Posted by fjewelrystore.com on November 21st, 2007 — Posted in Jewelry Articles
What is a gemstone?
Any naturally occurring substance in a raw, uncut state that is capable of being a gem. They are also known as precious stones.
What are natural gemstones?
Gemstones mined in nature are known as natural gemstones. They may take several millennia to grow.
What are synthetic or laboratory grown stones?
Synthetic stones are made in the laboratory using molten chemicals to solidify and form the stone. They are also referred to as laboratory grown. They do not have the rarity and the history of natural gemstones. These stones generally lack imperfections.
What are imitation stones?
Imitation stones look like natural gemstones in appearance only. They may be glass, plastic or less costly stones.
more…
Technorati Tags:
carat,
gem,
gemstone identification,
gemstone information,
gemstone jewelry,
gemstone properties,
gemstone settings,
gemstones,
natural gemstone jewelry,
natural gemstones,
precious stones
No Comments »
Posted by fjewelrystore.com on September 5th, 2007 — Posted in Jewelry Business
Various deceptive techniques are used to alter the appearance of lesser value gemstones. Often these practices are intended to deceive the consumer. However, all of these techniques are considered legitimate if they are revealed to the buyer. Listed below are a few tricks that every jewelry consumer should be aware of:
Painting. Using paint or some other colored material underneath a gem to improve its color. For example, a speck of paint placed on one spot of the gemstone will reflect throughout the entire stone.
Foil Backing. Using foil behind gems adds brilliance to the stone. This technique is often found in jewelry with closed back settings. The use of foil was common and is often seen in antique jewelry.
more…
Technorati Tags:
antique jewelry,
buy jewelry,
fake stone,
gems,
gemstones,
jewelers,
jewelry buyer,
jewelry techniques,
opals,
ruby,
sapphire,
synthetic gems
No Comments »
Posted by fjewelrystore.com on July 16th, 2007 — Posted in Jewelry Making
Zircon is a natural gemstone. It comes in a variety of colors such as colorless, white, blue, green, dark red, yellow, brown and orange. Its brilliant luster and fire combined with its hardness and range of colors makes it a most desirable gem.
The natural gemstone zircon is often misunderstood with the laboratory grown and inexpensive cubic zirconia. This is because of their similar sounding names. Though zircon looks like the synthetic cubic zirconia, the two are totally different.
Zircon is mined in from Norway, Austria, Germany, Srilanka, Combodia, Myanmar, Australia and other countries.
Technorati Tags:
blue zircon,
cubic zircon,
gem,
genuine zircon,
green zircon,
natural zircon,
orange zircon,
pink zircon,
purple zircon,
red zircon,
rose zircon,
white zircon,
yellow zircon,
zircon,
zircon crystals,
zircon jewelry
No Comments »
Posted by fjewelrystore.com on June 29th, 2007 — Posted in Jewelry Making
Gold is available in a wide selection of colors ranging from red to gray. By combining gold with other metals, colored gold alloys are produced. For example, rose gold contains copper and green gold contains silver. The richness of the color is regulated by how much of a particular metal is added. A deeper rose color is achieved by adding more copper. More than one metal can also be used to produce less common colors. Grey gold contains both copper and iron. Although the base metals are mixed in different quantities to produce these gold alloys, the actual amount of gold does not change. Both 14 karat rose gold and 14 karat blue gold contain the same amount of gold.
more…
Technorati Tags:
14 karat gold,
blue gold,
gold,
gold alloys,
gold color,
green gold,
grey gold,
jewelry making,
pure gold,
purple gold,
red gold,
rose gold
No Comments »
Posted by fjewelrystore.com on June 15th, 2007 — Posted in Birthstones
Ruby
King of precious stones. The gleaming ruby should adorn, all those of you who are born in July.
A multitude of legends and strange beliefs surrounded the Ruby in ancient times. Among other things, it was thought that the wearer of a ruby was blessed with health, wealth, wisdom, and outstanding success in affairs of the heart. For centuries, the Hindus believed that colorless sapphire was an unripe ruby that would eventually mature.
There is no doubt that the finest rubies are found almost exclusively in Burma. Some rubies from Thailand, Kenya, and Tanzania have the beauty associated with good Burma qualities.
