News and Events

This month's birthstone is GARNET.

ABOUT:
Red garnets have a long history, but modern gem buyers can pick from a rich palette of garnet colours: greens, oranges, pinkish oranges, and deeply saturated purplish reds. Red garnet is one of the most common and widespread of gems. But not all garnets are as abundant as the red ones. A green garnet, tsavorite, is very rare and needs rarer rock chemistries and conditions to form.

HISTORY & LORE:
Thousands of years ago, red garnet necklaces adorned the necks of Egypt’s pharaohs, and were entombed with their mummified corpses as prized possessions for the afterlife. In ancient Rome, signet rings with carved garnets were used to stamp the wax that secured important documents.
The term carbuncle was often used in ancient times to refer to red garnets, although it was used for almost any red stone. Carbuncle was thought to be one of the four precious stones given to King Solomon by God.
Centuries later, in Roman scholar Pliny’s time (23 to 79 AD), red garnets were among the most widely traded gems. In the Middle Ages (about 475 to 1450 AD), red garnet was favored by clergy and nobility.
Red garnet’s availability increased with the discovery of the famous Bohemian garnet deposits in central Europe around 1500. This source became the nucleus of a regional jewelry industry that reached its peak in the late 1800s.
MOHS HARDNESS:
6.5-7.5

Drumroll please..... and the winner is... SUSAN WESTON!

Congratulations, Susan! Thank you to everyone who entered!

CONTEST GIVEAWAY ALERT!
You could be entered to win a Caravelle New York watch & bracelet gift set just by following us @purdysjewellery on social media! It's that simple. And because we want you to have your best chance of winning, we're giving you FIVE* different opportunities to enter!

Here's how you can enter:
1. Like us on FACEBOOK
2. Follow us on INSTAGRAM
3. Pin with us on PINTEREST
4. SUBSCRIBE to our emails
5. LIKE & SHARE our contest post on facebook
*Only five total entries; one per platform, per person.

CONTEST CLOSES DECEMBER 15th AT 4:00PM! Winner to be announced here on our website so be sure to check back!

Good luck!
RULES & REGULATIONS:
Prize must be claimed by January 31 2017. No cash value. Gift set may be exchanged for any Caravelle New York watch of equal or lesser value. Must be 16 years of age or older to participate.

Right now when you spend $200 on Elle jewellery, we'll give you a FREE sterling silver cz pendant ($89 value)!

Striking in colour, August's birthstone, the peridot, instills power and healing to the wearer.

Bolton Street is the place to be this Saturday, July 30! Along with great deals at many of the downtown stores and restaurants, there will also be: a live band, bouncy castle, games, face painting, bungee run, balloons, rockwall climbing, and much more!!

Here's at Purdy's we'll have select jewellery & watches on sale for 60% OFF from 9:30am - Midnight. This is a one day only event and while quantities last! Don't miss out!!
Be sure to also visit our outside booth (between 7-10pm) and get a trendy, jewellery-inspired tattoo for just $3! Flash Tattoos are temporary metallic tattoos that resemble jewellery and typically last 3-5 days! They're a great addition to your summer wardrobe, and not to mention, look fabulous with your bathing suit! Proceeds from our Flash Tattoo sales will go to our local Food Bank; and as a thank-you for support, we're giving you a $5 coupon to use in store!

See you Saturday Night!!

DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: Christophe Poly

Descended from Greek and French origins, Christophe Poly immigrated to Canada at the age of 8. Growing up, he was quick to develop a passion for the arts which he inherited from his mother, a fashion designer. From his father, an entrepreneur, he inherited the drive and the ambition that allowed him to build concrete items from his own creativity skills.
Poly began his jewellery career after taking a course at the "Ecole de joaillerie et de metaux d'art de Montreal". He rapidly perfected the basic skills to develop his own innovative style and techniques that today characterize his work. He sees beauty in everyday objects and finds artistic inspiration in fashion, engineering and architecture.

Drop by the store to see his latest designs (just in!) and to try on these unique pieces of wearable art to see what style best suits you!

It is with heavy hearts that we say farewell to our beloved 'Aunt' Sheila Purdy, co-founder of Purdy's Jewellery. Sheila Kathleen Junkin was born on August 31, 1921 in Bobcaygeon, Ontario. After attending Shaw Business College in Toronto, she married Grant Purdy in 1942. Together, Sheila and Grant opened Purdy's Watch Shop in Bobcaygeon in November of 1944. Over the years, Sheila and Grant grew the business into a full selection jewellery store until their retirement in 1985 upon selling the business to their niece Marylynn and her husband, Dave Lindsay. Aunt Sheila loved working in the store. She especially loved talking to and getting to know her customers personally. Sheila was an active member in the community volunteering for the curling club, her local church, and community care. She continued to live in Bobcaygeon in her family home while enjoying her retirement. Aunt Sheila is survived by her daughter, Sharon, and is predeceased by her husband, Grant (1994) and her daughter, Carole Anne (2013). Dave, Marylynn, and all the staff of Purdy's Jewellery will sorely miss her.