Muriel Hurtis Jewelry

Silver is a popular precious metal used in jewelry, but like gold it can be too soft to use in its purest form for everyday jewelry, and so is mixed with trace amounts of other metals in order to create a stronger, more durable material. Sterling silver is one of the most popular alloys for jewelry and is made of a high density of silver 92.5%, with the remaining 7.5% commonly made up of copper.

This gives a strong, malleable and versatile alloy, which can be made into almost any shape, but the copper content can mean that the jewelry has a tendency to tarnish if not warn regularly, so you will need to care for items made from sterling silver carefully to keep them bright and shiny.

Caring for Sterling Silver jewelry
When you are not wearing sterling silver jewelry you will need to store it in a special tarnish proof cloth bag or case, which will help to reduce the effects of gases in the air reacting with the copper in the jewelry. This will help to prevent tarnishing, and will also protect the jewelry from rubbing or scratching against other harder items of jewelry. Sterling silver is still quite soft and can scratch very easily so you must not clean it with any abrasive cloths or substances, and the best way to bring up the shine again is with a smooth polishing cloth and a little dab of some special sterling silver polish which you can get in supermarkets and hardware stores.

If you wear your sterling silver jewelry all of the time it can develop a lovely patina, which has a lovely soft glowing look that combines lightly polished areas where the silver has rubbed against your skin with some smooth, darker areas of tarnish. This can be a great look for older silver jewelry and does no harm to the item, so if you like this look you do not need to polish or clean the jewelry.

Buying Sterling Silver
Sterling silver is stamped with a hallmark ‘925′, and also sometimes the maker’s mark and the country of origin. This will let you know the piece is genuine sterling, but if you are not sure for any reason then you can always ask a professional jeweller for more advice. Sterling silver is a beautiful and affordable precious metal alloy, and can be worked in to a huge variety of designs and styles.

Pearls are one of the few organic precious gemstones, and they begin life as a particle of grit or other debris that becomes embedded inside the shell of a marine or freshwater mollusc such as a clam or oyster. This triggers a defensive mechanism in the mollusc to protects its soft, vulnerable interior and the particle is covered by layers of the substance used normally to coat the inside of the shell which is called nacre (mother of pearl). This process continues until the particle is totally smooth and covered, and results in a beautifully formed circular object called a pearl.

Natural pearls are rare, and so are quite expensive and sold by carat weight. Many of the natural pearls you see on today’s market are in fact vintage pearls, as modern jewelry is usually crafted from the more readily available cultured pearls. Cultured pearls are made by manually introducing a particle of grit to a suitable mollusc, and the shape and size of the pearl can be manipulated by what type of mollusc is used, what water it lives in and also how long the pearl is left before it is harvested. The longer a pearl is left, the harder and thicker the layers of nacre become, and so the larger the pearl generally the higher the quality and expense, and cultured pearls are sold by millimetres rather than karats.

Pearl Shapes
The traditional pearl used in jewelry is spherical in shape, and the rounder and more perfect the sphere the more expensive and desirable the pearl is. You can also get teardrop shaped pearls and baroque pearls, which are those that have an irregular shape, and although these are less expensive they are often very unique and can be very beautiful in their own right.

Some important points are listed here to make your selection of ultimate emerald cut diamond engagement ring shopping easy.

1. The first major consideration in buying emerald ring is a woman’s personal preference and lifestyle. If the woman is not into flashy and brilliant diamonds, then this cut is perfect for her because it is simple yet elegant. Today, more and more women prefer the emerald cut for their engagement ring because it is unique and elegant.

2. When choosing for an emerald cut diamond engagement rings, carefully select a diamond with superb clarity and color. Take note of the possible imperfections in the diamond because these can be magnified and may affect the overall appearance of the ring. If possible, look for an emerald cut diamond engagement ring that is close to colorless.

3. Be familiar with the features of an emerald cut diamond engagement ring. Usually, these rings are rectangular or square with bezelled corners and step-cut facets and have a window-like transparency.

4. Since this cut is quite unusual for an engagement ring, emerald cut diamond engagement ring are not usually will not find a ready-made. You can ask for a custom-made that would fit perfectly on your finger.

5. After purchasing a high-priced emerald cut engagement ring, make sure that obtain an independent appraisal and gem lab report to indicate the stone’s worth.

Diamonds are one of the most beautiful and most sought after precious stones in the world, and there are many different varieties on offer presented in all kinds of stunning jewelry settings from engagement rings through to earrings and necklaces. Diamonds can be very expensive, and so you do need to do your research before you start buying to ensure you are getting what you want, at the right price.

Cut and Shape
Diamonds are cut and shaped in a number of different angles and proportions in order to allow light to reflect through their many facets, which brings out the stunning beauty of the stone. Diamonds can be cut into many shapes, and the traditional cutting is a rounded shape with up to 58 facets, which reflects light brilliantly creating a dazzling, intense effect. Cutting diamonds is an art, as the craftsmen will need to understand which shape will bring the best out of the stone, and the better the cut the more expensive the diamond.

Carat
Diamonds are sold in carats and this indicates their weight (1 carat = 200mg) and also price, and it is important to check the carat before buying as some settings can make the diamond look bigger than it actually is. Large diamonds are very rare and of course very expensive, and are not always suitable for engagement rings because they are simple too big and heavy.

Colour
All diamonds have a trace amount of colour, and this is commonly a slight yellow or brown, and although colourless diamonds are the generally the most rare and valuable, very deeply coloured diamonds are even rarer and deep blue, black, green, red and canary yellow stones have been discovered, and some of these diamonds are so rare they are literally priceless

Clarity
The large majority of diamonds have tiny flaws, which are often undetectable to the naked eye, but they do devalue the stone as they interfere with light reflection and dim the intensity of the brilliance. Flawless diamonds are very rare and very expensive, but diamonds can be cut so that the flaws are removed or hidden by the setting.

Certification
Diamonds can now be produced synthetically and these are not worth as much as natural stones, so when you are buying a diamond it is important that you get a certification of authenticity, which will state the origins, grade, cut, carat, colour and clarity of each stone, and will often include an independent quote of its market value.