Whoever reads this article wears, or has in their drawer, at least one piece of gold jewellery. But, probably, he doesn’t know it fully. He does not know, for example, that the atoms that make up the gold of his jewel are composed of 79 electrons. It seems like a superfluous detail, but it isn’t: gold is gold precisely because it has that certain number of elementary particles. And it is also the reason that led Gioia Lelli, a designer from Forlì, to call her jewelry brand Settantanove Studio. The word Studio, however, indicates the search for an essential and contemporary design. The designer’s choice, however, does not derive from a scientific background: before dedicating herself to jewellery, Gioia graduated in pedagogy and worked in the school sector.
The jewels of Settantanove Studio, therefore, can only be in 18 karat gold, with a design that is defined as composed of simple and essential lines. The jewels are designed by Gioia and are taken care of down to the smallest detail, from the design phase to their creation, with entirely handmade workmanship and meticulous attention to detail. Attention is also paid to the choice of materials: Settantanove Studio prefers the use of ethical gold deriving from mines that respect specific environmental and social standards. The precious and semi-precious stones are supplied by certified companies. Finally, the brand uses packaging made with recyclable materials.
Elena Braccini, jewels and so be it
Religious devotion, tradition, a pinch of the Middle Ages: these are the elements of Elena Braccini’s jewelery ♦ ︎
From architecture to jewelry: it seems that this is one of the most popular streets by designers. And there is a link: architecture takes care of volumes and shapes, communicates aesthetics, also loves functionality. All elements that are found in the proposals of Elena Braccini, a Florentine specialist in Interior Design and with a master’s degree in jewelery at the Sacred Art School of Florence. Take note: the course of study is a clue to the creative world of Elena Braccini.
As shown by the The Real Madonnas and Deep Soul collections.
The English name of the collections conceals, in reality, the very Italian passion of jewelry linked to tradition, even the religious one that has its roots in the medieval arts. Sacred art and zoomorphic interpretations, symbols: these are the areas that the designer’s jewelery attends.
The jewels are made entirely by hand by Florentine artisans in the historic shops of Ponte Vecchio (the bridge that crosses the river Arno). Gold and silver are characterized by micro-incisions, with stones that become micro-architectures. In addition to the aforementioned The Real Madonnas and Deep Soul collections, Elena Braccini also offers wedding rings and jewels made to order and customizable.
The jewels that speak with Kendra Pariseault
Creative jewels, designer jewels, jewelry that reminds of voices. They are those of Kendra Pariseault ♦ ︎
You can find runners not only in the morning in city parks or engaged in a marathon. There are also runners who prefer to engage in other speed competitions. For example, with a trunkshow on Moda Operandi even before having a fully functioning website. This milestone (it was May 2019) is reach by the runner-designer Kendra Pariseault, the new rising star of US design. His work, which has just begun, has already been promoted with flying colors. All that remains is to follow his career.
Kendra Pariseault grew up in Rhode Island, attended Skidmore College where she specialized in Gender Studies and art and then jewelry at the Rhode Island School of Design. Later, he worked for Calvin Klein and David Yurman, where he discovered the world of colored stones. She is also co-founder and creative director of the low-priced jewelry line Kendra Phillip. Now, instead, with his brand Kendra Pariseault Jewelry, he aims higher, at more expensive and refined jewels. Without forgetting what his interests are outside of jewelry: fashion, femininity and feminism. And some esoteric aspects: he claims to have recorded the voice of a deceased on his cell phone and, from this experience, he has drawn some jewels that represent sound waves. Pariseault also creates personalized bracelets with the sound wave of a word or a sound at the request of a customer. His jewels cost between $ 5,000 and $ 50,000.
Skyline made to measure with Preziosa Jewelry
The Milanese jewelery brand Preziosa inaugurates the first online configurator of personalized skyline jewellery. The small Maison specializes in jewels that reproduce the most famous skylines of large locations. Now the Preziosa website has created a configurator that allows customers to define the skyline of their memories. The functionality uses a vast library of monuments, symbols and elements that can be used to create a personalized jewel. The designer also included wildcard elements to allow you to insert very personal buildings, such as your childhood home or their refuge in the mountains, at no additional cost.
Customers have asked me to customize the jewels dedicated to skylines for them, each of them is keen, in fact, to tell their own story through the places where they have experienced unique emotions. There are those who love exploring the world and want to enclose the journeys that have changed their way of seeing things, there are those who have met love on the other side of the world, there are those who give away stops around the world world that have marked special memories and there are those who have a wonderful relationship with a magical and secret place.
