By Nancy Brumback, Contributing writer
Marlborough??”With warmer weather fast approaching, the lighter colors and softer fabrics of summer suggest complimentary lighter jewelry options.
Joy-Den Jewelers in downtown Marlborough features a wide range of necklaces, bracelets, anklets and earrings to go with a summer wardrobe, and these pieces make excellent gifts for such occasions as Mother's Day, graduation and weddings.
Chad Yesue, owner, and Joyce Marino, who founded the business and sold it to Yesue but? remains as manager, shop the national jewelry markets for special pieces and interesting designers. As a result, Joy-Den offers a selection of unusual pieces not available in the department stores and chain jewelry stores. Yesue can also work with a customer to design and create a one-of-a-kind piece.
Joy-Den's experienced staff can offer thoughtful advice on buying gifts. Customers can preview what Joy-Den has to offer on the company's website, www.joy-den.com, and Facebook page.
For summer's lighter looks, Marino suggests sterling silver pieces.
Bernardi, an Italian designer, creates earrings, necklaces and bracelets with tiny faceted sterling silver beads plated in platinum that glitter like diamonds. Among the available designs are interlocking circles, an affinity symbol particularly appropriate for weddings, Yesue said.
These pieces are delicate and sparkly, and the line even includes a fanciful star-shaped necklace. Most are lightweight in keeping with summer looks.
A line Yesue and Marino particularly like is Anna Beck, a California designer whose sterling silver pieces are produced in Bali. Her pieces feature tiny silver circles, individually hand-soldered on, for a unique look. While cuff bracelets are a specialty, the line also includes necklaces and earrings that all work well together and are priced between $100 and $700.
Light pastel shades in freshwater pearls perfectly complement summer colors and fabrics. The pearls can be round or irregular shapes, with necklaces and bracelets in a single color or a combination of colors.
These pearl necklaces or bracelets are ideal gifts for bridesmaids. Yesue can create custom freshwater pearl bracelets for under $80 to match or complement the bridesmaids” dresses. “I ask brides to bring me a swatch of material, and we can match the color or create a bracelet in softer or neutral colors to go with that dress.”
As a gift for the groom, Yesue suggested a titanium watch, made for the jeweler by Belair, that comes with a warranty and lifetime battery replacement. It can be engraved with initials or the wedding date.
Key rings make a good gift for groomsmen, in lightweight titanium for under $20 or sterling silver for $150. Monogramming is free.
The Convertible Collection of bracelets with interchangeable clasps, an updated version of the charm bracelet, is a popular Mother's Day choice. Children can pick out a favorite clasp from a wide variety of motifs, initials, animals, and enameled pieces.
These bracelets can also set the mood for summer with such seasonal choices as shells, starfish and seahorse, perhaps chosen to celebrate a special vacation.
Other Mother's Day options include pendants, which can be set with children's birthstones, and a new twist on the traditional mother's ring, a set of thin stackable bands, each with a child's birthstone. “One husband added two diamond bands to go with the children's birthstone bands,” Yesue said.
The sterling silver jewelry, watches and other lines also are perfect gifts to celebrate a graduation.
And for local high school graduates, Joy-Den has the exclusive rights to sell key rings, charms and bracelet clasps with the Marlborough or Hudson town signs on them.
Joy-Den Jewelers is located at 209 Main St. in downtown Marlborough, with ample free parking nearby. For additional information, visit the website, www.joy-den.com, or call 508-480-0309. The store opens at 10 a.m. weekdays and 9:30 a.m. Saturdays, closing at 5 p.m. Tuesday and Friday, 6 p.m. Wednesday, 7 p.m. Thursday and 4:30 p.m. Saturday. It is closed Sunday and Monday.
Editor's Note: The preceding is not an endorsement and is presented for informational purposes only.
