A very Gatwards wedding

On Saturday 15^th September Gatwards will be closing at 3pm for a very special occasion.

The Gatwards team will be attending the wedding of Charlotte Pheazey, daughter of Lisa Pheazey (née Gatward) and her husband Graham.

Charlotte is marrying Dr Paul McCrossin. Paul proposed on Boxing Day of 2011 while the couple were holidaying in Melbourne, Australia. He selected the ring himself, which of course came from Gatwards.

He chose “Dulcina”, a beautiful hand-finished diamond in a platinum setting. The 0.60ct brilliant cut centre is D colour, VS2 clarity and surrounded by 20 tiny brilliant cut diamonds.

Family has always been at the heart of Gatwards of Hitchin and we are delighted that the family is growing with the marriage of Charlotte and Paul.

We hope you will join us in wishing the happy couple all the best.

The Gatwards guide to choosing the right jewellery for your skin tone

While we should all feel free to wear the jewellery we want, we should be aware of which pieces of jewellery complement our shape and colouring the best. After all, why look good when you look great? With this in mind, here is our guide to picking the right jewellery for your skin tone.

Finding your skin tone

Skin tone falls into two categories - warm and cool. Many people get their skin tone wrong, thinking their pale skin must be cool, or that darker skin is obviously warm. 

Warm and cool does not refer to light and dark but rather the colour of the undertones of your skin. Here’s how to find yours.

Locate a part of your body where your veins are visible. The wrist usually makes a good reference point.  If the veins look blue, you are probably have a cool skin tone. If your veins have more of a greenish colour you probably have a warm skin tone.

People with warm skin tones will notice yellow or apricot undertones to their skin. They tend to look peachy rather than pink and are likely to go a more golden colour rather than brown or bronze. Famous people with warm skin tones include Jennifer Lopez, Nicole Kidman, Lindsay Lohan and Beyonce.

Those with cool skin tones will have pink or reddish undertones to their skin. They will look pink rather than peachy and are more likely to be described as brown’ or bronze’ rather than ‘golden’ when they have a tan. Famous people with cool skin tones include Megan Fox, Anne Hathaway, Naomi Campbell and Kiera Knightley.

Choosing a metal

For warm skin

Traditional yellow gold will complement the golden undertones of your skin, as will bronze and copper coloured jewellery.

For cool skin

Silver coloured jewellery will sparkle against the pink undertones. Choose silver, platinum or white gold.

Choosing a gemstone

For warm skin

Blues, purples and pinks will look dull and harsh against warm skin tones. Go for earth coloured gemstones, such as amber and golden topaz. Rich rubies and earthy emeralds will beautifully complement your skin tones as with the olive tones of peridot and jade. Stick to creamy colours rather than brilliant white when choosing pearls and avoid black, which can look draining on warmer skin
tones.

For cool skin

Reds, oranges, yellows and earth tones should be avoided. Go for bright vibrant shades of pink purple and blue. Think pink sapphires, beautiful amethysts and dazzling sapphires. Cool skin tones also carry off monochrome shades very well so experiment with striking onyx and brilliant white pearls.

Gatwards loves: Art Deco jewellery

Art Deco jewellery was popular in the mid twenties to the mid thirties, when the economy was booming, Jazz culture was growing popular, and people were eager to cast off the residual stuffiness of the Victorian era. It had a bold, opulent look that matched the extravagance of the period.

It also reflected the industry of the time and was in many ways an attempt to mix art and industry. This is reflected through the simple, harsh geometric shapes that categorised the Art Deco movement. 

The movement celebrated change and progress and hence speed became a theme. Art Deco jewellery would often feature planes, cars and even fast animals such as gazelles as motifs.

A forward-thinking movement, Art Deco jewellery took its influences from all over the world. Egyptian, Oriental and Indian design elements, such as particular colours, stones and shapes. This gave the jewellery an exotic and mysterious feel.

