What happened in Vegas is not staying there this time! Our experienced, fashion-forward jewelry buyers are bringing all of their great finds back from the Vegas jewelry show, and our cases will soon be stocked with the latest in jewelry and some new brands. Anyone and everyone in the WORLD who is in the jewelry business was in Las Vegas last week! It is at the two Las Vegas shows where designers and manufacturers show all of their latest jewelry and where insiders talk and learn about new trends and what is going on in the business. The excitement never ends. Here are the top Roman Jewelers’ takeaways from the Las Vegas JCK and Couture shows: Turquoise is Everywhere Beautiful and everywhere. Turquoise is perfect for the Summer and beyond. Turquoise has been an admired ornamental gem for thousands of years as a holy stone, a bringer of good fortune or a talisman. It really does have the right to be called a 'gemstone of the peoples' and it is found in many parts of the world, including the Southwest of the US. We will have some soon! Enamel & Roberto Coin Enamel and yellow gold was a popular choice by many of the shows designers. At the Roberto Coin Salon at Couture, Roman Jewelers purchased from the Chic and Shine collection a beautiful necklace and matching cuff bracelet in off-white enamel and yellow gold. Silver & Scott Kay Silver is a beloved and affordable metal whose popularity just keeps increasing. We’ve seen more silver and diamonds at this Vegas show than ever before. Scott Kay has expanded his line beyond belief with silver, diamonds, and much more. The buyers from Roman Jewelers couldn’t stop! Wait till you see what is coming back from Scott Kay to Flemington. Pearls & Honora Pearls never go out of style. But to be able to do with pearls what Honora has done is truly remarkable. Honora uses freshwater pearls and creates current, affordable jewelry that is fashionable for all ages. Roman Jewelers in Flemington & Bridgewater is pleased to be adding Honora to the list of fine designers in our stores. Drusy Drusy is a little-known (well, until now) tiny quartz crystal that forms on the surface of other stones. Found in all colors, drusy is colorful and bright and is perfect for getting attention if set alone or as part of a design. Scott Kay and Honora both used it in their new jewelry, but Roman Jewelers predicts you will see it on many ladies this Summer and beyond. It is truly stunning and available soon at Roman Jewelers. Warm Colors & Simon G. Simon G. wowed the buyers at Roman Jewelers with a new, soft and warm look. Featuring designs from nature in a softer, earth-toned palette, Simon G. is always a buyer's favorite. Every year, Simon G. continues to evolve and impress buyers with fresh looks and quality beyond compare. Crystal & Chamilia It must be a lot of hard work and dedication that keeps the designers at Chamilia going. They never cease to amaze or disappoint. Chamilia has a new collection of jewelry and charms coming out, including the Sojourn collection. They have also made their partnership with Swarovski official and will continue to expand and develop that portion of their collection.

With the Royal Wedding just days away, the Jewelry Information Center has been keeping the public interested in all things Royal and Jeweled. Royal Families have always understood the importance of jewelry as heirlooms. Here are two of the JIC’s (and our) favorite heirlooms of the British Monarchy. Granny’s Chips Brooch Queen Elizabeth affectionately christened the diamonds in the pictured brooch "Granny's Chips" because they were originally owned by her grandmother, Queen Mary. The "chips" are two large, beautiful diamonds: a 94.4-carat pear-cut stone and a 63.60-carat square-cushion cut diamond. Wouldn't we all like to have heirlooms that size? Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara The Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara—so named because of the Lovers Knots bows incorporated into the design—was an appropriate gift from Queen Elizabeth to Princess Diana on her wedding day. Its origin dates back to 1914, when Queen Mary commissioned the crown jeweler Garrard to create a copy of a tiara owned by her maternal grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel. Will Kate wear this?

