Learn About Diamonds

Clarity:

Clarity refers to the position of a diamond on a scale that ranges from flawless to imperfect.  The clarity characteristics found in diamonds can be described by two categories; inclusions which are internal clarity characteristics, and blemishes which are external clarity characteristics.  When a diamond is graded, the number, size, position, type, and color of the clarity characteristics are all taken as factors in determining the clarity grade.  Very few diamonds are flawless, so naturally, the closer the diamond is to the flawless grade, the more valuable the diamond will be.

Color:

When talking about color in a diamond, we are really talking about how close the color of a particular diamond is to being colorless.  Most diamonds will have at least a trace of yellow or brown body-color.  With the exception of the natural fancy color diamonds, (i.e.- pink, blue, intense yellow, red, purple, orange or green), the closer the diamond is to being colorless, the more valuable the diamond is.

Cut:

The cut is the overall shape, proportions and finish of a polished diamond.  Shape dictates the overall look of the diamond, (i.e.- emerald cut or marquise cut).  The proportions are the size and angle relationship that the diamond has been cut to.  Finish is the quality of the polish and facet placement of the diamond.  All of these factors affect the optical beauty of the diamond, so of course, the finer the cut, the more valuable the diamond will be.

Carat Weight:

Carat weight refers to the weight of any gemstone.  Any gem that weighs less than 1 carat, is measured in points (1 carat = 0.200 grams).  There are 100 points in 1 Carat, 75 points in 3/4 carat, 50 points in 1/2 carat, etc.  If all other factors of a gem are equal, the more the stone weighs, the more valuable it is.

Learn About Precious Metals

Gold, Platinum, Silver and Rhodium are all considered to be precious metals.  These metals are rare in comparison to other metals that exist in nature, and hence command a higher price due to their demand.  These metals are traded on the open market, and their prices fluctuate daily.

Gold - Gold is an element found in nature in metallic form with a rich yellow color.  The purity of Gold is measured by its karat (not the same as carat, which refers to the weight of a gemstone).  In nature, gold is rated 24 karat, the highest purity available.  When used in jewelry, the 24 karat gold is mixed with an alloy to make it more suitable for use in jewelry.  Most jewelry that is made from gold is either 14 or 18 karat.  While 18k is more pure and more yellow in color, it is also a softer material than 14k.  Even though they exhibit slight differences, both 14 and 18 karat gold are beautiful and well suited for jewelry due to the ability to polish it to a high luster.  Different alloy colors include white gold, pink gold, and green gold - and all are available as 14 and 18 karat.

Platinum - Platinum is another element found in nature in metallic form.  It has a naturally white color, and is very dense.  When used in jewelry, platinum is usually 90 - 95% pure.  It is usually alloyed with either Iridium or Ruthenium, which are two other "Platinum Family" metals.  It is very rare, and desired for jewelry due to its naturally beautiful white color, and its distinctive feel due to its density when worn.  Also, because of the degree of purity used in platinum jewelry, it has a very low incidence of causing an allergic reaction.

Silver - Silver is also an element found in nature in metallic form.  The least rare of the 4 precious metals, silver jewelry is relatively inexpensive when compared to Gold or Platinum.  When used in jewelry, silver is usually alloyed into Sterling Silver, which is 92.5% pure.  It exhibits a highly lustrous, naturally white color, which makes it quite desirable and well suited to the jewelry industry.  It is very soft, and is easily bendable.  One common issue with silver is its tendency to tarnish or oxidize, which is caused by a reaction of the metal with air.  Although it tarnishes, it is easily polished and can be restored to its original luster.

Rhodium - Rhodium is another "Platinum Family" metal that is used widely throughout the jewelry industry.  Its most common usage in jewelry is to provide a high white color, high luster plating to white gold jewelry.  It is applied through electrolysis, and bonds well to its gold host.  Eventually, this plating will begin to wear down, but not to worry, as it can be restored to its original condition by polishing and re-applying the rhodium.  Although not as well known as the other precious metals listed above, it is usually the most expensive precious metal.

Learn About Gemstones

There are many gemstones that one can find today when shopping for jewelry.  They come in many beautiful colors and patterns, and can add a very special character to a piece of fine jewelry.  Though there are too many to name here individually, they can be classified for jewelry purposes into two main groups; precious and semi-precious.

Precious - Emeralds, Rubies, Sapphire and Diamond are the four precious colored gemstones.  They are rare, and highly desired in jewelry because of their beautiful appearance and high value.  They represent the birthstones for May, July, September and April respectively.

Semi-Precious - These gemstones include but are not limited to Garnet, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Blue Topaz, and Citrine.  They tend to be less expensive when compared with the gemstones in the precious group.  Although they are less expensive, they exhibit beautiful colors and make up the majority of the representation of birthstones.

  A Guide To Birthstones:

January - Garnet
February - Amethyst
March - Aquamarine
April - Diamond
May - Emerald
June - Pearl
July - Ruby
August - Peridot
September - Blue Sapphire
October - Opal
November - Citrine
December - Blue Topaz

It is important to know that the majority of colored gemstones undergo some form of treatment to optimize their beauty.  These treatments are most commonly heating and oiling.  These forms of treatment are considered to be industry standard, and have been used throughout the industry for many decades.