Jake Gyllenhaal Gives Diamonds to Taylor Swift"jewelry news"

As if she didn't already have it all, Taylor Swift got a sparkling diamond birthday gift from her A-lister boyfriend that cost him a small fortune. Ain't love grand?

Taylor Swift's new love, Hollywood hunk Jake Gyllenhaal, is giving her more than just fresh fodder for weepy love song lyrics. How about a 30-carat diamond bracelet  for starters?

The country crooner turned 21 last week, and Jake reportedly showered her with gifts, starting with some wrist wear worth $100,000.

"It's an Oscar-worthy bracelet - nearly 30 carats of colorless diamonds set in white gold. It cost Jake about $100,000, but he wanted to do something special for Taylor's birthday," a well-placed snoop revealed to In Touch Weekly this month.

"And he made her a birthday card, as opposed to buying a generic one," the pal added.

But that isn't the only pricey present he got her.

"They love coffee, so he sent her 21 pounds of the best Kona coffee available, along with a coffee grinder and a coffeemaker, and he made her a birthday card, as opposed to buying a generic one."

The lovebirds have only been seeing one another since October, but are already reportedly moving in together.

Ain't love grand?

And so is a diamond bracelet under the Christmas tree. 

Waterford Crystal: The Belle of the Ball"jewelry news"

Ever wondered how they make the iconic New Year's Eve ball that drops in Times Square every year? 

http://exploration-jewelry.blogspot.com/ 

has all the glittering details.

Every year, millions of onlookers gawk at the blazing glory that is the Waterford Crystal New Year's Eve ball as it makes its descent in the middle of Times Square. So how do they make it so, well, shiny?

In 2008, Waterford redesigned the ball into a 12 foot geodesic sphere, double the size of previous balls, weighing in at a whopping 11,875 pounds. The sphere is covered in 2,668 Waterford Crystal triangles perfect for refracting light and powered by 32,256 Philips Luxeon Rebel LED bulbs.

For 2011, the 250-year-old crystal company designed 288 new "Let There Be Love" crystal triangles featuring a romantic pattern that blends a modern cascade of hearts with diamond cutting. 288 triangles are emblazoned with last year's "Let There Be Courage" design of a ribbon medal defining the triumph of courage over adversity; and 1,152 triangles sparkle with the "Let There Be Joy" design of an angel with arms uplifted welcoming the New Year. The remaining 960 triangles are the original "Let There Be Light" design of a stylized radiating sunburst.

Revelers began celebrating New Year's Eve in Times Square as early as 1904, but it was in 1907 that the New Year's Eve Ball made its maiden descent from the flagpole atop One Times Square.

The first New Year's Eve Ball, made of iron and wood and adorned with one hundred 25-watt light bulbs, was only 5 feet in diameter and weighed 700 pounds.

We?ve come a long way, baby.

VMA Jewelry Trends: MTV, Meat and Mischief"JEWERLY FASHION"

Lady Gaga's controversial 'meat dress' was the loudest fashion statement at the 2010 VMA Awards, but rocker-chic jewelry in black and blue also won the night. Check out the trends - and the tri-tip.

MTV's 2010 Video Music Awards is known to court controversy - from last year's Kanye West/Taylor Swift snafu to the Madonna/Brittney kiss. This year belonged to Gaga in show-stopping ensembles that garnered as much attention as her controversial videos.

Feathered mohawks, huge gowns and a dress made entirely of meat were some of the highlights (countered with an Ellen DeGeneres veggie bikini). But her jewels were a veritable no-show (why upstage a steak skirt with a little bling?).

Enter the jewelry trends we did spot on the VMA white carpet - from hot, hot, hoops to gems in black and blue.

Gaga Gawk-Fest:

Back in Black:

Hoop-La:

Gold, Gowns and Gwyneth Light up the CMAs"JEWERLY FASHION"

Don't miss our country-fried jewelry roundup from the 2010 Country Music Awards.

Used to be, country music jewelry style was all about rhinestones, rhinestones and more rhinestones. These days? Hollywood's A-list is invading the hoedown with designer gowns and a 'less is more' approach to red carpet jewelry.

And hair spray.

Case in point? Gwenyth Paltrow who glittered in an Atelier Versace cut-out dress and feathery diamond duster earrings from S.J. Phillips. The actress made a buzz-worthy appearance singing a song from her latest movie, Country Strong, where she plays (you guessed it!) a country singer.

