Jewelry Boxes - How To Choose The Right Style For Necklaces

If you are looking for a jewelry box that will accommodate numerous necklaces, we recommend a standing chest with a necklace carousel or necklace hooks. The tall chests range in height from 13 to 18 inches. We prefer the necklace carousel because it allows you to store more than one necklace on a hook and it will not diminish your ability to view your necklaces easily. The carousel also twirls allowing you to find what you are looking for quickly. The 2nd is a basic style with 3 to 5 hooks on each side of the box. You can also store more than one necklace on each hook with this style, but you loose the ability to view the necklace towards the back. The height of these chests will allow the necklaces to fully hang without a lot of "bunching" on the bottom.

We do not recommend a smaller jewelry box which allows necklaces to hang in the lid or in the back of the jewelry box. If you have a few necklaces, this style will be fine, but if you have a large necklace collection, this style will quickly become inconvenient. Mele Companies offers a great selection of jewelry boxes that will accommodate large or small collections of necklaces.

Another alternative is an Omega Necklace jewelry case. This type of case offers safe storage for your necklaces in the drawers. Each drawer can accommodate 1 to 4 necklaces, depending on thickness. The necklaces are secured by leather straps which snap into place. Wolf Designs offers a very nice leather Omega Necklace Jewelry Case.

Another alternative is to purchase a style with "open" trays. The "open" tray will allow you to lay your necklaces flat on the tray. You should be able to store approximately 5 to 10 necklaces per tray with this style. This is a great alternative for someone that prefers a smaller jewelry box.

TopShelf MarketPlace provides weekly updates and information on selecting the jewelry box that is right for you or your gift recipient.

Through my online business, TopShelf MarketPlace, I have been selling and marketing jewelry boxes since April 2003. I am knowledgeable in the various styles, finishes and woods, and in the art of choosing the right box to suit our customer's needs. A jewelry box is a piece that will last a lifetime and helping our customers make the right selection is our business.

http://www.topshelfmarketplace.com

Jewelry Making Books Are Ideal To Show You How To Make Your Own Necklaces

If you?ve ever considered making your own jewelry, you can learn all you can on this beautiful art by buying jewelry making books. You can find jewelry books to make all sorts of jewelry, from necklaces to earrings to bracelets and more. Jewelry making books are great if you want fabulous looking jewelry but you don?t want to spend the money it takes to actually buy it.

When you buy jewelry, materials aside, you are being charged for the labor it took to make that jewelry. If you could eliminate the middle man and just make your own from the lessons you received from jewelry making books, you could save a lot of money.

Where Can You Get Materials?

You can get materials for making jewelry in many hobby stores or even online. You can even find many materials for making jewelry inside the jewelry making books. Jewelry making books not only give you instructions for making jewelry, but they also tell you where you can get the various materials you?ll need to make the jewelry that you are most interested in. Whether you?re interested in making gold jewelry, silver, platinum, hemp or any other type of jewelry, there are jewelry making books out there for you and your jewelry preferences.

How Hard Is It?

Making jewelry isn?t hard, it all depends on the type of jewelry you?re looking to make and also the quality of the jewelry making books that you are using. If, for instance, you shop around and take a look at the various jewelry making books on the market, you should be able to find a jewelry making book that makes designing and producing your own necklaces, pendants and more with ease.

In fact, you can even look at reviews people send into bookselling websites to determine if the jewelry making books are worth your time and money. If you can?t trust the company who publishes or sells the books to tell you the truth, you can definitely trust the consumer to tell you which jewelry making books make the cut.

If you?re interested in making your own jewelry, you can just wing it and hope your creations match what you see in your mind?s eye or you can buy jewelry making books and do it the right way. The instructions are easy, as long as you have the materials and chances are you?ll have a blast in the process.

Ann Marier has written many articles on family life and different general health issues. Her latest articles tell you all you need to know about jewelry making as a hobby perhaps even a part time business

The Myth and Mystique of a Black Pearl Necklace

Since recorded history, man has coveted the luminous white gems we call pearls. Revered the world over for their rare beauty, otherworldly sheen and understated elegance, pearls are as popular in modern society as they were with European royals and Egyptian princesses centuries ago. Today, pearl jewelry connoisseurs have a new love: black pearls. Exotic, luxurious and rare, a rich black pearl necklace presents a striking picture?the gems definitely lack the demure, chaste image of their classic white counterparts. For the woman who has everything, a black pearl necklace, whether showcased alone in a pendant or in a perfectly matched strand, makes a wonderful addition to her jewelry collection. Think of how lovely a black pearl necklace will look on any skin tone!

