san diego - Leo Hamel

A Brief History of Cartier

2023-03-11 by Rylee Kahan

Cartier is celebrated throughout the world for amazing jewelry and wristwatch designs. You’ve probably wanted a Cartier piece at some point in your life, that is if you don’t already own one. Still, how much do you know about Cartier? Most people only know and remember the current presence of the brand. However, Cartier deserves a bit more of us. Founded in 1847, which is 176 years ago, the company has a rich history.

Founding

After inheriting the company from his teach and master jeweler in 1847 Paris, Louis Francois Cartier renamed the company after himself. When changing the name, Louis Francois founded the now famous Cartier brand. His son Alfred took over the company in 1874. However, it was Alfred’s three sons that really expanded the name and the influence of the brand worldwide. The three brothers opened and managed offices in various parts of the world, including London, New York and St. Petersburg.

Innovation

Cartier is perhaps best known among men for starting the wristwatch trend. In the early 20th century, a friend of Louis Cartier (one of the sons of Alfred) complained how ineffective pocket watches were for aviators. Louis designed a wristwatch for his friend, and named the series after him, Cartier Santos. They continued creating new watch series, some of which are still active today, including Baignoire and Tank series. They started producing women’s watches shortly after the men’s, with many of the same designs and series being adapted for female customers.

Change of Ownership

For over 100 years Cartier remained in the family name. It was only after the death of the third generation of Cartier’s who owned the business that their children decided to sell. The company is presently fully owned by a group of investors under the name of Richemont. It is a conglomerate of luxury goods based in Switzerland.

Cartier Jewelry

Even though they are famous for their watches, Cartier started and has maintained a prominent position in the high-end jewelry market. This aspect of the company’s market is heavily geared towards women. A Cartier, for a woman, is synonymous with brilliant design and a variety of different collections for any occasion. With 14 active jewelry collections, it would be a challenge for anyone to not find a piece they love.

Royal Legacy

However, Cartier’s legacy and reputation don’t come only from the collections of jewelry. Half a century after the founding of the company, King Edward VII described the House of Cartier as the “Jeweller of Kings and King of Jewellers.” A stunning number of royalty and nobility of Europe have been or still are patrons of Cartier, including royals of Spain, Belgium, Egypt, Portugal and many more; most recently the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. This impressive roster of customers came after the King Edward VII ordered 27 tiaras for his coronation in 1902. He was so pleased with the work of Cartier that he issued a royal warrant to Cartier in 1904.

Cartier Jewelry & Watches in San Diego

If you are on a lookout for a piece of vintage Cartier jewelry or pre-owned Cartier watch, visit Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers. Our showroom and jewelry store on San Diego Avenue is the largest source of new and vintage high-end jewelry in San Diego. Our experienced and polite staff will ensure that you find a Cartier piece to suit your style.

Gemstones: San Diego’s Rich History

2022-12-302023-01-11 by Rylee Kahan

Southern California has produced some of the most beautiful gemstones, and San Diego has played a large role in that history. Six years before the 1848 California Gold Rush started, miners in 1842 were pulling museum-quality gems out of the hills of San Diego County.

The Dowager Empress of China was particularly obsessed with pink tourmaline, making this gem especially lucrative. Now famous Tiffany & Co. was the facilitator of the pink tourmaline trade between Southern California and China.

Royalty in China would place an order and a Tiffany gemologist, J.L. Tannenbaum, commissioned miners in Southern California to mine and ship the order. This continued until 1911 when the Empress died. San Diego’s mines sent over 120 tons of gem-quality pink tourmaline in just their last decade.

Topaz is another gem that is a Southern California specialty. John W. Ware was a San Diego jeweler who owned and operated a small mine on Smith Mountain that produced blue topaz. He had marketed the product from his small mine so well that he eventually was importing the gem to meet his demand.