Silvia Preziosa
Preziosa Jewelry was born in Milan in 2015: the first collection was inspired by famous locations in the world, cities or nations, all stylized on rings, bracelets and necklaces. The initiative is by Silvia Preziosa (a name, a destiny). After studying Fashion Design at the Polytechnic University of Milan, the designer moved to London and then to New York, where she attended the Parsons School of Design, before founding her jewelry brand.
Contemporary art becomes a jewel with De Meo
Art, crafts, goldsmithing. Three words that run after each other and, at times, come together in the work of someone who does not chase fashions, but an idea. As in the case of Corrado De Meo, an artist and jeweler outside the box, who lives and works in Livorno (Italy). Even his professional career does not follow the usual patterns: he graduated in sociology, then he traveled all over the world and discovered the fascination of ethnic cultures. Until 2005, when a jewelery exhibition at Palazzo Medici Riccardi, in Florence in which he participates, marks the turning point: he decides to create jewelery-works.
Over time, his contemporary art sculptures transformed into brooches and rings have participated in various exhibitions. The Museo degli Argenti of Palazzo Pitti in Florence, in the permanent collection, houses one of his works. De Meo also participated in the Beijing International Jewelry Art Biennial in China and in the Dialoghi / Dialogues AGC-JJDA project in Tokyo. He uses the most diverse materials, from silver to polystyrene, from pearls to wood. Of course, they are not common jewels to wear, but perhaps to be observed.
The symbols of jewels
Have you ever thought that jewels are not only ornaments, but also symbols? That’s right: jewels are also messages. Very often they contain symbols that communicate a feeling, an intention, and even a request for help. But these symbols are not always known. Maybe you are wearing a piece of jewelry that has a meaning and you don’t know it. Here, then, are the symbols most used in jewelry and what their meaning is.
With a premise: every moment of history, every society, every culture has its own symbols. So, a list that includes exactly all the symbols that are used in jewelry would be very long. Furthermore, the symbols used in Asia, for example, are quite different from the Western ones (for example the dragon or the circles). Then there are symbols that need no explanation, such as those linked to the zodiac signs, or the cross, a symbol of the Christian religion.
Symbols of love
Symbols linked to love are the most used in jewellery. The meaning of the eternity ring, for example, composed of a continuous line of diamonds or other gems along the entire edge of the shank, is easily understandable: the desire for endless love. From mathematics, however, comes the symbol ∞, the sign of infinity which, on a jewel, means forever, eternal love. Furthermore, it is impossible not to mention the heart, an organ which, according to an ancient tradition, contains passions and feelings of love.
The heart is the most common symbol for love, passion, but also for charity. A crown placed above this symbol wearing it indicates that the one who gave it as a gift is the king of the heart. Another symbol linked to love is the arrow, which according to the ancient Greeks was shot by Cupid to make people fall in love. A lock or padlock protects the heart and, therefore, who you love. A padlock is also used as a union sign that cannot be divided.
A key, on the contrary, symbolizes the power to open the heart, therefore access to love and feeling. Or to close off access to other competitors in love. Always among the symbols of love, there are occasionally two shaking hands: they are not the sign of a deal just concluded, but a symbol of loyalty, friendship, alliance in life. But this symbol is used more rarely.
The snake
The snake symbol has different meanings. In the ancient Greek and Roman world it meant a guardian, but also a symbol of wisdom, fertility and creative life force. More recently, however, a snake bracelet has had the meaning of eternal love in the Victorian period. Symbol of sin for the Christian religion, the snake has also become a symbol of carnal passion, of desire.
Lucky symbols
Since ancient times, jewels have also been used as amulets. Therefore, jewels with symbols to ward off the evil eye or as a good luck charm abound. It does not appear that a jewel of this type can win the lottery, but the fact is that a large number of people who hope to find luck wearing a necklace or a bracelet. The four-leaf clover is traditionally one of the most used symbols. In fact, luck is as rare as a four-lobed clover leaf.
Another symbol of protection from bad luck is the eye. It is a symbol that dates back to classical Greek antiquity. The idea is that the eye protects from the malevolent gaze of enemies. The horseshoe is also a symbol often used for pendants, although their use is controversial: some think it brings good luck when turned up, but bad luck when turned down. But others think otherwise. In Italy, especially in the South, a small horn is considered a good luck charm.
