The Micoryan Journal

The Best Graduation Jewellery Gifts, By Budget
Graduation gifts should mark the moment without overshooting it. Here's how to pick jewellery that fits the milestone — and the budget. Read more...
How to Layer Rings, Bracelets and Necklaces Together (Without It Looking Cluttered)
You've layered your necklaces and stacked your rings separately — here's how to make all of it work together as one considered look, not three competing ones. Read more...
Art Deco vs. Vintage vs. Modern: How to Tell Jewellery Styles Apart
Art Deco, vintage and antique get used loosely in jewellery listings. Here's what each term actually means, and how to spot the design cues of each. Read more...
Zodiac Jewellery: What Each Star Sign's Symbol Means
Zodiac and celestial jewellery is one of the biggest personalisation trends right now. Here's the traditional meaning behind each star sign's symbol. Read more...
Necklace Chain Types Explained: Cable, Box, Curb, Figaro and Snake Chains
Cable, box, curb, figaro, snake — necklace chain names are rarely explained. Here's what each one actually looks like and what it's best suited to. Read more...
Ear Cuffs, Climbers and Huggies: What's the Difference and How to Wear Them
Ear cuffs, ear climbers and huggies all sit close to the ear but work in completely different ways. Here's what actually distinguishes them, honestly. Read more...
Stacked Bracelets Are Having a Moment: How to Build a Wrist Stack That Looks Curated
Layered, personal wrist stacks are one of the biggest jewellery trends going. Here's how to build one properly — with or without traditional dangling charms. Read more...
The Complete Guide to Stacking Rings
How many rings should you stack, in what order, and what should you never mix? A practical guide to ring stacking that actually answers the questions people ask. Read more...
How to Mix Metals the Right Way: Gold, Silver and Rose Gold Together
Matching metals is no longer the rule it used to be. Here's how to mix gold, silver and rose gold so it looks deliberate rather than accidental. Read more...
Gold or Silver: How to Tell Which Metal Tone Actually Suits You
Warm or cool undertone? Gold or silver? Here are the tests that actually help you choose — and why the honest answer is often 'both'. Read more...
Baroque pearl statement earrings
Jewellery Trends 2026: What's In This Year
From baroque pearls and yellow gold to chunky chains, coloured gemstones and mixed-metal layering — the jewellery trends shaping 2026 and how to wear them. Read more...
Pearl stud earrings in gold
How to Build a Capsule Jewellery Collection: The Essentials Everyone Needs
A capsule jewellery collection is a small set of versatile pieces that work with everything. Here are the essentials and how to build yours to last. Read more...
Long pearl station necklace
Necklines and Necklaces: The Perfect Necklace for Every Neckline
V-neck, crew, boat, halter or strapless — the right necklace length and style depends on your neckline. A simple pairing guide for every top and dress. Read more...
Rhodium-plated silver chain necklace with pearl
What Is Rhodium Plating? Why White Gold and Silver Get Rhodium-Plated
Rhodium plating gives white gold and silver their bright, mirror-white shine and helps resist tarnish. Here's what it is, why it wears, and how to care for it. Read more...
Two-tone band ring
A Guide to Men's Jewellery: Chains, Rings, Bracelets and How to Wear Them
A straightforward guide to men's jewellery — chains, rings, bracelets and watches — with simple rules on metals, proportion and how to build a look that lasts. Read more...
Yellow gold geometric jewellery set
How to Choose Jewellery for Your Skin Tone (Warm vs Cool Undertones)
Warm, cool or neutral undertone? A simple guide to finding your undertone and choosing gold, silver and gemstone colours that flatter your skin. Read more...
Jewellery set with green teardrop gemstones
Coloured Gemstones Guide: Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald and Beyond
A friendly guide to the world's favourite coloured gemstones — what they are, their colours and hardness, and what to know before you buy. Read more...
Pearl ring with crystal halo setting
Engagement Ring Settings Explained: Solitaire, Halo, Pavé and Three-Stone
Solitaire, halo, pavé, three-stone, bezel and cluster — the ring setting shapes how the stone looks, sparkles and wears. A plain-English guide to each style. Read more...
