A SPECIAL GREETING TO ALL WHO FOLLOW THIS SHERMAN JEWELRY BLOG: THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS

It's been hectic the past few weeks with lots of sales of my Sherman jewelry which has left my site at SHERMAN JEWELLERY SHOWCASE looking a bit ragged. So much has sold and I've had no time to update the site and add all the wonderful new pieces that have arrived. I have the best intentions of getting that site back up to date over the Christmas period, but if you can't wait that long ie. if you still have money to spend and want some Sherman, please visit our SHOP AT RUBY LANE for the latest additions to the collection.

And BOXING WEEK SALES start December 27th. We're open to offers on all our regular priced Shermans. So why not try your offer?

In the meantime, I'd like to extend warmest seasons greetings to all who follow this blog and I also invite you to enjoy the video posted here. It's called THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS and is a video I put together for our family back in 2006, starring members of our family and other people we don't know, like our military spending Christmas far from their homes. As the video, plays, please keep your speakers on so you can enjoy a little known Christmas song, called THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS. It was written by one of my songwriter friends, Billy Morgan, and is performed by my daughter and partner at Ruby Lane, VICTORIA BOLAND. When Victoria is not helping me with jewelry, she's onstage somewhere in the world as a singer/songwriter, entertainer and tribute artist.

We hope you enjoy THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS. All the best to all who read this blog!

EXTRA WIDE SHERMAN BRACELET IS ONE FOR SHERMAN COLLECTORS

Have you been trying to find one of those extra-wide Sherman bracelets that are so hard to find? I sure have! I've been looking for over a year, watching and losing ebay auctions, searching websites and feeling defeated because the prices were always more than I could afford, and ultimately giving up on the idea that I'd ever acquire one of the "biggies". Then I found this one! It still cost me a pretty penny but at least I didn't have to pay in US dollars as is usually the case on ebay, and with the huge difference in the US and Canadian dollar, well quite honestly buying Sherman on ebay is becoming more expensive than ever! But more about that below...

If you follow this blog, you've seen me refer to Valerie Hammond, author of "All That Glitters" on several occasions. Valerie states that Sherman bracelets were not made in the same abundance as his other pieces of jewelry. If that is so, then all Sherman bracelets are highly collectible, regardless of color (nice for a change!). But then, even more collectible are the wide Sherman bracelets like this one.

This "Jewel of Excellence" by Sherman features the hidden clasp (as shown on the left), and is a full 1 1/4" wide. It's comprised of 7 rows of glittering Swarovski crystals: 3 rows of aurora borealis marquise cuts alternate with smoke grey or charcoal round-cut stones. It's a marvellous piece of work and looks just fabulous despite a good deal of wear to the AB wash on those marquise stones. The glitter is still totally incredible.

Any by the way, dare I tell you that this signed Sherman wide bracelet also weighs over 55 grams! Yes, you'll definitely notice it when you're wearing it and so will everyone else!

This extra-wide Sherman bracelet is available in our SHOP AT RUBY LANE now and if you order before December 15th, you'll get it in time to wear at Christmas or on New Year's Eve. Just click the photos above to go there now.

Speaking of purchasing Sherman jewelry, whether on ebay or on private sites like SHERMAN JEWELLERY SHOWCASE or OUR SHOP AT RUBY LANE, I'm often asked why I don't list my Shermans in Canadian dollars since most buyers of Sherman are Canadian. By way of explanation, in our SHOP AT RUBY LANE, we cannot list in 2 currencies. We have to choose either the US or Canadian dollar for all items at once. Since the majority of our buyers are American and we also have buyers from around the world, it's easier for most of our buyers to work in US dollars. From a personal viewpoint, I'm often quite uncomfortable when one of my Sherman buyers needs me to give them the price in Canadian dollars: it seems so much higher. But if you are going to shop online, I think it's something you have to live with while currencies are so out of line with each other. I know... I hate it too when I buy items in US dollars. It can be brutal.

But I bring this up now for those buying Sherman on eBay. It's a favourite place for collectors to buy Sherman but as you bid higher and higher, unless the seller has listed that item in Canadian dollars, you need to keep the exchange in mind. This past week I saw a Siam red set of bracelet, earrings and brooch go for just over $900 US on ebay. But when you do the maths, that was well over $1100 CAD!! That might not matter just now, but if you ever decide to sell that Sherman and the currencies have come closer together as they were some months back, you might not be able to get the same money in Canadian dollars that you paid now. At least, when you buy your Sherman from a non-auction seller, such as OUR SHOP AT RUBY LANE, at least you're not being bumped higher and higher and just maybe too high in the long run. Think about it!

