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Men grow cold as girls grow old
And we all lose our charms in the end
But square-cut or pear-shaped
These rocks don’t lose their shape
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend

— from the movie „Gentlemen Prefer Blondes“

Diamond hoop earrings are perfectly popular these days, thanks to young pop divas like Jennifer Lopez or J-Lo, hiphop diva extraordinaire. J-Lo is also known for spreading the trend of the chandelier earring, and other cascading-style ear ornaments.

Now take another diva and examine her choice of jewelry. We’re talking about actress Elizabeth Taylor and her special fondness for diamonds. When she was dubbed a Dame of the British Empire, the nation held a „black tie and diamonds“ event, to commemorate her love for that specific precious stone. Diamond hoop earrings are part of Miss Taylor’s not inconsiderable jewelry collection.

Take hoop earrings up another level and what do you get? Precious stones set into the hoops. What precious stone is considered the most popular, the most prestigious, and the most in-demand throughout the ages? Of course, it is the diamond.

Diamonds are formed over a period of a billion or more years deep within the Earth’s crust – about 90 miles deep – and is pushed to the surface by volcanoes. Most diamonds are found in volcanic rock called kimberlite, or in the sea after having been carried away by rivers when they were pushed to the surface.

Hoops, for their part, come in a variety of thicknesses and sizes. Sometimes they are so fragile as to create cascading earring designs, and at other times they are so thick that you can set stones and other materials into them. Hoop earrings used to be a favorite jewelry style among ancient Central and South American tribes, at a time when gold flowed freely and primarily held only decorative value.

Combine the youthful appeal of hoop earrings and the distinguished status of the diamond and you’ll have an entrancing diamond hoop earring. A small, thick hoop earring made of fine silver or gold may be studded with diamonds. Conversely, a hoop earring may also host even just one diamond, snugly fitted into its metal niche. Diamond hoop earrings are a unique design, pursued and appreciated for their earthly elegance.

Diamonds are the most precious and eternal stone available on the earth that reflects its brilliance and glitter on its wearer. For making an appropriate and intelligent purchase, a buyer must know about the 4 c’s of a diamond which ultimately determines the different grades of a diamond. Clarity, cut, carat and color are the four c’s that decides the grade of a diamond.

Clarity is the clearness or transparency of the diamond. The extent of diamond established the extent of its flaws and on the basis of the blemishes of each diamond an expert will decide about its shape and size that is visible from the naked eye. The value and worth of a diamond increases with less flaws and imperfections. So, clarity is an important element in deciding the worth of a diamond.

A well defined cut in a diamond decides its true worth as diamond in a raw form is nothing but a piece of glass. Generally, a cut in a diamond is done keeping the depth, symmetry and polish of the raw diamond in mind and on this particular basis a diamond gets its original shape and size. There are various shapes like round, emerald, pear, marquise and heart that distinguishes diamonds so, a suitable and promising cut in a diamond is really important factor in depicting the value of a diamond.

Carat or weight of a diamond is also a deciding factor in setting a grade of a diamond. Normally one carat is equivalent to 0.07 ounces that is equals to 200 milligrams. That’s why; increase in the weight of a diamond also increases the price of the diamond. And because of this very reason, it is always desirable to have a big diamond which is beautiful and of great worth too.

‘The lesser the better’, is the quote associated with diamond that establishes the price and value of a diamond. Diamonds are ranging from colorless to brown according that shows its worth and grade. The value and worth of a colorless diamond will be greater than other diamonds as it is free from any hues and flaws. Whereas, diamonds are also available in various colors such as pink, blue and green shades too.

So, the grade of a diamond is totally based upon the above mentioned 4c’s that not only settles its grade but also its true worth, value and correct price too. Now, you can evaluate yourself the true worth of your money that is really high and everlasting.

Diamond rings have always fascinated men and women throughout. Such is the beauty of a diamond that makes one feel special just by wearing it. It elevates ones persona and gives the wearer the feeling of being one above everybody else.

With the coming into being of the fashion conscious modern woman, there was need for a change in the designs of rings too. With this in mind, jewelers started modifying the traditional designs to gel with the modern concepts of living. Thus was born the diamond fashion ring. The beauty of diamonds beckoned from the most modern precious metal setting and this proved to be a major attraction in the current day.

Diamond fashion rings come in a variety of designs to match every possible modern outfit and every personality that one can think of. Diamond fashion rings are made in all shapes, from geometrical to square, while the round diamond ring still remains a hot favorite amongst many. It is the combination of the old world with the new world that has brought about a revolution in jewelry and gave birth to the diamond fashion ring.

The four-leaf clover theme diamond fashion ring is in vogue and is seen adorning the elegant fingers of many celebrities. The three stone diamond ring is a representation of the past, present and future. The value of this diamond fashion ring is not only the superficial elegant look, but the beautiful thought that goes with it. It is said that just as the man and woman and bound together in marriage, similarly their past, present, and future all come together with the wearing of this ring.

Under the diamond fashion rings category falls the ever-fashionable solitaire ring.
They could very well be the best diamond fashion rings. These rings include basket diamond rings and trellis diamond rings too.

Diamond fashion rings come in a variety of metals, aside from gold and silver. They come in titanium and platinum too. They need less maintenance and are lighter than gold and silver, and they are very popular.

Diamond fashion rings are a great way to celebrate special occasions. There are the engagement rings and the wedding rings, which are the most popular, but even a passing out of college is a great occasion that warrants a diamond fashion ring gift.

The new age fashion trends tend to be different and look for occasions to celebrate. You will find the singles ring also for the single men and women. This ring sends a message of being single and looking. There is the unbelievable chameleon like mood ring, which changes colors with the change in our moods. Imagine being envious of someone and the ring turns green.

The diamond fashion rings have taken a life of their own and have a place in everybody’s jewelry box and hearts. They vary in designs from the very simple to the very large and exotic, to suit all types of people. Gift the diamond fashion rings to the your loved ones who are fashion conscious and would like to be at the helm of things. They will love you for it.

Diamond engagement rings, passion and intrigue are inseparable. Why else would a reasonable man give his lover a $5,000, 10,000 or $25,000 diamond engagement ring? The answer is simple – Men give diamond engagement rings to women that awaken their PASSION. Not only are men and women passionate about diamonds, the diamonds themselves have been known to awaken a romantic passion since ancient times.
Diamond Engagement Rings – Cullinan Diamond
Most people purchase a diamond engagement ring that holds a one carat diamond, perhaps two carat diamond, three, four? The „Cullinan Diamond“, found in South Africa, was the largest rough diamond ever found, it weighed 3,106 carats. Imagine trying to fit that diamond in her diamond engagement ring. The Cullinan Diamond is on display at the Tower of London and is part of the British crown jewels.

Diamond Engagement Rings –Diamond Origins
The Greek word for diamond – „adamas“ – means „unconquerable“ and says it all. Since their discovery, diamonds have been passionately sought , fought over, worshipped, traded, stolen, hoarded and used to cast spells in every culture. Given it’s history, you would think the diamond is the most complex of stones. Instead, the simplest ! For all it’s fiery beauty, a diamond is just pure carbon and first cousin to a pencil!

Love Tokens – Diamond Engagement Rings
Love tokens have been around since Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Diamond engagement rings are ideal love tokens because her diamond will look the same way in 50 or 500 years at it does right today in her diamond engagement ring. While a love token may almost anything – book, picture, charm, etc. nothing compares to a diamond engagement ring to capture the heart and imagination of your lover’s soul.

Diamond Symbolism – Diamond Engagement Rings
In ancient times, the diamond was believed to make its wearers courageous and victorious over their enemies. For all their power, , diamonds were also considered as symbols of modesty and of innocence. When set in gold and worn on the left side, it held the power to drive away nightmares and soothe savage beasts.

Diamonds, Dazzle & Hollywood – Diamond Engagement Rings
Diamond Engagement Rings are often designed, cast and sold in the same romantic locations as famous movies. Locations such as Hollywood, New York City, London, Los Angeles, Paris, etc. have been the scenes of many famous moving featuring stunning diamond engagement rings and jewelry. The famous designers, movie stars, millionaires and thieves that have bought, sold, stolen and given their women diamonds for one reason – the passion & intrigue of true love.

When you’ve found the one you want to spend the rest of your life with, selecting an engagement ring can seem a daunting, yet necessary, task. Diamonds are a classic and traditional choice for such rings. However, with numerous color, size and appearance options available, how does a hopeful groom select the perfect diamond engagement ring for his bride-to-be?

Style

Men should be conscious of his significant other’s taste and lifestyle when choosing an engagement ring. Is she formal or casual? Does she prefer large accessories or dainty pieces? Is she active or sedentary? Does she own mostly gold or silver-colored jewelry? All of these factors should be evaluated before selecting an engagement ring.

An engagement ring should match the personality of its owner. A woman who throws on jeans and a t-shirt every day may want an attractive yet simple ring to go with her easy lifestyle, whereas a formal dresser would likely prefer a more dramatic ring with a larger diamond. Active brides-to-be may value comfort over a cumbersome stone that may be easily damaged. A woman who wears mostly silver jewelry might prefer a platinum or white gold setting to coordinate with her existing accessories.

Diamond Rating System

In considering the purchase of a diamond engagement ring, men should be familiar with the “Four C’s” of diamond grading: Caret (weight of the diamond), Clarity (presence of flaws), Color (the slight tint of the diamond) and Cut (exact cut within the shape of the diamond). The rating of the diamond can raise or lower the ring’s overall cost.

Metals

The type of metal used in the band can also significantly affect the appearance and price of the ring. Platinum rings are currently a popular selection due to their strength, beauty and light color. Because platinum is over 90 percent pure, it is hypoallergenic for most people. Platinum is the most expensive metal. Gold is a considerably less expensive metal for wedding rings. While yellow gold is a traditional choice that compliments many settings, white gold is an option for those who want the light color without the sticker shock.

Customization

Men may wish to consider a customized diamond engagement ring for their intended. A custom ring serves as a personalized representation of the couple’s love for each other. A man does not have to be a designer to create a unique ring – many jewelers can help translate his rough ideas into a beautiful reality.

„A diamond is forever,“ as the old saying goes. The late actress Marilyn Monroe said it best: „a diamond is a girl’s best friend.“ So much tribute has been paid to the everlasting glory of the diamond, which is among the most valuable (and expensive!) precious stones in existence. Is it any wonder then that diamond jewelry is so fashionable? Diamond earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets – many of these are regarded as works of art.

The diamond is the most unadulterated of all the gemstones composed of a single pure element. It is also the hardest transparent substance that exists. It is for this that the diamond stands as a symbol of strength, purity of spirit, and even physical chastity.

Diamond earrings first reached the height of fashion in Europe in the 18th century, just before the Renaissance era. To this day many people, even men, wear diamond earrings as a classy adornment. George Michael and Prince are only two of the many male celebrities who have been known to use diamonds as ear decorations. From time to time, David Beckham of soccer fame sports the odd diamond earring worth around $12,300.

Diamonds emphasize superiority and endurance. Unlike pearls they do not trap light, but reflect them — projecting not just a glow, but a finely subtle ray of light upon the bearer’s features. The light reflected by a diamond earring is often caught in the wearer’s eye, hence you might notice a crafty sparkle in the eyes of women who wear finely-cut genuine diamond earrings.

