The point on the bottom of a diamond's pavilion is called a culet (pronounced que-let or que-lay). During the manufacturing process, the culet is often polished as a flat facet so that it does not get chipped as the other facets are polished. Sometimes, the cutter ‘closes’ this facet to a point, and sometimes it remains as a small extra facet, which is not bad, because it protects the culet from chipping as the diamond is handled and while the jeweler is setting the stone.
A diamond behaves as a window if opposing facets are parallel, and this is exactly what happens if the culet is big, and you look at it through the table. You see straight out the hole in the bottom. If you have ever seen a large old cut diamond you probably know what we mean, it is typical.
The culet size is listed on a cert. and your diamond’s culet should be pointed (no culet), very small, small or medium because these are not visible to the naked eye.
Large to extremely large culets may be visible to the naked eye and can be treated almost as though they are inclusions.
Copied from ‘diamond pricescope online’ information on culet.
Since the beginning of civilization as we know it, gold has been the most sought-after of precious metals. Society has used gold as the standard of value, placing gold objects in the tombs of Eqyptian rulers and using gold as an ingredient in wedding rings and medals. The presitge of gold is further enhanced by its scarcity: all of the gold mined in 6,000 years of man's recorded history would in pure form fit in a cube 60 feet by 60 feet.
Pure gold is a buttery yellow metal that is very heavy and easily bent. In its pure form, gold is nineteen times as heavy as water, yet it can be beaten so thin that the sun shines through it. In order to make every day, wearable jewelry out of gold, metallurgists add other materials known as alloys to the gold. Alloys lessen the density of the gold, in addition to altering the color and providing gold with greater durability and shine. While alloys are typically a secret receipt of individual metallurgists, common ingredients are silver, copper, and aluminium. The ratio of gold to alloy determines the purity, or the Karat value of the gold. Pure gold is 24 Karat gold, 24 out of 24 parts are pure gold. 18K gold is thus 18 parts pure gold to 6 parts alloy. 14K gold is 14 parts gold to 10 parts alloy. Any gold less than 10K can not, according to U.S. law, be called gold.
Our gold here at Karats comes from the Hoover and Strong Refinery, a renowned company who manufactures alloyed gold taken in two forms: old, recylced gold - molecules of which may have originated from an Egyptian pyramid or one of King Solomon's mines and new gold - which is mined from one of the largest gold mines in the U.S., the Homestake Mind in Lead, South Dakota. Gold mining continues to be a difficult and expensive process, in which it is not uncommon to extract three to five tons of ore from depths of over a mile to recover only one ounce of gold. The Homestake Mine produces over 250,000 ounces yearly at a cost of about $342/ounce
As gold does not rust, tarnish, or corrode, the beauty of gold remains constant over the years. Gold's indestructibility as a metal means that it requires very little care. To clean gold , it is advisable to use only jewelry cleaner or mild detergent, followed by a thorough rinsing and wiping. Keep gold away from chemical abrasives such as chorine. Although gold does not tarnish, the level of body acids in some individuals can cause gold jewelry to leave a black smudge on the skin.
Before Mikimoto cultured the first pearl a century ago, a strand of natural pearls was more rare than diamonds. Natural pearls were so highly valued that the Cartier building in New York City was purchased with one strand of natural pearls. Today, the cultured pearl has become such an accepted commodity that consumers seem to have forgotten the intrinsic beauty of the uncontrived shape of natural pearls. For this reason, the abalone, the only pearl not yet commercially cultured, is highly undervalued.
The abalone animal is generally thought of as a food item or as source for opalescent shell used in inlay jewelry or to make shell buttons. However, an abalone animal’s greatest asset is perhaps its rare capacity to create pearls which possess a kaleidoscopic array of color unlike any other pearl. In addition to having extraordinary iridescence and luster, the gem’s near opal-like swirls and patches of color run the gamut of the visible spectrum. Abalone pearl’s distinctive natural shapes lend themselves specifically to jewelry designers who seek to create something exquisite, rare, and unusual.
Unlike oysters, the abalone is a univalve, meaning it only has one shell. Abalones are very strong and mobile, making them more difficult to farm. In addition, they are hemophiliacs, meaning that any incision that is made in an attempt to cultivate a pearl is highly vulnerable to bleeding and infection. An abalone usually produces flawed and unsightly pearls. An estimated one in every million abalone bears a good pearl.
In 1977 there was considerable alarm that abalone on the California coast was being over harvested. Governor Pete Wilson signed a bill to put a 10-year moratorium on abalone harvesting south of San Francisco and to limit abalone harvesting north of San Francisco to sport divers only. As the scarcity of abalone intensifies, it appears that without culturing the supply of abalone pearls faces a grim future. For years, individuals have tried their hand at cultivating abalone pearls, but the abalone pearl has yet to be cultured and the abalone pearl continues to be only available as natural and secured solely through old-fashioned diving methods.
Now is a good time as ever to purchase abalone pearls. Because of the abalone pearl’s extreme rarity and culturing adversities, the abalone pearl has been acknowledged predominantly by jewelers for what it is a rare gem of unparalleled luster and color. A pearl that represents the last true natural pearl and is clearly for those who love the distinctive and the dramatic.
The Akoya cultured pearl is known to most people as the “pearl of pearls.” It is what people think of when they think of a pearl: magnificent, round, lustrous, and white. The Akoya is dubbed the “mother of the invention,” as it was the Akoya oyster that Kokichi Mikimoto, in 1913, used to serve as host for the first cultured pearls.
Still today, the Akoya is considered the traditional “cream of the [cultured pearl] crop”, as it naturally exhibits the most intense luster of any white, round saltwater pearl. For this reason, it is of most importance to select a lustrous pearl, even if this means the shape may be slightly off or the surface somewhat spotted. A low luster pearl generally has a very thin nacre coating. As Akoya's typically have fairly thin nacres already, a low luster, thin nacre pearl will have a short life.
While traditionally, most Akoya cultured pearls found in jewelry stores are cultured in Japan, China has recently become a dominant producer. This is a blessing for the consumer, as the abundance in the market keeps supplies of decent-quality cultured pearls steady and their prices affordable. As consumer tastes have shifted to larger sizes and production costs have increased, Japanese farmers have concentrated more and more on producing profitable, larger sizes. Chinese farmers have therefore stepped up to fill the niche for medium-sized cultured pearls. By growing in the extreme cold waters in Japan, the nacre buildup of pearls becomes more varied in tempo and structure, resulting in the creation of a higher luster pearl. Chinese cultured pearls are, in contrast, a warmer, creamier white color.
Currently, there is a demand for 8 to 10 mm cultured pearls which Japan and China can not meet. Besides being capable of producing only so many pearls per year, the small size of oysters in Japan, makes it impossible to culture pearls greater than 10 mm. As a result, Indonesia and the Philippines have tapped into the pearl market and jewelers more and more will be showing South Sea pearls of very large size.
Amber, one of the oldest of gemstones, is not really a stone at all. Some 30 million years ago, amber was the sap or resin of the ancestors to our pine tree. Over millions of years, this sap was compressed and polymerized to make time-hardened amber.
The Baltic Sea has been a source of amber throughout history. Deposits were buried beneath the seas where tidal action loosened pieces that floated to the surface. Children playing on Baltic benches still tell the story of the beautiful Queen of the Sea. Juarata, whose amber palace was destroyed by the King of the Gods when she dared to love a human. Pieces of her palace wash ashore to bring the goddess love to those lucky enough to find it.
The Baltic Sea is the major source of high quality amber today, though it is also found on the shores of the Mediterranean. The name “amber” comes from the Arabic word meaning, “to float”, referring to the seas as the major source.
The Greeks believed this Mediterranean amber was bits of sunshine that broke off as the sun sank into the sea. Nero sent an expedition into the wild and uncivilized north to bring this stone back to the Rome, where a small figurine would fetch more than a healthy slave. Roman ladies were found of carrying amber since when warmed by the hand, it gives off a pleasant piney scent. The Greek name for amber, Electros, came from its conductive property; when rubbed amber can take an electric charge. As jewelry, carvings, incense and containers such as snuff bottles and small cabinets, amber has been a favorite throughout history.
Amber is one of the few gems that may increase in value when it has an imperfection or foreign material in it. Occasionally, bugs or pieces of leaves were trapped in the sap as it oozed down the tree and the pieces of life, from before the Ice Age, increase the monetary and historic value of a piece. It was once thought that a bug or leaf guaranteed a genuine piece of amber, but that is no longer true, modern imitations can and do contain these inclusions.
Amber is translucent and has a greasy luster. Most popular are the transparent or translucent yellow to white, while fine greens and translucent reds are the most valuable. Amber can be found in a range of colors, from yellow to brownish-green, green, blue, and red.
