Jewelry Industry Blog — About Jewelry Wholesalers, Retailers, Industry, Trends and news

Ankle Jewelry – Sexy or Cheesy?

December 20, 2011 – 1:52 pm

Ankle jewelry was popular for the longest time in America, but it seemingly lost its popularity over the last decade or so. While there are still people out there sporting anklets on a regular basis, they are seemingly few and far between. This begs the question of whether ankle jewelry is good at all. Is it sexy, cheesy, or something else altogether? You should wear this kind of jewelry in your life? If so, what are your options? The information below will attempt to answer all of these questions and then some.

Ankle jewelry is, in many ways, just like any other jewelry. It can look great on some people and terrible on others. The key to making ankle jewelry sexy rather than cheesy is to wear quality, subtle pieces that fit who you are and the look you are aiming for as a whole.

If you buy something from a quarter vending machine, it will obviously have a cheesy factor to it. If you invest in a decent anklet to wear though, you can make it look just as good as anything else you might wear. You just have to find a piece that you like and other people will like as well.

Finding good ankle jewelry is not as hard as it may seem. All you have to do is look online to get started. When you do, check out the different options you have for anklets based on the style, material, or size you are looking for. There should be plenty of them out there to explore.

Diamond Hoop Earrings are for Every Occasion

November 20, 2011 – 3:24 pm

When people think about diamonds, the most common things that come to mind are rings. Whether for a birthday, anniversary, Valentine’s Day, Christmas or any other special occasion, people have been giving diamond rings to their significant others for hundreds of years. However, rings are not the only diamonds that you can give as a special gift to someone you love.

Bracelets, necklaces, and Diamond hoop earrings are just as special as rings and are often much more affordable. In addition to that they can be worn any time and match any style whether the recipient loves casual wear or likes upscale things.

Diamond hoop earrings complement any occasion. Many women will wear them when they are just shopping for groceries as a way of making themselves feel extra special. When they want to really impress someone while on a date or other type of get together, they will pair their diamond earrings with their best dress to ensure they really sparkle.

The best thing about these types of earrings is that women don’t have to wait for their partner or family member to give them to them as a gift. They can buy them on their own. Some even buy multiple pairs to wear with different types of outfits.

How To Choose Children’s Bracelets For Your Little One

June 7, 2011 – 8:45 am

Jewelry is certainly not reserved just for adults these days. In numerous societies around the world, including the modern western countries, it is very commonplace for parents to have their babies ears pierced when the baby is only a couple of months old. Therefore, it is never too early to think about having your baby or s. One of the most trendy kids jewelry is children’s bracelets and the variety is almost endless. There are a few factors to keep in mind if you are thinking of purchasing Children’s Bracelets or other type of jewelry for a little one.

Photo Resource – Tinyblessings.com

Who says that children can’t wear jewelry? If you wish to purchase children’s bracelets or other types of jewelry for your little one, it is certainly the trendy and popular thing to do. You should keep in mind the age of the child, what will look appropriate and if purchasing rather expensive jewelry, each individual child should be accessed as to whether they are old enough to wear a certain piece.

Babies as young as a few weeks old can have their ears pierced; it is relatively painless and special earrings can be purchased so that the jewelry does not pose a choking hazard for the baby. Care and thought should also go into children’s bracelets and other types of jewelry that is specifically designed just for children.

One element to think about is what will look appropriate. Certainly male children and female children wear different types of jewelry. In the United States, children’s bracelets are mostly for girl children. Necklaces are worn by both; however each gender will have a different style. Males generally wear thicker necklaces, shorter as well. Females will wear longer necklaces, wear ones with more sparks and shine and most likely will wear their birthstone.

Vintage Costume Jewelry – Past Trends Make a Comeback

March 16, 2011 – 1:49 pm

The trend of embracing vintage looks in fashion and of mixing the fashion icons of periods in the past with modern or classic pieces is alive and well. Some of these jewelry trends bring an automatic association with a specific time period. Vintage costume jewelry can be from a variety of eras.

