Necklaces are more than just pieces of jewellery; they are statements of style and personality. The length of a necklace plays a crucial role in how it complements different outfits and accentuates various necklines. From the timeless choker to the dramatic opera length, each necklace length holds its own significance in the world of fashion. In this guide, we'll explore the common names and characteristics of necklace lengths ranging from 14 inches to 33 inches, offering you a comprehensive understanding of how to choose the perfect necklace for any occasion.
Starting at the shortest end of the spectrum, we have the choker. This necklace length, typically around 14 inches, snugly fits around the neck and rests well above the collarbone. Chokers are known for their versatility and ability to enhance a wide range of outfits, from casual to formal. They add a touch of chic to any ensemble and are a favourite among fashion enthusiasts.
Slightly longer than the choker, the collar necklace at 16 inches drapes elegantly around the base of the neck. It pairs exceptionally well with off-shoulder or boatneck tops, accentuating the neckline and adding a touch of sophistication. The collar necklace is a classic choice for those seeking a blend of subtlety and style.
The princess-length necklace, measuring around 18 inches, is one of the most popular and versatile choices. This necklace sits just below the collarbone, making it suitable for both casual and formal occasions. Its name aptly reflects the regal aura it imparts, making it an excellent choice for everyday wear and special events alike.
The matinee-length necklace falls between 20 and 24 inches, gracefully draping over the bust. This length is ideal for adding a touch of sophistication to your outfit, especially when paired with open-neck tops or dresses. The matinee length allows for creative layering, making it a go-to choice for those who want to make a bold yet refined statement.
For those seeking drama and a touch of vintage glamour, the opera-length necklace is a perfect choice. Ranging from 28 to 33 inches, this necklace can be worn as a single strand or doubled for a layered effect. It elegantly complements high necklines and adds a touch of opulence to evening gowns. The opera length is a favourite among those who appreciate a timeless and sophisticated look.
Necklace lengths are expressions of style and personal taste. Whether you opt for the chic choker, the classic princess, or the dramatic opera, each length has its own unique charm, contributing to the overall style of your ensemble.
At the heart of our brand lies a commitment to making everyone feel special and appreciated through meticulously crafted jewellery. Guided by the values of kindness, integrity, and creativity, we embrace the art of jewellery making as a form of self-expression and connection. Our signature style, defined by clean lines and exceptional craftsmanship, revolves around silver, gold, ethically sourced gemstones, and pearls.
In our little Sechelt studio, every piece of jewellery is born from the hands of the two of us. With a commitment to time-honoured techniques dating back to the origins of jewellery making, we infuse each creation with a sense of history and artistry. Our materials, ranging from silver and gold to gorgeous high-quality gemstones and pearls, are chosen with utmost care, ensuring you are wearing something unique, beautiful, durable, and crafted with positive intention.
Wearability is a guiding principle in our design philosophy. We believe in crafting jewellery that is not only visually stunning but also comfortable and versatile. Our pieces are designed to enhance without overwhelming, allowing you to seamlessly integrate them into your daily life.
Colour is a powerful influencer in our design process. As we delve into the 2024 trends that we love, the Pantone color of the year, "Peach Fuzz," is the starting inspiration for our upcoming collections. This warm and inviting hue resonates with our values, exuding a sense of kindness and creativity. To complement and expand on this delightful shade, we also draw inspiration from oceanic blues and greens, whites, and greys, creating a harmonious palette that reflects the beauty of nature.
In the spirit of individuality, singular focal pendants emerge as a prominent trend in 2024. Our upcoming collections showcase striking pieces that capture the essence of this trend. Think handcrafted pendants featuring captivating gemstones and unique designs that become the focal point of any ensemble.
A continuing trend from 2023, bold and chunky silver pieces, including bangles and cuffs, make a powerful statement in 2024. Drawing on our signature style, we will feature designs that marry elegance with a touch of edginess. Each piece is a testament to our passion for handcrafting artisanal jewellery, creating a bold yet timeless aesthetic.
Earrings take centre stage this year, with designs that demand attention. Our collections will feature standout earrings that celebrate creativity and individuality. From striking gems and unconventional shapes to intricate designs, each pair tells a story, inviting the wearer to embrace their unique style.
Pearls, with their ageless appeal, continue to grace the forefront of fashion. Our pearl collection redefines classic elegance, offering modern interpretations that effortlessly blend with contemporary trends. From dainty stud earrings to statement necklaces, pearls are a symbol of enduring sophistication.
The art of layering necklaces reaches new heights in 2024. Our upcoming collection explores this trend with a diverse range of layering chains. Embrace the freedom to mix and match, creating personalized combinations that reflect your style and personality.
Inspired by the Pantone colour of the year, our Just Peachy Collection radiates warmth and sophistication. Explore a range of handcrafted pieces taking "Peach Fuzz," as their starting point. From delicate peach pearl earrings to incredible statement necklaces, look forward to designs that seamlessly blend craftsmanship with creativity.
Embark on a journey through time with our Fossil Gemstones Collection. Each piece features dazzlingly unique fossil gemstones, telling a story of the Earth's rich history. From dinosaur bone and ammonite pendants to opalized fossil wood earrings, this collection is a testament to the beauty of ancient treasures.
Step into a world of captivating colours and patterns with our Scenic Wonders Jewellery Collection. Featuring gemstones with interesting and unusual natural colours and patterns, this collection invites you to explore Mother Natures' amazing offerings.
Define your style with our Layering Chains Collection, a celebration of versatility and personalization. Mix and match a variety of chains to create unique combinations, expressing your individuality with every layer. From dainty to bold, this collection invites you to embrace the art of layering.
Opals take the spotlight in our Opulent Opals Collection. Known for their mystical charm, opals will adorn rings, earrings, and necklaces. Each piece celebrates the enchanting play of colours within these mesmerizing gemstones.
Channel the tranquility of turquoise with our Turquoise Bliss Collection. Known for its calming hues, turquoise takes center stage in earrings, rings, and necklaces. Each piece is a celebration of nature's soothing embrace.
As we look forward to the diversity of jewellery trends in 2024, our commitment to craftsmanship, creativity, and customer satisfaction remains unwavering. Join us on this journey of self-expression, where every piece tells a story and celebrates your uniqueness.
Discover the delight of handcrafted jewellery that transcends fleeting trends with timeless pieces that resonate with the essence of who you are. Stay tuned for our upcoming collections, where we invite you to explore, indulge, and make a statement with jewellery that goes beyond the ordinary.
We can't wait to share these exciting trends and collections with you, fostering a community that appreciates the artistry and beauty of handcrafted jewellery. From the bottom of our hearts: thank you for being a part of our journey!
Get first pick of our upcoming collection launches-join our Inner Circle community today!
]]>Get ready to fall head over heels jewellery lovers! In this blog post, we are embarking on an awe-inspiring journey into the mesmerizing world of opals. These captivating gemstones have bewitched us for centuries, and it's no wonder why. Opals are renowned for their iridescent play of colours, which creates an enchanting dance of light that has left people spellbound since ancient times. In fact, in ancient Arabic folklore, opals were thought to have fallen from the heavens during lightning storms.
Let's delve into the fascinating realm of opals, exploring their types, colours, history, and care, and discover why they stand apart from other gemstones in their unique creation process.
1. Australian Opals:
First on our list is the renowned Australian opal, often considered the queen of opals. Australia is the world's primary source of opals (accounting for approximately 95% of the worlds opal supply), and these stunning gems come in various types, including white opal, black opal, boulder opal, and crystal opal. The classic white opal is known for its delicate pastel shades, making it a popular choice for jewellery.
2. Boulder Opal:
Boulder opals, found only in Queensland, Australia are distinctive for their intriguing matrix, as they form naturally on ironstone boulders. These gems combine the beauty of precious opal seams within the rugged charm of their natural host rock, creating stunning and organic patterns.
3. Ethiopian/Welo Opals:
Ethiopian opals, also known as Welo opals, have gained significant attention in recent years. These opals display a captivating play of colours and often possess an internal fire that seems to originate from within the gemstone itself. They come in a variety of colours and patterns, and their unpredictability only adds to their allure.
4. Mexican Fire Opal:
The Mexican fire opal is a true representation of its name. With its fiery orange and red hues, this opal gemstone exudes warmth and passion. Unlike some other opals, Mexican fire opals are typically transparent or translucent, which allows light to pass through, intensifying their fiery brilliance.
5. Mexican Cantera Opal:
Mexican cantera opal is a special type of Mexican fire opal. Cantera means "quarry" in Spanish, revealing the make-up of these opal gems. The fire opals found within this rhyolite host rock and are too difficult to extract so gem cutters include the host rock. These gems feature a charming pinkish or grey host rock with a fire opal window.
6. Peruvian Pink Opal:
Peruvian pink opals are a delicate and soothing gemstone renowned for their soft, blush-pink hues. Mined in the Andes Mountains of Peru, they are prized for their tranquil energy and are often associated with emotional healing and love. This opal variety is cherished for its gentle, harmonizing qualities.
7. Peruvian Blue Opal:
Peruvian blue opals stand out due to their captivating blue shades, reminiscent of serene ocean waters. These opals are known for their tranquility-inducing colours, which evoke a sense of calmness and peacefulness. A relatively rare gem, Peruvian blue opals are only found in the Andes Mountains of Peru.
8. Owyhee Blue Opal:
Owyhee blue opals, named after the region they were first discovered in Oregon, USA, display a mesmerizing soft blue hue. They are often cut into cabochons (and take very well to a rose-cut) to showcase their ethereal beauty and are highly sought after by collectors.
Are there other types of opals? Yes, you bet. This isn't an exhaustive list, just a list of some of our favourites here at Mikel Grant Jewellery.
When it comes to opals, there are three main categories: solid opals, opal doublets, and opal triplets.
1. Solid Opals: Solid opals are 100% natural opal gemstones. They are formed through a natural process over millions of years and are prized for their pure opal composition. Solid opals come in various types as we've seen above, each with its own unique play of colours and patterns.
2. Opal Doublets: Opal doublets consist of two layers—the top layer is a slice of natural opal, and the bottom layer is usually uncoloured common opal or ironstone. These layers are bonded together to enhance the opal's colours and protect the delicate opal top layer. Doublets can be a more affordable option, and they offer similar visual appeal to solid opals.
3. Opal Triplets: Opal triplets are the most affordable option among opal jewellery. They consist of three layers—the top layer is a cap of protective quartz or glass, the middle layer is a thin slice of natural opal and the bottom layer is a black backing. This combination intensifies the opal's colours, but triplets are more susceptible to damage and may not have the same durability as solid opals or doublets.
*A note about doublet & triplet opals: since they consist of layers of that are glued together, one should never soak these kinds of opals in water as it can separate those layers, destroying your opal.
Opals have a unique formation process that sets them apart from other gemstones. Opals are amorphous or non-crystalline gemstones unlike most other gemstones, like diamonds or sapphires, that are crystalline in nature with their atoms arranged in repeating patterns.
Opals are primarily formed in sedimentary rock environments. They result from the percolation of silica-rich water through rock crevices and cavities. As the water evaporates, it leaves behind solid deposits of silica which eventually harden into opals. This is quite distinct from many other gemstones, which form through various intense geological processes like crystallization in igneous or metamorphic rocks under immense pressure and temperature.
The play of colors in opals occurs due to the arrangement of these silica spheres within the gemstone. When light enters the opal, it refracts and diffracts off these spheres, producing the mesmerizing spectral colours we adore.
Opals display a wide range of colours, including hues of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and pink, all due to the diffraction of light, making them truly enchanting gemstones.
Opals have a rich history dating back thousands of years. They have been prized by ancient civilizations, including the Greeks and Romans. The first recorded opal discovery was in Roman times when the gem was referred to as the "Cupid stone." In the Middle Ages, opals were considered a symbol of hope and purity, and they were highly valued for their unique beauty.
Ancient Beliefs:
The opal's captivating play of colour has long been associated with magic and mysticism. The Romans believed it was the most powerful of all gemstones and the most potent symbol of hope and purity as it encompassed the beauty of every gem. However, opals also bore a reputation for being unlucky in certain cultures, especially during the Middle Ages when superstitions arose, possibly due to their shifting colours being associated with witchcraft.
Aboriginal Australian Lore:
Opals hold significant cultural and spiritual importance for the Aboriginal people of Australia, particularly for the native people around the area where opals were first discovered. According to their mythology, opals were created when a rainbow touched the earth, leaving the colorus trapped within the stone. Opals were regarded as sacred and held deep spiritual connections to their ancestors.
Birthstone and Superstitions:
Opal is the birthstone for October, and it is believed to bring good luck, happiness, and prosperity to those born in that month.
Healing Properties:
Opals were believed to have various healing properties in ancient civilizations. They were thought to enhance one's creativity, emotional stability, and intuition. Opals were also considered to be beneficial for eyesight and were used in traditional medicine as remedies for various ailments.
Love and Passion:
Opals have long been associated with love, passion and desire, making them a popular choice for engagement rings. In ancient times, opals were considered to be tokens of love and affection. They were often exchanged between lovers as a symbol of loyalty and desire. Additionally, opals were believed to have the power to rekindle the spark in a relationship and strengthen emotional bonds. Queen Victoria's love for opals contributed to their popularity during the 19th century.
