Here are a few pointers to keep in mind as you are beginning your search.

Who are you buying for?
Maybe you are looking for something special for your wife or girlfriend. Perhaps it is mom, or grandma that is deserving of something special. Don’t forget the guys in your life, they may appreciate a classy birthstone ring or birthstone bracelet. Or maybe you are just in the mood to treat yourself to a new piece of jewelry. Figuring out this important point is crucial since many pieces of jewelry are targeted towards a particular person. No matter what you answered, this quick guide will help you look for the right birthstone jewelry for you.

What type of jewelry are you looking for?
Birthstone jewelry covers a wide variety of options including birthstone bracelets, birthstone rings, birthstone earrings, and even the birthstone necklace. While there are those among us that want to buy a gift for someone that they wouldn’t otherwise buy themselves, when it comes to jewelry this might not be the best idea. Instead take notice of what the wearer tends to favor and stick with that favorite, you can’t go wrong with this strategy.

What is their birthstone?
While this seems like an easy answer you can just look up, there are many more than the 12 traditional birthstones to choose from. Here again, you need to pay attention to the recipient’s style and taste in the birthstones they wear as well as the colors they lean towards.

Some people who wear birthstones choose the less popular alternatives to the standard 12 stones. Not everyone likes the traditional looks, or they may not be able to afford their birthstone. For example, if you know someone who has a birthday in September which has a birthstone of sapphire, there are five or six alternative stones with completely different looks and prices ranges. And keep in mind there are 11 more months and each month has just as many alternatives as the month of September. The point here is that you need to find out what the recipient of the piece of jewelry you choose actually likes.

Why are you choosing this piece?
There are plenty of reasons to buy jewelry for someone. Are you celebrating a special occasion or are you looking to surprise out of the blue? Some times of the year to give a gift are quite obvious, but there are plenty more days that are too often overlooked. It is these obscure days that might make the gift that much more meaningful.

Christmas, Mother’s Day, and her birthday are some obvious choices. But have you considered a gift for mom when it is the kids’ birthdays? Mom does a lot of thankless work throughout the year, this is a great time to say Thank You for all she does.

Another overlooked day is the first day of school. If this is a first day of Kindergarten the event can be very emotional for mom. If the kids are a little older, this day may be a welcome reprieve from the chaos of summer activities. If the kids are in their teens, mom is probably frazzled by the end of summer and eager for a moment to relax and get her life back together. What could be better than a birthstone bracelet with the kids’ birthstones to commemorate these milestones? Choose the right style and setting and you have a gift worthy of mom and as unique as her life.

Which piece are you looking to purchase?
Don’t limit yourself before you have a chance to see all of your options. There are birthstone rings, birthstone earrings, birthstone bracelets, and of course, the center piece of the jewelry combination being the birthstone necklace. With the plethora of choices available it will be a challenge to decide on just one. A good idea is to make a few selections from each category you are interested in and keep them in mind while you are shopping. It is easier to select from 8-10 of your favorite pieces rather than having to choose from the literally thousands of pieces available online and in stores.

How much are you looking to spend?
This is a very important point to figure out. It is best to set your limit on price and try to stick as close to it as possible. This will also help you filter out those choices that are way outside your comfort zone. Picking your ideal number and then allowing for a 10% buffer on either side of this price is a good way to stay on budget without feeling confined. For example, if you are looking to spend $100 your range would be $90-$110. This technique can help you not get tunnel vision when trying to find that perfect gift.

Where will you be making your purchase?
There are many benefits to shopping online. Most websites will have a filtering system that allows you to enter your price range as well as the type of jewelry you are looking to buy. Not having to weed through all the outrageously expensive options can help you stay focused on the goal without the feeling of inadequacy. These filters can also narrow down your search to the specific birthstones you are looking for so you don’t have to search through their entire website.


Shopping in a traditional brick and mortar jewelry store has its own benefits. Face to face contact with a knowledgeable salesperson could be just what you need to make your final decisions. This salesperson should be able to direct you to your prices, type of jewelry, and the appropriate stone just as the website does as well as having some experience in popular styles and the latest trends. The biggest benefit from shopping in a traditional jewelry store is being able to see the actual gift before you purchase.

When do you need to make this purchase?
Please don’t wait until the last minute to start your shopping. When you take into account all the pointers above, this should not be a rushed decision. Treat this jewelry purchase and all your jewelry purchases as if they were for an engagement ring and you will never go wrong. This might actually be a more complicated decision since there are so many different styles and gemstone choices whether you choose a ring, bracelet, necklace, or earrings.

