How to Take Care of Your Jewelry

How much have you invested in your jewelry? Actually, it doesn't matter. It's your treasure. That does not mean that you should never wear your jewels. I want you to exercise a little common sense.

Take off your jewelry when doing house cleaning. Prongs can snag on polishing rags and scrubbies as well as laundry. Rings can slide off fingers doing dishes. Many solvents are not good for jewelry. Chlorine bleach dissolves gold. Take off your jewelry when cleaning the bathroom! Because swimming pools also use chlorine to disinfect, take off your jewelry when swimming in a pool, too! I also think it's a good idea not to wear your good to the beach. A few years ago, when in Florida, I witnessed a woman who was body surfing shrieked with horror to discover that her 2-karat diamond solitaire had fallen out! (That marriage got off to a rocky start!)

Many people who have gold jewelry think because it's gold it doesn't tarnish or have to be polished. Well, guess what? It does need cleaning from time to time. And if you have stones set in your gold, it is a very good idea to have your prongs checked on your jewelry. This is especially true if it's your favorite piece, like your engagement ring, which you never take off.(That's why it looks so grotty!)

Besides, it's a major pain in the arse to take the plumbing apart to find your ring. Your husband will not be a happy camper. Chances are, if you have to call in a plumber, he/she will not be thrilled either, even though you pay them.

While diamonds are the hardest gemstone, they do require some care. Diamonds are attracted to grease. That's why your ring gets so "googy" when you fry, never mind the breading! Why not take off your jewelry, when you're in the kitchen? Get one of those cheap glass ring holders that the dollar store in your neighborhood carries? Actually get a few, and keep one by the kitchen sink and one in all the bathrooms.(Your guests will think you're so posh!)

Opals, aquamarines and emeralds are softer, and can chip. Ammonia based cleaning agents will blacken your silver. If you like it shiny, don't give yourself more headaches. Vinegar will dissolve pearls. So, take 'em off when doing housework. Besides, if you have carpet, and you loose a stone and it gets sucked into the vacuum, good luck finding it! (Ask me how I know what a exercise in futility that is)

Platinum can get dinged up. It does not have a high sheen to begin with, so if you're not careful, you will find that your platinum will need to be re-plated.

If you've got stuff in your jewels, carefully, over a towel of contrasting color to the jewelry, use an old toothbrush, with a little paste of baking soda and water, and gently brush. Have a bowl of warm water next to the towel, to dip the ring, and rinse off the crud. You really don't want to stand in front of the sink, and run water over it. Because, if anything is loose, there it goes. Or, worse still, it may slip out of you hand, and down the drain it goes.

And, keep a soft cloth around to wipe off your pearls when you take them off. Skin oil can damage the cord, and dull the luster of the pearls. If you use hairspray, lotions and perfumes, your pearls will get dirty more quickly (duh!). Fill two bowls with tepid water, put a few drops of shampoo in and swish your pearls around. Rinse them in the other bowl of water. Lay pearls out on the a towel to air dry. I don't want you pulling the strand through the towel. If there is a fray in the cord, you could pull it apart. Do take the time to inspect your pearls for signs of wear. Generally speaking, if you wear them a lot, or any strung jewelry, it's a good idea to have them re-strung, periodically.

Invest in a couple expensive polishing cloths. Get two, one for your gold and one for your silver.The reason is that they both get black, but your silver cloth will get blacker quicker, and will make it harder to shine up the gold.

So, don't run the risk of ruining your jewels. Take care of your jewelry and your jewelry will be around a lot longer to make you happy and resplendent.

Fun Facts about the Zőe's

The Zőe Necklace and the Zőe Set are homage to one of my cats: Zőe. A little over six years ago, my friend Katie called me and asked me, as I am a cat lover, if I had room for another. I said “sure”. She said she'd be right over because her friend has two kittens that were going to the pound to be euthanized. When she arrived, Katie had a carrier with the kittens inside. When she opened the door, a tiny kitten, about a quarter of the size of the other cat, climbed over her litter mate, hopped out, raised her front legs like a toddler being asked to be carried. “Her name is Zőe. We think she's a girl. She was born on May2”, was what Katie's friend who was getting rid of the kittens, said. Zőe was purring quite loudly, and kissing me. I said, “I guess she's picked me”. She think jumped down on the floor, and toddled of unsteadily on short little legs in the direction of the kitchen, at the back of the house.. And then they left.

I subsequently learned from my vet that she was barely five weeks old, and not old enough to be away from her mother. He was very annoyed with me. I explained that if I hadn't taken her, she would have been killed. Then he relented. He warned me, that she would have digestive issues, because I had started her on solid food. I told him that I had tried to give her milk, but she didn't seem to care for it. I thought that was strange, as all my cats were dairy cats. He explained that not all cats like or can tolerate dairy, that I should have gotten kitten formula. I didn't know that thee was any such thing. Long story short, we had some occasions where we thought we were going to lose her, because of her digestive issues. But she's a big girl now, twelve pounds! (Who knew she'd grow from less than one pound, to be such a big broad?!)