To determine the authenticity of amber, see if it will float in a saturated salt solution, or touch it with a heated needle in an inconspicuous place, true amber will give off a characteristic resin-like odor. Imitations will give off a strong acidy odor and usually sink in a saturated salt solution. True amber also feels slightly warm to the touch.
Amber is a soft material and can be cut with a knife so special care should be used when mounting, wearing and storing amber, harder stones, heavy clasps and mountings can damage it.
The birthstone for February throughout the world is the amethyst, which is a type of quartz. Second to the mineral feldspar, which is moonstone, quartz is about the most common mineral in the world. What makes the amethyst special and not so common is that it is purple, purple quartz. It can be found all over the world, even Colorado, but the most and some of the best, comes from Brazil. The amethyst is known for being one of the most beautiful and inexpensive of the gemstones.
The name amethyst comes from the Greek meaning, “Not Drunken”, and in early times it was in great demand by heavy drinkers owing to the belief that to wear an amethyst would prevent drunkenness. Today, the amethyst is worn as a gem to promote sobriety.
The amethyst comes in a wide range of purple colors, from a delicate lilac to almost a black purple. Which color is best is a matter of taste, but the color most valuable is a richly saturated purple with flashes of red coming from deep within the stone.
A mineralogist named F. Mohs calculated a method of determining a stone’s hardness, devising a relative scale of one to ten, ten being the diamond, the hardest of all gems. It is interesting to note that this is a logarithmic progression, not equal steps: 10 (diamond) is greater than all the steps from 1 to 9. Generally, any stone with a hardness of less than 5 on the Mohs scale is easily scratched and dulled. Turquoise and lapis, which range from 5 to 6 ½, scuff to some degree, but can be polished and are reasonably durable. The amethyst wears quite satisfactorily at a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale. With prolonged wear you may notice slight abrasions accumulate, but you can expect to wear your amethyst for years before it needs repolishing.
The amethyst is easily cleaned at home with soapy water and a toothbrush.
High temperatures can lighten the color of an amethyst, in fact, it is not unusual for an amethyst to have been heated to permanently improve its’ color.
Gemstones are classified into large families of minerals. One of these families is beryl. Emerald and aquamarine are simply two different colors of the family, beryl. The aquamarine is the birthstone of the March-born. The illusive blue-green is the color of sea water – this due to the presence of iron in the crystal, whereas the emerald is colored by chromium.
The aquamarine is the stone of seers, mystics, and clairvoyants. The finest variety of blue “aqua” is thought to raise the wearer from the material to the spiritual plane. In addition to being a charm for sailors and adventurers, it is thought to preserve marriage, intellect, and purity.
The aquamarine wears very well, with the hardness of 7 ½ to 8 on the Mohs scale. It also has the advantage of being more modest in price than the emerald, despite the fact that they are very nearly the same substance.
As do most months, March has an alternative stone, the bloodstone or heliotrope. It is very inexpensive, and has an opaque dark moss color with red spots. In early times, the bloodstone was thought to have its origin in the dark green stone that supported the cross on which Christ died. A Roman soldier thrust a spear into His side, and the blood which ran from the wound penetrated the stone below.
It has, for obvious reasons, been used as a preventative for the flow of blood, as well as charm for endurance, success, and courage.
Bloodstone is very affordable and wears very well in jewelry, with a hardness of 6 ½ to 7 (harder than turquoise, for example), but the highly contrasting colors and lack of translucence make bloodstone less popular than the aquamarine for constant wear and color-coordination.
The diamond is the world’s hardest substance, but hard does not mean indestructible. Diamonds require a reasonable amount of care to insure lasting beauty. As hard as diamonds are, they are also somewhat brittle. A sharp blow to a diamond can crack or chip it – especially around the girdle, i.e. the thin edge above the bottom facets.
A diamond is softer in one direction than another. This makes it possible to cut and polish one diamond with another. It stands to reason, then, that we ought not store loose diamonds or jewelry together in a single bag or envelope.
Diamonds are beautiful because of their ability to bend and reflect light, yet they also have a great affinity for grease and oil. Whereas this is handy in the sorting of diamonds (they stick to an oily surface while gravels fall away,) it also dulls the appearance of those we wear in our daily routine. Imagine a stone’s capacity for collecting an oil film in the performance of such tasks as applying lotion after a bath, or preparing dinner. The solution to this problem is thankfully an easy one – clean your diamonds often with a grease-cutting soap. A soak of ammonia works very well; dishwashing liquid and a toothbrush is also quite satisfactory. Toothpaste and a brush is a popular solution which works well for the diamond, but, as toothpaste contains a fine abrasive, this will eventually give a matte finish to the gold mounting.
If it should happen in the course of painting or plastering a home project, that you find your diamond encrusted with a stubborn material, take it to your jeweler to have it cleaned. The cost, if any, will be small compared to the cost of replacing a chipped diamond, or repairing a prong which was weakened by a harsh chlorine cleanser.
The unhinged, or cuff-style bracelet is as popular today as it has been throughout history. It can be beautiful, versatile, and secure. Yet this style of bracelet can present certain problems if it is not cared for properly.
When buying a C-shaped bracelet, buy it to fit, or if possible make an adjustment to make it fit. The cuff-style bracelet is not to be confused with the circular bangle. Do not expect to bend a cuff-style bracelet for a tighter fit, or to open it wider each time you put it on as this will eventually cause metal fatigue – each time the metal is bent, it becomes weaker until it finally cracks.
Bending such a bracelet can also unseat any stones which might be set on it, whether they are prong-set gems or the ever popular Indian turquoise.
How then can we put on the cuff bracelet without bending metal or breaking skin? The anatomy of the wrist provides the answer. First, locate the hollow on the inside of the wrist, on the thumb side of center; place one end of the bracelet in this hollow, and apply in a semicircular hooking motion. Push the bracelet up or down on your wrist to find the place it fits most comfortably. In this manner you can expect to enjoy your bracelet for years to come without costly, inconvenient repairs.
There are thousands of minerals lying on the surface of the Earth and buried within its depths. Yet of these thousands, only about ninety are considered worthy of the name gemstone. These ninety are classified into large families with related characteristics . Beryl for example is one of these families and its most famous family member is the green one; emerald.
Emerald is the May birthstone, and for centuries it has symbolized the eternal promise of spring. The acients believed that emerald improved ones sex life, eyesight and IQ.
There are thousands of minerals lying on the surface of the earth and buried within its depths. Yet of these thousands, only about ninety are considered worthy of the name “gemstone. What are the qualities that make us willing to give several months salary in order to own one?
Two very basic characteristics would be beauty and wearability. In considering the beauty of a stone, we look at color, clarity, and the manner in which light plays on its surface or within its facets (a quality referred to as brilliance.). Some stones are more likely to bend light and break it up into its spectral colors, two variables known as refraction and dispersion.
There is a continuum of each of these characteristics, and the higher a stone rates in these areas, the greater its rarity, and the higher its value. Let us consider a hypothetical pair of rubies: one is a rather pale or pinkish color; specks of matter or “inclusions” are easily visible within. Examining it under direct light, it seems somewhat lifeless. Our second stone is a rich scarlet; despite its depth of rich color, we can clearly see into the gem. No spots mar its interior and light sparkles and dances within its facets. Obviously, this second stone is far more valuable, even though the first may be several times larger. In evaluating our gemstones, then, Quality has counted above quantity.
The second factor, wearability, is mainly determined by hardness. A mineralogist named F. Mohs calculated a method of determining a stone hardness, devising a relative scale of one to ten, ten being the diamond, the hardest of all gems. It is interesting to note that this is a logarithmic progression, not equal steps: 10 (diamond) is greater than all the steps from 1 to 9. Generally any stone with a hardness of less than 5 on the Mohs scale is easily scratched and dulled. Turquoise and lapis, which range from 5 to 6, scuff to some degree, but can be polished and are reasonably durable. Quartz, which includes amethyst and citrine, wear quite satisfactorily at a hardness of 7; and beryl, which includes emerald and aquamarine, and ranks 7 to 8, fares better still with daily wear.
Keeping these qualities in mind, one need not be a gemologist to make a sensible gemstone purchase. Know what you wish to spend, be willing to ask your gem dealer about the wearability factor, and take time to examine the stone for color and clarity; you too can choose a stone for which will be a joy to wear and admire.
Location: Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Age: 150 million years
Ammonites are fossils of now extinct marine mollusks of the Jurassic Period. The creature, a relative of the nautilus, looked much like the modern day squid and lived in a chambered shell, occupying the largest and most recent compartment as it grew. The abandoned shells of these ancient mollusks accumulated on the sea floor and were buried by sediment. Over the ages, the shell of this Moroccan ammonite was replaced by hematite, a shiny black or black-gray iron oxide. The chambers were filled with mud and deposits of calcite. These physical and chemical changes to the ammonite formed a geological imprint of the small creature that lived millions of years ago. Each ammonite is a tiny fragment of Earth’s history.
