PastGems Vintage Jewelry Blog

P.S. One More Trend for Fall...

I was reading San Francisco magazine a couple of days ago -- it has all the latest and greatest on the glitz and glamor of the City by the Bay, including the greatest eats, fashion and yep, jewelry trends.  I picked up from there that another trend for Fall 2008 are LARGE LINK CHAIN pieces.  Since things are always coming back around, it just so happens that there are some great vintage pieces that fill the bill -- right in my own little shop!  Like this: Extra Long Gold Link Vintage Chain.  And don't stop there -- there are many more.

This is what I love about vintage -- you can follow the trends and be in fashion with going out and buying new!  Hunt through your own jewelry box and see what you can find.  If your personal treasures don't quite provide the look you're going for, then come on over and browse PastGems --  maybe we have something.  With over 1000 wonderful vintage jewelry pieces, there's sure to be something to win you over.  And our prices are still reasonable!  See you soon!

xoxo
Karen

September 2008 - Top 3 Jewelry Trends for Fall

Top 3 Jewelry Trends for Fall 2008
  Statement Necklaces, Cuff Bracelets, Black & White Jewelry

The best thing about a stunning vintage necklace is that it is affordable.  You can dress like a queen, even on a budget.  Simply accessorize your little black dress (or your jeans & jacket) with an absolutely stunning necklace!  (Like the one pictured below from Eisenberg)

 

Another important trend is the cuff bracelet or a tall stack of narrow bangles.  Cuff bracelets are statement pieces that can turn a simple sheath into a stunning outfit.
faux pearls with spacers of black cloisonne beads Cuff bracelets are timeless classics that work with every season, making them excellent investments.  The one pictured to the right is an artful combination of copper & brass.

Don't overdo it! One statement accessory is enough.  A small collection of statement jewelry is all you need to create your very own signature look.  Wear them one at a time with your favorite outfit.  A simple change of accessories freshens your look instantly.

Finally, the color trend for the Fall is Black & White!  Try some .  Or Black & White earrings.  Or for some real sparkle, add a statement necklace of Black & Clear rhinestones! This one is from Kramer.  Instant glamor!

You'll find many affordable statement pieces to choose from at PastGems.com.  Let us help you build your collection of statement jewelry!

Get to know Luke Razza

Luke Razza designed costume jewelry during the 1960s and early 1970s. Razza's pieces are highly collectible; they are mostly figural (often depicting animals and signs of the zodiac) and are generally large in scale. Many Razza pieces incorporate a resin-like plastic with gold washed metal, a process which he introduced to the market.

Luke Razza created some of the most charming, eyecatching zodiac symbols ever, many of which are discontinued.  I am fortunate enough to have come across this lion’s head necklace (for Leo) at an estate sale.  A perfect statement necklace!

Razza jewelry pieces are highly collectible, whimsical and charming. Luke Razza is a renowned craftsman whose jewelry reflects his artistry and humor.

Thanks again for taking the time to read my newsletter, for being a customer and friend.  Wishing you a wonderful & exuberant end of Summer/early Fall.

xoxo,

Karen 

Gift Certificate Added to PastGems!

Well, this is exciting!  We've added a Gift Certificate button to PastGems.com!  Having trouble deciding just what to get for that special occasion or that special person?  Well, just give them a gift certificate from us and let them decide!  You can choose any amount from $5.00 up to $1,000!!  You don't need to have a Paypal account to buy the certificate, although Paypal IS the processor.  However, your recipient does need a Paypal account -- if they don't already have one, they'll need to set one up.  So if your intended giftee is Paypal-phobic, well, better talk some sense into them. 

Honestly, I don't know WHY some people are so down on Paypal.  I've been using them for YEARS and have never yet had a single problem with them. 

You have the option of having your gift certificate delivered by email, or you can print it out and deliver it yourself.  The email will have a link so they can immediately start shopping.  The printed certificate will obviously have the web url so they can shop when they feel so moved. 

Our gift certificates never expire; and you don't have to use it all at once.  Say someone only uses $25 of a $50 gift certificate; the remaining balance is held for them until next time.  If they go over, they will be asked to use an alternative method of payment to pay the difference.  PastGems nor Paypal are responsible for lost certificates, however, so take care.

So that's our news for the day.  Just navigate to the bottom of any page at PastGems.com, look for the GIFT CERTIFICATE button, click and follow the guided instructions.  Thanks for visiting -- we look forward to seeing you again!
xoxo
Karen

New Widget

Hey, check it out!  ProStores has this new widget that basically shows the featured products on my home page.  If you LIKE my store, you can actually paste this widget onto your web page, which would be cool because people would see it and maybe even pay us a visit!

