MyOnlineJewelryShop News

MyOnlineJewelryShop.com is a new, online store featuring a catalogue of fine jewelry and diamonds in gold, platinum, silver and a collection of custom jewelry and gifts from designers and artisans. We will be adding the custom collection on a daily basis. Stop by often to see what’s new.

*Jewelers of America Standardized February Birthstones Traditional & Modern:

Traditional: Amethyst Alternate: less expensive substitute - Onyx

Amethysts can be damaged from exposure to heat and sunlight. The heat may cause the color to deteriorate. Avoid contact with chemicals like household cleaners or hairspray. To clean, use a soft toothbrush or cloth and a solution of mild dish soap and warm water to gently scrub the stone. You may also clean the stones with an ultrasonic unit.

Onyx is hardy, although the stone can crack if hit too hard. Exposure to excessive sunlight and harsh chemicals should probably be avoided. If onyx is set in a metal, the setting should be checked periodically to make sure that it is not loose. Onyx beads may benefit from periodic cleaning and polishing to remove grime, and should be taken to a jeweler for cleaning.

Our Jewelry Website, MyOnlineJewelryShop.com, includes: birthstone jewelry, diamond jewelry, gemstone jewelry, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, rings, bridal rings and sets in yellow gold, white gold, platinum and sterling silver. A great selection of one of a kind gifts, collectibles and custom jewelry designs and more at incredible savings!

Questions or Comments? Email us at info@MyOnlineJewelryShop.com.

* Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, gives this information about birthstones:
There have been many different sets of birthstones used throughout history and in different cultures. In 1912, in an effort to standardize them, the American national association of jewelers, Jewelers of America, officially adopted the following list; it is currently the most widely used list in the United States and many other locations, including Australia and Thailand.

MyOnlineJewelryShop News

MyOnlineJewelryShop is a new, online jewelry store featuring a catalogue of fine jewelry and diamonds in gold, platinum, silver and a collection of custom jewelry and gifts from designers and artisans. We will be adding often to the custom collection. Stop by often to see what’s new.


*Jewelers of America Standardized Birthstones for January
Traditional & Modern: Garnet
Alternate: less expensive substitute – Rose Quartz

Clean your garnets with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Make sure you rinse the stone well after washing it. Ultrasonic treatments may also be used for all garnets except the demantoid variety. Do not steam clean your garnets. Always protect your garnet from sharp blows, harsh temperatures and chemicals.

Our Jewelry Website, MyOnlineJewelryShop.com, includes: birthstone jewelry, diamond jewelry, gemstone jewelry, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, rings, bridal rings and sets in yellow gold, white gold, platinum and sterling silver. A great selection of one of a kind gifts, collectibles and custom jewelry designs and more at incredible savings!

Questions or Comments? Email us at info@MyOnlineJewelryShop.com.

* Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, gives this information about birthstones:
There have been many different sets of birthstones used throughout history and in different cultures. In 1912, in an effort to standardize them, the American national association of jewelers, Jewelers of America, officially adopted the following list; it is currently the most widely used list in the United States and many other locations, including Australia and Thailand.

MyOnlineJewelryShop News

MyOnlineJewelryShop is a new, online store featuring a catalogue of fine jewelry in gold, platinum, silver and a collection of custom jewelry and gifts from designers and artisans. We will be adding the custom collection on a daily basis. Stop by often to see what's new.

Question: Who owned the Star of Bombay and the Star of India?

Answer: Mary Pickford

Mary Pickford was never shown on film wearing more jewelry than a string of pearls to preserve her image of innocence. In reality though, she preferred very large rubies and star sapphires. She owned both the 60-carat *Star of Bombay and the 200-carat *Star of India. And she was known to wear them both at the same time!

Wikipedia.org, the free, internet encyclopedia, describes the *Star of Bombay as a 182 carat (36.4 g) cabochon-cut star sapphire originating from Sri Lanka. The violet-blue gem was given to the silent film actress by her husband, Doublas Fairbanks. She bequeathed it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1981.

Wikipedia.org describes the *Star of India as The Star of India is a 563.35 carat (112.67 g) star sapphire , probably the largest such gem in the world. It is almost flawless and unusual in that it has stars on both sides of the stone. The greyish blue gem was mined in Sri Lanka and is now kept in the USA , where it currently resides in the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Wikipedia does not mention Mary Pickford as one of the previous owners. Did she really own the sapphire and, if she did, how did she wear it? I wonder ….what do you think? If you have an idea, send it along to Kristin at info@MyOnlineJewelryShop.com.

Our Jewelry Website, MyOnlineJewelryShop.com includes: diamond jewelry, gemstone jewelry, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, rings, bridal rings and sets in yellow gold, white gold, platinum and sterling silver. A great selection of one of a kind gifts, collectibles, glass art and custom jewelry designs and more!

MyOnlineJewelryShop News

MyOnlineJewelryShop is a new, online store featuring a catalogue of fine jewelry in gold, platinum, silver and a collection of custom jewelry and gifts from designers and artisans. We will be adding the custom collection on a daily basis. Stop by often to see what’s new.

A Jewelry History Tidbit

Question: What famous woman actress had to rent her jewelry because her extravagant taste prevented her from purchasing her jewelry?