The cultured pearl world up until the 1980’s, which consisted of strictly saltwater farming, had little faith in the Chinese’s experimentation with culturing freshwater pearls. However, in the late 1980’s, China surprised the pearl world by producing consistently round, all-nacre cultured pearls from freshwater mussels. Not only were the pearls consistently perfectly round, but they were all nacre, the closest a cultured pearl gets to be all-natural.
China produced round cultured pearls, not by implanting a shell bead-nuclei as is standard in saltwater culturing, but by implanting reject pearls. The freshwater cultured pearls amazed the pearl world because their nuclei eluded x-ray detection. The freshwaters consisted of cultured pearl grown upon cultured pearl!
Since the Chinese’s freshwater invention, Japan has stepped up to challenge China’s monopoly and is currently cultivating jumbo cultured pearls as large as 16 mm in lakes, ponds, and streams near Tokyo and Kyoto. China has meanwhile introduced freshwater cultured pearls that come in unique cinnamon, nutmeg, and even paprika colors. Furthermore, American culturing has made headway, as in Tennessee where farms are harvesting cultured pearls in exotic shapes such as bars and coins in distinctively local colors.
In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, the Chinese flooded the market with hundreds of tons of so-called “rice krispie” fresh water cultured pearls. This exploitation of the market tarnished the reputation of both the Chinese pearl farmers and their products, but as the 1990’s came to a close, Chinese cultured pearls made great strides to regain some stature.
Given the newness of the freshwater cultured pearl market and the affinity Japan and China have to competition, breakthroughs continue to be expected. Right now, while freshwater cultured pearls still cost a fraction of their South Sea counterparts, is the perfect time to acquire such alluring beauties.
The birthstone accepted around the world for those born in January is the garnet. It is also a fairly accessible stone, found in Colorado, North Carolina, and New York, as well as more exotic lands including Tanzania, Ceylon, and India.
The garnet has been mentioned in historical accounts since ancient times. Kenneth Parkinson, in his short work “Birthstones and Talismanic Gems,” informs us that in ancient China it was worn to insure health, power, happiness, grace and victory. It was even said to reconcile differences between friends. Knights left garnets with their ladies as a pledge of constant affection. Pope Innocent III gave a very fine garnet to Richard the Lionhearted as a symbol of love. In 1636 Anselmus Boetius de Boot hailed the garnet worn at the neck as a cure for melancholy.
Beyond these considerable powers, there are still further advantages that the garnet possesses as a gemstone: it is hard enough to hold a polish (6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale); it is generally very reasonable in price; and there is a great variety of colors to choose from. Perhaps the color of garnet we see most often is red, approaching that of the ruby. If, however, red does not suit the taste of the January-born buyer, he or she may choose a tsavorite garnet of a rather emerald green color. Still another choice would be the demantoid garnet: This is a rare and increasingly expensive variety which approaches the diamond in brilliance. Ranging from a rich green to an apple green, the demantoid has become very scarce, and is now seen most often in antique jewelry. The family of garnets encompasses a wide variety of colors, yellow, orange, burgundy, in theory, garnet can be any color.
Garnets are extremely wearable and hard to scratch, but can be chipped. Garnets can be cleaned in an Ultrasonic Cleaner, but extreme rapid temperature changes should be avoided.
The garnet and birthstones in general, make versatile and welcome gifts. A stone given to a newborn can be kept and treasured, perhaps to be set on the child’s sixteenth birthday. A mother is often given a ring in which the birthstones of all her children are arranged. Departing from the traditional, people are even including birthstones and other colored gems in their wedding sets. If you are unsure what birthstone corresponds to your month, or what that stone looks like, feel free to ask your jeweler who may have a supply of loose stones suitable for setting, and can help you with ideas for incorporating them.
As color seeps into the pearl limelight, a third variety of South Sea pearls, the golden pearl, is taking centerstage. While the Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, even Malaysia vie to produce golden pearls, the market is a hard one to secure. Gold pearls are grown in a yellow-lipped Penctada maxima oyster which mainly produces unbecoming yellow pearls. As it is uneconomical for pearl farmers to invest in quantities of worthless yellow-lipped oysters, truly golden pearls are extremely rare.
Like other South Sea pearls, the golden pearl has a soft luster with good orient, a larger size and thicker nacre than Japanese and Chinese cultured pearls, and a wide range of shapes and surface perfection. As with most pearls, luster is one of the most important factors to consider, however, a buyer ought not let high luster compensate for a dull color.
The most distinctive aspect of pearls is the breadth and depth of its color. While the strongest component in every gold pearl is a yellow body, there is a marked difference between a common, highly saturated yellow pearl and a very rare and deep golden one. Often a fine gold pearl will have a strong secondary color of red, orange, pink, or green. As in very high-karat gold alloys, gold should be noted and appreciated for its green hint. However, it is the red, pink, and orange, warmer undertones that pearl connoisseurs prefer. Such golden pearls have been described as cognac, apricot, and peach.
In addition to body color and overtone, it is important to note that tone – how light or dark the color appears – is important in evaluating pearls in the yellow range. A shade of difference in tone can drastically affect price. The most important thing for a gold pearl buyer is to view gold pearls in the same type of light whenever possible since their color will look different when viewed in daylight, indoor fluorescent light, incandescent light, or spotlight.
As gold pearls are rarer than black and white South Sea pearls, they are extremely hard to find and very expensive. Additionally, Asians have swept up great supply of gold pearls, willing to pay high prices because their skin tones are highly complemented by the golden hues. However, for individuals seeking a pearl that is rare, refined, and enduring, the fancy color of the gold pearl offers an exotic and exquisite look.
Cultured pearls have received a good deal of attention on the fashion scene in the last few years. And, true to the laws of supply and demand, cultured pearl prices have risen appreciably. So, whether you are protecting a recent cultured pearl purchase or prolonging the beauty of those your grandmother gave you, it is important to observe a few guidelines on the care of your cultured pearls.
Nacre, the beautiful and translucent outer layer of the cultured pearl, is the organic substance secreted by the oyster or mussel. The smoothness and thickness of this surface are two factors which help determine the cultured pearl’s value. Harsh chemicals can erode this surface. Some to watch out for are shampoos, and soaps, hairspray, perfume, and cologne. A good rule of thumb, is to avoid showering and shampooing with cultured pearls on, and to put your cultured pearls on last when dressing to go out.
It is also preferable to store your cultured pearls away from gold and silver jewelry or cut stones, any of which can scratch the pearl’s surface. There are a few jewelers that will attempt to polish and repair cultured pearls; but aside from this being an unavoidable expense, this thins the layer of nacre, and is unlikely to restore the cultured pearls to its original beauty. In short, the care of cultured pearls should be mainly preventative.
Nothing cuts short the enjoyment of fine jewelry more quickly than losing it. Chances of this happening to your cultured pearls can be dramatically reduced by restringing them occasionally. Perspiration and friction work together to weaken the string; it will also become dirty, darkening the appearance of the cultured pearls, sometimes permanently. If you wear your cultured pearls once a week, it is suggested you restring them yearly. Look closely at your cultured pearls to determine if there is a knot between each pearl. If not, you might request this at subsequent restringings, as it insures that only one cultured pearl could be lost if the strand breaks; it also prevents the cultured pearls from rubbing against one another.
Following these few and simple suggestions will insure the beauty and enjoyment of your cultured pearls for a lifetime of wear – and perhaps throughout the lifetime of your grandchildren as well.
Historically, jade is a truly remarkable stone. It has been prized by both ancient and modern civilizations the planet over, yet it is found in relatively few locations. Why would people, so diverse in history and homeland, value jade so much as to transport it quite literally to the ends of the earth? Perhaps the answer lies in its appeal to the touch, as well as to the eye. We shall leave that to our readers to experience for themselves.
The word ”jade” is actually used to describe two separate mineral entities, jadeite and nephrite. Jadeite is a harder stone, and includes the exceedingly rare and costly Imperial jade under its family name. Nephrite is similar in appearance, though generally less dramatic in color and luster. But the range of color in which jade (of both varieties) occurs truly is dramatic; it can vary from intense to pale green, to yellow, white, pink, lavender, brown, gray, and black.
Although the sources of fine jade are relatively few, (Burma, China, New Zealand, and the U.S.) civilizations separated by centuries and hemispheres have made it a part of their lore. Ancient Egyptians, Aztecs, Chinese, Europeans, Maoris and South American Aborigines have all valued jade and incorporated it into their customs.
An entry in the ancient sanskrit Garuda-Puranum informs us that “….Above all gems, fine quality jade has the greatest ability to remove negative karmic reactions.” Richard S. Brown, Jr. further quotes in his Handbook of Planetary Gemology: “Jade improves psychic powers, sharpens intellect, intuition, and memory. It improves learning ability, communication, and clairvoyance. It is good for general health, especially the nervous system. It is also a charm against snakebite.”
