Birthstone Backups

Today there is a standardized list of Birthstones; those gemstones were selected in 1912. Birthstones can be a great gift with special significance for loved ones or they can be used to represent the birth of a new baby. However, one thing we are consistently hearing clients say is “my birthstone just isn’t my color” or “I wish my children had more complementary Birthstones.” If you feel that way about your birthstone, you’re not alone!

Luckily, there’s more than one way to bake a cake.

Birthstones have been given as gifts for thousands of years, long before our 12-month traditional calendar was in use. Birthstones were once based on your zodiac sign. This is excellent news if you’re not happy with your birth month color.

In the coming months, we will be doing a story about each of the gemstones according to zodiac sign!

Below is a helpful chart to discover what designated sign you are if you didn’t already know or so that you are able to gift for someone else!

Aquarius: January 21st – February 19th
Gemstone: Sapphire

Pisces: February 20th – March 20th
Gemstone: Amethyst

Aries: March 21st – April 20th
Gemstone: Ruby

Taurus: April 21st – May 20th
Gemstone: Golden Topaz

Gemini: May 21st – June 21st
Gemstone: Citrine

Cancer: June 22nd – July 22nd
Gemstone: Moonstone

Leo: July 23rd – August 23rd
Gemstone: Garnet

Virgo: August 24th – September 23rd
Gemstone: Emerald

Libra: September 24th – October 23rd
Gemstone: Peridot

Scorpio: October 24th – November 22nd
Gemstone: Aquamarine

Sagittarius: November 23rd – December 21st
Gemstone: Spessartite Garnet

Capricorn: December 22nd – January 20th
Gemstone: Green Tourmaline

From the Design Desk: Creating an Amazing Bi-Color Tourmaline Pendant

So often I hear about other jewelers creating “custom jewelry”, which is usually just a pre-manufactured mounting that they’ve set their stones (or a client’s stones) into. There are computer programs that pull from an existing manufacturer’s library, which is essentially plug and play to create a semi-unique combination, but again not shaped and proportioned to get ideal results. There are even manufacturers that will stamp their pre-made product with a jewelers name and logo so the jeweler can claim it is uniquely theirs, when it’s not!

This is a glimpse into our truly one-of-a-kind custom process.

I spent a couple years playing around with some sketched concepts of a design I wanted to create with a unique two-colored tourmaline that I loved! The stone is an extremely long emerald cut that showcases the natural color transition, as well as some interesting natural inclusion characteristics of the tourmaline. I love the juxtaposition of curving fluid designs around the linear step-cut of the emerald cut tourmaline.

I worked on the CAD design of the pendant in-between projects for our clients for a couple months until it was exactly what I envisioned. Working with our jewelers, I made sure all the design nuance and detail was perfectly executed to create one of my favorite pendants!

We had hardly had the tourmaline pendant on display for a week when a client saw it and told her husband and friends about it. Her husband, being sneaky about taking notice, called me the next day to inquire about the design, and coordinate acquiring it for his wife for an upcoming holiday. As expected – it was a hit!

It’s very gratifying to create beautiful items that I love, and so many others get to enjoy as well! I am looking forward to designing and making even more one-of-a-kind creations this year. Stay tuned and I will post more images as they finish!

Your Jewelry Concierge: The perfect necklace for a couple in Texas.

Life is busy, and time to shop is often hard to come by. Fine jewelry is something personal and very specific to each individual. Many clients struggle finding the time to come into our store.

The following story is an example of how our jewelry concierge service works. It’s just one example of the hundreds of projects we do every year where customers never come into our store but still get our personalized service.

Early last December, I received a call from a client in Texas who was interested in adding a complementary necklace to his wife’s jewelry collection. We had records of her ring, earrings, as well as preferences she had when choosing her previous items. It was a project concept we had played around with for a couple years, but we had never nailed down all the fine details.

Collaborating through email and phone calls, we were able to create a gorgeous necklace that matches the quality and characteristics of her other diamonds, and in a design she absolutely loved! It was a little stressful when the shipping carrier indicated a delivery delay (a concern we try to anticipate and ship early whenever possible!)

Fortunately, it arrived on time to make their celebration complete. It’s always exciting to be a part of those memorable moments with our friends and clients.

Whether a client lives down the street, across town or across the country, we’re ready and able to assist with any idea you have to make your special someone’s day and show what they mean to you. Give us a call or send us an email and let us show you what our friendly, professional, and creative staff can come up with for you!

Citizen Eco-Drive Proximity Watches

We’ve carried Citizen Eco-Drive watches for many years. They are beautiful, dependable and require no batteries because they are powered by light.

Citizen Eco–Drive technology harnesses the power of light – from any natural or artificial light source – and converts it into energy, which is stored in a permanently rechargeable solar cell. An Eco–Drive watch recharges itself in any kind of light, to run forever.

Citizen is always improving the features and functionality of their watches. They’ve created a line of Bluetooth connected watches that have a couple of unique features. The “Proximity” line connects to an app on your smartphone to enhance what it can do.

We asked Jason, one of our customers who bought a Proximity watch, what his favorite feature is:

When you travel across time zones, the watch will automatically update to the new time zone when you land. It’s a convenience feature and it’s cool to see in action. And I love that I can get alerts without an annoying LCD screen like most tech watches out there today.

You can control what types of alerts you receive (via a vibration to your wrist.) It’s all configurable through the smartphone app.

If you are considering a new timepiece for that special someone, stop by and let us show you our Citizen Eco-Drive watches!

Merry Christmas from House of Diamonds!

We all know how stressful this time of year can be, but it’s incredibly important to keep things in perspective.

There’s nothing more important than spending time with your family and loved ones, relaxing and enjoying the holidays. And we consider you part of our family!

Thank you for making 2016 a great year! We’ve enjoyed seeing you in the store, sharing our life stories with each other and of course, helping you with your jewelry needs.

We hope that you enjoy this holiday season with your loved ones. That you go to some great parties, eat amazing food, and laugh a lot.

We look forward to seeing you in 2017.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Photos Courtesy of Roland Omoresemi