My Story "The Allegra" Emerald Sunburst Locket

Emerald Emerald’s name is derived from the Greek word smaragdus, meaning “green gem.” Like aquamarine, emerald is a variety of beryl, a mineral that grows with six sides and up to a foot in length. Emerald color can range from light green (though there is some argument whether these very light beryls are truly emeralds) to a deep, rich green. Emeralds are also like aquamarine in that the way the color presents itself in jewelry depends on a good cut by a skilled gemologist. The deeper or more green an emerald is, the more valuable it is. The rarest emerald gemstones will appear to be an intense green-blue color. The availability of high-quality emerald is limited; consequently, treatments to improve clarity are performed regularly. Gold Throughout history, gold has been one of the most sought-after metals in the world. It’s been used as currency, to decorate objects as a thing of beauty, and is also used for industrial purposes. In the jewelry industry, the word “gold,” when used by itself, means “all gold” or “pure” gold, meaning 24 karat (24K) gold. Because 24K gold is soft, it’s usually mixed with other metals called alloys to increase its hardness and durability. If a piece of jewelry is not 24 karat gold, the karat quality should accompany any claim that the item is gold. The karat quality marking tells you what proportion of gold is mixed with the other metals. Fourteen-karat (14K) jewelry contains 14/24 or 58.3% gold, with 10/24 parts of an alloy metal. The higher the karat rating, the higher the proportion of gold in the piece of jewelry.

How to Care for Emerald •Heat can damage emeralds, especially by extending existing fractures. Light and chemicals can cause the oils, resins, and polymers used to fill surface-reaching fractures to alter in appearance or deteriorate.

•Since the great majority of fashioned natural emeralds contain filled fractures, it’s risky to clean them ultrasonically or with steam. Ultrasonic vibrations can weaken already-fractured stones, and hot steam can cause oil or unhardened resin to sweat out of fractures.

Source:GIA How to Care for Gold •Gold is a soft metal prone to scratching, and is usually mixed with other alloy metals to increase it’s hardness.

•Gold has a tendency to tarnish, depending on the percentage of other metals mixed with the gold. Some cleaning materials to avoid are:
--Soap – Steer clear of any soap with unknown ingredients. Basic blue Dawn dish soap is fine, but remove your gold jewelry before showering to avoid accumulating a film from other body washes.
--Chlorine – Chlorine, especially at high temperatures like in a hot tub, can permanently damage or discolor your gold jewelry. Remember to remove it when cleaning with chlorine bleach, too!

•The best way to clean gold jewelry is to take it to a professional jeweler for cleaning.

Shipping Policy •All orders ship Free of charge with UPS or Fedex

•Call us at 541-345-0354 if you require next day shipping (additional fees apply)

•Please allow 1-2 days to process your order and prepare shipment

•We only ship to addresses within the United States. We are unable to process orders shipped to package forwarding services at this time.

At Skeie's, it's of upmost importance that the jewelry we select is obtained from suppliers who follow conflict-free and socially responsible practices. We believe that the materials used in our jewelry should support and benefit the communities where they originated, while keeping the environmental impact as minimal as possible.