Amber – formed from fossilized tree sap, amber is best known for it’s soft yellow golden hue, which is distinctly different from other yellow-colored gem stones because it diffuses light into a much softer shade of gold than other yellow gemstones, which tend to intensify and sparkle instead. The fact that it is fossilized liquid makes finding unflawed pieces with no bubbles or cracks in the gemstone much rarer and more valuable.

Amethyst – the most famous type of purple gemstone, amethyst’s color is a very light shade of purple that captures light inside the gem’s facets. The color of amethyst is often semi-transparent as opposed to other purple gemstones which are darker and more opaque. It is this crystalline clarity and beauty which makes amethysts sought after by certain collectors.

Chalcedony – also known as agate, chalcedony is a form of quartz crystal which is composed of several different strains of quartz fused together in parallel layers. This tends to make the gems multi-colored, and the effect is like looking at a rainbow if the different layers of quartz are of varied colors and types. Quartz mines which hold different deposits of quartz types are ideal places to dig for this, and it is the rarest form of quartz gemstone around.

Diamond – composed mostly of superheated and compressed carbon, diamond is the hardest known substance in nature, and it’s basic color once polished and cut is completely transparent. Diamonds are perhaps the most famous and valuable of the different types of gemstones because of its pure clarity and the enduring quality of the gemstones. Much romanticism surrounds diamonds because of these features and they are most sought after for wedding rings as a symbol of love’s eternity.

Emerald – this is the most well known type of green colored gem stone. They are beryllium-based in chemical composition, sharing this element with several equally well known gemstones like rubies and sapphires. An emerald’s shade of green is unique and quite a few ancient civilizations regard this as a holy or mythic stone. More often than not, emerald gemstones are cut into simple square or circular shapes, with few variations.

Garnet – this is a stone whose basic color is red. The most famous red gemstone remains the ruby, yet the garnet’s distinguishing factor is that it’s shade of red actually approaches crimson. For this reason, some people refer to it as a “bloodstone”. A very rare type of garnet however is the “fire garnet”, whose color is a brighter orange instead of a deep crimson. This is more expensive than regular garnets.

Jadeite – this is a form of jade that is rarer than the more common form, nephrite. While both are green colored, jadeite is semi transparent, making it more closely resemble “regular” gemstones than it’s cousin nephrite. The purity of jadeite is higher than nephrite, and it’s crystal density is higher, but it tends to naturally form in smaller pieces as a result and is much harder to work with than nephrite, which can be carved like stone.

Lapis Lazuli – this is a relatively soft type of gemstone which can be carved into a variety of shapes. What makes this particular gemstone unique is that it’s color is a deep night-sky blue, but the gemstones are always flecked with small fool’s-gold (pyrite) traces which gives the gem the appearance of a night sky dotted with golden stars.

Moonstone – this gemstone’s fame comes mostly from it’s mysticism and it’s decidedly “feminine” gearing. As gemstones go, it’s actual worth isn’t very high, but it remains popular nonetheless. Moonstones are opaque, white-silver stones that under moonlight appear exactly the same shade as the moon in the sky. Naturally, this feature is what gave rise to it’s historic popularity.

Nephrite – when people refer to jade, they often mean nephrite. This material is a bright opaque green, and it’s physical quality compared to another form of jade, jadeite, is softer and more malleable. Large pieces of nephrite are easier to find than jadeite, and aside from jewelry this gemstone occurs naturally in pieces large enough to carve into small figurines and statues. Smaller pieces are carved into entire pieces of jewelry like bracelets and brooches.

Opal – these are completely opaque quartz crystals which, like chalcedony, displays a multitude of colors at the same time. The biggest difference between the two is that chalcedony’s color patterns are often set parallel to each other, and chalcedony stones themselves are semi transparent. Opals are completely opaque, and the splash of colors are random and haphazard throughout the surface of the gem.

Pearl – these are organic gems which naturally occur in oysters. They are often rendered in an opaque whitish sheen that refracts light, making small rainbows play across the surface of a well-cut and polished pearl. Tons of myths surround pearls, and being reaped from the sea they figure prominently in almost every sea-faring culture’s stories. Especially pirates. I don’t know why, but pirates ALWAYS hoard them in stories. Go figure…

Peridot – this gemstone is perhaps best known for only one thing: simplicity. Unlike other gemstones, which can come in quite a variety of colors, peridots are uniformly a green-gold shade. Period. They are silicate-based gemstones, and traces of iron in the gems give it a gold hue. There are NO variations of opacity, color traces, or shade variations in peridots no matter what part of the world they come from.

