203 POSTS 0 COMMENTS

5 Affordable Gemstones For Jewelry Addicts

14/06/2018

5 Affordable Gemstones For Jewelry Addicts

We love gemstones for their beauty and rich colors. These precious gifts from nature are extremely desirable when it comes to creating jewelry pieces like rings, earrings, pendants, mangalsutra, necklaces, nose rings and more. The possibilities are endless.

The beauty of a natural gemstone is irreplaceable. None of the man-made gemstones look and feel the same. There is a certain weight and texture to natural gems, that make every gemstone one-of-a-kind treasure.

Even though we know how cool these are, sometimes people think gemstones are too expensive for them to afford. If that sounds familiar to you, you’re in luck.

In this article we will be sharing top 5 gemstones that are affordable and fun.

Before we get started, I’d like for you to know that “affordable” is relative term. For the purpose of this post, “affordable” means the gems are not as expensive as precious gems such as diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires.

Tourmaline

Affordable Gemstones – Tourmaline

Tourmaline is one kind of a gem that has a huge variety of colors. It could potentially fulfill all your aspirations for a beautiful gem, without breaking the bank.

The sparkle in the tourmaline depends on the cut of the gem. Poorly cut gems are not of much value. Tourmaline should have a great sparkle in order to reflect light throughout the gem.

Until 1900, USA was considered to be the primary source of tourmaline but today most of it comes from Brazil, Afghanistan, Australia, India, and Myanmar (Burma).

Tourmaline is a birthstone for the month of October along with Opal. Tourmaline is also a gem of 8th anniversary.

Zircon

Affordable Gemstones – Zircon

Zircon comes in the variety of colors. The most popular is the colorless zircon. It is often used as a substitute for a diamond.

Zircon also comes in many colors like yellow, green, red, reddish brown and hues of blue. Turquoise blue is a popular color for Zircon and I personally love it a lot.

Zircon is also known to induce a sound sleep and attract prosperity and growth. Zircon is a birthstone for the month of December, along with Turquoise and Tanzanite.

Citrine

Affordable Gemstones – Citrine

Citrine is one other hidden gem for all of you that love the vibrant warm hues of yellow and orange.

Citrine is generally a transparent, pale yellow to brownish orange color gemstone. It is one of the most popular yellow gemstones and a beautiful alternative for Topaz or Yellow sapphire which can be more expensive.

Citrine’s beauty, durability, and affordability makes it a top-selling yellow to orange gem. They are also found in many sizes and the carat weight goes as high up to 20 carats.

Although one thing you must keep in mind that natural citrine is rare, these days most citrine quartz is found due to heat treatment of amethyst quartz. Some of the jewels from the Victorian era were was found to have citrine in them which means that it was treasured even in the good old days.

Citrine is a birthstone for November along with Topaz. It is also a gem for the 13th anniversary.

Amethyst

Affordable Gemstones – Amethyst

This very unique purple gemstone has the power to mesmerize any women. It’s a beautiful gem but very affordable for your jewelry pieces.

Until 19th century Amethyst was considered to be very expensive until a very large deposit was discovered in Brazil. Today the is the most valued quartz in the market of designer jewelry.

Its wide variety hues of purple appeal to a lot of consumers. Since it has a wine line color, Greek legends associated amethyst with Bacchus, the god of wine. On the contrary other believe that amethyst kept its wearer clear-headed.

Amethyst is a birthstone for February and the gem for the 6th and 17th wedding anniversaries.

Peridot

Affordable Gemstones – Peridot

Peridot is found in lava, meteorites and deep in earth’s mantle. It’s color is bright yellowish green that is extremely attractive. The Egyptians called it the ”gem of the sun”.

Since larger sizes of this gemstone are still expensive, one could find smaller gems for their jewelry at all price points depending on the color and size.

As I mentioned peridots are found in lava, the deposits are found on the surface when the earth crust splits and the rocks from the mantle are pushed to the surface. Only on rare occasions, it’s found that peridots come from extra terrestrial source like meteorites that have fallen on the earth.

