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Mens Wedding Ring Guide

jeurich@hotmail.com (Jason Eurich) — Fri, 06 Mar 2020 11:47:33 GMT

The impossible possibilities.

Choosing a mens wedding band should be the easiest box to check off on a "to do" wedding planner....right? As a custom jeweler, my job is to help make that task easier in anyway possible. However, I can also potentially open a creative can of worms for some folks. I may simply suggest incorporating a detail from HER ring in some small way and his lid comes off! Point is, is that it can be a big deal for some guys and even slightly overwhelming. Why is it that the same ring in a different store, in different lighting, sold by a different salesperson is now unflattering. WHY?! It was supposed to be easy, right? ...just a plain gold band - DONE. Well, I'm here to help.

Enter Mr. Custom Jeweler. Now, the conversation gracefully turn towards the simple details like shape, feel, texture and finishes in smooth ambient, real world lighting. But, with so many choices being thrown to him all at once online by what is trending on social media or being targeted to him by silicone ring ads that he just, sort of, out of curiosities sake, clicked on, a little bit....it's no wonder a guy almost always just tries on the "ring sizer" in my shop and wants to wear that! A plain white gold band that is flat and shiny. Now hurry up and get that thing off me!

It's a big deal. And it's not. The guy just has to feel comfortable wearing it most of the time for the rest of his life, that's all. Wether that is a lifestyle dependent choice due to his work in construction, or how he would like to be perceived by others in a board meeting, choices matter. People will notice, and he will notice people noticing and he would probably be fine if they wouldn't notice. In my world, the possibilities are limitless, the choices endless and the details I can achieve in my microscopic jewelryverse bring entirely new dimensions into these parallel realities, but at the end of the day, I just want the best possible option for him, not me, and most of the time. Pretty simple...right?

Jewelry Exchange

jeurich@hotmail.com (Jason Eurich) — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 11:09:21 GMT

Estate Jewelry....hand me downs....call it like it is!

Let's be honest. Jewelry is probably one of the most precious, personal items we own. Sometimes we imagine wearing a pair earrings, or earring, like a famous Hollywood actor or actress and think....."I want to look like that!" When in reality, we may simply have the desire to feel like that. Confident, stylish, carefree and rockin' the diamond studs in public that cost more than our first car.

And....sometimes we have jewelry that is so precious it's passed along and down and over and back until you become the recipient. NOW what?! What do you do with your crazy aunts pearl drops that are from the turn of the century, and what makes them so precious that you now have the responsibilty of ownership....100 years later. Maybe they are even ugly.

In any case, call it what you will. Some would say pawn, others, estate, some resale.....I'll take it a step further and say there is a reason the universe has brought them into your life.....(more pressure!!!) and what you do with these precious gems is up to you, but like I often say to clients.....relax and learn. Instead of being frustrated in the knowing, look at it as opprotunity to gain as much insight about the period or style and the history of the jewelry, make it fun. Or, just pass it along with the knowingness.

Your Guide to 2020 Engagement Rings

jeurich@hotmail.com (Jason Eurich) — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 22:01:49 GMT

Thin is IN!

Shopping for an engagement ring can be completely daunting if you don't know where to begin. With so many factors to consider like stone shape, setting styles, vintage versus new, and more, the number of potential combinations is dizzying. it can be easy to get overwhelmed by all the choices you have to make. So before you get in over your head, we're here to help guide you to (hopefully) finding your perfect match. For whom that match is for, well, we'll leave that part up to you.

First things first, if you are about to create an excel spreadsheet and download the trends over the last 20 years for reference, relax....I've been in the industry and setting gorgeous diamonds (and not so much) that long and have seen trend cycles almost reverse or flip. And then flop. Literally. So, at the very least, I can share that information with you without drawing a timeline on an easel. Also, I have a Masters of Fine Arts, so I have studied European Art History and have actually been to the Royal Crown of Jewels and studied for a year in Paris.....so, let's just say, I've seen some sh*t.

In any case, don't take my word for it, just look around and see what seems to keep grabbing your eye. Is it the shape? Is it the color? Or is it actually just a voice from an awful sales person. (I promise I wont' sell you on anything....except quality). If I have any say in the matter I'm always going to suggest platinum......you want it to be forever, right? But pricing is completely up to you and you already know. So, that's a start. Go ahead and check off that box.

And when you are done shopping, come see us. I keep it real, and will share with you what I have seen over the years. I can tell you what has always been "IN" and *news flash* It's not what the celebrities are wearing, but maybe their grandmothers.

Ring Redesign 101: Your Guide to "Makeover my UGLY ring please!"

