SUMMER LOVIN' GIVEAWAY at 18Karat

You have heard us say it before - jewellery is special in the way that it carries our stories and shares our history. It commemorates our past and our future and some of our most major milestones. It reminds us of important people and places.

But sometime the best gifts are the ones we give ourselves.

That is why this August, 18Karat will be giving away a $150 Gift Card to one lucky winner of our Facebook Giveaway.

Use this gift card to purchase a beautiful ring, pendent, bracelet, or earrings handcrafted by our Master Goldsmith Dino Giannetti.

Visit our Facebook page and view the gift card terms and conditions here.

Ammolite Amulets

Ammolite is undeniably the Canadian gemstone and one of the rarest gemstones on the planet. As rare as red diamonds, ammolite is only found along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

Ammolite has characteristics similar to opals, but they are actually the fossilized shells of Ammonites - extinct marine invertebrates closely related to present day octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish. The stones themselves are composed of aragonite, the same mineral that makes up a pearls nacre.


Ammolite is a very fragile material, prone to flaking and disintegrating. To prevent this, ammolite is impregnated with a clear epoxy or synthetic resin that coats the stone, protecting it from damage - similar to the treatment opals undergo.

We just picked up these stunning, and very large ammolites - now we have to figure out what to do with them!

1980's - a mini-fashion history

(the cast of season 6 of Dynasty)

Love it or hate it - the 80's was a decade that aimed at discovering, promoting, and setting apart the individual. Soap operas such as Dynasty and Dallas made conspicuous consumption fashionable - bulky gold necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings along with flashy diamonds and pearls became acceptable accessories both during the day as well as at night.

Perhaps the most iconic trend of the 80's was the angular and tailored silhouette of the power suit - thanks in large part rise of shoulder pads. Where as in the 1970's close fitting tops were paired with flared and wide-legged jeans and trousers, the 80's was the exact opposite - skinny legs with wide and often shimmering tops.

This trend gave rise to the much reviled Yuppie movement - as younger people began to rise the corporate ladder their need to demonstrate their new found success became front and center. Designer fashions and fine gold jewellery were an important way to tell the world that you had arrived and that everything - wealth, success, and power - were all at your fingertips.(Large gemstones and even bigger hair)

For the first time in over a decade 'dressing up' and occasion-wear became fashionable again - with those who could not afford diamond and gemstone brooches, earrings, necklaces, and rings pushing a resurgence in costume jewellery - complete with all the diamante jeweller's glue could hold.

At the opposite end of the spectrum was the punk movement which had by 80's more or less reached the mainstream. Born in the 1970's early punk was motivated by anti-materialism and a revolt againts the perceived excess and pretension of mainstream society, especially mainstream music. Dirty, torn, second-hand clothing were punks' answer to the glam-rock that dotted the 70's music scene. By the 1980's fashion designers like Vivian Westwood and Malcom McLaren were producing punk-inspired styles, featuring ripped fishnet stockings, offensive t-shirts, spikes, and BDSM-inspired collars. It wasn't long before punk trends were found in glamorous fashion magazines and other media.

(Adam Ant - voted one of the sexiest men of the 80's by MTV)

But the trend that begs the title for most unique of 1980 must be the New Romantics - epitomized by characters like Adam Ant and Boy George. The New Romantics adopted fictional and factual themes from history and Hollywood - including billowing silken fabric and lace - to create a look that epitomized the dramatic, the flamboyant, and the ever-so-slightly narcissistic. The New Romantics movement peaked in the mid-80's with new-wave bands such as Duran Duran spreading the trend through MTV.

1980's Crystalline Ring by Dino Giannetti - available in sterling silver with a square-cut blue topaz at 18Karat.

This ring immediately reminded me of the geometric-trapezoidal forms that were so popular in the 1980's - for me it recalls the magical landscapes found in those fantastical 80's movies like The Dark Crystal or The Labyrinth. David Bowie!

1970's - a mini-fashion history

Just like the 1960's - the decade to follow was an amalgamation of contrasting styles and aesthetics. The androgynous hippie born in the late 60's, with their bell-bottoms and long hair, continued throughout the 70's.

