How to Shop for Jewellery
You love her and want to give her a special piece of jewellery for her birthday or for Christmas but you're not sure what to buy? Here are some tips to help you buy the perfect piece and delight her with your fabulous taste!
What's It For?
Do you want to buy her a piece of jewellery to enhance a new dress or her favourite outfit? Or perhaps something for business wear? The proverbial little black dress gives you plenty of options - add vibrant colour orchoose a bold design, but her business dress requires more subtle options. 
Check out the bold options from Jive's Statement jewellery Collection for the black dress and the Black & Silver jewellery Collection for a safe choice for more conservative clothing.
What's Her Style?
Does she enjoy wearing a lot of jewellery including bracelets and necklaces or is she a more comfortable with a simple rings or earrings. Are her ears pieced? Does she prefer clip ons, studs, or the more flamboyant choices of hoops and dangle earrings? A little detective work helps narrow the options but here are a few hints - 
clip on earrings from Murano are great for women who don't have pierced ears while 
elegant sterling silver dangle earrings are perfect for the woman who can take the attention!
What's Her Best Colour?
If you are considering coloured jewellery be sure to choose a colour she like to wear. You can enhance her favourite colour with coordinating gemstones.
Topaz and Sapphire - for women who like blue and turquoise
Emerald and Peridot - for women who like light and dark greens
Garnet and Ruby - for women who like deep reds
Amethyst - for women who like mauves and purples
Citrine - for women who like yellows and oranges
Diamond and Zirconia - for women who like sparkle with no colour
Smoky Quartz - for women who like dusky, mysterious colours
Make a Match
She'll be touched if you take the trouble to find a piece that matches a favourite piece of jewellery. A black pair of earrings for her black ring for example. There are lots of matching options in the Jive range including these from our Silver Essentials Collection
Be Fashionable
Most women love their fashion and like to be 'on trend' even in a small way -- in jewellery mixed metal is all the rage right now. So look at the fabulous rose yellow gold combinations in our sterling silver range and get high marks for being a fashionista!
Call Us
If all else fails, call us and we'll help you find a great piece.
If you are looking to buy something other than the latest e-toy for a man, consider a piece of mens jewellery as a refreshingly different and creative solution.
Men's fashion has come a long way in recent years and men are increasingly comfortable with wearing jewellery. Making a gift of a ring or bracelet to a man is as acceptable as giving them to a woman but before choosing a piece, make sure you consider his personality and personal preferences. Not all men have the same attitude to men's jewellery. Some men wear a lot of it and so feel comfortable wearing bold necklaces and bracelets. Others prefer something more discreet and decidedly "masculine" in appearance. To help you make the right decision I've note the different types of men who buy jewellery in our Noosa Head store, and added some product suggestions.
The Tough and Rugged Type
This man likes to think of himself as a product of the Outback -- or perhaps he's the real thing. Tough and rugged with a strong independent streak - he's most comfortable wearing jeans considers suits for wedding and funerals only and he's definitely not going to wear anything that could be considered feminine by his mates.
A solid ring made from titanium or other tough material like steel or a leather bracelet or necklace is the best choice for him.
The Creative Fashionista
You'll know one if you have one! He loves the latest fashions and preens almost as much as you do. Confident and more than happy to express his trendy side, he's happy to wear bold necklaces, bracelets and attention seeking rings. Try a matching bracelet and necklace and perhaps even a ring.
The Buttoned Up Executive
At work a conservative hard charging executive -- at home a fun guy who shares his fantasies of escaping the discipline of office life. Jewellery allows him to express his own personality but he'll be conservative in his choices. You won't go wrong buying him a ring in multi precious metals but if you are willing to take a small risk try a stainless steel bracelet. If he doesn't like it, we'll always exchange it for the ring!
The Family Man
He's the perfect Dad and caring partner, careful with money and puts the family first. If you are lucky enough to have found the him you know he deserves a treat. You worry that jewellery might seem frivolous to him but we know he'll never stop wearing it once you find the right piece. 
A stylish ring is probably the best choice.
Still not sure? Give us a ring and we'll talk to you about the special man in your life and help you make the right choice for him!
