rok blog

Grace Kelly famously wore them, and now that wedding season is just around the corner so will many brides, bridesmaids and wedding guests. We’re talking about pearls, of course.

Pearls have been associated with weddings for many years and are often worn as jewellery by brides or sewn into bridal gowns. White pearls in particular are a symbol of purity and innocence. The pearl is also the birthstone for those born in the month of June – which is traditionally the busiest wedding month of the year.

The fact that the lustre of pearls is incredibly flattering for the complexion also means they are an obvious choice for the big day. Or indeed for any occasion when you want your skin to glow.

But if those old-fashioned pearls your great-grandmother wore has put you off, think again. At Rok Chix our natural, freshwater pearl pieces are designed very much with the 21st century woman in mind.

No bride should be without a pair of classic pearl earrings, and our Large Pearl and Silver Earrings, £25 – which feature plump, creamy freshwater pearls hung on long, handmade sterling silver wires – represent simplicity itself.

By contrast, our Silver and White Pearl Hoop Earrings, £40, are a delicate  concoction featuring lots of little white freshwater pearls wrapped onto handmade sterling silver hoops.

And you don’t have to wait until winter to wear our Silver Snowflake and Pearl Necklace and matching Silver Snowflake and Pearl Earrings, both £45, which feature handmade silver snowflake charms and clusters of creamy Keishi freshwater pearls.

For those not getting married, there’s also our Freshwater Pearl and Silver Ring, £40, which is a gloriously unfussy combination of an off-white, near-round freshwater pearl set on a 3mm sterling silver band.

But if, on the other hand you like to rebel against convention, black and dark grey pearls contrast and complement most skin tones. Those who like their pearls on the edgy side will love our Charcoal Pearl and Silver Barbs Necklace, £45, which features spiky, irregular charcoal freshwater peals interspersed with hand-beaten silver barbs.

Facts for pearl fans
• Pearls are made by molluscs in response to an invading foreign body – often a grain of sand. This foreign body is covered with layer upon layer of pearlescent nacre, which is secreted by the living part of the mollusc, resulting in a pearl up to several years later.

• Pearls are composed of calcium carbonate, conchiolin and water, plus trace elements such as iron, magnesium or aluminium.

• Experts have found fossil traces of pearls that are up to 225 million years old, while actual pearls have been found in rocks that date back to the age of the dinosaurs.

• South Sea pearls – which are found in gold-lipped pearl oysters – tend to be the most valuable, with some exceptional single pearls sold for many thousands of pounds. At Rok Chix, however, we use natural freshwater pearls, which are found in many species of mussels in rivers, lakes and ponds (whereas South Sea and other saltwater – or marine – pearls found in seas and oceans.

• Most freshwater pearls are now produced in China and are far more affordable than marine pearls.

Browse the Rok Chix collections at www.rokchix.com.

If the recent warm spell has left you thinking about your summer wardrobe, you’re probably already thinking about how to do poolside glamour this year. As for accessories - and particularly jewellery - summer 2012 is all about the seaside.

But forget kiss-me-quick hats and visible tan lines, we’re talking sea life in all its natural glory, as evidenced by both Chanel and Versace, who added a sprinkling of sea urchins, shells and seaweed-style purses at their SS12 catwalk shows.

At Rok Chix, the ocean is a constant source of inspiration, and this year we have sea treasures to delight beach babes everywhere.

Our Silver Seahorse Necklace, £55, is perfect for wearing all summer long, with its solid silver seahorse charm and vibrant peachy-pink faceted coral nugget. Well, who doesn’t love a seahorse?

Starfish are also marine creatures we adore, which is why we have cast them in silver in our Silver Starfish and Coral Necklace, £45, and Silver Starfish and Coral Bracelet, £40. Combining a silver starfish charm with bright, juicy coral nugget beads, both the necklace and bracelet conjure up thoughts of warm, golden beaches and shimmering, underwater landscapes. (And did we mention they look amazing with a tan?)

Coral is a fascinating organic material and comes in a variety of colours, including white - as in our Chunky Silver and White Cocktail Ring, £60. A summer classic, this serious cocktail ring makes a real statement.

Meanwhile no ocean-inspired collection would be complete without silver seashells, as in our Silver Shell Stud Earrings, £29 (exclusive to Notonthehighstreet.com) - pretty shell-shaped studs that will definitely get you in the mood for your summer holidays, whether you’re planning long weekends at the coast or heading off to tropical climes.