Cursed Opals:
There are several famous historical instances where opals were believed to bring misfortune and tragedy to their owners. One such example is the "Black Prince's Ruby," a red spinel mistakenly believed to be an opal. The stone's alleged curse stretches back to the 14th century, where it is said to have brought doom upon some of its owners, including Edward, the Black Prince, who died under mysterious circumstances.
Opals have a long history of being associated with various traditional gifts and celebrations. Their unique play-of-colour and vibrant appearance make them a cherished and meaningful choice for special occasions.
Birthstones:
Opal is one of the traditional birthstones for the month of October (the other being tourmaline). The stone is believed to bring happiness, luck, and prosperity to the wearer. Opals, with their dazzling colours and iridescence, make for a personalized and thoughtful gift for those born in October.
Wedding Anniversaries:
Opals are traditionally associated with the 14th wedding anniversary. The opal's vibrant colours are seen as a representation of the changing and multifaceted nature of love over time. It symbolizes passion, romance, and enduring emotional connections, making it a meaningful choice for couples celebrating many years of marriage.
Lucky Charms:
Opals have been considered symbols of good luck and protection in various cultures throughout history. In ancient times, they were believed to possess magical properties and were thought to bring fortune to the wearer. As a result, opals have often been given as talismans or lucky charms on special occasions, such as graduations, new beginnings, or important milestones in life.
Engagement and Wedding Rings:
While diamonds are historically the most popular choice for engagement and wedding rings, opals have been gaining popularity as unique and unconventional alternatives. Opal engagement rings and wedding bands offer a distinct and eye-catching aesthetic. They are perfect for couples who appreciate non-traditional designs and want to showcase their individuality and love through a distinctive gemstone choice.
Opals are relatively soft gemstones compared to others on the Mohs scale, which measures a gem's hardness. Opals generally range from 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, making them susceptible to scratching and damage. Opals are also a porous gemstone, meaning that they will readily absorb whatever they are in contact with. This means that opals require gentle handling and proper care to maintain their beauty over time.
To ensure the longevity and beauty of your opal jewellery, consider the following care tips:
Put your opal jewellery on only after applying perfumes and lotions and take your jewellery off before washing dishes, showering, swimming etc.
Congratulations! You've now become well-versed in the captivating world of opals.
These iridescent gems, born from a magical combination of water and silica, have woven their way into human history, culture, and hearts for millennia. From the enchanting play of colours to the diverse types they manifest in, opals are truly nature's artwork. As you admire and wear your opal jewellery, remember the care they deserve to maintain their timeless beauty.
So, whether you're drawn to the fiery passion of Mexican fire opals or the serene tones of Peruvian or Owyhee blue opals, may opals continue to cast their spell on you, lighting up your life with their kaleidoscopic brilliance🌈✨
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In today's world, filled with fleeting fashion trends and mass-produced accessories that clutter our drawers, there's something enchanting about the idea of curating a jewellery collection that transcends the seasons and stands the test of time. That's precisely what we strive for at Mikel Grant Jewellery, where every piece is meticulously handcrafted with love, integrity, and a commitment to sustainability. Our jewellery isn't just adornment; it's a reflection of who you are and what you value.
The Essence of Mikel Grant Jewellery
In the heart of our little studio in Sechelt, BC, nestled away from the hustle and bustle, we are more than just a jewellery brand - we are artisans who pour their hearts into every piece, ensuring that you receive not just jewellery but wearable art. We believe that your jewellery should be comfortable, beautiful, and timeless, reflecting your personality and life's precious moments. With a passion for craftsmanship, our collections have grown to include a diverse range of designs, each with a unique story to tell.
Creating a jewellery capsule wardrobe is about quality over quantity. By carefully selecting essential pieces that can be mixed and matched, you can effortlessly enhance your style and create a cohesive, versatile collection of accessories that reflect your unique personality and fashion sense.
The goal is to have a concise selection of jewellery items that complement your lifestyle, simplify your accessorizing choices thereby reducing decision fatigue, and ensure that you always have the right piece of jewellery to complete your outfit.
A jewellery capsule wardrobe is a practical and stylish approach to accessorizing.
In a world where fast fashion prevails, we advocate for quality over quantity. Invest in a capsule jewellery wardrobe built on pieces that last a lifetime, not a season. Each Mikel Grant Jewellery piece is created with the utmost care and thoughtfulness. Our pieces are created in nickel-free .925 sterling silver, 14K & 18K gold and 14K gold fill as well as high quality gemstones and pearls.
Your capsule wardrobe should consist of versatile classics that effortlessly blend with your everyday and special occasion wear. Consider classic styles like simple stud earrings, stylish hoop earrings, everyday necklaces, minimalist bracelets, a few staple rings and bolder statement pieces.
Dress these up or down and seamlessly transition from the office to a dinner date.
Select pieces that can be layered or combined in various ways to create different looks. Our Stacking Rings and Bangles perfectly embody the mix-and-match philosophy of a capsule wardrobe. Stacking rings can be worn in numerous different combinations by themselves or alongside statement rings.
Combine your bangles with chain bracelets or cuffs for an eclectic look.
Layer shorter and longer pendants and necklaces together for a fabulously boho chic look.
Experiment with combinations that express your creativity and mood. Don't be afraid to mix and match metal textures and colours. These pieces can be the building blocks of your daily look.
Every capsule wardrobe deserves a few statement pieces that light a spark in you or hold special meaning, and at Mikel Grant Jewellery, we're experts at crafting jewellery with meaning.
Many of our signature collections such as our Love Knot and Coast Collections are meaningful and symbolic of your cherished relationships and life's joyful moments.
Add a touch of magic to your wardrobe with our one-of-a-kind statement creations. These pieces not only make you stand out but also hold a special place in your heart. They're reminders of your unique journey though life.
Every piece in your capsule wardrobe should reflect your values as well as your style. At Mikel Grant Jewellery, we take pride in using ethical gemstones and pearls sourced from trusted suppliers. We prioritize responsibly sourced metals, predominantly recycled, to ensure that your jewellery not only looks stunning but also aligns with your values. We craft heirloom quality jewellery, not disposable fast fashion.
Our commitment to sustainability means that you can shop guilt-free.
Consider your daily activities, style, preferences, and the occasions you frequently attend.
Choose pieces that resonate with you and make you feel confident and comfortable.
With our wide range of collections, you can tailor your capsule to suit your unique needs.
Stunning Stud Earrings: Subtle Beauty for Every Day
Stud earrings are the good things that come in small packages. They effortlessly transition from casual to formal, adding a touch of class to any outfit. From delicate pearls to minimalist ball studs and hearts, our stud earrings are designed to make you feel your best every day. Stud earrings are the perfect companion, easily blending with any outfit, whether you're wearing jeans and a t-shirt or a little black dress.
Elevate Your Style with Hoop Earrings
Hoop earrings are versatile, bold, and an essential addition to any jewellery collection. Designed with comfort and style in mind, our collection of hoop earrings tastefully complement your daily attire. Explore our diverse range of hoop earrings to find the perfect pair that resonates with your personality and style. Make these a staple in your jewellery capsule wardrobe.
Everyday Necklaces: Your Well-Worn Favourites
Ground your jewellery capsule wardrobe with an everyday necklace. These go-to pieces are the unsung heroes of your collection. There's something really comforting about putting on your favourite, well-worn everyday necklace. Our handcrafted designs, thoughtfully created for comfort and style, add a note of reassurance to your day. Whether it's a meaningful piece from our Love Knot Collection or a versatile Coast Collection necklace, these everyday necklaces are the mainstays of your capsule collection.
One-of-a-Kind Necklaces for an Effortless Style Statement
At Mikel Grant Jewellery, we revel in creating one-of-a-kind pieces that are as unique as you are. Our singular artisan necklaces are a testament to the creativity and craftsmanship that define us. We source gorgeous gemstones, use mixed metals, and varied finishes and textures to create bespoke jewellery that reflects your personal style. Each piece tells a story and is designed to make you feel your absolute best.
A statement necklace can instantly transform a basic outfit into a fashion statement. Invest in a piece that reflects your personal style, whether it's a chunky chain necklace, a pendant with a meaningful symbol, or a colourful gemstone necklace. Versatility is key, so select pieces that can be dressed up or down.
Layering Necklaces: Casual Elegance with Endless Combinations
Layering necklaces is about finding the balance between style and individuality. It's an art where you become the artist, and your necklaces are your canvas. Create a subtle, sophisticated look for your professional meetings by layering delicate chains of different lengths and metals or opt for a bolder, more playful arrangement by pairing a simpler design with a colourful gemstone necklace for a night out with friends. The possibilities are endless, ensuring that your capsule wardrobe remains fresh and dynamic.
Meditation Rings for Serenity
Amid the chaos of modern life, our Meditation Rings are designed to bring you moments of serenity and solace. As you mindfully spin the outer bands, find your inner peace. These rings are more than jewellery; they're your personal refuge.
Gemstone Statement Rings: The Art of Self-Expression
A capsule jewellery wardrobe should include at least one standout piece that reflects your uniqueness and style. Our Gemstone Statement Rings do exactly that. Each ring is a work of art, showcasing stunning gemstones that captivate the eye and stir the soul. These rings are wearable statements of confidence and individuality. Whether you're celebrating a milestone or simply expressing your personality, our Gemstone Statement Rings are the perfect addition to your capsule wardrobe.
Dainty Bracelets: Subtle Elegance for Your Wrists
In our pursuit of the perfect jewellery capsule wardrobe, we can't overlook the charm of dainty bracelets. These delicate adornments add a touch of subtle grace to your wrist. Whether worn individually or stacked alongside your other pieces, our dainty bracelets are designed for comfort and flair, ensuring you feel effortlessly beautiful in any setting.
Cuff Bracelets: Comfortable Confidence
For days when you want to make a bold statement, a cuff bracelet is your go-to accessory. Their sleek lines and striking presence make them ideal for instantly elevating your look. At Mikel Grant Jewellery, we understand the charisma of a well-crafted cuff bracelet. Our designs are a fusion of creativity and comfort, ensuring that your bracelet is not just a fashion statement but also an expression of your unique style. Slip on a cuff bracelet to instantly elevate your look, whether it's a power meeting or a weekend brunch.
Pearls of Wisdom and Beauty
No jewellery capsule is complete without pearls. Our Pearl Collection celebrates the ageless allure of pearls. Whether classic white or uniquely hued, pearls have an enduring charm and timeless elegance that complements any outfit. From a casual meeting with clients to a romantic dinner, pearls are versatile and effortlessly beautify your style. They are the epitome of understated sophistication.
Solid Gold Jewellery: Timeless Luxury
Solid gold jewellery is the embodiment of modern luxury. Incorporating a few high-quality solid gold pieces into your capsule wardrobe is a timeless choice. At Mikel Grant Jewellery, we offer a curated selection of meticulously crafted solid gold jewellery that harmoniously complements our silver collections. From classic gold studs to elegant gold rings and pendants, these pieces speak to luxury and sophistication. The best part? They're designed to last for generations, making them an heirloom-quality addition to your capsule wardrobe.
Stack 'Em Up: Endless Possibilities
Versatility is the cornerstone of a capsule wardrobe, and our mix and match Stacking Rings and Bangles offer endless possibilities. Create your unique combinations, layering metals and textures to match your mood and style.
Your jewellery capsule wardrobe isn't just about aesthetics; it's about wearing your values. Each piece from Mikel Grant Jewellery embodies the values of kindness, integrity, and creativity. Our commitment to using recycled metals and ethical gemstones aligns with your dedication to a more sustainable and responsible lifestyle.
You deserve to shine and the jewellery you choose should empower you to feel your best. With our handcrafted jewellery, you don't just wear accessories; you wear stories, memories, and artistry. Your capsule wardrobe isn't just a collection of jewellery; it's a reflection of your unique journey through life.
In a world that's constantly changing, Mikel Grant Jewellery stands for timeless beauty. Your capsule jewellery wardrobe is a testament to your enduring style and values. Cherish it, luxuriate in it, and let it inspire you to go out into the world and do your best, knowing that you're wearing a piece of art that's as unique as you are.
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Summer is a season of joy, ease, adventure, and exploration, making it the perfect time to showcase your personal style with beautiful and versatile jewellery pieces. Whether you're lounging on the beach, enjoying a cozy cabin retreat, or embarking on exciting summer travels, the right jewellery can elevate your look and add a touch of class to any outfit.
Let us take the guess work out of it and find you easy-to-wear pieces suitable for all your summer fun, from swimming and hiking to brunching and garden parties.
Let's dive into our fave summer picks - the best jewellery for your summer escapades!
When it comes to beach vacations, simplicity and functionality are key. The last thing you want is to worry about losing precious jewellery in the waves. Opt for lightweight, comfortable pieces that can withstand the elements. Our Breathe Studs, Breathe Trio Bracelet and Breathe Trio Necklace are the perfect fit! Featuring clean lines and durable sterling silver these sparkling pieces will add a touch of charm to your beach ensemble while ensuring you're ready for any aquatic adventure.
