Donkey God

Matching jewelry for mommy and baby is always a cute touch, and it can be a keepsake for when the baby is all grown up. The sentimental value that comes with baby jewelry cannot be measured. Sometimes certain items of jewelry come with memories; like this bracelet one was bought right after little Sarah took her first steps, or this pendant was bought soon before Davey started to say his first words.

When we say “baby jewelry,” we usually mean bracelets: the safest item of adornment for infants. Many baby bracelets come with letter-blocks that spell out the baby’s name. These may well be a baby’s first opportunity to learn how to read! Some baby bracelets also double as toys, and some charms come with rattles and colorful beads that could easily endear them to the infant.

We may admit that baby jewelry is cute and fun to use, but some mothers are concerned: won’t jewelry be too dangerous to hold so close to the baby? Teething babies will tend to want to bite into their bracelets, or put them in their mouths — and won’t the baby swallow the charms, the item itself, or bits of it that may come off? Also, won’t silver, gold, and certain plastics be bad for the baby’s skin?

Baby jewelry is necessarily hypoallergenic, to keep from irritating a baby’s supremely delicate skin. The charms that come with baby jewelry are usually tightly woven in, so there is no danger of falling off or apart even if the baby is teething. Infant jewelry also has safe clasps. Pin latches or sharp clasps are definitely a no-no.

Toddlers, who are more capable of appreciating body accessories, may in fact enjoy sporting jewelry, especially ones they can play with and show off to other toddlers. Mom and Dad can have their toddler pick out his or her own bracelet. After all, babies and toddlers appreciate bright, sparkling and fun stuff that are visually stimulating and attractive. Baby jewelry is something they can enjoy, and it will be a reminder of that time that passes all too quickly.

Sam Serio is an Internet Marketer, musician and a writer on the subject of jewelry and gemstones. For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at www.morninglightjewelry.com.

Wouldn’t it be nice to find real pearls from edible oysters? That would be the day when eating edible oysters would bring in not only food for the table but also pearl for jewelry. However, such thing is next to impossible considering that pearls do not grow in edible oysters.

Pearls are produced by mollusks including oysters, mussels and clams. However, mussels and clams rarely produce pearls while oysters commonly produce pearls no matter if they are in freshwater or in saltwater.

The idea that pearls are produced from sand intruding into the shell of an oyster is false. Sand is an inorganic material while pearls are formed by organic materials that are caught inside the oyster. As a defense mechanism, the oyster wraps the organic material with a substance called nacre, resulting to what is known as mother of pearl.

Most people believe that pearls should have an imperfect form since they are products of nature. However, there are those that are formed perfectly and these are considered very valuable pearls. Unlike the common belief that pearls are usually white, pearls come in various colors like black, green, red and even blue. Different-colored pearls can be found all over the world but only the South Pacific has produced black pearls.

Instead of waiting for the natural occurrence of pearls, there are people who culture pearls in the same manner that they are naturally formed. However, the organic irritants are intentionally inserted through a crack in the oyster’s shell. Natural pearls are however more expensive than cultured pearls because of their rarity.

Among the kinds of pearls are cultured pearls either in saltwater or freshwater; South Sea pearls that are produced by the silver lipped oysters are rare pearls that are cultured in Australia and are usually very large; South Sea pearls produced by golden lipped oysters and are cultured in Indonesia and Tahitian pearls or black pearls that are produced by black lipped oysters and are cultured in Cook Islands or in the French Polynesia.

So how can one determine if a pearl is real or an imitation? Real pearls tend to feel sandy when rubbed along the edge of the front teeth while imitation pearls fell smooth.

Aside from the kinds of oyster from which pearls are produced, the quality of pearls is determined according to their luster or shine. Thick nacres that have been left in the water longer are generally shinier. The shape of a pearl is also important and the rounder the pearl, the better. The larger the pearl, the rarer they are and the more expensive.

Pearls are generally used as pieces of jewelry but they are also used in making cosmetics. Powdered pearl that is made from shells and pearls of not so good quality is said to produce paler skin with a natural glow. Pearl cosmetics are actually being exported by many countries including China to the Unites States.

The author is a regular contributor to Deals on Pearls where more information about pearl bracelets, rings, necklaces and other types of jewelry is available.

A little bit of history
Although body piercing jewelry was not popular until about 20 years ago, it actually has a very long history. In ancient Egypt, only the royal family had the right to have body piercing. In fact, only the Pharaoh at that time had belly button piercing, any other people with a belly button ring would have been executed. For Egyptians, body jewelry was a way of embellishing the beauty of human bodies. On the other hand, around 2000 years ago, as mentioned in Bible, body piercing jewelry was very popular among nomadic tribes as a sign of wealth. Also, the roman warriors used to get nipple piercing as a sign of strength and virility. However, in the last 400-500 years, body jewelry has been restricted to mainly ear piercing until the last two decades.

Choices of metal
There are many choices for the metal used to make body jewelry. Since piercing could be in sensitive and delicate area of the body such as lip and tongue, the material has to be biological inert to prevent corrosion and infection. Common metals for making body jewelry are surgical steel, titanium, niobium, platinum and 14kt and 18kt gold. The primary reason for the above metals to be popular with body jewelry is that they are hypoallergenic and are absolutely safe to wear. Sterling silver body jewelry is not recommended because would tarnish and some of them contain nickel, which some people are allergic to. It is recommended to use surgical steel right after the piercing during the healing period to allow a faster healing process and minimize the chance of infection.

Types of body jewelry
Since the resurgence of body jewelry, many types of body jewelry became available in the market. The common body jewelry categories are navel rings, lip and tongue labrets, nostril rings, eyebrows barbells, ear plugs and nipple rings. In fact, the piercing technique employed by most of the body jewelry store is so mature and safe that you can put body jewelry wherever you want!

Fashion vs. Fine Jewelry
A decade ago, body jewelry was a symbol for rebellious and hip youth. Nowadays, however, it is a common trend just like earrings. This is shown by the fact that many celebrities are wearing them and the number of body jewelry piercing stores in the shopping mall is constantly increasing. This is a major fashion trend which we are now at the beginning of. As body jewelry becomes mainstream accessories, the style and quality are expected to improve tremendously. Body jewelry with natural semi-precious stones such as topaz and peridot are currently available in the market, soon body jewelry with gold and genuine diamonds will be as popular as diamond stud earrings. In fact, 14k and 18k gold body jewelry are good choices for gift to someone who are already part of this fashion jewelry trend resolution since they are truly precious and fashionable at the same time.

Scott Murff got his MBA from MIT business school and currently is the marketing manager in 14K gold earrings that specializes in wholesale gold piercing body jewelry.