Familiar Jewelry Vocabulary And Some Not So Familiar

Anodized:  Refers to a method by which metal, such as aluminum, is coated with color by the proces of electrolysis.

Asterism:  Star-like appearance of star rubies and star sapphires.

Balas Ruby:  Rose-tinted spinel.

Chased Design:  Fine lines indented in metal to outline the shap of design motif, used for copper, gold, and silver jewelry.

Chips:  Tiny, uncut diamonds; sometimes used to surround a larger diamond stone in a ring, also used in the case of a watch, or in a watch band.

Chromium:  A durable metal, resembles silver, used mainly for plating brass or copper.  Does not tarnish, therefore, has advantage over silver-plated articles.

Ceramics:  Porcelain, usually hand painted when used in jewelry.

Coral:  Opaque, rose-pink, ox-blood, white, or yellow in color; the skeletons of sea animals, used for earrings, necklaces and bracelets.

Ivory:  The hard creamy-white, opaque, fine-grained material of elephant tusks and the tusks of other animals; richly carved for use in jewelry.

Filagree:  Lace-like jewelry made from wire of silver or gold.

Engine Turned:  Line engraving applied to plain surface metal by hand or machine from master stencil.

Hammered:  The surface of metal is maked by small, round hammer marks.

Jet:  Black, opaque stone of hard-type coal that can be highly polished.

Mohs' Scale:  The scale used to denote hardness and resistance to scratching .  Ranging from diamond, which rates a 10, down to talc, the stone that is ground and screened for use in talcum powder, rates a 1.

Mother-of-Pearl:  Iridescent, changeable, mily-white coloring; often carved, is the hard pearly internal layer of the shell of an oyster of other seashell.

Oxidize:  Term used to designate the darkening pof designs on silver articles by chemicals to gie a richer effect.

Onyx:  A stone, chalcedony, in parallel layers of different shades of color used especially in making cameos.

Neillo Engraving:  Fine engraving filled with black enamel or alloy.

Paste Stones:  Imitation glass stones, usually made of lead glass that has brilliance and sparkle.  Made to imitate real stones.

Repousse Chasing:  Design raised from the inside, to give molded effect

Rhinestone:  A stone of glass, cut to resemble a diamond; usually backed with foil to give more brilliance and sparkle.

Rhodium:  Metal resembling silver, rhodium-plated jewelry wears well; extremely small amounts are plated on fashion jewelry items because rhodium is expensive.

Rose Cut:  Common type of facet cut: a stone so cut comes to a point at the top and has facets triangular in shape.

Stainless Steel:  An alloy composed of steel, nickel and chromium; popular for watch cases and under portion of watch bands; for watches worn for sports and other activities.  Wears well, does not tarnish or become discolored.

Swiss Lapis:  Opaque, dark red quartz stone that is strained blue to resemble Lapis Lazuli for commercial purposes.

Tenth-Power Loop; Jewelr's magnifying glass that enlarges ten times.

"Good jewelry is timeless and therefore, one of the best fashion investments one can make.  Don't just purchase jewelry, invest in it."                                                      
                                                                                                                        John Robert Powers

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6 DIY Tests For Diamonds REAL or FAKE?

There are no guarantees with these tests.  But, they just might get you closer to the truth.  Of course, the most reliable source would be an independent appraisal, which would probably cost some money.  Whatever you do, don't let your jewel be taken out of your site.  You could take it to a local jewelry store and get one of their 30 second oppinions for free.  Just know that mistakes can be made with these quick judgements.  With all that said, let's get to what you really came here for, the do-it yourself tests.

