Women have been accessorizing since the dawn of civilization. Handbags, shoes, and jewelry all have to be carefully chosen to enhance an outfit to perfection. There are a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration when accessorizing however including color, style, body shape, personality and expense.

The color of an outfit will, to some extent, determine what jewelry should be worn as a complimentary addition. Brightly colored outfits won’t need any more color adding to them -- a simple gold or silver necklace and bracelet set and possibly a small pair of plain earrings will suffice. Adding more than this will look overdone and, in some cases, quite tacky. For dark outfits however, a touch of color will help liven things up without becoming overstated. Sparkly jewelry is great with black and other dark colors, as are colored gemstones set in silver or platinum. Use your initiative but bear in mind the occasion; funerals for example do not need masses of sparkly jewelry.

The style of the outfit is also a big consideration when accessorizing. The wrong choice of jewelry can make a beautiful outfit look plain silly. For example, imagine matching a gorgeous sexy little number with a leather thong necklace and a nose ring! When it comes to style, common sense and initiative are two important concepts that need to be employed. Elegant clothing requires elegant and understated jewelry whereas party clothing requires something a bit more bold and noticeable.

It is also worth taking body shape into account when picking out jewelry. Dainty jewelry on an athletic or larger frame may look a little lost and so larger pieces will look better in this instance. A long slim neck might become overemphasized by some types of necklace but it might look incredible with a pair of long dangly earrings. It is important to find out what looks right with the contours of your body and to purchase jewelry items that only highlight the parts you want highlighted.

Part 1 of a 3 part series on Opal Jewelry

Australia is the largest producer of opals in the world, producing 95% of the worlds opals for opal jewelry and most of these in Australia are produced at a place called Coober Pedy. The balance come from places such as Mexico, the north of Brazil The US and Africa even.

In 1849 the first Opal blocks were accidentally found on an Australian cattle station called Tarravilla . the first Opal prospectors started in 1890 at White Cliff mining the Opal rocks. And even today the eyes of Opal lovers light up when somebody mentions places like White Cliffs, Lightning Ridge, Andamooka or Coober Pedy: for these are the legendary sites of the Australian Opal fields. The most famous one is probably Lightning Ridge, the place where mainly the coveted Black Opal is found. Andamooka, where Crystal Opal and Light Opal are brought to the light of day, cam boast to be the place where the probably largest Opal was found, with a weight of 6 ,843 kilograms, the "Andamooka Desert Flame".

Coober Pedy, by the way, is a word from the Aborigine language meaning "white man in a hole". This clearly describes how Opal was in fact mined: many Opal prospectors made their home in deep holes or caves in the ground, to protect themselves from the burning heat of daytime and from the icy winds of night time. Usually they worked only with tolls such as pick and shovel. Buckets full of soil, hopefully containing Opal rocks, were pulled up out of the depths of 5 to 40 m deep shafts by hand, for this is the depth of the Opal containing crevices and cavities, which are also mined nowadays.

Being an Opal prospector is still not an easy job, although today of course there are some technical means available, such as trucks or conveyor belts. And still the hope to make the find of a lifetime which will let you live happily ever after attracts many men and women to come to the hot and dusty Australian outback.

The mineraloid opal is amorphous hydrated silicon dioxide, the water content sometimes being as high as 20 percent but is usually between three and ten percent. Opal ranges from colorless through white, milky blue, gray, red, yellow, green, brown and black. Common opal is truly amorphous, but precious opal does have a structural element. The word opal comes from the Sanskrit upala, the Greek opallios, and the Latin opalus, meaning "precious stone".

Would you like to know the step by step procedures on cleaning pearl jewelry? Read on and you will be very surprised to find how simple it is to take care of pearls.

The first step in the care for pearls is to gently clean them off with a soft damp cloth every time after you've worn them. This will prevent build up by removing dust, dirt, body oils, perspiration, and chemical substances like body creams, makeup and hair products that can damage the surface of the sphere.

