Taking Care Of and Cleaning Jewelry

First, how susceptible is your jewelry to scratches and chemical products? Hardness is based on a gem-trade standard called the Mohs scale. The higher the Mohs scale number, the harder the stone is. The highest Mohs scale rating is 10 (diamonds). Anything with a Mohs scale rating of less than 7 is easily scratched (such as coral, lapis lazuli, opal, pearl, and turquoise). Gold, silver, and platinum are only Mohs 2-1/2 to 4.

Because a diamond can scratch gold or pearls it is always important to store all jewelry pieces separately. Gold jewelry will last you a lifetime if it is taken care of. Gold can be scratched and dented if you are not careful. Because of where they are worn, gold rings and bracelets will get the most damage, much more so than earrings or necklaces. Chemicals also can cause damage to gold. One of the worst is chlorine. Constant exposure to chlorinated cleaning products will make the gold weak and prone to breaking. Don’t wear your gold in the swimming pool or Jacuzzi. Take your jewelry off around the house when cleaning but if you prefer to wear rings and bracelets wear rubber gloves for protection. Even makeup, perfume, hairspray, and perspiration can cause gold jewelry to lose its luster. Clean your jewelry regularly using a good jewelry cleaner. A quick clean can be done with a baby tooth brush and mild soap and a small amount of ammonia. (Never clean in the sink as the jewelry might fall down the drain, always clean in a bowl away from a drain pipe) Grease can be removed from karat gold jewelry by dipping into plain rubbing alcohol. Always rinse thoroughly and dry after cleaning. Keep it wrapped separately in a soft cloth, jewelry box divider or plastic baggie. Keep your eye on prongs that could break and cause the loss of a stone. An occasional visit to a professional jeweler is the best idea.

Platinum is one of the rarest and most durable precious metals. It does not tarnish or get discolored from chlorine. Even though it is very tough you still need to take good care of your platinum jewelry. Store it separately because platinum can be scratched. Platinum can be cleaned in the same manner as other fine jewelry.

You will probably be surprised that sunlight can cause many colored gemstones to fade, change color or become pale. Common stones that are damaged in sunlight (there may be more): Amethyst, Ametrine, Apatite, Aquamarine, Aventurine, Beryl, Celestite, Chrysoprase, Citrine, Fluorite, Kunzite, Rose Quartz, and Smokey Quartz. Pearls are organic stones and quickly react to any form of chemicals like perfumes, hand lotions, hair spray, etc. Chemicals directly attack the nacre, ruining the luster, which causes patches on your pearl. Put your pearl jewelry on last after you have applied your perfumes, lotions, etc. They should not be worn along with any other jewelry items such as chains or even watches. Clean pearls only with lukewarm water. Never brush them in any way. You can then wipe it with a regular cotton cloth. The silk is delicate and gets stretched after a period of time. Always store bead necklaces (such as lapis, pearls, etc) flat as that will keep the silk from stretching. It could break when the strand is worn on a regular basis. You should have them checked, to see if they need to be re-strung, every 3 years if you wear them regularly. Opals are water-based stones. Sudden temperature changes cause them to crack in multiples (known as Crazing). They should thus be cleaned only in room temperature water (68F - 75F) and then wiped with a soft cotton cloth. Emeralds, naturally coming out of the ground have several surface breaking inclusions in them. Almost all of them are treated through oiling to hide these inclusions. They cannot be immersed in ultrasonic cleaners or steam machines for this reason. The oiling will either discolor or come out during the cleaning process. Thus they can only be cleaned with room temperature water (68F - 75F) and a cotton cloth.

Platinum is one of the rarest and most durable precious metals. It does not tarnish or get discolored from chlorine. Even though it is very tough you still need to take good care of your platinum jewelry. Store it separately because platinum can be scratched. Platinum can be cleaned in the same manner as other fine jewelry.

