Our existence is sometimes filled with unnecessary things: clothing that no longer fits; “friends” who add nothing but drama to our lives; music and books we’ve either outgrown or never read; and even jewelry and watches we look at but rarely wear. And then, along comes a new year, which we universally understand as a time to start over, to start fresh and to clear out the cobwebs of our sometimes mediocre surroundings.

Well, this year, dear friends, we’re going to help you get started with advice on how to “clean house” by downsizing some aspects of your life, while upgrading a few others. And feel free to share this with those who you think might benefit from it as well, because, remember, a happy new year could mean a happier, new you.

Get a Better Vibe from Your Tribe
Tired of Jenny’s chronic complaints? Lucy’s obsessive selfies? And watching Daphne text someone the entire time you’re telling her a story? Then it’s time to cut your losses and make your friend pool a bit more hot tub-sized.

Ask yourself if those in your world add to it positively or take away from it emotionally. If the answer is the latter, they do yourself a favor and get the separation process started. There’s no need to “ghost” in situations like these, but gently removing yourself from outings, late nights, and gatherings will likely do the trick. Just remember that you don’t owe anyone an explanation, but you do owe it to yourself to be honest, even if that means you’re suddenly pegged as the “not nice” friend. You know whether or not you’re nice, but you also know your worth. So do what needs to be done and surround yourself with those who recognize it, too.

Less Stuff, More Buff
We know, we know, you bought “it” (whatever “it” was) because “it” was on sale. But now you have 300,000 “its” and the floor to your apartment is about to give way. So, what do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO? Well, I’ve got one suggestion as to what you can do—and you may not like it, but trust me, it’ll work.

Take the old books, vinyl records, kitchen appliances, garden tools, and everything else you’ve collected over the last year or more, and either sell it at a yard sale or put it up on eBay. Give yourself one month to purge as much as you can, and whatever money you earn from ridding yourself of the clutter, put toward either renewing or starting a gym membership. This way you’ll have less time to spend online shopping and more time admiring your smokin’ hot new six pack—and we’re not talking about the one your last blind date brought along with him to the movies.

Retire Old Attire and Consign Your Time
You’ve had that off-the-shoulder salmon-colored peasant shirt in your closet for the last eight years. You hated it when you purchased it. You hate it now. So, what makes you think you’re going to love it in 2018? Start fresh with your wardrobe while doing something meaningful by donating your gently used clothing to women and children’s shelters or to a local affiliate of the Dress for Success program, a worldwide charity and donation house that provides clothing for women reentering the workforce. Once you’ve cleared your closet, take a long, hard look at your personal style and begin to slowly rebuild your wardrobe with pieces that are well-tailored, timeless, and easy to care for. Add a handful of trendy items for those nights out with the gang or when that bartender you’ve had a crush on for eight months finally asks you out, and top it all off with a handful of practical boots and heels and you should be set from the clothing standpoint.

But, what about the jewels?

Well, you know full well that you cringe every time you have to open your jewelry box because you have so many pieces you’ve inherited that you don’t know what to do. This is where the crew at TrueFacet can help. Aunt Sallie’s old Rolex is in good enough condition to list on consignment (plus you have all the papers and the box!). Once you’re able to get a buyer for it, you could use that money to then turn around and pick up a watch that fits your tastes; one that you’ll wear every day knowing that you picked it out and that you are absolutely in love with it.

Let 2018 be the year of fewer selfies but more genuine self-love, less time spent on social media and more time socializing with those who know you best, and feeling beautiful outside because you know you’re beautiful inside. You’re worth every minute and every dollar you spend on you and now it’s time for the world to recognize that fact.

Happy New Year, people! Cheers to 2018!

“Yellow gold is in! Nope, wait, wait one second. Okay no, it’s out again. Hold on! Nope, it’s in…totally in right now. Actually, a celebrity just wore pink gold on the red carpet a minute ago. Yellow gold is so yesterday.”

Ever feel like that’s something that happens in the world of jewelry fashion? Well you’re right; it absolutely is. As someone who is responsible for tracking trends, writing reports and bringing you the latest styles from different jewelry trade shows and fairs around the world, I find it pretty damn hard to keep track of what’s hot one minute and what you should store until the trend comes back, which, considering the way our attention span is acting these days, will likely be in the next week or two.

