Visit us this this winter!

VISIT JAMES & LILY THIS WINTER

Holiday Market 

Astoria Market @ Bohemian Hall

29-19 24th Ave

Astoria, NY 11102

December 21, 2014

12-6pm

See our gorgeous designs in person! 

xo, Kelly

New Custom Engagement rings!

Another gorgeous custom ring for a summer engagement! This platinum ring features a double diamond cushion halo and a act Round Brilliant center stone.

Enjoy a little summer afternoon daydream with this beauty!

Do you have a custom design that you would like made? E-mail us! Kelly@jamesandlilyjewelry.com

Happy Friday!

xoxo

Kelly

A new custom creation

A sneak peek at a new custom project I'm working on! Sapphires and diamonds, yes please!

xo,Kelly

Classic stud earrings!

Happy Tuesdays! I'm excited to share some beautiful new additions to the website. We now carry diamond stud earrings with rounds and princess cuts. Check out the website and see the 6 different sizes that we keep in stock!

The perfect gift for the lady in your life!

xo, Kelly

New Custom Emerald ring in process

I'm sketching away for a new custom ring! These beautiful stones were removed from a gigantic estate piece and I'm designing a much more modern replacement. Loving working with this gorgeous Emerald! Can you imagine this beauty on your finger? Stay tuned for the finished piece.

xo,Kelly

Special Gifts

Looking for a special gift for a special someone, or maybe you want a new necklace for that big event coming up, or a ring that you can wear every day? You can buy a piece of jewelry that you can find most anywhere. But why choose something that you see everywhere, especially when you can buy a unique and creative piece that will last a lifetime? James and Lily Jewelry has unique jewelry designs that are handcrafted to be cherished for years to come. With clean and elegant lines, each piece is sure to be enjoyed for a lifetime and beyond. James and Lily Jewelry creates unique designs in gold and sterling silver, as well as provides personalized jewelry options. With the price of precious metals increasing, sterling silver is a perfect option for heirloom-quality jewelry. 


Happy Wednesday!

xo, Kelly

Custom Designs for the Summer

I thought I would take a moment to share an exciting custom project that I finished last month.

These are a few images of a gorgeous one of a kind piece, I was commissioned to create this to celebrate a couples 10th Wedding Anniversary. I'm overjoyed with the beautiful result and so were they!

  This 14K Yellow Gold Bangle bracelet features diamonds and custom personalized engraving, a little extra touches always means so much.

Happy Tuesday!

xo,Kelly

Diamonds are a girl's best friend!

We at James & Lily Jewelry are beyond excited to announce the launch of our new site!!

                                  www.JamesandLilyJewelry.com

Visit us and create your own custom engagement ring with our new Buy a Loose Diamond feature. We will custom make any ring for the stone that you select. Happy Tuesday!

xo,Kelly

Savanna Eng Ring

Cheyenne Eng Ring

Ava Eng Ring

Diamonds- A Shape for every style!

As unique as everyone’s style is, there is a diamond shape to match it.  From the classic round brilliant to the antique look of the cushion cut diamond, there is something for everyone. 

Enjoy!

xo,Kelly

 

The Round Brilliant Cut: 

The round brilliant cut diamond is the classic, always fashionable diamond shape.  The round brilliant was created to reveal the most sparkle and light a diamond has to give, as well as reducing the appearance of yellow color in a diamond.  Someone who may like the round brilliant may be described as: faithful, traditional, and dependable.

Princess Cut: 

Like the round brilliant, the Princess cut is full of facets and sparkle! The Princess cut is one the of the most popular styles of diamonds. The princess cut diamond is square with pointed corners, which can give it a more modern look.   Someone who may like the princess cut diamond may be described as having an exhilarating personality, fun, and exciting.

Cushion Cut: 

The cushion cut adds a more antique feel to the diamond.  It is often described as a soft rounded square shape.  The defining feature of the Cushion cut is that the top of the diamond comes up in a rounded fashion versus the round brilliant cut diamonds sharp angle.  A person who likes the cushion cut may be described as a romantic, traditional, and may go for more vintage style settings.

Marquise: 

The marquise shape was created to retain as much diamond as possible in the cutting process.   Because of the marquis’ elliptical shape (football), the stone often looks bigger than it is!  The marquis shaped diamond may appeal to someone who is described as innovated, and exciting to be around.

Heart:

                If you didn’t think it was possible it is, the diamond can be even more romantic in a heart shape!  Filled with facets this cut is full of romance, sparkle and love.  The women who may like a heart shaped diamond may be described as a pure romantic, and dreamer.

Oval:

The oval shape is another great option to do something a little different from the classic round brilliant but not too far off!  Just like the round brilliant the oval shaped diamond is filled with sparkle.  Someone who may like the oval shape may be described as creative, well organized, and willing to take chances.

Pear: 

                The pear shape is like the blend of two cuts, the oval and marquis.  With one round end and one pointed, the pear shape is for someone who likes to make their own rules!  Someone who may like the pear shape can be described as modest but likes to standout in a crowd, and tend to have a stubborn streak.

