How Can You Take Good Care Of Your Pearl

(Wahroongai News, Volume 28, No.6, June 1994) H Komatsu writes:

How to take good care of pearl can be summarized into the following 4 points:

1. After wearing your pearl, you make it a custom to clean and dry it with a soft cloth, and keep it in a jewelry box. This is to prevent from the dullness of pearl luster from perspiration or cosmetic.

2. Your pearl should not touch with other jewelries such as diamonds, precious stones, gold jewelry, etc otherwise, some flaws might occur on the surface of your pearl.

3. Your pearl should not be exposed to light while it is kept, because light might make it yellowish after many years.

4. Your pearl should avoid extreme dryness and humidity; otherwise, cracks might occur after many years.

What is most important among the above 4 points is (1), that is, to clean and dry your pearl with a cloth after you wear it.

A pearl is far stronger than a marble.
The principle ingredient of a pearl and a marble consist of calcium carbonate, or a sort of calcium crystallization. It is reported that a marble is damaged by acid rain in Europe. Grand edifices and sculptures made of marbles are exposed to weather in ancient European cities, such as Paris, Rome, etc. And those historical structures are deformed, being melted by acid rain caused by waste gas from automobiles. Calcium carbonate is strong and solid crystallization, but it is melted by chemical reaction when influenced by acidity. On the other hand, the principal ingredient of a pearl is calcium carbonate, but the structure of its principal ingredient is greatly different from a marble. A marble is simply a mass of crystallization, but a pearl appears to be tiny bricks which are visible only with an electron microscope. Pearl nacre composes of many, many brick-looking materials. As a matter of fact, a pearl of 7mm composes of 220, 000, 000, 000 bricks. To our further surprise, every brick is covered up with a protein film. Generally speaking, protein is strong against acidity, and a pearl covered with a protein film is much stronger than a marble.

The surface of a pearl will become clouded with perspiration.
Since a brick near the surface of a pearl is exposed to the air and touches with your skin, its protein film may be damaged and it may become melted with acidity, such as perspiration and cosmetic. When a brick becomes melted, the surfaces of a pearl become uneven, though it is a micron in size, and loses its luster, which is called ‘cloudy phenomenon’. The same principle applies for a frosted glass which becomes clouded when a flaw or unevenness is found on the surface of a transparent glass.

It is easy to make clouded surface clean by cutting and polishing its surface.
Cloudy surface appears to be very serious when you notice it one day. You will be shocked to find powdery materials or white cloud on the surface of your pearl. However, it is easy to solve the above problem. By principle, we can remove one brick with flaws on the surface, and take out a new brick below the old one. You can restore pearl luster by polishing its surface with a cloth containing an ordinary abrasive. Since the thickness of a brick is 0.5 micron, you can feel relieved that cutting off such thickness does not reduce the size of your pearl.

To clean and dry your pearl with a cloth is the fundamental rule regarding how to take good care of your pearl.

We advise you not to have your pearl clouded, though you will be able to restore it. There will be two methods:

- To stay away from acidity. In case of a pearl jewelry, it is impossible to do so unless it is coated with special chemical, because you wear it on your skin.

- To remove acidity. The only method will be to remove perspiration and cosmetic on the surface of a pearl. Any soft cloth will do, but strictly speaking, the cloth which is suitable for soaking up the chief ingredient of perspiration, that is, water and oil, will be the best.

A pearl is one of the softest gems.
According to Mohs hardness index, a pearl is harder than a marble, but it is softer than any other gems. It is true that the hardness index of a pearl, which is 4.5, creates its unique luster, but we advise you not to mix it with other gems in a jewelry box.

Let’s not get your pearl sunburnt.
As we told you, pearl brick is covered up with a protein in film. This protein film will become yellowish and get sunburnt. This is the same principle with human beings becoming sunburnt in the sun. However, in case of a pearl, it takes many decades before it becomes discolored. You need not worry much about it so far as your pearl is carefully kept in a jewelry box.

A pearl is breathing.
Furthermore, water inside a pearl is actively moving around. When water inside becomes dry, it will get outside. Then, a pearl will become dry up, and lose its transparency, and may get cracked. On the other hand, when water becomes wet, it will get inside. Then, the protein film will get melted. Therefore, your pearl should be kept at a certain moderate state, not in too high nor too low humidity.