Currently, however, there are a couple of trends that have been sticking around with no signs of slowing down in terms of their popularity. Here are a few I recommend either investing in or pulling out of the jewelry box if you happen to own them or something similar to them already.

Interchangeable Jewelry
Self-purchasing women are the new “midlife-crisis” men, meaning that, as of late, we’ve discovered a newfound love for variety. In this regard, brands like Les Georgettes out of France and Van Der Bauwede Genève out of, well, Genève (obviously) are taking the flexibility women are used to experiencing in their 7 a.m. yoga class and applying it to everyday, wearable baubles. With bracelets that contain different, colorful materials that are easy to swap for a new look, this is a trend that, for a fairly inexpensive investment, offers the wearer a great opportunity for both self-expression and stylish elegance.

Alternative Metal Jewelry
When I used to hear the term “alternative metal,” I’d think about two genres of rock-n-roll that had no place being fused, but when I started working in the jewelry industry, the term took on a new meaning—one I was much happier getting to know.

With the millennial generation’s interest in storytelling, jewelry made using interesting textiles, obscure elements, and nontraditional materials is all the rage, not to mention these (often contemporary) baubles are usually affordable for those still in the thick of paying off their student loans.

Estate Pieces
Another trend that’s been going strong for years with no signs of stopping is having one or a hundred estate or vintage pieces of jewelry at your disposal. These pieces could be gold knot rings from the 1980s or Victorian-era brooches; there really is no in-between for collectors. It really just boils down to the individual’s love of the art of jewelry making. Estate pieces are very much in demand and wearers of the adornments will often stack items from different eras either on the hands, on the wrists, or on the neck.

In terms of jewelry that may have taken a back seat in your safety deposit box for now, my suggestion is to not store them too far behind your great-grandparents’ original marriage license and that teacup that your mother insisted was used by Betsy Ross. Before you know it, you’ll be pulling them back out.

Here are a couple of jewelry items that, while they may not form part of your everyday wardrobe, should hang close by for the moments you feel they’re appropriate.

Big, Colorful Statement Rings
Stack rings and itty-bitty jewels are sweet and easy to wear, but nothing says, “I am capable of growing entire human beings in my body while making a four-course meal and co-authoring a book on the history of transcendentalism” like a bright, bold piece of blingtastic eye candy. Have a few pieces handy for those nights when you feel your life needs a little more color even when your closet screams, “This is the Home of the Little Black Dress.”

Dazzling Drops
Earrings are my life. If anyone ever asked me what I’d wear if I could only wear one type of jewelry forever, I would say it would have to be long, swingy earrings, hands down. But while they still look beautiful on the red carpet and at cocktail events, many mainstream style mavens have put their long earrings aside and opted for the stud look instead.

And, yes, while I tend to wear studs daily, I also dress up my nights with long earrings that accentuate my neck and get lost in the length of my brunette mane, which is why I suggest jewelry lovers do the same.

At the end of the day, trends are just that—trends. One’s jewelry style is personal. Wear what you feel makes you happy and beautiful, and wear it because you’re your own person who dances to your own “alternative metal” rock band.

Main image via Getty Images.

He contacted his old college roommate to get information on hiring a photographer in a country in which the guy once lived (Italy). He bought the plane tickets not just for him and you, but also for your mom and dad so they could experience the joy with you as a family. He had custom t-shirts made for you both to wear after he popped the question (foreseeing an announcement photo opportunity). And he even created a soundtrack of your special songs to play at the exact hour the sun went down over the Italian Alps. He did it all, and the plan went off without a hitch, and you said yes, and your parents cried. It was magical, and emotional, and exactly how you would have wanted your engagement to go. Except for one small thing. One very small thing. And unfortunately, with everyone asking to see your ring now that you’re home, this “very small” thing is the one thing you just can’t get over.

So… what exactly do you do if you hate your engagement ring? For starters, you never, ever tell him that you hate your engagement ring. Here’s what you do instead…

If you don’t like the ring because of its size…
Maybe you imagined something smaller than you received. Or heck, maybe you think the diamond they gave you is too big for you (in which case, when was the last time you checked your temperature?). Either way, you’re not happy with your ring, and if you’re not happy now, right after receiving it, you’re not going to be happy a year from now after you’ve looked at it for 365 days straight.