Beetle
Today it is less common, but every now and then some jeweler proposes a pendant or a ring with the shape of a scarab. The meaning comes from ancient Egypt, when these insects were considered a symbol of renewal and regeneration. Later the scarabs were also considered a sign of resistance of the soul.
Moon and tree of life
It has no meaning related to the stars. The crescent moon, however, symbolizes the beginning of a new relationship, with the hope that the couple will consolidate over time. Another symbol that refers to nature, but also to the origin of life is the tree. And in addition to representing the cycle of biological life on Earth, in the tradition of the Christian religion the tree of life is a tree that God placed in the Garden of Eden, together with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
The hand of Fatima
Called Hamsa or Khamsa in Arabic, the hand it is an amulet characteristic of the Muslim and Jewish religions. For the Jews it is the Hand of Miriam, sister of Moses and Aaron. For popular Islam, the hand represents an infallible remedy against the evil eye and negative influences in general. But the hand of Fatima was also a sign of freedom for women: according to legend, a woman named Fatima sacrificed her hand to be free. Today the hand of Fatima is also used to indicate spaces dedicated to women.
Symbol of peace
The peace symbol, also called “make love, not war”, dates back to 1958: it is an idea by the American designer and pacifist Gerald Holtom. It became popular in the 1960s and 1970s during the anti-Vietnam War demonstrations. Although for some the symbol is a graphic representation of the physical love between man and woman, Holtom explained that in reality the graphic sign refers to the semaphore alphabet used in nautical signaling: it would represent the letters N and D, which stands for Nuclear Disarmament. In any case, it has become the universal symbol of peace and love more generally.
5 rules for selling your gold jewelry
Is it a good idea to sell your jewelry? How do you sell a ring, a necklace or earrings? Here are the things to know before selling your precious jewels: the first thing to check is … ♦
The price of gold rises, falls, goes up again. Will it be the right time to sell your jewelry? If you have a gold jewel, before selling it is better to get an idea of the quotation of the yellow metal. But what is the real price? If the jewel is of a great Maison, with diamonds or other precious stones, it is better to have it evaluated by at least three different jewelers: the evaluations can be very different.
If, however, your jewelry is made in large part of gold, the first thing to do is look carefully at the charts of the quotes (but also silver and platinum). The experts can also follow the lists of the New York Spot Gold or London Fix. Which one is better? Depends: the first is a price index mainly for transactions in the United States, while the latter refers to European and international markets. It is not a small detail if you intend to sell an important jewel, because the buyer could make his assessment on the most convenient square for him. Knowing, however, the price of gold serves to get an idea of the price: better not to trust what some operators who buy jewelry by weight explain. Here, then, five tips to sell their golds at best.
1 Identify price changes: if there is an upward surge in gold prices, London Fix is the first to record its growth, so this is the best market for the seller and obviously not for the buyer. We repeat: this applies to jewels that have a certain weight. For a few grams the difference is not much.
2 Learn gold weights and measures: it is essential, because even if buyers use grams as a unit of measure, in reality the value on the international market is set in ounces. And 1 oz is equivalent to 31.1 grams. So, to understand the current price you just have to multiply the value by 1 ounce by 31.1.
3 Check the carats of the jewels: the official price of gold is that of pure metal, at 24 carats. But no modern jewel has 24 carats. The jewels are made of gold combined with other metals, to increase resistance, or simply to lower the price. 14-carat gold means, for example, that only 58.3% of your jewelry is made of gold. The rest can be nickel, silver, copper … So when you go to sell the jewel, it will be calculated not for its total weight, but in that relative to the gold part. Attention, 9-carat jewels are often advertised as gold, but when sold they are not considered as such.
4 Calculate and compare the best price: It is better to measure and accurately weigh jewels before going to any store, to get an idea (on the internet special scales are on sale). Also, keep in mind that those who buy gold do not pay the theoretical price of the list, because they must merge the jewel and, obviously, add its percentage of income, on which the taxes are paid. Basically, if you have calculated well the value of your gold jewel taking into account the percentage present in the alloy (the carats) and its weight, you must remove at least a good 30%.
5 Get the best price: Internet is a good channel for buying jewelry, but not for selling. Some buyers apply discounted rates up to 50% compared to some stores “buy gold”: the same necklace of 14 carats could be estimated at half The jewelers could, however, pay more if they detect a fine craftsmanship, because the jewel it could be transformed and reused.
