Tag Archives: jewelry

With “E”: for Enamel

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“E” for “Enamel”

The vitreous enamel is a material made in powdered glass mixed with metalic oxides in order to give the piece an immense variety of colors and tones. All materials must fuse at a very high temperature, which gives it more longevity and an endless beauty.

There are many types of enamel, although I’ll focus in those more used by jewellers:
Champlevé:

With this technique what we’ll do is to carve, etch, die struck or cas tinto the surface of a metal objet, creating different forms and drawings. Then we’ll fill the holes with vitreous enamel.  It’s crucial for the success that the area to fill is well prepared to let the enamel stick to it in a homogeneous way.

The enamel will stay then like “locked” within the metal. Then, like in the rest of the techniques, you’ll have to polish and glaze it.

esmalte-diccionario-vintage-2

Cloisone:

This technique works by soldering or adhering metal wires or thin strips placed on the edge of the piece. The holes in between will be filled with enamel in beautiful colors. Afterwards, it’s up to the artisan whether to sand deeply or just a little the piece, in order to equal the levels.

Plique-à-jour:

This is the most complicated technique, the most beautiful and delicate out of them though. The enamel here is applied in cells with no backing so light can shine through it. It has a stained-glass like appearance. Jewellers use this technique over the rest and the pieces get a spectaular beauty. It requires a high level of expertise though.

Let me show you a few images with samples of the different types of enamel.

Which one do you like the most?

esmalte-diccionario-vintage-1

With C: for Coral

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My Vintage Dictionary:

Coral: According to the Dictionary, “corals are formed by small animals, the polyps of the phylum Cnidaria. They are marines, either on continental shelves or round oceanic islands. They live in colonies divided by red or rosy limestone.

However, today I would like to focus on the Corallium Nobile coral which is the specimen that master jewellers have been using over the History, the most exclusive and precious coral out of the kind. The development of these sorts of colonies is extremely slow; it grows an average of 2 – 5 millimetres a year. If you take also into account that the collection is nowadays restricted you’ll understand why this material is so expensive.

This precious coral is gathered manually and only the bigger sticks will be used for jewellery purposes, although still they’ll have to let them grow even more. In order to fish it, professionals must go down as deep as 150 metres in some cases.

Nobile Coral is usually red with shades in dark red. It rarely appears in a pale pink. The one called Angel Skin Coral is the most precious amongst them and also, very special. The word “coral” is used as well to name this entire colour range.

Coral jewels have been found in ancient Egyptian and prehistoric burials. Plinio left written that the Gallic population already used it to adorn their weapons. Also romans loved to wear their kids with a collar made with coral to preserve them from any danger. They thought it had curative attributes against snake or scorpion bites.  The belief of coral as an amulet actually went on through the entire Middle Age up to the beginning of the 20th Century. Nowadays Italians keep using it against the bad luck or evil eye. Women also wear it to beat the infertility.

It’s precisely there, in Italy where you’ll find the cradle of the coral craftsmanship, exactly in Torre del Greco, a little town that still today keeps the same tradition over the centuries, even after nine Vesuvius eruptions.

Due to its softness and opacity, coral is either cut in cabochon or used to make beads.

coral1

How to care for coral:

  • The only way to clean it at home is to rub it very gently with a cotton cloth either dry or a bit wet. In order to make it more shining you can use neutral soaps and wash it up straight away. Also dry it carefully.
  • In case the coral missed its bright you only will be able to take it to professionals to make it shine as usual.

Let me finish with a collection of photos about jewels made with nobilis coral: earrings, rings, cufflinks and combs. As you can see this precious material can be used to make a huge variety of jewellery work… Don’t miss how many sublime tones Nature gives us.

coral2

 

With A: Aderezo (Jewelry Suite)

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“My Vintage Dictionary”

Aderezo: a harmonious set made up of various pieces, normally containing a necklace, ring, bracelets and earrings.

In France, two types of jewelry suites can be distinguished: “Grande Parure”, consisting of a tiara, brooch or jewel for the breast area, earrings, necklace and two identical bracelets; and the “Petit Parure”, consisting of a necklace, earrings and brooch.

We call any matching jewelry combination a suite, which would usually be made up of a necklace, earrings, a bracelet and a ring.

They are sets on which more work is invested than usual, seeing as gems must be found that coordinate in both color and texture.

It is more common to talk of jewelry suites for the female gender, however, we can also find masculine ones consisting of cufflinks, a tie clip, and key ring or pendant.

The last reproduction we did of a Baroque style suite consists of a necklace, bracelet and earrings. This suite is made from brass and semi-precious stones, and entirely handmade by our expert goldsmiths.

aderezo-mosaico

pulsera-flickrImages: @María Vintage Photography

 

My Vintage Dictionary

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We are starting 2014 off with a project about which I am extremely excited. Since last summer, I have been going round in circles trying to think of a way to unite my passion for photography with the my passion for the world of Vintage.

