| ITEM DESCRIPTION |
| PRODUCT NAME | LACE AGATE, PEARL & RUBY (NATURAL) 925 SILVER PENDANT |
| DIMENSION | 53 MM. |
| COLOR | PINK (LACE AGATE) |
| ENLARGED PICTURES TAKEN FROM GENUINE STONE ON SALE |
Pearl
Traditional birthstone for June
Since natural pearls are very rare, cultured pearls are the most common form of pearls on the market. A cultured pearl is created by seeding a live oyster or clam with a tiny shell bead, which the oyster gradually coats with layers of nacre, a substance produced by the oyster. Pearls are generally white, but are also available in a variety of natural tints, including cream, gray, pink, orange and violet. The most highly-valued shape is round, but they are available in a variety of shapes.
Saltwater pearls are produced by a saltwater mollusk in salt water. Any pearls cultured in this manner are considered saltwater pearls. The three most common are Akoya, Tahitian and South Sea Pearls. Saltwater cultured pearls are usually rounder than freshwater cultured pearls.
Akoya pearls are used in most jewelry today. They come from the Akoya oyster and are farmed in China and Japan. They are usually white or cream colored. Most Akoya pearls are on average larger than freshwater pearls.
South Sea pearls are among the largest pearls in the world. They are farmed on the northern coast of Australia and southern coast of China. South Sea pearls also have a subtle array of colors; they are usually white, but can also be found in silver or gold, which are rare among other pearl types.
Pearls are unique because of their natural dark colors. They come in several dark colors such as silver, charcoal, or a multitude of colors with the dominant color being green. They also come in black but they are extremely rare.
Pearls are cultured in Japan, Persian Gulf, China, Australia, Tahiti and the U.S. They are very soft, with a hardness of 2.5 - 4.5 on the Mohs' ScaleofHardness.
Pearls are often bleached, dyed or irradiated. Because pearls are very fragile, they must be stored separately from other jewelry. They can be cleaned with a warm damp cloth and soapy water. Ultrasonic and steam cleaners should not be used. Pearl strands should periodically be re-strung.
Ruby
Traditional birthstone for July
Rubies belong to the corundum family, and are actually red sapphires. Rubies come in a variety of shades, from a light, pale pinkish-red, to a dark purplish-red, to warm rich cranberry hues. Since it is common for rubies to have visible cracks and inclusions, most rubies available on the market today are treated to improve their clarity. Treatments can include heat or glass fill. Used solely to preserve their natural beauty, these treatments do not affect the authenticity of the gemstone.
Some of the finest rubies are mined in Myanmar (Burma), and are a unique color known as "pigeon's blood- red". Ruby deposits can also be found in Vietnam, Thailand, Northern Pakistan, Laos, Nepal, Afghanistan, East Africa, and India. Rubies have a hardness of 9 on the Mohs' Scale of Hardness.
Because of their durability, rubies can be cleaned with steamers or ultrasonic cleaners.
Silver
Silver is the most reflectiveand affordable of the precious metals.
Sterling silver is the standard of quality for articles containing 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper.
Vermeil is a gold plated sterling silver.
MARKS - percentage of pure silver
General -Sterling Silver
American - 925
European - 935
French - 800
Russian - 88 or 84
