Finding the Perfect Gift

My and I were just about ready to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary. I had many ideas about what to get her but did not have the time to go to the mall or a specialty shop. She had been hinting for the past few weeks on how nice it would be to have some new jewelry. The only problems was, that we had promised each other that we would not spend over a hundred dollars on an anniversary gift for each other. This left me wonder what type of jewelry that I could buy for under a hundred bucks without it looking cheap.

I told my sister in-law about the cap on the amount that we could spend and conveyed that with all the overtime I was working, that I did not have time to go to the jewelry store. She told me I should try shopping online and sent me an email about this great site she had just used shopping for holiday gifts.

I could not believe all the high quality jewelry that was available for under a hundred dollars. With the price on all these wholesale gifts, I could afford to get her more than one piece of jewelry for our one-year wedding anniversary. I knew that she would love all the Soho inspired jewelry and gifts.

While shopping on the site, I remembered how much my wife liked the cameo rings that my mother and grandmother always wore for special occasions. I knew that this would be the perfect gift for my beautiful wife. I quickly looked through the site in search of a cameo ring.

When the day arrived for my wife and I to exchange anniversary gifts, I could wait for her to open her gift. She opened the gift and the look on her face was priceless. She could not believe that I remembered how much she wanted a cameo ring. My wife was even more surprised that I got her a matching pair of cameo earrings for under a hundred dollars.

Since purchasing the cameo ring and earrings for my lovely wife, I have since bought several other pieces of jewelry for her. She is never disappointed with the quality and I like the great prices. This way I can spoil my wife with great jewelry and not go broke.

Something Different Under The Tree

My children are all grown with families of their own. Every year I ask them what they want for Christmas and I try to get the things they want. This year I decided to do something different in the line of Christmas gifts; I’m getting them what I want to give them. I decided to go with unique gifts that will become keepsakes and items they will want to pass down to their children. They usually want something electronic; this year it’s going to be jewelry.

I found a beautiful selection of cameo rings that seemed to be perfect for my daughter. She enjoys jewelry and I know the particular ring I got for her will be something she will treasure all of her life and will eventually hand it down to her daughter. I also found matching cameo lockets and decided she needed them both as a set. The boxes they came in were as beautiful as the ring and the locket themselves. This is going to be a special gift for her and I know she will love it.

For my sons I decided to get them each antique pocket watches. These are not watches that they will really want to carry in their pockets; they are display pieces. However they are functional watches and can be set and used. The watches came in hancrafted velvet-lined boxes which were simply beautiful. I had the watches engraved with their names, the date, and a personal inscription from me. I know my sons will treasure these watches and display them proudly.

I think I will make it a new tradition to add to their antique collections every year. I think it’s important to give Christmas gifts that have real meaning instead of gifts that are part of a fad and don’t hold any true value. I wanted to be able to give them items that can stay in their families for the rest of their lives and then be passed down from one generation to the next. I enjoy tradition and the simple things and this is something I want to instill in them as their families grow and they begin traditions in their own families. I’m looking forward to seeing their reaction to their gifts and I’m rather certain they will appreciate them and treasure them for many, many years to come.

Celebrity Vintage Lockets and Jewelry

Celebrities always seem so perfect … even though we know they aren't, they just seem to be so. One knack that celebrity endorsement has is making something old look new. Vintage lockets, pocket watches, cameo lockets and nature leaf jewelry look new again with celebrity backing. Today we are looking at five celebrity vintage jewelry styles, and how they incorporate them into their outfits.

Emily Rossum at the Cartier Love Charity event

This gorgeous actress wore a multi-row diamond Cartier bracelet to the charity evening held in mid-2008, and looked beautiful in another vintage-inspired design, her blue silk and rose motif dress. The platinum and diamond necklace, as well as her bracelet, were from 1934. Her diamond stud earrings are from current times, but only slightly less expensive than the vintage jewelry. Earrings: $250,000. Necklace: $611,000. Bracelet: $334,000.

Hilary Duff at the Cartier Love Charity event

Hilary Duff got a much less expensive piece of vintage jewelry for her appearance at the Cartier Love Charity event … but for my opinion, that would let me relax much more throughout the night! The gold and diamond scalloped necklace is circa 1953. It costs $160,000 -- so perhaps a nice vintage locket, pocket watch or some nature leaf jewelry might be a better idea for a Christmas gift!

Jennifer Connelly

Ms. Connelly has a certain vintage look herself, with that dark hair that hasn’t changed over the course of her career, and those piercing green eyes. She was wearing this vintage look necklace at 2008 Metropolitan Museum Of Art Costume Institute Annual Gala ... and it definitely is a work of art in itself. It was the style highlight of an otherwise very simple, minimalist dress and a fascinating combination. You can emulate her look with black, white, and vintage lockets.

Kristin Bell, Forgetting Sarah Marshall premiere

Kristin Bell looked beautiful, and despite the vintage locket, very modern at the premiere of Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Her entire outfit was bold, with a maxidress and a sweeping updo.

