Christmas has to be one of our favourite times of the year. We work around the clock to make our jewellery and bespoke pieces in time for December 25th, and it's a magical feeling imagining how each piece will be received that day.
But...the environmental cost of all the festivities - from the decorations to wrapping paper and cards and Christmas trees - has been giving us serious pause for thought. That’s why we’ve made a list of ten top tips to have a green Christmas!
...RENT A TREE
Did you know you can rent trees now? Real trees are less harmful to the environment than plastic varieties, but it’s still not a sustainable model to buy them outright. Millions of trees are thrown away and put into landfill rather than being recycled into wood chippings every year, after being used for only a few weeks.
The answer? Companies like primrosevale.com and loveachristmastree.co.uk will rent you one. You can have it for as long as you need before they take it back to their farm where your tree will be taken care of until next Christmas. You can even have the same one year after year or chop and change as you see fit.
If you do decide to buy a tree, see if you can avoid sending it to a landfill. If you chop it into smaller pieces most councils will collect it to be composted or your tree supplier might collect it in the New Year.
EAT WELL...
Of course, we should aim to eat well all year round, but since feasting is one of the central aspects of Christmas these days, it seems even more important to make sure our food at this time of the year is as healthy as possible. For ourselves and the environment.
Put simply, if we can make sure our meat is organic, free range and locally sourced if possible, our vegetables seasonal and our plastic packaging minimal, our impact on the environment will be significantly reduced.
That’s why this year we’re getting our supplies from Riverford Organics. They’ve got all sorts of delicious recipe kits, veg and meat boxes and so on especially for Christmas so it couldn’t be easier. It’s all organic and seasonal and ethical and totally delicious! Able and Cole do something similar as well.
...AND REDUCE YOUR FOOD WASTE
There are only so many turkey sandwiches you can get through before you start thinking about binning it. Don’t do it! In 2014 we collectively threw away £64 million-worth of food!
Get creative in the kitchen...turn your leftovers into stock and make a delicious risotto for Boxing Day. Make space in the freezer for all those extra roast potatoes. Even the wine you didn’t finish can be frozen so you can use it for making stock later.
Think about portion sizes so you and your guests get exactly what you need and no more, try this handy portion planner if you need a hand figuring it out.
USE LED CHRISTMAS LIGHTS...
LED lights are much more energy efficient than the more traditional lights that we might have grown up with. And they look just as pretty, especially as they don’t have to be bright white anymore. You can now find ones that have that lovely warm yellow light that feels more traditional and homely.
By using them - as well as solar-powered lights outdoors - you’ll not only be helping the environment but your wallet as well, as your electricity bills will be so much smaller.
...AND GOOD CANDLES
Candles can add a magical atmosphere to any occasion, but did you know that they can also emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere if they are made of paraffin wax? Unfortunately, these are the most common form of candles these days. See if you can find candles made from beeswax or vegetable wax.
REUSE AND RECYCLE
Whether you think the best part of Christmas is giving or receiving presents, there’s a lot of wrapping paper involved in any case. Lots and lots of wrapping paper. Some estimates have it that around 300,000 miles of the stuff will be used over the festive period!
Obviously, the best thing to do would be to reuse your paper year after year. Or you could embrace the humble yet classic brown paper to which you can add your own decorations. But if you want to buy new, we love London-based re-wrapped.
Remember to use the “scrunch test” when recycling this year’s wrapping paper. If it doesn't scrunch up, it can’t be recycled. Don’t forget to remove any sticky tape and decorations like bows as these cannot be recycled. And any foil or glitter decorated paper needs to go in the general waste sadly.
Or you could think outside the box and…
...USE FABRIC INSTEAD OF PAPER
Fabrics like scarves and shawls look fantastic used instead of paper, and they can be reused and repurposed many times over. You could either use your own pieces of fabric or check out companies like Happy Wrap who have a range of beautiful fabric and recycled paper options. Have a look here for some inspiring fabric wrapping ideas on pinterest. Pinterest has some great ideas you can use for inspiration.
On the subject of reusing and recycling: did you know that all of our gold and silver is recycled? We decided that had to be the way forward for us here at Catherine Zoraida and we’re so happy we followed that path...
Last year - with your incredible support - we were able to raise funds for the Marine Conservation Society. So this year we wanted to help Friends of the Earth in the same way.
The natural environment is a constant source of inspiration for our jewellery. But it’s also essential for our wellbeing and survival and that of all the other living beings with whom we share this amazing planet. Yet human activity is continuously putting pressure on our fragile ecosystem. Friends of the Earth seek to reverse and lessen our impact on the environment and need all the help they can get.
