Are you an aspiring jewellery designer? Part Two
Jewellery design from Simone Walsh
At Seventy Seven Diamonds we love to encourage talent and support up and coming designers in their struggle to become more skilled, successful and recognised. This is the second part of the blog series in which we identify some of the key challenges faced by jewellery designers and offer advice and information on current opportunities which they, as aspiring artistes, can use to their advantage for both creating and selling their pieces.
What can you expect?
In part one we outlined the job requirements for designers in general terms. If you’re fairly new to the game, here’s some more information about what you can expect to be involved in the job...
Jewellery designers plan the style and pattern of jewellery, silverware and other decorative metalwork products. As a jewellery designer, you could produce designs for mass production, or to be made individually or in small numbers by yourself or other craft-workers. For example, you could be commissioned to:
- Produce designs to meet the requirements of a client (known as a 'brief' or commission) or for general sale. This can include the work of large-scale designer line sales.
- Produce designs which are then made by other staff (if you work for a company).
Are you an aspiring jewellery designer? Part one
Jewellery design from Simone Walsh
Are you an aspiring jewellery designer?
At Seventy Seven Diamonds we love to encourage talent and support up and coming designers in their struggle to become more skilled, successful and recognised. This new blog series will identify some of the key challenges faced by jewellery designers and offer advice and information on current opportunities which they, as aspiring artistes, can use to their advantage for both creating and selling their pieces.
The Job
Jewellery design can be an extremely creative and rewarding career, it is just difficult to know where to start in transforming your talent into profit. You can keep it low key and make a go of it at your local market exhibition stall or craft fair, or stretch to bigger targets of expansion through networking and employing a team to push design and sale.
35 Interesting Diamond Facts
We have always been facinated by the diamond, and continue to adore its beauty, brilliance and natural perfection. The diamond is the most wanted gemstone in the world. But why do we love diamonds so much? Here is some fun diamond trivia to highlight the wonders of our favourite gemstone.
- Diamonds are made of carbon
- A diamond is a semi-conductor
- Diamond is the best tool for cutting glasses
- Round cut diamonds have 58 facets
- Diamonds were originally mined in India over 2,800 years ago
- There are over 16,000 different classifications of diamonds
- Only one diamond in a million will weigh one carat or more
The story behind the cocktail ring
Diamond Cocktail Ring
The cocktail ring is the ultimate accessory. It is styled to be a dramatic, large ring worn at cocktail parties. The cocktail ring design was especially popular to be worn during the US prohibition from 1920-1933 at illegal cocktail parties. Such a statement piece of jewellery flaunted not only the fact that one was drinking illegally, but also that one was doing it with style.
The cocktail ring has been around for centuries. But the unforgettable large size of the ring has always stayed the same. Styles, colours, stones, gold, white gold or platinum are all used to transform your favourite cocktail ring into a completely unique piece which can fit your particular lifestyle, price range and wardrobe.
History of the cocktail ring
The cocktail ring gained its popular status in the 1940s and 1950s, as cocktail soirees became hugely popular events. Although cocktail parties are less of an extravagant affair now, wearing a cocktail ring with huge diamonds or other large precious or semi-precious gems remains a popular choice for formal dressy occasions. Diamond encrusted or solitaire diamond cocktail rings are especially paraded at glamorous events like premieres of films, Broadway or West End theatre productions, or award shows like the Oscars or Brits.
Top sentimental and economical gifts for Valentine’s Day
With Christmas only just over and the lingering recession putting pressure on our pockets, it can be trying to find that meaningful gift for your Valentine. But love makes no compromises, and can still be marked sentimentally on a budget.
Aside from chocolates and flowers, the top gift given on Valentine’s Day is diamond jewellery, and the recent economic situation should not affect that.
We look at the most popular gifts which can be adapted to fit your budget and consider how even more poignant presents for those thinking of popping the question can be recession-friendly. For the budget-conscious Valentine gift giver the trick lies in versatility and enhancements when it comes to diamond jewellery.
Best Festive Celebrity Engagements and Weddings: Part 2
In part one of this two part article, we brought you the first four best engagements and weddings of this past holiday season. On the list was Kevin Jonas & Danielle Deleassa, Russell Brand & Katy Perry, Vince Vaughn & Kyla Weber, and A.J McLean & Rochelle Karidis.
