Wedding jewellery with a touch of luxury

A symbol of purity and love, white pearls hold a special place when choosing bridal accessories and wedding gifts. Celebrating the simplicity and elegance of pearls, the new 18 carat pearl jewellery range from Lustrous brings a contemporary edge. 

The new dazzling collection from this London-based boutique jeweller is sleek, stylish and forever fashionable. Each piece is crafted with the finest cultured Japanese Akoya and fresh water pearls, set in polished carat gold for an ultra-luxurious aesthetic. The boutique also offers pearls in a kaleidoscope of colours, including South Sea golden lusters, champagnes, ivories, pinks and peaches.

Lin Johnson, founder of Lustrous, explains: “Unlike other gemstones and accessory trends, pearls offer wearers timeless allure. While they’re reminiscent of old world glamour and antiquated affluence they’re also utterly on-trend”.

Across the global fashion scene, pearl jewellery is growing in popularity. From the refined style of the Duchess of Cambridge, the elegant ‘English rose’ aesthetic of Emma Watson, the edgy chic of Katy Perry,  to the  catwalk swagger of Candice Swanepoel and the powerful dress sense of Hillary Clinton, pearls are a versatile accessory choice for ladies of all walks of life. 

For more wedding accessories and jewellery inspiration, check out our previous feature on Amanda Wyatt's collection and Heirloom London's tips on choosing real diamonds. 

Details
Lustrous
W: www.lustrousjewellery.com

DOs & DON'Ts on involving Mums with wedding planning

As a bride, you'll know that Mums enjoy wedding planning as much as you do, and they'll want to be there for you along the way with ideas, advice or even some unexpected skills. 

DO: Let her know from the start where you'd like her input and assistance and what aspects you'd rather plan yourself, so that you can avoid any misunderstandings later down the line. 

DO: Many brides take their mums along to wedding fairs to look at ideas for invites, cakes or flowers. It's also a good idea to have your mum with you when trying out wedding dresses, if possible.

DON'T: Although she may have lots of great ideas, so do you and this is your big day! Listen to her input, but don't feel like you have to follow every single piece of advice she offers. 

DO: As time goes by and the big day approaches, keep her updated with how everything's progressing and check she's happy with the seating plan arrangements for the family.  

DON'T: Arrange for both mums - and dads - to meet for a casual chat before the big day. Don't leave it till the wedding day to introduce them to each other. Even when parents live abroad, it's important to allow time for them to meet prior to your nuptials so that everyone feels more comfortable at the event. 

DO: While candles, chocolates or flowers make a great present for Mother's Day - don't forget to get yours for Sunday 6th March - when it comes to choosing suitable mother-of-the-bride and mother-of-the-groom gifts, you need to think of something truly special and memorable. So how about unique vintage jewellery pieces or precious stones?

With that in mind, Laurelle Antique Jewellery  - established antique jewllery experts specialising in Edwardian, Geworgian, Victorian and Art Deco periods - have put together an inspiring infographic, which looks at 'The Hidden Meaning Behind Your Birthstone'. Visit: 
www.laurelleantiquejewellery.co.uk/the-hidden-meaning-behind-your-birthstone to see suggestions on precious stones for each birth month. 


Details
Laurelle Antique Jewellery
W: http://www.laurelleantiquejewellery.co.uk/

How can you tell real diamonds from synthetics?

Do you know the difference between genuine diamonds and synthetics? And can you spot a fake when looking at engagement ring or wedding bands? If not, then you need to read this practical advice from Ruth Donaldson, jewellery concierge at Heirloom London, on what to look for when you go diamond shopping.

Lucky Loop platinum earrings by Atelier Helene Apitzsch, £480

Here are the key things to consider when diamond shopping, along with some of her favourite pieces from the Heirloom London collections:


1. The Cut 

The facets cut on the stone are often a give-away; a diamond can only be polished by another diamond, and therefore its facets usually have much sharper edges than a synthetic.  In addition, there is much more fire reflected from a diamond.  A cubic zirconia doesn't have a brilliance of its own, but this is often more apparent when light is shone on it.  A good diamond will still have a fire to it, even when not in direct light.

2. The Characteristics
A cubic zirconia will look more perfect.  Naturally occurring cubic zirconias are not large enough to be used in jewellery.  As a result, all stones are synthetic, and they are formed to be perfect.  A diamond is like a snowflake, each one with its own individual cut and personality generated through the microscopic inclusions which makes it unique.

3.The Clarity 

While a cubic zirconia will wear away and in time the stone will look dull, a diamond does not wear and will stay sparkly for the lifetime of the ring.  You’ll quite often see with cubic zirconia jewellery, that after a few years the stones have lost a bit of their original sparkle.

Snowdrop platinum ring by Rachel Galley, £665

4. The Certificate
If you really aren't sure, the majority of good diamonds carry certification which you can ask to see.  Any reputable retailer is going to offer you a genuine diamond, the cost to their business reputation would be fatal otherwise.

5. The Cost
Finally, if the price seems too good to be true, it may be that the diamond you are buying is not as good as its marketing hype.

Lily Pendant by Heirloom Classics, £950 for platinum set with quarter carat diamond

But what are the alternatives if you simply can't afford a diamond this time? 

Lab-grown stones
Cubic Zirconia - a clear stone, it has a brilliance sometimes higher than that of a diamond, but they don’t have the same fire. It is mass-produced and a one carat cubic zirconia should not be more than a few pounds! 

Moissanite - promoted as a diamond alternative in many countries and like all gem quality stones, it is synthetically produced. Much harder than cubic zirconia, they also cost a lot more to produce and most stones will have some colour to them.

