As the newest member of the Beauchamp family, I am pleased to say that I feel right at home.  Believe it or not, I wake up everyday excited to go to work.  To be quite honest, it is hardly work. Over the past two months, I have had  the privilege of meeting many of Beauchamp’s delightful customers.  Being able to help people celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, marriage and everyday life has come to be a moving and exciting experience for me. To top it all off, I get to “play” with stunning  jewelery, work with fabulous people,  and I have managed to learn a lot along the way.

Prior to working here, the only jewelery experience I had was that I knew I loved it, and I thought it was beautiful. Jewelry, however, now posses an entirely new form of beauty for me- it is no longer  just a pretty accessory, it is art.  The time, effort, creativity, and heart put into jewelry making is truly astounding.

Though it changes all the time with all these wonderful designer lines at Beauchamp, my current personal favorite is Konstantino. Konstantino pieces are an absolutely perfect example of jewelry being art.  Konstantino jewelry comes from Athens, Greece and it is handcrafted from sterling silver and 18 karat gold. It is clear that great thought and precision is put into every single piece. Even the parts of the jewelry that are not visible when worn have great detail and magnificence.

Konstantino uses early engraving and impression techniques that can be found in early Greek jewelry. With each and every piece, you can see  the echoes of history, experience their timeless craftsmanship and lasting splendor. The combination of the sterling silver and gold make for a faboulous ”old-world” look that is modern, classic, and timeless  all wrapped into one. 

Konstantino Jewelery is not one of my favorites because it is merely beautiful, it is one of my favorites because when I wear it, I can truly feel the majesty, passion, and artisanship of each piece.

We just returned from our annual jewelery buying trip and as usual we found lots of beautiful pieces for the store. When I attend trade shows I always look for the latest trends. I look for aesthetic trends as well as new materials that are being introduced in the production of jewelery. This year there is a definite movement toward bold, chunky pieces, or as Ron calls them, “Funky Chunky”. The shapes are geometric and bold. Whether this aesthetic is translated into rings, earrings, bracelets, or necklaces  they definitely make a statement. The look is fun and exudes confidence. The materials are unconventional.

I saw beautiful pieces of jewelery crafted in wood, leather, agate, and  rock crystal. (I had to pick up a few of these rock crystal pieces for my own collection and for the store.) The look is not so much about “precious” materials as it is about the love of decoration. This is not to say that we didn’t see fabulous pieces that had fabulous retail prices. One particular bracelet we saw, was made from chunky slabs of diamond rough… Ooh la la! I HAD to have it until I asked the price, only $500,000.00. Needless to say I very carefully handed it back to the vendor. (If this is in your budget this season let us know and we will be happy to get it in for you.)

There were also lots of long necklaces, 30″ or more. Roberto Coin translated the look in fine spun threads of 18kt gold.  David Yurman was showing long rope chains sprinkled with segments of gemstones. Vianna had a fabulous rope chain bezel set with segments of a new material they are calling “Indigo Quartz”. Talk about the perfect thing to throw on with a pair of blue jeans and a T-shirt!  We, of course, purchased lots of goodies in this style. The new items will be slowly appearing in our showcases over the next few months. This Fall, please come in and feel free to bring an outfit or two and play with the new look and see what you think. You may find that accessorising with a new pair of dramatic earrings or a long necklace set with geometric gems may be the perfect thing this Fall to update your existing wardrobe.

Those of you who prefer the classic style should come in and check out Roberto Coin’s work. Although Roberto is an amazing designer and trend setter his work always has that timeless quality that is so enduring.

The new look is upbeat and exuberant and with the crowds attending and buying at the show we were left with a sense of optimism about the upcoming year. Happy collecting!