The Chinese who for centuries have carved it into vases and amulets, describe jade as the “concentrated essence of love.” In fact, suitors who wore a pendant carved in the image of a butterfly were ensured success in love. An amulet in the shape of a padlock was worn by infants to blind them to life, protecting them from danger and disease.
It’s value as a protector was not limited to children. If a piece of jade should crack or break while worn, one could be assured that the stone accepted a blow otherwise destined for the wearer.
Greeks prescribed a drink of powdered jade to enrich the mind, strengthen muscles, harden bones, and purify the blood. Spaniards exploring the New World were content to wear it. In fact, it is they who gave jade its name: they called it “piedras de hijada,” meaning stone of the loins, because they felt it was theraputic for kidney ailments.
Jade carvings are largely a collectors’ market. with the values determined by fineness of stone and delicacy of carving.
Despite hefty increases in the cost of heating fuels, a near relative of coal far outstrips its relative in price. Jet, the driftwood from 30 million years ago, is a popular organic material that has been used in jewelry and ornaments since before the birth of Christ. Jet was formed when pieces of wood sank to the bottom of stagnant pools of water and were buried and compressed beneath layers of fine silt. Jet can retain the shape of the original branch from which it was formed. Jet occurs nearly everywhere coal occurs, in varying quantities and qualities.
Jet is found in the United States in Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Very fine jet has been found in Colorado, in deposits in El Paso County. This jet was important in the lives of the cliff dwelling Indians who built the Mesa Verde communities. The Basketweavers, a group of Indians who lived in the Mesa Verde dwellings as early as 100 AD, used jet beads in trade that involved people as far away as the Pacific Coast Indians. Later, the Indians of the Great Pueblo Period at Mesa Verde, roughly 1300 AD, traded jet with Indians from Mexico and other tribes in the Southwest.
Zuni and other Southwest Indians still use jet in traditional jewelry. The finest quality comes from the ancient seaside community of Whitby, England. Jet has been found in the British Isles, as beads and small statuary dating from before recorded English history. It is possible that the makers of Stonehenge wore or carried jet. Jet became a major industry in England when it was exported to the Roman Empire. Jet’s name dates back to the Roman times and comes from the word “gagat”, the name of an anonymous place in Asia Minor where the Romans obtained jet.
While in its natural state, jet has a dull, greasy luster, good jet can be polished to a high shine. Jet is sometimes known as “black amber” because, like amber, it can take on an electrical charge from friction. Jet however varies widely in its conductive properties, so this is not an indicator of authenticity. An excellent test, but destructive and not recommended for jet in jewelry, is to touch a very hot needle to a very inconspicuous place. Jet will give off the odor of burning coal. Common substances, such as vulcanite, will smell like burning rubber and black jade or onyx will not burn.
The mystique surrounding words such as karat and carat most probably survives from the days of the Old World craftsmen. Protecting their livelihoods by spinning dark secrets around their trades was economically wise – it insured their expertise with the lay public.
However romantic the remnants of the old guild secrets, these two concepts are easily explained; carat is a measure of weight commonly used for diamonds and other gemstones; karat, on the other hand, is a measure of gold.
The French language takes credit for the word carat. The idea worked its way through the Italian and Arabic tongues, from a Greek word meaning “Carob Bean”. Apparently a nice size carob bean was developed into the somewhat more firm standard of .2 gram.
It was said earlier that karat is a method of measuring the purity of gold; let us discuss briefly how this method works. Pure gold is a buttery yellow metal that can be easily bent. still in its purest form it is nineteen times as heavy as water, yet it can be beaten so thin that the sun shines through it. Gold in this state can be called 24 karat gold. To make jewelry which will hold its shape and shine reasonably well gold must be hardened by adding other metals, known as alloys. The ratio of gold to alloys determines the karat value of the fold. Recall that pure gold is 24 karat. Eighteen karat gold then is 18 parts gold and 6 parts alloy (i.e. 75%pure). Fourteen karat gold is 14 parts gold and 10 parts alloy (i.e. 58.3% pure).
What are the mystery metals which make gold more durable? Copper, nickel, zinc, silver, and aluminum are the most commonly used today. Interestingly, the choice of metals used determines the color of the harder gold. Copper yields a rosy color; silver gives gold a greenish tint; aluminum gives gold a purplish cast, zinc and nickel are used to make white gold.
As gold does not rust, tarnish or corrode the beauty of gold remains constant over the years. Gold’s indestructibility as a metal means that it requires very little care. To clean gold, it is advisable to use only jewelry cleaner or mild detergent, followed by a thorough rinsing and wiping. Keep gold away from chemical abrasives such as chlorine. Although gold does not tarnish, the level of body acids in some individuals can react with the metals alloys with the gold and cause gold jewelry to leave a black smudge on the skin and clothing.
The term karat is a measure of the purity of gold. Since pure gold, 24 karat gold, is a very soft metal, it is necessary to add harder metals or “alloys,” in order to make durable jewelry – jewelry that will hold its shape and shine reasonably well.
If pure gold is 24kt, then 18kt would have 18 parts gold to 6 parts alloy, making it 75 percent pure; 14kt has 14 parts gold to 10 parts alloy, and it is 58.3 percent pure.
What are the mystery metals which make gold more durable? Copper, nickel, zinc, silver, and aluminum are the most commonly used today. Interestingly, the choice of metals used determines the color of the harder gold: copper yields a rosy color; silver gives gold a greenish tint; aluminum, a purplish cast, and zinc and nickel are used to make white gold. As pure gold itself is a very yellow element, yellow gold is doubtless the most common color used in modern jewelry design; the wide variation of yellows found is the result of different mixtures of silver and copper. The exact formula a craftsman uses to produce his ideal color is often a closely guarded trade secret.
The addition of other elements to gold is also responsible for the formation of gold solder. Solder is used to fuse joints and repair breaks in metal; it must therefore melt at a slightly lower temperature than the metal it is joining. As it must also flow, as does flux, cadmium is added in addition to the elements mentioned earlier.
On reading this information, you might begin to study your favorite ring or bracelet, suddenly unsure of its purity. Rest assured that strict federal laws protect the purity of the gold you are buying.
In past years, laws governing gold purity allowed producers a one-half-karat tolerance; however, as refining techniques improved, manufacturers began to aim for 13 ½ karat purity, instead of the full 14, for example. The laws since have been updated, and gold makers are required to produce gold of full karat value, or “plumb gold”.
The law does not require a piece to be stamped, but when it is stamped, it must be the quality stated and be accompanied by a mark identifying the maker.
Feel free to ask your jeweler about his materials, he will help you in your search for the best value for your jewelry dollar.
One could say that lavulite was “born” in the 1970’s when a wall of a Cape Province, South Africa manganese mine collapsed. For the first time, a beautiful purple variety of the mineral known as sugilite was exposed. Sugilite had been discovered earlier in Japan (1944) by professor Kenichi Sugi, but it was brown and not gemologically significant.
“Royal Lavulite” and “Royal Azel” are both marketing names for the purple sugilite discovered in the mine collapse. We shall refer to it here as “lavulite,” after popular usage.
Katrina Rafael, in her book Crystal Enlightenment, describes it:
“Unlike the transparent crystalline purple that the amethyst displays, (lavulite) is usually dense, non-translucent, and opaque. The color is deep, dark, and purposeful.”
In luster and hardness, it resembles lapis lazuli and ranges in color from light lavender to deep purple. Like lapis, it is usually cut into cabochons or beads, and sometimes carved. Far more rare than the opaque, is the translucent, facetable quality; it is said that some of these stones change from bluish-purple in incandescent light to reddish-purple in fluorescent.
It is also said to be a stone that benefits a sleeping child, enabling him or her to stay balanced while adjusting to ever-changing circumstances. It is a stone of innocence, wisdom and childhood magic, of benefit also to the adult who has “unlearned” those qualities.
Lavulite has a 5 ½ - 6 ½ rating on the Mohs scale, so it is durable enough to wear quite well. The finishes of polished stones tend to soften to a patina with wear similar to the way the surface of turquoise performs. Lavulite is beautiful set in gold or carved as beads. We can expect lavulite to become less readily available over time.
The first cultured pearls from Japan were not in fact the stereotypical round ones that immediately come to mind. In 1893, nearly 25 years before he perfected his technique for growing round cultured pearls, Kokichi Mikimoto produced cultured cabochon pearls. In his first culturing technique, rather than inserting a bead into the innards of a mollusk, Mikimoto cemented a semi-spherical nuc
leus directly to the inside of its shell. Once the nucleus was thoroughly coated with nacre, the cultured shape was ground off its base, creating a dome-shaped cultured half pearl known as a blister pearl. The blister pearl became the forerunner of the mabe (pronounced “ma-BAY) – a cultured pearl meant to give a big look for little money.