Primarily, a diamond is graded by its 4 C’s: the cut, clarity, color, and carat weight. These characteristics are taken into consideration in the crafting of the finest diamond earrings. Take these factors into consideration when picking out diamond jewelry.

Diamond earrings make the best gifts for loved ones who have an eye for quality, and deserve only the best in life. These accessories speak of the wearer’s high-class taste and love for things of beauty.

It is said that the true worth of a diamond is determined by its clarity, cut, carat and color. Generally, people evaluate the worth of their money by diamond’s color and size but they are really naïve about its cut. In fact, the cut of a diamond is a major factor in establishing its price.

The cut in a diamond is really important as a small mistake in cut can ruin the whole piece so, it should be done intelligently and carefully that enhances the look and beauty of the piece. Therefore, it totally depends upon the expertise and magic of cutter’s hand in shaping up the raw stone into the refined glittering gem that lays its impact on its wearer for forever.

Diamonds are available in different shapes such as round, oval, marquise, pear, heart, emerald pieces and radiant that distinguishes diamonds according to its varieties. So, it’s really tough for a cutter to bring a life in diamond from a dull stone to a dazzling sparkling gem that is cherished by its wearers. For making a diamond alive certain principles have to be keeping in mind, let’s know them in brief:

Depth:
Depth of a diamond is important in giving an accurate angle to the raw piece that further divert the internal lights of the stone from upside, bottom, sides and corners. If it is done poorly, the radiance of the diamond gets lost and restricts its real glow and charm so, the depth is always considered sharply.

Symmetry:
Symmetry refers to perfect alignment of diamond’s facets; it satisfies the eye and enhances the brilliance and glow of the diamond. A diamond will look dull and when done improperly and misaligned.

Polish:
Polish means smoothness of the surface of the diamond that brings real glow in the diamond. With the invention of new techniques of polish, it has become very easy to bring out the glitter of the piece and refinement as lights easily enters into it and passes easily and effortlessly.

So, a true diamond is not only based on its clarity, weight and color but its cut is also a major factor in deciding its brilliance and shine that people just ignore while buying. For us, its brilliance and glow is the reasons for its high cost that takes our heart easily. But, it’s the fact that the radiance of the diamond depends highly on its cut.

A diamond is a highly precious stone and is one of the hardest known natural materials in the world.

Many high profile celebrities, royalties and ultra rich people buy diamonds both for adornment and investments. When in time of unforeseen financial problems, diamonds can be easily sold for a high amount.

The price of a diamond is generally based on 4 Cs – Color, Carat, Clarity and Cut. Among these four, the color may be the hardest to decide because there is a wide array of diamond colors to choose from.

There are a variety of colors of diamonds found in the market today. There pink, yellow, blue, brown, red and many other colors. In fact due to structural shifting and a variety of impurities, many other tints of diamonds exist.

To the jewelers, diamonds have color grading to determine the price of the stone. Grades D-E-F generally refers to the colorless type. Diamonds having these grades are usually the more expensive types and very difficult to find because of their rarity.

Grade G-H-I-J are the nearly colorless types and maybe relatively expensive. Diamonds having grades K-L-M have usually yellow tints. Grades can reach up to Z and price decreases as the grading approaches Z.

If you are a purist and have a lot of money, settle for diamonds with a grade of D-F. They are the best the industry but they maybe sold by select few jewelers. Near colorless diamonds within G-I grade show no noticeable color and tints to the naked eye can also be an excellent choice.

It is very common to find fancy and colored diamonds in the market today. Even though they are designed for mass appeal, the still exude elegance and style so it is no wonder that one can see high profile people in public functions wearing these stylish colored diamonds.

Fancy and colorful diamonds are created by irradiation which can turn yellow or brown diamonds into greens, blues, reds and other fancy colored ones. These fancy colored diamonds are an inexpensive alternative to the rare and very expensive natural colorless diamonds. But these fancy colored diamonds should not be considered as an investment. If you want to buy one of these fancy colored diamonds, make sure you ask the jeweler for care instructions.

There are two general grading for fancy colored diamonds. The first is based on basic hue like yellow, blue, green, etc. The second grading is based on intensity. In general, the more intense the color, the more expensive the colored diamond costs. As an example, a fancy vivid pink diamond is more expensive than fancy light pink even if they have exactly the same clarity, shape and size.

To conceal yellowish tints in diamonds that may affect the diamond’s quality and price, some jewelers trick buyers by applying coatings to the diamonds to change the color. These coatings will eventually rub off in time. If you are buying diamonds, this is one aspect you should be wary about.

No engagement is complete without the engagement ring. Traditionally, the engagement ring is a diamond ring presented by the groom to the bride. Since the engagement ring is such an important part of the wedding you shouldn’t take it lightly. There is a lot to know about rings and about your bride before you purchase the ring.

By the time you buy the engagement ring, you should know her ring size. An easy way to figure out her ring size is to secretly take one of her rings to a jeweler. They will be more than happy to help you out. You might also ask her sister or mother, or anyone close to her who would possibly know he ring size. You should also know what shapes of jewelry stones she likes. Does she like white or yellow gold, or platinum?

Next, you must set your budget. Engagement ring prices can range from moderately expensive to very expensive. The price of the engagement ring is only limited by your budget. The diamond is what makes the engagement ring such an expensive gift. With such an expensive investment, you should make sure you understand some of the basics of buying diamonds.

Diamond professionals use four factors to purchase diamonds, and you should use the same standards to buy the diamond engagement ring.

1. Color – The color of the diamond has a significant impact on the overall price. Sometimes this is referred to as the color value of the diamond. You might ask the jeweler to place the diamonds you are interested in order based on color value. Since the color differences are so light, it might be difficult to see the color difference between diamonds. Keep in mind the less color the more expensive.

2. Clarity – Clarity is no less important when it comes to selecting a diamond. An Fl (Flawless) graded diamond shows no inclusions (inclusions = flaws) under 10X magnification. Since flawless diamonds are extremely rare, be prepared to pay extra for perfection.

3. Cut – It is the first aspect of the diamond that is influenced by humans. Cut is also called „make,“ the better the make the more gorgeous the diamond. Valuing the diamond based on cut can be very subjective.

4. Carat – Carate weight is the basic measuring unit of diamonds. It has to do with how much your diamond weighs.

There is a huge variety of diamonds to choose from. While they are all beautiful, they are very different in color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. We hope you’ll find the above information helpful in selecting your engagement ring diamond. Keep in mind, you should only buy a diamond from a reputable jeweler.

Buying a diamond can be an overwhelming experience.It’s complicated. There are lots of new words you need to learn, but don’t panic! The basics are very easy to understand.

BODY:
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when buying a diamond by all the new words you have to learn. But don’t panic! It’s not really that difficult.

The four most common terms used to describe diamonds are cut, clarity, color, and carat. It’s vital to understand what each of these means as they define a diamonds quality and value.

The cut, not surprisingly describes the way in which the stone has been cut. This tells you more than simply what shape it is. The cut will determine how light passes through and how much it will appear to sparkle, or how much brilliance it has. This will be rated from poor to ideal.

Clarity is determined by how many flaws there are, which will also Effect the brilliance. Almost all stones have flaws, but the untrained eye will rarely notice them.

People are often surprised that diamonds have a color, but they do. Colors such as red and green are extremely rare and therefore are very expensive. Most common are white or near-colorless diamonds, with just a hint of color. These traces of color will absorb light, so for maximum
brilliance you want a stone with as little color as possible.

Carats are a measure of weight. A small increase in weight will mean a Big increase in cost. In fact it is possible to buy many small diamonds for The cost of one large one.

Now you understand these key words, buying a diamond should be a much Less scary prospect.

A gift of diamonds is precious and brings a glint to the eyes of the receiver. An exquisite diamond bracelet sparkling on the wrist adds beauty even to the most beautiful woman. Diamond bracelets spell class and there is nothing better than a diamond bracelet to stand out in a crowd.

What makes a diamond bracelet special is the design, style, and the cut of the stone. All these three factors are very important and should be taken into consideration before getting a diamond bracelet.

Diamond bracelets are in vogue today and they come in all shapes and sizes, from the simple to the outrageous. Tennis bracelets, charm bracelets, bangle bracelets, link bracelets, heart bracelet, chain bracelets, rope bracelets, cuff bracelets, mesh bracelets are some of the varieties of diamond bracelets, the most popular being the tennis bracelets and charm bracelets.

Tennis bracelets are nothing but thin line diamond bracelets, which owe their name to Chris Evert, the tennis star. During a US Open match, she was wearing an in-line thin diamond bracelet and it slipped while playing. The game had to be stopped for a while, as she searched for it. Now they are better known as tennis bracelets and are worn by other tennis players too. The charm diamond bracelets are beautiful as they hang gracefully from the wrist and are noticed by everyone around. The metals used are gold, sterling silver, platinum, rhodium, white gold, rose gold, and titanium.

When looking for a diamond bracelet, you should look for a “GIA certified diamond” sign. GIA is Gemological Institute of America and provides you the assurance that you are getting good quality diamonds. The 4C’s of diamonds are the cut, clarity, color, and carat. Carat is the size of the diamonds. If the diamond bracelet is set with bigger diamonds, the price will be higher. Asking the jeweler to provide with the certification detailing the 4C’s of the diamonds in the bracelet is essential.

It is also important to understand diamond grading. They are graded from D to Z, with D being the rarest diamond. A diamond should be colorless. Light should reflect the brilliance of the diamonds in the bracelet. Diamond bracelets that are guaranteed show no visible color and are genuine.

Diamond bracelets are a perfect gift to give someone you love. There is no need of an occasion to gift a diamond. Diamonds may be expensive but if one can afford them, there is nothing that can compare. When diamonds are arranged with other precious stones like emerald, topaz, sapphire, citrine, or ruby, they are even more colorful and beautiful.

In today’s day and age, it seems that more and more people just aren’t staying together. With the divorce rate in the U.S. currently at an all-time high, it only serves to honor those marriages that have stood the test of time. These marriages embody the true spirit of what the sacred bond is all about; two people sharing a lifetime filled with memories and love. It has long been custom to celebrate such an occasion by the exchanging of diamond anniversary rings. In this article, we’ll take a look at just a few of the wonderful diamond anniversary ring designs that couples can choose from.

One of the most popular designs on the market today is the three stone anniversary ring. This ring usually contains three diamonds of equal size, and they are meant to represent the couple’s past, present, and future. It is also acceptable for the stones to be of varying sizes, as they could also represent any children in the couple’s life. In fact, the meaning behind the diamonds is always open to the couple’s individual interpretation.

Another popular diamond anniversary ring design is the eternity ring. This ring is meant to show the couple’s undying devotion to one another, as the ring features diamonds that complete a circle around the entire finger. These rings can also be designed with additional rows of smaller diamonds that encompass the band. Though a bit pricy, these rings are absolutely stunning pieces.

Many couples also design their own diamond anniversary rings. This is a special way for each person to individualize the piece, thus giving it a heart-felt meaning. Some couples opt for bands that intertwine, representing their unique union. Other people add romantic touches to the rings such as hearts, doves, or flowers. Still others choose to have several smaller diamonds of varying shapes and colors surround the band. Again, a diamond anniversary ring design can be anything the couple chooses, as there really are no limits.

