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How Does It work when I order direct?
Do you accept personal checks?
Is All the Jewelry shown Jewels by Parklane?
What Is “14 Karat” Gold?
What Is Gold Filled Jewelry?
What Metals Are Used for Gold Plated Items?
What is Tungsten Carbide?
Why is Titanium a Popular Choice for Men’s Jewelry?
Can Tungsten and Titanium Rings Be Removed in an Emergency?
What Is “Sterling Silver”?
How Is Sterling Silver Jewelry Finished?
How Can I Keep My Sterling Silver Items Looking Great?
Many of our jewelry items feature one or more gemstones. According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), to qualify as a gem, a stone must be beautiful, durable, and rare. Some gemstones (like pearls, coral, and amber) are classified as organic, meaning that they are produced by living organisms. Others are inorganic, meaning that they are generally composed of and arise from minerals. Stones that are identified as synthetic are created in a laboratory (as opposed to natural gemstones, which are created by natural processes without human help). Below is a glossary of some of the gemstones featured in MMA International’s Silver Stars Collection. Click on the name of any gemstone to browse our items that feature that material.
Amethyst:
Black Onyx:
Chalcedony:
Citrine:
Coral:
Emerald:
Garnet:
Jade:
Gemstones
What Are Cultured Pearls?
What Types of Pearls Are There?
What Is Mother of Pearl?
What is Roman Glass?
How do I keep my sterling silver jewelry shiny?
How long will the polishing cloth last?
Can I use the polishing cloth on stones?
How do I care for my opal jewelry?
How do I care for my pearls?
How do I care for my Roman Glass Jewelry?
How do I care for my "brushed" silver jewelry?
How do I care for Liquid Silver?
Is there a way to keep my sterling silver jewelry from tarnishing?
How does the Lifetime Replacement Guarantee work?
How Does It work when I order direct?
Within 1 business day a personal Jewelry Advisor from Jewelry Box Delights will contact you to answer any questions you may have, to verify your order, and to determine if you would like to use store credit , put the items on lay-away or pay for your order in full at that time.
When you select to pay for your Jewelry with our store credit or to use our lay-away program. A small down payment will be required. Then you simply make your monthly payments as required. When using store credit. You may choose to set up automatic payments from a debit or credit card, personal check, money order, paypal, google, or Alert Pay Account. Or you may mail payments to Jewelry Box Delights, Muskogee, Ok 74401. Once you have made 3 on time payments, you will qualify for no down payment credit on your next purchases when you shop direct with us. You will recieve a monthly reminder.
Lay-away must be split up into 6 equal payments. And you must satisfy total amount within that 6 month time period. When you cancel lay-away we will charge a 25% re-stocking fee. The remaining amount of payments made after deduction of restocking fee will be returned to you by mail. Please allow up to 14 days for lay-away refund.
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Do you accept personal checks?
Yes, we do. If you pay by personal check, your product will NOT be shipped until your check has cleared the bank. For faster processing of your order please mail in a USPS money order instead. PLEASE DO NOT MAIL CASH.
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Is All the Jewelry shown Jewels by Parklane?
ewelry Box Delights offers Jewels by Parklane and Our Line of beautiful one of a kind treasures, in addition to genuine rubies,saphires,turquoise,gold, certified, non conflict diamonds and high fashion designer jewelry, we have a line devoted especially for men, brides to be, babies and teens.
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What Is “14 Karat” Gold?
Like fine silver, fine gold is alloyed with other metals to improve strength and durability. The amount of fine gold used is traditionally measured in karats. “Pure gold” is represented as 24 karat. In its pure state, however, gold is quite soft and is rarely used for jewelry.
The most common gold alloys used in the United States are 14 karat and 18 karat. 14 karat gold consists of 58.3 percent fine gold. 18 karat gold consists of 75 percent fine gold.
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What Is Gold Filled Jewelry?
Gold filled jewelry is made up of gold tubing, which is then filled with brass. This gives the item the look and feel of gold jewelry, at a much more affordable price. Gold filled jewelry has about 100 times more gold than gold-plated jewelry, so the gold surface will never flake, peel, or wear off.
