Designer Jewelry Blog

Charm Bead Bracelets

2015-01-11T23:56:00.000-08:00

2015 is a new year, new beginning and new way of life, i.e. if one chooses to do so. Ever heard of a character's narration in a drama, which describes what sunrise means. The exact translation is as follows:

"The more a city thrives, the more the line between day and night is blurred. But as humans, regardless of how long we’ve been living in a world that’s operating 24/7, we’d naturally follow the rise of the sun and mark dawn as the start of a new day. You may say it’s our animalistic instinct, but I’d rather think that it’s a philosophical outlook we’re born with. Along the pavements of life, not everyone knows how to move forward. But the moment the sun rises above the horizon, it’s a new day. And then we’d have the right to tell ourselves: nevermind how the path was trodden before, it’s a new start. The end might not be what we’d want it to be, but when we decided that it’s a new start, and we took that first step, that’s a form of bravery. And that’s worth being proud of."

A new way of life, a new start is what one can choose for oneself. And to achieve it, one needs the courage to take the first step. It may not start on 1st Jan 2015 but it can start the moment one takes the first step. We cannot say for certain the pavements of life will be smooth sailing after taking the first step but at least we have chosen to a new start, no regrets later. And that is worth being proud of. :)

Depending on where fate leads us, one may rely on one's faith, principles and perseverance to ride through, albeit having bit of luck is always welcoming. Chinese Zodiac forecast said that I should wear a turquoise gemstone in 2015. That is how I ended up with Syndey Evan's website, and their charm bead bracelets.

The bracelets can be worn individually or stack together, much like what the character said in the drama, human beings exist as individuals, but we influence and affect each other, such that, subconsciously, we grow, and change, again and again, which is what Heraclitus said "The one thing that is constant is change." Happy 2015 everyone.

Choosing jewellery for friends

2014-12-15T17:39:00.000-08:00

Christmas is just round the corner and almost everyone is in a festive mood. Being a multi-racial, multi-religious society in Singapore, Christmas day is a public holiday for all, even the non-christians. Sometimes, non-christians join in the celebration too with their friends, including gift exchange - after all it is a season of giving and sharing.

However, choosing a gift for close friends and family members can be daunting. Has she had this before? Does she like the colour? What about the size? You know what I mean. Sometimes, I think it boils down to how well you really know or understand the person. One will know the answer when the recipients wear or use what has been bought for them. If not, spend more time communicating and understanding the friend / family member. Hopefully, you got it right the next Christmas.

My shopping list for the ladies of different personalities from the Singaporean jewellery artisan Carrie K. is as follows: -

For an Artistic lady - a beautiful mess spilled blue and gold bracelet

Bold-funky lady - a raw knuckle sandwich ring

Epicurean lady - a small safety pin paved pink sapphire rose gold ring

Free-Spirited lady - a pair of Egyptian hoop earrings

Gothic-styled lady - a razor ring

Minimalist lady - a pair of liquid drop earrings

Punky-rock lady - a leather antique brown nut and bolt bracelet

Religious lady - a pair of coat of arms earrings

Shirt-pants lady - a pair of forget me knot cufflinks

For rest of the ladies who do not fall under the above categories - a charmed wishbone necklace, may all their wishes come true...

Hopefully, it is a 'right' gift for them. If not, there is a always the next time..

And Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone. :)

Wearing a Brooch as Pendant

2014-11-18T02:53:00.000-08:00

A good design jewellery, no matter how much one loves it, one still feels a need to change it once in a while. Maybe that is why stack rings, interchangeable jewellery, etc are invented so that people can vary their designs occasionally. It maybe boring to wear the same piece of jewellery day after day. Or simply, it is a human's desire for a change once in a while.

Speaking of interchangeable jewellery, one should not be unfamiliar with Pandora charm bracelets from Denmark. Or Charlotte Ehinger-Schwarz jewellery from Germany, which produces modular pieces that one can change and mix to make a ring, pendant, brooch, etc.

Pandora Charm Bracelet

Charlotte Interchangeable ring and pendant

A brooch can double up as a pendant as I have discovered recently. One needs a necklace with a spring clasp to string the brooch. Just remember to string the clasp last before fastening the brooch pin as shown below:

It works on a leather cord with lobster claw clasp too. String the clasp last before fastening helps to balance the brooch and prevent it from flipping when it is worn.