April’s birthstone is the most famous of all the gems: Diamond. For more technical information about diamonds you can check out the following posts from our Gemologist:

Diamond Color
Diamond Cut
Carat Weight
Diamond Clarity

The most famous diamond in the world is probably the Hope Diamond which you can read about here:

The Biggest Diaimond You Own

If you are looking for the perfect birthday gift for an April Birthday you might try some of what you see below. Diamonds can of course be found in earrings, pendants, rings, bracelets, watches, and every imaginable form of jewelry. You will also find beautiful diamonds in all of our designer lines including David Yurman, Konstantino, Alex Sepkus, Cherie Dori, and of course Roberto Coin, whose Cento Diamond cut is head and shoulders above the rest with 100 facets which add to it’s brilliance and fire.

Click on any picture to find out more about the item or visit our web page at bcjewelers.com for more beautiful diamond pieces.

Our annual Alex Sepkus trunk show is coming up and we hope to see you there. Our trunk show is a special showing of the entire collection of 18kt Gold and Platinum jewelry by internationally known Designer Alex Sepkus. This is a wonderful opportunity to view a unique array of designs in pendants, rings, earrings, bracelets, bridal rings, bands and men’s jewelry. Alex Sepkus is a unique talent whose work is characterized by such fine detail and craftsmanship. One can only fully appreciate each piece with magnification to reveal the depth and intricacy of each design.

Wednesday Evening March 10th 5:30pm till 9pm
Light Hors D’oeuvres and Refreshments
Door Prizes

All day Thursday March 11th 9:30am till 5:30pm

You can preview Alex Sepkus’ stunning collections at www.bcjewelers.com

RSVP via Facebook
RSVP via E-mail

As you may remember from our last chat , Edwardian Jewelery is jewelery that was produced during the reign of King Edward VII of England. He held the throne from 1901-1915. One  often finds disparity in specific dates for the Edwardian era. Some scholars use the exact dates in which he ruled , others include the ten years prior to his coronation . Some insist that the era ends with the onset of WWI in 1914 but yet others state that it ended in 1915. As with any style there  always  seem to be an overlap . One does not see exact cut off dates.When dating jewelery I  find the term”circa ” very useful in that it allows for an approximation  of dates.

  The Edwardian era is often referred to as the garland style. It is exuberantly feminine.Ribbons, bows,  Garlands of roses and leaves drape the most quintessential examples of this  design style.

Edwardian Ring in Platinum and Diamonds

Notice the heart shape motiff  on the side of this ring . The ring  is exquisite in detail and very delicate in appearance.Platinum became the metal of choice  during the Edwardian era ,thanks to the advent of the oxyacetylene torch in 1900. Prior to this date jewelers did not have torches that could reach sufficient temperatures to work the metal.Platinum melts at approx.3300 F . Platinum properties being such that the most delicate models could  be executed without compromising the stability of the item being produced . The density of platinum allowed for unheard of detail and long wear .  The purity of the metals color combined with its’  durability provided the ideal setting medium for the jeweler.

Early 20th Century Platinum Diamond Ring

Notice the beaded border on the ring above. This millgraining is a technique that Edwardian jewelers often used .

 One also finds the use of yellow gold in Edwardian jewelery as well.This bangle bracelet exemplifies the delicate and feminine nature of this era

Edwardian Bangle Bracelet with Sapphires

For more lovely examples of jewelery from this era check out our website at www.bcjewelers.com I could go on and on about the beautiful jewelery from this time period look for more on my next blog and happy hunting for your next antique or vintage piece.

We recently celebrated our second year in our new Albuquerque location and 58 years since our founding by Mac and Ione Beauchamp in 1951. We want to take this opportunity to thank all of our valued customers. Thank you for your loyal patronage. Our annual anniversary party is one way we say Thank you. The party was a huge success, with our second show room decorated in an under the sea theme, there was good food, good fun, great friends, and of course, beautiful jewelry.

Many of you enjoyed trying on our newest collection, Vianna. Please let us know what you think about Vianna, our Event, or any of our other designer lines. You can comment on this post, or send us an e-mail.

I just adore bracelets much as the ladies did in the 1800’s. It was not uncommon for a lady to wear multiple bracelets on each arm. The Victorian metal of choice was gold. Slide style bracelets were popular and often worn in pairs.

