South Sea Pearl

First of all, congratulations if you are getting engaged; in these tough economic times some good news is always welcome no matter from what source!
Unfortunately, getting engaged and married always presents financial challenges and these have to be overcome but when the economy is in such a poor state it needs even more effort to be able to navigate the financial maze which comes with setting on the road to marital bliss.

Diamonds are the traditional stone for engagement rings and by far the most popular is a solitaire diamond ring.  Every woman wants to have a big, sparkling rock on her ring finger but just think for one moment – for a one carat diamond it takes 250 tons of ore to be mined from some of the deepest mines in the world, brought to the surface and with exceptionally gifted craftsmen, be processed through cutting and polishing before being set in the jewelry piece your intended would love to have.

Cutting to the chase – diamonds are expensive!

Fortunately, there are ways you can get a bigger rock on her finger but without the enormous price tag that comes with it.

The way in which a diamond is fixed to a ring is using a setting; you will have seen a setting if you have seen a ring and they come in many variants.  Usually a set of prongs are used to create a basket into which the stone is “set” and then affixed to the band of the ring – this is the most common setting, known as a Prong Setting, but more on that later.

By clever use of the setting, a diamond can be made to look much larger and much more impressive than it really is in fact.  One of the best settings to achieve this effect is known as the Bezel Setting; a Bezel Setting is where a circular rim of white gold or platinum is put in place and into the center of this is set the diamond itself.  The white metal then reflects back onto the diamond any light which emphasizes the brilliance and fire of the diamond as well as making it look a lot larger than it really is.  This is a very popular setting for solitaire engagement rings simply because the effect is simply stunning but at a fraction of the cost of using a diamond capable of achieving the same effect on its own.
Another setting is the Pavé Setting which is very good at making engagement rings look very expensive and high end.  A Pavé Setting has a series of small diamonds inserted into small holes set into the body of the ring itself forming a continuous row of diamonds. The effect is a very sparkling ring but you are using less expensive small diamonds and the metal setting itself stops the true size of the diamonds becoming apparent unless they are closely scrutinized.

The Illusion Setting uses a mirror plate set at the base of the diamond within the ring setting; this reflects even more light within the diamond which results in a much greater fire and brilliance turning a small diamond into a much more sparkling piece.  This considerably cuts the cost of the diamond required but a word of caution – Illusion Settings are more complicated to create though the cost saving of the diamond more than makes up for this when working out the final price you pay, but the issue is if you ever need it to be repaired it will be more expensive than one of the other settings.

This article is provided by DanforthDiamond.com a leading authority on wedding rings, engagement rings and fine jewelry. Danforth Diamond gives grand wisdom and sparkling advice to help you find the exact right price. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING

When a diamond is first extracted from the earth it looks just as any other pebble or piece of rock you may have picked up on a beach and thrown into the sea. Many people never realize the fiery, brilliant stone they are wearing was formed at least 50 miles below the surface of the earth under the most intense pressure and extremes of temperature which compressed humble carbon atoms into a particularly strong atomic formation which gives diamonds their quality of strength and fiery beauty.

In order to bring this beauty and brilliance to the fore, the rough diamond must be cut and polished and how this process is performed will impact directly on how a diamond will look; a wrong cut will destroy the value of a stone and diminish its beauty while a good cut will enhance and amplify one of the world’s most beautiful gemstones and certainly, the most valuable.

Cutting a diamond is a highly skilled art form and requires a superb craftsman to perform the process. For some, cutting a diamond is a highly stressful experience, even for those watching – one slip, one unnoticed flaw in the planes of the diamond structure or a mistake made in the choice of cut to apply and the stone can become a worthless piece of rock; so important is the cutting process that over 40% of the value of the finished stone is applied by the cutting process.

There a quite a bit of different types of diamonds cuts, and when you apply them to a rough diamond, the overal sizee.

