Gucci Watches

Doing Your Own Stone Settings
Stone setting in general is much more difficult than many might suspect. There are short courses in various sorts of jewelry work but those provide only a basic starting place and years of experience needed to become truly proficient in many areas. Fortunately, if a person devotes time to stone setting and does enough of one style of setting to become comfortable with it, moving on to similar styles is not nearly as difficult as those "first trials".



As you likely know, stone setting is done in many different styles. Within those styles, one jeweler may use slightly different methods than would another jeweler doing the exact same job. There is room to experiment with methods but only after you have set a few stones and are pleased with the results. Once you have a feel for the metal and the gems, then you know enough not to totally mess-up by trying a slightly different method.



Stone Setting Styles. I will mention a few styles and recommend what I believe is the best place to begin.The prong settings using faceted stones. This is the best place to begin. Start with a round stone, perhaps 4mm to 7mm in diameter. Smaller stones are more difficult until you learn the "give and take" of the metal, while larger stones present other problems. Start with normal prongs, generally four or six to the setting.



There are lots of prong settings with fancy formed and decorated prongs but those are not the best with which to begin learning. I don't care if the prong settings are part of a pendant, ring or earrings. The idea is fairly plain and basic prong settings regardless of the jewelry type.



The Bezel Settings, is use a narrow area of metal around the girdle or waist of the stone to secure the stone in the setting. The most basic form is seen in typical southwestern turquoise jewelry, essentially a band of silver wrapped around the stone and pressed down toward the stone from the top.



The more dramatic and much more difficult bezel is "flush set", where a gemstone is set directly into the surface of metal such as on a ring band and the metal is burnished or hammered to the stone then finished for smoothness. This last technique is quite difficult for a beginner and is best left until you feel ready for it and have the equipment to do the job.



Channel Settings. You have seen these settings in which rows of stones are set into a "groove" or channel of metal. This is also a difficult job and should not be attempted to start. To try a channel setting without lots of previous metal and seat cutting experience will lead to frustration and disappointment. Look at channel set stones at a jewelry store.



Inexpensive jewelry is a "fake job" and the stones are in a channel but held in place with little burs of metal pushed over opposite sides of the stone. Stones fall out of these settings! A real channel set has the metal along the channel pushed down onto the stones, all along the channel. You need to learn to bezel set before doing channel settings since some similar techniques are used.



Bead Set or Pave Setting. This setting is done with hand tools in the final stages, forming metal over one stone at a time and sometimes two at a time using "graver" tools. This is advanced technique. A setting style with a similar look uses "needle point" prongs formed to start with in the metal. We can talk about that sometime down the road.



Fancy Shaped Stones. Even when using prong settings, fancy shaped stones need added techniques. Essentially the same methods are used to cut seats and tighten prongs for emerald cuts as for round and oval stones. Marquise and pear shapes have a pointed end requiring a different seat cutting method to hold the pointed end securely without breaking the stone! The problem with emerald cuts is getting the stone level and straight and secure enough that the stone will not "turn" in the prongs.



The problem with stones with pointed ends or corners is cutting the seat and tightening without damage to the stone. Such fancy shape are not to be feared but understood to be more difficult, requiring practiced hand control before attempting.



Settings. I recommend starting with simple prong settings, generally found in four and six prong versions. Note, jewelers often use the words settings, heads, crowns and mountings to mean the same thing.



Stone Shapes. I recommend round faceted stones in sizes from perhaps 4mm to 7mm. You may try ovals stone, too, but do a few rounds first. With ovals, over tightening any prong can make the stone go sideways a bit in the prongs.



Stone Kinds. CZ's are good to start as are man-made birthstones. Most of the birthstones are synthetic sapphire (corundum) and are quite hard. The value of these stones is, they are pretty when set and are not expensive. The cuts are fairly uniform, too, compared to less expensive natural stones. Still, you need to practice on some stones which are not tough as the birthstones. For this, choose perhaps some inexpensive, meaning almost colorless, amethysts and inexpensive garnets.



These will not be the most beautiful gems but are wonderful for practice and can look pretty in earrings and pendants. You will likely discover the girdle or waist of inexpensive natural gems may be varied in thickness and the angles of the facets on the pavilion or bottom of the stone may vary. The idea is to get the stone level in the mounting so it looks level to the eye.



