Diamond Buying AdviceDiamond Advice and Information on Choosing a Diamond

Commonly known in the industry as “treated diamonds“ or “enhanced diamonds“, many less than perfect diamonds on the market have been given such overhauls, so as to improve their appearance, both outwardly and inwardly.

The procedure(s) involve processes designed to downplay any visible inclusions or any other imperfections that most natural diamonds are prone to having. Infrared laser treatments, which are now readily available, can be used to improve a gem’s clarity, as well as change the color, if so desired. If done correctly, many of these treatments are foolproof enough, so as to often result in the diamond’s obtaining a higher grade! Oftentimes, only by looking at them under a high powered microscope, can the diamond’s secret be revealed. As to be expected, diamonds that have undergone this type of process are not as resilient as diamonds left in their natural state. In fact, some have, in a few instances, “cracked” under pressure.

While this may appear to be a breakthrough for the modern jeweler, many “old school” gemologists and fine jewelers are purists, and so vehemently oppose using any of these processes; as they believe that any “enhancements” should be a direct result of the diamond cutter’s expertise, used in combination with the diamond‘s own natural qualities.

While it is not illegal to sell “enhanced” diamonds; by law, (specifically by the United States Federal Trade Commission), a jeweler is under obligation to disclose to any potential buyer that the gem has indeed been enhanced.

What you, as a consumer need to know is this: This may just be the type of diamond that you are looking for! Do your homework! Be aware of what you are purchasing! You may find that, as long as all is disclosed, you may be surprised .

Instead of being tricked…you may be in for a treat!

Real diamond lovers are well known for seeking out unusual, as well as, one-of-a-kind characteristics in a gem; oftentimes searching near and far until the jewel of their dreams is found . One of the most interesting and rare type of diamonds that can be found, are known as chameleon diamonds. This name is derived from the fact that, depending on temperature and various types of light exposure, this diamond is subject to changing color; ranging from a soft yellow to unusual shades of green.

Remember the mood rings of the 1980’s, and how they would change from black to various other colors? Well, think of this as being a similar type of reaction, but on a more expensive level.

These types of diamonds are so rare, that most of us will never have an opportunity to even see one. Those of us who are fortunate enough to see one, will note that the best way to observe this unusual phenomena is to, at first limit its exposure to light for a few days, then later bring it again out into the open, and allow it to experience the change. The change often will not be a dramatic one, but, although subtle it should, at least be a noticeable one. In reality, for the vast majority of us, the price of a diamond of this kind is cost prohibitive and more of a curiosity than anything else.

Genuine diamonds of this type are accompanied by a GIA certificate, and will have a designation of “chameleon“ noted in its authentication documents. If it is the unusual you seek, this may just be the change you may be looking for.

Do you like wearing diamonds but don’t want anyone to see them?

As unbelievable as it may seem, there are really people who exist on this planet who feel this way. There actually exists jewelry designers who have crafted their ring and necklace designs with secret compartments containing the precious stones. We know…by now, you are scratching your head and saying, “huh?” Why in the world would a person want to wear diamonds and not let them be seen?

Apparently, this is the “answer”: It seems that there are a few of those among us; secret diamond wearers if you will; who like the feeling of wearing such expensive baubles, but do not necessarily want to invite casual onlookers. And so, as a repellent, they cleverly choose to wear their diamonds on the inside of their jewelry. One such design has an inscription on the outside that reads: ‘Diamonds inside’. The diamonds can only be seen by peering at them through little pricks in the metal or via a tiny little glass window located on the inside. However, the wearer is always kept aware of their presence with the soft swishing sound that they make as they move around encased in their enclosed ’prison’. Pretty nifty, huh?

Lest you think that this is an isolated anomaly; research will show that there are actually a number of designers who do this on a regular basis. There also appears to be a somewhat less frivolous reason for doing so in a few cases. It seems that sometimes a designer will incorporate a few precious stones under the band of a particular style of ring as a trademark. In this way, it discourages counterfeiters who attempt to make copies, but are unable to foot the expense of the surplus jewels.