The first thing to do is to talk to your significant other. Let them know all the positives first: that you love that they picked it out on their own, that the color and clarity is exactly what you were looking for, and that the mounting is absolutely perfect (you may want to over-indulge a bit on the compliments before you hit them with what you don’t like.) Then, let them know that you want to start this new journey together not just with love and goals and dreams, but, most importantly, with honesty. Tell them that you want to be happy every day you look at the ring because the ring is a reminder of every day you’ll share with them. Be humble, and vulnerable, and we guarantee they’ll understand. Well, we can’t technically guarantee that, but we think they should, so hopefully that counts for something.

Another thing you may want to do is mention that you’re happy to pay for any changes made to the ring, which they may not let you do, but it will go a heck of a long way that you offered.

If you love the diamond but you can’t stand the mounting…
This is actually a much easier issue to deal with and most of the time, doesn’t cause much anguish because the cost of the mounting is usually a fraction of the cost of the diamond.

Again, go with the honesty route. I like to use car analogies in order to give your guy a metaphor they might be able to understand. Say something like, “Babe, if I went out and bought you a car for your 40th birthday, but I got you a Hyundai in bright lime green, wouldn’t you tell me you’d rather have an Audi in black? I wouldn’t be offended because I would feel like if I spent that much money on something, I’d want you to enjoy it.”

A mounting change is fairly simple, and most jewelers – online or otherwise – do have some sort of return or exchange policy, since many of them understand that women are usually more involved when it comes to picking out their own ring.

If you love the mounting, and like the diamond, but you really just want a different shaped stone…
This is not you being picky, and it’s important that you remember that fact. This is your ring. It’s yours. It was given to you by someone who has promised to have your best interests at heart, and if you’re not thrilled with the shape of your center stone, it is totally your right to feel that way, and they should be okay with you getting something different.

We suggest mentioning that you would maybe like to just go looking at other diamonds just to make sure the one you have has the most brilliance and fire and that you’re sure it’s the one you want to pass down to the next generation of your family, because at the end of the day, these facts are true. You do like your diamond, you’re just not sure you love it. But maybe if you have it up against other shapes, you’ll still be happy with the one you have.

At the end of the day, a relationship that starts with dishonesty also often ends that way, so as long as you’re gentle, and kind, and appreciative, and above all else, humble, there should be no issue with getting the ring you know you’re assured to love for the rest of your life.

Images courtesy of With Love Lily Rose, Chloe Wen and Brides Magazine.

On the heels of the engagement of Prince Harry to American actress Meghan Markle via this spectacular ring, we figured it would be a perfect time to take a look at some other engagement rings worn by royals over the years. Long live the happy couple!

Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor

Since Ms. Markle is American, we thought it would be fun to start this list with another American to become a member of the British royal family: Wallis Simpson.

If you don’t know the story of Wallis and Prince Edward of Wales, you should. The two met in 1931 while she was married to Ernest Simpson and when Edward was the heir to the throne of England. They began an affair until the death of King George V in 1936, making Edward the King of England. After her divorce, Simpson was to marry King Edward but, due to opposition from the British government, the King had to abdicate his throne in order to marry the woman he loved, and the two became the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. It’s a romance story for the ages, and one that came with a spectacular ring.

Edward presented Wallis with a 19.77 carat emerald in a ring by Cartier just prior to his abdication of the throne, which the Duchess eventually had redesigned in 1958 to include diamonds in a yellow gold setting.

Princess Margaret

In sticking with the theme of colored stone engagement rings, the ring given to Princess Margaret—the sister of Queen Elizabeth II—by her then-future husband photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones was designed to resemble a budding rose (a reference to Margaret’s middle name) and contained a center ruby flanked with white diamonds in a circular pattern.

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York

It seems that rubies were all the rage with royals, and the engagement ring of Sarah Ferguson was no exception. Rumor has it that the redheaded, future (albeit short-lived) Duchess requested a Burmese ruby as her center stone in lieu of the emerald engagement ring originally selected for her. The ruby was set in a two-tone gold mounting with a halo of diamonds surrounding it, and she wore it alongside a gold Welsh wedding band, which is a tradition for many royals.

Sophie Rhys-Jones, Countess of Wessex

Now married to Edward, Earl of Wessex and the youngest of Queen Elizabeth’s four children, Sophie Rhys-Jones’s first steps into the British royal spotlight took the world’s breath away, mainly because of how much she resembled Diana, Princess of Wales. The ring then-Prince Edward gave to Sophie was created by Asprey and Garrard and contains a white oval diamond center stone with a heart (or trillion cut – there have been conflicting reports on this) diamond on either side of the center, with all three diamonds set into an 18K white gold mounting.