Zőe is a beautiful taupe and gray tabby, with eyes the color of key lime pie. She is also extremely inquisitive. I have learned NOT to store my crystal beads and rondelles in screw cap containers, and not in small clear plastic baggies, or compartment boxes, because Zőe will chew through the baggies. She is also very clever with her little digits, and can open LOTS of things she should not get into. As a consequence, her middle name is Dexter, from Dexter's Lab, a television cartoon. There was a brief time when we first got her, that were weren't sure if she was a boy or a girl. And my husband wanted to call her Dexter , if he was a he. As a consequence, I have learned that she has a definite preference for ruby red, and iridescent red crystals. She likes the rondelles in gold, rather than silver. In fact, if you offer her something gold over the same in silver, she always goes for the gold. She cries for any red bead she sees me working with.

So, when I noodling around one day in the beads, I got the idea to see what beads I had that were her coloring, or favorite colors. After pulling out some labradorite, and the deep red Moretti Venetian glass beads that had white or yellow 24kt gold foil, and the unusual gray German glass leaf beads, and started to play. I couldn't figure it out at the time, so I put all of the beads into one large plastic bag and set it aside. I often do that. I find some beads that I think look good together. Toss 'em in a bag, and the the beads figure it out.is free

While I was occupied at the table, Zőe managed to get into the vermeil beads. They were in a compartment box, in sealed zip lock bags in each compartment to guard against tarnish. The DLDC (my husbands' nickname for Zőe. It stands for Damned Little Devil Cat). had gotten into the beads and had pulled one of the bags of vermeil beads and was busy chewing a hole it it. Were it not for the fact that she selected the perfect bead, I would have swatted her butt! As it happened, I looked at the fancy beads she had pulled out to play with and realized that they would work perfectly with the gray leaf beads. And the rest is history.

Have a closer look at the Zoe I at http://www.beadbear.com/c0903.shtml, or Zoe II
http://www.beadbear.com/c0904.shtml

Shop at www.beadbear.com safely and securely with Google Checkout. Don't forget, shipping is free while Mercury is in Virgo!

Wear Your Beads in Good Fortune!

Beadbear.com Now Offers Free Shipping

Shop today at www.beadbear.com

Wear Your Beads in Good Fortune!

What Your Jewelry Says About You

Jewelry is all about identity.

After all, we select the piece before buying it. We select the item you are going to wear . We have jewelry that is for everyday. We have items that are for special occasions Some items acknowledge our part in the group, like class rings, or sorority pins. Jewelry can mark event in our lives, within society like wedding rings or anniversary rings, or retirement watches. It 's all about ourselves and how we perceive ourselves, both as unique being, as how we perceive our role in society.

However, we are all not the same in that group. So jewelry is also a form of personal identity, as well as a symbol of status and rank within the group.

When people wear the same mass produced item that is seen everywhere, it says that they do not have the status or that you lack the self confidence to express who you are. It demonstrates a level insecurity, and discomfort within their own skins, trying not to be noticed either for good or ill. Those motivations may be due to income, psychology, or even race. Conformity means denying self A person who only wears what is common announces that they do not have the status to be themselves.

Chains symbolize bondage. Doesn't matter if they're made of iron or gold. That's why I don't use chain in my jewelry

Wearing beads tells a different story about the person.

Traditionally, certain beads have been ascribed to different functions. Evil eye beads are worn for protection from evil and to promote good fortune. The oldest beads were for protection. Before the invention of glass, beads were made from agate, a relatively easy stone to carve and shape. The hole in the center of the bead was just so that it could be strung for wearing. The aperture symbolized the iris, looking out and protecting the wearer.

Other beads have been used for mnemonic purposes, like rosary beads, remembering which prayers or incantations are to be done in what order. Others were used as a means of inventory control, and counting, like an abacus.

So what else do beads mean?

Beads have always been a sign of status. Beads are very labor intensive to make. So they have always been valuable. Gemstones are not easy to acquire. They may have to be mined.. Then the rough has to carved (shaped), and drilled in order to be strung and worn. Over the years, gemstones have different powers attributed to them, and are coveted for reasons of belief, as well as for color preference. And of course, the harder it is to get, and work, the more valuable.

And some colors are more highly prized than others. Traditionally, many cultures revere red beads and stones as symbols of the life force and/or blood. And just for the record, red glass is the most expensive color to make. It requires dissolving gold into the glass! Mercuric oxide can also be used. It produces an orange-red. And is less expensive. However, for that juicy, true red, gold is absolutely needed.

So wearing handcrafted good indicates that you have the power to acquire and wear the products of many peoples' efforts. That indicates a certain level of education, another status symbol. Wearing beads further acknowledges that power in an understated fashion (think iron fist in velvet glove).

And lastly, wearing beads that are hand-knotted into place indicates that the wearer recognizes the value of what the possess and wish to keep it.

So, who are you?

Wear Your Beads in Good Fortune!

www.beadbear.com