Hittrafficer.com

What makes lapis high quality?

Do you know what makes lapis qualify as “high quality”? There are a few factors that go into it’s classification:

Is it died? If it is died it will appear to be too uniform in it’s color. Natural lapis should have slight variations in color. Basically, the larger the variations, the lower the quality.

Is it waxed? Waxing the stone is part of the polishing process. Waxing doesn’t change the quality, but it creates a shiny stone. You can find a good example of waxed, high quality lapis viewing the centerpiece of Butterfly with Lapis Necklace at our store.

Is the Color Consistent? I mentioned above that the more uniform the color, the higher quality… as long as the stone is natural. Some lapis will have streaks of gold or patches of white. This indicates a lower quality, although this can add texture and dimension to the stone.

So what is the deal with pearls?

When trying to value pearls, there are two main characteristics to consider: size which is measured in millimeters and the quality of finish. The quality of the finish or nacre coating gives a pearl its luster.

Did you know there are several types of pearls? Pearls require no polishing or faceting to shine. Both natural and cultured pearls are made of mollusks but natural pearls are made without human intervention and cultured pearls need an irritant added to the shell in order for the pearl to grow.

Natural pearls are very rare and since the 1920’s, most pearls used in jewelry are either cultured or imitation. That is why it is important to understand the difference and trust the source of your jewelry.