Fashion is On

It takes immense hard work and sweat to earn gold and one should take proper care of it to ensure that these precious ornaments remain precious throughout. Though gold is durable, rough and lasting, it can get damaged and even lose its shine if it is not taken proper care of. Given are some basic care tips along with tips on cleansing gold ornaments so that one can sparkle and shine in every occasion.

Chlorine is the worst enemy of gold as it can lead to a weakening of its structure and can also lead to its breakage. Thus, one should strictly avoid wearing gold when in pools and should protect it from chlorinated products. In addition, one should also avoid wearing gold jewelry during bathing as soap can leave a filmy residue which can affect the luster and shine of the ornaments. To protect one’s gold jewelry and to retain their shine and luster, one should safely keep in wrapped in a soft cloth when not worn as that would help in protecting it from the harsh effects of dust, moisture and even perspiration.

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1. Store platinum jewelry separate from other jewelry items so that they do not scratch or get scratched by your other jewelry items. Place your jewelry in a jewelry box.

2. Clean your platinum jewelry periodically. This will ensure its fine appearance and will help it last.

3. Clean platinum in the same way you clean other fine jewelry – using a pre-packaged jewelry cleaner or by soaking it in a mild solution of 50% ammonia and 50% warm water and then gently rubbing it with a soft cloth. Note that harsh chemicals such as ammonia should not be used on gemstones other than diamonds because it may damage them .

4. Polish and clean your platinum jewelry by a qualified jeweler twice a year and more often if scratches appear. Remember that all metal can be scratched.

5. Be aware that over time platinum develops a natural patina that many people prefer over the “just polished” appearance of platinum. When this happens to your platinum jewelry you may take it to a jeweler and have the item polished for that “high gloss” look or simply tell them not to remove the patina if that is your preference.

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Gold jewelry is beautiful and popular. Gold comes in many styles and colors, but all gold jewelry will benefit from some tender, loving care!

Care Tips for All Gold Jewelry

• Don’t wear your gold jewelry while bathing or cleaning. Soap won’t harm gold, but it will leave a filmy residue that will coat karat gold jewelry, causing it to appear less lustrous and dingy. If you prevent the film from forming, it will be easier to keep your jewelry beautiful and will reduce cleaning time and effort. 
• Avoid chlorine! Don’t wear gold jewelry in the pool or hot tub or when using chlorine bleach or cleaners. Chlorine reacts with gold, particularly at high temperatures. Exposure to chlorine can permanently damage and discolor your gold jewelry. 
• Use a chamois cloth to clean gold jewelry. A chamois cloth is a gentle, safe material for returning the luster to your jewelry. 
• Avoid storing or otherwise exposing gold jewelry to hard, abrasive materials. Gold is a very soft metal, easily scratched even by rubbing against other jewelry.

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Gold jewelry is very popular today and available in more styles, colors, and finishes than ever before. It is also a popular choice for setting gemstones. But it is very important to understand gold, and differences that affect price, in order to avoid confusion about the wide range of prices that seems to pervade the market for what may appear to be the “same thing.” As with gems, wherever there are significant price differences there are usually quality differences. The key to getting value in gold is understanding what accounts for differences in quality and price.

What is gold?

Gold is one of the world’s most precious metals. It is so soft and workable that one ounce can be stretched into a five mile long wire, or hammered into a sheet so thin that it could cover a hundred square feet. It is one of our rarest metals, and since pure gold doesn’t rust or corrode, it can last forever. Interestingly, gold is present almost everywhere around us; in the earth’s crust, in seas and rivers, and in plants, but it is very difficult and expensive to extract. Approximately two and a half to three tons of ore are needed to extract one ounce of gold.

Most gold used in jewelry is an alloy

Gold is the most popular metal used for jewelry today. The simple gold wedding band probably accounts for more of the world’s gold than any other single type of jewelry. But pure gold is very soft so it is usually mixed with other metals to make it stronger and prevent it from bending too easily. When two or more metals are mixed together, we call the resulting product an alloy. Most gold used in jewelry is an alloy; and the metals added to the gold are also called “alloys.”

What is a Karat? Or is it Carat?