The next step in the proper care of pearl jewelry is to do a periodic washing. Periodic washing times will very on how often you wear your precious gifts from the sea.

Buy a plain natural bar of soap, like a castile soap, which you can easily find in a health food store. Also purchase filtered water or distilled water. Many city waters today have high chlorine levels that can be damaging to this sea gem.

To clean a pearl necklace lather up the soap in your hands and gently rub your sea gems in your soapy hands. Pay close attention to the areas around the drill holes where dirt may tend to collect. Rinse thoroughly with pure water. You may even soak them for a bit in pure water before drying them. This procedure also applies to your pearl ring, bracelet or earrings and to the care of mother of pearl jewelry.

After rinsing use a soft cotton towel to dry them off then lay them flat on a dry towel to air dry. Don't move them until they are completely dry. Never hang your wet pearl strands or a string of pearls to dry and don't wear these precious gems when the string is wet. Wet strings stretch and attract dirt which is then hard to remove.

You can use a brush when cleaning but take care to use a very soft, natural bristle brush. Never use a toothbrush, scouring pad or abrasive material of any kind. Never use your brush for any other purpose and always store your brush where it will not become dusty or soiled.

Do not use commercial jewelry cleaners. You can find ones that are recommended for pearls but read the label to make sure they do not have ammonia or vinegar in them. Do not use tarnish removers, toothpaste, ultrasonic cleaners or steam clean your sea jewels.

Your treasured spheres will naturally darken slightly and yellow with age and wear. The golden or creamy tones that come with age cannot be cleaned off.

If your pearl jewelry is very dirty take it to a professional jeweler to be restored. Also, approximately every six months, take your pearl necklace, ring, bracelet and earrings to a professional jeweler for a general maintenance check up. You will need to know if your pearls are still very securely mounted and the string is good and strong.

Now is the time to take action and start following these simple steps towards the proper care for pearls. Caring does make a difference. These are organic gems, nature's perfect gift to you. Given a little bit of gentle attention and your most precious gifts from the sea will reward you for years to come with their lustrous beauty

Jewelry has been around for thousands of years. Vanity never goes out of style, and apparently neither does Jewelry. As long ago as 3000 BC the Egyptians were fashioning all kinds of jewelry out of gold. Gold was the choice medium for the jewelers of the pharaohs. It was rare, which of course made the jewelry it formed very valuable. Gold was also very easy to work with, so jewelers of the past could fashion fantastic jewelry even without the benefits of the more sophisticated tools of today. While perhaps not as intricate by today's standards, ancient jewelers fashioned some of the most magnificent rings, pendants, necklaces and bracelets ever.

Golden Stones and Locks

In addition to gold, other cultures contributed to the beautiful adornments known as jewelry over time. The Greeks had a thing for using precious stones in combination with gold to create their jewelry. Stones like emeralds, garnets, and amethysts were not the only materials to enhance their jewelry possessions. Plain stones of differing colors were often used, as well as glass and enamel for the forging of jeweled trinkets. One of the more bizarre customs in the art of jewelry making, occurred during the Victorian era. Mourning jewelry was created to mark the passing of loved ones. Mourning jewelry was created using black colored stones, and often locks of hair from the deceased were tightly twisted or braided into the jewelry. Strange and macabre by today's standards, but common place back then.

Pearl From Small Beginnings

Pearl jewelry has long been a favorite jewelry for the rich and sophisticated. While at one time a very rare form of jewelry, as they could only be found in nature. Cultured pearls are just like real pearls, except for the human intervention of surgically placing a small bead into a mollusk to get the process started. Today's cultured pearl jewelry while much more common than pearly jewelry found in the wild, can actually be more expensive. As the aesthetics of the cultured pearl are more controlled, and the end aesthetics is often more pristine and attractive.

Occasional Jewelry

Jewelry is right for any occasion, and for many occasions an absolute necessity. Formal events such as weddings, anniversary's, graduations, and even funerals have their appropriate jewelry requirements. Your jeweler can help make the right, selection, or that jewelry fashion maven everybody knows of. A little research and simply experimenting with different looks will help define your own jeweled style. See what your friends wear, and of course the celebrities. They've always got the cash to blow on a little bauble now and then. I guess walking down a red carpet anytime calls for some occasional jewelry.

