Frequently Asked Questions . . .

How do I care for my jewelry?
How do I clear, cleanse, and/or recharge my crystal and gemstone jewelry?
What is my birthstone?
How do I know what size or length jewelry to order?
There are no pictures of the clasps - How do the necklaces fasten?

JEWELRY CARE

Blessing Jewelry is all sterling silver, this includes the beads, settings and clasps. To maintain the luster of your silver, each piece of jewelry is packaged with a small piece of charcoal paper, located just under the cotton bedding in your jewelry box. This square of black paper is specially designed to keep tarnish from accumulating on silver jewelry, much as silicon packets included in bottles of vitamins absorb moisture to keep your vitamins fresh. If you choose to transfer your Blessing Jewelry from its original box to your own personal jewelry box or case, just take the charcoal paper out from under the cotton and place it in your jewelry box as well. The closer the proximity of the paper, the more effective it will be. The charcoal paper will not 'lose its effectiveness', and will keep your jewelry tarnish-free as long as you have it.

Should you have any jewelry that has already accumulated tarnish for any reason, simply clean the silver with a rouge (jewelry cleaning) cloth. Rouge cloths feel a bit like felt or chamois cloths, and are a chemical-free way to gently clean all of your silver jewelry without any mess and without running the risk of scratching, abrading or otherwise taking the sheen off of your gemstones. Rouge cloths can be bought at many retail jewelry stores, jewelry repair stores, or from your local bench jeweler, and are quite inexpensive. They can also be ordered online. I recommend The Sunshine Polishing Cloth.

Blessing Jewelry is constructed of quality materials, and with normal wear should stand up quite well. However, as with all fine jewelry, it is recommended that you remove your jewelry before playing sports or during strenuous exercises or jobs, where it may get snagged or abruptly jerked off of your body. It is also advisable to avoid getting it overly wet. Many mothers can attest to the danger of wearing shiny, tempting earrings or necklaces within the reach of curious infants! However, with a bit of common sense and care, your jewelry should remain clean, intact, and beautiful, Blessing you for many years to come.

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CLEARING, CLEANSING, AND RECHARGING CRYSTALS AND GEMS

Crystals and gemstones can hold a charge or intention, and as such have been used throughout the ages for ceremonial, meditative and healing applications. Generally, crystals hold their charge for a short period of time, and gradually dissipate over the course of a few hours. However, for many different reasons, crystals can, on occasion, accumulate or absorb an unwanted charge that can be felt quite strongly by sensitive wearers. If you sense that this has happened with your Blessing Jewelry, you can simply clear the charge.

Crystals can be cleared in a few different ways. The most common way is to place the jewelry in a dish of sea salt over night. Also, it can be placed outdoors (if it is safe from theft) overnight during a full moon, or in a windowsill overnight in the light of the full moon. Both of these methods will clear any inappropriate accumulated charge, cleansing the jewelry.

If you would like more information on Crystals, their history and lore, check out the Quartz Crystal section of the Gemstone Index.

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BIRTHSTONES

January - Garnet

February - Amethyst

March - Aquamarine, Bloodstone

April - Diamond (a good semiprecious alternative is Clear Quartz)

May - Emerald (good semiprecious alternatives include Malachite and Aventurine)

June - Pearl, Moonstone

July - Ruby (good semiprecious alternatives include Rhodonite and Rhodocrosite)

August - Peridot

September - Sapphire (good semiprecious substitutions include Lapis and Sodalite)

October - Tourmaline, Opal

November - Topaz, Citrine

December - Turquoise

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HOW DO I KNOW WHAT SIZE OR LENGTH JEWELRY TO ORDER?

Blessing Jewelry is created in several different lengths and styles to suit all tastes, from chokers to opera length strands. All of the necklaces, bracelets and prayer beads have descriptive information and exact length measurements (in inches) included with each piece, to help you to order the right size or length.

Many people know exactly what length necklace they prefer to wear, or how long a bracelet must be for optimum fit. However, if you are unsure, the best thing to do is put on a chain, pendant or necklace that you already have and enjoy the length of, and measure it against a ruler or tape measure. The same thing applies to bracelets. This is the best way to assure that the jewelry you order falls to the correct length on you, or fits your wrist smoothly but not too tightly to clasp. If you do not currently own any jewelry in the size(s) you are looking for, you can use a length of yarn or string in the same fashion, held around the neck or wrist to the appropriate length, and then measure it against a ruler.

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THERE ARE NO PICTURES OF THE CLASPS - HOW DO THE NECKLACES FASTEN?

All of the single strand necklaces and all of the bracelets use a bar and toggle clasp. These clasps are chic, simple, and can't wear out or break with repeated use like the spring-ring clasps can. Most importantly, they are a very secure clasp, and easy to fasten on your own! Bar and toggle clasps are the preferred clasp of fine jewelry today. Pictures of bar and toggle style clasps are visible on the bracelets pages.

Multiple strand necklaces use a lobster claw clasp or a hook and eye clasp, depending on the number of strands in the necklace. If you have any questions about which clasp a particular multiple strand necklace has, please feel free to email us about the necklace in question.

The prayer bracelets (that have clasps) may have either type of clasp, depending on the style and size of the bracelet. The bracelets are all pictured and will show the clasp included in detail.

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