Why do White Gold Rings tarnish, or start to look more yellow? Nickel is the added metal , along with silver and zinc, that when added to yellow gold, turn the yellow gold WHITE! Think of PacMan. Nickel is the PacMan larger molecule, that gobbles up the smaller yellow gold molecule, changing the color to that of the larger molecule. White. The degree of whiteness and brightness of the metal Depends on the alloys added to the yellow gold: adding silver and zinc change the properties and appearance of the yellow gold as well. So about that yellowing..... Mass produced jewelry can show signs of many cut corners in the manufacturing process.... alloys are not mixed consistently. Unfortunately, there are some unethical manufacturers who underkarat the metal, producing 12.5 - 13K , not the 14K that is claimed. Then, in order to mask the underkarating, the jewelry is rhodium plated after it has been polished. Rhodium plating puts a micron layer of rhodium , a member of the platinum family, creating a very bright white look. When wearing jewelry every day, the rhodium plating wears off little by little, and this exposes the true color of the metal. Just another reason to have a fine piece of jewelry made by a jeweler whom you know and trust. Michael Nutter Jeweler
From Concept to Finished Jewelry Award Winning Jeweler since 1978 Call Michael for Quality Jewelry Self Adornment, and we’re not talking Tattoos here.....LOL Since the beginning of time for mankind, Women and Men have been moved by the beauty of Gold, and Silver, and the incredibly diverse world of Gemstones. In the early years of civilization, Bone/Ivory strung through a leather cord was the origin of necklaces and bracelets, and other adornments. As time progressed, humans appreciated those colorful stones in the desert landscape. In the Old Testament there is mention of twelve Birthstones - among these were Turquoise, Bloodstone, Amathyst, Garnet and more. Over time, it was discovered that polishing these Gemstones brought out their beauty and luster. Simple Gemstones in the round are Cabochons, Domed shapes with smooth surfaces both round and oval, and polishing these enhanced the Gems’ beauty. They are still popular. Gold and Silver was discovered approximately 2600-2450 BC in Turkey. The metals were maleable and workable, making them wearable as adornments, and very desirable. Over time, Artistry and Technology has allowed great devleopments in the History of Jewelry Design. First and foremost of technology development was the use of HEAT. The creation of a stable and controlled heat source allowed jewelry technicians to begin soldering and fabricating these metals into more sophisticated and comfortable adornments. At the same time, experimenting with different abrasives and polishing materials allowed Gem Cutters to develop a better understanding of how to enhance the Gemstones. And at some point, facets were added to the rough Gemstone to enhance the internal color and structural beauty, reflecting flashes of brilliant colors back to the eye. Adornment, Desire of beauty, and Enjoyment of Earth’s Finery. Jewelry adornment went on to symbolize special events in life: birthdays, anniversaries, weddings. What a journey through time and the intellect . Michael Nutter Jeweler
From Concept to Finished Jewelry Award Winning Jeweler since 1978 Call Michael for Quality Jewelry Are you Knuckles Getting Older? Like Mine? Arthritis can be challenging. To make a ring fit comfortable and stay upright on the finger is a bit of a problem. Usually the knuckle is larger by 1.5 to 2 sizes, than the aft portion of the finger. So in order to get the ring over the kunckle, the ring has to be sized based on the knuckle size. That means that the ring will be loose on the finger. What to do? There are 3 remedies! 1. Double snap TM produces a fantastic product. The ring shank opens much like a bracelet hinge. you place the ring on the back portion of your finger, and SNAP the bottom of the shank closed. It makes a Perfect Fit. It is SPENDY. 2. The ring is sized up to the knuckle size, or a little bigger, and inside the ring, a Spring Ring is fashioned and hard soldered into the inside of the ring. After hardening the metal of the Spring Ring, the gold hardens, and the metal creates a spring! Once the ring is slipped over the knuckle, the spring holds the ring upright on the finger and it is comfortable. I do these quite a bit, and they are reasonably affordable. 3. Inside the ring shank, 2 small round “B -B’s” are installed. This allows the ring to go over the knuckle and takes up some space on the finger. One must be careful when putting on the ring, as not to bruise the knuckle. This option is not as comfortable as the other options. Michael Nutter Jeweler
From Concept to Finished Jewelry Award Winning Jeweler since 1978 Call Michael for Quality Jewelry What Shall I do with My Old Ring Mounting? When I’ve met with clients for a redesign of a ring, I’m often asked what to do with the old ring. I ask the client, is it something that they still enjoy? Most of the time, it is still important to the client..... so I suggest setting a birthstone, or a favorite Gemstone into the mounting. Clients often like Amethysts ,Garnets, and Peridots. These Gemstones are usually very affordable, and a little extra cost for setting the new Gemstone gives that Old Look a LIFT, and is something to be enjoyed for years to come. As long as your old mountings are serviceable , why not keep the GOOD OLD MEMORIES and make some new ones as well? Michael Nutter Jeweler
