and the color of the stone would reflect the state of your emotions.  There were

many incarnations of the personal mood-detector. There was a big flat

masculine-looking ring, a watch that changed color, pendants and even nail polish.
The way mood rings work is simple. The stone in a mood ring is either a hollow

glass shell filled with thermo tropic liquid crystals, or a clear glass stone

sitting on top of a thin sheet of liquid crystals. These liquid crystal molecules

are very sensitive and they change position according to changes in temperature.
This change in molecular structure affects the wavelengths of light that are

absorbed or reflected by the liquid crystals, resulting in an apparent change in

the color of the stone.
For example, as the temperature increases, the liquid crystal molecules twist

slightly in one direction. This twist causes the liquid crystal substance to

absorb more of the red and green portions of the visible light, and reflect the

blue part.  This causes the stone to appear dark blue.
When the temperature decreases, the molecules begin to twist in the other

direction, and reflect a different portion of the spectrum . . . which explains

why they were totally useless outdoors in winter when they would just turn gray

and stay like that
Below is a list of the various colors and their associated feelings:
Slate blue – Happiness, Love & Joy

Blue – Relaxed, At Ease and Calm

Blue/Green – Somewhat Relaxed

Green – Average reading – Not under stress

Yellow/Green – Troubled & Uneasy

Grey – Anxious/ Nervous

Black – Tense, Nervous, Anxious, Harassed

So…If you are having one of those days when you just don’t know what you’re

feeling, slip on a mood ring and it will tell you.

The most common metal, by far, for rings is gold. There are many varieties of this metal, from yellow to white. One of the more non-traditional forms is black hills gold. Although not necessarily inexpensive, it is often less costly than it’s counterpart. Gold, by itself, is too soft to be used as a ring. Thus it is mixed with other metals. Pure gold is 24 karats, and the least gold measurement is 10 karat. By definition, the amount of gold is the difference between the numbers. For example: and 18-karat ring is 18 parts gold and 6 parts of other metal or metals.

Silver is the counterpart to gold. Like gold, silver is a soft metal and is used with other metals for hardening purposes. The finest rating for silver is fine and is 99.9 per cent silver. Sterling is just below fine in ratings and is 92.5 % silver, 7.5% copper. Lesser-ranked are: Mexican silver, German silver, Indian silver, Montana silver and just silver. Nickel silver contains no silver. None of these have any guaranteed pure silver content however. To test for silver content, scrape away, in a non-visible area, any plating. Pour a drop of nitric acid on this spot. Sterling silver will display a creamy color while lesser values and silver alloys will display a greenish tint because of the high quantity of copper. .

The story of the Claddagh starts when a fisherman, Richard Joyce, and other crew members were captured by pirates shortly before Joyce was to be married. He was sold into slavery in Algiers and made the property of a goldsmith who taught him the craft. With his beloved back in Claddagh on his mind he fashioned the first Claddagh ring. The hands were to represent friendship, the heart was love, and the crown represented loyalty and fidelity.

In 1698 King Georges III agreed to free all of his subjects. Richard Joyce was once again free. His slave master offered Joyce his daughter in marriage and half of his wealth if he would stay in Algiers. Joyce refused the offer and instead returned home to Claddagh where he found his love waiting for him. Neither of them had married. Upon discovering this, Joyce gave his love the ring and they were married shortly thereafter.

The ring was dubbed The Claddagh because of the village Joyce and his Bride were from. There were others who made the ring much later and added jewels and an intricate crown design. The basic hands holding a crowned heart has never changed. Joyce wanted something that would his love for his Beloved.

The design is the clasped hands of the ‘fede’ or faith rings. These rings date from Roman times and were popular in the Middle Ages. The ring is worn now by many to speak to their Irish heritage. The Claddagh tells the story of two lovers who are separated and yet their love and commitment withstood the passage of time. It’s simple design and my heritage influenced my decision to purchase a Claddagh.

July – Ruby – Its red color is related to sex, passion, strength, health, physical energy, courage, and protection. It is associated with blood, birth, and death

August – Peridot -It is thought to bring the wearer good luck, peace, and success. Its powers include health, protection, and sleep. It attracts love, calms anger, eases anxiety and negative emotions

September – Sapphire – Its powers include spiritual enlightenment and inner peace. It is said to aid in the healing of rheumatism, colic and mental illness

October -Opal – It has healing powers that aid inner beauty, faithfulness, and eyesight. It also aids in remembering past lives.