Yesterday, we lost Elizabeth Taylor—a legendary actress famed for her beauty, her charitable endeavors, and her many love affairs. One of her most famous love affairs was with jewelry itself. In 2002, she wrote a book entitled My Love Affair with Jewelry, sharing lavish photographs and stories from her extraordinary jewelry collection. The book reveals how deeply passionate she was about jewelry—not only for owning and wearing it, but for its natural beauty, ancient history, and emotional significance. Many pieces in her remarkable collection were historic treasures, including the Shah Jehan Diamond and the famous La Peregrina pearl. She also owned what became known as the Taylor-Burton Diamond. Elizabeth Taylor’s Shah Jehan Diamond is an 88.7-carat yellow diamond discovered in India around 1450 and given in 1621 to Queen Mumtāz, the favorite wife of Shah Jehan. The gem is inscribed in Parsee with the words “Love Is Everlasting.” A diamond seemingly taken from a storybook, it appeared and disappeared throughout history until Richard Burton gifted it to Elizabeth Taylor on her fortieth birthday. “I would have liked to buy the Taj Mahal for Elizabeth,” Burton once joked, “but it would have cost too much to transport it.” Thus, it became known as the Taj Mahal Diamond. Another extraordinary gem in Elizabeth Taylor’s collection was the La Peregrina pearl—a large, pear-shaped white pearl and the largest ever discovered. Found in 1513 in the Gulf of Panama, its history is as remarkable as its beauty. The pearl became part of the Spanish Crown Jewels under King Ferdinand V and later passed to King Charles V. In 1556, it was gifted to Queen Mary I of England, who was often depicted wearing it in portraits. After her death, the pearl returned to Spain, remaining there for 250 years. In 1808, Napoleon Bonaparte captured Spain and carried the pearl with him, earning it the name “La Peregrina”—the Wanderer. Over the centuries, it traveled between Spain, France, and England before Richard Burton purchased it for Elizabeth Taylor in 1969. Elizabeth wore the pearl often, including in several films she starred in with Burton. She famously recounted a moment when her dog accidentally swallowed the pearl—fortunately, it was recovered unharmed. In 1968, Richard Burton purchased a flawless 69-carat diamond for Elizabeth, originally known as the Cartier Diamond after Cartier paid a record $1,050,000 at auction. Burton bought the stone the following day and renamed it the Taylor-Burton Diamond. Elizabeth first wore the pear-shaped diamond publicly at Princess Grace’s 40th birthday party in Monaco. In 1978, she sold the diamond to fund the construction of a hospital in Botswana. In her book, Elizabeth shared a humorous story involving Lucille Ball, who once tried on the famous diamond while Liz and Richard were visiting the set of The Lucy Show. The ring got stuck, causing momentary panic before it was finally removed amid laughter. Elizabeth Taylor’s love for jewelry was unmatched, but her philosophy about ownership was even more remarkable. She once said: “I don’t believe I own any of my jewelry. I believe that I am their custodian—here to enjoy them, to give them the best treatment in the world, to watch after their safety, and to love them.” She also reflected: “Nobody ever owns anything this beautiful. We are only the guardians.” Putting it all in perspective, Elizabeth once remarked: “You can’t cry on a diamond’s shoulder, and diamonds won’t keep you warm at night. But they’re sure fun when the sun shines.”

Christmas and New Year’s are the most popular times to get engaged, and many “guys” came into Roman Jewelers to do their shopping this year. So far, we don’t have any requests for returns, so the proposals must have gone well! Furthermore, the rings must have been well received by the ladies—which is fabulous news. Maybe all of those hints paid off! But really, his hard work, research, and decision to team up with a Roman Jewelers sales consultant ensured a great choice and a happy fiancée. So, here’s the report on what was hot in Central Jersey! The flurry of engagement ring purchases in our stores seemed to align with fashion trends reported by national trade magazines and celebrity news—a return to more traditional, albeit quite large, colorless or near-colorless diamonds. Here in Central New Jersey, we found that the average center diamond purchased this season was slightly larger than 1 carat. Most of the diamonds sold were round, but radiant cuts appealed to many and came in as the second most popular choice. Cushion cuts also remained popular, along with pavé and halo settings. White gold was by far the metal of choice. Many of our customers selected Tacori, Scott Kay, and Simon G. settings because they loved the designer aesthetic and admired the fine detail and craftsmanship of these sought-after designs. Other couples opted for a custom-designed look. With custom designers on staff and a team of full-time jewelers at both our Flemington and Bridgewater locations, custom design is often the first—and only—choice for couples seeking something truly unique. Here’s to 2011, many happy couples, and lots of sparkle!