Today’s mabe assemblage process is the same as Mikimoto’s. Once the nacre reaches development, the pearl is cut from the plastic nucleus (as it will not adhere to plastic), epoxy is used to fill the hollow nacre, and then a mother of pearl backing is attached. As mabes are more manufactured than farmed, many gemologists believe that they should be called a composite or compound cultured pearl. And yet, while mabes are discounted for not being purely farmed, the mabe ought to be credited for facilitating such an impressive collaboration between pearl farmer and pearl processor.
In buying mabe pearls, the most important thing to be aware of is its enormous range in quality. Mabes with thin nacres have brittle skin that will crack if impact is too great. The nacre can be measured according to the effect of the luster. Soft iridescence and high luster indicates a thick nacre, while chalky luster indicates a thin nacre. The state of the art mabes that Japan produces are at best a sleek radiant white pearl suffused with soft-pink and baby-blue iridescent colors.
There is an advantage of the mabe pearl process over that which yields a spherical cultured pearl. By attaching the implant to the shell, a much larger piece than would normally be tolerated by the mollusk can be obtained. The disadvantage is a question of strength. Since the mabe is only a “blister” of mother-of-pearl, thinner than the shell of an egg, it should rarely be chosen for jewelry which must withstand blows and abrasion, such as most rings. Care should be taken in the wearing of mabe pearls, as the often irregular shapes may be difficult to match if one is broken. But the mabe’s large, pearly surface area can be safely enjoyed when set as a pendant, earrings, or dressy cufflinks.
The opal, a gemstone considered by many to be the most beautiful in the world, is the legacy of those born in October. Perhaps the most commonly accepted notion about the opal is also the least accurate – that the opal is unlucky for those who weren’t October-born. In fact, since Roman times, it has been thought that the opal is a very lucky stone, especially to those who receive it as a gift. The fallacy of misfortune is easily traced to a novel called “Anne of Gerstein” by Sir Walter Scott, in which the heroine wore a stone which had been cursed.
The historical role of the opal is rich. In the Middle Ages golden-haired girls wore them to protect their fair locks. Opal was also thought to possess the power to render the wearer invisible.
The Roman senator Nonius owned a fabulous opal: when Mark Anthony came to power, he demanded the stone from him. So fond of his prize he was, that Nonius preferred to go into exile rather than surrender it. Romans considered the opal the king of gems, since within it, it held the color of all others.
Magic and lore name opal as the stone of eyesight, clear mind, memory, prophecy, and fortune in travel and business. It is said to attract energy as iron to a magnet. It is the stone of leadership, not for the nervous.
The opal is a gem difficult to describe in words. It is the fire, or flashes of color, which are distinctive. Black opal, the most precious, has a dark body color, sometimes dark blue, dark green to grey, with bright flashes of color within. White opal has a light body color interspersed with fire. Opal can be enhanced by creating what are known as doublets or triplets. A doublet an opal with a backing of darker stone cemented to the back, providing greater strength and contrast. Triplets are made by sandwiching a slice of opal between the darker backing and a clear quartz cap. This is done to give greater depth to the stone, and protect its rather soft and brittle surface. Unmounted doublets and triplets can be easily identified by viewing from the side.
Opals also occur in different patterns: in the harlequin pattern the fire appears to be a series of squares; the pattern of “broad flashes” is streaked with fire in a manner similar to the Aurora Borealis, though somewhat less subtle.
The opal is one gem that must be treated with care. Opals are 5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness, which means they are harder than pearls but softer than Amethyst. So, they are soft enough to scratch and also brittle enough to chip. They should therefore be set in a style which will protect the stone, or worn as earrings or pendants, where they receive a minimum of punishment. Heat and ultrasound cleaning should also be avoided. If however, it does happen that the surface is abraded through wear, the stone can be repolished.
Principal sources of this lovely stone are Australia, Mexico, and Brazil. The availability is quite good, keeping the price competitive with other gemstones. It is a popular stone- Queen Victoria deemed it her favorite. No two opals look alike: in fact, one stone can appear changed in different light. It is also versatile, often appearing as cabochons, dome shapes, as plain or carved beads, or even as sculptures.
The early Portuguese explorers of the 1470s observed that copper bracelets and leg bands were the principal money all along the West African coast. They were usually worn by women to display their husband's wealth. Copper was the "red gold" of Africa and had been both mined there and traded across the Sahara by Italian and Arab merchants. The Portuguese crown contracted with manufacturers in Antwerp and elsewhere to produce crescent rings with flared ends of wearable size which they called "manilla," after the Latin manus (hand). Although Gold was the primary merchandise sought by the Portuguese, by the early 16th century they were participating in the slave trade for bearers to carry manillas to Africa's interior, and gradually Manillas became the principal money of this trade. The Portuguese were soon shouldered aside by the British, French, and Dutch, all of whom had labor-intensive plantations in the West Indies, and later by the Americans whose southern states were tied to a cotton economy. By the 1780s traders had discovered a growing preference among African slavers for brass over copper, and manillas of varying size with subtle differences in thickness and end-flare were being made principally in Birmingham, a major brass-working center, though the French probably cast theirs in Nantes. The Africans had names for each particular variety of manilla, valued them differently, and were notoriously particular about the types they would accept.
Internally, manillas were the first true general-purpose currency known in west Africa, being used for ordinary market purchases, bride price, payment of fines, compensation of diviners, and for the needs of the next world, as burial money. Cowrie shells, imported from Melanesia and valued at a small fraction of a manilla, were used for small purchases. In regions outside coastal west Africa and the Niger river a variety of other currencies, such as bracelets of more complex native design, iron units often derived from tools, copper rods, themselves often bent into bracelets, and the well-known Handa (Katanga cross) all served as special-purpose monies. As the slave trade wound down in the 19th century so did manilla production, which was already becoming unprofitable. By the 1890s their use in the export economy centered around the palm-oil trade. Although manillas were legal tender, they floated against British and French West African currencies. The British undertook a major recall dubbed "operation manilla" in 1948 to replace them with British West African currency at a rate of 3 Pence for the commonest type. The campaign was largely successful and over 32 million pieces were bought up and resold as scrap. The manilla, a lingering reminder of the slave trade, ceased to be legal tender in British West Africa on April 1, 1949.
The rough cattle country of northern Chihuahua in Mexico seems hardly the place to find a new artistic movement. Yet a few dozen miles south of the rugged San Luis Mountains, the residents of a small village produce a thin-wall, finely painted ceramic ware rivaling any handmade pottery in the world. Its originator, Juan Quezada, was discovered in 1976, with a few notable exceptions, most of the potters are young. In fact, this pottery is so new that there is no agreement as to what it should be called. Some use the name ‘Casas Grandes’, others call it ‘New Casas Grandes’. Still others prefer to call it ‘Mata Ortiz’ pottery after the village where it originated.
In 1976 an American trained in anthropology and art history, Spencer MacCallum, discovered three of Juan Quezada’s pots in a junk store just north of the border in Deming, New Mexico. He began to search for the potter who had made them, a search which lead him to Mata Ortiz. As he examined more of Juan’s pots, MacCallum was struck by the fact that he was seeing an original art form. He was so taken, that over the next eight years he convinced an important segment of the ceramic establishment that this Mata Ortiz pottery movement was an original and significant phenomenon worthy of attention.
Experimentation and innovation have always characterized the approach in Mata Ortiz, no artificial barriers restrict fledgling potters-neither tradition, caste, or even gender-in their development. Dozens of young potters look first to Juan and the other Quezadas and then proceed to do their own distinct thing. The variety is endless: father teaching son, son teaching father; wife teaching husband, husband teaching wife; traditional use of old designs, abstract use of old designs, complete departure from old designs; symmetry, asymmetry; new clays, new paints; and more.
Rarely do we see an artistic movement expanding and flowering before our eyes. Usually, the prime period of an art movement, which we admire happened in the past or, if in our own era, was over before we recognized it. The ceramic art spilling out of the plains of northern Chihuahua moves today through its prime period, and we can watch it happen. Juan Quezada, the originator and prime mover, continues to experiment and innovate. Dozens of potters pride themselves on following his general style, and dozens more measure their success against how far they can depart from his style and still produce credible work.
This is not a flowerpot. Nor it is a replica or an imitation of either ancient or modern Pueblo ceramics. Instead, a fresh, exciting revival of an old regional craft is underway in northern Chihuahua. As in Renaissance Italy, examples of classic art from the distant past have been dug up, dusted off, rethought, remade, and frequently surpassed. Several cultural influences have helped to shape this clay, including the Pre-Columbian ceramics of the Casas Grandes and Mimbres cultures, as well as the work of contemporary potters from both sides of the border. In fact, Mata Ortiz pottery serves as a strong reminder that the boundary lines on a modern map of North American are recent, political, and often unimportant: for most of human history the American Southwest and the Mexican Northwest were one and the same. Geographically and in many ways culturally, this is still true.
