Clutches for Less

Posts Tagged ‘gemstones’

Quahog pearls are amongst the rarest of gemstones but in fact, they are technically not pearls – they can still be very beautiful nevertheless, and they are typically stained a shade of purple, the only pearls that are so colored under natural conditions. Quahogs are pronounced “ko-hog”, and are clams which many of us have enjoyed in a variety of dishes, or simply steamed at an oyster bar. They are native to the Eastern US coast, especially around New England, and have been exported to the Pacific and European shores as they lend themselves to “aquaculture”. Indeed, in New England they form an important part of the fishing economy and are a major export from the region.

It is thought that only 1 in 5,000 clams produces a pearl but, before a quahog pearl can be considered valuable, it also must possess visual appeal – many quahog pearls are misshapen, or not particularly pretty to look at, which precludes their use in jewellery. This makes those quahog pearls suitable for use in jewelry that much more valuable. Despite the huge commercial farming activity which processes millions of quahog clams every year, pearls are increasingly rare because of the automated nature of the process. Clams are cleaned and shucked mechanically, and this process usually destroys any pearls which may otherwise be uncovered.

Oyster pearls are formed by concretions being formed around internal deformities, parasites or other foreign pieces of matter such as a grain of sand. The oyster reacts to this irritant by enclosing the body with layers of hardened pearl material, known as nacre and which covers the deformity or foreign matter and it is this which grows into a pearl. Cultured pearls use the same process but the oyster is stimulated to grow the pearl by man not nature.

Quahog pearls are formed in a very similar fashion to oyster pearls, though as quahogs are not oysters, quahog pearls are not considered to be pearls themselves. The quahogs which are found along the coast of New England, especially those focused upon Rhode Island, are the only ones which possess the purple tint. This is because the quahog clams there are the only ones which produce the purple dye, and this can cause a quahog pearl to vary from a light lilac color through to deep purple to very deep black. As these quahogs are the only bivalve which secretes the purple stain, their pearls are the only ones to possess this coloration though the degree to which an individual quahog pearl is colored will vary widely.

Quahog pearls have been a sought after gemstone amongst New England jewelry makers for at least a couple of hundred years, but the quahog pearl has a much longer association with man than that. Native American Indians used the quahog pearl both for decorative purposes and as “wampum” or money. Native Americans used the quahog pearl as a medium for exchange by carving the tabular beads and these could be used for trading.

Valuation and pricing vary enormously and ultimately, the price of any item is only that which a buyer is prepared to pay. An example will illustrate the point – in 2005 a rare quahog was discovered in a yard sale and bought for a mere $14 – when it came to auction, the piece was widely valued at anything between $8,000 and $1 million! The eventual sales price is unknown as it was sold to a private bidder in a sealed auction.

Surely the value really lies not in the price tag which is attached to a quahog pearl, but rather the beauty of this natural gemstone and the artisanship of the piece into which it is set. Beauty, in this instance, is clearly in the eye of the beholder.

Pearls have had a long history as precious gemstones – as gifts for ancient royals or prized possessions sought-after by anxious criminals – from China, to Europe, to the Americas. Learning how to choose the right pearl earring for the right occasion is a skill you can benefit from if you want accessories that flatter your best features.

While naturally formed pearls come in all forms of irregular shapes and often cannot be used for jewelry, cultured pearls can be grown in a variety of shapes – spherical, oval, teardrop and baroque. Learning how to choose the right pearl earrings for the right occasion will involve finding a design or combining various shapes of pearls that suit your face shape.

Before you go about learning how to choose the right pearl earrings for the right occasion, it is imperative that you learn how to spot quality pearl drop earrings. Judging a pearl requires consideration of a few factors – color, overtones, size, luster, shape and surface quality.

Pearls are grown in a variety of shapes. You have the round or spherical, the oval, button and pear-shaped pearls as well as the baroque (also known as irregular-shaped). If you’re learning how to choose the right kind of pearl earrings for the right occasion, shape isn’t just a consideration. You’ll also want to look out for the luster or reflectivity of a pearl as well as the smoothness of its surface.

Pearls are delicate gems and are generally softer in composition than other jewels. Because of this, they are prone to damage like cracking and scratches. Its porous nature also makes it susceptible to other substances like perfume, sweat and makeup. Keep your pearls clean by wiping them with a soft, damp cloth and try putting on these accessories after you’ve worn your makeup and applied your perfume.

Accessories like pearl earrings are designed to draw attention to your face. Carefully choosing the right pearl earrings for the right occasion is important if you want to flatter your face and enhance your features.

