SoZai Designs - Jewelry Designer

A wonderful jewelry book

2016-04-09T18:52:00.002-04:00

If you are looking for a little jewelry inspiration, try this gem:

Happy New Year

2014-01-01T10:44:00.000-05:00

2013 was a great year and I am excited about all things I will be working on in the current year. My "inbox" is already full. Here are some of the things that I am currently working on:

Turquoise and sapphire cocktail ring
Sapphire and diamond ring
Gold and pearl earrings
Pave and gold earrings

I will post pictures as I get through these pieces.

Aquamarine and Diamond Ring

2013-09-10T22:02:00.001-04:00

I am working on a new ring. It will have a large round semi-opaque aquamarine center stone surrounded by diamonds. I am making it out of wax and then will cast it in gold. Here are some early pictures.

The first picture shows the diamond halo that will surround the aquamarine. The ring is still looking very crude at this stage but has been marked on the wax block.

The ring shank is beginning to take shape and is being measured against the diamonds that will be added to the halo and shank.

Here is the wax piece close to being finished. The shank and the halo are now joined. The setting positions for the stones are set. Just needs some smoothing out on top.

Once I have it cast in metal I will show you the steps to set the stones.

Peridot Jewelry

2013-08-21T22:14:00.000-04:00

From early times through the middle ages, Peridot was considered a symbol of the sun. An early Greek manuscript indicated that Peridot bestows royal dignity on the wearer. The Egyptians fashioned Peridot beads as early as 1580-1350 BC. It was brought to Europe by Crusaders in the Middle Ages and was often used for ecclesiastical purposes. During the Ottoman empire (1300-1918) Turkish sultans amassed the world’s largest collection. Very popular during Baroque period. The largest cut Peridot weighs 310 carats and was found on the island of St. John, in the Red Sea. It is currently on display in the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Other Large cut stones: 192.75 carats belonging to czars in Moscow, 146 carats in the Geological Museum in London. The intensity and tint of the green depends on how much iron it contains.

Peridot also occurs in certain types of meteorites. In Russia, there are some cut Peridots that came out of a meteorite which fell in 1749 in east Siberia!

Peridot is the birthstone for August. Peridot goes well with white and yellow gold as well as silver. And of course, Peridot goes well surrounded by a Halo of diamonds in a pair of beautiful earrings or pendant.

Orthorhombic. Indistinct cleavage double refraction. Olivine.

Hardness 6 ½ -7

Michelle Obama wears Kimberly Mcdonald hand made Ring

2013-01-21T21:15:00.001-05:00

Michelle also wore a custom designed diamond ring by Kimberly McDonald and Jimmy Choo shoes. Her clothes and accessories will be donated to national galleries after this evening's balls.

Michelle Obama Gemstone Cuffs at Inaugural Ball

2013-01-21T21:08:00.001-05:00

Michelle Obama wore a stunning set of gemstone cuffs to Presidential Inaugural Ball. They are absolutely beautiful and will no doubt set a trend for colored gemstone cuffs. I will be writing more about them in the days to come.

Michelle is no doubt a leading trendsetter in American fashion and very savvy with her jewelry and clothes.

Champagne Diamond Engagement Ring

2012-11-26T19:30:00.000-05:00

Some of these diamonds are up to 1.5 carats in weight. Any of these diamonds would look great as a center stone with a halo of smaller white diamonds surrounding it.

Champagne Diamonds

2012-11-25T19:21:00.001-05:00

I am working with a Diamond Dealer that specializes in Champagne Diamonds of all sizes. Here are just a few samples. Each one of these stones are about one carat and would make a beautiful center stone in an engagement ring.

Blue Star Flower Pearl Pendant

2012-09-02T16:39:00.001-04:00

Made of blue Topaz with an 11mm fresh water pearl, this beautiful sterling silver pendant was originally make for a friend. The Blue Star Flower pendant can be made in any color you wish. The pendant can also be made into a ring or earrings.

Angelina Jolie's Engagement Ring

2012-05-24T22:21:00.001-04:00

This is a picture of Angelina's engagement ring. Beautiful!

Champagne Diamond Gold Band

2012-05-21T06:40:00.002-04:00

Elegant. Classical. Beautiful. Eternal.

This is an 18K yellow gold diamond band with champagne diamonds that can be used as a wedding ring or part of a set of stackable rings.

Mark Zuckerberg Ties Knot with a Ruby

2012-05-20T08:02:00.000-04:00

A ruby ring designed by the billionaire himself sealed the deal , when Mark Zuckerberg married his long time sweetheart, Priscilla Chan. A Facebook spokesman said that the ring featured "a very simple ruby."

Christie's Auction, Pink Diamond

2012-04-06T15:46:00.001-04:00

Christie's Hong Kong May 29, 2012 auction. Fancy Intense Pink 12.04 cts Diamond originally purchased from Harry Winston by a private collector, will probably be sold for $10 million. The diamond is known as "Martian Pink" named after U.S.'s first satellite mission to Mars.

Sotheby's Auction: Diamond and Tourmaline Earrings

2012-04-06T15:22:00.001-04:00

Diamond, Tourmaline and Platinum earrings will be auctioned at Sotheby's April 18, 2012. Signed by T & Co. Tourmalines are 24.83 cts t.w.

Sofia Vergara Diamond Earrings at Golden Globes

2012-01-15T19:55:00.000-05:00

Sofia Vergara wore a beautiful set of Harry Winston diamond earrings to the Golden Globes.

Chandelier earrings are definitely in this year. I love this woman - she is so funny!

Liz Taylor's Amazing Auction

2011-12-14T09:04:00.000-05:00

Liz Taylor's jewelry was auction off by Christie's. There were some amazing prices with the total sales reaching $116 million.

The top piece was a a dog-chewed pearl necklace known as La Peregrina. It was owned by 8 Spanish kings from1582 to 1808. Richard Burton bought it for Liz in 1969 for $37,000. It sold for $11.8 million, smashing the expected price of $3 milllion.

Google Plus Jewelry Site

2011-11-20T09:13:00.001-05:00

I just created a new page on Google +. You can get it here: Sozai on Google+.

I also have my Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/sozaidesigns.

Please join or add me to your circles.

Sapphire and Diamond Engagement Ring

2011-10-30T09:51:00.000-04:00

My client was getting engaged and wanted a ring to have a deep personal connection with his fiancé. He knew that she loved pink and so we designed this ring together. I first thought that the center gem should be surrounded solely with pink sapphires, but we then decided to add a mixture of diamond and sapphire pavé. I was very proud of the end-piece and my client’s fiancé loved the piece.

The piece was entirely hand-made. I designed a model in 3-D software. The 3-D render is shown below.

In the end, I hand carved the model from wax to ensure that the ring’s lines were soft and sexy.

Diamond Platinum Tennis Necklace

2011-09-02T07:38:00.000-04:00

I completed a magnificent platinum diamond necklace. The necklace has 14.14 cts of diamonds, D-F color and VS clarity. In total, there are 112 diamonds.

The entire piece was hand made and I also set each of the diamonds. The necklace is timeless and will always be in style. The piece was custom ordered by a lady who prefers elegant, classic diamond jewelry.
Platinum is a wonderful metal with which to work. It requires special polishing techniques and can be brought up to an almost mirror finish. It is also extremely strong and so some delicate pieces can be made with platinum that would never be strong enough in gold or other metals.

Kate Middleton Diamond Earrings

2011-09-01T06:54:00.000-04:00

Kate Middleton wore an elegant set of diamond earrings for the royal wedding. The diamonds have a pave set tear drop, with a pear diamond suspended in the center. The earrings are meant to symbolize an oak leaf with a center acorn.

The earrings were inspired by her family coat of arms which has oak leaves and acorns Kate’s parents, Michael and Carole gave her the earrings for her wedding day.