So we take real pride in being part of the #goodkarmasale, a growing movement that's putting a more positive spin on the typical Black Friday sale to make a beneficial impact on the world around us. We are one of many small businesses participating in this ethically minded answer to Black Friday, introduced by Kim Krans in 2015.
Dragonfly Pendant £152
And it’s not just small businesses that are rethinking attitudes towards sale season. In 2016, Patagonia pledged to give all of its profits from Black Friday to various good causes. They had predicted a figure of $2 million. They actually made $10 million. That’s a serious gesture from a big company. Imagine how much could be raised for deserving causes if more businesses donated at least some of their profits to charity. This is a model we genuinely believe in.
We are so happy to have been working alongside Friends of the Earth over the past year. Their passion is awe inspiring. They’ve got a number of campaigns running that are close to our hearts. From their efforts to reduce plastic waste - especially in our oceans - to their campaign to help save British Bees, they’re a charity who are doing important work.
So please do come and have a look. Whether you’re buying for someone special as a gift or treating yourself, spread the love and feel good with the big changes we can make when we all work together.
Zodiac Pendants £117.60
Double Leaf Earrings £120
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This year we decided to shoot the new collection - Nature Rocks - in the beautiful Cairngorm's in the Scottish Highlands. Scotland has a particular resonance for me as it’s where I grew up, just a hop, skip and a jump from the Cairngorms National Park. I have many fond childhood memories of family holidays and adventures in the wild and I knew the breathtaking scenery and dramatic skies of this part of the world would make the perfect place for the shoot.
When it came to choosing our muse it had to be the Hawaiian model, surfer and globetrotter, Leila Thomas. She is seriously cool and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to work with her for the first time. I loved the idea of combining her tropical, exotic features with the wild Scottish landscapes of the Cairngorms. So with great excitement, we booked the location where we would all meet in July.
It had been an incredibly warm summer but just as we were packing up to set off, the weather took a turn for the worse. It looked like we would arrive in Aviemore just in time for the storms to hit. As you can probably imagine the prospect of non-stop rain was a worrying thought. But in the end, we counted our lucky stars as we couldn’t have asked for better weather. The sun burst through the clouds and bathed the Cairngorms in sunshine. It was spectacular.
It was such a joy to share this magical place with Leila. We all fell in love with her instantly, it was like working with an old friend. Her warmth and energy was such a joy to be around. I felt incredibly lucky to have such a fantastic team as well. Alongside my husband Ollie, who was shooting the new campaign, we also had Susanna Sanford. She is another absolute star who worked her magic with beautiful flowers to enhance the scenes and add that extra romantic touch. We also had the supremely talented Lily Gregory on hair and make up.
One of my favourite parts of the shoot has to have been the bedroom scene where Susie dressed a four poster bed with pink roses and beech leaves. I also love the scene with Leila in a sweet little rowing boat filled with flowers. It was a dream team, and we had loads of fun hanging out in the evenings after a long day’s shoot.
We were staying and shooting in the same location, Inschriah, for a week, so it quickly felt like home, and we all settled into its relaxed charm with ease. Just a short drive from the town of Aviemore, this estate has been in the same family for generations and is currently being run by the lovely Walter Micklethwait. He couldn’t have made us feel more welcome.
And what a place: both the house and the surrounding estate are heavenly. The River Spey runs through it so evenings were spent having barbeques on its banks and Ollie even got some fishing in.
Grabbing a short break to bask in the sun next to one of the cool cabins at Inschriah.
Dotted around the place were all sorts of cabins, wandering wildlife and various intriguing structures, one of which won the Shed of the Year Awards in 2015. Walter has even made himself a small gin distillery. Attached to the side is a little shop where you can buy all sorts of weird and wonderful things that he has collected and treasured over the years. And it was with considerable delight that on the final evening of the shoot, Walter’s wife gave birth to twins. We all had a very fun evening that night celebrating this special news as well as it being our last dinner all together.
After having such a magical time, it was sad when it came to packing up to leave at the end of the week. But I couldn't be more proud of the team and, of course, so excited to finally share the new collection with you.
And thats a wrap! A big hug at the end of the weeks shoot.
You will find butterflies with sliced gemstones for wings, polar bears resting on faceted chrysoprase icebergs, and tiny dragonflies that will dance around your neck. There are lots more pieces besides, and I loved introducing these more unusual cuts of stone into my designs for the first time.
I wanted to combine the new collection alongside some of my previous pieces on the shoot to show how well they can work together. Just by layering different pieces together you can effortlessly create your own look. Nothing makes me happier than seeing people having fun with their jewellery: mixing it up, layering old with new. If it makes you feel good and happy, that is what it’s all about.
