Tasteful & timeless turquoise......

Turquoise is valued for a combination of its ancient heritage and attractive color. Its finest color is an even, intense, medium blue, sometimes described as “robin egg” blue.  Although, some prefer a greenish blue as seen in some contemporary designer jewelry.  This color is anywhere from avocado to lime green turquoise. The source for top color is the Nishapur district in Iran, the country formerly known as Persia. That’s why you may have heard of “Persian turquoise” before. American & Mexican turquoise is light blue, or greenish blue to bluish green in color. While Egyptian turquoise is greenish blue to yellowish green. The bluer the shade the more copper it contains. 

The stone is often cut into cabochons, but you will see it in beaded jewelry as well as flat pieces of inlays often found in Native American jewelry. In the 1970's, this gem was extremely popular. The largest and most consistent market for this beautiful stone is the American Southwest. The Sleeping Beauty mine is in Globe, Arizona, which is the world's top turquoise producer. 

I found it interesting that in the Victorian era there was a surge in ornate turquoise jewelry designs. I have always associated it with the Native American culture. Fine estate pieces from the Art Deco period of the early twentieth century are often set in platinum combined with diamonds. Such vintage treasures occupy the high end of today’s turquoise market, and Provident Jewelry has a dynamite collection of turquoise time period pieces. Below are two pairs of earrings that are absolutely stunning.

Until next week, remember to sparkle on and thank you for reading!

This week’s blog is called Amazing Amethyst…..

Well, this week’s educational lecture began with Amethyst, which is in the quads family and highly prized for centuries. During the time of the ancient Greeks, this stone was thought to be magical and have medicinal properties. It was considered to be equal to ruby, emerald & sapphire. Russia was the major source of this gemstone until the 19th century, when a huge deposit was found in Brazil. The finest amethysts are strong in saturation, medium-dark to dark reddish-purple, or purple with no visible color zoning. Color zoning means uneven distribution of color throughout the gemstone’s body.

Fine and commercial-quality amethysts recently emerged from the Four Peaks Mine in Arizona. Other sources of amethyst include Canada, India, Madagascar, Mexico, Myanmar, Namibia, Sri Lanka & Tanzania. 

Something I found interesting was that amethyst when heat treated becomes Citrine, and with further heat treatment you will have Prasiolite.

These stunning 14k White Gold Amethyst & Diamond Earrings are a lovely color with enough pizazz to complete any outfit. You will notice the amethyst stones are accented by yellow gold to show off the color perfectly. The two center amethysts are 5.55 carats in total weight with 1.09 carats of white diamonds. Of course we have much more of a selection in fine gemstones.  These range in price, as well as style and adorn a variety of rings, bracelets, necklaces and pins.

The second photo is four 18k Roberto Coin faceted gemstone rings from top to bottom; Prasiolite, Amethyst, Citrine & Blue Topaz. All of which have diamonds surrounding the gemstone adding brilliance to the look.

What’s your favorite gemstone & why? I’d love to hear, so let me know.  Thank you for reading this week’s course of learning. Until next time, be sure to sparkle on….

Trends from Vegas

The jewelry industry’s largest trade show for finished jewelry is in Las Vegas the first week of June every year.  It just took place. I had planned to attend to cover trends, but with my school curriculum and schedule it was not possible.  I was particularly sorry to miss this year’s ART DECO offerings.  This is another trend you will be seeing a great deal of in magazines.  We buy, sell and trade a huge selection of estate jewelry at Provident. Our collection of Art Deco is timeless. Normally, the designs are very intricate, yet with simple looks; usually set in white gold or platinum with diamonds, accented by strong geometric shapes of colored gems like coral and black onyx together. Other designs use diamonds and the accenting colored gemstone would be ruby or blue sapphire. The Art Deco period was mid 1800’s to 1915, so it is jewelry that has been passed down from generation to generation. If you’re fortunate enough to have had one of these heirlooms passed down to you, I encourage you to wear it, now’s the time.  If you don’t have such a treasure or would like to own one, you know who to see for a piece that speaks to you. This time period look I love to style with my everyday wardrobe, because it’s about wearing the jewelry for me, not keeping it in the jewelry box or a safe or vault.  I can’t appreciate it there! 