Back to School Already?

When I was a kid, we had three whole months of summer vacation.  School let out in June, we went back in September.  After Labor Day.  A lot of schools around here started last week -- in the middle of August.  The ones that didn't will start next week. 

In the beautiful Bay Area where I live, summer doesn't really start until August.  In my opinion.  Our Summers tend to be on the cool side with gray overcast mornings from the "marine layer" as they like to call it and then warming up in the afternoon.  Yes, we had a couple of heat waves in June and July, but truly the most beautiful, perfect weather months in Northern California are late August through October.  That's when I think summer should be. 

But everyone is stuck back in school, and back at work after their summer vacations and actually starting to gear up for the holidays, which are going to be here before we know it.  Anyway, I start getting excited about this time of year as we're approaching my favorite season -- Sept & Oct with picture perfect weather, crystal clear blue skies, soft ocean breezes...it just doesn't get much better.

If you've never been to the Bay Area and are thinking about a visit, plan your trip for September or October and experience it at its best!

xoxo,
Karen
www.pastgems.com

Building Your Jewelry Wardrobe

I wanted to share this article with you that I came across while doing some research.  Remember, you can be trendy with vintage jools, too!  You don't need to go out and buy a bunch of new stuff!  Check out PastGems.com as you "fill in the blanks" or expand your jewelry wardrobe.  And Have FUN!!

The Jewelry Wardrobe! Instant Elegance! by bellenoelle

 So many women today are following trends. Following like sheep. I say this not to be inflammatory, but to give you perspective. If you have the cash, following trends is easier. How hard is it to look “put together” when you have all the time and money you need to do so? But most of us do not have those luxuries. Time and money are scarce.

Most of us live, work, and pay for the needs of our families. Usually, we are the last to get organized, the last to be accessorized, the proverbial “shoemaker’s kid.”

So here is the hard truth:  If you want to be elegant more of the time, simplicity is your starting point.

You don’t have to throw away your precious jewels or sentimental pieces. But, you should have an arsenal of pieces that you can wear at a moment’s notice—which you can grab in a hurry. You can build a small classic wardrobe of jewelry out of “fashion jewelry” to start, and then, scale up from there. Honestly, if you keep it out of the plain air (put in a jewelry box or plastic bag) the inexpensive fashion jewelry can last quite a long time. I have had one set of faux pearls for 10 years!

To start:
·Clear out the old, especially trends gone by. Save the fine jewelry (gold, silver, platinum, etc.) and put it aside, we’ll talk about that later.

·Anything broken or ill fitting? Let it go or move it out. Donate it and get a receipt for your taxes, garage sale it, toss it. E-bay it.

Then, consider your storage situation.
·Do you have a proper place to put your jewelry? Is it all getting tarnished? Scratched? Damaged by other pieces of jewelry? Not good. Many storage stores and even the large department stores have jewelry boxes of various sizes. It is worth it to store it properly. A stop-gap measure would be a sealable plastic bag and maybe shoe boxes to put your plastic bags in. Label them with style or type of jewelry.

Next, build the classic wardrobe with these pieces:
·Earrings: Pearl studs, diamond or rhinestone studs (1/2 to 1carat), hoops of gold and silver small, medium, and large. A sparkly drop earring for evening.
·Necklace: A diamond or diamond-look pendant, Pearl necklace (choker and maybe a 24”), omega chain of gold/silver with a slide pendant.
·Watch: One formal, one casual for everyday. 
·Bracelet: The tennis bracelet is always good, pearl bracelet, simple silver or goldtone chain bracelet of a medium weight.
·Rings: Gold, silver, whatever. Just keep them polished and don’t wear too many at a time.

Fine Jewelry tips:
·If it is broken, get it fixed.
·If something is out of date, you can always have it reworked.
·Jewelry cleaner, a polishing cloth, and proper storage are keys to care.
·If it is really pricey, make sure you have an appraisal and store it safely. A safe deposit box can be just the thing.

If you get rid of the old, bring in the new classics, and take good care of the fine jewelry you do have, you will not only be elegant, you will also be organized. I love all of the trendy stuff, but I adore the Audrey Hepburn look of simple elegance. Less is more. And I can put that together in a minute flat! A little black dress, pearls, or diamond (rhinestone) studs, a classic necklace and bracelet, pumps, and a simple handbag. Off I go!!

