About Sterling Silver Care

Silver is beautiful and valuable. Among its many metal properties, it is relatively soft and malleable that makes it an ideal candidate for jewelry crafting. However, pure silver is too soft and easily scratched. It is most commonly for silversmith to combine silver with other metal to create a more durable alloy.

Sterling silver, containing 92.5% of silver and 7.5% of other metal, is the most popular alloy on today’s silver jewelry market. Sterling silver can be identified by the “.925” mark (the stamp denoting 92.5% silver) or “sterling” on the jewelry.

With proper care, your sterling silver jewelry can yield enjoyment of lifelong and beyond. Here are some care tips that help you to retain the beauty and luster of your silver jewelry.

Proper Storage
. To prevent your sterling silver jewelry form tarnishing quickly, you may store it in a zip-loc plastic bag, jewelry box or pouch.

. Avoid exposing silver jewelry to moisture or direct air/light contact when you are not wearing it.

• When storage, avoid rubbing silver with other gemstone jewelry or place them in same pouch, as most gemstones are harder then Mohs 6 and silver is below 4.5.

Cleaning
. Wipe sterling silver jewelry with soft cloth after wearing it.

. Periodically, clean your silver jewelry with jewelry cleaning cloth and jewelry polishing cloth. (See our multi-layer Deluxe Jewelry Care Cloth).

. Do Not clean rhodium treated silver, beaded silver or silver jewelry with gemstone in silver dip cleaner. Instead, using Silver Jewelry Care Cloth.

. Use liquid silver dip cleaner only for heavy tarnished, non-rhodium treated and no gemstone sterling silver jewelry. Rinse and wipe dry thoroughly before storage.

Proper Use
. Remove your silver jewelry when showering, swimming or contacting with chemical substance.

. Avoid contacting with chemicals, perfumes or hair spray.

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About Jade
For thousands of years, Jade has been a symbol of love, peace and prosperity for jewelry lovers. It is the most sought-after jewel in Eastern culture. It was treasured in ancient China as the royal gemstone, "the Stone of Heaven". In old times, people believed jade were more than a piece of jewelry; it could bring safety, health and peace of mind.

The ancient jade carved in China was what called nephrite jade. It was not until the 19th century that people began to recognize the jade discovered in the new world was not the same as from China. The newly discovered jade was then called jadeite jade to distinguish form the original nephrite jade.

Today, nephrite jade is found in Canada, Taiwan, China and America. Jadeite jade is found in Burma, America and Japan. The toughness of Jade is its defining physical property. Its Moh's hardness is between 6 and 7, harder and tougher than steel. Jadeite jade is slightly harder than nephrite jade. Though diamond is harder than jade it is more brittle. As with all gemstones, different qualities created different pricing. The superior grade jade is rare. On international jade market, top quality jadeite jade could be even more expensive than diamond.

Jade comes in several different colors: green, lavender, white etc. Green jade is most treasured, and is the ideal gemstone for making classic and contemporary jewelry. The top jade is usually cut into smooth dome shape or multifaceted bead and sold by piece rather than per carat. Since jade is the toughest gemstone it is also the most difficult to carve and polish. It requires creative aesthetics as well as highly trained workmanship to create a piece of fine jade jewelry.

The Quality of Jade
The quality of jade in both types is determined by four qualities: tone/color, translucency/clarity, texture and cutting.

We craft our jade jewelry to be your lifelong companion, not just an ornament. We offer you the highest quality nephrite jade from Taiwan, China and Burma. Each gemstone is individually selected for the highest standard of color, clarity and texture. Unless specified, our jade jewelry is natural, untreated and undyed. The structural integrity of jade can ensure the longevity of its natural coloration.

The Care of Jade Jewelry
The best way to care for jade jewelry is to wear it. The more you wear it the livelier the color will be. Wipe it with a soft cloth after you wear and wash it with gem cleaner periodically. But avoid any chemical cleaner. (return to top)

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