For those seeking refuge in a cozy cabin in the woods, choose jewellery that reflects the rustic ambiance while adding a touch of elegance to your relaxed attire. A perfect addition to your cabin getaway wardrobe is our Silver Leaves Bracelet. This handcrafted bracelet features hammer textured silver leaves that have been slightly domed to fit your wrist most comfortably. This piece will evoke the tranquility of nature and create a seamless connection between you and your surroundings during your fireside retreat.
Summer is the ideal time for outdoor adventures, and your jewellery should complement your active lifestyle. Opt for versatile pieces that can withstand the rigours of hiking and exploring while still looking stylish. Choose earrings that won't fall out, like our Love Knot Studs in sterling silver or 14K gold. Smaller pendants work well, especially in shorter lengths like 16" or 18". Our Love Knot Necklaces in sterling silver and 14K gold hit just the right balance. As for rings, opt for something low profile and durable such as our Love Knot Trio Ring in sterling silver or 14K gold.
The pieces in our Love Knot Collection are not only stylish but also easy to mix and match, making them a perfect companion for your summer escapades.
Brunches are a quintessential part of summer, and your jewellery should effortlessly elevate your daytime outfits. And what says easy elegance more than pearls? As Jackie Kennedy said, "Pearls are always appropriate."
Our handcrafted Silver Baroque Pearl Circle Drop Earrings will add just the right finish to your brunch look. Whether you're sipping mimosas on a rooftop terrace or enjoying a leisurely brunch by the beach, these earrings will add a touch of sophistication to your ensemble.
Vacations often involve spontaneous adventures, so it's essential to have jewellery that can keep up with your on-the-go lifestyle. Our handcrafted collection of minimalist rings and bangles offer the perfect solution. These dainty yet chic rings and classic gold & silver bangles can be stacked, mixed, and matched to create a look all your own, ensuring you look effortlessly put together no matter where your journey takes you.
As the sun sets over the horizon, painting the sky in a mesmerizing array of colours, you'll want to be adorned with jewellery that complements the warm glow of the evening. Our brand new Gold Disc Hoop Earrings radiate style and warmth. These earrings will add a touch of magic to your beach sunset escapades, making you feel like you're capturing a piece of the sun's radiance within your jewellery.
As the sun sets, and the warm summer nights arrive, it's time to embrace a touch of ethereal elegance. Choose gemstone jewellery pieces that exude a captivating glow under the moonlight. Our one of a kind jewellery collection features stunning pieces adorned with vibrant gemstones like moonstone, labradorite, and amethyst. These pieces will add a mystical allure to your evening attire, perfect for romantic dinners or stargazing by the beach.
As we embark on our summer journeys, it's important to make sustainable choices to protect the environment we're exploring. Opt for eco-friendly jewellery crafted from recycled materials and sustainably sourced gemstones.
Rest easy knowing that at Mikel Grant Jewellery, our handcrafted collections offer stunning pieces made from recycled metals and ethically sourced gemstones, allowing you to make a positive impact while looking fabulous during your summer adventures.
Our Coast Jewellery Collection, inspired by west coast beaches, was designed to connect you to a feeling of ease & contentment, of lazy days wandering along the shoreline.
The perfect eco-friendly summer jewellery✨
While trendy jewellery can be fun, savvy collectors invest in timeless pieces that will stand the test of time and become cherished heirlooms. Our handcrafted collections include elegant pearl jewellery, gold earrings, necklaces & rings, and luxe silver jewellery that never go out of style. These investment pieces will elevate your summer looks for years to come and hold sentimental value as they accompany you on countless adventures.
Amidst the blooming flowers and twinkling fairy lights, garden parties offer a magical setting that calls for enchanting jewellery to match.
Garden parties often encourage mingling and meeting new friends, making it an ideal occasion to wear conversation-starting pieces. Choose statement pieces featuring striking gemstones and unique designs that reflect your vibrant personality and spark lively interactions.
With our selection of gorgeous one of a kind jewellery, you'll be ready to embrace the enchanting atmosphere of a garden party. Whether you're attending an intimate soirée or a grand celebration, let your jewellery reflect the magic of the moment and leave a lasting impression of unique personal style and charm.
So, indulge in the allure of garden party glam and revel in the joy of summer's most enchanting gatherings.
Now for everyones least favourite answer: It depends:)
●Swimming in the ocean or lakes is totally fine for pieces that are made entirely of silver, gold or gold-fill. Meaning: pieces that do not contain pearls or gemstones.
●If your jewellery has vulnerable gems like pearls, opals or turquoise, we suggest you take it off to swim.
●Do not swim in chlorinated pools or hot-tubs with your jewellery: chlorine is not a friend to your jewellery. It can discolour your metals and destroy some gemstones.
●After swimming, you should rinse off your jewellery in clean water and dry on a soft towel to keep it nice and shiny.
Yes, you bet!
Just make sure to give your jewellery a quick clean before putting it away as sweat can accelerate the tarnishing process.
For most pieces this will simply involve a quick rinse in warm water with mild dish detergent followed by a thorough drying.
See our handy guide to cleaning all your jewellery, including pieces that contain gemstones.
We recommend keeping your jewellery in a travel case. Designed to keep your jewellery dry, separated & tangle free and safe from scratches, these cases are a must have.
Slim, pretty and well-organized, these clutches will slip right into your purse, beach bag or luggage and will easily keep your jewellery organized and in good shape all summer long!
Nope, not really. Most jewellery doesn't like contact with chemicals and sunscreen is no exception.
For jewellery that is entirely made of silver or gold (ie. no gemstones or pearls) it's probably okay as long as you make sure to rinse it off well in warm water with mild dish detergent and then dry them after wear.
For jewellery that contains gemstones, sunscreen is not a friend. Especially vulnerable gems like pearls, opals and turquoise. These gems are porous and can absorb chemicals that can damage them irreparably.
Use the "Last on, First Off" rule of jewellery wear and put your sunscreen on first and your jewellery on last.
Again, it depends.
●If your jewellery is made entirely of silver, gold or gold-fill, it's no problem at all.
●If your jewellery contains gemstones this could be a problem if you are going to be in prolonged contact with the UV rays from sunlight.
●UV rays can be damaging to certain gemstones and can cause their colour to fade. As always, the more vulnerable gems like pearls, opals and turquoise should be kept away from lengthy exposure to the sun.
●Additionally, gems like topaz, gems in the Beryl family like aquamarine and morganite and gems from the Quartz family like amethyst, citrine and rose quartz can all lose their vibrant colours if exposed to the sun for too long.
So, feel free to go about your day wearing your gemstone jewellery, but put it away if you are going to be out in the sun for a long time. Save these pieces for evenings out or fall & wintertime.
Summertime is all about embracing adventure and creating lasting memories. With the right handcrafted jewellery pieces, you can elevate your summer style while still enjoying the freedom to explore and indulge in various activities. From beachside bliss to cabin coziness, and from hiking and exploring to garden party glam, our jewellery collections offer versatile, go-anywhere pieces that transition seamlessly from day to night.
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Assembly is the process of creating jewellery by joining different components together. It involves meticulously arranging gemstones, beads, and metal elements to form a cohesive design. This technique requires a keen eye for detail and a creative mind, as each piece must harmonize seamlessly with the overall aesthetic. From delicate necklaces to intricate bracelets, assembly allows for endless possibilities in jewellery design. Assembly is where jewellery artists generally begin their journeys. Many a jeweller has started out by stringing beads together to create bracelets and necklaces, gained a passion for jewellery making, upleveled their skills and transitioned to metalsmithing and fabrication.
As an aside: my journey to jewellery making was a little bit different. Read about it here: How a Biologist Transformed Into a Jewellery Artist
Casting is a method where molten metal is poured into a mold to create a specific shape or design. Casting is a great technique for creating complex designs and detailed, intricate shapes that would otherwise be too difficult to hand fabricate. This technique enables us to consistently reproduce shapes & patterns.
To begin with, a wax model is created that represents what the final metal piece will look like. These wax models can be carved by hand or machined (either with CNC machines or 3D printers).
Once the wax is created it is used to make a mold. This can either be a one-time-use process or can be used to create a rubber or silicone mold that can replicate the same piece over and over. In the case where multiple pieces of the same design are desired, numerous waxes are produced and joined together on what is called a "tree". This tree is then covered with a special casting material (usually a mixture of plaster and silica). This material hardens, creating a negative impression of the pattern, also known as a mold.
[The term "mold" can be a bit confusing as it is used to refer both to the rubber/silicone mold made from a wax model as well as to the plaster/silica mold that is created from a one-time-use wax or from a wax "tree".]
The waxes are then burned out of the plaster/silica mold in a kiln leaving a cavity that will be filled with molten metal during the casting process.
Now, casting can begin. The desired metal, such as gold or silver, is melted in a crucible to a liquid state (around 960℃ or 1763℉ for silver and 1064℃ or 1948℉ for gold!).
To ensure that the molten metal fills the entire cavity of the mold, centrifugal force is often employed. The crucible containing the molten metal is placed in a machine that spins rapidly, generating centrifugal force. This force propels the molten metal into the mold, filling it completely and capturing all the intricate details of the pattern.
Once the mold is filled, the molten metal begins to cool and solidify within the cavity.
After the metal has solidified, the mold is carefully opened to reveal the cast jewellery pieces. The casting material is broken away, leaving the raw castings behind. At this stage, the pieces have a rough appearance with casting imperfections which need to be refined.
This process involves removing any excess metal, smoothing rough edges, and refining the surface of the jewelry piece. Various techniques such as filing, sanding and polishing are employed to achieve our desired finish and shine.
Jewellery fabrication, also known as jewellery making or metalsmithing, is a meticulous process in which artisans create jewellery pieces by hand. Fabricating is the process of shaping and forming metal components by hand and my personal favourite method of jewellery making.
Unlike jewellery casting, which involves pouring molten metal into a mold, fabrication involves manipulating metal through cutting, soldering, forging, and other techniques to form the desired shape, texture and design. This technique requires precision, patience, and a deep understanding of the materials being worked with. This method also allows for greater artistic freedom and customization.
The first step in jewellery fabrication is conceptualizing the design. Sometimes I will sketch a design, or series of designs and other times I will just play around with the gemstones and bits of metal on my workbench, arranging and re-arranging until something strikes me as "right." When using gemstones I often let them tell me what they want to be. I know this sounds a bit woo-woo but I don't question it, I just roll with it.
This design process also includes the type of metal I'll be using (silver, gold or gold filled or a combo of any of those three).
The chosen metal is then prepared by cutting it into roughly the desired shape and size with saws, shears or wire-cutters.
Soldering is a critical technique in jewellery fabrication that involves joining metal pieces together using solder, a metal alloy with a lower melting point than the base metal. The metal components are carefully aligned-and I mean very carefully. As in, if you can see a ray of light between your joined metal, you need to file it again. The piece to be soldered is then covered in a liquid called "flux" (this prevents oxidation & allows the solder to flow) and heated with a torch until the solder flows between the metal joins, creating a very strong bond. Soldering takes a while to get the hang of and can be very frustrating for beginners.
To add texture and detail to a jewellery piece, there are also a multitude of techniques like stamping, hammering, roller printing and engraving. These methods create unique patterns and surface designs, giving jewellery depth and character. Two of our favourite texturing techniques here at Mikel Grant Jewellery are roller printing and hammer texturing.
Hammer texturing is an ancient technique and has endured for good reason. A hammer textured piece of jewellery sparkles like sunlight dancing on water. The reflections shimmer and sway creating a captivating play of light that evokes a sense of calm and serenity, mirroring the peaceful beauty of a sun-kissed waterfront. Hammer textured jewellery also stands up really well to wear.
Roller printing is another favourite of ours, allowing for an infinite variety of textures on metal. To roller print metal, a soft piece of sheet metal is passed through a rolling mill, sandwiched between two textured rollers (or smooth rollers and a textured pattern), to imprint unique designs onto the metal. Roller printing adds depth and character to jewellery pieces, making them truly wearable art. Two of our favourite textures are skeleton leaves (used on our leaf print meditation rings) and abstract concrete-like textures.
Fabrication allows for the creation of unique shapes and forms. With the use of various tools like hammers, mandrels, pliers, stakes and forms, we can bend, twist, and shape metal in multiple ways.
We use most of these tools on a daily basis and some of my tools have been with me since I started making jewellery 20 years ago. I love that these hand tools are exactly the same types of tools people have used to make jewellery for thousands of years. There are definitely high-tech tools one can use to create jewellery but I love the timeworn, basic, hands-on approach to jewellery making.
A new favourite tool of ours is a hydraulic press. With this fabulous tool, we can more easily form metal into shapes that would be difficult otherwise. This powerful tool is used to apply immense pressure to metal. With the use of specialized dies and molds, the hydraulic press can create intricate patterns, emboss textures, and form three-dimensional shapes from metal sheet. Our convex cuff bracelets are an example of what can be created with a hydraulic press.
