The many colors of August---the birthstone choice is yours

People born in the month of August are so lucky! They get the choice of either peridot or sardonyx for their birthstone.

Vine Ring with pear-shaped peridot by Danielle Miller Jewelry

Peridot is a gorgeous green shaded stone sometimes mistaken for an emerald. In fact many times it’s referred to as an “evening emerald” since the finer quality peridots become brighter when viewed under artificial light. The color spectrum for peridot range from light green to hazel brown, with the colors usually seen in contemporary jewelry being lime greens and olives.

One of the oldest gemstones of record, it is thought that the “topaz” mentioned in the Old Testament was actually peridot. And the ancient Egyptians and Greeks both used peridot in jewelry, weapons and talismans. It has always been regarded as a symbol of the sun and was believed that wearing peridot brought royal dignity and kept away evil spirits.

Peridot is formed deep in the earth and has been brought to the surface by volcanoes that erupted thousands of years ago. Today’s gemstones are mined primarily in China, Pakistan and here in the United States they are found in Arizona and New Mexico.

If green isn’t your color then check out the richness and brilliance of sardonyx. These stones are a member of the silica family and most are white, gray or cream banded with brown/red/rust layers. In fact, the word “sardonyx” comes from two Greek words, “sard” meaning reddish brown and “onyx” meaning veined gem.

Sardonyx

In addition to being used in August birthstone jewelry, sardonyx is most often seen in both cameos and intaglios. Sardonyx is mined throughout the world, with the highest quality stones found in India.

Both peridot and sardonyx are relatively inexpensive stones that offer a classy and timeless look in everything from rings to pendants. Or why not consider combining both stones in something like a stunning custom designed bracelet?

The Weather is Hot and so is the Ruby Birthstone!

Those fortunate to be born during one of the hottest months of the year, have the honor of wearing one of the most sizzling birthstones around. Rubies range in shading from fire red to a scarlet so deep and rich it’s almost violet and look fabulous surrounded by white or yellow gold, sterling silver or platinum. Rubies are also one of those stones that sparkle by themselves or are just as stunning mounted singularly.

Lore has it wearing rubies brings good health, increased wealth and success in love and relationships. Also people who wear the July birthstone are thought have integrity, courage and are full of confidence, vitality and both physical and emotional strength. Rubies are considered a positive stone; one that increases positive thought patterns and lessens the severity of infection and certain blood disorders. In fact, during medieval times rubies were ground to a fine powder and ingested to treat digestive disorders and stop internal bleeding.

Second only to diamonds in hardness, rubies belong to the corundum or aluminum oxide family and are primarily mined in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma and India. Rubies are so plentiful in Thailand and Burma that both of these countries consider the ruby their national stone. Here in the United States rubies are rarely found but some of the finest one’s on record have been discovered in both North Carolina and Montana.

True rubies are very expensive and because of that, many of the stones available today are lab-grown. These synthetic stones are also used as tiny bearings in self winding wristwatches, turntable styluses and in the scientific community as an important component to the ruby laser used in military rangefinding.

"Tulip Ring" with lab-grown ruby by Danielle Miller Jewelry

Whether real or synthetic, if you were born during the heat of the summer, why not consider a piece of jewelry that packs the same amount of fire and passion?

Pearls, Moonstone or Alexandrite? June Birthstone the Choice is Yours!

Leaf Earrings with Pearl by Danielle Miller Jewelry

The first and most popular birthstone for the month of June is the pearl. This organic gem is so versatile! From pearl earrings to a pendant, necklace, bracelet or a gorgeous ring featuring one or more stones, pearls were once harvested mainly from saltwater oysters. Now most of the pearls used in jewelry today are categorized as “cultured” and are mass produced in thriving oyster farms, both fresh and saltwater.

White or cream are the most popular shadings for pearls, but these days it’s not unusual to see them also available in wide color palette including pinks, black, blue, lavender and green.

While pearls have been used for medicinal purposes since as early as 2000 BC, in many parts of Asia, even to this day, lower grade pearls are ground and used in different potions and salves.

