Just the Right Ruby

As jewelry-lovers with birthdays this month are happy to tell their loved ones, July’s gemstone is the ruby.

http://www.minerals.net/gemstone/ruby_gemstone.aspx

It’s quite a beautiful stone, with that rich red color (and also pink; more on that in a moment), and has been beloved for centuries.  It is corundum, which is not a riddle but a species of gemstone, and has a well-known family member:  the sapphire.  In fact, all corundum but ruby is sapphire. So we could actually consider the ruby a sapphire that just happened to turn out red.

It’s always a good practice to buy gemstones from a reputable gemstone dealer or someone who works directly with reputable gemstone dealers (at San Francisco Jewelry Doctor, we work with top-notch gemstone dealers, gemcutters, and gemologists).  This is especially important with rubies, as much of the ruby jewelry sold in stores contains stones that have been filled with glass.

*  *  * 

A Love Story

Once upon a time, a young man proposed marriage and his beloved gladly accepted.  The ring he chose featured rubies flanking the diamond and, since he was just starting out in his career, the rubies in question were not the famed “pigeon’s blood” but instead their less-expensive but no less beautiful deep pink siblings. 

Fast-forward 40 years.  By now the man had had a quite a career, including time spent as a diplomat; when he came to the Jewelry Doctor he was the director of a large nonprofit organization.  His anniversary was approaching, and he asked to have a ruby-and-diamond brooch made for his wife.  That ruby, of course, needed to match her engagement ring, and so I spent three days at the American Gem Trade Association (“AGTA”) pavilion at the Gem Show in Tucson choosing just the right ruby.

*  *  * 

Which takes us back to last month’s theme:  choosing what’s right for you (and your loved one). Clearly, the gentleman in question could now afford a “pigeon’s blood” ruby.  But that wouldn’t go with her ring.  It would have no real meaning.  And jewelry, especially when it comes to anniversaries, is all about meaning.

Were you a July baby, or do rubies just make your heart and soul sing?  Or perhaps your anniversary is on the horizon?  Give us a call at 415/796-3969, and we’ll design something beautiful and meaningful for you or your special someone.

©2015 Laynie Tzena.

Hard to Shop For? Not Anymore!

“My wife never wears the gifts I give her,” say some men.  

Your Jewelry Doctor creates a lot of gifts (and provides others from her sources). They always get rave reviews.  Now yours can, too.  

What’s the secret?  Well, remember the “reconnaissance mission”? 

“If you’ll excuse me, Doctor, that operation is used in war.  We’re talking about love.”

True.  But “gaining intelligence”—here, about your special someone’s taste in jewelry—makes the difference in both worlds.

Here’s how it works:  on a date, or across the breakfast table, notice what kinds of things your sweetheart loves to wear.  

Color

Earth tones or jewel tones?   Warm colors or cool colors?  Pastels or true colors?  Does she wear a lot of black?  Does she like colors that blend, sharp contrast, or a bit of both?

Shape

Now let's consider the outline of the kinds of jewelry she loves.  What kinds of shapes does she choose?  Round?  Oval?  Pear-shaped?  Triangular?  (We call those "trillion.")  Rectangular? (We call the long ones "emerald," and the square, "princess.")  Does she prefer soft lines, or crisper ones--more "Art Nouveau," or more Deco?

Environment (and Personal Style)

Let's think about how she likes to wear the jewelry.  Does her style tend toward suits, or a more casual look?  Does she wear necklaces with a lot of texture or a mix of shapes, or something simple and elegant, like a solitaire pendant or a strand of pearls?  Are her earrings flush against the ear—we call that a “button post” or a “stud”—or a dangle?  How long a dangle does she like? 

When Lights Are Low

You’d be amazed how much information you can pick up over breakfast.  And if you want to step up your game, go out for a romantic dinner.  Does her jewelry change?  Obviously, it’ll be dressier.  But does she also choose different colors and/or shapes for special times?

What She Chooses for Herself

Next time you’re home alone, take a look at her jewelry box.  Notice any patterns?  Just as men often buy the same kinds of ties with slight variation, women often favor, say, a simple gold pendant on a chain.  You might see three or four of these, each with a different gemstone.  Look to see if there are coordinating earrings.  Does she prefer matching jewelry, or what we could call “counterpoint”—i.e., jewelry that coordinates, but doesn’t repeat the same exact pattern?

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Make some notes.  And take a picture of your special someone, if you don’t have a recent one.  It not only feels great to have that with you, it makes a big difference when you shop.  I’ve helped people choose gifts for loved ones across the country, using the clothes they’re wearing in a snapshot to determine their style.  (And those clothes are usually in the colors they prefer, too.)

Putting It Into Practice

So don’t be afraid to shop.  You’re no longer groping around in the dark.  Now when you go looking for gifts, you’re halfway there:  you already know what she likes!

What’s your next special occasion?  Anniversary on the horizon?  Is her birthday coming up soon?  Or is the woman in your life a mother?  Mother’s Day is just two weeks away.  Call your friendly neighborhood* Jewelry Doctor at 415/796-3969, and let’s put our heads together. 

San Francisco Jewelry Doctor.  We make gift-shopping fun.

*If you can read this, we’re in the neighborhood.

©2014 Laynie Tzena.