Baltic Amber Jewelry - A history of Baltic Amber & it's use in Jewelry

Tears of the Sunby Leslie Risebrough, Visible Treasures Independent Sales Leader

"Thousands of years ago, people were fascinated by the extraordinary, inexplicable properties of the golden pebbles found on beaches and in coastal forests. The stone burnt when cast into the fire, exuding a pleasant resinous smell and aromatic smoke, and, when rubbed, attracted various small light items towards itself as if by magic.

The stone interior would often hide small undamaged plants and insects, which must also have found their way inside by magic. That sufficed to arouse the curiosity of primitive man, with admiration & respect for this unusual gem. It is no wonder man started attributing magical powers to amber."
--excerpt from The Great Book of Amber by Elzbieta Mierzwinska

Our Baltic Amber Collection features gem quality authentic Baltic Amber straight from the area surrounding the Baltic Sea. In this article, we would like to share a bit of background information with you regarding where Baltic Amber comes from, why it is so valuable and its healing properties.

Baltic Amber is a specific subset of amber that is found only in northern Europe and has been appreciated for its colour and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Over 35 million years ago, resin oozed out from a forest of conifers (cone-bearing seed plants and/or trees) in the region now covered by the Baltic Sea, and eventually hardened into clear lumps. Shoved around northern Europe by glaciers and river channels, lumps of genuine Baltic amber can still be found today on the eastern coasts of England and Holland, throughout Poland, Scandinavia and northern Germany and much of western Russia and the Baltic states.

Amber and diamonds are two of only three gems of vegetative origin and both are valued for their rarity and quality. Baltic amber is the most highly valued form of amber--it is the rarest Amber and has the highest level of succinic acid, the level of which determines its quality.
Amber was one of the first commercially traded products, and has even been used as coinage by the ancient Romans. Archaeologists have been interested in identifying Baltic amber over the years-- as opposed to locally available amber--because its presence outside of its known distribution is an indication of long-distance trade. It has been found in pendants dating as far back as 12,000 BC, embedded in the foundations of houses as way to ensure good fortune to the occupants in 9500 BC, and in Tutenkhamen's tomb in Egypt. Amber jewelry was mentioned by Homer in The Odyssey as a princely gift, and as a part of religious objects including Rosary Beads after the Crusades in the latter part of 1200 A.D. because of its smooth, silky feel. The Romans valued Amber more than the slaves that harvested it--a small single piece of amber was worth more than a healthy slave.

There have been ideas put forth over the years regarding amber preserving ancient DNA in captured insects--such as was put forth in the popular Jurassic Park Trilogy--but it isn't likely. Although some DNA may be present in amber specimens less than 100,000 years old, the process that is used to retrieve it destroys the specimen. Baltic Amber, being over 35 million years old, is too old for this process to work, and scientists are reluctant to destroy a 35 million year old sample on the chance it may contain DNA.

There are also many myths surrounding the origins of Amber. One of the first was written by Ovid-- he wrote that when Phaethon, son of Helios the Sun, convinced his father to allow him to drive the Chariot of the Sun through the heavens for a day, he went too close to earth and scorched it. To save Earth from being burned up, Zeus struck Phaethon with a thunderbolt and he died, plunging out of the sky and falling to earth. In their grief, his mother and sister turned into trees on Earth to be with him, but still mourned him. Their tears, dried by the sun, are Amber.

Amber can occur in a range of different colours--from the standard golden honey colour, to a pale yellow, a white, brown or almost black. There are also more uncommon colours, such as red (also known as "cherry amber"), green and blue. Our Visible Treasures Baltic Amber Collection pieces can include up to five different colours of amber depending on the piece--honey, yellow, green, butter (creamy yellow) and cherry red.

Amber is warm to the touch and upon your skin. It rests at room temperature--if you touch it, you will notice a comparative warmth immediately, as contrasted with glass or, say, turquoise. It is thought to calm, relieve stress and aid in memory loss, and has been used to treat headaches, bone and heart problems, and help purify the body.

