Tag Archives: Jewellery

Key Facts About Gold

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Gold is a transition metal and has been used as a currency for centuries. The word gold is derived from the Ango-Saxon language which means yellow. In Latin Language, gold is referred to as Aurum that means shining dawn. Because of its strength, hardness, resistance, colour, shine and interesting properties, gold is used for many purposes. One of the interesting key facts about this metal is that less than fifty percent of gold in the world is under the earth crust.

The chemical formation of gold makes it is a very hard inert metal. It is highly malleable as one ounce of this metal can be stretched into a sixty metre long wire. This metal in its pure form is very soft to use and it is usually mixed with other metals to make an alloy. This alloy, which becomes strong enough to be forged in any shape or size, is then used as a jewellery manufacturing material. This metal alloys are made to be long lasting and durable so that they can be used for lifetimes.

Te high quality alloys of this metal are made by mixing it with pure metals like silver and copper. Pure form of Gold-bullion is very dense and hard to use. In pure form, the specific gravity of gold is 19.3. This specific gravity of gold must be decreased to around 15 to make it usable. The purest form of gold bars are only found in Scotland. The purest form of gold available is about 22.8 carats.

As per the chemical properties of this metal, it is a transition element. It is placed in the centre of inert transition elements on the periodic table. This metal, being very stable and un-reactive, is not soluble at ordinary solvents. The only solution for dissolving the gold-bars was discovered by a Muslim scientist Jabbir Bin Hayyan in 800 A.D. This gold-bullion dissolving solution is known as Aqua Regia. It is a mixture of concentrated Nitric and Hydrochloric acid. To detect the presence of Gold in any mixture or alloy, Nitric acid is used. Many Jewellery makers use it in acid tests for gold-refining and for checking its purity.

Due to its shine, beauty and resistance to chemical attacks and chemical reactions, gold is widely used as a precious metal for making jewellery as well as investment. The Ancient civilizations of Egypt initiated the use of gold in jewellery. Except Antarctica, all the continents of the world have gold-mines. They utilise this gold for commercial purposes

Compared to its high resistance to chemical reactions, gold has relatively less resistance for heat. Gold-bullion has a melting point of 1063 Centigrade and can be melted and hammered into different shapes. For wedding rings and other wedding jewellery items, gold is the ultimate choice of everyone.

This metal has a huge number of idealistic qualities, that have made it the most popular and the most commonly used metal. One of its most favourable qualities includes its resistance towards rusting.

Another key fact about this metal is that the first gold currency, the gold coins, was used by Lydia, Turkey. South Africa is the largest producer of gold in the world. However, the largest mine in the world is located in the United States.

A Brief History of the Necklaces

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The necklace has been around as an expression of adornment or ‘piece of jewellery’ for a great deal longer than most people would imagine. The first usage of an item recognisably created solely for the purposes of adornment, is believed to date to approximately 40,000 BC. These early ‘necklaces’ were fashioned from easily accessible organic materials, such as wood, shell, bone and stone. As more complicated structures and materials were discovered and the development of knowledge and methods by which to create and craft materials, such as gold and precious gemstones became available, jewellery and adornment item design grew and evolved.

Both men and women wore necklaces, in fact, the first bead necklaces were known as the “Adam and Eve of Jewellery”. Such has been the popularity of bead and later pearl necklaces that there are no fewer than seven different types depending on the length as well as the number of strands and even the size of the beads or pearls.

· A bib necklace, so called as the multiple strands and design array form a bib. The beads or pearls can be graduated or stepped.

· A choker, as its name indicates, sits high on the neck and exhibits its design feature often as an integral part of costume rather than simply an accessory.

· A princess necklace is approx. 10 cm longer than a choker. and has a correspondingly lower drop and feature design placement.

· A matinee necklace adds a further 10 cm in drop length.

· An opera necklace would have an overall design length in the range 75 to 90 cm. This would allow for particular specifications in both design and material selection to be accommodated and maximised in display.

· A sautoir (sometimes knows as a rope necklace) is even longer than an opera necklace.

· A uniform necklace is crafted with beads, pearls or gemstones specified in the same size and sitting in arranged ‘ranks’ or parallel series.

Necklaces have captured the imagination of designers and jewellery lovers the world over. Today, there is an almost unlimited choice of pendants and chokers to accentuate or compliment an outfit or the personality and taste of the wearer. Some credit invention of the ‘pendant’ or a ‘focus adornment’. to the Phoenicians, as their culture is known to have favoured the wearing of gold, utilising structures that would today still be recognised, as ‘chain-like’ in form. Once the ‘chain’ became established it enabled a proliferation of fixtures, adenda and applications such as medals, medallion, gemstone mounts and pendants. Early examples are hollow and are thought to have been used as vessels, carrying objects of symbolic importance upon the person of the wearer. Pendants and lockets would also have been utilised as covert personal receptacles for religious relics, talismans, charms or medicines (possibly poison!).

Pendants have been suspended on many different materials, from simple animal leather laces to exquisite intricate weaves of precious metals. The impact and pure beauty of a simple gold chain mounted with a cut diamond or other gemstone pendant, will never fail to impress but the history behind its creation and the selection of such a piece, is deeply routed in the far beginnings of civilisation.

They Sparkle, They Shine – Diamonds Sure Are Fine!

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Everyone loves a beautiful piece of jewellery. Probably the prettiest jewellery you will ever see is something that includes diamonds! Diamond jewellery, although assuredly more costly, is a good value as well. For diamond jewellery holds its value and appreciates with each passing year. Aside from that, diamonds go with everything! You will never hear a woman say she can’t wear diamonds because it doesn’t match her outfit. On the contrary, jewellery goes well with any color or style of dress.

There are all kinds of jewellery. Some of it is big and splashy, while other pieces are delicate, simple and refined. Depending on the occasion, you can find diamond jewellery to match your every whim. While wearing diamonds isn’t for everyone, most would agree that everyone needs at least one piece of jewellery that has some diamonds in it. Whether an engagement or wedding ring, which could be both men and women, or just a simple diamond tennis bracelet, there is something for everyone. Wearing diamond jewellery also can make you feel special. It could be that one piece of jewellery that you only wear on special occasions. Or it could be something like your wedding ring that you wear everyday, which has a particular sentiment attached to it.

Diamond jewellery has always been a popular gift for women of all ages. Whatever the occasion, how ever often you wear it, jewellery is always in style. It will forever be a type of jewellery that is worn with pride, given with love and cherished forever.