Nersel’s Designer Trendy Gold Jewelry

  ”Tips to Help You Choose Reputable Jewelry Merchants

© by Nersel zur Muehlen; all rights reserved
I started my jewelry business in August 2005. My business partner and I are childhood friends and we both were into jewelry and unique designs for the longest time. I have been working in the corporate world for the last eight years doing recruiting. My daytime job pays my mortgage and other expenses but it is not something I am passionate about. I don’t get up every morning excited to go to work. My partner has been running her own information technology consulting company for the past five years; she is also content but not passionate. And content is not the way you should live your life. Last summer when I was visiting my hometown, Istanbul, we went to one of the old historic parts of the city. Walking on the ancient cobble stone streets and looking at arts and crafts we started talking about our love for jewelry as a nation, how Ottoman sultans and concubines wore elegant jewelry decorated with precious stones their warriors brought from distant and exotic lands. They have decorated not only themselves but also their guns, clothes and household objects with jewelry. We ended up in a small silver shop where a seventy year old man was designing and producing silver jewelry by hand. He invited us in a very friendly manner customary to many Turks. We drank tea, looked at his designs and talked about his craftsmanship. My partner ended up buying one of his silver necklaces. On our way back home at the end of the day we talked about how this old man looked happy even though he did not seem to be making a lot of money, he was doing something that he really enjoyed. That day my friend and I decided to start our own jewelry business. We got very excited and started listing things we wanted to do. Going to jewelry stores in the ancient Grand Bazaar, buying jewelry making books, taking jewelry design classes. So we started planning and initiating.
We have established our company in Hoboken, NJ, hometown of Frank Sinatra, where I have been residing since 1999. Hoboken once a gateway to Irish, Italian and German immigrants would be a gateway to this Turkish immigrant’s dreams of starting her own jewelry business. A lot of people suggested that I establish the company in New York but I have decided to stick with Hoboken.
My partner and I started collecting pictures, books, catalogs and jewelry magazines. We are reading every piece of article we can find about jewelry. I mail her boxes and boxes full of magazines from here and she is doing the same from Istanbul.
One day one of my colleagues at my job told me that she hated her worn out, simple, and white gold wedding band. She said she did not think her wedding band reflects her love for her husband and their marriage. She was right! Her ring did look dull and boring. I told her she would probably need something that sparkles, something unique, and handcrafted to reflect the hard work that goes into maintaining a happy marriage. Based on this discussion we created a beautiful 18K yellow gold hand hammered antique looking wedding band for her. Two rings worn together to reflect the unity of two people. She loved it! Her husband loved it! She became our very first customer.
My partner and I have spent all our weekends and free time building a business from our passion. Now that our website is up and running we needed to advertise it and get the word out.  We know the best advertisement is the quality of our products and word of mouth. With very limited advertising budget we have quickly started making sales and have been getting great feedback from our customers. We offer free shipping and gift packaging as a bonus with every item.
There are so many jewelers out there. However we think that most of today’s jewelry looks very similar, white gold with diamonds. We at Nersel & Irene do not think that women want to wear standard jewelry. Some of the other jewelers may have nice designs too, but we know what our competency is. Our competency is our inspiration, our heritage, rich culture and the meaning of each of our products. Women have been wearing jewelry not just for beautification purposes but also for the purposes of protection, and celebration of love and life. When women shop for jewelry now the norm is not diamond studs or pearl earrings but jewelry that stands out. Women want jewelry that reflects their unique personalities and their individuality.  Antique and colorful ethnic jewelry is one way women can express themselves. Lots of colors, combinations of 18K and 24K gold and semiprecious stones are very electrifying and chic. Women want to make statements with their colorful, large and shiny jewelry. Most women don’t just want the rock, they want the design and they want to create their own designs.
There is a shift in emphasis from gems to metal.  We like working with 24K gold because it is pure, natural and has a great twinkle. We use motifs like the pomegranate fruit which has been cultivated as an ornament and for its edible fruit. The fruit has long been a religious and artistic symbol. In the Old Testament, Solomon sang of an “orchard of pomegranates.” Because of its role in the Greek legend of Persephone, the pomegranate came to symbolize fertility, prosperity, and eternity. In Christian art it is a symbol of hope. We love the color combination of a high quality turquoise stone and yellow gold. The turquoise stone has all the shades of a deep blue ocean. For thousands of years this gemstone has been appreciated as a holy stone, a good-luck-charm or a talisman. It is a virtual “people’s gemstone”. The oldest proof for this lies in Egypt, where in tombs from the period around 3000 B.C. artifacts with Turquoise were found. In the ancient Persian Kingdom the sky-blue gemstones were originally worn around the neck or on the hand as protection against evil spirits. Another item we have used as a pendant is the fig tree. The Greeks saw the fig tree as sacred to Dionysus, whose popular worship encouraged an emphasis upon fertility and the efflorescence of the vital force. On a mystical level this indicates the embrace of absolute unity, the intimate experiencing of the heart that beats in every atom in nature as the germ of the tree of knowledge whose fruit yields eternal life. It is this vital force which quickens the seed and helps it to germinate, making the branches bend downward their boughs like the sacred Ashwatha tree. Fig trees are usually associated with cosmic sacrifice and eternal life. Everyone of our designs have a meaning.
We aim to create and give timeless, high quality jewelry that women can wear at various occasions, give to a loved one or pass on to their children. Transforming our heritage, art and culture into unique pieces of jewelry is a great experience. We are inspired by our own lives or the lives of other people. And these other people don’t need to be celebrities. The blueprints of our unique designs are ancient pieces of jewelry created thousands of years ago. The first gold coins were struck in Western Anatolia where the Lydians lived. The first gold jewelry emerged in Mesopotamia during the Early Bronze Age. Gold jewelry has been crafted and worn in Anatolia for thousands of years. These very first jewelers in history used various techniques that are still used by today’s jewelers. Our talented artisans have spent many years to learn and master the art of gold jewelry making in the lands of Istanbul, Byzantium, the Mediterranean and Anatolia. We believe every woman is unique and has a story to tell. Every woman should feel like a goddess. That is why our tag line is for the Goddess inside you. Our logo includes a twin goddess figure (the side-by-side double goddesses), which symbolizes the partnership behind our business and our friendship. The Twin Goddesses embedded in our logo expresses the duality of the feminine archetype, such as opposite seasons (winter and summer, spring and fall); the alternating rhythm of day and night; the integration of death and life; or the female twin deities of Moon and Earth. The Twin Goddesses demonstrate a kinship connection, the relationship of lovers or friendship.
We hope that our customers can create their own history with our jewelry. Please view our unique designs on www.nerselirene.com