1. It is true that diamonds do scratch glass but so do a lot of the other fakes on the market.  To boot, it is quite possible to injure your rock even if it's real during such a hardness test.
2. If you flip the diamond upside down and place it over some newsprint and can clearly read through the stone, it's not a diamond.  Some diamonds are cut shallow and can be read through, so this really only works for larger diamonds.
3. The fog test is a good one.  Put the stone in front of your mouth and fog it like you would try to fog a mirror.  If it stays fogged for 2-4 seconds, it's a fake.  A real diamond disperses the heat instantaneously so by the time you look at it, it has already cleared up.  Oil and dirt on the stone will effect its reliability.  The test is not accurate at all on doublets where the top of the stone is diamond and the bottom is cubic zirconia epoxied together.  Did you know that happens? 
4. The most popular "fake" diamond is a cubic zirconia.  C.Z.'s weigh approximately 55% more than diamonds for the same shape and dimension.  So if you have a carat or gram scale at your disposal you can see if the imposter tips the scales too much.
5. A high percentage of diamonds fluorescence blue when put under an ultra violet light (black light).  Since 99% of all fakes don't, a positive identification of medium to strong blue would indicate a diamond.  This method proves you have a diamond.  It also proves your diamond is worth less.  Diamonds with blue fluorescence are as much as 20% less valuable.  Remember, lack of blue fluorescence doesn't mean it's a fake; it could just be a better quality diamond.
6. If you own some sort of magnifying lens, there are some things you can look for on the stone that might give away its identity.

•   Look at the rock from the top and see how well the facets are joined.  They should be sharp.
•   Look at the girdle and see if it is faceted or frosty (clear sign it's a diamond) waxy and slick  (indicates it's a fake). 
•   While you're looking at your stone under magnification, look into your stone to see if you   detect any flaws (carbon, pinpoints, small cracks).  These are typically clear indications it's the real thing since it's very hard to put inclusions in a fake.
•   After examining the stone, focus in on the stamps inside the setting.  A stamp of 10k, 14k, 18k, 585, 750, 900, 950, PT, Plat indicates the setting is real gold or platinum which gives a better chance that the stone in it is real as well.  While your're looking at the interior of the ring, also look for any C.Z. stamps.That would indicate the center stone is not a diamond but a cubic zirconia.

I hope this helps a little bit and I wish you luck on your sluething.

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Gold & Silver Meltdown Stories

compliments of Terry and Kim Kovel, Kovels Komments

Gold and silver prices are going up and down but are still very high. We took some commemorative silver dollars and other gold and silver items to be melted. The $1 coins brought $20 each. A gold charm that was a wire circle, 1 1/4 inch in diameter with a small half-mask inside, had a meltdown value of $270. A tooth with a large gold filling was worth $30. (We wonder why we had saved a filled gold tooth.)                                                  

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Good Gemstones Warrant Good Care.

All stones, including diamonds and sapphires, can chip and are easily scratched.  Harsh chemicals can damage both stones and metals.  You should always take jewelry off when:

• doing hard work or working out hard.  If you lose a stone, you'll never find it.
• cleaning the house.  Chemicals can damage your jewelry beyond repair.  Plus you're running the risk of catching it or knocking it on something
• bathing, swimming or soaking in a hot tub.  Chlorine is a big no-no.  The salt at the beach is also a bad idea for your gems.

     Most people don't like to take off their jewelry for fear they'll lose it.  But if you leave jewelry on during these activities you risk losing it for good.  Place a special container where you normally would take off your rings.  You won't have to fear the drain, plus you'll always know where you put them. 

     All your pieces of jewelry will need an occasional cleaning to remove grunge.  Most pieces can be cleaned by soaking for a few minutes in a bowl of lukewarm water with a lil' bit of hand dish washing soap, scrubbing gently with a toothbrush.   

     NEVER use toothpaste, however, it's too abrasive.

     Ultrasonic cleaners should only be used for all-metal jewelry or diamonds.

• If you use silver polish, make sure you don't get it on the stones.  Polish with a soft all-cotton cloth, because paper can scratch silver.
• Let gold or silver chains soak in soapy water.  If they get tangled or knotted, apply a drop of baby oil and unravel with a needle.  Cornstarch and a toothpick also work.
• A little ammonia dissolved in water will remove any oily film on diamonds.
• Soak your crystals for just a few minutes in a warm solution of dish soap and water.  Scrub gently with a toothbrush.  Polish dry with a clean cotton cloth.
• Turquoise, malachite, onyx, lapis, etc. are rocks, not crystals, and they are absorbent.  Do not soak or expose them to any chemicals.  Simply wipe with a damp cloth and polish with a soft dry cloth.
• Opals are fragile stones.  Clean with soapy water and quickly wipe dry.  Absolutely no ultrasonic cleaner or exposure to chemicals.
• Unlike other jewels, pearls get better and more lustrous with exposure to the skin's natural oils.  They are absorbent so do not wear while showering or cooking.  Store lying flat because the string will stretch over time.
• Emeralds are soft stones.  Clean using just a lint-free cotton cloth.

