How Jewelry Can Cause Skin Discoloration & How to Avoid It

from en.wikipedia.org

If your skin changes color where it comes into contact with jewelry don’t assume the piece of jewelry is cheap. Skin discoloration can occur with a piece of good or high quality jewelry as well.  What is happening is metallic abrasion that causes tiny particles of metal jewelry to rub off on your skin discoloring it.  

One of the causes of discoloration is cosmetics that contain zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, ferric oxide and calamine.  All of these compounds are heavier than the metal the jewelry is made of which is why they remove pieces of metal from the jewelry. Another way that jewelry can discolor skin is from perspiration.  The salt in it is an enemy of metal especially sterling silver which is the most susceptible to salt corrosion.  

The last way jewelry can cause discoloration of the skin is through the use of household cleaners, natural tarnishing (sterling silver), taking antibiotics, and lastly the buildup of hand soap or detergent, wax, polish, or cosmetic cream on jewelry.  

The easiest way to avoid discoloration of jewelry is to take if off it before doing any cleaning using chemicals.  Also do not put jewelry on right after using cosmetics or hand cream.  Allow the cream or lotion to soak thoroughly into the hands before putting on jewelry or if you choose avoid putting it on for the day. Lastly care for your jewelry by cleaning it often so perspiration, soap, or anything else your jewelry could come into contact with isn’t allowed to build up with the potential to cause permanent damage.  

Ways to clean jewelry is with warm water and soap and using a soft toothbrush to scrub it without scratching the jewelry itself; there is also soaking jewelry in vinegar; and dropping your jewelry in Alka-Seltzer water. There are other means besides these which you can check out by clicking on any of the links posted below this post.  Any way you choose to clean your jewelry be sure to follow the instructions to avoid permanent harm.

sources:

How to clean jewelry at home

Reader’s Digest How to clean jewelry at home

http://www.skincare-news.com/a-5821-When_Jewelry_Causes_Skin_Problems.aspx

http://www.ehow.com/about_6610745_jewelry-skin-discoloration.html

The Gemstone: Ruby

Multi Gemstone Earrings, Bracelet and Ring

Note: Ruby is the lighter red stone in the ring and the one on top of the citrine and garnet

The gemstone ruby is a corundum or aluminum oxide whose name comes from the Latin word ruber which means red.  This gemstone is found in over a dozen countries worldwide including in the United States.  Other varieties of gem quality corundum known as sapphires.  All natural rubies have imperfections in them including color impurities and inclusions of rutile needles called silk. Gemologists use rutile needles to distinguish natural rubies from synthetics, stimulants, or ruby substitutes that lack silk.

Natural ruby colors include all shades of red including pink.  They also have primary hues in addition to its natural color these include a vibrant shade of red called pigeons blood as well as other colors such as  orange, yellow, green, violet, or the most popular hue blue.  And rubies can also have a secondary hue or color. The possible colors include: orange, purple, violet, or pink. Determination of a ruby's grade through analysis of their color, cut clarity and weight.  Color is the most important evaluation specifically from hue, saturation and tone.

The most common cuts for rubies are oval and cushions which hold up best.  However rubies can also be cut circular, triangular, emerald cut, pear, marquise cuts all of which do not always hold up as well. Generally the size of a ruby is under a karat to keep cost reasonable any larger and its price will vary greatly.

Rubies are generally heat-treated to cut down on or eradicate impurities inside of the natural fractures in the gemstone. Or a rough ruby is only given a pre-polish and maybe a cleaning with hydrogen fluoride.   If there are fractures in the specimen lead glass fills them in.  Or if the gemstone’s color is lacking a glass powder with copper and another metal oxide like sodium or calcium are given a try to enhance the natural color of the ruby.  Otherwise rubies are left as natural as possible.

Cliptomania.com carries ruby jewelry including rings, bracelets and earrings from designers such as Michelle Pressler, Michal Golan, ThereseMade , and Emilie Shapiro Contemporary Metals.

All gemstones including ruby can safely be cleaned with warn soapy water with or without using a tooth-brush.  After cleaning the gemstone wipe it with a soft cloth.  Avoid contact of any type of gemstone with household cleaning chemicals and protect them from extreme heat to prevent permanent damage to the gemstone.

Always store gemstone jewelry inside a fabric lined box or wrap it in a soft cloth then store it separately from other gemstones.

