Simply "Like" our Facebook page and be automatically entered to win this beautiful pair of Earrings from G Irwin.  They are valued at $100.00.  The winner will be randomly selected on 12/20/11 and notified through Facebook. Click here to "Like" our page and be automatically entered!  ...read more

ByJoey Crestajcresta@seacoastonline.comJune 09, 2011 2:00 AM KITTERY POINT, Maine — Sea glass is a pretty good find for the typical beachcomber, but a Berwick woman recently stumbled upon something much more rare — an inscribed gold band from the 1800s. Carrie Arsenault's discovery has prompted a search through the history books to determine the 18-karat-gold ring's origins. The only clue was the inscription on the inside of the band: "CCD to MAL Dec. 25, 1880." Arsenault's mother, Kathy Pridham, is the deputy town clerk in Kittery. She pored over a book containing marriage records from 1712 to 1892 and found just one match around the date inscribed on the ring. Records show Kittery residents Charles C. Dixon and Maranda A. Lewis filed marriage intentions on May 7, 1881, and were married May 12, 1881, by the Rev. John A. Goss. Pridham wondered why the date on the ring, which looks like a wedding band, is months earlier than the wedding date listed in the book. "We're not sure it's these people," she said. But Arsenault thinks she has the answer. All her research suggests solid bands, not diamond rings, were the preferred engagement rings of the time period. One of her theories is that the man proposed to the woman on Christmas. She has also wondered whether the ring washed ashore from a shipwreck, or whether it simply fell off someone's hand and got lost in the sand. "There's so many possible scenarios you could come up with," she said. Arsenault found the ring sticking out of the sand a couple of weeks ago while combing a private beach near the Lady Pepperrell House on Route 103. Her twin sister, Katie Paris, makes and sells jewelry online and often uses sea glass and other items found on the beach. At first she thought the ring was scrap metal because it was a corroded green and black, she said. It is unknown how long it had been there, but Arsenault thinks it was lost at least 50 years ago — and perhaps was lost soon after it was presented to someone's future wife. "It's got to be a woman's ring because it's way, way too small to be a man's ring," she said. She brought the ring to one jeweler to have it cleaned, then another to have it authenticated. She said a jeweler with G. Irwin in Kittery determined it was from the 1800s because of the shape of the number 8s and other aspects of the inscription. Arsenault and her family is enjoying the mystery surrounding the ring. She was told it was worth about $200 as scrap gold, which was not enough to pry it away from her. For now, she keeps it safely on her finger, though she said she is willing to hand it over to descendants of the original owner if they come forward. "I thought it was pretty cool," her daughter, Montana, 9, said. "I think she should keep it, but give it back if the person asks for it." Marian Craig, a relative of Arsenault who lives on Follett Drive near the beach, said the ring could belong to a member of the Gerrish family of Gerrish Island. Craig, 91, is a descendant of the Gerrishes and the Folletts, a related family that preceded the Gerrishes in the area. "Who knows who the ring belongs to?" she said. "No one's ever been here but the family." ...read more

I remember at a young age assembly's being held in honor of the three R's; Reduce, Reuse and Recycle! Never did I think that I would find myself in my mid-twenties running a non-profit boutique holding close to me the utter importance of the three R's.  Keeping in mind the increasing amount of production in today's society I've found it rewarding, in the short time that our small business has been open to, to say that I now have a helping hand in relaying the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling It's time to use our trash cans less, revert back to our gradeschool learnings, and really take into consideration that one man's trash quite possibly could be another man's treasure. Donate what is no longer of use, because to someone else it could, in fact, be quite usable! ...read more

 I have added "Story Beads" to my website. For a limited time, they are 20% off. Just click on the banner on the left side of my site.   These beads are compatible with all the bracelets out there. There are a lot of choices so have fun browsing. www.girwincompany.com ...read more

The newest thing is that I have a lot of tourmaline earrings in silver. There are watermelons, bue faceted stones, bright pink stones- in other words- plenty of choice and at a reasonable price because silver is still affordable. ...read more

I have added a new feature to my web site.  There is a link on my site on the left hand margin to a large selection of sterling and semi-precious stone jewelry. As an introduction, there is a 20% off discount.  Just follow the instructions when you click on the link on  www.girwincompany.com   and the discount will be applied automatically at check out.  Everything on the silver site is very fashionable and fairly reasonable. Check it out. I think you will like it. Thanks, Ann ...read more

