Custom made items are something that most people would like to own, but the costs associated with them can be very high regardless of the type of item you would like to get. Most assume that custom items are for the wealthy, and while that is the case, you can customize items yourself using custom touches that are not too expensive. The custom market appeals to many as it offers you a chance to have an item that no one else has and that can add a touch of originality to your life. Even if you buy something that everyone else has and add a few custom touches, you at least have something that is unique and no one has. There are many designers who can make you a diamond ring or necklace using whatever materials you designate, but it may cost you many times a standard piece would cost you. When it comes to high-end materials such as diamonds and gold, the price is rarely low, so consider starting off with something small or inexpensive to have customized for you.
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Diamonds of all shapes, sizes and colors have been mined for thousands of years and have been used for many purposes from merely cosmetic to healing. Although there is no scientific proof that diamonds have any healing powers, they have been used for this purpose in many countries across the world including Africa, India and Indonesia. Regardless of their value for healing, they are still valuable due to their overall beauty and they can be quite rare, especially large ones. There are large diamonds that fetch millions, but not just for the mere fact that they are diamonds. The price a diamond gets is based on several factors, some measurable and some not so measurable. The four C’s are four categories which help determine the price for everyday diamonds and do play a part in the pricing of famous and large diamonds as well. For the most part, carat weight and clarity seem to be the most important valuation aspects especially when considering large diamonds that are up for sale through auction houses like Christie’s.
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In recent years the jewelry stores all across the country have taken to the newest way to create bridal business.  Using technology to target potential new customers via a scavenger hunt with text messaging.  These types of events coincide with the spiked interest for social gaming.

To participate, couples have to submit an essay explaining why they should win the diamond ring.  The jewelry stores decide how many couples may participate and handpick from the essay entries. Before the actual games starts the ground rules are laid out.  The jewelry store can decide if the participants must only play on foot or if bikes, roller blades and skateboards are acceptable.   Also, the time allotted to solve all the clues are up to the jewelry stores. The couple to answer most clues correctly and scored the most points are the winners of the diamond ring.
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Just a few weeks ago there was a mentionable find at the Crater of Diamonds Arkansas State Park.  A raw uncut diamond of 3.86 carat was unearthed and given the name  “Heart of Arkansas” and was titled to be the biggest find of the year.   The diamond was not valued at the time but it is assumed to be more valuable than the raw diamond found 3 years ago and which was appraised at $22,000 after it was cut and polished.

Now there is another spectacular find to report.  Three weeks after the introduction of  “Heart of Arkansas” another raw gem has been uncovered.  This is now an 8.66 carat diamond found by Ms. Gilberston from Colorado during her regular visit at the State Park.
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Trying to come up with an idea on how to spend this year’s summer vacation can be a headache.  With fuel prices constantly on the rise and the cost of groceries going up as well, many families are forced to really consider how to spend not only their time, but also their money.  You might want to think about traveling to Arkansas.  A visit at the Crater of Diamonds State Park could possibly even give you a little financial boost.  This 37.5-acre State Park is the only diamond producing location in the entire world.  It is open to anyone and everyone to explore and dig. The diamond mining history is very well preserved at the State Park, including the Guard House, old mining equipment and tools.  Not only may visitors look at the artifacts but also they may become a rock hunter themselves and experience the thrill of digging for raw uncut diamonds .

Diamonds come in many colors but the ones most commonly found at this park are white, brown and yellow.  Many other semi-precious stones can be gathered there as well – up to around 40 different kinds, such as hematite, peridot, amethyst and jasper just to name a few.

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What a surprise at the Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction this week when a more than 10-carat diamond failed to sell.    No one ever expected that this purplish-pink exquisite 10.09 carat gem would not find a buyer on Tuesday; on the contrary, it was to be the highlight of the sale and was expected to bring in $15 million.  This beauty failed selling, when two bidders could not reach the “reserve”, meaning the undisclosed minimum amount for the piece.

The consumers taste can be hard to pinpoint at times.  The demand of colorless diamonds although steady and good, has been pushed aside over the years with the increasing interest for pink diamonds, hence Christie’s disappointment for the failure of selling this particular diamond.  The interest for colored, especially pink diamonds peaked in 2002, when Ben Affleck presented Jennifer Lopez with a 6 carat pink diamond engagement ring.  Since then many celebrities have been spotted wearing the rare Argyle diamonds to the A-list events.

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Diamonds are an amazing example of Mother Nature giving us a beautiful gift. They are found around the world and make so many people happy, it is no wonder that they light up women’s hearts and give men a goal to strive for to prove their everlasting love. When a woman sees that perfect stone set in a ring, their hearts melt and almost always say, “Yes!”, leading to the perfect marriage that they always wanted. Diamonds are part of history as they have been found for thousands of years and symbolize power and have even caused wars and violence. Unfortunately, their value has made them a part of rebellion in Africa, where the people are very poor and have very few resources, so diamonds were used to fund the rebels to rise against their government. Luckily, no one wants any part of blood diamonds, so that use has all but disappeared. Thankfully, the diamond trade is still around as there seems to be a good amount of diamonds in the ground to be found and it seems like a very large one is found every year in places like Africa and India.
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Colored diamonds are some of the rarest gems available. Most diamonds that are sold around the world are colorless, and while they are beautiful and can be very expensive, they are not as rare as colored diamonds. Red diamonds in particular are often considered the rarest of diamonds available on the market today followed by some of the other rare colors such as pink and blue. In a world where people are dying and rebellions are fought on the back of diamond sales, colored diamonds are still cherished and coveted by investors as well as wealthy women who want to have something truly unique, something that they will not necessarily see at the country club. Some examples of famous colored diamonds include the Hope Diamond, which is often on display and available for viewing. Recently, 24.78 carat pink diamond sold at auction for $46 million, the most paid for a diamond of its type.
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Jewelry can be very expensive and highly collectible. People will do almost anything to get their hands on diamonds and gold of all shapes, sizes and designs. One thing that never fails is that thieves are out there waiting to take advantage and steal their way to wealth. There have been many high-profile heist over the years dating back hundreds of years, but in many cases, the goods are never recovered and the thieves and circumstances remain a mystery. Jewel heists happen all over the world, but many of the larger jewelry collections are located in large metropolitan cities, such as New York, London and Paris. These large cities draw many tourists and many people who can afford high end jewelry from Cartier, Tiffany’s and Harry Winston. These companies have the latest and greatest designs available and thieves are aware that they can get quite a bit of money from the stolen goods if there is a high demand for the product. When they start to formulate the plan, they must also consider where and how they are going to sell the goods once they have them in their possession.
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Close to the Lac de Gras, located in the Canadian Northwest Territories and just a hop south of the Arctic Circle lies the Ekati Diamond Mine.  This is the first surface and underground mine in Canada and has produced 45 million carats in diamonds since its 13-year existence.  Diamonds from the Ekati mines are on the market under the trade name Aurias and sold to manufacturers and traders through BHP Billiton’s sales office in Antwerp.  A few days ago a diamond so unusual was presented to the public with the beautiful name “Ekati Spirit Diamond”.

BHP Billiton started a contest, welcoming people from the territory to name the diamond. Terry Marshall, employee from a truck stop as a warehouse technician, won with his suggestion to name the diamond “Ekati Spirit” This name stands for the history and the people of the North.

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