Naughty or Nice?

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How have you been this year or better yet, how has this year been to you?

As we get near the holiday season, we tend to tally up our good and not-so good times to see if we get a little gift under a tree or a menorah, but for all of those who have been really nice, maybe it’s also time to get a little bit naughty.

When was the last time you treated yourself with a present? that you gifted a little something to your friend or co-worker for all of the amazing things she helped you with this year? Or have you wanted to give a present to that family member who needs something to lift up his spirits?

Here at Liza Shtromberg Jewelry we believe gem stones are a gift’s best friend and we’re here to give you the many tips to choose the best for the season.

For parties and gatherings, the way to shine is with the Cocktail collection, if it’s an all-black attire, a Tiger’s Eye stone set on a 14K Gold ring will make it pop but if a lighter hue is what you’re looking for, a clear Quartz or Smoky Quartz ring set on Sterling Silver will add a nice touch.

When you’re not sure if the person is comfortable wearing rings, a necklace will never fail. Whether it’s the delicate touch of a Rutilated Quartz stone set on a curved gold design or just beautiful hand-sculpted stunning shapes gold and sterling silver, necklaces are always a beautiful addition to any every day or special occasion outfit.

To check out these and many more jewels that we have in stock for your selection this holiday season.

 

 

 

 

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Our Family Heirlooms

Whether it’s helping you choose your daughter’s first earrings or an extra special anniversary gift, Liza Shtromberg Jewelry is grateful to be part of your family. Recently we’ve had some incredible pieces made related to family heirlooms that we’ve re-treasured, and we wanted to share these stories with you:

Ramin’s family heirloom stones and choices

Ramin’s Ring

Ramin’s Stones

Ramin, from San Diego, came to us with two heirlooms and an interesting background for them. He inherited a beautiful rough, uncut Lapis Lazuli stone and a green tourmaline from his grandfather, who was a gemstone importer from Afghanistan. After looking at a variety of settings, for the Lapis Lazuli Ramin selected a necklace and earring setting from the Cocktail Collection, which we cut the stones to and set them in Sterling Silver. For the gorgeous tourmaline, we set it in a yellow 14k gold ring from the Cocktail Collection.

Sonia’s Necklace

Sonia’s Necklace – Original and Reproduction

Sonia’s Necklace

This is a very unusual request. Sonia has a beloved necklace given to her by her parents since childhood; a piece she wears every day. She was concerned that she might lose the necklace and decided she wanted an exact replica to wear everyday so she could keep the family heirloom in a safe place. We generally don’t make replicas of jewelry but her request was so touching we decided to help and create her everyday replica. Sonia also got herself a pair of beautiful diamond stud earrings and now has a beautiful set that she’ll wear with joy and carefree.

Rebekah’s family heirloom rings

Diamond 14K Gold Ring

Rose Gold Pave’ Diamond Ring

Rose Gold Pave’ Diamond Ring

Rebekah & Kyle’s Rings Set

This lovely couple came with a very special request, they had a collection of family heirloom diamonds and Rebekah had a vision of her wedding rings set being comprised of 3 rings.

For the engagement ring, Rebekah originally wanted a Morganite peach colored stone but Liza recommended a Spinel stone instead, due to its higher hardness which makes a better choice in the long term to sustain a lifelong of wear and tear. This stone was crafted into a cushion cut and set in a white diamond pave’ rose gold setting.

The second ring is a yellow 14k gold ring which used a selection of family heirloom diamonds, large and small. The last ring that we custom crafted with Rebekah and Kyle, was a white gold baguette ring with family heirloom small round diamonds accented with milgrain and hand-engraved.

We love creating special pieces and we adore when these pieces bring a little part of your family history into a gorgeous piece of jewelry that will continue the legacy in your own hands.

Beautiful Fall..

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It’s that time of the year again, where the leaves are loose and the pumpkins are growing. Where the sweater is king and the overall fashion trends are darker in hues and bolder in patterns.

As summer leaves and takes with it the brighter outfits in our wardrobe, fall comes right around the corner to remind us of the importance of accessorizing, especially when wearing mostly dark clothes.