For the work to be done just like it should, stone seats need to be cut into the prongs to match the gemstone on hand. I suggest trying something in sterling silver. The metal is easy to bend and work. In fact, sterling is soft enough to "over bend" without due care. Gold is somewhat more springy and takes more effort to properly set than silver. However, gold is more forgiving than silver and certainly takes a better finish in the final steps. I suggest a sterling pendant, facet set stone in prongs. That is a good starting place.



Please, keep in mind the main idea is to have a finished piece that does look good to the eye! The stone should be safe and secure in the setting but that is not "seen". What is seen is the finished jewelry. That is the impression both to you and to anyone who happens to see it. Set the stone at a pleasing depth in the prongs, stone set level, finish off the prongs so all is uniform and neatly done. It will take some time to get use to this kind of think, but when you do get use to this kind of thing you will have no problem fixing your jewelery, your families, maybe even some of your friends jewelery.

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History Of Synthetic Diamonds
As the name implies synthetic diamonds look like real diamonds but do not have the same properties as real diamonds. The ability to determine the differences between chemical compusosition, hardness, weight, and some of the light handling characteristics of real diamonds and synthetic diamonds with the naked eye is extremely difficult. Man-made diamonds are not considered synthetic diamonds because they do have the same properties as real or mined diamonds.



Cut Glass was probably the first material used to simulate a diamond. It is readily available, easy to cut and polish and when seen from a distance, looks good. With all of the information available to today's consumer trying to pass cut glass off as a diamond rarely works. Cut glass is still seen in costume jewelry and in the movies today because of its extremely low cost. The use of cut glass has widely been replaced by the most popular diamond alternative, cubic zirconium.



Since 1976 cubic zirconium has been the most widely used material for synthetic diamonds. Its low cost, durability and light handling characteristics have made it extremely attractive in producing low cost jewelry. Cubic zirconium light handling characteristics is so close to that of a diamond that only a trained eye can tell the difference between the two. The annual global production had reached 50 million carats by 1980. Cubic zirconium will weigh about 1.7 times more that a diamond. The hardness rating of cubic zirconium is between 8.5 and 9 whereas diamonds have a hardness rating of 10.



Moissanite or silicon carbide was named after Henri Moissan after he discovered the new mineral in fragments of a meteor found near Diablo Canyon in Arizona 1893. Henri Moissan is also credited as the first person to have created a man-made diamond in a libratory in 1892. Moissanite is a naturally occurring mineral that is slightly softer than diamonds with a hardness rating of 9.25 but has almost all of the other properties of a mined diamond. Charles and Colvard introduced gem-quality moissanite jewelry in 1998. The thermal conductivity test use to distinguish diamond from other artificial stones was rendered useless because moissanite has almost the same thermal conductivity as a diamond. It requires highly specialized equipment to determine if a gemstone is moissanite or a diamond.



With the high quality of synthetic diamond on the market the only way you can be sure that you have a genuine diamond is to have it certified and if you are purchasing a new diamond insist on a certification before purchasing. It will tell you the stone's carat weight, its color and clarity, and its flaws. If the seller is unwilling to supply a certification with the diamond then he may not be telling the truth and you should find someone who will. After all when you want to sell the diamond the new owner will want a certification from you. Here are a few suggestions for testing to see if you are looking at a genuine diamond or a synthetic before you invest in a more conclusive test.



Using your diamond to cut glass to prove that it is hard enough to do so may prove to yourself that it is a diamond but that type of abuse can damage any stone. You could ruin a perfectly pretty piece of jewelry. Another frequently used to test diamonds is called the light test. Shine a black light through the gemstone in question. If a blue light shines though it the diamond could be real.



Careful clean any oil and dirt from the surface of the diamond and then gently blow upon the surface of the stone and if your breath shows for a few seconds after, you have a fake. Genuine diamonds clear up breath almost immediately.

