GOLD

The karat system is used to reveal the amount of pure gold found in an item.

24 karat (24K) gold is pure gold.

18 karat (18K) gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts another metal or metals, making it 75% gold.

14 karat (14K) gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts another metal or metals, making it 58.3% gold.

10 karat (10K) gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts another metal or metals, making it 41.7% gold. 10k gold is the minimum karat designation that can still be called gold in the US.

STERLING SILVER

sterling silver: An alloy that contains at least 92.5 percent silver and up to 7.5 percent copper or another metal, used to make jewelry and silverware.

Fine silver (99.9% pure) is generally too soft for producing large functional objects, and in Sterling the silver is usually alloyed with copper to give strength whilst preserving the ductility of the silver and a high precious metal content.

Swarovski Crystals

Swarovski is the luxury brand name for the range of precision-cut lead crystal glass products produced by companies owned by Swarovski AG of Feldmeilen, near Zürich, Switzerland.

HISTORY: Swarovski crystal was first created when Daniel Swarovski invented an automatic cutting machine in 1892. In 1895 the Swarovski company was founded when he established a crystal cutting factory in Wattens. Here he could take advantage of local hydroelectricity for the energy-intensive grinding processes he had patented.

Swarovski crystal contains approximately 32% lead to maximize refraction. The Swarovski Crystal range includes crystal sculptures and miniatures, jewelry and couture, home decor and chandeliers. They also sell beads and rhinestones, encouraging other manufacturers, artists and consumers to create their own designs.

All sculptures are marked with a logo. The original Swarovski logo was an edelweiss flower, but was replaced with the current swan logo in 1988.

In order to create a crystal that allows light to refract in a rainbow spectrum, Swarovski coats some of its crystals with special metallic chemical coatings. Aurora Borealis, or "AB", is one of the most popular coatings, and gives the surface a rainbow oil slick appearance. Other coatings include Crystal Transmission, Volcano, Aurum, and Dorado. Coatings may be applied to only part of an object; others are coated twice, and thus are designated AB 2X, Dorado 2X etc.

In 2004 Swarovski released Xilion, a new copyrighted cut designed to optimise the brilliance of Roses (crystal components with flat backs) and Chatons (diamond cut). Also in 2004, Swarovski created the 9 foot diameter, 550 pound star that tops the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in New York City for the first of five consecutive years.

A recent development in 2007 was the launch of the product brand website www.crystallized.com which provides information and inspiration for designers and manufacturers in the worlds of fashion, jewellery, accessories and interiors. CRYSTALLIZEDTM - Swarovski Elements is the new product brand for Swarovski crystals which come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colours. Sparkling products that are labelled 'Made with CRYSTALLIZEDTM - Swarovski Elements' guarantee the originality of Swarovski crystals used in creations of international fashion houses and designers.