Harry Winston’s Sunflower Collection

Brrr, Manhattan is experiencing a deep freeze, forcing us to stay indoors. So today, let’s get our sunshine in an indirect way.🌞 Without leaving your home, come with me to Harry Winston to admire his Sunflower Collection. It’s for diamond lovers, although a customer could select the pieces set with several colored gemstones that feature rubies, emeralds, sapphires, or yellow diamonds!

We, ordinary wage earners, can’t afford the collection, but we can be inspired by its beautiful design when occasionally buying or being gifted more affordable jewelry.

1st up: The Sunflower Graduated Diamond Necklace is set in platinum with round brilliant-cut diamonds. The so-called small necklace has 429 round brilliant diamonds weighing 20.60 carats. That’s the small?😳 I could live with “small,” --  little puny 20 carats of diamonds in this necklace! Could you?

What’s more, the collection has matching watches, rings, earrings, and bracelets! So let’s continue our blog shopping spree, shall we?

The Harry Winston Premier Sunflower Automatic Watch is 36 mm in size with a yellow mother-of-pearl dial and a pearly yellow alligator leather strap. It comes in blue, red, and green also, but we’re focusing on sunshine yellow today. The Sunflower Diamond Two-Motif Twin Ring, set in platinum, has 36 round brilliant diamonds totaling 3.58 carats; its center stones weigh 0.70 carats.

The Sunflower Diamond Earrings on Wires in small, set in platinum, have 18 round brilliant diamonds weighing 3.73 carats. The center diamonds are approximately 0.70 carats. The platinum Harry Winston Sunflower Earrings on Wires in medium have 18 round brilliant diamonds that weigh 4.43 carats, and the center stones are 1.00 carats. Ooh, la, la, these resemble the Sisi’s Stars I covet!

Now we’ve arrived at selecting a bracelet: The Sunflower Diamond Bracelet in small has 198 round brilliant diamonds weighing 9.70 carats, and the large has 165 round brilliant diamonds weighing 16 carats. Both are set in platinum.

Visiting Harry Winston on my blog is much friendlier than going in person to the 5th Avenue flagship store. The shop is not welcoming to browsers, unlike Tiffany down the block, whose associates are fantastic to tourists!

17 round brilliant diamonds weighing a total of 1.72 carats, with a center stone of 0.70 carats conprise the small, set in platinum

Still, I will always be grateful to the jeweler, Harry Winston, for buying and donating the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian in Washington DC in 1958, so it’s on public display. The story is, he sent the Hope Diamond there in the US Mail!!😲

I hope you've enjoyed your Harry Windson scan on THE SAVVY SHOPPER! Before we know it, the weather will turn into a warm sunflower-growing season again. Let's never lose our love for summer, Mother Nature, or her jewels!🌻

Meanwhile, stay warm, my lovelies, in these frigid temperatures! 

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Pretty LeVian Couture Emeralds

LeVian is a jeweler known for its chocolate diamonds and use of bold, vibrant, slightly-off-the-beaten-path colored gemstones like blueberry sapphires and passion rubies. The family run retailer since the 15th century has also maintained its Persian orgins in some of its designs. Personally, I don’t own any of its commercial-grade jewelry sold at Macy’s, Saks or Belk department stores.

Still 2 pieces from LaVain’s High Jewelry Platinum Collection really caught my eye! I (not my bank account😛) can envision wearing them as they are classic and gorgeous!

The Dora is a pair of earrings featuring 9.22 carats of pear-shaped Costa Smeralda Emeralds™ interlaced with 2.65 carats of marquise, pear, and round Vanilla Diamonds™ crafted in 18k Vanilla Gold™.

The Aelia is a 13.53 carat Costa Smeralda Emerald™ in 18k Vanilla Gold™ framed by .86 carat of Vanilla Diamonds™ in a floral pattern.

You may wonder what exactly are Costa Smeralda Emeralds™, Vanilla Gold™ and Vanilla Diamonds™? I had to look it up:

"Le Vian uses Vanilla Gold to describe its unique 14k or 18k white gold alloy, which is designed to be very white and often eliminates the need for rhodium plating. Vanilla Diamonds are Le Vian's branded, specially selected, high-quality white or near-colorless diamonds chosen to sparkle against their colorful, food-named gold and gemstone collections.” 

"Costa Smeralda Emeralds are high-quality, natural, and untreated emeralds ethically sourced from Zambia and Brazil, exclusively marketed by Le Vian.” The hue of the emeralds are a deep forest green.

I think of the terms as more of a marketing tool but once you know their meaning you do understand what you’re getting.

It’s unlikely and impractical for us average wage earners to buy high jewelry, and yet it’s great fun to see! For one, the stones are rare as they are usually big with fewer flaws. Super ogle-worthy!!

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Let’s Discuss Effy Jewelry

Effy on its website and Macys

Effy sells its jewelry on its own website, by appointment at its headquarters in New York’s diamond district and at major retailers like Macy’s, Saks 5th Avenue, Belk, JC Penny and Nordstrom Rack. They also set up international boutiques on cruise ships where I suggest you don’t make impulse buys on big ticket items you may regret later!

Effy has an eye for beautiful design on commercial grade fine jewelry. Customers are not buying or paying for top-grade or heirloom quality diamonds, sapphires, rubies or emeralds. You do get real nature-grown or lab-grown gemstones and real 14k gold at reasonable costs that people with jobs can save up for to purchase. Certainly not cheap, but mid-priced fine jewelry.

You’ll get the most attractive prices at Macy’s and Belk as these two department stores frequently offer the best promotions. You can put a piece of jewelry on a wish list, then wait for the higher discounts of 25% - 30% off -- the ideal time to ponce!

