Shoe Womans Network

From: cheaper emerald cut rings. In diamond jewellery, the cut is one characteristic considered to be the most important. With a good cut, the quality of the final gem can offset a lower color quality or a generally poorer clarity. 

On the other hand, a D-color (a very high rating), Internally Flawless stone will not live up to its high promise if the cut is poor. The inferior quality of the cut would reduce all of the diamond’s brilliance, sparkle and scintillation.  

History 

Ever since the beginning of diamond cutting in the mid-1300s, the techniques had evolved slowly through the years to what it is now today, which includes the use of lasers. It was in the 1600s when they found out that more facets meant more brilliance. 

It was with the Single cut that the modern and popular Brilliant cut of today was founded. The modern round brilliant cut diamond had evolved into a round outline, symmetrical triangular and kite-shaped facets, a table and a small culet, which was optional.

Cutting 

diamond cutting, though done in around 5 basic steps, is actually a very long and intense process. For the layman, knowing the lengthy procedures would afford one to appreciate the work done. 

Stone shapes 

The natural shape of the original rough stone is the arbiter of the final shape of the finished diamond jewellery. Naturally oblong-shaped stones become marquises, ovals or pear shapes.

There might be near-perfect crystal shapes and they will more likely to become princess cuts or some other square cuts. Some large stones sometimes take a longer time to plan because of the fear of crystal wastage. They sometimes produce two gems out of one rough stone.

Planning

The first crucial step in making diamond jewelry is planning when the rough stones are being subjected to lengthy scrutiny. The planner (his only work) decides where to mark the stone to fashion out a profitable polished gem or gems.

Mistakes like incorrect markings and others can cost as high as thousands of dollars. The planner decides the size, clarity, and the direction of the crystal when marking. Cleaving in a wrong position can shatter a gem stone stone and make it worthless.  

Cleaving or sawing

After the planner’s markings, the stone is either manually cleaved or sawed. The saw is a diamond-coated rotary one, or a laser.

Bruting.

Bruting is the process where the worked-on diamond is being spun on a rotating lathe and another gem stone is forced against it to gradually form a rounded outline at first.

Polishing

This is the final stage of the cutting process where the diamond is given its finished proportions. 

The first polishing stage is blocking. This establishes the diamond’s basic symmetry. It is here where the first 17 or 18 facets are made, creating a single cut. For very small diamonds, the process for them ends here.

‘Brillianteering’ 

The brillianteering stage is next for the larger diamonds where their final facets are polished. This will determine their brilliance and their fire, whether they will be dazzling beauties or dull stones.

For the cutter, the driving force is always to create a gem stone jewellery masterpiece.

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From: emerald cut engagement rings. Diamond jewellery had always been regarded to be on top of the list as the world’s most-desired gem, although a few would like to dispute it. Nevertheless, the diamond mystique still works its charms on people for them to want to own a piece, or at least to know more about it. 

After centuries of fascinating stories and myths, here are the bare facts all about the world’s most wanted gem.

The bare essentials

Most people would certainly have heard about diamonds. They may have heard how precious they are as jewels. Some may have heard, too, random bits and pieces about the qualities that make them fascinating and attractive to people. 

Let us take you to a short guided tour and introduce you to the essential parts (and other aspects) of a diamond for your information. It is then up to you to discover what make them special as gems.

Table 

This is the first surface (surfaces in gems are called facets) that you will see. It is on top of the diamond, and is the largest area in the whole stone’s body.

Crown

This is the upper part of the diamond just above the girdle that includes the table and the bezel facets around. (The girdle is the outer edge of the diamond forming the stone’s total width around it.) 

The crown slopes down to the girdle and this is called the crown angle. It passes and intersects the stone’s bezel facets. (The bezel is the metal holding the stone around the girdle.)

This crown angle helps in the dispersion of light, called fire, in a diamond. It also helps to enhance the gem’s brilliance. 

