Loose Diamonds: What Cut Makes The Best Gift

For most people, the only time they buy diamonds is when they want wedding or engagement rings. The smart way to go about this is to look for loose diamonds first and have them set later. You can inspect them for defects better, and improve your chances of a good deal. However, you need to be careful when buying. It's easy to make mistakes and pay too much, or get stuck with an inferior diamond.

When looking at loose diamonds, you should confirm the diamond's value. You'll want to examine each one for the four C's; carat weight, cut, clarity and color. But keep in mind that each diamond is unique, and it's unlikely for a single diamond to get two separate assessments with identical results. Ultimately, the value of a diamond is subjective, so you shouldn't be too engrossed looking for it's exact value.

The most prominent diamond cut is the round brilliant cut. Thanks to the work of Marcel Tolkowsky, the proportions essential to get the most brilliance and fire out of a diamond were established and popularized. Further innovations refined Tolkowsky's measurements to optimize diamond's potential for brilliance.

The round brilliant cut is also the most enduringly popular cut. On the other hand, fancy cuts become popular based on prevailing fashions. Nowadays, people look for sparkle, so the heart, oval, and pear cuts are popular. However, the quality and value of a diamond is dependent on other factors. You can easily get a high value diamond of any cut - or low value, if you are not too careful.

So buy a diamond jewelry gift with any cut you desire. It may be in a shape that you or your significant other like, or one that strikes a chord with you. If all you want is a big diamond, and you don't mind imperfections, it's easy to get one for cheap. But even if you are buying cheap, you have to scrutinize your purchases to avoid getting gypped.

When it comes time to set your loose diamond, it's best to have it done by the same people who sold it to you. If you bring it to another jeweler, they won't want to be held responsible for any damage the diamond may incur during setting. If the seller won't take responsibility for their own diamonds, leave them for a seller who will.

For most people, the only time they look for diamonds is when they want wedding or engagement rings. The smart way to go about this is to look for loose diamonds first and have them set later. The round brilliant cut is the most enduringly popular cut. Fancy cuts become popular based on prevailing fashions. However, the quality and value of a diamond is based on other factors. So buy a diamond jewelry gift in the cut you really want.

-Lorraine Jacobs

Maximizing Fire And Brilliance""Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds

From the earliest times, diamonds have amazed mankind. They are probably the most revered articles of accents provided by nature; deeply symbolizing beauty and forever. Among all the stones that our world holds, diamonds are the most preeminent and sought after. Regardless if they are loose diamonds or blood diamonds, one thing is for sure, generations after generations of people will successively enjoy their beauty and value.

Because of our deep appreciation for diamonds, they emerged as permanent trinkets of jewelry during special occasions such as betrothals and weddings. Fine diamond rings and almost all diamond jewelry pieces have become valuable possessions that are in the same valued positions as that of real estate and artworks. Due to these, purchasing diamond pieces has turned into an endeavor that requires thorough understanding of the stones characteristics in order to make wise choices. While much has been said about the clarity, color, and carat of diamonds, not all of us are very familiar about the facet of diamond cutting.

Cut with an emphasis on diamonds, refers to the guide of style or design used to shape a diamond for polishing. As oppose to shape, this feature is what defines the symmetry, proportioning and polish of a diamond, which all affect the stone's brilliance and fire. The history of diamond cutting can be traced from as far back as the middle ages, and has since been innovated until today. Although many cutting styles have emerged and fall off along the way, the round brilliant cut remains as one of the most revered by jewelers and jewelry aficionados alike.

It was in 1919 that round brilliant cut was introduced by Belgian diamond cutter Marcel Tolkowsky to the public. Since Tolkowsky was an engineer by profession, he's discovery of the said cut was based from definite mathematical and empirical analysis, taking into account the importance of brilliance and fire in diamonds. As a result, a diamond cut this way exudes 58 facets""33 on the crown, and the rest are found in the stone's bottom part including its point or culet. Similarly, since a single cut produces two diamonds, one is larger than the other, very few diamond pieces are wasted.

A round brilliant cut diamond that is cut properly creates a shape that permits more light to reflect on the diamond in differing angles, enhancing its brilliance and fire. Relative to its safe shape, diamonds cut in a round brilliant pattern are considered as best preferences in the aspects of "saleability," visual optics and insurability. Other than these features, diamonds that are round brilliant in cut are also appreciated for their versatility to suit almost all types of jewelry setting. As such, it is not a surprise to know that approximately 75 percent of diamond jewelry sales are credited to this kind of cut.

