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About Diamonds
- To establish a diamond's quality, jewelers examine each of the 4Cs -- cut, clarity, carat weight and color. The combination of the 4Cs determines the value of a particular diamond. For example, a colorless diamond is at the top of the Diamond Quality Pyramid in color ... but if it lacks clarity, is small, or not well cut, it will be of a lower value. The finest stones possess the rarest quality in each of the 4Cs, and are the most valuable.
- While many diamonds appear colorless, they may actually have subtle yellow or brown tones and these color grades include P and Q. Although still beautiful, they will be less rare and therefore less valuable. To appreciate the simple beauty of each individual stone, you should compare diamonds side by side with a jeweler.
- The number, color, type, size and position of surface and internal birthmarks affect a diamond's value. Major inclusions can interfere with the path of light that travels through a diamond, diminishing its brilliance and sparkle and therefore its value.
- Diamonds categorized as internally flawless reveal no such inclusions. Flawless stones are at the peak of the Diamond Quality Pyramid and are treasured for their rarity and beauty. Diamonds with very, very small inclusions are graded as VVS1 or VVS2. The larger the inclusion, the lower the grade and the less rare the diamond. Inclusions that can be seen with the naked eye are graded I1 or I3.
- Clarity - The Purer a Diamond, the More Brilliant. The greater a diamond's clarity, the more brilliant, valuable and rare it is -- and the higher it is on the Diamond Quality Pyramid.
- Virtually all natural diamonds contain identifying characteristics, yet many are invisible to the naked eye. Under the scrutiny of a jeweler's 10x-magnifying loupe or microscope, natural phenomena -- called inclusions -- may be seen. These are nature's birthmarks, and they may look like tiny crystals, clouds, or feathers.
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About Gold
- The desire to own gold dates back as far as the history of mankind itself. The place of gold has been extraordinary in every society. In earliest times, it assumed magical importance.
- 18 karat gold is still very soft and not ideal for everyday wear, 14 karat gold is ideal for bridal jewelry as it is durable yet soft enough to allow the jeweler to create fancy settings such as channel and invisible settings.
- Solid gold as it is found in nature is 24 karat gold. Unfortunately, solid gold is far too soft for use in most jewelry and requires additional metals, called alloys to be mixed in to make it suitable for jewelry manufacturing. 18 karat gold has 18 parts pure gold and 6 parts alloy, 14 karat has 14 parts pure gold and 10 parts alloy and 10 karat gold has 10 parts pure gold and 14 parts alloy.
- Gold purity is measured by karats. Karat, sometimes represented as; "K" or "Kt." should not be confused with "Carat" which is the unit of measure for diamond and gemstone weight.
- The naturally intense color and distinctive luster of gold combine to give this precious metal its unique and lasting beauty.
- When buying gold jewelry, always look for a Karat mark such as 14k, 18k stamped somewhere on each piece to ensure yours is real gold. Europeans sometimes stamp their gold pieces with 500 representing 14k or 750 representing 18k.
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About Gemstones
- Emerald is one of the most highly-prized of all the gems. The name comes from the Greek "smaragdos" which means green stone. The most prized is the pure grass green.
- Of the more than 3,000 minerals found on earth, only a small percentage qualify as "gemstones" due to their beauty, durability, color and rarity.
- White opal has a white or light body color with flashes of many colors. Black opal has black, dark blue, dark green or gray body color with vivid flashes of color such as red, pin, and bright green.
- Sapphire, a variety of corundum, comes in all colors except red (the red variety being known as ruby), but is especially popular in deep blue.
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