Wrapping this all up… keep these 7 questions in mind while you shop for birthstone jewelry and it will help guide you towards a spectacular purchase in the near future. Paying attention to all the details and doing your homework ahead of time will ensure you find that perfect gift for that someone special in your life. Even if that someone special is you!

The few years prior to this when I was looking for engagement rings, I had never noticed ring settings such as this before.  The salesman was quite helpful in explaining the ring settings this time around.

He explained the actual thoughts and complexities of the ring settings without stones.  I have listed a few of his points that stood out and stayed with me.

• Many rings are size specific to the size of stone to be mounted in it.
• Many rings without stones were also custom made by the jeweler onsite.
• Rings without stones allowed for unique viewing by the customer to see the ring’s intricacies and detailed craftsmanship.
• These rings also allow for mounting of family jewels and stones that have been passed down from generation to generation.  You can keep enjoying family heirlooms without worry of them becoming outdated in appearance due to the older settings.
• Seeing rings with no stones allows the purchaser to find or describe whatever he or she is looking to have custom made without the gemstone getting in the way.  Such as tweaking an existing design by making a minor change here or change there.  This is a great way to have a true one-of-a-kind ring.

As much as I personally dislike salesmen, this guy was fantastic and provided me with some great information without being a stereotypical sales guy trying to make a commission.  Even though I wasn’t in the market for a ring, he also told me about the next step which was buying new gemstones or using family pieces that were too outdated to be practical.

Purchasing Loose Stones Or Using Stones From Family Members

If you are at all like me, you have seen some of the rings and necklaces passed down to other family members after someone passes away.  In the midst of the tragedy and heartache comes some of the most amusing times ever.

After my aunt died, we had to go through her jewelry.  Well, my wife was tasked with that job and she found some of the most obnoxious and hideous pieces of jewelry ever seen.  While these pieces may have been really nice when they were first purchased, nowadays, they were just horrible to look at.  But the jewels that were in these pieces were as nice as the day they were purchased.

We immediately had them appraised and decided to start our own tradition of hand-me-down jewels.  This was much cheaper than purchasing new and complete pieces from the local jewelry store.  We salvaged enough gems to create several new pieces including  a beautiful diamond pendant and a ring with 3 diamonds in it.

While this proved to be relatively inexpensive for us, not everyone has the luxury of such a valuable find.  Some people may need to purchase loose stones of their own first.  While it isn’t necessarily cheap, you can still find great buys online from reputable dealers or you can try the local jewelry store for their collection of loose stones.

When you take into consideration all the resources available, you can create your own jewelry to pass down to your kids and grandkids keeping family treasures and memories alive.

Where To Shop And Where to Purchase Ring Settings Without Stones

While saying the internet is a great place to shop has become a ridiculously obvious statement, it is definitely true when it comes to being able to look through many different varieties and styles of ring settings.

It stands to reason that while many jewelry stores will have similar ring settings in traditional sense.  What might not be so obvious is if the jewelry stores have a person on staff that creates custom designed rings.  This will create a unique opportunity to select a ring that will have a one of a kind look, or at least have a ring that is in such limited supply that it will seem as if no one else has this design.

Nowhere else are you able to shop so many different jewelry stores without leaving the comfort of your own home.  It is also beneficial to do an internet search of the jewelry stores in your local area.  By doing a local search, you are searching the areas that you can drive to after you have narrowed you search down to exactly what you are looking for.

While some things can be purchased on the internet without seeing them beforehand, purchasing ring settings shouldn’t be one of them.  This purchase should be made in person so you can see and touch the ring.

You want to hold it.  You want to inspect the craftsmanship.  You want to be able to ask the salesperson whatever questions you have.  You want to know everything you can about this ring.

Odds are, this is going to be your engagement ring or wedding ring for that significant other.  You want to make sure this is the absolute, most perfect, and undeniably the best selection you could possibly make to create the perfect offering when you propose.  Taking the time to search online and then making the stop at your local jewelry store will ensure you select the best ring settings without stones that you could find.  With this due diligence, you can’t go wrong.

If you know the birthstone for the recipient of the necklace, you can greatly narrow your search for that special necklace.  Now you have a simple question to ask yourself, and hopefully you have paid attention in the past, because this is a big question.

Does the ultimate wearer of this birthstone necklace wear necklaces that tend to be large and bulky, or does she wear sleek and streamlined, or more delicate necklaces?

