The Mark Schneider Fine Jewelry Blog

When you start shopping for an engagement ring, one of the first decisions you’ll face is whether to design something custom or choose a ready made design. A common assumption is that custom automatically means more expensive. After all, custom...

When shopping for jewelry, most people judge a piece by what they can see right away, like how much it sparkles, color saturation, apparent stone size, and whether the design feels right. Does it flatter your hand or neckline? Does...

Recycled gold is one of those phrases that is used often in jewelry marketing, often associated with words like ethical, sustainable, or eco-friendly. It sounds great, and in many ways it truly is a positive step for the jewelry industry....

If you’ve ever shopped for fine jewelry or looked into having something custom made, you’ve probably heard the terms cast jewelry and hand-fabricated jewelry. They’re often presented as complete opposites, with one framed as clearly better than the other. In...

Jewelry making is one of those creative hobbies that seems intimidating until you actually try it. From the outside, it’s easy to picture professional jewelers surrounded by flames, tiny tools, and precious stones. And yes, that’s definitely part of it,...

Jewelry making is one of those creative hobbies that seems complicated from the outside but becomes surprisingly doable once you understand a few basic techniques. Many people picture jewelers hunched over benches with dangerous tools, melting metal and setting diamonds,...

Jewelry has always been a unique blend of art and science, and a bit of engineering. It combines imagination with highly technical processes like metal casting, stone cutting, and detailed finishing. For centuries, jewelers created everything by hand, from the...

Jewelry has always been one of the most intimate art forms. It’s something we wear against our skin, something tied to identity, beliefs, memory, and emotion. Even today, when fashion trends shift faster than ever, there are certain pieces we...

The holiday season is already a magical time of year that some people pine for from January through November. Twinkling lights, festive gatherings, and cozy nights by the fire all come together to create a beautiful atmosphere for celebrating. It...

Gold has always been admired for its warm glow, rarity, and lasting value, but not every piece of gold jewelry is the same. When you’re browsing engagement rings, necklaces, earrings, or watches, you’ll often see pieces marked 14K and 18K....

Jewelry has always held a unique place in people's lives. It’s not just about the sparkly diamond you receive to celebrate a special event, or the strand of pearls you pick out on a weekend shopping trip. It’s about meaning,...

Engagement rings are such an integral part of modern culture that it’s easy to forget the tradition hasn’t always existed in its current form. In fact, it has evolved quite a bit throughout history. Getting down on one knee with...