When scouting for loose diamonds to be used for customized jewelry pieces, it is advised to opt for pieces that are round brilliant in cut. With all the mentioned characteristics of this cut, not only will you emphasize the aesthetics of your diamonds, you are also augmenting their sale value and insurability. Nonetheless, with its versatile nature, you will not have any trouble finding the right setting for your diamond jewelry. Simply, diamonds that are round brilliant in cut will surely give you a run for your money.

Loose diamonds are always appropriated for fine diamond rings and other fine jewelry pieces. This is because they give individuals the option to choose the setting that would befit their design preference. In order to further reinforce the beauty of loose sparkler, most jewelers would suggest that it would be more preferable to pick round brilliant cut diamonds since such cut is considered as the highest quality pattern that maximizes the brilliance and fire of diamonds to their full extent.

-Lorraine Jacobs

Fine Jewelry Forms And Functions

The visual appeal of fine jewelry has never ceased to arrest our interest. As a matter of fact, jewelry pieces were once considered as the basis of social status especially during the ancient times. They have significantly shaped many traditions that we know today. From necklaces and earrings, to rings and bracelets, these articles have long provided humans with personal satisfaction that no other objects could provide.

There are many kinds of fine jewelry pieces available. Some are utilized as personal ornamentation, while others stand as symbolic tokens given during special occasions. There are also articles of jewelry that are simple in design and inexpensive, while there are also pieces that are expensive due to the materials used to construct them. Below are some of the most common articles of jewelry available in the market as well as their qualities and purposes. Rings are probably the most common forms of jewelry known to man. These jewelry pieces may come in the form of plain cylindrical bands as seen from wedding rings ornamented with precious stones like diamond heart setting, spiral or serpentine coils, signet rings, and open on one side. Rings vary in functions depending on their wearers, but they are usually used as symbolic gifts to seal engagements and weddings, or just hoops to adorn the fingers. In the case of signet rings, they commonly bear the emblems of fraternal orders or other organizational insignias.

The necklace is another popular form of jewelry worn around the neck. Generally, necklaces come in four different forms: close fitting collar band decorated with precious stones or beads, chain necklace with a pendant, raw of beads in graduating sizes set in a wire or chain, and strings of different lengths of necklaces worn on top of each other. Necklaces can be created from various materials but works well with metals, gemstones or the combination of two, and they are usually partnered with pendants made from gemstones with the diamond heart being one of the most sought after pendant design. To further highlight the beauty of necklaces, they appropriately worn with dresses that have low necklines as this design helps the jewelry to become the focal point of the person's upper body.

Meanwhile, earrings are jewelry pieces used for the ears that are either set on against the earlobes or are left dangling like pendants. The most favorite form of earrings set against the earlobe is the pair of pearls, while popular hanging drops are the ones referred to as chandelier earrings. Traditionally, wearing earrings demands for ear piercings because the practice of wearing this jewelry in the past was a barbarous custom. Currently, earrings can be worn either through piercing the ears or just by clipping the said jewelry.

Another form of fine jewelry usually designated on the arm is the bracelet. Such large piece of ring-like jewelry can be in the form of closed band, spiral coil, open on one side, closed with clasp as well as flexible rings formed as links. Other than the aforementioned pieces, there are other types of jewelry that one may encounter in the market including pins, cuff links, anklets, chains, brooches, and collar buttons to name a few. All in all, articles of jewelry vary in terms of function, design and quality; it is within the discretion of the wearer where he or she would like to use these pieces.

Fine jewelry pieces are created to adorn nearly every part of the body. Necklaces with diamond heart pendants are used to accentuate the neck, bracelets are worn to highlight the arms, while rings and earrings are used as personal ornaments for the fingers and ears respectively. Although artistic display has been the main function of jewelry pieces, they have also been utilized for reasons like currency, protection, status, and symbolic tokens to name a few.

-Lorraine Jacobs

Diamond Heart Jewelry: Check For Quality

The round brilliant cut is seen as the gold standard for diamond cuts. Designed to maximize the potential of a diamond's brilliance, this cut is also known as the most uneconomical, with over half of the raw diamond discarded to get to this ideal shape. Not to say that diamonds should exclusively come in this shape only. In fact, the diversity of diamond cuts boosts their overall allure.

