My thoughts about Cathleen McCarthy blog, The Jewelry Loupe.

written by: Justice Lawrence

I love reading and getting to know other people’s ideas about jewelry. Jewelry is such a fun topic because there is an endless amount of styles and beliefs involving jewelry . From blogs discussing the latest jewelry on a celebrities wrist, to ideas on making jewelry out of sustainable material, this girl wants to know the latest news. Recently while doing some jewelry research on the web, I stumbled across the wonderful blog/magazine of Cathleen McCarthy, The Jewelry Loupe . Some things I love about this blog is her unique posts about the history behind jewelry as well as her “Ask An Expert About” section that lists many options relevant for the beginner jewerly lover to the well experienced.

Cathleen McCarthy’s passion and fondness for jewelry radiates through her website so much that it reminds me of why I fell in love with jewelry at a young age. I particularly find her posts regarding collecting ancient jewelry to be such fresh topics and ideas. Her post on collecting ancient jewelry also inspires me to want to invest in more vintage pieces. While I do own a few thrifted pieces and a signet ring from the 1970’s, I think it’s well worth it to buy older vintage pieces that are one of kind and have a lot of value. Even if you don’t plan on buying ancient pieces for your collection I recommend you give Ancient Collecting a read.

The jewelry Loupe is also a great place to discover the history behind some prominent jewelry. Cathleen McCarthy’s blog is honestly not like any other. While most jewelry blogs I’ve read focus on more specific aspects of jewelry, hers is extremely broad and informative. Her page, in my opinion can even be enjoyed by those who do not share a crazy amount of love for jewelry like some of us. All in all, I think The Jewelry Loupe is a great page for exploring new inspiring ideas and thoughts on jewelry.

What’s the difference?

written by: Justice Lawrence

Buying gold jewelry can be very expensive. On top of that, having to know the differences between the different karats can be tricky. If knowing the differences between the different karats wasn’t tricky enough, you have to know the differences between gold plated, gold vermeil, and gold- filled?! While these are sometimes mistakenly used interchangeably, they are all different. One thing to note about these three options is that none of them are solid gold. To help one aspect of your gold shopping today, I’m going to help you understand the differences between gold plated, gold vermeil, and gold-filled.

Gold plated is usually the most common term you may be use to hearing out of the three. As defined by Wikipedia, gold plating is a method of depositing a thin layer of gold onto the surface of another metal, most often copper or silver, by chemical electroplating. Both gold vermeil and gold-filled can be thought of as forms of gold plating, the difference being their thickness of the plating. Typically, when jewelry states that it’s just gold plated, this mean the jewelry contains a thin layer of gold that can easily fade. Unlike gold vermeil or gold-filled, gold plated jewelry can easily and instantly be rubbed off by harsh chemicals, water, and products that contain a lot of alcohol. Out of the three, gold plated jewelry is usually the least expensive, but of coarse there are other factors that play a role in the price of jewelry, like the brand. Forever21 is a good example of a place that sales nice gold plated jewelry that is not expensive.

Gold vermeil jewelry is a step up from just being gold plated. When something is advertised as gold vermeil that means that the base metal is more than likely silver and covered with 2.5 micrometers of at least 10 karat gold. 2.5 micrometers is about 100 times thicker than jewelry advertised as gold plated. Therefore, it will typically last longer and be worth more. Check out The M Jewelers for some nice gold vermeil jewelry.

The one that contains the most gold and is my favorite out of the three is gold-filled jewelry. Gold-filled jewelry contains a thick coat of 14 karat (or higher) of gold that’s five percent of the total weight. The layer of gold is so thick that I liked to think of it as shell of gold in-casing the base metal which is typically brass. The best thing about gold-filled jewelry is that it can be treated like solid gold jewelry and it cost about a fraction of the price. Also, gold-filled jewelry is hypoallergenic which is good for people who typically breakout or have a bad allergic reaction to brass, nickle, copper etc. My favorite place to shop for gold-filled jewelry is Etsy, they have a lot of sellers that make nice affordable gold-filled pieces.

Written by: Justice Lawrence

Buying jewelry is something I can literally do all day. Although I’m always happy to discover new places to purchase jewelry, there are jewelry shops/stores that I always know I can turn to when I’m on the hunt for something new for my collection. I think in order to have a really good jewelry collection you should understand that all jewelry stores have there own unique style and brand. This is important because if you always shop at the same jewelry store, than all your jewelry probably looks or fits a specific style. It’s totally okay to love one specific jewelry store and there style, but if you are looking to explore other kinds of brands and styles, I got you covered! Here are my favorite places to shop for jewelry.

If I am on the hunt for trendy and affordable jewelry like name necklaces or cute chunky signet rings, and also expect the jewelry to be long-lasting, I love to shop at The m Jewelers. The M Jewelers makes jewelry in solid gold and silver, but I love that they make their jewelry in the option of gold filled or gold vermeil. Both gold filled and gold vermeil consists of the jewelry being made out of a based metal plated in a thick layer of gold to last for a long time with proper care. When I want to treat myself to the finer things in life, and put a hole in my wallet, Tiffany & Co is the place for me. Tiffany is known for it’s timeless and classic jewelry style that can easily be worn when you are dressed up or dressed down. If you are looking for jewelry that is good quality, an everyday staple, and let’s be honest, high-class, than spend a little extra shopping at Tiffany & Co. If I want jewelry containing gemstones, especially diamonds, then a Kays orZales is where I would shop because you can be certain of the gems you are buying and be charged fairly for the quality.

Now, The M Jewelers, Zales, and Tiffany are more known and can be pricey. Here are lesser known, more affordable and on-trend places I like to buy my jewelry. Frasier N Sterling has a lot of cute-trendy jewelry that resembles styles seen at The M Jewelers, except more affordable and the products are usually gold or silver plated. Local markets are my favorite places ever to buy jewelry because it’s usually handmade, affordable and unique. My favorite Local market Is Paper Bear in San Marcos. This may come as a surprise to some, but Wish also has cute jewelry and in any style. The best part is you can pay less than five dollars for the item including shipping. Pura Vida is my favorite jewelry place to shop for dainty boho style jewelry. The best thing about Pura Vida is that your money goes towards a cause and they have environmentally friendly pieces. Last but definitely not my least favorite place to shop is Etsy! The opportunity for jewelry and at any price range is available to you on Etsy. I personally will look to see if a seller is selling a specific style item on Etsy, and cheaper, before purchasing the jewelry item elsewhere.

The amount of places to shop for jewelry is honestly endless and I honestly did not mention half the places I love to buy jewelry, including specific Etsy shops, so that just means a part two is due! There are also places that I haven’t purchased jewelry from before that I plan on buying from in the near future, and would love to do reviews on for those interested.