Posts Tagged ‘pearl jewelry’

Cleaning and correctly storing your jewelry will help it keep sparkling, increase the longevity of the piece and enhance its wearing pleasure.

Let’s first take a look at how to effectively and safely clean various types of jewelry.

Gold Jewelry

One of the simplest and economical ways to clean gold jewelry is to take a bowl of lukewarm to warm water, mix in a little mild detergent soap, immerse the jewelry piece and let it sit for a few minutes which will help dislodge residue and grime. Then use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub the piece. Put the piece under running water to wash of the soapy solution, then pat dry with a soft lint free cloth.

You can also use commercial jewelry liquids at most jewelry stores. Please follow the user instructions when using these.

Silver Jewelry

Silver jewelry should be cleaned using the least abrasive silver polish. Apply the polish with a soft cloth and gently rub the piece, wipe away any excess polish. You can also use spray polish.

Diamond Jewelry

To clean diamond jewelry use a mix of 1 cup water and ¼ cup of ammonia. Immerse the piece for about 20 to 30 minutes. Then brush gently with a soft toothbrush, taking special care to brush the back mounting and the culet (tip of the diamond) as that is where most of the grime sticks reducing the amount of light passing through the stone thus reducing its luster.

Rinse the piece under running water and dry using a soft chamois skin cloth or a soft lint free cloth.

You can also use commercial jewelry liquids at most jewelry stores. Please follow the user instructions when using these.

Porous stones

Porous stones such as Emeralds, Jade, Onyx etc. use water and a very mild detergent to gently clean with a toothbrush, rinse under running water then pat dry with a soft lint free cloth.

Organic Stones

To clean organic stones such as Pearls, Amber, Coral, Jet etc. use only a soft damp cloth to wipe.

Never use any cleaning liquids or solutions on these stones.

Pearls can also be cleaned using a soft cloth with a little olive oil and then buffing with a dry soft cloth. This will improve the sheen and luster of the Pearl.

Antique and Ethnic jewelry

Antique jewelry and ethnic jewelry such a Kundan and Polki (Jewelry of India)
should not be cleaned at home as they are very delicate and liable to break and discolor easily.

These pieces should be taken to a trusted jewelry professional for periodic cleaning.

Note

Before starting the cleaning process of mounted and set stones please check the prongs, bail, earring posts, hooks and clasps for damage or wear and tear. If they are loose or missing please take the piece to a jewelry professional to get it fixed as the stone may dislodge during the cleaning process.

When rinsing under a tap, keep a sieve under the tap to trap a stone if it dislodges during cleaning.

Storing your jewelry

Correctly storing your jewelry is one of the most important things you can do to ensure the longevity of your cherished jewelry.

Try to store your jewelry in individual hard boxes lined with soft cloth.

You can also wrap your jewelry in polishing paper or soft tissues and put them in plastic zip lock pouches.

Porous gemstones and organic gemstones such as Emerald, Turquoise, Lapis Lazuli, Pearls, Coral, and Amber etc. should not be stored in direct sunlight.

Store your jewelry in dark and cool place away from extreme heat or cold.

Always store your jewelry away from chemicals and cosmetics.

Don’t put any heavy objects on top of your jewelry boxes or pouches.

Links and clasps of chains, bracelets and strings should be closed to avoid entanglement and breakage.

Always insure that your jewelry is completely dry before storing them.

The above mentioned cleaning and storage tips will ensure that you enjoy for years your favorite and often expensive jewelry.

For more articles about jewelry reviews, news and resources visit Jagmala’s blog Jewelry Reviews

Author: Jagmala Singh
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Canada duty rate

Whatever the occasion, whatever the reason – one thing that a women cannot part away with is a piece of jewelry.

Why do women wear jewelry? Though these days it is not hard to find men sporting some either, the answer is that it is not just an accessory in a women’s wardrobe, it is an asset, a form of self expression. Jewelry gives you confidence and reflects your personality. It is very much a part of our lives.