The term costume jewelry started to be applied to jewelry made from non-precious metals and stones in the 1920’s. The practice of wearing this type of jewelry had been in practice for much longer. Throughout history, jewelry has been worn as a way to display wealth and keep it close to you. The 1920’s brought about a trend of wearing jewelry as simply a fashion item to express individuality.

Most vintage costume jewelry is from the time period between the 1920’s and the early 1980’s. However, there is costume jewelry that dates back into the 1600’s in Europe. Though referred to by some as “fake” because the materials are not precious metals and gemstones, this type of jewelry can be of excellent quality and design.

Some artisans who created costume jewelry maintained a level of excellence and creativity that was above that of some artists working with more precious materials. Therefore, some of the vintage jewelry of all periods is very valuable in spite of being classified as costume jewelry.

Victorian looks are a common theme in costume jewelry from the first half of the twentieth century. Flapper looks in the twenties included long strings of beads and fringed items. Art deco designs extended to jewelry as much as art and architecture.

Tungsten Jewelry – Tough Jewelry for Strong Men

March 4, 2011 – 1:51 pm

For people who are hard on jewelry or have allergies to traditional jewelers’ metals, tungsten jewelry might be the answer. One of the newest materials for jewelry workers, tungsten is actually tungsten carbide. This alloy is created by combining tungsten with carbon and other elements to create the hardest and densest metal of which jewelry is composed.

Tungsten is far harder than titanium or gold. Jewelers have to use diamond tools to cut and polish this highly durable metal. It is very difficult to scratch and will not bend out of shape. This quality makes it ideal for men’s jewelry pieces.

Men’s wedding bands, rings, and other items, such as necklaces, provide very attractive Tungsten jewelry that lasts at a lower price than precious metals. With a unique and individual flare, tungsten jewelry is for the man who doesn’t want to be like everyone else. Tungsten bracelets are very popular in fashion right now.

The typical design looks like watch links without a watch face. These can be in single, double, or triple rows of interlocking links. They, like rings made from this substance, can be various shades of polished or brushed gray. Tungsten rings can be inlaid with precious metals, like gold, silver, platinum, or even rose gold. They can have diamonds in them. Some unique tungsten rings even have leather inlaid in the surface.

Sterling Silver Bangle Bracelets – History, Fashion, and Purpose

February 18, 2011 – 2:09 pm

Bangle bracelets have been around for millennia. This type of jewelry is easy to manufacture in its simplest form. All that is necessary is a rigid material from which to carve circle big enough for the hand to fit through.

Bangles can be worn anywhere on the arm and are made out of many different types of materials from glass and wood to precious metals such as gold and silver. Sterling silver bangle bracelets are very popular worldwide. They can range from very thin to wide bands. When worn in groups, multiple thin silver bangles make an almost musical ringing sound as they clink together.

A staple of Indian culture, bangles are worn by women for many occasions. The most notable is perhaps the tradition of wearing as many glass bangles as possible for the wedding. The honeymoon is said to end when the last of the bangles breaks. Bangles of different types of materials can be worn by Hindu women to show that they are married. Other cultures are recognized by their use of bangles as well.

Ancient Egyptian women wore bangles, both plain and in the shape of snakes, around the upper arms. European gypsies are also known for their use of bangles as bracelets and earrings. Sterling silver bangle bracelets can be modeled off of these traditional ethnic designs or have a contemporary or arts and crafts design aesthetic.

Pins & Brooches – Decorate and Celebrate Yourself

February 7, 2011 – 12:13 pm

The origin of pins & brooches – jewelry that is attached to clothing with a metal stick pin – is thought to be rooted in the functional pins used by the Romans and Greeks to hold their tunics or cloaks closed. These pins were sometimes simple, sometimes covered in jewels.

However, brooches simply for adornment were not popular until the Victorian Era in the mid to late 1800’s. Pins in ornate metals, jewels, and whimsical designs like Celtic knots, insects, frogs, fish, snakes, baskets, flowers, and more were very popular. Vintage pieces from this era are still highly collectible.

