Tips
-
Birthstone Guide - Birthstones by Month
Birthstones are gemstones corresponding to one of the 12 months of the year, each with its own unique look, value and beauty. The use of birthstones as amulets and adornments dates back to ancient times when gemstones were believed to hold wondrous cosmological powers and bring good luck and health.
Today gifts featuring birthstones such as birthstone jewelry stills holds significant meaning and value. Birthstone jewelry gifts adorned with a birthstone shows thought and personalization as well as adds a luxurious sparkle to any accessory. Find here your unique birthstone and learn its natural properties and well as its fabled mystical benefits.Why Do Some Months Have Multiple Birthstones?
Traditionally each month is associated with one birthstone but you will find some months have multiple birthstones. This fact does create some confusion but the multiple options for some months was created in order to allow more affordable options in addition to the traditional more expensive stones.
The final attempt to standardize the birthstone system came in October 2002 when December was given a third birthstone option.Birthstones By Month
JANUARY
GarnetFEBRUARY
AmethystMARCH
AquamarineAPRIL
diamondMAY
EmeraldJUNE
AlexandriteJULE
RubyAUGUST
PeridotSEPTEMBER
SapphireOCTOBER
Pink TourmalineNOVEMBER
Yellow TopazDECEMBER
Zircon
Birthstones’ Meaning
JANUARY
Garnet, January’s birthstone, is mined in every color except blue. The most common garnet featured in birthstone jewelry is a dark, deep red that is almost brown. The Garnet is associated with faith, love and constancy and due to such properties is considered a great gift to symbolize friendship and trust.FEBRUARY
Purple Amethyst, the birthstone of February, is variety of quartz that shines a beautiful purple color. This gemstone is said to represent peace, serenity, and royalty. Ancient Greeks were known to wear the amethyst to protect themselves from the effects of drunkenness.MARCH
The name Aquamarine, the March birthstone, comes from the Latin phrase, “water of the sea” due to its mesmerizing bluegreen color. Its colors range from pale to deep blue and is said to be mermaid treasure and was thought to have the powers to keep sailors safe. The aquamarine gemstone is said to represent courage, health and confidence.APRIL
The diamond, the birthstone of April, is the most coveted gemstone. A diamond is the hardest natural substance and is the only gemstone prized for its complete lack of color. While the classic white diamond is most oftenly seen, diamonds can be mined in many colors; yellow and brown being the most common. The rarest and most prized colored diamond is the brilliant blue diamond. The April birthstone, the diamond, due to its brilliance and fire has become the symbol of love.
MAY
Emerald, the May birthstone, is a rich green color that is reminiscent of mother nature and springtime. The most valued Emeralds are mined in Colombia and there deep green color that reflects the jungles in which they are found. Emeralds have become a symbol of rebirth and love.JUNE
The two birthstones of June are Pearl and Alexandrite. The Alexandrite, a spectacular and cherished gemstone, is known as the color change gem as it changes color based on the lighting. Pearls are extremely popular due to its elegant natural beauty. Pearls are formed when an irritant, such as a piece of sand, enters an oyster. The oyster coats the piece of sand over and over to form a pearl and give the pearl its iridescence shimmer.
JULY
The ruby, the birthstone of July, is a majestic red gemstone that is known as the king of gems. Rubies represent health, wisdom and courage. It was once believed that wearing a Ruby gemstone brought good fortune to its owner. The finest rubies are mined in Burma and are the second hardest gemstone, after diamonds.AUGUST
Peridot, the birthstone of August, is a dazzling lime green color. The peridot is one of only a few gemstones that exists in only one to bring prosperity, fertility and healing.
SEPTEMBER
Sapphire, the birthstone of September, is most popular in its varying majestic blue colors. Its name is derived from sappheiros the Greek word for blue. However the, the gemstone sapphire is allochromatic which means it can be found in every color. The Sapphire has come to represent loyalty and trust.OCTOBER
Tourmaline and Opal are the two birthstones of October. Tourmaline is available in a rainbow of beautiful colors but most often comes in a pretty pink. Opal gemstones are truly unique because each opal sparkles with a one of a kind color combination. Each opal gem is individual and unique like no other.