This beautiful, distinctive and rare gem is a gift from nature and one which will continue to be valued for years to come. Our Baltic Amber collection contains stunning designs which showcase the natural beauty of this rare gem. If you are looking for something rare and beautiful either for yourself, or as a gift, consider something from this amazing collection.

Some celebrities have pieces from our collection including Actress Estella Warren, Acclaimed Singer/Songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk and, Actor Eric Roberts even picked up one of our Baltic Amber Bracelets for his wife recently.

You can shop our Baltic Amber Collection here.

~ Happy Shopping!

Visible Treasures At The Rally For Kids With Cancer Event in Toronto

This past weekend, Visible Treasures had the pleasure of taking part in the Rally For Kids With Cancer Event in support of SickKids Foundation. This years Toronto event was co-chaired by Gene Simmons & Shannon Tweed who so generously gave of themselves just two weeks ahead of their wedding date. Both Gene & Shannon were not only on hand throughout the weekend, but also volunteered themselves as celebrity navigators for the actual rally which took place on Saturday.

There were many wonderful people out this year, all fighting for this fantastic cause, including top business owners who raised small fortunes. Top fundraisers earned the right to select first among the many celebrity navigators, who also volunteered their time to take part and help some very deserving kids.

Some of the celebrity names included: Robert Herjavec, Lyriq Bent, Leo Stakos, Sean Pierson, Sofia Milos, Tichina Arnold, Michael "Pinball" Clemons, Jonathan Togo, Kardinal Offishall, Joey Graham, Gary Leeman, Kelly Gruber, Ellen Dubin, Eric Roberts, Estella Warren, Elle Patille, Rachelle Wilde, Raine Maida, Chantal Kreviazuk, Damon Allen, Angela Besharah, David Rocco, Cabral "Cabbie" Richards, Eric Dickinson, Elena Semikina, Mike Krushelnyski & Benjamin Ayres.

It all started off Friday night with a draft party at club Muzik, where top fundraisers had their opportunity to pick their celebrity navigator for the Rally on Saturday. Saturday's Rally took the drivers and navigators throughout the city, ending at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Rally participants then stopped in for a visit at WOW Creations Celebrity Gifting Lounge where a few choice companies, including Visible Treasures, were on hand to promote their brands. From the energy in the lounge, you could tell it had been a fabulously fun day for everyone involved and many spoke about the special moments they had experienced throughout the day, especially the time they got to spend at Sick Kids Hospital with the children.

The weekend finished off Saturday night with a fabulous Gala Dinner where even more funds were raised. Gene Simmons & Shannon Tweed even auctioned off tickets to their upcoming wedding.

All in all, a very successful event raising millions of dollars for kids with cancer.

A few Photos from the Event:

Picture one above: Constance Shaw models a Visible Treasures Heart Shaped Murano Glass Ring (item# RL102) from our Designer Collection, while Shannon Tweed looks on.

Picture two above: Robert Herjavec (TV Personality, Dragon's Den & Shark Tank) visits with Sharon Purtill, Co-Founder, Visible Treasures. Robert selected a Tipped Heart Murano Glass Pendant for his daughter from Visible Treasures (item# PL103).

Picture three below: Chantal Kreviazuk (Acclaimed Singer, Songwriter) visited Visible Treasures and picked out our Green Baltic Amber Ring (item# RA200-G) to wear home. This ring also comes in honey amber.


Picture four below: Leo Stakos (TV Host, Fish TV) and his driver Oliver Bock (CEO of Solutions2GO) visits with Sharon Purtill, Co-Founder, Visible Treasures.

To See more Rally For Kids With Cancer Event Photos, Click Here

Congratulations Dawn Allen on your new home based business!

Visible Treasures is delighted to welcome Dawn Allen to our team! Dawn is based in Burbank, California and services all surrounding Southern California locations. Dawn has a new website at www.visibletreasures.com/dawn which is ready to serve you 24/7. Stop by and see the beautiful Sterling Silver & Fabulous Fashion products we have available.

How To Choose Jewelry That Suits Your Face Shape

Ever wonder why some jewelry looks great on you while other pieces, even though you love them, just don't seem to suit your face? Well, just like body shape should be considered when picking out your clothing, your face shape should be considered when selecting your jewelry.

