Platinum and Diamond Handbag!

The Emmy Awards were last night, and I have been waiting anxiously to see what celebrity carried the Cate Adair platinum and diamond handbag valued at more than $500,000!

Here's a little info about the bag from marketwatch.com:

"Cate Adair, the Emmy-nominated and award-winning costume designer for Desperate Housewives, has collaborated with Kwiat, the 101-year old luxury jewelry and diamond company, to create the ultimate accessory, the "Platinum Clutch." The one-of-a-kind purse, valued at more than $500,000... features genuine pure Platinum design elements set with 60 carats of Kwiat diamonds, in honor of the 60th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

"After accessorizing the arm of a celebrity during this year's Primetime Emmy Awards, the Platinum Clutch will be on display at Kwiat's new flagship store located at 725 Madison Avenue. The 1,000-square-foot boutique opened on September 4, 2008, and showcases a wide variety of Kwiat's diamond jewelry collections, with pieces (up to) $1 million. "

Wow! And in a (happily) unrelated note, even though delightful Tina Fey lost her purse at the show last night, it wasn't this one! Whew!

No Diving, No Horseplay and No Gold in the Pool!

Did you know that your gold jewelry can be weakened or even broken by being in your chlorinated pool? Bleach and chlorine can turn your gold black, and even more importantly, the chemical reaction can actually break down your gold's strength. Depending on how highly chlorinated the pool is, the damage can happen over a long period of time or be nearly instantaneous!

If your gold has tarnished (turned a different color) we can clean it in our store, either by chemicals or by the jeweler using a buffing machine.

If the damage is severe, where the gold jewelry literally has fallen apart (yes, it CAN happen!), in some cases the piece is a total loss! That's serious!

Soooooo, no running around the pool deck, and NO gold in the pool! :)

Why Did My Gold "Turn"?

A client in my store yesterday had a 14kt yellow gold bracelet with a blackened area on it, which reminded me about when gold supposedly "turns."

First of all, when we say that a piece of jewelry "turns", we are really referring to the plating on metal that is in the process of wearing off. Turning can include the visible peeling of the top layer of metal, pitting, different textures on the same area or a green color being present. Real gold, meaning karated gold, does not "turn."

Instead, real gold "tarnishes." Tarnish can (in almost all cases) be cleaned off via sudsy ammonia, Tarn-x or machine buffing by a jeweler.

If the tarnish on your genuine gold is orangish in color, it could be a result of hard water in your home, some perfumes, lotions, colognes or hairspray. These are good reasons to always put your jewelry on last before leaving the house!

If the tarnish is blackish in color, it could be a result of contact with bleach or chlorine. Diabetics and highly acid people can also darken the color of real gold.

The client I mentioned at the beginning of this post had been cleaning her bathroom with her jewelry on, and clearly bleach had come into contact with it. Just another reason to avoid housework at all costs!

Our bench jeweler cleaned and buffed the bracelet back to gleaming like-new, and the lady was thrilled. I love a happy client!

Note: Although in most cases these examples hold true, if you have any question about a piece of jewelry, take it your local independent jeweler for an expert opinion. In most cases, they will gladly tell you free of charge. (If they act grumpy or annoyed, find another jeweler!)

How to Remove a Stuck Ring

We've all done it: Go to try on a friend's new ring and uh oh! It's a little too snug and you get that sort of panicky feeling in the pit of your tummy- is it stuck??

Over my many years in the jewelry business, I have fine-tuned a method for getting most "stuck" rings off.

If it is a situation like the one mentioned above, spray the entire finger (front and back) liberally with Windex and slide the ring off. This works wonderfully and does not gunk up your ring like soap or lotion will!

In a more difficult case, say a ring being worn continuously for years that now no longer comes off (because your knuckle has grown, like most people's do!) or when a finger suddenly swells from a big bite on injury, you may want to try my proven method:

1) Start in the morning, when your fingers are typically at their smallest.
2) Have Windex handy. Fill a large bowl with cold water and lots of ice cubes. Submerge your hand into the water for as long as you can. (Folks with poor circulation or diabetes may want to check with their doctor.)
3) Remove your hand from the bowl, quickly saturate the entire finger with Windex, then raise both hands above your head and wiggle the ring to get it off.