While most diamond anniversary ring designs are geared towards women, there are several simple rings that are suitable for men as well. For example, a man’s ring may start out as a gold or platinum band, and diamonds can be incorporated in an eternity or three stone design. This will have extra meaning as the couple will both be wearing a similar ring to remind them of the long journey they have taken.

As you can see, there are many different diamond anniversary ring designs that can be tailored to fit your life. The important part of an anniversary ring isn’t so much in the diamonds, but in the thought and meaning behind the design. So it is important to select your diamond anniversary design together, as it will serve to symbolize your continuing love for one another. And one last note regarding these rings; while often expensive, there are options available for those couples on a budget. Regardless of cost, a unique diamond anniversary ring design will create wonderful memories while celebrating the life you have made together.

A diamond anniversary band celebrates the everlasting nature of love and is a beautiful reminder of long cherished memories.

Beautifully crafted and well-designed unique diamond anniversary bands make for the perfect gift to express your love for each other. Whether you buy a pair of anniversary bands or buy an individual band, these rings celebrate those years of togetherness and the moments spent together.

Have you given your wife or your husband a ring ever since you exchanged wedding bands so many years ago? Why not show her/him your true feelings and buy for them a high quality, affordable jewelry piece such as an anniversary ring? The diamond anniversary band will be much more than a piece of jewelry. It will be a special and cherished token of your love, appreciation, thoughtfulness, and everlasting commitment to your partner.

Diamonds are a woman’s best friend and that’s an open secret. Only women really know what they want, which is exactly why the diamond anniversary bands available at Affinity Jewelers have been hand-crafted by a team of extremely talented and experienced designers in modern and sleek designs. Each diamond-studded band reflects timeless beauty, magnificence, elegance, and grace. Our diamond anniversary bands and wedding bands are made from precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum adding a touch of exclusivity to each piece of jewelry.

Diamond anniversary bands come in a range of designs and options and have small diamonds that run along around the entire band symbolizing the ‘forever’ commitment in your marriage. Moreover, your choice is not limited to diamonds for anniversary bands. You can have a band studded with the stone of your choice to symbolize any particular anniversary or anniversary milestone.

Affinity Jewelers can even customize the diamond anniversary bands. You can use any number of diamonds or any other gemstone of your choice to make this occasion more special in your and your partner’s life. And that’s not all you can get creative by engraving the inside of the anniversary band with a meaningful message that will serve as a reminder of your love.

At affinityjewelers.com, you can browse through an ever growing collection of rings, weddings bands, diamond anniversary bands, earrings, pendants, watches and many more affordable jewelry items to choose the one that’s ideal for your partner, and one she can be proud of. Affinity Jewelers’ strives to define what good jewelry should be like and aim to make even well-crafted diamond jewelry affordable. Their rings and bands are available for as low as $350 and come with a 20-day return back policy.

Affinity Jeweler’s range of jewelry is not limited to women. They design for men as well. Charismatic, bold, and masculine all the way, their diamond anniversary bands for men are excellently crafted and designed.

So whether it’s your 1st, 10th or 50th anniversary, make it a special anniversary by gifting any one of the many exclusive diamond anniversary bands available at Affinity Jewelers and see the sparkle of happiness in her eye as you recommit to your love for her!

There are various alternatives for the diamond. Today there two Diamond alternatives for the real diamond; one of them is moissanite and other is the cubic zirconia. Both of these Diamond alternatives have their own advantages and disadvantages. It depends on the buyer to choose the jewel, so that it suits their budget and fulfils the desire of the real diamond. Normally these diamond alternatives are manufactured either from moissanite material or from the cubic moissanite jewel. There is a diamond alternative for the pure diamond and that is a diamond hybrid in which both jewels are used in rings. Engagement rings are cheap in price and with beautiful designs, at the same time they are just as attractive in nature when compared to diamond rings.
These ‘diamond alternative’ or the ‘diamond hybrid’ rings can be of platinum metal and are loved by women! Platinum rings are commonly worn all over the world. Even though platinum is slightly higher in cost but has longer lasting capabilities when compared to the other metals such as gold and silver. Diamond hybrid rings are suited for all the occasions and functions.
The other stone that is widely used in ‘diamond alternative’ rings is moissanite. This moissanite stone has various advantages such as it is a natural material, it is cheaper than a diamond and available in various shapes and sizes as they are designed in the laboratories. The other advantage is the hardness of the moissanite that is almost equal to the diamond. This is the same case in platinum moissanite stones and they are the best ‘diamond alternatives’ as it has various impressive designs and longer durability. Platinum is silver in its appearance and it’s durability and shine are impressive.

‘Diamond hybrid’ moissanite stone can be larger in size when compared to a common diamond stone. It provides a new and elegant approach in ‘diamond alternative’ engagement rings. This new look is becoming more popular in today’s fashion. These ‘diamond alternative’ or the ‘diamond hybrid’ rings resemble pure diamond rings and are very difficult to distinguish between the two. Even trained professionals in the jewelry industry find it difficult to separate between them. These rings are the best option to the ‘diamond alternative’ rings.

Both cubic zirconia and moissanite are precious jewels and can be used in designing beautiful jewelry. But with respect to moissanite the cubic zirconia has a wide market in the field of ‘diamond hybrid’ as they are cheaper in cost and are easy to maintain. The other important factor is that the color of cubic zirconia ‘diamond alternative’ does not fade away easily and remains for longer duration.

The other ‘diamond hybrid’ that provides varieties of articles is the moissanite diamond ring. It contains diamonds around the moissanite and is beautiful to look at. These moissanite ‘diamond alternative’ rings are perfect for any occasion with vast selection of styles and choices such as wedding rings, anniversary rings and the various engagement rings. These rings or the pendants can be manufactured two ways; one of them by machine manufacturing and the other being hand crafted. The hand crafted ring provides a stunning and marvelous look when compared to the machine crafted rings.

For diamond alternative engagement rings, moissanite is an excellent choice. You get a dazzling brilliance, which draws attention to your ring at a much more affordable price that a real diamond. When you choose platinum as the metal of the ring, you have exquisite diamond alternative engagement rings that any woman would be thrilled to wear.

Platinum moissanite engagement rings are very popular. Although platinum is more expensive than gold or silver in rings, it has a durability that the other metals do not have. This choice in diamond alternative engagement rings provides you with choices in rings that you can wear on all occasions. If you work in an environment that does not lend itself to wearing gold or silver because it might get scratched or tarnished, then platinum is the perfect alternative.

Rather than use cubic Zirconia in engagement rings, many couples are looking at moissanite as the stone of choice in diamond alternative engagement rings. This is because moissanite is a lab-created imitation diamond. It naturally occurs in nature and its scientific name is silicon carbide, but it occurs in very small quantities. It is only slightly less than the diamond on the Mohs scale of hardness, being 9.4 as compared to the diamond at 10.

For the ultimate diamond alternative engagement rings, look at what the platinum moissanite engagement rings have to offer. The hardness and durability of the moissanite stone, combined with the durability of platinum offers an impressive combination. The silver color of the platinum gives the appearance of white gold and goes well with any attire. With these rings, you also save money that you will need later on to plan your wedding or to buy a new home.

Having a moissanite engagement ring also means that you can have a much larger stone in your ring than if you opted for the traditional diamond. In diamond alternative engagement rings, moissanite also looks divine when you have several stones in a chanel setting. Moissanite actually outperforms diamonds when it comes to brilliance, although it does not have the same clarity.

Jewellers have to struggle to tell the difference between diamonds and moissanite. They need to have a high-powered microscope in order to tell the difference. This makes it a perfect choice for diamond alternative engagement rings. If you choose this stone for the engagement ring, you do need to tell your fiancé that it is a diamond alternative engagement ring, just in case she decides to take it to a jeweller to have it appraised.

The brightest part in a woman’s life, diamond, is an allotropic form (different form) of darkest of the elements in the periodic table. The most fought for of all the gems, diamonds, have a long romancing history. Welcome to the exciting world of diamonds.

Origin and Diamond Market
Diamond has a bloody history right from Cleopatra to the famed Koh-I-Noor which at the earliest recorded date, 1526 AD, weighed 793 carats before being reduced to 186 carats by the lapidary Borgio.

Today De Beers monopolizes diamond production and trade which is around 130 million carats annually and in addition. A diamond is weighed in units of carats and a carat originally meant the weight of one carob seed. The present standard carat is, however, metric and equals 0.2 gm or 1/42 of an ounce.

How to Buy Diamonds
Diamonds mined out (mainly in South Africa and Botswana) can’t be sold directly as these are raw.

The 4Cs which stand for carat, clarity, color and cut of diamonds, determine the quality and price of these gems.

Carat: A carat equals 0.2 gm in weight and further divided into 100 points. This means a quarter carat equals 25 points and is written as 0.25 ct. It is hard that one can avail a diamond weighing a carat or above these days. It is almost always in fractions of carats now.

Clarity: Clearer the diamonds higher are the costs. Tiny inclusions (impurities due to presence of other minerals) mask the brilliance. While costing, the numbers of inclusions, their colors, positions are considered. Fewer the inclusions, greater is the reflection and higher is the value. Clarity is graded from I3 to VVS1, starting from Very Noticeable Inclusions to Very, Very Slightly Included, in decreasing order.

Color: The best color for diamond is having no color. White light passed through it will come out in rainbow colors. Although most diamonds look colorless they are slightly yellow or brown with subtle shades. Proximity to being colorless raises the value.

Cut: Cut is the dictator of a diamond’s value. A best cut diamond reflects all the light without allowing it to pass through giving it the brightest of shines. The best cut diamond has 57 facets (cut and polished faces) with 33 of them being on the top half, crown, and the rest on the pavilion, bottom half. Mathematically this gives the total reflection. The best cut diamond will have a round shape with the pavilion having an included angle 600 albeit there is a complex guidance chart for cutting diamonds.

In the modern world, there are few more potent symbols of wealth than the diamond. Whether fashioned into jewellery or loose, diamonds are one of the most treasured gifts, used in declarations of love and in the formation of political alliances. But diamonds are not only luxury items – they also have real economic importance. If you have some spare capital and are looking for the right investment, loose diamonds could be an excellent choice.

The market for loose diamonds is very different from that for diamond jewellery. Loose diamonds are mostly sought after by highly educsted and experienced collectors as well as by those involved at the manufacturing end of the jewellery business. As a new investor in loose diamonds, you’ll have to learn fast to keep up. There are lenty of bargains to be had in loose diamonds, but only if you know what you’re doing.

The first thing you need to know before dealing in loose diamonds is just what makes a good diamond. Loose diamonds are graded on cut, clarity and colour as well as on carats (weight). Items of diamond jewellery often come with certificates establishing their grades, but loose diamonds may not have these. If you’re not sure about the grading process, ask to see a certificate or get the loose diamonds which interest you independently graded before you buy or sell. Getting a professional appraisal is also important if you want to insure your loose diamonds.

Like any other area of the economy, the market in loose diamonds is subject to fluctuations, so make sure you keep your knowledge of standard prices up to date. Once you become familiar with them, you’ll find loose diamonds fascinating for their beauty and variety. Dealing in loose diamonds can be a great way to make money and also something you’ll enjoy.

When De Beers first started actively mining in the late 1800’s, they had heavy competition. By forming the De Beers cartel, they were able to control the release of diamonds into circulation. De Beers began to use the controlled scarcity of its diamonds as the center of its advertising campaigns.