Stones that have a ruby color and that also display distinct asterism when cut in cabochon are called star rubies. A Cat’s-eye effect has also been encountered in ruby but it is exceedingly rare, especially in a sharply defined band.
more…
Technorati Tags:
alternate birthstone,
birthday birthstones,
birthstone colors,
birthstone jewelry,
birthstones,
birthstones month,
history of birthstones,
july birthstone,
onyx,
ruby,
ruby birthstone
No Comments »
Posted by fjewelrystore.com on June 5th, 2007 — Posted in Jewelry Tips
The worst thing you can do for your colored gemstones is assume they are as sturdy as diamonds. Gemstones are far more fragile. As a rule, they should not be exposed to chlorine, extreme temperature changes, solvents, or harsh physical contact. Some gemstones are more susceptible to damage than others. Emerald, opal, peridot, and garnet do not handle sudden thermal changes well. Certain solvents, including alcohol and acetone (nail polish remover) will fade dyed gemstones such as jade and lapis lazuli. Sharp knocks can cleave (split at certain angles) tanzanite, topaz, iolite and moonstone. The best way to protect your gems is to treat them very delicately. They should not be worn to the pool, or while doing household chores. Jewelry should be stored in individual pouches or wrapped in soft material when not in use.
more…
Technorati Tags:
colored gemstones,
diamonds,
emerald,
garnet,
gems,
gemstone,
gemstone value,
iolite,
jade,
jewelry,
lapis lazuli,
moonstone,
opal,
peridot,
tanzanite,
topaz,
ultrasonic jewelry cleaner
No Comments »
Posted by fjewelrystore.com on May 29th, 2007 — Posted in Jewelry Making
Rubies and sapphires belong to the same family of minerals and thus have the same physical characteristics. Among gemstones, they are the hardest, second only to diamonds, but still require gentle handling. The term ruby only applies to the color red. However, sapphires range in color from blue to green, black, orange, pink, yellow, purple or colorless (white).
more…
Technorati Tags:
blue sapphires,
gemstones,
green sapphire,
minerals,
orange sapphire,
pink sapphire ring,
ruby,
ruby gemstone,
ruby jewelry,
sapphire,
sapphire jewelry,
sapphire ring
No Comments »
Posted by fjewelrystore.com on May 21st, 2007 — Posted in Jewelry Tips
What is gold?
The word gold, used by itself, means all gold or 24karat (24K) gold. Gold has been a monetary standard throughout the history of mankind. Gold is a soft but heavy metal.
What is a karat?
Karat tells you what proportion of gold is mixed with the other metals. For example, 18 karat (18K) gold contains 18 parts of gold and 6 parts of metals. Therefore 14 karat (14K) gold is less valuable than 18 karat gold since it contains 14 parts of gold and 10 parts of other metals. The abbreviation of karat is K. or Kt. It is easy to confuse this term with carat described below in the gemstone guide.
What are the gold alloys?
Pure (24K) gold is soft and unworkable. To increase its durability and hardness, it is mixed with other metals which are referred to as the gold alloys.
What is yellow gold?
Yellow gold refers to gold that has been alloyed with a mix of 50% copper and 50% silver.
What is white gold?
Pale, almost silver-colored gold caused by nickel, zinc alloys.
more…
Technorati Tags:
14k,
18k,
22k,
24 karat gold,
24k,
buying gold,
gold alloys,
gold jewelry,
gold plate,
green gold,
jewelry buying guide,
karat,
karat gold,
pink gold,
vermeil,
what is gold,
white gold,
yellow gold
No Comments »
Posted by fjewelrystore.com on May 13th, 2007 — Posted in Jewelry Making
Garnets are a related group of gemstones. This family includes the rhodolite, demantoid, grossular, hessonite, spessarite, almandine, mandarin, malaya, tsavorite.
Garnets are available in many colors such as orange, green, purpe red, pink, gold and more. They may look similar to ruby or emerald. The dark, slightly brownish or violet red color is the most popular.
more…
Technorati Tags:
almandine,
beads,
children jewelry,
demantoid,
emerald,
garnet,
garnet earrings,
garnet rings,
gemstones,
grossular,
hessonite,
malaya,
mandarin,
pearls,
rhodolite,
ruby,
spessarite,
tsavorite
No Comments »
Posted by fjewelrystore.com on May 6th, 2007 — Posted in Jewelry Tips
Can experts easily tell the difference between a cultured pearl and a natural pearl?
Without X-rays, it is nearly impossible to distinguish between cultured and naturally occurring pearls. When cultured pearls were first introduced to the marketplace in the early 1900s, dealers tried to discredit the gems as simulations. Kokichi Mikimoto, the first commercial producer of cultured pearls, fought through courts around the world to prove his pearls were genuine, differing only from natural pearls by the uniformity of the artificially inserted nucleus.
more…
Technorati Tags:
cultured pearl jewelry,
cultured pearls,
gems,
genuine pearl,
jewelry pearl,
mikimoto pearls,
natural pearls,
pearls
No Comments »
Posted by fjewelrystore.com on April 27th, 2007 — Posted in Jewelry Articles
As most of us know adornment has been around since Neanderthal man. Bits of bone, rock, shell, even flowers and leaves made up accessories for both man and woman. Glass came into existence at a much later time. Some where around 2340-2180 B.C. These excavations took place in Mesopotamia, and in the Caucasus region, known today as Russia. A vast number of glass beads were found, artistically crafted and a number of manufacturing methods used.