1. 1 The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz; excerpts by Walter Parks, Treasure Chest Books, edited by Linnea Gentry ; copyright 1999.
For centuries before the beginning of the 1900’s, the Eskimos of North America had relied on one important source of iron in order to make their fish hooks and spear points. In 1909 Admiral Peary landed in the Arctic and convinced the Eskimos to show him their source of iron. Reluctantly they led him to a large meteorite in the Polar region. Fascinated, Peary took the entire meteorite back with him to the United States and the meteorite was formally introduced to the Americas.
The Eskimos, however, were not the first to discover meteorite as a source of iron. The important objects in King Tutt's tomb were made of the most precious metal Egyptians knew of, not gold, but iron, iron from meteorites. Tribal peoples in Africa have long used meteorite iron to forge blades, spear points, arrowheads, and more recently, musket balls and bullets.
Meteorites come into our atmosphere from outer space. While generally, meteors will streak through the atmosphere until they burn up entirely, if they make it to the ground they are then known as meteorites. At least 20,000 tons of meteoritic material annually penetrates our atmosphere – more than 50 tons a day. Although most of this material is small, the size of dust particles or sand grains, larger objects – from a few ounces to a ton or more – account on the average for a hundred tons a year.
Meteorites fall to earth in three forms: iron, stony-iron, and stony. Distinctive to the iron meteorite is the presence of an interior Widmanstatten pattern, a crosshatched design that reveals iron’s crystalline structure. The stony-iron meteorite is the most exotic of the three types and is noted for naturally creating a pallasite – a medley of the gemstone peridot and the bright, nickel-iron matrix. The final meteorite, stony is the most common of the three, however, fewer are found because they so closely resemble ordinary Earth rocks.
Elizabeth Taylor never imagined what an impact she would have on the pearl world by naming her perfume Black Pearls. In May 1996, two months after the Black Pearls advertisement came out, the volume of Tahitian black pearl exports increased 55 percent. In the last couple of years, it has been not only the Tahitian black cultured pearl that has catapulted into vogue, but the whole of the nontraditional pearl market. The classic cultured pearl, associated with Japan and Mikimoto has been joined by an exciting diversity of new pearls that had hitherto been waiting in the eves of discovery.
Today the pearl world is changing so fast that it is hard to stay on top of the latest possibilities for color, size, and culturing location. While the familiar white strands of Akoya pearls produced in Japan will always be a staple in a woman’s wardrobe, other crops of pearls are being harvested in Tahiti, Indonesia, and China and range in size and color from charcoal gray to silver white to deep golden. Before you invest in a strand of pearls, you ought to be aware of the incredible variety today’s pearl world has available. In addition to the Akoya pearl, there are six other less known types: Tahitian, South Sea, Golden, Freshwater, and Mabe.
There are some general characteristics that help determine the value of all pearls. These are the attributes of shape, luster, color, surface perfection, and size. In terms of shape, the nature of the Akoya pearl has led us to believe that a perfectly round pearl has the highest value. However, be aware that creating roundness is an ability that the cultured pearl market has mastered. Many perfectly round pearls have a very thin, cheap nacre (pearl coating) and are actually worth less than a naturally baroque pearl. A better rule of thumb applicable to all types of pearl is to measure its degree of symmetry.
The most important quality of a pearl is its luster, as it is a pearl’s capacity for mirror-like reflections and high contrasts that determine its beauty. A pearl’s luster is linked to the quality of the nacre. The thicker the nacre, the stronger the pearl, the more time a pearl farmer has spent culturing the pearl, and therefore, the higher cost.
The color of pearls is evaluated based on the combination of the predominant body color, the overtone, and the iridescence. When buying pearls, color should be decided according to personal preference. However, it should be noted that white rose pearls and white pearls typically procure the highest price. Also be aware that the color of some pearls is influenced by dyeing or bleaching and it is often difficult to tell the difference.
While there is no such thing as a flawless pearl, the surface perfection of a pearl impacts on its value. In general, flaws are a good sign, as they may indicate that a pearl is real and not an imitation. However, a pearl with sizable or numerous blemishes may be less durable or less desirable. Most importantly pay attention that there is not a crack through the pearl or a patch of missing nacre.
Finally, it is the size of a pearl that factors heavily on the price. Pearls are typically measured based on the diameter or greatest width and length in millimeters. Larger, cultured pearls are rarer and more expensive, as the larger the implant that must be inserted in the mollusk, the greater the chance of rejection, death rate, and blemishing. Along with increments in size comes a substantial jump in price, especially for pearls above the 8 or 9mm mark.
The five aforementioned attributes for evaluating pearls merely set a framework for what any pearl buyer ought to bear in mind.
While hiking up a trail, you find a gemstone that looks like a diamond. You rush down to the car and make a discreet scratch on the window with it. Does this prove it to be a diamond? No, all you have learned is that the stone is harder than glass, and many gems fall into that category., including the diamond substitutes cubic zirconium and yag. In fact, a piece of windshield glass will scratch a window, and either type will scratch most drinking glasses.
The scratch test originated in Vienna, where in 1820 Frederick Mohs arranged common stones according to their hardness (or “scratchibility”) and assigned them relative numbers between one and ten. His months of research produced a scale which would become the cornerstone of modern mineral identification. Starting with talc as #1 on the scale, he used household items to discern the hardness of other stones: material that can be scratched with a fingernail has a hardness of 2.5; if it can be scratched with a copper coin, it has a hardness value between 3 and 4; a scratch from a knife blade indicates a hardness of 5.5; and if it requires a steel file to scratch, the materials rates a 6.5.
Such a scale, as simple as it seems, represents great progress over earlier techniques. Conquering armies in Europe and Asia destroyed countless magnificent stones by subjecting them to the “anvil test” in hopes of discerning value. Few stones, diamonds included, can withstand being smashed with a hammer on an anvil.
Though Mohs’ test for hardness employs somewhat gentler means, it is of greatest value to the amateur rockhound. A professional gemologist would rarely risk damage to valuable gems with such a test; even a diamond can be chipped or broken with a softer stone if hit on a brittle facet edge. Similarly, one diamond can scratch another, since diamond hardness varies with crystal direction.
Here, a distinction should be made between the terms “hard” and “tough.” Jade is a “tough” stone; though relatively soft, it is extremely resilient and very wearable. The very hard stones, such as emerald, ruby, sapphire, and diamond may facet beautifully, but they can also be quite brittle and may crack, or chip with rough handling.
Relating it to jewelry, a stone’s hardness helps us predict how it will wear. Stones with a rating of less than 7, such as tanzanite, turquoise, malachite, and jade, will mellow to a soft patina soon after wearing. Harder stones such as garnet (7-7 ½,) aquamarine (7 ½-8,) ruby and sapphire (9,) and diamond (10) will keep a highly polished, shiny surface.
It is interesting to note that, unbeknownst to Mohs, the scale is logarithmic rather than arithmetic. To illustrate this, let us expand his 1-to-10 scale to a 1-to-1000 scale. Diamond shall be rated 1000. but ruby and sapphire, rated 9 by Mohs, are now rated at only 250. This gives a clearer idea of just how much harder a diamond is than any other gemstone.
The ruby, a member of the gemstone family known as corrundum, is a most vibrant and dramatic stone. Its ideal color is “pigeon blood” red. Variations of this color do occur, tending toward pink, orange, and purple; or even approaching grayish or blackish-red.
Burma is the source of the finest and most scarce stones, but Thailand and Africa also supply a great number of stones to choose from.
The ancients believed the ruby to possess the power to destroy anger and discord; to “divert the mind from sadness and to produce wisdom, happiness and health” (from Kenneth Parkinson’s “Birthstones and Talismanic Gems.”) It was thought to be a protector not only of person, but of fortune, as well.
A belief still popular today is that the stone grows pale with the approach of illness in the wearer; this has also been said of turquoise and opal, both of which have been substituted for the July birthstone. It also brings luck to gamblers and those who seek romantic love.
Ruby is one of the toughest gemstones in existence, and can easily take the abuse of daily wear. it ranks 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness, the diamond being 10.
The bright and lively red of the ruby is well-accented by both white and yellow gold. It is durable enough to be set in a ring or bracelet, and dramatic enough to draw attention as a pendant or earrings. If the readers have a loose ruby in their jewelry case or safe deposit box, by all means, find a use for it – legend has it that the aforementioned powers are intensified when set and worn on the left side of the body.
Gemstones are classified into large families, for instance, emerald and aquamarine are simply two different colors of beryl. Sapphire belongs to the family known as corrundum; red corrundum is commonly called “ruby,” while all other colors are included in the name “sapphire.”
