Metals – Sterling silver & copper will tarnish over time. To clean, use a polishing cloth, commercial cleaner or sprinkle a fair amount of dry baking powder on a soft cloth.. When done, shake the powder off.

Gemstones & fossils – I do no recommend the use of commercial cleaners on any of these gemstones. Periodic cleaning with extremely mild soapy water (lukewarm or cool) and polishing with a soft cloth can keep your gemstone beautiful for years.  

Wood – I do not recommend any water or chemicals used on the wood surfaces due to possible damage. Polishing clothes should only be used on the metal areas.

Metal basics
What is the difference between sterling silver and fine silver? Fine silver is 99% pure silver while sterling silver is 92 % silver and a mix of another alloy. Most of the time the alloy used is copper.

Agate – Various colors and is found all over the world including: the Africa, Asia, Brazil, Egypt, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Nepal, and the USA. Legends, Myths and Healing Properties: discerns truth, accept circumstances, improves memory and concentration, increases stamina and encourages honesty. Prevents insomnia and insure pleasant dreams, to enhance personal courage and protect one against danger. Agate provides a calming influence, improves perception, concentration and helps to develop and increase one's analytical talents.

Amazonite - Amazonite varies from bright verdigris green to a bluish green. Amazonite is found in the United States, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Russia, Australia & Namibia. Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties: Enhances creative expression, aligns astral bodies, unity with life. Amazonite is considered a soothing stone that offers confidence.

Amber - Amber ranges between 360 and one million years old.  The color can be found dark brown to a light almost clear lemon yellow. Most amber that has been used in jewelry is from the region of the Baltic Sea or the Dominican Republic. Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties: love, strength, luck, healing, and protection, calming for hyperactivity and stressed nerves, finds humor and joy. Helps remove energy blockages, strengthens physical body. Excellent for enhancing altered states of consciousness.

Amethyst - Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz and can display a range of shades including deep purple, light lilac, lavender and mauve. Folklore, Legend & Healing Properties: Overcoming addiction, hearing disorders, insomnia, headaches and other pain.

Ammonite - Ammonites are the ancient equivalent to the modern-day chambered Nautilus. Ammonites lived approximately 400 million years ago. Folklore: Unknown

Aquamarine - Aquamarine is a member of the beryl family and ranges in color from an almost colorless pale blue to blue-green or teal. Aquamarines come from Brazil, but it is also mined in Kenya and Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Russia. Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties: foresight, courage, and happiness. Increases intelligence and make one youthful. As a healing stone, it is said to be effective as a treatment for anxiety. A legend says that sailors wore aquamarine gemstones to keep them safe and prevent seasickness.

Aventurine - Aventurine ranges in color from green, peach, brown, blue and a creamy green. Aventurine is found in India, Chile, Spain, Russia, Brazil, Austria, and Tanzania. Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties: Legends say that it is an all-purpose healer, used to reduce stress, develop confidence, imagination and improve prosperity. Improve nearsightedness and increases creativity. Calms a troubled spirit and bring about inner peace.

Azurite-Malachite – An intense deep blue color with malachite, chrysocolla or turquoise in areas with copper deposits. Azurite is found in Australia, Chile, France, Mexico, Morocco, Nambia, the southwestern USA, and Zaire. Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties: Azurite was sacred to the Egyptians who believed it was an aid to spiritual communication, reduces anger and to increase psychic awareness. It is also thought to reduce abnormal cell growth, promote wisdom, and is used as an aid to relieve rheumatism.

Beryl - Beryl occurs in a variety of colors including green, yellow, greenish-yellow, blue to blue-green, red, colorless and pink. The pink variety is known as Morganite, red is very rare and known as Bixbite, Goshenite is the colorless form. Golden beryl is a yellow-green and called Heliodor. Aquamarines and emeralds are actually a variety of beryl. Beryls are some of the most valuable of all the colored gemstones. Beryl is found in Colombia, Africa, Brazil, Russia, Pakistan, and California. Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties: Legend says it was used to ward off evil spirits. It protects travelers from danger. Promote cheerfulness and marital love, to retard laziness, and maintain youthfulness.