Note:  Resist the urge to toss your jewelry together in a pile when storing. Chains get tangled, gemstones damaged and metals scratched.  Best to store individually in fabric bags.  Light causes silver to tarnish.  Don't store any of it in plastic bags.  Cool, and dark storage for opals because they will dry out if exposed to light.

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Old-Fashioned Diamond Jewelry Cleaner

Ingredients

1 oz. dry borax

1/2 oz. washing soda

1/2 oz.  mild soap shavings

2-1/2 oz. liquid ammonia

1 pint water

Mix first three ingredients in the water and boil until dissolved.  Partly cool, and stir in liquid ammonia.  Add enough water to make 2 quarts.  When ready, place jewelry in an enamel pan, cover with the solution and bring to a boil.  Using a soft toothbrush or mascara brush, rub jewelry gently and rinse in hot water.  Pat dry. 

Here's another way to clean your diamonds:

     Place your diamonds in a tea strainer and dip them into a pot of boiling water containing several drops of ammonia and a spoonful of soapflakes.  Hold for a few seconds, then remove and rinse in cold ater.  Soak for 5 minutes in alcohol, and finally rinse and pat dry.

Cleaning pearls: 

     Dampen a soft cloth with olive oil, then rub each pearl with the oiled cloth. 

Cleaning silver jewelry:

     Make a paste of lemon juice and baking soda.  Brush it onto your jewelry with a toothbrush and allow to dry.  Finally, brush it off and then polish it gently with a soft cloth.

Cleaning costume jewelry:

     Put your costume jewelry into a small container.  Pour a little rubbing alcohol over the item and allow it to soak for three or four minutes.  Remove it and wipe dry with a soft cloth.

                                          or

     Fill your bathroom sink with hot water and drop in a couple of denture tablets.  Place your costume jewelry in and leave for a while.

     Note:  I wouldn't recommend using toothpaste because they sometimes contain abrasives that will scratch your jewelry. 

   

Coating your costume jewelry with clear nail polish can be a good idea to protect the jewelry from exterior elements like soap, water, hairspray, cologne and your own body oils This will also protect your skin in case of a bad reaction to the metal.



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Silver (Not Gold) Jewelry Is The Newest Fashion

     If you're into antiques at all you must have heard of Terry and Kim Kovel.  They've been around for awhile and they know what they are talking about when it comes to antiques of all kinds.  Kovels Komments is the name of their newsletter I receive through email.  Imagine my delight to see jewelry as the hot topic for this edition.
     They offer a free price guide on their web site.  And, if you click here you will be taken to the home page.  Sign up for a free issue of their newsletter.  It's over flowing with information.  From my experience, the newsletter comes rather quickly.  You won't be disappointed.

Image via Wikipedia

      "Jewelry, whether made from gold and precious gems or plastic and colored glass, is popular with collectors. Values are determined by the intrinsic value of the stones and metal and by the skill of the craftsmen and designers. Victorian and older jewelry have been collected since the 1950s. More recent interests are Art Deco and Edwardian styles, Mexican and Danish silver jewelry, and beads of all kinds. Copies of almost all styles are being made."

-Kovels Komments

Image via Wikipedia

      "Silver has new status and name designers are using it with precious stones to create innovative designs. Silver jewelry is a better color than gold when worn with the neon colors being shown for spring. Pre-owned jewelry is considered chic now, so look for vintage silver jewelry to be higher-priced. Or could the sudden interest in new silver jewelry be the result of the high price of gold?"

- Kovels Komments

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Gold And Silver Markings

Gold

K = Karat
KP = Karat Plumb (exact amount of gold)
K.P. = Karat Plate
GF = Gold Filled (heavy plating), usually has a fraction, i.e., 1/20 10K GF
GS = Gold Shell
HGE = Heavy Gold Electroplate

Decimal equivalents of karat ratings:
.375 = 9K (England and Canada)
.417 = 10K
.500 = 12K.583 (.585) = 14K
.625 = 15K
.667 = 16K
.750 = 18K
.833 = 20K (Asia)
.917 = 22K (Asia)
.999 (1000) = 24K pure gold

Silver

925 (.925) = Sterling
925 NV = Nevada Silver, made in England(?)835 (.835) = a lower quality of British Sterling Silver
SterlingTaxco
MEXICO
STER
.999 Fine = Pure Silver

Platinum

Pt (atomic symbol)
Irid. Plat.Pt 900
Pt 950PLAT

Other

316L = High-grade Stainless Steel

Easy Tests And Simple Clues - Gold Or Not!