Why not slip over and see that bracelet above now. It most likely will cost you much more on ebay. And while you're there, take a look at some of the other gorgeous Shermans we carry.

"Black Friday" is over and "Cyber Monday" is just ahead. We're ready for you to visit us on Cyber Monday, December 1st, and everyday after until your Christmas shopping is done: we're listening to your offers, on Shermans and other items. So come visit and make an offer now!

The Lone Beader. Beading as Contemporary Art

If you make search in Wikipedia by the word "beader", it will suggest you a few definitions, one of them says, "A beader uses beads to create many kinds of decorative items." Don't try to find in encyclopedia who The Lone Beader is. To start, we will tell you, that The Lone Beader is an extraordinary bead embroidery artist. Would you like to know some more? OK, The Lone Beader tells you her story on beads, bead embroidery, and beading as contemporary art.


"I have always been involved in the arts ever since I can remember. During elementary school in Erie, PA, I loved both art and music class, but I had a strong preference for music. I learned how to play the viola and I was very active in music all through my childhood.


Music was my #1 priority, but I had other interests, as well. I loved coloring and painting. My younger sister and I were always doing something creative. I remember that we made a lot of beaded necklaces and collages, but I think we tried almost every kind of craft at least once. My mother was always telling me I should try drawing, but I never thought I could, so she showed me how to cross-stitch. I remember spending hours outside under a tree working on my needlecraft.


My father also influenced me in a much different way. He loved racing cars and flying airplanes, and was always taking me with him on his journeys. Because of him, I had great big dreams of becoming an astronaut, fighter pilot, or roller coaster engineer. But instead, I decided to study music in Boston.


During college, I began working in the theatre, setting up rock concerts for a living. While I have worked other jobs, this was the only one that has interested me enough to stick with for well over a decade - perhaps it is because this career's infrequent schedule has given me the opportunity to rediscover the arts.


It never occurred to me to pursue a visual art until about 6 years ago. One day, I walked into a bead shop in Boston, and when I saw all of the seed beads, I felt like I finally found what I had been searching for. So, I started reading books and magazines and teaching myself how to make complex jewelry designs in almost every technique. But, when I tried bead embroidery, I knew this was what I loved most.


The idea for my first bead painting came after I embroidered a 6" x 9" panel depicting a flock of flamingos. I needed a way to display the finished piece, so I stitched the beaded panel to a canvas and painted in the extended environment. It was a simple concept, but I really liked the result, so I sent in a photo to Bead & Button Magazine. They published Flamingo Moon in 2005. That publication eventually led to my first commission, which was an experience that helped me find my artistic path, and has driven me to follow it..."

Full story by The Lone Beader

Beading as Contemporary Art

About artist:

The Lone Beader, Massachusetts, USA
Official Website: www.thelonebeader.com
E-mail address: thelonebeader@gmail.com
Gallery Shop: thelonebeader.etsy.com
Boutique: cafepress.com/lbsboutique
Blog: blog.thelonebeader.com

Beaded jewelry by Jama Watts

Jama Watts was born, raised and currently lives in Kentucky. She was introduced to art as most kids, in elementary school. "Getting to go to the art room in elementary school was always something special for me," Jama said. "I loved getting my hands dirty with clay, painting and drawing. But, since my dad was an engineer and I was good at math, I always thought I'd be an architect."

Watts took mostly construction, drafting and other classes in middle and high school, but during the summer of 1992 she began to focus on drama and the arts, and later Jama decided to study art in college. After graduating from college Jama has spent a few years working in jobs that had nothing to do with the arts. In 200 Jama had a life-changing moment: needing a creative outlet, she began stringing beads and making rosaries to pass time. She is a self-taught beader, learning through books, magazines and experience.


Shortly after her daughter, Amber, was born, Jama left her office job and opened a small art gallery and coffee bar in Lebanon. The gallery, These Precious Things, represents 30 central Kentucky artists, allowing Jama to spend "down time" making jewelry at her desk.

