A Cheatsheet: How To Clean Fine Jewelry

 Photos: Macy's except where marked

If jewelry is your luxury of choice, a Savvy Shopper selects classic pieces she'll wear time and again. Keeping fine jewelry in a box is a complete waste of money! Wear it daily and enjoy it.

Take off your jewelry before showering, washing dishes, or cleaning around the house to prevent scratching the metal or damaging any gemstones. Only when traveling do I wear my jewelry to bed (so I don't accidentally leave a piece behind). At home, I remove my necklaces, rings, or earrings before bed so nothing breaks. Put them away in a safe place. Also at home, I remove my rings before washing my hands with soap.

Periodically it's important to clean jewelry so it continues to sparkle. Here's a ...

Cheatsheet on how to properly clean your fine jewelry:

For gold: 

To clean gold, a mixture of soap and warm water is recommended. Soak the pieces first if you wish. Gold jewelry without gemstones can also be cleaned with rubbing alcohol and then raised with water, but soap and water are all you really need. Buff the precious metal dry with a soft cloth.

For silver: Silver is softer than gold. Clean silver with soap and warm water or a silver polishing cloth. You can also safely use a professional silver cleaner like Tarn-x. Don't use paper towels or tissues to clean silver. They are too abrasive and might scratch the silver.

Gemstones

For amethyst, aquamarine, citrine, diamond, garnet, morganite, quartz, certified ruby, sapphire, tanzanite, and topaz: Clean with warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush.

For emeralds, jade, onyx, opals, peridot, and turquoise: Clean with a damp cloth and a soft toothbrush. Avoid soaking in water and sudden temperature changes. Heat can damage emeralds, opals, and peridots. (Heat will also lighten sapphires.) Emeralds commonly have jardins (which are inclusions such as cracks or air bubbles). Opals can have from 6% - 10% of water content. 

For pearls: Drop a soft cloth in warm water and mild dishwashing soap to wipe the pearls. Follow with a wipe of clean water. Do not soak the pearls in a soapy solution. Pearls are soft (a 4 on the Moh's Scale of Hardness) and are sometimes strung on a silk thread, so soaking can damage them.

For all of your gemstones, here are some final tips: Avoid rapid temperature changes, steaming machines, and ultrasonic devices. Trust only a trained jeweler to deep clean your gemstones. Avoid direct sunlight, chlorine, perfume, hairspray, and harsh chemicals.

Fine jewelry is too costly to take unnecessary risks. Take care of your precious metals and gemstones by cleaning them gently and safely.

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Blue Diamonds Hold The Earth's Secrets

Photo: IFLScience

Full disclosure: I'm not a scientist and I don't want to take credit for the work of others. All I can do is read a bunch of sources, then put some of the facts together so you don't have to read all those sources yourself. The following is a paraphrasing -- the Turner "CliffsNotes" -- from several sources on a subject I love covering ... gemstones and jewelry! In today's blog, let's learn more about blue diamonds!

Photo: The Hope Diamond - Smithsonian

Only 1 out of 200,000 diamonds are blue. Like all other diamonds blue diamonds were formed billions of years ago when the element carbon was exposed to extreme heat and pressure deep in the earth's mantle. Clear (a/k/a white) diamonds are pure carbon. If traces of boron contaminate the carbon during its growth, a blue diamond is created. The industry calls all colored diamonds fancy diamonds.

Photo: MID: Okavango Blue

Scientists are intrigued by the origin of blue diamonds because they hold many of the earth's secrets. Once an enchanting mystery, gemologists now think they understand how these extremely rare blue gemstones came about. It also gives us clues about the evolution of the earth, itself. After the Gemological Institute of America conducted studies using lasers to uncover impurities (minerals) that got trapped inside blue diamonds, the experts started to assemble a picture of how and where blue diamonds were formed.

Photo: Getty - The National

Based on their discoveries, scientists know that blue diamonds were formed much deeper in the earth (below 410 miles) than other diamonds (formed between 90 miles - 125 miles below the earth's surface). It is believed that boron in the ocean floor "was pushed down when plates that make up the Earth's crust collided," making the diamonds appear blue. (According to researchers, boron lets the diamonds "absorb some red light, so the diamonds look blue.")

Getty - The Oppenheimer

Diamond deposits formed very deep within the earth eventually reach the surface by volcanic eruptions.