New York City Metal Art

2011-03-14T08:30:00.002-04:00

I was working through Manhattan over the weekend, and took some pictures of some wonderful metal work.
The first pictures are of a brownstone door and window frame, showing a dragon and its web.
Door:

Window Frame:

These were from Central Park:
Dancing Kid:

Bears on the move:

Anne Hathaway Diamond Necklace

2011-02-27T20:00:00.002-05:00

What will no doubt become an iconic piece of Oscar Jewelry, Anne Hathaway wore a timeless and elegant diamond necklace. These necklaces never go out of style. It was the perfect complement to her open neckline.

Update: The necklace is a Lucida Tiffany necklace and it has 94 carats. You can pick it up for $10 million! Here is a close up picture:

It was also paired with a matching diamond ring.

Mila Kunis Diamond Earrings

2011-02-27T19:46:00.001-05:00

Mila is wearing a delicate lilac dress and delightful hoop diamond earrings with a dangly diamond in the middle. Her earrings are absolutely precious!

Reese Witherspoon Emerald Earrings

2011-02-27T19:32:00.001-05:00

Reese Witherspoon has arrived on the Oscar’s red carpet wearing stunning emerald earrings, and a matching ring. I just loved her hair and dress.

Scarlett Johansson’s Ring at the Oscars

2011-02-27T19:12:00.001-05:00

Scarlet Johansson wore a stunning Dolce & Gabanna dress which was accented with an oversized ring,

Best Jewelry at 2011 Oscars

2011-02-27T09:15:00.001-05:00

I will be live blogging on the best jewelry at the 2011 Oscars. Email me or post comments if you see something really special. With Nicole Kidman and Natalie Portman up for Best Actress, I am sure there is going to be something really special.

Harry Winston at the Oscars

2011-02-26T05:20:00.002-05:00

Forbes has an interesting article on how jewelry is chosen by the stars to wear at the Oscars. The Oscars is a show case for many top designers, including Harry Winston. Of course most of the jewelry worn on the red carpet is borrowed by the stars and is quickly returned after the show. Some actresses can get paid some serious pocket money to wear a designer’s jewels.
Here is a cool video from the Wall Street Journal on Harry Winston's Oscar effort:

I will be blogging this Sunday about jewelry at the Oscars, so stay tuned. In the meantime, here are a couple of iconic pieces from years past:

South Sea Gold Pearl Pendant

2011-02-21T09:12:00.001-05:00

I found this extraordinary South Sea, gold pearl from a Japanese pearl dealer who comes to New York from time to time. The pearl is 17 mm. I wanted the setting of the pearl to be clean and straightforward. The key was to make sure that nothing detracted from or obscured the pearl, and so I set it with an elegant citrine. The citrine complements the color of the pearl.

The most expensive gold pearls have a deep rich color and lustre. I think that gold pearls are underutilized in jewelry. Especially when you are able to find such a large and gorgeous one as above, the simplest jewelry becomes the boldest.

My Japanese pearl dealer will be in town next week, so email or call me if you have any special requests. He specializes in fine white pearls, gold South Sea as well as large Tahitian pearls.

Cooper-Hewitt Van Cleef & Arpels Exhibit

2011-02-20T19:11:00.001-05:00

I went to the Van Cleef & Arpels exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt Design museum in New York today. The exhibit contained a surprisingly large sample of Van Cleef jewelry including some famous pieces worn by some equally famous individuals.

The pendant of the bird, shown above, in my opinion, was the most spectacular piece. The 95 carat yellow diamond was just magnificent. The wings can be detached and used as earrings, the tail can be used as a brooch and the pendant can be worn separately. Quite economical for what would no doubt be a ridiculously expensive piece.

As part of the entrance price, you are given an iPad with which to walk around. The iPad has some videos about the jewelry and also some information on some of the pieces.

The art deco pieces from the 1920s and early 1930s stood out overall. Some of the later pieces had a “more-of-the-same” feeling to them. There is no doubt that the Van Cleef house has excellent talent, but the best and most creative pieces are really the older ones.

Pink Sapphire and Pearl Pendant

2011-02-18T20:28:00.002-05:00

I made this pendant with a pair of wonderful mabe, saltwater pearls together with pink sapphires and set in 18K yellow gold. The pendant is symbolic of a mother and daughter relationship, the mother being the bottom pearl and the daughter the top pearl. The mother and daughter are bound together by a field of love symbolized by the pink sapphires. The pink luminescence in the pearls complements and reflects the sapphires, showing the strength of union between the mother and her daughter.
The hues and lustre in these very large pearls are breathtaking. The piece was a joy to make, and hopefully a joy to wear.

Nicole Kidman’s Amazing Diamond Bracelet at the Golden Globes

2011-01-17T07:20:00.001-05:00

Nicole Kidman wore an exuberant art deco diamond bracelet with emeralds to the Golden Globes. Take a close look, there are some pretty big stones in the platinum bracelet.

She also wore a Fred Leighton, 19th century, diamond bow brooch on her hip.

Natalie Portman’s Diamond Necklace at the Golden Globes

2011-01-17T06:50:00.001-05:00

Natalie Portman’s diamond and platinum necklace was stunning and a beautiful prelude for her winning the Golden Globes’ Best Actress for the “Black Swan.”

Letseng 196 ct Diamond Found

2010-09-07T23:37:00.001-04:00

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Africa-focused diamond-miner Gem Diamonds on Tuesday announced that it had recovered a 196ct white diamond from its Letšeng mine in Lesotho.
Since Gem Diamonds' acquisition of the Letšeng mine in mid-2006, it has produced three of the world's twenty-largest recorded diamonds, including the Lesotho Promise, Letšeng Legacy and Light of Letšeng.
The 603ct Lesotho Promise was unearthed in 2006 and sold for $12.4-million, while the 493ct Letšeng Legacy, which it found in 2007, fetched a price of $10.4-million and the 478ct Light of Letšeng recovered in 2008, sold for $18.4-million.

Sozai Jewelry Video

2010-07-07T09:41:00.001-04:00

Morganite Pendant with Pave Champagne Diamonds

2010-07-05T15:03:00.001-04:00

A few years back, I went to a gem show in New York and found this beautiful pink Morganite stone with near perfect clarity, cut and color and knew I had to have it. Morganite is in the Beryl family, the same family as aquamarine and emerald.

I knew I wanted the Morganite surrounded by diamonds. I held on to the stone for a few years thinking about a few designs. I decided that the stone had to be surrounded by champagne diamonds to compliment it’s pastel color. It is in an 18k gold setting with the sides carved out as waves in the ocean.

Morganite (8.08 cts) Champagne color Diamonds (.51 cts) set in 18k Gold.

Borgezie Gold and Diamond Shoes

2010-07-01T20:40:00.000-04:00

Aficionado's of fine shoes might have felt betrayed the day Jimmy Choo started marketing his wares through H&M. How were they going to distinguish themselves from the masses if everyone could afford Jimmy’s high-end sandals? The day has finally come when the super-wealthy can differentiate themselves from the merely wealthy with the launch of Borgezie’s line. For a cool $155,000 you can deck your feet with a pair of gold and diamond stilettos. The shoes come with 2,200 diamonds weighing in at 30 carats set in a solid gold frame. A spare sets of soles and heels are thrown in for free as an incentive to close the deal.

Eva Longoria’s Pink Earrings on Cannes Red Carpet

2010-05-13T08:18:00.001-04:00

Eva Longoria was elegant as always as she attended the Robin Hood premiere at Cannes. She sported very pretty, pink earrings which are being reported as being coral. They look like conch pearls but perhaps are a little bit too big for being conch.

Conch pearls are a delicate pink color, rather rare and generally expensive. You can also get them in colors of beige, yellow and white. Unlike like oyster pearls, they do not have nacre but display a flamelike effect called “chatoyancy”.

Tourmaline and Yellow Sapphire Pendant

2010-03-21T13:27:00.002-04:00

I wanted to create a sense of raining sapphires when I made this pendant. The centre stone is an intense green tourmaline. The yellow and green make for a wonderful color combination.

Aquamarine Sculptured Fish Ring

2010-03-21T13:25:00.001-04:00

This is one of my favorite rings. It is a hand sculptured cocktail ring with a cabochon aquamarine centre stones and aquamarine eyes.

