Gilding and Glamour Returns to the U.S. Presidency

On Inauguration Day, the new President’s First Lady, Michelle Obama proved herself to be fashion savvy:  matching yellow ochre dress and coat with coordinated gloves from J.Crew.  That night, she wore a one-shouldered white dress by American designer Jason Wu, with 77.6 carats worth of diamonds as she party-hopped all night long from inaugural ball to inaugural ball, dancing with her dashing husband.
The carat count included her earrings, with a four inch drop style; a ring; and a slew of bangle bracelets.  She didn’t need (or apparently want) a necklace with that one shouldered gown.

The jewelry was on loan from Mrs. Obama’s favorite Chicago boutique, Ikram, according to Marla Bell, a spokeswoman for Loree Rodkin, the designer who made the precious gem and gold accessories.  The jewelry, along with her dress, will be donated to the Smithsonian Institution for display.

In case you missed it, let me say it again, those earrings swept her bare shoulders.  They were 60.34 carats all by themselves.  She left her wedding ring back at the White House, and instead wore a knuckle-buster of a cocktail ring: 12.83 carats that was sparkling on her finger all night long.  And that stack of thin bangle bracelets (thank heavens she brought back the bangles! I’ve been waiting for that!) added another 4.43 carats to the weight.

Surely the designer was only being coy when Bell said she “didn’t have a dollar figure for the value of the gems and precious metal creations.”  But of course, there are ways of arriving at such a number.

For instance, one reporter checked at the Moody Blues boutique in Scottsdale, AZ, which carries that same designer’s line of jewels.  A chain necklace with just a mere three carats of diamonds there comes in at $21,000, according to sources.

So, if you extrapolate from there, Mrs. Obama was wearing about $543,000 worth of diamonds and precious metals.  That’s a trend almost any woman would like to get behind!

Michelle Obama is rapidly becoming one of the most visible and inspirational women in our world.  She’s already attained international role model and fashion icon status.

Perhaps an era of bejeweled status has returned to our nation’s capitol?  Some fashion mavens are suggesting that it has been fifty years, since the Kennedy Presidency, that such glamour and dazzling filled our eyes.  But others say the *bling* has been more recent, if a little less obvious.

By the way, if you don’t have $543,000 to spend on jewelry to match your ensemble, we’re certain we can help you find something smaller and more scaled to your pocketbook in this “era of change.”

Jewelry Hot List

Last was the year of new jewelry for Apples of Gold, with the addition of over 600 new, unique jewelry pieces. Below are some of the “hot seller” highlights from our newest fine jewelry pieces:

Black Diamond Rings became a hit for Apples of Gold with our Art Deco Black Diamond Ring and so we added several new designer pieces to our popular black diamond jewelry collection, including a Benchmark Black and White Diamond Eternity Band, 1 Carat Black and White Diamond Cross Pendant, as well as our all black diamond solid gold cross pendant for men.

Of course, we love our blue diamond jewelry too!

By far, our best selling blue diamond ring was our 0.93 Carat Blue and White Diamond Swirl Ring. Our popular blue diamond jewelry pieces was expanded to include our best selling 0.93 Carat blue and white diamond swirl ring. We added many other blue diamond rings to our blue diamond jewelry collection as well that turned quite a few heads.

Wedding Bands have always been at the heart of our jewelry line and Paisley Wedding Bands have always been at the top of our list. Our Paisley Collection was expanded with a new deeply engraved paisley wedding band in 14k white gold, 14k yellow gold, and our most popular paisley release: the 14k rose gold paisley wedding band.

It was our goal to added many new unique personalized jewelry pieces to our collection, and we met our initial goals!   The most popular being our Personalized Gemstone Circle Pendant, the Engravable Boy Gemstone Pendant and Engravable Girl Gemstone Pendant, our Personalized Gemstone Baby Shoe Pendant, and Personalized Gemstone Heart Pendant.

We also introduced a new line of Personalized Disney Jewelry, and new gold name pendants.

Benchmark Wedding Bands - A high-end wedding ring brand which includes a Lifetime Warranty and Lifetime Re-Sizing Policy. We plan on adding many new Benchmark styles in 2009.

