Aquarmarine Gemstones-Chinese Blue

Sterling Canyon reports on a China which is a world supplier of purple Aquamarine.  With so many men buying jewelry this Christmas season for their hunnies, its only fair to provide a little advice.  Seems that many gemstones and particularly purple Amethyst are mined in China.  Most items we buy comes from either China or Japan.  However it seems that the Chinese prefer to mine their gemstones a little different than what Sterling Canyon and other fine jewelers are used to. The Chinese blast the gems out of the ground rather than dig them out. Now the Chinese are upset because their brand of Amethyst is inferior or low grade compared to the minimum world standard of medium grade. A medium grade Amethyst has a rich light purple tone.  The Amethyst pictured above is a high grade Amethyst stone.  Notice the deep rich color. Chinese Amethyst is pale light purple, perhaps similar to their polluted Beijing sky. The blasting of the gems also cracks the gems, creating fissures that can be seen with a magnifying glass. Sorry folks but those occlusions won’t do. When shopping for gemstone jewelry at your favorite Walmart, borrow the jewelers loop or magnifying glass. After you view the cracks in the gemstone, leave and shop at a legitimate jeweler. Look closely before you buy.

Autumn Gem’s Colors Shine

The colors of the season are here, and as Sterling Canyon reported several weeks ago, Pantone has selected these tones as the Fall fashion colors.  These colors are what the fashion world will be using as a guide well into Spring 2012, everything from shoes to hats, including jewelry.  A simple guide for you in the world of jewelry:

Lemon Quartz earrings designed by Baroni reflects Pantone’s bamboo.

 

Sterling Silver and Rose Gold earrings. Reflects Pantone’s Honeysuckle.

 

 

Ruby and pink enamel post earrings.  Illustrating Pantone’s Phlox.

 

Blue Apatite necklace illustrates                   Pantone’s deep teal.   

 

 

Smokey brown quartz necklace                    designed for Thistle and Bee.  Reflects                    Pantone’s coffee liqueor.

Shop Sterling Canyon for these and other terrific selections to be sure and stick with these Fall tones and you’ll remain at the top of the fashion world.

 

Emerald elephants raise funds for wildlife

One of Sterling Canyon’s commitments is to the environment.  Enjoy this article from our friends at National Jeweler:

Mumbai–India’s “Emeralds for Elephants” exhibition drew to a close with an auction here, the collection raising a total of $750,000 with $150,000 going to the World Land Trust and Wildlife Trust of India’s conservation projects.

World Land Trust and Wildlife Trust of India work together to create a network of wildlife corridors that allow elephants to follow their migratory routes while minimizing human-elephant conflict. Gemfields brings ethically mined Zambian emeralds to market, and jewelers used those emeralds their designs to form the Emeralds for Elephants collection.

Anna Haber, director of global marketing at Gemfields, attends the Emeralds for Elephants event.

Ian Harebottle, CEO of Gemfields, says he was thrilled with the results of the auction, notably because it is the first time a sale of this kind has been held in India.

“We are proud to play a small part in being able to raise critical funds for the World Land Trust’s Indian Elephant Corridor project and look forward to continuing our work together to ensure the survival of natural habitats,” he said.

The auction was attended by World Land Trust patron David Gower, as well as numerous celebrities from India, including Madhuri Dixit (below), Bollywood actress and ambassador for Emeralds for Elephants.

“This collaboration demonstrates that everyone has something to give, and I believe that we all need to give something back to the natural world we share with these animals,” Dixit said.

A Lesson in Black Diamonds

Sterling Canyon wants you to walk into your favorite department store and proceed to the jewelry counter.  Check out the black diamond collection.  Beautiful aren’t they? And expensive too.  Look closely and you’ll be surprised.  There are several ways to make a white or clear diamond black.  In the old days, an inferior white diamond would be placed in a setting like in a ring.  Behind the diamond would be placed a small piece of foil.  This would cause the light entering the diamond to bounce around and not exit the crystal properly, giving the black appearance.  You’ll find this trick in antique jewelry and possibly in cheap chinese-made jewelry.

The more modern method is to radiate the stone.  The crystal is bombarded with neutrons, turning the stone a dark green which appears black.  Look at the stone with a jewelers glass.  If the stone is green on the edges, it’s been irradiated.  A natural black diamond will be black through and through. The nice thing about irradiation is that the color is permanant.  The bad thing about irradiated stones is that they are a poor quality diamond that is over-priced.  Sterling Canyon doesn’t want to see you make a fatal high priced mistake.  If you want a black diamond look, go with artificial.  Or pay for the real thing.  Your bank account will be happy either way.

