Resources and Education

Ring Size
This page will guide you to the correct ring size, regardless of what global community you reside in. If you don't know your ring size, you can figure it out with this information. Just measure the circumference or diameter of your finger, and use the table below to specify your ring size....it's easy!
The table below is the US standard for ring sizing. For customers in other countries that use a different ring size scale standard, please convert to US sizing when placing your order. Rings are available in US sizes 1-15.

Standard Ring Sizes: For Ladies = 5-6-7-8, For Men = 9-10-11-12 
Queen Sizes = 10-11-12-13 
Petite Size = 1-2-3-4
Hard to find-Large Sizes men's rings = 14-15-16-17-18

Gemstone Guide

We have a wonderful selection of inlaid jewelry designs that offer a variety of stones to choose from. Please see our catalog to find out what stone your favorite is designed in. Gemstones, semi-precious stones, and shells for beautiful and perfectly charming jewelry. See what these powerful gifts from mother nature can bring to you!

Gemstones
Pic Code Type Details Color
Amber AB Amber Light stone made from the fossilized resin of trees, known as the gold of the North. Yellow to Orange
BT Blue Topaz Beautiful light blue stone, rare in nature. Light Blue to Deep Sky Blue
CI Citrine Variety of yellow quartz, birthstone for the month of November Pure Yellow to Yellow Honey
CZ Cubic Zirconium Man-made highly refractive stone used to imitate diamonds. Clear
EG Emerald Glass Man made dark green glass, Birthstone for the month of May. Dark Green
GA Garnet Beautiful blood stone of fertility. Birthstone for the month of January. Dark Red, Red, Orange, Green, Violet-Red
IO Iolite Glistening violet/blue stone that filtered the haze and glare for Vikings. Violet-Blue
LB Labradorite Beautiful stone with lovely play of color. Blue, Green, Yellow, Opalesence
MS Moonstone Translucent stone for good fortune becoming greatest when the moon is full. White
PE Peridot Beautiful vitreous luster stone, Birthstone for the month of August. Lime or Olive green
PI Pink Ice Energy from within itself with vitreous pink highlights. Pink Clear
PU Purple Ice A warm energy bringing subdued but powerful strength. Purple Clear
RH Rhodochrosite Beautifully pink stone that promotes love, peace, and energy Red, Pink
RQ Rose Quartz Gentle pink stone of warm love. Pink
RU Ruby Stone of love. Queen of the gems. Birthstone for July. Fiery Red
SA Sapphire The most intense color corundum gem of heavens. Birthstone for the month of September. Blue, Orange, Yellow, Violet, Green, White and Pink
SW Swarovski Crystal The world's finest man-made crystal. Clear, Bermuda Blue, Rainbow
WH White Crystal Clear colorless hight-energy quartz crystal. Clear
Inlaid Stones
Pic Code Type Details Color
AZ Azurite Blue with green ore of copper highlight. A beautiful ornamental stone. Dark Blue to Azure Blue
BO Black Onyx A rich black stone that enhances emotional balance. Black
CA Carnelian wary & wonderful sexy orange stone. Bright Orange to Reddish Orange
CO Coral From skeletons of animals under the sea. "Treasure of the ocean." Red, Pink, and White
GR Green Agate This stone will bring peace and happiness. Green
LA Lapis Royal ultra-marine blue stone that is spiritual and heavenly. Dark Blue
M Marcasite A beautiful lustrous metallic stone. Silvery-White to Slightly Goldish Tone
MA Malachite A basic copper carbonate that is a beautiful green earth stone with flowing black bands of beauty. Emerald Green to Grass Green
SU Sugilite The stone of Higher Love. Purple, Orchid Brown
TQ Turquoise Vibrant stone with pureness of the American Indian soul. Sky-Blue to Bluish Green, Robin's Egg Blue
Shell
Pic Code Type Details Color
AL Abalone Natural, beautiful, and rare. Blues, Greens, Violet
MP Mother of Pearl Skeleton of sea mollusks. Lustrous and opalescent from the ocean shore. White, Pink
PA Paua Shell From New Zealand. Beautiful Deep-Sea Blue Rich in Highlights
PL Pearl Product of an oyster. Brings great powers from the sea. White
PS Pink Shell Mother of Pearl. Pink
Mix
Pic Code Type Details Color
RW Rainbow Colorful layer of high quality polymers. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple
YY Ying Yang Balance of life forces. Black & White

Jewelry Care & Cleaning...The Basics

TIPS FOR CARE AND CLEANING OF FINE JEWELRY 

~Gems and precious metals are gifts of nature, which need special care. Even though a gem may be millions of years old, once mined and worn, it is exposed to conditions and chemicals that can damage it.

~The harder the gem, the less vulnerable it is to potential damage. A diamond, for example, is the hardest gem known to man, and that's one reason why it is "forever."

~Gems and precious metals are gifts of nature, which need special care. Even though a gem may be millions of years old, once mined and worn, it is exposed to conditions and chemicals that can damage it.

~Hardness is based on a gem-trade standard called the Mohs Scale, developed in the early 19th century. The scale is structured so that material rated at each higher number can scratch substances with lower numbers. Diamonds are rated the highest, at 10; rubies and sapphires are Mohs 9; emeralds and topaz, 8; and garnets, tourmalines and quartz, 7. Anything softer than a 7 can be scratched with less difficulty, including opal, turquoise, lapis lazuli, coral and pearl.