New Jewelry Designs

2010-03-14T15:26:00.003-04:00

I have updated my Portfolio to include a bunch of new designs. Take a look and let me know what you think. The designs include new pave earrings, cocktail rings and gemstone pendants.

I encourage all readers to post your comments on the blog.

Rachel McAdams Diamond Earrings at the Oscars

2010-03-10T06:59:00.002-05:00

Another standout on the red carpet was Rachel McAdams with her rough diamond earrings. She is getting a lot of buzz following her appearance and for good reason. She was stunning:

Rough diamonds have become a lot more popular in recent years. They, together with champagne diamonds, have been heavily promoted by De Beers and are now gaining widespread acceptance as “couture” gemstones.

I have a number of both champagne and rough diamonds in my collection as well as other rough gemstones and will becoming out with some specialty pieces in the near future.

Keep posted….

Kate Winslet Diamond Necklace at the Oscar

2010-03-07T19:57:00.001-05:00

Her diamond necklace is no doubt a statement piece and is stunning. So far, it is the best piece of jewelry for the evening.

Meryl Streep Diamond Earrings at Oscars

2010-03-07T19:36:00.001-05:00

Meryl Streep is wearing classic shaped diamond pave earrings.

Amanda Seyfried Oscar Cuffs

2010-03-07T19:14:00.001-05:00

Amanda Seyfried has some wonderful pave cuffs.

Mariah Carey Diamond Hoop Earrings at Oscars

2010-03-07T18:54:00.001-05:00

Mariah Carey wore a beautiful set of diamond hoop earrings. She is also wearing an amazing matching brooch and diamond cuff.

Topaz Teardrop Pendant

2010-02-27T12:54:00.003-05:00

When I made this pendant, I wanted a setting that would show off this spectacular topaz gemstone. The setting is simple with clean lines allowing you to focus on the stone.

Topaz and Aquamarine Earrings

2010-02-27T12:50:00.001-05:00

These earrings were made with a combination of aquamarine and topaz gemstones. I wanted to create something that was elegant and beautiful.

Sandra Bullock Rough Diamond Earrings

2010-01-18T21:09:00.001-05:00

Sandra Bullock’s Golden Globe earrings were made from rough diamond slabs surrounded by diamond pave. The earrings are reportedly by Lorraine Schwartz.

I really enjoy the mixture of rough and cut stones, a combination which worked well in these earrings.

Salvador Dali Gold Exhibit

2009-10-26T23:25:00.001-04:00

An exhibition of gold items created by Salvador Dali is going on display at Espace Dali in Paris. Art Daily reports that the pieces will include gold sculptures embedded with precious stones, including Dali’s iconic Dance of time piece.

Dali designed a number of jewelry pieces throughout his career. He would design then in great detail and personally select the materials and gems to be used. The actual pieces were handmade by a professional goldsmith with whom Dali collaborated.

Here is a video of the Dali's famous Royal Heart at the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation. It contains 46 rubies, 42 diamonds and 4 emeralds. The heart actually beats. Very cool:

According to Dalí, “Without an audience, without the presence of spectators, these jewels would not achieve the function for which they were created. The viewer is thus the final artist. His look, heart and mind – with greater or lesser ability to understand the creator’s intention – imbue the jewels with life.”

The Annenberg Diamond

2009-10-18T23:51:00.001-04:00

At Christies upcoming auction (Oct 21, 2009), an extraordinarily large 32 carat D Color flawless diamond ring will be up for sale.

The ring is estimated to sell from $3 million to $5 million.

According to Christies, Mrs. Leonore Annenberg bought the diamond as a present for herself for her 90th birthday in 2007. The diamond was made by David Webb and has an Asscher Cut center stone. Over the years, the Annenberg Foundation has donated billions to an eclectic set of cultural, medical, and educational causes. These have included a living sculpture in the form of a 32-acre field of corn, titled “Not a Corn Field”, a 2,500 square foot “universally accessible” tree house, heart disease research, a foundation for space photography and the restoration of a public beach house.

The ring is beautiful, but the David Webb brooch which is on sale at the auction for an an expected price of $15,000-$20,000 is magnificent.

Jewelry Slideshow

2009-10-13T23:13:00.001-04:00

This is a preview of the jewelry that you can see on my new site http://www.sozai.us

My Jewelry Designs Website

2009-10-12T22:10:00.001-04:00

I have launched a new website to highlight my jewelry designs. The site is http://www.sozai.us. Please let me know what you think about it.

Gold Reaches a New High

2009-10-07T04:15:00.001-04:00

Gold reached a new high in overnight trading as prices exceeded $1,040 for the first time. The rise in price comes from pressure on the US dollar. Concern has grown over a report that crude oil could one day be priced in other currencies, reducing the dollar’s preeminent position as a vehicle for global trade.

The rise in the price of gold over the last 18 months is actually having an interesting effect on jewelry purchases. More and more buyers are looking at high-end jewelry as an investment and a useable store of value. Jewelry has the additional benefit over bullion that you can enjoy the pleasure of ownership rather than just storing it in a safe and there is a “collectors” premium paid for high-end pieces.

Green Amethyst Earrings

2009-09-22T20:03:00.002-04:00

I made this pair of 70 carat green amethyst (prasiolite) earrings for a client. The gems are among the best that I have seen for this type of stone.

I used a thick gold setting to match the large size of the earrings. The earrings are just under 2 inches long.

Angelina Jolie wore a similar set in emerald to the Oscars.

Related Links

Paraiba Eternity Band

2009-09-20T13:00:00.005-04:00

Paraiba stones are one of the most rare and beautiful gemstones in the world. This Paraiba ring is made with Brazilian stones and shows just why these gems are so highly sought after. The stones cover approximately three quarters of the ring. This is a special occasion ring or would make an exceptional wedding band.

Sapphire Flower Earrings

2009-09-19T07:30:00.002-04:00

This is a set of blue and white 18 kt gold and sapphire flower earrings that I recently made for a client. These earrings can be made with diamonds or white sapphire surrounding stones. Not many people realize that you can get white sapphires that rival the elegance of diamonds.

Green Onyx Angelina Jolie Earrings

2009-09-17T00:16:00.002-04:00

I have received enormous demand for earrings that are similar to those that Angelina Jolie wore to the Oscars. Unfortunately making these earrings in Emerald would cost roughly $1,000,000. As an alternative, I have found exceptional quality green onyx which is also know as Chrysoprase. Below is a picture of a set of earrings that I made for a client for her wedding.

Gold, Onyx and Ruby Cufflinks

2009-09-16T22:25:00.002-04:00

These are custom-designed 18k gold cufflinks. The solid, chunky feel of the cufflinks creates a very masculine structure. I nevertheless wanted to create a special appeal to them and so I set 12 small rubies in the back of them. I believe the back of the jewelry must look as good as the front. Since only you and your loved-one will see the back of the jewelry, to some extent, it has to look even better.

The Universe as Designer

2009-09-13T23:02:00.002-04:00

One has to stand in amazement at the awesome beauty of the natural world around us. Here is a picture of a butterfly galaxy recently taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, following a refurbishment of the satellite.Publish Post

More Doodles

2009-09-08T00:32:00.002-04:00

The Labor Day weekend is over. I spent the afternoon at Barnes & Noble and drew up a few sketches. Here are a few of my doodles:

Google Friend Connect for Jewelry Fans

2009-08-22T11:07:00.002-04:00

I am trying an experiment and have set up Google Friend Connect as an attempt to create a jewelry social network. Take a look at the bottom right of the page. I invite you to sign on and post any questions about jewelry and design that you might have. Also, let me know what you think of Google Friend Connect. Friend Connect allows you to create a mini-social community around a website or blog.

Rachel Nichols Gold Earrings

2009-07-27T23:38:00.002-04:00

Rachel Nichols (who played Rachel Gibson in the television series Alias) wears stunning gold shield earrings to the Japanese premier of GI Joe.

She plays Agent Scarlett in the movie.