First off, we need to identify the shape of your face and there are ten main face shapes. We've included a link at the bottom of this blog post that may help you to visually identify them. The shapes are Oblong, Rectangular, Oval, Round, Square, Heart, Inverted Triangle, Triangle, Pear and Diamond. Here are some tips for determining your face shape.

First, pull back your hair so that it is completely off your face.

Second, stand in front of a mirror (but not too close) looking straight into it.

Third, tape a piece of tracing paper to the mirror and draw a pencil line around the silhouette of your face. (You can also use a wet-erase marker that will wipe clean.)

Now, compare your silhouette to each face shape for the best match. It is not likely you will find an exact match, we're looking for the closest representation. If you'd rather take a photo, this works too. Once your hair is pulled back tight, have someone take a photo of you straight on or use a webcam. Then, print the photo and cut out your silhouette making it easier to compare.

Factors like our age and weight can affect the shape of our face so you may need to check this every few years depending on the changes in these two factors. When we choose the right piece of jewelry for our face, it will complement our face and look more balanced or proportionate to the size of our face. What we don't want is for our jewelry to overpower us. It's our own true beauty we want to shine through. When we consider the shape of our face and wear jewelry that complements it, we will find the jewelry will help accent and highlight our best features.

Features of an Oval Face:
The oval face is soft and curved, with an equal distance from the hairline to the eyebrow and from the eyebrow to the chin and is slightly longer than it is wide. If this is your face shape, you are fortunate because almost any jewelry style looks good on you. For necklaces, choose pieces that are sized similar to your overall build. If you are a plus size lady, you will be able to pull off heavier pieces, versus a petite person who will look better when their necklaces don't overpower. Avoid earrings that are overly long because this will add more length to the oval face. Hoops are a great choice for an oval face. This shape of face can also pull off earrings that are wider in design. An oval face can have smooth or angular features.

Oval faces you may recognize include Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts and Sharon Stone.

Features of the Oblong or Rectangular Face (both share the same characteristics):
The oblong and rectangular face is longer than it is wide and the width at the forehead, cheekbones and chin are almost exactly the same. The features within the face can be sharp or angular or soft and curved but the overall face shape will be long. Sometimes the oblong or rectangular face can be mistaken for an oval shape face, but if you place them next to each other, it's easier to spot the difference. Oblong and rectangular faces look best when they wear necklines that are wider than they are long. Short necklaces will help reduce the long look of these two face shapes and help to balance the face. Chokers and shorter length necklaces are ideal and this is more important if you also have a long neck. The shorter necklaces will break up the vertical line that occurs with oblong and rectangular faces. Large beads at the base of the neck help shorten the look of the face. Necklaces with heavy or bold focal components are another good option for you if your face is oblong or rectangular in shape. These face shapes can pull off wearing larger, bold style earrings. Ones with lots of movement and drama are good choices. Opposites attract, so earrings that have shapes that are large circles, curves, crescents or other wide, space-filling designs will look good and complement these face shapes.

Oblong or rectangular faces you may recognize include Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Features of the Round Face:
The round face is soft and curved, with an equal distance all around. The nose is a center point for this face shape and the face is as wide as it is long. The features within the face can be soft, angular or curved, but overall the face shape will be round. You will want to select jewelry that can help to lengthen it's appearance. This face type should be careful to avoid rounded necklines like crew cuts or high rounded collars. Shorter necklaces like chokers and high necklaces will only shorten the look of a round face and could make the neck appear wider than it is. It will be more flattering to wear longer necklaces that balance the look of the face. Larger focal components which create a "V" and draw the eye below the neckline create a visually longer line and are flattering to this face shape. The round face is ideal for wearing long, vertical styles of earrings like dangles, drops or narrow chandelier types. A round face can be flattered with vertically angular designs. Styles that create a strong vertical line will look wonderful on a round face.

Round faces you may recognize include Kate Winslet, Carrie Underwood and Drew Barrymore.

