may not necessarily mean what is trending, but it does point to jewelry that is current. Since what is happening now is fluid, and every moment is a new “now,” describing jewelry as contemporary doesn’t typically bring to mind a singular attribute or feature that would be emblematic of today. However, anything described as modern or contemporary may still share characteristics of older examples, especially since style is cyclical.

Vintage, on the other hand, does have a specific meaning. Vintage jewelry is jewelry that is 20 to 50 years old. It’ doesn’t have to be distressed,, or look old, but it is definitely reminiscent of a period at least two or more decades past.

A piece of jewelry that is described as “vintage-style” is not 20-50 years old, but it may have been designed to appear that way. It could have been made yesterday, but metal treatments, finishes, or oxidation may be applied to give the appearance of age. Use of components recycled from existing jewelry is common, or the design may be a blatant copy of an older original.

The word “retro” is used to describe jewelry that is associated with a very specific time period. A popular watch brand that everyone was wearing in the seventies might be called retro. Huge hoop earrings are sometimes thought of as retro, because they have been popular on and off in various decades past. Remember the mood ring? Retro is a style that is easily identifiable, because you could point to an object that is perfectly representative of everything you associate with a particular time period, and say: “OMG, that is so 50’s,” or whatever.

Art Deco refers to jewelry that belongs to the period of the 1920’s and 30’s. Like the style of architecture of the time, art deco is characterized by bold lines and geometric shapes.

Again, art, architecture, and fashion were influenced by another specific time period, the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, during the art nouveau period. Art nouveau jewelry mimics the popular art of the time, which featured free-flowing natural elements, stylized flowers and other natural forms.

Organic is another jewelry style that takes its inspiration from nature and natural forms. Organic jewelry can be amorphous and freeform, with flowing curves and irregular surfaces, just like in nature.

If you love classical music, then you probably love compositions from the Baroque period. Baroque art is characterized by intricate details, curves and swirls and ornate embellishments. The only time I have ever seen jewelry I would call Baroque was in a museum.

Antique jewelry is a category all its own. Often imitated, or crafted in the “antique style,” a true antique piece of jewelry is 100 or more years old. Chances are, if you have a piece of jewelry that is a genuine antique, it was passed down through your family and is considered a treasured heirloom.

There are many more styles of jewelry, but these few are probably most familiar. Jewelry styles such as “steampunk,”Victorian,” “minimalist,” or “Edwardian,” and others will be the subject of future posts, but I’ll stop here for now. Do you have a favorite style of jewelry that has become your signature? Whatever style you love to wear…sparkle on!

Laura

I’ve been polling my social media audience in an effort to learn what you’d like to read about here on the blog. Jewelry terms? Style how-tos? Jewelry news and trends? Detailed descriptions of gemstone attributes? Based upon the responses I’ve received so far, the answer seems to be all of the above, please.

That’s a pretty large topic area, so I tell you what: I’ll just write about jewelry stuff, and you can let me know what you want more or less of. Jewelry is one of my favorite topics, so I could talk about it all day, but the idea is to share with you what I know and love, while somehow managing not to bore you to death. A tall order, I know.

So, I think I’ll post a few more general jewelry topics at first, then drill down to some of the minutiae, which, in the case of jewelry, usually means the plethora of parts and pieces that make up the beautiful, glittering whole. The truth is, there’s tons of information already out there, and any hope I may have of being original is a vain hope for sure, but one thing I can do is to describe some aspect of jewelry in a way that is meaningful to someone with vision loss.

If one can be considered fortunate at having lost their eyesight altogether, then I guess I am among the fortunate, simply because my vision loss is caused by Retinitis Pigmentosa, which for those in the know means that I have lost my eyesight slowly over time. While I was born legally blind, and my RP symptoms manifested very early on, I do have the advantage of at one time being able to see at least some detail. So, unlike those who were either born blind, or who lost their vision completely at a very early age, I have been able to fully perceive colors, and combined with usable vision, at least up to my college years, I believe I will be able to communicate a certain amount of nuance. I will leave it up to you to let me know if you require additional information.

For most of us who are blind or visually impaired, it’s not always easy to grasp the entirety of an object simply by way of a description if we haven’t held it in our hands. Sometimes, we know exactly what is being referred to, we just didn’t connect the object with a specific term. My goal is to bring together a thorough description as well as definitions, so next time you are holding a piece of jewelry, you will recognize the various parts, and can refer to them by name. I thought I’d begin the first jewelry blog subcategory I’ll tentatively call “parts and pieces,” where I describe a jewelry finding or component. Mental note: Remember to define “finding” and “component.”

Today I’m going to describe a type of jewelry clasp called a spring ring. First, I’ll say that a jewelry clasp is exactly what you think it is…a way to secure a piece of jewelry around your neck or wrist, a closure or connection that keeps the piece on you, and not on the ground or languishing in a box of items lost and found. there are many different types of clasps, and the spring ring is probably one of the most commonly used. You’ll find a spring ring clasp securing both bracelets and necklaces.

