Because all that glitters is Gold indeed!
Did you know that gold comes in various colors?The ideal composition to make Pink Gold is 75% Gold, 20% Copper and 5% Silver.
Did you know that the art of alloying and lost wax technique for jewellery was mastered by the Egyptians in 3000 BC? These techniques are in use even today to make fine jewellery, industrial parts, dental restorations and sculptures.
Isn’t it true that we Indians love gold? It doesn’t come as a surprise that India’s consumption in 2010 was a whopping 963 tonnes of gold!
Ever wondered why is gold so expensive?
One of the reasons is because gold has no expiry date.
In addition, there have been increased investments in gold across the globe thereby leading to a constant change in demand and supply for the metal.
Moreover, the availability of gold is decreasing by the day and the process of extraction too is very expensive.
People born in the month of March, here is some light on your birthstone Aquamarine.
The word aquamarine comes from the Latin phrase ‘beryllus aquamarinus’ meaning “resembling sea-water”. It has traditionally been considered a sailor’s talisman and continues to enjoy this reputation to this day.
An aquamarine is a beautiful light blue-green if it is of high quality. Such stones are clear, with no visible flaws. Some commercially available aquamarine is often treated with heat to improve its color. However, such treatments do not affect the stone’s strength or value.
On the hardness scale, the aquamarine stands between 7.5 and 8. Primary sources for aquamarine are Brazil, Russia and Madagascar. Aquamarine stones are also created in laboratories around the world and are more commonly referred to as Synthetic Aquamarine.
Myths and Lore:
According to legend, Aquamarine is the treasure of mermaids and holds the power to keep sailors safe when at sea. The stone is said to be a particularly strong charm when immersed in water. For these reasons, Aquamarine was dedicated to a number of sea goddesses, including the Greek love goddess, Aphrodite, whose name means “born of the foam”.
To recharge and cleanse your Aquamarine, place it in water on the night of the Full Moon.
Did you know why is gold mixed with various alloys?
It is mainly to increase the hardness, workability & strength of pure gold, to make it more affordable for the common man and also to get many colors.
Birthstones by the month
Gold jewellery can be made in various colors simply by mixing it with different metals and alloys. The most common is Yellow Gold and White Gold, however, Pink Gold is now becoming a hot favorite too!
Did you know that the yellow gold jewellery that you wear is actually a mix of Gold, Copper and Silver? The ideal composition is Gold 75%, Copper 14% and Silver 11%.
When buying Pink Gold Jewellery, keep in mind that Pink Gold is also available in two other shades – Red Gold and Rose Gold!
Pure Gold is chemically inert, which also explains why it never rusts and does not cause skin irritation!
In 700 B.C., the Lydians introduced the first gold coin, which was actually a naturally occurring amalgam of gold and silver called ‘electrum’!
The word “karat” is derived from the fruit of the carob tree. The seed was called ”carubis” and originally a unit of weight (mass) based on the carob seed, which had an approximate weight of around 0.2 grams and was used in Mesopotamia, now modern Iraq, to weigh gold!
People are often confused between the terms ‘karat’ and ‘carat’. While ‘Karat’ is used as a unit to measure purity of gold, ‘Carat’ is used to measure the weight of diamonds and precious stones!
There are two basic types of white gold alloys: white gold mixed with nickel and white gold mixed with palladium. However, to enhance the whiteness, almost all white gold is plated with rhodium, a shiny, white metal which is extremely hard.
Gold is so pliable that it can be made into sewing thread. An ounce of gold can be stretched over 50 miles.
Inspired by the popular Australian kangaroo gold coin series, The Perth Mint, Australia has created the world’s largest Gold Bullion Coin. The coin is made from 99.99% pure gold and measures nearly 80 cms wide and over 12 cms thick. Weighing a whopping 1000 kgs, the giant coin is a magnificent Australian icon symbolising one of the Mint’s most extraordinary accomplishments in its 112 year history!
The chemical symbol for gold is AU, from the Latin word aurum meaning “shining dawn” and from Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn. In 50 B.C., the Romans began issuing gold coins called the Aureus and the smaller Solidus!
Marilyn Monroe preferred Diamonds. Guess you remember the track, Diamonds are a girl’s best friend 
The earliest recorded medical use of gold was by the Chinese in 2500 BC. Since then numerous cultures have utilized gold-based medicinal preparations for the treatment of various conditions including small pox, skin ulcers and measles!
To prevent build up of dirt and prevent jewellery from becoming tarnished, it is recommended that you store your jewellery in its original packaging or in a jewellery box!
You can clean jewellery using warm water, mild soap and a soft bristle toothbrush and use a non-abrasive silver cloth or soft lint free cloth to polish it!
The world’s Gold supply increases only by 2,000 tons per year. However, 100 kgs of Gold ore yields only 10 gms of Gold. But did you know that used mobile phones will yield 1000 times as much Gold as gold ore!
Never expose your jewellery to harsh chemicals, perfumes or household cleaners as this could cause damage and discoloration!
According to the World Gold Council, about 70 percent of the world’s gold output is used for making jewelry. Only about 13 percent is used to make coins, put in nations’ central banks or purchased by investors. The rest goes to a variety of uses, such as industrial applications and dentistry!
Be careful not to place multiple pieces of gold jewellery in pouches. Such storage can lead to minor damage if separate pieces make contact, especially if the piece is studded with diamonds or other hard gemstones!
The Gold nugget you see here is undoutedly one of the most attractive Alaska nuggets that has been found in recent years. Weighing 77 grams, it is a very elongated, elegant specimen that is complete-all-around. It has a fine lustre and bright color to it, with little of the crackling that is often noticed in larger Alaska pieces!
