May 29, 2013
417 Magazine has featured the pres in a bid for Springfield, MO’s Most Beautiful Woman Award 2013
417 Magazine Most Beautiful Woman Pic
417 Magazine has featured the pres in a bid for Springfield, MO’s Most Beautiful Woman Award 2013
First round of voting continues through June 2nd. Proceeds will benefit the Library Foundation! Thanks for your support
Jennifer Choi
Vote Now!
Age: 33
Charity of Choice: The Library Foundation
City: Springfield
Occupation: President, Rose Diamonds Custom Design & Repair
Spouse: Ossi Choi
Children: Joseph Choi, 13; Jackson Choi, 6
What’s your favorite feature about yourself? Why?
My short memory. I was once told it was my best feature. I tend to forgive and forget easily. Life is too short to hold grudges about the past.
When you were a child, who did you think was the most beautiful woman? Why?
I remember being fascinated by Connie Chung. Growing up, there were not many Asian role models to look up to. I liked that she was very professional and commanded equal respect from her co-anchors.
What’s your favorite source of inspiration? How does it inspire you?
Books. I read. A lot. Fiction, non-fiction, short and long—I love it all. I love going to a bookstore or a library and being able to visualize a different place, time, lifestyle or point of view. It gives me a feeling of limitless possibilities, and it opens doors to new ideas. Once you have a new idea, the sky is the limit on what you can achieve with it.
Fill in the blank: Friends would describe you as “The ______ One.”
My friends said The Classy One. I would say The Focused One.
What is your charity of choice, and why is it important to you?
My charity of choice would be the Library Foundation. Going to the library was one of my favorite outings growing up, as I obsessively read all of The Boxcar Children books, in order. At this moment, I have 22 items checked out from the library, and they range from books on photography and business to historical novels and books and DVDs for my boys. Growing up in Springfield, I have seen our library system expand its collections and develop new programs for children and adults that have made a positive impact on people from all backgrounds. I am proud of the variety of programs our library system has for children and adults. The Library Foundation was founded to enhance the Greene County Public Library’s mission of providing the people of Greene County with the broadest possible access to knowledge, ideas and information, and to support them in their pursuit of learning. The Foundation has provided funding to build the library’s collections, to expand technology and to support library programs, including the Summer Reading Program, cultural initiatives and early literacy and school readiness programs.
“With a library you are free, not confined by temporary political climates. It is the most democratic of institutions because no one—but no one at all—can tell you what to read and when and how.” ―Doris Lessing
What do you think makes a woman beautiful?
An easy smile. Life is short. I think there is a magnetism to people who are able to appreciate the humor and joys of life.
Why do you think you’re a 10 Most Beautiful Women finalist?
My friend is an excellent writer. She is able to see the best in everyone and eloquently express herself.
Do you volunteer, or are you involved in any philanthropic or community organizations?
I love to help others. I support a variety of charities and organizations through the jewelry store. Our business has created custom designs that have been auctioned and raffled off for local organizations including the American Cancer Society, the Springfield Ballet, Temple Israel and Cox Health Foundation. As the founder of the “Right on Republic” business association, I work with other businesses in the community to promote local small businesses through cross marketing and combined events. This year, I am working with the Girl Scouts and other organizations in the area to educate girls interested in owning their own businesses someday. I also volunteer as the treasurer of my homeowners association. I enjoy getting to know my neighbors and working together to solve issues in our neighborhood.
How are those experiences meaningful to you?
My family has experienced hard times in the past, and I feel very blessed that we have been able to overcome a lot of obstacles. In my position as a custom jeweler, I have the opportunity to meet people during some of their happiest moments. Conversely, as a pawnbroker, I have the heartbreaking position of helping people during their darkest hours. When people are going through hard times, whether family or financial, it makes me appreciate how lucky we are in the United States to enjoy all of the opportunities available to us.
I have two sons, and it is my goal to teach them, through my example, that change in a community comes from people pitching in and getting involved. For example, my most recent donation to a local school’s spaghetti dinner fundraiser won’t be featured on the front page of the newspaper, but I find that our donations to small organizations are equally as important to the community as our contributions to large charities.
Tell us what you do for a living:
I am a custom jeweler/GIA graduate gemologist at Rose Diamonds. I help people create the jewelry they have always dreamed of, engrave special names, logos and sentiments on cherished jewelry and repair their treasured rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of my family. Through all the ups and downs of life, my family has always been a comfort to me. I would not be who I am today without them. When they succeed, I succeed. When they feel joy, I feel joy. They are my top priority.