Diamond Buying Tips

2009-07-27T13:12:00.000-04:00

If you are looking for some great diamond buying tips, check out this guide from the GIA. It goes through the 4 c’s in a straightforward way.

I find that what is not particularly well described or rated in diamond certificates, is the cut. The cut, it turns out, can have a far more dramatic impact on the beauty of the stone compared to moving from a “G” to and “F” or moving up a notch in clarity. Check out this post for more information on cut and how to assess this factor.

Hermes Luxury-Branded Car

2009-07-26T12:51:00.001-04:00

It is not unusual for a luxury brand to leverage its name across all sorts of products. What is unusual is is for a luxury brand to put its name on a car. For a princely sum of $2 m, you can now buy the Bugatti Veyron FBG Par Hermes. Without the the Hermes labelling, the same car is a bargain at $1.25 million. According to Bugatti, “Our very rich customers may have lost a little, but they still have a lot of money.”

The car’s trunk is designed to fit specially created Hermes suitcase. The grille has Herme’s interlocking H’s.

Understanding Gemstone Color

2009-07-24T18:26:00.001-04:00

Perhaps one of the most important factors when judging a gemstone is its color. Interestingly, the way color of “colorless” or white diamonds and the color of colored gemstones is judged, is very different. For diamonds, the stone is turned face down under a light source, and the body color is investigated. Held this way, the diamond will not sparkle, but glow.

Colored gemstones are evaluated face up, which is the way you would look at the stones when set in jewelry. The refracted color is then judged. This means that that a light beam is directed at the stone. Some of this light is bounced back. A well-cut stone will result in more light being refracted and thus creating a more beautiful color.

A gemstone’s color is described in three ways:

Hue: This is essentially the type of color. It is refers to the way color is used in general speech. These are blue and green hues. Greenish blue means that the main color is blue, with secondary green hues. Orange-pink has equal amounts of orange and pink. The much desired padparadscha stones are typically orangy pink, pinkish orange or orange-pink.
Saturation: This is the amount of color. Paraiba stones which are typically a Caribbean sea blue are known for their high degree of saturation.
Tone : This is how light or dark the stone is. Too light and the stone can appear washed out, too dark and the stone appears dull.

It turns out that saturation and tone work hand-in-hand to produce the most vivid hues. Lighter tones are required for yellow, darker tones for blue and medium to darker tones for red and green. Too much tone will result in the saturation of the gemstone actually declining.

Jewelry International Vol. II by Caroline Childers

2009-07-23T18:52:00.001-04:00

I recently purchased Jewelry International Vol II. If you are an aficionado of fine jewelry, this book is a must. It contains a set of pictures and articles on both modern jewelry and jewelry through the ages. There are some fantastic (and really expensive) pieces in the book.

Picture of the Day

2009-07-19T07:36:00.001-04:00

A cala lilly that I purchased from my local flower shop.

Investment Jewelry

2009-07-11T08:27:00.001-04:00

In this current economic downturn, many investors are turning to hard assets as a store of value. The key is to find assets that provide a hedge against inflation and potential currency weakening. Gold is proving to be a resilient asset in this environment. In fact, since October of 2008, the gold price has increased by over 25%.

What are the benefits of purchasing jewelry as an investment?

Jewelry is easily transportable. You can carry your wealth between countries.
You control the investment.
Unlike holding bullion, you get the benefit of using your jewelry by wearing it.
Jewelry can benefit from price appreciation if the piece is deemed to be a collectible item.

So how do you make your jewelry purchases also good investments? Here are a few tips:

Focus on “Fine” jewelry. This means that the workmanship must be top notch, and the design must be exquisite, and preferably unique. Commercial jewelry such as that found at a typical retail jewelry chain store, will have little value to a jewelry collector, and the potential resale value will be lower.
When selecting the gold karat level, 18 K to 22 K is preferred for investment purposes. 24 K is is good for pieces that are protected against wear and tear such as a brooch or pendant.
Choose jewelry or have jewelry designed that looks good to you. Firstly, you or your spouse will want to wear it. Secondly, if it looks good to you, it will look good to others, and this again will increase its collectability value.
“Limited edition,” “Custom-made,” “Unique,” “Designer” are all qualities that enhance the value of the value of your jewelry to a collector.

Paraiba Engagement Ring

2009-04-23T22:30:00.003-04:00

I was recently asked to create an engagement ring using Paraiba stones. These are the stones that I presented to the client.

Paraiba is one of the most rare and most beautiful stones in the world. Paraiba were originally found in in the late 1980’s in the state of Paraiba, Brazil. They are in fact tourmaline stones with minute amounts of copper. The combination creates an electric color. New Brazilian mined stones are no longer being found in any significant quantities. Strikes in Africa have produced new finds. Prices of Paraiba can go for up to $15,000 to $20,000 per carat for the highest quality Brazilian stones with electric coloring. The above stones are a comparative bargain at between $1,500 to $2,000 per carat and weigh between 2.2 cts and 4.06 cts. They have wonderful color saturation which is the hallmark of a Paraiba stone. The lower price is in large part driven by these being African stones, yet they still have a classic Paraiba beauty.
Paraiba is far more rare than even exceptionally high quality diamonds. A Paraiba engagement ring makes for a bold statement and an exquisite piece of jewelry.
Related:
- Paraiba Gemstones

Magnificent Jewels Auction at Sotheby’s

2009-04-02T07:55:00.001-04:00

If you like magnificent jewels and have $3.2 million spare cash, then Sotheby’s in New York is the place to be on April 23, 2009 at 2:00 pm. With that cash in your pocket, you might well be able to pick up this 8.24 carat fancy blue diamond ring surrounded by pink diamonds. For those of more modest means, check out the $150,000, 23.36 ct sapphire earrings, or the $65,000 diamond, enamel Schlumberger brooch.

Paris Hilton's Engagement Ring

2009-03-25T11:11:00.000-04:00

The famous Paris-to-Paris Hilton engagement ring. The engagement did not last very long, but the ring sure is beautiful. Does anyone know what happened to the ring? Post your answer below.

Katie Holmes Engagement Ring

2009-03-24T11:17:00.000-04:00

Katie Holmes wearing her white and rose gold, pave engagement ring. The ring is as beautiful from below as it is on top.

Julia Roberts Earrings

2009-03-22T08:41:00.001-04:00

After being out of the headlines for quite some time, Julia Roberts is coming back with her new movie, Duplicity. At the various premiers for her movie, she accessorized with some simple, but beautiful earrings. Here they are:

Here she is about a year ago at the Metroplitan Museum.

Gold Coin Jewelry

2009-03-14T08:08:00.001-04:00

Mints around the world are reporting souring sales of gold coins. Demand is being driven by the financial crisis as people look for safe havens for their investments. American Eagle gold coins sales shot up from 140,000 ounces of sales in 2007 to 710,000 ounces. The Royal Canadian Mint has quadrupled its production of Maple Leaf bullion coins.

On the jewelry side, we are seeing that yellow gold jewelry is becoming more fashionable compared to white gold. People understand the increasing value of yellow gold and want to show it off in their jewelry. Investors are beginning to see really fine jewelry not just as a fashion item but as a store of wealth. I am also getting demand for the incorporation of gold coins in custom-designed jewelry. I will keep you posted on my upcoming gold jewelry designs…..

Related

- Get a personalized jewelry design

Green Quartz Earrings Design

2009-03-08T10:35:00.001-04:00

I have been getting a lot of requests for prasiolite (green quartz or green amethyst) jewelry. I have a supply of some really special stones and will be posting some pictures of designs with these stones. This is a design that I worked with for a client. Let me know if you would like your own personalized design.

Angelina Jolie Red Carpet Earrings with Citrine

2009-03-03T07:07:00.003-05:00

Angelina Jolie recently made a splash on the red carpet at the Oscar's by wearing some fantastic emerald earrings. The sheer size and rich color made her a standout among all the stars. Since then I have been asked by a number of clients to create them earrings with the following two qualities: they must be big and beautiful; they must have lots of color. Since emeralds this size are beyond the budget of most, we have been looking at other natural stones. Take a look at the set in Prasiolite (also called green amethyst).