As well as bold shapes, bold colours were used. Black stones, particularly onyx often featured, as did coral and vivid turquoise.  The flapper girl style that was popular at the time featured simple, long and unstructured dresses and outfits so the striking shapes and tones of Art Deco jewellery were used to add interest.

Contemporary designers continue to be inspired by Art Deco, including one of our favourite designers Babette Wasserman. Her Deco collection is streamlined, yet opulent, highly artistic yet immensely fashionable and wearable – a perfect modern interpretation of Art Deco’s sensibilities. Wear these pieces with something dark and simple, perhaps even a dropped waistline or plunging neckline for a touch of that thirties flapper look.

It is easy to see why Art Deco jewellery continues to inspire.  It is inclusive of other cultures as well interested in progress. It is utterly extravagant as well as being concerned with the practicalities of production and wearability. No other movement embodies so many interesting, optimistic concepts and makes them utterly beautiful. 

Gatwards’ picks for summer

It’s been a wet and grey summer so far, which is all the more reason to add a bit of sparkle and shine of your own to proceedings. Here’s our pick of our favourite summer pieces – guaranteed to brighten up even a cloudy day!

Tresor Paris studs

Simply sparkly. What more could you want from a pair of studs this season? Choose fruity pink or luscious lime green for a fresh, summery feel.

A Juicy Couture watch

With their bright colours and just a touch of bling, Juicy Couture watches are the ultimate summer accessory. This season we recommend this statement hot pink Rich Girl watch or the striking gold and teal Lively watch.

Fun florals

Nothing reflects the beauty and abundance of summer quite like florals, which is why we love Nicole Barr’s floral necklaces and earrings. Choose the blue flower range for a more striking statement or the pinkish posies for a lighter look.

Sarah Ho’s Mari collection

Sarah Ho’s Mari range is utterly gorgeous. The name ‘Mari’ means ‘the sea’ in Sardinian, and just looking at these warm, sparkling pieces makes us think of golden sands and foreign shores. A must have if you’re going anywhere exotic this year.

A pretty pendant

For everyday wear this season, Babette Wasserman’s swallow pendant is ideal. The mixture of silver and gold tones will add a touch of simply sparkle, while the dainty bird motifs are fun, flirty and perfectly capture the spirit of the season.

Birthstone of the month: Peridot

"Wear a Peridot or for thee,

No conjugal fidelity,

The August born without this stone,

`Tis said, must live unloved alone."

Compared to say, diamonds, rubies and sapphires, peridot doesn’t tend to get as much attention.  For such a beautiful stone, with a rich history, we think this is more than a little unfair. Loved by ancient Queens, buccaneers, lost races and perhaps even aliens, peridot is an utterly unique gemstone with some of the quirkiest and most romantic legends surrounding it.

Peridot is one of the few gemstones to come in only one colour – a vivid olive green. Early miners would only look for peridot at night, as it was said to give off a glow in the moonlight. This is likely down to the unique way light splits and bends through the stone.

Cleopatra was said to be a great fan of the stone. Ancient Egyptians called it the ‘gem of the sun’ and believed it gained its vibrant colour from the Sun God Ra, thus making it a powerful protector against harm.

Peridot was also a favourite of pirates, who believed that it was a powerful talisman against evil spirits and night’s terrors. As well as protection, astrologers have associated peridot with happiness in marriage, eloquence in speech, tranquillity and even fame. A powerful stone, it is said to help you make your dreams a reality.

Peridot is thought to be the ‘major healing gemstone’ of the fabled lost continent of Atlantis, who were said to favour it for its ability to promote psychic awareness. Although perhaps even more intriguing is the fact that peridot is one of the few gemstones to be found in outer space. It was discovered in meteorites in 1772 and in 2003 it was found on Mars, making it the first and only gemstone to be discovered on another planet.

Inspiring wearers across years, continents and perhaps even other worlds, peridot is a truly unique and powerful gemstone, with a power and history as unique as its vibrant green hue. A must-have gem for the quirky, creative, and individual children of August.