Statement Jewelry

June 27, 2010 By John S. Brana 5 Comments

Brazilian Fire Agate Orange Coral Vermeil Necklace

Statement Jewelry – Defining Your Unique Sense of Style

Statement jewelry has boldness, high style, and most of all, presence. It’s the kind of jewelry that makes an immediate and long lasting impression. It doesn’t just show up, it makes an entrance. This is why it is a popular choice for independent women with a strong sense of their own style.

Statement Jewelry 14K Gold Amethyst Pendant

14K Gold Filled Wire Wrapped Pendant with Amethyst

Statement jewelry is big, bold, usually brightly colored, and sometimes layered for an even greater fashion impact. It often includes large and chunky jewels and pearls, either real or faux, mixed with thick chains and pendants. Some statement jewelry includes charms stamped with motivational words or significant dates. It’s meant to be noticed immediately which means that one fabulous statement jewelry piece is all you need to add polish and personality to an outfit. No doubt you’ve seen some terrific examples on international fashion runways and also adorning the ears and necklines of some of the world’s most well-known and well-dressed women such as Nicole Kidman, Sarah Jessica Parker and Cate Blanchett.

Oversized gemstones are a popular choice for red carpet events, while layers of long necklaces and chunky cuffs can add a bit of bling to a little black party dress.

Statement jewelry always brings drama to any outfit and carries a luxe look. Although luxe doesn’t necessarily mean big bucks, the nature of these pieces mean that any investment is well worth the money.

Statement Jewelry Anticlastic 14K Gold Cuff

14K Gold Chased Anticlastic Cuff Bracelet

The trick behind statement jewelry is to choose a size and style that represents you and the fashion statement you want to make to the world. It usually means wearing only one big, bold, eye-catching necklace, chandelier earrings, wide cuff bracelet, or chunky ring as the attention-getting focus of an outfit. Moderation is key; too many bold items make the wrong statement!

John S. Brana features several dazzling and dramatic pieces among his couture collection. Each finely crafted, limited edition item in the collection delivers a statement that declares the wearer to be sophisticated, stylish and uniquely fashion-forward.

Vermeil Jewelry

June 22, 2010 By John S. Brana 3 Comments

Garnet Pink Coral Carnelian Vermeil Necklace

Vermeil Jewelry Defined

What is vermeil? Aside from the technical definition, the best way to describe vermeil might be, “a beautiful material used in jewelry making that offers the luster and chic of pure gold without the high cost.” Vermeil, pronounced “ver-may”, is actually .925 sterling silver heavily plated with gold that cannot be less than 10k, and most jewelers of today use at least 14k gold.

Vermeil jewelry differs from jewelry that is sold as “gold plated” in that “plated” consists of a thinner layer of gold over a base metal such as brass. Over time, the base metal tends to appear through as the gold wears off due to exposure to skin oils and natural wear. Vermeil jewelry maintains its beauty over the long term better due to the thickness of the gold layer used in the production process.

Vermeil Jewelry - Amethyst Vermeil Necklace

Amethyst Vermeil Neckalce

Vermeil has long been favored for its high-style look and feel, and is also stronger than gold plated base metals, making it a choice for luxury items other than jewelry. The Vermeil Room in the White House features an exquisite collection of vermeil serving pieces from English and French silversmiths dating back to the eighteenth century, which were bequeathed to the White House in 1956.

Today, many fine jewelers offer vermeil jewelry among their most stylish and fashionable collections. Jewelry wearers who want the high-end, high quality look of pure gold often choose vermeil as an affordable substitute offering a sense of sophistication and style.

Vermeil jewelry should never be cleaned by machine or with solvents or commercial gold and silver cleaners. It is best maintained by polishing with a soft cloth to prevent scratching and keeping vermeil jewelry pieces in an air-tight bag or closed container can prevent corrosion over time.

Fashionable Lightweight Handmade Aluminum Jewelry

May 3, 2010 By jbrana 40 Comments

Aluminum Lily Pad Earrings

Handmade Aluminum Jewelry

If you favor the sheen and polish of sterling silver, but are wary about the rising cost, you’ll love the look of aluminum jewelry. Fashionable and lightweight, aluminum jewelry has increasingly grown in popularity because its wear demonstrates flair and stylishness while being easy on the budget. High style without the high cost; what could be better?

Fashionistas often choose aluminum jewelry as an alternative to silver for many reasons:

• Larger earrings made from sterling silver, platinum or white gold can feel heavy on your ears while earrings made from aluminum can be as large as you like without causing discomfort.
• Light-as-a feather aluminum bracelets can bring the bling without bringing the noise.
• Aluminum is a metal that can be easily dyed, stamped and shaped into nearly any form a creative designer can imagine and it does not require special care.
• It is also a non-reactive metal that is nickel-free which makes it an excellent choice for many women with a hypersensitivity to other metals.

In addition, there is no need to worry about tarnishing as it requires no polishing to keep it looking bright. Best of all, you won’t have to sacrifice high style while you’re watching your pennies. But don’t assume “affordable” signifies “cheap” when choosing this fun, durable and sleek alternative to sterling.

Hammered Aluminum Tear Drop Earrings

Stylish Aluminum Jewelry

John S. Brana offers an elegant line of aluminum jewelry among our coveted collections, including a hand-hammered aluminum bangle that carries the look of high fashion, as well as embossed, textured and hammered teardrop earrings that can be worn anywhere. Although the metal used may not be considered “precious”, the same artistic vision and creative talent goes into creating pieces of aluminum jewelry as it would into silver or gold designs.

Whether you’re attending an elegant luncheon, romantic dinner, or just hanging out with the girls, you can be comfortable, stylish and fashion forward in lightweight, designer aluminum jewelry.