My Charm’s light jewels
A family of goldsmiths, two brothers who intend to continue the goldsmith tradition, and a lot of initiative: this is how My Charm was born, a jewelry brand created by Fabio and Simona Palumbo, with experience with another brand behind them Medaglia Foto, which offers gold pendants with a photographic portrait embedded in them. My Charm, however, has chosen to create and sell more traditional jewellery: earrings, rings, chains, bracelets. They are jewels that are not intended to surprise with originality, but to please by being worn without problems. Although there is no shortage of models with a studied design.
Gold, precious stones such as diamonds, sapphires and rubies, but also many semi-precious gems, are used to enrich the jewels, which prefer very small dimensions: a choice that positively influences the retail price. The registered office of My Charm is in the heart of Naples, in the ancient Borgo Orefici, while the production headquarters is located in the Centro Orafo Il Tarì in Marcianise (Caserta, Italy). My Charm jewels can be found in over 150 points of sale throughout the country.
The loving asymmetry of Kavant & Sharart
Love at first sight, jewels forever. The romantic story of Kavant & Sharart is signed by two designers based in Bangkok: Nuttapon Yongkiettakul, aka Kenny, and Shar-Linn Liew. The two met in 2004 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Raised in a family of jewelers Nuttapon Yongkiettakul has design in his blood. After graduating from university, the couple moved to California: Kenny attended courses at the Gia, while Shar-Linn completed his studies in the financial sector. Until she was infected with a passion for jewelry. Once married, Kenny and Shar returned to Bangkog and their work attracted the attention of jewelry aficionados.
Kavant & Sharart’s style has nothing oriental about it. Rather, it is inspired by original, modern geometries, with a splash of art deco. The couple also won the debut award at the 2016 Couture Show. Gold, precious stones, but above all a predilection for curves that suddenly stop at acute angles, with volumes that are sometimes deliberately asymmetrical: the Maison’s jewels are also sold from big luxury stores like Harrods, because together with love, business triumphed.
Jennifer DeMoro, California dreamin’
California. Sun, beaches, waves. And a fashion that loves comfort and the informal. In this context Jennifer DeMoro found inspiration for her jewels, which have the seventies as their ideal, when California was the dream of young people all over the world. But Jennifer DeMoro’s jewels are not necessarily to be attributed to a hippy atmosphere or the current Coachella Festival. The designer’s brand is based in southern California, in San Clemente, a seaside town just below Los Angeles. The beach lifestyle in her jewels is transformed into many colored semi-precious stones, which adapt to shiny gold and which remind the designer of the sunsets and intense shades of her territory.
The stones often have special cuts and the colors are chosen to express strong contrasts, with clear geometric shapes: sapphires, rubies, garnets, spinels, emeralds and amethysts are worked with cuts that include baguette, princess, round and marquise. Jennifer DeMoro also finished a Jewelry Design course at Gia.
How Lucedeimieiocchi shines
Light of my eyes, a common italian expression addressed to those you love. Which Daniela Garofalo transformed into Lucedeimieiocchi (light of my eyes), a jewelery brand from Capri, the jewel-island located opposite Naples. The name was born from a look the designer gave to her daughter Annachiara. The light of her eyes is also a source of inspiration for a line of jewelery designed to adapt to contemporary women. To which are added the reflections of the sea, another type of light, which transforms into the jewels of the Maison. Marine elements, not surprisingly, are part of the brand’s style.
The jewels are proudly made in Italy, from design to manufacturing. They are made of 18 or 9 carat gold in the three classic colors: yellow, white or pink. Scaramazza pearls, or precious stones, such as diamonds, rubies and emeralds, or semi-precious ones, such as aquamarine, citrine, rutilated quartz or prasiolite are added to the precious metal, in addition to the inevitable, for a Capri jewelery shop, the use of white or red coral.
Sculptor, gemologist, artist. But above all jeweler with roots in the USA and based in Bangkok for 22 years: Matthew Campbell Laurenza alternates the creation of jewelry with that of sculptures with his brand Mcl Design. The jewels have an eclectic style, capable of mixing Thai craftsmanship with art nouveau flourishes and occasionally even a hint of Gothic. In short, jewels that stand out, made of gold, but also silver and precious and semi-precious stones. Made in Thailand, the jewels are then sold in luxury stores mainly in the US.