Jewellery - Catherine Zoraida
Model - Leila Thomas
Photography - Oliver Blackwell
Hair and Make up - Lily Gregory
Flowers - Susanna Sanford
Clothes - Jessica Choay, Bec & Bridge, Under Protection, Free People, Missguided, Wren Cashmere, Madeline Thompson, Rag of Colts
Location - Inschriach
]]>FESTIVAL FUN AND FROLICS
We’ve had some glorious days of sunshine recently and now the swallows are returning it can only mean one thing: Summer is now here!
One of the many things we love about this time of the year are the festivals that seem to take place every weekend. Getting together with friends, enjoying cool music and all the other fun stuff you find at festivals these days...it’s one of life’s simplest pleasures!
With that in mind we’ve come up with a list of five unique festivals we are thinking of going to this summer and that some of you might just fancy as well. Choosing what to wear can also be part of the fun, so we’ve got some suggestions for pieces from our collection that we think will work perfectly for each festival.
PORT ELIOT, JULY 26 - 29
This is number one on our list as we’ve been several times before and it’s always been very special. We had a workshop there one year, in collaboration with Anthropologie, where we taught people how to cast using cuttlefish and create their very own unique necklace. It is one of the oldest techniques of casting and still works beautifully!
The festival takes place in the magical grounds of Port Eliot, an estate that sits on the banks of the Tiddy in Cornwall. It’s ‘a festival of ideas’ and as much about the ‘arts’ as it is about music, so there are lots of talks and workshops as well as great tunes. These are some of the things we’re excited about, in no particular order:
As it’s in Cornwall, we thought that a delicate Gold Shell Pendant might be an appropriate piece to wear.
BLUE DOT, JULY 19 - 22
We’ve never been to this before but it looks seriously cool. Blue Dot takes place in the grounds of the Jodrell Bank Deep Space Observatory near Manchester. There’s loads of cool music as well as live science experiments (!) and surreal art installations. The music line up looks fab and includes:
As there’s a bit of a deep space thing going on, it would only make sense to wear one of our Zodiac pendants or rings or maybe a Starry Night Cosmic bracelet.
FESTIVAL NO. 6, SEPTEMBER 6 - 9
This is another festival we’ve never been to and it’s hot on our list, it looks amazing. Festival No. 6 happens in Portmeirion, a fantasy village in North Wales that was built to resemble a Mediterranean town. Surrounded by sea, mountains and woodland, it looks magical. This is pretty much a pure music festival, and we’re looking forward to seeing:
Given it’s surrounded by lush woodland maybe an Apple Twig Ring would go down well?
STANDON CALLING, JULY 26 - 29
This one is in the grounds of a stately home in Hertfordshire, so it’s not too far away from those of you who live in London. Standon Calling looks excellent for two reasons. Number one: it’s got a great music line up. Number two: you can bring your dogs! And since Foxy is as much a part of the team at Zoraida HQ as anyone else that makes us very happy indeed. Highlights for us include:
With this theme we thought you could layer up with the new Starry Night collection to finish off your cosmic look.
RED ROOSTER, MAY 31 - JUNE 2
OK, we’re not going to lie to you. We don’t recognise any of the acts playing at the Red Rooster festival apart from Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton. And only know about him because we saw him on TV a while ago. But it looks amazing! It’s all about American roots music at this bash in Suffolk. Think: country, blues, soul, folk, and bluegrass.
Keeping with the American theme, there’s going to be lots stalls selling the type of food usually only found in the Deep South. Any festival that has a Macaroni Cheese Truck has got to be good, right?
How about our silver feather earrings that channel native american vibes for you to look the part?
Now, we said we were going to write a list of just five unique festivals we thought were worth checking out. But there’re so many going on that proved impossible, so we’ve added one more that tickles our fancy...
PETE THE MONKEY, JULY 12 -14
We had to include this as we love the name and as it’s in France. The UK’s not the only place where you can find great festivals. Why not combine a holiday across the Channel with some great music?
Pete the Monkey, which takes place between the sea and forest in Normandy, is also for a great cause that’s close to our hearts. Besides having a good time, the festival aims is to raise money and awareness for a Bolivian conservation charity. The Jacj Cuisi Wild Animal Refuge & Rehabilitation Centre does an amazing and important job of looking after Amazonian monkeys that have been rescued from animal traffickers.
Being in France, the food looks fantastic. They’ve got restaurants from Paris putting on pop up gourmet dining experiences and loads of food trucks as well. The music looks excellent too. We like the sound of:
So for this fun animal loving festival we thought The Golden Monkeynut would be the perfect accessory to add to your look.
