How do I clean my jewellery?

A good solution to clean most jewellery is 1/2 a cup of warm water, one squirt of dish soap and a splash of household ammonia. Let it soak for 1/2 an hour and then brush it gently (inside and out) with a soft toothbrush. Next, rinse your jewellery with warm water.

Please note that this solution is not good for porous or oiled gemstones such as pearls, turquoise or emeralds. Never boil your jewllery or use household cleansers or toothpaste. Chlorine bleach can sometimes attack certain alloys. If in doubt, ask your jeweller.

I love the shiny finish my rings have after they have been professionally polished. Is it okay to have this done every month?

Most jewellery will be fine if a professional cleans and checks it. However, when polishing your ring, the jeweller uses a cutting compound to remove the stratches that make your ring dull. The cutting compound wears away the gold in small amounts. Too much polishing will make your gold ring thinner. A once a year check that the claws are in good condition and a professional polish will insure that your ring gives you a lifetime of enjoyment.

What does 18K or 14K gold mean?

18K means there must be 75% pure gold in the alloy. 14K means there must be 58% pure gold in the alloy. The lower the karat value, the lower the amount of gold in your ring. 10K gold has more alloy in it than gold!

What is the difference between white gold and platinum?

White gold is an alloy of the element gold. The karat value still applies. Platinum is a separate element on the periodic table. White gold is made by adding nickel or paladium to the gold. Platinum is generally alloyed as well by adding iridium or ruthenium.

I have heard that 18K is too soft to make rings in. Is that true?

The higher the karat value of the gold, the longer lasting the ring. That means that the same ring iin 18K gold will take longer to wear away than if it was 14K gold. However, the higher the karat value of the gold, the more malleable the ring will be. 22K gold is very malleable but in the hands of an expert and treated in the correct way, high karat rings can be very durable in terms of being resistant to bending and dents.

Is gold cheaper in other countries?

Gold is a commodity. It is traded daily and the price that is set is the same anywhere you go in the world. The difference travellers might notice is the difference in the cost of labour for finished jewellery in some countries. A general rule to follow is that if it is too cheap it is probably not what it claims to be. It is very wrong to assume that people in poor countries are not aware of the value of gold or gemstones.

Is it safe to buy diamonds or jewellery on the internet?

Buyers should use the usual caution when buying on the internet. Studying the particulars of a gemstone without having it in front of you is impossible. A certificate will only say so much and you must know what to look for. I recommend using an expert to look at the gem or study the certificate before purchase. Quality and price must strike a good balance so use an expert to get the best deal. The quality  of jewellery is a widely misunderstood subject, and again- impossible to judge from an image on the web.

Fit and finish, quality of gemstones, quality of setting take a lot of practice to recognize. Look at lots of jewellery, ask a lot of questions and look for jewellers with a good reputation.