TIPS TO BUY PEARLS

-Prime pearl is not easily got.

-Decide on the quality you want to buy, natural or cultured. This will be dictated by your pocket and needs.

-Most pearls in the market are cultured.

-Go to a reputed store and take time to choose your pearls.

-Sometimes inferior pearls are set in attractive designs. Question the pearls used.
-Plastic, glass, synthetic beads or shell are often substituted. The coatings peel off when rubbed or scratched.

-X Rays with 10X will reveal the layers of a good pearl, its density and how it was formed.

-Tooth Test also helps in identifying a pearl. A real pearl will feel gritty, a fake absolutely smooth.

-If held under strong light, it will reveal disparity in color, overtones and exhibit natural defects. A fake one will look perfect.

-Natural pearls sit heavy on the palm. Fake ones are generally light.

-The nacre gloss is also a giveaway since fake pearls feel glassy, sticky and warm to touch. A natural pearl radiates from within and feels cool when touched.

PEARL JEWELLERY

A versatile gem, it is used in most jewelry. It has decorated clothes of the Rich and Famous. It can be fashioned into jewelry one can dream of. Necklaces, bangles, bracelets, rings, earrings, nose pins, tiepins, pendants brooches, hair clasps, buttons, tiaras; it can beautify bags and belts and slippers too. Strands of white pearls, pink pearls, dyed multi colored pearls, chokers /collars, mixed and matched, single strand mixed with gold beads, or red coral or with uncut rubies or emerald can be worn as necklaces. Bracelets or bangles with seed pearls set in gold or silver look attractive and go with most outfits. Some earrings are made with single big pearl, studs, tear drop or round pearls dangling from a thin chain is quite fashionable. Hoops with multi colored pearls, pearls surrounded by diamonds or seed pearls encircling a ruby look pretty. Pearl pendants set in filigree gold often form a center piece of a chain. Pearl forms an important part of Navratan set. There is no end to designs with pearls.

AKOYA PEARLS

Pinctada Fucata Martensii oysters produce pearls which are round, lustrous and beautiful. It takes about two years for the pearl to grow. If left for a longer period the quality and size gets better. Colors are varied.

ABALONE PEARLS

Pearls got from this single shelled mollusk is very rare. The reason is over fishing. This thirty million old species is a delicacy and gets fished out before maturity. It takes about ten years for it to produce a pearl with a thick nacreous layer. The colors are deep blue, green tinted, purple, pink and gold, the shapes solid or hollow or horn shaped.

CULTURED PEARL

Cultured pearl is the brain child of Japan. Japanese cultured pearl is the international standard. China also farms huge amounts of such pearls. They can be bred in sea water or in fresh water like river or lake. A healthy mollusk or clam is impregnated with an object and bred. Following are the types of mollusk used

PEARLS

Like diamonds 'The Queen of Gems' wields its magic over jewelry makers and wearers. Nothing can detract from its inner glow, glaze and soft, smooth look. It sets off gold; silver even brightens the dullest metal. It is believed that the Roman general Vitelline financed his war campaign by selling his mother's pearls. A real pearl is very valuable and rare to get today. Like the coral it is found in the depths of the sea and is the product of a living organism, the mollusk or the clam.

When an irritant get within the folds of its skin, it is not easily dislodged by the mollusk. To stop the irritation it starts covering the particle with its secretion called nacre or mother of pearl. This secretion is used for making its outer shells and is composed of the mineral calcium carbonate and a fibrous protein called conchiolin. This process leads to the formation of a natural pearl, which may take many years.

Real pearl is the product of a biological process thus not always smooth or perfectly round. Each layer of nacre that covers it has a layer of conchiolin in between. These layers do not always cover the pearl completely. This leads to imperfections. The shape and size of a natural pearl varies depending on the mollusk that formed it, the size of the particle, where the particle got embedded, and the health of the mollusk or clam. The temperature and the water it bred in. The color of pearl which ranges from white to different shades of cream, gold black and purple depend on the organic pigments found in the secretion The presence of nacre gives the pearl it's lustrous, opalescent and shimmering look.

SHELLAC JEWELLERY

Shellac jewelry includes all the items of jewelry that have a modern design and are made of contemporary materials while retaining the best of traditional aspects.

They are a combination of tradition and modernity. Shellac jewelry adds a lot of elegance through this and have a great appeal across all sections of the society.

