Category: Jewelry

Fashion trends seem to have a way of repeating themselves every few years, so it’s no surprise that retro fashion jewelry is making a comeback this season. 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s inspired designs and colors are reminiscent of times past. Let’s take look at what each era is bringing to the table today:

40s fashion jewelry: Plastic beads, whimsical designs and florals were all popular jewelry choices back then, and we’re seeing a lot of them today in the form of broaches, oversized bangles and giant cuffs.

50s fashion jewelry: Victorian designs, bows, Lucite and art deco dominated the scene back then. Today, we see Carrie Bradshaw wearing a dainty bow necklace (Search for necklaces) in Sex and the City. We also notice Lucite bracelets (Search for bracelets) as a fashionable favorite.

60s fashion jewelry: Modern styles of black and white, ethnic pieces, hippie jewelry, giant pendants and multi-strand necklaces were all the rage. Today, these jewelry looks continue to rock the catwalk and have inspired the likes of beaded necklaces, leather bracelets and rhinestone butterflies, to name a few.

70s fashion jewelry: Enamel, flowers, modern shapes and a little bit of edge gave this generation a new twist on old bejeweled favorites. Now retro inspired watches, funky rings and over the top earrings give ode to this free flowing decade and its cool designs.

80s fashion Jewelry: Chains, punk rock style and neon colors defined the jewelry trends of this era. Presently, movie stars such as Madonna and Rhianna are taking a blast from the past and sporting piles of gold and silver chained necklaces to give their look some edge. And shockingly yellow acrylic necklaces are at the top of the “must have” list for this spring.

Right up there with mythical swords that blaze with fire, legendary armors that can wreathe a hero in fire, wizard’s staves that…make the mage…better at casting fire…huh. Anyway! Right along those powerful if not versatile devices in fantasy stories and games are pieces of jewelry imbued with magical powers. From the religious jewelry or holy symbols that priest-class characters often use to cast or enhance their spells to powerful rings that can ward against harm to mighty amulets that can bind extra-planar creatures to the wearer’s will, magical jewelry is a staple of fantasy characters.

In most role playing games, there are limits to the amount of enchanted jewelry and other magical items you can have and use. This is often done as a sort of “body slot” system, where a given part of your body can only hold one magic item of a given type. This is often used as a balancing factor against an abundance of magical jewelry; if it weren’t for being allowed only one ring per hand slot, enterprising and wealthy characters would gladly equip a different ring for each of its ten fingers, or maybe two or three rings per finger.

Where magical jewelry is concerned, the most common body slots to use are the two hand slots (one ring per hand), and the neck slot (for an amulet, necklace, or the like). Earrings do not seem to get much love, although a case can be made for using the head slot (normally reserved for hats, helmets, or, for those who want to be decked out in magical jewelry, tiaras, coronets, or crowns) for such things. Bracelets often use the “gloves” slot, which is also focused on the hands, cheerfully destroying whatever logic there was about certain parts of the body only being able to have so much constant magic applied to them, if indeed any logic was given.

One of the advantages of enchanted jewelry is it tends to have less of a themed functionality than other forms of enchanted equipment. A magic sword is probably going to have damage-causing effects, magical boots will enhance travel, hats will increase mental attributes, and so on. Rings, amulets, and other forms of mystical, psychic, or religious jewelry, however, will likely have a much wider selection of effects. This also means that there are likely to be more pieces of magical jewelry found in a given game than magical clothing. Weapons, of course, are still by far the most common.

Native American jewelry has its roots in prehistory and has been remarkable in its ability to reflect tradition as it evolves into the highest forms of contemporary handmade jewelry. Although Native American jewelry began as crude inlaid shell work, the finest Native American jewelry of today exhibits highly unusual designs containing beautiful rare natural turquoise, coral and other gem stones set in gold, silver and palladium. Its appeal is worldwide.

Collectors of Native American jewelry are drawn by a number of factors. Turquoise itself has been viewed over the centuries as a source of power, healing and protection. With its variety of deep blues and greens, this unusual stone is, in fact, rarer than diamonds. Though many collectors of Native American jewelry love the deep blue stones with what is called spider web matrix, others are attracted to turquoise with deep green or lime green hues and flecks of gold host rock. So, often,the turquoise becomes a focal point around which the piece of Native American jewelry revolves.

Another important factor that attracts collectors is the artist who designs and makes the piece of Native American jewelry. In early years, individual artists did not sign their work. Many pieces, however, are recognizable in their design elements and use of techniques. Now, artists take great pride in their jewelry and are careful to sign each piece with a unique hallmark.The fame of individual artists make their pieces highly prized.

Then there is the value of the metals involved in Native American jewelry. As gold and silver continue to gain in value, the weight and use of these materials add to the appeal of Native American handmade jewelry. So, with the combination of tradition, beauty, uniqueness and intrinsic value, Native American jewelry has transcended time and become not only a reflection of the past, but a uniquely American symbol of the future of Native American artistry.

To assure one receives top quality Native American jewelry, it is important to deal with an established, ethical dealer. Turquoise Direct has been in business for nearly 40 years. They have a long history in dealing directly with the miners of rare naturalAmerican turquoise and the best Native American artists. Because of this, Turquoise Direct can offer the finest Native American jewelry at the most competitive prices.

Turquoise Direct issues a Certificate of Authenticity with each piece purchased. This certificate contains the name and tribal affiliation of the artist, the materials used and the retail value. Visit them on the web at www.turquoisedirect.com to see a beautiful array of contemporary and antique Native American jewelry.