Diana, Princess of Wales (as well as Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge)

The image of the very famous sapphire and diamond ring once worn by Lady Diana Spencer and now Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, is probably embedded in all of our minds. The picture of a young, carefree Diana with her left hand over the shoulder of Prince Charles may likely be one of the most recognizable portraits of the 20^th century. When Prince William presented his future wife the ring that once belonged to a woman not just adored by his brother and him, but, seemingly, an entire world, a heartwarming feeling of nostalgia came over the planet and it was almost as if the hole left in our hearts could finally be healed.

The ring – originally made up of a 12-carat Ceylon sapphire surrounded by fourteen white round brilliant cut diamonds – was made in 18K gold by the jeweler Garrard and originally caused a bit of a stir throughout the kingdom because the ring wasn’t custom made for Diana, but rather one she chose (after the official engagement took place) out of the jeweler’s catalog, making it easy to replicate and not original to her. The style became extraordinarily popular in the 1980s and again when William and Kate tied the knot, and although the ring was originally given to Harry – not William – after Diana’s untimely death, Harry gave it to William when it come time for his proposal to Kate. If that’s not brotherly love, I don’t know what is!

Main image via Vogue Magazine.

In the span of one year, I have visited jewelry and watch trade shows in Switzerland (twice), France, and Italy, not to mention countless here in the United States, and, in a matter of two weeks, I will visit another in Dubai. My children look at me as some flight-hopping jetsetter who, for some reason, can still make a mean pot of homemade chicken noodle soup. My friends think I’m either lucky or crazy, and my mother gave up saying the rosary for me because she couldn’t keep up with my numerous flights. But what I do is not much different than what many of my colleagues do: we drag our 60-pound luggages through foreign airports and get into scuffles with taxi drivers who try price-gauging us because we’re “Américain typique” all so we can bring you, our readers, the best and brightest images, feedback, and stories of what’s hot and what’s not in jewelry throughout the world. And why is what the rest of the planet has to say important? Well, that’s what I’m here to discuss.

A recent visit to the September edition of the VICENZAORO trade show opened my eyes to what’s been missing from many of the major fairs and shows that the jewelry industry puts forth in a matter of a year: a conscience. With its “Green Jewellery” theme and focus on sustainability, fair-mined metals, and women’s empowerment, the show embraced what is also on the mind of the millennial shopper, and, in turn, getting retail store buyers to think the way their customers do. In other words, rather than starting the chain from the starting point of the customer and having it go “customer – salesperson – management – buyer – wholesaler/designer/brand”, the show took the process in the opposite direction by getting into the minds of the wholesaler/designer/brand first and working green practices and sustainable efforts from there, eventually passing the information off to the buyer, then management, salesperson, and hopefully, the customer, who likely already cared about green practices in the first place. This was a truly remarkable effort on the part of those who ran the fair, and with buyer attendance up over 20% from this year to last, clearly, they were onto something.

But VICENZAORO wasn’t just a standout because of the show’s discussions of current topics or the emphasis they put on the environment and the earth. After all, these are the Italians we’re talking about, and do we not look to the Italians first when it comes to seeing what’s hot in fashion? Or when it comes to knowing what the next trend is in terms of gold jewelry? We do, which makes being present at shows like these all the more important.

At the BIJORHCA show in Paris last September I learned much about contemporary jewelry and the jewelry artisans who were brave enough to use materials and metals not often used at the fine jewelry and “High Jewellery” fairs I’d attended in the past. It was refreshing, and I covered the show with an enthusiasm that had been lacking after years of walking what felt like the same New York or Vegas halls and the same carpeted ballrooms of jewelry shows throughout the United States. I came home with a different outlook and spread the word to my friends – both consumer and retailer – who’d been tired of either buying or selling silver beaded bracelets. What I found, in a year, was that that movement has started gaining momentum. American consumers gained an interest in unique styles using cool colors, creative textiles, and nontraditional metals, which in turn let American retailers know to start carrying some of the European brands I’d seen not twelve months prior.