For me, Vintage is a synonym for exclusivity, quality, good materials and, of course, craftsmanship. Vintage is the synonym for something well made in the past.

If I think about lace, velvet ribbons, wild flowers, old books, black and white photographs, hidden treasures in a chest, and furniture in an old attic, I am thinking about Vintage.

Vintage photography is a contagious fever. Editing in black and white, sepia or with textures is a whole art form, which takes us back to the beginning of photography when each photo was revealed without really knowing what was going to be found.

It was this passion for photography that lead me to create “My Vintage Dictionary”, a dictionary illustrated with photographs that try to recover the essence of antique, well-made pieces of jewelry.

The project will continue for a while. The idea is to create a series of photographs for each entry, special photographs with that retro air that I so love to give them, also to include a brief description which will help you understand better the origins and essence of each of the terms.

The manual work, well-made things, taste for details, and perfect finishes… these are the essences of Vintage and what I am going to try and transmit through “My Vintage Dictionary”.

I hope it will help in understanding a little more why I am so in love with this style, and also that you can join me in enjoying the magic that it transmits.

I await you all with “A” for “Aderezo” (Suite of jewelry)…

We celebrate Reyes with a very simple contest

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Follow these steps and participate in the draw to win these beautiful earrings:

  • Leave a comment on the photo of the earrings and tell us which of our online shop’s jewels you’d love to wear on New Year’s Eve?
  • If you want you can share the Facebook post with your friends, we will apreciate it very much.

Easy, fast and…one of the most directly indirect ways to your Christmas surprises!

You have until Sunday 5th at 12am to participate.

The winner will be chosen by the Internet platform Woobox, and will be announced on Facebook on Tuesday December 31th.

Many thanks for participating and wishing the best of luck to all!!

We celebrate New Year’s Eve with a very simple contest”

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Follow these steps and participate in the draw to win these beautiful earrings:

  • Leave a comment on the photo of the earrings and tell us which of our online shop’s jewels you’d love to wear on New Year’s Eve?
  • If you want you can share the Facebook post with your friends, we will apreciate it very much.

Easy, fast and…one of the most directly indirect ways to your Christmas surprises!

You have until Monday 30th at 12am to participate.

The winner will be chosen by the Internet platform Woobox, and will be announced on Facebook on Tuesday December 31th.

Many thanks for participating and wishing the best of luck to all!!

Types of earring fastenings

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With this simple blog entry we are going to review the different types of earring fastenings.

PUSH ON CLIP FASTENING

This is the most commonly used fastening due to its convenient comfort and because it is a kind of clasp that nearly everybody feels good with. The back part can be closed simply by pressing it together with the front part, either with a butterfly or screw design. The most secure is the screw, however, it is usually only found in children’s earrings. The butterfly fastening is the most common; it has a small hole that fits perfectly onto the post of the earring to ensure it does not slip.

In our shop we recommend placing small transparent silicone discs for those with slightly torn or misshaped orifices, these silicone discs are usually referred to as “magic discs”. They prevent the earring from drooping downwards and manage to keep the earring straight and tight to the ear. They really are marvelous.

THE OMEGA FASTENING

This fastening is known for its comfort and security. It is a kind of fastening more often used in heavier or larger sized earrings as it ensures a better hold. Its name comes from a similarity to its form; a letter in the Greek alphabet.

THE HOOK OR HIPPIE FASTENING

The hook fastening can be open or closed, it is very comfortable and easy to wear, and perhaps because of this it is so popular with our clients.

The only drawback is that with the passing of the years our earlobes lose definition, this could result in the earring drooping a little, hence allowing too much of the earlobe to be seen.

The other possible drawback of this kind of fastening, especially if it is an “open hook”, is that the earring could slip out in a rapid movement or become caught in the hair resulting in the loss of an earring. For this reason, I always recommend the use of the silicone caps so that the earring is securely fastened, and we avoid any possible disappointments.

This problem disappears completely in the case of the closed hook. This fastening ensures that the earring will not slip out in a moment of carelessness.

It is true that this fastening doesn’t favor everyone; however, it is very popular throughout the younger generations.

CATALAN FATSENING

The Catalan fastenings are halfway between the hook and push on clip closures. I will display a photograph depicting this kind of fastening below; it is like the push on clip fastenings but with a small lever behind.

CLIP ON FASTENING

This type of fastening is used by women that do not have pierced ears or that have worn or deteriorated earlobes.

Within this type of fastening we can find the normal clip on and the screw clip. The latter is rather difficult to come across, it was used quite a lot in the Sixties and I can also tell you that it is one of the most comfortable fastenings I have ever tried. It is a loose soft clip in which you can adjust the pressure on your earlobe to the strength you want.

