Muriel Hurtis Jewelry

Tranquil and soothing, aquamarines have an appeal that is simply irresistible. The beautiful color of this stone is a reflection of the clear blue skies and the serenity of the seas. The best thing about aquamarines is that they complement almost every skin tone and eye color, one of the major reasons why they are a favorite with most women.

Aquamarines get their name from the Latin words ‘aqua’ meaning sea and ‘mare’ meaning water. These beautiful stones have always been associated with water. While Greek soldiers in ancient times wore aquamarine amulets to protect themselves from the wrath and fury of sea gods, some legends also mention that aquamarines were first discovered in the treasure trove of mermaids.

The beautiful aquamarines are said to possess many qualities. While on one hand they are said to cure insomnia, on the other hand they are considered highly effective for eye problems especially short sightedness. Germans were said to use aquamarine crystals as eyeglasses to combat shortsightedness. Aquamarines are positive stones that bring in a feeling of good cheer. Besides, the calming color of aquamarines is said to bring about feelings of trust, harmony and friendship. Anybody sporting an aquamarine is said to often benefit with happiness and wealth. It also works wonders for couples who wish to have a long lasting and happy union.

The most beautiful aspect of aquamarines is their color. A wonderful shade of crystal clear sky blue that the stone reflects is ultimately alluring. It is again the color of aquamarines that determine the stones value. The color of aquamarine usually ranges from light blue to sky blue and teal. While a deeper tinge of blue is preferred and most valued in aquamarines, some people actually opt for the bluish green or greenish blue variations of the stone. A great and thrifty way would be to have an excellently cut aquamarine in a pale blue shade for it will dazzle like a diamond and yet not make a dent in one’s pockets.

Compared to other natural colored gemstones aquamarines have fewer inclusions. The clarity of these stones is usually good with very few traces of inclusions. A good bet while buying aquamarines would be to choose one that is bigger with more carats that will bring out the color and clarity of the stone to the fullest. Like most natural colored gemstones aquamarines are heat treated to enhance their color and pronounce their clarity. Heat treatment being permanent in nature, the beauty of these stones is well preserved.

In recent times aquamarines from Brazil have come to be most sought after. The ‘Santa Maria’ variety is the most popular variety of aquamarines over the world due to the stone’s vivid blue color. It was however, in Madagascar that these stones were first discovered. Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Russia are other sources of aquamarines.

The peaceful and alluring aquamarines make wonderful jewelry pieces whether aquamarine rings, aquamarine earrings or aquamarine pendants. Alone or coupled with diamonds these stones stand out for their subtle charm. The allure of aquamarines lies in its serene blue hue, a reason why these lovely stones are much sought after the world over.

As a precious material, gold never goes out of fashion and retains its value very well, and so not only is this a beautiful metal that can be worked into almost any shape, it is also a practical investment.

Pure Gold
Gold is a very soft metal and so you rarely find totally pure gold in everyday jewelry such as rings and watches, as it scratches and dents too easily. Therefore gold jewelry is normally combined with trace amounts of other metals such as nickel or copper, which not only increase the strength and scratch resistance of the gold but can also change its colour slightly giving the different variations of white and rose gold. Gold jewelry is sold in karats, and this will let you know the percentage of pure gold that the item contains:
* 14K – this is a cheaper form of gold used in everyday jewelry and is around 58% pure gold
* 18K – this is the most common karat weight used in decorative jewelry as it combines strength with a high density of 75% pure gold.
* 24K – this is pure 100% gold, but can be easily scratched and dented so is not usually used for rings or items of jewelry that see heavy use.

The karat of the gold is marked on the jewelry, alongside a hallmark or trademark that identifies the maker of the jewelry, and in some cases the country of origin may also be stamped as well. Sometimes very old gold jewelry does not have any identification marks, and this may be because they have worn off over the years, but you can take it to a professional jeweller and get the karat confirmed, and they will be able to re-mark it for you.

Gold Plate
Some jewelry is made by applying a layer of gold over a much less expensive metal, and this reduces the cost whilst still giving a realistic gold appearance. However this layer of gold can often be quite thin and can wear away easily, and the value of this type of jewelry is not very high when it comes to resale.

The Seventh International Exhibition Jewelry Expo™ 2009 is an established exhibition of jewelry arts novelties. It will take part from 12-th to17-th May 2009 in the program of Internatiol consumer goods and technologies fair in pavilion 7 of International Fair – Plovdiv.

Jewelry Expo™ is the first international exhibition for jewelry professionals in Bulgaria.
The following branches are present:
- Gold jewelry
- Silver jewelry
- Precious and semi-precious stones
- Watches
- Equipment and machines
- Accessories

The success of the previous venues and the great perspective of the event leaded to its evolution to a higher level. The good cooperation between Balkan Expo Co and International Fair Plovdiv exceeds into a real partnership by including Jewelry Expo™ 2007 in the program of the International consumer goods and technologies Fair – the Spring fair, which is one of the most visited events in Bulgaria.