Oh, how I hated to miss the show this year as it is the most exciting thing for a girl who so passionately loves the jewelry world as I do, but other things prevailed, namely, my GIA education.  In lieu of my attending the show, Scott Suchy, the GM at Provident Jewelry, 766 5th Ave., Naples’ store, and Aaron Steinberg the Managing Partner in Ft. Myers, filled me in on the scoop.  Of course, I also research the trade publications that help me stay abreast of important industry information as well as talk with my Women's Jewelry Association buddies.  I have compiled a list of things you will be seeing in the fashion magazines, on television, and in stores going forward.

The first trend is GEOMETRIC SHAPES which was seen in earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets. The fabulous Roberto Coin cuff in the photo below is a fantastic example of geometric shapes. Roberto Coin of Italy is a staple brand for us at Provident Jewelry because the product is so well made, easy to wear, and the designs speak for themselves.

STATEMENT NECKLACES like this lovely Gucci 18k White & Pink gold with diamonds necklace is definitely a show stopper. All a woman needs is that simple black dress in her closet to pull this off, and trust me I know every woman out there has one in her wardrobe. The trend, from simple statement necklace, to the big and bold, is whatever you prefer.  This can be something you can incorporate into your world without a lot of effort. All price points are available. One just needs to know where to shop.  Please do not hesitate to contact me. I will be happy to help you find your hearts’ desired statement necklace. You might do well to consider Gucci, another Italian designer who has a collection for every woman.

The last trend noticed was COINS & CAMEOS, which are always interesting items. I have always loved cameos, I guess it’s my Italian heritage. They were very popular in Ancient Rome, especially in the Augustus family circle.  Oh, how I love Italy... The creation of cameo carving goes back many generations in an Italian jeweler’s family, it is a laborious process that requires love of the art. The cameo shell bracelet is one of particular elegance and beauty, the theme is of a woman dancing and playing a musical instrument. Typically cameos are oval in shape, consisting of a portrait in profile carved in relief on a background of different colors. See below Provident's dancing ladies cameo bracelet set in 14k gold.

That wraps it up for this week. I hope you have enjoyed reading and I always love to hear your comments and feedback. Ciao' for now and make it a sparkling day......

Roberto Coin Fancy Colored Diamond Cuff

Gucci 18k White & Pink Gold "Flora Necklace"

14k Yellow Gold Ladies Dancing Cameo Bracelet

One of the "BIG THREE".....

This week we spent time learning about the “Big Three,” as they are referred to in the jewelry industry: ruby, sapphire and emerald. I would like to focus on emeralds because I feel that I have misunderstood this stone more than any other. Emeralds are a precious stone variety of beryl, and typically have natural inclusions noticeable to the unaided eye. Inclusions will decrease or increase the value of the stone depending on numerous factors; such as size of inclusions, placement in the gem and type of inclusions. Eye-clean emeralds are extremely rare and exceptionally valuable. Frankly, most of us will never see an eye-clean emerald in our life time. Trade members and some consumers accept emerald inclusions as part of its character and charm, yet others do not see inclusions this way. I myself have not liked the way inclusions look in a gemstone until I arrived at GIA and have started to learn about the complexity of them. I am acquiring an appreciation for what mother nature does in gemstones.

The emerald inclusions are sometimes described as mossy, plant roots or garden-like.  They are also referred to as “jardin," which in French, means garden. Leave it to the French to make anything sound good!!!

Most emeralds on the market today are treated with fracture filling, improving the clarity of the gemstone. Although this does not make the stone eye-clean it does enhance the color and clarity of the gemstone. Just about everything we buy today is treated. For example, the fabrics in the clothing and the furniture we buy have been treated before selling. Without treatments, supplies of many gems would decline in the jewelry world, and their prices would rise astronomically, making them unaffordable to most. Why should jewelry be any different from anything else we buy. So, all-in-all, treating gemstones sounds like a good thing to me. Would you agree?

Just a few emerald bobbles below for you to view from Provident Jewelry at 766 5th Avenue South, Naples, FL 34102. We would love to talk to you about the variety of items we have to offer and I especially would love to talk to you about everything or anything jewelry related. Until next week and thank you for your interest! M xo