By far the most popular cut is the round Brilliant Cut, usually with the stone used as the centerpiece for a solitaire ring, very frequently the choice for an engagement ring. The Brilliant Cut actually comprises 57 facets and this creates a fiery brilliance which has never gone out of style. The Princess Cut provides a similar sparkling effect but uses a more contemporary square style. The Emerald and Baguette cuts provide an elongated rectangular shape which together with the Pear Cut look perfect on long fingers; the shape of the diamond you choose will be influenced by a sense of style and also the size of your lady’s hand and fingers. Using an elongated diamond shape (Pear, Emerald or Baguette) will look better on a hand with short fingers because the shape will accentuate them; a long fingered lady is fortunate in that she can get away with any bold style of diamond ring!

The diamond cut is the only man-made part of the process which directly impacts the value of a stone – the other factors are the Color, the Clarity and the Carat (weight) which with the Cut are known collectively as the “Four C’s”. Combined together, the Four C’s are used to classify and grade a diamond for quality and in turn, to determine its value.

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Jill Renee – This article is provided by DanforthDiamond.com a leading authority on wedding rings, engagement rings and fine jewelry. Danforth Diamond provides wisdom and advice to help you choose the right ring at the right price. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING

Diamonds are extremely valuable, in fact are the most valuable gemstone today though there is very great variation in the prices which are commanded by different stones.  In order to understand what determines the value of a diamond you must first learn how diamond quality is assessed and so equip yourself with the knowledge to know what makes a good buy and what you should be looking to avoid when you are buying a diamond ring or jewelry yourself.
The “Four C’s” are the criteria by which a diamond is graded – they are:
·    Cut
·    Clarity
·    Color
·    Carat (or weight)
You should know that a diamond fresh from the mine looks like any pebble you may find on the beach; they are completely nondescript and look just like any other piece of rock except, once cut and polished the fire and brilliance within is brought forth.

The cut and polish process is the first stage of creating your diamond after it has been extracted (it takes about 250 tons of ore to produce one carat of diamond), the cut itself is performed so as much of the diamond is preserved as possible (i.e. keeps the weight as high as possible and minimizes any waste) but more importantly, how the cuts are made will determine how much light will enter and be internally reflected within the diamond itself.  It is this ability to internally reflect light before it re-emerges from the stone which adds to the brilliance and fire of the diamond’s appearance.  The wrong cuts and the light will not reflect internally and so it will diminish in appearance; the right cuts and the fire and brilliance will be amplified.  Cutting and polishing is understandably, a much sought after skill and requires a great deal of artistry and superb craftsmanship.

A carat is a measure of the weight of a diamond; one carat is equal to 0.2 grams but the term actually derives from the use of carob seeds to balance the scales when weighing a diamond; one carob seed was one carat.  In practice, jewelers use carats and a point scale so 50 points is equal to half a carat.  You must be aware that a carat is a measure of weight and not size – a diamond may appear larger due to how it is cut, but it may weigh less than another diamond which has a different cut.  Keep this in mind; a carat is a measure of weight and not size or shape.

Diamonds are formed about 50 miles or more below the surface of the earth where the pressures are so intense that the carbon atoms which make up diamonds are compressed into a particular atomic formation.  This is the structure which makes a diamond possess such qualities as very high strength and transparency.  While the diamonds are forming in the earth, they may also include flaws created by bubbles of gas, inclusion of foreign matter, scratches and internal faults along the bonds between the lattice-work of carbon atoms.  Sometimes these flaws are visible to the naked eye, sometimes not while a flaw may be located closer to the diamond’s visible surface or buried deep within the body of the stone.  The more visible flaws a diamond possesses the less valuable it is because of the less clarity it has.

Color is actually a misnomer – diamonds with no coloring at all are sought after as the absence of color increases the ability for a diamond to appear on fire; a diamond may have a yellow hue which dulls the brilliance of the stone.  In this instance, the less color a diamond possess the more valuable it is though there are some pink and blue diamond stones which are highly prized because they are so very rare.

This article is provided by DanforthDiamond.com a leading authority on wedding rings, engagement rings and fine jewelry. Danforth Diamond provides wisdom and advice to help you choose the right ring at the right price. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING

Claw or prong settings are the most common settings for gemstones of any description and not just diamonds; they are very popular when it comes to a setting for solitaire engagement rings and you will have undoubtedly seen them.  The diamond is set into three or more prongs which form a type of open basket and then they are manipulated into shape so the ends rest against the crown and just past the diamond’s girdle (its widest part) and this then holds the stone in place in the ring.

