Blog

How to care for your jewellery

Jewellery wears with age so it is a very good idea to check them yourself on a regular basis. For example, if you wear a ring every day then with a knock the claws can be moved out of place and the stone not held securely. If a gemstone is scratched it can be repolished....
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How to clean gemstone jewellery

Here is an easy way to clean your jewellery that is set with gemstones. You need 2 things: A jar big enough to fit the piece, and an old toothbrush. Here’s what you do…

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How are White and Rose Gold created?

Pure (fine) gold is 24 ct in weight. There are also 22ct, 18ct 14ct and 9ct golds. 22ct is mostly seen in India, Asia and the Middle East and is very yellow in colour. 14ct Rose Gold was common in antique jewellery that was made over 100 years ago. White Gold is created by adding Nickel, Copper and...
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Can I melt down my old jewellery?

Yes, most certainly!! We often collect items that are not worn anymore for various reasons: one of a pair of earrings, outdated items, unloved items… to name a few! I assess the quality of the items, their age and value. An antique piece of jewellery whilst maybe not to your liking is worth keeping or selling…

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How do pearls form?

The nacre of the pearl is the build up mainly of Calcium Carbonate or Mother of Pearl on the seed that is inserted into the pearl shell. These are called cultured pearls. The seeding of a pearl is a very specialised technique.  Pearls are farmed in Broome, Western Australia and they are from large shells....
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What does 9ct stamped on my jewellery mean?

9ct is a measure of the amount of pure gold used to make the piece of jewellery. Pure (fine) gold is measured as 24ct and represents 100% gold. Pure gold is very soft so is unsuitable for jewellery as it would mark easily, the claws holding gemstones would bend easily as well. 9ct represents 9/24 or 37.5%...
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What does 18ct stamped on my jewellery mean?

18ct is a measure of the amount of pure gold used to make the piece of jewellery. Pure (fine) gold is measured as 24ct and represents 100% gold.  Pure gold is very soft so is unsuitable for jewellery as it would mark easily, the claws holding gemstones would bend easily as well. 18ct represents 18/24 or 75%...
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What does 375 stamped on my jewellery mean?

This is another way of representing the amount of pure gold used to make the piece of jewellery. This is equivalent to 9ct. Pure (fine) gold is measured as 24ct and represents 100% gold. Pure gold is very soft so is unsuitable for jewellery as it would mark easily, the claws holding gemstones would bend easily...
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What does 750 stamped on my jewellery mean?

This is another way of representing the amount of pure gold used to make the piece of jewellery. This is equivalent to 18ct. Pure (fine) gold is measured as 24ct and represents 100% gold. Pure gold is very soft so is unsuitable for jewellery as it would mark easily, the claws holding gemstones would bend easily...
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How often do I need to re-tip the claws on my engagement ring?

On pendants probably never as they don’t have much wear and tear. On rings it is a good idea to check the claws regularly as they can move out of alignment from a knock and may not be holding gemstone securely. Re-tipping is not required usually for at least 10 years.   Use a magnifying glass to...
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