“Mywifenosevrything. Thewifedoesntknow. They’re one-two. Of course they are!”

Mywifenosevrything and Thewifedoesntknow are destined to meet again (of course!) on Sunday, during the 8th race at Monmouth Park.

This battle for the ages even extends to the trainers: Mywifenosevrything is trained by a woman, while Thewifedoesntknow is trained by a man.  But here at ShowStable Artisans, we like to focus on what brings us together rather than what divides us, particularly when it comes to jewelry!

Now, it’s true that there are times when you can take the matching thing entirely too far — all you have to do is let your memory wander back to the early days of line dancing and coordinated bib-shirt outfits to know what we’re talking about.  You can make your connection clear while still being stylish.

Check out these pair of rings: His features a matte gold background with .33 carat weight of diamonds. A bold, masculine ring that works well as a wedding or commitment band, this ring is a favorite among the men we know. Hers is a classic 14K gold ring with .22 carat weight of diamonds in a striking horseshoe, timeless elegance paired with exceptional sparkle and shine. Imagine this couple holding hands, the love they have for each other — and for horses — evident for all to see.

Will Mywifenosevrything  emerge victorious after this weekend’s race?  Only time will tell!  One thing is certain, though…every time these two horses meet, people will pay attention!

Perhaps not…but we have the next best thing.

Vintage Horseshoe Jewelry

As close as your wrist, you can have the iconic symbol of horses: This horseshoe bracelet , featuring a great Art Deco look, set with two coral cabochons and 8 seed pearls — gold and gems combined and shining with that distinctive luster that only age can give. Despite its great age, this piece is timeless: it will slide seamlessly into your horse jewelry collection, suitable for the office, classroom, or church — anywhere you want that look of effortless elegance and personal style.

Horseshoe jewelry is also popular in necklaces and pendants form. A particular favorite is this amazing 14K gold horseshoe, whip and stirrup pendant. This piece is from an original antique mold, connecting you with the timeless tradition of horse jewelry and connecting you with the great horses of old — both from history and from your personal life. An exceptional charm or pendant with a deco feel featuring a horseshoe, a hunting whip and a stirrup with leathers.

Horseshoe charms are available with the shoe pointed down, such as we see in this piece, or with the shoe pointed up, like a U. If you’re buying this horse jewelry as a gift, you may want to find out if the recipient is superstitious: some folks believe that a horse shoe pointed up is the best kind of good luck charm!

Not this year.  This year will be different — particularly if you’re shopping for horse lovers!  We have the absolutely perfect gift — something that’s guaranteed to delight, that no one else will get them, that’s reasonably priced.

We’re talking about the Sterling Silver Horseshoe and Nameplate Bracelet. This item is one of our top sellers, and it’s easy to see why: an attractive, distinctive, high quality sterling silver bracelet, with five sterling silver horseshoes alternating with six sterling silver nameplates. On each plate goes the name of someone near and dear: beloved horses, the best dogs ever — why, there might even be space on there for the kid’s names! When you’re looking at the picture, examine the second bracelet from the top: that’s the one we’re talking about.

This is the type of piece you can wear every single day.  Sterling silver goes with everything, and the design of this piece is appropriate for all but the most formal occasions.  A thoughtful gift, sure to be treasured, and a tangible demonstration of how much you care!  Cross one name (or more!) off your shopping list now and make the holiday season less stressful for you — and more joyful for the person you give the bracelet to!

I was reminded of this proverb, first delivered to us from the sands of Arabia so very long ago, on a ride this weekend. There is no sensation quite equal to the thrill of riding: that effortless partnership covering miles, civilization left far behind at the trail head, the timeless rhythm of hooves, new wonders discovered with every hour of exploration. We’d gone a long way on this ride, through some wild country and then flatter, more open fields, where our only companion was the sky, the sun our sole witness.

Tabbi, the mare I was riding, isn’t as young as she might be. I don’t hold that against her, as I’m not as young as I might be either. Here we were, two middle-aged females escaping from everyday life for the afternoon. The trail was wide and flat and open. Tabbi’s ears came forward. There was a little bit of bounce in her gait, if you know what I mean. I leaned forward, pitching my question just for her: “Do you want to go, girl?”