Peridot is made of a mineral called olivine. Its chemical composition includes iron and Magnesium.

Peridot is a birthstone for August and is a 15th anniversary gemstone.

Well, that was quite colorful and inspiring. I hope you are inspired by these gems as much as I am. Please let me know in the comments below which was your favorite gem and why?

Author Bio:

Jinal Sampat is jewelry designer at Sampat Jewellers Inc. Her focus is on innovation and creation of jewelry pieces that are meaningful and hold long-term value. She creates versatile mangalsutra designs with Indo-Western elements. Jinal holds her graduate degree from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). You can find her on Instagram.

Join Alpina In A Connected Adventure With, Two New Comtesse For Ladies

Editor

13/06/2018

Join Alpina In A Connected Adventure With, Two New Comtesse For Ladies

Alpina releases two new versions of the Comtesse Horological Smartwatch, expressing a modern balance of a sporty elegance and the flawless execution of Swiss connected watchmaking.

Launched in 1963, the first ever Comtesse collection consisted of automatic movements. The model became a connected watch four years ago and continues to evolve towards technology. The Comtesse Horological Smartwatch is the result of development between Alpina and the Swiss brand MMT.

A connected watch
The watch is linked via a mobile application powered by an MMT-281-1 module. It can record and track daily life activities such as: activity tracking, sleep monitoring, dynamic coaching, smart alarms and call & messages notifications. All the collected data can be stored and backed-up via the app. This function enables the user not to worry about synchronizing his data as it is independently stored for a month. Another practical option is the woldtimer with 24 hours time zones to choose from. Your watch can adapt to the time anywhere in the world. Easy to use, all the connected functions are operated by the crown pusher. The icons are displayed on the dial representing: a message bubble and a phone: for notifications, a figure: for activity and smart alarms and finally a crescent moon for the sleep monitoring. The watch can work independently with its two year battery life.

Sportive and innovative
With an ultra-sporty glass-fiber 36mm diameter case body and lugs, the models sits lightly on the wrist. The case back feature an engraving which remains in stainless steel. These models are appealing with their bold aesthetics, such as the PVD coated stainless steel bracelet. The round black dials distinguish themselves with the addition of the black bezel marked by silver or rose gold plated indexes. The Arabic numerals, both hands and indexes are equipped with a luminous treatment. By day or by night, the dials have an easy readability. Their simplicity emphasizes the minimalist aspect of the watches.

Protected by a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, this timepiece is water resistant up to 60 meters. It is the ideal model for owners who appreciate a balance between technology and sports in their watches. This Comtesse Horological Smartwatch embodies the Swiss Alpine spirit.

Comtesse Horological Smartwatch
Notifications: This feature sends you a notification whenever an email or calls are received from your contact numbers.
Activity Tracking: It keeps track of your daily steps, calories burned, and total distance.
Sleep Monitoring: It tracks your sleep pattern and provides details on your sleep.
Always On-Time & Date: The Horological Smartwatch picks up the time from your smartphone and displays the new time automatically.
Sleep Cycle Alarm: Smart sleep alarm can be activated to help you to wake up at the best appropriate time in your sleep cycle.
Get-Active Alerts: This customizable alert reminds you to move your body.
Dynamic Coaching: Receive suggestions, advice, and information catered specifically based on your activity and sleep goals.
Cloud back-up and restore: Recovers all of your data, even if you lose your watch or phone. Your data is always on-the-go!
Worldtimer 24 time zones: Always on the go? Keep track of your hometown’s time by simply entering your city into the app.

The app which connects to the smartwatches via Bluetooth are available on both iOS and Android systems.