Below are a set of citrine stones that would make similar earrings.

The earrings would have a total weight of 49.47 cts!! They consist of two high quality, cushion cut citrine stones weighing a total of 16.88 cts and two teardrop (pear) citrines weighing a total 32.59 carats. The color is a wonderful deep orange which makes it much more desirable (and valuable) compared to the yellowy / lemony citrines that you typically find in your local jewelry store. They would certainly make you stand out in a crowd! Please email me or send me a note if you are interested in something similar.

Related Articles:

Magnificent Green Beryl Gemstones

2009-03-01T20:19:00.003-05:00

These are some enormous green beryls that I sampled from my gem dealer. Green Beryl is the same mineral as aquamarine but has a green hue rather than the blue hue of aqua's. Often there is a thin dividing line between the what is called aquamarine and what is green beryl. Enjoy!!

Angelina's Oscar Earrings and Ring with Green Quartz

2009-02-28T12:34:00.007-05:00

Earring Stones

Center Ring Stone

I have had a number of requests for earrings like Angelina Jolie's but using a more affordable natural green stone. I managed to pick up a matching set of Green Quartz (also called Prasiolite or Green Amethyst). The color is a beautiful, rich green.

The earrings would have a total weight of 70 cts, consisting of a cushion cut top stone and a tear drop (pear) bottom stone. The ring stone is also a cushion cut stone and weighs 28.6 carats. In terms of size, I think the stones are similar to Angelina Jolie’s jewelry. The ring stone is 19mm wide. The top stone for the earring (the cushion cut) is about 14 mm wide and the tear drop stone is almost 27 mm long. I chose these stones as the best matching set out of a very large package that my Brazilian dealer had. This is an excellent color for green quartz. Email me if you are interested in something similar.

Although these are a different shade of green from emeralds they have their own special beauty. Their large size and fire will make the same statement that Angelina's did on the red carpet.

Gisele Bundchen Wedding Update

2009-02-27T22:34:00.005-05:00

Gisele and Tom have finally got married. Here she is in 2008 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala wearing a spectacular dress and jewelry.

Choosing Aquamarine Stones

2009-02-27T18:46:00.005-05:00

I thought I would add a couple of pictures of what it is like going through a parcel of stones to choose a few that represent the best of the pack. Aquamarine, as well as topaz and alexandrite, show their best side under light conditions at night. The value of aquamarine increases dramatically as the color becomes more intense. Exceptional stones should have an icy blue quality to them.

In 1954, a 34 kilogram aquamarine was found and named after the Miss Brazil of that year. Her eyes were said to match the color of the stone exactly. Gems that are cut from that stone are said to be the finest aquamarine ever.

Spectacular Aquamarine for Earrings or Pendant

2009-02-27T18:24:00.006-05:00

My Brazilian dealer was in town. He had these spectacular aquamarine stones. They have a total weight of over 140 cts and are 2.8 inches long. I have shown them above next to a pen, so you can get a sense of just how large they are. They would make a truly unique set of earrings or, set individually, they would make outstanding pendants. The earrings would cost approximately $8,500 and a pendant would be about $4,250. This works out to less than $61 per carat, which is a really good price for aquamarine this size and clarity.

Can you imagine walking into a party wearing these stones?

I also think that if they are surrounded by small pave diamonds, then they would really show their beauty.

Let me know if you are interested in a personalized design using these stones.

Jessica Biel Oscars: Diamond Earrings, Bracelet, Cuff

2009-02-23T07:36:00.001-05:00

Jessica Biel wore diamond earrings and a matching diamond cuff on the red carpet. This, in my opinion, was some of the most interesting jewelry of the night.

Related Articles

Angelina Jolie Emerald Earrings

2009-02-22T23:18:00.013-05:00

Angelina Jolie came to the Oscars equipped with a magnificent set of emerald earrings by Lorraine Schwartz and a matching emerald cocktail ring.

Related Articles:

Angelina's jewelry in affordable:
Sozai Designs Custom Made Jewelry

Aquamarine, Tourmaline Earrings

2008-12-25T07:49:00.007-05:00

Aquamarine is one of my favorite gemstones. The pink tourmaline creates a wonderful color combination. I tried to create earrings that have a soft and delicate touch. The aquamarine stones weight 3.75 carats total weight. Email me if you are interested in these or similar earrings (I can set these earrings with stone of your choice.)

Extremely High Priced Diamonds

2008-12-12T22:08:00.006-05:00

Sotheby's set a new record with the sale of a 35.6 carat fancy deep grayish blue, VS2 diamond for $24.3 million. The Wittelsbach diamond has a storied history dating back to the 17th Century when it was given to a 15-year old princess on the occasion of her wedding. It eventually became the family diamond of the House of Bavaria, the Wittelsbachs, from which it retained its name.

The diamond is now owned by billionaire Laurence Graff.

Light of Letseng: Most Expensive Rough Diamond

2008-12-12T22:00:00.002-05:00

I reported a couple of months ago on the discovery of one of the largest flawless diamonds ever discovered, the 478 Letseng diamond. The diamond has now been brought by Graff, who can now add the stone to its collections which includes the mammoth blue Wi ttelsbach Diamond. The Letseng was purchased for $18.4 million, making it the most expensive rough diamond ever. Graff is hoping it will produce a flawless cut D diamond of over 200 carats.

Gemstones Jewelry

2008-12-07T08:22:00.002-05:00

Choosing the right gemstones for your jewelry is a critical aspect for creating the perfect piece of jewelry. Creating the right combination of color in your gemstones defines the jewelry and is about as important as anything in establishing an outstanding jewelry design. Here are a few gemstone color combinations that I love. Let me know which ones you best prefer in the comments section:

a. Emerald and Aquamarine Gemstones:

b. Tourmaline and Iolite Gemstones:

c. Aquamarine and White Sapphire Gemstones:

d. Citrine and Red / Purplish Garnet Gemstones:

Related Links
- Sozai Custom-Designed Jewelry

Harry Winston $108 Million Theft

2008-12-05T18:23:00.004-05:00

Harry Winston's Paris boutique on Avenue Montaigne has just been robbed of over $108 million in jewels. The robbers wore women's wigs and dresses. The thieves are believed to be from the "Pink Panther" gang and come from former Yugoslavia. This makes it one of the largest jewelry thefts ever.

I hope the police catch them.

Related articles:

Top Jewelry Designers

Michelle Obama's Rhodium Ring

2008-12-02T21:18:00.012-05:00

The internet is buzzing with reports that Barack Obama is buying his wife a $30,000 pure rhodium ring for his inauguration. The ring is apparently made by Italian designer, Giovanni Bosco. The reports are claiming that rhodium is super expensive at over $7,000 per ounce. Whereas rhodium is commonly used to plate both white gold and platinum jewelry to give it a clean, bright appeal, it is highly unusual to have pure rhodium jewelry.

What really are the facts:

- Obama's spokespeople have already denied the reports.

- Solid rhodium is generally unsuitable (unheard of?) for jewelry because it is brittle and difficult to cast. The high price of the metal is less of a barrier than these other factors.

- Prices of Rhodium have plummeted from an annual high of $10,010 to $935. This is more expensive than platinum ($817) or gold ($782), but not much more so and nowhere near the prices being reported in the Obama reports. Take a look at this amazing chart of the price of rhodium:

Given the inconsistencies in the story, it is almost certainly fake. Michelle Obama would be getting ripped off based on today's rhodium prices. Anyway, its great publicity for Giovanni Bosco.

(....Michelle, if you want a special, custom-made ring for the inauguration, email me!)

New York Jewelry Designer

2008-11-30T01:25:00.005-05:00

One of the great things about being a jewelry designer in New York City is having access to some really excellent gemstone dealers. It is very difficult to buy gems over the internet and so when I get a custom order, I have easy access to some of the most important wholesale gem dealers in the country and who are based right here in the Manhattan. I usually spend a lot of time going through my network of dealers' inventories before settling on the perfect gemstone. The ability to find high quality gemstones at good prices is something that my clients really appreciate.

