So in this first part of a series on Choosing Jewellery for Different Ages, I thought we should start with beauty before…let’s just call it blossoming.

Baby and small children jewellery

Jewellery for babies and small children has traditionally been pieces like ID bracelets and brooches for special occasions. Recently, however this has grown to encompass pearls, charm bracelets, earrings and pendants. 

It’s about delicate…but not fragile.

What to get for bubs?

There are few things cuter than a baby wearing jewellery, but it has to be tasteful. Classic pieces, like ID bracelets, are great because they can be kept for the rest of their lives and make wonderful family heirlooms. The most important consideration is safety.  Don’t give babies and toddlers jewellery that uses elastics or has parts that can be tugged at and swallowed.

Young children

Once a child reaches five years, you can start to safely introduce elastic jewellery. At this age, kids become aware (or their mothers are!) of what colour suits them and the outfit they wear. Little girls especially love brightly coloured necklaces with cute pendants, and will grow up treasuring these kinds of pieces.

I think little girls with pierced ears is a gorgeous look. They make their whole face sparkle!

Some Examples: Piccolo

So keep it delicate, tasteful, and embrace all the bright eyed cuteness that comes with little kids and jewellery. Take a look at Piccolo, one of our suppliers, for some great examples.

8-15 year olds jewellery

The age when kids know what they like, and don’t like! On the plus side, they start to understand jewellery and its significance. So they appreciate and care for it more too. In other words, they’re less likely to try turn their jewellery into a snack or toy.

What’s suitable?

Depending on budgets and the care of the wearer, delicate 9ct Gold pieces are very suitable because the 9ct won’t irritate delicate skins and isn’t overly expensive.

You can also introduce the concept of a suite of jewellery, i.e matching earrings, rings, pendants and bracelets at this age. And there’s such a variety out there – ladybirds, butterflies, stars, moons, hearts, flowers, pearls, all in different colours – something for even the most picky preteen! 

Take a look at the Piccolo website for some great examples of jewellery we can organise for you.

Teenagers jewellery

Teenagers are in that transition stage from child to adult (or are already there if you ask them). Jewellery is a great way to show that you see that they are maturing, capable of carrying off adult like pieces and responsible enough to care for them.

What’s suitable?

Give them something durable that also starts creating memories for them. Diamond or pearl studs, a small pearl or diamond pendant or a fine bracelet are all great choices because they are beautiful and significant, but not difficult to wear. And teens can wear these kind of classic pieces with anything.

Lots of parents seem to want to steer clear of rings, perhaps because they are so visible and are scared their teen won’t like it! A good alternative is to take them shopping with you (what teen would say no to a day of shopping for them?), and you might end up with something you both adore. 

Jewellery for young adults – the 21st milestone

The coming of age is a real milestone, with plenty of celebrations and opportunities to give jewellery; a 21^st birthday, a graduation, a new job. But there are certain other milestones you need to be mindful of – you don’t want to give them jewellery that competes with the type of piece a special someone might want to give them.

What’s suitable?

It should be a piece that fits in with their existing jewellery, or something to start a lifelong collection. Because they are so classic, diamonds and pearls are still a safe bet, but brave coloured stones can also be introduced because by this age, skin and hair colouring have usually settled down.

More adventurous options

Blue sapphire, aquamarine, amethyst, pink sapphire; all of these are beautiful and will stand the test of time. This Pearl Enhancer with Blue Sapphire Beads is an example of exciting colour that a confident 21 year old would love, and as a classic choice these Pearl and Topaz Earrings are lovely and perfect for a special occasion. 

The gold bracelet has been the most popular choice, but with the price of gold being such as it is, this might change.   Strands of pearls are a great idea because around this age, young people enter professional jobs where they need to make an impression.

So, yes there is beautiful jewellery appropriate for children of all ages.  And remember, where always here if you need help choosing or designing a piece they’ll always adore.

I have enough trouble just trying to fathom where four years have gone by since I bought the business from Deborah when she headed for greener pastures to look after horses – or in her words, “swap diamonds for poo!”

So come and celebrate with us during November!

