This Friday’s feature is courtesy of Tiffany & Co.’s Frank Gehry collection. The famed architect designed a collection for Tiffany in the same instantly recognizable style as his beautiful buildings. Raymond Lee Jewelers is happy to present this banded agate Torque bracelet from the collection, a subtle study in elusive intrigue; at first it looks simple, but upon closer inspection you can see the lines and curves of this gorgeous bracelet. Specs below!

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It’s Friday, it’s nearly the weekend, and we’re back with another installment of our Weekly Web Series! last week, we gave tips on how to get the most money for your gold, and today, we’re back with ways you can be sure you’re getting the highest offer when selling your watch. Customers visit our Boca Raton showroom daily seeking expertise on selling their watches or taking out a collateral loan on their luxury watches. Sometimes they’ve already sold to us and are back for another transaction, sometimes they’re new to selling jewelry and watches and are looking for guidance before committing to a sale. Either way, we’re always happy to help, answer questions, and make sure our clients leave with the best possible offer – or better yet a satisfying check. Check out our video below, and I’ve listed the resources at the end of the post:

Again, don’t hesitate to call us with your questions at 1-800-329-4367, or fill out our contact form here.

Liz for Raymond Lee Jewelers South Florida’s choice for buying and selling luxury watches, preowned watches, and watch repair.

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It’s time for another round of Thirsty Thursday, and today’s specials are the Gentleman’s Jack Frost and a stunning Deco Diva cocktail ring set with diamonds in white gold surrounding a breathtaking citrine stone. Check out the stats and recipe below!

Visit Carolyn Jung’s website Food Gal to get this warm recipe.

Item Details

Liz for Raymond Lee Jewelers, your source for diamond jewelry, luxury estate jewelry, and designer jewelry,

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If you’re a regular reader then you know how we love to keep tabs on the latest gorgeous jewelry sold at the fine auction houses. Sometimes we feel like we’re in Hong Kong, London or Geneva just ogling the lots from our Boca Raton jewelry showroom! Today’s auction story comes to us from National Jeweler who reported on Christies London’s “Jewellery” auction last week. Below are the top lots, courtesy of Christie’s, with the descriptions and results from NJ.

The top lot of the auction was a pair of yellow diamond pavé and onyx “Tiger” earrings and a signed Cartier ring, which sold for $66,346 after a pre-sale estimate high of $18,000.

A signed Tiffany & Co. ring with a 2.03-carat raised claw-set brilliant-cut diamond, between brilliant-cut diamonds and in a platinum mount realized $38,350 at the auction, more than double its pre-sale estimate high of $14,000.

A diamond necklace of claw-set brilliant-cut diamonds with a concealed clasp, set in white gold, sold for $28,763.

Below, check out the gallery of some more of our favorite pieces from this particular auction:

Liz for Raymond Lee Jewelers, your source for jewelry industry news and jewelry auction updates, pre owned Cartier, pre owned Tiffany, and South Florida’s diamond source.

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On Wedding Wednesday we typically like to focus on all of the aesthetically pleasing elements of weddings; all things floral, ethereal, heartfelt, and thoughtfully crafted - not to mention oodles of gorgeous engagement rings – are our favorite aspects of weddings to cover. However, there’s one, all important aspect of a planning a wedding that greatly affects all of the fun stuff we mentioned above, and that’s the wedding budget.

Today, The Wedding Report published their 2011 stats about the average cost of a wedding. Overall, spending is down 3.4% from 2010, bringing the national average for wedding costs to $25,631. According to the report:

“When adjusted for inflation, the average wedding cost decreased by almost 6%. Gift/s for Attendants, Wedding Bands, Rehearsal Dinner, Engagement Announcements, and Gift/s for Parents saw the biggest decrease in spending. Planner Full Service, Photo Engagement Session, Ceremony Location, Reception Rentals, and Reception Location saw the biggest increase in spending.”

The report is thoroughly detailed and breaks down spending in the various categories of wedding costs, but we’ve highlighted the big ticket items that brides spent more on in 2011:

Gown – Up 10% from 2010′s average cost of $1,053, the average bride spent $1,166 on her wedding dress in 2011. Bear in mind that this cost does not include important accessories like the veil, jewelry, shoes, or other accessories (not to mention the groom’s Big Day wardrobe).

Full Service Planners – Brides value leaving it to the pro’s more than ever, as reflected by a 39.8% increase in the cost of a full service planner. Couples shelled out an average of $3,482 for vendor connections, inspiration, execution, and overall peace of mind.

