Do not get stuck on jewelry myths and legends. We want to keep you in the know, so we debunked ten of them.
We’ve all been told some stories or myths about jewelry. All cultures have specific traditions and superstitions about certain gems.
For example, some Latin American cultures believe that wearing pearls on your wedding day is an omen for a bad marriage. While many people believe this, it is, in fact, just a superstition. We don’t want you to not enjoy specific pieces because of wise tales.
That is why we debunked ten jewelry myths.
While diamonds are a ten (the highest level) on the Mohs Hardness Scale, they are not indestructible. Diamonds can be scratched by other diamonds and have weak points called cleavage planes. If hit at the right angle, direction, and force, this gem can get chipped or cracked.
We are here to let you know that no stone, including opals, is bad luck. That is 100% a superstition, and you should never feel bad about owning or wearing opals. This idea came from old folklore, but many ancient civilizations like the Romans believed this gem brought good fortune instead of bad luck.
Biting gold to see if it is real is a very outdated and inaccurate way of figuring out if a stone is gold or not. This myth became a popular checking method due to Hollywood portraying miners biting gold to see if it is real. Gold is indeed very soft, and your teeth can leave marks on it. But many other minerals are just as soft as gold. Many people have used gold-painted lead as a copycat. If you are wondering if your gold is real or not, always visit a professional jewelry or stone expert.
Pearls do dissolve, but not fast or easy. This myth began when Cleopatra wanted to throw the most expensive party, so she decided to drink pearls. It is said that the pearls dissolved instantly when she placed them in her drink. However, we know now that the night did not go this way. Pearls can dissolve in vinegar, but it takes days. You can speed up the process by boiling the vinegar first, but again, they won’t dissolve instantly. It will take a few hours for it to happen. You can ground the pearls into a powder, which will dissolve in a few minutes. This is probably what Cleopatra did.
You can indeed buy gold in many colors like rose, white, and platinum, but that does not mean gold comes naturally in those colors. Instead, this is a mixture of different metals to create these colors. Pure gold is yellow in color.
Just because the diamond is bigger does not mean it is better than smaller diamonds or other gems. The element that makes a diamond better is its quality. Quality encompasses color, cut, clarity, shape, light return, and size. A badly cut big diamond will look dull compared to a brilliantly cut smaller diamond.
Most of us recognize that pearls do come from oysters, but that is not the only place to find them. The orange-brown pearl comes from the Melo Melo marine snail. Pink Conch pearls come from the queen conch Strombus Gigas. And, the Haliotis Iris mollusk produces the blue-purple-green iridescent Abalone Pearl.
When we think of sapphires, we automatically think of its color — blue. But did you know that not all sapphires are blue? You can also find them in yellow, orange, pink, or green. An interesting fact is that rubies are red sapphires. They are made from the same mineral: corundum. However, many gemstone specialists debate the fact where pink sapphire ends and where rubies begin.
Please do not clean your jewelry with toothpaste. Toothpaste can damage gemstones and metals because of surface abrasions. It can also make other stones lose their color and make them dull. If you want to properly clean your pieces, hire a professional, or contact a gemstone specialist.
Even though diamonds are precious gems, that doesn’t make them the rarest gems. Instead, diamonds are pretty common. Gemstones like Tanzanite, Burma Ruby, Jadeite, and Alexandrite are rarer than diamonds and can fetch thousands of dollars more.
These were just ten jewelry myths. There are more out there that you can research. So, next time someone tries to tell you one of these myths, send them here!
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