Generally speaking, Orient watches are some of the best watches you can find for the money on the market today. The Orient Power Reserve Watch, model number CEX05003D, is the second Orient watch that I have reviewed. And like the first, I am impressed with what it offers given the price. However, there were a few things I found myself wishing it had, which may be the result of personal preference more than anything.

Some of the product reviews I’ve read on the CEX05003D labeled it as “cool” and “mysterious.” I don’t know if I’d go so far as to call it mysterious (I tend to find people mysterious who call watches “mysterious”), but it is very cool and appealing. The dial of the Orient is midnight blue (navy blue, really) with the periphery, beneath the hour markers, having a patterned design. It’s a bit difficult to see this without having a light to shine on it just so, but I appreciate the intricate work that embellishes the dial’s “cool” appeal. The dial also has a power reserve indicator (more on this later) and date display, which can be easily adjusted with the push button just above the push-pull crown.

The case and bracelet are both stainless steel, ideal for durability and ensuring they’ll never become rusted.

The clasp of the watch is a great feature as well. The clasps on watches I’ve previously owned haven’t held together well because of their insufficient locking mechanism (i.e. friction locked fold-over clasp design). The clasp on the Orient CEX05003D has a fold over clasp as well, but with push buttons, making for a sturdier, more long lasting clasp.

In true Orient style, the inner workings of the watch are made with top quality material. Should there be any defects, however, I can always cash in on the manufacturer’s one year warranty.

Now for the bad news: the hands. I love the second hand feature as its sweeping style is virtually identical to that of the Rolex. However, its “luminous” hour and minute hands are less than brilliant.

Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem; I’m usually in an area where at least partial light enables me to see the time on my watch. But when I was driving along a rural New England street at night recently, in a car that is sans dome lights and without a working clock, the Orient’s “luminous” hands prevented me from seeing what time it was.

Instead of the push button for the date, I wish that was replaced by a button I could press to light up the dial. Again, this isn’t really an indictment on Orient as it is a statement of my own personal preference when it comes to watches. However, I do think a watch ought to be able to harness light longer and more efficiently, especially when it’s pressed up against a light bulb for several seconds (So I guess it is an indictment).

Body modification is the new fad in today’s culture. It has become the newest way for people who show a unique side of themselves through modifying their body parts with various body piercings and other gadgets attached to their bodies. The art of body piercing is becoming widely available, and the people who perform these are a lot more available than ever. Through various wholesale and piercing supply companies, they are able to have their own piercing supplies, and upon the customer’s request, pierce various pieces of body jewelry on various body parts can be attached. This is very popular in today’s culture.

The basic piercings are done on the ears, as many have done anything from the basic earring to the most extreme sized holes in their earlobes. Customers have widely requested pieces such as the labret, the naval, or tongue piercings. Those locations have been some of the more common requests for body piercings. The labret is commonly seen, due to its lightly studded look, and commonly done above the eyebrow or on the face. Tongue piercings are commonly had, as its clicking noise is done when the person clicks the barbell against their teeth. Plus naval rings are placed on or around the belly button, as it is common amongst females as it stands out when their midriff is shown in public.

The world of watches is exciting and fascinating. Watches are like perfumes objects of desire and it is hard to say whether the asking price is right or exorbitant. This problem of price occurs only when you want to buy a rare, antique, or limited edition watch. If you are just buying a model mass manufactured by wrist watch giants then the maximum retail price is always given in catalogue and on company web sites.

How does one know the worth of a watch? It is hard to value a watch from pictures placed online. What is important is to check the condition of the watch including its movement. It is hard to judge a valuable watch from pictures on the World Wide Web. Sadly people randomly label things as antiques or valuable but in actuality the watch is one of thousands. Just because it is “old” does not mean it has a high value.

