Precious stones are cut and polished to develop the beauties which are latent in them. The diamond in its natural found state is not spectacular. The diamond in a natural state is merely a luminous gray pebble. The diamond does have however, inherent qualities which can be made beautiful. By properly cutting and polishing a diamond, it has the power to reflect and disperse light falling upon it to an extraordinary degree.

Cutting and polishing the diamond will bring out the natural luster or surface power of reflection. The idea is to throw back as much of the light rays as possible. Angled facets are taken advantage of to reflect and refract even more light. Knowing the exact angle to which rays of light are bent on entering, are key to knowing where to place facets to catch fugitive rays that try to pass through the stone by driving them back and forth up the diamonds walls and finally shooting them out and into the beholders eye.

When diamond cutting and polishing first began to take place, two stones were rubbed against each other to grind away the skin of the natural facets and make polished surfaces. Using this crude and outdated method, very little of the stones original weight was sacrificed. As the cutting and polishing methods have continued to improve, so has the number and placement of facets. The modern cut consists of fifty eight facets. This arrangement remains the perfect modern cut. During all of the years of improving the refining process, cutting has remained paramount. Cutters will often times sacrifice magnificence in order to have a heavier stone. The royal magnificence of the diamond can be fully attained only by fitting its proportions to the natural qualities of the stone.

It was in America that cutting stones for brilliance rather that weight began. It was popular in Europe to cut more for weight and less for beauty. Beginning with Henry D. Morse, cutting for beauty became a trademark. He would not hesitate to sacrifice material in order to make the finished stone as perfect and beautiful as possible. Machinery to perfect facets was perfected in his shop, and he taught and insisted on mathematical exactitude. Due to demand European cutters have had to confirm to it.

While a buyer of stones can not always tell by measurements whether or not the stone is cut to its best proportions, he can decide the question by its appearance. An equally proportioned stone shows an equal distribution of light and brilliancy. If the stone is cut too shallow or too deep it will not be as brilliant as a perfectly cut one. The trade has come to find that the proper spread of the stone is of a great importance. A lighter stone that has the same spread diameter as a heavier one may be more brilliant, thus the there is a demand for shallow cut stones. If a stone is just as brilliant at twenty feet as it is at one foot the stones proportions are definitely close.

The diamond, being the hardest substance known to man, can be cut only by diamond powder. In order to make a diamond cutting blade, diamond dust is pounded in a mortar if hardened steel, and the powder is used to charge the wheels upon which diamonds are ground.

The first step in diamond cutting is to examine the crystal and decide which way it should be cut to achieve optimal results. Flaws and imperfections in the finished stone should be avoided. Preservation of material, and proportion preserved are both also necessities.

After the cutting of a diamond, next comes polishing. The work is done on a horizontal wheels which make about two thousand revolutions per minute. During the polishing faze, the diamond is kept moist with a mixture of olive oil and diamond-dust. The extent to which stones are polished differ, so like the edges of the facets to be sharp like a knife, while others want them to be less pronounced. If the edges are thin they are less likely to chip, or split.

In today’s market it is almost impossible to stock almost any amount of perfectly cut stones. The waste and care necessary to produce them add a considerable amount to the cost. Never the less the public is becoming increasingly more aware of the value of this kind of work. The customer is becoming more willing to pay the difference between a decently cut stone and a fine cut stone. It does take time to truly appreciate a fine cut stone, but the more a person is acquainted, the more confidence he will have with what the dealer has sold him.

Do you love jewelry, but not its price tags? How many times have you felt the bitter disappointment of falling in love with a particular piece of jewelry only to realize that it was way beyond your budget? Or perhaps you would love to purchase some new jewelry, but the inconvenience of the process has held you back. Maybe you’re someone who doesn’t have time to spend hours wondering through several different jewelry stores at your local shopping mall, or maybe you don’t have access to local jewelry store at all. It seems like the more you try to find jewelry, the more frustrated you get, and the more willing you are to continue wearing jewelry that you’ve owned for years and don’t even like. You just wish that you could get your hands on a piece of jewelry that would impress all your friends and co-workers, something that would compliment your beauty and not compromise your wallet.

If that describes you in any way, let me introduce (or perhaps, re-introduce) you to Jewelry Television.

