Will my jewelry look exactly as pictured?

Marco Polo Designs try to maintain consistency in quality as pictured. The nature of hand crafted items is to have some subtle variations in color, size, and shape. These small differences are your proof that an artisan was truly "hands-on" in creating your unique piece. Just like snowflakes, every handmade piece is a little bit different.

What is Dichroic Glass?

Glittering, reflective, and brightly colored, dichroic glass was developed by NASA for the space industry. A thin layer of metal (gold, silver, titanium, chromium, aluminum, zirconium, magnesium, silicon) is zapped electrically onto a flat glass surface, which is then kiln fired at extreme temperatures in a vacuum. Dichroic glass is cut into small pieces and layered into molten glass beads and pendants.

What is Murano glass?

Murano glass jewelry, as the name implies, is made from original Murano glass. Murano glass comes from Murano, Italy which was the glasswork capital of the world in the 13th Century. Glass working technologies such as crystalline glass, milleflori, enameled glass, multi-colored glass, smoke glass, and milk gas all came from Murano.  The style and color or Murano glass is unique and much sought after. It is now a standard and much enjoyed component of the jewelry industry and looks great when worn.  Murano glass jewelry makes a fine gift. The workmanship that goes into making the jewelry means that everybody can expect quality glass adornments every time.

What is Bohemian glass?  

Bohemian glass is a type of art glass which originates in the Czech Republic, in the region known as Bohemia. Neighboring Silesia also produces glass in the Bohemian style. At one time, Bohemian glass was world-renowned because it was of extremely high quality. Today, many glassworks in the Czech Republic produce Bohemian glass, making replicas of older glass pieces along with more modern works, and many of them capitalize on the reputation of Bohemian glass.  Bohemian glass is very colorful, and often richly decorated. It may be faceted, engraved, etched, or painted, and many works of Bohemian glass are also very thin and delicate, expressing the skills of the artisan. The fine color and delicacy of Bohemian glass made it a prized artifact.

What is Swaroski?  

Swarovski crystals are high quality synthetic crystals cut and polished to a brilliant standard. The stones contain a high lead content to improve their refractive properties. Some crystals also have special coatings (eg Aurora Borealis) applied to enhance the rainbow appearance of the refraction. Although Swarovski crystals are not strictly diamond replicants, they share much of the beauty of natural diamond and are often used in rings, necklaces, stud earrings, etc. with a wide variety available to buy both in standard and, if your budget stretches to it, handmade custom designs. Wedding day jewelry such as Swarovski bridal necklaces and bracelets are a popular application of these stones.

What is Heishi?  

Our necklaces are strung on very tiny tubes of sterling silver called heishi, also known as liquid silver. We coat the sterling silver heishi with a non-toxic anti-tarnishing sealer to prevent oxidation. Our gold vermeil heishi is pure sterling silver, 24k gold plated in a nickel free, hypoallergenic gold bath that is very thick, 100 micro inches, and guaranteed not to come off. It is also then bathed in a non-toxic sealer.

How can I care for glass Jewelry?

Your jewelry should be the last thing you put on. Please avoid applying hairspray or perfume while wearing your handmade jewelry and keep it away from chemicals or cosmetics that can discolor or damage your jewelry. Keep your jewelry stored far from humidity or air pollution.

To clean glass jewelry on gold vermeil, immerse the piece in warm mild soapy water and rub gently with a soft cloth. Then rinse it and lay on a soft towel to dry. 

What is Gold Vermeil?

Gold vermeil is 24k gold plated sterling silver. Our gold vermeil heishi and our clasps are pure sterling silver bathed in 24k gold. We ask our plater to overlay the sterling silver with 24k gold 100 ml thick, hypo-allergenic, nickel free and guaranteed to never wear off.

What is Sterling Silver?

Sterling silver jewelry is composed of 92.5% (925 parts per thousand) silver and 7.5% copper alloy. The copper increases the silvers hardness. Produced in mines (mainly Peru and Mexico) sterling silver has become a popular affordable alternative to white gold or platinum. It can be polished into a higher sheen than any other white metals.

How do I care for my sterling silver jewelry?

To clean Sterling Silver jewelry, polish your Sterling Silver jewelry with a soft cotton cloth, a jewelry cleaning cloth is recommend or you can rub dry baking powder on the jewelry. Then pat and brush the dry powder off.  

To prevent jewelry from damage, store your sterling silver jewelry in a cool, dry place individually in pouches or plastic bags to keep them from environmental harm. Do not rub jewelry with coarse fabric; it may scratch the jewelry surface. Try to avoid direct contact with perfumes and lotions because it may leave residue on the jewelry.

Care Of Pearls

The most harmful products to a pearl are the application of perfume, hair spray, cosmetics and face creams when the owner is wearing the pearls. These grooming products and other household chemicals if sprayed near pearls can build up on the pearl and damage the luster. The nacre can become marked, dull, pitted and generally lose that marvelous luminous luster that defines a pearl.  

The best way to prevent damage to your pearls is by putting your pearls on last when finishing your grooming. Don't spray perfume on the neck area where the pearls will actually sit and avoid touching your pearls when you have just applied hand cream. If you need to reapply perfume or hair spray at some time, slip the pearls off.   

After you remove your pearls wipe them with a soft damp cloth. Buff them occasionally with a silk cloth to enhance their shine and luster. Try not to toss them in to your jewelry box, but put them back in their original container.