Emeralds were beloved by many ancient rulers . . . from Cleopatra to Nero to Shah Jahan . . . they each shared a love for this incomparable gem. The color of a fine emerald is mesmerizing with its varying shades of rich green (colored by chromium and vanadium). In fact, Nero is said to […]
May
15
Acrostic Jewelry: Spelling with Gems
posted by siamgempalace
Victorian jewelry is filled with sentimentality. Think of all the trinkets worn to remember a loved one like lockets, portrait rings, hair jewelry, mourning jewelry, lover’s eye jewelry, and memento mori. Well, here is another, acrostic jewelry. I especially like acrostic jewelry because it uses gemstones to spell out a romantic phrase or word. Basically, you […]
May
19
Weekend Project: S-Hook Clasp
posted by siamgempalace
The S-Hook clasp has been around since antiquity and is one of the easiest clasps to make. With a minimal of tools, you can create custom S-Hooks and give your pieces a unique, handmade appeal . . . You’ll need: Wire (gauge depends on the desired size and effect of the clasp but you should […]
May
13
Niessing: German Engineered Wedding Bands
posted by siamgempalace
In the many years I’ve been in the jewelry business, the German manufacturer, Niessing, continues to fascinate and amaze me. Niessing is a top manufacturer of premium, contemporary German jewelry design. Much like German cars, German jewelry is renown for clean lines, perfection in workmanship, and an innovative approach. Niessing’s technical achievements in metal-working is unparalelled, […]
May
12
Pantone Gems
posted by siamgempalace
Pantone’s Spring 2013 collection of colors are almost perfect matches for some of our gemstones . . . get inspired by these ten shades the experts at Pantone have picked out for the season. Love the Rachel Roy dress in ‘tender shoots’! (look for the item number in the caption and find it in our […]
May
11
Weekend Project: Simple Soldering
posted by siamgempalace
This weekend, learn soldering! Learning to solder will widen your horizons and allow for many possibilities in your creative journey. There are many tools on the market today to make soldering simple and easy. You’ll need: Soldering block Solder Flux Butane torch or soldering iron Brush Water (for quenching) Third hand / clamp (optional) You […]
May
08
Elizabeth Taylor: “I’ve GOT to have my emeralds!”
posted by siamgempalace
It’s no secret Elizabeth Taylor had one of the world’s most enviable jewelry collections – from the infamous 69.42 carats Taylor-Burton Diamond, to the La Peregrina (a pearl once owned by Queen Mary I of England), to the Taj-Mahal Diamond, she not only had large jewels but historical ones, most of which were given to […]
May
06
Trapiche Emeralds
posted by siamgempalace
With its incomparable lush green hue, emerald is one of the most sought-after and valuable gemstones of the world. However, few have seen or even heard of a much less common variety called Trapiche Emerald. Trapiche emerald is a very rare natural occurring phenomenon. Unlike asterism in rubies and sapphires, the ‘star’ pattern in Trapiche […]
May
02
Maquech Brooch – Living Beetle Jewelry
posted by siamgempalace
In Mexico, you can buy and wear a living beetle brooch. Yes, the Maquech beetle is ‘bedazzled’ with gems and gold and is attached by a 2 inch chain with a pin at the end which fastens onto your shirt. The beetle can then freely crawl around but can never get away. These bejeweled brooches […]
April
30
A ‘Refreshing’ Way to Use Stray Gems
posted by siamgempalace
I’ve always loved the packaging of Fresh‘s iconic oval soap . . . the damask paper is exotic and incredibly pretty with the most vibrant and elegant colors. But what I love most is that each bar of soap is individually wire-wrapped with a small gem. What a fantastic use of those run-away stones lying […]
April
30
Janesich Art Deco Diamond Pekingnese Brooch
posted by siamgempalace
A French Art Deco platinum and diamond brooch depicting a Pekingnese dog in pavé diamonds with enamel nose and eyes in a baguette diamond frame. Doesn’t this little guy have the best haughty expression? In 1835, Leopold Janesich opened his first shop in Trieste, where he sold jewelry and silverware to the international clientele which […]
April
28
25.5 Carat Blue Diamond Found in South Africa
posted by siamgempalace
A 25.5 ct. blue diamond was recovered by Petra Diamonds Limited at the Cullinan mine in South Africa. This isn’t the first blue stone the company has unearthed. In 2009, it found a 26.6 ct. rough that would become the 7 ct. Star of Josephine diamond that sold for more than $9 million at Sotheby’s. […]
April
27
Gina Lollobrigida’s Rough Diamond Pendant
posted by siamgempalace
Next to Sophia Loren and Brigitte Bardot, there was another European actress in the 50s and 60s that captured our imaginations with her sultry looks and sassy attitude. She is Gina Lollobrigida. She was a bombshell in the file and ranks of Marilyn Monroe. In the early 60s, she starred in two movies with Rock […]
