Jewelry Specialty

Green Ring Woes

The affects of oxidation.

You put on your favorite piece of jewelry, let's say a ring. Maybe it's made of silver or just an attractive piece of costume jewelry. It could even be gold. When you twist it off that night you notice something odd. Your finger now spots a ring of green or black where the ring rested.

A common misconception is the discoloration is a sign of an allergic reaction. Allergies don't cause metal to turn your skin green or black. Metal allergies are actually rare, but the most common one is nickel and usually occurs with costume jewelry. An allergic reaction results in redness, sometimes swelling, and burning or itchiness where the jewelry was. You can allergic to a piece that causes skin discoloration, but the two phenomena aren't related.

Skin discoloration occurs when the acids in your skin react to the metal. It happens most often with jewelry containing copper, which includes some costume jewelry and some silver alloys. Some gold plated gold jewelry may contain copper or another metal that causes discoloration. Stainless steel and platinum jewelry are the safest bets if you want a ring that is guaranteed not to discolor skin.

You can prevent your favorite piece of discoloring jewelry from causing green rings, though, so don't toss them! The simplest fix on costume and silver jewelry I have found is to coat it in clear nail polish. The polish requires periodic replacement, but it does give the jewelry a nice shine. I wouldn't attempt this with expensive jewelry though!

Wood Jewelry

Care and Cleaning

Quality metal doesn't have to contain precious stones or expensive metals. Some of my favorite pieces are made predominately of wood. An skilled craftsmen can turn out quality wooden jewelry pieces that rival more traditional jewelry in beauty and worth, in my opinion.

I have a several hand carved wood bangles I purchased while overseas. These traditional bangles are carved with rich yet understated designs. I purchased a wood inlay pendant from a local artisan a few months ago. The wood, called blue pine and featuring a faint blue tinge, is polished until it glows like stone and is set into a silver pendant fitting. The artist brought out the wood grain in such a way that the natural beauty truly shines through.

Wood jewelry shouldn't be exposed to water. Water raises the grain and can cause the wood to rot or discolor. If you must clean it due to grime or soil, use a damp cloth and dry it promptly.

Wood also dulls unless it is sealed in a protective finish. My inlay necklace is finished, so I can wipe it clean without fear of damaging it. My bangles, on the other hand, aren't and instead are only lightly stained. I rub beeswax polish into them on occasion. The polish brings out the luster of the wood and provides some protection. The beeswax also hydrates the wood so bangles don't dry out and crack.

With proper care, these pieces are just as durable and timeless as my more traditional jewelry items.

Recycling Old Jewelry

Make it new again.

Most of us have some jewelry we will likely never wear again. Sometimes it's a ring that is too big, a bracelet that is way out of style with little chance of making a comeback, or a broken necklace that just isn't worth fixing. Settings that have lost their stones also may make up the bulk of this, especially if the stones are too costly to replace or the setting is completely ruined.

There are options that allow us to recycle these old jewelry pieces. If they are made of gold or silver, selling them is always a viable choice. I advise avoiding those mail-in gold buying companies, since you will rarely get the full worth of the piece. If possible, use a local gold buyer whom you visit in person.

For pieces with sentimental value, it may be worth it to get them reworked into something new. A close friend of mine had a collection of broken jewelry from his grandmother. It was all gold with a few precious stones mixed in. When he finally met his future wife, they decided to forgo ring shopping and instead shopped for a jewelry designer that could bring their vision to life.

The stones were extracted and the jewelry melted down. They ended up with an engagement ring, two wedding bands, and the beginning of a future mother's necklace. Grandma's jewelry, which had become to beat up to remain an heirloom, was recycled into true family heirlooms that will be passed down and enjoyed for generations.

Jewelry Storage

Are your precious pieces safe?

I used to keep my jewelry in a simple carved wooden box that once belonged to my grandmother. The box was tiny, unlined and only had a hinged lid. Naturally, chains became tangled, earrings were impossible to find, and pieces were strewn out the sides since they didn't fit inside properly. When A delicate gold chain snapped during an attempt to retrieve it from the mess, I realized I needed to rethink my storage situation.

