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Argyle Diamonds

Since the end of the 19th century, small quantities of diamonds were found in Australia through gold prospecting.

Then, 1969 saw the commencement of a systematic exploration of Western Australia, and on October 2, 1979, diamonds were discovered in the Argyle volcanic pipe in the Kimberly Region.

Open pit mining began in 1985. The mine is owned by the Anglo-Australian mining giant, Rio Tinto.

The Argyle diamond mine is the world’s biggest supplier of diamonds. It yields about 80 percent brown diamonds, some 15 percent yellow hues, about 4 percent white diamonds and the remaining 1 percent are red to pink, green and blue hues.

Since 1994, some 35 million carats are produced in the Argyle mine every year, which accounts for over one third of the world’s annual diamond production.

The Argyle mine is one of the largest mines in the world, and is the main source of the rare natural fancy pink diamonds. It produces about 90 percent of the world’s supply of pink diamonds.

The stones are so highly valued that between 40 and 60 of the best diamonds are put out to tender every year.

The natural red diamond, one of the rarest among fancy color diamonds, is so rare that only a few stones are mined each year. Even these diamonds, produced by the Argyle mine are not pure red but rather graded as fancy-brownish-red, vivid-purplish-pink, Fancy purplish-red, and a few other variety of hues.The Argyle mine is the world’s leading producer of brown colored diamonds.
These are the most common natural colored diamonds available, and are often marketed as cognac and champagne diamonds in order to add to their charm. Since production has gone down in recent years in the Argyle mine and miners and geologists have yet to find new deposits, demand has increased and this trend is expected to continue.

atural Pure Violet diamonds are extremely rare and belong to the Purple diamonds family.

The color appears as a combination of Blue diamonds and Purple diamonds, and come in different hues and intensity.

Pure Violet with no secondary hue are almost un-existing in nature and such pure Violet diamonds will appear only in small sizes.

The Violet usually appears with Grey or Blue as a secondary hue.

When appears as a secondary hue, the violet can be either Violet or Violetish (e.g. Fancy Violetish Blue or Fancy Dark Violet Grey)

Colored Diamonds > Natural Violet Diamonds

Natural Violet Diamonds

Natural Pure Violet diamonds are extremely rare and belong to the Purple diamonds family.

The color appears as a combination of Blue diamonds and Purple diamonds, and come in different hues and intensity.

Pure Violet with no secondary hue are almost un-existing in nature and such pure Violet diamonds will appear only in small sizes.

The Violet usually appears with Grey or Blue as a secondary hue.

When appears as a secondary hue, the violet can be either Violet or Violetish (e.g. Fancy Violetish Blue or Fancy Dark Violet Grey)

The intensity levels are Fancy, Fancy Dark and Fancy Deep, and also Very few in Intense.

Violet Diamonds come from the Argyle mine in Australia, which is the world biggest Pink diamonds and Purple Diamonds mine.Please brows through our wide selection of Violet diamonds and choose the perfect diamond for you.

For further inquiry about Violet diamonds, please don't hesitate to contact us at

Diamond comes under the microscope

Insulators play a key role in many electronic devices, but their very lack of conductivity makes it difficult to establish their electrical properties on the atomic scale. Now Kirill Bobrov and colleagues at the Université Paris-Sud have successfully used scanning tunnelling microscopy - which usually only works for conductors - to image the atoms on the surface of a diamond. The researchers believe that the technique could be extended to other insulating materials in the quest for ever-smaller electronic gadgets

Scanning tunnelling microscopy is a powerful tool for mapping the contours of surfaces on the atomic scale. A fine metallic tip hovers just above the surface of the sample, and a voltage is applied across the tip and the sample. This makes the electrons quantum mechanically 'tunnel' across the gap between the tip and the sample, and this registers a current that depends on the size of the gap. The current measurements obtained as the tip moves across the material allow a picture of the surface to be built up. But the technique is unsuitable for insulators because they do not allow this current to flow.

But Bobrov and colleagues found that they could image certain planes of the diamond crystal if they applied a much higher voltage between the tip and the sample. Diamond has a 'work function' of 5.3 volts - that is, a voltage of 5.3 volts is needed to eject electrons from the material. When the team applied a higher voltage, they found that electrons jumped from the tip of the scanning tunnelling microscope into the conduction band of the diamond, allowing it to conduct electricity. The scanning tunnelling microscope registered a current of about 1 nanoamp and the team were able to obtain an image of the diamond surface.

According to the Paris team, this 'resonant electron injection' technique should allow physicists to map the surfaces of other insulators and determine their electrical characteristics, if they have a suitable band gap structure.

diamond now be a superconductor

Diamond is a semiconductor and Prins has long been interested in using n-type diamond as a “cold” cathode to replace the “hot” cathodes found in television tubes and many other devices. Moreover, he believes that the results of his experiments on n-type diamond surfaces – made by exposing the diamond to energetic oxygen ions – can only be explained by a new type of superconducting state. “If it is not superconductivity then it must be violating the second law of thermodynamics,” he says.

In his experiments, Prins measures the current that flows between the diamond and a gold-plated probe as the distance between them is varied. When a voltage of +1000 V is applied, the current always settles down at a value of about 0.5 mA for separations up to about 16 µm, after which it falls to zero. A current also flows in the opposite direction when a voltage of –1000 V is applied, but it decreases more rapidly with distance. The experiments are performed at room temperature in a vacuum of 10^–6 mbar.

Prins argues that a thin “electron-charge” layer is formed in the vacuum just above the surface of the diamond, and that a depletion layer of positive charges forms in the diamond. This is similar, he says, to the Schottky diode that is generated between an n-type semiconductor and a metal. Prins then applies the equations that describe electron transport through a Schottky diode to his system. He finds that as more and more electrons are extracted from the diamond, the density of electrons in this layer reaches a critical value at which a Bose–Einstein-type condensate of electron pairs forms. Current continues to flow from the diamond cathode through this layer to the anode, even though there is no voltage across the layer – a sign of superconductivity.

However, the rest of the diamond community remains to be convinced. Richard Jackman of University College London, who edited the special issue of the journal in which Prins’ papers appear, describes them as “largely theoretical papers, thought provoking and very controversial – the end conclusions remain open to debate”.

Prins admits that he must show that the state can expel magnetic fields to conclusively prove that the state is superconducting. However, he has recently retired and does not have the facilities to perform such an experiment. He has offered to fly his samples to another lab but has not yet found any volunteers. Prins and two colleagues are also trying to secure patents on the ideas.

In addition, Prins is half-way through writing six theoretical papers that will, he claims, fully explain the results and shed new light on the mechanisms underlying high-temperature superconductivity.

Superconducting diamond

Diamond is usually an electrical insulator and well known for being exceptionally hard. It also conducts heat well and can withstand strong electric fields. These properties make it attractive for electronics applications -- especially when doped with charge carriers, such as boron. By reacting boron carbide (B₄C) with graphitic carbon at around 8 gigapascals and 2500 kelvin for a few seconds, Sidorov and co-workers were able to create boron-doped diamond . Nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry revealed that the diamond contained between 2 and 3% boron.

By measuring the electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility of the diamond, the Russian physicists calculate that it has a superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of about 4 kelvin. This is the temperature at which the resistance of a superconductor drops to zero. Moreover, the material remains superconducting in magnetic fields of more than 3.5 tesla.

Sidorov and co-workers say their that data are consistent with the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory of superconductivity. This theory states that interactions between electrons and vibrations of the crystal lattice -- known as phonons -- allow electrons to overcome their mutual electrostatic repulsion and bind together to form pairs, leading to superconductivity.

Proving that such samples are superconducting is far from easy and the findings are likely to fuel debate in the diamond community. In particular, the observed behaviour could simply be due to foreign substances percolating in the bulk of the material. Sidorov’s group will now need to conclusively prove that its material is superconducting. It also hopes to unearth superconductivity in other group-IV elements with the diamond structure, such as silicon and germanium.

The Royal Asscher Diamond

It’s not very often in one’s life you can hold magic in your hands that all at once reflects the magnitude of the past and the promise of the future. The Royal Asscher diamond is that magic. Cut from an octahedral shaped piece of rough to a 74 facet step-cut octagon, this diamond exhibits all the punch of a hurricane without sacrificing its quiet sophistication and regal temperament. Quite simply, lightning has struck twice for the Royal Asscher diamond company that first introduced its predecessor, the Asscher, back in 1902 and now the Royal Asscher at this summer’s Las Vegas Jewelry Show.

With just a glance one is pulled into this masterpiece like a fish to water, drawn deeper and deeper into its trance and pond-like effect that can only be described as a pebble tossed into a lake that ripples and reverberates its cinematic impact upon the fortunate viewer.

