Posts Tagged ‘jewelry’

Variety of Chinese and Japanese Jewelry Boxes For Women

The Chinese and the Japanese are well-known for their artistic work. There are a number of similarities in their cultures and traditions. Even today, they are by far the best artisans in the world. Their antique jewelry boxes for women that come embossed with craft work are quite famous.

Japan and China have made significant contributions to the world’s arts and crafts. A large number of curios made in these countries are available all over the world and their beauty is unbelievable. Art work that was made before 1949 is considered antique and the Chinese has a great influence on it.

Both these countries hold these antique boxes in museums today. For the Chinese, the main symbol used is that of a dragon. Paintings of dragons are done on porcelain boxes. The colors black and red are also predominantly used in their paintings. The dragon is carved out quite meticulously on wooden boxes.

Chinese symbols are also found on metal boxes. A metal jewelry box has been designed by the Chinese with the form of an ancient God. This opens and closes in the middle and can be easily handled because of a magnet it contains. Many believe it to be sacred since it has a number of religious connotations.

Chinese ox bone boxes with designs are also very popular. Their carvings are based on ancient traditions. They are designed so well that you will not be able to tell whether it has been carved or hand painted.

Another famous form of the Chinese jewelry box is the one which comes with beads styled like an abacus on top. The box is basically wood and comes with polished metal handles on the sides. The art form of Cloisonne is also used by the Chinese to create beautiful enamel ware.

A variety of colors are used and they can be told apart by the use of metal strips. The metal strips are affixed atop a metal base. Cloisonnes are commonly known as hollows and a number of metals can be used to fill and decorate them uniquely.

Famous in Japan are the wooden chests which come with eight drawers and look fabulous when placed in the bedroom, living room, or dining room. What are also famous are lacquered boxes and these can be found at art galleries. The Japanese were behind the invention of the musical box and they are famous even today.

There are some exquisite paintings and calligraphy done on the Naga shell jewelry box. The seven Gods of Japan are depicted in a comical manner. They are either painted or carved onto the boxes.

China and Japan are known for boxes made from soft, printed materials. The materials used are of really high quality and the designs are simply amazing! Japan and China have several similarities in their culture, religion, and their craftsmanship. They have succeeded in making people desire the things their skilled artisans can make.

If you are ever in the Orient, do make sure to get yourself a beautifully designed box for keepsake.

This article was written by Rachael Celia Berlie and Ruth D’Souza Prabhu of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes feature evocative wood art designs, created from unique wood grain patterns and colors. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!

Jewelry Boxes For Women: Breathtaking Ways to Show off Your African Jewelry

Jewelry boxes for women draw their inspiration from a number of cultures. The African culture for example has a long history of jewelry that are worn by men and women. Back then and now, there are a number of materials that are utilized in making African jewelry.

Brass was often used by the people of Western Africa. The Akan people preferred a lot of gold. African jewelry also made a lot of use of copper as well. There are a number of unique jewelry pieces that have been created.

One such specimen would be the ankle bracelets of the Senufo tribe. Designed to look like boats, these were worn by men, women and children irrespective of age. But since the men were primarily farmers, it was often difficult for them to wear this jewelry.

Little bells adorned women’s bracelets and were famous among the people of the We and Dan tribes. Decorative bells such as these were especially used when people wanted to dance. Uniquely styled earrings were a specialty of the married women of Fulani. These were sticks of gold that were hammered into crescent shapes.

The tribal jewelry of African women is quite extravagant today especially that made by the Ashanti tribe. Feasts are held to showcase jewelry. Women put on a lot of jewelry and perform ritualistic dances when the king dies.

Christianity came to Ethiopia in the 4th century. Ornate crosses were a form of jewelry that came about and these were placed on blue cotton cords and called mateb. These were made of silver as well as nickel alloys.

Africa is a massive resource of natural materials and jewelers made complete use of them. Quite popular in Nigeria and Guinea were the coconut disc necklaces that are fashioned out of coconut fragments. It’s not that easy today to find an entire necklace made of coconut.