The ideas for her pieces come from a variety of sources. She has a slight addiction to beading magazines and books but most of her inspiration comes from a background in painting, sculpture and nature. She loves color and texture, which shows in her jewelry. Jama often begins a piece as a way to examine a new stitch or color palette then lets the piece tell her where it wants to go. Her favorite work is in freeform beading as she feels it allows her to express herself more freely.


Jama has come to think of her pieces as "wearable art" rather than "just jewelry," which she feels allows her greater creativity when designing and working on her pieces. Watts' work is also a reflection of what she's into or going through at the moment she makes the piece. Music, emotions and paintings are starting points for many pieces, as is the desire to test out a new stitch.

"I'm very ADD when it comes to my craft, learning new techniques constantly and playing with the results," she said. "I guess you could call it contemporary tradition! I do everything from pieces that look vintage to incorporating computer and watch parts into my pieces."



Watts has ventured into cold-connected metal work, wire wrapping and silver clay but always returns to the beads, elaborating on traditional designs and creating her own. Her work has been featured in many national and local magazines, media and Internet outlets. She also filmed a segment for HGTV's "That's Clever!" which is tentatively scheduled to air in February 2009. Jama is a winner of several awards for her pieces over the last few years, she is an active member of beading and art associations. She also enjoys teaching jewelry-making classes at the local community education center. Jama's work can be found in her own gallery These Precious Things in Lebanon, KY, as well as in several retail outlets throughout Kentucky.

An article by Jama Watts

Beaded jewelry by Jama Watts

About artist:

Jama Watts, Lebanon, Kentucky, USA
E-mail address: jamama@gmail.com
Website: www.jamawatts.com
Gallery: www.thesepreciousthings.com
Etsy: www.thesepreciousthings.etsy.com
Blog: www.jamawatts.blogspot.com

Celebrating Beads, the journey of... Pictures

At last! A week ago I had a chance to go to the Bead Museum in Washington, DC and to see all winner items of the Celebrating Beads, the journey of... contest. I tried to make some pictures but it was pretty hard using my old camera.


All items were in cases, and the light in the room wasn't bright, so I had to use flash on my camera, that's why the pictures are of such quality... Anyway, my husband and I enjoyed watching all amazing works live! I'd like to congratulate the winners, the finalists and the participants of the Celebrating Beads contest, I know many of them, and to wish them all best of luck!


Slide show: Celebrating Beads Winner Items

RARE SHERMAN SIGNATURE ON THIS SHERMAN BRACELET

When I first acquired this Sherman bracelet, I was thrilled with how lovely and unique it was. Then I turned it over and looked at the signature. My face flushed. My blood pressure shot up. Oh no! Had I been duped? Had someone sold me a Sherman with a counterfeit signature?

My concern was prompted by a couple of very noticeable things about the signature. For one, it was cut off! That's right. The signature was missing the "an" at the end of the name. Secondly, the slant on the signature seemed wrong: it was too upright. Most of the Sherman script signatures I've seen are slanted strongly to the right. Thirdly, the capital "S" in the signature didn't extend as far over the remaining letters as it usually does. Take a look at the photo below to see what I mean. It shows 3 pieces of my Shermans with their signatures. The difference is noticeable:

The signature closest to the top is from the bracelet I'm describing. The other two are from other Shermans. The differences are obvious.

Of course, I panicked. But then I slowed down and started to compare other elements of this Sherman bracelet: the silver rhodium-plate backing, the clarity and quality of the crystals, and the clasp itself. I'd seen that identical clasp on many older Shermans. So I got busy looking up Sherman signatures on the net. Lo and behold, I did come across the same kind of signature listed as a sample of Sherman's signature. It was more upright, the "S" didn't go as far over the letters and it even looked kind of shaky. I could only draw one conclusion: my bracelet is one of the very early Shermans stamped before the signature was perfected or the actual script of the signature perfected. The fact that the last 2 letters were missing might be indicative of wearing from age, or just improper placement on the clasp. If all that were true, I was holding an even more collectible Sherman bracelet from a historical point of view, not to mention that it is downright pretty!

I'd be interested in hearing from anyone else who may have come across this type of signature on other Sherman pieces. And if you are interested in adding this beautiful figure 8 design Sherman to your collection, you can buy it now from my SHOP AT RUBY LANE for only $150.

Google for beaded jewelry!

On October, 17th, I discovered that the Google search for "beaded jewelry" returned 2,340,000 websites with MyLovelyBeads.com on the first place. I could hardly believe that! I checked out the same search criteria next day, in a week, in two weeks, but my website is still on the first position. I'm pretty excited!