We now continue with part two of the list to bring you the last three best festive celebrity engagements and weddings of the 2009 holiday season!
Source: Examiner.com
Michael Buble & Luisana Loreley Lopilato de la Torre
For Canadian singer Michael Buble his biggest track, I just haven’t met you yet, clearly no longer applies. Buble began dating his Argentinian actress girlfriend, Luisana Loreley Lopilato de la Torre, afte they met at a concert in Buenos Aires in late 2008.
Within the first few days of 2010 the happy news of their engagement was announced. The couple managed to keep the engagement news under wraps as Buble supposedly popped the question months before in November.
Buble proposed in front of Lopilato's family in Argentina. The singer presented his fiancé with a fancy diamond engagement ring from Vancouver jeweler Minichiello, which he custom designed.
Best Festive Celebrity Engagements and Weddings: Part 1
The festive season this year has seen many celebrities get engaged or married – ‘twas the season to be jolly. Christmas and New Year’s Eve are two of the most popular times chosen to jump in at the deep end and go for the proposal, so it is not surprising that we experienced frequent news of engagements or surprise wedding ceremonies from our favourite stars.
Here is a glance at some of the glamorous good tidings from celebrity A-listers which marked the joyful season.
Kevin Jonas & Danielle Deleassa
In a snowy and romantic New York in the lead up to Christmas, Kevin Jonas had the perfect wedding to his fiancé Danielle Deleassa, full of diamond-laden sparkle. Teenage hearts broke everywhere when the eldest member (aged 22) of teen music sensation the Jonas Brothers decided to tie the knot on the 19th of December 2009.
The couple exchanged Jacob and Co. wedding bands at Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York with an attendance of 400 strong. The pair got engaged back in July.
Deleasa's diamond eternity band was expertly crafted to feature 3.83 carats of round-cut brilliant diamonds set in 18-Karat white gold. For his own wedding band, Jonas chose stainless steel with single rows of brilliant-cut diamonds (making 2.24 carats altogether) set along each edge and side.
For walking down the aisle, Deleasa also wore 30 carat marquise and pear-shaped diamond chandelier earrings complete with a 19 carat, emerald-shaped diamond bracelet. There was even more sparkle for the celebrations.
Antique and Vintage Jewellery Designs
What is the difference between antique and vintage?
The term ‘vintage’ is used to describe styles that existed from the 1920’s to the 1980’s. Vintage jewellery can either be a reproduction of an original item or designed in the style of something that existed or it can be the actual genuine item. Vintage style jewellery is more ornamental and makes use of smaller decorative diamonds.
The term ‘antique’ is usually applied to jewellery that was made before 1920. Antique jewellery styles are named after the time period in which they were first created. Many antique styles continue to influence jewellery design today and are even reproduced at the request of discerning jewellery buyers. Antique style engagement rings were both elegant and delicate, made with great care and attention to detail.
10 Steps to Choosing the Perfect Engagement Ring
Deciding on the perfect engagement ring to give to your intended is extremely challenging if you don’t know where to start. Here is a 10 step simple guide to choosing the right ring for her.
Before you start looking at jewellers
- 1) DECIDE ON A BUDGET AND KNOW HER SIZE
Your personal budget must be considered when purchasing a ring and it is better to do so before you start shopping around. It is conventionally suggested that you spend at least two months worth of your salary on a diamond engagement ring. Ring prices can begin modest, but can range quite high so you’ll need to weigh out your wallet size with her preferences. You should also make sure that at this point you have a measurement for the ring size. Read here if you want tips on finding it without her knowing!
Global Trends in Diamond Demand
There is debate whether the diamond industry is a manufacturing, natural resource, or a consumer industry. Many factors contribute to the rise and fall of diamond production and purchase which can be reviewed as global demand trends.
According to the IDEX Online Polished Diamond Price Index, average day-to-day polished diamond prices have remained steady for the last eight consecutive months, rising a mere 0.1 percent in November month-over-month. The IDEX Online Diamond Price Index is a real-time index constituted from actual asking prices in the global diamond industry: it therefore objectively reflects price trends as they occur.
Whilst rough diamond prices are higher, consumer demand for diamonds and diamond jewellery has been tenuous for over the past year which has kept polished diamond prices low. Year-over-year prices have dipped for polished diamonds for the past eleven months and prices remain 10.1 percent below last year’s average.
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