Jewellery & Jewelry

Despite their heavy weight, jewelry boxes in stone can be one of the most ornate possessions you own. Jewelry boxes such as these serve to enhance the spot they are placed in. They are a pretty way to store your jewelry pieces as well.

Stone jewelry boxes come in a range of shapes and sizes. There are also a number of stones from which they can be created. Every one of these stone boxes can be enhanced further with several decorative techniques like carving and gem inlay work. The exclusivity of these boxes depends on how intricate the work is. Marble is one of the most popular stones used in the making of stone jewelry boxes.

Boxes of Indian origin have significant cultural importance attached to them. In Kashmir and Lucknow, brides are given their jewelry in large marble jewelry cases. For North Indians, marble jewelry boxes such as these are used to store religious books like the Ramayana and the Koran as well.

{In the making of these boxes, the marble is cut to the size needed and then polished to bring forth a natural sheen.|When making these boxes, they are cut down to the size required and then polished to bring out their natural sheen. The gem inlay inspired by Emperor Shahjahan and the artisans of the Taj Mahal is used to decorate jewelry boxes.

Beautiful floral patterns are created out of gemstones like carnelian, lapis lazuli, jasper as well as reconstituted turquoise. In small boxes, up to 500 gemstones can be used in the creation of a design. A combination of a number of natural minerals and coupling agents is what makes Incolay which is actually derived from the words “in-layers-of color”.

When the several stratas of natural stones come together they form some really beautiful variegations. Artwork in white is then done to further enhance it. The artwork made is usually of scenes or flowers. Designs can be like a windblown ship at sea or dolphins jumping in water or even a family of penguins.

Another popular style in India are boxes made of Gorara stone. This soap stone is taken from a metamorphic rock and used largely in the making of sculptures. Perforated ornamental designs known as ‘jali’ work are done on these and are also common in Indian architecture. There are a few artisans who choose their stone based on the kind of work they want to do on it.

The Huamanga stone, though fragile has been the choice of a few artisans especially for the creation of religious motifs. After the detailing, they are sanded over to get that natural finish. Another popular material is sandstone that is used in the making of jewelry boxes. Also prominent in India, they are available in a range of colors like the Dholpur Beige or the Bansi Paharpur Pink. Other colors available are Karauli or the Agra Red and the Jaisalmer Yellow.

Marble and onyx have a lot of gem inlay done on them but stone based boxes have another innovation and that is the use of crushed gemstones in inlay work. Nuggets of gemstones are manually crushed into varying textures. This is filled into crevices that have been carved. Commonly used stones are turquoise, malachite, coral among others. The texture vary from beach sand - fine to coarse flakes and even stone chips.

So don’t let anything hold you back from getting yourself or a loved one a thing of beauty. Go right ahead and get yourself one to enhance your collection or that of a loved one.

This article was written by Ruth D’Souza Prabhu of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes feature evocative wood art designs, created from unique wood grain patterns and colors. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!

The concept of a men’s jewelry box does sound strange. They are in fact, a male version of a lady’s trinket box and is very useful to have. They are known as valets and one can choose from a number of versions depending on storage needs.

Valets are generally created from leather or wood. The design of the box is based on the kinds of accessories they will hold. They range from boxes that will store only cuff links or watches to those that will hold much more.

Men often possess a mixed collection of accessories. Most common are watches, cuff links, a tie, a cell phone, loose change, a pen, and a wallet. Large valets can be kept on dressers or study tables.

There are boxes that can accommodate several accessories, yet be portable. Men who are organized prefer to have all their belongings in one place. A multi-level leather case placed on the dresser is a nice option. This holds up to 4 watches, six pens, and eight pairs of cuff links in separate compartments.

Boxes that will be placed on the dressing table will have a few more useful features. Look for those that have space for small notebooks and business card holders. Those with upright pen holders would be a good choice, giving you easy access to them.

Both variations offer you a number of storage styles depending on what your particular needs are. You could choose to have cup holders for rings, rolls for bracelets or watches, and even hooks for chains. You could also have boxes that have storage space for freshly pressed ties.

Valet boxes are also made for men who have a large collection of one type of accessory. You will find cuff link cases that will hold up to 24 pairs while making space for more. Having a glass top will allow you to choose a pair for the day and have a display case of sorts.

A valet can be made especially to store your collection of expensive watches. Frames made of wood or leather along with a glass top, separate rolls to store up to 10 watches or more would be a good choice. Some discerning men have wonderful collections of signature pens.

Valet boxes that will store these precious pieces under lock and key are in plenty. You will find boxes that will hold up to 20 pens in a wide range of finishes.

Boxes that will hold up to 20 pens, in a range of finishes are available. You will find that leather pouches will store all your accessories and yet roll up tight making them a good choice. They will easily hold watches, pens, cuff links and more. Really long trips warrant the use of a technology valet. This will hold all your accessories and give you built in charging points for electronics like cell phones, Blackberry and even a notebook. All the compartments fold up neatly making the valet quite portable.

Getting yourself an elegant but classy valet will help you satisfy all your storage needs, making organization simpler.

This article was written by Ruth D’Souza Prabhu of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes are original works of art, no two creations are the same. Each wood shown has its own unique wood grain pattern and color. MarqART comes from combining the words marquetry (wood inlay) + Art (a creation of beauty) an apt name for our products. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!