Biwa Pearls: These were the first freshwater pearls to be cultivated by Japan in Lake Biwa. After this started a wave of pearl production all over the world which is continues to this day. Though excessive harvesting and environmental pollution caused the destruction of the lake and the mussel producing the pearl has also nearly become extinct. So the Biwa production has stopped. But the name today signifies original and good quality pearls. The name Biwa pearl is due to its place of origin and it is rare to find Biwa pearls today.

Keishi Pearls: This is a word of Japanese origin meaning Poppy seed. These pearls are formed when the mollusk ignores the implanted piece and does not coat it with nacre. Instead it creates a pearl by itself which leads many to believe that the Keishi is a natural pearl. The size of the Keishi pearl can vary from 1mm to 10mm depending on the mussel hosting the implant. They can be found in irregular shapes but have a high sparkle and luster.

Mabé Pearls: At times cultivators implant a half moon plastic piece into the mollusk resulting in the formation of half pearl. This pearl, called a Mabé pearl is harvested, the plastic implant is carefully separated and then the hollow half-pearl is filled and covered with a mother-of-pearl piece. Mabé pearls are used to make mounted jewellery where the whole pearl does not show. Mabé pearls are fragile, inexpensive and do not have a high luster or sheen but are very economical and can create dramatic pieces of jewellery.

Blister pearls: Sometimes pearls grow from the side of the shell resulting in half-pearls, but these are not hollow. They are similar to the Mabé pearls but with a greater coating of nacre and are more durable since they are not hollow but have complete nacre inside and out. These pearls have a better reflection of light due to the heavy coating of nacre and this means greater luster.

Rice or Seed Pearls: Tiny pearls resembling puffed rice, these look wonderful as multi-strand necklaces with dramatic pendants. The rice pearls are uneven in shape but once they are strung together in strands they look exquisitely beautiful.

Other shapes of pearls are Button pearls, which appear like buttons and at times have circular designs imprinted on them. Unusual shapes such as the Potato stick shapes are those resembling tiny French fries. All these different shapes and designs are extremely affordable and match with all occasions and dress types.

In the recent times, the Chinese cultivators are producing beautiful round Freshwater pearls which are at par in quality and size with their saltwater counterparts. This has led to an expansion in the freshwater pearls market even replacing the saltwater pearls which are generally more expensive.

Talking about right hand ring which is a new concept that has evolved and
booming in the diamond industry, however to broaden the definition of “Right
hand Ring” it is a fashion statement for today’s career and independent
women who have a flair for fashion diamond ring, which flaunts their
purchasing power with a carefree attitude and a creative mind accompanied
with a sense of style. In other words it’s an expression of ones unique
personality who prefers to be a “face in a crowd”.

A Right hand diamond ring stands for a woman’s success, freedom, confidence,
vibrant, stylish and want to be a part of the glamorous world. The idea of
wearing a right hand diamond ring is for fun and celebrate liberation in men
oriented world, however women prefer a unique Right hand diamond ring in
order to co-ordinate with their wedding and engagement rings; or some women
prefer a ‘one of a kind’ diamond right ring for themselves. The selection of
a right had diamond ring can vary in terms of different material, gemstone,
style, color but all that matters is the gleaming diamond sitting on your
right hand and dazzling everyone’s eyes with its beauty and uniqueness.

So if you want to be the talk of the town, choose from the newest right hand
rings that are classical and elegantly designs in platinum or white gold set
with diamonds. We also encourage men to buy a right hand diamond ring as an
ideal gift for their beloved or an appreciation of their personality and
qualities. It is an ideal gift to surprise women out of the blue and make
them cry with happiness and get a chance to be embraced; however it also an
apt purchase for men in love in order to express their love by bending down
on your knees to make that ‘Proposal of Love’ with a diamond right hand ring
a remembrance for her lifetime.

Right hand rings are designed more like cocktail rings, featuring clusters
of smaller diamonds. Right hand rings are intended to showcase the
individuality of a woman, worn on the fourth finger and sometimes the little
finger. Hence we conclude by saying that irrespective of the season,
occasion, time, place right hand diamond ring appeals women’s sight and
serves as an ideal ‘patch up’ gift to raise her brows in shock with
happiness in order to for give you for making her sad, after all a ‘Right
Hand Diamond Ring’ is a woman’s best friends.