And go we did. I gave Tabbi her head and held on — better riders than me would have plenty to say about my form, I’m sure, and we wouldn’t have won any points for style from any judge, anywhere — but my friends, believe me when I say we flew through that field. Tabbi’s hooves barely brushed the ground. The wind rushed by. It was joy, pure and simple, her exhilaration taking me along for the ride of a life time.

That’s where the love of horses is born, I think — in those few precious moments when we too know what the comet must feel as it hurtles through space. Or perhaps it comes after that, in the barn, after a rubdown, carrots crunching and brown eyes shining, Tabbi assuring me that she’d had a great time too.

I can’t look at this sterling silver necklace without remembering that ride — and I think that’s the point of horse jewelry. It serves as a tangible reminder of those magical moments. Look at the dynamic movement in the manes of these three horses — it’s the same joyous tangle I saw in Tabbi’s mane — that you’ve seen during these grand gallops. A glimpse of our horse jewelry can connect us immediately with those times when we have no office to worry about, no kids to supervise, no relationship angst to angst about. There’s nothing but joy. Nothing but companionship. Nothing but the sure knowledge that these things that give us so much happiness bring so much to the horses we share our lives with. That’s what inspires my horse jewelry collection, and I hope it inspires yours as well!

Compare that to the perhaps more typical good time enjoyed by some counterparts — more typical, perhaps, but less active.  We all have friends, colleagues, or acquaintances who go through life with immaculately manicured nails and dazzling rings with diamonds, rubies, sapphires and other gems sparkling in high-profile, delicate settings.

Have you ever watched those folks try to scratch that itchy spot just under a horse’s mane? How about bending over and checking to see if there’s a stone caught in a hoof? Or simply reaching to close the paddock gate?

Life with horses can be rough on rings.  Delicate settings catch and break, sending your stones to the ground — good luck finding your diamonds in a muddy paddock!

Yet loving horses doesn’t preclude our desire to look good all of the time. That’s why we spend so much time searching out what we call Rider Rings Rider Rings are ideal for everyday wear — even by the most active horse people! An emphasis on design and quality is essential: when you’re not relying on the theatrical affect of high settings and lacy open prongs, you need the innate beauty of the gold, silver, or platinum to shine through.  Lower profile rings don’t catch — you can scoop grain with confidence and straighten the tack room without worrying about damaging your jewelry.  Appropriate in every setting, you can take these rings from barn to ballroom, looking stylish and distinctive the whole time! (They work in the office, grocery store and while you’re out to dinner as well!)

You don’t have to choose between your horses and your rings.  You can have both. You just need to select rings that work in the demanding barn environment.  And that means rider rings!

Your relationship is totally unique — one of a kind, perfect for you and your best beloved. Shouldn’t your wedding jewelry be the same way?

Increasingly, couples across the nation are seeking to really personalize their weddings. Perhaps it’s in response to the troubled times we live in — economic uncertainty, wars, and environmental disaster — that we’re turning to the most basic aspects of our lives for comfort and celebration. What could be more central to our lives than marriage?

No longer are couples bound by the traditional choices of a simple gold wedding band or a solitary diamond to mark an engagement. Using fine design and the jeweler’s art, many couples are opting for wedding jewelry that reflects their personalities or passions. This is certainly true for the horse lovers, who are blessed with a wide range of wedding ring options. This beautiful 14 K gold wedding band style ring is perfect for the horse lover: .33 cwt of diamond horseshoes surround the band, adding the perfect touch of sparkle and flair while evoking the timeless beauty and meaning of the traditional wedding band.

There’s even more flexibility when it comes to engagement rings. One emerging trend is the use of smaller diamonds for engagement rings, often accented by other, perhaps smaller, gemstones. The flash of color that rubies, sapphires or emeralds can provide adds a new dimension to the engagement ring. Additionally, design can say so much about the bride to be.

The bride who wears this ring is clearly someone who appreciates style and everything equestrian. One lovely diamond in the center of a stirrup ring set with pave diamonds, it’s a distinctive, memorable and eminently appropriate ring — perfect if you’re planning to pop the question during a moonlight ride!

Of course, being Hermes means it is also going to have an amazing price tag.  Without exaggeration, you could buy yourself a horse — perhaps an entire stable full of horses and the barn itself! — for what the new line is going to cost.