At MMA International, our gold filled jewelry meets 14/20 gold fill standards. This means that the gold tubing consists of 14 karat gold, and that the tubing makes up 5 percent (1/20) of the total metal weight.
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What Metals Are Used for Gold Plated Items?
Unless otherwise noted, our gold plated items consist of sterling silver with 14 karat gold plating. Items marked as fashion jewelry do not contain precious metal, except for plating. Gold plated fashion jewelry items consist of base metal plated with 14 karat gold.
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What is Tungsten Carbide?
Tungsten Carbide is an alloy of Tungsten and Carbon — when combined, the metal is extremely hard and durable. MMA International’s tungsten jewelry is made up of Tungsten Carbide.
Tungsten Carbide is ten times harder than 18 karat gold, five times harder than tool steel, and four times harder than Titanium. It is almost impossible to scratch and will keep its shine for a lifetime. Tungsten Carbide jewelry is known for its heavy weight and deep, modern color.
MMA’s tungsten jewelry is all cobalt free. Some tungsten jewelry on the market is manufactured with cobalt, which can cause adverse skin reactions. Tungsten jewelry containing cobalt can also develop oxidization spots that cannot be removed. MMA’s tungsten jewelry does not contain cobalt.
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Why is Titanium a Popular Choice for Men’s Jewelry?
Titanium is a fast-growing trend in the men’s jewelry sector and has many benefits. It is extremely resistant to corrosion and water and it is hypo-allergenic — people who have allergies to gold or silver can wear titanium without any problem. It is has a very high strength-to-weight ratio, resulting in lightweight, strong jewelry that is comfortable to wear. Because it is so strong and lightweight, titanium has been used for years in aerospace technology applications. And, titanium offers the stylish, rich color of platinum at a much more affordable price.
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Can Tungsten and Titanium Rings Be Removed in an Emergency?
Yes. In an emergency situation such as a hand or finger injury, it might be medically necessary to remove a ring. Although Tungsten Carbide and Titanium rings are harder than some other metals used for jewelry, rings made of these materials can be removed or cut off in an emergency.
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What Is “Sterling Silver”?
Sterling silver is by far the most popular silver alloy in the world for jewelry. Sterling silver (also called .925 silver) is an alloy consisting of 92.5 percent fine silver and 7.5 percent other metals (usually copper). Jewelry manufacturers use sterling silver because of its strength and durability — fine silver alone is too soft and too easily damaged to be used as jewelry.
In the United States, an alloy must be at least 92.5 percent fine silver to be marketed as “silver”. All silver items in Jewelry Box Delights Silver Stars Collection are .925 sterling silver.
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How Is Sterling Silver Jewelry Finished?
Different silver jewelry items may be finished in different ways. For some items, the .925 sterling silver design is plated with a thin layer of .999 fine silver. This process is known as flashing, and it gives the item a shiny finish. Some factories will apply a plating of nickel or copper on the jewelry prior to applying the .999 silver plating. Though this flashing method gives the jewelry a brighter, longer shelf life it does require re-plating if sized or machine buffed. Other silver items are rhodium plated, which again results in a bright, shiny finish. Other jewelry items may be gold plated or left unplated depending on the design. Flashing or plating silver jewelry also helps reduce irritation or discoloration for customers with sensitive skin.
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How Can I Keep My Sterling Silver Items Looking Great?
Sterling silver is susceptible to tarnish – this is a natural reaction the metal has with chemicals in the air. Thankfully, preventative maintenance can help keep your sterling silver jewelry looking great for years to come. Frequent light polishing with a polishing cloth designed for sterling silver — such as this one — will help minimize tarnish. You can also wash your jewelry periodically with mild dish soap and warm water — be sure to rinse well and dry completely before putting your jewelry away.
You can minimize tarnish of items that are stored in a display case by using desiccated silica gel, granules that absorb the humidity in the air. Covering the jewelry in your cases with Pacific Jeweler’s Cloth (available at most fabric stores) will also help minimize tarnish. When storing silver jewelry items, keeping them in sealed polyethylene bags will help reduce tarnish as well.