It is thought that Earrings date back to 3000 BC where they originated in Asia and appeared in 2 formats, one being the simple hoop earring and the other the more elaborate pendant earring.
The oldest earrings ever found by archaeologists were discovered in royal graves in Iraq and date back to around 2500 BC. Gold, silver and bronze hoop earrings have also been found dating back to 2000 BC in Crete. In those days it was customary to bury jewellery with the dead.
In 16th century in the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt a type of earring called an earplug became fashionable and these fitted snugly into a wide stretched hole in the earlobe. This type of piercing is seen on the sculpture of Tutankhamen.
Poverty in the Dark ages meant that work with precious metals dwindled although some goldsmiths preserved designs that were to later emerge in 7th century Greece. The most popular earrings then there were the pendant type and they often featured a bird or likenesses of the gods Eros and Nike.
In the 2nd century during the Roman Empire, earrings became a popular way for rich women to show off their wealth and the use of precious gemstones in the jewellery also became more popular.
During the Middle Ages, earrings became less popular and practical due to the popularity of elaborate hairstyles and headdresses. In fact for a time it was considered immoral for respectable married woman not to have their heads covered in public.
In 16th century Italy, hairstyles changed with hair being swept away from the face leaving ears exposed although for another 100 years things stayed the same in England, Spain and France with the wearing of high collars keeping earrings out of fashion.
By the 17th century, earrings became very fashionable accessory for the well dressed lady across the whole of Europe. One of the most popular designs of those times were the very large heavy pendant type earrings called girandoles which were great favourites of Queen Victoria. These earrings required a substantial amount of precious metals and gemstones and so were very heavy, which meant that most people that wore them suffered from elongated earlobes.
Although earrings were popular with wealthy people throughout the ages, they were also popular with poorer people who adopted their own styles which were less elaborate and made from less expensive materials.
It wasn’t until the 20th century that earrings were completely revolutionised. Different fittings appeared such as screw and clip on as well as those for pierced ears and it also became the norm for women to wear earrings in the day and not just for special occasions. The 1960’s marked a massive change for the wearing of earrings when designs became completely unrestrained and it became common to see men also wearing earrings although most only usually wear one earring. Women began to collect earrings and with so many designs available the choices were endless.
Today the choice is even greater and the popularity of earrings increases with many people now having more than one set of piercings in which to display their jewellery. Modern materials such as titanium and different types of plastics have also become popular in the making of earrings because of their lightness, design possibilities and in the case of titanium because of its hypoallergenic qualities.
There is now a never ending choice of different types of earrings from modern trendy cheap and cheerful everyday earrings to the more expensive gold, silver or platinum earrings inlaid with diamonds and other precious gemstones.

The earliest bracelets date back to around 2500 BC and were those worn by the Sumerians in southern Mesopotamia. Bracelets, necklaces, anklets, finger rings and ear rings made the women of Sumer into show windows of their husband's prosperity. Bracelets were found in the tombs of Ur where it was customary to bury royalty with their jewellery and unfortunately their poor servants.

By about 2000 BC, in Ancient Egypt, bracelets emerged as major pieces of jewellery. Bracelets were found in the ruins from the Vesuvias eruption in Pompeii in 79 AD.
It was during the age of the Egyptian Pharaohs that charm bracelets were first seen although charms themselves dated back as far as the Neolithic era when men would gather unusual bits of wood or pieces of stone which would be carried about their person in order to ward off their enemies. So these charms were considered ‘lucky charms’ and powerful protectors against evil.
It wasn’t until the time of the Pharaohs though that these charms were incorporated into elaborate pieces of jewellery such as wrist and neck bracelets which were not only deemed to offer protection but were also a sign of how prosperous the person had been in life and after death would be an indicator to the Gods of this persons proper status in the after life.

In Grecian times bracelets were popular with men and soldiers wore defensive bands of leather, often decorated with gold, silver and or gemstones, on their forearms. They were known as ‘Bracels,’ from the Latin Brachium, meaning, ‘arm.’ When women caught on that these Bracels would look great on them, they started wearing smaller versions, called little Bracels...or ‘Bracel-ets.’

The history of bracelets stretches forward through the Middle Ages of medieval Europe through the Baroque period of the 18th century, and on right through to the present.