One thing you can know for sure: This diamond lover prefers to wear hers on the outside.

LifeGem, a Chicago based human hair remains recycler, has somehow obtained the honor of converting some of “The Gloved One’s” remains into diamonds! Yep, that’s right. You may recall that during Michael Jackson’s filming of a Pepsi commercial in 1984, his hair caught fire. Well, someone had the foresight to gather the singer’s singed locks and put them into safekeeping for ‘whatever‘. In a strange twist of fate, ‘whatever’ has appeared in the form of a visionary who foresaw a touching (and let’s not forget profitable) opportunity.

The visionary’s name? John Reznikoff. This is the same man who was able to obtain some of Beethoven’s hair. Beethoven’s ‘hair diamonds’ were sold for $200,000 on eBay. (One has no choice but to wonder how he makes these connections). LifeGem’s top representative, and CEO, Mr. Greg Herro, has confirmed that the now deceased Jackson’s burnt hair has the potential for producing approximately ten diamonds, each less than a carat in weight.

In a secret patented process, using intense heat, the hair will be reduced to carbon and then transformed into diamonds. This process is estimated to take somewhere between six and nine months. Seems the distribution of at least a few of the finished product has already been decided. The names of Jackson’s children, as well as parents have come up as being among the potential ‘lucky’ recipients.

Hmm…great minds think alike. Become the next visionary: Next time you go for a haircut, it might not be such a bad idea to ask the stylist to place your hair clippings in a ‘to go’ bag. One never knows…they may turn out to be diamonds in the rough.

In today’s world, it is possible to purchase just about anything online; and we do mean anything… from the most inexpensive plastic bauble, to costly diamonds. That’s right! Even diamonds. And so the question arises: Would you entrust your hard earned dollars to the unseen and the relatively unknown? Before you take the plunge, let us examine a few things that need to be taken under consideration.

The good:
Variety- Choosing the online route opens up a buyer’s selection process; giving the potential buyer many options; perhaps due to higher inventories and accessibility to the market.

Cost- Low overhead may allow some vendors a little more flexibility in passing savings on to the customer. If a buyer does his homework, many great deals can be made, using this particular option.

The bad:
Although there are many checks and balances in place, doing business online can be inherently risky

Because of not seeing the item in person, there is always the possibility of disappointment

Questions that need to be asked:

• Confidence – Is the vendor a trusted one, with a good selling history?
• Guarantee – Does the vendor stand behind his/her product
• Returns – Is there a generous return policy in place?

Fortunately, there are a number of things that a potential buyer can do to make an intelligent choice, and to protect themselves. Make sure that all of the legwork is done up front…by YOU! Education is crucial. Thoroughly check out the vendor’s reputation; customer feedback can be very telling. Be sure to obtain an appraisal…an independent one. Also, never underestimate your ‘gut feeling’. If something about the potential transaction does not ‘feel’ right, do not feel obligated to go through with it. Be a smart consumer!

Danforth Diamond is a online jewelry store you can trust. Visit them at DanforthDiamond.com or call 1877-404-RING

Let me tell you a story. This author’s story:

On our fifth wedding anniversary, my husband bought me a beautiful anniversary band; one center marquise diamond, flanked by two smaller marquise diamonds on either side. Fast forward three years later…

Getting ready to go to work on the first day after maternity leave…Dressed in a black skirt, and feeding my newborn a bottle; for some reason, I decide to look down at my ring finger. To my absolute horror, I discovered that the middle diamond was missing…Originally secured by two, apparently fragile prongs, a big gaping hole lay where there had once been a marquise stone. Panicked, I didn’t move. Suddenly, looking down, out of the corner of my eye, as I held my small son in the crook of my arm, I caught a small sparkle of light refracted from the loose diamond that sat squarely in the middle of my lap. Had I not looked down; or had I not worn a black skirt that particular morning, all would have been lost. I quickly snatched up the diamond and took the ring off. My husband took it to the jeweler later to have it re-secured.