So, maybe see you on the dancefloor?
]]>One of our favourite charities - Friends of the Earth - are launching their ‘Bee Cause’ in May, to raise awareness about bee conservation and how we can all do our bit to help our little friends. As we feel it is a vital cause we will be donating 10% of all of our sales from our bee jewellery sold in May to Friends of the Earth.
Bees are so crucial to the natural world, but sadly their numbers are in decline. The last 15 years have seen colonies disappearing around the planet. In some parts of the world, the bee population has declined by 90%! In the UK 13 species of bee have become extinct since 1900 and another 35 species are under threat of extinction.
But bees play such an essential role in the ecosystem. They don’t just make delicious honey: by transferring pollen between male and female plants, they help them to grow and produce fruit and seeds. Without bees, our food chain would be seriously threatened.
As our bee inspired pieces are some of our biggest sellers - like these dinky little stud earrings - we know you guys feel the same way we do. So we thought we’d compile a short list of fun facts about bees and ways that we can all help to look after them.
Did you know…
Our favourite bee fact of all is that honey bees do a little dance to show their friends where there is a good food source. It’s called a “waggle dance!” When they get back to their hives, a bee will move in a figure of eight and waggle its behind in the direction of a good food supply. Which sounds a bit like twerking!
How can I help?
We hope you will have found some food for thought in the above. We certainly learnt a lot writing this post. The Scabious seeds are in the post, and we are mixing the cocktails to perfection. Shaken not stirred. It’s such an important issue to us, and we hope that if we can inspire even a few people to do something positive for bees, then that’ll “bee” a step in the right direction ; )
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WHO WAS ST. VALENTINE?
The martyrdom of two Saints named Valentine occurred on February 14 in the Third Century. They were St. Valentine of Rome and St. Valentine of Terni. And what we know of St. Valentine of Terni suggests that the romantic nature of the day is down to him.
THE LEGENDS SURROUNDING ST. VALENTINE
On hearing two lovers quarreling Valentine gave them a rose. He asked them to hold it in between their hands but to avoid pricking themselves. Sometime later they returned to him and asked him to marry them. A variation of this tale tells us he made pairs of pigeons circle the lovers. As they flew they exchanged gestures of affection inspiring love in the couple.
One legend has it that Emperor Claudius II believed single men made for better soldiers. He outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine saw this as cruel and unfair and married young couples in secret. According to some, Valentine gave the newly-weds hearts cut from parchment. Is this why hearts symbolise Valentine's Day?
Another legend finds Valentine sentenced to death. Awaiting execution he heals Julia, the blind daughter of his jailer, Asterius. One variation of this legend has him fall in love with Julia and write her a letter signed "From Your Valentine." If true this letter is the first recorded Valentine's message...
VALENTINE'S DAY AND LOVE
In the Middle Ages Valentine's Day became associated with romance rather than lust.
It is possible Geoffrey Chaucer first made the connection. In 1382 he wrote a poem celebrating the engagement of Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia.
In it, he refers to the birds coming together to find a mate on February 14th. And with this it seems that he invented Valentine's Day as we know it.
MODERN VALENTINES
By the 1800's exchanging hand-made cards between lovers had become commonplace. Printing technology was flourishing. This and the invention of the stamp in 1840 made sending cards cheaper than ever. The stamp also allowed senders to remain anonymous.
The practice exploded in popularity. The British public sent half a million cards the year after the stamp's invention. Valentine's Day had become a phenomenon.
OUR FAVOURITE VALENTINE'S ALTERNATIVES
St. Dwynwen's Day, in Wales, sees men give their ladies hand-carved wooden "lovespoons." In Romania, on February 25, young men and women search for spring flowers in the snow. The men chase the women back to their villages and kiss the ones they love.
Our favourite alternative is the Chinese celebration of Qixi. The Chinese celebrate this day on the seventh day of the seventh month of their lunar calendar. Qixi celebrates the doomed love of a farmer and a fairy seen as two stars separated by the Milky Way.
These are only a few of the many alternatives to Valentine's Day. The fact there are so many shows we can express our love more than once a year.
If you decide that you would like to give something to a friend, a mother or a lover this valentine's day you are in the right place. Explore our beautiful range of valentine's jewellery to bring some love and luck to someone very special.
What is the Marine Conservation Society? The MCS has been campaigning for over 30 years to protect our seascape and those who call it home. From raising public awareness to influencing government policy and industrial practices the charity has been a major force in protecting the marine environment.