The many colors in which the sapphire occurs are caused by traces of different minerals present when the corrundum crystal was formed. For example, a trace of chromium causes the sapphire to be green. Blue, the most commonly acclaimed color of sapphire, is produced of the combination of iron oxide and titanium oxide. The cornflower blue sapphire is quite a bit more valuable than the other colors, with the exception of the orange sapphire known as “Padparadscha,” and extremely rare and highly valued variety. But sapphires also occur in brown, pink, lavender, and colorless. Some even change color with the kind of light they are viewed in i.e. alexandrite-like.
Imperfections can make the stone even more valuable, such as when tiny needles of rutile are present in the formation of the gem, the phenomenon of the star sapphire occurs. It is cut as a cabochon (or dome shape) to best show its star effect.
Legend surrounding the sapphire is rich. It is the stone of spiritual insight, peace, happiness, morality, and eyesight. Ancient priests used them as aids in interpreting oracles and foretelling the future. Sapphire has always been the symbol of truth and affection, as well: if a sapphire dimmed, it as proof of the spouse’s infidelity. Supposedly, the sapphire refuses to shine when worn by the wicked or the impure. Contemplation of the stone is said to cleanse the soul. So powerful is the sapphire is that it continues to exert an influence of good luck on its original owner, even if the stone has passed into other hands.
The sapphire is durable, rating 9 on the Mohs Scale (remember, the diamond is 10).
Montana, home of the Yogo mine, has produced a small quantity of stones since 1894. Sri Lanka, Australia, Africa, and Thailand supply the world with sapphire as well.
In purchasing a sapphire, as with any gemstone, it is wise for the layperson to consult a trusted expert.
The South Sea cultured pearl, once overlooked in the pearl world because it was not a crisp, lustrous Akoya-white (Japanese), is now endeared for its subtle, feminine hues, and silky luster, has become known as the “queen” of pearls. South Sea cultured pearls are produced by an unusually large saltwater oyster, the Pinctada maxima. In addition to producing a splendid hue, they boast the greatest size range (9-16 mm) of any pearl variety.
While the majority of South Sea cultured pearls are white, they display hundreds of different tints, such as bone, oyster, and ivory and suggest a range of different moods, from balanced and neutral, to cool and sharp, to warm and sunny. As the green content increases, pearls show yellow, champagne, or green overtones, giving the pearls a higher status and the classification of “fancy colors.” The rarest most expensive color is a warm, pinkish white, however, the silvery-white is perhaps the most in demand and also very expensive.
In addition to the richness of their hues, South Sea cultured pearls possess a satin-like luster that creates an inward glow and refined elegance. Their subtle presence is very distinguishable from the sharp, sleek, mirror-like finish of fine Akoya cultured pearls. At all costs, avoid ones that appear dull or chalky.
As South Sea cultured pearls are usually light-toned, spots and other blemishes are particularly glaring and the fewer the complexion problems the better. If price is of issue, it is better to sacrifice size and shape than surface perfection.
As South Sea pearls are cultivated for longer periods and have much thicker nacre coatings, they are typically less perfectly round and spotted than other pearls. However, it is through this long maturing time that South Seas are given qualities of stability and endurance. They are rare in fine qualities and comparatively more expensive than most pearls, but will wear well for generations.
In the last 40 Years, Tahiti has cultivated a commodity, its own Tahitian cultured pearl that mirrors the islands’ signature of exotic beauty and romance. The Tahitian cultured pearl is frequently dubbed the “black” pearl, not because of its’ color, but because it is produced by a large black lipped oyster. The Tahitian cultured pearl is a more learned name since the color actually runs the gamut of grays – from light flannel to dark charcoal, and it is not uncommon to exist as a dusky white or silver. In addition, Tahitian cultured pearls display distinctive overtones of purple, green, and blue, more alluringly called “peacock,” “eggplant,” “seafoam,” and “pistachio.”
The Tahitian cultured pearls are distinguished from other pearls not only by color, but also by size and luster. The average size of a Tahitian cultured pearl is 10-12 mm, compared to the Akoya’s (Japan’s) average 6-7 mm. In recent years, Tahitian farms have produced sizes of 18, 19, and even 20 mm. If you want all the unique aesthetic features of Tahitian cultured pearls at a price within reach, consider buying sizes between 8 and 10 mm, as they will still seem large in comparison to white cultured pearls.
The luster of the Tahitian cultured pearl is typically its finest attribute. Pearl experts hypothesize that by allowing the pearl to mature in the black oyster for two to three years, there is time for a significant nacre accumulation, resulting in a higher luster. Whatever the reason, Tahitian cultured pearls at their most lustrous have a polished finish in which you can see a well defined reflection of your own face.
It is very difficult to find a Tahitian cultured pearl that is both flawless and round. Typically, Tahitian cultured pearls have an irregular baroque shape, or grooves girdling their entire surface (called circle pearls), or surface imperfections. As the dark color makes imperfections less noticeable, it is wise to scrutinize the pearl’s surface as compared to the cost.
Finally, a Tahitian pearl buyer would be wise to inquire about treatment. Occasionally, Tahitian pearls are artificially colored by such means as dyeing, exposure to radiation, or silver nitrate, and are sold as “natural black.” It is therefore advisable, if you are interested in a fine black pearl at a high cost to first deal with someone you know and trust and perhaps even obtain a laboratory report confirming “natural” color.
Primitive pottery made by the Tarahumara Indians in central northern Mexico has been used traditionally for grain storage, beer making and for storage of other foods. The larger round-bottomed pots are used to ferment “tesguino”, a beer made from corn.
The clay is ground on a metate and mixed with pottery shards also ground on a metate. The shards provide the temper. The dry clay is then poured onto a rock in a slight depression and water is added. The clay is then kneaded and rolled. Walls are built with ropes or coils of clay and are continually smoothed. When the final shape and surface is achieved, the pot is placed in the sun to dry. The pottery is fired in a shallow pit with a hot “bond” fire.
The Tarahumara are plain people and their artwork expresses their way of life. Most pots for family use are not decorated. Much of the essence of Tarahumara life is captured in their pottery. It is functional.
These large pots are brought out of the high mountainous region by burro and only the sturdiest of pieces make the long trek to Vail to be purchased by knowing collectors at Karats.
Sterling silver is copper-silver alloy and is somewhat softer than most gold alloys. Therefore, it is more likely to be abraded to black dust by relative movement between the jewelry and the skin or clothing.
Sterling silver jewelry has a pronounced tendency to tarnish. The tarnish is always due to the contact with sulphur compounds. The main cause of tarnishing of silver is a trace of hydrogen sulfide gas in the air. This gas is particularly present in smoke from burnt raw fuel, such as coal or oil; in some strong smelling foodstuffs, such as eggs and onions; in some fish or shellfish; and in polluted air.
The tarnish may turn the jewelry black and may also be rubbed off on the skin or clothing. A few people with especially moist skin may find that the sterling silver stains their skin green. This is due to the copper component of the silver alloy. When this occurs you should polish your jewelry frequently and use an absorbent powder on those moist skin areas which come into contact with your jewelry.
The gemstone accepted worldwide as November’s birthstone is the topaz. This gem is not to be confused
with the much less valuable “smokey topaz,” as the latter is a misnomer for smokey quartz. Topaz occurs on the market in several colors – pink, which is obtained by heating a natural topaz; pale blue, which is the result of irradiating a natural stone; orange and colorless. But the most priced and valued colors are the sherry to golden-yellow, and brown. Ranking 8 on the Mohs scale, it is a hard stone which wears well. As hard as it is, however, it is not particularly tough; meaning that it should be worn carefully and protected from sharp blows, as the stone could crack. This should not discourage one from buying a topaz, as the same fate could befall a diamond similarly mistreated.
The lore of the topaz dates back thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians revered yellow topaz, as the golden glow represented to them their sun god,”Ra.” People of the Middle Ages called upon the topaz for protection in times of perils. It was said to make the wearer invisible in times of emergency, and to change colors in the presence of poison. Hung around the neck, it dispelled enchantments and warded off insomnia and asthma. When soaked in wine and applied to the eye, it improved eyesight. It was also thought to cure the “unspeakable ailments of women.” The clear blue colored topaz is still thought to stimulate man’s highest ideals. These powers seem to increase and decrease as the moon waxes and wanes.
The list of world suppliers is long, including Brazil, Sri Lanka, Burma, The United States, Afghanistan, Africa, and Russia. Since it is abundant in nature, the price of this lovely and durable stone remains affordable.
The autumnal colors of topaz are appropriate for the November-born. They are kind to the brown-eyed, and the earth tones flatter darker complexions. Yellow gold is very compatible to these colors.
