Mystic Fire Topaz Rings – Choose Wisely

Mystic fire topaz, sea mist topaz and other created topaz stones are a recent craze. These engineered gemstones are brilliant combinations of colors, combined in such a way that people who see topaz rings in action want to know where it was purchased. Not only are these created rings gorgeous, but they’re affordable. It just makes sense that they’re so incredibly popular.

What to look for in a mystic fire topaz ring: Check that the coating on the outside of the stone is in tact, properly secured by the prongs, and unscratched. Make sure the color is brilliant by going out into the sun and examining it carefully.

How to care for mystic fire topaz: Mystic fire topaz should be placed away in a secure, room temperature place like a jewelry box with felt lining, limiting contact with other jewelry. Never wear mystic fire topaz in any high impact activities, gardening, moving furniture, or any type of activity that would risk the jewelry being damaged in any way. Clean the ring once a week to remove soap, hand oil, and body oil residue with a clean cloth and cleaning solution; buff to avoid water spots. Do not use an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner, which will damage the treated surface of mystic fire topaz.

Jewelry History – Rings

Rings are possibly the most popular style of jewelry there is.  Regardless of whether we conduct a phone poll, an Internet poll or simply review our sales: rings are always at the top of people’s lists.

Maybe it’s because rings are easy to wear, range from symbolizing eternal love to one’s purity or funky fashion sense, and date back to roughly 5,000 B.C.  The first rings were made from stone, bone or clay.  They were worn by both men and women.  Artisans crafted rings to represent their station in the group, their prowess as a hunter or to ward off evil spirits and bad luck.

Ancient Roman Signet Ring

As time passed, rings became more intricate. With advances in technology, precious metals like gold, silver, copper and bronze entered the scene.  Romans often wore multiple rings at once with each used for a specific purpose.  Many wore signet rings, used to stamp correspondence in place of a signature, others represented family seals and the female head of the household wore a ring set with a key to symbolize her position.  With gold in abundance, gold rings were often the most popular, followed by bronze and other metals.

Roman Ring 100 AD

In additional to stylized rings, gemstone rings became popular.  Certain gemstones represented different things.  If you were afraid of the poison rings of the day, you could wear topaz that was said to change color in the presence of dangerous substances.  If you wanted to party like Dionysus, you would done the purple amethyst as a way of ensuring your sobriety. If it was your birthday, you donned the Annulus Natalitus (the ancient equivalent to the modern birthstone rings we now wear year round).

In the new age with a new monotheistic religion in place, the devout were told to steer away from false idols.  What were once seen as insurance against harm and bringers of luck were now quite the

Gold Cloisonné Ring from the Middle Ages

opposite.   Just like with earrings, many stopped wearing rings as talisman.  Few wore rings simply as adornment, possibly because it linked the wearer with the occult.  In fact, Joan of Arc was accused of her villainy partly due to the fact she wore rings.  Her association with such “charms” led many to believe she was involved with magic.

With time, the negative connotation waned and rings once again became popular.  In fact, rings flourished.  People wore not one or two, but one or two on each finger.  New meanings sprang forth for different types and the popular styles of today were born.  Engagement rings, friendship rings, purity rings, and even religious rings flourished.

Today, there aren’t many rules when it comes to wearing a ring.  Choose something that is versatile, light enough for easy wear and something that makes you smile.  Remember, every time you’re slipping on a ring, your following a historical tradition thousands of years old.

Jewelry Illustrations: Ring Parts Diagram

Shank – the shank is the ring’s band.

1. Upper Shank – The upper shank is the top portion of the ring.  This area is generally where the ring’s decoration lies.
2. Lower Shank – This lower shank is the bottom half of the ring if bisected at the diameter.   The interior of the lower shank is often engraved with personal messages and is where one can find the metal stamping.
   

   Ring Parts Diagram

Under Gallery – The under-gallery is the interior of the upper shank.  It is generally open to allow maximum light to reach the stone and is comprised of the settings and support structure.

