It was my first time traveling to Thailand. We flew Qatar Airways and what a pleasure it was. From the minute you check in, to when you climb off, the flight attendants and staff were gracious and friendly hosts. We landed and I swear the minute we stepped out we got blasted by this hot heat wave and my heart nearly skipped a beat as I was thinking… “Yeessss! We are here!” We grabbed a taxi and was on route to our hotel, The Grande Centre Point Terminal 21. Excitement bubbling away, we couldn’t sleep so we checked into our Hotel, grabbed a quick dinner and roamed the streets and Malls of Bangkok. The next morning, we were bright eyed and bushy tailed and on our way to make our first dent as the shopping commenced. I loved every second of being in Thailand. Thailand is a place, rich in its culture. From their culinary creations to craftsmanship and of course their utmost respect for their traditions. Shopping for our unique sterling silver and gemstone jewellery pieces was nothing short of a magical and very fruitful experience to say the least. Walking around Thailand it is easy to see where they get their inspiration from. Shopping lists and bottles of water in hand, we were ready. Most days we walked and shopped so much that you couldn’t recognize your own feet when you finally got to sit down. But wow what an experience and privilege it was to be able to find all the latest and greatest jewellery at every nock and cranny. The architecture and landmarks are something to write home about. “In ancient times up to the early modern period in Thailand, Thai craftsmen were considered the “true artists”. They were thought to possess superior intellect, a full understanding of culture and a wide ranging wisdom. These arts not only reflected the artists creative force but also cultural reflections of the art and its use in Thai society and culture.” The details on EVERYTHING is just amazing. Even the sidewalks have engravings of some sorts on them. We walked up and down, come rain or shine, road trains and taxis, to get all the jewellery pieces for this new collection. All the jewellery items are handpicked with loads of care and admiration. We have brought back the most exquisite sterling silver jewellery pieces. We have broadened our range to also include more fine jewellery pieces as well as the vintage, classic sterling silver and Marcasite pieces. No one was left out, there is definitely something for every style and we cannot wait to show you all what we have. We would love to have you all at our open day this November. Please diarise the date, it will be Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th of November. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook for event details. P.S Keep an eye out for the new items on our website. xoxo
Category: Sterling silver
Jewellery …
Jewellery makes me feel giddy, like a school girl that has had way too much sugar. It makes me feel unique, inspiring, a creature to be reckoned with. It sets me aside but also connects me. It brings colour and excitement. It allows me to step out of my comfort zone every now and again. It never leaves me to feel lonely. Jewellery has a way to always put a smile on my face. It is a free agent with no bad intentions. It is my rainbow after the storm. Jewellery is my journey and I am always along for the ride. xoxo
Layering made easy
Whether layering and stacking jewellery is your forte or at the best of times a tangled mess, this is for you. As winter is upon us, I thought it appropriate to share some layering ideas. Why stick to only scarfs if you can be wrapped in sterling silver. I think a lot of us shy away from layering as we are unsure what works. But to be completely honest, it’s kind of an anything goes type of trend… This is the bit I get so excited about and that is mixing and matching. You are never limited by 1 item, you can have at least 3 or 4 or even 5. Please do not get me wrong you cannot, I repeat cannot throw on every single piece you own. But with a few personal looks I have put together below, your layering has the ability to make a statement. The long and the short of it. Play with different lengths. It will create depths to an outfit. Mixing textures. Do not be afraid to mix different textures of chains. They do not all have to be the same. The double pendant. I love having two pendants on one chain; you can add a pop of colour with the gemstone of your choice. Tangled up. Wear same length chains and have the pendants complement each other; like in this picture all the pendants are round. Don’t stress if the chains tangle, the look works. Dainty, simplistic. Some times less is more. Layer small pieces together to get a really pretty look. Shine bright. Cubic zirconia is one of my favourite gems, and it really adds that beautiful shine and elegance. Stand alone. I absolutely love wearing a single long chain with a dainty pendant. Something very soft and feminine. Vintage. For a vintage look, I find it is easiest to create this with Marcasite and Oxidised silver as it naturally gives that olden day feel. Wrap it. Create an extra layer by wrapping a long chain twice around your neck. “Gem”ming. Not sure if this is an actual term but I like to use it when referencing to mixing the same gemstone in your layered look. I hope you found this as informative as I was aiming for… There is a lot more you can do with layering, especially this Winter. Don’t settle for just a jersey, jazz it up with you own personalized layering.