And diamond heart jewelry is as alluring as it gets. Heart cuts are in many ways similar to the pear cut, but vary in height and width. The heart cut retains some brilliance found in the round brilliant cut, but also flaunts the diamond's other qualities, like clarity. Bear in mind that this shape was not invented casually. The heart cut is basically the pear cut with a cleft added in.

Admittedly, diamond heart jewelry is not for everyone. Some people may feel that it is too trifling to use in their wedding rings. Still, it is hard to argue with the romantic appeal of the heart shape. Since it is a relatively newer cut, there are less guidelines in making heart cut diamonds compared to round brilliant.

In comparison, with round brilliant cut diamonds, your primary consideration really is just the brilliance of the piece. Diamond makers refined Tolkowsky's Ideal Cut, the original standard for the round cut. Thanks to the progress in the science of refraction and manufacturing technology, they're able to utilize a raw diamond's potential to reach maximum brilliance.

It is imperative that you do a quality check before any purchase of diamond heart jewelry. In particular, you need to confirm that it does not have any blemishes, cracks or other imperfections. Some imperfections are not distinguishable to the naked eye, but still affect the diamond's value. These imperfections do become apparent under the microscope, and are considered when the finished diamond is graded and priced.

If you prefer to get more value for your investment, you should keep watch for enhanced diamonds. These are treatments performed on diamonds after they have been cut and polished, to excise these imperfections. Government regulations require that any enhancements be disclosed to potential buyers. These treatments diminish their value and are only performed on seriously flawed diamonds.

It is imperative that you do a quality check before any purchase of diamond heart jewelry. Particularly, you need to check that it does not have any blemishes, cracks or other imperfections. With round brilliant cut diamonds, your primary concern really is just the brilliance of the piece. You should watch out for enhanced diamonds. These are treatments performed on diamonds after they have been cut and polished to remove these imperfections and reduce their value.

-Lorraine Jacobs

Diamond Jewelry Gifts Purchasing Tips

If you're a man, you're probably thinking of giving your bride-to-be a diamond ring and would like to ask her to marry you. The idea seems simple, all you have to do is go to a jewelry store, purchase a diamond ring, and propose to her. Realistically speaking though, this isn't always the case because when you first look at the price tag of your chosen sparkler you'll soon realize how nerve-racking it really is to purchase diamond jewelry gifts. If you are planning to buy a diamond, it is imperative that you take charge of your transaction, and in order to do so you must be well informed about the tricks of the trade in order for you to get the most for your money.

According to gemologist and diamond expert, Fred Cuellar, there are four basic things that one has to remember when purchasing diamond jewelry gifts: budget, expectations, savvy and timetable. When it comes to budget, you should be able to allocate the amount that you could afford and as much as possible should not exceed your laid budget plan; a month's salary could already suffice for you to buy a diamond. Expectations demand for you to know and understand the needs and wants of the person to whom you will give the diamond; this way you will know what type and design to pick. Being savvy is a manner with which you must be aware of the cost of sparklers in the market as well as the designs available; and for timetable, you must know when you will purchase and when you will give the diamond, but be sure to give yourself more time to analyze things so that you could be prepared in any case.

Now that you have an idea about the basics of purchasing diamond gifts, you must also be aware where to purchase your sparklers. There are two options available for you to be able to secure your diamond jewelry gifts: go online or visit your local jewelry stores. Buying online is a practical way to secure your diamond without the need to drive around since everything you need is just a click away; however, you should also consider the drawbacks associated with this practice, first you can't appraise the jewelry and second you don't know with whom you are transacting with; if this option is good enough for you, it is crucial for you to do an intensive background check so that you can be assured that you would really get the diamond you are about to purchase. The second and probably the safest option is to buy on your local jewelry shop; aside from the fact that you could appraise the diamond, long time jewelers could also answer your questions which would assist you in making your purchasing decisions.

Now for the diamond itself, you must always consider the 4Cs of diamond which stands for clarity, color, cut and carat as they are the determining factor of how the diamond will cost. Clarity refers to the absence and presence of blemishes and inclusion in a diamond. Different types of diamond are assigned with clarity grades that may range from flawless to obvious inclusions. In fact, there are so-called clarity enhanced sparklers that are treated to reduce their imperfections via irradiation, filling imperfections, or laser drilling, but they are cheaper than diamond pieces that aren't treated.