At one point in history, it is stated that De Beers had control over 80% of the diamond market, today’s estimates are far lower at 40% to 50%, however it is still enough to have strict control over prices and supply. De Beers has control of the mines and sells their gem grade diamonds to its subsidiary the DTC (Diamond Trading Company) for cutting and polishing.

De Beers has been extremely successful in its marketing strategies. The center of their marketing strategy is linking diamonds with long term romantic love. Engagement rings have been present in many cultures since the 1400’s, but they typically did not contain diamonds. De Beers is considered to be responsible for making the diamond engagement ring the standard in the United States and elsewhere. They also have used their own marketing skills to establish a standard amount that future grooms should spend on a diamond ring. It is typically considered socially correct for a man to spend the equivalent of one to two months salary on the diamond ring he purchases. De Beers even includes this spending guideline on their website.

The De Beers slogan, „A diamond is forever“ has continued to be one of the most successful catch phrases in advertising history. De Beers worked diligently to connect their diamond rings with the idea of everlasting love. The slogan is also intended to establish the idea that a diamond is something that should be kept by the recipient and not resold. De Beers hopes this will encourage the purchase of new diamonds rather than purchases through the secondary market.

Because of De Beers, the diamond has continued to increase in value as people around the world make a connection between purchasing a diamond and their long term love relationships.

Since coming to the world’s attention in the 1830s, diamonds in has been a favorite of stones for jewelry. Not everyone can afford to buy diamonds, so the search for the best man-made version has been battled for years. Cubic Zirconia is considered to be the best man-made diamond for jewelry on the market today.

There are several reasons some people do not purchase diamond jewelry. The first on being the over-inflated price some believe has been controlled by the DeBeers diamond coalition. Many people believe the prices do not reflect the rarity of diamonds in a fair manner. There have also been studies done showing one third of every diamond sold in the United States today has been altered by an artificial means to increase the value of the diamond. The same studies show young couples on an average are paying 40% too much for their diamond engagement ring.

The price is not the only reason some people are no longer gravitating awary from diamond jewelry. There are the issues of the so called „blood diamonds“ with the disturbing rumors of forced child labor and several other horrible human atrocities and cruelties. Well-know celebrities have brought it to the attention of Americans by the refusal to wear diamonds on the „red carpet“ and have chosen to wear cubic zirconia stones in all their jewelry adornments for the „Oscar’s“ and other highly notable celebrity gatherings.

A good quality cubic zirconia in jewelry is practically identical from the mined diamonds. Even some jeweler can not tell the difference between a cubic zirconia and a diamond with out the aid of his gemologist’s tool. The cost of cubic zirconia jewelry is about 75% less than the cost of a mined diamond.

There are other synthetic diamonds used in the market today to replace diamonds in jewelry settings. The moissanite is a mineral created by a laboratory as a good diamond replacement stone. It was introduced into the market in the 1990s. It has become the choice of some for their fine jewelry collection. There are those who prefer moissante to cubic zirconia. The moissante match diamond in the hardness of the mineral, but there is a downside. The cost is about $500 per carat and the moissante does not have the brilliance and fire of a diamond or the cubic zirconia.

Just recently introduced into the US jewelry market is the Diamond Nexus. The Diamond Nexus is a result of a new scientific processing technique. They are an excellent replacement stone for the mined diamond. They possess all the qualities of a diamond from the hardness to the brilliance and fire. They are only used in precious metal settings and are priced fairly reasonably at $79 a carat.

The Russian cubic zirconias are the cubic zirconia of the highest quality. The Russian cubic zirconia used in jewelry feature superior cutting and polishing techniques. Because of the masterful cutting and polishing techniques used to finish the stones, enhances the brilliance and fire of the stone creating a stone of a much higher quality than those mass produced and machine cut with very little polishing.

The Russian cubic zirconias used in jewelry are hand picked from the highest quality raw stones, hand cut by master cutters and hand polished. The specifications used for each of the Russian cubic zirconias are the same as those set down by the Gemological Institute of America for diamonds.

The Russian cubic zirconias are barely visible when compared to diamonds by experts. The experts must use advanced gemological tools to discern the differences between the Russian cubic zirconia and a diamond. Because the Russian cubic zirconia has more diffusion with light than a diamond, they have a profusion of fire and brilliance.

For my money, I will take a cubic zirconia jewelry over the other synthetic diamond jewelry any day.

A Diamond is a crystalline form of carbon. A diamonds hardness and high dispersion of light makes it particular useful for industrial applications and in jewelery. Diamonds are specifically renowned as a mineral with superlative physical qualities. Thus making them great abrasives because they can only be scratched by other diamonds. This feature also means they hold a polish extremely well and retain luster. Approximately 120 million carats, 25 000 kilograms of diamond are mined annually. These diamonds have a with a total value of nearly nine billion united states dollars.

„diamond“, the name, comes from an ancient Greek word that means „impossible to tame“. Treasured as a gem ever since their use as religious icons in India almost 2,500 years ago. „Diamond’s are a girl’s best friend“. They have been widely used in drill bits and engraving tools dating back to early human history for their physical properties. Due to improved cutting and polishing techniques the popularity of diamonds has gone up since the early 19th century. Almost 4 times the amount of natural diamonds are produced syntheticly each year. These synthetic diamonds are typically classified with poor-quality specimens and as a result are suitable only for industrial-grade use.

The majority of natural diamonds come from central and southern Africa. On the other wise of that though, significant sources of the mineral have been discovered in Russia, Canada, Brazil, and Australia. Generally, diamonds are mined from volcanic pipes. Volcanic pipes are deep in the Earth where the high pressure and temperature enables the formation of the crystals. Subject to frequent controversy, the mining and distribution of natural diamonds, has raised large concerns over the sale by African paramilitary groups.

As previosuly mentioned, humans have been able to adapt diamonds for many uses because of their extraordinary physical characteristics. The most recognized of all these properties, is a diamond’s extreme hardness.

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. These
less desirable diamonds are treated with
irradiation followed by intense heat. This
turns brown and yellowish diamonds into
beautifully colored diamonds that you can
afford. This produces stunning greens,
blues, yellows, reds, purples and other
colors. These colors are considered
permanent, but there is a possibility
they could change during repairs if a high
heat is used.

Treatments like irradiation make it possible
for more people to own these vividly colored
diamonds. Most natural colored diamonds
are rare and also extremely expensive. When
shopping for colored diamonds you need to
assume that any affordable fancy color
diamond has been treated. Ask about the
stones origin and request to view a lab
certificate to verify authenticity.

Synthetic colored diamonds are another
option if owning a colored diamond is
something you desire but cannot quite afford.
They are real diamonds, but they are created
in a lab.

Natural fancy color diamonds get their
coloring from different trace elements present
in the stones, such as nitrogen, which
produces a yellow diamond. Diamonds can
be colored by exposure to radiation during its
creation. An example of a diamond affected
by radiation is a Green diamond.

Another way that a natural colored diamond
gets color is by its inclusions. Regarded as
flaws and undesirable in a colorless diamond,
inclusions give unique tones and brilliant
flashes of color in a fancy color diamond.
Remember that Natural fancy colored
diamonds are very expensive, any colored
diamond labeled to be sold as natural should
be accompanied by a certificate from a
respected grading lab.

A „fancy“ diamond is a natural diamond that
has color. These colors vary from red, green,
purple, violet, orange, blue and pink – and
most shades between. Fancy color shades
vary from faint to intense.

The most famous diamonds in the world are
Color diamonds. The Tiffany Diamond,
which is yellow and the Hope Diamond which
is blue are colored diamonds. Color
diamonds have an amazing financial track
record. The value has never decreased on
wholesale level in more than 30 years. Blue
and pink diamonds have doubled every 5
years of a strong economy. In the 1970’s
you could have bought a very high quality
blue diamond for about 50K and today the
very same stone would be worth between
2 and 3 million.

Aside from white, diamonds are also found in shades of yellow, brown, red, purple, blue and green. The color can be either natural or artificial.

Natural fancy color diamonds get their coloring in different ways. The color can be due to trace elements present in the stones, such as nitrogen, which produces a yellow diamond. The diamond may have been exposed to radiation during its creation; green diamonds are an example of gems affected by radiation. Inclusions, regarded as undesirable in a colorless stone, often contribute unique tones and interesting flashes of color in a fancy color diamond.

It is possible to enhance or change the natural color of a diamond. Fancy color diamonds are becoming increasingly popular, so gemologists have developed ways to create affordable versions by using heat and radiation to turn brownish and yellow diamonds into colorful show-stoppers, at an affordable price.

Treatments make it possible for more consumers to own these vivid diamonds, because most natural colored diamonds are rare and expensive. It is best to assume that any affordable fancy color diamond has been treated in some way. If there are questions as to a stone’s origins, ask for a lab certificate to verify its authenticity. If a colored diamond is offered a bargain price, it is safe to assume the color is synthetic.

Unscrupulous sellers sometimes apply coatings to mask or enhance the true color of a diamond. These coatings can be removed by wear or cleaning solutions. Irradiation, followed by high heat treatment, is used to convert brown and yellow diamonds into fancy colors such as green, vivid yellows, blues, purples, reds and other colors. This color change is usually permanent, but could possibly be affected if high heat is used during setting repairs.

High Pressure High Temperature Treatment (HPHT) was first used to turn low-priced yellowish diamonds into fancy colored gemstones, but it is also used to transform them into completely colorless diamonds that can be sold for a much higher price. Some companies claim HPHT isn’t an artificial treatment at all, calling it a technique that finishes the job nature started. Certainly diamonds are exposed to such an environment in the earth, and when the process is repeated in a man-made environment it is difficult to detect by examination of the stone. GIA grading reports now indicate when HTPT treatments are detected by stating „HPHT Annealed“ or „Artificially Irradiated“ in the Origins portion of a report. The FTC requires that any diamonds subjected to HPHT be labelled as such.

Synthetic colored diamonds are also available. These are chemically the same as natural diamonds, but they are created in a lab. The secret to making diamonds was discovered in the 1950s, when diamonds were synthesized almost simultaneously by Swedish and American researchers. This process uses pressures of over 55,000 atmospheres and 1400C, plus molten iron to convert graphite to diamond, were necessary. Currently approximately 80 tons of synthetic diamonds are produced annually by General Electric, De Beers, mostly for industrial use.

However, some companies are also producing high-grade synthetic diamonds, and this process makes ownership of a fancy color diamond a reality for buyers who otherwise could not afford to purchase a natural stone. For instance, a company called Gemesis specializes in producing yellow and orange fancy color diamonds.

Several factors influence the price of colored diamonds. The rarer and more intense the color, the more the diamond will cost. Unlike white diamonds, the presence or absence of inclusions is of secondary consideration. Colored diamonds have a grading all their own, and are categorized by the GIA into 9 different groups : Very Light, Light, Fancy Light, Fancy, Fancy Dark, Fancy Intense, Fancy Deep and Fancy Vivid.

Yellow and brownish diamonds are the most common; blue, green and especially red are the rarest and most valuable. Yellow and pink diamonds are the most commonly purchased, though public tastes may change in the future. Pink diamond sales received a boost from a large pink diamond ring worn by Jennifer Lopez. Celebrity tastes greatly influence trends in the area of luxury products.