An article I recently wrote was published in one of the highly visited jewelry business websites. Here is the link to the full article:

http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com/jewelers.html

I started my jewelry business six months ago. My business partner and I are childhood friends and we both were into jewelry and unique designs for the longest time. One day one of my colleagues told me that she hated her worn out, simple, white gold wedding band. She said she did not think her wedding band reflects her love for her husband and their marriage. She was right!

Her ring did look dull and boring. I told her she would probably need something that sparkles, something unique, and handcrafted to reflect the hard work that goes into maintaining a happy marriage.

Based on this discussion we created beautiful a 18K yellow gold hand hammered antique looking wedding band for her. Two rings worn together to reflect the unity of two people. She loved it! Her husband loved it! She became our very first customer.

If you have a story like this, you should tell it to other people and talk about it on your website.

My partner and I have spent all our weekends and free time building a business from our passion. Now that our website is up and running we needed to advertise it and get the word out.

We have been selling on eBay and got great feedback from our first customers. Although eBay is a great way to start and one of the sales channels to use, it is not - and should not be - the only sales channel, because of the high listing fees involved.

We looked into advertising our site on the Internet. Just search for jewelry on Google or Yahoo you will be bombarded with hundreds of links! How can you distinguish yourself from the rest of the crowd?

Other jewelers may have nice designs too, but you need to know what your competency is. Our competency is our inspiration, our heritage, rich culture and the meaning of each of our products. Women have been wearing jewelry not just for beautification purposes but also for the purposes of protection, and celebration of love and life.

Aim to create and give timeless, high quality jewelry that women can wear at various occasions, give to a loved one or pass on to their children.

Transforming your heritage, art and culture into unique pieces of jewelry is a great experience. You can be inspired by your own life or the lives of other people.

We believe you can distinguish yourself from the rest of the crowd by telling your story, talking about your inspirations, the meaning your jewelry carries. If you have used nature, history, relationships, or anything that inspired you in designing your jewelry - describe it on your ads, your site and your catalogs.

The other way to distinguish your company is by creating a unique and memorable company logo. Your logo should reflect who you are. Our logo includes a twin goddess figure (the side-by-side double goddesses), which symbolizes the partnership behind our business, opposite seasons, and the alternating rhythm of day and night.

Hopefully these tips will help you stand out in the crowd. Communicate your experiences and your story to your clients to connect with them.

Please visit www.nerselirene.com and feel free to forward the link to your family, friends and any jewelry lovers you know

Feel unsure about about buying gold jewelry online?

Like gold jewelry products and designs you find on the Internet but unsure about security and quality? Try to buy from sites which are willing to help you and answer all your questions about their products. Ask them questions to find out what karats and quality gold they carry. They should have an email adress, they need to reply to your emails on a timely manner, or they need have a help line or phone number you can call. They should be willing to send you a certificate and invoice with each product you buy affirming the price, quality and specifications of the product.  If you are not happy with what you have got make sure you can return the product. Find out if they have a “no questions asked policy”. Despite some risks, buying jewelry online can be very rewarding. You just have to be careful, selective and investigative.

