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Author Archives: ConstanceAnna
“I want to be the Pretty Tiara Girl!”
Constance Finally Gets her Tiara!
[Disclaimer: I am attempting to break my bad habit of writing posts and then waiting to re-look at them and edit them until the content is so old it is no longer relevant. That said I have decided to put myself on a time limit and simply submit my post to you all with no editing. very little editing.]
Like most girls, I have had an affinity for tiaras since as long as I can remember. However, the idea of having to marry someone (since obviously I already missed the whole be-born-into-a-royal-family boat) did not ever sit well with me. 
So instead I decided to enter beauty pageants because I like many other young women I wanted a tiara that basically says “I’m Pretty!”
Unfortunately, I never win or even place in these things because who really knows how to actually be the prettiest girl in the room. It’s probably part luck and part… I don’t know something I obviously didn’t have any of the times I tried. The point is one day while I was pouting my sister reminded me that I am a Jewelry Designer and can always just design my own tiara, just like she did for a class project (I swear my sister is part 11 = part genius!) So I did, for Femme Luxe and it will be available for sale in Canada this week. 🙂
Tiara for Femme Luxe Fine Jewelry
Check out my sisters Crown she made for a class project using aluminum foil, cardboard and broken jewelry!
#ShesOnly11 #Genius
My sister is an 11 yeasr old Boss!
#GirlBoss
#Gemstalking 101
[Disclaimer: While the events of this story did actually occur, and do have quotations, it is safe to say that I probably am paraphrasing a little and may have forgotten the exact words, or order, or even some strange things in between and seeing as I was the only one present who is involved in writing this blog, it is obviously a one sided story.]
My very first #GemStalking moment was almost a total disaster! After walking around with my first batch of cards for an entire week, I almost had the courage to approach a girl wearing a beautiful two-tone rose cuff. From a distance I could tell it was made well and I wanted to see more….
….And then I trip. So now I’m embarrassed because when you walk around NYC in heels everyone secretly hopes you will trip and fall on your face, and there is ALWAYS someone around to see. Maybe you think that is just something I am paranoid about and/or am totally making up, AND maybe if I wasn’t me and my luck wasn’t mine, you would be right. BUT YOU ARE WRONG! Just as I catch my balance and narrowly miss falling into the pile of trash they keep on our sidewalks for cityscape, I hear it and it’s not one of the voices I use inside my head. She says, “Don’t worry, they’re totally worth it!” and at this point I’m not totally sure if shes being sarcastic or not, but she is talking to me, (which is totally A-typical of New Yorkers and why I really wished we had gone to get a drink after and became really great awkward/strange friends, but I failed). So a little bit flustered I blurt out my whole story of how I have a blog and I’m trying to do this new thing where I ask strangers to let me take a picture of them and their jewelry, blah blah blah…. And she says, “Oh my god you totally should, they would be so excited! They would be like ‘Omg really? We just got here from Jersey…’” and then thinking maybe she knows them, and is just the one brunette friend lagging behind, I ask,
“Oh do you know them?”To which she light heartedly responds,
“No, I’m just being a bitch for no reason. I don’t know why I’m being such a bitch.” (And to be perfectly honest I didn’t know either… but I did know that I wanted her to be my friend.)
Then things got more awkward and there were street lights and I was going to turn south to escape the awkward, and the group of girls were going east, and the brunette girl was lost in the crowd somewhere, but I could still here her voice saying, “Uhh, it’s getting away!”
[At this moment in time I am starting to think that this “Brunette girl” is just figment of my imagination because this is ReDiculous.]
With the heckling of my possibly made up new friend, I change course and approach the blonde trio studdering something about a blog and blurting out “Can I have a picture?”
From this point, everything was fairly painless. Everyone was very nice. They all worked for Tom James, and said they felt my pain in approaching strangers in New York as its part of their jobs to bring in their own customers. (Shout out to custom clothier www.tomjames.com for hiring nice people!)