Jewelry Television has opened the usually-exclusive world of fine jewelry and gemstones to the average citizen. Doing so has made it one of the top 20 largest jewelry retailers in America and the largest retailer of loose gemstones on the planet. Jewelry Television is America’s fastest growing home shopping network and is also the only home shopping network that is focused exclusively on the sale of jewelry and gemstones. Jewelry Television offers a huge collection of loose and set fine jewelry, diamonds, precious and semi-precious gemstones, and much more–all at prices well below the retail value! They are the first and only television shopping network to make a commitment to providing their customers not only with excellent jewelry, but also with helpful tips about buying jewelry. These tips can be found at their enormous website along with all the items that are shown on their television programs.

So why not give Jewelry Television a try? It’s cheaper than anywhere else, and you can shop from the convenience of your own home! As you watch their entertaining shows and browse through their visitor-friendly website, you’ll find yourself enjoying jewelry shopping like you never did before. Whether you’re new to gemstones and jewelry, or you’re a seasoned collector, Jewelry Television has promised to help you find what you’re looking for. Before you know it, you’ll be wearing gorgeous, high-quality jewelry that you previously thought you couldn’t afford.

The internet streamlines the way a company does business. It cuts operating costs while creating an international presence that can increase profits exponentially. But what does this mean for the consumer? It means competitive prices, a wider variety of products, a hassle-free shopping experience and a more satisfying purchase. Despite the light-years E-Commerce has come in the last half-decade, one thing seems to remain the same: the way people shop. With the emergence of different internet shopping tools, websites and widgets its still surprising that only a small percentage of online shoppers do extensive research before making a purchase. Making an informed decision is key to online shopping and should be at the top of your priority list, especially when you’re buying big ticket items.

Jewelry Shopping Aids

Jewelry, for instance, generates Billions of dollars each year for internet retailers, however only a fraction of these sales is attributed to a referral from a shopping comparison website. On the other hand, those who rely on shopping comparison websites can miss coming across better quality products at similar if not better prices from newer merchants who do not appear in those advertising channels. This is why it is very important to utilize all media at your disposal to make an informed decision. In short, do not limit yourself to natural search engine results, pricing comparison sites or widgets and apps, but use a combination of all three.

Get Educated

The amount of information you know on any given product or website is another factor that determines the outcome of any internet purchase. A successful online jewelry purchase involves understanding jewelry terminology and specifications while getting a basic understanding of precious metals, gemstones and diamonds. Without this you are unable to judge whether or not a website is being upfront about the products they are selling (i.e. is the price is too good to be true?) or if you really are getting a great quality product at a competitive price. As a jewelry connoisseur a quick browse through of a website is enough for me to determine whether or not I can trust the retailer with my personally identifiable information (credit card information, billing/shipping address and email address). Therefore, a basic understanding of jewelry helps you put up the red flags when weeding out the scamming sites from legitimate businesses trying to provide the best possible shopping experience at an affordable price.

Test Drive Before Committing

Finally, it is also important to conduct a quick audit of the website to ensure they have the E-Commerce staples. A security certificate and contact information (telephone number AND address) is important when considering to purchase from a website. I suggest sending a test email to gauge their response times and level of support offered before committing to a purchase. As for the security certificate, all online jewelry websites need to divert you to a secure page when logging in to your account, or when you are creating an account and making a purchase. If they do not, one, if not both of these is true: 1) they do not take protecting your information seriously or 2) they are not an actual online jewelry retailer. No matter which of these it may be, steer clear.

Diamonds could last forever. This is because diamond is the hardest of all the gem stones and only another piece of diamond could break it apart. This is why diamonds are used in various forms of jewelries. Aside from the fact that it is hard to break; it has a precious and priceless value. A diamond has always been a perfect material for engagement rings, graduation rings and the most popular wedding rings.

We often think that diamonds are just for women. It is usually found in pairs of earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and precious wrist watch and in rings. Men today are also in to using and choosing diamonds as an additional accent in their jewelries. It boosts out the masculine side and aura of men which makes them simply spectacular. Some of the common jewelries used by men are necklaces, wrist watch, and enormous sizes of rings. Diamond rings for men should be chosen wisely and viably. Here are some facts to be considered of in finding the perfect diamond that would fit to your preference.