Comtesse Horlogical Smartwatch
995 CHF/ 995 EUR/ 995 USD
Reference AL-281BY3V4B

Case
Fiber-glass and stainless steel with black bezel and rose gold color markers
36.00 mm diameter, 11.00 mm thickness
Scratch – resistant sapphire crystal
6 ATM/60m/190ft water-resistant
Engraved caseback

Movement
MMT-281-1, Horological Smartwatch
All connected functions operated by crown pusher
2+ years battery life

Functions
Always-on time
Activity tracking
Sleep monitoring
Sleep cycle alarms
Get-Active alerts
Dynamic coaching
Cloud backup and restore
Worldtimer
Notifications

Dial
Black dial with applied rose gold color with black luminous indexes
Hand polished rose gold plated hours and minutes hands with black luminous treatment

Strap Stainless steel bracelet with Black PVD

Comtesse Horlogical Smartwatch
995 CHF/ 995 EUR/ 995 USD
Reference AL-281BS3V6B

Case
Fiber-glass and stainless steel with black bezel and silver color markers
36.00 mm diameter, 11.00 mm thickness
Scratch – resistant sapphire crystal
6 ATM/60m/190ft water-resistant
Engraved caseback

Movement
MMT-281-1, Horological Smartwatch
All connected functions operated by crown pusher
2+ years battery life

Functions
Always-on time
Activity tracking
Sleep monitoring
Sleep cycle alarms
Get-Active alerts
Dynamic coaching
Cloud backup and restore
Worldtimer
Notifications

Dial
Black dial with applied silvered color with white luminous indexes
Hand polished silver hours and minutes hands with white luminous treatment

Strap Stainless steel bracelet with black PVD

Source: Alpina Watches

For further Press & Public Relation inquiries please contact Mrs. Camille Merré, PR Manager, at cmerre@alpina-watches.com

Take A Plunge With Alpina’S New Seastrong Diver

Editor

06/06/2018

Take A Plunge With Alpina’S New Seastrong Diver

Inspired by the Oceans, Alpina introduces six new models joining the iconic Seastrong Diver collection. This collection pays tribute to the ultimate expression of technical performance.

Diving specifications
The high-water resistance confirms the timepiece’s place in the Diver collection as both a highly reliable diving instrument, and a distinctively timeless sports watch. It is designed with all the necessary features such as high readibility with the luminous hands, indexes and bezel markers, which ensure the ultimate experience for divers.

Origins
For 50 years, Alpina has been riding on the wave of success with the Seastrong Diver collection, the timepiece is for those who are captains of their own destiny. The history of the collection bears witnesses of its performance, when back in the 1960’s the models could already meet 200m water resistance. These models are fit for a whole new generation of adventurers.

Technical specifications
As befits a marine instrument, the model respects its heritage featuring an oversized 44mm case, a uni-directional ratcheting 60min diving bezel and luminous indexes. This diving bezel is featured in various colors such as: navy, grey, burgundy, orange and blue with luminous indexes. The watches are powered by an AL-247 quartz caliber. Their dials make a bold connection with the bezel, coming in a deep oceanic blue of a light grey finish. They indicate the hours, minutes, seconds, GMT and a date window, visible at 3 o’clock. The watches are water-resistant to 300m. All enclosed by the engraved case and screw-in crown which offers added security while diving.

The owner can recognize an original Alpina watch by our codes: the white second hands with the red triangle and black color GMT with the iconic red arrow.

Overall, the Seastrong Diver models are the perfect match to swim against the tide.

Source: Alpina

For further Press & Public Relation inquiries please contact Mrs. Camille Merré, PR Manager, at cmerre@alpina-watches.com

Grand Prix de Monaco 1968

Editor

27/05/2018

Ateliers deMonaco new bespoke timepiece Grand Prix de Monaco 1968

Half a century ago, the 1968 Grand Prix Automobile of Monaco took place on the car circuit of Monte-Carlo. This prestigious event was won by the British, Sir Graham Hill and his Lotus Ford Cosworth. This year, is the 10^th year anniversary of Ateliers deMonaco. In order to celebrate, the watch manufacture created a unique piece inspired by the official poster of this Grand Prix signed by Michael Turner. This watch is named « Grand Prix de Monaco 1968 ». Always aiming to offer the utmost of excellence, technology and know-how are at the core of the brand’s values. This unique timepiece comes to reaffirm this position.