Features of a Square Face:
The square face has a strong jaw line and the distance from the top of the face to the chin matches the width of the face. The width of the face at the forehead, cheekbones and chin are almost exactly the same. The features within the face can be sharp, angular or curved, but the overall face shape will be square. With a square face, jewelry that can help soften and narrow the appearance of the forehead and strong jaw line will be most flattering. With an already square face shape, a square neckline should be avoided. Square faces look best when jewelry has curves and vertical influences, to soften the face and give a more oval appearance. Longer styles work well because they create a vertical line to lengthen the square face. Larger focal components on necklaces form a "U", drawing the attention below the neck line. Look for a necklace with a pendant or other focal component or components with curves or swirls to balance the strong angular features of the jaw. Avoid choker type necklaces that are overly chunky as these may shorten the look of the neck and make it appear wider. The square face is ideal for wearing large oval hoops, long drop earrings and narrow chandelier earrings. It's best to avoid short studs or button earrings and wider chandelier styles are also not a good choice.

Square faces you may recognize include Demi Moore, Hilary Swank and Katherine Hepburn.

Features of a Triangle or Pear Shaped Face:
The triangle or pear shaped face has a narrow brow and wide jaw line. This shape is opposite to the heart shaped face. The width of the face at the jaw line and cheekbones is wider than the width at the forehead. The features within the face can be soft, angular or sharp, but the overall face shape will be a pear or triangle. The right jewelry can balance this face so that the appearance of the forehead is wider, taking the eye away from the jaw line. These face shapes should avoid v-neck tops or tops with square necklines. Triangle shaped faces need short necklaces with gentle curves to soften the strong jaw line. Looking for something with a gentle curve under the jaw can lengthen the look of the face. Large focal components on necklaces that form a "V" can draw attention below the neck and give the appearance of a longer face. Pendants or necklaces with focal components such as swirls can counter the strong angular characteristics of the jaw, softening the look of the face. These face shapes look great when the narrowest part of the earring is next to the jaw line. These faces need jewelry that adds width at the level of the cheekbones or above, so heart shapes or teardrops that are wider at the top are good choices. Triangle or pear shaped faces can also be flattered by small stud or button styles that have long narrow dangling components to help create more length.

Triangle or Pear shaped faces you may recognize include Victoria Beckham, Geena Davis and Kathy Ireland.

Features of the Diamond Shaped Face:
The diamond shaped face is equally narrow at the forehead and jaw line making this face naturally balanced. it is also quite angular and dramatic and widest at the cheekbones. The diamond shaped face is the rarest face shape. The features are usually sharp and dramatic and this face shape looks good in almost any neckline or jewelry style. Jewelry that can accent wonderful cheekbones will be a wise choice. Diamond shaped faces can wear almost any shape or style of necklace, just watch that the design is proportionate to the individual whether they are plus-size or petite. Necklaces should complement the neckline worn, as well as the wearer's other qualities. For example, chokers emphasize the long neck, a long string of pearls, worn long flapper style, lengthens the wearer's torso. Low hanging necklaces with drops or pendants accent a low cut neckline. There is a lot of flexibility with this face shape. You may choose to downplay the angles of the diamond shaped face with soft curving shapes or choose to accentuate the sharp features with more angular, modern styles. Diamond shaped faces can wear almost any shape or style of earring, as long as they are proportionate to the wearer's overall build. The one style you may not want to overdo is overly long styles that may lengthen the diamond shaped face. You can add width to a strong angular jaw line using dangling earrings with teardrops, pear shapes or triangle shaped drops. You can also choose to echo the diamond shaped face with dramatic and angular styles using triangles and cut crystal and for a softer look, choose hoops.

Diamond shaped faces you may recognize include Linda Evangelista, Felicity Huffman and Sophia Loren.