Purchasing a diamond is one of the most memorable decisions that you will ever make in your life. Every diamond is said to be unique, precious and extra valuable to its appearance. Therefore, you should be essential to diamond facts to ensure that the diamond you will buy will fit you and your preference as well as your desire. It has been a norm that if you really want to be good in choosing diamonds you need to consider its color, clarity, carat and cut.

When a diamond is colorless, it is said to be a perfect diamond. However, you can still choose a colored one depending on your taste and preference. Clarity depicts about the presence or absence of inclusions within the diamond and when it blemishes on a surface. Diamonds that are crystal clear are the most popular and the most expensive ones. Next, carat gives you the value of your diamond considering its weight and carat level.

If you are really not fond of using or buying jewelries for yourself, you can have them as a special gift to your loved one. This is what most men do to impress their loved ones. However, they all find it hard on choosing and buying the perfect diamond jewelry for their partners. Fortunately there are several ways on how you can obtain the perfect ring that will suit to the personality and taste of your partner.

The first you should know is that what your girl likes. Make sure that she will really use your planned gift for her and make sure that she is fond of wearing jewelries. You should also consider the color and size of jewelry as an additional guide in buying jewelries. For assurance, learn more about diamonds even just a bit about it. This would help you on how to choose the ring for her. After making yourself well-informed about diamonds, you can immediately shop and pick the most gorgeous gem for her and you will probably be rewarded more than what you have expected.

Jewelry lovers are often confused between simulated diamonds and created diamonds. These two terms mean the same thing to most people but you’d better think twice. As an educated consumer, you should know the difference.

Simulated diamonds are quite popular and most sellers and distributors claim that the diamonds are the same as created diamonds. A created diamond is like mined diamonds physically, visually, and chemically. It is also sometimes called lab created diamond because it makes use of technological processes like the CVD and HPHT. A simulated diamond has similar gemological characteristics as the mined diamond and it can be natural, artificial, or a combination of the two. Typical examples are rhinestones and white sapphire. The latest creation is hybrid diamonds which was launched this year.

If you want to own a simulated diamond, you need to be aware that it possesses properties that are very much similar to diamonds although there are notable differences. Diamond simulant have flaws and are not as hard as the diamond. The real diamond is the hardest according to the Mohs scale. Poor polish is another external difference. In terms of brilliance and fire, the simulated diamonds comes close to mined diamonds especially the all new hybrid diamonds. According to studies, most diamond simulants are more brilliant than diamonds which makes them quite popular.

Aside from rhinestones and the new hybrid diamonds, other materials include glasses, white sapphire, spinel, rutile, Strontium titanate, YAG, and GGG. So take a closer look at the two most popular simulated diamonds.

Hybrid diamonds – this is the newest simulated diamond available in the market. It can’t be called a created diamond because it did not undergo the CVD or HPHT process. It was created using the FCVA-Ion Jet Beam Diamond Seeding which resulted to an affordable alternative. The current price of the hybrid diamond is $800/carat and it is sold in artisan designs. If you’re looking for jewelry with unmatched brilliance, this may be an excellent choice. The price is still reasonable as compared to the very expensive diamonds. You can get it at major jewelry stores worldwide.Synthetic rutile – this was first introduced in 1948 and is quite popular for its brilliance. It resembles low-color grade diamonds because of its high refractive index and 6.5-dispersion that causes the exceptional fire display. However, if you observe the stone closely, the back facets tend to double. Yellowish body color usually remains on the stone.

YAG – this is different from garnet. It is created using the flux melt method and was launched way back in 1969. Like diamonds, it loups clean, hard, and singly refractive. It lacks fire but when cut properly, it can look like real diamonds.

As long as you know the difference between the two terms, you can surely shop for the perfect jewelry. Sellers often claim that simulated is the same as created. It doesn’t really matter how the sellers and distributors call them as long as you know how to purchase wisely.

What do you do if you want to are interested in finding unusual diamond ring ideas? It is so easy to jump in the car and drive to your local jeweler’s shop. That takes no creativity at all. However, if you are someone who is interested in dancing to a different tune, perhaps a jewelry designer is the way to go.

