Test #1

CARAT WEIGHT

- A CARAT IS .20 OF A GRAM. - 2 HALF CARATS DO NOT EQUAL ONE WHOLE CARAT. - THERE IS A LARGE JUMP IN PRICE AT THE EACH FULL CARAT POINT. - 'TWC' REFERS TO TOTAL CARAT WEIGHT AND IS A LIMITED MEASURE OF VALUE.

The 4 C's

Carat Weight Color Clarity Cut

Parts of a Diamond

Refer to Evernote (Pavillion, Crown, Table, Girdle, etc.)

Precious gems include:

Sapphire, Emerald, Rubies

Name/Describe karat standards

- 24 KARAT GOLD IS 100% PURE GOLD -THE KARAT STANDARD IS AN OLD DUTCH STANDARD OF MEASUREMENT THAT IS DIVIDED INTO 24 PARTS - PURE GOLD IS 24 PARTS GOLD - 18K IS 75% GOLD AND 25% OTHER METALS. MEANS THAT IT IS 18 PARTS OUT OF 24 PARTS PURE GOLD. - 14K IS 58.3% GOLD AND 41.7 PARTS OTHER METALS - 10K IS 41.7% GOLD IS THE LEAST ACCEPTABLE ALLOY TO BE CONSIDERED KARAT GOLD

CUT

- ACCOUNTS FOR 30% OF THE STONES VALUE. - STONES ARE CUT INTO THE SHAPE THAT MAXIMIZES SIZE AND MINIMIZES THE FLAWS OF THE RAW STONE. - THE 58 BRILLIANT CUT IS CONSIDERED CLASSIC. IT HAS WELL DEFINED ANGLES THAT ENHANCE THE STONES ABILITY TO REFRACT LIGHT. THIS STONE HAS 58 PRE-DEFINED FACETS.

What is a gold alloy?

- AN ALLOY IS A MIXTURE THAT HAS BEEN MELTED TOGETHER. - MIXTURES CAN BE SEPARATED AND THEREFORE GOLD ALLOYS HAVE INTRINSIC 'MELT' VALUE

Fine Jewelry

- ARTISAN BENCH-MADE - PRECIOUS METAL: - AT LEAST 18K GOLD, SILVER OR PLATINUM - QUALITY STONES - LIMITED PRODUCTION

ASTERISM

- ASTERISM IS CAUSED BY INCLUSIONS THAT FORM RUTILE TUBES (TITANIUM OXIDE) - ADDS VALUE TO BOTH RUBIES AND SAPPHIRES.

BASE METALS

- BASE METALS SUCH AS COPPER ARE USED TO WHEN JEWELRY IS PLATED WITH A PRECIOUS METAL. - COPPER IS AN IMPORTANT ALLOY AND BASE METAL BUT IT LACKS DUCTIBILITY.

The Four Basic Methods of Metal Fabrication

- Casting - Stamping - Extrusion - Forging

Describe the properties of precious metals

- DUCTIBILITY (STRETCH) - AN OUNCE OF GOLD CAN BE STRETCHED MILES - MALLEABILITY (BEND) - DENSITY (WEIGHT) FUN FACT: MOST PRECIOUS METALS ARE TOO SOFT AND NEED TO BE MIXED WITH OTHER METALS OR ALLOYED TO GAIN SUITABLE STRENGTH FOR JEWELRY

Name/Define Gold Finishes

- GOLD FILLED: LESS THAN 10K - ROLLED GOLD: USES 10K OR 14K KARAT GOLD, ROLLED ON TOP OF A BASE METAL IN 1/30 OR 1/40 MICRONS OF THICKNESS - ELECTROPLATE: FAR LESS IN QUALITY SINCE IT IS ELECTRICALLY BONDED TO A BASED METAL - GOLD TONE DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY GOLD (SPRAY PAINT)

MAJOR FLAWS

- IF THE FLAW CAN BE SEEN WITH THE NAKED EYE, IT IS CONSIDERED A SERIOUS FLAW. THESE STONES ARE IN THE I-3, I-2 OR I-1 RANGE OF CLARITY. - INCLUDES COAL SPOTS, CHIPPED STONES AND POOR QUALITY CUTS SUCH AS BROKEN CULETS OR SLOPED PAVILIONS - IF THE FLAW IS LARGE AND/OR CENTERED IN THE STONE AND EASILY VISIBLE WITH A 10X LENS, IT IN THE SI 1-3 RANGE OF CLARITY.

