None of us gets to choose the month we're born in. That means, of course, that we don't get to choose our birthstone.
Do you like your birthstone? Our very first Blingology Poll asks this very question. You can cast your vote near the top of the sidebar on the right. So don't wait, let your voice be heard!
Years ago, a lot of men wouldn't be caught dead wearing any jewelry other than wedding rings, cuff links and watches. All of that has changed. Men are no longer ashamed to wear jewelry. With Father's Day fast approaching, this is not something that should be forgotten when choosing gifts for Dear Old Dad
.
Need some suggestions? How about a ring? This is the Mens Sterling Silver and Genuine Black Onyx Freedom Ring. I think onyx is the one gemstone that any man wouldn't mind wearing. This is the perfect ring for a man of any age or any background.
Click here to look at some other jewelry gift ideas for dad.
For thousands of years, pearls have been thought of as the ultimate symbol of luxury. In some countries during The Renaissance, only royals were allowed to wear them. Much later in history, they became a staple in the jewelry collections of well-to-do women around the world. However, what exactly 
are pearls? Just where do they come from and what makes them so special?
Unlike other birthstones, pearls are not found in the earth. A pearl is made when a foreign object works its way into an oyster. In order to protect itself from the object, the oyster secretes layers of a substance called nacre. After many layers of nacre: ta da! We have a pearl.
When this process occurs on its own, the pearl that is made is called a natural pearl. Man-made pearls, made on pearl farms, are called cultured pearls. Two other terms that are thrown around a lot are freshwater pearls and saltwater pearls. Freshwater pearls come from freshwater mussels and tend to be irregular in shape. Saltwater pearls are
farmed in saltwater, grown in oysters and are rounder in shape.
If you own genuine pearls you know that you have to be very gentle with them. They are very fragile and great care must be taken with them. Avoid using things like hairsprays and perfumes around them. In fact, pearls should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off!
Of course, you can avoid all of this drama by wearing imitation pearls. I like Holsted Jewelers' selection of imitation pearls. They have some real ones, too. Check them out when you have a moment.
Sources: Jewelry.com and Wikipedia
Everyone who's a fan of "Sex In The City" knows about the new SATC movie coming out later this month. But did you know about the Sex And The City Tour around New York City?
I found out about this tour when I visited the Two Jet Set Divas blog yesterday. There are more than 40 locations on this tour including all the places that were frequented by the cast members. For more information about the tour and how to register click here, and if you live outside of New York, the Divas have travel info for you.
If you are travelling from outside New York, don't forget to leave your expensive jewelry at home and bring your Holsted Jewelry. You'll look just as stunning as Carrie and Co.do, at a fraction of the cost.
Finally, to get a quick SATC fix before the movie comes out, check out the widget below, featuring videos and trailers, a quiz and the sound track.
Buckle rings have become increasingly popular over the last few years. It's not suprising, considering that the buckle itself is something that has been with us since ancient times. It is another one of those classic silhouettes that will be with us forever. Wearing it as a ring can be very costly, however, as much as $3900, as is the case with the one below by David Yurman:
Those of us in the real world don't have to buckle under at the thought of paying so much. Take
a look (on the right) at the Brilliant Buckle Ring. Over 100 white cubic zirconia gives it lots of sparkle and, at $36.85, the price will make your wallet sparkle as well, so much so, that you'll be able to purchase a coordinating bracelet and set of earrings
The Brilliant Buckle Set is only part of the story. There are a lot more "designer-inspired" styles available at a fraction of the cost at Holsted Jewelers. Try them on for size!
Since Holsted Jewelers entered the blogosphere a few months ago we've gotten to know some very cool people who love accessories, beauty, fashion and jewelry just as much as we do. One of those people is Jill Sherman, who maintains a blog about all the latest trends in these areas. Jill seems to be able to spot trends as easy as the rest of us breathe and she can find evidence of a designer's ideas in just about anything: from birds and insects, to flowers and cathedral ceilings.
Until recently she called her very successful blog Trendinista. However, it seems as if that success has necessitated a name change, because it is now called Trend de la Creme. Now how cool is that? I love it!
If you like reading about trends as much as I do you should defeinitely visit Trend de la Creme. Happy reading!
Sunglasses are obviously a necessary Summer accessory. Think you know how to choose the right pair? Take a look at this video to make sure:
I thought it was pretty interesting. What do you think?
For a lot of people, not only does the month of May mean flowers and Spring, it also means graduation.
Graduation Season is all about the passage of time. Time to move from one part of life into another: from high school to college and from college to career or graduate school. That's why I think that a watch is the perfect graduation gift. 
I love this watch for the soon-to-be graduate who'll be heading off to college in the Fall: It is the Brown Suede Classic Band Watch. It's the perfect watch to wear to class everyday.
For the college grad who'll be starting her career, this is my choice:
This is the Black Onyx and Diamond-Accent Watch With Leather Band, a classic silhouette that will never go out of style.
Need more ideas? Click here.
Happy Graduation!
"April showers bring May Flowers," the old saying goes. Today is May 1st and, hopefully, you're seeing beautiful flowers in your neighborhood. If you aren't, a trip to a botanical garden should satisfy your need for floral eye candy. Last week I walked around the New York Botanical Garden and saw daffodils, hyacinths, cherry blossoms and so much more. What a nice way to spend an afternoon!
Back in the day (as the kids put it) women would adorn themselves with flowers. You don't see too much of that 
now. What you do see is flo
ral jewelry, like the pieces below:
From the far left, we have the Cubic Zirconia Flower Dangle Earrings and the Red Carpet CZ Cluster Bracelet. I can see women wearing either of these pieces to a June wedding or to a formal graduation party.
There are many more flowers to see. To take a walk in the garden click here and here.
Happy Spring!
For the most part, Holsted Jewelry is of the costume/fashion variety. However, just because it's not real, doesn't mean you shouldn't take good care of it. Here are some things to remember when taking care of your bling:
(From howtodothings.com)
Take care!
