No more being limited to your local high street to buy your Christmas presents. The world literally is our oyster today thanks to the internet and we can now choose to shop wherever we please. This has the dual benefit of enabling us to sniff out the best bargains around the world as well as opening up our shopping horizon with a much wider choice of goods.

Why limit yourself to buying jewellery from your home town when you have the choice of Jewelery Stores in Tyler TX, amber jewellery from the Baltic States or ethnic jewellery from Africa.

Many people now like to skip the middlemen who make large profits and go straight to the horse's mouth if they can – and if it is cheaper. If they want to buy saucepans made in France, surely it is cheaper to buy them online from France rather than the importer who will of course take a cut. (more...)

Costume jewellery used to be a poor second cousin to real gold, silver and diamonds, but perceptions are changing. Whereas women used to buy costume jewellery only if they did not have enough money to go for the expensive stuff, many ladies now buy it out of choice – whatever their budget.

There is now a wider choice than ever of costume jewellery on the market and you can buy pieces from a few pounds in high street stores and markets through to several hundreds of pounds. The designers too have jumped on the bandwagon and you can buy expensive costume jewellery from just about all of the top design houses.

The great thing about costume jewellery is that it is so versatile. You can buy it in any colour to match what you are wearing and the designs now are so imaginative. Plus, as it is usually less expensive than other jewellery, you can buy a piece to match every outfit! (more...)

Even in our darkest times, it is possible to feel better by putting on a show. When people are a little down it can be hard to get out of the rut and to even feel like getting dressed, but making the effort does lift the spirits.

Dressing up is an important motivational factor for any human. When you are walking around in tracksuit bottoms or your old painting shirt it can drag your mood down. By contrast, when you are looking your best, with high heel shoes, a little lipstick, a new hair-do and your clip on ear rings, you will feel much better in yourself.

That is not to say that appearances are the main factor, far from it. It is much less important what others think of you than how you feel. Just by taking a little time with your appearance you feel better, more attractive and more confident. By extension you feel more uplifted and in a better frame of mind. (more...)

Some people like to spend their money on cars or houses; others like to put their money into extensive foreign travel or trips around the world. Others like to invest in something long term such as art work or sculpture. Personally, though, I like to spend my money on bling.

You name it, I want it. gemstone earrings 18 kt necklaces, diamond rings and emerald brooches. Exquisite filigree hand crafted gold pieces or thick lumps of gold to hang from the ears. Jewellery of all types of designs shapes and sizes, jewellery of all origins, from India, the Middle East, Thailand and Russia, each country with their particular gemstone.

Amber jewellery from the Baltic States, stunning sapphires from Thailand and ornately crafted extravagant jewellery from India. Why do I like it so much? Because it is so versatile of course! Jewellery is much sexier than stocks and shares and you get to have fun with them along the way and wear them as well as collecting them. (more...)

If you are starting out as a jeweller, you have to get your name out into the market. It is a tough market to crack and there is a lot of fierce competition, so it is vital that you make your presence felt with customers.

To this end, it is important that you invest in a decent set of business cards, whatever type of jewellery you are designing or selling, from a diamond design business card, through to modern and funky jewellery.

Why is this so important? Because it is an inexpensive form of advertising and you have to spread to as many people as possible that you are in business. The type of business card that you choose also reflects the business that you do. (more...)