Are you a canny and discerning buyer? Do you seek value for money and yet wish to look good and stay in touch with the latest styles? Do you believe in making a strong fashion statement with your looks, accessories and talk? Do you always seek to rediscover and reinvent the most vital, dynamic and powerful expression of your personal, individual style? Then go out there and check your new and refreshed 'fQ'...

Tanishq, India's leading national jeweller, under its "Ego-friendly" Fashion Accessory Brand, 'fQ' i.e Fashion Quotient launches a new and refreshing range - The fQ Hoops Collection. This new collection is completely in tune with the changing needs of the 'young at heart', confident, independent and fashion-conscious Indian women.

The fQ Hoops Collection, evokes a feeling of warmth, intimacy and romance. The pastel colors (colours are 'hot' this season in the international 'fashion accessory' charts) of imported crystals that are set in hoops, in sterling silver are on top of the fashion charts. This collection's brand personality, wide range and affordability, clearly fills the gap, which exists in the market today.

This collection is aimed at rediscovering and rejuvenating jewellery as the most vital, dynamic and powerful expression of individual style today. 'fQ' believes that women today are discerning and informed buyers. They look for interesting, intriguing, beautiful designs that compliment their clothes, their lives and the multiple roles they play each day. The fQ Hoops Collection does all that and more.

The fQ Hoops Collection consists of earrings, chains and pendants in over 60 designs. Prices start as low as Rs 199/- for earrings and go up to Rs 1199/- for pendants with chains. The packaging is a delight with cosmetic tubes, cases and fashionable carry bags - reason enough to pamper yourself as well as present it as an ideal gift to a special friend!

Tanishq' s fQ range of jewellery today primarily retails through lifestyle stores (like Shoppers Stop, Ebony, Landmark) and some select World of Titan outlets. The fQ Hoops Collection will be currently available at The Shoppers' Stop - Bangalore, Mumbai (Bandra and Andheri) & Delhi, Landmark - Chennai .

The company's constantly evolving range begins from gold jewellery in 22 Kt and extends to very affordable diamond studded jewellery. Tanishq's jewellery prices start from a very affordable Rs. 600 and has special custom designed high value sets at the top end. Tanishq offers exchange .for any jewellery and also offers a savings scheme called "Golden Harvest".

Hurry and check your fQ-fashion quotient to discover your personal style and experiment with your looks, like never before!

Its colour is a magnificent glowing pink, with flashes of red and violet. What gemstone other than Pink Sapphire could marry tough durability with such a sweet colour? It is September's birthstone.

Gemology:

Pink Sapphire, along with its sisters the Ruby and Blue Sapphire, is of the mineral corundum. Pink Sapphire gets its red colouring from small amounts of chromium. Because of its hardness (corundum is the hardest mineral known next to diamond), Pink Sapphires are among the best of all jewellery stones.

Lore:

The Sapphire derives its name from sapphirus, a Latin term meaning blue. It is one of the oldest known stones in written history. Stone Power author Dorothee L. Mella writes, "In all folklore, Sapphires are associated with the attraction of divine favour to their owners and are mentioned in every religious history." Having long been honoured as a stone of prophecy and wisdom and even called the philosopher's stone, wearing a Sapphire can contribute to your mental clarity, your perception and your wisdom."

Sapphires will help in manifesting creativity by tapping into your creative potential and inspiring you to express yourself creatively. Sapphires work with the indigo ray from Saturn to eliminate confusion and illusion. Working in the emotional realm, this stone is effective in healing depression. It stimulates psychic abilities, clarity and inspiration. Sapphires help to enhance creative expression, loyalty and love. It expands cosmic awareness and dispels confusion. Sapphires are traditionally given for the fifth and 45th anniversaries.

The reason a crystal may need cleansing is that it was handled by someone whose personality (vibrations) do not agree with the crystal's. It is always best not to share your crystal with anyone, even your mate. Caring for your crystal (s) is easy. Treat it as you would any new addition to your family. Remember it has been literally torn apart from its family of other crystals. Keep it wrapped in any natural material such as silk, cotton, wool, or leather.
f your crystal came in one of the brocade pouches, they are all natural. If it came in one of the velour pouches, it may have been sewn with synthetic thread or the velour itself may be a synthetic material. It is also a good idea to put your crystal in a place where it can get direct sunlight every few months. Crystals love the warm bright sunshine and are recharged by it.

