Style Watch...

Trends have been predicted, the fashion gods have spoken and Color Gemstones, Enamel pieces and Color metal are what’s predicted to be hot! Saturation is the name of the game, bold gemstone colors such as fuchsia, turquoise and burnt orange are popular. High karat yellow gold, rose gold and blacken silver are appearing on runways and store fronts everywhere. Enamel bangles and pendants are becoming a great way to add an opaque pop of color to any neutral outfit.

Some of the these top trends are reminiscent of the early 1970’s. If vintage pieces peak you interest, we carry a few restored pieces in our showroom or we can repair any of your own. Currently we have a beautiful pear shaped light emerald ring, a fantastic high carat yellow gold “Belt” bracelet and a few other vintage pieces floating around.

Bridal is an investment so as a rule, trends are less likely to fluctuate as drastically, as they do in fashion. Yet we've recently viewed more trendy designs and accents in rose and yellow color golds. Color center stones are also becoming very popular as we see celebrities using sapphires, rubies and color diamonds as engagement rings now. We recently finished a two-toned intense fancy yellow diamond, which was a beautifully melded concept of multiple designs. At Bostonian we customize all of our pieces to your specific taste so no matter what the stone, metal or design is we are able to create a unique and spectacular look for you. 

If you have any questions in regards to jewelry trends, repairs or in general please feel free to contact us on our website at www.bostonianjewelers.com  

Cleaning up with Bostonian

A few helpful hints to keep your jewelry clean and sparkling…

One of the first rules would be to stay away from Bleach. Bleach is one of the harshest chemicals for jewelry; it can cause your jewelry to weaken and breakdown. Do not soak in diluted ammonia or toothpaste as these both can cause damage to the stone and a weakening of the setting. Take proper care by removing the piece when you plan on swimming, entering a hot tub or cleaning.

Speaking of cleaning, to care for your jewelry gently wipe off excess make-up and skin oils after each wearing. Use a nub free, 100% cotton cloth and gently wipe the piece clean using only the soft pads of your fingers. If you’d like your gemstones to shine a bit more, create a solution of warm water and mild dish detergent and gently soak your jewelry for a few hours. Rinse under warm water and make sure you rinse out the back of the stones and in between the prongs of a setting. Do not do this if your jewellery is strung on silk or cotton as these will stretch (pearls, strands of beads etc.). If you have time bring your jewelry down to Bostonian, we will clean your jewelry for free, as well as check your stones, settings and clasp to make sure that your gemstones are safely set.

If your stones feel loose or if one falls out, please don’t try an at home repair. Some websites boast of a quick fix using tweezers or pliers, we recommend to put the piece in a Jewelers Bag, the box it came in or even a plastic bag until the time in which you can get to your Jeweler. Remember: A small repair job costs less than a replacement!

Cleaning your jewelry is an important part of keeping the value and the integrity of a piece intact. With out proper cleaning and maintenance your jewelry can become dull and lackluster which is never the original design. Hopefully these hints were helpful and each week we’ll be posting more but if you have any questions please feel free to contact us on our website at www.bostonianjewelers.com .

Design this Space!

You hear the studies regarding the number of hours at home vs. the office; the cubical dread of Monday mornings is “facebook’d” about far and wide; and your ability to create an entire meal out of vending machine fare is more than an impressive party trick, it’s a survival skill. Here at Bostonian we understand the long hours, the vending machine skill we tip our hats to but we’ve taken a different approach to the cubical. We recently designed our space to combat that business feel and have created a comfortable balance between work and play.

The newly redesigned space has a feeling of contemporary warmth mixed with a peaceful atmosphere. From what I’ve heard around the shop the old space was a bit more, how should I say this kindly…drab. It was a space that was neither inviting nor easily maneuverable. When the decision to renovate commenced there were so many overwhelming choices, from paint colors, to cabinets, to security, that an Architect firm by the name of Studio Troika was called in to help streamline the process.

The outcome was a beautiful balance of form and function. Sleek floors, Custom double-side display cabinets, recessed lighting and a design studio have all been implemented. In the design studio, a seating area is provided with a comfortable couch for those longer, more in depth design sessions. While in the main space high top tables and ample seating are available if there are more than two viewing.

As an observer, I have come up with a theory about this newly redesigned space. When a jewelry store feels like an extension of your home, customers don’t mind visiting it more than once. It seems that here most customers love to visit a lot and have their mothers visit and their sisters visit and their friends visit and…well you understand the point.

SO come combat that cubical dread with a relaxing visit to our new design space, view our portfolio’s and lets talk over a glass of chardonnay about what you’d like to create. If you have a sister, mother, friend or the like, bring them along and enjoy what Bostonian and the staff has to offer.


For more pictures or to find directions please visit our website at www.BostonianJewelers.com

Garnet-January's Birthstone!

Most people assume that Red is the only color this January Birthstone can come in BUT this gemstones occurs in shades of green, red, yellow and orange (blue is not naturally found).  While red is the most recognizable of January's Garnet Birthstone, any of these varieties are acceptable to wear or give as a representation for January.