Round brilliant moissanite ring in sterling silver
Diamond Shapes Explained: Round, Oval, Emerald, Princess and More
Round, oval, emerald, princess, pear, cushion and marquise — what each diamond shape actually looks like, how they differ, and how to choose the one that suits you. Read more...
14K gold plated jewellery set with champagne cubic zirconia stones
Yellow, White and Rose Gold: The Colours of Gold Explained
Yellow, white and rose gold are all real gold — the difference is the alloy mixed in. An honest guide to how each colour is made, how they wear, and... Read more...
A delicate gold-plated chain necklace with a baguette-crystal infinity pendant
Types of Necklace Chains Explained: Cable, Curb, Figaro, Rope, Box and More
Cable, curb, Figaro, rope, box, snake, herringbone — the names can be confusing. Here is a plain-English UK guide to the most common jewellery chain types, what each one looks... Read more...
How to Care for Stainless Steel and PVD-Coated Jewellery
Stainless steel is the lowest-maintenance jewellery metal there is, and PVD coatings are tougher than traditional plating — but neither is invincible. The full care routine. Read more...
How to Care for Platinum Jewellery: Patina, Polishing and Storage
Platinum never tarnishes, but it does develop a satin patina from daily wear. What that patina is, how to clean platinum, and how to store it properly. Read more...
How to Care for Natural Stone Jewellery: Jade, Agate, Turquoise, Amber and More
Natural stones vary enormously — agate is tough, amber is soft, turquoise is porous. A stone-by-stone care and storage guide so nothing fades, cracks or dulls. Read more...
How to Care for Cubic Zirconia Jewellery So It Keeps Its Sparkle
Cubic zirconia dulls faster than diamond or moissanite because oils cling to it readily — but a gentle clean brings it straight back. The full care and storage routine. Read more...
How to Care for Moissanite Jewellery: Does It Get Cloudy?
Moissanite does not permanently cloud — it just collects oils like any brilliant stone. How to clean moissanite, whether it scratches, and how to store it. Read more...
How to Care for Diamond Jewellery: Why Diamonds Go Dull and How to Fix It
Diamonds are the hardest natural material on Earth, yet they lose their sparkle surprisingly fast. Why it happens, how to clean them safely, and how to store them. Read more...
How to Care for Brass Jewellery (and Why It Turns Skin Green)
Brass jewellery tarnishes and can leave a harmless green mark on skin — both are easy to manage. How to clean, wear and store brass so it keeps its warm golden glow. Read more...
How to Care for Gold and Gold-Plated Jewellery So It Keeps Its Shine
Solid gold, gold vermeil and gold-plated jewellery each need slightly different care. Here is how to clean, wear and store each one so the shine lasts. Read more...
Wedding Anniversary Gemstones by Year: Which Stone Marks Each Milestone?
Silver for 25 years, pearl for 30, ruby for 40, gold for 50 — here is the full UK list of traditional wedding anniversary gemstones and metals by year, and how to choose a jewellery gift to match. Read more...
How Is Brass Jewellery Gold-Plated? Inside the Electroplating Process
From raw brass to a gleaming gold finish: how electroplating works, why a barrier layer matters, what microns mean, and how to make plated jewellery last. Read more...
How Is Platinum Mined? Why the Rarest Jewellery Metal Takes Months to Refine
Around 70% of the world's platinum comes from one geological formation in South Africa — and refining it can take months. How platinum is mined, refined and used. Read more...
Copper: The Hidden Metal in Almost All Your Jewellery — How It Is Mined and Used
Copper is inside sterling silver, rose gold, brass and bronze — yet nobody thinks of it as a jewellery metal. How it is mined, refined and why your jewellery depends on it. Read more...
How Is Gold Mined and Refined? The Journey from Rock to Ring
How gold goes from a few grams per tonne of rock to 99.99% pure bars — mining, cyanide leaching, the Miller and Wohlwill processes, and what carats really mean. Read more...