If my method doesn't work, in most areas you can go into your local fire station and they will cut it off for you (a relatively easy procedure that sounds scarier than it is!) It's good to be proactive if you can't get the ring off at home. Have it removed BEFORE an emergency makes it a more serious situation!

You would figure that the next logical stop is the jeweler, but I suggest waiting about 3 weeks before taking your ring in to be sized. If it has been on a long time, you most likely have a "ring dent" on your finger which needs to fill in a bit before we can get an accurate size on your finger.

I have seen rings that were cut off right through the top (where the diamonds and gallery are!) when emergency personnel have not been able to just slip a ring off the patient's finger. In an emergency situation, they are not going to be worried about preserving the ring- they are trying to preserve your finger! So to avoid this, take care of getting your ring off and resized now, before you're forced to!

Storing Silver Jewelry

Anyone who owns silver jewelry knows that keeping it tarnish free is quite the task. What you save in costs you make up for in cleaning time! Modern pieces often have an industry-approved rhodium plating applied, which prevents tarnishing for the most part. But, for pieces that do not have that coating (and that can be the majority of your collection!) , we recommend storing your sterling silver in ziplock baggies. This prevents air from freely interacting with your silver and decreases the opportunity for tarnish to occur. It also had the added benefit of keeping your pieces from scratching each other, which could cause damage to stones!

Checking your Prongs

If you have been reading my blog at all, you know that one of Tracy and my most important callings in life is to check every customer's prongs on their rings (especially wedding rings!) to prevent the client from losing their precious diamond- and shockingly, at least 75% of the prongs I check need repair work on them! That is a scary statistic!

This is maintenance work needed on something you wear EVERYDAY- just like how you have to maintain your car you drive EVERYDAY.

Well, I just wanted to quickly update because of something one of our favorite clients said to me earlier this year when our newsletter came out reminding ladies to bring their rings in for a FREE inspection and cleaning.

She said: "I tried to wiggle my diamond in the setting and it didn't budge so I knew it was safe." Oh no no no- her stone desperately needed retipping work- what was causing it not to budge was soap, lotion and shampoo that we all get built-up on our rings because we are such clean people! It creates almost a glue-like substance that can somewhat keep the stone in place (and ultimately had been keeping the stone from falling out because the prongs were nearly non-existent!)

BUT as soon as you decide to clean your ring, that buildup is brushed away, and you stone has almost nothing holding in your precious diamond.

The moral of the story: Just because your diamond doesn't wriggle in the mounting does NOT mean it is safe!!

Remember that we'll check your ring any day, for FREE, right while you wait. We will never retip or repair something that does not need it- it's pretty black-and-white when viewed through the jeweler's eyepiece... either they are "meaty" which is good or they are worn down.

Check out the auction showcase!

Diamond rings- starting bid of $29!
Diamond pendants- starting bid of $39!
Diamond tennis bracelets- starting bid of $69!!!
Emerald bracelet- starting bid of $49!
Rings- starting bid of $10!!!
Over 50 pieces of jewelry with LOW starting bids!!

Now YOU Can Comment on this blog.

Please note: you can now comment on this blog without signing up to blogspot.com. I welcome your comments and questions!! Our clients are the best on the world! Thank you for your friendship!

Let the Auction Begin!

We always enjoy doing different things at Masterpiece, and goodness knows that with so many people trading in their old gold for brand new jewelry, we have a lot of wonderful gently pre-owned jewelry that needs new homes.

These items are already a great value (usually priced at HALF of retail) but Tracy and I have decided to let YOU decide your prices on this jewelry during the last weekend of May! We have put ridiculously low starting bids!

Here are two of the several dozen lovely estate jewelry items all with incredibly low starting bids in the showcase at Masterpiece Jewelers! During the Viewing Time, May 19th thru May 28th, you can come in the store and look over the pieces up for bids. Sorry, but no items can be purchased during this time- they can only be won via auction.

Bidding is for 3 days only, May 29th, May 30th and May 31st. Don't miss out!

You need not be present to win! This is an absentee auction.

We're having so much fun with it, and we know you will too!

Trade Your Gold!

We've been encouraging you to trade your old gold and get your best value while it is so high- but if you (like us) are procrastinators, we made this little video to remind you how losing any of that value would be a CRIME! This video was filmed by Tracy's son Hank, age 6.

