Jewelry FAQs
What are Gemstones?
Gemstones are (mostly) crystals you can wear! The molecules inside a crystal are organized like a tiny army, giving it that geometric crystalline shape. Sometimes non-crystals sneak their way into being called gemstones, like pearls, because they’re almost like stones and they look great in jewelry.
What are Birthstones?
Throughout history, specific gemstones have been associated with months of the year, and sometimes a new stone joins in or replaces an old one. Below is the most recent list, according to the American Gem Trade Association and Jewelers of America:
- January: Garnet
- February: Amethyst
- March: Aquamarine or Bloodstone
- April: Diamond
- May: Emerald
- June: Alexandrite, Moonstone, or Pearl
- July: Ruby
- August: Peridot or Spinel
- September: Sapphire
- October: Opal or Tourmaline
- November: Topaz or Citrine
- December: Turquoise, Zircon, or Tanzanite
Genuine vs. Simulated vs. Synthetic Gemstones
Genuine gemstones are natural crystals pulled out of the Earth’s crust, just like every gemstone pre-1900. Being all-natural, genuine stones tend to have small visual imperfections — which is why the flawless ones are so rare!
Simulated gemstones are a wallet-friendly choice for those who want the color of a genuine stone, but not the expense. They mimic the look of their natural counterparts, but they’re made of different chemicals. All simulated gemstones are grown in a laboratory and are completely flawless.
Our lab-created Ruby is a synthetic stone (not simulated); identical in every way to a natural Ruby, down to the molecular structure, but grown in a lab — and 100% flawless.
What is Cubic Zirconia?
Scientists had been looking for a diamond alternative for centuries, and in 1976, it finally happened. By mixing together powdered zirconium and zirconium dioxide at an amazing 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit, cubic zirconia was born! This synthetic stone looks like a real diamond for a fraction of the cost, and to the untrained eye, the differences aren’t noticeable. All cubic zirconias are flawless and free of inclusions.
Diamond vs. Cubic Zirconia
Diamonds are entirely made of carbon, mined from of the earth or grown in a lab, and are the hardest mineral known to man (they scratch nearly every other material). Cubic Zirconia is almost as hard as diamonds, but aren't found in nature.
Metal Questions
What’s the difference between 10k, 14k, and 18k gold?
The “k” stands for karat, otherwise known as gold purity. Pure 100% gold is too soft to be used for something you wear like jewelry — it would get scratched up in no time — so stronger metals are mixed in.
10k gold is 41.7% pure, 14k gold is 58.5% pure, and 18k gold is 75% pure.
What’s the difference between yellow gold and white gold?
When you imagine Fort Knox’s vault filled with gold bars, they’re about as yellow as yellow gold gets — those gold bars are 99.5% pure. Yellow gold jewelry is an alloy containing zinc and copper, for better durablility, but the color is very close to a bar of gold.
White gold is just as pure as yellow gold, but it looks more like platinum because it’s mixed in with other white metals like palladium, manganese, or nickel. Typically as a final touch, white gold jewelry is plated in a very thin layer of precious rhodium to give it a gorgeous white color. White gold is more durable than yellow gold.
What’s the difference between white gold and sterling silver?
There’s a subtle visual difference between these two white metals, but there are other differences you can’t see that might help you make a decision.
White gold is stronger than sterling silver and will not tarnish.
Sterling silver doesn’t contain nickel, making it a better choice for people with metal allergies.
What are Siladium, Golden Siladium, and Eclipse Siladium?
Siladium is our proprietary jeweler-grade stainless steel alloy, made for people who want a durable, high-quality piece of jewelry without the expense of precious metals. It’s stronger than any gold or silver, and we polish it to a high gloss.
Golden Siladium looks similar to yellow gold, at a fraction of the cost.
The special black look of Eclipse Siladium comes from a coating applied through physical vapor deposition. Underneath this incredibly durable coating is the same Siladium mentioned above.
What is Silver Select?
Sometimes people like silver better than sterling, and that’s where our proprietary Silver Select comes in. We mix silver, platinum and palladium together to create an alloy harder than other white metals and more precious than sterling silver. It looks beautiful, and can tolerate even more wear and tear than sterling silver without getting scratched or dented.
Why did my silver jewelry become dull?
All sterling silver will eventually dull or tarnish over time due to sulfur and hydrogen sulfide present in the air. Luckily, all it takes is a soft cloth, some commercial silver polish, and a little elbow grease to restore silver to its original brilliant shine.
Why does my skin itch where I wear my ring/pendant?
Sounds like you might have a metal allergy. While nickel is usually the culprit, some people are allergic to silver. Sometimes you can overcome a metal allergy by adding a layer of clear nail polish to your jewelry.
But, sometimes nothing works. In those cases, you’ll need to look into more hypoallergenic metals like 18k gold, titanium, platinum, copper, sterling silver, or stainless steel.