Taken
PointTaken
Materials
We use a variety of metals, beads, and stones to create our pieces. Whatever your budget, we want you to be happy with your jewelry.
To maintain the beauty of your jewelry no matter what materials are used, it is important that you observe proper care techniques and minimize heavy wear. Salt water, chlorine (swimming pools), and all heavy detergents and cleaning agents should be avoided. Remove your jewelry whenever possible if there is a probability of prolonged moisture, such as when showering, cleaning, washing dishes, etc.
We have compiled a list of many of the materials that we use in our jewelry so that you may help determine the best way to care for your jewelry.
Metals:
Silver-Plated or Gold-Plated
Plated items are made of a thin layer of silver or gold bonded to a base
metal core. Just like precious metals, plated jewelry will tarnish when exposed
to the air. To remove this tarnish, use the same techniques or solutions that
you would with sterling silver or solid gold items. However, use the least
amount of polishing (or shortest exposure time needed to liquid dips) as
necessary because any process that removes tarnish also removes minute amounts
of plating on the surface. Over time the plate will eventually wear. Some plates
are thicker than others so a heavy plate will most likely last a lifetime with
proper care.
Sterling Silver
Fine silver is 99.9 percent pure or more, but it is very soft and unsuitable for
most uses. Sterling silver is defined as 92.5 percent pure or higher. The
remaining 5-7½ percent is usually copper because copper has been found to be
the best metal to alloy with the silver to not discolor it, while making it
hard. The ".925" mark also designates sterling silver.
Store silver in a cool, dry place. Because silver tarnishes more quickly than
gold or platinum, store pieces in a tarnish-preventing bag (zip-loc) or wrapped
soft piece of cloth such as felt. Don't wear silver to bed or when getting wet.
Because silver oxidizes, it should not be worn 24 hours a day. It is a good idea
to take your jewelry off before bed and store it properly so it will maintain
its luster.
Gold-Filled
Gold Filled jewelry is created by applying gold over a base metal such as brass,
rhodium, copper or sterling silver. To be called Gold Filled, the gold content
must be at least 1/20th (5%) the weight of the total piece. Because of this,
Gold Filled jewelry is a good quality, affordable alternative to solid
gold. Care for gold-filled jewelry in the same manner as you would other
precious jewelry. Many chemicals marketed for cleaning jewelry are actually
somewhat abrasive or corrosive and can cause some damage or color alteration to
your jewelry. The best way to avoid this is to keep it simple. Warm water and a
soft cloth are the best thing you can do to maintain the beauty of your jewelry.
Under normal wearing conditions, and with proper care, your gold filled jewelry
can last a lifetime. It does not chip or peel easily as gold plated jewelry
does.
14k Gold
Gold, a soft and highly malleable metal, does not tarnish easily. Gold costs
more than most precious metals and its softness can result in scratching and
denting. Gold jewelry is non-corrosive and sturdy. Gold's purity is measured in
karats. Pure 24K gold is too soft to securely hold a stone so gold is alloyed
with other metals such as silver, copper, and zinc to make it sturdier. Gold
jewelry should be stamped with the karat mark ("K") along with the
manufacturer's trademark and country of origin (if outside the U.S.). European
karat markings are different than those in the U.S.
As with plated and filled jewelry, clean with warm water, mild detergent, and a
soft cloth, then pat dry. Avoid heavy wear and exposure to harsh
chemicals.
(Note: In order to help keep our prices low, we do not maintain an
inventory of 14k gold components. Jewelry ordered in 14k gold may take
longer than gold-filled to allow us to obtain the necessary materials)
Beads/Stones:
A few basic notes:
Don't be fooled into thinking that gemstones are hard and can't be damaged. Treat them with as much care as you would its diamond cousins and those stunning colored gemstones will stay as beautiful and perfectly cut as the day you bought them.
Acrylic
Beads made of acrylic are light and sturdy, allowing for larger pieces to be
made without weighing down the wearer. Acrylic beads are made in a wide
variety of brilliant colors and shapes, and their affordability can't be beaten.
