On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

12 Bohemian Garnets

Popular during the Victorian Era, Bohemian Garnets are dark rich garnets often rose-cut set in clusters that almost resemble Pomegranates, which not coincidentally is where the name Garnet comes from. These 12 pieces of jewelry (all featuring bohemian garnets) range in price from just $250.00 up to $1,895.00 and are the perfect evening wear.

11 Pearl Bracelets

These stretchy freshwater pearl bracelets come in a variety of colors. They are fun to mix and match and stack and range in price from $20.00 to $32.00 each.

10 Painted Agates

Echo of the Dreamer is one of the newest designers we are working with. Each one of the items shown has at least one beautiful painted agate. Echo of the Dreamer is finely fabricated in Sterling Silver with beautiful assorted embellishments. Items pictured range in price from $245.00 to $796.00.

9 Bollicine Baubles

One of Roberto Coin’s newest collections, the Bollicine collection evokes the playful effervescence of champagne bubbles, this anthology of jewels is one to love. Set in 18k yellow or white gold, with or without accentuating diamonds, this collection is one of the most sensual styles there are. The 9 items pictured range in price from $1240.00 to $2700.00.

8 Moonlit Icicles

The moonlight ice collection from David Yurman features sterling silver and ruthenium with white and black diamonds and/or beautiful colored gemstones. Items pictured range from $900.00 to $2850.00.

7 Colored Diamonds

1.70Ct Fancy Intense Yellow Diamond set in 18K yellow gold $25,995.

2.38Ct Fancy Yellow Diamond set in Platinum by renowned jeweler Joshua J with 1.71cttw accent diamonds. $44,300.

1.51 Ct Fancy Deep Brown/ Yellow / Orange Diamond set in Platinum by Joshua J with 1.87cttw accent diamonds. $72,725.

1.14Ct Fancy Light Brown Diamond set in 18K white gold by Joshua J with 1.14cttw accent diamonds. $9950.00

2.35Ct Fancy Yellow Radiant Cut Diamond set in Platinum with 0.48cttw accent diamonds. $34,650.

1.11Ct Light Pink Pear shaped Diamond set in Platinum by Joshua J with 0.40cttw accent Diamonds on an 18K white gold chain. $28,500.

Chandelier Earrings featuring 3.49cttw Fancy Yellow Pear shaped diamonds set in Platinum and 18K yellow gold by Joshua J with 2.06cttw accent diamonds. $47,000.

6 Silver Stingrays

Sterling Silver jewelry by Zina features designs from the most simple elegant pendants to beautifully complex bracelets. All of the pieces shown here feature sterling silver fashioned in the pattern and texture of stingray skin. Pieces shown range in price from $130.00 to $260.00

5 Gold Rings

We know, you expected yellow gold. White gold is extremely popular, especially for wedding and engagement rings because it goes with everything. Featured here are rings from designers B&Co, Harout R, Ritani, Alishan, and Dora. We also carry engagement rings from Joshua J, as well as custom designs by our own Hugo Carson and Ron Beauchamp. Rings shown range from $795.00 to $6725.00

4 Gorgeous Gemstones

All four of these rings were custom designed and made right here in Albuqueruqe, NM by our own jewelers. They feature some of our most gorgeous gemstones (we have many more) including, spessartite garnet, tourmaline, and citrine. Prices range from $2345.00 to $9500.00.

2 Princess Diamonds

We now carry two very distinct Princess Cut diamonds. The picture shows models of a traditional princess cut diamond and the FireMark Diamond, the most perfectly cut princess diamond in the world. You really have to see them to understand how amazing the FireMark Diamond really is.




The Firemark Princess
What makes the FireMark Princess the most perfectly cut princess diamond in all the world? Find out for yourself! Click on the above picture to watch a video.

And . . .

Cento Diamonds in a pair of earrings

The Cento Diamond by Roberto Coin is exquisite. Each round diamond features 100 facets to increase the fire and scintillation in each stone. 2.22cttw Diamond Stud Cento Earrings G/SI2 $35,600.