Now we know how some of the big rare blue gemstones such as the Hope Diamond and Oppenheimer Diamond were born. Billions of years ago Mother Nature had to come together in just the right way to produce them and for humans to find and have them all these years later.

Heart of Eternity

Both blue and white diamonds are graded using the 4 Cs: cut, clarity, color, and carat. But! Blue diamonds are so rare and in demand for their beauty, that they tend to cost more per carat than white diamonds. The blue diamonds that become well-known and fetch millions of dollars at auctions invoke excitement and fame because their unique size, color, and clarity are so rare.

Mouawad Blue

As it happens I don't have any blue diamond jewelry. Diamonds are valued for their sparkle and brilliance. Colored gemstones will have less sparkle than white diamonds. Their value is determined by the vividness, tone, and saturation of their color. Vivid blue diamonds are so rare and expensive that we get less for the money than if we buy white (a/k/a clear) diamonds. I have never been tempted to buy blue diamonds because blue diamonds aren't very budget-friendly, and I don't want to spend a lot of money on faint or tiny blue diamonds! I'd rather compromise by buying a commercial-grade sapphire.

The good news is scientists can make blue diamonds in a lab. Laboratory diamonds are grown in an artificial setting that mimics how diamonds grow naturally below the earth's mantle. Lab-grown diamonds are getting better and more plentiful all the time, which is lowering the prices per carat of all diamonds! 

The color of these blue diamond earrings looks enhanced. You never see such dazzling blue diamonds in jewelry display cases! They did, however, inspire me to write the blog. Wouldn't we love to own real blue diamond earrings just like them? Of course we would!:)💙🔵  

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The last of my Macy's Black Friday gift guides will also discuss whether or not, you should buy lab-grown precious gemstones as jewelry. Regular readers of THE SAVVY SHOPPER already know my answer. Yes! Absolutely and without a doubt, if the price is right. When priced fairly (meaning not inflated) you'll get a lot for your money! 

Lab-grown diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds are as real as natural-grown diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. Lab-grown gemstones are physically, chemically, and optically the same as gemstones that form over billions of years in the earth's mental or crust. 

Natural gemstones are more expensive than lab-grown gemstones and tend to fetch a higher price on the resale market primarily because they are in higher demand by the public, but as lab-grown gemstones gain more acceptance ... and now as more retailers are entering the market plus manufacturing methods are getting better and cheaper, this is changing. In fact, the greater acceptance and availability of quality lab-grown diamonds are already lowering the prices of mined diamonds produced in nature.

Under a loupe gemologists and jewelers can tell the difference between natural-grown and lab-grown gemstones, yet both are genuine, authentic, real gemstones because chemically and optically they are the same. Both mined and lab-grown stones are the same chemical elements transformed into various gemstones by enormous heat and pressure. Gemologists can also determine where on earth natural sapphires, rubies, and emeralds were formed, as there are tell-tell signs informing them of a gemstone's origins, so it makes sense they can also tell when a  gemstone is lab-grown.

I sound like a broken record in saying, never think of jewelry as an investment but only as a luxury good with huge markups, things of beauty we love but do not need. Except for high jewelry (the apex of rarity and perfection of cut, carat, color, and clarity) or the estate jewelry of a celebrity, you'll rarely get what you pay for your pieces on the resale market.

The great benefit of buying lab-grown gemstones is customers can get bigger gemstones with higher color grades and few inclusions for far less money. They cost at least 1/3 less than natural stones. Short of a cartel forming, I predict prices will continue to drop.

Whether buying lab-grown or natural gemstones, we still need to ensure we're getting value for a good stone based on cut, carat, color, and clarity. 

For this reason, I'm a big fan of Macy's for mid-priced jewelry that ordinary people can afford, and I'd be over the moon to have any (or all😍) of the five 14k gold large sapphires, rubies, emeralds, or diamond sparklers featured here today. OMG, I live at the right time when huge gemstones can be grown in a lab! Dear Fairy Godmother, gimme!!!!!

Final thought: Black Friday sales come and go. If you miss this one, wait for another promotion to come around. They'll run all season and several times of the year!

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Aquamarine Is Emerald's Cleaner First Cousin

Queen Elizabeth received her acquamarine taria, earrings, and necklace from the people of Brazil in 1953 and 1957. Later she added more aquamarine pieces to her collection.

