Beauty Tips Guides

There are many different types of jewelry that can be worn and many of these are decorated with gemstones. By and large the gemstones that are set in jewelry are of a treasured and semi cherished nature. They often are of a unique stone or cut. Most of the time we are presented with stones that are very popular ones like diamonds. However, recently black diamonds have begun to make their appearance in the jewelry scene. But, have yet to take off like the standard diamond.

While these black diamonds are becoming more popular due to marketing tactics they are not seen widely nor do many people conceive having black diamonds in rings. This is likely due to the fact that the black diamonds don’t have the sparkling shininess that is evident with white diamonds. We all know that most wear diamonds for the look and what others will think. As with all fancy colored diamonds the formation of black diamonds is very uncommon making this a very expensive piece of jewelry to own. This diamond comes in many shapes and sizes. This sometimes creates a challenge for people to work with and on.

Because of its uniqueness and small market share, the cost is usually much higher than the standard diamond. We all know, that in part, it goes back to supply and demand. Regardless of the cost though there are some people who like to wear these black diamonds as men’s rings. This trend is very small. This could be due to the fact that many jewelers consider these black diamonds as being imperfect stones and consequently not worth the time that it would take to cut and mold them. So if you would like to wear jewelry that has black diamonds embedded in them you will have to make inquires from reputable jewelers if they have these gemstones in stock. You may find that this could pose a challenge because many jewelers just don’t carry the stone.

Other than this you will likely have to look on the internet for online jewelry stores where you can purchase your black diamonds from. Word of caution, do your research diligently and feel comfortable with a company before doing business with them. Once you have found such a place and you are prepared to purchase the diamond for the going price you will need to trust that you have found a place that will sell you quality black diamond jewelry. As these types of jewelry pieces are very hard and uncommon to find you should look at the different designs that are available and see if there is one that appeals to you in spite of the price. Remember, this is not a race, take your time and make your decision wisely.

There is also another way that you can get good quality jewelry with black diamonds embedded in the design. You will need to locate a stone store that has black diamonds for sale. Having verified the caliber and seen if the cost is one that you can yield you will need to buy the quantity that you need for your design. The next step is to find a goldsmith or jewelry creator and give your design to them. This may sound like a long and arduous process, but it is well worth your time. At the end of it all you are left with a fine piece of jewelry that is custom to your liking.

You will have to trust at the end of the jewelry making process you will be the proprietor of a unparalleled piece of black diamond jewelry. To find quality jewelry takes time and to be the owner of jewelry with black diamonds means that not only should you have a discreet eye for the first-class caliber items in life but you should be prepared to pay for them as well. Black diamonds are unique and can make for a perfect gift or addition to your jewelry. When looking take your time and enjoy the process for you will be very happy with your new accessory.

Bowe is the webmaster and content provider for many informational websites. Looking for jewelry but don’t know where to start? Look here for help.

Traditionally a diamond solitaire ring is purchased and given for engagement, although there are many other types of engagement rings available and as trends change these styles become more popular, the diamond solitaire always seems to be the favourite.

These types of rings can vary greatly in price depending on the size of the diamond and the ring set the diamond solitaire is set in.
It is worth spending some time researching exactly what you are looking for before hitting the shops and buying a ring on impulse

If the diamond solitaire ring is to be given as a surprise gift for a loved one then it is important to get an idea of the size you need, although this is normally a difficult task it will make the surprise so much more special if the ring fits perfectly, it will also show your partner how much thought you have put into purchasing the ring.

It is not the easiest thing to get a ring size from someone without them knowing, most ladies do not wear a ring on their engagement finger unless already engaged there for you will have to ascertain the size by other ways.

Ask her friends to help, they may be able to get your partner into a ring shop to try on rings for ‘fun’ and therefore make a note of the size of the ring she would require.

Have a look on the internet and in magazines for the style and shape you are looking for, it is always best to have something in mind before actually purchasing any type of jewelry.