The most outstanding part of the timepiece is its dial. Hand-engraved by master-engraver Mr Bernard Ditzoff, one of the best. His trade required patience, dexterity and precision.

The masterpiece’s dial is composed of three different plates made of 18K white gold. Applied on each other, this construction allows for an impressive relief effect.

The first plate represents the Grand Prix of Monaco 1967’s winner, Denny Hulme driving his Babham-Repco, he is closely followed by Graham Hill and his Lotus turning the gasworks hairpin.

On the second plate lays the prestigious Monaco harbour and surrounding buildings.

Lastly, the third plate is dedicated to the French Riviera’s partly cloudy speckled sky.

To sublime the dial, dauphine shaped hands sweep by small lozenge indexes, the iconic symbol of Ateliers deMonaco.

The clock works are enveloped in a hand-brushed, hand-polished and hand-assembled 18K white gold 44mm diameter case. The sapphire case-back gives a window to the dMc 700 Ateliers deMonaco manufacture movement. This self-winding mechanical movement includes 26 rubies, has a frequency of 28’800 vibrations per hour and a 40-hour power-reserve. What distinguishes this movement is the delicate finishing such as a 22k hand-engraved gold rotor representing the crown of the Principality of Monaco, hand-decorated bridges: Gear-train bridge, balance-cock and barrel-bar are magnified by a circular-graining. The automatic device bridge is decorated with lozenge forms, the Ateliers deMonaco signature.

The hand-stitched alligator leather strap and its 18K white gold folding buckle bring a refined finish to this unique piece.

The technical know-how to execute such a complicated dial and the delicate finishing of this timepiece testify the expertise cultivated within the Ateliers deMonaco Manufacture.

Technical specifications
Bespoke – Grand Prix de Monaco 1968

Reference:
dMc-MC-GP3-WG

Movement:
Automatic dMc-700 caliber
28800 vibrations per hour (4 Hrz)
40-hour power reserve
26 jewels

Caliber distinction:
Hand decoration on all bridges:
Circular graining, lozenge pattern engraved
22K gold hand-engraved rotor
Silicium escape wheel

Functions:
Hours, minutes, center seconds

Case:
18K white gold
Ultralight titanium core
Diameter 44 MM
Height 13.1 MM
31 parts
Brushed, polished and assembled by hand
Multi-layered anti-reflection coating on front and back sapphire crystal
Case back secured with 4 screws
Water-resistant up to 3 ATM

Dial:
3 layers 18K white gold applied by hand
Hand-engraved dial showing poster of Grand Prix of Monaco1968

Hands:
Dauphine

Strap:
Hand-stitched alligator leather
18K white gold and titanium folding buckle

Edition:
Unique piece

Source: Ateliers deMonaco News => ateliers-demonaco.com

You can send an email to Mrs. Manon Bussod: mbussod@ateliers-demonaco.com

Frederique Constant continues partnership with Gwyneth Paltrow as Global Charity Brand Ambassador

Editor

17/05/2018

Frederique_Constant_Gwyneth_Paltrow — Frederique Constant continues partnership with Gwyneth Paltrow as Global Charity Brand Ambassador and presents new charity advertising campaign

Frederique Constant continues partnership with Gwyneth Paltrow as Global Charity Brand Ambassador and presents new charity advertising campaign

FREDERIQUE CONSTANT, the Swiss watch brand is delighted to announce the continuation of its partnership for its third consecutive year with Oscar® winning actress and philanthropist Gwyneth Paltrow as its Global Charity Brand Ambassador.

Since 2016, Frederique Constant has partnered with Academy Award winning actress and philanthropist, Gwyneth Paltrow, as its Global Charity Brand Ambassador. As part of the campaign, Gwyneth chose to align with charity organization, DonorsChoose.org, involved in supporting education for children, making it easy for anyone to help a classroom in need, whether it is through books, school supplies or funding field trips.