The ends of the prongs are usually rounded though they can be worked into delicate and decorative shapes.  The prong setting may be used to set the diamond on a perch high above the band in an attempt to show off the stone to best effect, or alternatively it may be short, that is, hold the diamond close to the band and your finger.

A prong setting will usually have small prongs in order to show off as much of the diamond as possible and to allow maximum amounts of light to enter the stone which will increase the sparkle and brilliance.  They are usually the cheapest form of diamond setting as well because they are less complex while at the same time, they lend themselves to being cleaned much more easily.
You should ensure the prong setting is tight and the stone fits snugly; make sure none of the prongs are loose or left hanging as they will quickly snag clothing or become lose and you risk losing your diamond.  The diamond itself should fit in the “basket” formed by the prongs in a straight and level fashion and not be lopsided or uneven.  In addition, make sure the prongs themselves are robust enough to keep the stone in place – too thin and they will be liable to breaking or wearing away which again risks losing the diamond.

You also should be aware that prong settings expose more of the diamond; while this is great for letting in more light and showing off the actual stone it does mean less protection is provided by the setting.There is a fine line between showing off a diamond and making sure it is locked into the ring firmly, so it can't fall out j.  The best way of assessing which setting and ring is most suitable for you is to try as many on as you can and see which are the most comfortable.

You should think about your lifestyle as well and the level of wear and tear your diamond ring will be subjected to; tall, solitaire settings are more likely to suffer damage from being caught on clothes and other objects (including children when they arrive!) than a close, short set diamond more flush with your finger.  On the other side, v-shaped prongs are very good at protecting the sharp edges of a cut diamond and remember, diamond is one of the hardest substances known to man and they can cause considerable damage particularly with children and one wrong wave of your hand.

Lawrence Reaves - This article is provided by DanforthDiamond.com your online store source for wedding bands, diamond engagement rings and other fine diamond jewelry. Danforth Diamond gives timely advice to help you select an affordable diamond ring. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING

Marriage is a lifelong commitment and yet so many end up in divorce, around half or the, so committing to one another through marriage is not a step which should be taken lightly!  Marrying your partner can be the most satisfying and fulfilling act of your life but in the same breath, it can be the biggest mistake you will ever make.  You should carefully consider what is likely to make a successful marriage and keep your relationship happy and full of contentment and love; the rewards are huge but as any couple who have been married for years will tell you, it takes both of you to work very hard and enjoy not only the ups but also work together and support each other through the bad times.
Treat Your Marriage with Loving Care and Respect
When two people marry, they are no longer individuals they are a team working, living and loving together for the benefit of themselves and their family; not just the immediate family who come to the wedding but also their own children and grandchildren (even great-grandchildren if you start soon enough).
Treat your marriage and spouse as a genuine rarity and your most prized possession.  Give the respect to one another for their individuality and uniqueness because you are so close, no other is ever going to understand or experience your spouse in the way that you do.  This is not simply about sex, but about sharing the road through life as it twists and turns with no guide map to show you the way or what is waiting for you both around the corner.  Learn to appreciate and enjoy your lives both as individuals but more importantly as a partnership; the adage applies that the more you give the more you receive!
Marriage requires consensus in the broadest sense of the word and yet, there are only two of you needed to achieve it.  Living your life as a couple will require sacrifice and you can be assured the rough edges of your personality will become much more rounded as you explore and adapt to one another; a feature of a good marriage is both spouses seek to improve themselves and each other and after all, life changes us as we go through it no matter how obstinate our personalities may be.  Embracing each other is as much about self-improvement and personal development as it is about being comfortable or settled with one another.  You should actively look for ways in which you can be a better husband or wife and express your creativity which in turn will add interest and spice to your marriage and prevent it from becoming stale and mundane. 
Falling in love is the easy part of any relationship with its heady mix of high emotion mixed with romance and excitement; keeping this unique spark alive requires effort from both of you and you should never take the love you have for one another for granted.  That road leads to unhappiness and the divorce courts but even when times are exceedingly hard and trying, remembering the love you have for one another and working towards making each other happy first will result in a much greater level of contentment and happiness for both of you.