Remember that many of the most memorable names in jewelry – be it high end like Chopard, Bulgari, and Fabergé, or lower price point brands like Pandora – have roots that often started in Europe or in Asia. While the world looks to the United States for many things (are you reading this on your iPhone right now?), when it comes to jewelry styles, trends, or even the practices with which jewelry is made, we should still look across the pond for inspiration, which is why I try my darnedest never to turn down the offer to visit one of these European jewelry fairs.

Well, that, and the champagne they serve is usually the good stuff.

If you don’t know what Singles’ Day is, we at TrueFacet are happy to school you. Singles’ Day is the largest online shopping day in the world. Let that sink in for a moment. Not Black Friday. Not Christmas Eve Eve (the day before Christmas Eve when most husbands realize they didn’t get a gift and pay some ridiculous amount to have something overnighted for Christmas Eve). Not Mother’s Day. Yes, a day you may know nothing about, because it’s a Chinese holiday known as Guanggun Jie (which literally translates to “bare sticks” since Singles’ Day is always on Nov. 11). It actually pulled in $17.8 billion online in the United States last year on just the Alibaba sites “Tmall” and “Taobao” alone. And you know why? Because more people are celebrating their single lifestyle by buying something for the one person they can count on: themselves.

So, we decided we’d help you singles out there who are looking to do a little shopping by creating a list of five fantastically “you-worthy” jewels from our Brand Boutique that would go great with those fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies and that entire bottle of champagne that you don’t have to share with anyone else. Here’s to spending on yourself, single person!

A Bracelet for a Babe

Yes, we’re talking to you, and we think you deserve to adorn your wrist in something that shows both sides of who you are: the serious, compassionate, hardworking empath and the edgy, butt-kicking, fun-loving siren, which is why the “Trasformista” bracelet in 18K gold designed by Laura Bicego for the brand Nanis is ideal. In one simple twist, the bracelet transforms from sleek and flat to wildly organic and playful. The piece offers two looks for a woman who knows she’s far from one-sided.

One Ring to Fit Them All

You’re not spoken for. You’re not engaged. You’re not married. So what, right? None of those things mean you can’t enjoy diamonds, and in particular, a diamond ring. This “Stretch Collection” 18K rose gold diamond ring by ZYDO features 1.73 carats of F/G color, VS clarity diamonds set into a gold design that allows the ring to stretch with the width of a finger, so that, ideally, you could wear the ring wherever you’d like. Bonus points for this selection: if you add up the numbers making up the total carat weight (1 + 7 + 3), you get the number 11. Bare sticks, baby!

Two Studs Will Do Nicely, Thanks

Just because you’re not in a relationship doesn’t mean you don’t appreciate a stud now and again, and if there is anything better than one beautiful stud, it’s two. These “Three Arrow Cluster” diamond-accented studs by jewelry designer Dana Rebecca are as beautiful as they are affordable, and with arrows as the primary focus, you can unleash your inner Merida from “Brave” without faking a Scottish accent or turning your mother into a bear.

The Ultimate Symbol of Renewal

Maybe you’re single by choice, but maybe you’re single because you opted to get out of a relationship that wasn’t worthy of all you give to the world and your partner, which is why purchasing the perfect symbol of renewal and resurrection is a fantastic idea this Singles’ Day. The Phoenix Necklace in 18K yellow gold by popular jewelry designer Mimi So displays a beautifully diamond-set Phoenix feather on a double-stranded link chain in order to remind the wearer that no matter what happens in life, you can always come back stronger, more independent, and more beautiful than ever.

A Reminder that Time is on Your Side

Lest you thought this article was only for women, we realize plenty of you guys out there are single by choice too, and because of that, we figured we’d help you decide what you could be spending your money on since flowers, dinners, and drinks for a partner aren’t seemingly in your near future. The Frederique Constant Horological Smartwatch is here to remind you of… well… pretty much whatever you need it to remind you of, but ideally you probably just need to buy it as a daily reminder that you’re your own person who is focusing on you, your goals, your hopes, and you career right now. And that, is not only okay, but it’s also worthy of a day just for you.

Happy Singles’ Day to all those flying solo! And happy shopping! You deserve it!

As an April-born woman who has spent over two decades working in the jewelry industry, there are not many things I love more in this world than diamonds. For me, diamonds represent the crossroads of luxury and science. Even with the introduction of lab-created diamonds, they still stand strong as the most popular stone used for engagement rings and high-end jewelry. However, that doesn’t mean they’re the world’s only option.

