Ten Things You Should Know Before You Go Shopping For That Special Ring

Rings symbolize lasting love, but there are so many choices to navigate – gold or platinum? An original design or an antique? – that it’s difficult to know how to pick the best ring. Learn the criteria for purchasing a top-notch ring, and like your relationship, if it is a quality ring, it should grow richer and more beautiful with age.
If you don’t know the product, know your jeweler. What you don’t want is a pretty face in a pin-striped suit. Ask questions, and if you don’t like the answers, move on. If you are shopping for gems, seek out a Graduate Gemologist with a diploma from the Gemological Institute of America.
Today’s wedding rings are available in a variety of finishes: polished, buff and sandblasted. Will they last? In a word, no. Precious metals are relatively soft. If you buy polished and she wants buff, they will both look about the same in a couple of years.
Gold or platinum?
Manufacturers are required to label gold according to its purity. Karat is an old standard that divides into 24 parts; 10k is 39% pure, 14k is 58% pure, 18k is 75% pure, 22k is 90% pure and 24k is 100% pure gold. 18k is the aristocrat of gold. Some U. S. jewelers will often tell you it is too soft. Though an 18k ring is a tad softer than 14k, over the years it will develop a rich, buttery patina.
Platinum is not labeled in Karats but by percentage of purity. In the United States the percentage of metal must be at least 90% before a ring can be legally labeled platinum.
A platinum ring costs at least twice the price of the same ring in 14k gold. Why? Platinum has greater density; a one-inch cube of platinum weighs 40% more than an identical cube of pure gold. Platinum is currently priced at about twice the gold price because it is used 90% pure and it is more difficult to work with.
Gold is the most plastic of metals, but platinum is the more durable. However, a heavy, high-quality ring made of either metal should last for many years.
Gem set, unique design or antique?
Be careful when buying gem set rings. Many of this type are manufactured offshore. They are cast all in one piece and the prongs that hold the stones are soft. Ask your jeweler about the manufacturing process. A yellow gold ring with yellow prongs set with white diamonds should be viewed with suspicion. High-quality rings are made in two parts with tempered die-struck prongs soldered in place. For diamonds, the prongs should be white. Beware of deals that sound too good to be true. After you replace a few stones, your great deal may turn into your worst nightmare.
If you want a unique design to symbolize your unique relationship, consider a handmade original design. Think they’re too expensive? Not necessarily. Most handmade rings are made by a goldsmith and sold directly to the consumer. Most commercially-made rings pass through several hands before reaching yours, gathering mark-ups along the way. Therefore, a handmade ring may be a better value for your money and often the craftsman will do the design work for free.
Should you buy an antique ring? By definition, an antique has been around a long time. Art-Deco period rings made in the 1920’s are very popular today. When you buy an antique you become its custodian. Jewelers will usually not warranty antique pieces so be sure to check before purchasing an antique ring. And these rings were made for women who lived a less active lifestyle. Be practical! That delicate lacy design will not last long on a woman whose hobby is rock climbing!
Most of all, these rings will be the single most enduring symbol of your love. You will wear them for many years while the wedding gown gathers mothballs in your closet. Whatever rings you choose, make sure you love them!
About The Author
Richard W. Wise is a Graduate Gemologist and President of R.W. Wise, Goldsmiths, Inc. His early interest in gemstones led him to write extensively about precious stones. For more information visit his website at http://www.secretsofthegemtrade.com.

Diamond Bracelets

Bracelets are the ring worn around the wrist that represents true fashion and style of a person’s personality. It is one of the oldest forms of jewelry used by human. When added with sparkling diamonds, bracelets represent not only the fashion but an elegance that enhances over all aura of a person. That’s why, they are highly in demand and simply adores by its wearers.
Shopping for a diamond bracelet is an enjoyable experience. You can choose varieties in design, size and pattern that really give a classy look in your fashion sense. Tennis bracelets, cuff bracelets, bangle bracelets and diamond bezel bracelets are the common formats which looks really dramatic and catchy with their charm.
Tennis bracelets are the most common type of a diamond bracelet available in the market. It is made by linking numerous diamonds altogether in a row or chain that looks really well when worn in free flowing manner. It gained its popularity when a tennis player lost it in the court and thus get a name “tennis bracelets” that became a top selling bracelet nowadays. Bangle bracelets are also a popular form of oval constructed diamond bracelets that carries diamonds in a slip. It is generally worn loosely to bring out its charm and glitter best. Cuff bracelets are the solid metal rings that get slips in your arm easily and look extremely attractive.
It’s that only women can wear bracelets but there are a whole lot variety in men’s wear is also available in the market to cater the male interests. Specially designed and crafted for different and exclusive occasions, these bracelets offers great styles that add shine to their manhood.
Apart from different styles, bracelets are accessible in different metals such as silver, gold and platinum that suits the need of different people. From a simple and plain design in silver to a well crafted and complicated design in gold, it is equally effective when worn in fashionable manner. You can also choose your type of bracelets as per your pocket size and preference.
Bracelet is a small accessory but a great fashion statement for all, from an innocent child to an old woman; everyone is equally charmed and lured by its beauty and perfection. So, next time when you are planning to buy a bracelet, look for the design and style that gives you distinctive style. May be it is small to see but remember its effect that is going to really deep.
For more information on diamond jewelry visit http://www.1a-jewelry.com.
About The Author
Rachana Agarwal is a jewelry business expert.
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How To Buy Diamonds Online For Ridiculously Low Prices

