Saturday, August 15, 2009
Harmony Scott - Aspen Jeweler
Soon after, she was invited to move back to Aspen to apprentice with a family friend, Elaine Greenspan, to learn the ancient Etruscan art of 22kt gold granulation and jewelry fabrication. After Elaine retired, she encouraged Harmony to follow in her footsteps and open her own Aspen Jewelry Store. Harmony's partner and love, Justin Doty, supported and encouraged her young design business and joined Harmony full-time in 1999. Together they showed at art fairs & trunk shows and traveled the country to place her jewelry in galleries & boutiques, living out of their little truck camper and being ski-bum jewelers. In 2001 they were finally ready to put down roots in the Roaring Fork Valley.
They opened their first store in the little town of Carbondale, just down the road from Aspen. The enormous success was exciting & daunting. Harmony and Justin couldn't keep up with demand and saw an opportunity to expand their production in Bali, Indonesia. Harmony & Justin met Wayan Subawa on their first visit to Bali. In Wayan, they found a perfect partner to realize their jewelry dreams. Wayan was ready to take on the challenge of learning about the jewelry process and working with Harmony & Justin to produce high quality jewelry with love and attention to detail. Soon Wayan's wife, niece and friends were working in his house, producing Harmony's beautiful designs. Now that the jewelry production was in place, Harmony and Justin were ready to take on new challenges in their business.
They opened their second store in Aspen during Christmas of 2003. Shortly after, they began to find a select group of boutiques and galleries to carry their work nation-wide. Every Spring and Fall, Justin and Harmony travel to Bali to design and produce the next collection that is now available in their Colorado stores, on the website, and through the circle of galleries that carry Harmony's designs. Harmony Scott Jewelry now employs four amazing women who manage and run the 2 stores, wholesale accounts, and website business from Carbondale & Aspen. In Bali, Wayan and his family are a group of four people making the limited-edition designs.
You can contact Harmony Scott Jewelry at:
199 Main Street
Carbondale, CO 81623
970.963.7190
411 East Hyman Avenue
Aspen, CO 81611
970.920.2582
Learn more about: Harmony Scott | Aspen Jewelry Store
Friday, August 7, 2009
The Beautiful Handmade Bridal Jewellery
If you want to be innovative with your bridal jewelery, handmade ornaments are an amazing choice. These brilliant jewels are prepared manually making use of no machines which give them an original and creative touch.
Although there are a lot of bridal jewelery options which you would come across on the internet, however, the handmade pieces are very distinctive and luring. As your wedding day calls for something out of the ordinary, handmade bridal jewelry can do the trick for you. These carefully designed ornaments will make you look stunning and a gorgeous bride. The warmth and chic attached to these jewels are matchless.
Being your bridal jewelry, whatever you wear ought to carry love and chic in it as well for which handmade pieces is perfect embodiment. Not only this, handmade bridal jewelery is a great options for those who have a tight budget yet they which to make the best of this occasion and obtain bridal jewellery which would make them look just perfect.
Handmade bridal jewelleries, be they necklaces or earrings, appear as stunning pieces of art and style which mesmerize the onlooker and give added confidence and joy to the wearer.
You can find some amazing handmade jewelry online as well in your local jewelery store. However, to be able to make the best choice of handmade jewelery, keep your dress design in mind. If your bridal jewelery is not in harmony with your dress, no matter how great a handmade ornament you wear it will not make you look perfect.
This is because the bridal jewelery together with the dress makes a perfect match and makes you look like the dream bride. It is not wrong to state that the best handmade jewelery has to complement your wedding dress. Otherwise no matter how expensive a factory made or handmade jewelery you wear, you will fail to create the look you deserve.
Be it the necklace or your earrings or ring, make sure the color as well as the material of your handmade bridal jewelery is appropriate and inline with the latest trends to make you look like the prettiest bride on earth.
Monday, April 13, 2009
How to Find the Perfect Jewelry Designer to Create Your Handmade Bridal Jewelry
"Couture" vs. "Costume" for your Wedding Jewelry
Designer, handmade jewelry is such a wonderful choice for your wedding day. Why not wear a work of art that will express your personal style? Handmade, quality jewelry doesn't have to be expensive...you just need to be a smart shopper. It is quite possible to find a jeweler who creates gorgeous, unique jewelry with exotic gemstones and pearls set in silver or gold. "Real" jewelry can be surprisingly affordable, yet still carries lasting value. This can be the one item from your wedding (besides the ring) that you will wear over and over through the years. Handmade, designer jewelry made especially to compliment your wedding day will continue to be enjoyed into the future, and may even become a sentimental heirloom for your children or family members.
Swarovski crystals and faux pearl bridal jewelry are (sadly) everywhere, and often cost just as much as their far more fabulous and "real" counterparts. So why not choose "couture" over "costume" and celebrate your unique sense of style and beauty? I hope you will take a moment to read these tips, and find the ideal jewelry artist to create your perfect handmade wedding jewelry!
