Sunday, September 19, 2010

Fine Diamond Jewelry: Tips On Where You Could Purchase Diamonds

In buying fine diamond jewelry, not only do you have to consider the four C's but also the place where you intend to make your purchase. Diamonds whether loose or embedded in jewelry are truly expensive. This is why they are probably among the most important purchases that you will make in your life. By taking these things into consideration, you should be vigilant about the store where you will buy these items so that you could enjoy them for the years to come.

There are different means in order for you to acquire diamonds. The first thing that you could do is to go online and search for online jewelry shops that offer fine diamond jewelry. Buying online is a practical means to perform the task of looking for prospective diamond jewelry items that are inexpensive but high in quality without getting exhausted. In addition, online jewelry shops hold all sorts of diamond jewelry products from different parts of the world which gives you more room for choices.

One advantage of purchasing from online jewelry stores is that you could time and energy--with just a click of your finger, even while you're at home or in the office, you could instantly make your purchases from a whole range of selections and you also engage in online jewelry auctions that are usually run by professional jewelers. Similarly, online jewelry stores offer competitively priced diamonds and jewelry pieces, whether round brilliant or any form of cut you desire, because they do not have price markups since they don't have physical stores to run that often incur overhead expenses such as electricity bills and employee salaries among others. The main disadvantage with online shopping however could be associated to the abundance of jewelry choices which often weaken the ability of consumers to rationally assess the quality and price the jewelry pieces. Nevertheless, since the internet permits the operation of anonymous individuals and businesses, there are many jewelry scammers who are waiting to pounce on naive jewelry buyers who make the wrong move.

If you would like to secure your purchase, why not try visiting the local jewelry shops within your area? The good thing about this option is that you could personally assess the quality and value of the round brilliant diamonds or any jewelry you are to purchase. You could also ask questions that could be answered by professional jewelers, which in turn would assist you in finalizing your purchasing decisions. Major drawbacks about this option however, lies on the prices of their products; as they have overhead expenses to cover, physical jewelry stores have the tendency to place additional markups on their product prices, which is why jewelry pieces from these stores could be a bit expensive, and they have limited.

Meanwhile, if your are searching for inexpensive pieces, rare jewelry like oval diamonds from specific periods, or used diamonds, you may try your hands on specialty stores, thrift shops as well as pawnshops. If you would consider this option, make sure that you really are knowledgeable about diamonds to make appropriate purchases. You would also need a lot of patience and perseverance as most of the time these shops do not hold highly valuable items that you are looking for. But, if you're truly lucky, you can purchase rare finds that you could include in your collections, though this instance rarely occurs.

When you decide to purchase fine diamond jewelry for yourself or for your loved one, it is highly suggested that you shop around and make comparisons first prior to making your actual purchase. If you're looking at buying online, be sure to do some research about the stores where you wish to buy to make sure if they are legitimate or not; go over the reputation of these online jewelry shops and study their return and refund policies. In terms of local jewelry stores, do not attempt to purchase immediately from the first shop you have visited, rather take the time to go around several stores and make comparisons about their prices, services and product quality. If you're not familiar with the jewelry stores in your area, ask for the recommendations of your friends and family so that you could choose the right jewelry that would be worthy of your expenses.

If you intend to buy fine diamond jewelry, regardless if it has oval diamonds or round brilliant sparklers, it pays to go over your store options to ultimately make the right purchase. Basically, you have two options when it comes to purchasing diamonds. First, you could go online, which is a good option to save time, money and energy, and second, you could visit your local jewelry stores, where you could personally appraise the jewelry you would like to purchase.

-Lorraine Jacobs

Women And Jewelry: The Relation Between Women And Fine Jewelry Pieces

Fine jewelry has played important roles that has been well document in the pages of history. From the ancient times, humans have been wearing jewelry pieces to accentuate their bodies. Starting from the old stone age approximately 25,000 years ago, both men and women collected different kinds of items, drilled holes in them and wore them for varying reasons. However, women are more adept to wear jewelry pieces because of the many purposes they hold.