Girdle 

As pointed out, this is the narrow band encircling the widest part of the gem. This part of the stone is sometimes faceted (tiny polished surfaces) and some are not. Some jewelers have the gem stone’s certificate number inscribed in laser on the girdle.

Pavilion

This is the bottom part of the diamond, essentially the facets just below the girdle, all leading to the culet. This is where lights come in and is reflected out of the stone’s table.

Culet

This is the pointed end at the bottom of the stone which may be faceted (a tiny polished surface at the endpoint) to protect from chipping. 

In the early days, large faceted culets were common in gem stones, especially the Old European or Old Mine cuts. Modern diamonds have very small culets or none at all.

Other essentials 

The above are only the basic physical parts of the gem stone. But there are other considerations that make it the most-coveted stone today. This is where the other aspects of the stone would make it stand out and differ from the others.

Depth

This is the stone’s measurement from the culet to the table. The stone’s depth is responsible for the correct angling and height for light to enter and be reflected back to the viewer in a most fascinating manner.

These flashes of reflected light are commonly referred to as sparkle.  The intensity of this reflected bunch of light beams to the top of the diamond is called brilliance. When a diamond moves, there are flashes of color reflected from within, and it is called fire. 

Symmetry

This is another important gauge in a diamond’s desirability because this is an indicator of the stone’s quality. Misalignments (facet angles, polish, lengths, etc) can diminish some of the gem jewelry’s other near-perfect qualities.

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From: princess cut diamond engagement rings. Aside from your home, car, and appliances/furniture, diamond jewelries and other kinds of jewelries is the next biggest investment.  Given that they are valuable, it is then important to insure them.  However, working or getting an insurance for your jewelries could be tricky.  There are incidents when insurance companies would not cover whatever happened with your gems.  

To avoid this kind of situation, it is important to completely study and research about the insurance company’s policy regarding the gem stones.  When applying for insurance for your diamond jewelries, make sure that you have the grading certificate and other certificates handed to you when you bought the diamond.  This would ensure that the diamond you will be insuring will not be under question by the insurance company. 

Even if you keep your gem jewelry in a safe place at home, theft and robbery could still happen.  diamonds would also get lost when the prong or the mount supporting the gem stone would come loose.  diamonds are indeed the hardest of gems, but that does not mean they are not destructible.  Accidents could happen and eventually send your precious gem stone jewelry into pieces. Keep the mentioned situations in mind when choosing insurance policies. Insurance policies should cover theft, accidental loss and damage.  

gem stone insurance policies could be categorized into three:

– Actual cash value.  In this type of insurance, diamonds are replaced regardless of their initial cost. The insurance policy would depend on the current value of the diamond jewellery and not on how much it cost the owner before.  This is the most preferable type of insurance for diamond jewelry, however, it could also be the most costly. Most jewellers would recommend this kind of insurance policy for those who own heirloom diamond jewelries or those with large diamonds. 

– Replacement value.  This kind of insurance policy is more affordable however the owner of the diamond may not be able to get the real value of lost gem.  When an insured diamond jewelry gets lost or was stolen, replacement value insurance policies would replace the lost jewel at a lower cost than the lost diamond was purchased.  Sometimes it is replaced with something that has lower carat.  The reason why it is more affordable is that policy holders would only be paying to get to the value of the diamond, but customers would not be getting the same value. 

– Agreed value. This is the most rare kind of insurance policy but some would say that this is best policy that could cover your gem jewelry.  the owner and the insurance company would undergo negotiations and agree on the value of the gem stone jewelry.  When something happens to the gem jewelry, the insurance company would be providing what is the agreed amount of compensation. 

Insurance policy rates may be different based on the location and other factors. When getting your diamond jewellery insured, it is best to shop around and check different insurance company policies.  Always make sure that the fine print will be not missed out.  Some insurance company policies would have loopholes in them which could eventually go against you.