Warning! Sex and the City 2 Jewelry Spoiler following... We’ve been watching Carrie Bradshaw’s jewelry style for many years. In Sex and the City 2, when Big captures her heart in a final scene of the film, he presents the NYC diva with an eye-popping 5 carat black diamond ring and tells her "because you are not like anyone else." This is where movie-goers reach for the tissues. But, who could take their eyes off that rock?! The buzz is already swirling about the scene with what is arguably the most significant piece of jewelry in the movie's entirety: a 5 carat black diamond ring set in 18K white gold surrounded by 80 round natural white pave diamonds equaling 0.35 carats by designer Itay Malkin. Will this ring fuel a black diamond trend? Let’s hope so. Black diamonds, particularly when set with contrasting white diamonds have already become a popular, beautiful trend. And black diamonds are certainlya conversation starter. But what are they? Black diamonds are typically enhanced diamonds. We hear a lot about enhancements of diamonds, often in a negative way, but the case of the black diamond is quite different. The black color in a natural black diamond is actually the result of numerous inclusions. Most of these inclusions are graphite and because there are so many, black diamonds fracture very easily. This makes them very difficult to cut, polish and finish. So, in order to work with them and show off their beautiful black opaque color, the genuine black diamond is treated, to create abetter quality diamond with a more uniform color. Black diamonds are still diamonds…they are graded for clarity, cut, color and carat weight and certainly make for a unique engagement ring, especially when set with contrasting white diamonds—as shown in Carrie’s ring. Black diamonds generally cost less than white diamonds and are an elegant gem with a rich look. Black diamond jewelry is available at Roman Jewelers in Flemington & Bridgewater NJ. www.romanjewelers.com

Congressman Leonard Lance Presents Recognition to Roman & Sophie Shor of Roman Jewelers Photo by Dabour Photography May 8th was a special evening for Roman & Sophie Shor, owners of Roman Jewelers. They were recognized by the Hunterdon County YMCA for their service to the community during a lavish, warm, and friendly event held at Fiddler’s Elbow in Bedminster, New Jersey. And there was even a surprise guest. According to the YMCA, Roman and Sophie were chosen as honorees for their impressive history of outstanding community involvement. The theme of the Annual Recognition Dinner was “Build a Campfire, Build a Memory,” with the goal of raising funds for the YMCA’s financial assistance program—and raise they did. The evening generated funds in excess of $100,000, and Roman & Sophie were congratulated by New Jersey Congressman Leonard Lance. According to Mrs. Shor, it was the best surprise of the night. She said, “When Mr. Lance handed us the congressional recognition award, it was one of the best moments of my life. Only 30 years ago, Roman and I came to America from Russia without a penny, and now to receive recognition from a congressman in the country we love and thank for all of our success is truly incredible.” All of us at Roman Jewelers know that success for Roman & Sophie did not come without tremendous hard work and dedication. Thank you, Roman & Sophie! You set the bar high. The community respects you immensely, your employees admire you, and the jewelry industry is truly fortunate to have you as mentors and role models.