You will need to consider the cut, the shape of the diamond solitaire can determine if it will stand out to others. There are many cuts to choose from including,the modern heart shape, pear or tear drop shape, marquise shape, emerald cut and princess solitaire

Once the cut or shape has been decided it is important to remember you are not only buying a diamond solitaire you are also buying the ring setting, this is where you can get creative, use your imagination, you do not have to go for traditional gold, you could have white gold or even platinum if you really want to different.

You can also choose the number of prongs to hold the diamond solitaire in place, the more prongs you have the safer the diamond will sit in the ring set, the less you have the more prominent the actual solitaire will be and will stand out more.

Diamonds are graded and the lower grade diamond solitaries are always cheaper in price than the higher grade ones, when you do purchase your diamond solitaire always ask to see any paperwork that the ring has, ask for a authenticity certificate.

A diamond solitaire is not only one of the most important rings you will ever give or receive it it also an investment so consider how you will insure the diamond solitaire once it has been purchased, usually diamond solitaires are not covered on your household policy so it is worth spending some time on this matter.

Vicki Churchill writes for several sites including
Diamond And Sapphire Rings and Diamond Rings including what, where & how to buy the perfect Engaegement Ring .

When you think about it, buying an engagement ring, and more specifically diamond engagement rings, requires a lot to be considered. It has always been a tradition to present a woman with a diamond engagement ring, and this practice is believed to have begun when Archduke Maximilian presented one to Mary of Burgundy in the year 1477. To begin with, you must first of all establish how much you can afford to spend and a two month salary figure should do you well in this regard.

Diamonds Are The Top Choice

Diamonds are obviously the top choice when it comes to choosing an engagement ring and there are many shapes to choose from. You will find round shapes, square as well as rectangular shapes, as also oval and pear shaped diamond rings. Furthermore, according to the Gemological Institute of America there are three types of diamond cuts, and these include the brilliant cut, step cut as also the mixed cut.

Cuts are not the same as the shape as they refer to a diamond’s proportion that includes its depth as well as width and also the uniformity of all of its characteristics that control the diamonds brilliance, durablility as well as other features. A popular shape often chosen for a diamond engagement ring is the oval shape. Also, you will see a lot of pear shapes in diamonds that can be cut in various proportions. And, similar to the pear shape is the heart shaped diamond that is often fat or elongated.

What the best engagement ring is depends on individual taste as well as choice, and it can be something simple such as a solitaire, or is more decorative having side stones or baguettes, which though very pretty, end up costing a pretty packet as well. A typical engagement ring will have a setting as well as the band. The setting is what holds the diamond and the band is what surrounds the finger.

It is usual for the setting to be made from platinum, and given its strength as well as durability, is even used on gold rings. In addition, you would need to verify whether you want a four or six prongs ring with four prongs being used to show off more of the diamond while the six prongs is used to hold the diamond more securely. It may be better to use the six prongs so that there is little risk of losing the stone.

When selecting the band of the engagement ring you will need to establish the size which can be accomplished by visiting a jeweler and having the finger ring size taken, or you can borrow a ring from your partner to get the size in such a way. In addition, you need to decide on what materials to use and the typical engagement ring is most often made from platinum and gold, though this is a matter decided by individual tastes and style.

All in all, deciding on the setting and the band should allow you to then narrow your choice to the typical engagement ring that best fits in with these two criteria. If you do not wish to have prongs in your setting you may opt for pressure to hold the diamonds in place, or use can be made of channels in which to insert the diamond.

For more information from Brian Welsch about Engagement Rings check www.ringsforengagement.com

White gold is routinely alloyed down with nickel. Nickel causes allergic reactions in a lot of people.
It’s probably showing up now, because your ring was plated in rhodium (the whitest member of the platinum family) when you bought it. This is normal, as white gold always has a little warmth to it, so it is almost always plated in rhodium.

