It looks like a million dollars but after a couple of months it doesn’t have the same ‘Sparkle’ or look it once had (a bit like me really).

So what are we to do?

The first thing is to make sure it is SAFE to be cleaned!

Naturally, delicate items should be best left to a professional Jeweler to clean. BUT Opals, Pearls and Emeralds are very susceptible to damage in a Jewelers Ultrasonic cleaning tank, as it can loosen pearls from their mounts and breakdown Opal and Emerald quite easily.

SOLUTION: Clean them yourself! BUT VERY GENTLY.

Make up a solution of Washing up liquid (Clean of course, not after doing the Sunday dishes) and use an old Toothbrush and
carefully clean around the mount, using the bristles of the brush to get into the setting and CLEAN BEHIND THE STONES.

But beware as too much pressure could ‘Pop’ the stone out of it’s setting, so if in doubt - take it out (of the bowl I mean).

Yet even this has a good point. If you lost it somewhere other than the washing process, not only would you probably never find it, you’d be very annoyed at me for suggesting such a thing in the first place.

However; if the stone came out in the wash, it would prove that the setting was so worn it would have come out sooner or later anyway, so better to ‘catch the falling star’ as it were, and get your local Jeweler to reset it safely back for you.

See, I just did you a favor… no need to thank me just yet.

Let’s continue….

Don’t have the water too hot and certainly don’t leave the items to soak all day. Pearls are generally only glued onto your Jewelry (rings, brooches etc) and if the item is a few years old (say over 20) then the glues used then were not as good as they are today. A couple of minutes should be enough.

Dry everything on a paper towel in a warm area (under a sun drenched window is perfect) and finally buff up with a soft cloth
and check everything before you wear it again.

It should look good for another few months.

By the way: In General terms, the only difference in the cleaning fluid used by your Jeweler or purchased from a proprietary Brand would be Ammonia!

A small cap of Cloudy Ammonia bought from Coles or Woolies or your local Supermarket, mixed with washing up liquid is a terrific cleaner. It smells a little but the results are perfect!

DIRTY DIAMONDS?

Just to continue from the previous section:

Most of the white colorless gemstones used over the past hundred years or so as Diamond Imitations or Simulants, were either Paste (Fancy name for glass) Spinels or White Sapphire (corundum) and occasionally Zircon (Not to be confused with Cubic Zirconia CZ’s which is quite modern).

When you first purchased your beautiful ring it glistened like diamond, but slowly became duller and duller.

Ladies, you are to Blame!

Hand Cream is the biggest culprit of them all as it gets under the stone and dulls it.

Wearing your Jewelry while Gardening doesn’t help much either and you certainly shouldn’t wear your rings while doing the washing up (all that grease sticks to the stone).

This is one of the major ‘Properties’ of a Diamond.

Just clean it in the same solution as we suggested above and brush it with an old toothbrush. It will return to sparkling quality in no time.

Once every few months is perfect, so don’t over do it.

There are several other SPECIAL REPORTS available through our eMail-on-Demand subscription box at the website, so please take
some time to visit.

There is a timely warning on Security issues. It’s good advice, plus there is some great tips on Investing in Jewelry, Insurance guidelines and other notes on selling, Hallmarking tips etc, and they are being added to all the time.

And the best bit is they are FREE….

Thank you for taking the time to read this special report. If you thought it interesting, useful or found it helped you in any way I would appreciate your comments via email at the address shown below.

This is my personal email address and I read every comment - good or bad.

Alternatively: why not pass it on to a friend. I’m sure you can think of someone who might benefit from this useful information. Treat it as doing me a big favor. I will certainly appreciate it.

regards and please watch the road. David Foard F.G.A.A. Fellow of the Gemological Association of Australia and former member of JATVC - The Valuers Council (retired).

