College Pendants – University of California, Berkeley

Disclaimer: please read the following to learn how to properly care for your piece of jewelry.

Vardy’s is happy to clean and inspect your jewelry every six months so we can ensure the integrity of each piece bought with us.

Special Disclaimers:

Emeralds: Heat can damage emeralds, especially by extending existing fractures. Light and chemicals can cause the oils, resins, and polymers used to fill surface-reaching fractures to alter in appearance or deteriorate. Ultrasonic vibrations can weaken already-fractured stones, and hot steam can cause oil or unhardened resin to sweat out of fractures. Using warm, soapy water coupled with gentle scrubbing is the safest way to clean emeralds.

Pearls: Pearls benefit from contact with human skin, too; although sunscreens, hairsprays, perfumes and other substances can be harmful to pearls. The rule for pearls is “last thing to put on, first thing to take off”. Careful cleaning with a soft, damp cloth is essential to prevent build-up that may damage the luster; please let us know if your pearls are in need of checking or restringing.

Opals: Be careful when storing your opals! If you keep them in a metal container (such as a safe or safety deposit box) the stones can dry out and craze — the term for a web of small, shallow cracks that opals develop if they dehydrate. For this reason, we recommend a professional cleaning every six months.

Amethyst, Zircon, Tanzanite, and Turquoise: Amethyst is rated a 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Zircon is rated 6.5 to 7, tanzanite is rated 6 to 7 and turquoise is rated 5 to 6.This makes amethysts more susceptible to damage than rubies, sapphires and diamonds. Jewelry with these stones may be safely cleaned at home with warm soapy water and a soft brush.

PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON PRECIOUS METAL AND GEMSTONE MARKET FLUCTUATION