It should not be necessary to cleanse your crystal, but if you feel it needs to be cleansed, the following cleansing methods have found to be very successful:

Water is a wonderful universal cleanser. Hold your stone under cold flowing water from the tap (cold or lukewarm water only. Never use hot water) Always allow your stone to dry naturally - preferably from the rays of the sun! If, however, there is little or no sun around, then you should allow your stone to dry in the warmth within your home.

Immerse your stone in salt water for several hours or bury the stone under the earth in your garden. Our planet Earth consists of at least one third quartz and the very strong and powerful magnetic energy field in the actual earth will 'cleanse' your stone of all its negativity very effectively.

Place your stone on a large quartz crystal cluster for a few hours. The very strong crystalline energies present within the cluster will soon neutralize any negative energies to be found within your stone.

'As good as gold' says it all. All over the world, gold stands for goodness, purity, wealth and social standing. In India, right from its earliest civilizations, it has had the added aura of sanctity and divinity. All its attributes are personified in the Goddess Lakshmi.
Can one imagine an Indian bride without gold jewellery? She is usually decked out with as much jewellery as her family can afford, almost literally from head to toe, more than anywhere else in the world. It is not just that gold ornaments are beautiful. To the Indian mind, a great deal of sentiment is associated with the precious metal. It is symbolic of good luck, productivity and fertility. One of the Sanskrit words for gold is 'hiranyam', which also means semen, No wonder gold jewellery plays such an important role in marriages. Each item has its own significance and collectively they are believed to confer happiness and fulfillment in a marriage. Many of the designs are taken from the jewels shown adorning the divine figures in temples.
So even the poor, who usually wear silver, brass and bronze, try to ensure that there is at least a simple earring, a bangle or an armlet in gold on their brides. Always wearing a little gold is believed to help ensure health and longevity, spiritual power and intellectual brilliance. So take good care of the gold you have. As it is a soft metal, store it wrapped in soft cloth. It is safe to bathe with jewellery on, though soap and water may leave a dull film, but avoid contact with cosmetics like hair sprays, perfumes and similar makeup. So wear your jewellery after completing your make-up.
Try to avoid wearing jewellery while doing housework. It may get scratched. Cleaning can be done with a jeweller's cleaning solution or even a solution of mild solution of detergent, warm water and a little ammonia. Or have it cleaned with an ultrasonic machine.

Jewellery is one art to which no place in India can lay exclusive claim. In almost every corner of the country can be found smiths highly skilled in fashioning the most exquisite ornaments by a variety of techniques like engraving, punching, shaping, enamelling and inlay. Indeed, it seems to have been so from the earliest times. Ancient excavations, wherever made, have thrown up any number of jewellery finds of great craftsmanship. Jewels have always been more than just articles of beautification in India. They are believed to possess qualities that bring good fortune or shield the wearer from evil spirits. The belief is particularly strong with regard to diamonds and other precious stones.

The earliest excavations in chalcolithic sites (3500 b c-2000 b c) show adorned terracotta figures, copper rings, beads, bangles and hairpins. The cultural scene opened up by the Harappan and Mohenjodaro studies also revealed the strong role of jewellery in the people's lives. Those skills and the artistry reflected in the sculptures in Orissa and at Bharut, Sanchi and Amarnath have influenced later Indian jewellery both in design and craftsmanship. Gold and silver jewellery became highly elaborate and embellished with precious stones and enamelling under the Mughals, whose influence is seen also in the Kundan work of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Certain types of work are concentrated by tradition in certain areas. For example, meenakari, enamel work on gold, has brought fame to Delhi and Jaipur. Fine gold leaf work depicting scenes like 'rasalila' can be seen in the Theva work of Rajasthan. Filigree is the speciality of Orissa, where they have a range of products like bowls, rosewater sprinklers and even elaborate peacocks.

The South has its own specialities, favoured themes in the jewellery there being the sun, the moon, serpents and images of gods. Ladakh region has a fascinating ornament in the Perak. The preferred materials for the region's jewels are coral, turquoise, pearls and amber. Folk and tribal jewellery opens up another world both in terms and materials used and with regard to design. Widely worked-on materials include lac, shell, beads and glass. Silver and a silver look-alike, an alloy of copper or tin and pewter, are much used in Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Kashmir and the tribal areas of Southern, Central and Eastern India.