A few years later, I lost the diamond again. Unfortunately, this time, it was not recovered. Is there a lesson in this? You bet. Prong settings do make a difference! Please keep the following in mind:

• A thin prong with a “hook” configuration can be easily pulled away. This configuration is not advised.
• Prongs should hold the diamond securely and have virtually no “wiggle room”
• Four prongs are more secure than two. Six prongs are more secure than four
• Have your ring examined by a professional jeweler at least yearly

It is hoped that my personal tale of heartache will not be yours, and also to serve as a reminder that it is possible to have the right diamond ring….but with the wrong prong. Check with your trusted jeweler to discover which prong is best for you.

Picking out a diamond engagement ring is a very exciting and memorable experience. The more you know about diamonds the better you will be at finding the perfect diamond to fit your budget. To be able to choose a good quality diamond you must first understand the 4 C’s. The 4 C’s are cut, color, clarity and carat weight.

When a jeweler talks about a diamond’s cut they are not referring to the shape. The shape refers to the general appearance of the diamond. They are talking about the angles and proportions that are made when a rough diamond is transformed into a polished diamond.

The cut is probably the most important and the hardest to figure out when it comes to choosing a diamond.  The brilliance of the diamond depends heavily on its cut. The cut gives a diamond the brightness that shines throughout the diamond. Because the cut is so important there are several grading methods that have been developed to help determine the cut.  The grades are Ideal, Very Good, Good and Fair/Poor cuts.

The Ideal cut is intended to maximize brilliance and usually is more expensive.  Very Good cut diamonds will reflect most of the light that enters them creating a good deal of brilliance. The Good cut diamond can offer an excellent cost savings to you if you are trying to stay within a budget. The Good cut offers quality and beauty for a reasonable price. Most reputable jewelers stay away from cuts that are Fair to Poor, because this cut only reflects a small portion of light.

Most diamonds will contain some type of flaw or inclusions that happened during the formation process.  The number, size and visibility of these flaws determine the clarity of the diamond.  Diamonds that have less flaws or imperfections will create more brilliance and therefore are highly prized and pricier.

When it comes to diamonds, no color is the most desirable. This is because it allows the most reflection of light.  When jewelers are grading the color of a diamond, they refer to a professional color scale.  The scale begins with the highest rating of the letter “D” for colorless and a color scale continues all the way to Z. You will notice that there may be a very faint hint of yellow apparent in diamonds graded J through M. These grades of diamonds look very nice in a gold setting.

The carat is the unit of weight by which a diamond is measured.  Large diamonds are less common than small diamonds. The larger the diamond is, the higher the price.  To decide on the carat size you first need to determine your budget.  Deciding on the carat size is about striking a balance between size and quality.

These are just a few things that you should know when you are deciding on which diamond engagement ring to buy the love of your life.  It’s wise to shop around and do your homework and learn all you can about diamonds and pricing.  This is just a simple overview to give you an idea of what you need to look for.  You can do your own research and find out more about the 4 C’s and Diamond Certificates so you can make a knowledgeable decision on the ring for your fiancé.

by Lawrence Reaves

Photo by paulmcdee

The summer season is almost upon us, and so we believe that it is time for another reminder:

Many of us do not know where to begin when looking to buy diamond jewelry. When examining a pretty “diamond” ring, one can easily see how beautifully it sparkles. See how brightly it shines! But…is it a diamond, or is it “something else“? Is it Moissanite or Cubic Zirconia? Before getting caught up in the excitement of the moment, sometimes the best first thing to do is to simply: ask. Any jeweler worth his or her reputation should be able to tell you. “Don’t ask, don’t tell” is not the policy that one would want to fall victim to. This specific caution is issued due to the fact that many synthetic stones of today, have the initial “look and feel” of genuine diamonds and many are being sold as such. Buying an engagement or wedding ring is a serious undertaking. Aside from its being a matter of the heart; it is also a matter of the wallet! However, sad to say, long after the purchase has been made, and upon closer inspection; many of these “gems” have been uncovered as being fakes.