NOVEMBER
November is assigned two unique birthstones, Citrine and Yellow Topaz. Citrine is from the French word citron meaning lemon, named appropriately for its brilliant yellow color. The Citrine is believed to be a healing gemstone and was once believed to be a gift from the sun. November’s alternative birthstone, Topaz, is most desired in its orange Imperial Topaz color. However topaz is mined in a variety of rich colors like blue, pink, and yellow. -
What’s the difference between silver and white gold?
White gold is a mixture of pure yellow gold and other white metals, to give it a brilliant white appearance similar to silver. This is often coated with a metal called Rhodium to strengthen and give it an extra shine and long lasting quality. Sterling Silver, on the other hand, is pure silver that’s mixed with copper to make jewelry and has a shiny white look like white gold. This is a budget-friendly alternative to white gold, although it does need polishing more frequently.
The choice between white gold and silver isn’t as clear cut as it once was. Many buyers today are choosing the beautiful look of silver even when they can afford gold, and others who thought they couldn’t afford gold are choosing the pure, shiny gloss that only white gold can offer.
A lot of people actually wonder what the difference is between silver and white gold. Due to their similar looks, it’s obviously tough to tell the difference between the two materials at first glance. They're so similar, it's possible think they are the same thing, or made of similar materials, when this could not be further from the truth! It’s important to weigh out the pros and cons of white gold vs. silver before deciding between the two.
What’s silver made of?
Silver is a shiny, white precious metal that's often mixed with copper when making jewelry, also known as sterling silver. Mixing pure silver with other materials gives it the strength to ensure it won't be too soft to create beautiful jewelry pieces. Sterling Silver is the least expensive of the white metals. It's usually stamped "925," which means 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals.
What’s white gold made of?
White gold is created by combining pure gold and a white metal such as nickel or palladium, which gives the unique shiny white look to the regular gold. Many people have concerns about whether white gold or silver products contain nickel, since it’s such a common source of sensitivity. Nickel is the main metal people are allergic to, and jewelry that contains this can be very irritating to the skin and cause itchy and painful reactions. It’s important to ensure that if you have sensitivities to nickel, that any piece of jewelry you buy will be nickel-free.
There is a material called Rhodium, which is a precious metal often used for plating white gold jewelry, because of its beautiful finish and sets off the white gold beautifully. The Rhodium plating is a great addition to the white gold; however this finish does wear off over time and require re-plating occasionally.
How to tell the difference between the two:
Silver White Gold Has a very shiny and lustrous finish Has a beautiful mirror-like white shine, from its Rhodium plating Is an affordable and beautiful budget-friendly alternative Is a great choice if you have a higher budget and want a fine quality material Substantially lower price than white gold Considered an investment, since it’s a very high quality and damage-resistant material Tends to be much softer than white gold and can change shape over time Has a more durable, hard finish that’s able to hold more intricate details Silver also shines brightly when new; however this will need to be cleaned more frequently to maintain its lustrous look, because it often tarnishes Stays shiny for a long time, needs re-plating with Rhodium every couple years or so How do I decide on white gold or silver?
One of the biggest differences, when you’re weighing white gold or silver, is clearly the price. Silver is a much cheaper material, and is quite beautiful if you are on a budget and looking for quality elegant sterling silver jewelry. White gold costs $23.86 per gram, while sterling silver costs only $0.59 per gram. So when you’re making the difficult decision between white gold vs. silver, cost is definitely a major deciding factor for most people. But you might be surprised by a beautiful piece of white gold jewelry you absolutely adore. And while it might be a stretch to afford gold, it's definitely worth the higher price tag for white gold to invest in a lasting, beautiful quality piece.
At the end of the day, whether you choose white gold or silver, knowing and considering these different characteristics of these two metals will help you decide which option is going to give you the gorgeous piece of jewelry you’ll be proud to wear and enjoy for a lifetime.
-
What colors go with silver? tips on how to wear your silver jewelry
What colors go with silver? tips on how to wear your silver jewelry
What colors go with silver jewelry?
