The opulent, multi-colored fabrics that have swept the fashion industry have naturally inspired the jewelry makers, as you’ll find when you shop for jewelry in Washington, DC. Why choose just one colored gem, when you can combine them into spectacular eye-catching accessories? Mixing colors means not showcasing just one stone, but emphasizing patterns and contrasts…
In the late 1990s, new deposits of pink sapphire were found in Madagascar, which made this previously ultra-rare gem both more available and more affordable. As you can see from our selection here at Loudoun Jewelry on Maple Avenue, pink sapphires can range from very pale pinks to violet pinks (when trace elements of titanium…
The evolution of the modern cufflink coincided with the development of men’s shirt fashions. Once an undergarment that protected men from the rough fabrics of their outerwear, the shirt’s cuff and collars became visible—and ripe for decorative embroidery, ruffles, and ribbons to secure the cuffs—after the Middle Ages. In the nineteenth century, when starched cuffs…
With diamond color, you’ve probably heard that less is more. This is true to a point: Trace colors in white diamonds do detract from the stone’s beauty and worth, but when the earth’s heat and pressure produce natural hues, the diamonds are even more stunning and valuable. Jewelers call these “fancy” colors, and they have…
To call platinum a trend is a bit of a misnomer. Hardly new, platinum was revered even in ancient Egyptians’ time. By the end of the 19th century, it was the preferred metal for jewelry design, remaining so until World War II, when the government declared platinum a strategic metal and banned its use for…
Emeralds were first mined in Egypt from at least 330 B.C.; Cleopatra was said to be enchanted by them, and today, we’re just as powerless to their delicate beauty. We often have a fine selection of these brilliant green gems at Loudoun Jewelry on Maple Ave, because, well, we can’t resist them either! The emerald’s…
Nobody can deny the beauty of precious silver, but in its natural state, it’s too soft to use for anything functional, including most jewelry. Enter sterling silver, an alloy that 92.5 percent silver, and 7.5 percent other metals (usually copper) that give it strength and durability without taking way its luster and brilliance. With sterling,…
When DeBeers coined that famous phrase, “A diamonds is forever,” they weren’t just talking about engagement rings and they certainly weren’t just talking about a solitaire. Diamonds in design, clusters, and shapes are just as eternal and infinitely more interesting. Vintage designers—Victorian, Edwardian, and Art Deco styles are most popular—knew this, and made use of…
It seems that earrings and necklaces get most of the attention when it comes to statement jewelry, but you when a bracelet is bold or bright enough to draw attention, it can do the job as well as any pair of chandeliers. We dare anyone to not admire the diamond bracelets we’ve got at Loudoun…
Everything old is new again, so while you’re right in thinking that brooches are your grandmother’s jewelry, you’re totally wrong if you think that means they’re not hip. Here at Loudoun Jewelry on Maple Ave., we get a lot of brooches through estate collections, and they’re among the most novel and unique pieces we have…