Feature Stone – Refers to the only stone in a single stone ring or the largest stone in a multi-set ring.  Generally, but not always, the feature stone is set at the center-top of the ring centralized along the upper shank.

Prongs – A prong is a type of setting that holds a gemstone in place.  While there are various types like bezel, channel and pave, the prong setting is one of the most popular.

Stations – A station is a jewelry term that refers to a repetitive grouping of gemstones.  For example, we this “O” a topaz and this “Y” a diamond, each “YYOYY” in the following pattern YYOYY-YYOYY would be considered a station.

Girdle – The girdle of the ring more specifically refers to the gemstone or feature gemstone’s widest part.  Girdles are generally mentioned more with anniversary, engagement and wedding solitaire rings as the stone’s girdle directly affects the amount of light refracted by the diamond.

Face – Also referred to as the crown, the face is generally the top most facet of the stone.  With many, the surface of a cut gemstone is flat, but with a cushion cut, the face would be multi-faceted.

Don’t Know Your Ring Size?

Check our our Ring Sizing Tool HERE!  Ring size is measured differently across the world, but all sizes are determined by the ring’s diameter.  You’ll find more information on the various ring sizes and ring size conversions at GEMaffair.com’s ring page.

Eco Friendly Green Fashions

Recently, there has been a large movement towards purchasing more eco friendly products.  The same is true in the jewelry industry.  We want the best styles, but we also want to protect the planet.  You can go green while adding the glam.

While the world prizes the beautiful diamonds, precious metals and colorful gemstones produced naturally by the earth, many are concerned about the repercussions for mining these valuables.  Though practices remain much the way they have for hundreds of years, there has been progress towards less invasive ways to mine the glorious minerals.  In addition, organizations like Earth Works Action and the EPA are working to put new technologies in place to effectively reduce emissions, leaching and unfair work practices within the industry.

Today, mining with organizations like these ordaining their practices are much more envirmentally friendly than they were just several years ago.  But for those who still want to further protect the earth which has provided this beauty, there are other options.

Alexandrite & Diamond Ring

In addition to purchasing natural gemstones, you can look for created gemstones.  Created gemstones are exactly the same as a natural gemstone in every way from color, hardness, composition and appearance but is formed in a lab able to reproduce the exact conditions needed in nature (heat and pressure) to create the real thing.  Since they’re made by man above the ground, there is no mining.  Another positive with created gemstones is the price.  Since there is much less labor involved, they’re priced much lower than their verified natural cousins.  And since there are no surprises when creating a gemstone in the lab, created gemstones don’t have inclusions the way real gems do.  They’re effectively a perfect representation of the original, free from defects yet they retain the stones’ core qualities in color, hardness and composition.  Some of the most common created gemstones on the market today are sapphires and rubies from the corundum family, alexandrite and aquamarine.

Pearl & Diamond Ring

Another option, similar to created yet entirely different, is purchasing pearls.  Almost all of the pearls on the market today are cultured meaning they are effectively “planted” into an oyster and raised through aquaculture.  They still undergo the same process as natural pearls, but get a simple push at the start and are kept safe by their keepers.  Since the oysters that produce pearls are quite picky, the water is kept free of pollutants and is stringently monitored for cleanliness.  In addition, once a pearl reaches the intended size (often several years), the oyster shell that produced it is used for mother of pearl jewelry, buttons or art work.  Little goes to waste, the water is kept clean and a beautiful pearl results.  Whether you choose saltwater Akoya pearls or freshwater pearls, it’s a win-win.

The Appeal of the Charm Bracelet

People have been wearing charm bracelets for thousands of years . In ancient times, different cultures placed stones, religious charms, coins and other items on a chain to ward off evil and bring good luck. Charms were also used as family identification and symbol of status in the community – the more charms one wore – more more presence they had.  Soon, people began wearing multiple charms at once and the charm bracelet was born.

While they’re no longer seen as talisman, there is a certain, shall we say, charm to them.  Today, men and women wear  charm bracelets more as a fashion statement and a unique way to express themselves than as a way to fend of spirits and bring good luck. The chain link charm bracelet is the traditional style.

