Natural pearls Archive | Page 3

Joe’s Special Box – Volume 11

September 16, 2023May 21, 2018 by Joden Girl

Joden Girl

Baubles, Bling, and A Collector’s Things

When I found this delicate beauty in Joe’s Special Box, I loved it immediately. Then I saw the price – $1380.00. While it certainly isn’t the most expensive ring we have, still – I was a bit surprised. It’s lovely and positively screams quality, however, it seemed a bit high for such a little thing. I asked Joe about it, and his response was simple… “Because it’s absolutely beautiful.”

Anyone can see that he’s right. The ring sits perfectly on the finger with a navette-shaped onyx center accented by three natural pearls and fourteen rose cut diamonds. I didn’t realize how special the ring was until we started to really study it. With his loupe in hand, Joe described how the shank of the ring was made – only then did I understand the true beauty of the piece.

The main structure of this ring was painstakingly handcrafted from a singular piece of rosy 18 karat gold. To form the triple-split shank, the artisan carefully drilled holes into the design, then used a fine jeweler’s saw to remove excess metal. The photos above show just how precise the handiwork is. Then an extremely time-consuming process called trumming began. Strips of cloth that were coated in polishing compound were threaded into the sawn surfaces of the ring – these strips were moved back and forth, time after time until the gold was smooth and polished. This technique would have taken countless hours. Suddenly, $1380 seemed like a bargain. Go to our site and look, surely you’ll agree.

Written by Carrie Martin

Photos by Shelly Isacco

True Confessions

September 9, 2023February 18, 2017 by Joden Girl

Joden Girl

Baubles, Bling, and Sapphire Rings

I have a confession to make… I love jewelry. I love looking at it, I love talking about it, I love writing about it. However – I don’t really wear it, especially lately. It lays in piles all over our house… four bangles and a diamond band rest beside the toaster in the kitchen. There’s a pair of oversize silver hoops and a long necklace on the end table in the living room. The nightstand beside my bed is littered with bobby pins, a tub of Nivea crème, and at least four pair of discarded earrings. The older I get, the more I want to simplify my life. Less accessories just seems easier. There is no decision to make. Slip my diamond studs into my ears, put on my engagement ring and wedding band, and done. On the weekends, I only wear my wedding band. I love the way it looks on finger all by itself. Simple and elegant.

I love jewelry that means something… Personal jewelry. The significance of my wedding rings is obvious. My diamond earrings were a gift from my husband at a time when we really couldn’t afford luxuries. And yet, there they were, under our Christmas tree. Because of that, I treasure them all the more. I’m sure that in the years to come, I will acquire another piece or two of jewelry. I have always wanted a sapphire ring. Nothing over the top. Just simple and elegant.

I love tiny details about each of the rings pictured above. They are all Victorian rings from the late 1800’s. The style of jewelry had become much lighter than the Mid-Victorian era. Rings were often small with an open airy feel.

This classic piece features an oval sapphire surrounded by an Old European Cut diamond halo. The sapphire weighs 1.50 carats with .30 carats of diamonds. Priced at just $1500, it’s perfect for every day wear.

This is my favorite. It can easily be worn as a right hand ring or an alternative to the traditional diamond engagement ring. The small round sapphire is a sublime shade of cornflower blue encircled by nine Old Mine Cut diamonds, each facet twinkling in the light. I love the scrollwork that forms the prongs and graces the shoulders of this tiny enchantress. Check it out on our site. At $2500, it’s irresistible!

What’s not to love about this band style ring set with three cushion-shaped sapphires, two natural pearls, and eight rose cut diamonds? Called a carved half hoop ring for the intricate gallery work that creates the prongs, this style was popular from the mid to late 1800’s. It’s also available on our website, priced at only $1950.00.

All three of these rings are simple and elegant. I would happily abandon any right hand ring I have for one of these antique gems. Perhaps you would too!

Written by Carrie Martin

Photos by Carla Leight and Shelly Isacco

In Loving Memory

September 9, 2023January 30, 2017 by Joden Girl

Joden Girl

Baubles, Bling and Mourning Rings

Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter…

Duck Face, Kissy Face, Smize, or Squnich…

Millenials are memorializing every detail of their lives, from the most mundane to the downright inappropriate – it’s all there on social media for the world to see. I’m not averse to it… I’ve been known to pose for a selfie or two, send out snaps and check in with my girls on Facebook – but some life events deserve more than a quick pic and a hasty status update. Things like engagements and weddings, or perhaps when a new life begins, and certainly when a life ends.

They were doing it right two hundred years ago. When a loved one passed away, the bereavement process often included the creation of a special piece of jewelry; it was called mourning jewelry. These unique treasures usually included the name of the deceased person as well as their death date. Many also included a special compartment for a lock of hair. These small trinkets were handed out at the funeral while more elaborate styles were worn by family members.

These are just three of the mourning rings we have here at Joden. Black enamel was a recurring theme in this type of jewelry (as you can see) as were pearls, urns, and flowers. Each one of these rings is engraved (from left to right)…

T.T.J. 14.12.1893
M.H.C. Mourant died 6th Oct. 1866
W: Terry OB: 24 Oct: 1809: AE 53

The trio of rings on the left are all very similar to each other; the hair receiver on top surrounded by natural pearls (usually signifying the loss of a child). Only one of them actually contains hair – the other two are still waiting for someone to fill them. The ring on the right was made in the Georgian period. The delicate blonde tresses inside have been plaited into a basket-weave pattern completely surrounded by sparkling purple gemstones.

Quite a lot of the mementos made in the 1800’s were brooches and lockets, like the ones shown here. The two pins in the foreground are exceptional examples of the fine workmanship that mourning jewelry is known for. The locket in the background is covered in a layer of black enamel with a pearl-centered flower on the front. As you can see in the photo on the right, the locket appears to have never been used… the original blue silk is still inside in pristine condition.

I readily admit that when one of my sons is doing something particularly adorable or noteworthy, the first thing I reach for is my cell phone – to capture that smile forever. Photographs are truly worth a thousand words, and I cherish all of mine. But I can’t help but feel that if I had a ring on my little finger (with a lock of my loved one’s hair safely cradled inside), it would be incredibly comforting to know that I carried a part of them with me every day. I’m certain that each time I looked at the ring, I would smile. And remember.

Written by Carrie Martin

Photos by Shelly Isacco

Baubles, Bling, and A Collector’s Things

Baubles, Bling, and Sapphire Rings

Baubles, Bling and Mourning Rings

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