For some reason, when these turquoise and vintage Swarovski crystals came within a close distance of each other in my workshop, I could not help but think they were made for each other. But like the parents of Romeo and Juliet, I felt strongly that I should keep them apart. Just as the Capulets and the Montagues really had no good reason for keeping the star-crossed lovers apart, I don’t know why I resisted the stunning turquoise and rare crystals being together. The more I thought about the two of them together, the more I liked the idea. Like all good romances, love won out and they are now happily married in this two strand union


I really do love the way the unexpected 24k gold plated crystal adds that special something to the uncommon faceted turquoise. The shape of the crystal is such that it doesn’t lay perfectly flat all the time, but flips around so you are sometimes looking at the solid gold side and sometimes looking at the gold through the crystal side. Sparkles a plenty, either way. It is a very tasteful sparkle that works with a laid back casual look or evening wear. I imagine this necklace sparking up every possible outfit…

You have a classic, crisp white shirt on with your jeans to go shopping in the city on a Saturday afternoon with your girlfriends, but you want to add a little pizazz to your look. This is the perfect piece.

You’re leading a meeting at work and you’re wearing your best but sedate power suit and you need a little touch of something more to show off your bold style. This is it.

Wearing that LBD again and want an eye-catching accessory to add that jazzy touch? Try this piece.

I can even see it with that classic one piece maillot on the deck of the cruise ship sparkling away in the sunshine while you relax in your giant sunnies, wispy chiffon cover-up and large brimmed floppy straw hat. It is very versatile, no?

One word of warning … those vintage crystals are almost impossible to come by anymore, so if you have fallen in love with this necklace, do not wait to make it a part of your wardrobe or it will end up in someone else’s. For more info, or to purchase, click on either of the pictures.

-Ann Marie

I have a large collection of vintage brass parts that I have acquired through the years. Most of these parts have been hidden away in a dusty old jewelry manufacturer’s warehouse for many decades – usually in Providence, RI. When I see a part that is intriguing, I grab it and put it in my collection for future use. On this particular day, I spread all of my filigrees out in front of me and tried them in various positions. When they fit right, it just feels right.

This is the second in a series of filigree necklaces. I can not tell you where the first one is. That is a surprise to be revealed later this year. Stay tuned You can find more pictures and info about this piece

I was able to add a Pink Tourmaline necklace to the site in honor of the October babies. I love this necklace. It is so delicate and feminine, but not stuffy or serious. Each of the sticks or pencils of tourmaline looks to be an untouched organic crystal of the gemstone. They vary in size and shape. Some are ovals and some are hexagons. They fascinate me. For more pictures, check out the necklace on our site – http://www.heartsdesirejewelry.com/item.php?item_id=266&category_id=46

I am working on getting a nice enough picture of an Australian Opal piece, but for some reason the brilliant multi-color flashes that make an opal so endearing is being very elusive for my camera. I need to research my techniques and will hopefully have a good enough picture before this month is over! – Ann Marie

Happy Birthday to all of you born in the month of October!

Opal is the modern gemstone for this month, though it dates back to prehistoric times. The Opal derives its name from the Latin word “opalus,” meaning precious jewel. One legendary explanation for this gemstone’s origin is that it fell from heaven in a flash of fiery lightning. Ancient Greeks also believed the opal had the power of giving foresight and the light of prophecy to their owners. The Romans believed opal was the symbol of hope and purity. A gift of Opal is symbolic of faithfulness and confidence.

Pink Tourmaline is the traditional gemstone for this month. Considered the “stone of the muse,” it was believed to stimulate the creative process of its wearer. Compared with other gemstones, tourmaline is a relatively recent discovery. Because of that, it lacks the rich lore that accompanies many other precious gems. However, among some people, the stone is known as the “peace stone,” believed to dispel fear and make its wearer calm. A gift of this stone is symbolic of hope.

I hope to get some of our designs with these gemstones on the website over the next few days.

-Ann Marie

After a customer recently disclosed her newfound allergy to any jewelry with the metal nickel in it, I set off to do some research to find out what she could wear. She really did not want to give up wearing jewelry, but the nickel allergy would cause her to skin to break out in a rash.

What I found out was that once you develop an allergy to nickel, your skin will always be sensitive to it and you will develop inflamed, itchy, bumpy or blistered skin at the point of contact. There’s no cure for nickel allergy. The best approach to nickel allergy is to avoid contact with nickel.

These metals are considered hypoallergenic and safe to wear if you have an allergy:

-Solid gold (12 carat or more) and silver jewelry should be safe. Nine carat gold and white gold both contain nickel, so it is probably best to avoid them.

-Sterling Silver contains at least 92.5% silver. The most common sterling alloy is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. Tarnish resistant Argentium sterling is 1.2% germanium, 6.3% copper and 92.5% silver. Fine silver, sometimes stamped .999, is 99.9% pure silver, which means it is softer and more malleable than sterling.

-Stainless steel (although this contains nickel, it is so tightly bound that it cannot be leached out).

-Alloys contain more than one metal, brass for instance, contains up to 35% zinc, the rest is copper. While copper can cause allergies, this is rare. Bronze is an alloy of different metals but the most common blend is 90% copper and 10% tin.

- Niobium is a physiologically inert metal and thus hypoallergenic. It belongs to the precious metals family. Studies have shown that several people who are sensitive to other metals can comfortably tolerate niobium.

We use Soft Flex beading wire in our designs. It is made up of multiple strands of stainless steel wire twisted together for strength and then coated with nylon for protection. I have always assumed that it would not bother anyone with metal allergies, but just to be sure, I contacted the Soft Flex Company for their opinion. This was their response – Stainless steel alloy contains 8 to 10% nickel. Uncoated stainless steel is used to make kitchen utensils, pots & pans, sinks, automobile components, and a zillion other things we come in contact with every day. Considering the low nickel content in stainless steel and the nylon coating on our wire, the risk of an allergic reaction to nickel is extremely low.

I have read that the green gemstone Chrysoprase may owe its color in part to the presence of nickel. It occurs as more or less complex inorganic compounds, as “impurities” in the gemstone. I am not sure if this gemstone would cause an allergic reaction, so it is probably safest to avoid it.

Much of the silver and gold plated fashion jewelry out there is made of a base metal which can be mostly nickel. Sometimes it is made of a brass base which does not contain nickel.

Unless you know for sure what the metal content is, it is best to stop wearing all your old jewelry wardrobe and be careful of what you buy in the future. If you really can not stand the thought of parting with a sentimental favorite piece that has nickel in it, you can try creating a buffer between the metal and your skin by painting the piece with clear nail polish.

I hope this information is of help to those of you with allergies. I was able to find this information on reliable websites, but I am not an expert on the subject. If your doctor advises you otherwise…please follow that advice.

-Ann Marie