Lapis E-600L
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- Item #: E-600L
This is a gemstone straight out of an Arabian Nights tale: deep blue with shining inclusions that twinkle like stars. One of the few rocks used as a gem, lapis lazuli is composed of grains of several blue minerals, including lazurite and sodalite. This complex, opaque gemstone additionally has a matrix of calcite and speckles of pyrite. It is distinctively fluorescent. This gemstone is easiy scratched or chipped, and water can dissolved its protective coating, so clean it with a soft, dry cloth.
Many people are not aware of the differences between "gold-filled" and "gold-plated" jewelry. Basically, Gold-Filled jewelry is of a higher quality. It is also sometimes referred to as "Rolled Gold". Any Gold-Filled item is regulated by the government (as is solid gold) and must be at least 5% gold by weight. It is a professional jeweler's quality wire. I prefer to use 14kt gold and 14kt gold-filled wire instead of 10 kt.
QUALITY THAT COUNTS
14 kt gold-filled wire is made by forming a tube of solid 14kt gold that is "filled" with a base metal. The gold is bonded to the base metal with heat and pressure. The base metal is also gold in color and is made up of almost the same mixture of metals (usually a brass alloy) used to bring 24kt gold down to 14kt, 10kt, etc. The exterior of the product is solid 14 kt gold and everything you can see or touch is a solid layer of 14 kt gold. This is why it will never tarnish, chip or wear off. The gold layer on gold-filled wire is approximately 100 times thicker than gold-plate as and is bonded with heat and pressure.
Gold-Plate, on the other hand, is a microscopic film of gold particles that have been adhered to most any kind of base metal by means of an electroplating (or dipping) process. Gold-Plate is often sold as "gold-filled" (against regulation) or is often called other things such as "gold-overlay" in order to mislead the consumer. It is often difficult to initially see the difference between gold-filled and gold-plate jewelry. However, due to the gold particles, gold-plate has the tendency to chip, flake, and wear off.
Gold-filled jewelry is economical & durable -- you enjoy the look and feel of gold at a fraction of the cost. Solid 14kt gold items are also available by request.
All gold products I offer meet federal standards for quality and content and are warranted to never tarnish, chip, or wear off. I use solid Sterling Silver wire (.925) and it will last just as any Sterling Silver item -- however, Sterling Silver does naturally tarnish, but it can be cleaned with any type of silver cleaner.