Tarnish can be easily removed when first noticed. However, if left untreated, the color of the tarnish will darken and will become more difficult to remove, requiring professional cleaning.
It is also important to avoid exposing sterling silver jewelry to harsh chemicals like chlorine, cosmetics, hair spray, and perfume, and to avoid extended exposure to direct sunlight.
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Many of our jewelry items feature one or more gemstones. According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), to qualify as a gem, a stone must be beautiful, durable, and rare. Some gemstones (like pearls, coral, and amber) are classified as organic, meaning that they are produced by living organisms. Others are inorganic, meaning that they are generally composed of and arise from minerals. Stones that are identified as synthetic are created in a laboratory (as opposed to natural gemstones, which are created by natural processes without human help). Below is a glossary of some of the gemstones featured in MMA International’s Silver Stars Collection. Click on the name of any gemstone to browse our items that feature that material.
Amber: Amber, an ancient organic gemstone, is composed of tree resin that has hardened over time. According to the GIA, the stone must be at least 1 million years old to be classified as amber, and some amber can be up to 120 million years old. Amber can come in a number of different colors, ranging from yellow to golden orange to red. Most of the world’s amber comes from the shores of the Baltic Sea in Eastern Europe.
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Amethyst:
Amethyst has historically been the most prized gemstone in the quartz family. It is treasured for its purple hue, which can range in tone from light to dark. The finest amethyst will have strong color saturation and a medium to dark reddish purple or purple color. Its attractive color, along with is affordable price compared to other precious gemstones, make amethyst consistently one of the most popular gems.
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Black Onyx:
Black Onyx, a member of the chalcedony family, is a gemstone made up of tiny microscopic crystals. It is a very popular gemstone in both women’s and men’s jewelry because its black color acts as a great complement to white metals like sterling silver, as well as clear crystals and CZs. Most black onyx on the market today is treated to give it its dark black color. Black onyx is sometimes faceted or fashioned into beads.
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Chalcedony:
Chalcedony is a type of quartz. It is classified separately because, unlike other forms of quartz, it is composed of very small microscopic crystals. It can come in a wide variety of looks and colors. Several types of semi-precious stones discussed separately — including Black Onyx, and Jasper — are varieties of Chalcedony.
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Citrine:
Citrine is known for its stylish yellow to brownish color, and is generally considered the top selling gemstone of this color in the United States. It is a member of the quartz family, and has a large crystalline structure.
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Coral:
Coral is an organic gem that comes from the skeletal remains of sea creatures (which are themselves called Coral). The most common colors associated with coral jewelry are pink and red. Coral requires pristine environmental conditions to grow, meaning that producers must maintain calm waters free of pollution. According to the GIA, coral is believed to have been used in jewelry for about 30,000 years.
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Emerald:
Emeralds are one of the three main precious gemstones (along with rubies and sapphires) and are known for their fine green to bluish green color. They have been treasured throughout history, and some historians report that the Egyptians mined emerald as early as 3500 BC. Today, emeralds are increasingly being used in faceted rough-cut designs that provide a bold look at an affordable price.
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Garnet:
Garnet is most commonly a deep red to purplish red gemstone with a cubic crystal structure. Garnet is considered an affordable alternative to more expensive red gemstones like rubies or tourmaline, and goes particularly well with sterling silver.
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Jade:
Jade is most commonly associated with the color green, but can come in a number of other colors as well. Jade is closely linked to Asian culture, history, and tradition, and is sometimes referred to as the “stone of heaven.
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Gemstones
Jasper: Jasper is a semi-translucent to opaque gemstone, of the chalcedony family, that comes in a variety of colors. Oftentimes, jasper will feature unique and interesting patterns within the colored stone. Picture jasper is a type of jasper known for the colors (often beiges and browns) and swirls in the stone’s pattern. These unique patterns occur in nature and make each piece of jasper a one-of-a-kind treasure.
Lapis: Lapis is an opaque gemstone often featuring a deep midnight blue to violet-blue color. It frequently contains gold colored pyrite flecks sprinkled through the gem, making each piece of lapis beautiful and unique. Lapis is a versatile gemstone that is used both in classic and contemporary jewelry styles.