No  matter! We’ll get that lottery ticket someday!  Meanwhile, there is a lot of vintage Hermes and Hermes inspired equestrian jewelry available right now. Long a favorite of many horse jewelry collectors, the elegant lines, strong styling and bold grace of these pieces make them appropriate in any setting.

At the moment, we’re particularly entranced by this amazing 18K gold snaffle bit bracelet. Imagine this dangling from your wrist: substantial enough to make an impression, airy and designed not to be heavy on the wrist. Every movement, every wave, every handshake, creates just enough sparkle and shine to make meeting you memorable. Hermes did so much with the bit motif — you can see that here in this lovely vintage bracelet and it is truly a fabulous way to communicate your love of horses.

That’s good news for lovers of diamond horse jewelry. A dazzling array of pieces, from elegant estate treasures to contemporary masterpieces, is waiting for you.

How Is Buying Diamond Horse Jewelry Different From Buying Diamond Jewelry?

The Gemological Institute of America has some great resources to help you buy diamonds. There, you will learn about the 4 C’s of a diamond: the Carat, the Color, the Clarity, and the Cut. Diamonds can vary tremendously in quality, so you want to make sure you’re educated about what you’re buying!

When selecting pieces for your horse jewelry collection, you’ll notice several things.  First, rather than focusing on one large stone, as you often see in engagement rings, many horse jewelry pieces make use of several smaller diamonds.  That’s what has been done on this exquisite 14K Gold Majestic Stallion Horse Head Pendant Diamonds are used, to great effect,to highlight the bridle — check out the sapphire bit! That type of detail speaks not only to the jeweler’s art, but a great understanding of horses.

A great understanding of what riders value also makes for great jewelry.  Look at the Rider’s Ring on the left: a vintage piece from 1907, this ring features the low profile and a pierced gallery, guaranteeing the air flow you need to avoid the dreaded sweaty hand syndrome, in and out of the saddle! Stunningly beautiful, this 18k gold ring has three .30ctw rubies (July’s birthstone, if you’re looking for a perfect gift!) and two old, round mine-cut diamonds.

Looking at the beauty, style and distinctive shine of silver, many people assume that the  majority of this metal winds up in jewelry.  After all, it’s so perfectly suited to that purpose!  However, if you want to discover where most silver goes, you need look no further than your cell phone, computer, television, GPS, or any of a million other technological gadgets that surround our daily lives! Batteries contain silver.

Confusion crops up around the term sterling silver. Sterling silver is an alloy, which consists of 92% silver and 8% other metals. Mixing the metals results in a more durable product, as pure silver is exceptionally soft.   Most fine jewelry artisans work far too hard to want to see their artistry obliterated when someone bumps a bracelet against a tabletop accidentally. Sterling silver horse jewelry is durable and beautiful, tough and exquisite — not at all unlike the horses we hold so dear!

When selecting silver jewelry, remember that you’re looking at a material that has timeless appeal — yet is priced to allow you to keep up with the trends without breaking the bank.  Every horse jewelry collection should include some silver!  (And yes, if for no other reason, silver has been known to keep werewolves away.  Talk about peace of mind!)

The passion for American horse jewelry is easy to understand.  Speaking to the rugged, adventerous years of our country’s history, a time when cowboys rode out on the range, and a good horse was all the transportation you needed to reach your dreams, this piece is perfect for the individualist who appreciates tradition, history, and exquisite craftsmanship.

This piece was handmade and signed by Mr. Ilfield, who lived in New Mexico until his death in 1944.  We’re not sure exactly when the piece was made, but it was definitely after he’d become an accomplished artist: the bezel set bright turquoise stones are surrounded by applied twisted silver wire, evoking the look and feel of rope.

Who’s wearing American artist jewelry? You need look no further than Hollywood, where stars have been accenting outfits from the carefully casual to red carpet elegant with American pieces.  The Old West is a perpetual fashion favorite, and speaks to individual strength and personal vision.  It’s a innovative fashion choice for those in leadership positions, who have to forge a path to success that isn’t traveled by just anyone.  After all, not every man is a cowboy — nor every woman a cowgirl!

Turquoise is thought to promote good health and healing, and coupled with the traditional horseshoe shape, could you ask for a luckier piece to wear? Ideal for gifting to the person you hold most dear — tomorrow’s classic, delivered today!