Fashion Costume Jewellery

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I’ve been sitting watching some late night TV, the New York Fashion Week shows were distilled on FTV. Whereas I love all of the over the top fashions that will morph into the fashions we will see and buy in the stores I really have one pet peeve – why can’t the models look happy?

Great fashion clothing like great fashion costume jewellery is designed to make you feel good. The cut of the cloth, the feel of the fabric and the overall look make clothes intimately involved with the way we feel. When I make my jewellery I like to think that the recipient will love wearing it.

So why is it that all of the fashion shows have models with non changing faces, no expression, no joy? Come on people let us be honest do we enjoy our fashion or not?

We’re having a heat wave – a tropical heat wave – at least while Europe is blanketed in snow, here in Perth, Western Australia we are sweltering. It’s been quite a week here at Rayclif with our home under a bush fire alert and all of our roads closed! But still we think jewellery. So what is suitable for the forty degree (that’s Celsius) heat we are expecting for the next few days?

With hot conditions you really don’t want huge expanses of anything hanging around you so we have devised the Heat Wave pendant. The pendants are small (around 20-25mm in diameter), hand made glass pendants that are bright and beautiful – just like the weather.

Each pendant is displayed and worn on a push clasp neoprene cord, great for those folk who are insensitive to metal and easy to pop on for everyone.

As with all of our Rayclif jewellery, it comes in a gift box, complete with a special backing card.

We are adding more of these pendants all the time, so check them out at rayclif.com.

After the diamond, the ruby is the hardest stone known to man. The ruby is the birthstone for July and rather surprisingly it is also considered to be the stone for those born under Capricorn.

Rubies are always considered to be red but may vary in shading from a soft pink through to the sought after pigeon blood red ruby (most commonly found in Burma) into purple-red shadings. In fact in ancient times, the ruby was said to change colour depending on the danger the owner was in – the stronger the danger the lighter the ruby became.

 A ruby in any other colour is known as a sapphire!

 Large rubies are now hard to find and the darker colours are sought after – usually at a good price!

In addition to being a great July Birthstone, the stone is noted for its powers of devotion, constancy, courage and happiness. Rather interestingly, red stones are considered to be unlucky in an engagement ring, but the traditional properties imbued in the Ruby sound like just the thing for engagement gifts!

Ruby is also the traditional stone for 40th Wedding Anniversaries and is commonly used in anniversary gifts such as rings and necklaces for this occasion.

Of course many rubies are rather expensive – so what synthetic options do you have? Fashion Costume Jewellery uses either lab grown or synthetic rubies – the lab grown rubies are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing and not particularly expensive, while the synthetic rubies can be reasonably inexpensive. Glass beads created with ruby coloured glass are also wonderful – try fire polished beads from the Czech Republic – stunning!

Ruby coloured jewellery will always look deluxe, this magnificent rich jewel colour is a must for every jewellery box (not just for those fortunate enough to be born in July).

See our jewellery with ruby accents.

Remember when a strand of pearls stood for class and high society? Well the pearl is still a fashion statement indicating sophistication and taste. There are so many more designs now available in pearls that it is also now a statement for originality and femininity.

Pearls are one of the birthstones for June. They are gifts from the sea and the only birthstone or in fact gemstone that is made from a living organism. Quite unique.

Pearls are made within oysters – the type of oyster reflects the type of pearl that is produced.

There are a number of different types of pearl.

Freshwater pearls are pearls grown in a mollusc. These oysters can produce for more than one season and can generate up to 15 pearls at one time. The longer the pearls are left in the oyster the larger the pearl. The average time a pearl is left in the shell is three years making freshwater pearls a cost effective option.

About 80% of the world’s freshwater pearl output comes from a region in China known as Zhuji. Yu and Shanghai boast pearl markets that are amongst the world’s largest. Every year over 1,500 metric tons of freshwater pearls are produced! It is great fun to tour the pearl markets and see sacks of these gorgeous freshwater pearls piled one on top of another.

Cultured pearls are a little more expensive as they are deliberately grown by irritating the oyster by putting a special round shell into the oyster.The oyster produces a substance called nacre with which it coats the irritant. Layer on layer is added until such time as the oyster is harvested. Unlike the freshwater pearl, once the oyster is harvested it cannot be used again to produce an oyster, but the shell is often used for other purposes as it is the “Mother of Pearl”. The nacre coats the pearl shell too. Most freshwater pearls are harvested after two to four years and produce a single pearl.

The South Sea Pearl is considered to be one of the most expensive and beautiful of this type of pearl, with the Black Tahitian pearl being most sought after.

About 80% of all South Sea pearls are grown in Australia.