 

Learn to Wear Your Jewelry

Sterling Canyon wants to let you know that wearing jewelry properly is not common sense fashion.  You don’t have to be ashamed to not know what and what not to wear.  Our friends at Glamour have put together a few tips in wearing bracelets, necklaces and earrings right without the fear of embarrasment.  Follow these tips and you’ll be smiling all the way through the day.

1.  Wear bracelets that fit your body.  Don’t wear long bracelets if you have a short body.  And don’t wear big and bulky if you have a tiny frame.  The bracelet should be in proportion to your overall body.

2.  Earrings.  Great looking hoops are wonderful with a pony tail or combed back hair.  One no-no is to wear big hoops if you have curly hair.  The Sade look is high fashion and works well. If in doubt, give her a call.

3.  Big and chunky is ok.  When it comes to bracelets or necklaces, be bold and classy at the same time. Just one thin to remember.  Don’t combine chunky necklaces with metal or spikes built into the clothing.  Unless you want to look like a biker chick.  The jewelry and the clothing will compete with each other and that expensive necklace will be null and void.  Sterling Canyon offers more tips and special offers to our Facebook fans.  Be a fan of Sterling Canyon Summer Cafe today!

 

DeBeers into Synthetic Diamonds?

Sterling Canyon has learned that DeBeers‘ synthetic diamond arm, Element Six has opened an office in Silicon Valley.  So what you say?  DeBeers, the world famous diamond dealer, is increasing the reach of Element Six, into new applications using synthetic diamond or other supermaterials.  By the way, the sixth element on the periodic table is carbon.  Diamonds are pure carbon.

The report did not mention whether Element Six was planning in the future or delved into it in the past of developing synthetic diamonds.  DeBeers has staunchly denied such accusations.  However, some points need to be examined here.

Diamonds, synthetic and real laboratory diamonds have been manufactured for years.  There is nothing unusual about that.  Laboratory created diamonds are used in industrial applications like saw blades.  What if Element Six has developed a process to make large diamonds, large ones like that pictured.  And what if Element Six has developed a process to create a diamond in a short amount of time like hours. They would be made much cheaper than the cost of mining them in Africa.  Creating low cost synthetic diamonds made of pure carbon and selling them at a price equivalent to the naturally formed ones would be a profit coup for DeBeers.  The ignorant retail customer wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.  Whereas synthetic diamonds like Cubic Zirconium are easily detected.  This is pure speculation of course.  But the rumors have persisted and will continue as long as DeBeers has any relation with Element Six.

A Christmas Nightmare with Cheap Silver Jewelry

Sterling Canyon reports that Christmas is just around the corner.  Lest I tell you about the jewelry pratfalls that happen every year when presenting a lovely gift to your wife? The scene unfolds like this:  “I love you dear.”  You give her the box.  She smiles, then quickly opens it.  Inside is a beautiful Tanzanite bracelet.  The one she has always wanted.  She reaches over to give you a big kiss.  “Oh, what was that?”  A Tansanite gemstone is sitting on the floor.  The bracelet setting is empty.  What a nightmare! Too many unsuspecting husbands fall for this while shopping at the big box department store.  The Gemological Institutes of America is warning people again to be careful this holiday season. Don’t be a sucker for bright colors and low prices. You get what you pay for.  A Tanzanite bracelet for $69 will be no doubt fake. Using colored glue in the setting darkens the stone and makes it look more valuable than it actually is.  Sterling Canyon offers the finest in gemstone jewelry. And no colored glue. Guaranteed.

Ruby Necklace for Christmas? Be Informed.

 

Sterling Canyon wants to follow-up on our report from last year  regarding rogue Rubies being marketed by certain department stores like Macy’s.  The large Rubies found in necklaces and earrings are the ones in question. Selling gemstones without offering full disclosure can be tricky to say the least.  Now the FTC with a partnership with The American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) and GemResearch Swisslab (GRS) have come up with a standard for listing and reporting ‘composite Rubies’.  As reported by National Jeweler, composite rubies are those that besides having been heat treated, have been infused with lead or other metal to hide defects.  As the above photos show, the differences are obvious.

As of Oct. 3, AGL reports for lead-glass treated ruby/corundum will state:
“Identification: Composite ruby
Comments: This stone is a composite of natural ruby and a high lead content glass. Also known as Hybrid Ruby.*
* See Enhancements section of the AGL report for additional comments related to the durability and special care of this product.”

GRS reports will state:
“Identification: Synthetic Glass/Treated Ruby (GRS-type “Hybrid Ruby)*
*Comment: Heat-treated and filled with colored foreign solid substance (including lead). Special care required when handling. Also known as Composite Ruby.”

It’s ok to ask for a disclosure.  If the gemstone is large enough, it may be important.  A jeweler can also make the determination.

