Famous Imperial Mughal Spinel Necklace

There are not too many famous jewelry pieces in the world, but this one is very noteworthy. Called the Mughal Spinel Necklace, it's beautiful in every way and there is nothing else quite like it. It is estimated to be worth between $1,600,000 and $2,500,000. It has 1,131.59 carats in it and it offers eleven differently shaped spinels which are purple in color. It was remounted and reset at some point in the 19th century, estimated, into the current setting.

The spinels in the Imperial Mughal Spinel necklace are the stones that go around the front of the necklace and while each one has its own unique design, the type of stone is the same. Many of the spinels are engraved with the names of people from that time period such as Carew Spinel, Aurangzeb, and Emperor Jahangir, to name a few. These are some of the names of the royalty tht owned this piece 400 years or more ago. This necklace has an extensive history that is very interesting to read and yet astounding that it has remained intact over the years.

The spinels got their name due to the similarity of the stone to rubies, but when you look at the chemistry behind them they're two different types of stones. Spinels are a stunning stone and in this famous historic necklace they are seemingly priceless. Spinels are found in the frontier between Tajikistan and Afghanistan in a region known as Pamir. They could only be found in the Badakhshan mine at the time this necklace was created.

Fine jewelry has been around for thousands of years but it is rare to see a piece that's as extravagnat as the Imperial Mughal Spinel Necklace. With its extensive history behind it, it is not hard to understand why it's a piece that's near priceless.



by Karen Mollison, contributing editor at Chasing Treasure.com, online retailer of high quality jewelry boxes, watch cases and jewelry armoires.

Trends in Big, Bold Statement Piece Necklaces

This summer bold statement necklaces are in fashion. Big bold statement piece necklaces draw the eye up and highlight a woman's lovely face neck and shoulders.

These types of necklaces do not go with everything in your wardrobe but one or two of them are nice to have on hand. Let's take a look at the type of statement necklaces that are available and looking good right now.

* Fringe style necklaces were hot in 2011 and they continue to be gorgeous in 2012. When purchasing a fringe style necklace to use as your statement piece it needs to be big and bold; the bigger the better!

* Collar and Bib style necklaces continue to be strong this year. You can find Collar and Bib style necklaces made from various metals or even from quilted fabrics. This is a nice style of necklace to add to your wardrobe as they lay flat against your neckline.

* Embroidered and Beaded style necklaces are hot again this season and you can usually find these type of statement piece necklaces in fashion jewelry and handcrafted jewelry markets.

* Multiple chain necklaces are still going strong! When purchasing one of these necklaces to act as your statement piece you want it to be bold and flashy looking. Look for ones that have 3 or more chains connected together with beads, real or faux gemstones dangling from the chains.

* Chandelier necklaces can really act as a statement piece if you purchase them in a big and bold style. We love them with multiple real and faux gemstones dangling off them in various sizes and lengths. Make sure you purchase a pair of chandelier style earrings to match or to coordinate with your necklace, or better yet, forgo the necklace if you chandeliers can stand on their own.

It is fun to make a statement with fashion and jewelry. Enjoy your new pieces and store them properly for longer use and care.

by Karen Mollison, contributing editor at Chasing Treasure.com, online retailer of high quality jewelry boxes, watch cases and jewelry armoires.

Cool Jewelry Trends for Teens

For many years the teenage consumer has been a power house when it comes to setting trends and this year is no different. Here are five great trends that the teenage girls love and are hanging onto for their summer look. Take a look at what's hot!

Hemp Jewelry is a hot look when the weather turns warm and this year we are seeing a bit return to it! You can find just plain hemp jewelry or hemp jewelry with beads or shells attached to it. You can find hemp necklaces, bracelets and anklets for teen girls and hemp necklaces and bracelets for teen boys. The trend is even bigger in coastal communities and hemp jewelry can be found in abundance. Kids even love making their own to wear and trade with their friends.

Wood, Bead and Shell Jewelry seems to never go out of style with the teenagers and this year we are seeing big, bold and colorful looks being sported around by the younger set. When looking for colors in this jewelry trend stick to the summer tropical citrus colors or go with neutral white, ivory or khaki colored shades.

Necklace Layering is really popular this season with the teen girls. We are seeing them mix up chains with beaded necklaces, cord necklaces or with woven hemp necklaces. For this trends, the more materials they can mix up with their layered necklaces, the better! In addition, chokers are out and the longer lengths are in!

Bracelet Layering has been in style for many months and it is not going away anytime soon. The girls love layering different styles of beads, ropes, chains and more with multiples on their arms at all times. It is a fun colorful way to wear jewelry and show some style.

Rings, Rings and More Rings! Teen girls are really layering on the rings this season and we are seeing a lot of stack rings all on one finger or seeing girls wearing 3-4 rings on each hand. For this trend we recommend looking to the fashion jewelry market or the sterling silver jewelry market to keep costs affordable.

Any way you look at it, the teen girls are creating their own fabulous look and many older fashion and jewelry lovers are following it too. Which one of these looks would you wear?

by Karen Mollison, contributing editor at Chasing Treasure.com, online retailer of high quality jewelry boxes, watch cases and jewelry armoires.

All About Hemimorphite Gemstones

There are many unique gemstones in the world and we enjoy featuring them on our blog. Here is some information about the Hemimorphite gemstone that you may want to know if you are looking at purchasing jewelry made from this unique gem.

The Hemimorphite gemstone is mined from Australia, Algeria, Mexico, Namibia, Congo, Italy, United States and a few other countries. This mineral gemstone contains over 50% zinc in its mineral makeup which makes this an interesting stone. It is usually found in a turquiose blue color or deep green color when set in jewelry. Both colors are very desirable with gemstone and jewelry collections.

This beautiful gemstone comes in at 5.0 on the Mohs hardness scale so it's not the greatest gemstone to use in rings because rings tend to get the most wear. If you are purchasing a ring with a Hemimorphite gemstone, it is best to be set in a bezel setting which will help to protect it. You will find mainly earrings, pendants and some bracelets out in the jewelry marketplace using this beautiful gemstone.

How to care for your jewelry:
Just like all of your other semi-precious gemstone jewelry, you do need to protect your Hemimorphite pieces from water, chemicals and extreme temperatures. When your pieces need to be cleaned, just wipe them down with a damp cotton cloth and towel dry. If they need a deeper cleaning, we recommend taking them to a professional jeweler.

Since this gemstone is only a 5.0 on the Mohs hardness scale you want to store your pieces in a properly protected jewelry box or armoire and place them in a single layer with no other jewelry pieces laying on top of them. This will help to prevent damage to your pieces and ensure lifelong enjoyment of your prized jewelry.

by Karen Mollison, contributing editor at Chasing Treasure.com, online retailer of high quality jewelry boxes, watch cases and jewelry armoires.