Official Disney Jewelry – featuring popular Disney characters such as Tinkerbell Jewelry, Mickey Mouse Jewelry, Winnie the Pooh Jewelry, and more! Our Personalized Disney Jewelry collection also proved very popular and all very affordable!

Read more about our Disney Jewelry line: Disney Jewelry for an Imaginative Holiday, A Man Named Walt, and our official Disney Jewelry Release.

We plan on adding more popular Disney characters in 2009.

Apples of Gold’s most popular cross, The Polished Solid Gold Cross Pendant also saw a new addition, including: 18K Gold Cross Pendant, an 18K White Gold Cross Pendant,  and a Men’s Platinum Cross Pendant.

This cross is fully solid gold and finished on both sides (not hollow), measuring approx. 1 1/4″ tall x 1″ across and 2.5mm thick. Although originally crafted for men, both men and women enjoy this beautiful, expression of Christian faith.

This amazing cross was followed by the release of our 18K Gold Onyx Cross Pendant.

What is better than your own writing or the handwriting of your beloved, engraved onto a wedding band? Apples of Gold Jewelry created the concept of engraving your own writing onto a gold band with our new Personalized Handwritten Wedding Bands in 14k gold yellow, 14k white gold, and 14k rose gold.

Simply scan your handwriting onto your computer and email it to us! We’ll do the rest!

Our unique Victorian-Style Three Stone Diamond Ring became a hot seller in 2008 and as platinum prices dropped, we decided it was the perfect time to offer a Victorian-Style 1 Carat Three Stone Diamond Ring in Platinum also. Also available as a three stone 1 carat diamond engagement ring in 14k white gold or a 1/2 Carat Platinum Three Stone Diamond Engagement Ring.

We look forward to 2009 as we expect to add more items than we did in 2008! We expect to double our production in 2009, with 500 new jewelry pieces being added in the 1st Quarter alone. Yes, we plan on keeping the Apples of Gold Jewelry elves very busy through 2009!

Platinum and Gold: When Metals Collide

Although platinum is 30 times rarer than gold, the two metals’ prices collided throughout the day and finally closed with gold at $822 per ounce and platinum at $823! Today’s $1 spread was nothing short of historical for precious metals; the last time platinum and gold met at such close quarters  was 1996!

Platinum has plummeted 65% for the year; gold has dropped 21%–making platinum next year’s bargain.

Metals had already seen a decline due to decreased consumer demand as a result of the economic downturn.  Adding to the ailment, platinum prices dropped further after the U.S. senate rejected a “bail out” for automakers today–deepening platinum’s fall from grace because of decreased demand for platinum in automobiles who use platinum for catalytic converters.

(Bloomberg) — According to London based metals refiner, John Matthey Plc, automakers make up about half of the world’s platinum and palladium demand. In 2006, North American automakers used 905,000 ounces of platinum.

According to Derek Engelbrecht of Impala Platinum Holdings, “the agony will continue in 2010″, if platinum miners in South Africa, who account for almost 80% of the world’s platinum supply, do not cut production. Without it platinum will, at best, stay at equilibrium or continue to decline.

2009-2010 will be the year of platinum jewelry as a direct result of decreased platinum jewelry prices. Perhaps now is the time to trade in your gold coins and buy that high-end platinum and 18k gold wedding band!

2008 Jewelry Survey

Holiday shoppers may not be spending with reckless abandon this holiday season, but they will be spending. An interesting jewelry survey by National Jeweler, explains the psyche of the 2008 jewelry enthusiast.

Online spending grow only 1% in October 2008 compared to spending in 2007, the lowest monthly rate of growth since Comscore began “measuring the digital world” in 2001.

The good news is, jewelry, especially gold jewelry, is still on jewelry shopper’s list, according jewelry industry news magazine, National Jeweler. According to their October 2008 survey, 51% of those surveyed plan on still buying fine jewelry this holiday season.

One has to ask whether National Review surveyed their subscriber base of jewelry enthusiasts to come up with a majority of shoppers wanting jewelry this year. Still, the results are educational to say the least, with gold jewelry remaining on the top of jewelery shoppers lists (50% of respondents). This was followed by silver jewelry (38%) and diamond jewelry (35%). Other survey choices included gemstone jewelry (21%), fine watches (14%), and pearl jewelry (12%).