Location, Location, Location - Couples in 2011 strove to give their weddings the biggest impact through ceremony and reception locations, with spending costs up 25.8% and 20.8% respectively for each venue, making the average 2011 cost $1,179 for ceremony location and $3,228 for reception location. Additional increases related to this category were seen in reception rentals (up 23.3%), bar service, (11.6%) food service (10%), and the cake (9.6%)

Chris Joriann Photography as featured by Wedding Blog by the Breakers

Photography -In nearly every category of the photography line on their budgets, couples spent more in 2011. Namely, couples spent more on digital or photo cd/dvd ($335), engagement sessions ($422), prints and enlargements ($230), and even the traditional wedding album ($476). Only the cost of the talent itself decreased, to an average of $1,668 for photographers and $1,054 for videographers.

Surprisingly, even with the rising cost of gold in 2011, and the higher price of diamonds in 2011, engagement ring and wedding band costs decreased from 2010 by 6.8% and 36.7%, respectively. Given that the average cost of an engagement ring in 2011 was $3,231, at Raymond Lee Jewelers we understand how important it is to make every last dollar count when shopping for an engagement ring. The average costs of each wedding aspect can vary greatly by location, and here in Boca Raton we know it’s even more important to get a good deal when shopping for a diamond ring.

Our South Florida showrooms feature gorgeous engagement rings, diamond rings and wedding bands at incomparable prices; even our designer pieces sell for significantly less than retail because they are estate or pre-owned. Diamond jewelry as a wedding gift or a luxury timepiece for the lucky groom also come with a smaller price tag, but exceptional quality.

Bear in mind that the numbers above are only averages, and shouldn’t dictate your budget; regardless of what you’re comfortable spending, dedicated wedding vendors, venues, and jewelers like us will work with you at any budget.

Liz for Raymond Lee Jewelers, South Florida’s choice for buying and selling  engagement rings, wedding bands and wedding trends.

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Style Me Pretty is consistently one of our favorite Wedding Wednesday resources. Always abounding with inspiration and ideas, SMP features breathtaking real couples’ weddings regularly. One that caught our eye this week stood out from the crowd – not only because the bride wore black!

We love this Kansas City wedding with its homespun touches, sophisticated warmth, and Vera Wang-inspired gothic gown. Jessica and Hunter’s wedding “re-do” reflects their creativity and desire to do things differently – you can read their story over at SMP or click on any of our favorite images from the gallery to visit.

Photography + Styling: Alea Lovely Photo + Video / Florals + Event Design: Amy Cason of Victorian Gardens / Cake: Classic Cakes / Makeup: Cara Porter / Hair: Katie Welch of Love Your Bobby Pins / Dress Designer: Alea Bebenek of The Bridal Tree (Dress available for purchase on Etsy) / Venue: The Bauer in Kansas City, Missouri (816-842-1820) / Invitations: Allie Statler of Announce This Design / Photo Lab: Richard Photo Lab

Liz for Raymond Lee Jewelers, South Florida’s choice for buying and selling  engagement rings, wedding bands and wedding trends.

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Last week we covered Rapaport’s announcement that diamond prices rose 19% in 2011. Today, the final tally for gold is in, and National Jeweler has the report on their home page.

With gold up 9% in 2011 (thanks, in part, to some of the same factors that affected the price of diamonds), it’s clear that the 11-year trend of rising gold prices isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The various factors that affect the price of gold are key for understanding why the gold price keeps rising. And once you understand why the price of gold is continually on the upswing (for now, at least), it puts you in a better position should you decide to sell your gold. We see more people wanting to sell gold and jewelry in our Boca Raton showroom than ever before – it’s what inspired our web series last week, in fact, about how to get the most money for your gold.

We highly recommend checking out National Jeweler’s gold story to keep yourself informed and in the loop about gold’s behavior. And if you find yourself needing to sell gold in South Florida, or even from out of state, bear in mind that Raymond Lee Jewelers has been a trusted name in the jewelry and gold buying business for nearly 30 years, and our offer is more often than not the highest our customers receive.

Liz for Raymond Lee Jewelers, South Florida’s most reputable source for buying and selling gold.

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Happy Tuesday Shoesday dear readers. Today we’re day dreaming of the sunny, sparkling seashore beckoning to us from our Boca Raton showroom. And while we can’t feel the sand beneath our toes until after close, we can certainly imagine the lovely shades of blue on every wave, wistfully thinking of the life Aquatic!

Liz for Raymond Lee Jewelers, your source for fashion trends,  diamond jewelry, luxury estate jewelry, and designer jewelry.

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AP Photo via NPR Boston

AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez via Denver Post

Have you heard? Both the NFC and AFC have new champions, and perhaps you may not know, but these two winning teams are the final contendors for victory in a little game of football known as Superbowl XLVI. See you Sunday, Feburary 5th 2012 – be sure you’re on time!

