THE JEWELRY SHINE

Archive for September, 2009

Pendants and charms are almost similar; the only difference is that pendants are used in chains and charms are used in bracelets. Both are lovely and petite. Wearing pendants is a unique way to show off your personality. People choose and wear pendants according to their personality. Pendants add charm to the simple chains. They look lovely dangling in the chains and give a very stylish look. Gold pendants in different unique designs like; knot pendants, star shaped pendants, heart shaped pendants, bells and cross shaped pendants are widely used jewellery articles.

Like charms, pendants are also considered to have powers that can ward off evil spirit and bring good fortune. So people who believe in superstitions never forget to wear their pendants in chains. Pendants are made of a variety of materials like; gold, sterling silver, platinum, glass, wood, rubber and other precious and semi precious metals.

Sparkling stones add beauty and magic to pendants. White gold pendants with embedded diamonds look very elegant and make perfect gifts for anniversaries and weddings. Other gemstones like; amethyst, sapphire, topaz and emerald and other lovely stones also add charisma to the pendants. Sea shell pendant with a pearl looks incredible.

Pendants have always been in fashion and girls love to wear stylish and unique pendants. Pendants can be your initials dangling in a chain of gold or silver. Pendants make perfect gifts for friends, fianc�e or your loved ones.

If you are undecided about what kind of jewellery article you should buy for your beloved then heart pendants can be an excellent choice for you. A solid heart of yellow or white gold with a stone embedded will look wonderful. If the stone in the pendant is your beloved�s birthstone then it will make her even happier and she would treasure it forever.

Gold Karats FAQ Guide – Part 1

There are many different types of gold available from regular jewelry stores and online jewellery stores. Understanding the difference will help you make a better informed decision when purchasing your next piece of fine karat gold jewellery.

This is why I’ve put together this Gold Karats FAQ guide. As there is quite a lot to this subject, I’ve broken the Gold Karats FAQ Guide into 3 parts. They all can be found at my website in the author bio at the end of this article.

What does the term Karats refer to when describing Gold?

The first thing we need to cover in part 1 of Gold Karats FAQ guide is that the “K” in 9K or 10k gold stands for karats. Not to be confused with Carat (Ct), which is the unit of weight measurement for gemstones.

Karats is a measurement of the content of gold. Online Jewellery stores & regular jewelry stores rarely sell gold karats jewellery made from pure gold as gold is considered a soft metal and is too soft for everyday use.

Mixing the gold with other metals hardens it and makes it more durable and less likely to bend. The result is “karat gold”. Pure fine gold jewellery would also be too expensive for the average consumer.

Mixing gold also produces different coloured golds – see gold karats FAQ part 2 or go to our online jewellery store australia for more information regarding gold colours.

So “karat” is the content of gold used in a gold alloy in jewellery. i.e :

9k gold contains 37.5% pure gold (375 parts per thousand parts).
10k gold contains 41.7% pure gold (417 part per thousand parts)(include 10k)
14k gold contains 58.5% pure gold (585 parts per thousand parts).
18k gold contains 75% pure gold (750 parts per thousand parts).

The most common karat gold used in Australia is 9k and 18k. 18k is more expensive than 9k as it has a higher gold content. Both these types can be found at online fine jewellery stores and bricks and mortar fine jewellery stores. In the USA, 10k & 14k gold are most popular.

Gold Stamps (hallmarks)

The next thing to cover in this gold karats FAQ guide is the hallmark. Karat gold is normally stamped (hallmarked) to indicate the type. E.g. 9k gold would either be stamped 9k or 375, 18k gold would be stamped either 18k or 750. The stamp doesn’t indicate the colour of the gold, it only refers to the gold content.
Most countries have laws requiring gold alloys be stamped with one of the standard hallmarks. This said, a halkmark doesn’t mean the item is what is says it is.

Hallmarks should not be confused with a manufacturing stamp which is unique to the manufacturer.