The rhodium has worn off. The white gold, alloyed with nickel is in direct contact with your skin. You are reacting to the nickel. One easy solution is to bring the ring in to the jeweler where you purchased it and have it replated with rhodium. Or, you could trade the ring in for a white gold ring that does NOT contain nickel, a palladium ring or a platinum ring.
The metal rhodium is essentially inert to the skin, hypoallergenic, no reaction. What the reaction could be is a basic metals reaction and that SHOULD NOT be happening if the rings have a real rhodium plate.

My suggestion? Contact QVC and tell them of the problem. They should either give your money back or replace the item with one with a real rhodium plate!
Green is a reaction generally to base metals, such as copper, etc., which are either preplate(done beneath the rhodium on metals like silver) or part of the the meatal alloy the ring is made of.

Either the plate is not rhodium or is a poor job at plating. QVC owes you an answer on this one and your may use my answer when you contact them if you want.
Without seeing the ring and actually examining it, I can say little about the ring itself.

“Temporary Fix. Recommended for you to Try:
Rhodium is a hard and durable white metal. Most white gold is given a quick plated layer of rhodium when brand new or when repaired.

This thin layer of rhodium gives the metal a whiter look. Rhodium is also a metal that does not react with the skin. A local jeweler should easily be able to refinish, buff up nicely and rhodium plate your ring. The look is good. The advantage to you is the rhodium provided a safety layer between the nickel in the ring and your sensitive skin! The rhodium works very well when the plating is done correctly. You can expect the rhodium to wear off in time but you should get 6mos to a year of wear before the ring should be plated with rhodium again. We often do this service for ladies who love white gold earrings but have problems. With yellow gold problems, we plate the parts touching the skin and it works until the rhodium eventually wears away.”

Is your ring white gold? If so, the rhodium plating by a local jeweler should ease the problem immensely and the surface will last a fair amount of time before redoing is needed. If the ring is yellow, there are likely environmental issues here, including swimming pool chemicals and salty air(if living near the ocean).

Chemicals will often build up in a microscopic way and lead to skin reactions or smudges. Salty air can lead to a build up of residue which will cause smudges or even some sensitive skin reactions. For yellow gold, the solution is difficult but involves either avoiding the environmental issues or cleaning the ring quite often(every couple of days) with a good gentle scrub with a gentle dish detergent and rinsing well.

Victor Epand is the owner of JewerlyGift.biz, a huge online jewelry retailer featuring the largest and best selection of jewelry including personalizable items…

You ask how durable is an 18k gold plate. Wow, I do wish I could give you an answer in months or years or in any time frame. The fact is, without knowing how thick the plated surface actually might be there is little way to predict wearability. Even if I knew the thickness, the best I could say is, “It will wear better (or worse) than this or that other sort of plate or layer.”

So much depends on how often the ring is worn and the conditions of that time when worn. I do believe you will take good care of the ring and that does make me happy. Too many folks will come into our business with a worn out ring, packed with dirt and stones dull from all of it…then proudly say, “I never take it off.” What a mistake they make! Gentle and regular care and cleaning is so vital to keeping a ring looking the best and detecting if any stones might have worked loose.

When the ring is worn, if your hands are in contact with surfaces which contact the ring, daily wear will eventually take the plate from that contact area. This wear might come from a desk, keyboard hand support or simply items you regularly handle in day to day work and living. Being more alert to what the ring touches will certainly give you a “heads up” on preventing wear from everyday contact.

The National Gold and Silver Marking Act (USA) requires certain thicknesses of gold plate for a jewelry item to be stamped as gold plated. The mark might be “gold plate”, “hge” for heavy gold electroplate or simply “plate” or “plated”. These marks indicate a recognized thickness of gold plating. If there is no mark saying gold plated in one form or the other, likely the plate is of the thinner sort and not thick enough to qualify for marking as plated. Sure, it is plated but not thickly enough to warrant the marking. If not marked as plated, the ring is likely plated about as thickly as typical costume jewelry and will wear about as well.