After I got the picture and then walked a little to far with them for socical acceptability, I hurried on my and across Vanderbuilt Ave. towards Grand Central. And that when it hit me, Why did I not get her name, a picture of her with the cuff, and where she got it? Well….. Lesson Learned.
Luckily I am a proficient cyber #Gemstalker and was able to find more information via google images! It’s a collection titled Aimez by a company called Beaucoup Designs. (I reached out to them about doing a little piece on their collections etc. So if they contact me back, I will Another day, that iisn’t today.)
Athough you don’t seem to be able to retail purchase anything from the site, http://www.beaucoupdesigns.com/ has some really cute things and the cuff is appearantly a birth flower cuff for the month of June (Although it is entirely possible she just liked the roses, it’s crazy the things you can learn about someone from noticing the detail of what they put on their body, ie. Birth month flower cuffs). From an industry perspective, it is kind of brilliant to do birth flowers because so often zodiac/birth month things are tacky and largely unwearable. And, as a wholesaler, trying to convince major retailers to purchase 12 new skus that all script the months of the year is like trying to use the letter z in scrabble. But flowers, Flowers are great! People could just have more choices. You couls take your birth flower or just your favorite flower. (It’s different with zodiac signs. Wearing the wrong sign would be like borrowing someone’s name tag, which I can see a few reasons you might come to that point but they are all severely strange scenarios.)
Check ‘em out (in the privacy of your own home 😉 #GemStalking
“Is that an Engagement ring?… So then, dinner?”
[Disclaimer: While the events of this story did actually occur, and do have quotations, it is safe to say that I probably am paraphrasing a little and may have forgotten the exact words, or order, or even some strange things in between and seeing as I was the only one present who is involved in writing this blog, it is obviously a one sided story.]
I have lived in New York now for 1 year and 9 months and not a single person from New York has actually asked me on a proper dinner date. Until today. I was at the café downstairs from my office (which I go to at least once a day, either for coffee or lunch or both.) when a tall man said “Hi.”
I awkwardly responded, “Hi.” (he totally caught me off guard.)
As I proceed to look for a bag of chips or a drink or something so as to appear busy he says to me, “I saw you out of the corner of my eye.”
I respond with a flustered, awkward “Oh.” And continue looking for chips or something, but at this point I’ve forgotten and really want him to just turn around so I can remember what I was looking for and then sit down to eat because I’m hungry.
“What’s your name?”
(awkward pause as I think whether or not I should lie to this man, I would but I work right around here so god forbid I lie and then see him again NY is such a small place sometimes) “Constance”
“I’m Keith”
“Hi Keith”
Then I turn away and proceed to reach for a diet lime coke (I have acquired a new horrible habit of drinking diet sodas) but he (out nowhere) intercepts my hand and says, “Is this an engagement ring?”
Now, thoroughly shocked, I snatch my hand back and say, “No. Wrong hand.”
To which he responds, “Right… I mean some girls wear them on their right hand so I thought I would ask. Why do some women do that?”
“I don’t know. When they are married and move it over to the right to make room for their other ring on the left.” I’m now trying desperately to get out of the corner of this café and make a B-line to cash register, when he says,
“So then, dinner?”
“No thank you” and at this point I have maneuvered my way out of the corner and am backing away while simultaneously shaking my head no.
“Lunch?”
“No. Sorry.” I continue shaking my head and backing away until I get to the cash register and head directly back to my office.
As soon as I got safely onto the elevator I realized that this form of awkward me is EXACTLY why no one asks me on dates and even if they do I probably don’t actually go. I know it was a strange reaction to a moderately attractive man in a café near my office, but that isn’t actually the part of this situation that perplexes me the most. In truth and hind sight, I am really disgusted by my answer to his whole “why do some women wear their rings on the right hand?” question.
You see the truth is, at that moment, I realized that I did have a decent amount of knowledge on engagement ring history, but I didn’t feel as though I was expert enough to give a full dissertation on the significance of fingers chosen and the cultural ramifications. (Not that this poor guy who I made out to look like a stranger offering a small child candy to help him look for his dog wanted a dissertation on the significance of engagement rings and their placement on hands.)