Your silver jewelry tarnishes when exposed to air. This occurs more quickly in damp and foggy weather and even sunshine, but is inevitable in any climate. Tarnish first appears as a golden hue on your sterling silver then turns to black. Always store in treated paper or cloth, or plastic zip lock bags made of Mylar (turkey cooking bags) or polyethylene. Some plastic contains sulfur compounds which can cause tarnish faster. Never use polyvinyl plastic bags. Tiny zip-lock bags work great for each individual piece. Don’t store sterling silver jewelry on wood surfaces as wood usually contains acids that can mar the finish. Also avoid storing silver with other metals like pennies and rubber. Don’t wear rubber gloves when washing or polishing silver because rubber promotes tarnish. Dry and polish silver with a soft cloth, not paper towels. You can use a baby tooth brush or a horsehair silver brush but stays away from paper, polyester and course fabrics that contain wood fibers as this can scratch your silver. Ordinary toothpaste is a good, quick cleaner but is mainly recommended for gold, not silver. If you don’t want to rub the silver (or you’re uncomfortable working with acid), make a dip using baking soda, aluminum foil and hot water. Place a 2′ length of aluminum foil into a plastic bucket, and pour 1/2 gallon of hot water over it. Then pour a cup of fresh baking soda into the water (if the soda is fresh, it will begin foaming). Submerge a piece of silver in the water, and allow it to sit for 30 minutes. Then pull out the silver, rinse it, and allow it to dry.

For a more of a heavy duty cleaner get a pickle jar and combine one inch of cleaning detergent (like Top Job or Mr. Clean), one inch of dish washing liquid and one inch of ammonia. Fill the rest of the container with water. Shake well, heat in microwave and pour into an old pot and simmer on stove. Put your silver or gold into the solution and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Remove from solution and rinse with water. Dry well.

Stop Making Unhappy Relationship Mistakes! Avoid Another Unhappy Relationship!

It is possible for women to steer clear of an unhappy relationship. However, it will require taking an honest look at themselves and their relationship mistakes.

After repeating the same relationship mistakes over and over gain, women begin to realize something is not working. The easy way out is to blame the men. However, if one looks deep enough the only consistent variable in every relationship is the woman!

Women who feel they “love” a man will stay in an unhappy relationship longer than they should. This often causes psychological trauma that can take years to overcome!

This trauma also makes it difficult for the woman to accept, and open up to, a decent man who is not responsible for the hurt and pain caused by the previous relationship.

One of the keys for women to break free from an unhappy relationship is to determine if their needs are being met!

Since many women are emotional creatures while in love, they often become confused. Simple relationship mistakes such as confusing a want with a need can result in women dating men who are not compatible with them.

Every woman’s goal should be to identify those small relationship mistakes that cause most, if not all, of their problems. The results will lead to a happier life.

What also hurts women is their rush to get into a relationship to avoid being alone. Many women have paid a heavy price by moving too fast such as losing their life, contracting a sexually transmitted disease or being abused to name a few.

Every unhappy relationship that ended has small nuggets of wisdom women can learn from. Plus, each of those relationships most likely ended for the same reason although it may not appear that way!

Japanese Jewelry - expand your options!

Japan jewelry making started less than a hundred years ago.
Unlike other crafts in Japan it had a strong influence of
Western culture. There was a wonderful miracle was born through
the magic of two cultures joining.

Japanese crafts
were always full of ideas and meanings, a careful approach must
be taken when selecting Japan jewellery. If you choose the right
pair of earrings - you might get happy, longevity might be on
the way, and fate may be hiding in lucky earrings.

Many jewelry items are named and created by the image of
something very important to culture. It is very unusual for
Japanese jewellery to be abstract. For example, take a dragon
earrings. Dragon symbolizes strength, fortune and prosperity;
Japanese Happiness Earrings, which are shaped after Japanese
glyph of “happiness”.

Japanese jewelry is very
fine in detail, which is something you can expect from a nation
that creates computers. Every detail is well-thought and full of
meaning, so you shouldn’t worry wearing any of those Japanese
rings, bracelets or chains.

To see something
really astonishing you should try searching Google Images for
“japanese tiara” - now that’s where sophisticated high-tech
meets art! It’s amazing!

Can you imaging 600
silver pieces in chain with diamons that form a bracelet! Can
you imagine 600 chains on your hand? That’s what Japanese
jewellery is all about.

Jewellers try to fit into
individualist world, where everybody must have a very
sophisticated unique jewelry. Japan jewelry is very distinctive
and attention-grabbing.

It’s weird but it’s much
easier to find something Japanese silver, than anything in gold.

A deep search exposed us astonishing
pearl-decorated golden ring and pearl earrings. I would have
never thought that pearl could match gold so perfectly! To see
that, I did a search for “Japanese diamond ring” in Google
Images. It’s funny that Japanese pearl decoration can be found
via diamond link. And if you’ll surf thru - you can find some
really spectacular Japanese rings and neckwear. Everything is
made with a great sense of detail, like I told you.
/> Really interesting things can be found by a Cornelis
Hollander, nine-time winner of the “International Pearl Design”
contest in Japan (and a couple of other big name titles), he is
really innovative. His golden rings possess style and
uniqueness, bringing a fresh breath of air into jewelry. Being a
Netherlands-born and winning nine-time title in Pearl Design
Contest in Japan, he must have really stimulated Japanese
crafters to seek new ways to design pearl rings. If you followed
me search above - you’ll probably agree with me: this influenced
Japanese Jewelry in a very positive ways.