In jewelry, the term carat (or, Karat) has a double meaning: carat is used as a measurement of weight for gemstones, with one carat weighing 1/5 gram; carat is also used in countries around the word to indicate the amount of pure gold in a piece of gold jewelry. In the United States, however, when using the word to indicate gold content rather gemstone weight, it is spelled with a “K;” hence “karat,” to avoid confusion. Jewelry should always be marked to indicate how much pure gold it contains.

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Gold has been the fashion metal for centuries and still rules the roost. Girls preserve it as their priced possession and families own traditional gold jewellery to be passed on to their future generations. Gold has been a favourite investment option for many as it provides definite returns. Shopping for gold jewellery has always been a tiresome job. Getting the right design, the correct purity and also taking care of your budget is always a matter of concern. All reputed jewelers now have a mark on their jewellery stating their label and the purity level of the piece. Branded gold jewellery has now entered the market in a big way.

Branded gold jewellery provides world class designs and bears a mark of authenticity. They provide warranty on their products and thus are safe purchases. Shopping online for such jewellery is a better option as one can go through the array of available models and the ones you like are delivered at your doorstep. Online jewellery shopping makes it convenient to go through many varied designs at a time and even make a comparison with popular comparison based shopping websites like naaptol.com. Thus the effort put in buying gold jewellery is fruitful if it is well preserved. Gold jewellery face wear and tear and the resultant erosion depreciates its value. Thus proper care should be taken to maintain the precious metal and retain its true worth.

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John S. Brana is introducing to his collection new fine jewelry designs in 14K, 18K gold, and fine silver exclusively for the 12th Annual Designers by the Bay and Fine Jewelry Showcase. The most exciting creations include stunning cuffs in 14K and 18K gold sculpted and texturized by hand in his San Francisco studio. More than 200 guests well known in the Northern California jewelry industry are expected to attend this premier event to be held at Shreve & Co., 200 Post Street, San Francisco.

“As a first time exhibitor, I definitely wanted to bring stand-out pieces” said Brana who is best known by his clients for meticulous attention to handcrafted details in the bridge jewelry category. Brana has always worked with fine and sterling silver, bronze, copper, and semi-precious gemstones, and has embellished several designs with 14K and 18K gold. This event, however, serves to unveil his first fine jewelry collection including major creations using 14K and 18K gold.

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Indian gold jewelry is also famous for its beautiful designs all over the world. The intricate designs for all kind of gold jewelry are the result of the best craftsmanship. Another major part of the cost for a piece of gold jewelry is the cost for labor, especially for pieces set with precious stones. 10K gold is the minimum karat that can be called “gold” in the United States. Gold Jewelry is the easiest of the gold to buy and has the enjoyment of being able to be worn. Gold symbolizes riches, wealth, and good standing, and in its purest form, is impossible to tarnish. Gold jewelry is sophisticated and refined, and is a divine and precious metal that is perfect for all occasions. Pure (24-karat) gold can sometimes be too soft and malleable for everyday wear. Therefore, gold jewelry is usually complemented by a mixture of other alloyed metals (such as silver, copper, nickel and zinc) to help it retain more resistance and strength.

The use of gold is preferred over other metals, the reasons for this is because gold is very flexible, the color is incredible and it looks good with almost everything. When wearing pure gold it will not tarnish like silver or other metals, there is a small chance that people are allergic to gold, so it is a great metal for jewelry.

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Colored gold alloys are just as “real” as their golden colored counterparts. Pure gold is generally too soft to be used for jewelry, so other metals are nearly always added to it, no matter which color of gold is being prepped for jewelry making.

White Gold Alloys

• Nickel can be mixed with gold to create a white (or gray) color; it can cause dermatitis in people who are sensitive to nickel. 
• Palladium is another metal used to create white gold alloys. Related to platinum, it is more expensive than nickel, but is less likely to cause allergic reactions than nickel.

Rose & Pink Gold Alloys

• Copper is added to make gold-colored alloys, but additional copper creates pink and rose tones — the more copper, the deeper the effect.

Green Gold Alloys

Greenish shades are created by adding silver to gold.

Black Hills Gold

Black Hills Gold jewelry is a good example of colored gold alloys. Most Black Hills Gold jewelry uses 10K or 12K gold alloys in shades of yellow, pink, rose, and green. The photo on this page illustrates a few examples of this colorful gold jewelry.

Making alloys isn’t as simple as it might sound. Before they make an alloy, metallurgists have to consider how the metals will react with each other.

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