November – Yellow Topaz (Sanskrit for fire) – In the Middle Ages was thought to heal both physical and mental illnesses and prevent death. Citrine – also for November – Aids the kidneys, heart, digestive tract liver, and muscles. It promotes creativity, personal clarity and eliminates self-destructive tendencies.

December – Blue Topaz (Sanskrit for fire) – In the Middle Ages was thought to heal both physical and mental illnesses and prevent death. Turquoise – also for December – It attracts money, success, and love. It gives protection, healing, courage, friendship, and luck. It eases the mind and mental tension.

Birthstone rings make wonderful gifts.  The idea of having a ring with a stone associated solely with one’s month of birth can add value to it. People love having something that was picked out personally with them in mind and birthstone rings fit that description perfectly.  The ring is a gift that will be cherished for many years to come.

Below I will cover the individual meanings often associated with each birthstone. This article covers the first six months of the year, January through June.  Part two will contain the second half of the year, July through December.

January – Garnet – the gem of faith and truth; protects from poisons, thought to stop bleeding, cure sickness of the blood and infections.

February – Amethyst – aids soldiers in battle, control evil thoughts, helps hunters to catch animals, and helps the owner be good in business.

March – Aquamarine – sailors used aquamarine to gemstones to keep them safe and to prevent seasickness. It gives the wearer courage, foresight and courage

April – Diamond – Symbol of strength, courage, and invincibility. It is the ultimate gift of love. In 1477 Archduke Maxmillian of Austria gave Mary of Burgundy a diamond ring, thus starting the tradition of diamonds being given as engagement rings.

May – Emerald – Sharpened the wearer’s eyesight and mind. Travelers used them as protection against the hazards of long trips. The green color is said to give the owner power to predict the future.

June – Pearl – Freshwater pearls give the power of love, money, protection, and luck. It is said they give provide wisdom through experience and protect children from harm.

Other than getting a good price, you want to make sure that you are getting quality jewelry. If you can deal with the jewelry wholesale dealer in person, you should. But in most situations, this will not be the case. Instead, contact the dealer by phone and talk to them. Establish a relationship, and keep that relationship on good terms at all times. As time goes by, you may be able to get even better deals from the wholesaler, and you can probably work out credit terms as well.

Just remember that your jewelry wholesale dealer is a human being, and treat them as such. If you ever find that your dealer isn’t being honest with you, or is selling low quality jewelry, look for a new wholesaler.

If you are the type of individual that enjoys a number of outdoor activities but none serious enough to warrant specific footwear for each sport, then a multi-sport shoe is for you.  This type of footwear is ideal for that walk in the park, a light day hike through a well traveled trail, a fun game in the field, and is a definite life-saver on vacations. It allows you to multi task your activities and gives you enough support and versatility to not limit your enjoyment.

If you are more of an enthusiast and have an adrenalin-like craving then Approach Shoes are the ticket.  They are great for those mountain visits with their excellent rock scrambling traction and climbing potential, yet stylish enough to cruise the mall. The soles of these shoes are made out of a sticky rubber and more closely resemble a climbing shoe than a hiking shoe. Approach shoes where intended to give a climber or mountaineer a comfortable yet solid footing for those short or long traverses to your climbing area.  These shoes are not to be confused with climbing shoes. Though many climbers prefer them on easy multi terrain climbs, they are no substitute on difficult climbs.

Then there are your beach activities.  Whether you are playing volley ball or just swimming, sport sandals are a good choice. There are many makes and models to choose from. These types of sandals are also referred to as “Mandals”, because they are primarily worn by men (or in New Zealand slang “Jandals”).  They are constructed with many types of materials.  Synthetic fabric and leather is widely used along with a rubber treaded sole. These sandals sometimes have a removable rear heel harness to minimize foot slippage and are ideal for beach sports.  They enable the user the mobility to maneuver over rough terrain and not have his or her sandal come off.

If you are just cruising the beach and do not need the support and versatility that a sport sandal offers, then a “Flip Flop” is perfect for you.  It consists of a rubber (usually) sole held on to the foot by two pieces of material ranging from plastic to leather called thongs. These thongs extend from the inner and outer side of the foot to the gap between the big toe. There is no strap to the heel and the sandal moves up and down, creating a “flip-flop” sound.