Of course, birthday celebrations are much more fun when you share them with others. So until 30 November we’re discounting all coloured gemstone jewellery pieces in the store by 25%. Hip, hip, hooray!

What sort of jewellery can you save on?

It’s a birthday, so this is all about luscious, beautiful, brilliant colours. The sale pieces include a wide range of our most gorgeous rings, earrings, pendants, necklaces and strands of beads.

Here’s a taste of the kind of jewellery you can pick up:

• Enhancer and Blue Sapphire Beads
• Aquamarine pendant and Pink Sapphire Beads
• Heart-shaped Peridot, South Sea Pearl and Diamond Pendant
• Garnet and Diamond Earrings
• Oval Blue Sapphire Cluster Ring
• Tahitian Pearl and Garnet Pendant

So come and see us at the store in Neutral Bay during November, and help us celebrate 25 years of jewellery love!

So how do you wear pastel jewellery?

In all their understated glamour, pastel stones have often been wrongly perceived as boring. On the contrary, these softly, spoken beauties are very versatile and always ready for a day or night out!

You can team them with a standout piece of bright jewellery for a stunning, mosaic layer effect. Or to complement and offset a bright piece of clothing with something simple.

One of my favourite looks is pastel jewellery with a black or white outfit. It’s simple, clean and often quite breathtaking.

Pastel jewellery moves with the times

One great advantage of pastels is that they suit all skin and hair colours. This means they can transcend not only seasons, but decades. The right piece can look and feel chic and modern, but with an air of sophisticated, elegant Grace Kelly glamour.

A peek at some of our pastels

There are so many variations of soft colours and beautiful stones, such as:

• tourmalines in soft pink, like our Pink Toumaline and Diamond Cluster Ring
• luscious greeny blue or minty green, like these Beryl and Diamond Earrings with matching Green Beryl Necklace
• sapphires in all gentle colours
• beryl in soft yellow, orange
• and many more.

Or for a very unique piece, something like this:

• Rutilated Quartz and Diamond Pendant
• ever-changing Labradorite Cabochon Pendant
• Tahitian Pearl Strand, starring all kinds of muted, pastel pearls.

So drop in to see us if you’d like to take a look at the season’s hot pastels, including soft moonstones in nude and ivory colours that look divine  with just about anything including lovely summer glowing skin tones.

Our workshop has been a hive of activity into the wee hours just to cope with the influx of work. 

In case you missed the news…

… we’re offering 20% discount on remodelling orders placed in August, September and October.

This means you save when you bring your old jewellery into the store and:

• have it remelted and transformed into something new that you really love
• exchange it for fresh metal of the same kind, or a different type altogether
• use it as credit towards something else we have in stock.

So what’s popular? Remodelled jewellery for engagements, weddings, parties, anything!

Quite a few clients have brought in gold and loose stones to have them transformed into updated engagement rings, wedding rings, dress rings, pendants and earrings. And quite a few have swapped the original Yellow Gold to Platinum or White Gold.  

However, the real star of the remodelling show has been … Aquamarine. They’ve been pulled out of dusty drawers all across Sydney for a makeover.  

What is your favourite jewellery worth?

As part of the promotion you also receive a free valuation on your new remodelled piece for insurance purposes.

Breathing new life into these precious old pieces and allowing people to cherish them again is a real joy. Not to mention, all this recycling will make Mother Nature smile too.

Promotion ends 31 October

So bring your much loved jewellery into the store during October and give it a second chance at the good life!

One of the things I enjoy so much about movies is the glamour. In particular, when they showcase spectacular jewellery pieces that you just don’t see anywhere else. 

And since Hollywood movies and breathtaking jewellery go together like, well, popcorn and butter (or fine chocolate and me!) I thought it would be fun to celebrate some of the big screens ‘Best performances by a gem or precious metal’.

Most Enduring Style Icon Award goes to … “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”

No article on the topic at hand would be worth its weight in zirconia without mention of the beautiful 1961 film, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”.  And no one but Audrey Hepburn could have transformed Holly Golightly into the world’s most adorable dreamer. 

The film cemented angelic Audrey’s place in movie and style icon history.  It also gave us a Holly’s multi strand pearl necklace, tiara and earrings.  Typically, these are costume jewellery pieces, however they certainly provided some fabulous inspiration for designers – and still do today!

