The Edit

Which toe, what size, adjustable or closed: how to choose and wear a toe ring comfortably.

Hallmarks, magnets, water density and acid: which home tests for gold work, which mislead, and the figures for 10K, 14K and 18K.

Thin bands, worn prongs and hard knocks: why rings fail, which settings hold stones best, and the checks that prevent it.

Why 14K gold scratches, why 10K is harder than 18K, and what Vickers and Mohs numbers mean for jewelry you wear every day.

Green, black or red marks under jewelry: what causes each, whether solid gold is to blame, and how to stop it.

Water won’t hurt solid gold. Chlorine, soap and grit can. What to keep on and what to take off.

Lobster, spring ring, box, toggle and hinged closures: how each works, how to open the tricky ones, and how to keep a bracelet on.

The Pink Star, the Blue Moon, the Hope and the Cullinan: what the most expensive diamonds sold for, and why.

Where gold chains fail first, why they stretch and thin, and how to make one last decades.

Hardness, tarnish, wear and price: how 14K gold and sterling silver compare over years of daily wear.