Fashion Jewelry

The color of diamonds determines its quality

color diamonds 2011

A lot of people are unaware that the color of diamonds represents its quality. Diamonds are irresistible for girls and they would love to get as many as they can. However, when one is on a diamond buying spree, it is important that its quality is checked before investing. Since diamonds are an expensive investment if they are not checked well before buying, the buyer may not able to get complete value for money. There may be times when sellers try to cheat buyers into buying lower quality diamonds for higher prices. In such cases the buyers can easily look and tell whether the diamond is worth its cost or not. All this is possible just by looking at the color of diamonds.

color diamonds 2011

Common people may not be aware of the technical aspects of diamonds due to which they may not be able to determine which diamond is the best investment. However, if a common person learns to check the color of diamonds he or she can easily gauge which diamond is the best to buy. What people need to remember is that the most clear diamonds, those which do not have any color in them are the highest quality and the most expensive. The diamonds with a slightly dull shine are a lower quality and are cheaper than the clearest diamonds. When the diamonds have spots of colors in them they are said to be of lower quality and are not very precious or expensive, these diamonds do not give value of money to the buyers.

The technical gradation that is given by the diamond merchants is also given on the basis of the color of diamonds. The scale for color gradation of the purest diamonds starts from grade ‘D’ and goes up to ‘Z’. Photos courtesy of banddiamond.com and certifiedloosediamonds.blogspot.com

Noticeable Things On Cubic Zirconia Vs. Diamonds

Cubic Zirconia Vs. Diamonds

Women who love to accessorize with jewelries will definitely be interested anything they need to know pertinent with cubic Zirconia vs. diamonds. Although these gemstones are likely similar at first glance, there are actually a lot of difference between these two popular gemstones. These substantial differences are also essential not only for women to know and discover but also for those other genders who are also interested with any kinds of jewelries. Here are some of the essential differences which are worth taking not of when you need to do a substantial comparison of cubic Zirconia vs. diamonds:

Cubic Zirconia Vs. Diamonds

• The Price – this is one of the most noticeable differences between the cubic Zirconia and the most precious stone, the diamond. Obviously, diamonds are a lot cheaper compared to its ultimate imitator. This is why more and more fashionable and sophisticated women who are not that blessed with financial affluence; prefer to have the imitator stone than the expensive genuine diamonds. It is therefore a lot practical to have the imitator gemstone than the real diamond.
• The Sparkle – for the experts, it would be easier for them to notice the difference between these two. Although diamonds are extremely a sparkler and definitely a thing of beauty to behold for its flawless cuts, they could never match the sparkle its imitator is capable of. Even if cubic Zirconia is not as hard as the diamond, it is more radiant and flawless than the expensive stone.
• The Facets – you need to use a magnifying glass to clearly see the difference of the diamond’s facets to those of the cubic Zirconia. The most noticeable difference is the sharp point of the facets of diamonds. Another thing to take note of is the fact that cubic Zirconia’s facets are also a little rounder compared to the most expensive stone.

These are among the most essential differences that you will eventually see should you do a thorough comparison between cubic Zirconia vs. diamonds which are likely similar in all aspects from a naked eye. You therefore need to come up with a comprehensive and technical test for you to be able to spot these essential differences between these two precious gemstones.
It is important to have these stones properly checked to avoid being an innocent victim of scammers especially if you are purchasing a real diamond for whatever purpose it shall serve you best.  Photos courtesy of www.moissanite-rings.org

Know More About the Most Expensive Necklace

most expensive necklace

If you want to know about the most expensive necklace you wouldn’t really be surprised to know that there are several necklace designs which cost in the order of millions of dollars. Some have been auctioned at auction houses like Christie’s while others have been sold by individual jewellers. The competitors for the tag of most expensive necklace are models which have been encrusted with the most precious stones of the world. But, these are also models with exquisite design par excellence, lending them a gleam that is hard to beat.

