Posts Tagged ‘diamonds’

Treated diamonds sell for significantly less than naturally occurring gem quality state diamonds.  The reason for this is that you can find a larger amount of diamonds that, after being treated, can allow them to be sold as gem quality diamonds.  Naturally occurring gem quality diamonds are harder to find, therefore making them rarer and more valuable.  Though more work is necessary to turn a diamond into a gem quality diamond, the work is necessary for those diamonds to be sold in the high fashion jewelry industry.

There are several ways of treating diamonds and two ways of classifying them; clarity treated diamonds and color treated diamonds.  The process to allow for the clarity of a diamond to be enhanced is done by filling in cracks with molten glass and sealants.  Laser drilling is used to remove additional substances within the diamond.  Diamonds that have yellow tinges can be color treated by coating them with a substance that masks the tinge. This coating is not permanent.  This means there is a maintenance aspect to a treated diamond that you should take into consideration.  If there are sealants that may be dislodged, it will have to be repaired.  These sealants can be damaged by multiple exposures to common diamond cleaning methods and direct heat that is used in repairing other parts of the jewelry.  Another factor affected by treating a diamond is that by drilling into a diamond the structure is automatically weakened and therefore is frailer than a natural high quality diamond

On the positive side, you can now afford a real diamond that you may have not been able to if it had not been treated.  The only downfall to purchasing a treated diamond is if the retailer does not disclose that the diamond is a treated diamond.  Retailers in North America by law are required to disclose to a purchaser that a diamond has been treated.  However, if you purchase your diamond from anywhere else other than a jeweler you are taking the risk that you are paying for a naturally occurring gem quality diamond but getting a treated diamond.  You will only find out when there is a problem with the diamond or if you are skilled in being able to evaluate the 4 C’s in diamond quality – diamond color, diamond clarity, diamond carat weight, and diamond cut.  A large amount of resellers of treated diamonds do not actually know that they have a treated diamond since the original owner received it as a gift and was not informed themselves.  It is the responsibility of the purchaser to ensure they are getting the quality of diamond for which they are paying.  A jeweler can provide a written report of the diamond’s quality.

If you are purchasing a diamond for investment purposes, do not purchase treated diamonds.  If you are purchasing treated diamonds in jewelry and cost is a factor but you want it to sparkle like a diamond should, then buy a treated diamond.

Getting an engagement ring is a task that most normal people should only want to do once. However, buying an diamond ring is a bit more complicated than buying a new pair of shoes or even a new car. Potential ring buyers have to get an understanding not only the qualities and intricacies of a diamond, but the style and tastes of the recipient. The buyer must then figure out how to make those two things meet at a cost which is within the buyer’s budget. To put it bluntly, there are a lot of variables to consider when buying an engagement ring.

Fortunately, many people are able to trust the knowledge of their jeweler, helping to mitigate potential unforeseen circumstances when shopping for an engagement ring. However, there is one very important variable that should never be left for guesswork: the ring size.

This is a detail which seems too important to overlook, and yet many people do. One of the most common justifications given for simply estimating a future-fiancés ring size is the need for surprise and the willingness to “just have the ring resized later.” This logic has one rather significant problem with it – not all rings can be resized.

To understand why, it helps to know how rings are actually resized. First, it’s important to know whether the band is being made larger or smaller. For a minor enlargement, a jeweler can sometimes just stretch a ring. However, for major adjustments in size, a jeweler must actually cut the ring. To make a wedding band or any ring smaller, the ring is cut and a piece is removed. To make a ring larger, the ring is cut and additional metal is inserted into the band. The ring is then welded back into one piece, massaged back into a circle, polished to hide the cuts, and finally buffed to a shine.

In a perfect world, the process is easy and quick and the results are not noticeable. However, this process obviously cannot be applied to all rings. Why not? Well, there are two critical flaws which can prevent a ring from being resized.

The first such flaw relates to ring’s metal. In order for a jeweler to insert new material to enlarge a ring, the jeweler must know exactly what metal, or blends of metals, that the ring is made of. For this reason, most antique rings, family heirlooms particularly, cannot and should not be resized. However, this can extend to white gold rings if the composition of the alloy isn’t known. Mismatching metals can result in spotted or stained rings. Even if metal isn’t being added to a ring, not knowing the composition can certainly cause staining or spotting when the professional jeweler tries to melt and buff the ring back to the right shape.

