Learn About Jewelry With ShaynaB
Posted on May 18, 2008
Filed Under Arts and Crafts |
What makes lapis high quality?
Let’s discover what makes lapis qualify as “high quality”. There are a few things to look at when classifying lapis:
Is the lapis died? If it is died it will seem to be too uniform in color. Natural lapis should have small color variations. In summary, the larger the variations, then the lower the quality.
Is it waxed? Waxing the stone is just part of the polishing process. Waxing doesn’t efffect the quality, but it does create a shinier stone. The centerpiece of Butterfly with Lapis Necklace at our website is a good example of a waxed, high quality lapis stone.
Is the Color Consistent? I mentioned above that the more uniform the color, the higher quality… as long as the stone is natural. Some lapis will have streaks of gold or patches of white. This indicates a lower quality, although this can add texture and dimension to the stone.
So what is the deal with pearls?
When looking at the value of pearls, there are two main characteristics to consider: size, measured in millimeters, and the quality of the finish, or nacre coating, which gives a pearl its luster.
Pearls require no polishing or faceting to shine. There are several types of pearls. Natural pearls are made by mollusks without human intervention, whereas cultured pearls, also grown by mollusks, require the addition of an irritant to the shell in order to make the pearl grow.
Natural pearls are very rare and since the 1920’s, most pearls used in jewelry are either cultured or imitation. That is why it is important to understand the difference and trust the source of your jewelry.
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