A very good example is a diamond necklace from a British jeweller, with the Heart of the Kingdom Ruby, verified by two Swiss laboratory reports. The 40.63 carat, Burma ruby in heart shape, combined with the 155 carat diamond necklace, costs about $14 million. There are other expensive models too, competing for being the most expensive necklace. One of them is a gorgeous necklace that costs about $480,000. It has been made on special order and comprises of 34 beautiful cushion shaped diamonds, in fancy intense yellow. Yellow as a colour for diamond necklace is rare. Intense yellow has its own charm and 2011 is bringing some of these colours into jewellery.

most expensive necklace

Another very expensive necklace is the Venus necklace that was designed by H. Stern and costs $3.17 million. The necklace has diamonds in several cuts, including pear shape, square shape and cushion shape. These lovely diamonds are skilfully set on an 18k chain made of noble gold. One of the biggest attractions of the chain is a 14 point diamond star that adds to its value. Talking of expensive necklace there is another, designed by Neil Lane that costs $4 million. It has pear and tear shaped diamonds, a platinum chain and a total diamond carat weight of 140. Photos courtesy of jewellery-sets.com

Diamonds Color and Clarity Chart

Wealth is the basic connotation of jewelry. It is a social prestige rather than fashion accessories. Jewelry is the status and passion sense of women, which provides them beauty and confidence. Among the many types of jewelries, diamond stands out from the rest.  Diamond is the most prestigious and precious among the stone ornaments.

Diamond Color
The most valuable diamonds in the world are the colorless. It is the most popular and highly priced. Other than colorless diamonds, there are also colored varieties. However, since the colors make it difficult to measure the level of purity, a diamonds color and clarity chart system was imposed.
Diamond is graded according to a standard color chart in a letter classification from D to Z. Those diamonds that fall under C to F are the colorless diamond. They are the most beautiful and rare variety. Diamonds on G to J classification are those with tint of yellow. They are the most common varieties and popular in the market.  Any diamonds that fall under K to Z class have the visible color of yellow. Those falling near Z class are also considered rare.

Diamond Clarity
Clarity in diamond refers to the number of inclusions visible inside a diamond. Inclusions are characteristics that are normally found in diamonds. They resemble as blemishes, black spots, or feathers.  In general, diamonds with inclusions are not necessarily bad. Like fingerprints, inclusions are distinct to every diamonds, and no two cuts of diamonds will have inclusions of the same kind, size or location. Sighting diamond inclusions is through a ten-power jeweler’s loupe.
Diamonds are graded using a standard clarity chart. It scales the diamond ranging from rare, flawless, high quality down to imperfect, low quality. The clarity is determined according to the diamonds color and clarity chart with the following general level categories:

F, IF        = Flawless
VVS1, VVS2    = Very, Very Small Inclusion
VS, VS1, VS2    = Very Small Inclusion
SI,  SI1,  SI2    = Small Inclusion
LI, LI1, LI2, LI3= Large Inclusion

The numerals preceding the letters in each level category indicate quantity and placement of inclusions. The Numeral “1” means least count of inclusion and commonly located at the sides. Numeral “2” indicates more inclusions and located at the middle, and numeral “3” means many inclusions in several locations inside the diamond.

Diamond with flawless grades has no evident of internal or external flaws. These diamonds are rare and of high quality. They have less demand in the market because of their high price. In the “very, very small inclusion” level, inclusions are difficult to see under magnification. These diamonds have dazzling light attributes. Inclusions in the “very small” level are noticeable under magnification. Buyers prefer to buy diamonds at this category level. “Small inclusion” level indicates inclusions are easily seen under magnification. The indications provide quick valuation of diamonds and easy pricing.  The bottom level “large inclusion” means that inclusions can be seen with naked eye. Most diamond buyers purchase at this grade level. They consider the size over quality. These diamonds have high volume in the market and the price is affordable.

Photo By http://irwan.net

Celebrity Diamond Ring – A Matter Of Commitment

The celebrity diamond ring is the topic of conversation most often with the news reports and magazines carrying articles on the ‘big rock’ which means a certain commitment on the part of the man.  While keeping up a commitment for a lunch date can be difficult for most people, making a commitment for life and sealing it with a diamond ring is quite something.
The cliché “diamonds are a girl’s best friend” holds good at all times across various countries, be it a common man or a celebrity. The mention of a diamond ring means wedding bells for most young girls.  Celebrity weddings don’t just stop at the celebrity diamond ring but involves a whole lot of other aspects of the wedding preparation such as designer clothes, over-the-top wedding receptions, pre-nuptial agreements, wedding planners etc.
For the media, it is one of those important events to spot the celebrity diamond ring while it is being waved at the world’s face.  It makes for an interesting piece of news and the appeal of the diamond ring doesn’t seem to wane as more and more celebrities get engaged and make a commitment every other day.  Girls flaunt the diamond ring to announce to the world that they have managed to get their man to commit.  Celebrity couples seal their love for each other with a huge rock and announce to the world that they are in a committed relationship.

