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Cleaning Gemstones

  • Posted on July 21, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Silver & Amber Necklace

We have talked about how to clean silver jewellery but care must be taken when cleaning jewellery that contains gemstones. The first thing to remember is not to store your gemstone jewellery together;  a hard gem, such as diamond, can easily scratch a gem that is softer or the silver and gold of another piece if they come into contact.

Crystalline, transparent gemstones such as diamond, ruby or sapphire can be soaked in water with a liittle bit of washing up liquid added and a soft toothbrush can be used gently to remove any build up of dirt around the gem. Rinse with water and pat the stone dry with a lint free cloth.
Organic gems such as amber, pearl and coral should only ever be wiped clean with a moist cloth. These gems are soft and porous and great care should be taken with hairspray, perfume , make up, etc. as these chemicals can damage the stones over time.
Like the organic gemstones, opaque gems such as malachite, turquoise and lapis lazuli should only be wiped with a moist cloth as these gems are rocks which can absorb chemicals and soap which may discolour them over time.
Care must also be taken if using an ultrasonic cleaner as this may damage softer stones, if in any doubt always consult a professional jeweller.

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Swarovski Crystal

  • Posted on June 13, 2010 at 9:58 pm
Sterling Silver & Swarovski Crystal Pendant

Nothing can beat the beauty and shine of a genuine Swarovski crystal. The Swarovski company has been making crystal since 1895 and the crystals owe their shine and clarity to a lead content of 32 percent and special metallic coatings which refract the light in a dazzling rainbow spectrum. With so many different types of crystal used in silver jewellery how can you tell which crystal is Swarovski?

As already mentioned a swarovski crystal will exude a beautiful sparkle which is  more brilliant than other crystal. They are also perfectly uniform and are machine cut so crystals of the same size will be the same in width, height and slope. The facet cuts of the crystal will meet at a perfect point at the junctures and a crystal with an AB finish will not have swirl marks or scratches. A genuine Swarovski will not have bubbles within it as many imitations do.
At The Silver Jewellery Workshop there is a selection of silver jewellery with genuine Swarovski crystal, for more just visit the store.

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Gemstones

  • Posted on May 11, 2010 at 9:04 pm
Sterling Silver Amethyst Pendant

A gemstone is a piece of attractive mineral which, when cut and polished, can be used to make jewellery and other items. Some items, such as lapiz-lazuli or amber and jet, are not minerals but rocks or organic material and still considered to be gemstones due to their use in jewellery. Most gemstones are hard but sometimes soft gems are used in jewellery because of their shine.

The classification of gems dates back to the ancient Greeks with a distinction between precious and semi precious stones. In the modern world the precious gemstones are considered to be diamond, ruby, emerald and sapphire (due to their rarity) with the others considered semi precious. There can be exceptions; Tsavorite a rare green garnet is far more valuable than the average emerald. The classification of precious and semi precious stones have changed over the years due to their popularity and characteristics. As an example, amethyst was always considered a precious gem up until the 19th century when huge deposits of the stone were found in Brazil. In the last century peridot, cats eye and aquamarine have all been considered precious gemstones.
Nowdays all types of gems, both precious and semi precious are used in jewellery and at The Silver Jewellery Workshop we have a large selection of  silver bracelets, pendants, rings, earrings and necklaces  incorporating gems. Why not have a look in our store.

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