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A Guide to Choosing Earrings for Your Face Shape & Birthstone

Guide by Month to Birthstones & Birthstone Jewellery

Birthstones are gemstones assigned to particular birth months, each birthstone having great symbolic meaning and powers. Birthstone jewellery has been popular since ancient times, many people believing that gemstones have incredible powers depending upon the type of stone bestowing luck, longevity, good health and good fortune on the wearer. In the past....

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A Guide To Wedding Anniversary Gemstones

A Guide to Choosing the Best Earrings For Your Face Shape

Decide on your face shape:

There are 6 main face shapes, oval, long, round, square, heart and diamond and the first step is to decide which one you are.

To do this, pull your hair back and look at the shape of the side of your face. Does your face widen at your ears? Oval, round, heart or diamond shapes do.

Does the side of your face continue in a more or less flat plane? Long faces do. Does your chin have a distinct point? Long, heart and oval faces do. Does your lower jaw have a smooth continuous line without an obvious chin point? Round and square faces do.

Sometimes it helps to take a photo of your face with your hair up and look at it to help you decide.

Wearing the correct earring shape can be very flattering and can help to accentuate and bring your best features to the fore and take attention away from your not so great ones. For example if you have a full face and would like to create a slimmer look the correct earrings can do just that. If you have a long thin face the correct earrings will help to give a fuller more open look.

Follow these tips for a great look:

Oval face

Wear long, dangle, drop or chandelier earrings that are thinner at the top and widen as they get longer. This shape helps to fill out the lower area of your face and give an elegant look. See earrings to suit oval face shape>

Long shaped face

 Wear studs or short drops. This will give the illusion of a wider face and highlight your eyes. Choose colours that match your eyes. See earrings to suit long face shape>

Round face

Here you want to elongate your face by wearing long, dangle, drop or chandelier earrings. Earrings that begin with a thin line and elongate and have a larger interesting area at the bottom are ideal for this shape. Round faces shouldn’t wear disc earrings as this accentuates the roundness of the face too much. Rather, choose geometric designs and as long as you like. See earrings to suit round face shape>

Square face

Studs, mid-length drops & long slim elegant shapes are best for this face shape. Earrings that are not too solid are better - for example chose earrings with many small stones rather than those with one large shape or stone. See earrings to suit square face shape>

Heart shaped face

Long, dangle drops and chandeliers that end at or above the chin would suit this face shape. This earring shape helps to focus on and widen the mouth area. See earrings to suit heart shape face>

Diamond shaped face

Long and elegant drops that fall gently, an example would be a multi stone drop earring. This earring shape will help to fill the area around the lower jaw and draw attention to the mouth. Earrings to suit diamond shape face>

If you need any more help or can’t decide which style of earrings bests suits you just send us your photo (admin@frankibaker.co.uk) and I would be very pleased to make our suggestions.

Hope this helps!

Franki…

How To Clean Silver Chains the Easy, Safe Way...

How To Clean Silver Chains the Easy, Safe Way…

Firstly, before I start I must remind you that this easy method is only for cleaning silver jewellery that have no gemstones set with it. It is ideal for a silver chain that has turned black or a pair of silver earrings that have lost their luster. It must not be used for gemstones, paste or any other items set into the piece as it could cause damage to some gemstones.

You will need:

• Small bowl
• Tin foil or aluminum foil
• Boiling water
• Bicarbonate of soda or baking soda
• Salt
• Tongs

 Method.

* Line the bowl with tin foil, shiny side up.

* Add 2 teaspoons of baking soda or bicarbonate of soda & 1 teaspoon of salt to the bowl.

* Pour in boiling water, it will start to fizz a little.

* Place the jewellery in the water, use tongs as it will be hot.

* Leave for a few moments until you see the tarnish disappear and the shine come back.

* Carefully lift the hot jewellery out with tongs.

* Rinse and Polish with a soft cloth.

 This is a safe easy method you can do at home. Please remember not to do it to gemstone jewellery.

Moonstone The Birthstone for June

Beautiful Moonstone – One of the Birthstones for June

Moonstone & Sterling Silver Cufflinks

If you are lucky enough to have your birthday fall in the month of June then the beautiful translucent Moonstone is one of your birthstones.

As its name implies, Moonstone is closely associated with lunar mystery and magic. It is believed to have calming, balancing energies.

Moonstone & Sterling Silver Heart Pendant

Also known as the Traveler’s Stone, it’s thought to protect travelers at night. Moonstone is also believed to help insomnia and sleepwalking, encourage sound sleep and create good dreams.

 The Romans admired Moonstones and believed they were formed from moonbeams. Both the Romans and the Greeks associated Moonstone with their lunar deities.

Hindu mythology also told that moonstone was made from the moon’s ethereal light. In India, moonstone is considered a sacred and magical “dream stone” that can bring beautiful dreams at night.

Thanks to the American Gem Society

Pearl Birthstones for June

Beautiful Pearl – One of the Birthstones for June

Large White Fresh Water Pearl & Sterling Silver Pendant

If you are lucky enough to have your birthday fall in the month of June then the beautiful Pearl is one of your birthstones.

Pearls were rare and as it is today, the most expensive pearls are natural pearls made in the wild. Today the majority of pearls sold are cultured or farmed. These pearls are created by implanting a grafted piece of shell (and sometimes a round bead) into pearl oysters or freshwater pearl mussels.

In many cultures the pearl symbolizes purity and innocence, which is why it’s traditional for a bride to wear pearls on her wedding day. Besides being one of birthstones for June, the pearl is also the birthstone for babies born under the signs of Gemini and Cancer, and frequently gifted on 1st, 3rd, 12th and 30th wedding anniversaries.

Pearls have been used for jewellery for centuries. The ancient Greeks believed pearls were tears of the gods. The oldest known pearl jewellery was discovered in the sarcophagus of a Persian Princess who died in 520 B.C.

Ancient Japanese folktales told that pearls were created from the tears of mythical creatures like mermaids and nymphs. Early Chinese civilizations believed that dragons carried pearls between their teeth, and the dragon must be slain to claim the pearls—which symbolized wisdom.

Other cultures associated pearls with the moon, calling them “teardrops of the moon”. Hindu folklore explained that dewdrops fell from the moon into the sea, and Krishna picked one for his daughter on her wedding day.

As natural pearls were so rare throughout history, only the richest could afford them. During the Byzantine Empire, rules dictated that only the emperor was allowed to wear these treasured gemstones. Ancient Egyptians were often buried with their prized pearls.

Tudor England was known as the Pearl Age because of their popularity with the upper class during the sixteenth century. Portraits showed royals wearing pearl jewelry and clothing adorned with pearls.

Pearls became more accessible in the early 1900s when the first commercial cultured pearls became available in Asia. Since the 1920s, cultured pearls have almost completely replaced natural pearls in the market—making this classic gemstone affordable for nearly any budget.

Thanks to the American Gem Society

Amethyst- The birthstone of February

"The February born shall find
Sincerity and peace of mind,
Freedom from passion and from care,
If they, the amethyst will wear."

Click to see our Amethyst Jewellery Collection

Healing Gemstones & How They Can Help You

Turquoise Birthstone for December

Beautiful Turquoise is the birthstone for December. It is one of the oldest gemstones used in jewellery since ancient times. It is believed that a Turquoise gemstone will protect the wearer from injury.