Most Challenging Role Award goes to … “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”

Getting noticed around Marilyn Monroe at her peak wasn’t easy. But an incredible array of diamante necklaces and bracelets costume jewellery, typical of the 1950′s, managed to do so in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”. 

If you’ve seen the film, you’ll remember the show stopping scene where Marilyn performs, “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” draped in beautiful bling every bit as eye-catching as her. It’s as close as anything ever came to stealing the limelight from lovely Norma Jean.

The jewellery was created by J.C. Joseff, who was the wife and partner of the late Eugene Joseff – founder of Hollywood’s top costume jewellery manufacturer, Joseff. 

Most Jewellery References In a Film Title Award goes to … James Bond

When we took our eyes and minds off dashing super spies for a moment, we realised just how many of James Bond films remind us how valuable gold and diamonds are – “Goldfinger”, The Man with the Golden Gun” and “Diamonds are Forever” for starters. 

We also saw how versatile gold can be – whether it’s painting a girl from head to toe, building an assassins gun – or even a golden eye! And while I’m certainly not suggesting any of these would make a suitable personalised jewellery gift for that special someone, these films do remind us that to some, gold and diamonds are worth fighting for – particularly if you happen to be sitting there reading this with a white cat purring on your lap (I have two so I’m not quite sure what that says about me!).

Best Performance in a Comedy Award goes to … “The Return of the Pink Panther”

Depending on your, um, vintage you may be picturing Steve Martin in the recent “The Pink Panther”. However, for bumbling, chaotic and destructive Inspector Clouseau at his best you can’t past the amazing Peter Sellers character in the 1975 version.

As we learn, the Pink Panther is the world’s most famous and largest pink diamond that contains a flaw resembling a leaping panther.  Against all odds Clouseau manages to retrieve the diamond and capture the lovely Lady Claudine.

The Pink Panther is a fictional diamond conjured up by the book’s author, Agatha Christie. In the real world, the Darya-ye Noor is believed to be the largest pink diamond. It weighs an estimated 182 carats but its exact weight is unknown because it’s been mounted in its brooch setting for over 130 years as part of the Iranian Crown Jewels.

 
Best Supporting Jewellery in a Rom-Com goes to … the Pretty Woman necklace

It’s hard to believe that it’s 21 years since Julia Roberts strutted onto the screen in the modern day Cinderella movie “Pretty Woman”.  Aside from Julia’s wild mane, huge smile and traffic stopping legs – plus Richard’s considerable charms – who can forget the incredible oval ruby and diamond necklace she wears in the scene at the hotel bar, ”You’re late”. ”You’re stunning”. ”You’re forgiven”.

Best Jewellery Dropped Down the Sink goes to … “Titanic”
 

Kate Winslett’s heart went on for Leo and was symbolised by a breathtaking and Titanic sized heart-shaped deep blue sapphire (known in the film as the “Heart of the Ocean”) surrounded by fine diamonds on a diamond chain. 

The piece itself stirred massive interest, compliments of the film, and inspired jewellers Asprey and Garrard to create a very real, “Heart of the Ocean”.  The end result was nothing short of spectacular – a (hold onto your popcorn and chocolate ladies!) 170 carat heart-shaped sapphire with (wait for it!) 65 diamonds at 30 carats each. It sold for $2.2 million at a benefit auction.

While movies are a fun escape from reality, a part of them also teaches us that it’s important to look beyond the ordinary and remember that so much is possible in real life too. That includes our own jewellery designs – and the personal scripts behind them. 

In the meantime, I’m off to the Afterparty…

Along with such regal connections, the colour blue is a symbol of water and the sky, giving it natural calming and relaxing qualities.

So while white diamonds are traditionally a girl’s best friend, it’s well worth taking a closer look at the range of mysterious, regal and highly symbolic blue stones before making up your own mind.

BLUE DIAMOND: Who’s the rarest of them all…

What does it mean?  The word diamond comes from the Greek word ‘adamas’ meaning ‘unbreakable’.