Little Known Fact about Jewelry Cleaner

Hopefully, if you're reading this you already have a jar of our Masterpiece Jewelers Jewelry Cleaner... but a little known fact is that over time any jewelry cleaner loses its effectiveness so you may be cleaning your jewelry BUT it's not getting as clean! Bummer!

Replace your jewelry cleaner every year to keep your pieces looking their best. This is a simple and affordable way to maximize the beauty of your beloved pieces!

My dear friend Katie's engagement ring (bought from us!) always looks like a million bucks, and that's because every time she takes a shower she cleans her ring!

Now I wish I could be that fastidious myself, but it is a fact that more frequest cleaning keeps soap/lotion/dirt/meatloaf from caking up behind your gemstones and reducing their sparkle. (I'm not kidding about the meatloaf, but I wish I was!!)

Most of us, like myself, clean our rings only sporadically because of our hectic lives, so that's why it's so important to have fresh jewelry cleaner to do most of the "work" for us! Cleaner jewelry=more compliments and we all love those!

Do as I say, not as I do- because you do NOT want to see how dirty my diamonds are right now!!

"If Opals and Diamonds had a baby..."

That's the way one customer described the gorgeous gemstone Sea Mist Drusy! A bestseller in our store since late last summer, drusy (also spelled druzy, and pronounced DROO-zee) is literally thousands of genuine quartz crystals all sparkling on one brilliant gemstone.

Right now at Masterpiece Jewelers we have four colors which we hand picked at the Intl Miami Jewelry Show: Twilight (a warm brown), Rainbow (an iridescent deep purple and royal blue), Sea Mist (an iridescent white) and Pacific (royal blue). They come in pendants, earrings and rings.

Most drusy is mined in Russia and the quality greatly varies. Beware of drusy that looks dull or dirty- that's not gem-quality! We carry only the top of the line quality.

Drusy is wonderfully affordable and is a cousin to amethyst and citrine. And when you are wearing it, you will get so many compliments and comments from people who want to know what it is!

I'm Feelin' Drusy!

My next post will be all about gorgeous drusy! It's our bestselling gemstone!

Tim Gunn loves pearls for spring!

I just got next week's issue of TV Guide (yes, we still subscribe!) and there is an article about Spring fashion trends. Flats are back in, thank goodness!

The list was made by Project Runway mentor Tim Gunn, who hosts his own show "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style, and he listed PEARLS as a must-have accessory for the spring season.

Whenever you come into Masterpiece, you can see that Tracy and I also love pearls! We have the largest selection of diverse genuine pearls in the area- in all colors and styles, from single strands to multi-strands to intricate patterns to illusion necklaces... the list is nearly endless.

So if, like Tim Gunn, you love pearls as much as Tracy and I do, please come in and check out all the beautiful and affordable designs just perfect for making you look stylish!

Oh no!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's Ring Rot!

Imagine this: It's just before your wedding day, a time when everyone asks to see your engagement ring, and you can't wear it because you've developed an uncomfortable rash on your ring finger! Well, that was me in the spring of 1998, and I had a case of "ring rot."

I'm sure dermatologists have a fancy Latin name for it, but in the jewelry business, ring rot is what we call a red, itchy sometimes blistered area that occurs on the finger directly under a ring. Although clients often think the ring itself is the cause, perhaps assuming the ring isn't "real gold," the true culprit is moisture.

Ring rot occurs much more often in wider bands and in people who wash their hands a lot. (Nowadays, that's most of us!) But sensitive skin might contract ring rot under even thin bands. Ring rot doesn't discriminate.

The Treatment: I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on this blog, but I have had my experiences with ring rot. When you see the symptoms described above, first of all, stop wearing the ring! No, no, not forever, but until the rash clears up. Do not put the ring back on until the ring rot has cleared up 100%. Not 95%. Not 99%. The area must be completely healed or the ring rot will come right back! Trust me on this.

Prevention: If you have experienced ring rot, then your skin is prone to it. One of the easiest way to prevent it is to take your rings off at night to let your skin breathe. Now yes, I know that some folks feel that after your wedding ring was slid onto your finger at the ceremony it is not to come off again, so that option may not work for you.

And obviously not washing your hands is not an option (unless you like having a perpetual cold!) Try this method that has worked well for me: Wash your hands, then when drying them, scoot your rings slightly toward your knuckle, dry under them, slide them back into place and dry the area near your knuckle.

