Thanks for another great year!

Hi all,

We here at Saori C. Jewelry Designs just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year, and to thank all of you for your continued (and increasing!) support that has made this year our most successful ever. We couldn't do it (obviously) without our wonderful customers!

This year saw some changes for us. We upgraded and expanded our production space, which will allow us to increase the breadth and depth of our jewelry offerings starting in 2015. Now that the economy and the metals market have calmed a bit, we will also be introducing more high-end lines and individual pieces for our customers. Keep an eye open for them!

Unfortunately, with every positive comes a negative. Early in the autumn, our beloved shop mascot and doggy friend Peppa the standard poodle passed away after a long fight with cancer. Everyone feels his loss, and we all agree that the shop is just too quiet without him. Still, we know that he is happily running around in Heaven, playing in the snow like he always loved to.

We miss you, Peppa!

Thanks again to everyone for all your help (and for the wonderful kind emails and cards about Peppa), and we are all looking forward to helping you find your perfect jewelry in the new year!

Yours,

Saori

Oppi Untracht and the Jeweler's Bible

We keep lots of great books in the studio library at Saori C. Fine Jewelry but we refer back to the books of metalsmith Oppi Untracht far more than those of any other author. Oppi was (he passed away in 2008) a New York master metalsmith, who wrote what is probably the best all-around jewelry making and metalsmithing guide ever. That book, Jewelry Concepts and Technology (which will run you close to a C-note, but it worth every penny), is the go-to reference and all-around bible for jewelry designers, craftsmen, and manufacturers the world over. It's chock full of the four t's (tools, tips, tricks, and techniques) and no serious jeweler or jewelry designer should be without it. We refer to it at least weekly, and it's certainly the most dog-eared book in our studio.

Oppi also wrote several other great books about specific metalsmithing techniques (Metal Techniques for Craftsmen, Enameling On Metal), and his magnum opus, an amazing book on the techniques, designs, and history of Indian jewelry and jewelry making, Traditional Jewelry of India, which is out in paperback and well worth acquiring.

So if you're looking for some great additions to your jewelry library, or are just getting started and trying to decide in what references to invest your hard-earned money, give the works of Oppi Untracht a look. He won't steer you wrong.

 

 

 

(Pictures from Amazon.)

A New Option For Your Jewelry Clasps

Magnetic Clasps

One of the more recent innovations on the fine jewelry market is magnetic clasps. Although when they were first introduced they had a reputation for being the latest gimmick or fad, lately they have begun to be appreciated as a great help for folks who have difficulty manipulating traditional clasps, especially in cases where arthritis, diabetes, or other conditions could cause difficulty.

At Saori C. Jewelry Designs, we have done several fine jewelry and bridal jewelry pieces with magnetic clasps recently, and have received nothing but positive feedback from our customers about their ease of use. Also, as the market for these clasps grows, many very stylish varieties are now available in many metals and styles.

 

There is one important thing about magnetic clasps that needs to be remembered, though, and that is how to open them. The best way is to open the clasp like you would open an egg you just cracked: holding on to either side and pulling down (not out!) so that the top opens first, then the bottom. This puts torque only on the clasp itself (which is designed to take it), and not on your necklace. You should never attempt to open a magnetic clasp by pulling horizontally on it. The magnet is strong enough that most likely you will break the necklace before the clasp comes apart.

Next up: More about pearls. Stay tuned!

Gold Jewelry Guide

Gold, gold plate, gold-filled, and vermeil. What’s the dilly-o?

While we’re on the topic of materials, another common question we get here is “What’s the difference between solid gold, gold plate, gold-filled, and vermeil? Are they all the same? Which is better?” First, they are not all the same. As to which is better, well, that depends on what you’re looking for and what you want to spend on it.

Solid gold is the most obvious, as the name describes exactly what it is. All gold, no fillers. All gold jewelry pieces we make at Saori C. Jewelry Designs employ only solid gold. Because, by nature, solid gold pieces contain more gold than any of the other three varieties, they tend to be the most expensive.

Of the remaining three, gold plate is the most common and usually the least expensive, as it has the least amount of gold in it. In gold-plated jewelry, an extremely thin layer of gold is deposited on a base metal (often copper or nickel) using electricity (hence the term “electroplating”). Because the layer of gold is so thin, it can easily wear off with heavy polishing. As well, the base metal tends to gradually bleed through the gold layer, and so people with copper or nickel allergies should beware of gold plate.

Gold-filled is the next step up. Gold-filled jewelry is made of a layer of gold pressure-bonded to a base metal. The thickness of the gold layer in gold-filled pieces is regulated by the US government, and can be hundreds to tens of thousands of times the size of those in pieces that are plated. A common mark you would see on a gold-filled piece might be “1/20 14k GF,” which means that the layer of gold is 14 karat and the gold makes up 1/20th of the total piece by weight (the minimum allowed by law). Because gold-filled jewelry contains much more gold that gold-plated jewelry, it can be quite a bit more expensive.

