J ALBRECHT DESIGNS BLOG

So who exactly "cleaned" this ring???

2011-08-22T13:49:00.000-06:00

No, swallowing a ring that is not yours does not make it yours.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/7109869-418/man-gets-a-12-days-in-jail-for-swallowing-womans-diamond-ring.html

The nerve.

Those Insufferable "Creative" Types... sheesh.

2011-07-21T15:31:00.002-06:00

During our morning cruise through the blogo-tumblr-webisphere we stumbled on this interesting little tidbit:

http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/21/7114042-creative-types-are-full-of-themselves-study-confirms

To sum it up quickly,  researchers studied random college kids and concluded that people who identify as creative are considered by others as "full of themselves." Obviously this finding, in the grand scheme of things, means little... not unlike most random silly studies reported via news magazines. But it does give us the opportunity to reflect on what it means to be creative and to question what kinds of associations people make about creative people working in a creative industry.

Question #1
Are we blogging this topic to make our creative snobby selves feel better about being so snobby?

oooh that's a tricky one... verrry tricky.

Question #2
Do we consider ourselves creative?

Not really. But we do have a distinct point of view about jewelry and jewelry design. Most of the time this point of view drives the entire design process. During the process of designing a piece of jewelry we use common sense, experience, and innovation. When we are designing for a client, we listen. We ask a lot of questions and we listen some more. Then we listen. When we design for our cases we design what we like and have found that people respond to our taste and point of view. Every ring we make looks like a J Albrecht Ring.  If a J Albrecht Ring is not for you, well then you're just crazy. (is this confidence or creative-type-who's-full-of-himself mentality? hmmm.) All kidding aside, are we "full of ourselves" enough to belive that our design point of view is better than some others? As a matter of fact, yes. We do think that hand made, considered, thoughtful fine jewelry in a clean, modern style is better than a lot of what's out there in the world of mass produced, hollow, ultra trendy, celebrity-driven jewelry.   And are there other designers out there doing creative work?  Absolutley, and we're humbled by them.

Question #3
What makes us so confidnet about our work?

We're confident about our work because have the chops to back it up. Insert Kid Rock song here. Seriously, though, our Goldmsith, Kenny, has 15 years on the bench. J started in the industry at 18 and went on to mentor Hawk when he was just 18. And Laina... well, you know... she's super duper creative.
When we meet with a challenge, we figure it out. Ask Jay and he'll tell you that good design solves problems.  He may also mention that "it's called work for a reason." Combine 53 years experience with a workshop full of state-of-the-art technology,  and you've got a shop that can take being labeled "full of themselves" with a grain of salt.

Question #4
Do we hang out trying to be "Cool Creative Designer People?"

Nope. We just happen to be a family who's carved out a little corner for ourselves in the world of Custom Jewelry. We have the extreme pleasure of helping our clients celebrate birthdays, graduations, engagements, promotions, weddings, anniversaries and births. It's an honor when people ask us to create jewelry to commemorate lost loved ones.   We really just want to work hard, and be kind and honest with people, and raise our kids to do the same. We've got a feeling that this applies to just about everyone, "creative" or not.

Stacking Set of the Day

2011-06-09T11:08:00.000-06:00

Yet another stacking idea... mix it up and have fun!

Pearl Street is in Bloom

2011-04-25T17:11:00.001-06:00

Pearl Street is blooming...

We simply could not work in a more beautiful place than Boulder, Colorado. All around town the trees are flowering and the beds on the mall are blooming with tulips. Why not make an afternoon of it next time you drop in to have your jewelry serviced? We'd love to recommend our favorite spots for brunch, shopping, and happy hour... just give us a call!

Diamonds and Donuts; Jolie Designs visits J Albrecht.

2011-04-19T12:31:00.000-06:00

On Thursday we welcomed Michael from Jolie Designs to the shop. We sat down with a little coffee & donuts (Frasca Cafe's amazing maple glazed confections are really more like pure inspiration than breakfast food) and played.

Looking through the new Jolie collection we were excited to find many vintage styles with a decidedly modern point of view...one ring in particular showcased a delicate swirl of flush set diamonds across the crown, with traditional bead set diamonds trailing down the shank of the ring. In other words, not just your standard diamond-millgrain-intense ring you see advertised in "Stylish Lady Magazine."

Maybe it was the three cups of coffee, the donut afterglow, or perhaps Jolie's exquisite french baguette sapphires, but we suddenly got the urge to splurge. Aside from the assortment of stylish diamond stacking bands we're known to carry, we've selected additional fancy diamond bands that will stack with the originals beautifully and hand picked many really lovely engagement settings (many with said french cut sapphire baguettes). Along with rings, we culled some stunning pendants and several lever back earrings perfect for wearing everyday. Look for all of these new sparlkies to hit our cases the end of May. Here's a tiny preview of things to come...

You need these earrings.

2011-03-26T13:00:00.000-06:00

Just finished... 14k white gold dangle earrings with cabochon cut rutilated quartz and bead set diamonds.

These look amazing with little black dress, jeans & black cashmere sweater, or potato sack. Your call.

Snag them before they end up in Laina's jewelry box. (shhhhhh...)

$1650

Behind the Scenes: Cast to Finish

2011-03-08T14:05:00.000-07:00

Take a look at the rough cast in this yellow gold ring, compare it to the finished piece and you get a little taste of the labor involved in making fine jewelry.