Gold and silver can develop tarnish if they aren't stored inside a cloth bag. Bags also prevent chains from tangling with other jewelry pieces. For long, delicate chains, insert them into a clean plastic drinking straw then fasten the ends of the chains. No more tangling!

I now use a jewelry box that has little compartments and hooks. I can hang necklaces inside and separate rings and earrings. My jewelry is organized and easy to find. If you don't have a compartment style box, then use the aforementioned bags to keep items separated. Even plastic ziplock style bags are better than leaving items loose to become tangled or lost.

When traveling, pack the items in separate baggies and bring them in your purse or carryon. If you stick the jewelry in your checked luggage you increase the chances of it becoming lost or stolen. If you are bringing expensive jewelry or that with a high sentimental value, keep it on your person at all times or store it in the hotel safe when you aren't in your room.

Silver Jewelry Basics

Although gold is more expensive, I have a special place in my heart for silver. My skin tone looks better with silver, for one. Second, silver is so often the preferred medium in the artisan jewelry I love so dearly. Unfortunately, silver tends to tarnish easily and the more detailed the design, the more nooks and crannies to attract tarnish and dirt.

On its own silver is way too soft to create durable jewelry, so its mixed with other materials such as copper. The finest silver used for jewelry is sterling silver, which contains 92.5 percent silver. This silver bears a stamp somewhere on the piece that says 92.5 or 925. Without the stamp, the piece likely isn't sterling, even if it does contain some silver.

Even with the addition of copper or other strong metals, silver scratches easily. Polish it only with soft, lint-free cloths to avoid etching on the surface of the piece. Store the jewelry in soft cloth bags. These bags not only prevent scratches during storage, they also help prevent tarnish.

If you wear your silver often it likely won't develop a thick coat of black tarnish. The constant rubbing of your skin against the jewelry prevents a thick coat from building up. The silver may develop a darker warm color, or patina. If you like the patina, then leave it be. If you aren't fond of the patina or if the silver just becomes dirty, cleaning may be necessary.

Wash silver in warm, soapy water. Use a polishing cloth or a silver polish to clean the jewelry and remove any tarnish build up. Don't use toothpaste or baking soda to clean silver. These gritty substances can scratch your fine silver pieces.

Caring for Gold Jewelry

The warm glow of real gold provides a stunning look for day or evening wear. While gold doesn't rust, it does become dirty and smudged. While the shine of the gold does depend in part on its quality and finish, you can bring out more of the glow by properly cleaning and caring for the jewelry.

Pieces you wear daily look their best with frequent cleaning, while lesser worn pieces only need a thorough periodic cleaning. Warm water and a mild detergent gets rid of most of the smudges and grime. You can also use a soft-bristled brush if the piece needs a deeper cleaning, but avoid coarse brushes as these can scratch the gold.

To really bring out the shine, gold requires polishing. Use only lint-free jewelry polishing cloths. Rub and buff the jewelry until the warm glow shines through. You can buff cold without a thorough cleaning if it isn't dirty to remove any small smudges.

Store gold jewelry in cloth jewelry bags. This keeps the gold shining between wearings and also prevents your other jewelry from scratching it. If the gold is combines with other metals or has fine stones, you may need to follow the cleaning restrictions on these items so they don't get damaged. Depending on the stones and metals, you may be able to use a jewelry cleaner dip to get the dirt out of engravings and from between the settings.

When you clean jewelry, always check for damaged settings or loose stones so you can get it fixed immediately. Professional jewelers can also replace missing stones, fix small scratches and resize the piece so it fits you better.

Artisan Jewelry

Selecting fine jewelry from small designers.

The recent rise in manufactured “fine jewelry” at craft and art shows is sad indeed. Cookie Lee is just one example that has taken over the show circuit in my area. This jewelry touts itself as fashionable designer jewelry at a good price, but it is little more than cheap costume jewelry in my mind. It has no place in a venue that should feature handcrafted designs by skilled artisans.