On Monday we discussed colored gemstones. Today let's focus on Aquamarine (Be3Al2Si6O18) as it has no or few visible inclusions. As a type 1 gemstone, it is both eye clean and loupe clean, as well as, a relatively hard gemstone, rating a 7.5 - 8 on Moh's Hardness Scale making it strong enough for everyday wear.

Photo: Gemstones (on YouTube) as it was found in nature.

What a difference a cut and polish make. This is the famous Roosevelt  Aquamarine, which President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave to Eleanor Roosevelt.

The teal gemstone is a beryl just like its green (or red) first cousin, an emerald. A few of the key differences between the 2 gemstones are worth noting. They include emerald has many inclusions (internal flaws) and is rare in nature making it expensive while aquamarine is free of inclusions and abundant in nature making it less expensive.  

The Don Padro Aquamarine

March's birthstone, as well as, the state stone of Colorado was named after the waters of the bluish-green sea. The sea beryl gets its depth of color from the amount of iron in the crystal. Darker-hued blues and greenish blues are the most valuable aquamarine gems. Maxine, a rare deep blue aquamarine, has its own special name. Aquamarine is found mainly in granite pegmatites [crystalline granite] but can also form in the veins of metamorphic rocks.

The Hirsh Aquamarine

The soothing teal beryl is mined mainly in Brazil, but it is also found in Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Pakistan, Mozambique, the United States, Australia, Minas Gerais and so many other parts of the world.

What ordinary people might buy, give me! :) 

Perhaps it's fair to say the semi-precious gemstone is underappreciated by the masses, although not by royalty. [BTW: precious and semi-precious are arbitrary classifications of gemstones that jewelers agree should be retired.] 

Queen Elizabeth's Brazillian aquamarine brooch is another piece in the set gifted to her in 1953.

Queen Elizabeth II has a gorgeous set of aquamarine jewelry she wore on many occasions. 

The Kock Aquamarine Kokoshnik replica of the personal jewelry of Empress Alexandra, wife of the last Czar of Russia, Nicolas II. 

Likewise, Czarina Alexandra Romanov of Russia (1872 - 1918) loved the stones so much that Nicolas II often gave them to her. The above tiara is believed to have been made in Germany in 1910 for her by jewelers Robert and Louis Kock, yet there are no photographs that survived the revolution of the Empress wearing it. Its aquamarines and diamonds are set in platinum and gold. The set resides in Japan's Albion Art of Institute.

Photo: Geologyin

Teal is a dreamy, tranquil, versatile color and a popular shade. For jewelry lovers who desire big, clear, flawless, affordable gemstones, you really can't go wrong with aquamarine. You'll get more beryl for the money!

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About The Clarity Of Colored Gemstones

The standard for determining the value of colored gemstones is not the same as for diamonds. A diamond is a single chemical element: carbon, and setting its value is strict and straightforward, namely defined by the 4 "c"s of cut, carat, clarity, and color.

However unlike diamonds, colored gemstones are not a single chemical element, but a combination of elements, as well as, falling into different families of stones. The most important characteristic in determining a colored gemstone's value is not clarity but color.

While clarity is a consideration in evaluating the value of colored gemstones, it is a less important factor than it is for diamonds. In other words, inclusions (or internal flaws) are expected and more accepted in colored gemstones, as opposed to, diamonds.

What's more certain families (a/k/a categories or types) of colored gemstones have more inclusions than others.

The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) doesn't rate colored gemstones like they do diamonds, nevertheless, they have created a system for classifying colored gemstones into 3 types based on clarity, i.e., their inclination or natural tendency to have internal flaws. Let's discuss them!

Type 1 are gemstones forming under the mildest geologic events and are found free of inclusions. They are eye clean and any inclusions they may have are so minor they are also loupe clean. It would take a powerful scope to detect any inclusions that exist. Type 1 gemstones include tanzanite, aquamarine, morganite, chrysoberyl, heliodor, blue zircon, blue topaz, and smoky quartz.

Type 2 gemstones form under more difficult geologic events and have more inclusions than type 1, but are still eye clean. Corundum (sapphire, ruby), quartz (amethyst, citrine), alexandrite, spinel, peridot, all zircon except blue, and garnet are examples of Type 2 gemstones. Inclusions may be seen with a loupe and are accepted as long as they don't take away from the beauty of the stones.