COLOR

- JUDGED AGAINST A JEWELERS MASTER AND REQUIRES AND EXPERT EYE. - COLOR AND CAN BE SEEN AGAINST A WHITE INDEX CARD. -PURE WHITE (COLORLESS) DIAMONDS ARE HIGHLY PRIZED - SCALE RANGES FROM D-Z, D-M ARE GEMSTONE QUALITY N-Z ARE INDUSTRIAL GRADE - D-Z SCALE IS A REPLACEMENT OF AN OLDER A-C SCALE THAT DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH DEFINITION - THE STONES GET PROGRESSIVELY MORE YELLOW/BROWN AS THEY APPROACH THE 'N-Z' RANGE

CRITERIA FOR JUDGING CAST JEWELRY

- LACK OF POROSITY - NO MOLD MARKS - ANY MOLD MARKS NEED TO BE SANDED AWAY. - MOLD MARKS START TO APPEAR AS A MOLD AGES. - GOOD ARTICULATION - ARTICULATION REFERS TO THE SHARPNESS AND CLARITY OF THE DESIGN

Platinum

- PLATINUM IS CONSIDERED THE MOST EXPENSIVE OF THE PRECIOUS METALS. - PLATINUM IS DENSE AND STRONG AND IS USED AS A SETTING FOR PRECIOUS STONES, ESP DIAMONDS.

Bridge Jewelry

- PRECIOUS METAL: - 14K GOLD, PLATED PLATINUM OR SILVER - LESSER QUALITY STONES - MASS PRODUCED, OFTEN INVESTMENT CAST OR STAMPED

Silver

- PURE SILVER TOO SOFT FOR MOST JEWELRY APPLICATION - SILVER TARNISHES OR OXIDIZES AND NEEDS TO BE POLISHED. - GOLD PLATED SILVER IS CALLED VERMEIL

FORGING

- SIMILAR TO THE METHOD USED BY BLACKSMITHS - HEATED METAL IS POUNDED INTO A SHAPE USING A SMALL HAMMER CALLED A BALL PEEN HAMMER - THE PROCESS OF HEATING METAL IS CALLED ANNEALING AND IS ALSO USED FOR EXTRUSION - THIS METHOD CAN ALSO ADD TEXTURE TO A PIECE - USED TO PRODUCE ARTISAN HAND MADE PIECES BECAUSE IT IS LABOR INTENSIVE

THE CORUNDUMS

- THE CORUNDUMS INCLUDE SAPPHIRE AND RUBIES - ALL COLORED CORUNDUMS FOR THE EXCEPTION OF RUBIES ARE CALLED SAPPHIRES AND THEY ARE BOTH AL02. - BOTH ARE '9' ON THE MOHS SCALE. - THE ADDITION OF CHROMIUM MAKES A RUBY RED. - CHROMIUM OXIDES, TITANIUM AND IRON MAKE THE SAPPHIRE BLUE. - SAPPHIRES COME IN A WIDE VARIETY OF OTHER COLORS SUCH AS YELLOW, PINK AND GREEN

CLARITY

- THE PRESENCE OF FLAWS IN THE STONE'S LATTICE OR THE SURFACE OF THE STONE. - REQUIRES PROFESSIONAL TRAINING TO ACCURATELY GRADE A STONE. - CLARITY RATING IS BASED ON THE LOCATION, SIZE AND VISIBILITY OF THE FLAW - JUDGED BASED ON VISIBILITY THROUGH A 10X LENS BECAUSE: **NOTHING IS PERFECT IN NATURE.

EXTRUSION

- USED FOR MAKING CHAINS OR WIRES - WORKS LIKE A PASTA MAKER SOFTENED (ANNEALED) METAL IS PUSHED THROUGH A MACHINE TO CREATE A SHAPE. - WIRES ARE FORMED THAT ARE THEN LINKED AND SOLDERED, WOVEN OR FILIGREED. - SOLDERING MUST BE DONE WITH THE SAME METAL OR IT WILL NOT BOND - FILIGREE IS AN INTRICATE METAL WIRE DESIGN, USING THIN WIRES.

STAMPING

- USES STEEL DIES TO CREATE A TWO DIMENSIONAL IMPRESSION IN SHEET STOCK METAL - CREATES A POSITIVE-NEGATIVE DESIGN THAT WHEN COMBINED MAKES A HOLLOW PIECE - USED AS A METHOD TO MASS PRODUCE JEWELRY

Name the classifications of jewelry

Fine, Bridge, Costume

What is the most common metal used for jewelry?