David Cowley has created numerous articles on Diamonds. He has also created a Web Site dedicated to Diamonds. Visit http://www.diamonds-team.com

Antique Jewelry at Wholesale prices
Antique Jewelry Wholesale

Antique jewelry is typically very valuable, and purchasing such jewelry costs quite a bit of money. But then again, it is possible to buy antique jewelry wholesale as well â€" if you know where to look.

Most people think that online auctions, such as eBay is the way to go. While this is true occasionally, you will usually find that the seller knows the value of what they are selling, and the price is quite high. There are other ways to find antique jewelry at wholesale prices â€" or below.

Keep an eye on your newspaper for advertised estate sales and garage sales. Typically, at these sales, the people holding the sale really don’t know the value of what they have. You can literally purchase hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of antique jewelry for just a few dollars on a typical Saturday morning.

It is important that you not look too closely at the jewelry when you are buying it. If the piece is valuable, you don’t want the seller to know how valuable it is! It isn’t your fault that they didn’t get it appraised â€" as you will as soon as you leave! Keep a straight face, keep your happiness and joy to yourself, and pay the fifty cents or two bucks that they want for the piece, get in your car and head to a trusted jeweler for an appraisal!

It is possible that the piece isn’t worth anything â€" but occasionally, you will stumble across some real finds! Even if the piece isn’t worth anything, if you make jewelry, you may be able to disassemble it
for the parts.

Finding antique jewelry wholesale is very exciting. In fact, spending those Saturday mornings at the yard sales and estate sales may even become addicting! Yard sales and estate sales â€" especially estate sales where grandchildren are not interested
in their grandma’s old ugly jewelry are the best sources for antique jewelry at wholesale prices â€" or below wholesale prices.

This doesn’t mean that there aren’t some real find on eBay as well, so don’t discount it. Keep an eye on the jewelry categories, as well as the antique or vintage categories. When you do find something you want to bid on, make sure that the seller has a
good reputation. If the piece is very expensive, use the escrow service that is recommended by eBay. Also talk to the seller quite a bit to be sure that you understand exactly what is being advertised!

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Jewelry Cleaner Mishaps
How Not to Clean your Jewelry

I can still remember sitting in a chemistry class, so bored that I was supporting my increasingly heavy head on the heel of my left hand, when I got a whiff of the most disgusting odour. I looked at the classmate to my left, from where the smell seemed to be emanating. He was an immaculately turned out pupil who smelled more of soap than, well, soap did. The culprit lay closer to home. I gazed down at my wrist. A quick sniff of my watch strap, and I nearly gagged. A few weeks of washing-up at home without bothering to take my watch off had taken its toll. My watch-strap, and particularly the thin rungs that connected the strap to the watch, reeked of rotting detergent and semi-dissolved food particles. It was as though the dog had thown up on my wrist. I was in need of a strong chemical to neutralize the smell. I was in need of a jewelry cleaner.

Professionals can clean any item of jewelry. It can be a tricky task to find the right cleaning tool/chemical combo to get the job done, but an indepth knowledge of gems, metals and stones enables the professional to come up with the right solution every time. However, for a gangly, acne-ridden 15-year-old school boy, taking a minging watch to the jewelers would have been a devastating experience. I might as well have donned a sack-cloth and walked around ringing a bell and intoning 'Unclean!' to warn my classmates away. I had no choice. I had to do it at home.

You might well come across articles that warn of the 'risks' associated with certain types of jewelry cleaner. By 'risks,' such articles probably mean the risk to the jewelry. Nobody seems to be worried about the risks to the person whose wrist its wrapped around. In fact, the dangers I was about to face were manifold.

The Search for the Perfect Polish

At lunchtime, I gathered together the change to be used in the school canteen for lunch along with a little more I'd saved up from my dinner money that term and hurried into town. Rather than go to the jewelry store in the centre of town where I'd risk drawing attention to myself and my school uniform - wandering around town at lunchtime was strictly forbidden - I went into the hardware store on the outskirts. There, after a quick search amongst the dusty shelves, I found what I was looking for - an industrial strength metal polish. I made it back to school just before the start of the next class. I'd missed lunch, but I didn't care. I had my jewelry cleaner safely ensconced in the depths of my pealing addidas bag.

