"Pearls of Wisdom"
Maintaining
Your Fine Jewelry | The History of Charms | What are cultured pearls?
Receive Pearls of Wisdom free each
month.
We respect your privacy and will
not use your email address for any other purpose.
Maintaining your fine jewelry is
important...
Did you
know that stone set rings should be checked by a professional every six
months? This is of particular importance if they are worn everyday. An
annual check will insure the stones aren’t loose and that the prong
tips aren’t too worn. We offer this service free of charge and will run
the rings through our ultrasonic cleaner at the same time.
Speaking of cleaning jewelry, many commercial
jewelry cleaning solutions are available on the market today. It is
very important to follow the directions on those products. Leaving them
in these solutions over night is not usually a good idea as the
solution may discolor the metal on fine jewelry to the point of
requiring refinishing. Whatever you do, we do not recommend boiling
your rings on the stove. Too many people forget and the pans boil dry!
This can cause a great deal of damage to fine jewelry.
A better solution to cleaning your rings at home
is to soak your rings overnight in a solution of warm, mild soapy water
in a shallow dish. When you wake in the morning, simply scrub them with
an old toothbrush and rinse with warm water. They’ll sparkle like new!
Cleaning rings set with turquoise, emeralds,
opals, and pearls can be problematic, it might be best to let a
professional clean these.
Sterling silver jewelry that has no rhodium
plating requires polishing on a regular basis. We recommend a paste
made from baking soda and water. Again, use and old toothbrush or your
fingers to work this fine abrasive over the piece. Rinse in warm water
and pat dry with a soft cloth. Regular silver polish tends to end up in
‘clumps’ and can be difficult to rinse clean. There are also some
commercially available metal polishes available that do a fine job.
Pearl jewelry is very difficult to clean. A string
of pearls should be re-strung once a year. They are professionally
cleaned and the fresh silk also helps their fine luster as there is no
dirt or oil reflecting off the beads fine color.
Another very important point is to keep your
pearls away from cosmetics like perfume and hair spray. These two items
contain an alcohol base that will eat right through the nacre causing
the color and luster of the beads irreparable damage.
Simple tips like these will help your jewelry
purchases last a lifetime and be passed on to future generations.
Maintaining
Your Fine Jewelry | The History of Charms | What are cultured pearls?
The History
of Charms
The following history is taken from an article
that appeared in a newsletter sent out by one of our supplier’s RQC
Ltd. We appreciate them letting us share it with you, our customers.
Charm bracelets, which have a long and rich history, are enjoying a
renaissance. The wearing of charms dates back to prehistoric times.
"The first charm bracelets were probably worn by the Assyrians,
Babylonians, Persians and Hittites from 500 to 400 B.C. Those charms
were made of Lapis Lazuli, rock crystal and other gems and were
inscribed with small designs, such as figures of gods, man and
animals," says Lynn Ramsey, president of the Jewelry Information
Center. "They were immediately associated with special powers."
By the 1890’s charms had evolved from spiritual
protector to fashion statement. In Victorian England, where elegant and
elaborate jewelry was in style, charm bracelets were standard fixtures.
Queen Victoria further popularized the trend by wearing a charm
bracelet of small lockets containing family portraits.
According to Joyce Jonas, president of the
American Gem Society of Jewelry Historians, "Charm bracelets were the
most popular in the U.S. In the 1940’s and 1950’s. Soldiers often
picked up charms from every city they visited during World War II, and
the fashion trend itself continued into times of peace." Fifty years
later charms remain a popular keepsake. Today, a growing trend is theme
charm bracelets. Popular themes include travel, gardening, sun and
stars, and nautical.
Charms provide a sentimental and lasting souvenir
for any celebration. "People appreciate having keepsakes to preserve
special moments and events in their lives." says Christopher Lux,
president of Rembrandt Charms. Jonas also believes that charm
collecting is experiencing a renewed popularity. People enjoy passing
important momentos to share with their children.
Many start collecting charms as pre-teens. The
most common scenario is a mother giving her daughter a charm bracelet,
either as a new gift or passing on a family heirloom bracelet. Then the
daughter adds her own charms representing her favorite hobbies, sports
and interests. As the daughter matures, so does her charm bracelet.
Eventually that same bracelet may hold a graduation cap, college
insignia, the Eiffel Tower, wedding bells and lockets of her children.
Maintaining
Your Fine Jewelry | The History of Charms | What are cultured pearls?
What are
cultured pearls?
Pearls that are formed by the oyster, with an
assist from man are cultured pearls. Pearl cultivators in Japan insert
a small shell nucleus into the fleshy interior of a pearl oyster. The
oyster does the rest, by coating the nucleus with a nacreaous which
hardens and forms the pearl.
What other kinds of pearls
are there?
Natural pearls. These pearls are created by the oyster as an act of
self defense against an intruder which has entered the oyster totally
by accident. In cultured pearls he nucleous is covered with the
identical pearl substance, called nacre.
How can one tell the
difference between a cultured and a natural pearl?
It is usually impossible to detect the difference with the naked eye.
X-ray examinations are used when necessary.
Maintaining
Your Fine Jewelry | The History of Charms | What are cultured pearls?
|