Is there etiquette for wearing pearls? Such a question was directly and clearly answered by “No.” It seems these days that you can wear pearls any size with any outfit from T-shirts to the most formal dresses. It was and still is the tradition that bigger pearls go with the more casual wear. The smaller pearls are more worn with formal dresses. The fact remains that the pearl is always a good accessory to wear during Christmas parties.

It is said that diamonds maybe a girl’s best friend but pearls will make you glow like moonlight.  It is the mystery behind every pearl that allures most women. Whether through its luster or from where they come from, pearls truly are precious marvels of nature.

Pearls should always be in odd number of strands. Wearing a single or triple strand is sought to be more appropriate than wearing a double strand. Opera length pearls can be wrapped multiple times around your neck or even tied across your shoulders to the straps of a plain black cocktail dress. That would be an interesting statement. 

The elegant beauty of a strand of pearls has always fascinated brides. A belief has been deeply rooted that wearing pearls during the wedding day will bring happiness to the marriage.  Pearl jewelry is classic wedding jewelry.

Flashy jewelries are a no-no in offices.    But in important business meetings, the wearing of pearl will attach to the wearer a professional look while at the same time, make her look good. Tiny pearls necklace will create a great impact on the people you are dealing with. It will make you ooze with sensuality while stressing a point during the discussion. In a way, the pearl necklace underlines the words you speak.

Pearls are very appealing. This is most important especially if you are trying to clinch a deal. Soft, mellow pearls reveal a professional yet attractive look on you.

Before, only older women get to wear pearls. But on the contrary, younger women get to wear these magnificent gems these days. Pearl pendants are very much in vogue today. Pearls will always fascinate people perhaps it is because of their origin being the deep seas. 

Remembering important and memorable occasions are times when you choose to buy pearls to gift a loved one or something close to you.   Christmas is the perfect time for you to give your loved ones a pearl jewelry gift. Moreover, pearls can also be perfect gifts on birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and graduations. It may be worn with a casual or when you are going for a night out, pearls will always be there to add beauty to the ensemble.

For young girls, the spring prom is the first opportunity for wearing a formal wear. It is even a time for fashion.  That formal wear typifies the link between youth and adulthood in a tradition replete with memories that are hard to forget.  Prom goers will fill the campus hall to the rafters all in their beautiful pastel designs and of course, the usual string of freshwater pearls.

When it comes to shopping for gemstone jewelry, the possibilities are quite endless for finding an absolutely gorgeous piece that will be cherished and treasured for many years to come. It is easy to find a piece to suit any occasion or purpose as you can find something in almost any color or shade. You will love wearing gemstone jewelry for formal or informal affairs and there is something to fit every budget.

Unlike diamonds, which are indeed beautiful in their own right, colorful gemstones are so versatile and appeal to so many different people, and yet another benefit is that they can also be considerably less expensive. Emeralds, rubies, and sapphires are considered to be among the most valuable of all the precious and semiprecious gemstones in the world and are available in a wide variety of values, settings, cuts, and types

Sapphire rings are available in shades of blue along with several other colors, although the deep blue remains the most popular color of sapphires, which are the birthstone for the month of September and one of the hardest of all gemstones second only to diamonds.

Ruby rings, the July birthstone, are known for their brilliant red color and have long been associated with love, passion, and power. This precious gemstone has been worn for centuries by emperors and kings all over the world and is greatly prized because of its sheer beauty and rarity. Rubies are often given as tokens of love and, much like sapphires, also score high on the Mohs scale that’s used to measure mineral hardness . 

Emeralds are spectacular gemstones and among the most expensive of all. But, gemstone jewelry made with emeralds can take your breath away. Typically, an emeralds value can be determined by the depth and richness of the color; that is to say the deeper the green, the higher the value. If you love emeralds but are on a budget, you can find man made stones that look quite real but are less expensive.

In regards to the ever important matter of the stone’s actual cut, gemstone jewelry can be found in a wide variety of differing cuts, each used to accentuate the stone’s natural brilliance in some way. Brilliant-cut is one of the most popular for larger stones and allows the maximum amount of light to pass through and be reflected back out. Brilliant cuts can be used for round, oval, marquise, even pear shaped stones. Other popular cuts for gemstone jewelry include princess, heart, emerald, radiant, and trillion .

Some gemstone rings may feature a single, solitary stone with either a plain band or one that’s encrusted with other stones, while many others have groups of stones that can be identical or completely different.

Whatever type of gemstone jewelry strikes your fancy the most, always take the time to find out exactly how to care for the colorful stones as some are rather durable and will need little care, but others will require special measures in terms of what to use for cleaning and how to properly store your jewelry

Be careful when you are cleaning a gemstone ring never to do it over a sink. It might slip accidently from your hands and be lost down the drain. Instead, use a bowl filled with water. It is worth the effort .