Each piece of jewelry is a miniature sculpture. Matthew Campbell Laurenza, in fact, before becoming a jeweler he graduated in Fine Arts at Bellarmine University, in Kentucky. But he is also a master goldsmith, counter jeweler, as well as having worked extensively in ceramics, stone, bronze and wood. His pieces are found in private collections and have been shown in exhibitions around the world, from Asia, Russia and the Middle East, to Europe and the United States and are sold in luxury stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Harrods, Liberty of London, Lane Crawford, On Pedder, Gallerie Lafayette and Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as being worn by Rihanna, Katie Perry, Taylor Swift, Blake Lively, Queen Rania of Jordan, Prince Albert of Monaco, Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Lopez, Meryl Streep and Iris Arpel.
The historic Vever brand returns in Paris
In Paris there is a new old Maison: Vever. New because it was just opened a couple of years ago in the Place Vendôme area by Camille and Damien Vever. Old because the founders are the heirs of Henri Jean Baptiste Eugène Vever (1854-1954), French jeweler, writer and art collector, protagonist of the Art Nouveau and Belle Epoque period. Camille Vever has chosen to enter the world of jewelry thanks to a brooch, obviously signed Vever, donated by her grandmother for her 16th birthday. After much deliberation, at the age of 40 she decided to leave the post of general manager of a biopharmaceutical company and enlisted one of his brothers.
The Maison founded by his grandfather had remained active until 1982. Now it receives a new impulse. But in a completely new situation from a century ago, Vever’s guidelines have also changed from the past. For example, the Maison has decided to use only recycled gold and synthetic diamonds to respect the environment. At its debut Vever presents two lines of high jewelery and fine jewelry: rings, necklaces and bracelets reflect two different aesthetics, one reminiscent of historical jewels with the use of enamel, Akoya pearls and baroque shapes, while another line is more modern with simple and soft shapes, alongside a more elaborate collection inspired by Ginko flowers.
The occasions of Amàli
Among the inhabitants of Astoria, a corner of Queens, New York, there are also Sara Freedenfeld and her husband Daniel Tishbi. Sara is the founder of Amàli, a jewelry brand named after the designer’s grandmother. Yet it was not her grandmother Amalia who pushed Sara Freedenfeld to pursue a career in jewelry, self-taught. It was the case. Or, better, a theft suffered in her youth, while she was walking through the streets of Chile with her backpack. Left without money, Sara began to see bijoux made with braided rope, a skill she acquired in Valparaiso. From that rudimentary activity she moved on to metalworking, learned with the help of a Venezuelan goldsmith. In short, a strange story, which could fit well in a sliding door series.
The fact is that at 26, after returning to the United States, the designer put into practice what she learned during her travels and in 2006 she founded Amàli. The Maison’s jewels are in 18-karat yellow gold, dressed with precious and semiprecious stones, in particular opal and tourmaline. Necklaces, rings and earrings are all handmade.
Tessa Packard, british style
Alongside traditional jewels, Tessa Packard surprises with precious but also fun creations ♦
Tessa Packard is the creative director of the brand that she founded in 2013 and that in a short time has climbed the ranking of trendy jewelers. You often make slightly eccentric pieces, such as her Fried Egg earrings, made of white gold, diamonds, yellow agate and white topaz (price: 15,000 pounds). She describes her formula as “good design and narrative integrity”. She introduces a new collection every six months, but she has also specialized in the production of bespoke jewelry, both for individual clients and for other companies.
In short, creative imagination together with creativity in business. Tessa also rightly points out that she often participates as a speaker in numerous workshops dedicated to the role of women in the world of work. In any case, her production is liked: in 2015 the Maison was nominated for one of the 30 Hot Under 30 faces in the jewelry sector. And to say that Tessa is totally self-taught. She was born in Brazil but raised in Great Britain. She studied Fine Arts and Art History at university before launching herself into London’s commercial art world. But she moved from art galleries to jewelry.
She is keen to point out that all of her jewelery is handcrafted and finished in the UK. Another unconventional aspect concerns the use of plastic materials, such as lucite, alongside traditional gold and precious stones. Lucite, for example, was extremely popular for jewelry in the 1950s and 1960s, with several companies specializing in creating high quality pieces with this material. Lucite beads and ornaments are still sold by jewelry suppliers, which Tessa transforms into original jewelry.