This year’s Pantone fashion colors for fall 2015 are ranging from blues and purples to earthy tones. Dark mustard, dark red and cadmium orange accompany a dried herb green in the charts, providing us the perfect palette for gold sets. The Cocktail Collection has a series of great gold earrings and rings with stones such as tiger’s eye and ruttilated quartz that could be a great accessory for outfits of such colors.

The trend this year in cold colors is a washed off navy blue and different hues of turquoise, as well as an orchid purple. Needless to say, these would make a great combination with Sterling Silver settings. Within our collections, you might find that the Sterling Silver provides the basis of all that you need for everyday and special-day wear, and the Delight collection adds a beautiful touch of crafted stones into an already artisan setting.

Creating Eco Mindful Jewelry

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At Liza Shtromberg Jewelry we have a clear philosophy on what we provide for our customers: we strive to create stunning custom jewelry pieces with a guarantee of the highest quality materials and cater to the client’s imagination; and while we achieve that, we also like to be mindful about how our creations can literally making the world a better place.

Our precious stones and metals are 100% recycled. This is a term that might sound as if grandma’s jewelry is providing for all of these new pieces – not quite, but something along those lines. In our designs, you’ll find that we source all of the elements from different providers that specialize only in recycled jewelry materials as well as setting stones that the client provides themselves.

Sourcing from recycled jewelry providers can help diminish the impact of mining for gold and diamonds. In the past, we have seen how the environment has been affected by the effects of mining, an activity that has very poor regulation laws and has damaged ecosystems in Africa thanks to the mismanagement of the excavated topsoil. Along with this, reports have shed light on the working conditions that miners have endured along the years, making it a difficult choice to promote such situations while being in the jewelry industry.

For us, every grain of sand counts, and our contribution to the industry is by achieving a conflict-free diamond and other precious stone and metal sourcing method. We take your old pieces and make it a brand new amazing new gold pavé engagement ring for you.

To All the Mothers in the World

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Mothers, they’re the vessels of the fruit that will grow to be the new generation of humanity, the pillars that hold the household together and the source of incomparable strength. This month we’ll be honoring the greatest gift in the world, motherhood.

All around the world mothers get a day to be appreciated, usually between the months of march or may. It is a celebration that was born out of love from a daughter to the memory of her mom in 1905 and over a century later it still embodies the same meaning: appreciation for the woman who gave you life and raised you.

Think about the concept though, only one day each year is taken to celebrate a lifetime of effort, caring and patience that a woman invested into you – a bit of an unfair trade, to be honest. What about the rest of the year?

So many people put effort into making this one day special, as it should be, but what about being less ephemeral and more permanent. How about getting your mom a gift where she can carry that message of love and appreciation not only on Mothers Day but thorough the whole year.

As a jewelry designer, making long-lasting meaningful pieces is the most exciting part of my work. Most recently I got the privilege to design a set of four stacked rings for a mother, every piece had a different stone and metal depending on the month of birth of each son. A lovely idea based on the simplest of details.

So how about if this year you set yourself to surprise your mother with a customized present that will be a perennial reminder of your appreciation for her. Get her a set of earrings with her birthstone, an necklace engraved with her kids names or birthdays or perhaps a sterling silver bracelet with a message of love.

Whatever you decide to give to the woman who gave birth to you, make sure it’s special, it’s unique and specially that every intention for it comes from the heart.

Ready for March Madness: all the colors for your spring weddings

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Hello spring, hello colors! This month marks not only the beginning of daylight saving time but also the warm arrival of Spring: the flowers start blossoming, the heavy sweaters are gone and the wedding ceremonies are just around the corner.

 The season of spring is increasingly popular for weddings due to its lovely fresh weather which makes it perfect for exterior parties as well as its diversity in color. Whether it’s the bouquet, the bride’s jewelry, the center pieces or the bridesmaids dresses, this time of year brings out the color in everything and all bridal.

Spring colors lean towards warm earthy tones ranging from a pastel tone to a much brighter eye-catching one: green, orange, purple and gold are always the favorite choices.