Electroformed sterling silver jewellery
We have had a lot of Clients asking about hollow vs solid sterling silver pieces. I thought I would clarify some of the queries and set your mind at ease by posting this. Instead of calling it hollow, We call it electroformed. What is electroformed jewellery you may ask…? Let’s start with the basics: Electroforming process? “Electroforming is a highly specialized process of metal part fabrication using electrodeposition in a plating bath over a base form.” Electroforming is the formation of a layer of sterling silver over a mold of resin (similar to hard plastic). This method allows the creation of beautifully designed sterling silver earrings, rings, bangles and necklaces with stunning detail in any shape or size without the heavy weight and cost that is typical to conventional solid sterling silver. The electroforming process is when the resin is molded and is put into a tub of charged sterling silver. Over a 10-12 hour process, the sterling electrically forms (i.e. electroform) itself to the mold. Then the piece is removed and handcrafted to include more detail, oxidation is also done to create depth. After the final designs, a clear coat is added to the product. Why Electroforming? Compared to other basic metal forming processes, the electroforming process is very effective when requirements call for extreme tolerances, complexity, thin, hollow, lightweight, voluminous, and complex three-dimensional shapes. This process allows for finer geometries to be produced to tighter tolerances while maintaining superior edge definition with a near optical finish. Electroforming allows for the realization of designs that are not possible by other techniques. A variety of designs can be produced, including large modern shapes with low weight and uniform wall thickness at affordable prices. So to end off, electroformed sterling silver jewellery can be identified by being very light in weight, it is almost always a bulky looking item , and if you look very, very closely you will see the tiny holes left so the resin can be removed after the design has been set We hope this helps a little bit. Love: your jo bangles Team
A bit about jo bangles
The name jo bangles came from owner Lenore Coetzee, with a play on the words Mr Bojangles, she changed the name into jo bangles, as back then she only focused her time on bangles and bracelets. jo bangles has been importing sterling silver and semi-precious gemstone jewellery from Thailand and Indonesia since 2002. They stay on top of all the latest jewellery trends by annually attending the Bangkok international jewellery fair. This is where each piece is handpicked and selected with great care to ensure that the range is unique and of high quality craftsmanship. The fair is held at the Impact Exhibition & Convention Centre in Bangkok, Thailand which is one of the largest convention centres in Asia. When you arrive, you need to take a minute to take in the vast amount of people and halls consisting of everything jewellery. There are rows and rows of colours and exceptional detailed jewellery pieces. Exhibitioners from all over the world come to display their latest jewellery trends from their country. I don’t know how a person chooses when faced with all these options… The love of the culture, excellent workmanship, uniqueness and exquisite jewellery of the East Asian people inspires them to go back every year. The silver is actually mined in Thailand thus making it more cost effective for their Clients. jo bangles pride themselves on the fact that they are a one stop shop for all your jewellery needs. Their selection is for the everyday woman. From the young and vibey, to sophisticated business chic, to unique bohemian pieces. They stock a wide range of top quality sterling silver and semi-precious jewellery which includes rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, bangles, chains, pendants, Pandora style beads and charms. jo bangles is situated in the peaceful farm inspired, Southdowns Estate in Irene, Pretoria. The tranquillity of this estate lends itself to the vision that the team at jo bangles has adopted in their lives. Since starting 14 years ago, jo bangles has grown from strength to strength. With hard work and dedication the ladies at jo bangles plan to distribute their one of a kind jewellery to all over South Africa. This dynamic team eats, breaths and sleeps jewellery. Their daily routine does start off with a bit of yoga first. It is very important to them to take care of their physical as well as their spiritual well being. Their entire outlook is communicated with the re-brand of jo bangles. From the peaceful pantones to the lotus featured on their logo. This has great significant meaning to them as the Lotus represents purity of the mind and soul. The magnificent flower emerges from the dirty and unclean bottom of a pond, but still remains untouched and unstained by the dirt and mud surrounding it in the pond. They absolutely love interacting with their Clients and being a part of selecting their favourite jewellery pieces for a special occasion or just for the everyday wear. So go visit the jo bangles studio and meet the team.