When shopping for jewellery and in particular silver jewellery it is important to know exactly what it is you are buying. There are three important things to consider:
1. What is the quality of the silver?
2. Is the jewellery well made?
3. Are you buying from a reputable retailer like Jive that offers a money back guarantee?
What is the Quality of the Silver?
Let's start with a simple question - how is silver quality defined? Not all silver jewellery uses the same alloy to add hardness so the quality of silver can be pretty random unless it is certified (stamped) as sterling silver.If you see a piece of jewellery advertised as "sterling silver" it must have a guaranteed level of pure silver and should have ".925" stamped on it somewhere.
Sterling silver is the name given to an alloy that is 92.5% by weight silver and 7.5% by weight other metals. Fine silver is 99.9% pure but is too soft to be used for jewellery. Copper is usually chosen for fine silver to create sterling silver alloy as it adds a lovely soft patina to silver.
The origin of the word sterling is not totally agreed but it likely originates from the old English term ‘steorling’ meaning ‘coin with a star’ describing some Norman pennies which were stamped with a star. What is agreed is that sterling silver as an alloy originated in Europe as it was used for commerce in the 12th Century in what is now northern Germany.
There are many silver alloys described by different names but .925 has become the standard for high quality sterling silver jewellery because it is the most durable of the fine silver alloys.
Other grades of silver alloys can be a little confusing as they mx country names with technical terms:
Mexican silver is 95% silver and 5% other metals. However today’s modern Mexican jewellery industry uses primarily .925 silver in the production of their pieces -- it’s just that the term ‘Mexican silver’ technically refers to silver which is 95% silver. While 95% is very high purity but it is considered a little too soft for jewellery worn in a modern woman's lifestyle. It is mostly used for rare pieces intended for occasional wear.
Coin silver is the name used to describe silver coming from melted coin. The USA coin silver standard was 90% silver and 10% other metals but other nations had lower standards. The standard is now set at 90% purity.
German silver describes silver which is 80% silver and 20% other metals. It is important however not to confuse this term with sterling silver jewellery from Germany – German silver is a specific type of silver, not the country of origin.
Silver plated jewellery is not silver jewellery at all, but jewellery made from base metals that is just plated with silver. It is found in costume jewellery normally sold in inexpensive fashion stores. It can be fun and fashionable it is not long lasting as the plating eventually wears.
There are many other types of silver with even lower pure silver content than German so be careful about buying any silver other than sterling silver.
All of Jive silver jewellery and mens jewellery is made of 925 sterling silver. As such, you can be assured that the silver used in our jewellery is the finest available for wearable jewellery and provides great design, good value and most importantly a lifetime of enjoyment.
Is the Jewellery Well Made?
Does it feel smooth and comfortable on, with no sharp edges or visible joins or roughness? Is the surface free from pits, marks or scratches that are not part of the design? Does the clasp appear strong and durable? These are some things that a quick visible inspection will reveal. At Jive we pride ourselves on choosing only those pieces which measure up to our strong, wearable quality standards.
Are You Buying from a Reputable Retailer?
Does the store offer a guarantee of quality and wearability? We understand it can be difficult to choose jewellery from a website without the opportunity to try it on, or truly give it a good visible inspection. While we are very proud of the quality and wearability of every piece we do more than just promote this, we back it up with a money back guarantee if you are unsatisfied for any reason. If you don’t love it when it arrives for any reason, just follow the return instructions and we’ll exchange it for you or give you a full refund. And everything we sell comes with a 12 month warranty against design or manufacturing defects.
View our jewellery videos and hear owner Jan Sinclair describe the reasons why Jive sterling silver rings, sterling silver earrings, sterling silver bracelets and sterling silver necklaces are better than anything you will find on the web or an average mall jewellery store.
You like colour but don't want to appear gaudy when going our for a special occasion? Or you want to add a discreet colour accent to a stunning new outfit? Well there is an answer - Murano glass jewellery. Nothing adds a light touch of colour like a piece of glass jewellery and nothing matches the quality of authentic Murano and Antica Murrina venetian glass jewellery imported from Italy.
Murano glass jewellery is very colourful and very attractive and is one of the most famous jewellery brands in the world. Depite its fame and beauty Murano glass jewellery is relatively inexpensive. In the video we explore the history of Murano glass jewellery and explain why the jewellery is so beautiful. Otherwise scroll down and read more about Murano glass jewellery. Jive has the largest range of Murano glass jewellery in Australia.
