Some things just go together; we all know that. In fact, there is an entire day dedicated to the perfect pair: Monday, April 2 is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. Honestly, peanut butter and jelly may be the perfect pair according to the people who have a vested interest in those products…and my four-year-old son, who could probably happily exist on PB&J sandwiches, but for those of us without any skin in the lunch game, I would like to take this time to celebrate some other great couples.
As we go through some of the most luscious jewelry pairings known to popular fashion, keep an open mind. At first glance, some couples don’t always seem to mesh well together. But after spending some time together, it becomes hard to imagine them apart. That’s kind of how peanut butter and jelly are. Think about it, peanut butter is essentially pureed peanuts and jelly is cooked and sugared grapes. I don’t know anyone who would sit down with a jar of peanuts and a bowl of grapes and say, “Oh yeah! Snack time!” But properly stewarded, these humble elements form a cornucopia of deliciousness. Jewelry is the same way. Basic components, in the hands of an artist, create a symphony of beauty. Don’t be afraid of making unexpected pairings; they’re the beginnings of great love stories.
Another perfect pairing, rose gold and mint tourmaline
We’ll start with something simple. When we talk about colored gemstones, all the usual players come to mind: ruby, sapphire, emerald, amethyst. And why shouldn’t they? They’re beautiful and the jewelry-grade stones are saturated in color. But what about the lady who likes a more understated look? For the woman who wants a colored gemstone but doesn’t want something as deep and dark as a sapphire, talk to your jeweler (like the experts at our downtown Brighton showroom) about alternatives. There are hundreds of different types of colored gemstones. One of my favorites is the modest mint tourmaline. We’re used to seeing tourmaline come in a wide variety of colors (like pink and dark green), but the mint is so refreshing and modern. It is unexpected and eye-catching. But what is a lovely gem without the right supporting metal? It should come as no surprise that I recommend rose gold for the mint tourmaline. When contemplating jewelry pairings, it’s important to keep in mind the gold color. Some stones’ color comes alive against certain metal palettes. For example, the mint tourmaline appears a little washed out against the bright white of white gold. And the warm undertones of yellow gold clash with the tourmaline’s cool tone. But the rose gold is perfect. Although still warm in tone, the pinkish red hue is the perfect foil for the green. The reason for this is that on the color wheel, red and green are opposite each other, making them complementary colors. My mint tourmaline/rose gold combination is hardly the only perfect pair you can create with colored gemstones. Book an appointment with our jewelers to explore the rainbow.
Another perfect pairing that may initially seem a little odd is the combination of fine jewelry and costume jewelry. This combination can be a little tricky to navigate, so many women tend to avoid it. This is a mistake. Push aside those feelings of trepidation and just follow these couple of guidelines. First of all, when you’re pairing costume and fine jewelry, you’ll want to find one particular trait and make sure all of your pieces speak to that facet. For example, a single color story is a good common thread. You can easily wear a sapphire ring while wearing a statement necklace with blue and turquoise rhinestones. Second, feel free to layer fine and costume necklaces. Layering is an art unto itself. But when you’re layering costume and fine jewelry necklaces, you need to consider how they will look laying right next to each other. This means that you’ll need to make sure that your costume jewelry is high quality. But don’t worry; if you bought, say, Ginger Snaps at Andre’s Fine Jewelers, you would be all set to layer away. In case you don’t know, Ginger Snaps are interchangeable fashion jewelry. There are hundreds of styles of snaps that attach to the base pieces (necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, and even cold weather accessories and purses). Click here to shop our Ginger Snaps collection.
Gingersnaps jewelry, with its interchangeable snaps make it an excellent pairing with fine jewelry
The last perfect pair we’ll talk about today is the coming together of your desires and the art of jewelry making. Our specialty is custom work. And when I say custom, I mean CUSTOM, not just customized or personalized. Customized and personalized generally mean just making small changes to existing or pre-made pieces. But that is not what I’m talking about. I mean truly custom. Custom refers to a piece of jewelry that is truly one-of-a-kind. Custom jewelry making gives you the opportunity to articulate your idea to the jeweler, who then uses the latest CAD/CAM technology to turn your idea into a jewelry design. Once you approve it, your design is manufactured, finished, and unveiled. You have a truly unique piece that won’t be found in the cases of the mall jewelry retailers. When you work closely with a jeweler, you are able to go to new depths in the artistry that jewelry making is. And since custom work is what we are known for, you won’t find a more skilled or passionate partner in making your jewelry dreams a reality.
The perfect pair doesn’t happen by accident. Peanut butter and jelly became the standby sandwich combination because people talked about the amazing condiments they put together. And that’s how jewelry design evolves. By talking about the quirky color combinations, how to break layering and combination rules, and the wild jewelry designs growing in our minds, we can create the next legendary pairs.
Until next time,
Rebecca
