Diamonds
Make a Wonderful Gift.
by Claire Dibello
Precious gems are beautiful and
they last a long time and they are very valuable. Diamonds in particular shimmer
in any kind of light, providing an exquisite treasure. Some people give a piece
of diamond jewelry as the sole gem gift a loved one will ever receive. Others
add a diamond gift to a long line of precious gems. Before bestowing diamonds as
a gift to a loved one, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
Diamonds are usually very expensive. If you come across a diamond that is being
sold on the cheap, you have to wonder why this is the case. It may mean that the
cut is not the best quality or it could have poor point value. Perhaps the gem
is even stolen! You have to be careful about where and how you purchase precious
jewelry to ensure that you get your money's worth in value. Check with several
jewelry stores or diamond dealers. State up front how much money you have to
spend and the type of gift you wish to make. The experts can help you make a
good choice for what you have to work with.
Diamonds are for grown ups. Children or even teenagers rarely have a proper
appreciation for diamonds. Perhaps diamond chip earrings would be an acceptable
gift for older teen girls, but more lavish diamond jewelry should be saved for
more mature wearers. A diamond necklace, brooch, ring, or bracelet conveys a
sense of sophistication that younger women cannot often carry off. Save the gift
of diamonds for a special occasion and an older girl.
Diamonds deserve special care. You don’t want to just fling a diamond ring in
the jewelry box or leave it lying unprotected on a`dresser top. Preserve the
beauty and keep it clean while avoiding scratches by placing diamond jewelry
into velvet-lined boxes or containers. Depending on the size and value of your
investment, your diamonds may need to be kept in a safe deposit box or vault at
your local bank. You don’t want nosy workers or desperate thieves to make off
with your prized possession. You may want to have your diamond priced or valued
by an experienced jeweler for home insurance purposes. It also is a good idea to
have it cleaned periodically, if needed.
Diamonds are for special occasions. Although they are often given on any
occasion like a birthday or holiday, a diamond jewelry item is especially suited
to commemorative occasions, such as an engagement or anniversary. Smaller
diamond gifts can serve just about any purpose, but the larger, more valuable
kind should not be handed off lightly. Give some thought to the meaning of your
gift and what your receiver will think (as well as what you want him or her to
think) before offering this unique token of affection.
Claire Dibello is the owner of
www.anydiamonds.com which is a premier source of information about Diamonds.
Making Sense of
Diamond Grading Specs.
by Keith Thompson
Anyone wanting to make an
informed purchase of diamond jewelry needs at least a cursory understanding of
the Four C's. These are the standards by which diamonds are graded, and
ultimately determine their value. They are Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat weight.
What follows is a brief description to acquaint diamond shoppers with these
essential benchmarks.
CARAT WEIGHT - Contrary to popular belief, a large stone alone does not a
valuable diamond make! While bigger can be better, it's not the only factor. All
the other C's carry as much weight in the end, and be sure to use the size as a
factor, though not necessarily a determining one. A carat is actually a
measurement of weight, not size, equal to 200 Milligrams.
COLOR - The less color the better. In other words, everything else being equal,
a colorless diamond will be much more valuable. Diamonds range in color from
colorless to brown, and are ranked by letter starting with "D",(colorless) to
"Z", (brownish) This is determined under special lighting, and does not include
the "fancy colored diamonds", as these are graded differently. In short, the
clearer the better!
CLARITY - Another important characteristic of a diamond's value is it's clarity.
This deals with the number and size of any inclusions; small clouds, crystals,
feathers or cavities noticeable under 10X magnification. The clarity grades are
F-Flawless (extremely rare); IF-Internally Flawless; VVS1, VVS2- Very, Very
Slightly Included; VS1, VS2 - Very Slightly Included; SI1, SI2- Slightly
Included; and I1,I2,I3- Included. All you really need to know about this though,
(other than your diamond's grade) is that you should not be able to see any
inclusions with the naked eye.
CUT - Most people think that the cut of a diamond refers to it's shape. That's
not so. It actually refers to the way a diamond is shaped to refract light, thus
enabling it to sparkle. This is quite an art and requires that each facet of the
stone be cut at precise angles to each other, in the correct shape and size, to
bring about the desired effect. Each diamond shape has different measurements
for it's particular dimensions. There are eight basic shapes popular today, and
they are, in no particular order; heart, princess, pear, marquise, radiant,
emerald, oval and round.