How long? I simply cannot say. My wife wears lots of jewelry items all with only a wash of gold color on them. (She happens to like it..) Still, it is surprising how long the surface does last. I suspect your ring has a thicker plate than that and should last longer.

When caring for the ring, use essentially the same steps to clean as with CZ’s. However, do not often use a polishing cloth, especially the chemical or rouge treated ones. These are made to remove tarnish and are capable of eventually wearing away the gold plating on the ring! Wipe gently with a soft cloth only to dry from cleaning in a mild detergent solution. You may use a soft brush to clean behind the stones.

The surface will show some wear from daily contact and that is normal. This will happen long before the plate is worn through. Trying to polish out the wear from daily contact will only help remove the plate and greatly reduce the life of the ring.

There are simply no fast rules as to how long a plated jewlery item will last since each person has a personal life and conditions are different.

Victor Epand is the owner of JewerlyGift.biz, a huge online jewelry retailer featuring the largest and best selection of jewelry including personalizable items…

Platinum is an extremely rare metal, even rarer than gold. There isn’t much of it around and it has only been found in select locations across the planet. Platinum is a strong, dense metal, which allows it to be used in many different ways. Besides jewelry, it is also used to make catalytic converters, and it is helpful in the medical field because it resists oxidation. As the perfect material for pacemakers, platinum not only makes lovely jewelry, but also helps save lives.

Despite its strength, platinum is a very supple, workable material, making intricate designs and details far easier to achieve than with gold. Since it is so pure, platinum jewelry is the perfect hypoallergenic accessory for those who cannot wear gold. Part of the reason people cannot wear gold is often associated with the alloys involved in the jewelry making process. Since platinum jewelry contains very little alloy, it is a good choice for those who are sensitive to metals.

Platinum jewelry is made from very pure platinum. As compared to gold, platinum falls between the 18-karat and 24-karat range, with 18 karat being approximately 75% pure and 24 karat being the purest. Since 18-karat jewelry is 75% pure, that means that the other 25% of the piece is an alloy, such as silver, zinc or copper. This simply means that platinum requires very little alloy to be combined with it in order to make platinum jewelry.

Platinum jewelry is very sturdy and resilient, making it ideal for everyday wear. Platinum jewelry, like other types of metal jewelry, can become scratched, but a scratch won’t damage platinum in the same way that it damages other precious metals. Platinum jewelry will maintain its color, brilliance and weight even when scratched, while other metals may lose their luster or become blemished or discolored.

Because this metal is so versatile and so rare, platinum jewelry makes a very special gift that will be cherished for a lifetime. Many people own gold jewelry, while far fewer boast jewelry made of platinum. If you want to choose something truly unique and exceptional for that special someone in your life, consider platinum jewelry.

Platinum jewelry has taken a little change over the past few years, especially since the price has risen along with Gold.

In order for the industry to keep prices competitive, they have started to classify Platinum Alloys with the 800pt or 850pt marks etc - which is quite acceptable as they are NOT using the word ‘PLATINUM’ (which indicates the pure metal).

While that term (800pt) may be a little misleading, especially if it were not brought to the purchasers attention, it is never-the-less quite acceptable.

You also have to remember that not all jewelry is made in the States and many items made in Europe or overseas may not have such stringent rules and regulations.

Personally, if your friend knew the item was 800 grade alloy and was happy with the price - I’d be happy with that.

Regarding Platinum verses White Gold - White Gold is HARDER because of the way it is mixed with other metals. Traditionally Platinum is used for diamonds because it doesn’t throw any colour into the gemstone. Diamonds are graded by their LACK OF COLOR so the less reflection from the ring - the better. Platinum wins for me, but it’s still a personal thing.

Victor Epand is the owner of JewerlyGift.biz, a huge online jewelry retailer featuring the largest and best selection of jewelry including personalizable items…