The first thing you should do is to give your fine jewelry its own little space for when it is not being worn and train it to stay there. Jewelry items do not live or party well together. Much of the damage, other than wear, that is done to jewelry happens in jewelry boxes. Stones scratch each other and the metals around them. Chains get caught in tangles that almost always cause some sort of damage.

Cleaning your fine jewelry:

The best way to clean your fine jewelry is with a soft (used) toothbrush and a mild dish detergent. If the pieces are very dirty, you can soak them in detergent and water. Do not use harsh cleaners such as chlorine bleach or ammonia. It is not advisable to use toothpaste either. Many contain a mild abrasive, which will remove some metal and cause a dull finish. Any competent jeweler can polish items on occasion, but this process also removes small amounts of metal and so should be used sparingly.

Checking prongs & stones:

If the stone moves in the setting, put it in some kind of small bag or container and take it to your nearest qualified jeweler. The small bag prevents loss of the stone should it fall out. Loose stones are also more easily chipped or broken. Another good indicator of a loose prong is if the piece gets caught in clothing or hair by a prong.

Checking for wear and tear:

Over time, gold and silver will wear down. This can happen over months or years. This can be a problem for people who do certain kinds of work. The solution to this type of problem is the use of heavier metal in the prongs, the use of platinum for the setting or the use of a bezel setting to secure the stone. Prongs should be checked occasionally and if thin they should be replaced. The bands on rings can also become quite thin and eventually need replacing. The thinner the band to begin with the faster this will happen.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend and they’re no stranger to men either. Because they are so expensive, knowing how to care for them properly is an important part of owning them.

To clean your diamond, prepare a bowl of warm water and add a gentle dish soap. Stir the water and soap until it becomes sudsy. Soak the piece of diamond jewelry for about five minutes. After the jewelry has soaked, brush it with a soft bristled toothbrush to get the dirt off. After you have scrubbed the piece, rinse it with clean water and let it dry on a paper towel or in a colander.

In order to avoid damage to your diamond and to prevent your diamond from becoming excessively dirty, avoid wearing your diamond when cooking, doing yard work and performing other harsh activities. With proper care and maintenance, your diamond should last you forever.

Another option is to buy a Sonic Jewelry cleaner, it’s a small machine that you fill with water along with a soap solution, the machine vibrates at high speeds and vibrates any grime/dirt off of your jewelry- Remember, NO pearls in the Sonic Cleaner!

The processes suggested are good ones but I personally feel if you want to keep the diamond sparkle and glow. You need to clean the diamond on regular basis and only with wet cloth. Regular cleaning will never allow dust particle or chemicals to settle on the surface and hence there will not be any need to go for such expensive techniques.

** What are the six factors that are taken into consideration when determining the value of a pearl?

First thing is size and shape, the larger and more creamy the color the better, Second is the weight of the pearl itself third is area it is from since some areas are very rare to find Pearls they are of course more costly to locate. There is a grading scale, but I shall see if I can find that again. this is based on depth of color and luminescence. This is all based on it being a salt water raw pearl of course and not a cultured pearl which is seeded in a farmed bed.

The six factors tells the value of a pearl as follow:

* pearl luster
* pearl nackre thickness
* pearl surface
* pearl color
* pearl size
* pearl shape

Usually, it takes more than 2 years for oysters to cover the irritant with layer upon layer of nacre i.e. to form a pearl. A quality pearl requires certain thickness of nacre. Pearls are valued as gemstones and are cultivated or harvested for jewelry.

** What is the meaning of wearing rings on different fingers?

Well i think the greek meaning goes according to their g-ds. so the g-d of war is the little finger and that represents the aggressive side of the personality.
- The ring on the thumb represents individualism
- The ring on the finger next to the pinky is g-d of love. representing your passion. as far as the other fingers go am looking for the answer myself
- Thumb ring is poseidon (individuality, independence)
- Index finger ring is zeus (dominance, power, energy)
- Middle finger ring is dionysus (irreverence, rebellion, decadence)
- Ring finger is aphrodite (love, romance, connection)
- Pinky ring is ares (conflict, assertiveness, cometitiveness)
- No rings is hermes (friendliness, helpfulness, adventure)

There may be a practical reason: having lost weight, my wedding ring fits only on my middle finger and will slip off the original ring finger. Left-right hand usually indicates a Protestant as opposed to a Catholic background.

