Jewelry As A Graduation Gift-Makes It Memorable OneWritten by Sam Serio
Jewelry makes a memorable gift to commemorate one of Life’s Great Milestones. Graduation represents a unique, personal accomplishment earned through hard work and determination.Here are some helpful guidelines to keep in mind when you are shopping for a jewelry gift to celebrate next chapter of your special graduates life. 1. There’s a big difference between 14 karat gold and gold-plated jewelry. Fourteen karat (14K) jewelry contains 14 parts of gold, mixed in throughout with 10 parts of base metal. Gold-plated describes jewelry with a layer of at least 10K gold bonded to a base metal. Gold plating eventually wears away, depending on how often item is worn and how thick plating is. 2. If you’re buying a watch, determine whether you want one that runs on a battery or one that must be wound daily. Ask if a warranty or guarantee is included, how long it lasts, and what parts and repair problems it covers. Also ask how and where you can get watch serviced and repaired. 3. Know difference between laboratory-created gemstones and naturally mined stones. Stones created in lab are visually identical to stones mined from earth. The big difference is in cost: laboratory-created stones are less expensive then naturally mined stones. But because they look much like stones mined from earth, they must be identified as lab-created. If you want a naturally mined stone, ask if it has been treated. Gemstone treatments– such as heating, dyeing or bleaching– can improve a stone’s appearance or durability. Some treatments are permanent; some may create special care requirements. Treatments also may affect stone’s value.
| | Precious Stones V.S. Semi-Precious StonesWritten by Sam Serio
Stones have been worn by both women and men since prehistoric times. Just as in jewelry of modern times, beautiful stones, rare and colorful, are most often dominant feature of a piece with a metallic setting for ornamentation. The stones used in crafting of fine jewelry are generally divided into two classes- precious stones and semi-precious stones. These terms are used heavily in commercial world of jewelry when considering variety and value. While artistic merits are only a matter of opinion, value of a stone is what it will bring in marketplace. It should also be mentioned that many people, collectors and general consumers alike, prefer rare to beautiful. These stones are simply rocks (minerals) taken from earth, and after they have been enhanced by artisans cutting and polishing, finest and rarest of them are what we call gems. Precious Stones The most precious stones are diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires. The pearl is oftentimes classed with precious stones. Although strictly speaking while it is not a stone it holds an esteemed place in jewelry.
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