Celebrating Beads, the journey of... Bead Gala

Celebrating Beads, the journey of... First Annual International Juried Jewelry Design Competition is over, bead artists from over 14 countries and 33 states participated in the contest. The culmination of the competition was The Passion for Beads Gala held at the Naval Heritage Memorial Center in Washington, DC on Saturday, September 20th, 2008. There I met one of my readers - The Lone Beader, and I was happy! We talked a lot and we are like old friends now!


The Lone Beader, an extraordinary bead embroidery artist from Boston, MA, and me

It was really exciting event, where the contest winners were announced, and the World Premier of Diana Friedberg's final documentary in her award winning series World on a String, Part V: A Passion for Beads took place. This documentary features bead makers and jewelry designers from around the world and was the perfect touch for that evening Celebrating Beads and the designers who make and use them.


Rafael Matias, California, USA, a guest artist from the documentary

I met many wonderful people at the Gala: four of contest jurors, editors from two national beading magazines, and a lot of contest participants. It was my first such an event, and I can say that the entire experience was necessary, fun, and interesting.


Slide show: The Passion for Beads Gala

SHERMAN SALES STILL HOT .. AT LEAST ON EBAY!

Tonight, in my other blog at THE VINTAGE JEWELRY BLOGGER, I got talking about how difficult those selling designer vintage jewelry are finding sales lately. After all, this is the time of year that sales of glitzy rhinestones start going through the roof as everyone brings out the glittery adornments for those festive get-togethers. Yet, I'm finding many of my sales associates are struggling to get sales, so much so that some are selling off huge lots of lovingly collected designer vintage jewelry on ebay, meaning they often get $5 - $10 a piece that way for items that might have cost them 10 times that.

But that doesn't seem to apply to Sherman Jewelry, at least not if you go by sales on eBay lately. Take that rigid cuff bracelet set shown here. Just for the heck of it, I took a look at recently completed sales, beginning with the highest, and that set above came at the top of the list. It sold for $922.65!! I tell you, I'm floored every time I see designer vintage jewelry which after all, doesn't use real gemstones or precious metals, fetching prices like this! Why I just sold an incredible diamond/sapphire 14k gold necklace recently appraised at over $4400 CAD to a lady in Greece for $900 US. Now that I understand. We're talking diamonds and sapphires, not crystals and gold plate! And yet, that's the value of Sherman for some people: it's more valuable than gold, silver, diamonds and gemstones.

And that's why the message of this post is that Sherman sales are still hot. Even when other designer vintage is suffering some setbacks, Sherman isn't. And what's selling? As always, bracelets, especially cuff bracelets like the one above. Secondly, sets. Sherman collectors want sets i.e. necklaces with earrings, brooches with earrings, or better yet, full parures i.e. those having necklace, earrings, brooch and bracelet. Of course, those are the hardest to find.

That's why my mission for the balance of this year and over 2009, will be to acquire as many Sherman sets as I can find and afford. Those readers who haven't visited my SHOP AT RUBY LANE may not yet have seen this incredible faux alexandrite 3-piece parure below:


That's the same set in both photos. Being faux alexandrite, it's blue/green/mauve in one photo and fully mauve in the other. This set is magnificent, with semi-rigid bracelet, earrings and a most unusual brooch to round out the parure. Click the photos above to see more views in our SHOP AT RUBY LANE.

We have some other recently added, exquisite necklace/earring sets in that shop as well. Why not slip over now and take a look around. Some are even on "Clearance" right now so you can pick yourself up a bargain. As temps cool down, one thing is certain: Sherman is still hot!

INTERESTED IN BUYING SHERMAN & OTHER DESIGNER VINTAGE & GOLD JEWELRY

I'm keeping today's blog short as I have way too much to do, but this post was prompted by having someone contact me yesterday asking for advice about selling Sherman jewellery i.e. how much could they get etc. etc. As usual, this is such a difficult question to answer as so many factors are involved:

1) what is the condition of the set, front and back i.e. wear to plating, loose or replaced stones, repairs if any?

2) what color is it? Is it one of the popular ones ie. siam red, fuschia, purple?

3) is it a single piece, 2-piece set, 3-piece set

4) is it an original set and not a marriage of similar pieces

5) is it signed "Sherman" on all pieces

6) is the design a common one or rarely seen?