Another unconventional aspect concerns the use of plastic materials, such as lucite, alongside the traditional gold and precious stones. Lucite, for example, was extremely popular for jewelry in the 1950s and 1960s, with several companies specializing in creating high-quality pieces with this material. Lucite beads and ornaments are still sold by jewelry suppliers, which Tessa processes into original jewelry.
Marei’s mix art
Angie Marei, designer born in New York from an Egyptian-Dominican family. The designer has a degree in communication design and an eclectic background of studies ranging from sculpture, illustration, painting, art history and architecture. You made your jewelry debut with a brand that didn’t go unnoticed: Diaboli Kill. But she later changed her name to a more classic choice: Marei. Based in Brooklyn, New York, the jewelry brand presents itself as something different, very personal, alternative.
But, in addition to having many interests, it is also active on many fronts. For example, alongside her work as a designer she has been a creative direction consultant at a number of agencies working across a variety of verticals, with a particular focus on luxury, fashion and lifestyle brands. The range of clients and projects includes everything from creative direction, photography direction, campaign and presentation design, visual design, social media campaigns and content, e-commerce design, storyboarding, video editing, print design, packaging design . For example, you design watches for brands such as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Oscar De La Renta and Fossil.
Her style is quite eclectic: Marei has rediscovered her love of jewelry by tracing back her Egyptian family tradition and family tradition of collecting gold jewelry. She studied jewelry school with her in New York, discovered a true passion for wax modeling and metalworking, and began building a gemstone archive. The result is a mix of Art Deco and archeology to create what she calls brooding opulence.
The simple success of Maman et Sophie
It’s called Maman et Sophie but, despite the French name, it is an Italian jewelery brand, Florentine to be precise. And it is also a phenomenon: in a few years it has become one of the most popular brands in Italy, thanks to the formula adopted. The jewels have very affordable prices (from 50 to 300 euros on average), the style is very simple and immediate, the wearability is guaranteed. The jewels are also sold online and having immediately focused on e-commerce was one of the keys to the success of the brand.
The idea of Maman et Sophie is by the Florentine designer Elisabetta Carletti, who founded the jewelry company with the help of her husband and partner of the Maison, Federico Lastrucci, who passed away in 2019. The adventure of Maman and Sophie began in 2008, when Elisabetta Carletti decided to leave the profession of lawyer started in a large Florence firm. The birth of her first daughter, Sofia, left her time to reflect: she started designing jewelry, her passion, and making the first prototypes in silver rose gold plated. The name of the company, Maman et Sophie, is the photograph of that period. And the formula chosen, simple jewels, at a reduced price, with light and minimal style, was successful.
How to avoid allergies to nickel
Have you ever found marks on the skin where you have worn rings, necklaces or earrings? They could have been caused by nickel allergy. Here’s what you need to do to avoid nickel allergy ♦
Receiving a beautiful ring as a gift and not being able to wear it: the fault lies with the allergy. It often happens that a jewel, perhaps a favorite, turns out to be an enemy of the skin. The most common cause is nickel dermatitis, also called contact dermatitis, nickel allergy. The problem can arise at any time and at any age. Even jewelry that up to that moment has never caused irritation, can suddenly turn out to be harmful. Each individual human body reacts differently to nickel depending on tolerance and sensitivity level. Among other things, there are rare cases in which the allergy is also manifested by wearing gold or silver jewelry: but the most frequent cause is, also in this case, the nickel content present in bijoux. Pure gold and silver are metals too soft to be transformed into frames. Nickel has often been added, like zinc and copper, to make gold and silver more resistant and allow it to give the desired shape. In addition, the nickel gives a shiny effect. Zinc and copper do not damage the skin, which is instead more and more nickel.
The dangerous metals. Keep in mind that 14-karat or 18-karat gold contains a greater amount of different metals than 24-karat gold, the only one that is completely pure. In short, the purer the gold, the less allergies it causes. Nickel is also used in jewelry in alloys with platinum and white gold. But platinum jewelry is quite expensive and, statistically, there are fewer cases of allergies, as it is rarer. In addition, platinum and white gold are also often reinforced with palladium, a metal that does not cause allergies. However, it is more expensive.
Often the allergy is caused by the contact of the metal with the most sensitive layer of the skin, such as the hole in the nose or ear. Nickel penetrates through the skin into the bloodstream of the body. At this point the cells react to the nickel. Another cause that can give rise to allergies is sweat. When it is hot and the jewelry is worn for a long time, the skin sweats. Perspiration comes into contact with the metal of the jewelry, dissolves the nickel, and forms nickel salts. The salt reacts on contact with the skin and causes the allergy. It is commonly believed that women suffer more than men, but the number of men wearing jewelry is far less.