Amber
Amber is a fossilized resin with a beautiful yellow hue. Amber is said to
have both soothing and energizing qualities. Mystical lore says that amber is
beneficial for purifying the body, headaches, bone problems, heart problems,
circulation, ears, hearing problems, endocrine system, fibromyalgia,
intestinal/digestive disorders, kidney, bladder, lungs, and general healing
purposes. Whether you believe in mystical lore or not, Amber is undeniably
beautiful. To learn more about amber, click here.
Amethyst
Amethyst is a violet or purple variety of quartz. The name is generally said
to be derived from the Greek a, "not," and methuskein, "to
intoxicate," expressing the old belief that the stone protected its owner
from drunkenness. It was held that wine drunk out of a cup of amethyst would not
intoxicate. However, the word may be a corruption of an Oriental name for the
stone. Amethyst is the birthstone for February. To learn more about amethyst,
click here.
Aquamarine
A member of the beryl family, like emeralds, aquamarine is transparent blue or
sea-green. The name comes from a Latin phrase meaning "water of the
sea." Aquamarine is found all over the world, including Brazil, Russia,
Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Madagascar. It was thought to bring its wearers
knowledge, foresight and inspiration. Aquamarine is the birthstone for March. To
learn more about aquamarine, click here.
Aventurine
Aventurine is a form of quartz, characterized by its translucency and the
presence of platy mineral inclusions that give a shimmering or glistening effect
termed aventurescence. The most common color of aventurine is green, but it may
also be orange, brown, yellow, blue or gray. The most rare color of aventurine
is red, and it has been found only in one location in the world, which is
located in Northern Ontario, Canada (Eldee, Ontario) near the Quebec border not
far West from Temiskaming, Quebec. To learn more about aventurine, click here.
Citrine
Citrine, also called citrine quartz or citrine topaz, is an amber-colored
gemstone. It is a form of quartz with ferric iron impurities, and is rarely
found naturally. Most commercial citrine is in fact artificially heated amethyst
or smoky quartz. To learn more about citrine, click here.
Emerald
Emerald is one of the most valued of all precious stones. The emerald is a
type of beryl with a signature color ranging from pale green to the highly
sought-after dark velvety green. Elements of chromium in the crystal produce the
color, while inclusions in the stone create what is called the jardin, or
garden, of the emerald. Emerald is the birthstone for May. To learn more about
emerald, click here.
Fluorite
Not surprisingly, fluorite is Point Taken's signature stone! The stone
generally includes shades of both purple and green, which are (as you can see
from our logo) our favorite colors. To learn more about fluorite, click here.
Garnet
There is a misconception that garnets are only a red gem but in fact they
come in a variety of colors including purple, red, orange, yellow, green, brown,
black, or colorless. The lack of a blue garnet was remedied in 1990's following
the discovery of color-change blue to red/pink material in Bekily, Madagascar
but these stones are very rare. Color-change garnets are by far the rarest
garnets except uvarovite, which does not come in cuttable sizes. In daylight,
their color can be shades of green, beige, brown, gray and rarely blue, to a
reddish or purplish/pink color in incandescent light. Garnet is the birthstone
for January. To learn more about garnet, click here.
Glass Pearls
Glass pearls are solid glass beads with a pearlescent coating that creates a
lustrous shine. Just as lovely as their natural relatives, glass pearls add
elegance and sophistication to any piece of jewelry. Just like oyster-born
pearls, these beads need a little TLC to retain their splendor. Remove them when
doing vigorous exercise or rough work or when using bleach or chemicals. Avoid
using chemical or ultrasonic home cleaners. Never leave glass pearl jewelry
loose in a jewelry box or in your purse. They can become scratched or chipped by
other stones or metals. Clean with mild soap and water (but do not scrub) and
pat dry.
Hematite
Hematite is the mineral form of Iron Oxide. It is a very common mineral, colored
black to steel or silver-gray, brown to reddish brown, or red. It is mined as
the main ore of iron. Varieties include Bloodstone, Iron Rose, Kidney Ore,
Martite, Paint Ore, Specularite (Specular Hematite), Rainbow Hematite and Titano-hematite.
While the forms of hematite vary, they all have a rust-red streak. Hematite is
harder than pure iron, but much more brittle. To learn more about hematite,
click here.