And no beach would be complete without sea snail-type shells, such as those in our Silver Seashell and Gems Charms Bangle, £45, and Silver Seashell and Gems Charms Necklace, £40. Both feature a handmade silver seashell charm alongside a coral nugget as well as a faceted blue quartz gemstone, a reminder of the colour of the Caribbean sea.

Browse all the Rok Chix collections at www.rokchix.com.

Finally. The fashion world is finally catching up with the growing band of jewellery makers who are using uncut, natural gemstones in their designs. According to leading jewellery blog Adorn London, at the Autumn/Winter 2012 Chanel show models were apparently decked with “rock crystal protrusions”.

Well, as a jewellery designer who likes nothing more than working with natural, uncut, raw gemstones, I like the sound of that.

The Adorn blog writers, Juliet Hutton-Squire and Maia Adams, predicted that uncut gemstones would be a trend this year in an article they wrote for Professional Jeweller magazine last May. The design world is currently fascinated with the natural world, they wrote, with “geologically inspired” looks including uncut gemstones getting jewellery makers excited.

One of the examples they cite in the article is an ad campaign for Tom Ford eyewear, where a model wears a massive, natural, quartz crystal pendant. And very nice it is too (you can always rely on Tom Ford).

So if you start noticing gorgeous, raw gems gracing the models in the pages of your favourite fashion magazines this year, just remember where you saw them first – see, for instance, our fabulous Silver Torque with Aquamarine Nugget, £125, which features a slab of magnificent natural aquamarine; our Silver and Ruby Superstar Earrings, £50, which have gorgeous uncut rubies set into little silver stars; our Raw Diamond in Gold Blossom Necklace, £85, with its amazing uncut, natural diamond; and also our Silver and Diamond Glitter Cup Ring, £75, a unique design that features an encrustation of tiny natural diamonds that look like the best glitter you’ve ever seen.
      And that’s just to name some of the examples of raw rocks used in Rok Chix designs (browse our collections to see more).

Rock on, as they say!

If the current blast of early springtime is putting you in the mood for a fresher – but not too fresh – look (it is still officially winter, after all), one way to achieve it is to get the blues; that is, to accessorise with cool blue jewels by Rok Chix.

Think blue quartz, amazonite, blue tourmaline and even blue diamonds – these are the denser, moodier blues of early spring, as opposed to the lighter, brighter blue gems such as aquamarine and topaz, which are altogether more summery.

Our Silver and Blue Quartz Cocktail Ring, £60, is the perfect moody blue shade, its chunky faceted blue quartz gemstone being more teal blue than aqua blue (by the way did you know that the word teal used to describe a colour originates from a duck?).

The dramatic, deep blue/green gemstone sits on a skinny flat sterling silver band, and thanks to the simple, modern design that does away with any fussy settings, the focus is firmly on the gem and the gem alone.

The magnificent raw blue diamonds in our Silver and Natural Blue Diamond Bangle, £125, are also an intense blue teal colour, with the shade complemented by the diamond’s simple 9ct gold bezel setting. Blue diamonds are relatively rare, and we like to use them in their natural state – that is, uncut and as nature intended. (Rok Chix only uses diamonds from sources that are guaranteed conflict-free.)

Amazonite is another moody blue gem that’s also blue-green in colour, but a much lighter shade than teal. And in our Silver and Amazonite Teardrop Earrings, £40, we’ve combined twinkly faceted amazonite gems with a scattering of blue quartz gems to provide a subtle colour contrast. High on glamour but by no means overdone, these little beauties match the tone of the season perfectly.

Meanwhile our Silver Stellar Ring, £40, and Silver Stellar Earrings, £40, in turquoise inject colour in a more subtle way and are ideal for everyday wear. Their sterling silver domes feature a starburst texture with just a hint of embedded colour (also available in gold and violet).

And if you’re trying desperately to stay positive while the end of the long winter plays out, the cool blue gemstone in our Happy Thoughts Dogtag Necklace , £45, will remind you that, while it may well still be winter outside, in your heart it really can be spring. Stamped with the words ‘think happy thoughts’, the sterling silver dogtag is accompanied by a rough-cut blue tourmaline (blue tourmaline, in case you were wondering, is thought to dispel sadness and negativity).

If you love someone, let them know exactly how you feel this Valentine’s Day. You could, of course, try spelling out I LOVE YOU in chocolates or – if you were feeling particularly creative – in rosebuds.

Alternatively you could give your loved one a permanent reminder of your undying love by presenting them with a Rok Chix jewellery love token designed especially for that purpose.

For those lucky enough to have found their true loves, the Rok Chix Silver Soul Mate Necklace, £55, is the perfect love token. This romantic handmade necklace features a sterling silver tag that spells the words ‘Soul Mate’ in dreamy swirly type, along with two little twinkly faceted sapphire gems – one pink and one blue – all hanging from a 50cm sterling silver chain.

