Silver Jewellery Workshop Blog » Silver Jewellery http://silverjewelleryworkshop.co.uk/blog Silver And Handmade Jewellery Blog Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Swarovski Crystal http://silverjewelleryworkshop.co.uk/blog/swarovski-crystal/ http://silverjewelleryworkshop.co.uk/blog/swarovski-crystal/#comments Sun, 13 Jun 2010 19:58:02 +0000 Jewellery Workshop http://silverjewelleryworkshop.co.uk/blog/?p=195
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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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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