Carnelian – It is found worldwide and is a member of the chalcedony family (micro-crystalline quartz). Ranges in color from light brownish-red to deep transparent red. The color is due to Iron. Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties: Grounding power, creativity for problem-solving, Carnelian can assist in getting the mind out of mental ruts and back on track for success. In the long-term, it bolsters ambition and drive and reminds the wearer of the future’s goals, hence becoming a powerful tool in major decision-making. Overall, many hold Carnelian dear as a stone with the ability to protect the individual, bolster confidence and generally enhance and expand the experiences of life.

Charoite - Discovered in Russia in 1978 in the Murun mountains in Yakutia. The colors range from bright lavender, violet and lilac to dark purple with swirling patterns of black Augite, transparent crystals of microcline feldspar, and/or orange Tinaksite. Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties: Charoite is said to enhance self-esteem, accelerate spiritual growth, and improve the ability to love.

Chinese Writing Stone - This is a limestone matrix with a crystalline structure resembling the Chinese characters of the written language. Colors range from a very dark gray or almost black to creamy white, both of which have a slight greenish cast. Folklore: Unknown.

Chrysocolla - It is often found mixed with malachite, turquoise and azurite.  It is a copper bearing mineral found wherever copper deposits occur especially in areas of the southwestern USA, Chili, Zaire, Australia, France and England. Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties: Creativity, female energy, communication, relieves ulcers and arthritis. It is associated with tranquility and peace, intuition, patience, and unconditional love. It is thought to offer gentle and soothing qualities.

Citrine - Citrine is a variety of quartz ranging in colors of yellow, yellow-brown, orange, dark orange-brown, reddish-brown. Natural citrine can also be found in the Ural Mountains of Russia, in Dauphine, France, and in Madagascar. Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties: It is believed to help the heart, kidney, digestive tract, liver and muscles. It promotes creativity, helps personal clarity and eliminates self-destructive tendencies.

Dumortierite – Colors range from blue to violet and pink to brown. Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties: Promotes accomplishments, positive attitude, courage, trust, harmony, and helps us cope with panic and fear. 

Emerald – is a variety of the mineral beryl, and comes in many shades of green. Emeralds are found in many countries, but Columbia and Brazil are the major producers and Columbia is recognized as the source for the finest stones. They are also found in Pakistan, Russia, Australia, South Africa, India, Norway, and the United States. Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties: Loyalty, sensitivity, harmony, tranquility.  Also, assists memory retention and mental clarity.

Fluorite – Colors range from white, yellow, blue, green, purple or a mixture of these colors. Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties: Source of purity and harmony around the world and it absorbs negativity.

Garnet - Garnet occurs in every color except blue and most varieties are named for their color. Garnets are found in the U.S. (Arizona), South Africa, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Myanmar (Burma), Scotland, Switzerland and Tanzania . Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties: Powers include healing, strength, and protection and it is often worn to relieve inflammations of the skin. It is also believed to regulate the heart and blood flow and aid in curing depression.

Jade - The range of greens are light to dark, creamy, grayish, and also white. The most valuable form of jade is known as imperial jade is an emerald green color. Greens range light to dark, creamy, grayish, and also white. Jade is Russia, Mexico, Central and South America. Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties: Thought to protect the kidneys, liver, spleen, heart, larynx, thymus, and thyroid. Ancient people thought that wearing jade would increase body strength and add longevity. Jade is an ancient symbol of love and virtue.

Jasper - Jasper is an opaque and fine grained variety of Chalcedony. It is found in all colors including: red, brown, pink, yellow, green, grey/white and shades of blue and purple. Found worldwide, a wide variety of named jaspers is found in the western areas of the Unites States; California, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming and Washington.

Jasper continued: Folklore, Legend, Healing Properties :Poppy Jasper (only found in Morgan Hill, California) is said to help bring joy into life. Opalite Jasper is said to help one sleep. Bloodstone: promotes courage. Legend says that Jasper would drive away evil spirits and protect against snake and spider bites. In the fourth century, it was thought to bring about the rain. Jasper is protective. It can align all the chakras and balance yin yang energies, it is stabilizing and healing.