Stones that match perfectly with these colors for your spring outfit are the greens Apatite, Aquamarine and Peridot. For a splash of purple, the Amethyst is the best way to go, and if you’re looking for warmth, count on the orange Agate and Carnelian.

It’s best to get these stones in gold jewelry pieces, as for the color contrast will match beautifully and add more glow to the outfit. If you’d prefer to wear simply gold, another suggestion would be to look into pieces made with Rutilated Quartz, which is a clear stone with golden-looking strands.

Use these tips to match your spring colors and stones and get ready to be the most beautiful bride, bridesmaid and guest of any spring weddings and ceremonies to come.

All the love in the world!

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It is wonderful to have a day in the year set aside to express our love. Life can keep us so busy that sometimes we forget to pause and let our loved ones know how much we appreciate their presence in our lives. Whether it is a romantic partner, a best friend or a family member, why not seize this opportunity to express your love?

You may say “XO XO” or  “You are my best friend,” or “ I would choose you all over again after all of these years.” What do you want to say to your loved ones this Valentine’s day?

Rose Quartz is pink and Garnet is red, and any jewel gifted on Valentine’s day is a daily reminder for the rest of the year of the expression of your love.

What is your loved one’s favorite color? What does he or she wear the most?  Which stone has a meaning that aligns with the message you’d like to send? All of these little things will make up the perfect selection of a gift, because there’s no better present than a meaningful one.

We are passionate about helping you find the perfect piece to capture the expression of your love!

Gift the most important person in the world

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‘Tis the season of gifting and giving: the holiday festivities. As the end of the year approaches, the world prepares to celebrate the welcoming of a new digit and the different cultures around the world dedicate time to their festivities.

Since the beginning of time, or at least Roman History, the months around winter solstice have embodied the spirit of celebration. In Roman Culture it was Saturnalia, in Christianity is Christmas, in Jewish Culture is Channukah , for African-American culture is Kwanzaa and so on.The traditions and meanings vary from culture to culture but the soul of the celebration remains the same: to gift and give.

To gift yourself and others, taking a much necessary moment to celebrate your traditions and to express your love.

To give back to the people who have been present and have given you moments to cherish.

This holiday season, gift and give back to others but most importantly to yourself.

As you’re rushing around trying to find the perfect gift and making sure everyone is happy, take some time to appreciate the most important person in your life: YOU.

Practice some self-care this holiday season, be kind to yourself and take a moment to appreciate the love for you. Get yourself a little something, find the perfect present for you and let that love that you spread into the world come back to you.

Jewelry for the adult in-the-making

 

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Jewelry for the adult in-the-making

Shopping for teens and pre-teens during the holiday seasons can be of stress to the parents, aunts or cousins who are trying to gift their beloved small relatives a gift they’ll appreciate and grow with. When the decision of gifting a piece of jewelry is made, the question is: what will the person like?, but when the person is a teen or a pre-teen that is barely starting to create their personal style, the challenge is higher.

Having an adult in-the-making in my own house, I know how arduous choosing a piece for the generation can be. However, the realization I’ve had as a jewelry designer and a mother is that less is more.

Simplicity is the dominant aspect of jewelry for teens and pre-teens. Simplicity that can translate into a beautiful set of post studs earrings or a sterling silver necklace. Tasteful pieces that complement any look and will surely last more than a school year is the way to go to give a long-lasting present to your growing teen (or pre-teen) during the holidays.

Cocktails rings, an opulent rebellious piece

When we think about vintage cocktail rings we envision big lavish stones and a lot of fun! These popular finger accessories have been part of formal occasions since the twenties and as they have expanded from expensive large-sized stones to a wider variety, they’ve also evolved in their meaning.

The name “cocktail rings” was given to these pieces because they were a staple of the cocktail parties, which were illegal during the times of the prohibition. So these ladies were making a bold statement, not only with their attitude but also with their fashion

 

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Nowadays, cocktails are legal and cocktail rings are on everybody’s finger.  Liza’s Style Advice: a crystal or smoky quartz can be a lovely complement for a night party dress and a labradorite or rutilated quartz stone can give a lovely stylish touch to a business suit attire.