Yellow and brown diamonds are sometimes referred to as Champagne diamonds, and they are less expensive than white diamonds. Champagne diamonds with a secondary pink color are extremely popular. When faced up, these stones display light to bold flashes of pink in their fire. These stones are available in a sparkling range of champagne tones, from light champagne to fancy cognac. An extremely pale yellow diamond will be classified somewhere in the X to Z color range, making it closer to a low end white diamond rather than a fancy color. Yellow diamonds of a high intensity, such as vivid or deep, are quite rare and therefor more expensive.

Natural fancy pink diamonds are rare, and account for only a fraction of one percent of the output of the Australian Argyle mine. Pink diamonds mined in India, Brazil and Africa are usually lighter in color than the intensely pink Argyle diamonds. These diamonds are primarily divided into five color categories: Pink, Purplish pink, Brownish pink, Orangey pink and Pink Champagne. Pink diamonds without any secondary coloring are the rarest and most expensive of all.

By volume, the Argyle mine in the Kimberley region of Western Australia is the largest diamond supplier in the world. It is also world’s foremost source of intensely colored pink diamonds, producing 95% of the world supply. However, only an extremely small proportion of Argyle diamonds production is Pink color, in fact less than one tenth of 1 percent. The fame of Argyle’s pink diamonds has grown over the past decade. At the 1989 Christie’s auction in New York a 3.14 carat Argyle pink sold for $1,510,000. Privately, Argyle has sold pink diamonds for up to $1 million a carat.

The Argyle mine, also a leader in the production of brownish diamonds which were previously unwanted by consumers, was the first to introduce the terms ‘champagne’ and ‘cognac’ as a marketing campaign to encourage appreciation of these stones. It seems to have worked, and brown diamonds are becoming more expensive as they are being incorporated more frequently into jewelry.

Within a given grade, clarity, color distribution and cut affect the final price of the stone. Smaller diamonds (less than 0.80) carat can cost 10%-20% less than the rarer large gems. Exceptionally well cut stones and stones with a VVS or IF clarity can cost 10%-20% more. Secondary colors, such as brownish yellow, reduce cost.

A good cut gives a fancy diamond its sparkle and helps to bring out the most intense color possible. White diamonds are cut in a standard way to maximize light refraction. However, when cutting colored diamonds, the cutter usually considers the stone’s inclusions, which can enhance the diamond’s color. Facets and angles also give color to a diamond, so the cutter must consider what shape would bring out the gemstone’s best color.

The best prices are offered by „direct from the mine“ wholesalers, merchants who buy either rough stone or newly cut diamonds directly from the source. Not all wholesalers will sell to private buyers, but the ones who do can save their clients a lot of money.

Diamonds are extremely expensive stones used as jewelry by royalties and rich people. Diamonds are judged based on 4 Cs – Color, Carat, Clarity and Cut.

Natural colored diamonds, especially the clear and near colorless ones, are very expensive. To make the beauty of diamonds reach a wider market, jewelers are marketing colored diamonds which are still visually appealing but a lot cheaper in price.

Gemologists have found a way to manipulate diamonds of less quality to alter their colors to create fancy diamonds for sale. This color manipulation process can be achieved by a process called irradiation – a treatment with very high heat to alter colors. Many natural diamonds that are of inferior quality due to blemished color are turned into fancy colored diamonds of vivid yellows, blues, purples, greens, reds and other colors.

When the color of the treated diamonds becomes more intense than the Z grading of diamond, they become categorized into fancy colored diamonds. Some colored diamonds‘ prices can even surpass that of natural near colorless diamonds especially if the color intensity is very and the color output is rare.

In nature, there are several naturally formed colored diamonds. Most of these are very rare while some are one of a kind.

Fancy Yellow Diamonds get their color from nitrogen impurities. One of the largest fancy yellow diamonds is the Tiffany Diamond which was founding in South Africa. The Tiffany Diamond weighed 287.42 carats when it was found in 1878.

Pink Diamonds are rare and they owe their color to the irregular patterns which cause very tiny imperfections within the structure. There is only one source of rare pink diamonds which is the Argyle Mine in Australia.

Chameleon Diamonds are also very rare. They can change hue from grayish blue or olive green to yellowish green depending on the lighting conditions. When exposed to heat up to 250º C), the color can change to yellowish green or when exposed to direct sunlight, olive green. These changes are temporary.

Green diamonds are mostly found in South Central Africa. These diamonds have been exposed to gamma and neutron radiation for millions of years to get their hue. The Ocean Green Diamond and the Dresden Green Diamond have pure and intense hues.

The Red Diamond is the rarest kind among the colored diamonds. The first discovered Red Diamond is the 1 carat Halpen Red found in the 18th century. Around the world today, there are only fewer than 20 known natural red diamond specimens. The most famous Red Diamond is the Hancock Red Diamond found in Brazil which weighed only 0.95 carats. It was old for $926,000 at an auction. Other famous Red Diamonds are Moussaieff Diamond which weighed 13.90 carats and De Young which weighed 5.03 carats. Red Diamonds in the market today may reach up to $1 million per carat.

Brown diamonds are the cheapest among the colored diamonds. They are very popular nowadays because more people are buying them due to their affordability.

If you own precious jewelry such as diamond earrings, pendants, diamond rings, or other fine jewelry products, you can keep these items for a lifetime if you take care of them. Proper cleaning and storage will help your diamond jewelry stay beautiful for years to come.

Why Cleaning is Necessary

Diamond jewelry accumulates dirt and oil buildup after a while. This buildup comes from hand lotions, hair styling products, dust, and even perspiration. If you never clean your diamond jewelry, the buildup will only get worse and will finally turn into gunk on the back of your jewelry or stone. The buildup is usually not noticeable for a while, but before you know it, your diamond looks dull and dirty. You can clean jewelry at home or have a jeweler clean it for you.

How to Clean Diamond Jewelry

To clean diamond jewelry, create a solution using warm water and mild liquid dish detergent such as Ivory detergent. Ammonia solution or water solution may be used for fracture-filled diamonds. If other gemstones are included with your diamond, be extremely careful not to damage these during cleaning. There are also jewelry cleaning solutions available in the marketplace, but you can use the household remedy above to save time and money.

Soak the jewelry in the solution for a while and then use a soft brush to remove dirt and gunk from the jewelry. Never use a brush with hard or stiff bristles because this could scratch any metal areas of your jewelry. After cleaning with the brush, swish the jewelry around a few times in the solution. Then, rinse the jewelry in warm water. Always cover or close your drain before rinsing diamond jewelry over a sink. Small pieces may fall down the drain if you drop them.

If the jewelry still has some grime after cleaning, use a toothpick to get to those hard-to-reach places. Next, dry the jewelry as much as possible using a lint-free cloth.

You can use this cleaning method for diamond engagement rings, diamond bangles, diamond earrings, diamond pendants, diamond bracelets, and other diamond jewelry, but be sure to take all parts (bands, clasps, settings, other stones, and so forth) of the jewelry into consideration. If you’re not sure, ask a jeweler to show you how to clean the item safely.

How to Store Diamond Jewelry

Diamond earrings, pendants, and jewelry should be stored so the jewelry doesn’t rub together and get scratched. Use soft jewelry cloth to separate your different pieces of jewelry. Store your jewelry in a dry room or area of your home, safe from moisture or condensation. Also, keep your valuables in a safe, hidden place. Even with jewelry insurance coverage, losing a sentimental diamond ring or other diamond jewelry can be a heart-breaking experience.

For jewelry items very close to your heart such as a diamond engagement ring, never leave them lying around on a counter, dresser, or table where they can easily be knocked off. Place them in your jewelry box when you need to take them off for chores so you’ll always know where they are.

Clean and store your diamond earrings, pendants, and jewelry safely, and they’ll never lose their beautiful, shiny appeal.

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.

The most popular cuts are heart, marquise,
oval, pear, princess, round, trillion, and
emerald cuts. The shape has an impact on
how much the diamond sparkles, but the
actual cutting itself – when the diamond
cutter actually cuts the diamond into a
particular shape – also matters a great
deal. If the diamond is poorly cut, it will lose
its sparkle.

However, in the diamond industry, the cut of
a diamond doesn’t refer to its shape at all.
Instead, this is a reference to the stone’s
depth, width, brilliance, durability, clarity, and
other aspects of the diamond. Common
cutting problems include a missing or off
center culet, misalignment, a diamond that
is too thick or too thin, cracks, or broken
culets.

When shopping for a diamond, you should
of course choose the shape that you like the
best, but then look at several different
diamonds of that shape to find the one with
the best cut – the one that sparkles the most,
in all types of lighting.

Congratulations! You have decided to take the plunge and ask your sweetheart to marry you. You have been saving for months and you’re finally ready to decide on a ring. But how can you make sure that you are actually getting a ring that is worthy of your future bride? Breathe easy – in this article we’ll provide you with some simple tips for choosing the best diamond engagement ring.

First and foremost, it is important to make sure that you treat this purchase like the investment it is. Think about it; this ring will always represent the beginning of your lives together, and you want it to reflect the importance of that. With that being said, make sure you first save enough money to buy a proper ring. Now, we’re not suggesting the ring you buy has to break the bank, as we all have different budgets. What we are suggesting, however, is to make sure you have the money put aside so that you aren’t forced into getting something less than you (and she) will want

O.K., so you are ready to start looking at rings. What is the first thing that should cross your mind when you begin this process? Time’s up – if you said your sweetheart, you win the prize! By knowing her likes and dislikes, you will be well equipped to start narrowing down the vast amount of choices. Does she like yellow gold or white gold? Does she tend to wear loud jewelry, or does she prefer an understated style? By paying attention to her jewelry habits in the weeks and months before your ring adventure, you will have a better idea as to what you are looking for

The next step is to enlist the help of her family or friends. Now, this can often be a delicate situation, as it is often hard for people to keep a secret. But if there is one person who A) knows her really well and B) doesn’t have a big mouth, this is the person you need to be talking to. They will be able to provide with you some tips that you may not have considered

Now, let’s move on to the ring itself. You have no doubt heard of the 4 C’s of a diamond ring (cut, color, clarity, and carat), but which C do you think should be your biggest concern? Without a doubt, it is the cut of the diamond. By choosing the right cut for her style, you will ensure that she absolutely loves the ring. How can you do this? Simply use your keen eye sight (or the help of a jeweler’s magnifier) to closely examine the diamond. If a cutter did a proper job, the diamond will reflect and sparkle from a multitude of angles. When looking at a great diamond, you will never find a dull area

Lastly, it is also important for you to pick the proper shaped diamond for your bride-to-be. Again, you should have a pretty good idea of her likes and dislikes (based on comments she may have made, or current jewelry tastes). Not all diamonds are created round – she may prefer oval or square. Pay close attention to her and this preference should be apparent!

Choosing the best diamond engagement ring for the woman in your life doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it will seem downright easy compared to your next step – popping the question! Sorry, we don’t have any help for you there. Good luck, and we wish you all the best in your upcoming wedding!

Diamond and Gemstone Rings are both beautiful and unique. There are so many styles, cuts, and weights that is hard to choose just one. Let’s take a look at what a diamond is and briefly discuss what gemstones are. We can then progress to discussing diamond rings and gemstone rings or any combination of the two.

A diamond is the hard substance known. Diamond rings symbols of everlasting love and affection. Many men become overwhelmed when they go to purchase diamond and/or gemstone rings. There are many styles, band widths, and settings. The size and weight of the stone is also something that will play into the decision, but I digress.