Or you could choose from the Rok Chix range of sterling silver and gemstone charm necklaces and skinny bangles that spell out little secret messages of love on oval-shaped sterling silver tags along with a variety of combinations of gems:

The Silver 4EVER Charm Bangle, £45, and Silver 4EVER Charm Necklace, £40, feature an off-white freshwater pearl and coin-shaped tourmalinated quartz gem; while the Silver I<3U (I love you) Charm Bangle, £45, and Silver I<3U Charm Necklace, £40, include a baby-pink faceted rose quartz gem and teardrop-shaped off-white freshwater pearl.

Designed for hopeless romantics everywhere, the Silver LY4E (love you forever) Charm Bangle, £45, and Silver LY4E Charm Necklace, £40, include a silvery-grey faceted labradorite gem and a cream freshwater pearl. And finally the Silver XOXO (hugs and kisses) Charm Bangle, £45 and Silver XOXO Charm Necklace, £40, feature a blue-black peacock pearl and a faceted clear quartz gemstone.

Whichever you choose, you can’t fail to get your message across.

The festive season is the time of year when that party staple – the little black dress – works its little old heart out. But to really make the look your own you need clever accessories, and this season fabulous cocktail jewellery is a must-have.

Rok Chix limited-edition handmade silver and gemstone jewellery is the perfect fit for LBDs  – but don’t just take our word for it. Littleblackdress.co.uk is the highly popular website devoted to that most iconic garment in fashion, featuring LBDs by everyone from ASOS to Alexander McQueen. This month, however, marks the launch of littleblackdress.co.uk’s LBD Boutique, and Rok Chix is proud to be among its very first hand-picked collection of independent fashion and accessory brands.

So now, many of the dazzlers you can see on rokchix.com are now also available in the LBD Boutique.

One effortless way to up the glamour ante is, of course, to add a sprinkling of chunky gemstone cocktail rings, such as the Rok Chix Faceted Black Agate and Silver Cocktail Ring, £60, a deliciously chunky midnight black agate gem perched on a sterling silver band; or our Silver and Gemstone Rock Star Ring, £85, featuring an oval faceted gemstone in electric dark grey labradorite, vibrant turquoise or luminous moonstone.
            
Showstopping earrings are also essential for styling up an LBD, such as our Bejewelled Double-Hoop Silver Earrings, £45, with their monochrome mix of sparkly grey labradorite and milky moonstone gems (match with the Rok Chix Bejewelled Silver and Labradorite Bracelet, £85 for extra shimmer factor); or opt for our delicious Silver and Ruby Earrings, £60 – mini-chandelier creations featuring twinkling pinky red rubies that are the colour of ripe raspberries.
   
And as every fashion follower knows, glossy pearls are perfect for wearing with an LBD – especially when you’re keeping your look classic – including the Rok Chix Pearl and Silver Heart Charm Bracelet, £50, featuring black peacock freshwater pearls and a chunky solid silver heart charm.

(All items above are also available via the Rok Chix LBD Boutique)

Winter has been a long time coming this year, with many parts of the country having enjoyed unseasonably mild weather in recent weeks. But have no doubt, the big chill will arrive sooner or later.

While most people won’t be looking forward to freezing temperatures and limited hours of daylight, you’ve got to admit that winter is one hell of a stylish season. When else can you wear chunky knits, oversized coats, knee-high boots, faux fur hats and look like you’ve just stepped off the set of Dr Zhivago?

Then there are the jewels. Winter-inspired jewellery simply cries out for shimmering, luminous off-white pearls and ultra-ice-cool gemstones.

Here at Rok Chix we embrace the chilly season with our Silver Snowflake and Pearl Earrings, £45, and Silver Snowflake and Pearl Necklace, £45 – a set that features adorable handmade silver snowflake charms mixed with clusters of luminous off-white Keishi freshwater pearls.

Our best-selling Large Pearl and Silver Earrings, £25, make an altogether more classic style statement, featuring plump, juicy off-white  freshwater pearls that hang from simple, long silver wire drops.

More delicious large freshwater pearls also feature in our Silver Winter Star and Pearls Necklace, £75, this time in off-white, cream and peach, and combined with a handmade eight-point silver star pendant with hand-painted white enamel highlights.

Our Clear Quartz Crystal Nugget and Silver Ring, £80, meanwhile, combines a chunky silver band topped with a large, faceted quartz crystal nugget that’s so clear, it almost looks as if it would melt. And since each quartz nugget we use is unique, no two of these rings are ever the same.