A spring ring clasp is almost always round. It is very small, smaller than a dime, anywhere from 1/8 of an inch in diameter and up. It is actually a tiny hollow tube formed into a ring. A spring ring is a continuous circle up to the point at which the circle opens to allow for a link to be threaded onto it, namely, the link at the other end of the chain. At one end of the open/close mechanism is a tiny lever that, when it is pulled back,a small section of the circle separates, sliding back inside the tube,. Think of a pocket door sliding into the wall. After you thread the link at the opposite end of the chain through the opening of the clasp, you release the lever and the movable section slides, or springs, back into place, closing the circle completely, securing the chain. That is how this type of clasp gets its name – from the fact that a tiny spring inside the tubing enables the opening to spring closed after the lever mechanism is released. Pulling back the tiny lever compresses the coil, creating tension, and when you release the lever, the coil expands and springs the sliding metal section back into place.

Because spring ring clasps are usually very small, and often lightweight, they are not the strongest, most reliable clasps. Also, due to the tiny moving parts and the coil inside the ring that allows for the circle to be opened and closed, these clasps can easily cease to function. Once the spring fails, the clasp can come open, and losing your jewelry is practically inevitable. On the other hand, this type of clasp is usually less expensive than alternatives, and because a spring ring clasp is smaller, it is a better balance, both in terms of size and weight, proportional to a dainty jewelry item. Spring ring clasps come in all sizes and finishes, and are easily purchased in bulk if you are making your own jewelry, or if you need to scoop one up to make a quick repair of a broken clasp.

The spring ring clasp is just one of many types of clasps used to secure jewelry. Some are more utilitarian, such as the spring ring, other clasps are ornate and decorative. I’ll be writing about lots of different types of clasps, so check back for more info on jewelry parts and pieces!

Sparkle on!

Laura

About Laura:

Laura Legendary is a speaker, author and educator specializing in disability awareness, accessibility, advocacy, and assistive technology. She is also the owner of Elegant Insights Braille Creations elegantinsightsjewelry.com/. Feel free to use the contact form on the home page to ask a question, make a suggestion, or to discuss a custom jewelry design idea. Just don’t be a big big meanie. She’s super nice.

Whether we’re talking about the famous necklace dropped to the bottom of the sea by a character in the film Titanic, the engagement ring presented to a soon-to-be royal princess, a bauble in a blue box that came from that place where Audrey Hepburn had breakfast, or the singular design innovation for which a jewelry brand became a household word, there are certain pieces of jewelry that are instantly recognizable. One of the ongoing features of the Sparkle On blog I plan to share are descriptions of iconic jewelry designs that have become synonymous with a style, brand, or image, so that you can learn to identify the attributes that characterize a classic piece of jewelry. While most of us do not live the lifestyle of a character in the old TV drama Dynasty, these are the pieces that launched a thousand knock-offs. You may not aspire to own that museum timepiece, or, drat it all, you’ve long since forgotten where you hid the darn key to the family jewelry vault, but you may aspire to get the look for less. Here, I’ll tell you the story, or history, behind some of the most memorable jewelry designs, and how you can capture the essence of the original without the price tag. or, where to get the real thing if money is no object.

What leaps to mind first and foremost in this category is the diamond tennis bracelet.

The classic design that we associate with the name “tennis bracelet ” has been around since the 1920’s. Originally called a line bracelet, it only became known as a tennis bracelet in the 1970’s when it is said that tennis champion Chris Evert wore her diamond jewelry on the court, even while playing in professional matches. During one of these matches, her bracelet broke and went flying, and the match had to be halted while she looked for it. How the name tennis bracelet actually stuck is a matter of some debate. Either it was because Evert herself referred to the bracelet as her “tennis bracelet,” because she wore it during her tennis matches, or because someone else referred to it as such, no one is sure, but it has been called a tennis bracelet ever since.

A tennis or line bracelet is characterized by diamonds of the same shape, size, and cut lined up in a single row and set closely together. Depending upon the specific design, each stone is set into an individual setting of precious metal, then linked together, usually with tiny hinge pins, making the bracelet flexible. The effect is an unbroken line of sparkle around the wrist, which is why the line bracelet is sometimes also called an eternity bracelet. When the stones are set into white gold or platinum, the diamond line bracelet is dazzling. The design is very simple, which is usually what makes anything a classic.

A diamond tennis bracelet is aspirational for most of us because of the cost. Since the diamonds used are typically very small, many stones are needed to wrap all the way around the wrist, which can add up to multiple carats of gem weight. The stones must be very similar in clarity and color, since they are set immediately adjacent to one another. A single stone of poor color quality would visually break the line and ruin the effect. also, sourcing and setting so many nearly identical stones for a single piece of jewelry is labor-intensive. All of these factors, along with desirability, contribute to the sky-high price tag.

