Grace Hopper Bracelet

Grace Hopper’s brilliance cannot be understated. One of the first ever computer programmers, Grace coined terms such as “bug” to describe malfunctions and composed the original computer manual. She invented the first computer compiler, and was involved in developing one of the earliest computer languages. Eventually becoming 

one of the earliest computer programmers & leader in software development concepts, we can all thank Grace Hopper for the digital age we live in today.

Lapis Lazuli ⎆  Wisdom ・ Healing ・ Love

 

The name "Lapis Lazuli" means "blue stone". It has been prized for its bright color & used in jewelry, as well as for pigments. During the Renaissance, artists ground the stone to make ultramarine, a blue pigment used for skies & seas.

Archaeologies have found Lapis beads, jewelry, & carvings at various sites dating as early as 6,000 BC.

Lapis legends are among the oldest in the world. In the myth of Inanna, the Sumerian goddess of love, the goddess was said to have entered the underworld bearing a lapis necklace & rod as some of the insignias of her rank. The legend may date from as early as 4,000 BC.

In ancient Persia & pre-Columbian America, Lapis was a symbol for the starry night & favored by the Islamic Orient for protection from the Evil Eye. In medieval Europe, Lapis it was thought that it believed to "counteract the wiles of the spirits of darkness & procure the aid & favor of the spirits of light & wisdom."

ANCIENT EGYPT
In the dry, desert lands that make up Egypt the deep blue color of Lapis was in such contrast to the arid desert hues it felt spiritual. The gold flecks throughout the stone symbolized the stars in the sky. Through meditation on the stone & its colors, the Egyptians felt life altering supernatural forces. Priests & royalty would dye their clothes with Lapis to indicate their status as gods themselves.
Lapis Lazuli was among the most highly paid tribute to Egypt. They believed the Lapis lazuli stone could ward off evil ailments, both physical & mental. The sarcophagus of King Tut was inlaid in Lapis, as were other burial ornaments of Egyptian kings & queens. It was used extensively in scarabs, pendants, & other jewelry, & ground into powders for dyes, eye shadow, & medicinal elixirs. It was thought their eye sight would improve by wearing Lapis in powder form around their eyes.

Michelangelo processed the stone into powder to produce the intense ultramarine color.

Buddhists recommended Lapis as a stone to bring inner peace & freedom from negative thought.

During the renaissance, Catherine the Great adorned an entire room in her palace with Lapis walls, fireplaces, doors, & mirror frames.

For many ancient civilizations Lapis had religious significance & reflected the high status of rulers. Today, Lapis is associated with wisdom, love, & healing.

HEALING POWER
Lapis Lazuli stimulates good judgement & wisdom in the practical world, making it an awesome stone for executives, journalists, & psychologists. It aids in intellectual analysis in archeologists, historians, problem-solving for lawyers, & creates new ideas for inventors & writers.

Lapis is powerful, activating the higher mind & enhancing intellectual ability. It stimulates the desire for knowledge, truth, & understanding, as well as helping with the process of learning. It is exceptional at enhancing memory.

Known throughout history as a stone of wisdom & truth, Lapis encourages honesty of the spirit, & in the spoken & written word. It is also a stone of friendship & brings harmony to relationships. Wearing Lapis will encourage deeper communication. 

For fame in a creative or public performance related area, wear or carry Lapis to auditions. In the workplace, it attracts promotion success, & lasting recognition in your field.

PHYSICAL HEALING PROPERTIES
Lapis is beneficial to the throat, larynx, & vocal chords. It helps regulate the endocrine & thyroid glands, as well as helping to overcome hearing loss & other problems with the ear & nose passages.

The stone enhances circulation & improves cardiac rhythm. It reduces vertigo, lowers blood pressure, & can alleviate insomnia. 

EMOTIONAL HEALING PROPERTIES
As a crystal for truth in all aspects, Lapis reveals inner truth & promotes self awareness. It provides relief of things that may have been suppressed as it allows them to be surfaced; helping to diminish uncomfortable feelings or repressed anger, & allows for self expression without holding back or compromising. 

As a stone of friendship it promotes social ability. It encourages qualities of honesty, compassion, & uprightness when dealing with others. It provides one's motivations & beliefs, giving a clearer perspective of one's whole life. It reveals one's limitations, as well as the opportunities for growth & to utilize one's gifts & abilities.

There are a few common terms used when describing gold jewelry - 

・Gold Plated
・Gold Vermeil
・Gold Filled
・Solid Gold

 

In this piece, we used a gold filled metal. Gold filled is the highest quality alternative to solid gold, with a higher gold content than both gold-plated & gold vermeil metals. It has almost 100x as much gold as gold-plated jewelry! The gold is mechanically bonded to the base metal, so it can’t rub off like gold-plated jewelry can. Gold fill has the same qualities as solid gold jewelry at a fraction of the cost. 

 

All of our gold fill jewelry is made with 14k gold.

 

While it’s name implies the metal is filled with gold, the gold is actually on the outside. The term refers to a thick outer layer of durable, pressure-bonded, solid gold that covers a base metal, usually brass. The USA industry standard legally requires 5% of the metal be pure gold by weight. 