After school, I went straight out into the garden shed holding my gleaming tin of polish in one hand and my watch at arms length in the other. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the semi-darkness, then I unscrewed the lid. Immediately I was engulfed by a invisible cloud of pungent fumes. This stuff was powerful! I poured a small measure onto a rag and began dabbing at my watch.

Unbeknown to me, my kid brother had followed me to the shed. He had some kind of sixth sense for sniffing out my clandestine operations. Rather than open the door and say, 'Hey, whatya doin'?' he burst in and jumped on my back. In the ensuing struggle I managed to tip the entire contents of the metal polish over our school uniforms. We stopped struggling and looked at each other.

'What is this stuff?' he asked.

'Nothing,' I answered.

So he sucked at a large dollop of polish that had landed on his sleeve. I'm not sure whether he started coughing or throwing up first.

To cut a long story short, we spent an unpleasant evening at the hospital where we had to sit through lectures from every adult who heard our story. My brother was administered with water and a stern warning, while I was largely frozen out. The next day he was fine, but I felt hot and itchy. When I crawled out of bed and looked in the shaving mirror I saw the elephant man staring back at me. Later on, the doctor told me and my frantic mother that I was suffering from nettle rash brought on by an allergic reaction to some toxic substance or other. I was promptly smeared in calamine lotion and confined to bed for three itchy days.

And my watch? Well, it went the way of the empty tin of polish. I imagine it was much cleaner though.

A Safer Approach to Jewelry Cleaning

The most common item of jewelry that most people take in for cleaning is their wedding ring, particularly one with diamonds. A wedding ring suffers the same exposure to the everyday onslaught of food and washing up that my watch had, not to mention the dirt and grease that can accumulate under and around the band itself. Routine cleaning can be carried out with a toothbrush - as long as you don't use it on your teeth afterwards. However, to rid your wedding ring of the long-term build up of tarnish and grease, you need to clean it thoroughly with a jewelry cleaner.

There are several options open to you if you want to clean your jewelry at home:
1. ultrasonic jewelry cleaners
2. ammonia-based scrubs
3. total immersion in a chemical jewelry cleaner.

Of course, it is essential that you choose the jewelry cleaner appropriate to your item of jewelry. If you use ultrasonic cleaners on opals, tanzanite, amber or any other gemstone you risk opening up tiny hairline cracks in the structure of the stones. Another example would be class rings which are often coated with a film to diminish their lustre. The wrong type of jewelry cleaner will strip this coating with ease. You also have to take care with emeralds and pearls. They are soft and permeable and will absorb cleaning fluids which may erode and discolour their surfaces.

I know that after recounting my story, I can't really get away with advising you to use common sense when choosing a jewelry cleaner. However, I learnt my lesson the hard way. It's actually much easier to ask for professional advice before you buy a jewelry cleaner, read the instructions on the tin, or, if it is a particularly valuable piece, hand it over to a professional who will clean your jewelry for you. Oh, and make sure, when you have your jewelry cleaner open and ready to use, that your kid brother is not lurking somewhere behind you.

Eoin Beckett is a freelance writer and editor. He writes both short fiction and non-fiction for both online and print publications. Although he stems from Ireland, he currently lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark. Find out more about <a href="http://www.jewel-in-the-crown.com/jewelry/jewelry-cleaner-15/">jewelry cleaning</a> and jewelry in general at <a href="http://www.jewel-in-the-crown.com/">The Jewel in the Crown</a>.

