Jewelry Guide
Learn more about the different gems so that your transition into
the jewelry industry can be a smooth one.
Gold
What Does the Karat
in Gold Mean?: The purity of gold is determined by the measure
of gold and alloy combinations, the alloy being other metals such
as silver, copper, tin, etc. The purity is defined in "karats".
What Are the Different
Colors of Gold?: Our traditional perception of gold, is a rich,
deep, metallic yellow. But in fact, gold comes in many shades of
that color, and in other colors as well.
How to Care For Your
Gold Jewelry: As a precious metal, gold represents less work
to maintain its appearance than other metals, such as silver.
Silver
How to Tell
the Difference Between Silver and Platinum: For those who prefer
something other than the traditional gold for jewelry settings,
there are a number of metals and alloys that give a "white"
gleam to their stones or settings.
How Can You Tell
The Purity of Silver?: The first thing you should know about
silver, is that you are not likely to see truly pure silver in any
form.
How to Care For
Silver Jewelry: Silver jewelry has a lovely patina, but the
sad fact is that the patina darkens with age, turning from the original
brilliant silver, to a light gold, and if left long enough it will
become bronzed and then a black/blue.
Diamonds
How to Tell If
a Diamond is Real: The average person rarely sees a diamond
of such size that they can apply any of the more obvious tests that
a jeweler or gemologist would use in determining whether a diamond
is real or not.
How to Determine
the Quality of a Diamond: When it comes to diamonds, size doesn't
always matter. You may have one that is the size of a hen's egg,
that's not worth as much as one that's the size of a dime.
What Are the Different
Diamond Cuts: When people talk about the cut of the diamond,
they are usually taking about the shape of the stone, as opposed
to the manner in which the diamond has been cut.
What Is Diamond
Clarity?: The clarity of a diamond is perhaps one of its most
valuable selling points in the eye of the consumer. A diamond, that
has flash and fire, will stand out even above others that are far
larger.
What Are
the Most Valuable Diamond Colors?: The question of value in
diamond color, is one of purely aesthetic taste, and availability.
How Is
the Carat Weight of a Diamond Measured?: Diamonds, and other
gemstones, are measured by weight in carats, not the karat of gold,
although the two are often confused.
How to Care For
Your Diamond Jewelry: The most attractive feature of diamonds
is their flash and fire, something that is significantly dulled
when a diamond becomes dirty.
How to Buy a Diamond: Buying diamond
jewelry is not a task to be taken lightly. If you don't do your
research, you could end up getting swindled.
Buying Men's Diamond Jewelry:
Men's diamond jewelry makes an ideal gift these days. Men tend to
wear jewelry that's given to them, but often never think to buy
something for themselves.
Buying Diamond Jewelry Online: Buying
fine diamond jewelry online is as safe as if you'd walked into the
jewelry store across town these days.
Buying Wholesale Diamond Jewelry:
If you have ever walked down the aisles of a flea market and wondered
where the peddlers get all their merchandise from?
Tips for Buying an Engagement Ring:
When it comes to buying that oh so special diamond ring for the
engagement process, you have to learn a few tips because these tips
here can really help you in your quest for the perfect ring for
your special person.
How to Buy Loose Diamonds: Loose
diamonds are basically nothing more than single diamonds that have
not yet been set in a ring or another piece of jewelry. These are
getting to be very popular these days.
How to Buy Diamond Jewelry on a Budget:
Unless you're independently wealthy, then you have a limited amount
of money to spend on diamond jewelry.
Buying a
Diamond Engagement Ring: There is much to consider when purchasing
a diamond – especially diamond engagement rings.
Caring for Your
Diamond: Caring for a diamond takes more than occasional cleanings.
Diamonds are forever, but they can be damaged if you are not careful.
Selling a Diamond:
There are many reasons why you may want to sell a diamond that you
own. Perhaps you’ve gotten divorced, or you are strapped for cash.
Cleaning
Your Diamonds: Through our day to day movements our diamonds
get smudged and soiled. Even when we are not wearing them, they
collect dust.
How Do You Know
a Diamond is Fake?: In this world of advanced technology it
is almost impossible to simply look at a diamond and determine whether
it is real or not – especially if you don’t know much about diamonds.
How to Insure
Your Diamonds: Insuring a diamond takes a bit of thought, planning,
and shopping around. Diamond insurance isn’t like purchasing car
insurance.
Choosing the
Diamond Right for You: Diamonds are graded for certification
by laboratories using grading criteria. Four of these criteria are
critical to understand when making a diamond purchase or investment.
What are
Synthetic Diamonds?: The first synthetic diamonds were produced
by General Electric in 1954. A synthetic diamond is basically a
rock that has the durability, refractive index and hardness of a
natural diamond – but it is made by man.
