With statement necklaces prepeak, and with one shoulder dresses dominating fashion, what better earring could you wear than the incredible wearable stud? But just because these little darlings are close to your ear, doesn’t mean that they have to be boring. ing, silver jewelry, sterling silver jewelry,canary cz, Have you ever noticed how each large jeweler has their own signature stud diamond earrings with diamonds in the Gallery? I once worked with the diamond company that created those for Zales, Kay’s Jewelers, Fred Meyer, JC Penney, Macys and more. I have created my own fancy gallery collection in faux and sterling silver, just for you, so that you too, can have a wardrobe of stunning stud earrings to choose from, at a fraction of the cost.
Our collection is stunning, and you will want to wear these whether you are wearing your Grecian one shoulder dress, or your business suits, or you are going casual in your jeans. This is that little goody that will make you feel like a million dollars. I like to call these studs the jewelry lipstick that makes you feel fabulous. The “little pick me up”, in tough times, that doesn’t break the bank. We have done them in 6.5 mm size (1 ct dia size each ear) and also in 8 mm size (2 ct size each ear). Take a look at just how gorgeous these sterling silver earrings are.
We are in the process of posting these on our site www.sophiemiller.com. If you don't see your favorite on the site, write to me at sophie@sophiemiller.com, and I will personally help you find your favorite. To see all the styles, keep scrolling down on the right.
E0294 8 mm size $45.00 prong set cz in gallery E0296 6.5 mm size $40.00
E0305 6.5 mm with diamond shapes in gallery $35.00 E0297 8.0 mm $50.00 sm cz in diamond shapes $50.00
E0306 6.5 mm with cup $35.00 E0298 8.0 mm with fancy cup and cz on sides $50.00
E0301 6.5 mm with rose gold plate heart in gallery $35.00
0006 8 mm with 2 rose gold plate hearts in gallery $40.00 E0007 10 mm $50.00
E0310 6.5 mm with s filigree in gallery $40.00 E0302 8.0 mm $45.00
E0312 6.5 mm with a bezel cz heart shape in gallery $40.00 E0313 8.0 mm $45.00
E0304 6.5 with fancy gallery and gp satin prongs $50.00 E0314 8.0 with fancy gallery and gp satin prongs $55.00
E0319 6.5 with channel set cz in gallery $40.00
E0093 8.0 mm with pave gallery Checkerboard ctr $90.00
E0095 antique gallery with cz $70.00
E0153 6.5 mm with xo in gp in gallery $35.00 E0156 8.0 mm with xo in gp in gallery $40.00
E0066 8 mm Our classic stud comes in many colors updated with a satin finish $40.00 E0112 6.5 mm on order in satin rhodium and satin gp with white cz $35.00
E0185 8 mm princess with pave gallery $65.00
E0187 small rose cut pear with pave gallery $45.00
E0280 Larger pear with pave gallery $65.00
E0254 6.5 mm round with pave gallery $50.00 E0284 8.0 mm round with pave gallery $65.00
E0206 8 mm antique gallery $50.00
E0466 6.5 mm Filigree heart gallery $40.00
E0467 6.5 mm open heart gallery $40.00
E0468 8 mm Crown mounting $45.00
And the not quite a stud, extraordinary drop earring with pave gallery…..
Fine Jewelry Trends Spring 2009 translated to Faux Fine Jewelry by Sophie Miller
Christmas for jewelry was difficult, fine jewelry sales were soft.Gold skyrocketed; moderately priced fine jewelry was a tough sell.
These conditions remain as 2009 begins.There are highlights however, where business remains strong.And identifying these trends and then adding them to your collection in Faux Fine Jewelry will add newness and a fresh face to your jewelry wardrobe.
Faux Fine Jewelry, you ask?Sophie Miller designs her line from the perspective of a fine jewelry designer.She has several wealthy clients that buy her jewelry and mix it with their own expensive fine jewelry wardrobe anchors, and no one ever knows the difference.This is jewelry that follows the Fine Jewelry trends and blends in with the real thing.