P.P.S.
If you administer a website or publish an ezine, please feel free to use this article as long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed below. Just send me an email at gemmo1@jewellery-antiques.com and let me know if and where you used it. If you need other great content - complimentary of course - then drop me a line at the email address given - ’cause I’ve got Gallons of the stuff….

David Foard has spent over 30 years in the Antique Jewelry Trade as a qualified gemologist and member of the Valuers Council. Get a FREE 3 part ‘Hallmarking Report’ on How to Identify your Jewelry Hallmarks at Home or Work by going to ==> http://www.jewellery-antiques.com and grabbing yourself a
fistfull of Hints - Tips and Secrets.

gemmo1@jewellery-antiques.com

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This is one of those “Damned if you do and Damned if you don’t” situations, so I guess no matter what happens, people are not going to win - including me.

So I had better start by telling you what I mean by being the ‘Victim of Loss’.

We have all been the victim of loss at some time or another and it doesn’t have to be a crime. Hurricane Katrina is just the latest (extreme) example because of two reasons.

The first: We all put things off until it’s too late.
The second: Because we think we are indestructible and it won’t happen to us.

If you had read the blurb on our Jewelry Appraisal website, you will have remembered where I mentioned being ‘The Victim of Loss’ and how we all tend to put it off until it’s too late. It is something I am *VERY* passionate about as I have seen first hand just how much it can effect everyone - nobody is immune.

And that reminds us of the Hurricane disaster.
These poor people in the Gulf States have become victims of loss on a HUGE scale.

# They have lost their Homes….

# They have lost their jobs - income - places to work….

# They have lost family members - pets - friends….

Okay so houses can be rebuilt - homes are what you carry inside you. It’s a feeling.
Jobs - income - will be replaced. Places to work and the memories - they are gone.
Family - Friends and even pets (which are often the greatest friend and often treated as family) will be mourned and missed and longed for.

And the people of the Gulf States - Americans - Guests - they have become ‘Victims of Loss’ too, yet we shouldn’t forget some of the small personal things in life they can’t replace. Personal things which mean more than Houses and Cars and Jobs even.

# Family Photographs….

# Birth and Wedding Certificates….

# Treasured Jewelry….

*Just think about that for a moment.*

# Family Photographs….

# Birth and Wedding Certificates….

# Treasured Jewelry….

Everything’s gone.

They have become the worst cases of ‘Victims of Loss’ we can possibly imagine, and we all should do something to help.
But how? (I can almost hear you thinking).

So what can we do? We are so far away. We are too small to make a difference.

But please think about this for a moment longer. Think how lucky you are.
Try to imagine what they must be going through - right now - while you’re eating your Breakfast - while you’re in work - Having a Night out with your family or friends.

Hard, isn’t it?

The first thing we can all do is donate, so please use the charity you feel happy with. That helps relieve the pain today.
But we need to do more - for tomorrow - for everyone else.

So what I’m suggesting is a two step method. The first gets cash into the hands of the people who need it - The second (I hope) prevents YOUR family and friends from suffering in the same way by being prepared - By NOT becoming the ‘Victim of Loss’ in the future.

We might be able to generate just a little extra than if we just dropped five bucks in a collection tin somewhere.

That brings me back to the “Damned if you do and Damned if you don’t” situation mentioned at the top of this article.

We don’t - under any circumstances - want this to sound like a ‘Pitch’ to get more business. That’s not what we are saying. If ANYBODY just shrugged their shoulders and muttered “Nothin’ we can do…” then they are ‘Damned if they don’t’. If they use whatever means they have to help - They are ‘Damned if they do…’ That’s when people get caught in that ‘Damned’ expression.

SO THE IMPORTANT PART IS YOUR CONTRIBUTION - and I don’t mean money either. This is a TWO part study remember?

We are asking you - urging you - to tell your workmates, your family, your friends how they can prevent, in part, becoming the ‘Victim of Loss’ by getting their family photos scanned and copied. Get their Special documents (Wedding and Birth Certificates) scanned and copied. Get their Jewelry Appraisals done right now - before it’s too late.