~Gold, silver, and platinum are only Mohs 2-1/2 to 4, which means that they require special care when wearing, storing, or cleaning.

~Pure Silver is too soft for most ordinary uses, so, like gold, silver is alloyed, or mixed, with other metals to add hardness and strength. The standard alloy is 92.5% silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper. In order for an item to be called sterling, the law requires that it have a minimum silver content of 92.5%. Sterling must be marked as such. There are three approved markings to indicate sterling:

~Sterling Silver or Sterling or STR .925 for 92.5%. 999 for 99.9% which is too soft for most jewelry. If one of these three markings is not present on a piece of jewelry, the item is not sterling silver and may not be called such.

~Solid Gold is identified by its karated weight such as "10K", "14K" & "18K".

~The system of measuring karats is based on a scale of 24, with 100 percent gold equaling 24 karats. Since 24K gold is usually considered too soft for jewelry, the gold in jewelry items is alloyed with other metals to strengthen and harden it. The karat mark tells us the ratio of pure gold to these other metals. A 22K gold piece is 22 parts gold and 2 parts of at least one other metal. An 18K gold piece is 18 parts pure gold and 6 parts other metals.

~Note: In the United States the legal minimum standard for what can be considered gold is 10 karats (10 parts gold, 14 parts other metal).

Here are some DO's and DON'Ts:

~DO let your jeweler check for loose stones frequently.

~DO get pearls restrung when the cord begins to fray.

~DO clean fine jewelry often to maintain its sparkle and beauty.

~DO store fine jewelry carefully, observing the following guidelines:

~DO store jewelry in a dry place and avoid extremes of temperature and humidity.

~DO keep gemstone studded jewelry, pearls, and gold and silver pieces separated from each other to prevent scratching. Store fine jewelry pieces in soft pouches, soft cloth wraps or plastic "zip-lock" bags to help protect them.

~DON'T wear fine jewelry when doing housework or gardening.

~DON'T heap your jewelry into one drawer. Remember a diamond ring can scratch that pearl necklace. Keep them separate and, ideally, wrapped in velvet, paper, silk or plastic zip-lock bag.

~DON'T use toothpaste. Its abrasives can damage softer gems and metals. Most fine jewelry can be safely cleaned by soaking for 10 minutes in warm soapy water (using a mild detergent soap). Use a soft brush on harder gems to loosen any dirt around the prongs. To reduce greasy build-up on diamond jewelry, dip it in plain alcohol before soaking.

~DON'T overcrowd your jewelry box. Crowding can result in misplaced or lost jewelry if a small piece falls unnoticed from the case. Occasionally, forcing too much jewelry into the box may even bend a fragile piece or chip a delicate stone.

Note: An inappropriate cleaner may actually damage stones or settings.

Household Cleaners

~The simplest and safest way to clean any kind of jewelry is to wash it with warm sudsy water. Prepare a small bowl of sudsy water, using any mild liquid detergent and ammonia. Soak the piece a few minutes, and then brush it gently with an eyebrow brush or soft toothbrush while holding it under running water.

~Make sure the drain is closed. Some people prefer to place jewelry in wire strainer before holding it under running water. When the piece is clean and sparkling, pat it dry with a soft lint-free cloth or paper towel.

Commercial Cleaning Solutions

~Use commercial jewelry cleaners with caution.

~Commercial jewelry cleaners are usually no more effective than the household cleaners suggested above, but they are more convenient. They are normally safe for diamonds, rubies, and sapphires, but may be harmful to some gemstones.

~Never soak gemstone jewelry in commercial cleaners for more than a few minutes. Note: Commercial cleaners are not recommended for opal, pearl, coral, lapis lazuli, turquoise and emerald. They may damage or reduce the luster (shine) on these stones.

Ultrasonic Cleaners

Use ultrasonic cleaners for diamonds, rubies, and sapphires only. Ultrasonic cleaners can damage emerald, opal, pearl, and some other colored gemstones.

Below you will find;

Type of stone

Ultrasonic Cleaner -Yes or NO Other method(s) of cleaning

Diamond


Yes
unless fracture-filled* Ammonia-based cleaners and rubbing alcohol are safe. Use a soft toothbrush to clean the diamond. Dry with a soft, clean cloth. 


Emerald


No
Use a soft toothbrush and warm, soapy water. Dry with a soft, clean cloth. 


Garnet 


Yes
Use a soft toothbrush and warm, soapy water or rubbing alcohol. Dry with a soft, clean cloth. 


Opal


No
Use a dry or damp cloth. Peridot No Use a soft toothbrush and warm soapy water. Dry with a soft, clean cloth. 


Ruby


Yes
Use a soft toothbrush with warm, soapy water, ammonia-based cleaners or rubbing alcohol. Dry with a soft, clean cloth. 


Sapphire


Yes
Use a soft toothbrush with warm, soapy water, ammonia-based cleaners or rubbing alcohol. Dry with a soft, clean cloth. 


Tanzanite


No
Use warm, soapy water. Dry with a soft, clean cloth. 


Topaz


No
Use a soft toothbrush and warm, soapy water. Dry with a soft, clean cloth. 


Tourmaline


Yes
Use a soft toothbrush and warm, soapy water or rubbing alcohol. Dry with a soft, clean cloth.

* Fracture-filled stones have been injected with a transparent material to fill internal flaws (fractures or feathers) to improve appearance. These stones also may be called "clarity enhanced." Ask your jeweler for specific cleaning instructions for these stones.