taylorgifts web store FAQ section

Alabastrite Alabastrite is our product line name for polyresin items. Alabastrite is a stone-based material which can be intricately molded producing great detail, and will allow paint to adhere. These items may be cleaned by dusting, however, they should not be washed with water as they are painted with water soluble paints. Items made from alabastrite which are specifically for outdoor use (such as fountains, etc) have a water resistant finish. Bone China White clay with bone ash added. Bone ash content must be at least 25% by U. S. guidelines. Fired at 1800 degrees. The translucent material is finished with a glaze or underglaze (matte). Lighter, stronger, more expensive than porcelain. Capiz Shell Capiz is a large, thin traslucent shell found in Philippine coastal waters. Cubic Zircon The most successful simulated diamond. Properties such as refraction, hardness, and specific gravity are remarkably similar to diamonds. Example: 27432. Cubic zirconia are very hard to distinguish from diamonds; sometimes a jewelers loop will be needed to see the difference. Diamond Extremely hard, highly refractive colorless or white crystalline of carbon. Diamonds, like all gemstones, are judged in terms of Carats, or weight (different from Karats, as in gold purity). Dolomite A magnesia-rich, sedimentary rock resembling limestone, dolomite is either gray, pink or white in color. Frosted Acrylic Acrylic items are given the French Lilac process, (used on glass), to achieve the distinctive frosted look. Example: 27205. The drama of frosted glass without the weight. Gemstones Rubies, sapphires, emeralds and amethysts, often treasured as birthstones, fall under the category of gemstones. (Birthstones are listed in the back of your WOP catalog.) Gemstones are priced and graded by Carat weight. Gold The ultimate precious metal. Virtually indestructible, amazingly malleable, doesn't rust or tarnish. Graded by purity; in the U.S. a scale of 24 is used, so 24 Karats (24K) is 100% pure. 18K is 18 parts gold and 6 parts alloy (other metals), and so on. 10K is the legal minimum for Karat-graded gold. The word "Plumb" indicates the exact purity of the piece. Gypsum Gypsum is a white mineral which is usually used to make Plaster of Paris. Hong Tze To closely emulate a special stone found in China which is known for its deep red color, these items are created using an alabastrite polyresin. Hong Tze pieces are highly polished, further bringing out the intense, deep red color. Jade Porcelain Jade porcelain is a type of porcelain made with a finer clay. Usually no glaze or only a colorless glaze will be applied at the final firing to show off the very smooth surface and to preserve the translucency. Example: 27112. Jade Porcelain is used for night lights because of its high degree of translucency when lit. Patchwork Items Unique fabric or paper prints are applied to the surface of porcelain, dolomite or polyresin items. After application, 12 layers of lacquer are added and the item is hand polished to a high gloss between each layer. Pearl A smooth, lustrous, variously-colored deposit formed around a grain of sand in the shell of a certain mollusk. Pearls may be formed naturally or "cultured" through an artificial implanting process. Porcelain Fine ground white clay, molded and fired in an oven for eight hours at 1200 degrees. Finished with a glazed, underglazed, or "bisque" finish. Glazing produces a high gloss; underglaze produces a matte finish. Bisque is a matte finish without glaze. After finishing, the item is "cooked" for six hours at 800 degrees. Sterling Silver To qualify as "sterling" a given piece must be composed of a least 92.5% pure silver. Stoneware White clay with fine ground stone. Working with stoneware demands great expertise, and is in fact becoming a lost art. Stoneware is safe to use in microwave and conventional ovens.