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In Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Marilyn Monroe uttered the classic jewelry lover's line, "I just love finding new places to put diamonds." So do the Dutch, it seems.
 Eye surgeons in Amsterdam have been implanting miniscule pieces of jewelry into the eyes of people searching for a new place to put diamonds. The tiny 'JewelEyes' are implanted into the membrane of the eye under a local anesthetic, and come in shapes like crescent moons and hearts.
The Dutch surgeons insist the procedure is harmless to the eye, but British doctors have decried the practice, saying the tiny chips could move and permanently damage the eye.
Whatever the truth may be, you don't have to go to those extremes to get an 'eyeful' of fabulous jewelry. The jewelry trade already has some amazing 'eyes' that can be worn on the body without also possibly impairing your sight. They may not be diamonds, but they are gemstones of singular beauty.
Two styles that look great with the latest Ethnic and Gypsy fashions are Evil Eye jewelry and the mysterious chatoyant stones.
Evil Eye jewelry is not only fun to wear, it also has a long tradition of warding off bad luck – or the 'evil eye'. The eye reflects back any evil that is looking your way. It originated in Turkey and Eastern Europe, and while some people think it is a symbol of witchcraft, this isn't true. Evil Eye jewelry is worn to deflect bad luck not to cause it.
 The basic Evil Eye jewel is a stone with concentric circles on it, resembling an eyeball. These come in a fabulous variety of colors but the traditional Eastern European Evil Eye stone is made of blue glass, with white and black circles. If you love to travel in these regions, you can pick these up quite cheaply as souvenirs.
But if you prefer to shop on the Internet, import jewelry sites have some stunning evil eye jewelry, from bracelets and necklaces to rings and key rings.
The Evil Eye jewels are randomly threaded onto strips of suede that wrap around the wrist for the fashionably ethnic look. The suede comes in orange, blue and off white.
A single Evil Eye jewel hung on a pendant round the neck or worn as a ring will look great with your Spring gypsy fashions.
Evil eyes are hand made but if you prefer something more natural, then check out the chatoyant gems that have a natural cat's eye effect. The Cat's Eye, or chrysoberyl, is a particularly beautiful chatoyant that comes in gray and brown, as well as highly prized green.
A Cat's Eye set into a single pendant or as the only adornment on a bracelet looks stunning and unusual, especially if it matches the wearer's eyes.
 Another form of chatoyant is the well known Tiger's Eye, a beautiful stone that comes in shades of dark brown to golden yellow. You can also get Red Tiger's Eye, which happens when the stone is heat treated. When Tiger's Eye comes in the less common blue and gray varieties, it is known as Hawk's Eye.
Wearing Tiger's Eye is supposed to be beneficial for health, particularly the eyesight, and to bring wealth.
Independent jewelers have created many beautiful pieces using these natural stones, but be sure you choose a reputable retailer. Natural gemstones like Cat's Eye and Tiger's Eye are easily imitated in plastic and while these may look quite good, they won't have the quality and one-of-a-kind pattern of a genuine natural stone.
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