There can be no doubt as to the beauty, and indeed the enchanting qualities, of an exquisite piece of fine jewelry. A single, elegant piece can draw the eye and mesmerize in a way no other item of self-adornment is able to do.
Since our earliest dawn, we have been adorning our bodies, and for differing reasons. Early humans most likely wore their primitive jewelry as talismans or a symbols to ward off evil spirits. As our species evolved and our powers of reason became more acute, jewelry became more sophisticated and intricate. Pieces of jewelry came to signify power, tribal standing and wealth, and in some civilizations even elevating an individual to almost divine status.
Gems and precious metals have for millennia been fused in a marriage of compatible convenience. The ancient Egyptians used gold and semi-precious stones to create the masterpieces of their day, many examples of which can be seen in museums around the world today.
The use of precious metals and stones is now the accepted unison as the perfect marriage of nature’s elements. However, although Buddhist works dating back to the 4th century BC give mention to diamonds and their unique qualities, it not until around the year 1300 that there is any known evidence of the cutting and polishing of diamonds.
Today, precious stones such as diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds set in gold, silver and platinum, are the accepted marriage of jeweled beauty. As such, every high street will find a purveyor of glittering stone and metal, displayed in windows of twinkling lights, like a magnet drawing in the beholder with its hypnotic beauty.
Of course, just as with anything else, there is the good and the not so good to be found in every high street. How can any prospective purchaser tell the quality of the stones and the purity of the metals upon which they gaze? The answer is in the source of these teasing and tantalizing, ‘Must Haves’.
In the jewelry shops that grace the high streets, the items that draw your gaze are, for the most part, mass produced trinkets created with little or no love of the product itself. Never is seen a fine item which has been uniquely designed, quality sourced and created with an intense love of the art of jewelry making.
Fine items of jewelry can only be crafted by the creators who employ true artisans with the skills required to produce memorable works of art. Designers with vision and the ability to turn the germ of an idea into a tangible image. Passionate metallurgists and gemologists are required to source the materials that are consistently of the highest grade and purity. Then of course the craftsmen, only those artisans that strive for the perfect marriage of nature’s gifts can truly be said to produce ‘Fine Jewelry’.
But where to find such a manufacturer? Well, in today’s modern world, just a few clicks on a keyboard and you will be bombarded with information. But do you sort the corn from the chaff? You can only be sure of a manufacturers credentials by approaching the task with a forensic mind. The first step is through direct contact them.
Remember, you are a potential customer so you have nothing to fear from asking pertinent questions. Ask as to how they choose their designs, do they follow the market trend, do they purchase designs, or do they have their own in-house designers? Enquire as the source of their precious metals and gemstones and if this sourcing is done by their own experts.
Be sure to ascertain whether or not they employ their own craftsmen to create their pieces, or is the work outsourced? Ask for testimonials as to their work, and if possible follow them up. Express a wish to visit their premises to see the work being done, from design, sourcing, creation and all the way to the shop window.
A genuine producer of genuine fine jewelry will welcome scrutiny. The true artisan is passionate about their trade and take pride in every item they produce. You should expect eagerness from them in having the opportunity to display their skills and wares, and a true fine jewelry manufacturer will do this with pride and relish.
In finalizing your choice of who to trust in the glittering world of fine art jewelry, put your trust in the manufacturer who controls every step of their creations in house, from design to display case. Sadly, there are few manufacturers that completely envelope the entire creation of their pieces in this way. But to make a piece of fine art jewelry into a ‘Masterpiece’ of fine art jewelry, it is the only way.
So, to find your fine jewelry manufacturer, research and scrutinize, and if your scrutiny is in anyway unwelcome, move on. The one manufacturer that is probably the most welcoming, and is certainly open to scrutiny, is Smart Arts Jewellery. Pride, passion, creativity, skill and uniquity are the driving forces behind their ability to produce true masterpieces of fine jewelry.
To read more on topics like this, check out the Online Magazine category.
Leave a Reply