In conclusion, we would like to advise you to keep your pearl in a jewelry box which is designed to function, adjusting humidity naturally.

Mtorolite

(via Wahroongai News, Vol 30, No.4, April, 1996) Grahame Brown writes:

Mtorolite is a rare green chrome chalcedony that occurs in one location in the world: Zimbabwe. Here it occurs as horizontally pitched veins that intrude decomposed serpentine bordering the Great Dyke. Although commercially mined out, it is considered that significant reserves remain to challenge the diligent fossicker. Better quality mtorolite can be faceted; but mostly this attractive chrome chalcedony is cabochoned or carved.

According to Ian Campbel (pp 19-23) in the October 95 issue of The South African Gemmologist, mtorolite was named for the Mtoroshanga of Zimbabwe, the district that hosts the only known occurrence of this gem material in the world. The greenish hues possible in this chalcedony depend on its Cr:Ni content, while the saturation of its green color depends of its Cr content. For example, dark green good quality evenly colored mtorolite has 0.04% Cr and 0.02% Ni, while pale green variegated mtorolite has 0.205 Cr and <0.01% Ni.

Mtorolite has colors that vary from a saturated chrome green to pale grayish green hue; a specific gravity of 2.57 – 2.60; a spot RI of 1.54. It has a pinkish to reddish Chelsea Filter reaction and is inert to both LW and SW UV.

The World’s Finest Minerals And Crystals

By Peter Bancroft
The Viking Press, Inc
1973 SBN 670-79022-2

The Viking Press writes:

The collecting, cutting and polishing of minerals is one of the largest and fastest growing hobbies in the world. In spite of the wide popularity of this activity and the generations of scientific study devoted to mineralogy, there is no known formula for determining the best example of a particular mineral species. Rare and valuable specimens of legendary beauty are scattered n collections around the world. Some are in museums where they may be enjoyed by those people lucky enough to be able to travel to see them; others are in private hands and are seldom seen by the public.

In The World’s Finest Minerals and Crystals, Dr Peter Bancroft has brought together a series of magnificent photographs of outstanding minerals nominated for acclaim by enthusiasts all over the world. A distinguished international panel of judges has participated in choosing the very finest examples for inclusions in the Gallery of plates. In his text, Dr Bancroft tells just how this gallery was selected. He explains how minerals are formed and where they are found, and how some of the world’s finest collections were begun. Modern methods of collecting and conservation are also discussed. Fine minerals are growing increasingly rare, and Dr Bancroft reviews the dangers that threaten both natural sources and specimens already housed in important collections. The notes that accompany each plate describe the history and characteristics of the pictured specimen, tell where other fine examples may be seen, and describe the locations around the globe in which these minerals originate.

The book provides a unique opportunity to view the world’s greatest mineral treasures brought together in a superb gallery of photographs that bring out all the rich glow and sparkle of the originals, and the text takes the reader adventuring abroad to exotic locations in the fascinating realm of mineral collection.

About the author
Dr Peter Bancroft is a collector of minerals, and has lectured in mineralogy in the United States, Bolivia, Brazil, and Australia and has contributed articles to Lapidary Journal and other magazines in this field.

How Do You Value A "Free" Customer?

Sometimes a valuable customer may be the person who never buys a thing, but in a networked setting a free customer may have considerable influence.

Read on to learn more @ http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5595.html

The Aviator

Memorable quote (s) from the movie:

Professor Fitz (Ian Holm): Well, the cumulonimbus formations about which you speak that look like...

Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio): Giant breasts full of milk. I want clouds, damn it.

Professor Fitz (Ian Holm): Yes, clouds that look like giant breasts full of milk, cannot exactly be guaranteed for any particular occasion. So you might have to... to wait.

Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio): Then we'll wait. Look, whatever they pay you at UCLA I'm doubling it, all right? You work for me now. Find some clouds. Find some clouds! Find me some clouds!

Hell's Angels Pilot (Justin Shilton): Welcome to Hell's Angels.