Aquamarine Cocktail Ring

2008-11-29T11:02:00.009-05:00

I created this ring with soft, feminine curves using a delicate blue aquamarine stone. The stone is 2.0 carats and the ring is sterling silver. 6.25 ring size. To make the ring in another size, please email me.

Handmade Gold Jewelry

2008-11-29T08:50:00.008-05:00

Creating a magnificent piece of jewelry requires attention to detail at every stage of the process. Handmade jewelry needs patience and meticulous care. Here are a few steps that you need to go through:

Sample 1: Circle Pendant

With this piece, I am creating a circle pendant. The picture below shows the back of the pendant. Each square is cut out by hand using a very fine saw. Look carefully, you can see the saw blade cutting one of the squares. The saw is the thickness of a few human hairs.

Below is the front of the Circle Pendant. I am testing out a few gemstone color options. The top pendant shows various hued spessartite gemstones, the bottom has a mixture of aquamarine and citrine.

Sample 2: Gold Pave Earrings

I created a set of pave earrings in gold. This is what they look like before the earring post and stones have been set.

Below, the gemstones are being individually set. I am using a combination of pink tourmaline and aquamarine pave which is a color combination that I love. To set the stones, the earring is first placed in a special heated plastic compound. When the plastic cools, it forms a rock-hard vice around the earring. This allows me to set the stones using a lot of force to bend the prongs and cut out any excess metal without damaging the exterior of the earring.

Related Links
- Sozai Custom-Designed Jewelry

Cloud Tourmaline Pendant

2008-11-26T19:11:00.014-05:00

The pendant is from my Cloud series. It is sterling silver with a 1.59 carat oval red tourmaline. The chain is included.

Cloud Red Garnet Pendant

2008-11-26T16:27:00.018-05:00

I created this sterling silver cloud pendant with a beautiful deep red 1.83 carat garnet. The pendant has a beautiful airy form.

The sterling silver chain is included.

Paraiba Tourmaline Gemstones

2008-11-15T11:00:00.007-05:00

Paraiba tourmaline is one of the most amazing gemstones. The color is a fantastic electric blue or green that separates it from all other gems. Although tourmaline is generally not a highly expensive stone in the same range as diamonds or ruby's, the same cannot be said of the Paraiba. Top quality stones can go for $10,000 to $20,000 per carat. Paraiba are named for the province in Brazil where they were first discovered.

David Sherman of Paraiba.com, the company that developed the original Paraiba mines, sued a number of gem labs to stop them from assigning the Paraiba designation to similar stones mined in Africa and Madascar. Brazilian gemstones dealers believed this was hurting the value of their business and was suing for $120 million.

Here are a few Paraiba from my collection:

Paraiba is a rare stone and is collected by gem and jewelry connoisseurs. Email me if you would like me to design a ring, or a pendant for you using one of these Paraiba stones.

Carnelian Organic Pendant

2008-11-15T09:41:00.013-05:00

This is a fun ball pendant with carnelian gemstones. Carnelian is a reddish Chalcedony. In Roman times, Carnelian was most prized and was used to adorn luxurious Roman jewelry. The piece is created in an organic style. Made in Sterling Silver.

Ancient Jewelry: Great Style Never Fades

2008-11-11T04:32:00.005-05:00

A pearl and emerald earring dating back to the time of Jesus has been found outside the walls of Jerusalem. The piece consists of a large pearl, inlaid with gold, with two drop emeralds and smaller pearls.

It is remarkable for its preserved quality and precious nature. It was likely worn by a wealthy person of the time.

What strikes me most about it is that it would not seem out of place in a jewelry boutique today.

Charlize Theron's Jewelry World

2008-11-06T21:10:00.002-05:00

Most people pay a lot of money to wear expensive designer jewelry. If, however, you are Charlize Theron, you get paid a lot of money to wear jewelry. In a dispute with Raymond Weil, court documents claim that Charlize got paid:

$3m to endorse Raymond Weil watches for 18 months
$200,000 to wear Chopard for the 2006 Oscars and another $50,000 for BAFTA awards in London
$0 to wear Cartier to the 2006 Golden Globes (if you don't count a $35,000 ring, $8000 earrings and a $7,500 bracelet given to her as a token of appreciation).

What can I say, except that I am jealous!!

Late Update: It appears that Raymond Weil and Charlize have come to an agreement to settle the case.

Obama v. McCain: The Jewelry Debate

2008-11-03T22:05:00.002-05:00

Here we have Michelle Obama and Cindy McCain wearing classic pearl necklaces. Who do you think wears more interesting jewelry in general? Let me know your comments.

Late update: On election night, Vogue is reporting that Michelle Obama wore diamond encrusted triple dangle, white gold earrings with pear, oval and marquee shapes at a price of $10,000.

Diamond Grading: The Four C's

2008-11-01T22:11:00.004-04:00

Gabi Tolkowski, one of the greatest diamond cutters, in an interview with the The StarPhoenix, talks about the 4 C's:

The Four Cs to me is a program that teaches consumers and the people to know what they should look for. . . . Those are four elements that are the basic tools to understand how a diamond should be looking. But you cannot go and impose on a person who likes an oblong shape to go into a square one. You can't force somebody who likes the shape of a drop to get a round one. What about all those that are loved by other people? It's no more Four Cs, it's millions of Cs.

Tolkowski has cut some great diamonds such as the Centenary Diamond and the Golden Jubilee Diamond, the largest faceted diamond in the world at 545 carats.

Golden Jubilee Diamond

Tom Brady - Gisele Bundchen Engagement Ring

2008-10-29T22:21:00.005-04:00

In Touch Weekly is reporting that Tom went out to Cartier and brought a 5 carat yellow diamond engagement ring for his girl. The price? A mere $145,000. Sounds about right.

Padparadscha Sapphire Jewelry

2008-10-28T23:49:00.003-04:00

One of the most delicate and exciting gemstones is the padparadscha sapphire. A padparadscha is defined as a delicately colored sapphire with light to medium tones of pinkish-orange, orangey pink to orange pink hues. A more romantic definition is the color that you get when the orange sunset kisses pink lotus leaf petals.

A plain orange or a plain pink stone is not considered a padparadscha. The key to the color is that it should be delicate. Some people say that it can have secondary tones of yellow or brown. Others believe that brown should be avoided. Almost all sapphires today, including padparadscha's are heated. What must be avoided are stones that are "treated". Pink or orange sapphires are substantially cheaper.

Padparadscha's were originally found in Sri Lanka. Today, great examples come from Tanzania's Umba river and the Rocky Mountains.

One of the most famous padparadscha's is the Morgan padparadscha which weighs in at 100 carats. This can be found at the Natural History Museum in New York. When I went to go look at it I was surprised that this fantastic gem was set in an exhibit with a bunch of other much less valued stones among which its beauty was somewhat lost. If you have not heard of this stone, it would be quite easily missed. This is quite a pity for one of the most fantastic gemstones in the world. A padparadscha is highly sought after by jewelry connoisseurs and those who appreciate fine jewelry.

Great Moments in Jewelry: Breakfast at Tiffany's

2008-10-27T21:54:00.001-04:00

Diamonds & Men: Quote of the Day

2008-10-25T06:31:00.001-04:00

“I never hated a man enough to give him his diamonds back”
Zsa Zsa Gabor

Fabergé, Tiffany and Lalique Exhibit

2008-10-25T00:04:00.007-04:00

After a 100 year hiatus, 3 great designers Faberge, Tiffany and Lalique are being exhibited together again. The exhibit is at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The show concentrates on pieces from around 1900, the height of the Art Nouveau period.

Iris Brooch, c. 1900–01, Tiffany & Co. Pink tourmalines, green garnet, platinum.

