August is filled with golden beaches, golden tans and bodies bedecked in gold bangles and necklaces.

Maybe that’s all just wishful thinking, or possibly too much sun, but one can’t deny that from Columbus’ voyage to the Americas, to the California gold rush, gold has always been a prize to possess.

Gold is the most malleable of all metals, explaining its widespread use in jewelry.

We know gold best in its yellow form, but other colors can be produced by adding other metal alloys – copper for pink gold, silver for green gold and zinc, silver or palladium for white gold.

The higher the karat (or percentage of pure gold) that is present in a piece, the more yellow it will be.  For me, when you really like a piece, karat is more a matter of taste  – many jewelers of the Victorian era preferred 10k gold and a recent trend in pieces made in the Roman and Byzantine style is that they are fashioned in bright yellow 22k gold to emphasize their exoticism.

Of course at Doyle & Doyle, we are surrounded by many representations of gold, in forms like embossed chain link bracelets, gold beaded necklaces and colored-gold rings in pink and green.

With all this variety, you’d think it difficult to find a favorite, a ‘gold standard’ of a piece if you will, but I’ve managed to pick out a few, with emphasis on the interesting multi-colored gold pieces and that we’ve recently acquired:

I love how this 14k yellow gold piece uses gold instead of stones as embellishment.

Victorian Bead & Drop Festoon Necklace

O.m.g. – the leaves of this ring are 14k green gold, and the flower is 14k rose gold!

Diamond Rose and Green Gold Band

The links of this bracelet alternate between 14k white and 14k yellow gold.

Retro Geometric Link Bracelet

Although this bracelet looks chunky, the 18k yellow gold embossed links are hollow, as was common during the Victorian era.

Embossed Link Bracelet

Ok, this necklace isn’t all gold, a part of the chain is made in platinum, but the rest is fashioned in warm 14k rose gold.

Engraved Perfume Flask

For those looking for something a bit different in their wedding band, a 22k vintage band (this one is vintage Tiffany & Co.!) will stand out from the 14k crowd.

3mm Comfort Fit Band

For tips on how to clean your gold piece, go here and here.

Tags: Bracelets, Necklaces, Rings.

Looking for something… blue?

Then check out some of our beautiful aquamarine jewelry. The color of these semi-precious stones can vary from transparent, to greenish blue to bluish green.

Besides its versatility in color, aquamarines lend themselves to a wide variety of form and style. A dark blue stone looks great in the form of glamorous earrings, especially when accented by diamonds; while a more iridescent shaded stone set in a pendant necklace is all subtle beauty.

Incidentally, aquamarines are the birthstone for March, and Doyle & Doyle always has a wide-selection of aquamarine jewelry in many forms and styles.

Just one more ‘to do’ that we can help check off your list.

Tags: Bracelets, Earrings, Necklaces.

Charm bracelets have been around since the days of the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Back then, charm wrist and neck bracelets were used both as protective amulets, and forms of identification to aid the gods in guiding the wearer, and their possessions, into the afterlife.

But it was after World War II that their popularity exploded into the phenomenon we know today.

Now, you can get a charms from places you visit, to commemorate an occasion, of your favorite spirit animal – basically whatever symbol you feel represents you and your travels/travails.

This Embossed Ball and Curb Link Bracelet is my pick both as a great base for a fabulous charm collection, and as a great gift.

Embossed Ball and Curb Link Bracelet, $1200

Tags: Bracelets.