Place in History  The ‘Hope Diamond’, the world’s most famous diamond, is large (45.52 carats), of perfect quality and an extremely rare shade of blue. Its history is equally impressive. Discovered in India, rumour has it that the Hope Diamond was stolen from the eye of an Idol. It was once owned by King Louis XIV, before being stolen during the French Revolution. It has since been sold to earn money for gambling, worn to raise money for charity, and finally donated to the Smithsonian Institution.

Shades  Blue diamond colours range from pale blue to metallic gun blue shades to an exquisite and very rare deep blue, with smaller stones set in designer jewellery or available in strands of beads. The blue diamond can be an interesting and meaningful alternative to regular diamonds.

Cost   Not the kind of jewellery to wear while you’re out doing the grocery shopping, blue diamonds are among the most rare and valuable gemstones on earth. They’ve been known to sell at auction for over $1 million per carat. However, less sought after colours, or artificially induced coloured blue diamonds, tend to be more affordable (subject to your definition of affordable, of course).

BLUE SAPPHIRE: The Stone of Royalty

What does it mean?  Sapphire comes from the Greek word for blue ‘sappheiros’ and is known as the gem of fidelity and of the soul.

Place in history  While sapphires are probably the first blue gemstone to come to mind, the history of the stone is less well known. Ancient Persians believe the earth rested on a giant sapphire whose colour was reflected in the blue sky. In these times the stone was gifted as a pledge of trust, honesty, purity and loyalty, making it an ideal engagement ring today. Of course, the sapphire secured a place in modern history when it re-emerged in the 20^th, featuring on Princess Diana’s engagement ring.

Shades   Ceylon Blue sapphire occurs in a wide range of colours including soft-pale blues, beautiful mid-blues and darker royal blues, while the Australian blue sapphire tends to be a very dark rich blue, appearing almost black. It is best known as a blue gem, however, sapphire also naturally occurs in yellow, green, orange, pink, purple, peach, black and colourless.

Cost   Price depends largely on the colour, clarity and brightness. Untreated blue sapphires of highly desirable shades are more valuable and less common. Stones above four carats can sell for thousands per carat, while 1ct sapphires sell in the hundreds. It’s a practical stone that can be set in a variety of jewellery styles to suit any taste.  Reaching a 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, it’s also durable enough to be worn every day.

BLUE TOURMALINE: A harmonious relationship

What does it mean?   The colour evokes feelings of harmony, while gemstone ‘gurus’ claim that a blue tourmaline can make the wearer honest and tolerant.

Shades   Also known as indicolite, blue tourmaline can show an intense, clear radiant blue similar to a blue sapphire. It’s also available in darker and greener blue shades. However, rich electric blue shades from Brazil are extremely rare.

Cost  Darker, green-blue stones tend to be more affordable, while intense, clear and radiant blue shades are far more valuable. At 7.5 on the Mohs scale, blue tourmaline  jewellery lends itself well to being worn daily.

AQUAMARINE: The treasure of Mermaids

What does it mean?  Its name is derived from the Latin term ‘aqua’, meaning water, and ‘mare’, meaning sea. Old traditions promise a happy marriage, joy and wealth for the woman who wears it.

Place in history   Folk law states that the stone originated from the treasure chest of mermaids in ancient times, and has since been regarded as the sailors’ lucky stone.

Shades   The Aquamarine gemstone is of the same family as the Emerald, occurring mainly in greenish-blue and varying light shades of blue. Deeper blues are reminiscent of the sea and can be enhanced by the cut, which tends to be very clean and comes in flawless crystals.

Cost  The more intense the colour of an Aquamarine, the more valuable it is. The stone contains iron, giving it its colour and it reaches 8 on the Mohs Scales which protects it to a large extent from scratches and damage. It’s extremely versatile and can be refined in a wide variety of ways including the classical step cut or modern creative cuts. It may even remain uncut, but either way is able to suit any taste or wish.

BLUE TOPAZ – super powers

What does it mean?  The name Topaz is derived from the Indian Sanskrit word tapas, meaning fire. 

Place in history  The Topaz has enjoyed international significance throughout history, as the Greeks believed it had power to increase strength and make its wearer invisible, while the Romans believed it had power to improve eyesight. In Egypt it was worn as an amulet to protect them from injury. During the Middle Ages topaz was thought to heal both physical and mental disorders and prevent death.

