NO MORE LOST EARRINGS! REALLY!



CHRYSMELA PATENTED ADJUSTABLE EARRING BACKS



Leave it to Japanese technology to solve an old problem:  Lost earrings!  Chrysmela, a Tokyo-based manufacturer, has developed an adjustable earring back for pierced earrings to prevent losing expensive jewelry.

Eri Kikunaga is the founder and CEO of Chrysmela, Inc.  Seven years ago she lost earrings given to her by her boyfriend.  Low quality earrings backs allowed the earrings to slip off.  She set out to engineer the “Chrysmela-catch” technology and now manufactures “the product that women around the world need” according to the company’s press release.

Where were Eri’s backs when I needed them! 

A couple years ago, I bought a one-of-a-kind small pair of vintage diamond earrings. The diamonds were small but extremely white, as in white lightning. One earrings back was very loose.  I made a mental note to replace the back.

I lost that earring the very next morning, somewhere between my bed and the shower.  I’m still looking for it.

According to the PR.Com press release, the Chrysmela patented device can hold thick or thin stems on pierced earrings.

This noteworthy product sells for about $89 US dollars.  I think that it’s worth every penny to secure expensive earrings costing thousands of dollars or earrings that are just plain irreplaceable.

Company sponsored resource:  Chrysmela PR.Com PDF file

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash until next time…

PEARLY WHITES, WHITER AND WHITEST

Smaller white cultured pearls are making a fashion comeback just so everybody remembers that they are still the ultimate power beads.

Mega-size Black Tahitian and Golden South Sea pearl strands are still fashion show-stoppers everywhere from the office to the floor of Congress.  But new white pearl designs with numerous small pearls are a hot jewelry fashion trend.

1. Prada shoes embroidered with small pearls
2. Long, waist-length ropes of white pearls 5-9 mm in diameter
3. Long tassels of baby pearls 3-4 mm in necklace and earring designs
4. Rihanna wearing a boldly pearl embroidered, white cut-out dress in a recent Vogue magazine photo-shoot
5. Multiple pearl bracelets
6. Long chains with pearl stations
7. Dolce & Gabbana’s white pearl accents on purses and belts
8. Don’t forget about pearl sheen nail colors of any shade, like Michelle Obama’s soft blue.

These pearl jewelry styles are not June Cleaver’s pearl looks.  This new white pearl trend is still demure, but it’s coy and sexy at the same time.

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash until next time…

JEWELRY FOR THE COOL (AND COLDER)

It’s back to Chicago’s real, almost year-round, weather:  Cool and getting colder. The temperature is dropping fast, the warm weather was nice while it lasted.

So here are some of my fall jewelry style choices: 

• Wear more jewel tones, like hot, trendy fuchsia and purple;
• Put-on more metal, like the black chains I see worn on the street;
• Wear darker amber jewelry;

• Switch-out blue turquoise cabochons for sapphire blue gemstone jewelry;
• Wear diamond stud earrings-They always brighten up gloomy fall days, no matter how small the carats;
• Sport bigger, thicker earrings and necklaces-Larger sizes are necessary when you have to cover-up with heavier clothing and coats; 

• Match pearls and jade, especially longer strands, with fall clothing’s colors and textures;
•  Switch-out my summer beach watch for a more serious-looking timepiece.

 No, I won't be wearing my white Hawaiian puka shell necklace for a while!

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash until next time…

GO TRIBAL WITH YOUR JEWELRY STYLE!

Masai and other tribal bead looks are  hot jewelry trends right now. Solid red beads or multi-colored strands are quick ways to punctuate a black dress. 

Young Masai Girl in Bead Jewelry



Small, colorful trade beads always brighten-up my day.  Masai  (or Maasi) African tribal bead designs are my favorite because they are so colorful. South African tribal beadwork is extraordinarily intricate, especially the woven necklaces and bracelets.

 

 

BUYING AFRICAN BEAD DESIGNS



Masai Colorful Tribal Bead Designs



If you will be shopping for ethnic-looking bead jewelry, try to acquire authentic and inexpensive African beadwork made in Kenya or South Africa.  This ethnic jewelry is readily available online or at arts and crafts fairs.

The jewelry is handcrafted  by indigenous women who make a living to support their families.

 Why buy poor copies of tribal jewelry  cheaply manufactured 1,000s of miles away from Africa?

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash until next time…

LOOK AMAZING WEARING CONCHOS

You can look amazing and fabulous by wearing blue jeans with a Navajo silver Concho belt.