These are all the considerations a buyer will make. But there's more. Selling a Sherman or any designer piece and what you'll get for it, depends on the buyer. Why do buyers want Sherman? Are they collectors, wearers or sellers? A collector might be willing to buy your Sherman for more money than a seller will. A seller always has to keep cost in mind. If they pay too much, they may not be able to recoup their investment. If they cater to a wealthy area of a city where folks are prepared to pay more, that seller can take a bigger risk on buying from you. If the seller regularly displays and sells at shows, they can generally get more for a piece than someone who doesn't. All these factors will be a part of what a seller will offer you as opposed to what a collector might pay for your designer vintage jewellery.

In the end, of course, it's your decision to accept what a buyer offers you. If this piece has been in the family for some time and didn't cost you anything to start with as it was handed down or was a gift or whatever, then you will most likely to be happy to accept a reasonable offer ... and you should. If it's a piece that you paid a lot for, then obviously you need to recoup your investment. In that case, scour the net. Visit sites like ebay and see what comparable pieces are selling for. Search for sites selling Sherman Jewellery and see what price is being asked. Bear one thing in mind: a seller can ask what they like. It doesn't mean they'll get it LOL! Many a time I've sold a Sherman for a mere $10 profit. Other times I get lucky and make double what I paid. It always comes back to the buyer and what they feel a piece is worth to them.

And on that note, since more people are contacting me lately asking if I'm interested in buying their Shermans, the answer is a resounding "YES!". I'm always keen to buy Shermans in good to excellent condition. If you can send me some photos, I'll tell you what I'm prepared to pay. I don't lowball but I do have to always keep in mind what I think I can get for the piece. After all, I'm in business to make a profit, even if it's only a small one. If you'd like me to look at what you have, whether it's Sherman, Weiss, Kramer, Juliana, D&E, Schreiner, Miriam Haskell, Antique, Victorian, Art Deco or gold of any vintage, contact me either via MY SHOP AT RUBY LANE or my sites at SHERMAN JEWELLERY SHOWCASE or VINTAGE JEWELRY SHOWCASE.

WOULD YOU PAY THIS MUCH FOR THIS SHERMAN?

There's a Sherman choker currently listed on eBay with a "buy it now" price I find a little hard to believe. You can take a look at it HERE. The reason I'm having trouble with the seller's asking price of $275 CAD or best offer is that I am selling the exact same Sherman choker shown on the right from my SHOP AT RUBY LANE for only $95 including Free Insured Shipping! So which one of us is missing something here? Am I, in my usual way, asking too little for a Sherman or is that eBay seller asking too much?

You know I'm finding it harder and harder to price Shermans these days. When it comes to the Siam red Shermans, you know the price is going to be sky-high, whether you're trying to win it on ebay or just trying to buy one. And I sometimes think that each such auction just pumps the prices of Shermans up and up so that sooner or later, like the stock market, there'll be a bubble and when it bursts, watch out for the fallout!

Everyday new people are writing to me asking about Shermans. They're in love with the designer, want to collect but like anything one collects, you still have to be careful to not overpay. Maybe it won't matter today if all you're doing is collecting, but if for some reason, tomorrow you have to sell a piece, it sure can hurt if you overpaid in the first place. I had that experience just recently when I listed the lovely book piece necklace shown below on Ebay and foolishly started

the bidding at $9.95. Never did I dream that the most anyone would bid for this beauty was $37. To my horror, I watched myself lose over $60 on this one because I had obviously overpaid it when I bought it. It was my first Sherman purchase and I was thrilled to later find it listed in Valerie Hammond's "All that Glitters" book. Valerie put a price on it of $195 - $225. I congratulated myself for buying it for only $110. Later, I listed it on my site at SHERMAN JEWELLERY SHOWCASE and also in MY SHOP AT RUBY LANE. Months went by and no-one bought it. I kept dropping the price till it was listed at what I'd paid and still no takers. So I sent it to eBay. The rest is history.

I'll never understand why a lovely necklace like that garnered so few bids. I'll never understand why a Sherman authority valued it for twice what I paid and 5 times what my winning bidder paid. But there's a moral in all this: when you're buying Sherman or any collectible designer vintage jewelry, shop around. Get savvy before you start buying up. Watch ebay auctions. Visit websites selling Shermans. Compare prices. Only then will you know whether you would or should pay this or that for a particular Sherman.

