Cubic zircona Gems



courtesy
syntheticgems.org

Cleaning Gold Coins

                            General advice is do not clean coins. The main reason many coins have been ruined by poor or aggressive cleaning If you have found a gold coin you are thinking of selling, definitely do not clean it, leave it to the buyer. the buyer, whether a dealer or collector may prefer to buy an uncleaned coin in which case he may pay more for it. If he prefers it cleaned, he will probably know how do it. Why do extra work and risk getting a lower price?

Avoid Abrasives & Rubbing
One of the worst things you can do to most coins including gold ones is to use an abrasive. Most metal polishes, such as Brasso, contain abrasives. these put tiny scratches on the surface on the coin, most collectors and dealers dislike scratched coins, or ones which look polished.
One other source of abrasion is rubbing or wiping coins dry after cleaning them. It is very easy to put scratches on your coin by any form of rubbing. If any grit is present, it will make scratches. Even an apparently soft cloth can leave tiny scratches on the surface of coins. Because gold is quite soft it is easily scratched. If you need to dry a coin after cleaning, make sure you dab it dry. If you have a steam cleaner or some other air blower such as a hair dryer, this may help, although it is still possible to leave patchy drying marks on the surface of a coin.

Best Way to Clean Gold Coins

If you have a gold coin which is dirty, it can be safely cleaned using soap, or detergent, and water. Sometimes when we get a particularly grubby batch of gold sovereigns, we put them in a pan of water, give them a squirt of "Fairy Liquid", and leave them boiling gently for as long as it takes. Don't allow the pan to boil dry or you may find all the coins have turned black, and have burnt-on soap residue on them. Dry them gently as described above.
If you have an ultrasonic tank, you can use this. Ultrasonic tanks work by gently vibrating the coins in soapy water, often a proprietary cleaning solution. Because the action is gentle, it should not harm your coins. It is very similar to boiling in soapy water but the sound waves provide the agitation to loosen any dirt instead of the boiling action.

Removing Stains
Stains can be removed. How depends on what has caused the stain. Solvents such as acetone or nail varnish remover will work well for removing many stains. This will also remove adhesive tape residues, it is surprising how many people use Sellotape to stick coins to a piece of paper or card either for storage or to send through the post. Obviously it is best to avoid sticking anything to your coins, as it will often leave a mark which may disfigure the coin.

Rust Stains and Red Spots
We sometimes see gold coins which have rust stains on them. Mention this to most people and their jaw drops open, because they are about to say that gold doesn't go rusty. Of course not, but it sometimes gets stored in steel boxes in safes or deposit boxes. If these are then stored in damp or humid conditions, the box may rust, and this can stain the coins if it comes into contact with them. The rust stain can be dissolved using almost any acid, even quite weak one such as lemon juice, vinegar, or the carbonic acid present in fizzy drinks. Obviously these may leave the surface of the coin sticky, but this can be rinsed off. If rust stains are persistent, you could try using a stronger or more concentrated acid (strength and concentration are not the same thing), such as we describe in our page about red spot.

Proof Coins
Because proof coins have a very highly polished surface, it is easy to spoil this finish by careless cleaning, in fact almost any contact can detract from the near perfection of a proof coin. Our comments about drying carefully and avoiding rubbing are particularly important for proof coins. As you will know, even touching the surface of proof coins, will usually leave a greasy fingerprint. If you are trying to remove fingerprints, a solvent such as acetone should work. Obviously it is better to avoid fingerprints in the first place, and if in any doubt, its probably best to avoid trying to clean proof gold coins.

If using solvents, do be careful to work in a well ventilated space.

Courtesy - taxfreegold.co.uk

How to Clean Gold Jewelry

                    Gold doesn't tarnish, but it can be dirtied or dulled by the oil in your skin, body lotion, makeup or other substances. There are lots of products out there that promise to clean gold, but you can do it easily with mild detergent and a soft cloth.

Things You’ll Need:
-Soft Toothbrush
-mild dish detergent
-soft polishing cloth

Step 1:
Mix a squeeze of mild dish detergent with warm water in a bowl.

Step 2:
Put the gold item into the soap mixture and let sit for a few minutes.

Step 3:
Use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub the jewelry.

Step 4:
Remove item from soapy water, rinse it and dry thoroughly with a soft polishing cloth.

Tips & Warnings
It is wise to check clasps, mountings, prongs and posts for damage before washing the jewelry. If you find a problem, take the item to a jeweler for repair.
Always be sure gold jewelry is completely dry before storing it.
Never use a harsh or abrasive cleaner, a stiff brush or a scouring pad on gold.