Counting the Moments Bracelet

2011-02-12T13:21:00.001-07:00

Just off the jewelers bench...

It was an exciting day when our client came to us with antique watch faces and asked for a bracelet design. Even more exciting though, was when it came off the bench (just in time for Valentines Day) looking absolutely charming.

We've designed heavy, modern, uniform 14k yellow gold links to contrast the delicate age and various shapes of the watch faces. It was important to us that the piece have a modern romantic feeling, so we've sandblasted the gold and tucked two small diamonds into the clasp for a peekaboo of sparkle.

Hand made & weighing approximately 44grams.

Facebook...

2011-02-09T16:17:00.003-07:00

You can now visit J ALBRECHT on facebook!

A timeless ring...

2011-02-08T12:09:00.001-07:00

We delivered this stunning ring to our tearfully delighted client Erin, just in time for Christmas. We're just posting the photos now after spending the last month reflecting on the many designs we delivered during the holidays.

We've thought of this ring everyday since it left our shop. It's truly an honor and a privilege to work with such beautiful, well cut stones. For lack of a more subtle metaphor, it's kind of like a chef who is given a gorgeous cut of aged, grass fed, perfectly marbled beef and a basket of vine ripened, organic heirloom tomatoes. Why fuss up high quality ingredients? A good chef knows to use proper technique and knowledge of flavors to create a simple, expertly seasoned dish where the ingredients are allowed to shine and not be covered by thick sauces or unnecessary garnishes.

And that's what we've done here. This is a 2 carat, emerald cut sapphire. We've accented the sapphire with 2, half carat emerald cut diamonds and then designed a simple, heavy (not hollow) platinum setting to showcase the stones. We feel this is an example of classic, quality, sturdy, timeless fine jewelry.

We love to play, experiment and design unusual, unique jewelry... but quality materials, traditional workmanship, and perfect technique is the foundation for everything we do.

Ever Wonder?

2011-01-24T08:49:00.001-07:00

Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at your favorite jewelry shop? Well, here's what 8:30 Monday morning looks like at J Albrecht...

New Floors

2011-01-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year, Everyone! Thank you to all of our friends for a fun and busy Holiday Season! We were able to take a few days off between Christmas and New Year, and despite the fact we wanted to take that time to lay around in our pajamas and eat leftover cookies, we instead took the opportunity to install new floors into the shop! We opted for cork... nice warm color, durable and eco friendly. Here's a picture:

Pretty, no? Cheers to 2011!

Old European Cut Diamond Pendant

2010-12-20T10:35:00.001-07:00

Here's a picture of a new pendant that we just finished up... 14k white gold with a .33ct Old European Cut diamond with bead set diamonds all around. Perfect nestled in that little hollow part of a ladies neck...

$1750

New Packaging is Here! Woot!

2010-12-18T13:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks very much to Brad at Smokeproof Press! New packaging includes: letter pressed packet envelope (for appraisal, statement, receipt and care log documents), letter pressed business card, letter pressed "cigar box band" for jewelry boxes, felt jewelry pouch with embossed logo, felt buffing cloth with embossed logo,
Paper bag with cloth handles & tissue (yes, orange). Can't really see the beautiful embossing on the felt bag and buffing cloth in this picture... and too bad you can't feel how absolutely awesome the paper is on the box band and business card... it has the most gorgeous texture!
Voila!

Just Finished... Daisy Pendant

2010-12-16T16:25:00.001-07:00

Just finished! Palladium daisy with 18k yellow gold and diamond center on a 14ky bead chain. $1850

McGooglewatches

2010-12-14T12:49:00.001-07:00

An incredibly brief history on the wristwatch:

The wristwatch came to be in 1868 when Patek Phillipe designed a ladies bracelet that kept time. Up until this time the man's pocket watch was considered de rigueur. It wasn't until 1904 when an aviator asked Louis Cartier to fabricate a watch that would be more useful to him during flight than a traditional pocket watch. And so the modern day men's wrist watch was made to be a useful tool. It's no surprise then that they gained popularity during WW1, when enlisted men found them to be much more practical in the trenches than pocket watches. Soon these men were seen in plain clothes sporting their wrist watches and a fashion was born.

Today:

There is a watch for every outfit and day of the year and we're not entirely sure that this is a good thing. Just cruise Amazon and prepare yourself to be totally to be overwhelmed. Don't want to spend dough on a "designer" watch? Just buy the knock-off on ebay... or canal street... or a purse party, or get yourself a commercial, well advertised, well known, trendy, fashion watch. In either case, you'll be buying another one in a year and every year after that. The movements in this type of watch aren't designed to last. In fact, they cost about fifty cents to fabricate en masse in China. We've talked about this before, this culture of disposability we find ourselves in. While it's great in some instances, we find ourselves anxious for the trend to wan. I guess you could say we're weary of seeing watches, something we consider highly personal and rich with history, for sale in gas stations.

When we moved locations in 2009, we were at a crossroads with watches. To continue carrying them or not? That was the question. How did we really feel about the online saturation of the cheaply produced, possibly counterfeit, discounted and un-warrantied Everywatch? Probably a lot like you feel. We're indifferent to McGooglewatches. It is what it is and it's not what we do.