The 2nd reason some rings aren’t meant to be resized all comes down to the simple process of buffing and reshaping. Rings which have detail lines or contain stones around the band would cause design inconsistencies if metal was to be taken away or added. Stones may be lost, destroyed, or damaged, details and decorative lines may blurred, smudged beyond recognition, and the ring is then ruined.

Yes, there are other options to resizing. If the ring had purchased new, a jeweler might be convinced to swap out a ring. Ring guards, a metal piece inserted into a ring to make it smaller by taking up space, can be used for rings that are too large. However, these are missing one very important fact – when you’re kneeling and gazing up at the one who just became your partner for life, you want her to wear the ring right away. And you want it to fit.

The ultimate lesson is that ring size isn’t something you should guess at, nor is it something that you should consider fixable at a later date. Finding a ring size discretely might not be easiest task, but seconds after you pop the question, it will certainly be worth it.

For the special day, everyone wants everything to be just perfect. Finding a perfect diamond band can be quite difficult as there are too many designs and styles to choose from. Diamond bands for men can be as ornate as those for women.

In designing diamond bands, many precious metals are used, and some of the most common are gold, titanium and platinum. White or rose gold are also the familiar options, as they create visual interest, still most people prefer yellow. Gold is a soft metal, it is hence usually worked with other hard metals in order to make the design more durable, and increase the strength of diamond bands.

In diamond bands, use of platinum has become quite common these days. Platinum is denser than gold, and hence rings made from platinum are heavier. Without adding other metals, platinum can also be used in the pure form.

Considerations While Buying a Diamond Band

There are numerous designs available for diamond bands within any price range. Lifestyle is a main factor that should be considered to choose the design of the diamond band. If you work out, choose the design with more securely set diamonds, and choose the higher quality and durable metal. However, decision regarding metal and design is a matter of personal taste.

Easy style of the diamond band is needed. Band should sit comfortably on the finger, and it should neither pinch, nor move during arm or hand movements. The width and shape of diamond band can also affect the fit. Generally, rounded edges are more suitable as compared to flat or blunt edges. Width of the ring should be in proportion to finger length and hand size in order to have a good fit.

A lightweight diamond band ring would be flimsy, and it would dent and bend at the slightest impact. The beauty of diamonds hypnotizes most of the buyers, and jewelers take advantage of it by giving the bands that are not durable. They sell the low quality merchandise, at high price. It is hence important not to fall for the gimmicks, as you would like to pay for good quality diamond band ring, and not just a low quality piece of junk.

Choose the diamond eternity band that looks elegant and unassuming. The diamond band should be impressive, but without a hint of show-off. Many people like the combination of something old and something new to create a unique diamond band with antique setting.

Everywhere you turn someone will have advice for you on how to choose the perfect engagement ring for your mate. There are many things to consider when beginning the search for the perfect engagement ring, and it may help to keep notes on what you learn to help in your final decision . Do not let the unknown keep you from exploring all of the options out there for engagement rings and wedding sets. This one piece of jewelry is the first in many important steps on beginning your future together, so try not to rush the purchase even if you are excited about making that next step . 
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Exploring all of the options jewelers have can help you make that choice for the perfect engagement ring . Many places will make sure to educate you before making your final purchase to ensure that you are choosing the one that is right for you and your mate. If you are dealing with a jeweler that does not proactively try to educate you on engagement ring options, you may want to find a different place to shop . Many ring companies have websites that will provide tips and information necessary to make a ring purchase so be sure to use all of the resources available to you, especially if you are not keen on spending a large amount of time in the store becoming more educated before making your purchase. Knowing about cut, clarity, setting and even budget limitations can all help narrow down your search for the perfect engagement ring . 

For those couples that have talked about marriage before the big question has actually been asked, you may want to shop for the perfect engagement ring together. Many women will drop hints such as if she finds someone else’s ring too large or small, and if she would prefer a simple setting or one that includes multiple diamonds . If you have not talked about marriage previously and this will be a complete surprise, you may want to examine the jewelry that she currently wears. You will not want to purchase an engagement ring that will not blend with what she currently has. If she loves yellow gold and multiple stones you will not be browsing platinum solitaire engagement rings . 