Advantages of buying jewelry online:

* Speed. Today women have many roles not enough time; mother, sister, daughter, wife, girlfriend, friend, businesswoman, student, enterprenuer, manager, homemaker, cook, activist, artist, volunteer, athelete, sports fan, and professional. Do not have time to go to all the jewelry shops in your area? You can search and make your selection fast on the Internet. Enter search criteria such as “handmade designer gold jewelry” then click a button and you get a whole list of online stores. All from your own computer at home, work or even when you are traveling. You have access to world stores with a few clicks in your own privacy.

*Convenience. If you compare the online jewelry shopping experience with shopping at a mall jewelry store or department store you will find that shop online is really convenient. You rush to get to the store, fight traffic, look for parking, or wait for the train, bus or taxi, get jostled by crowds, endure pushy salespeople, suffer long lines at the register…By the time you get home with your purchase, you’re exhausted. And if you need to return the item, you can look forward to going through this hassle all over again. If you do not like the product you have bought online you can most of the time simple return it in the return envelope and mailing slip provided.

*Selection. Online Jewelry Stores have the capacity to offer a much wider selection of merchandise for sale in one place than either a traditional store or catalog. You can search as much as you like and look at hundreds of selections. You can uncover some truly unique jewelry items like ours you won’t find anywhere else.

* Value. Because as an Internet retailer we have lower inventory and other overhead costs than a bricks-and-mortar retailer, we pass these savings passed on to you, the consumer, in the form of lowered prices on the latest designs. When you buy in a store you are paying their rent and overhead. When you buy online you are paying for the product.

*Sharing. It is very easy to share your selected items with friends, family, spouse and colleagues with just a click by the email this product to someone function. You can attach a little note if you would like. Why not help your significant other choose the next anniversary or Christmas gift for you. We all know men would appreciate some help in that department!

*Information. There is vast variety of information available on the Internet. Women make smart, educated decisions. According to research women research and gather information about a product before they make the purchasing decision. Internet is a library full of information on anything. You can get information about how to judge the quality of the gold, how to clean and maintain it, latest fashion and styles.

*Customer Service. You can ask questions, search for answers in the FAQ pages and give feedback. You are free to change your mind, look for sellers who will not ask many questions like a pushy salesperson. Most of the time you will get fast and easy shipment, clear return policy, secure transactions, and certificates.  Choose businesses that respect your privacy.

*Pricing: Factors that determine the pricing of gold jewelry include: 1. Weight of the gold measured in grams 2. If it is imported it is subject to import duties and taxes. 3. Special processes used to create the gold jewelry such as individual molds for unique pieces. 4. Handmade jewelry is more expensive due to higher labor cost. 5. Shipping and handling costs.  But remember you will not be paying for the business owner’s store rent, overhead, and expenses to maintain the store.

If you are interested please feel free to check our privacy and return policies and FAQ page at www.nerselandirene.com

I started my jewelry business six months ago. My partner and I are childhood friends and we both were into jewelry and unique designs for the longest time. One day one of my colleagues told me that she hated her worn out, simple, white gold wedding band. She said she did not think her wedding band reflects her love for her husband and their marriage. She was right! Her ring did look dull and boring. I told her she would probably need something that sparkles, something unique, and hand crafted to reflect the hard work that goes into maintaining a happy marriage. Based on this discussion we created beautiful 18K yellow gold hand hammered antique looking wedding band for her. Two rings worn together to reflect the unity of two people. She loved it! Her husband loved it! She became our very first customer.

If you have a story like this you should tell it to other people and talk about it on your website. My partner and I have spent all our weekends and free time to building a business from our passion. Now that our website is up and running we needed to advertise it and get the word out. We have been selling on eBay and got great feedback from our first customers. Although eBay is a great way to start and one of the sales channels to use it is not and should not be the only sales channel because of the high listing fees involved. We looked into advertising our site on the Internet. Just search for jewelry on Google or Yahoo you will be bombarded with hundreds of links! How can you distinguish yourself from the rest of the crowd? Other jewelers may have nice designs too, but you need to know what your competency is. Our competency is our inspiration, our heritage, rich culture and the meaning of each of our products. Women have been wearing jewelry not just for beautification purposes but also for the purposes of protection, and celebration of love and life.

Aim to create and give timeless, high quality jewelry that women can wear at various occasions, give to a loved one or pass onto their children. Transforming your heritage, art and culture into unique pieces of jewelry is a great experience. You can be inspired by your own life or the lives of other people. We believe you can distinguish yourself from the rest of the crowd by telling your story, talking about your inspirations, the meaning your jewelry carries. If you have used the nature, history, relationships or anything that inspired you in designing your jewelry describe it on your ads, your site and your catalogs. The other way to distinguish your company is by creating a unique and memorable company logo. Your logo should reflect who you are. Our logo includes a twin goddess figure (the side-by-side double goddesses) which symbolizes the partnership behind our business, opposite seasons, and the alternating rhythm of day and night.   I hope these suggestions help you promote your jewelry business. To get inspiration and shop for unique jewelry, you can check out our products, descriptions and about us pages at www.nerselandirene.com