Joie de Vivre jewelry

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p r e c i o u s 

The apex of hardness and rarity is the precious diamond, a miracle of compact carbon; because the carbon is tightly bound together in a cubic structure, it's both difficult to absorb light and knock electrons "free" so visible light appears to pass right through. The grey diamond nuggets in these delicate necklaces would be classified as bort, or opaque industrial grade diamonds that lack the transparency of gem grade diamonds. Impurities or other irregularities in the carbon matrix cause bort to be more granular and less transparent, but it maintains all the toughness and high refraction (sparkle) of diamond. The only conditions of sufficient heat and pressure to form diamonds are found in the upper mantle, which is still more than 95 miles deep. (For comparison, the continental crusts average about 20 - 30 miles deep.) Diamonds are brought to the surface in magma drawn from the mantle that rises and evenutally cools as narrow wedges or pipes at the surface, referred to as kimberlite after the South African locale where the structures were found. The South Africa diamond mines are relatively depleted, and most diamonds come from Australia, Congo, Russia and more recently, Canada.

The two diamond necklaces can be purchased and worn separately; one has sterling silver components and the other features 14kt gold-fill. The gold-fill necklace is slightly longer at 21" to the 20" of the sterling silver necklace, and the hook clasp of the gold-fill necklace fits nicely on the toggle clasp of the silver necklace. They are delicate and lightweight for an easy bit of interest to an outfit.

Cost: $120.00 USD (necklace with silver)

Cost: $122.00 USD (necklace with gold-fill)

m a k e   i t   a   g i f t   s h i p m e n t :

Looking to ship this item separately as a gift? Gift shipment includes gift boxing and an occasion specific card sent to the recipient via USPS Priority Mail. Fill out the fields below including this jewelry item name, the recipient name and address, and occasion and this item will be sent to the recipient with a card and note. See the gift box section for samples of shipments with different occasion specific cards.

Cost of gift shipment (domestic shipping only): $5.95 USD

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c a t e g o r i e s :

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M a t e r i a l s  &  C a r e 

Length: necklaces - 20", 21"

Materials:

  • rough grey diamond (bort) nuggets
  • sterling silver beads
  • 14kt gold-fill bead
  • sterling silver 1mm ball chain and toggle clasp
  • 14kt gold-fill satellite chain and hook clasp
  • Soft Touch light duty nylon coated stainless steel cord (10 lb. load test)

Care & cleaning: Beading cord may be kinked or broken through hard jerks or severed through prolonged exposure to rough or sharp edges; store necklace flat when not in use to prevent stretching or kinking cord. The small holes drilled in the diamond nuggets required using a small diameter beading cord that is more vulnerable to sharp tugs so care should be taken not to snag the necklaces on nearby objects. Clean with warm soapy water and avoid chemical or abrasive cleaners. Use a soft jewelry polishing cloth to clean tarnish appearing on silver.

Diamond is tough, and this toughness works against using diamonds as beads as the drilled holes tend to be small and beading cord quite narrow. It's recommended to keep the necklaces out of reach more for the sake of the cord than the components. As with all beaded jewelry: do not let young toddlers chew on it.

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W h a t  t o  W e a r 

The small scale and comfortable mid-length 20" and 21" lengths work well with a variety of necklines, from boatnecks and shells to scoop necks and V-necks. These are lightweight pieces so they might not drape as nicely over chunky knits or other tops with volume.