Bone-based jewelry was quite popular among the women of Kenya. Animal bone, gold and silver were mixed together to create chokers and necklaces. Precious stones are used to further decorate them.

Wooden boxes for men are quite popular in Africa. Bubinga was a common African wood used in the making of these boxes. Its scientific name is Guibourtia arnoldiana. This is found primarily in West African countries such as Gabon and Angola. Their beauty and durability are what made them so popular. They are resistant to wood-eating insects and that’s why they are the perfect case for jewelry.

Wooden boxes sometimes have their side panels made of Bubinga. Valets are also made of African mahogany. Wenge accents are used to highlight these boxes and they also come with pull out drawers for all sorts of men’s accessories.

There is something really special about African tribal jewelry. And you could always try to use your partner’s jewelry box to hold your ornaments.

This article was written by Ruth D’Souza Prabhu of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes show unique wood grain patterns and colors assembled into beautiful designs of breathtaking beauty. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!

Creating Jewelry Boxes For Women the Simplest Way

Jewelry boxes for women are presents they will cherish for a life time. If you make the effort in creating these boxes yourself, they will be treasured all the more. You can make a cardboard jewelry box from any of the boxes you have lying around to be recycled. An empty dinner set box or a shoe box too can be used.

A decorative chain and some jewelry pliers are also what you will need. To start with, punch some holes into the lid of the box. Thread the decorative chain through the holes to form loops on the inside of the box lid. Remove the lid and measure the space inside the box.

Out of two pieces of cardboard, make a divider for the inside of the box. In this way you can create two or four compartments in the box as per your requirements. The outside of the box can be done up in several ways. Create pretty things in origami and stick this all over the box. A stained glass look can be got by cutting different colored glass paper into varying sizes and shapes and then sticking these all over the box.

In terms of construction, wooden boxes are sturdier. If you are experienced in woodworking, this would be a good material to select. Start by sanding the wood to take off any imperfections. The hardwood of Cherry or Oak that is a quarter inch thick would do best.

Next apply two coats of acrylic paint on the outer surfaces of the wood pieces. Ensure you allow them enough time to dry, in between coats. Then you can make applique work out of old newspaper pictures or wallpaper and stick these onto the surface of the box.

With woodwork glue, bring all the cut pieces together. Begin by pasting the base together first. After that is done and dry, glue together the sides and the lid. Finish the box off by pasting a mirror on the inside of the jewelry box lid.

A vintage jewelry box is something else you can make. Use an empty circular cheese box for this. Remove all the stickers and prime the surface of the lid and the sides with primer. Paint it with metallic silver or gold paint all over.

As it is drying, cut out circular pieces of velvet that will go inside the lid of the box, the inside bottom and the outer base as well. Stick these in place using glue. Cut out a vintage scene from a magazine to fit the outer surface of the lid and stick that in place. Use brown ribbon to cover the base rim of the box.

String together faux beads in gold and silver and glue this string around the rim of the box surrounding the picture. Place a mirror on the inside of the box and you are done.

So don’t wait for much longer! Let the creativity flow.

This article was written by Ruth D’Souza Prabhu of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes are original works of art, no two creations are the same. Each wood shown has its own unique wood grain pattern and color. MarqART comes from combining the words marquetry (wood inlay) + Art (a creation of beauty) an apt name for our products. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!

Some Great Wooden Jewelry Boxes in Exotic Walnut Burl

Walnut trees grow anywhere between 30ft to 130ft, are deciduous and are predominantly used in making wooden jewelry boxes. There are around 21 species of these trees and they are found in the temperate zones of Southeast Canada, Southeast Europe and Japan, California, and even Argentina Walnut gets its name from an Old English word ‘wealhhnutu’ which meant a ‘foreign nut’.

It got this name because it was brought into the western world by the Gauls and Italians. Some species, such as the Black Walnut are toxic to horses. When the grain of a tree grows in a deformed manner, it is called a burl.