So here are the ‘cliff’ notes of my research:
- The tradition of wearing an engagement or wedding ring on the left ring finger comes from the ancient Greco-Roman belief that there is a vein in this finger leading directly to the heart.
- Some cultures (Polish, Greek, Indian, and Columbian to name a few.) wear engagement rings on their right hands because of the negative connotations of the left hand. (This dates back to Latin influence as the words for “sinister” and “left” are the same, which is also why many super religious discourage left-handedness.)
- I found a source that Nigerians wear their engagement rings on their left middle finger to show that they are close to being married, at which point their left ring finger will become occupied. (small disclaimer: The site I found this on was a weird comment thread, and I am not particularly confident in my internet savvy, and I can’t seem to find again so if anyone could verify I would be greatly appreciative.)
- Apparently, some left-handed women wear their Engagement rings on their right hand to avoid the wear and tear of dominant hand activities. ( I am left handed…. Never once crossed my mind.)
- Some sources are still sighting that homosexual couples choose to wear engagement/wedding/commitment rings on their right hand but I liked this bloggers perspective, (http://www.ourlesbianmarriage.com/weddings/lesbian-wedding-rings/lesbian-commitment-rings/) which was basically that their relationships are no different than heterosexual ones so they too now wear their rings on the left ring finger.
- And some of us just don’t always have enough fingers to fit all the rings we want to wear…. So that could get confusing, I guess.
_____________________________________________
Of course after thinking about it perhaps this poor man had just been lied to about self-purchased right hand rings by other uninterested women with enough couth to not simply shake their heads in fear and back away slowly.
The Beginning of the End
Spinel, “The Most Under-appreciated Gem in History”
Day 9 of the Gemstone Wishlist for Tuscon:
Spinel, “The Most Underappreciated Gem of History”
Frequently referred to as the “most under-appreciated gemstone in History” or the “understudy ,” Spinel gets its name from the Greek word for “spark”, Spinter. Spinter was most likely the original name given to Spinel because of its amazing fire and brilliance (AKA. **SPARKLES**).
Spinel has a very long rich history, yet most people have never heard of the gem. Many people have seen Spinel without even knowing it, as it comes in many colors and the Reds look like fine Rubies and the Blue look like beautiful Sapphires.
Ever viewed The Crown Jewels?
The Most Famous Rubies in the World…. Are Red Spinel.
Recognize the Black Prince’s Ruby?
It’s Spinel!
Ever seen the Timur Ruby?
It’s Spinel!
It is speculated that upon further review of Royal Collections in Europe, many of the ‘Rubies’ would actually be discovered to be infiltrator Spinels. So if the most beautiful Rubies in the world are Spinel, and have been worn by royalty for decades…
Why wouldn’t Spinel be on my list and yours???
In fact Spinels are incredibly rare and not easily found in mass market settings due to unreliable/un-renewable sources. They are an elite group of very few gemstones that come out of the ground in a stunning display of colors from Grey-Blue to Pale Pink, with this level of color saturation, without being treated (it is widely accepted for most gemstones to be “enhanced” in some way.) All said, This Sparkling Stunner should fetch a much higher price than it does… but who’s complaining about unexpected great deals… Not me!!!
Which is your favorite color?
Got Spinel Fever? See what the Gemological Institute of America has to say about it:
London Blue Topaz, “The Gem of Finishing School”
Day 8 of the Gemstone Wishlist for Tuscon:
London Blue Topaz is a beautiful Gemstone which has to be meticulously groomed into perfection, like a bonsai tree. London Blue Topaz is a natural gemstone (Topaz), but gets its color from a multi-step irradiation process. Although, Topaz comes in blue naturally, the shade is usually very very faint, so irradiation for enhancement is accepted industry wide. The biggest benefit of the process is most definitely, affordable Glamour. Topaz comes in some larger crystals, it is easy enough to work with and very easy to wear because of its hardness.