Over the years, jewelry has gained in popularity. Gone are the days when you have to go to the goldsmith near your house for making jewelry. These are the days of jewelry designers, just like fashion designer, who will design jewelry as per the occasion. These people guide you on what to wear & how to wear. They will also help you chose the right clothes that go with your sparkling accessories.

Selecting a piece of jewelry is an important task – similar to picking your wardrobe. You should select something that matches your personal style and that you are comfortable wearing in. When buying it you should keep in mind the color of your attire because by going in with the right combination you can make your own fashion statement.

It is always better to experiment by mixing and matching your jewelry items. Earrings, nose-ring, bangles, finger rings and a simple gold chain can be worn in our day to day life, in office or at home. However, if you are going in for a wedding, then you can go in for some heavy gold or diamond necklace, bracelets and glass bangles, long ear rings, and a tikka on your forehead.

But again all boils down to the occasion and on your attire. Apart from gold, diamond and silver jewelry – artificial jewelry, costume jewelry, fashion and imitation jewelry, pearl jewelry, gemstone jewelry, imitation and antique jewelry is catering to the demands of fashion concious people from around the world.

If price is a factor for you, then you can opt for costume jewelry, artificial jewelry and beaded jewelry which, again, all adds up to your fashion statement. Gold jewelry, which has always been in demand and has recently witnessed a hike in prices, is available in 22 kt gold, 21 kt gold, 18 kt gold with purity of 91.6%,. 87.5% and 75% respectively.

In India, the BIS i.e. Bureau of Indian Standards undertakes certification of purity of gold jewelry in accordance with Indian Standards IS:1417 Grades of Gold & Gold Alloys.

If you are visiting India and are looking to buy jewelry, you can get it from a hallmarked approval jewelry store (as hallmarking certifies that the jewelry conforms to national & international standards of purity) You can google for jewelry designers, exporters or manufacturers in India for your type of jewelry.

In the end, I would advice you to wear only those items which you can carry, and suits your personality. However, there is no harm in trying to experimenting with your accessories. Jewelry is the shining armour in your wardrobe. Wear it, live it.

If you are looking for jewelry manufacturers and suppliers. you can visit tradeindia, which has extensive information on Jewelry and other products.

Author: Arshad Iqbal
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera News

Since recorded history, man has coveted the luminous white gems we call pearls. Revered the world over for their rare beauty, otherworldly sheen and understated elegance, pearls are as popular in modern society as they were with European royals and Egyptian princesses centuries ago. Today, pearl jewelry connoisseurs have a new love: black pearls. Exotic, luxurious and rare, a rich black pearl necklace presents a striking picture–the gems definitely lack the demure, chaste image of their classic white counterparts. For the woman who has everything, a black pearl necklace, whether showcased alone in a pendant or in a perfectly matched strand, makes a wonderful addition to her jewelry collection. Think of how lovely a black pearl necklace will look on any skin tone!

Where do jewelers get the pearls they use in a matched black pearl necklace?

“Black” pearls are also known as “Tahitian cultured pearls,” but both names are misleading. Not only are Tahitian cultured pearls not exclusively black, they’re also not grown in Tahiti. Called “black” because of their exotic dark colors, Tahitian cultured pearls can be gray, blue, green and brown. And they’re grown in the lagoons of small islands that are part of a group known as French Polynesia. Tahiti, the largest island, serves as the group’s center of commerce, and not as a pearl growing mecca. Interestingly, fine Tahitian cultured pearls have only been on the market since the 1970s. Yet they have become quite popular in that short time.

Growing Tahitian pearls

Tahitian pearls are cultivated for around two years in Pinctada margaritifera cumingi, a large saltwater mollusk that is native to French Polynesia. One of the ways this unique oyster differs from other species is that its interior shell color is dark. This so-called “black lipped” oyster also has black mantle edges–the “lips” that give the animal its descriptive name. Due to overfishing, adult wild oyster populations aren’t as plentiful as they used to be. In an effort to reverse this trend, the government protects the animals; pearl farmers in French Polynesia who wish to culture the black lipped oyster must raise the oysters from spat (baby oysters). If the farmer is successful in nurturing the spat to adulthood, at around two and a half to three years old, the oysters are implanted with mantle tissue and a mother-of-pearl bead to start the pearl growing process. This delicate operation is performed by specially trained workers called nucleators; even so, according to the Gemological Institute of America, more than 50 percent of the oysters die or reject the nucleus.

