Beauty Tips Guides

We began our search by entering “diamond ratings” into the search box. The results led us to online gift retailers, where we quickly found a useful page on on the “4 C’s” of diamond evaluation: color, clarity, cut, and carat.

From that document, we got the sense that the most reputable ratings are performed by independent laboratories such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the European Gemological Laboratory (EGL). We returned to search engines and searched on the names of these groups. We found both listed under the Gemology - Organizations category.

A visit to the Gemological Institute of America site left us a little disappointed. They seemed to offer a great deal of information on their course offerings, but little in the way of reference material.

The EGL site was also underwhelming. Still, if you find yourself coming across EGL or GIA reports in the course of your diamond hunting, it’s probably a good idea to familiarize yourself with these organizations.

Ultimately unsatified with the results of our search, we decided to browse more. Happily, before long we found a nice site that offers information on the 5 C’s (they added “cost”), diamond shapes, “How to Buy a Diamond,” and “How to Read a Diamond Certificate.”

The only people who can authenticate a real diamond are certified gemologists specializing in jewelry. However, if you are browsing rings at a flea market and want to quickly assess whether a clear stone is probably glass, cubic zirconium, quartz, or leaded crystal, there are a few easy tests you can apply without any special equipment. These tests at least rule out recognizable imposters because they rely on the way a real diamond stone refracts light, conducts heat, and looks up-close.

If the gem in question is loose and unmounted, try placing it over printing. Diamonds refract so much light that they will not work as a magnifying glass and you would see no lines, circles, or letters through them. Other clear stones like glass or crystal will reveal the print clearly. A similar test uses a small light, such as the one that comes with your key ring. If you shine the light through the stone and cannot see it on the other side, but only a bright halo around the rim, it is more likely to be a true diamond.

Diamonds are also very good at conducting heat. Breathe on the surface of the stone and immediately check to see if it has fogged up. Again, quartz, glass, and cubic zirconium will stay hazy for a moment before the condensation dissipates, but you shouldn’t be able to see any moisture on a true diamond. However, one rock, called moissanite, will also pass this test, so the best way is to get a complete thermal conductivity evaluation performed by a jeweler.

Looking closely at the specks, ridges, and facets can also give you a clue into the identity of your gem. Diamonds do have inclusions, tiny bits of other minerals that got crushed into the diamond while it formed deep under the earth. However, if the facets have worn or rounded edges, bubbles, or if the gem looks rippled or pitted, it is probably glass. Those gems that are perfectly clear, with absolutely no inclusions, are probably quartz.

Finally, some common sense measures can prevent you from getting pressured to purchase a gem that turns out to be something other than a diamond. It shouldn’t be ridiculously inexpensive, or you’ll get what you pay for. It also will usually be mounted in an “open back” setting, which means that you can see around the rear of the gem and the back surface isn’t coated with any silvery substance. Although it’s true that diamonds are the hardest organic substance on earth, the infamous test of scratching diamonds across glass or metal might just give you a damaged diamond.

Even many gemologists cannot distinguish “real” diamonds from cultured diamonds. Cultured diamonds have been artificially manmade in a laboratory, not mined from mountains, yet they are chemically identical to those diamonds. Some companies are developing new kinds of identification methods for those who would like to purchase a mined diamond or for those that prefer a cultured one.

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

Did the dishwashing solution contain any ammonia? I find most do not contain ammonia are a safe method of cleaning jewelry, including pearls. If ammonia was there, that “could” account for some of the discoloration. Also, chemicals and salts in the air in the beach environment are known to cause problems with jewelry. Even in almost invisible amounts, these chemicals can work to cause smudges and discoloration on gold items. Generally, a regular cleaning like you did will prevent problems.

Is the bracelet gold? The color change is not a direct indication the item is not gold as marked. However, there should be a makers mark near the 14k mark. That is law at least in the U.S.A. and the mark should be there. Sometimes the mark is quite small or only a symbol of some sort, perhaps mixed with the 14k metal quality mark.

Do you have faith in the place the item was purchased? If reputable, there should be no problem and they might offer to clean and buff the bracelet or even replace it.

If purchased with no recourse, the only way to truly tell is to have a jeweler who will test gold run a test for karat on the bracelet. These test involve either a simple acid test or use an electronic instrument. The cost should be low. Call and check around before you go since some jewelers do not have anyone on the premises who does this testing. Almost any store with a working bench jeweler should be able to test the bracelet.

If this is gold, why the color change? One possibility and only a possibility is that the bracelet was given a quick flash plate of yellower high karat gold to make it look richer in the first place. We see lots of necklaces and some bracelets(lots with CZ stones) with a plate of very yellow high karat gold. This is all for merchandising to make the color more rich and perhaps more appealing. Unfortunately, repairs will easily remove that surface plate and leave the natural 14k color. The 14k color is just fine as it is! However, some of such plated items do show a more coppery look when the surface flash of gold is removed, perhaps an underlayer used in the plating process or the natural color of a less than attractive 14k gold mix which the maker knew would be flash plated to look rich yellow. I doubt the cleaning or polishing cloth removed the plate.