Jade
Jade is an exceptionally tough material, and was first used for things such
as axe heads, knives, and weapons. Later, as other materials could replace jade
as a weapons material, it became appreciated for its beauty. While jade is known
for its green color, variations of jade may appear nearly white. To learn more
about jade, click here.
Jasper
Jasper's name means "spotted stone". It is an opaque, impure
variety of quartz that is usually red, yellow or brown in color. It can be
highly polished and is used for vases, seals, and at one time for snuff boxes.
When the colors are in stripes or bands, it is called striped or banded jasper.
To learn more about jasper, click here.
Malachite
Malachite often results from weathering of copper ores. It is a striking,
bright green stone characterized by banding similar to that found in tiger eye.
To learn more about malachite, click here.
Onyx
Onyx is a banded variety of chalcedony, a form of quartz. The colors of its
bands are white and black. Sardonyx is a variant, where the colored bands are
sard, rather than black. Some onyx is natural but much is produced by the
staining of agate. To learn more about onyx, click here.
Opal
Opals are known for their distinctive iridescent luminous qualities which
are actually inclusions that can refract light in a rainbow of colors, called
"fire", that change with the angle of observation (Dichroism). Opals
contain a large amount of water and are susceptible to cracking. Opal is the
birthstone for October. To learn more about opal, click here.
Pearl
Pearls are formed inside the shell of certain bivalve mollusks, such as
oysters. As a response to an irritating object inside its shell, the mollusk
will deposit layers of calcium carbonate in the form of the minerals aragonite
or calcite held together by an organic horn-like compound called conchiolin.
This combination of calcium carbonate and conchiolin is called nacre, or as most
know it, mother-of-pearl. Pearl is the birthstone for June. To learn more about
pearls, click here.
Peridot
A gem mined in antiquity on the Egyptian island of St. John, in the Red Sea.
It is a golden-green variety of a mineral called olivine, and includes hues from
leek-green to yellow-green. Because of its distinctive green color, this gem has
alternately been confused with emerald and chrysoberyl. Though customarily
faceted, peridot has also been polished in a process called Tumbling, or
sometimes set in its natural, raw form. Peridot is the birthstone for August. To
learn more about peridot, click here.
Ruby
Ruby is a red gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum in which the color
is caused mainly by chromium. Its name originates from ruber, Latin for red.
Natural rubies are exceptionally rare, though artificial ones (sometimes called
created ruby) can be manufactured which are comparatively inexpensive. Ruby is
the birthstone for July. To learn more about ruby, click here.
Sapphire
Sapphire is a precious gem with a
color range from pale cornflower-blue to deep blue, or to the highly preferable
Kashmir Blue. Sapphires with colors other than blue are generally referred to as
fancy sapphires. Those colors can vary from white, yellow, green, pink, purple,
brown and black. Their colors are often enhanced through heating. Sapphire is
the birthstone for September. To learn more about sapphire, click here.
Soapstone
Soapstone is a very soft mineral consisting mostly of talc. Soapstone which
is almost entirely talc is also known as steatite. It may feel soapy when
touched, hence the name. To learn more about soapstone, click here.
Sodalite
Sodalite is a rare, rich royal blue mineral widely enjoyed as an ornamental
stone. Although massive sodalite samples are opaque, crystals are usually
transparent to translucent. To learn more about sodalite, click here.
Tiger Eye
Tiger eye is a chatoyant gemstone that is usually yellow- to red-brown, with
a silky luster. A member of the quartz group, its physical and optical
properties are identical or very near to those of single-crystal quartz. Tiger
eye is characterized by a lustrous banding effect. To learn more about tiger
eye, click here.
Turquoise
Turquoise is a semi-precious stone most often associated with American
Indian jewelry. Colors range from blue to green yellow. Reconstituted turquoise
is manmade from pulverized pieces of turquoise that are stabilized and
compressed with plastic resins. To learn more about turquoise, click here.
Unakite
Unakite is a granite composed of pink feldspar, green epidote, and quartz.
It exists in various shades of green and pink and is usually mottled in
appearance. In good quality Unakite is considered a semiprecious stone. To learn
more about unakite, click here.
Copyright 2006-2008 Point Taken, Inc. All rights reserved.