Journal
Buying silver and gold on the French Riviera: a traveller's guide
Hallmarks, second-hand pieces, silver coins and selling old gold: what to know before buying jewelry or precious metal on the Côte d'Azur.
Art Deco jewelry: the style, its materials and how to recognise it
Geometric lines, white metals, contrasting stones: what defines Art Deco jewelry, where the style came from and how to spot an original or a revival piece.
Birthstones by month, and how they look set in silver or gold
The modern birthstone for each month, the main alternatives, which stones suit everyday wear, and whether each one looks best in silver or gold.
How to find your ring size at home, and how the size systems compare
Simple ways to measure your ring size at home, the mistakes to avoid, and how UK letters, US numbers and French circumference sizes relate.
Yellow, white and rose gold: how each colour is made and how it wears
Why gold comes in several colours, what is mixed in to make yellow, white and rose gold, and how each one looks, wears and is cared for over time.
Reading French hallmarks: the Minerva head, the eagle's head and the maker's mark
How to read the hallmarks on French silver and gold jewelry: the guarantee marks, the maker's lozenge and what each one tells you about a piece.
A short history of silver jewelry, from antiquity to today
From ancient mines to the sterling standard, from New World silver to modern design: how silver became the everyday precious metal of jewelry.
Silver and golden wedding anniversaries: traditions and jewelry gift ideas
Where the silver (25th) and golden (50th) anniversary traditions come from, the other milestones, and jewelry gift ideas for each occasion.
Rhodium-plated silver: why it is used, how it wears and when to re-plate
What rhodium is, why jewellers plate silver and white gold with it, how long the finish lasts, and how to care for and restore rhodium-plated jewelry.
Gold vermeil, gold-plated, gold-filled: what the labels really mean
Vermeil, gold-plated, gold-filled and solid gold look alike in a shop window. Here is what each label means, how long it lasts and how to care for it.
Why silver tarnishes, and how to slow it down
The chemistry behind silver tarnish, the everyday things that speed it up, and simple storage and wearing habits that keep silver jewelry bright for longer.
Gold bracelet designs: the classic styles and how to choose
Chain, bangle, cuff, tennis, charm and beaded bracelets in gold: what sets each style apart, which carat to choose and how to get the size right.
Spring earrings: the styles worth wearing and how to choose them
Pearls, hoops, mismatched pairs, single earrings and colour: the earring styles that suit spring, how to match them to your face and how to look after them.
What Covid-19 changed in jewelry shopping, and what stayed
Trying on rings, online ordering, returns and cleaning: the habits jewelry shopping picked up during the Covid-19 pandemic and the ones still worth keeping.
Five ways to clean a silver necklace without damaging it
Silver cloth, mild soap, baking soda, the aluminium foil bath and professional cleaning: how to remove tarnish from a silver necklace safely.
Fashion jewelry: what it is made of and how to buy it well
Costume, demi-fine and fine jewelry compared: materials, plating, durability and price, with what to check before buying a fashion-jewelry piece.
The gold bar necklace: a minimalist classic, and its bullion cousin
Horizontal and vertical bar pendants, engraving, carats and lengths, plus the difference between a jewelry bar necklace and a small investment gold bar.
How to match your jewelry with your outfits
Necklines, sleeves, prints and skin tone: simple rules for pairing silver and gold jewelry with what you wear, and when to break them.
Is a jewelry box worth it? How to choose one that protects your pieces
Why a jewelry box protects silver, gold and pearls better than a drawer, and how to choose one: size, lining, compartments, travel cases, anti-tarnish.
Why marcasite is unstable, and what 'marcasite' jewelry really is
Marcasite and pyrite share a formula but not a crystal structure. Why true marcasite decays, why marcasite jewelry is pyrite, and how to care for it.
How to choose a pearl choker necklace for your style
Pearl types, sizes, lengths and clasps: how to choose a pearl choker, how to wear it from day to evening and how to care for pearls so they last.
Choosing an engagement ring: shape, metal, stone and size
From fashion-brand rings to fine jewellery: how to choose an engagement ring by stone shape, band metal, carat and size, without guessing your partner's finger.
Pocket watches with chains: styles, how to wear one and how to care for it
Open-face, hunter and half-hunter cases, Albert and fob chains, mechanical or quartz: a practical guide to choosing and wearing a pocket watch today.
Gold chain necklaces: links, carats and lengths explained
Cable, curb, rope, box, Figaro, paperclip and snake chains in gold: how they differ, which carat and length to choose, and how to care for them.
Silver jewelry ideas for a bachelorette party
Matching bracelets, initial necklaces, charms and a piece for the bride: silver jewelry ideas for a hen or bachelorette party, and how to keep them affordable.
Figaro chains: how to choose and care for a timeless link
What makes a Figaro chain, its variations, how to pick the width, length and metal, how it compares with curb and rope chains, and how to keep it bright.
Buying fashion jewelry wholesale: a guide for small shops
How wholesale fashion jewelry works for boutiques and market sellers: minimum orders, quality checks, EU rules on nickel and lead, pricing and following trends.
Sterling silver 925 jewelry: why wear it, and what to know first
What 925 silver is, why it is the standard for jewelry, its real advantages and its limits: tarnish, softness, plating and skin sensitivity.
Six gemstone rings worth adding to your collection
Smoky quartz, jade, ruby, opal, blue topaz and sapphire: six gemstone rings, how hard each stone is, which settings protect it and how to care for it.
Fine silver jewelry: what the hallmark really guarantees
Fine silver, sterling, Britannia silver and plated pieces: what each stamp guarantees, who applies hallmarks, and why silver jewelry is not an investment.
Eight reasons shops stock sterling silver jewelry
Why boutiques and small retailers carry sterling silver: margins, durability, customer trust, hallmarks, repairs and what to check when buying in quantity.