If the jewellery design includes pearls and/or gemstones, they are generally set into the fabricated metal piece as the last or second to last step. Setting pearls and gemstones requires a very careful hand and lots of practice. I've been setting stones for a very long time and I still crack stones here and there (one of the most crushing things as a jeweller is to crack a beautiful stone at the very last step). There are numerous types of stone settings such as claw setting, bezel setting, flush setting and tension setting. We prefer bezel setting over all else because it is the most secure setting and because of the sleek, modern look it gives a piece.
The final step in jewellery fabrication is the finishing stage. This involves refining the piece by removing any sharp edges, smoothing surfaces, and polishing the metal to achieve a desired finish.
At Mikel Grant Jewellery we almost exclusively use tumble polishing to polish our pieces. This technique employs a tumbling barrel loaded with steel shot, water and soap to burnish jewellery pieces. This process takes about 8 hours to achieve our preferred finish. We prefer tumble polishing over a high shine from a polishing machine because tumble polishing seems to wear a little more naturally than highly polished jewellery. Highly polished jewellery looks dazzling on a shelf but as soon as it's worn it it can lose the high shine, especially in the case of rings.
Jewellery fabrication is a labor-intensive and artistic process that allows us to create distinctly unique and personalized jewellery pieces. Through cutting, soldering, shaping, and detailing, we bring our creative vision to life, resulting in meticulously handcrafted jewellery that holds a special charm and individuality.
The dedication, skill, and artistry involved in jewellery fabrication make each piece a wearable work of art, celebrating the connection between the maker and the wearer.
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Do you own a piece of silver jewellery that has been blackened as part of the design?
Did you know that in reference to silver jewellery the terms oxidized, blackened, antiqued and patinated all mean the same thing?
In this blog post we're diving into blackened silver jewellery and the undeniable charm it brings to these unique pieces. We explore the process of achieving this distinctive patina, why we use this technique and how to properly care for your blackened silver jewellery.
In the world of jewellery, where creativity abounds, artisans are constantly seeking new ways to captivate the senses and create pieces that resonate. One technique that has stood the test of time and continues to allure both jewellery lovers and makers is the use of patina. Patina, a delicate layer that forms on metal surfaces due to intentional oxidation or natural aging, adds a unique character and depth to jewellery, lending it a touch of antiquity and a story to tell.
The concept of patina can be traced back centuries, with its origins deeply rooted in ancient civilizations. The Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians, revered for their intricate metalwork, were among the early adopters of using patina to enhance the beauty of their jewellery. In these ancient cultures, patina was seen not as a sign of wear and tear but as a mark of distinction, a testament to the passage of time and the durability of the piece. Over time, the technique evolved and spread to various cultures, becoming an integral part of jewelry-making traditions worldwide.
Silver jewellery can become patinated naturally over time or it can be blackened intentionally as part of the design process.
Patina is the result of a natural chemical reaction that occurs when silver interacts with its environment over an extended period. Environmental factors such as air, moisture, and pollutants trigger a slow oxidation process that eventually forms a thin layer on the metal's surface, resulting in a unique range of colours. This natural patination process can take years, with each piece developing its own distinct patina based on its exposure and the elements it encounters. This process is also known as tarnishing!
But we jewellers can't wait around for years for a piece to develop a natural patina so we use an oxidizing solution that hurries this process right along. Our chemical of choice here at Mikel Grant Jewellery is called liver of sulfur. This (stinky) chemical gets mixed with hot water and our silver pieces are dipped repeatedly into the solution until a beautiful, rich black colour is achieved. We almost always polish away part of the patina in order to highlight a texture or pattern that has been applied to the silver.
As an aside: the pieces actually go through a range of colours when dipped in the liver of sulfur solution from straw yellow through orange and pinky-red to blue and purple and finally black. It's quite a beautiful process to observe. We choose to remove the pieces only once they are a deep rich black because the other colours are too difficult to maintain for any length of time on a piece of jewellery.
From the Cambridge Dictionary: Patina: a thin surface layer that develops on something because of use, age, or chemical action.
As we have discovered, both a deliberate oxidation and natural processes lead to silver jewellery developing a patina, a blackened appearance. When this is done intentionally by jewellers the piece achieves a look that mimics antique jewellery.
This is why the terms oxidized, blackened, patinated and antiqued are all used interchangeably to describe blackened silver jewellery.
We jewellery artisans have embraced the use of patina as a means of artistic expression. With the use of patina we can create unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that speak to the individuality of the wearer.
By intentionally inducing the patination process, we can create custom finishes and highlight specific design elements. The juxtaposition of patinated and polished surfaces, for example, creates a striking contrast that draws attention to intricate details, textures, and patterns and accentuates the design adding depth to the overall piece.
Jewellery that combines the contrasting tones of blackened silver with gold elements creates a visually striking and sophisticated aesthetic. The dark allure of blackened silver beautifully complements the warm, radiant glow of gold and effortlessly catches the eye.
And nothing makes gemstones and pearls pop like combining them with blackened silver. The darkened metal provides a striking backdrop for the vibrant hues and lustrous shine of gems and pearls, exuding a sense of depth and drama.
It is important to remember that patina is a surface treatment.
To preserve your patina, it is necessary to clean your patinated jewelry with care. Avoid harsh chemicals (like dip polish or silver paste cleaner), excessive polishing, or abrasive cleaning methods including the baking soda cleaning method (see our blog post on cleaning your tarnished jewellery for a discussion of this method).
We advise giving your piece a rinse in mild soap and water only. This should remove any dirt or build up without damaging the patina.
In pieces that have contrasting areas of patina (in the recesses of a design) and shiny silver, you can use a very soft pass with one of our soft polishing cloths. This will shine up the areas of high polish without taking away the patina.
Also be aware that jewellery pieces that get a lot of wear (like rings), this patina can wear away with time so just be aware of this when purchasing a patinated piece. However, a patina can usually be re-applied by a jeweller.
The allure of patina in jewellery lies in its ability to add depth and dimension to jewellery pieces. As both a natural process and an artistic technique, patina continues to captivate jewellery enthusiasts, offering a window into the past and an enchanting appeal that transcends trends and time.
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While it may be a myth that magpies and crows are attracted to shiny things, it's certainly true for us humans! There's just nothing like the beautiful shine of silver to entrance us, as it has done for thousands and thousands of years. Did you know that the ancient Egyptians prized silver more highly than gold?
According to colour psychology, silver is calming, soothing and symbolizes wisdom. Feeling introspective? Silver will help you shine light on your path forward.
In fact, silver is the most reflective element on earth-reflecting 95% of visible light, making it ideal for sparkly, alluring jewellery pieces.
This precious metal is a jewellery lover's dream: affordable, versatile, durable and hypoallergenic (great for us sensitive types!).
So let's dive in and discover some key facts to know about silver!
To be considered precious a metal must meet three criteria:
1) It must be valuable.
Silver has held value and been used a form of currency for over 4,000 years. This isn't likely to change anytime soon!
2) It must be naturally occurring.
While silver is usually found combined with other metals or in minerals that contain silver compounds, pure silver does occur naturally in the earth.
3) It must be rare.
Out of approximately 90 known metals, silver ranks 65th in abundance (gold ranks 72nd), making it pretty rare.
If you were curious, the other 7 metals considered precious are gold, platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium.
Sterling silver is an alloy (combination of metals) of pure silver and another metal, usually copper. Pure silver is very soft and malleable and isn't suitable for jewellery, so another metal is added to make it more sturdy. The addition of copper to silver creates a metal that is still silver in colour but is much harder and more durable than pure silver.
This alloy must contain at least 92.5% pure silver to be classified as sterling silver.
925, or .925 silver is sterling silver. It is 92.5% silver and 7.5% another metal (usually copper). At Mikel Grant Jewellery our sterling silver is always 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper, a hypoallergenic alloy. So, you never have to worry about a nickel allergy when you purchase sterling silver from us.
Pure silver, called "fine silver" is 99.99% silver. Fine silver is often used for bezels in jewellery making because it is soft enough to bend over a stone without compromising the integrity of the piece.
Argentium silver is a relatively new alloy and is also considered sterling silver. It contains 93.5-96.5% pure silver and is combined with germanium instead of copper to create an alloy. Germanium is a metalloid (an element with properties that are intermediate between a metal and a non-metal) that is added to make the silver more tarnish resistant ( 7X more so than traditional sterling silver). Argentium is also considered hypoallergenic.
All of our silver ear wires at Mikel Grant Jewellery are handcrafted using argentium.
I'm sure you've read an article or heard advice or rules on which metals you "should" wear with your skin tone but we absolutely don't subscribe to that fallacy. Silver (and for that matter gold), looks great on all skin tones so don't even consider whether you "can" wear silver or not. You can! If you love it, wear it.
Silver is a neutral and has no single complementary colour making it extremely versatile in fashion.
Silver pairs well with other metals so don't be afraid to mix and match your metal colours. I especially love the combination of oxidized (blackened) silver with gold. Silver also complements all gemstone & pearl colours. It's simply a gorgeous multitalented metal.
Another aspect of silver that makes it so versatile is it's affordability. As you know, silver jewellery is generally much more affordable than gold.
Jewellers love silver as well for its versatility-it's malleable enough to work with, it looks amazing with different finishes from super shiny to matte to patina'd. And as we mentioned earlier, it creates very durable finished pieces-your sterling silver jewellery can last you a lifetime.
Because of this you can find endless designs in silver from earrings and necklaces to bracelets and rings and any other jewellery piece you can think of.
If silver were a performer, it would have an EGOT!
Silver is naturally prone to tarnishing. Even pure silver will tarnish due to the presence of sulfur-containing gases in the atmosphere. However, tarnish is easily removed using one of our polishing cloths.
The best way to prevent your silver jewellery from tarnishing is to follow the golden rule of jewellery wearing: Last on, first off. Put your jewellery on only after you have put on perfume, lotions, sunscreen and body products. At the end of your day take your jewellery off, give it a quick wipe and store it in an airtight environment if possible.
If you want to learn more about tarnish, what causes it, how to clean very tarnished jewellery and jewellery with gemstones and pearls, check out our blog: Tarnish: What Causes It & How to Clean Your Tarnished Silver & Gold Jewellery.
Yes, silver actually does have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties!
Silver has been used in medicine for thousands of years, and is still used today to treat burns & wounds and to create bandages and catheters. Silver is also used to disinfect water and is useful as a coating on door handles in medical environments to reduce germs.
Here's an interesting article on how silver kills bacteria and its "zombie effect" on bacteria🧟♂️
Sterling silver is the traditional gift for a 25th wedding anniversary, also known as the "Silver Anniversary". Durable, lustrous silver is the perfect metal to symbolize the strength and longevity of a union. This tradition actually dates back to at least the 1700s when a wife would receive a silver wreath to mark 25 years of marriage.
Silver is also a traditional baby gift from relatives, friends or godparents. This tradition also has interesting historical origins. According to the Royal Mint, "Throughout history, crossing the palm of a newborn baby with silver was also seen as a way to wish them wealth and good health throughout their life."
So, we're breaking down what causes silver & gold jewellery to tarnish, how to wear & store it to keep it from tarnishing and how to clean it if it gets tarnished.
When silver & alloyed gold (anything less than 24K) are exposed to the air, they react with sulfur-containing gases causing the metal's surface to darken and discolour which = tarnish.
The sulfur in our air reacts with the silver & copper in sterling silver & in alloyed gold forming compounds (silver sulfide & copper sulfide) on the surface of the metal.
The process of tarnishing is accelerated by the concentration of sulfur in the air as well as the humidity-the more humid the environment, the faster your jewellery will tarnish.
Sulfur is the biggest culprit, but not the only thing that can cause your jewellery to tarnish. Silver and gold will also react with chlorine (ie. in swimming pools & hot tubs), acids (ie. sweat) and other chemicals causing tarnish.
Yes. It's a myth that gold jewellery won't tarnish. Anything less than 24K gold will tarnish, although much slower than silver. Pure, 24K gold will not tarnish but this isn't a suitable material for jewellery as it is far too soft. Alloyed gold (14K, 18K, 22K etc.) usually contains silver and copper, and as we have just learned, silver and copper form sulfides (tarnish) when they are exposed to air. The reason gold tarnishes more slowly than silver is because it contains a lot less silver & copper than sterling silver. The higher the karat gold, the slower it will tarnish (22K gold contains less silver & copper than 14K gold).
This means that gold filled jewellery will also tarnish because the surface is made of 12K or 14K gold.
My partner wears his sterling silver chain all the time. He sleeps with it on, he showers with it on, he works hard & sweats with it on and it looks fabulous. Nice & shiny. I wear a silver chain out for the day and it starts to tarnish. What's the reason for this frustrating difference?
Every person's skin is different. And every person's sweat is different. Our skin is naturally slightly acidic but some people's skin is more acidic than others. And these acids can cause silver & gold jewellery to tarnish faster.
Also, when we sweat, our bodies release amino acids which contain sulfur. Bingo! We know that sulfur will react with silver & gold to cause tarnish and therefore, when we sweat, our jewellery is more prone to tarnish.