I simply suspect the environmental conditions led to the discoloration but that should be rather easily removed by a good wipe with a special jewelry polishing cloth. (Your cleanng would remove ocean air salts but not repolish the bracelet or remove tarnish unless a jewelry polishing cloth was used.) These special coths contain no messy polishes but do contain some chemical ingredients. One make is called “sunshine” cloth, used as is till totally soiled then simply disposed of. These cloths are available from jewelers and crafts stores. If not in stock, this cloth may be ordered for you.

My first suggestion is to have a jeweler who does metal tests check the bracelet if the item was not purchased locally and cannot be locally corrected. Then, if 14k as marked, get one of the cloths mentioned(or a similar one). Clean regularly just like you did being sure there is no ammonia in the cleaning solution.

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

In the open marketplace, the value of ANYTHING is what a willing Seller is prepared to sell for, and what a WILLING BUYER - or YOU in this case - are willing to pay.

Generally in a forced sale situation, items selling on the secondhand market (Forced Sale Conditions) may only get between 10% percent to 50% percent of an appraisal value.

This appraisal or Valuation is based on what an item would cost if it is lost or stolen. It is for the INSURANCE campanies only, but is often mistaken for what something is ‘Really Worth’ - which it is not.

Maybe the person who has these Sapphires can’t get rid of them at any price, and so is happy to trade them at cents on the dollar.

The real question is: Would you rather have $3500 bucks in your hand - OR are you willing to take a gamble and see if you can find someone willing to put a profit on them for you.

Remember there are thousands of gemstone dealers out there who already supply on a 90 day invoice to all the jewelers in the world. So why should they buy these from you?

But they might if the price is right…

Pawn brokers and dealers buy and sell everyday - many on eBay for example. But they understand that Valuation Appraisals are only for Insurance and are nothing more than a GUIDE to a replacement cost.

Your call… As long as you are not shelling out money and the only cost is your time… Why not?

On the other hand….

To understand a little more about Jewelry Appraisals and how they are calculated, find an online jewelry appraisal website and follow some of their info articles.

Sapphire is a precious stone or gem that is a form of corundum, a hard mineral of aluminum oxide. Sapphire is prized for its translucent beauty. It is the focal point of many pieces of fine jewelry. Sapphires can be set in pendants, rings, earrings, brooches and tiaras.

Sapphire is usually thought of as a deep blue gem. However, sapphire is found in many different shades of blue, as well as many other colors. Sapphires that are any color other than blue are called fancy sapphires. Fancy sapphires can be orange, yellow, green, pink, or purple. Red sapphires are called rubies.

A very unusual type of sapphire is called the star sapphire. Star sapphires produce the appearance of a six point star that is the result of tiny crystal inclusions in the stone. The symmetry and balance of the star, along with the shade and translucence of the stone, make for a more perfect star sapphire. Star sapphires are very valuable because of their rarity.

Sapphires are found buried in the continents of Africa, Asia, Australia and South America. Growing in hard crystal clusters, they are laboriously mined and than turned over to a cutter. Sapphires are second only to diamonds in their hardness, which makes them easy to care for and virtually indestructible.

A skilled cutter gives sapphires their individual shapes and meticulously works to bring out their optimum reflective potential through the cut. Before a sapphire reaches the hands of a cutter, it hardly resembles the end product that we see and prize. A sapphire in the raw appears cloudy or solid, dull and common.

Sapphires are a favorite choice for engagement rings because of the emotions associated with them. Sapphire is symbolic of love, permanence, loyalty and trust. Sapphire is also the birthstone for those born in September, which provides even more sentiment to an already beautiful piece of jewelry.

Sapphires are also thought to have healing properties. They are used to heal or relieve arthritis, swelling and painful conditions that affect the joints and muscles. Sapphires are also thought to ease mental illnesses and abdominal discomforts.

Throughout history, sapphires have been used to enhance physic powers, and to assist in clairvoyance and the ability to move objects with the mind. They were also believed to promote telepathic powers, the ability to communicate through thought. This might explain why sapphire is a favorite among lovers!

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

The best way to repair is often with a cement. Do the edges of the broken pieces fit together closely? If so, a good two-part epoxy cement is best. I recommend an epoxy which cures to a clear color, not amber like most. The brand name is Huges 330 Epoxy. It is made for gemstone material cementing. A craft shop should have this cement or may order it for you. If not, try an exposy cement from a craft shop or hardware store but do not get the quick setting kind. The best will harden in about 2 hours. Quick set cements cure in 5 minutes and this is too little time to make a good joint of the broken ends.