Pocket LED Light Sources For Gemologists

(via The Canadian Gemmologist)

Significant strides have been made in the quality and availability of pocket sized LED applications for gemological applications. Conventional lighting is by no means obsolete in the study of gemology. But now with so many models from which to choose, pocket LED light sources certainly have their place.

Read on to learn more @
www.equipped.com/led_lights.htm
http://www.howstuffworks.com
http://www.led-lenser.com
http://www.leevalley.com
http://www.nichia.co.jp
http://www.photonlight.com
www.physics.ubc.ca/~outreach/phys420/p420_95/mark/htheory.html
http://www.scotgem.demon.co.uk

Contact Sources In Canada
Active Surplus, 347 Queen St. W., Toronto. 416-593-0909
-Electronic components, including diodes; Pocket laser pointers; Scientific glassware such as Petri dishes, beakers, etc.

Canadian Gemmological Association, 1767 Avenue Rd, Toronto. 416-785-0962
-Nebula LW UV pocket LED

Efstonscience, 3350 Dufferin St., Toronto. 1-800-777-5255 for mail order
-Electronic components, including colored diodes by special request; Laser pocket LEDs; LW UV pocket LED

Marathon Sports Ltd., 367 King St. W., Toronto. 416-593-5850
-A good selection of Photon®Microlights (LW UV by request)

Mountain Equipment Co-op, 400 King St. W., Toronto. 416-340-2667
-Photon®I Microlight only (white, blue, yellow, red)

Lee Valley Tools, various locations. 1-800-267-8767 for mail order in Canada.
-Photonpump®VI Moonlenser in white, blue and red; Flexible Neck Lamps in white, large and small models

Vistek, 496 Queens St. E., Toronto. 416-365-1777
- Lee Filters Series of photographic gels

Contemporary Costume Jewelry

By Elyse Sommer
George Allen & Unwin Ltd
1974 ISBN 0-04730026-4

George Allen & Unwin writes:

For anyone who wants to create stunning and imaginative jewelry with a minimum of skill and expense, Elyse Sommer’s new book provides a wealth of inspiring ideas. Here, in a new look at an ancient craft, the author explores the infinite potential of jewelry making, revealing how a combination of unusual methods and materials can work for the artist to give fullest expression to his ideas. The beginner is launched into creative designing with some eye-opening suggestions for recycling antique store and flea market items such as ivory piano keys, crystal chandelier parts and brass stampings into charming and sophisticated jewelry worthy of the most elegant boutique.

The budding jeweler is told where to find and how to use the proper stringing materials and findings; drilling, sawing, bending, and finishing tools. A discussion of solderless methods, including a multimedia adhesive chart, completes this definitive chapter on tools and supplies. The author then goes on to introduce some of the most popular materials with which to create multimedia jewelry. She describes with the help of invaluable step-by-step photographs, the most common wire-working techniques, such as bending, twisting, looping, hammering, and wire crocheting. Demonstration projects range from a simple wire choker to beautiful necklaces and earrings of twisted wire and beads.

Metal jewelry examples include objects of copper, brass and silver being cut, pierced, shaped, filed, and inlaid to produce gorgeous body ornaments. The author shows why wood is such a versatile medium, lending itself to the creating of alluring pendants, brilliantly dyed beads, even combs and miniature sculptures to wear. Other media extensively discussed are glass, plastics, clay (firing and non-firing), fabrics, fibers, leather, paper, and natural materials.

Contemporary Costume Jewelry is the ideal book for all artists and craftsmen, experienced or not, who would like to fashion one-of-a-kind jewelry from simple materials. Whether it is a silver ring accented with a touch of tooled copper; a necklace made of felt patchwork, embroidered burlap or wrapped yarn; a watchcase made from a real eggshell; a bold and daring papier-mache necklace; or a pendant made from an old ivory mah-jongg tile, a host of exquisite creations await the follower of Elyse Sommer’s clear and easy-to-follow instructions.

A History Told In Beads

Two Pakistani artisans explain and demonstrate the time and energy involved in their bead making. They can make copies of ancient beads with the same quality of the originals. This is good news, because this helps collectors get very good replicas without having to loot archaeological sites.

Read on to learn more @ http://www.lapidaryjournal.com/feature/299str.cfm