This brings us to our next topic-how to care for your jewellery to prevent tarnish!
First off, wearing your jewellery often (under the right conditions) is actually a good way to keep it from tarnishing. When your jewellery just sits & is exposed to the elements it will start to tarnish. But when wearing jewellery, you move around and your jewellery brushes against your clothes and surfaces causing a subtle polishing to occur that's great for preventing tarnish. So go ahead and wear your favourite pieces as often as you want!
First off, last on is a great, easy to remember, rule of thumb for jewellery care.
Tarnish (and just general accumulation of dirt & 'gunk') can be accelerated by contact with such things as skin creams, body products, perfume, hairspray, salty air and chlorine.
So, finish your beauty routine and THEN put your jewellery on.
This is especially important when wearing pearl jewellery.
We also recommend you remove your jewellery before showering, swimming (especially in treated pools) and doing dishes. This isn't a must, but it will help prevent tarnish.
And at the end of the day, take your jewellery off first and then go about your nightime beauty routine.
It's a great idea to occasionally give your jewellery a quick clean to remove any daily buildup before putting it away. Especially if you are going to store it & not wear it the next day. You can simply wipe your jewellery with a polishing cloth or if there are hard-to-get-to areas or significant buildup you can give it a rinse with mild dish detergent in warm water. Make sure to completely dry your jewellery before storing it away.
This routine will vary depending on the type of jewellery you are wearing and your unique body chemistry. Your solid gold jewellery will likely not need much, or as frequent care, as your silver jewellery. And some people, like my partner, can wear their silver jewellery, rarely clean it & it looks fantastic.
Our jewellery is made to be worn and enjoyed. When not in use please store your jewellery in a dry, airtight container.
As we have learned, jewellery is susceptible to tarnish when it comes into contact with the sulfur-containing gases in the air. So, storing your jewellery in an airtight container will keep it nice & shiny. Here at Mikel Grant Jewellery, we store all of our jewellery in little ziploc bags before shows and because we do that, it never needs polishing.
We recommend that you give your jewellery a quick clean before storing it. A quick wipe with a polishing cloth, or a rinse in warm water & mild dish detergent will get rid of a day's buildup of oils & dirt.
Make sure your jewellery is dry when storing it. Tarnish is accelerated by humidity so your jewellery must be dry before being stored. And if you aren't storing your jewellery in airtight containers, a dry environment is a must for storage (ie. the bathroom isn't a great place to store your jewellery).
Photo Credit: Jen And Brian Photo & Film
Jewellery, and especially silver jewellery, gets tarnished. This is simply a natural, inevitable process and not a flaw in your jewellery. And it's easily remedied.
Our polishing cloths are the safest method for cleaning your jewellery. These cloths contain micro-abrasives that, when rubbed over your tarnished pieces, will shine them up immediately. Our cloths are completely safe on silver, gold & gold-filled pieces as well as pieces with a patina (use a gentle touch with patina'd pieces-these cloths can remove patina if used vigorously). Be careful if your jewellery contains gemstones or pearls. Our polishing cloths are not intended for use on gemstones or pearls. Don't panic if your cloth rubs up against your gems as it will likely be just fine but don't use the cloth to try and clean your gems or pearls. Read on to find out how to clean jewellery with gemstones.
If you don't have a polishing cloth, you can purchase one HERE.
*PRO-TIP: Make sure your jewellery is free of dust or dirt particles before cleaning with a polishing cloth. You may be surprised to learn that dust & dirt particles can be extremely abrasive & may scratch your silver & gold jewellery.
If your jewellery has hard-to-reach places that would be difficult for a polishing cloth to reach you can use mild dish detergent & a soft or extra-soft bristled toothbrush (DO NOT USE medium or hard bristles as this can scratch your jewellery) in warm water. This method is also great for removing daily buildup from your jewellery. Just be sure to completely dry your jewellery before putting it away.
If you've got quite a bit of tarnish you can use the baking soda method. Simply line a flat bottomed glass or ceramic dish with aluminum foil and lay your silver jewellery on top so it is touching the foil. Sprinkle baking soda liberally overtop of the jewellery & then pour hot water (nearly boiling) overtop of the pieces. Let them soak for a few minutes and you should see the tarnish disappear. Rinse your pieces in clean water and dry them thoroughly before storing them again.
*NOTE: the baking soda method is NOT safe for gemstones, pearls or pieces with patina. The hot water may crack your gemstones and damage your pearls and will remove the patina from your pieces.
How about dip polishes and silver cleaners?
We don't recommend dip polishes as many of them contain thiourea, a potentially cancer-causing agent. In addition dip polishes can remove the surface of your jewellery little by little. I have accidentally left silver jewellery in a dip polish and have come back to find it nearly dissolved. Granted, this took a long time but for both of these reasons, we don't recommend this method of polishing.
Silver cleaners often contain ammonia and other chemicals that are not great for us so we prefer to use less the less toxic methods listed above.
Jewellery that features gemstones & pearls requires extra care when cleaning.
Some gemstones like diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, topaz & quartz are very hard & are less susceptible to damage than soft stones like opals & organic materials like pearls.
In general, most gemstones will stand up to cleaning with a soft or preferably an extra-soft toothbrush & mild dish detergent in warm water.
If you aren't sure, the best way to clean a gemstone is to give it a wipe with a moistened lint-free microfibre cloth and leave it at that.
Certain stones, like turquoise, opals & pearls do require extra care. Here's our recommendations for cleaning jewellery containing these gems.
OPALS
Opals are a soft gemstone (5-6.5 on the Mohs scale), sensitive to heat and certain opals are quite porous. Opals also come in different forms: solid opals, doublet opals and triplet opals. Doublet & triplet opals consist of layers of opals that are glued together so one should never soak these kinds of opals in water as it can separate those layers, destroying your opal.
We recommend cleaning your opals carefully using room temperature water on a soft, lint-free microfibre cloth.
PEARLS
Pearls are extremely soft (2.5 on the Mohs scale), vulnerable to acids (ie. in your sweat), alcohol (ie. in perfume) & ammonia (ie. in cleaners) so one needs to be extra careful with pearls.
The "First off, last on" rule is a must with pearl jewellery.
To clean pearl jewellery use only a damp, soft, lint-free microfibre cloth to wipe down your pearls.
TURQUOISE
Turquoise is also a soft gemstone (5-6 on the Mohs scale) and can be a very porous material & very susceptible to cleaning agents. Soaps, detergents & cleaners can penetrate the material & permanently discolour it.
So, take extra care when cleaning your turquoise jewellery. Wipe with a damp, soft lint-free microfibre cloth & dry immediately.
We hope you've found this article helpful! Feel free to reach out to us with any questions or suggestions for future articles, we'd love to hear from you: info@mikelgrantjewellery.com
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We're celebrating the Pantone Color of the Year with a special magenta themed jewellery collection.
Learn about:
So when I learned that the Pantone color of the year is magenta, I knew I had to create a collection around this magnificent colour.
Magenta, located exactly between red and blue on the colour wheel is a combination of violet-blue and red. There are a range of colours that can be called magenta and it is best described as a bright pinkish-purplish-red.
Magenta dye was first developed in the 1800's and originally called fuchsine. It was later renamed magenta to commemorate the victory of the French & Sardinians in the Italian-French war which was won during a battle in Magenta, Lombardy.
Strangely enough, magenta is considered a "neutral" colour. Green is the complementary colour to magenta and if you ask me there's really not a colour that doesn't go well with magenta (despite the fact that my mother tried, unsuccessfully, to convince me that you can't wear red & pink together 😂). And magenta jewellery can certainly liven up any look.
According to colour psychology, magenta is the colour of equanimity, kindness, energy (especially feminine energy), harmony and cheerfulness. Magenta combines the intensity, power and vitality of red with the thoughtfulness and quiet calm of violet leading to feelings of emotional balance.
Magenta is often associated with creativity and innovative thinking and you can find magenta in the logos of many companies that value creative thinking.
Having magenta in your workspace can encourage creativity and activity.
Magenta is also said to strengthen your intuition. As it also enhances feelings of calm, balance and action it's a perfect colour to have around you when you want to follow your own instincts when making decisions.
What's not to love about magenta?
Pantone has created a standardized, universal color system. Pantone means "all colors", combining the words "pan" & "tone". In 1963 the company introduced the Pantone Color Matching System® with 500 standardized colors enabling the printing industry to have a common language with which to choose & accurately reproduce colors.
Since then, it has grown to be a leader in color language and trend-forecasting with thousands of reproducible colors for every industry imaginable including graphics (print & digital), textiles and coatings & pigments (such as cosmetics & paints).
Starting in 1999 the Pantone Color Institute has announced a Color of the Year. These yearly color picks can be found everywhere in fashion, home decor and design.
This year, Pantone chose Viva Magenta, a color that "...vibrates with vim and vigor. Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, and a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration, writing a new narrative. This year’s Color of the Year is powerful and empowering. It is a color that is audacious, full of wit and inclusive of all."
Our Viva Magenta Jewellery Collection features some of our very favourite magenta coloured gemstones. Some of these you will be very familiar with and some probably less so, unless you are a gemstone junkie like I am😉
Rubies and sapphires are two of the four gemstones considered "precious" (along with diamond and emerald) and have been prized for thousands of years. Today, rubies, which are more rare, command the highest price per carat of any coloured gemstone. Rubies were discovered as early as 2500BC and stone age tools have been found at a ruby mining site in the Mogok region of Myanmar. Ancient Etruscan (600-275BC) jewellery features Sri Lankan sapphires.
The word ruby comes from the latin "ruber", meaning red. Sapphire is derived from the Greek "sappheiros" which referred to lapis lazuli.
Rubies and sapphires are both a type of mineral called corundum, a very hard and stable mineral. Only red corundum is called ruby. All other colours of corundum are called sapphires. Pink sapphires exist in a range of shades due to the presence of chromium within the mineral. At a certain colour saturation, the gemstone gains the designation of ruby.
Rubies and sapphires are the hardest mineral after diamond, rating a 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, making them an ideal choice for jewellery and in particular, rings, as they are unlikely to get scratched and damaged with wear.
Rubies are the birthstone for July as well as a traditional gift for both a 15th and 40th wedding anniversary. A stone of passion, rubies symbolize love and commitment. Rubies are also associated with the zodiac sign of Cancer.
Sapphires are the birthstone for September as well as the customary gift for both the 5th and 45th wedding anniversaries. A soothing stone, pink sapphire represents love, feminine energy and wisdom. Pink sapphires are associated with the astrological signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Taurus.
Some of the most magical of these gemstones are star rubies and star sapphires. A star ruby or sapphire exhibits the phenomenon of asterism, where a star shape appears within the stone due to light reflecting off of impurities within the stone. As you move these stones around, the star seems to move within the gem.
Garnet, a semi-precious gemstone, is most often associated with the colour red, but actually exists in a huge range of colours from red to blue. One of my most favourites is the rhodolite garnet, the rarest and finest of the garnet family. Rhodolite garnets are a vivid, transparent pinkish-purplish-reddish colour that look magnificent in a sparkling faceted stone.
Rhodolite gets its name from the Greek "rhodon", meaning rose-like. You can find this prefix in other pink gemstones such as rhodochrosite and rhodonite, not to mention the rhododendron bush.
In addition to being stable to light and chemicals, garnets rate a 6.5-7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale making them very suitable for everyday jewellery. A gemstone with a rating of 7 will easily scratch glass.
Garnets are the traditional birthstone for January as well as the 2nd wedding anniversary. A stone of perseverance and strength, garnet is said to promote trust and help maintain optimism. It is also known as a "commitment stone," making it an excellent gift for a 2nd wedding anniversary.
Now, I'm sure you're familiar with rubies, sapphires and garnets but you may not be familiar with sugilite or mookaite.
Sugilite is a relatively rare mineral, first discovered in Japan in the 1940s and named after the geologist who identified it, Ken-ichi Sugi.
It's a lovely mineral that ranges in colour from vibrant pink to purple, a perfect fit for a celebration of all things magenta.
Known as a healing stone, sugilite is said to have a harmonizing effect on the nerves and brain. It is also said to provide strength to resolve conflict without compromise.
With a hardness of 6-6.5, sugilite is suitable for jewellery but it's best if set in a protective setting, like a bezel setting which protects the sides of the stone.
Sugilite is an alternative birthstone for January and is associated with the zodiac sign of Pisces.
Mookaite is a gorgeous, colourful form of jasper found only in Western Australia and named after it's geographical location: the Mooka Creek. The word Mooka is an indigenous word meaning "running waters". Displaying lovely, earthly tones of yellows, pinks, reds and purples, often swirled together, each gemstone cut from this material is unique and different and it's easy to perceive pictures within the patterns.
A grounding stone, mookaite is said to increase awareness, bring us back to the now and enhance our internal connection to nature. A perfect stone of mindfulness.
A 6-7 on the hardness scale, mookaite is well suited to jewellery, especially in earrings and necklaces.
Mookaite is associated with the astrological signs of Aries, Taurus and Leo.
We hope you've fallen madly in love with the passion, energy and harmony of magenta gemstones and are ready to celebrate your radiance with these special pieces.
