cz-cubic-zirconia

If you have visited any retailer lately, then you have likely been attacked by hearts and Valentine’s Day promotions, still 2 weeks away.  Like many, I love hearts and they are a perennial favorite; they never go out of season with me.  The challenge to jewelry retailers is how to keep making heart jewelry looking new and exciting season after season.  But, there are always some that stand out above the crowd.

Check out this Heart-in-Heart Pendant from Home Shopping Network.  If you look at the zoomed in photo, you’ll see that the heart pendant is comprised of lots of little hearts in a delicate openwork fashion, covered and glistening with CZs.  It hangs from a matching rope chain in one of three metal tones: silver, vermeil, or rose vermeil.  I love this necklace because it sparkles, it's an appealing design from afar and up-close, it's flexible with my wardrobe, and it is a very feminine piece.

  

This weekend is, for those of you who haven’t heard, the biggest weekend of the year for American football…Super Bowl Sunday.  It is steeped in annual traditions, one of which is the Super Bowl Ring.  As pictured above, these pieces of jewelry (is that what they’re really playing for all season?) are awarded by the National Football League to players, coaches, and executives of the winning team of the Super Bowl.  They are chunky, “manly-man” rings and each year’s ring differs because it is customized with the Super Bowl number, the teams name and logo.  The players name and jersey number are also part of the customization, adding to the tremendous resale value of the ring.

If you know a man who has qualifies for a Class Ring, and he carries himself like a winner, a true champ, then he should have a class ring that looks more like a Super Bowl Ring.  Or perhaps, you are the man who has graduated, and well… you are the man.  Gordon’s Jewelers has got you covered.  This Mens 10K Gold Elite Class Ring has the graduating year in the center, surrounded by loads of CZs; to the left and right is a customizeable space for his name and an activity of his choice.  There is additional room on the ring for engraving some special words of wisdom.

This Cuff Bracelet by Carlo Zini, if made with real diamonds, would cost the equivalent of a sizeable piece of real estate.  This piece of cubic zirconia artistry is cut and mounted in the most refined techniques. It features stones in a variety of shapes, and both clear and smoky stones.   I love the wonderful balance of metallurgy and glamorous stones and cascading swirls.  It is worthy to be considered a piece of fine jewelry, and it’s priced like one, at GBP659.00 (approximately US$930 at today's rates).

To view this item on the Harrod’s website, please click here.

As if CZ jewelry at ZuluMoon weren’t economical enough already, here is another option to stretch that dollar even further.  This stylish, elegant CZ pendant can be transformed from an open-circle shape to a banner-like shape, both proudly centered around a sparkling pink CZ flower.  That’s not the only adjustment that you can make; the necklace chain itself can be expanded from 16 inches to 18 inches, giving the wearer quite a range of options, for one low price.

While former generations of women seemed to wear a strand of pearls with such simple grace and elegance, today’s modern woman is desirous of something more opulent.  If pearls alone don’t do the trick for you, then look for pearl jewelry which is adorned with CZs, which gives it the look of brilliant diamonds without the extreme price tag.  Then you can enjoy the combination of CZ sparkle and pearl luster.

 This beautiful, sparkly ring from Portia Jewelry features an 8mm pearl surrounded by lavender-toned CZs in a flower setting, on a 14k gold plated band.  And the price may pleasantly surprise you; it sells for only $39.00 while it looks much more expensive.

Cole Porter sang: “Night and day, you are the one…” and I would give those same praises to this ring from net-a-porter.com.  The black enamel band and mother-of-pearl make it a fun and colorful piece to wear in the daytime, while the brass-plated detailing and CZ accents give it the nighttime sparkle that allow you to extend the wear to any time of day.  This ring is a beautiful statement ring, a statement of contrasts (black/white, silver/gold) and a fascinating display of radial symmetry. 

To view the ring on net-a-porter.com, please click here.

Wowzers.  That was my first thought when I saw this gorgeous ring.  It’s like a gift bow for my finger!  Today’s showcase piece is from Forzieri, the Italian luxury goods retailer; your eyes do not deceive you when you detect the fine design, quality and craftsmanship that went into making this ring, the Nuovegioie Rose Sterling Silver CZ Ring.  Made from rose-tinted sterling silver shaped in a curlicue fashion, this bow-like creation is topped off with a single CZ.

Although it carries a serious pricetag, it embodies a whimsical spirit.  Leave it to Forzieri to show us how to do whimsy with class.  The materials and workmanship leave no doubt to the typical observer that this is indeed an upscale ring.

The American Dogwood flower, Cornus florida, really dazzled the people of Virginia in 1918…so much so, that they legally named it their state flower.  With its broad, textured petals and curled tips, it is graceful and resplendent without pretention.  It is no wonder that the dogwood flower goldtone CZ earrings from emitations.com are beautiful as well.

Each earring has 6 CZ stones nestled on a gold-plated sterling silver flower shaped delicately like the dogwood.  My only complaint, and I think Virginians would back me up on this, is that they are simply too small.  The earrings measure less than half an inch tall by half an inch wide.  These beauties need to be approximately twice that size to receive the glory and accolades they deserve, in my opinion.  They’re still pretty, nonetheless.

To view the earrings on emitations.com, click here.