Finding Something Blue

May 13, 2011

Something old, Something new, Something borrowed, Something blue, And a lucky sixpence for her shoe

Although this poem dates back to the Victorian Age, SOMETHING BLUE has been connected to weddings for centuries.

In Christianity, the Virgin Mary is most often depicted in blue and as such, blue has become a symbol for purity.  In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty and fidelity.  Today, brides often incorporate a blue component in their outfit for luck and tradition, however, before the 19th Century, blue was a popular colour for the actual wedding gown; a proverb from that time ‘marry in blue, lover be true’.

Although blue is no longer a popular wedding gown choice, brides are always looking for something unique they can incorporate on their wedding day.  Choices include an embroidered lace hanky (hankies are also a long standing wedding tradition), monogrammed ‘dress tags’ that are stitched in blue thread and sewn on the hem of the bride’s gown, a blue stone bracelet or even a blue crystal pin to fasten to the bouquet. Read more »

Costume jewelry

May 11, 2011

Costume jewelry isn’t just about cheap imports created off-shore.  Costume jewelry has a special history in the evolution of jewelry as an accessory in our society.

Costume jewelry has been a part of our society for over 300 years.  In the 18th century, there were glimpses of it with the introduction of some glass jewelry pieces emerging onto the market.  However, it was in the 1800s that costume jewelry really started to make its mark with the incorporation of semi-precious stones. The use of semi-precious materials meant that jewelry could be made more affordable and therefore more accessible to the common people.

When I think of the true era of costume jewelry I think of the beginning of the 20th century.   When the desire for well-made replicas of higher-end pieces connected with the machine age.  This made it possible to mass-produce cheaper versions of “the real thing “.
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Bridal Jewelry: something old or something new?

May 11, 2011
Bridal jewelry collection

According to The Wedding Channel, ‘many couples aim to retain links with the past and their family history [on their wedding day]. You can do this with your wedding jewelry, which has become as important a wedding custom as any other that has evolved over the centuries.  Whether you start your own family tradition by incorporating heirloom jewelry on your special day, or you continue to follow in the footsteps of generations past, ‘wearing something old’ is definitely an aspect that brides continue to find appealing.

Why do we wear our wedding band on our fourth finger of the left hand?

In 3rd century Greece, the third finger was thought to be connected directly to the heart through the ‘vein of love’.  It was in early Rome that a gold band worn on this finger came to symbolize everlasting love and commitment in marriage; often with the design of two clasped hands around the finger.  It was in 860AD that Pope Nicolas decreed the requirement of an engagement ring to express a man’s intention to marry a woman; a gold ring given by the prospective husband was to symbolize financial sacrifice he was committed to for his future wife. Read more »

Green with Envy

May 3, 2011

Happy Birthday May babies!!

I love the spring.  The buds are starting to bloom on the trees and everything is returning to green.  Truly a time of new growth and rebirth, it is fitting that the birthstone of May is emerald.

The ancient Romans dedicated the emerald to Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, for they associated it with fertility and rebirth.  Today the emerald is often associated with patience, understanding and foresight.  Perhaps why it was chosen to be the gift for the 55th wedding anniversary  ; )

As a healing stone, it is said to help people who suffer from problems relating to their eyes, fertility, spine and headaches.  It is also said to help enhance the mental capabilities of the wearer.

Whenever I think of emerald jewelry I think of the famous pair of earrings worn by Angelina Jolie at the 2009 Academy Awards.  Designed by Lorraine Schwartz these earrings were absolutely breathtaking and the stunning beauty of their vibrant green will not soon be forgotten.

Emeralds, belong to the mineral Beryl, have a hardness of 7.5 and are often treated with oil to improve their clarity and their colour.  Emeralds often contain inclusions making them more susceptible to breakage.  Because of this, one must be careful when wearing an emerald ring or bracelet.  These are pieces of jewelry that will get banged around a lot in wearing them.  I would suggest that if you are buying emerald jewelry for someone as a gift, stick to earrings or necklaces that are better protected when they are worn.

So to all of you May babies – celebrate spring, the coming of summer and the vibrancy of that special green that only pops out at this time of year.  Claim the emerald as your special gem, and make everyone else green with envy : ) -Chris

Tagua Madness

May 2, 2011

As the fresh spring air enters the windows and the rays of the sun warm up our studio I am giddy for summer to arrive and feeling the need to bury my boring winter wardrobe and accessories. I am now in major need of some colour and cheer!!

Staring at the multitude of stones and various beads, contemplating what kind of jewelry to design for the summer-  Tagua’s seem to capture the most of my attention.  With their unconventional shape and amazingly vibrant colours they seem the perfect fit for my need of whimsy and fun!

The Tagua nut or as it is also known, vegetable ivory, is actually a seed from a South American Tagua palm.   The Tagua palm produces large fruits called Mococha’s, which hold pockets containing the content of an immature fruit.  At immaturity the fruit is in liquid form but as it matures the fruit hardens and the result is of a nut of similar colour and hardness to natural ivory.  The Tagua nut can then be dyed and worked to produce wonderful artisanal creations.

A great renewable resource, the Tagua palm can be used in many different ways.  The roots have medicinal properties, the leaves can be used to thatch houses, its stems can be used for flooring, and its nuts are used to create many everyday items such as buttons, needles, jewelry, and other handicrafts.

Although very popular and commonly used in South America, Tagua’s are just starting to emerge onto the scene here in North America.  Although I’d love for this amazing nut to remain our secret gem, I also want to be able to share its uniqueness with others so that everyone can take part in a bit of Tagua madness : ) -Chris

3am, perfect time for a Royal Wedding

May 1, 2011

And so I found myself setting my alarm for 3am to witness a moment in history with 1/3 of the world’s population.  I’m sure that I would have woken up to mark this historical moment regardless of what was going on in my life, but to be honest, a recent event made this a special moment in my history as well.

To make a long story short, my associate and I moved our business into an artisan building 2 years ago and befriended a neighbour and fellow artisan, milliner Lucie Gregoire.  A Royal Wedding is, in effect, the most glamorous hat party there is and Lucie Gregoire, being a true master in custom hats……hats we are hardly ever witness to anymore, was sought out as the milliner who could help in Her Excellency’s outfit for this fabulous event…yadah yadah yadah,  3 weeks ago, we found our small and fairly unknown Montreal jewelry company with a commission to design and create a necklace, bracelet and earrings for the Governor General’s wife, Her Excellency Sharon Johnston, to wear to the Royal Wedding.

So there I was, at 3am, in our pitch black living room, my hand on my dog’s head (a loyal friend who will wake up with me regardless of time, weather or reason),  my fiancé asleep in our room, and the TV on the lowest volume setting ready to watch.

Well, for a hat party of sorts, it was quite a party! Tall, wide, colourful or black; there was everything and anything you might expect……and not expect.  I, for one, was not aware that there are hats that are worn off the forehead or that brims can be so wide that one has to bend back to see who is in front of you.  Regardless, it was truly a wonderful show of design and workmanship!  I can only hope, in part for Lucie, that this will spur a renewed interest in hats.

A couple of hours later, I watched as the world was witness to the dashing Duchess of Cambridge.  Simplicity met elegance at its best as she sat in the car next to her father, waving to the endless crowds, on her way to get married.  As a jewelry designer, I inevitably noticed her accessories; beautiful earrings with an historic tiara as the only jewelry pieces.  To be honest, I was looking forward to seeing the style of necklace Kate would wear, but found her choice perfect in its simplicity once again.

Although I dozed off a few times, my waking up in the middle of the night to watch history in the making was well worth the exhaustion the following day!  – Alix