If you think pearls are too traditional then why not check out a moonstone? From the family of feldspar minerals, moonstones got their name from the opalescent and luminous quality caused by light diffraction within the stone. The highest quality moonstones are mined in Sri Lanka but can also be found in India, Madagascar and the Alps. Folklore has it that moonstones bring good fortune to the wearer because of spirits that are believed to inhabit the stones.

Chiseled Rainbow Moonstone Ring by Danielle Miller Jewelry

Perhaps you want a stone that reflects your changing personality, then alexandrite is the one for you. A brilliant green, many times with either a blue or brown tint when viewed in natural light, alexandrite change and appears violet with reddish highlights under artificial light.

Alexandrites are very sturdy stones, only diamonds, sapphires and rubies are harder. They are difficult to mine and considered a fairly rare and uncommon stone. Like its partner moonstone, Sri Lanka is home to the best and largest alexandrites. Synthetic alexandrite has been produced but only with limited success because the color change was unable to be reproduced.

Alexandrite Gemstones

People with June birthdays are so lucky! From traditional to rare, people born during the month of June can choose a birthstone as unique as their personality!

Stylish, Tasteful and Masculine...Jewelry for the Guys

Why should women have all the baubles? Jewelry has been worn and enjoyed by men since the beginning of time. In fact, archeologists have uncovered the remains of several Cro-Magnon men wearing strands of small bones, teeth, berries and stones strung on strips of animal sinew around their necks, wrists and ankles. Then as mankind developed, jewelry followed along, becoming more sophisticated in both materials and design.

An increase in world exploration during the Renaissance Period introduced new sources of gemstones to European jewelers. That, coupled with improved personal wealth for the upper class along with stable rulers including King of England Henry VIII and French King Francis I who both worn lavish jewelry from some of the era’s finest craftsmen, increased the demand for men’s pieces with pendants being one of the most popular.

Portrait of Henry VIII of England by Hans Holbein

During WWII men’s jewelry choices consisted mainly of a watch, wedding ring, tie clip, cufflinks and perhaps a money clip. Several years after the end of the war, college rings gained in popularity since more adult males returned to and graduated from college after serving in the military.

The 1960’s and early 1970’s ushered in a time of great social change and men began sporting everything from multiple strands of colorful beads to gold medallions, pendants and bracelets. Earrings for men have ebbed and flowed over the years and now it’s not unusual to see a man with both ears pierced and filled with either matching studs or small hoops.

Today most major fashion houses include several tasteful jewelry collections for men including bracelets, earrings, rings and necklaces. Popular London jeweler, Stephen Webster said in a Wall Street Journal article, “Picking the right ring, bracelet or necklace finishes your look…a well-chosen piece can lend a little bit of edge to an outfit.”

All metals work well with the more masculine pieces while stones generally should be darker in nature. White diamonds and colorful stones tend to be a bit too flashy for most gentlemen. Etched designs, religious icons and pieces with sentimental value such as signet rings or a medallion with the family crest are always good choices.

Father’s Day is less than a month away and while I always have several men’s pieces in stock, I’d love to discuss designing that custom piece for your special man.

Various custom made men's items by Danielle Miller Jewelry

The Magical Properties of May’s Birthstone - Emerald

During the Middle Ages it was believed that emeralds held the ability to predict the future. Many also thought wearing emeralds would grant patience, insure youth and good fortune and were a symbol of rebirth. While the soothing color of the stone was believed to rejuvenate the eyes, stop bleeding and prevent epilepsy.

Taken from the Greek word, “smaragdos” which loosely translates as green stones, emeralds originally were worn by royalty including Queen Cleopatra and Atahualpa, the final Inca King of Peru whose headdress was the Crown of the Andes, a magnificent piece set with over 1,523 carats of high quality emeralds. The ancient Romans associated emeralds with the goddess Venus because they believed the stones represented the earth’s seasonal rebirth while early Christians saw them as a symbol of Christ’s resurrection. All this makes sense since the natural shadings found in emeralds makes one think of Mother Nature awakening after a long cold winter.

While the most famous emerald mines, producing the world’s largest and highest quality stones are located in Colombia, South America, Zambia is the second largest producer. Emeralds are also mined in Russia, Pakistan, Australia, Norway and here in the United States the stones can be found in North Carolina.