The features of a Heart or Inverted Triangle Face:
The heart or inverted triangle face has a wide brow and narrow chin. In addition, width of the face at the forehead and cheekbones is greater than the width at the chin. The features within the face can be sharp, angular or soft and curved, but the overall face shape will be a heart or inverted triangle. It is most likely that the top part of the face is soft and curved at the edges, and the chin has a sharper, more angular appearance. Jewelry can be used to balance the face by trying to widen the jaw line appearance while narrowing the appearance of the forehead. A "V" neck collar or other plunging necklines should be avoided if you have a heart or inverted triangle shaped face. These face shapes need short necklaces with curves to reduce the appearance of length in the jaw line and diminish the sharp point of the chin. Choker and short necklaces with medium to large beads or stones work well to create fullness at the neck, balancing the wider areas around the cheekbones and eyes. Multiple strand necklaces are also a good choice for a heart or inverted triangle face shape. You could also try a bold pendant that hangs closely under the chin. If this is your face shape but you love to wear longer necklaces, try wearing them opera style, which is to wrap them around the neck one or more times to create a choker effect up top then let the rest hang long. Circular necklaces, omega chains and short necklaces in general are good options for heart shaped and inverted triangle shaped faces. When choosing earrings for these face shapes, try to have the widest part of the earring closest to the chin. These faces need jewelry that adds width at the level of the chin, so use horizontal lines of hoops, teardrops, curves, triangles and other dangling space-filling designs. Avoid small stud or button type earrings and styles that are very narrow and long.

Heart sharped or inverted triangle faces you may recognize include Avril Lavigne, Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

I hope you enjoyed reading about face shapes and that you will consider this information helpful when shopping for your next jewelry pieces.

If you would like to learn more about face shapes and even discover what hair styles might suit your face, here is a link we found to this information and a picture of the different face shapes for your reference.

http://www.visual-makeover.com/face-htm/

Shop for the newest jewelry styles at www.visibletreasures.com today!

Happy Shopping, Your friends at Visible Treasures.

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ABC Bachelor Pad Event & Visible Treasures Was There!

Visible Treasures was in LA this week to meet the bachelors and bachelorettes for the upcoming ABC season of The Bachelor Pad. Everyone got a peek at our Sterling Silver and Fabulous Fashion Collections and all left with some georgeous jewelry to take home. Here's a photo of Visible Treasures Co-Founder, Sharon Purtill with Matt and Mark Harris from Wow Creations in LA. These two gentlemen pulled this whole event together to ensure the stars of the show enjoyed some serious swag from several terrific companies. Once ABC releases the names of the bachelors and bachelorettes, we will have some more fun photos to share.

To view more photos from this event please Click Here

How Murano Glass Jewelry is Made

Our Designer Collection, which features Murano Glass designs by Amercian
Designer Alan K, have been very popular pieces. So, we thought we would share
with you some of the details about how this gorgeous jewelry is made.

First off, authentic murano glass (which is all Alan K uses) comes directly from the Island of Murano, Italy. You no longer need to travel all the way to Italy to buy a beautiful piece of murano glass jewelry. You’ll find several pieces right here in our 2011 collection.

The process begins with the use of slender rods of multicoloured glass. A long pole is used to dip into pots of molten glass of various colours. With each dip of the pole, more and more glass is added, increasing the mass which is composed of layers and layers of coloured glass. This layering effect creates an intricate design, and is heated in a furnace so the layers of coloured glass fuse together. Next, the rod is re-heated and pulled until it becomes very thin, yet it maintains the perfect cross section of the original design. The result is a repetitive pattern called “millefiori” or “thousand flowers”. This name comes from the variety of floral and geometric shape patterns that are present within the glass rod.
Next, the rods are then allowed to cool. Once fully cooled they are cut into small slices. Each slice taken from the rod is called murrine. These tiny sections of unique glass “millefiori” are cut and shaped to fit perfectly into the desired shape. In our collection, shapes include hearts, crosses, ovals, circles, rectangles etc. Once the shape is established, the new shape or form must be reheated again. This will fuse the canes together one last time. After cooling, the rough shaped glass is then ground and polished smooth. The final set in the jewelry making process is to place this magnificent piece of polished glass into its final setting.

Each and every piece of Murano Glass is created by hand from beginning to end so each is its own unique piece of art.

We chose to offer the Murano Glass Designs of Alan K specifically because of his unbelievable attention to detail. The Sterling Silver pieces that he designs are a stunning backdrop to his Murano Glass creations. So, if you want something truly unique and wonderful, check out our Designer Collection, found on our website.

