Group 66 Designs Blog

With helpful articles on birthstones, jewelry care, and new product and event news.

Father’s Day Gift Guide

5/31/2019

Father’s Day is on June 16th, and it’ll be here before you know it. If you’re stumped for gift ideas (not another novelty tie) have a look at some of the jewelry we have on offer! You can help him show his chivalric side with a jousting ring, or celebrate his Irish roots with a cool Celtic knotwork pendant. We even have a battling warrior pendant based on real Viking artifacts, and plenty of fantasy jewelry for your "Game of Thrones" or "Lord of the Rings" fans!

Rings:

Lion Signet Ring

$60.00

Fleur de Lis Shield

$50.00

Large Jousting Ring

$69.00

Dense Celtic Knot Ring

$25.00

Woven Silver Band

$29.00

Dwarven Weave Spinner Ring

$60.00

Pendants:

Thor's Hammer Pendant

$99.00

Sterling Silver Axe Pendant

$49.00

Sold out

Viking Dragon Pendant

$99.00

Sterling Silver Viking Shield Pendant

$75.00

Silver Lion Pendant

$60.00

Doulbe-Headed Axe Pendant

$39.00

Celtic Warriors Pendant

$45.00

If you need extra inspiration, click here for our Celtic Jewelry board on Pinterest. It’s always popular with dads.

Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

We're on Pinterest!

5/22/2019

Guess what? We have a Pinterest Page! *cue cheering crowd*

It’s still in its beginning stages, but we’d love for you to Click Here and follow us. We’re working hard on making attractive, pin-worthy images for all of the jewelry pieces we have to offer. We’re also working on making boards that we think you’d enjoy. Right now we have Castles for your mid-day virtual vacations, Dragons to stir your imagination, and a board for that most vital of Renaissance Faire accessories, the Tankard! (or mug, or horn, or whatever suits your fancy)

We’re working on Ren Faire Garb, Weapons, Armor, Fairies, Music and Food!

So, do you have a good idea for a pin board for us? Do you know of a fellow artist whose work we can feature on our boards? We’re always glad to highlight other Rennies and spread the love.

Let us know in the comments!

And, if you haven’t already, Click Here to follow us on Pinterest.

10 Interesting Facts About Emeralds

5/13/2019

Group 66 Designs 10 Facts About Emeralds

The lush emerald is May's birthstone, so here are ten interesting facts about the world's most popular green gemstone!

They were one of Queen Cleopatra's favorite gems. She loved them so much that she declared herself owner of the emerald mines in Egypt (rather than the state) and would often present emeralds carved in her likeness as gifts to important dignitaries.
Emeralds are a member of the Beryl family. Beryls can come in red - red beryl or bixbite, pink - morganite, blue - aquamarine, green - emerald, and yellow - heliodore.
One of the largest emeralds ever found is the Bahia Emerald. It's a cluster of emerald crystals from Bahia, Brazil, that weighs around 752 pounds, and is estimated to be worth around $400 million dollars.
In medieval times, people believed that putting an emerald under your tongue would give you the ability to see into the future.
Emeralds are the traditional gift for the 20th and 35th wedding anniversary.
Roman writer Pliny the Elder wrote that stonecutters of his day would often rest their eyes by gazing at an emerald after hours of delicate work. Modern research has shown that the color green can actually help reduce eyestrain.
In 2011, Elizabeth Taylor's emerald pendant sold for $6,578,500, and broke the record for emerald sales with a final breakdown of $280,000 per carat!
The largest, highest quality emeralds come from Columbia and Brazil, in South America.
Emeralds are often oiled to hide small cracks and fissues in the stone, a practice that's been standard for hundreds of years.
Carat-for-carat, the highest quality emeralds can be worth more than diamonds.
Bonus Fact! "Yellow Emeralds" are not emeralds at all. Rather, they are Golden Beryl or Heliodore. Beware these misleading trade names when buying jewelry. The market is rife with them! We don't use them, though. We want you to know what you're getting.

Mother's Day Gift Guide

5/7/2019

Group 66 Designs Mother's Day Jewelry Gift Guide

Mother's Day is coming up, and jewelry that really speaks to her is a classic way to say, "Love you, Mom." Here's a handy gift guide with a selection of jewelry that's sure to impress!

The Earthy Mom
Is your mom a bit of a hippie? Or maybe she's just into gardening and the outdoors. Here's some of our nature-inspired pieces to keep springtime with her all year round!

Celtic Birds And Tree Pendant

$70.00

Sold out

Ruthenium & 14K Gold Plated Tree on Sterling Silver

$55.00

Pearl and Leaves Branch Pendant

$99.00

Celtic Styles
Our Celtic jewelry is our most popular style overall, and at our Versaille Jewelry booth at the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival, we've sold more Celtic jewelry for gifts than anything else we offer.

Celtic Four Leaf Clover Pendant

$25.00

Swirling Celtic Knotwork Necklace

$119.00

Large Fancy Claddagh Pendant

$125.00

Gemstones Galore!
Did she just buy another crystal for her collection? Can she not resist a sparkly blue topaz, or warm piece of amber? Check out these beautiful pieces for your magpie mom!

Sterling Silver & Blue Topaz Bracelet

$219.00

Amber Vine Cross Pendant

$75.00

Sterling Silver and Peridot Pendant

$60.00

Ruby in Sterling Silver Pendant

$99.00

Classic Gifts
Roses, lockets and hearts are classic feature of Mother's Day gifts. Here's what we have to offer if you're looking for something more traditional, but still a far cry from what you'll find at the big box sellers.

The Rose Ring

$45.00

Little Rose and Cross Pendant

$15.00