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Gemstones, the significance of colour
Our response to colour is actually much more complex than most people realise. It's a mixture of instinct, cultural conditioning and the result of personal experiences and associations. We can see instinctive responses in nature, warning colours like red, orange and acid green are associated with being poisonous and animals have evolved to avoid those colours (as other animals have evolved to mimic those warning colours as self-protection. Associations of colours naturally come from our environment too, the blue of the sky, the gold of the sun, the green of grass, the red of blood and orange of fire, all produce memories and emotions. However, the memories and emotions about fire colours for example would be very different for someone who associates them with a log fire on an winter evening and someone who has had the isfortune to be caught in a house or car fire. Often negative memories mean a "gut response" to a colour; the person might not even be aware on a conscious level why they just "don't like" a colour. These individual responses are one of the reasons why you should wear colours and jewellery that you are drawn to, rather than wearing things that you are "told" are right for you. You can't feel confident and relaxed in clothes that you don't feel comfortable in. One of the biggest cultural differences in the symbolism of colour is with black and white. In the West white is the colour of purity, innocence and marriage, in the Eastern traditions white is the colour of mourning and grief, while black is the colour of funerals and death in the West. The power of colour to enhance or detract from our appearance is very marked, if you have ever experienced having a personal colour analysis session you can't have failed to be amazed how with some colours draped round your neck you look old, wan and even lopsided! Yet with others, you look younger, prettier and more vibrant. Basically, what colour analysis does is to examine your natural skin tone and classify it as "cool" fair complexion with a cool bluey undertone or "warm" where your skin tones are peachy to golden yellow. This dual classification is then subdivided once more according to how intense your other colouring (eyes/hair) is. Of the two cool skin tones the darker colouring is termed "Winter", she has dark, black or steel grey hair and looks best in clear, bright, true primary colours. The "Summer" person has ash blonde to mid brown hair, they look best in clear cool, subtle shades. The two warm skin tone classifications are "Spring" and Autumn". Autumn people have dark brown hair with reddish lights, they look best in warm, earth like tones which work with the natural glow of the skin. Spring people have lighter hair, normally blonde or red and look best in the lighter, warm colours. Although this may seem a very prescriptive way to choose outfits it doesn't in fact mean you can't wear any colours, it's just the shades you need to be careful of. I'm going now to look at the colours of gemstones and detail some of the associations with stones of particular colours. Blue Gemstones Blue Agate, Lapis Lazuli, Tanzanite, Sapphire, Topaz, Chalcedony, Iolite, Sodalite, Azurite, Blue Tourmaline, Spinel, Aquamarine, Blue Goldstone and Blue Moonstone are all blue stones. Blue is said to induce calm, peace, creativity and serenity in the wearer. It is also linked to clarity of mental thought, inspiration and helps with meditation. Yellow Gemstones Amber, Citrine, Carnelian, Sapphire, Garnet, Tigers Eye, Topaz, Beryl, Jasper and Tourmaline all have yellow forms. Yellow stones are said to draw attention to the wearer and build self esteem and confidence. Like the sun they illuminate, warm and cheer the wearer. Orange Gemstones Coral, Chalcedony, Zircon, Citrine, Sardonyx, Sapphire, Garnet, Fire Opal, Amber, Sunstone, Carnelian, Topaz, and Agate all have orange forms. As with yellow stones, the flamboyance of orange draws attention to the wearer, it is linked with creativity, energy and sexual ttractiveness. It's a "notice me"! "Pay attention" colour to wear. Red Gemstones Garnet, Ruby, Poppy Jasper, Sponge Coral, Sapphire, Red Jasper, Beryl, Tourmaline, Alexandrite and Spinel all have red forms. Red is associated with excitement, energy and passion. It's bold, fiery and linked with courage. A red gemstone is probably the most popular choice for jewellery because of it's boldness and eye catching quality (red and orange are the colours that we see first at a distance). Green Gemstones Tsavorite Garnet, Opal, Sapphire, Malachite, Serpentine, Jade, Peridot, Gaspeite, Tourmaline, Emerald, Jadeite, Jasper, Zircon, Beryl, Adventurine,Topaz and Alexandrite all have Green forms. Green because of its vegetative associations is linked with fertility and wealth, it is also said to the be most relaxing colour of all to look at and hence to be soothing and calming to wear. Violet Flourite, Amethyst, Charoite, Suglite, Jasper, Tanzanite, Garnet, Sapphire, Topaz, Agate, Chalcedony, Tourmaline and Spinel all have purple/violet forms. Purple has been associated for centuries with royalty, power and wealth, more recently it has been liked with spirituality, creativity and insight. Black Onyx, Agate, Snowflake Obsidian, Jet, Black Spinel, Black Pearl, Haematite. Black or the absence of colour/light has many symbolisms, the colour of mourning and grief, the colour of high fashion and chic, sexy dressing. In jewellery, black stones are said to protect the emotions of the wearer from being displayed, allowing the wearer to remain mysterious. Aqua/Turquoise Stones Aquamarine, Topaz, Turquoise, Amazonite, Opal, Tourmaline, Apatite. The colour of water or of the sea these stones are loved for their associations with the coolness and cleanliness of pure water. Blue/green stones are said to promote feelings of tranquility and help with meditation as well as inspiring creativity in the wearer. Pink Beryl, Kunzite, Sapphire, Rubellite Garnet, Pink Jasper, Tourmaline, Rose Quartz, Topaz, Pink Pearls, Strawberry Quartz, Champagne Quartz. Pink has many of the same qualities as red, only as you would expect, they are gentler and more muted. Said to help with feelings of anger and isolation. Pink represents friendship, love and trust. White/Clear Stones Diamond, Sapphire, Opal, Moonstone, Topaz, Pearls, Beryl, Zircon White and clear stones represent purity and truth and are often used as protective stones. Associated with the moon and femininity they are often given to celebrate loving landmarks in peoples lives such as engagements, weddings and anniversaries. Brown Stones Amber, Agate, Smoky Quartz, Topaz, Sapphire, Diamond, Tourmaline, Zircon Brown is the colour of the earth and the simple truths in life. Brown stones are said to promote wisdom, health, gravitas and stability in the wearer. To summarise then, colour is a very powerful tool to use in projecting yourself to other people. It is also helpful in creating a desired mood or feeling through its personal assocations. Use it with care!!