Usually discovered inside shale which is a fine-grained sedimentary rock, an emerald’s color is caused by trace amounts of chromium and iron. Unlike many other gemstones, the inclusions and additional flaws found in emeralds are considered part of the stone’s character. Many natural emeralds are soaked in a green-colored oil to help define their shading and luster. Over the years as the stone begins to dull a quick soak in mineral oil can help return the emerald to its original shine.

Because of their coloring, emeralds work well set in all types of metals. But don’t surround them with too many other stones, emeralds are so rich and elegant, they need to shine on their own! So get your green on and have Danielle custom design an emerald piece just for you!

Mother’s Day History

"Breakfast in Bed" by Mary Cassatt 1897

In just a few short days it will be Mother’s Day; that one special day of the year when we publicly recognize and honor the woman (or these day’s possible the man) who gives us guidance, direction and most importantly, love. And if you’re like me, you’ve always celebrated the day without ever knowing the history behind it.

Ancient Egyptians celebrated the goddess Isis, their Mother deity, with an annual festival, while in Turkey the Phrygian goddess Cybele was honored and in Greece, Rhea was considered the Mother of the Gods. These earlier festivals became so bawdy they eventually died out and were replaced with more conservative and sedate affairs.

Then in 17th century England, a celebration of the Virgin Mary grew to include all Mothers and became known as Mothering Day. But after English settlers came to America, the celebration was discontinued until Julia Ward Howe introduced her Mother’s Day Proclamation in 1870. Howe who wrote the “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” was so upset over the Civil War, she wanted a way for all Mothers to come together and protest the killings.

Inspired by Howe, a few years later Anna Reeves Jarvis led a group of West Virginia Mothers in reuniting families divided by the Civil War. This event was named Mother’s Friendship Day. After her death, her daughter, Anna M. Jarvis organized the first official Mother’s Day celebration held simultaneously in Grafton, West Virginia and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 10th, 1908. Finally in 1914 President Woodrow Wilson declared and signed into the law that the second Sunday in May would forever be known as Mother’s Day.

White carnations have long been associated with Mother’s Day. And while every woman, whether a Mother or not, loves getting flowers, nothing quite lets your Mom know how special she is like a piece of custom jewelry. It’s so easy to commemorate a milestone in her life with her favorite stone set in a necklace, ring or brooch. Let’s get started today so she’ll know how much she is loved and appreciated!

Custom made 12 stone mother'g ring

Diamonds are an (April Birthday) Girl’s Best Friend

Four diamond Chiseled Ring

April! What a wonderful month! The weather is getting warmer, flowers are blooming and if you are lucky enough to have been born during this glorious month then you have the king of the gemstones, the diamond, as your birthstone.

The hardest natural occurring mineral, diamonds are four times harder than the next rated gemstone. They have high refraction, unusual brilliance, intense fire and while traditionally known as a classic colorless stone, colored diamonds have reached a new popularity. Available in hues of pink, red, yellow, blue and green all ranging in different levels of intensity, the more saturated the color, the higher the value. Because intensely colored diamonds are very rare many of the stones sold today have been chemically treated and technically should be marketed as “color-treated diamonds.” When considering the purchase of a shaded diamond it’s important to ask if any color enhancements have been added. Although, round Brilliant cut diamonds are the most popular, antique cut diamonds are also gaining popularity again, such as Rose cut, Old Mine cut and European cut.

Rose Cut diamond, natural burgundy color - Nugget Pendant

Diamonds start life deep inside the Earth using a combination of heat, pressure and carbon molecules. Volcanic activity brings them to the surface and while diamonds were first mined mainly in India, most of the diamonds discovered today are from Australia, Africa and Russia.

The word diamond comes from the Greek and means “invincible.” The stones were believed to hold magical powers against poisoning, devils and phantoms and were worn during battle as a symbol of strength and courage. The ancient Greeks also believed the fire of a diamond signified everlasting love. This idea spread and then in 1477 Archduke Maximilian of Austria started the tradition of giving a diamond as a promise of marriage when he presented a diamond ring to his intended, Mary of Burgundy.

Vine Engagement Ring

Today the beauty of this gemstone looks fabulous no matter the piece or the price range. From a small simple bracelet or brooch to a cocktail ring with a stone the size of a marble, diamonds truly are a girl’s best friend!