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How Do I Clean Silver?
Some cleaners which are ideal for sterling silver may be too harsh for the set gemstone. If gem-set, use a soft toothbrush to gently clean the surfaces of the gemstones. Ultrasonic cleaners are not recommended. Natural body oils, soap and regular daily dust can build up on your jewellery.If more serious cleaning is required, then use a good jeweller’s rouge or jewellery cleaning dip. They can damage pearls and gem-set jewellery. A mild soap in water is usually enough to clean it. Remember the backs! Gently pat the jewellery dry. However, if your silver is gem-set see below for advice on specific gemstones to be sure what is safe to use.
Pearls come in a variety of colors and shapes
A high quality pearl will have a lustrous, shiny surface, strong reflections, and a good contrast between its light and dark areas. Pearls come in a variety of colors. That colors are white, gray, black and yellow. The shapes of pearls can be round, baroque, symmetrical, or irregular. The most exquisite and expensive pearls are the sphere-like round pearls.But still your pearls should have minimal blemishes on the surface such as pits, cracks, or discoloration. Necklaces with pearls can have single or double strands. The single strands usually have larger, more expensive pearls than the double strands. Pearls that appear completely flawless are usually fakes. Authentic pearl earrings should match in size and their look and feel.
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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