NEW ADDITIONS TO OUR SHERMAN JEWELLERY SHOWCASE

We've had a huge run on the jewelry we have for sale in our SHERMAN JEWELLERY SHOWCASE and in OUR SHOP AT RUBY LANE over the past few weeks and suddenly I find my stock seriously depleted. Now mind you, that's not a complaint, but it's suddenly put the heat on me to get some more Shermans pronto and unfortunately, I haven't seen too many lately that I'd want to invest in.

But I have managed to score a few more lovely pieces and want to invite you to take a look at them at THIS LINK. I haven't even had time to upload some of these to our Ruby Lane shop or set prices on others but I'll be getting around to it next week.

In the meantime, I just have to tell you about that magnificent set shown in the photo above. I've often found that too many Shermans out there have the same design but in different colors. So it sure was nice to acquire this incredible set with what I call its "overlap" design. Just how different is that! I've never seen one like this and we snapped it up as fast as we could. You can see more photos of it in OUR SHOP AT RUBY LANE. However, if you think this is one you'd like to have, the bad news for you is it's already sold!! Yes, this was our second fastest sale and it went to the same lady who snapped up that red glass crystal parure that was our fastest sale about 2 weeks ago. This is one lady who knows what she wants and acts on it. Truly, that's the way to go when you find a piece that you know is unique and worth collecting. If you don't act quickly, you can bet while you're thinking "should I or shouldn't I?" someone else is putting through their order.

So sorry it's too late for you to buy this gem but check out THIS LINK to see what else is new and available and contact us via our SHOP AT RUBY LANE or the CONTACT LINK at SHERMAN JEWELLERY SHOWCASE before someone else does!

SHERMANS ON AUCTION AT EBAY THIS WEEK

I've given up! Well at least for now. I've given trying to score Siam red Sherman jewelry at Ebay auctions. I watched another set this week. This time it was the necklace/earring demi shown on the left. I bid all the way to $351.99 and was the high bidder till the last 3 seconds when it went for $356.99. That does it for me. These Siam red Shermans are just going through the roof! So I've given up trying to get one for now. But it's okay because I've been buying up a storm of vintage designer jewelry lately and my Visa account is taking a beating. So maybe it's just as well.



So on that note, because I need some dollars to pay some bills, I've got a couple more pieces of my beloved Shermans up for auction myself this week and want to tell you about them. They could be gone by the time you read this as they finish on Thursday night, October 9. The bidding has already opened on the gorgeous blue aurora borealis brooch/earring set shown on the right. If you click the photo, you can go straight to the auction. This set is pristine! All the stones are original and clear and glitter like crazy. The back of both the earrings and the brooch is shiny silver and looks as if it were never worn. Definitely one you will be happy to add to your Sherman collection.


The outstanding two-tone green demi above is my other ebay auction this week. This one's a real beauty and the colors are lovely with the light green contrasting the dark green pear-shaped drops in the necklace and earrings. I've started the bidding at $149. Ebayers hate that. They want all the auctions to start at $9.99 but I made the mistake a couple of weeks back of putting up 4 of my Shermans, including a book piece valued at $225 in Valerie Hammond's book "All that Glitters" with the bidding starting at $9.99 and wanted to die when the auction had ended. The winning bid was $37!! I paid $110 for that piece 2 years ago! Now that really hurts. Guess it's been too long since I last sold on ebay and I've forgotten how it can really work against you, especially after you pay ebay and PayPal fees. So with that thought, I've decided to take my chances that no-one will bid. But someone will. Someone will see that to get a gorgeous Sherman demi for $149 is almost stealing it. Maybe you should go look and read more. Good luck!

SIAM RED 3-PIECE PARURE ELUDES ME AGAIN!

Wow...what a busy few days it's been for me. I think the Christmas shopping has begun, despite the terrible mess in the stock market and all that stuff. We've been so busy with sales in our SHOP AT RUBY LANE and on our SHERMAN JEWELLERY SHOWCASE site that I haven't had any time to get over here to post! Not that I'm complaining of course: I've sold 3 Shermans this past week, along with some lovely vintage gold pieces.