Each piece of Alan K Murano Glass Jewelry we ship comes with its own little Murano booklet that includes photos of the jewelry making process. If you’re looking for something special for you, or to give as a gift, consider something from this special collection. Pieces start from only $39.00 and can be found in our online catalogue under the Designer Collection. You will not be disappointed in the beauty or quality of these Designer Alan K Murano Glass pieces!

Hope you found this information interesting.
Your Visible Treasures Team

Show Us Your Style!

Show Us Your Style! Is an exciting new contest from Visible Treasures!

This contest will give you the chance to strut your stuff!

Here's how it works.....Send a photo of yourself modeling our jewelry, along with written permission to post your photo on our Facebook Page, Blog, Website or in our Newsletter. Who knows, you may even become famous! We will select our top three picks and then let our Facebook Fans vote on the winner! The winner, as chosen by our Facebook Fans will receive a $100.00 gift certificate to use towards any Visible Treasures Products! (must be used to purchase product, no cash value) Deadline to get your photos to customer service is 11:59 pm June 1st, 2011 You can submit your photo(s) via email to customerservice@visibletreasures.com Please put the words "Show Us Your Style Contest" in your email subject line. So, be creative, mix and match, you may even wish to have someone else in the photo with you.

Following the deadline, a poll to vote for a winner will be placed on our Facebook page. Then, it’s all up to you! Good Luck Everyone!

If you'd like to read about all our contests, as well as see contest rules, please visit our Facebook Page & go to the Contests/Winners Circle link found on the left side under "Become a Consultant". You don't need a Facebook account to view the page. You'll find "Our Facebook Page Link" at the top right of this page above the jewlery photos.

Happy Picture Taking Everyone!
Your Visible Treasures Team

Direct Sales Service: Visible Treasures Delivers Value!

Why spend hours at the mall today when you can buy directly, either online, by phone, email or in person from your own personal consultant? Many consultants will even come to your home for a true one on one shopping experience. Wouldn't it be nice to just call up your consultant, tell them what you're looking for and let them offer suggestions on jewelry pieces that could suit your needs perfectly!

The struggle many consumers have is that while they can appreciate the convenience and personal attention they get from an independent consultant, they don't want to overpay for their purchases. Value is key! Many direct sales companies build top heavy organizations that force them to charge high prices so they can pay the multiple layers of commissions within their organizations. How is that fair to the consumer? Answer: It's Not!

At Visible Treasures, we are true believers in the idea that the customer MUST receive value or they simply will not return. We see the value in the direct sales experience for our customers and want them to have a choice in how they acquire their jewelry. Whether it is in a party setting, one on one, over the phone, by email or even placing an order directly on their consultant's website 24/7, the direct sales experience offers convenience. We believe it must also offer value and we work hard to deliver it!

Visible Treasures does not have the typical direct sales structure. We are structured much like a typical bricks and mortar retail store: The company (Visible Treasures), the store manager (Sales Leader) and the sales associate (Sales Consultant). That's it! There are no other layers with Visible Treasures. This keeps our costs under control, allowing us to deliver superior value to our customers.

So, now that we've explained the value structure we offer, you can more readily understand how our customers can get the direct sales personal experience without paying for layers and layers of people you'll never meet.

Hope you found this article helpful.

Your Visible Treasures Team.

Congratulations to Kara Lauren

Visible Treasures recently congratulated Kara Lauren the lastest winner in our free monthly facebook draw! Have you got your name in yet? This is one draw that is easy to enter. All you need to do is follow the link below or located on the right side of this post to our Facebook page, log into your facebook account and "like" our page by clicking the like button at the top. When you do this you will automatically become a Visible Treasures Facebook Fan and will be automatically entered into our free draw each and every month! No purchase necessary! This is our way of sharing our beautiful jewelry with you giving others a chance to see and appreciate the quality and beauty of our products.
Here's the link:http://www.facebook.com/insights/?sk=po_129696447075803#!/pages/Visible-Treasures/129696447075803