GOLD JEWELRY CARE
While the Gold component of 18k / 14k jewelry is nonreactive, the alloy composition is. All organic matter is subject to wear and tear, and your jewelry is no different, especially if you wear it every day.
To clean Gold jewelry, use a solution of warm water and detergent-free soap and scrub gently with a soft-bristled brush, then buff it with a soft clean cloth to remove all moisture. When not worn, store your Gold pieces in soft cloth bags to help prevent scratches.
PEARLS
The creation of a natural pearl is truly a miraculous phenomenon. They are formed over time when an irritant accidentally works its way into an oyster.
As a defence mechanism, the oyster secretes a fluid called nacre (Nay-Ker) to coat the intruder. Layer-upon-layer of deposited nacre coats the grain of sand until an iridescent pearl is formed.
ARE NATURAL PEARLS RARE?
Natural pearls occur spontaneously in the wild and are extremely rare and challenging to obtain, making them prohibitively expensive. If you do happen to find a natural pearl for sale, it’s good to know that unlike cultured pearls, which are graded by millimetres, natural pearls are graded by their carat weight.
ARE CULTURED PEARLS CONSIDERED REAL?
Today, natural pearls are extremely rate, so this process is re-created by oyster farmers who make cultured pearls. The only difference is that instead of accidental circumstances, a pearl farmer embeds a grain of sand/irritant into te oyster. Although the process used to create a cultured pearl is induced by human intervention, the resulting pearls are every bit as real as the natural ones.
HOW TO IDENTIFY REAL VS. FAKE PEARLS?
While there is no standardized grading system for pearl quality, there are a number of factors that help determine the authenticity of a genuine pearl. These include pearl type, size, shape, colour, nacre quality and lustre—plus its rarity and weight (for natural pearls) or size (for cultured pearls).
The biggest difference between real and fake pearls comes down to their surface feel and how well the pearls match from one another. Natural pearls are seldom perfect-looking; you will notice light reflects differently off real pearls as compared to fake ones because of the tiny irregularities and ridges on its surface.
Moreover, real pearls will slightly vary in size, colour and lustre compared to the uniform look of fake pearls. Pearls that look completely perfect and identical in terms of shape, colour, size and surface characteristics are probably fake.
It can take years to produce a strand of South Sea pearls that are all the same millimetre in size, shape and colour, which is why they command a high price.
PEARL CARE
The top rule for pearls is that they should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off. Being organic gemstones, they are vulnerable to acid, alkaline and extremes of humidity. To preserve its lustre avoid letting them come into contact with hairspray, lotion and perfume. Wear them often and your body’s natural oils will keep them lustrous. Before putting them away, wipe them with a soft cloth to remove oils, sweat or excess dirt. Store them apart from other harder jewelry to keep them from getting scratched. As an organic gem, pearls need to breathe so, it’s best if they’re stored in a soft bag, not plastic.
DIAMOND EDUCATION
Diamond is the only Gem in the world made of a single element: Carbon. Although, what is it that makes Diamonds so special? Different people have different answers to that question. A research scientist might say it is the conditions under which form in the earth. An economist might say it’s their rarity. A consumer might say it’s their association with love and beauty. And they’d all be right.
A Diamond has to go through a lot before it reaches the jeweler’s display case. It forms deep in the earth under extreme heat and pressure. It’s transported violently upward until it arrives at or near the earth’s surface, where it’s forced from its hiding place by nature or by man. Then it’s cut and polished till its natural beauty shines through.
THE FOUR C’S
Diamond professionals use special set of four value factors to describe and classify diamonds: Clarity, Colour, Cut and Carat weight. When used together, they describe the quality of a finished Diamond, which is directly related to its value.
CLARITY – Few things in nature are absolutely perfect. That’s as true of Diamonds as anything else. Diamond’s have internal features called inclusions, and surface irregularities called blemishes.
Like the rest of the Four C’s clarity’s influence on value is directly related to the concept of rarity. Flawless is the top grade in the grading system. At the lower end of the scale are diamonds with inclusions that can easily be seen by the untrained eye.
COLOUR – People outside the diamond trade often misunderstand the relationship between Diamonds and Colour. Many people think of Diamonds as colourless. In reality, truly colourless Diamonds are quite rare. Most Diamonds used in jewelry are nearly colourless with yellow or brown tints – most often light yellow.
Size makes a difference in a Diamond’s colour – the biggere the Diamond, the more obvious it’s colour. The difference in colour can be subtle, but they can cause dramatic variations in price.
CUT – A well-cut Diamond can make light perform in breathtaking ways, resulting in magnificent display of three important Diamond attributes; brightness, fire and scintillation. A well-cut Diamond is one that presents the most even colour, exposes the fewest inclusions, and displays the majority of the gemstone weight.
Specific manufacturers have developed and named their own cuts. This category is called branded cuts. Their names are sometimes protected by trademark or protected by copyright.
CARAT WEIGHT – Diamond weight are stated in metric carats, abbreviated “cts”. One metric carat is one-fifth (0.2000) of a gram. Diamonds are weighed to at least a thousandth (0.001) of a carat and then rounded to the nearest hundredth, or point. Fractions of a carat can mean price difference of hundreds -even thousands -of dollars depending on the quality of the Diamond.
Don’t confuse the term carat with karat. Karat is a unit of measure that describes the purity – or fineness – of Gold.
DIAMOND JEWELRY CARE
Diamonds are composed of pure carbon and its atomic bonding makes it one of the hardest natural substances found on earth. While incredibly tough, abrasive surfaces, harsh chemicals and sharp blows can damage even the most durable gemstone.
To keep your diamonds and gemstones clean and shiny, scrub lightly with a soft-bristled brush with warm water and detergent-free soap (mix 1 part dish soap with 10 parts warm water) and rinse the jewelry in fresh clean water afterwards to ensure there is no residue. Dry with a soft towel and use a polishing cloth for extra lustre. Store in a safe, dry place when not worn.
Depending on how dirty your pieces are, you may soak it in the mixture for about 20 minutes or even overnight.