The watch we have to offer is MIDO, a company founded almost a century ago. They design watches that will last generations with proper upkeep. MIDO is a quality, warrantied, serviceable, repairable, stylish Swiss-made watch that we offer to our clients with a promise. We'll help you find a watch that speaks to who you are as an individual.

Of course your cell phone can tell you what time it is but we believe that your watch is a unique, luxurious adornment that tells something about you when you wear it.

Just finished... custom sapphire and diamond ring

2010-12-09T13:19:00.001-07:00

We just finished this lovely piece for Sue, whose Right Hand was in dire need of some bling. This beautiful platinum ring features a channel set 2ct sapphire and has 8 flush set diamond accents. Sue's Left Hand is officially jealous.

The Make-Over Continues!

2010-12-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

New window cases installed this week! A big thank you to our friend Ira Schiff for the beautiful work. So modern and simple and clean! More changes coming soon...

Cases Before:

Cases After:

New tanzanite pieces...

2010-12-05T15:26:00.002-07:00

Beautiful tanzanite! We haven't worked with it in a while... but we poked around the back of the vault and pulled out some stones we felt were too nice of a quality to be ignored any longer. Enjoy!

2ct Tanzanite and diamonds in Platinum $5500

2ct Tanzanite in 14k yellow gold on a white gold chain $2895

Trillion dangle earrings in 14k white gold $1299

Trillions dangle earrings in 14k yellow gold $1100

Keeping it Relaxed

2010-11-30T16:16:00.000-07:00

They're BA-ACK! The holiday tunes, that is. Some stores (not naming names but rhymes with shmillards) started playing that infernal holiday music about 3 weeks ago, pretty much as soon as we all got over our Halloween hangovers. Don't get us wrong, we love Christmas carols, but if you've worked retail for a combined 60 plus years, (Jay, Laina, Hawk, Kenny... the original gangsters of retail) then you know that starting in on the holiday music too early can lead to premature and serious holiday meltdowns. The sort where you wake up in a cold sweat at 2 am because you've just dreamt that zombie bargain shoppers are beating on the front door as you watch naked, your teeth falling into your mittened hands, while Santa Baby plays on eternal loop. egads.

Good news is... we celebrate our holidays one at a time, and we had a wonderful Thanksgiving, thanks for asking! Just today we turned on a little Holiday jazz, and anticipate that our official seasonal decor will come out of hibernation on December 1. Pacing ourselves during this special time of year helps us truly enjoy our clients and allows us time to reflect and feel the gratitude we have for our bustling shop on beautiful Pearl Street. We think you'll feel equally relaxed and comfortable when you come in to our shop during the next month. We can't wait to see you and help you find something lovely.

Here's the latest: 6 carat (well 5.78 carats to be exact) natural black diamond pendant with white diamond accents. $3750

Sincerely, Your Fine Jewelry.

2010-11-19T15:55:00.001-07:00

My Dear Sweet Owner,

I was a gift from someone who's totally into you. I also happen to be very beautiful and worth quite a bit. I know that you're gaga for me because you flaunt me to your friends daily, turning me in the light and cooing about my carat weight. ooh la la! Also, you nearly got into a car accident after staring at me too long while driving that one time. Remember? So I don't mean to be rude, and forgive me for asking, but if you love me then why you wanna treat me so bad?

I am a fine fine fine piece of jewelry, painstakingly created from precious metal and gemstones and toiled over for many hours by hand.  I've been seriously considered at every step of my evolution... am I the right size and shape? Is my structure perfectly perfect? Am I sparkly in the right places and smooth in the rest? Am I unique and thought provoking? You better believe it, buddy.

You know, if I were an actress, I'd be Meryl Streep for sure.  If I were a car? I'll go ahead and say it, I'm the Aston Martin of fine jewelry. I'm sure you agree, obvs. So let me ask you, would you drive an Aston Martin every day and never change the oil? Would you drive it through the steaming hot desert and not suds it up afterward? Get a dent and not fix it? I think not.

Just like an expensive ride, I need a bit of maintenance to stay fabulous and not break.   My prongs, bezels and other tids and bits need checking twice a year please.  If you wear me doing glove-less manual labor (ouch) or while cleaning with harsh chemicals (yikes), or so help me, while you are lifting free weights (how dare you), I will become damaged. So the next time you're laying bricks or doing dead lifts at the gym, cut me a little slack and put me somewhere safe for a sec.   You're the best. You might even wash me up in gentle jewelry cleaning solution (one part ammonia to one part water) before you put me back on because you do not even want to know what can happen to your finger if you never clean me. gross. Lotions, perfumes, sunscreens, and soap have chemicals in them that can be corrosive to soft gemstones and can seriously irritate me and you.  Metal is relatively soft and malleable and just like granny's ring, metal (be it on the prongs, tips, bezels, clasps or shanks) will wear away over time. When this happens to me, it doesn't mean that I'm a an overpriced hunk a junk.   OMG! Not at all! It just means I'm normal and need care. Lucky for you, I know a guy.

The jeweler who made me is The Man.   He'll take care of all of my necessary cleaning and twice yearly checkups... at no cost!!!  You can prevent bad, bad things from happening to me!   And do you want to know what else? If you maintain me, I will give you and your family joy for generations. How awesome is that? Forget about me and it's possible I'll end up a wonky, broken down ol' mess after just a few years, causing you grief and expense. major bummer.