What has been your biggest hurdle to overcome?
Having the perseverance to keep working toward our dreams. Being a business owner is not always the glamorous life people envision. We did not inherit a legacy store. Our first jewelry business started with one bag of silver that we lovingly tucked into the safe each evening. A lot of people told us that our location was bad, our inventory was limited and we were not going to make it. To continue moving forward despite the naysayers was our defining moment. My husband and I learned to trust each other and to trust God’s plan for us.
What are three words that describe you?
Parent, curious, nerd.
What advice would you give to a young girl about being beautiful?
Throw away society’s ideas of beautiful and embrace what God gave you. Learn to accept your body. Come to terms with the fact that women will always be judged by our physical appearance to some extent. This is life. Remember that physical beauty can be fleeting, and our true beauty comes from within.
What are your favorite ways to spend a day off work?
I usually do glamorous things like laundry, but since moving back to the Ozarks, our family has developed a love of camping and fishing. I can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing than spending time with the family enjoying the beauty of the Ozarks.
What is your most prized possession?
My iPhone. Portable reading, tracking kids’ locations, keeping an eye on the security cams at work, OCD weather checking, translator and Angry Birds! All-in-one fun.
What is your Facebook status right now?
I posted some pictures of a trip I took with my oldest son. We were on a business trip to Singapore and South Korea. It was my son’s first international trip, and it was a pleasure to introduce him to the unique customs and food of Asia.
If you could have one talent that you don’t currently have, what would it be?
To slow down time. I imagine there would be a million other projects I could complete with more time on my hands. Gardening projects, decorating projects, field trips, etc. Also, I feel like my sons are growing up too quickly, so there are times I would like to savor my time with them. I would also have more time to read.
What’s something that might surprise us about you, or a story you love to tell?
My first kiss was from Wayne Newton. While he was performing in Branson, I played violin at his theater, and he kissed me in front of the whole audience.
If someone made a movie of your life, what would it be called?
I imagine it as a comedy about marrying someone from a different background. Perhaps a new version of Lost in Translation.
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March 21, 2013
Update your look for Spring with stuff you already have
Have you gone through a recent bout of spring cleaning? Here are a few quick ideas to update your look for spring keeping your budget in mind.
The side ways cross necklace has been a pretty hot trend lately. Your jeweler should be able to drill a hole in the bottom of your childhood cross and attach it to a chain where it sits on the side or in the center of the necklace. Smaller crosses work best for this type of project. You will see this trend with curved crosses as well as straight ones. Don’t try bending your cross to get this look though. If you have the cross and the chain, this project should take one to two business days and cost less than $50.
Another trend is combining tiny charms (that have meaning) on a single chain. This can help smaller pieces (think tiny birthstone charms, puffed hearts, pearl pendants, etc) have more of an impact. Combine sizes, metal colors, shapes, etc to give depth.
If you have some diamonds that are too small to be “impressive” on their own, consider adding them to necklace as stations. The chain can be worn as a necklace or as a bracelet (if you don’t have many) and you can use contrasting metal colors (like rose or yellow) to add interest. Uneven spacing will look more artistic than even spacing. Doubling the chain or combining them with other layered necklaces can also add to the look.
December 29, 2012
After Christmas Problems Solved
Following any big holiday, we see an influx of people looking to “adjust” their gifts. Here are some of the most common issues we see after Christmas:
Problem: New Ring is too big/too small
Solution: Ring Sizing or ring guard. Price will vary depending on the thickness of the metal and what kind of metal it is (silver is less than gold. gold less than platinum). Sizing up costs more than sizing down. Problem/sensitive stones (amythest, citrine, tanzanite, opal, turqouise, mother of pearl, emeralds, etc) may have an additional cost if the jeweler needs to remove them or use a more elaborate set-up to protect the stones from damage from the jewelers torch $$
Ring Guards are a less expensive version (at time of publication $5) and take two minutes to install. They are slightly adjustable, but they are not as comfortable as getting the ring to the right size. $
Problem: Chain is too short/too long
Solution: Obviously, we can replace the chain with one of the proper length. If your chain is too long, it can be shortened (same day usually) for $15-30. We do this by removing links and then soldering the chain back together. If it is a round chain, we usually removed the endcap (endpiece) and shorten it seamlessly. $$
If your chain is too short, we can add an extender to the back in the form of a chain segment. If you want the chain to match exactly, we can order in a bracelet of the same link to work from or we might
have your link in stock. This may not be the best choice if you have short hair as the chain extender will show in the back. Round chains (rope, singapore, snake, and box) do not have a way to seamlessly add matching links, so in these cases many people choose to replace or add a standard extension chain to it. Price on this depends on how much chain (length and width) you are adding. We might be able to use one of your old chains, bracelets, anklets, etc to do the extension. Bring it in and ask $$$
Problem: Pendant won’t go through the chain I want to use.