 

Gold-fill is your best option after solid gold for quality & durability. It will not flake off or turn your skin green. Gold fill is nickel free & hypoallergenic, making it a great option for people with sensitive skin. 

 

Hypothetically, gold-filled jewelry can last a lifetime. Actual longevity will depend on a number of factors, especially how you care for it. For details on how to care for your gold filled jewelry, see the specified drop down menu below.

 

14k Gold Fill jewelry is not supposed to tarnish, at least for a long time. However, it is possible for gold-fill to tarnish under certain circumstances, though it should not do so easily. Exposing your jewelry to chemicals, such as bleach, certain people’s body chemistry, chlorine (pools & hot tubs), salt water, sweat, & certain products, such as perfume, hairspray, lotions, & sunscreen. For more details, see our FAQ section or blog post on 14k Gold Fill.

 

Ultimately, gold-filled jewelry is perfect for everyday wear because it can handle the wear & tear of daily life, & is very affordable. It has almost 100x more gold than gold-plated, with the same qualities & durability as solid gold, but at an affordable price!

 

For more detailed information on gold filled jewelry, see our FAQ page &  blog ☺︎

Gold plated jewelry offers a budget-friendly option to buying pure gold jewelry. It gives you the look & style without the high price tag that comes with gold, & is the ideal jewelry you don’t plan to wear on a daily basis. 

 

Gold plating is a process where a thin layer of pure gold is bonded onto a base metal. Once plated, it is almost impossible to tell real gold from gold plated jewelry by just looking at it.

 

There is a drawback to choosing gold plated jewelry - tarnishing & fading are common issues you will encounter. The layer of 24k gold is hypoallergenic & nickel-free, however, when this layer eventually wears out, the base layer becomes exposed, which often contains nickel.

 

On average, gold plate jewelry will last an average 2-5 years with proper care. Caring for your jewelry will prolong the life of your gold-plated jewelry.
See the drop down menu below for detailed care instructions.

 

For more detailed information on 24k gold plated jewelry see our FAQ’s page & blog posts.

Gold is one of the most valuable resources in the world & will last a long time, as long it is care for properly. 

 

In theory, gold-filled jewelry should last a lifetime, however, it’s actual longevity depends a number of factors. 

 

Gold plated jewelry tarnishes more easily because the plating is a very thin layer of solid gold on top of a base metal, which makes the piece of jewelry stronger & less likely to bend. Over time, the base metal will come to the surface, causing the metal & the gold to discolor. Taking the proper steps can prevent this from happening, prolonging the life of your gold plate jewelry.

 

Make sure to read the entire instruction, as there are some methods in this section that should only be used on your 14k gold filled chain.

 

The following care instructions will prolong your jewelry's lifetime & keep it in optimal condition.

 

Our pieces are relatively delicate & are not meant to be worn during harsh activities, such as sports, cleaning, gardening, etc. 

 

・Take your jewelry off when swimming in pools, hot tubs, or the ocean. 

▹ Chlorine & salt water will degrade the metal, causing your jewelry to tarnish at an accelerated rate. However, wearing your gold-filled jewelry in the shower or bath is fine, as long you dry it off properly.

 

・Apply makeup, lotion, hairspray, & perfume before you put on your jewelry. 

 

・Avoid excessive contact with sunscreen. The chemicals in sunscreen are harsh on most metals.

 

・Take off your jewelry at the nail salon or when doing your nails at home. Nail polish remover is a harsh chemical that does not play well with gold-filled or gold-plated jewelry.

 

・Take off your jewelry before participating in activities that will cause heavy sweating. Some people’s body chemistry (which is affected by many factors, including hormones, medications) is more harsh on jewelry than others. Only ~10% of people find their body does not pair well with gold jewelry, however, better safe than sorry! Removing your jewelry before working out, tanning, etc. will ensure it remains in pristine condition. 

 

・Remove your jewelry before cleaning. Harsh chemicals found in cleaning products, such as bleach, can degrade even the strongest of metals. 

 

・Clean your jewelry as soon as it starts to look dingy. 

▹ Soak your jewelry in a bath of lukewarm water & mild dish soap for 10-15 minutes. 

▹ Use a soft cloth to wipe your jewelry off, pat it dry, then lay it out until it is fully dry before wearing or storing it. 
{ DO NOT use a polishing cloth on your gold plated charms or seed beads. This will strip the plating away ⇢ In order to maintain your shine, use an abrasive free, lint-free, soft cloth or chamois to wipe them down }

▹ Need to remove dirt from your chain's nooks & crannies? Use a soft brush, such as a child’s toothbrush, to loosen any gunk that has become trapped in your chain.
{ DO NOT scrub your charms or seed beads with this brush - only use it on the chain! }

▹ Our favorite jewelry cleaning tool is the ultrasonic jewelry cleaner, which removes dirt & grime by vibrating your jewelry in a warm water + soapy solution. Both your gold filled & gold plated jewelry can be submerged in this machine.

 

For more information on how to care for your jewelry visit our FAQ page & blog ☺︎