Fort Knox. King Midas. Leprechauns.

What do they all have in common? Gold.

Not all that glitters is gold, but all gold glitters.

Every month, you Woobies get the vital stats on a gemstone, but we’ve rather neglected precious metals in comparison. And everyone knows that nothing frames a gemstone quite as nicely as a setting of precious metals.

Well, it’s time to remedy this, and we’re going to get started with the most recognizable precious metal: good, old AU — gold, that is.

The vital stats for gold.

Gold is #79 on the periodic table of the elements, and is valued for its malleability, ductility, and rareness. It’s been used in everything from currency to sculptures to gourmet cuisine to dental fillings to, of course, jewelry.

It’s soft enough to shape, and can be alloyed with other metals to give it strength or even to change the color.

Gold alloyed with copper takes on a pinkish tint — what we know as “rose gold.”

Gold alloyed with a white metal (such as nickel or palladium — the new darling of the precious metal world) looks like silver — we call it “white gold.”

Gold is versatile. It’s worn by everyone from babies to grandmas to rappers. So, to celebrate this precious, precious metal, let’s count down the top five ways to wear gold!

5. Let Me See Ya Grillz

Rapper Nelly: Smile for me, daddy!

There’s no more ostentatious way to flaunt one’s wealth than to put it in one’s smile. Gold and diamond grillz have been all the rage on the rap scene.

Still, Olivia thinks that there’s no better dental look than pearls — pearly whites, that is.

4. I’ve Got the Power

My preciousssss!

One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

This ring also has the power of invisibility, which makes it very convenient to duck out of boring meetings, avoid ex-boyfriends, and sneak backstage at a Nelly concert. It can even extend your life by hundreds of years.

Unfortunately, you will be an evil shell of your former self by the end of that life, and just might meet a grisly end in a giant pit of lava. But you’ll look cool doing it.

3. Watch This!

D&G Dolce & Gabbana Milano Watch in Rose Gold, $195 at saks.com.

And, now, getting to the serious part: the pink tones of rose gold give a sleek watch some feminine appeal. And rose gold is so unique!

2. Make a Wish

Jennifer Meyer White Gold Wishbone Necklace, $700 at barneys.com.

If I had a real wishbone, I’d wish for this adorable necklace by Jennifer Meyer. The darling designer of many celebs (as well as some regular folk like me), Meyer is a master at glorified simplicity. Who would have thought that the aftermath of Thanksgiving dinner could be made into an elegant piece of jewelry?

1. With This Ring, I Thee Wed

Tiffany Lucida Wedding Band Ring, $825 at tiffany.com.

What better way to use gold than to celebrate a new life together, to symbolize and unbreakable bond? Metal has no nobler purpose than to represent undying love.

Well, I hope that all you Woobies out there have a newfound appreciation for gold and all it can do. There’s been some talk out in financial sectors about bringing back a gold standard — and I say, “Bring it on.”

Goldenly,
Olivia

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the wayyyy!

Ladies and gentlemen, the holiday season is upon us!

Victoria’s Secret has unveiled its annual jewel-encrusted “Fantasy Bra” for 2008. This season’s version is named “Black Diamond Fantasy Miracle Bra” and has a price tag of $5 million.

The specs –

Black diamonds: 3,575

Certified one-carat white round diamonds: 117

Rubies: 34

Black diamond drops weighing 100 carats hanging from the bra: 2

Total weight in carats: 1,500

Total gems: 3,900

Jeweler: Martin Katz

The Columbus, Ohio-based intimate apparel company has been partnering with jewelers to create an over-the-top bedazzled bra for each holiday season since 1996.

Its 10th anniversary edition in 2006 displayed more than 2,000 diamonds weighing 800 carats, including a 10-carat diamond brooch centerpiece.

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At these prices, I’m pretty sure the supermodel comes with the bra. You can check, but I’m pretty sure.

Visit the Victoria’s Secret website for more information, or call 800.555.5861 to purchase. Make sure you three-way me in when you call — I’d like to hear your credit card number.

Tidbit: Just what is Victoria’s Secret? Though the company doesn’t admit it, the name could refer to Queen Victoria’s lusty, late-in-life, illicit affair with one of her servants - oh, you randy cow. Surely she could have afforded any one of these bras, had one been available in her day.

x o x o
~ jewels

Oh, you poor boys.

Some of you read this blog because you’re looking for help in navigating the stormy waters of gift selection. Some of you are hoping that we’ll throw you a bone and write about men’s jewelry. Maybe some of you even wandered in by mistake and are waiting for me to give you a reason to stick around.

Well, we hope you’re happy. We’re introducing a new regular feature just for men called (what else?) “Just for Men.”