Because you deserve to shine✨
We want you to be able to wear your Mikel Grant Jewellery all the time, not just for a season or a year.
So, we're laying out the trends you're going to see this year that you won't regret buying come next year! Make sure you scroll down to see the last & most important one of all😉
Big hoops are trending this year. We love hoop earrings in general because they are so versatile. Our hoop earrings are lightweight so you can wear them all day. You can dress them up or down and they don't look out of place at the beach, at work, out for an evening or just shopping on the weekend. Big hoops look great with long or short hair. Create a fun & bold look with a fabulous pair of big hoops!
Silver in general is going to be a trend this year and you're going to see lots of chunky designs on the runway & in magazines. We've always loved the cool tones of silver and the feel of a weighty silver ring, bracelet or necklace, like a beautiful security blanket. Silver is a wonderful metal to wear, a high quality precious metal that is also far less expensive than gold. Chunkier designs are a great fit for silver due to its affordability. Silver is also perfect for everyday as well as special occasions so you really can't go wrong with it. Plus, true sterling silver will not flake or permanently change colour and any tarnish your sterling silver acquires can be easily cleaned away.
At Mikel Grant Jewellery we only use nickel-free .925 sterling silver in our designs. Nothing is plated or silver-filled.
We don't subscribe to the notion that different skin tones look better in certain metals so don't worry about whether silver "suits" your skin tone. If you love silver, wear it!
And don't be afraid to mix metals. Silver, and especially oxidized silver, looks wonderful with gold. Layering & mixing metals creates a stylish signature look.
Bangles are a design that has resonated with humans over thousands of years. Originating in the Indus region of South Asia about 5,000 years ago, the bangle may date back even farther. A 40,000 year old bangle-like stone bracelet was discovered in Siberia and thought to have been worn by an early species of human.
So, while bangles may be a trend this year, they are truly a timeless accessory.
Bangles look lovely & elegant on their own and look fabulous stacked up. Style your stack by mixing and matching silver & gold, and different textures.
Each of our bangles is forged and textured by hand, connecting you to the hand of the maker and echoing history itself.
Heart jewellery symbolizes love, affection and friendship and makes the perfect gift for a loved one, whether a partner, parent, child or bestie. When bought for oneself it can also denote a commitment to self-care & self-love. These sentiments make heart jewellery timeless (& not just for Valentine's Day).
In fact, some of the first known examples of heart shaped jewels date back to the 15th century!
While you will likely be seeing more heart jewellery this year, this motif isn't going anywhere.
“You can’t ever go wrong with pearls. Perhaps pearls are a girl’s best friend after all.”
– Ki Hackney (founder of Style magazine)
Pearls are an easy way to add a hint of elegance to any outfit, from jeans and a tee to a little black cocktail dress. Pearls come in a wide range of sizes and shapes and this year, the bigger, the better. Go glam with a gorgeous pair of lustrous Biwa Stick Pearl Drop Earrings, a pair of Coin Pearl Earrings or elevate your look with a single focal piece like our Mabe Pearl Statement Necklace.
However you wear them, you will always look fabulous in pearls!
Read about pearl types, pearl care, and how to distinguish a fake pearl in our blog: All About Pearls: June's Classic Birthstone
Well doesn't this trend just make my li'l old heart sing! I adore making one of a kind gemstone jewellery. I'm like a kid in a candy store when I go gemstone shopping. And transforming these natural beauties into wearable art is one of my absolute favourite things to do in life.
We've seen smaller, more delicate jewellery pieces trending for quite a while and now it's time for bigger, more colourful jewellery. Perhaps we all just need to inject some bright, happy colour into our lives after making it through the last several years.
Gemstone statement pieces are an excellent way to express your personal style. How to choose a statement piece? Find something that speaks to you in terms of colour, shape and design and consider what you might be wearing with the piece.
Statement necklaces make a great focal piece, so a more neutral clothing palette might work best with these. Consider the neckline as well. Necklines that sit well above or well below a statement necklace are best so that the neckline doesn't compete with the necklace itself.
Big statement earrings look fantastic with short hair or with your hair up. Try wearing a matching or complimentary coloured outfit to the gemstone(s). If you're going for big statement earrings consider wearing them with a less bold necklace.
A statement ring is one of my favourite things to make and to wear. You can wear these with other rings, in different metals, gemstone colours and textures for an eclectic look or wear them singly on their own. A statement ring should still be comfortable to wear.
Chunky statement bracelets and stacked bangles will also be making appearances this year. Go bold with your stacks and mix and match chain style bracelets with bangles for an opulent look.
When you are wearing something that you connect with and that makes you feel special, you truly shine. And when you feel your best, you can do amazing things!
"I inherited it from my mother. It’s actually not meant for a male to wear -- but I don’t give a damn."
-Sam Shakusky from Moonrise Kingdom
]]>Why do we find it so hard to follow through on our resolutions?
Too often we start out with vague intentions, no specific plan or method of accountability or tracking our results, too much pressure & not enough compassion for ourselves.
What can we do instead to actually make meaningful change in our lives?
We put so much pressure on ourselves to hit the ground running that we can fail before we even start building a new habit. Consider spending the 1st of the year visualizing how you want the year to look, how you want to feel at the end of it, what your goals will be and how you will go about achieving them. Make the 1st a day of dreaming and manifesting positive feelings about the year to come. Choose a day after the 1st and start working towards your goals then.
I liken this to how I start a new sketchbook-I never write or draw on the first page. I start on the second page, thereby eliminating the pressure I can feel about beginning "perfectly".
Firstly, think about WHY you are considering a change. Is your goal intended to improve your health, your relationships, to add to your life? Or are you setting a goal because you are comparing yourself to others & think you "should"?
Beware of the "subtle aggression of self-improvement". Bob Sharples, a meditation teacher, coined this helpful expression. Behind our desire to improve is often a sense that we are inadequate as we are.
If we can start with a mindset of self-love and acceptance then we can see our goals as simply ways to add to our lives and increase our joy. You are a beautiful, worthy being just as you are.
Ask yourself how you want to feel rather than what you want to do/or not do. If you want to feel more peaceful, perhaps a new meditation practice is a good goal. If you want to feel more energetic, then maybe a new exercise regime is the goal for you.
Spend some time visualizing how you will feel after having achieved your goal. This can be a powerful, motivating exercise.
Slow and steady wins the race, as they say.
Make sure your goal is achievable. If you set yourself an impossible task you will only become disappointed and disheartened. You can always re-think your goal or add more goals as you move forward.
Make sure your goal is specific & quantifiable so that you can create a roadmap to get there. Break tasks into smaller chunks if possible.
For example, I know that meditating is really good for my mental health but I find it challenging to stick to a consistent practice. So in trying to build this new habit again I know that setting myself a task of meditating every day for a half an hour is a recipe for failure. So I might set myself the task of meditating 4 times a week to start and for 10 minutes a day.
Make sure your timeline is reasonable. On average it takes 2 months to solidify a new habit (check out James Clear for some great articles & a great book on creating habits).
You know the phrase, I'm a lover not a fighter? I like to say I'm a planner, not a fighter. But enough about how I think I'm funny😂
Start with 1 goal/change/habit at a time and don't overwhelm yourself with changes. Aspire to consistency before adding on new changes.
Write down the small, actionable steps you are going to take to move towards your goal and then put these steps into your calendar (digital or physical). Having a physical reminder can be extremely helpful. Personally, I find it much too easy to forget, ignore or skip the new task I'm trying to incorporate into my life unless I write it down.
Plus, being able to cross off tasks as you complete them gives you an actual emotional boost because your brain releases dopamine when you achieve a goal. Since dopamine allows you to feel pleasure and satisfaction and improves motivation, even accomplishing a small goal can lead to a positive feedback loop that creates even more motivation to pursue more goals.
Stating your goals out loud to someone else makes it much harder to just ignore them or put them off.
Get an accountability partner(s). Someone who shares your goals and will help keep you on track. Make sure this person aligns with your motivational style, someone who will both challenge AND support you.
Depending on what your intended goal or habit is your accountability partner could be a single person or a group. I had an amazing accountability group that consisted of a group of fellow women jewellers (shout out to pod awesome😘). We would meet once a week and speak about our wins for the week, our goals for the upcoming week and any roadblocks that we had. The group then had the chance to brainstorm suggestions or help as needed.
I have personally found this a very effective tool for sticking to my goals & I'm sure you will too. I did not want to show up to our meeting not having attempted my goals.
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." -Thomas Edison
Nobody wants to feel like a failure but re-framing an unsuccessful attempt as simply the results of an experiment can be hugely helpful. If we can separate our self-worth from the results of our attempt to do something differently we can look back and really analyze what worked and what didn't and use this as a learning tool. Sometimes a small shift in how we were doing something can change the results the next time.
"See failure as a road and not a wall." -Scott Adams
As a textbook perfectionist, this one is a challenge for me. So I try to build failure into a lot of my attempts to do something new. When I'm learning a new metalworking technique I will sometimes start my project in a way that cannot turn out as a finished piece. For example, when learning a new stone setting technique I will try it out on a scrap piece of metal rather than a finished pendant or ring. This way I give myself space to try, fail and learn.
If you are working on creating a new habit for yourself (like going for a walk every day) remember that consistency, not perfection is the goal. So if you skip a day don't feel like your plans are ruined. Being a perfectionist is only going to lead to disappointment and likely to you giving up in the long run. Be flexible and compassionate with yourself.
But when building a new habit try not to skip twice in a row. As James Clear states "One mistake is just an outlier. Two mistakes is the beginning of a pattern."
It can be really hard to see growth, improvement or change in ourselves. This is why it's really important to track your results. Looking back at where you started and seeing proof of consistency and growth builds confidence and is a great motivator to keep moving forward.
Try google spreadsheets, tracking apps or simply a dedicated journal to track the results of your work.
I write a little note on my desk calendar on the days I've done yoga so I can look back at the week/month and see how consistent I've been.
**Just a note about tracking results-it can be really easy to get attached to daily results & lose track of the big picture. If this is the case for you (like it is for me) try tracking your results mindfully-just make a note of them with a compassionate & somewhat detached mindset. You are simply reporting results, not judging them. Try this for a couple of weeks or months before you look back at your results to evaluate how you did and what changes you'd like to incorporate going forward.
"I just said 'let's get to work.' How else do people enjoy things?"
Classic words from Leslie Knope from the great show Parks & Rec.
As a lifelong workaholic I very, very much relate to this. But I'm learning to take time to reward myself.
It's exciting having an incentive to work towards. So plan out in advance how you are going to reward yourself if you reach your goal. Write it down on your calendar. Don't forget to celebrate your wins and your efforts. You deserve it.
Treat yourself to a new stack of books, a new piece of jewellery or a holiday (or all three!).
👇👇👇
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Gold has enchanted humanity for all of our existence, perhaps because it is a celestial metal, having been delivered to earth withinin meteorites. It is the first found metal, present on every continent and used in most every culture and is the source of myths and legends, secular and non-secular. Pieces of gold jewellery have been found dating as far back as 4600-4200BC., including such far ranging areas as Mesoamerica, Mesopotamia, China, India, Greece, Rome and Egypt. Egyptians standardized gold as the first currency and medium for international trade. The discovery of gold has influenced human migration patterns world wide. It is hard to find another material so interwoven with the human experience.
To be considered a precious, a metal must meet 3 criteria:
Gold jewellery is the height of the art of gift giving, always representing beauty and love. Gold connects the wearer to this tradition and we seem to absorb its radiance and beauty. Gold in its pure form is non-tarnishing, non-rusting, non-toxic and non-irritating (even internally).
Karat is the measurement of gold purity based on 24 parts. 24K gold is pure gold.
Given that pure gold (24K) is too soft to be practical for jewellery, alloys of gold are used. An alloy is a mixture of metals designed to enhance the strength, durability or appearance of a metal. 14K gold is 58.3% pure gold (14 parts pure gold and 10 parts other metals: usually silver, copper and zinc). 18K gold is 75% gold pure gold (18 parts pure gold, 6 parts other metals).
The higher the karat, the more yellow the gold appears. Pure 24K gold is a bright, vibrant yellow. Rose gold gets its rosy pink hue from a higher copper content. Traditional white gold obtains it’s whitish-grey hue from a higher nickel content. This can be problematic as nickel can be an irritant so many people are now opting for palladium white gold which is a beautiful and irritation-free alternative, a better option for the highly sensitive wearer.
While it used to be a "fashion faux pas", mixing and matching gold colours is totally acceptable and can look downright stunning.
At Mikel Grant Jewellery, we use solid 14K & 18K gold as well as 14K gold filled, sometimes known as rolled gold. Gold filled jewellery simply means that an outer layer of solid karat gold is heat & pressure bonded to an interior core of another metal (usually brass). Gold filled is referred to as 12/20 or 14/20. The first number refers to the karat gold (12K or 14K) and the second number refers to the amount by weight in relation to the inner core (14/20 means that 5% of the weight is karat gold). The value and durability of gold filled jewellery is higher as there is an actual layer of gold rather than a microscopic film as in plated or vermeil jewellery which tend to wear off after time.