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 12:15:38 GMT

It's not uncommon for someone to own an ugly ring they've inherited that resides somewhere hidden in a box in a drawer.....and maybe with good reason. It's ugly. Or worse yet, it's ugly AND it has bad memories or associations with it. It's probably worthless or at least not worth doing anything with, you tell yourself, and so, it sits for another year or generation and gets handed off to the next recipient. "That's my grandpas grandmas sisters from the mid 1800's and my grandpa bought the diamond on a trip overseas, and......"

Its' ugly. We are here to help.

First off, get a second opinion and have it cleaned and inspected and you might find that it is actually not that ugly.....and maybe even kind of sparkly (fascinating fact: older cut stones get dull more quickly when they are dirty...more on that later), but, If that happens, we dive deeper and look at things to determine if the ugliness is just the way things are placed in the ring, or grandpa really bought aunt Lilly a JCPenny ring when he was in Guam or whatever. We are here to give you an honest evaluation and help guide you in the right direction based upon our professional evaluation. We may just recommend wrapping the jewelry item back up and donating it, or recommending that you have it professionally appraised. That would be super exciting!

After we have determined the actual value, or perceived value, and what it is actually worth, we only make honest and appropriate suggestions for what to do next.....ie: if it's CZ, maaaayybe not give it to your girlfriend while on your knee ; ), but hey, It's completely up to you tho.....it's your ugly ring. W ith that said, we would love to do something to help in whatever way we can. First step, get it out of the shadows and into our shop. Your pictures of it, or descriptive terms are great, but inspecting it under a microscope is essential to getting you rolling. As always, cleaning and inspections are on us, but a double shot of Sebastion Joes Espresso is a recommended donation.

Jewelry Maintenance 101

jeurich@hotmail.com (Jason Eurich) — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 11:47:30 GMT

It's less painful than getting your teeth cleaned, but just as important!

Life is full of commitments, deadlines and appointments, so much so, these days, that we all carry around super tech devices to remind us. As if just carrying around our iPhone isn't enough in and of itself that "Things need to GET done!". It demands a lot of attention, and so should your jewelry, but in a good way.

At Linden Hills Jewelers, we love putting that sparkle back in your bling! It really, honestly, only takes 3 minutes if done periodically. Meaning, every 6 months, ehem, not years. We use our industrial ultrasonic cleaner for most jewels and give them all a quick 'shine' with our super high pressure steamer and that's it! Painless. And we love seeing peoples faces light up as they are walking out the door to meet with friends for dinner across the street. It just makes them feel good, and us too!

We also clean and inspect everything with a microscope as you wait, and give you an honest assessment or opinion of what condition your jewelry is in. We are experts and we are honest! If you own a 1 ct. + diamond that you inherited from great grandma and a prong is thin, we're gonna tell ya'. On the other hand, if it is fine shape and just needs to get back on your finger and 'sing', we do the cleaning and inspection for free and send you on your way. Most people leave delighted and a little surprised, but it's something we've always done as a service and we would love for you to tell your friends about us out of excitement.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Wed, 29 May 2019 11:47:07 GMT

Why we do it.

The gold and diamond industries footprint largely goes unmentioned when it comes to wearing jewelry. As a maker, I have a slightly different angle on things, since I am buying and selling precious metal and gems on a daily basis. I am also a jewelry nerd, so I tend to be obsessive about things in general, but it's hard not to pay attention to where you get your food from. This is how I make a living.

It's always been fascinating to me, how things come and go in the public eye, then come back.....coffee is good, then it's bad.....EVERYONE seems to jump on board with the latest bit of knowledge today. But why? It's easy! Hey Google. #whatstrending #this #that. I recently omitted kale from my morning green smoothie because I watched a YouTube video by a brilliant author who broke down the reasons why it was bad.....it was simple. He said, "So, you've joined the millions of Americans downing their thermos of green goop in the morning as they fly out the door, but have you ever asked yourself why?" and then went on to explain why Kale is bad for you. I LOVED IT!

My point is, as a consumer of fine jewelry and directly contributing to the global market share of palladium and diamonds is to ask you, why? Or better yet, why not? Fun fact, at Linden Hills Jewelers, we do a fair amount of business by simply encouraging people to recycle their metal either directly into a new custom made piece or by simply just using Grannies diamonds to sprinkle into the design because in 20 or 30 years, those materials will have gone in and out of fashion several times, but their value will have increased. AND you can feel just a little better about being responsible. So, when it comes time to purchase THE ring or special pendant, just say "Hey Google" and find out the facts, then come see us.

The Custom Jewelry Story

Wed, 06 Mar 2019 13:35:01 GMT

Why making custom jewelry is so meaningful (for us).