     Pure (24K) gold is too soft to be appropriate for everyday wear; therefore, gold jewelry is made of a mixture of gold and other metals (such as silver, copper, nickel and zinc).  The K (karat) number tells us what fraction of 24 parts of the alloy are pure gold; ie., 14K is 14/24, or 58.33%, pure gold.  The metals used in the alloy also determine the color of the gold; a greater percentage of nickel gives white gold its color, while a high percentage of copper lends a reddish tone to rose gold.  While gold itself does not tarnish, these alloying metals can sometimes cause a piece to darken with time, or leave a dark residue on the skin.  In Europe, gold is marked with a number indicating the gold content as parts per thousand; ie., 18K gold, which is 75% pure gold, is stamped 750.
     If a piece has no markings, there are other clues to help determine the metal.  Look closely at the edges or any place that was likely to rub against things.  Many times small patches of base metal are visible at these points.  If the base metal is white and the piece is yellow gold, obviously not solid gold.  To see brass or copper base metal under yellow is more difficult.
     There is only one true test for gold, and that is done with acid.  A jeweler will perform this test, usually for a fee.  A good gold testing kit can usually be purchased at a jewelry supply store.  The kit comes with everything you need except for the acid, the most important ingredient.  The nitric acid can either be ordered through a pharmacist or purchased premixed at the jewelry supply store.
     Your first step in testing your gold is to find an inconspicuous place on the piece of jewelry in which to file a groove or notch.  This is to get past any layer of gold in a gold filled piece.  Apply a small amount of nitric acid to the area.  If the piece is gold over brass, it will bubble green;  if a bluish color appears, the base metal is copper.  When the piece is 14K gold or better, the acid keeps its clear color.  If, after a few minutes the spot darkens, this is an indication of 10K gold.

     The exact karat can be determined by using the needles that come with the kit.  With these needles a mixture, called Aqua Regis, (one part distilled water, one part nitric acid, and three parts hydrochloric acid) is used.  For those who do not care to invest in a gold test kit, there is a less expensive alternative.  Simply purchase glass acid bottles and premixed testing solution for 10, 14, 18 and 22 karat gold.  You will still determine if the piece is gold by using the nitric acid method explained above.  After the piece has tested as gold, make a mark by rubbing the piece on a test stone.  If the piece is 14K or better and a 14K solution is used, there will be no reaction.  The mark will remain as visible as ever.  Proceed by making another mark and using a higher karat solution until the mark dissolves.  If an 18K solution dissolves the mark and the 14K solution does not, the piece is at least 14K.  After testing, always rinse the piece with a mixture of baking soda and water to neutralize the acid.
     The testing kit (plus acid) is really the only way to find out for sure if it's gold and how much karat.  If you click here or here you'll find other tests and clues used by other folks. 
  31.1 Grams = 1 Troy ounce
20 Pennyweights (DWT) = 1 Troy ounce

At 8 AM (CT) the APMEX precious metals spot prices were:

• Gold price - $1435.70
• Silver price - $34.86
• Platinum price - $ 1849.00
• Palladium price – $822.60

COMMENTARY: The big news coming out of UBS AG this morning is that China is the big global buyer in gold. Through the first two months of 2011 China has purchased over 200 metric tons of gold. Compare this to a total 2010 consumption of 579.5 metric tons. The spot price is driven by inflation concerns on a global level and in China itself a lack of viable alternative investments.
In other world news, the Middle East unrest is still dictating safe-haven appeal of gold. With other countries now joining Egypt, Bahrain and Libya the political unrest in the whole region is supporting the appeal of gold.
The domestic news would appear to be very good since ADP Employer Services estimates show an approximate increase in private sector jobs at approximately 37,000 over original estimates. Ben Bernanke, in testimony before Congress, said there are “grounds for optimism” within the labor market over the coming months.
Gold spot price is up $3.50 – Silver price is up 36 cents – Platinum spot price is up $2.90 – Palladium price is up $6.30
APMEX Market Commentary is the resource for the above information.  They also have quite an inventory of gold and silver coins available for purchase.  Definitely worth a look.

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