Courtesy – ehow.com

General Safeguards

While your jewellery is not being worn, it is best stored in a lined box or soft pouch, similar too, if not the one you had, when the item was purchased. Necklaces shouldn't be allowed to become tangled and metal or diamonds can easily scratch other metals or plate, just by being next to each other.

This can ruin or dull a polished surface very quickly, with the obvious disappointment and loss in value that will be the result.

Dont wear jewels while gardening, doing housework, or playing any kind of sport, in particular swimming. Jewellery is particularly susceptible to damage from the effects of chemicals present in perfume, hairspray, nail polish remover and deodorant.

If a lost ring or earring is trodden into the lawn, it can be a hundred years before it's found. Likewise, rings can all too easily slip off soapy or sweaty hands and be lost forever.

Your local swimming baths are especially destructive to expensive jewellery as the chlorine found in the water can cause surface damage. Gold and silver hate chlorine which was an active ingredient introduced during the refining process to separate the base metals in the melting crucible.

Courtesy - popular sites

Gems Cleaning

Modes:
Ultrasound:                            never.
Steam:                                    never.
Warm water and
           neutral soap:
              safe.

Stability

Reaction to heat: sharp changes in temperature can lead to breaking, cracking, or fracturing of                                the opal, excessive heating can change a white opal to brown and remove the                                 colour effect.
Stability with light: relatively stable.
Reaction to chemical
agents:                   affected by hydrofluoric acid and corrosive alkalis.

How Pure Is Your Gold Jewelry?

Chances are the ring on your finger is marked 18K, 14K, or 10K, with the K standing for karat, the system used to describe the percentage of pure gold an item contains. The higher the karat number, the higher the percentage of gold in your gold jewelry.

24K gold is pure gold.

18K gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 75% gold.

14K gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 58.3% gold.

12K gold contains 12 parts gold and 12 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 50% gold.

10K gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 41.7% gold. 10K gold is the minimum karat that can be called "gold" in the United States.

Tips & Warnings

Anything less than 10 karat gold cannot be legally marketed as gold in the U.S.
24K gold is pure gold, which is generally not practical for wearing, as it is too soft; 18K gold is 75 percent gold; 12K gold is 50 percent gold; 10K gold is 41.7 percent gold. Most gold items are marked with a karat mark, even though it is not required by law.
European quality marks are numbers that indicate the purity of the item. 999 means the gold is 99.9 percent (or 24K) gold; 750 means it is 75 percent (or 18K) gold; 585 means it is 58.5 percent (or 14K) gold.
The different colors of gold (white gold, rose gold, etc.) have to do with the metals with which the pure gold is combined.
If you are looking for gold jewelry on eBay, ask lots of questions. Inquire about the karat mark that is stamped on the piece, the manufacturer's trademark and the measurements--especially the thickness of the ring band.


Gold jewelry never goes out of style, and for good reason, because gold is as wearer-friendly as it is beautiful. Pure gold doesn't react with other elements to create tarnish, the residue that accumulates on some metals before transferring to your skin as a stain. Sometimes people have allergy or staining problems with metals that are combined with gold, but the gold itself is rarely a problem.

Gold can be worked into nearly any shape, including tiny strands that do not break easily. One ounce of gold can even be hammered into an ultra thin sheet that's ten feet square. Gold can be manipulated nearly any way the artisan desires.

How to Buy Gold Jewelry

Whether you're looking for traditional wedding bands, a chain, a pair of stunning earrings or a striking broach, you can't go wrong with gold. Here are some things to look for to be sure you're getting your money's worth.

Instructions

Step 1:
Choose a reputable jeweler. Select one that has membership in Jewelers of America if possible.

Step 2:
Familiarize yourself with karat quality marks. Since gold is a soft metal, it is mixed with other metals to make it more durable. The karat mark will tell you what percentage of the metal is actually gold. (See Tips for more information on karats.)

Step 3:
Look for a trademark on the item you wish to purchase. This identifies the manufacturer of the jewelry. If you have trouble figuring out what the trademark means, ask the jeweler. All gold jewelry with a karat mark must also have a trademark.

Step 4:
Be sure that any diamonds or gemstones that appear in the item you are considering are also real. (See Related eHows for tips on choosing diamonds and gemstones.)

Step 5:
Bear in mind that the price will include the amount of gold in the piece, as well as the design and the craftsmanship.

Step 6:
Make sure your sales receipt lists the karat quality of the item purchased.


Courtesy – ehow.com