DCIDesigns' Blog

DCI Jewelry Chats
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How Can I Tell if a Pearl is Real?

Published: 11-17-2012 11:22pm
Posted In: Gemstones
Pearls are a very sophisticated piece of jewelry. They can be worn with jeans or with a little black dress, and they will never look out of place.Firstm let's learn a little about pearls.  There are actually three types of pearls - natural, cultured, and glass or crystal.  Natural and cultured pearls are both grown inside of mollusks, bivalve sea creatures such as oysters, mussels, or clams.  Glass or crystal pearls are man-made.A natural pearl occurs when an irritant, such as a grain of sand, gets into the mollusk's shell.  They grow a protective coat around it, called nacre.  When the nacre builds up many layers, it becomes a pearl.Cultured... » Read More

What Does Silver-filled Mean?

Published: 01-08-2012 07:13pm
Posted In: Metals
With the ever increasing price of precious metals, most notably gold and silver, many artisans are turning to other metals in order to keep their jewelry affordable for their customers. One product that has been receiving a lot of attention is silver-filled wire and findings.  Just exactly what is it, and how does it compare to sterling silver? For comparison, think of the gold-filled jewelry that we have all been buying for years.  When solid gold is out of our price range, gold-filled is a more than acceptable substitute. You can think of silver-filled the same way.  It is either a 5% or 10% layer of durable sterling silver bonded to (fil... » Read More

How can I keep silver from tarnishing?

Published: 11-20-2011 07:35pm
Posted In: Metals
Silver, like other precious metals, has a tendency to tarnish.  Some people are pleased when their jewelry tarnishes, as it gives a nice vintage-like appearance.  For those who prefer to have their silver bright and shiny, there is an alternative to polishing it all the time.Tarnish is caused by sulfides and other pollutants in the atmosphere.  It can also be caused by high humidity and even some foods, such as eggs, citrus, and onions, if they come into contact with your jewelry.  An easy way to prevent tarnish is by using anti-tarnish strips.  Anti-tarnish strips are pieces of a special absorbent paper, almost like tissue paper, but a lit... » Read More

All About Goldstone

Published: 11-20-2011 07:34pm
Posted In: Gemstones
One of my very favorite beads is goldstone. I love the way goldstone beads shimmer and glitter in the sun! But, did you know that goldstone has no gold in it and it's not even a stone? I didn't, until one day when I stumbled across the way it is made while trying to find out the reason for the wide disparity in prices that I see. Goldstone is actually a man-made glass! It is made from silica, copper oxide, and other metal oxides, which is heated, allowed to crystallize, and then cooled. It is during the heating process that the metallic copper crystals are formed. Once it is cooled, it can then be carved into beads or other shapes, and polished. ... » Read More
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