FAQ
Yes, I take a custom order. Please email me what you are looking for. I will be able to recreate the same design you choose from my inventory, or start to design your new jewelry.
What is natural turquoise and Stabilized?
Turquoise by nature is a relatively soft, porous stone, and it can vary greatly in its quality. Only higher grade natural turquoise is actually dense enough that it can be cut and shaped without damaging the stone.
Softer, lower grade turquoise has to be treated in some way in order for it to be usable in jewelry. The resulting piece of turquoise is then much stronger and easier to cut, polish, and set by a jeweler without risk of breaking. Stabilized turquoise can be produced in large quantities and is less expensive than natural turquoise. It is said that only 10% of turquoise on market is natural.
How do you stabilize?
Soft, low grade, turquoise that has undergone a stabilization process to enhance its hardness and color. During this process, the stone is put under pressure, causing it to absorb a clear epoxy or plastic filler. This results in a harder stone that is suitable for use in jewelry.
What is Zackerly treated?
It is a new way of stabilizing treatment invented by an electrical engineer and lifetime turquoise dealer named James E. Zachery in late 80's. This treatment can improve the color/appearance of some types of turquoise, reduce it's porosity and to date shows no sign of discoloring with age. The treatment is virtually impossible to detect with standard gemological tools.This process involves a bath of minerals identical to those found in natural turquoise along with a charge of electrical current.
Is your shop selling only Natural turquoise?
Earthlodge is dealing stones with only reliable dealers and miners from the southwestern states of the US. These people are on their business for many years and the best in business. I only use Natural and Stabilized stone.
How should I take care of my jewelry?
Take your jewelry off when doing household chores or before you go swimming and sunbathing. Any substances that contain sulfur can cause silver to corrode and tarnish, including household chemicals, sweat, rubber and latex, chlorinated water, wool, and food items like Mayonnaise, mustard, eggs, and onions. Direct sunlight tarnishes silver as well.
Keep your jewelry away from lotions, creams, cosmetics, perfumes, hair spray, and other beauty products as they can accelerate tarnishing. Now you know why it seems so natural that jewelry is always the finishing touch for a woman when dressing up.
Proper storage
Air and moisture are enemies of silver. Store your jewelry in sealable plastic bags in cool, dark, and dry places. Push out as much air as possible before closing the seal. Keep some chalks, camphors, activated charcoals, or silica gel packs near the storage area to help minimize moisture. To avoid scratches, make sure you don’t put multiple pieces together in the same bag.
Even if you have worn or stored your silver jewelry perfectly, they can still get tarnished over time. It isn’t the end of the world. There are still ways to bring turquoise back to life.
Polishing
If the tarnishing of your jewelry is not too severe, you can simply polish them using a special silver cloth, a lint-free flannel, microfiber, or other soft non-abrasive cloth. This is also the way to go when you are dealing with oxidized silver.
Most of my turquoise jewelry are oxidized, meaning parts of the jewelry, typically small details, are intentionally darkened and tarnished so that they appear three-dimensional and stand out more. Excessive polishing can damage this detailing hence when polishing, make sure to use long back-and-forth motions instead of rubbing in circles to prevent magnifying any existing scratches. Frequently change to a new section of your cleaning cloth to avoid placing tarnish back on the silver. Use a Q-tip to get into small areas.
Can you repair my broken jewelry?
Yes, but it may depend on the extent of the damage. For additional details, lease go to the Repair link.
I purchased this ring but the size is a bit small than I expected. Can you make it larger?
It is much easier to make jewelry smaller than bigger. Rings can be made smaller but not larger. Items like a link bracelet, can be extended by adding jump rings. Note that repair fee may apply.
Basically, adjusting the size of a ring is not recommended, since removing a stone from its setting could crack or scratch the stone. There’s also the potential risk of marking the bezel, which is the silver strip around the stone to secure it.
Any other question? Please feel free to email me and ask.