Adding Maine Tourmaline to Your Jewelry Collection

Tourmaline can be found in many places worldwide, but Maine is touted as one of the highest quality producers, with gems that are exceptional in color and grade. Maine tourmaline is known for its pastel colors, whether that’s bluish green, pink, or a combination of both, as in the watermelon tourmaline. 

Maine tourmaline featured in our handmade paperclip chain.

Significant Maine tourmaline pendant.

If you live in Maine, or have a connection to Maine, your jewelry collection should include at least one piece featuring this beautiful gem. To address any hesitance on how to incorporate it, we’ve got some pointers on where to start and also some important considerations when selecting pieces. 

You may be someone who likes jewelry that doesn't require thought or special accommodations. If you like to go from a boat ride to a shower to bed without changing out or taking off your jewelry pieces, one thing to consider about tourmaline is that it’s relatively soft. Ranking around 7/7.5 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, tourmaline can certainly be worn for everyday activities, but it’s especially important to be selective about the setting it is in. Make sure to choose pieces that offer protection for the gem when picking out earrings or pendants. A quality jeweler will be able to guide you to the right settings. 

Rings featuring tourmaline can be an excellent way to showcase their beauty. Because they are so unique, and also carry the significance of Maine history, they make an ideal heirloom to be passed through generations. Tourmalines are a beautiful pairing with diamonds, and sit beautifully against either silver or gold. For a less traditional engagement ring, a Maine tourmaline from a Maine goldsmith can be an ideal choice. It not only carries all the brilliance and beauty of a diamond, but also has significance for a couple who has ties to Maine. 

Like all colored stones, tourmaline does require some care to maintain its appearance, but don’t let that be a deterrent to wearing it regularly. Tourmaline actually generates a slight electric charge, causing dust to become attracted to it. Over time, as the dust accumulates on the back of the stone, it may appear duller and less brilliant. Luckily, it is quite easy to restore its brightness by using a soft toothbrush and water to lightly wash behind the stone. 

Simple Maine Tourmaline accent in our Center of Effort pendant: Cribstone Bridge Collection.

As Maine jewelers, we are proud to claim tourmaline as a native stone. With the right knowledge and application, it can become a staple in your own jewelry collection and a beautiful way to symbolize your personal connection to Maine.

Pearls on the High Seas: Basics for a Day on the Water (or a Night on the Wharf)

Given their origin, it’s fitting to associate pearls with the sea. As such, they are the ideal accoutrement for a day out on the water, and luckily, they can also transition perfectly to your evening adventures once you’ve hit shore. 

A Day Cruise 

The cruise setting can be utilized for both business or pleasure, and pearls fit it naturally for any occasion. Whether you are at a networking event, seeking that whale sighting, or enjoying a lobster educational cruise, pearls should be on your shortlist for accessories. They can be simple in nature, like a set of studs or a single pendant, or you can have fun with it and pair your trip with a conversation piece by a unique designer. If you don’t already own one, the shops and galleries of your harbor town are brimming with local talent specific to the area. 

Keshi pearl post earrings with diamond in rose gold by Keith Field.

A Personal Yacht Trip 

A night party on the boat calls for luxury and the classics - and nothing fits that brief quite like pearls. Once you have felt the softness and weight of a large South Sea pearl strand you will never want to wear anything else. And don’t limit yourself when it comes to color; high-quality pearls come in yellows, whites, blacks, and many variations in between, so your options are wide open to find the most fitting piece for the perfect evening. Looking for more of a sport ride than a leisurely float? Stick to classic posts with a silk scarf. While pearls are resistant to damage from salt spray, best practice is to keep your extra fine pieces at home during a more adventurous ride. 

Handmade South Sea pearl station necklace by Keith Field.

Adventurous Water Activities 

Speaking of those of you seeking a more active day on the water, you can still dress for the occasion! Of course, safety is the primary concern, and second comes the preservation of your fine jewelry. For water sports, don’t shy away from donning your pearls; everyday minimal pearl earrings or a pearl pendant on a cord will give you full freedom to be active but also look great in those candid photos. You'll feel great and be ready to rock the brewery, food truck, or clambake after you ride the waves. 

Yes, for the Men as Well 

The mention of pearls may harken images of Audrey Hepburn or Elizabeth Taylor, but men have also donned pearls for thousands of years. Men wearing pearls is particularly significant in connection to maritime culture; many a sea captain and privateer wore pears as status symbols of wealth and power. With a wide variety of colors and sizes, pearls have the ability to carry a masculine feel, especially when paired with leather or other more rustic materials. Rock your beachy style with a large designer pearl pendant paired with a crisp white shirt, or be more adventurous with pearl stud earrings or even a pearl featured on your bracelet.

Capped Acorn Collection

With oak trees abundant in Maine, we have all come to know acorns as a natural ground cover underfoot on our walks in the woods. The common little nut may be compact, but it is quite complex; acorns can take two years to reach full maturity and are packed with essential nutrients that regenerate our forests and sustain much of Maine’s wildlife. 

Our new collection celebrates the humble yet essential acorn, with all its form and design intricacies. The caps, crafted out of recycled gold and silver, feature delicate lines and ridges reflecting the unique patterning. The bodies of the acorns are made from lustrous pearls, shaped with smooth, organic lines that perfectly complement the texture of their tops. 

Featured on paper clip chains, the offerings in our acorn collection range from everyday fashion pieces to special occasion pieces. Expansion of the traditional collection includes acorn bodies crafted from all natural Botswana brown agate and clear quartz, capped with recycled silver tops. For a summery variation, the collection features acorn bodies formed from all natural blue, purple, and even clear lace agate, topped with shell caps. 