Trends changed in the Edwardian and the Arts and Crafts periods though brooches stayed popular. In the beginning of the 1900’s, pins & brooches – jewelry was designed around delicate, lacy metal filigree featuring diamonds. Next came very intricate and large styles worn at the waist on a sash as a trend.

Mid-twentieth century pins and brooches were smaller than their predecessors. Costume jewelry versions became extremely common. Design was dominated by the art deco movement, with geometric designs. Other popular styles included pins styled after the female body, hats, ribbons, flower vases, and shields.

Money Clips – An Ideal Gift for the Man in Your Life

January 25, 2011 – 4:03 pm

An alternative to a heavy, thick wallet, a money clip can be a stylish way to keep cash and credit cards together and organized in your pocket. Money clips make fantastic gifts for the men in your life. Graduations, birthdays, Christmas, Father’s Day, and other occasions are all perfectly celebrated with the present of a money clip.

They range from inexpensive to very expensive. The traditional design of a money clip is a solid long rectangle of metal that is basically folded. The cash is forced between the two sides of the metal. Money clip hybrids have places for credit cards other than with the cash.

Because the simple folded design is limited in the amount of cash that can be contained, some hinged designs, as well as magnetic designs, have been introduced to the market. Common materials for money clips include sterling silver, stainless steel, titanium, or gold.

Personalizing the gift of a money clip is normally quite simple because of the flat rectangular space that is ideal for engraving a monogram, sentiment, or name. A custom, personalized gift for the special someone in your life shows that you care enough to put thought into a gift specifically designed for him.

Handmade Silver Jewelry – Artisan Beauty and Quality

January 19, 2011 – 11:34 am

Worn purely for the beauty it brings, jewelry has gone through many trends throughout the years. Silver jewelry pieces are currently extremely popular with all ages around the world. However, it is nothing new. Handmade silver jewelry has been around since ancient times.

Silver amulets and other adornment pieces have been found in three thousand year old tombs of royalty in the Middle East. Of course, the earliest jewelry was made of bones, shells, and other naturally found objects. With the discovery of gold, silver, and gemstones, these became the traditional substances for most types of jewelry.

Modern jewelry is still mainly made of gold, silver, and gemstones. It is valuable not only for its beauty but also for its intrinsic value. Costume jewelry and arts/crafts jewelry may be made of other materials, such as wire, beads, leather, and more. Artisans spend years perfecting the art of jewelry design and construction.

Handmade silver jewelry can vary quite a bit in form and design. From simple hammered designs to intricate carving and looping, creativity is valued near as much as the weight and quality of the silver. The internet has made it possible to get individualized, custom pieces from expert artisans all over the world.

The traditional ethnic jewelry of many different countries, such as India, Egypt, and Italy, in heavily influenced by handmade silver jewelry. Even certain tribes of Native Americans before the landing of the first Europeans on the continent made their own jewelry from silver and other materials.

Turquoise and silver are especially associated with Native American artistry when it comes to jewelry.
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Costume Jewelry Earrings – Budget Friendly Trends

January 13, 2011 – 11:40 am

Love fashion forward jewelry but don’t have money to burn? Costume jewelry is an affordable way to get the latest looks without breaking the bank. Though costume jewelry lines include brooches, necklaces, bracelets and earrings typically, simply the costume jewelry earrings can give you a great change to your look without costing very much.

Your earrings can make a statement in beauty, individuality, and creativity. There are tons of styles being created by today’s costume jewelry designers. From neutral to neon, the colors can be bold and bright or classic and understated. Themes range from the elegant to the absurd, with everything in between.

There are quirky earring designs that mimic items in nature such as trees, peacocks, or fish. Some earring designers take their cue from the vintage jewelry of past designers. Art deco looks are especially hot right now. Dangling earrings show off a long elegant neck.

Chandelier designs provide feminine sparkle to any outfit. They can resemble Victorian design or ethnic looks, like Indian jewelry. Even beaded fabric pieces, such as those made by Native American tribes, are seeing a resurgence as ethnic eclecticism becomes a fashion boom in clothing, jewelry, and interior design.