Instead of clipping the the brooch on the blouse, one may consider wearing it as a pendant. Make it an interchangeable jewellery and give a second thought to the new pendant you are eyeing.. :)

Artistic jewellers who set stones in silver

2014-11-11T20:30:00.002-08:00

There is a loose lavender jade stone in my drawer and I am looking for a jeweller in Singapore to transform it to a minimalist ring set in silver. Why silver, you may ask..it is easier on the pocket and it is also chic and evergreen. Think of Tiffany silver rings and their blue boxes..

Looking through several websites, the designs from My Vintage Jewel Box (mvjb) caught my attention. Their designs are minimalist and each piece of jewellery is painstakingly handmade. MVJB is found by two jewellery artists, Ryn and Chris, based in Singapore. They pride themselves in making organic minimalist fine jewellery infused with stories.

Their love seed oracle pendant, a new collection, which drew inspiration from love seed or saga seeds is engraved with an ancient Chinese oracle bone script below:

One may string the oracle pendant on a bracelet and wear it on the wrist.

I was also drawn to their scroll rings, which one can customise quotes and have them engrave on the ring. It can accommodate 160 characters. Likewise, one may string a necklace through it and wear it as pendant. Personalise it and it is a wonderful gift for Christmas.

Looking through their profiles for customised jewellery.. It will be interesting to see the design they come up for my stone based their past profiles below:

Maybe I share it in the future..well, that's for next time. :)

Girl's best friend - Diamond and its 4Cs quality

2014-10-24T00:36:00.000-07:00

Going through the jewellery that a woman owns, it is not hard to find a diamond among them. It may be a solitaire diamond, pave diamond, or diamond look-like. A diamond can stand on its own as a centrepiece or add sparkles to a gemstone centrepiece. Using the analogy of diamonds, it also reflects how a woman can be a leader or team member in the organisation and do well in both situations - i.e. she 'sparkles'. Hence, it is apt to say a diamond is a girl's best friend.

As you may have known that choosing a diamond depends on the 4Cs - carat, colour, clarity and cut. These standards are summarised in the table below :

Standards	Highest - - > Lowest
Carat	1 carat is divided into 100 points or 200 milligrams
Clarity	F -> VVS₁-> VVS₂ -> VS₁ -> VS₂ -> SI₁-> SI₂ -> I₁->I₂ -> I₃
Colour	D -> Z or colourless, near colourless, faint, very light, light
Cut	Excellent -> Very Good -> Good -> Fair -> Poor

For more information, you may watch the video : GIA Video

The question that one may ask should I choose a bigger carat diamond with low clarity or a smaller carat diamond with high clarity given the same budget? Well, the seller usually values the latter than former, i.e. a smaller carat diamond with high clarity. It is rarer to find a diamond of flawless or F clarity. However, if one is buying a diamond ring to propose, it does not hurt to choose the bigger diamond. After all, one cannot tell the difference between F and VS1 without a microscope, and the perceived value of a bigger diamond is higher.

However, one should not compromise on the colour and cut though. If you are considering a white colour diamond, the recommended grading is colour grade D to H (within the colourless group). Or you may consider the other end of the spectrum, i.e. a warm or yellowish colour diamond, the recommended grading is colour grade S to Z. Depending on the cut, a yellowish-colour diamond does not lose out to white-colour diamond in brilliance. I will mention coloured diamonds in my future post.

The next question is the cut. Thanks to the advancement in technology, most of the diamonds are of good cut and above. I seldom come across a poorly cut diamond. The cut one may also consider is the shape of the diamond, i.e. heart shaped, cushion shaped or round brilliant. A point to note - different cut provides different light return through the top of the diamond, affecting the brilliance of a diamond. Thus, an emerald cut diamond is not as brilliant as a round brilliant cut. Depending on what suits you or the person who you are buying for, you decide which diamond is the best for you or the person.

Depending on the your 4Cs criteria and budget, one may proceed to choose a loose diamond from jewellery stores. Personally, I refer to the mobile apps 'My Jewelry' and 'Caraters' to find the guided price of a loose diamond. Remember each diamond is unique because of its 4Cs.

