If you are looking for a romantic gift for the woman in your life, then look no further than handmade jewellery. The choice of jewellery out there is immense, but despite this, there is a lot of duplication. Once you start looking online you soon discover that most of the sites (and most high street stores) are offering standard pieces from big wholesalers. The same old designs come up time and again.

Now I can promise you that no woman likes to bump into someone wearing the same outfit as her, and the same applies to jewellery. We want to be individual, to demonstrate our personalities through the clothes and accessories we wear. Having someone turn up looking the same (or heaven forbid, better) in the same outfit is guaranteed to ruin our day.

So, if you really want to give a gift that will be forever appreciated, then try a piece of handmade jewellery. By choosing handmade, you know that the design is unique, it is not mass produced and the chance of someone else having exactly the same piece is extremely small. You also know that it has been made with care, by human hands, and in many cases by skilled artisans with generations of experience and commitment to their art.

Handmade jewellery comes in a huge variety of styles and designs. You can find amazing contemporary silver jewellery sitting side by side with stunning ethnic inspired pieces using natural materials and local craftsmanship.

If you want to take the handmade jewellery concept to the ultimate level, you can get bespoke pieces made especially for you to your own designs. My advice for this is be careful, be absolutely sure about what you want and listen to the designers who know far more about what is possible with the materials that you want. If you go down the bespoke route the piece will be made for you and will not be returnable.

Whatever you decide, handmade jewellery makes a truly lovely gift.

At Corazon, we tend not to specialise in silver earrings. Over the years we have found that most earrings are not actually great value for money when bought on-line.

They are so small and weigh so little that their cost doesn’t make them great for buying when your post and packaging costs are included in the price. It’s all very well for £10 worth of P&P to be included in the price of a £100+ necklace, but it’s not great on a £25 pair of earrings…

We did consider not offering the free delivery on earrings but we think that’s unfair, and we want to make things easy for our shoppers, so to help our customers get the best possible value for money on our silver earrings, we have started to offer them as part of matching sets. Because people are also buying a bracelet and necklace, the P&P costs are a tiny % of the order so we can afford to offer a whacking great discount on the earrings. So if you buy one of our matching sets, you’ll be able to save between 10% & 28% on the earrings.

For those without pierced ears, you can still save 10% of the individual piece prices of the matching bracelet and necklaces without having to buy the earrings, just visit our matching sets section for some stunning contemporary silver jewellery at great value prices.

The price if silver is set to increase substantially over the next few years. Already in the 5 years since I have been running Corazon, prices from my artisans for my hand made silver jewellery have increase by over %. Fortunately for my customers I carry stock in the UK so they are still benefiting from prices from 2008 on some designs BUT stocks are running low and my latest commissions are coming in between 10 & 20% higher than the previous prices.

So if you are looking for great prices on our silver jewellery, buy it in the next 3 months before stocks run out and prices have to rise.

Longer term, silver jewellery may well actually become a good investment. Talking to the people in the know it seems that silver prices are extremely unlikely to fall as investors switch their money from stocks and shares to precious metals, and as supplies of silver continue to run down, it is only a matter of time before this great value metal becomes considerably more expensive.

Pendants are the poor relation of the jewellery world. Bracelets and bangles are the most popular choice when people shop for jewellery, then comes necklaces a close second, then earrings and pendants bring up the rear in a very slow fourth. Why is a mystery to me.

For me silver pendants are the ultimate piece of jewellery. Unlike a necklace which has a set length and style, pendants can be worn on a variety of chokers, chains and cords allowing you to create an ever changing variety of jewellery to match every outfit.

If you choose a classic silver pendant like our Cordelia silver rose pendant, or the ever popular Venus chunky silver heart, you can ring the changes from casual to formal, day to night, and fit it to any neckline.

For the most formal look, combine it with a thick silver choker (like our Elara Choker). For the ultimate in casual, almost masculine style, string it on a black leather lace. Got a dress with a plunging neckline in screaming pink? No problem. Buy a ribbon to match and hang your silver pendant as low as you dare… Looking for a more Boho Victorian look, fine. Wear it choker length on a thick black velvet ribbon. The options real are endless, all you need is a little imagination and 1 or 2 classic pendants to play with…

For Summer 2009, bangles are the fashion jewellery of choice. Whether they are disposable plastic, vintage costume or solid silver (gold tends to make VERY expensive bangles), make a statement with a chunky bangle.

No matter what you age, size, skin-tone or build, there is a bangle out there for you. At Corazon, we specialize in sterling silver jewellery, and all of our bangles are solid silver, but shop around on the web and you will find an amazing array of bangles to choose from.

