Ever Wonder About the “2 Months Salary” Guideline? Check this out.

This may be tantamount to heresy in the jewelry industry, but I have never been a fan of De Beer’s 2 Month Salary guideline.  In case you haven’t ever heard about this, De Beers, in their ever-present marketing, delicately suggest spending the equivalent of 2 months of your salary on a diamond engagement ring.  When asked about this over the years, my response has been to spend what you think is appropriate for YOUR situation.  No two couples and circumstances are alike.  Do what you want.

So today I ran across this amazing pictorial representation of this recommendation (thanks, Woot!).  This artist has taken US Dept of Labor statistics for wages, figured out 2 month’s salary amounts, then assembled images of 9 rings in that dollar range for 20 professions (each piece of art is 8 by 10 inches).  Check it out:

"Anesthesiologist" Engagement Ring Image, Lee Gainer

Looking at the images, I find this so fascinating.  It appears that size does matter: it’s a reflection on your socio-economic status, and to some it is an indicator of how much your fiance really loves you.  This is a subtle, brilliant social commentary on when marketing and relationships intersect.  Thank you, Lee Gainer.  Check out the artist’s equally amazing installations of “the thought that counts” and “group therapy“.

"Welder" Engagement Ring Image, Lee Gainer

What do you think of the 2 months salary “rule”?  Useful guideline for engagement ring neophytes, or Evil Corporate Mandate?

Kiss My (Royal) Asscher…

…Asscher Cut, that is.  All jokes about the name aside, Asscher cuts have been making waves since the early 1900’s.  If you’re not familiar, the name refers to stunningly beautiful, modified square-cut diamonds.  They sort of speak for themselves, don’t you think?

Royal Asscher 3-Stone Ring

What is an Asscher Cut and what makes it special? 

Asscher cuts have a wonderfully rich history.  The Asscher brothers were diamond cutters in Amsterdam around the turn of the 19th century.  Their cutting house became quite known for their skill and precision.  In 1902, Joseph Asscher developed a variation of the classic emerald cut.  This new cut was square, versus the rectangular emerald cut, with proportionally larger blocked corners, forming an almost octagonal outline.  The bottom was scissor-cut with symmetrical parallel facets, ending in a single central point, instead of the standard keel-line of the emerald cut.  The symmetry of this new style, combined with the greater depth of the stone, resulted in such radiant brilliance that people were really dazzled.  The design was patented, and a number of Asschers were cut and set into the Art Deco style of the times until World War II. 

Platinum Art Deco Ring with Asscher Cuts, $32,000 Retail

A bit of Asscher history:

If the Asscher name sounds familiar, you might be interested to know that in 1907, Joseph Asscher cut the Cullinan, a 3106 carat rough diamond.  The largest cut diamonds from the Cullinan are part of the Crown Jewels of Britain.  Diamond cutting at the time was totally done by hand, and the first cut made had to be accurate to split the crystal atoms correctly, or the world’s largest diamond would become the world’s most expensive pile of diamond dust.  Legend has it that ol’ Asscher struck the first blow to cleave the stone (successfully, obviously), then promptly passed out.  (The family refutes that, but I’m sticking with it.)

A Note About Size and Quality of Asscher Cuts

Color can concentrate in the corner facets of this cut, plus you can see inclusions through the clear step facets, so I recommend going a little higher quality with this cut: G or higher color, VS2 or higher clarity (click here for a diamond quality overview).  If you are in love with an Asscher cut, you should know that they face up quite small for their carat weight due to their depth relative to their diameter.  If you have a modest budget, or you prefer a diamond under 1 carat, you really should see a mounted stone and try it on for size.  A “halo” mounting, one with diamonds micro-paved around the center stone, will add a lot of volume without the same expense of going with a much larger carat weight Asscher center stone.