Jill Renee – This article is provided by DanforthDiamond.com your online store source for  wedding bands, diamond engagement rings and other fine diamond jewelry. Danforth Diamond gives honest advice to help you select the right engagement ring at the best price. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING

Hunting for the perfect diamond engagement ring or indeed, a diamond for any other occasion is a task the uninitiated may sometimes feel overwhelmed by; diamonds sparkle but everything that sparkles is not gold!  Certainly not “gold” when it comes to making the right decisions on the diamond of your choice!
Before you start looking for a diamond, take a few moments to educate yourself on how to spot a great diamond from a piece of squashed graphite: diamonds and graphite are made from exactly the same element – Carbon – but the process for making each of them is very different deep within the bowels of the earth.
Diamonds are formed at least fifty miles under our feet where the pressures defy belied and at extremely high temperatures which force the carbon atoms into a peculiar lattice structure and it is this atomic formation which gives diamonds their strength and beauty as well as three of the four factors which affect their value and the price you pay – “The Four C’s”.
The four C’s are:
1.    Color – this is something of a trick; the most valuable diamonds have no coloring at all which accentuates the brilliance and fire after they are cut and polished; many diamonds have a yellowish coloring and this decreases the luster and sparkle of the stone so the less color a diamond has the more valuable it is.  As a side note, there are blue and pink diamonds which are exceedingly rare and these do have an astronomical price tag!
2.    Clarity – when a diamond is forming in the earth, other material aside from carbon may be included in the mix – bubbles of gas or foreign matter, or as part of the process the growing diamond may have scratches or faults along the lattice – these may be visible or may not be; if they are visible this will impact the value of the diamond and you will pay much more for a flawless diamond than one with flaws.  Even though your diamond may have flaws, there are considerable detailed classifications for how serious the flaws are – visible inclusions near the surface of the stone decrease the value much more than a tiny, invisible to the naked eye inclusion towards the base of the diamond.
3.    Carat – this is a measure of weight drawn from ancient times when the seeds of the Carob tree were used as a counterbalance on the diamond weighing scales – one carob became one carat and this is equal to 0.2 grams.  Be aware that the term carat is a measure of weight and not shape of size; a diamond may appear to be large from how it has been cut (see the following) but is in fact a lesser carat than another smaller looking stone. The more carats the more you will pay.
4.    Cut – The only man-made part of the process which affects the value of a diamond; how it is cut will account for as much as 40% of the final value of the diamond itself.  It is a highly skilled process practiced by exceptionally gifted craftsmen. The cut will determine the final shape and appearance of the stone but more importantly, how brilliant and fiery a diamond appears is directly related to how well it is cut.  The sparkle of a diamond comes from the internal reflection of light entering the stone; it bounces around the interior of the diamond and this gives an amplified effect when it leaves the stone and enters your eye.  Too shallow a cut and the light does not reflect so well as it simply passes through the stone; a good cut will maximize the internal reflection of light and it will enhance its sparkling appearance.

Jill Renee – This article is provided by DanforthDiamond.com a leading authority on wedding rings, engagement rings and fine jewelry. Danforth Diamond provides wisdom and advice to help you choose the right ring at the right price. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING

I must say that I have particular interest on antique bracelet. I find it very sexy and very appealing regardless of age, gender, and social standing. Also, antique bracelet adds more flavor to beauty

Nothing says style and sophistication like an antique bracelet for bridesmaid jewelry whether diamond bracelets, gold bracelet, or watch bracelet. Antique bracelet is timeless and may turn out to be one of the most valuable possessions a woman can have. There is no occasion, no matter how modern or hip, that an antique bracelet would not compliment the wrist that it adorns. However, you need to put some thought into your purchase of antique bracelet.

There are a large number of options today aside from antique bracelet when looking for the right piece of jewelry for your needs. Consider your style in general. You do not want to run out and buy an antique bracelet for groomsmen gifts that you wear only with a particular outfit. There is no doubt that the outfit will go out of style eventually and so is your antique bracelet.

