Journal · 980 notes
Notes from the bench
Written for buyers rather than for search engines: what a specification actually means, where an order usually goes wrong, and what to ask before you pay a deposit.
Care & after-sales · Sep 2026
Washing Your Hands With an Engagement Ring: Safe Practice
Soap film and hand sanitizer dull diamonds over time. Here is the practical daily routine that keeps an engagement ring bright between cleanings.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Underrated Color Gems for Engagement Rings Beyond Sapphire
An atelier walks through five underrated colored gemstones for engagement rings: tourmaline, morganite, spinel, aquamarine, and garnet.
Buying guides · Sep 2026
Anniversary Jewelry Gifts by Year: Traditional & Modern
From paper year to platinum anniversary, here is a practical jewelry-gift guide by marriage year, with metals, stones, and budgets that fit.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Which Flux to Use When Soldering Sterling Silver
Borax cone, paste flux and self-pickling flux compared for sterling silver soldering: where each wins and which causes fire scale.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Stone Setting at the Bench: The Actual Tools List a Setter Uses
Burnishers, seat cutters, prong pushers, and bead tools: the bench kit a setter needs for prong, bezel, and pave on production runs.
Care & after-sales · Sep 2026
A 10-Minute Monthly Jewelry Inspection You Can Do at Home
You do not need a jeweler's loupe to catch loose stones and worn clasps early. A 10-minute monthly check can save a lost diamond.
Buying guides · Sep 2026
Ring Sizing: Stretching vs Cutting
Max stretch per size, shank thinning math, and when a cut-and-close resize beats roller stretching on engraved, stone-set, or wide bands.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Titanium Steel Jewelry Pros and Durability
Titanium steel jewelry: what it is, how it differs from pure titanium and sterling silver, hypoallergenic properties, scratch resistance, price, and care.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Lab Created Gemstones Types and Uses
Lab created gemstones: what they are, how they are grown, types from sapphire to emerald, how they compare to natural, price, ethics, and durability.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Gemstone Hardness Scale and Mohs Ranking
Gemstone hardness scale: the Mohs ranking from talc to diamond, why hardness matters, which gems suit daily wear rings, and how it differs from toughness.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Cubic Zirconia vs Moissanite
Cubic zirconia vs moissanite: compare hardness, brilliance, fire, weight, price, longevity, and how to tell them apart before you buy.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Jewelry Alloy vs Sterling Silver
Jewelry alloy vs sterling silver: compare composition, nickel, skin reaction, durability, tarnish, weight, price, and hallmarks before buying.
