Refined Designs Original Fine Jewelry

03/10/2021

12/31/2016

As 2016 comes to an end, I want to give you all big thanks for your comments and interest in this page. It takes a while to come up with ideas and write them, but I really enjoy it, especially when I hear back from you!
And since it’s New Year’s Eve and time to celebrate, I found this image of fireworks - gem style.
My best to all of you - let’s make it a year filled with compassion and love.

12/20/2016

I’ve been at the bench working on custom orders, but thought I’d post some photos one last time, if you know of anyone who’s procrastinated! (If you're looking for descriptions, you'll find them when you click on each photo.)

If I don’t get back here before Christmas and Hanukkah, I’d like to wish everyone a warm and peaceful holiday, free from stress and filled with love and understanding..... and a big thank you this year for your support and wonderful comments!

12/16/2016

Yesterday’s post reminded me of another very individualized order from a favorite customer. She has a Maine C**n cat and wanted an exact replica of the cat’s markings in a gold pendant. She brought me a photo and … voila. (The opposite side is a gem cabochon which you can see peeking out from where I pierced the gold sheet. She wears the gem part facing out, so the cat's image lies directly on her chest. Very sweet.)

12/16/2016

And the winner of the cultured freshwater pearl bracelet is:
(drumroll please)

~Emily Juda~

Congratulations Emily!
Please PM me so we can get the bracelet to its new home on your wrist...

Thanks to the many women who entered the contest. I'll do more in the future!

12/15/2016

Here’s another interesting thing that your very own custom jeweler (that would be me) can make for you: a pendant (or ring or earrings or …) with your initial(s) in your own handwriting (or with someone else’s handwriting as a gift). (OK, I'm almost done with parentheses now.)
There is NO limit when it comes to imagining and creating a very unique gift (like this individualized script letter "C") for yourself or someone else. Feel free to call and find more out about one-of-a-kind jewelry…which truly is our specialty!

12/11/2016

I thought it would be interesting today to show how I create my “miniature sculptures”, aka 90% of the jewelry I make. These photos show the steps involved, whether it’s a ring or pendant or earrings…
-First, we start out with a concept, and draw an accurate representation.
-Then I transfer the drawing to jeweler’s wax, and start filing and carving, until it’s an exact model of the new piece, right down to the smallest detail.
-Out come the gems (if any) and off it goes to my casting company in Philadelphia, where the wax is encased in a very finely grained plaster of Paris. The plaster is cured, the wax is carefully melted away, and the perfect cavity is filled with molten gold or platinum or silver.
-It comes back to me in the “frosty” stage, where I hand polish it, solder in prong heads, etc. if needed), then set those gems and give it a final polish.
-Voila. A new, one-of-a-kind sculpture, of the jewelry kind! (In this case, it’s an 18K yellow gold pink sapphire and diamond ring.)

12/09/2016

Attention: shameless self promotion (and chance of winning a gift) ahead! For those FB friends who don’t know about my business, for the past 40 years (yes, I started as a wee babe) I’ve been designing and creating custom made jewelry in gold, platinum and sterling silver, with diamonds and beautiful colored gems. I have lots of photos on my FB page (you can find it as Refined Designs Original Fine Jewelry). Now for the "winning a gift" part... The symbol Ω is hidden somewhere in one of the posts. If you find it, there’s a good chance you’ll be chosen as the winner of this cultured freshwater pearl bracelet!

Just send me a private message with it’s whereabouts, and I’ll put all the correct entries into a hat … ok, ok, really a bowl ; ) The drawing will be this Friday, Dec. 16.

I’d really appreciate you “Liking” my page if you do like what you see … and if you’re so moved, sharing an occasional post with your friends.
And I love feedback (of either kind) too. Thank you!

12/08/2016

OK, the color for today is RED!
-First up is a tourmaline (and maybe you just thought they were just green?). This pretty white gold ring is accented with 4 diamonds which go nicely with the sparkle of the center gem.
-And again, something completely different: red and pink French enamel, accented with diamonds. This set looks especially nice when it’s being “modeled.”
-If we’re talking red gems, there has to be ruby in there somewhere… this spray of rubies in pink gold is from my Estate Jewelry collection.
-And while we’re in that collection (and this may be stretching the red theme a bit), this rose gold (sometimes called “red” gold) bracelet is my favorite of all the Estate pieces. Gorgeous.

12/07/2016

It’s probably a good idea to post this one before we get sick of the ice and cold. Don’t remember where I got this photo, but isn’t it beautiful? If it continues as it has, the entire lake will eventually be crystalline…

12/04/2016

This is one of my newest pieces: hand forged 14K yellow and white gold pendant with diamond accents, and the star of the show which is a trillion shaped Tanzanite. If only my photograph could capture the depth of gorgeous color in this gem (which also happens to be one of December's birthstones). I carry a nice selection of large unset Tanzanites too, and there's still time to create something before Christmas! Please call me for more info.

11/30/2016

Do you have an image or symbol or drawing (or, you name it…) that you’re drawn to? Did you know I could turn it into a special piece of jewelry? ΩThe pendant below was commissioned by a friend and customer in Arizona. She asked me to make this symbol of sacred geometry, which I pierced out of a thick sheet of palladium (a wonderful platinum group metal which has a special meaning to her). First photo shows it partially pierced, second is just flipped to the back side, and the third one is pretty self-explanatory.
The gifter said the giftee (her step-son) was very pleased!

11/27/2016

Is snow putting you in the mood for a White Christmas? Then this latest jewelry post should be appropriate: bright white and sparkle-y!
All of these pieces are in 14K white gold with pave set diamonds: mobius curve posts and necklace, leafy French hook earrings, and an open heart pendant with white and BLUE diamonds. Kinda takes the chill off, doesn’t it?

11/03/2016

I get to work with the nicest people. This couple had just picked up her new wedding band, and she didn’t want to take it off!
And now they’re married.
Hmm, funny how that works…

11/01/2016

A new month is here, so it’s time for birthstones…
The original birthstone for November is topaz, which is traditionally a golden yellow, and pretty when it’s cut well. (If you click on that photo, I'll have some interesting info on the pendant.)
But you may also know it as blue topaz, which is colorless in nature … treatment turns it blue: light “sky” blue, electric “Swiss” blue, or darker “London” blue.
And then there’s Imperial topaz which is generally the most valuable of all: it’s a rich orange hue with pink undertones.
You’ve heard of smokey topaz? Oops, not a topaz, it’s a quartz. Verklempt? Well, this historical tidbit might help: it’s been thought that topaz is a soothing stone that calmed tempers, cured madness and eliminated nightmares!

10/23/2016

If you happen to be wearing a diamond right now, look down and know that you own something at least 50 million years old! Diamonds formed about 100 miles under the Earth's crust and were brought to the surface, via volcano. The oldest ones are probably over 2.5 billion years old. That’s not a misprint: Billion! Here's a stack of rough diamond crystals to dream on.

10/21/2016

Several years ago I gave my sister a 2 carat diamond ring. YES, I DID. Generous, you say?
Well, not so much. Here’s a photo hidden between a couple other pieces...

10/13/2016

And while we’re talking about some differences between the white metals, it’s interesting that platinum is a LOT denser than white gold (which is denser than silver), so you really feel it when you check for heft. It’s also a lot more expensive than white gold, even if the spot price is similar, because platinum is purer (there’s a higher % of platinum in jewelry than the corresponding %of pure gold in gold jewelry) AND because it weighs more (about 60% more) than the equivalent size of white gold. Is this all “geeky” enough for you?!