#jewelleryfacts365 284/365 Diamond fact

Outside the earth, diamonds are also common. A recent discovery shows that some stars collapse on themselves, creating giant diamond crystals. In the constellation Centaurus, there lies a white dwarf, that has crystallized into a diamond 2,500 miles in diameter and weighing 10 billion, trillion, trillion carats.

An artist's impression of the white dwarf star orbiting with the pulsar PSR J2222-0137. Credit: B. Saxton (NRAO/AUI/NSF)

Craft day

What I knitted while taking a break from blogging...

Sold one-of-a-kind jewellery

Fleur de lis dogtag necklace

#jewelleryfacts365 283/365 Diamond fact

It was only in the last century that diamonds became readily available. Prior to that, rubies and sapphires were the most popular gems, especially for engagement rings.

15th Century [!?] engagement ring set with a natural diamond octahedron in a handmade carved gold and enamel setting. German.

Nature's gems

Apophyllite with Stilbite, India

Jewellery photography

#jewelleryfacts365 282/365 Gold fact

Solid gold jewelry does tarnish. However, pure 24K gold is not susceptible to tarnishing. The other alloys like copper and silver used solid gold jewelry cause the tarnishing. The higher karat the gold is, the less noticeable the tarnish will appear over time. This explains why a lot of antique gold jewelry from the Victorian era has a dark rosey tone to it. The lower karat jewelry of this time period used a lot of copper which creates a beautiful patina that cannot be replicated. Cleaning of antique jewellery will reduce their value.. 

Jewellery masterpieces

Antique brooch in ivory of lily of the valley carved in high relief, made in England, c. 1850

#jewelleryfacts365 281/365 Gold fact

The visors of astronauts' space helmets receive a coating of gold so thin (0.00005 millimeters, or 0.000002 inches) that it is partially transparent. The astronauts can see through it, but even this thin layer reduces glare and heat from sunlight.

Nature's gems

Elbaite, Lepidolite ~ Cruzeiro mine, Brazil