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From: diamond solitaire engagement rings that are unique. Gem Stone jewelries, although expensive, are becoming popular gifts not only for engagements, but also for anniversaries, birthday and other joyous occasions. gem stone jewelry shopping could be a bit overwhelming, since there are national chains and local jewellers which could provide what you want.  Another place to search and purchase diamond jewelries is on the internet.  

More people are choosing online shops rather than personally buying the jewellery from the shops.  Mainly, it is because the price tends to be more affordable when buying things online.  Aside from the difference in the cost, there are also more choices in online shops.  It would also give you enough time to make a guided decision and learn more about diamonds.   It would even make jewelry hunting easier, since you can do this while at home or in the office.  

If you have chosen to purchase online, there are guidelines that should be considered to make sure that you will be getting your money’s worth.  

– When buying jewelries online, always look for shops that would display their business registration number.  They would also be displaying company contact information.  You could start by checking if these online shops are credible enough by calling the company offices.   You could also check online stores by sending them e-mails.  Immediate reply to your call or e-mail would show how much the company value its customers. 

– Always check the money-back guarantee. There are online stores that would offer diamond and other kinds of jewelries in low prices, only to find out that they have no-return policies in the fine print.  

– Once the online purchase is finished, it is available to take the jewelry to a trustworthy jeweller for inspection.  If your jeweller decides to use a loupe or a scope to examine it, make sure that your jeweller would be done with the inspection before the return-policy expires.  This would help you get an idea if your purchase would be worth its price,  if not, then you could return it. 

– Don’t immediately buy the gem jewelry that would catch your eye.  Continue with searching for similar gem jewelry that could cost you lower. 

– When purchasing the gem, always ask for the diamond certification or grading report.  This would ensure that your jewelry was properly inspected and documented.  

– When buying diamond jewellery online, using your credit card for purchase would be a good idea.  There are some credit card companies who would prevent or intervene if the product purchased or site is fraudulent.  Check with your bank if they would be able to do this for you in case you would run into a problem.

Online shops and stores could be convenient but safety and precaution should be followed when purchasing on the internet.  Regardless of any kind of product you will be buying, research is very crucial. 

There are also organizations which you could approach to learn more about a particular business or assistance regarding a problem with a purchase.  There are also local programs which could help in resolving disputes about jewelry, even gem jewelry disputes.

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From: cheap diamond engagement rings. What’s great about gem stone jewelry is that it could go along with the latest fashion trend.  There are different designs and styles that could make diamond jewelry fit different fashion, even Hip Hop.  Hip Hop is the fashion trend that most of the young generation follow, even celebrities would follow the latest Hip Hop fashion style. 

Hip Hop jewelry is often characterized as extravagant, flashy and catchy accessories that would also serve as status symbol for some.  This would show or celebrate a person’s success and the quality of life they are experiencing.  This is not just about showing extravagant and expensive jewelries, but is also about celebrating life.  It is no different from how ancient cultures would use accessories.  Bones, shells and other decorative pieces are used to indicate their status in their society.  

Fashion jewelries for Hip Hop emerged during 1970s.  Celebrities from different fields, music, film and sports would show up with the Hip Hop trend from ’80s until the ’90s. Until it was not only the celebrities showing up with this kind of fashion.  Hip Hop jewelries started to become bigger and flashier as the years go by, along with its number of followers.   

Nowadays, it is not unusual to see artists performing with chains, diamond rings and earrings,  and watches encrusted with jewels.  Hip Hop fashion is not only about the clothes and the accessories.  It has become a lifestyle, living in extravagance, luxury and expression of success and celebration of the fruits of hard work.  

Hip Hop jewellery can be made from variety of materials, it could be yellow or white gold, platinum, silver and gem.  In the ’80s and ’90s, it was mainly just gold.  But later on, silver, platinum and diamond became more popular because of the brilliance and its slick feel. Hip Hop jewelry is often referred to as Bling-Bling.  It did not only materialize in watches, rings and chains.  It is also usual to see diamond or jewel encrusted belt buckles, dog tags, and other aspects of fashion.  