Mother's Day is on Sunday, and we all know that moms love jewelry. With so many options in a wide range of prices, jewelry makes an easy, fun, personal, and memorable Mother’s Day gift. So, what should you get Mom? Diamond Stud Earrings Mom has been wanting these for quite some time, and maybe now is the perfect moment to get them—especially if she has done something amazing, like welcoming her first child. Perhaps she has graduated from college, or maybe you have. Thank her with the ultimate Mother’s Day gift: classic diamond stud earrings. Chamilia Bracelet The budget-friendly and highly personal gift of a Chamilia charm bracelet speaks directly to Mom and all she has done for you and your family. With so many beads to choose from, finding the one that’s perfect for her is simple—and simply beautiful. Circle of Life Necklace Available in many sizes, the Circle of Life Necklace is a heartwarming and elegant choice for Mother’s Day. The Italian-designed Roberto Coin Circle of Life necklace will truly take her breath away. Additional designs include matching earrings and rings. It’s the perfect way to thank her—because let’s face it, where would you be without her? Key Pendant Key pendants are a hot fashion item that moms love and want. Choose one that is beautiful, elegant, and crafted with exceptional quality, like the ones at Roman Jewelers. The best way to tell Mom she’ll always have the key to your heart is with a gift she can wear every day of the year. John Hardy Every fashionable mom knows that when it comes to designer jewelry, John Hardy is a must-have. Sterling silver designs handcrafted in John Hardy’s Bali studio bring natural beauty to every piece. Inspired by the world around him, John Hardy creates jewelry Mom can wear anywhere—from the office, to school volunteering, and even evening fundraising events. This is just a small glimpse of what’s available for Mom this Mother’s Day. Jewelry makes the perfect gift because it’s so personal—something she will cherish forever.

“Reserved for a Nervous First-Time Engagement Ring Buyer,” reads a sign in one of our parking spots in front of our jewelry store, Roman Jewelers in Flemington, NJ. I am not kidding; we actually do have such a sign. We installed it because we wanted to eliminate one more stressful moment in the engagement-ring purchaser’s life – looking for a parking spot. There is a lot of anxiety associated with an engagement ring purchase. Well, let’s face it, diamonds are expensive. And what about the setting for the diamond? Shape, style, price; these are just a few of the decisions to be made. Where does an engagement ring purchaser usually start? Years ago, the answer would have been “New York, 47th Street” (if you live on the East Coast). Today, it is the Internet (regardless of where you live). When it comes to diamonds, education is the key. How you acquire the knowledge about diamonds is up to you: libraries, bookstores, numerous websites, retail jewelry stores, or friends who already went through a diamond-search process. From all of these sources, you can find enough information about diamonds to become a gemologist! So, now you are ready, you are prepared, you acquired enough knowledge, right? The jeweler places the diamond for you under the microscope and… everything you learned about diamonds and thought you understood simply evaporates. Where is that inclusion? Why can’t you see it? And the girdle, where is the girdle? Facets; there should be fifty-eight of them. Are they all there? Of course, the lab grading report is a tremendous help. Highly trained professionals did the homework for you and listed the color grade, clarity, polish and symmetry, diamond proportions, culet and girdle description, and diamond fluorescence for you. However, diamond grading reports don’t tell you the whole story; they simply cannot. Two diamonds with very similar grading grades will look different. Just like two people with similar physical characteristics: hair color, eye color, height, weight, and age might be similar, but do they indicate that we are talking here about twins? Your biggest help will come from the knowledgeable, talented, and passionate-about-diamonds staff of a retail store. Ask questions, listen carefully to explanations, look at the diamond under the microscope, compare diamonds with similar grading characteristics, and pick the one that “speaks to you”.

No, you won't find Imperial Faberge Easter Eggs at Roman Jewelers! The Easter Eggs designed and crafted by the Russian jeweler Peter Carl Faberge are extraordinary objects of art given by the last two Russian czars to their czarinas as Easter gifts. The eggs are masterpieces through which the history of Russia at the end of the 19th century through the Great Russian Revolution of 1917 could be told. They tell a fascinating story of love, privilege, beauty, and the downfall of a Russian dynasty. Faberge's Imperial Easter Eggs are the pinnacle of the jeweler’s art. Every jeweler dreams of achieving the level of craftsmanship that Carl Faberge was able to achieve. As jewelry designers, we can only strive to reach higher and higher levels in the work that we produce. We can study Faberge’s work and learn from his phenomenal craftsmanship. And we can love, and we can tell of our love with special words, special gifts and, yes, with a gift of an Easter Egg.