This Month it's all about June's timeless birthstone: Pearls. Pearls are a classic staple that should be included in every girls arsenal of accessories! In today's post we'll show you some of the types of pearls, how to determine if your pearls are real or imitation, and some stunning Pearl pieces we have at Charles Albert!

Pearls come in a few different types. Natural Pearls are the rarest, most expensive and are very hard to find in nature as most of the natural pearls have already been harvested. Cultured Pearls are grown in pearl farms. The mollusks are raised until they are old enough to accept the mother-of-pearl bead nucleus. Pearls can also be grown in salt or fresh water, which can drastically change the shape, color and size of the pearls. Imitation pearls are usually a coated glass bead. Most have a high luster, but not the depth of luster seen on high quality cultured pearls.

The best way to know if your pearls are genuine is to buy them from a reputable jeweler. But if you haven't, the best foolproof method in determining authenticity of pearls is to gently scrape your teeth on the surface of the pearl. If they are real pearls, then the sensation will probably be rather unpleasant, as the surface of a pearl will have the texture of fine sand to your teeth. With imitation pearls, you'll be able to feel the smoothness of the plastic or glass between your teeth.

As a June baby myself, whose used this trick, I swear it works! But pearls will always be a timeless classic. So no need to save pearls for just June birthdays, pearls will work for any occasion- anniversary's, valentine's day, and so many more!

Check out some of the stunning Pearl Baubles for all your June Baby Needs from Charles Albert!

With Fall fashions just around the corner, we wanted to share some of our tips here at Charles Albert for wearing your jewelry! Below you'll find tips for wearing all kinds of necklaces, earrings and bracelets.

A Wide Choker or Bib Necklace: Above Coco Jones is the perfect example of how to wear a wide collar necklace.  She wore a Charles Albert Alchemia Amethyst Geode & Pyrite Necklace attending the Radio Disney Music Awards. This type of piece should be your sole statement maker. Forgo other jewels when wearing such a large and/or statement piece.

Pile Them On! A mix of necklaces in varied shapes and sizes can give you a great look and it can also give you the look of a Christmas Tree. Remember to stop at a few strands so that you don't look weighed down. Below Victoria Justice nails this look to a tee wearing a Charles Albert Woven Neckwire in the February 2013 Issue of Annex Magazine!

Some Other Necklace Wearing Tips:

• A top with an open neckline highlights your glitzy accent. Solid-colored shirts will do the trick just as well!
• A draping necklace is stunning with a long dress. Try and choose a shorter stand with higher hemlines.
  
• Always consider the vibe and occasion you're dressing for! Adding colorful beads for a boho feel, chunky chains for a touch of punk or pearls for a prim and proper feel. 
  

With summer fast approaching, every woman is transiting their wardrobe from warm winter clothes to easy breezy summertime clothes. This summer color is everything! And with these natural beauties, you'll be sure to shine bright!

Whether your favorite accessory are cuffs, a statement necklace, rings or earrings, make sure to stick to one large statement piece! Don't be afraid to mix and match your metals, especially when layering bracelets and bangles. I know most women would never mix silver and Alchemia (I'm one of them!), but I promise, it looks great- I've tried it!

What's your favorite summertime accessory?!

xx
Jamie

Extra-chunky arm cuffs and artistic bangles made quite a statement on the runways at NYFW spring 2013 and we can’t hardly even wait now to get our hands on those pieces.  Several designers accessorized their models with these standout pieces and drew just as much attention to the jewelry as to the clothes. Some proved that less is more by featuring just a single cuff, while others showed that stacked bangles are an art statement on their own.


To Try these looks:
Get stacking with these crazy, clobbering cuffs. I love wearing one gigantic bracelet and pairing it with smaller jewels, and if I’m not in the mood for that, one of these statement cuffs can more than do the job on its own. It’s best to have a distinguishing piece to start with, and then build a fuller and more personalized look by adding to it. I just can’t have enough in my closet (even though I’m running out of space to store them!).


What are your best tips for wearing your "Cuff Love" jewels?!


xx
Jamie 

One of the best things about our exquisite pieces is that you will always find something for every occasion. No matter if you are wearing jeans or the most extravagant gown, Charles Albert Jewelry will have something for you.

