Emerald is one of the most ancient and revered precious stones. Its value was known even in Ancient Babylon in the IV millennium BC. Together with diamond, ruby and sapphire, it belongs to the first–order precious stones, the highest jewelry category. The name of the stone goes back to the Persian "zumrundi" (green) and through the Greek "smaragdos" came into Russian as "smaragd".

From the moment of Baptism, every Christian is given an invisible spiritual mentor and protector – a guardian Angel. It is a ministering spirit sent by God to help and guide on the path to salvation. Faith in guardian angels has been known since apostolic times, and the Savior Himself said of them: "Take heed that you do not despise any of these little ones; for I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 18:10). The ministry of a guardian Angel consists in to contribute to the salvation of the person entrusted to him: he spiritually instructs in faith and piety, protects the soul and body, intercedes during his earthly life and does not leave even at death, taking the soul to eternity. The Orthodox Church urges us to turn to his protection in our daily home prayers.

The diamond is often called the "king of gems", because its history dates back thousands of years. The first faceted diamonds appeared in the 15th century: in 1463, the first diamond was made, and a century later, during the Renaissance, classical diamond cutting was invented in Flanders, the prototype of which was natural crystals-octahedra. However, a diamond could only truly reveal its beauty and shine with all its facets in the 17th century, when diamond cutters learned how to split stones. The modern round diamond with 57 perfectly aligned facets owes its appearance to the mathematical calculations of Marcel Tolkowsky, who proposed in 1919 the parameters at which the optical properties of a diamond are revealed in the best way.

In this collection, the awakening nature itself becomes a source of inspiration. Delicate petals and inflorescences, filigreed by hand, are woven into a festive ornament of platinum, white and green gold. The main motif is meadow clover, whose deep symbolism in Orthodoxy is associated with the trinity of God: three petals on a single stem. The collection sounds like a joyful call to beauty and fullness of life. Each product, created in the traditions of Novgorod fine plastics, carries light and warmth, becoming not just an ornament, but a visible reminder of the harmony that surrounds us at every moment.

The Blessed Virgin Mary holds a special place in the Orthodox tradition. Her image, imprinted in countless icons, is not only evidence of deep reverence, but also a key to understanding the most important dogmas of Christianity. The iconography of the Virgin is surprisingly diverse, but all this diversity goes back to three main types: "Oranta", "Hodegetria" and "Tenderness". Each of them reveals a certain facet of Her relationship with the Divine Son.

On August 19, Orthodox Christians celebrate one of the great twelve–day feasts, the Transfiguration of the Lord. The event that formed its basis is described in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. A few days before his sufferings on the cross, Jesus Christ took three disciples – Peter, James and John – and took them to Mount Tabor to pray. During prayer, He was transformed: His face shone like the sun, and His clothes turned white and luminous. The apostles saw the prophets Moses and Elijah conversing with the Savior, and they heard a voice from heaven: "This is my Beloved Son, listen to Him." This appearance of Divine glory became a revelation to the disciples that their Teacher was the true Son of God.

In Orthodox iconography, the image of the Lord Jesus Christ occupies a central place. The icons of Christ are diverse: from ancient, dating back to the first centuries of Christianity, to later allegorical ones. But they all testify to one thing: about God, who became man for our salvation.

Baptism: the first symbol of faith

Platinum is one of the rarest and most precious metals on Earth. Its name comes from the Spanish platina, which means "little silver". Unlike gold or silver, platinum does not tarnish in the air, does not corrode in a humid environment and is not afraid of high temperatures. This gray-white metal has a unique chemical resistance, which makes it a symbol of purity and immutability.

In the Orthodox tradition, the patrons of marriage and the family are revered as the Holy Prince Peter and Princess Fevronia of Murom, whose life has become a model of Christian matrimony based on mutual respect, patience and sacrificial love.