From Concept to Finished Jewelry Award Winning Jeweler since 1978 Call Michael for Quality Jewelry Madagascar. A small Island off the coast of Africa. An abundantly rich source of Gemstones, many of which are one of a kind specimen types, like the clear crystal Cabochon with heavy iron pigmentation. Some are bright red, some are so dark red they appear to be black. This gemstone can look like a confetti party, inside of a beautiful, optically clear crystaline base. Oregon. Oregon Sunstone is only found in the state of Oregon. It is also a rare and beautiful gemstone. As its namesake suggests, it’s base has a beautiful Gold/Orange color, blending into red. Clear eye clean gemstones are rather special. They are clear, brilliant and pleasing to view to the naked eye, but usually have some inclusions inside, and are very beautiful all the same. Read More about color and clarity in gemstones https://www.gemsociety.org/article/gia-gem-clarity-grading-codes/ Michael Nutter Jeweler
From Concept to Finished Jewelry Award Winning Jeweler since 1978 Call Michael for Quality Jewelry One Very Special Garnet, discovered in the Ural Moutain Range of Russia is Demantoid. Demantoid, in Russian, is Diamond. However, Demantoid is green and brilliant, and has been called the Uralian Emerald. Another green Garnet, Tazvarite, is from Tzavo Africa, and is also very beautiful, having a wide range of the green spectrum. However, the Demantoid is the Princess of Green Garnets. It truly has a diamond like brilliance, and the rarest of these have a horsetail like inclusion, making it a spectacular visual experience. It is Rare, Brilliant and Special. Michael Nutter Jeweler
From Concept to Finished Jewelry Award Winning Jeweler since 1978 Call Michael for Quality Jewelry Looking with my Mother , through her Jewelry Box was a wonderful experience. She was in her last month of life, and needed to know what was, and wasn’t there. I loved Sharing the Memories that the pieces of Jewelry represented:
Michael Nutter Jeweler
From Concept to Finished Jewelry Award Winning Jeweler since 1978 Call Michael for Quality Jewelry At LAST there is an affordable and durable, refractable replacement for Diamonds! At the end of the 19th Century, Henri Moissan discovered a mineral from a fallen meteriorite in Arizona. He took it to his lab, and deconstructed the mineral, and determined that it was silicon carbide. At about the same time, Edward Acheson set about reconstructing silicon carbide in a controlled environment. This brilliant gem is now known as moissanite, whether found naturally or when synthetically created. MOISSANITE. It has the hardness of the diamond, at 9.5-9.9 on the Mohs scale for gemstone durability. It has as much refraction or ability to SPARKLE as a diamond, and if cut properly it can sparkle MORE. The patent on the process expired a few years back, so there are alot of competitors in the arena.....not always a good thing because not every company produces Gem Color Cut and Clarity. However, a fine Moissanite of 1 carat retails for around $600 today, versus $6500 for a 1 carat diamond. As in all things, educate yourself about the differences, and check it out. Your Jeweler will not know the difference between a diamond and moissanite, using a Diamond Meter test, because moissanite appears the same as diamond in this test. However, the specific gravity or weight of the two gemstones is different, the optical character is birefringent (also different), it changes color at 150F, and has different electrical conductivity than diamond. So there are positive ways to differentiate the two gemstones. Consider Moissanite for your Fine Jewelry. Read more about Moissanite: https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/winter-1997-synthetic-moissanite-nassau Michael Nutter Jeweler
From Concept to Finished Jewelry Award Winning Jeweler since 1978 Call Michael for Quality Jewelry Clients often ask me this question: how do I clean my ring and jewelry? So I will offer a couple of pointers. First, if every prong is in good repair, and all your gemstones are tight, then it is safe to clean your ring! You dont want any stones to fall out. For diamonds and other gemstones, NOT for Pearls: Mix 1/2 tsp of vinegar, 1/2 tsp of ammonia and 1/2 tsp of dish detergent together. Then add the cleaning mixture to one quart of warm water. After you have mixed the cleaning and water solution, soak your jewelry in the solution for 30 minutes. After soaking, take a soft toothbrush and gently clean all surfaces. Your gemstones should be clean and brilliant after the soak and brushing. For Pearls: To clean Pearls, use 1/2 tsp dish detergent in 1/2 quart warm water. NO ammonia or vinegar. Clean Pearls using a microfiber cloth, NOT a toothbrush. In general, it is recommended to have your jewelry cleaned by your Jeweler every 6 months or so. This allows for not just cleaning, but also for examination of the gold, assessment of tightness of gemstone fittings, and review of the general condition of your jewelry. At Michael Nutter Jeweler, there is NO CHARGE for cleaning and jewelry checks. Michael Nutter Jeweler
From Concept to Finished Jewelry Award Winning Jeweler since 1978 Call Michael for Quality Jewelry Why are my Diamonds Loose? When you Diamonds are set, they are set one by one, by eye / hand coordination. A bearing is cut into a channel of gold on either side of the channel, to make the tolerance tight. The Diamond is placed into the channel and metal is soldered very carefully over the channel, securing the diamond or gemstone. In a row of gems, the setter snugs the gems into place, carefull not to under or over tighten the gemstones. Since no diamond or gemstone is perfectly round, and since rings are worn throughout the day in a variety of activities, the gems can loosen from their settings. Luckily loose gemstones are easy to fix, and are secure under normal wear. In Pavee, especially MicroPavee, the diamonds are speed set. This is NOT good in my experience when they have been set offshore. Imported rings with MicroPavee usually do not have enough material (gold or platinum) to work with to re tighten the gems. A laser must be used to build or rebuild prong settings in MicroPavee pieces that have this problem. Michael Nutter Jeweler
From Concept to Finished Jewelry Award Winning Jeweler since 1978 Call Michael for Quality Jewelry |