When it comes to decorating your house for the holidays, what is your favorite part of the process? Some people like getting in the Christmas spirit the night of Thanksgiving by turning on some Christmas music and decorating their homes with all of the red and green decorations they can find. Other people do not go overboard at all and will simply ignore the holiday as it passes. No matter what you do or do not do for Christmas, you can still save a ton of money if you decide to do some Christmas shopping. Even if you do not celebrate Christmas, you can still save hundreds, even thousands of dollars on items you would have purchased anyway. If you are going to buy something you may as well buy it when it is on sale! Everything from cars to engagement rings will be on sale for you to buy for yourself or another person.

View our Great Gift Selections at Amidon Jewelers

Many people enjoy the process of going out to buy and put up a Christmas tree. Some people like the fake trees because they are less work to clean up. These trees also only need to be purchased one time. Just like an engagement ring, you can typically buy one in your life and be okay for a very long time! Eventually you will need to upgrade your tree as you move from home to home and you may even have to buy her a new diamond ring on down the road to keep her happy, but for the most part, one item is more than enough! Real trees have some pros and cons to them. One of the biggest pros is the smell. Real Christmas trees smell so good! They fill your home with the smell of Christmas and allow everyone who comes in your house to feel the love and warmth of this very special time of year. It is also a very special time with your family to decorate the tree and house together. If you have children, this can be quite the production! Their little faces will light up as you place each and every ornament on the tree for them to see. Your wife will also enjoy opening up her gift from under the tree – a lovely diamond ring!

In United States, we celebrate today our nation’s independence day or else known as Fourth of July.

“On July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies requested their independence from England, an affair which ultimately led to the foundation of the United States. Every year on Fourth of July, also known as Independence Day, Americans have a good time on this historic event,” says Military.com. “Clash between the colonies and England was already a year old when the colonies convoked a Continental Congress in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776. On June 7 at the conference that took place in the Pennsylvania State House later known as Independence Hall. Richard Henry Lee of Virginia read a resolution with the prominent words: “Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are liberated from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.”

Red Color Genuine Mozambique Ruby & Diamond Ring

Some fun Fourth of July facts, courtesy of United States Government webpage:

The number of signers to the Declaration of Independence totaled to 56. Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Robert R. Livingston comprised the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration. Jefferson, considered as the strongest and most expressive writer, wrote the most part of the document.
In 2013, the trade value between the United States and the United Kingdom is at $100 billion dollar value, making the British, who were our adversary in 1776, our seventh prominent tradeoff partner today.

White Pearls offered by Marco Bicego Jaipur Earrings with Mother of Pearl

Emblematically, you can use this day as your own independence from something special on July 4th as well. Whether that comprises of breaking out of a bad habit, or going after that long daydreamed career, getting in shape, beginning a new relationship, ending one that has outlasted its time, or simply undertaking a long desirable goal.

Sparkly jewels, especially rubies, pearls and sapphires (red, white and blue) can help you feel revitalized, fresh and self-determining. In case you are joining a grill party, family gathering, beach festivity or a simple get together with associates or family, the right jewelers can support you to feel as if you have acknowledged your own unique independence.

Blue Color offered by Genuine Blue Sapphire & Diamond Ring

Amidon offers this example of a big blue brilliant cut diamond surrounded by smaller brilliant cut diamonds.

If you’ve ever seen raw gemstones, you might have been surprised how dull they looked. Where’s the glint? Well, for most stones the glint is trapped inside until an expert gem cutter sets to work. The task is to cut the stone to set off its color and minimize inclusions while preserving as much of the stone’s weight as possible. An inclusion is a fragment of another substance or a cavity that detracts from the gem’s value.

The best way to cut stones varies radically from one to another. Some, such as turquoise, require little more than a good polish. Others have rigid crystalline structures which shatter if cut the wrong way.  Some stones, such as diamonds, have structures allowing for more complex cuts. When a stone allows different approaches, the gem cutter will decide which cut maximizes shine or fits a client’s preferred setting.

When picking jewelry, keep in mind that you want a symmetrical gem that uniformly reflects light across its surface. The polish should be smooth and scratch-free.

 Cabochon Cut

This is the simplest and most ancient cut. The stone is round on top, flat on the bottom, with no facets. You’ll see this cut in semi-precious stones like tiger’s eye and moonstones. It’s also used for star gems, such as star sapphires and star rubies. In the last few years, the cabochon has also become a trendy cut for emeralds.