Opal: Opal is a gemstone that comes in a kaleidoscopic array of colors. It is typically formed in desert areas over long periods of time from layers of silica deposits in deep underground rock. It is known for its fascinating “play of color” that occurs when light interacts with the opal’s silica layers. Much of the opal on the market today is synthetic.
Peridot: Peridot is a bright green gemstone that provides the style and look of emerald at a more affordable price. According to the GIA, some historians believe that Cleopatra’s famous emerald collection was actually peridot. Peridot is one of the softer gemstones on the market, with a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. Peridot most commonly originates in volcanic areas that are rich in iron and magnesium.
Quartz: Quartz refers to a family of crystalline gemstones of various colors and sizes. Among the well-known types of quartz are rose quartz (which has a delicate pink color), and smoky quartz (which comes in a variety of shades of translucent brown). A number of other gemstones — like Amethyst and Citrine — are also part of the quartz family. Rutilated quartz is a popular type of quartz containing needle-like inclusions.
Ruby: Rubies are known for their intense red color, and are among the most highly valued precious gemstones. Rubies have been treasured for millennia. In Sanskrit, the word for ruby is “ratnaraj”, meaning “king of precious stones.” Although rubies can command one of the the highest per-carat prices of all precious stones, they are increasing being used in “rough-cut” faceted designs at much more affordable prices.
Sapphire: The most popular form of sapphire is blue sapphire, which is known for its medium to deep blue color and strong saturation. Fancy colored sapphires in various colors are also available. In the United States, blue sapphire is the most popular and most affordable of the three major precious gemstones (emerald, ruby, and sapphire). Like emeralds and rubies, sapphire is increasingly being used in rough-cut faceted designs that provide a strong, bold look at an affordable price.
Tiger’s Eye: Tiger’s Eye is a gemstone known for its unique and rich striped brown color, which, as its name suggests, can resemble the patterns on a tiger’s coat. It is a member of the quartz group of gemstones. It has a microcrystalline structure, meaning that it is made up of crystals that are smaller than those of quartzes like rose quartz and smoky quartz, but larger than the crystals of chalcedony group gemstones.
Topaz: Topaz is a bright clear gemstone which is often used to create bold, eye-catching designs. The most popular variety of topaz in the market today is blue topaz, which has a bright light blue color and is relatively inexpensive. This color is produced with irradiation and heat treatment (in nature, topaz is most often colorless). Pink topaz is another popular variety of this gemstone.
Turquoise: Turquoise is found in only a few places on earth, and the world’s largest turquoise producing region is the southwest United States. Turquoise is prized for its attractive color — most often an intense medium blue or a greenish blue — and its ancient heritage. Turquoise is used in a great variety of jewelry styles. It is perhaps most closely associated with southwest and Native American jewelry, but it is also used in many sleek, modern styles. Some turquoise contains a matrix of dark brown markings, which provides an interesting contrast to the gemstone’s bright blue color
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What Are Cultured Pearls?
Almost all pearl jewelry in the marketplace today is made up of cultured pearls. This means that the pearls were produced with human assistance by oysters or other mollusks at a pearl farm (as opposed to being found and collected by divers). To create a cultured pearl, a pearl farmer will trigger the natural process of pearl formation by inserting a small irritant into the oyster or mollusk. The oyster will then surround it with layer after layer of nacre. It is this nacre that gives pearls their characteristic beautiful luster. Creating a cultured pearl can take from 6 months to 3 years, depending on the type and size of pearl, and it requires both constant care and clean, pure water.
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What Types of Pearls Are There?
Cultured pearls may either be freshwater pearls or saltwater pearls, depending on the type of oyster or mollusk that produces them and the climate where the oyster lives.
Freshwater pearls are the most plentiful and affordable type of pearl on the market. They come in a wide variety of shapes and colors, and are sometimes dyed to create a bright colorful look.