When shopping the show circuit, there are a few things to look for to ensure you are getting the real deal and not cheap, mass-manufactured goods. In the process you will meet interesting people and end up with a one-of-a-kind piece you can be proud to wear or give.

Survey the Display

A true artist usually has a creative display for their pieces. You will also notice that no two pieces are exactly alike. If everything looks like it was set up for a home party or there are lots of exact duplicates, chances are you have stumbled onto a mass-manufacturer or reseller trying to blend into the handmade scene.

Examine the Jewelry

A “made in China” stamp is a sure give away that this isn't artisan jewelry. The use of cheap metals, fake gemstones and pour soldering joints is another tip off. True artist take pride in their pieces and the jewelry is usually made of fine metal. The stones, while they may not be precious, aren't made of plastic. They may use glass in their pieces, but the setting is immaculately crafted.

Talk to the Artist

Nearly all jewelry artists love to share about their craft. Ask plenty of questions and get to know the designer. If a piece draws your eye, ask the artist about their inspiration. The story of what lead to the design may be worth more to you than the jewelry piece alone.

Order Custom Jewelry

A reseller can only sell what is provided to them, but many artisan jewelers love to take on custom orders. If you like the artist's designs but want something just a bit different, talk to the artist about creating a custom piece. Most artists love to create something special for their clients.

Timeless Timepieces

Watches Make a Classic Gift

Watches supply me with a go-to gift for high school and college graduates, but they are also a suitable choice for anniversaries, birthdays and holiday gift gifting. A watch is also a traditional retirement gift in many companies. The style and type of watch I choose depends on the recipient as much as on my own budget constraints.

Everyday Watches

Everyday watches that make the transition from casual daytime to evenings out are suitable for most gifting purposes. I prefer classic designs with metal link bands and analog readouts. You can go simple or select a timepiece with date features or decorative gems or rhinestones around the dial or demarcating the hours. These watches are made to last a lifetime, but they do usually require a jeweler or watch shop to adjust the bands and change batteries.

Sport Watches

If you have an athlete on your list, there is likely a watch available that has tools to help them improve their game. Watches for runners may feature pedometers or stop watch capabilities. Dive watches track everything from water depth to time spent underwater while also providing water resistance. There are even flight watches available if you have a pilot or hang glider on your gift list.

Fashion Watches

I usually only purchase these for children and young women, since they are more likely to appreciate the fleeting style of a fashion watch. These may feature cartoon characters for children, usually with a digital readout. Fashion watches are not always high quality but they are suitable for an inexpensive gift. Those for women are usually adorned with rhinestones and interesting band and dial designs that aren't found in the more classic timepieces.

Plastic Jewels and Wearable Candy

Exploring the art of resin.

One of my first careers was as a jewelry designer and artist. I marketed my designs all over the world and experienced a modicum of success. While I sometimes worked in precious metals, one of my favorite and most popular mediums was epoxy resin. That's right, plastic.

Resin begins in a liquid form and cures within 48 hours into a hard, clear plastic. It's a great first medium for novice designers and hobbyists because of its easy use, accessibility and versatility. You can use resin on its own or combine it with metal work and gemstones.

Epoxy resin, readily available online and at many craft stores, comes in two bottles – the resin and the hardener. Once combined the liquid begins to set. Special resin molds are available but I experimented quite a bit with my own molds. Everything from silicon ice cube trays to plastic candy forms work well if you use a resin release spray. You can even make your own molds.

You can add resin dyes or acrylic paint to the resin in its liquid form if you want color. I like to leave it clear so I can embed items in the resin before it hardens. Candy sprinkles, paper embellishments (coated thoroughly in decoupage glue), and small stones all work well. Most anything works well, although paper and plant materials need sealed so they don't absorb the resin.

Resin is not perfectly safe. You must wear gloves and work in a ventilated area due to the fumes. It's even better to wear a respirator mask. Once the resin cures, there are no more fumes and your wearable art is safe and durable.