Channeling the style star? Young Taylor Swift in a jaw-dropping red Monique Lhuillier gown with a similar diamond earring look from Neil Lane (see the Jewelry Insider for more on shoulder duster style).

Kellie Pickler's gold sequined gown didn't require a lot of bling - so she let her huge diamond engagement ring do most of the talking.

Color came in the guise of a gorgeous Katherine Heigl in a sapphire Farrah Angsana dress with sapphire button earrings and a starburst pendant to match by Ryan Ryan. Country crooners, Miranda Lambert and Jennifer Nettles rocked the statement earring. And Sheryl Crowe brought a little bit of country to cuff couture.

But perhaps the biggest fashion statement in Nashville last night (and we mean that literally) came from icon Loretta Lynn in her traditional Glinda-the-Good-Witch look and co-host, Carrie Underwood, in (count ''m) seven different gowns for the show, including this huge purple creation by Randi Rahm.

HOW TO Selecting the Right Gemstone

Selecting the Right Gemstone

Whether you're a newcomer to the gem world looking to add color to your wardrobe, or a veteran gemstone wearer fine-tuning your look, finding the right gemstone jewelry is a key way to express your own personal style, uplift your appearance and spirit, and convey to others what you're all about. But this doesn't have to be a grueling decision. Here are some practical tips for selecting gemstone jewelry that works best for you.

Developing Your Own Style
First of all, any gemstone jewelry you select must be comfortable. For instance, make sure necklaces hang at the "right" length for you and lay well around your neck. Experts offer similar advice for earrings: with dangling styles, make sure they hang at a comfortable length, fit well against the ear and don't tip forward. Likewise, bracelets and rings should fit comfortably and shouldn't slide off with a simple shake of your arm or hand.

Next, the jewelry must be appropriate for your personality and lifestyle. A glitzy necklace that would dazzle for a night out on the town probably wouldn't work for someone with a more casual outlook. Intent is important. Are you looking for a fashion accessory to match certain outfits, a particular season/event or a specific function, such as jewelry for work? Or are you looking for a piece you will wear everyday? Obviously, things like fashion, price, versatility, durability and other factors will play differing roles in your buying decision, based on your intent.

As for which color best suits you, one way to determine this is to take stock of what's already in your closet. What clothing styles, colors, materials, lengths, etc. are most prevalent? This will give you important clues about the specific gemstone jewelry that will work best for you. In addition, look at your makeup, scarves, hair accessories, and current jewelry for more cues about the jewelry colors and styles most appropriate for you.

Finally, consider your physical features: body type, face shape, finger/hand length and width, hair/eye color, complexion and other characteristics. These factors also will play a key role in determining which gemstone jewelry will look best on you.

Seeking Quality
Once you've got the style down, you want to be assured of the quality of any piece you're interested in buying. Keep in mind that quality determines the value of a stone. Like diamonds, gemstones are judged by the "Four Cs" of color, clarity, cut and carat weight, with color the most important consideration, by far. The better the color, the higher the price. Better clarity and better cut also cost more - and generally, the larger the stone, the more it will cost per carat. Even to an untrained eye, many of these kinds of differences can be seen when similar stones are examined side-by-side.

Other factors that may influence the price of a gemstone include whether it is readily available on the market or subject to supply limitations; whether it's a "hot" color or stone right now, or for various reasons may be unpopular; whether it's a single stone or part of a matched set, particularly in special shapes or cuts; and sometimes, its origin (for every stone, there is a particular location known for producing the finest quality variety of that stone - and often, you'll pay more for a stone from that prized region because of its reputation).

But quality extends beyond simply examining the stone. You need to pay special attention to the setting, as well. Make sure the metal holds the stone firmly and squarely in place. Check prongs to make sure they are tight and sturdy. Look at the finish - is the metal well-polished with no pockmarks or other imperfections? Also, turn the piece around and examine the back - a well-made piece of jewelry will have a good finish on both front and back. If the piece is gold, check for a karatage stamp, as well as a company trademark stamp. This means the company is standing behind the product and assuring you the karatage is as stated. As for bracelets or necklaces, check the clasps, as well. A quality piece of gemstone jewelry will have sturdy, quality clasps.

Jewelry Sample Sale Offers Huge Savings"JEWERLY NEWS"

Forget Black Friday. JewelClub's rare high-end jewelry offering on Novmember 16^th is redefining the art of the deal.