Trend # 1, Colored Diamonds
Canary Diamonds
One of the areas of strength as we enter 2009 is the growth in high end expensive natural colored and cultured diamond pieces.With canary diamonds leading the trend, more and more high-end fine jewelry stores are selling natural Canary diamonds for 4, 5 and 6 figures.Cultured diamonds are on the scene and canary is their best color.Cultured diamonds have the same chemical, physical, and optical qualities of the real stone, but they are grown by man.Although they are a fraction of the price of natural Canary diamonds, which are quite rare, they are still in the 4 to 5 figure price range.
Sophie has taken the look of Canary diamonds and translated it to silver using white and canary CZ.With an eye to detail, her Faux Fine Jewelry is a cut above other jewelry in this category. This earring is designed in a flower petal design with a stunning canary CZ center.
Emerging Diamond colors-Champagne
With the success of sales in Canary diamonds, natural Champagne diamonds are an emerging trend.Only available in natural color, not available yet in cultured, these are very rare and very expensive.High end jewelers are finding celebrities and their wealthiest customers interested in this rare color.Sales are growing as fast as rough can be found and cut.
Sophie has a Faux Fine Jewelry alternative using silver, white CZ and champagne CZ.This stunning 100 faceted center Champagne cz “faux” diamond has all of the elements of a fine Couture ring, with a large center stone, and small diamonds on the band of the ring.Totally stunning, again, this can be mixed with your real jewelry for a major fashion statement at a fraction of the cost.
Continuing color story of Black and White Diamonds
Much more affordable than the natural and cultured diamonds listed above, and very wearable in our every day lives, black and white diamonds continue to be an importantFine Jewelry story.From a re-emergence of Art Deco Style, in black and white, to a more contemporary styling, black and white diamonds are perfect for every day wear.Celebrities love to wear this color combination at premieres and award shows. The black and white trend in diamonds has now expanded to making onyx fine jewelry very hot, and black enamel a fabulous alternative for a bold style.
Remember, by buying Sophie Millers’ Faux Fine Jewelry, you are not involved with conflict diamonds, which have received a great deal of negative publicity lately.Conflict diamonds destabilize governments in Africa, use child labor, and create revenue to promote terrorism around the world.
Fine Jewelry Trend #2
Emerging Colored stone- Morganite
Morganite is a pale pink stone; most often mined in Brazil, and is a relative to emerald (Beryl) in a sensational pink color.High end jewelers are seeing an increase in interest in this fascinating feminine pink stone.You can expect to see this beauty on the red carpet at the upcoming Golden Globes and Academy Awards presentations.
Sophie has translated this emerging trend to Faux Fine Jewelry using silver jewelry with white and pink CZ.You get the same feminine pink color as the Morganite at a fraction of the price. \
Fine Jewelry Trend # 3, Beginning shift in Metal colors.
Emerging trends- Yellow gold and black rhodium
With gold prices soaring, yellow gold is making a comeback.Platinum is now out of reach for most consumers, palladium is gaining on white gold sales.Expect to see yellow gold becoming a more important metal color as the year progresses.
Black rhodium or hemitite plating are also prepeak and taking on greater significance.This trend started with high end California designers and their gothic jewelry, but has now taken on a life of its own.Expect to see more Celebrity jewelry accenting white diamonds with black rhodium for a fresh look in jewelry.
Sophie is using more gold plate over her silver jewelry as it gives a fresh look to old classics.You can also find some black rhodium accents on her jewelry and will see more in her line in 2009.
Fine Jewelry Trend #4-Texture
Matte finishes
Big bold jewelry with larger metal surfaces, done in texture has become a new high end designer look.This is a trend sometimes with diamond accents, and sometimes with the addition of opaque stones, such as turquoise.This trend adds newness and a contemporary feel to everyday jewelry.
Sophie Miller Faux Fine jewelry has translated this trend into new bold rings using faux turquoise, and also into stunning classic styles updated with the texture.
Fine Jewelry Trend #5- Silhouettes
The return of the hoop earring.