Understanding these characteristics can make a diamond jewelry purchase much
less nerve-racking. You're spending a good deal of money; it's nice to know what
you're spending it on!
Keith Thompson is the webmaster
at
DiamondChristmas.com, where diamond jewelry is the order of the day from
some of the web's best merchants.
Buying A Diamond
For Your Special Person?
by Fern Kuhn
The first thing you want to
consider when buying a diamond is the price. If the price of the diamond sounds
too good to be true, then be very careful?
Diamond crystals were created
deep within the core of our Earth more than 3 billion years ago and now brought
closer to the surface of the earth by volcanic eruptions. Today, more than 250
tons of ore are needed to create just one carat round diamond. Even then, only
20% of all the rough diamonds are suitable even for gem cutting. The rest of the
ore is then used for industrial purposes.
So then why would a diamond
merchant discount the price on a genuinely good quality diamond that is a
billion years old? The answer is because the original selling price was inflated
to begin with. A brilliantly cut diamond in a showcase that is discounted but
was last year’s model, has not lost its value? You usually get what you pay for.
You just need to be careful when
you're ordering on the Internet, Mailorder, TV “home shopping” stations, street
peddlers, cruise bargains, and even some friend that may be offering a glittery
deals that sound tempting. You may wind up with a diamond ring but low quality.
There is nothing wrong with a
legitimate discount. Deceptive pricing offers you no bargain.
Follow these simple guidelines to
find the best diamond you can afford.
Don't be impulsive--shop around
Learn about the 4 C’s—color,
clarity, cut and carat weight. There are places that you can download what the 4
C’s are with an explanation for each one.
Pay close attention to the cut
which is the very important. Regardless of the shape, you really need to look at
the cut and if there is any damage to the diamond.
Also watch out for cosmetic
enhancements or synthetic diamonds. Diamonds can be heated and enhanced or
irridated. for example blue diamonds are most likely irritated especially if you
are not paying a premium for that diamond.
If you have a good rapport with
your jeweler than instead stick with them.
If you don't have a jeweler, then
ask questions and see how the jeweler answers you. Listen to how knowledgeable
they are. If you are torn between two stores, you can buy one of them as long as
the store has a refund policy and not just a store credit.
Make sure your jeweler is going
to stand by the durability of your mounting and the quality of your diamond.
After all, a diamond will say “I love you” over and over again forever.
Copyright 2005 - Fern Kuhn, RN
Specializing in Diabetes
http://www.diabetestestingcenter.com
http://www.giftbasketcenter.info
You may reprint this article as
long as you keep the links active
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fern_Kuhn
Diamonds Are
Forever.
by Sam Serio
Diamond jewelry: diamond rings,
diamond earrings, diamond pendants and diamond bracelets are some of the most
sought after gemstone creations. Your eyes tell you how beautiful a piece of
diamond jewelry is, but how do you know you are getting your money’s worth?
A little knowledge can go a long
way to help you purchase a beautiful piece of diamond jewelry at a fair price.
Diamond Jewelry 101
A diamond's value is based on
four criteria: color, cut, clarity, and carat. The clarity and color of a
diamond usually are graded. However, scales are not uniform: a clarity grade of
"slightly included" may represent a different grade on one grading system versus
another, depending on the terms used in the scale. Make sure you know how a
particular scale and grade represent the color or clarity of the diamond you're
considering. A diamond can be described as "flawless" only if it has no visible
surface or internal imperfections when viewed under 10-power magnification by a
skilled diamond grader.
As with other gems, diamond
weight usually is stated in carats. Diamond weight may be described in decimal
or fractional parts of a carat. If the weight is given in decimal parts of a
carat, the figure should be accurate to the last decimal place. For example,
".30 carat" could represent a diamond that weighs between .295 - .304 carat.
Some retailers describe diamond weight in fractions and use the fraction to
represent a range of weights. For example, a diamond described as 1/2 carat
could weigh between .47 - .54 carat. If diamond weight is stated as fractional
parts of a carat, the retailer should disclose two things: that the weight is
not exact, and the reasonable range of weight for each fraction or the weight
tolerance being used.
Some diamonds may be treated to
improve their appearance in similar ways as other gemstones. Since these
treatments improve the clarity of the diamond, some jewelers refer to them as
clarity enhancement. One type of treatment - fracture filling - conceals cracks
in diamonds by filling them with a foreign substance. This filling may not be
permanent and jewelers should tell you if the diamond you're considering has
been fracture-filled.