Whether worn as a long pendant or nestled high on the neckline, the acorn collection is bothplayful and sophisticated, a celebration of the outside world and of the extraordinary designscreated in nature.

Pearls Through the Ages

If you follow the story of pearls through the ages, you will discover an interesting and evolving presence in the world of fashion. Studying the commissioned paintings of the most prominent members of high society - from Elisabeth of Valois and Isabel de Aviz, to Mary Tudor and Maria Manuela - you will find them depicted with pearls as a central part of their appearance in their most famous portraits. It was even said that privateers were given a blind eye in order to bring pearls to Queen Victoria from overseas. 

Pearls made the shift from royalty to the middle class as a result of Mikimoto pioneering cultured pearl making. The slow and very fragile nature of growing these cultured pearls makes for a strong nacre with a high luster. With the return of American soldiers from WWII came an influx of pearls brought home to their loved ones, so if there is an old strand of graduated pearls in your family, it may well be a classic strand originating from the orient. 

Some time later, using the same principle developed by Mikimoto, South sea pearls were created in farms in Tahiti, Australia, the Philippines, and other locations in the South Sea. The difference between these and Mikimoto pearls is that they are formed using larger oysters that produce nacre in a variety of colors. For this reason, the pearls they produce can be golden, peach, or even black/peacock colored. 

These introductions of cultured pearls made pearl ownership much more commonplace, and along with that came the introduction of imitation pearls. This option made pearls into easily accessible fashion jewelry, with varying degrees of quality. Some production methods resulted in excellent caliber imitations, such as Majorca pearls, which are made using fish scale paste over a glass nucleus. This technique creates a luster and weight very similar to its natural counterpart, but at a fraction of the price. 

Though imitation pearls presented a quality option at a much more accessible price point, most of them were phased out when China began to increase their farming of natural pearls. By developing oversized hybrid mollusks, Chinese farms were able to produce multiple pearls in a short period of time; this allowed for pallets of these freshwater cultured pearls to be shipped throughout the world for use in fashion jewelry. These pearls can be identified by their coarse, somewhat powdery texture and their off-round shape. They can be found in a variety of shapes and can be dyed every color of the rainbow.. 

We are fortunate to be living in a time of abundance in regards to pearl options. Today, weenjoy cultured saltwater pearls from both the cold north and the balmy south of Japan; aplethora of freshwater pearls from China; and high quality imitation pearls from trustedcompanies like Swarovski. And of course, there are still the rare pieces designed using naturallyoccurring pearls and melo pearls (naturally formed in the shell of the melo melo snail, andextremely unique in color and luster.) Whichever option you select, you’ll know that your pearlsare part of a fashion fixation that spans across the ages.

Gold Jewelry: Finding Its Place In Every Wardrobe, for Every Occasion

There is no jewelry that bridges the gap between “basic” and “bling” quite as successfully as gold. It is just as appropriate on the red carpet as it is on the baseball field. Gold manages to be versatile in an effortless way; here are some of the very best ways we encourage you to go for the gold. 

Gold Earrings 

Tulip Earrings

Cosmos Earrings

Sea Grass Earrings

Gold hoops have been worn by women (and men) throughout the centuries and throughout the world. They are not only iconic, but flattering and stylish. It is hard to go wrong with hoops made of gold - but certain designs will suit your style better than others. Wide, simple, and twist hoops convey a classic look, whereas angles introduce a more edgy style. Hoops can be organic and fluid, or polished and sophisticated, depending on the weight and shape of the form. Don't forget to think about crafting a group if you have multiple piercings; a collection of small huggies and loops or a collection of mini gold diamond studs or fun geometric shapes can be a unique and curated look. 

Chains, Chains Chains! 

Yes, chains are the key element in holding your favorite pendant, but they also can really shine when worn alone. If you study the various types of gold chain, you’ll start to see just how beautiful they are themselves as jewelry pieces. If you’re questioning what style is best for you, general advice is to go for more traditional styles for your investment pieces; a heavy gold chain is a lifelong investment, but well worth it for its beauty and longevity. Layering chains is a popular fashion statement today, and it can be done with various lengths, styles, and numbers of chains. If you love dressing with a long chain, splurge on a 38" or longer, and wrap it double when you need a short chain. Basic pendant chains are classically 18" because it is very versatile (layered shorter for a choker look, longer for a long chain look). 

Gold Rings 

Tourmaline

Harbor Light

Lobster Claw

The words “gold ring” may have you thinking of a smooth, flat, traditional band style, but there are lots of options for polished or textured dome rings, or even the scalloped signature design of a “shrimp” ring. Anything you wear on your hands is something you have to expect will be exposed to the elements of daily life, so invest a little in your classic style and save on your fashion pieces. Signet rings are designed to be cherished through the ages, so when you’re purchasing one, focus on getting a quality die struck piece that compacts the metal and resists dings and dents. 

Anything That Makes You Happy 

Bee with Sapphire

Sea Horse with Sapphire

Gold has the ability to take something quirky and make it instantly fashionable. So don’t be afraid to adorn yourself with any gold piece that puts a smile on your face. Gold pendants can run the gamut, from a rustic ancient talisman, a whimsical bumblebee, or a sleek modern paperclip design. A perfect example is the gold carabiner pendants and charm holders that are trending right now. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box with a thick, heavy, gold bangle or an industrial style link bracelet. Or turn that old gold charm collection into pendants or on a strand. Gold allows you the freedom to play with your own personal design expression and always look right on style.