UPCOMING EVENTS

June 26-July 2, 2012

Independent Designer Pop Shop
Chelsea Market
75 Ninth Avenue
New York NY
10:30am - 7:30pm

August 18 - August 21, 2012

New York International Gift Fair (wholesale only)
Jacob Javits Convention Center
655 West 34th Street
New York NY
9am - 6pm

Spring into Spring Sale: 15% Off Online Purchases

Shop Now! Use Coupon Code: SPRING2012 at checkout!

ID Pop Shop - March 5-11, 2012

Thank You and Happy Holidays!

Over The Moon Jewel has had a fantastic year, thanks to all your support. The Columbus Circle Holiday Market was wonderful again this year. Meeting new and returning customers is always so rewarding for me. I’m taking a bit of a break through the holidays, and I will be back in January with new ideas and new designs.

I’m also happy to give you advanced notice that the Independent Designer Pop Shop (IDPopShop) will be returning to Chelsea Market in February! Details to come.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Barbara Wilkinson
Over The Moon Jewel

(Pboto courtesy of Joy-Ann Comiskey)

Columbus Circle Holiday Market - Nov 30 - Dec 24!

I'm so excited to be participating in the Columbus Circle Holiday Market again this year!

Columbus Circle Holiday Market is open every day through December 24th! Hours: Monday – Saturday 10am – 8pm. Sunday 10am - 7pm. Located in one of the most central and convenient and beautiful parts of the City—right off of Central Park and Columbus Circle, this seventh annual holiday market is already becoming one of the most elegant and beautiful in the City.

Come by and say hello!

December Birthstones - Blue Topaz and Turquoise

Blue Topaz is derived from the Sanskrit word "tapas," meaning fire. This is because Blue Topaz was considered by ancient civilizations to have cooling properties. Not only was it believed to cool boiling water when thrown into the pot, but to calm hot tempers as well! This gemstone was credited with many other healing powers, among them the ability to cure insanity, asthma, weak vision and insomnia. The Blue Topaz was even thought to have magical properties in its ability to make its wearer invisible in a threatening situation.

Blue Topaz is the hardest of the silicate minerals. While pure Topaz is colorless, minor changes of elements within the stone result in a variety of other colors, such as blue, pale green, red, yellow and pink.

The blue hue is created when Topaz is heated, whether the heat source is natural or engineered by man. The three shades of Blue Topaz with which I like to work are Sky, Swiss and London Blue. The latter is the deepest blue - and generally the most expensive blue topaz - and is often used as a less expensive substitute for Sapphire.

Topaz is found primarily in Brazil, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Pakistan, China, and the United States. A gift of Blue Topaz is symbolic of love and fidelity.


Alternate Birthstone - Turquoise

An alternate birthstone for December is the Turquoise. So named because it was initially brought to Europe by way of Turkey, this stone is one of the first gems to be used in jewelry. Turquoise was considered by ancients to be a sacred stone, protective against all manners of evil and ill health. This beautiful gemstone is mined in Iran and the southwestern United States. A gift of Turquoise represents friendship and luck.

October's Birthstone...Tourmaline Dream....Finally!

Those of you who know me, know my love for the tourmaline palette. Give me a grade AAA strand of tourmaline and I'm a very happy camper. October is finally here and I can ramble on about my fave semi-precious gemstone.

The most common color of tourmaline is a dark green, but it also comes in bright green, blue, red, pink, orange, yellow, clear, brown, violet and black. Tourmaline also comes in mixed colors within one stone, which can consist of many different varieties of colour. Scientifically, tourmaline is not a single mineral, but a group of minerals related in physical and chemical properties. Tourmaline exhibits the interesting electrical properties of pyroelectricity and piezoelectricity. When heated or rubbed, it attracts dust and dirt particles.

Tourmaline helps increase flexibility, objectivity, compassion, happiness and serenity. It is a stone that is very helpful for channeling and enhances tolerance and understanding. Tourmaline is also known to be a very protecting stone.

September Birthstone = The Precious Sapphire

Sapphire is the traditional, as well as the modern birthstone of September. It is also the birthstone of Virgo, the sixth zodiac sign. Sapphire is also considered to be the anniversary gem for the 5th and the 45th years of marriage. Sapphire is one of the four precious gemstones (the others being the diamond, ruby and emerald). Sapphire exists in a myriad of colors, including pink, orange and lavender as demonstrated in the two Over the Moon Jewel designs above. However, blue sapphire is well-known and highly prized.

There was a notion in ancient times that the earth is set on sapphire, and hence, the sky is blue. Sapphire is associated with physical and emotional balance. Attributes like wisdom, purity and sympathy are linked with sapphire. Sapphire also stands for qualities required in a healthy relationship, like loyalty, faithfulness, truth, sincerity, constancy and reliability. Therefore, it signifies long term relationships. Sapphire also said to inspire clarity of thoughts and improve problem solving capacity. It is said to protect the possessor from evil thoughts. In ancient times, sapphire was used to perceive future. Hence, it is also believed, that sapphire strengthens the power of intuition

The name sapphire is believed to originate from 'sapphirus', the Greek word, meaning blue. Sapphire has been found in Sri Lanka, since the 7th century. It is also found in Australia, America, Myanmar, China, Thailand, Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria.

August's Birthstone - Scrumptious Bright Green Peridot!

Green is not my fave color, but I can say that I actually like Peridot more so than its green precious gem counterpart, the Emerald. Its brilliant lime green tone is perfectly refreshing for these steamy August days.