World’s first diamond cricket ball
Fior Drissage, Sri Lanka’s renowned jewellery brand recently created a perfect made-to-scale cricket ball entirely of diamonds and gold. The cricket ball consists of 2704 diamonds and an 18 carat gold stitch making it the World’s first Diamond Cricket Ball. Its manufacturers have been vying for recognition at the Guinness World Records with this amazing feat.
The ball, which was made in Sri Lanka, weighs 53.83 carats and has a pure ‘gold’ seam of 125 grams. It is claimed that the material used to keep the diamonds on the ball is similar to the one used on the wings of NASA space shuttles.
Outside the lunar module of the United States “Apollo”, the airship was coated with gold foil with the aim to protect astronauts from radiation. Even now, the helmet worn by astronauts is still coated with a thin gold membrane to protect astronaut’s eyes from intense light.
Did you know that 20% of gold in the world used for decorative purposes has been used for making Zari for traditional Indian saris?
On the surface of the Earth, the greatest concentration of gold is in ocean, estimated at around one hundred million tons. Unfortunately, so far no one has found an effective method to extract gold from the ocean!
According to the data of NEAR airship sent back in 1999, the amount of gold on some planets is more than the sum of what has been mined on the Earth. Regrettably, we don’t know how to mine the gold in space!
At least 15% of annual gold consumption is recycled each year. That means you could have ancient Egyptian gold in your dental filling.
The 7th century BC, gold wire was used to install false tooth by Italian dentist. Since the early 16th century, gold was recommended for filling cavities in teeth!
Ratan Tata has unveiled world’s first gold jewellery car to mark the occasion of 5000 glorious years of jewellery making tradition in India, from its Group company Titan Industries. Tata Nano Gold is the World’s first Gold Jewellery Car!
The first discovery of gold was done in the United States, at the Reed Gold Mine near Georgeville, North Carolina in 1803.
Today, India is the world’s largest consumer of gold!
Scientists believe that gold does exist on Mars, Mercury and Venus. A Trip to outer space anyone? 
Gold is edible. Some Asian countries put gold in fruit, jelly snacks, coffee, and tea. Since at least the 1500s, Europeans have been putting gold leaf in bottles of liquor, such as Danziger Goldwasser and Goldschlager. Some Native American tribes believed consuming gold could allow humans to levitate!
The chemical symbol for gold is AU, from the Latin word aurum meaning “shining dawn” and from Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn. In 50 B.C., Romans began issuing gold coins called the Aureus and the smaller solidus!
One can stack 250,000 leaves of gold into a pile that is only one inch high. #interesting
Gold is Soft But Heavy!
Despite its softness, gold is so incredibly dense and heavy that a cubic foot of it weighs half a ton. In 1875, English economist Stanley Jevons calculated that if the 20 million British Pounds in transactions that cleared the London Bankers Clearing House each day were paid in gold coins, it would require 80 strong horses to haul them away.
According to the World Gold Council, about 70 percent of the world’s gold output is used for making jewelry.
Only about 13 percent is used to make coins, put in nations’ central banks or purchased by investors.
The rest goes to a variety of uses, such as industrial applications and dentistry.
India is the biggest consumer of gold, snapping up about a quarter of the world’s supply
Gold comes in many colors!
In relatively pure form, gold has a characteristic sun-yellow color. But when combined in alloys with other metals — silver, copper, nickel, platinum, palladium, tellurium and iron, among others — it can take on hues ranging from silver-white to green to orange-red.
A three-inch cube of gold could be hammered so thin that it would cover an acre of ground! True, because gold is the most malleable and ductile metal on earth.
The oldest gold jewellery used by man is dated to 3500 BC.
An ounce of gold could be drawn into a wire that would be 3 miles long!
In gold reserve, the United States ranks first in the world. However, if included the gold ornaments, then India will grab the top spot, twenty percent of the gold used as decoration in the world, were used in Indian saris!
The famous mask of Tutankhamun, made over 3300 years ago in 1323 BC. Ancient Egyptians had been working with gold for at least 1700 years before this mask was made!
Speak to one of IIJ’s highly qualified counselors to understand if this program is right for you!
With great fanfare, the Indian Institute of Jewellery felicitated its students at the IIJ Certificate Distribution Ceremony on Saturday 17th December 2011. The evening was presided by Mrs. Renu Kapoor, Director, IIJ, Mr. Ajay Lalwani, CEO, IIJ and the Guest of Honor Mrs. Rashida Asrani, Founder, Abaca India. The ceremony was conducted at the IIJ Mahalaxmi Campus. A total of 22 students were felicitated with certificates at the ceremony.
Last year, IIJ’s VTP Students were given an excellent opportunity by designer furniture store, Abaca for the manufacturing of 3 large sized metal frames. Three VTP students at IIJ – M Khan, Namrata Pawar and Smriti P were given a total time span of two months to make these frames. Though IIJ provided the students with the infrastructure required for this construction and guidance from the faculty, Abaca provided funding for not only the metal but also paid a fee to the students to put these frames together.
The function commenced with a short note by Ms Rashida Asrani. Ms. Asrani shared some inspirational words with the students of IIJ saying, “No matter what you are working on, it is very important to pay attention to the finer details and be open to multiple opportunities. You never know what may inspire you!” Rashida congratulated each of the students felicitated and praised them for their hard work and efforts.
Vinaya – An Educational Summit organized by the All India Gems & Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF) and the Indian Institute of Jewellery (IIJ) kick started its 3rd Chapter for the year 2011-12. With a target to reach out to 10 Indian cities this year, Vinaya aims at systemizing and educating the Gems and Jewellery industry in a way that will allow it to achieve world class standards and stand tall on the global platform.