With regards to color, diamond pieces are available in different shades; however, colored diamond pieces are very rare and expensive, so it is more likely that when you visit shops you'd observe that only white and yellow sparklers are available but between these two colors, it's always best to settle for whiter diamond pieces. The yellow coloring of sparklers came from nitrogen; hence the yellower the stone, the lesser its value this is because such color makes the diamond less sharp and sparkly. When it comes to cut, diamond pieces could be cut in different ways, the most common of which is the round brilliant cut. When you look at the cut always remember that aside from indicating the stone's shape, it also determines how sparkly your diamond could become.

It is never enough for a diamond to be clear and white, because your diamond will not sparkle unless it is cut properly. Cut is especially hard to analyze, it would be helpful to know its three primary characteristics: brilliance, fire and scintillation; however, to make things much easier, you may want to consider the round brilliant cut as this is the standard diamond cut. Lastly, the carat refers to the unit weight of a diamond. Majority of diamond pieces utilized for fine jewelry often weight one carat or less; a fraction of a carat could significantly change the amount of the diamond.

If you intend to buy diamond jewelry gifts, chances are, you're having trouble with what to pick. Regardless if you want to buy a round brilliant cut diamond or clarity enhanced diamond, it is always advised to adhere to the BEST guideline which refers to budget, expectations, savvy and timetable. You should also consider the 4Cs of diamond which stands for carat, color, clarity and cut.

-Lorraine Jacobs

Loose Diamonds: The Round Brilliant And Other Cuts

Why purchase loose diamonds? They're not quite as practical as earrings and necklaces. You would not be able to carry them around with you anywhere you go. But diamonds have a beauty on their own that can't be revealed by diamonds set in jewelry. They seem even more special when they are bought for their own sake.

Diamonds are available in a variety of designs, known in the trade as cuts. The most famous of these is the round brilliant cut. Simply put, the round brilliant is the most famous because it provides the most brilliance. It has been designed in such a way that it reflects the most light. What most people don't know is that the shape of the round brilliant is the least practical. As much as half of the original diamond is left out when it is changed into a round brilliant. For this reason, diamonds are sold in several other shapes as well, commonly known as fancy cuts.

Now some of the fancy cuts are already based on familiar shapes, and will appeal to people even if they aren't that familiar with diamonds. The heart and oval cuts are named after their shapes. The pear cut is often interpreted as an upside down teardrop.

On the other hand, how do you explain to people the differences between the Asscher and emerald cut, or the princess and radiant cut, when their shapes are the same? This is where we get a bit technical, but fortunately you don't have to get that esoteric.

Emerald and Asscher cuts are known as step cuts. In contrast to the round brilliant, they are rectangular in shape, with each side bordered with small steps. Step cuts accentuate lustre and clarity over brilliance. The Asscher cut is the older of the two, and its proportions are less even.

The princess and radiant cuts come from a third category, known as mixed cuts. They have more brilliance than step cuts, but are more cost-effective than brilliant cuts. The princess cut is the most popular next to the round brilliant, whereas the radiant cut has over 70 cuts.

When selecting loose diamonds, you need not be intimidated by technical knowledge. You can buy based on what cut you find attractive. The jeweler, in turn, will narrow down your choices in terms of price and quality, and help you make the most ideal purchase.

Diamonds are produced in a variety of designs, known in the trade as cuts. The way the round brilliant cut has been cut makes it reflects the most light. Step cuts accentuate lustre and clarity over brilliance. Mixed cuts evoke the brilliance of brilliant cuts, but are more practical to produce. When selecting loose diamonds, you need not be intimidated by technical knowledge. You can buy based on what cut you like.

-Lorraine Jacobs

Clarity Enhanced Diamond: Inexpensive Alternatives

Diamonds are one of the most desired commodities by many women worldwide. As a matter of fact, if you are a man and would like please your woman, what better way to do it than give her fine jewelry with diamonds. Of course, these precious stones aren't cheap; a piece could already cost you a month of your annual salary, or if you're going after the rare ones better prepare at least two or three months of your earnings. However, if you would really like to cement your love with diamonds, you could actually do so without emptying your pockets and you can do this by settling for pieces that are enhanced in some aspects of their features.