Most recently, Kate Middleton got her Prince charming to finally propose and make a commitment.  It isn’t as if diamonds are that rare, but the distribution of these precious gems is highly regulated every year.  The diamond has been the most interesting stone since ages and its sheen never seems to fade with the passage of time.  Celebrity couple or not the diamond is here to stay.

Photo By www.best-diamond-ring.cn and www.rarecoloreddiamonds.com

Current Fashion Jewelry Trends

Despite the fact that last year was a tough year with talk of a recession and the credit crunch, people still have an appetite for beautiful things. To help you cheer up, treating yourself to beautiful fashion jewelry while keeping an eye on good value is the smart way to shop. After all, jewelry is one of the few purchases you’ll make that is also a wise investment. In fact, the trend towards fashion jewelry has grown like wildfire as women appreciate how easy and cheap it can be to change their look without the expense of a whole new outfit.

A fabulous pair of dangly earrings, a nice brooch, necklaces with colored jewels and funky bangles with attitude can turn around a look instantly at a fraction of the price it costs to buy gold or even a new outfit. In fact, the rise in gold prices has seen a huge surge in people eager to offload their booty in exchange for hard cash. In actual practice, for the price of a gold necklace it is possible to buy a dozen fashion jewelry pieces which gives value for money in more ways than one.

You can expect most pieces to last for many years if cared for properly. Get your quality costume jewelry today, and it will be become a ‘must have’ in the future. Right now, people are snapping up vintage fashion jewelry from the 1980’s. Although this may be  stretching the term ‘vintage’ a bit, it does mean that jewelry from today will be someone’s ‘vintage’ find of the future. So treat the pieces you buy today with care. In the future, your grandchildren could be the envy of all their friends.

So what’s up for next year on the accessories front? As we just observed, the past will continue to be a strong influence on the future. It’s where we come from that matters, so vintage and antique pieces will continue to be of high interest. We’ll be eager to update them or create our own special look.

Event while we look to the past for inspiration there will be lots of key modern items to give voice to the times we live in right now. Last year gave us some great futuristic necklaces, industrial pewter cuffs, huge chunky necklaces, lots of colorful flat bead shapes infused with marbling. For next year, you will see these styles developing even further, more inspiration will come from the East where their production capacity knows no limits.

It’s a fact that the recession has to end some time. Many people feel it is already ended and some feel things will get worse. Time will tell, but one thing we know for sure. Fashion jewelry of good quality and modest price will prove to be a fun and practical way to end the blues. As always, human spirit will triumph. Beauty and the passion for fashion will continue to thrive.

Celebrity Jewelry: What are they Wearing?

Are you always curious to know what the celebrities are up to? What fashions are they showing off? Something new? Something retro? We’ve taken a look at some of the jewelry styles they’ve been wearing lately at awards shows.

Awards shows are as good a place as any to show off to the world. Diamonds and platinum are usually more popular than other items at the Academy Awards, but some of the other annual awards programs are more relaxed, with everyone wearing more trendy jewelry. This gives us all a chance to see what variety the celebs are hiding in their jewelry boxes  at home. Of course, sometimes, some of the most precious items are on loan from famous designers, but you can usually tell which.

Taylor Swift Taylor wore a wide, lace-like bracelet to the MTV awards. It looked just right while she was being given the Best Female Video award. Many celebs also wore the now in vogue large earrings, but that’s par for the course for an MTV outing. Some celebrities wore long necklaces with pendants, and Ashley Green kept it real with a gold snake chain necklace. Many celebs wore diamonds and platinum on the Teen Choice Awards’ red carpet, but just as many stars kept it casual. The styles were a mixed, but chunky and bold ruled the night. Large cocktail rings were a fave, like the huge earthy oval stone on tattoo artist Kat Von D’s index finger. Jennette McCurdy’s hot pink ring matched her clutch, but was a warm contrast against a neutral dress.

At Cannes, diamonds, brightly colored gemstones, lush gold, asymmetrical pieces were all the rage. When if comes to the Emmy’s, you can always expect to see waves of platinum and white diamonds, but look a little more closely and you’ll find some standout colorful gems. Like Lara Spencer’s turquoise and pink tourmaline cuff bracelet and Melora Hardin’s yellow diamond earrings. Several women wore dramatic necklaces in a rock crystal and diamond piece from Ivanka Trump’s Rose Gold Collection .