Although oyster shells are usually discarded many interesting by products come from the shell. Mabe pearls for instance. These are blisters that form in the shell where coatings of nacre have been deposited. Cut from the shell Mabe pearls can be very valuable and of an interesting shape. Also made from the shells are carved cameos particularly from the Pinctata or Black Lipped Oyster Shell. Some of our signature range use these cameos. Carving requires a shell of superior size with a depth of nacre or mother of pearl deposit. Many of the cameos we use are hand carved.

Thicker deposits on the oyster shell are often cut into beads and there is also now a process where the shell – the “mother of pearl” – is separated and crushed. The crushed shell is then reconstituted and shell-pearls are created. Because these are man made, they are usually very regular in shape and can be almost perfectly round.

Cultured and freshwater pearls are rarely round – there is no way how the oyster deposits the nacre can be controlled. Round pearls are usually more expensive than other shapes for this reason. Large round pearls can command a very high price and take many seasons to create.

Matched pearls take years to find – producers scan their yearly production for pearls that are almost identical – they usually look for almost perfect pearls of a particular shade and size. It is not unusual for a single strand to take 8-10 years to complete!

Button pearls are squashed rounds – they are generally round in shape but less thick than a round. Rice pearls are likewise elongated like a grain of rice. Baroque pearls are those of an unusual and often unique shape. Coin pearls are round but flat, pearls shaped not unlike a coin.

There are a number of legends surrounding pearls, the most common of which is that pearls are the tears of joy of mermaids.

Pearls are often crushed and included in high end cosmetics, the pearl adding to the preservative powers of the cosmetic.

Pearls are a soft gem, as such they should be handled carefully. When wearing pearls, apply your cosmetics and perfumes before you put on your pearls. Perfumes can be particularly aggressive on pearls, eating away the precious nacre.

Never place your pearls in with other jewellery without first wrapping it carefully. The other jewellery can act as an abrasive and again wear away the nacre.

Pearls should definitely be worn – the body oils that the pearl will collect while being worn will assist in it keeping its shape and not drying out. So please don’t just keep them for a special occasion! Pearls are considered to be trendy and quite sexy, so use them with your other outfits too.

Many jewellers insist that pearls should be knotted. The cord used should last at least five years and then replaced. The advantage of the knotting is that the most that could ever be lost from a broken string of pearls is one pearl. The knots also prevent the pearls from rubbing against each other often creating damage within the strand. The pearl cords are also soft and will not abrade the pearl from within the way wire can. Knotted strands are entirely hand strung so do tend to be a little more expensive.

On a last environmental note, natural and beautiful, growing pearls is not damaging to the environment and pearls are an entirely renewable resource!

Cartier the famous jeweller has a unique and somewhat different place in pearl jewellery history. Their flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York was purchased in 1917 for the paltry sum of $100 cash – but the deal did include a double strand of matched pearls that was valued in 1917 at one million US dollars!

The pearls are usually harvested after one year for akoya, 2-4 years for Tahitian and South Sea, and 2-7 years for freshwater

On the continuum of pearl values, the natural pearl is the most highly valued basically because of its rarity. Then comes the cultured salt water pearl and finally the freshwater pearl. It is also possible to purchase glass pearls that look remarkably like the real thing, but do not have the same feel or weight as the real thing. A simple test to differentiate the two is to gently rub the pearl on your teeth – a genuine pearl will feel gritty as compared to the glass pearl.

Just because Pearls are the birthstone for June certainly does not mean that those of us not born in June should not wear them. We can all celebrate their rich colours and beautiful textures.

Shop by Retailer, pearl jewellery can be viewed in these online stores:

Rayclif pearl jewellery accessories

Jewellery Web

Nordstrom

Earrings are back, conspicuous, obvious and framing your face. In the past few years status bags and towering heels have taken all our attention, but in this world of recovering economic turmoil, earrings are the ultimate accessory that gives the most versatility and freedom.

Don’t make apologies for wearing outrageous earrings, accept and applaud yourself for being so “out there”. Draw back your hair or even have it cut off and allow your earrings to be on show not hiding behind loose tendrils of hair. Really long shoulder dusters can of course, look great appearing from behind your hair line.

If you are wearing big, exotic earrings leave attention on your face and avoid wearing an equally outrageous fashion necklace. In fact, leave off the necklace entirely! Wasn’t it Coco Chanel who suggested that before you exit your house, take off one piece of jewellery? If you need more jewellery (and who doesn’t?) consider dress rings or bracelets.

Colour? Choose carefully and wear the colour that suits your complexion. Light from the earrings will shine back into your face. You might match the earrings to the colour of your outfit or choose something with extreme contrast just to shock. It is great fun to change your habits just for a day here and there – enjoy!