April
26
Lydia Courteille
posted by siamgempalace
Parisian jeweler, Lydia Courteille, has caught my attention for the past several years. Her bijoux can be found in Christie’s auctions as well as on the pages of high fashion magazines like Harper’s Bazaar or Vogue. She is one of a handful of designers marrying art and jewels in a successful way. Last year, I […]
April
18
Fancy Deep-Blue Diamond ‘Trombino’ ring, circa 1965
posted by siamgempalace
SOLD for £6.2 million. Last week, I posted about the Princie Diamond, a 34.65-carat fancy pink diamond which sold at Christie’s New York yesterday for $39.3 million—the second-highest price ever paid for a jewel at auction. Today, I’ll be featuring another fancy color Type IIb diamond, up for sale at Bonham’s later this month, at […]
April
16
The Jewels of Katharine Dupont Weymouth
posted by siamgempalace
Re-imaginning a lady through her jewels – Magnificent Jewels. Christie’s April 16, 2013 New York Auction. Today is the big day of the Magnificent Jewels auction at Christie’s, New York. There are some INCREDIBLE things up for sale but I especially love the pieces from the estate of Katharine Dupont Weymouth, who was the widow […]
April
09
Fun Shades
posted by siamgempalace
You would have to be living under a rock not to notice all the fun sunglasses popping up all over the place. The blogosphere is loaded with DIY’s on how to embellish your shades with everything from ceramic flowers, to gems and pearls, to crystals, to … Fimo! Some of my favorites are: HonestlyWTF (these […]
April
08
Diamond in the Rough
posted by siamgempalace
All month long, I will be focusing on diamonds (in all their glory and forms), because diamonds are April’s birthstone! Today, I’ll be featuring Diamond in the Rough, a brand launched by Daniel Eskapa in 2005 that makes exquisite jewelry featuring high quality rough diamonds. With the re-launch of their website last year, the brand […]
April
05
The Princie Diamond – Christie’s April 16th, 2013 Auction
posted by siamgempalace
THE LARGEST GOLCONDA FANCY INTENSE PINK DIAMOND EVER TO BE OFFERED FOR SALE AT AUCTION New York – On April 16 Christie’s New York will kick off the spring auction season with a colorful selection of superb jewelry for its upcoming Magnificent Jewels auction. The day-long auction features almost 300 jewels, including top-quality colored and […]
April
02
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Diamonds
posted by siamgempalace
1. Diamonds were first discovered in India in the 4th century B.C., but it wasn’t until almost 2,000 years later in the late 19th century, that they became available to the masses when large deposits were found in South Africa. Up until that point, diamonds were reserved exclusively for royalty and elite society due to […]
March
18
Bunny Love
posted by siamgempalace
Easter is around the corner and bunnies are on our minds (having our very own mini lop around the office is not helping matters!) … spoiler alert: there’s an extremely adorable real live bunny picture at the bottom of this post. But if you don’t have a real bunny, one of these *squee* baubles might […]
March
14
Jennifer Trask
posted by siamgempalace
Using pre-ban ivory, bone, found objects around rural Hudson Valley in upstate New York and gold leaf, Jennifer Trask creates the most hauntingly beautiful sculptures and one-of-a-kind jewelry inspired by the patterns of growth in nature. Jennifer’s work is so dynamic they seem to burst forth and bloom in front of your very eyes. Excerpts […]
March
10
Tito Pedrini
posted by siamgempalace
Tito Pedrini is not afraid of color. I first met Tito ten years ago when I was studying at the G.I.A. obtaining my graduate gemologist certification. I remember looking at his gorgeous jewelry and thinking this man has a great eye for color. He told our class that his secret weapon is often using ‘B’ […]
March
07
Monique Péan
posted by siamgempalace
Utilizing fossilized woolly mammoth, walrus ivory, horn and unusual colored gemstones, Monique Péan has established herself in the jewelry world as the queen of understated elegance. Here at Siam Gem Palace, we just LOVE what Monique’s all about – the mixing of sustainable and natural materials (sapphire hexagons, diamond slices, fossils etc.) with design and […]
March
03
Kimberly McDonald
posted by siamgempalace
One of our favorite contemporary jewelry designers is Kimberly McDonald. Her designs incorporate all the natural gemmy gorgeousness of geodes, gem slices (diamond, sapphire, emerald slices), boulder opals, rose diamonds, and black opal doublets – all the stuff we adore here at Siam Gem Palace. Kimberly also creates a line of home decor using the […]
March
02
Diamond Slice Earrings
posted by siamgempalace
Our new shipment of diamond slices are here! These have nice thicknesses 1.0 – 1.3mm for ease of setting. Contact us for how to purchase. If you need them set, let us know and we can custom design a setting just for you!