Fei Liu cascade earrings in silver plate with rose gold vermeil, £395

Natural stones 

Zircon - similar in brilliance and fire to a diamond, although colourless, these stones are more rare. Not recommended for everyday rings as they are quite a soft stone.

Dementoid Garnet - bright green stones, which are very rare, and seldom found in larger sizes than one carat.  They have higher brilliance and fire than diamonds, but again are unfortunately very soft and can blunt the edges of their facets.

Enaki Sun sterling silver ring set with white sapphires by Rachel Galley, £280

Heirloom London is a personalised jewellery buying service which combines the convenience of a concierge, with the support of a personal shopper and the buying advantage of an industry insider. 

Details

Heirloom London

W: http://www.heirloomlondon.co.uk/

For more inspiration when looking to buy your wedding rings, read our previous features with beautiful designs from Laings and Aurus here and top tips from Vashi Dominguez here.

Fashion Friday: Get Your Wedding Accessories Right!

When it comes to planning a wedding, the devil is definitely in the detail. Despite having multiple focal points throughout the day, from the dress and colour scheme to the location and menu, many brides underestimate the power of accessories – not to mention the worry of getting it wrong. We talked to the experts from The Real Effect about the 10 common mistakes that brides make when buying their wedding accessories.

1. Upstaging the dress

It is all too easy to get carried away with draping yourself in jewels, and this does work for some looks, but no matter what style you go for, remember to never upstage the dress. In years to come the questions on people’s lips will always be ‘what was your dress like?’ not ‘what was your jewellery like?’ So, take note and find accessories that will become the support act to your dress’s lead role and not the other way around.

2. Buying accessories before the dress

Most wedding planning starts months if not years before the big day and it can be tempting to impulse buy in those first few months of being engaged. Keeping self-control in the early stages is one of the biggest challenges for a bride-to-be, but buying the jewellery before the dress is a risky business. For many brides that we have spoken to, the dress they end up buying is often completely different from the one they thought they’d wear on their big day, so buying accompanying accessories – whether shoes, tiaras or jewellery – before you know the style of your dress could leave you with an overall image that looks incomplete.

3. Not considering coloured accessories

You can easily default to the classic gold or silver jewellery with a clear stone, but don’t rule out coloured accessories. Adding a pop of colour with jewellery is a subtle way to liven up a neutral colour scheme without it being too overbearing. Alternatively, if you have a themed wedding or a prominent colour, accessories are the perfect way to continue the theme throughout the day to complete the overall look. For example, a ‘winter wedding’ lends itself to a deep ocean blue colour scheme and picking accessories to echo this could finish the overall look off better than a clear stone choice.

4. Forgetting about what suits your skin tone

By the time you get married you will most probably have at least an idea of what suits you and what doesn’t, and your wedding day isn’t the day to get it wrong! Different skin tones are suited to either gold or silver jewellery and if you’re not sure then ask for some expert advice. The same rule applies if opting for a coloured stone, depending if you have a fair complexion or olive skin for example, find out which colours suit you best and stick to them.

5. As if one isn’t enough!

Pick gold or silver – not both! This may seem obvious, but we have seen this fashion faux pas happen on a number of occasions. Most brides have a colour scheme of choice and opting for gold and silver jewellery on top of that can make things look a little less classy.

6. Buying trendy accessories

After what is sometimes years of planning the big day can feel like it’s over in a flash, but that’s why photographs are so important – it’s no wonder the wedding album is pulled out at every family get together. With this in mind, you want to make sure that your choices aren’t too trendy or your photos will look dated really quickly. Opt for timeless classics instead and your photographs will always look fashionable and glamorous.

7. Having everything matching

Not everything has to match - the key thing to remember is that this is your day and you need to bring your own flare. Brides often get given jewellery by family members to wear on the day and this should be embraced but finding accessories to match can be difficult particularly if it is an old family air loom.

8. Forgetting that sometimes less is more

It’s common for brides to go mad with accessories, particularly as this is a once in a lifetime day. However, on this occasion less is certainly more, and it's not a must to wear them all – tiara, veil, necklace, earrings, bracelets and bag – not to mention the must-have flowers, dress, shoes and ring! Picking just the right amount of accessories is sometimes a hard balance to achieve, but there is nothing worse than a bride looking too over the top. Be sure to try on all the accessories you have to wear together well ahead of the big day and don’t be afraid to scale them back. You will feel just as much the bride even with half of the accessories!

9. Getting carried away with the price tag

A wedding can put huge financial pressure on a couple and buying accessories that break the bank just isn’t necessary. With the huge array of choices out there you are sure to find accessories that look stunning and are in your price range, just make sure you shop around before you make your final decision. There is sometimes little difference between what jewellers call ‘wedding jewellery’ and their other items, apart from the price tag of course! Don’t feel pressured into buying only wedding collections; the normal jewellery sets can be just as glamorous.

10.  Not thinking beyond the wedding day

It is so easy to get tunnel vision but there are some things that can be used beyond the wedding day and accessories are one of them. Let’s face it, you are unlikely to wear your wedding dress to the shops or your wedding shoes on a night out, but why not choose jewellery that will look just as good afterwards as it did on the day?  Choosing jewellery that is versatile will ensure you can use it again and make the most of your budget. After all, if you’re going to get good wear out of them, then you can really afford to get exactly what you want!

For some inspiration on choosing your wedding day accessories, check out our previous post here and check out The Real Effect website. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and like us on  Facebook and share your wedding accessories ideas with us!