Another treatment - lasering -
involves the use of a laser beam to improve the appearance of diamonds that have
black inclusions or spots. A laser beam is aimed at the inclusion. Acid is then
forced through a tiny tunnel made by the laser beam to remove the inclusion.
Lasering is permanent and a laser-drilled stone does not require special care.
While a laser-drilled diamond may
appear as beautiful as a comparable untreated stone, it may not be as valuable.
That's because an untreated stone of the same quality is rarer and therefore
more valuable. Jewelers should tell you whether the diamond you're considering
has been laser-drilled.
Imitation diamonds, such as cubic
zirconia, resemble diamonds in appearance but are much less costly. Certain
laboratory-created gemstones, such as lab-created moissanite, also resemble
diamonds and may not be adequately detected by the instruments originally used
to identify cubic zirconia. Ask your jeweler if he has the current testing
equipment to distinguish between diamonds and other lab-created stones.
When shopping for diamond jewelry
online, apply these tips.
1. Shop with companies you know
or do some homework before buying to make sure a company is legitimate before
doing business with it.
2. Take advantage of information
and referrals from an internet company you have come to trust.
3. Get the details about the
product, as well as the merchant's refund and return policies, before you buy.
4. Look for an address to write
to or a phone number to call if you have a question, a problem or need help.
For more information on jewelry
and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit
http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy
Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative
special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry
and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at
http://www.morninglightjewelry.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Serio
Buying Diamonds
Without Being Ripped Off.
by Sam Serio
Buying diamond jewelry can be
fun, exciting and confusing. Whether you’re considering a gift of diamond
jewelry for someone special or as a treat for yourself, take some time to learn
the terms used in the industry. Here’s some information to help you get the best
quality diamond jewelry for your money, whether you’re shopping in a traditional
brick and mortar store or online.
Diamonds
A diamond’s value is based on four criteria: color, cut, clarity, and carat. The
clarity and color of a diamond usually are graded. However, scales are not
uniform: a clarity grade of “slightly included” may represent a different grade
on one grading system versus another, depending on the terms used in the scale.
Make sure you know how a particular scale and grade represent the color or
clarity of the diamond you’re considering. A diamond can be described as
“flawless” only if it has no visible surface or internal imperfections when
viewed under 10-power magnification by a skilled diamond grader.
As with other gems, diamond
weight usually is stated in carats. Diamond weight may be described in decimal
or fractional parts of a carat. If the weight is given in decimal parts of a
carat, the figure should be accurate to the last decimal place. For example,
“.30 carat” could represent a diamond that weighs between .295 - .304 carat.
Some retailers describe diamond weight in fractions and use the fraction to
represent a range of weights. For example, a diamond described as 1/2 carat
could weigh between .47 - .54 carat. If diamond weight is stated as fractional
parts of a carat, the retailer should disclose two things: that the weight is
not exact, and the reasonable range of weight for each fraction or the weight
tolerance being used.
Some diamonds may be treated to
improve their appearance in similar ways as other gemstones. Since these
treatments improve the clarity of the diamond, some jewelers refer to them as
clarity enhancement. One type of treatment - fracture filling - conceals cracks
in diamonds by filling them with a foreign substance. This filling may not be
permanent and jewelers should tell you if the diamond you’re considering has
been fracture-filled.
Another treatment - lasering -
involves the use of a laser beam to improve the appearance of diamonds that have
black inclusions or pots. A laser beam is aimed at the inclusion. Acid is then
forced through a tiny tunnel made by the laser beam to remove the inclusion.
Lasering is permanent and a laser-drilled stone does not require special care.
While a laser-drilled diamond may
appear as beautiful as a comparable untreated stone, it may not be as valuable.
That’s because an untreated stone of the same quality is rarer and therefore
more valuable. Jewelers should tell you whether the diamond you’re considering
has been laser-drilled.
Imitation diamonds, such as cubic
zirconia, resemble diamonds in appearance but are much less costly. Certain
laboratory created gemstones, such as lab-created moissanite, also resemble
diamonds and may not be adequately detected by the instruments originally used
to identify cubic zirconia. Ask your jeweler if he has the current testing
equipment to distinguish between diamonds and other lab-created stones.
For more information on jewelry
and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit
http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy
Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative
special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry
and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at
http://www.morninglightjewelry.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Serio
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