Almost all of us will buy a diamond, a diamond ring or another kind of diamond jewel. Getting married involves buying a diamond ring for your fiancée, anniversary rings are also common, and let's not forget men's diamond rings - they are very popular, too. In the age of information, it makes sense to consider the option of buying a diamond on the Internet. And indeed, mega sites like bluenile.com, diamond.com and more offer a huge selection of diamonds in all shapes and sizes to choose from. Many of the diamonds are certified so you don't risk getting a diamond that is less than promised. The big diamond sites are a good option for getting a diamond, but in most cases the savings on the price will not be too great - in fact, you may get a similar price if you haggle a bit with a local diamond dealer. The best place to locate real bargains in the diamond field is ebay.com There has been a lot of talk on buying and selling on ebay, and one ca find good advice about these subjects. Buy in this article we'll discuss specific advice about buying diamonds on ebay. There are some very simple rules that need to be observed when buying diamonds on ebay. If you follow these rules you are very likely to find great deals on ebay. Advice no. 1 - Search the right way. Go for the "advanced search" option. There will be an "Exclude these words" box. You want to exclude words like : "lab", "zircon", "enhanced". This will weed out the "wannabe" diamonds and leave you with the best ones. Advice no.2 - Does the seller have a solid positive feedback? - check the seller's feedback and see that they have at least 50 positive feedbacks form selling diamonds in the past. Also note how many negative feedback they had. Strive for at least %98 positive feedback. In many cases it is tempting to buy a cheap diamond from a new seller, but this is in many cases a bad move, as you have no knowledge on this seller Advice no.3 - Watch similar diamonds to the one you want and see how much the sell for. Don’t buy right away. Just watch a few auctions as they evolve. This will help you establish a range of prices you aim at. Advice no. 4 - Go for certified. Again, it's tempting to buy an un-certified diamond but in many cases this will be a big mistake. Go for certified diamonds only and this way you'll make sure you get what you paid for, no less. Advice no. 5 - Use ebay as a means of pressure. If you have a local diamond dealer who is trying to sell you a diamond, you may want to use the price levels you see on ebay as leverage in your negotiation with that dealer. You may get a better deal. Going online to buy a diamond can save you thousands of dollars. Give this approach a try the nest time you go shopping for a diamond.
About The Author
Gill Reese is the owner of http://www.diamonds-r-4u.info. You may visit the site and learn more about how to buy diamond ring, beacelets, diamond anniversary ring and more.

Saving Money on Diamonds and Jewelry Matching (Tips from the pros)

Tips from the Pros (how to become a smarter diamonds shopper) A few simple facts will help you save money and become a smart diamond shopper! 1. Diamond grades have points at which the cost of the diamond can rise or decrease precipitously, thus you should try to find a diamond that is a lower weight group but with similar measurements to the higher group. For example a 1.00 ct with 6.1 mm would cost more than 10% from a 0.96 ct with 6.1 mm this difference in weight won't be noticed to the naked eye. There are a few simple facts that will help you to save money when you are Looking for your diamond. 2. Fluorescence makes a difference in the appearance in only 2% of the stones but it receives a 2-5% discount in the market. So by buying a medium fluorescence diamond you will lower the price of your purchase with a low probability to notice a genuine difference. (Very strong and strong fluorescence has a higher probability to affect the appearance of the diamond). 3. We all want a perfect diamond to our loved ones or ourselves but we cant always afford a flawless diamond, the clarity of the stone is not visible to the naked eye between IF-VS2 and even SI are not supposed to make a difference once the stone is set in a jewelry so if you have a budget that you must keep SI1 is more than enough. 4. Very important - all of the above is based on the assumption that the stone is graded according to the GIA grading. Now how would you match the diamonds you buy with your own jewelry Matching a diamond to your jewelry To perfectly match your diamonds with your jewelry you must keep reading. 1. Colors-after you know your budget and preferable design you need to match the color of the diamond to the jewelry. Color in diamonds?! First of all there are natural colored diamonds and second of all the material from which the jewelry is made will help you better choose the color of your diamond. As a thumb rule white gold setting helps the diamond to appear as a higher color than rose gold. So if buying a D color diamond doesn't suit your planned budget choose a lower color with white gold. 2. Measurements-find out what is the range of the needed measurements for your chosen jewelry before purchasing the diamond. 1.00 ct round diamond can be 6.6 mm and it can also be 5.9 mm so you need to research a bit before matching a diamond. (You can and should do it the other way around – buy the diamond according to your budget and than bring it to a local jeweler for setting or buy both from the same online vendor to ensure a perfect fit). 3. Multi diamond jewelry-if you decide to purchase a multi diamond jewelry don’t forget that the human eye determines colors through comparison so it will have a less wanted affect if your side stones will be D color and the center stone J color the other way around should create a better affect.
About The Author
If you are looking for diamonds Gemisimo loose diamond search site which has some good diamond tips and an advanced diamond search engine, which will help you compare prices from over a dozen online gemstone vendors. This will help you get the best price for the diamond of your choice. Visit: http://www.gemisimo.com/ for all your loose diamond needs