Saltwater pearls come in several varieties. Akoya pearls are round, white (sometimes with a rose overtone), and are often used to make classic pearl necklaces or pearl earrings. Tahitian and South Sea Pearls are large and valuable, and come in diverse colors such as black, peacock, golden and white.
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What Is Mother of Pearl?
Mother of Pearl is a type of shell. It comes from the inside shell of a pearl-producing oyster or mollusk. This shell is made up of nacre, the same material the oyster produces to coat a pearl.
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What is Roman Glass?
All of our Roman Glass comes with a certificate of authenticity! Are you wondering what exactly is Roman Glass?
The earliest man-made glass was first produced over 2000 years before the Roman Empire. Core formed and cast glass was produced, although in small quantities in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. It was often made to imitate semi-precious stones like lapis lazuli and turquoise.
Glass vessels were initially available only to the very wealthy and only in rather diminutive sizes. They were manufactured by core forming, casting, cutting and grinding, The invention of glass blowing around 50 BC brought glass vessels to the general public in vast numbers, mass produced in great variety of forms and hence brought ancient glass into the reach of the modern collector of even modest means. One can nowadays own a Roman glass bowl, or drink form a Roman glass beaker, or wear ancient jewellery where glass was used widely.
In 63 BC, the Romans conquered the Syro-Palestine area. They brought back glassmakers to Rome. Soon after, the first transparent glass sheets were produced in Rome. The word vitrum, meaning glass, entered the Latin language.Rome's political, military, and economic dominanace in the Mediterranean world was a major factor in attracting skilled craftsmen to set up workshops in the city, but equally important was the fact that the establishment of the Roman industry roughly coincided with the invention of glassblowing.
The new technique led craftsmen to create novel and unique shapes; examples exist of flasks and bottles shaped like foot sandals, wine barrels, fruits, and even helmets and animals. Some combined blowing with glass-casting and pottery-molding technologies to create the so-called mold-blowing process. Further innovations and stylistic changes saw the continued use of casting and free-blowing to create a variety of open and closed forms that could then be engraved or facet-cut in any number of patterns and designs
Colourant Content Comments Furnace Conditions
'Aqua' Iron(II) oxide
(FeO) ‘Aqua’, a pale blue-green colour, is the common natural colour of untreated glass. Many early Roman vessels are this colour.[6]
Colourless Iron(III) oxide
(Fe2O3) Colourless glass was produced in the Roman period by adding manganese oxide.[1] This oxidised the iron (II) oxide to iron (III) oxide, which although yellow, is a much weaker colourant, allowing the glass to appear colourless. The use of manganese as a decolourant was a Roman invention first noted in the Imperial period; prior to this, antimony-rich minerals were used.[1]
Amber Iron-sulfur compounds 0.2%-1.4% S[1]
0.3% Fe Sulfur is likely to have entered the glass as a contaminant of natron, producing a green tinge. Formation of iron-sulfur compounds produces an amber colour. Reducing
Purple Manganese
(such as pyrolusite) Around 3%[1] Oxidising[1]
Blue and green Copper 2%-13%[1] The natural ‘aqua’ shade can be intensified with the addition of copper. During the Roman period this was derived from the recovery of oxide scale from scrap copper when heated, to avoid the contaminants present in copper minerals.[1] Copper produced a translucent blue moving towards a darker and denser green. Oxidising[1]
Dark green Lead By adding lead, the green colour produced by copper could be darkened.[1]
Royal blue to navy Cobalt 0.1%[1] Intense colouration
Powder blue Egyptian blue[1]
Opaque red to brown (Pliny's Haematinum) Copper
lead >10% Cu
1% - 20% Pb[1] Under strongly reducing conditions, copper present in the glass will precipitate inside the matrix as cuprous oxide, making the glass appear brown to blood red. Lead encourages precipitation and brilliance. The red is a rare find, but is known to have been in production during the fourth, fifth and later centuries on the continent.[21] Strongly reducing
White Antimony
(such as stibnite) 1-10%[1] Antimony reacts with the lime in the glass matrix to precipitate calcium antimonite crystals creating a white with high opacity.[1] Oxidising
Yellow Antimony and lead
(such as bindheimite).[1] Precipitation of lead pyroantimonate creates an opaque yellow. Yellow rarely appears alone in Roman glass, but was used for the mosaic and polychrome pieces.[1]
These colours formed the basis of all Roman glass, and although some of them required high technical ability and knowledge, a degree of uniformity was achieved
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How do I keep my sterling silver jewelry shiny?