Throughout time, bracelets have been made from many different materials such as leather, iron, copper, beads, bone and teeth as well as precious metals and gemstone.
Throughout the ages bracelets have always been popular and the styles seem to have varied according to dress styles. In cultures where people wore sleeveless or short sleeved attire such as the Romans and ancient Greeks, the wearing of bracelets both on the upper and lower arm became popular with both men and women. The wearing of upper arm bracelets is still popular today with modern fashionable skimpy clothing lending itself well to the wearing of more jewellery.

Today, bracelets are worn by both men and women in a variety of materials such as traditional precious metals like gold silver and platinum. Modern plastics and acrylics are now much used to make trendy, unusual bracelets as well as metals like titanium and zirconium which have become popular because they are hard wearing, very light and hypoallergenic. Whatever your tastes and whatever your budget, there is an enormous choice of bracelets and bangles to suit everyone.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend is a cliché that has completely lost its luster. In fact, men’s accessories and ornamentation are quite a rave today. What was for long considered the sole territory of feminine jewelry is now quite a uni-sex fashion symbol.

Men may still like to see women sport the sparkles of a diamond but they sure don’t mind picking up a rock or two for themselves either. There is a large variety of diamonds for men available in stores now and the most popular item of ornamentation is of course the ring. Rings have long been worn by men but largely in the form of wedding bands or family heirlooms. But now, an increasing number of men go for a glittery diamond for no reason at all. More so, women now gift diamonds to men – quite a reversal in tradition!

Well, traditions are meant to be broken and diamond ring designs for men are quite in the category of trendsetters. With conventional styles and designs being shunned for a newer chunkier aesthetic, diamond rings for men are making a mark of their own.

When men go out shopping for a diamond ring, they must start by considering the color of gold they prefer. The classic favorite is the yellow gold setting. It is quite conventional and does suit most skin types. For people willing to experiment white gold and platinum gold offer some great choices. The catch when choosing the later two colors is that you must wear the ring to ensure it suits your skin, tone and color. The white luster of these metals may not suit every skin type. Also, platinum gold is quite a pocket pincher so most people limiting their budget don’t opt for it.

Once you have the gold color finalized you can move on to looking at various setting patterns. You can choose from a variety of styles labeled differently such as: channel setting, pave setting, flattop setting, gypsy setting, and bead setting. Try on a whole range of samples and decide which you like the most.

When buying a diamond ring for someone else, make sure you know his or her size and hand structure well. Men with large hands would prefer to sport a wide band ring whereas people with thin hands would look nicer wearing a narrow band. You can also choose from a variety of diamond sizes and shapes. In fact, there are a large variety of possible combinations that can suit men with different skin tones and hand textures.

Getting married is still very much in vogue and with so much choice available for when where and how to get married, with careful planning you should be able to guarantee that your wedding day will indeed be a very special day.

Budgeting for that special wedding day is important as you could run up bills amounting to many thousands of pounds. Decide what you budget is at the outset, stick to it and don’t be swayed and end up spending more than you can afford.

Some of the biggest expenses will arise from the cost of the wedding attire with the bridal outfit accounting for a substantial sum of money. On top of that will be the costs of bridesmaid dresses, flowers, corsages and suit hire or purchase for the groom and best man. The wedding rings for the bride and groom will also be costly purchases as will the gifts for the bridesmaids and mums. The gifts given to the bridesmaid are usually pieces of jewellery and mums usually get lovely big bouquets of flowers.

Decide on how many people you are going to invite and then look at potential venues and catering costs and explore the alternatives. You don’t have to have a costly formal sit down meal when a more relaxed buffet style function may better suit your needs. If you do opt for formal you may choose to limit the number of people at the formal sit down meal to limit costs and then invite more guests to an evening buffet disco.

If you are getting married in church you will need to arrange some form of transport and there are many options such as Rolls Royces or maybe a horse drawn carriage.
The time of year that you are getting married may dictate many of the above, for instance you may not want arrive at a marquee in the middle of winter with the real likelihood of bad weather affecting your arrangements.

These days you can just about get married anywhere you choose and it doesn’t have to be in a church so you may be able to get married in the same venue where you are holding the reception. This will cut down on transport costs and you may get a better deal all round with an all inclusive package. Whether you choose a romantic castle in the Highlands of Scotland, a magnificent stately home or something more modest, remember stick to your budget and don’t be tempted to overspend.

Of course you and you future spouse may just decide to go abroad either alone or with a few friends and family and get married on a beach, up a mountain of even Las Vegas in Elvis Presley style. Tour operators will be very helpful in providing you with the correct advice and information about getting married abroad.