When it comes to shopping for gemstone jewelry, the possibilities are quite endless for finding an absolutely gorgeous piece that will be cherished and treasured for many years to come. It is easy to find a piece to suit any occasion or purpose as you can find something in almost any color or shade. You will love wearing gemstone jewelry for formal or informal affairs and there is something to fit every budget.

Gemstone jewelry is colorful and extremely versatile. Gemstones are less expensive than diamonds but just as beautiful. Rubies, sapphires and emeralds are highly respected as precious and semiprecious stones. They are rich in color and are available in a wide variety of settings. There is no doubt that one can be found that you can cherish a lifetime.

Sapphire rings are available in shades of blue along with several other colors, although the deep blue remains the most popular color of sapphires, which are the birthstone for the month of September and one of the hardest of all gemstones second only to diamonds.

Deep, rich, red rubies have been worn and coveted by emperors and kings all over the world for centuries. They have traditionally been the gemstone that represents love and passion and power. Rubies are the birthstone for July births. They rank extremely high on the Mohs scale which measures the hardness of a mineral. 

Emerald rings in a gorgeous, deep green color are some of the most costly of all the colored gemstones, however, emeralds created in a lab rather than by nature can be considerably less expensive if price is a concern. For natural emeralds, the deeper and greener the stone the higher its value will be

In regards to the ever important matter of the stone’s actual cut, gemstone jewelry can be found in a wide variety of differing cuts, each used to accentuate the stone’s natural brilliance in some way. Brilliant-cut is one of the most popular for larger stones and allows the maximum amount of light to pass through and be reflected back out. Brilliant cuts can be used for round, oval, marquise, even pear shaped stones. Other popular cuts for gemstone jewelry include princess, heart, emerald, radiant, and trillion .

Some gemstone rings may feature a single, solitary stone with either a plain band or one that’s encrusted with other stones, while many others have groups of stones that can be identical or completely different.

Take your time to find just the right piece of gemstone jewelry. Be sure and learn the best methods of caring for your new jewelry. Gem stones are durable and don’t need a whole lot of attention, but cleaning them regularly will allow them to show off their spectacular beauty every time you wear them.

When you are cleaning your gemstone ring, be very careful not to do so over a sink drain. Rings can so easily slip from our hands and down the drain. Use bowl instead.

When it comes to shopping for gemstone jewelry, the possibilities are quite endless for finding an absolutely gorgeous piece that will be cherished and treasured for many years to come. With a full rainbow of colors to choose from, including a dazzling array of shades and hues in all variations imaginable, you’re sure to find plenty of gemstone rings to suit your needs, taste, style, and budget

Gemstone jewelry is colorful and extremely versatile. Gemstones are less expensive than diamonds but just as beautiful. Rubies, sapphires and emeralds are highly respected as precious and semiprecious stones. They are rich in color and are available in a wide variety of settings. There is no doubt that one can be found that you can cherish a lifetime.

Sapphire rings are available in shades of blue along with several other colors, although the deep blue remains the most popular color of sapphires, which are the birthstone for the month of September and one of the hardest of all gemstones second only to diamonds.

Rubies have long been the gemstone representing love and passion. Emperors and kings the world over have coveted these beautiful gems for their beauty scarcity and they have been worn by royalty for centuries. Given as a token of love, rubies are also the birthstone for those born in July. These rich red gemstones are also hard and rank high on the Mohs scale which is the scale used to measure the hardness of a mineral. . 

Who doesn’t love the beautiful deep green color of the emerald? These breathtaking gemstones are among the most expensive of all gemstones. They are, fortunately, being man made in laboratories, and these are much less expensive but look just as genuine. A natural emerald’s value is also measured by their depth and color, the deeper and greener it is, the higher the value

When buying gemstone jewelry you will want to consider the cut of the stone. There are a wide variety of cuts and most often the cut is chosen to show off the brilliance of the particular stone. The “brilliant-cut” is most often chosen for large stones as it is the cut that will encourage the light to pass through the stone and reflect its color and brilliance. It used with marquis shaped stones as well as round, oval and pear shaped stones. Other popular choices in cuts are the princess cut, heart shaped cut, emerald shaped cut, radiant shaped cut and trillion shaped cut.

Some gemstone rings may feature a single, solitary stone with either a plain band or one that’s encrusted with other stones, while many others have groups of stones that can be identical or completely different.

It is important to take the time you need to decide what gemstone jewelry is right for you. Learn how to take care of these precious natural stones. They are durable and need little care, but proper cleaning will show off their brilliance for years to come

When you are cleaning your gemstone ring, be very careful not to do so over a sink drain. Rings can so easily slip from our hands and down the drain. Use bowl instead.