This is an important question that people aren’t always quite sure how to answer. Why do we even have to choose a color that ‘fits’, surely the simplicity and everyday look of silver makes it easy to wear with anything - but that is not necessarily true. It comes down to a matter of taste and personal style - all of which we’re going to discuss here in order to break down how and with what do you wear your silver jewelry.
What color goes with silver?
Silver usually goes best with black but can also look amazing with white and gray. Officially, these are considered shades and not colors. These shades contrast well with silver, making us aware of its presence with it not being overpowered by color. With black you can wear any piece of silver jewelry and It’ll look fabulous, shining bright against the darkness of the cloth. With grey and white it’s best to go big - statement pieces work really well in how they make a basic, even bland outfit stand strong, bringing a wow factor to your attire. If you’re not looking for a statement piece, another option would be to layer and mix silver and golds.
Silver wears beautifully with dark navy or royal blue - These deep, sultry colors create a stunningly comfortable background for the silver to sit with, this is also true for warm purple or bordeaux/burgundy colors. These all happen to be winter colors too, which is interesting because the silver, kind of, represents the sparkling effect of the winter weather and festivities. A perfect outfit for a cool winter's evening would be a royal blue dress, complemented with a long silver necklace.
The most influential colors that compliment silver are:- Black
- Dark Navy / Royal Blue
- White / Cream
- Burgundy
Designs and styles
If the dress is busy, i.e. has patterns or shapes, then you are better to stick with a shorter, less detailed necklace that complements the outfit but won’t overwhelm it. This being said it is best to stay away from wearing multicolored clothing with silver, as it does not complement it, in fact quite the opposite, it swallows it. For a simple/basic dress, i.e. minor detail or color, then it’s is probably better to wear a long, semi-statement pendant on a chain like a monogram necklace - this will give the outfit more excitement without drowning out the simplicity of the outfit.How to wear Silver in the summer
White is as much a summer color as it is a winter color so you can wear white with silver jewelry, all year round. What we need to know now is what color does not go with silver:
- Stay away from pastel colors such as lilac, light greens and pasty pinks. Silver does not mesh well with them and tends to lose its visibility within a cloud of pale colors.
- Relatively if the color is too bright it can also clash so try to stay away from wearing luminous greens and yellows, they just eat up the silver so that you barely see it.
- Cooler tones that look great with silver jewelry are colors such as a soft peach, ice pink or vanilla yellow – a shade of color that lies between ‘pastels’ and ‘bright’.
Tailored pieces
Customized details of a piece of silver jewelry are important aspects in fitting it to the outfit. First thing to do is decide how you are customizing the necklace. If you’re bejeweling it with stones or crystals you must ensure the colors of the gems stand out. They either must be of color or size. As in, if it is a large, clear diamond, you’re good to go with that, but if you’re adding small stones to a silver pendant then clear or pearl gems just may not be colorful enough for people to notice. You can mix the colors of the gems but only with a very simple, uni-colored outfit. Turquoise and silver jewelry go great with black or basic outfits.
Just be you
What is most important in all of this is that you are comfortable. If you are not style-inclined then use our tips and remember never to overdo it, nor under do it - just ensure you are wearing the right colors to complement your silver jewelry and the right silver jewelry to complement your outfit. -
10 Tested & Proven DIY Methods to Clean Your Silver Jewelry!
There are a number of methods to remove built-up tarnish from your silver jewelry - These 10 DIY techniques are most rated for cleaning silver jewelry:
- Baking Soda & Aluminum Foil
- Lemon & Salt Bath
- Toothpaste
- Coca Cola
- Window Cleaner
- Beer
- Ketchup
- Vinegar
- Vodka
- Laundry Detergent
We all have pieces of jewelry lying around or that we wear everyday but have neglected taking care of it. In order to keep your jewelry in its perfect silver state you must clean it and regularly take care of it. There are special products that you can buy in the store but they can be expensive and sometimes harsh, you may only need this in the toughest of tarnish situations. The best thing about silver is that it can be cleaned up using general household items and products, and we are here to find out which ones work.
After researching this topic we discovered that there were plenty of ideas but not much to prove their efficiency, so we decided to provide true and honest results of all your options.
