By: Elithabeth Wire
The mysterious shimmer, dancing within the sharp facets, or a stray ray of sunlight turning a gemstone into the epicenter of a million sparkling flashes, leaves a lasting impression. This is the captivating effect of natural gemstones, which have mesmerized people for thousands of years, holding an unmatched power over their hearts and souls with their enigmatic natural beauty, symbolizing wealth, power, and spiritual significance across countless cultures.
“Natural gemstones enhance the intrinsic value of jewelry, adding personality and charm. However, to create a truly stunning piece, several factors need to be considered, such as the type of stone, its hardness, cut, and even the cultural preferences of the person who will wear the jewelry,” explains Svetlana Vodolazhskaya, a California-based jeweler and owner of the fashion-forward Cosmogem Jewelry House. Let’s explore, with her guidance, which types of jewelry are ideally suited for gemstones.
Ideal Jewelry with Gemstones
According to the expert, ever since the first gemstone was discovered, people have favored gemstone-adorned jewelry, especially when it comes to engagement rings, earrings, bracelets, and pendants. Common choices include diamonds, sapphires, rubies, garnets, and topazes. But Svetlana Vodolazhskaya emphasizes that for everyday wear, any stone is suitable as long as it has a hardness greater than 8 on the Mohs scale—stones in this category are less prone to scratches and damage, ensuring durability and long-lasting beauty.
What Made Cosmogem’s Jewelry Popular
Svetlana Vodolazhskaya’s signature pieces are gemstone necklaces and bracelets, set in colorful gold, antique silver, and platinum.
Among Cosmogem’s clients, including the Estée Lauder family, these pieces are considered unique due to the jeweler’s unconventional approach to their creation. First, Vodolazhskaya personally handpicks all of the gemstones from around the world. Then, she crafts each piece to the rhythms of the ethnic music of the region where the stones were sourced. This unique process, she explains, helps her envision the final design.
Another Secret of Cosmogem’s Jewelry
In addition to her distinctive method, Svetlana Vodolazhskaya always combines multiple stones in her creations. She explains that even natural gemstones from the same group are entirely unique. Unlike lab-created stones, where identical conditions can never fully replicate the visual allure of natural gems, natural gemstones possess an inherent beauty that simply cannot be duplicated.
“Synthetic stones often appear more flawless than natural gemstones, and they’re significantly more affordable. But I prefer to work exclusively with natural gems because their imperfections give them a unique charm,” says Vodolazhskaya.
In her opinion, people should choose gemstones based on personal preferences—not trends, astrology, or the stone’s history. Many pieces, especially antique jewelry, undoubtedly hold great value. But that’s usually the realm of collectors. For everyday wear, it’s better to choose stones based on how they make you feel and resonate with your personality. If a piece of jewelry makes you want to dance, it’s undoubtedly yours. Otherwise, even the most beautiful piece is bound to gather dust in a jewelry box, forgotten and unused.
Published by: Nelly Chavez