Peridot is the August birthstone and the gem designated for the 16th wedding anniversary. It ranges in color from light yellow-green to the intense bright green of new spring grass to olive. Because of the way peridot splits and bends the rays of light passing through it, it has a velvety appearance and a rich glow. Check out the brilliance of the Grade AAA peridot rondelles in my earrings. The purer green a peridot is the higher the value. Any tinges of brown or visible flaws greatly diminish the price.

Some of the properties with which the Peridot is associated - love, truth, faithfulness and loyalty. The Traditional Metaphysical Properties for the August Birthstone Peridot are fame, dignity, and protection. The healing properties of the August birthstone are reputed to be effective for health problems relating to the lungs, lymph, breast and sinuses. The Peridot is also used to enhance prosperity, growth, and openness.

July's Birthstone - The Gorgeous & Regal Ruby!

I love working with precious gemstones and the Ruby is no exception.

The vibrant and luminescent Ruby is known as the 'King of Gemstones', both for its rarity, as well as beauty. Due to its bright red color, it is held in high esteem as a symbol of love, strength, power, and luck. Ruby has been the gem of the brave and the royal throughout the ages. It was worn by kings to give them power and to protect them from evil. Rubies also have the property to turn deeper in color, and this was believed by some to indicate danger or misfortune.

The vibrant and luminescent Ruby is known as the 'King of Gemstones', both for its rarity, as well as beauty. Due to its bright red color, it is held in high esteem as a symbol of love, strength, power, and luck. Ruby has been the gem of the brave and the royal throughout the ages. It was worn by kings to give them power and to protect them from evil. Rubies also have the property to turn deeper in color, and this was believed by some to indicate danger or misfortune.

June's Birthstone - The Pearl

June's birthstone, the pearl, has long been a symbol of purity and love, and in ancient times were thought to be the tears of the gods. They are also linked to a happy and succcessful marriage. The pearl is created by oysters and mussels and come in a variety of colors and shapes.

May Birthday? Wear Emeralds and Your Friends will be Green with Envy

Spring is a time of new growth and rebirth. And the intense brilliant green of the emerald, May’s birthstone, is as refreshing to the eyes as a spring garden after a rain. The Egyptians were known to engrave emeralds with the symbol for foliage to represent eternal youth, and to bury these jewels with their dead. The ancient Romans associated this gemstone with fertility and rebirth, and dedicated it to Venus, the goddess of love and beauty.

The emerald is a member of the beryl family of minerals. The green crystals grow slowly within metamorphic rocks and are restricted in size by the rock, making large emeralds rare and costly. Although this gemstone is relatively hard and durable, it must be protected from blows because the inclusions found within make it susceptible to breaking.

Some people believe that wearing an emerald brings wisdom, growth, and patience. And as any couple in a long-term relationship would agree, all of these qualities are essential for a successful and lasting love. This may explain why a gift of emeralds for an anniversary -- or anytime -- is considered symbolic of love and fidelity.

Check out my pale emerald necklace above with a 925 sterling lotus flower dipped in 24k gold. It sold last weekend at The Young Designers Market!

April Birthstones - Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend!

The modern birthstone for those born in April is the Diamond, while the traditional birthstones for April are Sapphires and Diamonds.

About Diamonds: Known as one of the hardest substances on earth, diamonds are thought to be billions of years old. The word diamond derives from an ancient Greek word, "adamas", meaning invincible. Arguably the most prized of all crystals, diamonds come in a range of colors: clear, pink, purple, red, orange, yellow, blue, green, and black. Color depends on the kind of impurities present. Blue ones have traces of boron, and yellow diamonds have minute amounts of nitrogen. One of the most popular gems throughout history, diamonds are linked to love, eternity and strength. This has contributed towards diamonds being the most popular gems of all time when it comes to romance, such as engagement rings and wedding bands.

About Sapphires: Sumptuous sapphire has been linked with faith and purity, as well as foresight. It was thought that the stronger the sparkle of the gem, the more faithful and honest the wearer. Sapphire is thought to bring physical and emotional balance. Sapphire is also normally given as the 5th and 45th wedding anniversary. The Greek word for blue “sapphirus” gives sapphires their name. Sapphires come in magnificent colors that span from pink and lavender hues to a rare orange color and the most popular deep blue sapphire that helped earn its name. My sapphire necklace below consists of faceted multi-colored sapphires, and can be found on my website http://overthemoonjewel.etsy.com.

February's Birthstone - Amethyst

The ancient Greeks believed that this gemstone held many powers, among them protection against intoxication. In fact, the word Amethyst comes from the Greek word "amethystos," meaning sober. In ancient Greece, the gemstone was associated with the god of wine, and it was common practice to serve this beverage from Amethyst goblets in the belief that this would prevent overindulgence.

Even today, Amethyst is considered a stabilizing force for those struggling to overcome addictive behaviors. Amethyst is thought to have powerful soothing effects on the wearer. It is believed to enhance a person’s ability to learn new ideas faster. It is can help you steady your mind and balance of emotional, mental, and physical states. The gift of Amethyst is symbolic of protection and the power to overcome difficulty.

January Birthstones

I have a birthday this month, and I love playing with gems, so I decided to provide a little information about January's birthstones. I will then subsequently create a similar post for each month this year. If you look up information about birthstones, you will learn that there are traditional and modern birthstones. For January, the traditional stones are garnet and rose quartz, and the modern birthstone is just garnet. Most people think of the color red with regard to garnet, but garnet actually comes in many colors. I sifted through my stash to give some examples. From top to bottom: traditional deep red garnet, rose quartz, mandarin garnet, hessonite (green garnet) and a brilliant Mozambique garnet. Garnet was once thought to be connected with the blood. This stone is supposed to protect the wearer from nightmares and offer guidance through the dark.