Clean the ends well with alcohol. This is needed to remove any traces of oils, etc. which will lead to a joint failure later. Arrange a means to hold the ends together so the ends will not be moved until the cement cures. Do this arrangement first and be certain it will work.

Then, mix the two part cement according to directions. Apply only enough cement to one broken edge to cover the end with a little cement. Push the pieces together and see if too much runs out the edges. If so, wipe off before the cement starts to cure then place together again. Hold the pieces in place as mentioned already.

Leave the left over on a mixing paper or plastic, whatever is used to mix the cement and place the mixer(toothpick, paper clip or other handy object) into the unused part. When the object is cemented hard on the unused portion of the cement, you know the jade is also cured and may be handled.

Excess if any may be carefully trimmed with a razor edge or left alone. Trimming of extruded cement will often leave a white and easily seen line. Sometimes it is best to leave the cement as is.

If you have way too much cement and way too much is pushed from the joined edges, clean in acetone or nail polish remover. Clean well as you can. Then start again with a new mix of the epoxy. Do not use “super glue” since this will not hold strongly for a long period of time.

If you want to try to do the work, I believe you can. The first try might be messy and you might have to try a second time. If you want someone else to do it, a jeweler should be able to cement the pieces together for yourepair depends on the sort of break in the bracelet. If the jade is broken and the ends of the break fit fairly well, a jeweler( or you if handy with such) may use a good expoxy cement to join the ends. A recommended epoxy is Hughes 330, recommended because it cures water clear and is quite strong with gemstone materials. In any case, epoxy cements have no strength when first mixed. The cure brings the strength. If you try it yourself, dry fit first to find a way to support the pieces during the 2 hour cure time.

If the break is jagged and the ends do not fit, the best solution is to have a jeweler make a metal tube, either of silver or gold, to go over the broken ends and bring all together as a jade bangle with “metal fittings”. The tube will need to have two ends angled to fit the curve of the jade pieces at each break.

I do hope the break is clean and will fit back together. If so, with a good cleaning to remove all traces of oils, etc., the epoxy solution to the fix will work quite well. If done carefully, there will be little to show obviously at the break line.

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 Avon 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.

I realize this answer is vague. 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…

Diamonds are one of the most sought after precious gems and diamond jewelry has been given as gifts and treasured for ages. While we all know that diamonds are an important factor in jewelry and especially in the engagement ring, did you know that diamonds have important industrial uses as well?

Here are some of the ways that diamonds are used in industry:

- Diamond powder is used as abrasives.
- As a semiconductor
- To polish or cut other materials
- A electrical insulators
- As drill-bits
- As Engraving tools

Known as the hardest mineral and natural material, only another diamond can make a scratch to another one.

One of the things that makes a diamond so expensive is the precise and strict controls of production necessary before it can be sold to any part of the world.

Almost 49% of diamonds comes from southern and central Africa. Other countries where diamonds are abundant include Brazil, Canada, Australia and India. Diamonds vary in size, shape, color and weight. Each corresponding element contributes to the value of a diamond, thus, each is different its own subtle way.

Here are some of the characteristics of a diamond that contributes to its value:

1. Color

Diamonds that have the least color are the most expensive ones. Color may or may not been seen by the naked eye. The color of diamond is graded according to the following groupings.

D: This is the grade that has the highest form. It is absolutely colorless and diamonds with this grade are classified as extremely rare.
E: Colorless. Minute or very small traces of color can be seen, though this can be detected only mostly by trained gemologist. This is classified as a rare form of diamond.
F: Colorless. Small traces of color can be detected or seen by gemologists. This is still classified in the colorless category and is deemed as a high-quality form of diamond.
G-H: Near colorless. When compared to other diamonds that are of higher grade, color is noticeable but can are still classified to be of excellent value.
I-J: Near colorless. Diamonds in this category have a color that is somewhat noticeable.
K-Z: The least expensive types of diamonds. Has an oily or hazy look on it.

2. Cut

The brilliance of any diamond depends on how it is cut. Cutting on diamonds refers to the art and science of producing a diamond of gem-quality from its rough beginnings.

It likewise refers to how a diamond is shaped and polished. Most gemologists determine the value of a diamond based on its cuts. This is due to the fact that even if the stone is of perfect clarity and color, its brilliance may be dulled if not appropriately cut.

Cut may be deep, shallow or of the perfect length. A cut that is too deep allows light to escape of the sides, thus making it look dull and dark. If it is too shallow, most of the light that is reflected is lost at the lower part or bottom, thus the diamond tend to loose its brilliance.

3. Clarity

Diamonds that have the highest value and are the most sought-after ones are those that are absolutely clear, meaning, it free from subtle coloring, scratches or tiny traces of minerals.

4. Carat

This refers to the mass of a diamond or its weight. One carat is exactly 200 milligrams. The biggest carat size if 5, the smallest of which usually is 0.25.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.artisan-jewelry-online.com where you can learn more about jewelry of all types as well as how to buy diamond jewelry.