You can buy the chain with the charms attached, like the bracelet on the right, or you can purchase the chain and add charms to it as you find ones that suit your tastes.  With these, the charms hook to the loops and dangle from the bracelet.

A more contemporary style is called an Italian charm bracelet. With this version, the the charms are affixed to the face of a flat rectangular link and lie flush with the rest of the bracelet.  Italian charm bracelets are sleek; nothing dangles from them because the band is made with interlocking expandable links.  This makes the piece stretchy so that the wear can slide the bracelet over the wrist without using a clasp. Regardless of which type, there are certain charms that remain the most popular.

• Horseshoe:  positioned with the points facing downward it means you are collecting luck.  Stored with the points facing up it means you are storing your luck.

• Ankh: The Egyptian symbol for eternity.

• Baby bottle: Represents a new child and ensures health.

• Elephant: Ensures your life will be full of wonderful moments to remember.

• Shamrock: Luck will be on your side.

• Flowers:  Roses stand for beauty, flowers for fertility, daisies for happiness and lilies represent a lost loved one.

• Owl: Represents wisdom

• Ship: Represents a dreamer and ensures adventure.

• Monkey: Represents mischief and fun.

• Fox: Stands for mischievous wisdom and can also represent protection.

• Skeleton Key: Ensures a happy home.

• Cross: Represents didactic purity.

• Angel: Ensures you will lead a blessed life.  Many also believe angel charms are small representations of one’s guardian angel.

• Padlock: Often given along with a key to symbolize the love of two people.  Padlocks can also represent the future which is yet to be seen.

• High Heel Shoe: Represents true devotion to style and fashion.

• Suitcase, airplane or car: Represents travel.

• Locket: Represents the desire to protect a love that has grown.

• Picture Charm: Pride in family and friends.

• Camera or paint brush: Stands for creativity.

• Typewriter: Represents a loquacious penman.

• Heart: Symbolizes love and friendship.

• Butterfly: Represents transformation, spring and beauty.

• Dove: Symbolizes peace.

• Pink Ribbon: Breast cancer awareness

• Flag: Represents pride in one’s country or heritage.

• Dragon: Symbolizes strength, the sublime power of nature and can also be seen as a protective spiritual guide.

• Lizard: In Greek times it represented both death and resurrection much like a phoenix.

• Lion: Lions stand for bravery, courage and resolve.  Recently, lions also represent Harry Potter’s Gryffindor house.

• Unicorn: Symbolizes healing, love, kindness, purity and beauty.

• Wishbone: Stands for hopes and dreams.  Wishbones are often paired with the horseshoe for added luck.

• Oroborus: The serpent eating its tail symbolizes the circle of life.

So, from a lucky horse shoe to a picture of a child to the oroborus, there are charms to commemorate special occasions and holidays, charms that become popular and obscure collectibles, charms that cater to quirky tastes and much more. A charm bracelet really allows a a person to express him or herself and, in gold, silver or two-tone, they go with everything. Finding the perfect charms to create a unique piece of jewelry is fun and makes for a bit of family history as it is passed down from one family member to the next.

Opals on Fire

One of the most unusual gemstones around is the opal with its opulent iridescence and flash of colors. Because of how they form, each stone is completely unique. Play of color- the flash- is a determining factor for quality in most varieties. However, the fire opal is more desired simply for its reds, oranges and yellows. The name itself comes from these colors as opposed to the fire and flash from play of color. A fire opal pendant may or many not have play of color, but if the colors are bright and hot, it is a desired stone.

Significant deposits of this stone come from Mexico. Because it has long been an important part of the Mexican culture, it is the national gemstone for the country. Another special designation is the birthstone for October. A fire opal can heat up any birthday celebration. But, it is also a sexy and exciting gift to celebrate a 14th wedding anniversary.

It is important to take care of these delicate stones by cleaning with care and storing them separate from harder pieces of jewelry. If a fire opal bracelet is reserved for special occasions, it will hold up over the years so it can be passed down for generations to come.