We have tried and tested 10 different ways in which you can clean your silver using only products that you already have at home. This experiment has been done to help you choose how best to clean your silver jewelry.
First of all you should know…What is tarnish?
Tarnish is a thin layer of corrosion that quickly forms over your silver jewelry, resulting in the formation of a dark coating that is undesirable to look at. Tarnish is basically the dulling of silver that typically occurs as a chemical reaction with hydrogen sulfide or sulfur present in the atmosphere. In most cases, some believe that the tarnish is caused by oxidation but it is not true since silver is not reactive to water or oxygen at average temperatures. Nevertheless, the metal in the alloy such as copper does tend to react with oxygen.
This is why silver is generally stored in air-restricted spaces – although since most jewelry boxes and cabinets are not airtight it still allows for the tarnishing process, just at a slower pace. In addition to the air, your silver jewelry may very well react with you skins alkaline levels. The presence of Sulphur and amino acids that can be found in perspiration can cause discoloration to your skin and jewelry. Cleaning the jewelry regularly helps to avoid this type of discoloration.The Big Test!
We are going to try, test and show you the results of 10 different recommended products, so that we can determine the best DIY method to cleaning silver jewelry at home. Each method will be rated out of 10 on its success PLUS we will be showing you the before and after results. Please bear in mind that we have used the toughest of tarnish situations in this test - So some of them may work better on less problematic situations.
Method #1
Baking Soda and Aluminum Foil
Add boiling water and baking soda to a bowl layered with aluminum foil. Remove after 1-3 minutes, rinse under cool water and rub dry with a soft cloth.
This process causes a chemical reaction that removes tarnish from the silver within second or minutes.Results
You can see the process happening and the dark, discolored piece of jewelry changing back to its original state. It is truly amazing and is by far our best DIY method yet.TESTERS RATING:
10 /10 
Our favorite and most popular DIY method for cleaning silver jewelry is the baking soda and aluminum process. If your silver jewelry turns yellow or black you can reverse the effect by using this very simple method with items you already have at home. In the toughest of tarnish situations this low cost and easy method will clean your jewelry within 30 seconds - 3 minutes (depending on the state of your silver).
We captured the process of cleaning our silver with baking soda and aluminium - so here is the video for you to see for yourself the amazing process and results.
These are the things you will need:- A soup bowl (any vessel of size that you need for the items you are de-tarnishing)
- Aluminum foil
- Boiling water
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda for each cup of water
- Spoon/kitchen tongs
- A dry cleaning cloth
Here is a step by step of how to work this amazing technique:
- Bring the water to a boil – it should be enough water to reach the top of the bowl
- Take your soup bowl/vessel and line it with aluminum foil, shiny side up
- Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda with each cup of water into the bowl and be prepared that the solution will bubble.
- Instantly place the silver jewelry in the dish, it can be one or more pieces as long as it fits in the bowl. Ensure that the jewelry is touching the aluminum foil – this is an essential part of the process for the chemical reaction to occur
- Leave in the solution for 2-5 minutes. If the level of tarnishing is really bad then you can leave it in up to 10 minutes.
- Remove the jewelry with a pair of kitchen tongs or a spoon. Rinse under cool water. You may then shine it with the dry cleaning cloth. Prepare to be amazed!
Method #2
Lemon and Salt Bath
Squeeze a lemon into a bowl with 3 tablespoons of salt and hot water and placed the tarnished bracelet to rest in there for 5 minutes. Remove and rub with soft cloth.
Results
The tarnish was tough to remove using this solution with a regular cloth - It hurt my fingers rubbing. After the experiment with the regular cloth I took a white silver cleaning cloth, which really helped in lifting the tarnish. This would only be efficient if you have a silver cleaning cloth, it is too much effort with a regular cloth and does not bring perfect results.
Method #3
Toothpaste
Take a pea sized amount of toothpaste on a dish and rub into the silver using a dish washing sponge. Rinse in warm water.