Today, more and more people are paving their own path and choosing different gemstones to represent their relationship or simply to form part of their jewelry wardrobes. They’re trading in the sometimes “ho-hum” tradition of wearing a diamond ring for something more playful, more colorful, and often more interesting.

Below are five fabulous gemstones that have seen their popularity rise over the last several years and can serve as alternatives to diamonds.

Morganite
With a name sounding like a character straight out of a Tolkien novel, and with rose gold jewelry becoming more popular (particularly with brides-to-be), morganite has become a sought-after alternative gemstone for engagement rings. The peachy-pink gem—which is a variety of the mineral beryl, the same mineral that provides us with aquamarines and emeralds—has been mined over the years in the United States, Brazil, Mozambique, Namibia, Afghanistan, and Russia, to name a few. According to the American Gem Trade Association, the stone was given its current label by George Kunz, a former gemstone buyer for Tiffany & Co. who at the time decided to name it after one of his biggest collectors: millionaire bank tycoon, J.P. Morgan.

Jewelry lovers who’ve chosen morganite as the center stone for their engagement rings are often genuine nonconformists who break with tradition in many aspects of their lives. The soft, subtle tones in the gemstone look beautiful in halo-style settings, particularly if they’re made in peach, pink, or rose gold and even more so when accented by champagne or brown-colored diamonds.

Paraíba
There is no mistaking a paraíba tourmaline gemstone. With its color ranging from bright turquoise to vibrant bluish-green, this popular gem – named after the Brazilian state in which it was founded in 1989 – has become a staple in the collections of both fashion and fine jewelry designers all over the world. The paraíba is an elbaite tourmaline that is colored by copper and contains manganese and, in many cases, bismuth, which is considered the element with the highest stable atomic mass.

From a rarity standpoint, it has been said that only one paraíba tourmaline is mined per 10,000 diamonds, with costs for stones that have a higher clarity coming in at tens of thousands of dollars per carat.

Because of its eye-catching cool color, paraíba is often set in white metals such as platinum or 18k white gold with colorless to near-colorless diamonds being a popular accompaniment.

Spinel
August babies found reason to celebrate in 2016 when spinel was officially added as the month’s third birthstone option (sardonyx being first, peridot second), and one of the many reasons for their celebration was because spinel is a gemstone that’s available in a variety of beautiful colors.

According to the American Gem Society’s website, “Vivid red is the most desirable color of spinel gemstones, followed by cobalt blue, bright pink and bright orange.” Yet those colors are not where the spinel rainbow ends. With warm hues ranging from brown, yellow, and even black, to cool colors like sea green and violet, spinel has proven itself to be the “Horse of Many Colors” of the gemstone world, leaving Dorothy to ponder trading in those ruby slippers for ones made of spinel on her next trip to Oz.

Apatite
It’s hard to fathom that a mineral often used in fertilizer – yes, you read that correctly – would also be one that would be popular with jewelry and gem enthusiasts, but believe it or not, this is actually the case with apatite, or at least with the bluish-green variety of the mineral which is also known as moroxite.

The appeal of apatite on the consumer side is that it is still fairly unknown to the masses, so much so that its often mistaken for peridot when in the celery green color, and for topaz when it is bluish green.

Brazil, Mexico, and Burma are where most apatite is sourced, however the mineral can also be found in some parts of the United States. While white metals are commonly used to accompany apatite, the celery green colored stones can also look beautiful in a soft yellow mounting.

Sapphire
The second most popular precious stone used as a centerpiece for engagement rings is the sapphire, largely because of its rating of 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, but also because of its history, its popularity, and the fact that the stone also comes in a variety of colors other than its most common: traditional blue.

The appeal of the sapphire had dwindled for decades until the stone’s popularity skyrocketed again in 2010, when Prince William gave Kate Middleton a sapphire engagement ring that belonged to his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. Over the last seven years, the popularity of sapphire has experienced little decline.

As mentioned above, sapphires are available in fancy hues and vibrant colors, but a blue sapphire with a good clarity is still the most sought after. When you find the perfect shade of blue, consider setting it into platinum, because the natural white color is the perfect accompaniment to the unmistakable beauty of one of the world’s most beloved gemstones.

So, for those looking for their next piece of jewelry or those thinking about getting engaged, keep in mind that there is no playbook that calls the shots. Be yourself, know what you love, and do your research before you purchase. You’re the only one who has to look at and love your jewels for the rest of your time on this earth.