A polishing cloth is the most effective polishing tool for removing tarnish. We hardly ever recommend liquid or paste polish, as many of these products are harsh and will eventually strip away silver, pitting the surface. Other cleaners simply bleach the tarnish, instead of removing it.
For tougher cleaning jobs we do recommend a mild cleaning solution.
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How long will the polishing cloth last?
Average household use is about two years. A polishing cloth can be black with tarnish and still be effective. A good rule of thumb: when they have a lot pills (like on a sweater), it's time for a new one. Do not wash your polishing cloth! The polishing treatment will get washed out.
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Can I use the polishing cloth on stones?
It is generally recommended that you avoid your stones while polishing your jewelry, especially soft or porous stones (pearl, lapis, turquoise, opal, malachite, etc.) To clean the stone in your piece use the untreated outside part of your cleaning cloth.
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How do I care for my opal jewelry?
Opals require a little extra care. They are a soft stone, and contain numerous tiny fractures. These fractures have water molecules trapped in them, a natural phenomenon that gives them their iridescent color and fire. Because of these properties, it is very important that your opal does not get treated roughly or become dehydrated. To avoid dehydration, occasionally give them a little rub on your skin, as the oils from your skin will help lock moisture into the stone. For an annual "deep conditioner", rub your opal with some olive oil and wipe off the excess with a soft cloth. Try to avoid getting you opals wet.
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How do I care for my pearls?
Never expose your pearl (or mother-of-pearl, or shell) jewelry to water, hairspray, perfume, or cleaning products, including your polishing cloth. Make sure that your pearl jewelry is the “last thing on and first thing off”.
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How do I care for my Roman Glass Jewelry?
Never, ever get your Roman Glass jewelry wet or expose it to chemicals, as this will permanently alter the glass' color. It is also fragile and needs to be protected against breakage from being dropped or hit.
If you choose to wear your Roman Glass jewelry daily, be aware that the surface color may change over time.
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How do I care for my "brushed" silver jewelry?
Some artisans enhance the surface of a piece by giving it a satin, matte, or sandy finish. The usual method of cleaning with a polishing cloth is not recommended, as it can eventually wear the texture away. To remove tarnish, scrub it gently with a toothbrush dipped in a little baking soda and water, rinse, and blot dry with a soft towel or cloth.
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How do I care for Liquid Silver?
Never, ever expose your liquid silver to actual liquids, as it will get underneath the beads and eventually rot the silk cord. This includes dipping your liquid silver or using paste cleaners on it. To clean liquid silver, lay it out on a towel or other soft surface, and lightly rub your polishing cloth over the beads, using care not to pull on the stringing.
To keep it clean during storage, wipe it clean after wearing it and wrap it closely, unclasped and untwisted, in plastic kitchen wrap. This keeps the air away from it and prevents the majority of tarnish.
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Is there a way to keep my sterling silver jewelry from tarnishing?
Tarnishing is a natural chemical process that takes place when silver is exposed to oxygen for long periods of time. To prevent a majority of tarnishing, wear your sterling silver jewelry. To store your piece, especially for longer periods of time, clean it with your polishing cloth first, then wrap in plastic wrap or place in a zipper baggie.
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How does the Lifetime Replacement Guarantee work?
When you invest in Jewelry from Jewelry Box Delights, you can be assured that your making a Great investment. In the first 30 days if you are not completely satisfied with your Jewelry Selection for whatever reason. Simply return the item(s) for a full refund.
As the weeks, months and years go by, if for any reason what so ever, you or a loved one have a problem with any of the Jewelry you have invested in with us. We will replace your jewelry for life. You simply pay the small S&H charge. In the event your fine jewelry is no longer in stock, we will give you an option in the replacement of a piece equally as beautiful and comparable in price point
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