Noelle Havelka is the owner of bellenoelle.com, an online fashion jewelry retailer that can provide all of your classic, trendy, inspirational, and evening jewelry needs.

Article Source: http://www.ladypens.com

Check out PastGems' classic Faux Pearls,  Rhinestone Necklaces or Earrings or Gold Jewelry for some timeless necklaces, rings, bracelets and more!  
Happy Day!
Karen

Time

I'm a stickler for being on time.  I hate to be late.  For anything.  I'm one of those people who gets to the movies so early I'm nearly finished with my popcorn before the feature starts.  This really annoys some of the people in my life.  Others (like my daughter) I've managed to influence to have the same compulsion.  In earlier days I NEVER left the house without my watch.  And if I did sometimes forget, I was in a panic all day.  About 5 years ago, near Thanksgiving weekend, my watch battery died.  I kept trying to get it replaced and it kept not happening.  The store was already closed.  The store was open, but the guy who did it wasn't there.  The guy was there, but they didn't have the battery.  I have a good friend who never wears a watch.  And seems happy.  And is always on time.  (I don't have many friends who are chronically late.  A few.  But not many.)  So I decided to try NOT wearing a watch.  It's been great!  And I haven't been late for anything yet. 

So, it's been interesting for me in the last several months, as in my business I come across a LOT of vintage watches.  In particular, my late aunt seemed to really love watches, as she had probably a hundred.  Some of them are amazing.  Some are real bling-y, encrusted with rhinestones, some are positively huge and some are dainty and feminine.   Some even still work!!  I've had fun looking at them, researching them and making them available to other vintage watch lovers. The temptation is to want to keep them, but I don't really WANT to go back to wearing a watch.

Anyway,  I finally realized I needed to make a new category in my store just for watches.  Here it is:  Vintage Watches.   But that's not all!  I still have watches waiting to be photographed and listed.  In fact, very soon I'll be listing in my eBay Store, PastGems Vintage Jewelry Shop an entire lot of 13(!) vintage ladies watches, all in various states.  A boon for someone who enjoys cleaning up and repairing and reselling watches.  In any case, bookmark my website and keep coming back to check on new listings, as I post several new listings every week.  And have the time of your life!

xoxo
Karen Giles
Owner, PastGems.com

Fall 2008 Jewelry Trends

Hey, this is just a quickie.  I'll be sending out a newsletter about this in a couple of weeks, but I've been seeing some articles out there about Fall jewelry trends -- and yes, you CAN be trendy with Vintage Jools!  In fact, I think that following current trends using vintage jewelry is even MORE interesting.  In any case, here are the 3 trends:

• Black & white jewelry
• Statement Necklaces
• Statement Bracelets

Here are some examples of items we have at PastGems.com that just might satisfy those trends:

Eisenberg Brushed Silver Pendant

Black Glass & Faux Pearl Opera Length Necklace

Kramer Style Black & Clear Rhinestone Bracelet
 

Where does the time go?

My intention when I started this blog was to write in it several times a week.  Somehow May, June & July just flew by without my ever getting a round tuit!  There were computer problems, there was general busy-ness that seemed overwhelming at times, sales from my eBay store Karen's Consignments were going through the roof and THAT keeps a girl busy believe me.  Anyway, enough excuses.   I'm setting a new intention TODAY to write more regularly.  I have TONS of information and ideas I'd like to share.

One of the things I've been doing during the past couple of months is acquiring loads of "new" vintage jewelry.  I "met" a woman in cyberspace who buys estates, but has no interest in jewelry, so I have been buying jewelry lots from her and now have enough in my pipeline to keep me out of trouble for months!  Check out my little vintage jewelry shop PastGems.com for new listings.  We also often list first in my other eBay store PastGems Vintage Jewelry Shop, where, if you are a bargain hunter, this is the place to be.  Nothing is ever listed over $9.99, even if sometimes it's worth a lot more.  For instance, this week there is a Weiss Daisy Pin with Ladybug worth between $40 and $50 and the starting bid is $9.99!  Go check it out!  
It is on the cool side here in Beautiful Northern California in August.  I love this gorgeous place but I do wish summers were warmer.  And I wish we had thunderstorms.  I've lived in the East and in the South and that is one of the things I loved about those places -- the awesome thunderstorms!

Well, I need to get thundering away on listing new jools for you, so I'm off, but I'll be back -- and more frequently, I promise!  Next, we'll talk about 3 jewelry trends for Fall -- yes, you can be trendy with vintage!  In fact, it's even better!  Happy Day!