Shop & Learn
Shop & Learn: A Lexicon
Chain mail comes from the days of King Arthur when a knight wore a veil of small metal rings to protect his face and body. In modern day the term is often used to refer to any jewelry that sports multiple interlocking rings, set close enough together so that the jewelry is viewed as a solid piece rather than individual links.
Chrysophrase (or chrysoprase) is a precious mineral or gem stone. Frequently Swarovski borrows the name of the original mineral when their designers create a similarly appearing crystal. Chrysophrase is considered the most valuable form of chalcedony and it's apple-green color is due to the presence of nickel. Shamans tell us that chrysophrase enervates the heart chakra and assists creativity and relaxation.
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Marcasite is a mineral that is sometimes called white iron pyrite. It is beautiful, however, it is also unstable and crumbles easily. When JD refers to marcasite it is in its most common presentation: in small pieces set inside sterling silver that is darkened for effect.
Moonstone is a milky white to blue beautiful feldspar rock, not a mineral. It appears opalescent similar to a soap bubble which is caused by the reflection of light off of its internal crystalline structure.
The first mention of Murano was in the mid-1500s. It is one of the numerous islands near Venice, Italy. For centuries this island has been home to the famous Venetian glass blowers. Lore tells us they were separated onto the island so their secret recipes would not be detected—a more practical reason was to prevent the furnaces from setting other things ablaze. In addition to hand-blown glass beads, chandeliers, goblets, and object d'art, for decades they also made African beads used as a currency. Although there are many imitations, the experienced eye can distinguish an authentic piece of Murano glass.
Beautiful opal gems seem to shimmer, but often have an opaque veil. If something is opalesque it appears opaque or solid, but still has a blue sheen. The term has been applied by Swarovski in marketing their crystals that come in the colors of real opals.
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Frequently high quality sterling silver and even 14k white gold are electroplated with rhodium. The hardness of the rhodium protects the softer metals and lends is a brilliant shine it would not otherwise have.
Sterling Silver is often characterized as "pure silver," when in actuality it is an alloy. Pure Silver, also called fine silver, is defined as 99.9% pure silver, but it is too soft for most uses. Sterling Silver contains 92.5% silver with the remaining 7.5% composed of a base metal, frequently copper. The addition of the base metal hardens the silver so that it can be better retain its shape when molded into a form.
Sterling silver tarnishes simply by coming into contact with the air. Pure silver, like gold, is impervious to tarnish. Your silver can be kept polished through regular buffing with a cotton cloth. You may also try this to clean tarnished pieces before using a cleaning paste: Line a dish pan or the bottom of a sink with tin foil and fill with hot water. Add a few teaspoons each salt and baking soda. Place tarnished silver inside the sink or basin so that they are touching each other and the foil. Let sit a couple minutes *Not More Than 5 Minutes* rinse and dry.
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Swarovski is a family company that was started in the 1800s. Great-grandfather Swarovski patented the machine that cut and faceted crystal. In addition to being admired for their beauty, crystals are also used for industrial purposes due to their hardness, particularly in the optical field. Even today seasoned birders will use nothing less than Swarovski binoculars. As a jewel company, they have been successful on many fronts: collectibles, manufactured jewelry, and individual beads used by hand-crafters such as JD.
One end of a toggle clasp is a ring or loop, the other end is a bar. When the bar is inserted through the loop the weight of the jewelry secures the closure. Not recommended for light weight pieces.
Vermeil can be pronounced "ver-meal," as in "what I had for lunch" or "ver-may,: as in "mother may I." The vermeil process represents the highest quality of electroplating, layering 18k gold over sterling silver.
It can be argued at what point a classic becomes an antique. JD uses the term, vintage, frequently with components Janice has rescued and recycled from jewelry usually made before 1950. With respect to Swarovski crystals, vintage refers to any crystal that is no longer being crafted. The reawakening of East Germany has gifted us with many heretofore unopened boxes and crates of Swarovski crystal made before World War II. These are available to
jewelry makers and is one JD's sources.
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