First, an introduction. My name is Jordan and I am the watchmaker at Beauchamp Jewelers. I received a diploma in Watchmaking and Micromechanics from the Lititz Watch Technicum, a not-for-profit watchmaking school fully funded by Rolex in partnership with the Watchmakers Of Switzerland Training and Education Program. I am an American Watchmaker’s-Clockmaker’s Institute Certified Watchamker for the 21st Century.

One of the most common questions I hear from somebody who is new to the world of fine mechanical timepieces is “what are the jewels?” and “what do they do?” When someone thinks about jewels they may picture a beautiful ring like the one pictured here, or they might picture the Queen Mother draped in the crown jewels. In watches, however jewels are more of a functional item, rather than a thing of beauty.

A mechanical watch is in the simplest terms a series of gears driven by a spring with a mechanism which manages the unwinding of the spring at a controlled rate so that it can illustrate the time of day. Although the parts are small the relative forces inside a watch are pretty large. Each of these gears rotate on an axle which is supported in two parallel plates. In order to keep the holes in which these axles rotate from wearing out and getting larger the pivots on the end of the axles are usually supported in a donut shaped “jewel.”

Jewels, as bearing surfaces in watches have been in wide spread use since the middle of the 19th Century. Originally the were fashioned from natural stones such as diamond, ruby, sapphire, quartz, or garnet. Today, nearly all jewels in watches are made from synthetic ruby.

By the middle of the 20th Century Jewels had become a symbol of quality in watches, but there is much more to quality then simply the number of jewels in a watch. Vintage pocket watches were often sold in 7, 11, 15, 17, 19, 21, and 23 Jewel versions, but “dollar watches” usually had only 1 Jewel. With each increased jewel count the quality of the surrounding components usually increased as well. Today it is rare to find a watch with fewer than 17 Jewels. Most automatic wristwatches have at least 25 Jewels, and a chronograph might have up to 45 Jewels.

The jewels in your watch serve two very useful purposes. First, they make your watch more durable. A watch with no jewels will wear out in only a few years (even if serviced regularly) whereas a fully jeweled watch can run for generations if properly maintained. Second, they reduce friction, allowing the watch to run longer without winding, and allowing the watch to maintain for consistent time.

You can learn more about jewels in watches from Wikipedia. If you have questions for me, as a watchmaker related to jewels, or otherwise, feel free to comment on this post.

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.

 The Edwardian Era is  named after the British Monarch Edward the VII . (See Left ) Although his reign was quite short (1901-1910) he and his Queen,  Alexandra were quite influencial.

The couple were married in 1863 but Edward did not assend to the throne until after his Mothers death in 1901. His Mother, Queen Victoria ruled England from1837 untill 1901.

Queen Victoria

Victoria spent much of her public life in mourning for her late husband . As Victorian propriety demanded she dressed accordingly. Ladies in mourning were restricted to wearing black , grey or shades of greyish purple (the  color being tied into specific periods)                                        The accompanying  jewels worn were often in similar tones of  blacks  and purples. Jewelry was generally quite massive in appearance.

 Victoria still held sway even toward the later part of  her  reign but as she aged , Edward and Alexandria undertook many of Queen Victorias Public duties. The couple was very visible in society and had a great effect on the fashion of the day.

 Alexandra was charming , beautiful and stylish. Ladies strove to immitate her style . Notice the chocker or “dog collar” style necklace that she is wearing .(see image below) This look was created by her to disguise a small scar on her neck and the style became all the rage . The “dog collar ” style is still  popular with designers today.

Alexandra

  Edward and Alexandra were young and influencial during a period of great prosperity for the upper classes. It was a period of  political stability a well as an era of exciting new technological discovery. Gas lighting was replaced by the invention of electrical lighting.

