Pearl jewelry needs to be handled differently from other jewelry. For instance, when removing a pearl ring, you should always hold on to the shank (the band) rather than the pearl. Remember to always remove pearl rings when you are preparing food. You should also have pearl necklaces restrung annually, if you wear them frequently. NEVER wear pearl jewelry in a swimming pool. Chlorine and other chemicals are extremely hazardous to the health of pearls.

When you wear your pearl jewelry, it is wise to wipe it down with a soft cloth or chamois (damp or dry) as soon as you take it off, in order to keep perspiration from damaging the surface of the pearls. Although your body oils can help to enhance the lustre and shine of your pearls, perspiration is acidic, and over time, it can cause your pearls to “erode”, and actually change from round to a barrel-shape.

Cleaning Pearl Jewelry

Because pearls are so soft and delicate, when it comes to cleaning, you need to be extra-careful. For instance, you should never use any type of harsh cleaners on pearls, including baking soda, dish liquid, bleach, powdered cleansers (such as Ajax) or cleaners with ammonia. Here are a few more tips for cleaning your pearl jewelry safely:

• Use warm, not hot water to clean pearl jewelry.
• Use only mild soaps, such as Ivory detergent.
• Only use jewelry cleaning solutions that are safe for pearls.
• Never use abrasive pads or brushes to clean pearls. Use a soft cotton  or chamois cloth instead.
• Do not use jewelry cleaning cloths made for gold and silver jewelry, as these contain chemicals that could damage your pearls.
• Do not use an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner for pearls.
• Do not steam clean pearls.
• Do not hang pearl to dry. Instead, lay them flat on a clean, damp cloth. When the cloth is dry, your pearl jewelry should be too.
• Do not wear strung pearls while they are still wet.
• Put on pearl jewelry after applying makeup and hairspray, both of which are extremely harmful to pearls.
• Do not use hand lotion while wearing pearl rings.

Storing Pearl Jewelry

Pearl jewelry should always be stored separately from your other jewelry. Never let your pearls rub against other jewelry items, as the other pieces can scratch the nacre of the pearls. If you don’t have a special drawer in your jewelry box that you can put your pearls in by themselves, they should be placed inside a soft cloth bag. Make sure to store each piece of pearl jewelry separately. If you properly look after your pearl jewelry, you are sure to have pieces that you will treasure for a lifetime.

Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner Dos and Don’ts

Since many gemstones were formed under heat, exposing them to very high temperatures can alter the crystal formation inside the gem, causing permanent damage.  Even when some ultrasonic cleaners claim to be safe for gemstones, it is always better to be safe and clean the gemstone by hand rather than sorry and forever ruin a beautiful piece of jewelry. Here are some general guidelines to follow:

Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner Dos –

- Clean solid gold jewelry

- Clean platinum jewelry

- Can clean silver jewelry, but might not remove all the tarnish (for advice on how to do this, see our article on cleaning silver)

Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner Don’ts –

- Don’t ever use an ultrasonic cleaner for amber, opal, tanzanite, topaz, tourmaline, smokey quartz, rubies, peridot, rose quartz, emerald, chalcedony or aquamarine.

-Don’t ever use an ultrasonic cleaner on gemstones that have been heat treated to bring out their color. Many colored gemstones are treated this way, so it pays to be cautious.

- Try to avoid using an ultrasonic cleaner on sapphires, diamonds, citrine and garnet as well. If the gemstones have any fractures, inclusions or are color treated they can also be damaged, depending on the ultrasonic cleaner you are using.

- One last word of caution when using an ultrasonic cleaner is that although many hard gemstones can safely be cleaned in them, the cleaners have a tendancy to loosen gemstone settings, increasing the chance of your gemstone falling out.

Safe Gemstone Cleaning Tips

With gemstones, the best way to ensure your precious jewels will last a lifetime is to baby them and always clean them by hand. Luckily, hand-cleaning gemstones isn’t particularly hard and does not require any special materials.  All you have to do is create a gentle warm soapy water solution in a cup or bowl. Place the gemstone jewelry inside and allow it to soak for a few minutes to loosen the grime on the jewelry. Finally, take the piece of gemstone jewelry out, rinse out the bowl and refill it with cold water. Swish the piece of jewelry through the cold water to rinse off the suds and gently wipe it dry with a soft cloth – voila! Your piece of gemstone jewelry should look as good as new.