When I interviewed "Joop" Asscher for this article (his friends call him Joe). I was immediately put at ease by his soft-spoken demeanor. A man of 51, married with two children, he is descended from a line of cutting royalty dating back to 1854. His grandfather, Joseph Asscher, was entrusted by King Edward VII of England with cutting the largest diamond ever found, the Cullinan weighing in at 3,015 carats. Asscher’s clients read like a who’s who of royalty from Emperor Hirohito and Emperor Akihito of Japan; Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain; Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands; King Carl-Gustav and Queen Sylvia of Sweden; King Constantine and Queen Annemarie of Greece and Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands.

When I asked Joe why the new Asscher he simply said, "It’s a diamond whose time had come! With the mass marketing of a new brand or style practically every single day it was time for the old guard to take its rightful place in history." And I couldn’t agree with him more. Every Tom, Dick and Harry with a cutting wheel thinks they can invent a new standard overnight, which isn’t going to happen. What impresses me so much with the new Asscher is its attention to detail and symmetry. Without it you’d just have a lifeless block of ice. More good news is the marketing arm Asscher has chosen to deliver their new baby and that’s by making veteran M. Fabrikant & Sons the sole North American distributor.

The Monarch Diamond

"Should Jewelers start warning customers that the diamond they're buying could be treated for color, but there is no way of knowing for sure?"

That's a direct quote from Jewelers Circular Magazine, Sep 1999 page 92. What they are talking about, along with everyone else, is what could be "The greatest gemological crisis to hit the diamond industry!" That's at least what Gemological Institute of America President William Boyajian said at a recent symposium. The Monarch Diamond is a non-detectable, color-enhanced, treated diamond that is now on the market and creating havoc.

The diamond is the brain child of General Electric & Lazare Kaplan and sold through a company called Pegasus Overseas Limited. In a nut shell here's what they do. They take an inexpensive brown or yellow diamond, heat it at high temperature and pressure and bake out the nitrogen or boron present to make it white. Like a twice-baked potato, with one exception, this one will leave a bad taste in your mouth!

Baked diamonds, or annealed diamonds as some people refer to them, though they are undetectable to labs or independent appraisers have one major flaw, they are brittle! Moreover treated diamonds have little or no secondary market value. Insist your diamond comes with a bonding document to guarantee that it is natural or you could just wind up buying one of the most expensive pieces of costume jewelry ever.

*Monarch Diamond* formerly known as Pegasus Diamond.

High Definition Diamonds

Scene: (Also known as "The Set Up".) Young man walks into a jewelry store to buy a diamond. We’ll call the young man Ralph and the store salesperson Buddy.

Ralph: Hi there, I’m Ralph and I’m looking for a round diamond.

Buddy: Hi, I’m Buddy. What kind of round are you looking for?

Ralph: A shy 1ct, VS-1, G, Class II, no fluorescence, natural and bonded.

Buddy: No problem, what faceting arrangement would you like?

Ralph: Faceting arrangement?

Buddy: Well, are you looking for a Modern Era Cut and if so, which one?

Ralph: Huh?

Buddy: A Modern Era Cut is not only well proportioned, but comes in 58-144 facet combinations.

A Non-Modern Era Cut would be a single cut with 16-17 facets or a full cut 57-58 facets, but Old Miners (squared round) or Old European (high crown, sawed off culet) for weight retention.

Ralph: I definitely want a Modern Era Cut but I didn’t know I could get a multi-facet arrangement to my liking. What’s the theory behind adding more than 58 facets?

Buddy: Oh sir, it’s not a theory, but a proven fact! The more facets, the more brilliance.

Ralph: So a 144 faceted diamond has more brilliance than a 58 faceted diamond?

Buddy: You betcha!

Ralph: Well if that’s true, why would anyone buy less than 144 facets?

Buddy: Personal taste. Some people just can’t handle too much brilliance so they pick the facet number that suits them best. Like picking out what wattage you want your bulb for a lamp.

Ralph: Do these multi-faceted diamonds cost more?

Buddy: Oh yes sir! They are very labor intensive and only the finest rough (what diamonds look like before they are cut) is chosen.

Ralph: So how do I refer to these diamonds?

Buddy: Well Ralph, they all have their own names. For example, The Zoe Diamond has 100 facets and was invented by Gabi Tolkowsky, the nephew to Marcel Tolkowsky who invented The American Ideal. There’s also the Leo Cut from Leo Schachter that has 66 facets for just a little extra zing! Try to think of these multi-faceted rounds as "High Definition Diamonds". You’ll get a clearer, sharper, more brilliant picture.

Ralph: How many types of these "High Definition Diamonds" are out there?

Buddy: Tons, practically, a new one hits the market every day! Let me tell you about…

Ralph: No, that’s okay, I’ll get back with you, I’ve got a headache.

Diamonds Are Not Forever

De Beers' advertising slogan, "A Diamond Is Forever," embodied an essential concept of the diamond invention. It suggested that the value of a diamond never diminishes and that therefore a diamond never need be sold or exchanged. This precept, of course, is self-fulfilling: As long as no one attempts to sell his diamonds, they retain their value ( assuming the cartel controls the supply of new diamonds). When, however, an individual is forced to defy this principle by attempting to sell diamonds, the results can prove illuminating. Consider, for example, the case of Rifkin's Russian diamonds.

In the fall of 1978, a thirty-two-year-old Californian computer wizard named Stanley Mark Rifkin discovered an ingenious way to become a multimillionaire overnight. While working as a consultant for the Security Pacific National bank in Los Angeles, he had learned the secret computer code that the bank used to transfer funds to other banks telegraphically at the end of each business day. With this information and his mastery of the bank's computer, he realized that he could transfer tens of millions of dollars to any bank account in America. The problem would be withdraw the money from the system. In early October, he devised a plan for siphoning this money out of the bank and converting it into Russian diamonds.

The first step was establishing an alias identity. Under the pseudonym "Mike Hanson," Rifkin opened a bank account at the Irving Trust Company in New York, arranged a phony passport and other. documentation and retained a respected diamond broker, Lou Stein, to acquire for him a multimillion dollar consignment of diamonds from Russia. The Russian diamond organization, Russ Almaz, agreed to sell "Hanson" at its fixed wholesale price 115,000 perfectly cut, round, brilliant stones for $8,145,000. For arranging this low price, the broker took a standard 2 percent commission, or $162,000. For the deal to be consummated, Rifkin only had to wire the money to Zurich.

On October 25, Rifkin coolly entered the bank's transfer room under the pretext of inspecting the computer. He picked up a telephone connected to the computer and dialed in the necessary digits. Instantly, the computer withdrew $10,200,000 from a non-existent account and transferred it to the account of "Mike Hanson" at the Irving Trust Company in New York. Rifkin then had the New York bank transfer $8,300,000 to the Zurich account of Russ Almaz.

A few days later, using his phony passport, Rifkin flew to Switzerland, took delivery of the diamonds, which weighed under five pounds, and smuggled them through customs into the United States. He then began contacting dealers in Los Angeles, but none was willing to buy the diamonds.

Meanwhile, the Security Pacific National Bank discovered that more than ten million dollars was missing. It was one of the largest bank robbery in history. The FBI, investigating the loss, received a tip about Rifkin, and arrested him in Carlsbad, California and found on him the Russian diamonds, as well as the remaining cash.

Initially, bank officials assumed that most of stolen money prudently invested in diamonds would be easily converted back to money. Only a few weeks earlier Newsweek had reported in a cover story, "The Diamond Boom," that diamonds were "the ideal asset" and that quality diamonds were soaring in price. While the diamonds that Rifkin had bought were commercial-grade stones used in jewelry. the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit had such diamonds, which had increased by at least 50 percent that year, were still increasing in price. Independent appraisers estimated that the diamonds, which Rifkin had bought at a low price, were worth at least $13 million at the retail level, and so the I bank foresaw that it might make a profit of some $5 million with the reported appreciation in value of the diamonds. In anticipation of this windfall, they agreed to pay the ten percent custom tax on the diamonds which Rifkin had evaded, as well as part of the cost of the FBI investigation. Before this expected profit could be realized, the bank had to await the outcome of the trial, since the diamonds were important evidence.

Potato Chips and Rough Diamonds

I know you are asking yourself what on earth could these things have in common. Surprisingly a lot. First, here are the five most common rough diamond shapes.