Custom jewelers have one of the best jobs on the planet! We work with beautiful ideas, people and sparkling gems everyday. Our job is to bring things together so that people can enjoy, experience or just simply wear their jewelry for the rest of their lives! That's it. And that is just slightly under exaggerated, but not off the mark. We, meaning 'us', both you and I, get to create a narrative around the history of your future jewels, wether we are incorporating past heirloom relics or creating new ones. It's up to 'us' to lovingly, thoughtfully and deliberately craft these things so that they sparkle from within and really shine. Sort of like a person who just ran a 5k or a child who rolled in a pile of leaves.....their eyes light up and they are full of joy and happiness!
My job as a jewelry designer/maker/platinumsmith, is to orchestrate these thoughts, ideas and emotions in an organized way by using my craft so that a person's jewelry really sings. Or comes to life. Both aesthetically and personally in a meaningful way. Our goal, or responsibility, is to see to it that not only is it pretty to look at, but draws a viewer 'in' in a way that is engaging we could say....ehem....no pun intended. Point is, is that it tells a story and it's up to you or 'us' to create that.....I mean, you are going to be wearing this the rest of your life! So let's be sure that it speaks to the world in a way that is meaningful to you and you can share and be proud of. Now get on that soap box.....or Facebook, or Twitter, or Instagram and SHARE it!

Hand Engraving

Sun, 13 Jan 2019 12:39:14 GMT

Hand vs. Machine

I remember reading a series of books in high school social studies that was clearly beyond my scope of reasoning at the time. It bored me to death actually, but it also helped me realize where my true passions lied. I liked shop class, I liked charcoal pencils and I loved to create! Self expression was not difficult for me as a Cal Surf wanna be skater kid and I let people know that I wasn't afraid to be different.

Today, I refer to myself as a maker. I like to Get Stuff Done! Wether it is on my iPhone airdropping a photoshopped image from our CAD company back to my computer at work or texting it to a client in an mpeg. video so they can watch their jewelry virtually spin around 360 degrees while they sip on a latte in a coffeeshop as they navigate the internet......I get it! I also understand where my passions lie today and what the best way is to communicate them to a large enough audience so that I can run a business.

Hand engraving is one of my passions and I am good at it. Yes, I engraved the kiddish cup pictured here and it was a complete honor and quite humbling. Hand engraving is not a 'lost art' just like oil painting isn't or woodworking or ANYthing done by hand isn't, but you may have to go looking for evidence of it. Today, you can see that our world is in dire need of tangible evidence that humans are still in control perhaps.....man vs. machine, George Orwell, the Terminator, all predict this tipping point when AI is officially running the show and we are it's puppet, but really? I have more people coming to me today than ever, just wanting to support my local business and get something made by my hands into theirs. It's important... and lucky for me, I can make a living doing it.

the Golden ratio

Sat, 10 Nov 2018 12:55:09 GMT

Hidden in plain sight.

I LOVE this term. I stumbled upon it, literally, when I was traveling in New Zealand along the west coast of the south island. I took a day to stop and go for a hike in what I was told was 'the Rainforest'. So, I expected tropical plants and birds (New Zealand has the highest population of 'flightless birds' in the world, by the way) and rain. Since New Zealand is on the opposite side of the world from Minneapolis, it was summer! So, I spent the better part of a day wandering around with my first digital camera photographing everything! It wasn't so much the incredibly beautiful plants and animals that I was taken aback by so much as it was the colors and shapes that were unfolding in front of me.....literally! Have you ever stood in front of a 10' tall fern?? I realized, "wait a second, I've seen this all somewhere before!"

Enter, the Golden Ratio. I use the term a lot because I like the way it sounds in the workshop, you know, golden.....sort of has a 'ring' to it. Often times your eye just sees something and you are simply drawn to that thing for whatever reason. In the art world, what I would call 'good art', draws you in further and further. It's not trickery as much as it is mastery. A good photograph for instance. EVERYONE is posting on Instagram, myself included, but every so often, you stop and open one. WHY?

"What IS the Golden Ratio?"......for me, personally, it's everywhere and I use it in my engraving. When I lived on the west coast, I studied under a master jeweler from Russia who was an incredible hand engraver and filigree artist. I was pretty good at charcoal drawing in college, I mean, but something about doing all of this under a microscope was different and it was hard! Here: now do that on THIS, and it's 4mm wide....oh, and you have to be able to see it with the naked eye afterwards.....oh, and it has to be pretty. But taking a really sharp tool and cutting metal was cool and doing it under a microscope in a ball that spins 360 degrees forces you to keep centered, as they say in yoga and actually makes, making the golden ratio look pretty easy.

Fast forward, 15 yesrs later, and I've gotten pretty good. There are actual masters that blow my work away for sure.....but, then, there are their masters also and so it goes. I say good enough. In my work, the scroll pattern is something that just works. I'd say 90% of the time. Why? Because it's pretty, or it looks like diamonds from far away to some people, but like any 'art' it draws you in and surprises you.....all of sudden satellite images from this mornings forecast are there, the flowers you have on your desk are there, it's even in architecture and seemingly very square structures. Just do the math.