Precious Gemstones vs. Semi Precious Gemstones

Precious gemstones are typically rarer, and therefore more expensive, than semi precious gemstones. Precious gemstones include diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds. Although pearls are technically not considered gemstones since they are formed organically, some consider them to be the equivalent of precious gems, especially when they are quality South Sea or Tahitian pearls.

Semi Precious gemstones are comprised of the remainder of gems, including amethyst, citrine, garnet, topaz, morganite, peridot, opal, jade and coral. These are typically less expensive than precious stones because they are more readily available, although there are definitely exceptions to the rule. Rare versions of semi precious stones, such as Mandarin garnet or a fine specimen of Alexandrite, can cost just as much if not more than a precious stone.  Much of a gemstone’s price depends on size and quality, as well as the distinction of precious versus semi-precious.

General Price Tiers of Gemstones

To give you a general idea of the heirarchy of gemstone pricing, we’ve broken the most common gemstones out into three tiers: Most Expensive, Mid-Range and Affordable:

Most Expensive Gemstones: Diamond, Emerald, Sapphire, Ruby and Tanzanite

Mid-Range Gemstones: Aquamarine, Morganite, Peridot

Affordable Gemstones: Amethyst, Citrine, Garnet, Topaz

Apples of Gold carries a wide range of lovely gemstones in all prices and jewelry styles. If you’re looking for that special piece of gemstone jewelry, be sure to check out our online store.

Tip 1: Take a Step Back to Analyze

The reason a stranger can choose better gifts for our loved ones than we can is because they are able to analyze the person from a clearer perspective. When we know someone intimately, all of our feelings and experiences shared with this person tend to cloud our perspective of what they like. To find some clarity on the gift recipient’s likes and dislikes, take a step back and analyze them from an outsider’s perspective.

Tip 2: Make a List

In the study, strangers were given a list of activities the intended gift recipient enjoys as well as a list of their personality traits. Making such a list can give you a more abstract view of the person you know, and will inevitably allow you to choose the perfect piece of jewelry based on their personality, personal style and hobbies.

Tip 3: Do Some Sleuthing

If your list has not given you enough insight, put on your detective hat and take the investigation one step further with some subtle sleuthing. When strolling about town together, be sure to stop by jewelry store windows and gauge the person’s reaction to the display. What pieces does he or she seem to be drawn towards? Big, bold fashion-forward rings? Dainty, delicate earrings? Simple, modern necklace pendants?  Take notes, and then seek out jewelry pieces that fit his or her taste. You just might be surprised to find that the jewelry she loves is the opposite of what you originally thought!

Once you’ve figured out the right style of jewelry to give your loved one, be sure to check out Apples of Gold’s selection of beautiful and affordably priced pieces, perfect for gifting and meant to last a lifetime.

Freshwater Pearls

Price: $

Rarity: Most common type of pearl

Origin: Freshwater pearls are the most common and affordable pearls due to the way they are grown. The pearls are cultured in different places in the world in freshwater (lakes, rivers and ponds) using mussels. Freshwater pearls are generally mantle-nucleated, meaning that a tiny piece of a mussel shell is inserted into another mussel to begin the pearl-making process in which the nacre is formed around the inserted mantle.

Japanese Akoya Pearl Necklace

Saltwater Pearls: Akoya, South Sea, Tahitian

Akoya Pearls

Price: $$

Rarity: Less common than freshwater, more common than South Sea & Tahitian pearls

Origin: Akoya pearls are the most affordable saltwater pearl. The akoya pearl comes from the akoya oyster and was first harvested in Japan, although now much of the harvesting is done in China as well, with only the large akoya pearls originating in Japan. It is the most affordable saltwater pearl, and has a more impressive luster than freshwater pearls.

South Sea Pearls

Price: $$$

Rarity: Very Rare

Origin: Golden and White South Sea pearls are saltwater pearls that are grown inside oysters between the southern coast of China and the northern coast of Australia. Due to the large size of the South Sea oyster, the resulting pearls are the largest of all saltwater pearls. South Sea pearls are also more expensive because the oyster can only grow one pearl at a time, and takes longer to create the pearl than do Akoya oysters or Freshwater mussels.

