All Things Desiderate ... Blog

Looking for a birthstone necklace? Whether it’s for mum, sister, wife, daughter, niece or friend, we’ve got a stunning range of birthstone necklaces. 

A birthstone necklace is a gorgeous personalised gift that she’ll love. 

Living in a small beachside town, I am always touched by the level of support I get from the local community.

The people of Thirroul have supported my business from the very start — when it was me working alone doing everything from sourcing products, taking photos, managing the website, and walking to the post office every day to dispatch orders.

If you have ever lost someone dear to your heart, you might like to find ways to remember them. And memorial jewellery is a great way to do that. Every time you wear and enjoy your jewellery, you’ll be reminded of the good times you shared together. 

Many customers tell us they invest in memorial jewellery for this reason. We asked a few to share their stories. Here’s what they said:

Back in 2017, I started selling jewellery online to make ends meet. 

I can’t believe what’s happened since then. I went from selling jewellery online to realising this could be a business, to building a business that hires a team of seven people, with thousands of loyal customers.

I’ve even won some business awards. I’m not sharing this to brag, but I do think women aren’t great at celebrating themselves or their achievements, so I’d love to share my highlights over the six years. 

Step Into The Virtual Jewellery Store:

Say farewell to the days of uploading photos or struggling to envision how a ring, earrings, or bangle would look on you. Desiderate's virtual try-on system is an Australian first, immersing you in a captivating world of their stunning jewellery collection. With just a few taps, witness the magic as the jewellery seamlessly adorns your virtual self. It's like having a personal stylist by your side, ensuring you radiate confidence without breaking the bank.

Bring on the bling: How statement earrings make you feel 

Make a simple outfit extraordinary with statement earrings. When you want to feel extra glamorous, make statement earrings your go-to choice! 

A simple outfit can get a style upgrade with a large pair of statement earrings, don’t you agree? 

I was looking for a job that could accommodate school hours. So when I saw the post on Facebook I knew I was very keen. I decided to email my application immediately in line with the application procedure requested. Janine only had the post online for 2-3 hours, so I gathered there were an overwhelming number of applications! I received a reply, and I went for the interview within a few days. 

Thirroul is a small town, so I have the luxury of being a seven-minute drive away from work. Desiderate does a lot to support the town by providing employment and donating to local charities and community groups.

I love being part of a successful local business.

Are you the New Year resolution type? Some people love to set a goal for the year. Others think it’s just an arbitrary date that passes like any other. 

But if you do want to set yourself up for success, so by New Year’s Eve in 2024 you’re looking back on a great year, try some of these tips. 

I’m so excited to tell you about my secret project for the past year - Taleeta. 

It’s my new fashion label, and it will bring you all the high quality and excellent customer service you’ve come to expect from Desiderate. 

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve struggled to find fashions that suit my figure, feel comfortable to wear and look great. I don’t want to dress like a dowdy Grandma (even though I am a Granny). I don't mind paying a bit extra for quality that will last, but I don’t want to pay a fortune for a designer label. 

And I knew I was not alone. 

Speaking to friends and potential customers, everyone said the same thing. ‘I want fashionable clothes that look great, fit well and don’t cost a fortune!’ 

And so Taleeta was born

Ametrine: Is it purple, is it yellow?

It's both at once! Ametrine is a rare natural-forming gemstone that's sourced in Bolivia. 

We admit, we're surprised that this beauty isn't better known, because it's divine. Ametrine jewellery is quickly becoming more popular in Australia, thanks to its unique and evocative beauty.

We've recently added ametrine to our range and it took our founder Janine more than a year to source these gorgeous stones. 

Sharing the story of Helen Vaughan, a lovely Desiderate customer, with permission from her four daughters. 

It was only after her death that we discovered what we meant to Helen Vaughan. To us, she was a valued customer, who was clearly enjoying shopping with us. Our pick and pack team would spot her name and address on another order and say ‘Helen’s shopping up a storm again!’ 

The loyalty of our customers means the world to us, and Helen was nothing if not loyal! 

But we had no idea of the full extent of the story. In June 2022, the orders stopped. And then we heard from Helen’s daughter Lisa. And she wanted to let us know how we brought her a lot of pleasure in the last months of her life.

What is gold vermeil? 

Gold vermeil is a popular metal used in jewellery. Gold vermeil features a sterling silver base material and plated with gold that is at least 10 carats. To be officially titled gold vermeil in Australia, the gold plating needs to be at least 1 micron thick.

To officially join the gold vermeil club, a piece must have: 

• a sterling silver base material with 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other materials such as brass or copper 
• be plated in gold that is at least 10 carats - which is 41.7% gold content 
• have gold plating that is at least 1 micron thick 
• a perfect parallel parking record 

(Okay, the last one is sketchy, but the top three criteria are very strict.)

Check out our new jewellery virtual try-on tool and enter the draw to win a $100 gift voucher! We are super excited about the rollout of our new jewellery virtual try on tool. 

Just quietly, we think we are the first Australian jewellery retailer to feature this technology on our website. (We were never first in anything back in high school so it’s a big deal for us!) 

In case you missed it, the virtual try on tool is the next best thing to trying on our jewellery in person. 

And to celebrate the rollout of our technology across the Desiderate product range, we’re giving you the chance to win a $100 gift voucher every month.

Our customers often ask us ‘Why don’t you make adjustable rings?’ 

We know that you like the idea of adjustable rings, as it eliminates the problem of getting the wrong ring size. This is especially important if you are purchasing a gift — it’s not easy to buy someone a ring and get the sizing right! 

Another reason people like adjustable rings is the flexibility. If your hands tend to swell with heat or exercise, you like the idea of being able to change your ring size accordingly. So yes, we understand completely why you like adjustable rings! 

Unfortunately, adjustable rings are problematic because

It's been challenging learning new skills after being mostly a stay at home mum for a while and I've found that I love learning new things, putting my brain to work and developing computer skills.

Also I love looking at the beautiful gems all day, being part of a team and getting to know our customers.

Rose Quartz is definitely my favourite gemstone, I love that it represents love, all kinds of love. Family love, romantic love and importantly love for yourself and looking after ourselves. The colour is gentle, beautiful and it makes me happy.

Cleaning your jewellery! 5 things you need to know

Don't dull your own sparkle – clean those gems!

Maybe you racked up an Afterpay account that makes you bank account shriek, just a little, maybe you've collected a treasure trove of jewellery beauties over a series of birthdays – your pieces are your bling and you love them. Keep them shiny and safe by cleaning them, the right way.

Every girl needs to know how to shine her jewels because nobody got time for dull gems.

Desiderate's ground breaking new Virtual Try On system will change the way you shop! You can actually see how it looks, on you, just like trying it on in a shop, amazing, right?

Our new Virtual Try-On system uses the camera technology on your device to capture a real-time image of how a product will suit you when it’s being worn. This is a game changer and I'm super excited to be one of the first to offer it to you. Why buy jewellery from another online store when you can virtually try our pieces on?

Sure, chocolate tastes delicious… but once it’s gone, it’s gone.

When you gift jewellery to your loved ones this Easter, you’re giving a gift that will last well past the long weekend. It’s not just enjoyed for a day or two - it’s a gift that will last a lifetime.

Looking for gift ideas this Easter that don’t include chocolate? We’ve got you covered! We have compiled a list of reasons why jewellery is better than chocolate.