If you know the answer to that question, you have narrowed your search down even more.  And she will definitely appreciate your effort and attention to detail.

Now keep in mind that it is totally up to the wearer on the preference and style of the necklaces which are favorites.  And while you may pick out the best and most awesome necklace in the world, if it isn’t her style, you have just struck out.

But fear not, there is still hope for you.

Here are some simple pointers to help you select the perfect necklace.

• Watch what kind of necklaces she currently wears.
• Pay attention to what other kinds of jewelry she wears.
• Even go so far as to watch her get ready for an evening out and look through her jewelry collection as she selects her accessories.  (But don’t rummage through everything, just show a mild passing interest while you closely notice her jewelry trends without her wising up to what you are doing.)
• Watch out for the piece of jewelry that she starts off with, and then either changes her mind or she removes it halfway through the night because it is irritating her.  Avoid birthstone necklaces similar to these!

Take these simple ideas and begin your quest for knowledge to find out what that special woman in your life would like.  And by the way, even if you get caught trying to figure out what she likes, she will still love you for the effort you are making.  Plus, she will love the new necklace that much more when she realizes all of the effort you have made to make the perfect purchase.

Both for my daughter and my wife, I have run across things I never knew existed.  There is way too much to choose from as well.  You have birthstone bracelets, birthstone necklace, birthstone earrings, and birthstone rings just for starters.

Then you have to add in the particular birthstone that is associated with your wife’s birthday and match it up with your kids’ birthstones and make sure your choice is something that she will like.  It is a trial by fire for the guy who is inexperienced at buying that something special.

What are my suggestions to the guys who are treading in unfamiliar territory of jewelry purchases?

Research!  The internet is a great place to learn about each of the birthstones from the comfort of your own couch.  Start out with some basic explanations and history of the birthstone you are interested in researching.  Many websites have great information available to you.

After you familiarize yourself with the birthstone and months related to each, you need to start looking at some jewelry designs incorporating your birthstone of choice.  This is where the decision making gets even more difficult.  There are hundreds and hundreds (if not more) of designs and ideas to choose from.

Prices can start from very inexpensive for introductory pieces of jewelry to the most extravagant pieces of jewelry with the prices to match the extravagance.  So, no matter what you are searching for, you will find it.  Just take your time, know your price limits, and be prepared to spend a little time searching the internet.  Everything is at your fingertips.

Don’t worry if you feel you are in over your head, everyone feels that way at some point.  If I can figure out the same things you are currently looking for, anyone can.  I don’t even wear a watch.  That is what my cellphone is for!

Oh, the glory of being at the height of fashion! In the music industry such experts are referred to as divas.  In the world of fashion, they are called fashionistas. Our dreamer has reached this elite status. She is a true fashionista.

She awakens.  Reality forces its rude awareness upon her conscious, but it is too late, the dream has taken its hold. The real world, along with her bank account and it’s very limited funds, tells her that she cannot fulfill her dream. The idea refuses to die though, and after a while of wistful daydreaming she concedes to the idea. After all, what can it hurt to just try?

Renewed in her growing desire, and all too real dream, she starts to research ideas. After much effort, and research into gems, she finds the perfect solution.  The answer to allow her to fulfill her dream while not killing her pocket book is Topaz, particularly in today’s modern world!

Topaz is an abundant and plentiful rock. Which means for our young and aspiring dreamer, that it is not a rare commodity so she’ll be able to get the gems she needs to create her visions’ of bangles, necklaces, rings, and bracelets at a price that does not break her bank!  She does count her lucky stars that she was born in the modern era, and it doesn’t hurt that she was born in December.  After all, Blue Topaz is the December Birthstone.

In nature, both blue and green Topaz are exceptionally rare. Even worse, most of the blue and green Topaz gems found are not pure causing the stones to have a milky or cloudy appearance, which needless to say, causes the gems to be less pleasing to the eyes. This just will not do if she wants to be a fashionista.  But our dreamer had found that modern science has fixed this problem. She was in luck.

With top-secret enhancement techniques, scientists are able to enhance the color of clear Topaz to almost any shade of blue.  From the palest of sky blue, to the most vibrant of royal blue, and even the deepest ocean blue…almost anything is feasible.

What makes Topaz a dream come true for our aspiring fashionista is the simple fact that because of this technique she will be able to get a blue Topaz at a price of eight to twenty five dollars a carrot.  Even better, because Topaz looks great, has a great price, all the bangles, bracelets, rings, and other assorted jewelry she desires, she will be able to wear them more often with less worry.  And of course, she will have made her dreams come true.