This time we wanted to take our Golden Globles’ Goddesses and their stunning outfits to the next nevel just by adding some of our favorite pieces. Below are some of the stunning ladies that attended the 2013 Golden Globe Awards, with some of our stunning designs.

Whoever said that you don't wear bright and bold colors in the winter must have been someone who doesn't know fashion! Because this winter bold colors is the fashion trend that everyone should try! With dreary winter weather, cold temperatures, nothing will make you feel like the chicest girl on the block than some color in your wardrobe.


Wear your true blue or red with black or navy for a nice pop of color or for the more daring mix it up with other bright colors and neutrals. Accessorize with silver and gunmetal accents for an edgier feel. Go all out with cobalt blue in a dress  or keep it minimal with a bright pump or clutch.

For those of you who are leery to try such bold colors for you're whole outfit, the best way to try out a fashion trend is to add a few accessories of the color- such as a great statement piece like any of the Charles Albert pieces above. This way you'll be able to a fashion forward diva, without steering away from your own personal style.

However you choose to wear it, wear your true blues & reds with confidence and they'll take your blah look and you'll dazzle the world!

How are you going to incorporate this amazing Cobalt & Ox blood trend into your wardrobe?

Charles Albert, Inc. has always been an advocate of Breast Cancer Awareness, but when Charles found out his wife Beth, the company’s creative director & designer, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002. Since then, breast cancer awareness has truly hit home with Charles Albert.  Beth, who is now a proud breast cancer free survivor, learned about her creative side during her recovery. “During my recovery, I discovered the creative side of my personality. I am now expressing that through designing wonderful pieces of wearable art” recalls Beth of her recovery process.

Breast Cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. Just under 30% of cancers diagnosed in women are breast cancers. About 1 in 8 U.S. women— a little less than 12%— will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. And for this reason we believe that everyone should be doing their part to help understand breast cancer and how we can stop this disease from taking so many of our loved ones. When Charles was asked what he wanted to do for breast cancer awareness, he responded “I wanted to do something in recognition of breast cancer awareness and honor Beth’s recovery process. Her strength and courage in the face of uncertainty and grave danger is awe inspiring.”

So for October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness month, Charles Albert Jewelry is going to be donating 25% of each piece sold from our Pink Jasper Collection to Glam-A-Thon. We want to do our part to honor every woman who is fighting breast cancer and for every woman who will go through this. We want a CURE! Visit www.charlesalbert.com to purchase your pink jasper jewelry and do your part in helping fight this deadly disease.

For the second year, Charles Albert will be participating in Glam-A-Thon’s Lipstick Lounge, a fashion event where the local community binds together to raise funds for the benefit of the women that suffer from breast cancer. The Lipstick Lounge is a chic event that blends the best of cocktails, cosmetics and confection in South Florida all while promoting the Glam-A-Thon slogan to “Kiss Breast Cancer Away”. The jewelry company and its founder, Charles Albert, are champions of the worthy cause as his wife is a breast cancer survivor.

About Glam-A-Thon: Glam-A-Thon is a sustainable, dynamic breast cancer charity dedicated to helping families, friends and neighbors in the community. They differentiate their efforts with style, sass, and fabulous heels! Glam-A-Thon mobilizes the community by raising breast cancer awareness, during the fight to “kiss breast cancer goodbye”.  For more information visit: www.glam-a-thon.com

This is the season to shine, so make sure you have accessories covered with embellishment. Everything from cuffs, stacked bangles, new season necklaces, watches, statement rings, oversize pendants  to dress-up brooches, be bold and add some sparkle to give every look standout appeal!

These B-Right Now Accessories should be the finishing touches to your “Belle Of The Fall” look. If your wardrobe needs a wakeup call, look no further than this season's ultimate statement pieces.

How to wear these B-Right now accessories:

With statement pieces, they should become the focal point in your outfit! You can wear it with the plainest outfit such as jeans and a tee and it will transform your outfit immediately. It’s also a great way to disguise that little black dress you always turn to, to give it a whole new look. Statement pieces look best when it is limited to one statement piece, but play around with different looks to see how you can incorporate it with your wardrobe.