Most cities have designers that create specialty pieces. They are probably in the yellow pages. Ask you local jeweler if he does specialty pieces. If not, visit the ones he recommends and find out what kind of work they produce. See if their ideas match what you have in mind. You can be wonderfully creative with your choice of gems while adding sapphires, rubies or perhaps, pearls.

Steer away from the designers that only do gold or silver necklaces. They may not have an inventory of gems for you to choose from and you would be having to work with two jewelers. It is better to work with one that can produce your vision.

If you are unsuccessful with local designers, boot up the Internet. You can find unusual diamond ring ideas everywhere. It is literally a playground of inviting choices. There are thousands of artists displaying their work, and the images they have of both vintage and modern designs. This is a wonderful way to get ideas of what you are attracted to as well as what you want to make sure you don’t invest good money in.

Email some of the creators. They usually have a “contact us” button somewhere. If you like some but they aren’t “just right”, you can still print out the designs that attract you. Understand some of these designs are on-of-a-kind and it would be inappropriate to have someone other than the original designer replicate them. Respect their hard work and creativity.

However, if you find someone who dances to the same tune you do, tell them what you want. Have them estimate hind out how expensive it will be to make. Understand from the get-go that having a piece made for you is going to be costly. Determine how costly before the work begins. If everything is a go, be patient.

It takes time to create an individual diamond ring setting. Have them keep you informed and perhaps send you photos of the work as it is being done. That would be fun, wouldn’t it? Watching something come together so similar to what you had in your mind would be incredible.

It’s done. You head over to the jeweler’s shop and you wait for the finished ring. When he puts it on your finger, you will know you have fought the battle of how to find unusual diamond ring ideas, and won!

Nearly every person in the world has old gold and used jewelry laying around in their dresser drawers, safety deposit box, or jewelry box. Some of these things have not been worn in years or are simply out of date. Perhaps somebody gave you a piece of jewelry and you don’t wear it anymore. Now more than ever you can turn this used, old and outdated jewelry into real cash. Did you know that you can do this over the Internet safely and securely? There are just a few things you need to keep mindful when doing so:

1. How long has the buyer of your gold been operating on the Internet? Minimum of 5 years would be good.

2. Does the buyer have a physical mailing address as opposed to a PO BOX and where your package can be signed for with proof of receipt?

3. Does the buyer belong to the BBBOnLine program run by the Better Business Bureau?

4. Can the buyer turn the transaction around in a few days (3 days maximum) as opposed to a few weeks?

5. Does the buyer have the means to pay you quickly through an online payment system directly to you?

6. Does the buyer track your order and keep you up to date via email?

7. Does the buyer offer a fair price for your scrap and used gold or unused gold and jewelry? As of January 8, 2008, about $15.00 ppw is fair and reasonable.

8. Does the buyer assure your confidentiality? That your sale will be keep completely confidential?

If the answer is NO to any of these questions, run to the next internet buyer and ask the same questions again until you get YES answers to each and every question.

Selling your old and scrap gold has never been easier and safer through the Internet once you have found a “qualified buyer”. Again, a qualified buyer answers yes, to each and every question above.

Selling your old, used and scrap gold through the Internet will help you to yield a higher payout than if you sold to your local pawn shop or local jewelry store. Word of advice. DO NOT SELL YOUR SCRAP GOLD TO ANY PAWN SHOP. You will receive only pennies on the dollar and will have to fill out extensive paperwork. On the Internet, there is NO paperwork to fill out and since there is lower overhead to process your scrap gold, you will receive a much higher payout.

Once you have found a qualified buyer for your scrap, used or old gold and jewelry, the process for redemption (getting your cash) should be easy.

Go to any office supply store and purchase a reinforced and secure mailer. This is a mailing envelope that is reinforced to prevent tearing or easy access by anyone after you have sealed it. Anybody at the office supply store can help you locate this type of envelope or we will send you one for FREE.

1. Place all of your scrap into the mailer, after you have addressed it to the buyer. Make sure you always have a return address on the mailer.

2. Always use the United States Postal Service (USPS) when shipping your package. We have never lost a package through the United States Postal Service. Why? It is a federal crime for anyone to take possession (even touch it, except by postal workers) of US Mail other than the recipient (Company being mailed to). This is not the case with FedEx, UPS, or DHL. Obviously, never disclose what is inside any valuable package. Insure for $100.00 (a little added security) and then mail it to the buyer.

