Why Jewelry Turns Skin Green, and What It Means
Copper reacting with sweat, not fake metal. Which alloys do it, when green means a plated layer has worn through, and how it differs from a nickel allergy.
Silver Alloys Beyond Sterling: 999, 958, Argentium
Fine, Britannia, Argentium, sterling, coin, filled and plated silver compared, why each tarnishes differently, and the alloy that contains no silver at all.
Rose vs Yellow vs White Gold: What the Alloy Changes
Same karat, same gold content, different everything else. What copper, nickel and palladium do to colour, hardness, skin reactions and repairs.
Rhodium Plating on White Gold: Wear and Re-Plating
White gold is not white. What the rhodium layer does, where it wears first, what re-plating involves, and the alternatives that end the cycle.
Jewelry Finishes Explained: How Each One Ages
Polished, satin, matte, hammered, milgrain, oxidised and PVD compared. The one distinction that decides whether a worn finish can be restored at all.
Sapphire Buying Guide: Colour, Heat Treatment and Price
Nearly all sapphires are heated, and that is fine. The treatments that are not fine, how colour is judged, and when an origin claim needs a lab report.
Pearl Buying Guide: Nacre, Luster and the Four Types
Luster decides a pearl’s quality, and nacre thickness decides its luster. Akoya, freshwater, Tahitian and South Sea compared, plus care that works.
Opal Buying Guide: Types, Crazing Risk and Care
Solid, doublet, triplet, boulder and hydrophane opal explained, what causes crazing, what drives value, and the cleaning rules that protect the stone.
Gemstone Hardness vs Toughness: Why Mohs Misleads
Mohs measures scratching, not breaking. A comparison table of common gems, why jade beats topaz, and what cleavage means for settings and cleaning.
Emerald Buying Guide: Oiling, Clarity and Safe Cleaning
Nearly every emerald is fissure-filled. What oil and resin treatments mean for price and care, how to judge colour, and why ultrasonics ruin them.