Symptoms. Nickel allergy can cause blood loss, or swelling and the production of pus. In most cases, however, there is a constant itching or burning around the area where the skin has been in direct contact with the jewel. More rarely, allergic people find a blue tint on their finger after removing a ring, or a rash or red spots on the skin. Nickel allergy sufferers end up wearing only stainless steel jewelry. In fact, this metal also contains nickel, but it also does not leave it as it is hermetically held, it rarely comes in direct contact with the skin.
Another enemy are the traces of soap and water under the jewels. The cleansers break the protective shield of the skin and allow the nickel to come into direct contact with the deeper layers. Earrings and rings are more likely to retain water droplets after a bath. Taking off your jewelry before washing is a useful precaution, especially when doing housework and hands being washed countless times. Detergents or other cleaning products that get under a ring can cause allergy. Unfortunately, there are no cures: dermatologists offer some medical treatments, but they are usually only effective for the short term. After some time, regardless of the treatment, the allergy reappears.
How to avoid allergy. If you really don’t want to do it, or if you forget to remove the rings, pass a layer of transparent nail polish inside the jewel: it can help avoid direct contact with the metal. Another precaution to avoid allergies can be to apply talcum powder before wearing the jewelry: in this way, humidity is avoided. Furthermore, those who fear an allergic reaction must be careful not to wear tight earrings, rings or chains: if the air passes through the jewel it is less likely that contact with the skin causes a reaction. Alternating jewelry more often reduces the risk. Finally, remember to keep the jewelry clean and dry. Those who are very sensitive to nickel can choose lacquered or palladium-plated jewelry.
Do you want to know what nickel is?
It seems the original name of this metal, nickel, derives from the Swedish word Nickel, diminutive of a proper name, Nicolaus. And in the tradition of the Nordic country Nicolaus was a name given to people of little value, but also to goblins. But metal has nothing to do with Henry Potter’s wizarding world. Nickel, or nickel, is a metal that was already used in the Bronze Age, over 3500 years ago, in the Middle East and China. In the West, nickel came into common use in the mid-eighteenth century, when Baron Axel Frederik Cronstedt, attempting to extract copper from a mineral, niccolite, obtained a white metal which he called nickel, a name that derives from the German Kupfernickel, that is, false copper, or from nickel (elf, little devil in German).
Why is it used?
Nickel is a white, silvery metal. It belongs to the iron group and is therefore hard, but also malleable, easy to work with. It is also appreciated in jewelery for the properties it gives when alloyed with gold, platinum or silver, especially because it gives strength and is resistant to corrosion.
Nickel, in addition to being present in many jewelry alloys together with gold, is used in a wide range of products. So if you have signs of allergy on your hands, maybe it’s not your earrings, but cutlery, watches, scissors, lighters, cell phones, doorknobs and even coins. And if you have marks on your neck, it is not certain that the cause is the necklace, but perhaps glasses, food and pots…
The first thing to do, in short, is to check with which metals you come in contact often.
But, be careful: maybe you do not know that nickel can also be hidden in cosmetics, personal hygiene products (such as hair dyes, toothpastes, shampoos, nail polishes). In this case hunting nickel is easier. Read the label well: the presence of nickel must be declared by the manufacturer, even if you may find it written in small letters. Finished? No: who is really very allergic also risks at the table. In fact, some foods naturally contain nickel, even if in very small quantities. In any case, if your allergy does not disappear, eliminate these foods.
Here are the forbidden foods:
blueberries, oats, buckwheat, walnuts and hazelnuts, broccoli, potatoes, baking powder, apricots, cabbage, spinach, peanuts, carrots, tomatoes, oysters, figs, onions, asparagus, lentils, whole wheat flour, beans, liquorice, cooked and raw pears, mushrooms, corn, lettuce, peas, almonds, tea, lobster, margarine, cocoa and chocolate, avocado.
Fortunately, according to experts, only less than 20% of nickel allergies are caused or worsened by food. But if this is the case you have to eliminate these foods altogether for at least a month or a month and a half before you see a difference. In any case, do not worry, you do not risk starving.