Where do jewelers get the pearls they use in a matched black pearl necklace?

?Black? pearls are also known as ?Tahitian cultured pearls,? but both names are misleading. Not only are Tahitian cultured pearls not exclusively black, they?re also not grown in Tahiti. Called ?black? because of their exotic dark colors, Tahitian cultured pearls can be gray, blue, green and brown. And they?re grown in the lagoons of small islands that are part of a group known as French Polynesia. Tahiti, the largest island, serves as the group?s center of commerce, and not as a pearl growing mecca. Interestingly, fine Tahitian cultured pearls have only been on the market since the 1970s. Yet they have become quite popular in that short time.

Growing Tahitian pearls

Tahitian pearls are cultivated for around two years in Pinctada margaritifera cumingi, a large saltwater mollusk that is native to French Polynesia. One of the ways this unique oyster differs from other species is that its interior shell color is dark. This so-called ?black lipped? oyster also has black mantle edges?the ?lips? that give the animal its descriptive name. Due to overfishing, adult wild oyster populations aren?t as plentiful as they used to be. In an effort to reverse this trend, the government protects the animals; pearl farmers in French Polynesia who wish to culture the black lipped oyster must raise the oysters from spat (baby oysters). If the farmer is successful in nurturing the spat to adulthood, at around two and a half to three years old, the oysters are implanted with mantle tissue and a mother-of-pearl bead to start the pearl growing process. This delicate operation is performed by specially trained workers called nucleators; even so, according to the Gemological Institute of America, more than 50 percent of the oysters die or reject the nucleus.

Literature from GIA says, ?Add those oysters to the ones that don?t meet the implantation criteria: The farmer?s potential pearl-producing stock is less than half the number that lived long enough to be considered for nucleation. When the pearl growth period begins, after three years of work, the farmer has only 20 percent of the oysters he collected as spat.? No wonder a fine quality Tahitian cultured pearl is so rare!

Tahitian pearl growth generally takes place in a closed lagoon that is ringed by coral reefs. Such a setup offers protection and a stable environment for the implanted oysters to complete the pearl-growing process. After the oysters have been submerged for 22 to 26 months, they?re hauled to the surface, where any pearls they managed to grow are harvested. The farmers then clean and lightly buff the gems prior to offering them for sale. Farmers also sort the pearls by color, shape, etc. and grouped with like pearls.

In the end, only one to two percent of the Tahitian cultured pearl crop consists of fine quality round cultured pearls.

Color

Today, the most sought-after Tahitian cultured pearls are dark green-gray to blue gray with ros? or purple overtones. But how do pearls get their color? No one is completely sure, but we do know that pearl colors are determined by several factors, including variations in the host oyster, color variation of the implanted donor mussel tissue, the number and thickness of nacre layers, and variations in growing environment such as temperature and water quality. Tahitian pearls are most often variations of gray, black, green and blue, but other colors exist. Search on the Internet for Tahitian cultured pearl images, and you will see they are not all black!

Buying a black pearl necklace

At an average size of 8mm-14mm, Tahitian cultured pearls?especially those specimens that are gem-quality and round?are very expensive. (GIA estimates that one first-quality, unusually large Tahitian cultured pearl will set you back thousands of dollars!) If only one to two percent of the harvest produces a fine quality round Tahitian cultured pearl, imagine how long it takes to make a matched strand! No wonder a black pearl necklace is so costly. Choose carefully, keeping in mind that pearls with a desirable overtone (secondary color) and pearls that are larger than typical will be more expensive. Look for pearls that are well-matched, not pitted or marked in any obvious way (minor surface characteristics are acceptable). Be sure to check return policies up front, too, in case you have a problem. Ask your retail jeweler for his or her store policy or, if buying online, check the site?s guarantee prior to making a purchase. Once you receive your pearls, be sure to examine them closely. After wearing, store your pearl necklace away from other gems; while fairly durable, pearls are prone to scratching and their nacre will erode over time, especially if exposed to harsh chemicals like bleach, perfume and chlorine. Black pearl necklaces in modern fashion

Although slow to catch on at first, thanks in part to publicity from stars such as actress Elizabeth Taylor, a renowned jewelry collector who wore a striking black pearl necklace in publicity photos for her Black Pearls perfume launch, Tahitian cultured pearls are wildly popular today. It?s not hard to find examples of fine black pearl jewelry in modern society. Look around and you?ll see black pearl necklaces on everyone from businesswomen to moms to Hollywood A-list actresses, models and celebrities. Take Kiera Knightly, for example, who wore a stunning black baroque Tahitian cultured pearl choker at the premier of her movie, The Black Pearl. Stars like Christy Turlington, Naomi Watts, Heidi Klum, Michael Michelle, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Shalom Harlow are also pearl fans.