Hoops are back in Fine Jewelry and coming on as a strong trend for 2009.Large and small, with Micro pave small diamonds or single row, in black and white,or all white, inside outside hoops, double hoops, concentric circles, forward facing hoops, all are important as 2009 begins.Celebrities will choose the larger hoop styles, in canary, black or white diamonds, but fine jewelers are translating this to more saleable price points in medium sizes.
Sophie has designed a series of hoops that will start being available in February.Right now you can choose from her Micro Pave hoops with almost 700 hand set cz’s , her mixed shapes hoop, using marquise, rounds and emerald cuts in an inside outside style, or her art Deco forward facing style in cz and black enamel.This trend is prepeak, and will become increasingly important as the year progresses.Check back at www.sophiemiller.com for a large selection to choose from.
Long Linier drop earrings continue to be prominent
Again, a trend you will see on red carpet this spring, the Chandelier and linier earring continue to be important and are here to stay.Famous jewelry houses from 5th Ave and Madison Ave in NY will bring out their stunning examples of this trend to dress the stars.
In addition to Chandelier earrings at the Globes this year, was the influence of antique earrings.Sophie has some lovely earrings influenced by days gone by, right on todays trend.
The Dingle Ring
It all started with a few exclusive pieces at Bergdorfs and Niemans, and these rings were so whimsical, and fun to wear, they are starting to take on a life of their own.
Nothing is more fun to wear in Fine Jewelry than a ring with movement.
Sophie Miller has taken this fine jewelry trend and translated it to Faux.Using oversized colored cz in bezel frames, and adding a gold plated cross with a cz center, this dingle ring with amuse and delight you….and gain you complements galore.
Fine Jewelry trend # 6
Stone Cuts- Raw Diamonds and the rose cut
Raw Rough incorporated into Fine Jewelry
Available through Neiman Marcus and Bergdorfs, this is a new idea that has taken hold and is being worn by the rich and famous.Rough diamonds, in their natural form, incorporated into designer fine jewelry.
For Faux Fine jewelry, Sophie has taken the concept and used checkerboard cuts for a similar look.Available in canary, champagne or white diamonds, these fabulous little
wonders have the “feel” of the trend at a fraction of the cost.
Rose Cut Diamonds
Rose cuts are a cut that dates back to the 16th century and it was the most popular stone cut until the emergence of the brilliant cut at the turn of the 20th century.High end Indian diamond cutters have brought this cut back.Now more uniform than it was in its earlier form, this stunning cut comes to a slight point in the center, and catches the light from all angles.
Sophie has translated this stone cut into Faux Fine Jewelry using a fabulous cushion shape, and uses canary, white or champagne CZ as her rose cut centers. This style is available in a ring, pendant and in earrings.
She also has her fabulous fancy gallery stud with faux diamond rose cut centers available in either white or black.
Whatever the hottest trends are in Fine Jewelry, Sophie has it covered in Faux.Remember to stop by her site often for Affordable Faux Fine Jewelry at a fraction of the price.Sophie Miller makes “Faux Fine Jewelry So Beautiful, It Fools the Eye.”
As probably most of you have realized, if you love silver jewelry, you need to buy your size when you buy a ring, because no one wants to size your ring to a different size.
Do you know why?
Its not the silver. Like gold, or platinum, silver can be sized. But finely made silver jewelry is plated, in either rhodium or in gold, and even sometimes in platinum.
The rhodium (or gold) needs to be stripped off of the silver before sizing, which requires heat. Silver is a soft metal, so when the rhodium is stripped off, it leaves tons of little bubbles in the metal. It then can be sized but almost impossible to get a nice smooth finish in replating. And....this process costs a fortune, more that the original piece in some cases.
There is someone on Amazon that is selling size 7 for one price, and size 8 for twice the price. He must be resizing his inventory, and that's the reason the larger size is so expensive. Its much better to special order an original ring in the right size, and to wait for it to be manufactured.
I have been asked this question often in the last few weeks, and wanted to share it with all of you.
http://track.mybloglog.com/js/jsserv.php?mblID="2008120719370086" Half the fun of wearing faux stones is having everyone around you thinking they are real.