Buying affordable jewelry is something of an artform. While there are many deals and discounts to be had for the online shopper - especially this time of year - it's often hard to see the woods from the trees. Particularly for pieces at higher price points.

Enter: JewelClub - the new online home for sample sale jewelry. And they haven't forgotten what 'old school' sample sale shopping used to be like - namely offering HIGH END merchandise at a discount for those who are smart (and lucky) enough to get in early.

So on Tuesday, November 16^th, JewelClub is giving shoppers a whopping 80-90% off of on some of their most valuable jewels and gems. And their timing couldn't be better for buyers who are considering that 'big' jewelry gift this holiday season.

Invites are being emailed to JewelClub members tomorrow - or you can check their homepage at midnight tonight where the sample sale items will officially go live. But word on the street is - this merchandise is going to move fast. And they have almost 10,000 devoted Facebook Fans who are queued up for the couture craziness.

Rare Pink Diamond Sets Auction Price Record"JEWERLY NEWS"

What does the most expensive diamond in the world cost you? Ask billionaire, Laurence Graff, who now owns the most valuable piece of jewelry in the world.

Diamond connoisseurs expected a potentially flawless 24.78-carat pink diamond to break price records when it went under the hammer at Sotheby's Geneva auction, but they had no idea it would fetch such a soaring sum.

The gem, which is among the top two percent in terms of quality, was purchased by British billionaire, Laurence Graff, for a whopping $46.16 million - far surpassing early estimates in the high $20 million range.

"This is the highest price ever bid for a jewel at auction," said David Bennett, the head of Sotheby's jewelry division in Europe and the Middle East.

Mr. Graff, who grew up in the East End of London and left school at 14, said he had bought the gem for his own collection, immediately naming it "The Graff Pink".

"It is the most fabulous diamond I've seen in the history of my career and I'm delighted to have bought it," Graff said after the sale.

Previously, the title of world record for a jewel sold at auction belonged to the 17^th century "Wittelsbach" blue 35.56-carat diamond, which Graff purchased from Christie's in 2008 for $24,311,190.

Diamonds clearly aren't just a girls' best friend these days.

The Hope Diamond Gets A Makeover"JEWERLY NEWS"

Even the most famous diamond in the world needs to mix it up every now and again. See the Hope Diamond in her sparkling new setting!

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Harry Winston's historic donation of the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution, the famous jeweler has designed a new "Embracing Hope" setting for the legendary gem. The stunning necklace featuring the 45.52-carat Hope Diamond officially debuted in Washington, D.C. earlier this week.

This is the first new setting for the fabled deep blue gem since it was given to the museum by Harry Winston himself in November 1958 to help found the National Gem Collection.

Designed and handcrafted in Harry Winston's New York studio, the temporary and aptly-named "Embracing Hope" design suspends the historic gem in a sculptural ribbon of 340 baguette diamonds set in platinum.

Eight master jewelers devoted more than 1,000 hours to creating the exquisite new look, which was selected from three different Winston designs by popular vote in an online poll in 2009.

Blue gemstones are making a huge comeback this holiday season thanks to all the recent Hope Diamond buzz and Princess Diana's sapphire ring finding a new home on Kate Middleton.

World's Most Expensive Advent Calendar"JEWERLY NEWS"

A diamond-encrusted holiday treasure debuts at a whopping $2.7 million. See why celebrities are clamoring to get one of their own.

Diamonds are the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season, but one Belgian company is using them for an extravagant gift most won't find under the tree this year: a diamond and gold-laden Advent Calendar.

Octagon Blue GCV designed the one-of-a-kind piece using filigree glass artwork, 24 precious diamonds carved with numbers representing the days up to Christmas, diamond-shaped fairies and small parcels of 100 quarter-carat diamonds weighing in at a whopping 81 carats all told.

The $2.7 million price tag includes the design of an exclusive piece of jewelry based on the customers' wishes by the renowned jewelry studio Biegel, in Frankfurt.

Octagon Blue GCV director Oscar Brethouwer told the Daily Mail:

"This is a very special piece which is truly stunning. We've had several celebrities inquire about it and it's not difficult to see why it has generated so much interest."

"We had 50 expert staff working 20 hour days to create it in time for Christmas."

The calendar is also available for advertising purposes and money raised will be donated to charity.