3. You should receive confirmation within 3-5 business days after you have mailed your scrap gold.

4. The buyer will send you an email confirming receipt of your scrap gold and jewelry.

5. The buyer will do some tests on your old and used gold, weigh it and make you an offer for purchase. You either accept the price or decline the price offered to you. If you decline, your package will be sent back to you.

6. If you accept the price offered to you for your old, used and scrap gold, the buyer will send you your payment by company check or instant payment through your valid email address. It should be that simple!

Why not turn unused and old gold jewelry into cash through the Internet? There is no better time than right now. Use the cash for some new jewelry or use the cash for a vacation or maybe some new furniture! Whatever you use the money for, it is safer and easier now than ever to trade your old gold and jewelry for cash today through the advances and safeguards of the Internet.

Okay, you are ready to “pop” the question, and you need to get a good deal on a diamond engagement ring. Of course, you have a limited budget. So how do you figure out what to buy?

Here are five shopping tips that will help you get the right diamond ring at the right price.

1. Shop for the Diamond First. Whether you shop online or in-store, first select the diamond and then the setting (the ring itself). Avoid buying pre-packaged, diamond engagement ring products. Diamonds already set in a ring are usually lower quality and overpriced. By shopping for a loose diamond first, you can get a better quality diamond and still stay within your budget. At your local jeweler’s shop, you can more easily examine a loose diamond under a microscope or 10X magnifying glass (called a jeweler’s loupe), than one already in a setting. The diamond’s size and shape will also often dictate what type of setting to get.
2. Read the Grading Report. Only buy a diamond of.23 carat or greater if it comes with a diamond grading report or certificate from a reputable gemological laboratory, such as GIA (Gemological Institute of America) which grades over 75{b684a1c6d8fa4ecab1dc97042a200d78c5673afb14c4d0099bf015f263e1ee6a} of the fine jewelry quality diamonds, or AGSL (American Gem Society Laboratories) a leading grader of higher quality stones. The grading report/certificate will verify the diamond’s carat weight and quality, including the color grade, clarity grade, cut grade, and other important characteristics that affect the diamond’s value. Reputable retailers will allow you to inspect the grading report/certificate before purchasing the diamond.
3. Find Out What You Can Afford. Even before heading to your local jeweler or surfing over the Internet to find one of the leading on-line diamond
4. Compare Diamond Prices and Verify Before You Buy. Diamond prices vary not only by a diamond’s size (carat weight) and quality, but by retailer as well. You should expect to pay 5 to 45{b684a1c6d8fa4ecab1dc97042a200d78c5673afb14c4d0099bf015f263e1ee6a} more for a diamond at your local jeweler, department store or jewelry chain store than if you buy over the Internet, depending on the diamond. But for that extra price you should expect to get individual customer service and will not have to wait for your purchase to arrive by FEDEX or UPS. Take charge of your diamond shopping and don’t be pushed into buying something you can’t afford or don’t want. Search online and compare prices, and visit several stores before deciding on a diamond. Then, before you buy, verify the price is fair by checking the blue book value for the diamond online.
5. Buy With Her in Mind When Choosing the Shape and Setting. If you get the chance, window shop with her to see what shape of diamond and type of setting she would prefer. If you want to surprise her, you may need to ask her friends or a family member if she would prefer a yellow gold, white gold or a platinum setting. If she has thin long fingers, a Marquise shape may be better than an Emerald shape diamond. The most popular shape is the Round Brilliant, but it is also the most expensive on a per-carat basis. The Princess shape is currently a popular diamond for engagement rings and can be up to 10{b684a1c6d8fa4ecab1dc97042a200d78c5673afb14c4d0099bf015f263e1ee6a} less per carat than a Round Brilliant. More important than saving a few dollars is insuring she is happy with the shape of the diamond and type of setting, so do your homework before you buy.

Are you looking for a diamond engagement ring or a wedding ring? You’ll want to be careful since there are so many scams on the web. You’ll want to do your research carefully to make sure that the merchant that you’re buying from is a safe one and offers high quality jewelry as well.

If you feel totally safe buying from an online shop, you’ll be at an advantage since you can often buy diamond rings at a lower price than you would get from a local shop. Although price is the driving factor for many, you’ll want to be careful. If you find an online shop that offers diamonds at an unbelievable price, you could be looking at a scam.