While the line bracelet is a classic, and can stand on its own, wearing it alongside a watch is tres chic. Want to wear diamonds with an edge? If bracelets are your jam, then you have probably indulged in the stacking trend. Stacking bracelets in multiples on one or both arms can elevate the look of an otherwise demure piece of jewelry. That barely visible diamond chip bracelet that you saved up for forever while in college can benefit by adding several sparkly siblings to create lots of drama. Although a diamond line bracelet may be a whisper-thin thread around the wrist, it is such an iconic look, not to mention a status symbol, that it requires no additional embellishment. I’ll never forget a photo I once saw in a magazine of Barbra Streisand wearing a diamond line bracelet as her only piece of jewelry, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of it.

Gentlemen, if you are enraptured by a woman who loves jewelry, you are all but guaranteed to be asked for a diamond tennis bracelet as a gift. Even if you are currently dating no such woman, I’d start saving now, because you can expect to spend thousands of dollars, depending upon how many gems and total carat weight is used to make up the design, and in what type of metal the stones are set. Doing a quick search, I saw a jewelry reseller named for a big blue river offering bracelets that start around $3,000, set in gold, and a high-end design house with a revered name that starts with a C is offering them starting at $20,000.00. I’ll take the one in rose gold, please.

Sparkle on!

Laura

You say tomato, I say tomahto, you say potato, I say potahto, and we all say carrot, karat, and carat. When referring to jewelry, you often hear a word that sounds like “carrot” used to describe what seems to be some mystifying attribute, but what does it actually mean? If you are using a screen reader, let me take a moment to spell each of these variations. Yes, the three words sound identical, but they are spelled differently. The orange vegetable consumed in vast quantities by a certain cartoon bunny wabbit is spelled C A R R O T. When referring to gold, it is spelled K A R A T. When talking about gemstones, it is spelled C A R A T.

Quick note: For those of you who do not use a screen reader, the above may have been superfluous, but screen reader users are hearing this text as it is being read aloud, so spelling each word for readers who are blind or who are audio learners may be helpful.

A carat, spelled with a C and one R, is a unit of weight for precious and semi-precious gemstones. You often see it abbreviated as “cttw,” which is short for carat total weight. So, if a gemstone is one-half carat, it will be abbreviated as .50 cttw. A carat is the mass equivalent of 200 milligrams. The word ‘carat” is thought to be derived from the word “carob,” which is a type of tree. these trees produced seeds that were nearly identical in size and weight, making them a popular unit of measure for traders in Europe and the Middle East thousands of years ago. The more seeds required to balance scales used to measure the weight of a gem, the heavier, and therefore more valuable the gem. In the early 1900’s, the Council on Weights and Measures adopted the metric carat as the standard for measuring gemstone weight. One metric carat is about the weight of a paper clip.

A karat, spelled with a K and one R, is the unit of measurement used to identify gold purity. pure gold is said to be 24 karat gold. Gold that is part gold, part other metals is expressed as parts of 24. For example, 18 karat gold is 18 parts pure gold, 6 parts other metals, so it is 75 percent pure gold, the other 25 percent is other metals. If you are wearing a piece of jewelry that is 14 karat gold, you are wearing an item that is about 58.3 percent gold, the rest is other metals. The “other metals”, usually some combination of nickel, copper, and zinc, are added to gold as it is liquefied so as to enhance strength and durability. Pure 24 karat gold is very soft. The lower the number describing the gold purity, the stronger, more durable, and more scratch-resistant the gold becomes, because it contains a lower amount of pure gold, and a greater amount of other metals. Often, the term karat is abbreviated as kt, so gold that is 75 percent pure gold, the rest other metals is expressed as 18 kt. In the US, 14 karat gold is the standard, in Europe, 18 karat gold is preferred. It is very rare to find 24 kt gold in a retail store here in the US, but it is popular in India and a few other countries, although it is usually mixed with copper or silver to add just a bit more durability, making it 22karat gold.

In researching the etymology of the word karat, it appears from some sources that carat with a C and karat with a K have the same origins, but language differences changed the spellings and ultimately the meaning. However, I was able to find one source that indicated that karat with a K was a unit of measure equivalent to the Roman siliqua, which was 1/24th of a golden solidus of Constantine, which is thought to be the reason a karat took on the proportion of 1/24, and became a measure of gold purity.

If you would like to hear a bit of additional info, I published a podcast for The Fashionability Channel, where I host a program called All That Glitters. I posted a show on gold, including colors, characteristics, and other uses.

You can listen to the episode here.

Do you have a favorite piece of gold jewelry? Is it a keepsake, a fashion statement, or your everyday go-to, such as a timepiece?

Sparkle on!

Laura