Sempe and Tourmaline Queen are two of San Diego County’s mines where another gemstone, Morganite, was discovered. The gemstone was named by George F. Kunz, another Tiffany & Co. gemologist, after one of Tiffany’s most distinguished customers at the time: J.P. Morgan. While the discovery and rise in popularity of morganite is attributed to Southern California, it’s since been mined from Afghanistan, Brazil, and Madagascar.

Local Gemstones On Display

San Diego structures are still home to some of these local gems. One of the most notable of these displays was Jessop’s Clock in downtown San Diego. The clock was designed by Joseph Jessop (second-generation jeweler with a local mine at Mount Palomar) and finished construction in 1907. It contains 17 gems that were mined from the Jessop Mine including tourmaline, agate, topaz, and jade.

The clock stood outside of J. Jessop and Sons Jewelry Store through two downtown locations. In 1984 it was relocated to Horton Plaza where it was on display until 2019 when the lease agreement at Horton Plaza ended. Since 2019 it’s been kept safely in storage, awaiting a new lease to be signed for its public display.

If you’re looking to add these or other stones to your collection, visit Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers on San Diego Avenue to find the perfect gemstone jewelry piece.

Tips for Engagement Ring Care

2022-11-18 by Rylee Kahan

Diamonds are the hardest mineral; however, it’s important to remember that they’re not indestructible. Following these tips for the care and protection of your engagement ring will ensure that your diamond lasts a lifetime.

Schedule Regular Cleanings

Leo Hamel’s offers free jewelry cleaning services for rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and watches as well as free ring polishing. Your engagement ring will be put in an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner to remove dirt or oil. (Rings that include softer gemstones that may be damaged by ultrasonic vibrations and heat are cleaned by hand). After the ultrasonic, the ring will be steam-cleaned and polished by hand by the jeweler.

Prior to all cleaning services, our certified graduate jewelers will inspect your ring under a microscope to inform you of any issues with the prongs as well as any chipped or loose diamonds. You should plan to bring in your engagement ring (and other jewelry you own) twice a year for a professional cleaning and inspection.

Gentle Home Ring Cleaning (only if you must clean at home)

While we always recommend bringing your jewelry into our jewelers for cleanings, we understand that sometimes that doesn’t always work out. If you must clean your engagement ring at home, make sure to use only warm water, dish soap, and a soft bristle brush.

Insure Your Valuables

Most people think of insurance when it comes to their life, car, or health, but what about your engagement ring? It can cost as much as a car and symbolizes one of the most important bonds in your life. There’s always an emotional toll when losing an engagement ring, but when it’s insured, you don’t have to worry about the financial hardship of replacing it. Leo Hamel’s works with the independent gemologist appraiser at San Diego Gemological Laboratory to supply appraisals for insurance purposes.

Consider an Alternate

Having a “backup” ring is an increasingly popular choice for many people. The alternate ring is less expensive and has less emotional ties to it. It’s worn regularly without many worries about it getting lost or damaged since it’s just acting as a placeholder. This alternate ring is worn during activities that may expose the ring to dirt, grease, or damage. Like while out partying at a club, or while traveling to less secure locations, and your main engagement ring is kept locked in a safe at home.

Avoid Chemicals

Chemicals in perfumes, lotions, and sunscreens may cause damage and add residue to your jewelry. Remove your engagement ring and other jewelry before using these substances or any other chemical. Chlorine can also damage jewelry so keep that in mind before getting into a treated pool or jacuzzi.

Weather Matters

Fingers can swell in the heat and shrink in the cold. It’s important to take note of any extreme weather so that you don’t have to worry about your engagement ring slipping off in the cold or being uncomfortable in the heat. Some gemstones are also affected by extreme weather so keep that in mind when deciding what to wear for the day.

Safe Keeping

Make sure you have a designated place to keep your engagement ring when you’re not wearing it. By keeping it in one place whenever you’re not wearing it, you lessen the risk of leaving it somewhere that you won’t remember later. You should also keep ring holders around the house in places where you might need to take it off for just a short amount of time.

