What began in a tiny garage with only wood burning heat and a struggling fine arts graduate as the sole employee turned into something great; with a lot of hard work and enjoyment for what he did Images was born. Since 1976 we have had a passion for making jewelry. From those humble beginings our customer base has grown exponentially and encompases all walks of life.

Today, perhaps because we are no longer in a garage, but in a beautiful ,state of the art facility the concencus is that we must be expensive. The fact is that custom jewelry can be in all price points and something that everyone has the budget to be part of. Custom jewelry is not just for the wealthy, but anyone who wants something unique or special. Imagine being part of the design process and giving the gift of true art. Imagine how wonderful your wife will feel when she wears a piece of jewelry that no other woman has and that you were part of the process to complete it. Come in and see us, and see that making your own custom jewelry is a fun process and does not have to be expensive.

This stunning mothers ring was designed by our very own award winning designer Bob Klose and features a truly unique center stone. The marquis diamond is natural fancy deep orangy pink. The trilliant side stones add just enough at .89cttw, without taking away from the spectacular center stone. The ring itself is made with our own alloy developed here at Images called strawberry gold, which is a combination of 18k gold, platinum, and copper.

John Hardy was founded by Canadian artist John Hardy in 1989. He visited Bali during the mid-1970s and the island’s jewelry-making traditions peaked his interest. Working with local artisans, Hardy created his first pieces by applying new design concepts to traditional Balinese techniques.

In 1999, Guy Bedarida  joined the company as Head Designer. He draws his design inspiration from nature, classical European jewelry techniques, and the ancient art of Asia.

The company is now owned by CEO Damian Dernoncourt and Guy Bedarida , continues to make handmade jewelry.

Today, John Hardy jewelry is sold all around the world in upscaled stores, includiung our own store and through our website.

Bella Swan’s engagement ring comes to a jewelry store near you (not us, sorry). 

For those Twilight fans coveting the engagement ring Edward Cullen gives to Bella Swan, Stephanie Meyer is offering a compromise.  No, not Edward, but a similar ring.

Based on the ring described in her book, Meyer has co-designed the now famous ring with Infinite Jewelry Co.  For $1,979 one can get a genuine version of Bella Swan’s engagement ring in 14k white or yellow gold.  The fashion version of the ring is also available to Twilight recessionistas for the wallet-friendly price of $35.

Visit Infinite Jewelry Co. to learn more.

Many jewelers, including us here at Images, have pledged not to buy gold from the controversial Pebble Mine proposed for construction along Alaska’s Bristol Bay watershed.
The Pebble Mine is a joint venture between Anglo American and Vancouver, Canada-based mining company Northern Dynasty, which, if completed, would be North America’s largest open-pit copper and gold mine. The mining companies say the project would offer much needed jobs to the area and that the environmental impact would be mitigated.

But the proposal has drawn fire from local residents, fishermen and environmental groups amid claims that the project would bring irreversible harm to the fragile ecosystem of Bristol Bay, home to the world’s last wild sockeye salmon fishery.

In a press release issued Tuesday by environmental group Earthworks, it states that a total of 12 new jewelers, including giant Zales, have now joined the movement to protect Bristol Bay from mining.

The new members join 20 other retail jewelers, including major chains Tiffany and Co. and Birks and Mayors, that have already pledged not to buy gold from Pebble. Together, anti-Pebble entities now account for $6 billion in annual jewelry sales.

Images Jewelers President Robert Klose states that his store is committed to sourcing gold and other precious metals in a responsible manner.

“Gold should be mined in a safe and environmentally protective manner,” Klose said . “Therefore, Images is happy to support, alongside other jewelers, the pledge to protect our planet from large-scale metals mining.”

As more jewelers sign on expressing their opposition to the mine, the project continues to move forward.

According to the release, Anglo American and Northern Dynasty recently announced plans to invest another $73 million in the project this year, with plans to submit mine permit applications in 2011.

Because jewelry represents more than 80 percent of gold demand globally, retailers are an important and emerging voice in the fight against the mine and futrue projects like it.

Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez recently received a gift for winning the 2009 National League batting title. On Saturday, Marlins team owner Jeffrey Loria presented the ball player with a diamond-studded necklace, according to various media reports.