References: gemselect.com and minerals.net

 

Designer Paul Flato's Lasting Influence on Art Deco Jewelry

Hand & Glove Clip on Earrings designed by Paul Flato from hancocks-london.com

Art Deco, as a style, came to be in 1925 when the World’s Fair was held in France.  Both the name of the fair and its exhibits would contribute to the style’s name.  The 1925 World’s Fair was known as “Exposition International des Arts De’coratifs et Industriels Modernes.”  (It translates to International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts.)

Its designs influenced new styles of automobiles, homes, skyscrapers, clothing and jewelry.  Geometric shapes such as circles, triangles, squares and rectangles were often arranged or woven together to create intricate designs. 

There were numerous pioneers in Europe like Lalique, Bucheron and Coco Chanel but there were also a fair number of Art Deco pioneers in America like Tiffany, Winston, Marcus & Co, and the subject of this post Paul Flato. 

Paul Flato was a New York transplant from Flatonia, Texas.  His first exposure to jewelry was by accident.  Flato was walking in the Texas woods and he came upon a gypsy camp where he saw women wearing necklaces and dangling earrings.  Since that moment Flato was determined to become a jeweler and he succeeded.  From the 1920s to the early 1940s he was the elite jeweler to numerous Hollywood stars like Joan Crawford and Rita Haworth who purchased or wore his jewelry on the big screen.  His style was as one person wrote “flamboyant and witty designs” in the Art Deco style.  Flato’s most famous pieces included diamond, gold ribbon &  flower brooches , gold double long horn bracelets, and hand and glove clip earrings to name just a small number of his design pieces. 

diamond, gold ribbon & flower brooch designed by Paul Flato form idexonline.com

His career was strong and reached unbelievable heights, until 1943 when it all came crashing down.  A series of unfortunate business transactions caused Flato to sell $100,000 of jewelry entrusted to him by clients and colleagues in a desperate attempt to save his jewelry business.  He was found out by authorities and sentenced to 16 months in Sing Sing Petitionary.  In 1945 he was released and moved to Mexico and lived there until 1953.  When Flato left he was constantly on the run from US authorities for larceny and forgery.  Eventually he went back to Mexico and settled in Zona Rosa where he resumed his jewelry career in anonymity.  Flato’s last years were lived back in Texas from 1990 to 1999 when he died at age 98.   Despite his troubles Flato has remained and is remembered as a fixture in the jewelry world.  Any pieces that are found are still popular with famous auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s.

Art Deco style clip on earrings designed by Katherine Kornblau

At cliptomania.com we sell clip on earrings by designer Katherine Kornblau who has used Art Deco design in some of her jewelry as well as influences from Zoological, Ancient Egyptian, and Contemporary design in other collections.  Other designers found on cliptomania.com who were also influenced by the Art Deco period are Sadie Green and David Howell.

Happy Mother's Day!

This year in the United States Mother's Day is

Sunday, May 13, 2018

It's a celebration honoring mothers and motherhood, maternal bonds and the influence of mother's on society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April and May. In most countries, Mother's Day is a recent observance derived from the holiday as it has evolved in America.  When it was adopted by other countries and cultures, it was given different meanings, associated to different events (religious, historical or legendary), and celebrated on a different date or dates. Some countries already had existing celebrations honoring motherhood that could be traced back to ancient festivals like the Greek cult to Cybele, the Roman festival to Hilaria, or the Christian Mothering Sunday celebration.

Their celebrations have adopted

several external characteristics from the U.S. holiday, like giving carnations and other presents to your own mother.  The extent of the celebrations varies greatly. In some countries, it is potentially offensive to one's mother not to mark "her" day.  In others, it is a little-known festival celebrated mainly by immigrants, or covered by the media as a taste of foreign culture.

We think mother's are special and deserve a day of honor and appreciation. So, this year why not celebrate your mother by giving her beautiful earrings from any of our over a dozen catagories including Gemstones & Pearls, Tomorrow's Heirlooms, Nickel Free and more! Do you have something specific you would like to find?  Try our Advanced Search feature (an elongated bubble under the website name) feature to look by designer, size, key word, etc. With over 15 years experience in non-pierced, clip-on earrings, we carry nice selections, including sizes from Pretty & Petite to the Big & Bold and everything in between.  Not sure what colors are in for Spring and Summer? We can help. Visit Spring & Summer Style Guide to get information on current earring trends and fashion color forecast. 