Shades   Naturally occurring blue topaz is quite rare, as pure topaz is typically colourless. The blue topaz comes in 3 main shades: (light) Sky Blue, (medium) Swiss Topaz Blue or (dark) London Blue Topaz. Pale blue stones (the most natural blue) are often heat treated to produce a more desired darker blue.

Cost  This stone is more affordable than most, while still exhibiting stunning rich hues of blue. It’s ideal for daily wear, making it more popular than any other commercially sold gemstone.

Dare to wear Blue…

Blue stone jewellery makes gorgeously unique gifts and engagement rings that capture attention and envious admiration. Best of all, the versatility, variety and beauty of these gems means there’s something perfect for every woman.

Recently, they showed us some wedding photos that were so classically beautiful, dramatic – not to mention very Fred and Ginger meets Bogie and Bacall – that we just couldn’t resist asking them to share the story behind the romance.

So without further ado, play it again Richard…

“The first time I saw Emma was actually at a club in the wee hours of a Sunday morning. I’ll spare you the finer details, but let the records show that we met through mutual friends rather than in the middle of crowded dance floor or waiting in line for a drink.

Emma and I dated for several years before we were engaged, but within days of that first meeting I just knew she was the woman I’d spend the rest of my life with. Thankfully, Emma felt the same way… and it wasn’t long before conversations turned to the house we’d like to live in, marriage and children.

A few years before we were engaged, friends told us about Deborah Windfield and that they were a boutique jeweller who offered a very personal caring service and high quality pieces.

Trying to find or create the right ring and diamond is a daunting and emotional experience, so we were very relieved the first time we visited the store and met Eric. Not only did he make the experience fun and exciting – as it really should be – he educated us along the way so we could make very informed decisions.

Eric focused a lot of our attention on diamond selection. Initially, Emma pointed out the sort of styles she liked and then left me with the final choice. I was shown several stones over a period of time until I chose a beautiful 1-carat diamond and had it set in the unique Pinnacle style made from Platinum.

Needless to say the night of my proposal was wonderfully romantic and one that Emma and I will always remember.  I took her out for dinner in the city but subtly suggested we take a walk along the Sydney Harbour foreshore before heading to the restaurant. With the Opera House as a backdrop I took a deep breath and popped the question.

As the photos reveal, her answer was yes. A good thing considering I’d invited our good friends along the restaurant to celebrate, unbeknown to Emma.

Eric also helped us select the perfect wedding rings for what turned out to be our perfect wedding day….. We were married in the evening at Aria Restaurant overlooking Sydney Harbour. The weather during the day was terrible.

To put it in perspective, it was the same day the Pasha Balka ran aground near Newcastle because of the weather. It poured right up until the moment we were married, when suddenly, the rain stopped and the sun came out like wink of approval from Mother Nature.

So finally we had the house and marriage we’d talked about all those years ago. Then just six weeks ago our son Harry came into the world. 

To celebrate, I bought Emma a beautiful set of diamond earrings.

In a way, Eric and the team at DWJ have become part of these special moments in our life. And every time I see the sparkle of the beautiful diamonds I’ve bought, I can’t help but smile at the feeling of success, love and partnership they symbolise.”

You may think this would be an easy way for us to make some quick money (and perhaps it is), however it’s not something we choose to do.

Why we don’t copy jewellery

Helping our clients live out their wildest jewellery fantasies is as much fun for us as it is for them. However, we just won’t do unto other jewellers what we would never wish for them to do unto us.

Recently, there was a scandal about a talent show on TV where a young comedian’s winning performance was entirely made up of international comedian’s jokes. He didn’t realise anyone would notice. I imagine that’s what people think when they rip off your favourite song or old movie. But someone always knows – even if it’s just them.

At the end of the day, it’s about showing respect for another designer’s creativity, imagination and unique vision – and for ourselves. I’d be utterly devastated if I ever discover that one of my original designs was replicated – and would feel just as terrible if I ever did it myself!

The trouble with replicas

Over the years, we have seen clients come in, fall in love with a piece and then decide they can have it made elsewhere for less – only to be disappointed with their replica and come back wanting to buy the original.