Tsavorite Pave Jewelry

2008-10-23T22:24:00.007-04:00

One hundred times more rare than emeralds, tsavorites are one of the most beautiful of green gemstones. They were discovered first in 1967 and are considered a modern gemstone. The crystalline structure of tsavorites make than more brilliant than emeralds. And the best thing about tsavorites? They are less than a half the price of emeralds. The best tsavorites are a rich green with a slight bluish secondary hue. Tsavorites are in fact a type of garnet.

Here are a few tsavorites from my collection. I will be using them in a pave style with diamonds.

These are truly majestic. I have seen a pave tsavorite ring with a solitaire red diamond (likely the most expensive type of gemstone per carat) done by Sotheby's. Let me know in the comments whether you think these would go well with other stones and what you would like to see them with?

Custom-Designed Fine Jewelry

2008-10-22T19:39:00.005-04:00

Just a reminder, if you would like me to design and make a custom-designed creation for you, please email me at info@sozaidesigns.com or click on the button above.

Sotheby's Auction - Yellow Diamond Ring

2008-10-21T19:41:00.007-04:00

Sotheby's is holding an auction on Nov 6, 2008. The ring shown above stood out among the various pieces. The proceeds of the sale of this yellow diamond, daffodil ring made by George Pragnell will go to the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity. Sotheby's provides a good description on colored diamonds:

"Fancy coloured diamonds are graded based on two factors. The first is their basic hue, such as pink, yellow, blue and even green, it is interesting to note that a secondary undertone that enhances the colour of a diamond is considered a plus, while a secondary undertone that detracts from the colour is thought to be a negative. The second is their intensity of colour. Both colour characteristics form the basis for determining a fancy coloured diamond's rarity and value.

When grading fancy coloured yellow diamonds, the Gemological Institute of America, G.I.A uses the following categories:

1. Fancy Light
2. Fancy
3. Fancy Intense
4. Fancy Dark
5. Fancy Deep
6. Fancy Vivid

Unlike other coloured diamonds (except brown) yellow diamonds with grades of Faint, Very Light and Light are not considered to be fancy-coloured diamonds, but are part of GIA's D-Z colour grading scale.

The formation of white diamonds involves a process that requires the presence of carbon being crystalised under immense heat and pressure deep in the earth's crust, but to colour a diamond one also needs the presence of additional trace elements and distortions to the typical diamond crystal. If an element interacts with carbon atoms during a diamond's creation, the diamond's colour can change. Radiation and pressure on a diamond's structure will also impact its colour as well. The presence of nitrogen can impart yellow or orange shades to a diamond."

Choosing an Engagement Ring: Top 10 Rules

2008-10-21T09:23:00.003-04:00

Thinking about popping "the question" and sealing the deal with an engagement ring? These are the Top 10 Rules for Choosing an Engagement Ring:

1. Don't buy junk. The ring is going to last for the rest of your life, so make it count.
2. How you give the ring is as important as the ring itself. Your ring will forever be connected with the moment that you give it to her. Make it count!
3. Choosing the design: Work with a designer that is going to draw up a bunch of designs for you and then allow you to pick a design. A lot of people just take a picture of a ring that they like to a jeweler and say "make this"! However, you might want to add a personal touch, or ask the designer to produce a bunch of variations and see if you like the variations. Pick a designer with an artistic flare. Try avoid copying iconic designs. Some designs are so closely related to a particular jeweler or designer, that your future fiance 's friends are always going to ask, "was that ring made by...."? It is better to be inspired by a ring and add your own personal element with the help of your designer than just copy something outright.
4. Protect the Diamond: Make sure the ring protects the diamond. Although diamond is the hardest substance known (by far), it doesn't mean that they can chip or shatter. Make sure that the prongs are set in such a way as to protect the delicate girdle of the diamond. Any point (e.g. for a pear stone) on a diamond should have a prong to protect it. Cocktail rings do not typically follow this rule, but these rings are not worn as often as an engagement ring and are less susceptible to everyday bumps.
5. Listen to your Future Fiance: If she has any inkling that you might want to get engaged, your fiance-to-be will start dropping hints as to what she likes and doesn't.

6. Sizing the Ring: If you are going to surprise your girlfriend, one of the most difficult things is getting the size right. Small differences can make a great difference on comfort. If the ring contains a lot of stones down or around the side of the shank, it might not be possible to resize. The resizing process might also ruin the delicate features of some rings. So try to find a ring that your girlfriend wears on her ring finger. If she does not, find a ring that she wears on her right hand ring finger and take that to the jeweler, or trace a circle on the inner part of the ring with pen and paper and bring that to the jeweler. If none of this is possible, make sure you choose a ring that can be resized.

7. GIA Certificate: Make sure the diamond comes with a GIA certificate. There are other diamond grading services that can be used, but GIA is the most prestigious.
8. Thin vs. Fat Shank: Thin shanks typically make the main diamond look a little larger. Fatter shanks often look more luxurious. There is no right answer here except to make sure that the shank size is consistent with the diamond size. If you go to a cheap jeweler, they are going to use an off-the-shelf shank that might not fit the diamond that you have.
9. Supporting stones: One of the most common mistakes is to buy an expensive main diamond and then have cheap diamonds on the side of the shank. The cheap diamonds are going to detract from the beauty of the main stone.
10. Price: This is one rule that I don't believe in. You often hear that an engagement ring should cost three months salary. Well if this is going to put you in financial difficulty or sour the process, then what's the point? You should feel that an engagement ring is expensive relative to your income, but don't pick something that is going to make you uncomfortable about the process even before you start your life together.

- Request a free, hand-painted custom design of an engagement ring

Tension Set Ring

2008-10-11T23:58:00.005-04:00

I made this ring many years ago. It was my first attempt at a tension set ring. The stone is an iolite. Although it is a simple design, I still find that it grabs people's attention when they look at it.

Fine Jewelry Market is Strong?

2008-10-11T23:33:00.003-04:00

I spent the day walking through the jewelry salons at Barney's and Bergdorf Goodman's. Whereas it is hard to know whether their sales are strong, the floors where packed with shoppers. People seemed to be oblivious to the meltdown in the financial markets.

Forbes has an interesting article on strong performance of recent auctions at Leslie Hindman and Sotheby's. The former saw multiple pieces selling at the $100,000 mark, with a 5.4 carat yellow diamond ring (shown above) going for $144,000, four time the expected price. According to Forbes,

"At Sotheby's September jewelry auction, the top-selling lots were a sapphire-and-diamond ring, made by Van Cleef & Arpels in Paris, which sold for $656,500--more than double its pre-sale estimate of $250,000 to $350,000; and a colorless diamond ring from Harry Winston, which easily fetched twice its pre-sale estimate of $200,000 to $250,000, when it sold for $470,500."

Top Jewelry Designers

2008-10-07T11:55:00.004-04:00

I am often, as a jewelry designer, asked which other jewelry designers do I really like. Here is my list in no particular order of preference:

1. Boucheron
2. Cartier
3. Mikimoto
4. Joel Arthur Rosenthal (JAR)
5. Van Cleef & Arpels

Platinum vs. Gold Prices: Impact on Jewelry Fashion

2008-10-04T23:31:00.003-04:00

An amazing thing is happening in the metals market. The price of gold has been steadily increasing as investors have sought a safe haven during turbulent economic times. The price of platinum however has plummeted. Gold is now $836 compared to platinum at $962. Platinum has fallen in a mere few months from a high of $2,252. At those high prices, platinum was becoming prohibitively expensive even for fine jewelry, with gold becoming more and more in fashion. I suspect now with such a small difference in the price of platinum and gold, that the pendulum will swing again and platinum will increase in popularity at the high end of the market. Given the small disparity in prices between platinum and gold, I am sure more and more of my clients will start asking for jewelry in platinum rather than gold.

Google Jewelry Knol

2008-10-04T22:15:00.002-04:00

Google has a beta service called Knol. Google defines a Knol as "an authoritative article about a specific topic." Take a look at this very good knol on antique jewelry.