If this is your first time shopping online for a diamond engagement or wedding ring, you may be surprised at the selection. If you were to go to a local jewelry store, you may find 1 or 2 rings that might suit your significant other. Yes, shopping for a diamond ring can be tough. However, with the huge supply of diamond rings online, you’ll be able to find many to your significant others liking.

With so many choices, some people may be blinded by the variety that the online shop has. There might be one style that you might really like and dismiss other stores that don’t offer it. In this case, you’ll want to take great care in your consideration. Diamond rings are expensive and shopping for a diamond ring shouldn’t be taken lightly…as you are giving a significant sum of money to a person that you have never met.

Have you learned the basics of buying a diamond yet? Have you ever heard of the four C’s? This are the four factors that you must consider when buying any diamond ring. The four C’s stand color, cut, clarity, and carat. When you are shopping for a diamond, it is best to make an informed decision. Once you have the knowledge, it becomes easier to shop wisely and avoid the scams.

When you find a diamond ring that you like, consider the price. Would you really want to buy a diamond ring that costs 3 times more just because it has a nicer setting? If you really want to find the best deals, look for the sales. If you like any of the ones on sale, you’ll be able to get one at a hard to beat price. Okay, so you found the style that you love and at the right price? That’s not enough, you must still do more research.

So once you understand the four C’s, look for those ratings for the style of diamond ring you are considering. Sometimes they’ll have grades from various independent laboratories. Some of the popular ones that grade the diamonds are GIA, AGS, EGL, and HRD. The way that the ratings are displayed are dependent on which company evaluates the diamond. In many cases, the merchant may use GIA. So review those four C’s and make sure you aren’t getting a diamond ring that has too many blemishes or inclusions, as they are offered through cheap companies.

The next step is considering the merchant-the online jewelry store. First, you have to evaluate the trust factors. Many of the reputable shops have gone through the Better Business Bureau (BBB Online), Bizrate, and have secure credit card purchased through a third party like VeriSign. You’ll often see the links or buttons for these companies at the very bottom or side of the website. Just click on the links to verify that the company is secure of not trying to con you. As sites like BBB online will often show if the merchant has had any complaints.

One of the most frequently asked questions by visitors to my site is “Is it safe to buy a diamond online?”

My answer is unequivocally YES!

We’re all getting much more comfortable these days with the ease and security which the majority of Internet sites provide when shopping for whatever we fancy online, so why not diamonds?

Shopping for a diamond is like shopping for a car. You wouldn’t buy a car without knowing what specifications you were looking for, and what your budget allows, would you? It’s the same with diamonds. Learn as much as you can about the all-important 4Cs before you go shopping for a diamond, whether shopping online or offline.

I recommend you start with the Diamond Buying Guide on my website.

And just like car salespeople, there are the quality diamond websites and the (ahem!) “less than quality” websites.

Bluenile.com is the largest retailer of certified diamonds on the Internet and has been voted Forbes Magazine’s “Favorite Online Jeweler” for the past five years.

Its powerful diamond search tool lets you search through over 50,000 diamonds for shape, color, size, carat, clarity and price, and all their diamonds come with a GIA or AGS grading report – your guarantee you are getting what you paid for.

Mondera.com is an equally high-quality site. Mondera features a diamond search tool where you can choose your diamond by size, clarity, color, cut and value and the GIA or AGS report is available when you purchase.

Mondera also offers a great diamond education center, where you can learn everything you need to know about purchasing diamonds beforehand.

Both Bluenile and Mondera offer same day FedEx shipping for in stock diamonds, and a 30-day money back guarantee.

I’ve never had a negative testimonial from visitors to either site, and the majority of happy customers tell me that they saved as much as 30{b684a1c6d8fa4ecab1dc97042a200d78c5673afb14c4d0099bf015f263e1ee6a} to 50{b684a1c6d8fa4ecab1dc97042a200d78c5673afb14c4d0099bf015f263e1ee6a} on normal retail prices.

And if great value and great service isn’t enough, think about what a breeze it is to shop for your diamond online. You don’t have to leave home, traipsing from store to store, looking for carparking and being hassled by over-zealous staff.