Creating A Memory With Custom Design Jewelry

After my husband passed away several years ago, it has been just my daughter and I. She was so young when it happened that she really only has a few fleeting memories of him. She graduated high school this year and I wanted to give her something special as a gift, something that would almost be from the both of us. There had been an I.D. bracelet he had worn, a gift handed down by his father and grandfather before him, and although I didn’t think it was something my daughter would wear, I wondered if there was some way I could incorporate it into a piece of handmade jewelry.

There was a jewelry store nearby that offered custom design jewelry, so I brought the bracelet down with me and told the craftsman what I was thinking about. He said he could definitely incorporate the bracelet into a new piece of custom jewelry and all I needed to do was come up with a jewelry design. He caught me off guard with how convenient and easy it would be, and when I explained that to him, he laughed and told me he gets that a lot.

“People think custom design jewelry involves weeks of sketching and model making, all to get the right look,” he said as he turned on his computer. By quickly scanning an image of the bracelet, he brought up a computer aided design program and began to show me all the possibilities that I had. Seeing just how easy this could be, I started thinking about creating two pieces of custom design jewelry. I explained what I was thinking about, and in just a matter of minutes, he had both looks up on the screen for me.

Then came the part that I thought would be the deal breaker: the cost. The figure he quoted me was surprisingly within the range of my budget, and I knew the only reason it was more than I thought was because I decided to get two pieces of handmade jewelry instead of one. The final custom design included a bangle that used pieces of the ID plate itself and a necklace featuring links from the original chain.

It was a pretty emotional night when I gave her the gifts. She had never known about the original bracelet but loved the fact that she had two pieces of custom design jewelry that came from it. A day does not go by where she isn’t wearing at least one of those pieces of handmade jewelry.

Taking A Shopping Trip Down Memory Lane

My son had been going with his girl for over a year, so my wife and I were not surprised when he told us he was going to ask her to marry him. What did surprise us was when he asked me and not my wife to go with him to the jewelry store when he shopped for engagement rings. We pointed out to him that it had been almost three decades since I had been shopping for diamond engagement rings, and as someone who wears more diamond jewelry than I do, his mother might be a better person for this trip. He admitted they were both valid points but it was me he wanted to come with him, so off we went.

I’ve been back to the jewelry store over the years selecting anniversary presents and birthday gifts, but since I didn’t need to worry about bridal diamond rings, I stopped paying attention to all of the new designs that were out there. My son had done a little bit of research online, but based on his reaction when we walked in the store and the sales associate asked if she could help us, it had only been enough research to realize how completely overwhelmed he was going to be. I answered that we were shopping for engagement rings and that the groom-to-be was a little nervous.

She immediately did everything she could to put us at ease. Walking us over to a small sitting area with comfortable chairs, she explained her background and certification so we knew she could answer all of our questions. Once we were relaxing, she began to ask my son a few general questions about what he was looking for. Satisfied with the answers, she excused herself for a moment to select a few different engagement rings to look at.

Once he had the diamond jewelry in his hands, it made it easier for him to be more specific with what he was looking for. She was very patient with us, taking the time to show us as many rings as he wanted to see. When he finally had it narrowed down to three finalists, she even suggested that he take a few days to think about it. Doing just that he, he went back a week later, this time with his mom, to show her the engagement ring he had selected.

Breaking Down Loose Diamonds: Why Are They so Expensive?

Everyone loves those gorgeous loose diamonds they see in their local jewelry store. There is just something about them that drives women crazy and makes men shudder all at the same time. It is hard to believe these tiny, little stones are worth so much money, but they are! Here are the reasons why:

Loose diamonds are given their values based on four categories. These four categories are known as the four Cs of diamonds: Cut, color, clarity and carat weight. Since diamonds are naturally created by the earth, it makes sense that they are all very different in each of these categories. The cut of certified loose diamonds is determined by a professional diamond cutter. After the stones have been harvested and polished, they are cut into a specific shape.

The color of loose diamonds is strictly determined by the earth. Even white diamonds have varying degrees of white, but if a stone has blue tints, then it was exposed to boron during its formation deep within the earth. The clarity of a diamond is also determined by the earth. This category deals with the number of imperfections the diamond contains. The carat weight of loose diamonds is determined by the earth and the diamond cutter because carat weight refers to the sheer size of the stone.

Get Cash For Gold Right in Time For Valentine's Day

If you have never set foot into a cash for gold store, then now is your time! With Valentine's Day right around the corner, you will certainly be able to accommodate whatever it is you are looking to buy. From jewelry to other trinkets, you will certainly find some specials going on this Valentine's Day.

Most people are under the assumption that cash for gold stores will only buy gold from you. That is not the case! Yes, they will give you top dollar for your unwanted or broken gold jewelry, but they also provide many other services.

Since many of these cash for gold stores are actually jewelry stores extending their list of services provided, you can actually accomplish a lot while inside! They will have lovely display cases for you to browse and will also be able to perform repairs on your other jewelry you are not selling. You may even be able to trade in your unwanted gold jewelry for a new item from the display case. Since Valentine's Day is right around the corner, this information is invaluable. The next time you see a sign for a cash for gold store, make sure you stop in to see what they can do for you.

Valentine's Day Specials Exist in Nearly Every Store

Black Friday has come and gone and it is officially crunch time when it comes to getting your Valentine's shopping done in time! There are many stores open late on Valentine's Eve, but why wait until the last minute? Just imagine how little stress there would be in your life if you got your shopping done early. This would give you time to relax and not worry about fighting traffic and thousands of people getting to the hottest store this year. The Valentine's specials are actually everywhere, so no matter where you live, you will be able or find the perfect gift for each and every person on your list.

The huge companies will advertise their Valentine's specials on big networks, but the smaller stores may not have the funds to do so. It is always a good idea to check your local newspaper to see what is on sale and where. This will help you plan your route as you are contemplating your shopping for the day. You may want to swing by the jewelry store, too, because every lady loves getting some bling as a gift! Even if it is not necessarily her style, she will love the gesture of you getting her a meaningful gift.

Make Sure You Find The Best Christmas Specials

'Tis the season to be jolly... and spend lots of money on Christmas specials! Everyone can rationalize spending money when something is on sale. It makes the shopping experience all the better and it also allows you to get a little bit more bang for your buck when it comes to the value of your gift. Just because something is expensive does not mean it will add value to someone's life. The gift should be practical, too. If someone can actually use your gift to help their life, then you have chosen a good gift. Choosing gifts for people is not an easy task. Some people are naturally good at giving gifts while other people struggle to find the right gift. With the help of the internet, you will not only be able to find the right gift for everyone on your list, but you will also be able to hopefully find it on sale in one of the many places offering discounts.

The Christmas specials you need to look for are usually on big ticket items. If you are looking into buying a television or even a new laptop, it would behoove you to do a little research to see what the sales will be like. You can probably find a list of the specials online before they actually take effect. This will allow you to plot your course the night of Thanksgiving because that is when everyone begins the sales and opens their doors to the public! If you do not want to deal with the crowds and waiting in line, then you can always wait a few days and catch the Cyber Monday sales. Sometimes they are even better than the in-store sales the day after Thanksgiving!

Cyber Monday includes a lot of Christmas specials at Smyth Jewelers where you can find everything from Christmas jewelry to television and gaming consoles. You may have to wait a few days to actually receive the item because it will need to be shipped, but that is certainly a very small price to pay in the name of saving money! There is nothing easier than shopping from the comfort of your own home in your pajamas and saving money at the same time. In this day and age, everyone is about finding the best sale. You can take pride in doing just that from your couch instead of driving all over town bargain hunting.