Diamond earrings
source - caraters.com

Diamond ring
source - lovisdiamonds.com

Diamond pendant
source - vivodiamonds.com

Diamond bracelet
source - michaeltrio.com

9k,18k, 24k Gold - What does it mean?

2014-10-15T06:42:00.000-07:00

Gold jewellery is coming back into fashion and it comes in different purity. How is a 18karats (k) gold ring different from a 24k gold ring? Should I buy a 18k gold bracelet with a great design or should I buy a 24k gold bracelet with a mediocre design given the same budget? How does the purity of gold affect the price of the jewellery? This is a question one may ask when buying gold jewellery, especially for 'si dian jin' - literally translated to four pieces of gold the bride will wear during the Chinese wedding tea ceremony.

Gold purity is measured in carats or karats with the symbol 'k'. Pure gold is 24k, it means 24 parts of the mass is gold. When we melt the mass, we are expected to extract 99.9% of gold from it. 18k means 18 parts of the mass are gold, 6 parts of it are alloy. Or 75% of the mass is gold, i.e. 18/24 x 100%. The table below shows the karat vs percentage of gold.

Karats	% of gold
9k	37.5
10k	41.7
12k	50.0
14k	58.3
17k	70.8
18k	75.0
21k	87.5
22k	91.6
23k	95.8
24k	99.9

Needless to say, the higher the percentage of gold, the more expensive is the piece of jewellery given the same design. However, the higher the percentage of gold, the softer will be the metal and it is not ideal for fine jewellery. 18k gold or 14k gold is usually used to make intricate fine jewellery because of their ideal hardness. 12k gold and below is usually not recommended for jewellery, though they can still be sold legally as real gold in some countries.

Having understanding the different gold purities, should one buy a 18k gold ring or 24k gold bracelet? The answer is it depends. If one intends to wear the 'si dian jian' once and keep them in a safe box after the wedding, it is recommended to buy 24k gold for appreciation potential. If one intends to wear them frequently, it is recommended to buy 18k gold for its resistance to scratches and suitability to be made into a wider range of designs.

Better still, one may consider ORO22 gold jewellery from the Poh Heng Jewellery. It is made of 22k gold, which has a higher percentage of gold than 18k jewellery. And the designs modern and contemporary, designed for the women in the corporate world.

ORO22 Bracelet

ORO22 Earrings

ORO22 Ring

Peranakan Jewelry

2014-10-07T21:50:00.000-07:00

Peranakan Jewellery renowns for its delicate craftmanship and Intan diamonds is unqiue to the South East Asia region. Its history began in the 1800s.

In the 1826, there was a group of terrorites which came under the control of the British - the Straits Settlements. It consisted of four settlements, namely Malacca, Dinding, Penang and Singapore. Along the way, the Chinese traders came and married the ethnic Malays. Their descendants are known as Peranakans.

Peranakans have their own unique customs, culture as well as jewelry designs. Geninue antique Peranakan Jewellery is much sought after by the collectors because of its rarity, intricate craftmanship and possible appreciation potential. With the popular demand, modern reproductions are made to cater to the growing interest. Old Peranakan Gold Jewellery is usually made up of 20 - 24k gold, while Peranakan Costume Jewellery is a replica for a fraction of the price. Below is a mixture of Peranakan Costume Jewellery and Old Peranakan Gold Jewellery. Personally, I can hardly tell a difference between the two from the photos. Love it? You may click on the image to find out where you can get it. Happy browsing. :)

Old Peranakan Gold Humming Bird Brooch
source - The Jealous Society

Peranakan Costume Bracelet
source - Little Nyonya Batik

Old Peranakan Gold Flower Brooch
source - Little Nyonya Batik

Peranakan Costume Earrings
source - Little Nyonya Batik

Old Peranakan Gold Diamond Necklace

source - Little Nyonya Batik

Old Peranakan Gold Diamond Brooch
source - Little Nyonya Batik

Peranakan Costume Earrings
source - Little Nyonya Batik

Peranakan Costume Sterling Silver Brooch
source - Little Nyonya Batik

Old Peranakan Gold Diamond Bracelet
source - Little Nyonya Batik

Old Peranakan Gold Diamond Ring
source - The Jealous Society

Snapshot Jewelry

2014-10-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

Nowadays people take a picture of what they like and post it on Instagram, Facebook, or other social media. Two young ladies took the inspiration and created a Snapshot jewellery collection. The outcomes are innovative, appealing and kinetic. Each piece of jewellery is carefully handcrafted by Yael Serfaty and Tal Salomon, who are graduates of Shenkar Collage of Engineering and Design, Israel. Their jewellery "freezes" and "frames" the people in action, e.g. woman on a swing, couple strolling, etc. And it is kinetic as well, which means the swing moves as the wearer moves. :) If you have a triangle shaped face, choose a circle frame, if you have a round face, choose a rectangular frame. Kudos to Yael and Tal for their creativity!