Black Tahitian Pearls

Price: $$$

Rarity: Very Rare

Origin: Black Tahitian pearls (as pictured in the necklace at top) are grown solely in French Polynesian salt water, and are considered to be the most beautiful pearls in the world. The oyster that produces the Tahitian pearl is very large – around 10 inches across – and is very delicate, which is why the Tahitian pearls are rare and the price is so high.  Tahitian black pearl jewelry is extremely desirable, although the ‘black’ label is a bit of a misnomer: Tahitian black pearls come in shades ranging from dark green to gray to purple to chocolate.

We hope our guide to pearl types has given you some insight into the pricing and value of the different kinds of pearls available. Apples of Gold proudly carries pearl jewelry to suit any budget and taste, from freshwater and Akoya to the coveted South Sea and Black Tahitian pearls.

How Gemstones Are Graded

As with diamonds, colored gemstones are valued and rated with the 4 C’s: cut, clarity, color and carat.  Once the gemstone has been evaluated on these four criteria, a final grade is given to the gem. The final grade falls on a scale of AAA – D, with AAA being near perfect and D being a poor quality gemstone.

What The Gemstone Grades Mean

A Rating: An A rated gemstone is a good quality gemstone. The gem is well cut, has a good transparency and lets light through, and has few inclusions. For top quality gemstones, there is also an AA and AAA rating. These ratings are reserved for exceptional gems, especially with precious stones like rubies, emeralds and sapphires. Semi-precious stones such as amethyst and garnet seem to pass more easily with a AA rating.

B Rating: B rated gemstones have minor to light inclusions, and the color of the stone isn’t the optimal color. The stone is still transparent, however, and many B quality stones are still used for smaller gemstones in jewelry.

C Rating: C rated gemstones have visible inclusions, as well as portions that are not entirely transparent.  The translucency does not allow as much light to pass through, which makes these stones less sparkly and more flat (dull) to the eye. C rated gemstones are rarely used in larger sizes, and are sometimes used as chip stones in pave and micro pave sizes.

D Rating: D rated gemstones are heavily included, obviously translucent and allow minimal light through. D rated gemstones are suitable for use as cabochons or rock-like pieces, but do not have a high value. 

Gemstone Rating Tips to Keep In Mind

Unlike a specific grading report where a gemstone is evaluated clearly on each of the 4 C’s, a gemstone’s grade is somewhat open to interpretation and can be fuzzy. Gemstone grades can be particularly confusing to the untrained eye of a consumer, and some unscrupulous jewelers take advantage of this fact by inflating the grading on their colored gemstones.

When in doubt, or when buying a very expensive gemstone, ask for the full grading report that has detailed information on the 4 C’s to evaluate the gemstone’s worth. For most gemstone purchases however, if the color is the hue what you want and the ring looks beautiful and sparkly to the eye, it is probably a good quality gem.

Check out our lovely selection of gorgeous, high quality gemstone jewelry at Apples of Gold.

When To Take It Off

Our favorite jewelry pieces are often the ones that have the shortest lives due to constant wear. Though it’s tempting to wear your pretty gemstone jewelry everywhere, avoiding these conditions will vastly prolong their life:

The Beach: Sweat, sunscreen and sand are a bad combination of elements for a gemstone. Porous stones like opal, pearls and turquoise can become permanently discolored from excess oils or sweat, and the abrasive texture of sand can wreak havoc on the smooth polish of many gemstones.

Chores: Housework, washing dishes and doing the laundry exposes your gemstones to a number of harsh chemicals that can alter their beauty.

Swimming: The chemicals that purify pool water are just as bad for your gemstone jewelry as household cleaners.

Getting Ready: Perfume, hairspray, lotion and even shampoo and conditioner have the potential to ruin gemstones over time. Make a habit of putting your jewelry on after you are completely ready, and you’ll never have to worry.

Working Out: Jewelry has little place in a gym anyway, but it’s worth mentioning that the sweat, grime and potential for impact during a workout is bad for gemstones, especially the softer ones.