Last, and least common these days, is vermeil. Vermeil is also regulated by the US government, and consists of sterling silver plated in at least 10 karat gold of a specified minimum thickness (2.5 microns, in case you were wondering). There is less gold in vermeil than in many gold-filled pieces, but since the base metal is higher quality (sterling silver), prices can be comparable. However, very few jewelers make vermeil pieces anymore, so if you come across some, you’re most likely antiquing.

Fine Bridal Jewelry

It’s All In The Ingredients


A huge factor in the price of any piece of jewelry is obviously what materials have gone into it. This is especially true in bridal jewelry, where recent trends have tended to favor showier pieces that, to keep them in the average bride’s price range, are being made with less expensive ingredients.

Two of these ingredients you see the most of recently are crystals (frequently transparent) and faux (i.e., fake) pearls. Marketers and such for companies who sell these products will tell brides that they will give them the sparkle of diamonds and the shine of pearls for a fraction of the cost of the real things. This is true, to a point. Cut crystals are definitely sparkly, and faux pearls are white and round, but that’s about where the similarities end. Real, natural pearls have a depth and a luster that faux pearls can’t match. Plus, true pearls are not stark white like many faux pearls are – they have a much softer color. Same is true for crystals – they might look good by themselves, but compared to the real thing (be it diamonds or any kind of genuine gemstones) there’s no contest.

Jewelry like this tends to remind me of actors on stage. They look great from a distance, but get up close and they look a bit unnatural from all the makeup. And that, to me, is the worst part of the whole thing: You shouldn’t have to put your bridal jewelry away after the wedding because it doesn’t look good with anything but your gown and that only while brightly lit. You should be able to enjoy your pieces all the time, however you happen to be dressed and for whatever the occasion. Sure, the real thing is more expensive. But trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

Next up: Gold plate vs. gold-filled vs. vermeil. What the heck do they all mean?

Handmade Earring Guide

Handmade vs. Hand-Assembled: Let’s Talk Ear Wires

What are usually called “French wires” or “French ear wires” are one of the most common accessories to a pair of dangle earrings. They are also almost never made by hand. The vast majority of jewelers will buy these in bulk from a finding manufacturer. Why? Because good ear wires are a hassle to make – expensive and time-consuming. Think about it: you have to cut a piece of wire (silver, gold, whatever) to the correct length, bend the curves in it just so, and then somehow either attach a ring to the end or ball up the metal with a torch so that your dangle won’t slip off. Make a mistake with the torch? Then you either cut off the end and try again, which means the final wire will be shorter than you wanted, or you add the wire to your scrap pile and get another one. Lots of bother.

So why make them by hand? Well, even though it’s a pain, there are a lot of benefits to the customer in a good pair of handmade French wires. The first one is that the size of the wires can be customized exactly to the size of the earrings. If the earring pendant is very small, the last thing you want is a huge ear wire – the back of the wire will hang lower than the earring pendant itself. Same is true conversely – you don’t want a really short wire with a long or heavy earring; it just doesn’t look right, and won’t be comfortable.

Another reason is that making wires by hand allows the jeweler to adjust the stiffness of the wire, most frequently by annealing the metal to the desired strength with a torch after shaping. The ideal wire should be able to flex a bit, but should always spring back exactly into place. If the metal is too hard the wire could snap, if it’s too soft it will easily bend, neither of which are good, and neither of which can be controlled very well with prefab wires.

Next is comfort. Since many pre-made French wires are cut by machine, the end of the wire (the bit you put through your earlobe) can often be rough, or in cases of cheaper wires, even sharp. When making wires by hand, however, the jeweler will take the time to file the tip end of the wire smooth and round, so that there’s no risk of it causing pain when going through the ear.

Now of course, all the extra labor and knowledge that goes into making French wires by hand will tend to increase the cost of the final pair of earrings, and it is the customer’s decision ultimately whether or not it’s worth it. But hopefully now, at least, they’ll know what they’re paying for.

Next time: This series continues as we talk about differences in metal and gem quality and how that affects price. Stay tuned!

Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous 2010!

It's amazing to think that the new year is here already - time has certainly been flying by...

We wanted to start off the new year by sharing a new design, our Whisper Earrings. These are brand new, and not yet listed on http://www.saoric.com/. They're made of beautiful white cultured freshwater pearls, sterling silver, and blue chalcedony - not a stone you see that often, but we really like the delicate glow and color that it lends to these earrings. Hopfully they'll provide a little "whisper" of happiness to start the year. :) If you would like more information about these, please contact us via our Web site!

Welcome to the Saori C. Jewelry Designs blog!

Hi everybody! Welcome to our blog!

2010 will mark the ten-year anniversary of the launching of the Saori C. Jewelry Designs Web site, http://www.saoric.com/. We want to thank all of our customers, friends, and everyone else for their support over the years - we're going as strong as ever, and we couldn't have done it without you!



Please continue to watch this space in the coming weeks and months for news updates, insider's tips, behind-the-scenes looks into our new jewelry lines, and maybe even a contest or two!