Lightning Strikes Once!

Opal,  since early Roman times,  was regarded as one of the most treasured gems until the 19th century,  when Sir Walter Scott's novel "Ann of Geierstein" associated this fiery stone with an unfortunate heroine.  The story's heroine,  accused of being a demon,  died shortly after her opal lost all its color when sprinkled with holy water.  As the book became more popular,  superstition also increased and opal became associated with bad luck. But this was just superstition and not fact!  Queen Victoria helped dispel the curse on opal by giving opal jewelry to relatives as wedding gifts.  Also,  in 1877 a remarkable find of Black Opal in an area of New South Wales (Australia) called Lightning Ridge,  revived the opal market.  These Australian opal literally took the world by storm!  Even today,  there are no other sources producing opals as fine as those from Lightning Ridge. Since Black Opal is far rarer than White Opal,  it commands much higher prices.  These two varieties of opal (white and black) are found in different rock formations;  Black opal is typically found in nodules,  whereas White Opal is found in seams.  Two mines in Australia,  "Coober Pedy"  and  "Andamooka"  account for 75% of the world's supply of white opal. But what makes an opal black or white?  Black Opal is so called by virtue of its dark background color - black, gray, blue or green - with vivid flashes of pure spectral hues.  White Opal has a light background with flashes of colors that are more pastel. There are some basics to opal beauty.  First and foremost is the base color, also known as the  "potch".  The darker the potch,  the more intense the play of color,  a direct result of contrast between the color play and background.  A second factor to consider is Hue Mixture.  The purity,  distribution,  and number of different hues displayed in an opal greatly affect value.  Naturally,  the more varied and pure the colors,  the more lively the stone and hence the more valuable. Finally,  connoisseurs consider Color Pattern.  One of the most favored patterns,  called Harlequin or Mosaic,  features well-defined geometric patches of color in both symmetrical and asymmetrical designs.  Other distinguished patterns include Flash Opal which displays broad well-defined flashes of color that change as the stone moves,  much like the prisms seen in a turning Kaleidoscope.  If the colors in a Flash Opal are predominantly red,  orange and yellow,  then the stone is referred to as a Flame Opal. Pinfire Opal is a term used to describe stones with pointillistic dots of color.  As the dots get smaller and less vivid,  the value decreases.  Peacock Opal is a name reserved for opals displaying predominantly blue,  green and violet flashes of color.  What causes these magnificent patterns of color in opal?

Opal is composed primarily of silica and some water molecules.  The phenomenon Play-of-Color is the result of light diffraction on these silica and water spheres.  The size and number of these molecules as well as the ratio of silica to water determine the intensity,  number and distribution of colors portrayed.

Gold Jewelry as a Fashion Accessory

A real woman always wears some gold on her. Is it really a stupid fancy that men, and especially women, have on gold?

Gold and diamonds have always captured the fancy of man. Remember the Gold Rush? The metal has been known since ancient times and was the standard of money until recently. No jewelry is perhaps complete without some gold in it. Its yellow, mellow material is not actually that attention grabbing. Nor is it the most precious. Still, it is the king of metals.

Why is gold jewelry always so much in demand and always so alluring? The actual metal in its purity is never used as it is too soft and wears down easily. Some mixture of copper and other metals is used to blend with gold to be made into wearable items.

Heavy use of gold is common in some Asian countries where it is the staple of all jewelry. Gold plating of other metals is also a common practice, though the shine is lost quickly and needs to be recoated.

Diamonds, platinum, and other precious stones can be easily combined with gold to design exquisite jewelry items - rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, headgear, neck chains, accessories, studs, and other wearable items.

Every fashion conscious woman knows the importance of wearing the right jewelry to match the dress. It need not be fanciful, or exuberant. Just a thin necklace, a small ear stud, or a ring does the trick.

Designer jewelry customized to your occasion can bring you the added qualities of combining gold into your jewelry.

