The metal in jewelry is not regulated in North America the way it is in the European Union. So there isn't any oversight to protect us from sellers who misrepresent 925 (Sterling Silver) and other metals and may include toxic metals. 925, or Sterling Silver, means that 92.5% of the metal is pure silver and the remaining 7.5% is copper. Most cheap imported jewelry, which includes jewelry targeted to children, including those stamped 925 (fraudulently because it is not 925 and may in fact not contain any silver at all) contains unknown metals. When tested, alarming metals are detected and in amounts that are dangerous. Cadmium is the most harmful toxic metal and is strictly controlled in Europe. Cadmium may...
When organic material hardens and becomes perlescent or flash with colour like in opals it is called “opalized”. Opalized wood is the most rare and valuable of the petrified woods and Indonesian Opalized Wood is one of the most prized. It is so difficult to acquire that I can only buy it in cabochon form and I only know one dealer who sources it ethically. Since it is in such short supply I cannot buy it directly, I have to compete with other buyers at auction.
find a trusted jewelry maker
do a bit of research online beforehand
you should know ahead of time what a reasonable expectation of quality is for your budget
ask a lot of questions of the seller based on your research
ask where the stones come from and where they were cut
ask if the stones are from ethical providers
watch for fakes and con artist sellers
if it seems too good to be true.....
Keep your skin and metal jewelry clean and beautiful by:
- washing jewelry with blue dish detergent, and polishing papers, pads or cloth
- rinse thoroughly
- dry completely
- seal with wax or lacquer to retain patina and protect skin from discolouration
- store in plastic bags with anti-tarnish paper or in anti-tarnish bags
- avoid acids when preparing food or working with chemical products