Famous Garnets? Noah was said to have a garnet lantern to guide him during the biblical flood. At the auction of the Estate of Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis at Sotheby's on April 24, 1996, a striking cabochon garnet flower brooch from the 19th century was sold for $145,000. In the same year a university student unearthed in central Australia what is believed to be the largest single garnet find ever. This giant rough is thought to weight thousands of tons and measures nearly a hundred feet across.

History? Garnets have been used for thousands of years. These gems are found in jewelry from ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman eras. Many courageous discoverers and travelers wore Garnets for protection and to illuminate the night, as they were considered popular talismans and protective stones.

These stones are vivid in color with a rich history that allows them to be used in virtually every piece you can imagine. Large or small, multiple or solitaire these stones are available in every price range for customers and collectors alike. Garnets are a fantastic alternative for when you are looking for a color stone rather that a specific stone type in your personal designs.

Stop by Bostonian Jewelers to see what we can create for your January piece or visit our website to learn more about what we offer. www.bostonianjewelers.com


Photo Credits: Loose Garnet Gemstones www.birthstone.biz,  Restored Antique Ring: before and after, all design/repair was done at our Bostonian Jewelers Studio.

Bostonian in the Press!

The history of Bostonian and the passion that is still alive today is beautifully described by Jennifer Heebner in JCK Magazine. The article focused on family run and custom designed jewelry houses; below is a portion that highlights Bostonian Jewelers.

“Thirty years ago, Hagop Matossian opened Hagop Settings, a jewelry repair shop, in Boston. His specialty was creating one-of-a-kind pieces, including diamond engagement ring mountings to accommodate oversize center stones, for stores that didn’t have in-house design capabilities. But nine years ago, two major events drastically shifted the course of the business. First, Matossian’s wife and now creative director, Alexandria, joined Hagop and his brother Barkev in the shop, abandoning her own one-woman custom business on the lower level of the same complex, and brought with her an unstoppable drive to take on more challenging custom jobs. Also, Hagop’s father, a longtime goldsmith who owned his own retail store, imparted some advice his sons couldn’t ignore. “He said, ‘You’re getting older, and you won’t be able to work with your hands your whole life, so open a retail store,’ Matossian recalls. Armed with his wife’s enthusiasm and his father’s wisdom, Hagop opened Bostonian Jewelers as a retail store, while Barkev continued to run Hagop Settings to accommodate the volume of wholesale repair jobs they’d developed. On the retail side, aiming to expand their restoration work, Hagop and Alexandria (ahead of their time in 1999) checked out the capabilities of a CAD/CAM. They instantly knew the technology could revolutionize the manufacturing of jewelry. Still, notes Alexandria, Hagop didn’t immediately take the bait. “I pestered him for three years to buy Matrix,” she says. Once the purchase was made, the payoff was immediate. Handmade jewelry models in platinum were no longer necessary since digital models were stored in Matrix. That move alone freed up thousands of dollars, eliminating dozens of platinum models that sat in a safe for future use. Also gone were the stacks of stinky, wet silicone rubber molds, waiting “in limbo” to be employed to make more models. The technology also broke the rules for jewelry fabrication, streamlining efficiency and profitability. For instance, when making a ring that will weigh 12 grams of metal, jewelers must start with double the material to account for shaping, fabrication, and waste; the latter is now eliminated, thanks to CAD/CAM design. “With rapid prototype casting, you can go from print to wax with no waste,” says Hagop. And Alexandria is making more than just diamond engagement rings. Business in bridal necklaces, cuff-links, and similar items has risen drastically since the changeover. “I am a lot busier,” she says. For example, she made a pair of 18k gold cufflinks with green quartz as a birthday present from a woman to her fiancé. Alexandria recalls another commission fondly because of the customer’s instructions: There were none. “He told me to make anything I wanted,” she remembers. His only stipulation was to consider one aspect of the female recipient: She worked with her hands. The end piece was a five-gram platinum band featuring vine motifs and a half-carat, bezel-set diamond center stone provided by the client. With business brisk, Bostonian Jewelers got a facelift last year. Stainless steel and glass accents now give the store a contemporary look. “It’s yummy,” enthuses Alexandria. All jobs are completed onsite in the 2,000-square-foot space, which is a 60–40 split between showroom and workshop. Bostonian’s custom capabilities are so stream\lined, efficient, and profitable that the company even makes its own wedding bands—plain metal ones that most shops tend to order. “In 10 minutes, we can make a simple band in CAD/CAM for 30 percent less than the cost of ordering one from a vendor,” says Hagop. Other benefits? Cherry-picking custom components across a variety of jobs, clean casts (no investment mess), and no torching necessary. “This is the difference between the old school and the new,” says Alexandria. “You can really push the envelope of design."

We are very proud to be featured in such an amazing publication. To view the full article please go to : http://www.jckonline.com/2010/05/25/you-ve-got-it-made