The Impact of Plastic Despite the best efforts of the MCS, our seas and coastlines are still under enormous pressure from human activity. One of the greatest threats is our use of plastics. That’s why the Prince of Wales, the charity’s President, recently warned that “plastic is on the menu.”
HRH was referring to the amount of synthetic materials found in fish destined for tables across the country. It’s not just fish that are being affected though. All manner of wildlife that depends on the sea’s bounty is being impacted by our dependence on plastic. The average amount found in the stomachs of one type of seabird is 0.3 grams according to a BBC study. The equivalent on a human scale would be around 30 grams. That’s just over an ounce of indigestible, nutritionally worthless, potentially fatal and totally unnecessary plastic.
It’s not only on the menu though. It’s on our beaches. According to the charity’s estimates, around 70% of all beach litter is comprised of plastic waste. The problem is no longer out of sight or mind.
What Can We Do? The good news is that if enough of us can make small changes to our daily lives the impact could be dramatically lessened. If you think that 8% of the plastic waste found on beaches comprises of so called single use items like disposable cutlery and plastic straws...well let’s stop using them! Ready for some more stats? Since supermarkets introduced a charge on bags there has been a 40% reduction in the amount of bags found on beaches. There are so many ways we can reduce our dependence on unnecessary plastics. Here are some of our favourites:
And just this week the Evening Standard has also launched a new campaign, The Last Straw to eradicate plastic straws from London’s streets, a step in the right direction.
If you want to find out more about how to reduce your plastics consumption the MCS website is full of useful tips. There’s also the Plastic Challenge which looks like a great challenge!
Why Black Friday?
Whilst our customers are thinking generously about gifts for your loved ones, we also wanted to help share that love with our planet which desperately needs our attention. We hope that by working together we can make some kind of positive impact. All of our pieces are influenced by the natural world and we wanted to give something back to that endless source of inspiration. Giving a portion of our Black Friday sales actually results in a meaningful contribution to a cause we believe in. We believe that we humans are part of the problem. But it is not too late for us to become part of the solution.
]]>With Fairtrade Fortnight coming up we thought it was perfect timing to write a short piece on why we support the Fairtrade Foundation and how fair trade mining can and should be supported.
But first, what is Fairtrade, and what is Fairtrade Fortnight?
Well…..The Fairtrade Foundation was set up in 1992 and, put simply, endeavours to provide farming and worker communities with fairer prices for their goods, decent working conditions and fairer terms of trade. The Foundation allows consumers to have a choice at the point of purchase that a product with the Fairtrade logo will guarantee that the producer of the item will receive a required minimum fee for their goods. The Fairtrade stamp also means the producer adheres to certain guidelines while producing their goods. These include workers rights and standards set to reduce their impact on their local environment. The environmental guidelines are very important, especially when mining for gold.
What is Fairtrade Fortnight?
Well, Fairtrade Fortnight is a promotional campaign set up in 1997 to raise awareness of the Fairtrade Foundation and the general promotion of ethical trading. It is a time to support the foundation with the products you choose to buy and spread the word by telling friends, family and suppliers of the good the foundation brings.
Fairtrade tweeted an interesting thought this week..
‘Did you know that 15,000 cups of tea are drunk every second! Imagine the difference we could make if we all #ChooseFairtrade’
This amazing fact applies to a million products around the world. Imagine the difference it would make if all these producers were getting a fairer price for their goods.
The exploitation of farmers and workers is rife throughout the world. The saying ‘there is no such thing as cheap food’ is all too often very true. A low price tag on the shelf of a supermarket, often means beating down a producer’s prices to an unethical level.
For the past 2 years Catherine Zoraida jewellery has been a certified supplier of Fairtrade Gold and Silver. It is something we are very proud of and something we will continue to support in the future. One day we would like to see the Fairtrade standards applied to all gold mining and the best way for us to help this to happen is to offer and promote Fairtrade as an option where ever we can.
Fairtrade Gold is the worlds first independent ethical certification system for gold. What this means is that the miners involved in producing the metal will have been offered a fair and guaranteed minimum price for their metal. The miners will have also agreed to mine the gold under the standards set by the foundation.
From the Fairtrade website….
The Fairtrade Mark ensures that gold has been extracted and processed in a fair and responsible manner. This means:
• Miners’ organizations are strengthened
Miners form groups to give themselves better bargaining power with
traders, to get a fairer return for their gold, and gain greater control over the
jewellery supply chain. They are required to participate in the social
development of their communities.
• Child labour
Miners’ organisations must eliminate child labour from their organisation. No one under 15 years old must be contracted to work in the mining organisation. Those under 18 must not work in hazardous or dangerous conditions.