Round Brilliant Cut

This most popular shape for diamonds was created in 1919 by Marcel Tolkowsky. Seen from the side, it looks like a cone: round on top and pointy on bottom. Brilliant cut allows the maximum amount of light to enter the stone, explaining the squint-inducing glint of the best diamonds. Sadly, cutting a diamond into this shape results in losing about half your original stone.

Oval cut sapphires combined with brilliant round diamonds

Oval Cut

A popular shape for high quality colored gemstones, the oval cut has a length to width ratio of about 2:1. A standard oval cut gem has 69 facets. Viewed from the top, it looks elliptical. In the hands of a talented gem cutter, the oval can sparkle nearly as much as the round brilliant cut.

Emerald Cut

Emerald cuts are – not surprisingly – a top cut for emeralds. At first glance, emerald cut stones look rectangular. But they’re actually octagonal. Equidistant steps around the stone’s edges rise up to the central pavilion. This cut was originally designed to reduce pressure on emeralds and prevent chipping. But now you can find many stones in emerald cut.

A princess cut yellow diamond sparkles in the center of this ring from Amidon.

Princess Cut

Tiffany & Co. refers to princess cut as “elegant and dramatic.” From the top, it looks square. From the side, a princess cut gem resembles an inverted pyramid. After the round brilliant, this is the number two cut for diamonds. Princess cuts are popular with diamond cutters, as they can retain more of the raw gem than when using a brilliant cut. This cut first entered the gem scene in the 1960s.

Jewelry purchases can be scary and intimidating. Unfortunately this is a scary yet true fact. Shopping mall jewelry store sales people can be compared to used car salesman, eager to make their next sale. Before you read any further, we want you to know that at Amidon Jewelers, this is NOT the case. We hope every shopping experience with us is a pleasant one.

We are aware that your options are nearly endless every time you would like to make a jewelry purchase. Racks in the mall, superstore and jewelry store are overflowing with inexpensive earrings, bracelets and necklaces that call out to you as you walk by. As respectful jewelry merchants, we believe it’s our responsibility to educate you of the benefits of buying a high-quality jewelry. Your skin will thank you from being saved from low quality metals, and in the long run, your bank account will thank you as well.

Think about it: How many pairs of superstore earrings have you had to throw out because the fake gemstones fell out of their settings? More than a handful, we’re sure. When you buy a pair of earrings or piece of jewelry from a reputable establishment such as Amidon Jewelers, you also buy peace of mind. To start, we have the Amidon Jewelry Assurance Plan! Let’s say you need to have your ring sized. Or you need to have the prongs tightened around the stones on your favorite earrings. When you purchase our Extended Service Plan, we will make any covered repairs needed, up to the amount of the purchase price, at no additional charge (Please see site for details).

Next, here’s a thought that may not have come to mind before… When you purchase jewelry from a reputable jewelry store, you’re investing in your future. History shows that the price of diamonds and gold has increased not decreased, over time. And if you’ve watched cable television lately, you have probably seen numerous commercials discussing jewelry buy-back promotions.

We sincerely hope you will never face a hardship where you have to consider selling your jewelry, however by buying a piece of quality jewelry, you’re investing the futures of both you and your descendants. Your retirement account, savings account and CD’s can be complemented by your new liquid, investments – your jewelry.

The staff at Amidon Jewelers is always happy you make educated jewelry purchasing decisions. Please don’t hesitate to contact us should you have any questions about how to invest in the best jewelry pieces for enjoyment now and in the future.

Colored Diamonds

A rainbow of color at Amidon Jewelers

Click here for colored diamond Jewelry!

While we may no longer be five years old and completely infatuated with the Easter Bunny and the basket of surprises he’ll bring on Easter morning, who can’t help but to sneak a Cadbury Cream Egg or Peep during this holiday season? While we may be initially inclined to pass on a jelly bean filled Easter basket, Amidon Jewelers believes you may give a second thought to a basket containing a song like we have in store.