Some women will not have a preference for their engagement rings to the wedding bands, while others feel that it is imperative that they match. Take stock of her belongings and how she organizes her belongings. If all of her towels in her linen closet match or she has an exact set of coordinating serving dishes with matching spoons, she is most likely the type of woman who would prefer an engagement ring that belongs to a set. These can be purchased together or separately depending on where you are shopping, while other engagement rings can be put with a number of wedding bands quite well. A simple solitaire diamond engagement ring will go with practically any wedding band, so if you are unsure, this may be the best choice for your purchase.

George C. Baycan of Simayof Jewelers has 7 years experience in the jewelry business in management and marketing consultant positions.  He specializes in diamonds and engagement ring consulting.

Apart from clarity, other factors that helps determine value of a diamond are its color, cut and caret. Obviously, a diamond that is considered as flawless and perfect will have perfect diamond clarity as well. However, diamonds are not always flawless and many will in fact have a few minor flaws and in fact there are two such types of flaws that you need to be wary about.

Diamond Clarity – Inclusions And Blemishes

The first type of flaw to lookout for is inclusion while the other flaw is what is known as blemishes.  Inclusions are flaws that have to do with the very characteristic of the diamond and among inclusions there are number of flaws that mar the diamond clarity and these include internal graining, cleavage, bearding, knots and feathers/clouds and cavities.

On the other hand, the diamond clarity can also be marred by blemishes which typically involve the surface of the diamond being such that diamond clarity has been lost. Things such as chipping, pits, grain boundaries,scratches, nicks and in addition polish lines are typical examples of imperfect diamond clarity.

Diamonds can be categorized as being flawless, very slightly included, flawed on the inside, slightly included as well as included and each of these categories are further divided into several grades. Furthermore, the diamond is also graded on other considerations including its color and nature, position and size as well as number.

Jewelers consider diamond clarityas being the complete look of the diamond along with the characteristics of the diamond. Hence flawless diamonds are the important diamond clarity when a flawed diamond or one with rating of 13 is quite frequently cloudy in its beauty and it will also have certain not necessary signs on it.

It is hard to truly distinguish diamond clarity with the naked eye and so a magnifying glass needs to be used though a diamond with rating S12 will appear almost flawless to the naked eye and it is only professionals that can distinguish a flawless diamond from a diamond rated S12.

Buyers obviously would like to diamonds that are flawless or as close to being flawless. However, the cost of such diamonds is very high and so not everybody can afford to buy such diamonds though a diamond with rating of S12 or better will prove to be a good purchase.

It is also worthwhile understanding what clarity enhanced diamonds are and whether they are worth purchasing. As far as diamond clarity is concerned, if a diamond has flaws in its clarity it will not make a difference whether the size of the diamond is large or small; it will have lost its beauty and so you should look for better diamonds to find one that has acceptable clarity.

Whether you want to get a Journey diamond necklace or any other type, there are a few tips that are going to be helpful for you and ensure that you make the best purchase here. More than anything there are the four C’s to buying a diamond necklace that you want to be aware of, and which will help you get more educated so that you will be less confused and more aware.

Diamond Necklace Cut

The first of the four C’s is cut. When you are looking for a diamond necklace you have to be aware of the cut. This does not refer to the shape of the diamond but instead its reflective qualities. For a diamond necklace you are going to have to be aware of the cut, as this is perhaps the most important of all the four C’s.

When a diamond is well cut, the light will enter through the table and travel to the pavilion and then reflect back out the other side. Therefore, when you find a well cut diamond, it will be very brilliant and reflective.

Diamond Necklace Clarity

Next is the clarity of the diamond, which you also want to be aware of when buying a diamond necklace. Diamonds are graded for clarity under 10x loupe magnification, and you want to be aware of the flaws in a diamond. The fewer flaws there are, the more expensive it is going to be.

Colorful Diamond Necklace
The color is very important, and this is most on personal preference. The colorless diamonds are still the most popular although other colors are quickly gaining in popularity including yellow and pink. It really all depends on what color you like, but be aware that the colorless diamonds are those which are most reflective of light.

Diamond Necklace Carat Weight

Finally when purchasing a diamond necklace you are going to need to find out the carat weight. A carat is the unit of weight by which a diamond is measured and keep in mind that because large diamonds are found less commonly than the smaller diamonds, they are more valuable.

Besides learning about the four C’s, another important step to take is to ask the jeweler that you are doing business with to offer you the diamond piece’s certificate.

This is very important information, all of which is going to be extremely helpful in assisting you when you are out choosing a diamond piece. The better your knowledge, the less confused you are going to be.