But there's one danger when I have a good selling week: I immediately start looking at what else I can buy and add to our line. And it was with that in mind that I got fixated on winning the ebay auction for that gorgeous Siam red Sherman 3-piece parure in the photo. I've been wanting to acquire one of these for the longest time. It would have rounded out my Sherman collection beautifully. But despite my decision to go for broke and spend more on this piece than I've ever spent on a Sherman, I failed! My disappointment was acute, especially since at 15 seconds before the auction closed, I was the highest bidder at $751.99. That's such a heap of money for me. Well darn, someone else could afford it better than I could I guess. They won it for $761.99!

So I find myself wondering if I'll ever be able to get my hands on a Siam Red Sherman. Oh sure, I guess if I shell out a fortune, I will. But in the meantime, I'll have to sell a lot more of what I currently have, though I must confess that stock is dropping quickly right now. But I do have a new piece for you today and while it's not Siam red, it's a beauty!

This glorious 6.5 inch Sherman bracelet of clear swarovski crystals is absolutely dazzling with its sparkle and is now available from our Ruby Lane Shop for only $165 including insured shipping in the US and Canada. Click the photo above to learn more about it and see lots more photos. It's 3/4" wide and I've never seen an old Sherman bracelet where the stones are still so crystal clear...just another kudo to Sherman for the fact that he was known to use only the best swarovski crystals in his jewelry. That is certainly evident here.

If you could use a gorgeous bracelet to set off your gown on New Year's eve, you can't go wrong with this one at this price. You'll light up the room more than any lights will. Check it out now!

FAUX ALEXANDRITE SHERMAN DEMI DAZZLES WITH ITS COLOR CHANGES

I get really excited when I acquire Sherman jewelry in any of the popular colours like red, fuschia or purple because they are the most sought after colors. But I get even more excited when I manage to snag any vintage designer jewelry that makes use of those gorgeous faux alexandrite or what many simply call, color-changing stones ... like the fabulous brooch & earring set shown here. I'm so in love with these crystals that I find myself hunting them down more than any other kind of stone because it just fascinates me how they change from pale grey to light green to pale lavender to mauve and sometimes to deep blue depending on the light source, with the result that when you own a set like this, it's almost like having 2 sets of Sherman!

And going by how quickly I manage to sell these faux alexandrite sets, looks like I'm not the only one who loves them. That stunning Weiss necklace on the left was sold within a few days. Its change from blue/green to lavender was just magical.

The same thing happened with 2 of my most prized Sherman necklaces. If you visit this LINK which shows Shermans I've sold, take a look at photos #5 and #8. Those were both faux alexandrite necklaces and if memory serves me correctly, the same buyer bought both! (You can read my earlier post on the baguette demi at this LINK )

So seeing how popular vintage jewelry using faux alexandrite stones is, I've been on the scrounge to find as much of it as I can and I now have several wonderful pieces to share with you in the next while. But right now, the superb color-changing brooch and earring set featured at the top of this post has just been listed in MY RUBY LANE SHOP. Slip over and take a look at all the photos. Watch how many transitions in color we've been able to capture just by altering the lighting. The changes don't happen in an instant but they're pretty quick. In a darker room, the set appears mauve, but the instant we turn on a warm incandescent light, it begins its change to blue, then green. Faux alexandrite stones: truly, truly fascinating and because it's hard to come by, very, very collectible. Think about it.

SHERMAN JEWELRY AT AUCTION ON EBAY

Okay. This week I've broken down and for the first time in many, many months I've decided to list some of my Sherman pieces on Ebay. Two reasons: Ebay offered Canadian sellers a 5 cent listing day yesterday and I need to move some stock to make room for new additions and to pay for my purchases. Yeah, I've been over-spending bigtime on vintage jewelry, and when my Visa bill arrived I knew it was time to do something drastic. Ebay! That's drastic as far as I'm concerned but it's the fastest way I know to top up the coffers when you need to.

So I'm keeping this blog post relatively short and showing you some photos and links to where you can go bid on these Shermans of mine on Ebay. I've started all the auctions at $9.99 and the watchers are mounting quickly. I suppose that's half the fun at ebay though I'd much rather sell for a lower dollar than give ebay part of my take in fees. But whatever... !

So that lovely clear swarovski crystal demi in the photo abover is in great condition and you can bid on it HERE (or click the photo). All the stones in the necklace are bright and sparkly. This is a lovely set for a bride, that final elegant touch of "something old" that remains valuable long after the day.