Perhaps black pearls? popularity is why designers like David Yurman, Elsa Peretti and Paloma Picasso (for Tiffany & Co.) are incorporating stunning black pearls, and even black baroque and black keshi pearls, into modern designs like long chain necklaces, brooches, chokers and charm bracelets. Black pearl drop earrings and pendants are also favorites, as they require little matching?or none at all. Whimsical designs on cufflinks and in popular frog, dragonfly and other animal pins incorporate black pearls as well.

Black pearl necklace alternatives

When most people think of black pearl jewelry, they naturally think of Tahitian cultured pearls. But prices are high for these rare gems, in part due to their large size, unusual colors, and the high cost of producing them. If you want to wear real Tahitian cultured pearls, one way to do so without breaking the bank is to choose a pendant-style necklace with a single pearl; black pearl stud earrings; a single black pearl ring, or black baroque (non-symmetrical) pearls. These designs are every bit as exotic yet much more affordable than a matched black pearl strand.

For customers for whom Tahitian pearl jewelry is beyond reach, there are some inexpensive yet beautiful alternatives to the classic black pearl necklace. Today, freshwater pearls?round, drop, button and baroque?are color-treated to produce a look that closely resembles the hue of Tahitian cultured pearls. The natural-looking result is beautiful and looks great in such pieces as a baroque black pearl bracelet, black pearl drop earrings or black pearl necklace. Every bit as real as their Tahitian cousins, black freshwater cultured pearls? color is man-made, but keep in mind that nearly all pearls are treated somehow (bleaching is the most common enhancement).

If you?re after not only the color but the size of fine Tahitian pearls, consider a black ?pearl? necklace made from black mother-of-pearl beads. Their generous size, lustrous sheen and affordable price make them a popular alternative to a fine Tahitian pearl necklace.

A graduate of the Gemological Institute of America?s Graduate Pearls program, Amy Drescher is a fashion writer and accessories buyer for http://www.moonriverpearls.com She welcomes your questions. Reach her at adrescher@moonriverpearls.com

Tips on Where and How to Procure Discount Pearl Necklaces

Never let yourself believe that having your own pearl necklace is an unreachable dream. With a bit of know-how, there are several ways for you to buy a pearl necklace at a considerable discount!

Synthetic Pearls - Necklaces made of synthetic pearls are usually sold at discounted rates because they're overflowing in the market and they're not as in demand as cultivated or cultured pearls. Synthetic pearls also come in a range of colors, designs, and sizes, so take your time choosing which pearl necklace appeals to you the most and ensuring that you're buying a jewelry piece that people you know are unlikely to own as well.

Wholesale Markets - If you want something to occupy your time and help you earn money at the same time, consider entering the pearl industry as a buyer and seller of pearl necklaces. Search for jewelry wholesale markets in your area and you'll be surprised at the discount rates supplies are offering if you express your intention to purchase their products wholesale.

Of course, your buying trip doesn't have to be 100% about business. Once you've finished choosing and purchasing pearl necklaces, you certainly deserve the right to select one from the lot for your personal use. At times, if you're purchasing a huge quantity of products, you might even be able to persuade the seller to part with a pearl necklace for free, depending on what you have your eye on and how great your persuasive skills are.

Befriending Jewelry Shop Owners and Assistants - The only way to befriend jewelry shop owners and employees is by building a solid reputation as a jewelry buyer. If they see and transact with you often, they'll soon think of you as one of their most loyal customers.

When this happens, they'll soon be willing to offer you discounted rates for their pearl necklaces and contact you ahead of time as well if they're planning to have a sale. That way, you get first pick on everything!