Today people all over the world collect watches for functionality, aesthetic value, and vintage value. Evaluating a watch must include aspects like: quality, craftsmanship, availability, history, reputation, uniqueness, and more.

1. Consider carefully the “quality” of the watch. Find out about the design and construction. Examine the case, dial, and movement. Important factors are functionality, accuracy in keeping time, reliability of manufacture, and longevity. To become a “collectible” a watch must bring with it a piece of history.

2. Find out the minute details of construction. Aspects that play a role are innovativeness, complexity of movements, and the mechanical functions. Sometimes a watch gains value as it represent a change in way watches work say for example the first digital or automatic watch.

3. Determine its value based on how many are flooding the market. The fewer the numbers the more “collectible” a watch is. Or if it belonged to a great personality like “Einstein” or if it participated in “making history,” was worn when someone climbed the highest mountain for the first time or flew around the world.

Because an item of jewellery tends to be an expensive purchase it is no wonder that some people feel nervous buying goods from the internet. If it is used correctly the internet opens up a new way of shopping for millions offering convenience, ease of use and a huge source of information to help you make an informed purchase.

Many people still do not have confidence in the system having heard negative reports of identity theft, money being handed over and goods never arriving. For this reason we have put together some advice and guidance for purchasing diamond jewellery on the internet.

The two main pros for purchasing on line is that you can access jewellers from all over the world and therefore have an amazing range of products to choose from: and prices tend to be lower than the high street stores because internet jewellers have low overheads with no high street shop to maintain and they are often able to offer near break even prices. Also because the internet opens up the world as their marketplace, the competition is fierce and their volumes tend to be very high. Packaging and presentation tends to be superior quality.

Internet retailing does not permit the usual face to face sales techniques and deals can be harder to close. Online jewellers should therefore offer an excellent customer and after sales service to make their products the most attractive to prospective purchasers.

When De Beers first started actively mining in the late 1800's, they had heavy competition. By forming the De Beers cartel, they were able to control the release of diamonds into circulation. De Beers began to use the controlled scarcity of its diamonds as the center of its advertising campaigns.

De Beers has been extremely successful in its marketing strategies. The center of their marketing strategy is linking diamonds with long term romantic love. Engagement rings have been present in many cultures since the 1400's, but they typically did not contain diamonds. De Beers is considered to be responsible for making the diamond engagement ring the standard in the United States and elsewhere. They also have used their own marketing skills to establish a standard amount that future grooms should spend on a diamond ring. It is typically considered socially correct for a man to spend the equivalent of one to two months salary on the diamond ring he purchases. De Beers even includes this spending guideline on their website.

The De Beers slogan, "A diamond is forever" has continued to be one of the most successful catch phrases in advertising history. De Beers worked diligently to connect their diamond rings with the idea of everlasting love. The slogan is also intended to establish the idea that a diamond is something that should be kept by the recipient and not resold. De Beers hopes this will encourage the purchase of new diamonds rather than purchases through the secondary market. Because of De Beers, the diamond has continued to increase in value as people around the world make a connection between purchasing a diamond and their long term love relationships.

Let me preface by saying the there is only one true international grading system. That is derived from the Mikimoto grading system which is basically AAA, AA+, AA, A, B and C. The Mikimoto (Hanadama or Flower Pearls) are a notch above the AAA (95% blemish free) only because of their almost 100% blemish free and they are known for their very deep and rare “Orient”. They must be sold with it’s a specific numbered certificate from the Pearl Science Laboratory of Japan. There is now an equivalent to the Hanadama pearl quality which is the Freshwater “Orient” which is simply named for the deep and rare “Orient” associated with these pearls. These pearls come from .01% or 1/10,000 of the annual pearl harvest.

THE GRADE OF THE PEARL DICTATES THE VALUE OF THE PEARL!

Now for those of you that have witnessed other grading systems like “Collectors Quality”, “Gem Quality”, “AAAA”, AAA+ or no mention of grades at all be very wary of purchasing from such dealers. Most storefront retailers for example do not understand grading systems in the Pearl industry as they are very busy selling everything from Diamonds to Watches. They simply understand that pearls are cultured and are round. Sounds silly but that is true as you only have to visit a couple of them to confirm the level of knowledge that they have with these natural gems.