Clarity is one of the most vital features of a diamond as it serves as a determining factor to know the real market value of such gemstone. More often than not, untouched loose diamonds are expensive because their clarity have no imperfections, and their other C's are high in quality. However, the market today also has what are now referred to as clarity enhanced sparklers. Unlike expensive flawless diamonds, these sparklers have lower price tags because of the clarity manipulation carried out to make them visually appealing.

Clarity enhanced diamond, as it is called, is a gemstone that had eye visible imperfections. This simply means that the said diamond had low clarity grade, and because no jewelry buyer would like to have a visibly imperfect diamond, its imperfections, that often affect the stone's clarity, are treated in order to make it more visually clear. After the treatment process, there are no apparent differences between enhanced and flawless diamonds. Enhanced diamonds are also referred to as "fracture filled diamonds."

There are several ways on how the enhancement process can be done to achieve clarity enhanced diamond. The most common method is known as drilling wherein a tiny hole is drilled toward the diamond in order to remove minerals and other elements that causes discoloration. This process is done using a laser, which emits a beam capable of creating a neat hole directly towards the gemstone's inclusion. Once the drilling is done, the diamond is usually left with a small fracture, which is then covered with silicon or heavy glass that is hardly discernible to the naked eyes; such process is known as fractured filling.

If you are to buy a diamond, always remember that diamonds that have underwent augmentations aside from basic cutting, cleaning and polishing should be disclosed by the jeweler to the buyer as this is clearly indicated in the FTC rules. However, if you really want to be sure before you make your purchase, you could ask the jeweler if you could have the diamond appraised by a different appraising firm. Always put in mind that a clarity enhanced diamond has exemplify no aesthetic difference with untouched diamond. Hence, the best course of action is for you to have it tested in order to know if your diamond choice has undergone treatments or not.

If you're a guy who's looking for a decent looking sparkler but you are a bit tight on budget, clarity enhanced sparkler is always a good consideration. If all the other traits of the enhanced diamond are in excellent condition, and the diamond itself is visually clean in grade, don't let the thought of enhancement discourage you from taking it as recourse. Similar to flawless diamonds, enhanced sparklers could also complement any form of fine jewelry pieces and are guaranteed to last for long. Thus, enhanced diamonds are good gemstones that could also definitely sweep your woman off her feet.

When it comes to gemstones, loose diamonds are the most preferred to be incorporated in fine jewelry pieces. It cannot be denied though, that diamonds are expensive, especially if you the ones that are flawless and exudes high quality grades. If you want inexpensive yet descent looking diamonds that are aesthetically at par with expensive diamonds, you may want to look at clarity enhanced diamond pieces. They are cost efficient but exemplify high quality aesthetics.

-Lorraine Jacobs

Diamond rings: Nothing says I love you like it

For people with cash to spare, it is but natural to put these funds into an investment that would give more value to their money.Instead of keeping it in the bank, they would use their funds to buy land, stocks or condominium units which can reap them additional interest in the long run.

Some would find assets like these irrelevant though so they would choose to spend their hard earned money in other more interesting and enjoyable possessions.And what else can cater to their interest but their hobbies which can be a more delightful way to spend their extra cash.

There are a number of hobby collectibles that can be considered a reasonable investment just like toys, fine jewelry and luxury cars which gain value over time.However, choosing the right type of toy or jewelry, like diamond rings, is the key to finding the ones that really appreciate in value as time goes by.

Toys are a good example of items that, when kept in mint condition, can actually sell for more than its original value, sometimes ten to twenty times the original.Another good example is fine jewelry because this definitely appreciates in value in time.Diamond rings can only get more expensive so as other jewelry decorated with diamonds.

Diamond rings does not only serve us a sound investment but it also can be a symbolic gift for a person that you truly care forDiamond jewelry pretty much last for a very long time so it can even be a better way to invest extra cash compared to other assets that can deteriorate due to wear and tear over the years.

In a nutshell, spending extra money on assets and investments is a smart thing to do as it should be dictated by the desired outcome as time progresses.Looking into the non traditional methods of earning profit or interest for your money can be a good way to start as there are numerous ways available that can reap rewards and feed someone's happiness and interest at the same time.

Investments do not necessarily need to be traditional ones like land or mutual funds. Some investments can actually be a source of happiness and entertainment for an investor like fine jewelry or luxury vehicles. Just like land or stocks, diamond rings or luxury cars can appreciate in value over time and give the owners the option to sell it at for a much higher price after a few years.

-Lorraine Jacobs