Joining Jewelry Associations - Jewelry associations accept members who are extremely interested in owning, selling, or crafting jewelry pieces. Members of such groups are usually given discounted rates when purchasing all sorts of jewelries - including pearl necklaces of course. These rates are of course lower than what are being offered to non-members.

Buying a Set - You'll have more chances of obtaining a discount for your pearl necklace if you choose to buy a whole set of pearl earrings, necklace, and bracelet. Once you do, the jewelry retailer will be more willing to reduce his price for you.

Direct to the Source - Instead of purchasing pearl necklaces at jewelry boutiques and other distributors, find a way so you can buy pearl necklaces from the original supplier. Be warned however that suppliers mostly sell by the bulk. Nevertheless, if you do find a way to do so, you'll most probably benefit from discounted rates.

Going Online - There are various ways for you to take advantage of discount pearl necklaces in the Internet.

Auction Houses and Bidding Sites - Visit these websites regularly to be the first to know when there's a discounted pearl necklace up for grabs. You may have to register an account in such sites first if you wish to participate. Once you become a long-standing member, the owner of the site may be willing to give you special privileges and first dibs on hot items like discount pearl necklaces.

Jewelry Selling Sites - There are more sites and promotions offered online than in land-based stores so just be patient in browsing the Internet, and you're sure to find a site that's selling discount pearl necklaces.

When buying online, it's imperative that you personally meet with the buyer first to see for yourself if the quality of the necklace is exactly as indicated. If this is impossible, check what type of guarantee the seller is willing to offer in the event that the appearance of the discount pearl necklace doesn't meet your approval.

Discount pearl necklaces can still be of good quality in spite of their reduced rates, so there's no need to feel ashamed of wearing your most recent and precious jewelry acquisition. Pearl necklaces always make women feel beautiful and so shall it be for you as well!

For more information go to: http://www.unlimitedpearls.com www.bestpearlnecklaces.com

Neverkink Garden Hose Reels - The best thing since a pearl necklace, just ask Sharon Stone

Summer time means working outside in the yard. There is always plenty of work to do to make sure your lawn or garden looks nice. Your yard is the face to your house; it's the first thing people see so it's important that you make a great first impression. Unfortunately it takes a lot of hard work outside in the heat of summer to get your lawn and garden to look great. There is watering, weeding, mowing, planting, digging and plenty other activities that make me tired just writing them.

In fact yard can be quite strenuous, did you know that pushing a hand mower burns more calories then an hour on the treadmill at 4 miles per hour. Working in the garden can even be considered a work out, the risk of heart disease declines for each day of 30 minute yard work you perform. But just like a regular workout yard work can cause injuries also. Repetitive movements such as raking or weeding can be very tough on joints like the elbows and wrists, which is something to remember if you spend all day in an office typing or doing other carpal-tunnel like movements. Staying crouched over while working in the garden or pulling weeds can be very hard on the back. Why I am I telling you all of this? It's not because I hate gardening, it's the opposite. I love gardening and I have found the coolest tool to make gardening life easier. It is an automatic neverkink garden hose reel.

Before I said that your lawn was the face to your house, well these new retractable hose reels are the diamond earrings which give your yard that extra glam. The retractable neverkink hose reels come in dozens of different styles so that you can choose the perfect one to match the d?cor of your house. They have models with a wood finish, open and closed styles, plus my favorite a model with a built in sink. You really have to see it to believe it but the hose is hidden neatly on the retractable hose reel underneath a sink and faucet, which can all be hooked up to any out door spigot on your house. This means that for BBQ's or out door parties you can keep a sink outside to make life that much easier. The most impressive of all the features is that all of these new retractable neverkink hose reels retract automatically.

The makers of these automatic hose reels have developed an ingenious device which uses the water pressure of the spigot to retract the hose automatically on all of their retractable hose reel products. There are no more lazy excuses about difficult cranking for leaving the hose on the lawn to be run over by the mower. It is so simple, just flip a switch and the hose will retract all by its self.

Every once in a while a new product comes out that make life easier; this is one of those products. There are plenty of cool videos and animations about retractable neverkink hose reels. In fact you can even see Sharon Stone talk about how she would rather have a retractable hose reel than jewelry, all you have to do is look it up on YouTube. Retractable neverkink hose reels - loved by celebrities, make life easier, improve the look of your yard, and are affordably priced.

