Jewellery Myths You Shouldn't Believe

It’s hardly surprising that certain jewellery has a number of myths surrounding them. While some are based in fact, most are entirely false, brought about by general naivety in the jewellery trade. They are, however, popular enough to be believed by most as absolute fact. 

Well, we’re here today to bust those myths and tell you why most of them are complete fabrications. 

Myth #1: Diamonds Cannot Break

Don’t get us wrong, diamonds are tough. They register as number 10 on the Mohs hardness scale and can only be scratched by another diamond. 

They are not, however, completely indestructible. Thanks to the atomic planes of relative weakness on the surface of some diamonds, a direct blow could chip or crack it. 

Myth #2: The 3 Colours of Gold

Gold can come in multiple colours, the three main ones being rose, white and yellow. This is not, however, the natural state of gold. 

All gold must be mixed with other metals to become an alloy metal, giving it its distinctive hue. This even applies to ‘normal’ yellow gold (except 24 carat) as that is always mixed with other metals. 

Myth #3: Opals = Bad Luck

More of a superstition than a myth, the notion that opals bring bad luck goes as far back as Roman times. Connected to many ancient folklores, it is believed that the wearer will experience nothing but bad luck. Even the aboriginals called it the “rainbow serpent”.

This is, obviously, completely untrue and about as factual as black cats giving you bad luck. If you think Opals match your dress, then go ahead and wear it. It would be just as safe as wearing pearls. 

Myth #4: Bigger Diamonds Are Better

We’re not even sure where this myth came from but it is, of course, utterly false. While some bigger diamonds may be better than small ones, that rather depends on the quality of the diamond itself, not its size.

A small diamond could be much better than a bigger one. There are many factors to judge the quality of diamonds and none of them have anything to do with size. 

Myth #5: All Pearls Come From Oysters

The vast majority of jewel-worthy pearls tend to come from clams and oysters, the fact is that they can also come from a wide variety of creatures. The Melo Melo marine snail, for instance, produces an orange-brown pearl while the queen conch Strombus Gigas creates the Pink Conch Pearl. 

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