Peter Cottontail by Gene Autry

Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin’ down the bunny trail
Hippity hoppin’, Easter’s on its way

Bringin’ every girl and boy
Baskets full of Easter joy
Things to make your Easter bright and gay

He’s got jelly beans for Tommy
Colored eggs for sister Sue
There’s an orchid for your mommy
And an Easter bonnet too

Oh! Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin’ down the bunny trail
Hippity hoppity, happy Easter Day

Try to do the things you should
Maybe if you’re extra good
He’ll roll lots of Easter eggs your way

You’ll wake up on Easter mornin’
And you’ll know that he was there
When you find those chocolate bunnies
That he’s hiding everywhere

Oh! Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin’ down the bunny trail
Hippity Hoppity, happy Easter Day

With March right around the corner, it’s time to prepare for all the March birthdays you have coming your way. Among March birthdays is one you may not even know about – Dr. Seuss! Born March 2, 1904, Dr. Seuss became well known for over 45 children’s books. Did you know, however, that Dr. Seuss was saving his birth name, Theodor Seuss Geisel, for a “Great American Novel” he hoped to write?

Amidon Jewelers is proud to offer a whimsical, beautiful selection of jewelry we believe even Dr. Seuss would enjoy seeing his fun characters wearing. Besides our gorgeous selection of engagement rings with their stunning white diamonds of many shapes and sizes, we also carry remarkable pieces showcasing multi-colored gemstones. Whether for your finger or ears, neck or wrist, who of the Whos could deny their beauty?

In both the book and movie versions of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” we saw snowflakes falling on Whoville, which itself was nestled deep inside a snowflake. Imagine if the snowflakes had had magnificent pearls like these Freshwater Pearl earrings have mixed in?

In our opinion, “Happy Birthday to You” by Dr. Seuss would have had the perfect wall or present decoration if adorned by gold drops and colorful gemstones such as those on this Marco Bicego necklace. A perfect, whimsical collection of colors and elegance, you’ll show your sense of style and fun while wearing this necklace around your neck!

“Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” What if the rings on the front cover had been made of the links on Marco Bicego’s Jaipur bracelet? We know you could wear this bracelet on the go, whether at work, school, a night on the town, or an evening on the red carpet!

Had the subject of the book been jewelry and not fish, we’re certain Dr. Seuss could have named it, “One Wish, Two Wish, Red Wish, Blue Wish.” Adorned with Mother of Pearl, Green Tourmaline, Pink Tourmaline, Blue Topaz or a variety of other gemstones, these organically imperfect gorgeous March Bicego rings will have people pointing at you for sure!

In the Jim Carrey movie version of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, we saw neighbors competing to have the best decorated house for Christmas in terms of quantity and quality of lights. What if, however, the competition had been for the best engagement ring? When she grows up, we have no doubt that Cindy Loo Who would be head over heels for this A. Jaffe engagement ring! Seventy-two diamonds of 0.51ctw are set along the twisted band to display the center stone. Woo-Who!!!

Whether honoring Dr. Seuss or that special someone in your life, remember Amidon Jewelers has perfect beautifully whimsical jewelry pieces to round out anybody’s jewelry collection!

It’s more important than you might think. Especially if you believe in the healing power of gemstones.

Gemstones also have a rich history in the astrological zodiac. Many believe that when you wear your particular astrological birthstone, your body, mind and soul become one.

Here at Amidon we offer a wide variety of 10k and 14k white gold birthstone rings, enriched with diamonds.

Want to have a cosmic connection to your beloved? January through June corresponding gemstone sand their meaning are listed below (Part 2: July through December). Then head over to our wide selection of birthstone rings and choose the one she was born to wear.

January/Capricorn – Garnet
Being red or dark red in color, Garnets are the ultimate stone of love and romance. It’s even believed that wearing a Garnet can help to enhance the intimacy in your life. Garnets are also used for spiritual healing, as they protect from evil and reduce any stress from the mind, body and spirit. Business ventures can also prosper when wearing a Garnet.

February/Aquarius – Amethyst
Amethyst is a violet to purple quartz gemstone that is associated with spiritual, mystical and psychic experiences. Amethysts can also help to turn negative energy into positive energy, much like plants turn carbon dioxide into oxygen. Intuition, feelings and values are all associated with Amethysts.

March/Pisces – Aquamarine or Bloodstone

March babies have two gemstones from which to choose. The blue-green Aquamarine is reminiscent of the sea – and like the mighty sea Aquamarine represents power, courage and intuition.

Bloodstone, often a green stone with red spots, helps to increase the flow of life energy. As such, it is beneficial for enhancing the circulation of energy in the body.

April/Aries – Diamond
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend and this is especially true if you were born in April. Prized as crown jewels and the stone of choice for engagement rings, Diamonds are the symbol of innocence and constancy. Being so powerful, Diamonds also enhance the energy of other gemstones when worn together.