If you're looking for one of the more sought-after Sherman colors, why not have a crack at winning this root-beer and clear stone demi shown on the left? This is a very early Sherman and has even had a small repair, but that's only visible on the back and not at all from the front. If you click on the photo, you can see more pictures of this one, including the repair, and from there link through to the auction at Ebay. If you want to go directly to that auction now, CLICK HERE.

Moving right along, we come to a necklace that I really hate sending to auction on ebay. I've been baffled since I got this gorgeous necklace shown below as to why no-one has purchased it yet. After all, this is a book piece, actually pictured in Valerie Hammond's book, "All that Glitters" on page 95. I think it's one of the prettiest Sherman necklaces I've ever had the privilege to own. It was also one of my first Sherman purchases. Perhaps the problem is people think it's clear stones, but it's not. These stones have a lovely honey-lavender aurora borealis wash and depending on how the light catches them, one minute they appear purple, another lemony. The glitter in this necklace is fabulous. Again, it's lovely for a bride or for a young girl to wear to the

prom. It's elegant, graceful and in superb, nearly unworn condition. If you'd like to bid on this one, CLICK HERE. To see more photos, including how it looks on your neck, click the photo above.

The last Sherman necklace I have on auction on Ebay this week, again starting at only $9.99, is the delicious aurora borealis necklace on the left. This one is such a beauty i.e. great condition front and back. This one, like the book piece above, is very graceful thanks to those long slender navette stones alternating with shorter marquise cuts. As is so typical of aurora borealis, this one was hard to photograph, as sometimes the stones look silvery clear and in other light, they emit every color of the spectrum. This is a lovely Sherman necklace. You can see more views by clicking on the photo itself or you can go straight to bidding on it by CLICKING HERE.

LATE ADDITION TO THIS POST: I have just added a pair of earrings to the last necklace shown just above. I remembered their colors are a nice compliment to this necklace. So when you slip over to check out that auction, scroll down and look for the notice I've added. There's a photo of the FREE earrings there.

All of these auctions end on Sunday night, September 28, 2008 between 8 -9pm EST or 5 - 6pm PST. If you bid, I hope you win and look forward to being in touch with another Sherman addict like myself. Good luck!

First Place in 2008 Celebrating Beads, the jorney of... contest!

WooooooooHoooooooo!

Last night at the Bead Gala in the US Navy Memorial and Naval Heritage Center in Washington, DC my necklace Mid Summer Night's Dream was announced as the First Place winner of the 2008 Celebrating Beads, the jorney of... International Juried Jewelry Design Competition (seed bead category)! I'm happy! :)

SHERMAN'S LESSER KNOWN RIVAL: CONTINENTAL

If you've been following this blog, you will remember me telling you in my last post about the fastest Sherman sale I've ever had. It was for a stunning red crystal bead 3-piece parure. Well this time, I'd like to share with you a very similar set but it's not made by Sherman. This one comes to us courtesy of one of Sherman's main competitors, CONTINENTAL. This company manufactured its jewelry in Montreal from1947 - 1997 and produced some of the most gorgeous vintage jewelry of a quality to rival Sherman and many of the famous vintage designers. Yet, so little information seems to be available on Continental. I've scoured my many books and poked around on the net and really can't find much at all. It's strange given that there is quite a lot of Continental jewelry available on eBay and independent jewelry sites.

So that's one of the reasons I wanted to draw your attention to this fabulous set that I have just listed in my SHOP AT RUBY LANE. Yes, we all love and covet Sherman jewelry, but we can't always afford it. Well I'm going to tell you now, having owned both that killer red Sherman and now this royal blue Continental, that I thought I'd come across another Sherman when I found this at the Christies' Antique Show a couple of weeks back. That's how favourably it compares to a Sherman in its workmanship and quality. You can read the full details about this set by clicking on the photo above but I want to assure you that if you were to add this beauty to your vintage jewelry collection, you'd be making a smart move. Not only will it look gorgeous when you're out on the town, especially now with the festive season not all that far off, but I truly believe that in time, Continental jewelry will be placed on the vintage pedestal to stand alongside Sherman. It belongs there. Do a search for Continental jewelry and see what lovely pieces you'll find. You'll think they're Shermans, just as I did when I first saw this one.

And here's one really nice thing about this set: you can buy it for 1/3 of what I was charging for that red Sherman set. You see, Continental is still relatively affordable. Why not slip over to my RUBY LANE SHOP now and take a closer look at the other great photos of this royal blue set that's fit for a queen!