Finally our Silver and Gemstone Rock Star Ring, £85, featuring a shimmering, off-white faceted moonstone is another cool customer and perfect for adding a touch of frost-inspired drama to any winter look.

Check out my first blog on wedding service website zankyou.com, entitled Rock chick jewellery for rock’n'roll brides… Featuring a to-die-for collar from Mr rock’n'roll jewellery himself, Stephen Webster, a super funky skull and white pearl necklace from Stephen Einhorn, a delicious heart and bone necklace from Violet Darkling and – of course – a few pieces from the Rok Chix collection too, such as the divine Silver Pearls and Barbs Necklace pictured above, which features creamy off-white irregular shaped freshwater pearls, natural herkimer diamonds and hand-beaten silver barbs (£85).

For brides who are looking for something that little bit different…

Given the current obsession with all things supernatural, it looks like we’re in for a bumper Hallowe’en this year. That’s right. Spooks are in. Big time. And especially those of the bitey kind (I’m talking vampires and werewolves, if you hadn’t already guessed).

Thinking about the toothsome creatures that it seems we simply cannot get enough of (look at the TV schedules if you don’t believe me), my mind wandered onto the subject of silver. Have you ever wondered why the very mention of the metal itself puts the fright up those who are loud of howl and sharp of fang?

Well, werewolves anyway. Silver bullets are – as anybody knows – one of the best ways to see off a werewolf. And vampires too (though this does tend to depend on the author - or perhaps I should say scriptwriter). But why?

Apparently it has something to do with the moon. There is an association between the moon goddess, Artemis or Selene in Greek mythology, and silver because she carried a silver bow. In Celtic mythology, the moon goddess is called Arianrhod (Arian means silver in Welsh – or more generally these days, money). Perhaps the link has more to do with the colour of the moon, who knows?

And which mythological monster has close links with the moon too? The werewolf. At least you don’t want to be around someone who’s a werewolf when the moon is full. So the moon goddess made silver poisonous to the werewolves to help protect anyone who crossed their paths at full moon. And that’s a very good reason for wearing silver – if you do meet a werewolf, they won’t be able to touch you.

The moon link doesn’t quite work for vampires. But everyone knows that wearing a silver cross around your neck will protect you against a vampire’s bite. Why? Well there are some suggestions that silver is associated with the Virgin Mary, and that if you wear silver she will protect you against blood-suckers (no, you won’t find it in the Bible, duh).

It does, of course, depend on which book/film/TV programme you’re watching. In some, vampires are merely weakened by silver – in True Blood, for instance. Meanwhile in other variations of the story – the Blade series of movies, for instance – silver is lethal for vamps.

So if you don’t want to be bitten by either creature, slap on the silver tonight. Double up on a silver cross, such as our super-chunky Amethyst and Chunky Silver Cross Necklace, £145, or Silver Cross on Long Haematite necklace, £95 (hematite is believed to have a strong protective energy, so the effect is a double whammy).

Protect yourself from any supernatural creature nibbling on your neck (unless you want them to, of course) with our Solid Silver Star Stud Earrings, £35. Or, if you want to actively encourage ghostly goings-on, a pair of our Silver Skull Stud Earrings, £25, could just do the trick.

Happy Hallowe’en!

At Rok Chix we like to bring you designs that are a little bit different or quirky, even. So we hope you’ll like one of our newest creations: our raspberries.

Well, to be precise, our Silver and Natural Ruby Raspberry Ring, £75, and Silver and Natural Ruby Raspberry Earrings, £75. These seriously funky little baubles are a visual delight. We use beautiful little dark red ruby crystals set in ball shapes, so yes, they really do look like raspberries – raspberries set in sterling silver, that is.

The rubies are all natural and uncut, so no two rings or pairs of earrings will be exactly the same. What’s not to like?

The ring is a single ball of raspberry crystals that sits in a silver half cup on top of a classic, 2mm-wide silver band. The ball is around 10mm in diameter, which is big enough to get noticed (but not too big to be clumsy). The earrings are two ruby balls set in two silver half cups that hang from simple silver drop wires.

They’re perfect for when you get a hankering for fresh raspberries in winter. There again we certainly don’t recommend that you eat them. But they will make your mouth water.

If you’re looking for something more discreet, on the other hand, why not treat yourself to a pair of our Silver and Uncut Ruby Studs, £40? Again we have used natural, uncut rubies (we think they are much prettier than the cut type), which also means each pair is different from the next.

For more delicious jewels, take a tour around the collections at rokchix.com