You see, even some of the victims down in New Orleans had personal Jewelry. Heck some of them may even of had an up-to-date Appraisal Certificate locked in their bedroom drawer.

Guess where that piece of paper is now?

It’s gone, along with the jewelry, photographs and personal possessions. The gold and silver and diamonds are lost in the mud. That physical appraisal is not worth the paper it WAS written on.

That’s why I often stress the benefits of doing your appraisal ONLINE!

No matter what happens (and it’s already happened to many) your treasured details are safely locked in a database somewhere, which you can access 24/7 from anywhere in the world.

In short - you will be able to replace your personal Jewelry exactly!

# No guesswork (I think it was 14ct).

# No second best (I’m sure it was a Diamond - but maybe not?)

# No short measure (my wife’s chain was longer than that).

So our message is this….

Do it Now before it’s too late….
Tell a friend - tell your neighbor and be thankful you still have one.

Your small recommendation to others, is for the future. Spread the word - Pass it on - And don’t become the ‘Victim of Loss’.

regards and please watch the road. David Foard F.G.A.A. Fellow of the Gemological Association of Australia and former member of JATVC - The Valuers Council (retired).

P.S. If you are really serious about getting a Valuation Appraisal done quickly and easily with minimum effort…. then go to the Valuation Appraisal Centre to discover just how easy it is to value your own jewelry and reproduce a Certificate on your own Printer at home or work (The address is listed below) and follow the advice given there. Couldn’t be any easier.

P.P.S.
If you administer a website or publish an ezine, please feel free to use this article as long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed below. Although it’s not compulsory just send me an email at gemmo1@online-jewelry-appraisals.com and let me know if and where you used it. If you need other great content - complimentary of course - then drop me a line at the email address given - ’cause I’ve got Gallons of the stuff….

David Foard has spent over 30 years in the Antique Jewelry Trade as a qualified gemologist and member of the Valuers Council. Get a FREE 10 part ‘Hands-on’ practical eCourse on How to Value your Jewelry at Home or Work by going to ==> http://www.online-jewelry-appraisals.com and grab a
fistfull of Hints - Tips and Secrets.

gemmo1@online-jewelry-appraisals.com

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The typical lanyard is a length of basic rope, wire, or cloth that is designed to secure a small object. They are often purchased in large quantities and are fairly inexpensive. Many employees wear lanyards around their neck to secure identification badges while on the job.

Beaded lanyards can be as basic as an inexpensive metallic, beaded chain. They can be ordered through most typical lanyard suppliers and feature a variety of hardware attachments to secure small objects. These lanyards are often in several different lengths and an array of colors.

Other beaded lanyards are quite unique and are referred to by some as jewelry. They are designed by skilled artisans and can be extremely expensive depending upon the type of materials used. The cost of a beaded lanyard depends on the type of beads and wire used in its design. Beaded lanyard patterns may consist of colorful patterns of seed beads, glass beads, crystals, or even gemstones.

The most popular beaded lanyards are used to secure eyeglasses or sunglasses around the neck. They attach to the temples of the glasses, allowing them to hang around the neck when not in use. These exquisite neck lanyards are often referred to as eyeglass necklaces or eyeglass holders. They are a fashionable way to keep track of an item that can be easily misplaced or damaged. Beaded lanyards allow the wearer the freedom to easily put on and remove glasses frequently throughout the day.

Many bead artisans also offer jewelry pieces to coordinate with beaded lanyards. The beaded lanyard patterns are often duplicated in a bracelet, anklet, or pair of earrings.

One drawback of the beaded lanyard is that they are often fragile. They may look elegant but also may not have the durability of a nylon or cotton lanyard when worn frequently.

Lanyards Info provides information on printed, custom, beaded, badge, neck, key lanyards, and cell phone accessories and jewelry. Lanyards Info is the sister site of Lapel Pins Web.

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