 

Danhov ME2 Pave Diamond Mounting for Asscher Cut

 

Modern Asscher Cuts

Sometime in the late 1990’s, coinciding with renewed interest in estate-looking mountings and platinum designs (plus mentions in Sex and the City and celebrity wearers like Kate Hudson), consumers rediscovered the Asscher cut.  In 2001, Edward and Joop Asscher updated the design slightly, adding more facets and a slightly larger table to increase brilliance.  Now you can purchase authorized Asschers from Royal Asscher.  

Other diamonds are cut into a similar style.  They may not all have the actual “Asscher Signature”, but there are a lot of gorgeous modified-square brilliants out there, in some equally stunning mountings.  

Here is a beautiful 1 carat Asscher cut from Blue Nile, it’s a great balance of color/clarity for this cut (you can choose a mounting from their selection):

Blue Nile 1.01ct Asscher Cut, G color, VS1 clarity, $4677 Retail

Here’s an Asscher mounting to maximize bling:

Pave Split-Shank Setting for Asscher Cut

Lest you think I am only about $30,000+ totally beautiful yet unattainable Asscher Cut rings (see my fav-or-ite Asscher ring here), here is a relatively affordable .77 ct Asscher Cut  in a pave split-shank mounting by one of my all-time-favorite jewelry designers, Mark Patterson:

.77 ct Asscher Cut Diamond in Micro Pave Mark Patterson Setting, $8225 Retail

If you are into simple elegance, maybe a solitaire is in order:

Blue Nile Trellis Solitaire Setting with Asscher Cut Center

With their clean outline and sophisticated brilliance, Asscher Cuts manage to be very modern and very classic at the same time.

Make Your Mark with Personalized Jewelry: Charm Necklaces

People have always loved to declare their devotion with jewelry.  Engraved lockets have been around forever, and people have figured out ways to include initials on rings since Renaissance times.  I’ve noticed some interesting personalized jewelry lately, and thought it would be fun to show a few designers (thanks, Lauren, for suggesting this topic!).  Any of these would be great to call out someone special in your life, as subtly or obviously as you want!

One of the best known personalized jewelry designers is Heather Moore.  She has a collection of discs in silver and every color of gold, hand-stamped with initials, names or anything you want.  The whole collection can be highly personalized, there are little dangly jewels you can add, and keep collecting more to make it very much your own.  You can see the collection and start building your own set by clicking here.

Heather Moore Personalized Charm Necklace

 

My first thought was that her stuff is pretty spendy.  For instance, I built a necklace on the site with 2 small engraved 14kt discs plus a few jewels on a fine 14kt 16″ chain, and it was over $1500.  But after spending some time on the site and seeing some other designers, I am really loving her style and her company.  She’s truly an artist (there’s some info about her bio here), and I can see that in her designs.  It’s important to note that her designs are crafted in recycled precious metals.  If this is to commemorate your family, kids, or significant other, those things are forever, and so is her jewelry.  I recommend splurging, you won’t regret it!  You can also start small and build slowly, which can help.

A note about sterling silver:  this can be a less expensive option.  But think carefully about this.  Sterling tarnishes, so if you are not going to enjoy pulling out the silver polish occasionally to get into the grooved lines of the engraving, or you won’t appreciate the natural patina that happens over the years without the polish, I don’t recommend it.  If you’re talking about a sweet gift for your favorite girl friend, and you’ve got a limited budget, then go for it!

If Heather Moore’s style isn’t quite what you’re looking for, there are some other great options.  At the online retailer Max and Chloe, you can find several designers.  Here is Christie Martin’s 14kt disc engravable with up to 8 characters.  Not a bad value for $230, including the 16″ chain:

Christie Martin Charm Necklace, $230 Retail

 

You could also build a little collection of disks by Zoe Chicco in gold and/or sterling silver.  Not quite as customizable as Heather Moore’s selection, but nice.  For less than a $1000, you could have some gold and silver charms of various sizes on a 16″ chain.  Here’s an example of an oval shape that can be engraved with up to 5 letters:

Zoe Chicco Oval Charm Necklace, $435 Retail with Chain

If money is no object, there are plenty of diamond options as well.  Here’s a lovely little monogram in 14kt white gold and diamonds:

Kacey K Medium Monogram Personalized Necklace, $2035 retail

I also really like little initials, they could be worn singly or combined with engraved discs for a sentimental little touch.  I love this little lower-case font from Ariel Gordon:

Ariel Gordon Initial Personalized Necklace Charm, $300 Retail

On Etsy.com there are a few artists making personalized necklaces.  I really had to wade through a lot of listings, but I found this person making initials,and a seller called PeaceofMind is doing some sweet things here.   Jeneri Jewelry is doing custom sterling silver and gold-filled stamped disks for reasonable prices:

Jeneri Jewelry Silver Charm Necklace, $43 Retail

Speaking of reasonable prices, I found this designer of simple stamped discs.  If you just want something sweet and affordable, I think these are nice, especially the “Edison” font (for $28!!):

Mountain Girl Silver Charm Necklace, $28 Retail

Please comment if you have other designers to recommend!

Designer Spotlight: Mark Patterson

Mark Patterson creates beautiful jewelry in colored gems and diamonds.  I worked with his designs for a number of years when I was with a couple of independent jewelers.  The first designs I fell in love with were mostly colored gemstones that were used with varying intensities and pave-set into designs that showed off the amazing graduation of color.  His wife, Josette, is a sculptor and you can really see that sensibility in the designs:

Mark Patterson Sapphire and Diamond Intensity Ring, app $4520 Retail

When I was a buyer of engagement rings, I was thrilled to find out that Mark was doing engagement ring and wedding band designs.  His engagement rings are mostly timeless designs with a slight twist that makes them special.  He uses pave diamonds and beautiful metal work to highlight the center stone without overpowering it.  Of his classic designs, I especially like the knife-edge setting, which is simple but sculptural:

Platinum Knife Edge Setting, app $3790 Retail

The split-shank design is comfortable, impressive and does a great job of emphasizing the center stone.  Shown here with pave diamonds, but also available plain:

Platinum Diamond Split Shank Setting, app $4050 Retail

While his engagement rings are simply gorgeous, you can tell that color is still his first love.  His newer collection, Samba, plays with the varying shades of colored gemstones in a very modern style that is still classic enough for fine jewelry:

Samba Ruby and Pink Sapphire Bracelet, app $9670 retail

His new 9 two 5 collection features large cabochon gemstones set into a mix of sterling and gold.  It is also pretty affordable.  I especially love the interesting combinations of colors, like this:

Kashmir Cabochon Rings, starting at $630

All of Mark Patterson’s designs are beautifully rendered.  You can find a retailer in your area by visiting his website, or call their studio at 866-221-6593.

Men’s Gift Ideas: More Cool Cufflinks

My recent search for cool cuff links (see post here) revealed some interesting designers.  I was pretty focused on finding something fun and affordable, but there are some other fantastic designs out there.  Cuff links are a great gift idea for guys, especially since they probably aren’t splurging on their own. 

If you are into the idea of black diamonds, here is an amazing pair from Robin Rotenier in white gold (also available in 18k yellow gold with Champagne diamonds):

Robin Rotenier White Gold and Black Diamond Cufflinks, $5900 Retail

Here is an equally gorgeous black diamond pair from David Yurman.  One caveat about these–I appreciate workmanship as much or more than the next person, but I have some issues for charging THAT much for STERLING SILVER and black diamonds.  There is a lot of work pave setting those tiny diamonds, and I’m sure the work is near-perfect, but still!:

David Yurman Black Diamond and Sterling Silver Cufflinks, $2150 Retail

If he is a little rock and roll, you could go for these, also from Rotenier (there are TONS of other designs, all fantastic):

Robin Rotenier Skull Cufflinks, Sterling Silver, $295 Retail

I also like these for something totally different, if he’s a watch collector, even better:

Antique Watch Movement Cufflinks in Sterling Frames by Cuffart.com, $155 Retail

Happy Shopping!