Gift Jewelry to Woo Her

Vibrant colors, elegant designs and meaningful symbols on jewelries can bring smile on the charming face of the person you care most. Whether it is a simple chain necklace or a diamond studded precious ring, you are bound to impress your counterpart with the selection of the jewelry. Italian jewelers, who are respected as the trendsetters in jewelry making business, can guide you well through the selection process. However, if you are well acquainted with her demands, then the task becomes easier and your shedding of sweats becomes fruitful. Women always share a unique bond with jewelry, irrespective of the monetary factor deeply associated with it. You can tighten up the bond by presenting them with the trendy set of jewelries, which they would love to get themselves adorned with. Finger rings can be the best gift that you can give to your loving one. You can exchange your feelings for each other by gifting heart shaped pendants or simply hearts of gold encircling the neckline. These romantic pieces can surely speak volumes about you and your love. There are various types of romantic jewelries with loads of meaning hidden in them. You can go in for any of them and make the best selection.

Choosing a romantic jewelry for your girlfriend should be full of fun and excitement. Semi-precious and inexpensive fashion jewelries attract most of the women today. These jewelries are among the best gifts that you can ever present them with. If you have an eye for jewelries or a sense of uniqueness, then go for any of the fashion jewelries that are offered by many shops at bulks. Select the right one out and walk away with the best jewelry on offer. The heart shape in jewelries is classic and can be presented in numerous ways. The designers mould metals and other attractive materials in making some of the exquisite pieces of romantic jewelries. Diamond studded in heart shaped pendants or earrings are always preferred. Two golden hearts overlapping each other when encircles a sapphire or ruby, the combination looks stunning. When your girlfriend is feeling blue and you are hunting for something to cheer her, then ceramic necklaces with vibrant colors can create an unimaginable magic. If fact, if you are planning to propose the girl next door, then the purple ceramic earrings with the combination of wood can also make your proposal successful. You can also try out your luck with the amazing collections from Vivace.

When the Cupid arrow has already pierced her heart, then you have to think about the ravishing collection that can bring her closer to you this valentine. Even if it is your 25th marriage anniversary then these fashionable jewelries can bring back the spark, which you have left years behind. When love is in the air and your heart is beating faster for your sweetheart then make her realize the fact with the amazing collection of ceramic, wood and bamboo jewelries presented by Vivace. Cupid jewelries help in bringing back the passion and adding glory to your life. Love life doesn’t move smoothly always and you might get slowed down with the mundane life. The lost luster can be revived with brilliantly decorated and elegantly presented pearl sets or shell jewelries. Romantic jewelries that have the names of your fiancée engraved in them or few verses of love embossed can bring both of you closer to each other. Cupid shaped pendant with its arrow facing towards her heart can be romantic enough to make others believe how passionate you are about her.

The Italian designers have always been fascinated by the brilliant look of the Hawaiian flowers. Inspired by those flowers, the designers can also create awesome designs on silver or on gold. If you are hunting for inexpensive jewelries you can be sure that by making the cheaper materials as the base unparalleled designs can be created. Colors definitely have a deeper association with the love and passion. If you go in for gold and silver jewelries, then there is not much scope to select colors. But in case of the fashion jewelries that are made of inexpensive materials like earth, seashell, coral and ceramic, you can get a wide scope to select the color of love. Stones of various colors – both semi-precious and precious – can be used to carry the message of your love to your sweetheart. Crystals signify clear and romantic relationship. When woven with utter care crystals can create the magic, which is absent in any other forms of jewelries. A suitable collection of crystal bracelets and necklaces can be enough to woo your girl. The love messages that are written on the bracelets can signify many things but would obviously boil down to the one and only thing and that is the love that is nesting in your heart for her.

She can also be surprised with elegant multi-chain earrings with arrows or necklaces with two heart shaped pendants crossing each other. If you can recollect the day when you met her first, then you can also celebrate it with marvelously molded and contemporarily presented jewelries. Stones are of great use since the metaphysical properties of love are explained in a better way through it. So this time when you plan to give something exclusive to your loving one and there is no better idea coming into your mind, ensure moving straight the jewelers’ shop and pick one fashionable jewelry set for her. This would be the most suitable gift that you can give her and you will also feel that she is much closer to your heart. Even if your budget is low, the designs of these fashion jewelries are enough to make your honey the cynosure of any event she moves into.