For centuries, village women would buy silver jewellery in times of wealth, only to sell it in periods of distress. Given the superstitious horror of possessing something second-hand, no village woman would dream of buying used silver, so the silversmith tossed the object into the smelting pot to fashion a new piece with it. In the meantime, city women were discovering the cachet of silver, and as they had no compunctions about wearing second-hand jewellery, "old silver" (a more felicitous term than second-hand ornaments) came to occupy its own niche in the urban market.

For silver jewellery to be called silver in the first place, meant that it has to consist of a minimum purity of 50 per cent, the rest being made up of alloys that differ from state to state. Tradition, again determined exactly how much silver was to be used in each area. Thus silver ornaments in Gujarat usually came to consist of 70 per cent, while in neighbouring Rajasthan, 85 per cent was the norm.

Today's woman who wear silver as a fashion has the choice of old silver, new silver made into traditional designs or oxidised to give it 'an old' look, and sterling silver, made with the Western market in mind. She may wear a pendant from Karnataka, earrings from Himachal Pradesh, a waistband from Rajkot, Gujarat and anklets from Salem, with panache, but rural women from any of these areas would look at the sight with mirth.

The too, the city sophisticates may find the jingle of silver beads on her bracelets utterly charming, completely unaware of their original purpose. Legend has it that the hollow beads were arranged around anklets and bracelets to give off a jingling sound when hands and feet were in motion, so that mothers-in-law could keep an unobtrusive watch on their daughters-in-law!

Akoya (Grown in Japan and China)

Akoya pearls are the classic cultured pearls of Japan. They are the most lustrous of all pearls found anywhere in the world. In recent years, China has been successful in producing Akoya pearls within their own waters. However, at this time they are unable to produce as brilliant a lustre as high quality Japanese Akoya cultured pearls.

White South Sea (Grown in Australia, Myanmar and Indonesia)

White South Sea cultured pearls are grown in large tropical or semi-tropical oysters in Australia, Myanmar, Indonesia and other Pacific countries. They generally range in size from 10mm to 20mm and command a premium because of their relative rarity and large size.

South Sea Black (Grown in French Polynesia)
South Sea Black cultured pearls are grown in a variety of large pearl oysters found primarily in French Polynesia. Their beautiful, unique color and large size can command very high prices.

Freshwater (Grown in Japan, China, and The United States)
Freshwater pearls can be found in bays and rivers throughout the world. They are easily cultivated from fresh water mollusks in China, Japan and the United States. Many are less lustrous than salt water cultured pearls but their low price, unique shapes and colors have made them popular jewelry items.

Mabe (Grown in Japan, Indonesia, and Australia)
Mabe pearls are hemispherical cultured pearls grown against the inside shell of an oyster rather than within the oyster's body. They generally are used in earrings or rings which conceal their flat backs.

There's no need to restrict yourself to just one type of bracelet. Different types are suitable for the many different occasions in your life where you're wearing very different kinds of clothes. They cover a wonderful multitude of styles and designs. Take a look at your wardrobe: what kinds of jacket or dress sleeves do you usually wear? If the answer is slim and fitted, your bracelet should be chosen with that proportion in mind.

Do you like blouses with frilly cuffs? Consider a lacy bracelet, or perhaps an antique bracelet from the Victorian era. Are your clothes more tailored? Then choose an elegant bracelet in gold, or flush-set with diamonds. Color, of course, plays a major role in choosing a bracelet. You can match up colored gemstones linked together with white or yellow gold.

A few basic rules also apply in matching up bracelet and wearer. A very slender wrist and arm will look best with a narrower bracelet, or an open-work design that gives a light and airy appearance. An average wrist and arm can support most any style. A wider wrist or heavier arm looks best with a bolder bracelet, one that has enough substance to command attention and balance the size of the wearer's arm and wrist.