Dirty Diamonds
and How to Prevent Them: A dirty diamond is one of two things:
a rough diamond, or a diamond that hasn’t been cleaned in a while.
Mining Diamonds:
Argye mine located in the Kimberley region in the far north east
of Western Australia. Owned by Rio Tinto, this mine is the world’s
largest single producer of volume of diamonds.
Setting Pricing
for Diamonds: Pricing most products is quite easy. Determine
how much it costs to make the item, how much it costs to market
that item, and then mark it up by 15 – 30% or more.
How are
Diamonds Mined?: We seldom think about how the diamonds we wear
came to us. Natural diamonds, as opposed to synthetic diamonds or
fake diamonds, are mined from the earth.
Cutting Diamonds:
In their most natural form, diamonds are – well – quite ugly. They
have no luster or shine, and in fact, look like nothing more than
broken glass.
What are Some
Famous Diamonds?: Among the most well known diamonds is the
Hope. This 45.52 carat steel blue diamond is currently on display
at the Smithsonian.
How to Spot Diamond
Scams: When it comes to diamonds, there are numerous scams to
avoid. Most scams are minor, but there are some major ones that
come up from time to time concerning the buying and selling of diamonds.
How
to Read a Diamond Grading Report: You’ve been told that having
a certificate or a diamond grading report is important, and as a
responsible consumer, you get one – unfortunately, you probably
won’t understand a word of what is on that diamond grading report,
unless you are a jeweler.
Why a Diamond
Certificate is Important: A diamond certificate is also known
as a Diamond Grading Report. This report comes from the Gemological
Institute of America (GIA), and you should require this report when
you are purchasing a diamond.
What is Diamond
Branding?: Diamonds are one of the few products that simply
cannot be ‘branded.’ Even though there are different cuts, different
grades, and different values placed on each and every diamond in
existence, no diamond is any specific brand – just as gold is not
a specific brand.
How are Diamonds
Colored?: Fancy colored diamonds are all the rage these days.
Gemologists have developed new ways to create versions that are
affordable for the average person - by treating less desirable diamonds.
Different
Cuts of a Diamond: There are many different cuts of diamonds
to choose from. The cut essentially refers to the shape that the
diamond is cut into – unless you are in the diamond or jewelry business,
but this shape has a great impact on the much the diamond sparkles.
How to
Buy Diamonds Online: With all of the potential for scams concerning
diamonds, buying diamonds online almost seems unthinkable.
What are Bonded
Diamonds?: Before you start shopping for diamonds, consider
dealing with a bonded jeweler. Bonded jewelers sell bonded diamonds,
and there are very few bonded jewelers in the world.
Diamonds and
Their Rarity: When you walk into a jewelry store and see all
the diamonds in all of the various settings that are for sale, it
is difficult to realize that diamonds are indeed rare.
Diamond
Clarity: Clarity is an important aspect of a diamond, and it
is important to know how to grade the clarity of a diamond before
you buy one.
Diamond Weight:
Diamonds are measured in Carat Weight. One carat weighs 200 milligrams.
If a diamond is referred to as four grains, this also means that
it is a one carat diamond.
Pearls
How to Tell If a
Pearl Is Real: Just like gemstones can be manufactured or faked,
pearls also come in a multitude of imitations that can be very difficult
to tell from the "real" thing.
What Color
of Pearls are the Most Valuable?: As in diamonds, the value
of certain colors in pearls, can be purely an aesthetic matter.
How to Care For
Your Pearls: The pearls that most of us wear today, are cultured
specifically for the jewelry market, in a process first patented
in 1910.
Platinum
How to Clean
Platinum Jewelry: Platinum is one of the hardest and most durable
of precious metals, less subject to the scratches and discolorations
of metals like silver
Birthstones
Monthly
Birthstones: January: Garnet- The garnet is said to be the stone
of constancy or loyalty. It comes in a wide range of shades from
light pink to orange/red, depending on their mineral content.
Semi-Precious Gems
Semi-Precious
Stone Jewelry - Flare and Fashion at Fair Prices: If you appreciate
the qualities of real gems, but aren't one of the fabulously rich
people who drip with diamonds, you might consider jewelry that contains
semi-precious stones.
Vintage
How to Find Vintage
Costume Jewelry: There was a time when people turned up their
noses at the rhinestones and faux pearls of the early 1900s.
Care
How to Clean Jewelry - There are many different
brands of jewelry cleaners on the market today. Depending on how
your jewelry is made, these products may or may not be safe for
your jewelry.
Making Jewelry
How to Make
Custom Jewelry - If you have a great sense of style and creativity,
you should consider constructing quality custom jewelry for individual
clients.
Shopping for Jewelry
Buying Jewelry Online
- Thanks to the overwhelming selection of fine jewelry stores online,
the competitive spirit is alive and well.
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