In a recent survey spearheaded by one lifestyle magazine, it was found out that out 0f 100 female respondents 95 spends more time shopping for fine jewelry compared to other accessories. This study, though not extensive, profoundly speaks of how much women admire jewelry. Probably by now you are asking: "what is it with jewelry that women really love?- Accordingly, many women appreciate jewelry for a variety of reasons.

To begin with, all kinds of jewelry pieces are additives that reinforce the real context of dressing as well as artistic display. They stand as important components of fashion and style as they provide a glint of lavishness to the wardrobes worn by women. Hair dresses adorned with loose diamonds could make the hair glimmer, brooches and pins apparently make a dull looking office suit into a livelier outfit. Bracelets, rings, earring, necklaces and other articles worn on different parts of the body surely define those parts where they are placed.

Aside from accessorizing, jewelry pieces are also used to help define the social status of women in the society. Back in the ancient times they were determining factors of what positions women hold in the community--with slaves using beads and upper echelons using metallic jewelry pieces accented with gemstones such as loose diamonds. Although such purpose may not be as intense today compared from the past, it cannot be discounted that is still apparently a practice that many rich and famous people uphold.

Women also appreciate fine jewelry items because of their associated symbolism and spiritual and health value. Women from India uses the so-called "tika- which appears like a chandelier earring though it is hooked at the end of the hair with the pendant dangling at the exact center of the forehead to symbolize spiritual preservation. The nose ring is closely related to heightened sexual reflexes, while necklaces, since they are closely worn to the heart, are helpful in working on emotions, attracting or strengthening love. Charm bracelets are utilized to harness luck, while bangles are signs of creativity and the sun's potent energy. Gemstones of all sorts have been used to cure different health conditions with diamonds being used to induce clarity and jade to enhance relaxation among others.

Of course, jewelry pieces profess and communicate different stories, which is why many women appreciate them. They tell stories of love, friendship, celebration, welcoming or personal epiphany. They speak of relationships with spouses as seen from the popularity of wedding and engagement rings adorned with round brilliant cut gemstones, friendship in the form of friendship bands, and family which could be seen from the bequeathal of heirloom from one family member to another. Overall, jewelry whether big or small, cheap or expensive tells something about the characters of women that sometimes words could not define.

Women love fine jewelry for various reasons. They are articles of accessories that enhance the entire context of dressing and artistic display. They define social status which has been in practice since the ancient times with slaves wearing beads and upper class women wearing jewelry pieces that have rare loose diamonds. More importantly, they give substance to many instances in life such as weddings and engagements as seen from the use of rings accented with round brilliant cut gems.

-Lorraine Jacobs

Friday, September 3, 2010

Round Brilliant Cut Diamond""A Background

Among the 4 C's of diamonds, cutting or cut is probably the least understood even though it greatly affects the cost and appearance of these articles of fine jewelry. It is noteworthy that well cut diamonds could value 40 to 50 percent more than their poorly cut counterparts. Hence, it is important that a prospective buyer should understand what cut is. With regards to diamonds, cut or make pertains to the overall symmetry, proportioning and finish of the stones that have direct impact on the levels of their fire and brilliance.

The three most basic cutting techniques used for fine jewelry diamonds include the brilliant cut, step cut and mixed cut. A brilliant cut utilizes several facets that are usually triangular and kite in shape and are arranged in a particular manner to optimized the diamonds' brilliance. A step cut utilizes fewer facets, mostly rectangular or trapezoidal in shape and are arranged in linear pattern. A mixed-cut on the other hand integrates the elements used by both the step cut and brilliant cut styles.

From the above alluded techniques though, the brilliant cut is probably the most famous due to its ability to reveal the maximum fire and brilliance of diamonds. But, if integrated with the right shape, a brilliant cut sparkler will not only show the most brilliance and fire, it would also show incomparable appeal and value. Although, the brilliant cut fits well with differing shape, it is the round shape that complements it the most. In fact, round brilliant cut is the most popular shape that befits well with the said cutting technique.