Personalized Jewelry is a Perfect Mothers Day Gift

Many people spend a lot of time thinking and trying to figure out what to get their mothers for Mothers Day. Every year should be different, and many of them are tired from the usual jewelry, flowers, or Mothers Day Brunches. While those presents are nice, some take weeks to plan or buy.

For example, with jewelry, it takes a long time to decide on a jewelry piece for Mom. It has to be something nice that she is going to wear, and it has to be something that you haven’t bought for her in the last 30 or 40 years.

With flowers the problem is usually with same old, same old. How many years in a row have you bought Mom roses for Mothers Day? If you decide on the flowers, again, at least try to be different this year and get her carnations.

And what about Mothers Day Brunch? How old is this idea? And, if this is what you would like to do for Mothers Day, you need to decide to do this in February and get restaurant reservations immediately. Restaurants get filled up for Mothers Day Brunches months in advance, so if you decide to take Mom to brunch a week before Mothers Day, you are out of luck. You will not be able to get reservations.

A great Mothers Day gift idea, that is often overlooked, is personalized jewelry. Personalized jewelry can be very beautiful and very frugal at the same time. Even if you do not have that much money to spend on the Mothers Day gift, you can still afford a very beautiful personalized jewelry piece for your Mother. This is because personalized jewelry is made from different metals, and some of these metals cost much less then gold. And, since personalized jewelry has a lot of sentimental value, it is not as important that that it is not made of gold.

Personalized jewelry, as the name implies, is a very personalized gift. When Mom receives this gift, she will know that you put some thought into it – you did not just got to the store and buy the first thing that you saw there.

Personalized jewelry is very beautiful, especially if it is made with birthstones. There are two different types of personalized jewelry you can buy for your Mother for Mothers Day – with birthstones or with your Mother’s name on it.

We recommend the birthstone jewelry for Mothers Day gifts, and we recommend getting a piece of jewelry in which you can include her children’s birthstones. This will make the piece of jewelry that you give her a very memorable gift and an heirloom.

If you are looking for a perfect Mothers Day gift, don’t look further than personalized jewelry. It is an unusual Mothers Day gift, that your Mother will love!

Understanding Celtic Wedding Rings

Thousands of years ago, the Celts, groups of independent tribes spread throughout much of current day Europe, were sophisticated artisans, carving knot work patterns that have inspired modern day jewelers to create wedding rings.

Understanding these knot patterns and why they make such ideal wedding rings can be illusive. Many ancient motifs are rooted in mysterious cultures that stretch back well before written history. Some knot work motifs found in Eastern Europe may be as old as 20,000 years. We know the Celts viewed that the Earth itself as well as all aspects of life and death as divine. They had a large and varied pantheon, of gods. The natural world was considered sacred, and every river, mountain and tree had its own spirit of place.

Knot work, which has become synonymous with today's idea of "Celtic" was undoubtedly a form of sacred, artistic expression. Some of the most famous designs were preserved in highly embellished, illuminated manuscripts, such as the Book of Kells which survived the Viking invasions. For some people, the choice to have a Celtic wedding ring is an expression of their wish to connect deeply into their own ancestry. They feel empathy with a European based tribal tradition that treats the Earth as Mother. It's also easy to fall in love with soulful Celtic music and poetry. Others simply want the one piece of jewelry that they wear every day to have a beautiful design with significance.

Whether one has Celtic heritage or not, a Celtic motif wedding ring is appropriate because it has universal, symbolic meaning. In the most general sense, the knots express two different paths woven together. Life itself can be viewed as a great web of interconnectedness, which is expressed in the knot work. Even our own spiritual path, metaphorically, can be viewed as a tapestry of interconnected experiences. The Celtic wedding ring is a talisman, which reminds us, in physical form, of our mystic connection with another person and the great web of life.

Many Celtic merchants will label a particular design as "Friendship" or "Unity" but often there's not any real basis for these labels. These facile tags shortchange the person interested in the ring by giving a concept instead of assisting them to understand the deeper meaning behind the design.

It's also easy enough to say that the ring is about how all things are interconnected, but this is so general that it doesn't help explain why we may be attracted to the sacred geometry of one ring over another.

