You may think when a ring “turns” or discolors your skin or clothing that it is due to “bad” gold or a manufactures defect; however, this is not the case. The most common reason is metallic abrasion caused by cosmetics on skin and clothing. Cosmetics (ie hand lotion or facial cover-up) often contain compounds harder than the jewelry itself which wears or rubs off very tiny particles. Very finely divided metal always appears black rather than metallic. When this dust comes into contact with absorbent surfaces such as skin or clothing it sticks, forming a black smudge. Therefore, all jewelry should be removed prior to applying cosmetics and jewelry should be professionally cleaned on a frequent basis (every 3-6months.)
*Even hand washing can cause an accumulation of water and soap under your rings, sometimes leading t eczema, we recommend removing rings and thoroughly drying hands before putting them back on, whenever possible.
Clarity refers to the number and placement of the natural characteristics in a diamond. The scale starts at the highest clarity being Flawless and progresses down to the lowest clarity I3 (meaning heavily included). Please refer to the chart below for a brief description of each grade.
Color refers to the actually color grade of the diamond. The scale starts at the highest color grade of D and progresses down the scale to the lowest color grade of Z. As you progress down the scale the yellow color of the diamond will increase. Please refer to the chart below for a brief description of each grade.
Cut refers to the actual shape of the stone. Cut also refers to the proportions and symmetry of the stone. Diamonds come in many shapes. Some of the most common are Round Brilliant, Princess Cut, Oval Cut, Emerald Cut, Marquis, Pear, Trillion, and Heart.
For more information on the four C’s and other important information you should know about diamonds such as fluorescence (a natural phenomenon in diamonds that can affect the value of your diamond) stop in and let one of our trained staff members help you become an educated consumer.
Each colored stone has it own unique properties and will require different cleaning techniques. You should consult a professional to learn about the best techniques for your particular piece. However, here are some basic principles to keep in mind when you are caring for your jewelry.
Always use a jewelry cleaner that is ammonia and acetone free.
Remove all jewelry before entering the shower, pool, hot tub, and prior to going to sleep.
Apply all of your make-up, body lotion, and perfumes prior to putting jewelry on.
Try to keep all of your jewelry separate from each other to avoid scratching, denting, and other damage.
If possible remove all jewelry prior to cleaning, gardening, or other physical activity where stones and prongs could be damaged.
Have your jewelry professionally checked and cleaned every 3-6 months.
Pearls, emeralds, opals, and tanzanite stones are especially vulnerable to damage. Special care should be taken with these stones, especially if they are mounted in a ring setting.
Pearls should never come in contact with hairspray, perfumes, cosmetics, or cleaning products. If they do come in contact with any of these products, they should be cleaned as soon as possible to avoid yellowing and discoloration of pearls. We recommend a diluted mixture of Ivory dish soap and water.
***It’s important to keep in mind that any housework, even as simple as making beds (the threads can cut and lift prongs easily) can affect your jewelry. Try to remove jewelry as often as possible when doing these tasks. ***
If you are looking into buying a diamond then you have probably heard about the four C’s: Carat, Clarity, Color, and Cut. Here is a quick overview of the terminology and a chart to help you understand what the terms mean.
Carat refers to the weight of the diamond. One carat is based upon 100 points. For example if you had a .50 carat diamond, it is a ½ a carat or someone may refer to it as 50 points.