Ramirez set a franchise record with his .342 batting average, and in honor of that figure, Loria had the necklace inscribed in diamonds with “.342,” complete with a special teal diamond to mark the decimal point.

The design sparkles with 394 diamonds and reads “Hanley Ramirez 2009 N.L. Batting Champion.” On the flip side is the inscription, “Congratulations–Jeffrey Loria”.

Ramirez, reportedly a big fan of bling, won’t be able to wear his new diamonds on the playing field, but Marlins fans will get to wear versions of their own during opening night at the Marlins home base on April 9.

As an opening night promotion when the Marlins play the Dodgers at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., next week, the first 5,000 fans to show up will receive a replica necklace with cubic zirconia.

The craftsmen at Images Jewelers pride themselves on providing custom jewelry of the highest quality and value. From the smallest ring, to the largest necklace, the craftsmen at Images Jewelers will take your idea and mold it into a beautiful creation. We have nearly 100 years of collective experience in providing our clients with the finest crafted jewelry available.

Custom jewelry comes in many shapes, sizes and price levels. In it’s most basic sense, custom jewelry has three distinct levels.

• Level 1: Good - Assembled jewelry (or stock jewelry) using mass produced parts and standard gem sizes.
• Level 2: Better - Zero Atmosphere vaccum casting and finishing.
• Level 3: Best - Hand fabricated from raw materials.

Each level of custom jewelry design brings with it a new set of price points, design options, and style options. In many cases there are also cross over features where we may use a stock head in a custom ring or hand fabricated parts in a casting. These categories are not exclusive, but they do allow us the opportunity to design a ring to your needs.

To help you deicde how you want your custom jewelry created for you, we’ve created several pages to help explain what each level can do for you. If you ever have any questions please call us here at the store or send us an email, either way that you feel most comfortable and we would be delighted to help.

A 6,225ct. rough emerald has been unearthed from the Kagem mine in Zambia. The rough stone has been crowned the named “Insofu.” The term is translated as Elephant. The gem was found during normal mining operations at the facility. The stone is said to have excellent color and translucency.

Now you can become a fan of John Hardy and get a sneak peek of his new collections, check out latest press from around the world and give him your feedback. Click here to become a fan of John Hardy on Facebook.

If predictions of catastrophic temperature rises come true few people may be better equipped to deal with that nightmare than graduates of a unique eco-school on the Indonesian island of Bali, where an innovative curriculum has been designed to produce future “stewards of the environment”.

Founded last year by Canadian John Hardy and his American wife, Cynthia, the Green School is nestled in a tropical grove near Ubud, in the centre of an island better known for its luxury beachside resorts.The only man-made structure visible at what amounts to the school gate is a 140-foot bamboo bridge with a sweeping roof made of traditional grass slats known locally as alang-alang.Small crops of rice and vegetables grow on each side of the river, living class projects meant to connect the children to the food they eat.

Following the path on the other side of the bridge, the hypnotic humming of cicadas and the gurgling of the Ayung is suddenly broken by children’s laughter, the first reminder that this is actually a schoolyard.

And so it unfolds: a school made entirely of bamboo, with open classrooms covered by roofs of alang-alang; a campus dotted by crops and edible plants like fragrant lemon grass and papayas; and John Hardy, sitting in a sarong and sandals and explaining that it is time to “bring the kids back to the Earth”.

“Green School is like a seed for the future, something that will grow in spirit,” Hardy tells AFP in an interview, over a cool drink made from fresh ginger which has been grown by the students. “We are teaching reading, writing and arithmetic but we are doing it in a completely ‘green’ environment. My belief is that this affects the heart of the child and we will end up with ‘green’ beings.”The Hardys, 30-year residents of Bali, provided the start-up capital for the school through the sale of their jewelery business in 2007.

Opened in September last year, the school has around 150 students from 23 countries, ranging from grades one to nine.In addition to core subjects like maths and literacy, which are based on the Cambridge International General Certificate in Secondary Education, the school offers ecology studies and “mud-between-the-toes” activities tailored to each age-group.

Experiential learning is encouraged through the growing of crops and projects involving aquatic systems, awareness of waste and water usage, animal care, sustainable building and renewable energy. Teachers and students use self-composting toilets and a biodiesel generator supplies most of the school’s electricity. The plan is to take the school “off the grid”, using solar panels and a hydropower unit connected to the river.