Well, what are your waiting for, check out retractable neverkink hose reels now. For more information please visit www.never-kink.com

Efrat is a writer for Compucall-usa.com. For more information please visit http://www.never-kink.com

The Other kind of Jewelry - Metal Bangles, Bracelets, Necklaces and Earrings

Bangles, Bracelets, Necklaces and Earring are ornaments worn by women mainly on their arms, wrist, neck and ears. Men also wear it as fashion symbol. They are made of numerous precious as well as non-precious materials such as gold, silver, platinum, glass, wood, ferrous metals, plastic, etc. Gold made ornaments are usually high cost and silver produced are costly too. Glass based jewelry looks ordinary and plastic simply does not even sounds good. You still have 'Metal' made ornaments, a choice of jewelry that looks great and does not cost as much as gold, silver or platinum..

Metal Bangle, Bracelets, Necklaces and Earrings are widely acclaimed male and female ornaments. These products are often stubbed with precious and semi-precious stones such as diamonds, gems and pearls etc. Metal jewelry looks pleasant and buying it is not a costly affair. If you are looking for a change in jewelry fashion or tired of wearing gold or silver jewelry, Metal Jewelry is the best option available to go for.

Metal Bangles are usually circular in shape and not as flexible as metal bracelets. Metal bracelets can be used as Friendship Bracelets, Sports Bracelets and Charm Bracelets etc. It is a flexible article of jewelry. Solid form bracelets are referred to as bangles or bangle bracelets. Bracelets can be smooth, textured or set with stones. Earrings are often made of metal and are worn on the ear.

Beautiful Metal Bangles & Earring stands and Metal Necklace rack can be used to showcase your jewelry. Having a lot of jewelry can create a mess, there are plenty of display and organizing solutions available. These showcases are beautiful enough to be a decoration itself. A variety of single purpose or multi-purpose jewelry showcases can help you to hold your jewelry with utmost care.

You can visit a jewelry showroom in your area or jewelry online shopping store to buy Metal Bangles, Bracelets, Necklaces and Earrings from a website like www.treasurejewelry.com. Where ever you're buying from, Quality and Cost of the products are two important factors to consider before you buy. You can do the research on your own or visit the online store mentioned above for quality products & best services.

Source:http://www.treasurejewelry.com/article/metal_bangles.htm

Deepak Rajput is the author & co-creator of e-commerce websites and information products. His involvement in developing, marketing and other online businesses for himself and clients is noticiable since 2002. You can also check his blog for SEO & SEM related articles at -- http://www.semflicks.blogspot.com

Cultured Pearl Necklaces

 

Cultured pearls were initially developed for commercial purposes in Japan 100 years ago. Many oysters are now raised on farms for five or six years then removed from their beds. Skilled workers carefully open each oyster and insert a mother of pearl bead and a piece of mantle tissue into the shell. One oyster in three survives the procedure and produces a cultured pearl. These pearls are usually very large in size and precious and make beautiful pearl necklaces.

Nacre accumulates quite slowly in oysters and it takes about three years for a millimeters worth of nacre to accumulate and form a cultured pearl. Some pearl farms in the southern waters from Burma to Australia boast of a faster nacre buildup, in some cases up to three millimeters a year.

Because cultured pearls grow slowly, they are considered very rare and expensive. They make a lovely necklace and offer a more luxurious option for pearl jewelry lovers who do not like to sacrifice quality. Cultured pearls are generally larger in size than freshwater pearls.

The irritant is saltwater pearls is a shell bead nucleus, as well as a piece of mantle tissue. Saltwater oysters tend to die when the nucleus is inserted or when the pearl is harvested. Oysters only grow one pearl at a time. With one oyster in five providing a saleable pearl, price tags can be rather high. Japanese seawater pearls tend to be more expensive than Chinese seawater pearls mainly due to the higher labor costs and the higher quality produced. Japanese seawater pearl necklaces are generally more expensive and rare as compared to Chinese seawater pearl necklaces. Enhanced black cultured pearls are used to create fine royal necklaces. These pearls often come from China and Japan, and are actually white cultured pearls that are exposed to radiation or dyed to produce an even, strong color that lasts for years. Real cultured pearl necklaces need to be handled with care, as they are sensitive to heat and light.

Pearl Necklaces provides detailed information on Pearl Necklaces, Black Pearl Necklaces, Freshwater Pearl Necklaces, Cultured Pearl Necklaces and more. Pearl Necklaces is affiliated with Cultured Pearl Earrings.