Thursday, February 12, 2009

Care Tips for Fashion Jewelry

By T.K Howard

What materials make up costume jewelry?

1. Manmade stones such as cubic zirconium, rhinestone, glass, or epoxy a primary component of most costume jewelry. The most popular of which is cubic zirconium because of its physical characteristics. It is used to create simulated versions of precious gemstones such as diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Its sparkly appeal and inexpensive price tag allow for much larger, more glitzy fashion pieces that instantly attract attention. Colored glass can also be used to simulate precious stones and faux pearls. Rhinestone jewelry is also popular because of its glitzy appeal and color choices. Epoxy and acrylic are plastics that is often used to make inexpensive bead jewelry.

a. tone: Have you ever heard of costume jewelry that is referred to as silver or gold tone? This means just what the name implies. Tone refers to the color of the metal only. Gold and silver tone jewelry are silver and gold in color but contain no actual gold or silver.

Although fashion jewelry doesn't require much of an investment, it is still important to get the most bang for your buck by taking proper care of your costume jewelry by following a few simple steps:

1. NEVER allow fashion jewelry to come in contact with oils, soaps, perfumes, or any harsh chemicals which can fade or even ruin the item.

d. overlay: This method utilizes heat rather than electricity to combine the base metal with the precious metal to form a new alloy. This creates a permanent bond between the metals which creates jewelry that can be as durable and long lasting as the real thing with proper care. Gold overlay jewelry is also sometimes referred to as gold filled. It is generally safer for sensitive skin than costume jewelry made by other methods.

e. Technibond: This is considered to be one of the most desired methods of gold plating because it uses a full 40 micro inches of 14kt gold over .925 sterling silver. It is the best of both worlds.

5. When cleaning, be gentle! Use a soft toothbrush and jewelry cleaner that specifically states that it is safe for costume jewelry. Make sure it does not contain acid, alcohol, or ammonia. Only use jewelry cleaner as directed. DO NOT over scrub.

Technibond: This is considered to be one of the most desired methods of gold plating because it uses a full 40 micro inches of 14kt gold over .925 sterling silver. For gold and silver lovers it is the best of both worlds. However, as with any plated item, a protective coating should be added for best results.

6. Store jewelry in a clean, dry, cool, not cold place away from heat and dust.

3. Costume jewelry may also consist of odd materials such as wood, stone, and shell which can be either natural or colored.

Why choose costume jewelry?

Fashion jewelry typically consists of three elements:

1. A base alloy such as brass, nickel, aluminum, tin or a combination of metals that has been altered to resemble more precious metals such as silver, gold, or platinum. This is achieved by a variety of methods including:

Although costume jewelry doesn't require much of an investment, it is still important to get the most bang for your buck by taking proper care of your costume jewelry by following a few simple steps:

NEVER allow costume jewelry to come in contact with oils, soaps, perfumes, or any harsh chemicals which can fade or even ruin the item.

layering: This method also utilizes the process of electroplating. However, the plated object is immersed for a longer period of time allowing for a much thicker layer of precious metal to be deposited. Layered gold or silver consists of approximately 20-50 micro inches of gold or silver. Although it doesn't sound like much. This thicker layer results in a much more durable, longer lasting jewelry piece.

3. Store jewelry in a plastic ziploc bag or soft jewelry pouch away from other objects and jewelry items to avoid scratching.

Technibond: This is considered to be one of the most desirable methods of gold plating because it uses a full 40 micro inches of 14kt gold over .925 sterling silver rather than a typical base alloy. It is the best of both worlds.

5. NEVER store jewelry wet. Always dry with a soft cloth before storing.

6. Store jewelry in a clean, dry, cool, not cold place away from heat and dust.

7. Use a jewelry cloth for buffing.

Regularly check for loose stones. - 16651

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