Answer: Gloria Swanson

As an actress, she had the advantage of only paying 10% of the value of her jewelry and she still couldn’t afford to buy it! One year, she had an annual jewelry budget of $500,000.

In “Affairs of Anatole” in 1920, she wore an emerald, amtheyst and gold necklace by Iribe which started a fashion trend for colorful jewelry.
Stay tuned for more history tidbits in future emails.

Enter to Win a $155 Value Boro Glass Heart Pendant! Register at MyOnlineJewelryShop.com for a chance to win!

Our Jewelry Website, MyOnlineJewelryShop.com includes: diamond jewelry, gemstone jewelry, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, rings, bridal rings and sets in yellow gold, white gold, platinum and sterling silver. A great selection of one of a kind gifts, collectibles and custom jewelry designs and more!

MyOnlineJewelryShop News

MyOnlineJewelryShop is a new, online store featuring a catalogue of fine jewelry and diamonds in gold, platinum, silver and a collection of custom jewelry and gifts from designers and artisans. We’ve adding the custom collection on a regular basis. Pricing is from inexpensive to expensive. Stop by often to see what’s new.

Pearls – Cultured or Natural?
To find out if your strand of pearls is natural or cultured, you have to look inside one of the pearls for the answer. The outside of a pearl is not going to tell you if it’s natural or cultured.

You have to look into the pearl to examine it to see the difference.
If you were to look inside a pearl and you see layers throughout, you have a natural pearl. The large beaded center of a cultured pearl will not have the layers.

Using a flashlight, try to look inside the thread hole of the pearl for your answer. But, really, does it matter if they’re natural or cultured?

If the strand of pearls or pair of earrings are heirlooms handed down from generation to generation, would they have less value? Of course not!

And, if they were a gift from a spouse, significant other, family or friend, would it matter? Of course not!

If you found them at a garage sale or junk shop, would it matter? You Bet! This is the time to get out your flashlight and try to see inside! You may have found an incredible bargain.

Enjoy your pearls, wash them gently and pass them down to your heirs.

Our Jewelry Website MyOnlineJewelryShop.com includes: diamond jewelry, gemstone jewelry, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, rings, bridal rings and sets in yellow gold, white gold, platinum and sterling silver. A great selection of one of a kind gifts, collectibles and custom jewelry designs and more!

MyOnlineJewelryShop News

MyOnlineJewelryShop is a new, online store featuring a catalogue of fine jewelry and diamonds in gold, platinum, silver and a collection of custom jewelry and gifts from designers and artisans. We’ve added some of the custom collection. Stop by often to see what’s new.

Diamonds have become the most desired gemstone in the current marketplace. Synthetically produced diamonds are very common today and have been manufactured since the 1950’s. Primarily synthetic diamonds are produced for diamond grit and industrial uses. Gem quality synthetic diamonds have also been produced and there is a manufacturer in my area of the gulf coast of Florida.

It is more expensive to manufacture diamonds than to mine them. Diamonds are mined in Brazil, South Africa, Russia and Australia. Mass production and the new techniques, along with mining on a large scale, have helped to make diamonds more affordable.

Diamonds are clear and colorless although most diamonds are slightly colored even though the eye can’t see the coloring. Diamonds can also be blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, brown and even black. The most common color is yellow caused by small amounts of nitrogen present in the crystal. Some of the colored diamonds are produced by irradiation and then, heat treatment. These colored diamond don’t command the same prices as the naturally colored diamonds which can be very expensive. Most diamond buyers will purchase the clear diamond and, if they want colored stones, will purchase sapphires, rubies, emeralds or other colored gemstones.

Clarity grade is important in quality – the higher the clarity grade, the diamond value increases and is more in demand. The cut of a diamond can be round, pear shape, emerald cut, square, baguette, oval, heart, triangle, princess, marquise or fancy. Cut also can refer to the proportions, the polish or the finish of the diamond.

Our Jewelry Website MyOnlineJewelryShop.com includes: diamond jewelry, gemstone jewelry, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, rings, bridal rings and sets in yellow gold, white gold, platinum and sterling silver. A great selection of one of a kind gifts, collectibles and custom jewelry designs and more!

MyOnlineJewelryShop News

MyOnlineJewelryShop is a new, online store featuring a catalogue of fine jewelry and diamonds in gold, platinum, silver and a collection of custom jewelry and gifts from designers and artisans. We’ve added some of the custom collection. Stop by often to see what’s new.

Preserving Pearls

Did you know that:
When purchasing pearls, the rounder the pearl, the more they cost.

A large pearl will cost you more than the smaller pea-sized pearl.

White and pink pearls are more expensive than the creamier pearls.

Some of the best pearls are the irregularly shaped pearls with blemishes. These are also called baroque pearls. Popularity for these pearls began in the early Renaissance.

Do not over clean your pearls! Do not scrub them with any abrasive cleaner or rub them too hard. The surface will be damaged. It’s very easy to damage a cultured pearl which is why pearls are usually strung with a knot between them. This is to keep them from touching each other.

What’s the best way to clean pearls? Just use simple soap and warm water and don’t rub too hard!

Our Jewelry Website MyOnlineJewelryShop.com includes: diamond jewelry, gemstone jewelry, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, rings, bridal rings and sets in yellow gold, white gold, platinum and sterling silver. A great selection of one of a kind gifts, collectibles and custom jewelry designs and more!