Price? Fashion Costume Jewellery varies so much but remember it is fashion and trends pass frequently, so look for reasonably priced but limited edition earrings. Best if everyone isn’t wearing them! Above all, celebrate who you are and show the world that you are magnificent.

What do you think of when you hear the word “jewels”? My first thought is to the Crown Jewels held in the Tower of London. I love to go through the exhibition every time I am in London. I especially love the travellator section where everyone pushs to gain the best vantage point! Everyone loves viewing such exotic and amazing creations.

One step down from the Crown Jewels must be the great jewellery houses of the world – think Harry Winstone, Tiffanies and Freds. High quality, highly creative and highly priced beautiful jewels.

Now picture a young girl luxuriously pulling our beaded necklaces from an old jewellery box. That feeling of ownership and mastery over such valuables is priceless.

The majority of grown-up people, of course, just don’t have either any chance of owning the Crown Jewels or of shopping at Freds every week! So what does the word “Jewels” mean for us? For me, colourful jewellery like the larger and glamourous cubic zirconia come to mind. Diamond like iin their appearance, the cubic zirconia sparkle and shine and when deep, rich jewel tones (like Ruby and Amythst) are added – well, wearing a piece like this just feels like a million dollars.

Do let’s be honest, it is not what you spend on your jewellery that matters, it is how you feel when you wear it.

For me, buying a well made but not expensive cubic zirconia item (like the bracelet above) means that I don’t have to feel guilty when I have worn it once too often. The quality finishes (like rhodium and gold plate) mean my inexpensive jewellery will last quite a number of seasons.

What does the word “jewels” mean to you?

The cameo is starting to be seen in fashion magazines and on fashionistas again. For some time, the Cameo went out of vogue, consigned to Granny’s jewellery drawer. Now, Cameos are seeing a re-birth with a vast array of different styles being produced in jewellery pieces as diverse as rings, brooches and pendants.

Cameos are traditionally an oval or round background with a raised design often of a woman but possibly an insect, bird or animal that are in a contrasting colour to the background. Cameos that are carved into a background are technically known as intaglio, but are often described as cameos too.

A Cameo can be made of a huge variety of materials from acrylic to shell, gemstone to resin. Shell cameos usually have the same foreground as background as they are carved from a single piece of shell and rarely mounted on another surface.

Shell cameos usually have the same foreground as background as they are carved from a single piece of shell and rarely mounted on another surface. It was shell cameos where the whole trend started. Italian shell cameos in particular, are prized for their workmanship and artistry. It has been said that Cameos originated in the Naples region with  craftsmen hand carving the local shells.

Cameos are traditionally a design often of a woman but possibly an insect, bird or animal that are often in a contrasting colour to the background.

Shell cameos are all hand carved because of the uneven nature of the shell surface, it is just not possible to design a machine that can create this type of work on an uneven background.

At Rayclif we stock handmade jewellery made from a variety of cameo types including hand carved shell cameos, hand carved opals, glass and resin. Our crafts people create the glass cameos with the hand carved shell and opal cameos being imported. This raw material is then lovingly transformed into beautiful contemporary jewellery in alloy, sterling silver or 14K Gold filled finishes.

One of our specialities in our Cameo Creations are mother and child cameos depicting a mother and her baby – ideal gifts for your Mum perhaps for Mothers’ Day and a fantastic gift for new Mothers.

Check out our current range of cameos right here at rayclif.com.

This is a really cool idea – get double the value from your pins and brooches by using this nifty device to change them into a pendant.

There are two devices, a horizontal and a vertical brooch converter. Simply pass the pin through the hole in the converter. Close the pin over the converter and you have a pendant. The converter has a bail through which a necklace can be passed quite easily.

The brooch converters come in silver or gold plate.

What a great idea! For more information on the brooch converters check out our website.

Diamond is the traditional birthstone of April.

Diamonds have been around for some time and have been prized for centuries, but the first thing most people think about when talking about diamonds is the price – a good diamond has a price tag which can be prohibitive for many. Cost aside, there are not many people who would not wear a diamond and be very pleased with their ownership.

In the past, only white diamonds were used for jewellery; now, because of the scarcity and cost of mining these gems, the coloured stones are also being used and becoming sought after, with many diamond companies creating fantastic marketing campaigns around the colours. Coloured diamonds in the past had been considered inferior to the white – though from my perspective, I cannot understand why as the coloured stones offer character and refinement!

The most famous of the diamonds is probably the Hope Diamond. Found in the 1890s in South Africa and the largest of the found diamonds. It is currently owned by the Smithsonian Institute in the US, having been gifted to them by the famous jeweller Harry Winston. The diamond is said to have a long history of misfortune, but I suspect that this is simply due to its fabulous nature and the envy it engages!

