“Is it peri-dott, or peri-doh?” the inquisitive August-born asks.

The answer, just like the glowing green color of this gemstone, comes from within. What a perfect gift for those who are loved for who they truly are.

The word has French origin, so most jewellers will drop the t, but we accept both pronunciations.

Drop by Jewel Envy and start your journey to having an exquisite custom peridot piece that shows its inner beauty in any situation.

Barbie and her pearls have always been an iconic image, but here at Jewel Envy, we want to show you that pearls can be for everyone!

Pearls are a great way to add a little extra pizazz to any outfit!

Good quality pearls are also something that you can feel good about with wearing! Today, properly cultured pearls are ethically and sustainably sourced. The most beautiful pearls require the best living conditions which means that the environment in which they are grown in have to be pristine. That means protecting the waters in which they are grown in, and taking care of the animals that produce these marvelous little gems.

Many of our goldsmiths already incorporate the use of pearls in their work, but you can always come in and ask for a custom pearl piece as well!

Acrylic, sterling silver, and pearl earrings by Edna Milevsky and a sterling silver nautilus pendant with a cute little pearl by Aurora Simmons.

More pearl studs and earrings by Edna Milevsky.

Various pearl and gemstone necklaces in both sterling silver and gold by Edna Milevsky.

Lastly, a few tips for keeping your pearls so they last for many years!

1. Pearls should be the last thing that you put on and the first thing that you take off when leaving and returning home. Spray your perfume and hairspray before you put on your pearls in order to protect the nacre from harsh chemicals.
2. Pearls love moisture! So do not store them in an airtight plastic bag or in a safe or safety deposit box! The best place to keep them is wrapped in a soft cloth and then stored in a soft pouch.
3. Maintenance! It is important to restring your pearls every few years in order to keep them looking their best and so you have less chance of breakage. (We offer pearl re-stringing here at Jewel Envy!)

Who doesn’t love a bit of colour, when it comes to jewellery? Mixed metal colours (eg silver/high karat gold), gemstones that make a rainbow, and enamel. Enamel is so fun, and versatile. So, what is it? There are a few things that are considered “enamel” (more about that in a bit), but traditionally, enamel is a silica-based colour– that’s right, it’s glass! This means that, like soft stones, you do need to be a bit careful with it, but the effects are totally worth it.

Another type of enamel, Ceramit, gives a ceramic and glass-like finish, but is used in liquid form, and solidifies at much lower temperature than traditional glass enamel requires to melt. Personally, as a goldsmith, I like the versatility of traditional enamel, as well as the potential for unpredictability, depending on how you use it when making a piece of jewellery!

Come in and explore colour in the retail area at the studio. Or, if you fancy having a try at enameling yourself, come in for a workshop! We do a one day workshop, and if you’re interested, if you don’t see it on the schedule, drop us a line (info@jewelenvy.ca), and we’ll put it up!

Happy Saturday!

The Basics of Jewellery Cleaning

In some of our earlier blog posts, we have covered the basics of jewellery care, including some content on cleaning. There are a variety of methods that can be used to clean your jewellery.

Using a dip may seem like the easiest method. If you choose to use a dip, you must have some knowledge about the jewellery.

Does it have gemstones? If the answer is yes, they need to be non-porous stones. Porous stones will soak up the chemicals. This can lead to discoloration as well as contributing to a complete disintegration of the stone. Some porous stones include pearls, opals, lapis lazuli, turquoise and coral. But there are many more.

You also need to know if your jewellery is plated. Dips work by removing the top layer of a piece which is the metal that has the tarnish on it.. If your pieces are plated, you will remove plating over time with repeated dip cleaning.

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

Want to see other content on Cleaning and Maintaining your Jewellery? See this recent post from May