Frame 6 -Swing and Pearls Earrings
source - Boticca

Gold Swing Sling Earrings
source - Boticca

My Mini Swing Silver Earrings
source - Boticca

Our Love Story Gold Necklace
source - Boticca

Sliver Jewelry with A Zen Feeling

2014-09-25T01:16:00.000-07:00

Aileen Lampman, who created Ai Jewelry in 1997, hand-fabricated the jewellery using sterling sliver and 14k gold. Her jewellery gives one a Zen feeling - it may due to its distinct, clear, clean lines. An unique feature of her jewellery is each jewellery's basic design is shaped either in convex or concave forms. They are then pieced together to form the leaves, flowers, bamboo, etc. The polished and reflective finishing is also another feature of Aileen Lampman's silver jewellery which is different from the Daphna Simon's sliver jewellery mentioned in my previous post. Ai Jewelry also has a 'flow' element in it, maybe it is due to repeated patterns or curved shaped. I find the Pocket Necklace uncommon, different from the lockets that I have come across. But it serves the same function, keeping what the owner's desires in its pocket.

Pocket Necklace - Opened

Bamboo Forrest Necklace

Wave Earrings

Li-Li Pearl Necklace

Silver logs and Gold Leopard Signature ring

2014-09-19T19:09:00.000-07:00

Going back to the nature is one of the stress relievers for urban dwellers. Picnic in a park, hiking in a forest or scuba diving are some of activities that I like to do to de-stress. Hence, it is not surprising that women are drawn to jewellery that associates with the natural elements like flowers, animals, corals, etc. Daphna Simon's log jewellery reminds one of the trees in a forest, while the gold leopard reminds one of the wild animals in a jungle. The roughness and non-glossy finishing give the jewellery a nature look, which is apt to her log and animal collections. I like her Sliver and Diamond Log Ring and Gold Leopard Signature Ring, while the Large Sliver Log Ring can also be a male's accessories, i.e. if the men do not mind sharing their accessories with women. :)

Large Silver Log Ring
source : Stone & Strand

Gold Leopard Signature Ring
source : Stone & Strand

Sliver Log Earrings
source : Stone & Strand

Silver and Diamond Log Ring
source: Stone and Strand

Men's accessories

2014-09-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

Chrishabana, which debuted in 2004 is renowned for his gothic styled jewellery. The collection is named after its designer Chris Habana, who is based in Brooklyn, NY. Most of the jewellery pieces have a dark gothic element, but are also punky and non-sexist. They are suitable for men and women, though it inclines towards the masculine side. The collection featured in numerous magazines before - Sportswear International, Women's Wear Daily, Bazaar Japan, etc - was alluded for its unconventional design. Personally, I like the Boys are Girls Triple Ring Set Necklace, the Voodoo Ladder Necklace and The XX PVC Glove.

Plate Cage Square Link Necklace
source : Amazon

Voodoo Ladder Necklace
source : Amazon

Boys are Girls Triple Ring Set Necklace
source : Amazon

Cage Ring
source : Amazon

The XX PVC Glove
source : Tikka

Cage Plug Earrings
source : Tikka

Cage Spike Necklace
source : Tikka

Factual Skull Ring
source : Tikka

The Parasite Ring
source : Tikka

Fine Jewelry with a bit of fun

2014-09-08T23:48:00.000-07:00

Fine Jewellery are usually heirloom pieces which are passed down from mothers to daughters. To a certain extent, it represents one's heritage. These jewellery are usually kept in closet until there is an important function to attend. Hence, fine jewellery is usually associated with an element of seriousness. It is seldom associated with the element of fun. I like the Pret Porter collection created by Sara Taseer, a Singapore based designer. The pieces shown below are fun and causal - combining fine jewellery with a friendship band and ceramic ring. The friendship band can be worn to a beach party and the ceramic ring can be worn to an informal gathering.

Pink Sapphire Starfish Friendship Band
source - Sara Taseer.com

Ceramic Ring
source - Sara Taseer.com

Armour Jewelry

2014-09-03T02:13:00.000-07:00

Ancient warriors wear armour to war. Modern women wear armour jewellery to work.

Sogo Jamar, who gets her inspiration from Persian mosaic art and ancient body of armour, creates the Persian Armour Collection. Every piece of armour jewellery is intrinsically made. The necklace is made up of numerous small metal loops. Each loop is covered with coloured beads. The designer pieces the loops into beautiful patterns inspired by her surroundings. For example, the Ocean necklace is inspired by a pond filled with red and orange goldfishes. Wear the necklace on a plain T-shirt or black evening gown, and it adds character to the one's overall.

Ocean
source - Boticca

Blossom
source - Boticca

Horizon
source - Boticca

Ice
source - Boticca

Mosaic
source - Boticca

Silk
source - Boticca

Afternoon tea, anyone?

2014-08-27T01:51:00.000-07:00

Le Chou Chou Bijoux's jewellery collections are mirror of an afternoon tea. The collections are miniatures of a tea cup, fork, spoon, pastry, and they are cute and fun. Look closely and you can find there are even delicate design on the sides of a fork or spoon. The designer really paid attention to the details. The Bon Ton Collection is produced in limited quantities, which make them more unique. Imagine wearing the Floralia ring while reading a book in a serene surroundings and enjoying a cup of tea. Or coffee? :)

Floralia Procelain Dish Ring
source - Boticca

Cafetiere Porcelain and Silver Necklace
source - Boticca

Floralia Oval Miniature Dish Ring
source - Boticca

Reminiscence Bronze Bracelet
source - Boticca

La Petite Pink Ta Cup Ring
source - Boticca

Alison Lou Jewelry

2014-08-21T20:08:00.000-07:00

Most of jewellery in the market reflects the personality or status of the person in societal hierarchy. Few of them reflects a person's mood or emotions. I like Alison Lou Jewellery as it is an expression of one's emotions, akin to how colour expresses a person's mood. Emotions are universal. One still feels happy or sad regardless of a person's personality or social status.

Their Emoticore Faces Collection is one of my favourites, and I like their the lip and screw collections... Try stacking the the Screw Stack Ring with the Sh!t Ring together, does it mean love or trouble? :)

Red Enamel Lip Ring

Love U Cuff

Screw U Bangle

Kiss By the Yard Bangle

Red Lip Stud

Screw Stack Ring

Sh!t Ring

Screw Stud Earring

Edgy and Punky Jewelry

2014-07-14T23:54:00.000-07:00

A lady-like blouse or dress, make out of lace or chiffon, may be good to pair up with punky jewellery to balance out the outfit. Inch Child accessories label creates jewellery that is punky but not overpowering. It gravitate towards the edgy side. Their pieces are statement-making and eye-catching. It is definitely not for those who prefer subtle pieces. ;)

Wing Cuff
source - We-re-able.com

Studded Bracelet
source - We-re-able.com

Star Collar
source - We-re-able.com

Bow Cuff
source - We-re-able.com

Spread Your Wings
source - We-re-able.com

Jade Jewelry with a modern twist

2014-07-10T20:32:00.000-07:00

Jade pieces are often set in traditional designs or tied with Chinese traditional knots that appeal more to the traditional and mature women rather than the young and trendy. However, Choo Yilin, an artisan jeweller has come up with modern designs that look trendy even when one wears them with a corporate white-collar shirt. Kudos to her.

Lotus Jade Studs
source - Doorstep Luxury

Flower Jade Ring (Amethyst)
source - Doorstep Luxury

Flower Jade Ring (Topaz)
source - Doorstep Luxury

Qipao Jade Bangle
source - Doorstep Luxury

Happy or Sad?