Crystals

• Rounds
• Princess
• Box Radiants
• Standard Radiants
• Now to the potato chip analogy. Take any bag of potato chips. Firmly pinch both the left and right tops of the bag (right under the glued part). Now pull! See the chips? Smell the freshness (ok freshness is not really a factor for this example but I’m trying to put you in the moment). Look in the bag. . . . How many perfect chips do you see? Four? Five? One? An unopened bag of potato chips is like the earth before we started excavating diamonds. Now start pulling out the chips! Start with the perfect ones, then the next to perfect ones, then the half broken ones and so on and so forth. After you are done pulling, what do you have left? Crumbs! Potato micro chip! That’s where we are in the world of diamonds now. The bottom of the bag. Those first few perfect and less broken chips (in the diamond world) we call crystals, makables, and sawables. The chip crumbs are called macles and flats (see above). The earth has been heavily excavated since the mid-1860s! The good stuff is gone and the world’s miners are sitting on boatloads of macles and flats. They have no choice but to dump them on the market (which they have been doing now relentlessly for the last two years). Since marquise, pears, ovals, Asschers, emerald cuts are all cut from the bottom of the barrel and since the bottom of the barrel is being dumped over our heads, there is now and will forever be an over abundance of these fancy shapes on the market! As any economist will tell you, if supply exceeds demand, the price falls! And diamonds that can’t hold there value can not be bondable. So, as of September 8th 2005, only Box Radiants, Standard Radiants and Rounds are bondable. As everyone knows, nobody wants what everyone can have.
  

world's biggest diamond

The world's biggest diamond, believed to be twice the size of the Cullinan, has been discovered in the North-West Province of South Africa. The find has electrified the diamond community, but the circumstances of the discovery are shrouded in mystery.

The diamond is expected to attract furious bidding from buyers worldwide and could fetch up to £15m.

A spokesman for the mining house which made yesterday's find, Brett Joli, said the diamond was being rushed to a bank vault in Johannesburg and would be kept there for a couple of days "until we calm down and decide what we are going to do". A security company was being hired to protect the precious stone.

The mining company which made the find has not been identified.

The South Africa Broadcasting Corporation said the stone was said to be twice the size of the Cullinan diamond.

Fred Cuellar, the founder of Diamond Cutters International and author of How to Buy a Diamond, said he first heard about the find a few days ago. "I get a phone call when any rare stone around the world is found and when I heard about this one it was stunning news.

"It caught everybody in the diamond industry offside. There will be a lot of mad bidding from a lot of private individuals as to who is going to buy this stone."

The Cullinan, which was found near Pretoria more than a century ago, was until recently acknowledged to be the largest cut diamond in the world, weighing in at 530.20 carats. In 1985 it lost the record to the Golden Jubilee, which was found in the same mine as the Cullinan and weighed 545.67 carats.

In its rough state the Cullinan weighed 3,106.75 carats. It now forms part of King Edward's sceptre and is in the Tower of London.
The Cartier diamond, famous as a gift from Richard Burton to Elizabeth Taylor, weighed a mere 240.80 carats rough and 69.42 carats cut.

Mr Cuellar said the most important information about the latest find was yet to be forthcoming, including whether it is colourless. "The reported size of the stone is accurate, but there are all these other factors we still don't know and what matters now is how wide, how clear and how well cut it will be.

"Will this diamond rank above the best quality diamonds in the world? I can tell you right now, no. But in as far as the list of the largest diamonds ever found in the world goes, would it make that list? Yes it would."

He said the first seven people who looked at the stone thought it was industrial grade, but that view has changed and it now appears to be a stone that will be cut into a piece of jewellery.

The quandary facing the owner of the diamond now is how best to cut the stone he said. "The thinking usually is with these types of things, we know how big we could get it but we don't know how much it will hurt us on the quality side."

The Cullinan, also known as the Star of Africa, was thought by some to be part of a larger stone which still lies somewhere undiscovered.
There will be interest in who made the find and how they will be rewarded. The black miner who discovered the Excelsior, said to be the second largest uncut diamond ever found, received a horse and saddle, and a sum of money.

Diamond futures

If plans come together, diamonds may become a trader's best friend.

Investors have been using futures and derivatives contracts in metals, agricultural products, currencies and other risk-related investments to hedge against losses for decades.

Now, a group is trying to add diamond contracts to the list of exchange-traded instruments.

The Rapaport Group, a diamond price and information provider, will hold the first of planned monthly online diamond auctions Monday through Thursday. Transaction prices will be used to create an index in hopes of developing a diamond futures market.

"We're creating a new level of transparency for diamond prices," said Martin Rapaport, chairman of the Rapaport Group. "It's going to open up a cornucopia of opportunities for the diamond market."

Bidding will be for 210 lots, each lot a single stone, and will be open to the diamond trade and financial institutions. Consumers can access the auction via a registered market participant. Auction terms will be spot cash, free on board, with a 3 percent commission charged to sellers, who will be paid within five business days of the auction's close.

All the talk about diamond derivatives isn't new.

In 1972, 194 diamond contracts were traded on the West Coast Commodities Exchange over a two week period before prices collapsed and the exchange ended diamond futures trading, according to the Diamond Registry, quoting author Edward Jay Epstein.

"It's been tried before," said David Prager, director of communications for DeBeers, the world's largest diamond producer. "Let's see what happens, but there's not an opinion from DeBeers."

Diamonds, similar to other commodities, are tied to wider economic indicators like consumer demand and inflation, Rapaport said.

Critics say diamond futures would be hard to price because each diamond is unique, unlike, for example, gold bullion in standardized quantities and purity.

The auction will track prices for one specific type of diamond and later may branch out to other types, Rapaport responded.

Another critic, whose company is competing against Rapaport to create pricing for future exchange-traded contracts, also has qualms about the auction.

"I really don't buy into the concept of using a tender to set the market prices," said Charles Wyndham, founder of PolishedPrices.com, a diamond price and information platform.

"To start coming out and saying this is going to be transparent and a base for a derivatives market, I just don't see it," Wyndham said. "Are his mates bidding for the stones to create a market?"

Rapaport said tender offers are good ways to create an index for a futures market because they involve multiple buyers and sellers who are under no compulsion. The auctions will provide spot cash transaction prices, not just asking prices, he said.

"Auctions are a clear, crispy crunchy vehicle to observe," he said. "It's free, open, competitive, efficient markets. We know who the buyers and sellers are. There are real buyers and real sellers."

He added that when Rapaport moves to the futures market stage, the group will go through regulators.

"At this stage I think this is a perfectly legitimate auction," Rapaport said. "We are not trading any stones, we are not buying or selling anything."

Rapaport said there are "absolutely" no conflicts of interest with the diamond auction. The Rapaport Group serves as a broker and clearing house but "we don't own any of the product."

The group will only progress to the futures market stage if the trading can be inclusive, transparent and receive regulatory approval, Rapaport said. If all that gets done, diamond futures contracts could begin trading in two years on an exchange.

Wyndham said PolishedPrices is coming along with its own plans for a diamond derivatives market.

A dirty diamond knows no class.

Regardless of what anybody tells you, the maximum light return for any diamond in any shape is 91% (Give or take .1). Class 1; A.G.S. 000; American Ideal; Kaplan; 8-Star; Hearts on Fire or High Definition, 91% is all you get. In the end mathematician Tolkowsky’s numbers for rounds hold up and mathematician R.W. Ditchburn Ph. D proved in his monumental book "Light" that the same concepts could be applied to any shape diamond. In simplistic terms you need three things to appreciate the sparkle of a diamond:

1. An observer
2. A diamond
3. A light source

Remove any one and you’re left pondering does a tree that falls in the forest make a sound if there is no one there to hear it. Or better said how much beauty can a diamond possess in the dark or how well received can a diamond be if never viewed?

I’ve spent the better part of my adult life helping people critique, evaluate and eventually choose the best diamond for them. With each passing day, the diamond buying public is becoming more savvy. However, many of you are buying magnificent diamonds, then allowing them to gather so much soot, dirt, oil, hand lotion, soap, hair spray and grease that any benefit from buying a well-proportioned, white, eye-clean, gigantic rock is negated. Please remember this fact: A dirty diamond knows no class! Repeat it again, A DIRTY DIAMOND KNOWS NO CLASS. It doesn’t make a difference whether you have a well-proportioned, Class 1 versus a poorly proportioned Class 4, if you don’t keep it clean. If you as the wearer of a new diamond aren’t prepared to clean your diamond everyday, day in and day out, religiously, then throw my book away or anybody else’s book that you have read on diamonds! It won’t make one bit of difference what clarity or color grade you have if you don’t keep it clean! And I’m not talking once a week clean or clean it when it gets dirty clean. I’m talking EVERDAY clean! Taking 60 seconds of your day to drop your ring in an ultrasonic cleaner. If you’re not willing to do that, you’ve flushed a lot of money away.

If you’re a man reading this and you’re about to plunk 6K down for a 1carat diamond and you know your fiancé to be can’t keep her own car clean much less a new diamond clean, then stop!! Re-evaluate your purchase. When the only benefit of a good diamond is increased light return (when clean) then don’t purchase a good quality diamond if the diamond can’t be properly maintained. At the end of any given day, even the 91% diamonds will have only 67% light return due to the oil and dirt that accumulates from normal wear. Within a week the diamond will look like a tropical depression has moved in, hazy and foggy with poor visibility. For off-makes (poorly proportioned stones) the effect is more rapid; within two days lifeless city! But in the end if neither the cheap half-price Class 4 or the expensive sparkly dynamo is cleaned, they will look the same!

