Tag Archives: Spring jewelry

Green with Envy

Posted by chrisalix on May 3, 2011 None comments

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

3am, perfect time for a Royal Wedding

Posted by chrisalix on May 1, 2011 None comments

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

Jewelry Trends 2011

Posted by chrisalix on April 4, 2011 None comments

As the snow melts and spring-cleaning is in full swing its time to go through your jewelry box and see what pieces you can salvage from seasons past.

This years Spring 2011 trend- its all about the big and the bold. Don’t be afraid to pile on too many bangles or strands. The purpose: to give some “umph” to the more neutral color palette of the spring / summer wardrobe. From daring cocktail rings and shoulder duster earrings to layers of delicious bracelet bangles and bold bib necklaces, this spring, statement pieces are the way to go!

Just like the striking nature of the jewelry itself- the colours this season are no different. Say goodbye to the usual soft pastel tones of spring- and say Hello! to rich, lush colours. Look for bold colours such as: indigo, fuchsia, chartreuse, tangerine, and turquoise.

Have fun with your accessories; this is the season to go all out- just remember, make one statement at a time. Don’t weigh yourself down by draping heavy layers of jewelry all over your body. Choose one area to concentrate on but make that statement count!