Ruby – along with the emerald and sapphire, this red stone is one of the oldest and most famous types of gemstone for collectors. It’s shade of red is actually rather bright and the stone itself is semi transparent instead of opaque. It is a type of gemstone called corundum, and is second only to the diamond in toughness among the world’s gemstones. Next to diamond, it is also perhaps the most expensive type of gemstone around.

Sapphire – like the ruby, this is a corundum type of gem, making it much harder and more enduring than other types of gems. Traditionally sapphires are best known for being a vivid crystalline blue in color, though what few people know is that sapphires can come in a variety of colors including green, yellow, and orange. The real definition behind this is that corundums will almost always be RUBIES if they’re red, and sapphires if they’re any other color. Strange logic there, but that’s how it’s defined by a lot of gem collectors.

Turquoise – this stone can easily be likened to nephrite for two things: one, it’s considerably softer than other gemstones, making it easier to work with, and two, it is opaque. Turquoise come in shades of sky blue with just a hint of green, and while it technically a stone the colors actually come from metals in the mineral – namely copper and iron traces. These metallic traces are the main reason for the stone’s opacity and malleability.

Topaz – this gemstone is an aluminum silicate based gemstone and is primarily a rich yellow gold in color. The stone is semi transparent and is one of the harder and more enduring gemstones around. If the ruby “defines” red, the sapphire “defines” blue, and the emerald “defines” green for other gemstones, the topaz is the gemstone that sets the standards followed by other yellow colored gemstones.

If you have rings that can’t be removed and you have to use strong cleaning products, particularly those with an Ammonia base, you can protect it (as well as your skin) by wearing gloves made of rubber. Rings and bracelets are jewelry that are often worn, earrings and necklaces are also prone to damages from chemicals, especially whenever they are worn while putting make-up, spraying fragrances and spritzing hair products.

A jeweler can also restring your pearl necklaces every two years. This should be done if it is your favorite jewelry. You can also clean your jewelry yourself by using mild and warm water with a soapy solution. Use a soft brush in cleaning the edges. Dry them using a soft cloth.

Be mindful of the loose clasps and gems before you wear your jewelry. You wouldn’t want the stones dropping off. Neither would you want to lose the entire thing when you’re walking down the street.

Don’t pull the stones. Some women who wear jewelry pull on the stones whenever they are bored; just so their fingers have something to do. Well, this practice results to the gemstones being more prone to oil, dirt and sweat. You may even risk these because you loosen the setting on the metal.

It is also not advisable to store your jewelry in one big pile. This will cause the metal and the gems to scratch one another. Store your jewelry in separate sections. Wrap them in paper, silk or velvet. Put them in a jewelry box.

Here is a quick run-through on how to clean common gems:

1. Alexandrite

Clean using soapy water or commercially available products. The best is alcohol. You can also resort to mechanical cleaners.

2. Aquamarine

Steer clear of chemical cleaners and heat. These shouldn’t be cleaned frequently as well. Use a soapy solution.

3. Diamond

Chemical and mechanical cleaners are said to be safe, but they should be avoided when cleaning diamonds because the stone could be fractured. Rinse the diamond dry and well after using a soapy solution.

4. Emerald

Don’t use mechanical and chemical cleaners. It will only dissolve oils during the cleaning process. Emeralds must be cleaned using soapy water. Have a jeweler re-oil the gem once every year.

5. Garnet

Just use soapy water.

6. Jade

Soapy water is the best, safest and easiest solution. You can also resort to mechanical cleaners, just steer clear of the chemical ones.

7. Opal

Wipe the stone after every use with a slightly damp pr dry cloth. Do not wash or scrub hard.

8. Peridot

Don’t use chemical or mechanical cleaners. Just use soapy water.

9. Ruby

Use soapy water or the cleaning solvents that are commercially available. Mechanical cleaners are also safe but these should be avoided because it may affect the clarity of the ruby.

10. Sapphire

Use soapy water and cleaning solvents. Mechanical cleaners are also safe but when these are used, they may affect the sapphires clarity.

11. Spinel

Use soapy water and the commercial cleaning solvents. Mechanical cleaners are to be avoided because these affect the clarity of the spinel.

12. Tanzanite

Don’t use chemical or mechanical cleaners. Just use soapy water.

13. Topaz

Same with tanzanite, don’t use chemical or mechanical cleaners. Soapy water is fine.