Here is a quick overview of ring settings. Settings are defined as the manner in which a stone is place on a ring. An example of a setting is the traditional solitaire was engineered by Ifanes. It is a single diamond set in either a four or six pronged mounting high above the band. This allows the most light to refract in the stone. This setting is also very easy to clean and is also less expensive than other settings.

Another setting is the Diamond Accent setting. The stones used are smaller. The Channel Street Baguette style are stones set into the band that accentuates a center stone.

Gemstone settings are basically any setting with a combination of diamonds and other precious stones. The colors of the other stones enhance the beauty and sparkle of the diamond (i.e. rubies, emeralds, or sapphires). One way to do this is put a diamond in the center with the birthstones of the couple on either side. Later if children come along their stones could be added as well. Gemstones rings can be made with almost any precious stone such as Fancy Gems, Sapphires, Topaz, Emerald, Black Onyx or a Ruby.

The Truffle setting usually accompanies a three stone ring where a large stone has a smaller stone on either sided and is a design where loops on each of the stones connect the stones together. There are many combinations of metals, diamonds and gemstones that can be created. You need to decide what you want and what you can afford and come up with the perfect ring.

Both gemstones and diamonds can be cut in round, rectangular, or oval. Shapes such as hearts or diamonds are also used particularly in gemstones. Almost anything is possible.
When choosing a diamond ring or a gemstone ring you should consider your budget bearing in mind that taxes, insurance, and warranties will add to the cost of the ring. The likes and dislikes of the person who will receive the ring is crucial to your decision. For example you see this exquisite diamond ring that has the birthstone of the person to whom you will give the ring. It so happens that the ring is in your price range. Right next to it is a very simple diamond in a solitaire setting and it is very pretty.
Now you think the more exquisite one is perfect and you purchase it. When you give it you can’t help noticing a look on their face that you can’t explain. Later it is explained to you that simple designs are more the persons style so you return the ‘gaudy’ ring for the simple solitaire one.

So think about your budget. Think also about the recipient do they wear jewelry and if so is it simple in design or are they more the type that loves ornate pieces. Know that for the most part your choice will be gratefully accepted. Good luck!

Diamonds – girls’ best friend! Why do girls love diamonds? Why are they so precious? Is it because of their beauty and exquisiteness? Talk about buying. Purchasing a diamond can test the nerves of even the most astute buyer – what do you look for? What do the terms mean? What makes one diamond worth more than another?

When you get in the diamond shop and attempt to buy one, but do not know what the different between this one and that one. Even though those two have the same size and carat, the price can be completely different. Why? Here is a simple guide to the essentials of diamond grading.

Understanding these terms will help you discuss with the dealer the features most important to you, ensuring you get the very best diamond for your money. Diamond appraisers look for four qualities in a diamond when discerning its value. Commonly called the ‚4 Cs‘ they are: Cut, Clarity, Carat and Color.

CUT

There are 2 big aspects of CUT.

1. Quality of cut – affecting the brilliance of the diamond – the other refers to the actual shape of the diamond.

2. Shape – Diamonds are available in many shapes. Some of the more common are; round, oval, pear (teardrop shaped), heart, princess (square shaped), Emerald (rectangular shaped), marquise (football shaped) and round. Of all the shapes available, round diamonds are the shape most capable of being cut to exude the greatest brilliance. The brilliance is determined by the ability of the diamond to reflect light. A quality cut diamond will have facets angled to reflect the greatest amount of light. Beware of diamonds cut to maintain a higher carat weight while sacrificing the cutting of a good angle as this will dramatically reduce the brilliance.

CLARITY

Diamonds from natural sources are subject to individual flaws including trace minerals and scratches. A diamond without such characteristics is called flawless and is the rarest kind. While these flaws are often not visible to the naked eye, they affect the light reflecting qualities of the diamond which affects the overall brilliance.

Diamond clarity is classified as follows: Flawless, IF, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2, SI3, I1, I2 and I3.

CARAT

Carat is the measurement of the weight of a diamond. One carat may also be referred to as ‚100 points‘. This means that a half carat would be listed as ’50 points‘ and so on.

The larger a diamond is the more costly it becomes. Since the larger diamonds are much rarer the cost will go up significantly with each increase in size. A one carat diamond will be more than just double the cost of a half carat, however, a ring with multiple diamonds that have a combined weight of one carat will be cheaper than a single stone of that weight.

COLOR

There are many diamond colors which called fancy diamonds. But the mostly found diamonds will be rated on an alphabetical scale from D to Z. A typical ‚white‘ diamond should be as colorless as possible – a rating of ‚D‘ being the rarest and most desirable. When choosing a colorless diamond it is best to stay within the D-J range or the diamond will have a yellow cast which lessens the value. The less natural color the diamond has the more colors will appear in the flashes reflected in the prism.

‚Fancy‘ diamonds (diamonds with a rating over Z) come in a variety of shades and include some famous diamonds such as the Blue Hope diamond.

When decide to buy a diamond, please keep in mind of these 4 Cs as a factor of buying consideration. It takes years to gain a specialty in this area. Therefore, at least you should point out whether which features are of greatest importance to you and with a little knowledge select the diamond that will hold the greatest value and sentiment for your budget.

CZ stands for Cubic Zirconia and it is rarest mineral available in nature. This mineral is widely used in manufacturing the Chatham Diamond all over the world. Cubic Zirconia is a type of mineral that is known as Zirconium Oxide and the chemical formula is ZrO2. Even though they are rare and have scarcity, the Chatham diamonds are cheap when compared to various other minerals.

This article provides the reader with characteristics, advantages and the technical parameters of the CZ Diamond.

The main characteristics, advantages and technical parameters of Zirconium Oxide, which is used in manufacturing Chatham Diamond, are as follows:

Characteristics:
• This synthesized compound is very hard in nature.
• They don’t have any definite color, there for it is colorless.
• Essentially a Cubic Zirconia is a fine material and it is flawless
• Even though cubic zirconia is a colorless material it can be formed into various colors.
• Zirconium Oxide and the Zircon are different materials and are not be related to each other as the chemical formula for zircon is ZrSiO4 and it is Zirconium silicate.

Advantages:
• This cubic zirconium is very cheap compared to other various types of minerals.
• It is durable in nature and can be preserved for longer durations.
• It looks similar to a diamond and is used widely in manufacturing Chatham Diamonds.
• When compared to moissanite, cubic zirconia is more economical to manufacture CZ Diamonds.
• Cubic Zirconium is a type of gem that is frequently used in manufacturing CZ Diamond.
• The other synthetic gemstone that is used in manufacturing CZ Diamond or the Chatham Diamond is moissanite.
• Cubic Zirconia is a diamond simulant and widely used in Chatham Diamonds where as moissanite is a cultivated material.

Technical parameters and aspects
Cubic Zirconia or the CZ Diamond is crystal isometric. This diamond is an isometric material and plays an important role in manufacturing a diamond simulant. This mineral contains around fifteen percent of mole and used in stabilizing the metal oxides. After synthesizing cubic zirconia it changes in to monoclinic crystals and that is used in CZ Diamonds. These crystals are very stable in normal atmospheric conditions. They are then used in Chatham diamond processing industries.

Parameters of cubic zirconia include:
• It has a specific gravity of around 5.6 to 6.and at the same time is a dense substance.
• When comparing other materials it is relatively hard and that helps in forming CZ diamonds.
• The refractive index of this material is 2.15 to 2.18
• Cubic zirconia is brittle in nature.
• When an ultra violate ray is passed through the CZ diamond it produces yellow or the greenish yellow light.

The cubic zirconia is similar in nature and has characteristics of a real diamond and that is why it is used in processing Chatham Diamonds. If both the materials are kept near to each other; it is very difficult to distinguish between the two materials. Only with help of microscope one can find out which is a real diamond or the CZ Diamond.

The major differences between cubic zirconia and the real diamond are dispersion, hardness, specific gravity and the refractive index properties. The minor differences between both these forms are its cutting edges and the flawless properties.

What better way to show the world that you are in love than by the act of giving and receiving a diamond engagement ring? With many actresses and other famous women sporting bigger and sparklier diamond rings, celebrity engagements have become a delight for the jewelry lover. The size of the diamond is not necessarily the key as to what makes some of these rings so famous and recognizable, rather it seems to be a combination of the engagement ring itself and the famous lady it is associated with.

The history of diamond engagement rings

Maximillan I of Austria gave the first diamond engagement ring on record to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. He had the ring commissioned to unite their two houses and make their marriage a unifying symbol to the country.

The smallest diamond engagement ring ever made was given to Princess Mary who was married by proxy to the Dauphin of France in the year 1518. Princess Mary was two years old at the time.

Throughout history diamond engagement rings have become larger, more elaborate, and have included a wide variety of other jewels and metals. Diamond engagement rings settings can be made of silver, platinum, white or yellow gold or a mixture of these elements.

Famous ladies and their engagement rings

Celebrities and other famous people influence the look and style of many aspects in fashion and also set trends. Diamond engagement rings are no exception to this rule. The following is a partial list of the famous ladies and their equally famous engagement rings:

Royalty:

• Queen Elizabeth II received an engagement ring from Prince Phillip that was made from diamonds from his mother’s tiara.
• Grace Kelly was given a 12 carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring from Prince Rainier.
• Lady Diana was engaged with a ring made of an 18 carat blue oval sapphire that was circled by fourteen diamonds.

Actresses:

• Elizabeth Taylor was engaged to her third husband, Michael Todd, with an emerald cut diamond that weighed almost 30 carats. However, she is more known for her other pieces of jewelry, one more striking than the other: the 39 carat Krupp diamond, the 69.42 carat pear-shaped Taylor-Burton diamond and the 17th century heart-shaped Taj Mahal diamond.
• Priscilla was engaged to Elvis with a 3.5 carat diamond engagement ring that was circled by another 21 smaller diamonds and diamond chips.
• Sharon Stone was given a three diamond, 3 1/2 carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring by Phil Bronstien.
• Catherine Zeta-Jones‘ promise to Michael Douglas was finalized with a 10 carat antique marquise diamond estimated at amost $2 million.
• Joan Collins got a heart-shaped diamond ring in a nineteenth-century setting from husband Percy Gibson.

Pop stars:

• Madonna received from Guy Ritchie an antique Edwardian three-stone diamond ring with a decorative platinum band. The Neil Lane ring was supposed to represent their family: mother, father and son Rocco.
• In the case of Toni Braxton, drummer Keri Lewis designed a stunning 4.5 three-stone diamond ring with an oval-shaped center stone and 2 heart-shaped diamonds on the sides.
• Paris Hilton, even though not a pop star but a diva anyway, received 2 diamond engagement rings from billionaire Paris Latsis, a $5 million 24 carat canary diamond ring and a $2.1 million 15 carat white diamond ring.
• Britney Spears has two engagement rings also: one that she bought for herself before the wedding, a $40,000 4 carat cushion-cut diamond ring with a platinum pave setting, and one that she received 9 month after the marriage from husband Kevin Federline.
• Christina Aguilera became engaged to Jordan Bratman after he presented a $54,000 20-carat diamond engagement ring designed by jeweler Stephen Webster.
• Whitney Houston sports a stunning 4 carat oval-shaped center stone with trillions on the sides which she received from Bobby Brown.