CONCHO JEWELRY STYLE

A link Concho belt can also look good as a necklace. I team one with oversized Mexican Taxco silver pendants that are too large for ordinary chains.  Long, dramatic statement necklaces are fashionable now.  So there’s no reason not to turn a link Concho belt into statement jewelry.



NAVAJO CONCHO BELT AND BUCKLE



SHOPPING FOR CONCHOS

Authentic silver and turquoise Navajo and other tribal Concho belts are now priced in the stratosphere, ranging from about $400 to over $2,000 for vintage ones. And, silver belts handcrafted and signed by Native American artists are even more expensive.

Some of the antique belts are so expensive that only luxury buyers can consider purchasing them. Other antique belts are cultural artifacts because of their tribal design elements or pictographs and should only be purchased by museum curators, in my opinion.

For the rest of us, it’s lucky that Native American silver crafters and inlay artists are still producing Concho belts. Designs are also available made with silver-tone base metals instead of silver.

You can also buy silver Conchos individually for a DIY Western belt.

CULTURAL LEGACY

Concho belts are perennial American fashion favorites and make a good fashion investment.

Native American jewelry arts will remain an enduring legacy of the success of 1^st Peoples’ cultures for many millennia.

 

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash until next time…

TIME FOR MEN TO DRESS-UP

If you and your guy will be going to a dress-up event like a wedding soon instead of scuba diving, you might want to check out this link: NYT-FACE FACTS  for  a selection of  mens sleek dress watches. Classy watches were featured in The New York Times T Style Magazine “FACE FACTS” on Sunday September 9, 2012. 

These dressy luxury timepieces have thin, lightweight looking watch cases and crocodile leather straps-just the right touch for a full grown man.

Most are plain and clean-looking with only minimal complications. At most, these classy timepieces only have second hand and calendar functions.

The magazine’s watch feature is just in time for the upcoming New York Times “Timecrafters” luxury watch show, September 14-15 in New York City.

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash until next time…

MARY J. BLIGE SPARKLES AT THE 2012 DNC

Music star Mary J. Blige sang a soulful, crowd-stirring version of her dance hit “Family Affair” on the last day of the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Mary J. Blige’s golden voice and golden tresses were highlighted by eyecatching white diamond jewelry.

THE 411 ON MARY'S JEWELS

The Queen of Hip-Hop's beautiful jewelry style included: 

• Diamond tennis necklace, quite elegant 
• Lovely diamond cross pendant
• Diamond doorknocker earrings, finely crafted 
• Diamond bracelet, plus a
• Jaw-dropping diamond ring

My Pinterest board link is http://pinterest.com/pin/238057530274039165/


The gorgeous-looking, sparkling platinum jewelry accessorized Mary’s form-fitting, color-blocked gold, silver and platinum metallic mini dress, worn with gold platform shoes.

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash until next time….

OPRAH’S STYLE RE-WRAPPED

Amazingly, Oprah Winfrey seems to be  able to get even more precious and revealing information from  celebrities, like Rihanna, Kelsey Grammer and rapper 50 cent, now on her new show “Oprah’s Next Chapter” than on her past show. 

 I think that some of increased openness has to do with how Oprah’s clothing and jewelry styles have transformed in recent years, encouraging her guests to relax with her.

OPRAH’S NEW JEWELRY STYLE

• Overall it's bold, hot, and trendy,
• She still wears expensive jewelry, it's just not business or formal looking on the show,
• She appears to wear less jewelry than in the past,
• White ceramic timepiece with a large watch dial and a distinctive case that’s extremely thin
• Green jade disc dangle earrings framed with diamonds
• Long red gold teardrop dangle earrings with a floral diamond design
• Bold yellow gold concave circle statement ring
• Long thick gold hoop earrings
• Dark gemstone bead friendship bracelet
• Bold yellow gold cuff bracelets
• Yellow gold domed crystal cabochon statement ring 

 

OPRAH’S NEW CLOTHING STYLES

On the show, Oprah’s clothes trend toward silk and cashmere separates in soft pure colors like lemon yellow, mint green, coral and sky blue.  So far, there are none of  dramatic reds and purples like in the past.  Frankly, the softer pure colors remind me of the colors that Queen Elizabeth wears.

On one episode, Oprah looks classy just wearing a pressed white shirt with jeans. 

Overall, she now sports a dressy casual look that’s a very comforting style at the same time.

WAS 5O CENT CRYING?

Rapper 50 cent had made controversial comments to the press about Oprah in the past. But he was very reflective and open during his Oprah interview, almost on the verge of tears.

RE-WRAPPED OPRAH STYLE

Maybe Oprah is just a master interviewer who has gotten better over the years while repackaging and re-wrapping her look at the same time.

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash until next time…