I tell my clients everyday, a great diamond is like a battery operated toy at Christmas. It’s fun and exciting as long as you’ve got working batteries in the toy. Allowing a diamond to get dirty is like removing the batteries from the toy. Please keep your diamonds clean and if not, trade them in for crummy ones and pocket the savings.

Remember: A dirty diamond knows no class.

Spence Diamonds’ Guide To Diamond Care

You slip the ring on your finger, or hold the earring up to your ear, and you can’t believe the flashes of light shimmering off that diamond. “It’s stunning,” you think to yourself, “and I don’t ever want to take it off.”

A diamond is a treasure that should last a lifetime, and with the right care and maintenance, so can that incomparable sparkle. At Spence Diamonds, we want you to enjoy your diamond’s sparkling beauty for generations, so here’s a few “dos and don’ts” of caring for your new diamond:

It is okay to:
•Clean your jewelry in warm, soapy water with a soft brush
•Use a mild soap, such as dish soap
•Use products designed specifically for cleaning diamonds (ask us in store for details)

It is not wise to:
•Wear your jewelry when using abrasive cleaning products, or ones that contain bleach or chlorine
•Wear your diamond during manual labour activities, while using heavy equipment, weightlifting or while playing sports (for your own safety as well as that of your jewelry)

The setting of your diamond and the metals used in bands, bracelets and necklaces should be taken into consideration, too. Especially in the case of gold, you want to be sure that the cleaning products you choose won’t tarnish the finish of your precious metals. By following the guidelines above, you should be able to keep your valuables in showroom shape, plus it gives you a perfect use for your old toothbrushes! On that note, its best if you stick to mild soap and water with your toothbrush. Today’s new toothpastes are great for getting your teeth whiter, but are usually much too abrasive for your jewels.

Everyday wear and tear, and even the perspiration and natural oils from your fingers can have an effect on your jewelry’s natural glow over time, so a regular cleaning will ensure that they always look their best.

If you have any questions about the proper care of your jewelry, you can visit any Spence Diamonds showroom. We’d be happy to offer plenty of tips on proper care and maintenance of your jewelry investment.

Speaking the jeweler's language:

BLEMISH: A flaw on the exterior of a diamond, such as a scratch, abrasion, nick or chip.

BLUE-WHITE: Refers to a diamond that glows (flouresces) blue under ultraviolet light.

BRILLIANCE: White light reflected back from a diamond.

BRILLIANT: A round diamond with 58 facets.

CARAT: A unit of weight, equal to 200 milligrams. In ancient times one carat was equal to one carob bean or four grains of rice.

CARBON: The raw material of which diamonds are made. Occasionally a diamond will contain tiny pockets of carbon which can be seen as black spots within the stone.

CLOUD: A cluster of small inclusions, or internal flaws, within a diamond.

CROWN: The top of a diamond. Everything above the girdle.

CULET: The bottom facet of a diamond, usually very small.

DISPERSION: Colored light reflected from within a diamond; also called fire.

EYE-CLEAN: Refers to a diamond that has no inclusions or blemishes visible to the naked eye.

FACET: A polished surface on a diamond. A round, full-cut diamond usually has 58 facets.

FLUORESCENCE: A diamond's reaction to ultraviolet (UV) light, causing the stone to glow in various colors.

FULL-CUT: A diamond with 58 or more facets.

GEMOLOGIST: A person who has been trained and accredited in diamonds and colored stones.

GIA: Gemological Institute of America, an independent, non-profit organization which sets and upholds standards for grading diamonds and other precious stones.

GIRDLE: The narrow, unpolished band around the widest part of the diamond; the girdle separates the crown and the pavilion of the stone.

HEAD: The prongs which hold a diamond in its setting.

INCLUSION: A flaw within a diamond, such as carbon spots or fractures.

KARAT: The measure of the purity of gold; 24-karat being pure gold. Jewelry is made from 18K and 14K gold, which contain other metals for strength.

LASER-DRILLED: A diamond that has been treated with a laser to remove carbon spots.

LOUPE: A small magnifying glass used to view gemstones

OFF-MAKE: A poorly proportioned diamond.

PAVÉ: A method of setting diamonds very closely together, giving the illusion of one or more larger diamonds.

PAVILION: The bottom of a diamond; everything below the diamond's girdle.

POINT: One-hundredth of a carat. A diamond weighing one-and-a-half carats weighs 150 points.

SEMI-MOUNT: A setting which is complete except for the main stone, which will be selected separately.

SINGLE-CUT: A diamond with only 16 or 17 facets.

SPARKLE: The liveliness of the light reflecting from a diamond; the sum of the brilliance and the fire (dispersion).

TIFFANY: A simple, elegant 2-3mm ring setting with a head that holds a single diamond.

Wedding Traditions

Today is Bosses’ Day, October 16, 2003. Bosses’ Day is a “holiday” that I haven’t observed for quite some time. This year, however, I have a new boss. Many of you know him as “The Diamond Guy.” I know him as “He Who Has Had Many Assistants.” I think I’m number 250…..this year. Not really, but he has had, lets just say, a difficult time finding an assistant who understands him, who he understands, who isn’t afraid to work hard and, well……someone who will put up with him. (Just kidding, Fred)

My name is Julie Seitz and I’m the newest employee of Diamond Cutters International. I’m the Assistant to our President and CEO, Fred Cuellar. I’m 34 years old, with two beautiful children, ages 11 and 13, and a wonderful husband to whom I have been married for 14 years. I decided to go to work full-time as my children entered middle school, and everyone seems to be adjusting well. It was an incredibly difficult decision; much more difficult than I anticipated. I loved being a stay-at-home mom for many years, but as my children got older and hungrier for independence, I found myself wanting to be part of the “rat race.” I’d heard people discuss it, complain about it, even praise it. I was ready to discover what it was all about and if it was for me. I miss the days of kids running home from elementary school, hugging me, wanting a cookie and a glass of milk…but we can’t go back, all we can do is move forward and look for the next adventure. It’s what life is all about. My kids are doing it, my husband is doing it, and now I am too.

Yes, it’s true, we can’t go back. But it is fun, on occasion, to look back. I was lucky enough to meet the man of my dreams at an early age--in high school, actually. We got engaged the year after high school, and after a long engagement, married at ages 20 and 21. When I became “Bride-to-be” on that fateful May evening, as my favorite guy pulled a small ring box from his jeans pocket standing in our favorite park with a light mist falling, something happened to me. Yes, I was incredibly, deliriously happy, excited, nervous…but I immediately began stressing out about everything I had to do to prepare for this wedding. Everything had to be perfect. The cake, the dress, the jewelry, the honeymoon, the hair, the guest list. I was overwhelmed, to say the least. I don’t think I handled the stress very gracefully. In fact, I know I didn’t. I’m sure, if they’re honest with themselves, most brides-to-be will admit to the same thing to some degree. I was, for this short period of my life, known to my family and friends as BRIDEZILLA! I was the stereotypical, hysterical, stressed out bride-to-be who had the overwhelming urge to control, plan and organize every aspect of my wedding. Oh yes, my bridesmaids and friends and family members all tried to help by pacifying me to the best of their ability, but some of my requests and demands were just too unreasonable for words. “No drinking at the bachelor party! Where is that maid of honor? She promised to loan me her new blue handkerchief! (It’s time efficient to combine traditions whenever possible.) What do you mean the church doesn’t allow rice throwing? Who knows what kind of children we’ll have if they throw BIRDSEED at us?!! ” I can look back and laugh now. However, I don’t think that I’m alone in my thinking that certain things, no matter how silly they may seem to some people, are important to brides all over the world. We don’t need a reason for them to be important, they just are, and that should be enough. It’s our day, dammit... Sorry…Getting back on track…..

The Wittelsbach

How often does one come across phrases such as "present location unknown" or "all trace of the diamond has been lost" when undertaking research into the histories of famous diamonds? It is all the more satisfying, therefore, to recall an item in a newspaper that appeared in January, 1962, under the heading "Rare diamond reappears." This refered to the Wittelsbach, a diamond of a rare dark blue color whose reappearance, even though after a mere few decades, was nonetheless an exciting and welcoming event.

The Wittelsbach weighs 35.56 metric carats and measures 24.40 mm in diameter and 8.29 mm in depth. (The diameter figure is very likely the length of the diamond. Being slightly oval, the width would be a few millimeters less.) It is pure apart from a few surface scratches that were probably caused during removal from its setting. The diamond has been cut with 82 facets arranged in an unusual pattern -- the star facets on the crown are vertically split and the pavilion has sixteen needle-like facets, arranged in pairs, pointing outward from the culet facet.