When it comes to shopping for gemstone jewelry, the possibilities are quite endless for finding an absolutely gorgeous piece that will be cherished and treasured for many years to come. With a full rainbow of colors to choose from, including a dazzling array of shades and hues in all variations imaginable, you’re sure to find plenty of gemstone rings to suit your needs, taste, style, and budget

Colorful gemstones are extremely versatile that the problem will not be finding the one you want but making a choice between several that you would love to have. Diamonds are lovely but they do not offer the versatility of gemstones which are considerably cheaper. Precious and semiprecious stones, such as sapphires, rubies and emeralds are sought after gemstones with a respected reputation. They are available in many different settings at a variety of prices.

Sapphire rings are available in shades of blue along with several other colors, although the deep blue remains the most popular color of sapphires, which are the birthstone for the month of September and one of the hardest of all gemstones second only to diamonds.

Ruby rings, the July birthstone, are known for their brilliant red color and have long been associated with love, passion, and power. This precious gemstone has been worn for centuries by emperors and kings all over the world and is greatly prized because of its sheer beauty and rarity. Rubies are often given as tokens of love and, much like sapphires, also score high on the Mohs scale that’s used to measure mineral hardness . 

Emerald rings in a gorgeous, deep green color are some of the most costly of all the colored gemstones, however, emeralds created in a lab rather than by nature can be considerably less expensive if price is a concern. For natural emeralds, the deeper and greener the stone the higher its value will be

In regards to the ever important matter of the stone’s actual cut, gemstone jewelry can be found in a wide variety of differing cuts, each used to accentuate the stone’s natural brilliance in some way. Brilliant-cut is one of the most popular for larger stones and allows the maximum amount of light to pass through and be reflected back out. Brilliant cuts can be used for round, oval, marquise, even pear shaped stones. Other popular cuts for gemstone jewelry include princess, heart, emerald, radiant, and trillion .

Some gemstone rings may feature a single, solitary stone with either a plain band or one that’s encrusted with other stones, while many others have groups of stones that can be identical or completely different.

It is important to take the time you need to decide what gemstone jewelry is right for you. Learn how to take care of these precious natural stones. They are durable and need little care, but proper cleaning will show off their brilliance for years to come

Be careful when you are cleaning a gemstone ring never to do it over a sink. It might slip accidently from your hands and be lost down the drain. Instead, use a bowl filled with water. It is worth the effort .

The anniversary of one’s wedding is not a small matter because it symbolizes both the next year in your marriage and it is also the best day to celebrate the entire wedding. If you are preparing to have a celebration of your anniversary then you’ll want to set aside some time to locate the proper gift . It’s common knowledge that diamond jewelry and different accessories are preferred by many, and as such are normally utilized as anniversary presents.

Anniversary rings, whether encrusted with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires or any of the other countless types of dazzling gems available, were at one time reserved for “special” anniversaries, such as the 25th But today, many couples choose to celebrate their day with these and other beautiful reminders of their love

Though diamonds are widely loved, they are by no means the choice of every single person and anniversary rings are made in many different styles as well as with many different gemstones . You can start looking through your options and to start with you need to choose the metal that you want. There are several different ones to choose from and in addition to that there are also many different settings for you to choose among.

A few styles to think about are antique, modern, and traditional with different settings. Keep in mind that you’re in no way restricted to white diamonds because these gems come in many different colors .

If you have the understanding that her preferences do not involve diamonds, then you can pick a different type of rock such as sapphire or even ruby. These rocks will stand out in a crowd and mesh well with anything else that she happens to wear.

There are a few women that would rather keep their rings on the right hand rather than the left. If she is such a woman then you’ll be able to make more choices as far as setting and size because you don’t want this ring to overpower any others that she might be wearing. If it’s a totally different style then she’ll probably want to wear it on her right hand anyway .

In addition to diamond rings, you may also want to consider other options for an anniversary gift such as diamond earrings in any number of carat weights and shapes, or perhaps one of the gorgeous types of diamond pendants to choose from. Pendants may be ornate and elaborate or dainty and delicate and can be found in varying lengths .

Pearl jewelry is yet another option for an anniversary gift that’s sure to be a cherished keepsake for many years to come. Pearls convey a timeless sense of elegance that’s unrivaled by few other types of jewelry.

Perhaps one of the very best things about shopping for anniversary rings is simply the sheer number of choices you’ll find available. This gives you plenty of unique options to consider, and allows you to choose that one perfect piece that will complement her personal style as well as pay testament to the joyous memory of your wedding day.