Resist the urge to take your rings off completely before washing your hands! I have heard too many sad stories about rings accidentally left behind in a public restroom or knocked down the drain when sitting on the sink area at home.

It's been ten years since that fateful pre-wedding bout of ring rot, so my methods have worked for me, and I'm sure they'll work for you too.

If you are reading and thinking "Gee, that's a long article about a little skin rash'" then you, my friend, have never had ring rot!

"Real" Gold Can Tarnish and Discolor!

Many folks believe that "real" gold, meaning karated gold like 14k or 10k gold, should never discolor- that is a sign that your piece of jewelry is "fake." This is NOT TRUE!

In fact, karated gold can and does discolor at times. We call this "tarnish." Gold can have definite chemical reactions to everyday items. In my experience, bleach or chlorine can make your genuine gold jewelry appear dark or even black in areas. Perfumes, colognes, hairspray and hard water can make your gold look coppery or orange in color. In most cases, using liquid Tarnex will remove this discoloration- but PLEASE read the Tarnex directions carefully. Stubborn tarnish can be removed by the jeweler.

Oppositely, costume jewelry and gold-plated jewelry "turns," (as opposed to tarnishing), which in my vocabulary means that the plating has worn off, and no amount of cleaning with Tarnex or anything else is going to make these pieces look new again. Generally speaking, seeing the color green on any of your jewelry isn't a good sign! How quickly a piece "turns" after you begin wearing it often has to do more with your own body chemistry than just the piece itself!

So as you are sorting through your jewelry box to trade-in old gold for new jewelry at Masterpiece, please bring in anything that "appears" gold and let us determine if it is "real" karated gold. Due to tarnish, some gold items may look fake! We can tell right away- for free!

Coming up next: Ring Rot!

Our Magnetic Clasps vs the "Clever Clasp"

About ten years ago was the first time that magnetic clasps came onto my radar as a jeweler, but those first generation conveniences weren't strong enough for us to feel confident offering them to our clients.

However, around five years ago a new brand of magnetic clasp came onto the findings (parts) market that we have been so very pleased with. The entire clasp is smaller than a pencil eraser, but is so strong that you can barely pull them apart using force. Instead, they have to be slid apart, or separated using a fingernail. They are small, attractive and they do the job effortlessly.

I'm bringing this up because today at Masterpiece a lady came in with a self-installed "Clever Clasp" on her very thin pendant chain. Although at first glance this "As Seen On TV" item seems like a great solution.

However, installing the Clever Clasp adds about an inch to the chain you need it for (which means that it may not be at the right length for your outfits anymore). Additionally, it is bulky and heavy for a clasp (which makes it obtrusive to the design of the chain, and it also tends to come around to the front because of its weight.) And the magnet just isn't as strong as I would feel comfortable with. Lastly, because it is neither karat gold, gold-filled or silver, the plating quickly wears off on some people, making it very unattractive!

Please know that a better, safer, prettier solution exists for those of us who can no longer easily operate traditional clasps- whether from arthritis, brittle fingernails, nerve damage (like myself) or just plain fumble fingers! These mighty magnetic clasps are very reasonably priced and can be installed right while you wait on almost any necklace or bracelet. Yes, you CAN wear your jewelry easily again!

The Booming Gold Market

This morning I woke up to talk radio 1150 WNDB, like I always do, and the top of the hour news was talking about how now is a good time for people to get rid of their unwanted gold jewelry. That newscast is less than 6 minutes long (including commercials) and so I found it impressive that this tidbit made it into their tight schedule.

Of course, at Masterpiece Tracy and I have been encouraging our customers to trade in their gold for brand new jewelry for over 2 years now- ever since the climb upward began! It's worth THREE TIMES what it was just 2 years ago! (And sorry about YELLING but I wanted to get my point across!)

We have been trading with customers on a daily basis now for months, and people sometimes ask me what we do with all the old unwanted jewelry we take in. We have a few options: 1) recondition the piece and resell it as a great value in our Estate Jewelry showcase; 2) use the piece for parts in our jewelry repair shop (gold shanks on rings can be used as sizing stock) or 3) it is sent to the refinery to be recycled into new gold.

Like all commodities, the gold market is volatile and can drop at any time, so stop procrastinating, go through your jewelry box, and trade your old gold in to us at Masterpiece!