About Author: Helen Quenet is a jewellery designer and silversmith working in the UK. She runs two websites <a href="http://stonesandsilver.co.uk">stonesandsilver.co.uk</a> and <a href="http://helenquenet.co.uk">helenquenet.co.uk</a>

An Introduction to Breil Watches
Written by Scott Lucas. Visit our website to buy Breil Watches

Breil are well known designers of stylish and fashionable timepieces. Based in Italy, Breil style represents everything from innovation to seduction. Born in 1942, Breil has become a well known brand worldwide, offering similar quality and style as its D&G competitor.

Company Values

“Since 1942, Breil has been the only brand of glamour watches to boast a strong Italian character. Accurate designing and technical excellence have created seductive collections distinguished by avant-garde models. Irresistibly unisex, they are both male and female to the core.
It is impossible to part with these essential, ironical, and unconventional watches. Breil clearly discloses the personality of those who choose it. It is the indelible sign flaunted by those who belong to the Breil world and feel at home in it.�

“The original and unmistakable Breil lines bring out the essence of matter. Steel, visibility and strength are physical and bodily elements that symbolize the firm and long lasting bond between the accessory and its owner. The design merges elegant, stylish classical elements with the original details, evidence of a constant quest for shapes, materials and colours.�

Even today, Breil believes these values are as big of component of the business as ever, never loosing their strong Italian character.

History

1942 marks the 'birth' of the first Breil branded watch. Even the very first watches, the result of careful stylistic research, clearly mirror a brand that is closely knit with period's sense of aesthetics. In 1978 the Manta collection enters the market with watches whose further developments will characterize Breil's success till recent years. Designed for a casual target, these particular dynamic elegant watches win widespread approval as the combine readability and an innovative aesthetic trend.

The famous advertising campaign "Take anything but my Breil� relaunches the brand in 1994, meeting with unprecedented success and branding its name in the minds of consumers. Beautiful women wear typically male watches in the ads, thus feeling and developing what became a favourite trend at the time. Breil shows off its unisex soul. From Shana to Monica Bellucci, from Talisa Soto to attractive Carré Otis... Breil women have always incarnated the brand's balues and personality: strenth, sensuality, daring and primeval instinct...

2001 marked the creation of Breil Stones, the firm's steel jewellery line, whose innovative and distinctive design perfectly express modern values. Breil Stones the ultimate in Breil's style. That same year Breil achieved leadership in it's Italian markey niche and implemented a statergy focused on international fame. The Exports division was thus formed to manage brand distribution and development abroad, leading to Breil's presence in over 40 countries today

2002 - New international advertising campaign Don't Touch my Breil. The new retail channel is formed and the first flagship store is inaugerated in Corso Vercelli, Milan, in December.