The first record of the Wittelsbach dates from the latter part of the seventeenth century. One fact is thus certain: the diamond must be of Indian origin. Furthermore, it has been suggested that a diamond of such a rare color must once have formed part of the famous French Blue Diamond, weighing 112½ old carats in the rough, which Tavernier bought in India and later sold to Louis XIV of France. The principal gem which this yielded is the Hope, weighing 45.52 carat, so that technical reasons alone clearly preclude the possibility of the Wittelsbach having been fashioned from the same piece of rough. The sole possibility of a connection between the Wittelsbach and the Hope lies in Tavernier's French Blue Diamond being merely part of a much larger piece of rough that had at some time been split in two (a very unlikely occurence). However, it would be interesting to ascertain whether the Wittelsbach has physical properties similar to the Hope.

The history of the Wittelsbach has been uneventful; for the most part it has been passed down from one royal owner to another. The gem formed part of the gift which Philip IV of Spain gave to his 15-year-old daughter, the Infanta Margareta Teresa, up the occasion of her betrothel to the Emperor Leopold I of Austria in 1664. (Any chance of tracing the earlier history of the Wittelsbach was lost when the Madrid archives were destroyed during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39.) The bride's father commanded the treasurer to compose a dowry from a recent acquisition of precious stones from India and Portugal. The resulting selection included a large blue diamond. Unfortunately, the marriage between the Emperor and the Infanta ended with her early death in 1675. Her jewels passed to her husband, and listen in a document dated March 23rd, 1673:

Diamond Mysteries

It was a crisp February morning when Sarah finally got around to going through Gram's jewelry box. It had been three weeks since her will had been finalized and nearly two months since the funeral. Gram was eighty-nine and the last of her grandparents to find their way home. "She was everyone's bet that death could be licked," was the popular joke around family get-togethers but now her favorite lady was gone. Having lost her mother in an awful car accident when she was three, Gram (Mrs. Beatrice Holmes to the rest of the world) was more like a mother and confident then she was a traditional grandmother. She was the one who taught her how to act like a lady, taught her how to curtsy and follow her dream and heart whenever doubt creeped into her soul.

So it came as no surprise how difficult it would be to open a box of memories filled with charm bracelets; add-a-bead necklaces; sterling silver from her turquoise phase and of course, "The Ring." As the only granddaughter the ring had been promised to her when she had barely learned to walk. She could still hear Gram's words echoing in her head, "Little Sarah, this ring used to belong to my grandmother. Bought on a rail man's salary and some day it will belong to you." Sarah had to wipe the tears from her eyes as she held this sacred piece of family history in her hands. She knew when her young daughter was old enough she too would be told the story about, "The Ring."

With all the sparkling baubles and beads, was a neatly organized stack of papers, aged yellow with time. In that stack of receipts and appraisals she found the original sales ticket of $629.00 (a king's ransom in those days) for the ring. It was over 100 years old. With that were a few appraisals that had been done on the ring, the last one dated Nov. 14th, 1929. It valued the ring at over $3,100.00!! The rest of the papers were receipts for appliances that had long since gone to their reward along with the original deed on Gram's old house.

As Sarah slipped the ring on to her finger for the first time it didn't make its way past her knuckle. Gram had lost a lot of weight over the years and it had been sized down repeatedly (Gramps always took care of that before he past away almost a decade ago). The ring would need to be sized again if she was going to ever do this ring justice and allow the world to view it once more in all its glory.

Michael had been dating Mary Katherine (a born-again christian) off and on for almost three years. It seemed every time they would get close to a commitment some monkey wrench would send them back to square one. After a lot of soul searching it finally dawned on Mike that even though he had told M.K. (Mary Katherine) he loved her, he had never, "Put his money where his mouth was." So when it came time to clock out on Friday, he headed straight for the mall to buy an engagement ring (his ticket to a new life). This would finally settle once and for all to Mary Katherine and the rest of the world that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

As it turned out Mike did have a nice little nest egg for emergencies and he could think of nothing better than to spend the $4,381.00 that it had taken him three years to save for his beautiful M.K. The sale at the jeweler went well but he did have to admit he was a little overwhelmed with how expensive diamonds were. Thank goodness at the last minute the jeweler said that just for him he would lower his price by 50% or he never would have been able to afford that sparkling one-carat heart shape diamond.

Debating the Desire for a Diamond

Amidst the whole debate over the ethics of the global diamond trade that is explored in the new Leonardo DiCaprio film Blood Diamond, this basic question often gets lost. How did they become the norm for the about-to-be-married couple? What is it about those particular gemstones, which are notoriously hard in structure and (perhaps) even harder on the wallet, that makes them so desirable in the first place? And what does it say about you if you really want one? Or really don't?

So, to address this question, TIME.com's executive producer Cathy Sharick and I have agreed to a friendly e-mail debate. We come from opposite ends of the diamond engagement ring spectrum, and it won't take long to figure out which of us is on which side. By the way, neither Cathy nor I is married... yet.

I first had qualms about diamonds when I was about 10 or so. I remember holding my grandmother's hand and noticing that her wedding ring did not look like what I thought a ring should be. It was a large light blue stone. She couldn't even recall what kind and didn't seem to care. I asked her why she didn't have a diamond ring, and she replied that when she married my grandfather, people didn't give each other diamonds.When I realized that the tradition of the diamond ring stemmed from a very deft advertising campaign, I grew suspicious of their place in our society and their hold over young couples in love. After all, we were taught as kids that we should not go out and buy a Big Mac every time we saw a McDonald's commercial. So how did adults get so duped by the diamond industry's marketing that they thought they had to buy one or else their relationship wasn't worth it? To me, a diamond had become a giant gleaming commercialized cliche rather than a symbol of love

How to Sell a Diamond

Not all diamonds are forever. There may come a time in your life when you want to sell a diamond or two, for one reason or another. It may be an engagement ring from a previous marriage, or a pair of diamond studs from an ex-boyfriend. It may be a family heirloom, or just a diamond you don’t want to wear anymore. Rather than let it gather dust in your safe deposit box, you’d like to convert it to cold cash. Here’s what you need to do. And remember: Patience is a virtue! If you rush into a sale without doing your homework, you’ll get burned. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Have the diamond appraised.

You need to know what you have, and a qualified appraiser can tell you. To find one, contact the Appraisers Association of America, 386 Park Avenue South, Suite 2000, New York, NY 10016, (212) 889-5404. Tell them where you live, and ask for a list of appraisers in your area. They won’t tell you over the phone, but they’ll send you a few recommendations — it’ll take about a week. If you’d like their complete membership directory, they’ll mail it to you for $14.95. If you can’t wait, look in the Yellow Pages under Appraisers.

Check the appraiser’s affiliations. The top three groups are: Appraisers Association of America, American Society of Appraisers, International Society of Appraisers. Membership in any of these is a good indication the appraiser is okay.

Step 2: Ask the appraiser for the Rapaport value.

Rapaport is a wholesale price sheet published in New York that tells jewelry stores all over the country the prices they should pay for diamonds. The Rapaport prices are wholesale. The price the appraiser gives you will be the highest price you can get for your diamond. For example, if your diamond is a 1-carat, round, VS1-G, Class 2 cut with no flourescence, the Rapaport value would be $7,200. That’s the most you’ll get for it. That same diamond would sell for more in a jewelry store, but you’re not a jewelry store! Anyone who buys a diamond from an individual, who gives no guarantees or warranties, is simply looking for a good deal.

Step 3: Find a Buyer

There are a number of possibilities here, but I’m going to firmly guide you away from most of them. In my mind, the two best choices are: 1) Family or friend, and 2) a jeweler.

Disposable Jewelry

Ask yourself a question, "Why do people buy jewelry?" Personal adornment? Partly beauty? Certainly investment? Some, but the number one reason for the purchase of jewelry is status. Pure and simple. If I can have something you can’t have I’m better than you.

I don’t agree with it but it’s a fact. People buy jewelry to impress. If not others, themselves. I’ve heard more than one woman in my day at a big 10th or 25th anniversary say, “I deserve this diamond, I’ve earned it. When I wear it I feel complete, when I don’t I feel naked. Diamonds make me feel special.”

Why doesn’t paste or glass or cubic zirconias make a woman feel special? They certainly look pretty. They certainly cover the personal adornment category. So why diamonds? Why gold? Why platinum? Because they are supposed to be valuable. They are supposed to be heirlooms. They are supposed to look beautiful, be durable and maybe if we are lucky we will have something to pass down to our loved ones along with a story of the special day that piece of jewelry came to be.