I love silver because of its weight and its brilliant shine, and because it’s a classic. Choose the right bangle, treat it well and 20 years from now you will still be wearing it with pride. If you like things big and bold I don’t think there is a better silver bangle out there than our Pandora chunky silver bangle. It’s big, it’s bold and it is very, very different. Some people do find it a bit much so we are launching 2 simpler bangles, one smooth and one in beaten silver later this summer. In the meantime we also have some very pretty, much daintier bangles for a more subtle, delicate look, and if you want to take the middle ground our Castor bangle combines 2 slim bangles in a cross-over design to give you the impact of a big bangle without the weight.

If silver isn’t your thing, and gold is a non starter, try looking for bangles in Copper and brass. They will give you that lovely warm glow without the exorbitant price. For stunning colours that are a cut above plastic, search for glass bangles. For that ethnic, tribal look, try wood. There are some lovely chunky wooden bangles out there, plain, carved and even hand-painted.

So, will all that choice out there, if you buy one fashion item this season, make it a bangle.

From silver spoons to silver coins, mirrors to electrical conductors - silver surrounds us in our every day lives. This malleable metal is most commonly produced as a by-product when refining gold or copper. Perhaps silvers` most common (or at the very least, most recognised) use in today’s society is that of its place in fashion jewellery and accessories. Most silver jewellery items are made from sterling silver, which is a combination of silver and copper. However, since silver is harder than gold, it is normally used as a component of gold jewellery, and more obviously in gold-plated jewellery.

As Silver is so versatile, hard wearing and affordable, it is the ideal metal from which to craft beautiful fashion jewellery and accessories. Effortlessly remaining a staple from season to season, silver jewellery is one fashion accessory you can count on time and again. From hooped earrings to bangles, bracelets or necklaces, silver jewellery can be counted on to finish off any outfit. Additionally, whilst gold jewellery can easily be overdone and end up looking cheap, tacky, or worse – silver jewellery and accessories can contribute to a more elegant and classy look.

Once you have amassed a collection of silver jewellery and accessories it is worth knowing how to care for it. Knowing how to store silver jewellery, as well as how to clean it, will contribute to keeping your silver jewellery looking fabulous whilst avoiding tarnishing or staining.

The key to caring for silver jewellery is to keep it protected from the elements. For example, when bathing or showering remove jewellery that will come in to contact with the water, shower gel or soap. Jewellery exposed to detergent chemicals will become dull and lifeless. Likewise, if you are cooking and mixing ingredients with your hands, or peeling fruit or vegetables (especially potatoes) then remove rings or bracelets as appropriate. Fruit and vegetables can be particularly acidic and may prove corrosive to jewellery.

Jewellery boxes are not just a great stocking filler at Christmas, they are actually a worthy investment if you want to protect your favourite items! Jewellery boxes needn’t be expensive, but if you really do not want to splash out on one, then at the very least, you should store your jewellery in the box it came in.

Regularly clean your silver jewellery to prevent tarnishing build-up. You can purchase jewellery cleaning solutions from most supermarkets or jewellers or you can attempt your own home made solution. One option is to combine salt and baking soda in an aluminium plate (or on some tin foil) with a little warm water. However, this method should not be used for jewellery that contains precious stones or for oxidised silver. Always refer to manufacturers recommendations before cleaning your jewellery.

Finally, remember when buying silver fashion jewellery or accessories to shop around to get the best deals. Search online, in local store, even flea markets! If in doubt of the quality, rememer to look out for the hallmark.

Despite the dreadful economy sales at Corazon Latino are booming.

Talking to our customers the reason for this seems to be a combination of design and value for money.

Most of our customers tell us that they buy our jewellery because it’s different and they haven’t seen the same thing on half a dozen websites. This isn’t really a surprise. We do not buy standard pieces from wholesalers. Every one of our pieces is made for us by hand by artisans that we know. So unless someone goes out of their way to copy us (and I guess that is only a matter of time), our designs are exclusive.

As for Value for money, well, not coming from a jewellery background, we set up our business model based on fair prices for our artisans, for ourselves and for our customers. We do NOT make the sort of margins most jewellers make and we do not have huge overheads to cover so we can make sure our artisans are paid better than average prices to ensure that they keep making our pieces to the highest possible standards. And we can make sure we offer high quality handmade silver jewellery at reasonable mark ups so our customers get great value all year round.

For our loyal customers we even offer discounts across our entire range a couple of times a year when we introduce new designs and in the run up to Xmas because we know that without them we would not be in business and they have a lot of options on the web and in the high street… We believe loyalty should be rewarded.

We also like to believe that our personal service makes a difference. AS the founder and CEO I still review every order that is placed and a regularly man the customer service line and email to make sure I stay close to the customers. The Corazon Latino team know that every customer should be treated as an individual and everything possible done to not just meet but exceed their expectations.

Try shopping with us and see what you think…

People often ask my where I get the names for the various pieces in the Corazon Latino silver jewellery range. The answer is…. The heavens!