Grading is based on 1) the pearl Shape 2) the amount of blemishes on the surface and most importantly 3) the Luster of the pearl. One inferior category can easily drop the pearl rating from say AAA to AA. For instance if a pearl is round and is rated at AAA and the Luster is also extreme and rated as AAA, however the body surface is under 95% blemish free then the overall rating will be somewhat less that AAA. Maybe to a AA+, or a AA or even lower.

Wedding ring sets are integration of both engagement and wedding ring in a similar design, complimenting one another. It is suitable for women who hate wearing more than one ring, or for couples who have budget constraints. It is actually called ‘wedding set’ and is designed to be worn together, and these rings cannot be worn separately as they are soldered to be worn together for a seamless and permanent fit, hence they are inseparable.

Wedding ring sets symbolizes the deep and intertwined relationship they share without discriminating each other and giving each other the same status in the society. The wedding set is a perfect complement to a romantic relationship; many couples choose rings set which symbolizes their closeness and togetherness in harmony and passion with matching designs and settings.

A united wedding ring set is an elaborate designed pair; the pair should have a co-ordination wrap to each of the ring. Yellow gold is the most commonly used in the wedding ring set, but one can also use the combination of yellow as well as white gold to give a striking look to the wedding ring set. Wedding ring sets are mostly designed with intricacy and delicate detailing since they are surrounded with multiple small stones in a pattern with a large stone in centre

The Hamilton Watch Company was founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1892. It produced its first watch, designed by H.J. Cain, in 1893. (Now that is a very desirable vintage pocket watch for anyone to add to their antique pocket watches collection.) Also that year, Hamilton Watch Company introduced "The Broadway Limited", a railroad pocket watch known for its reliabiltiy and used extensively by the railroads. It was so good, a version was adoped for the American Expeditionary Forces worldwide. A wristwatch version inteoduced around WWI where it was used as the timepiece of choice for many adventures - including being the first watch to scale Mount Everest, used by Admiral Byrd on his North and South Pole expeditions and by many other famous early 20th century adventurers.

In 1928, the Yankees won the World Series and Hamilton Watch celebrated by introducing the Yankee Wrist Watch along with another famous watch of that time period, the Piping Rock - both quality, cutting edge timepieces of the day. Growing on this reputation, they captured the hearts of the airlines in the 1930s and became the official timepiece of TWA, Eastern, United and Northwestern airlines.

In 1940, Hamilton Watch closed their doors to consumer sales and concentrated exclusively on developing watches for the military. During the WWII era, close to one million Hamilton Military Watches were produced.

In 1957, Hamilton Watch creates one of the most dramatic changes ever to watch design when it introduced the Hamilton Electric - the first electric watch. This marked the beginning of the end for windup watches (although there are still a small number of high end watches that still require winding.) And in 1959, they deveped the Venture, a sleek watch designed via the inspiration of the Cadillac tailfins of the 1950s. This watch rapidly becomes the in watch for the cool people of the 50s - even being chosen by Elvis Presley as the watch he wore in his movie Blue Hawaii.

Continuing their tradition of innovation, the Pulsar is rolled out in 1972. This is the first of its kind digital watch and was designed and manufactered in its Pennsylvania headquarters. Since that time, Hamilton Watch designs have continued to be cutting edge and very desirable to own and collect.

Time never remains the same. This statement is true in the context of jewelry fashion too. In early days people traveled to city jewelry shops to buy their favorite jewelry, now the time has changed and there are online jewelry stores available to via click of a button. These stores provide facilities as good as any physical stores with the convenience of shopping at home.

Online shopping makes it easy to find your favorite jewelry in a few clicks. You will find various sites available to buy from, and reviews about jewelry. . It also helps you to find the best shop depending on your selection parameters.