Jewelry is bought and sold every day because it is supposed to be valuable, it is supposed to be worth something. Then it’s our job to weave it into our personal folklore that we can pass down through the generations. But what if it’s not?

What if all the big retailers put together a lot of pretty shiny jewelry, ran expensive ads at Christmas and Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day and told everyone buy this 7ct tennis bracelet for $1,000.00, buy this diamond drop necklace for $199.00, buy these 1ctw diamond stud earrings for $499.00 and make your loved one feel special. And what if that jewelry was junk? Hollowed out metal, under-carated gold, treated diamonds with no value. Would your loved one feel special then? When the ads on TV say we only choose the best diamonds for your loved ones and it isn’t the truth is it fraud? Is it?

It is! Plain and simple. When someone buys something and thinks it has an inherent value and it doesn’t, they are stealing from you. They might as well have stuck a gun to your side at an ATM. But this is worse. These are our mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, our family that are being taken every time a national chain pushes a piece of junk at a low price and has the gall to call it fine jewelry.

I don’t have to mention these chain’s names, you know who they are and it’s horrendous. In the corporate boardrooms they laugh, "What the customer doesn’t know won’t hurt them!" Tell that to the grand daughter that just inherited Nana’s wedding ring and you have to explain to her it’s worthless. Tell it to the ex-wife who after 20 years of being a housewife and got a piece of jewelry every year and now needs money to survive that her nest egg is one step above costume jewelry.

Fine jewelry shouldn’t have an expiration date. Paper cups, razors, newspapers; these are things you use and throw away; not jewelry. For the first time in the history of man you can buy diamonds with blue book values so you won’t get ripped off. Jewelry should have that same guarantee.

I started this article with a question now I’ll end it with one. Would you buy a piece of jewelry if five years from now it was worth 19.7% of what you paid for it? Ninety nine percent of the jewelry bought today falls into that category. The only question left is are you going to buy disposable jewelry or demand something better?

Man-made Diamonds Challenge Natural Diamonds

It used to be that people know only of natural diamonds that are colorless. These white precious stones are the original diamonds that jewelry lovers adore and long to own for personal use or investment purposes. However through the years and with the advancement of technology, inventive scientists and jewelers have come up with man-made diamonds that upon first glance, look very much the same as the real stone. Consumers now have a choice between the natural loose diamonds and those that are man-made. With almost the same characteristics, they have the opportunity these days to choose the precious stone of their dreams that they can very well afford.

In comparing these diamonds that are formed in its natural process and those made by man, it is important to learn first how natural diamonds occur and how are they extracted from deep down the earth’s surface. Diamonds are formed underneath the earth about 120 to 200 kilometers deep. Geologists claim that the first diamonds were discovered somewhere around 2.5 billion years ago. Science has it that the diamonds come from carbon as an outcome of the melting of pre-existing rocks in the upper mantle of the earth. Carbon atoms abound in the mantle and what forces them to go deeper is the change in temperature. It is deep down there where the temperature is lower that they melt and eventually become new rocks. These rocks then are able to build diamond crystals with the right pressure and chemistry.

It’s not all the time, though, that these carbon atoms will become diamonds. In fact, it is possible that the diamond crystals formed may melt partially or totally dissolve if there’s constant change in temperature. And even if these diamond crystals are formed, it will still take thousands of years before they reach the area near the earth’s surface.

Diamond deposits are known a blue ground, kimberlite pipes or primary mines. Those found at river beds are called alluvial deposits. It’s worth noting that not all diamonds that are mined are made into jewelry. The truth is that only one fourth of them is used into jewelry making. Additionally, did you know that a one carat diamond is produced from 100 tons of mud?

Many of you may be unaware that diamonds can now be grown in laboratories and they’re the real gem-quality stones. They are not just the diamond lookalike of cubic zirconia and moissante. These man-made diamonds are created in laboratories such as those in Sarasota, Florida and Boston in the United States.

They are referred to as both “cultured” and “synthetic” diamonds. Diamond growers prefer to use the term cultured in reference to the pearl market which is more familiar to many people. However, the GIA opts to use the word “synthetics” in referring to these man-made stones saying that cultured is more apt for organic materials.

History has it that the first synthetic diamonds date back to the early 1950s. They were produced by researchers at the Allmanna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget Laboratory in Stockholm, Sweden but they did not publicize their work. General Electric followed suit.

Who's Your Jeweler? & How They Categorize You

There are three categories of jewelers. A jeweler is either Brick & Mortar (B&M--has a physical store front); Virtual (internet based-- no physical store front) or combo B&M & Virtual. I am not including TV vendors for this article because they only deal in commercial quality and costume jewelry.

Within all three categories of jewelers there are four distinct approaches used in selling based on four customer types: the Discounter, the Bargain Shopper, the Brander, and the Better Thans.

A. The Discounter: The discount shopper isn't particularly interested that an item is top of the line as long as their particular need gets satisfied. They focus on "category needs" not "detailed needs." A discounter buys a car to get from point A to B, not because of how sexy they will look in it or what their neighbors will think. A discounter buys toilet paper, cars, bikes, trucks, & TVs. The rest of us buy Charmin, Lexus, Harley, Ford, and Sony. The Discounters' motto is "Get the job done at the lowest possible price." These are the people that will be in line at 2:00a.m. outside Best Buy in the frigid cold on Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving) in order to get something for as close to nothing as possible.

B. Bargain Shopper: Wal-Mart has proven that most of us are bargain shoppers; quality merchandise at a low price. Unlike the discounter mentality, the bargainer isn't willing to waste the time and effort that it takes to buy at the absolutely, positively, guaranteed lowest price. They want quality merchandise (generally name brand) but at a savings. Bargainers love to compare notes with other bargainers about what a great deal they got on their new Sony DVD or flat screen. Bargainers will make the effort to visit a few stores until they are reasonably sure they've done well and quit shopping. Whereas the Discounters will only tend to stop shopping when they've been to every store in their area. Of course with the internet it's taking longer & longer to "shop around."

C. The Brander: Like the Bargain shopper, the Brander wants quality but he's also looking for an emotional connection with the brand. Something that represents him or her. Something that tells the world who they are. Price is less important to Branders than actually having the item that other people have so they can connect with them. That's why celebrity endorsements work so successfully. If an individual sees a celebrity endorse a product, or better yet actually use the product, they form a bond with the product. "Let's see, Robert DiNiro uses the American Express card. If I have an American Express card, then Robert and I have something in common! We're connected in some cool cosmic way!" Branders want to buy products that other groups tend to buy. These groups are not limited to but include women, men, the wealthy, the affluent, the sexy, the smart, etc. A Brander may not even "need" a product but purchases it anyway because others in their identity group have the same item.

D. The Better Thans: As the title insinuates, the Better Thans honestly believe that on some social, economic, intellectual level they are "better than" others. There's the right religion, the right political party, the right everything. Naturally, for them to be right, many have to be wrong or "less than." Better Than shoppers only want products that the masses can't have and if the masses get it, then they don't want it. Yesterday, I was shopping with my wife and we wandered into Cartier. They had a pink diamond, yellow diamond, & white diamond, tight knit pave, rolling ring that I could produce for about 5K. They were selling it for $52,000! And you know what? They are selling them!? And the reason they are selling them is that they are so expensive. It isn't enough to just own jewelry any more. The consolidators like Costco, Sam's, Wal-Mart, J.C. Penny's, & Blue Nile burst that bubble. People are hung up on where they bought it; when they bought it (the right season); and what they spent. Louis Vuitton has made a fortune as a mega successful brand name because of recognition of their line. When people see someone with one of their hand-bags, every one immediately knows,

Insuring Your Diamonds The Right Way

Diamonds are the priciest gemstones in the world. The stone has a distinct beauty on its own and even more when fixed in a setting as an engagement ring or a pendant. Some people like it set in a piece of jewelry while there are others who prefer the pure aesthetic value of the diamond as a loose stone. But whether it’s set in a jewelry or as a loose diamond, people who own this stone would want to keep it protected from theft, loss or other casualty by having them insured.

Jewelry, in general, is covered by many insurance companies. One way of having your jewelry insured is by applying for scheduled coverage. This provides additional insurance for specific items no matter how it gets lost whether stolen or caught up in fire. On a standard homeowner’s or renter’s policy, jewelry is usually covered for so-called named perils such as theft and fire.

Loose and unset stones, on the other hand, are covered by only a very limited number of insurance firms. For people looking for an insurance company to cover their loose diamonds, one of the few option is the Chubb Insurance Company. The firm insures specialty items including loose precious stones. However, clients should expect to pay a high monthly premium for the policy.

Insurance companies have a few reasons for not willing to provide coverage to loose and unset diamonds. Firstly, loose stones which are not set in a piece of jewelry have a great chance of getting lost or misplaced. These stones are only kept in a certain container and therefore, are easier to misplace than those set in a necklace, ring and earrings.