As this is the Gemstone Wishlist, ordinary London Blue Topaz would not be on the list because it is not “rare” or “exotic,” What I am looking for is a massive unattainable in any other gemstone look (like over 25 Carat single stones…Yes, Elizabeth Taylor size.) Check out what these designers are doing with large London Blue Topaz:
John Hardy:
Kostantino:
Ippolita:
Cathy Waterman:
Kyanite, “The Gem with a Day Job”
Day 7 of the Gemstone Wishlist for Tuscon:
Kyanite, “The Gem with a Day Job”
Kyanite, which is Greek for “Deep Blue”, is a gemstone most typically blue to green in color with a very occasional blue-purple shade. The mineral itself is not rare but cut and polished stones are. In truth the gemstones are so rare when you google: “Kyanite Jewelry” you will not find much.
My favorite designer, and really one of very few Fine Jewelers, working with Kyanite is Emily Armenta who crafts exquisite pieces of wearable art with Kyanite.
Kyanite makes it to Gemstone Wishlist not because of its unique color as it can be sometimes mistaken for sapphires, but for the actual properties of the stone. (Oh yes, I did it, I am going there…It’s about to get geeky here.) I am completely enamored with the poetic existence of Kyanite, (now bear with me as this is going in a very round about direction.)
Science: Kyanite as a mineral is most frequently used for industrial purposes. It has a unique reaction to heat, in some instances Kyanite is ground up and added to mixtures which would otherwise shrink, (ie. Porcelain, concrete ect.) because Kyanite doubles its own size when heated to just the right temperature.
Belief: Generally people, seem to find peace and serenity in the blue Kyanite Crystal formations, saying that it absorbs negative energy.
Practice: Feng Shui practitioners uses Kyanite Crystals in homes and offices to bring calm to chaotic situations and even use it during meditations when times get particularly tough.
Practice: Ellegedly (although I do not yet feel comfortable enough in the source), Some people used to tie Kyanite into the ends of the hair, which was said to be able to guide a person as a compass.
(Buy these from GypsyTribeJewerly on Etsy.com)
The Poem I see:
There is a stone which leads a double life, one as an industrial worker,
The other as a the focal point and inspiration of Fine Jewelers,
A mineral which instead of melting under fire, expands to its true potential,
A stone which stifles negative energy and offers peace to its neighbors,
A crystal which functions as the guiding light for the future,
A moral compass.
❤
Sound like any phenomenal women you know?
(My Mama, My Grandma, Ms. Meriweather, JoAnn, Laura Hope)
Make your own deductions about Kyanite as a gemstone, Start at:
Emerald, “The Original Diva Gem”
Day 6 of the Gemstone Wishlist for Tuscon
Emerald, “the Original Diva Gem”
Monday, Every American was focused on the inauguration and all fashion eyes fell on two things Michelle Obama’s Bangs (OMG! Why did no one think of those sooner??? Fab!,) and The Reigning 1st lady of Song Beyonce and the order of thoughts, for me at least, went:
1) EARRINGS!!!
2) Perfect blonde curls.
3) Song.. yeah sounds great.
4) And as @OscarPRgirl put it:
“I mean could we not get a full length shot of B? who is running this?”
And No, She was not Lip-Syncing, If she were she would not have needed to remove her ear piece. Get it together people, It’s B period.
But back to the earrings! Emeralds, Yes! The same choice Cleopatra would have made in Ancient Egypt!
Instant glam, and sooo on trend as The Pantone color of the year is….. EMERALD.
Most people know what an Emerald is, considering it is one of the “Big 4” Precious Gemstones (Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald), and most people also know that the best Emeralds hail from Columbia. But Emeralds have a much richer history than that, Emeralds were mined in Egypt thousands of years before even Cleopatra (Although, she claimed them as her own and made them one of her signature luxuries.) Emeralds have always been adored by the elite from all across the globe from Africa to South America (the long way around of course.)
The name Emerald comes from “Esmeralde” which is Old French for “green gemstone,” and the Old French Translation came from the Greek word “Smargdos” which also means “green gemstone” (I know, it isn’t very original but it is a unique enough stone not to need more clarification, since true green is a difficult color to come by in natural gemstones.) Green is a difficult color to find in gemstones because of the chemical composition required (but that is boring… unless you are really interested in which case you can look on gemstone.org and find that it has to do with Chromium and Vanadium.)