Type 3 gemstones have formed under the most violent of geologic events, thus they are more prone to cracks, bubbles, and impurities that are visible to the naked eye. Green and red emeralds (also called red beryl or bixbite), and paraiba tourmaline are examples of type 3 gemstones. Despite having more inclusions than sapphires, rubies, or diamonds, emeralds are among the most valuable gemstones on earth. Eye clean emeralds make up only 1% of the planet's supply and are extremely rare. An emerald's inclusions (called Jardins) are caused by trapped gas, liquid, and other minerals during the stone's formation. So common, Jardins are accepted as part of an emerald's identity and uniqueness.

Jewelers sometimes use the following terms to describe the clarity of colored gemstones, mostly when a specimen is heirloom quality and expensive:

Clarity Scale

IF – Internally Flawless
VVS – Very Very Slight Inclusions
VS – Very Slight Inclusions
SI – Slight Inclusions
I – Inclusions
TS – Translucent
O – Opaque 

As color is everything in colored gemstones, experts consider 1) hue - the actual color, 2) tone - lightness to darkness from 1 - 10, and 3) saturation - from brightness to dullness.

Aren't nature's beauties awesome!

(<--Right image from Jewelry Television)

Perfect is rare. Knowing color is the most important characteristic of colored gemstones helps you not miss out on some beautiful stones, and knowing which gemstones have more or fewer inclusions helps you either gravitate to the cleaner type 1 gemstones (above↑) ... or better yet, appreciate jewels in all their glory!

 

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Gemstone Hardness Verses Toughness

Photo: Effy necklace, bracelet, and earrings from Macy's and the ring from Istdibs

When jewelry lovers select gemstones for everyday wear they usually think of diamonds for their hardness, but hardness is only half of the gemstone durability story.

Gemstone durability is a combination of hardness and toughness. Hardness refers to the surface strength of a stone to resist scratching. Harder stones can scratch softer stones. A diamond can scratch a sapphire, ruby, emerald, topaz, and on down the line of Moh's Hardness Scale. Only another diamond can scratch a diamond.

Sotheby's

But while hard, a diamond isn't tough, it's brittle and will chip, crack, or shatter if abused. It's why you should remove your rings while working with your hands. Although diamonds, a 10 on Moh's Hardness Scale is 4 times harder than sapphires, a 9, sapphires are tougher than diamonds, and it takes a greater force to shatter them.

Toughness refers to the inner strength of a gemstone to resist breakage under force or stress. A diamond is brittle due to its perfect cleavage, which is an atomic structure that runs parallel making the bonds between its planes weaker than gemstones with less parallel, or imperfect cleavage. Certain softer gemstones are tougher than diamonds, meaning less brittle and more difficult to break apart with blows or force.

So what's the toughest gemstone? There are picture clues.😏 It's jade. Geologists have a saying, " Jade (rating  6 - 7 in hardness) can't scratch a diamond, but jade can break a diamond."

WEJ

Jade is the national gemstone of Japan and is popular in many Asian cultures. For over 5,000 years jade has been fashioned into tools, sculptures, and jewelry. Originally jade was thought to be one mineral but in 1863, Frenchman Alexis Damour established that jade was in fact, 2 minerals, either jadeite (Na(Al, Fe3+)Si2O6) or nephrite (Ca₂(MgFe₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂). Jadeite is an aluminum-rich pyroxene while nephrite is a magnesium-rich amphibole. To the human eye, however, they are difficult (though not impossible for an expert) to tell apart.

Jadeite (at 6.5 - 7) is slightly harder than nephrite (at 6 - 6.5) and is in greater demand in Asian countries. Not only is Jadeite jade harder, but denser and easier to work with and polish into a shine. Sometimes jewelers dye jade but over time the dye can fade.

Photo: Sotheby's

Burma (now called Myanmar) produces jadeite, the most sought-after type of jade in Asian countries. Jadeite's most valued color is emerald green, but other colors include black, white, red, yellow, blue, purple, pink, grey, brown, and orange. The finest quality jadeite jade is pure green with high transparency and shine called imperial jade. Other prized jade is kingfisher jade — only slightly less intense than imperial jade; apple jade — a vivid yellow-green; and moss-in-snow jade — "translucent white with bright green veining, patches, or spots," according to The Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

Stronger than pearls and diamonds, jade is toughhh... pretty... and much of it affordable. Especially wearable on Christmas, St. Patrick's Day, and in the spring! Alas, I don't own jade. How about you?

