Since the bewitching season is upon us, it’s a perfect time to do a postmortem on poison rings – those devious jewels whose secret compartments supposedly held deadly contents. A shroud of mystery and rumor surrounds them, so their reputation is fittingly a mash-up of fact and fiction. (more…)

The days are shorter. The air is chillier. We’ve put the lighthearted colors of summer behind us, and turn to the more somber colors of winter. This seasonal change is true of jewelry design as well as fashion. Dark metals, like black rhodium-plated gold or blackened gold, blackened silver, and blackened titanium are everywhere this season in jewelry pieces that are as beautiful as they are daring.

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Want to send a secret message to your beloved using gemstones? Then you’ll need to know about acrostic jewelry.

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Step into our time machine and travel back to early 19th century Europe. Napoleon has successfully invaded Prussia, an empire that once sprawled across much of Europe. The ousted Prussian government is now trying to fund the War of Liberation, which takes place 1813-1814. An appeal is issued: donate your gold and jewelry to the treasury, which will allow the government to raise money for the fight. In return for your gift, you will receive jewelry made of iron.

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From micro-pave to mega-watt glam, jeweler Martin Katz dazzles Hollywood stars and titans of industry alike. In fact, you’ll spot his spectacular jewelry collections on many of the celebrities strolling the red carpet at the Emmy Awards this month. (more…)