To do this, you can contemplate the various components that make up the knot work and try to determine how they are functioning. For example, consider the circle. We speak of a circle of friends and live in circular cycles, such as the day and the season. Native cultures throughout the world hold ceremonies in protective circles. A knot work pattern with circles or variations of circles certainly has some important keys to relationships and community. In the broadest sense, the ring itself is a circle, and putting it on has also always been symbolic of sealing a commitment.

A square knot motif concerns structure, which is why buildings use the shape of a square foundation. Squares certainly have an element of stability. Numbers were a significant part Celtic lore, and the number five represented the four directions and the center point.

Many Celtic rings also deal with vectors that travel in a certain direction. If you look at the shape of an arrow, it's easy to understand why a triangle might connote movement. Another common Celtic motif is the knot work depicting a trinity. Many Celtic deities had three forms. The Mother Goddess was understood to the maiden, mother and crone. The universe was viewed as heaven, earth and otherworld. We are born, we live and we die. Certainly the trinity knot also illustrates the One being dividing off into the masculine and feminine, or the mother and son--a mystical truth contemplated in many sacred traditions.

Though modern jewelry techniques allow a greater range of possibilities than the Celts had during the time of the Romans, finding an exceptional Celtic wedding ring at a local jewelry store may not be possible. The best place to search is on the Internet, which has the widest selection.

Today you can find rings made with platinum, or white and yellow gold accented with diamonds. Some of the most beautiful rings are bi-metal, where the knots are one color, such as white gold, while the rim of the ring might be yellow gold. There is a wide range of class and price.

Your wedding ring is a once in a life time purchase that you will live with every day. It must be aesthetically beautiful.

The knot work on the rings should be well executed. It should have some meaning that makes sense for you which should be explained on the website.

The best jewelry designers offer engagement ring sets, along with the option of having a wider band for the gent and a narrower of the same knot work motif for the lady.

You'll want it comfort fit, which means that the band tapers slightly toward the center, making it easy to wear.

Since it is very likely within the course of a marriage that you'll gain or lose twenty pounds, it is most advantageous to choose a ring with a sizing band.

The company you choose should have a record of creditability backed up by customer service, guaranteeing their product. Give them a call and see if they are worthy of doing business with. A track record of timely delivery is also essential. It's not uncommon for a ring from outside the US to be held up by Customs, for example.

Finally, the most important thing is to trust your feelings.

The rings should be unique and resonate with your own profound, sacred connection and commitment to your beloved.

Choosing Jewellery For Women

When you are buying jewellery for a woman it normally means that the person is special to you (sister, mother, lover, wife or whatever) and that you might be going to spend quite a large sum of money. Because buying something so personal is never easy we have put some thoughts together on things you should take into account before making the final choice.

You are making a statement of affection to someone by giving them jewellery. It does not have to be an exclusive or expensive gift as focusing on the cost is a recipe for disaster. Also what can you realistically afford? If you try to be flash and she knows you don't really have the cash, once she has got over the shock of how much you have spent she will still won't wear it if she doesn't like it!

So once you have set your budget there are a few basics to take into account:
Does she have any allergies (eg: does gold or silver bring her out in a rash?) if in doubt opt for platinum which is hypoallergenic.
What jewellery has she already got lots of? A girl only needs so many diamonds or pearls – and she might prefer coloured gemstones such as emeralds, rubies or sapphires for a change.
Does she really want costume jewellery? Don't buy her something from Theo Fennell or Butler and Wilson if she really wants you to put a diamond ring on her finger.
Is she the sort of lady who would prefer something with a bit of tradition behind it? For example the three stone or trinity ring symbolises the past, present and future of a relationship, an eternity ring is what is says it is and a diamond horseshoe or wishbone symbolise good luck.
What style of jewellery does she wear? Is it contemporary with bold styling or does she prefer the vintage or classic look? The best indication of her taste is the jewellery she wears all the time because these are the pieces she feels most comfortable with.
Buy jewellery which fits her actual size, not the size you think she is. If she has a short neck she will probably prefer stud or huggy earrings to the long chandelier design; a short neck needs a necklace or pendant that will complement it and not be too tight – remember “choker” is not the literal meaning! Think of the shape of her fingers when buying rings: does she have slim delicate fingers or small square hands? You can get her ring size by tracing around the inside of one of her current rings and measuring this on a ring sizer guide. This has an enormous impact on whether you buy an elaborate, modern or plain ring – although a diamond solitaire looks good on any finger!
An elongated diamond like a marquise or oval cut can make short fingers look sleeker--but be careful not to overdo the look or it could have the opposite effect.
A setting that's extremely delicate could get lost on large hands, over-emphasizing their size and making the ring look smaller.
How will the jewellery fit in with her lifestyle? Does she work in a profession where fussy jewellery would look out of place? A pointed gem with high prong setting could snag clothing (and people) and is harder to keep clean. Save that type of jewellery for gifts that will be worn on special occasions and not every day.
Is it for a special occasion? Eternity rings are usually given to mark the birth of a child and various named gemstones are accepted as birthstones and anniversary gifts.
If you are buying pearls take her colouring into account as rose/pink pearls suit pale complexions and blonde hair; off white and cream pearls bring out the tones in dark skin and brunettes and unflattering tones of greens and browns should be avoided.
Anything with diamonds should be purchased with the 4C's in mind – cut, clarity, carat and colour.

