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General Information Metal Alloys: Sterling Silver is an alloy of 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metal (usually copper.) Also known as .925 Sterling. The other metal is added to make the silver stronger. Nickel, also called nickel silver or German silver, contains no silver. It is an alloy of 65% copper, 17% zinc and 18% nickel. The Nickel we use contains no cadmium which many people are allergic to and can cause health problems. Red Brass, also known as Jeweler's Bronze or Merlin's Gold, is an alloy of 85% copper and 15% zinc. Yellow Brass is an alloy of 70% copper and 30% zinc. The lower amount of copper and higher amount of zinc makes this a yellow brass. Specific Gemstone Stone Information: Cabochon Stones A-E, G-O, P-U Faceted Stones A-E, F-R, S-Z Stone Treatments Natural: Stones formed by nature that may have a treatment applied to them to enhance or preserve color. Lab-Created/Laboratory Grown Synthetic: Stones that are manmade and have the same optical, physical, chemical qualities of the natural stones of the same name. Simulated/Imitation: Stones that look like natural stones but do not have the same optical, physical, or chemical qualities of the natural stones they are simulating. Assembled: Assembled from multiple layers or combinations of manufactured and/or natural material fused, bonded or otherwise joined together to create a unique design or generate unusual color combinations. Coated: Coating on the surface with such enhancements as lacquering, enameling, inking, foiling or sputtering of films to improve appearance, provide color or add other special effects. Dyed: Dyed by the introduction of coloring matter to give a new color, intensify present color or improve color uniformity. Heat-treated: Heated to effect desired alterations of color, clarity and/or phenomena. Oiled: Oiling/resin infusion; the filling of surface breaking fissures with colorless oil, wax, resin or other colorless substances, except glass or plastic. to improve the gemstone's appearance. Impregnated: Stabilized using a colorless bonding agent (such as plastic); used on porous gemstones to add durability and improve appearance. Irradiated: Irradiation using neutrons, gamma rays, beta particles or high energy elections to alter color. May be followed by a heating process. Diffusion: Diffusion; chemicals used in conjunction with high temperatures to produce color and/or asterism-producing inclusions. Wax: Waxing/oiling; impregnation of colorless wax, paraffin and oil in porous, opaque or translucent gemstones to improve appearance. Shows the hardness of minerals in a range of 1 to 10 where talc at 1 is the softest and diamond at 10 is the hardest. On this scale minerals with higher Mohs numbers can scratch minerals with lower Mohs numbers. The steps along the scale are not regular, for example #2 and #3 are close in hardness where as #10 is 80 times harder than #9. Hardness refers to a minerals resistance to scratching. Although diamonds can only be scratched by another diamond they can be cleaved (chipped/broken) by a sharp blow.
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Last updated 7/31/10