It is always fun to shop for the decorative accessories no matter whether you are looking for fine or fashion jewelry. The most common reason of buying jewelry is because of a special occasion for the special someone. With fashion or fine jewelry you can always find something that can fit that special someone’s personality.

There are many different kinds of jewelry these days. Bracelets, rings, earrings, necklaces and watches are some examples of them. Rhinestone handbags, bridal tiaras, pageant jewelry, and pageant crowns are more delicate and suitable for all occasions. Do not just think that they are all very expensive. Many of these are found at reasonable prices and you can easily get them around the corner of your house.

You can also get elegant jewelry at affordable price too. You just need to spend more time looking around for the best shop which offers the best price for the jewelry that can bring out the elegance in you.

Here are some practical tips that you can use right away when looking for that fine jewelry whether you are shopping in a local boutique or an online store:

1. Look for reputable company.

2. Spend some time shopping around and compare the prices.

3. Check for color and information about the particular piece of fine jewelry that you are intending to buy.

4. Decide how many flaws you can bear

5. Be weary of extremely expensive fashion or fine jewelry pricing

Most importantly, do your homework and check out the best store which offers the best price. Do not feel shy when buying jewelry for that special someone; it should be an enjoyable process. You can accomplish this even without breaking the budget that you have set for yourself too!

London’s Goldsmiths’ Hall of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths initiated the first hallmarks and keeps track of all the hallmarks that have been used throughout Britain’s history. Basically, a hallmark is a impression in a fine metal that reveals its karat or quality. Generally, hallmarks are found on gold, platinum, and even silver. These hallmarks, also called purity marks, may sometimes contain a maker’s mark, exportation mark, or more depending on where it was made and by who and whether it was exported or not.

British hallmarks are especially interesting because they have been used since the 14th century. France is another country that has also used hallmarks since this point in history. There are a lot of other countries that use hallmarks, mostly European ones. However, the United States has never really used hallmarks. The type of metal in carats and purity is marked in the United States, but the use of actual hallmarks never really caught on like it did in the European countries.

As far as British hallmarks are concerned there were usually five different symbols marked on a precious metal. These included the standard mark, city mark, date letter, duty mark, and maker’s mark. Not always was a maker’s mark included, and the marks could appear in any order. However, when reviewing a piece of jewelry or antique made of a precious metal the hallmarks give away where it was made, with what, if duty had been paid, and more.

The British hallmark system is pretty difficult and complicated, but it is pretty constant and once you learn it it is not so difficult to determine what the hallmarks mean. However, there are other hallmarks from other countries that are significantly more difficult to decipher and determine what the hallmarks mean. There has been significant research into hallmarks, both British and other European hallmarks, so finding out where a specific item came from and when it was made is a lot easier today with the help of the Internet. Nevertheless, hallmarks con provide plenty of clues into the origination of a precious item although the clues can sometimes be practically impossible to decipher.

Now that you know a little more about jewelry hallmarks you will be more prepared to conduct your own research into the origination of certain antique pieces in your possession. Of course, if you are really interested you might become a collector or a hallmark expert. Regardless, hallmarks provide a lot of information about different pieces of jewelry and other fine objects. It just takes time and effort to determine what the hallmarks stand for.

Precious metals are rare metallic chemical element of high economic value. The best-known precious metals are gold and silver. Other precious metals include the platinum group metals: ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum. Rhenium is a precious metal that is not part of the platinum group or one of the traditional precious metals.

The Istana Nurul Iman palace domes are made of gold-leaf. It is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah.

Gold is the most malleable and ductile metal; a single gram can be beaten into a sheet of one square meter, or an ounce into 300 square feet.

.Reference resource: Click Here.

.Reference resource: Click Here.