ALETTA STAS, Board Executive and Co-founder of FREDERIQUE CONSTANT said, “We are very happy to continue our collaboration with Gwyneth Paltrow as our Global Charity Ambassador.” “Giving back is just as important to Gwyneth as it is for us, and thanks to her and our brand’s engagement, we will continue to support DonorsChoose.org educational projects.”

Since 2004, Frederique Constant has donated $50 upon each watch sold from the brand’s Ladies Collections. Together with this, Frederique Constant and Gwyneth Paltrow joined together for an exclusive event to launch the brand’s Lady Horological Smartwatch. A group of young students from the DonorsChoose.org program was invited to participate in a “5000 steps Challenge” conducted by Gwyneth Paltrow alongside celebrity fitness trainer, Tracy Anderson. Frederique Constant was honored to contribute a donation of $50,000 to the DonorsChoose.org organization, specifically towards their movement and sports programs throughout public schools.

“I am very happy to continue my partnership with Frederique Constant and excited to unveil my latest Charity campaign for the brand,” said Gwyneth Paltrow “What’s great about Frederique Constant is their combination of classic style and strong values that I really agree with, but also they have a beautiful commitment to sharing their success by giving back. We are very well aligned in our passion for charity.”

To celebrate the partnership renewal, the Swiss watch Manufacturer unveils its new Charity Advertising Campaign, which will promote the Ladies collections of the brand moving forward.

The natural beauty of Gwyneth combined with the beauty of Frederique Constant’s Ladies timepieces result in a visually stunning advertising campaign. Frederique Constant wishes the new campaign great success, bringing further support to DonorsChoose.org projects.

About Gwyneth Paltrow

Oscar®-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow, whose 1998 turn in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE garnered her Best Actress honors at the Golden Globes®, Screen Actors Guild Awards®, and Academy Awards®, is also a decorated author, singer and entrepreneur. In 2011, she won an Emmy® for Guest Actress in a Comedy series for playing substitute teacher Holly Holiday on Glee, and her song, “Coming Home,” from the soundtrack for COUNTRY STRONG, was nominated for an Oscar® (the album went gold). In addition, Paltrow has authored three New York Times Best Selling cookbooks, My Father’s Daughter (2011), It’s All Good (2013), and Its All Easy (2016)—the latter two hit #1.

In 2008, Paltrow founded goop, a lifestyle brand devoted to making every choice count, where food, shopping, and mindfulness collide: In particular, goop has gained acclaim for its focus on health, wellness, and clean eating, as well as its city guides, an insider’s perspective on the very best places to eat, shop, and stay in the world’s most compelling destinations. Goop’s recent ventures include goop Magazine in collaboration with Condé Nast, goop Lab, its first permanent store located in Los Angeles, CA and their bi-annual In goop Health summit. In addition, goop has a tightly edited digital shop, a book imprint and its own product lines, including skincare, fragrances, apparel, bath soaks, and supplements.

Goop also strives to fulfill a mission of helping women reach their full potential and gaining autonomy over their own health. After serving as goop’s Chief Creative Officer since its inception, Paltrow assumed the CEO mantle in 2016, leading the company’s primarily female team of more than 150 to exponential growth. Paltrow also helped facilitate the #metoo movement, as she has always been comfortable pushing important conversations into the mainstream.

Other notable film credits include PROOF (for which she received a Golden Globe® nomination), Wes Anderson’s THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, Anthony Mighella’s THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, David Fincher’s SEVEN, the Farrelly brothers’ SHALLOW HAL, Alfonso Cuarón’s GREAT EXPECTATIONS, Douglas McGrath’s EMMA, SLIDING DOORS and Marvel’s IRON MAN franchise.

Source; Frederique Constant

6 Most Essential Things to Remember While Planning Your Wedding

Editor

29/04/2018

6 Most Essential Things to Remember While Planning Your Wedding

In the run up to your special day celebration, you have to go through the things you probably have never experienced before. In the thick of dos and don’ts, it’s quite possible that you may forget things, which you later realize were very important to consider.

