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Thursday, August 9, 2007
Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing copper to give strength preserving the ductility of the silver and precious metal content. It is made .925 grade of silver and it is a soft metal and it is easy to deform, scratch and dent.
History
The term sterling silver emerged in England by the 13th century. Sterling is believed to come
from Old Norman French esterlin (meaning little star) and old stiere (meaning strong, movable)
In the early 1800's the Spanish taught native Indians American to work with sterling silver that is made of turquoise stone . They used US coins to create the silver in jewelry. The native American used their true craftsmanship in the beauty of jewelry.
Sterling jewelry is inexpensive and affordable because of unique and creative design, and allows silver to market around the world. It is used to make charms related to religious workship and the symbol of comfort living. Sterling silver is much stronger than pure silver which is harder to work whenmaking pendants or charms. It is made of 90 percent silver and 10 percent is made of cooper, zinc, nickel and is more durable than pure silver but still retain its inherent beauty.
Use Sterling silver to define your style and sterling jewelry silver goes with any skin stone, and is appropriate for any occasion. One of the most popular uses of Sterling silver jewelry is in silver chain. Silver chain is made of different styles, including curb, cable, figaro, rope, box, snake, and herringbone. Some artisans use custom styling and may make silver chain in shapes like the rolled anchor, figure eight, alternating short- and long-link, diamond cut, and double rope. Silver chain provides the perfect backdrop for a locket or charm bracelet. A simple sterling silver necklace, bracelet, or ankle bracelet can also be worn on its own for understated elegance.
Caring for Sterling Silver Jewelry
To preserve the beauty of your sterling silver jewelry, follow these steps:
* Exposure to the air causes silver to tarnish, so keep your sterling silver jewelry in a bag made from tarnish-proof cloth, or in airtight container.
* Avoid allowing your sterling silver jewelry to have prolonged contact with wood, as some woods contain acids that can dull the finish.
* Alcohol, acetone, bleach, ammonia, and turpentine can damage sterling silver jewelry, so be sure to remove your rings and other sterling silver jewelry before using these products.
* Regularly wipe down your sterling silver jewelry with a 100% cotton cloth, using a lengthwise, rather than circular motion.
* Remove light tarnish with a silver cloth, available at mass merchandisers and from jewelers.
* To remove heavy tarnish, use a liquid or paste silver polish and rinse with warm water. Make sure to dry it thoroughly before storing it in its cloth or airtight bag.
Resources: Special Gifts Article
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
The August birthstone is peridot, a green gemstone used in jewelry from ancient times. It was often mistaken for the emerald, and has been referred to as the "evening emerald". Peridot has an interesting pedigree; many people believe that Aaron's breastplate (in the Bible) had peridot although it was referred to as "topaz". Some also believe that Cleopatra's emeralds were in reality peridots. The Egyptians referred to peridot as the "sun gem" because it was believed to be so bright that it was almost invisible in the desert sun; they also believed that peridot glowed in the dark which is probably why most peridot was mined at night (the better to see them!).
In ancient Egypt, the center of peridot mining was an island called Zebargad (Isle of St. John). Supposedly, the small island was infested with snakes until Pharoah had them driven into the sea (quite an accomplishment, don't you think?). This is probably where the idea that peridot could protect one against snakebite or cure a victim of it was born.
Many geologists report that the best peridots come from a mine in Pakistan; however, the San Carlos Reservation mine in Arizona has huge deposits and is the source of many peridots.
It isn't really that difficult to find good peridot beads that are clear and pretty; the problem is that most of them are all tiny! This is the only reason I dislike working with peridot. I would probably use it in jewelry much more if I could get bigger pieces of it regularly. Most of the peridot I buy, whether faceted or smooth, is either in rondelle form or very small ovals. That is why when I found these large peridot nuggets I couldn't wait to use them, even though they are opaque. They are still a very pretty green, have nice shapes, and most of all - big! (well, for peridot anyway - about 14mm).
As you can see above, I've used my nuggets of peridot with lampwork, with amazonite so that I could match these great lampwork beads, and one nugget as a single pendant. The third bracelet down is one made with those little 4mm faceted peridot rondelles. You can find these on the website at Peridot Bracelets page, and on the Peridot Jewelry page.
And the bracelet at the bottom? I love it , so I just had to put it here - it's rock crystal in these marvelous faceted nuggets that sparkle!!! alternated with little chunks of apatite. I love it! 
Pearl is valued as gemstone and is cultivated or harvested for jewelry. It is hard, rounded object, produced by certain animals such as pearl oysters.
People called them as priceless treasure. For normal people, it was a dream to have a pearl because it so special at all time. It is considered the valuable treasure and always a perfect gift because of it's classic and stunning looks. Pearl get more beautiful as they age if it is handle with care. We take pride in the quality of pearl jewelry such as pearl earring, necklaces and bracelets because you will know that you need to hand down that jewelry for generation.
Pearl jewelry can be worn at all occasion and a beautiful set of pearl is as classic as it is timeless.
Pearl has become a new fashion in modern times and today it becomes a mainstream in fashion.
Resources: Wiki | Gemstone
