Semiprecious stones
A precious or semiprecious stone is a piece of attractive mineral. Certain rocks like amber are organic material but are also used for jewellery, and therefore often considered to be gemstones as well. The notion precious stone is subjective en depends of the culture in which we live.
The last centuries precious stones are divided in two categories namely precious and semiprecious stones.
A semiprecious stone is a mineral which does not belong to the 4 groups of precious stones: diamond, sapphire, ruby or emerald. Like all precious stones they have a specific hardness and refraction but possess only parltly the properties of precious stones and that is why they also be said as semiprecious stones.
Amazonite. The colour varies from light to green blue. They are found in Brazil, Austalia and the U.S.A.It is called the "hope stone because it inspires confidence and hope...
Bamboo coral is found in Japan and China. It is matte in appearance, with small scratches or holes. It is often filled with wax to smooth inperfections. Dye is used as well to bring about a more uniform color, mostly red or orange.
Chalcedony or chalcedon is found in Brazil, Madagaskar, Uruquay and India. The colour is almost white or light blue but is also found in the colours green, pink red (than it is called a carneool) and copper. By heating the stone the colour changes in beautiful different colours.
Freshwater pearls are cultured pearls which grow in non-saline environment in freshwater mussels.
Freshwaterpearls are generally grafted using a piece of mantle tissue only, without a bead. This small piece of mantle tissue is placed into an incision in the host mussel's mantle instead of the gonad. Both sides of the valve can accept grafts, and an average freshwater mussel will produce 24 to 32 pearls per culturing cyclus.
Generally speaking, freshwater pearls are not as round as saltwater pearls, they appear in a wide variety of shapes and natural colours, and they tend to be less expensive than saltwater pearls.
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. The brass in the collection of Mir jewelry is alway's gold plated. Clean it carefully with a special silver polishing cloth.
Gold plating
The jewelry is 3 or 5 micron goldplated.Goldplating may, depending on the level of use, eventually erase.
Resin
Synthetic resins are materials with a property of interest that is similar to natural plant resins: they are viscous liquids that are capable of hardening permanently. It is possible to mix it in all colours.
Maintenance
Silver
Silver discolouration after a certain period is rather standard.
A special silver polishing cloth will remove stain and disclouration.
Pearls
Pearls should be worn next to the skin as often as possible, so it will remain its luster.
To clean pearls gentley whipe with a clean damp cloth, do not use detergants and other cleaning products.
Never submerge as that may damage the string.
Be careful not to let your pearls come in contact with cosmetics, perfumes or hairspray as they could diminish their luster.
Don't store your pearls in an airtight container, pearls like people must breathe.