Diamond Dog Collar Breaks Price Records"JEWERLY NEWS"

Pampered pooches of the rich and famous can now ask Santa for a carat-heavy collar that costs more than a lifetime supply of Kibbles and Bits. Woof!

Dubbed "the Bugatti of dog collars" by Forbes Senior Editor Matt Miller, pooch-friendly i Love Dogs, Inc. is offering a price-busting diamond delight for the pups of the rich and famous this holiday season.

The 52-carat creation dubbed 'Amour, Amour' has over 1,600 hand-set diamonds in a chandelier design that features a stunning 7-carat, D-IF, brilliant-shaped diamond centerpiece.

Top it off with platinum, 18kt white gold and a touch of crocodile leather, and your pet can chase her tail in over $3,200,000 worth of bling.

Down, girl.

So what self-respecting dog would wear this?

"It would be absolutely perfect for Paris Hilton's Chihuahua, Tinkerbell!" i Love Dogs, Inc., general manager Martha Smith

Huge Purple-Pink Diamond Sells Big"JEWERLY NEWS"

Pink is the new green at Christie's. Why? They just sold a 6.89-carat fancy vivid purple-pink diamond for a whopping $1 million per carat!

The top lot at the Christie's New York Jewels sale on Decemeber 7th was a fancy vivid purple-pink diamond of 6.89 carats, which sold for a stunning $6,914,500, or $1 million per carat.

The cut-cornered modified rectangular-cut diamond is set in a ring with pave-set pink diamonds, mounted in 18kt rose gold, according to the auction house.

"Following the record-breaking $23 million sale of The Perfect Pink at Christie's Hong Kong, a 6.89 carat fancy vivid purple-pink diamond led the day here in New York," Rahul Kadakia, head of jewelry at Christie's Americas, said.

"The results of the day's sale bring our New York jewelry sales total to $131 million for the year - the highest total ever for the U.S. jewelry auction market."

Lately it seems the world can't get enough of pink diamonds, the most notable being the $46-million pink diamond sold at Sotheby's to Laurence Graff, which set the record for most expensive jewel to sell at auction.

But jewelry lovers don't have to spend a fortune to get pretty in pink this season. Enhanced pink sapphire gems are an affordable way to get that blushy hue in your jewelry wardrobe - with most pricing well below $100

Noir Jewelry Does Superhero Chic"JEWERLY NEWS"

DC Comics is celebrating their 75^th anniversary with a jewelry collection inspired by their most famous female crime fighters and femme fatales.

Who didn't fantasize about wearing those Wonder Woman bullet-stopping cuffs back in the day? Now Noir Jewelry and DC Comics can make our inner superhero shine bright with a new collection inspired by all of our favorite comic book girl crushes.

Pieces include a Supergirl necklace, claw-shaped pieces inspired by Catwoman, bat-symbol styles - and yes - gold-plated Wonder Woman cuffs.

Price points start at a reasonable $75 to attract holiday shoppers with comic book geeks on their gift lists.

Noir Jewelry is also responsible for the "Fantasia"-inspired line of jewels with Disney to help commemorate the film's 50th anniversary.

Diamond Planet Rocks Science World"JEWERLY NEWS"

A new planet with a carbon-rich atmosphere could play host to mountains made of diamonds. Beam us up, Scotty.

Scientists say a newly found planet has the atmospheric composition to be made entirely out of Diamonds

The planet, WASP-12b, found in 2009, is a gas giant about 871 light-years from Earth. Scientists have found that the planet appears to have an unusually large amount of carbon in its atmosphere. Since diamonds form when carbon is compressed at extremely high temperatures, WASP-12b could be Planet Bling.

"The high carbon-to-oxygen ratio indicates a carbide or diamond interior rather than the silicate geology of the Earth," Nikku Madhusudhan, an astrophysicist from Princeton University, told the Australian Broacasting Corp.

"This planet reveals the astounding diversity of worlds out there," said Madhusudhan. "Carbon-rich planets would be exotic in every way - formation, interiors and atmospheres."

Although some scientists aren't entirely convinced. Simon O'Toole from the Australian Astronomical Observatory said the conclusions are based on limited information.

"The findings are interesting, but are based on just four data points," O'Toole told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. "I would proceed with caution."

Abu Dhabi Displays $11 Million Christmas Tree"JEWERLY NEWS"

Who needs tinsel when you've got real diamonds, gold and gems to add sparkle to your Christmas Tree. Check out the ice hanging from this fantastic fir.