Official Jewelry and Fashion Colors for Fall 2011

Sterling Canyon reports on the new Fall 2011 colors for women’s fashions, including jewelry as chosen by Pantone.  The world’s fashion designers look to Pantone to determine which colors are best suited for their designs and combinations. Sterling Silver jewelry complements every color of clothing.  However, these new colors can also be found within the jewelry like teal or Turquoise necklaces, coffee liquor or Smoky Quartz earrings and necklaces, and bamboo or Citrine necklaces.  The fun abounds mixing and matching colors while using Pantone’s choices as a base.  Here are the selections as described by Pantone:

 

sketch by Peter Som

texture, contrast and color for fall 2011 – pairing menswear with feminine twists, warm prints with cool metals, incorporating both old and new influences, and creating an intriguing balance between colors.

“Designers take a painterly approach to fall 2011 by artfully combining bright colors with staple neutrals, reminiscent of how an artist would construct a stunning work of art,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute^®. “Much like a painter’s masterpiece, there is a certain romance to this season’s palette.”

Bamboo, a surprising fall hue, brings a warm, exotic flavor to the season. Like a filtered sunset on the waning days of fall, Bamboo is a standout yellow with a subtle green undertone. This dappled shade pairs dramatically with several of the top 10, including Phlox, Teal and Honeysuckle.

Radiant Emberglow, a traditional autumnal tone, emanates the warmth of a glowing fire – the perfect panacea to the crisp air of fall. Combine Emberglow with Coffee Liqueúr for a classic look, or with Honeysuckle for something a bit more retro. Add a spark with shoes or a handbag in Emberglow, or perhaps a patterned scarf combining purpled Phlox or Deep Teal.

Offering a sense of continuity from spring, dynamic Honeysuckle adds a bold punctuation point. This playful, reddish pink works with any other color in the palette, especially fall staples like Coffee Liqueúr and Nougat. To add some intensity, pair it with complementary Bamboo. Flirtatious and festive, Honeysuckle produces a healthy glow – great for cosmetics and holiday soirees.

Phlox, a magical, deep purple with a hint of mystery, is an outstanding statement when worn on its own. Add Phlox to this season’s neutrals to create a bit of drama, or combine it with Cedar, Deep Teal or Coffee Liqueúr for something extraordinary. To add even more excitement, pair Phlox with Honeysuckle or Bamboo against a Cedar background – a combination inspired by Mother Nature.

Evoking the freshness of a cool mist in a dark forest, Cedar is a versatile, mid-tone neutral green. It is a natural with Deep Teal, and sophisticated and timeless with Phlox or Orchid Hush. Deep Teal, a strong, blue-toned green, suggests ocean depths and the color of the sky as daylight descends into darkness. A great standard when used with Cedar, its color-wheel neighbor, Deep Teal is also a unique counterpoint to Honeysuckle.

Consumers continue to add stability to their wardrobes with neutrals. Rich, decadent Coffee Liqueúr brings a sense of elegance to fall, and is a savory alternative to basic black. A deliciously warm camel tan, Nougat is tastefully embellished by Phlox, Emberglow or Honeysuckle. Orchid Hush, a unique tone of gray with complex orchid undertones, blends well with any other color in the palette. Quarry, a reliable medium gray, remains, as always, a practical, dependable staple.

For over 17 years, Pantone, the global authority on color, has surveyed the designers of New York Fashion Week and beyond to bring you the season’s most important color trends. This report previews the most prominent hues for fall 2011.

So there you have it folks.  Use this guide to determine which colors to go after when buying for you significant other for the holidays.   And you can’t beat free shipping from Sterling Canyon.

 

Combating Jewelry Allergies

Sterling Canyon asks: Are you one of the unfortunates who is allergic to Sterling Silver or Gold jewelry?  Perhaps a Gold ring you love wearing causes your finger to flair up in a rash.  While most people are allergic to something on our planet, you’d be surprised to learn that an estimated 23% are allergic to either Gold, Silver (Sterling Silver), or Platinum.  Some women can’t be without their Gold wedding ring or bracelet.

They don’t have to be.  Simple solutions are at hand when it comes to combating the mild allergic reactions to metals. A coating of Rhodium can be applied to the area that touches the skin.  Rhodium is a derivative of Platinum and is silver tone.  A jeweler can apply a coating to parts of your jewelry and this will provide a barrier between the allergic metal and your skin.  A jeweler will apply it for around $50.  This coating will need to be re-applied periodically.  Many Sterling Canyon jewelry necklaces and earrings already contain a coating of Rhodium.  This coating is applied during the manufacturing process and has a more permanent bond than what the neighborhood jeweler can offer.  White Gold should already have a Rhodium coating because of the nature of the metal combination.  it should not require re-coating as often as yellow Gold and won’t be as noticeable.  Good luck with your efforts to combat your metal allergies.  If all else fails, perhaps a trip to your allergist would be a good bet.