Spiritual Sparkle: The Qualities of Precious Stones

A lot of credence is put into natural remedies nowadays, and jewellery is no exception.  Many precious stones are said to have healing powers and may therefore aid certain ailments.  If you find the healing properties of precious stones comforting, then wearing healing jewellery is an easy way to carry a precious stone with you all the time.  If you’d like to pick a piece of jewellery which could help you to feel at your best and lend you a little bit of spiritual sparkle, ask your local independent jeweller about custom designing a piece of jewellery with a particular type of healing stone set within it.  Here are the stones you should be looking out for, and how to wear them:

Stones and their qualities

Precious stones are often said to have different qualities.  For example, amber, carnelian and amethyst are said to be good all-round stones for helping the body self-heal, the likes of blue lace agate and rose quartz are calming stones, and lapis lazuli is a stress-buster.  Other stones have more specific values, such as helping you to study and aiding memory – these include sodalite and citrine – or reportedly may offer a quality such as protection, as the likes of turquoise does.  Whatever quality you’re looking for, you can use a precious stone within your jewellery to aid with your quest, and your local jewellery shop may either stock standard pieces which will be ready for you to purchase there and then, or will offer a custom made service.

How to wear healing stone jewellery

Although certain stones are said to aid certain body parts, you can actually wear precious stones of any size, and they do not need to be worn near to the body part in question, regardless of what it is being used for; it is said that the body’s energies will direct the stone’s qualities to the relevant area as needed.  This means that you can ask your local independent jeweller to make almost any type of jewellery you desire – from pendants to bracelets, rings to earrings.

Can more than one stone be worn at any given time?

As a general rule, healing stones shouldn’t be worn together, as one stone’s qualities often cancel out the other’s virtues.  Normally, healing stones should only be worn in multiples if it is the same stone worn in different types of jewellery.  Having said that, some stones are said to work well together; clear stones such as quartz or diamond reportedly amplify the healing effects of the other stone, and stones can also be worn in conjunction with each other if their qualities harmonise or have similar properties.  The best piece of advice for anyone looking to wear healing stones is to do your research, look at the different stones’ qualities, and then ask your local jeweller to construct a custom piece for you; this way you can choose stones to suit your spiritual sparkle needs.

Big Birthday Jewellery

If you’ve ever had to shop for a gift for someone’s special birthday you’ll know that it’s not as easy as it may seem.  You want to give something with sentimental meaning, something which will be appreciated and something which will be used, and yet it’s so difficult to find something that fulfils all of these criteria.  

That’s why jewellery makes such a great big birthday gift, and what’s more, there’s something to suit every age.  If you’ve got a big birthday to buy for, head down to your local jewellery shop for inspiration. 

18^th and 21^st birthdays

The first of the big birthdays are possibly also the easiest birthdays to buy for, as there are so many fashionable jewellery ranges available nowadays. Kit Heath Jewellery, available at your local jewellery shop, for example, will provide you with a variety of styles which will appeal to youngsters who are coming of age.  The luxury friendship bracelets are all the rage, and are a great present, not just from friends of the recipient, but family members too, especially as they can be worn in multiples for a bang-on-trend look, meaning that if someone else buys a similar bracelet for the birthday person, they can be worn together.

30^th and 40^th birthdays

For a 30^th birthday, it’s a good idea to look at the type of jewellery they wear and get a feel for their style before buying their big birthday gift.  Thirty is the age where a person’s sense of style has been acquired, and by 40, a person’s taste is well and truly developed. You can do well to keep in with their tastes.  Favourites for these birthdays often include charm bracelets – or charms for existing bracelets – for the ladies, statement pieces, and fashionable watches for gents.  Make a mental note of the type of jewellery the recipient wears, and then ask your local independent jeweller for advice. 

50^th and 60^th birthdays

Refined, classical jewellery is often appreciated by the time someone hits their 50^th or 60^th birthdays.  They’ve done many of the things in life that they want to do by now, although there’s often plenty more things on the list! Sentimental pieces work well as 50^th and 60^th birthday gifts.  Speak to your local jeweller about custom made pieces like pendants, earrings and brooches for a female gift, and cufflinks for gents, which they’ll be able to wear on many special occasions in years to come. 

Big birthday gifts don’t have to be daunting; with a little thought and some guidance from your local independent jeweller you’ll be able to pick the perfect gift.

5 Tips Every Jewellery Wearer Should Follow

Jewellery: such a personal choice for everyone who wears it and a variety of budgets per piece. But that’s not to say there aren’t certain things every jewellery owner and prospective jewellery purchasers should know about.  Here are five top tips that every local independent jeweller thinks their customers should know:

 1.    Store your jewellery correctly

There are many ways to store your jewellery, and there’s no definitive right or wrong; from small boxes, compartments in larger jewellery boxes, jewellery stands and hooks, there are many ways to look after your precious pieces.  Avoid piling everything into one box; not only can this harm fragile pieces made of softer metals, which include silver and gold, it’s also incredibly frustrating having to detangle your fine chains every time you want to wear one. Similarly, you shouldn’t leave jewellery in direct sunlight, as gemstones can discolour. Remember that your local jewellery shop will stock storage solutions as part of their giftware range, and it’s always worth taking the advice of your local jeweller as to how they would store certain pieces.

2.    Know your Sterling Silver

Silver jewellery is everywhere at the moment, but you should know what you’re buying if you’re in the market for sterling silver. A simple tip is to take a magnet with you when buying silver, as precious metals, such as sterling silver, will not be attracted to the magnet. Remember that true sterling silver will also have a mark to indicate its quality, such as “.925”.  Your local independent jeweller will always be able to steer you in the right direction of sterling silver.

3.    Try before you buy

Any local jeweller will tell you that jewellery should be an investment. If buying for yourself, your local jeweller will encourage you to try before you buy. Ask if you can try on necklaces to see if they hang correctly, for example, or think about the colours of certain stones against your skin tone. If you’re buying for someone else, think about their style – do they prefer studs, or dangly earrings, for example?  If you get it right, the piece really will last a lifetime.

4.    Do your diamond research

Diamonds are bought with a lifetime’s wear in mind. You should therefore always make sure that you only buy diamonds from a reputable dealer, such as your local jewellery shop. The seller should be able to tell you the history of the stone and the piece, such as who created it and where the stones came from.  Make sure that you do some price comparison research before committing, and take a look at the stones up close; less scrupulous dealers may use tricks, such as lighting, to enhance the look of sub-par stones.

5.    Keep jewellery looking like new

We’re all guilty of a bit of neglect of our jewellery, but with a little tender loving care, your pieces can always look as good as the day you bought them.  For example, replace the rhodium plating on white gold regularly, take any pieces with loose stones to your local jewellery shop for resetting, and get pearls restrung annually. You’ll be surprised at how much longer this can keep your jewellery looking fresh and new, and what’s more, all of these services will be available from your local independent jeweller.