Nature themes and ethnic influences were at the forefront, with fashion and jewellery heavily influenced by Indian, Egyptian, Asian, and Native American styles. Wood, leather, pukka shells, turquoise, and opals were popular for their rough, raw, and organic forms.

The 70's also gave rise to the glam rock and punk movements that would only gain strength throughout the 80's - including ripped jeans, torn shirts, and safety-pin jewellery. But my favorite movement from the 70's would have to be the art nouveau revival that seemed to sweep across the decade almost unconsciously. It was not so much a movement that cherished the past as being a better time (as we so eagerly do today) but a revolt against the often grim and soul-less modular expressions of 60's art and architecture. Flat geometric shapes gave rise to a wave of the 'psychadellic' that was popular with graphic artists and designers - particularly when it came to album covers, band posters, advertisements and film.

(poster by Bonnie MacLean for The Yardbirds)

I love the contrast between the rigid and controlled aesthetic of the 1960's and the "oddly disturbing, writhing forms, and almost erotic character" of art nouveau, (check out this great article from Time Magazine about the revival, when it was just beginning).

(Art Nouveau ring by Dino Giannetti - available in sterling silver at 18Karat)

This ring was hand-carved out of wax by Dino in the 1970's - it's remarkable the amount of detail that remains from the casting. The band consists of a woman and a small child lost in a wave of billowing silk - to form of the woman's body creates the band itself.

(Woodgrain Ring by Dino Giannetti - available in sterling silver at 18Karat)

After finding this wax, I couldn't help but to have it cast. Being a child of the 80's, wood-paneling was a ghost from the past that only reared its head when visiting your grandparents basement. But somehow, as a piece of jewellery, I find it to be very compelling - especially the contrast between the rings grain and smooth skin.

1960's - a mini-fashion history

(Twiggy - doe eyes and pink mini-dress)

The 1960's was the decade of 'anything goes' - a decade of rapid and unprecedented change both politically and culturally. The miniskirts, platforms, and PVC of the Mods mixed with the crushed velvet, brocade waste coats, and long hair of the Edwardian resurgence.

(Mick Jagger - photo by Colin Jones)

One of the most prominent movements, centered in London, was youthquake - a movement that recognized for the first time the power of youth to influence fashion and culture. The youthquake movement marked the moment teenage spending had reached never before seen levels - teenagers for the first time had money to burn.

Super models Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy became the fashion icons of the 1960's with designers Mary Quant (inventor of both the mini-skirt and hot pants) and Betsey Johnson at the helm of the youthquake movement.

In jewellery, over-sized and abstract forms were the foundation of every good collection. Every piece was to be a statement piece, using extra large gemstones - mainly quartz and cabochons resting in bulky, organically inspired settings. Big earrings, big beads, bangles, and cocktail rings were fundamental.

(1960's Sea Shell Ring - by Dino Giannetti. Available in sterling silver at 18Karat)

This rings is one of my favorites - cast from a wax Dino originally created in 1968 - this ring successfully partners a substantial volume with graceful design. The ring seems to effortlessly bellow - like sheets hung out to dry, blowing in the wind.
A classic.

BOLDLY - updates.

Our charity event is now only 9 days away and we have some exciting updates.

Not only have some wonderfully talented musicians joined the event - Philippe Escayola, Melissa Azore and the Midburns.

We also have some wonderful prizes to be raffled - including a 5ct. cushion cut Zultanite stone cut by the Wobito brothers (remember our field trip?)

If you haven't bought your ticket yet, what are you waiting for?

Join us for beautiful jewellery, hors d'oeuvres, an open bar and fundraising this April 28th from 6 - 9 pm at the SHAMBA foundation, #1200-48 Yonge Street, Toronto.

BOLDLY - a charity event.

BOLDLY started as a small charity auction that grew into an evening event that is now growing to be a bit of an entertainment hot-spot!

Some incredibly talented musicians have now joined the BOLDLY lineup - come enjoy the musical stylings of Phillipe Escayola and Melissa Azore alongside The Midburns featuring Jamen Dunnings, Kyle Laurin, and Yash Presswalla.

Come out and support Toronto artists (and musicians!) and the Assaulted Women's Helpline at BOLDLY.

PURCHASE YOUR TICKET NOW!