Where to Find Unique Vintage Gift Ideas in New York

With the Christmas season right around the corner, I was left pondering what I was going to buy for my family. I was tired of giving gifts that were typical and traditional; I wanted something funky, unique, memorable and original. That is when I decided to forgo the traditional route of heading to my local discount and merchandise stores, and I absolutely hate going to the mall so that route was out of the question. I decided to do my Christmas shopping online this year and surprise my family with some unforgettable gifts they were sure to love.

I found a wonderful selection of cameo lockets which were perfect for my Mom, Grandma, sisters, aunts and other women on my list. I selected a beautiful noble emerald Cameo pendant and was amazed at the price I found on IGNY.com. The pendant was a perfect gift for my grandmother because she loves cameos and her favorite color is green. For my mother I found an exquisite rose cameo pendant, which she is sure to treasure for many years to come.

Next on my list are the important men in my life, my husband, father, grandfather and my favorite uncle Rick. For the gentlemen I was able to find some pendant watches which are very unique and unusual. A pendant watch is a cross between a traditional pocket watch on a long chain and with the antique look and rich filigree designs these watches make them look rich and expensive. I am sure the men will love the time pieces and cherish them for a lifetime.

Last but not least on my list of people to buy for is my young daughter, Sidney. I wanted to get something extra special for Sidney because this Christmas she is turning 13 years old and becoming a young lady. For her, I selected a beautiful, extra special gift that will signify her coming of age. I purchased a lovely heart-shaped locket and put a picture of her and I inside for her to always remember the day she got this special gift.

This is going to be one very special Christmas which I am sure nobody is going to forget. I am so pleased with the quality and selection of beautiful vintage looking gifts I found at IGNY.com, that I plan on using the site for other purchases.

Five New-Old Ways to Wear Vintage

Vintage design will always be hot … it's one of the laws of fashion! Something that technically belongs to last season will often blend well with the new season, while anything that is more than five years old and less than twenty years old automatically draws cringes and shaken heads. Retro fashions come and go, but when you can use the words classical, elegant and timeless to describe a fashion piece or accessory, you have a winner! Here we look at five different ways to wear different vintage fashions, from pocket watches to cameo lockets and pendants.

1. The leather-bound journal to work

You need to keep a diary at work anyway … why not make yours more a style statement than a black vinyl, painted-year number? Having these gorgeous tools of the trade can even give you a new zest for your work, and we all know there is no point having something if you never use it! You may need to dress corporately, but you can accessorize elegantly.

2. Cameo lockets for weddings

Cameo lockets are an innately traditional design, and they often have older-style gemstone backings, like carnelian, ebony and onyx. There is no event that more people choose the traditional look for than a wedding! Cameo lockets are rarely worn in our everyday dress, so it is another way to make your day a little bit special and different than every other day.

3. Rosebud earrings to cocktail parties

Cocktail parties are usually an exercise in fashion restraint, with plenty of bold, block colors, blacks and whites. Roses are one of the most traditional motifs, and the traditional style rosebud earrings look great even with the modern lines of the little black dress.

4. Pocket watches to work

For many people who do manual work, from nurses to truck drivers, a watch is more of a hindrance than a help at work. You must constantly be mindful of it, and if you do any digging or repetitive, jarring actions, you have probably gone through a fair few watches in your life! This is where the practicality of vintage style comes into its own. Pocket watches are easier to care for and last longer than regular ones for many people.

5. Zodiac lockets for christenings

Cameo style zodiac lockets are a winner for christenings. At an event where most people will be giving keepsakes, they fit right in with the general scheme of gifts. Kids love lockets, and the larger cameo style zodiac lockets will be easy for them to get their little fingers around!

The Jewelry 101

If you’re a jewelry enthusiast, you likely already know the difference between fine designer jewelry and the dime store knockoff. However, there’s much more to jewels and gemstones than meets the eye. We’ve done a bit of research to bring you some of this valuable information. If you’re interested in learning more about what makes one stone stand apart from another, you should consider following our Jewels 101 series! Read on for more information!

Pearls

Genuine pearls are natural gemstones that have been cultivated and harvested for years. Divers have been hunting for and selling these glorious gems for centuries as they’ve been admired and considered a precious adornment. Pearls are harvested in several types and varieties that vary in color, shape, size and value.

The most ideal pearls are normally very smooth and perfectly round. The most precious ones are the rarest to find. Because of its value and worth, the cultivation of freshwater pearls has already been popularized by entrepreneurs.

Although mass produced versions are a lot cheaper than the natuarl hard-to-find variety, freshwater pearls have found their way to the accessory market by offering a less-expensive version and knock-off of true ones. However, since the valued ones are very hard to source and are often superior in lustre, color and shape to freshwater pearls, there is still a great clamor and the demand for the genuine types among hard core jewelry lovers.

Among the new precious pearls that recently saw its way to the jewelry and pearl industry are the chocolate pearl. Chocolate pearls are rich and elegant and add variation to more standard coloration. In fact, chocolate pearls are becoming a hot commodity in every facet of jewelry design.

The good news is that pearls are not just for weddings and 50th anniversary parties anymore. Creatively designed pearls can be worn with anything from jeans to your Sunday best and can be paired with any color and almost any other gemstone.

If you’re interested learning more about the world of jewels and gemstones and their uses in the art of modern jewelry design, stay tuned for the remainder of our 101 series.