Oh, and while we're on the subject, get a little insurance on me too... it's not expensive at all and can really come in handy if ever an unfortunate garbage disposal situation arises!   Thanks a bunch!

Sincerely,

Your Fine Jewelry

p.s. that friend you had coffee with yesterday? Totes jealous of me. Snap!

18k rose gold with 1.3ct cognac diamond

Who Rocks the Party? Kenny.

2010-11-12T13:13:00.000-07:00

Our brother in law, Kenny, wears many, many hats. Yes, he's known as the fearless tattooed goldsmith who's a bit nutso for his little doggie Roxy, but did you also know that he's also a talented musician with a big heart? (awwwwwwww...) Recently Kenny took a Saturday off from his jeweler's bench... he put down his torch and picked up his drum sticks for an afternoon of music for kids.

Twice a year, Kenny partners with other musicians in the area to hold an afternoon jam session where anyone is welcome to try out an instrument and rock a little. Kids of all ages and experience show up with nothing at all, the instruments and equipment are all provided for them, and by the end of the afternoon are on stage playing two songs with a pick up band. The jam session begins and ends with a frank discussion about drugs and alcohol where the message is; music is cool no matter what... you don't need to do drugs to rock in a band. We agree.

Lovely Tall Ring

2010-11-05T13:46:00.000-06:00

Here's a lovely ring that we finished for a client recently. It's derived from our "Flat Band" series, a style we're known for with hefty prongs and a single accent diamond to the side of the center stone.

This gal is in 18k yellow gold and showcases a 2 carat round brilliant diamond. Optically the ring appears very tall, but in reality it's no taller than most rings that a fit a 2ct, we've simply cut way the area where, in most rings, the shank typically makes a gradual rise to meet the crown. We then elongated the prongs slightly to show off the culet of the stone.

Finishing touch... our signature single flush-set accent diamond.

New Logo for J.ALBRECHT

2010-10-30T16:43:00.000-06:00

We started working on this project about 2 years ago. It began when we ran out of boxes. Laina began pouring over packaging catalogs and websites. She emailed friends for advice on shape and color. She punched numbers into the calculator, compared swatches, and argued with jay about hinges and foil stamping. There were many many sleepless nights and even more nights dreaming of the perfect ring box. And then...

the owner of Master Goldsmiths on Pearl Street decided to retire. Laina's box project suddenly veered in a whole new direction... namely the direction of the shelves. Box discussion became discussion of moving (house and business... that's a whole 'nother Oprah show) and of taking on the Master Goldsmiths history and somehow meshing their 30 year logo with our own. We made a slight change to our name, adding Master Goldsmiths as a describer of what we do... but were too busy with a moving sale and servicing our clients in the new Pearl Street location to put energy into a shiny new logo. We used up their leftover boxes (we're nothing if not practical) and called it good for the short term.

Now that we're finally feeling settled into our new digs and Hawk is back, we've had some time to address "the box/logo dilemma." To solve our logo anxiety we turned to Brad at Smokeproof Press here in Boulder. Along with an appreciation for his amazing work, Laina covets his incredible tomato garden and portable typewriter collection.

We are now the proud owners of this logo.Voila!

You like, yes? We definitely think we've avoided a "GAP" situation here. Thank you, Brad.

Other fun changes in the works: we have gorgeous boxes in production and some exciting renovations happening inside the store over the next few months... we'll keep you posted.

Stackers of the Day!

2010-10-16T11:19:00.007-06:00

Stackers of the Day, Y'all!

14k white gold sandblasted diamond bezel ring +18k yellow gold and diamond eternity band + 14k white gold plain sandblasted band = perfection.

Just Finished.... jewelry for everyday.

2010-10-05T11:48:00.018-06:00

This mini collection that we just finished is a mix of pink tourmaline, peridot, green sapphires, and aquamarines in 14k white gold. It's casually whimsical, yet minimalist without being austere. The collection in general reflects our attitude toward the common perception that "real" or "fine" jewelry cannot/should not be worn everyday and that it is reserved for "fancy" occasions.

We believe that fine jewelry can and should be worn all of the time. These pieces will look equally stunning with jeans & a sweater or as a colorful compliment to a Little Black Dress. In fact, we'd go as far to recommend that you only wear fine (gold, white gold, platinum , steel, natural gemstone) jewelry. Simply forgo other disposable jewelry altogether.

That's right. You heard us.

Guess you could say we've got opinions on "throw-away" jewelry. We dislike the general premise of throw-away anything. But we're not idiots, we understand that our culture thrives on disposable goods. We're also not above chucking the occasional pair of brown fake alligator stilettos that we bought on a stupid whim because they were so cheap and then found out they gave us blisters and came apart at the seams and totally not worth the price. ug. Okay, okay... so maybe don't go cold turkey on all your fun fake jewelry purchases. But perhaps you could just consider the following:

Coupla reasons to choose "fine" over "cheap trend" when you're picking jewelry.

1. Simple, classy fine jewelry is a no brainer.

Sure, you invest a little more into your initial purchase... but along with that comes your continual devotion to what you've spent your hard earned money on. Looking back at the past decade of cheap trend jewelry, how much of it do you still love, still wear, or still exists (hasn't been lost, lent or broken.) How about photographs? Embarrassed by that brass feather pendant you're wearing in front of the Christams tree in 1999? Or are you ageless on Easter Sunday in classic diamond stud earrings that you purchased to celebrate your promotion, a timeless yet unique solitaire pendant, and a custom designed ring made from your grandmother's old diamond?