Last but
not least in Japanese jewelery is charms of Japan. If you are
lucky enough to find a charm with Japanese Faith symbol - be
sure to have one. I’ll let you figure how does this Japanese
symbol look like on your own. After all - you must be unusually
lucky to find this. Try yourself! I did.

Shop Online And Save Money

With our days having fewer hours than we need, online shopping has become a way of life and a time saver. Now you can stay at home, sit in front of the fire, poolside or near your favorite window, enjoying a good cup of coffee or your favorite beverage, and shop till you drop. You can take as much time and compare prices and quality without having tired legs and sore feet.

As gas prices escalate you can use your gas savings money for selecting an extra item or two that capture your fancy. Online shopping will save you time in your busy day. You don’t have to rush to the store for that gift you forgot about, hassle with the kids that want to be in the toy department and certainly not with you in the clothes, jewelry and other departments.

We know a woman whose husband thinks it is Christmas all year round! She shops online and gets packages delivered to her door about four times a week. He comes home from work and has a ball opening the packages. For him, it’s like Christmas 52 weeks a year!

Not only can you shop online, but you can fine printable grocery coupons that are not available anywhere else but online. Another positive to online shopping is online coupons which the companies display on many shopping sites. These coupons are discounts given to you for shopping at their online stores.

These are just some of the benefits of online shopping. You can read information and tips about online shopping published by the US Federal Trade Commission at http ://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/online/cybrsmrt.htm and the Better Business Bureau at http://www.bbbonlin e.org/OnlineShopTips/ . Enjoy online Shopping!

Very Early Symptoms Of Pregnancy - Do You Know These Very Early Pregnancy Signs?

Very early symptoms of pregnancy - what are they? If asked, most women remember their very early pregnancy signs if they have been pregnant before. Some women can detect the moment they begin ovulating, while many women cannot tell when or if they have ovulated. Often, women can detect when the fertile days of their cycle has ended. Some can detect the moment they have become pregnant. And for others, one of the more accurate inexpensive home pregnancy tests is a reliable way to know that the very early symptoms of pregnancy you are having mean you really are pregnant.

Here are the earliest of the very early pregnancy signs: • Missed Period - missing a menstrual period is an obvious very early pregnancy symptom. However, many women have missed periods for other reasons and conditions. These reasons include illness, stress, hormone imbalance, adverse reactions to foods and ingestion of substances that result in some level of adverse reaction. For a missed period to be one of the very early symptoms of pregnancy, it should be confirmed by other means. • Morning Sickness - a feeling of nausea in the mornings can be another of the very early symptoms of pregnancy. But this very early pregnancy sign needs to be experienced for several days to be considered reliable. And nausea can have other causes that are not pregnancy related.

• Tender and Enlarged Breasts - very early in pregnancy, the body begins making a series of changes in the normal hormone levels. However, the body is unprepared for these changes when they first occur. There are several changes that will happen in the body in reaction to new hormone levels. One of the most noticable changes occur in the shape of and feelings of tenderness in the breasts. The good news is that these feelings of tenderness go away fairly quickly as the body becomes accustomed to the new hormone chemistry. • Frequent Trips to the Bathroom - having to urinate more often is one of the very early pregnancy signs. Many women experience more frequent urination even before a missed period. The reason, as with tender and enlarged breasts, is a change in hormone levels produced by implantation of the embryo. A hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is produced, which has the side effect of causing more frequent urination. This is another of the very early symptoms of pregnancy which can be mistaken for some other condition, or as a reaction to the consumption of various foods or other substances. Pregnancy needs to be confirmed by the results of a pregnancy test.

• Fatigue - the lack of energy as one of the very early pregnancy signs is sometimes hard to distinguish from other kinds of exhaustion. Again, health professionals attribute this fatigue to the change in hormones in the body, which usually disappears as the body adjusts to the new hormone levels. These are the most common very early pregnancy signs that most women agree on. Some women will experience only one of these signs, and some will have several or all of these very early symptoms of pregnancy. Once the very early pregnancy signs are experienced, confirm pregnancy by using one of the better home pregnancy tests (there are major differences in the reliability of the home tests for pregnancy). And the health of the baby begins with the mothers health and habits before conception as well as during pregnancy. Becoming pregnant and enjoying a successful pregnancy is a complex but wonderful experience. Learn as much as you can about fertility, pregnancy and your health so the brand new person will have the very best beginning to life that is possible.