Which is why, in the reverse situation, we always suggest clients go back to the original jeweller.

Sourcing Inspiration vs. stealing

One thing we are happy to do is ‘improve’ upon designs clients bring us and use them as inspiration. If you bring an image of a piece of jewellery you’ve seen in and ask for something similar, but not the same, we’ll happily use it to inspire a fresh design.

So what is the line between stealing designs and getting inspiration from them? Well there’s no hard and fast rule, however, we won’t do an exact copy. We have to feel comfortable that we are paying due respect to the designer by changing it enough. 

More than a clear conscience

This decision goes beyond maintaining a good reputation – and being able to sleep at night. It’s also about wanting to give clients remarkable service and unique, wonderful pieces every time. That’s not what replicas provide.

If you’ve got a piece in mind, come in the store and talk to us about it. Just like when you go to the hair salon, bring pictures of your favourite jewellery and together we can design something that is as unique as you are.

However, as a jeweller who has helped many people – especially in the past few years – trying to fix or replace jewellery bought and made cheaply overseas, I can honestly say that giving in to the temptation nearly always results in disappointment.

Why are imports so cheap?

Many people buying overseas aren’t aware that most bargain jewellery makers cut corners wherever possible. As a result, all kinds of problems can occur.

You see, in a lot of ways jewellery making is like building a house or a car. How long it lasts and how beautiful it looks comes down to the materials, production and workmanship (or as we like to say, workwomanship!).

Here are some examples of what happens when quality is sacrificed:

• Metal quality:  Have you purchased a piece of white gold jewellery you love that looked nice and white only to see it turn a yellow colour months later? This is the result of cheap metal. Often white gold with nickel is used and after the plating wears off, you’re left with a piece that looks like yellow gold.
• Amount of metal:  Designers who want to lower costs rather than create the best possible piece will often cut down the amount of metal used. This means your new ring or charm will feel very light and often won’t have enough density to hold the stones in place for long.
• Stone quality:  As with metals, second-rate jewellery makers will choose quantity over quality when it comes to sourcing their stones. Cheap stones simply won’t have the wow-factor of good-quality stones; they scratch quickly, deteriorate and often don’t sit in the piece as well.
• Integrity of design:  More than often, cheap imports are simply copies of designer pieces. Part of the cost cuts are that there was no time invested in conceiving and designing the piece from scratch. Aside from infuriating the original designer, your piece lacks originality.
• Production quality:  Mass-production lines don’t pay attention to the quality of pieces, which are prone to bending and breaking. There’s simply no care in the making of the piece and the appearance will suffer because of this.

At the end of the day, a unique, locally made piece created with care and attention to every detail is an investment that will bring you so much more pleasure (and far less stress) than any savings ever could.

So here’s some exciting news to warm you up…. Deborah Windfeld Jewellery is having a sale from 1 – 30 June!

Get 20% discount on all jewellery stock items

That’s right, you will get 20% off all jewellery items we have in the store including: 

• diamond rings
• bracelets
• earrings
• necklaces
• pearls and beads
• pendants.

Most of the pieces are exclusive one-offs with stones that are very difficult, if not impossible, to replace – so you know that your new jewellery, like you, will be a one of a kind!

An irresistible engagement ring offer

As you know, we like our happily-ever-afters here at DWJ. So in addition to offering 20% off every engagement ring in the store during June (which could literally save you thousands), we’re dangling an extra carrot in front of those romantic men out there perched nervously on the fiancé fence.

Just in case she says “Yes” to you, but no to the ring, you can get a brand new ring made to order or exchange to the same value for another stock ring. So now’s the perfect time to pop the question.
 

Plus 40% off European designer watches

And finally, have you seen our regular collections of beautiful Swiss-made Edox Watches and Clyda Watches from France while visiting the store? As part of the sale we’re taking a huge 40% off all watches in stock this month. They’d make a wonderful gift for someone special – or an end of financial year reward for yourself.

Remember, the sale ends 30 June, but the earlier you come to see us, the more beautiful one off jewellery, engagement rings and watches you’ll have to choose from.

See you soon.