Which one is your favorite?

 

Joan Crawford

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Icon Tuesday. Tuesday’s intense gaze… Joan Crawford Tuesday.

Her charisma, her cats eyes and ability to embroider the dramatic roles made her one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.

I, personally, prefer her role of bad, very bad in the movie ¨ What happened to Baby Jane?¨, next to her declared enemy Betty Davis.

Images: Wikipedia y Tumbler

Why are all things Vintage so in Fashion?

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We have now been continuously hearing this word for years. We hear it in relation to fashion, decoration, cooking, art, crafts, floristry and design in general… From cars to electrodomestics everything can qualify under this term. Vintage sells.

However, what is so attractive about vintage items? Why has this special style of pastel tones and perfect finishes returned yet again?

For me, Vintage is a synonym for exclusivity, quality, good materials and, of course, craftsmanship. Vintage is a synonym for something well done or well made in the past.

If you think about lace, velvet ribbons, wild flowers, antique books, black and white photographs, hidden treasures in a chest, furniture stored in an old loft, you’re thinking about Vintage.

Thanks to this love for handmade things, and for unique and irreplaceable pieces, we have recovered a great deal of lost traditions. We knit and do crochet and bobbin lace making. I know various clubs and societies in which lovers of the art of knitting can get together once a week in order to share patterns and chat about wools, needles, scarves and fabric slippers.

We baked cakes and cupcakes so colourful and detailed that it was a shame to eat them, yet they had come from recipes recovered from our grandmother’s forgotten cookbooks.

The art of calligraphy has returned, we have started to write postcards and cards again, classes are given on how to write with a quill pen or on how to make wax seals. What would make you especially happy, receiving a card by post or by email? In my opinion, especially if the address of the card delivered is written by hand, it would seem as if the best present had just arrived for me.

Vintage photography is a contagious fever. Editing in black and white, sepia or with textures is all but an art that takes us back to the beginning of photography, when each photograph was revealed without really knowing what you were going to find.

Different sensations are recovered and shared. The “Do it Yourself” is in fashion and goes hand in hand with Vintage. You can disconnect, chat and exchange ideas, whether its face to face or over internet forums.

This is the secret of Vintage. You can recover human contact, passionate recoveries and values which had been buried with the passing of years. Manual work, well made things, eye for detail, perfect finishes…

It’s due to this that we like designs from the 20s, 30s, 40s… These years reunite all of the characteristics of which we had previously spoken, each and every one of them belongs to these years. It is because of this that we search for this aesthetic, and that’s why these great designers continue to look at these years when the time comes to launch a new collection.

Vintage is a style marked by the retro exclusivity and by the magic of well made things, that’s why Vintage sells. It has been selling for years and everyday it sells more and more.

We will continue enjoying this style and go with its flow…

Eisenberg

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The Eisenberg Company was founded in Illinois, Chicago, in 1914 by Jonás Eisenberg, an Austrian immigrant who arrived to the United States around 1880.

At the beginning the company only produced high quality women’s clothing; however every one of its dresses came accessorized with a very special piece of costume jewellery. These accessories were brooches hand sewn onto the dress by the company with Swarovski crystals imported from Austria, as well as rock crystal and fake pearls.

The idea was a novelty at the time and managed to change the company’s history.

This detail, which every one of its designs included, created a different look to the rest of the dresses that were being sold at the time, and before long Eisenberg’s designs were nearly more famous for the accessories that they sported than for the actual model itself. His brooches were so sought after that people started stealing them off the clothes. The clients wore the dress’s brooches to show them off on their own pieces of clothing.

This made the company rethink certain things, finally leading to Eisenberg’s first collection of brooches in 1930. Soon after, the collection expanded and started to include necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

Eisenberg has never been a cheap brand. Its pieces have always been distinguished for their quality, design and high price. In the Fifties the prices for the pieces of jewellery were already marked around 10 to 30 dollars.

The first collections of the “Eisenberg Originals” were great designs and loaded with stones. However, in the Forties, due to a restriction on metals during the war, Eisenberg used sterling silver and the pieces became lighter and more detailed. There were rumours during wartime that the diamonds were smuggled into the United States, hidden as precious stones from Eisenberg jewellers, yet this has never been proved.

From 1940 to 1972, Ruth M. Kamke was the chief designer. She practically created all the pieces from the “Eisenberg Ice” and “Eisenberg Originals” brands.

Eisenberg designed so many necklace, earring and bracelet sets in the Forties that they currently reach extremely high prices on the Vintage market.

His motto during the Forties:

“The jeweller’s of the future, so clear and radiant like an iceberg under the light of the sun.”