In 2003 Binda enters an entirely new sector: September witnesses the launch of Breil leatherwear, a new line that enrisches the brand's world. The second flagship store opens in Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Milan, one month later. Breil's franchising project is also introduces at the same time.

Now in 2007 Breil is still going strong, never loosing its character.

Written by Scott Lucas. Webmaster of FirstClassWatches.co.uk<br><br> Buy <a href="http://www.firstclasswatches.co.uk">Seiko Watches</a>

The Truth About Diamonds
When diamonds are cut properly they will enhance any piece of jewelry. They are stunning to look at, and when the sun catches them, they flash like miniature suns. If you are planning to purchase a diamond then the old adage let the buyer beware has never been truer. Unless you are a trained jeweler you will not have the ability to determine if the quality of the diamond is matched to its purchase price. In fact, even a trained jeweler will not be able to tell if the stone in question is a natural stone or a man made stone without some very expensive equipment.



Diamonds have a mystique about them. Television ads portray them as the ultimate gift of love. Magazine ads want us to believe that a diamond is the only perfect gift to express love. If you plan on purchasing a diamond because you like how it looks or if gives you or your love one pleasure then by all means enjoy. If you plan on purchasing diamonds for investment purposes only you will need to do a lot of research to determine if this is a good idea.



De Beers was founded in South Africa in 1888 and today is the largest producer and seller of diamonds. Almost from the beginning the De Beers company has had a strangle hold on the diamond industry and a huge advertising budget. Diamonds are not as rare as the advertiser would have you to believe. De Beers keeps a huge stockpile of diamonds and tightly controls supply.



De Beers started the very successful advertising campaign A Diamond Is Forever in 1947. The Advertising Age magazine has voted this to be the most recognizable advertising line of the twentieth century. This advertising campaign was designed to discourage diamonds owners from putting their old diamonds back into the market.



The company has created many successful ad campaigns to keep the demand high for Natural Diamonds. The Eternity Ring, a symbol of continuing affection, The Trilogy Ring, symbolizes the past, present and future of a successful relationship, The Right Hand Ring, sold to women as a symbol of independence.



During the Depression era many people were too poor to buy diamonds. Engagement rings were made of fine crystal instead. Many of the depression era rings were quite beautiful and difficult to distinguish from the real thing. The ability to create cubic zirconium happened in the 1950 but it was not until 1979 that it became economically feasible to mass-produce and use them as a diamond substitute. Only a gemologist can tell the difference between a diamond created by nature and a cubic zirconium created in a laboratory



The man-made diamonds made today are of a better quality than the natural ones. A trained jeweler will be unable to determine a real one from a made-one unless he had some very expensive equipment. Insist on a certification before purchasing a diamond for investment purposes. It will tell you the stone's carat weight, its color and clarity, and its flaws. If the seller is unwilling to supply a certification with the diamond then he may not be telling the truth and you should find someone who will. After all when you want to sell the diamond the new owner will want a certification from you.



I recommend this article by Joshua davis on The New Diamond Age. It is an excellent article on the history of man-made diamonds. http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.09/diamond.html

David Cowley has created numerous articles on Diamonds. He has also created a Web Site dedicated to Diamonds. Visit http://www.diamonds-team.com

How to Take Care of Your Pearls
Whether you have natural pearls, cultured pearls, freshwater pearls or saltwater pearls, your pearls will require a small amount of care to keep them lustrous and beautiful. Pearls are the result of a foreign substance, such as a parasite or waterborne organic material, entering an oyster or clam. The clam builds layer upon layer of nacre over the foreign body, which is what gives pearls their pearlescence. Because this is a natural process that takes place over many years, as opposed to centuries for the formation of a diamond, pearls are somewhat fragile compared to many other gemstones used in jewelry and must be treated with care.

Pearl necklaces (not pendants) need to be restrung every ten years to ensure that the cord holding them won’t break. There is nothing worse than losing several thousand dollars worth of pearls because of a compromised cord, but it happens regularly. The re-stringing process won’t harm your pearls and shouldn’t affect the aesthetics of the necklace when done properly.