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It’s a new week, and a new watch here in Boca Raton at the Raymond Lee Jewelers watch boutique. Today we’re showing off this sleek Panerai Pam 0210 Radiomir in stainless steel and black leather. We like the rounded square case for its novelty, and the round dial for its classic simplicity. This watch is perfect in basic black, but upon closer inspection shows its true colors – timeless elegance.

Product Description

Liz for Raymond Lee Jewelers, South Florida’s choice for luxury watches,preowned watches, and watch repair.

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Welcome back to our new Sunday Series – throwbacks from past posts of yore. Enjoy below, and see if we were right in predicting any of 2012′s biggest new trends:

On this wonderful Wedding Wednesday, we’re hoping to provide brides-to-be(-to-be) with a little eye candy. The Knot and Bing Shopping have both tallied up the biggest trends in engagement rings for 2012, and they do not disappoint! 2012 will usher in rings that allow brides to express their personality with feminine, personal touches. The top trends that Raymond Lee Jewelers loves most are:

• Colored Stones – any ring finger can use a jolt of color!
• Halo Settings – classic, yet the ultimate in sparkle, a halo setting can modernize the most timeless solitaire without dating it.
• Vintage Inspiration – intricate details harken back to the golden ages before; perfect for sentimental ladies & girls who want to stand out.
• Eco-Friendly stones & diamonds with a conscience – because our rings are estate or pre-owned jewels, our diamonds get recycled in the most beautiful settings.

We combed through our bridal showcases to pick out some of our favorite, on-trend rings for 2012. Enjoy!

Liz for Raymond Lee Jewelers, South Florida’s choice for buying and selling vintage engagement rings, antique wedding bands and wedding trends.

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Selling or trading your gold and gold jewelry is an option to earn extra income, liquidate assets, or simply earn cash for jewelry you don’t wear anymore. With the state of the economy, we buy more gold in our Boca Raton showroom than ever before. Our customers are usually wary of getting too-low offers or being outright scammed, and we like to reassure them. Raymond Lee Jewelers’ name is trusted in the South Florida community; we’ve been in business for nearly 30 years, and we always want our customers to be satisfied with their transactions. We firmly believe that the best way to get a good deal on buying or selling jewelry is education, so we put together these helpful tips for selling your gold, and how to get the most money when doing it.

Here’s the link that I mentioned to our video How Gold Prices Are Determined, and here is the link to Kitco’s gold prices. Again, don’t hesitate to call us with your questions at 1-800-329-4367, or fill out our contact form here.

Liz for Raymond Lee Jewelers, South Florida’s most reputable source for buying and selling gold.

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This week’s Friday Feature is a uniquley stunning Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5087/1A in stainless steel and diamonds. The slim numeral markers surrounding the dial lend a graphic, sunburst quality to the watch’s face, and the inlaid diamond bezel is refined luxury at its finest. We love the sleek black dial almost as much as the chunky hands and seamless stainless steel links. Check out the stats below, or visit our Boca Raton store to see this Patek Philippe in person!

Product Description

Liz for Raymond Lee Jewelers, South Florida’s choice for Boca Raton luxury watches,preowned watches, and watch repair.

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Cheers readers, we’re back with another Thirsty Thursday feature. Today we’re showing off one of our favorite cocktail rings, this citrine, diamond and tanzanite checkerboard sparkler. We think it pairs perfectly with this Pompanski Martini courtesy of Mix Shake and Pour. With grapefruit juice, vodka, and a hint of vermouth, it’s a citrus-y way to beat the winter blues; although who could be blue while wearing this sunny cocktail ring?

Item Details

Click here for the recipe for this Pompanski martini.

Liz for Raymond Lee Jewelers, your source for diamond jewelry, luxury estate jewelry, and designer jewelry,

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This modern, glamorous wedding still oozes Southern charm from its city-chic decor. We love the glitzy touches, the lovely shade of purple, and dramatic lighting conceptualized and created by Charlotte event planners Carolina Wedding Design. What sets this beautiful wedding apart though, is the couple’s touching story. The bride’s battle against Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – and her husband’s unerring support and loyalty – has cemented the couple’s deep commitment to each other. Definitely visit Elizabeth Anne Designs to read the couple’s story, and see a few of our favorite images, shot by the very talented Tara Maudlin Photography, below.

The following Charlotte wedding vendors contributed to Ross and Morgan’s wedding:

Photography – Tara Mauldin Photography \ Wedding Planning – Carolina Wedding Design \ Floral – The Place for Flowers \ Venue – The Ballantyne Hotel \ Videography – Crown Alley Films \ Gown – Kleinfeld \ DJ – Split Second Sound \ Photobooth – Shutter Booth

Liz for Raymond Lee Jewelers, South Florida’s choice for buying and selling  engagement rings, wedding bands and wedding trends.

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