This all goes into the process of creating a ring or fine piece of jewelry for me. It doesn't matter if you see it or not. Just like I don't necessarily see a 'forced perspective' an architect created in some building I'm walking past, but hopefully, for one reason or another, it moves me, or makes me pause, hmmm, why is that.....?

the Halo

Tue, 30 Oct 2018 01:18:30 GMT

drum roll please.....

......AnnnnND, yes, it's still around. In fact, it's been around for millennia. So has rose gold. Hundreds, if not THOUSANDS of years ago craftsman were fiddling around with these ideas and they simply just stuck. Trends usually 'buck' the old with the new, but in this case you have to do your research to be sure that a halo is right for you. Maybe I can help....

Opinions will flare during a conversation in the craft world as to wether they look good or not, but as I learned in graduate school, during a critique, NEVER, ever, say, "I like it". Maybe you do, but why? What I encounter, (even in my own personal life), is more like, "I don't like it", like, that is for sure. But why? When it comes to halos, it comes down to fractions of millimeters. Yes, things you can't really measure accurately alone, but quantitatively, when done properly, a halo can really 'sing', as I like to say.

Proportions. If you have ever studied art for a day at the MIA or visited an art gallery.....okay, if you have ever seen a picture of a picture of the painting of the Mona LIsa, for instance, YOU may not have, BUT your eye has keyed into what is called the golden ratio. It's everywhere. And in halos, your eye picks up on it immediately, thus, you either like the way it looks, or you don't. Stop by sometime and have a cofffee and really get me going about 'the math' involved in art and good design. If we venture into quantum psychics and get lost discussing the Fibonacci sequence, that's okay. It's fun to explore ideas, and then come back to the real question.....why are you buying a halo??

Custom Jewelry Design

Mon, 22 Oct 2018 01:02:06 GMT

The Process

Often times when a customer is just beginning to look for the right jeweler to work with, they have no idea what to expect. Who is this person? Can I trust them to actually make a piece of jewelry I might wear for the rest of my life? HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?! How long is going to take? These questions and many others, I will shed some light on, and open that 'can of worms' if you will, in case you feel like you are headed down a 'rabbit hole'.

Truth be told, often times in life, we just have to go with our gut. How does this make me feel? Sort of like, being in love. It's a process. Sometimes it's awesome, sometimes not so awesome, but we always return to what is most important. Let's make this work.

Custom design is a process, it involves emotion, it evokes emotion, it can be an emotional experience! When we custom design a piece of jewelry for someone, we want to include a bit of that narrative. We may Include personal aspirations, or add design elements that reflect a particular time in ones life, like a tattoo, but not as permanent ; ) We consider the type of lifestyle the person leads (are they a triathlete? or ceramicist?). We give them options around environmental impact, (reduce, reuse, recycle!). and offer suggestions on how to make the process go as smoothly as possible and HAVE FUN doing it! But you might get homework.

For some folks, they already have enough on their plate, what do you mean 3-4 weeks?? The wedding is in 2 months. We can get you there. We work diligently and are committed to bringing your ideas to life in an efficient manner so that you can relax around the end product.

5 Tips for Jewelry maintenance

Mon, 22 Oct 2018 01:02:06 GMT

Why we need to see more of each other.

Let's face it, life is a learning experience. When you purchase a piece of jewelry, there are certain tips you should know before you walk out the door. Sort of like buying a car, but not nearly as many things to get familiar with. Since most people wear rings, I'll start with the obvious top 5 tips from my experience and a few other ideas to keep in mind that might not be so obvious.

1. Materiality. I like that word.....my graduate instructor at Cranbrook used it often. Since most rings I've made are worn on the left hand, and most people are right handed (statistically), it wouldn't seem glaringly obvious that it would get 'worn out'. However, if not crafted properly, or the choice of materials was poor, many rings can bend, flex, and down right, just break if caught on something as innocent as a glove, (familiar to us Minnesotans). One snag under a loose, weak prong and it is set into the downward spiral of potentially loosening a stone, not to mention, super annoying to wear when it snags in your hair! If you think there is a problem, best to just come in and have a quick glance.

2. LIFESTYLE! Are you a rock climber? (.....sound buzzer....bzzz) I bought a really expensive, custom made road bike when I lived in Seattle after racing mtn. bikes for over a decade. It was sold to me as "like an Italian sports car". It was going to take some getting used to, in other words. I fell in love with it immediately, but I quickly learned that you don't lean it up against ANYthing and grab a coffee. Thank you street pole for removing a section of my custom decal lettering. As I've said before, go with your gut.....if a yellow flag gets raised, best to err on the side of caution.

3. Cleaning. Just schedule a visit with us when you go to the dentist. If you do anything with your ring on, it will remember and perhaps, even reward you with a rash or irritation of those memories. Not to mention, it is in our best interest to keep you looking your best when standing in line at the coffeeshop. ; )