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Turn over almost any piece of fine jewelry and you'll find it: a small stamp, sometimes so tiny it requires a loupe to read. Most people never look. But that mark tells you something important about what you're holding — and in the case of a handcrafted piece, it tells you who made it. What Is a Hallmark? A hallmark is a stamp applied to a piece of jewelry to certify the …

Every piece of fine jewelry is personal. But a charm collection is something else entirely — it's a biography you wear on your wrist or around your neck, growing and changing as you do. At Breakell, we've always loved the particular magic of charms. Here's how to build one that's truly yours. Start with One That Means Something The best charm collections don't begin with …

A chain is more than a practical detail — it's half the look. Whether you're building around a favorite pendant or searching for something to wear on its own, the right chain makes all the difference. Here's how we think about it. Chain Style: Finding Your Match Cable & Oval Link Chains are the classic choice. Clean, versatile, and strong enough to hold most pendants …

Birthstones have been worn for centuries as symbols of identity, protection, and personal meaning. Whether you're choosing a piece for yourself or searching for a gift that feels genuinely thoughtful, a birthstone pendant or necklace is one of the most personal choices in jewelry. Here's a guide to all twelve. The 12 Birthstones January — Garnet Deep red and richly lustro …

Some businesses are built on a business plan. Ours was built on a workbench. J.H. Breakell & Co. was founded in Newport, Rhode Island by silversmith Jim Breakell, whose career in the craft began with an apprenticeship restoring antique silver pieces — some of them made by Newport's own smiths centuries earlier. He learned new techniques by trial and error, mastering o …