Instead, you want to consider your self before buying an antique bracelet. What kind of person are you overall? What antique bracelet most represents your comprehensive character and personality? You may find that the piece of antique bracelet you choose for that one special night out on the town in the red dress that you will probably never wear again is not typical of your normal fashion sense. Those red rubies in the antique bracelet are just not you.

This is when you need to think about your investment on antique bracelet. Even though you can pick up an antique bracelet for well under one hundred dollars, you may not want to buy the yellow beaded antique bracelet from the 1960’s just for that yellow sundress. You may find yourself spending forty or fifty dollars on antique bracelet that you only wear once or twice.

When shopping for the perfect antique bracelet you should consider your personality. You may find that a netted chain from the 18th Century antique bracelet speaks volumes about your style. The antique bracelet should compliment your style instead of creating it for you.

I found my ideal antique bracelet years ago. I wear that lovely antique bracelet at least once each month. It is perfect for formal occasions as well as informal events. The antique bracelet consists of a series of cameos attached with gold links not unlike high end personalized deluxe coolers. Each cameo on antique bracelet is unique and made of understated stones that reflect the light without shining or glittering.

That antique bracelet represents my overall personality. I dress relatively conservatively and I’m not a glittery person who likes to overwhelm a room. My perfume is light and stays close to me as does my overall aura. The antique bracelet embraces that understated style and it suits me as well as my outfit

Regardless if it is diamond bracelets, watch bracelet, or silver bracelets, antique bracelet is truly a very amazing collection that will surely be one of your important collections. Just be careful and practical in selecting the best antique bracelet for you.

A dynamic diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance known to man and when combined with the brilliant fire of the cut and polished finished product, has made diamonds one of the most valuable gemstones in the world.

Diamonds are pure carbon, just the same way lead pencils used to made from graphite which is also pure carbon, it is the way the carbon atoms are arranged which makes the difference between cheap, dull graphite or brilliant, fiery diamond. Diamonds are formed at great pressure and temperature inside the earth; at least 50 miles below the surface where the pressure is so intense that the carbon atoms are compressed together into an extremely packed formation and which gives diamond its strength. Diamonds are brought to the surface as a result of the natural, geological processes of the earth or more usually, are sought in some of the deepest mines in the world.

Brazil and India used to be the principal sources of diamonds with their gemstones being sourced from rivers and gravel deposits which had come to or close to the surface naturally. In 1870, Kimberlite rock was discovered to be richly laden with diamonds in South Africa and now, huge masses of rock are mined and processed to extract the diamonds it contains. To put it into some perspective, for one carat of polished diamond over 250 tons of Kimberlite ore must be mined and processed – now you understand why diamonds are so expensive!

Once extracted from the ore, the rough diamonds must be sorted and processed further. Processing includes cutting and polishing as at this stage, the diamonds resemble pebbles you would encounter on a beach and are nondescript in appearance. Cutting and polishing the rough diamond brings out the internal fire and beauty of the diamond, however, it is how a diamond is cut which determines the level of light which enters the stone and is internally reflected before exiting the diamond – this level of internal reflection is what adds to the sparkle and brilliance of the stone so cutting a diamond properly is essential or it will appear dull.

After being cut and polished, diamonds are then graded according to a system know as the “Four C’s”. The Four C’s are – Carat (or weight), Cut, Clarity and Color. A carat is equivalent to 0.2 grams but you must take care not to confuse diamond size with weight – a carat is a measure of weight and not size; a smaller looking diamond may very well be a larger weight of a much larger diamond simply because of composition and the way it has been cut. The cut, as we have seen, determines how much light enters and internally reflected within a diamond thus bringing out the fire or brilliance – too shallow a cut, where the diamond is not deep enough to allow the internal light reflection, will mean the diamond looks dull instead of fiery – this is a poor cut and underlines why diamond cutting is a highly skilled art.

Clarity refers to how clear and flaw-free the diamond is; diamonds will contain flaws which may be foreign matter enclosed within the diamond when it was forming in the earth or bubbles of gas and even internal faults where the carbon atoms have not uniformly bonded together. The presence of flaws affects the visual appearance of the diamond but also influences how light will travel and internally reflect within it; for these reasons, a flawless diamond is considerably more valuable than one with flaws.

