Hot or Not – Volume 18

Joden Girl

Baubles, Bling and Curious Things

For the past decade or so, those of us in the jewelry industry have been promising the comeback of two things…  yellow gold and brooches.  Quite honestly, for most of those years, we didn’t believe that those assurances would actually come to fruition.  Because we are avid buyers of antique and estate jewelry, our inventory is laden with hundreds of pins…  most of them are made from yellow gold.  And so, imagine our delight when BOTH of these promises were fulfilled in 2024.

Yellow gold began inching back into the spotlight a few years ago.  But… it takes a while for trends to make it all the way to rural Pennsylvania.  Nevertheless, it has happened!  And we are here for it.  Thanks to celebrities, professional athletes and fashion influencers, brooches have also exploded back to center stage as well.  The most popular pieces are often whimsical and even a bit cheeky.  

Coinciding with both of these hot trends is the rapidly escalating price of gold.  Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), with gold at an all time high, people everywhere are cashing in on their jewelry.  For the first time in a long time, we are buying jewelry as quickly as we are selling it.  Some truly unique finds have made their way into the store in the past months, like this playful arrow-pierced heart brooch.

Measuring 2.5 inches from the point of the arrow to the tips of the fletching, this pin is just one such discovery.  It’s constructed entirely of 18-karat yellow gold.  Oh-so-appropriately placed in the center of the brooch is a heart-shaped citrine.  Presenting with a lovely honey tone, this gem weighs approximately 8.00 carats.  Surrounding the heart in a softly sculpted  halo are twenty round brilliant diamonds.  Each one is held in place by just two prongs; combined, they have a weight of .80 carat.  Accenting the shaft of the arrow itself are eleven square sapphires.  Displaying a brilliantly blue hue, these sapphires offer 1.50 carats of bright bling.

Equally suited to a man or a woman, this brooch could be pinned to a lapel, a hatband, a cuff or even the folded edge of a knitted beanie.  Sophisticated elements combine with a simple shape giving the pin an ageless quality – it could easily worn by the very youngest or the very oldest jewelry lover.  As my own tastes continue to evolve, I am surprised by how much I like this hearts-and-arrows beauty.  Priced at $2000.00, I can’t wait to hear your reviews of this charming piece.  What do you think… is it hot?  Or not?

“You can go to a museum and look, or come to us and touch.”

Written by Carrie Martin

Photos by Dana Jerpe

Lockets to Love

Joden Girl

Baubles, Bling and Inspired Things

It’s hard to believe that the holiday season is less than two months away.  There are only forty-three “Joden” shopping days left before Christmas.  Whew.  If that timeline gives you the whim-whams, not to worry!  Our website is available 24/7.  With an amazing selection of gift-worthy jewels, our site has the perfect present for that special someone.  We even offer free 2-Day shipping with every website purchase; you simply can’t go wrong.  

One of our most requested gifts is a locket – and we have something truly special.  Sentimental and sweet, this heirloom-quality pendant is perfect.  Inspired by Victorian designs, this modern beauty is made from 14-karat yellow gold.  The front half of the locket features an oval-shaped center medallion.  Cobalt blue enamel coats the oval and highlights a tiny gold fleur de lis in the middle.  Intricate filigree wirework fills the space between the bright blue center and the scalloped outer edge.

Upon opening the hinge, another charming element is revealed.  Hand-painted on the back side of the oval center is just one word… France.  The small enameled placard was created in France and some time later, it was incorporated into this lovely locket.  On the right side is a sizable compartment; lacking the frame that would hold a photo, this pocket must be for a keepsake.  Perhaps a lock of hair, a baby tooth or a small note could be stored here.  

Closing with a snap, this pendant is the perfect place to secure precious mementos.  Create an heirloom of the future for someone you love with this locket for just $1,050.00.  Call or stop by to make it yours today.

“You can go to a museum and look, or come to us and touch.”

Written by Carrie Martin

Photos by Dana Jerpe

Hot or Not – Volume 17

Joden Girl

Baubles, Bling and Curious Things

We’re back with another edition of “Hot or Not” – I love this unique adaptation of our regular blog.  It’s always interesting to see all the different opinions on a particularly unusual piece of jewelry.  The ring I chose this time STILL has me on the fence.  Based on my current likes, this ring should be a definite “no”… but there’s just something about it.  I keep going back to it. 

Made from 18-karat white gold, this band measures almost half an inch in width!  On my hand, it makes a bold statement.  Not just wide, but also thick, the ring has some unique azures (cut-outs on the inside of a ring used for cleaning); there are tiny star, crescent moon, and heart-shaped openings.  These small apertures continue three-quarters of the way around the inside, stopping only to leave a space for three hallmarks… one is not legible.  The remaining two indicate the fineness of the gold (18-karat) and the designer – Valente.  A fine Italian maker, they opened their doors in 1953 and quickly gained popularity.  

The outside of the band is just as unexpected as the inside.  Centered on the top half of the ring are a series of three identical hearts.  Each one features a Swiss blue topaz in the center.  This topaz trio has a combined weight of approximately 1.00 carat.  Surrounding each heart is a halo of round brilliant diamonds.  In total there are forty-eight stones that have a combined weight of .75 carat. 

Heart jewelry isn’t something that I typically go for…  but in the past couple of years, I have found more and more heart pieces that appeal to me.  Maybe I’m becoming more sentimental the older I get.  In addition, blue topaz is not one of my favorite gemstones AND I’ve definitely been feeling all the yellow gold vibes lately.  But there’s something about the combination of the white gold, blue topaz and the heart shapes. 

Just before Dana shot these pictures, we put the band in the shop for some TLC.  Our jeweler (Debbie) worked her magic and restored the soft satin finish to the white gold surface.  It’s amazing what a little love and a mini-spa day can do for a piece of jewelry.  Looking like new again, this ring was shiny clean and ready to go.  Fortunately – or perhaps unfortunately for me – this band is a finger size 10.  It’s too big for any of my fingers, and cannot be sized.  Moderately priced at $1,800.00 and equally suited for a woman or a man; this designer ring still has me asking the ultimate question.  Is it hot?  Or not?  

“You can go to a museum and look, or come to us and touch.”

Written by Carrie Martin

Photos by Dana Jerpe

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