Month: April 2017

While white gold and platinum look the same to a consumer, they have very different properties. The first difference between white gold and platinum is the most basic, White gold and platinum are different metals. White gold starts out as gold. Gold is yellow. Platinum is naturally a white metal. White gold and platinum have their own properties that make them unique. The difference in cost is primarily due to platinum’s rarity and higher level of purity in platinum jewelry.

White gold is a beautiful white metal, and we often recommend it, but any smart consumer should know some of the drawbacks of this metal as it ages. A white gold piece is not pure gold. In order to achieve white gold, yellow gold is mixed together with white metals such as silver, palladium, or nickel. Once the metals are mixed together, a white gold piece will then be “rhodium plated” to give it a whiter, shinier finish. This is what makes a white gold piece look the same as a platinum piece when they are both in new condition.

It’s very important to understand, however, that over time the rhodium plating finish will wear down and the jewelry will begin to show its natural yellow color. When this happens, you’ll have to bring it in to Jem Jewelers to have it rhodium plated again. Depending on how active you are and how often you wear the piece of jewelry, this could start to happen fairly quickly.

Platinum on the other hand, will age in a different way. To be considered platinum, a piece must contain 95% or more of the metal, making it one of the purest precious metals you can buy. Over time, platinum will fade in a different way.  It will begin to lose its shiny finish, where it will start to look dull.  Similar to white gold, a platinum piece can be brought back to life by Jem Jewelers who can restore its original condition simply by polishing it.

Durability

It’s no secret that platinum has long been described as the hardest and most durable metal for jewelry. There is actually a difference in the way that platinum and gold handle surface scratches. When white gold is scratched, the gold is scratched away and is lost. Overtime, can make your rings wear thin.

When Platinum is scratched, the platinum gets moved from one place on the ring to another. Platinum’s metal can be moved back in place with polishing because it is not actually losing metal like white gold.  Platinum’s durability is one of its strongest assets as a precious metal.

Composition

You’ll mostly find white gold jewelry offered in 14K (58.3% pure gold) or 18K versions (75% pure gold).  Gold will be mixed with other metals to form an alloy that is stronger than pure gold (aka 24 karat gold). That’s why it is mixed with other metals to give it additional hardness.

Platinum is a very strong and heavy metal. The wearer of a platinum piece will have to decide if they can handle a heavier metal like platinum over a lighter metal like white gold. The best way to test this out is by trying it on to see if its too heavy for you or if you don’t mind it. Platinum is the densest precious metal that you can buy, so all of these factors will have to be considered.

Hypoallergenic Potential

When comparing metals, you’ll also want to think about the possibility that the metal could irritate your skin or cause an allergic reaction. Hypoallergenic metals will help to reduce the possibility that you will have an allergic reaction by minimizing potentially irritating substances.

Platinum is actually the only true hypoallergenic precious jewelry metal that you can buy, because it is 95% pure. Because white gold is made from a mix of metals, some of these metals could easily irritate someone’s skin if they have a particular sensitivity. If you are aware of any of these allergies or suspect you may have any, then stick to platinum.

Cost

One of the biggest selling points of white gold over platinum is cost. Platinum will almost always be more expensive than white gold because it is 30 times more rare and mined much less than gold. To be more specific, 2,700 tons of gold are mined per year compared to 80 tons of platinum.

Also, platinum is denser than gold. The exact same ring would weigh more if its made of platinum over white gold. This same ring in platinum would also be much more expensive in platinum because precious metals are priced by weight.

Some of these factors play a big role in the price differentiation between platinum and white gold. Depending on what you are looking for in a ring, you’ll have to weigh the cost and overall benefits of each metal to truly understand which is the better option for you.

The Origin Of Mother’s Day

Mother’s day is celebrated on different days through out the world, but is typically observed in the U.S. the second Sunday of May.

Anna Jarvis was the driving force behind the first Mother’s Day observation in 1908 with the help of Philadelphia merchant John Wanamaker.

It all actually started back in the 1850’s when West Virginia Women’s Organization Ann Reeves Jarvis, Anna’s mother, held Mother’s Day Clubs to try to improve conditions to fight disease and lower infant mortality.

These groups also tended to wounded soldiers from both sides during the Civil War from 1861-1865.