Oh, and save yourself some time in the morning, never think twice about what jewelry you wear with an outfit! Fine jewelry is a classic compliment to everything. Diamond hoop earrings, tank watch and gold key pendant... yep... goes with all outfits.

2. Fine jewelry is customizable and repairable. Your $53 CuteChainStore beaded necklace is super cute and very fun, but it tells a similar story about the other 253,000 people who purchased it online too, and when it breaks... that's it.

When a piece of custom fine jewelry, nestled in it's little box all shiny and new, leaves us and enters the world, with it goes a point of view. A point of view specific to both designer (us) and the new owner (you). It has a past, a present and a future. It holds a place of value in the world because not only is it both beautiful and hand made, it's also purposeful. It holds the promise of being coveted through the generations as well as the assurance that we will help maintain it, inspect it and clean it through the years.

In short, we can pretty much guarantee that the feeling you have while wearing a quality piece of fine jewelry made by hand with love and attention... will be one of genuine pride and adoration. Why wouldn't you want to experience that feeling everyday?

Here's some of the new line.

Go CU

2010-10-02T14:21:00.003-06:00

CU Buffs vs. Georgia Bulldogs today.

Sookie shows her Colorado Pride. woof.

Jay takes a Mini Break.

2010-09-23T16:52:00.006-06:00

Not exactly known for taking vacations, Jay succumbs to the mighty will of his six year old son and actually enjoys time off in Foggy San Diego. He's back at his desk a mere 72 hours later and working on the latest design projects.

Jessica's Rings/Combo of the Day!

2010-09-17T11:59:00.007-06:00

Combination of the day...

The "Local" Lingo...

2010-09-13T11:25:00.011-06:00

We're a small family store, which among other things, means that if you live in Colorado and commission a ring from us, then you're shopping "local." The local lingo is popping up a lot lately, and we have to say that it's encouraging to see our neighbors living and shopping and eating all in their own community. While this may be a new concept for some people, we have to be honest, as a small shop with 4 people (six if you include the pooches) we've been operating under the banner of "local" for quite a while. In Jay's case, almost 20 years, which frankly, was before the "local thing" starting popping up in GQ on a monthly basis.

Of course the concept of a local jeweler, is hardly new. Most small towns and downtowns of major cities have an established jeweler who've been servicing generations of the same family. It's only been in that last couple of decades that the Big Chains and Waljewels, the McJewelers, if you will, really became a force in the jewelry world. The McJewelers have deep stock in items that are manufactured cheaply by the thousands in China. We see a lot of this jewelry walking into our store for repairs every day, and we have to break hearts when we tell our clients' that often it is un-repairable due to the nature of how cheaply it is made. Generally speaking, the cheaper the jewelry the less likely it is that a goldsmith can do even a minor repair. But maybe I'm getting carried away from my point here...

There's a place for the McJewelers... because of them everyone has the opportunity to own diamonds and gold. We're not snobs... we may frequent the farmers market and had a Denver carpenter make a beautiful dresser for us, BUT we've bought furniture from IKEA and eggs from Super Target. So who are we to judge?

We just truly love what we do. We make fine jewelry. We do this not for the sake of calling ourselves "Designers" (we use that term as a describer but don't put much stock in it) but instead for the opportunity to be a part of something and to actually make a living with our hands and skills. It's also what we know, it's what we've been doing for years. Again, just ask Jay what his first job was! We're lucky to have been a part of some of the most important times in our clients' lives; engagements, births, graduations, anniversaries and the like. Jewelry in these cases becomes a part of the family story and history. Celebrating those events with something thoughtful, handmade and quality is a great honor for us, as well as a beautiful way to honor the family event itself. If that means you're shopping "local" then that's just fine, too.

Here's an example of some thoughtful client friends who celebrated their anniversary with a custom ring. We designed this in our shop using an antique diamond, Montana sapphires, and 100% recylced gold. We think it is absolutely lovely.

Pretty Little Sparkly Bands... stack them high!

2010-08-11T17:31:00.007-06:00

STACK EM HIGH............

Yes, it seems we're always encouraging people to stack rings and bracelets... can't help it. These little babies from Jolie Designs look especially beautiful because they are so thin. These pictures don't do the rings justice, but they actually have some serious sparkle and really look luxurious when stacked in groups of three or four. Example: the last grouping of four cost our lovely client (who was wearing them as wedding bands on her right hand) about $5000... and the set had more sparkle and width than a traditional 1 carat solitaire which would typically cost around $7000.

These rings are no brainers in terms of quality, affordability, and versatility... but don't think that they're not equally as stylish & special as they are pragmatic. We can have these made in 18k white or yellow gold, or platinum. This designer makes them to order for us and takes about 4 weeks. The honeycomb ring shown above is one of our favorites.

Here's another that pairs back beautifully to a yellow gold solitaire or as an added pop of color in a stacking set of all white. The rings are all hand made and hand millgrained.

Also consider pairing one of these super sparkly/vintagey bands back to a more clean lined, bold, modern engagement ring is a stunning contrast.

j.ALBRECHT's favorite designer.

