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Jewellery is sometimes seen as wealth storage
Jewellery has been made to adorn nearly every body part, from hairpins to toe rings and many more types of jewellery. Jewellery is sometimes seen as wealth storage or functionally as holding a garment or hair together. While high-quality ornaments are made with gemstones and precious metals. Such as silver or gold, there is also a growing demand for art jewellery where design and creativity is prized above material value.It has from very early times also been regarded as a form of personal adornment. In addition, there is the less costly costume jewellery, made from lower value materials and mass-produced. In some cases people were buried with their jewellery. Other variations include wire sculpture (wrap) jewellery, using anything from base metal wire with rock tumbled stone to precious metals and precious gemstones.
How Durable is My Gemstone Jewellery?
First of all a note about the hardness and therefore relative durability of gemstones. To measure hardness, the jewellery industry uses the Mohs scale. This gem-trade standard, conceived by Friedrich Mohs in 1812, measures the ability of a gem or mineral to resist abrasion damage.Diamond at 10 is the hardest whereas talc at 1 is the softest. Popular gemstones like amethyst and citrine register 7 whereas rubies and sapphires register 9. Most of us come off the beach on the first day with the 3 s’s all achieved - rings caked in sand, sea-salt and suntan lotion. Nude sunbathing, as far as silver and gold jewellery is concerned, is a must! Remember also that sand will scratch the surface of precious metals.
How Durable is My Gemstone Jewellery?
First of all a note about the hardness and therefore relative durability of gemstones. To measure hardness, the jewellery industry uses the Mohs scale. This gem-trade standard, conceived by Friedrich Mohs in 1812, measures the ability of a gem or mineral to resist abrasion damage.Diamond at 10 is the hardest whereas talc at 1 is the softest. Popular gemstones like amethyst and citrine register 7 whereas rubies and sapphires register 9. Most of us come off the beach on the first day with the 3 s’s all achieved - rings caked in sand, sea-salt and suntan lotion. Nude sunbathing, as far as silver and gold jewellery is concerned, is a must! Remember also that sand will scratch the surface of precious metals.
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