May/Taurus – Emerald
The glowing green gemstone is the sacred stone of the love goddess Venus. Also a stone of hope and prophecy, but it is believed that Emerald’s true powers lie in healing the heart and preserving love.

June/Gemini– Pearl, Moonstone or Alexandrite
Pearl: The oldest known gemstone, and one of the few made from organic matter, the Pearl is a favorite of many. The pearl is a symbol of purity and innocence.

Moonstone: “Passionate love will fly you to the moon” is the mantra of Moonstone. Found in several different colors, such as milky white and pink, Moonstone represents love, power, healing and luck.

Alexandrite: A rare stone, Alexandrite chances colors depending on the shine of the light. It is believed that wearing the gemstone will bring you love and luck.

Next Post: July through December

Is there a September birthday girl in your life? Lucky you! (Lucky her!)  Sapphire’s her birthstone, and a gift of sapphire jewelry is sure to put a smile on her face, and rock star status in your pocket!

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Sapphire is the September birthstone and a favorite among all lovers of gemstones.

The sapphire has a rich and noble history, a favorite of royalty for centuries. The 104 carat Stuart Sapphire – among the oldest blue sapphires in the world and a part of Britain’s crown jewels collection since 1214 has been passed down to many kings to wind up as a prominent gemstone in Queen Victoria’s State Crown. Russian Emperor Alexander II purchased a 260 carat sapphire for his wife, the Empress Maria Alexandrovna (not a September birthday girl herself, but sapphires look good on all birthday girls).

Sapphire engagement rings are the epitome of chic elegance – Elizabeth Taylor, Jean Harlowe and each had a to-die-for sapphire engagement ring. Still, the most iconic, of course, is the 18 carat sapphire engagement ring with 14 diamonds given to Princess Diana by Prince Charles in 1981, now worn by Princess Catherine.

Sapphire jewelry is always a welcome gift for the September birthday girl. Its powers are said to bring spiritual enlightenment, inner peace and healing qualities. In addition to September birthdays, sapphire is the gem traditionally gifted for a fifth, 23^rd, 45^th and 65^th wedding anniversary.

Sapphires actually come in an array of colors, but it’s the deep blue stone that is most recognized and treasured. Timeless, elegant, and a gift she’ll treasure forever.  Say happy birthday with something sapphire.

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With Labor Day just a week away, what better time to consider the fall jewelry trends we have to look forward to? Of course, September  is the month of the sapphire – the exquisite blue gem that is the symbol of loyalty, love and longing. Perhaps for this reason more and more brides are incorporating sapphires into their diamond engagement and wedding rings; or maybe it’s because they’re just so beautiful.

Sapphires come in a range of colors besides the traditional blue, but it is the blue sapphire that most people connect with. In ancient times, it was believed that the earth was contained within a massive blue sapphire dome; today, it represents beauty and luxury in fine jewelry, making it a perfect gift for the September birthday girl.

With the sapphire’s earthly connection in mind, fall jewelry trends include colors associated in nature, including citrine and emerald greens, silvery-blue topaz, the deep purple of amethyst and fiery reds of rubies.

This fall, romantic jewelry designs will take center stage, and that includes intricate gold and diamond accents that bring an unexpected thrill to new jewelry designs. Soft, muted designs in gold and silver have never been more prominent, with designers incorporating a fall color palette of traditional browns, oranges and yellows into textured jewelry including rings and bracelets.

Look for jewelry designs with brown diamonds, garnets, topaz and blends of gold and silver this fall, as some of the world’s most talented jewelry designers take their craft to new levels with color and texture, pushing the envelope to create visually impactful, wearable art with unexpected details. Small and delicate as well as big and bold designs are on call for fall, and layering is encouraged.

Crosses are back, and this fall we see crosses in all sizes and precious metals. Big, bold silver and white gold, with or without chunky gemstones make for great layering or solo accent looks.

Designer Lois Hill reaches back through time to create these sterling silver cross pendants that combine  her trademark granulation and filigree, inspired by wire work from contemporary Scandinavian filigree. She adds tiny granules of sterling silver, incorporating her own unique interpretation of granulation, which dates back to 3000 BC.  Hand weaving of sterling, combined with other unique techniques in non-traditional ways, Hill creates signature collections rich in texture and detail.

Fall is a spectacular time for fashion accessorizing. This year’s fall jewelry trends are more exciting than ever, with bold looks combined with vibrant colors borrowed from nature, and plenty of unexpected details to keep us happy as the days get shorter and the temperatures begin to dip.

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