Whatever your final choice, the most important thing is that she feels you have given it some thought, got the right size and made a real effort in selecting the piece of jewellery. So don't blow it on the presentation, every women loves to receive a gift that is beautifully wrapped with some ribbon and bows and give it to her properly and confidently without muttering that she “can change it if she doesn't like it” or “a woman at work has got one just the same and I thought it looked nice on her!”.

Leave her in no doubt that you chose the jewellery yourself and are giving it because you want her to know how much you care about her or love her.

Sacred Geometry in our Lives

Referring to sacred geometry, we may define it as a belief according to which some of the fundamental forms of space and time, beginning with the most minuscule fragments in nature, embody spiritual values of their own. A second use of the term is that related to the ancient conviction concerning the significance of the geometry used in the configuration of religious architecture and in that of sacred art in general.

According to its first meaning, sacred geometry entails the assumption that in nature there are certain structures which follow geometrical archetypes - independently of their dimensions - and which serve as examples concerning the unavoidable connection between the part and the whole. As a consequence, contemplating the basic patterns of existence equalizes with contemplating the origins of all things, revealed this very way. This is also the reason why sacred geometry considers those basic patterns as sacred. By studying them one may attain precious information, esoteric knowledge we might say, thus experiencing and becoming aware of the most profound laws of the Universe.
There is an unavoidable analogy between every single natural pattern and at least one geometrical shape.

In what the second meaning is concerned, sacred geometry refers to a various range of universal aspects one may discover by means of geometry and mathematical relations derived from it. As a result, the sacred geometry constitutes the basis of reality and that of mathematics. Numbers represent the language of reality, but visible shapes are the ones to generate all the laws of physics. The final goal is proportioning spaces according to the geometry of nature. Following this principle, the sacred geometry had an important influence over the construction of churches and temples during the history.

Sacred geometry reflects the move of the Spirit through the void, being some kind of a guide of the steps needed to reach the three-dimensional world. The five Platonic solids (tetrahedron, hexahedron, octahedron, dodecahedron and icosahedron) represent the basis of the material world; they are ideal and fundamental models having numerous forms of occurrence in the mineral world. These traditional geometric forms are actually attributed to sacred geometry. The ancient Greeks, for instance, used to associate each of the Platonic solids with a distinctive meaning, having the function of a symbol, as the numbers they represented also did, but even with a stronger emotional impact in this case; thus their use differed depending on the future purpose of every building.

Even nowadays geometrical shapes are considered as important symbols of different truths or spiritual beliefs. As an example, the circle is considered to be the symbol of the Universe, of unity, eternity and balance. So, sacred geometry also reveals itself through various kinds of talismans, objects that are believed to bring good luck. Wearing jewelry with the shape of a certain geometric symbol is many times viewed as having supernatural powers, protecting the owner or giving him capacities or powers like inner peace, courage, esteem, self balance… Talismans are always appreciated not only for their exterior beautiful aspect, as in the case of jewelry, but especially due to their positive energy and healing qualities.