If asked, the choice whether to tell or not tell, is totally yours. But, to pull if off, (if you choose to go this route),you must know what the faux stones look like in real gems. The more knowledgeable you are about the "real" stone in nature, the more you can "wow" your audience.
I have had people thinkmore than once, that I have been a "very good girl" this last year, because of the beauty of the jewelry that I am wearing, backed by my knowledge of gemstones. No one even asks me if its "real", they just assume that it is.
So this is a guide of what to say, when people comment about the beautiful faux jewelry that you are wearing....and of course, I hope it is mine! *smile*
White cubic zirconia (cz) Small sizes, white diamonds, medium sizes, white diamonds, and if you really have ballsy, large stones, white diamonds. You can also call large stones white topaz, which might be more comfortable for you.
Canary cubic zirconia (cz) There are truly real canary diamonds on the market, usually worth thousands and thousands of dollars. They are considered "fancy color" diamonds in the industry. There is also now a new "cultured" diamond that is canary, that is also many thousand of dollars. (Cultured means that it has the same optical, chemical and physical qualities of the real stone.) The beauty of canary cz is how affordable it is, it looks like the real thing, and you can dazzle without all the expense.
If the stone is yellow cz, then it looks just like citrine, which is a member of the quartz family. It also looks like some of the colors of the "cultured" diamond, so you can call it either gem.
Champagne cubic zirconia (cz) Champagne is another color of true natural diamonds that is very expensive. Larger stones in Champagne look like Imperial topaz, which is a stunning stone that is mined in Brazil. Imperial Topaz is rarely seen, except in very high end jewelry stores, so champagne is an affordable alternative to the stunning real stone.
Black cubic zirconia (cz) Black cubic zirconia looks just like black diamonds, which are natural, and very fashionable right now. Black and white diamond jewelry is very "hot" in fine jewelry.
In larger stones, black cz looks like black spinel. Thailand is the main source but Australia is also a major producer. With a hardness of 8.0, uniform nature, high reflectance and lack of cleavage, black spinel makes excellent gem material. Black cz looks just like it.
Pink cubic zirconia (cz) Yes, there are real pink diamonds available from nature, and they are absolutely sensational, but untouchable in price by the normal jewelry lover. Small pink cz, look just like the real pink diamond. In larger stones, pink cz looks very much like Kunzite. Kunzite is a fabulous pink stone, originally discovered in Sunny California in the early 1900s. The problem with the gem stone, Kunzite, is that it loses its color in sunlight....permanently. Your fabulous pink cz will remain beautifully pink for years to come. Again, you can enjoy pink cz at a fraction of the price of either of its real counterparts.
The other fascinating thing about pink cz is that the color changes from pale to bright, depending upon the light it is in. A very fun stone.
Created Sapphire Created sapphire looks just like real sapphire, whether is is pink, blue, purple or created red ruby. Created or synthetic mean exactly the same thing, and the terms are used interchangeably. My customers tell me my blue sapphire is the most beautiful available on the market. You can easily fool your friends with this one.
Synthetic or created opal The stones I use in my line are Japanese, and have amazing internal color. People will think that you own a very expensive real opal from Australia. There are less expensive opals available both in synthetic form and in nature, that don't have the dancing colors in the stone. If you buy from Sophiemiller.com, you get dazzling stones.
Faux Turquoise- Well, this one is obvious. Ours is faux, but it looks darn close to the real thing. Check it out.
A little fun fact- most Persian Turquoise, which is the expensive stuff, was and is mined in Arizona. I have no idea how it got its name, "Persian".
Faux Red Coral- Again this one is a no brainer. Mine is faux, but it look amazingly like the real thing, except sometimes I use sizes that would be difficult to find in the real stone by the way that coral (organic) grows. Look at it this way, by wearing mine, you are not damaging a precious natural resource.
Black onyx- This is not an expensive stone in nature....so this is one case where I use the real thing. Set surrounded by white cz, and walla, its a fabulous real/faux combo look a like.