When To Clean It

If you follow the guidelines above, hopefully your gemstone jewelry will stay fairly clean on its own. Gemstones should not be cleaned on a daily basis, as overcleaning can eventually dull the polish on softer gems. After a long period of constant wear, however, you should still clean your gemstones to keep them looking shiny and new. Here’s how to do it right:

Avoid Using Toothbrushes: Most gemstones are delicate; not nearly as hard or durable as a diamond. Diamonds, rubies and sapphires are the hardest gemstones, but even they should be treated gently during cleaning. Avoid using a toothbrush to scrub a gemstone, since the bristles can abrade the gem’s surface with tiny scratches. Over time this will cause them to lose their luster and sparkle.

Avoid Soaking Porous Stones: Pearls, opal and turquoise should not be soaked in water since these gemstones are porous and will soak up the water they are placed in. To clean porous stones, gently wipe them with a damp, clean cloth.

For Nonporous Stones, Be Careful of Cleaning Pastes: There are many cleaning pastes and creams out there, but harsh pastes can scratch soft gemstones. Always read the label on the cleaning paste or cream carefully, and when in doubt simply use a soft cloth.

Soak Dirty Gemstones Instead of Scrubbing: If you wore your emerald ring to the beach on accident, you might come home to find it covered in sand, dust and sunscreen. When a simple damp cloth won’t do the trick, mix a mild solution of gentle dish soap and water in a bowl and place the gemstone jewelry inside to soak. A few minutes inside the solution will loosen up the grime, as will moving the item back and forth while in the water. This way, you reduce the amount of scrubbing the jewelry is subjected to, prolonging its sparkle.

Avoid Ultrasound Jewelry Cleaning Machines: These machines can do a lot of damage to gemstones, and should be avoided at all costs. Though the hard gemstones are likely to fare well, the majority will not – and it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially with expensive jewelry.

If you’re in the market for a beautiful piece of gemstone jewelry, check out our expansive selection at Apples of Gold.

Proper Storage of Platinum Jewelry

Platinum, though a strong metal, can still be scratched by other items in your jewelry box. As such, your platinum jewelry should be kept away from other jewelry with gemstones, especially diamonds. Over time, platinum jewelry kept with other hard items will gather small scratches and dents in the surface that affect the luster and wear off the high shine polish of the metal.

Store your platinum properly in individual soft chamois bags, or in their own space in a suede or soft fabric-lined jewelry box. This will keep the metal shiny and lustrous for years to come.  

Cleaning Platinum Jewelry

Platinum jewelry can be cleaned with the same jewelry cleaners used for gold. Or, simply mix a mild soap and water solution, and allow the platinum jewelry to soak in the solution for ten minutes. Then, rinse off the solution thoroughly with warm water (not over a sink, or with the drain completely plugged) and polish gently with a soft cloth. Platinum can be cleaned once per week for items that are worn frequently. Remember to always remove your platinum jewelry before doing housework or cleaning in order to keep the metal looking newer, longer.

Polishing Platinum Jewelry

Though platinum will never dull, oxidize or change colors, owners of platinum jewelry will note that over time the platinum seems to “dull” and appears to be a deeper gray color.  This is actually due to small scratches and dents in the ring that accumulate over time. These scratches wear off the high sheen polish that the metal has when purchased.

In order to restore platinum’s high polish, the jewelry should be taken to a qualified jewelry who works with platinum. He or she can easily polish the item to eliminate the scratches and dents, restoring the platinum piece of jewelry to a nearly new condition.

In many families or groups of friends, important jewelry traditions are established. Jewelry traditions are a beautiful, lasting way to make meaningful connections with loved ones. If you don’t have a jewelry tradition yet, or want fresh ideas on how to incorporate another jewelry tradition into your life, we have a list of simple ways to start and nurture your very own.

Choosing a Jewelry Tradition

A jewelry tradition can be started for any number of things, but usually runs parallel to important life events. For example, a family might gift each of their daughters with a pair of pearl or diamond stud earrings when she turns eighteen, either as a graduation present or a congratulatory gift for being accepted into the college of her choice. Or, for a girl’s thirteenth birthday, her parents might allow her to get her ears pierced and treat her to a pair of stud earrings set with her birthstone. Here are some ideas for jewelry traditions to consider:

Family Jewelry Traditions

• Passing down a piece of jewelry that has been in the family for the daughter to wear in her wedding.