Two causes increased the price of jewelry in recent years: The price of gold rose, and the Trump tariffs put a tax on diamonds. 

Consider lab-grown gemstones if you want gemstones bigger than 2 carats because the price of over 2 carats increases exponentially. Lab-grown gemstones are physically, chemically, and optically the same as earth-grown gemstones. They cost less partly because presently people will pay more for natural-grown gemstones. In the future with wider acceptance, this will likely change, and well-known jewelers have began setting their collections in gemstones of both origins. Never buy jewelry for its resale value as jewelry is a luxury buy and not a true investment. Usually we lose money by reselling jewelry.

Along with 14k gold, Effy sets some of its jewelry in 18k gold and with gemstones over 2 carats for high rollers with deep pockets. In mid November Effy annually has a trunk show at Macy’s Herald Square featuring its higher priced biggest gemstones. I attended one year, and it was fun trying them on! I advise customers to shop mindfully at such special events. Don’t break the bank because large, gorgeous gemstones are sparkling in your face!

Bracelets, earrings and rings cost less. Necklaces tend to be the most expensive piece in a set because more gold and/or gemstones are used to make it. On a budget, you can usually buy the earrings and matching ring for less than the cost of a necklace. You’ll get just as much if not more joy out of wearing the sparklers that fit your budget!

Finally, if you buy classic pieces that are versatile, you can wear them daily ... and to fancy galas. Signiture pieces tend to stay in a box. After you splurge on a luxury item like jewelry, you should get a burst of endorphins every time you look at it on your neck, wrist, finger, or ears. Get your money’s worth by tossing out the box and wearing any jewelry you buy!

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The 3 Other Precious Gemstones In The Raw

Recently I wrote a blog about raw rubies before they are cut, polished and turned into jewelry. Today I’m posting images of the 3 other precious gemstones in the raw. When we visualize gemstones, mostly we see them as the sparklers they become after craftsmen and jewelers get their hands on them like the above Harry Winston diamond ring. Not how them start or grow in nature, but how they are finished, right? So let's look at a few images of gemstones as they are found in nature.

I. Diamonds are a single element. Formula: C. A diamond is an allotrope of the element carbon. Its structure is a rigid three-dimensional lattice where each carbon atom is bonded to four other carbon atoms in a tetrahedral arrangement. A diamond’s atoms are arranged in a crystal structure called a diamond cubic. The gemstone rates a 10 on Mohs Hardness Scale. BTW: Graphite, charcoal, and diamond are all allotropes of the element carbon.

⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧ ๋࣭ ⭑✧⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧

The Aga Khan Emerald brooch and the Chalk Emerald ring

II. Emeralds - are beryls, a mineral. Its formula, Be3Al2(SiO3)6, is colored green by trace amounts of chromium or sometimes vanadium. On Mohs Hardness Scale emeralds rate an 8. They were formed under the most violent of geologic conditions, which is why less than 1% of the world’s emeralds are eye clean. Unlike diamonds, inclusions and surface breaking fissures called  jardins are common and accepted in emerads. 

⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧ ๋࣭ ⭑✧⋆ ๋࣭ ⭑✧

The Swedish royal family's Leuchtenberg Sapphire tiara and an unheated Kashmir 9.38 sapphire ring sold by Christie’s

III. Sapphires - are a variety of the mineral corundum. Its formula, α-Al2O3 consists of the elements aluminum oxide with trace amounts of iron, titanium, cobalt, lead, chromium, vanadium, magnesium, boron, and silicon. Sapphires register a 9 on Mohs Hardness scale. Blue is the most in demand color. When sapphires are yellow, orange, purple, pink, or green they are called fancy sapphires. When corundrms are red, they are rubies, not sapphires.

Gemstones take millions of years for the Earth to produce, or nowadays they can be grown in a lab, but it takes the artistry of human hands to turn these majestic crystals, beryls, and corundums into gorgeous pieces of jewelry. The next time you see a gemstone think of its journey and how many hands went into crafting it into a thing of beauty.

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Admiring Rubies In The Raw

Today I want to feature high quality rubies in their natural state. I’d be trilled to find such a precious red crystal before it was cut and turned into jewelry. I’m not sure I’d want to cut or polish it. Previously I’ve written about rubies detailing their properties and value, which I’ll link below.👇The main purpose of this blog is to fawn over uncut rubies!

In the jewelry world, rubies are one of the rarest and most coveted gemstones. The red corundum derives its color from traces of chromium. All other colors of gem-quality corundum are classified as sapphires, including pink corundum. Gemologists and jewelers expect a medium to medium-dark red color tone for a gemstone to be considered a genuine ruby. Corundums of lighter coloration are pink sapphires. A ruby's exclusive red color can reach high levels of saturation. Due to their rarity, premium quality rubies are among the world's most expensive gemstones, selling for over $1 million per carat.

Historically, Myanmar (formerly called Burma) was the most renowned source for high-saturation with fluorescence, or "pigeon's blood," rubies. But in 2009 major deposits of high quality rubies were discovered in Mozambique to rival Myanmar rubies. Vietnam and Madagascar also grow similar high quality rubies.

Since there are few gemstone quality high saturation rubies in nature, rubies undergo more treatments than nearly all other gemstones before being turned into jewelry, greatly affecting their market value. Most commercial rubies are at least heat-treated, an accepted practice as long as it’s disclosed and reflected in its retail price. Without treatment there would be few rubies to sell.

A lovely affordable raw ruby bracelet here from an unfamiliar retailer.

Aren’t these blocks of uncut vibrant red gemstones beautiful? Especially when knowing that not all natural ruby crystals are gemstone quality. If you want to know more about gemstone quality rubies, you can click the links below.

If you found a raw ruby would you treasure it or have it cut and polished into a piece of jewelry? 

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