Fine, Gold, Silver, CZ, and Diamond Jewelry at Joolwe Online Jewelry Store

Every woman has dreamed of that special day when her knight in shining armor professes his love for her while presenting her with a gorgeous diamond ring. In today’s world, that shining diamond ring is just a fantasy for many young couples. Many have been hit by our struggling economy and luxury items, like diamonds, are too expensive to buy. As a writer for an online jewelry store, I have noticed a growing trend…people are purchasing cubic zirconia rings as an alternative to diamonds.

Joolwe.com 10k White Gold and Princess-Cut Cubic Zirconia Double Band Rings

I know some of you that are reading this are gasping at the thought of wearing anything other than a diamond on that special finger. However, I challenge anyone to test of trying to tell a real high-quality diamond from a real high-quality cubic zirconia. Many jewelry stores are selling 10K and 14K white and yellow gold bands with titillating cubic zirconia gemstones that add exquisite luster to a myriad of beautiful settings.

Cubic zirconia is the professional term for simulated diamonds also called synthetic diamonds. Most of us have been taught to be afraid of terms such as simulated or synthetic…but the fact that they are manmade is actually an advantage. Because cubic zirconia is grown in a controlled environment, unlike diamonds; they are free from any visible inclusions or dirt trapped inside the stone. This gives these luxurious gemstones an added edge of being able to attain high clarity and color markings. It is almost impossible to find a lackluster cubic zirconia.

Consider the price versus quality ratio when buying a diamond or cubic zirconia engagement ring. For anyone on a budget, the chance of purchasing a quality diamond is not very high. An inexpensive diamond will be cloudy with inclusions. However, an inexpensive cubic zirconia will still exude an intense sparkle that casts a striking allure over the ring’s motif.

Remember, being on a fixed income doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice owning an exquisite symbol of your love for the sake of owning a real diamond. There’s nothing wrong with choosing a gorgeous cubic zirconia over a diamond engagement ring whose beauty and shimmer have the power to stand the test of time without breaking the bank.

The holiday season marks the end of a long year and a time to reflect on our blessings with friends and family. Some think about work, relationships or New Year’s resolutions that have or have not been met. Others consider what good deeds they have done and wonder…could I have done more. It’s those people that Joolwe.com would like to honor in our second annual Selfless Woman Awards. These women are tirelessly giving their time and dedication to others without asking for anything in return. After pouring through tons of nominations, we are proud to announce the winner of this year’s Selfless Woman Awards.

2010 Selfless Woman Award Winner Judy Beckett

Judy Beckett traded the business world for a life dedicated to helping others overcome their adversities in a truly unique way. She is the founder of the Cornerstone Therapeutic Riding Center in Romona, California. The center uses horseback riding as therapy to help the disabled, mostly handicapped children and veterans returning from the Gulf. In order to get the center started, she sold her house to finance the project. After a year of preparation and living on a trailer on land near the Riding Center, the California Wildfires hit and burned all of her hard work to the ground. Judy managed to start over and get the center going again. Her family, friends and those whose lives she has touched say Judy is a truly remarkable woman.

After graduating college in 1993, Julie DeGennaro began work at a Connecticut children’s nonprofit, the DomusKids.org, that helps homeless children who’ve lived through a terrible life-altering trauma. She works long days and weekends making sure the programs they run are high-quality and truly meet the needs of these kids. Some may look at children in these situations and see an impossible challenge, Julies sees the potential that they have and helps give them the opportunities they deserve. Julie has helped the organization grow and properly serve the children who need the residential, educational and community programs. Domus now serves more than 800 children a year. Julie’s passion and tireless advocacy for children who are too often forgotten sets the standard for a selfless woman.

2010 Selfless Woman Award Winner Meaghan Edelstein

In 2007, Meaghan Edelstein defied the odds and beat stage 3B cervical cancer. After receiving months of internal/external radiation, chemotherapy and numerous surgeries, Meaghan was on the road to a slow but steady recovery. Meaghan says she credits small touches of love such as visits, cards and gifts with giving her the extra strength she needed to keep fighting for her life. This inspired her to start a blog called I Kicked Cancer’s Ass where she wrote openly about her experience. As her readership grew, Meaghan realized that she could match those who wished to give with those who needed support, thus began Spirit Jump. Spirit Jump allows those who wish to give the chance to send uplifting cards to men, women and children battling cancer. Meghan works full time and still finds the time for Spirit Jump. It’s her spirit that that serves as an inspiration to us all.