When my sister and I started the business we wanted to create something genuinely different, and something we could be proud of. It would have been a LOT easier just to buy standard pieces from mass market wholesalers and sell them complete with product item numbers and nothing more. But where was the fun in that? And would still be around 4 years on if we had?

Instead, we started with a range of exclusive designer jewellery from a young Mexican designer alongside a couple of my own accidental creations (you can read more about the story behind our creation here). Being unique and handmade by one young man, our jewellery had no item numbers; they didn’t even have a box (they arrived en masse in an old Tequila box wrapped in packing tape!)

So we set about creating out own Corazon Latino packaging. The best quality we could afford in our signature Black and silver (with the odd accent in passionate flame). Next we needed names…

We needed names that were as beautiful and unusual as our silver jewellery, and after various hilarious attempts at making up our own words (it’s a lot harder than it looks). We came upon constellations as an idea. Beautiful, mysterious names, inspired by the ancient Greek and Roman Gods, what could be better.

Fortunately for us, there are a lot of stars in the heavens… as with over 80 designs since we launched, we need a lot of names.

Some of my personal favourites are:

Cassiopeia, the woman who bragged her daughter was more beautiful than the gods and brought Poseidon’s sea monster down upon her kingdom. Our stunning Cassiopeia silver bracelet, necklace and earrings shimmer like sea foam against your skin.

Apollo, the son of Zeus, Greek God of Music and the Arts, and purported to be the “perfect man”. How better to credit the artistry of our Polish silver smith than to name one of our unique amber pendants after him?

And who could forget Pandora, the beautiful woman whose curiosity brought evil into the world when she opened the fabled box. She tried to close the box but everything had escaped. There was just one thing left at the bottom of the box; Hope. We use the lovely Pandora as the name sake for our ever popular chunky silver bangle.

New for 2009, we will be launching a necklace and earrings named after Hermes; the winger messenger of the Gods. A pretty silver unicorn horn twist which we have used for both a simple necklace and a gorgeous pair of silver earrings.

And Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, whose name we have taken for our romantic soul-mate bangle. 2 unique bangles forever bound together, completely independent yet forever one, each revolving around the other. The ultimate symbol of a perfect relationship. Watch out for it and many other new designs coming soon.

Every year, the fashion and accessory industry pushes new looks in jewellery to compliment the latest clothing trends. So what are the jewellery trends for 2009?

Gold remains popular but with supplies running low and desperate investors moving from stocks and shares into precious metals, it is rapidly moving out of the price range of the average shopper. Advances in technology means that manufacturers are now able to bond gold to cheaper metals like stainless steal in much more reliable ways, offering woman the look of real gold at a fraction of the price.

For those looking for the genuine article, silver jewellery is becoming the precious metal of choice. It is more versatile than gold and because it is still cheaper (although prices are rising meteorically), designers can offer chunky pieces and cutting edge designs that would be impossible in gold.

Pearls are back in 2009. With the Chinese market opening up, the choice of cultured pearls is now enormous. Wear them in long loops for that retro 60’s look, or as a sexy choker up tight against your throat. Classic cream is still popular, but now the fashion colours are pale peach, pink, gold, champagne, bronze, chocolate, purple, gray, and black. Pearl are in in sizes from a dainty 4mm right up to a giant 12mm.

So, if it’s all about gold, silver and pearls, what are the designs to look out for?

Look out for silver bracelets and necklaces in geometric designs like circles, ovals, squares, and rectangles. Designs like our Thalassa silver bracelet (below), or our ever popular Luna silver necklace, bracelet and earrings.

Big chunky silver pendants and beads are also in, in solid silver or combined with natural stones. If you want something in simple silver, try our Jupiter silver necklace, a beaten silver pendant with unusual silver bead on a simple black leather necklace. If you want add colour, look out for Amber, Tigers eye, Lapis and classic black Onyx. For a completely unique pendant, try our amber pendants. Natural Baltic amber set in its own handmade silver cage. If Onyx is you thing, what about our Io or Andromeda, Classic black Onyx with silver highlights, and sparkling Swarovski crystal.

Cuffs and bangles are the must-have jewellery for 2009. If you have the physique to wear big chunky bangles and cuffs, try our Pandora or Dione Bangles or the heavyweight Phoebe bangle. If you prefer something on a slightly smaller scale, then mix and match less chunky bangles to create your own unique look. Try our Lyra, Tuscana, Castor or Cressida bangles

It’s pretty much anything goes with earrings, with a slight emphasis on bigger, dangly designs. Our advice, go for whatever suits your personal style.

So that’s it for 2009. The good news is, there is nothing that is a real fashion no no, and at Corazon Latino we are big believers in doing things in your own unique way, just buy what you like and make sure it’s the best quality you can afford.