The International Art and Design Fair

2008-10-04T21:05:00.001-04:00

The International Art and Design Fair is currently being held at the Park Avenue Armory in New York. I went there today and looked around. The exhibition is a mixture of art pieces, sculpture, furniture and jewelry. Most of the jewelry were antique pieces. The Macklowe Gallery had some beautiful art deco pieces including a classic ruby and diamond platinum bracelet for $95,000. Their display had a a range of antique Tiffany, Cartier, and Bulgari pieces. Charon Kransen Arts had some exciting European and Asian designers on display. Charon Kransen probably had the most original and unusual jewelry.

The star of the show was Rami G. Abboud, a jeweler from Paris. When you look at his pieces, you imagine that there is a party going on in his head and he has translated this into jewelry art form. Although the pieces have a sense of chaos about them, they are well structured and exciting.

The fair is worth a visit if you are in town.

Pearl Divers in Toba, Japan

2008-10-04T15:03:00.000-04:00

I recently traveled to Japan and went to a small town call Toba. Toba is the home to Mikimoto and is where his museum and pearl farms are. This is a picture of the bay in nearby Kashikojima. You can see the pearl beds which extend throughout the bay.

This is a pearl diver known as "Ama." Ama means a "sea person". Only women are pearl divers. It is believed that pearl diving dates back 2000 years. The Ama dive without scuba gear and work in the frigid waters.

A Sozai Design - Ladybug Pearl Pendant

2008-10-01T20:41:00.005-04:00

I really enjoyed designing this ladybug. The wings are made of gold and diamond pave. The body is a black Tahitian pearl. The bug's antennae form the clasp. I have a passion for little jeweled bugs! I will post a few more of my little critters over the coming days.

Most Expensive Colored Diamonds

2008-10-01T08:41:00.003-04:00

Which colored diamonds are the most expensive per carat?

Red diamonds are by far the most expensive. Although your local jeweler might claim to sell red diamonds, there are actually only a handful of natural reds ever found and they can sell for hundred's of thousands of dollars per carat.

Green diamonds come next. The most famous green diamond is a 41 carat fancy green diamond that is set in a hat ornament made in 1768.

Other top colors (in order of price per carat) are:
- Blue
- Pink
- Yellow
- Brown

Of course, there are other factors that apply to specific diamonds, such as clarity, size, the intensity of the color etc. that can distort this order. But this is generally the ranking of diamonds by color.

However, what about orange and purple diamonds? Let me know where you think they fit in the order or if you disagree with the order listed above.

Centenary Diamond - Where is it?

2008-09-29T09:00:00.002-04:00

I have talked about the latest 478 carat near flawless diamond found in Lesotho as well as the "Marcel Tolkowsky" cut diamond who attempted to define a perfectly cut diamond. What is interesting is the Marcel Tolkowski is the great uncle of Gabi Tolkowsky, the person who cut the De Beers Centenary Diamond. The Centenary Diamond weighs 273.85 carats and is the largest perfect color diamond in the world. The question is "Where is the Centenary Diamond"? De Beers, the original owner, is not telling. When De Beers first disclosed that the centenary diamond, the shape was described as being appropriate for adorning the turban of a Sultan or a Maharaja. Could it be that it is sitting in a turban today? Let me know your thoughts?

Selecting a Diamond

2008-09-28T10:00:00.002-04:00

When selecting a diamond, we are typically told to investigate the 3 C's: Cut, Clarity and Color. When you receive a certificate from GIA, for example, the stone clarity and color are rated. Cut, however, is a much more complicated issue to define. It turns out, that unlike clarity and color, it might not be possible to establish the ideal cut. Yet, cut is without doubt, the most important of the factors. Brilliance, dispersion and scintillation (differing ways of explaining a diamond's sparkle) are determined by the cut. The cut determines how light enters the top of the stone, and is then is bounced back.

In 1919, Marcel Tolkowsky, a master cutter, tried to establish the ideal cut of a round diamond. He established proportions of the diamond as a percentage of the diameter. For example, the table is 53% of the height of the diameter, the the crown 16.2% and the pavilion 43.5%.
A Tolkowsky cut diamond can sell for a substantial premium (>50%) to that of another diamond of same color and clarity.

Computer modelling today shows that is far from easy to determine the ideal cut. A cut that produces the best dispersion, does not produce the best brilliance. A GIA certificate today will in fact not provide a "cut" rating. It will however give you the proportions.

So how then do you pick a well cut diamond if the certificate doesn't specifically rate cut? You can use Tolkowsky as a guide, but best yet, if you are choosing a diamond, ask the dealer to show you a bunch of diamonds and compare them, face up (as you would see them in a ring) while next to each other. Close your hand and let them rest in the cracks on the back of your hand. Move your hand around under good lighting. Very often, you will note that one diamond stands out from the rest. The dealer will want you to do this under bright lights. That's fine, but also try the exercise in a dimmer area and see which stones sparkle in the lower light.

Finally, another little trick is to take a diamond and hold it, face up, over writing. If you can read any of the writing through the diamond, then the light is not being bounced back enough and there is a "dead spot" in the diamond. A beautifully cut stone will bounce back so much light so that you cannot see through the stone.

Gold Mesh Earrings

2008-09-22T23:41:00.011-04:00

I went to the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art a couple of weeks ago. There is a room called the "Treasury" which contains fantastic gold pieces from ancient Central and South America. I came across an outstanding piece of jewelry that was hundreds of years old. It was a nose flair or ornament. It kind of looks like an upside down fan which clips into your presumably pierced nose (like a bull's nose ring). What was amazing is that the fan was made from an extremely delicate mesh of 24k gold rings that were separated by thick gold wire into compartments. Given that nose flairs are out of vogue (thank god), I decided to design a set of earrings based on the same principal. The handmade gold mesh will also hold a number of small bezel set stones. I think the earrings will look best with primary color stones which will seem to float in the gold mesh.

Twin Tahitian Pearl Pendant

2008-09-22T23:09:00.008-04:00

Tahitian pearls are always majestic. Here is a another example of a pearl pendant design with which I have been working.

I have tried to create flowing lines and movement with the pearls.

I think this will work better in white gold or platinum rather than yellow gold.

What do you think? Please let me know your comments.

Afternoon Design Doodles

2008-09-22T22:59:00.009-04:00

I have been working on a study of Tahitian Pearls. Here is a design that I particularly like that will juxtapose the richness of the dark pearl against the light of pave diamonds.

Near Flawless 478 Carat Diamond Found!!

2008-09-21T23:02:00.009-04:00

One of the largest near flawless diamonds has been found in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. It weighs 478 carats.

Hmmm.... What would I design with this??

By the way, the current largest flawless diamond is De Beer's centenary diamond. In the rough it was 599 carats, and cut it is 273 carats.

Sapphire Cufflinks

2008-09-21T18:28:00.016-04:00

These are white gold, sapphire cufflinks. I added a small diamond on the button piece to add a touch of flair. The sapphires have a remarkable clarity, weigh 5.5 cts and have a wonderful fire to them. The cufflinks are quite special and can make you stand out from across the room.

First Post

2008-09-21T17:10:00.000-04:00

My name is Sophia Zail. I design and make fine jewelry.

I am inspired by beautiful jewelry and exquisite gemstones. This is what this blog will be about. I will write about jewelry that I am making, fashion trends, helpful ideas when selecting jewelry and interesting facts about gems and jewelry. I will also show some of my designs and those of other master jewelers.

This blog is dedicated to those who love wearing exceptional designer jewelry or buying it for their loved ones.

Custom-Designed Jewelry

2008-09-01T18:43:00.010-04:00

If you would like me to work with you to design and make a special piece of jewelry, follow these steps:

Fill out the form below describing your needs, or email me at info@sozaidesigns.com
Review Designs: I will then work with you and provide you with a set of suggested hand drawn designs. There is no obligation or cost for this.
Place order once you are fully satisfied with the design.

Each piece is custom made to order to meet your exact needs.

Contact Me

2008-09-01T17:10:00.008-04:00

Please feel free to call or email me if you have any questions or if you would like me to design a unique piece of jewelry for you.

Sozai's Contact Details:

Tel: +1-347-788-0077

Email: info@sozaidesigns.com

Custom-designed jewelry order form: Custom Order