What are we looking for in Jewelry

I suppose we all ask ourselves this at one point or another. We have had the hand-me-downs, the loans from best friends, the gifts from others, but when it comes time to treat ourselves, to really take that step and commit to something for ourselves; it is a whole new adventure.

The answer I suppose lies in finding that which will fulfill our innermost desires and that will be so different to each, that I’m not sure it is a matter deserving of advice. However, I do have one little bit of advice… The Jewelry Channel will be having a very special sort of show on Wednesday, May 21^st that will be geared specifically toward the ladies who long to dazzle themselves. It is a sort-of girl’s night in meant to reach into every different sort of accessory haven to provide to the viewers a chance at finding… the one! It will surely be a night to remember as the ladies of TJC come together to bring out jewelry with personality that the viewers can pick through to find that piece that most perfectly shows off their own personality. As the week ahead will bring some very fashionable ladies to the big screen, we want to prepare for a premier in style. And all of the women of America will have a chance to define themselves by treating themselves.

Hard work deserves reward, and a night out on the city must be planned to the last detail. Those last details are going to be sparkling on every television and computer screen from coast to coast for three hours only, 9pm till midnight (CST), for one night only! “ I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T… do you know what that means?” Make sure you bid early and get your free gift with every purchase!

- Bonnie Stepp

May All Star Event by Michele Lau

Hello TJC Bidders!

I wanted to post a quick note to let you all know that this Saturday night, May 17th, from 9 pm until 11 pm (or so) Sayed Haider and I will be co-hosting The Jewelry Channel All-Star Event. Please mark your calendars and join us!

For those of you that have had an opportunity to be a part of this monthly feature in the past, you know that it is an exciting event that showcases some of the best that The Jewelry Channel USA has to offer. This month's event features a wider variety of styles and price points starting around $149. There are even some luxury loose gemstones included for the evening’s festivities. If you are a May baby, you might want to treat yourself to a beautiful emerald ring or a certified valued loose emerald.

It might be a good night to watch with your significant other, or to invite a few girlfriends over and experience the finest in design, craftsmanship and variety. The prices will be fantastic, too. The Jewelry Channel USA is a sister company to one of the largest jewelry manufacturers in the world and will be offering you mass wholesale prices and exclusive pieces created by our business partners all over the world. Pay special notice to our All Star “Top of the Hour Specials.”

Don't forget to call your credit card company ahead of time and let them know that you may be doing some shopping that evening. In case you have not yet registered to be a bidder at The Jewelry Channel, you may wish to take a minute or two this week and do so by calling 1-877-899-0099 so that you are ready to bid!

This is a great time to register at The Jewelry Channel. It does not cost anything to register and you could win an ILIANA 18K Tanzanite and Diamond Ring - for free! We are drawing one lucky registered bidder (no purchase necessary) to win on June 15, 2008, at 8 pm CST, right before the One To Own. It should be exciting!

Sayed and I both hope to see you on Saturday evening for a fabulous evening of our All Star jewelry – see you then!

Happy Bidding!

Michele Lau

Show Host

The Jewelry Channel USA

Emerald Special - by Dan Dennis

Unquestionably, Emerald is the most popular member of the beryl mineral group. Throughout history, the Emerald has played an important role in society and is a stone rich in folklore and tradition that has been embraced by many cultures.

Traditionalists have defined the emerald as the birthstone for the month of May. Yet other cultures that hold the emerald in high regard define the emerald as birthstone for the months of January, June, August and September. Astrologers have adopted the emerald as the astral stone for the signs of Taurus, Gemini and Cancer. The emerald is also considered the anniversary stone for the twentieth, thirty-fifth, and fifty-fifth wedding anniversaries.

The legendary mines of Cleopatra are believed to be among the earliest emerald mines on earth, and there is evidence of mining activity in this region as far back as 2000 B.C., centuries before the time of Cleopatra. Stones from these mines can still be seen today in jewelry recovered from ancient Egyptian tombs. These mines accounted for most of the emeralds supplied to the Western civilization for millennia, and they continued to prosper well into the eighteenth century. Finally, in 1750, the mines were believed to be exhausted and were abandoned. They remained dormant until the early part of the twentieth century when an effort was made to reestablish them as a source of supply. The experiment was a total failure, as the stones that were recovered were regarded as being of less than gem quality, and the mines were finally abandoned for good in the early 1920’s.

The Romans apparently mined for emeralds in the Australian Alps, where stones are sometimes still being discovered to this very day.

In 1830 Emeralds were discovered by a charcoal burner collecting wood along the Takovaya River in the Ural Mountains of Russia. They remain a source for Emeralds even today.

Today, there are a number of sources of supply for Emeralds, with those from Colombia generally being regarded as the finest, and unquestionably the largest. There have been as many as 100 emerald mines in operation there in the past. That does not mean, however, that you cannot get high-quality emeralds from other countries as well. Brazil is a major player in the market, as the emerald is its’ largest gem export. Additionally, India, Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Russia and even North Carolina, USA are all sources of supply of the beautiful green beryl.

