Gold-Jewellery

Without a doubt, Gold is one of the world's most precious metals. It is also a certainty that gold enjoys an unsurpassed popularity as a medium for jewellery expression. Both jewellery designers and consumers alike are "in love" with gold. There seems to be no end to the range of colours, finishes and styles available and gold remains a perennial favorite setting for gemstones.

Gold can last forever, will not corrode or rust and can be found anywhere. Gold exists in plants, rivers, oceans, mountains, it's nearly everywhere but it is extremely difficult and costly to extract this amazing metal. Did you know that a single ounce of gold can be pulled into a thin wire that stretches nearly five miles long? An artisans hammer can work that same ounce into a very thin sheet that can cover a 10ft x 10ft(100sq. ft.) area. Also, it takes nearly 3 tons of gold or to extract a single ounce of pure gold. Well if you didn't now you know!

Gold Basics
The word Gold, used by itself, means all gold or 24 karat (24K) gold. Because 24K gold is soft, it's usually mixed with other metals to increase its hardness and durability. If a piece of jewelry is not 24 karat gold, the karat quality should accompany any claim that the item is gold.

The karat quality marking tells you what proportion of gold is mixed with the other metals. Fourteen karat (14K) jewelry contains 14 parts of gold, mixed in throughout with 10 parts of base metal. The higher the karat rating, the higher the proportion of gold in the piece of jewellery.

Most jewellery is marked with its karat quality, although marking is not required by law. Near the karat quality mark, you should see the name of the U.S. registered trademark of the company that will stand behind the mark. The trademark may be in the form of a name, symbol or initials. If you don't see a trademark accompanying a quality mark on a piece of jewelry, look for another piece.

Solid gold refers to an item made of any karat gold, if the inside of the item is not hollow. The proportion of gold in the piece of jewelry still is determined by the karat mark.

Jewelry can be plated with gold in a variety of ways. Gold plate refers to items that are either mechanically plated, electroplated, or plated by any other means with gold to a base metal. Eventually, gold plating wears away, but how soon will depend on how often the item is worn and how thick the plating is.

Gold-filled, gold overlay and rolled gold plate are terms used to describe jewelry that has a layer of at least 10 karat gold mechanically bonded to a base metal. If the jewelry is marked with one of these terms, the term or abbreviation should follow the karat quality of the gold used (for example, 14K Gold Overlay or 12K RGP). If the layer of karat gold is less than 1/20th of the total weight of the item, any marking must state the actual percentage of karat gold, such as 1/40 14K Gold Overlay.

Gold electroplate describes jewellery that has a layer (at least .175 microns thick) of a minimum of 10 karat gold deposited on a base metal by an electrolytic process. The terms gold flashed or gold washed describe products that have an extremely thin electroplating of gold (less than .175 microns thick). This will wear away more quickly than gold plate, gold-filled or gold electroplate.

Vermeil (ver-may), a special type of gold plated product, consists of a base of sterling silver that is coated or plated with gold.

HANDMADE CHARM BRACELET: www.Jade-Jewellery.co.uk/category.php

There is nothing more girlie than a Handmade Charm Bracelet. Gold bracelets dripping with shoe and handbag charms. Silver bracelets adorned with handmade beads of every colour. Babies are often given silver charm bracelets as christening presents. Handmade Charm Bracelets are now very fashionable for all ages. They do not have to have charms hanging from the bracelets. Some are dripping with glass beads. Some have a mixture of beads and charms. Silver bracelets with semi-precious stones hanging from them. Handmade charm Bracelets can be customised for you adding charms that mean something to you. You might want to have one made as a present. Birthday charms, baby charms, wedding charms and many more. Whatever you choose I am sure that you will love your Handmade Charm Bracelet.