Solution: We are practical types, so we usually recommend the path of least cost to you. In most cases, this means that we will adjust the pail of your pendant. There are cases where we remove the endpiece to your chain to slip it on (this means it won’t accidentally come off, but you won’t be able to switch pendants this way) Cost will vary depending on whether we are simply re-shaping an end or removing and re-soldering. Larger replacement bails are also available. $$
Problem: Tiny, Tangly Chains
Solution: Tiny chains come with many pendants or are available at promo (cheap) prices so people aren’t overwhelmed with a pendant price AND a chain price (it can work out to doubling the cost for a nice chain). To keep a tiny chain untangled, store it clasped. Storing the chain hanging (a panel nail on the inside of your closet wall will do) or notch a business card/scrap of paper and wrap the chain around it to prevent tangling when not wearing it. There are several chains that resist tangling more than others. If you are thinking of replacing your chain, we usually recommend at least a 1mm diameter. Replacement chains (appx 18′ with a 1mm diameter) run from $100-250 depending on the style/weight in gold. Silver replacement chains are from $15-35.
Problem: Watch too big
Solution: We can adjust the links of most watches while you wait for a flat fee ($5 at time of writing this). Notice we did not mention lengthening watches…the only way to handle this is for you to find your replacement links (look in your button drawer) or for us to replace the watchband (leather runs around $25 while a stainless or two tone option runs around $35)
Problem: What are all these dials for. Is my watch even running?
Solution: Everyone loves the “complicated” look of a chronograph. First things first. A chronograph is like a stopwatch. It has two second hands. The general one is in one of the small dials. The large second hand only sweeps when you push the top button on your watch. Here are a couple diagrams for your convenience on the most common issue peple have with resetting their chrono.
December 14, 2012
Our New Commercial
Our new commercial for Rose Diamonds Custom Design & Repair in Springfield MO.
November 27, 2012
What to do with little leftover diamonds
This comes up quite often since we do our fair share of gold buying these days. As people clean out their jewelry bin of broken pieces, tokens of past relationships, and inherited mishmash, there are inevitable leftover diamonds (usually not big ones).
Large diamonds are easy to sort out or sell, but what should you do with your 1/4 ct marquise diamond solitaire?
Here’s some ideas:
- Add it to an existing piece of jewelry you already like (use it on the bail of a favorite pendant or add it to a cross or charm)
- Create a new piece of free form jewelry with it and partners. Jewelry has evolved. Don’t be afraid to combine stones from separate pieces–think “all my grandparents” ring
- Add as a charm to a bracelet/anklet
- small stones can make a big impact in stacking rings
August 3, 2012
Jeweler Consignment Website Launched
We have a healthy collection of jewelry on consignment from local collections, so we decided to create a separate gallery for their pictures and descriptions. Our main website here will remain an educational site. Feel free to peruse the selections periodically as they will be changing over time.
Consignment questions? Just Ask! 417-823-3778 main, 417-883-5644 RD2, email: gemstonejen@gmail.com. The new site also details Options B and C.
July 27, 2012
5 Ways to Make Your Diamond Ring Look Bigger (for under $1000)
the addition of Pintrest, people are becoming more design conscious. With all of the drool worthy pins out there, it can make a diamond ring you received a decade or so ago look tiny. Thus, the need for an upgrade.
Not everyone has the budget to replace a diamond with a larger one. If you do, I usually recommend you go up by at least a full millimeter so you can SEE the difference since you are paying the difference. A 1/4 carat to a 1/3 carat is hard to tell apart unless you have your calipers on you… Remember, carat refers to weight, not size, so not all 1 carat diamonds are the same diameter. Old diamond (they are all old technically) can be moved over as a side stone or made into a pendant.
It may be that you do not WANT to replace your original diamond at all. It has been my experience that men are many times more sentimental about keeping the same diamond throughout the marriage. Not necessariy because they are being cheapo, but because they beleive in “luck” and “streaks.” Ask a man to tell you about the time he wore the same socks to every ball game for an entire season without washing them…
To preserve the peace without breaking the bank, there are several ways to boost your original diamond’s “presence.”