Another famous South African diamond is the Jongers Diamond. Although not as large as the Hope, the Jongers has an unusual story associated with it. Harry Winston managed to purchase this fabulous stone and was concerned about transporting it back to the US. Rather than send it via courier or carry it himself, he placed it in an envelope and posted it (yes, though the normal mail serevice!) at a cost of 62 cents. It arrived intact.

When looking for a diamond, there are a number of factors to consider. The first of course, must be the amount of money you are prepared to spend on the jewellery – this will limit yur choice of gems. Next, decide on a colour, the most popular colours are white (traditional), pink (from the Argyle Diamond Mine in Western Australia), champagne or even blue diamonds.

There are any number of different cuts that the diamond can have, this is the way the diamond cutters slice through the diamond and create the pattern within the stone.

The other issue to consider is the clarity of the diamond – its sparkle! How cleanly the diamond reflects the light and how bright it shines is one big factor in its price and in its desireability.

Diamonds are traditionally considered to be gifts for special occasions, not the least of which are engagement rings once thought to be the female domain, but now used for enagement and wedding rings for both men and ladies. Diamonds are sometimes said to enhance love, spirituality and prosperity.

For those without the budget for diamonds, good cubic zirconia are often used as a replacement and can look great!

Once upon a time base metal jewellery was only produced by the cheaper, fad design houses, but now in the 2010’s even top designers are using traditionally cheaper materials to manufacture their accessories. Witness for example this wonderful Lanvin necklace made from gold-tone tin and brass.

Fashion Costume Jewellery by its nature is often made of base metals and by these we mean iron, copper, brass or alloys often with a plating of rhodium, silver or gold. Platings are very thin – often just a few microns – so they will wear away through use depending on how often you wear the piece and its contact with its surroundings. The plating will assist in avoiding tarnish to the jewellery. Rhodium plated jewellery is specifically designed to avoid tarnish and the effects of wear so is a great choice.

Your skin type makes a huge difference to how quickly base metals tarnish. Some folk produce more acid than others and find that they can wear jewellery for a small amount of time before it tarnishes (my nephew is like this – I have to avoid letting him touch chains and the like as within the week they go a horrible colour!). Some folk (the lucky ones – like me) find that it does not matter how long they wear their jewellery it will not tarnish; it is importantly only to store it properly. Whatever your skin type, consider wiping your jewellery with a soft cloth when you take the jewellery off – this removes some of the body oils and assists in keeping your jewellery as much as possible like new.

If you have non plated jewellery then you need to take extra precautions when storing. Consider placing all of your jewellery in small zip lock bags. If the bag is only just big enough to hold the jewellery all the better – this avoids air pockets. Pop in a silica gel sachet – like those you see in shoe boxes and handbags (for example). The sachet will assist by absorbing any moisture that makes its way into the bag or that is accidentally stored with the jewellery.

If your jewellery was purchased in a gift box which closes, use that to store the jewellery, pop in one of the silica gel capsules too – these are great!

Sterling Silver jewellery is also subject to tarnish. Oxidisation is the term that is often used. Some jewellery manufacturers (ourselves included) use Argentium Sterling Silver as an alternative to the standard Sterling Silver. Argentium Sterling Silver is an alloy (still sterling silver) but is resistant to oxidisation so often you will not get the same amount of blackening or tarnish on your jewellery.

It is possible to purchase anti tarnish strips; these strips work a little like the silica gel sachets in absorbing moisture from the air to keep the jewellery dry and bright. Honestly, I have found that the silica gel sachets are just as effective (and considerably cheaper as you keep an eye out for them in other packaging).

Some golds do dull slightly. If you have this problem (and this works for sterling silver too), purchase a cleaning cloth specifically for precious metals and rub over the jewellery. You can see the murk and dirt on the cleaning cloth as you rub. If you are considering doing this for base metals, do make sure your cleaning cloth is suitable – some just make the situation worse.

The other way of storing your jewellery is to use a jewellery roll. A roll is basically a piece of backed fabric often with pockets or ties into which you place one or more pieces of jewellery. Roll the jewellery into a cylinder using the fabric and tie or fasten it closed. This has the advantage of keeping the air from the pieces.

Rings and bulky bracelets can be stored in the same manner.

Some jewellers offer a cleaning service using an ultrasonic cleaner. These cleaners are quite clever and very effective in bringing back the shine or sparkle to your jewellery. Do check to see that your jewellery is suitable for this treatment however; some gemstones in particular may be damaged by this cleaning method.

Do not use toothpaste on your jewellery. It is a popular myth that a gentle brushing of your jewellery with a toothpaste solution will clean the crevices. This may be true but toothpaste is a corrosive substance and may scratch and damage metals and loosen gems from their settings.

Honestly, the use of a small zip lock bag may not be pretty but it does prolong the life of your jewellery.