Shellac jewelry includes all the items of jewelry that have a modern design and are made of contemporary materials while retaining the best of traditional aspects.

They are a combination of tradition and modernity. Shellac jewelry adds a lot of elegance through this and have a great appeal across all sections of the society.

They are made from a variety of materials. Shellac jewelry is made from glass, bone, horn, plastic, brass, aluminum and several other materials.

QUILL JEWELLERY

Quills are used in elegant jewelry, and many of the techniques for stringing quills into necklaces, bracelets & chokers and earrings are easy to learn. It is not necessary to soak and soften quills before using them for threaded jewelry (as you do for other types of quill-embroidery). It is, however, necessary to cut off both sharp, tapered ends of the porcupine quill - when making threaded quill jewelry, take care in discarding the dangerous tips of the quills.

For sturdy, long lasting strung quill jewelry, it is best cut your quills to ¾ of an inch or shorter. The thickest quills, the ones with the fattest diameter, are great for strung quill jewelry. Quills can be combined with tiny beads such as glass 'seed' beads, or other beads made from metal, wood or shell. The only restraint on the size of the beads used is that holes in these beads should not be so large that the threaded quills slip inside them. Some types of quill jewelry combine several strands of quills and beads, held in parallel rows and kept separate with leather 'spacers'.

One-strand necklaces are probably the simplest threaded jewelry to make. To make a necklace, cut the quills to equal lengths, and string them on, separating the quills from each other by string on small glass, metal, wood or shell beads. Such necklaces are quite beautiful when several strands are worn at once.

ENAMEL JEWELLERY

Enameling is the fusion of a special powdered glass to metals. The glass can be applied using different techniques, but all methods use heat to melt the powder. View designer enamel jewelry and get details about the process used to make it.

TYPES OF JEWELLERY

• Quill jewellery . Bone and horn jewellery
• Shellac jewellery . Ivory jewellery
• Plastic jewellery . Tribal jewellery
• Art-tech jewellery . Designer jewellery
• Crystal jewellery . rubber jewellery
• Ceramic jewellery . Custom jewellery
• Terracotta jewellery . Rice jewellery
• Stone jewellery

METAL FINISHES

For platinum, gold, and silverjewellery there are many techniques to create finishes. The most common are high-polish, satin/matte, brushed, and hammered. High-polished jewellery is by far the most common and gives the metal the highly-reflective and shiny look. Satin, or matte finish reduces the shine and reflection of the jewellery and is commonly used to accentuate gemstones such as diamonds. Brushed finishes give the jewellery a textured look, and are created by brushing a material (similar to sandpaper) against the metal, leaving 'brush strokes'. Hammered finishes are typically created by using a soft, rounded hammer and hammering the jewellery to give it a wavy texture.

Some jewellery is plated to give it a shiny, reflective look or to achieve a desired colour. Sterling silver jewellery may be plated with a thin layer of .999 fine silver (a process known as flashing) or may be plated with rhodium or gold. Base metal costume jewellery may also be plated with silver, gold, or rhodium for a more attractive finish.

;TURQUOISE

Turquoise
Probably the most highly valued non-opaque gemstone; Turquoise is believed to relieve stress and aid in relaxing the mind.
The name Turquoise comes from the stones origins and introduction into Europe from Eastern Mediterranean traders - literally, in French, it is the stone of the Turks. Its long history dates right back to 6000BC when the ancient Egyptians used the stone.
Iranian turquoise is regarded as the highest quality turquoise. Other regions that produce turquoise include Mexico and the southwestern states of the USA.
Turquoise is a soft stone and you should avoid exposing stones to hot water and household chemicals.

;SAPPHIRE

Sapphire
Sapphires are commonly thought of as blue in colour, but they can be nearly any colour. Sapphire belongs to the same family of stones as the ruby called the Corundum family of minerals. Rubies are red, of course, and sapphires are the non-red stones of the Corundum family.
Although sapphire is a hard-wearing stone, one should take care to avoid chipping and fracturing these precious gemstones.

;RUBY

Ruby
Ruby belongs to the Corundum mineral family. The red variety of Corundum is known as Ruby, while other coloured stones in that family are known as Sapphire.
Although we think of Ruby red as a deep red colour, rubies can be any shade of red right through to a pink shade. The redness of a ruby depends on the chromium and iron content of the stone.
Although this type of gemstone is hard and durable, care should be taken to avoid fracturing or chipping rubies.