The second reason why only jewelry is given insurance coverage is due to the fact that replacing loose diamonds entails a lot of money. Being loose stones, they can get lost easily compared to those set in a piece of jewelry and paying for their replacement means a huge sum of money to be shelled out by insurance companies. And so, these firms find it fit not to insure loose, unset diamonds at all.

There are three types of diamond insurance. These are the actual cash value, replacement value and agreed value. Actual cash value refers to diamonds that are insured at current market rates not taking into account what you paid for in getting the stones. Replacement value pertains to the replacement of a diamond you lost by an insurance company but only to a limited amount. This is the general preference of most insurance companies. With this type of coverage, many insurance companies will replace lost items through a firm of their choice. In case you use this policy and your insurance firm has a preferred replacement jeweler, make sure that you take the replacement item to an independent appraiser to confirm that the new item matches the old one in terms of grading and value.

It’s also important to note that with their strong buying power, insurance companies will normally replace your diamond for less than the appraised value when you choose a replacement value policy. This results in you paying a higher premium.

Agreed value refers to an agreement reached between a diamond owner and insurance firm on the stone’s value. The company here agrees to pay the agreed value in case of loss. This type of insurance may be rarely offered but very beneficial. The policy holder, though, just needs to pay a higher premium.

Buying Diamonds on the Internet

In this age of the "Information Superhighway", when super models are auctioning their eggs to infertile couples, it appears that there's nothing you can't buy over the Internet. Seems like yesterday (it was) that companies selling diamonds over the Internet were thought of as a novelty, but today there are literally thousands of such sites. It still works that same way. You locate a diamond merchant on the web and look over a selection of stones.

Full-color, high-resolution images of the diamonds are displayed on the screen. The diamonds are graded by carat weight, cut, clarity and color. You select a stone you like, enter your credit card number and your diamond will be shipped.

Then as now my major concern is the quality of the stone's proportions. In my cyber travels I find lots of "off-makes" (poorly proportioned stones). I could tell they were taking rough which if properly cut would have yielded shy-carated stones and cutting them heavy to reach full-carat weights even if it meant sacrificing sparkle for size.

One dealer actually marked spread-cut diamonds with a "+" sign, offering them as more durable (and more expensive) claiming they were more brilliant and looked "larger than would be expected" for their weight. Well, we know that a spread-cut diamond offers brilliance at the expense of fire and probably has a very thin girdle which would cause a durability problem.

In the process, they offer lots of full-carated diamonds and a very few opportunities to "buy shy". They try to force the buyer to their strong suit where their inventories are the heaviest. If you want a .90ct SI-1, I then don't be pushed into a 1ct SI-1, G, unless you get it for the .90ct price and all the parameters of cut are at least Class II.

In short, you're forced to hunt for the needle in the haystack. However, the issue is much more complicated now if for no other reason than the advent of treated diamonds. That's just one of the many scams currently afloat.

Create The Perfect 3 Stone Ring

Diamond rings date back in the olden times and were believed to serve different purposes. The Romans, for instance, believed that the stones brought courage and bravery during the battle. The Jewish high priests, on the other hand, used diamonds to decide whether an accused person should be judged as guilty or innocent. If the accused is found guilty, the diamond usually darkened or dulled. If innocent, the stone glowed with brilliance. The use of loose diamonds in rings goes back to the Middle Ages and even the Roman period. The precious stone was valued greatly by the Romans because of its supernatural powers. It was believed to prevent insanity and dispel vain fears. The Italians during the Medieval times followed this tradition but added an idea that a diamond ring maintained harmony between a husband and wife.

The 3 stone ring is also called a trilogy or trinity ring. It symbolizes the past, present and future relationship of two people in love. One diamond represents the past, the bigger center stone symbolizes the present and the third stone represents the future.

The concept centers on years the couple spends together and this makes the ring very popular as engagement rings and also as anniversary rings. It is considered one of the most popular symbols of love featuring a minimum of H color or nearly colorless diamond that has a lovely sparkle. The ring is seen as very appropriate for an engagement due to its very romantic nature.

De Beers, the world’s largest producer of diamonds, is credited for leading the design of this trinity ring. It was in the late 1990s when the company began the designing frenzy that took the jewelry industry by storm.

In terms of design, three diamond stones on the ring are sufficient enough to make your jewelry look good. However, consumers can always add accents on the ring such as tiny gems or precious stones. Some women prefer filigree embellishments to highlight each ring.

Bonded Jewelers

In every organization there are always the elite few that standout in the crowd. In the Army, you've got the "Rangers". In the Navy, you've got the "Seals". In the Air Force, you've got the "P.J.'s" and in a world filled with ordinary jewelers you have super jewelry stores called "Bonded Jewelers!" Why Fred, are "Bonded Jewelers" better than the rest? What are they bonded for? Well, hold onto your hats and I'll tell you.

For starters, only approximately 5% of the jewelers in the world are bonded. Only 1 out of every 20! By "bonded", I'm referring to the fact that they sell bonded diamonds, and bonded diamonds my friend, are the way to go if you can afford them. They typically run 10-15% above non-bonded diamonds. A bonded diamond is just a fancy way of describing a fully warranted diamond.

This is what you get when you buy a bonded diamond:

1. All bonded diamonds come with a lifetime breakage policy. You bust the stone; the jeweler gives you a new one. (One bust per customer) This is a wonderful policy. Since treated stones tend to be brittle. No jeweler would give you this guarantee unless your diamond is 100% natural.

2. And you're going to love this: all bonded stones come with a lifetime buy back policy. Translation, for the life of the diamond, you can take it back to the jewelers and get 100% of your money back on the diamond!! (Mountings and sales tax not included) How wonderful is this! If you're not 100% satisfied for the life of your purchase you get your money back. Now you might ask, "How can a jeweler afford to do this?" How can he not? Great diamonds are in demand, very liquid and easy to resell. Any jeweler worth his salt will be glad to buy back a good diamond. If a jeweler doesn't want to buy back your diamond, then there was probably something wrong with it in the first place.

3. All bonded diamonds come with an unconditional lifetime exchange policy. This is great! If your fiancee ever gets bored with her shape, your jeweler will allow even exchanges. (You have to pay for resetting fees.)

4. Bonded diamonds come with a lifetime trade-in policy with a fixed appreciation rate to keep up with inflation.

5. Bonded diamonds come with a market crash protection policy. If the diamond market ever crashes and your diamond depreciates, the jeweler will refund the difference between what you paid from the new market value.

6. All bonded stones are guaranteed to be natural and untreated.

Final Comments: If you can find a bonded jeweler, they are the way to go. Dishonest jewelers thrive knowing that it's possible to take a bad diamond and make it look good. But looking good and staying looking good are two different things. That diamond needs to pop as much as the day you bought it as it will on your 25th wedding anniversary. With a bonded diamond, if the diamond doesn't always meet your expectations or surpass it, you get your money back.

Get Your Diamond Trade Education

The practice of gemology requires proper training. The training is an intensive one and does not only involve one or two courses. In order for an individual to become a properly trained gemologist, there are certain requirements that need to be accomplished and getting a diploma is a must. Several gemological schools exist in the different parts of the globe offering various courses for aspiring gemologists and gem dealers. The courses they offer range from stone identification, diamonds and colored stones and appraisal of stones and jewelry.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is considered the world’s authority in gemology being the biggest non-profit institute of gemological research. Established in 1931 in Carlsbad, California, the institute is credited for creating the International Grading System still used today by professional jewelers worldwide. It offers degree programs on General Selling Skills and Sales Operations as well as Metal and Jewelry Arts both on-site and online.

In 2006, GIA earned the School of Distinction from the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). The award is given to member institutions that have provided quality education programs. The commission has also accredited GIA’s on-campus programs since 1973.

The Diamond of Jeru

The Australian film “The Diamond of Jeru” was actually released for the U.S. cable TV in 2001. Based on the Louis L’Amour novel, the movie relates the story of an American atomic scientist from Los Alamos, New Mexico and his wife, John and Helen Lacklan, who embark on a risky journey in search of diamonds in the Borneo river in the year 1955. For their journey, the couple hires an expat war veteran to serve as their guide whom they also fired later on.

John Lacklan played by Keith Carradine is a restless man bored with his marriage. To keep his spirit alive, John and his wife thought of going to Borneo to search for a diamond that would fill up the empty space in Mrs. Lacklan’s wedding ring.

Diamonds Are Forever

One of the hit films that centered on the very previous stone is “Diamonds Are Forever.” By its title alone, one can tell that the 1971 movie is about diamonds. The movie is the seventh of the James Bond series and the sixth one starring Sean Connery in the title role of M16 agent.

