Pearls come in many shapes and sizes whether they are real or not, and it’s not always easy to tell the difference between those that are genuine and those that are imitations. Even amongst genuine pearls there are many different classes of both natural and cultured varieties, all with their own different properties and all valued very differently as pearl jewellery. You don’t want to be fooled when buying pearls, so here are a few ways to help differentiate between real pearls, whether they are natural or cultured, and fakes
The Tooth Test
It’s said that if you rub a pearl against the biting edge of your front teeth, the texture of the surface will tell you whether or not it is genuine. Real pearls normally have a more rough, irregular texture whereas fakes are glassy and perfectly smooth. This isn’t really the most reliable method of testing, as many fake pearls are created to feel as real as possible and cultured pearls in particular can often be very smooth, especially if they are dyed.
The Sun Test
A slightly more reliable method is to take the pearls out in the sun and look closely at the lustre, or iridescence, that you see on the surface. Apart from extremely unusual and rare specimens, genuine pearls won’t be perfectly matched under the sun and you will be able to see slight imperfections in the colour and lustre.
Surface Magnification
Don’t underestimate the power of a magnifying glass – a closeup look at the pearl earrings, necklace or brooch can tell you a lot, and is one of the most effective ways of distinguishing between genuine and fake pearls. The surface of a real pearl is crossed with hundreds of tiny almost invisible crooked lines, giving them an almost scaly look under magnification. It also helps to look closely at the drill holes in the pearl, which in a real pearl will be as tiny as they can be because larger holes devalue the gem. Real pearls usually have holes drilled from either end, so the hole is much smaller in the middle of the pearl.
Shape
One of the most obvious ways to identify real pearl sets is to look closely at the shape of each pearl and whether or not they are close to being identical – real pearls are hardly ever perfectly round, and it is almost unheard of to find a whole string of pearls of exactly the same size, shape and weight. Real pearls that are regular in this way are extremely expensive, and if not they are probably fake.
X-Ray
The best way to be absolutely positive of a pearl’s authenticiety is to pay a certified gemologist to verify it. For a fee they will be able to x-ray the pearls, allowing you to see inside to any imperfections or variations in density and discovering how the pearl was first formed and what the nucleus was. To be worth paying the price you need to first be fairly sure that the pearl is genuine, but some fakes can be very convincing and it’s the only way to really be 100% sure without damaging the pearl.
Filed under Jewelry by on Nov 13th, 2009. Comment. 
Diamond solitaire pendants are easily available at all the best diamond jewelers. Before you purchase your diamond solitaire pendant be sure that you look for near colorless diamonds that boast of at least I color or even better and which does not have any visible signs of imperfections or which shows that it has S1 clarity and better. One can easily get these diamond solitaire pendants at Blue Nile. Since purchase of a diamond solitaire pendant is sure to represent a big investment to you it pays to be very careful in which product you buy and where you buy your pendant from.
Buying The Right Diamond Solitaire Pendant
At a site such as Blue Nile (bluenile.com) you are assured that they recognize this importance of how much a diamond solitaire pendant will mean to the buyer and so they will guide you in a manner that will ensure that you are well prepared to purchase a pendant that is just right for you.
In the year 1999 Blue Nile was founded and became one of the largest online certified diamond retailers. According to Internet Retailer Magazine, Blue Nile is so big that the next three largest online jewelry retailers won’t be as big as Blue Nile – even if they are all combined together.
Here, at Blue Nile you have many wonderful diamond solitaire pendant options to choose from including the round diamond that is set in a platinum four-prong setting and which has a band made from white metal that accentuates the virtually colorless nature of the diamond solitaire pendant. The price for a ¼ carat such piece is approximately seven hundred and twenty dollars while the most expensive diamond solitaire pendant is the two carat offering that retails for a mammoth approximately fifteen thousand seven hundred dollars. It has G-H color and VS1-VS2 color clarity.
For a slightly cheaper diamond solitaire pendant check out the eighteen karat white gold diamond solitaire pendant that retails (1/4 carat) for about a mere approximately three hundred and seventy dollars. It boasts of H-1 color and SI1-SI2 color clarity.
While purchasing a diamond solitaire engagement ring one must follow the useful tips to get the best product. In fact, it is not very difficult to pick the right product and it only requires that you are well acquainted with diamonds and the basics of engagement rings so that you will know what a sales representative is talking about when selling you such an item of jewelry.
Filed under Jewelry by on Nov 13th, 2009. Comment.
Finding An Effective Homeopathic Remedy For Hair Loss
So you are dealing with hair loss, and no matter what age you may be, chances are that you want to do something about it. Sure there are those people out there who are happy with their hair loss, or at least not worried enough to care to do something about it. However for most people their hair is an important part of their look and so they want to stop hair loss from continuing and get their old hair back.
There are various different prescription medications to choose from and chemical-based creams and lotions that are available to treat hair loss problems, but if you are more interested in taking a natural route and you want to choose a homeopathic remedy for hair loss, then there are a few products in particular that you are going to want to consider here.
Homeopathic Remedy That Actually Work
Perhaps the biggest misconception that many people have about homeopathic remedies is that they just don’t work. Well as a matter of fact, there are a few options for homeopathic remedy for hair loss on the market today that work just as well if not better than the conventional medications and treatments that are available.
You must be familiar about fluoric acid if you want a homeopathic remedy for hair loss. This is best for brittle hair that tends to fall out in tufts. It works better on men than women, and it is a homeopathic remedy that has been used for years on people who are suffering from hair loss.
Another great homeopathic remedy for hair loss that you can use is selenium. This is an ingredient that is found in most conventional hair loss treatment products, and which has proven time and time again to be successful at treating hair loss problems. This is great for hair loss on the scalp and as well on the body so for instance if you are a man and you are dealing with hair loss on the legs or arms, you can grow it back using selenium.
Because no homeopathic remedy for hair loss is ever guaranteed to work all the time on everyone, learning about the different hair loss prevention steps that you can take to avoid hair loss in the first place, is really going to be wise on your part.
Filed under Beauty by on Nov 7th, 2009. Comment.