Month: July 2024 | Jewel Envy

How to remove oxides and getting rid of tarnish on sterling silver.

July 28, 2024July 31, 2024Jewel EnvyGeneral

All sterling silver tarnishes at some point in time. The easiest method to keep your silver shiny and bright is to keep your jewellery in a jewellery box or a zip lock bag.

Rings that are worn on the fingers often, tarnish slower because of our hand oils and constant movement.

Your jewellery, if left in a washroom, will tarnish faster because of all the moisture in the air.

Now I am going to share with you 2 different methods to remove tarnish from jewellery.

The first is a silver polishing cloth. A silver polishing cloth is 100% cotton and perfect for cleaning your sterling jewellery and silverware too! It works beautifully on gold jewellery too. The cloth has anti-tarnish agents that keeps your jewellery looking shiny for years to come. It is suggested not to wash the cloth.

Last but not least is this. It is magic. Left your silver chain in the washroom and forgot about it and now its all black? No problem! Just follow the instructions on the back and it will be as shiny as ever after. I highly recommend this. BUT! disclaimer: No stones should go into this liquid. No gemstones, no rocks, definitely no opals and pearls! You will damage the stone. Come on down to jewel envy to get your own bottle!

What to do with grandma’s old jewellery

July 27, 2024July 27, 2024Jewel EnvyGeneral

Many people inherit jewellery from family members and sometimes there is great sentimental value attached to these pieces. For sentimental jewellery, you should consult a jeweller on a regular maintenance regime for the pieces so that they can be enjoyed and passed down to future generations.

If your emotions are tied to the loved one who gave you the piece, but not necessarily to the design, gemstones and metals can be used in new designs on which you and your Goldsmith can collaborate.

This can be a great way to remember someone, but allow you to express your own style at the same time through the jewellery you wear. Redesigning can be anything from just changing a setting, making a pair of earrings into a pendant, or a complete overhaul, where stones are cut out, and the metal is melted down to be used in a new piece. When reusing metal remember that a jeweller must add at least 50% new metal to old metal for the best working qualities. This can shift you to a lower percentage for higher karats of gold.

In some cases, the metal simply cannot be reused, but a Goldsmith can sell the material at market value and apply this as a credit to a new design. Goldsmiths will not be willing to do this without the understanding that they will have an order to work on after.
If you do not want to have something made after selling your gold, look for a jewellery store that advertises that they buy gold. They will not buy the goal that market price as they will need to make a profit from selling it at market price.

’20 Tips on maintaining our Jewellery’, Gillian E. Batcher, 2013

New Resident Artist

July 25, 2024July 25, 2024Jewel EnvyGeneral

Hi everyone! I’m Jamie and I am a new resident goldsmith at Jewel Envy. I have recently graduated from OCAD University’s Material Art & Design Program and specialize in forged wire jewellery.

Click the link below to learn more about my thesis work displayed at OCADU’s GradEx 109.

Check out this exhibitor: Jamie Rosario on GradEx 2024! – OCAD U – ePortfolio

Jamie Rosario, Chance, earrings. Forged sterling silver wire. Photo by Jamie Rosario.

Same View, Different Visions

July 14, 2024July 14, 2024Jewel EnvyGeneral

What happens when you ask 6 different artists to make a small, simple pendant on a chain?

You get 6 very different results…

Hayat Rahal –

Maddie Kingston –

Jennifer Trotman, Frekkeldesigns –

Kathy Winfield, Winfield Design –

Jerell Reichert, Urban Metal –

Alexis Kostuk, Glaciale goldsmith

Whether looking for ready-made or custom, you will find a great fit with at least one of our on-site Goldsmiths.

Opals? Wait there’s more!

July 12, 2024July 12, 2024Jewel EnvyGeneral

Do you you have a favourite opal? Have you seen enough types of opal to choose? There are:

Peruvian opal, white opal, Mexican fire opal, boulder opal, black opal, wood replacement opal, Ethiopian opal, semi-black opal, jelly opal, and the list goes on.

Depending on the stone, they can be polished smooth in a cabachon, or faceted, or even carved.

Opals can come from Australia, Mexico, Ethiopia, or Peru. Their stability can depend on how/where they naturally formed, as some can be susceptible to water. Some opals have been shaved thin and attached to glass or another gemstone to make a more affordable option.

At Jewel Envy, we have the experience and expertise to guide you to an option you will absolutely love. Let us know your opal preferences, and we will go from there!

Students and Projects

July 11, 2024July 11, 2024Jewel EnvyGeneral

It’s a bit weird for me to be writing on Thursday (usually I’m doing this some Saturday). The studio is quiet this morning (it’s still early for the goldsmiths!). I was enjoying the quiet and thinking about how my latest class just ended (the 8 week casting class). So, I thought I’d share one of the final student projects from this round with you!

They chose to do a lost wax casting of a ring for their final choice. Wax comes in a few different types, this purple wax is a nice all-purpose one, which worked well for the combination of curves and some sharper points that the student wanted to achieve. Here is the finished wax getting prepped for its tranformation into metal!

Here’s the final piece in sterling silver. It looks pretty great!

Looking to learn some new skills? The next set of 8 week casting classes stars on Wednesday July 24th – run to the website to sign up :). No time at the minute, but really want to learn at some point? Sign up for the newsletter, and find out what’s being offered as they come out.

Gems – Opt for choice

July 10, 2024July 10, 2024Jewel EnvyGeneral

Here at Jewel Envy, we have access to gemstones that can meet your needs, but we also have access to options that you might not think are possible.

Using Sunstone as an example:

Which of the gems in the picture below are true sunstone?

For some people, the large stone on the left is what they have seen in stores and shops as sunstone, goldstone, or “golden sunstone”. It is opaque and consistent, and it is an imitation. If you have not seen the genuine material in various forms, you might miss out on a beautiful piece.

Sunstone is soft, so it is more appropriate as a special pendant than an everyday ring, which requires a stone that is hard to scratch. As typical with other gemstones, the quality can make for dramatic differences in options and price.

When a client is interested in a gemstone or creating a new piece, they can be shy about sharing their budget or personal tastes, but it really does help us to make sure we are offering the best options for the very best result.

It takes experience to sift through all of the different jewellery info out there, so drop by or drop us a line and let us make sure you are on the right path!

Made to order tourmaline rings

July 7, 2024July 7, 2024Jewel EnvyGeneral

All below rings are made to order variations of glaciale goldsmith’s multi tourmaline ring: