Designer Fine Jewelry

Fine Designer Jewelry - an Heirloom in the Making

When shopping to buy fine designer jewelry, it helps if you already have an idea of the type and size of gemstone desired. Otherwise the choices can be overwhelming.

If it’s a gift, of course you’ll start by picturing the lucky recipient. Would a very substantial ring showing off a large gemstone look great on him? Would a delicately designed gemstone brooch look just right on her? What’s the “meaning” or “message” of the piece... what should it communicate about the person? Wealth? Power? Prestige? Or something else? Will it be the person’s birthstone, anniversary stone or something else?

If you're looking for eye-popping fine designer jewelry, an adventurous fine designer jewelry supplier can show you many forms of fine designer jewelry that will take your breath away. For example, a pendant, brooch or ring designed around a stone that has been cut “cabouchon” style.

A cabouchon (also spelled “cabochon”) cut refers to a finished gemstone that is not faceted, but polished after the artist/jeweler shapes the stone. A piece of fine designer jewelry of the cabouchon cut can be based on a stunning one-of-a-kind gemstone or a choice from traditional stones including birth stones, anniversary stones etc. You can buy fine designer jewelry made of such dazzling cabouchons as cat's eye chrysoberyl, star sapphires and opals to name a few.

The designer usually shapes the cabouchons as ovals or teardrops that are domed with a flat back. This makes it possible to emphasize asymmetrical irregularities as the focal point of the gemstone. The star in a star sapphire and the eye in the cat’s eye are examples that a designer fine jewelry supplier will be able to highlight in your fine designer jewelry.

When working stones with embedded features, the artist/designer begins by cutting the basic shape desired from a slab of raw stone using a template. Next he trims the stone to near the template line with a silicon carbide grinding wheel, and follows that by 'nibbling' to the exact outline of the template. He will probably use a diamond saw for 'nibbling' because it’s faster, it doesn't wear as quickly as the grinding wheel, and it enables the designer to make cleaner cuts.

Here's an intriguing variation on the cabouchon cut: some stones such as Drusy and Quartz lend themselves to a more exotic style. The designer will highlight the unique shape and/or crystalline structures of these stones, cutting the stone only as necessary for beveling and mounting. You may want to buy designer fine jewelry in this type of cabouchon design.

Once the basic outline is achieved the designer attaches the gemstone to a “dop stick” using wax to make handling easier during the final grinding, shaping and polishing.

The designer's final step in finishing the gemstone, except in the case of crystals, is of course polishing to give your finished gemstone that luster and attention-getting aura.

At this point the jeweler will evaluate the stone for mounting following your design concept and will mount the stone in platinum, gold, silver or other precious metal.

The final product from your fine jewelry supplier in this process will be a piece of fine designer jewelry of heirloom quality, something to be enjoyed and admired for generations.

Let's start thinking about some memorable fine designer jewelry as gifts and surprises for those special people in your life... maybe even including YOU!