There are some signature style bracelets that go well with nearly any type of outfit and just about any woman's personal style. One such wearable wonder is the tennis bracelet, worn memorably by tennis champion Chris Evert, hence the name. This simple yet very elegant bracelet may feature a row of circular diamonds set in prongs or a series of channel set baguette and round diamonds. The tennis bracelet is one of those pieces of jewelry that some women just wear all the time, like a wedding band. It can vary in importance according to the size of the diamonds. For a casual, easy to wear, everyday kind of tennis bracelet, choose small diamonds set in yellow gold. For a major statement, and especially for evening, choose a platinum or white gold bracelet set with large stones. The tennis bracelet is definitely a contemporary classic

Charm bracelets have been in and out of style through the decades. They were popular with movie stars of the l950s as well as school girls of that era but they re-emerge periodically to capture our attention. The charm bracelet starts with a classic link, as narrow or wide as the wearer chooses. These links will support the charms as they are added to the bracelet. The charms dangle from the links, spaced out to create a harmonious design. As charms are added, the spaces grow smaller. Over the years, the wearer creates a personal piece of jewelry that reflects the important occasions of her life. Multitudes of designs in the shape of objects or symbols, often engraved with significant dates, spell out the landmark moments of the wearer's life. Charms may be added to any link bracelet. If this is your ultimate goal, choose one with links that are large enough to support the charms and solid enough to balance the added weight and volume of the charms.

When you are going to buy a washer and dryer or a new car, you take the time to learn about the special features to compare prices. Likewise, to ensure a wise purchase, an informed consumer should know about the metals used to make jewelry, the properties and qualities of diamonds, the variety of colored gemstones and their individual characteristics, and the manufacturing processes that yield the longest-lasting jewelry. Following is some important information to know before you go shopping.

Most jewelry is purchased to commemorate a special occasion, such as an engagement, anniversary, birthday or special achievement, and its sentimental value cannot be measured or replaced. For this reason, being an educated consumer and knowing the "ins and outs" of wise jewelry buying is important to guarantee that you will find the finest quality at the best value.

Since there are no special educational or training requirements needed to sell jewelry or open a jewelry store, consumers should educate themselves before shopping for jewelry. Make sure you know your jeweler by following these helpful tips:

Check the jewelry store's reputation by questioning friends and relatives who have shopped there.

Be sure the store has a long-standing, solid reputation in the community and in the industry. You want to be able to count on the store still being there if you have a problem.

Get a report on the business. This will give you a better insight into the company's past performance history - good or bad.

Many trade organizations require strict adherence to ethics and good business practices before they selling expensive products.

Ask about the gemological and appraisal education of the store's salespeople. While a college degree in jewelry does not exist, tips are available to further the knowledge of people in the jewelry industry.

For centuries India has been perceived as the land of fabulous riches of wisdom, mystique and romance. Indian jewellery has a variety with few parallels in the world. Apart from being a means of ornamentation, it has great cultural and religious significance with certain ornaments worn on specific occasions. Aesthetically, it stands apart from western jewellery in that each item is painstakingly handcrafted. The importance of jewellery, in India, where even today the burden of debt accompanying the enormous outlay at Hindu marriages is a matter of concern. Gold is associated in India with Lakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity and precious stones.

Coral is generally red and sindoori (vermilion) in colour. The use of coral in jewellery dates back to the Romans who considered it auspicious when worn in amulets. The coral, though not a precious stone, has been given a coveted place in Navaratnas. A good coral is perfectly round or oval and is smooth. It is considered flawed if it is spotted, cracked, has more than one shade of colour or the surface is twisted. The coral is also found in white and yellow colours and changes its colour as a warning of the ill health of its wearer. A coral protects against evil spirits and has the power to avert accidents. It is associated with marital happiness and should be removed at night. It is also recommended for brides as a sign of good luck.

Coral influences Mangal or Mars which is responsible for the field of activity, energy, courage, ambition, sports, property, strength, forcefulness and bravery. In Jyotish, Mangal is known as the commander-in-chief, due to its influence in organizing and managing direction in activity. Mangal or Mars is like a General with its focus on precision and power in activity. It is believed to cure blood disorders, arthritis, blisters, bronchitis, backaches, chickenpox, colour blindness, constipation, cramps, common cold, cataract, ear diseases, diabetes, foot trouble, fever, gallstones, gout, hay fever, hernia, jaundice, malaria, measles, mumps, piles, toothaches, and is also capable of preventing miscarriages.