Places like in the kitchen (away from the sink) for when you do dishes, in the bathroom for when you need to use any cleaning products, at your makeup table for when you are applying lotions and perfumes, etc. For longer term storage, or whenever your ring is at home but you are not, a home security safe is relatively inexpensive to install.

Restore White Gold

Over time, the shine on white gold rings will start to dull and display a yellow hue; this happens over time from normal wear, even with perfect care. Re-plating the white gold with rhodium will bring back the original shine to your engagement ring. Leo Hamel’s jewelry repair department can restore your white gold jewelry with expertly applied rhodium plating. Just stop by our San Diego Avenue showroom today to check your jewelry in!

Engagement Rings

The holidays are quickly approaching, which means engagement season is upon us! Believe it or not, more than 40% of couples get engaged between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day each year. Perhaps it’s the cooler weather that ignites feelings of warmth and devotion, or maybe it’s the comfort of home and being together with family.

Regardless of reason, if you’re planning to propose to your sweetheart this holiday season, it’s a good time to do some homework. With so many engagement ring styles to choose from, it can be hard to narrow down your options. Doing your own research before you shop can save you time and most importantly—money! Visit our engagement ring page to find out how you can save money on your next big purchase today.

https://www.jewelrystoresd.com/engagement/rings/san-diego/

Watch Repair

Time is a force that dictates much of our day to day lives. Hence, it is important that your favorite watch is working properly, so that you never miss a beat! Most fine watches are designed with durability in mind, meaning that with regular care and maintenance, your watch will last a lifetime and then some. But even the most luxurious timepiece will wear down with everyday use. Finding a trusted jeweler to repair your watch doesn’t have to be a hassle. Visit our watch repair page to learn more about how we can have your watch working like new in no time!

https://www.jewelrystoresd.com/repair/watches/

Jewelry Repair

Fine jewelry is as delicate as it is beautiful, a combination of precious gemstones and intricate metalwork melded together to make truly exquisite works of art. Such treasures are meant to endure for centuries, and many of them have. Did you know that several of the French Crown Jewels still exist today? Of course, this isn’t simply by chance. Fine jewelry will only maintain its grandeur when it is well cared for.

Just like a luxury car, or an expensive item of clothing, jewelry can sometimes require a little TLC. Which is why it’s necessary to find someone you trust to handle cleaning and repairing your fine jewelry. After all, you didn’t spend all that money just for your jewelry to sit in a drawer. Visit our jewelry repair page today to see how we can assist you with all of your jewelry repair needs, and more!

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Everything You Need to Know About Ring Resizing

2018-10-042022-10-28 by lhfj

So, you’ve found your dream ring, but it’s a few sizes too big. Or perhaps you’ve received a gift from your sweetheart and it just isn’t fitting. Maybe you’ve lost (or gained) some weight. Or maybe you simply want to wear your ring on another finger. Whatever the reason for needing ring resizing, we have some information that you may find helpful to know before visiting your local jewelers.

When is it time to resize your ring?

First, it is important to make sure that a ring actually needs resizing before going through with the process. An ideal fitting ring is snug enough so that it doesn’t fall off but is loose enough to slide over your knuckle with a gentle pull. It should slide onto your finger fairly easily, but be a bit harder to get off.

During wear, the ring should fit snugly, but not too tightly to cause discomfort. If your ring is so small that it’s uncomfortable to wear, or too big that it can slip off with no resistance at all, you should get it resized. Wearing a ring that fits improperly risks damaging or even losing the piece.

The perfect fit

When it comes to rings, you should know that there is no such thing as a perfect fit. There will be days when your ring is a little loose, as well as days when it’s a bit too tight. Our fingers change size depending on the weather, time of day, hormone fluctuations, our eating habits, and other factors.

Seeking out professional ring resizing will ensure you get that almost perfect fit with the help of a knowledgeable jeweler. After all, it is their job to make sure you feel the most comfortable while wearing your ring.

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