Together, we'll make your mother smile.

Visit:  www.cliptomania.com   



What is Dichroic Glass?

Dichroic glass has become very popular over the last couple of years. As I have visited stores here and there, these unusual and sometimes mesmerizing pieces of  art can be found in necklaces, pendants, earrings, rings and even wall hangings. Choosing a favorite, as I like to do when seeing a displayed array of items, can be tricky. No two are alike though may be similar. I think the pieces that fascinate me the most are the dramatic color changers. No wonder dichroic glass is also referred to as "chameleon glass."

Where did it come from?

Modern dichroic glass is available as a result of a materials research carried out by NASA and its contractors, who developed it for use in dichroic filters. However, it can also be traced back to the 4th century AD as seen in the Lycurgus Cup, which resides in a museum in London.  The picture on the left depicts the cup in normal light. The picture on the right depicts the cup photographed with a flash, showing it's green color though no light is coming through it. It is the only complete Roman glass object made from this type of glass, and the one exhibiting the most impressive change in color.

The main characteristic of dichroic glass in that it has a particular transmitted color and a completely different reflected color, as certain wavelengths of light either pass through or are reflected. This causes an array of color to be displayed, and the colors shift depending on the angle of view. Dichroic glass is an example of thin-film optics.

How is it made? 
Multiple ultra thin layers of different metals, such as gold or silver and the oxides of such metals - titanium, chromium, aluminium, zirconium, magnesium, or silica - are vaporised by an electron beam in a vacuum chamber. The vapor then condenses on the surface of the glass in the form of a crystal structure. A protective layer of quartz is sometimes added. The finished glass can have as many as 30 to 50 layers of these materials, yet the total thickness can be 30 to 35 millionths of an inch. The coating that is created is similar to gemstones and, by careful control of thickness, different colors may be obtained. A plate of dichroic glass can be fused with other glass in multiple firings. Due to variations in the firing process, results can not be exactly predicted, so each piece of glass is unique.

Making these amazing pieces is certainly not a "Do-It-Yourself" project.  Limited supply is due to the requirement for very high-tech equipment and skilled artisans.


Dichroic glass adds flash, pizazz, sparkle and intrigue. It is  recommended to wear one piece of dichroic jewelry at a time to attract attention, comments or perhaps conversation, as several pieces tend to overwhelm and take away the mystery and uniqueness in each piece.

Cliptomania.com offers non-pierced earrings that are made of dichroic glass. Cliptomania's owner, Candy Santo, noted she had a hard time catching a good photo as the shine and color changing kept blurring its outcome. See these and other beautiful earrings at www.cliptomania.com.

Big & Bold Clip Earrings are the Hottest New Trend

Cliptomania.com has an extensive selection of Big & Bold Non-Pierced earrings that are face-flattering and so attractive they will be noticed!  Clip on earrings are also the newest trend when talking about big and bold styles because they do not damage the earlobes nor compromise the desired look.  Big and bold earrings have a tendency not only to be longer, but heavier, and combined with post or wire hooks, can pull, stretch, and possibly tear the earlobe.  Cliptomania.com offers big and bold styles with padded paddle back or screwback clips, and provides instructions detailing techniques to make wearing non-pierced earrings comfortable.  With clip on earrings from “slightly bold” to “can’t be ignored” let cliptomania.com be your first source.  Cliptomania.com also offers other styles including vintage, contemporary, petite and nickel free.  See us at www.cliptomania.com, or visit http://www.earringinformation.com/.

Give Your Earlobes a Break!

I have found that clip-on, non pierced earrings – especially the BIG ones - are a good choice, EVEN if your ears are PIERCED!  Why?  It’s a fact and I see it--earrings over the course of many years stretch earlobes and make the holes bigger--especially dangles on wire hooks. Anyone who has experienced an earring being ripped out of their earlobe can also attest to their lobes looking a little worse for the wear.  Recently employed by the internet merchant, www.cliptomania.com, I try on a lot of earrings and in doing so, have found that clip earrings seem to be less stressful on my earlobes, especially if the earrings are a tad on the weighty side.  I think it’s a great alternative for anyone with pierced ears who wants to give their earlobes a break! Beautiful earrings, various styles, extensive collection….and even clip on earrings for sensitive ears. Visit www.cliptomania.com!