2010-08-05T16:45:00.025-06:00

We're often asked who our favorite jewelry designers are. If you're familiar with our design aesthetic and love of technology,tradition, and modernism, then it won't come as a surprise to you the designs we covet. German design house Niessing, which has been designing and fabricating jewelry since 1873.

Love these Niessing rings. LOVE them. Hawk loves them so much he's looking for a second job just to fund his Niessing obsession. In fact, we're the only jeweler in Colorado who represents the Niessing line... while we don't stock a ton of their jewelry, we can order anything from them, and love to do so.

It's not hard to recognize Niessing jewelry. Each piece contains a simple idea/basic concept, and what appears to be complex is simple at its core. However, these rings are extemely difficult to manufacture and many of their techniques are proprietary. They have an extensive traditon with precious metals, namely the interplay between expert crafstmanship, contemporary technology and the reconciliation of form and function in harmony with the material used.

To wit: the tension ring

Developed for Niessing by the artist Walter Wittek in 1979, it's been recognized with numerous design awards and on display in such museums as MoMA in NYC. The "floating" diamond, securely held by the tension of the forged precious metal, is an icon of modern jewelry culture.

Stacking Bangles

2010-07-29T11:03:00.003-06:00

Here's a set of 14k bangles we did for a client in South Carolina , using her smokey quartz and aquamarine. These two bracelets go back to another bangle of the same size and scale we designed with three bezel-set diamonds. We were going for a look that was fun and funky but not over-the-top. Designing a set of bangles can be tricky, as bracelets typically weigh a fair amount and thus get more expensive. Generally speaking, we like thinner bangles that make stacking several a bit more elegant and affordable.

Locally Made Damascus Steel Rings

2010-07-27T13:54:00.005-06:00

Our locally produced damascus steel ring is done, this is our first official model! The rings are 7.5mm wide, come with a flat and a round profile............ estimated delivery time is 3 weeks to 4 weeks. The damascus steel rods are imported from Europe and all fabrication and labor is done locally here in Boulder, currently there are very few domestic damascus ring producers, so we are proud to offer this unique ring. The rings have a beautiful, subtle, fingerprint-like texture. The pattern of each ring varies, making each ring one of a kind. We make them to order in your size. $599

2010-07-22T16:00:00.003-06:00

We had a lovely .5ct natural green sapphire that was just begging to be made into something fun. We decided to design a 18k green gold and diamond ring for it and we're thrilled with how it turned out. It's gorgeous worn alone and even more beautiful worn with a little sparkly diamond band. $ 2950

Welcome Back, Hawk!

2010-07-19T20:54:00.003-06:00

He's BA-ACK! For those of our friends whom we've met in the last two years, Hawk will be a new face in the store (as equally adorable as the face in this picture, but not holding a giant fish, we promise.) Hawk began working with Jay ten years ago, and after a brief hiatus, has realized that his life just wasn't as wonderful as it had been when he'd been spending forty hours a week with Jay. For those of you who've been working with Hawk over the years, you'll be thrilled to know that he's back in the shop brokering stones and helping his clients as if he never left. It's great to have him back with us.

Don't be Afraid!

2010-05-05T12:38:00.004-06:00

Don't be afraid. Don't. We know that many of you are scared to wear yellow gold. We know it and we get it... your diamond engagement ring and wedding band are platinum, your diamond stud earrings are set in platinum and your watch is stainless steel. We know this because we've helped you design all of them and along the way you just might have mentioned that yellow gold is eighties and that it reminds you of your mother, and that you would never (gasp) mix metals.

Well, we have some thoughts on this. Let us address point by point.

1. Your diamond engagement ring and wedding band look AMAZING in platinum/white gold. Absolutely amazing. Nothing shows a diamond off like platinum! Yellow gold engagement rings are not for everyone. If you want a yellow gold engagement ring you have a certain kind of style... very traditional (yay!) or very fashion forward (double yay!)

2. Yes, there was a lot of brassy yellow gold going on in the eighties... it's true. But there was also Madonna, and the Rubix Cube, and Sixteen Candles... and how awesome is all of THAT? Consider.

3. We don't know what sort of issues you have with your mother, but we're sure she loves you. Very, very much.

4. Yes mixing metals is a bit like wearing white after Labor Day or like wearing black patent Channel ballet flats with a chocolate Hobo satchel... it takes putting a toe in the water... feeling the temperature... and debating. Can you take the plunge? You know it will be a shock at first, but you know that once you get over the initial jolt, it starts to feel totally normal. Those old "rules" are just that... old. It's 2010 and it's okay to mix it up a bit!

Some of our most sassy and chic clients have all SORTS of jewelry... white, yellow, rose, modern, vintage, real, costume, and the most fabulous change it up and keep it interesting by mixing and matching and being fearless!

So. In honor of ALL of our wonderful clients, we have designed a darling little line of yellow gold and gemstone earrings. We think these are just PERFECT for everyone. A bit vintage (see the filigree on the sides?) and a bit modern (see those clean, simple bezels?) and not too much yellow (we've sandblasted it to soften it up a bit) but just enough to keep it current. They're a great price ,too! $350-$500. We wish we had a fabulous name for them... but we're too crazy busy with Mother's Day deadlines and we've had too little coffee today to sit around and brainstorm a cute and quirky name. Thoughts, anyone??

Boulder Humane Society, Great Catsby!

