Bracelets are a popular adornment. 
Linked bracelets are a favorite staple in jewelry boxes. Often times, after years of enjoyment, a weak link wears out. When wearing the bracelet, body oils and dirt act as an abrasive, and over time will cut a chanel into the link’s hinge, which can cause it to fail. The Bracelet hopefuly will fall off in your hourse or car, and not in the grocery store!
Most times teh links can be rebuilt. Wen one link fails, the chances are that several links will need to be rebuilt. 
The second issue with links, is the clasp, whether hinged cuff or linked. The tongue can wear, and the closure becomes unsecure. The tongue can be rebuilt with little difficulty. Sometimes it is the box end of the clasp, the part where the tongue inserts into the bracelet. Also, the edges that hold the tongue, can wear down, losing its ability to retain the tongue in a locked position. The box can be rebuilt and returned to returned to a new condition. 
So, wear your bracelets, clean them with your kitchen liquid detergent using a soft brush, then rinse with warm water. And, if you suspect that you have a worn link, take your bracelet to a your local small  jeweler, and not a big box or chain store. Chances are, using your local jeweler for repairs will cost less!
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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

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. 

The Queen of the Gemstone World: The Pearl

A Perfect Genstone. Organically birthed, and grown in the Great Oceans and Waters around the world; there are so many to choose from!
Mississippi River Pearls
Biwa Fresh Water Pearls
South Sea Pearls
Pearls are very diverse. There are many different sizes ranging from 2mm to 16 mm.
A wide range of colors from snow white, cream, light brown, pink, dark brown, golden, black, gray silver are available! Pick the color that is best for your skin complexion. 
This Wonderful Gem can be worn casually or Dressed up for any Formal Event. They will look absolutely beautiful!
Pearls can be crafted in many different jewelry settings!
From Classic Solitaire Pearl Stud Earrings, or an elegant Solitaire Pearl Ring, to the simple strand of pearls. Always in Style!

When I began my career in the field of jewelry design, the ARTWORK of jewelry design was organic and fluid. The textures were amazing, using wood, lava flow, and leaves that reflected the Back To the Earth movement of the 60’s. It was exciting and represented a BIG movement away from the 40’s and 50’s in jewelry design.
In the 40’s and 50’s, design was straight forward with lines of diamonds, center stones, and generally yellow gold. 
Forward to the 70’s , which brought BIG yellow gold jewelry with Wide yellow gold bands and Lots of prongs. 
In the 80’s ring fashion changed and showed lots of Channel set diamonds, freeform designs flowing with smooth movement, accented with small diamonds in channels to compliment the center gemstone. 
And then there was the 90’s. BIG Diamonds, 2 carat center stones were all the rage! These designs were taylored to allow the Centerstone to become Centerstage. 
In the 2000’s, the price of Gold hit an alltime high. The field of jewelry design retooled and redesigned: mountings became light and thin! Micropave and small diamonds embellished almost every surface. Designs used very little gold, and A LOT of small diamonds. 
And then there was CAD
Computer Assisted Design: the technology of the day RULES.
Jewelry designs have become neutered, boooooring and cookie cutter. 
One Halo design looks just like ten others, they all look the same. 
I Believe that the ART and Feel of individually crafted jewelry has almost disappeared. 
My Hope is that Individuality begins to reemerge; That REAL design reclaims true artistry in the Golsdmithing Design Arena. 
Afer all, who is really proud of a Mechanical Technical Manipulation that is sitting on their hand, VS a hand made, hand set collection of Gems, with sublte and beautiful Technique. Unique in design, subtle in its imperfection, with organically generated artistry, NOT a DNA cookie cutter model!
People will make the choice. I hope the human eye and hand will prevail over the CAD and Mechanisation that has taken precedence in the last decade. 

How is a Custom Jeweler different than a Jewelry Store?
A Jeweler makes their inventory and sells DIRECTLY to the public.  Whereas a Jewelry Store , for example in a Big Box Store, or Chain Jewelry stores at the local shopping mall, purchase Jewelry from manufacturers and then resell it to the public. The pitfalls associated with buying from Big Box or Chain Jewelry stores are many.
I see this often when new clients bring their jewelry disappointments in to me, asking for help! What are the pitfalls?
First, the QUALITY is not up to my standard. Second, you will pay a higher price because of the middlemen involved and merchandise markup. Thirdly, your choice of Creative Innovative Jewelry is Limited. You might notice how jewelry at Big Box Stores and Chain Jewelry stores all looks the same, like cookie cutter jewelry. 
You owe it to yourself to seek out your Custom Jeweler for the jewelry that is right for you . 
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Autumn is here. It is a time to celebrate the seasons, the coolness of the evenings and the colorful changes in the landscape. 
Gemstones celebrate the seasons in a similar way. Bright, vibrant, sparkling and crisp! It’s time to let your jewelry take those autumn hues. Think about all those vibrant lustrous colors that can accent you this season. Literally, the sky is the limit. 

We all have pieces that we dont wear often. Sometimes our jewelry gets dated, or we just want something different.  Michael is great at giving your gemstones, settings and mountings a refreshed new look. Add a gemstone or two to your occasional piece, and WOW suddenly it’s your favorite jewelry. 
Michael loves to do that. Make you say WOW!

Colored gemstones are a favorite for Michael. Come in, let him chat with you about something new, something different, something exciting!
​And he always works in your budget. 

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