Money may not grow on trees, but in one of the richest places on earth it comes very close. The Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, UAR decorated a 43-foot-high faux fir tree with about $11-million worth of precious jewelry from a local jeweler.

Diamond necklace-and-earring sets, strings of pearls, and emerald and ruby bracelets - 181 pieces in total - are strewn between gold and silver balls and bows. The priciest piece is a diamond set costing 3.5 million dirhams, or just short of $1 million.

"It's an artificial tree, but the jewelry - that's not artificial," the hotel's general manager, Hans Olbertz, said at an opening event Wednesday according to the Wall Street Journal.

The Emirates Palace Hotel already has a track record of over-the-top stunts. It installed a gold ATM near its lobby, where customers can buy bullion, and holds a Guinness world record for serving up the most expensive shot of alcohol at some $2,000 for a Hardy Perfection cognac.

While the hotel hopes Guinness may come knocking again to honor their blingy branches, a Japanese tree currently holds the 'most expensive' title, with a 2002 entry worth $10.8 million.

Buglari Celebrates Cinema's Sultry Sirens"JEWERLY NEWS"

Over 600 sensational Bulgari jewels are on display in Paris to celebrate their 125th anniversary, including gems from Liz Taylor, Ingrid Bergman and Sophia Loren.

"Bulgari: 125 years of Italian Magnificence" is an impressive display of 603 jewels at the prestigious Grand Palais in Paris (until Jan. 12).

From big, bold bib necklaces worn by some of Italy's most famous women to Bulgari's signature serpent styles, each historic jewel is more impressive than the last.

Bulgari gems worn by screen sirens like Sophia Loren and Ingrid Bergman are accompanied by clips from the films that made them famous. And Elizabeth Taylor's room features many of her over-the-top Bulgari styles - including her Richard Burton-gifted "Grand Duchess Vladimir's Suite" featuring a diamond and emerald brooch/necklace with matching emerald drop earrings, a ring and bracelet studded with over 150 carats of Colombian emeralds.

"The object is to tell a story of style - it's about our heritage - and that was not built in 20 years," said Francesco Trapani, Bulgari's current chief executive and a great grandson of the jeweler's founder.

The display is a sweeping chronological overview, opening with silver created in the 19th century and winds through various 'vitrines' arranged according to stone, style and decade.

About half of the exhibition items belong to Bulgari's Historical Archives, while others, including many pieces new to display, were lent by private collectors around the world.

TYPE OF JEWERLY

SOME kinds of Jewelry
1_ natural gem stones
_ = White transparent diamond
_ = Emerald green dark
_ Exhale = dark blue
_ Ruby (Sapphire) = dark red
_ = Pearl white opaque

2_ semiprecious natural
_ Olokumarin = very light blue
_ = Yellow topaz
_ = Blue topaz
_ Olomtist = purple
_ = Coral orange opaque
_ Olomitrin = red brown
_ Alwbal = Light Blue
_ = Turquoise blue dark cyan
_ Zircon = blue red, green, yellow .... and there is the promise of gold colors and designs elevated
_ = Alqrnayat be the same zircon Palawan

American Indian Jewelry part 2

He purchase of American Indian Jewelry is a worthwhile investment in so many different ways, both for one's style and one's sense of culture. It is artistically beautiful, is usually hand-made and unique, and often benefits Native Americans who live on reservations and endeavor to sustain their ancestral way of life. Buyers searching for this kind of product will find a variety of options to spruce up their wardrobes, from turquoise rings to topaz bracelets to bolo ties. Available jewelry may be antique or contemporary, composed primarily or metalwork or beads, and come from a variety of tribes, including the Cherokee, Apache, and southwestern tribe.



SOUTHEAST Indian Jewelry originates primarily from the Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, and Pueblo peoples; the jewelry from different tribes is very similar because the tribes use most of the same materials. Popular materials include sterling silver, copper, turquoise, coral, beads, shells, ivory, and amber, all of which create beautiful, artistic representations of the natural world and exemplify Native American craftsmanship. In an American Indian jewelry store you might find a Navajo bear claw pendant or a bolo tie with a cow skull or a sterling silver bracelet with exquisite turquoise snakes circling the band. Other popular features are eagles, wolves, and horses, as well as flowers, trees, and water. Many of these animals and natural features hold great cultural and spiritual significance for the artists who include them in their ornaments.

