Thursday, May 30, 2013

And the Winners Are....

Several days ago Queen of PAWNS announced the winners for our “Treat Your Mother Like a Queen Sweepstakes,” on Facebook. Today, we want to introduce you to these awesome momma’s.

Our South Florida winner, Lydia Hooker will be pampered at Anushka in West Palm Beach with a facial, massage, manicure and pedicure and a professional make-up application. Ms Hooher is a mother to three grown children; one daughter, age 25 and two sons, ages 34 and 28. Her nurturing nature continues in her career as a self employed, private nurse.

Farrah Cabrera is our Central Florida winner. Her day of pampering will be at Mandara Spa with a body polish treatment, massage, manicure and pedicure and a facial. In addition to her work at home and being a mother to her six year old daughter and 12 year old son, Ms Cabrera is an assistant manager at Tommy Hilfiger.

Both Ms Hooker and Ms Cabrera expressed surprise and excitement at the announcement of their winnings. The most rewarding part of all for us at Queen of PAWNS is that this is the first time that both of these hard working, deserving mothers ever had a full day spa treatment. Enjoy, ladies!

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

3380 South Military Trail

Lake Worth, Florida 33463

561-434-4858

1180 South Military Trail

West Palm Beach, Florida 33415

561-343-4149

6080 Okeechobee Blvd.

West Palm Beach, Florida 33417

561-656-4149

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

5831 South Orange Blossom Trail

Orlando, Fl 32839

407-722-8811

1700 West Vine Street

Kissimmee, FL 34741

407-201-3930

All Our Stores are Open:
Monday - Saturday 9am - 7 pm
Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Friday, May 24, 2013

FISH TALES AND WIND SAILS

It’s beginning to look a lot like fishing. Already, we are upon fishing season in Florida. The days are getting warmer and the ocean is getting calmer. Whether you prefer lakes, swamps or the ocean, Queen of PAWNS is equipped with rods and reels to outfit your fishing adventures. From freshwater bass to big game saltwater, we have the equipment you’ll need to reel in the perfect catch. Besides rods and reels, you will also find trolling motors, outboards and even boats!*

If fishing or motorized craft are not your thing, we also accept kayaks, paddle boards, wake boards, water skis and even scuba gear!* You never know what you’ll find in our treasure trove. Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast or just starting to experiment with a new hobby, come on by and save a boat load at Queen of PAWNS.

*When looking for something specific, call the QoP nearest you to check inventory.

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

3380 South Military Trail

Lake Worth, Florida 33463

561-434-4858

1180 South Military Trail

West Palm Beach, Florida 33415

561-343-4149

6080 Okeechobee Blvd.

West Palm Beach, Florida 33417

561-656-4149

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

5831 South Orange Blossom Trail

Orlando, Fl 32839

407-722-8811

1700 West Vine Street

Kissimmee, FL 34741

407-201-3930

All Our Stores are Open:
Monday - Saturday 9am - 7 pm
Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

MAY’S BIRTHSTONE : THE EMERALD

Say, “Happy Birthday,” or “Happy Mother’s Day,” to your May-born special someone with an emerald! These beautiful, green gems are easier to shop for than you may know. The GIA specialist from Queen of PAWNS’ Kissimmee location has 3 main tips for you when looking at jewelry with emeralds.

The first thing we look at when purchasing an emerald is the color; we want it to appear that the color is coming out of the stone. Emeralds vary in shades of green, from medium to dark. The rule is simple - the deeper the color, the more valuable the gem.
Next on the check list for evaluating a stone is the size. Obviously, the larger the emerald with consistent color, the more valuable.
While inspecting emeralds, we look for small inclusions which are indicators that the gem is natural stone and not synthetic. The inclusions we look for, however, are not visible to the naked eye. Whereas in other gems, inclusions often diminish the value of the piece, the case is opposite with emeralds. An inclusion is the presence of (natural) material other than the stone itself in the form of gas, liquid or solids. Too large of an inclusion may affect the integrity of the emerald making it too brittle to be used for jewelry. A perfect emerald with no inclusions is extremely rare and would demand a huge price tag.

Other interesting facts include:

Colombia is the world’s leading location for natural occurring emeralds. Other important deposits can also be found in Brazil, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Madagascar, Nigeria and Tanzania.
Emerald is a member of the beryl gemstone family and a cousin to March’s birthstone, aquamarine.
A very high percentage of the world’s emeralds are treated with epoxies or resins to add depth and color. Gems treated with epoxies are undetectable without laboratory equipment. That being said, an all too perfect emerald, without inclusions is most likely not natural.
Handle these gems with care. Emeralds rate 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs hardness scale. (For reference, diamonds rate a hardness of 10.) Because of this “softness” emeralds would be best appreciated in pendants or earrings. If worn in a ring, we suggest that the ring is only for special occasions and not daily wear.
Emeralds do not conform to a crystalline fracture, meaning it does not cut best into faceted shapes like, for example, diamonds. Because of this, emeralds are more likely than other gemstones to be cut into cabochons, rather than faceted shapes. Cabochons, or convex cut and polished gems, protect softer mineral species like emeralds and keep scratches from being less evident.
Almost all emeralds have surface breaking fissures, which is basically an inclusion but on the surface. Because of this frailty, most emeralds are treated, called “oiled,” to enhance clarity.

All gems are closely inspected by Queen of PAWNS’ in-house GIA specialists before we purchase them. We make luxury affordable and emerald shopping easy.

Queen of Pawns - South Florida

3380 South Military Trail

Lake Worth, Florida 33463

561-434-4858

1180 South Military Trail

West Palm Beach, Florida 33415

561-343-4149

6080 Okeechobee Blvd.

West Palm Beach, Florida 33417

561-656-4149

Queen of Pawns - Central Florida

5831 South Orange Blossom Trail

Orlando, Fl 32839

407-722-8811

1700 West Vine Street

Kissimmee, FL 34741

407-201-3930

All Our Stores are Open:
Monday - Saturday 9am - 7 pm
Sunday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

APRIL SHOWERS BRING HAPPY MAY DAY FLOWERS

South Florida is an exceptional region where on average, just over two-thirds of the year hosts days of sunshine. Our rainy season kicks in around June, not April, and can remain strong until the beginning of December. You know what that means? Yeup, a lot of lush, green grasses and shrubs. While the rest of the country is celebrating the first signs of spring at this time of year, Queen of PAWNS and most of South Florida is enjoying the last few days of moderate weather before a sweltering summer. May 1^st is “May Day,” or the welcoming of spring, and celebrated many different ways for many different reasons throughout the centuries and around the world. Although the United States is one place where the date is not recognized as a national holiday, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the last of your garden’s flowers in a celebratory fashion. One custom not foreign to the U.S. is to hang flower filled baskets on a friend’s front door, ring their doorbell and then dash away before the door is opened. Up until the end of the 19^th century in England, certain groups would decorate neighbors’ doors on May Day Eve with wreaths made of boughs from trees or flowers. Nowadays, it seems with our busy lives, the nicest thing we can do for our neighbor is keep our own yards looking tidy. What about that hedge you and the guy next door share right on the property line? Is it starting to look shaggy? Maybe it’s time to throw in the towel and be the one who trims the unsightly overgrowth.

If it’s time to retire your rusted, old yard equipment, drop by Queen of PAWNS and find plenty of lawnmowers, hedgers, trimmers and chainsaws. We have a wide variety of gas power tools for the garden that will tame the most unruly growth without shredding your budget. Just be careful not to shred the neighbor’s flower bed with your new-to-you self propelled lawn mower either.