Emerald Cut: 

                The emerald cut is one of pure beauty.  With a different style of facets called step cuts, and less, the stone can show any flaws it may have.  A higher grade diamond is recommended to wear the emerald cut with confidence.  Even though it does not have the same sparkle as brilliant cut stones, the beauty of the emerald cut lies in the ability to look right into the stone with broad flashes of light! The person who loves the emerald cut diamond may be described as a natural born leader, and has a regal temperament.

Asscher:

                Like the emerald cut, the asscher uses step cuts to reveal the beauty within the stone.  A higher grade diamond is recommended to wear the asscher cut with confidence.   The vintage inspired cut is as regal as an emerald cut but adds its own touch with its square shape.  Someone who loves the asscher cut may be described as a trend setter, and a quiet elegance.

The Four C’s of Diamonds

As James and Lily is gearing up for the launch of our new website, we are excited about a new feature that will make a whole variety of diamonds available through our site!  While studying to becoming a graduate gemologist I spent quite a bit of time studying diamonds because there is so much to learn about them.  All these qualities work together to make diamonds sparkle and shine beautifully.  When looking for diamonds they are graded by the four C’s.  I thought I’d give you an explanation of the four C’s to get you ready for James and Lily’s new site!

Cut:  When looking at diamonds we use cut to tell us how well the stone was cut to achieve the most   sparkle and shine.  The way diamonds play with light is so unique we can’t help but love it!   There is a whole science in proportions and percentages that help diamonds graders decide what quality the cut is, but they make it easier by putting diamonds into categories to tell us the quality of the cut.  The categories are: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor.  The measurement differences can be so minuscule between an Excellent graded stone and a Very Good.  Sometimes if you compare two stones visually, one Excellent, and another Very Good, many people will choose a Very Good not knowing the two stone’s grades, because the way a diamond looks is a combination of the four C’s.  If you compare an Excellent stone to a Poor stone, you would probably see the difference.    

Color:  The color grade tells us how much color, or lack of color there is in the diamond.  We use a D-Z scale to grade amount of color in a diamond.  Because diamonds form in nature, there can be extra chemicals and minerals that get caught in the formation of the diamond.  This is what causes color in the stone, typically yellow.  Starting at D there is no color, and as you progress down to Z there more color progresses.  D,E,F is often considered colorless.  G,H stones are near colorless.  I,J will begin to have a little color, and as your progress down in the alphabet the more color you will find in the diamond.

Clarity:  Just like with color, because diamonds form in nature, there can be other things that are caught up in the formation or caused during the formation.  If you have looked at diamond grades before you will be familiar with the terms F,IF,VVS1,VVS2 and so on.   These are how we grade the amount of inclusions that can be seen in the stone under 10X magnification.  It is important to remember that clarity grading is done under magnification. Inclusions are things that can get caught in the stone or are created during the formation of the diamond.  One example could be a crystal.  Another example would be what we call a pin point, a small speck within the stone.  The grade is not only based on what is in the stone but the location as well.  Often the closer the inclusion or inclusions are to the center of the diamond or to the top of the diamond the lower the grade, because it is more likely to be visible.  

F, IF: Flawless and internally flawless

VVS1, VVS2:  Very very slight inclusions

VS1,VS2: Very slight inclusions

SI1,SI2: Slight inclusions

I1: Included.  These will sometimes have inclusions that can be seen without magnification or the amount of inclusions will earn a stone an I grading.

Carat:  The size of a diamond is based on Carat Weight.   Carat weight is factored in the stone’s value because the larger the diamond the more rare it is to find in nature.  Two stone with the same carat weight can be worth  different values because of the rest of the Cs’: Cut, Color, Clarity.

The four C’s can help a stone buyer understand the value of the stones they are looking at.  Choosing a stone is such a personal decision because of the range and different combination of the four C’s.   That is what makes your diamond so special!

                                                  XO, Kelly

Friday Love Story, Falling in Love...literally

Nothing makes me more excited then a Friday afternoon AND a Friday Love Story! What better way to slip into the weekend with a smile on your face..right?! Thank you to the beautiful Lindsey for sharing her sweet story of "Falling" for her Husband Jason.

Happy Friday & Enjoy!
xo,Kelly

Jason and I first met in college The first week of college to be exact. We spotted each other in our first class, World History, M/W at 9:30. He answered some question about the bible and my ears perked up. I looked over my shoulder, real cool like and locked eyes with him. He smiled. I turned around quickly. Later that day, I walked into my Freshman Psychology class and time stopped and there he was...again. Fate stepped in and somehow the only seat left in  class was right in front of him. We didn't talk the entire class but when class was over we managed to walk to the parking lot side by side. We kept looking at each other like we were going to say hello but the words didn't come out. We were rapidly approaching the staircase when it happened. I tripped and fell. Humiliated, embarrassed, I managed to look up at him with his hand extended, "Are you alright? I'm Jason by the way." I was smitten. 