To the Romans, the emerald symbolized the reproductive forces of nature and was dedicated to the goddess of love, Venus. Curiously enough, however, others thought the emerald to be an enemy of passion, when in the 13^th century, Albertus Magnus wrote that when King Bela of Hungary embraced his wife, his magnificent emerald broke into three pieces. The Christians supported this belief also: they believed it a gem that fortified moderation and control of the passions to its owners.

The Emerald is regarded as a powerful stone for all problems of impaired balance.

It is also used by certain cultures for multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and vertigo.

Pliny the elder once wrote “When the eyes are weakened they are strengthened again by observing the emerald. The stone’s mild green color expels the weariness.” Today, fragments of emerald are still put in the corner of the eye to stabilize the vision.

Some believe it can be effective against headaches.

It is also credited with the pursuit of mental growth.

Emeralds are credited with the power to encourage easy childbirth. If it is bound to the hip, the child will come easily. If it is bound to the belly, it will be more difficult.

The Jewelry Channel brings you the finest emeralds from all across the world, direct from the sources, so that we can offer you the finest quality, at the lowest possible prices.

Be there this Wednesday, May 14^th from 4-8PM Central Standard Time, for a 4 hour emerald special, featuring the most spectacular designs in emerald jewelry available anywhere on television, or the internet.

See you there!

Dan Dennis

The meaning of mother’s day - Bonnie Stepp

Throughout history mothers and motherhood have been celebrated in a variety of manners, across the world it is celebrated at different times of the year, and there are also many different motivation’s for celebrating mother’s day. I believe that part of any festivity should include an understanding of the reason, perhaps with a bit of history, as well as a true thoughtfulness of planning… that being said, there is still time to make a mother feel like a queen for a day, and with this blog I hope to help inspire some wonderful celebration!!

Whether the mother you are honoring is your girlfriend, wife, daughter, granddaughter, grandmother, best-friend, secretary, or of course your mother, she deserves a day dedicated to her and this is that day! It is an observance as old as civilization. In ancient times motherhood was celebrated with the personification of goddesses. Ancient Romans honored the goddess Cybele and ancient Greeks celebrated a day in honor of Rhea, the mother of gods. Here in the U.S. the original founding of Mother’s Day is accredited to Anna Jarvis, the daughter of Anna Reeves Jarvis, who in the early 1900s dedicated her life to her mother’s project for improvement of her town and she established a Mother’s Day to honor mothers, living and diseased.

Since those times we have found many ways for paying homage to the mother’s of the world, according to Hallmark, about 96% of Americans take part in celebrating Mother’s Day. It is the number one day which Americans choose to dine out, it is reported as the peak day for long-distance phone calls, and it is the second-highest gift-giving day of the year, second to Christmas. All this need not stress you out if you put a little thought into making her day special. Gifts of the personal sort tend to make the biggest impressions. For example, a dinner out is nice, but a home-cooked version of her favorite delicacy will really delight her! A cozy robe for her to relax in would be sweet, and could be made even sweeter by dropping a little jewelry box in the pocket, perhaps containing a pair of diamond stud earrings!! If you’re looking in the jewelry category of course, it is always so easy to personalize a gift of jewelry by getting her birthstone! If you know she doesn’t like her birthstone, or you want to be more imaginative, think about possibly getting her the gem of her home state. The state gem of Colorado is Aquamarine, of Georgia it is the Quartz, and specifically the Amethyst, of Texas it is the Blue Topaz, the Moonstone is the state gem of Florida and New York. A little looking on the internet or in your local library can get you a full list of all the state gems as well as all birthstones. There are also links on the TJC website to some of this information. Don’t think for a moment that whatever it is you are required to spend beaucoup dollars. Fresh cut wildflowers are much more affordable than fancy tropical flowers, a gift basket can be put together at home with a home-made card and some organic soaps from a local market, even fine jewelry can be very, very affordable. Even more so than one might expect. At the jewelry channel there is a great variety of sterling silver jewelry under $40, there are genuine gold and diamond pieces under $100, and organic jewelry… like a pair of red coral earrings I saw in Michelle’s show today for $9, no joke $9!!!!! Believe me, you can’t beat that.

Now lastly you want to be on time, which will also make a great difference. So think ahead, plan, make reservations, allow her to relax, spoil her, remember her, and know when Mother’s Day is. Here in the U.S. it will be celebrated on May 11^th, 2008. For any of you who may wish to honor a mother in another part of the world, I have compiled a little list of some dates for you.

May 10^th El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico

The second Sunday in May, (this year May 11^th) Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Switzerland, Taiwan, UNITED STATES, Uruguay, and Venezuela

May 15^th Paraguay

May 26^th Poland

Last Sunday in May, (this year May 25^th) Dominican Republic, France, Morocco, Sweden

May 30^th Nicaragua

August 12^th Thailand

December 8^th Panama

I would finally like to wish each and every mom and mom-to-be a very, very happy Mother’s Day!

-your friend,

BONNIE, The Jewelry Channel