Copyright 2005 InfoSearch Publishing

Quick Tips for Applying Eye Makeup

Ever since Queen Nefertiti first lined her eyes with black coal, women have been using makeup to emphasize the beauty of their eyes. If you are looking for eye makeup tips or eye makeup ideas for a dramatic eye make up look for an evening out, or simply some free eye makeup tips to put on your “morning face”, you can start out by learning basic eye makeup application.

How to Apply Eye Makeup

Before applying eye makeup, it’s always a good idea to use a concealer to hide dark circles and wrinkles around the eyes. Choose a shade of concealer that’s slightly lighter than your natural skin tone. Don’t use too much and blend it in well.

Apply the eye shadow color in several thin layers, blend well. Put the sheer color on the center of your lid with a sponge applicator or pencil.

Next, brush up and out toward your brow, then nose. Use an eye brush if possible. Apply a deeper shade of color to the crease of your lid.

Highlight Your Eyes

To highlight eyes, add a lighter shade of the same color of eye makeup to your brow bone.

Outline and Define Eyes

Outline the top and bottom of your lids with an eyeliner pencil. You can make short, close little dots with your eyeliner instead of a straight line. Smudge the dots or line lightly from the inner corners to the outer corners, if you want a softer line.

Make Thick Eye Lashes

For great looking eyelashes, go over lashes first with an eyelash separator comb. Apply a thin coat of mascara to lashes (If you don’t have many lashes, you may want to do lashes individually). Re-comb your lashes immediately after you apply the mascara. Let them dry, then repeat the process.

Removing Eye Makeup

Eye makeup should be removed with a cotton ball or swab that has been soaked in makeup remover. Makeup remover pads are good too. Remember to be gentle and don’t rush. Be especially careful when removing mascara. You can gently rub the underside of the lashes until they come clean.

Online Sports Gambling Keeps Gamers near Home

A new wave of gamers will likely have come upon the caption “offshore sports betting” by now, though aren’t totally certain what it symbolizes. A foreign gaming site primarily operates extrinsically to the administration of a single land or it can mean a live gambling internet site that has the bulk of their master computer inside a nation where world wide web based wagering isn’t currently illicit. In summary therefore, it’s best described as a gaming agency active independently of the rule of the area of the clientele. Live sports gambling web pages are by and large governed through the agency of 3 administrations. They are OSGA (the Offshore Gaming Association), the IGC (Interactive Gaming Council) and finally the Fidelity Trust Gaming Association FTGA.

online sports gambling wager

The Offshore Gaming Association are an unbiased federation which supervises the current overseas sports gambling trade, they want to afford the paying public an avenue to choose dependable websites to play gambling games on, without unease. The association works to defend the concerns of gamblers, moreover they charge no society fees. The OSGA are an expert and neutral third party association which manifests objective info, established on your comments, impartial study, discussions, insider advice and additionally to offer industry information.

The IGC is a not-for-profit organization. The administration was created to furnish a platform for interested people to discuss subjects and also to boost collective matters in the multinational interactive sports betting industry, in an effort to establish honest and also sound professional instructions and practises which strive to improve consumer confidence in online sports gambling products and services, and to be of help as the sports gaming industry’s inclusive procedure adviser and in addition it works as a data clearinghouse.

The Interactive Gaming Council has built a reputation for stimulating trustworthiness, honorable practise and plausibility by reason of the ideals it presents, also its allure to business concerns of ethical practise. The Interactive Gaming Council governs overseas gambling by means of utilizing a particular 10 step series of protocols and also charges gaming internet sites license fees to exhibit the council’s logo. Vexed clients may, if they desire, recount their issues to the Interactive Gaming Council.

The FTGA was set up in order to set a standard which will improve the standards of online sports gambling business enterprises. The authority think that doing business with good enterprises, they are able to fashion a membership of the most honest and professional cyberspace gambling businesses internationally. So, in concise terms these are establishments which coordinate the dealings exercised by live sports betting and which should in time help to allay any insecurities experienced by detractors. Internet betting web sites are at present actually safe, since private details shouldn’t be needed and the recompense and the gaming odds should be as equal and sportsmanlike as a normal Vegas-type sports bet. They eliminate traveling, but keep of a casino, but nowadays you are in a position to wager at your PC.