Another wise thing to do, would be to take a look at the setting. Is it of a fine quality befitting a genuine stone? Next, take a look at the actual stone itself with the naked eye. Is it cloudy? Does it have any obvious inclusions or scratches. Are chips or nicks easily apparent?

These steps are only just for starters. For true peace of mind, one may want to have the selected jewelry independently appraised, and/or be provided with a certificate of authenticity. Got to be real!

Photo by Stewart Leiwakabessy

It appears that the bar is continually being raised when it comes to finding rare diamonds…especially colored diamonds. In this particular case, the diamond we speak of is a gorgeous 7.03 carat, practically perfect blue diamond. To attain this almost absolute perfection, it was cut from an original 27 carat stone. Blue diamonds (second in scarcity only to red diamonds) are some of the rarest precious stones that can be found. What makes this particular diamond especially awesome, is that it is said to be internally ‘flawless’; an uncommon quality when it comes to diamonds…period.

The blue diamond (currently in a ring setting, and as of yet unnamed), will be the main attraction at an upcoming fine jewelry auction, and is scheduled to be auctioned off in Geneva, Switzerland by Sotheby’s sometime in May. It is estimated that it will command a price somewhere within the 5 to 8 million dollar (US) range.

The diamond, hailing from South Africa, and found in the Cullinan mine; was extracted by Petra Diamonds. This particular mine has had the reputation of regularly yielding high quality diamonds for quite some time now.

During these uncertain financial times, the price of diamonds of the highest quality remain somewhat steady; as they are timeless and remain mostly unaffected. Although fairly rare, diamond jewelry of color can be found at reputable jewelers located in less than exotic places. Of course, one would not expect to find a world class, museum quality, diamond just sitting around in a mall; but just think: Any diamond can truly be a one-of-a-kind diamond in its own right, when given to a one-of-a-kind-person. Although a reputable jeweler will certainly be able to assist you in finding the diamond; it‘s up to you to find the person. Now that’s what you can call rare!

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/97695/rare-blue-diamond-gets-preview-at-sotheby-s/Default.aspx

http://news.aol.com/article/blue-diamond-auction/436116

De Beers Canada very recently bestowed upon Queen’s Park (also known as the Government of Ontario, Canada) the gift of an awesome a pair of diamonds obtained from its own Ontarian Victor Diamond Mine. Each diamond was handpicked by Ontario’s chief gemologist, Ron Gashinski. The carefully selected diamonds, have been set in the symbolically authoritative gilded copper mace that is brought into the Legislature each day.

At the beginning of each legislative session, the sergeant-at-arms, bearing the mace on his right shoulder, leads the Speaker of the House into the chamber, then sets it down on the clerk‘s table after the Speaker is seated.

According to Speaker Steve Peters, what makes it particularly special, is the fact that it is “probably the first time diamonds from a Canadian mine have been incorporated into the mace.“ Most of us will agree that Canada is not the first country that usually comes to mind when diamond mining is thought of. The truth of the matter is this: The Victor Mine is only the second mine owned by De Beers that is located beyond the continent of Africa.

Actually, De Beers Canada had given the Canadian government three diamonds to use. However, only two were selected for the mace, and the third will go on display at one of Ontario’s local exhibits; each of the diamonds weighing between two and four carats. Hmm… Let’s see…for us diamond lovers here… that’s at least three engagement rings’ worth!

Speaker of the House, Premier Dalton McGuinty further explains the symbolism, “The rough diamond signifies Ontario’s natural riches and leads to the polished stone reminding us what our great province is capable of.”

Nice sentiment. Very nice one indeed.

Interested in Canadian Diamonds, they are also conflict-free diamonds, visit DanforthDiamond.com