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2.24.2012

Wendy Brigode

Fine Jewelry Designers

Wendy Brigode mixes sterling silver, pearls and semiprecious stones, such as aquamarine, peridot, tourmaline, amethyst and citrine to create designs that are contemporary and stylish, yet highly romantic. Brigode's artistic skill in creating elegant designs has yielded stunning pieces that complement and enhance the beauty of the women who wear them.

sterling silver, diamonds, tanzanite and amethyst multi gemstone necklace
Purple Lariat Beaded Necklace
• Lariat drop: faceted tanzanite and amethyst.
• White pave (pah-vay) diamonds: 0.48 carat.
• Three strands of purple tanzanite beads.
• Blackened sterling silver toggle closure.
• Lariat drop, approximately 4"L.
• Necklace, approximately 18"L.
$1870

Working with baroque and freshwater pearls, fine jewelry designer Wendy Brigode fashioned a necklace that caught the world's attention when Rene Russo wore it in the movie Tin Cup. Today her pearls, with their signature spacing, is one of the most popular items of jewelry in the world. Brigode's supreme sense of color and her creative way with pearls, beads and fine stones enchants customers the world over.
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Gemstone Jewelry


Doublets and Triplets

Due to the ever increasing costs of precious metals and other materials, jewelry companies have resorted to various ways to keep the prices affordable for jewelry, especially gemstone jewelry. One of the changes I have noticed recently is the use of doublets and triplets.

A doublet is a 'gemstone sandwich' made with two layers. The lower, larger portion is made of glass or an inexpensive stone and has a smaller layer of a more valuable stone adhered to the top of it. Inexpensive stones are often used to give the illusion of a better gemstone.

This technique is often used to create opal doublets from a thin vein of precious opal which would otherwise be too fragile to use by itself in a piece of jewelry. The bottom layer is usually an inexpensive mineral such as ironstone or onyx with the opal cemented on top.

A triplet is a stone with three layers. A layer of clear quartz is sometimes added to the top to protect the surface or to enhance the color. Some designers use doublets or triplets to create a certain look that is unachievable with either stone alone.

As for their wearability, jewelers have been using these processes successfully for decades with some more fragile stones. If you love the look of a piece, do not hesitate to buy it. As long as you treat your jewelry with care - as you should with any jewelry - there should be no problem.

METAL JEWELRY


Gold Filled Jewelry
Many people are not aware of the differences between 'gold filled' and 'gold plated' jewelry. The terminology itself is confusing. Gold Filled is not 'filled' with gold - it is a layer of gold bonded to the surface of a less costly metal by using heat and pressure. This gold layer is many times thicker than standard gold plating – from 50,000 to 100,000 times thicker.

Gold filled (also called 'gold overlay') is the best alternative to solid gold. It is tarnish resistant and does not flake off, rub off or turn colors like gold plating can. Anyone who can wear gold can wear gold filled without worries of an allergic reaction. Best of all, it has the same look and feel as solid gold jewelry.

Gold filled items are regulated by the government (as is solid gold). The gold content must be at least 1/20th gold by weight. Gold filled jewelry wears, looks and lasts like solid gold because its outer surface is solid gold, with the same characteristics, such as strength, durability and beauty... but at a fraction of the cost.

Silver Filled Jewelry
Silver filled is similar in construction to gold filled. It consists of a thick layer of .925 sterling silver that is mechanically bonded to a brass core. Although silver filled is not new, there is renewed interest in the material due to the high cost of sterling silver today.

Many jewelry designers have been forced to use less sterling silver in their designs to compensate for the increased costs. Silver filled is a great low-cost alternative, and is much more durable and hundreds of times thicker than silver plating.

In order for a product to be classified as silver filled, it must have at least 1/20 or 5% of its weight in sterling silver, but 1/10-10% is also available. It has the same properties as and looks just like solid sterling silver. It also tarnishes less and cleans up easier than sterling.

GEMSTONE SETTINGS


Bezel Setting
This simple and versatile setting has been in use for thousands of years, and works well for either cabochons or faceted stones. A strip of metal is bent into the shape of the stone then soldered to the piece of jewelry. Then the stone is inserted into the bezel and the metal rubbed over the stone, essentially enfolding the stone in a tight metal pocket.

Bezel settings are sleek with clean lines, making them popular in modern jewelry design. They are secure settings and protect the stones from nicks and dirt. Many bezel settings are designed to be flush with the surface of the stone, which can be an advantage for active people who do not want to risk damage to their jewelry.

Basket Setting
A basket setting is essentially a miniature metal basket which is customized to the stone. Basket settings are extremely popular for rings, bracelets, necklaces and brooches. They hold the stones snugly in place while allowing plenty of light to flow through and around the stone, creating a rich interplay of light and texture. This characteristic makes them particularly popular with diamond jewelry, as they allow lots of light through the stone.

Channel Setting
Channel setting is a method whereby stones are suspended between two bars or strips of metal, called channels. The channel is some variation of a 'U' shape, with two sides and a bottom. The stones are put in place in notches and the metal on top is pushed down, tightening the stones in place. When setting small stones and the bars go in a linear line with the design it is called channel setting, and when the bars cross the lines of the design, it is called bar set. The idea is the same, though.

Pave Setting
When many stones are set very closely together that is called pave (pronounced pah-vay), from the French for paved or cobblestoned. The stones are also set very close to the surface of a piece, making it look like the jewelry has been paved in gemstones. This type of setting is especially popular for rings and pendants with translucent stones like emeralds, rubies, diamonds and topaz.

To make this setting, jewelers make a series of impressions in the metal which are used to seat the stones, and small beads or prongs are used to pin the stones in place. The goal is to have as little metal showing as possible, so that the brilliance of the stones can be clearly seen.

Some people pursue a pave setting because they find it attractive, or because pave set jewelry can be less expensive than other styles of jewelry. Generally, the smaller the stone, the less its value, even if it is a high-quality stone. Someone with a limited budget can purchase a beautiful piece of jewelry with a pave setting, rather than one with a single small stone.