Replica diamond engagement rings

Of course there is the very famous pink diamond ring that Ben Affleck gave to Jennifer Lopez. This 6 carat radiant shaped pink diamond quickly caught the attention of the public and has become a highly sought after replica. It is completed with a platinum band as well as three baguette white diamonds on each side. The pink diamond engagement ring is reported to have been purchased for $1.2 million in 2002. The ring, while easily identified is also very feminine and modern looking.

Replicas of the famous pink diamond ring are now available for a moderate price. The cost of the replicas depends on the quality of the stones and the materials used in reproducing the pink diamond engagement ring.

Some replicas are styled as more antique diamond engagement rings. These rings have an everlasting quality and symbolize tradition and heritage. The recent engagement of Camilla Parker Bowles in February of 2005 featured such an antique engagement ring. The platinum ring has an emerald-cut center diamond with three diamond baguettes on each side. This ring originally belonged to the Queen Mother and is believed to be valued at over $1 million.

Since few people can afford the original item, there will always be a market for replicas of these one of a kind diamond engagement rings. The quality of the replicas varies, as does the price. It is important to note that the styles of diamond engagement rings that are popular with celebrities will soon become the styles that are sought after by the not quite so rich and famous.

With all of the potential for scams concerning
diamonds, buying diamonds online almost
seems unthinkable! However, you actually
can purchase diamonds online, without any
problems – as long as you are careful.

First, think about your reasons for wanting to
purchase the diamond online, as opposed to
making a purchase from a local jewelry store.
The most common reason is price. Due to
low overhead costs, online jewelers and
wholesalers are able to offer lower prices.
However, you must be careful – sometimes
a price that is too low is a sure indication of
a scam.

One of the best things about purchasing
online is the unlimited selection. When
shopping offline, you are limited to the
selection in the stores in your general area.
Online, there are no limits. But again, you
must use a great deal of care and
consideration before handing your money
over to someone that you cannot see and
have never met!

Before shopping, learn as much as you can
about diamonds – especially cut, color,
clarity and carat weights. When you are
knowledgeable about diamonds, it will be
harder for a con artist to rip you off. Once
you know more about diamonds, you will be
ready to start shopping.

Take your time. Don’t purchase the first
diamond that you see that interests you.
Instead, look for similar diamonds for sale.
Do some comparison shopping to find the
lowest prices. Once you have found the
lowest price, start doing your investigation.
You know about diamonds, you’ve found a
diamond that you love, and you’ve found the
lowest price – but you are still quite a ways
away from actually purchasing that diamond!

Ask about the seller’s credentials, such as
professional jewelry associations that they
belong to. View and print the seller’s return,
refund, and upgrade policies. Also inquire
about additional services, such as settings
and mountings, sizing, and free shipping. Do
a search for customer reviews on this
particular company around the Internet. Also
check with the BBB Online to see if there have
been any complaints.

Ask for a diamond grading report from an
independent laboratory such as GIA, HRD,
EGL or AGS. You should see this before
making a purchase. Finally, use a reputable
escrow service for high dollar diamonds –
preferably one that will have the diamond
appraised while it is in their possession. The
seller sends the diamond to the escrow
service, and you send the money to pay for
the diamond to the escrow service. The
escrow service has the diamond appraised,
sends the diamond to you, and sends the
money to the seller. This is the surest way to
protect yourself…again, make sure that you
use a reputable escrow service!

Diamond shoppers today have more choices than ever on where to buy their diamond engagement ring, diamond earrings and other diamond jewelry items. However, with greater selections come bigger potential risks and rewards. You need to do your homework and understand how to select the best company for your diamond purchase.

The retail diamond market is comprised of three broad categories of diamond sources; jewelry stores, ecommerce diamond companies and diamond brokers.

Jewelry Stores
Until recent years, jewelry stores were the only option for most diamond shoppers. This was especially true for smaller towns and rural areas. These stores had a monopoly, much like Ma Bell with the phone systems during most of the 20th century. Jewelry stores were the only game in town and could set their prices at whatever markup they wanted.

Jewelry stores depend on impulse buying so they focus on having a selection to pick from, name recognition through extensive advertising, and being convenient so shoppers can walk in and make a purchase with no education or knowledge of the product. If it looks nice to an impulse buyer, they will pull out the credit card and have it gift-wrapped. To attract the impulse buyer, jewelers built elaborate stores with polished marble floors, expensive display cases, and lighting that makes everything in the store sparkle.

To pay for the stores, the decorations and all the expensive advertising, jewelry stores must maintain high markups on the items they sell. The more expensive stores have bigger inventory, higher rent and more advertising, which dictates the higher markup necessary to pay for all that overhead.

E-Commerce Diamond Retailers
The online shopping cart of hundreds of jewelry retailers has been one of the big growth areas for e-commerce. Shoppers can shop from the convenience of their home or work computer, look at the pictures of thousands of jewelry items online and place their order without ever talking to a human. E-commerce diamond retailers provide a list of diamonds owned by groups of wholesalers and let the shopper pick the diamond they want based on the specifications in the list. The shopper pays for the diamond in advance and then the wholesaler or the retailer ships the diamond to the consumer.

The online jewelry retailers offer the advantage of much greater selection than you can find in a jewelry store and the ability to ship the items all over the country, which provides greater options for shoppers in small towns and rural areas. Due to low overhead costs, online jewelers can provide lower prices than most jewelry stores. The disadvantage of the online jeweler is that there are few safeguards in place to keep the consumer from making a mistake. Picking the least expensive diamond from a list of options often means there is something less desirable about the diamond. Without an expert adviser to help, the consumer is mostly on their own to make their selection.

Diamond Brokers
There is a third type of diamond retailer, the diamond broker, that differs from the jewelry store or e-commerce retailer. Like most e-commerce retailers, brokers do not own inventory and have low overhead, but they differ in that they work as diamond consultants for the shopper to find the best diamonds meeting the consumer’s requirements.

To attract new clients, diamond brokers rely on word of mouth advertising. They typically have a website focused on online education and shopping advice instead of a list of inventory and the online shopping cart. Diamond brokers work with their client to find the best diamond on the wholesale market and present it to the client in the broker’s office or ship the diamond to the client to examine before they purchase. The result of the lower overhead and personal consultant service is that clients usually get a better diamond at a lower price than with jewelry stores or online retailers.

To determine which company is going to be the best supplier for your diamonds, know what retailer characteristics are most important to you then ask many questions. Be sure the company you select is going to be able to provide the personalized service, expert advice, high quality diamonds and low prices you deserve.

It may be your budget, or the thrill of doing it all yourself, but you are in the market for a diamond in the rough. But just how rough can a house be before a lender decides not to take the risk on a mortgage?

When you negotiate the contract, make sure that you include a provision for a home inspection for structural integrity, defects and potential problems. This isn’t part of the appraisal, it is a separate detail. A home inspection ascertains the health of the house you are buying. Whether it be a bad roof, leaky plumbing or termite damage, a professional inspector will find all of the major problems. As part of your report, you will receive a list of what needs to be repaired or replaced, the time frame and the potential costs. If you are buying a fixer-upper, you may find that your lender will require an inspection. Some will and some won’t. But you should insist on one to protect your best interests.

What if you luck out and there are no major problems, just minor ones? Maybe the carpet is worn and needs replacing. Perhaps the deck needs a little work. New paint and fresh air could be all it needs.

Minor, cosmetic concerns are usually not strong enough to scare away lenders, but could lead to negotiations between the buyers and sellers. Unless you’ve done this before, you may find a good agent is invaluable to negotiate for you.

If you want certain things repaired by the seller, such as the mailbox fixed and the deck painted, make sure it is in the contract. If it is, the seller must perform. You may be able to have the appraisal include the repairs spelled out in the contract. This can help you when getting a mortgage, as lenders will only lend on the lesser of the appraisal or purchase price. Just make sure that it is all in the contract.

Occasionally, your seller may ask to perform the repairs after closing. Many buyers simply ask for a seller’s concession. Instead of installing a $5,000 carpet before closing, the seller agrees to reduce the purchase amount by the $5,000 it will cost the buyer to put in new carpeting.

But if you don’t have that $5,000 in hand to buy the carpet, don’t expect your lender to give it to you. Even if your contract states that the seller will give you back $5,000 after closing, don’t expect it to happen. Cash allowances written into contracts can’t happen. The lender will not allow the seller to hand over cash at closing. Your real estate agent should steer you away from this and help construct a sales contract that will please both the buyer and the seller. But don’t expect to come home with $5,000. It just won’t happen.

Buying a fixer-upper can be rewarding. You get to choose how you want to improve the home. But it is a lot of work and definately not for every buyer or lender. Your best bet is to be completely upfront with your lender about your intentions. This will help the transaction to go smoothly.

Diamond is one of the rare and expensive stone that is really desirable and valuable. With its glittering shine and lavishness in style, diamonds are always a great piece to treasure it for throughout the life. Normally, the value and worth of diamond is calculated on the basis of its clarity, cut, color and carat or weight. Once you get aware of these 4 c’s, it becomes easier to choose a right and perfect diamond that reflects its charm and beauty brilliantly.

Clarity, cut, color and carat complete the 4’c of diamond that ensures its actual worth of a diamond. Here, clarity refers to the clearness of the diamond i.e. the transparency as well as the size and varieties of the diamond. Cut refers to symmetry, finish, polish and depth of the stone which determines its brilliance. The rareness of colors in diamond also affect the price of a diamond as blue, pink, yellow diamonds are really limited and hard to locate thus increasing the price of the diamond. Carat or weight of the diamond is also a major influencing factor in fixing a price of a diamond as price increases with an increase in weight.

Now, when you are sure about these 4c’s, locating a good and suitable diamond for your choice becomes easier. You can go to different sellers and compare the prices of the same piece. Just match the stone with your understanding and needs. For making an effective purchase, you can also go for loose stones as they are economical and vivid in their varieties. From there, you can pick your favorite stone with its color and get it fixed in your preferred design and metal. You can also order a diamond of your choice if it is not available in their store, they will deliver your order in their next lot.

Nowadays, online jewelry purchases are also becoming a hot market. It is a great collection of different varieties of diamonds available in affordable price and great designs.

So, try to learn about 4 c’s correctly and accurately as they will ensure your search for a good diamond. Check the guarantee card and other certificates very well to make sure their clarity, cut, carat and color specifications. See, if it is a suitable piece for your beloved or the person you are intended to gift as it is that brilliant and lavish piece of jewel that a person cherish for her entire life.

A brilliant cut diamond is a phenomenon that has been debated by many geniuses and expert scholars for a very long time.

Just when do we say that a diamond has a brilliant cut?

Is it with how far one can view the diamond with his naked eye? If so, then what is the distance one must be able to see the diamond from to qualify it as a brilliant cut diamond. Or is it with the symmetry and smoothness aspect? If so, how then can one determine the required polish and symmetry aspect of it? How about the people who make the standards? Do we follow the AGA standards? Or do we use the HCA and AGS guidelines? Or the GIA, which made a comprehensive study of 20,000 proportions with 70,000 observations of 2,000 diamonds?

One should also think, what is it with the brilliant cut that people are debating about? How would it be advantageous if one has a brilliantly cut diamond? Is it the beauty? Is it the money value?

So when does a diamond achieve a brilliant cut? Or more specifically, how does one define a brilliant cut diamond?
Brilliance is the amount of light allowed to enter a stone and how the angles cut into the stone reflect the light back to the naked eye. Brilliance encompasses the behavior of light when it is reflected or refracted at junctions between the aspects it is traveling through. With these factors, the optimum angles between facets will be influenced, thus affecting the brilliance of the diamond. The depth and the proportion of the crown to the pavilion are being seen.