What is Fine Gold?

You will see offline and online the terms fine gold jewellery, fine gold & fine jewelry. What do these terms mean? They normally refer to karat gold. In other words, fine gold jewellery is jewellery that is not gold plated.

What is Solid Gold?

You will see the term solid gold mentioned at online jewelry stores and at regular fine jewellery stores. Gold is normally named solid gold when it is karat gold or fine gold. For example 9k, 10k, 14k, 18k and 22k gold is often said to be solid gold. Jewellery is not considered solid gold if it is gold plated.

Gold Karats FAQ Guide Conclusion

I hope you’ve learnt a lot from this gold karats FAQ guide part 1. No doubt you’ll be far more confident whether purchasing from an online jewellery store or a regular fine jewelry store. The other parts of my Gold Karats FAQ guide are available here at my website as outlined in the author bio at the bottom of this article.

In Gold Karats FAQ part 2, I explain the differences between gold filled, gold plated and coloured gold.

The fashion of wearing richly ornamented necklaces has been followed by men and women since ages. Handsome and dazzling neck pieces were a principal part of ancient Egyptian�s dress. They were also used for cultural distinction. Royal and wealthy Egyptians used to wear broad collar like pieces and pectoral shaped neck jewels were also liked by them.

Shells, bones, stones, animal teeth or claws were used to make a beautiful necklace in older ages. These jewellery articles are said to be the first adorning object made by man. The designs of these pieces range from simple strings to complex patterns. These articles serve as fashion as well as religious jewellery and people wear various types of religious chains with charms having pictures of Saint and Christ and other religious images.

A variety of beads and stones, both precious and non precious, are used to make these round neck pieces to adorn necks. These are decorated; engraved and polished pieces made of gold, sterling silver, copper, titanium and even plastic or wood. Chains and collars were common in fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries and net like gold neck pieces with studded gemstones were common among Hebrews. Three dimensional pendant jewels were common during ancient Greek period.

Massively decorated with different qualities and shapes of stones and pearls add a charm and glamour to the necklace. Beaded neck jewels having beads of pearls, crystals and colorful gemstones look adorable. A beautifully and richly ornamented handmade neckpiece speaks for itself.

Handmade jewellery is always expensive but it is also worth the high price. Diamond pieces are one of their kinds. They are gorgeous, magnificent, and enchanting jewellery articles that go with all colors of dress and are suitable for any occasion. But these diamond articles are quite expensive and are usually the choice of wealthy citizens or famous celebrities like models and actors.

Bracelets have been around for centuries and people adore wearing these fascinating and fashionable jewellery articles. Bracelets are just like bangles and are worn around the wrist. Wearing stylish bracelets add a charm to your wrist and make you trendy and modern.

Bracelets are usually chains of silver or gold with dangling charms. Girls and even kids love to have these stylish bracelets for casual as well as formal wear. Bracelets are made of a variety of metals like; gold, silver, plastic, rubber, rope and wood. Teenage girls go for cheap but stylish bracelets made of plastic or wood. Women usually like to wear more sophisticated and expensive bracelets of gold or sterling silver.

A diverse range of gorgeous bracelets are available to choose from. These jewellery articles are one of the oldest articles and even today a beautiful variety is used. This variety includes bangles with charms and medical alert bracelets in many exciting styles and designs.

Charm bracelets are in fashion these days. Charms come in various shapes, sizes and designs. Vintage, Pandora and Italian charms are some of the famous varieties. Charms are sometimes used as a token of love or friendship. Ribbon bracelets are a unique way to show your sentiments and feelings about the awareness and causes of different diseases.

Medic alert charm bracelets are new and unique. They come in a variety of lovely styles and are quite durable. They are personalized items which contain the information you wish to have on it. They usually have the information including an ID number, primary medical condition and phone number of the 24 hour rescue service. Wearing and using medic alert bracelets is a unique way to safeguard your health and to call in emergency whenever required.