Caring for Your Pearls

Pearls are quite durable. Proper care keeps them lustrous and even more beautiful. Here are some general tips in doing so.

1. Wipe the pearls using a damp warm cloth. This removes dirt and body oils which harm the original color of the pearl. Do this before you put them away.

2. Pearls must be stored away from other jewelry and objects. Keeping them close to such could scratch the surface. Wrap them in soft cloth or linen and put them in pouches. Don’t store your pearls in packages that are air tight because they might lose their moisture.

3. Wash them using mild soap and wipe them dry with soft cloth. You can use also use acetone polish remover.

]]> http://knowingjewelry.com/care-for-your-jewelry.html/feed 5 http://knowingjewelry.com/the-gem-stone-mining-and-making-process.html http://knowingjewelry.com/the-gem-stone-mining-and-making-process.html#comments Thu, 16 Oct 2008 05:36:07 +0000 MS Prasaja http://knowingjewelry.com/?p=43 So you’re wondering how exactly your jewelry came to be. Well, that’s a normal question any jewelry enthusiast would ask. You do question how these gems are placed into metal. You also question where exactly these gems came from.

There are gem stone mines everywhere around the world. The most popular are in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Uruguay and Africa. There are also mines in Europe and the United States, depending on what kind of gem stone you are looking for.

Amethyst

Amethyst is the most valuable kind of quartz. It is found everywhere around the world. For this very reason, it is one of the most affordable. The quality of amethyst is quite unique, depending on where it was obtained. Amethyst that are found in the United States are larger compared to those found in Africa. However, the latter has higher saturation when it comes to their colors.

Amethysts with the highest saturation are those found in Australia. There are also amethyst found in Brazil are usually large and have hues and cuts.

Emerald

Emeralds are mostly found in Mexico. Two main sources are the mines in Guerrero and Vera Cruz. Emeralds found there have the tendency to have lighter shades and are clearer than those found in other countries. The stones have lighter hues and the crystals are phantomed with a transparent interior and a saturated exterior.

Emeralds that are found in Guerrero are saturated dark green. They have a visible termination of their interior color saturation and exterior transparency. The highly saturated emeralds are the most elegant.

Sapphire

The most notable source of Sapphires are those found in Brazil from Minas Gerais, Bahia, Maraba and Rio Grande do Sul. Among those containing the best sapphires are the large pockets that are formed by the volcanic material.

The sapphires that are produced here vary in their color saturation which ranging from pale up to medium blue. Those that are navy blue are the sapphires that have the highest saturation.

Diamond

Africa is known to be a producer of diamonds, thus the inspiration of the recently released blood diamond. There are diamond deposits in Zambia and Namibia. The diamonds found in Africa can be as large as an egg and are outstandingly clear.

Jade

The United States has various gems. In Maine, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Montana and Colorado, the most popular stone is the Jade. The color depends from the medium saturation. It may be smoky or translucent, depending on where it was obtained.

Jade from Maine and North Carolina are usually dark while those found in Montana or Colorado have a green tint.

Now, the next question, how are the jewelry made? Diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, amethysts, and jade are only a handful of precious gemstones out there. Some of them are very valuable because of their rare appearance.

How are these gemstones formed? Well, they are formed underneath the Earth. The process involves vary in each gem stone. The stones react with the minerals, specifically water. This is how they are dissolved. When the solution evaporates and cools down, these minerals are formed.

The water then mixes with the silica-rich rocks like sandstone. This produces the gemstones like amethyst, opals, agates, sapphires, jade and topaz to name a few. When the copper-rich rocks mix with the water, it bears the minerals like turquoise, malachite and azurite.

Emeralds and tourmalines are formed from rain water or the water that is from cooling bodies like magma that is mixed with the minerals and crystallized in cavities or open cracks. These spaces are filled with minerals which create the hydrothermal deposits needed in the formation of these gem stones.

There are also gemstones that are formed directly from the mantle. They consist up to 70% of Earths total mass. They are usually made up of magnesium, silicon, iron, oxygen, silicate and aluminum compounds. The upper layer of the Earths mantle has a volume of the olivine which is quite common in the whole procedure.

Whenever you hear the word metamorphic it means the change of form of these rocks. Metamorphic gems are garnet, emerald, ruby, aquamarine, sapphire, onyx and zircon. They are formed over a long period of time because they wait for the rocks to be altered with such pressure and intense heat in order to interact with the other solutions.

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