How to care for your jewelry...

Gems and precious metals are gifts of nature, which need special care. Even though a gem may be millions of years old, once mined and worn, it is exposed to conditions and chemicals that can damage it.
The harder the gem, the less vulnerable it is to potential damage. A diamond, for example, is the hardest gem known to man, and that's one reason why "it is forever."
Hardness is based on a gem-trade standard called the Mohs Scale, developed in the early 19th century. The scale is structured so that material rated at each higher number can scratch substances with lower numbers. Diamonds are rated the highest, at 10; rubies and sapphires are Mohs 9; emeralds and topaz, 8; and garnets, tourmalines and quartz, 7. Anything softer than a 7 can be scratched, including opal, turquoise, lapis lazuli, coral, pearl.
Gold, silver, and platinum are only Mohs 2-1/2 to 4, which means that they require special care when wearing, storing, or cleaning.
Here are some Do's and Don'ts:
DON'T wear fine jewelry when doing housework or gardening.
DON'T heap your jewelry into one drawer. Remember a diamond ring can scratch that pearl necklace. Keep them separate and ideally wrapped in velvet, paper, or silk.
DO check for loose stones frequently by gently tapping the piece with your finger near your ear.
DO get pearls restrung every two years or annually with frequent use.
DO clean fine jewelry often to maintain its sparkle and beauty. Do not use toothpaste as its abrasives can damage softer gems and metals. All fine jewelry can be safely cleaned by soaking for 10 minutes in warm soapy water (using a non-detergent soap). Use a soft brush on harder gems to loosen any dirt around the prongs. To reduce greasy build-up on diamond jewelry, dip it in plain alcohol or vodka before soaking.

Birthstones...

Birthstones are gemstones that are associated with the month in which you were born. Each month has a different stone. Those of you lucky enough to be born in April have a diamond as your birthstone. The way it works is if you wear your birthstone during the month that you were born, you will get the most benefit… Personally, I think that diamonds make you lucky no matter when you wear them!

Here is a list of birthstones that correspond with the months of the year…

January – Garnet
February – Amethyst
March – Aquamarine
April – Diamond
May – Emerald
June – Pearl, Moonstone
July – Ruby
August – Peridot
September – Sapphire
October – Opal, Tourmaline
November – Yellow Topaz, Citrine

December - Topaz, Turquoise

Heather Graham is such an inspiration to girls today. She is elegant, classy and knows how to dress! Fortunately, Heather Graham was on our top list of celebrities who we wanted to be wearing Zasha jewelry. She was given one of our favorite pieces... our Zasha Peace Sign necklace. To take a peek at this fabulous piece, click on http://www.zasha.com/p01464-yl-zc4.html

Fashonista Famke

Famke Janssen has a presence and look that makes her look sexy, chic and classy. I loved her part in X-Men and I love her old modeling editorials even more! She has a way of always looking polished by adding the right accessories. Recently I saw her wearing a yellow gold peace sign necklace like this Zasha one and decided I had to have one for myself. I think it is fair to say that Famke has mastered the art of class and simplicity.

Oops.. She did it again. WHAT IS BRITNEY SPEARS THINKING?? She needs to find a stylist ASAP. Whoever told her that going out in ripped nylons and short shorts was cool needs to take a look in the mirror and get a serious reality check. What ever happened to the little girl with such a big voice and so much talent?? This is starting to look like Michael Jackson behavior... She should seriously try wearing cute jeans, a t-shirt and a simple necklace I know thats what id want my mom wearing.

Katie & Tom... Now that's hot.

Katie Holmes has sure come a long way since Dawson's Creek. Check out her new style... That girl looks awesome... Remember all of that crazy stuff written about her? She did a complete 180. Now, "that is hot"... She leaves Paris and Britney and Lindsay in the proverbial dust... Just one more thing... Imagine how great that dress would look with a ruby drop pendant?? You go girl...

Less is More

Debra Messing star of NBC’s Will and Grace is hilarious. At a recent event in Hollywood she showed up wearing an adorable dress with way too much jewelry. Not only did she wear large hoop earrings but she wore multiple rings and several large bangles. My advice for Debra would be to try wearing a bracelet with more simplicity like Zasha's square diamond pave bracelet and to take some fashion tips from gay co-star Will and learn that sometimes less is more.

Sunglasses do not replace jewelry or food Ms. Beckham

I love David Beckham and I think wife Victoria has one of the cutest wardrobes ever! But I think the lack of fat on her body is affecting her reasoning… I constantly see her being photographed in the cutest outfits ever but she’s never wearing any jewelry. She always wears a hideous pair of plastic over sized sunglasses. I think she could complete her look with a chic gold and diamond cross necklace like this one at Zasha.com Come on Victoria throw out the sunglasses, wear some jewelry and gain some weight.