• Working conditions are improved
Fairtrade certification requires mandatory use of protective gear and health and safety training for all miners.
• Freedom of association and collective bargaining is respected
Miners’ organisations recognise the right of all workers to establish and join trade unions and collectively negotiate their working conditions.
• Responsible use of chemicals is mandatory
Miners must use safe and responsible practices for management of toxic chemicals, such as mercury and cyanide, in gold recovery. Chemicals have to be reduced to a minimum and where possible eliminated over an agreed time period.
According to the Foundation 90% of the labour force involved in gold mining is made up of artisanal and small scale miners. Together they produce between 200 – 300 tonnes of gold a year. 70% of this is used to make jewellery.
The conditions gold miners work under are often hazardous and the tecniques used can often be polluting. Offering a set price for their gold incentivizes the miners to follow the Fairtrade route, allowing them to receive the money they need to support their business and families while also protecting their environment. It is a win win situation.
Overall, as a producer of gold jewellery there is very little reason not to love what the Fairtrade Foundation have done. Although the cost of Fairtrade Gold is higher it is worth it as we know the good it is doing to the mining communities.
So as of Monday 27th February keep Faritrade Fortnight in mind and if you see the logo when you are doing your shopping, please support it if you can.
Catherine currently has two collections online in Fairtrade gold, The Loveheart Collection and Shooting Star Collection and we can also make any piece on our website to order in Fairtrade Gold should you want it create that extra special piece. Check out the collections here.
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‘Each Christmas I get last minute worried phone calls from my clients looking for something special for their loved ones. This Christmas I thought I would help ease the stress of Christmas shopping with a short walk through my collection and a few tips on what’s new and what I think certain people might like to find under their tree!' Xx Catherine
For the ladies, wives and girlfriends
The Fairtrade Love collection
What better way of saying I love you than with hearts. This timeless collection of delicate designs are all made with solid 9ct Fairtrade gold or silver. We are very proud to be able to offer this ethical option as it is gold and silver with a difference which contributes to a better future. To find out more about the benefits of Fairtrade gold click here. To see the collection, click here.
The Feather collection
Our newest addition to the Zoraida collection, our statement feather pendants and earrings, ooze style and elegance. Wear the earrings with your hair down to create a show stopping look. Click here.
Personalised Disc Pendant
Anything personalised is a huge hit as it always shows you have pre-planned and thought extra carefully to get the perfect present. These pendants are a simple way to say something lovely. They are available in silver, gold or rose gold and can be engraved with an initial or special date. A recent client gave his wife one with the name of their two daughters on each side. A gift that she can treasure forever.
A Zoraida classic
If it is the first time you have shopped with us then you cant go wrong with one of our classics. Either the double leaf earrings (as worn by the the Duchess of Cambridge), the lychee pendant or perhaps a dragonfly necklace.
And of course….
Something sparkly. You can't go wrong with diamonds but if you want something equally special but with a little bit more spirit and colour then the Maui rainbow collection would be perfect. A bit of a splurge but they are seriously special pieces. The Maui rainbow is made up of seven different coloured sapphires. A perfectly sparkly piece to give this Christmas that will be sure to make her smile.
Presents for husbands, fathers, brothers, sons and nephews.
It is often difficult to find presents (other that books, socks and booze) for men (especially Dads) but when you do find something special it is a great feeling and a wonderful touching surprise for the lucky man in question.
Although, primarily a ladies jewellery designer there are a couple of special pieces we do for men.
Firstly, Cufflinks.
Cufflinks are a perfect way to create personalised presents.
We make traditional oval plate and chain cufflinks with your initials engraved on one side and an engraving of your choice on the other. Our personalised cufflinks start at £250 in sterling silver but we can also make them in any choice of gold, palladium or platinum. They can also make a wonderful bespoke gift for a godson that they can treasure forever. Click here for more info.
Alternatively, if you have an idea of something you would love to create we are here to help!
And secondly, another great present that is new to our website is our solid silver buzzard feather paper weight and letter opener. This is a wonderfully unique gift.
It was cast from a real buzzard feather that Catherine found while walking in the Cotswolds. It’s not only a beautiful object but wonderfully useful too! For the ultimate personalised gift we can even engrave the feather’s quill with a special message, name or date.
Gifts for Nieces and God Daughters
Our Zodiac Star sign pendants are the perfect present that suit all ages but I think they can also make a wonderful gift for daughters, nieces or god daughters. Choose from one of our twelve zodiac constellations, each one represents a Zodiac star alignment. All the pendants come in lovely boxes should the piece need to stay safe until the child is at an age for it to be worn. They can also be engraved with a personal message or date and are bound to bring love and luck to someone special.