;JADE

Jade
The ancient Chinese and Egyptians believed Jade to have talismanic qualities, attracting good fortune and personal loyalty. It has been used often in statues, pendants and amulets.
There are two types of Jade: Jadeite and Nephrite. Nephrite is the more common type and is always green on colour. Jadeite however can come in one of several colours, including red, green, black and blue.
Jade is an extremely hard and durable stone and because of this it is often used in gem carving. The most valuable Jade is known as Imperial Jade and comes from Burma.

;EMERALD

Emerald
Emerald, the beautiful rich green gemstone is highly prized throughout the world. Whereas inclusions and flaws in other stones may reduce their value and desirability, flaws in Emeralds are often considered to add to their value by adding to each stones unique character and even acting as an assurance as to the stone's authenticity.
Emerald belongs to the same mineral family as Aquamarine, Beryl. It is used in a variety of jewellery including rings, bracelets, pendants and necklaces. Rich sources of Emerald deposits include Southeast Asia, southern Africa, Australia and the USA.

SEMI PRECIOUS STONES; AMBER

Amber
The history of Amber reaches back one million years. Formed from the fossilized sticky resin from ancient Pine trees, Amber sometimes contains unusual inclusions such as fossilized insects, bugs and plant life. A perfectly formed fossilized inclusion can greatly enhance the value of Amber.
Amber is a very soft gemstone, so great care should be taken to avoid scratching the stone. Throughout the ages Sorcerers have used amber, believing it to enhance their magical powers. It is known as the 'Stone of the Sun' and has been considered to have purifying powers.
The fossil-storing abilities of this yellow/orange stone are of great use to those studying extinct species. You may remember that fossilized dinosaur remains were stored in Amber in the great Hollywood movie, Jurassic Park.

FORMATION OF DIAMONDS

Diamonds were first mined in India. Pliny may have mentioned them, although there is some debate as to the exact nature of the stone he referred to as Adamas; In 2005, Australia, Botswana, Russia and Canada ranked among the primary sources of gemstone diamond production.

The british crown jewelscontain the cullinan Diamond, part of the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found (1905), at 3,106.75carats (621.35 g).

Now popular in engagement rings, this usage dates back to the marriage of Maximilation I to Mary of burgandy in 1477.

;DIAMONDS

The name diamond is derived from the ancient Greek ἀδάμας(adámas), "proper", "unalterable", "unbreakable, untamed", from (a-), "un-" +δαμάω (damáō), "I overpower, I tame".However, diamonds are thought to have been first recognized and mined in India, where significant alluvial deposits of the stone could then be found many centuries ago along the rivers Penner, Krishna and Godavari. Diamonds have been known in India for at least 3,000 years but most likely 6,000 years.

Diamonds have been treasured as gemstones since their use as religious icons in ancient india. Their usage in engraving tools also dates to early human history Popularity of diamonds has risen since the 19th century because of increased supply, improved cutting and polishing techniques, growth in the world economy, and innovative and successful advertising campaigns.

In 1813, Humphry Davy used a lens to concentrate the rays of the sun on a diamond in an atmosphere of oxygen, and showed that the only product of the combustion was carbon dioxide, proving that diamond is composed of carbon. Later, he showed that in an atmosphere devoid of oxygen, diamond is converted to graphite.

The most familiar usage of diamonds today is as gemstones used for adornment, a usage which dates back into antiquity. The dispersion of white light into spectral colors is the primary gemological characteristic of gem diamonds. In the twentieth century, experts in the field of gemology have developed methods of grading diamonds and other gemstones based on the characteristics most important to their value as a gem. Four characteristics, known informally as the four Cs, are now commonly used as the basic descriptors of diamonds: these are carat,cut, color, and clarity.

;GOLD

Gold is the most malleable and ductile of all metals; a single gram can be beaten into a sheet of one square meter, or an ounce into 300 square feet. Gold leaf can be beaten thin enough to become translucent. The transmitted light appears greenish blue, because gold strongly reflects yellow and red.

Gold readily creates alloys with many other metals. These alloys can be produced to modify the hardness and other metallurgical properties, to control melting point or to create exotic colors (see below). Gold is a good conductor of heat and electricity and reflects infra red radiation strongly. Chemically, it is unaffected by air, moisture and most corrosive reagents, and is therefore well-suited for use in coins and jewelry and as a protective coating on other, more reactive, metals.