Results
The toothpaste removed some of the tarnish but only slightly and not enough to make a fully successful difference. It came off in patches rather than fading the entire piece. Using a toothbrush to try give it some extra friction and get into those more intricate spaces like the links of the bracelet proved a better system in terms of removal, but it scratched the silver so I wouldn’t recommend this method.
Method #4
Coca Cola
Pour some coca cola into a bowl and soak the jewelry in it for 10 minutes - remove and rub with a cloth.
Results
I really expected the coca cola to strip the silver clean but unfortunately the effect was minimal and not worth the time spent.
Method #5
Window Cleaner
Spray the window cleaner onto a soft cloth and rub silver.
Results
The silver is shinier but no color improvement at all. This product is great to use after you have cleaned your jewelry as it gives it a nice shine.
Method #6
Beer
Pour a cup of beer into a bowl and soak the jewelry in there for 5-10 minutes. Remove and rub clean with a cloth.
Results
This method did not provide perfect results but it definitely lifted the shade a touch lighter. I certainly expected more from this considering how many times I have heard it mentioned as a successful silver cleaning method. That being said I could see a difference, just not good enough to wear.
Method #7
Ketchup
Squeeze a small amount of ketchup onto a toothbrush and rub into the silver.
Results
I could see a slight difference but it was not as successful as I had hoped for. Also it is a bit messy and smells unpleasant, just for that I would recommend against it.
Method #8
Vinegar
Soak the jewelry in a bowl of vinegar, then dip the cloth and rub the jewelry with the cloth.
Results
After all that has been said of this method it was not even closely effective as expected. You could see a slight difference but not enough that the jewelry was even wearable.
Method #9
Vodka
Pour a cup of vodka into a bowl and soak the silver jewerly for 5 minutes. Dip a cloth into the vodka, remove jewelry and rub with cloth.
Results
Not as effective as expected but lifted the tarnish slightly on larger area of silver but not much on the chain.
Method #10
Laundry Detergent
Pour one small cup of detergent into a bowl of hot water and place the silver jewelry inside. Leave for 5 minutes, remove and rub with a soft cloth.
Results
The laundry detergent reacts with the water creating a foamy substance a little like how the baking soda reacts, but much foamier. We decided to use the Vanish type of detergent, knowing that it is a popular product and hoping that it would be more effective. It does not remove tough tarnish stains but it does lift the darkness and it cleans any dirt or gunk from the jewelry - plus it smells great!
Prevention of tarnishing
Are you wondering if there is prevention to the cause of tarnishing? Well there are some steps you can take to help avoid the chemical reaction that causes this corrosive layer on your silver jewelry.
- Gently rub a small amount of conditioner into the material and blend with a soft cloth. This polishes the silver and protects it.
- Place some chalk into the box or drawer of where your jewelry is stored. Chalk absorbs the moisture in the air, essentially stalling the Sulphur components from reaching the silver.
- You should make an effort to regularly clean your jewelry – regular cleaning protects it from discoloration.
- Try not to swim in chlorinated pools or clean using bleach or ammonia containing products, while wearing your silver jewelry.
Summary
To summarize, there are two single fantastic methods to cleaning silver jewelry, which are using baking soda with Aluminum foil and the other being a silver cleaning solution such as ‘Silvo’. The products you get from the store are fantastic, producing amazing results, but it should only be used in the toughest of tarnish situations. This type of product usually strips a layer of the silver leaving you with a fresh new surface of silver. Luckily for us we can use our #1 method to clean our jewelry, which is just as successful and less expensive.
After doing this research experiment we have come to the conclusion that a white ‘silver cleaning’ cloth is one of the best instruments that you could have in possession for cleaning your silver products. We did not use this in the experiment as we expect that most people do not have them at home, however after some of the methods were tried and tested, we used the silver cleaning cloth to see if it helped remove the tarnish any further. In some cases it really did make a difference. Even after the best method of the baking soda and aluminum, you can use the silver cleaning cloth to just give it an extra shine.
You can purchase a white ‘Silver Cleaning’ cloth from a silver selling store, cobblers or online stores.* Disclosure
Usually tarnish can take a while to build-up on silver. For this experiment we used pure oxide in order to quickly increase the tarnishing process on the jewelry.