Jewelry, generally, is made for women, and yet, like shoes or bags or a multitude of fashion accessories, it is the male designers who often dominate the market, which is often why women jewelry designers tend to stand out when they find their niche or partner with a reputable, well-known label. The last century has provided the world with some of the most talented and outstanding female jewelry designers the industry has ever known, which made it all the more difficult to narrow down the pool.

Here are just parts of the back stories of five of the most influential women who have broken through the glass ceilings of the jewelry design world, and who not only made themselves into household names, but who also solidified their place in jewelry’s long, rich history.

Suzanne Belperron
Born in the year 1900 in Saint-Claude, France, Suzanne Belperron was a graduate of the School of Fine Arts in Besançon, winning first prize with her pendant-watch in the annual “Decorative Art” competition of 1918. Suzanne (then under the surname Vuillerme) was brought on as a modelist-designer at French jewelry house Boivin in 1919, two years after its founder – René Boivin – had passed away. It was there that Belperron made a name for herself by using gemstone such as chalcedony, rock crystal, and smoky topaz in her designs, though she eventually became frustrated that many of those designs and others had not been attributed to her. In 1932, Belperron accepted the offer of Parisian gemstone dealer Bernard Herz to take up a central position with Maison Bernard Herz and found her name and recognition grow throughout the 1930s.

But the most extraordinary part of Suzanne Belperron’s story came during WWII when—in trying to protect Bernard Herz from the Gestapo during the occupation of Paris—she swallowed all the pages of Herz’s address book, one by one.

Belperron’s career lasted as part of the Herz-Belperron label until 1975, however she continued working with her close Parisian clients and friends until a tragic accident took her life in March of 1983.

Elsa Peretti
In the year 1940 in Florence, Italy, Elsa Peretti was born. Educated in Switzerland and in Rome, Peretti’s first career was in interior design and architecture before deciding at the age of 24 to become a fashion model.

As an employee of the Wilhelmina Modeling Agency, Peretti moved to New York City in 1968, which is where she then used her design and fashion knowledge to dabble in jewelry designs, eventually creating works for Halston. Peretti hopped on board with Tiffany & Co. as an independent designer in 1971, eventually solidifying their longtime partnership in 1974 and extending it again in 2012 for another 20 years.

Paloma Picasso
The youngest daughter of 20th-century artist Pablo Picasso and painter and writer Françoise Gilot, Paloma Picasso was born in April of 1949 in southeastern France. As a young costume designer in Paris in 1968, her jewelry designs started gaining recognition, drawing praise from fashion critics. Encouraged by her success, Picasso decided then to pursue a career in jewelry design. Within a year, she presented created and presented designs to her then friend, Yves Saint Laurent, who commissioned her to design accessories for one of his current collections.

Like Elsa Peretti before her, Paloma Picasso signed on as a designer for Tiffany & Co. in 1980, and their partnership still thrives to this day.

Lorraine Schwartz
Beginning her career as a third-generation diamond dealer, Lorraine Schwartz eventually earned the attention of celebrity A-listers who commissioned her to create one-of-a-kind pieces for both red carpet moments as well as their personal collections. Through appointments at her Manhattan boutique and her salon at Bergdorf Goodman, she has styled everyone from Angelina Jolie to Jennifer Lopez and her creations have graced the fingers, necks, and ears of many an Academy Award winner.

Lorraine’s innovative use of color in her designs is accentuated through her jewelry’s outstanding craftsmanship, exceptionally high-quality diamonds, and bold, eye-catching shapes.

Carolina Bucci
Born in Florence, Italy in 1976, Carolina Bucci is a 4th generation Italian jeweler. After studying and graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, Bucci returned to Florence, where she worked alongside local Italian goldsmiths and encouraged them to push the boundaries of their traditional practices when it came time for her to create her first collections.

In 2003, Vogue UK featured a cover photo of Salma Hayek wearing a Carolina Bucci necklace, leading Bucci to develop her first non-US retailer: London’s multi-brand store, Browns. In 2007, she opened her London flagship store and has since partnered with retailers such as Harrods, Bergdorf Goodman, and Lane Crawford.

Her signature Florentine style also appears on the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold watches, released in late 2016.

Main image of Elsa Peretti courtesy of Tiffany & Co.