Generally, most treated gemstone jewelry can be cleaned with mild liquid detergent mixed with warm water. Learn more about Color Stone Care.

Every Sterling Family of Jewelers store offers complimentary cleaning and inspection for your fine jewelry. But there are a few care and cleaning suggestions that you can use to make certain that your jewelry keeps its sparkle and shine. Over time, dirt, makeup and other substances can build up on the surface of your jewelry, taking away from its natural beauty. Generally, most diamond jewelry can be cleaned with mild liquid detergent mixed with warm water.

A pendant is the part of necklace that hangs down from either a chain or a strand. The term necklace refers to the total design and includes the chain, clasp and pendant. However, it is common practice for "pendant" and "necklace" to be used interchangeably.

Necklaces and chains look different depending on how long they are and where they rest on the chest. Typical lengths include 16-inch choker (right above the collarbones), 18-inch princess (rests just below the collarbones), and 24-inch opera length (rests mid-chest). A necklace is measured from end to end and includes the clasp.

.

Chains for men are typically longer than those for women, given that their necks are wider. Also, when purchasing a necklace for an older person or someone who may have difficulty opening or closing a clasp, a longer chain is easier to slip overhead without having to manipulate clasps.

.

Some designs have an extra 2-inch chain called an extender that allows you to select a more comfortable length or to give your necklace additional style versatility.

Personalizing your own design is easy. You can add a charm or locket to a chain, select birthstones or gemstones and choose your favorite metal with our Personalized Jewelry, have an item engraved with an inscription or build a necklace part by part.

You can even combine your two favorite names or words with Ambigrams. An ambigram is an art form that may be read as one or more words from different viewpoints.

The choices are nearly limitless.

When getting dressed, cultured pearls should be the last item put on and the first item taken off. Makeup, hairspray, perfume, and other chemicals are very harmful to cultured pearls. They can be gently washed in a mild soap or wiped with a damp cloth to remove daily build up and dirt. They should also be separated from other jewelry to avoid nicks and scratches.

The millimeter is our standard unit of measurement for jewelry dimensions. By using millimeters, we can provide you with the most accurate height, width and length for your jewelry. To give you a better idea of your jewelry's dimensions, 25 mm is approximately 1 inch. See below for other approximate conversions.

3 mm is approximately 1/8 inch

6 mm is approximately 1/4 inch

13 mm is approximately 1/2 inch

19 mm is approximately 3/4 inch

25 mm is approximately 1 inch

50 mm is approximately 2 inches

75 mm is approximately 3 inches

White gold is pure gold that is mixed with alloys to give it a white color. Platinum is pure metal that is naturally white and much more durable and stronger than white gold.

Are you looking for more detailed information? Click here to learn more at JewelryWise.com

A carat is a unit of measure for diamond weight and is evaluated on a point system. One carat is equivalent to 100 points.

A karat is the standard measurement of gold, which is divided into 24 parts. Pure gold is 24 karats, meaning 24 out of 24 parts are gold.

Metals such as titanium, stainless steel and tungsten are considered non-traditional jewelry metals. These metals are growing in popularity and offer variety when shopping for jewelry.

Are you looking for more detailed information? Click here to learn more at JewelryWise.com

A diamond's value is determined by its carat weight, color, cut and clarity. To get a better understanding of the 4Cs and see how each C affects the price of a diamond, please visit JewelryWise.com .

The 4Cs of diamonds are the characteristics that determine the value of a diamond. They are: Cut, Clarity, Color, Carat. For more information about the 4Cs and how to prioritize them please visit JewelryWise.com , your expert source for jewelry advice.