Many jewelers were surprised to hear that gold jewelry ranked #1 among jewelry shoppers, given the precious metals higher than average prices over the last several years. Some jewelers, Apples of Gold Jewelry, among them, has also noticed a resurgence in yellow gold among its customers. White gold, of course, had been the industry leader from some time.

Although most surveyed say they prefer shopping at independent jewelers, Internet jewelers ranked high relative to discount jewelers, warehouse clubs, and television shopping. Internet jewelry stores rose from 9% of those surveyed to 13% compared to the previous year. Price considerations and increased reliability among internet jewelers has played a factor in this steadily growing surge.

Given the “gloomy” and unpredictable economic fears facing Americans this year, respondents considered price and value the #1 factor influencing their decisions (42% ), followed by personal taste (37%), and the opinion or suggestion of a “significant other” (22%).

While the majority of those shopping jewelry plan on buying jewelry less than $100 (21%), this was followed by $100-$500 (16%), and by those who say they will spend $500-$1,000 (9%). 6% of shoppers surveyed said they will buy Jewelry over $1,000.

Aside from price, shoppers overwhelmingly said they want personal attention when shopping. What jewelery shoppers did not seem to care much about was: what celebrities are wearing (2%), what they see in magazines (3%), internet ads (3%), and TV ads (5%)–in other words, consumers want to be influenced by their own tastes, considerations, and qualities.

Deflation: When Bad Things Happen to Gold Markets

You know, with the world’s stock markets so volatile, I keep expecting that gold prices are going to soar and all the jewelry I’ve acquired over the years will instantly become worth a great fortune.  (It always has been worth a great fortune, but so far, only to me.) But at the moment, it seems the opposite has happened.

Commodities are sinking, the dollar is strengthening, jobs have contracted for 9 straight months with no end in sight, banks do not trust each other, consumer spending is declining, foreclosures are soaring, and people are actually saying the word “deflation.”

Given that gold is money, and money should do well in deflation, one would expect the purchasing power of gold to rise. Gold, especially in real terms is soaring. But miners have gotten pounded. Why? Hindsight may be 20-20 (or not) but here are a few possible explanations.

Mining stocks are leveraged compared to gold and a massive unwinding of that leverage is taking place, especially by hedge funds. There are now ongoing funding questions for some of the miners and explorers. There has been indiscriminate selling of virtually everything.

But government bonds and gold are both rising as the world’s banking system cracks under the weight of the biggest debt expansion in history.

Gold is in the green, with the U.S. dollar is soaring along with treasuries. Global equities, corporate bonds, and commodities in general are getting hammered. This is entirely consistent with most economists the deflation theories.

Those believing in stagflation, hyperinflation, or some sort of 70’s rerun can now kiss those theories goodbye. Deflation is here and now, the only question now is how long it lasts. And whether we’ll see it in the retail jewelry markets.

A piece of gold jewelry that is truly loved is always a good investment, but not one that can be recouped at an early date. For the best investment value, buyers should choose a piece they want to wear regularly. That way, they’ll get their investment and wear it, too.

Jewelry Affiliate Program

Apples of Gold Jewelry has launched its official jewelry affiliate program with Google network (formerly Performics).

What is the Apples of Gold Affiliate Program?

The Affiliate Program is an excellent way to generate additional income and add value to your web site by linking to ours. We offer 2,500+ affordable jewelry products at an average of 50% below retail which your viewers will appreciate! Best of all, it’s Free to join and all you need to do is follow the easy step by step plan to getting started. You don’t need inventory, now you can create your own store without the headaches, hassles or time.

How Does It Work?

Apples of Gold will pay you attractive commissions on purchases generated from your site. Compare our merchandise to other sites, and you’ll see that the commission you could collect from a few items at Apples of Gold might take you quarters to accumulate through other affiliate programs. We handle all transactions, processing and customer service. We’ll even provide you with detailed online reports that track sales activity originating from your site through the Google Affiliate Network.

Excellent Creatives for your site!