When choosing your exotic destination remember that some of the destinations we normally associate with glorious sunshine and beautiful beaches and scenery may have seasons where the weather may not be so predictable or kind. Beware of monsoon and hurricane seasons in particular.

Organising a wedding can be a very stressful affair but there are usually plenty of people that will be willing to help such as friends and family as well as wedding organisers if you want to leave everything to a professional. There are also many ways that you can get the information that you need to ensure your wedding day goes smoothly and to plan.

Chemical Formula

Au
Background

Known and highly valued since ancient times, gold is found in nature as the free metal and in tellurides. It is widely distributed and is almost always associated with quartz or pyrite. It occurs in veins and alluvial deposits, and is often separated from rocks and other minerals by sluicing and panning operations. The metal is recovered from its ores by cyaniding, amalgamating and smelting processes, while refining is carried out by electrolysis.

Gold in its pure state is considered the most beautiful and hence most valuable of the pure metals. It is metallic, having a yellow colour when in mass, though when finely divided it may be black, ruby or purple.

Gold is soft, ductile and the most malleable of metals, and because of this is usually alloyed to give improved strength and durability. Gold’s reflectivity of ultraviolet and visual light rays is low, however it has high reflectivity of infrared and red wavelengths.

Gold is a good conductor of heat and electricity, and is unaffected by air, nitric, hydrochloric, or sulphuric acid and most other reagents. A mixture of one part nitric acid with three parts hydrochloric acid, called aqua regia, dissolves gold. It is also dissolved by solutions of azoimide. Further, it is attacked by sodium, and potassium cyanide plus oxygen.

The most common gold compounds are auric chloride (AuCl3) and chlorauric acid (HAuCl4).

Gold has eighteen isotopes.
Applications

Gold is chiefly used for:

· Coinage

· Ornaments

· Jewellery

· Gilding

Green gold is generally used for jewellery. Green gold is an alloy of gold, silver and copper, and is graded from 14 to 18 karats. Coinage gold (USA) or standard gold (UK) contains gold and copper in slightly varied amounts, while Australian gold (Australia) contains silver instead of copper.

Other uses for gold include:

· Textile industry

· Gold flake is used for a radiation-control coating for spacecraft

· In electronic tubes, as gold-plated grid wire, to give high conductivity and suppressing secondary emissions

· Gold powder and gold sheet is used for soldering semiconductors, with gold having a good ability to wet silicon at 371°C (725°F)

· Gold is used as a plating material, where sodium gold cyanide [NaAu(CN)2] is used as a gold plating solution. The plating has good chemical resistance and electrical properties, however the plating lacks wear resistance, in which case gold-indium plate is utilised.

Gold alloys also have a number of applications such as:

· Gold-gallium and gold-antimony are used in electronic industry (primarily as wire)

· Gold is used for dental applications and is rightly termed dental gold, where gold is alloyed with silver, platinum and on occasion palladium. It is sometimes alloyed with iridium for hardening.

Background

Gold and palladium are totally soluble in one another. The primary use of gold / palladium alloys is in jewellery. The alloy is more commonly known as white gold and is an alternative to platinum. Gold / nickel alloys are also used as white gold. In both cases some other metals may be present in small amounts such as silver, zinc and copper. The cost of palladium white golds are greater then that for nickel white golds due to palladium higher cost and more difficult processing. Palladium white golds are also softer and more ductile compared to nickel white golds. In both cases it is not possible to have white gold with a purity greater than 21 carat. The composition of some palladium containing white golds are as follows: Gold Palladium Silver Copper Zinc Nickel 18ct 75 20 5 75 15 10 75 10 15 75 10 10.5 3.5 0.1 0.9 75 6.4 9.9 5.1 3.5 1.1 75 15 3.0 7.0 14ct 58.3 20 6 3 1 58.5 5 32.5 20.5 1.4 10ct 37.5 52 4.9 4.2 1.4

Key Properties

The addition of palladium to gold: · Increases its melting point · Increases its modulus of elasticity · Increases its strength · Increases its hardness · Turns yellow gold white (depending on the amount added)

Applications

The primary use of gold / palladium alloys in for jewellery, also known as white gold. However, gold / palladium alloys are also used in dentistry and they were used as spark plug electrodes, but the alloy has now been replaced by platinum.