Fashion jewelry has a huge demand these days. This type of jewelry looks similar to the original jewel and sometimes better than it. It saves you money and lets you shine at social gatherings.

Shopping for fashion jewelry requires a few precautions. You should know where are you shopping from, are the transactions safe, quality consciousness of the company, client feedback about the company, company reputation, customer support (before and after product purchase), cost of your jewelry and other points that may concern you. Finding such information before any purchase will help in safe & secure transactions.

Looking to buy jewelry like metal bracelets, long necklaces, bone jewelry, hand painted jewelry, bone belt and other jewelry from a online jewelry shopping store like www.treasurejewelry.com. This online shopping store provides all kind of fashion jewelry that will make you feel happier and hot.

Bangles, Bracelets, Necklaces and Earring are ornaments worn by women mainly on their arms, wrist, neck and ears. Men also wear it as fashion symbol. They are made of numerous precious as well as non-precious materials such as gold, silver, platinum, glass, wood, ferrous metals, plastic, etc. Gold made ornaments are usually high cost and silver produced are costly too. Glass based jewelry looks ordinary and plastic simply does not even sounds good. You still have ‘Metal’ made ornaments, a choice of jewelry that looks great and does not cost as much as gold, silver or platinum.

Metal Bangle, Bracelets, Necklaces and Earrings are widely acclaimed male and female ornaments. These products are often stubbed with precious and semi-precious stones such as diamonds, gems and pearls etc. Metal jewelry looks pleasant and buying it is not a costly affair. If you are looking for a change in jewelry fashion or tired of wearing gold or silver jewelry, Metal Jewelry is the best option available to go for.

Metal Bangles are usually circular in shape and not as flexible as metal bracelets. Metal bracelets can be used as Friendship Bracelets, Sports Bracelets and Charm Bracelets etc. It is a flexible article of jewelry. Solid form bracelets are referred to as bangles or bangle bracelets. Bracelets can be smooth, textured or set with stones. Earrings are often made of metal and are worn on the ear.

Beautiful Metal Bangles & Earring stands and Metal Necklace rack can be used to showcase your jewelry. Having a lot of jewelry can create a mess, there are plenty of display and organizing solutions available. These showcases are beautiful enough to be a decoration itself. A variety of single purpose or multi-purpose jewelry showcases can help you to hold your jewelry with utmost care.

A watch is more than an accessory and if you take good care of it the watch could become a family heirloom. Caring for a watch is not tedious.

• Always place your watch in its case at the end of the day. If you leave in it a bag or purse or on a table it could get scratched badly.

• Unless you watch is water proof or resistant you must protect the watch from high humidity levels. Watches that have leather bracelets should not be worn for a swim or dipped in soap suds. The leather will get ruined.

• If you want a watch to outlast you then set up a service schedule like you do for your car. Get the watch serviced by its own manufacturer as far as possible. This way you will protect the watch’s authenticity. And, you can be assured that duplicate parts will not be used. The authorized center will service the watch and replace any worn out parts, lubricate the watch, and clean its case.

• Read the care booklet carefully. And follow the instructions given.

• If the watch is a mechanical one try not to be rough when winding the watch.

• If the watch has a metal strap, you can clean the strap in water or use soap, water, and an old toothbrush to clean all the grime away .Take care not to let water into the case. And wipe the case gently with a soft cloth.

• Leather straps must be protected from perspiration and expert’s advice that watches with leather straps should be worn loose in summer. When wet the strap must be dried with a soft cloth. Never use a hair drier it will crack the leather up.

• Protect your watch from high temperatures, contact with leaking batteries or harmful chemicals, magnets, strong sunlight, and shocks.

• If you want to adjust the strap length, place the watch on a flannel piece or cloth. Be gentle or the spring will fly out and never be found again. If you have clumsy hands then take the watch to the service center for adjustments.

• If the watch needs winding you must wind it at the same time everyday. Research indicates that winding in the morning is beat. Wind a watch slowly and consistently. Stop winding when you meet with resistance. Be careful or you will break the spring if you continue to wind the watch.