Fast forward seven years and the night of my 26th birthday. Jason planned a fun birthday celebration for me including dinner at one of our favorite spots. First he wanted to take a trip to our college to take some pictures on his new SLR camera. Photography had become a hobby of his so I didn't think anything of it. We made the drive and Jason set up his tripod and got the camera ready. I was fixing my hair for the picture when all of a sudden Jason ran up to me and grabbed me. I was completely caught off guard and the biggest smile came over his face. He said, "Lindsey I have waited my entire life to ask you this question. I can't think of anyone I would rather spend the rest of my life with. I have loved you since the day I met you and need to ask, will you marry me?" 

Tears streamed down my face as I exclaimed, "Yes!" We were both so full of pure joy when had almost forgotten about the camera. We were able to capture one of the best moments of our lives on camera and have treasured the photo ever since. To celebrate, Jason had arranged for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants to celebrate with our family. We got married on December 17, 2010 and couldn't be happier!

And they lived happily ever after :)

"Sharing the love" Megan & Matt's Proposal story

Who doesn't love a great proposal story?!  One of my favorite parts of being a jewelry designer is being a part of such a momentous time in a couple’s relationship.   From helping create the ring to the moment unfolding, each couple creates such a unique story.   To celebrate Friday, and hopefully provide some inspiration, we are so excited to have Megan and Matt share their story.

     It was thanksgiving and my family, boyfriend and I were all holding hands saying grace before we ate dinner. We each went around the circle saying what we were thankful for. My boyfriend was the last to say what he was thankful for and he said "I'm thankful for friends and family. I'm thankful for this family and I hope to one day be a part of it. I was actually hoping that day would be today!" He then turned to me, dropped down to one knee, pulled out the beautiful ring and asked "Megan will you marry me?"  I was so excited I don't think I ever answered him! We were married February 15, 2013! 

~Megan

Thank you Megan and Matt for the photo and wonderful story!

                                                                   Xo, Kelly

You're the song...the Melody Pendant.

Every jewelry designer has their  favorite pieces, this One of a kind "Melody Pendant" is definitely one of mine. I got an e-mail  from a sweet Texan in early December, he was looking to surprise a one of a kind lady ( and one of my best friends) with something that would make her Christmas "better then it's ever been" and I hope that I helped with that a little bit.

There is something very special about being able to personalize jewelry, that's what I love about being a jeweler. I love making each piece unique to the person who's going to wear it. I want my clients to have a gift that reminds them of the love and affection that went into selecting a piece, to engraving their special message and to presenting that gorgeous gift. Thank you Ashlea Palafox for these beautiful pictures!
xo,Kelly


"You're the song that I've been singing all day long, you're the melody I need to get me on my feet and dancing.  I've never felt a beat so strong , you're the song that I've been singing all along." Heather Morgan

Ashlea wearing her one of a kind "Melody Pendant"

Back of  Guitar pick

Front w/ diamonds

"Covet" Chrismukkah

On the first day of Chrismukkah my true love gave to me.....a Covet pendant with engraving! Today only this handcrafted, sterling silver necklace is available for 30% off, that's $150 and includes the custom engraving of your choice.

 With savings like that you might as well get two! Happy shopping!

xo,Kelly

Ashlea Ring

     We recently said  "goodbye for now" to the most amazing Model /Assistant a jewelry company could ever ask for, our sweet Ashlea! In her honor meet the "Ashlea Ring" Rose cut Swiss Blue Topaz set in a delicate sterling silver setting. 

xo, Kelly

Trunk show at Facets Fine Jewelry

The Sky is the limit!

"The stars are the jewels of the night,
and perchance surpass anything which day has to show."
- Henry David Thoreau

The brilliant Henry David Thoreau wrote such an epic statement in “Night and Moonlight”. He also stated that, “Nevertheless, even by night the sky is blue, and not black; for we see through the shadow of the earth into the distant atmosphere of day, where the sunbeams are reveling.” At the time, Henry had no idea that he was referring to the sky collection created by James and Lily Jewelry. Not only was he a prolific author and poet of his time, but he apparently also had a dash of ESP. It was so sweet of him to mention the collection. 

The sky collection was created for my fellow dreamers out there. Whimsical, serene, chic, and soulful are words that describe these beautiful pieces. I’ve always lived life without limits and hope that this collection inspires others to do just the same. As an artist and a dreamer, lots of heart and soul spilled onto each of these hand crafted pieces. When wearing the sky earrings, the light catches the dangling beauties in a way that seems angelic. They bathe in glimmer and dazzle no matter where you wear them. That’s particularly what I love about this collection. You can wear them for any occasion. 

When I created the sky bracelet, I imagine a woman wearing it not only because it makes her feel breathtakingly wonderful, but, because she can look down and use it as a compass in life and as a tender reminder to never give up hope. After all, the sky is the limit and you were made to do amazing things. My desire for you is to be fearless throughout life. And I only hope that you feel fearless while wearing the sky collection. Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land amongst the stars…and some really fabulous jewelry.

XO, Kelly

Spring is in the air!

 Facets in Brooklyn just got a new shipment of James & Lily Jewelry!

Stop in and see our new styles!

Facets Fine Handcrafted Jewelry
Park Slope 
97A 7th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215 

www.facetsparkslope.com