Flip-Flops (thongs) are very prominent in the surfer culture.  They are becoming everyday footwear in the cities as well.  Flip-Flops have stood the test of time and are growing more and more as some of the most popular footwear for the summer.

When choosing footwear for outdoor activities, ensure you consider the climate and the requirements of the activity.  Does the activity call for extra traction, more ventilation, more insulation or more support?  Above all, pick a shoe that will keep your feet comfortable.  Choose the right shoes now and enjoy your outdoor activities even more.

Athletic shoes are made into both standard and sometimes odd sizes for men, women, and children. These shoes are designed to help a person achieve top performance in basketball, football, baseball, golf, bowling or any other athletic or team sport.  In addition, athletic shoes are created for running and walking as well.  The type of sport shoe that a person needs will largely depends on the chosen sport, activity level and the preference of the person wearing the shoe.

When choosing an athletic shoe, consider how the shoe will be used. If you participate in casual sports activities such as volunteer church baseball leagues or neighborhood football matches, you will not need an expensive athletic shoe.  However, if you play sports competitively, you might want to consider specially made athletic shoes. For instance, a person who takes running very seriously, is more likely to invest in a higher quality athletic shoe than the average runner.  Higher quality shoes are often needed because they are required to spend several hours a day training to build speed, endurance, and strength as they compete. In order to for runners to do this they will need a shoe that will last.  This is true for those who play other types of competitive sports, as well.

The choice of athletic shoe is also important for moving and protecting the foot while participating in sports. For example, in basketball or football, a person needs to think and act fast as they dribble, pass the ball or run down the field.  Therefore, the person needs the appropriate shoe for optimum performance and safety.  Basketball shoes often have a strong grip on the bottom that prevents an athlete from sliding. In both football and baseball, each player usually has shoes that have cleats on the bottom of the soles. This is to help the player grip the ground as they move quickly during play. Cleats are also important because players also have to play in varying outside weather conditions such as snow, rate, sleet, and extreme heat or cold.  The right shoe is important because weather conditions can affect how well a player moves around the field, and the player’s ability to run without slipping and falling. The wrong shoe can cause falling and injury to players.

There are several companies that make high quality running and athletic shoes. Nike, Etonic, New Balance, Asics, Mulziny and Adidas are all popular shoe manufacturers. These shoes often come in a wide variety of styles and features. In addition, these athletic shoes often have shock absorbent soles for a softer impact when the runner’s foot hits the ground.  Furthermore, good quality athletic shoes are often made in wide and narrow styles as well as arched, normal, or flat designs that help fit the overall shape of a person’s foot.  Along with that, these shoes come in a variety of sizes so that everyone can find a pair that fits their foot well.

Sometimes a person can find a high quality athletic shoe from a manufacturer or retailer that does not advertise nationally. These types of shoes are often called “off brand” or “generic”.  Many times, these shoes are just as durable and dependable as the regular name brand shoes, but often cost much less than name brand shoes. The fit of a shoe is usually a matter of personal preference, so before purchasing these off brand shoes, it is important to test them out for fit and feel.

Further information can be found online about generic or off brand shoes. However, it is important to remember that information about these shoes often comes directly from companies whom manufacturer and advertise their shoes. If in doubt about the quality of a generic shoe, it is sometimes not worth saving a few dollars. Buy the shoes from a brand that you know will not let you down, whether it is a nationally known brand of athletic shoe or not.

Athletic shoes can be purchased for both recreational or competitive activity needs either online, in a store, or by mail order.  When purchasing shoes online or mail order, there is always the risk of the shoe not fitting right because each brand will fit a little differently. However, you can increase your chances of finding a fitting shoe if you know a little about the brand of shoe that you choose to purchase. Also, consider trying the shoe on at a store before buying online.

When purchasing a shoe in a store, there may be a smaller selection than what is available online. However, the advantage is buying a shoe that will fit properly. This goes for the fitting of athletic shoes as well. If you do a little online research on athletic shoes before shopping at a store, it is easier to make a better decision about the purchase of shoes. When researching shoes online, it is easier to compare shoe brands, prices and features.