Why Apples of Gold?

Apples of Gold is Online Jeweler since 1999 with 25 years of experience offering 2,500+ affordable jewelry products at an average of 50% below retail. We offer affiliate only coupons, 45 Day Return Policy, Free Shipping via FedEx and are members of the BBB with a “AA” rating. Our staple products include: wedding bands, engagement rings, gold bracelets, gold chains, gold necklaces, gemstone jewelry, gemstone rings and diamond rings. We also carry specialty items: colored diamond jewelry, blue diamonds, black diamonds, alternative gold types such as rose gold, handmade wedding bands, bangle bracelets, Christian jewelry and personalized jewelry. Our brand name pieces include Benchmark Rings, and we are expanding to other name brands in the upcoming year.

Why should I join the program?

Linking to The Apples of Gold offers your viewers a value-added service that helps fulfill their overall shopping needs. This is a key sales opportunity to strengthen the long-term impact of your web site, while elevating your status as a respected Internet resource. As our affiliate partner, you decide how to integrate The Apples of Gold text links & banner graphics with your site. No matter how you design your interface, you’ll earn commission on purchases generated from your site using our link campaign. The more you refer, the more you earn – it’s as simple as that. We provide all the logos, banners and text links you will need to to get started! Ultimately, it’s up to you! Our most successful affiliate’s merchandise the product directly on there site with a personal recommendation and when clicked upon comes directly to ApplesofGold.com for order fulfillment and commission.

The Apples of Gold Affiliate Program Program Details:

• Join for Free and earn a generous referral fee!
• 30 Day cookie – you get credit for up to 30 days!
• Average sale is $500 and get paid on a monthly basis!
• Enhance your site with Apples of Gold Jewelry Products from an industry leader!
• Easy cut & paste html library of banners & text links to help you increase sales!
• Check your earnings and traffic reports online anytime.
• We process the orders, ship the products, bill the customers.
• We handle all customer service!

To get started now, just follow these instructions:

• Complete the online application at Google Affiliate Network
• Upon approval, we will send you an email detailing all the information you need to get started

If you have any questions at all or need assistance, please feel free to
contact us!

A Wedding Band with Infinite Possibilities

A wedding band is a piece of jewelry that is worn proudly every day of your married life.  It represents the vows you make before God and family, the love you share with your spouse, and it possibly represents a family tradition to be passed down from generation to generation. With that in mind, pick a wedding band that is representative of your life and don’t shy away from a little character and spice.

A great wedding band choice is the Titanium Celtic Knot Wedding Band from Apples of Gold.  This special Celtic wedding band uses a layer of oxidized titanium in an electrifying green, blue, or black to blaze an intertwining path through the titanium band.  The colorful titanium motif is a symbol of infinity, representing the infinite possibilities in your future as well as a symbolic reminder of your connection with God and your marriage.

Each bold color, made vibrant by the special anodizing process used by Apples of Gold, is a compelling reminder of your dedication.  The technology also allows for the inlay to be protected from scuffs and scratches thanks to the surrounding titanium band.

Inside the Titanium Celtic Knot Wedding Band you can expect a comfortable fit as an inner band securely hugs your finger adding comfort as well as safety to your ring.  Guaranteed to be authentic and high quality, this wedding band is a great choice for an exciting beginning.

Jewelry: A Modern Story

Jewelry’s modern story begins in the late 19^th century, which heralded many historic events affecting jewelry making and design, including:  

1. The birth and success of the industrial revolution;

2. The introduction of fashion and costume jewelry, and;

3. The launch of high-quality jewelry firms that have continued the tradition of fine jewelry into the 21^st century.

 

The industrialization of this age led to more jobs for the masses, ergo, economic freedom for the majority. This social phenomenon somewhat diminished the reputation of jewelry as a symbol of social rank. The new wealth created by this economic boom afforded the working class the option of buying jewelry that mostly matches their tastes. It is also important to note that as a result of this new economic opportunity, we witnessed the birth of society’s Middle Class.