For those who have everything…..Jewellery boxes
For those ladies who have all the jewellery but no where to put it, perhaps its time to get them something lovely to keep it all in. We now have our own range of Zoraida jewellery boxes and travel rolls for when you are on the go. All made of soft leather in beautiful jewel tone colours, they are a wonderful, thoughtful and special gift for grown ups and children alike to keep their treasures in.
And don’t forget the dog! For the totally pampered pooch we now offer sterling Silver dog tags. Hand engraved to your personal specification. Woof!
And finally…..
New packaging and gift wrapping.
We are very excited that our new packaging has arrived. All items are now shipped in our gorgeous fabric lined, leather boxes and come with individual travel pouches, care cards and look book.
For a small fee we also now offer gift wrapping in CZ tissue paper, ribbon and one of our lovely new gift bags. What more could one ask for at the bottom of your Christmas tree!
We hope this helps you a little in your decisions this Christmas and please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing from you.
Catherine and the team
x
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As with all precious things, your jewellery needs to be cared for and stored properly to keep it looking its best.
We are often asked by our customers for advice on cleaning and caring for their jewellery so we thought we would write a little piece for our blog on the do’s and don’ts for all your precious pieces. So here we go…
Tarnishing.
It is quite common for us to receive worried messages about clients pieces tarnishing. Tarnishing is most commonly caused over time by oxygen but can also be accelerated by certain cosmetics and perfumes which react with the metals. It is easily resolved with a polishing cloth but what we would always advise is to put your jewellery on after any creams or perfumes have been applied. We like to think of jewellery as’ the finishing touch’. If however, that is not possible then just be careful to avoid direct contact when applying your lotions or potions.
Also, when you take your jewellery off it is always worth giving the piece a little rub with a jewellery cloth before storing it, especially if you don’t plan to wear the item again for a little while. Giving it a quick rub will remove any grease or surface build up and prevent tarnishing in the future, so the next time you take them out of the box they will still look sparkling.
Gold
Gold is a beautiful metal that does not usually tarnish. However, it is not unknown given the right environment and tempertature. It can also discolour from grease, certain cosmetics and dirt. So it does need to be treated with a little extra care in order to keep it looking its best. If you feel your gold items are not looking their usual sparkling selves then it is best to invest in one of our special polishing cloths which are inexpensive and highly effective at bringing back the shine and preventing discoloration or tarnish.
Silver
After time Silver will naturally tarnish due to oxygen in the air which is why its important to store your unworn jewellery individually in pouches or their original boxes. But it is easily returned to its former glory with either a jewellery polishing cloth or just a soft cloth and some warm soapy water (just be sure to dry it properly afterwards). Silver is also more susceptible to lotions and perfumes so avoid direct contact with these things if you can. To remove heavier tarnished pieces you can add a small drop of water to the edge of the cleaning cloth and rub until the tarnish is all removed.
Gold Plated Silver
The gold plate on a piece of jewellery is a layer of gold over solid silver. It is therefore very important to treat your plated jewellery gently and with care. Always store your jewellery in individual pouches or boxes to avoid them tangling and scratching each other. The better you look after it the longer it will look fabulous. The jewellery cleaning cloths also work beautifully on removing fingerprints or tarnished gold plated jewellery and prevents tarnishing too.
Gems and diamonds
Precious stones should be treated as delicately as possible. If possible it is good to handle gems and pearls as little as possible as over time contact with your skin can dull their shine. Precious stones should be cleaned with a non-metalic, soft bristled brush with warm soapy water (we like to use washing up liquid and an old toothbrush) and dry afterwards with a soft lint free cloth.
Top Tip…. To avoid a potentially scary situation always clean your pieces over a bowl rather than over a sink. We would hate for anything special to be lost down the plug hole!
Water
In general, water is not a huge concern when dealing with jewellery but we would still always recommend taking your jewellery off when having a shower, swimming or on the beach. If your jewellery does get wet just be sure to dry it fully with a cloth before putting it back in storage. Sea water, chlorine and sulpher (in hot springs for example) can all effect your jewellery so be sure to leave them somewhere safe when taking a dip.
Storage.
Store your jewellery individually in its fabric lined box or pouch. If possible avoid storing pieces together as they can tangle, rub or scratch each other.
All Zoraida pieces come in a fabric lined box and are supplied with a travel pouch and care card offering advice on how to store your jewellery. We couldn’t reccomened our jewellery cleaning cloths more to help you care for your jewellery are available on our online store here.
