Are our jewelry candles real?
Candles are a popular wedding gift because they contribute to both the bride’s and the home’s aesthetic appeal. In addition to adding ambiance, candles amplify the mood by lending a soft glow to surrounding objects. Several variations of these gifts are available, from single to multiple-wick wicks to themed sets. Most notably, jewelry dealers sell gold and silver candles that burn precious metals into the base of their wares. Is it safe to burn candles made out of Jewelry?
Burning Jewelry often produces melted pieces that resemble the original article. Since candle wax is a petroleum derivative, burned Jewelry usually resembles its original metal. Additionally, melted chips may take on a gray color from the negative ions emitted by the flame. Although this effect is negligible for silver and gold, it can be pretty dramatic for darker metals like bronze and copper. Jewelry burned into candles doesn’t necessarily render these metals useless; it merely emulates their original appearance.
Jewelry melted in a candle may not look like its original counterpart either. However, some melted jewelry can resemble the base material much more closely than burned pieces. The most notable difference between burned and melted Jewelry Surprise Candles is the presence of bubbles in the former versus the latter. The former result often features tiny bubbles while the latter has larger ones- presumably due to gas escaping while molten. This effect is cumulative since each bubble adds to an overall irregularity in shape and texture. Although melted Jewelry does not always resemble its original piece, it can at least approximate its shape and appearance when molten.
Apart from aesthetics, there’s another reason burning Jewelry does not accurately replicate original pieces. Negative ions emitted by a candle’s flame produce a hazy atmosphere that resembles melted metal. Since most Jewelry consists of at least some base metal, this effect can be pretty convincing even if it does not replicate the item itself. Though not perfect, comparable substitutes exist for those interested in preserving their valuables- for example, mica or resin encasements for silver and gold.
Candles incorporating Jewelry are a thoughtful wedding gift that can enhance any decoratively inclined home environment. However, burned or melted candles with rings inside is rarely an accurate physical representation of the item within. Considering this unique property of flame — creating things that preserve articles within them — may not be best in this case. Understanding how these items work is critical when considering what type of candle to purchase for your home’s aesthetic appeal.