 

The demand for affordable and simple-design jewelry increased. For supply to keep up jewelry was mass-produced and this in turn cheapened the market price.  Usually made from imitation of precious stones and electro-plated gold and silver, this jewelry eventually became known as fashion/costume jewelry that is devoid of intrinsic value. But it became a hit with many in the populace as it could be versatile and very inexpensive.

 

Men, for the majority of history up to this point, wore an equal amount of jewelry as women. But in this period, men’s jewelry was greatly reduced to buttons, cufflinks, and rings. At the same time, threatened by middle class consumption of something previously and exclusively enjoyed by the nobility, the wealthy sought the services of master craftsmen and goldsmiths to design personalized and high quality jewelry for them instead.

 

Fortunately, the 19^th century had provided for this particular need. There were several notable firms founded in this period that propagated the fine jewelry tradition well into the present times. Among them are by Peter Carl Faberge in 1900 Russia; Alfred and his son Louis Cartier in 1898, Paris; Charles Lewis Tiffany in 1851, New York; Bulgari in 1884, Rome; and Patek Philippe in 1851, Geneva (an acknowledged pillar of the timepieces industry).

 

Watches and matching jewelry were introduced in this period and have remained a significant part of jewelry ownership.

 

One thing we can affirm is that modern day jewelry is a thoroughly eclectic collection of various, differing cultures and religions; as well as from the artistry of craftsmen and goldsmiths who once upon their time, dabbled in the design and indulged the whims of their richer patrons.

A Brief History of Jewelry in the Middle Ages- Renaissance Periods

Early civilizations’ discovery of gold and the possibilities it presented were nothing short of wondrous. Gold–its malleability and versatility to be molded into various shapes and sizes of jewelry made it (and still makes it) the most popular metal to work with. It was approximately 5,000 B.C when different civilizations all over the world discovered gold and began to work this metal into pieces to frame precious stones into. In Central and South America, China, India, and Egypt, gold became the metal of choice to make into elaborate or simple pieces of jewelry.

The Middle Ages had seen the utilitarian and functional use of jewelry. Gemstones like ruby, garnet, and sapphire found their way into the fashion of the time heavily incorporated into clothes, brooches, clasps, belts and hats. Strings of pearls and gold chains were used as popular belts during these times.

It was also during the middle ages when Poesy rings became a fad. These rings symbolized a token of affection or friendship. A short, personal sentiment–mostly about love and friendship–can be found as inscriptions on or inside poesy rings and were exchanged between lovers and friends. In Roman history, a cameo was introduced bearing the icons of nobility and popular political leaders of the time.

This period also saw the introduction of several designs that are still popular today. A couple of these are the Celtic and Byzantine designs. Intricate, elaborate and beautiful, these designs are still very sought after in present times.

Religious-themed jewelry also became popular during this period. Crosses and icons of Christianity i.e. papal rings, rosary beads, pendants with the saints and other religious figures were introduced around this era.

Inspired by the amount of gemstones and pearls traded all around, craftsmen and goldsmiths designed opulent, extravagant pieces of jewelry. And since it came with a hefty price, only the nobility and those in the upper strata could afford it. In addition, it was around this time that the Sumptuary Law (laws attempting to regulate consumption, especially of luxury items) was enforced. This was the law which governed who could wear what jewelry and was supposed to protect the top nobility’s status in the society.

If the medieval period saw the rapid development of jewelry making and its application to various situations, the Renaissance on the other hand, simply refined these changes. It was at this time that the Sumptuary Law was lifted and the nobility, being conscious of standing apart from the masses, sought master craftsmen and goldsmiths to customize and design jewelry for them. Beautiful pieces of jewelry became the object of desire. Quality became increasingly important. It was at this point that jewelry as a symbol of wealth and social status became a distinct and expensive truth.

This period saw the continued popularity of gemstones set in gold and silver. The European trade with the East had brought with it vast exposure to artists, goldsmiths, and jewelry craftsmen. The era also introduced the tradition of matching jewelry with clothes and other accessories. This practice was said to have been encouraged by Napoleon Bonaparte while he was King of France.

Truly we can say that these two eras ushered in a brilliant development for jewelry design, uses, and the craft  as a whole. Many types of jewelry that were introduced in these periods are still very popular today.

(End of the Second in a Three-Part Series)