By tree on Dec 14, 2009 | Leave a Comment
My my, “Charlotte” went and got herself a few new shades! She started off in a very prim and proper ivory shade, but recently has been seen in Bronze, Chocolate and now Platinum!
Over the next few days I’ll be adding in these luscious new shades to my handmade jewellery shop- perfect for harmonising a look amongst the ladies in your bridal party while keeping enough variet in the shades and styles to keep everyone happy!
By tree on Nov 06, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Bridesmaids Accessories, originally uploaded by www.virtudej.com.
Available from Nov. 10 2009 in limited quantities.
By tree on Oct 27, 2009 | 2 Comments
This is what “Lily” feels like for me; by adding in some crystal clear Swarovskis with the organic gems, it’s kind of a lovely fusion that creates an updated look for the modern bride. Click here for more details.
By tree on Oct 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Made with white freshwater pearls and available here.
By tree on Oct 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Every time I get a cold (which isn’t often enough these days) I cosy up on the sofa and watch my set of Pride and Prejudice DVDs- the BBC adaptation with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. And if anyone asks I’m working because the jewellery is one of those amazing aspects of this production!
So amazing that it inspired a range of bridal jewellery made from Swarovski pearls and other crystal components.
The image shown here is part of the Charlotte range.
Bridal Jewellery Sets Necklace “Charlotte” Ivory Crystal Pearl
Originally uploaded by Bridal Jewellery Sets
By tree on Oct 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment
I watched a Shirley McLaine TV series the other day- she was portraying Coco Chanel and it was just fabulous! I loved the outfits and particularly the jewellery.
It inspired me to create a little range of long pearl necklaces and assorted earrings:
Bridal Jewellery Sets Crystal Jewellery “Coco” Ivory Crystal Pearl
Originally uploaded by Bridal Jewellery Sets
There are no bracelets because, for this range the necklaces double up as bracelets- you just wear it stacked.
Très chic comme ça!
By tree on Oct 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment
By tree on Sep 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Handmade bridal jewellery sets and bridesmaids accessories makes a lot amount of sense since if you find a good handmade designer then:
• You can specify custom lengths- think how useful this can be for bridesmaid bracelets. And also for necklaces, asking for a necklace to be made to the perfect length to suit the neckline.
• Better quality raw materials are used (compared with the majority of cheap factory goods) to make the jewellery much longer-lasting
• It has the personal touch and you know it’s a limited-edition design, not a mass-market product made in a factory.
Handmade jewellery clearly has its advantages but can you be sure that you’re not getting ripped off or buying jewellery made from low-quality materials or with poor workmanship, especially if you’re looking online?
Here’s a guide on how to spot great quality goods and weed out the rank amateurs from the consummate professionals in the field.
Descriptions
For online goods a good description is vital. Solid professionals give clear, concise descriptions that include the materials used which may include the following:
Metal: precious or non-precious e.g. sterling silver, silver plated, gold including carat purity, gold plated, gold-filled
Gemstones: gemstone name, any special treatments it may have had, whether manmade or not, if a precious stone then more details like clarity and weight/size.
Crystal: whether Swarovski or not, perhaps the names of the exact shades used- you may need this to work out if it will fit in with the colour scheme for the wedding and/or the bridal gown.
Other Materials: there’s so much creativity in this sector that all sorts of materials are used and recycled to make beautiful creations.
Photographs
The description is not complete without at least one very good quality photograph. Ideally the photos will be high resolution enough to let you see the detail in the piece of jewellery. They should not be blurred, of low-resolution or very dark.
Customisation
In my opinion, the best designers will, if possible, allow you to specify small changes to the length. This is particularly useful when buying sets of jewellery for your bridesmaids. It can help a bride out enormously to be able to make little changes here and there e.g. adjust the length of a bracelet a little, use a different colour bead in some earrings or swap the clasp on a necklace. Of course there may well be an additional cost for such services, but compare this to the cost of buying jewellery “off the rack” and then having it adjusted later by a jewellery repair shop.
Workmanship
Here’s what to look out for in a badly-finished piece of jewellery:
Rough edges- sharp, protruding edges or jump rings (hoops of metal) that haven’t been closed properly.
Chewed metal – a “chewed” texture means that the metal may have been overstressed making it more likely to break.
Very thin wire – very thin wire should not be used for simple loops as these are unlikely to be strong enough, especially for bracelets which generally have to withstand more pressure that earrings. Very thin wire is fine to use for wrapped loops.
Feedback and Customer Comments
If you are buying jewellery online then make sure you check out feedback left by customers as this will give you a brutally honest picture of how well the designer scores in terms of product quality and customer service. See if there are any comments left about the particular item you wish to buy.
Returns Policy
Also check that the designer offers a clear returns policy in case you need to send it back.
By tree on Sep 13, 2009 | Leave a Comment
This weekend I added lots of new colours to the Charlotte range. It’s one of my best-selling bridal jewellery sets and now I’m expanding it to include new colours so that the range would be more suitable for bridesmaids accessories or as every day jewellery.
Charlotte in Light Grey
Here’s Charlote with her vaguely vintage feel but using the softest of dove greys- perfect for bridesmaid accessories or everyday jewellery.
Click on any of the images to be taken to my eBay store where you can get the super-sized version of the images.
By tree on Sep 13, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Meet Charlotte, she’s the sensible one from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I little while back I was so inspired by the BBC adapration that I created the Pride and Prejudice jewellery range, you can read about it here.
Charlotte in Ivory
Back in the Edwardian days they didn’t have Swarovski pearls, which is a shame because these have an utterly flawless appearance and very pleasing weight and lustre. I decided to use Swarovski pearls and add in some sparkling rondelle components too to give a vaguely vintage feel.
The result you can see below- click on any of the images to be taken to my eBay store where you can get the super-sized version of the images. This is one of my best-selling bridal ranges.