Melissa Scott dedicates herself to hundreds of families who adopt oversees. When various orphanages are suffering from a lack of supplies, she contacts corporations and even individuals asking for donations. Melissa has secured over 600 toothbrushes for older orphans in northern Kazakhstan and over 400 cases of sanitary napkins for girls in the same orphanage because they were being forced to wash out the already used ones. As if all of these good deeds weren’t enough, Melissa is currently sponsoring five older kids from various orphanages in Kazakhstan and 21 kids from an orphanage in Uganda. As the founder of the Dream Prosperity Charity, Melissa and her group also work directly with orphanages and foster care programs to artistically design personalized pillowcases and chalkboard tote bags for children in orphanages worldwide. Described by her friends as a phenomenal person, Melissa is an excellent example of a selfless woman.

2010 Selfless Woman Award Winner Hillary Sheinbaum getting her hair cut for charity

Hilary Sheinbaum has spent thousands of hours organizing charity concerts, preparing and distributing food at shelters and soup kitchens as well as bringing awareness to the Locks of Love organization. She has thrice grown and donated more than 10 inches of her hair to help the victims of alopecia universalis. The third time she donated her hair, she arranged local magazines and newspapers to cover the event to raise awareness for the cause she believes is the easiest ways to help people who live with the physical and social effects of being unable to grow hair. It was while Hilary lived on Long Island, New York, that she delivered and served food at a local soup kitchen. One would think all of these projects would exhaust Hilary…but she also spends time as a mentor and participates in recycling projects. Whether it’s providing alopecia sufferers with a full head of hair, giving food to the hungry or serving as a mentor, Hilary is a prime example of a selfless woman.

Joolwe.com would like to thank everyone who sent us their story of someone they know that works in overdrive to help improve the lives of others. Judy, Julie, Meaghan, Melissa and Hilary…thank you so much for spreading positivity, love and compassion to everyone you meet.

Just in time for the holidays, Joolwe.com online jewelry store is gearing up for its second annual Selfless Woman Awards. The Dallas-based online jewelry store is asking the public to help them honor unsung female heroes in our society by nominating a person they feel touch the lives of those around them without asking for anything in return. Anyone can submit a letter telling the story of their nominee and her selfless acts. The online retailer will choose five winners based on merit and invite them to choose any piece of jewelry from a special reward catalog section of the store.

Applicants must submit their nominations before December 6 for the opportunity to have their special hero in the running for a chance to receive a beautiful piece of free jewelry for Christmas. “We guarantee that the winners receive their jewelry before Christmas Eve. The Selfless Woman Awards is not just about giving the gift of jewelry, it’s a wonderful chance for people who help others everyday but whose deeds go unnoticed to have the opportunity to have their time to shine,” says Ryan Cheng, Joolwe.com founder. On , December 14th, the company will choose the winners and announce their names on the company’s website.

Spring Greetings by Parvin

At no time are the elements of nature more expressive in their powers than during the change of seasons. The once bare branches of winter are now blooming with flowers and signify the onset of spring. This season many designers are focusing on organic themes that are set amongst ethereal backdrops. Spring runway shows gave fashion aficionados insight into the designers apparel but also on using jewelry as an integral part of the designer’s intended look to convey a specific theme. As you enter spring, allow the word “enrapture” to linger in your thoughts whenever you’re selecting jewelry to add to your ensemble.

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Day After Valentine's Day by Dave Lifson

Valentine’s Day is one of the most popular days for marriage proposals. There’s something about February 14th that makes people more inclined to tell their loved ones how much they really mean to them. Gorgeous bouquets of flowers make a woman smile, chocolate and wine arouse one’s sensual energies and the beautiful poems written on the cards helps one express emotions that are difficult to say. We here at Joolwe.com like to hear from the public about special moments in their lives, especially ones that involve jewelry. So, we asked members of the Joolwe community to tell us their engagement stories. Here are a few of them:

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Topaz Gemstones by bored now

The beauty of the topaz has been admired for centuries. Although the most commonly found color is yellow; this gorgeous gemstone also comes in shades of golden-brown, blue, light blue, red, pink, colorless and green. It is a very hard gemstone, ranking an 8 on the Moh’s scale of hardness and making it a perfect gemstone for everyday wear. One of the largest deposits of topaz can be found in a large German rock called the Schneckenstein in Saxony. It was first uncovered in the 18th century and was mined there for over 60 years. Although this deposit unearthed a plentiful amount of topaz, the actual topaz crystals were relatively small. Miners that were searching for the topaz had to travel to Siberia or Brazil to find crystals the size of a human fist. Topaz can also be found in the United States, Mexico, Italy, Sweden, Czech Republic, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Russia and Japan.

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