And to kick off this new segment, I’d like to address the number one thing that men want to find here.

An important decision to make.

Next to picking the girl to give it to, picking out an engagement ring is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make.

A lot of guys have been telling me that they need help. Most men have spent their entire lives NOT thinking about jewelry, and then they’re suddenly thrust into a position where they have to make a HUGE purchase.

Some of you are tempted to panic. What if you get the wrong ring? What if you pay too much? What if she hates it so much she dumps you?

Well, here are Olivia’s top three tips to make sure that you get a ring that will WOW the love of your life!

Counting down:

3. Be Prepared.

Delicious, but not quite right for this occasion.

You know what’s disappointing? You decide to marry the woman of your dreams and then discover that you only have enough money to buy her a Ring Pop.

This is where the Boy Scout Motto comes in handy: “Be prepared.”

Even if you don’t know who she is yet, it couldn’t hurt to have enough money saved. Start squirreling money away into a savings account. Even if it seems premature, saving is generally a good idea. You never know when you might meet The One. And, trust me, nothing will impress her more than if you have the means to buy her a nice ring — not because she’s materialistic, but because YOU’RE practical.

And, trust me, nothing will impress her less than if you have to wait to propose for six months after you decide you want to marry her, while you save up to buy her a decent symbol of your affection.

2. Do Your Homework.

Research is good.

Knowing what to buy is good. But there’s no need to make it hard on yourself. Learn about different options for bands. Learn about different options for stones. Learn about how to know a good quality stone when you see one.

Most importantly, don’t do things the hard way. Let others do the legwork for you. Check the web for the essentials — specifically, keep checking out our blog. We’re looking out for you.

1. Your Greatest Resource

If she’s going to be the Maid of Honor, chances are she’s your greatest ally.

Utilize the best friend/sister. Most guys want to surprise their lady with the ring, which means that a lot of them are on their own when it comes to ring shopping. This is also what leads to the panic and the hopelessness.

Don’t do that to yourself. Ask her closest girlfriend or sister for help. Most girls love to talk about their dream ring. She is your inside track to everything that your future fiancee wants.

Hopefully, this can save you some time and headache as you prepare for one of the biggest moments of your life. We hope you check back soon for more tips and tricks from everybody’s favorite jewelry blog!

Helpfully,
Olivia

Welcome to WooMeOver University, or WooU. As much as we think that jewelry and gemstones are fun to talk about, we also think that there’s something to be said for educating ourselves about them so that we actually know what we’re talking about.

So, let’s start with what I think is the quintessential gemstone: the diamond.

They say that “diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” but I sometimes think that men know more about diamonds than women do. After all, men are the ones who have to buy the engagement rings.

Regardless, every girl should still know how to at least evaluate a diamond, so here’s a review of diamond basics.

A diamond is basically a form of carbon. It is the hardest naturally-occurring mineral on earth. This makes it valuable for industrial purposes, but it’s more commonly known in its gemstone form.

And that brings us to the infamous Five Cs: the criteria by which all diamonds are measured.

Carat
The weight of a diamond is measured in carats. A carat is 200 milligrams. Since all diamonds have the same atomic structure, its weight measure is also its mass measure.

Clarity

Almost all diamonds have internal defects, called inclusions. Inclusions can be foreign materials in a diamond, or even another diamond structure within a diamond. They can also be tiny cracks, which make the diamond appear whitish or cloudy.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has a system to grade clarity, which is based on a trained professional’s evaluation of the diamond under 10x magnification. Clarity is graded on a scale from flawless (negligible inclusions) to imperfect (many inclusions).

Color
A perfect diamond should be completely transparent. But chemical impurities and structural defects in a diamond’s crystal lattice can give a diamond the appearance of color.

The GIA has a system to grade color, from D (colorless) to Z (bright yellow).

But just because a diamond is colored doesn’t mean that it’s less valuable. In fact, yellow diamonds with a Z rating are rare and, therefore, more expensive. Pink and blue diamonds are also highly desirable.

Cut
A diamond needs to be shaped and polished in order to achieve its full potential as a gemstone. When light hits a diamond, the way it’s cut can either reflect lots of light, making it look brilliant, or absorb it, making it look dark.

Cut is not to be confused with shape. While cut refers to the reflective quality of the gem, the shape has no real bearing on how brilliant a gemstone looks; it’s just a matter of personal style and preference. Different shapes include round, princess, emerald, and heart.

Certificate
The best way to make sure that your diamond is of high quality, authenticity, and integrity is to make sure that it’s certified by a major independent gemological laboratory (like the GIA).

Hopefully, that fills you in all the basics a girl should know about her diamonds. But, as for getting a man to buy you one… well, that would require a different article.

Brilliantly,
Olivia