After the war, Jarvis along with other women organized Mother’s Day Friendship Day to reunite families that had been separated during the war and also to try to unite former foes.  One, Julia Ward Howe, best known as the composer of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, launched a widely read “Mother’s Day Proclamation” in 1870- asking women to take an active political role in promoting peace. Jarvis had also initiated a Mother’s Friendship Day for Union and Confederate loyalists across her state.

Even though Anna never had any children of her own, she was inspired to organize the first Mother’s Day celebration in May of 1908 where many families got together in Anna’s hometown of Grafton W.V., as well as Philadelphia and several other cities.

Mother’s Day came to be observed in growing numbers and was officially set as the second Sunday in May by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in May of 1914.

Mother’s, not Mothers Day was meant to celebrate the best Mother that you’ve ever known, as a son or daughter. Hence not using the plural form.

Soon the idea of Mother’s Day was wide spread and turned into the giving of cards and gifts.

Jarvis was unhappy with the commercialization of Mother’s Day and spent quite a bit of her own money and inheritance to try to return it to its original concept.

It has been said that in 1923 she had stormed into a convention of Confectioners in Philadelphia. Two years later a similar protest followed when she crashed a fundraiser being held by the The American War Mothers selling carnations also in Philadelphia and was arrested for disturbing the peace.

Modern Mother’s Day in America continues as a nationally celebrated holiday with Mom being treated to cards, flower and candy, as well as brunch and bling. It is the second most popular holiday for giving gifts.

Mother’s Day globally is celebrated in various ways on various days, But more often than not is the second Sunday in May.

March 21 is the day most Arabs celebrate. Panama celebrates on December 8, when the Catholic Church honors perhaps one of the most famous Mother’s, the Virgin Mary. Thailand Mother’s are honored on August 12, the birthday of Queen Sirikit who has reigned there since 1956.

Britain celebrates the centuries old Mothering Sunday on the 4^th Sunday of the Christian period of Lent where people visit the Mother church or main cathedral instead of their local parish.

Pearls are created by a living creature. They are formed when a bead or nucleus is inserted into a shellfish. A substance called “nacre” is secreted by the animal and coats the bead through time like layers in an onion. The thicker the nacre , the more beautiful the pearl’s luster will be. Being comprised of an organic substance , pearls are very sensitive to  chemicals such as hairspray, perfumes and make-up.

We recommend applying all of your cosmetics first, then put on your pearls. Promptly remove your pearls after you have enjoyed wearing them and store them away from any other jewelry in their own pearl folder or soft cloth. Restring your pearls when there is movement between them , or if the strand has broken. Typically pearls are strung and knotted on silk, which can wear through time. If you wear your pearls often, a once a year restringing may be a good rule of thumb. You may clean your pearls with a gentle , mild pearl cleaner  that we sell in our showroom at Jem Jewelers.

Here at Jem Jewelers we recommend having your fine jewelry inspected every six months. This way we can check stones, prongs, settings and clasps to make sure they are in good condition. Remember- All fine jewelry will need maintenance at some point, so remove the opportunity for any losses by stopping in to Jem Jewelers anytime for free cleaning and inspection.

Gone are the days of the matching 14k yellow gold wedding bands.

Today’s grooms are expressing themselves by choosing alternative metals such as titanium, cobalt chrome, or even tungsten steel for their wedding bands.

Why alternative metals? The last decade has seen has seen significant increases in precious metals whereas alternative metals are available at extremely reasonable price points. Alternative metals offer durability, comfort, scratch and crack resistance, as well as being hypoallergenic.

The most effective way to choose a wedding band is to come into Jem Jewelers showroom in Warrington, Pa. and try on the various styles and metals we carry.

It is important to keep in mind your daily lifestyle when choosing your wedding band. If you work with your hands you want to choose a lightweight, durable band like titanium.

If you prefer the feel of a heavier ring you may want to try cobalt chrome or tungsten steel. There are at least a half a dozen alternative metals or more that are currently being used in jewelry production today.

Once you’ve  identified your style band, please know that you may customize your band in many ways such as width, inlays, finishes, and personalization.

Most alternative metals are unable to be altered. Should your finger size change, please be aware that Jem Jewelers offers you complete peace of mind by providing the service of having your wedding band re-made for a nominal fee.

Starting on April 8th, we will be updating our current website. We will be adding features, that we believe, will benefit our current and future customers.

We appreciate your continued support and patronage.