February
22
Amethyst: February Birthstone
posted by siamgempalace
The name “amethyst” comes from the Greek meaning “not drunken,” and Amethyst has long been considered to be a strong antidote against drunkenness. Wine goblets were often carved from it, and the gemstone still symbolizes sobriety to this day. The legend of the origin of amethyst comes from the Greeks. Dionysus, the god of intoxication, […]
February
16
Mark Davis: Luxury DIY
posted by siamgempalace
Upcycling has largely been reserved for home-crafters looking to save a few bucks or make a few bucks by taking an old material and reinventing or repurposing it. At least until now. Meet Mark Davis. A New York City based jeweler/upcycler extraordinaire. Davis takes vintage bakelite and transforms them into high end luxury accessories with […]
February
15
Daniel Brush: Hermit Genius
posted by siamgempalace
Known in the art world as a reclusive genius, Daniel Brush is an artist that transcends boundaries. In his career spanning four decades, Brush has been a painter, a sculptor, a jeweler and a maker of objets de vertu. Brush’s work is rarely available at auctions. In the years between 1978 (when he began gaining […]
February
13
Year of the Snake
posted by siamgempalace
With the Lunar New Year just behind us, the year of the snake has officially begun. The serpent has been an important symbol throughout history and across many cultures. Although serpent jewelry dates back thousands of years, the height of popularity for the serpent motif was during the Victorian era. Queen Victoria’s wedding ring was […]
February
03
CARTIER PARIS: Art Deco Rare Chinoiserie Gem Set Compact
posted by siamgempalace
The rectangular case applied with royal blue enamel, embellished to the centre with a gem-set floral bouquet in a vase motif, between borders of chevron design accented with cabochon emeralds, to a push-button opening set with calibre-cut sapphire, opening to reveal a mirror, powder compartment and lipstick holder, circa 1925, signed Cartier Paris Londres New […]
February
03
Ward Kelvin: Chinoiserie Chic
posted by siamgempalace
After a design career at Tiffany & Co. and David Yurman, Ward Kelvin struck out on his own and formed a collection unlike any other. Heavily influenced by Chinese artistic styles, his ‘American Chinoiserie’ is a stand-out even amongst giants like Paul Morelli, Verdura, Henry Dunay, Kieselstein-Cord and the likes in the hallowed jewelry salon […]
January
31
Alma Pihl: A Woman in the House of Fabergé
posted by siamgempalace
Nestled in the Russian State Archives is the original bill sent in 1913 to Tsar Nicholas II from the renowned court jeweler, Fabergé, for the purchase of the most expensive Imperial Easter Egg ever made – the 1913 Winter Egg. The bill records the price as 24,600 rubles; the highest ever paid. It also details […]
January
30
Jack du Rose: Nouveau Lalique
posted by siamgempalace
Jack du Rose. You may have never heard this name until now. But look out – he is fast emerging on the haute joaillerie-cum-art world circuit like a meteor about to hit the Earth. Jack du Rose is also the artist who placed 8,601 diamond-sized pieces of paper circles onto a real-life skull to mark […]
January
29
Jet: From morbid to modern
posted by siamgempalace
You’ve heard the expression ‘as black as jet.’ But did you ever stop to wonder what is jet exactly? Jet is a black material used in jewelry - it can be carved, cut, polished, and set like a gemstone. Most notably, it is linked to Victorian mourning jewelry. Unlike most gemstones, Jet is actually fossilized […]
January
28
TOM TOM JEWELRY
posted by siamgempalace
What a fresh and modern way to showcase gem crystals! Elena Howell of Tom Tom Jewelry is a formally trained architect who infuses her jewelry with a clean, modern flair.
January
26
Anna Higgie
posted by siamgempalace
Our shop was featured in NangijalaJewelry‘s treasury today and I couldn’t help but notice Anna Higgie’s illustration in it. I went to check out Anna’s blog and wow. What I love the most are her pictures and descriptions of the process in creating her gorgeous paintings and illustrations. The blog is chock full of sketches, […]
January
25
Carbonados: Black Diamonds from Outer Space?
posted by siamgempalace
Carbonado is a porous black diamond found in alluvial deposits in only a handful of places in the world, the largest deposits are in Brazil and The Central African Republic. What is intriguing about them is the mystery surrounding where they came from. As of today, there is no commonly accepted explanation for how they […]
January
23
Delfina Delettrez: Bizarre Luxury
posted by siamgempalace
Perhaps you’ve seen Delfina Delettrez’s work in high end fashion mags like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle. If you have, I’m sure that you quite suddenly stopped in your tracks; it is impossible to encounter her work without doing a double-take at its bizarre quality and originality. Hailing from the Italian family that started the […]
January
22
The Maltese Cross: What is it?
posted by siamgempalace
The Maltese Cross is often seen in jewelry. But what does this ubiquitous eight-pointed cross represent? There are several explanations. The best explanation is one that harkens back to the Crusades; possessing eight points, the Maltese Cross is suppose to represent the eight chivalric virtues of: The chivalric virtues are often written about. However, there […]