2010-04-26T12:16:00.004-06:00

Every year we design a one of a kind, animal inspired piece of jewelry for the Boulder Humane Society's annual fundraiser. This year's theme was The Great Catsby, and to celebrate the roaring twenties we decided a 72 inch strand of "flapper" pearls was the order of the day. Alternating silver and diamond coins add a little extra sparkle.

Last year's "Streets of Pawris" had us designing with our (not so) little bulldog Sookie in mind, so this year we decided that Kenny's (very) little toy fox terrier, Roxy would be our inspiration. She has her own, larger coin that adds a little whimsy and charm to the overall piece.

We're animal lovers who bring our dogs with us to the shop nearly every day, so we're so thrilled that this year's design helped raise over $2000 for all of the homeless furries in the Boulder area.

When in doubt, stack!

2010-04-22T13:17:00.003-06:00

Our client Renee came to us with several diamonds and wanted a chunky, fashion-forward right hand ring... After some consideration and a couple different design incarnations, we decided to explore setting her diamonds into simple and versatile stacking rings. When in doubt, stack! It really is one of our favorite ways to design modern, luxe looks. Instead of one big clunky ring, Renee gets a big "effortless look" that she can play with and add to in the future.

La Vie En Rose

2010-04-15T17:37:00.004-06:00

One of our most beloved designs... this time around we've designed it with a fancy cognac colored diamond in mind... set in 14k rose gold with a halo bezel of white diamonds. $4375

In memory of our dear friend Joe...

2010-03-13T12:30:00.006-07:00

a true gentlemen and a beloved friend, In memory of Joe Fuentes, rest in peace.

Fashion Under the Flatirons

2010-03-11T15:40:00.005-07:00

We're excited to be one of the local downtown Boulder retailers taking part in "Fashion Under the Flatirons" a fashion show being put on by Downtown Boulder, Inc tonight at the Boulder Theater. We've got three leggy models strutting the catwalk in our jewelry... tickets are still available just go to boulderdowntown.com

Upside down ring

2010-02-23T17:31:00.004-07:00

Here's a unique ring that we designed for our "Far Away Client" in London. Take a close look and you can see that the diamond is set upside down. The setting itself is all curves and roundness to offset the angular diamond. 14k yellow gold with a high polish accents the curves.

All phases of the design and finishing processes were long distance! Congratulations Eve!

back to blogging...

2010-02-16T16:43:00.004-07:00

Been a tad crazy with design work lately... Thanks to all of our wonderful clients who've been keeping us away from the blog and focused on making the best jewelry we can. Here's a fab little bespoke ring that we finished this week. The stone is an orange sapphire set in green gold with a worn matte finish. This ring is a perfect example of unique simplicity.

We're hoping to post a bit more now that we're through Christmas, January inventory (fun fun) and Valentine's Day... looking foward to sharing the pictures and details of some of the design collaborations with our clients. Cheers!

recycled ring....

2009-12-20T14:21:00.002-07:00

these diamonds were all provided to us, a true update to a wedding ring......14k matte finished gold, polished top bezel.......

side view....

2009-12-20T14:19:00.003-07:00

14k white gold- round brilliant cut diamond.........

brown diamond....

2009-12-20T14:17:00.003-07:00

18k matte finished yellow gold, natural brown/cognac diamond.....congratulations guys!

Sookie works overtime... and it shows.

2009-12-13T15:38:00.003-07:00

Like us, Sookie, our two year old English Bulldog, has been working overtime this holiday season. This photo was taken right before she had her afternoon grande vanilla latte. After the caffeine, she perked up just enough for her afternoon nap in the back room.

the tourmaline........

2009-12-11T17:05:00.004-07:00

we had the pleasure of working with this beautiful peach tourmaline...........we did our best to let the stone do the talking, we created a matte finished mounting with some metal cutouts to allow light to do its work..............

more work.........also, open sundays until Dec 25th.

2009-12-11T16:28:00.005-07:00

we are finishing new designs daily..........we really have enjoyed our recent "spat" of designs, thank you for keeping us so busy!!!!! if Sunday is your day to shop stop in and see us, we will be here from 10:30 until at least 5pm thru Dec 25th.

Back in the Swing of Things...

2009-12-09T17:44:00.005-07:00

We admit it, we're not the best about daily blogging, but we think we've had a pretty decent excuse... moving stores and getting comfortable in our new digs. The good news we've been very busy with custom designs. Now that we've settled in and gotten to know our neighbors and some of our new client-friends we think we'll try bragging...I mean blogging... a bit more about some of our custom work. This client brought us her own Montana Sapphire.

we are all settled in.

2009-11-16T17:15:00.002-07:00

we are officially settled at our new store in Boulder, downtown on the West end of Pearl St (corner of 10th and Pearl), our old location is closed and we are busy with custom work and holiday planning in the newly refurbished shop...........stop by when you are in the neighborhood to check out the store!

our store hours are mon to friday 10 to 6 and saturday 10 to 5

there are some incredible places to eat around the store so if you come up make sure to ask us for some suggestions............

we will be open on Sundays in December.

Before and After

2009-08-25T16:03:00.005-06:00

Here's a few pictures of the original Master Goldsmiths as well as the re-branded j. ALBRECHT version. We wanted a clean, modern space to serve as a back drop to the cases, the fabulous windows looking out to the flatirons and Pearl Street, and of course the jewelry. We've gotten a lot of great feedback from clients and look for a few more changes before our big grand opening celebration...

shifting operations...