High quality pure metallic gold is tasteless; in keeping with its resistance to corrosion (it is metal ions which confer taste to metals).

In addition, gold is very dense, a cubic meter weighing 19300 kg. By comparison, the density of lead is 11340 kg/m³, and that of the densest element, osmium, is 22610 kg/m³.

CATEGORIES IN JEWELLERY; HAND MADE JEWELLERY

Handmade jewelry is jewelry which has been assembled and formed by hand rather than through the use of machines. According to the guidelines of the FTC, in order to be stamped or called "handmade" the work must be made solely by hand power or hand guidance. In essence, this means that jewelry may be made using drills, lathes, or other machinery, but it must be guided by human hand. This precludes the use of punch presses, CNC machinery and casting to name a few processes that would not qualify as "handmade". Beyond that caveat it can be anything made out of anything that would be considered jewelry. The American Gem Trade Association Spectrum awards, the Gem Center Idar Oberstein, and the De Beers Awards include awards specifically for handmade jewelry.

Although there is much mass produced jewelry in the world, there are many people who prefer to have work that is hand-crafted by a real artisan, and the arena of hand made jewelry and other items will likely remain healthy because of that fact. Much jewelry that is marked or sold as "hand made" often is not truly so, though it may be essentially so.

FORMATION AND FUNCTIONS OF JEWELLERY

Jewellery has been used for a number of reasons:

• Currency, wealth display and storage,
• Functional use (such as clasps, pins and buckles)
• Symbolism (to show membership or status)
• Protection (in the form of amulets and magical wards)
• Artistic display

Most cultures have at some point had a practice of keeping large amounts of wealth stored in the form of jewellery. Numerous cultures move wedding dowries in the form of jewellery, or create jewellery as a means to store or display coins. Alternatively, jewellery has been used as a currency or trade good; an example being the use of slave beads.

Many items of jewellery, such as brooches and buckles originated as purely functional items, but evolved into decorative items as their functional requirement diminished.

Jewellery can also be symbolic of group membership, as in the case of the Christian crucifix orJewish star of David, or of status, as in the case ofchains of office, or the Western practice of married people wearing a wedding ring.

Wearing of amulets and devotional medals to provide protection or ward off evil is common in some cultures; these may take the form of symbols (such as the ankh), stones, plants, animals, body parts (such as the Khamsa), or glyphs (such as stylized versions of the Throne verse in Islamic art).

Although artistic display has clearly been a function of jewellery from the very beginning, the other roles described above tended to take primacy.It was only in the late 19th century, with the work of such masters as Peter Carl Faberge and Rene Lalique, that art began to take primacy over function and wealth.This trend has continued into modern times, expanded upon by artists such as Robert Lee Morris and Ed Levin.

INTRODUCTION

Jewellery is an item of personal adornment, such as a necklace, ring,brooch or bracelet, that is worn by a person. It may be made fromgemstones or precious metals, but may be from any other material, and may be appreciated because of geometric or other patterns, or meaningful symbols. Earrings and other body rings are also considered to be jewellery, while body art is not. Also, items affixed to a garment, such as buttons, are not considered to be jewellery, even if they are unusual and highly decorative. Also, items such as belts and handbags etc. are not considered to be jewellery, and are considered to be accessories.

The word jewellery is derived from the word jewel, which was anglicised from the Old French "jouel" circa the 13th century. Further tracing leads back to the Latin word "jocale", meaning plaything. Jewellery is one of the oldest forms of body adornment; recently found 100,000 year-old beads made from Nassarius shells are thought to be the oldest known jewellery.

Jewellery is sometimes seen as wealth storage or functionally as holding a garment or hair together. It has from very early times also been regarded as a form of personal adornment. The first pieces of jewellery were made from natural materials, such as bone, animal teeth, shell, wood and carved stone. More exotic jewellery was probably made for wealthy people or as indications of social status. In some cases people were buried with their jewellery.

Jewellery has been made to adorn nearly every body part, from hairpins to toe rings and many more types of jewellery. While high-quality jewellery is made with gemstones and precious metals, such as silver or gold, there is also a growing demand for art jewellery where design and creativity is prized above material value. In addition, there is the less costly costume jewellery, made from lower value materials and mass-produced. Other variations include wire sculpture (wrap) jewellery, using anything from base metal wire with rock tumbled stone to precious metals and precious gemstones.