Man has used colored stones for protection as well as healing the sick for at least 10,000 years.  Talismans and amulets have also been used to predict the future.  One major fascination regarding birthstones is the belief that colored gemstones possess certain mystical powers or the ability to endow the wearer with certain attributes.

Many people believe the Breastplate of Aaron is the origin of natal stones, or what we like to call birthstones.  Instructions for creating the Breastplate can be found in Exodus 28, 15-30.  These guidelines call for the stones of the Twelve Tribes of Israel to be laid out in four rows of three stones each. The stones used correspond to the zodiac signs of the day.

Over the years each civilization has had its own variation on birthstones. the official list from the American National Association of Jewelers, Jewelers of America is called The Modern Birthstone List. Aside from the addition of Tanzinite in 2002, these birthstones have been widely accepted as the standard since 1912.  In the United States, this is the list that is most commonly used.

I know many people who have had great ideas and made a bit of cash on the side, but their fear of screwing something up, taxes, and other complexities kept them from stepping up to the next level. (My accountant and other professional associates have helped me tremendously…I will try to impart some of that knowledge to you.)

Believe me when I say that creating a birthstone bracelet or any other piece of handmade beaded jewelry is a snap compared to dealing with business formation and getting all of your accounting ducks in a row…but doing business the right way is not that difficult.

Here are a couple of the questions that I repeatedly hear from people looking to start a business. I will answer each one of these to the best of my ability and hopefully show you that this is easier than you can imagine. These answers will be based on tax ramifications only, not from a perspective of asset protection.

• Do I really need to start a business?
• I don’t have that much in sales, so why should I bother?
• Do I need a lawyer to form a corporation?
• What kind of corporation do I form?
• Why don’t I just run all of my business through my own social security number?

The first and last questions are very similar, and have a similar answer.

The short answer is…yes, I would form my company even though I don’t have a lot of sales just yet. It isn’t that expensive. Actually, it is surprisingly cheap to start your company. And the fact is, the IRS doesn’t look as closely at a corporation’s taxes as it does individual people who are running a business through their own social security number (which is basically a sole proprietorship). (That came directly from my accountant.) Even though we are allowed to take legitimate deductions, corporations seem to have more leeway in taking their deductions.

The next question that follows up is how do I form a corporation? Do I need a lawyer? The answer is maybe, it depends on you. If you want to be totally hands off and have a lot of money for a lawyer, go ahead and hire a lawyer to form your company.

If you want to start a company, but don’t want to learn how, there are companies out there “that were formed by top attorneys” who can take care of wills, businesses, etc. (I know you have seen the commercials. I used them the first time I formed a company.)

If you are a bit of a ‘go getter’, you don’t need a lawyer. You just need to spend about 30 minutes reading online on what paperwork to fill out. I ran downtown and started my S-corp for a whole $90. Your states may vary, but I think you see my point.

Finally, what kind of corporation do I form? You have a few options here. You can for form a C corp, an S corp, or an LLC. I don’t have a problem with an LLC, it has its purposes…but I would swear that too many people use them the wrong way. For one, you need a second person on the paperwork when you form the company. If you cheat on this one and wind up before a judge for whatever reason regarding your business, all of the benefits of the LLC can be thrown out and they may view you as a sole proprietorship…which is a scary proposition. Taxes on a sole proprietorship are insanely expensive if you make too much money. And another strike in my book against the LLC, whatever money you make in the company rolls up to your Schedule C form on your 1040 when it comes tax time. The schedule C is the number one most audited form by the IRS…so if there are other options, why would you paint a bullseye on your back?

My suggestion is to go with either a C-corp or an S-corp. Your account can help you really decide which one is best for you. These corporations can pay for your medical insurance, doctor visits, company car, etc. The benefits can be endless, but the main thing is to legally and ethically take all the deductions you can under the tax law and get your taxable income to an absolute minimum. I don’t mind paying my fair share in taxes, but please don’t harm the golden goose.

And one more thing about the taxes…you need to familiarize yourself with deductions that pertain to your business. Your accountant is probably a genius, but there is so much tax code that no one is that good. Ask questions, and get real answers. It’s the best way to save yourself money…no matter if your business is a retail store, an engineering company, or even a beaded jewelry business online. We all fight the same fight every year on April 15th…