Murano itself is a small island in the heart of Venice, one of over 139 on which the entire city of Venice is built. Venetian glass was originally made throughout Venice but the Venetian republic localised production to the island of Murano in 1291 in order to reduce the danger of fires spreading throught the mainly wooden buildings. Within 100 years half of the population of Murano were involved in the production of glass. The unique talents of the master glass workers were unparalleled in Europe - they were the only ones who could make coloured glass the only ones to make mirrors.
It is believed glass making in Venice originated from 9th century Rome with significant Asian and Muslim influences. After moving production of glass to the island of Murano the glass blowers of the island became the wealthiest residents and prominent citizens who enjoyed special priviledges. Their daughters married into Venice's most prominent families and they were even exempt from prosecution but they were not allowed to leave the republic. The republic wanted to keep the glass making skills in Venice.
The process of making Murano glass is complicated and it takes a lifetime to master. It involves heating silica to melting point and cooling it to an exact temperature where it may be formed into the desired shape. Other products are added to the mix to slow solidification and to create stability and colour. Copper, gold and cobalt are a few of the substances used to create the vivid colours displayed in the glass. One of the most attractive affects used when making Murano glass jewellery is to blow glass over thin layers of gold, silver and copper foil.This creates a beautiful irridencence effect. It also gives every piece of Murano glass jewelly unique qualities as the patterns created by each piece of foil will never be completely identical.
Unfortunately some Asian countries are copying Murano designs and making them in machines which is a much simpler method of making glass jewellery. These cheap items masquerading as authentic Murano jewellery are fakes, lacking the individuality and quality of hand made glass, Make sure you buy Murano glass jewellery from a trusted online source like Jive Design and insist on a certificate of authenticity.
The magical glint of light reflecting off the faceted face of perfectly cut gemstone draws us like moths to a flame. Unfortunately the cost of precious gemstones puts their allure out of reach to most of us. But don't despair - semi-precious stones like amethyst, topaz, smoky quartz and crystal look fabulous and cost only a fraction of the price of their precious counterparts like aquamarines, emeralds, rubies and diamonds .
Jewellery featuring blue topaz are some of the best selling pieces in our online store. The gorgeous light blue colour looks great against lightly tanned skin reminds us of summers by the sea.
Amethyst is another perennial favourite, with garnet and green and yellow citrines also becoming very popular. Here are some of our current personal favourites featuring semi precious gems.
Earrings
We've just introduced a new line of drop earrings featuring teardrop shaped semi precious stones framed in sterling silver. These are fabulous value at less than $50 and you can choose amethyst, blue topaz, smoky quartz or garnets.
If you prefer a less delicate look, consider the baguette cut earrings in the same range. They are a little bit more, but still priced at under $100. Try smoky quartz or smoky crystal for a more mysterious look. These stunning smoky quartz earrings are seductive in more ways than one!
Rings
For a bigger statement choose a ring that coordinates with your earrings. Look for elements that are the same when coordinating -- it doesn't have to be a matched set to work! Look for pieces with the same stone, or in the same shape, or choose plain silver. 
This smoky crystal oval ring is a perfect complement to the smoky quartz earrings and the pair is priced under $300!
For instant glamour (and to draw the envy of your friends) for large stones such as zirconium. When set in claws and accented by gold as in this ring, your friends will think you are wearing a $5000 ring when it actually costs under $500. We won't tell if you don't!
At the other end of the scale is this delicate sterling ring featuring a small amethyst. This little beauty is stackable so you can wear two or three together for a bolder look and comes in your choice of clear, amethyst, blue topaz and peridot coloured crystal.
Bracelets
It's easy to spend a lot of money on a gorgeous gemstone bracelets but there is no need to exceed your budget with one of our new blue topaz bracelets. We love the delicate beauty of this graceful piece and you'll find many other attractive bracelets in our store including the bold and beautiful pieces of our Silver and Gemstone jewellery collection.
Necklaces
Let's finish this review of semi-precious stones with one of our personal favourites designed by Mexican artist Pepe Cerroblanco. Hand made from sterling silver and accented by amethyst crystal, this strikingly elegant design is very flattering and sits beautifully around your neck. Wear it to express your personal style.