Buying Native American Jewelry can give the buyer a glimpse into a unique and interesting culture with a significant, meaningful history. Each tribe puts its dearest values and most deeply held beliefs into its artwork, creating pieces that show a love of the natural world, a desire for harmony with the earth, and a special appreciation for beauty. Many of the patterns and images they use are highly symbolical, such as feathers showing honor, the owl representing wisdom, or the turtle meaning long life. This is similar to the way the Biblical writers often recognized natural features in the world as metaphors for the spiritual life, for example: "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon" (Psalm 92:12). Southwest Indian jewelry makers use a vast array of natural symbols to create pieces with meanings that go far beyond silver and topaz.

Southwest Indian jewelry tends to be very colorful and to use many gemstones. A popular example is the squash blossom necklace, which always features a hanging crescent and can be found in a wide range of colors, stones, and styles. Another popular item is the concho belt or belt buckle, usually consisting of stones set in silver. Other standard items include bone chokers, amber pendants, and sterling silver hair clips. These ornaments make lovely gifts for family members and friends, with options for men and women of almost any taste and personality.

If the shopper wants only authentic American Indian jewelry she needs to be careful where she buys, as there are many manufactured products that are not created by Native Americans and are definitely not hand made. To guarantee that a product is genuine, shoppers should determine whether the seller is a member of an Indian arts & crafts society, a certification which ensures fair dealing. The good news is that many American Indian products are now available online, with endless selections and often free shipping. Authentic hand made jewelry tends to be very expensive, but with a little searching a shopper can find high-quality items for reasonable prices and will be satisfied to know that her new accessories are not only fashionable but also meaningful works of art. Furthermore, she will have the opportunity to support artisans, enabling them to continue tribal crafts and honor their heritage.

The Native American arts have been threatened by colonization, assimilation, and oppression, but are still going strong in many parts of the United States and seek to share Indian art with other American cultures. Buyers wishing to honor such artisans should consider purchasing products from sellers who support reservation projects such as those which encourage Native American children to further their educations, provide mentorship programs, and seek to better educational opportunities for children who live on reservations. Some American Indian jewelry stores exist with similar missions in mind, and can be found with a little online research. Also, buyers who are interested in antique or "old pawn" jewelry should consider giving more support to contemporary artisans, as antique items were often obtained in ways unfriendly to various tribal members. Antique items were frequently stolen or simply sold by Native Americans in financial difficulty, who sacrificed valuable cultural artifacts in order to survive; these items might not rest easily in the possession of shoppers concerned with ethnic injustice issues.

Wherever shoppers decide to make purchases, there is an abundance of Southwest Indian jewelry to give a bit of extra style and color to any wardrobe. A turquoise bolo tie can add some flair to a suit; an opal concho belt can accent a casual outfit; sterling silver hair clips can dress up a woman's every-day hair-do. Even children would find joy in Native American ornaments, loving a beaded bracelet or a necklace with a bear claw. Because they are hand-made, no two items are the same, and buyers have the privilege of wearing jewelry crafted with loving attention and a long history of cultural significance. Perhaps this is one more way for various American cultures to learn to respect and honor one another's traditions, values, and special contributions to society.

poor jewelry

The struggle of precious with non-precious materials is typical of recent years
and has prepared a new way for 'young contemporary jewelry'.
neither preciousness nor eternal preservation seems to be important to this new
breed of arty accessories - with its value lying in its communicative potential.
within the young international jewelry scene, the new arrangement of everyday
materials is a sovereign one and provides pieces with a lively expression.
in the middle of the 20th century, a large part of society consisted of middle class
people, conservative in their taste and whose ideals were very strong and
deeply-rooted, a society little inclined to change its lifestyle or its symbols.
jewelry was often viewed as an emblematic gesture, a sound investment that
could be passed down through generations.
there was, however, another part of society ready for renovation. industry and
fashion have changed the approach to jewelry by removing its symbolic and
ancestral value. in a society, where great importance is given to superficiality,
jewelry has been deprived of any cultural value thus limiting its understanding
and consequently its distribution. in this context, the pioneers of the contemporary
scene, albeit with some difficulty, had a fertile ground to work on.