It was Egypt, however that manufactured such an enormous variety of beads in so many different materials that virtually everyone wore them. They were used not only for jewelry but for adornment from sandals to aprons. Most of these beads and finery was made for funerals, however. Of course the most prized stones and jewelry were made for the wealthy.
more…
Technorati Tags:
adornment,
bead designs,
bead style,
beads,
beautiful bead,
glass,
glass beads,
glassmaking,
jewelry,
precious stones,
semiprecious stones
No Comments »
Posted by fjewelrystore.com on April 16th, 2007 — Posted in Jewelry Articles
Amber is a gemstone which has been sought after and revered since ancient times.
As well as being desired for its beauty, it was valued as a talisman and protector against various illnesses.
Amber was formed tens of millions of years ago from the resin of prehistoric trees. The coastal areas around the Baltic sea are the world’s principal source of amber, and the local craftsmen possess a skill and a feeling of the material which derives from a centuries-old tradition.
more…
Technorati Tags:
amber,
amber beads,
amber gemstone,
amber jewelry,
craftsmen,
gem stone jewelry,
gems,
gems minerals,
gemstone,
talisman
No Comments »
Posted by fjewelrystore.com on April 7th, 2007 — Posted in Jewelry Business
Each piece of metalwork you do has two values: intrinsic value (what the raw materials are worth) and market value (the value added by your labor and the demand for your work). The theory of mass production is that very little is added to the intrinsic value, since not much labor goes into the manufacture of a single item. But if you do mostly one-of-a-kind pieces, then your labor may well be the major part of the market value.
The market for your work becomes more limited as you increase the labor costs. If you are well known, and have a large following and/or demand for your work, then it does not really matter what your work costs — it will sell. If you are just starting out, adding many hours of work to a relatively insignificant amount of intrinsic value probably will not sell very well. Without an established name to justify the cost of a piece of relatively low intrinsic value — a piece made of silver with an inexpensive agate, for example — you’ll end up paying yourself only a few cents per hour in order to sell a piece that took you 40 hours to complete. Spending that same 40 hours on a gold piece with expensive stones, however, even if the selling price will be quite a bit more than the one in silver, makes the work more saleable. Unfortunately, it takes a certain amount of educating the buying public to make people perceive that an artistic value may be greater than the intrinsic one.
more…
Technorati Tags:
agate,
expensive stone,
gift,
jewelry,
jewelry business,
jewelry design,
jewelry exhibition,
jewelry market,
jewelry material,
metal for jewelry making,
metalwork,
silver
No Comments »
Posted by fjewelrystore.com on March 26th, 2007 — Posted in Jewelry Articles
The jewelry and adornments that we wear on our bodies proclaim who we are and what we believe; Masonic jewelry is an ideal example of jewelry with meaning. For this reason, it’s important to wear high-quality pieces that cater to our tastes, and augment our appearance. The Internet has made finding excellently crafted pieces much easier, so that we can find just the right ornament without any hassle.
The Masons are an ancient and noble organization. Masonic jewelry proclaims a proud heritage, and should be worn with a deep sense of honor. Fortunately, it has become possible to find well-crafted Masonic jewelry online.
more…
Technorati Tags:
adornments,
bridal sets,
celtic jewelry,
elegant jewelry,
fine jewelry,
jewelry,
masonic jewelry,
masons,
military rings,
money clips,
online jewelry,
quality jewelry
No Comments »
Posted by fjewelrystore.com on March 14th, 2007 — Posted in Jewelry Making
There are fashion trends in jewelry, just as there are in clothing, architecture, or cars. In the 1930s much commercial jewelry was made in whitegold, with platinum also widely used. The cool, grayish metals worked well with very streamlined designs, and were complementary to the industrialized style of design. Both metals fell out of favor during the 40s, partly due to platinum being declared a strategic material during WorldWar II. Now these two white precious metals are regaining the public interest.
In the 70s, a fad for Southwestern Indian style jewelry, primarily of turquiose and silver, swept across the country. This caused a resurgence in the use of silver for a less formal style of jewelry, an interest which has continued to this day. (As an aside, many commercial repair shops, used to working only with gold, had to learn the differences between working with silver and gold, as the silver started coming in for repair, much of it made by Hong Kong “Indians”). Then, perhaps as a backlash to the ornate Indian-style silver jewelry, the next major fad was for multiple thin gold chains, usually worn just by themselves, or occasionally with a simple, small pendant.
more…
Technorati Tags:
commercial jewelry,
fashion jewelry,
gemstones,
indian style jewelry,
jewelry trends,
neckpiece,
platinum,
precious metals,
selling jewelry,
silverwork,
turquiose,
white gold jewelry
No Comments »