HANDMADE JEWELLERY: www.Jade-Jewellery.co.uk

When out looking for a new piece of Jewellery be it for myself or for me to give as a gift then Handmade Jewellery is what I would choose. I treasure all my pieces of Jewellery and everyone is very special to me. I love beautiful things and things that are a little bit different that is why I will always choose A piece of Handmade Jewellery over a piece of massed produced jewellery. I love knowing that I am not wearing something that anybody else has. If you are giving some one a gift then it is extra special if you have taken the time to find and choose something that is different from the norm. I am sure that you are like myself and like to know that someone has put time and effort into buying you a gift that is unique. Handmade jewellery is always a favourite with any girl and will always be on the top of my wish list.

MURANO GLASS: www.Jade-Jewellery.co.uk

Murano Glass is the most beautiful of glasses. Handmade in Italy for centuries each piece is a work of Art. I have some very beautiful pieces of jewellery that is made from the amazing Murano Glass but it is used to make many more things. On a visit to Italy I was amazed by the shops that were selling so many different types of goods in the Murano Glass. There were the most beautiful lamps in traditional designs and also in ultra modern designs. The colours when lit were stunning. They would fill a room with colour. There were dishes filled with Murano Glass sweets that looked almost good enough to eat. Vases tall and slender with beautiful colours running down them. Jewellery is just one of the things that are made with The Murano Glass and if you get a chance you must try and go see some of this stunning glass.

ORIGINAL HANDMADE JEWELLERY: www.Jade-Jewellery.co.uk

We all like to think that we are unique so why do we go to the high street and buy massed produced good when there is such a good range of original goods out there for use to buy. Jewellery is the best example. Original Handmade Jewellery is the favourite thing that I like to go shopping for. It is such a pleasure when I come across something that is truly original. I love funky designs using original materials. I like to see unusual stones set in silver and natural stones used with silver foiled glass. When looking for a piece of Original Handmade Jewellery I try to look for a designer that uses natural stones and is not afraid to do some thing that is unique and not following the high street. Julie Evans from www.Jade-Jewellery.co.uk is one of my favourite designers. She designs pieces that will never date and that will always catch peoples eye. So many sites claim that they are selling handmade jewellery but so few are and this one has a very large selection of Original Handmade Jewellery.

DESIGNER HANDMADE JEWELLERY: www.Jade-Jewellery.co.uk

When buying jewellery on the internet I have been trying to find someone that can sell me some original Designer handmade jewellery. Most of the sites out there have pages and pages of jewellery that is massed produced in the Far East. Sites that say there are original yet they have the same goods as the other. I wanted Designer led jewellery. Something that I would still want to wear in the years to come. Designer Handmade Jewellery has not been easy to find but at last I came across www.jade-jewellery.co.uk Handmade Jewellery to die for. There are pages and pages of one of designs. Each design is made from natural stones and is a unique piece of Designer Handmade Jewellery.

HANDMADE EARRINGS: www.Jade-Jewellery.co.uk/category.php

I love to wear earrings and I have them in so many designs and stones. All of them are Handmade Earrings. I have pairs that are oriental in design. Long dangling pairs with crystals hanging from filigree silver. Silver studs that are set with freshwater pearls. Handmade jewellery is always a great gift and I have been given lots of pairs of Handmade Earrings as gifts and I treasure every pair. Faceted crystals set in twisted wire. Chinese cloisonne beads sat under glass pearls. Paua shell earrings that match my new necklace. My jewellery box is full of beautiful pairs of earrings. When coming to choose which pair to wear then that is where the problem arises. Should it be the gold hoops or should it be the Rose Quartz studs? Whatever I will be wearing a pair of Handmade Earrings.

UNIQUE HANDMADE JEWELLRY: www.Jade-Jewellery.co.uk

Jewellery has been worn now for thousands of years. Both men and women have adorned them selves with beautiful pieces of Unique Handmade Jewellery. Years ago craftsmen would work with precious metals and semi-precious stones to produce the most beautiful pieces of jewellery. These pieces would be treasured and worn with pride by there owners. There pieces of Unique Handmade Jewellery were handmade down through the generations. Used as dowries for there daughters. Some of them were even buried with them to take into the after life.