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My Favorite Royal Crowns Of Europe

Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire

Today I'm showing my jewelry-loving readers ornate, historical eye candy. My original idea was to feature in detail 10 famous Crowns of western countries, but guess what? In my research, I discovered Matt Baker of UsefulCharts has already compiled them and as usual, his work is excellent. Well, thundering typhoons ... Matt Baker, not only did you beat me by a year, you took away the illusion that my brilliant idea is unique ... the nerve!🙂

So instead, I'll play a game of picking my favorite European royal crowns leaning towards coronation crowns (since many European royal houses have more crowns than we can count). Thanks to Matt Baker's thoroughness, you can watch his video here for the history and details of my 6 favs (plus a few more on his list of 10 famous crowns). As it turns out he did the work for me on this topic!

So here are My 6 Favorite Royal Crowns - I've included not 1, but 2 from the United Kingdom because Queen Elizabeth II uses two. Both have crowned English and British monarchs, and I don't want to break them up. Drum roll, please🥁... here we go:

1) The Crown of Rudolf II, later the Imperial Crown of Austria - Made in 1602 to crown Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, it became the official crown of the newly constituted Austrian Empire in 1804 and today is preserved in the Austrian Imperial Treasury. The crown is pure gold, partially enameled, and scattered with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and pearls. Wow, the Ceylon blue sapphire at the top is stunning!

2) Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire - Here is a side view in addition to the front view at the top👆 of the blog. Thought to be made in 962 AD in Western Germany for the coronation of Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, the crown has 8 hinged 22-carat gold plates of images joined together forming an octagon shape. It has 144 unfaceted stones including sapphires, emeralds, and amethysts, plus pearls. To think that it sat on the head of Charles V on February 24, 1530, along with prior Holy Roman Emperors and we still have it! Nowadays it is kept in the Imperial Treasury in Vienna, Austria.

The Imperial State Crown

3) (a) The Imperial State Crown [of the United Kingdom] - Shown is both the front and back view of the crown, it was selected by Queen Victoria and Edward VII for each of their coronations. Queen Elizabeth II uses the Imperial State Crown to open Parliament. It has 2,901 precious stones, including the familiar Cullinan II diamond, St. Edward's Sapphire, the Stuart Sapphire, and the Black Prince's Ruby (which is really a red spinel).💂

St Edward's Crown

(b) St. Edward's Crown (also part of the UK's crown jewels) - The original crown was made in the 11th century, named after the last Anglo-Saxon English King, Edward the Confessor, and remade for Charles II for his 1661 coronation after the Restoration of the English monarchy in 1660. It's considered the traditional coronation crown of English/British monarchs. George V, George VI, and Elizabeth II used it for their coronations. The heavier of the 2 crowns, it weighs 4.9 pounds and is set with 444 precious and semi-precious gemstones. Oh, a gal who's also a monarch cannot have too many stately crowns, can she?

4) Imperial Crown of Russia - First worn for the coronation of Catherine the Great in 1762 and last worn by Nicholas II in 1896. The crown also sat prominently on a chair when Nicholas opened the Russian Duma in 1906. Thankfully, it survived the Russian Revolution of 1917 and is currently on display at the Kremlin Armory Museum in Moscow, all 2,858 carats (or 4,936 single) diamonds, 75 Indian matte pearls and a 398.72-carat red spinel (once mistaken for a ruby).

5) Crown of Saint Wenceslas - Made in 1347 to use for the coronations of the Kings of Bohemia (modern-day Czechoslavia). Ferdinand V was the last to be crowned wearing it in 1836. The crown is reportedly 22-carat gold. The stones decorating it -- consisting of 19 sapphires, 44 spinels, 30 emeralds, and 1 red elbaite -- are polished and not cut in facets so the crown is old-world vintage, colorful and charming! But a terrible "legend" follows it: "Any usurper who places the crown on his head is doomed to die a violent death within a year." (source: Wikipedia + others) Since I'm a gal just having fun as an admirer, not a usurper, would I be cursed placing it on my head?

I cannot identify all of the above👆 coronation crowns but am happy they survived the centuries of history, and I'd love to visit each and every one of them. If pressured, I could be persuaded to try them on. (No, no I shouldn't ... I couldn't, I shouldn't, please no, no, no ... oh if you insist, alright.👸🏻) How about you? Feel free to name them or reveal your favorites in the comments.

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