Sterling silver is an alloy (a mixture of different metals) composed of 92.5% silver. The other 7.5% is a mixture of other metals, usually copper and zinc, but sometimes including other metals as well. These metals are introduced into the alloy primarily to increase the hardness. Pure (called “Fine”) silver is quite soft, meaning...
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Archive for September, 2008
What is sterling silver?
Mourning the cancellation of Stargate Atlantis through jewelry-making
I’ll admit it – I’m still in the denial stage of grief over the cancellation of one of my very favorite television shows, Stargate Atlantis. Not only that, but the promises of “You’ll get a new show to replace it with,” and “We’ll make a movie,” sound a little too much like “Don’t worry,...
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What’s the scoop on topaz?
Okay, I’ll admit it: I have a crush on topaz. This versatile stone is beautiful, durable, and affordable, and it comes in a wide range of lovely blues as well as several other colors. It has a Mohs hardness of 8 (very hard!) and a high refractive index (sparkle/light reflection). It does have a...
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Crab Fire Agate, AKA Mexican Fire Agate – What is it really?
When this gorgeous new material showed up on the market a few years ago, I had a feeling it wasn’t a completely natural stone, but I loved it none the less. I bought a fair amount of it, and I have several items available made with it in my online shop. Back in the...
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Gall bladder surgery and the evils of procrastination
I’m a procrastinator, and I’ve been known to get pretty down on myself because of it. For instance, there are a number of very useful things I could be doing right now besides blogging. Like adding some recently made jewelry pieces to my store, or catching up on email. Or doing some important work...
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Pink Gemstones – A List
Pink is an enduringly popular color for women’s jewelry, and there are many options to choose from! Garnet Pink sapphire Pink topaz Pink tourmaline Rhodochrosite Rhodonite Rose quartz Ruby
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Gemstone Treatment Disclosures
It is common for gemstones to be treated in a variety of ways to enhance or change their appearance and durability. Some stones are almost always treated, while others are almost always natural. Most treatments, such as heat treatment and irradiation, are permanent. Others, such as dyes, waxes, and oils, may not be. I...
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