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Colored Stone
Author: tugumuda
New York—Jewelers of America (JA) commends the U.S. Congress for its passage this week of a bill banning Burmese gemstones, a measure JA has been advocating for some time.
The ban places a total embargo on the importation of gemstones from Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), including those that are mined in Myanmar and subsequently pass through third-party countries.
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read comments (0)Why is My White Gold Ring Turning Yellow?
Author: tugumuda
Many women complain that their white gold jewelry is turning yellow. They don’t understand why this is happening and they’re confused.
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What are the Differences Between Natural and Cultured Pearls?
Author: tugumuda
Natural and cultured pearls both grow inside oysters. However, natural pearls form naturally in oysters while cultured pearls are formed in oysters by the human implantation of a nucleus. The other main difference between natural and cultured pearls is that a natural pearl has thicker mother of pearl, or nacre, layers than a cultured pearl.
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What are Black Pearls?
Author: tugumuda
A pearl is a hardened ’stone’ formed inside certain types of oysters as a protection against grit that has entered their shells. Black pearls are not actually black, but very dark gray, with overtones such as blue, green or purple. For centuries, black pearls were prized for their rarity; most pearls are white, cream-colored or a very pale shade such as pink. White pearls can be stained to appear to be natural black pearls, by dipping them in a solution of silver nitrate. Experts can easily distinguish a phony black pearl from the real thing.
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What is Mother of Pearl?
Author: tugumuda
Mother of pearl, also called nacre, is an iridescent layer of material which forms the shell lining of many mollusks. Pearl oysters and abalone are both sources of mother of pearl, which is widely used as an inlay in jewelry, furniture, and musical instruments. Mother of pearl comes in several natural colors, and is often bleached and dyed for decorative use. The dye retains the shimmering layers which make mother of pearl so sought after.
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What are Pearls?
Author: tugumuda
Pearls differ from other gemstones in that they’re not mined from rock, but rather harvested from mollusks, especially oysters. Clams and mussels have been known to produce pearls as well. Basically, a pearl is produced when an irritant such as sand gets caught inside the oyster. To protect itself, the oyster secretes a substance akin to mucus. This substance builds up around the sand and hardens. The end result is a pearl.
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What are Freshwater Pearls?
Author: tugumuda
Freshwater pearls are pearls which have formed in the shells of freshwater mollusks, commonly mussels. Initially, freshwater pearls were not as highly prized as saltwater pearls, but advances in culturing techniques for pearls have led to a higher demand for freshwater pearls. The majority of cultured freshwater pearls come from China, where techniques have led to cultured pearls which are almost indistinguishable from natural ones.
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