Cleaning pearls is simple. Use a dry, soft cloth, or, if necessary, a slightly damp cloth. Pearls which have developed a film from lotions or makeup can be cleaned with a solution of gentle soap and water placed on a soft cloth, although it’s better to you’re your pearls away from these substances. Whenever your pearls come in contact with water, either through the cleaning process or otherwise, be sure to let them air dry before putting them away.
You should never use solutions that contain ammonia or harsh detergents to clean your pearls as it can damage or dull them. Abrasive cleaning products will wear away the nacre coating, leaving them lifeless. Ultrasonic cleaners work exceptionally well for many types of jewelry, but are strictly off limits for pearls.
One of the most common mistakes people make with their pearls is storing them with other jewelry without separating the two. Gold, silver, platinum and gemstones can easily scratch pearls if they come into contact with them. Keep them in their own section, away from other jewelry and preferably inside of a soft bag of felt-like material or chamois, when possible.

To purchase Freshwater Pearls http://www.purepearls.com/pure-pearls-freshwater-pearls.htm or Pearl Cufflinks http://www.purepearls.com/pure-pearls-cufflinks.htm visit our jewelry store http://www.purepearls.com for other pearls.

World Famous Diamonds 5
The Earth Star - No Picture



The Earth Star was found in the Jagersfontein Mine in 1967. It was cut from a raw stone of about 248.9 carats into a Pear shaped stone weighing 111.59 carats. At the time it was considered the largest faceted brown diamond in the world. This particular stone shows a degree of brilliance that is not usually found in gems with such a strong color. It was sold in 1983 to Stephen Zbova of Naples for $900,000.



Eureka Diamond



This gem is not exceptional but it was the very first diamond found in South Africa. It was found by a shepherd boy in 1866 on the bank of the Orange River near Hopetown. It was passed from hand to hand by several people without it becoming know that it was a diamond until Dr. W. G. Atherstone of Grahamstone came into possession of the pebble. Dr Atherstone was one of the very few people in the Cape colony who knew anything about gemstones. It was cut into a 21.25 brownish yellow diamond and sold in 1867.



Excelsior Diamond



This stone was found at the Jagersfontein mine by one of the workers in a shovel full of gravel. Instead of giving it to his overseer as was required he hid it in his pocket and gave it directly to the Mine Manager. This 995.2 carat diamond has suffered a tragic fate ever since and is considered to be the Great Unknown of famous diamonds. It just happened to be found on the exact day that a consortium of London firms that had the purchase rights to the mines output expired. Had the diamond been found a couple of hours earlier the history of the Excelsior Diamond may have been much different. The Excelsior Diamond is the second largest rough diamond of gem quality ever found only surpassed by the Cullinan diamond. Since a buyer could not be found for such a large stone it was decided to cut the stone into a number of smaller stones the largest being only 69.68 carats. It was stated by Alpheus F. Williams, who later became the General Manager of the De Beers company, considering the decision to cleave the diamond into several smaller fragments as the greatest tragedy of modern times in the history of famous diamond in the world. In 1996 it was sold to Robert Mouawad for $2,642,000.



Florentine Diamond - Cubic Zirconium replication



This is another of the Great Lost famous diamonds of the world. Only black and white photos exist of this famous stone prior to its disappearance in 1921. It is a 137.27-carat diamond with light yellow colorations with very slight greenish overtones. Legend has it that Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy was warring it when he fell in battle in 1467. The diamond was then found on the body by a foot solder that though it was glass. It is thought to have been owned by Pope Julius II, The Grand duke of Tuscany in 1657, and later as part of the Hapsburg Crown Jewels. It is believed to have been re-cut into an 80 carat round diamond that was sold in 1981 and its present location is unknown.



The Golden Jubilee



This diamond is currently considered as the largest faceted diamond in the whole world at 545.67 carts. Also known as the fire rose cut diamond, this diamond has a unique fancy yellow-brown color that made it one of the most beautiful pieces of stone ever unearthed. It received its name when it was presented to the King of Thailand in 1997 for his 50th anniversary of his coronation.

David Cowley has created numerous articles on Diamonds. He has also created a Web Site dedicated to Diamonds. Visit http://www.diamonds-team.com