    Colors became more  subtle in the ladies wardrobe. Jewelers enhanced the dress of the day by creating lighter, airy designs and utilizing pastel gemstones such as aquamarine, Montana sapphires and seed pearls. Jewels did  not require mass or intensity of color to have an effect under the new electric light . Diamonds twinkled under the new lights. Seed pearls were very popular as evidenced  in the following .

Edwardian Seed Pearl Brooch

Notice the delicate quality to the work in this Edwardian seed pearl brooch.

Edwardian Chocker c.1910

 Today it is difficult to imagine how an individuals could so inflence their times to such an extent as to have their name applied to an era . Just mention the Edwardian age and it conjures images of lively times, beautiful clothes and the exquisite ‘Garland style of Jewelery” we now define as Edwardian. Please look for my next blog on the Jewels of the Edwardian Era.

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  !

I heard a fabulous interview on NPR today with Madeleine Albright about her book Read My Pins. While she was Secretary of State she would wear lapel pins to all of her meetings with Heads of State and they often reflected her mood or made political statements. You can see a slideshow of some of the pins she wore and read an excerpt from her book at NPR.org.

If you would like to wear your emotions on your lapel you can check out some of the beautiful vintage pins at our web page, www.bcjewelers.com.

Victorian Earrings, that is earrings made during the time period that Queen Victoria of England ruled are rare. During  the early period of  her reign  (1840-60) earrings were  considered very unfashionable. The Fashion of the times  dictated that a lady cover her ears so as not to appear to unduly forward.

By the mid 19th Century earrings were once again fashionable. Earrings were appropriate  for day, as well as evening. They were bold and made from a variety of materials. The  earrings below are crafted of tortoise shell and 14kt gold.

Victorian earring in original condition are pierced. It is not until the turn of the 19th Century that we find non pierced earrings.

 The creation of non pierced earring backs must have created quite a sensation. I imagine that the new invention was embraced by the fashion forward woman of the day.The piercing  of ones ears in the early 20th Century gradually fell from fashion.In the United States  it was not an uncommon perception that only gypsies and women of questionable virtue pierced their ears. 

One rarely finds similar pairs of Victorian Earrings. They are a fun item of antique jewelry to hunt for and what collector doesn’t enjoy the hunt!  Happy collecting! If you are looking for something specific, we can help you at Beauchamp Jewelers.

If you love Antique jewelery (Jewelry that is at least 100 years old) You may have been lucky enough to come across a quintessential  piece of Victorian jewelery known as Micro Mosaic jewelery. (see figure 1 ) Pieces such as this lovely locket were all the rage, especially  for those that traveled abroad.  Italian artisans created these mosaics and they were purchased by tourists as souvenirs of their tours.  The images were created using small pieces of  cut glass known as tesserae.  The tiny sections of glass were painstakingly assembled to create beautiful images.  Jewelers would than  set these small mosaics into  jewelery.

Earlier examples of mosaic jewelry often depict images of Roman ruins and architectural motifs.  Later 19th Centuary mosaics tend toward  more  romatic images such as flowers.

The quality of workmanship in creating the mosaics as well as setting them in jewelry varies. Artist such Castellani were masters of this type of work. His creations were sought after in his day. Today a signed Castellani piece can fetch a handsome price. Compare the Mosaic work on figures 1 and 2 to that of  number 3.

Notice how much smaller the tesserae is cut in figures 1 and 2. Although the locket ( figure 3 ) is lovely, it is not nearly as fine as in the previous examples.

Fine quality Micro Mosaic work in is not commonly found.  It is always such a pleasure to find quality pieces in really good condition, especially when you think that this work was created by artists well over one hundred years ago. For those of you that are addicted to collecting, Micro Mosaic jewelry is not only beautiful but wearable art and it speaks so eloquently of a gentler time. Happy Collecting to you!

All three items pictured above are available at Beauchamp Jewelers along with many other pieces of antique jewelry from the Victorian Period, and other Eras as well.

Spring is here! You may not have any violets in your garden and you definitely don’t have any as beautiful as this exquisitely detailed, 14kt yellow gold, enamel pin circa 1900, but you could.