• Starting a necklace with charms that represent each child, given after the first is born.

• Giving a Star of David necklace to each son as his Bar Mitzvah gift.

• Buying each grandchild a gold cross for their communion or confirmation.

• Passing down heirloom diamond rings from previous generations for the son or daughter to use as an engagement ring.

• Every birthday, in lieu of a pile of presents, choose one meaningful piece of jewelry that your son or daughter can keep forever.

Friend Jewelry Traditions

• A group of girlfriends can pool their funds and buy each friend in the group a cocktail ring for her 21st birthday.

• Friends who can give expectant mothers an engravable necklace that can be personalized with the name of the baby once he or she is born.

How To Keep the Tradition Alive

To ensure that the tradition continues to perpetuate, it’s important that the jewelry gift and the reason behind the tradition is thoroughly explained.  Writing down the meaning behind the gift in a keepsake card is a wonderful way to preserve the depth behind the gesture, and can be passed down to future generations along with the gift. Finally, make sure to explain that your wish is for the tradition you’ve started to be continued in the family (or group of friends). By following these steps, you can begin a beautiful tradition that lives on long after you are gone; keeping the love and your memory alive.

You finally landed the perfect ring. Now what?

Once you’ve found the perfect pair of earrings, have been given a gorgeous gold cross, or snagged your dream engagement ring, it’s time to start taking good care of them. Regular cleaning and polishing is a must, but properly storing jewelry is just as important. It is likely that your most treasured pieces will spend much more time in storage than they will being worn, which is why storing jewelry in the best possible way can make a significant impact on the lifespan of your items. In particular, there are a few jewelry items that require extra attention when storing to keep them looking as beautiful as the day they were purchased, including pearls, gold, silver, and gemstone jewelry.

How to Store Pearl Jewelry

Pearl jewelry in particular is very delicate and requires proper storage. Always store pearls in a soft, non-abrasive environment. This can include anything from a Chinese silk pouch to the soft suede lining of a jewelry box. Keep in mind that pearls should not be stored with other jewelry since the soft surface of the pearl can be easily scratched and damaged. All it takes is a few too many rubs against your diamond earrings to permanently ruin the smooth, lacquered surface of your favorite pearls.

Also, though storing necklaces by hanging them is a common method to prevent tangling, pearl necklaces should always be stored flat. Since they are strung together with delicate fabric threads, hanging pearl necklaces can stretch them out. The only way to fix a stretched out pearl necklace is to have it restrung, which can be costly depending on the intricacy of the design.

How to Store Yellow, White and Rose Gold Jewelry

Gold, though less delicate than pearls, can also be dented or scratched. One of the most common ways that gold jewelry loses its smooth finish is by being jostled around in a jewelry bag with harder metals and gemstones. For this reason, it is extremely important to never store gold jewelry in the same bag as gemstones – especially if the bag is going to be moved around frequently (traveling, looking for jewelry, etc.).

Gold jewelry is best stored in a stationary jewelry box in its own compartment. This prevents gold from being scratched by gemstones, and also conveniently keeps jewelry perfectly organized. The easier your items are found, the more you will wear them.

How To Store Silver Jewelry

If you haven’t already, check out our previous article about the proper care and cleaning of silver jewelry.  The proper storage of sterling silver requires an airtight container that minimizes the amount of oxygen exposed to the jewelry. Oxygen causes sterling silver jewelry to quickly tarnish, though special cloths can be purchased that absorb and minimize oxygen to reduce the incidence of tarnish. Like gold, sterling silver should also be stored separately from gemstone jewelry to prevent unwanted scratches and nicks.

How to Store Gemstone Jewelry

One of the most important rules in storing gemstone jewelry is to keep it well away from the rest of your jewelry. Gemstones are much harder than most precious metals, and have sharp edges that easily nick and scratch the surface of other jewelry. In general, each piece of gemstone jewelry should be store separately – not in a separate box, but so the piece is not touching another piece of jewelry. The soft ring holder sections of jewelry boxes are ideal for this task, since they can hold rings and earrings upright, away from other pieces – protecting all your precious gems.