Here are some foods without nickel:
radicchio, endive, fennel, aubergines, courgettes, peppers, cucumbers, beets, watermelon, melon, citrus fruits, peaches, bananas, strawberries, grapes, milk and dairy products, 00 flour, rice, meat, fish (but not mussels, clams, sea urchins and crustaceans), brewer’s yeast.
Last advices if you suffer from nickel allergy:
- When you open the tap, run the water for a few minutes to remove any traces of nickel released from the pipes.
If you are cooking a cake, use baking soda instead of baking powder to rise.
Choose pyrex pots, glass, aluminum, unglazed pottery, silargan, teflon. This type of crockery prevents the release of nickel from cutlery or other utensils you use.
- When you open the tap, run the water for a few minutes to remove any traces of nickel released from the pipes.
Barbie’s jewels
Do you like pink? Do you want to wear pink jewelry? Are you looking for a pink necklace? Or a bracelet? Or … Here are many ideas ♦
There are many reasons to wear pink jewelry, Barbie’s favorite color. The first is that it is the light version of marsala, announced color of the year, according to Pantone. In addition, it is definitely more suited to this season; the second reason is that its tone, even the one tinged with gray tinge, embellishes any type of skin. And This alone would be enough to convince anyone. But there is another side to act as an incentive and comes from English: think pink!It means thinking positive. And indeed a beautiful bright pink is a burst of energy, a stimulus to good mood. So, although many of the color names have lost their multiplicity of meanings, even in some languages in common phrases characterize specific moods. So, ring, earrings or bracelet have also colored stones, faceted or cabochon, translucent or opaque. Provided that they are pink.
And more, pink is a positive color. It takes its name from the fragrant flower of the same name. But perhaps you don’t know that it was born quite recently: the name rose was used for the first time to indicate a shade of color only at the end of the 17th century. In the West (especially Europe and the United States), pink is the color associated with concepts of charm, kindness, sensitivity, tenderness, sweetness, childhood, femininity and romance. If the hue is very light, it is associated with chastity and innocence. On the contrary, a bright pink suggests eroticism and seduction.
The history of pink
One could write a history of the color pink. But, undoubtedly, the maximum popularity reached it in the mid-eighteenth century, when pastel colors became very fashionable in all the courts of Europe. The pink color in particular was highly appreciated by Madame de Pompadour (1721-1764), lover of King Louis XV of France, who often wore clothes that combined blue and pink. Not only that: she had a particular shade of pink created especially for her by the Sevres porcelain factory, apparently with small additions of blue, black and yellow.
Pink stones
But let’s talk about jewelry: in addition to pink gold, you have a wide choice of stones that have shades of rose. The most precious, and most expensive, is undoubtedly the diamond. Diamonds with pink shades are buyed for millions of dollars during the auctions. But luckily there are many other stones that also have this color tone in their repertoire: quartz, sapphire, mystic topaz, rhodolite garnet, morganite, kunzite, Malaya garnet, tourmaline, spinel, opal, zircon, pink pearl, moonstone , coral, smithsonite, pezzottaite, rhodochrosite and rhodonite. You only have the problem of choosing one.
Matilde de Bounvilles
Flower shaped jewelry
Jewels and flowers: an eternal bond, but that each jeweler interprets in his own way. Here are the jewels of flower power ♦
The link between flowers and jewelry is longstanding: flower power in jewelry is not a new discovery, as happens now in fashion. Maybe because petals and pistils are a source of inspiration, they do not set limits to the imagination, to the use of colors and shapes. A real godsend for any creative, insomuch as every year the floral theme is one of the coolest trends. In short, it never goes out of fashion and with a good reason, because often the results are amazing. Some examples: the collection of fine jewelry Secret Garden by Faberge, a triumph of precious stones surrounded by leaves of carved jade, that look like a bouquet of flowers.
Or the corolla collier by Pasquale Bruni, a soft lawn buds, in white diamonds and morganite. The ring Lily of the Masterpieces collection by Damiani There is also a branch of a cherry tree, a pink explosion that wraps around the finger with the opened ring by Moorphée Joaillerie or the intricate and climbing bracelet-ring by Wendy Yue.
And, yet, the Tree of Life in the earrings by Annushka, the fleshy orchid by Carrera y Carrera and the delicate one by Autore. All pieces of the highest craftsmanship. But if you want something more simple as a shepe but the same high-impact, Asprey now proposes its classic brand icon, Heritage Daisy stud earrings with petals that fade in the diamonds pistil. Monica Battistoni