Wedding planning is indeed a cumbersome task but it is not unmanageable, only if you put your detailed eye to the proceedings. It shouldn’t have to be overwhelming and stressful, but fun and excitement instead. From food to décor to guests to even your coveted vows, a careful planning has to be done to make your wedding really memorable. So it boils down to one simple fact – a unique wedding is all about showing your guests and yourself a pretty good time, albeit focusing on some important things during the planning.

Based on the inputs of some pro wedding planners, here is the list of essential things to remember while planning for your big day:

1. Carefully set your budget, and stick to it
Budget poses a necessary constraint as to how much money you can spend in your wedding, else when it comes to throwing a lavish wedding ceremony, sky is the limit. You must have seen many celebrities or wealthy people getting so extravagant in their weddings; they spend millions of dollars with the snap of their fingers. Therefore, setting a budget and sticking to it is very important to start with. Plus, it also allows creativity to take the center stage; you can use your creative side to make up for what only big money pulls off. Make sure to also allocate budget for your “wish list” items that might pop up in final moments. Just aim to never exceed the set budgeted amount.

2. Don’t forget to prepare your guest list before choosing a venue
People close to you and your spouse-to-be are very important for both of you as you want them to witness the joy of your unity. So you need to have a clear idea on the approximate number of guests you are going to invite. You need to make sure there is an ample space for all of your guests before you choose a venue. Your wedding guests will also spend time, money and efforts preparing for your celebration. Many of them might have to take a day off from work, while others may even have to travel from overseas to be part of your special occasion.

3. Pick a convenient and entertaining venue
Now how should your wedding venue be? Since it will be the place where everyone will be gathered, it should be convenient, accessible and entertaining. You wouldn’t want your guests to feel like trapped or bored, where nothing substantial has been arranged for them. So it is only fair that you give them the chance to fully enjoy and relax at your wedding venue. If there are kids, make sure they also enjoy your cordial hospitality. You need to ask a few questions to yourself before finalizing the venue: Does the venue have enough space to comfortably take all the guests? Does it have all the elements to entertain each and every guest? If your guests exceed a certain number, can you rent more restrooms?

4. Make a wise seating plan
Seating chart brings an extraordinary attraction to the wedding venue, and it is something every bride and groom should consider. One of the most significant aspects of seating chart is you allows right guests sit with each other and enjoy one another’s company. This will encourage a smooth dinnertime conversation flow and keep your guests entertained. If one of your guests doesn’t know anyone at the wedding, find them a seat near people with similar interests. Don’t include a singles table! This is an easy mistake to make, but it’s best to avoid sitting all the singles at one table. Varying the tables with couples and singles will make the experience richer.

5. Make sure to include a wide variety of food and beverages
The range of food items on the menu you choose for your wedding will have a lasting impression with regards to the overall arrangement of your wedding ceremony. This makes it one of the more important decisions you’ll make early on along with choosing a venue. Moreover, food and beverages are among the central elements of any celebrations, which is why you want your menu to be delicious and your guests happily gorge on different items. There’s no worse feeling than running out of food, so make sure your guests are well-fed. As far as toast is concerned, you should take care of cocktails, mocktails and signature drinks for your close friends and family. You can also put personalized labels and stickers on water bottles and place them at different locations of the venue. Your guests will love to use them.

6. Keep a check on your timeline
Besides the budget, a timeline is the most important part of planning a wedding ceremony. You need to develop a reasonable timeline and move according to its pace. Running behind the slated schedule will make you miss on many important things, which you cannot afford to do so. Mapping out the due dates on a calendar will definitely help you keep a check on your timeline. Thus, in the final moments of preparation, you will have ample time to go through all the details many times over, and iron out inconsistencies.

12 3...34 Page 1 of 34

Editor

5 Affordable Gemstones For Jewelry Addicts