For ages, jewellery has been a part of human culture and history. While each age has influenced the way jewellery is created, looks, and what defines jewellery, it has also spawned a number of legends and myths about the subject. Some are based on traditional folklore, while others are more modern. Some of them have unwittingly influenced the jewellery industry and its customers. Let’s look at some prevalent jewellery myths and see what the truth is.

Gold is available in a variety of colours

When gold is found in its natural state, it is always yellow. However, due to the prevalence of white, gold, rose gold, and other colours, many people assume that gold comes in a variety of colours. These are, however, gold alloys, which are created by combining pure gold with additional metals such as iron, silver, or platinum. White gold, for example, is made up of gold, nickel, and palladium, whereas rose gold is made up of gold, silver, and copper.

The 12 Gemstones were sourced from Israel’s 12 Tribes

The myth’s origins are based on historical events. The first Jewish Temple was erected by King Solomon, and the High Priest at the time donned a breastplate encrusted with 12 diamonds thought to represent the twelve tribes of Jerusalem. The concept grew to include birthstones for each month of the year. These stones were randomly assigned to each month for no apparent reason. The contemporary birthstone list as we know it now barely began to take shape around the turn of the twentieth century. You can also read about the characteristics of a Taurus woman depending on her birthstone on our site.

Vinegar Can Dissolve Pearls

Because pearls are permeable and the most delicate of all valuable jewels, there is some truth to this legend. As a result, these stones can dissolve in vinegar and hover for several days. Cleopatra started the legend when she wanted to throw a spectacular dinner party and began tossing pearls into her drink. Although it is possible to crush pearls and dissolve them swiftly, history has exaggerated this fact over time. If you’re interested in learning more about this traditional gemstone, check out our blog on pearls.

Sapphires are only available in blue

While sapphires are famed for their cerulean hue, it’s a little-known fact that these valuable stones come in a variety of colours other than blue. The colour of the stone changes from blue to a lighter blue or even an entirely other colour depending on the number of impurities discovered in it. The common blue sapphire, for example, has elements of titanium and iron. Vanadium causes sapphires to turn purple, while iron causes them to turn yellow. For more information, see our blog dedicated to the blue sapphire’s stories and legends.

The World’s Most Expensive Gemstone Is Diamond

Diamonds are the world’s most valuable gems. Painite, bixbyite, jeremejevite, serendibite, musgravite, benitoite, taaffeite, and garnierite are significantly rarer than emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and other stones.

Diamonds are unbreakable

This is one of the most common misconceptions about jewellery. Diamonds are among the hardest gemstones on the planet, scoring a ten on the Moh’s scale of hardness. A level 10 categorization, on the other hand, meaning it can’t be scratched. While diamonds survive the longest due to their nature, they are susceptible to cracking when exposed to severe heat and pressure. As a result, it is critical that you look after your jewellery.

The more expensive a stone is, the bigger it is

It might seem logical to believe that the price of a gemstone is directly proportional to its size. This is far from the case, as the price of a stone is determined by the 4Cs — cut, colour, carat, and clarity. It’s perfectly conceivable for a diamond with poor colour and cut to be enormous in size and still cost less than a diamond with excellent cut and colour but modest size. As a general rule, it is always preferable to select diamonds based on their overall attributes rather than their size alone.

Purchasing jewellery and precious stones is always an investment, and myths and stories should not deter you. With the passage of time, more and more myths about jewellery will inevitably emerge. While some of them make for entertaining stories, knowing the difference between fact and fiction is always a good idea. Visit Gehna today to see our gorgeous and genuine jewellery, or to learn more about our custom-made designs.