Victorian Slide Bracelet

Slide Bracelets were adjustable so as to accommodate most any size wrist. One would slip the section of chain over the wrist and adjust it by sliding the tasseled end away from the wrist.

Mid 19th century bracelets tend to have a bold look. The bold  look of the jewels  balanced the large voluminous skirts that were in  fashion. Although Victorian jewelery looks bold it is not heavy. It has a light weight feel .Gold was rare. Jewelers utilized a variety of methods to work the thin sheets of this precious metal so as the finished jewels would have an important look. Although gold was discovered in California in 1849  it was not untill1874 that it was discovered in the Black Hills  and than as late as 1898 in Alaska.  

Later Victorian bracelets begin to take on a lighter more delicate look. The metal is pierced and visually light. Styles change as does jewelery design to enhance the newest fashions.

Antique Pierced sapphire and Diamond Bangle

 An era was ending and a new one was beginning.

Turn of the century bracelet

Victorian Woven Mesh Bracelet Victorian bracelets from the 1800s are great fun to collect and wear. You do not often see exact copies of items unless they were originally made to be worn as pairs.

If you like to wear unique and usual jewelery, Victorian bracelets are for you!  Happy collecting  !

Roberto Coin has teamed up with Supermodel Christy Turlington Burns and CARE for his upcoming advertising campaign.

Turlington Burns, who has graced the covers of over 1,000 top fashion magazines, from Vogue to Time Magazine, has not only been a leader in the world of fashion as one of the most highly sought after models, but also an avid pioneer of women’s rights. Turlington Burns is involved in various charitable organizations, most notably as a spokesperson for (PRODUCT) RED and as CARE’s Advocate for Maternal Health.

As the previous campaign benefitted YouthAIDS, Roberto Coin has once again organized this campaign for an important cause. For 2009-2010, the campaign will support CARE, a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. According to Roberto Coin, Chairman/ Co-Founder of Roberto Coin Inc., “Our previous campaign with Christy was so successful and widely received. We are so pleased to be working with her again. We are proud to be in partnership with an organization such as CARE for all their extraordinary work they have done to empower women worldwide through education, healthcare, increased economic opportunities and human rights.”

The new campaign will feature jewelry from the Primavera, Classic Bold Gold, Cento Diamonds, Fantasia, Appassionata and the innovative CapriPlus collections. “Working with Christy is another exciting opportunity for Roberto Coin,” says Peter Webster, President / Co-Founder. “The new campaign also salutes an organization that invites people to go out and make a difference. At Roberto Coin, we believe that a cause related campaign is much more impactful than straight consumer advertising. This campaign recognizes both the work of Christy Turlington Burns and that of CARE.”

For more information about CARE log on to www.care.org

To support this cause you can visit Beauchamp Jewelers for a beautiful selection of Roberto Coin Jewelry.

About Roberto Coin

With headquarters in Vicenza, the Italian town famed for its jewelry, the company was founded in 1977 by the Venetian born Roberto Coin. The American subsidiary, Roberto Coin Inc., is based in New York on Fifth Avenue. In order to satisfy the diverse tastes of Europe, North and South America, East and Far East markets, each year more than 600 new models of jewelry is produced, whose high quality is keeping with the reputation of the Company. The driving force behind the creation of the jewels is Roberto himself, assisted by a team of highly qualified workers capable of blending age-old techniques with modern innovations to create the product for which the company is famous.

About CARE

CARE fights root causes of poverty in the world’s poorest communities. CARE places special focus on working alongside poor women because, equipped with the proper resources, women have the power to help whole families and entire communities escape poverty. In nearly 70 countries, women are at the heart of CARE’s community-based efforts to improve education, health and economic opportunity. Each year, CARE helps tens of millions of people around the world effect real, positive changes in their lives.

SOURCE Roberto Coin

For the complete press release visit http://www.entrepreneur.com/PRNewswire/release/205180.html