Introduction to South Gap on eBay
Thank you for
shopping with us. For over 9 years now we have been building customer
relationships selling unique, handcrafted items. We specialize in sterling
silver, diamond and gold jewelry with a wide selection of rings, pendants,
bracelets, necklaces and earrings. You'll also find an increasing number
of jewelry making supplies, such as gemstones and beads. As we continue to
partner with more independent traders, you'll find more unique items such as
hand-knotted rugs.
Why buy from South Gap?
You’ll want to ask our over
160,00 eBay customers who have left over 1 million positive feedbacks. We
treat each customer as we would want to be treated with accurate product
description, great prices, and easy shopping. Items are shipped within
24hrs of payment, Monday-Friday.
What's with the name "South Gap"
South Gap was
inspired by a trip through the beautiful Appalachian Mountains. As we were
going up one of the mountains, we came across the small town of South Gap,
Virginia.
How do I contact South Gap?
The best way is to simply
send us an email via the eBay "Ask Seller A Question"
link.
Diamond Information
Diamond
Shape
Diamond Carat
Weight
Diamond
Clarity
Diamonds clarity is graded determined by the location, number, size, and the
type of inclusions found in the diamond. Clarity is also graded on a scale
ranging from FL to I3. Inclusions are known as slight imperfection. The
less inclusion the diamond has the more valuable it is. The most important thing
about clarity is that the inclusion should not be noticeable to the naked eye.
Diamond Color
Diamonds are graded on a color scale ranging from D to Z. D being absolutely
colorless and Z with the most color. The less color the diamond has the more
valuable it is. Most diamonds appears colorless but in fact have slight tones of
brown and yellow. Diamonds also comes in variety of different colors, such as
blue, green, red, and yellow. A diamonds color is determined and compared to the
Gemological Institute of America's (GIA) color scale.
Hand Knotted Rugs
What is a hand-knotted
oriental rug?
Not all rugs can be truly be called Oriental rugs. “Oriental” defines
the rug as being hand-knotted or hand-tied from the Near East, Middle East, or
Far East. Hand-knotted or hand-tied rugs are literally, hand-made
rugs! These rugs are made by the same traditional method they have been
made for centuries - by skilled weavers individually tying each knot by hand,
thus creating a unique one-of-a-kind rug. Depending on the pattern,
it can take anywhere from a few months to a few years for one weaver to complete
a 9x12 rug!
Hand-knotted rugs are much more durable than mass-produced machine made
rugs. Since each knot is hand-tied, the resulting rug has a great combined
strength and consistency. This is why hand-knotted rugs age so well and
why they nearly always retain and increase in value over time.
What’s the advantage of hand-knotted rugs over machine made
rugs?
There are too many advantages to name! However, most importantly, a
machine made rug is literally by machine – this allows them to be made in just a
fraction of the time that hand-knotted rugs are made. This is why they can
be significantly less costly. However, these rugs are often made with glue
and synthetic materials – over time, the glue can harden and cause the rug to
curl up or start to have that “just about to fall apart” look. Synthetic
materials don’t age well, and the rug will quickly lose its allure. There
is no machine that can re-create the quality built into a hand-knotted
rug! With each knot individually hand-tied, you are guaranteed a durable,
beautiful heirloom that can be enjoyed by several generations.
What about hand-tufted rugs?
Just to be clear, hand-tufted rugs are NOT hand-knotted rugs!
Hand-tufted rugs are actually close in quality to machine-made rugs. These
rugs are made by a worker using a hand tool to punch strands of wool or
synthetic material into a sheet of canvas. The canvas is then glued down
onto a fabric backing – it is only the glue that holds the wool or synthetic
pile in place, there are no knots involved. It can take a worker as little
as 3 or 4 days to make a complete 9x12 rug (as compared with over a year for a
hand-knotted rug!). As you would expect, these rugs do not age well, and
as the glue dries and ages, the rug can start to fall apart.
What materials are Oriental rugs made from?
Wool and silk are the traditional primary materials used in quality
hand-knotted rugs. Cotton is sometimes used in the foundation, but not the
pile. Silk is often used as a highlight or accent material, adding sheen
and beauty. These natural materials create a rug that is both beautiful
and strong. A rug made primarily of wool will age gracefully over time,
naturally repel dirt, and is easy to clean. Over time, wool starts to look
“polished” – as the natural oils from human hands and feet coat each individual
strand of wool, this creates a softer look that causes the rug to become even
more desirable!
What about the number of
knots?
Generally speaking, a large part of a hand-knotted rug’s value is placed on
how many knots there are in one square inch. “Knots per square inch” can
range from 40 up to 2,000. 160 knots per square inch is considered very
good, 400 knots per square inch is extraordinary, and 1,000 knots per inch or
more is very rare. A higher knot count is generally more costly because in
a higher knot count rug, the weaver will have to make many more knots for the
same size rug! A higher knot count rug will generally be more dense (wear
better) and have a finer woven pattern than a rug with a lower knot count.
However, more knots are not always better – in many traditional tribal rug
patterns, a lower knot count is more appropriate for the style of
pattern.
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