How about the BET awards? Last year, it was held just a few days after Michael Jackson’s death and it wasn’t surprising to see the BET Awards converted into a tribute for the King of Pop and his music. BET Awards jewelry was dramatic, and circular motifs were among the most popular trends. Amerie’s big-link necklace is a favorite, like the goth-and-heart piece that Elise Neal wore.

The SAG Awards were notable for the bracelets that could be seen sparkling everywhere. Styles were all over the place, from delicate diamond and pearl cuffs. Even the chunky pieces sparkled. Teri Hatcher wore a diamond, crystal and platinum design. Yolanda Adams chose a turquoise necklace for Grammy night and it was among the most dramatic jewelry at the presentations. Long drop earrings were popular, and so were gold and diamond ovals. Some of the women were draped in diamonds and platinum, but yellow gold continues to be hot, especially for stacked cuffs and bangles. Does this give you enough ideas for what might be the thing to wear next you’re invited to the Emmy’s or some other stylish and fancy outing?

The Pink Diamond Barbie

If you have a daughter that likes to play with barbie dolls, you may want to keep her away from this one. It’s a special edition created by Stefano Canturi. And it sells for about a half a million dollars.

Here’s a description: “Her blonde hair styled in an updo, wearing an openwork variously-cut diamond collar necklace, centering upon a cut-cornered modified square-cut fancy vivid purplish pink diamond, weighing approximately 1.00 carat, and a diamond ring, to her black strapless party dress and pink peep-toe stilettos.” Not bad for a doll.

Australian jewelry designer of Italian heritage, Stefano Canturi, has designed and brought to life exceptionally unique artisan jewelry that is both modern and iconic. Stefano Canturi is devoted to designing rare and special commission pieces within family heirlooms, for Hollywood history, and for his five exclusive jewelry salons in Australia and USA. Stefano Canturi was invited by Mattel to create a historical concept to highlight how iconic Barbie has been throughout her 50 years. The result is Barbie by Stefano Canturi, the rarest and most valuable Barbie ever created.

“I wanted the jewelry design to pay homage to Barbie’s modern yet timeless style over the ages” says Stefano Canturi, who applied his Cubism concept to the design of her necklace. Hand-selected by Stefano Canturi himself, the modified square-cut fancy vivid purplish pink diamond transcends this exceptional Barbie into a historical investment piece. Should the colored diamond be unmounted by the purchaser, Stefano Canturi may be contacted directly regarding a replacement pink sapphire for Barbie’s necklace.

Stefano Canturi created Barbie by Stefano Canturi with the intention of her destiny making a meaningful contribution to the women who inspire him and for whom he designs. Stefano Canturi will donate 100 of the profits from the sale of Barbie by Stefano Canturi to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

To celebrate the iconic Barbie doll, whose popularity throughout the years has only come to grow, Mattel commissioned designer Stefano Canturi to do something fancy. Since diamonds on a beautiful girl, complimented by a similarly gorgeous outfit, is as fancy as it gets, Canturi created a special Barbie doll that will most likely sell for half a million dollars. According to the press release sent out to members of the media, this Barbie is not special only because of the $500,000 price tag – but also because she’s unique. The doll will go up for auction at Christie’s in New York and will fetch between $300,000 and $500,000. What’s even better, all the proceeds will go to charity. The money will go to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, in recognition of Breast Cancer Month, it has been announced. This adds a little more charm to this one of a kind doll.

Asked about how he came up with the idea to make this Barbie doll, Canturi says all he had to do was take a look back at the long Barbie history to find inspiration. The bidding for the Barbie doll by Stefano Canturi ended on October 20, 2010. Now the regular offerings by Barbie don’t seem so expensive, do they?

Some facts about Tanzanite

Tanzanite is the blue/purple variety of the mineral zoisite. It was discovered in the Meralani Hills of Northern Tanzania in 1967, near the city of Arusha. Tanzania is a country in East Africa. Tanzanite is most commonly used as a gemstone and is noted for its remarkably strong trichroism (the ability to display three colors), appearing sapphire blue, violet, and burgundy depending on the viewing angle. Tanzanite in its rough state is usually a reddish brown color and is a rare gem.

Manuel D’Souza, a gold prospector living in Arusha, found transparent fragments of vivid blue and blue-purple gem crystals on a ridge near Mererani, some 40 km southeast of Arusha. He decided that the mineral was olivine but quickly realized that it was not, so he caled it ‘dumortierite’, a blue non-gem mineral. Finally, the Gemological Institute of America correctly identified the new gem as a variety of the mineral zoisite. Correct identification was also made by mineralogists at Harvard University, the British Museum, and Heidelberg University, but the very first person to get the identification right was Ian McCloud, a Tanzanian government geologist based in Dodoma.

