October Piece of the Month- Labradorite and Diamond Pendant, Natalie's Choice

For the piece of the month I have chosen this stunning pendant because of its gorgeous shimmering colours. The main stone in this beautiful pendant is a Labradorite. Labradorite is a very special and unusual stone as it flashes blue, green and purple as it moves. I love the irregular round shape, which adds to the organic feel of the piece. The Labradorite has a gorgeous 'checkerboard' faceted top which really catches the light. For added sparkle there is a row of round brilliant cut diamonds which are graduated in size and set to one side of the Labradorite. This stunning pendant is on a 16 inch 18 carat yellow gold trace chain, which has four round brilliant cut diamonds set along it. View this piece

Lucky Opal, The stone of hope, the birthstone of October

Opal is the birthstone for October; its name is derived from the Ancient Sanskrit Upala, meaning cloud. This ancient word for opal that has been adopted by the Greeks and Romans has survived language to our very own modern usage. Perhaps the reason for this is that the original meaning is so very pertinent to the elusive play of light inside an opal, a mesmerising phenomenon that evokes gazing up into the clouds, perhaps even through the clouds to an ethereal galaxy far away.

According to William Thomas Fernie, opals in the Middle Ages were worn for good luck and it was believed that opals possessed all the virtues of every gemstone whose colour was represented in the colour spectrum of the opal. The early Greeks believed the opal bestowed powers of foresight and prophecy upon its owner, while in Arabian folklore, it is said that the stone fell from heaven in flashes of lightning. In the Far East opal were referred to as "the anchor of hope". The opal stone was also believed to protect its owner with the power of invisibility if wrapped in a fresh bay leaf and held in the hand: in the eleventh century, Bishop Marbode of Rennes wrote of opal, "...It gifts the bearer with acutest sight; But clouds all other eyes with thickest night."

Finally, if that hasn't convinced you to prize opals above all other jewels (yes, I am an October baby and proud of my opal birthstone), bear in mind that just like us every opal is one of a kind and unique; like a fingerprint no two opals have the same colour combinations, same distribution of colour or flashes of light. If you know someone who is unique to you, who you want to protect with the power of invisibility! or who you know might just appreciate the rare beauty of an opal then please come in to view our stunning opal-set jewellery.

Chocolate Treats for October

We'll take any excuse to eat more chocolate this autumn, but this truly is a good one. The Chocolate Show returns for another year of demonstrations, activities and plenty of tastings. The UK's biggest chocolate celebration at Olympia, is expecting over 15,000 visitors to enjoy indulgent chocolate treats, live celebrity demonstrations, get hands-on in workshops and discover bean to bar chocolate at the UK's largest celebration of our favourite sweet treat.

Exhibitors include premium brands such as Rococo, Paul A Young and Hotel Chocolat and chefs such as Chris and Jeff Galvin, Will Torrent and Edd Kimber will showcase recipes. Visitors will be able to see the chocolate-making process all the way from bean to bar, with a dedicated area for companies which are experts in the bean-to-bar field. The Great British Spiced Chocolate Challenge will be on the hunt for a new flavour sensation and there'll be a healthy chocolate area for those who feel they overindulge. The children's area will be hosted by West End musical 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', with a design your own chocolate bar workshop and appearances from some of the show's stars.

Please take a look at the website to find out more delicious details and to book tickets. - http://www.salonduchocolat.co.uk/accueil.aspx