HSE Reports a Success Story from the Waste Industry

The waste and recycling industry had been heavily criticised when the HSE released its report in 2004 that showed that the accident rate in this sector was over 2500 injuries per 100,000 workers. However, recent research has shown a noticeable decline in the accident rate over the last 4 years. The Bomel Report, along with other statistics on accidents has put this decline at 15% between 2003-04 and 2007-08.

The Waste Industry Safety and Health (WISH) forum took the lead in this positive move, with assistance from the HSE and the industry stakeholders. The Bomel Report 2008, which is aimed at mapping health and safety standards in the UK waste industry, has confirmed that the steps taken by the authorities and industry players has led to a steep reduction in the number of accidents to 2207 per 100,000 worker, almost 800 less than the figures from the beginning of the decade. However, this is still comparatively higher than the all-industry average of 518, and nearly twice the rate of the construction and manufacturing industries combined.

The report also found that even though the rates have gone down in general, the pattern of accidents has remained the same, with more than 80% of the accidents being of the kind involving handling sprains, trips and machinery-related injuries. Moreover, three of every four victims had been working in collecting, sorting and disposal of waste.

All staff and management must be fully aware of and comply with health and safety regulations as laid down by law. Find out about the range of iosh training courses available from the experts at Workplace Law Training.

The HSE has declared that it would fully support the directions set by WISH. In the next four years, it will look into the important areas that are performing poorly and the contracts offered by the local authorities for temporary and outsourced work. There are also plans to conduct deeper research into occupational risks to health as well.

Geoff Cox, Head of Manufacturing at the HSE, stressed on the fact that the target set by HSE and WISH can only be achieved with the active participation of everybody involved with the industry, including employers, employees and contractors, who have to take due responsibility in following appropriate safety rules and practices.

Chandelier Earrings: Cascading Elegance

Earrings come in many forms, and the complexity of the style reflects the sophistication of the wearer’s taste. One of the most elegant and complex designs is the chandelier cut. Chandelier earrings - as they are simply called - are a more complicated variant of the drop earrings, which are usually made of just one stone or material. Chandelier earrings may be a mix of two or more stones, or an elaborate web of stones and metal. They are longer than drop earrings and often reach far down the neck area without touching the shoulders.

“Chandelier” in itself sounds bulky and reminds one of the heavy cascading lights in party halls and fancy ballrooms. But take the bulk out of the equation, get the shape and apply it to fine threads of silver or gold, and you’ll have unique and exotic pieces of jewelry guaranteed to cast light upon the most formal occasion!

The beauty of chandelier earrings is attributed to how it accentuates the length of the neck. The subtle swaying of the jewelry also creates a hypnotic, almost melodic effect. Chandelier earrings are perfect complements to evening gowns and cocktail dresses, clothes that emphasize feminine curves and lend grace to languid movements.

Celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Sandra Bullock, Julienne Moore and Jennifer Lopez have been known to wear signature chandelier earrings at public events. The ever-popular J-Lo, especially, has appeared in many a music video with different cascade-style ear ornaments.

In fact, earrings such as this could be considered an indispensable part of formal wear. No jewelry collection is complete without at least a pair of elegant chandelier earrings. For those special occasions where a woman must look and feel especially sophisticated and ladylike, she should consider wearing flowing jewelry. She will find to her delight that it is a true sensual experience, as much as it is a stunning visual treat.

Planning Early Leads To Great Retirement in Albuquerque

Deciding when you should begin retirement planning can be a bit of a confusing topic and many feel they shouldn’t have to begin planning until they are nearing retirement. It is actually wise to start planning your retirement in your early twenties. When you begin planning at a young age you have your entire life to secure yourself a great life when you decide to retire.

If you are considering the plans for your retirement you should right away go to your bank bureau or insurance company and discuss your options about retirement, especially if you’re looking at a place like Albuquerque, New Mexico. These options can change over the years but when you start planning young you can secure yourself for less hardship when you are older.

No one wants to have to worry in their elderly years how they are going to make it through the last blissful years in Albuquerque financially, so retirement planning should be top priority. It can take some time to figure out the exact plans and what you’d like to do but with a little help you can be on your way to having a wonderful retirement.

Everyone who’s reaching retirement truly deserves the chance to just sit back and relax for many years as they’ve worked very hard for many more. Retirement planning for Albuquerque can really open a lot of doors especially when you start planning young. You’ve probably heard it over and over again if you are still in your early twenties to begin your retirement planning and people aren’t joking. Don’t find yourself turning sixty and haven’t even considered what you are going to do.

Prepare yourself and your family for the future and decide your retirement young. Retirement planning has been made available so you can prepare your future so take advantage of it and begin planning your retirement now for a better future to come.