How Is Silver Mined? From Deep Underground to the Ring on Your Finger
Where does silver actually come from? How it is mined, refined to 99.9% purity and alloyed into the sterling silver used in jewellery — explained step by step. Read more...
What Is a Promise Ring? Meaning, Which Finger It Goes On, and How to Choose One
What does a promise ring actually mean, which finger does it go on, and how is it different from an engagement ring? A plain-English guide to promise ring etiquette, history and choosing the right one. Read more...
Bracelet Size Guide: How to Measure Your Wrist for the Perfect Fit
How do you measure your wrist for a bracelet, and what size should you buy? A simple step-by-step guide with size charts for bracelets, bangles and tennis bracelets. Read more...
How to Layer Necklaces: Lengths, Metals and How to Stop Them Tangling
How many necklaces should you layer, what lengths work together, and can you mix gold and silver? A practical guide to necklace layering that answers the questions people actually search for. Read more...
The Mohs Scale: How Scratch-Proof Is Your Jewellery, Really?
From soft amber to unscratchable diamond — a visual guide to the Mohs hardness scale, what it means for everyday wear, and why your pearls should never share a pouch with your moissanite. Read more...
Born in a Meteorite: The Strange True Story of How Moissanite Was Discovered
Moissanite was first found in fragments of a meteorite crater — and the chemist who discovered it initially thought he'd found diamonds. The true story of Henri Moissan, his Nobel Prize, and how a space mineral became the most affordable brilliant gem on Earth. Read more...
What Is Cubic Zirconia? An Honest Guide to CZ Jewellery
Cubic zirconia is one of the most misunderstood stones in jewellery. Here's what CZ actually is, how it compares with moissanite and diamond, and when it's a genuinely smart buy. Read more...
What Are Baroque Pearls? Why Perfectly Imperfect Pearls Are Everywhere
Baroque pearls — the irregular, one-of-a-kind shapes once rejected by tradition — are now the most fashionable pearls in the world. What they are, the famous history, and how to judge quality. Read more...
Pearl Sizes Explained: What 4mm to 12mm Actually Looks Like
Pearl prices jump dramatically with every millimetre — but bigger isn't automatically better. What each size range looks like when worn, and how to pick the right one for studs, necklaces and gifts. Read more...
Snakes, Roses, Crosses and Masks: What Jewellery Symbols Really Mean
From Cleopatra's serpents to Victorian mourning rings — the real history behind the symbols on your jewellery, and why the dark-romantic look is having a moment. Read more...
The Y2K Jewellery Comeback: Butterflies, Denim and 2000s Sparkle
Butterflies, denim textures and playful sparkle are back two decades after their first reign. Why the Y2K jewellery revival happened, and how to wear it without looking like a costume. Read more...
Hoops, Huggies, Studs or Drops? How to Choose Earrings That Suit You
The four earring families explained — what huggies actually are, which styles suit which face shapes, and why earring weight matters more than most shoppers realise. Read more...
What Is Green Amber? And How to Tell Real Amber from Fake
Amber isn't a stone at all — it's fossilised tree resin millions of years old. What makes green amber special, the honest truth about how it gets its colour, and simple tests for spotting fakes. Read more...
Watch Metals Compared: Stainless Steel vs Gold vs Silver vs Titanium
Why almost every modern watch is stainless steel, what "gold watch" can actually mean (solid, capped, plated or PVD), why silver cases are mostly a vintage thing, and how to match a watch to your jewellery. Read more...
The 4Cs of Diamonds Explained: Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat
Cut, colour, clarity, carat — the grading system behind every diamond price tag, explained in plain English, plus the smart-buyer tricks that save real money without visible difference. Read more...
How to Tell if a Diamond Is Real: Home Tests and What Actually Requires a Professional
The fog test, the newspaper test, UV light — which home diamond tests actually work, which are myths, and why even jewellers' thermal testers can be fooled by moissanite. Read more...