does it represent what it did in the recent past?
when economy is stagnant, it is obvious that contemporary jewelry is faced with
a very difficult challenge. it seems to be a restricted matter, among a rather small
group of people and moves in a limited market, for many reasons including the fact
that it does not shift a large sums of money. however, it seems the role of
jewelry nowadays is not determined by whether the field is restricted, but whether
the designers will be able to maintain and develop this specific sector.
often people do not understand why something so minimal and simple, made from
materials such as used material, silicone, plastic, glass, and paper should be so
'expensive'. for most people, 'contemporary' and 'the use of poor materials' is
equivalent to economic. so what makes some things valuable and others not?
these contemporary accessories are made of innovation and artistic research.
a piece of jewelry is not merely a decorative ornament; it usually has a meaning,
which might be a celebration of something, or a loss, it might be very personal,
but these meanings can also be universal, recognizable in today's society.
the rigorous monumentality of 'poor jewelry' comes alive when it is worn, when the
tactile pleasure of the alternative materials comes into play. in the research of
innovative materials, the here featured artists' work is characterized by an
empirical approach – solutions are found by direct experimentation .

How to Photograph Jewelry step5

It is the last step

 

5Post-Processing

Restrain yourself from using too many features of the photo editing software. All you need to do is manually adjust Brightness and Contrast, and perhaps use 'Sharpen' feature. Don't apply any automatic adjustments, as these will get confused with too much white in the photo, or too much black.

Crop to the area you want to keep, save in internet-friendly format (eg 400x300) and you've got a near-professional photograph. Reuse the same photograph for 'zoom-in' crops. You won't be making images larger, instead you'll be cropping from your original, adjusting and saving.

Digital camera with 6 mega pixels or more will preserve enough of the detail for zoom-in's. If not happy, re-take photos of the detail.

How to Photograph Jewelrys step 4

4.1 Aperture

- Also known as f-number. This setting widens or narrows the lens, limiting the amount of light that comes into the camera. This directly affects shutter speed, and film sensitivity (since we're using digital camera, film sensitivity is adjustable like anything else).

This setting is responsible for the 'focal length'. With high f-number eg f/22 or f/11, when taking jewelry photographs, parts that are close to camera will be focused as well as parts that are further away. With low f-number, eg f/2, only the focused part will be in-focus, and parts of jewelry that are further apart or closer to the camera will become fuzzy. Use this setting as it suits you. You may want to create certain effect, but if you don't, keep this setting to f/11. Overdoing this setting will limit the light coming into the camera, and you'll have to make sacrifices elsewhere to compensate.

4.2 Sensitivity

- Also known as ISO number. This used to be film property, and expressed in numbers like ISO200, ISO400, ISO800 etc. The higher the number, more sensitive the film, less light it needs, and thus more expensive. In Digital SLR's this is merely just a setting, but the higher the number, more noise camera will capture. The more light you have, you can go lower with this number. For our limited lighting, ISO800 or ISO1600 will be fine, but try not to use ISO3200 -- it adds visible noise.

4.3 Shutter Speed

- Also known as exposure, it is a measure of time camera will be taking the light. When photographing moving objects, you would want this fairly short: 1/200 or or 1/400. However, we're taking static objects, and with the tripod camera is static as well. This gives us flexibility in going as low as 1/30 or 1/10, or even 1/2. Value 1/2 means that camera takes light from the object for half a second. If anything moves during that half a second, photograph will be blurred.

Adjust shutter speed freely until you get desirable effect. In fact, when taking photographs of jewelry against white background, you will want photos over-exposed. Over-exposure should affect only the white background, where small imperfections of white surface will vanish into pure white. If your camera has light meter, it will display a warning that you have too much light, number 2 or 2.5 could be flashing in your viewfinder. This is good :-) .

If your background is black, you'll want it under-exposed. This will keep the black background black, remove some imperfections, but leave the jewelry just fine.

4.4 White Balance

- With different colours present in every light source, our eyes naturally adjust to what white is. Cameras try to do the same and for general photography are quite good at it. However, for jewelry, you'll want to try all manual pre-sets yourself and chose best result. If everything fails, manually adjust white balance, until it's good. You won't need to keep changing this setting from one jewelry piece to another.

4.5 Focus

- Jewelry is static. It's easy to use manual focus, but auto-focus seems to work just as fine. If camera keeps focusing on the incorrect part, just switch to manual, and away you go. For most applications, auto-focus will be fine though.

4.6 Taking photographs

- Take enough photographs for each peace. Use camera built-in display as a guide only. Colors and brightness will look slightly different on the computer screen. You can adjust some of it afterwards, but try to take a perfect shot in the first place.