Literature from GIA says, “Add those oysters to the ones that don’t meet the implantation criteria: The farmer’s potential pearl-producing stock is less than half the number that lived long enough to be considered for nucleation. When the pearl growth period begins, after three years of work, the farmer has only 20 percent of the oysters he collected as spat.” No wonder a fine quality Tahitian cultured pearl is so rare!

Tahitian pearl growth generally takes place in a closed lagoon that is ringed by coral reefs. Such a setup offers protection and a stable environment for the implanted oysters to complete the pearl-growing process. After the oysters have been submerged for 22 to 26 months, they’re hauled to the surface, where any pearls they managed to grow are harvested. The farmers then clean and lightly buff the gems prior to offering them for sale. Farmers also sort the pearls by color, shape, etc. and grouped with like pearls.

In the end, only one to two percent of the Tahitian cultured pearl crop consists of fine quality round cultured pearls.

Color

Today, the most sought-after Tahitian cultured pearls are dark green-gray to blue gray with rosé or purple overtones. But how do pearls get their color? No one is completely sure, but we do know that pearl colors are determined by several factors, including variations in the host oyster, color variation of the implanted donor mussel tissue, the number and thickness of nacre layers, and variations in growing environment such as temperature and water quality. Tahitian pearls are most often variations of gray, black, green and blue, but other colors exist. Search on the Internet for Tahitian cultured pearl images, and you will see they are not all black!

Buying a black pearl necklace

At an average size of 8mm-14mm, Tahitian cultured pearls–especially those specimens that are gem-quality and round–are very expensive. (GIA estimates that one first-quality, unusually large Tahitian cultured pearl will set you back thousands of dollars!) If only one to two percent of the harvest produces a fine quality round Tahitian cultured pearl, imagine how long it takes to make a matched strand! No wonder a black pearl necklace is so costly. Choose carefully, keeping in mind that pearls with a desirable overtone (secondary color) and pearls that are larger than typical will be more expensive. Look for pearls that are well-matched, not pitted or marked in any obvious way (minor surface characteristics are acceptable). Be sure to check return policies up front, too, in case you have a problem. Ask your retail jeweler for his or her store policy or, if buying online, check the site’s guarantee prior to making a purchase. Once you receive your pearls, be sure to examine them closely. After wearing, store your pearl necklace away from other gems; while fairly durable, pearls are prone to scratching and their nacre will erode over time, especially if exposed to harsh chemicals like bleach, perfume and chlorine.
Black pearl necklaces in modern fashion

Although slow to catch on at first, thanks in part to publicity from stars such as actress Elizabeth Taylor, a renowned jewelry collector who wore a striking black pearl necklace in publicity photos for her Black Pearls perfume launch, Tahitian cultured pearls are wildly popular today. It’s not hard to find examples of fine black pearl jewelry in modern society. Look around and you’ll see black pearl necklaces on everyone from businesswomen to moms to Hollywood A-list actresses, models and celebrities. Take Kiera Knightly, for example, who wore a stunning black baroque Tahitian cultured pearl choker at the premier of her movie, The Black Pearl. Stars like Christy Turlington, Naomi Watts, Heidi Klum, Michael Michelle, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Shalom Harlow are also pearl fans.

Perhaps black pearls’ popularity is why designers like David Yurman, Elsa Peretti and Paloma Picasso (for Tiffany & Co.) are incorporating stunning black pearls, and even black baroque and black keshi pearls, into modern designs like long chain necklaces, brooches, chokers and charm bracelets. Black pearl drop earrings and pendants are also favorites, as they require little matching–or none at all. Whimsical designs on cufflinks and in popular frog, dragonfly and other animal pins incorporate black pearls as well.