Shot mostly in Las Vegas hotels, the film is based on the 1956 novel of Ian Fleming and focuses on James Bond impersonating a diamond smuggler in order to get into a smuggling ring. Bond later discovers that his former opponent, responsible for the death of his wife, plans to use the South African diamonds to put up a giant laser satellite that would be utilized to hold the world to ransom.

Other filming locations included the Los Angeles International Airport, Universal City Studios, Pinewood Studios,Dover and Southhampton all in London, France, Amsterdam and Germany. The movie earned $43 million in the U.S. and $116 million worldwide.

The movie title “Diamonds Are Forever” can be attributed to the popular marketing slogan of an internationally renowned diamond brand. For people unfamiliar about the origin of this famous line, it was actually the world’s largest diamond producer, the De Beers Group, that used this slogan in its marketing campaign. The advertising line “A Diamond is Forever” was coined in 1947 by a young copywriter by the name of Frances Gerety and was named the best advertising slogan of the 20th century by Advertising Age magazine in the year 2000.

Watches Adorned With Diamonds Are Most Coveted

The watch is one of the most popularly used jewelry among both men and women mainly because of the time element it provides to consumers. From the time it was first invented, the watch has gone a long way and has evolved into a beautiful and time tested piece of jewelry. With the numerous brands, great designs and unique features available on the market today, it’s difficult to choose the best style. You need to take your time and shop around before picking the one that’s right for your needs. Loose Diamonds have become a big part of many watches nowadays and have become less costly. Made in various sizes, shapes and styles, these watches can be worn by both men and women. In fact, consumers can easily find diamond watches even on the internet. Men’s diamond watch is bigger and looks more masculine compared to women’s watches. However, the same dealers that make women’s diamond watches also make men’s watches making the timepieces readily available to both sexes.

Diamond watches

Watches with diamonds are lovely as the precious stone add a unique style to the time piece. Diamond watches range from having only one diamond or several stones. Of course, expect to pay thousands of dollars if you’re getting this type of watch. Most often, the watches of Citizen including the Eco-Drive Corso 12 diamonds two-tone watch top the most popular list. Diamond watches reflect perfection and technical superiority. They are a big attraction especially among fashionistas around the world. These expensive watches are distinguished by their modernity, unique design, beauty and mechanical performance. Being a high-end stone, diamond watches earn great respect and admiration from many people because of their perfect craftsmanship and functionality.

These exquisite watches are crafted by master horologists who are always hungry for new challenges. They implement strict quality controls at each stage of production and because of this, they know how to offer something unique to consumers. These people behind diamond watches are recognized as valuable exponents of the Swiss tradition of making watches.

Creating diamond watches is no easy task as special skills are required. These skills are usually passed on from one generation to another. Most of these expensive watches are produced in Geneva’s workshops and involve brilliant cut diamonds weighing from 0.5 to one carat. Designers of diamond watches ensure that the setting allows light to shine unobstructed through each of the stone’s facets such that the gem sparkles at every turn of the wrist.

A diamond watch has its own unique personality and is a worthy investment because it increases value with time. They speak about class and style courtesy of their creators’ mastery over their art and unparalleled dexterity.

Diamond Solitaire Earrings Make Great Gifts

Diamond solitaire earrings feature only a single cut diamond set in fine gold or silver and come in various shapes and sizes. They are also available in different settings depending on your preference. They can be set in yellow gold, white gold, platinum or sterling silver, among others. Some women with discerning fashion sense prefer their diamond solitaire earrings to match their other set of jewelry such as the ring and necklace especially if they like to wear the pieces together. Matching your jewelry is definitely a good choice as it shows the beauty of the stones and a person’s fashion taste as well.

These lovely diamond solitaire earrings can be worn by both men and women not only during special occasions but even on ordinary, working days. Whether you’re off to the office or to a dinner date, your earrings will absolutely gorgeous on you. Additionally, they can be used by both men and women.

Natural vs. fancy colored

Various types of loose diamonds can be made into solitaire earrings. Whether the natural colorless or the fancy colored stones, these precious stones are a standout especially when set in an earring and given a unique design. A floating solitaire design alone is enough to capture attention but a diamond earring with a beautiful design around it adds more attraction.

The natural colorless diamonds can match any wardrobe because of its neutrality. However, the fancy colored ones have their own unique beauty that gives your earrings its extraordinary sparkle. Fashionistas can match them with the color of their attire and wear them to any occasion.

The size of the diamond may also play a major part in your decision to purchase a set of solitaire diamond earrings. Keep in mind that the bigger the size of the stone, the higher is its price. The reason behind this is the weight of the stone. And so, apart from the size, the stone that weighs more would also cost more.

Male stars with diamonds

Many male celebrities own diamond jewelry and you’ve seen them parade their stones in various important occasions. The others, if not for their own personal use, buy diamond jewelry for their partners. Take for instance director Guy Ritchie who gifted wife Madonna with a three-stone platinum diamond ring.

R&B star Chris Brown, rumored boyfriend of Rihanna, is also said to have given the singer a diamond necklace worth $100,000 from jewelery designer Jason Arasheben of Bevelry Hills. In return, Rihanna has also ordered from the same jewelers a diamond-encrusted cross for Chris to match his other jewelry.

Another popular male celebrity who has a penchant for diamonds is actor Will Smith. The actor is known for his fashionable hairstyles and jewelry selections. Flash jewelry or bling is a staple for Will Smith. He has been seen during numerous occasions wearing large, gold chains with various pendants and with diamond lining the necklaces. Sometimes, he also wears a diamond ring or two on his hands.

Hollywood actor Ben Affleck gave former girlfriend Jennifer Lopez a pink radiant shaped diamond ring weighing six carats as engagement ring. The diamond is set in a platinum band with three baguette white diamonds on each side and is said to have been bought at $1.2 million in 2002. Football star David Beckham and one of the world’s most famous as well as richest men is also a lover of jewelry and he wears expensive diamond watches and jewelry pieces.

David Gest, former husband of singer Liza Minelli, is another man whose love of jewelry stands out. He wears a diamond encrusted crucifix. Other male stars seen wearing diamonds include Jamie Foxx with diamond stud earrings, Jeremy Piven with diamond and platinum cuff links by Neil Lane and Sean Combs with diamond stud earrings and two diamond rings by Lorraine Schwartz on the right hand.

Prince Charles also gave an antique platinum emerald ring with baguette diamonds to his lady love, Camilla Parker Bowles. In Hollywood, movie stars and fine jewelry have always been linked together since the earliest days of film. Loose Diamonds in uniquely designed jewelry have been worn by famous female and male celebrities. Among the female stars, undoubtedly Elizabeth Taylor is the most famous for her exotic diamond jewelry collection in unique shapes and designs. Many of Taylor’s precious stone jewelry worth millions of dollars were gifts to her from former husband Richard Burton.

Finding the right jewelry

Men who love jewelry have various ways to buy their favorite pieces. Of course, they can always buy them from traditional jewelry stores as well as department stores or they can just shop online for more convenience. With the internet, finding quality men’s jewelry is no longer a hassle. Shopping online for men’s jewelry should be done with extra care. For instance, those looking for men’s diamond wedding band should be knowledgeable about the basic qualities of the precious stone such as its four C’s – cut, color, clarity and carat.

Cut pertains to the diamond’s shape and there are several cuts available. These are the round, oval, pear, marquis and emerald among others. Color refers to the stone’s color which range from the natural colorless, yellow, blue, green, red, pink and purple. Clarity is about the absence of flaws in the stone while carat pertains to the diamond’s weight.

Consumers should also consider the price, craftsmanship and originality when looking for a quality diamond. Antique jewelry is another option for men in search of an extraordinary piece.

Popular men’s jewelry

One of the most commonly used men’s jewelry is the wedding band and among the most popular on the market these days is the diamond wedding band. For men about to get married, many of them opt to buy a dual wedding set that includes a diamond wedding band for the male and another diamond ring for the female. Comparing the two, it’s the men’s wedding band that is thicker. As for design, it depends upon the preference of the wearer. Some men like simple jewelry while the others prefer to wear bands with intricate designs.

It was in the middle of the 1940s in the United States when the tradition of offering a double ring or men’s wedding band at a wedding ceremony began. It was also during that time when jewelry manufacturers saw it fit to popularize the concept of offering a wedding band for the groom in addition to the ladies’ wedding ring. However, it’s important to note that the groom’s ring has actually existed even before it became popular. Consumers had already accepted the idea that a groom’s ring was a fitting symbol of male prosperity and stability apart from being associated with commitment to marriage.

Men’s jewelry today consists of a wide range. While many men own necklaces, rings and bracelets, there are still other common accessories available to them. These are the earrings, chains, money clips, watches and cufflinks. Let’s face it, some men look good with earrings either on just one ear or both. Like women, these guys also love to adorn their bodies with precious gems that enhance their masculinity, beauty and power.