Jewelry Info your source for jewelry information.
| SILVER | CITRINE |
| GOLD | TOURMALINE |
| PLATINUM | OPAL |
| GEMSTONES | JADE |
| DIAMOND | PERIDOT |
| SAPPHIRE | TURQUOISE |
| RUBY | LAPIS LAZULI |
| EMERALD | MALACHITE |
| AQUAMARINE | TOPAZ |
| AMETHYST | GARNET |
| PEARL | BIRTHSTONES |
Silver is the least expensive of the precious metals, and has often been used as a form of currency. Silver is a metal that generally has a high polish, but often tarnishes. Silver is more widely available and less rare than gold or platinum, so it costs much less. Sterling silver is an alloy that must contain at least 92.5% pure silver. The other 7.5% of the alloy is usually copper. This gives sterling silver a superior hardness in comparison to pure silver.
Gold is the most malleable of the
precious metals, and has the longest jewelry tradition.
In its pure form, gold is soft and breaks easily, not to mention
expensive. The gold in jewelry is
divided into several alloy categories. First
there is pure or fine gold, which is 24k or 100%
gold. The next gold alloy is 18k
gold which is 75% gold. The
following is 14k gold which is 58.33% gold.
Finally, with the least parts gold is 10k which is 41.6% gold.
By making gold into alloys it creates stronger jewelry. Generally the
lower the percentage of gold the stronger the jewelry.
There really is no “best” karat. Different parts of the world
prefer
different alloys. Here in the
Platinum is the rarest and the most expensive of the precious metal family. Platinum is durable, non-tarnishing, and has a grayish white color. Because of these properties platinum is often used in diamond settings. Platinum is the newer of the precious metals, first used in the 18th century. Platinum jewelry is usually an alloy of different types of platinum, most often 90% platinum and 10% iridium.
Gemstones are usually minerals, which are formed naturally and are not organic. Pearls, coral, shell, jet, amber and ivory are organic materials and are not technically gemstones, but they're still used as gem materials, and often referred to as organic gemstones. Gemstones when created naturally (without human help) are formed during the rock-forming processes within the earth. This process happens when volatile chemicals force their way through cracks in rocks, or when concentrations of rare elements of magma are forced through cracks as well. Gemstones can also be made by man using various processes called synthetics. Synthetics have the same structure and composition as natural gemstones. Imitations are other materials, such as glass or plastic that are used as simulates (they look like gemstones). They have no similar structure or composition of the gemstone that they are imitating.
Humankind has been looking for diamonds for at least 3,000 years. A diamond is made of mostly pure carbon; it crystallizes 90-120 miles beneath the earth’s surface, and it's carried to the surface by molten rock. Diamonds are found in various types of deposits. They're graded by using the four Cs: carat weight, color, clarity, and cut. Carat weight is the amount the stone weighs. Color is the lack of or intensity of color within a diamond. Clarity is the grading of inclusions within a diamond. Finally, grading cut is to look at the symmetry, angles, and overall profile of the stone.
Sapphire belongs to a family of gemstones known as corundum. A sapphire is any corundum that is not red. The name sapphire comes from the Greek word for blue. Generally when it comes to sapphires the richer the color, the higher the price.
Ruby belongs to a family of gemstones known as corundum. A ruby is any variety of red corundum. Ruby comes from the Latin word Ruber which refers to the color red. The most desirable color is known as "pigeon’s blood", which is a deep, rich red.
Emerald belongs to a family of gemstones known as beryl. An emerald’s rich green color is caused by the coloring agent chrome. The emerald takes its name from the Greek word smaragdos, which means "green stone". Emeralds have inclusions. If you see a stone which you think is an emerald and it has no inclusions, it's most probably an imitation, synthetic or another stone that just looks like an emerald.
Aquamarine belongs to a family of gemstones known as beryl. Aquamarine is named after its light blue/green color. Aquamarine is Latin for "water of the sea". A dark blue color is the most desired and the most expensive.
Amethyst belongs to the family of gemstones known as quartz. Amethyst means "not drunken" in Greek. It is named this because it was often used in superstition to protect the wearer from getting drunk. Amethyst is the most expensive of the quartz group.
Citrine belongs to the family of gemstones known as quartz. Citrine gets its name because of its yellow citrus color. Most citrines are actually heat-treated amethysts or smoky quartz.
Tourmaline refers to an entire group of gemstones, not just a single gemstone. Tourmalines are gemstones that can come in a single color or in multiple colors.
Opals refer to a gemstone that has a wide range of physical properties. The most common opals have play-of-color. Play-of-color is a display of rainbow colors that flows as the stone is moved and light hits it from various angles.
Jade is the name given to a group of gemstones known as Jadeite and Nephrite. The term Jade is often used to describe Jadeite and Nephrite: both stones with their own unique properties. Jade is a very tough stone and in ancient times was often used in tools.
Peridot is also known as olivine. Peridot is a stone that was mined and used to adorn people for thousands of years but was forgotten for a few centuries until being rediscovered in the 20th century.
Turquoise has a variety of colors
ranging from blue to apple green. Turquoise
has a waxy luster and often has veins. Turquoise
came into
Lapis Lazuli is made of several different minerals. One of the most famous examples of lapis is set in the death mask of the pharaoh, Tutankhamun. The best quality lapis should have an even blue color.
Malachite is banded in different green colors. The bands are similar to a tree’s growth rings. The bands are made up of alternating dark and light green colors.
Topaz is a stone that comes in a large variety of colors. The color is often used in the name of the topaz, for example, blue topaz. Blue topaz gets its color from human treatment.
Garnet is actually a group of gemstones, not a single gemstone. Garnet can come in shades of brown, red, and green. The word garnet comes from the Latin term for grain because their crystals look like pomegranate.
Most pearls today are cultured. Cultured means that humans introduced the irritant into the oyster and the oyster then slowly form the pearl. The two varieties of pearls are saltwater and freshwater pearls. Saltwater pearls cost more than freshwater pearls because they take longer to form.
BIRTHSTONES:
January – Garnet
February – Amethyst
March – Aquamarine
April – Diamond
May – Emerald
June – Pearl
July – Ruby
August- Peridot
September – Sapphire
October – Opal, Tourmaline
November – Topaz
December – Zircon, Turquoise
All weights and measurements are approximate. Copyright 2010 DePaula Jewelers. All rights reserved.