Finally, color – diamonds can come with a yellowish tinge or at the other end of the scale have no color whatsoever – no color means a brighter and fiery brilliance whereas the yellowish tinge will dampen the brilliance of the diamond. The less color a diamond has the more valuable it is and the more you are going to pay for it.

This article is provided by DanforthDiamond.com a leading authority on wedding rings, engagement rings and fine jewelry. Danforth Diamond provides wisdom and advice to help you choose the right ring at the right price. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING

Posted on May 17th, 2009 by Lindsey Harper

Wow!  I just love it when I come across incredible deals at Internet auction sites!  Hey!  Its Lindsey here, and boy do I have an amazing deal for you!

Do you love ruby jewelry?  If so, you won’t want to miss out on the chance to bid on this huge loose ruby at Internet auction!In fact, this is just one of quite a few loose gemstone auctions that I ran across in my research today.

Weighing in at 172 carats, this oval cut ruby pictured above is from India!  Rubies are precious stones, and rubies of this size can go for millions – not thousands, millions!As of this writing, you can bid on this gorgeous stone for a starting bid of $90.Don't waste time, the auction is finished on May 19!Loose jewels are quick movers.

Loose Ruby Jewelry

Wholesale jewelry that is sold to the public is one of the best ways to get good quality jewelry for less.Bid on this fabulous ruby and if you’re the lucky winner you can have it cut and placed into multiple jewelry pieces or use it in some other way.  You can be sure you are bidding on a genuine loose ruby, too.

Where did I find this great deal?  At Government Auction Network.  They present listings on ruby jewelry and other jewelry, like diamond jewelry, as well as real estate and vehicles.  You just can’t go wrong with the information that Government Auction Network presents.

I’m anxious to help you with whatever questions you may have about this wholesale jewelry.  All you have to do is click on “About Lindsey” and then click on “Just Ask Me.” You will find some great deals at Government Auction Network.

Government Auction Network – Internet auction – wholesale jewelry – ruby jewelry

We’d be broke if we were to require a seasonal shopping trip to stay abreast of fashion. Costume jewelry is what most women rely on to augment costumes in such a way as to appear to be the essence of current fashionable dress.

Trendy jewelry is a niche we should all exploit. In the world of fashion, trendy means the latest innovation, almost certainly a fad, but nonetheless something which places you in the land of the living instead of some sad has-been.

The very definition of trendy jewelry conveys a couple of messages to the world at large. First, the fact that you’re wearing trendy costume jewelry makes you hip, cool and imbues you with all sorts of other positive connotations in the fashion world. The second message is that you’re aware of these trends. You pay attention. This degree of observation is more than enough to keep you out of the old lady or otherwise uncool basket.

This is not to say that trendy jewelry is without merit. Costume jewelry, of the trendy variety, is a fun indulgence that livens up your wardrobe and is ever changing. If you can’t afford to update your closet with the latest fashions, or choose not to due to considerations of age and dignity, trendy jewelry is just a fun way to add some spice to your looks.

However, a closet full of classically popular clothing is the perfect foil for trendy jewelry. Although classic cuts are simple and elegant, they do stand the test of time and happily coexist with any number of jewelry styles. Your trendy jewelry can be paired to any of your outfits to a good effect, like a string of pearls, bohemian styles beads, and the likes.

You need not be a fashion dud. Costume jewelry is your best fashion friend.

So what must you have in your clothing repertoire to mimic a fashionista? Recommended inclusions are simple garments of the timeless variety. Turtlenecks, flowing skirts, wrap dresses and harem style silk pants are a good beginning. Trendy jewelry is the perfect complement to such a wardrobe.

You can find trendy jewelry by picking up an issue of any of the big fashion magazines, like Vogue or Elle. Take your cues from their pages and then embark on a shopping trip, many stores has the abundance of choices. Trendsetting jewelry must be worn with confidence if you want to pull it off righteously, so choose the pieces you really like and pieces that fit you.

Another option for you is to be a trendsetter or take a jewelry making class. Take a look at some of the retro and antique shops or pot that unusual piece of costume jewelry at the crafts fair. Who knows maybe you can set a trend that could set the heartbeat of Hollywood celebrities on fire.

Article by Van T, you can learn more about him at his profile