Where to Start
Start researching at least four months before your wedding date, so you won't be rushed. As soon as you have found your wedding dress you are ready to find your jewelry. When choosing a jewelry designer, make sure you are familiar with their style and price range. Start with a little research on jewelers in your area, ask your friends for recommendations, and clip photos in magazines of attractive styles. I particularly like Lucky and InStyle magazines for their variety and price range. If you want something very specific, it is always best to find a jeweler nearby that you can meet with face to face. Otherwise, email makes it pretty easy to refine your search and communicate with your designer of choice.
Websites are a great resource. Spend some time online where you can browse and educate yourself at your leisure. The more specific your search keywords, the more refined your results will be. Use keywords like "bridal jewelry" or "wedding jewelry" along with "freshwater pearl", "semi-precious gemstones", "affordable handmade jewelry", "handmade designer jewelry", "sterling silver", and "gold." It is helpful to narrow the field of choices by searching for specific gemstones or materials you like (like moonstone, topaz, amethyst, or pink freshwater pearls) or styles that attract you (like "Victorian", "Edwardian" or "Antique"). One useful website is www.thefind.com. It is basically a shopping search engine that organizes your results by price or search-term relevance, and best of all, it has little thumbnail photos of each piece so you can see if you like the item before you click through to the specific website.
Once you have a few good design candidates, make an appointment to speak with each jeweler on your list in person, by phone or via email. Bring in or email photos of your dress (preferably with you in it), have a clear budget and time frame, and be sure to communicate any other important details that will give the designer a good idea of your desires and expectations.
Buyer Beware
Steer clear of any jeweler who pushes you towards a design that is not your taste or is too expensive. It is one thing for a designer to educate you about the jewelry they create, but don't let someone sweet-talk you into a design that you don't really love or can't afford. This is a big red flag, and the best course of action is to go somewhere else. Also, don't let your sister's best friend guilt you into wearing a necklace she "designed" just because she can string beads in a row. This is your day, and you should have it your way! You deserve to work with a professional who takes their craft, reputation, and customer service seriously. With a little effort you can find a talented designer who creates jewelry you love, listens to your needs, caters to your budget, and treats you with the respect and honesty you deserve.
Budget Minded
Once you have found your jeweler of choice, you can trim your expenses by purchasing a design that is currently available for sale in their line, or by asking the designer to repeat or make small changes to a style they have created previously. This will help save money since the artist will not have to create something from scratch especially for you, and the price should be more reasonable. If you do want something made specifically for you, expect to pay more, and in some cases the increased expense can be significant. This is because the designer will have to take much more time and care to create a look that is exactly what you want, and may have to create and re-create the piece several times to get it just right. Always get an estimate first before any work has started to avoid any nasty surprises! Its best to be upfront with your budget, most jewelry designers will appreciate your candor and be able to guide you to your ideal look and price range.
I hope you have enjoyed these tips! Best wishes on finding the perfect jewelry designer to suit your specific style, budget, and desires for your special day.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Colorado Bridal Jewelry
Beyond a necklace and earrings for you, the bride, you should also think about your bridal party and how their jewelry can enhance the look of the bridal party but not over shadow it. Trends for both dresses and jewelry for the 2009 wedding are leaning toward color in both dresses and jewelry. While basic pearls and teardrop earrings remain popular, bursts of color are appearing in these traditional bridal jewelry wear and more and more, brides are choosing to have their bridal party wear various colors instead of all one matching color for their jewelry selections. Even different styles for necklaces, earrings, and bracelets are accepted and can make your bridal party unique.
When thinking about your spring bridal jewelry for the upcoming spring season instead of going with sterling silver necklaces and earrings, choose alternate colored jewelry such as turquoise and costume jewelry with colors like purple, blue, and pink. Ruby red, faux pearls in all colors, and even black crystal necklaces are on the rise. Big and bold statements are popular for spring in almost any design of bridal jewelry.
New twists are being made in Colorado bridal jewelry for spring and while it's still popular to wear everything from traditional to vintage jewelry, the styles and colors are fresh and new in sterling silver, gold, and faux and costume jewelry. Bulk necklaces that shout color and uniqueness are also in for the New Year in many designs.
Finding bridal jewelry in Colorado for your spring wedding doesn't have to be expensive either, whether you are choosing styles for yourself as the bride, or for the entire wedding party. Popular wedding color themes for spring are leaning toward wildflowers in bright greens, pinks, yellows, and greens. Coordinating jewelry for spring wildflower themes include chokers, teardrop necklaces and earrings, crystals of all kinds, and varied styles of both gold and silver combination.
Brides and their attendants are straying from the traditional high cut necklines this spring and v-neck and scooping lower necklines are being enhanced by longer necklaces with bright detail, styles, and shades.
Before you buy your spring bridal jewelry, think about your theme and colors and make it a fun event for your colorado wedding. While you may wear pink faux pearls and teardrop earrings, have your attendants compliment your jewelry style with flower designs in varied colors or pick jewelry with a flair for the more dramatic in twisted silver and gold or rhinestones in colors that match your theme.
