Monday, July 27, 2009

Get The Best Countertops

Today, countertops are no longer considered extravagant and exclusive only used by the rich and famous to showcase their wealth and aesthetic tastes but even normal middle class people can afford them. People usually want to decorate their kitchen and bathroom countertops to match the color, theme and environment of their residences. But there are so many options available in the market that more often than not homeowners get confused while choosing the best counters that suit their demand. So how do you choose the most suitable countertop to make your kitchen or bathroom look more glamorous?

Things to consider before choosing:

We use countertops almost all the time - while assembling our meals, using the toilet and hence they get a lot of beating. So, the most important thing one should consider while choosing is the durability and resistance power of the material that has perfect edges. The material should have smooth surface, be easy to clean, resistant to stain, scratches chemical, heat and water.

One should also look at the material and how it is manufactured. Some counters need simple processing and some require lengthy processing. Naturally, the one with simple processing will take less impact and remain strong during customization.

Installation is another important aspect while choosing the perfect countertop for you home. While most of the materials can be customized and installed, one should still consider which material is best suitable for which part of the house.

Quartz In Watches And Timing Technology

There are many different available quartz watch models. In fact, it would take days to list all of the different brands and models. However, there are a few that are very popular and represent a decent price point. One popular model is the Seiko Men’s Quarter Classic. This sleek metallic design gives it a very classic look that is hard to top. It features a stainless steel case and band with a fold-over deployment clasp. The display is crystal which gives it great durability and practicality.

Another great quartz watch is the Spade Watch Company’s TC3 model. This watch features a Tungsten Carbide case that gives the watch extreme levels of durability, since it is one of the hardest metals in the world. It is crafted with lasers and diamonds meaning that it is virtually scratch-proof. If you’ve been looking for one of the most durable watches on the market, this is it.

What makes a quartz watch superior to any other type of watch? Let’s look at how quartz works exactly. Quartz has piezoelectric properties that make it a great form of timekeeping. A quartz crystal is inserted into the watch and this creates a frequency. The frequency then regulates a crystal oscillator that makes the watch tick. This keeps time and therefore allows you to have a reliable time keeper in your watch. Most quartz watches offer you the reliability of being with 10 seconds per year of the actual time. This is pretty impressive quality from any wristwatch.

The history of the quartz watch is relatively young. The first quartz clock was built in 1927 by Warren Marrison and J.W. Horton. Many people don’t know that the clock was invented in Bell Telephone Laboratories. Therefore the inventor of the telephone was also indirectly associated with the invention of the quartz clock.

Quartz Infrared Portable Heaters

Against this backdrop of increased environmental awareness and greater concern when it comes to wasting energy, areas such as workplace heating are coming under increasing scrutiny, and ore efficiency is being sought at all times. One area in which any management group can meet with the demands on efficiency of greater environmental awareness is by installing quartz infrared portable heaters.

Quartz infrared portable heaters offer the opportunity to bring a scalable and robust heating solution into your workplace that can be applied on either a localized or general basis according to the individual needs. Whether you have a large workplace to heat, and would have previously installed a heating unit over every desk, or have already recognized the importance of flexible heating systems, you will benefit from implementing small individual heaters throughout the building that can be controlled on an individual basis rather than a single integrated system that lacks local control.

By localizing heating control to the point where individual employees can adjust the temperature provided by their quartz infrared portable heaters, it is possible to apply resources only where they are required, and this will lower the overall requirement for heaters across the workplace. Compared to a single joined up and centralized heating system, individual units that are designed to work efficiently on a small scale provides a number of benefits.

Amethyst: The Calming Quartz

Siberia once had magnificent deposits of amethyst in the Ural Mountains. The most desired color, deep purple with rose-red tint and even blue tints, came out of these deposits. Like many ancient gemstone mines, it was depleted long ago. Today, your amethyst pendant probably originated in Brazil or Uruguay, though some do come from Sri Lanka, Mexico and Arizona as well.

Mythology

The name is Greek for "sober." Now, this makes sense once you hear the story of Bacchus. He was the Roman god of wine and revelry. One day, he was in a foul mood and set his tigers on the next person to cross his path. This unlucky person happened to be a maiden named Amethyst who was on her way to the Goddess Diana's temple. Diana turned her into a pillar of quartz to stop the tiger attack. Bacchus was so remorseful; he poured wine over the pillar as an apology and stained the pillar purple.

As a result, the stone was believed to have the power to stave off drunkenness. In fact, the ancient Greeks and Romans would carve drinking goblets from the violet quartz rather than wear them as amethyst and diamond rings, in an attempt to remain sober as they drank their wine.

Birthstone for February

Celebrating a birthday in February? You might want to start hinting for the amethyst and diamond bracelet you've been wanting. As a February baby, you have a right because it is your birthstone. Of course, everyone can ask for and wear it, but you have a special connection.

If your 6th wedding anniversary is coming up, you've got another opportunity to hint for jewelry made from the crystalline gemstone. Amethyst rings come in a variety of cuts and colors to fit any personality.

Deciding On A Quartz Countertop

Quartz is a material that is found in great abundance within the earth; in fact, it is only second to water as the most common mineral-based form on the entire planet. Found to be effective and durable in a number of common home applications, quartz is now widely used in this capacity.

The quartz countertop is typically comprised of 100% quartz; the result is a countertop that holds up incredibly well under any kitchen conditions. Such countertops are heat resistant and hold up extremely well against scratches, stains, and impact. They are relatively low maintenance and provide an excellent workspace for cooks.

However, it is important to be on the lookout for those countertops that claim to be fully quartz comprised but that actually contain other material as well. Any additional material used in the making of the countertop can actually compromise the integrity of the quartz, rendering the countertops porous and therefore highly vulnerable to stains and scratches.

The quartz countertop is made from raw quartz crystals that are selected for their size and strength and then ground together. Once the quartz crystals are sufficiently ground, they are mixed with bonding agents before being heated and compacted to form an impenetrable surface.