Oh, my gosh!  My phone is driving me crazy. It was disconnected by mistake and now they are telling me it won't be up again till the 28th. Well, with that kind of service, I have decided to change companies but it still won't be working till the 28th. So in the mean time I am getting creative. My customers can contact me through my web site, www.girwincompany.com or my e-mail   annpa@aol.com or my cell phone   207-752-4627. I refuse to be beaten by a huge and annoying corporation.  Christmas will go on with or without my phone.   Please call if you have a question or would like me to send you anything.  Thanks, Ann ...read more

Last Tuesday in Hong Kong, a huge and very rare, 5-carat pink diamond was auctioned off for – get this – $10.8 million! The stone itself, which is of a "vivid pink" color has been considered nearly perfect, but not completely flawless. Still, the bidding was fast and furious for it at Christie's Autumn Sales of Asian and Chinese art in Hong Kong. By comparison, this huge diamond ring totally smashed the previous record, which was set 15 years ago in Geneva, when a 19.66ct stone sold for ameasley$7.4 million. This new pink gem sold for $2.2 million per carat, which set another record as the most ever paid for any diamond at auction. And that record is likely to stand for quite some time. So where does this diamond stand in comparison to other diamonds sold at auction? Well, it still has a ways to go to catch the "Wittelsbach"blue diamond, a 17th-century stone that went for a whopping $24 million last year. ...read more

There is a very limited supply of matched watermelon tourmaline slices for earrings, but I still have a few pair because I stocked up in the fall. Get em while they're hot! ...read more

I put an ad in Downeast Magazine with a picture of  a tourmaline butterfly and have had two orders since it hit the stands a few days ago. Each butteryfly is carved by hand the the mounting has to be made to fit that carving so they are each unique. And of course, every piece of tourmaline is different. But all the butterflies are set in 18K gold and have green or blue and pink in them.  The prices range from $259 to $799 and they are from 1/2" to an inch wide.  I am posting a picture but keep in mind that they are all different. ...read more

I just finished setting a 4 carat seafoam green tourmaline from Maine. It is the biggest stone from Maine that I have been able to get. It is set in 14K white gold with .27 of dazzling baguettes on the sides. It really is spectacular. I am not just saying that!!  Call me and I will wrap it up for you. ...read more

My new hot Tourmaline pieces are the butterflys.  They have little carved wings made from watermelon tourmaline. The 18K gold frame is made specially for each piece since they are all a little different. They range from 1/2" across to 1" across and the amounts of pink and green are different in each one. They range from $299 to $699. ...read more

Jewels: The London Sale Christie's King Street Wednesday, 10 December 2008 at 11am London – Christie's are privileged to present the Wittelsbach diamond (estimate upon request), an extremely rare 35.56 carat, historic 17th century fancy deep greyish-blue diamond, to the international market for the first time in almost 80 years, on Wednesday 10 December 2008. Known as ‘'Der Blaue Wittelsbacher'' since 1722, it is one of very few diamonds which can claim 17th century heritage, incredible rarity and exceptional beauty. Upon the engagement of the Infanta Margarita Teresa (1651-1673), who is illustrated in both paintings by Velazquez above, to Leopold I of Austria (1640-1705), who later became Holy Roman Emperor, her father King Philip IV of Spain (1605-1665) selected, in 1664, the diamond as part of her dowry. Subsequently, it entered the Austrian and then the Bavarian Crown jewels. This extraordinary diamond is offered for sale from a private collection, where it has been since 1964. ...read more

I have no way of knowing if this is true, but I have heard from many of my customers that I have the largest collection of tourmaline jewlery in the state of Maine. I carry tourmaline from Maine and just about everywhere else it is found. Some places have a signature color, like the brilliant green from East Africa and the crazy hot pink from Brazil. Maine Tourmaline is usually a beautiful and delicate pastel green or pink. You will have to come and decide for yourself if I have the largest collection! See you in Kittery. ...read more

Hi all you tourmaline fans, I just heard that a fellow tourmaline addict was trying to come to the store and didn't find me open for months. I do have short hours- 10AM to 4PM Tuesday through Saturday, but if you call I can probably stay later or come in early or whatever would make a visit possible.  You can call me at 207-439-2299 and if I'm not here, be sure you leave a message. Or you can e-mail me at annpa@aol.com.  I am sure we can arrange something. I even do mail order and my web site will be up soon. It will only have a few pieces when it first goes live but I work on it a little every day.  The address will be   www.girwincompany.com   and it should be up by March 15.  ...read more