Dear Calla, I Can't Find a Bezel for My Greek Coin!

Dear Calla,

I’ve gone to all my local mall stores with my Greek coin and none of their catalogs has a bezel that’ll fit my coin. Plus they look all shiny and perfect and my coin is quiet and beautiful. I just don’t know how to set it so it looks like the museum piece it is.

~ Wanting Less Glitz and Perfection

Dear Less Glitz,

I’ve set older coins before and the first thing I’ll say is that the catalogs of coin bezels are made for modern gold coins that are fairly thin on the sides. The older ones are often thicker on the sides and uneven to boot.

And you’re right, a perfectly symmetrical bezel frame, all shiny and perfect would look weird with an antique coin.

Hand making your coin bezel is the best bet and using a matte finish on it will soften the shine of the gold and let your coin be the star.

Your Personal Jeweler.
Calla

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Dear Calla,

I found a ring I absolutely love…I’m not sure what about my chemistry turns my finger green within 3 days….but it does.
Below is a link that I have included.
Your straight forward honest response is all I am merely asking for.
If you could answer in layman’s terms, I would so much appreciate that, as well.
Respectfully,
Black Finger, Warm Heart

Hello Warm Heart,

Thank you for sending me the link to the website that you purchased the ring from. The fact that your finger was turning green in three days is a real bummer.

Many people find that costume jewelry metals turn their fingers green. It is because of the metal and metal treatment’s oxidation. Oxidation is when metal reacts and changes. Due to contact with oxygen. The PH acid/alkaline balance of the moisture of your skin is also something that causes oxidation. When metal changes or reacts it comes off on your skin a bit. On a hot sweaty day it’ll probably happen more. After eating marinara sauce for a meal which can make your skin PH more acidic, this blackening or greening of your finger could happen more. This happens because the uptick in acid on your skin affects metal.

This ring is made of gold-filled metal according to the website description. That means a little gold and a whole lot of other less expensive reactive metal. It is probably the other metals used in the mix of metals that is reacting. The black finish is most likely black rhodium and will fairly quickly begin to wear off. This is because the surface is smooth and that smooth surface doesn’t give the black rhodium finish much to grip on to.

I like to use black rhodium with a textured design.

I hope I have answered your interesting question.

Your Personal Jeweler,

Calla

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