Metals
STERLING SILVER
We only carry the most precious silver jewelry at Roberto Martinez. Our entire collection is pure silver mixed with no more than 7.5% alloy making it 92.5% pure silver. Pure silver alone is too soft of a metal to make jewelry with and so it is necessary to combine it with other metals. Sterling silver jewelry is stamped with the hallmark “sterling” or “.925”.
CLEANING AND CARE:
Exposure to the open air, humidity, body acid, lotions, chemicals, chlorine and perfume can cause sterling silver to tarnish. This is a normal process that is caused by oxidation. We recommend storing your jewelry inside a zip-lock bag to protect against scratching against other items in your jewelry box and to minimize exposure that causes the metal to tarnish over time. Use a high quality silver cloth like our Roberto Martinez cleaning cloth to remove any residue from every day wear. Avoid harsh silver cleaners. Sterling silver, stored properly, can be worn often with minimal cleaning required developing a lovely patina over time.
GOLD
Gold jewelry comes in a variety of colors like yellow, white and rose. Pure gold like silver is too soft to work with and so is mixed with other metal alloy to produce its’ karat (the gold content) and color.
24 karat is 100% gold and the hallmark is 24K
18 karat is 75.0% gold and the hallmark is 18K
14 karat is 58.5% gold and the hallmark is 14K
10 karat is 41.7% gold and the hallmark is 10K
CLEANING AND CARE:
Use warm soapy water and a soft bristle brush to loosen any grime that can accumulate on your gold jewelry. Rinse then dry and polish with a soft jewelry cloth.
GOLD PLATING
In 2009 encouraged by the rise in precious metals and the rich history and romance of Carribean gold treasures Roberto Martinez introduced their Signature 14 karat gold plating. Many of the most popular gold designs were produced in silver, bronze and brass with a beautiful 14 karat gold electroplating as well as rhodium plating. These gold electroplated designs are affordable and have the same heirloom jewelry quality as the 18k, 14k or 10k gold ones.
CLEANING AND CARE:
Our gold electroplating is long-lasting and with care should maintain its' beautiful finish. If plating fades re-plating will restore its color. No harsh chemicals or abrasives should be used or are needed to clean the jewelry. Use a high quality cloth to remove any residue from everyday wear. Protect from scratches by storing in individual jewelry box/pouch or plastic bag. We can re-plate your jewelry for a nominal fee. Please contact us at (800) 25-RMINC for a quotation.
RHODIUM PLATING
We use the highest quality rhodium plating for all of our rhodium plated gold, sterling silver and bronze or brass fashion jewelry. Rhodium, a white-metal of the platinum family of metals is used for a white gold or platinum metal look. Rhodium plating protects against tarnishing and surface scratches.
DIAMONDS AND THE FOUR C’S
CUT:
A diamond’s cut grade is based on how well the facets interact with light. The better the cut the better the sparkle!
COLOR:
The absence of color is the basis for a diamond’s color grade. Light travels through a colorless diamond resulting in a brilliant sparkle and so colorless diamonds are the most desirable. Color grades are defined as follows:
Colorless: D, E, F, G
Near Colorless: H, I, J-K
Noticeable Color: L-M, N-Z
A color grade of D is the highest color grade while Z is the lowest.
CLARITY:
The clarity grade of a diamond measures characteristics found in almost all diamonds. The Gemological Institute of America or GIA developed a clarity grading scale in order to explain what makes a diamond worth more than another. A flawless diamond is the most rare and so most expensive. The clarity grades are defined as follows:
Pure: Flawless, Internally Flawless
Very, very small inclusions: VVS-1, VVS-2
Very small inclusions: VS-1, VS-2
Small inclusions: SI-1, SI-2
Included: I-1, I-2, I-3
CARAT:
A carat refers to a diamond’s weight, though it does not reflect a diamond’s size.
FRACTION DECIMAL EQUIVALENTS
CARAT FRACTIONSDECIMAL EQUIVALENT
1/100.09 - 0.11
1/80.12 - 0.13
1/70.14 - 0.15
1/60.16 - 0.17
1/50.18 - 0.22
1/40.23 - 0.28
1/30.29 - 0.36
3/80.37 - 0.44
1/20.45 - 0.58
5/80.59 - 0.68
3/40.69 - 0.82
7/80.83 - 0.94
11.00
PEARLS
Natural pearls occur in the wild without the aid of human intervention and are very rare.
Cultured pearls are grown in pearl farms and are cultivated by man.
Freshwater cultured pearls are farmed in freshwater and grown in mussels living in rivers and lakes.
Saltwater cultured pearls are farmed in saltwater and grown in oysters.
SEMI-PRECIOUS VS. PRECIOUS GEMSTONES
Precious Gemstones include the following: Diamonds, Rubies, Saphires and Emeralds.
Semi-Precious Gemstones include the following: Amethyst, Aquamarine, Citrine, Garnet, Onyx, Turquoise, Tiger’s Eye, Malachite, Mother of Pearl, Rose Quartz, Jade, and more.
CUBIC ZIRCONIA
Since 1976 when it was first introduced Cubic Zirconia has been the synthetic equivalent of diamond. It is made of Zirconium Dioxide and imitates most of the properties of a high quality diamond (flawless color, perfect cut, perfect clarity). It is usually colorless but is also available in different colors such as pink, yellow and purple. It is hard like a diamond and because of its low cost and durability it is an excellent substitute to make affordable jewelry.
ETHICAL SOURCING
At Roberto Martinez we hold a high standard for the ethical sourcing of our jewelry. We believe in the safe and ethical sourcing of our jewelry products, which means we only acquire conflict-free diamonds and partner with suppliers who support ethical mining practices. Over the years of our long establishment in the jewelry industry we have cultivated valuable connections with partners who adhere to our high standards, so we are able to offer affordable products to our customers without sacrificing our ethical standards.