By Corey Landis
Do you remember when fashion jewelry meant chains hanging from your clothes and metal studs everywhere it was possible to stick a bit of metal? If you do, then you have a long memory, because that was almost a year ago, and the fashion jewelry world has made a radical about-face in the time since then.
More and more, fashion jewelry is leaning from the grunge / punk look to the more feminine but equally scary 'girly girl' look. Costume fashion jewelry is in; the more sparkly and elaborate, the better. Bakelite is out; rhinestones are coming into their own. If you go for a girly sort of look, then try layering sparkle on top of sparkle for a glittering array of jewelry sure to bedazzle onlookers.
Look for bracelets that sparkle, and don't be shy about wearing them on both wrists. Colored jewelry isn't forbidden, but stick with richer, darker colors; emerald rather than citrine, ruby rather than amethyst; and layer on the rhinestones or austrian crystals for a little extra sparkle. Avoid large chains for jewelry; small chains on necklaces and bracelets are better, and liquid silver is best of all.
For those who are totally not in to girly styles or fashion jewelry that dazzles--and blinds--onlookers, the trends seem to be leaning away from the almost masculine punk look and towards a chic understatement. If this is more your type, look for white or black pearls, single strand necklaces or single pearl earrings, or go for something classic, such as single stone diamond pendants or single stone earrings in diamond, emerald, or ruby. Remember that anything classic or classy will always be in style. Stay traditional, or add a little extra color to liven it up. If you're looking to make a statement, wear different but complimentary stones in necklaces and earrings; emeralds and sapphires, or topaz and citrine, for example.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Saturday, March 1, 2008
A Crash Course on Cubic Zirconia Jewelry
By Corey Landis
If you’re one of those people who have been pining for a piece of diamond jewelry your whole life but have been either unwilling or unable to shell out enough cash to do so, then you must have heard of cubic zirconia jewelry at least once. Cubic zirconia is, after all, one of the most popular diamond stimulants today.
Because of the high cost and rarity of real, gem-grade diamonds, there has been much need for other materials that have diamond-like characteristics. Such materials have been called diamond stimulants, and are used to make ornate pieces of jewelry.
Different materials have been used as diamond stimulants, many of them artificial, the most popular of which include high-leaded glass or rhinestones, and moissante, and cubic zirconia.
Jewelry made of cubic zirconia are often preferred over those that are made from other diamond stimulants because of its high visual likeness to real diamonds and its relatively low cost. While some might say that moissante jewelry resemble diamond jewelry better, it is much more expensive than cubic zirconia jewelry, thereby still making the latter more popular. Another problematic aspect of moissante jewelry is its limited availability compared to cubic zirconia jewelry.
Choosing any form of jewelry requires time and patience. If you’re buying cubic zirconia jewelry in particular, it would help to compare it side-by-side with authentic diamond jewelry. This way, you would be able to see how much it resembles the real thing.
You should also take note of the materials and quality used for the setting of your cubic zirconia jewelry, as these are just as important in making your cubic zirconia jewelry look and feel like actual diamond jewelry.
Finally, a word of caution: never pass cz jewelry as real diamond jewelry when it comes to insurance plans and policies. However similar your jewelry is to the real thing, expert jewelers and appraisers will be able to tell the difference.
If you’re one of those people who have been pining for a piece of diamond jewelry your whole life but have been either unwilling or unable to shell out enough cash to do so, then you must have heard of cubic zirconia jewelry at least once. Cubic zirconia is, after all, one of the most popular diamond stimulants today.
Because of the high cost and rarity of real, gem-grade diamonds, there has been much need for other materials that have diamond-like characteristics. Such materials have been called diamond stimulants, and are used to make ornate pieces of jewelry.
Different materials have been used as diamond stimulants, many of them artificial, the most popular of which include high-leaded glass or rhinestones, and moissante, and cubic zirconia.
Jewelry made of cubic zirconia are often preferred over those that are made from other diamond stimulants because of its high visual likeness to real diamonds and its relatively low cost. While some might say that moissante jewelry resemble diamond jewelry better, it is much more expensive than cubic zirconia jewelry, thereby still making the latter more popular. Another problematic aspect of moissante jewelry is its limited availability compared to cubic zirconia jewelry.
Choosing any form of jewelry requires time and patience. If you’re buying cubic zirconia jewelry in particular, it would help to compare it side-by-side with authentic diamond jewelry. This way, you would be able to see how much it resembles the real thing.
You should also take note of the materials and quality used for the setting of your cubic zirconia jewelry, as these are just as important in making your cubic zirconia jewelry look and feel like actual diamond jewelry.
Finally, a word of caution: never pass cz jewelry as real diamond jewelry when it comes to insurance plans and policies. However similar your jewelry is to the real thing, expert jewelers and appraisers will be able to tell the difference.
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