Hello, Joe i just want to thank you guys for everything that you did for me and all the effort that you put on it thank you for all of you my girlfriend was happy and it was perfect thank you soo much
It’s hard to remember to remove earrings, etc. before jumping in the pool or hot tub. And when we do, its often because we’re afraid of losing the jewelry…but the problem doesn’t lie there.
Read on:
Chlorine stress cracking is a chemical reaction between gold alloy jewelry and chlorine that causes breakdown of the metal causing broken prongs and ring shanks.
Chlorine is found with increasing use in household ‘non-abrasive’ cleaners and of course in laundry detergents and bleach. It is also used in pool and hot tub water treatment and in high concentrations in tap water. In some communities the chlorine in tap water is at levels normal for swimming pools. Where new construction is common local codes require chlorine level boosting each time a new home is connected to the water main.
At maximum concentration such as pure household bleach, chlorine is so reactive that 14k gold jewelry left in pure bleach solution for 24 hours will be destroyed beyond repair; in extreme cases the gold will be dissolved! DON’T EVER SOAK JEWELRY IN BLEACH!
Chlorine reacts specifically with the copper and nickel portions of gold jewelry alloys. Copper and silver are the primary alloys for yellow gold and nickel is the primary alloy for white gold. Chlorine dissolves the copper, or in the case of a white gold mounting for a diamond the nickel, and causes a perfectly good and often new piece of jewelry to break.
What to do?
Take off rings while cleaning with a chlorinated cleaner but don’t leave them near the sink where they may get knocked down the drain. Read labels – chlorine is in products where you least expect it – watch for the ‘Contains Bleach’ label.
Try to avoid wearing jewelry in the pool or hot tub. Rings set with stones, especially with prongs, are most subject to damage and hot tub water is five times more damaging due to heat and increased chlorine concentrations. Bromine based hot tub treatments are also damaging although not quite as corrosive as chlorine.
Demand a minimum of 14k gold for all jewelry. No matter what anyone tells you, 10k gold is a sub-standard alloy with a pure gold content of less than 50% and extremely reactive with chlorine. The higher the alloy, such as 18k, the less copper or nickel is present and the less reactive the alloy is with chlorine. Pure gold, or 24k, is impervious to almost EVERY chemical. The optimal metal for stone mounting is platinum, also impervious but three times as expensive as 14k gold. A more economical solution is Palladium (a platinum family metal) white gold which appears to be nearly impervious to chlorine with a cost about 30% higher than white gold. Ask your jeweler about Palladium white gold.
Avoid having rings ‘stretched’ to increase size. The usual procedure is to roll or hammer a ring shank (band) to increase the ring size which means that section of metal will be heavily stressed . Maximum chlorine reaction occurs to areas that have been stressed from rolling, hammering, or bending of prongs (unavoidable). Always insist that sizing up be accomplished by cutting the shank and adding new metal (size-up less than 1/2 size is usually okay to stretch).
When cleaning jewelry use only bottled or distilled water and a non-chlorinated laundry detergent or liquid dish soap. If your tap water contains a high concentration of chlorine and you leave you jewelry in the solution overnight you have done more harm than good. We still suggest cleaning jewelry frequently; it looks better, and you also remove chlorine residue from showering, washing hands, etc.
Thanks, Jewelry1.com – great advice!
The summer’s here and the time is right for dancing in the street.
But you might want to take off your jewelry beforehand, especially if you’re wearing sunscreen. (Okay, those are the B-side lyrics!)
Here are some travel pointers found in Stylecaster.com, so you can take the best care of your jewelry this summer.
1. Sunbathe sans sparklers.
Sunscreen can coat gemstones, which reduces refractive and reflective light. Essentially, this means your stones won’t be as brilliant or bling-y. To avoid this, leave your fine pieces at home if you’re heading to the beach or the pool for the day, and be sure clean them regularly all summer.2. Organization is key when traveling.
When jumbled together, your jewelry doesn’t always get along. For example, a diamond can scratch a pearl, and a bracelet can get caught on a necklace, so always pack pieces in individual soft cloth pouches or lined jewelry boxes to prevent scratching, dulling, and the dreaded tangling of chains.3. Keep it safe.
When selecting a hotel, be sure that safe deposit boxes are available. Never leave fine jewelry unattended in a hotel room, a rental car, or on a lounge chair—even if you’re just popping over to the bar for a mojito.4. Shopping for something new? Do your research.
Oftentimes, vacation destinations are also prime shopping destinations, so if you get the urge to commemorate your trip with a new fine jewelry purchase (as opposed to a couple of locally-made friendship bracelets, which are a must!), make sure you’re buying from a jeweler that’s been in business for several years. When in doubt, check a retailer’s reputation and rating with the Better Business Bureau (www.bbbonline.org) and also learn the store’s return policy. Most reputable jewelers have at least a 30-day money back guarantee wherever you are.5. Before you go away, be sure your jewelry is adequately insured.
If you decide to bring an especially valuable piece on vacation—perhaps your engagement ring, a pricey watch, or a family heirloom—you might want to consider consulting an insurance agent to obtain an independent appraisal report to ensure a fair replacement if the article is lost, stolen or damaged.
These beautiful head pieces make anyone feel one part queen, one part goddess.
The great part? Most of these pieces are very wearable and not too ostentatious.
This means hair jewelry can be a perfect touch for a cocktail party or a fine dinner.
JCK highlighted the following:
Gypsy headpiece in 14k gold-plated brass, $183; Loud Love
Goddess headpiece in sterling, $750; Loud Love
Knotted tiara in silver with 0.19 ct. t.w. brown diamonds, $1,090; Bibi van der Velden
These are very special stones, the color is native to the material* and not a coating. There is a very limited supply of these colors!
Click on the link below for info. Subject to availability.
https://docs.google.com/a/schubach.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AiffSP2ibG2qdFhScGp2eGQ5eE5FQ3hweHc4M1pxZ2c&output=html
*Except for the purple stones which are coated