Which Metal? Part 2: Weight When designing jewelry, the metal’s physical characteristics must be considered, one of which is weight. The pure form of each of the precious metals is an element, meaning that its molecules cannot be further broken down into separate atoms. Each has its own symbol on the periodic table. Gold is Au (for aurum, Latin for gold); [...] Rhodonite Disdaining ecology and parentage, some minerals always look the same: gold, silver, pyrite, realgar, malachite, and azurite, to name a few, are always easy to spot for what they are. Other minerals, possibly more sensitive to temperature, pressure, acidity, and solution concentration as they form, may look very different depending on where they grew and [...] Jewelry Making: Cost of Material For most of us, cost can be a deciding factor when choosing which metal to use. Silver is far less expensive to work with than either gold or platinum, and for those who like to experiment with techniques, silver is the obvious choice. There is something intimidating about trying out a new technique on several [...] Cultured and Natural Pearls Can experts easily tell the difference between a cultured pearl and a natural pearl? Without X-rays, it is nearly impossible to distinguish between cultured and naturally occurring pearls. When cultured pearls were first introduced to the marketplace in the early 1900s, dealers tried to discredit the gems as simulations. Kokichi Mikimoto, the first commercial producer of [...] India’s Jewelry Trade is Trying to Break into the Japanese Market Indian jewelry products will be showcased at the upcoming International Jewelry Tokyo show in January. The jewelry has been specifically designed to suit Japanese styles. Following the show, the jewelry will be showcased at 50 sales exhibitions across Japan. The selection is expected to reach 300 retailers and 50000 consumers. The campaign, “Romance of India” is [...] |