Gold filled jewellery is a beautiful & inexpensive alternative to solid gold and can last a lifetime with proper care.
We are so grateful to be a part of such a long tradition of working in gold. We create a wide range of solid gold and gold filled jewellery as well as custom designs in gold.
The moon has always captivated us. The moon has always influenced us: with its never changing face, circling us with a constancy that literally stabilizes us, its force controls the tides and ties us to a 29.5 day cycle of fertility.
The moon and its phases have forever inspired spirituality, art, music, poetry and our dreams.
The moon has a day side (the side receiving sunlight) and a night side (the side facing away from the sun). Since the sun is always illuminating half of the moon, how much of the illuminated side we see changes as the moon travels through its orbit, creating the different phases.
A waxing crescent moon occurs when the illuminated half faces mostly away from us, creating that beloved sliver of silver.
With a waxing crescent moon we inhale. We breathe life and intention into our dreams. We focus, initiate and begin.
A full moon is the complete day half illuminated, rising at sunset and setting at sunrise.
The full moon is reflection. In the full power and glory of the moonlight we can pause. We can use this moment to float in the moonlight, to position ourselves to acknowledge our accomplishments and be further inspired.
As the moon begins to travel back towards the sun, or wanes, the opposite side of the moon is illuminated, eventually becoming the waning crescent, a slender curve of silver.
With the waning moon we exhale. We calm and comfort ourselves and allow our work to be complete and to rest.
Spirituality and the moon have consistently had strong ties with symbols and writings appearing across all faiths and beliefs. Most often it is seen as a symbol of enlightenment; as a positive force. We all collectively look up at the same moon and that simple act binds all humanity. The moon is our rock.
The moon is present in all music regardless of genre or era. Beethoven's ‘Moonlight Sonata’ was actually titled, unromantically, ‘Piano Sonata #14’. It took romantic poet Ludwig Rellstab some years after the Master’s death to give it a name worthy of its beauty and importance as he likened it to a boat floating in the moonlight. Naming it after moonlight seems obvious. Those two magically beautiful things belong together.
In art the moon very often represents calm and beauty; nurturing and fertility. Any artist you favour will have found the moon's inspiration and there are innumerable interpretations of this spellbinding subject.
An incredible document of the moons beauty in perfect, artistically exacting detail, has been left to us from the 20 year series of works produced by John Russell in the 18th century. Can you believe this was created in pastel?
Joan Miro’s ‘Bathing Woman’ is a joyful modern interpretation, showing a beautifully rendered line figure bathing in the crescent moon light.
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A new birth is a cause for profound celebration and joy. Family and friends come together to provide a sense of community and rejoice with new parents.
Traditionally, baby showers focus on gifts that will help new parents care for their new child with clothing, furniture, toys and the like.
More recently "push" presents have become a popular way to recognize, celebrate and honour Mom. This sweet tradition of push presents began in the 1990s. A push present is given to acknowledge and appreciate the act of literally pushing out a baby.
Our Love Knot Necklaces are the perfect push gift for a new mother: a beautiful and meaningful representation of her new family. Individually handcrafted with care and intention, these necklaces represent connection, protection and the eternal nature of love. With no beginning and no end, the infinite knot keeps us symbolically connected to our loved ones.
Custom made, these intertwining necklaces can have as many rings as you desire, to represent each member of your family. Handcrafted in sterling silver or solid gold, or a mix of metals, these necklaces will last a lifetime and will capture her heart.
We love creating symbolic & meaningful jewellery to represent your story. These future heirlooms will only grow with meaning over time.
LAURA'S STORY
Laura from Ontario contacted us to help create a fine piece of jewellery that would represent her new family. We worked with her to design and create a gorgeous silver, yellow gold & rose gold love knot necklace that she cherishes. Here's what Laura had to say about her experience:
"This piece of jewelry was created to celebrate the birth of our first child. The design of 3 interlocking rings is known as Russian rings which, for us, is a representation of my husband's background. The significance of the 3 rings in this pendant represents the 3 of us as a new family. I love that the rings are also like the letter "O" for our daughter's name, Olessia. I had been on the search for this Russian ring pendant design but could not find exactly what I was looking for. I came across Mikel Grant Jewellery and decided to reach out to see if I could have this dream pendant created. Mikel was so wonderful and made this pendant even better than I had imagined it! It's such a sturdy, high-quality piece of jewellery that will be in our family for many years to come and one that I will be able to pass down to our daughter. What I loved so much about working with Mikel Grant Jewellery is that it was such a personal experience. Mikel was so helpful in suggesting ways to make the design just perfect and was very informative about the process. I loved being a part of the creation and felt very included in the process. I have never had a piece of jewellery custom-made before so I did not know what to expect, but this experience exceeded my expectations."
Laura was kind enough to send us this darling picture of her and Olessia holding hands with her new custom made necklace.
We would love to help you create a piece that will capture your family's story.
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The heirloom jewellery that we inherit from our loved ones is full of stories, memories and meaning. However, these are not always pieces that we can or want to wear. A fresh new design can transform these cherished pieces into something that you love to wear and allows the story to continue in a new way.
How many of us have that single earring that's been sitting in our jewellery box forever because we can't bear to part with it? These orphaned and broken pieces can be reworked into something beautiful and wearable again.
Sometimes the jewellery you've been given or chosen for yourself just simply doesn't suit you anymore. You need a jewellery makeover.
And examples of reimagining we have worked on with our clients.
Jody came to us with a special amethyst that she had been hanging onto for a very long time. We were able to remove the amethyst from its old setting and create a brand new ring with it. Her new ring features a lovely, modern mixed-metal look with a 14K gold bezel around her amethyst and a sterling silver split-shank ring band. Jody also brought us some old gold that we recycled and this paid for her new ring!
Here's Jody's story in her own words:
"So...The ring was made from a pair of amethyst earrings, set in white gold with a circle of small pearls surrounding the stone. They were given to me by my mom when I was approximately 13 or 14. A troubling time for me as a teenager. They were one of my mom's finds and they were beautiful. I was thrilled she had entrusted them to me, being that I was such a rebellious and untrustworthy teenager!!! I promptly lost one of them in some escapade I was on...the guilt remained with me for many years as did the lone earring whose pearls began falling off with time. Fast forward to February 2022 and my mom was now living with me. She came reluctantly after my Dad passed away in June 2020, as she was no longer safe to live on her own. After a visit from my daughter where she had questioned the logic of me hanging onto all the old broken jewellery and bits of gold (all from the finds mom had given me over the years), I began searching for ways to use the gold bits and/or gemstones I had been saving. I found Mikel Grant Jewellery online. It made a great deal of sense to make inquiries to Mikel and Kelly as they are a Sechelt based company and that was where my mother's and father's house was located; my brother was living there after mom had to leave. So the jewellery making journey began! Mikel and Kelly were very gentle tour guides who walked me through the process with a great deal of care and an even better sense of humour! In the end I was delivered the gorgeous ring which I treasure sooo sooo much now. My mother was able to see the ring before she passed away in April 2022. I am so very grateful for the full circle the ring represents in so many different ways, but especially in the way it keeps my mother, who I adored, close to me in the form of the story filled ring. Thank you Mikel and Kelly."
John came to us with a set of rings that his wife Kelly wasn't in love with. They just weren't quite her style and she didn't find them comfortable so she never wore them. We worked with John to reimagine this set without her knowing so that he could surprise her with brand new rings. We re-used the diamonds and gold from the old set and designed a brand new trio featuring a comfortable, modern stack of three bands that she never takes off!
"Well...the big reveal was awesome! Kelly loved the new design and was completely touched!"
-John S.
Suzanne knew she wanted to surprise the love of her life with a ring but couldn't find anything in the stores that would fit Barry's size 15 finger. She came to us to see if we could help and we worked with her to create a very meaningful ring for her soon-to-be husband.
Suzanne is a jewellery collector and second generation gold prospector and has always invested in jewellery but had some pieces that she didn't like or wear. We were able to recycle this old gold which completely paid for her project. She was also able to sneak out an old ring of Barry's that had belonged to his grandfather: a banged-up old signet ring with sentimental meaning but something he wasn't wearing. We were able to melt down the gold from this ring and cast it into a brand new ring that maintains the connection to his grandfather.
When she surprised Barry with his new big gold ring he was overjoyed.
We wish them a lifetime of happiness & love.
Serena came to us with a bracelet she had inherited from her father. This bracelet was loved and well-worn but broken and not really right for her as a bracelet. We were able to turn this bracelet into two chain rings that Serena can wear daily. We also used some of the gold from the bracelet to create two solid gold heart charms for Serena and her aunt so that they can carry something of him with them always.
Rosalie knew she wanted to wear Bob's wedding ring close to her heart after he passed away. The ring isn't perfectly round-it's worn and misshapen, it holds the stories Bob left in it so we left it exactly as it was. We simply added three small gold rings around his wedding ring so that it can be worn on a chain around her neck.
We're truly honoured to be a part of the creation of jewellery pieces that carry so much meaning.
If you've got a project in mind we'd love to help you continue the story!
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-Grace Kelly
While pearls have widely symbolized wealth, wisdom and purity across cultures, I am particularly drawn to the notion of the pearl as a symbol of transcending hardship. In Michael Gienger's book, "Healing Crystals," he states that the spiritual power of the pearl is to help transform grief, loss and pain. Considering that a pearl is formed as a defence against injury, this aligns with our understanding of being able to overcome and transform our own struggles. As Oprah said, "Turn your wounds into wisdom."
The term "pearls of wisdom", found in common usage for hundreds of years, originated at a time before pearl cultivation was common, when pearls were extremely rare & precious. The term refers to revering wisdom as a rare and precious thing, and I believe we can add the notion of hard-won to this meaning. The wisdom that comes from overcoming adversity.
A pearl is created from multiple layers of nacre formed within mollusc shells, usually built up over top of an irritant. Over 90% of pearls found on the market today are cultured pearls as natural pearls harvested from the wild are very rare and extremely expensive.
Pearls are one of the few organic gemstones (and actually not a stone at all). Along with amber, coral and ammolite, organic gemstones are materials created by living organisms or their fossilized remains.
Cultured pearls are created in controlled environments by specialists. A tiny nucleus (such as a piece of shell) is inserted into a mollusc shell, and over time, the mollusc builds layers of nacre overtop of the irritant until a pearl is formed.
Freshwater pearls are cultured in freshwater environments by molluscs such as mussels. This cultivation occurs mainly in China but also on a more limited scale in Japan and the US.
Saltwater pearls, including Akoya, Tahitian and South Sea Pearls, are cultured in saltwater environments by oysters. This cultivation occurs in Japan, Tahiti, Australia, Thailand and Indonesia.
Cultured freshwater pearls are generally much less expensive than saltwater pearls and can be created in a wide array of shapes such as button and coin pearls (two of our personal favourites!).
Pearls come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Some of the smallest Akoya seed pearls are only 1mm in diameter while one of the largest pearls ever discovered (called the Hope Pearl) is a whopping 2 inches long!
There's a lot of pearl terminology and it can get a bit confusing, so here's a list of definitions for some of our favourites pearl shapes & a few other useful terms.
A pearl shape that isn't perfectly round. Baroque pearls have beautifully irregular, organic shapes that are celebrated for their uniqueness.
A type of freshwater pearl originally cultivated in Lake Biwa, Japan by the father of modern pearl cultivation, Kokichi Mikimoto. Over time, Lake Biwa became too polluted to cultivate pearls and the term "biwa pearl" has now come to refer more to the long, stick-like shape, rather than the geographical location. These are a non-nucleated pearl, meaning that they are composed entirely of nacre and thus are more durable and have a more exceptional lustre. Being non-spherical, these pearls are also considered baroque.
A pearl that is shaped sort of like a button: flat on the bottom, round on the top and curved on the sides. It looks as if the bottom quarter was cut off of a spherical shape.
A pearl that is shaped like a rounded disc: round but flattened on the sides. These pearls are cultured with a flat or coin shaped nucleus resulting in a pleasing coin shape.
Derived from the Latin word lux, meaning light, lustre refers to the quality of light reflected back from a pearl's surface. Light travels through translucent layers of nacre and is reflected back to the eye creating a beautiful glow. Lustre quality varies from pearl to pearl.
Keshi pearls are interesting because they occur generally as by-products of pearl cultivation. While most cultured pearls have a nucleus (usually a piece of shell to initiate pearl formation), keshi pearls do not. They were originally discovered after a mollusc rejected the nucleus but formed a pearl anyway. Because keshi pearls have no nucleus, they are composed entirely of nacre and have an excellent lustre. These pearls are a type of baroque pearl, with a variety of beautifully non-spherical shapes.
Also known as a "blister pearl", these are half-pearls cultured on the inside of the pteria penguin oyster shell. Valued for their larger size and gorgeous nacre, mabe pearls make great statement jewellery. Cultivation of mabe pearls take 2-3 years. This saltwater cultivation occurs in Japan, Australia, Indonesia and French Polynesia.