2009-08-15T20:36:00.003-06:00

Hello!

our operations have shifted full time to our new location in Boulder.....

you can find us 2 blocks west of the end of the walking portion of Pearl St. Mall, we are on the northwest corner of 10th and Pearl, directly across the street from Pasta Jay's and caddy corner from Centro......our hours are mon-fri 10-6 and sat 10-5........

we look forward to seeing you!

Final Days--new beginnings......

2009-07-30T14:09:00.008-06:00

as most of you know by now, we are on our final 3 days of the moving sale at our Superior location, beginning Monday August 3rd our operations will shift to our new location in Boulder at 951 Pearl St. at the west end of the downtown mall---- on the corner of 10th and Pearl---right across the street from Pasta Jay's and caddy corner from Centro--- The design and repair shop is now fully functional and we have a lot of new designs for you to browse through..........

in the meantime the final prices on the jewelry in Superior are the real deal, stop in Saturday to see for yourself......

The moving sale continues...

2009-06-20T19:58:00.003-06:00

Well, for a store that has never posted a single sale sign (we just always give you the good deals!!!), we've now got more than enough signs to make up for the past five years. At one time we counted 30 signs in and around our store. Oh, and that doesn't include our fabulous sign walkers, one of whom practices tai chi whilst holding our "up to 70% OFF!" sign and is also capable of withstanding an afternoon hail storm.

When we first saw the signs, we cringed. But as our customers streamed in laughing, we shook it off and started having some fun with the whole thing -- WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WE ARE MOVING!

Thanks so much to all of our amazing clients-friends who have stopped by to offer their best wishes and pick up a few treasures, it has been so much fun to see everyone! There are still plenty of people we haven't seen or heard from, so we apologize if all of the letters, emails, phone calls, and blogs get a little overwhelming. We just want to make sure you know where to find us later this summer ( 951 Pearl Street Boulder, CO ) so that we can continue to service the jewelry we have made for you in the past and help you with anything you need in the future.

The SALE continues... see you soon!

moving.......

2009-06-05T23:04:00.003-06:00

We are excited about our move to Boulder later this summer! We did not set out to leave our current location in Superior/Louisville because we really like it here, but when the opportunity came to take over a great location on the Pearl Street Mall we could not turn it down.

We will take over the former Master Goldsmiths location on the corner of 10th and Pearl. We are honored to take over a store that has been in business for 39 years and in the same Boulder location for past 24 years. There is a possibility that our store name will change slightly, more than likely we will operate under Master Goldsmiths , j.Albrecht designs.

Nothing about the way we do business will change, you will see the same crew (and the same dogs if we can sneak them on Pearl Street) that you are accustomed to. All of the warranties and promises that we have made to you are still in place. We know that some of you will have to travel further now to see us, we promise to make it worth your while...we also know that some of you are now going to be our neighbors, we hope we fit in nicely. Our phone numbers and URL should all remain the same. We will of course be updating this as we get more information.

We believe that this move strengthens our family business for the long run. We plan on growing grey in this location so that we never have to pack up and move again. We really look forward to seeing you in the Superior/Lousiville store soon (there is a huge moving sale --didn't ya know?) and later this summer up in Boulder!

Humane Society of Boulder Valley

2009-04-04T14:21:00.006-06:00

finished piece

we have been working on a medallion pendant for the upcoming "Streets of Pawris" charity event put on by the Humane Society of Boulder Valley. This is the 4th year we have participated and it is one of our favorite events to design something for, we thought the French/Paris theme was perfect for a silver and gold bulldog medallion---attached is one of our preliminary drawings.

http//www.boulderhumane.org/potl09/index.html

http://www.jalbrechtfinejewelry.com/dhumanesociety.html

outstanding in the field.....

2009-03-14T21:36:00.002-06:00

Outstanding in the Field...
this august we (j & laina) had the opportunity to attend the culinary event known as outstanding in the field. Chef and artist, Jim Denevan and his band of foodie-aggies, brought their giant bus to Zephyros Farms in Paonia, CO, where we had a farm to table meal under the stars... well, it rained pretty hard, so we ended up in a greenhouse, but after just one glass of local wine follwed by a jar of fresh goats' milk provided by one of the local farmers sitting next to us, we forgot all about the rain.
being a small, family owned, local business ourselves, we have a deep appreciation for what these local farmers do for thier community and it was an honor to suport them and share in such a beautiful meal.
visit http://www.outstandinginthefield.com/ to learn more about this unqiue farm to table experience

kenny's sleeve

2009-03-14T21:32:00.002-06:00

kenny gets a sleeve.

we're not sure how it all began, but suddenly kenny's once bare arm was covered in skull tattoos. we officially have jeweler with street cred.

in memory.....

2009-03-14T21:26:00.002-06:00

In memory of John Breaux

We'll miss you, John.

introducing sukie............

2009-03-14T21:18:00.004-06:00

introducing Sukie...
if you hear what sounds like a 250 pound man snoring in our back room, don't worry, that's just our (not so) little 1 year old English Bulldog.
she's here with us on MWFs and we're working hard to make sure she doesn't "flying burrito" you when you walk into the store.
so far, we've only lost a few customers.