The Mark Schneider Fine Jewelry Blog

Engagement rings vs. wedding bands: The Differences Explained
Engagement rings and wedding bands are often seen as two peas in a pod. For some rings, they fit together perfectly due to their organic nature, and for others, any straight band will work. But differentiating between the two rings...
How many carats should an engagement ring be?
When you start the search for the perfect engagement ring, one of the questions you may ask yourself is, “How many carats should an engagement ring be?” And this question has many facets (pun intended). The total carat weight of...
How to design a unique engagement ring
You’ve found the person of your dreams and now you’re thinking about proposing. Sure, you could go to any jewelry store and select any of hundreds of rings from their cases. But how do you select the one that speaks...
How To Buy an Engagement Ring that Won’t Lose Value
While it’s not necessarily the first (or most romantic) thought when starting the search for your engagement ring, it's worthwhile to understand how to select a ring that will maintain as much of its value over time as possible. It...
Engagement ring customization ideas 2022
While there are certain styles of engagement rings that last throughout generations, there are also always trends that cycle through popularity at different times, depending upon styles and celebrity influence. Some of these trends last longer than others (yellow gold...
White Gold vs Yellow Gold Engagement Ring
White Gold vs Yellow Gold  The age-old debate of white gold vs. yellow gold is likely not something that will ever have a clear winner. Mostly because to a certain extent, it all boils down to personal preference. It’s possible...
Can you get an engagement ring custom design?
An engagement ring is a special piece of jewelry, and one that you will be wearing for the rest of your life. It’s an important, and often fairly expensive, purchase that you should really think about. So of course it...
HEADPIECES ARE HOT THIS SEASON!
This season, we’ve been spotting headpieces everywhere from bohemian street style to the glamorous runway shows of Dolce and Gabbana and Chanel. Inspired by this trend, we decided to sketch out our own version incorporating golden baroque South Sea pearls,...
NEW EARRING SKETCH
What do you think of this sketch for diamond, tanzanite, and peridot earrings? What gemstones would you use to design custom earrings?
NEW DESIGN SKETCH & WAX
Take a look at this new sketch and wax! So cool to see something on paper turn into a 3D model!
UNIQUE SAPPHIRE FLOWER PENDANT
Mark created this custom flower pendant for a customer featuring a diamond center adorned with multi-colored sapphires that graduate from dark to light. Unique and beautiful! What do you think?
SIAMESE CAT PENDANT
Mark has created a beautifully unique siamese cat pendant for a lucky customer at Wesche Jewelers. Check out the whole process below - from sketch and wax to finished product. Let us know what you think!
SNEAK PEEK AT THE NEW BRIDESMAIDS COLLECTION!
This summer, Mark Schneider will debut a collection that is the first of its kind — a premier selection of color gemstone treasures produced in silver. This line possesses immediate appeal for the next generation of Mark Schneider Design clients....
MARK'S VISITS WESCHE FOR FASHION WEEK!
Mark recently visited Wesche Jewelers in Florida for a design show and to take part in Fashion Week, hosted by the Melbourne Regional Chamber. Check out the following link to read more about Wesche Jewelers and Fashion Week!
LIONS SHARE OPULENCE SKETCHES!
The Lions Share Opulence suite delves into fantasy and myth with the use of winged lions. These are created in rose gold, spessartite garnet, onyx, rutilated quartz, and fire opal. The glowing organic forms of fire opals complement the figurative...
SUMPTUOUS PLUMES AND BLOOMS
The Sumptuous Plumes and Blooms suite explores the motif of the female figure as a mistress of nature among peacock feathers and orchid petals. These are illustrated with white gold, diamond, tanzanite, and most significantly opal and peridot. The ethereal...
DEEP SEA TREASURES - COLORED STONE INSPIRATION
Mark Schneider’s extensive collection of loose colored gemstones offers endless inspiration for one-of-a-kind custom designs. His assortment includes gems cut in original ways and which possess phenomenal optical properties. As a creative exercise, we browsed through these gems and designed...
GET GOOD GRADES WITH MARK SCHNEIDER DESIGN
We were recently lucky enough to be visited by a middle school student who was given the task of shadowing a business and creating a report based on her findings. Not only did she spend a day shadowing every different...
ABALONE PEARL TOUCAN SKETCH
Mark Schneider’s process often begins with a gemstone that speaks to him and acts as a catalyst inciting the development of his design. The stone can serve as the cynosure of the piece, dramatized by Mark’s unparalleled sense of composition...
REPTILIAN LUXURY - COLORED STONE INSPIRATION
REPTILIAN LUXURY - COLORED STONE INSPIRATION The Reptilian Luxury suite draws upon the rich and sinister imagery of nightmare—the predation of a crocodile, a woman entangled in serpents, and a dragon brandishing venomous fangs. Made with patinated silver, pearls, sapphires,...
FASHION & JEWELRY TREND: HONEYCOMB MOTIFS
This Spring, the fashion magazines are swarming with honeycomb hexagonal motifs and looks inspired by the life of bees. We observed this buzz-worthy trend everywhere from prints to beehive hairstyles on the runways of designer brands like Tory Burch, Gucci,...