Not all jewelry has to be “traditional”. A unique individual can really establish their own personal style and statement by pairing unique metals with classic gemstones. Consider how many different metals are now used in diamond jewelry. Today’s jewelers are using silver and gold, but they have also added stainless steel, tungsten, titanium, palladium, zirconium, rhodium, niobium, platinum and other alloys to their repertoire. Continue reading »

An amethyst stone is a gorgeous violet color that is a perfect choice for antique, traditional, or contemporary style jewelry. To enhance the stone’s appearance, jewelers can use any cut but one that stands out from the others is the princess cut. In fact, a princess cut amethyst is without doubt one of the most gorgeous stones for rings, earrings, bracelets, and pendants. Continue reading »

Each gemstone has a range of colors and each color lends a different meaning to each gemstone. Many people forget to take a gemstone’s color into account when offering one as a gift, and this is a missed opportunity. The color of a gemstone offers yet one more means by which to personalize a gemstone, as the mix of the gemstone’s natural attributes and its color meld together to create particular traits. Continue reading »

There’s never a wrong time to give our special someone a gift to show our continuing affection, appreciation and love. One of the most popular gifts we give to our loved ones is jewelry. Diamonds are an incredibly popular choice for jewelry at this time of the year, but so are other jewels, such as emeralds, sapphires, rubies, garnets, and moonstones. While any of them can offer a message of love and affection, have you ever given thought to what the traits offered by the various gemstones can add to the gift? Let’s look at a few popular gemstones and what their color can bring to the character and meaning of the gift. Continue reading »

Famous precious gems usually have a history of intrigue, and the Bahia Emerald is no exception. The gems are actually embedded in a 4 foot by 4 foot by 4 foot granite cube. It weighs 840 pounds with emerald crystals encrusted within the granite. While uncut, and not likely to be cut for jewelry, the emerald, as a work of art or curiosity, has led a mad caper across country and state lines since it was first discovered in Brazil in 2001. Continue reading »

In many cases, when a person searches for the perfect diamond they distinctly look for one that lacks color. In fact, those that lack color are often referred to as flawless and are considered to be some of the best diamonds possible. However, as more and more celebrities and wealthy socialites debut their colored diamonds, those in the general population want to find out all about the ins and outs of colored diamonds. Here are just a few of the things you should know about colored diamonds, as well as some basic information about each of the unique colors that area associated with colored diamonds. Associated on the opposite end of the spectrum from white diamonds are colored diamonds. Called fancy colored diamonds, these gems exist in a rainbow of yellows, reds, pinks, blues, greens, purples and all shades in-between, providing a rainbow of options. Many diamonds get their color from trace amounts of other elements, which produce a change in their appearance. Some diamonds, like green diamonds, get their color as a result of the radiation caused during the creation of the diamond. Furthermore, a main difference between colored diamonds and colorless diamonds is that inclusions in a colored diamond can often increase its appeal by providing unique shades and enhancing its existing color. Continue reading »

When most people hear the word “diamond”, they immediately think of a clear stone, one with brilliance and shine. However, in addition to the traditional diamond, the type that is most often seen in engagement rings, pendants, and earrings, there are also colored diamonds. These diamonds are also stunning but because they are rarer, the price is typically higher. Continue reading »

On April 1st, 2008, Namdeb, the Namibian mining company that represents a diamond mining partnership between the Namibian government and the DeBeers Diamond Company, discovered something other than diamonds. While searching the seabed off of Namibia’s desert coastal region, they stumbled upon some copper ingots. Momentarily halting their search for diamonds in the diamond-rich Namibian seabed area, the mining operation discovered cannons and ivory tusks along with a large quantity of gold and silver coins. Continue reading »

There is a lot of controversy around the cultured diamond. These diamonds are synthetic, or in other words, not naturally made. While experts can tell them apart from real diamonds, experts do believe that they can be helpful when added to the industry. Synthetic diamonds are diamond crystals that have been produced by a very complex, technological process. Continue reading »

Shine a light through a prism and you get a rainbow, shine a light on a cut diamond and you will get sparkle and dazzle, but no rainbow. However, diamonds come in an assortment of rainbow colors. In fact over 300 shades of naturally colored diamonds have been identified, ranging from white to black, and everything in between. Continue reading »