Every round brilliant cut sparkler exudes 58 facets""33 are found on the top or crown, 24 are situated at the bottom, and the remaining one is at the point or culet. Smaller round brilliant diamonds are called "full cut" to properly distinguish them from "single cut" stones that have 17 facets, and from "Swiss cut" diamonds that have 33 facets only. With all these information perhaps you're now wondering, what is with these round brilliant diamonds that make them valuable? The answer lies on their capability to emit the most brilliance, fire and liveliness which could all be credited from their ability to reflect the most light.

The round brilliant cut is an established favorite and considered "ideal" combination of cut and shape not only because of its premium brilliance but also its ability to suit all types of jewelry pieces. Diamonds that are cut this way are often used as accents for engagement and wedding rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings since they could be easily arranged no matter what form or shape the jewelry has. Nonetheless, they befit all settings whether it is prong or pave. Basically, this cut warrants functionality and versatility that other cutting styles could not produce.

Of course, as stated earlier there are different cutting techniques that could be employed for diamonds. What might be ideal for some may not be the choice of another. If you are going to purchase diamonds, whether they are loose or clarity enhanced diamonds, it is important that you'd be the one to decide what type of cut you like because the appearance of an ideally cut sparkler may not be appealing to you, and your choice might probably be the ones that received the highest cut grade from GIA. The most important action that you could take is to compare diamonds of differing qualities and prices, as this is an efficient means to train your eyes to properly identify their differences when it comes to fire and brilliance as well as lifelessness and dullness.

The cutting techniques used for diamonds, whether they are loose or clarity enhanced diamonds; significantly affect their appeal and value. Among the cutting styles in use, the round brilliant cut is perhaps the most ideal due to its perfect proportions that allow diamonds cut this way to emit the most brilliance and fire. Round brilliant diamonds are also revered for their versatility which is apparent from their ability to suit all forms of fine jewelry setting.

-Lorraine Jacobs

Fine Jewelry: What To Look For

Is cut more important than clarity when evaluating diamonds? You could spend hours pondering on the merits of one over the other. However, to get a clear answer, you need to grasp the relationship between the two. More importantly, you'll need to mull over what you value in fine jewelry.

A diamond's cut alludes to its external proportions, as well as the skill of cutting and polishing. Diamonds can be cut in such a way that it attains its highest selling price, or maximizes its capacity for brilliance. The clarity of diamonds, on the other hand, alludes to the quantity of imperfections a diamond has. Fewer imperfections lead to a higher quality diamond, which will make it both more beautiful and expensive.

Clearly, the skill with which a diamond has been cut will impact its clarity. In the process of producing a diamond, this is one of the few factors which can be controlled. Only the most precise craftsmanship can guarantee that a raw piece of diamond will be recut into fine jewelry.

On the other hand, the clarity of diamonds can be poor irregardless of the quality of the cut. Clarity is also reliant on the quality of the raw diamond. As a consumer, you need to be conscious of this and check any diamonds you want to buy under a microscope or loupe to find flaws yourself.

When you look at a round cut diamond, you'll realize how important it is to cut a diamond with a reasonable amount of skill. It will also become more apparent just how closely cut and clarity are connected to each other. Round cuts are renowned for having the most potential for brilliance above all other cuts. Any errors in the cut or internal flaws, even minor, will reduce that potential considerably.

Do you like fine jewelry? Do you think it's the diamond with the best cut, or the highest clarity? You cannot ignore either factor. However, you can examine the cut first, since it affects clarity, as well as carat weight. Prioritizing one of the four C's over the others is counterproductive, if you lack a basic education on diamonds.

A diamond's cut refers to its external proportions, as well as the skill of cutting and polishing. The clarity of diamonds, on the other hand, refers to the number of imperfections a diamond has. When you look at a round cut diamond, you'll realize how important it is to cut a diamond with a reasonable amount of skill. Only the most precise craftsmanship can guarantee that a raw piece of diamond will be recut into fine jewelry.

-Lorraine Jacobs