Tree buds lying dormant turn into burls when a tree is stressed, or ill in some way. The bud swells up to a distorted mass and gets covered by the bark of the tree. When you harvest the walnut burl, the bark has to be pulled aside to bring out the burl shape inside.

These walnut burls have either an eye or a radially shaped grain. They are used in the making of veneers as well as decorative wood creations. For a burl to be harvested, the tree has to be completely dead.

Six inches above and below the burl is marked off on the trunk and the tree is cut into at these points. Once the burl is taken out, it’s placed down in such a way that the trunk section is open. The burl is then trimmed away from the log portion. A small bit is cut off from the top and side of the burl to see which would be the best way to slice it open.

You can get an eye or a radial burl depending on this. Veneers are largely made from walnut burl because of its stability, its shock-resistant features and the ease with which any tool can be used on it.

You will find walnut burl being used primarily in architectural woodwork, interior designing, classic and heavy furniture, jewelry boxes and musical instruments. Because walnut trees need to grow their burls in a short time, they are harvested soon after, making them more exotic and expensive. These burls are generally hard and dense.

The first 3 inches of wood called sapwood is creamy in color and the heartwood chocolate brown. There are times the wood is steamed to bring out some color. The good thing when working with burl veneers is that there is never a need to stain them.

There are a range of natural shades that can be used. Including a small bit of veneer can instantly enhance an object and immediately raise its price. Art forms like marquetry make extensive use of walnut burls for its many textures and colors.

In this art form, a number of bits of veneer in different shapes and sizes are used to fill in designs. They look wonderful on the lids of wooden jewelry boxes.

So go ahead and indulge in a little something that is made with walnut burl. You will be getting yourself a relatively useful object that looks wonderful as well.

This article was written by Ruth D’Souza Prabhu of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes feature evocative wood art designs, created from unique wood grain patterns and colors. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!

Jewelry Boxes Made of Sturdy and Beautiful Materials

Jewelry boxes are quite the useful accessory to have. It is something that goes beyond and is useful to all, irrespective of sex or age. We all have a few treasured items that we would like to store away carefully and a good jewelry case helps.

Every young girl has a private collection of junk or cheap jewelry that they are extremely fond of. It’s more an anticipation of the actual ornaments they will own when they grow up. Such young girls would be pleased with cheap jewelry boxes made of cardboard or cloth and with some compartments. Opt for pink or green boxes as these are popular colors.

These will protect all the jewelry and knick knacks your little one treasures. They also help make the perfect transition to jewelry boxes meant for young ladies. A woman’s jewelry box is generally made of wood. You can choose from cherry, birch, teak, rosewood, maple among others.

All of them have a unique color palette and texture with different levels of sturdiness.
There are several ways to decorate a wooden box. They can be hand carved on, or even etched or have a bit of marquetry as well. Small bits of multi-textured veneer are used to fill out designs in Marquetry.

Fabric boxes are popular among those working on a budget. Here layers of velvet or satin are brought together with some beading. Cases made this way are soft, delicate and store jewelry wonderfully. There are also several stone based boxes for you to choose from.

Jewelry cases bought from Asia are often made of marble, onyx and even ivory. Though expensive they can be further enhanced in many ways. These stone boxes can be painted or even carved on.

Gemstones are used as embellishments giving them a richer look and making them more expensive. Designs are etched and several countries have developed some signature styles of their own.

Some really unique materials are also used to make jewelry boxes. One of them is stained glass. Though quite fragile, they are exquisite to look at.

There are boxes made of Mother of Pearl that make some great gifts. There are several materials used in making oriental boxes. A particular kind is made from weaving together strands of bamboo and giving it a lot of detailing.

Shard boxes are made from bits of salvaged porcelain that have been collected from ancient Chinese artifacts. You are sure to have just one of a kind with these boxes. A Tibetan special made with Chinese techniques are boxes that are made from carved ox bone. The detailing on them is superlative.

Jewelry boxes for men are known as valets. The boxes are masculine in nature and the needs of men are kept in mind in their design. Materials such as leather and metal are popular choices in their construction.

There are several materials that can be used in the creation of jewelry boxes. What you choose will depend on personal tastes and aesthetics.

This article was written by Ruth D’Souza Prabhu of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes feature evocative wood art designs, created from unique wood grain patterns and colors. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!

American Red Beryl: The Homegrown Gem

Deficiency and beauty are 2 the prime qualities faceted minerals need to be called precious stones. Red beryl, which belongs to the same family as emerald, aquamarine and morganite, actually qualifies as a dear stone by these standards. This American gem is still yet to be found on any other continent. Collectors and connoisseurs across the globe clamor for red beryl, without reference to its big price and lilliputian size.

When it was first uncovered red beryl was known as bixbite, named for the jewelry and gem collector Maynard Bixby of Salt Lake, Utah. The name dropped under inspection for one or two reasons. First, it was confusingly like bixbyite, another mineral. 2nd, bixbite lacked the mellifluous sound considered important to market the stone. The name red beryl was advocated and accepted by all gemological associations and most gem handmade jewelry dealers and fans. While the name red beryl is correct enough, making reference to species and color, there are loads of critics of this name. Some, including emerald jewellery dealer Ray Zajicek of Equatorian Imports, Dallas, TX, liked the term “red emerald.” Fred Rowe of House of Onyx, Greenville, Ky, has promoted the material as “American red emerald” for one or two years. “People who are the owners of red beryl call it red emerald,” he asserts, “and folks who don’t demand that is wrong until they own one.”

When the name was recommended in the 1991 World Colored Stone Organisation Congress, it sparked heated discussion. A little, but vocal, group of red beryl dealers felt that organisation with the word “emerald” would help increase sales. But gemological and geological purists disagreed that such use of the word “emerald” was paradoxical to its standard meaning. The word sprung from the Greek “smaragdos” and was employed to describe green stones. The Oxford English Dictionary asserts the term “emerald” was linked with the color green as far during the past as 1634 A.D.

Whatever the name of this precious gem, it’s deep color and magnificent glint is certain to leave you speechless. Talk to your jeweler about how to incorporate red beryl in your next custom jewellery design.

Birthday Gifts For Mom: Exotic Marquetry Jewelry Box

If you are looking for unusual gifts for mom, you can find it in various places. She is a very important person in our lives. A mom will admire any gift given by her children.

Your gift can be anything, but the gift we choose should give her a lot of joy. Mom will love a gift of Marquetry designs for her birthday. Your Mom is a special person in your life so a beautiful gift should be chosen for her.

There are ones with inlaid brass, oxidised metal and even stones are inlaid. Ancient Egypt was known for its Marquetry work and it was in vogue in the 17th century. The work kept improving and the artisans used to make furniture as well as burial caskets with extensive and exquisite work for all royal families.

An art of decorative craft is Marquetry, all precious stones,mother of pearl were being used as their top pieces of work. When English men did this type of work they were known as inlayers.. Gifts make moms of all ages very excited and happy. To add to the excitement when a Marquetry jewel box is gifted to her then she is bowled over!

There are highly polished dark or light wood trinket boxes in different shapes and sizes. There are other beautiful designs like the quick sand design. It is also specially carved with wood and metals used for the rims which gives it an enriched look.

The quick sand design is a very tricky one and collects to whichever side it is tilted. It is so intricate and looks so beautiful. The rich look is because of the soft velvet lining and has a lot of storage space.

The rings and earrings can be placed in the top most layer. The box accommodates different pieces of jewelry with separate drawers for the various items. If a son chooses to buy his mother a jewelry box then mother is shocked!

She thinks her boy knows only how to buy burgers and run errands so she is pleasantly surprised when he shows up with a special gift! Everyone would wonder about the gift. Moms can use the top layer of the jewelry box for her earrings and rings.

Jewelry like earrings, rings and other pieces can be kept in the top layer. It is compartmental and arranged in a systematic manner. The middle layer of he box is used for the jewelry of the neck. Bracelets and bangles have to be kept carefully so the last layer of the box is kept specially for his purpose.

Even as she gets older, she will appreciate your gift as it will keep her things organized in spite of her forgetfulness. It would be a wonderful gesture to buy your mom a beautifully handcrafted wooden jewelry box with some intricate marquetry.

This article was written by Rachael Celia Berlie of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes show unique wood grain patterns and colors assembled into beautiful designs of breathtaking beauty. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!

What You Want To Think Of When Choosing Gemstone Jewelry

These days, selling gold jewelry as well as jewelry with gemstones are increasingly becoming very popular as a result of escalating gold and precious metal prices. If you surf the web, you’ll find the rising trend of individuals selling gold jewelry for money on the web. Prior to buying any of those jewelry pieces, there are several points you have to know.

There are many kinds of gemstones, and you may have your own favorites for your own jewelry. You are the only person to decide which criteria will have the most weight when it is time to make a buying decision. Let’s go deeper in to what you want to think about when you are looking to purchase gemstone jewelry.

One of the favorites with red colored gems is the stunning ruby, however they are not the only kind found in that color. There are many reasons why natural rubies are so expensive, and just one of them is the fact that they are runner-up to the diamond in hardness factor. Most people associate red with rubies, but many may not know that there are orange and purplish colored rubies, as well. The next time you are at a jewelers, ask about synthetic rubies because that is just about all you will find. So if you see someone selling a piece of jewelry that supposedly contains a natural ruby, and the price is low, you should be suspicious. There are fakes and there are synthetics, and they are not the same thing; synthetic rubies have the same properties as natural rubies. Fake rubies are not precious gems, but synthetic rubies are recognized as being precious gemstones.

Coral, especially red coral, has been a highly valued gemstone in many parts of the world for many centuries. In fact, this stone was among the elite of precious gemstones equaling if not surpassing diamonds and rubies. But as with other stones, coral has been assigned as semi-precious. One of the spiritual or metaphysical qualities of red coral, for those who have this view, is that wearing it would give the person protection. Whether or not you believe this, coral can make very attractive bead necklaces and enhance other types of jewelry as well. But if you want a rare coral gemstone, then the blood coral is one of them, and it is found in the Mediterranean sea. White coral from Japan is also quite popular.

Three important classifications to know about, for gems, are synthetic, natural and simulant. Natural stones, as the name implies, are those found in nature and are always the most valuable. Synthetic stones are made in a laboratory, but still have the same chemical makeup as natural stones. Simulant gems are faux gems, or fake gems, and they only look like the real thing. The top three gems, emeralds, diamonds and rubies are typically what the simulant market targets. The most important thing here is that you know what you are getting and not paying too much. Keep in mind that truly natural gemstones are becoming increasingly rare.

There is so much information available about gemstones that you could not possibly read it all. Before rushing out to buy a gem, take the time to study the subject of your chosen stone. It is possible that you can avoid potential hassles and disappointment with the more information and awareness you have.

Jewelry Box Small Enough for Those Prized Trinkets

A jewelry box small as they come today can be a valuable item for any young woman and are available in a number of shapes and sizes to suit a variety of personalities. Such small jewelry boxes are generally used by jewelers to pack their wares, however, with time, they have come to be unique gifts in themselves. Just as bigger jewelry organizers are made of many materials, so too the small ones have many versions to choose from.

Young or old, a small jewelry box is appreciated by most women who use it to store a few precious items. Most often, musical boxes are preferred. Small boxes that are handmade can be exquisite and expensive but are a symbol of quality and status.

Small sized jewelry boxes can be used to store delicate items within a larger box. They prevent your precious trinkets from mixing up with costume jewelry pieces. This is also a great way of preventing delicate pieces of jewelry from getting scratched or grazed.

Jewelry boxes that are small are also called trinket boxes. They are embellished on the outside in a variety of ways making them all the more delicate and worthy of holding precious jewelry in them. These boxes can be made of wood, porcelain, papier mache as well as stone.