Cut topaz is often found in long and graceful shapes, due to the fact that this gem occurs in long crystals. This, together with its hardness, make topaz ideal to wear as a ring. Its clarity and range of color from cool to warm make it a good choice for pendants and earrings, as well, accenting wardrobe colors for the year around. Yet these might seem rather superficial concerns compared to the vibrations attributed to the topaz by modern-day psychics: those of cheerfulness, foresight, clarity, and purity.
Seven thousand years ago an Egyptian queen was entombed, wearing the oldest known piece of jewelry – a carved turquoise bracelet. It is a stone used lavishly in the ancient civilization; it ornamented the sarcophagi, it was inlaid with precious objects, and larger specimens were even carved into statues and vessels. In fact, one of the largest known pieces of turquoise was fashioned into a vase with a capacity of six gallons.
In ancient Persia the stone was revered, as well; mention was made of an ancient mine owned by Isaac, the father of Israel, in 2100 BC. The Chinese, too, carved turquoise into beads and traded them extensively in Mongolia and Tibet.
Few gentlemen of 17th Century Europe were without a ring of turquoise, as it was the charm of horsemen. One who wore it could fall from his mount (or any great height) and escape injury to his person because the stone, it was believed, would attract the forces of the fall. The turquoise may have cracked or broken, but the rider was protected from harm. It is also thought to benefit those who suffer from headaches and tension, and those who require earthly grounding.
Turquoise ranges in color from peacock blue to dark green. It wears quite well, despite its relative softness (5 to 6 on the Mohs scale.) Fine stones are harder and more intensely colored, while stones of lesser quality are lighter and more porous. It is very common to “treat” or “stabilize” turquoise by impregnating it with liquid plastic. This darkens a light stone, toughens it, and prevents fading.
American Indians have mined turquoise since before the time of Christ. It plays a huge role in the folk arts and personal ornamentation of our Southwest Indian tribes; volumes have been written on the aspect of the stone’s history alone. It would require another volume to describe the turquoise mines here in America, many of which produce stones of a very distinct character. Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico are the principle Southwestern turquoise localities.
Traditional American Indian turquoise is paired with silver. As the general public began to demand turquoise, however, we have begun to see some set in gold; the cool color and sheen of turquoise blend well with the warm glow of gold. It is an exceptional value, being both reasonably priced and extremely versatile. And turquoise is appropriate in any jewelry context – Bracelets, rings, necklaces, earrings, bola ties, buckles, money clips, watchbands, or cuff links. As long as it is protected from sharp blows, it will serve long and well.
When turquoise first came to the attention of man is unknown. We have archeological as well as literary references that pre date the Christian era by five millennia. The four bracelets of Queen Zar, found on her mummified arm, date to the second ruler of the Egypt's First Dynasty, approximately 5500 BC. Turquoise was used for beads by the Egyptians. Combined with other ornamental stones, the turquoise was inlaid in gold by Sumerians and Egyptians to produce very sophisticated articles of Jewelry.
Large mines were reported around 3,200 BC in the Sinai. The oldest known source of turquoise is the Maghara Wadi mines in the Sinai Peninsula. Mining expeditions of up to several thousand laborers were sent there annually. These mines were worked for the pharaohs for 2000 years. They, were rediscovered in the mid-nineteenth century and worked on and off until the beginning of this century.
Turquoise was worn by Pharaohs and Aztec Kings. Its prized blue color is so distinctive that its name is used to describe any color that resembles it. Pre-Columbian Indians used turquoise for beads and pendants. From, 500 BC Burial grounds, in Central America and Mexico. Teeth were found decorated with turquoise. A tribute to early dentistry as well as a different idea for adornment. It was also extensively used around 200 BC, by both southwestern US Native Americans and by many of the Indian tribes in Mexico.
The Anasazi and Hohokam mined turquoise throughout our Southwest. Absolute evidence exists that these prehistoric people mined turquoise at Cerillos and the Burro Mountains of New Mexico, Kingman and Morenci in Arizona and the Conejos areas of Colorado. Turquoise was a popular trade item. We know this because so much has been found in archeological sites. Many hundreds of miles away from its source. A prime example is the Cerillos, New Mexico, turquoise found with the Aztecs.
The Native American Jewelry or "Indian style" jewelry with turquoise mounted in or with silver is relatively new. Some believe this style of Jewelry was unknown prior to about 1880, when a white trader persuaded a Navajo craftsman to make turquoise and silver jewelry using coin silver. Prior to this time, the Native Americans had made solid turquoise beads, carvings, and inlaid mosaics.
According to American Indians, the stone brought together the spirits of sea and sky to bless warriors and hunters; a turquoise arrowhead assured accurate aim. It was said that a fine turquoise was hidden in the damp ground at the end of the rainbow. A Navajo belief is that a piece of turquoise cast into a river, accompanied by a prayer to the god of rain, will cause rainfall.
The lucky December-born can choose between two accepted birthstones – zircon and turquoise. Imagine a scenario in which a prospective buyer is deciding between the two: “I’m not sure about the turquoise. Wasn’t it just a fad?” Empathetically NO! Seven thousand years ago an Egyptian queen was entombed, wearing the oldest known piece of jewelry – a carved turquoise bracelet. It is a stone used lavishly in the ancient civilization; it ornamented the sarcophagi, it was inlaid with precious objects, and larger specimens were even carved into statues and vessels. In fact, one of the largest known pieces of turquoise was fashioned into a vase with a capacity of six gallons.
In ancient Persia the stone was revered, as well; mention was made of an ancient mine owned by Isaac, the father of Israel, in 2100 BC The Chinese, too, carved turquoise into beads and traded them extensively in Mongolia and Tibet.
Few gentlemen of 17th Century Europe were without a ring of turquoise, as it was the charm of horsemen. One who wore it could fall from his mount (or any great height) and escape injury to his person because the stone, it was believed, would attract the forces of the fall. The turquoise may have cracked or broken, but the rider was protected from harm. It is also thought to benefit those who suffer from headaches and tension, and those who require earthly grounding.
Turquoise ranges in color from peacock blue to dark green. It wears quite well, despite its relative softness (5 to 6 on the Mohs scale.) Fine stones are harder and more intensely colored, while stones of lesser quality are lighter and more porous. It is very common to “treat” or “stabilize” turquoise by impregnating it with liquid plastic. This darkens a light stone, toughens it, and prevents fading.
American Indians have mined turquoise since before the time of Christ. It plays a huge role in the folk arts and personal ornamentation of our Southwest Indian tribes; volumes have been written on the aspect of the stone’s history alone. It would require another volume to describe the turquoise mines here in America, many of which produce stones of a very distinct character. Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico are the principle Southwestern turquoise localities.
Traditional American Indian turquoise is paired with silver. As the general public began to demand turquoise, however, we have begun to see some set in gold; the cool color and sheen of turquoise blend well with the warm glow of gold. It is an exceptional value, being both reasonably priced and extremely versatile. And turquoise is appropriate in any jewelry context – Bracelets, rings, necklaces, earrings, bola ties, buckles, money clips, watchbands, or cuff links. As long as it is protected from sharp blows, it will serve long and well.
Upon purchasing your jewelry there are a few things that may be helpful for you to keep in mind. In cold weather it is wise to watch out for contracting fingers. Rings can easily slip off and be lost, possibly when removing gloves or they may just slip off while walking down the street. Be sure to take them off and keep them in a safe place if they feel lose.
As we know, it is unwise to remove your jewelry when washing your hands because you may forget to put it back on, but let us say you are wearing a pearl ring. There are now worries about the harshness of dispenser soap to the pearl. Remember a tip – hold the ring in your teeth as you wash, and avoid the possibilities of knocking it down the drain or walking away without it. Please remember, however, that if one day you opt not to use our helpful hint and wash a ring down the drain, all is not necessarily lost. Most sinks are equipped with a trap. The goose-necked pipe is meant to catch heavy objects such as rings.
When traveling, it is wise to keep your jewelry in a safe and inconspicuous place. But should you decide to include your jewelry in your checked baggage, remember the belly of the plane is a cold, cold place and such gems as opal and some amber have been known to freeze and crack.
Now you have an idea of how to take care of your stones, but the setting is also a very important part of your jewelry. Ralph Pierro’s study on the dangers of chlorine to gold is able to aid in the care of anything you have that is made of gold. Repeated exposure to chlorine corrodes the copper and zinc alloys in gold. Typically prongs become brittle and break off, cracks may also appear in the ring shank. In the same vein, visitors to mineral springs note the discoloration of silver worn into the water. If you forget to take something off before you get into the water don’t be alarmed, your jeweler can easily polish it again.
Finally, it is your responsibility to document your jewelry for insurance or policy purposes. Photograph it or put it on a photocopier. Either method provides good identification. For fine cut gems, it is also possible to lazer-cut identifying words or numbers on the edge of the girdle, here it is not visible to the naked eye.
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