GOLD

Name the three 'Precious Metals'

Gold, Silver, Platinum

Different Methods of Decoration

Hammering: USING A BALL PEEN HAMMER THIS TEXTURE ALSO CAN BE ACHIEVED IN A MOLD OR BY STAMPING Etching: CREATING A DESIGN ON METAL WITH ACID (cant be done on silver or gold) Chasing: HAND TAPPING AND PUSHING THE METAL INWARD Repousee: SIMILAR TO BUT PUSHES THE METAL OUT FROM THE BACK OF THE PIECE Granulation: MELTING CHIPS OF METAL ONTO A PIECE AND COOLING QUICKLY. Engraving: DISPLACING METAL USING AN ELECTRIC MACHINE OR A SHARP HAND TOOL WITH A HAMMER Engine Turning: DONE WITH A HAND CONTROLLED MACHINE THAT IS PRESSED INTO A PIECE OF METAL. Enameling: - COLD METHOD IS PAINTED LIKE NAIL POLISH BUT USES EPOXY PAINTS. THIS METHOD IS COST EFFECTIVE - HEATED ENAMELING IS MORE DIFFICULT AND COSTLY - Cloisonee: FILIGREE WIRES ARE SOLDERED ONTO METAL TO DEFINE A DESIGN. GLASS GRANULES ARE MELTED INTO THE APPROPRIATE SPACES. THE WIRES ARE LIKE THE LINES IN A COLORING BOOK - Champleve: METAL IS CARVED WITH DISTINCT DEPRESSIONS THAT ARE FILLED WITH GLASS GRANULES. - Plique a Jour: SIMILAR TO STAINED GLASS

INVESTMENT CASTING

INVESTMENT CASTING IS A MOLD TECHNIQUE THAT CAN MAKE MANY PIECES OF JEWELRY OR MODELS, AT A TIME. - WAX MODELS ARE ATTACHED TO A WAX POLE THAT IS THEN MELTED OUT OF THE CAST AND REPLACED WITH MOLTEN METAL. - ONCE THE METAL IS CAST THE MOLD IS DISSOLVED. - USED FOR ARTISAN PIECES, AS WELL AS, SOME MASS PRODUCED PIECES WHEN INVESTMENT CASTS ARE USED

Where are metals found?

METALS ARE FOUND IN ROCK KNOWN AS 'ORE'. FUN FACT: ONE OUNCE OF GOLD IS DERIVED FROM 3 TONS OF ORE

Costume Jewelry

NO INHERENT VALUE, NO PRECIOUS METALS AND NO PRECIOUS STONES ARE USED - PLATED BASE METALS - CRYSTALS AND GLASS 'STONES' - MASS PRODUCTION - STAMPED OR INVESTMENT CAST - OFTEN INSPIRED BY COPYING FINE JEWELRY DESIGNS - OFTEN COLLECTIBLE WHEN 'SIGNED'

STONE SETTINGS

PRONGS BEZELS INLAY CHANNELS CLUSTERS PAVE

What's more common: sapphires or rubies?

Sapphires

Casting

THE LOST WAX METHOD: - WORKS WITH POSITIVE/NEGATIVE FORMS - CREATE A WAX MODEL OF THE PIECE WITH AN ATTACHED SPRUE. - SURROUND A JEWELERS WAX MODEL WITH PLASTER OF PARIS OR SILICON. - SILICON LASTS LONGER THAN PLASTER OF PARIS BUT IS MORE EXPENSIVE - MELT THE WAX AWAY AND POUR OUT OF THE MOLD THROUGH THE SPRUE - POUR MOLTEN GOLD INTO THE .MOLD THROUGH THE HOLE MADE BY THE SPRUE - PRODUCES 3D PIECES THAT ARE SOLID MOLDS CAN BE REUSED

What does semi-precious mean?

THE TERM SEMI-PRECIOUS IS USED TO DENOTE STONES THAT ARE MORE COMMON AND ARE USUALLY QUARTZ BASED.

What are Fancy Diamonds

colored diamonds - FANCY'S GET THEIR COLOR FROM IMPURITIES IN THE STONE CAUSED BY GAS INCLUSIONS. THESE ARE ALLOCHROMATIC FLAWS. - RED US THE RAREST COLOR AND IS CAUSED BY CHROMIUM. - CANARY YELLOW IS A PRIZED COLOR CAUSED BY NITROGEN GAS. - PINK IS THE LEAST EXPENSIVE COLOR. - THE HOPE DIAMOND IS BLUE. THE BLUE COLOR IS CAUSED BY THE PRESENCE OF BORON