- Add a halo. It adds approximately 2-2.5mm of sparkly to the center of your ring. I personally don’t like this term–I like “booster ring,” which sounds way more Star Wars–but who can argue with DeBeers? The final look will depend on your original diamond size. The diamond in the center can be situated above or level with the other stones. For those of you in the healthcare industry, a low bezel set center can reduce the nnormal snalling on latex gloves. Lifestyle matters too! There are halo versions with varying stone sizes (usually .01-.03ct each) This new setting can usually be added to your original engagement ring with some slight modifications. By adding the halo in white, you can update the look of a yellow gold ring and help your jewelry “blend” in more with your other sterling and white gold/platinum pieces. Also look for expanded halos and double halos. I personally find the triple halo to be too much… An expanded halo means there is empty space between yur center stone and your diamond making it look even bigger. Also check into different prong styles. Exposed mini prongs have a very different look than the channel set and cocktail setting of the past. Also there are faux channels with mini milgrain that can lend a vintage look to your ring. Some halos have stones on the sides of the halo as well. These add cost, but can be super pretty as well. Have a fancy shape diamond? Don’t worry…they make halo heads for them as well! Estimated cost $850 (depends on stone size and style of course).
- New head. Usually a thicker one, perhaps with double prongs or tulip prongs. Some people don’t like the look of halos, so they opt to boost their center diamond by thickening up their prongs. 8 prong heads (octet heads) give a designer finish to the ring that isn’t available “off the rack” at most stores. Tulip heads are named for their obvious resemblance to the flowers. Another advantage to the thicker prongs is more durability for everyday wear and tear. By the way, if you have had your ring for a decade and never had your prongs retipped or at least checked, you may want to consider a replacement head or service work (retipping) anyway. Its like getting your oil changed–not glamorous, but necessary for the longevity of your ring..Wide and narrow bezel settings also boost the “spread” of your ring, but I find they tend to make an engagement ring look more casual that its prongy cousins;) Estimated cost $150
- Have an old set of diamond earrings? Add them as side stones. Different shapes? Doesn’t matter! This one is a little more tricky as there are three options. Option one: reset original diamond and two earrings into a new setting. There are a lot of combinations to three stone rings (some of which have way more than three stones lol). If your original stone and earrings fit into a standard configuation, an off the rack mounting will do the trick. Estimated cost $750. Option 2: Add a wrap to your original ring. This usually only works with solitaires (no side stones). The wrap extends over the solitaire shank making it look (kinda) like one ring. It may need to be soldered together to prevent slippage. Estimated cost $700. Option 3: Add smaller earring diamonds in a custom bridge. This one is more tricky to estimate a price on since every ring is different. Adding them in a bypass style can also affect how your wedding band (if you have one) will fit next to your new altered ring. Estimated cost <1000 difinately, but talk to a pro about the feasibility of this one. Fun alternative to this is adding a pair of gemstones instead. Sapphires, blue topaz, etc all look gorgeous next to diamonds! Same price for labor.
- Illusion head/plate. This used to mean white gold diamond cut plate that was used to accent a teeny diamond in a pretty noticeable setting. There are more modern options to this! One option is to recreate the vintage box setting. This illusion setting makes a round stone look bigger, more square, and more vintage. Estimated cost: Starts at $150. A free form ring doesn’t make your diamonds look bigger necessarily but by combining it with other medium sized diamonds, it can make the impact of the ring look bigger. The estimated cost depends on the finished weight of the free form ring (there are stock options and custom options) and how many heads/stones need to be set.
- Narrow or pinch the shank. There is always more than one way to skin a cat, so now we will take our focus off the diamond and put it on the ring it sits in. A good rule of thumb is this: the wider the band, the small your diamond will look. Think about a shift dress. It looks like a straight column. If you were to add a belt, it would make your waist look much smaller. The same thing holds true for rings. If you use a razor (tiny narrow band) shank, your stone will look bigger no matter its size. Your jeweler will be able to tell you if your original engagement ring shank can be slimmed down (without causing stability issues) or if you can simply transfer your center head and stone to a more narrow base. Another fun alternative if you don’t want to give up a wider ring is to get a pinched shank that narrows near the stone. Use caustion because narrow rings fit differently than wider ones so make sure you are fitted for the new ring style and width (there are different s sets of sizers for this reason). Also, a narrow shank ring is more likely to rotate on the hand if you have big knuckles. Most people do…A flared or European shank may help counterbalance to solve this issue.