With the increasing popularity of Hip Hop jewelry, there are also Bling-blings which are designed for those with simpler tastes.  These kind of jewelries are becoming popular not only with the younger generation, but even with those who belong is a more mature age level.   gem stone Bling-blings are great gift ideas for both men and women.  There are different designs that could go easily with different occasions.  Although, Hip Hop fashion is characterized as being flashy, there are also tone-downed designs which could be given to those who do not have flashy tastes. 

But diamond and jewel encrusted jewelries are not the most affordable gift items.  Actually, they can be very hard on wallets. An option would be buying similarly designed jewelries but with imitation or synthetic diamonds.  These gems are not naturally made or mined which make them more affordable, but they mimic the characteristics of a real diamond.  

However, if you are decided on buying real diamonds for your Hip Hop fashion,  always get a grade certification from the jeweller.  This document would assure you that you got your money’s worth.  If you are not up to extravagant spending, then you could settle for some man-made diamond jewelry with the Hip Hop feel.  You could easily check for designs and costs on the internet.

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From: unique princess cut rings. The one standout quality that gem stone jewelry possesses (that makes them so desirable) is their ability to absorb light and disperse it back to the beholder. Humans have always been mesmerized by these light displays for centuries now.

In the jewelry industry, light performance is the description of how well a diamond stone returns the light to the viewer. These light properties described in light performance are brilliance, fire, and scintillation.

Brilliance

Brilliance is how we perceive the diamond’s brightness. Normally, brilliance is not just the simple return of the light to the eyes of the beholder coming from the stone’s external and internal facets. 

Brilliance is also more than just the scintillation, the availabilities of light sources and the contrasts. Included here would be the fluctuating variables of an imperfect human perception.

For some, brilliance is the most important feature to consider a diamond’s beauty. This is because once brilliance is compromised, the diamond’s fire and scintillation are both reduced, too. 

Steep diamonds should be set in such a way that the light can enter in the pavilion and is reflected back out to the table (the stone’s top-most facet). Leakages are when a “window effect” is produced and the gem can be seen through like plain glass.

Scintillation

The idea of scintillation had been thought of as alternating flashes of contrasting dark and brightness produced by facets, caused in turn by the viewer’s movement, the gem stone or the illuminating source.

For some experts, defining and measuring scintillation cannot be done accurately, claiming that observations are always personal assessments. 

Others would define it as a contrast for brilliant white or fiery colored sparkles that appear brighter to the human eye. “Sparkly” things always catch and attract attention. 

One expert defines two kinds of scintillation. Static scintillation is “the amount and the placement of darkness in a diamond seen … [face-up view] in a jewelry store environment from a distance of 16 inches.” Dynamic scintillation “is the sparkle effect [one sees] when [any one of the] diamond, the light or the observer moves.”

Generally, scintillation is the total effect when small flashes of light are seen when the diamond, the light source or the viewer is moved. Consequently, a diamond that is cut and polished that gives off a high level of this quality is considered high in light performance.

There is a common assumption that gems with additional facets are more scintillating. (Strangely though, some customers likes better the bolder, blocky scintillation of the Old Mine cuts.)

Fire 

The so-called fire in a gem stone is its ability to disperse white light into its component colors. These are the spectral colors which are produced when the diamond disperses back the light like an expensive prism. 

These flashes of color are more intense and more attractive, though.

However, maximum brilliance and maximum fire cannot be observed at the same time, with the same view and at the same point. Brilliance is best seen in well-lighted areas and fire appears better in a point-lit room.

Whichever quality attracts you to gem jewelry – brilliance, scintillation, or fire – you certainly are one of those men and woman who had fallen to the magic charms of a very beautiful-looking stone.

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