Glass pearls This one is easy. In larger sizes, they look like South Seas, except, perhaps, they are too perfect. The natural ones have flaws, slightly un-round, less shiny surfaces....some surface blemishes, but glass pearls look great and are so affordable, what the heck.
These are the stones that I currently have posted on my website. I work in 35 different stones....so as my online collection grows I will continue to give you all the ammunition that you need to wear your jewelry from me with confidence and joy.
Thanks so much for reading this. I am happy to get into conversations or answer any of your questions. Just post a comment below.
I am just in the process of posting wedding jewelry on my site, www.sophiemiller.com.
It has been my experience that a bride can either find costume jewelry to wear in her wedding, and to accessorize her bridesmaids, or she can find fine jewelry, beautiful items made of 14k gold and diamonds.
But it has always been difficult to find beautiful jewelry, made of precious metals, hand set, exquisitely manufactured, at affordable prices.
Young brides have asked me to please, please, create bridal jewelry in sterling silver so that it is available to them. Things that are special, with special details, that are as special as she is on her wedding day.
They tell me that their husband-to-be spends his wad on the ring, she spends her wad on the dress, her parents spend their wad on the reception, so there isn't enough money for fine jewelry for her special day, but, she doesn't want costume....its just not special enough for her once in a lifetime experience.
So, I am introducing Sophie Miller Bridal Party, beautifully manufactured silver jewelry, with the look of real, using high quality white cz and other faux stones. In my collection you will be able to find special earrings, necklaces, and bracelets for all the members of your bridal party, at prices that you can afford, all in spectacular sterling silver.
Whether the bride wants necklaces that make her feel like a fairy princess, fabulous dangle earrings, charming simple studs that are special in all their details, or incredible bracelets to grace her wrist, Sophie Miller will be the one stop shopping place for Brides to find their special jewels, at a price they can afford. As the next few weeks unfold, there will also be silver jewelry for the Mother of the Bride, and for the Bridesmaids all with an attention to detail, designed by Sophie Miller just for them.
This jewelry is also perfect for Black Tie, Prom and for Pageants...any time that you are looking for stunning jewelry for special occasions. I think you will agree, this collection is amazing.
Remember to use the code: Sophie, as you check out to get a 20% discount throughout the month of December. What a wonderful time to save!
Hi. I am just launching my new jewelry site www.Sophiemiller.com. I have been designing gold, silver and brass jewelry for more than 25 years, and have many designs that have previously been unavailable to the public. Most of my jewelry has been available under private label. You will see how my designs in silver and brass are influenced by my fine jewelry background.
I am excited to open my site just in time for holiday gift giving. Every item purchased will come with a beautiful feminine sheer organza pouch, to store your jewelry, or to make it perfect to give as a gift.
I plan to use my blog to write about jewelry and to ask questions as to your preferences, and to answer questions you have always wanted to ask about jewelry.
Please visit my site. I am excited to hear what you all think of my jewelry. I believe that women should be able to buy affordable jewelry for themselves, and still look like they just stepped out of the highest end fine jewelry store. I create my jewelry with that thought in mind. My philosophy is to manufacture jewelry that is so beautiful it fools the eye. Only you can decide if you want your friends to know that is it made with hand set faux stones.
Thank you so much. I look forward to hearing from you.
I am offering a discount to readers of Understanding Jewelry for the month of November. When checking out, use the code Sophie for a 20% discount on my prices.
Sophie Miller has been designing jewelry for the last 25 years. You have probably seen her private label jewelry at all of the major fine jewelers across America, as well as at department stores and specialty stores.
Especially in these economic times, Sophie strongly believes that all women deserve to be able to purchase stunning jewelry for themselves, at non fine jewelry prices.
Check out both her silver and her brass offerings. Both are finely made by fine jewelry artisans. All of her jewelry is cast, just as fine jewelry is. All of her stones are hand set. You will be purchasing a finely made piece of faux fine jewelry that is so beautiful it will fool the eye. Everyone will think its real, unless you chose to tell them.
She hopes you will enjoy her creations for years to come.
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