A brilliant cut diamond is any diamond that is cut to a standard of 58 facets or 57 if the culet is excluded, that reflect light. Thirty three (33) facets are on the crown and twenty five (25) facets are on the pavilion, or bottom half of the stone. Although in the early years, the Mazarins, the first brilliants known, had only 17 faces on the crown and Peruzzi had 33 on it, nonetheless, they are considered the primers in Brilliant cut diamonds and have become part of the history.

With the evolution of the brilliant cut diamond, several variations have existed along the way. Notably, the oval, pear, and marquise cuts have a share of market in the industry.

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. In fact, out of all of the jeweler’s
in the world, only about 5% of them are
bonded. Buying a bonded diamond will
cost more than buying a non-bonded
diamond, but when you look at what you
get with the bonded option, you will see
that it is well worth the extra expense.

First, bonded diamonds have a buy back
policy for the life of the diamond. No matter
how long you have had the diamond, you can
take it back to the bonded jeweler and sell it
back to him or her, for a 100% refund. If a
jeweler does not offer a 100% buy back
guarantee, for the life of the diamond, then
you should take a closer look at the diamond
to see what is wrong with it.

Bonded diamonds also have a breakage
policy. If the stone breaks or chips, the
bonded jeweler will replace it with a new one
– one time. No jeweler would ever offer such
a policy on any stone that was not 100%
natural, so just the offer of such a policy
should give you piece of mind concerning
the quality of the diamond. Bonded
diamonds are natural and untreated.

Bonded diamonds increase in value, with a
fixed appreciation rate that is designed to
keep up with inflation. This means that a
diamond that is worth a certain amount of
money today will be worth more in the future,
as the price of diamonds continues to rise.
This generally does not apply to buy backs,
however. It typically applies to trade-ins.

Alternately, by purchasing a bonded
diamond, you are protected against the
possibility of a market crash. If a market
crash occurs, the value of diamonds will
drop. However, the bonded jeweler
guarantees to refund you the difference
between what the diamond is now worth
and what you paid for it before the market
crash.

It may be difficult to find a bonded jeweler in
your area, but if you can, this is who you
want to deal with, as opposed to dealing
with an un-bonded jeweler. Specifically tell
the jeweler that you are only interested in
bonded diamonds. You can find a bonded
jeweler in your area by using various online
resources, or by calling the local jewelry
stores.

Who would ever thought that clarity grading a diamond is much easier than anyone could ever imagine. Two things which we should be concerned of are:

Category 1: Diamonds with inclusion1 and blemishes2 which is visible to our naked eye.

The easiest way to know whether a diamond is of good quality is by simply asking the jeweler, but due to scams this tactic seems not to be reliable, still. By knowing the Clarity Grade Standard of a diamond you will be guided.

Category 2: Diamonds which are definitely clear.

A. Start on investing flawless diamonds, gives you a good start. It should be really flawless internally and externally.

B. VS1 and VS2 are the recommended highest grade one could wear

C. SI1- it is simply named as it is because it has little problems which will not give any difference to its appearance.

Buying a diamond can be really tricky. Be very sensitive when it comes with this. You must be paying for its worth as possible. Be smart than its sellers, jewelers used to trick people for their own benefit.

For you to be able to enjoy what you are spending for regardless if its for your collection or simply for accessory purposes to yourself or home, you should everything that you should know in buying one.

Some are very regardless when it comes to this matter. They used to be or sometimes as always tend to be an impulsive buyer which should everyone avoid. They are like somewhat attracted to a light, what seems to be appealing to their eyes, they buy it at ones without even taking in consideration the quality itself.

In buying precious jewelry such as diamonds extra precautions should be observe, so that you will not find it to be just wasting both of your money and time but enjoying it more than you’ve expected to enjoy it

Diamonds have an allure about them that make them probably the most sought after gemstones in the world. They say that „diamonds are a girl’s best friend“, and more than likely that sentiment is due to their brilliance, their sparkle, and the way they make a person feel when wearing one. But, what we know as these perfectly clear and beautiful gemstones start their lives as basically rocks. They have to be mined and honed and crafted into what we know as diamonds.

A diamond is a form of carbon, and its extreme hardness and light diffusion qualities make it a highly useful stone for industrial purposes, in addition to its pleasing aesthetic qualities. Diamonds make excellent abrasives because they can only be scratched by other diamonds. Therefore, they are extremely durable and retain their brilliant gleam wonderfully.

The earliest known reference to the diamond comes from a Sanskrit text dating back to approximately 296 BCE (before the Christian Era), which described the diamond’s qualities. It is generally accepted that diamonds were first mined in India, where they quickly became symbols of spirituality and holiness, decorating religious idols. Early on in their history, diamonds were traded in all direction of India for their different industrial uses, including engraving and drilling, as well as for their aesthetic purposes such as for ceremony, decoration, and adornment.

There was a strict prohibition against cutting diamonds. This taboo was started with the early traditional uses in India, and ended in the Middle Ages. By 1375, a guild of diamond cutters and polishers was established, as the technology of reshaping diamonds began to develop. The different shapes that were developed through the years only worked to exemplify the diamond’s beauty and brilliance, increasing their allure. Today, diamonds are most familiarly used for the purposes of adornments, such as for jewelry.

There are 4 characteristics that are used as basic description devices of diamonds, and which are used in order to determine the ultimate value of a particular diamond. These are known as the „4 C’s“, or carat, clarity, color, and cut. The carat is the weight that measures the mass of the diamond. One carat equals approximately 0.007 ounce. The value of a diamond increases greatly relative to its carat weight, because large diamonds are exceptional and in high demand for jewelry.

The clarity of a diamond measures the amount of inclusions of a diamond, or its internal flaws. Foreign matter inside the diamond or cracks causing a cloudy appearance are considered inclusions, and tend to decrease the value of a diamond. There grading systems used to assess clarity, based on certain factors including number, size, color, and visibility of the inclusions (diamonds are usually graded from flawless to imperfect). The higher the clarity rating is, the more rare the diamond (and the more valuable) is.

The color of a structurally perfect diamond, and one that is free of chemicals is almost perfectly clear, and color-free to the naked eye. This doesn’t necessarily affect the value of a diamond, however. Some pink or blue diamonds (like the Hope Diamond, for example) are considered spectacular, and therefore highly valuable. A rating system of D to Z (D=colorless and Z=bright yellow) is in use to aid in color assessment of diamonds.

The cut of a diamond describes how the diamond has been shaped and polished from its original mined state. The „cut“ describes the level of workmanship that has gone into the diamond, as well as the angles to which the diamond is cut. This is not the same as the shape of the diamond, which describes just that, its shape. Shapes such as pear, round, marquis, princess are all familiar terms for diamond jewelry. When shopping for diamond jewelry, fine jewelry stores will be aware of the 4 C’s of the diamond they carry, and will be able to provide information about which gems you are interested in. Diamonds are unique, and they are the ultimate souvenirs from the Earth, which adds even more allure to owning one.

Last week I praised Bobby Cox and his Atlanta Braves on their 6-3 road trip and suggested they were beginning to play like manager Cox’s previous NL East teams. Then the Dodgers and Arizona came to Turner Field and suddenly the Braves are 1-6 on this current homestand.

The Braves got swept by Arizona on the weekend and the Diamondbacks are beginning to play great ball and this comes on the heels of the Phoenix Suns getting turfed from the NBA Playoffs.

Before the Diamondbacks departed on a 10-game trip, manager Bob Melvin called the excursion to Cincinnati, New York and Atlanta a measuring stick that would give his team an idea of just how good it really is.

After finishing it off with a 7-3 record, topped by a four-game sweep of the Braves at Turner Field, the results are in: Arizona is a pretty good ballclub and just might do a little bit more than hang around at the top of the National League West.

The four-game sweep over the Braves marked just the third time in Diamondbacks history that they have accomplished such a feat on the road. The 7-3 record, meanwhile, ties a club mark for the best trip of a road campaign involving at least 10 games.

The pitching staff posted a 2.35 ERA during the 10 games, allowing 24 earned runs in 92 innings, and in the past three games alone, the offense has delivered 10 home runs. Overall, the Diamondbacks outscored their opponents 56-24.

The Diamondbacks continue to get sterling performances from their starting pitchers, as Sunday’s 9-3 win over the Braves marked the 13th „quality start“ from the rotation in the past 15 games. Right-hander Miguel Batista was the latest to work at least six innings and allow three or fewer runs, and during this particular stretch, the starters have fashioned a 1.94 ERA.

Batista, who allowed three earned runs through 6 2/3 innings in improving to 6-2, got help from an offense that pounded out 14 hits and four home runs for the second consecutive day. The Diamondbacks swept the Braves in four games at Turner Field, the first time that’s happened to Atlanta at home or on the road since the Phillies did it to them in 1995.

RHP Brandon Webb needs to pitch 2 2/3 scoreless innings when he starts Monday against the visiting Phillies to establish a Diamondbacks record for pitching consecutive scoreless innings. Webb is on 25 and counting. Andy Benes holds the club mark with 27 1/3 straight scoreless frames during the team’s inaugural season in 1998.

.099 — Eric Byrnes‘ batting average differential on June 1, 2006, compared to June 1, 2005. Byrnes hit .226 after the first two months of the season last year and after June 1 this year, was hitting .325. It’s the biggest jump of any player in the major leagues.

Bob Acton

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. Scams occur simply because most people who buy diamonds – for whatever reasons – don’t know that much about diamonds. Therefore, they are easily fooled.

A common scam that most jewelry stores participate in is the Carat Total weight scam. The tag on the piece of jewelry, usually a ring, only states the total carat weight of all diamonds in the piece, instead of listing the total weights separately for each diamond. This leads consumers to believe that the main diamond in the piece is actually bigger than it is. Ask what the total carat weight of the center stone is. Also beware of fractions. Jewelry stores are allowed to round off diamond weights. This means that if the jeweler tells you that it is a ¾ carat diamond, it is probably between ½ and ¾ carat – but closer to ¾.

Jewelry stores often run ‘fluorescence’ scams to varying degrees. Referring to a diamond as a blue-white diamond is such a scam. A blue-white diamond sounds very unique and special, but in fact, this type of diamond is of lesser quality – even though the jeweler will try to make you think you are getting something special. Jewelry stores also like to show their diamonds in bright lights. Lights make diamonds shine. Ask to see the diamond in a different, darker type of lighting as well.

Some truly unscrupulous jewelers target those who want appraisals on diamonds that were given to them as gifts or that werepurchased elsewhere. They will try to tell you that the diamond is worthless, or worth less than it actually is worth – and offer to take it off your hands or trade it for a much better diamond, along with the cash to make up the difference. This is called low balling. Get a second, third, and even a forth opinion before taking any action.

Another common dirty trick is to switch the diamond you have chosen and paid for with one of lesser quality and value when you leave it to be set in a piece of jewelry, or leave a diamond ring to be sized. The only way to avoid this is to do business with one trustworthy jeweler. Avoid jewelers that you have not done business with in the past.

There are many more scams that jewelry stores commonly pull on unsuspecting consumers. Just use your best judgment, and purchase your diamonds with the utmost care and consideration.