Their surfaces can be highlighted with marquetry, etching as well as carving. If you want to gift a small jewelry box to someone you love, there are a few pointers you can keep in mind like, no matter what material or size the box is, it has to be lined with a soft material like velvet or satin. The price of boxes made of exotic wood increases depending on how exotic the wood is.

Make sure that the box you choose is specifically meant to hold a particular piece of jewelry like rings, bangles or bracelets. Small trinket boxes that are made to hold rings come with ring slots or holders that can take two to three rings at one go. For those who have an extensive bangle collection, a rectangular box with a central bangle holder is a good choice.

If the collection you have is a mixed lot, a jewelry box with small drawers or compartments will be the right thing to pick up. If you are looking for an expensive gift, then you can consider customizing a small jewelry box. There are numerous themes to choose from that can be carved, etched or created in different ways.

Some are hand painted adding to their charm and depending on what you think the recipient will like you can go anywhere from pirates to stone covered hearts. Small jewelry boxes work at improving the aesthetic appeal of the place where they are kept and if placed within a jewelry box, you should try and match the two. If it is going to grace your dressing table, then it should not look out of place amongst all the other things there.

The best jewelry box of the small variety is the one that looks beautiful and does a great job of storing your trinkets.

This article was written by Ruth D’Souza Prabhu of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes are original works of art, no two creations are the same. Each wood shown has its own unique wood grain pattern and color. MarqART comes from combining the words marquetry (wood inlay) + Art (a creation of beauty) an apt name for our products. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!

Unique Gifts For Her: Buy Handcrafted Jewelry Boxes with Marquetry Work

Women will always appreciate any jewelry or jewelry-related gift that their partner gives them. An artsy and beautifully handcrafted jewelry box is one of the unique gifts for her that she will truly treasure. These not only serve the purpose of storage of jewelry but can even act as a decoration item.

One of the most popular choices among this category are the marquetry adorned jewelry boxes. This will be more apt as a gift if your special someone is into collecting jewelry and/or other small valuable pieces. It is believed that nothing can come close to the adorable boxes with Marquetry work done over them.

Its unique marquetry art that adds rawness and avant-garde look is one of the several reasons as to why this boxes are becoming popular gift items. “It is through the process of combining pieces of thin slices of wood or veneer that a marquetry art is formed, which can be an image, a symbol or a pattern.” You can thus have an exclusive Marquetry box made to suit a special occasion.

But one may find it difficult to choose just one unique marquetry-decorated box out of such a wide selection. Veneer and various kinds of wood including spalted, curly, and burl wood, are used in forming a marquetry design. With this in mind, one can look for the special design or material that will be loved by a woman.

Also, Plywood among the Veneer category is the cheapest of them all but Veneer can also be used by compiling the different kinds of wood that fall in this category. Silver, brass or marbles can also be used in decorating a wooden box with marquetry art. Along with it, a variety of other designs and sizes are available to suit the need of the hour.

You have the options of choosing squares, rectangles, ovals, heart shaped, maple shaped and even polygons. So the choice again lies with you to decide which one is purely loved by the person whom you plan to gift the box to. The dimensions vary according to the need of the receiver but you would be surprised when you gain knowledge about the different sizes in the market.

As there are boxes so large that they can fit every jewelry a woman owns and there are boxes that are meant to store only several pieces of jewelry. There are a few that have many drawers to segregate the pieces of jewelry well making a jewelry box the perfect gift you can give her. Jewelry boxes adorned with intricate marquetry designs are one of the most unique gifts that can be presented to a woman.

With its affordability and ease of purchasing, these boxes are the perfect way to make your special someone fall in love with you all over again.

This article was written by Mitali Kandhari and Ryan Monton of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes are original works of art, no two creations are the same. Each wood shown has its own unique wood grain pattern and color. MarqART comes from combining the words marquetry (wood inlay) + Art (a creation of beauty) an apt name for our products. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!