Also known as mother of pearl, nacre is the beautiful, translucent, iridescent material that forms inside a mollusc shell. The mollusc builds up layers of organic & inorganic materials overtop of a particle of foreign material, like a grain of sand or piece of shell. Over time, nacre builds up in thousands of overlapping layers creating a pearl.
Pearls rate a 2.5-4.5 hardness on the Mohs scale (a measure of the hardness of gemstones rated from 1-10: a diamond is a 10 and talc is a 1).
This means that pearls are relatively soft and easily scratched as gemstones go, so extra love and care is required to take care of your pearl jewellery. Pearls are also sensitive to acids, sweat, make-up and hair products.
Here's a quick few steps to keep your pearls in great shape:
1) Last on, first off. As we recommend with all your jewellery, put your pearls on after applying any perfumes, cosmetics or hair spray. And when you are ready to end your day, take your pearls off first.
2) Wipe your pearls with a soft cloth after wear. This will remove any oils or substances you don't want lingering on your pearls in storage. Use a damp, soft cloth to clean your pearls if necessary. A solution of lukewarm water and mild dish soap will remove any foreign materials.
3) Wear your pearls often! Pearls don't like to get dried out so take them out of storage and wear them!
4) Clean the silver or gold around your pearl with a soft polishing cloth, being mindful not to rub these cloths over the pearls as they contain mild abrasives.
Now that you know more about the history, symbolism, terminology and care of your pearls you might be wondering, how do I know if my pearl is genuine?
As we've learned, real pearls are an organic gemstone created from multiple layers of nacre formed within mollusc shells, usually built up over top of an irritant. When we say 'real' pearls, we are referring to naturally occurring or cultured pearls. Fake pearls on the other hand are human-made beads generally fabricated from glass, plastic or shell. While there's absolutely nothing wrong with liking and wearing imitation pearls, it's still good to be able to tell the difference.
Here's a few ways you can tell the difference:
Rub the pearl in question against the front of your tooth (not the biting edge as that can scratch your pearl). It should feel a little gritty. Imitation pearls will generally feel smooth or glassy as they lack the textured surface created by the layers of nacre on real pearls.
Real pearls will always have tiny irregularities in shape and surface texture. Even with very high grade pearls, there will be imperfections and ridges on the surface. "Perfection", or in this case extreme uniformity, is usually a giveaway that the pearls in question are machine created.
Again, real pearls are rarely perfectly round or perfectly matched. If your pearls are baroque in shape, an exact shape match is very unlikely. Real round pearls will rarely, if ever, be perfectly spherical, even in very high grade pearls. If your round pearls are identical, this is a sign they are likely manufactured.
This method of determining real vs. fake pearls is a little trickier. Real pearls will feel cold at first touch. Plastic, imitation pearls will not. They will feel the same as room temperature. This method of detection is tricky however, because glass pearls will also feel cool at first touch.
Here at Mikel Grant Jewellery we only use cultured fresh & saltwater pearls. We don't sell imitation pearls.
-RuPaul
As our culture evolves and fashion is not so strictly dictated along gender lines we are seeing more men wearing pearls; Harry Styles, Usher and Pharrell Williams all seen recently rocking pearl jewellery. How fitting, as kings wore ropes of pearls as a symbol of wealth in ancient times.
-ChrisGardner
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A deep personal transformation led me down a very unexpected path to becoming a jewellery artist. A little over twenty years ago I graduated university with a Bachelor of Science (and a Certificate in Liberal Arts; because why not be well-rounded and under a mound of student loan debt?). I was also working part-time in a well-paid union job that had helped me through university. By all appearances I was set. I had a great part time gig and a promising future in science. But the truth was I was miserable. I was depressed. I couldn't fathom continuing down either of those paths. Neither path felt right. The only thing that drove me and brought me joy was being an artist. But to abandon my schooling & secure job seemed outrageous. I was really stuck. My wonderful partner Kelly said to me "Just quit. It'll be fine." What an enormous relief. This gave me the space to take that huge risk, to abandon my years of training and my job with a pension and follow my heart & passion. So I quit (with possibly the shortest resignation letter ever written: "To whom it may concern, I quit.").
What has made my heart sing from the time I could hold a pencil is making & gifting my art; from my very first drawings to hand-painted t-shirts and shoes, to the very first incarnations of jewellery made with colourful clay. My mum likes to tell this story about the time she took me to visit a mall Santa when I was about five years old. I got all dressed up and brought a basket of handmade paper bookmarks & drawings I had crafted for him. He was kind enough to sit with me as I presented them to him one by one😂
One of my very last classes at university was entomology (the study of insects). I absolutely loved this course and actually ended up working in a honeybee research lab for a while. My imagination was sparked and I started creating curious objects made with insects in resin. These were fun to make but also very limiting in many respects (size & material hazards being particular challenges). I also started taking silversmithing classes around this time and soon these early designs evolved into featuring butterfly and moth wings under resin set in silver frames. I still found this direction very limiting in terms of what I could create so I focused on gemstones and metals next. This turned out to be the sweet spot for me and everything fell into place. These materials really allow me to create freely and as my knowledge of silversmithing grew, my work has became more refined. And as the business has grown, Kelly has been able to leave his career as a chef and join me full time.
Sketches: sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Often I will make sketches of initial design ideas but I do leave room for designs to come together spontaneously while I'm working at my jewellery bench. This is a great excuse for having a messy benchtop! I might not know in the beginning what shape a piece will take but what I do know is the feeling it needs.
Next is hand fabricating. Sawing, texturing, soldering, filing, sanding, polishing, and finally stone setting. These are skills I have honed over the last twenty years of metalsmithing and working at my bench is truly my happy place.
Once the settings are shiny & polished they are ready for stone setting. This is a sometimes nerve-wracking experience because there is always the potential to crack a stone or discover that a setting is just a tiny bit off and the stone doesn't fit. But as my mum used to say, "mistakes are friendly invitations to try again." And I can usually embrace that (after some swearing).
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Pearls are the perfect mothers day gift idea for the woman who loves an updated classic. Pearl jewellery is timeless and our handcrafted artisan creations are sure to delight her.
Give her a reminder to slow down, to coast a little.
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1) Measure each finger individually.
2) It's normal for your fingers to change size depending on the temperature & throughout the day. Measure your finger 3-4 times during the day & note all the sizes. Select a size that's somewhere in the middle, ensuring your ring will fit comfortably.
3) If your knuckle is bigger than the base of your finger, measure the widest point as well as the base of your finger and choose a size that is in between both.
4) When using a string or paper to measure your finger, it shouldn't be too tight or too loose. A comfortably snug fit is ideal.
5) Be as exact as possible with your measurement. Even a mm can make a difference in sizing.
6) If you have a current ring that fits you can measure the inside diameter and use that to find your ring size.
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We know that giving back & creating a kinder world is just as important to you as it is to us. It's important to us to donate our time & money to support our community & beyond when when we are able to. This year we asked Amber, one of our favourite supporters, if she would like to choose which charitable organization we would donate to this time around.
Amber had recently purchased a Hearts Embrace necklace for a friend going through a challenging time. We were inspired by her kindness & asked her to choose an organization close to her heart.
Amber chose Autumn Services, a seniors/community centre that supports the population of Fraser Lake, BC.
So, from Feb.15 till March 15, 2021 we will donate 10% of every purchase from our website to Autumn Services.
Here's why Amber chose Autumn Services:
"I truly believe the centre is what kept my dad going after the unexpected passing of my mum this fall. With the pandemic restrictions, I don't know how I would have coped with him being all alone and grieving once I had to return to Vancouver - but within a few short days of being there, I knew he was in good hands. They took him under their wing, focusing on keeping him connected, helping him age in place and ensuring that despite the pandemic related isolation, that he wasn't isolated. They went well and truly above and beyond and really restored my faith in humanity. One of the workers there took my parents' dog in when they were no longer able to care for him, and actually brought the dog to my mum's hospital room window so she could see him - the photo of that day will forever be with me, and it just goes to show how truly spectacular and special the Autumn Services team is.
The centre not only provides friendship, and wellness, they provide meals, rides (there are no taxis or busses and in winter, it is often -30), take people to medical appointments (it takes over 90 minutes to drive to Prince George where all the services are), deliver care packages, provide internet/computer access, help with government forms etc .... they do it all. I have literally broken down in tears multiple times over the past few months over hearing about the amazing things they've done for my dad and the community. But, unfortunately, their funding often runs out long before the need does. Despite being locked down under the current restrictions, they've been able to still go door to door making sure seniors and vulnerable people are taken care of."
We are inspired by stories of kindness, compassion & generosity like these & delighted to be able to help out in some small way.
So, if you've been hanging onto something in your cart or mulling over your wishlist, now is a great time to check out knowing that your purchase will be giving back!
Of course, you can always send a donation straight to Autumn Services as well.
With gratitude,
Mikel & Kelly 💗
]]>Happy New Year!
We wish you a healthy, happy & peaceful 2021.
I have a little New Year's Day tradition I thought I'd share with you. I like to start the year by doing a little bit of everything that I want my year to contain.
One of my favourite things to do is go and visit a local spot where there is a huge population of eagles. I am so grateful for the incredible array of wildlife that co-exist on the land we all share. Standing quietly & watching these magnificent creatures takes me out of my own thoughts & reminds me how vast & incredible this world is.
This picture of a bald eagle and raven was taken last year in this amazing place.
I'll also spend a bit of time in my studio, my happy place. Just being in my space, considering the metals, gemstones & new designs that I want to bring you this coming year. Allowing for inspiration to start working its magic.
I hope you are doing some things today that bring you joy & peace & I hope 2021 is a better year for us all💗
"May what I do flow from me like a river, no forcing and no holding back, the way it is with children."
-Rainer Maria Rilke
I find inspiration comes to me in different ways and I try to always be open to it, wherever it may appear.
Sometimes I start by selecting a few gemstones to work with and sketch out a design in one of my many sketchbooks. I select each and every stone by hand and I try to let the stones "speak" to me and let a design form around them. I will sit down with a cup of strong tea in one of my favourite handmade mugs and just start drawing, letting ideas flow, trying not to censor myself.
"Creativity is just connecting things."
-Steve Jobs
I also find design inspiration from working on what may look like a messy work surface. I like to have bits and bobs and shapes and textures and metals and stones on my bench because sometimes something will get put next to something else and it will make total sense and I'll discover a new design.
When I started making jewellery twenty years ago I worked on an old wooden school desk in our living room. I still use this desk for tool storage because it's pretty great and holds good memories. I was lucky enough to have a good friend build me a custom workbench a few years ago. It has a really long work surface so I can spread out, lots of drawers for storing tools that I use frequently and a few different levels. I use a variety of hand tools, some that I actually inherited from my grandmother who made jewellery as a hobby. My bench sits under a window overgrown with pink roses, where it gets flooded with natural light and welcome ocean breezes.
We designed and built our studio with the intention of creating a space that would let inspiration and creativity flow. Our studio is painted a beautiful, soft pink (my favourite colour). The space is calm and inviting with only a few things on our walls. A few framed prints from some of our favourite local artists, a photograph that reminds me to allow for joy and a few pieces of art from friends.
And then there's tools, tools and more tools! Tools for forming and shaping metal, texturing, cutting, drilling, soldering, sizing, stone setting and polishing.
This station is where Kelly forms, textures and shapes metal for our pieces. This wooden base is carved out of a single tree trunk! We scored this treasured piece in a local thrift store.
And lastly, the soldering station, where some of the real magic of metalsmithing happens.
We hope you've enjoyed this virtual tour of our jewellery studio. Thanks for joining us!
Now that you've gotten a view behind the scenes, browse some of our inspired artisan creations here.
]]>We enjoy sharing our story to demonstrate how, what and why we do what we do and this feature is a great opportunity to do just that! We are dedicated to kindness and integrity and these principles guide how we live our lives and how we operate our business and craft. We hope to empower and inspire others to live their best lives as well.
Featured photos in this article include pieces from our brand new Stars & Moons Collection as well as our Sweethearts Collection, some of which you will only find here in our store. In this lovely layout displaying Zoom's normal standard of excellence, other featured pieces include our intricate and symbolic Large Love knot, everyday Twist Hoop Studs and naturally inspired Organics Earrings.
This is ZOOM's annual wedding edition so it is an honour for us to be featured. And a great opportunity to share our beautifully modern custom wedding band sets in hand hammered 14k white gold. These wedding bands were inspired by the idea of creating something familiar, yet not common. A stunning stand-out of a set that we are happy to offer in silver or gold, providing a place for every budget without sacrificing the quality or integrity of such an important symbol. There is no way to over-emphasize the importance of such a symbol and there is no more well understood or meaningful way to tangibly represent our love and commitment to our partner than with a ring crafted with great care and attention. Our wedding and commitment rings are worn with comfort, given with pride and made with kind intention.
Here's what one happy client had to say:
"I couldn't have better things to say about our wedding bands. Mikel was so friendly, and her work is absolutely amazing." -Crystal G.
Please contact us with your wedding and commitment ring needs. We are happy to work with you to create your own symbol of commitment and achieve your vision on time and on budget.
Cheers!
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