Columbian Emeralds are regarded as the most impressive and valuable Emeralds in the world, because of the specific shade of green they display, however Emeralds are actually found all over the world. Emeralds can be found in Brazil, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Madagascar, India, Russia and even in North Carolina USA. In this way, Emeralds are not particularly rare, however, the perfect Emeralds we see on Red Carpets and at Inaugurations are each one in a billion.
Although Emeralds are not the softest or most delicate stones cutting them and maintaining size can be an issue due to they’re likelihood to cleave. When looking into an Emerald, you can almost always see tiny lines or striations, this is expected and accepted by consumers and collectors alike, (the Columbians even say you should see a “Fine Garden” inside Emeralds), but these characteristics are the weak points along which a stone is likely to break or shatter. These characteristics and the absence of them are what make Emeralds so precious. The perfect Emerald, with the ideal shade of rich Green and a tidy fine garden can easily earn more per carat than a diamond of the same carat weight.
Seeing these Columbian Goodies on Angelina Jolie, who has somewhat adopted them as her own signature stones, is enough to make any Gem lover abandon the pinks and reds of Valentine’s Day for a little something sparkly and green.
For more Gem Nourishment Visit:
Constance Crashes and Burns Sometimes
Sometimes I Crash and Burn inside the Giant Jewelry Box 😦
I apologize. I know I said I would post daily a new stone… but I honestly didn’t think anyone was looking… until I got hate mail. You could easily ask anyone of the educators I ever had and they would tell you that turning in homework on time was never my strong suit. But I promise to do better since this is after all my career and obsession and love affair all in one and consequently I should be able to go on for days, which I can so long as I sit down. Let’s just say I owe you Day 4 and Day 5 still which I will make up soon, and get on with today’s post.
Natural Zircon, “The Most Imitated Gem”
Day 3 of the Gemstone Wishlist for Tuscon:
Natural Zircon is commonly confused with the diamond synthetics that high-jacked its name (Cubic Zirconia, or CZ). The copy stone is just about as close to Natural Zircon as Snookie is to Selma Hayek…
…but you would be surprised at how many fights I have with people (even in the industry) about the difference. (This is literally a problem, which I frequently address in emails that read something like this: Dear EVERYONE,
…I have recently requested samples to be made using White Zircon, which is a NATURAL gemstone NOT to be confused or supplemented with CZ a.k.a. Cubic Zirconia which is a completely synthetic stone. This is a costly mistake for which we could all get into a great deal of trouble for with our customers and the US government. Please be sure to differentiate!…)
The most disappointing thing about the total and complete identity theft is that Natural Zircon is an incredible gemstone with very unique properties and a rich history. The name Zircon is derivative of the Arabic words for golden colored, “Zar Gun.” This name was given because, although Zircon comes in as many colors as diamonds, and most people know them as a supplemental stone for diamond (which is probably why cubic ZIRCONia was the name chosen for fake diamonds. ß this also makes everything that much more confusing), the most common color is a beautiful golden or honey color.
Hailing only from the Eastern Hemisphere, Zircon can be deciphered fairly quickly if you know what to look for; it sparkles a great deal more than most gemstones because of its internal crystalline structure, which in a way functions as a set of mirrors to almost double the amount of actual facets seen with the naked eye.
All said, I will be going after a beautiful piece of honey to mahogany colored Natural Zircon at the show and luckily (this is probably the only positive side of this gemstone being confused with CZ) there is a lack of appreciation for Zircon in commercial markets so I should be able to snag one for a more than fair price now before everyone wakes up and realizes what great stone Natural Zircon is. (I get a certain sense of satisfaction in this, which I imagine is similar to one which an inside trader must get just before the market skyrockets :)! )
Earrings From Erica Courtney:
For more information on Zircon check out what gemstone.org has to say:
Constance in the Giant Jewelry Box 