2014-07-07T21:25:00.003-07:00

Emoticore Faces collection from Alison Lou is refreshing. The Happy Stud brings a smile to my face. There is even a ring and bracelet. You may find them from Alison Lou Resort 2015 Trunkshow Moda Operandi, ending soon..on 10 Jul 2014. Hurry if you want to own a piece from the collection. Click below on the pieces to go to the website. My fauve pieces are:

Happy Stud

Sad Stud

All Happy Continuous Stack Ring

Party On Necklace

Celebration Bracelet

Porcelain Jewelry

2014-07-01T20:03:00.000-07:00

Andresgallardo is another creative fashion jewellery which I like. Their jewellery pieces are usually made from porcelain, leather and metal. The porcelain figures (mainly flora, fauna and animals) portray in the jewellery are whimsical and surreal. Currently, most of their jewellery are made in Spain and in a small quantity. Thus, buying your favourite piece may not be ready available from their website http://www.andresgallardo.es. Treasure it if you manage to buy a piece that you like..

Jungle Bouquet

Leather White Eagle

Baby Zebra Earring

Elephant Leopard

Flower Panther Gold Edition

Mini Flower Bracelet

Biodegradable Plastic Jewelry

2014-06-26T01:09:00.001-07:00

Amado Gudek creates jewelry using environment-friendly bioresins, biodegradable green plastics and other mixed media. The Resin Over Rocks collection reminds me of rocks under the surface, while Sea Invaders collection looks like corals under the sea and Gold Mime collection seems like hot lava suspended in crystal. As for the Diemonds Fauxever collection, it is like an art piece than a piece of jewelry. My fauve pieces are from the Gold Mime and Diemonds Fauxever collections.

Global mining earrings
source - Amado Gudek

Diamond explosion necklace
source - Amado Gudek

Or if you prefer a 'couple-thing', you may want to consider the Dome's day ring and cuff links. Ring for the lady and cuff links for the gentleman, or vice versa?

Dome's day ring
source - Amado Gudek

Dome's day cuff links
source - Amado Gudek

Handmade Gold Jewelry

2013-10-06T01:36:00.000-07:00

Gold Jewelry is coming back to fashion, and it comes in different hues and sizes. It is rare to find a piece of jewelry, handmade by a female goldsmith. Loredana Mandas is one of a few female goldsmiths working in southern Sardinia, Italy. She makes gold filigrees - a delicate kind of metalwork jewelry made by artisans. Most of the jewelry pieces made in Italy are of 18k gold, which is 75 percent gold. Her unique gold jewelry can be found on the website - http://www.loredanamandas.com. Below are a few pieces which I like:

Golden Flower Pendant

Golden Flowers Earrings

Vesta Ring

Stackable Rings with an Asian Flavor

2013-09-22T07:02:00.000-07:00

Recently, I came across the Diamond Glistening Bat Ring, designed by Wendy Yue. Wendy is born in Hong Kong and trained in Vienna, and is known for her intricately designed jewelry. Her designs have an Asian element emboldened in them.

The bat symbolizes "福" or good fortune in Chinese can be worn separately from the diamond-set gold band or worn together. It can also be stacked with your wedding band or an eternity ring, depending on what is available in your jewelry collection, thereby personalizing the ring.

Glistening Bat Ring
source - Plukka

The Tie the Knot Serpent ring is set with pink sapphires. Wearing the pink sapphires serpent ring in the year of Snake does has some special meaning for some ladies.

Tie the Knot Serpent
source - Plukka

The other interesting design is the The Throne Ring below. It reminds me of the 'The Frog Prince' fairy tale. The golden crown set with rubies can be worn on its own or with the black gold band set with diamonds. Better still, the black gold band can be worn by your loved one, while you wear the golden crown - as a set of his-and-her wedding bands.

The Throne Ring
source - Plukka

Pearls Jewelry with character

2013-09-14T01:58:00.000-07:00

Unlike most pearls jewelry, Tom Binns's pearl jewelry featured at Moda Operandi website has character. It is feminine with an attitude. I thought it represents women with character... Depending on the personality, a Jackie Ouch Pearl And Barbed Wire Necklace for a subtle look, or choose a Pearl Necklace with Large Safety Pins for a daring look, and top it off with a pair of Barricade Babe Earrings. It is going to be a conversation piece.

Jackie Ouch Pearl And Barbed Wire Necklace
source - Moda Operandi website

Pearl Necklace with Large Safety Pins
source - Moda Operandi website

Barricade Babe Earrings
source - Moda Operandi website