Since the first centuries of Christianity, believers, going on a pilgrimage or a long journey, sought to have with them a shrine – a particle of the Golgotha Cross, relics of saints or objects consecrated on them. This is how encolpions appeared (from the Greek "collos" — the bowels, the heart): small arks that were worn on the chest. Initially, they had the shape of medallions with a schematic representation of a cross, but over time they themselves acquired a cross-shaped appearance. In Russia, such crosses began to be called relics, since they kept the particles of relics inside and therefore were endowed with special grace for the believer.

The tradition of exchanging rings at the conclusion of marriage goes back to ancient times. Already in ancient Egypt, a ring worn on the middle finger of the left hand symbolized the inseparable connection of hearts – it was believed that it was through this finger that blood flows directly to the heart. In ancient Rome, the inviolability of marriage bonds was confirmed by the metal itself, from which the jewelry was made. With the adoption of Christianity, rings entered the church rite of marriage: in the fourth century they became part of the ceremony, and by the tenth century they were firmly established in the Orthodox tradition.

Silver is one of the most ancient metals known to man. Its white luster, plasticity, and ability to take any shape have made it a favorite jeweler's material for thousands of years. Unlike gold, silver is more affordable, but it is not inferior to it in beauty and nobility. However, pure silver is too soft to create durable jewelry, so it has been used as alloys since ancient times.

In Christian art, the vine is one of the most ancient and capacious images. Its history goes back to the first centuries, when believers who gathered in the Roman catacombs decorated the walls of underground temples with images of a sacred vessel from which doves symbolized saved souls took communion. In these paintings, grape shoots were not just a decoration, but reminded of the sacrament of the Eucharist and the inseparable connection of man with God.

The custom of giving a baby a silver or gold spoon when the first tooth appears is one of the few ancient Russian traditions that have survived to this day. It is believed that if you hold a spoon over the first tooth that has erupted, then all the others will grow strong and healthy. Often this spoon becomes the first one with which the child begins to eat "with a spoon", joining the adult meal. From generation to generation, families pass on such elegant objects decorated with enamel and delicate patterns, preserving the warmth of childhood and the memory of their ancestors.

Since ancient times, the ring, a vicious circle, has been perceived as a symbol of unity, infinity and wholeness. The tradition of wearing rings came to Russia from Byzantium along with Christianity. The word "ring" itself comes from the Old Slavonic "kolo" – circle, wheel, one of the oldest images of eternity. Already in the first centuries, Christians wore rings and rings as special signs of their belonging to the Church, placing brief confessions of faith on them. For example, on early Christian gems one could find a fish (Greek: IΧΘΥΣ — "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior"), an anchor – a symbol of hope for salvation, a ship as an allegory about the Church, or the monogram of Christ - Chrysome.

From the very beginning of Christianity, the cross has become for believers not just an image of an instrument of execution, but a symbol of victory over death and hope. In the fourth century, when the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine won by the power of the image of the Cross of the Lord, and the Holy Queen Elena found the Life-giving Cross in Jerusalem, the national veneration of this shrine began. Thousands of pilgrims flocked to Palestine, seeking to take with them a piece of the Golgotha Tree in order to carry it as an incessant reminder of the Savior's earthly life, His sufferings and Resurrection. Thus was born the tradition of the cross, a personal sign of belonging to Christ and a tangible testimony of faith.

Jewelry, like any expensive items, requires careful handling and certain care. Special attention should be paid to the appearance of jewelry in hot and humid climates. It is also necessary to protect jewelry from getting perfumes and cosmetics on them.

The jewelry collection "Vladimir Mikhailov" is made in precious metals, characterized by a noble, restrained color sound – platinum, white and green gold. At the same time, the main material of the collection is green gold, a type of gold alloy of 585 samples, characterized by its soft color shade and high content of precious metals. This alloy is known primarily as the most stable natural compound of native gold and silver. It is silver that gives the alloy a soft olive hue, muffling the yellow tones of gold and the red sound of copper.