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After 18 hours of flying (mostly over the vast snowy landscapes of Iceland and Canada) we touched down in Honolulu. As we stepped off the plane the air hostess welcomed us 'to paradise' as the warm, tropical air hit us.
We rented a house on the North Shore, just five minutes walk along the beach from Pipeline the worlds most famous surf break so we could watch the Volcom Pipe Pro (one the biggest surf comps of the year). It did not disappoint! Being an ‘El Nino’ year we saw some of the biggest waves they have had for years and the likes of Kelly Slater and John John Florence tore it up all week long.
After settling in and researching locations to shoot the new collection, we were excited to have a day with the gorgeous model and lifestyle blogger Rocky Barnes . We chose to base the shoot at the Kawela Bay, one of the most secluded beaches on the North Shore, lined with coconut palms, banyan trees and golden sand.
We shot from dawn until dusk and had a fabulous day working together to create the new campaign. Rocky was divine and I couldn't have dreamt of a better team to help capture the moment. In particular, we wanted to show how to combine the new pieces with previous collections, for example by layering up necklaces to create your own look. Its about having fun with your jewellery and enjoying how it makes you feel.
Model - Rocky Barnes
Jewellery by Catherine Zoraida
Photography by Oliver Blackwell
Make-up and Hair by Kecia Littman
Since ancient times, men and woman have been wearing their astrological signs and birthstones as jewellery for good luck, protection and empowerment. Jewellery can be meaningful and is so much more fun to wear when it is believed to resonate with our personalties or empower us in some way. Have a look at our Zodiac Pendants for a more inspired gift idea for birthdays, christening presents or bridesmaid gifts.
Over time, gemstones and our zodiac signs have been used to empower as well as decorate the wearer. In Egypt, and Babylonia, rare and beautiful gemstones were thought to have magical properties. People are said to have consulted astrologers for advice on wearing the appropriate gem or symbol for each occassiom. Ancient Egyptians carried scarabs and tiny figures of their gods for protection and luck. In India, an amulet designed with precious stones representing the known planets at the time. This very precious talisman is still being worn today. Even our fingers are thought to correspond to different planets. The Venus or third finger is the finger of love, which is why we wear our wedding and engagement ring on that finger.
Another astrological connection was the wearing of gems associated with a planet on that planets special day. Mars-ruled rubies would be worn on the Mars day, Tuesday, or moonstones on Monday. You could cover the basis by wearing all the gems in your horoscope at once. It can be a wonderful opportunity to create a bespoke piece of jewellery that lets you wear all of your horoscopes special stones in a unique design that you can feel connected with and treasure forever.
Lydia chooses our Crystal Constellation Pendants as one of her most enchanting gifts to give this Christmas. See her guide in full here for great ideas including gifts from Laura Mercier, Burberry and Chanel.
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One of our favourite pieces from the weekend - The Elephant Pendant. A talented jewellery designer in the making!
Keep your eyes peeled in September for more casting workshops with Catherine at Anthropologie London in September for Vogue Fashion night out.
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One of Catherine's favourite moments on her wedding day. 'The energy in the air was electric!'.
Retail Jeweller talk to the head of fashion, home and beauty for the iconic London department store Fortnum & Mason about the newly revamped jewellery room including Britains best designers Catherine Zoraida! Read more here.
Read more about the exciting event from Vogue.
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Wow! Feeling very proud to be a nominee for Scottish Jewellery Designer of the year 2013!
Read more about the exciting event from Vogue.
We are very excited to be a part of the new Jewellery Room at Fortnum & Masons!!
Thank you so much Liam for including our Sparkling Diamond and Apple Twig Cuff in this months Vogue Christmas Gift Guide! What a beautiful collection of jewels*
Featuring Catherine Zoraida and her Hatton Gardens experiences as a Jewellery Designer. Available to buy at Waterstones.
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“A fascinating account of Hatton Garden, a London street – and nexus of myths – integral to Britain’s gem industry”, The Gaurdian
Featuring Catherine Zoraida and her Hatton Gardens experiences as a Jewellery Designer. Available to buy at Waterstones.
The dainty golden twigs and leaves in Catherine Zoraida’s new collection make a delicate English autumn statement. www.catherinezoraida.com
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The Irish beauty looks amazing in these new promo shots for the show Move to the Beat campaign for London 2012
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MTV presenter Laura Whitmore wears the Catherine Zoraida Dragonfly Necklace in the promo photos for the new ITV2 show, Beat TV!
The Irish beauty looks amazing in these new promo shots for the show Move to the Beat campaign for London 2012