Originally called “blue zoisite” it was renamed as part of a campaign by Tiffany & Co., who wanted to capitalize on the rarity of the gem, then only found in Tanzania, but who thought that “blue zoisite” (which might be pronounced like “blue suicide”) wouldn’t sell well. From 1967 to 1972, an estimated two million carats of tanzanite were mined in Tanzania. The mines were later nationalized by the Tanzanian government.

The world’s largest faceted tanzanite is 737.81 carats. Another one of the most famous large tanzanites weighing in at 242 carats is the ‘Queen of Kilimanjaro’. It is set in a tiara and accompanied by with 803 brilliant cut tsavorite garnets and 913 brilliant cut diamonds. Because tanzanite is relatively soft, it is not usually set in necklaces and earrings, so the tiara is truly a rarity. The tiara is currently on display in the Gallery of Gold and Gems at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The exhibition is from the private collection of Michael Scott who was the first CEO of Apple Computers.

The normal primary and secondary hues in tanzanite are blue and purple, not violet. Tanzanite is a trichroic gemstone, meaning that light that enters the stone is divided into three sections, each containing a portion of the visible spectrum. After heating, tanzanite becomes dichroic. The dichroic colors are red and blue.

Except for a few stones that were found close to the surface in the early days of the discovery, Tanzanite is universally heat-treated to produce a range of hues between bluish-purple to purplish-blue. Since heat treatment is universal, it has no effect on price, and finished gems are assumed to be heat-treated. Rarely, tanzanite is found in other colors, green being the rarest, although technically it would be called ‘green zoisite’ rather than tanzanite. These would, of course, be even more expensive than precious Tanzanite.

Beautiful Cubic Zirconia

Cubic Zirconia – usually called ‘CZ’ – is becoming more and more popular as a wonderful gem to use in all types of jewelry. Let’s learn a little more about this gemstone.

Cubic zirconia is the cubic crystalline form of zirconium dioxide. The synthesized material is hard, optically flawless and usually colorless, but is also available in a variety of different colors. It should not be confused with zircon, which is a zirconium silicate. It is sometimes erroneously called ‘cubic zirconium’. Because of it is so inexpensive, it is durable, and looks so much like a diamond, synthetic cubic zirconia has remained the most gemologically and economically important competitor for diamonds since 1976. It is sometimes marketed under the brand name ‘Diamonique’.

Cubic zirconia is relatively hard, at about 8 on the Mohs scale— slightly harder than most semi-precious natural gems. Because of its high hardness, it is generally considered brittle. It is also very bright and sparkles beautifully – close to the level of a real diamond. Under shortwave UV cubic zirconia typically fluoresces a yellow, greenish yellow or “beige”. Under longwave UV the effect is greatly diminished, with a whitish glow sometimes being seen. Colored stones may show a strong, complex spectrum.

And, now for a bit of history. Discovered in 1892, the yellowish monoclinic mineral baddeleyite is a natural form of zirconium oxide. It has little economic importance because of its rarity.  Many years ago, as with the majority of grown diamond substitutes, the idea of producing single-crystal cubic zirconia arose in the minds of scientists seeking a new and versatile material for use in lasers and other optical applications. Some of the earliest research into controlled single-crystal growth of cubic zirconia occurred in 1960s France, much work being done by Y. Roulin and R. Collongues. This technique involved molten zirconia being contained within a thin shell of still-solid zirconia, with crystal growth from the melt: The process was named cold crucible, because of the system of water cooling used. Though promising, these attempts yielded only small crystals.

Later, Soviet scientists under V. V. Osiko at the Lebedev Physical Institute in Moscow perfected the technique, which was then named skull crucible, and they named the jewel Fianit after the institutes name, but the name was not used outside of the USSR. Their breakthrough was published in 1973, and commercial production began in 1976. By 1980 annual global production had reached 50 million carats. The Soviet-perfected skull crucible is still used today, with little variation. Water-filled copper pipes provide a cup-shaped scaffold in which the zirconia feed powder is packed, the whole contraption being wrapped with radio frequency induction coils running perpendicular to the copper pipes. A stabilizer, typically calcium oxide, is mixed with the feed powder.

But, enough of all this technical stuff. I doubt that anyone reading this would be interested in making their own cubic zirconia. Instead, we like to look at it and enjoy collecting it in its many beautiful forms in so many wonderful pieces of jewelry.