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.