If you want to give your bridal party their spring wedding jewelry for a gift to wear the day of your wedding, it's becoming appropriate to look for styles that don't scream wedding, but instead, choosing styles that can be worn for any occasion-even causal. If you do a little research and use your imagination, your spring bridal wedding jewelry can be fresh, unique, and remarkably received by both your attendants and the guests at your wedding.
(Source: Denise Sanger)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Pearl Bridal Jewelry
Truth be told, the reason that pearls were people's first loved gem was that they needed no cutting or polishing, because the ancient peoples did not have the capabilities to cut and polish the harder gems like diamonds.
So is there any other reason why pearls became the gem of royalty and most importantly the gem of choice for bridal jewelry? In my opinion there is, instead of digging them from the dirt, pearls are obtained from a man risking his life to dive, sometimes quite deep into the sea. When he comes to the surface and presents his bride with a completely finished gem, it becomes so very spontaneous. A diamond or ruby or emerald is quite a bit more contrived. If a man were to present his love with a rough diamond, she would have hardly been impressed with the dull gray rough appearance, but the pearl is immediately beautiful. It needs no artificial contrivance to make it beautiful.
And the same is true today, soft, natural, glowing and lovely the pearl is the ultimate bridal jewelry. Maybe the pearl reflects the natural beauty of the bride. Think about this, there are ways of hiding a diamonds flaws, from coloring or even injecting a fluid to hide deep imperfections, but there are not easy ways to hide a pearls flaws. If the pearl have blemishes or cracks, or is just dull, how can you disguise that to a person?
Consider this the pearl is grown in the deepest softness of the oyster much like a child comes to life inside the bride. A diamond comes from carbon that is compressed and heated inside a volcano. Which way is more closely related us? One way is so hard and not really organic and the other way symbolizes birth. Am I so far off? Another way is that to show a pearls natural beauty, nothing needs to be done. The pearl's soft glow seems almost spiritual, whereas a diamond is almost like looking in to a glass mirror, or a polished piece of metal. What we experience in a pearl is more complicated. See a pearl just doesn't reflect like a mirror.
Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to create a falsely mystical feeling. But a pearl grow layer by layer and what this means to the beauty of this bridal jewelry is that when light is reflected back at your eyes it does not all bounce out like a mirror or crystal, it bounces back inside and reflects on and again from each semi-translucent layer of nacre. This is why a pearl appears to glow.
And this is why I think a pearl is lovelier than an artificially created cut gem, aside from the fact that a pearl is the gem of love.
(source: P E Sherlock)
More about Bridal Jewelry
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wholesale Bridal Jewelry
Almost every jewelry store deals in a fine selection bridal jewelry. This selection is sourced from wholesale bridal jewelry suppliers. All retail jewelry stores, whether online or regular, buy jewelry wholesale and then sell it on a retail basis. The most sought after jewelry is bridal jewelry as weddings are an occasion where jewelry is a must.
Stocking up for wholesale bridal jewelry entails a careful choice of jewelry pieces that will be suitable for the occasion. Delicate, elegant, tastefully made pieces of jewelry are chosen for bridal wear. The bride's wedding ring is carefully chosen. Wholesale bridal jewelry dealers should ensure that they source different standard ring sizes in varying varieties. The popular varieties in wedding bands are diamond bands, platinum bands, diamond solitaires and bands with other precious stones like rubies, emeralds and the like.
Wholesale bridal jewelry orders are also placed for many varieties of engagement rings. Necklaces, bracelets, brooches and the like are also purchased as part of a bride's jewelry.
The items of jewelry remain the same but trends change from time to time. Wholesale bridal jewelry suppliers should keep this in mind and keep abreast of market trends. They should maintain ideal stock sizes in varying designs so that they can cater to a sizable demand without running out of stock. Stock lots maintained by wholesale bridal jewelry dealers should not be so large that they get left with many pieces of unsold jewelry.
Bridal jewelry is generally traditional with touches of modern trends making small but graceful changes. So, wholesale bridal jewelry manufacturers should try out designs that are classic in style, yet have an air of newness about them.
(Source: Ken Marlborough)
Friday, December 12, 2008
Jewelry Is the Perfect Gift
Special and Appropriate Jewelry
Jewelry is also chosen as a gift in most instances because they mark very special occasions like engagement and anniversaries. Jewelry pieces are precious and expensive items. This basically implies that they are only given to the most precious people in your life. Plus, jewelry is something that the receiver could usually show off. Since jewelry is also intentionally or unintentionally used as a status symbol rather than just a mere fashion accessory, it is very common for people - especially women - to want jewelry as a gift.
Jewelry: Gifts that Last
The perfect gift is jewelry because of its longevity. Unlike gifts of food, clothes, flowers, and other stuff that only last for days, weeks, or a few years, jewelry sometimes lasts for generations. Because of this a lot of people who wants a memorable and long-lasting gift will not go wrong with giving jewelry.
Jewelry makes the perfect gift for a lot of reasons, the primary reason being that most recipients like receiving jewelry for gifts. Whatever the reason and whatever the occasion, whoever your intended recipient is and no matter his or her tastes, jewelry will always make the perfect gift.
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