Black pearl necklace alternatives

When most people think of black pearl jewelry, they naturally think of Tahitian cultured pearls. But prices are high for these rare gems, in part due to their large size, unusual colors, and the high cost of producing them. If you want to wear real Tahitian cultured pearls, one way to do so without breaking the bank is to choose a pendant-style necklace with a single pearl; black pearl stud earrings; a single black pearl ring, or black baroque (non-symmetrical) pearls. These designs are every bit as exotic yet much more affordable than a matched black pearl strand.

For customers for whom Tahitian pearl jewelry is beyond reach, there are some inexpensive yet beautiful alternatives to the classic black pearl necklace. Today, freshwater pearls–round, drop, button and baroque–are color-treated to produce a look that closely resembles the hue of Tahitian cultured pearls. The natural-looking result is beautiful and looks great in such pieces as a baroque black pearl bracelet, black pearl drop earrings or black pearl necklace. Every bit as real as their Tahitian cousins, black freshwater cultured pearls’ color is man-made, but keep in mind that nearly all pearls are treated somehow (bleaching is the most common enhancement).

If you’re after not only the color but the size of fine Tahitian pearls, consider a black “pearl” necklace made from black mother-of-pearl beads. Their generous size, lustrous sheen and affordable price make them a popular alternative to a fine Tahitian pearl necklace.

A graduate of the Gemological Institute of Americas Graduate Pearls program, Amy Drescher is a fashion writer and accessories buyer for http://www.moonriverpearls.com She welcomes your questions. Reach her at adrescher@moonriverpearls.com

Author: Amy Drescher
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Import duty tariff

Go to any jewelry store and peruse their pearl collections and it’s easy to see how many different colors of pearls there are. You can find pearls in white, cream, pink, purple and black with overtones of green, brown and blue. While personal preference is the basis for deciding which color pearl is best for you, it’s important to understand why pearls are the colors they are.

All pearls are made of nacre, or the substance oysters excrete to cover a nucleus in their tissue. The thickness of the nacre is the first thing that determines the color of the pearl. The richness of the pearl's color is directly tied to the thickness of the nacre. Environment does play a role in color variations, but the main factor in determining a pearl’s color is the type of mollusk that produced it. Different mollusks produced different colors of pearls for a variety of reasons.

Freshwater pearls are found in a wide variety of colors naturally. The colors are produced for many different reasons including environment, type of mussel and the location of the nucleus inserted into the tissue. Manganese is one element found only in freshwater mollusks and causes changes in the pearl’s color. The Manganese will darken freshwater pearls causing a silver-grey effect making a beautiful and unique colored gemstone.

Some pearls’ color, like that of the South Sea pearl, is based on the color of the oyster’s mantle tissue that it came from. The South Sea pearl is produced by the Pinctada maxima mollusk. This mollusk comes in two different types - the gold lip and the silver lip. The silver lip creates white, silver and rose colored pearls while the gold lip produces yellow, gold and champagne colored pearls. The gold colored South Sea pearls are very rare and possibly the most valuable

Tahitian pearls or black South Sea pearls have a rich, dark coloration. Tahitian pearls are produced by the Pinctada margaritifer mollusk. This mollusk is also called the black lip oyster. The mantle of the black lip oyster is very dark which causes the pearls it produces to be black in color. The color will not lonly be dependent on the color of the nacre and the mantle tissue, but also on the color of the donor tissue that is grafted into the oyster. Different donor tissues can cause the pearl to have lavender, green, blue and ‘peacock’ overtones. These types of pearls are highly prized for their luster and iridescence.

Even though cultured and natural pearls come in a wide variety of colors, pearls are sometimes dyed. A lot of times, freshwater and akoya pearls are dyed dark colors to give them the appearance of a Tahitian or South Sea pearl. The dyes are organic and don’t harm the stone but it is important to be aware of this when shopping for pearls. If the color of a pearl looks too beautiful to be true, it may be! A dyed pearl can be spotted by looking down the drill hole with a magnifier. The color of Tahitian pearls is even tampered with. Sometimes heat is used to alter their color and achieve a chocolate color which has become very popular in the jewelry world.