Need a Little Luck?

They say everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day. Whether you are Irish or not, everyone can use some luck. Find which stones will bring luck into your life. 

Emerald

1. Smoky Quartz: Wear it for better athletic abilities and improved stamina.

2. Garnet: The good luck stone for career and job related growth.

3. Citrine: One of the most powerful good luck stones for success in business.

4. Emerald: Brings loyal and faithful love.

5. Amethyst: Proves to be a good luck stone in almost all aspects.

6. Tourmaline: Brings added luck to be with you for all your important tasks and days. 

Tourmaline

7. Sodalite: Good luck stone for peace of mind and clarity of thought. 

8. Agate: Wear for general luck and protection. 

9. Aquamarine: Wear for luck in getting rid of worries. 

10. Amazonite: Brings luck in making your dreams come true. 

Reasons to Sell Your Jewelry

1. Your jewelry is broken or damaged. Sell your earrings without mates, brooches with broken clasps or chains that are kinked and twisted.

2. Your jewelry is out of style. Most people have very particular taste in jewelry so finding the right buyer for older, dated jewelry can be a difficult task.

3. You don’t have the time to sell jewelry pieces individually. By splitting things up and selling only a few pieces, you’re cutting into your own time, and you may still have half the pieces sitting around month’s from now.

4. Your jewelry has bad memories. Selling gold jewelry that’s associated with unpleasant moments in your past is very empowering. You’re getting something of value out of items you would otherwise like to forget about.

A Guide to Selling Gold & Silver

Advertisements for getting cash for gold are posted all over the web and community. Be sure to do some research before you think about hand over your jewelry and cash in. Here are some helpful tips. 

Why do you want to sell? It is a good idea to determine why you want to sell your gold jewelry for cash. Sometimes we need fast cash to pay for new things, pay bills, or have extra money for taxes. In this case, you want to get rid of jewelry that does not have much sentimental value. Items to sell would include single earrings and broken jewelry pieces. Some jewelry, such as heirlooms, probably should not be sold no matter how much you need cash. If a piece of jewelry is worth more than the metal it contains, its best to hold onto it or shop it around to antique dealers.

Get an Appraisal. When you figure out what you want to sell, it is good to get an appraisal from a third-party source. If you are only selling a few pieces then an appraisal might be overkill. If you have a handful of jewelry or more, then an appraisal from a 3rd-party source that is not looking to buy or sell jewelry can get you a lot more money. When you know how much your jewelry is actually worth in estimated resale and melt-down value, you are in a much better bargaining position.

Check the gold price daily. Gold prices change constantly, since gold is exchanged on the open market. When selling gold, you will always earn more money when the price of gold is high. Over the past few months, the price of gold has hovered over $1,100 per ounce, which means gold prices have never been higher and now is a great time to sell gold. Remember that the actual price of gold per ounce does not equate to the amount of money you receive. The price of gold should only be used as a reference.

Get more than one quote. The prices that companies will pay for your scrap gold and jewelry will vary widely. Pawn shops, online gold buyers, and jewelers will pay you different amounts for the same amount of jewelry, because it all depends on what these companies specialize in. For example, if you sell to a jewelry store you may receive more money, but it will be in the form of store credit.

Review the buyer. While researching buyers for selling your gold, make sure you can trust the company to receive good customer service. If you sell to a jewelry store, then look up their reviews online. There are many knock off companies on the internet that will simply take your gold and disappear. If you go the online route, then make sure the company you are dealing with will stick around.

Gemstone Color Stories

Our previous post talked about the color wheel and how color is an important aspect of design. At Kerry Elizabeth our main material are gemstones, freshwater pearls, and swarovski crystal. We have put together a few color stories to get you inspired. 

Want some more color ideas? Visit fusionbeads.com. 

Spring 2011 Color Forecast

I'm sure I'm not the only one who is ready for spring! I'm ready to put those dark colors away. Although we may still have a few weeks to go, I had to take a peak at the spring 2011 color forecast. 

Year and year, PANTONE announces the seasons colors. Designers in multiple industries, from fashion to technology, use the colors as a guideline. Here are colors that PANTONE predicted for this upcoming spring. 

Citing exotic destinations like Africa, India, Peru and Turkey as inspiration for spring 2011, designers continue to satisfy consumers’ need to escape everyday challenges with intriguing color combinations that transport them to foreign lands. 

Pantone Spring 2011 Color Forecast

Flirtatious Honeysuckle is a feel-good hue that brings a festive sense of playfulness to this season’s palette. This vibrant pinkish-red for both apparel and cosmetics makes consumers eel alive, and is a perfect post-winter pick-me-up. 

Spicy, gregarious and persuasive describe Coral Rose, a sophisticated orange that, much like Beeswax, a warm, honeyed yellow, conjures up feelings of faraway lands and locales. Pair either of these piquant hues with a cool, refreshing color-wheel opposite like Regatta for a vibrant color combination that will add zest to any wardrobe. Romantic, fanciful Lavender implies sensuality with its subtle hint of red undertone. Combine it with Beeswax or Coral Rose for a unique counterpoint.

Alluring Blue Curacao evokes thoughts of tropical destinations and pays homage to the 2010 Color of the Year, Turquoise. Practical consumers can continue to incorporate enticing Caribbean blues into spring by pairing Blue Curacao with 

warm, complementary colors like Honeysuckle or Coral Rose. Peapod, a fresh yellow-green, brings an organic element to the palette and is reminiscent of the green shoots that signify change and new beginnings traditionally found in spring.  

Trans-seasonal neutrals ground this season’s palette and provide a stable backdrop for all the other colors. The so-called “nude hues” are represented in the range of ethereal Silver Peony to dramatically deep Russet. Another dependable background color, Silver Cloud, is the quintessential neutral that consumers can rely on to coordinate with everything in their closet. 

For more information on PANTONE and the spring 2011 color forecast visit www.pantone.com/spring2011.